Heading Towards All Hallows Eve and Our Spooky Recommendations. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Heading Towards All Hallows Eve and Our Spooky Recommendations

As we head toward Hallows Eve and the pumpkins and decorations are out in full display of one of my favorite holidays, Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words’ stories are trending towards the paranormal, the supernatural, and yes, the downright spooky!

From vampires to werewolves to other things that go bump in the night and are still seeking their own versions of HEA or HFN, I thought I would start sorting through some of our more chilling recommendations! More to come next week and chime in if we have missed some of the new stories!

Story Recommendations for All Hallows Eve!

A Light Amongst Shadows by Kelly York
Spirits series by Jordan L. Hawk
Tyack & Frayne series by Harper Fox
P.S. I Spook You by SE Harmon
A Frost of Cares by Amy Rae Durreson
Whyborne & Griffin series by Jordan L. Hawk
Motel Pool by Kim Fielding
“Winter” by Josh Lanyon
The Tourist by Clare London
Lesser-Bred series by Adrienne Wilder
THE GERMAN by Lee Thomas
COWBOYS & VAMPIRES by Hank Edwards
MONSTER (Vertex #1) by Soren Summers
MAN & MONSTER (The Savage Land #2) by Michael Jensen
In a Dark Wood by Josh Lanyon
Mummy Dearest by Josh Lanyon
All In Fear: A Collection of Six Horror Tales by Steve Berman, et al
Unhinged by Rick R. Reed
A CHARM OF MAGPIES series by K.J. Charles
FALLOCAUST series by Quil Carter
COLD FINGERS by Amy Spector
THE BOOKS OF BLOOD Vols. 1-6 by Clive Barker
INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE by Anne Rice
A DENSITY OF SOULS by Christopher Rice
DUST OF WONDERLAND by Lee Thomas
THE WOLF AT THE DOOR by Jameson Currier
LOST SOULS, & DRAWING BLOOD, by Poppy Z. Brite
Ally Blue Down
Sarah Waters Affinity (f/f)
Bump In the Night series from Riptide
Jacqueline Rohrbach Speak With the Dead
The Werewolf on Lowre Few Lane by Bryce Bentley-Tales
Green Death by Madeleine Ribbon!
Ground of Insurrection (Wizard Wars, #1) by Mell Eight

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Word

Sunday, October 20:

Heading Towards All Hallows Eve and Our Spooky Recommendations.
This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, October 21:

Spotlight Tour and Giveaway for Dancing with the Lion: Rise by Jeanne Reames
Release Blitz – LEGENDARY LOVES Volume 2
Blog Tour Minuet” by A.M. Leibowitz
A Stella Review All at Sea by JL Merrow
An Alisa Review: For a Unicorn’s Happiness (Legendary Shifters #2) by Catherine Lievens
A Caryn Review: Rise (Dancing with the Lion #2) by Jeanne Reames
A Lucy Review LEGENDARY LOVES Volume 2 (In My Arms Again by Nell Iris The Murky Depths by Kassandra Lea Weekend at Bigfoot’s by Addison Albright)

Tuesday, October 22:

Convicted” by Kim Fielding Cover Reveal
Blog Tour Rules to Break by Susan Hawke
Release Blitz for Anna Martin – Something Wild
A MelanieM Review Pine Tree Mary by Ofelia Gränd
A Lucy Review : Wrangling a Groom (Marital Bliss #2) by D.J. Jamison
A Lila Audio Review: Their Bounty (Four Mercenaries #1) by K.A. Merikan and Wyatt Baker (Narrator)

Wednesday, October 23:

Release Blitz – Nightside: An Erie Vampire Tale – V.L. Locey
Blog Tour Rules to Break by Susan Hawke
Book Blitz – Adira August – Psychic Men
First Priority by Este Holland Blog Tour
An Alisa Review :All or Nothing by Riina Y.T
A Lila Review: Bishop by A.E. Via
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review Best Man (Close Proximity #1) by Lily Morton

