Thoughts on Trends and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Thoughts on Trends in 2019…

 

Going into 2019 my mind is full of trends I’m seeing in books these days.  Some good, some imo not so great, some it’s hard to tell yet because it’s too early to see where certain paths will take us.  On certain things we’re stumbling about looking for footing, on others striding confidently forward.  The bookworld can be such a strange place at times for all…readers, writers, publishers, and cover artists alike.  Even narrators.  What is trending going into 2019?  Hmmm.  There’s the rub.  Might be hard to figure out.

But let’s try some polls:

 

That should give us a start.  I know where I’m going with all this, believe me.  And I have some people I want to send interview questions out to.  Hopefully this will be a fun and illuminating month or two.  I never know!  lol.

Meanwhile we are expecting snow.  It’s been a while since we’ve had any significant accumulation.  I wonder what the dogs will think of this?  It will be perfect reading and listening weather.  I hope everyone is finding their way into January and 2019 safely and happily.

Happy Reading and Listening!

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, January 13:

  • Thoughts on Trends and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
  • Release Blitz – Nell Iris – Awakenings and French Songs

Monday, January 14:

  • PROMO Tia Fielding
  • BLITZ Valor by Karrie Roman
  • Release Day Blitz Rough Terrain (Out of Uniform #7) by Annabeth
  • A VVivacious Review: Stay by KM Neuhold
  • A Lucy Review : Perfect Match by AG Meiers
  • A Barb the  Zany Old Lady Review : Rough Terrain (Out of Uniform #7) by Annabeth Albert

Tuesday, January 15:

  • In the Spotlight Tour and Giveaway: Perfect Match by AG Meiers
  • How Not to Blend by Susan Hawke Release Blitz and Giveaway
  • Cover Reveal for I Wished For You by Colette Davison
  • A Jeri Release Day Review: Ten (Love by Numbers) by Tia Fielding
  • A MelanieM: Review: Whiskey and Moonshine by Elizabeth Noble
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audio Review :The Missing Ingredient by Brian Lancaster and Seb Yarrick (Narrator)

Wednesday, January 16:

  • BLITZ Stalker/s by L.J. Hasbrouck
  • Boost Release Blitz & Review Tour – V.L. Locey – One-On-One
  • Release Blitz for Pisces Floors Taurus by Anyta Sunday
  • An Alisa Review You. Forever. Always. (The Underdogs #3) by KA Merikan
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Release Day Review: The Spirit Key (Lock and Key #1) by Parker Williams
  • A MelanieM Review: Chasing Forever (This Time Forever #3) by Kelly Jensen

Thursday, January 17:

  • New Release Tour for Sins of the Son by Christian Baines
  • PROMO Parker William
  • Cover Reveal for In Case You Missed It by S. M. James
  • A MelanieM Review:  Rough Terrain (Out of Uniform #7) by Annabeth Albert
  • A MelanieM Review: Away in a Manger by JC Owens

Friday, January 18:

  • Review Tour – Is It Over Yet – LA Witt
  • Out in the Offense by Lane Hayes Blog Tour
  • An Alisa Release Day Review: Place Setting by Claudia Mayrant
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Is It Over Yet? by L.A. Witt
  • A MelanieM Review: You Forever Always by KA Merikan

Saturday, January 19:

  • Release Blitz – The Summoner’s Path (D’Vaire #10) by Jessamyn Kingley

 

 

 

New Release Tour for Awakenings and French Songs by Nell Iris (excerpt and giveaway)

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | JMS 
 
Length: 11,000 words approx.
 
Publisher: JMS Books 
 
Blurb
 

Iggy Wilker never expected his 36th birthday to turn into an existential crisis. When Iggy’s friends celebrate him with his usual favorite pastime — drinking, dancing, and willing guys — he suddenly wants nothing to do with any of it. He’s fed up and ready for something else. The question is what?


Ronan Clenney has had his eye on his neighbor forever, but as a single father of a precocious eleven-year-old, he’s never believed he stands a chance. But over a late night cup of tea, it seems circumstances have changed. Is this the right time, finally?


