Category: Fantasy

New Release Blitz for Irresistible Indigo (D’Vaire #9) by Jessamyn Kingley (excerpt and giveaway)

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Irresistible Indigo (D’Vaire, Book 9)

Author: Jessamyn Kingley

Cover Artist: LJ Anderson, Mayhem Cover Creations

Genre/s: M/M Fantasy Romance, M/M Paranormal Romance

Heat Rating:  3 flames

Release Date: November 15, 2018

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Blurb

A young wizard, a noble duke, and the potion that changes D’Vaire forever.

Since arriving at the Draconis Court of D’Vaire at the age of sixteen, Idris has done everything he can think of to make his new family proud of him. After five years of challenging work, he is finally poised to reach the highest rank within the Spectra Wizardry. The only glaring thing missing is his mate. While he may be young, Idris wants to share his heart with his other half, so he asks Fate to send him a nice dragon who will be kind to him and his familiar. He does not want to be demanding but Idris knows without him he won’t be complete.

Duke Macardle “Mac” Stenetdraconis’s days are centered around his amazing grandparents who raised him. When his grandfather suggests he apply for a new duke position at Court D’Vaire, he is intrigued. It is a place that has opened its doors as a sanctuary and he’s drawn to the idea of helping others. When he arrives, he finds himself with a small dragon familiar on his lap. Minutes later, the owner of that familiar saunters through the door and Mac’s heart is instantly hooked on the irresistible wizard. Determined to make Idris his, the pair soon find themselves tested by life. Their love turns out to the anchor Mac cannot do without while Idris opens the door to a new future for his family.

Excerpt

“Does anyone have a ball or anything?” Mac asked.

Idris lifted a hand and within seconds, an indigo sphere appeared. He tossed it to Mac, who bounced it in Greggory’s direction. When the familiar used his head to return it, Roger flew off his shoulder and landed on the floor, so he could play too. Two of the young men Mac was sworn to protect were sitting at a round table placed in the office designed for Delaney and Idris. The sorcerers were painstakingly going through the two boxes of warlock books and scrolls found in the Arch Lich’s library. Dra’Kaedan insisted the two get first crack at everything since they were still seeking research ideas. Duff was presumably in his room working on his own studies.

It left Mac with barely anything to do. When Mac discovered how little he knew of sorcery, he went to Aleksander and explained his problem. He wasn’t content to spend his days sitting around. If he was going to oversee the protection of two wizards, he needed to be able to assist them in some way. Aleksander agreed and called the Prism Wizard. Vadimas was receptive to the problem, and Mac was expecting his own box, full of basic magic books, to arrive soon. He might not be able to cast but he could learn, and he was determined to be an asset to Delaney and Idris. If they weren’t trying to reach the pinnacle of their education and power, he would’ve asked them for help, but Mac wasn’t going to get in their way.

In the meantime, Mac could be close to them and entertain the cute dragons who were taking to playing with the ball Idris provided with enthusiasm. He tossed it again and cringed as the two familiars crashed into each other and wiped out. “Sorry, guys,” he offered. Growls were hurled in his direction, but they allowed him to help them off the floor and both waited patiently until he threw their toy again.

“I think I might’ve found something interesting,” Idris announced.

“What is it, sweetheart?”

“It’s written in archaic warlock. I need Dra’Kaedan to translate some of this. It’s a language I’m still learning, but what I can read is really intriguing.”

“Are you going to tell us why?” Delaney inquired.

“Not until I’m sure I am reading this right,” Idris remarked as he stood. “I’m going to go find him.”

“I’m coming too,” Delaney said.

“We’ll play ball later,” Mac told his scaly friends. Roger soared up to his shoulder as soon as Mac was on his feet, and Greggory flew behind them all as they headed toward the office down the hall which housed the Coven of Warlocks. Inside they found Dra’Kaedan, his twin, and his familiar.

“Do you have a minute, Dra’Kaedan?” Idris asked with the scroll held protectively in his hand.

“For you guys, always. What’s up?”

“I found something I can only read parts of. Can you translate the rest?”

Dra’Kaedan took it from Idris’s hand. The small blond’s eyes grew wide with shock as they moved down the parchment in his grasp. When he was finished, he handed it to his brother. Dre’Kariston’s reaction was the same as his twin’s; then it was passed to Renny.