Thursday, October 24:

Release Blitz – Their Special Agent (Thistle Hearts #1) by Mel Gough
POST The Captain’s Flighty Fireworks by Eleanor Harkstead and Catherine Curzon
Blog Tour Second Song by Edie Danford
A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Shot in the Dark (New Amsterdam #3) by Kelly Wyre
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audio Review: Deal Maker (Mixed Messages #2) by Lily Morton and Joel Leslie (Narrator)

Friday, October 25:

Release Blitz – Precariously Mated (D’Vaire, Book 14) by Jessamyn
BLOG TOUR Wrestling With Hope by DH Starr
An Alisa Review Wolf, en Garde by A.F. Henley
A Stella Review What We May Be by Vivien Dean

Saturday, October 26:

A MelanieM Audio Review: Spencer Cohen 2 by NR Walker and Narrated by Joel Leslie

A Stella Review: After Ben (Seattle Stories #1) by Con Riley

RATING 5 out of 5 stars

A year after the sudden death of his longtime partner, Ben, Theo Anderson is still grieving. The last thing he’s looking for is a new lover. But as Theo soon discovers, sometimes life has other plans.

While Theo experiences a powerful physical attraction to fellow gym member Peter, it’s his new online friend, Morgan, who provides the intellectual challenge to make him come alive. Morgan is witty, brave, and irreverent, and Theo is ready to take the plunge… until he discovers Morgan might be half his age.

Theo’s late partner was significantly older—enough to strain Theo’s relationship with his family—and the potential of another relationship being cut short leaves him gunshy. Theo needs to lay Ben’s memory to rest, reconcile with his family, and rekindle neglected friendships if he’s to start afresh with a new lover. But Theo isn’t the only one with a past.

His biggest challenge, in living after Ben, might not be his to face.

After Ben is one of my favourite books in the mm genre and the first audiobook (in English) I listened too, even if my English isn’t good enough for it. I have no clue how many times I read this novel and each time I am overwhelmed by the emotions I get. And here lays the reason why I love the author, and all her works, so much: the feelings she puts in her stories are always so strong and real. In particular, as you can understand from the blurb, After Ben is not exactly a light story, there is a lot of grief and hurt to manage, Theo needed time to process and try to overcome the death of his beloved Ben. He’s not sure how to do it, still he’s trying, some days more than ever. Until a moment, where different events happens all together: the meeting and sudden attraction with Peter, the long chats online till late night with Morgan, the changes at his day job. And then it’s time to say goodbye to Ben while trying to reconcile the past with the present.

Although it’s not a light story, it was still a pleasure to read, cause the plot, the scenes, the characters, are all so well done the reading didn’t become heavy or too stifling. I could feel an air of positiveness and joy for the future, that ease the important themes the book tells.

I can’t recommend After Ben enough, you won’t be disappointed. And be sure to check Con Riley works, all of them are awesome.

The cover art by Natasha Snow is lovely and fitting, this artist is a guarantee.

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 2nd edition, 344 pages

Published October 5th 2019 by Amazon Digital Services (first published July 1st 2012)

ASIN B07Y6ML8CN

Edition Language English

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Lucky Break (Clean Slate Ranch #4) by A.M. Arthur

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

A lovely addition to the Clean Slate Ranch series, this story features Shawn, the assistant cook at the ghost-town saloon who helped Miles when his abusive ex showed up in Saddle Up, book three. Robin, one of the ranch hands, befriends Shawn after an initial minor hostility due to the fact Shawn looks like Robin’s former husband, Xander, who died in a rodeo accident three years before. But once Robin gets to know him, the resemblance takes a back seat because Shawn is a completely different personality: shy, sweet, virginal, and reclusive. Shawn has kept the fact he lives in his car a secret for two years, but now that it’s out in the open and he’s given the cabin next to Robin’s, the two slowly become friends, and then more.

