Theo Decker is a rock star—his dream come true. But he hates it. Give him his music and he’s happy, but give him paparazzi, crowds of fans, and no privacy and he’s immobilized with fear. He’s even socially awkward around his bandmates. Riven was a three-person band looking for a lead singer who could compose music when they happened to connect—a match made in heaven, or at least in rock star heaven. But they were all friends before Theo joined them so he continually finds himself on the outside looking in. Uncomfortable is almost too mild a word to describe how he feels both on and off stage when he’s on tour with them.
Caleb Blake Whitman is a formerly famous brilliant musician and a currently recovering drug addict. His fear of relapsing again (his fourth time) is so huge that he’s secluded himself at a cabin in the woods and spends most of his time alone and in his vegetable garden. A former bandmate and lover, Rhys, visits frequently and supports him wholeheartedly. He also has support from his sponsor, Huey, an old codger who says little, but knows much about life.
When the two meet, it’s like the stars collide. Theo is over-the-top excited to meet someone like Caleb and Caleb is in awe of Theo’s talent. As their relationship moves from friends to friends-with-benefits to more, however, Caleb is frightened of the thought of relapse. And he knows it will happen if he allows himself to enter Theo’s world. After all, each time he tried to stay clean in the past, it was something related to touring with his band that triggered him into relapse, and though he wants this time to be different, he’s deathly afraid it won’t be.
What happens along the way makes for a complex and beautiful love story. The author’s treatment of addiction, recovery, triggers, and the need for a sponsor and an outlet for the fears is spot-on. Her portrayal of Theo as a young, insecure musical genius was totally different from what I expected and absolutely perfect for this story. Caleb and Theo belong together and readers should enjoy their journey. It’s not an easy one but there is an HEA and for that I was most thankful.
I highly recommend this story to lovers of MM romance, especially to those who love a story featuring musicians, age gap, hurt-comfort, addiction recovery, and just plain love.
A note about the cover: This is a stunning cover – the best I’ve seen in a long time, unfortunately the cover artist is not listed in the ARC. Most of the cover is solid black with a view of the MC, Theo Decker, through the thick lettering of the title: RIVEN. The author’s name appears below in thin white lettering. This cover is unique and extremely well done.
Ben Shane has it all… and he’d like to give some of it back. While he loves his job heading a foundation that funds worthy causes around the world, his engagement to one of America’s wealthiest men leaves him feeling more like a trophy wife than a valued partner. The first warning that his relationship might not be designed to last is his irresistible lust for Dusty Kincaid, the golden-haired, bright-eyed handyman for his company.
Though Dusty is odd for a twenty-three-year-old—no liquor, no sugar, and he can’t even drive—the more Ben gets to know Dusty, the more he admires him. But is Ben going to give up a guy who drives a Ferrari for one who takes the bus? He must be mad. Dusty knows he and Ben can never work. After all, Ben’s perfect… and Dusty isn’t. But Ben might surprise everyone with proof that he’s only mad in love.
I read the first book in this series when it first came out years ago and loved it, I was excited to see the author is now continuing the series because I love a sweet shorter story almost all the time. Ben is drawn to Dusty when he first sees him and finds that he enjoys his company much more than his fiancé. Dusty has been a bit sheltered due to his health concerns but embraces the chance to spend some time with Ben.
I still can’t figure out why Ben said yes to Alan’s proposal, he doesn’t seem to really have anything in common or enjoy spending time with him, it may just have been flattery at the time. I did love his openness to Dusty and how willing he is to adapt his life to someone who actually matters to him. I loved seeing Dusty finally get something good in his life and you could see how he didn’t want anyone to feel bad for him. Both of these characters were wonderful and it was easy to connect and see what they were feeling. I can’t wait to read more of these stories as they come out.
The cover art by Reese Dante is great and I love the visual of Dusty.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have J.L. Langley here today talking about writing, characters, and one of our favorites stories, My Fair Captain. Welcome, J.L.
~ Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with J.L. Langley ~
How much of yourself goes into a character?
It actually depends on the character, but I’d say there is always something of me in my characters. I find the ones that are most different from me are the toughest to write. In my upcoming story, Diplomatic Relations, Blaise gave me absolute fits because he is so different from me. I had a hard time trying to put myself into his mindset and think like him. Fortunately, I do have a very good friend and critique partner that identified with Blaise very easily and helped see things the way he did.
