A MelanieM Review: MCB Quarterly Vol. 4

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

The MCB Quarterly Vol 4The Quarterly series: A quarterly eMagazine featuring queer short stories, interviews and artist/author features.

The Quarterly is an eMagazine of LGBTQ fiction – of all kinds. This volume features four short stories:
Finishing Touches by Rebecca Cohen
Repetition by J. Scott Coatsworth
Outpost by Dominick Domingo
The Wish Granter by L. Bellamy
It also includes an Interview with Brandilyn Carpenter talking about “What’s in a Review”, and a Featured Author section with Carole Cummings. And our very own Angel Martinez offers an Op-Ed on “Rehoming Lost Books.”

If you are not familiar with either this press or the eMagazine that Mischief Corner Press puts out, then its high time you make its acquaintance.  Full of fascinating articles, great interviews and stories that will send you running to seek out more by the authors (if they aren’t already on your TBR list).  This volume is no exception.

The first article is my Angel Martinez, full of advice to authors and future writers on what happens when publishing houses close and you are left without homes for your stories.  Its a fascinating glimpse into a situation that occurring often now sadly, and no matter what side of the page you are on,  it will leave you thinking.

And then the stories…those wonderful stories.  Four of them here, with the first being my favorite. That would be Finishing Touches by Rebecca Cohen, a author I love.

Finishing Touches, (5 Stars), tells the ‘touching’ story of an inventor and his assistant.  The descriptions of the shop were so imaginative and so perfect, that I was there in my mind from the beginning of the story.  But it was William and Marcus that really drew me in, plus the detailed lovely little mechanisms that one created that drew not only Marcus to them but me as well.  I felt myself leaning forward as though that could let me see further into them as though that was possible. I wanted more of everything of this world, workshop and this couple.  It was magical, in a totally non magical way.  Loved it.

Repetition by J. Scott Coatsworth (4 stars) A mind twister with no romantic plot lines so don’t expect any.  A shocker but a wonderful Moebius plot that will keep you  thinking involving time travel.  The less said about it the better.  No  spoilers.

Outpost by Dominick Domingo (5 stars)  Such a beautifully written story of a man full of regrets, a drifter who find that one place will finally lets him come to terms with parts of his past and allows him to move forward.  Again its the descriptions of the rundown old mining town in the Mojave Desert in 1965, the drifter Jake Preston,  old  Mabel Robins looking after her dying husband, and the rest of the dusty inhabitants of Cold Lake Lodge.  Its haunting, timeless, and the pain of these people stretches across the pages like the thin dry air they are breathing.

But here even the broken can find solace and mending.  Its believable, beautiful and memorable in every way.  Ok, two favorite stories.

The Wish Granter by L. Bellamy (3 stars)  A djinn in a bottle story.  I liked the characterizations just thought the ending felt rushed and the romances doubly so.  In fact I loved the first half of the story so much that when the second came about it felt as though I was reading two different tales.  Perhaps it was me.  Not sure, just didn’t connect with the turn about and the romance.

There was a bonus story buried within the Featured Author section with Carole Cummings, another favorite author of mine.  Cummings talks about speculative fiction, its history, what it means and then gives us ‘Fates Written In Indelible Ink’.  Yes, dragons.  Loved it.

Also a neat interview with a fellow reviewer, Brandilyn Carpenter talking about “What’s in a Review”, which I loved.

All that in one Quarterly  eMagazine.  No, you really can’t pass this up.  Stop by Mischief Corner Books and pick up a copy and check out their authors while you are there!

Cover art is perfect.  

Sales Links:  Mischief Corner Books LLC

Magazine Details:

ebook, First
Published April 13th 2016 by Mischief Corner Books, LLC
ISBN139781311536679
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe Quarterly #4

A BJ Audio Review: Tempest (Playing the Fool #3) by Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock, Narrated by Nick J. Russo

Rating:  3.75 stars out of 5

Tempest_AudiobookSomething wicked this way comes.

FBI Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness and con man Henry Page are on the run again. This time they’re headed back to where it all began: Altona, Indiana. Population: some goats. Henry’s not happy about lying low at the McGuinness family farm, but they’ve got nowhere else to go.

While Mac fights to clear his name and Henry struggles with whose side he’s really on, a ghost from the past threatens to destroy everything. And those aren’t the only storms on the radar. Cut off from both sides of the law, Mac and Henry must rely on their tenuous partnership to survive.

If Henry can convince himself to let Mac see the man behind the disguises, they’ll stand a chance of beating the forces that conspire against them. The course of true love never did run smooth, but for the two of them, it might be their only hope.

The finale of this three part serialized humorous romantic suspense was worth the wait. This installment was not as light as the first two, which I actually liked. Most of the banter and humor this time came towards the end. For those that love that sort of thing, it should be just what you are looking forward to as an ending. For me, I could have done without so much of that at the end. I’d hoped for Henry finally dropping all the banter and joking and letting his guard completely down with Mac but was disappointed there.

