Category: Book Reviews

An Alisa Review: Rogue Magic by Kit Brisby

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

 

roguemagic_500x600While trapped in a stalled subway train on his morning commute, PR rep Byron Cole flirts with Levi, a young waiter with adorable curls. But Byron’s hopes for romance crash and burn when Levi saves him from a brutal explosion—with outlawed magic.

 

When Levi is imprisoned, Byron begins to question everything he’s ever believed. How can magic be evil when Levi used it to save dozens of lives? So Byron hatches a plan to save Levi that will cost him his job and probably his life. If he doesn’t pull it off, Levi will be put to death.

 

Byron discovers that he isn’t the only one questioning America’s stance on magic. And he learns that Levi is stubborn, angry, and utterly enchanting. Time is running out, though. Byron must convince Levi to trust him, to trust his own magic, and to fight against the hatred that’s forced him to hide his true nature his entire life. The more Levi opens up, the harder Byron falls. And the more they have to lose.

 

This was my first book by Kit Brisby and I wasn’t disappointed.  This story takes place in a world where those who have the ability to do magic are oppressed or imprisoned because of it.  And due to Byron’s uncle’s company many are quite afraid of what those with magic could do even though they have never seen it at work.

 

Byron has pretty much kept himself closed off after his parents’ deaths having to live in boarding schools and having an unloving uncle as his guardian.  He feels an instant connection to Levi when they meet which scares him since he has kept everyone but his best friend at arm’s length for so long.  He can’t help but keep thinking about Levi after his arrest and he starts to doubt everything he has ever been told about magic.

 

We get to see this story from a few different characters’ points of view and that goes a long way towards understanding the characters and also the world they live in.  Byron really has to prove himself to Levi and his friends through his actions for them to trust him, which he does with flying colors because when he decides to do something he goes at him 110%, even when his life is being thrown in to turmoil right along with everything else.  I loved how this author got the story across and how engaging it was.  I look forward to reading more of her books.

 

Cover art by LC Chase is wonderful; I love the visual we get of Levi and his curly hair.

 

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 328 pages

Published: January 30, 2017 by Riptide Publishing

ISBN: 9781626495272

Edition Language: English

An Alisa Review: American Telepath (Dragons Schooled #2) by Emily Carrington

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

 

american-telepathJames is a water dragon who fell in love with a human. Rather than expose that human to a dangerous magical world, James abandons Henry.

 

Five years later, they meet again—and it’s like they were never separated. Except Henry refuses—beyond the occasional bang—to have anything to do with James.

 

When Henry is punished for upsetting a powerful magical creature, James follows him into imprisonment. Together they struggle, with impromptu sex and in spite of discoveries, to overcome the past.

 

I am not quite sure how to describe this story.  James and Henry dated in high school and James deeply hurt Henry when he left without a word.  James is surprised when he meets Henry again at Searchlight Academy, but they don’t start out again on a good foot.

 

We get to see both characters’ points of view which helps understand both of their struggles and feelings.  This story mainly focuses on how dangerous dragons and other magical creatures are, which seemed a bit strange to me as I didn’t get that feeling about them in the first book in the series.  I had a hard time connecting with James and Henry as they both kept trying to keep secrets or wall themselves off from the other and acting totally opposite of their thoughts, it just didn’t jive for me.  Some of their problems stem from their earlier relationship, but also from how they have been hurt by others however little and unacknowledged it was.  I did like how James finally learns to stand up for himself in order to keep Henry safe.

 

Cover art by Fiona Jayde is nice and shows the safe house and a visual of James.

 

Sales Links: Loose Id | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 75 pages

Published: December 21, 2016 by Loose Id

ISBN: 9781682522332

Edition Language: English

Series: Dragons Schooled #2

Tune Into the Fantastical with ‘Rogue Magic’ by Kit Brisby (giveaway)

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Rogue Magic by Kit Brisby
Riptide Publishing

Cover art by L.C. Chase

Read an Excerpt/Buy It Here

 

 

 

About Rogue Magic

While trapped in a stalled subway train on his morning commute, PR rep Byron Cole flirts with Levi, a young waiter with adorable curls. But Byron’s hopes for romance crash and burn when Levi saves him from a brutal explosion—with outlawed magic.

When Levi is imprisoned, Byron begins to question everything he’s ever believed. How can magic be evil when Levi used it to save dozens of lives? So Byron hatches a plan to save Levi that will cost him his job and probably his life. If he doesn’t pull it off, Levi will be put to death.

Byron discovers that he isn’t the only one questioning America’s stance on magic. And he learns that Levi is stubborn, angry, and utterly enchanting. Time is running out, though. Byron must convince Levi to trust him, to trust his own magic, and to fight against the hatred that’s forced him to hide his true nature his entire life. The more Levi opens up, the harder Byron falls. And the more they have to lose.