Does research play a role into choosing which genre you write? Do you enjoy research or prefer making up your worlds and cultures?
No research doesn’t play a part in my genre choice at all. I always start with characters, I’m very character driven, but I do love research. Like most authors, I find myself losing hours and hours in research because I love to learn new things.
Has your choice of childhood or teenage reading genres carried into your own choices for writing?
Not at all. As a child, I read Judy Blume. Sadly, I didn’t read as a teen. I know that sounds so bad, but it’s true. I think English Lit really soured me on reading. I do NOT like literature as a general rule. Especially the things we read in High School. I can sum high school literature up in one word: depressing. I learned really early on in jr. high school that Cliff’s Notes were my friend! I’m not sure I actually read any books after I discovered Cliff’s Notes. Sadly, college literature was even worse. I wanted to throw the book at the professor for making me read, The Lottery. Trust me, he got an earful! And I’d still like to have a few words with whomever wrote the screenplay for Seven.
Do you like HFN or HEA? And why?
HEA all the way! As you can probably tell from my answer above. I read for two reasons: to learn (as in how to do something or what happened in the past. I don’t want a moral lesson) or for entertainment. Nothing makes me madder than wasting my time and getting a bad ending. I’m like that with movies too. If I want real life, I’ll watch the news. When I read, I want to be entertained. I want to feel wonderful and refreshed when I’m done.
Who do you think is your major influence as a writer? Now and growing up?
If I had to pick I’d have to say Julia Quinn. I absolutely love everything she writes. She has a wonderful sense of humor and her books are always romantic. She’s a very character driven writer. Growing up? Judy Blume? She had a pretty good sense of humor as well and I do tend to include humor in my writing.
How do you feel about the ebook format and where do you see it going?
As a reader, I didn’t like ebooks to begin with. I wanted a paperback, or preferably a hardback. I wanted that keepsake. Now I won’t read a book if I can’t get it in ebook. Which oddly enough it’s kind of ironic because I love libraries and being surrounded by actual, physical books. There is just something about the smell of them. I definitely see a day where ebooks are the only books. More and more we gravitate to the electronic. Since I’ve been published I’ve seen a huge shift. When I first started my print books always sold more than my ebooks, but now? I kind of surprised publishers still do print, they just don’t sell much anymore.
Do you have a favorite among your own stories? And why?
My Regelence Rake is my favorite. As to why? I’m not really sure. Oddly enough though those are not my favorite characters.
If you write contemporary romance, is there such a thing as making a main character too “real”? Do you think you can bring too many faults into a character that eventually it becomes too flawed to become a love interest?
I don’t think so. The more flawed the better. You can redeem just about any character. After reading Larissa Ione’s, Rough Rider, I’m certain of that. Talk about incredible conflict and incredible character development. Larissa is amazing and that story especially is awe inspiring. <bows at Larissa’s feet> She definitely redeemed the unredeemable.
What’s the wildest scene you’ve imagined and did it make it into a story?
Hmmm… this isn’t exactly the same thing, BUT… the scene in the Broken H where Shane hears Jamie and Gray in the kitchen and one of them, Gray, I think, says, “suck the head!” And Jamie yells, “eewww… No I don’t like the taste. Stop pushing my head!” It actually happened in RL. My youngest BIL and I were in the kitchen at a New Year’s Eve party and he was fixing a beer for my husband. I happened to come in as he put the lime in the Corona then added the salt. It started foaming and the rest his history. We noticed the room got very quiet and we looked up and everyone was standing at the door staring at us. Needless to say, the beer got all over the floor and everyone died laughing. It then dawned on my BIL and I how the whole exchange had sounded He looked over at me and sighed and said, “This is going in a book, isn’t it?”
Ever drunk written a chapter and then read it the next day and still been happy with it? Trust me there’s a whole world of us drunk writers dying to know.
Nope. I don’t drink. But I have gotten up in the middle of the night and written ideas down when I was still asleep. Needless to say, they have never made it into books, but they are always entertaining to read the next morning. Lets see there was one about a vampire turtle who shot spider webs… seriously! I read it the next morning and was like O_O Really? I couldn’t stop laughing.
My Fair Captain Blurb
When Intergalactic Navy Captain Nathaniel Hawkins goes undercover to investigate the theft of an IN weapons stash, the mission raises painful memories from his past. Using a title he fled nearly two decades earlier, Nate once again becomes the Earl of Deverell, heir to the Duke of Hawthorne, in order to navigate the ins and outs of a Regency world. But planet Regelence—where young lords are supposed to remain pure until marriage—has a few surprises for Nate, not least of which is his attraction to Prince Aiden.