The story is a good length and focuses on the slow buildup of a relationship with plenty of kissing and not much else through most of the book as each man slowly begins to share pieces of his past with the other. The author allows time for readers to get to know the characters as they get to know each other and that’s something I appreciate. When circumstances occur that bring Shawn back to his hometown where the public shame and humiliation that forced him out of town took place, Robin accompanies him and finally learns Shawn’s truths.

But it’s not until much later, when they are back at the Clean Slate Ranch, that Shawn learns Robin’s truths about how he lost his husband and the guilt he carries over it. Past characters round out the story and new ones are introduced as I suspect the series may continue for some time—at least, I hope so because I want Derrick and Levi and Hugo to all have their own loves.

As with other books in this series, there’s a sense of family, friendship, trust, and support by all the characters at the ranch. Those who love a sweet cowboy romance, with a small age gap (8 years), should enjoy this one. Add slow burn, virgins, smaller tops, and widower to the tags, and you get the picture of how very nice this story is.

The bright cover features a handsome cowboy walking toward the camera with a bright blue sky background.

Sales Links: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: October 21st 2019 by Carina Press
ISBN 1488056986 (ISBN13: 9781488056987)
SeriesClean Slate Ranch #4

Clean Slate Ranch Series

A Stella Review: Love on the Hudson by KD Fisher

RATING 4 out of 5 stars

Art historian David Webster left his childhood home of Saugerties, New York ten years ago and hasn’t looked back. Intelligent, successful, and proud of his sexuality, David has built a comfortable, if lonely, life in Chicago. But when he learns his father has suffered a debilitating stroke, he decides to leave his prestigious museum job and move home to care for his dad. Until now David has never questioned his devotion to academic and professional success. Suddenly he’s forced to confront and reevaluate his desires, chief among them, his former best friend Nick.

Nick Patras has spent his entire life trying to be the perfect Greek son. From devoting himself to football, to forgoing an athletic scholarship to work at his family’s diner, to denying his sexuality and getting married to his high school sweetheart, Nick got used to putting his family’s dreams ahead of his own. The facade shattered, however, when Nick divorced his wife and left the family business to follow his dream of starting an organic farm. Finally content with the life he’s built for himself, Nick is still haunted by the mistake that ended his friendship with David a decade earlier.

When David and Nick reunite their old feelings are undeniable, but can David trust Nick with his heart a second time around? As David embarks on a new career as an artist, he must decide whether or not Nick fits into this composition.

Love On the Hudson is the first book I read by KD Fisher, as soon as I read the blurb I was intrigued and I wanted to give this new to me author a chance. Since the first pages it was clear I was going to enjoy the story a lot.

Although ten years ago Nick acted as a true ass, it seems he and David are still destined to be together, the feelings are too deep to be ignored. As soon as they meet again, nothing can stop them to finally work on creating their HEA, not the hurtful past, not even Nick’s family.

The novel was easy to read, I liked how the author defined the characters, not just the main ones, but all Nick and David’s family and friends, she showed so well how beautiful these people were (not all of them) and how they cared for the two young lovers. There are some sweet scenes, some teary ones, others are hot as hell.

I’m a sucker for second chance at love stories, especially when the characters were first best friends, I love to read about a feeling so deep like the love Nick and David shared, even if during the ten years they were apart they went ahead with their lives. Last, it was lovely to see how ready David was to throw away the job he worked so hard to get and move home when his father was ill, he caught my heart.

I feel to recommend this novel, don’t miss it.

The cover art by Natasha Snow is great as everything this art is does, I like it a lot.

SALE LINKS NineStar Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 355 pages

Published September 30th 2019 by NineStar Press

ASIN B07Y8QKRF1

Edition Language English

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audio Review: Rule Breaker (Mixed Messages #1) by Lily Morton and Joel Leslie (Narrator)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

What a wonderful story! And the audiobook made it even better with the fantastic performance of Joel Leslie, who brought Dylan, Gabe, and the rest of the cast of characters to life. Listening to a book narrated by Joel is like watching the story unfold on the big screen. The voices become real characters. There’s drama, humor, tears (he does crying scenes so well!) and every voice is so distinctive that there’s never a doubt of which MC is speaking.

