Hello April! New Beginnings and Reviewers at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Hello April

April has arrived and with it new arrivals at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.  We have been looking to add new reviewers here and have been very lucky to have two new people recently join us.  What a great way to sail into April!  In addition, we have a preview of a reviewer blog from Free Dreamer and two giveaway announcements too.  And no, there’s no April’s Fools Jokes to be found anywhere!   Far too busy for such sass!

New Beginnings Announcements ~ New Reviewers!

We have another new reviewer starting at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.  Please welcome Kai, another international member of our family.  You’ll be hearing from Kai in a couple of weeks.  In the meantime,  here’s a short bio from Kai herself:

Meet Kai

Hey guys, I’m a Brazilian college student, living in São Paulo with my crazy sister.
 When I’m not in class or working, you can always find me reading.
I love to read, reaaally love. Actually, I’m a little obsessed: I can’t go anywhere without something to read – thank God for the e-readers.
I used to read a lot of mystery, classics, adventure, fantasy, but my favorite kind of book always was romance [what I can say? I’m a romantic kind of girl]. I found out about mm romance last year, by accident.
I was reading a series by Aly Martinez and the second book is a mm called “The Spiral Down (The Fall Up, #2) “. I read it and liked so much that I needed more. Then I found “HIM” by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen [one of my favorites since then]… After that, I become definitely a fan of mm books. Now I’m a crazy fan. I’m so in love with this genre that I almost never read m/f anymore.
 
I also love to travel, play board games with my friends and write short stories. I wrote a lot of short stories, so far just in Portuguese and just for fun, but who knows? One day I can become a super author with a movie based on my book. hahaha
 
I like to read my books with low angst, sweet and romantic story, hot scenes[I’m only human] and remarkable characteres. Hope to find more and more books like that to read. I’m always searching and, of course, recommendations is welcome. 🙂
With the addition of Kai this week, and Julia , in Austria along with F.D.,  in early March, Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is very international in our outlook! Do you know who else here lives abroad? Check out our reviewer bios! Our perspectives from all over certainly give us a wonderful international slant when it comes to reviews, books, cultures and locations for book settings!

Our Reviewer Adventures!

📚F.D. also known as Free Dreamer just finished attending a book fair in Leipzig, Germany.   I asked her to give us her impressions on the fair, meeting authors and some of the LGBT book offerings there.  Keep your eyes open for that reviewer blog coming up soon!  Here is your teaser from Free Dreamer from her upcoming blog:
As some of you may know, I earn my living as a bookseller. I’m an apprentice bookseller, to be exact. That means I go to vocational school twice a week to learn the theory behind the art of bookselling. 😉 That also means I get to go on awesome book-related school trips.
Last weekend, we went to the big book fair in Leipzig, Germany. That’s about 8 hours by train from Vienna, where I live and work. We met up late on Thursday night to catch the night train to Leipzig. Me and five of my classmates shared a compartment. Six cots in a tiny compartment, with six excited young women and a very bumpy ride… You can imagine how much sleep we all got! The train ride was definitely an adventure. At times it felt like I was about to slide out of my cot. When we were woken at around 6am, we had half an hour before we had to get off the train. Well, that certainly wasn’t enough. When we arrived at our destination, I was still missing a sock and wearing my pj top… And when I unpacked my handbag while looking for my wallet to buy breakfast at the train station, my phone was gone! Luckily the train was still at the platform and I found my phone in no time at all…
If you want to know more about my adventures in Leipzig and find out how I felt meeting my favourite author ever, then check back next week for a more detailed account of my misdeeds.
F.D.
I can just imagine her excitement! What a trip that must have been!  I’ll be reading her adventures along with all of you.

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Giveaway Announcements

 

📚Free Dreamer Book Fair Adventures Blog Giveaway.

Have any questions for Free Dreamer? Leave them here along with your email address.  Random reader will be picked to win a $10 gift cert in the Free Dreamer Book Fair Adventures Blog Giveaway.  It ends 4/22 at midnight.  Have you been to a book fair? Met your favorite author?   Do you want to know what was Free Dreamer’s favorite part of her book fair experience was or what books she brought home?  Write in and leave a comment!
 📚Winner of our Wild Unpredictable Love Giveaway was H.B.  H.B.’s list of books?  H.B. had 2 on their list I hadn’t heard of and will now be tracking down (Broken in Silence and Grayson).  The other 3 are already firm favorites of mine.  H.B., Stella will be in contact with you about your certificate! Congratulations!
H.B.’s list:
ePistols at Dawn by Z.A. Maxfield
Broken in Silence by Katze Snow
Beta Test by Annabeth Albert
Connection Error by Annabeth Albert
Grayson by Morgan Campbell 

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

 

Sunday, April 2:

  •  Hello April! New Beginnings and Reviewers at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
  • This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
  • Alina Popescu’s Free Books for Five Days Giveaway Announcement!