A talented artist, Prince Aiden Townsend isn’t interested in politics and the machinations of society gentlemen, and he adamantly rejects the idea of marriage and a consort. Aiden wants the freedom to pursue his art and determine his own future. But the arrival of the dashing and mysterious Deverell awakens feelings of passion and longing the young prince can’t deny.
As Nate uncovers a conspiracy reaching far beyond the stolen weapons, his future is irrevocably altered by the temptations of a life he never thought he could have. Drawn into the web of intrigue, Aiden is in danger of losing his life… and his heart.
About the Author
J.L. Langley said her first words at six months of age. By the time she was a year old, she was talking in complete sentences and, as most of her family and friends will tell you, she hasn’t shut up since. After becoming an accomplished motormouth, J.L. set out to master other avenues of self-expression, including art, and dance.
She attended the University of Texas, where she majored in art, and worked as a dance instructor on the side. Her love of artistic expression in dance landed her a career in which she taught and performed for over twenty-five years. After marriage to her junior high school sweetheart and the birth of their children, J.L. decided to try her hand at writing. To date, she has several successful novels and a handful of novellas to her credit.
She lives in Texas, where she was born and raised, with her real life hero, their rowdy two boys, two even rowdier German Shepherds and ten goldfish, one of which is named Jaws. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found with her nose in a book, appreciating the communication skills of other writers.
Banished by his cruel father, Rowan has been trapped on an enchanted mountain for over two hundred years. Unable to leave unless he gives up his magic, Rowan fears he will be alone his entire existence.
Gideon, a pilot, has been on the run after his mother was murdered and her attackers tried to kill him as well. He soon finds out his life is full of secrets and lies.
Fate and prophecy have much in store for them though they don’t know it yet. Can the two of them overcome it all and find love together?
The Lonely Dragon by Anna Lee delivers on plot and a substantial cast of characters. I enjoyed the story of an imprisoned dragon waiting for his mate to arrive. Of course, it also involves evil fathers, a kingdom to win, mates, a rebellion and so much more.
There’s action, betrayal, more action, mating. And while I thought the book was well plotted out, I remained curiously detached from it all.
Characters died, were snatched away and I felt nothing.
And that’s the issue here. While I thought the book and plot had promise, the characterizations showed little spark or depth to them. Didn’t matter whether they were professing their love (so darn quickly) or mourning the deaths of those they loved, I just never felt connected to them because they never came across as believable or more than one-dimensional.
All the flaws in this is story are represented in the scenes with Gideon upon his crashing down on the mountain. Nothing there made sense. Including his amazing recovery. Unfortunately that entire episode leans towards the ludicrous.
Which is too bad because so much of the plot and other elements show such promise. Loved the elder dragon at the end.
Cover art by Winterheart Designs does contain many of the elements one might expect.
As is usual with TJ Klune’s stories in this series, one needs to first sit down and strap on a seat belt, and then pop on headphones if you are fortunate to be able to listen to the audiobook version narrated by the outstanding voice of Michael Lesley. Be prepared for nineteen hours of crazy sidebar dialogue (mostly courtesy of Gary, Tiggy, and Kevin), of fantasy and the world of wizards and dragons, and finally, of brilliant execution of the written word. It all comes together here, but since there’s one more book in the story, a word of caution: if you are afraid of heights you’d better take your meds—the cliffhanger in this book is a doozy!
Without going into intricate details, I’ll summarize by saying that Sam takes on not only the Great White dragon, but also Lady Tina DeSilva, and worst of all, Myrin. Working with, and sometimes against, wizards Randall and Morgan, Sam and his company of misfits entertain readers with various funny and frightening adventures. We get to revisit Dimitri, the Fairy King, and oh, how I love the voice Michael Lesley uses for him! And we also get quite a bit of time with Gary, Tiggy, and Kevin, all of whom have unique and spot-on voices. Good news for fans: Gary has decided to give Kevin a second chance and the hilariously lewd scenes that take place are a highlight of the story. I find it hard to choose my favorite character in this series, but I think Kevin the dragon is at the top of the list as of now. That faintly Scottish accent with his constantly lascivious words and actions make him quite amazing, in my opinion.