“This can’t be real,” Renny declared when he was done. “I mean really. This can’t be fucking real. How’s this possible? Because if it is, my brain’s going to explode.”

About the Author

Jessamyn Kingley lives in Nevada where she begs the men in her head to tell her their amazing stories which she dutifully writes it all down in what has become a small mountain of notebooks. She falls in love with each couple and swears whatever book she wrote last is her absolute favorite.

Jessamyn is married and working toward remembering to start the dishwasher without being distracted by the scent of the magical detergent. For personal enjoyment, she aids in cat rescue while slashing and gashing her way through mobs in various MMORPGs. Caffeine is her very best friend and is only cast aside briefly for the sin better known as BBQ potato chips.

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Giveaway 

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win one of five

copies of any ebook (reader’s choice) from the D’Vaire series (1 – 8)

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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Loving Loch by Kris Jacen

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

David Rowan finally gets a break at the end of tax season when his assistant arranges a vacation for him that was on his bucket list from his college days. The accountant is going to go to Scotland to hunt for the Loch Ness Monster, aka Nessie. But really, he just wants a rest and time to enjoy the gorgeous scenery of the beautiful, very green countryside. He ends up at a Bed and Breakfast run by a lovely busybody, with the help of her large family that includes her son, Loch, a talented artist.

The family is keeping a very big secret—they are shifters and are the infamous Loch Ness monsters captured on camera by tourists and hunters. The reason they’ve never been found? They shift back and come ashore as people. One night, David spots Loch leaving the lake, but not in his monster form—in his very naked, bubble-butt form—and it intrigues the young man to learn more about the handsome artist.

I enjoyed this story—from the MCs to the family members including the nephews—little monsters—to Isla, the mom, and to G-pa, who strips off his clothes and jumps overboard on a scenic tour Loch is doing for David. It’s a sweet tale, with humor and great characters—two sweet men who find a way to be together, and of course, a HEA.

The cover picture by Kris Jacen is of a beautiful, crystal blue lake in the Highlands is perfect for this story.

Sales Links:  MLR Press | Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 50 pages
Published October 15th 2018 by MLR Press
ASIN B07JGM237V
Edition Language English

Release Day Blast for Mama, Me, and the Holiday Tree by Jeanne G’Fellers (excerpt and giveaway)

Mama Me and the Holiday Tree

Jeanne G’Fellers is sharing the cover for her new enby/pansexual queer paranormal fantasy book: Mama, Me, and the Holiday Tree.

A dozen handmade holiday ornaments, that’s all, but it might be an impossible task.

Centenary Rhodes and her mother are at constant odds. It’s one of the many reasons Cent left home when she was eighteen. Mama’s difficult for anyone to manage, but now that Cent’s back home, she has to try. Mama, however, won’t acknowledge who Cent’s become, even though she’s repeatedly been shown the truth.

It’ll take more than popcorn strings and paper snowflakes to heal the rift that’s formed between Cent and Mama. It’s going to take bushels of patience, heaps of magic, and assistance from everyone on both sides of Embreeville Mountain to reset the Balance between them.

But with Yule and Christmas just around the corner, it might already be too late.

Join Cent and her Mother for a heart-warming, magic-filled holiday tale of acceptance, family of choice, family of blood, love, magic, and patience all served with a queer Appalachian twist.

Warnings: This novella broaches the subject of mental illness, specifically Schizophrenia, within families and the relationships struggles therein.

About the Series:

Four elements plus one, four seasons, over a hundred lives – Centenary Rhodes has returned home to discover she isn’t who she thought. Join her on a journey through history, family of blood, family of choice, and love that renews. The mountains are alive, y’all, everything hinges on the Balance, and a little moonshine can cure what ails you in this identity-exploring, imaginative queer Contemporary Fantasy series steeped in Appalachian magic and folklore.

Mountain Gap Books | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords | Goodreads

Giveaway

Jeanne is giving away two eBook copies of the first book in the series, Cleaning House, with this tour. Enter via Rafflecopter:

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Excerpt

Mama Me and the Holiday Tree

Chapter One

A Cedar in the Corner

December 19, 2017: 5:30 p.m.