Monday, April 3:

  • Release Blitz for Lillian Francis’ Renaissance
  • Release Blitz and Giveaway: An Unexpected Shot by Caitlin Ricci
  • Release Blitz for Who I am When I’m with You by Tamryn Eradani
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review:  Plaid Versus Paisley by KC Burn
  • A Free Dreamer Release Day Review: The Android and the Thief  by Wendy Rathbone

Tuesday, April 4:

  • DSP GUEST POST Julia Talbot on Just a Cowboy
  • RIPTIDE TOUR and Giveaway: Home Fires (Common Law #4) by Kate Sherwood
  • An Ali Review:  Home Fires (Common Law #4) by Kate Sherwood
  • A Free Dreamer Release Day Review: Witches For Hire by Sam Argent
  • A Paul B Release Day Review: Micah Johnson Goes West (Get Out #2) by Sean Kennedy

Wednesday, April 5:

  • DSP GUEST POST Bru Baker on Tall, Dark, and Deported
  • Book Blitz: Broken Bastard by A.L. Simpson
  • A Lila Release Day Review: Leap of Faith by Jackie Keswick
  • An Alisa Review: Broken Bastard (Broken #1) by A.L. Simpson
  • A Melanie Release Day Review: Joy (States of Love) by C.S. Poe

Thursday, April 6:

  • RIPTIDE TOUR & Giveaway: Don’t Feed the Trolls by Erica Kudisch
  • DSP GUEST POST: Wendy Rathbone on The Android and the Thief
  • Blog Tour for The Rainbow Clause by Beth Bolden
  • Review Tour:  Lillian Francis’ Renaissance
  • A Stella Review: Renaissance by Lillian Francis
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Don’t Feed the Trolls by Erica Kudisch
  • A VVivacious Review: Norwegian Woody (Let it Beatle #4) by J.D. Walker (

Friday, April 7:

  • Release Blitz and Giveaway for Snap Shot by V.L Locey
  • DSP GUEST POST Jackie Keswick on Leap of Faith
  • Release Blitz and Giveaway:  Stories From Sapphire Cay Vol 2 – RJ Scott & Meredith Russell
  • Release Blitz and Giveaway: Take a Chance by Megs Pritchard
  • Review Tour – Annabelle Jacobs – Bitten By Design
  • A MelanieM Review: Bitten by Design by Annabelle Jacobs
  • A Stella Review: Forged in Trust (Bay Area Professionals #4) by Mickie B. Ashling

Saturday, April 8:

  • A MelanieM Review:Skim Blood and Savage Verse (Offbeat Crimes #3) by Angel Martinez

Release Blitz for Annabelle Jacobs’ Bitten By Design (excerpt and giveaway)

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2mRvGMr

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2odcOb1


Length: 80,000 words


Regent’s Park Pack Series


Bitten By Mistake (Book #1) Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb


When the last thing you want, is everything you need….

Seb Calloway isn’t interested in shifters. After his best friend bonded with one, he avoids getting involved with them—no matter how hot they are—to prevent the same thing from happening to him. Why take the risk for a few hours of fun?

Tim Walters is the pack doctor. Considered to be mild-mannered and non-threatening by pack standards, he prides himself on being able to stay calm and maintain his control at all times. Desperate for a bond of his own, he knows his interest in Seb is an exercise in futility, but he can’t seem to help himself.

When news emerges that threatens Seb’s safety, he and Tim need to fake a relationship to keep Seb safe. Despite Seb’s refusal to be anything other than friends with benefits, what starts out as pretend, quickly becomes more—for Tim at least. If Tim doesn’t want to end up heartbroken, he needs to prove to Seb that loving a shifter doesn’t mean losing himself.

Excerpt

He looked anywhere but at Tim, embarrassment clear in his expression. Before the moment could get awkward—and giving Seb no chance to object—Tim scooped him up, bridal style, and started down the stairs.

Letting out a startled laugh, Seb clung tight to his crutch so it didn’t slip out of his hands. “Twice in one weekend. You’re going to give me a complex.”

Tim bit the inside of his cheek. If Seb knew how much he liked being able to take care of him, how much his wolf liked it, he wouldn’t find it half as amusing or embarrassing. Clearing his throat, he hitched him a little higher, then started down the stairs. “It’s just quicker this way, and I don’t want to make you late for your appointment. We’re running a little behind.”

“Fair enough.”

Not daring to meet Seb’s eyes—their faces were so close together, he didn’t like his chances of not doing something stupid like kissing him—Tim quickly made his way down the steps.


 

 

Author Bio

Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with three rowdy children, and two cats. An avid reader of fantasy herself for many years, Annabelle now spends her days writing her own stories. They’re usually either fantasy or paranormal fiction, because she loves building worlds filled with magical creatures, and creating stories full of action and adventure. Her characters may have a tough time of it—fighting enemies and adversity—but they always find love in the end.

.
Twitter ñ https://twitter.com/AJacobs_fiction
Website ñ www.annabellejacobs.com
Email ñ ajacobsfiction@gmail.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ajacobsfiction

Giveaway

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A VVivacious Review: Fierce by Rob Rosen

Rating: 2.5 Stars out of 5
 
Lucas has superpowers or as he likes to call it, he is super. He was raised by wolves, is as hairy as one and is in love with his best friend Craig.  But as luck would have it Craig reciprocates Lucas’ love and also knows his super secret.
 
In the summer before senior year Craig and Lucas start a relationship and become a superhero duo that saves the world, but as they are superheroing the differences between Craig and Lucas become starkly apparent. Will things work out between these two or will this difference of opinions turn them into mortal enemies?
 