Lots of fast and furious action in the last third of that was sometimes a bit over the top. We finally have a resolution to the suspense and a romance, finally got to see the depth of Henry/Sebastian’s hurt and motivations, and Mac. Well, I just loved him through all of the stories. And also in this one we get to meet his family, and they are just as awesome! Viola and Mac young niece, Cory, rather stole the show for me at parts of this book, and I was totally on board with that. Loved them.

While there was no cliffhanger in this one, there were a few things left hanging (for me anyway). I wish there’d been more closure of Viola’s story, more than the one sentence comment that alluded to her possible fate. And something that bugged me to distraction was… what happened to Door Bell? Did they just abandon the poor dog there along with the apartment? If so, that is so sad. Certainly Henry didn’t take him and there was no mention when we see Stacy again that she did. I just really needed to know that he was okay, cuz yeah, I’m a dog household.

Nick J. Russo’s narration throughout this series was a highlight. All the voices were defined, the delivery of the humor was spot on, and the angsty bits were captivating. Overall, his narration was perhaps my favorite experience of the story.

Another simple cover design by L.C. Chase that works refreshingly well to set the tone of the book.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Audible | Amazon | iTunes


Book Details:  

 Audible Audio
Published (first published March 9th 2015)
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesPlaying the Fool #3 settingIndiana (United States)

New Cover Reveal for Deanna Wadsworth’s ‘Naughty Cupid’ (excerpt and giveaway)

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Naughty Cupid by Deanna Wadsworth
Release Date: June 6, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

Blurb

The name’s Lio, and you may have read the beginning of my story in A Cupid’s Wager. Well, hold on to you hats, because there’s more to tell about your favorite cupid working in the Gay Division of the Inter-Dimensional Association of Cupids.

Remember Ethan? That Aztec god of the winds who busted me shooting a closeted human with a gay lust arrow? Yeah, I haven’t been able to forget him either. Even though I have a rule against getting it on with other supernaturals—especially ones working for the Straight Division—my magic is drawn to Ethan and all his tattoos and piercings in a way I cannot control.

But after that night of mind-numbing sex, now I gotta face my evil ex-boyfriend and a suspension by the IDAC for “misplacing” arrows. They took my quiver, and I have to figure out how to get my arrow privileges back before they’re taken forever.

Ethan seems to think he can help me, but I don’t know how anybody can make this cupid believe in love again.

 

Pages or Words: 75,000 words, 178 pages
Categories: Alternate Universe, Erotica, Fantasy, Humor, M/M Romance, Paranromal, Romance

Excerpt

“You know the lust arrows only work if the person’s mind is open to it. I shot Raymond with a Class 4 gay lust arrow. They only have a little more juice than a few tequila shooters. They can’t make a straight man gay.”

“But that is what you are trying to do,” Ethan shot back.

“You know it doesn’t work that way.”

To prove my point, I materialized one of my long purple arrows.

Without warning, I stabbed Ethan in the heart with it.

“Oww!”

The arrow exploded in a burst of light and glittering purple dust, the blast blowing our hair back.

When the magic cleared, the stunned expression on Ethan’s face cracked me up. “Now, do you spontaneously wanna suck my cock?”

He gaped at me like I’d lost my ever-lovin’ mind. “What did you do that for?”

“Don’t get your panties in a wad. Class 4G lusts can’t make someone gay. You’re born that way. There’s even a Lady Gaga song to prove it.”

His big hand rubbed where I’d hit him. “You should not have done that, Lio. You have no idea what you just did.”

“I already shot an unauthorized arrow tonight, what’s one more? Besides, unless you’re gay, it won’t affect you.” I waggled my brows. “So what are you so worried about? Got sumthin’ you wanna confess?”

He actually growled at me.

“Build a bridge,” I told him. “If anyone has a right to be pissed off here, it’s me. The gaydar says Raymond is gay, yet you asshats over in SD decided to shoot him and a woman with true love arrows. Talk about a douche move. Forcing the man to lie to himself and everyone about who he is. And how is that fair to do to the girl? She’s a victim too!”

“The IDAC does not consider a gaydar to be a reliable source of information,” he said, completely ignoring the more-than-valid complaint.

Humans were born with a variety of sexualities, but there were only a limited variety of arrows to complement the IDAC’s narrow-minded ideas on sexuality. In a nutshell, there were gay arrows and the naturally more powerful straight arrows. Don’t get me started on the complexities of targeting anybody not gay or straight. I was glad not to be assigned to those fledgling subdivisions of GD because they often had to work with the jerks in SD. However, both primary divisions had arrows for love (red) and lust (purple), each with four different strength ratings—one being the most potent. In other words, the Class 1S love Ethan had been using was the highest strength straight love arrow—aka the most powerful of all arrows.

Hence his being so pissed at me.

“I’m not gonna sit here and argue politics with you. We both know I’m already in trouble for an unauthorized arrow launch. Make that two,” I amended, gesturing to his chest. “Why the fuck do you think I don’t have love arrow privileges anymore? Hell, the sparks our collision set off will raise questions too. I’m already busted. Fine! I’m ready to face whatever comes my way. When I set out to do this, I knew there were risks.”

