A Paul B Review: The Dilemma (Sirius Wolves #5) by Victoria Sue

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

the-dilemma-by-victoria-sueMarcus Flint has recently been named Alpha of one of the largest werewolf packs.  How long will they allow a crippled human to lead them, let alone keep his three werewolf mates?

Three weeks have passed since the Claiming Ceremony gone wrong.  Hunter is in prison below the Supreme Alphas’ pack house.  Nate is still clinging to his mates and having problems dealing with his wolf.  Kellan feels that he is odd man out in the mating and isn’t feeling well, which is unusual for a werewolf.  Marcus still cannot believe that the Jefferson pack picked a disabled human to lead them.  However, he must attend to the needs of his mates before he can really focus on the pack.

The pack however is growing restless as their Alpha has basically not been seen in three weeks.  While he attends meetings with the pack leadership and the Supreme Alphas, he has not left the pack house.  When he finally starts to delve into pack business, he sees what terrible shape the pack has been in the last few years.  And with the pack growing as they are closest to Orion’s Circle, the problems are just going to increase. 

When the pack doctor notices the pain the Marcus is in, he suggest that he apply to a program that a friend of his knows about.  It would involve robotic prostheses that would allow Marcus to run with the pack during the full moon.  When he visits Dr. Seth about the program, he learns that he must spend six months in Germany for the procedure as it is not yet approved in America.  Can he afford to leave his pack and more importantly his mates for such a long time in order to be a more effective leader and lover for them? 

This fifth novel in the Sirius Wolves series brings us another step closer to the upcoming war between the gods that has been foreshadowed.  Anubis finally makes his presence known, which unsettles Blaze, the Supreme Alpha.  Marcus is still wallowing in self doubt wondering if he is really meant to lead 2300 werewolves and growing.  Ricoh is dealing with Hunter’s betrayal and his feelings of guilt about Nate.  Nate is slowly recovering but still relies on Marcus and Kellan for the most part for strength.  Young hybrid Chris, whose white wolf is unheard of, seems to be the key to the reason why this battle is coming.  The book has a few surprises which I will let you discover for yourself.  As usual, I am looking forward to the next book.

The cover art by E Connors is typical for the series.  It has a shirtless well build man in front of a starry night background.  Again, I wish I could figure out which character it is suppose to be.

Sales Links

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Book Details

EBook, 220 pages
Edition Language:  English
Published:  April 7, 2016 by Dark Hollows Press
ISBN:  978-1-944054-54-0

Series:  Sirius Wolves – add to Goodreads here:

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Hexmaker (Hexworld #2 ) by Jordan L. Hawk

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

hexmakerMalachi is a fox shifter who finds himself in a world of trouble when the robbery he’s committing turns into a murder.  He’s not the murderer, just the thief who happens to get caught when he stops to check on the bleeding man he finds in the library. Unfortunately, he found the real thief in the act—a red-headed thief who gets away, leaving red-headed Malachi to take the heat for the crime. 

Just down the street, leaving his parent’s mansion on “Millionaire Row,” is Owen Yates, the forensic hexmaker we met in Hexbreaker.  Owen spots the police vehicle outside the nearby mansion and goes to investigate. By the end of the story, readers will realize this is the best thing that ever happened to him, as he not only finds the pieces of the valuable object the thief was after—an object with ancient Greek hex symbols on it, he also finds the man who is his familiar—Malachi. 

As Malachi and Owen start out slowly, while all around them, outside forces are trying to decide Mal’s fate and the real murderer is now trying to murder Mal, the story gets interesting and complex. Owen is in his last week with the MWP, Metropolitan Witch Police, because he’s getting married Thanksgiving weekend, a marriage he neither desires, nor appreciates. He’s marrying to appease his wealthy family who want to shore up their place in society with funds from the wealthy heiress he’s betrothed to.

However, as the week progresses, leaving the MWP and getting married sound more like a death sentence as he and Mal, now bonded as a witch and familiar, dread facing the future and the loss of the chance of a happy outcome they both desire and deserve.

I really enjoy this story. This author has such a vivid imagination and appreciation of the history of the 19th to 20th turn of the century period. Weaving historical facts and fantasy into a complex story, while bringing alive another “fated-partners” love story, one with a few D/s elements this time, is pure creative genius. As the saying goes, the joy is in the journey, and in this case, Owen’s and Mal’s journey to love and to finding their true places in life brings nothing but joy to readers. I highly recommend this to all lovers of MM romance.

Cover art by the author is perfect for the story and characters.  Its eye catching and draws you in.

Sales Links

Amazon | Amazon UK | Kobo | ARe | Smashwords | iBooks | Nook

Book Details:

ebook, 270 pages
Published October 14th 2016 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139781941230213
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesHexworld #2

A MelanieM Review: Witchy Boys: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights by Katey Hawthorne

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

 

witchycover200Just in time for Halloween! Two novelettes about men with magic—and the occasional demon.

