Category: M/M Paranormal Fiction

An Ali Audiobook Review: Winter Oranges by Marie Sexton and Nick J. Russo (Narrator)

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
winteroranges_audiobookJason Walker is a child star turned teen heartthrob turned reluctant B-movie regular who’s sick of his failing career. So he gives up Hollywood for northern Idaho, far away from the press, the drama of LA, and the best friend he’s secretly been in love with for years.

There’s only one problem with his new life: a strange young man only he can see is haunting his guesthouse. Except Benjamin Ward isn’t a ghost. He’s a man caught out of time, trapped since the Civil War in a magical prison where he can only watch the lives of those around him. He’s also sweet, funny, and cute as hell, with an affinity for cheesy ’80s TV shows. And he’s thrilled to finally have someone to talk to.

But Jason quickly discovers that spending all his time with a man nobody else can see or hear isn’t without its problems—especially when the tabloids find him again and make him front-page news. The local sheriff thinks he’s on drugs, and his best friend thinks he’s crazy. But Jason knows he hasn’t lost his mind. Too bad he can’t say the same thing about his heart.

This book takes a certain level of dispensing with reality. I mean…..person trapped in a snow globe. Once you get past that though this is a sweet tale of friendship and then romance. The two men are both extremely lonely in their own ways. Neither has had anyone to love them in a long time and they’re both in serious need of that. Of course things don’t go smoothly. (People generally think you’re crazy when you carry a snow globe with you everywhere and talk to someone no one else can see.) True love wins in the end though.

I thought the story was well written. The pacing was good and both of the main characters were enjoyable. I found myself rooting for them both and was happy when they got their happily ever after. This was creatively done story and while part of it takes place at Christmas I wouldn’t necessarily consider it a Christmas story. It’s a read you could enjoy year round.
This was narrated by Nick J Russo and I thought it was done very well.  I typically enjoy this author a lot and this was no exception.  He did all of the voices well and I never had a hard time telling the difference between the two MC’s.
Cover by L.C. Chase:  I like the cover.  It is nicely done and captures the essence of the story very well.
Sales Links

Audible, Amazon, iTunes

Book Details:

Audio release: December 7, 2016

Twenty percent of the proceeds from this title will be donated to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) National Help Center.

Founded in 1996, the GLBT National Help Center is a non-profit organization that provides vital peer-support, community connections and resource information to people with questions regarding sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Utilizing a diverse group of GLBT volunteers, they operate two national hotlines, the GLBT National Hotline and the GLBT National Youth Talkline, as well as private, volunteer one-to-one online chat, that help both youth and adults with coming-out issues, safer-sex information, school bullying, family concerns, relationship problems and a lot more.

To learn more about this charity or to donate directly, please visit their website: http://www.glbthotline.org/

A MelanieM Review: Hellbeasts by Katya Harris

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

 

hellbeastsWhen restlessness drives Shadow out of his MC’s clubhouse and into the night, the last thing he expected was to find a half-dead werewolf. Shadow has never been known for his altruism, but he takes the wounded man back to his motorcycle club, the Hellbeasts.

Rand doesn’t know who attacked him, but suspects at least one person from his own pack is involved. But even that might not be as bad as waking up in the midst of a group of misfit weres who don’t seem to like him. Especially Shadow, the man charged with taking care of Rand, as compelling to Rand as he is frightening.

But before he and Shadow can work out what exactly they are and want to be to each other, Rand’s attackers show up to finish the job.

Another in the Hellbeasts series from Less Than Three Press from numerous authors that revolves around a werebeast motorcycle club, I thought this one had promise but in the end didn’t completely deliver.  I loved the character of Shadow, and the others from the Hellbeasts MC.  They are the best drawn of all of the characters here in the story. Rand is perhaps the one with the least amount of support to his personality.  We are “told” about his history in different sections of the story but never actually get it from his point of view.  He just feels too much of a submissive to have ever fit the description of the wolf he’s supposed to have been.  He’s sweet, wounded, and yes sort of vague.  The complete opposite of Shadow.  Ironic.