“Set out to do this?” he repeated, looking utterly appalled. “You mean you have done this before?”

I swallowed, feeling like a child being scolded. “Only on unattached people.”

“I cannot believe you would do that to someone! A person’s decision to come out is deeply personal. You have no right, Lio! None!”

Yeah, but the Fates did, I supposed. Who put those bitches in charge, anyway?

I didn’t know what Ethan’s big fat beef might be—besides the one in his pants—but I had to get my ass out of this sling. “Like I said, I’m already busted. If you think Raymond isn’t gay, let’s just follow them”—I pointed to my unauthorized mark and the guy with him, both of them deliberately brushing hips and shoulders as they walked down the street—“and see what happens. If he changes his mind, I’ll admit the gaydar is inaccurate, I’ll turn myself in for interrupting your mark, and you won’t even get in trouble.”

He glared. “And if your arrow works, I suppose you get to walk?”

“If I’m right, and those two dudes get their freak on, you can do what you want with me.” Too bad that wouldn’t be those full lips around my dick. “But you give me back the gaydar and you don’t tell anyone I have it or that I was here.”

Ethan looked at the device in his hand as if it would explode or jump up and bite his cock off. His expression would’ve been funny if this weren’t so serious. He seemed to be weighing something in his mind, and I felt his anger retracting. Still, an aura of incredible danger and masculinity wafted about him. My heart thumped wildly, both from nerves and the exotic spiciness of his skin. Knowing his ferocious appearance was tempered with an innate goodness made me a little hot.

Okay, a lot hot.

Though it went against every rule I made for myself, I couldn’t stop picturing Ethan naked. Sure, I was as horny as any cupid, but something about this Aztec amplified all of my senses far more than usual—especially the ones below the waist.

“I cannot believe I am saying this,” Ethan said slowly. “But I will give you one chance. One. But if you ruin that man’s life, your ass is mine.”

“Talk dirty to me,” I purred.

He lowered dark brows. “You are not funny.”

“I think I’m a really fun guy. Especially when I’m naked.” I couldn’t help myself and gave him a suggestive wink. “And whoever said a little dick up the ass would ruin a man’s life? Ever try it? The orgasms are un-fucking-believable.”

Ethan curled his lip and growled at me like an angry cat.

“Jeesh, sorry I mentioned it.”

He seized my arm in a viselike grip. “Come.”

If I’d known going with Ethan would turn my world upside down, I would’ve grabbed my gaydar and run, taking my chances with my boss, the IDAC, and even the Fates. Because I wasn’t prepared for what was coming my way.

Not at all.

 

Buy the book:  Dreamspinner Press

 

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Meet the Author

Deanna Wadsworth might be a bestselling erotica author, but she leads a pretty vanilla life in Ohio with her wonderful husband and a couple adorable cocker spaniels. She has been spinning tales and penning stories since childhood, and her first erotic novella was published in 2010. She has served multiple board positions at her local RWA chapter and with Rainbow Romance Writers of America. When she isn’t writing books or brainstorming with friends, you can find her making people gorgeous in a beauty salon. She loves music and dancing, and can often be seen hanging out on the sandbar in the muddy Maumee River or chilling with her hubby and a cocktail in their basement bar. In between all that fun, Deanna cherishes the quiet times when she can let her wildly active imagination have the full run of her mind. Her fascination with people and the interworkings of their relationships have always inspired her to write romance with spice and love without boundaries.

Where to find the author:

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, BFD Book Blog, A.M. Leibowitz, Velvet Panic, MM Good Book Reviews, Bonkers About Books, Alpha Book Club, Charley Descoteaux, Bayou Book Junkie, The Dark Arts, Happily Ever Chapter, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, My Fiction Nook, Outrageous Heroes, Unquietly Me, Ogitchida Book Blog, Gay Media Reviews, V’s Reads, Oh My Shelves, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Havan Fellows, For The Love of Bookends, Louise Lyons, 3 Chicks After Dark, Book Lovers 4Ever, Making It Happen, Full Moon Dreaming, Jessie G. Books

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: A print copy of ‘Naughty Cupid’.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
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A MelanieM Review: Will and Patrick’s Happy Ending (Wake Up Married #6) by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths

Rating: 5 stars out of 5     ★★★★★

Will & Patrick Happy EndingFollow Will & Patrick in this final installment of the romantic-comedy serial, Wake Up Married, by best-selling author Leta Blake and newcomer Alice Griffiths!

Sure, Will and Patrick are in love now, but they weren’t when they got married in Vegas. For Patrick, that’s no problem, but Will can’t shake his doubts that a relationship started through coercion can ever become the real deal.

Since the Molinaro crime family has reversed their position on divorce, Will and Patrick have a chance to rectify their drunken mistake. But is divorce the solution? Find out in this final installment of the much-beloved Wake up Married serial.

Episode 6 of 6 in the Wake Up Married serial.

