Release and Review Tour: The Rhubarb Patch by Deanna Wadsworth (recipe and giveaway)

Title: The Rhubarb Patch
Series: A Men of Gilead Novel
Author: Deanna Wadsworth
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Release Date: July 24, 2017




City boy, sci-fi novelist, and recovering pushover Scott Howe doesn’t know what to expect when he inherits his grandmother’s house outside the quaint village of Gilead, Ohio—but it isn’t an enormous bald man in nothing but tighty-whities and orange rubber boots shouting at him to keep his weed wacker away from the rhubarb patch. 

Scott has never met anyone like Phineas Robertson: homesteader, recluse… Republican. A tender—if unlikely—friendship grows over the summer while Phin and his schnauzer, Sister Mary Katherine, teach Scott about life in the country and the grandmother he never knew. Opposites attract, but widower Phin worries his secret will send Scott running faster than his politics, and Phin isn’t convinced he deserves a second chance at romance.
Scott is convinced—rural life, and his one-of-a-kind, older neighbor, is the future he wants. Before he can settle in, his mother drops a bombshell that strains their already tenuous relationship, and a cousin who believes he is the rightful heir to the property puts Scott in danger. It’ll take a lot of compromises, and even dodging a few bullets before they’re out of the weeds, but nurturing something as special as true love always takes hard work.

 

Grandma Helen’s Rhubarb Crumble

 

Preheat oven to 350

For crust:
1 1/2 cup oats
1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour 
1 cup shortening (I use coconut oil)

1/4 teaspoon baking sodaCombine until crumbly then pat half of mixture into 13×9 pan

For filling:
5 cups rhubarb
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Combine in a pan and cook until clear then add 1 teaspoon vanilla
Pour over crust and sprinkle the other half of the crumbly crust on top.
Bake 20 to 25 min



 

Deanna Wadsworth might be a bestselling erotica author, but she leads a pretty vanilla life in Ohio with her wonderful husband and a couple adorable cocker spaniels. She has been spinning tales and penning stories since childhood, and her first erotic novella was published in 2010. She has served multiple board positions at her local RWA chapter and is the current President 2017 for Rainbow Romance Writers of America. When she isn’t writing books or brainstorming with friends, you can find her making people gorgeous in a beauty salon. She loves music and dancing, and can often be seen hanging out on the sandbar in the muddy Maumee River or chilling with her hubby and a cocktail in their basement bar. In between all that fun, Deanna cherishes the quiet times when she can let her wildly active imagination have the full run of her mind. Her fascination with people and the interworkings of their relationships have always inspired her to write romance with spice and love without boundaries.

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A Stella Release Day Review: Permanent Ink (Art & Soul #1) by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn

RATING 5 out of 5 stars

At twenty-three, Poe Montgomery is going nowhere. He still lives in his father’s basement and spends most of his time tagging with his friends. When an arrest lands him in debt, Poe accepts the front desk job at Permanent Ink, the tattoo shop owned by his father’s best friend, Jericho McAslan. Jericho is nearly twice Poe’s age, but with his ink and prematurely graying hair, he quickly takes the starring role in Poe’s hottest fantasies.

Jericho is known for his ability to transform poorly designed tattoos into works of art, but he was once as aimless and misdirected as Poe. Wanting to pay it forward the way someone once did for him, Jericho makes Poe his apprentice and is determined to keep things strictly professional. Easier said than done when Poe makes his interest—and his daddy kink—abundantly clear.

Jericho can’t resist Poe or their intense chemistry for long. But between the age gap, tension with Poe’s father, and Poe’s best friend calling him a sellout, they’ll need to ensure they’re both on the same page before they can rewrite their rocky start into something permanent.

I’m familiar with Piper Vaughn works, she is one of my fave author, I don’t even need to know the blurb of the new stories she writes, I can hit the buy button and be surprised with whatever she wants to tell her readers. That’s why I jumped at the chance to have her new co-authored novel on my kindle. Being a huge fan of her writing style I had enormous expectations for Permanent Ink. While I honestly haven’t read Avon Gale’s works (except for a well done Christmas short) but I know she is so loved. Yes, I was over the moon and I started Permanent Ink as soon as I received it.

Permanent Ink is an amazing story, first of all it’s so well written ,the reading flew easily and I was able to finish it in the blink of an eye. And the double POV was perfect to better understand both characters and know their lives from different perspectives.

I admit I fell in love with Jericho as soon as he was introduced, he is generous, funny, with a big heart and his sympathy versus all the people that come to him to have their tattoo fixed. He had a troubled past but he was lucky to find the right person who put him on the right path. That’s exactly what he hoped he could do with Poe, use the tattoo apprentice to take Poe away from bad friends and behaviours. But Poe is so much more Jericho was expecting, a talented graffiti artist and  maybe a brat too, but surely it wasn’t expecting the strong attraction that burst between them.

I adored how the relationship developed, how they were both mature and open with Landon, Poe’s dad and Jericho’s best friend. And how London was able to accept this and support both of them, the more important persons in his life. The plot is full of characters I can’t wait to know more about, I see and hope in future stories.