Iggy has never believed in romance, but can Ronan show him he’s wrong? That love is a real thing?


Excerpt


“Iggy?” A slow smile blooms on his face and his eyes brighten. “What are you doing up this early? What happened to no knocking on my door before ten on weekends, young Miss Emery?” he asks, imitating my words perfectly.


“I grew old, that’s what happened.”


“Awww. Poor Iggy.”


“Hey! Be nice or I won’t share my breakfast.” I hold up the bags to show him what he’d be missing.


His eyebrows shoot to the heavens. “You brought breakfast?”


“Um, yeah. You gonna let me in, or …?”


“Of course. You just about shocked me to death, that’s all.” He pretends to clutch his pearls.


“That seems to be my theme this week,” I mutter and follow him to the kitchen.


“I was just about to start breakfast –” he points at a carton of eggs, “– but I guess I don’t have to?”


“Nope. Coffee would be good though. I didn’t buy any.”


“Sure.” He leans over to the machine and pushes the button. “All done.” He grins at me and takes a seat at the table. “Show me what you got.”


He watches as I unload my purchases. Baguettes. Croissants. Pain au chocolat. A box of pastel colored macarons I bought only because they’re so pretty and I thought Emery would appreciate the pinks and purples and yellows. Three tiny, fancy-looking jars of French jam; black cherry, fig and walnut, and raspberry. And finally, a box of huge, dark red strawberries the bakery sold for some unknown reason.


Ronan’s mouth falls open as he takes in everything. “What brought this on?”


I take my usual spot at the table. “I’ve had that song on my mind ever since the other night. I have no idea what it’s called or what the guy was singing about, but I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. So when I walked past Knead It and they had a French flag hanging in the window, I couldn’t help myself.”


“Which song?”


I hum a few bars, hoping I don’t butcher it too much so he won’t recognize it, but he nods.


“‘Ne me quitte pas’ by Jacques Brel.”


I repeat the title in a terrible French accent. “What does it mean?”


“It means ‘Don’t leave me.’”


His words make my heart stutter in my chest. “It’s great. So emotional,” I rasp out.


“I didn’t know you were a fan of old French songs.”


“I’m not. But it’s really beautiful.” The explanation feels inadequate, but I don’t know how to express myself better.


He doesn’t talk for several seconds, and then he says, “Huh.” His gaze is full of questions he’s not asking, and he doesn’t let up the intense scrutiny for even a moment. Inside, I’m squirming like a maggot on a fish hook, but I hope I manage to present a calm exterior.


For the first time ever, things are weird between us. The conversation is stilted, and the silences awkward. I know why, of course. By showing up like this, I changed the dynamics of our relationship. I’ve never been one for socializing in the mornings. And while I’ve brought the occasional pizza or six-pack, I’ve never brought anything like this before. Something meaningful. Something that shows I’ve been thinking about him and the time we spent together. Something serious.


I can’t blame him for wondering what’s going on. He listens to that French stuff all the time and I’m sure he’s played that song a million times before, but it’s like I heard it for the very first time on Wednesday.


I can’t stand his close examination any longer, so I get up and start setting the table with plates and cups and cutlery. “What’s the deal with you and all the French stuff anyway?” I ask with my head buried in the refrigerator, looking for butter and something for Emery to drink since she’s not allowed coffee.


“My grandmother was from France. She always used to sing the old songs to me and teach me the lyrics.”


I place a cutting board and a bread knife on the table. “Oh. What was her name?”


“Celeste.”


“That’s a beautiful name.”


“Yes.”


I look around for something else to do. “Do you speak French?”


“Iggy?”


I gulp, knowing what’s coming. “Yes?” Reluctantly, I retake my seat at the table.


“Why are you really here?” His voice is soft and caring and I’ve heard him use the same tone when he speaks to Emery about important matters.


I line up the jam jars in a perfect row, needing something to do with my hands. “I … uh … want to spend more time with you and Emery.”