If  you’ve been following the romantic adventures of Will & Patrick from the first serialized story, Will & Patrick Wake Up Married you know that they had to have their happy ending and what a ending it was.  In a story that brought the last of the roadblocks to Will & Patrick’s HEA, this time it comes from themselves, mostly  Will.

Facing the fact that he and Patrick can finally divorce, its that inner voice he can’t rid himself of that tells him that he doesn’t know what true love it, even as his heart is telling him otherwise.  The fallout from Will’s inner turmoil is heartbreaking for Patrick and the readers.

What I thought continues to make this series and story so wonderful is the characterizations by Blake and Griffiths.  Even as you find yourself grinding your teeth over Will’s decisions, you also are nodding your head in sympathy.  Because Will is basing his decisions on sound reasoning, he’s not trying to hurt Patrick but work his way through his past issues so they can be together.  Is it right? Perhaps not, but you get why he’s doing it.  Always, these are perfectly fleshed out human beings and their actions throughout the narrative demonstrate that.

The issue of autism and love is addressed here, and I think it is done with sensitivity and the right amount of depth for the men and their relationship.  The same for sexual addiction.  Yes, there are many things going on with this storyline and still that wonderful cover says it all.   With all the emotional angst, weighty issues and lively sexy scenes, at heart, this is still such a wonderful romance of two men who met  in Las Vegas and eventually fell in love and found their happily ever after.

Could I hope that Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths find it in their hearts to bring Will & Patrick back again after they’ve gotten their dog and house and maybe something more?  May their grand adventure never stop.  Consider all their adventures highly recommended, but definitely start with the first and work your way up to here.

Cover art is some of my favorite for a series, this one included.  Colorful, branding the series and yet perfect in every way.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook
Published April 15th 2016 by Leta Blake Books
Original TitleWill & Patrick’s Happy Ending
ISBN139781626227521
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesWake Up Married #6

Series:

 

A Paul B Review: Amended Soul (Mated Heart and Soul #2) by Kate Steele

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Amended SoulJamie Hardin is looking to repair his relationship with his oldest son Rio.   He blames himself partially for the abuse Rio suffered from his step-mother.  So Jamie and his six year old son Jack head to visit Rio and his mate Mick.  Fortunately for Jamie, Rio is eager for a reunion with his family.  In fact Rio is happy that his family is moving into the area to stay.  Jamie just has to get comfortable around a pack of werewolves.  The one that is most worrisome is the sexy brother of his son’s mate.

Jed Matranga is Mick’s younger brother.  He is happy that his brother has found his mate and considers Rio to be a younger brother.  At the family get together held to celebrate Rio reuniting with his father, Jed takes notice of Rio’s father.  He tries as best as he can to turn on the charm to attract the Jamie.  When Jamie states that he needs some work done with his new office, Jed volunteers to do the work himself.  He figures out it is the best way to try to win over this man who is bitter over his ex-wife’s betrayal.

As Jamie settles into his new surroundings and meeting the new neighbors, Jed is busy making changes to Jamie’s optometry office.  The two’s attraction to each other begins to strengthen as they spend more time with each other.  As Jamie knows some about werewolf culture, he begins to question whether or not he is Jed’s mate.  However, Jed has not stated such.  Jed meanwhile does not want to push the issue with Jamie as he has been married twice before.  Would Jamie accept a same sex mating for himself, even if he approves of his son’s mating.  When Jamie returns from a welcoming party that a neighbor holds, Jed smells a female on Jamie and flies off the handle.  Has Jamie already rejected their mating before it has even really started?

I enjoyed this second book in Kate Steele’s Mated Heart and Soul series.  I missed the first book in the series but want to go back and read it.  A reader gets enough of the backstory in the first book to not feel lost in this one. I found the playfulness of Jamie and Jed delightful especially Jed’s generous use of double entendres.  Rio’s reaction to his father’s relationship with Jed is a bit puzzling considering matings are sacrosanct in werewolf culture.  However, this was explained toward the end of the book to my satisfaction.  This series has been added to my list of to be read books.

The cover by Valerie Tibbs is fairly standard for werewolf shifter books.  The top portion shows two shirtless torsos while the bottom half depicts a wolf howling at a full moon.  It is nothing spectacular but does fit the book.

Sales Links:  Loose id | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 176 pages
Published March 15th 2016 by Loose Id
ISBN139781682521069
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series:  Mated Heart and Soul

  • Altered Heart (Mated Heart and Soul #1)
  • Amended Soul (Mated Heart and Soul #2)

Dive Back into the Magical AURA Fantasy Series with Kellen’s Awakening (AURA #3) by Bellora Quinn and Angel Martinez

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Kellen’s Awakening (AURA #3) by Bellora Quinn and Angel Martinez
Release Date: May 3, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Cover Artist: Emmy Ellis

Blurb

The staff at AURA has had a busy summer. Between chronic understaffing, dealing with warring goblin factions and an unusual number of hazardous Events, everyone is overworked. Sinistrus the incubus, newly hired as an AURA medic, actually enjoys his busy new life of responsible employee and faithful lover to his gorgeous police sergeant, Ness the centaur. Life would be perfect, except for a niggling suspicion about a colleague. Everyone else seems to disagree, but Sin’s certain something’s not right with that pixie.