This is what I get for marrying an earth elemental.I stare with dismay at the dirt trail leading across the porch and through the front door. I don’t get rare gems or sparkling geodes placed lovingly at my feet by my elemental spouse. No, I get a cedar tree, bare roots caked with half-frozen mud, wedged into the living room corner.

Stowne’s dragged a holiday tree into our home while I was at work today.

“No one saw you do this?” I scratch my head as I consider the leaning mass of fern-like, scaly, sticky needles. “And I thought we’d talked about getting a tree tomorrow.”

“No one was here.” Stowne’s grinning ear to sandy ear. “It is a surprise. You have worked so hard lately that you have forgotten how close it is to Yule.”

Yeah, Yule. About that.This is my first Yule with Stowne. No, let me correct that. This will be my first Yule celebration thislife, and they’re trying to make it special for me, so I can’t sound as upset as I’m feeling at present. “Two days. I know. Thanks, honey, but can we do something about the mess?”

 

“I’ve got it.” Stowne’s fire elemental friend, Pyre, rolls into the living room on a cloud of white smoke, and they’re holding the old half-barrel planter from beneath my Aunt Tess’ trailer’s back porch. “I found something to line it.” Pyre holds up a faded canvas tarp they’ve found Gods know where.

“Thank you.” Stowne’s smile still spans their face. They’re happy about this, about the tree in the corner, the leaky planter, and faded tarp, so I try my best to look happy too. “Go to the kitchen, relax, and drink some coffee, Centenary. Pyre and I will finish setting up the tree.”

“Sure.” I tuck my messenger bag under my arm and head to the kitchen, where Rayne is waiting for me, an earthenware mug of steaming coffee in their translucent, watery hands. Water elementals make wonderful coffee, by the way. Rayne claims the secret is spring water filtered through their form, and I’ve no reason to doubt them.

“Stowne’s really excited about the tree.” Rayne gives me the mug and takes my bag, setting it on the kitchen table. It’s a huge piece of well-loved furniture, a good eight-foot-long trestle, and handmade from American Chestnut, a species that’s widely considered extinct. “They’ve been looking for the perfect one since Samhain.”

“They have?” Who knew there was so much to Yule? Certainly not me, at least that I can remember. See, I’ve got this whole multiple-lives thing I’m sorting through. Most of those lives, I’ve been with Stowne, and I remember a lot, but some issues, like their excitement over holidays, have eluded me. I’ve been reading about different Yule traditions online and in the stack of magical books I left behind, but I feel I’ve barely scratched the surface, and I’ve been asking Stowne questions every night while we cuddle in bed. “They’ve gotten excited every sabbat and esbat since we’ve been together, but they seem even more excited about Yule. Why is that?”

“You don’t remember?” Rayne shifts the lower portion of their form to what resembles flowing blue pants, making it easier for them to sit. “You’ve celebrated Yule with Stowne for centuries, and during your last two lives, you actually let them bring in a tree every year as long as it could be replanted afterward.”

“Yeah, Stowne told me.” I sip my coffee then rise from the table in search of the quart of cream we keep in the homestead’s old Kelvinator fridge. “But that doesn’t explain why they’re so happy.” I add three heaping teaspoons of sugar to my cup, deep in thought as I stir. I remember that Stowne and I built this homestead together in the early nineteenth century. That version of me was Irish and desperate for a home that resembled Ireland, and this place certainly looks like pictures I’ve seen. My motivations might change each life, but I’m in many ways the same, and I always try to come here, to reach Stowne and this mountain. That’s what I’m told, anyway, but I don’t actually know.

My heart, however, says this is correct.

Here’s the thing about me and my memories. This life, I left Northeast Tennessee when I was eighteen years old. Actually, I didn’t just leave, I ran. I ran from my mother and her chronic mental illness, from everyone I thought wouldn’t accept me as genderqueer, from the magic I wasn’t ready to understand, from the looming pile of memories I’m now sorting through. But mostly, I ran from myself. Now I’m back, and I’m trying to cram three thousand years into my head, but I sometimes think space is running out.

