A BJ Review: Heart (Spotless #4) by Bailey Bradford

Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

Rolly has waited ten years to claim his mate. Now the wait is over, and he’s coming home. When he first met Erdwin, the boy was still a child. Rolly felt nothing but compassion for him back then, but Erdwin came of age five years ago, and Rolly’s stayed out of his life in order to give Erdwin time to experience life.

Erdwin never fit right in his skin. He didn’t like what he saw in the mirror. It didn’t match how he felt inside. As a shifter, he was stuck with the body he had. Surgery wasn’t an option for him. But Erdwin found a way to accept himself—by embracing the part of herself that felt like her true nature. She struggled with it, but with her family’s support, she became Edie, the young lady she was meant to be. She stopped worrying about her parts, and concentrated on her heart.

When Rolly, a powerful shaman, moves back home to the pack, Edie is transfixed. He makes her nervous—and arouses her. But what would a man like him think of a woman liker her? Edie’s about to find out, and she will have to be stronger than ever to help fight off a threat to her pack, to her mate, and to her family.

I chose this book because of the trans* element among shifters and the kinky tags, hoping that although it was part of a series that I would still be able to enjoy it as a standalone. I based this hope on the fact the main characters did not appear to be love interests in any of the prior books. However, I could tell very early on that my experience of the story would have been different had I read the other books. It was obvious that I’d missed a lot of the background story by skipping ahead. That that was my bad and has no doubt tainted my view of the story. Please understand that before reading my review.

This is my first story by the author, so I had no idea of what to expect. The first third of this book read slow and a bit tedious for me. Erdwin, now Edie, was prim and proper, hesitant and insecure, wanting acceptance but scared to show her true self to get it. Rolly was strong, self-sacrificing and noble. Neither were capturing my attention when apart, so it took me a while to get into the story. Once the two characters were finally united, both of them changed dramatically. Like almost a one-eighty.

Edie went from shy virgin to on fire aggressor within minutes, which was quite jarring. But I wrote it off as a shifter mates thing and read on. Then Rolly nearly right off mentions enjoying pain and the BDSM elements jumped in out of seemingly nowhere (may have been mentioned in another story, not sure?). The fisting scene also seemed to come out of nowhere and was unsettling to me. Because, well, the guy had been abstaining for fifteen years and this happened after he’d only with someone again just a few times. I had to remind myself again that they were shifters in order to accept that and move on.

The dynamic between the couple was not the usual and that part was refreshing. Rolly was older, larger, more experienced, a super powerful shaman and a wolf, yet he mostly a submissive bottom who enjoyed pain. Edie was smaller, MTF and she morphs from being very unsure of herself and just wanting to be accepted for who she is into a person secure with her physical equipment and willing and eager to take control. Once they’re together, it’s Rolly who often came across as insecure and in need of assurance from Edie. While I did find the dynamic of the relationship refreshing; the changes in did still came across as abrupt for me.

Besides the relationship, there is a more complex plot revolving around mysterious events that threaten the pack. As the story wore on, there were so many characters that I couldn’t always keep them straight, but again that was likely partly due to trying to read the story out of order.

I found the dialogue often felt stilted to me, or well, not natural sounding anyway. And the transitions from scene to scene didn’t always read smooth, in fact, sometimes they were quite abrupt. For example, most of the sex scenes are either interrupted or immediately followed by sudden crisis.

Overall, I recommend reading this book in order within the series rather than as a first book as I did. I firmly believe that had I done that, how I perceived the book would be somewhat different. So I can only rate based on what I read, but it will probably not be the same as the book experienced read in order.

The cover is quite lovely and drags my eyes to it. Definite eye candy. However, given that the trans* element among shifters is so unique and what drew me to the story, I think it could have been even better if it showed Erwdin/Edie.

Sales Links: Pride Publishing | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 154 pages
Published August 18th 2015 by Pride Publishing
ISBN139781784307257
edition languageEnglish

seriesSpotless #4

A MelanieM Review: A Solitary Man by Aisling Mancy and Shira Anthony

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 ★★★★★

Sparks fly when Chance meets tall, sexy Xav at a Wilmington bar and they have the hottest one-nighter of their lives. But Chance doesn’t do repeats, Xav seems detached, and they go their separate ways without a word. Later, when closeted Assistant District Attorney C. Evan “Chance” Fairchild meets Dare’s Landing’s newest deputy sheriff, Xavier “Xav” Constantine, Evan isn’t only wary. He’s irritated as hell.

Xavier is a former FBI agent turned deputy sheriff who is hot on the trail of a South American child prostitution ring. Evan is fighting to put an end to rampant cocaine trafficking and chafing under the thumb of an election-hungry boss. When someone tries to kill the eleven-year-old witness who holds the key to both their investigations, they’re forced to work together as they put their lives on the line to protect him. As Chance and Xav collide in the heat of a sweltering North Carolina summer, dodging bullets and chasing bad guys isn’t the only action going on.

A Solitary Man by Aisling Mancy and Shira Anthony tackles one of the most heartrending and horrific subjects imaginable, that of child trafficking and child abuse and does so with depth, heart, and compassion. At times, a story so difficult to read that I often found myself in tears having to put my Kindle down, these authors have combined their talents to bring forth a story so powerful and timely that I’m shocked they haven’t combined their forces before now.

The vehicle of advocacy for these abused and often murdered children is a intense story, starting with one driven man, Xavier “Xav” Constantine. A FBI agent working the child prostitution rings, an undercover job gone horrifically wrong sees Xav resign, following a sickening trail of lost children to North Carolina and a Deputy Sheriff’s job. Already present in the small town of Dare’s Landing is closeted Assistant District Attorney C. Evan “Chance” Fairchild, a man so haunted by his own past that its imprisoned him in his present.