“Blood Magic and the Mini Zombie Apocalypse”
Griff has a bad habit of getting talked into black magic he shouldn’t be using—but this time it’s even worse. His ex is bent on revenge in the form of a mini zombie apocalypse, and the only person who can help Griff is a hottie white magic practitioner named Blythe. The catch: one of Griff’s spells gone wrong left Blythe with a haunted apartment a year ago, and Blythe isn’t over it.

Still, Blythe agrees to work with Griff. As they unravel the ugly blood, sex, and death magic, they also discover surprising things about each other. Hopefully, it’s enough for the ultimate trust they’ll need to defeat a lot of zombies and a crazed witch, or their town will end up covered in corpses.

“Præsidium”
Six years ago, Thackeray agreed to let a demon haunt him in exchange for help hunting other demons. It’s a lonely life, but worth it to be the best demon hunter possible — to save families from the kind of evil that ruined his own childhood.

This Hallowe’en, Thackeray’s dealing with an upstart coven. A powerful, pretty witch named Matt defects to help Thackeray stop their scheme to invite god-knows-what from the other side.

Demons are much easier to fight than the urges Matt’s flirting inspires. But Thackeray can’t hook up with a demon watching over his shoulder… can he?

[“Præsidium” is a reprint]

October is certainly the perfect time to release stories supernatural in nature and about witchy boys in particular.  Katey Hawthorne’s Witchy Boys: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights gives us two such couples for your supernatural reading pleasure.

The first story,”Blood Magic and the Mini Zombie Apocalypse”, is the tale that raised up some issues for me.  I loved the idea of a mini zombie apocalypse…who wouldn’t?  Katey Hawthorne does her absolutely spooktacular best when describing the rising of the zombies and the manner in which they were then dispatched.  I could see that so clearly.

Actually, Hawthorne had me pretty much most of the story, including Blythe and the ex with zombie domination on the brain.  All fantastic!  But there’s just one thing that got me…that was the character of Griff.  I just couldn’t connect to someone who I thought was just too dumb, no matter how pretty everyone seemed to think he was. That character flaw stopped me cold. Half the time I thought Blythe (who I adored) should toss old Griff off and find someone far less troublesome. Not a good thought in a romance.  However, other readers may find Griff naive rather than idiotic, so I’ll leave the choice up to you.  The rest of the story is marvelous.

“Præsidium”, now here’s a neat story to sink your teeth into.  A demon hunter who’s made a bargain with a demon prince.  What a conundrum, what a disaster its made of Thackeray’s love life.  Its a real twist on the demon hunter tales.  My  only real argument here?  That Hawthorne has delivered three wonderful characters that cries out for a much larger novel.  We learn just enough about Thackeray, Seir the demon prince and, the new pretty witch Matt to pique our interest in all three and their probable future together.  The story cuts off just as its all getting interesting.  One case solved with the  potential for a bright and wild future ahead.  I thought this story made the book.  At least it did for me.

Love witchy boys and stories of the supernatural?  Are you a fan of Katey Hawthorne?  Its October.  All Hallows’ Eve is coming.  Combine with two with Witchy Boys: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights by Katey Hawthorne.

Cover art works beautifully as a lead in to a collection of supernatural/paranormal stories about witchy boys.

Sales Links

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Book Details:

ebook, Goodread link
Expected publication: October 18th 2016
Edition LanguageEnglish

Love It When Romance and Magic Combine? Check out Katey Hawthorne’s WITCHY BOYS (excerpt and giveaway)

witchycover200

Witchy Boys: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights by Katey Hawthorne
Release Date: October 1

 

Witchy Boys: Release Day!

Thanks so much for having me back to STaRW, Melanie and friends. Today is release day for my latest, an anthology—or maybe just a dual novella!—of two stories known collectively as WITCHY BOYS. It’s that time of year when full moons are even more beautiful (and powerful?) and the air becomes deliciously thin (… or is that the Veil?). Perfect time for some witchy stories to warm us up, right?

The first story, “Blood Magic and the Mini Zombie Apocalypse”, is all about a young witch called Griffin trying to make up for his past mistakes. He’s dabbled in several kinds of “black magic”, partly because he’s notoriously suggestible, partly because he has that deadly combination of no fear and intense curiosity. Unfortunately it’s that first quality, the suggestibility, that gets him into trouble, since he has a bad habit of hooking up with less-than-savory lovers. His ex, Cathy, used him to perform a powerful spell last year… and by the time Griff realized her real intention, they were already broken up and it was too late. Her mini zombie apocalypse is about to happen.

Fortunately, there’s a hottie named Blythe who has a lot of white magic who might be able to help. Unfortunately, Griff’s black magic has backfired on Blythe in the past, too, so… maybe not?

I know, I know, evil ex-girlfriend thing is done and over. I guess I could’ve made her an ex-boyfriend, but you know what? I love angry witches. I’d be angry too.