I can’t explain how much I loved this novel and I want to recommend it to everyone, if you love your MCs to have an age difference, if you like to read about a little daddy kink, if you are looking for great characters (main and secondary ones), well defined and positive, most of all if you want a well done book, don’t miss Permanent Ink.

The cover art by Natasha Snow is freaking awesome! I love it and I am totally picturing Jericho in the model on it.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing |

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 256 pages

Publication Date: August 7th 2017 by Riptide Publishing

ISBN13 9781626496439

Edition Language English

Series Art & Soul #1

A MelanieM Review: The Rhubarb Patch (Men of Gilead #1) by Deanna Wadsworth

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

 

City boy, sci-fi novelist, and recovering pushover Scott Howe doesn’t know what to expect when he inherits his grandmother’s house outside the quaint village of Gilead, Ohio—but it isn’t an enormous bald man in nothing but tighty-whities and orange rubber boots shouting at him to keep his weed whacker away from the rhubarb patch.

Scott has never met anyone like Phineas Robertson: homesteader, recluse… Republican. A tender—if unlikely—friendship grows over the summer while Phin and his schnauzer, Sister Mary Katherine, teach Scott about life in the country and the grandmother he never knew. Opposites attract, but widower Phin worries his secret will send Scott running faster than his politics, and Phin isn’t convinced he deserves a second chance at romance.

Scott is convinced—rural life, and his one-of-a-kind, older neighbor is the future he wants. Before he can settle in, his mother drops a bombshell that strains their already tenuous relationship, and a cousin who believes he is the rightful heir to the property puts Scott in danger. It’ll take a lot of compromises, and even dodging a few bullets before they’re out of the weeds, but nurturing something as special as true love always takes hard work.

I loved The Rhubarb Patch (Men of Gilead #1) by Deanna Wadsworth.  As a fan of the ‘slow burn’ and a narrative paced according to the storyline, this book sang to me like a katydid on a summer country night.  It was sweet, realistic, heartwarming, and loving.  Wadsworth has given us a beautifully written story full of characters with heart, dealing with loss, homophobia, warring relatives, and a mother whose maternal abilities leave much to be desired.  And all the people here feel true and layered, whether we like them or not, two legged or four legged.

And it all starts with a rhubarb patch.

Prepare to fall in love with the country here and the vegetables of the garden along with Scott as Phin educates his “City Mouse” in his newly acquired home and gardens.  As the men tentatively learn about each other (also as Scott learns about the grandmother he never knew, who was adored by Phin and the people of Gilead) and Phin starts to open up to Scott about his past and his loss, the reader is pulled into the growing intimacy of their shared lives and relationship and country living.  We watch and listen as Scott’s affection, then love for this small house/farm and neighbor develops and deepens.  And the same for Phin.  We laugh and are charmed by Sister Mary Katherine, Phin’s aging schnauzer.  And yes, made more than a little crazed by Scott’s dysfunctional mother, her homophobic boyfriend and attitudes towards Scott’s life.  But always the author keeps us actively engaged in the relationships, the town, and especially in Phin and Scott’s relationship as the seasons change and the gardens along with it.

There are several elements here that Wadsworth handles beautifully.  As they aren’t mentioned in the blurb, I won’t reveal them here.  But the manner in which it is revealed, handled as a part of their lives and connected to another character is smooth, intelligent, and believable.

When I finished the story, I was happy knowing I wasn’t done with the town of Gilead, this couple and the person who most likely will be getting their romance next.  You see I’d fallen just as deeply in love with them all as Scott had and now I  can’t wait for my next visit to come around.  I want to check in on them, see how everyone is doing and see how the next romance will develop…slowly….will be my guess.  I highly recommend you pick up this book and get reading before the next one comes out.

Cover Artist: Anne Cain.  What a great cover.  From the men, to the patch to   Sister Mary Katherine over in the corner waiting to steal some vegetables.  It’s perfect!

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 284 pages
Published July 24th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781635336627
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesMen of Gilead #1 settingOhio (United States

An Alisa Review: Nothing in Common, Except … by Edward Kendrick

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

 

Braxton “Brax” O’Hara is a shifter, a PI … and an art thief. He has no problem with being all three. As a matter of fact, he likes his less than legal job.

 

Kyle Grayson is a member of an all-shifter art crimes team. He does everything within his power to catch the thieves he’s after, and believes he’s found his next quarry — Brax O’Hara.

 

Things take a turn for the worse when Russo, Brax’s partner in crime, wants him to retrieve some blackmail pictures instead of a piece of art. At the same time, Kyle comes into the picture. When the two men meet, they discover they both know the blackmailer — and they both hate him, too, for different reasons.

 

Can they stop Russo, a powerful Alpha shifter? More to the point, can they deal with their attraction to each other when they have nothing in common except Russo?

 

This was a pretty action packed story.  I do want to note one thing that isn’t correct in the book description is that Russo if not Brax’s partner in crime, but is actually Caleb.  Brax and Kyle have much more in common than they think at their first meeting and in the assumptions they made about each other.