Mancy and Anthony takes these two disparate, intense men and gives them a raw, gritty feel to make them vividly, fully alive. One is already willingly shouldering the yoke of advocacy for these missing, abused and most likely murdered children to the extent that nothing else really exists for him. Sex is quick and meaningless, relationships nonexistent. The other? Hiding behind his own nightmares and denials. And what huge denials they are. Because of their careful crafting of these characters, these men, instead of judging them , we really understand the fear, the anger, whatever emotion they may be feeling and the foundation from which each man is coming from, even without the full history.

Their relationship is slow to come and perhaps this really isn’t a romance novel, nor should it be considering the content and subject matter. Its definitely not the main thread here in the narrative. So if that’s the book you are looking for, a total romance, than this is probably not the novel for you. Like everything else about A Solitary Man, their strides towards each other is hard work, fraught with missed steps, miscommunications, and fear. That they are able to go forward in the end is both courageous and rewarding. That alone is reason to read this story, even if the romance isn’t the main storyline.

Its the abused children here that will tear at your heart. Just as they should. There are descriptions here that gave me nightmares and I think that the authors were most likely less graphic and monstrous than they could have been, given the actual knowledge they have of the subject matter*. That such scenes are also written with tenderness, compassion but with accuracy doesn’t lighten the emotional impact, but instead makes it all the more powerful, because you know that the children represented in the story are but a fraction of the children impacted worldwide. Here they are given names and faces and their fates make it all too real.

To get to the missing children there is a number of investigations that are full of heartbreaking clues, pulse-thumping, action-packed, white-knuckle scenes and dialog. The authors balance the mystery of combined investigations, then the suspense of a race against time for a combined rescue that was a true page turner, a thriller in the best sense of the word.

A Solitary Man is such a powerful book. An advocate for abused children, a suspense thriller, a crime novel and yes, a romance story, and the authors handled it all beautifully. Does one element come across with a little more power and precision? Perhaps, but with that emotional engine driving this story, it makes A Solitary Man by Aisling Mancy and Shira Anthony a book to remember and perhaps one of the best of the year. I highly recommend it.

Cover art by Reese Dante is perfect in tone and design for the character in the story.

*Making a Difference in the Lives of Children by Shira Anthony & Aisling Mancy

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 1st, 304 pages
Published November 6th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1623807271 (ISBN13: 9781623807276)
edition languageEnglish

Making a Difference in the Lives of Children by Shira Anthony & Aisling Mancy, Authors of A Solitary Man (guest blog, giveaway)

A Solitary Man by Aisling Mancy and Shira Anthony

Making a Difference in the Lives of Children

Thank you Melanie and Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for hosting the A Solitary Man book tour! Aisling and I are so excited to finally see our labor of love in print. Don’t forget to scroll down to the bottom of the post for a chance to enter the tour giveaway!

For this, the final stop on the A Solitary Man book tour, I want to discuss the important subject matter of the book. A Solitary Man was born of many conversations that Aisling and I shared about something very near and dear to our hearts: keeping children safe. Both of us have professional connections to the struggle to prevent child abuse and neglect, and continue to be vocal advocates for children, each in our own way.

For me, that advocacy comes from a very personal place: I’m an abuse survivor. I share that fact only because it’s important to understand that chances are you know more than one survivor of child abuse. It could be a relative, a friend, a colleague, or a child in your son or daughter’s class at school. The statistics are truly frightening. The National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse (NAASCA) estimates that:

· There are over 42 million survivors of sexual abuse in America.

· Somewhere between 2/3 and ninety percent of sexual abuse victims never come forward

· 293,000 children and youth are estimated to be at risk of exploitation

· 100,000 children are prostituted annually.

· 90% of those abused children are abused by someone they know, love or trust

· 20% of child sexual abuse victims are under the age of 8. Most never tell, and some don’t recall the abuse.

· One in 7 children who are regular Internet users receive sexual solicitations online.

· 800,000 children are reported missing every year in the U.S. or 2,000 every day

· An estimated 200,000 are abducted by family members; 58,000 by non family members, the primary motive for which is sexual.

Now that I have your attention, you may be asking, “What can I do about it?” The simple answer is, “More than you know.” First, get involved. Report suspected abuse or neglect to the authorities. Most states have mandatory reporting requirements and shield the reporter’s name from discovery. Don’t hesitate and don’t wait. A child’s life may depend on your speaking up.

What else can you do? Talk to your own children about abuse. As I child, I remember feeling that something was wrong with how my neighbor was treating me, but I didn’t understand and wasn’t sure what to do about it. It took me nearly a year to tell my parents about the abuse. When I did, they believed me, and that was a huge relief. As an adult and a parent, I spoke to my children about abuse. I told them to come to me if they ever felt uncomfortable about something an adult, teen, or anyone did or said to them. You, as a parent, know how much your children can understand. The point is to make it clear to them that you are not only there to listen to them at any time, but want to hear immediately if they are uncomfortable with anything. Even very young children understand that concept.

Don’t have kids? Or want to do more? Be an advocate for an abused or neglected child through your state’s CASA or GAL program. My state, North Carolina (where A Solitary Man is set), has a fabulous Guardian ad Litem (GAL) program where lay people (non-lawyers) advocate for the rights of abused and neglected children in court. It’s a great way to help kids who need someone to speak for them or help them to speak about what they need. You can find more information about programs like North Carolina’s on the CASA website.

