Category: Book Reviews

Cover Reveal for – Blood Lines by A.L Bates (excerpt and giveaway)

Blood Lines Cover Banner

Synopsis

Mark Thomas owns his own “New York”-themed bar on an off-world colony.

Nate Fox is an ex-con gone straight.

He’s also Mark’s best friend and brother-in-law.

Mark has feelings for Nate. Nate has feelings for Mark.

But neither man is prepared to compromise their friendship or Mark’s relationship with Danny.

Blood Lines is a story about fidelity, trust, and respect. It’s a story about honesty and learning from mistakes.

And it’s a story about second chances.

Blood Lines AL Bates Cover

Release date: June 21, 2016

Pre-order Links

Don’t miss the pre-order and release discounts on all retail sites by getting your copy up to 48 hours after release.

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/?p=2080
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Lines-L-Bates-ebook/dp/B01GKKKPDU/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Lines-L-Bates-ebook/dp/B01GKKKPDU/
Amazon DE: https://www.amazon.de/Blood-Lines-L-Bates-ebook/dp/B01GKKKPDU/
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Blood-Lines-L-Bates-ebook/dp/B01GKKKPDU/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-bloodlines-2055134-145.html

Excerpt

Men like Bailey were everywhere. Men who held themselves back because they feared how far they would actually go in life. Bailey, like his boss, was a ball of repressed anger and shame. He wanted things he didn’t want, he did things he didn’t want to do, and the darkness he buried within himself was so terrifying he avoided it whenever he could. Danny had discovered how to deal with these men; that offering their darkest fantasies without consequence was enough to push them over the edge. He’d done it with Phillip two nights ago, and he could do it again.

Danny dangled the bag, the suggestion rich in his eyes.

Bailey shook his head, but his attention never left the powder. “I’m on duty.”

Danny dared a step closer, his face getting dangerously close to Bailey’s. “I won’t tell anyone.”

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said.

“Then cuff me. Lock me up. Punish me.” Danny arched his eyebrow, seeing the interest flare in Bailey’s eyes. He pressed himself against Bailey’s larger, squarer frame. “I’ve been very bad. I need to be punished.”

Bailey licked at his thin lips, his eyes flickering between Danny’s and the drugs. Danny slipped the bag into Bailey’s hand—giving him the semblance of control. Carefully, he moved Bailey backwards, walking him towards the empty stall. One step. Two steps. And Bailey was moving on his own now; entranced, captivated. Danny moved his hands around Bailey’s solid body.

A siren rang out in the distance. Danny pulled Bailey close, slipped his hand into Bailey’s holster, grabbed his gun, and leapt free of the cubicle. Bailey’s lustful face transformed.

“Don’t move,” Danny said with a wink. He backed towards the exit, a mental countdown beginning in his head. He’d studied the quickest route out of the building. He could still make it. He blew a kiss at Bailey and fled for his life.

Book Trailer

About the author

A.L. BATES has a keen interest in Sci-fi and adventure novels and enjoys writing stories with strong characters in imaginative backgrounds. Although an avid writer, Deep is the first published novella by A.L. Bates.

A.L. Bates can be found on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoralbates

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: All the Wrong Places (Bluewater Bay #14) by Ann Gallagher

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

All The Wrong PlacesBrennan Cross can’t get past his girlfriend’s parting remarks. He caught her cheating with another guy and she blamed him. Him—because he failed to meet her sexual needs. And what’s worse is that she’s the third girlfriend in a row who had the same problem. He decides he needs professional help, so he goes where he expects to find someone who knows about sex—the Bluewater Bay sex store—Red Hot Bluewater. There he meets Zafir, a young Lebanese man, with long, dark hair pulled back into a ponytail, and an obvious desire to be helpful. After some conversation, Zafir poses the idea that Brennan might not be a bad lover; he might be asexual like Zafir.

After Zafir explains, Brennan finds himself more confused than ever and sets out to learn as much as he can about being asexual. Even though there’s an abundance of information, and misinformation, on the web, he finds that Zafir might indeed be right.

The two become friends, and Zafir allows himself to hope that there might be a place in Brennan’s heart for a Muslim single father with only a GED and no hope of a future career. Zafir took custody of his infant son when he was seventeen years old, and so far, the nine-year-old boy seems happy and well-adjusted. Zafir protects Tariq as much as he can, but he can’t protect him from a broken heart if this closeness he feels with Brennan falls through because Brennan has slowly become a part of Tariq’s life as well.