 

This story is told from both of the MCs points of view so we get the chance to see how both of these characters feel.  Brax knows that Kyle could never really want him, especially if he thinks let alone knows that he is the thief he is looking for.  Kyle thinks he needs to put their connection behind him but finds that isn’t as easy as he thought it would be.  While this story had a lot going on I just had trouble connecting with the characters and really understanding them, it didn’t help that there were a few grammar mistakes that just glared at me throughout the book.

 

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is nice and gives great visuals of the characters in both forms.

 

Sales Links: JMS Books | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 152 pages

Published: July 1, 2017 by JMS Books

ISBN: 9781634864091

Edition Language: English

Ava Hayden on Romance, eBooks, and her release ‘The Valentine’s Day Resolution’ (author’s guest blog)

The Valentine’s Day Resolution by Ava Hayden
Dreamspinner Press
Cover art: Alexandria Corza

Available for Purchase at

Dreamspinner | Amazon  | Kobo  | Apple itunes  

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Ava Hayden here today talking about her latest release,The Valentine’s Day Resolution, one of our highly recommended novels.  Welcome, Ava!

✒︎

Thanks to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for hosting me and my latest novella, The Valentine’s Day Resolution. I’m excited to be here today!

♦︎Do you read romances, as a teenager and as an adult?

As a teen and into adulthood, I read everything I could get my hands on by Victoria Holt (Jean Plaidy, Philippa Carr, etc.), Barbara Michaels (Elizabeth Peters), Gillian Bradshaw, Anne Rivers Siddons, Georgette Heyer, Catherine Cookson (Catherine Marchant), and, later, Judith Merkle Riley and Alice Borchardt, among others. Some of these authors’ works aren’t categorized as “romance” per se, but I don’t care if Amazon calls a title historical fiction or women’s fiction or literary fiction if there’s an HEA.

These days, I read lots of MM and LGBTQ+ romance, also authors like Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews and Jennifer Ashley for paranormal romance.

♦︎How do you feel about the ebook format and where do you see it going?

I love ebooks. That doesn’t mean that I don’t still love physical books, like the beautiful annotated Harvard Press editions of Jane Austen’s works (http://www.hup.harvard.edu/features/austen/) I’ve been collecting slowly but surely. Rows of hardbacks on my shelves make me happy.

On the other hand, I don’t want to cart heavy books around on trips. Enter the ereader. I even buy a few titles in both ebook and physical format, one to read when I’m on vacation or out and about and the other to read at home. Other aspects of ebooks that I appreciate:

  • Instant gratification—is there anything better than being at home in the middle of a snowstorm and buying something you really, desperately want to read RIGHT THEN without leaving the comfort of your snuggly blanket and snacks and hot tea?
  • Access—I still love used book stores, but does anyone else remember slogging through store after store, hoping to find that elusive title in a series that was out of print and impossible to buy new? Yes, I’m a completist, and life before the internet meant I had a mental list I carried to every used bookstore, yard sale, or flea market where old books could be found.
  • Binging—no, not on chocolate—on series. I didn’t find Andrea Speed’s Infected series until the last one was published. Did I buy them all and devour them as fast as humanly possible, emerging only for food and hydrating beverages? Did I point at takeout flyers when my hungry spouse asked if there were plans for dinner? …ummm, maybe?
  • And perhaps the most important reason I love ebooks is that so many good stories and novellas are published and available in ebook format only—if not for ebooks, I’d be missing out on some of my favorite authors and stories.

Where ebooks are going—it’s hard to predict the future. I hope more older works are made available in ebook format at a reasonable price. I suspect ebook formats will continue to improve and offer more features, likewise ereaders.

♦︎Do you have a favorite among your own stories?  And why?

His Fallow Heart because it was my first romance sale and it’s about older men finding love. (And there’s a farm and a snowy owl and a dog and summer hail and a town named Eagle Tree.)

♦︎What’s next for you as an author?

I’ve got a Dreamspinner Press World of Love title coming out October 25 called Highballer, about tree planters pounding on the block in the wild Alberta bush. 

Blurb

Huxley carries invisible scars from a near-fatal car accident. He sleepwalks through a job at his father’s company, marking time until he can quit and pursue his own dreams. Everything changes the moment he makes eye contact with a stranger while riding to work. It’s as if he’s been shaken out of his stupor, and Huxley vows to find the man.

Thanks to a thieving ex-lover, Paul’s florist shop is on the brink of closing down. He needs to milk Valentine’s Day for all it’s worth—and the irony that a day dedicated to love might help undo the damage of a failed relationship is not lost on him.

When Huxley finds Paul at his shop, both men feel an instant attraction. Before long, they’re falling hard, but Huxley holds back. If Paul knew all the baggage he’s carrying, he might run.

Paul’s gut tells him Huxley is hiding something. Huxley looks like a keeper, but Paul can’t go through another disastrous romance.

When Valentine’s Day arrives, will they have anything to celebrate?

About the Author

Alexandria Corza’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandriacorza/

Ava Hayden lives and writes in Alberta, Canada. When not writing, she loves reading yaoi manga and gay romance, baking, seeing plays, hearing live music, and hiking (even though she once came face to face with two grizzlies on a trail). Most of the time her life isn’t that exciting, and that’s fine by her.