There’s an amazing video that brings this all home. It’s not long, but it has a powerful message:

A Solitary Man is fiction, but it’s based on real life events which occur regularly all around us. In wealthy neighborhoods, in poor neighborhoods. In cities, in the more rural parts of states. The fictional children of Dare’s Landing have their champions, Xav Constantine and Chance Fairchild. It’s up to all of us to make sure that real children have theirs. Step up and make a difference in the life of a child! You’ll be so glad you did. –Shira (and Aisling)

Now at Dreamspinner Press, ARe, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Add A Solitary Man to Your Goodreads and Booklikes Shelves

Like A Solitary Man on Facebook

Thursday, October 29th Aisling is at The Novel Approach Reviews
A Brief and Frank Discussion of A Solitary Man

Friday, October 30th Aisling is at Jo & Isa Love Books
A Few Notes Behind the Music Playlist

Wednesday, November 4th Aisling is at Bike Book Reviews
Writing Supporting Characters

Thursday , November 5th

Aisling is at Joyfully Jay Reviews
One of the Biggest Benefits of Co-Writing

Shira is at Prism Book Alliance
Entertainment With a Message

Friday, November 6th RELEASE DAY CELEBRATION!

Yarning to Write Kermit Flail with lovely Amy Lane!

Aisling is at Divine Magazine
More Notes Behind the Music Playlist
Shira is at The Novel Approach Reviews
Southernisms!

Aisling is on Dreampsinner’s Blog

As Authors and Readers, We Bring Awareness to the World

Saturday, November 7th Aisling is at Love Bytes Reviews

Sunday, November 8th

Shira is at My Fiction Nook

LIVE FACEBOOK CHAT with Shira & Aisling 2-5pm EST

Monday, November 9th Aisling is at My Fiction Nook

Tuesday, November 10th Shira is at Bike Book Reviews

Wednesday, November 11th Shira is at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

TWEET, COMMENT, AND VISIT A SOLITARY MAN’S FACEBOOK PAGE
TO BE ENTERED TO WIN A TOTE BAG,
SIGNED BOOKS FROM SHIRA & AISLING,
AND SWAG!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Stella Review: Flyboy’s First Misadventure (Flyboy’s Misadventures Book 1) by Havan Fellows

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Secrets? Oh yeah, Dean Wades has a doozy. When he goes up, he doesn’t necessarily come back down. Okay, that’s not true. Dean’s a master at falling, it’s the landing that could use improvement—a lot of improvement. After thirteen years of attempting to conquer this gravity defying mystery, he can no longer live with not knowing what he is anymore. So he heads cross-country to see the two people who just might be able to give him the answers he seeks…his folks.

Easygoing Gavin Trevor is always willing to help his family, even when they have ulterior motives…like forcing him to make up with his annoying older brother. When a simple task at his parent’s house puts him in a position of danger, he’ll need a lot more than luck to avoid a serious injury—he’ll need his very own superhero.

And the fates collide, well sort of. It may not be love at first sight—Gavin was unconscious in Dean’s arms for their initial introduction…but perhaps these two men can make it a relationship at first flight?

A threat against Gavin’s family throws a wrench in their plans, and while Dean gladly offers his amateur talent to help the mission, Gavin doesn’t want to put his rescuer’s life in jeopardy by risking exposure of the greatest secret ever.

This proves to be a rescue adventure for the books. Or is that a rescue misadventure?

Flyboy’s First Misadventure was a lovely read, a great addition to this new series. I found Havan’s writing easy and really great. I need to check out more by this author, because honestly this one was a winner.

Gavin is a tattoo artist apprentice, struggling to be accepted by his military family and always fighting with his brother. One day while helping his parents in some houseworks involving a ladder, he literally falls into Dean’s arms.

Dean is a cute superhero, he can fly (well not exactly fly, more like jump high in the air, flutter a little and then face-plant in the dirty ground!) and has an amazing best friend in Tia. They are on a trip to see Dean’s folks to come out of his hero closet and maybe learn more about his talent.

I saw the sparkles between my MCs from the start and it was a crescendo in the story, with a lot of funny moments, some sweet ones and an unexpected rescue mission, until I wasn’t sure anymore who was the real superhero. It’s a story that has a lot of potential and it needs a sequel or two. I’m so glad Havan has more to come. This was just the start.

If you’re looking for some light book, easy, fun and believable in its not real world, you have to give a chance to this one. I’m glad I did cause I enjoyed it a lot.

Flyboy’s First Misadventure is part of the Story Orgy Collection: Superhero. Four authors, Lee Brazil, Havan Fellows, Em Woods and Hank Edwards will show us some new heros to love. I can’t wait to read the next stories.

Cover art by Startled Monkeys Media. The cover caught my attention first, it’s colorful and funny. I soon liked it and wanted to know more about the story. Well done.

Sales Links: All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 107 pages
Published October 12th 2015 by Appleton Publishing Avenue
ASINB015WXHX9U
edition languageEnglish

Its Release Day for Flesh Market by Kate Lowell (excerpt and contest)

Author Name: Kate Lowell

Book Name: Flesh Market

Release Date: November 10, 2015

Blurb:

Special Agent Leo Gale is up a creek. A year and a half of deep cover is about to go up in flames. He needs help – something, someone to salvage the operation and save the lives of untold numbers of trafficked teenagers.

But he wasn’t expecting the partner they sent, or his own gut-punch of a response to the man.