“Stowne loves every sabbat, but especially Yule.” Rayne shrugs hard enough to fling water across the table top. “Oops.”

“It needs cleaned anyway.” I return with a dishrag, sitting across from Rayne as I wipe up. “Why Yule?”

“It represents rebirth.” Rayne stares at me with their blue eyes wide and one pale, translucent brow cocked, the look they always give me when I should be remembering something. “Re-birth.” Their stare becomes hard.

“Oh.” I bite my bottom lip to hide my embarrassment. Sure, rebirth. Myrebirth. Stowne sees Yule as a chance to celebrate my return to Embreeville Mountain. I’m almost thirty years old, a tiny blip in the grand scheme of time and infinitely younger than Stowne, even when you add all my lives together, but they want to celebrate like it’s something new. More so this year because it’s our first Yule together as eternal lovers.

Yeah, I’m immortal now too, but that’s a story for some other time.

“So…” I take a deep breath and scratch beneath my undercut at the stubbly hair that’s already growing back. “What do I need to do?”

“Act happy and don’t get in their way.” Rayne takes the dishrag to the old enamel sink, wrings it out, and drapes it over the side before turning to face me. “All elementals love the Winter Solstice, what you call Yule. Even death elementals like Exan. But you don’t remember that either, do you?”

“Afraid not.” I finish my coffee and go to the sink to stand beside Rayne, looking out the window to where the mountain rises behind the house in shades of tired brown splashed with winter evergreen. “I wish I did.” And I really do. It might help me to understand all this. “It’s like Christmas, isn’t it? I mean they’re similar, right?”

“In some ways, yes. But others…” Rayne shakes their head, this time slinging water from their deep blue locks. “Drains and dribbles. I’ll call it back.” They chant low, drawing the water to their form, smiling as it disappears into their bare, puddling feet. “I think you need a holiday refresher.”

“A refresher?” The house smells like cedar so I breathe deep. It’s not a bad smell. In fact, it’s fresh, clean, and familiar. Yes, I remember having a tree in this house before and Stowne’s joy each time. “Are you going to tell me about all those holidays?”

“You’ll do best to remember for yourself.” Rayne smiles as they glide toward the living room. “That tree needs water.”

Author Bio

AUTHOR PHOTO - Mama Me and the Holiday Tree - Jeanne GFellersBorn and raised in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Science Fiction and Fantasy author Jeanne G’Fellers’ early memories include watching the original Star Trek series with her father and reading the books her librarian mother brought home. Jeanne’s writing influences include Anne McCaffrey, Ursula K. LeGuin, Octavia Butler, Isaac Asimov, and Frank Herbert.

Jeanne lives in Northeast Tennessee with her spouse and their five crazy felines. Their home is tucked against a small woodland where they regularly see deer, turkeys, raccoons, and experience the magic of the natural world.

Author Website: https://jeannegfellersauthor.com/

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/Jeannegfellersauthor/

Author Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jlgfellers

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/106949.Jeanne_G_Fellers

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/jeanne-gfellers/

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jeanne-GFellers/e/B01N0YWCT7/

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Release Blitz for Secrets Revealed (Dragon War Chronicles #2) by A.G. Carothers (excerpt)

 Secrets Revealed RDB Banner

Secrets Revealed

Dragon War Chronicles, Book 2

A.G. Carothers

Release Date: Nov 2nd

LGBTQ Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

DWC2-SecretsRevealed-Carothers-Small 

 

COVER DESIGN: AngstyG/ https://www.facebook.com/Angstyg/

AMAZON US: https://amzn.to/2RwECSl

AMAZON UK: https://amzn.to/2SF0lbP

  

BLURB

Last time on Dragon War Chronicles, we left our heroes fighting for their lives in the midst of battle…

Kollin races against time to get samples of the weapon used in Canada to their lab in Oslo. Kenshin races to get Danica back home in time to save her, Aiden and Xander. Danica’s allies start to converge in Toulouse in aide and help to prepare for what may come.

Will Kollin be able help save Danica, Aiden, and Xander before all is lost? Will Matt be able to track down who’s responsible for a new weapon that threatens them all? What will happen when Danica’s biggest secret is revealed?

Secrets are revealed that will change the future for all dragon and SLIP kind alike.