Now available from Riptide Publishing. http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/rogue-magic

About Kit Brisby

Kit Brisby lives in Tampa Bay, Florida, with her two young sons and two rescue dogs. A graduate of the University of Florida, she’s been writing professionally since 2002. Her career has taken her from writing think pieces on breastfeeding to writing erotica for the adult industry—and nearly everything in between. She works in digital marketing and helps businesses find and tell their stories.

Kit is always trying to find balance between working full-time, revisiting or writing books every night, and modeling badass behavior to her two boys. Sometimes the lure of Tumblr interferes with all of that balancing. She’s just old enough to still be utterly enchanted by animated gifs.

A single mom and aspiring yogi, Kit is open about her struggles with anxiety and the importance of self-care. She also advocates for neurodiversity and acceptance of those on the autism spectrum. Few things get her as riled up as bisexual erasure.

Though she lives in the South, Kit is a NYC girl at heart, and makes a point of traveling to the city as often as she can to catch a few shows and eat as much ramen as humanly possible.

She reads avidly, and gravitates toward historical queer romance and young adult fantasy, especially when the stakes are high. She’s a fan of awkward first dates unless she’s participating in them, and is outspoken about embracing kink and sex positivity.

Connect with Kit:

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Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Rogue Magic, one lucky winner will receive a yoga mat from Kit and a $15 Riptide credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on February 4, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

An Ali Review: Soothsayer by Cari Z.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

soothsayer-by-cari-zCillian Kelly can look into people’s eyes and see their fates. He’s running from a past filled with mistakes, lying low and selling his services on the sly. When he learns that Sören Egilsson, a man who sacrificed himself so Cillian could escape imprisonment two years ago, is somehow still alive, Cillian has to find out how. What he gets is the body of the man he loves possessed by an ancient spirit who draws Cillian into a battle to the death for the right to control Sören’s fate, and the power that comes with it.

I’ve read most everything this author has written and I’m a big fan of hers.  That being said, I think this is my favorite book that she’s written.  I was immediately drawn into this story and once I started it, I could not put it down.  It’s a fairly short book but a lot happens.  The blurb perfectly explains the plot.  Cillian is living with his mother’s best friend and trying to keep a low profile.  He’s been kidnapped in the past by people who want him to do bad things for them with his power.  While he’s currently doing alright, Cillian lives with a horrible regret from his past that he can’t seem to let go.  When the chance to right the wrongs he’s done comes up, Cillian jumps at the chance to make amends despite the danger to himself.  This leads Cillian, Soren and an Icelandic land spirit that acts like a teenager, to head out across the United States on a crazy road trip.  A road trip that includes bar fights, mobsters, roller coasters, paint ball fights, hand held missiles, cowboys, more ancient spirits, waffles and blowing stuff up.  

The plot is fast paced and super entertaining.  This is the kind of story that would make a great movie.  In addition to the fun plot, there are also a lot of emotions.  The author was able to weave a complex emotional story between Cillian and Soren and it was a relationship I totally bought in to.  I was rooting for these two the entire way.  I loved Cillian as the main character but I think the author did a great job on all of the side characters too.  There a lot of them but they are all fleshed out well and they are all unique and add purpose to the overall plot.  The spirit was just as important as Soren and actually had more on page time.  He stole every scene he was in with his petulant demands.  He made me laugh out loud more than once.

 I think this book has something for everyone and will appeal to a lot of readers.  It’s unique, romantic, funny and filled with great characters.  This is one I would definitely recommend.

Cover by Natasha Snow:  I love the cover.  I think it’s eye catching and gorgeous and it fits the story perfectly.

Sale Links: NineStar | Amazon | Nook

ebook, 184 pages
Published: January 30, 2017, NineStar Press
ISBN: 9781945952524
Edition Language: English

An Ali Review: Stallions and Ice by Stephani Hecht

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

stallions-and-iceSometimes you have to climb a mountain to see the future.

While Brandon loves to go and watch his friend, Nichole, at The American Royal every year, there is no way that he is ever going to climb on a horse. His feet belong on the ground or the ice. As one the of the players of the local minor league team, the Wichita Thunder, all he dreams about is someday moving up to the major leagues. That is, until he meets Nichole’s brother, Brandon.

Brandon grew up in a family that has always been in the rodeo circuit. There was no question that he was ever going to be anything else…until he’s sidelined by seizures and can no longer ride. Then he meets Ethan and he begins to wonder, that maybe, just maybe, his life isn’t over.