Julian worked hard for that FBI Honors Internship. It was supposed to be a foot in the door. He’d never expected it to catapult him into the middle of a major undercover operation. Yet here he is, sleeping on a filthy mattress and using every trick in the book to avoid torture—and worse. He’s never felt so scared, or so alive, in his entire life, and he’s not sure if it’s the danger, or Leo, that’s making his heart race.

There’s no time to think about it, though. The operation is heating up, and Leo and Julian are running out of time and options. As choices become more difficult, they must find a way to take the traffickers down, or risk becoming just another set of organs for sale.

Pages or Words: 75,000 words (pre-edits).

Categories: Contemporary, Crime Fiction, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance, Thriller

Excerpt:

Inside the bathroom, DeGraff peered behind the door and moved an OUT OF SERVICE FOR CLEANING sign from the back to the front.

Julian was at the sink at the far end of the room, staring into the mirror with water dripping off his face. DeGraff stepped into one of the stalls, and Leo went to wash his hands at one of the other sinks. Julian glanced up at him, then tore off some paper towel and wiped his face dry. He tossed the towel in the overflowing garbage can and slunk past Leo with all the angsty self-consciousness of a hormonal teenager.

Leo wished he had time to appreciate the performance, but he had a job to do. As Julian passed him, Leo spun and grabbed him from behind, pinning Julian’s arms to his side and covering his mouth. Julian made a startled noise, muffled by Leo’s hand, and began to thrash. He kicked Leo painfully in the shin, but by then DeGraff was out of the stall and had jabbed his syringe into Julian’s shoulder. Leo fought the young man down to the floor while DeGraff stood watch by the bathroom door. Five tense minutes later, Julian was completely spaced out, limp as a rag in Leo’s arms.

Buy the book: Amazon

Meet the author:

Kate lives on the east coast of Canada, in an old farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. She has one horse now, who still has medical issues, and three cats, all of which still have mental issues. She still refuses to get a dog, because who knows what would be wrong with it?

Kate loves to read and write. She also likes playing with computers and is going back to school to do a programming degree, just for giggles. Or the opportunity to take over the world. (Oh, who are we kidding? Think of all the work that would mean.) She also likes pictures of pretty men and keeps many of them on her computer. (The pictures, not the men.) She would dearly love a cabana boy to mow her lawn and maybe rub her shoulders after a long day of making men fall in love with each other, then cackling evilly and raining frustration and danger on them.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008313548018

Twitter: @Kate_Lowell

Website: www.katelowell.com

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27273838-flesh-market

Publisher: Loose ID

Cover Artist: April Martinez

Tour Dates & Stops:

10-Nov: Release Day Book Blast!

Parker Williams, Bayou Book Junkie, The Hat Party, Decadent Delights, Nephy Hart, Andrew Q. Gordon, BFD Book Blog, MM Good Book Reviews, KathyMac Reviews, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Gay Book Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Bonkers About Books, Charley Descoteaux, Sassygirl Books, Chris McHart, The Day Before You Came, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Moonbeams Over Atlanta, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Nautical Star Books, Alpha Book Club, Iyana Jenna

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

A MelanieM Review: Under the Gun: King of Hearts Five by Havan Fellows (Pulp Friction 2015: Altered States Book 18)

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

In a world where supernatural creatures openly exist, who can blame them for coalescing in one of the most fascinating and erotic places on earth? Welcome to New Orleans.

A sex demon no longer interested in feeding just for the necessity of it.

Laurant is secure enough in his demonhood to admit to the few flaws he has, such as mouthing off to the wrong people and ignoring warnings from his dear old dad…but he isn’t quite ready to fess-up to his latest self-revelation. He doesn’t want to feed from any other person or supernatural but the mystery man who is no longer a mystery. Unfortunately, it seems there are other people who want Gun for themselves, and Laurant might not be strong enough to keep him.

They say you can never go home…what they didn’t mention was that trying might be the death of you…

Gun finally knows who and what he is…now he needs to find out why. He’s been commuting between New Orleans and his hometown in Maine for the past couple of months in search of answers, and all he’s found out is that half the population is afraid of him and the other half wants him dead. He longs for the simpler times in life when all he had to worry about was beating off an incubus’s advances and who had the king of hearts to complete his flush. Now he’s fighting against human police and supernatural creatures alike…and the winner takes all.

Gun needs to come to terms with who he was to figure out who he is. Laurant needs to decide if he will stand beside whichever Gun prevails.

May the real Gun please stand up.

Under the Gun by Havan Fellows gives the mysterious Gun and the irrepressible Laurant the answers they have been searching for from the moment they met in a story that’s full of surprises and just as many heart-felt moments. Book five is always the deciding story. How is it all going to shake out for our heroes? Are they going to get their HEA? And in this series who is going to feel the pain, feel the blood run?

Gun with his stolen memories and Laurant with his longing hidden behind his sexy walls are perfect for each other. But there are enemies, unknown and familiar to contend with as well as their own fears before any sort of happiness is to be had.

Havan Fellows has made us care for these two powerful and widely disparate characters, especially Laurant, I have such a wide space in my heart for Laurant, for all his age, power, and bravado, there is a courage to him and loyalty to his character that shines through every scene. Laurant glows on the page and how he would enjoy that were he real. Gun too has grown through each story until his strength is more than a match for Laurant’s power, and not just magically speaking. Intellectually as well as passionately, Laurant and Gun are perfection and nothing demonstrates that better than this story.