The biggest issue is Brennan’s doubt about his sexuality, especially when he realizes he loves Zafir but has no sexual desire for him. Advice from his ex-girlfriend seems to spin him around, and he’s headed for a collision with a broken heart and a broken relationship if he can’t come to accept Zafir’s love for him.

I loved this story. It was sweet and romantic, very informative, fun, humorous, heartwarming, and heartbreaking. When I find myself taking time between chapters to go back to savor the goodness of what has gone before, I know I have a winner in my hands, and that definitely happened here. The storytelling is superb, the pace perfect, and the romance just the thing to make my romantic heart swoon. I can’t recommend this one highly enough.

~~~~~~~

Cover art by LC Chase depicts the two MCs: Brennan with his constant companion—a skateboard—and Zafir gazing off into the distance overlooking Bluewater Bay. This book is a part of the Bluewater Bay series but most certainly can be read as a standalone.

Sales Links:  Riptide  |  Amazon

Book Details:

ebook
Published June 13th 2016 by Riptide (first published June 12th 2016)
Original TitleAll the Wrong Places
ISBN 1626494193 (ISBN13: 9781626494190)
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series:Bluewater Bay

In the Spotlight: All the Wrong Places (Bluewater Bay #14) by Ann Gallagher (giveaway)

All The Wrong Places

All the Wrong Places (Bluewater Bay #14) by Ann Gallagher
Riptide Publishing
Cover Art by L.C. Chase

Read an Excerpt/Buy It Here

Welcome to the Riptide Publishing/Ann Gallagher blog tour for All the Wrong Places, the latest installment in the Bluewater Bay series!

Blurb

Three cheating girlfriends in a row have given skateboarder Brennan Cross the same excuse: he wasn’t meeting their needs. Desperate and humiliated, he goes to the professionals at the local sex shop for advice.

Zafir Hamady, a sales clerk at Red Hot Bluewater, has an unusual theory: he doesn’t think Brennan is a bad lover. In fact, he doesn’t think Brennan is heterosexual. Or sexual at all, for that matter. He also can’t stop thinking about Brennan. But even if he’s right and Brennan really is asexual, that doesn’t mean Zafir has a chance. Brennan’s never dated a man, and Zafir’s never met anyone who’s game for a Muslim single father with a smart mouth and a GED.

Brennan’s always thought of himself as straight. But when sex is explicitly out of the mix, he finds himself drawn to Zafir for the qualities and interests they share. And Zafir can’t help enjoying Brennan’s company and the growing bond between Brennan and his son. They work well together, but with so many issues between them, doubts creep in, and Brennan’s struggle with his identity could push away the one person he didn’t know he could love.

 

AllTheWrongPlaces_TourBanner

Giveaway Info


Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice of two eBooks off my backlist

(excluding All The Wrong Places, but including books written as L.A. Witt or Lauren Gallagher) and a $10
Riptide Publishing store credit. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on June 20 th , and winners will be
announced on June 21 st . Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.  Be sure to leave your email address where you can be reached.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Author Bio

 

Ann Gallagher is the slightly more civilized alter ego of L.A. Witt, Lauren Gallagher, and Lori A. Witt. So she tells herself, anyway. When she isn’t wreaking havoc on Spain with her husband and trusty two-headed Brahma bull, she writes romances just like her wilder counterparts, but without all the heat. She is also far too mature to get involved in the petty battle between L.A. and Lauren, but she’s seriously going to get even with Lori for a certain incident that shall not be discussed publicly.

Connect with Ann:

Website: http://loriawitt.com
Author Blog: http://gallagherwitt.blogspot.com
Personal Blog: http://navywifeadventures.blogspot.
Twitter: @GallagherWitt
Facebook: http://facebook.com//L-A-Witt-MM-Fiction

BWBlogo_Web

Bluewater Bay

Welcome to Bluewater Bay! This quiet little logging town on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula has been stagnating for decades, on the verge of ghost town status. Until a television crew moves in to film Wolf’s Landing, a soon-to-be cult hit based on the wildly successful shifter novels penned by local author Hunter Easton.

Wolf’s Landing’s success spawns everything from merchandise to movie talks, and Bluewater Bay explodes into a mecca for fans and tourists alike. The locals still aren’t quite sure what to make of all this—the town is rejuvenated, but at what cost? And the Hollywood-based production crew is out of their element in this small, mossy seaside locale. Needless to say, sparks fly.

This collaborative story world is brought to you by eleven award-winning, best-selling LGBTQ romance authors: L.A. Witt, L.B. Gregg, Z.A. Maxfield, Aleksandr Voinov, Heidi Belleau, Rachel Haimowitz, Anne Tenino, Amy Lane, SE Jakes, G.B. Gordon, and Jaime Samms. Each contemporary novel stands alone, but all are built around the town and the people of Bluewater Bay and the Wolf’s Landing media empire.