I am utterly confused as to whether I liked this book, loved it or barely tolerated it. As I read this book there were parts that I barely tolerated, some that I liked and some that I loved.
 
Let’s start with the things about this book I barely tolerated and the first among those things would be Craig. Early on in the book I mistakenly made the assumption that Craig and Lucas were end game and this made the fact that I didn’t like Craig all that more disquieting. I think quite a few people reading this book would make that assumption, I know I did, but I feel like this book should be read as an adventure that follows Lucas’ life story. Craig falls more in the evil genius than superhero category in this book and his backstory does make him the perfect foil for Lucas’ Fierce (Lucas’ superhero name). 
 
I personally didn’t find the beginning of this book interesting to the extent that if I wasn’t reviewing this book I would have probably quit reading it at this point but having said that I do realize that if I hadn’t continued reading I would have missed the best part of this book.
 
The best part of this book was the dilemma of being a superhero. Almost in all superhero stories the people closest to the superhero are benefitted even if they are in the wrong because well that’s how the story goes and the same thing happens in this one to an extent. But what I liked about this book was that it took that example and made Fierce/Lucas face the truth that even when you do the right thing it will turn out be the wrong thing for someone good, someone who doesn’t deserve the punishment for the justice you have meted out. I think the best part of this book was bringing into focus that superhero stories make the world black and white when the world is rarely so. I loved this book for that and I loved the confused, struggling with himself and his superhero identity version of Lucas.
 
I liked Lucas’ character quite a bit and I understood and fully sympathized with his fervour to find out about his birth parents. But from here on the plot feels a little repetitive, it seemed like all these people did was go to Granite peak and back and up again and back and so on and so forth. Also the resolution of the plot isn’t as cut and dry as I would have liked. I didn’t understand the idea behind the whole revenge plan that happens post Fierce’s rescue and after that the story is all muddled up.
 
For me none of the side characters, except Craig, stood out much. I liked Todd and Lucas and their relationship though I think it is time that someone tells Lucas that he does a very bad job of hiding his superpowers.
 
This book has its moments but you will have to take the good with the bad.
 
Cover Art by Rob Rosen. I liked the cover but why Lucas is wearing glasses on the cover is beyond me a tribute to Superman perhaps?
Sales Links:
Book Details:
ebook, 225 pages
Published March 25th 2017 by JMS Books LLC admin@jms-books.com
ISBN139781634863599
Edition LanguageEnglish

A VVivacious Review: The Poison Within (Inspector Skaer #1) by Kasia Bacon

Rating: 4 Stars out of 5
 
Inspector Kayru Skaer has fallen in love with his aristocratic lover, Count Ellydhar Finn-Jann, an action he considers to be full of folly. Because as he rightly suspects their society will never be accepting of a love between two people from such different classes of society especially if the relationship were to show any sign of permanency. As things would have it this is going to be the least of his worries with his lover presenting with the early signs of a hereditary lung disease which has proven to be fatal and three viciously murdered dead bodies to contend with.
 
I quite liked this story. It is short and sweet but engages the reader in a way that you really can’t stop reading. I really love the way this author writes, because it never fails to arrest my attention and simultaneously gets me really invested in the characters and their story.
 
This is a paranormal established couple romance with elements of mystery though I think I should warn people that it is not much of a mystery as things get clarified pretty early on but I think that this was a decision in favour of the story because it helped bring the focus on Elly and Kayru.
 
I absolutely loved Kayru and Elly, their relationship is simply adorable and I know for a fact that their relationship is something that I want to know more about and I also desperately want to know more about these two. They made for such interesting characters, from different societal classes but despite all odds in love.
 
I think overall this story is quite commendable despite the fact that the author doesn’t try to draw out the mystery with suspense. This book had some really strong characters in Yben and Eryssa. I found both characters to be immensely interesting especially Eryssa considering she is a furia, a species I have never encountered. Also I wonder if there is any difference between the furia and the vampers and if they both need blood to survive. Also I loved how the author has drawn from current events to write this story it added a whole new dimension to this story which would have otherwise never have existed because I think somewhere along the way I felt that these events were not only relatable but something that gave a perspective to both worlds.
 
This story has managed to capture my interest and I am definitely hooked onto these characters. I can’t wait to read more.
 
Cover Art by Kudi-Design. The cover is amazing.
Sales Links   Amazon | Amazon UK
Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 51 pages
Published March 18th 2017
ASINB06XFGX3BT
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesInspector Skaer #1
CharactersInspector Käyru Skaer, Count Ellydhar Finn-Jánn or ‘Elly’ settingRadvadur (the western province of the Empire)

In Our Spotlight: Angels of Istanbul (Arising #2) by Alex Beecroft (tour and giveaway)

Angels of Istanbul (Arising #2) by Alex Beecroft
R
iptide Publishing
Cover by: Simoné

Read an Excerpt/Buy It Here at Riptide Publishing

 

About Angels of Istanbul

Wallachian nobleman Radu is recently arrived in Bucharest with his vampire parents. Welcomed as an eligible bachelor, he’s introduced to the enchantress Ecaterina, whose salon is Bucharest’s centre of magical expertise. 