The Kingdom of Verania is in danger; Sam can’t seem to get all five dragons on board to face the dark wizards; there’s more danger from a previously unexpected source; and Myrin has escaped—proving to be the greatest danger of all. Add to that the voices Sam hears in his head, some good, some bad, like Vadoma’s negative predictions that seem to be coming true, and readers are in for a highly entertaining, often nail-biting, sometimes hair-raising adventure. Michael Lesley’s thousand voices accompanied by very clever sound effects makes this a definite audiobook winner.
One last thing—this series builds one book upon another, so this can’t be read as a standalone. However, I do recommend taking the audiobooks on vacation since listening to this series will greatly enhance the joy of any vacation.
~~~
The cover by Paul Richmond features a man’s hand with wisps of smoky vapor swirling in the air around it and forming a dragon-like figure. Bright and colorful, this cover is very attention-getting and definitely represents Sam’s magic and his gathering of the dragons.
Martin is eighty-four years old, a Korean War veteran, living quietly in a retirement home in upstate New York. His days are ruled by the routine of the staff, but in his thoughts and dreams, Martin often returns to the Seoul of his youth, and the lost true love of his life. Two close friends urge him to travel back to search for his love. What awaits Martin in Korea, more than six decades after he left the country on a troop transport back to the U.S.?
Returning to the Land of the Morning Calm is a story of friendship, love and family, in all its many shapes, across time, generations and cultures.
I work with the elderly and spend a lot of time listening to them as they do life review so I was really excited about this book. I thought it had the potential to be an amazing book. Unfortunately the execution did not work for me.
The story goes back and forth between the past and the present and that aspect was fine. My major complaint was how detailed and drawn out everything was. The majority of the book is about what Martin is doing at the assisted living he lives at, how he meets his friends, the conversations they have, what they eat and their meals, what they drink at their meals, what they say to the waitress at those meals. On and on the minor details went. I was quickly bored and found myself skimming entire sections. I did not care what they ate or what they did for Christmas.
What I wanted was more time with Martin and the man he loved. I wanted to see them fall in love in the past sections and I wanted to see them reunited in the present sections. I didn’t get any of that. We barely see the couple in past and what scenes we do see are filled with uninteresting detail. There’s not emotions, no feelings. In the present we get a ton of detail on how Martin makes the friends he travels to Korea with but we get zero time with him and Ji-Hoon once again.
Unfortunately this did not work for me at all. While the technicality of the writing was fine, the content was dry and overly detailed in my opinion.
Cover: The cover was done by Natasha Snow and I think she did a good job on it. It’s a lovely cover.
Shane Wise is a Dom and part owner of a popular BDSM club in Rittenhouse Square, Club Rebellion. A tumultuous past has led him to an almost perfect present, except Shane has a secret. A secret that could destroy his reputation in the world in which he loves to live-BDSM.
Deacon Archer is also a Dom and part owner of Club Rebellion and he is in love with Shane Wise. Together Shane and Deacon must decide if the love they feel can withstand the scrutiny they fear if their relationship is revealed.
Can two dominants truly forge a relationship? Will secret desires open up a new world and allow Shane to be the man he was intended to be or will veiled dominance get in the way?
I had read the first book in the series quite a while ago before it was republished but never got around to this one. Shane is always second guessing himself about his and Deacon’s relationship having kept it secret for and unknown amount of time. Deacon is ready to share their relationship with everyone but he is sensitive to Shane’s feelings as well.
Shane hasn’t had a great life before he met his friends in college but has made the best of his situation and has succeeded. I didn’t feel quite the connection to Deacon as I did Shane because there wasn’t anything big to connect with but I loved watching him care and love on Shane when the man needed it and how willing he was to show Shane that he can be whoever he needs to be. They have a wonderful group of friends who seem to fully support each other. I am interested to see if this author continues this series now that they are being republished to maybe include Tony, the bartender and others in the club.
The cover art by Winterheart Design just didn’t work for me, I think if the model had been in a different pose it would have helped a lot.
Coming back to New York to see her ailing father, Lizzie Ferguson did not expect to find him healthy and newly married to a much younger woman. She, also, didn’t expect to connect with an old lover and childhood friend or be accused of killing her father. But, life has a way of knocking you to your knees when you least expect it.