Maybe the short length is part of the issue here.  Had this story been longer, it and the characters could have been developed to their full potential.  As it is, I liked it but the big showdown and the ending both felt rushed and left me feeling a bit disappointed.  Not what I would have wanted for such a strong character as Shadow.

Cover art is terrific.  Its eye catching and makes you want to read the story.

Sales Links

Less Than Three Press

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Book Details:

ebook, 61 pages
Published November 9th 2016 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781620048931
Edition LanguageEnglish

An Alisa Review: Night of the Blue Moon by Cassandra Pierce

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

 

night-of-the-blue-moon-by-cassandra-pierceScot North is intrigued when he is invited to a New Year’s Eve celebration on a private island. But his host is a mysterious man who seems to know a little too much about him…

 

In late December, Scot North is mysteriously summoned from his London home to a private island to ring in the new year with an unknown host. As midnight and the highly anticipated Blue Moon approach, Scot grows more and more baffled as to exactly why he’s been invited…and what is the connection between this New Year’s event and the bizarre encounter he experienced in an underground club the month before?

 

This book’s blurb left just enough questions to be intrigued.  Scot has been really out of it since his encounter a month ago.  He has also been having a mysterious man following him around and every time he tries to approach the man turns and disappears.

 

It’s a long road for Scot to find the answers to his questions, but he continues to hope that his host may have those answers.  Brendan is intriguing and does really well talking in circles when they meet.  You can just sense their loneliness; Scot has been trying to find someone while Brendan has kept himself hidden away.  They have a great connection and you can see the opportunity for the future.

 

The cover art by E Connors is nice and gives a nice setting for the story.

 

Sales Links: Dark Hollows Press | Amazon | ARe

 

Book Details:

ebook, 43 pages

Published: December 2, 2016 by Dark Hollows Press

Edition Language: English

An Alisa Review: Quarry (The Vampire Guard #2) by Elizabeth Noble

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

quarryThe members of the Vampire Guard—Jonas Forge, spy and soldier turned cop; computer hacker extraordinaire Blair Turner; Declan, thief, con man, and ex-pirate; and medical examiner and werewolf Dr. Lucas Coate—face a dangerous and elusive enemy.

 

And this time, it’s personal.

 

Over the course of three hundred years, a man has touched each of their lives in ways they are only just realizing. When a hunt for a psychotic killer in the present resurrects memories and clues from the past, they discover how they have been affected and are bound by the existence of a ruthless vampire criminal. Now, while preventing a heist at a high-tech art show and thwarting several large-scale explosions, the team must employ their unique blend of science and supernatural abilities to put an end to the machinations of the man toying with their lives.

 

This time, he won’t slip through their fingers.

 

This time, it’s more than a case. It’s a hunt, and Forge, Blair, Declan, and Lucas won’t stop until they’ve captured their quarry.

 

This was a great continuance of the Vampire Guard series.  These four characters are wonderful for each other; they can play off the others’ strengths wonderfully.  This book kept moving with another twist just around the corner to keep the reader’s interest.

 

In this story we see even more of the characters’ backgrounds and how they are connected.  I love how connected all of the friends are and not just the soul mates when disasters happen and when they are just laid back.  They are all surprised by the additional connections they find to each other while working on this case.

 

I loved seeing them play off each other’s strengths to solve the mystery and catch the bad guy.  Being able to see the thoughts and emotions of the four main characters goes a long way to understand what is going on in the story and to stay connected with the many characters.  I will commend this author, she does a wonderful job with her writing of keeping the characters separated that I don’t get confused and have to check back on which character I am focusing on at the time as I often to in other books.  I am loving this series and can’t wait to read more when they come out.

 

Cover art by TL Bland is great and is following the basic pattern for the series.

 

Sales Links: DSP Publications | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages

Expected Publication: January 17, 2017 by DSP Publications

Edition Language: English

Series: The Vampire Guard #2