But when Ecaterina’s brother dies of a mysterious new plague, it’s clear to Radu that his parents have not been idle. Soon Bucharest is in the grip of an undead epidemic—a less than ideal time for Ottoman Sultan Mahmud, Wallachia’s overlord, to call Bucharest’s nobility to assemble their armies in Istanbul for a holy war against Britain.

The Wallachians have long resented their Ottoman overlords, so Radu seizes the chance to eliminate them while also ridding Bucharest of the undead: he leads an army of vampires to Istanbul and sets them to feed on the Turks.

As Radu’s demons gut the city of Istanbul, their plans become horribly clear. This is only the start. With the Ottoman armies under their control, the undead are poised to suck the life out of the whole world. Radu, his lover Frank, and Ecaterina are appalled at what they’ve unleashed. But they may be too late to stop it.

Now available from Riptide Publishing

This title is #2 of the Arising series.

About Alex Beecroft

Alex Beecroft is an English author best known for historical fiction, notably Age of Sail, featuring gay characters and romantic storylines. Her novels and shorter works include paranormal, fantasy, and contemporary fiction.

Beecroft won Linden Bay Romance’s (now Samhain Publishing) Starlight Writing Competition in 2007 with her first novel, Captain’s Surrender, making it her first published book. On the subject of writing gay romance, Beecroft has appeared in the Charleston City PaperLA Weekly, the New Haven Advocate, the Baltimore City Paper, and The Other Paper. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association of the UK and an occasional reviewer for the blog Speak Its Name, which highlights historical gay fiction.

Alex was born in Northern Ireland during the Troubles and grew up in the wild countryside of the English Peak District. She lives with her husband and two children in a little village near Cambridge and tries to avoid being mistaken for a tourist.

Alex is only intermittently present in the real world. She has led a Saxon shield wall into battle, toiled as a Georgian kitchen maid, and recently taken up an 800-year-old form of English folk dance, but she still hasn’t learned to operate a mobile phone.

She is represented by Louise Fury of the L. Perkins Literary Agency.

Connect with Alex:

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Angels of Istanbul, one lucky winner will receive $10 Riptide credit and their choice of ebook from Alex’s backlist! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on April 1, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Its Superheroes Raised by Wolves Time! Rob Rosen on ‘Fierce’, his latest release + Giveaway

Fierce by Rob Rosen
JMS Books LLC

Available for Purchase at

JMS Books LLC | Amazon | Goodreads

✒︎

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Rob Rosen back today to talk about his latest novel, Fierce!  Welcome, Rob!

✒︎

Hello, I’m Rob Rosen. I’ve written romantic-comedy novels about zombies and werewolves, vampires and any number of assorted bad-ass drag queens, but for my 11th novel, Fierce, I decided to touch on the superhero genre, only with a decidedly different twist. Lucas, my novel’s hero, has major super powers, powers that he wants to use to do good in the world. He’s tall and handsome, and has one hell of an awesome crime-fighting costume. On the surface of things, he’s your standard superhero. This book veers into newer territory in that Lucas must face the realities of actual life, that to do good you sometimes have to do bad, that to put the criminal away, you might have to hurt people, even innocent people. Life is not black and white; crime-fighting isn’t either. What if you have to kill the bad guy? What if you have to put someone you know in jail? What if your powers were actually meant do evil things? Tack on trying to protect the world and your family at the same time, all while going to college, leaving home for the first time, trying to find love as you try and find yourself, and Fierce, I hope, really does sail the genre into uncharted superhero waters. 

For some more background, here’s a little blurb for you:

Lucas has a typical life — apart from being abandoned as a baby, raised by wolves, and having super powers. Still, inside, he feels like two people, both vying for control of himself. He’s a superhero and a nerdy college freshman. He’s both feral and tame. He wants to do good in the world and, at the same time, he wants to do nothing. And most of all, he wants to find his birth parents.

In this comedic tale of romance, mystery, and adventure, our hero is joined by his hunky boyfriend, his acerbic boss, an uptight college science professor, and his ex-boyfriend/once crime-fighting partner — not to mention a whole pack of wolves — to help foil his nemesis and uncover the secrets of his past to save his future.

If you find the above intriguing, I hope you’ll pick up a copy of the book, which is available in all e-formats and as a paperback. 

Oh, and if you need some further persuading, here’s a little bit of the very beginning of Fierce:

“Help!”

I know, strange way to start a story, me screaming at you like that, but they say you need to grab the reader’s attention right off the bat. Help! I figured would do just that. Plus, you know, help was just what I needed. I mean, I was locked in a cage, my life in jeopardy of being snuffed out—which was par for the course, but still. In any case, help! seemed right on up there with the greats: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; Call me Ishmael; Are you there, God? It’s me, Margaret. And I only needed four little letters to get my point across. Take that, Judy Blume!

Anyway, back to that aforementioned help I was shouting for. No, it wasn’t my best moment, to be certain, what with me being a superhero and all. Fierce. That’s my name; pleased to meet you. Though I’m guessing you’ve probably already heard of me, me being famous and all. And yes, that’s me blowing my own horn. Louis Armstrong should blow a horn so well, in fact.

All that being said, and in case you’ve been living under a rock and have yet to hear of my, you know, greatness, here’s my story in a nutshell:

As a baby, I was raised by wolves in the mountainous wilds of Montana.