A Free Dreamer YA Review: Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

Rating: 5 stars

Two Boys KissingNew York Times  bestselling author David Levithan tells the based-on-true-events story of Harry and Craig, two 17-year-olds who are about to take part in a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new Guinness World Record—all of which is narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS.

While the two increasingly dehydrated and sleep-deprived boys are locking lips, they become a focal point in the lives of other teen boys dealing with languishing long-term relationships, coming out, navigating gender identity, and falling deeper into the digital rabbit hole of gay hookup sites—all while the kissing former couple tries to figure out their own feelings for each other.

Reviewing “Two Boys Kissing” is hard. There’s so much going on in this book and yet you have to be really careful not to reveal too much, because somehow, there really isn’t all that much going on, either. Sounds weird, I know, but that’s how it felt to me.

I will be honest and admit that the first 20 pages were weird. The story is told by a collective “we” (gay men who died of AIDS) to “you” (the gay boys/men of this day and age). Usually, I really don’t like it when an author addresses the reader directly. So it took some getting used to.

And then, on page 20, something made my breath hitch and suddenly, I just couldn’t stop. Just like that, David Levithan had me hooked. Suddenly, the strange pov felt perfectly normal and like the most obvious choice. Something just clicked there and I loved the book.

The tone was both light and dark at the same time. There was the sweet getting-to-know each other of two potential lovers, Avery and Ryan. And then there was Cooper, who felt so lost and alone. Craig and Henry, former lovers, now best friends, trying to have the longest kiss of the world, and trying to figure out their feelings for each other at the same time. Peter and Neil, already a couple and getting a bit lost in every day life. And then, of course, there are the gay men who lead us through the story. All of these characters have an element of lightness and an element of tragedy. I smiled a lot during this book, but I was also deeply moved and came close to grieve at times.

“Two Boys Kissing” only has 196 pages, and yet the author managed to give his seven characters real depth. Other authors struggle with that when they have twice as many pages and only two MCs to introduce. David Levithan really impressed me here. I felt connected to each and everyone. He even managed to make me care about the minor characters in this story.

The author packed some very deep issues in this little book: coming out, gender identity, depression, AIDS, homophobia and so on. By all means, that should feel like way too much for so few pages. And yet it worked. It neither felt overloaded with angst and drama, nor did it feel like the issues didn’t get enough time to unfold. I have absolutely no idea how David Levithan made this all work.

All in all, I just absolutely loved this book. This is my second book by David Levithan, “Boy Meets Boy” being my first, and it definitely won’t be my last. I already snatched a copy of “Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist” for next to nothing and begged a classmate for more books by him. I think it’s safe to say that I am now an official fan of David Levithan.

If you decide to give this book a try, don’t stop reading after the initial “what the fuck” moment the unusual writing style will cause. I’m convinced something will flip the switch for you, too, and you will end up loving this book as much as I did.

Cover: The cover shows two boys kissing. Simple and yet it really works.

Sales Link:  Amazon

Book details:

Hardcover, 196 pages
Published August 27th 2013 by Knopf Books for Young Readers (first published August 2013)
Original TitleTwo Boys Kissing
ISBN 0307931900 (ISBN13: 9780307931900)
Edition LanguageEnglish
Literary Awards: National Book Award Nominee for Young People’s Literature (2013), Stonewall Book Award Nominee for Children’s & Young Adult Literature (2014), Milwaukee County Teen Book Award Nominee (2014), Lambda Literary Award Nominee for LGBT Children’s/Young Adult (2014), The Inky Awards Nominee for Silver Inky (2014)

A Paul B Review: Alexei’s Mouse (Werewolves of Manhattan #5) by A.C. Katt

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Alexei's MouseThe fifth book in A. C. Katt’s Werewolves of Manhattan series is more of the same, which is a good thing for the reader.  The leadership of the loup garrou and Garou Industries keep finding their mates in humans in trouble.  These pairings find redemption for both men and bring gifts to the werewolf council. These will be needed as they fear an upcoming battle looms in the near future.