Nell Iris is a romantic at heart who believes everyone deserves a happy ending. She’s a bona fide bookworm (learned to read long before she started school), wouldn’t dream of going anywhere without something to read (not even the ladies’ room), loves music (and singing along but, let’s face it, she’s no Celine Dion), and is a real Star Trek nerd (“Make it so”). She loves words, poetry, wine, and Sudoku, and absolutely adores elephants!

Nell believes passionately in equality for all regardless of race, gender, or sexuality, and wants to make the world a better, less hateful, place.

Nell is a forty-something bisexual Swedish woman, married to the love of her life, and a proud mama of a grown daughter. She left the Scandinavian cold and darkness for warmer and sunnier Malaysia a few years ago, and now spends her days writing, surfing the Internet, enjoying the heat, and eating good food. One day she decided to chase her lifelong dream of being a writer, sat down in front of her laptop, and wrote a story about two men falling in love.

Nell Iris writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angst, and wants to write diverse and different characters.

Email contact@nelliris.com
Web www.nelliris.com
Twitter @nellirisauthor
Facebook page www.facebook.com/nellirisauthor
Facebook profile www.facebook.com/nell.iris.12
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/nelliris
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nell_iris/
QueeRomance Ink https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/nell-iris/

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A MelanieM Review: Prince of Air and Darkness (The Darkest Court #1) by M.A. Grant

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Phineas Smith has been cursed with a power no one could control.

Roark Lyne is his worst enemy and his only hope.

The only human student at Mather’s School of Magick, Phineas Smith has a target on his back. Born with the rare ability to tap into unlimited magick, he finds both Faerie Courts want his allegiance—and will do anything to get it.

They don’t realize he can’t levitate a feather, much less defend the Faerie Realm as it slips into civil war.

Unseelie Prince Roark Lyne, Phineas’s roommate—and self-proclaimed arch nemesis—is beautiful and brave and a pain in the ass. Phineas can’t begin to sort through their six years of sexual tension masquerading as mutual dislike. But Roark is also the only one able to help Finn tame his magick.

Trusting Roark’s mysterious motives may be foolish; not accepting his temporary protection would be deadly.

Caught in the middle of the impending war, Phineas and Roark forge a dangerous alliance. And as the walls between them crumble, Phineas realizes that Roark isn’t the monster he’d imagined. But their growing intimacy threatens to expose a secret that could either turn the tide of the war…or destroy them both.

As a lover of fantasy, I had two thoughts upon finishing this story.  First, I wanted to immediately tell Free Dreamer she had another story to read and secondly, I bemoaned the fact that I had to wait for the next book in the series to come out.  What a gripping story!  I can’t wait to see where this saga is going because if the next tale is anywhere half as amazing as Prince of Air and Darkness, then this series is going to be one whopping adventure!

There is several elements and a couple of twists I adore here with the Fae courts that the author plays with.  While not a twist, Grant’s Fae aren’t the lovely faeries you might expect.  Instead they harken back to the Fae of old Irish mythology.  Those you don’t make bargains with, with little use for humans other than as pets.  Cruel, manipulative, beautiful, and layered.  These are the Fae of M.A. Grant and I love them.  Furthermore, in most novels the Seelie of the Summer courts tend to sway towards the “good/light” side and the Unseelie of the Winter Court towards the “bad/dark” side, here the waters are murkier.  It’s more about balance and individuals, than black and white, good and evil.

Even the torture done might not have had all the ramifications known, even to those doling out the torture.

The ley lines too, which are a common element in fantasy tales, here get a special Grant treatment which I need much more of.

With all of this as a foundation and framework, the heart of the first story is the convoluted relationship between the Prince of Air and Darkness, one of the three sons of the Queen of the Unseelie,Roark Lyne, and a  magical human, Phineas Smith.  Phin is fighting hard to learn to control his power over the ley lines, something he must do to graduate.  If he doesn’t, the consequences are dire.  For himself and his family.  Mostly for himself.

I won’t go further because that ventures into areas that give away too much information.  This is such a complicated tale that twists back on itself, with layers upon layers of secrets, that it’s such a pleasure to read and discover it for yourself.  The characters are so well done, the writing tightly constructed, so full of elements that even as you are pulled along by the events, you want to stop and go  back to examine tiny bits and pieces strewn along the way.  But of course, the pace is quick, the action wild and exhilarating.