I have super powers. Like, seriously super.

I catch bad guys for a living. For free! Minus, of course, the well-merited and desperately sought-after publicity.

But, you ask, raised by wolves? Come on now, Fierce, really? Does that actually happen? Wolves eat babies, don’t they? I mean dingoes do—or so I’ve heard, a la one Miss Meryl Streep—so it stands to reason that wolves do, too. Though not these wolves. These were tame wolves. Well, tameish. They were zoo wolves, hand-raised by humans. Except, they escaped during a freak storm, back to the wilds from whence their ancestors came, never to be seen again.

I saw them right off the bat, though. Well, sawish. I mean, I was a baby at the time, my eyesight not what it is today—which is freakishly strong, by the way. And yes, toot, toot, my horn doth bloweth, yet again. Gabriel in the heavens up above turns green with envy at my tooting abilities. Oh, and in case you hadn’t already surmised it, superhero, at least in my case, equates to super ego. Freud missed out big time on the likes of yours truly.

But I digress. Back to the wolves.

Best I could figure it—seeing as, again, I was just a baby at the time—the initial wolf pack consisted of ten wolves that once inhabited a small zoo on the outskirts of Billings, Montana. One fateful day, a tornado hit. A big one. Huge even! Dorothy would’ve shit her panties it was so friggin’ massive. Anyway, from what I’ve read, the storm struck quite suddenly, too suddenly for the folks at the zoo to be able to corral all the animals beforehand, so, when the fencing to the wolves’ enclosure twisted and uprooted, out they sped. The zoo figured they died in the storm, except, well, duh, they didn’t. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be hearing this account right now, right? Then help! would’ve been lost to the cosmos. A truly sad thought, I know.

Now then, wolves, it should be noted, are wily and smart creatures, so the first thing they did was run. Free at last, free at last! In other words, once the storm broke, they found themselves as far away from humans as they could get. Eventually, they wound up along the outskirts of Granite Peak, which is the highest natural point in all of Montana, the tenth highest state highpoint in the nation. Granite Peak is also the second most difficult state highpoint to climb because of the generally poor weather and equally poor delineated pathways. Montana being so sparsely populated to begin with, the wolves could easily escape and literally never again be spotted. Which is just what they did, until, ultimately, they were spotted by the tiny likes of me. Fate! Or, you know, simply pure dumb luck. Depends on if your glass is half full, I suppose.

Enjoy!

Rob Rosen

http://www.therobrosen.com

About Fierce

Lucas has a typical life — apart from being abandoned as a baby, raised by wolves, and having super powers. Still, inside, he feels like two people, both vying for control of himself. He’s a superhero and a nerdy college freshman. He’s both feral and tame. He wants to do good in the world and, at the same time, he wants to do nothing. And most of all, he wants to find his birth parents.

In this comedic tale of romance, mystery, and adventure, our hero is joined by his hunky boyfriend, his acerbic boss, an uptight college science professor, and his ex-boyfriend/once crime-fighting partner — not to mention a whole pack of wolves — to help foil his nemesis and uncover the secrets of his past to save his future.

Giveaway

Rob Rosen is giving away a eBook copy of Fierce to one lucky reader.  Leave your email address along with a comment for Rob below.  A reader will be chosen at random by Rob and voila! The ebook will be yours!  Of course, you must be 18 years of age or older.

Release Blitz: Release on March 21th ‘The Necromancer’s Dance’ by S J Himes (Audiobook) and Narrated by Joel Leslie

NDrelease

Title: The Necromancer’s Dance
Author: S J Himes
Series: The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #1
Narrated by: Joel Leslie
Length: 8 Hours 8 minutes
Release Date: 21st March 2017
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, MM Romance

 

28486344

BLURB

In a world where magic is real and evil walks amongst humanity, a young sorcerer is beset upon by enemies, both old and new. Angelus Salvatore is the only necromancer in all of Boston, and his name is whispered warily by the undead and fellow sorcerers alike. He and his brother Isaac are the lone survivors of an attack by an army of the undead, in which Angel used a spell so powerful it forever marked his place in history. Now, years later, Angel struggles to balance his career as a teacher of the higher magical arts, his role as big brother, and a tenuous relationship with an Elder vampire from the local clan. When his brother’s boyfriend is used as a pawn in a mysterious plot to draw Angel out, Angel is once again pulled back into the old hostilities that fueled the Blood Wars and led to his family’s death.

Leaning on others for help is something Angel cannot do, and while he searches for clues into who may be targeting him and his brother, Angel finds his heart steadily growing occupied with Simeon, Elder and vampire. Dealing with death magic and vampires on a daily basis may leave Angel jaded when it comes to life and staying that way, but the more time he spends fending off the ancient vampire’s attention and affections, the more he realizes he wants to give in.

Can Angel find out who wants him dead, and keep his heart safe in the process? How can he fall for a vampire, when his whole family was torn apart by an army of the undead?

Death stalks the streets of Boston’s historic Beacon Hill….and there is no one more suited to battle against death than a necromancer.

MATURE CONTENT Contains graphic violence, male/male sexual contact, a cranky necromancer, a sexy Irish vampire, and a pesky demon.