RELEASE BLITZ for Weekend Getaway (Daniel and Ryan #2) by Tamryn Eradani (excerpt and giveaway)

Title:  Weekend Getaway
Series: Daniel and Ryan, Book 7
Author: Tamryn Eradani
Publisher:  NineStar Press
Release Date: 8/7/17
Heat Level: 5 – Erotica
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 17700
Genre: Contemporary, Contemporary,BDSM,businessmen,established couple,vacation

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Daniel wants to test his control in a more public setting than he and Ryan have used before. It takes some negotiation, takes some planning, but they make it work.

Excerpt

Weekend Getaway

Tamryn Eradani © 2017

All Rights Reserved

 

Chapter One

 

Daniel’s on his back, legs splayed wide, Ryan kneeling between them with a wicked smile playing across his lips. Ryan’s sleeves are rolled up to his elbows—they’re going to be horribly wrinkled when they’re done with this—but Daniel can’t gather the breath to complain.

 

Ryan’s had him on edge for what feels like forever, skimming his fingertips over Daniel’s hole in a dirty tease. Every once in a while, Ryan will drag his knuckles down the length of Daniel’s cock like he’s afraid Daniel’s erection will flag without constant attention.

 

Just having Ryan in the room with him is enough to keep Daniel hard at this point. Daniel wishes he knew what Ryan wants. Does he want Daniel to break down and beg? Is he testing to see how long Daniel can go without being tempted to touch himself? Does he want Daniel to try so he can slap Daniel’s hands away?

 

Maybe Ryan’s winding Daniel up so he can deny him. They don’t do it often; Ryan doesn’t get how Daniel can like it so much, and Daniel doesn’t want to spoil himself, but sometimes Ryan will spend hours teasing Daniel so he can tell him no and see if Daniel listens.

 

Daniel always listens.

 

His cock throbs at the thought, and he bites down on his bottom lip to keep from asking. It’s not his place to ask. He can’t help the want in his eyes, can’t help the way they plead with Ryan as they meet his gaze. He’d consider it a weakness, except Ryan likes drawing reactions from Daniel’s body. He knows Daniel doesn’t like being vocal, so he gauges his interest in other ways—how he moves into a touch, how his body trembles when he has to work at holding still. How his eyes beg when he wants something particularly badly.

 

Ryan smiles, fond, and wraps his fist around Daniel’s cock until just the head is poking out. Daniel’s breath comes in short pants and stutters out completely when Ryan bends his head to press a kiss to the tip.

 

It takes every ounce of Daniel’s self-control to keep from coming. His hands are fisted in his sheets, as if holding on to the fabric means he’ll hold on to the fraying edges of his control.

 

“I want to suck you,” Ryan says, breath ghosting over Daniel’s cock, “but that would be cruel given what my plans are for you.” Ryan slides off the bed before he holds a hand out to Daniel.

 

It takes a moment for Daniel to unclench his hands, to ease up on the death grip he has on the sheets, but when he does, he puts his hand in Ryan’s and lets the other man help him stand up. He doesn’t know what they’re doing next, and excitement buzzes beside worry as he watches Ryan for his next cue. Lately, he’s been giving more and more control over to Ryan; not just in scenes but in the planning of scenes.

 

Having a…partner, someone he scenes with regularly and talks to outside of sex, means that they know each other well enough to start reading each other’s moods and wants. Daniel has a pretty comprehensive list of things that Ryan likes and knows his hard nos, but now he can tell whether a work week is going to make Ryan want to put Daniel on his knees when he gets home and just have Daniel warm his cock until he’s unwound enough to fuck him or whether fucking Daniel hard and a little bit messy is exactly what he needs.

 

And Ryan’s picked up this uncanny ability to practically read Daniel’s mind.

 

“Time to get dressed,” Ryan says, and Daniel’s eyes are drawn to where his clothes are sitting in a sloppy pile on the floor. This is what happens when Ryan gets him undressed. “Complaint duly noted.” Ryan puts Daniel’s clothes on the bed so Daniel won’t have to bend down for them and then he backs off, letting Daniel know that he’s on his own for this.

 

Daniel’s slow as he steps through the leg holes of his briefs, even slower as he drags the fabric up his legs. His eyes flutter shut as the soft material touches his overly sensitive skin. His body works against him now; desperate for relief, every nerve ending is on high alert, waiting for just enough stimulus to tip him over the edge.

 

He’s careful as he pulls the rest of his clothes on, and it’s a struggle to go slow enough he doesn’t overwhelm himself but not so slow that getting dressed becomes a tease of its own. Pulling up the zipper on his jeans is the worst; pressure and a little bit of pain, as it presses his erection into place, but as soon as he pops the button through the waistband, he feels settled. He feels contained, like he can do this.

 

Whatever this is.

 

He lifts his gaze to Ryan, unable to help his smile when he sees the pride in Ryan’s eyes. He did that. He put that look on Ryan’s face.

 

“Absolutely incredible,” Ryan murmurs, stepping forward so he can cup Daniel’s face in his hands. “I wonder how far this composure goes.” Ryan taps his fingers against Daniel’s skin. “I wonder what you would look like walking down the street like this.”