The story of Gabe and his personal assistant, Dylan, is filled with the angst of falling in love with an unlovable man, but it’s also laced throughout with humor, much of it dry Brit wit and snark. The author opens each chapter with a note or memo from either Dylan to Gabe or Gabe to Dylan, and many provide laugh-out-loud moments and/or embarrassing barks or snorts in public places.

Gabe is smart, sharp, gorgeous, and wants no part of relationships or feelings with anyone whatsoever, even his current boyfriend. In fact, it’s nothing for them to engage in a threesome with a stranger and afterwards both leave Gabe to his own devices. Dylan is sweet, cute, snarky, and can see through the shell Gabe keeps locked tight around his heart. Their banter is a very important part of this audiobook and keeps readers like me constantly smiling.

Throughout much of the story, although they were attracted to one another, they didn’t act on it since it would break Gabe’s no-sex-with-employees rule. And then it happened and they couldn’t get enough of each other. Some of those locations and situations were funny, but then over time, Dylan loses his heart and Gabe refuses to take it.

Be ready with tissues for this one because Dylan’s heart was literally in pieces all over the floor. And the sobbing and anguished dialogue brought to life by Joel were painful to hear. And yet, I hurt for Gabe as well. His backstory, when we learn it, is heartbreaking and it’s no wonder he refused to share his love with anyone.

Of course, our guys get together in the end, helped along by Dylan’s bestie (who gets his own book next). The epilogue was long enough to tie all the loose threads together in a way that leaves readers knowing this couple is solid and well on the way to their HEA.

I highly recommend this 9.5 hour audiobook to all my friends who enjoy Brit humor, hot sex, angst, love, and redemption, and of course, a very well-deserved HEA.

The handsome man on the colorful cover by Natasha Snow definitely attracts attention.

Sales Links: Amazon | Audible

Audio Details:

Audible Audio
Published April 15th 2019 (first published August 17th 2017)
ASINB07QM1RCM7
Edition Language English
Series Mixed Messages #1
setting London, England

A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Ghost House by Jacqueline Grey

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

The main characters are a college student named Andrew, who is trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life, and a mysterious man named Caius, whom he keeps dreaming about after spending the night in a haunted house. I think the blurb tells you everything you need to know about this book, so if it sounds intriguing, go ahead and jump right in. I really hesitate to give any spoilers. Part of the fun of the book is it walks a fine line of many genres: horror, ghost story, historical romance, fairy tale, contemporary romance, paranormal, and urban fantasy. Is Caius the charming man of Andrew’s dreams, or an entirely different kind of nightmare?
Is he hallucinating? Is he going mad? I was often unsure where this was going to go; the fun is in trying to find out. At turns this is creepy, but never too much or for very long. It’s also fun with cute banter and some fantastical moments. Of more interest to me are the times when Caius is confronted about the fairness or morality of some of his past actions. This is actually a slow burn romance where the author successfully provides sexual tension at various points. While most of the book is chaste, when they finally do come together, it is really about them.

The book is divided in half with the first half told from Andrew’s point of view. His friends Charlie, Amanda, and Marie help round out the cast a bit, but don’t seem as real as Jason, Andrew’s best friend since childhood and college roommate. The reader also gets to meet Andrew’s parents, his father being a major source of anxiety for him. Yet, most of the first half I wasn’t sure if parts of what were happening were real or not. Once the second half starts, the reader gets to see some things from Caius’s point of view. I was still left waiting for the shoe to drop–waiting to see the real Caius as his thoughts were slowly revealed. Strangely, I was waiting to see the real Andrew as well since he wasn’t being honest with anyone, while letting his father plan a life for him that he didn’t want. So wrapped up in this bizarre tale, is still a new adult coming out story that has to be resolved. I think some people will really like this, and other people will not agree with all the choices the author made to go in different directions. For myself, I like quirky and different, so I enjoyed it.