Kellen, a pixie crossover, loves his job working in AURA medical, even if he is something of an outsider. His job and the friends he manages to make are happy spots in an otherwise dark and secretive life. As the rest of AURA tries to discover the root of the inexplicable rise in violence and large scale Events, Kellen fights to preserve his own life and what dignity he has left.

These two unlikely heroes must put their differences aside and navigate tragedy and ever-escalating disaster together in order to stop the sinister forces that hold Kellen in thrall.

 

Pages or Words: 69,000 words
Series should be read in order
Categories: Alternate Universe, Contemporary, Gay Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

 Special Excerpt

Tenzin glanced up at the clock and realized the time had gotten away from him. He kissed Kai’s cheek and gathered up their lunch things. “I’m sorry, love. I have an interview and must be off. New medic, I’m hoping.”

Kai made shooing motions with both hands. “Go, go. I hope this one works out better than the last three.”

The last three had been human, one hopelessly underqualified, one perhaps not entirely comfortable being interviewed by a yeti and the third hiding pernicious bigotry behind a bright smile. The one today was reported to be a pixie, and Tenzin wasn’t disappointed when he found the slender, fidgeting slip of an applicant waiting in the elevator lobby.

“Hello, there.” Tenzin extended a hand. “I’m Tenzin, the medical department supervisor. You must be Kellen?”

“Yes. I am. Nice to meet you.” He shook his hand, brief but firm.

“Come into the department. We’ll talk in one of the empty patient rooms.” Tenzin led the way, pleased that the pixie hadn’t flinched at his appearance. When they had settled, Tenzin on the little plastic chair in the room, Kellen on the rolling stool, he leafed through the interview file and began. “Why don’t you start by telling me about your prior experience.”

“I don’t have a lot of experience, yet.” Kellen answered. “The placement counselor asked about my skills when I crossed over and thought I might do best working in some way for AURA. I couldn’t pass the test for enforcement, and I didn’t think research was a good fit, so I asked to take the classes for medical.”

Tenzin tried hard not to frown. “I see. You do seem to have passed the classes with good academic scores. What did you do in your past life? Before you crossed over?”

“Well, I would have probably become a soldier eventually. Most of us do. I wasn’t old enough to join the ranks though. I was good at organizing things.”

Even without his wings out Kellen seemed to droop a bit, perhaps realizing that he wasn’t exactly painting a stellar picture of his skill set. While Tenzin didn’t disbelieve the revelation about pixie soldiers as someone else might have, he had experience with fierce flower fairies after all, he had the feeling something was off here.

“Organization is important in a medical department,” Tenzin said gently. “What sorts of things did you organize?”

“Nectar and honey, mostly.”

“Ah, food supplies. For your family?”

“For the colony. See, the collection squads were always going to the closest hives and groves first, and by the time anyone got to the outer reaches the fruit would be over ripe, or some of the neighboring colonies had poached the farthest hives. So I set up a rotation, so they went out to collect more evenly. Our stores increased almost thirty percent.”

Tenzin nodded. “That’s very resourceful.”

He didn’t need another trainee, he needed someone who could step into the breach, as it were. But Kellen seemed like such a sincere, intelligent individual, Tenzin didn’t want him to slip through the cracks. He was trying desperately to think of a solution when the air above his head erupted in chittering from whirling colorful beings. His troop of flower fairies zipped around his head, chattering with such agitation he couldn’t understand them. A blur of pink hovered in front of his nose, Brianna pointing sternly at the flower fairies by his right shoulder.

“Oh, dear. How did this happen?” Briac and Tara cradled sapphire-blue Timon between them, his wing bent at an impossible angle. “It’s alright, it’s alright little ones. We’ll set it. I think perhaps some surgical tape will hold it in place.”

Kellen made a small sound and Tenzin looked over at him to see him shaking his head. “Not tape. The wing membrane needs to breathe, and the adhesive might tear the wing when it’s removed. A gauze wrap would be best.”

The words were soft, almost apologetic, as if Kellen were afraid to contradict him. Brianna scolded, telling Tenzin she would’ve told him the same thing, but he held up a finger to halt her.

“Very sensible. Would you like to do it, Kellen? Supplies are in the cabinet there.”

Rather than answer Kellen simply set to work. With a roll of gauze and some cotton swabs he used forceps and scissors to fashion a tiny flexible cast and sling to hold the wing immobile and support it from below. Timon sat still for him on the table while the rest of the troop alternately hovered or landed on Kellen’s head and shoulders while he worked. He hummed soothingly under his breath when he set the wing in place, while his fingers worked oh-so-delicately on the fragile wing.