And it all leaves you wanting more.  From what I can tell, there’s two more stories in the works.  One at least for this year.  Maybe one for each brother of the Unseelie court. That would make sense to bring the balance back into place.  However many books there will be,  I will be waiting.  If you are a lover of fantasy fiction,  pick this one up and wait with me.  I highly recommend it. Prince of Air and Darkness (The Darkest Court #1) by M.A. Grant is just fantastic!

 Cover art by Carina Press art department.  I wish Carina Press would give credit to its artists but here I think parts of this cover is a miss because it’s ravens that play a major part in the story.

Sales Links:  Carina Press | Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition
Expected publication: February 25th 2019 by Carina Press
ASIN B07GB7WD2G
Edition Language English

Series The Darkest Court :

Prince of Air and Darkness

The Marked Prince – to be published

The Iron Crown – to be published

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Don’t Fear the (Not Really) Grim Reaper by Carole Cummings

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

When unassuming college student Emery Sutton wakes up in the morgue, it takes him a few minutes to remember he has magic (superpowers, damn it!) and free himself from the refrigerated drawer. And the body bag. (God.) It doesn’t take long, though, for him to remember the hot guy with wings he ran into just before a city bus ran into him.

Junior Reaper John must explain to his supervisor how his first solo assignment went so wrong. All he knows is that he happened upon Emery quite by accident, that Emery saw John when he shouldn’t have been able to, and when they accidentally touched, a bus came out of nowhere and plowed Emery under. (John really does feel bad about that.)

Hot angels, annoying demons, hijinks, absurdity, drunk siblings, a dash of silly romance, an inordinate attachment to wings, and a highly disorganized bid for world domination—Don’t Fear the (Not Really Grim) Reaper follows Emery and John down the rabbit hole where they find that moms are scarier than demons from hell, a goat is not a puppy no matter what Emery’s sister says, and awkward romance can happen anywhere.

While most readers and fans are familiar with Carole Cummings from her darker fantasy or supernatural stories, there are a group of lighter, humor-filled tales that show this author’s talent for the weird turn for the farce,  the fantastical bend of the funny bone. Don’t Fear the (Not Really) Grim Reaper by Carole Cummings is just such a story.

Emery Sutton is having a very bad day.  He dies and wakes up, very alive in a morgue.  It doesn’t really phase him considering he’s a very magical sort of person, always has been. Although this is taking it to a new level.  And he’s not looking forward to explaining it to his parents.

Junior Reaper John, seemingly as young as Em, also having a very bad day.  First day on the job and it goes spectacularly wrong.  He delivers the first soul but  wants to hang around Earth.  He sort of misses it and knows his name isn’t John. Then he touches Em because he can’t help himself and poof.  Guy dies..soul doesn’t appear in heaven and he’s’ in huge trouble.

Both characters are just wonderful.  You can see just how young each  one is in their own way. It doesn’t matter that one is an angel, the other….magical.  Their actions, dialog, and reactions to everything that happens is that of young adults just barely dealing at times.  Both  “John” and Em have support systems to help direct them. Each happens to include a somewhat scary female/matriarchal figure.  For John, it’s his supervisor.  For Em, his mother.  Yet both women have these young men’s best interests at heart.  Along with the rest of Em’s very interesting family of sister and dad.

Told in alternating povs, the story is jammed pack full of entertaining elements that whiz narratively by.  Blink and you might miss one.  There’s a wild reason behind all this madness, an all too quick resolution that leaves one question unanswered.  But the rest of the ride to get to this point is imaginative, the main characters and supporting cast wonderful, and the promise of a fascinating future for them both just a happy ending enough to make sense.  Fun, farcical with enough of the dark thrown in to make it interesting.  Characters I connected with?  Definitely a Carole Cummings story.  One I recommend.

Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza.  This just misses the mark.  Looks like a cover for Valentine’s Day not a cover for this story.  The guy is way too happy, the cover too bright, no dark  elements.  Could be a high school cover for a dance.  It looks like ten other “nerd” covers I can name.

Sales Links:   Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 70 pages
Expected publication: January 11th 2019 by Dreamspinner Press
ASINB07LFQTV47

An Ashez Review: Elias by Erin E Keller

Rating: 2 stars out of 6

After his partner’s death, Thomas Doyle lives a life made of work and late-night sexual encounters with unnamed bodies. It’s a life of solitude that leaves him too much time to think and regret.

Yet, despite everything, he jealously treasures it.

That’s why when Elias Byrne—who comes out of the shadows of Thomas’ nights—suddenly bursts into his everyday life with arrogance, Thomas finds himself fighting against ambivalent feelings—the need to reject the tormented Elias and the strange, inconceivable, and difficult to accept desire to join their solitudes.

My Thoughts:
In the beginning of this book I had high hopes – it was moving quickly and it was intriguing, I wanted to know Elias’s backstory, I wanted to know Thomas’s backstory.  By midway through the book I got a bit bored of the characters, I felt like they didn’t progress enough for me, Elias showed his age (I felt he could have been written a bit more adult given his past/current) and I found him rather annoying.
The same goes for Thomas, I felt he could have been written a bit more mature, he’s older and has a past (which in the end I wasn’t even really interested in) but he acted like a teenager sometimes.
It was all written mostly with Thomas/Elias – barely any outside influence happened at all and I was frustrated, it gave less opportunity for the characters to really develop.
Overall it just wasn’t my type of read – but it’s still worth a read if you like an intriguing backstory to a character/very main character driven book.
 
Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 123 pages
Published January 5th 2019 by JMS Books, LLC (first published May 28th 2016)
ASINB07MGNFX8L
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesLandmeadow #1

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audio Review: The Alpha Heir (Kingdom of Askara #2) by Victoria Sue and Joel Leslie (Narrator)

 

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

 

I enjoyed this sequel to The Alpha King almost as much as I enjoyed the original. But I didn’t feel the pull and the love between the MCs as much in this one, mostly because of their life circumstances and the way the story was written—they were enemies for quite some time. Toward the end, when they finally acknowledge and share their love, it was well worth the wait. And speaking of the end, I thoroughly enjoyed the cameo appearance of Luca in his role as the Alpha King. It’s evident he wears the cloak of responsibility regally.

In the early stages of this story, we meet both Caleb and Taegan, in different scenarios and with totally opposite life circumstances. Taegan is the leader of the human rebel forces in a different pack area of the kingdom of Askara from where The Alpha King took place. These rebels have much to lose since the wolves are snatching their children to use not only for dangerous work but now for unknown purposes. As an aside here I just have to say that Joel Leslie’s childrens’ voices were too precious for words! Loved, loved, loved them!

Teagan’s mother is still with him and he has the protection, counsel and support of Silas, a 200-year-old lone wolf. We learn late in the story about why Silas has made himself available to watch over Teagan, a human, but throughout the book he’s extremely helpful in helping Teagan solve the puzzle of the missing children, the dastardly plans of the reigning alpha, and the very puzzling circumstances of why Caleb, though a wolf, would be bound in chains, starved, beaten, and tortured.

To be honest, I don’t recall every little detail of the story—mostly because I was swept along in my enjoyment of the narration and in understanding the complexity of events as they unfolded. Given the fact that I generally start and stop an audiobook frequently over the course of several days, I have to admit that my total recall is lacking. However, what I can say is that Caleb is sweetly endearing, and as he begins to heal and get stronger, it’s evident that he does indeed  have the stuff an Alpha Heir is made of. Will he get the opportunity to present himself as the heir? Well, that’s why readers should pick up this book, preferably in audio form so Joel Leslie can bring the huge cast of characters to life and tell you the tale.