Stiles Long had always regretted that the killer, from his first case as a Pinkerton Agent, had got away. Now, in New York it was happening again. The Hotel Astor Bar was a meeting place for men who enjoyed the company of men. And, some of them were being brutally murdered. When one of the suspects from the original case appears at the hotel, Stiles is torn between his desire to stop a killer and kiss the man senseless.
Two different cases, but some of the faces overlap from one to the other. Stiles and Lizzie are in a race to discover who the killers are before another body gets added to the count.
Trailer video
Excerpt
Michael O’Leary’s presence at the bar brought Stiles back to the present. He was dressed in a charcoal suit. His slim body moved with strong determination. As he approached the left end of the bar, he glanced across the room until his eyes saw Stiles. The sweet smile that spread across Michael’s face did funny things to Stiles insides. He quivered for a moment then smiled back, the reaction impossible to stop.
There were several younger men at the bar. One with dark curls framing an oval face. He wore a velvet evening coat the color of the night sky. Stiles had noticed him earlier but Gershon had distracted him with his departure.
“Michael,” the young man called out. “Where have you been? I haven’t seen you in ages. Why did you run out of here the other night?” He entwined his arm through Michael’s and led him to an empty space at the bar. He ordered them drinks and leaned in close to Michael to speak to him.
Stiles watched as the night wore on. Several men came and met with another man and left together. One young man stood out to Stiles. He appeared to be very nervous. His movements were stiff and not at all comfortable. Whenever someone would speak to him, he would jump and look around watching for something or possibly someone. A man several years older than Stiles approached the jumpy man and spoke to him. He noticeably relaxed as he accepted the drink he was offered, and a smile finally appeared on his face. He was very handsome and very young. Stiles estimated he was in his early twenties if that old. His face was angular and trim, not a hint of an evening beard appeared on his chin even at this late time of the day. The two were standing next to Michael and the man with the dark curls who wouldn’t let Michael out of his sight.
“Davis, I’m sorry but I am meeting someone tonight,” Stiles heard Michael say.
“What? I’m hurt Michael,” Davis answered. “How can you throw me aside like that?” He wiped at his eyes, though Stiles could see no tears.
“You’ll be just fine,” Michael said as he turned away from Davis. “Look, isn’t that Mr. Rupert over there.”
Davis looked across the room in the direction of a gray-haired man in a black suit with an emerald green tie. The pout disappeared from his face and he left Michael to join the man.
Michael approached Stiles table and bowed slightly.
“Is this seat taken?”
“No. Please sit.” Stiles motioned to the empty chair beside him.
A steward appeared asking for their drink orders and left as quickly as he had appeared.
“Davis seems quite a catch,” Stiles teased.
Michael looked down at his folded hands. There was a flush to his cheeks when he faced Stiles.
“We’ve met a few times. He’s not really interested in anything but having fun.”
The statement was leading but the steward arrived with their drinks and Stiles waited until he departed again to continue.
“What are you interested in?”
Michael circled his glass on the table with his index finger, making the ice clink. He lifted the glass and drank. Stiles watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed. His cock stiffened while he watched. Suddenly the room felt very warm.
“I know men like us aren’t supposed to want more than a dalliance to keep our urges at bay,” Michael sighed. “But what is wrong with wanting more.”
“More?”
“Why is it that only men who marry women have the right to a life time of companionship? Someone to celebrate with when things are good or someone to cling to when the day has been awful, is it really too much to want that?”
Stiles wasn’t sure what Michael was getting at and he really didn’t understand the idea. Was he talking about men being together as in marriage? That was impossible. Society would never accept an arrangement such as that. There were laws, even in America that would forbid it.
“I know what you are thinking, it’s against the law. But why? Why is it so wrong to want a permanent relationship? I know what I want—what I need— is against nature and God, but why is it wrong to want to be loved? Just because it’s a man’s body that I crave, a man’s touch to start my blood boiling, a man’s look of desire…” He quieted as he looked at Stiles.
Stiles could see it in Michael’s eyes. Desire burned there. Need so strong, his pupils had darkened to a forest green. He’d never seen another man look at him that way. It was more than lust and Stiles had no name for it.
He’d been half hard since the man had walked into the room, now his painfully erect cock was straining to break free from his trousers. Stiles didn’t know what Michael was talking about, but he did know that his own lust was going to overpower him soon.
This evening had not gone as planned. Now, all he could think of was getting Michael into bed and taking what he needed and what the other man clearly wanted.
“My room?” Michael choked out quietly.