Warning: This book contains explicit sexual situations that are MM, MF, and MMMF. There are romantic relationships displayed that are MM and some depictions of loving and consensual BDSM relationships. There are also bad puns, nebulous taboo content, and a game of tag with an invisible dragon.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42110009-secrets-revealed

Secrets Revealed Teaser 1

Secrets Revealed Teaser 3 

EXCERPT

“What are you doing, Mathieu?” Xander’s tone serious as he lifted his chin up with a finger.

“What we should have done years ago.” Matt’s voice was soft as he continued to lave Xander’s chest.

“But…” Xander tried to push himself back to put space between them.

“No, buts I know. I almost lost both of you.” Matt interrupted, pulling him back. “You don’t know what it was like when they brought you home.” Matt hissed through clenched teeth. Xander held still, and Matt looked up at him, his gaze piercing Xander’s. Matt bared his soul and showed him all the pain he was holding back with just one look into his usually vibrant eyes. Xander leaned down, his heart almost breaking at the thought of hurting Matt this way and he ran his tongue over his lips softly and kissed him tenderly.

“If something happens to me…” Fear of Matt dying because of him constricted his throat.

Matt sighed. “I know, and I accept that. I had a lot of time to think about life without you, and it’s not pretty. Even though I have many more years ahead of me, you’ll have to watch me grow old eventually. I don’t want that either. I want this right here”—Matt waved a finger between him and Xander—” me in your arms, your lips on mine, your smile to brighten my day and the crazy dragon in the other room to drive both of us nuts for at least the next millennia.” He pointed back behind Xander.

Matt cupped Xander’s face in his hands bringing his head down close to his. “You are my heart, and I love you with every bit of my being.” Stray tears mixed in with the water running down the sides of Matt’s face. “Will you be my mate and claim me as yours for eternity?”

Xander saw the love and determination reflecting at him in Matt’s eyes. He had never really thought about that before. They’d always been so caught up in the here and now that he hadn’t given much thought to the many years before them. Seeing the love and pain in Matt’s eyes broke his heart and he knew then that the thought of watching him die before him would break him.

AG Carothers Logo

A.G. Carothers is actually a dragon very cleverly disguised as a human. They are a non-binary author of LGBTQIA Urban/Paranormal Fantasy, who enjoys writing original and entertaining stories. They are very excited to share the worlds they’ve created with you.

A.G. currently lives in Tennessee with their platonic life partner, who is not a dragon. They yearn to live back in Europe and will someday. In their spare time they are addicted to losing themselves in the lovely worlds created by other authors.

A.G. is committed to writing the stories they see in their head without restrictions. Love is blind and doesn’t see gender, race, or sexuality.

Website: https://www.agcarothers.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AGCarothersAuthor/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ag_carothers

An Alisa Review: A Year And A Day (Fae Haven #1) by Elizabeth Silver & Jenny Urban

Rating:  3.5 stars out of 5

He wasn’t looking for love, but he’ll break all the laws of this realm and the next to keep it.

Reserved, bookish Ben isn’t looking for a relationship. Then he meets Niall, a gorgeous stranger with a knack for avoiding direct questions, and tumbles headfirst into love. Niall is perfect in just about every way, right up until he leaves town for a short trip…and vanishes off the face of the earth.

A magical being trapped in his own realm, Niall fights to return to this world to be with Ben. But by the time he gets back, more than a year has passed, and Ben refuses to believe Niall’s story of fae and magic.

With only a month to woo Ben back and earn a chance at staying permanently, Niall is willing to try anything to be with the man he loves. Then Niall’s world spills over into ours and puts Ben’s life in danger, and it becomes a race to save Ben before their stolen time comes to an end.

This was a nice story.  Niall meets Ben not long before his time on earth is up and when he goes home to tell his family he is staying he gets stuck there longer than planned.  Ben can’t believe the man he loved would just leave and not come back when he said he would only be gone a few days, not over a year and a half.

Niall and Ben have an instant connection that is easy to see as is how willing they are to really work for a relationship.  However, Niall gets caught up in the fae’s sense of fun and since time is different is gone from Ben much longer than he should have been.  Ben tries to be a hardass when Niall shows up again but it’s hard to deny your feelings.  The only thing that was hard for me was the whole situation with the Hunt, I would think all fae (especially the leader of the Hunt) would know that when you are handfasted to someone they are safe.  I look forward to the other stories in the series being re-published also.