 

Dread washes through Daniel, sharp and cold, and it effectively kills the erection Ryan’s worked so hard to keep up. Some of his panic must show on his face, because Ryan goes from teasing to concerned in seconds.

 

“Not good?” Ryan asks, easing Daniel down so he’s sitting on the bed.

 

“Not good,” Daniel agrees. Because what if they’re walking down the street and run into Tracy? Or what if they pop by the grocery store and their boss is there? He can’t. Not when his control is this fragile. Ryan likes the fragility of it, and he might punish Daniel if it breaks, but he won’t mock him. Won’t think worse of him for it.

 

If anyone else…

 

No.

 

“Okay,” Ryan says. “Okay, that’s a no go.”

 

“Sorry,” Daniel says.

 

“Nothing to be sorry for,” Ryan assures him. He crouches between Daniel’s legs so Daniel doesn’t have to crane his neck to look up at him.

 

Daniel knows he doesn’t have anything to be sorry for. He doesn’t even know why he apologized in the first place. They both have hard limits, both have soft limits, and sometimes they stumble on them accidentally. It doesn’t mean either of them has done something wrong. Daniel still feels off-balance, the scene cut off before it finished.

 

“What do you want?” Ryan asks. “I can run a bath, we can get back into bed, whatever you want.”

 

“What was the original plan?” Daniel asks. Maybe finishing the scene will be enough to reorient himself. Unless Ryan’s plan was to go out for a walk, to parade Daniel through the streets to—

 

“Hey,” Ryan says, voice sharp enough to pull Daniel out of his thoughts but not enough to startle him. “I wouldn’t spring that on you. I was going to bring you into the living room, have you blow me with the TV on, tell you to imagine the voices you heard were people in the room, watching you, admiring you. But it sounds like it’s something you don’t want.”

 

He doesn’t. He’s too raw right now. He doesn’t know what he does want, though.

 

“All right,” Ryan says. “We’ll get your clothes off, cuddle for a bit. Maybe I’ll get my mouth on you after all.”

 

Daniel doesn’t want to be coddled. He got pulled out of their scene, out of his headspace, but he doesn’t want to be treated like he’s going to fall apart any moment. He feels even more ridiculous getting this worked up over getting a blow job, but—

 

“You’re frowning again,” Ryan says, dragging his thumb across the crease between Daniel’s eyebrows as if he can rub it out.

 

“I’m not fragile,” Daniel says. He likes it when Ryan wears his control down until it’s thin enough he doesn’t know whether or not it’ll snap. But it’s a different kind of fragile than this. Daniel doesn’t like Ryan’s being hesitant with him.

 

“You want to earn it?” Ryan asks. “You think I’m giving something to you too easy?”

 

Daniel nods.

 

“In that case, I’m going to blow you, and you’re not going to be able to come until you’re so desperate you’re crying,” Ryan says. “That better?”

 

Daniel nods again, mouth dry.

 

“Words,” Ryan says. “Is that what you want?”

 

“Yes,” Daniel says. “Please.”

 

Ryan’s lips turn up into a smile, too sharp to be friendly. “I love it when you ask for things you know are going to hurt.” He gives Daniel’s shoulders a push, and Daniel tips backward onto the bed.

 

NineStar Press | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Meet the Author

Tamryn studied English and Creative Writing in school but has been writing since she could first hold a pencil. Recently, she’s turned her focus towards writing erotica. She enjoys writing stories where sex comes first, then feelings, because doing things out of order can be fun.

Tamryn has spent the past few months writing the Daniel and Ryan series with a lovely view of mountains out her window, and she’s now searching for a new mountain range to serve as her backdrop as she begins her next project.

 

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Of Recs Lists, Summer Reading and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Of Recs Lists and Summer Reading

August is here and people are off on vacation or thinking off where to head off to for their summer getaways before the fall arrives.  And that means, packing books to take with you.  Whether it’s stacking your eReaders full of the latest in new arrivals or old favorites, or stashing away those treasured hardbound or paperbacks in your luggage or knapsacks, it’s time to look over lists and make some choices.  That’s what all these wonderful recs have been leading up to…books you haven’t read yet, might have overlooked, or just plain want to read again during your vacation (note to self, start rereading Megan Derr’s Lost Gods series again asap)!  I hope we can keep adding to these lists all year long.  Plus more lists to rec to come!

I still have books to rec rattling around my brain in both categories so don’t be surprised to see these lists popping back up. Ugh, I need to be more organized here and add as I read.  Like that’s going to happen….

However, we had so many wonderful lists and books rec’d to us that we are choosing a reader in each category to receive a gift card. Here are our randomly chosen winners from each category:

Winner of the Gift Card is:

  • Historical:  moondrawn (if moondrawn does not contact us within 5 days a new winner will be chosen)
  • Science Fiction:  H.B.

🎉 Will each winner please write to Stella at scatteredthoughtsandroguewords@gmail.com and she will handle giving your your gift card.  Thanks!🎉

Part II – Soldiers/Warriors ~ Historical and Science Fiction Recommendations

There are so many wonderful stories that involve the past and the future with warriors and soldiers.  Let’s start our next series of lists.  Whether the author is Charlie Cochrane or Aleksandr Voinov, their stories will have you under their spells of soldiers past and future.