The second story is a reprint, “Præsidium”. Thackeray, my demon hunter hero, is a taciturn kind of guy. He’s haunted by a demon called Seir—consensually haunted, even—who helps him hunt down other demons, which is a pretty lonely way to exist. Demons aren’t known for their great company, after all. He gets a tip off about a small town coven biting off more than they can chew this Halloween and heads to intercept. An ex-member of said coven, Matt, is willing to help him.

The problem is: Matt’s fine as hell. And Seir’s super creepy about sex. The coven doesn’t end up being the most complicated problem, but the attraction between Thackeray and Matt… oh yeah, that’s trouble.


So if you’re looking for something to warm you up on a chilly, dark autumn evening, here’s your ticket! And don’t forget to drop a comment and enter the giveaway, while you’re here ❤

Witchy Boys Blog Tour

October 17-31

October 17 – A.J. Llwellyn

October 18 – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

October 19 – The Novel Approach

October 20 – MM Good Book Reviews

October 21 – Love Bytes

October 24 – P.G. Forte

October 25 – Joyfully Jay

October 26 – Prism Book Alliance

October 27 – Roxanne D. Howard

October 28 – Diverse Reader

October 28 – Gay Guy Reading (and Friends)

October 31 – Jenna Rose

WITCHY BOYS: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights

witchycover200Author: Katey Hawthorne

Publisher: Indie

Publication Date: October 18, 2016

Word Count: 20,000

Blurb

Just in time for Halloween! Two novelettes about men with magic—and the occasional demon.

“Blood Magic and the Mini Zombie Apocalypse”

Griff has a bad habit of getting talked into black magic he shouldn’t be using—but this time it’s even worse. His ex is bent on revenge in the form of a mini zombie apocalypse, and the only person who can help Griff is a hottie white magic practitioner named Blythe. The catch: one of Griff’s spells gone wrong left Blythe with a haunted apartment a year ago, and Blythe isn’t over it.

Still, Blythe agrees to work with Griff. As they unravel the ugly blood, sex, and death magic, they also discover surprising things about each other. Hopefully, it’s enough for the ultimate trust they’ll need to defeat a lot of zombies and a crazed witch, or their town will end up covered in corpses.

“Præsidium”

Six years ago, Thackeray agreed to let a demon haunt him in exchange for help hunting other demons. It’s a lonely life, but worth it to be the best demon hunter possible — to save families from the kind of evil that ruined his own childhood.

This Hallowe’en, Thackeray’s dealing with an upstart coven. A powerful, pretty witch named Matt defects to help Thackeray stop their scheme to invite god-knows-what from the other side.

Demons are much easier to fight than the urges Matt’s flirting inspires. But Thackeray can’t hook up with a demon watching over his shoulder… can he?

Buy Links

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Author Bio

Katey Hawthorne is an avid reader and writer of superpowered and paranormal romance, even though the only degree she holds is in the history of art. (Or, possibly, because the only degree she holds is in the history of art.) Originally from the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia, she currently lives in Columbus, Ohio with her family, two cats, and one very large puppy. In her spare time she enjoys travel, comic books, B-movies, loud music, video games, Epiphones, and Bushmills. Her favorite causes include animal rescue and bisexual representation in media. She is an unashamed fangirl and collects nerdy tattoos like she’s trying to prove it.

Find Katey at…

witchyboys_tourbanner

Blog Tour Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here’s Reading You – Readers and Authors (Part II). This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

 

ereader-on-a-bookshelf

Here’s Reading You – Readers and Authors (Part II)

Last week, we started our look at eBooks. How has the eBook changed reading, writing, and perhaps even publishing for you? Perhaps some people may share a view from the beginning, when eBooks started to flourish and others when the eBooks were already an established format as they are today. Where do we think this format might go next?  I have no idea.  Do you?

We’ve asked how do our readers find their stories and authors? What do you think about eBooks? How do authors feel about writing and then publishing their beloved books as ebooks? And we will be asking publishers the same questions too.  How has the eBook changed publishing? And where do they see it going from here?

One reader, batchelorboy55 brought up an interesting point I’ve missed so far.  Advantages of the eBook and eReaders.  Normally, we talk of the amount of books we can now take with us.  Some people enjoy the anonymity of it all…no covers to display, its all safely tucked away electronically.  Other talk about the types of books we can now buy because the authors have a reader audience that can find them…us!  But how about those other advantages?    Batchelorboy55 said “I now use my ereader with a large font, and when particularly fatigued can swap across to a digital audio, or text to speech audio setting.”  Yes, that’s an important point. One I should have brought up before.Whatever the reason you may be having eyesight issues, being able to have a larger font and make the books easier to read?  Its beyond marvelous.  Same goes for the backlit readers.  It eases the eyestrain. How about being able to look up a word without having to leave to get your Websters?  All that should be factored in as well. These are all terrific reasons to use a eBook and eReader. What other advantages do you think I’ve missed?

ebooks-and-ereaders

So here is some of the last of our readers  comments.  Is yours among them?  Be sure to read all  the way to the end where we start to move into our authors posts for next week (and I’ve announced the winners) ….