The cover art by Melody Pond is nice and I like the visual of Niall.

Sales Links: MLR Press | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 100 pages

Published: 2nd edition, September 14, 2018 by MLR Press

ISBN: 978-1-641-22-1863

Edition Language: English

Series: Fae Haven #1

A Caryn Review: Earthly Pleasures by Sera Trevor

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

It was hard for me to characterize this book – it’s a little bit fantasy, but definitely had some fairy tale vibes about it as well, probably because the setting made me think of 17th – 18th century France.  It turned out to be not quite what I expected…

Prince Paurick is the second son of the king of Alland.  He had no responsibilities and a large allowance, and his life was all about hedonism.  Dressing in the latest fashions, getting drunk on the best liquor, sleeping with the most beautiful men, and planning his new pleasure palace took up all of his thoughts and energy.  Nominally he was the ruler of Tuatha, but could never be bothered to even visit the backward, downtrodden country.  He avoided his father and his older brother, both of whom took their roles as rulers of Alland very seriously, as much as possible.

Paurick was therefore very surprised to receive a royal summons the morning after a typical night of debauchery.  When he arrived at his father’s castle, he was shocked to find that the high priestess of the Goddess had an important task for him – to save Tuatha from the famine that was causing mass starvation.  (There were a few pages of explanation about how the ruling family descended from the Goddess, and had special powers, blah, blah, but it felt like an afterthought the way it was thrown in just before the high priestess assigned her task).   Paurick’s first thought was that he would have to abandon plans for his pleasure palace, when the priestess told him that all he had to do to save the country was to copulate with one of her acolytes.  And just for a few months, until fertility was restored to the land, and he could even do it from the comfort of his regular palace instead of going to Tuatha.  Suddenly, this sacred task was starting to sound like a great idea to Paurick, especially when she stipulated that the chosen acolyte was male instead of female!

Until Brother Laurel stepped forward, and he was just plain ugly.

Brother Laurel was committed to the Goddess, and felt truly blessed by being allowed to serve Her in Her temple.  He was born Tuathan, but was brought to Alland basically as a slave when he was a child, and to him, being chosen as an acolyte was a miracle that saved him from what was likely to be a very short life of extreme misery.  Acolytes took vows of poverty, obedience, and chastity, although in this instance the chastity vow was temporarily lifted for the good of the country of Tuatha.  Laurel did not ask how copulating with Paurick was supposed to restore fertility to the land – he just did what his high priestess ordered him to do.  And if that meant several months of forced receptive anal intercourse from an arrogant, spoiled, obnoxious prince, well, it was for the good of the people, and it wasn’t like he hadn’t suffered before.  (BTW, although Laurel might have expected it, there is thankfully no rape or non-con/dub-con in this story)

The first half of the book follows the two men as they negotiate their way through this task – and although Paurick doesn’t treat it as sacred at all, he is at least not the monster than Laurel initially thought he was, and the men come to care for each other.  The temporary nature of the assignment seemed like a saving grace when they entered into it, but as the season progressed, they fell in love.  And in doing so, both men saw the best in each other, and wanted to emulate that in themselves.

For probably the first 30-40% of the book, I have to say I was not involved, not convinced of the friendship between Paurick and Laurel, much less that they really fell in love.  The Goddess magic seemed like an afterthought rather than essential to the storyline.  And it felt like Laurel’s character should have been a woman, and the author’s decision to make this about two men made no sense.  Fortunately, about two thirds of the way through of the book, things changed and it felt like this was a story for adults who had real conflicts – love vs duty, secular vs sacred – and both men grew up enough to see there was real evil and manipulation in the world, and they had to stand up and make sacrifices to improve it.  But then I got the impression that the author wrote herself into a corner, and so the resolution was rapid, deus ex machina, and left me mostly dissatisfied despite the HEA.

I could not find the artist for the cover, but I have to say that if I saw the cover and title without reading the blurb, I would have pegged it for regency erotica – probably hetero – and passed right over it.