They rose without taking their eyes off each other. Neither said a word as they walked from the lounge through the lobby to the elevator. Only their shoulders touched as they walked. Michael told the operator his floor and they rose slowly.
On the third floor, they walked side by side to a room half way down the right side of the hall. Michael withdrew a key from his trouser pocket and Stiles saw the bulge protruding at the front placket when Michael pushed his jacket aside. Lust raced through Stiles, hot and needy.
Giveaway
Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card and a choice of ebook from C.J. Baty’s backlist.
CJ Baty lives in southwest Ohio with her very patient husband and two encouraging children. Her heart however, lives in the mountains of Tennessee where she hopes to retire some day. The mountains have always provided her with inspiration and a soothing balm to the stresses of everyday life.
The dream of writing her own stories started in high school but was left on the back burner of life until her son introduced her to Fan Fiction and encouraged her to give it a try. She found that her passion for telling a story was still there and writing them down to share with others was much more thrilling than she had ever expected.
One thing she has learned from life and she is often heard to say is, “You are never too old to follow your dream!”
Disclaimer: If promiscuity, open relationships, or perceived cheating are deal breakers for you, this isn’t your book.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Tom Gray is one of the world’s top models–an effortless object of desire.
Self-contained, elusive and always in control, he’s accustomed to living life entirely on his own terms.
But when Tom comes under suspicion in the gory death of his employer, his world spirals into chaos.
Someone’s framing him. Someone’s stalking him.
And as old secrets come to light, Tom finds his adversary always one step ahead.
Will Foster is the only man Tom trusts to help. But Tom brutally burned all bridges between them two years before, and Will paid a bitter price.
If he wants to survive, Tom must prove his innocence to Will–and to the world.
Object of Desire should not be confused with a romance novel. It is a well-written mix of police procedural and a thriller with romantic undertones. I used the same disclaimer than above when reviewing Bitter Legacy and it applies here quite well. By the way, I didn’t make the connection between the two books until I was done reading. And to be clear, there’s no need to read them one after the other. They just complemented each other.
In this story, we don’t get to see Will and Tom falling in love and having a fairytale HEA. We get to accompany them in their search to uncover the reasons behind the collapse of Tom’s life and are witnesses to all the machinations and actions that resulted in a new path to their worlds. There’s a lot of exposure at the beginning of the story and it doesn’t stop until the end. I would have been happy with a bittersweet ending too.
Dal Maclean knitted a wonderful set of characters with deep backgrounds and interrelations. We are given enough information to make our own conclusions and to switch those conclusions with every new piece of information presented. There’s not one single suspect or lead to followed. It is a complex web of possibilities that keeps the reader guessing until the last minute. Only to have them question if they arrived at the right conclusion.
The plot leads change often enough to make the story engaging. The reader is always trying to figure out if they have the right players and set of events right, or if they have been misled. Trying to figure out the end gets harder with each page, and there’s no way to know until the last part of the story. Anything before that would be wrong, and even then, it’s hard to know if you are correct.
All the descriptions, from clothing, decorations, smells, locations, food, etc. added to the flavor of the story. Cars, traffic, day & time, weather, and many other items make Object of Desire more than a tale and more of an experience. I’m glad to see the author didn’t Americanize this book either. There’s no need to provided comparisons about the two country systems or explain terms or phrases. It makes the whole package credible and authentic. I would love to hear the audiobook to be further submerged in this world.
The characters were marvelous, sophisticated, and intricate. I do have a sweet spot for Nick and I need to accept is due to the great work the author did to bring him to life. He’s definitely my favorite. At the same time, it was hard for me to warm up to Tom. Which is also due to a great characterization by the author. Unfortunately, it’s the reason why this is not a perfect five stars’ book for me; even if the overall book is stellar. Every other character in between has a purpose, a story, and is more than a generic name on a page. I’m still impartial about Will.
If you are not used to complex books with intense psychological turns, this book can be overwhelming. But, at the same time, it’s rewarding to get to the end to understand how everything comes together. It would definitely make a great TV movie or show. It has the potential to be more than a once read.
The cover by KaNaXa matches the previous book by this author and it has the same issue. At first glance, it’s hard to understand the content of the cover. Especially if looking at a thumbprint. When taking the time, all the elements are present in the story.