From Theo:

 I mainly purchase books from new authors at publisher site, so authors who go independent without publishers are seldom on my radar, except when they are recommended by multiple people/authors (Jordan L Hawk was recommended by Rhys Ford and KJ Charles, River Jaymes and Leta Blake was recommended by multiple friends). However, once I like books by certain authors, I follow them on social media or subscribe to newsletters to make sure I don’t miss their new works.

From Ami:

Independent Authors: Before, I got to know independent authors from Goodreads reviews. But these days, I don’t go to GR anymore for updates. Instead, I tend to go scrounge the ‘recommendation’ section from Amazon based on books I love. I found them to be useful. I also subscribed to few author’s newsletters, diligently keep track of upcoming sections from favorite publishers and ARe, as well as checking out Netgalleys.

batchelorboy55:

One comment that often gets missed is ‘readability’.
As a librarian (45+ years) we always struggled with how technology could help readers with eyesight issues, blind, aged etc.
The ebook seems to have made that much more accessible than the clunky magnifiers collecting dust in the back corner of the library, as no-one knew how to work them, nor did many come seeking it.
Just as cumbersome were the sets of cassette tapes (some 20 tapes or more), with braille stick-ons indicating playing order.
I now use my ereader with a large font, and when particularly fatigued can swap across to a digital audio, or text to speech audio setting.
I have to admit though that Dragon Speaking still daunts me when it comes to shopping online for titles. Thankfully I’m not quite there yet, and I can guarantee that I’ll have a sizeable TBR collection to wade through first.

Jbst:

Mostly, I find them through review blog sites, known authors’ blogs whose books that I’ve enjoyed, Goodreads and Amazon reviews, Also, it may be through an ebook that I won in a contest or if the story or author was nominated and/or won awards. Sometimes, it’s just because I liked the cover, blurb, genre.

Forgot to mention about that sometimes a freebie book or MM group’s free stories have resulted in finding a new author which I’ve became a fan. Although, I’ve become much more picky about the freebies now.

mztikicat:

I get many referrals/recommendations from friends, group threads and updates at Goodreads. Also follow several m/m blogs, receive emails from Dreamspinner Press, ARe and a few other publishers. And I utilize Bookbub and Amazon, not just for the daily deals, but also for updates regarding new books being released by authors I follow.

 

And finally, ushering us into our blog next Sunday with the author’s point of view, someone who represents both the reader and author’s perspective:

Anna Larson:

As a reader: I don’t pick a book based on author or on publisher. If I like the Blurb and the reviews are decent, I’ll buy it. I get “recommendations” from BookBub, Amazon, Goodreads etc. I don’t check for publisher status at all so I don’t go looking for only from publisher x books. The blurb and a good cover is what will attract me to buy a book from anyone.

As an Author: My first short story was published in e-book format only from a small independent group as the publisher. My first longer book was both print and e-book, the second was e-book only for over a year. And my third is print and e-book from the start. All done independently.

 

Contest Winners!

I want to thank everyone for their wonderful comments.  Here are our winners for the $10 gift certificate (Dreamspinner, or Amazon, or Riptide…your choice) in no particular order.  Notice that there are 5 not 3 winners.  I have added two more because of all the wonderful comments.  I will be in contact with you about your choice of gift card.

  • Fehu
  • Tex Reader
  • batchelorboy55
  • mztikicat
  • Monica

New contest starts next week with our Authors Perspective on eBooks so be here with us for that too!

Now for this week’s schedule.

books-falling-into-kindle

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

slave-huntthe-promise-by-victoria-sueguylinerhexmaker

Sunday, October 16:

  • Here’s Reading You – Readers and Authors (Part II).
  • This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
  • A PaulB Review: The Promise (Sirius Wolves, #4) by Victoria Sue

Monday, October 17:

  • Riptide’s Tour and Giveaway: Slave Hunt (The Subs Club #5) by J.A. Rock
  •  Cover Reveal for Quarry by Elizabeth Noble
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Slave Hunt (The Subs Club #5) by J.A. Rock
  • A Jeri Release Day Review: Guyliner by J. Leigh Bailey
  • A Caryn Release Day Review: The First Act by Vanessa Mulberry
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: A Kind of Honesty by Lane Hayes

Tuesday, October 18:

  • Love those Spooky Boys? Check out Katey Hawthorne’s WITCHY BOYS (excerpt and giveaway)
  • Release Day Tour : Sirius Wolves are back in Full Circle by Victoria Sue (excerpt)
  • Love Wins in ‘Touchdown (Game Day Book 1)‘ by T.S. McKinney Tour (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A MelanieM Release Day Review: Witchy Boys by Katey Hawthorne
  • A Stella Review: Of Love and Corn Dogs by Parker Williams
  • An Ali Audiobook Review: Groomzilla by Tere Michaels and Nick J. Russo Narrator
  • A VVivacious Review: Gryffon Hall by Alexis Duran

Wednesday, October 19:

  • In the Spotlight: Riptide’s Bluewater Blues by G.B. Gordon (giveaway)
  • Release Tour: Tempting Tristan: Tristan Brewer (Harborside Nights #3)by Melissa Foster (giveaway)
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady  Review: Bluewater Blues by GB Gordon
  • A MelanieM Release Day Review: Timing by Mary Calmes
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Hexmaker (Hexworld #2 ) by Jordan L. Hawk
  • An Alisa Release Day Review: A-Viking by Kiernan Kelly

Thursday, October 20:

  • In the Series Spotlight:Mockingbird Place Series Tour by Kris Cook
  • An Alisa Review: The Cowboy in Unit E by Kris Cook
  • An Alisa Review: The Doctor in Unit H by Kris Cook
  • A Jeri Release Day Review: Turn the World Upside Down by Nyrae Dawn
  • A PaulB Review: The Dilemma by Victoria Sue

Friday, October 21:

  • Riptide Tour and Giveaway: Friendly Fire by Cari Z
  • Release Blitz & Review Tour – Con Riley’s Must Like Spinach
  • Blog Tour and Giveaway:AF Henley’s Wolf in League
  • A Caryn Review: One Pulse Anthology
  • A MelanieM Release Day Review: The Disciple (The Wheel Mysteries #4) by Susan Laine
  • A VVivacious Review: My Bare Naked Heart” by David Avery

Saturday, October 22:

  • Review Tour – Alyson Pearce – The Viscount And The Artist
  • A MelanieM Review: The Viscount and The Artist by Alyson Pearce
  • A MelanieM Review: Dragon Detective by Mell Eight

turn-the-world-upside-downthe-disciple-by-susan-lainetempting-tristanthe-first-act-by-vanessa-mulberry

A MelanieM Review: All Hallows’ Eve by Annabelle Jacobs

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

all-hallows-eve-by-annabelle-jacobsWill a centuries-old broken heart ruin the promise of new love?

Dominic Ashworth is descended from a long line of witches, although the family practice of witchcraft died out generations ago. Forever connected to a dark history, the house he grew up in remained in the Ashworth family for generations until his estranged father sold it.

On a mission to check out the new owners, Dominic runs into Caleb Jones and gives the gorgeous man his phone number—but getting a date should be the last thing on Dominic’s agenda.

Caleb and his best friend, Zach Briceworth, are oblivious to the heartache and magic tied to the foundations of their new home. When strange things start to happen, the truth emerges and surprises them both, especially as everything revolves around Caleb’s new love interest.

After a shaky start, Caleb and Dominic settle into an easy relationship, falling faster than either of them expected. But with Halloween approaching, the possibility of danger increases. The past is not always as it seems, and the ripples of a tragic event threaten to put an end to everything between them.

Arriving just in time to satisfy our needs for some supernatural reads comes this terrific tale of thwarted love and hauntings of the heart from Annabelle Jacobs.  All Hallow’s Eve is a tale of two love stories, each separated by centuries but connected by family ties and one house.  The Ashworth witches and their family house has been tied together by a dark history…until one estranged family member sells it to unknowing new owners.

Its such a delicious plot.  A family of witches, ancient lands…and a new owner.  What could possibly happen?  In this case its, Dominic and his sister who own a local bookstore (plus a aunt) who are still keepers of the Ashworth history and as well as being witches themselves.  Too late to keep their father from selling their house, they need to get to know the new owner for any number of reasons.  That Caleb is gorgeous and gay?  A complication that Dominic hadn’t counted on.

Jacobs has to weave not only present  day characters and their stories into that time frame and mysterious goings on but also put into play the centuries old heartbreak and mystery at the core of this story.  An entire storyline, complete with characters, dialog, and history had to be created as well.  Realistically enough that we felt for them equally as we do for those in present times.  Its quite the accomplishment that we come to do so, especially so at the end of the story.

I thought the author  did a wonderful job of building the suspense and dread just through the house itself.  From the anticipatory walk down the stairs in the basement to the behavior of the cat, sometimes just the creepiness of the atmosphere was enough to make your skin crawl.    You were really waiting for the ghost to pop out and say boo.

While I wish more could have been made of the fact that the father’s role was short of disastrous in this, from selling the house to not supporting his kids, only to quickly return? Hmmm….I wished for more there.

However, the rest of the story absolutely satisfied.  I loved the rush to figure out how the past was going to return and  endanger those in the present and who was going to be affected the most.  It was chilling when it had to be, poignant when called for, and romantically heartwarming for all at the end. And at All Hallows’ Eve.  Amazing and quite wonderful.