 

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 164 pages
Expected publication: November 7th 2018
ASINB07GTXJDZN
Edition Language English

A MelanieM Review: The Werewolf on Lowre Few Lane by Bryce Bentley-Tales

Rating: 4 .5 stars out of 5

 

Thirteen-year-old Colton and his best friend Jade spend their free time investigating a local urban legend concerning an old abandoned house in their hometown in Ireland. The run-down building is said to be haunted and some of the things they’ve seen seem to confirm it.

Colton has a crush on foreign-exchange student, Dylan, who is visiting his aunt from America. But Dylan isn’t your average American kid, and soon Colton and his friends are embroiled in more than urban legend and must find a way to save everything they know and love.

If you’re a lover of those wonderful fantasy adventures that mixed youth, growing up with both the familiar and the unknown, where wardrobes turned into doors into scary, fabulous alternate worlds and a path that the heroes took on a fated journey?  Well, here’s a tale for you! The Werewolf on Lowre Few Lane by Bryce Bentley-Tales, the first story by this author, brings together an unlikely group of 13 and 14 year olds in a small town in Ireland. We  meet the first two misfits out where clearly they have no business being, spying on the local haunted house and getting thoroughly creeped out in the process when it starts to show evidence that perhaps things aren’t as normal there as they should be.

It’s Colton, half Irish half Asian with a mother from Singapore and a dad from Ireland, and one of his best friends Jade, a wonderfully brash,intelligent girl who’s a great match for the curious Colton, although their first attempts at being low key are both spot on for their age and laughingly normal.  Thomas of the bright red hair, and surprising depths and sweet Erin come a little later.  It’s on one dark night when they are out investigating that they meet Dylan, the American foreign exchange student staying with his Aunt who lives locally.just as

Ah, how the author has all the threads needed to start weaving a marvelous supernatural fantasy tapestry!  And he does!  What an adventure! From a pack of white wolves menacing the village and local boys gone missing to Colton needing to figure out issues within himself,  low self worth and insecurity to a group that shows realistic, heartwarming amounts of  individual growth while on an epic journey!  And yes, it’s also about family and love and what that truly means to each and every preteen and grownup involved here.

One element I absolutely appreciated?  That fact that both Colton’s and Dylan’s homosexualtiy wasn’t treated as a huge deal.  Of course, they do have much large things to face throughout most of the story, that feeling comfortable with who they are becomes much easier for all of them in the end.  Perspective and all.

Was the story perfect?  No.  I needed more worldbuilding and backhistory for Dylan and his side of the family.  I definitely needed more on Weredome. More, much more books and adventures there, please!  Just the tiny glimpses we got was enough to want to go sledding through the lands on romps wild and free with the folk there.  So I’m hoping the author has more planned for this merry  troop and that house on Lowre Few Lane.   One book clearly is not enough.

The Werewolf on Lowre Few Lane by Bryce Bentley-Tales is well written, full of endearing, believable characters on quests and into adventures that keep you glued to Kindle or whatever you happen to be reading the story on.  I loved it.

I definitely recommend this story for all lovers of YA  novels and fantasy/supernatural novels. Or just lovers of fantasy fiction who are young at heart.

Cover art: Natasha Snow.   I liked parts of this cover, especially where we seem to be looking through a doorway out into a snowy world.  I think maybe it’s the font giving me issues.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon

ebook
Expected publication: October 29th 2018 by NineStar Press (first published July 9th 2018)
ISBN139781949340075
Edition LanguageEnglish

Release Blitz and Blog Tour – The Werewolf on Lowre Few Lane by Bryce Bentley-Tales (excerpt and giveaway)

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Book Title: The Werewolf on Lowre Few Lane

Author: Bryce Bentley-Tales

Publisher: NineStar Press

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Genre/s: YA Dark Fantasy LGBT

Length: 49,000 words/270 pages

It is a standalone book.

Release Date: October 29, 2018

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Blurb

A haunted house. A portal that lies inside. Four friends must enter both to save their world.

Thirteen year-old Colton has a crush on the new foreign exchange student, Dylan, but soon discovers his new American friend is not your average kid – he’s a werewolf. Their friendship has no time to blossom when Colton and his two close friends accompany Dylan to a haunted house, where they must search inside for a portal that will take them to another world where Dylan’s aunt is captive.