Over the course of the second half of the book, even though it seems impossible, the human and the wolf realize they are lifemates, but if Caleb is to claim his rightful place as Alpha, he’ll need to have an Omega wolf at his side, according to the laws that govern them. Add to that, Teagan’s natural tendency to put others ahead of himself, and Caleb’s low self-worth—beaten into him over the course of his six-year persecution, and we have an interesting quandary. By all means, if you like shifter stories and a little fantasy added into your paranormal, this series is the one to choose. Highly recommend

Sales Links:  Amazon | Audible

Audiobook Details:

7 hours and 34 minutes

Audible Audio, Unabridged, 8 pages
Published December 19th 2017 by Victoria Sue (first published September 4th 2017)
ASIN B078BGHCJF
Edition Language English
Series Kingdom of Askara #2

New Release Blitz for Stay by KM Neuhold

stay rdb banner

STAY

K.M. NEUHOLD

M/M PUPPY PLAY ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 01.11.19

stay puppy play romance version 2

BLURB

What happens to a couple when one of them discovers a new kink that he’s not sure his partner will be into?

Dear Art,

I’m sure you get messages like this all the time, but I feel like I don’t even know who I am anymore. I suppose I should start from the beginning… Three weeks ago, I saw puppy play for the first time, and now I can’t stop thinking about it. Wait, no, that’s not really the beginning… Ten years ago, my best friend who I’d been in love with my entire life told me he loved me too.

For ten years, I’ve been living in complete bliss with Lars, the man of my dreams. Don’t get me wrong, we have our fights and disagreements (mostly because I do irritating shit, and every once in a while, he reaches the end of his patience), but he is my other half in every way. I didn’t know I could love someone the way I love him.

Then, the puppy thing happened. It’s not so different from when I realized I was gay; there was a moment where everything sort of clicked into place, and my whole body was like “Yes, that’s what we’ve been trying to figure out all this time.” At first, I thought maybe I should just let it go because it’s not the kind of thing I can imagine my partner being into. But last week I went into a kink shop and ended up walking out with a puppy hood. I stashed it in our guest bedroom closet and haven’t even had the courage to take it out and try it on again, let alone show it to Lars. I don’t know what to do. How do I bring this up to him? And what if he isn’t into it? I feel like I don’t recognize myself anymore, and I don’t know where to turn. Please help.

Sincerely,

One Lost Puppy

stay teaser 1

EXCERPT

I turn away from him, heading deeper into the shop, and there it is, hanging innocently on the back wall alongside a number of other accessories—collars, knee pads, mittens, toys—but right now, the only thing I can see is the hood. My heart gives one of those odd flutters again, my hands shaking as I slowly make my way toward the display.

I glance around to see if anyone is watching me and realize no one else is in the store right now. I look back at the employee and find him leaning against the counter, thumbing through his phone like he couldn’t care less about what kinky shit I’m here looking for. And I’m sure he can’t. He works in a sex shop for fuck’s sake; I’m sure he’s seen it all.

The pleasant scent of leather lingers in the air around the display as I near it. When I come to a stop in front of it, my knees tremble, practically knocking together, and my breath is coming so fast I’m a little concerned I’m about to pass out from lack of oxygen.

I reach out an unsteady hand and when my fingers brush against the smooth material of the hood, a rush of excitement zips through me like an electric shock. To my surprise and slight horror, my cock begins to perk up as my fingertips dance along the muzzle and around the eyeholes, mapping the topography of it.

“You can try it on if you want.” The voice makes me jump, nearly knocking the entire display off the wall.

KM Neuhold Logo 2

Author K.M. Neuhold is a complete romance junkie, a total sap in every way. She started her journey as an author in new adult, MF romance, but after a chance reading of an MM book she was completely hooked on everything about lovely- and sometimes damaged- men finding their Happily Ever After together.

She has a strong passion for writing characters with a lot of heart and soul, and a bit of humor as well. And she fully admits that her OCD tendencies of making sure every side character has a full backstory will likely always lead to every book having a spin-off or series.

When she’s not writing she’s a lion tamer, an astronaut, and a superhero…just kidding, she’s likely watching Netflix and snuggling with her husky while her amazing husband brings her coffee.