I definitely recommend this story.  Its a terrific read at this time of year or anytime actually.  Grab it up and have a spooktacular time!

Cover art by Natasha Snow is terrific and works for the story.

Sales Links

7104e-waxcreative-amazon-kindle

 

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 248 pages
Published October 5th 2016 by Annabelle Jacobs
ASINB01M1CXXUN
Edition LanguageEnglish

Release Day Blitz for Suncatcher – Smilodon Pride Book 2 by Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus (Author and Character Interviews, exclusive excerpt and giveaway)

Sunchaser Release Blitz Banner

Smilodon Pride, Book Two
Genre: Paranormal, Adventure
Length: Novel

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words got lucky and not only are the authors here today but the 3 main characters as well!  We cornered them all and gave them some questions to answer and this is how it turned out!

From the authors, Beryll & Osiris Brackhaus:

  • Will we see more of the siblings interacting in this series?

Yes, we absolutely will. This book had a little scene with Roan’s and Connor’s sister Deirdre having her first appearance in person. The next book in the series, ‘Moonstealer’, will be mainly about her, but there will be some interaction with her brother Connor from ‘Softpaw’. As the series progresses, we plan to bring all of them together more closely, with more interaction between them until the three storylines converge altogether.

  • Will we learn more about Martin?

Eventually, his past will be revealed and he will even be able to turn back into a human. But there’s no miracle cure for him – it’s going to be a piece of work for the entire pride.

  • Will we see more about the twist at the end of the first book with the judge?

Yes, of course. All three storyline are connected and will merge at some point over the course of the series. As it stands for now, the next book after ‘Moonstealer’ will return to Paris and continue Connor’s and Michel’s storyline. Though we also plan to have something of a poll for our readers once ‘Moonstealer’ is out, to see how and where they’d like the story to continue. The way we have set up the series, with three initial storylines that will eventually converge into one, we have several options on whom to put the focus on in future books. So while we will continue with the overall storyline as planned, there’s definitely going to be reader input involved.

From the characters, Betsy, Roan and their wolf friend, Martin:

For Betsy: How does it feel to be human amid non humans? How scary, small…wild…is it?

  • Betsy: First of all, let me thank you for having us here today. It’s such a rare thing that I can talk freely about those things. So how does it feel? Oh my. It’s exciting and scary at the same time. I may have lived my whole life in that small town, but I was always so curious about the world and the internet opens up so many opportunities to bring the world into your home, and into your mind. I think all things considered I was reasonably well prepared for the challenges. Although most of the facts in my novels turned out to be garbage, really, the general idea of what to do and not to do was right. What they really don’t prepare you for is the shedding. And the smell. Those huge predators can get really smelly and they are so HARD to wash. *laughs*

I think what annoys me most is how useless I sometimes feel. In the books, they never mention how squishy you feel, with my soft skin and with no claws or proper teeth. But then I remind myself of all my useful skills and just carry on. Roan says I think too much anyway. *laughs again*

For Roan: The exact same question and also how hard also was it to pose as a human?

  • Roan: Yeah. Hi. Really, I don’t mind living as a human for a little while. I even like my human body. It’s the humans who tend to annoy me, especially when there are many in one place. I feel boxed in, and that makes me want to shred them, which is generally frowned upon.
  • Betsy: *frowns at him*
  • Roan: See? Exactly. *laughs* No, seriously. Human life if so tedious and planned. It’s boring to know exactly what you will be doing next month or even next year. But Betsy’s okay. It’s a bit weird to have a mixed-species-pride, but then again – I don’t really give a fuck. We’re cool.
  • Martin (from the floor): Arf!

What made you rescue the wolf?

  • Roan: Stupidity? Yeah, that. It was foolish, unnecessary and a typical spur of the moment decision. Do I regret it? Obviously not. I love my stupid, stinky mutt!
  • Martin (from the floor): *groans, but doesn’t even look up*
  • Betsy (whispers): He’s got a conscience, but don’t tell anyone.

For all of you…what do you think keeps you all together?

  • Betsy (looks at both Roan and Martin): I think our skills and personalities compliment each other really well. I provide the social aspect and the knowledge of the modern world, Roan does the fighting and hunting and brooding and Martin reminds us how happy the simple things in life make us.
  • Roan: Uh… I don’t know? And I don’t really care, either. I mean, it works, why question it? Stupid question.
  • Martin: *sits up with a giant doggy grin, threatens to lick Roan’s face*
  • Roan: NO! Down! Get off me, you…!

Synopsis

Roan has pretended to be a human for long enough. He needs to get out of town and roam the land, as any proper werecat should.

The last thing he wants is his conscience insisting he should save an abused werewolf from a traveling circus first. The very last thing he expects is the local sheriff’s daughter having the exact same idea – and beating him to the punch.