Excerpt

A loud clanging echoed across the yard, and we both cowered behind the stone fence post. Adjacent to the old post, a crumbling stone wall shielded us from anyone standing by the house. When I poked my head around the ledge, nothing but the motionless tall weeds could be seen in the yard and the same gloomy look the house had had before. It was dead quiet. Jade put her hands on my shoulders, her mouth next to my ear. “S-see, I told you. You believe me now? It’s haunted.” I tried to speak, but my mouth was dry. I brought my binoculars up, gripping them hard with both hands. “Probably just varmint inside,” I said.

“Aye. And maybe you and your butterfingers could be captain of the rugby team.”

“Har-har. You think the Kennedy twins really disappeared inside?”

“I told you. I saw them at the house when I was with Erin two nights ago. They said they were going inside.”
“Maybe they’re hanging out at the local pub downtown?”
“Colton, no one has seen those fellas since that night. They went inside and never came out, sure of it.”
I swiveled the binoculars around, peering at the large, arched front doorway, which had a wolf face door knocker. Jade whispered close to my ear, “You see anything?”
“Shhh, I can’t focus with your tongue in my ear.”
“My tongue isn’t in your ear,” Jade said, her voice irritated. After a few seconds, she pushed on my shoulder. “By the way, you find out the new foreign-exchange fella’s story? You didn’t take your eyes off him in class. I missed a lot while I was away.” She giggled. “You fancy him, don’t you?”
I cringed, lowered the binoculars, and spoke in a hushed voice over my shoulder. “Don’t say that out loud.”
“And who’s going to blimey hear us? Just us and the ghouls at 44 Lowre Few Lane.”

Lunchtime came, and I headed to the cafeteria. I scanned the room, searching for Dylan. My heart beat fast. I didn’t see him. Nor did I see anyone I wanted to sit with, or someone, for that matter, who would want me to sit next to them. Ms. Griffin was standing close to several teachers, and I picked up bits and pieces of the gossip. You could count on Ms. Griffin for gathering the latest scandal regarding students, teachers, and anything else, and sometimes she would let things slip to students. Especially if she liked them. She was talking about Brian and the fact that he and his brother had been at that house. I assumed she meant 44 Lower Few Lane. Boys’ laughter reached my ears and I turned. On the far side of the room sat a row of rugby players. My heart plummeted to depths of glumness. Dylan was sitting with them, his back to me. Several of the boys were laughing at whatever story Dylan was telling them. I got my lunch, my head hung down, and I clomped down the hall to go outside. A few boys were forming up teams for rugby and asking for players.A round-faced boy pointed toward me and asked, “What about him?”

I froze in place. A skinny, spindly-legged boy cawed in laughter and slapped the oval-face lad on the back. “Don’t be a muppet. He’s only good at running numbers in his head.”

The two boys faced away from me and continued their search for players.

Always singled out as the smart kid. The brainy one. Tears threatened to sell, but I kept control and headed to my favorite oak tree. I had no chance of winning over Dylan.

About the Author 

Bryce was raised by his mother and father in the countryside near Wichita, Kansas and learned to become an avid reader from his mother and maternal grandfather who carries the last name of Bentley. Stephen King novels still stack his two shelves in his old bedroom at home. After graduating from his high school with a class size of 69, he completed college where he had never came out gay, then took a winding journey over his entire 20s. This took him to Indiana, then to the San Francisco Bay Area where he still did not come out but obtained a master’s degree. He traveled to Bangkok, Thailand during his late 20s to teach English for a year and he met his first boyfriend. Five years later, he completed his doctorate degree in psychology, which was inspired by a youth and young adulthood of feeling internally bewildered. Bryce started dabbling in writing in 2011 or in his mid-thirties. He self-published several works under his name over the last few years, but it was in 2016 he felt like he was finally getting the hang of this writing thing. The Werewolf on Lowre Few Lane is his first work under his pen name of Bryce Bentley-Tales.  His next YA novel with a working title of Orion: The PreRobo Era Boy, is a work he is finishing up currently. Bryce currently lives in Dallas, Texas.

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