Under the Gun has no one fine moment, it has a multitude of them. From the heat of the bedroom (or wherever Gun and Laurant happen to be) to the sheer terror of the final showdown, Fellow’s descriptions pull us into the actions and emotions of the immediate scenes. I had no idea who had survived, or who was lost and I was heartbroken…until I turned the page. I was there so throughly invested with this couple and their relationship that the story was over before I could blink. And then because I loved it so I started over reading it again.

If you’ve been following this series, be prepared for a treat. Its sexy, its scary, and its a slam bang of a fine ride. Don’t miss out on a word of it. I highly recommend it and all of the previous stories. Grab it up today.

Love the cover. Great job.

Sales Link: All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook
Published October 31st 2015 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139781941841372

Pulp Friction 2015

Welcome to the Pulp Friction world…though you can certainly read the King of Hearts series by itself, the other three series greatly enriches your reading enjoyment. But beware, the supernaturals in our world want to show you much more than just a good time…

About Pulp Friction 2015

Lee Brazil ~ Havan Fellows ~ Parker Williams ~ Laura Harner

The Pulp Friction 2015 Altered States Collection.
Four authors.
Four Series.
Twenty books.
One supernatural finale.

Spend a year with the creatures that go bump in the night…fighting for their rights to exist and protecting the innocents of The Big Easy. A diverse group of friends trying to find their place in a world they never had to “fit” into before.

Although each series can stand alone, we believe reading the books in the order they are released will increase your enjoyment.

Round One:
Drawing Dead ~ Blind Stud ~ The Devil’s Bedpost ~ Diamonds and Dust

Round Two:
Dead Blind ~ Stud Player ~ Up the Ante ~ Diamond Draw

Round Three:
Dead Button ~ Blind Man’s Bluff ~ Devil’s Playground ~ Diamond Edge

Round Four:
Dead Man’s Hand ~ Blind Hearts ~ High Stakes ~ Diamond Flush

Round Five:
Dead Money ~ Under the Gun ~ Devil’s Due ~ Diamonds Down and Dirty

A Mika Review: Will & Patrick Meet the Family (Wake Up Married #2) by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Meeting the family is challenging for every new couple. But for Will and Patrick, the awkward family moments only grow more hilarious—and painful—when they must hide the truth of their predicament from the people they care about most.

Throw in the sexual tension flaring between them, uncomfortable run ins with Will’s all-too-recent ex-boyfriend, an overprotective mobster father, and a mafia spy tailing them around Healing, South Dakota, and you’ve got a recipe for madcap laughs and surprisingly heartwarming feels.

I enjoyed this installment a lot. Patrick is hilarious. I loved that both guys are opening up more. We get to see a different side to each one of them. We also got to see Will’s mom. Ha, I loved the initial meeting at the house. Of course all Patrick cared about was his stomach? This man eats a lot. I like that he cares about Will and make sure his sugar never drops. For a person who was against this from the beginning he sure is doing a good job. Patrick’s snarky comments about the residents of Healing are wonderful as well as the fact that that everywhere he went the man made a enemy out of himself.

This was a funny book. I definitely could see them growing together; they were very complimentary of each other. Outside of the whole mob situation, I like how the authors have this authenticity about Will & Patrick. Neither is perfect, they both have huge issues with their childhood. I was happy to see them open up to each other. I can’t wait for the next installment.

Cover Art by Dar Albert @ Wicked Smart Designs. I liked this cover, the horses were consistent with Will’s childhood. I really like the graphics of this series.

Sales Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook
Published November 10th 2015 by Leta Blake Books
ISBN139781626227460
edition languageEnglish
seriesWake Up Married #2

Wake Up Married Series:

National Young Readers Week – “The Impact Childhood Reading Has Is Never Lost”

National Young Readers Week –

“The Impact Childhood Reading Has Is Never Lost”

How many of you were childhood readers? Do you still remember those stories? Perhaps even have those torn and well worn books to this day? Maybe, if you are older, you might have passed them on to your children or intend to? No matter your age, you might just plain cherish the stories and the memories they hold. For me and mine? Its ‘The Little Engine The Could’ by Watty Piper read countless times with its refrain of “I think I can, I think I can” rolling around and around in my head at bedtime, probably having more of an impact than I could ever guess at. Then there’s ‘The Velveteen Rabbit’ by Margery Williams a story that I and my daughter never grew tired of with its message of love no matter the odds, and ‘Goodnight Moon’ by Margaret Wise Brown, a book we needed several copies of as book after book wore out. At the top of our best loved pile? That would be ‘Charlotte’s Web’ by E.B. White, a favorite not only of mine but of many of my authors, co-reviewers and friends. What brought on all these scattered thoughts and memories? A very special week.

It’s National Young Readers Week, a whole week set aside to celebrate and help promote reading in young children. In 1989, the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress created National Young Readers Week to help schools recognize the joys and benefits of reading. Why? Because they knew that the key to the mind, to the imagination is literacy and books. Nothing can open a mind to immeasurable possibilities like a book. Nothing else can expand their horizons, make them wonder and explore further than a great story. National Young Readers Week was born to open children’s minds to creativity and helps expand their general knowledge through books.

I have a book blog with 12 book reviewers. All we do is talk books from author interviews to writing to book reviews and all things book centric. And one of my favorite questions to ask the authors worldwide in their interviews is “Were you huge readers as children? Were you read to as a child?” And even more importantly “Did you think that all that reading as a child impacted you as a author today?” Not surprisingly, almost all were big readers as children (although not all were read to), most could remember their favorite stories, and again not a shocker, some even started keeping diaries as kids. But reading when young? That does seem to be the key. Stories, no matter the genre or at what age, jumpstarted their imaginations. Over and over they told me the books took them places that thrilled them, enthralled them and yes maybe even scared them a little. Mysteries, science fiction, action suspense, animal stories, pirates, fairy tales…all gobbled up in the need to know more. Books made them look outside themselves, made them peer inside into their hearts, made them think larger, made their world bigger and that carried them forward. It helped make them takes chances. Learn to write stories and become the writers they are today.