The cover is by Kanaxa. I found it compelling and apropos for the way the book unfolds.
https://www.kanaxa.com/

Sales Links: Amazon | Smashwords

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 244 pages

Published September 24th 2019

ASIN B07W7DFVXZ

Edition Language English

Review Tour and Giveaway for After Ben (Seattle Stories #1) by Con Riley

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

Cover Design: Natasha Snow

Length: 95,000 words approx.

Blurb

Seattle Stories: Book One

No more kissing a ghost…

A year after the sudden death of his longtime partner, Ben, Theo Anderson is still grieving. The last thing he’s looking for is a new lover, but as Theo discovers, sometimes life has its own plans.

The strength of his attraction to fellow gym member Peter is surprising. So is how compelling he finds Morgan, a new friend he makes online. Morgan is witty and fierce on the internet forum they frequent, while Peter is physically present in a way that’s hard to ignore.

Both men bring Theo closer to acceptance: he needs to lay Ben’s memory to rest if he’s to start afresh with a new lover.

Getting honest about the reasons for his yearlong isolation means confronting why he lost Ben… only just when he’s ready to commit, Theo finds he isn’t the only one haunted by the past.

Whether with Peter or with Morgan, choosing to love again—after Ben—might not be Theo’s toughest challenge.

Check out Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 5 star review here. We loved it!

CON RILEY lives on the wild and rugged Devonshire coast, with her head in the clouds and her feet in the Atlantic Ocean. Injury curtailed her enjoyment of outdoor pursuits, so writing fiction now fills her free time instead. Love, loss, and redemption shape her romance stories, and her characters are flawed in ways that make them live and breathe. When not people-watching or wrangling her own boy band of teen sons, she spends time staring at the sea from her kitchen window. If you see her, don’t disturb her—she’s probably thinking up new plots.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | BookBub

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Release Blitz and Giveaway for Running From My Heart (Rock Bottom #3) by Felice Stevens

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link – Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited.

Length: 246 Pages

Cover Design: Reese Dante

Photographer: Wander Aguiar

Rock Bottom Series

Book #1 – Broken Silence –Amazon US | Amazon UK (currently only 99c/99p)

Book #2 – Imitation of Life – Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

“Holding onto the past can hurt more than letting it go.”

People say six years is long enough to mourn the death of his husband but for Ross Miller, the pain is as fresh as if it happened yesterday. He’s left his glittering Hollywood life behind, yet guilt still dogs his steps, no matter how far he runs. Trapped by his past and needing to escape his well-meaning friends, he rents a cabin in the secluded Adirondack mountains. A reclusive man moves in next door and piques Ross’s interest, but his persistent attempts at friendship are rebuffed. That doesn’t stop him because the one rule Ross Miller has always lived by is to never take no for an answer.

Novelist Arden Wainwright has given up. He can’t pretend a happiness he knows he’ll never find again. Solitary days turn into years, and he remains frozen, unable to take a breath. At his wit’s end, he retreats to the mountains, but it does little to stir his creativity. He continues to hide from life and avoids his overly nosy neighbor, who insists on planting himself at Arden’s doorstep at every turn. Making friends is the last thing Arden wants, but annoying or not, he can’t get the damn man out of his mind.

Finding peace in their isolated surroundings, the two lonely men forge an unlikely friendship where they realize they’re more alike than different and better together than apart. With Ross’s help, Arden begins to rebuild the shattered pieces of his life, while Arden gives Ross the strength to face his fears and find his way home. When love comes calling you can choose to hide from hurt, loss, and pain, but if you take a chance and open the door, you might discover that running from your heart is the last thing you’ll want to do.

This book can be read as a stand alone but you may remember Ross, Foster’s best friend from Broken Silence, Book One of the Rock Bottom series.