Will decades of traditions tear the men apart? Or can they can overcome all their obstacles and be together?

I’m a giant hockey fan and I’ll read pretty much anything if it has a hockey player in it.  I picked this up because of that fact.  I had never read this author before so I didn’t really know what to expect.  This is a short story that was published before in an anthology.  I liked the overall plot and I liked the two main characters.  My biggest issue was that it was too short.  There was a lot going on here.  The reader is given a plot that has complicated backgrounds that incorporates dating pasts, familial relationships, careers, and health issues.  I was interested in these things but the short page count left me feeling like nothing was complete and I had a million questions still at the end of the book.  I would have preferred the author to either make this a longer, more detailed book, or have cut out a lot of the background detail.  There is only so much that can be done in a short story in my opinion.  

Overall this was an average read.  I didn’t dislike it but I didn’t love it either.  It was my first time reading this author and I did enjoy it enough to try her again.

Cover:  I love this cover.  I think it is beautifully done and it perfectly captures the spirit of the story.

Sales Links

Pride Publishing

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Book Details:

ebook
Published January 17th 2017 by Pride Publishing (first published December 20th 2016)
ISBN139781786515063
Edition LanguageEnglish

A MelanieM Release Day Review: A Face Without a Heart by Rick R. Reed

Rating:  4.75 stars out of 5

a-face-without-a-heartA modern-day and thought-provoking retelling of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray that esteemed horror magazine Fangoria called “…a book that is brutally honest with its reader and doesn’t flinch in the areas where Wilde had to look away…. A rarity: a really well-done update that’s as good as its source material.”

A beautiful young man bargains his soul away to remain young and handsome forever, while his holographic portrait mirrors his aging and decay and reflects every sin and each nightmarish step deeper into depravity… even cold-blooded murder. Prepare yourself for a compelling tour of the darkest sides of greed, lust, addiction, and violence.

Let me start off by saying that one, I think the synopsis didn’t quite get it right.  I don’t feel that A Face without a Heart is a retelling of that fabulous and horrific Oscar Wilde tale, The Picture of Dorian Gray, is rather a modern day ode to Wilde by Reed. The author takes Wilde’s story of a beautiful man who bargains away his soul rather than see himself as anything less than the perfect image he sees displayed before him and gives it a Rick R Reed, hmmm, not twist perhaps but something similar enough as though the demon who visited Dorian came back and said, ‘here’s another likely candidate.  Let’s choose him.’  And did.

If you’re not familiar with Oscar Wilde, or his story, The Picture of Dorian Gray, drop everything and go read everything you can by this man, including that one. First published in 1890 to great consternation and uproar, it holds up to this day, where its in release still.  If you’re not and are looking for a romance, stop!  There’s not one to be found here unless its one man’s love for his own reflection at the cost of his soul.  To keep that beauty intact, there’s nothing he won’t do, keep that in mind.

So no to the romance. Yes to the horror.

Yes to the slow disintegration of a man and the appearances of what a life ill-used in every possible manner can look like on a painting (Oscar Wilde) or in this case a holographic portrait which was a very neat upgrade I must say by Rick R. Reed.  From the moment Liam Howard, photographer and artist, sees the incandescent beauty of Gary Adrion, he wants him to pose for his holographic portrait.  Gary’s an innocent.  Until he see’s himself unveiled in all his perfection. The author chillingly carries us from moment to moment, in each character’s involvement with each other as they head towards this shattering unveiling that will shift all their lives forever and past to all its damning ramifications. There’s multiple pov here which works very well. We know what’s coming and still its effect is immediate and alive.  And we know Gary’s innocence has fled.

What follows is every bit as horrific and condemning of the ideas of eternal youth/beauty and lives lived empty of morality or worth to anyone but yourself as Oscar Wilde held forth in 1890.  Still true today?  You make up your own mind. I think Rick R. Reed has done a splendid job.  I highly recommend this story if you are a lover of horror and a well written tale.

Cover art by Aaron Anderson.  I understand what the artist was trying to do but I think it ended up looking more like a press run gone bad instead of a holographic image he was going  for.

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | DSP Publications

Book Details:

ebook, 4th Edition, 200 pages
Expected publication: January 31st 2017 by DSP Publications (first published January 25th 2000)
Original Title A Face Without a Heart: A Modern-Day Version of Oscar Wilde’s the Picture of Dorian Gray
ISBN 163533263X (ISBN13: 9781635332636)
Edition Language English
Literary Awards Gaylactic Spectrum Award Nominee for Best Novel (2001)

First Edition paperback published by Design Image Group, 2000.

Second Edition paperback published by iUniverse/Back in Print, 2006.

First Edition eBook published by Bristlecone Press, 2009