My mother was a 4th grade schoolteacher, one of the most popular with a beloved reading corner. It had a rocking chair and a worn braided rug that the children sat on. There the kids gathered, listening Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain,Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren, Black Beauty by Anna Sewel, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Charlie Bucket, #1) by Roald Dahl, just a few of the stories the children couldn’t get enough of. There were series, and biographies and requests, those too. Even now her students come back to see her, some with their grown children in tow. They mention that rocking chair and those stories and how much that time in class meant to them. And they want to know if she still has that rocking chair. No I do, keeping it safe with all those memories intact and warm.

I have always felt strongly about childhood reading, mostly because for a while I couldn’t do it. I was read to as a child but up until 2nd grade couldn’t read very well. Poor eyesight turned out to be the culprit and once that was solved, I started reading like someone starved for stories. All of Marguerite Henry’s books from ‘Misty of Chincoteague’ to other stories like “The Black Stallion by Walter Farley, dog stories like Big Red or Old Yeller by Fred Gipson, mysteries like Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys, loved them all even as I moved on to gothic romance, science fiction, fantasy and historical fiction. I needed more stories, lugged books around me like other people did their music. My shelves groaned under the weight of books collected (still do) then ebooks came and helped lighten the load. That love has been passed onto my daughter, whose shelves groan under her own books, some of them purloined from books we shared and read together.

I asked several of my reviewers about their experiences growing up as children. One in europe grew up on Grimm’s Fairy Tales, even listened to them with her brother on tape. She admits Hansel and Gretel scared her to death! But during a library’s annual flea market she found a worn copy of Rudyard Kipling’s Kim. There the idea of India and an exotic life took hold in her mind. Being 10, her parents weren’t agreeable to the idea of her going off to live life like Kim but in her words “There was never a time in my life when I didn’t read. I read countless books during my childhood, from every genre. But few books still have an influence on what I read these days, so Kim will always hold a special place in my heart and I’ll never get rid of my copy, even if it really does look its age.” Another of my reviewers came to books through the library at the 3rd grade. Her favorites then? They remain her favorites to this day. In her words…”

“I first discovered the library in third grade, I never stopped reading. I haven’t changed much from when I was a kid either… I loved the same things. Dogs, sci-fi, fantasy and lgbt pairings. As a younger child I adored stories with dogs–these are the ones that come to mind right away. There are more if I were to really check. (The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford. White Fang by Jack London,
Call of the Wild by Jack London, Lassie Come-Home by Eric Knight, Big Red by Jim Kjelgaard and the others in the series Irish Red and Outlaw Red.”

This week in so many school system’s around the nation they are “Booking It”, putting aside other routine plans and picking up books and reading. Maybe scheduling class time and lesson plans around a certain book to better help other student understand it. What books do you recommend and love best? Which books have you brought with you into adulthood? Can you picture the books? There in your memory? Or by something greater? By the impact that that book and all the ones that followed made on you as an adult. By the love of reading it fired within you, the expectation of something new that awaits around the next paragraph or page. That sense of wonder that found its way to you and never left once you read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis or The Lord of the Rings (The Lord of the Rings #1-3) by J.R.R. Tolkien or whatever the book it may have been for you. The endless possibilities you never thought about and now couldn’t stop thinking of, yes that was but one long lasting impression that a big novel has left behind, one of many.

Well, that’s it for me. I have books to read and review, and lots of writing as well. In some ways, I love that there are so many readers starting off on a very rich and wonderful new journey, one that will never stop, no matter your age. Reading and books has no boundaries. Books on tape, books to be listened to, bound books, ebooks, shared books, books for all ages and interest. A world of books waiting to be explored. Isn’t it marvelous? And once started, once the need to read gets a hold of you, and it will, once your imagination is fired, your mind is set free, then anything is possible and you view growing up so very differently, with expectations that can forever change.

And it all started with “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.” Thank you, Watty Piper, wherever you are.

Happy Reading and Happy Young Readers Week.

Melanie

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Those that continued the tradition of family reading to those that found it on their own through libraries, comic books, second hand stories or other avenues.

Did you continue to read on as a older child? Discover the wilderness of Little House on the Prairie? Marmie of Little Women? The mysteries of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys? Maybe it was Marguerite Henry’s books like Misty of Chincoteague and or other stories like the Black Stallion.

Supernatural Spotlight: Lisa Oliver ‘Watching Out For Fangs (author interview, excerpt and giveaway)

Watching Out For Fangs (Cloverleah #7) by Lisa Oliver
Release Date: October 17, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Oliver Group Publications
Cover Artist: Lisa Oliver

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Lisa Oliver, author of book 7 in the Cloverleah Pack, Watching Out For Fangs. Hi Lisa, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Hello and thank you for hosting me here today. Some of your readers may know my books already – this is my 17^th one. All of my books are M/M paranormal books – shifters, vampires and so much more to come. In this book, Josh, who is a newcomer to Cloverleah meets Vadim, his true mate. Unfortunately he is unconscious at the time, and Vadim heads home to Atlanta, convinced he doesn’t have what it takes to be a good mate. Of course, being one of my books, the men don’t stay apart for long thanks to a couple of interfering Fae, and that’s a good thing too, as the men of Cloverleah are under threat again – this time from a coven and a pack. It can be read as standalone.

