Category: M/M Paranormal Fiction

A Paul B Review: Dangerous Territory by Cari Z

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Dangerous TerritoryIn an alternate reality where shifter natives inhabit the Wild West, Carter Bly cannot believe how things have gone so wrong since his father’s death.  Having inherited half of the family ranch, Carter faces paying a dowry for his sister’s upcoming wedding.  Because of this and laws where the husband actually controls his wife’s property, Carter must face the fact that he is now a minority owner of the family ranch with no real say in how things are run.  Rather than live under these circumstances, Carter decides to buy himself out of the ranch.  However, his new brother in law is trying to make this impossible.  In order to pay for everything, Carter must get his part of the cattle herd to auction before his unscrupulous relative.

A family friend contacts the local shifter tribe to help Carter drive his herd through the canyon before the rains come.  The chief sends his son Rani as the man to help Carter.  The man states that he will walk his way, which will not be a problem with his shifter stamina.  As the two begin their two-week trek through the canyon, Carter becomes attracted to his guide.  However, Carter reminds himself it is better to be alone than to possible face rejection or worse from the man.  The men must survive the weather, snakes, and a crippling injury in their race to beat Carter’s brother in law to market.  But they must first survive the trip and each other in order to do so.

I found this to be an interesting twist on the shifter story.  This is not the old west as we know it.  The story is set in the late 1800’s in the Oklahoma Territory.  However, we have a Republic of Texas, a Dukedom of Louisiana and mentions the original thirteen colonies.  So it is definitely not our timeline.  The native tribes are all shifters.

I thought the pacing of bringing Carter and Rani was well done.  Carter tells himself that the feelings he beings to have for Rani are probably misplaced.  Rani on the other hand knows that Carter is attracted to him from the beginning but basically ignores the fact until later in the drive.  When Carter’s life if threatened is when Rani begins to show his feelings toward Carter.  The care Rani shows Carter gives Carter hope that there might be something more there than he realizes.  Cari Z once again comes through with this book.

The cover art by the author Cari Z shows a cowboy holding his lariat at sunset with a snake that appears to be coming out of the clouds.  It is a fitting cover for the book.

Sales Links:  Less Than Three Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

Ebook, 56 pages
Published:  January 12, 2016 by Less Than Three Press
Edition Language:  English
ISBN:  9781620046937

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Dangerous Territory by Cari Z

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Dangerous TerritoryWhen Connor’s spinster sister, Millie, marries a scheming money-hungry man who immediately takes steps to control the ranch Connor and his sister inherited when their father died a month ago, there’s little he can do to hang on to his share of the ranch. His only choice is to get his share of the cattle to market before his scheming brother-in-law, Percy, takes the rest of the herd. And Percy has already secured passage on the barge that goes to the town where the annual auction will take place, so Connor’s only choice is to take his cattle through Mason Canyon. The problem is that it’s in the territory of the local shifter clan, and the canyon is heavily populated by very large, very venomous snakes.

Keena, his father’s longtime foreman, is half shifter and arranges for the son of the new clan chief to accompany Connor and get him through the canyon safely. Shifters aren’t known for being helpful to others but the new chief sees this as a test for his son’s abilities and finds it an opportunity to help a neighbor who has coexisted peacefully with the clan for years.

Along the journey, the very quiet Rani finally opens up to Connor when Connor offers to teach him to ride his stallion. Can the two men ever find a common ground when it becomes obvious they are attracted to each other? Can they get the herd through the canyon without casualties from snakes or flooding? And more importantly, does Connor have any future without his ranch but with the possibility of having Rani at his side?

It’s amazing that the author was able to build a complex story which took place in multiple locations and still build three-dimensional characters, who were tough, yet gentle, and apparent enemies who manage to become lovers—all within a short 56 pages. All of the above questions are answered and there’s even more drama than what’s mentioned. The shifter population was different from the usual, and the form Rani shifted into is quite unexpected and unique. I really enjoyed this couple and would like to read more about them in the future. This novella could easily serve as the first book in a very interesting series, and if it does, I hope we get to see more of Connor and Rani as they make a commitment to remain together against all odds.

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Cover art by Cari Z is a very clever depiction of a cowboy silhouetted against a cloudy, orange-tinted sky. When one looks closely, a very long snake can be seen in the background of the clouds. This is the perfect depiction of Connor who has to make his way through the dangerous snake’s territory.