Purchase: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

EXCERPT

Angel was ranked as a sorcerer. The unfathomable infinite maelstrom of magic that gathered beyond this world in a brilliant sea of light and shadows, swirling and singing… Angel could use it. He was able reach out, through the veil, and touch the infinite. And even within the three tiers of magic users, witch, wizard, and sorcerer, there were rankings. All based on the personal strength of their individual abilities, and their affinities.

Angel’s affinity was for death, and he was a necromancer.

Not just death in its literal meaning; but all that lead to death and dying, and everything touched by mortality. Spirits, ghosts, poltergeists, all kinds of undead, the dying, illness, disease, poisons, and mortal injuries, and a whole mess of really nasty creatures and conditions. Anything on the other side of the veil and anything rushing towards death was within Angel’s affinity, in reach of his talents. Angel got along great with demons and vampires, when they weren’t trying to kill him. Nothing makes a vamp more nervous than a necromancer. The smart ones, at least.

About the Author

I’m a self-employed writer who stresses out about the silliest things, like whether or not I got my dog the best kind of snack and the fact my kindle battery tends to die when I’m at the best part in a book. I write mainly gay romance, erotica, and urban fantasy, with ocasional forays into contemporary and paranormal. I love a book heavy on plot and character evolution, and throw in some magic, and that’s perfection. My current series are: The Beacon Hill Sorcerer, Bred For Love (as Revella Hawthorne), and The Wolfkin Saga. My last two novels in the Beacon Hill Sorcerer won 3rd Place in the Gay Fantasy category for the 2016 Rainbow Awards.

I live in New Orleans, where the personalities are big and loud and so are the bugs! New Orleans is rich in cultural history, and the flavor and music of the City is impossible to hide. Before that, I lived all over the United States: Tampa, Western Massachusetts, Indianapolis, and on and on…. I’m a nomad, and I’ve yet to find a place that calls to me strongly enough to become home. My faithful travel companions are my dog Micah, the numerous voices in my head who insist they all get put on paper, and the wind at my back.

Links: Website | Blog | Facebook | Facebook Fan Group | Twitter | Amazon

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Wild Unpredictable Love Goes Marching Out. This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Wild Unpredictable Love Goes Marching Out

Yes, its the final week of March, that wild, unpredictable crazy month that’s echoed the rollercoaster that is romance for so many.  Ups and downs, wild turns and topsy turvy motions that has your stomach churning. Yes, love and romance can be like that in life and certainly in our stories.  From love that finds a foothold when all hope was lost to that stunning man always out of reach suddenly turning back around to look your way to the tiger prince and the warrior mage, perhaps even more so the wonderful nerdy geeks that capture our hearts with their hesitant ways, we never know what some of our favorite books will bring us.

Last week I reviewed Amy Lane’s Bonfires, a 5 star story that continues to stay with me.  This week, Amy Lane is here to talk about it.  That story was full of unpredictable twists and turns, typical of that author.  On Saturday, April 1, I’m reviewing a book that certainly no April Fool’s Joke, Bru Baker’s Tall, Dark, and Deported, one of Dreamspinner Press’s Dreamspun Desires titles.  Its heartwarming, sweet and surprising.  Stella has one she’s reviewing that’s on my TBR list, John Inman’s story My Dragon My Knight.  Check out that review along with me.  Plus there’s that amazing Tal Bauer series The Executive Office that has another book out.  We have back to back reviews on it this week as well along with Alex Beecroft’s new supernatural series.  So many wonderful rollercoaster stories to get hooked on going into April.  What’s on your TBR list this week?  Did it make it onto ours?  Let us know!

Plus this is the last week to enter into our giveaway.  Go over your favorites, throw us your lists!  With all these great books coming out, I’m sure you can use that gift certificate!

Wild, Unpredictable Love Giveaway!

Does love make us different?  Should it vary wildly from person to person, species to species?  Or is love so deeply essential and elemental that is transcends all boundaries?  What’s unpredictable to you? In couples and in romance. Let me know what you think and your favorite books that make your point!  The random reader chosen will receive a $10 gift certificate from Dreamspinner Press.  Giveaway ends March 29th at midnight.

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, March 26:

  • DSP GUEST POST Cy Blanca on A Teacher and a Poet
  • Wild Unpredictable Love Goes Marching Out
  • This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, March 27:

  • Rob Rosen blog post on Fierce + Giveaway
  • Riptide Tour and Giveaway: Strays by Garrett Leigh
  • DSP GUEST POST Amy Lane on Bonfires
  • Release Blitz March 27th *The Necromancer’s Dance by S J Himes (Audiobook)
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Strays by Garrett Leigh
  • A Lila Review: One Bullet by Casey Wolfe
  • An Ali Review: One Bullet by Casey Wolfe

Tuesday, March 28:

  • DSP GUEST POST Ken Bachtold on A Company of Players
  • Release Blitz – Bronze Star by AE Wasp
  • Release Day Blitz: Enemy Within by Tal Bauer
  • Review Tour – Helena Stone’s Patience
  • A MelanieM Review: Patience by Helena Stone
  • A VVivacious Review: An Officer’s Submission (Cuffs, Collars, and Love #3) by Christa Tomlinson

Wednesday, March 29:

  • RIPTIDE TOUR Angels of Istanbul by Alex Beecroft
  • Cozzi Cove: New Beginnings, Book 4 by Joe Cosentino (interview with a character)
  • BLOG TOUR One Bullet by Casey Wolfe
  • A MelanieM Release Day Review: Counting Down by Kelly Jensen
  • A VVivacious Review: The Poison Within (Inspector Skaer #1) by Kasia Bacon
  • A MelanieM Release Day Review: Rainbow Sprinkles by Anna Martin

Thursday, March 30:

  • Blog Tour Spritzer – A Sparkling Gay Romance by Jon McDonald
  • Release Blitz – Dirty Games by Barbara Elsborg
  • Release Blitz & Review Tour – Goodnight My Angel by Sue Brown
  • A MelanieM Review: Sons of Devils (Arising #1) by Alex Beecroft
  • A VVivacious Review: Fierce by Rob Rosen
  • An Alisa Review:  Nightsong by A. M. Leibowitz

Friday, March 31:

  • Cover Reveal for Take a Chance by Megs Pritchard
  • A DSP GUEST POST Karen Bovenmyer
  • Release Blitz & Review Tour – Annabelle Jacobs’ Bitten By Design
  • A Lila Review: Enemy Within (The Executive Office #3) by Tal Bauer
  • A Paul B Review: Enemy Within (The Executive Office #3) by Tal Bauer
  • A Stella Release Day Review: My Dragon My Knight by John Inman

Saturday, April 1

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Tall, Dark, and Deported by Bru Baker

 

A MelanieM Review: Twilight (Dance with the Devil #7) by Megan Derr

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

 

More than seventy years have passed since Neirin du Lac was banished from the dragon clans he called home. Though he misses them, he and his dragon Troyes have built a happy life with his lover Barra, and their friends Devlin and Midnight. It is a not a life he would ever trade, not even for a chance to return to the clans.

Then the very last person he ever expected to see again comes begging for help: Prince Avalon Pendragon, ruler of the clans, a man Neirin once called friend, once wished to call lover. When Avalon tells him why he needs Neirin’s help, it’s not a request he can refuse, nor can his friends refuse to help him.

But the people bold enough to steal from the clans are not to be trifled with, and in the midst of fighting for their lives Neirin also finds himself caught between the man he loves now and the man he never truly left behind…

Twilight is one of those books where I yearned for hardbacks or paperbacks of all those stories I had stored in my Kindle of the Dance with the Devil series by Megan Derr. I adore this series. A mere whisper of another story has me gearing up in anticipation and curiosity because I never know where it will go and who will pop up next. Dance with the Devil is rich in layers, vast in scope,  more a universe full of interlocking series where the characters and worlds sort of bleed into one another and time (and the most wondrous author) can play havoc with your memory!  Its exactly the sort of book where I want to get all the previous stories together and spread them out around me as references as I read the one I’m currently absorbed in.  Damn you, Kindle!  Never have I missed bookmarks or dog-earred pages more.  How I miss tossing books around looking for a particular character or pertinent magic thread by flipping actual pages! Sigh.

I had just finished reading and reviewing Shield of the Dragon (Dance with the Devil #6) which brought up a major question that this book answers…backwards of course.  The events in the Shield of the Dragon happen after Twilight (just go with the magical flow) so I was thrilled beyond measure to get my answers here. Another character who shows up in a major role here without a consort?  Well, those of us addicted to this series know who and what’s in store for him.  We’ve read his story.  But that’ s not essential to Twilight, its just another giddy, book grabbing element that will send devoted Dance with the Devil readers zooming back to that story (and the reason I need all those books scattered on the bed around me).

Twilight again swirls around the abduction of a very special dragon and a call of help from Prince Pendragon, ruler of all the clans.  The man Pendragon needs assistance from? Neirin du Lac and his dragon Troyes, a man nearly whipped to death and banished forever from the clan and kingdom.  Neirin is now happily living with his lover the elf wolf, Barra and their friends, the Mad Duke (and witch) Devlin and the draugr Midnight.  Each couple has had their stories told in previous books but its not entirely necessary to have read them as their pasts together is recounted here for the new reader.  For us fans, yep…back to their stories not because its necessary but because its a pleasure we seek.

Anyhow, it seems that hearing from the Prince stirs up old romantic crushes in Neirin, ones that threaten his current relationship as well as bring up all  those old bitterness he thought he had buried from being banished. Now both come crashing back in the form of the Prince.  In addition, it pulls in his protective friends, Devlin and Midnight to aid in not only the quest to find the dragon but to see their friends safely home and still together.  Magic swirls, both good and evil, there are huge battles, enormous surprises and yes, hot sex, dragon and otherwise. So be prepared for not just M/M, but menage and more.

The only elements here that may confuse the new reader is the aspects of the dragons.  These aren’t dragon shifters but dragons who take the form of men in order to better interact with their humans.  But they are always dragons.  Dragons who are the “weapons” to be wielded by the knights who are the dragons “shield”.  That’s the bond between dragon and warrior that’s often tarnished, warped or worse and that Pendragon is trying to reestablish and that readers new to the dragon part of this series may not get immediately.  The dragons act as dragons not as men.  As I said this is a story that has so much to it, and that includes the mythology the author herself has built into it over a number of tales.