Science Fiction – Readers Recs

Angel’s Feather (Flyer Chronicles 1) by Alina Popescu
Mate of the Tyger Prince series by Shannon West
THIRDS series by Charlie Cochet
The Interscission Project series by Arshad Ahsanuddin
Body Option by Talya Andor

Song of the Navigator by Astrid Amara (Science Fiction)
Memory of Scorpions series by Aleksandr Voinov (Science Fiction)
The Borders War (5 books) by S.A. McAuley (Science Fiction)
Astrid Amara’s Policy of Lies series (A Policy of Lies & Trustworthy)
Strength of the Pack (The Tameness of the Wolf #1) by Kendall McKenna
The Sci-Regency series by JL Langley
The Hellgate series by Mel Keegan
Chaos Station series by Jenn Burke & Kelly Jensen
Dark Space series by Lisa Henry.

Historical/Other 

Lost In Time by A.L. Lester
The Pompeiian Horse by Gabbo De La Parra
The Lion of Palmyra by Julia von Rist
Semper Fi by Keira Andrews
Unnatural by Joanna Chambers
A Minor Inconvenience by Sarah Granger
On Wings of Song by Anne Barwell
Into Deep Waters by Kaje Harper
The Prince He Loved by Michael Barnette
Promises Made Under Fire 
by Charlie Cochrane (historical)/
Lovers in Arms by Osiris Brackhaus
Royal Navy series by Lee Rowan
Captain’s Surrender by Alex Beecroft
The Devil Lancer by Astrid Amara (historicalfantasy)

KJ Charles’s new Green Men series (Spectred Isle) historical paranormal
All Lessons Learned (Cambridge Fellows, #8) by Charlie Cochrane (devastating, but series must be read in order)
Lessons for Survivors (Cambridge Fellows, #9) by Charlie Cochrane (same note as above)
Seven Summer Nights by Harper Fox
The Soldier’s Scandal by Cat Sebastian.
Think of England by KJ Charles
The Auspicious Troubles of Chance by Charlie Cochet
Pirates of the Narrow Seas by M. Kei
Purgatory by Jeff Mann
Pat Barker’s Regeneration trilogy
The Lonely War by Alan Chin.

Fantasy Fiction Recommendation Time – Recs Part III

Fantasy Fiction Rec Time!  I have to admit fantasy fiction is one of my favorite types of fiction to read.  It takes me away to other worlds, introduced me to Fae, trolls, dwarfs, dragons! I’ve set sail across oceans and climbed mountains with so many authors and never has my thirst for this genre been quenched.

Some of my favorites?

The Lost Gods (5 books) by Megan Derr  5 stars every single one.
Endangered Fae Series (4 books, 2 stories) by Angel Martinez
No Ocean Too Deep by Leona Carver

Hidden Gem (3 books) by Lissa Kasey
So that’s just a beginning of some of mine just “off the cuff” as they say.  What are yours?

Fantasy Fiction Rec Giveaway

Send in your recs  for your favorite fantasy book/ or series!  Don’t forget to add your email address where we can reach you if chosen to receive our gift certificate of $10.

Purple Reader starts off our recs with this from last week’s rec list (I stuck it here, because it seemed to fit):
Readers Recs:
Again, gift certificates to a reader chosen at random who left a comment along with their email address where they can be reached if chosen.
Contest ends at midnight on 8/26.  That’s two weeks to get your recommendations in!  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
Now onto this week and our tours/giveaways and reviews!

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

 

Sunday, August 6:

  • Of Recs Lists and Summer Reading
  • This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, August 7:

  • DSP GUEST POST Ava Hayden on The Valentine’s Day Resolution
  • Release and Review Tour: The Rhubarb Patch by Deanna Wadsworth
  • RELEASE BLITZ and Giveaway: Weekend Getaway by Tamryn Eradani
  • A MelanieM Review: The Rhubarb Patch by Deanna Wadsworth
  • A Stella Release Day Review: Permanent Ink (Art & Soul #1) by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn
  • An Alisa Review: Nothing in Common, Except … by Edward Kendrick

Tuesday, August 8:

  • INTERLUDE PRESS TOUR Absolutely Almost Perfect by Lissa Reed
  • RIPTIDE TOUR & Giveaway: Making It by Christine d’Abo
  • Antisocial by Heidi Cullinan Release Day Blog Tour
  • A MelanieM Review: Love on the Boil (Love On # 5) by Neil Plakcy
  • A MelanieM Review: Antisocial by Heidi Cullinan
  • An Alisa Release Day Review: The Storm Lords by Ravon Silvius

Wednesday,  August 9:

  • Blog Post – Patricia Logan – Thunder & Lightning
  • DSP GUEST POST Ari McKay on Out of the Ashes
  • REVIEW TOUR Roaring Waters (The Warfield Hotel Mysteries #3) by CJ Baty
  • An Alisa Review: Roaring Waters (The Warfield Hotel Mysteries #3) by CJ Baty
  • A MelanieM Release Day Review: Wheat Kings and Pretty Things by C.S. Wiley
  • An Ali Audiobook Review: Setting the Hook (Love’s Charter #1) by Andrew Grey and Greg Tremblay (Narrator)
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Get a Grip (Bluewater Bay #19) by L.A. Witt