Tenzin blinked in surprise. Not that he’d spent much time with pixies, but he didn’t expect the healing song like the ones the elf healers used. He glanced at Brianna who gave him a nod and glowed in approval. The youngster didn’t have much field experience, but, goddess knew he needed someone with knowledge of wing membranes. Timon flexed his uninjured wing and let out a little chirping sigh, obviously relieved when Kellen had finished.

“Well then.” Tenzin picked Timon up and let him nestle into his shoulder fur. “I only have one question left. Do you have issues working with any race or species?”

“No. We’re all in this together now, aren’t we. I just want to be able to help people.”

There was a lie in there somewhere, or perhaps an omission, but Tenzin felt confident they could deal with whatever the obstacle was if it came up. “So when can you start?”

 

Buy the book:  Pride Publishing

 

RC

 

 

 

Meet the authors:

Angel Martinez

The unlikely black sheep of an ivory tower intellectual family, Angel Martinez has managed to make her way through life reasonably unscathed. Despite a wildly misspent youth, she snagged a degree in English Lit, married once and did it right the first time, (same husband for almost twenty-four years) gave birth to one amazing son, (now in college) and realized at some point that she could get paid for writing.

Published since 2006, Angel’s cynical heart cloaks a desperate romantic. You’ll find drama and humor given equal weight in her writing and don’t expect sad endings. Life is sad enough.

She currently lives in Delaware in a drinking town with a college problem and writes Science Fiction and Fantasy centered around gay heroes.

Bellora Quinn

Originally hailing from Detroit Michigan, Bellora now resides on the sunny Gulf Coast of Florida where a herd of Dachshunds keeps her entertained. She got her start in writing at the dawn of the internet when she discovered PbEMs (Play by email) and found a passion for collaborative writing and steamy hot erotica. Soap Opera like blogs soon followed and eventually full novels.

The majority of her stories are in the M/M genre with urban fantasy or paranormal settings and many with a strong BDSM flavour.

Where to find the authors:

Facebook:

Facebook Author Page:

Twitter:

  • @BelloraQ
  • @AngelMartinezrr

Pinterest:

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

3-May: Oh My Shelves, The Novel Approach

4-May: Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Molly Lolly, My Fiction Nook

5-May: Love Bytes, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, A.M. Leibowitz

6-May: Havan Fellows. MM Good Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog

9-May: Prism Book Alliance, Bayou Book Junkie, Nephy Hart

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $10 Pride Publishing gift card.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
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Its Back to the Superhero World of Panopolis with ‘Where There’s A Will’ with Cari Z (Riptide Giveaway)

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Where There’s A Will (Panopolis #3) by Cari Z.
R
iptide Publishing
Cover Artist L.C. Chase

Read an Excerpt/Buy It Here

About Where There’s a Will

Being a Hero in Panopolis means living the high life: parties, money, influence, even reality television. And I’m one of the most powerful Heroes in the city. I have plenty of fans, a manager who looks out for me (after himself), and a job that pays the bills. I should be enjoying myself.

Unfortunately, the downside of my superpower means I can’t touch anyone, which tends to put a damper on things. I probably don’t deserve all those perks anyway, since I’m working in secret with two of Panopolis’s biggest Villains to undermine GenCorp—my main sponsor and the company that controls what gets through my force field.

I obviously don’t trust my corporate overseers, but they’ve hired a new scientist who actually seems interested in helping me. Dr. Mansourian might have the answers to all my questions—not to mention a starring role in most of my dreams—but he’s hiding something big. If I let him have what he wants, I might not live to regret it.

Then again, the way things are going in Panopolis these days, I might not live either way.

About Cari Z

Cari Z was a bookworm as a child and remains one to this day. In an effort to combat her antisocial reading behavior, she did all sorts of crazy things, from competitive gymnastics to alligator wresting (who even knew that was legal!) to finally joining the Peace Corps, which promptly sent her and her husband to the wilds of West Africa, stuck them in a hut, and said, “See ya!” She also started writing, because some things she just thought she could do better. She’s still climbing that ladder, but can’t stop herself from writing, or from sharing what she creates.

Cari enjoys a wide range of literary genres, from the classics (get ‘im, Ahab) to science fiction and fantasy of all types, to historical fiction and reference materials (no, seriously, there are so many great encyclopedias out there). She writes in a wide range of genres as well, but somehow 90% of what she produces ends up falling into the broad and exciting category of m/m erotica. There’s a sprinkling of f/m and f/f and even m/f/m in her repertoire, but her true love is man love. And there’s a lot of love to go around.

Cari has published short stories, novellas, and novels with numerous print and e-presses, and she also offers up a tremendous amount of free content on Literotica.com, under the name Carizabeth.

Connect with Cari:

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Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Where There’s a Will, Cari is giving away ebooks of both Where There’s Smoke and Where There’s Fire, a $10 Riptide credit, and a Panopolis t-shirt. Leave a comment to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on May 7, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.  Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Panopolis

Panopolis, the City of Heroes: a place where exciting things happen every single day. Things like mad science, reckless public endangerment, corporate espionage, and political puppetry.

You’ve got to wonder, why would anyone ever want to move here?

And once they get here, why would they ever want to stay?