I have always been a romantic at heart. I believe that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner, My characters have to work for it, however. Like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love, but getting there is oh so fun and oh so sexy.

I live in New York City with my husband and two children. My day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass (or two of red wine). I practice law but daydream of a time when I can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there are bound to be a few bumps along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Deosil (Whyborne & Griffin #11) by Jordan L. Hawk

Rating: 5+ stars out of 5

I’m so sad today. Last night I finished one of my all-time favorite series. Whyborne and Griffin have become important to me. They are not only sweet and strong and fearless, they are my ideal couple—two halves of a whole—and that can readily be seen in this final story. I read this sooo slowly because I didn’t want the story (or the series) to end. I’m not ready to say goodbye to Griffin Flaherty and Percival Whyborne. Hmm…perhaps I’d better start reading it all over again from book one, Widdershins.

In this last installment, all the pieces of the puzzle come together as the maelstrom faces the masters with Whyborne and Persephone who are the only ones who can stop the other-worldly beings. But it’s never an easy task, as we readers all know, and the author takes us through a clever labyrinth of emotional highs and lows with tragedy and trauma, heartache, and fear, before, finally, success.

The entire cast of characters plays a role in this one—everyone from Heliabel, Persephone, and the other ketoi, to the dweller of the deep, the umbrae, and the Queen of Shadows. Then there’s the librarians, the sheriff’s deputies, the Endicotts, Griff’s brother Jack, Niles Whyborne, and the founding families. All are ready to defend Widdershins. Widdershins knows its own, and those of Widdershins are willing to die to defend what they have. Topping the list is a very pregnant Christine and her husband Iskander, and of course, Griffin Flaherty and Percival Whyborne—all united as family of the heart.

I can’t begin to say how very complex and clever each and every book in this series is. Over the years, the author’s storytelling skills have amazed me, charmed me, and engaged me in the adventures of a young man who started as a mousy virgin librarian, unsure of himself, unwilling to go along with what his family expected, and with little self-esteem—a young man who became a force to be reckoned with as he defends Widdershins—the town, the people, and the maelstrom from other-worldly creatures. He stands tall and confident with the respect of those around him and the rock-solid love of his husband, the man who stands beside him always, his darling Griffin.

Don’t miss a chance to read this book if you’ve started the series. And if you haven’t started, why not? This is simply exceptional.

A word about the cover by Lou Harper—it’s bright and attractive and features our two heroes in motion, ready for the masters. Perfect for this story.

Sales Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Kobo

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 244 pages
Published October 11th 2019
ASINB07XYBC854
Edition Language English
Series Whyborne & Griffin #11

Whyborne & Griffin series (Goodreads)

An Alisa Review: Blood Wine (The Blood Bond Series Book 2) by Aimer Boyz

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Symon’s not looking for new and different. He’s looking for dinner, and the guy at the bar looks like a five star meal.

Michael’s not looking for a sole mate. He’s looking for a few drinks, a few laughs, and hopefully, a lot of naked.

Fortunately, neither one of them finds what they’re looking for.

They find something better.

Something that will last forever and a night.

This was another great book. I had to work to try and remember the last book since it had been awhile but I was so happy for Symon to find someone when he was so determined he didn’t need anyone.

I liked that Michael was so open and had no problem with Symon even when he knew what he was. His family was another wonderful group of people and had no problem welcoming Symon and then again keeping their relationship with Michael after Symon saved him.

I enjoyed watching Symon debate with himself. I think in some ways he deserved it for how he acted last time and how determined he is to stay separate from humans. I liked seeing Etienne and Andrew again and how they care for Symon and quickly extended that care to Michael. I look forward to more books by this author.

Cover art by James at GoOnWrite.com is great and I love the wine that made Symon famous among vampires.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 228 pages

Published: August 26, 2019

Edition Language: English

Series: The Blood Bond Trilogy #2