Favorite thing about building your own world?

I get to make the rules! I have five different series going at the moment and while there are some rules that apply to all of them – no cheating, no cliff hangers and an HEA – there are subtle differences between all of the different “worlds” that I get to choose. I’m a control freak and the first to admit it.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I’m going to qualify that with first “fiction” book as I have written non-fiction in the past as well. I had always thought I couldn’t write fiction as dialogue was a real problem for me. Once I got older I decided I could do whatever I wanted to do, and things kinda snowballed from there.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I write the same way as I talk – so my books are my way of telling you a story. All of my books so far have been from a duel POV, although after getting told in my first book that I had blurred the lines a bit with that, I now make specific section breaks to show clearly who is thinking what and why.

Who are some of the authors that influenced you to write?

My favorite author list is huge – no kidding. I couldn’t pinpoint just one but I love stories in all forms, and just a few of my favorites include Sandrine Gasq Dion and Charlie Richards. I used to think I wanted to write just like them, but I have since learned there is a place for my style of books as well. But I still read everything they put out.

What are some jobs you’ve held? Have any of them impacted your writing? How?

I have had a varied career path. I’ve worked in lawyer’s offices, in accounts, a hotel receptionist and a newspaper office. But on the other side of the coin I have also been a full time bartender, a waitress (which I hated) and a taxi driver. I don’t think it is any specific job that impacts my writing, but more my belief that you can do anything you set your mind too and hopefully that comes through in my work.

Thanks, Lisa, for the wonderful interview. Now lets take a closer look at Watching Out for Fangs.

Blurb

Josh moved from the huge San Antonio pack to join the men at Cloverleah looking for a bit more adventure, and the chance to meet his mate. He’s quick to adapt to the much smaller pack, and even his status as one of the few beta wolves in a group full of Alphas. A chance visit from the Atlanta coven has him meeting the man he was waiting for. It was just a damn shame he was unconscious at the time.

Vadim D’Arcy should be the Regent of the Atlanta coven, but he gave up his position years before when a personal tragedy had him hiding away in his huge mansion. Forced into a situation where he had to escort a cursed vampire to Cloverleah, he realizes pretty quickly that Josh is his true match. The only problem is, he doesn’t want one.

However threats on the pack, and two interfering Fae soon nudge the two men back together. Fighting other wolves, and even vampires is becoming commonplace for the Cloverleah pack. But a dark magic user just might have the last laugh. Can Vadim fight his personal demons long enough to keep his mate safe, and will Josh be there for him when he does? Or will a combined attack from the coven and the pack in Atlanta bring the entire Cloverleah pack to its knees?

Warnings: This is an m/m erotic romance featuring a sweet but staunch beta wolf, an old as sin vampire and all your other favorites from Cloverleah. HEA and no cliff hangers guaranteed.

Excerpt

“Everett was known as your favorite, yet you have set him free, compelled him to leave you and never return. You have met your true match, my son.” Not a question, but a statement of fact. Vadim opened his eyes, knowing he could never lie directly to his mother. He nodded instead, as his brain once again focused on Josh. What would the young wolf be feeling, knowing that Vadim had bonded with him without permission and then rejected him as a mate? Maybe some of the pain he was feeling was coming from his mate, even if they were separated by miles. That idea didn’t make him feel any better.

“The wolf you healed?” This time his persistent mother was asking a question so Vadim nodded again.

“And you didn’t think to stay and protect him?”

Letting out a deep breath in an effort to calm himself, Vadim said slowly, “I came here to protect him, from this coven and the Atlanta pack.”

“That didn’t work out too well for you now, did it?” Eloise had a small smile on her face as though a lot happier now she knew the reason behind the loss of Vadim’s fabled control. “What are you going to do?”

Vadim would have shrugged but that was a little hard to do with his arms strung up, so he was forced to speak instead. “Wait out my punishment. If I am released in time I will go home and sort out my affairs. Either way I anticipate it will all be over for me in six weeks as I haven’t fed for a while.”

In a strong flowing movement Eloise stood up, gliding over to where Vadim was chained, her gown settling around her feet in a soft mist. The finery of the pale blue looked incongruous against the dirty concrete floor.

“You would die rather than accept your true match? Why would you do such a cruel thing to your wolf? Is he that disfigured from the attack on him that you cannot look past it?” Vadim realized his mother was not only shocked, she was hurt as well, and damn it all, Vadim didn’t like it when the lovely woman was upset. So he answered as honestly as he knew how.

“Josh is beautiful, mother,” Vadim assured her softly, remembering all too well the lovely features of his mate’s face. They would be scorched in his brain until he took his last breath. “He is a loyal fighter, a beta wolf, with tanned skin and light hair that glows like a halo in the sun. There is nothing wrong with him at all.”

“Then why?” Easily asked, harder to answer.

“Because I made a promise, mother, surely you can understand.” Vadim’s voice hardened. “My true match, my mate, he’s a wolf and he deserves to be loved with an open heart. To be held and cared for, to be protected and cherished in the way of a wolf, not bonded forever to a vampire with no heart.”

Pages or Words: 270 pages/91,497 words
Categories: Erotica, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Romance

Buy the book: Amazon |All Romance eBooks | Smash Words

Meet the Author

Lisa Oliver had been writing non-fiction books for years when visions of half dressed, buff men started invading her dreams. Unable to resist the lure of her stories, Lisa decided to switch to fiction books, and now stories about her men clamor to get out from under her fingertips.