Maybe for the excitement of watching real super-powered Heroes battle it out with Villains every day—preferably from a few hundred yards back. Maybe for the chance to become one of those Heroes, brave and stalwart and always doing the right thing.

Or maybe . . . just maybe . . . some people stay because they prefer to take their chances with a Villain or two.

Where There’s Smoke (Panopolis, #1) by Cari Z

Where There’s Fire (Panopolis, #2) by Cari Z

Where There’s a Will (Panopolis, #3) by Cari Z

Where There's Smoke cover

WhereTheresFire_600x900WhereTheresAWill_600x900

A MelanieM Review Redux: Infected: Bloodlines (Infected #2) by Andrea Speed

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Infected Bloodlines 2 by Andrea SpeedIn a world where a werecat virus has changed society, Roan McKichan, a born infected and ex-cop, works as a private detective trying to solve crimes involving other infecteds.

The newly married Roan is struggling to balance his work with his home life as he grows increasingly distracted by his husband Paris’s declining health. One case with strong emotions attached takes up most of his time: finding the murderer of a missing little rich girl. It’s a family with secrets so toxic they’d rather no one investigate, and there’s no shortage of suspects. But despite the dangers and obstructions involved, Roan won’t stop… until he loses something infinitely precious as well.

Note: This book remains one of my favorites of the series and is still the most heartbreaking.  Even mentions of Paris in subsequent stories will bring memories of this book flooding back as  well as the tears it engendered.  I had no idea that instead of fading away, the idea of Roan and Paris actually got stronger for me in the series.  Did the author have any idea this would happen?  I think not.  But Paris will forever eclipse Dylan as Roan’s mate in my eyes and the Holiday stories just cemented that.  But this book, oh this book, dug them so deep into my heart nothing could ever pull them out.  Here is that old review.

I knew this book would be heartbreaking from the very beginning. After falling in love with Roan and Paris in the first Infected book, I had been debating how quickly I wanted to delve into this one. I decided on the cowardly choice and read a much lighter book instead. But the characters kept calling me and truthfully, I just had to know what happened next.

As expected, the sniffles started from the very first page. Andrea Speed has created such a mesmerizing universe here populated with beings both memorable and haunting. Roan McKitchen is hired to find a missing girl, a case that turns into a murder with a suspect at each new development. Paris Lehane (Roan’s partner/husband) is involved in a fight of his own as the infection and the Tiger virus take its toll. The warm and loving relationship of these two men (built in this and the first book) is countered by the realities of Paris’ condition and Roan’s attempts to deal with it. Paris and Roan aren’t perfect, and their relationship has taken work. But the pain coming off both men is genuine as are the motions they go through. Denial, anger, depression and bargaining, Roan is dealing with them all as the case of the murdered girl gets murkier. All the people around Roan and Paris are beautifully fleshed out characters, remarkable in the impressions they leave you with.

By the time I finished the book, my box of tissues was as empty as I felt. So, can you love a book when you hate whats coming? In my case, yes. Andrea Speed made me care so much about these people that I was drained at the end but would not have missed the journey. With 2 more published books to this series yet.

So I think I will go read something frivolous or one of my comfort reads before I head into the 3rd book. But the pain and heartache of this story is worth it. And it will stay with me for some time to come.

Cover art is more to my liking as I like to think its Roan trying to run away from what he knows is coming. Powerful.

Sales Links:  DSP Publications | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 2nd Edition, 224 pages
Published October 14th 2014 by DSP Publications (first published December 16th 2010)
Original TitleInfected: Bloodlines
ISBN 1632163284 (ISBN13: 9781632163288)
CharactersRoan McKichan

Series:

A MelanieM Review Redux: Infected: Prey (Infected #1) by Andrea Speed

Note:  This was the first of the Infected Stories, written back in 2010, when it first came out.  Now 8 stories  later, Roan’s tale is done.  Or is it?  Here’s a look back at the series, leading up to my review of the Holiday special on the 17th and a series review.  Roan will always have my heart.

 

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

 

Infected Prey“In a world where a werecat virus has changed society, Roan McKichan, a born infected and ex-cop, works as a private detective trying to solve crimes involving other infecteds.

The murder of a former cop draws Roan into an odd case where an unidentifiable species of cat appears to be showing an unusual level of intelligence. He juggles that with trying to find a missing teenage boy, who, unbeknownst to his parents, was “cat” obsessed. And when someone is brutally murdering infecteds, Eli Winters, leader of the Church of the Divine Transformation, hires Roan to find the killer before he closes in on Eli.

Working the crimes will lead Roan through a maze of hate, personal grudges, and mortal danger. With help from his tiger-strain infected partner, Paris Lehane, he does his best to survive in a world that hates and fears their kind… and occasionally worships them.”

This is the first book of Andrea Speed’s that I read and it is a case of love at first read.  Infected Prey includes the first two books in this series and what a fabulous introduction to this author.