Their rescue goes spectacularly wrong, and suddenly Roan, Betsy and their crippled wolf find themselves fleeing across the US for the Mexican border, chased by the police and vengeful circus fey alike.

Sunchaser is a non-romance, road-movie-ish urban fantasy adventure novel about a werecat drifter, a wide-eyed human girl and a defective werewolf learning that sometimes, family really is the ones you didn’t pick.

Exclusive Excerpt

Roan let go of the human shape he had been holding onto. Usually, it took a little effort to shift, but this time, it felt like the human just flowed out of him like water from a broken jug. His cat body took the place of his human one in less time than it took for Betsy to blink. Finally on four paws again, Roan shook himself and breathed in deeply. The scents of the wilderness washed over him, exactly the feast he had been imagining. Subtle aromas of plants and dry earth and fine trails of prey. The bright smell of jackrabbit was strongest. Not far from here at all.

“Gosh, you are just magnificent, you know that?” Betsy’s voice startled him.

He hadn’t even noticed she was still there. It was odd since her scent was the strongest around, warm and special. He couldn’t even put a name to it. It was entirely her. And entirely familiar, he realized. He hadn’t paid attention to it because it had been near him constantly. It was a scent he had come to associate with things being right.

She was looking at him, her eyes shining with honest awe. It made him first stand up straighter and then stretch languidly, putting his grace on display. Then he walked over to her to gently rub his nose against her cheek, taking care not to poke her with his sabre teeth. Yeah, maybe Martin was impressive, but he didn’t make her give such a breathless little laugh like she did now. The touch of her fingers as she trailed them down his neck wasn’t casually petting, but as reverential as it should be. A deep purr reverberated through him.

Then he pulled away.

There would still be time for a thorough scratching later. He jumped up onto a rock, striking another majestic pose in the moonlight for Betsy, before he disappeared into the night.

Sunchaser Book Cover

Buy Links

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0H6JIO/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01M0H6JIO/
Amazon DE: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01M0H6JIO/
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01M0H6JIO/

Giveaway

Prizes: 2 ecopies of Softpaw, Smilodon Pride, Book One

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Start your journey with Book One in the Smilodon Pride series:

Softpaw

Connor’s life used to be the dream of any cultured werecat. He spent his days in Paris’ gay quarter with comfortably little real work, playing the piano, surrounded by art, fine food and good friends. Now, a feral vampire preys on the prostitutes of ‘his’ quarter, killing the boys of the Marais one by one.

When Connor invites a newly arrived hooker to stay on his houseboat, the last thing he expects is Michel to be a member of the Brigade Criminelle – a troubled, hunky rookie cop sent undercover to explore Connor’s connection to the murders, picked mostly because he had been a boy of the Marais himself, not so long ago.

Hiding their true natures becomes a problem for both when their initial attraction becomes much more than they ever thought possible. But in order to bring down the serial killer and maybe have a chance at making their relationship work out, one of them will have to take the first, critical leap…

Softpaw Book Cover

Buy Links

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GU4WWYG/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01GU4WWYG/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-softpaw-2054902-145.html
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/635900
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/softpaw-osiris-brackhaus/1123795331?ean=2940153018201#productInfoTabs
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/de-de/ebook/softpaw

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/softpaw/id1113949196?mt=11

About the authors

Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus are a couple currently living their happily ever after in the very heart of Germany, under the stern but loving surveillance of their cat.
Both of them are voracious but picky readers, they love telling stories and drinking tea, good food and the occasional violent movie. Together, they write novels of adventure and romance, hoping to share a little of their happiness with their readers.

Beryll
An artist by heart, Beryll wrote stories even before she knew what letters were. As easily inspired as she is frustrated, her own work is never good enough (in her eyes). A perfectionist in the best and worst sense of the word and the driving creative force of the duo.

Osiris

An entertainer and craftsman in his approach to writing, Osiris is the down-to-earth, practical part of the team. Broadly interested in almost every subject and skill, with a sunny mood and caring personality, he strives to bring the human nature into focus of each of his stories.

Website: http://www.brackhaus.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Osiris-Brackhaus/100011014541510
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brackhaus

Release Blitz & Review Tour – Annabelle Jacobs’ All Hallows’ Eve

Annabelle Jacobs – All Hallows’ Eve

Author: Annabelle Jacobs
 
Cover Design: Natasha Snow
Length: 81,000 words
 
Buy Links: Amazon US Amazon UK
 
Blurb
Will a centuries-old broken heart ruin the promise of new love?


Dominic Ashworth is descended from a long line of witches, although the family practice of witchcraft died out generations ago. Forever connected to a dark history, the house he grew up in remained in the Ashworth family for generations until his estranged father sold it.


On a mission to check out the new owners, Dominic runs into Caleb Jones and gives the gorgeous man his phone numberóbut getting a date should be the last thing on Dominicís agenda.