When Lisa is not writing, she is usually reading with a cup of tea always at hand. Her grown children and grandchildren sometimes try and pry her away from the computer and have found that the best way to do it, is to promise her chocolate. Lisa will do anything for chocolate.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers and other writers. You can friend her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/lisaoliverauthor), catch up on what’s happening at her blog (http://www.supernaturalsmut.com) or email her directly at yoursintuitively@gmail.com.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lisaoliverauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/wisecrone333
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lisaoliver79/
Blog: http://www.supernaturalsmut.com
Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/author/lisaoliver

Tour Dates & Stops:

2-Nov: BFD Book Blog, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

3-Nov: MM Good Book Reviews, Carly’s Book Reviews

4-Nov: Havan Fellows, Mikky’s World of Books

5-Nov: Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Happily Ever Chapter

6-Nov: Just Love Romance, Love Bytes, Bonkers About Books

9-Nov: Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance, Inked Rainbow Reads, Hearts on Fire

10-Nov: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

11-Nov: Open Skye Book Reviews, Jessie G. Books

12-Nov: Divine Magazine, Alpha Book Club

13-Nov: 3 Chicks After Dark, Bayou Book Junkie, Parker Williams

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: 3 print copies of ‘Watching Out For Fangs’ by Lisa Oliver (3 winners). Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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

Coffee Sip and Book Break: Brina Brady’s ‘Make Me’ book blast and contest

Make Me (Rent Me #3) by Brina Brady
Release Date: November 10, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Brina Brady
Cover Artist: Kellie Dennis at Book Cover by Design

Blurb

Make Me (Rent Me Series #3)

Russian mobster Dmitri Dubrovsky and ex-rent boy Brennen are hiding out in the German woods with those closest to them, and not everyone is happy. Living in a small cabin took its toll on the married couple. Everyone’s safety is dependent on Dmitri, meaning he and Brennen don’t spend enough alone time.

Brennen with his sneaky self is finding his way back to his old tricks. The struggles that these two men go through bring out the best and the worst of each. Jealousy is still a big issue for both of them, but they manage to squeeze in some kinky and playful sex. There are some difficulties when they balance their Domestic Discipline Relationship in their marriage.

They find danger when a secret meeting in Amsterdam with a trusted source turns out to be a betrayal. A brother goes missing, leaving an additional burden on Dmitri’s shoulders.

Complications with a drug lord see them traveling to Mexico to sort the problem out, but when one problem is solved another arises when they return back home. Something that will change their lives forever. Can their marriage handle the change?

Warning:

This is a Gay adult consensual story focused on themes of corporal discipline punishment and explicit sex with light elements of BDSM between adult men over the age of eighteen.

Excerpt

Dmitri took Brennen’s hand and they walked to the outside bar, sitting right on the white sand. They each sat down on a stool. Dmitri had ordered them two fun island drinks with the cute umbrellas inside the glasses.

“It’s so nice to be alone with you, Bren. Just us. No one else.”

“Yeah, finally.”

“Do you like your drink?” Dmitri asked.

“Yeah, it’s fine. Good choice.”

“So what’s wrong then?”

“What do you mean?” Brennen stirred his drink and removed the umbrella.

“I can tell you’re pissed off about something.” Dmitri forked his shrimp and dipped it in the hot red sauce.

“Are you really ready to hear why I’m pissed?” Brennen asked.

The lively twinkle in his blue eyes only incensed Dmitri more. He knew something had been wrong since the night he had returned from Antonio’s. He probably could have taken him with him, but he just didn’t want to taint him with anything illegal.

Pages or Words: 81,000 words
Categories: BDSM, Contemporary, Crime Fiction, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, MM Romance, Romance

Buy the book: Amazon

Meet the Author

I am from Huntington Beach, Ca. I taught various subjects at a Continuation High School in Los Angeles, California for 27 years. I obtained a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in history, Secondary Social Science Credential and a Master’s Degree in Secondary Reading and Secondary Education from California State University, Long Beach. I also enrolled in some creative writing classes at UCLA. I am currently taking classes from Romance Writers of America.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brina.brady.3
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrinaBrady
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/brinabrady/
Blog: http://brinabrady.wordpress.com
Google+:https://plus.google.com/+BrinaBrady/posts
Good Reads: https://www.goodreads.com/PrincessBrina

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, The Hat Party, Bayou Book Junkie, Jessie G. Books, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, The Jena Wade, Happily Ever Chapter, Havan Fellows, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Charley Descoteaux, Elaine White, Iyana Jenna, Louise Lyons, MM Good Book Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Mikky’s World of Books, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Inked Rainbow Reads, KathyMac Reviews, Moonbeams Over Atlanta, It’s Raining Men, Michael Mandrake, Divine Magazine, Three Books Over The Rainbow, My Fiction Nook, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-book copy of ‘Make Me’ by Brina Brady. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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

Share this:

Share this:

A Solitary Man by Aisling Mancy and Shira Anthony

Making a Difference in the Lives of Children

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

National Young Readers Week –

“The Impact Childhood Reading Has Is Never Lost”

Those that continued the tradition of family reading to those that found it on their own through libraries, comic books, second hand stories or other avenues.

Share this:

Watching Out For Fangs (Cloverleah #7) by Lisa Oliver Release Date: October 17, 2015

Goodreads Link Publisher: Oliver Group Publications Cover Artist: Lisa Oliver

Giveaway

Share this:

Giveaway

Share this:

Watching Out For Fangs (Cloverleah #7) by Lisa Oliver
Release Date: October 17, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Oliver Group Publications
Cover Artist: Lisa Oliver