Thursday, August 10:

  • Release Blitz – KA Merikan – My Dark Knight (Kings Of Hell MC #2)
  • RIPTIDE TOUR and Giveaway: Permanent Ink by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn
  • HARMONY INK GUEST POST Jo Ramsey
  • A Jeri Review: Controlled Burn by Erin McLellan
  • A Lila Review: Elemental Hope (Warlocks #2) by L.M. Somerton
  • A MelanieM Review: House of Cards (Porthkennack #4) by Garrett Leigh
  • An Alisa Review: Needing Seth by Shawn Lane

Friday, August 11:

  • Felice Stevens Audio Tour and Review for After the Fire
  • BLOG TOUR Chasing Ghosts by M.K. Hardy
  • BLOG TOUR Dali by E.M. Hamill
  • Review Tour – KC Wells’ Satin (A Material World #2)
  • A Caryn Release Day Review: The Long and Winding Road (Bear, Otter, and the Kid #4) by T.J. Klune
  • A Ali Audiobook Review:  After the Fire by Felice Stevens
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Satin (A Material World #2) by KC Wells

Saturday, August 12:

  • Release Blitz – Nell Iris – Cinnamon Eyes
  • A MelanieM Review: The Heart of the Lost Star by Megan Derr

Release Blitz for Amy Aislin’s As Big As The Sky (excerpt and giveaway)

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK 
 
Length: 37,000 words
 
Publisher: MLR Press
 
Blurb
 

Sam wants nothing to do with his irresponsible, sarcastic neighbor…or does he?
Sam McAuley is having a rough start to the summer: Not only is he being sued, but the new guy running the animal rehabilitation center next door has no idea what he’s doing and his runaway chickens constantly end up in Sam’s pristine yard.

Everything is temporary for Bo Novak. For as long as he can remember, it’s been one town to the next, one school to the next, one job to the next. Even his current job—running his sister’s animal rehab center while she’s away on a four-month leave—is temporary. And he does know what he’s doing, thank you very much. Sure, things don’t always run smoothly, but the stick-in-the-mud next door could be a little nicer about it.

One overheard conversation, an olive branch, and a baseball game might show these guys that being at odds isn’t really what they want, and that what they want might just be each other.


Excerpt

Argh! Bo kicked his closed front door. That…that man. Every five frickin’ minutes he was up in Bo’s face about something.

I’m trying to work, Bo. Can you get the dogs to stop barking? Why is the goat making weird noises?

How did your chicken get into my yard?

What’s that smell?

Fix your side of the fence.

Bo had fixed his side of the fence, damn it, so it wasn’t his fault the chicken was still getting into Sam’s yard. If anything, it was Sam’s side that needed to be fixed. But did Sam give him a chance to say his piece? Nooooo. Mr. I’m So Cool With My Muscles And Tallness And Swanky Haircut wouldn’t get off his pedestal long enough for Bo to defend himself.

Not that Bo was envious of those muscles or that tallness or that swanky haircut that was on the redder side of strawberry blond. He was perfectly fine with his own five foot seven height and his messy ‘do. Tallness was overrated anyway. And he had his own muscles. Arm muscles, anyway. The little pudge on his belly left a lot to be desired.

Stupid cookies.

But whatever. Arm muscles were all he needed to catch a guy’s attention at the clubs and bars. By the time the guy realized Bo wasn’t so muscly all over, they were already in each other’s pants and that little detail no longer mattered.

Bring on the cookies.

Shaking his head at himself, he headed out back to the shed and grabbed a thicker pair of gloves and some chicken feed. He inspected his side of the fence—just in case he was mistaken. Which he wasn’t, thank you very much. Grunting in satisfaction, he left his backyard via the gate and cut through the path in the hedges between his and Sam’s front yards. After unlatching the gate to Sam’s backyard, he followed the sounds of clucking chicken to a wildflower garden along the back fence. Along with some kind of leafy tree and a couple of shrubs, there were bursts of yellow, purple, and pink flowers in the garden that Bo couldn’t name to save his life.

Of course it was that chicken. The brown one with the lone white feather along its back. The instigator of the group. The one that riled up the other chickens and always seemed to find a way out of the chicken coop. The one who’d pecked Bo’s hands raw the first time Bo tried to pick him up. That’s where his new extra-thick gloves came in.

He slipped them on then scattered some chicken feed. Bait the chicken and then grab it from behind, the YouTube tutorial he’d watched a couple weeks ago had said. Bo had become somewhat of a chicken corralling expert in the past couple of weeks. A skill he never thought he’d need and didn’t know how to add to his resume without sounding like a smart-ass.

The chicken went after the food just like always. Bo gave it a minute to eat most of it, then quietly snuck up behind it, cupped his hands around its sides, and lifted.

The angry squawk the chicken let out pierced Bo’s eardrums and its legs worked as if trying to walk on air. Bo held on tighter as the bird struggled in his grip. He made tracks for the gate, where Sam was oh-so-helpfully holding it open. The sight of him standing there all tall and perfect jolted Bo and had him fumbling the chicken. A wing got loose and flapped in Bo’s face.