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A MelanieM Review: Always Forward! Never Straight by Charley Descoteaux (revised 1/10)

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

Baxter Bryan is the nerdy half of BaxCo, a start-up in Portland’s Silicon Forest creating cutting-edge high-tech toys. He’s also a hermit. When BaxCo sponsors the Portland Rock and Roll Half Marathon, Bryan decides to break out of his comfort zone and do more than listen to the music with a beer in hand. The race has barely started when he bumps into a fit, handsome man, causing sparks to fly. But the long hours needed to make BaxCo a success aren’t the only reason Bryan spends most of his time alone in his apartment.

Cay Nissen runs every day to stay in shape. He would love to run away from his job in a Silicon Forest cube farm, but keeps returning to support his teenaged daughter. His true love is music. Cay writes songs for the band he helped form in high school but doesn’t see any way to turn music into a career. The half marathon seemed like a decent way to pass a Saturday, make his boss happy, and catch a performance of his old band all at the same time. When he meets a man who sparks his interest, the safety of his cubicle isn’t the only part of his life that’s in jeopardy of changing.

I’m going to do something I don’t remember doing before and that’s revising a review.  In this case downward.  Whem originally wrote this review, I knew there were things that were bothering me about this story. I thought I has mentioned them, sort of and pushed this story away.  But the funny thing is this book and its red flags kept bothering me.  They popped up at night, during the day to the point I even discussed the elements with another reviewer to see if I was making too much of what this story included so nonchalantly.  The consensus was no, I wasn’t.

So back to this review I went and out came the revisions and comments that should have been there to begin with.

One of the things that bothered me?  The body issues here.  Cay was originally overweight.  How much overweight, it’s never said.Now Cay runs, not out of any enjoyment, but as a means to keep in shape.  His ex wife is there to make sure he doesn’t “backslide”.  That includes making her disapproval known that he’s dating Bryan who is slightly pudgy and who would rather watch the race with a glass of wine than run it.  Cay’s reaction to that disapproval?  Reassuring her that Baxter must be ok because he was at least running in the marathon.  So please don’t be nasty ok?  Wow.  So many wrong things there, so many red flags.

In my original review, I skirted the issue of domestic violence, a central issue here with the character of Baxter/Bryan.  It was plain from all the cues from Baxter’s body language that he had been beaten in the past. And indeed it comes out that it’s the reason he’s been hiding in his home for so many years. A long term abusive relationship that left him deeply depressed and unable to function until his cousin “saved” him. Another problem I had.  No mention of therapy,  Or the police?  Just the cousin intervention.  As he stayed in his home for years that was not the correct approach. Is that brought up? Apparently not.

There is also serious flaws within this relationship or within the characters as constructed.  Each reader will have to be the judge.  Cay either does a completely weird turn about in behavior in one horrifying scene with Bryan or their relationship is on shaky, twisted ground from the start.   And spoilers….after intentionally physically threatening a man who has been so physically abused to the point he wants to die (and one you say you love), that same guy then runs back to you, apologizes, buys farm you can all live in together? You say yes no problem. Hell no.

Flag, flag, flag, flag!  Doesn’t matter that you’re sad and say you’re sorry too.  What’s wrong with this picture?  Everything!!!!!\

What was I thinking with my earlier review?  Honestly I don’t know.  That story started off fine and then took a turn downward.  And it’s been bothering me ever since.

So here it is.  The revised review.  I guess I’m not recommending this story.

Cover Artist: Rainbow Danger Designs.  Eye catching and the hard torso does play to a certain part of the story. However, it could also be any other story as well. 