The world created here is one in which a werecat virus has spread much like HIV through society and governments are struggling to deal with it much like they did with AIDS in the initial stages of discovery and scientific research.  At this time, there is no idea how this blood born pathogen came into being although it is suggested that the government might have something to do with it.  Again, much like HIV, some are born with it (virus children) and some are infected, whether by accident (transfusions) or intention (attacks or choice).

Roan McKichan was born an infected child.  Now grown, he is a ex-cop and P.I.  The years of growing up unwanted and in abusive foster homes, have left him wary, cynical, and  isolated.  His partner, Paris Lehane, is a Infected by malevolent intent and carries the rare Tiger strain.  Paris is the only one that Roan lets get close to him physically and more importantly, emotionally.  The heart of this book is  the relationship between these two men, both incredibly different and yet deeply in love with each other.  Two unique voices that leap off the page and demand your attention.

In Andrea Speed’s world, shifting from one species to another is not an easy matter.  In fact, it’s painful, debilitating, and in some cases lethal.   Those Infected are caged during their change for society’s protection, whether it is cages at home supplied by the State or at the Police Station in a special ward.  Still, there are some who wish to be Infected themselves and the Church of the Divine Transformation draws those individuals like flies to raw meat.  And someone is killing them.

Hired by the head of the Church to find the killer, Roan and his lover, Paris, struggle to find the killer while dealing with the dynamics of their relationship, their health problems, and the fact that Roan is changing in ways neither man can grasp.

Intense, sometimes funny, and always addictive.  Here is Roan in a mall store trying to get information from a clerk:

Roan: “I’m a cat, yeah. I’m a virus child.”

“Really?” Her eyes were shining now. He was another boring adult when he walked in, but now he was suddenly exotic and appealing. “Cool.” He thought of Paris’s breaking bones, and wanted to backhand her across the face.”

Short, succinct, and telling.

There are more in this series, four published and another on the way.

I give this a 4.5 and am on my way to starting the second book, Infected Bloodlines, that looks to be a heartbreaker.  I’ll let you all know what I find.

But in the meantime, pick this one up.  Let me know what you think.  I think you will love it.

Cover art is textured and dark but the character that is supposed to be portraying Roan is just not my idea of him, including the dark red mane.

Sales Links: DSP Publications | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 2nd Edition, 384 pages
Published October 14th 2014 by DSP Publications (first published June 24th 2010)
Original TitlePrey
ISBN 1632163268 (ISBN13: 9781632163264)

SeriesInfected #1
CharactersRoan McKichan, Paris Lehane settingSeattle, Washington (United States)

 

Series:

A Stella Review: Between Ghosts by Garrett Leigh

RATING:  3.75 out of 5 stars

BetweenGhosts_600x900In 2003, journalist Connor Regan marched through London to add his voice to a million others, decrying the imminent invasion of Iraq. Eight months later, his brother, James, was killed in action in Mosul.

Three years on, Connor finds himself bound for Iraq to embed with an elite SAS team. He sets his boots on the ground looking for closure and solace—anything to ease the pain of his brother’s death. Instead he finds Sergeant Nathan Thompson.

Nat Thompson is a veteran commander, hardened by years of combat and haunted by the loss of his best friend. Being lumbered with a civilian is a hassle Nat doesn’t need, and he vows to do nothing more than keep the hapless hack from harm’s way.

But Connor proves far from hapless, and too compelling to ignore for long. He walks straight through the steel wall Nat’s built around his heart, and when their mission puts him in mortal danger, Nat must lay old ghosts to rest and fight to the death for the only man he’s ever truly loved.

I’m a fan of Garrett Leigh, she is a great author who writes beautiful and heartbroken characters, just how I like my boys to be. I had enormous expectations on her new release, Between Ghosts, and in some ways they were greatly satisfied, because the author can write and pick the right cast, main and secondary too. As you can read and imagine from the blurb, the story is pretty hard and the setting is hurtful, still I wasn’t scared and I was wrong. Now I can admit I can’t read these kind of books. Between Ghosts is well done and deeply emotional, but the sadness I felt, highly distracted me.

I was left dubious and not so into the book since the start, I felt a detachment from the words I was reading and although I was enjoying Nat and Connor, I couldn’t connect with them. And to me the reason was pretty simple: I was too overwhelmed by the setting. I was able to feel a chemistry and a connection, because it was clear from the first sight Nat and Connor are meant to be together and heal each other hearts. Still the mission  they were on played a huge role on the plot and was more important than the beginning of something (physical) between the guys.

I was a little disappointed by the last third of the story, some parts were predictable, others a little unrealistic but the ending was what I wanted, a sense of closure and a peace hard to find throughout the story, but so well deserved. What the MCs felt and did in their lives earned them the right to try and get all the happiness they can have together. And right there at the end I was really hoping for a sequel where I could follow them in a new life and enjoy them in another way.

The cover art by Garrett Leigh is well done as anything she designs. The cleaness and the colors were a success for me.

Sales Links:   Riptide Publishing | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook,226 pages
Published March 14th 2016 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN 1626493510(ISBN13:9781626493513)
Edition Language English