Bo thought he heard a chuckle, but when he looked at Sam around the feathers in his face, the man was as stony as ever. Was that a hint of laughter in Sam’s eyes? No. The man didn’t know how to laugh. Drawing his shoulders back, head high, Bo stalked past him and—

“Don’t forget to fix your fence,” Sam said.

Before Bo even had a chance to reply, the gate slammed at his back.

Author Bio


Amy started writing on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class was forced to stay inside for recess. Tales of adventures with her classmates quickly morphed into tales of adventures with the characters in her head. Based in the suburbs of Toronto, Amy is a marketer at a large environmental non-profit in Toronto by day, and a writer by night. Book enthusiast, animal lover and (very) amateur photographer, Amy’s interests are many and varied, including travelling, astronomy, ecology, and baking.

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Amy loves connecting with readers! You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Twitter or sign up for her infrequent newsletter at www.amyaislin.com/signup

Giveaway

An Ali Review: Spectred Isle (Green Men #1) by K.J. Charles

 Rating: 4 out 5 stars
 Archaeologist Saul Lazenby has been all but unemployable since his disgrace during the War. Now he scrapes a living working for a rich eccentric who believes in magic. Saul knows it’s a lot of nonsense…except that he begins to find himself in increasingly strange and frightening situations. And at every turn he runs into the sardonic, mysterious Randolph Glyde.

Randolph is the last of an ancient line of arcanists, commanding deep secrets and extraordinary powers as he struggles to fulfil his family duties in a war-torn world. He knows there’s something odd going on with the haunted-looking man who keeps turning up in all the wrong places. The only question for Randolph is whether Saul is victim or villain.

Saul hasn’t trusted anyone in a long time. But as the supernatural threat grows, along with the desire between them, he’ll need to believe in evasive, enraging, devastatingly attractive Randolph. Because he may be the only man who can save Saul’s life—or his soul.
This was a spooky tale that drew me in from beginning.  This is set in the same world as the Simon Feximal stories and takes place a bit down the road time wise. Randolph is good friends with Simon and Robert’s adopted son Sam who is now grown up.  The time period is the 1920’s and the author does a very good job with the world building and setting up the imagery of what’s going on in this society.  The end of the first world war has recently happened and the country is going through numerous changes.  In addition there has been a supernatural war that occurred alongside the world war.  All of the characters have suffered loss in one way or the other as a result.
I enjoyed both Saul and Randolph as main characters.  I found their banter very entertaining.  They exasperate each other during their first few meetings but soon they can not fight the attraction they feel towards each other.  This author always does a good job with the hurt/comfort trope and this story was another example.  Saul has a lot of emotional pain and really no one he can turn to in his life.  This relationship with Randall not only gives him love, but it gives him a group of people who accept him and offer him friendship.  It was a touching thing to watch unfold.
There’s a lot going on in this and there are multiple legends and paranormal creatures that are introduced.  Some of the things I had heard of before and others I had not.  I’m not sure if that is because the author made them up or if it is because I am from the US and may not know the UK legends.  Either way they were entertaining and I can not wait to see what happens with this new band of friends and their quest to keep the city safe from paranormal activity.
Cover by Lexiconic Design:  I really like the cover and I think it perfectly fits the time period of the story and sets the atmosphere of what’s to come in the story.

Sales Links

Book Details:

ebook, 271 pages
Expected publication: August 3rd 2017 by KJC Books
ISBN139780995799073
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesGreen Men #1

An Alisa Review: One Heart, One Destiny by Pelaam

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

Dillon is an omega, which makes him the general whipping boy for the pack, as well as under Brendan, his Alpha brother’s dominion.

 

The last thing he expects is to visit a fae club, but even less expected is to find himself drawn to Drake; a sassy sprite.

 

Letting Drake think he’s a pack alpha, Dillon enjoys the sprite’s company, and soon realizes he’s falling for Drake. But as omega, Dillon can’t take a mate without his Alpha’s permission.

 

Knowing Brendan wouldn’t approve, Dillon keeps their relationship secret, only to find Brendan has already discovered the truth. And is far from pleased.

 

A prisoner in his brother’s home, Dillon knows he won’t see Drake again.

 

But Drake has other ideas.

 

This is such a wonderful story.  Dillon has finally found someone who loves him but he is afraid that if he tells Drake the whole truth that he won’t want him.  What he doesn’t realize is their connection runs much deeper and Drake already knows the truth and is much more than a simple sprite.

 

This story is told from Dillon’s point of view and I couldn’t help but feel his heartbreak over how he is treated in his pack but also when he is forced away from Drake.  I loved how from the very beginning Drake would do anything to make Dillon feel good and cherished while also going slowly at building their relationship.  Dillon is rewarded with a man who is willing to stand up for him to his alpha so he can live a happy life.  Seeing these two together was very heartwarming and I loved their connections to each other.

 

The cover art by Melody Pond is very nice and work great for this story.

 

Sales Links: MLR Press | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 78 pages

Published: July 6, 2017 by MLR Press

Edition Language: English