Sales Links:   Less Than Three Press | ARe | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 56 pages
Published January 13th 2016 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781620046937
Edition LanguageEnglishsettingOklahoma Territory (United States)

A BJ Review: Mocker of Ravens (SPECTR 2, #1) by Jordan L. Hawk

Rating:  4.25 stars out of 5

Moker of RavensCaleb has spent the last six months adjusting to life possessed by the vampire spirit Gray. Unfortunately, after the events of Fort Sumter, the other agents of SPECTR view him more as a ticking time bomb than a co-worker.

The one bright spot is Caleb and Gray’s boyfriend, federal exorcist John Starkweather. But John has problems of his own. A supernatural killer is on the loose in Charleston, stealing the hearts of its victims to extend its own unnatural life.

With the help of a rookie agent, John, Caleb, and Gray must find the killer before it strikes again…or before they become the demon’s next victims.

Sometimes saving the world just isn’t enough… shakes head. After the events of the finale in series two, you’d think they guys would have found the respect of SPECTR. But no, it’s more like a tentative, tenacious acceptance, if even that. A new dickhead boss and more things for the boy to work though even as they are given a case up against a NHE with a seriously freaky power.

As I’ve come to do in the past books, its Gray the drakul who fascinates me the most. But the chemistry between all three partners in this unusual triad is palpable, vividly drawn, and sexy hot. They still have many things to work through, and we see some of them coming out nicely in this book. I never had noticed in the prior books that Gray’s parts are written in present tense and the rest of the POVs are in past tense. I believe I hadn’t noticed before because I read Hunter of Demons as a freebie, and there was not a great deal from Gray’s perspective in that one. The rest of the first ones were on audio. So noticing this point of view tense shift threw threw me a bit, but at the same time I do understand why its used. Gray is a creature that lives in the present rather than dwelling in the past or living in the future as humans do. Really rather cool when considered in that way.

Nicely paced with just the right amount of sexy times, action, and angst. The guys get a new partner, Zahira, and I absolutely adored her. Hope we will get to know more about her.

Beautiful cover featuring John that is different enough from SPECTR #1 to set it apart and yet similar enough to tie it in. Well done with that.

Sales Link:  Amazon   Buy it Here


Book Details:  

ebook, 95 pages
Published June 16th 2015 (first published June 10th 2015)
ISBN139781941230121
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesSPECTR 2 #1

A Free Dreamer Review: Kanaan & Tilney: The Case of the Arms Dealers by Katey Hawthorne & J. Rose

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Kanaan & TilneyJohn Tilney–praeternatural pyrokinetic and mystery author–has noticed the bottom dropping out of the market for his usual gothic fare, so he goes to Lowell Kanaan, PI, for a crash course in noir. Lowell, the cranky wolf-shifter detective, isn’t sure why he agrees to let John shadow him–though it might have something to do with John’s weirdly endearing honesty… and pretty lips. John thinks he’s found the perfect detective novel hero in Lowell, but it isn’t long before he realizes he doesn’t want Lowell for his book, but for himself.

As they become entangled in a supernatural whodunnit involving the Zombie Mafia, black market body parts, and shady insurance deals, their partnership grows closer–and hotter. But when it comes down to the wire, Lowell’s wolfy protective side threatens to drive John around the bend, or at least out of the office. Good thing John’s as much sunshine as he is fire; hopefully it’s enough to help them catch a murderer before they end up in literal pieces, too.

 When I read the title, I figured this was going to be about an arms – as in weapons – dealer. Instead, it was about an arms – as in body parts – dealer. Definitely a very unusual idea, especially since the arms dealing business isn’t portrayed as evil here.

The authors created a delightfully insane and intriguing world here, with lots of interesting new paranormal praeternatural races/creatures. They obviously put a lot of thought into their world and that definitely paid off. I loved the variety of all those exciting new creatures and the authors’ new interpretation of commonly known ones such as shifters.

The world building was pretty good, even if one of the basics was missing for me. I never could quite figure out if there were normal humans in this world too and if so, whether knew about the praeternaturals.

At times, this was utterly hilarious. I love a book that can make me laugh without making the whole plot ridiculous. Sometimes the humour was a bit too much for me, but I generally prefer darker reads, so it might just have been me.

The mystery part didn’t play that big of a role in the plot, but since I’m more a fan of fantasy than mystery, that was fine by me. Just don’t expect extensive detective work.

What really bothered me was the relationship. It was so very insta. John confesses his feelings to Lowell, Lowell confesses his feelings for John, they make out, John confesses he’s demisexual, they have sex. A little build-up to the big confession and the following sex would have been greatly appreciated. It all seemed very sudden to me and I couldn’t really relate to their feelings.

I also wasn’t too fond of the categorical condemnation of the BSPD, the praeternatural police force. I missed an explanation as to why they were all so incompetent and unwilling to actually help.