I loved this story.  I felt that the way it worked out suited everyone and that Derr worked her way up to it in a manner that let us think about it and adjust to it along with all the characters.  And now I need to read Shield of the Dragon again.  Laughing…it never stops. The Wheel moves on.

If you love Megan Derr and all her incredible creations.  This is for you.  If you love fantasy, supernatural and just the shear high flying imagination this series represents…Dance with the Devil and Twilight is for you.  Pick them all up and have the times of your life.  That’s not a typo!

Cover art by Natasha Snow is dark, green and perfect for the story.

 

Sales Links

Less Than Three Press

Amazon link to come

 

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: April 5th 2017 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781684310005
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesDance with the Devil #7

 

Dance with the Devil series

10 works, 7 primary works

A series about a dangerous paranormal world ruled by the elite, where all too often the lesser paranormals get lost in the fighting. These stories revolve around the people who look out for the forgotten, overlooked, and abused.

Stories are best read in sequence, though they are not in chronological order. If you prefer to read them chronologically Not in the order they are released:

Midnight
Twilight
Dance with the Devil
Dance in the Dark
Sword of the King
Shield of the Dragon
Dance Only for Me

And the short stories in between can be read at any time.

Release Day Blitz She Belongs to Them Both by Sedonia Guillone (excerpt and giveaway)

Synopsis – She Belongs to Them Both by Sedonia Guillone

Two werewolves are her chosen mates for life!

 

Since he was bitten three years ago on the plains of Tibet, Jie Sing has fought back the ravening beast inside him. His attempts are unsuccessful until the stars lead him to the woman destined to be his mate, half a world away in Boston’s Chinatown. Fighting a deadly rival to keep her, Jie finds that in Megan’s arms, their passion keeps the beast at bay. Then Jie receives an urgent call summoning him back to China. Jie’s ex-wife in Beijing has accused Jie of attacking her in the street and had him arrested. But that’s impossible, seeing as he’s in America with Meg! Who is this “twin”—and why does Meg need to make love to both of them?

 

Publisher’s note: This book was previously published at Ellora’s Cave Publishing under the title, Kiss of the Werewolves.

 

Buy Links

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XJRDYYG

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XJRDYYG

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B06XJRDYYG

Amazon DE: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B06XJRDYYG

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Sedonia_Guillone_She_Belongs_To_Them_Both?id=KzpqDgAAQBAJ

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/she-belongs-to-them-both

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/she-belongs-to-them-both-sedonia-guillone/1126007901?ean=2940157564865

Excerpt

Only then did she become aware again of their surroundings. The motors hummed and vibrated through the small space, reminding her they were in the plane lavatory. She couldn’t help smiling to herself. Before Jie, something this wonderful, this erotic would never have happened to her.

 

Finally, when they were rested, they maneuvered in the tiny space, worked around each other to do up their clothing. Once dressed, Jie took her in his arms again and nuzzled her hair. “Now,” he said softly, “we should both try to get some sleep.” His hand slipped into her hair, cradling her head. “As soon as we get to the hotel and settle in, I have to contact Su Lin.”

 

Meg sighed. “I know.” She wished she could just enjoy the languorous aftermath of their lovemaking without the specter of meeting Jie’s ex-wife hovering. She was tempted to ask Jie to just let it go, not to bother defending himself. But she knew how guilty he felt and how important it was that he was cleared of Su Lin’s accusation.

 

She let her thoughts wander to the stranger whom Su Lin thought was Jie. A strange tingle shimmered down her spine. Who was this man who looked so much like Jie that Su Lin thought he was her ex-husband? As a woman, she felt she would know Jie anywhere, even if he’d changed physically and she hadn’t seen him in a long time. She had taken Jie into her body and heart. He was imprinted on her very soul, as no doubt, he was on Su Lin’s. That thought made jealousy simmer deep in her gut, relieved only by Jie’s tender adoration.

 

Jealousy aside, the truth remained. There was something strange going on—though it couldn’t possibly be more bizarre than the fact that the man she loved changed from a man into a wolf-like beast at every full moon. They would obviously have to see this mysterious stranger and Jie would need to identify him while they were in Beijing in order to prove to Su Lin and to the authorities that he had been in the United States at the time of the stranger’s arrest.

 

“What are you thinking, Meg?” Jie’s gentle tenor cut through her musings.

 

She looked at him. Guilt snaked through her for all her private thoughts. She searched her heart for the words she really wanted to say. Now was no time to express fear and jealousy. “I was thinking how much I want everything to work out.”

 

He rested his hands on her shoulders and nodded. “Me too,” he murmured.

 

Jie left the lavatory first and she followed him after washing her face and smoothing and repinning her mussed hair. Then she went out and took her seat next to Jie, trying to get some rest with her hand laced in his.

 

Giveaway

Prize: $10 Amazon Gift Card
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About the Author

Award-winning, multi-published author of erotic romance, SEDONIA GUILLONE spends her days writing deliciously naughty romances—when she’s not cuddling with the man she loves or watching kung fu and samurai films and eating chocolate.

 

Sedonia welcomes comments from readers.

 

Sedonia Guillone can be found at:

Website: www.sedoniaguillone.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sedonia.guillone

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SedoniaGuillone

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sedoniag