 


Caleb and his best friend, Zach Briceworth, are oblivious to the heartache and magic tied to the foundations of their new home. When strange things start to happen, the truth emerges and surprises them both, especially as everything revolves around Calebís new love interest.

 

After a shaky start, Caleb and Dominic settle into an easy relationship, falling faster than either of them expected. But with Halloween approaching, the possibility of danger increases. The past is not always as it seems, and the ripples of a tragic event threaten to put an end to everything between them.
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 itófighting enemies and adversityóbut they always find love in the end.


Author Links


Twitter ñ https://twitter.com/AJacobs_fiction


Website ñ www.annabellejacobs.com


Email ñ ajacobsfiction@gmail.com


Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ajacobsfiction

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A Paul Review: To Catch His Mate by JD Walker

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

to-catch-his-mateA young mix cat shifter cub comes to a campsite tired and hungry.  Smelling food, he investigates further.  There, a man sees the cub collapse before him and gives him something to eat.  The cub shifts into a human boy.  The man makes like nothing unusual happened.  He takes the boy in, names him Felix and raises him as his son.

Felix Cotter grows up and moves to Atlanta.  As an insurance investigator, he uses his were senses to help get the truth for his employer.  He is assigned a case where safes are being cracked and robbed in almost impossible to get into places.  While he investigates, Felix finds the scent of the culprit strangely enticing.  When he catches his man, he will be glad the case is over but upset that the man behind this alluring scent will have to go to jail.

Tyler Panterone has recently been laid off.  When he went out with a couple of other guys who had also been laid off, he changed into his panther form.  The men use this to blackmail Tyler into a string of robberies to steal jewels for their boss.  Seeing he has no other choice, he does so.  That is until he is caught one night by Felix.  He explains to the handsome investigator his tale of woe.  While Felix wants to find a way to keep Tyler out of jail, Tyler himself is half resigned that he will be doing time or worse, outed as a shifter.  To complicate matters, Ben, the man who raised Felix, is suffering from health problems.  Will Felix and Tyler find their happiness amongst their problems?

I really wanted to like this book more than I did.  The romance aspect came across alright.  The shifter part of the book was standard fair.  The mystery aspect of the book however fell flat for me.  The author leads you right to the suspects at the first opportunity.  And I figured out the surprise reveal way too early in the book for my tastes.  Granted this is not primarily a mystery novel but I would have liked better development of that part of the story.

The cover design by Written Ink Designs is alright for the book.  It has Felix’s white tiger shifted form and a young man in a contemplative pose in the bottom half. 

Sales Links

JMS Books LLC

7104e-waxcreative-amazon-kindle

Book Details

EBook, 123 pages

Edition Language:  English

Published:  March 30, 2016 by JMS Books

ISBN:  9781634860673

Let’s Go Legend Tripping with Wolf’s Clothing by E.J. Russell (giveaway and release tour)

wolfsclothing-600x900

Wolf’s Clothing (Legend Tripping) by E.J. Russell
R
iptide Publishing
Cover art by L.C. Chase

Read an Excerpt/Buy It Here

About Wolf’s Clothing

What do you do when you finally prove the existence of the otherworld, but the ghosts kick your ass?

For Trent Pielmeyer, the answer is run like hell—away from his hostile family, away from the disbelieving cops, and far, far, far away from anything that smacks of the supernatural. After seven years’ captivity in a whacked-out alternate dimension, he is so over legend tripping.

When Christophe Clavret spots Trent in a Portland bar, he detects a kindred spirit—another man attempting to outrun the darkness of his own soul. But despite their sizzling chemistry, Trent’s hatred of the uncanny makes Christophe hesitant to confide the truth: he’s a werewolf, one of a dwindling line, the victim of a genetic curse extending back to feudal Europe.

But dark forces are at work, threatening more than their growing love. If Christophe can’t win Trent’s trust, and if Trent can’t overcome his fear of the paranormal, the cost could be Trent’s freedom and Christophe’s humanity. Or it might be both their lives.

Available from Riptide Publishing: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/wolfs-clothing-legend-tripping-novel

About EJ Russell

E.J. Russell holds a BA and an MFA in theater, so naturally she’s spent the last three decades as a financial manager, database designer, and business-intelligence consultant. After her twin sons left for college and she no longer spent half her waking hours ferrying them to dance class, she returned to her childhood love of writing fiction. Now she wonders why she ever thought an empty nest meant leisure.

E.J. lives in rural Oregon with her curmudgeonly husband, the only man on the planet who cares less about sports than she does. She enjoys visits from her wonderful adult children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.

Connect with E.J.:

Website: ejrussell.com
Blog: ejrussell.com/bloggery/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/E.J.Russell.author
Twitter: twitter.com/ej_russell
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/ejrussell/

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Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Wolf’s Clothing, one lucky winner will receive a $25 Riptide Publishing gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on October 15, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!