The human mate this time is Donal Berne.  A runaway at the age of fourteen, Donal has spent the last seven years working as a call boy Vito Apuso, for an underling of Don Ferone.  Apuso has abused Donal and gotten him hooked on heroin in an effort to control him.  The only reason he has survived as long as he has is because of Julio, an independent call boy.  However, Donal has decided that seven years of abuse from Vito and the johns he is assigned to is enough and decides to end it all with an overdose.

The Garou Industries executive this time is fifth in charge Alexi Davidoff.  He was the second in command of the Russian Council.  Three years ago, Alexi was arrested for protesting the inaction of the Russian police after his beta was murdered by gay bashing thugs, which caused the death of the beta’s mate as well.  Having spent three years in a Russian prison nearly broke Alexi.  After his release is negotiated by Garou Industries, Alexi immigrates to the United States and takes over the Colorado territory of the American Council, which is within his birthright.  As he is travelling to his new home in New York City, he spots a young man on a park bench with a needle sticking out of this arm.  He investigates and discovers the man is his mate and calls for help.

The resolution to Donal’s problems seems to have been solved a little too quickly but a further complication is thrown in shortly afterward.  However, this threat is mostly talked about as a possible threat to both Donal and Don Ferone but is resolved almost as quickly and off screen like the first problem.  The tension in the previous books just wasn’t there this time for me.  The epilogue is a probably preview of the next book of the series, where unlike in the past, the future mate has already been introduced.  As mentioned before, the characters mention a possible big battle that is coming in the near future.  There are three more members of the Garou ruling board who are unmated, so this battle may be a ways off yet.  I eagerly await the conclusion of this series.

The cover art by Winterheart Designs has Donal and Alexi above a New York skyline.  Above the two men is Alexi’s wolf.  It Is well done and fits the pattern of the rest of the series.

Sales Links: MLR Books  |  Amazon

Book Details

EBook, 217 pages
Edition Language:  English
Published:  May 20, 2016 by MLR Books
ASIN: B01G2AKDFS

Series:  Werewolves of Manhattan

 

 

 

 

Buy the book:  

An Alisa Review: Dirty Angel by Barbara Elsborg

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

Art profile portrait of beautiful man with body of athlete. Photo.
Art profile portrait of beautiful man with body of athlete. Photo.

Dying Sucks

Particularly when you discover there really is a hell. Aden thinks there’s no way he can avoid going down, but when an angel and demon can’t agree over his fate, Aden is given one more month to gain redemption. He doubts he can find a way to become a better man in so short a time. But it’s worth a try, right?

Living sucks

Particularly when you can’t shake free of an obsessive ex. Brody might be managing to hold down his job as a vet, but his personal life is a mess. If he doesn’t pull himself together soon, he’s going to be sliding downhill too fast to stop.

One wet night, on a dark country lane, two worlds collide and destinies change forever.

Barbara Elsborg did a great job with this story.  Aden is getting a second chance to try and be a better person by living up to his potential.  Brody is ready to give up and doesn’t know if it’s worth it to pull himself together.

 

Aden has had the worst luck when it comes to his life, his parents didn’t love him and he was constantly abused by others when they died.  He was never loved and doesn’t know how to or why you would want to love someone.  Brody thought he loved his ex and when things go too far he finally breaks free only to have him come back to try and get him back.

 

Both Aden and Brody have heartbreaking back stories that greatly affect their lives.  They both connect with each other and the reader quickly.  They don’t hold back their emotions and are willing to just let everything out which makes understanding the characters easy.  There is a great HFN ending looking a bit in the future which gives hope for both of the characters.

 

Cover art Joe Raven is perfect for this book.

Sales Link:  Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 255 pages
Published: June 1, 2016 by Barbara Elsborg
ISBN: 9781682521274
Edition Language: English

 

In Our Spotlight: Set Me Free by Kitty Stephens (Author Interview, Excerpt and Giveaway)

Set Me Free 1600px FRONT (Smashwords, Amazon)

Set Me Free by Kitty Stephens
 Release Date: June 9, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Interlude Press
Cover Artist: C.B. Messer

Today Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is very lucky to be interviewing Kitty Stephens, author of Set Me Free. Hi Kitty, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

My name Kitty Stephens. I currently reside in Ohio, with my husband, my son, and our three guinea pigs. I’ve been an avid reader since I was very young and started writing when I was around nine or ten. Once I had internet access, I became active in fan communities and started posting my work on various fan sites. Set Me Free is my first book.