That’s what this weekend is all about. What it was created for. After the Civil War was over, Decoration Day came about to honor both the dead of the Union and Confederate. Now we know it as Memorial Day, remembering those that have fallen, given service to their country, honoring our dead by keeping them alive in our memories, in our hearts and our thoughts.
Living near Washington, DC, Memorial Day and Weekend’s true meaning is never far away. Rolling Thunder roars past my parents place every year on it’s way to the District. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial remains for me the most haunting and striking memorial in the District. The WWII and Korean War Memorials will be visited heavily. And Arlington Cemetery with its white sea of uniform tombstones stretching for miles and the incredibly moving Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, with its changing of the Guard ceremony, will be overflowing with visitors (families of those buried there and those just paying their respects). I will be there too. It’s a family tradition.
My father recently returned to Arlington to visit family buried there. I forgot it had been a while since his last visit. He stood stunned by the vista before him. Arlington has had to expand it’s boundaries since the last time he was there. The tombstones now spread out before him like a vast ocean where before my father remembered nothing but trees and meadows. It was heartbreaking. What could we say? So many deaths. So many to remember. And honor.
For many, it’s a time to celebrate with family and friends. Picnics and parades, bbq’s and cookouts.
But take time to remember. And perhaps if you see someone in their military uniform, you might want to thank them for their service now. I think they will appreciate it.
Have a happy and safe Memorial Weekend. #WeRemember
This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
Sunday, May 27:
Memorial Weekend. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
A Lila Review Object of Desire by Dal Maclean
Monday, May 28:
Release Blitz – Murder in New York by C.J. Baty
DSP Promo Julia Talbot
Blog Tour – #IsHeHereYet: Being the person you want to be with by Dr Tony Ortega
A MelanieM Review: The Lonely Dragonby Anna Lee
An Ali Review Returning to the Land of the Morning Calm by Hans M Hirschi
An Alisa Review: Veiled Dominance by Evelise Archer
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audiobook Review: The Consumption of Magic (Tales From Verania #3) by TJ Klune and Michael Lesley(Narrator)
Tuesday, May 29:
DSP Promo JL Langley on My Fair Captain
Cover Reveal, for Ari McKay’s Absence of the Sun (Blood Bathory #2)
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Riven by Roan Parrish
A MelanieM Release Day Review: My Fair Captain (Sci-Regency #1) by J.L. Langley
An Alisa Release Day Review: Love You So Madly (Love You So Stories #2) by Tara Lain
An Ali Audiobook Review: The Quarterback by Mackenzie Blair and Greg Boudreaux (Narrator)
Wednesday, May 30:
Book Blast Just A Year by Jena Wade
A Lucy Pre release Review: My Crunchy Lifeby Mia Kerick
A MelanieM Release Day Review: Stone the Crows (Wolf Winter)by TA Moore
A VVivacious Review: A Love to Remember, by Sarah Hadley Brook
An Alisa Review: Snow Cat by Edward Kendrick
Thursday, May 31:
Harmony Promo Shirley Anne Edwards
A Caryn Review : Mason and the Dog Wrangler” by CL Etta
A Lucy Review: Where Do I Start? (Why You? #1)by Chase Taylor Hackett
An Ali Audiobook Review: Bobby Green (Johnnies # 5) by Amy Lane and Gomez Pugh(Narrator)
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audiobook Review The Solstice Prince (Realms of Love #1) by S.J. Himes and Joel Leslie (Narrator)
Friday, June 1:
Blog Tour: The Curse by Kethric Wilcox
Cover Reveal- Overtime by V.L. Locey
DSP Promo Julia Talbot
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: The Recruit by Addison Albright
A Lucy Review: And the next Thing You Know . . . (Why You? #2) byChase Taylor Hackett
A Stella Release Day Review: Wight Mischief by JL Merrow
Saturday, June 2:
RELEASE BLITZ for Waiting in the Wings (Upstaged #2) by S. L. Danielson
Release Blitz – Three-Man Advantage by Ariel Bishop
Theo Decker is a rock star—his dream come true. But he hates it. Give him his music and he’s happy, but give him paparazzi, crowds of fans, and no privacy and he’s immobilized with fear. He’s even socially awkward around his bandmates. Riven was a three-person band looking for a lead singer who could compose music when they happened to connect—a match made in heaven, or at least in rock star heaven. But they were all friends before Theo joined them so he continually finds himself on the outside looking in. Uncomfortable is almost too mild a word to describe how he feels both on and off stage when he’s on tour with them.