Sales Links:  Amazon Universal Link:  mybook.to/AlwaysForward

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 84 pages
Published January 1st 2019 by CeeTwo Publications
Original Title Always Forward! Never Straight
ASIN B07L6P9NTV
Edition Language English

A Lila Review: Not on My Bucket List by Tom Munroe

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

When Sam goes on a gay website looking for romance, he finds more than he bargained for. Rejecting all the usual requests for hook-ups, he searches for something more sincere. And he finds it in the most unexpected of places, as he is drawn to the profile of a man in a faraway place.
Amir, an Algerian descended from desert nomads, has posted a profile looking for the love of his life. Sam finds it amazing that a gay man born in the Algerian desert has the bravery to not only declare he is gay, but also to admit his dream is to find a husband to spend his life with.
While Sam doesn’t consider himself the marrying kind, he starts chatting with Amir, telling himself he just wants to learn about another culture. His friends laugh at him, saying this man just wants to use him to emigrate to the west and take him for his money. But he refuses to believe it, sensing a sincerity he has never seen with anyone else. The two begin a dialogue that moves to weekly Skype sessions, discussions of religion and world politics, assistance with life challenges and, finally, a declaration of love … and an invitation.
Can these two men from vastly different worlds and cultures meet and find common ground for a romance? The challenges are great, and spending a life together seems like an impossible dream. While Sam’s friends continue to discourage him, he knows he cannot give up this man. Is Amir sincere, or is Sam being used?
There is only one way to find out if Amir is really sincere. And Sam knows what he has to do.

Not on my Bucket List surpassed my expectations. The blurb was interesting and the author delivered. Perhaps not on a way we are used to, but it worked for the story and the characters.

This is more of a narration than a romance novel. It’s like seating with a friend at a cafe, listening to his love story. Even so, it’s hard to put down. I’m glad I read it during the Holiday Break because I stayed awake past 2 AM.

I have to admit that I spent most of the time waiting for the other shoe to drop. Yes, I expected a trick behind their story, catfishing… but gladly, it didn’t happen. I had trouble with Amir’s attitude in some instances but the author did an excellent job presenting all the cultural differences.

That’s something that’s well done in this story as well. The traveling process, the visas, the government bribes, and everything else related to inter-cultural relationships. Plus, the countries descriptions.

Overall, if you don’t mind some telling, this is a great story to read. Just be sure you have the time to read it start to finish or close enough.

The cover by Written Ink Designs doesn’t make justice to the story. It’s a generic couple, cute but not relevant to the book.

Sale Links: Amazon | Nook | JMS

Book Details:
ebook, 100 pages
ISBN: 9781634867962
Published: December 22, 2018, by JMS Books
Edition Language: English

An Alisa Review: Ta Weezo’s Blues by Layla Dorine

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

Sabre never had any intentions of becoming the teacher’s pet. In fact, most of his school years have been spent trying to avoid attention. The scar that mars his cheek has made him wary of strangers, their questions and prying eyes leave him feeling exposed in ways he’s uncomfortable with. Accustomed to blending in, he lurks around the shadows in the back of classrooms, turning in exemplary work but rarely taking part in discussions.OK

Professor Locklear’s Native lit class is different though. Sabre’s interest in the subject matter, coupled with a dedicated scholar’s need to turn in the best work possible, leads him to seek out a more advanced reading list, much to the delight of Professor Locklear. When he comes across Sabre reading material beyond even the advanced list, Professor Locklear invites on a fieldtrip to a nearby village. Along the way he learns more than just the knowledge contained in the books. He learns about trust and discovers that there are others out there just like him— shapeshifters.

What he believed was an individual anomaly turns out to be something beyond legend and lore, a whole different culture he’d never known existed. The only way he can move forward is to let his shields down long enough to trust the man whose conversations he’s come to enjoy, but to do that, he’ll have to stop distancing himself from everyone.

This was so adorable.  Drax is intrigued by his new student’s dedication and when he comes to his office for more additional reading it makes him even more interesting.  The field trip gives them the opportunity to see each other in a different environment.

I could feel Sabre’s insecurity and fear of rejection and it was wonderful to see Drax give him his unconditional love and support along with accepting his differences.  I really loved their connection to each other and how it made both of their lives together.  The best part was Sabre finding acceptance with more people and it looks like he will now have some friends instead of keeping everyone at arm’s length.

Cover art by Natasha Snow is great and I love the visual of the characters.

Sales Links: Nine Star Press | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 24,800 words

Published: December 24, 2018 by Nine Star Press

ISBN: 978-1-949909-73-9

Edition Language: English