What did you want to be when you grew up?  When I was a child and got asked this question, I had one answer; I wanted to be a writer. Actually, I said “novelist”, possibly because it sounded more professional to my ears (but in retrospect probably made me sound pretentious). This answer was the only answer I had, all the way until I graduated high school and even into the few years I attended college. My mother even used to tell people that I was going to publish a book and make enough money to buy her a nice house to retire in.

Even though life got in the way and took me on a few detours, I never stopped wanting to write my own books and have them published. It’s taken me a lot longer than I could have anticipated, but publishing Set Me Free is the culmination of a lifelong dream for me.

Blurb

When an affluent college-bound boy falls for a young artist, he must choose between the life that’s been mapped out for him and the chance at true love.

 

Pages or Words: 63,000 words
 Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt

They found a secluded spot to sit off the main drag and scarfed down pieces of pizza and people-watched. Aaron had been full of nerves earlier, but Lucky put him at ease. He had that way about him.

“I’ve got a few minutes left,” Lucky said when they finished their food.

They got up, sipping at their drinks as they made their way through the crowd back toward Lucky’s booth. It was now or never. He had to ask, had to get the words out, or miss his shot.

“Can I ask you something?” Lucky spoke up before Aaron could. Maybe Lucky would… Aaron held his breath, nodding. “It might sound weird.”

“Sure,” Aaron replied, his heart beating a little faster. He had no idea what was coming now; what could Lucky possibly want from him? A kiss?

“Can you take your picture for me?”

Aaron blinked at him. Lucky tilted his head off to one side and Aaron turned his head the same direction. His gaze landed on a photo booth, realization sinking in. His mouth fell open, unsure what to say. It was a little weird because they barely knew each other, but also flattering.

“I’d really like to draw you again.” Lucky seemed slightly embarrassed. “I mean, I could take pictures on my phone if that’s better for you, but that seemed creepier somehow.”

Aaron couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped at Lucky’s words, even as the idea of Lucky drawing him again and again left him breathless. “Um,” he managed to get out, glancing around at the crowd. A familiar blonde head caught his eye and he nearly choked.

Was Lyn at the carnival? Wasn’t she supposed to be with their mothers?

Aaron pulled Lucky by the hand into the photo booth and slid the curtain shut.

Lucky slid money into the slot as they sat down. His breath caught as Lucky’s hands touched his face gently. “Like this,” Lucky whispered, turning his head to the side. The camera flashed. Lucky’s fingers turned his head to the front, pulling away just in time for the camera to go off again. Once again, Lucky’s fingers turned his head to the side, only now he was facing Lucky, staring deeply into his eyes.

Aaron tried not to hyperventilate as he held Lucky’s gaze. The camera flashed for the last time but neither of them moved.

“Go out with me?” Aaron suddenly blurted out. He had to do something or he might do something even more insane, like kiss Lucky. Aaron so wasn’t ready for that yet. Lucky’s eyes widened and he smiled.

“Sure,” Lucky drawled after a moment. “When?”

Buy the book:

 

 

Meet the author

Kitty Stephens’ writing aspirations date back to her childhood, when she and her brother would make up stories about characters in their favorite books. She eventually started writing stories in online fan communities, and majored in English at Ohio State University. She lives in Ohio with her husband and son. Set Me Free is her first novel.

Get to know the author on tumblr at @kittystephenswrites and on Twitter at @KittyStephensWr

Where to find the author:

Twitter: @KittyStephensWr

Tumblr: kittystephenswrites.tumblr.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KittyStephensWrites?fref=ts

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

9-Jun

Happily Ever Chapter, Boys on the Brink Reviews, Book Lovers 4Ever, Havan Fellows

10-Jun

Oh My Shelves, Bonkers About Books, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

13-Jun

Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Unquietly Me, A.M. Leibowitz

14-Jun

BFD Book Blog, Velvet Panic, My Fiction Nook

15-Jun

Anna Butler Fiction, Three Books Over The Rainbow, MM Good Book Reviews

16-Jun

Making It Happen, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Open Skye Book Reviews

17-Jun

The Novel Approach, V’s Reads, Prism Book Alliance

20-Jun

Up All Night, Read All Day, Bayou Book Junkie

21-Jun

Nephy Hart, Love Bytes

22-Jun

Alpha Book Club, Molly Lolly, Divine Magazine

Final Set Me Free

Giveaway

Must be  18 years of age or older.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js