I also wasn’t too fond of John. Sure, his powers were pretty cool, but overall he just seemed really weird to me.

Overall, this book was okay. The world was great, but the romance was kind of disappointing. If you’re okay with insta-love and enjoy unique fantasy worlds, then I’m sure you will like this book.

The cover by Dar Albert shows Lowell and John with the skyline of a big city during the night. It fits the story and the MCs match the descriptions in the book.

Sales Links:  Loose id | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 206 pages
Published October 26th 2015 by Loose Id LLC
ASIN B0178F3JPM
Edition Language English

A BJ Review: Tracefinder: Contact (Tracefinder #1) by Kaje Harper

Rating:  4.75 stars out of 5

TracefinderWhat could an undercover cop and a drug lord’s pet psychic have in common?

Brian Kerr has spent years hiding behind a facade of mental slowness. His brother and sister got all three of them off the streets and into a cushy life, under the protection of a dangerous criminal. But to keep that safety, Brian has to use his Finding talent to track down the boss’s enemies. Although he pretends not to know what he’s really doing, each Find takes its toll, and he’s trapped in a life he hates, losing touch with his true self.

Nick Rugo’s job is to protect and serve the people of Minneapolis as an undercover cop. He isn’t closeted, but he isn’t out at work, and there’s a wild, angry side to him that he’s managed to keep hidden until now. When he’s assigned to bring Brian’s boss to justice, he intends to use anything and anyone it takes to do that.

Nick initially sees Brian as a pawn to be played in his case, but he keeps getting glimpses of a different man behind the slow, simpleminded mask. As the two men get to know each other, it becomes clear they share secrets, some of which might get them both killed.

A very usual contemporary with a paranormal twist and flawed characters of an entirely different type than I’m used to reading. This one set itself apart from most that I’ve read and stuck in my head (in a good way). Each and every character is interesting, multi-layered, and well-drawn, the pacing moved well, and there were even well-handled animal characters which is always a plus for me. This story unfolds slowly but it didn’t take long to discover that for those like me who love broken boys, this series promises to be a find indeed.

Not high on the heat meter and even the romance element is on the milder side, but that seems fitting given the characters in this story. Nick Rugo and Brian Kerr are worlds apart in many ways, but they share difficult childhoods that have left them trying hold themselves together by whatever means they can. Nick often deals by lashing out in physical violence such as bar fights, while Brian deals by hiding within himself behind the persona of a simpleton called Bry. But is Bry real or did Brian create him as a cover? Even Brian himself seems confused on that point.

The author rather leaves us guessing as to what exactly is wrong with Brian aside from severe dyslexia. How much of who he is (or pretends to be?) is the result of a defense mechanism he began in childhood? How slow/special needs is he really? That’s not immediately clear. Hell, it’s not even totally clear by the end. And I actually loved that. It kept me thinking and guessing and trying to piece things out.

In the end, I decided that regardless of how slow Brian might be, one thing is for sure, he’s far from stupid. His intelligence shines though to me in many ways. Devising an intricate ruse/cover (or even playing into it) and keeping it up over the long haul wouldn’t have been easy. I loved how sometimes Brian’s true intelligence would slip out in the things he said, and how adept he was at covering them up with quick thinking and acting. Also Brian certainly seemed to have a handle on good/bad and right/wrong–he continuously makes insightful and succinct judgments about those around him and his insights into the motivations of others showed a high degree of intuitiveness.

I applaud the author for tackling this rather different type of romance. At first I had a hard time seeing how these two could forge a relationship that would believably complement each other without being woefully uneven, without one being more of a caregiver. By the end of the book, the author had me believably seeing how these two men complemented each other, how each had needs that the other met, and that they were if not equal, at least moving towards it. I felt the sexy bits were skillfully handled and fitting for this couple.

Brian’s siblings, Lori and Damon, are also nuanced characters with complicated motivations that make them far from black/white, bad/good. I’m glad this will be a series because I there are so many questions still in my mind, so many things I’d love to explore and learn about all of them.

When I read a story, connecting to the characters is probably one of the most important things for me. I definitely got that here. I liked Nick, found Brian fascinating, and adored badass Damon. I hope there’ll be more of him in the book two.

The cover is eye-catching and hot. Love everything about it, the layout, the model, the black and white with just a flash of color, it’s perfect.

Sales Links:   Goodreads |  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here
Book Details: 518 pages
Published January 9th, 2016 by Kaje Harper

A Barb, the Zany Old Lady Review: Horsefeathers by Caitlin Ricci

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

HorsefeathersWhen Justin arrives at the mustang roundup run by the Bureau of Land Management, he’s dismayed to see that none of the mares or geldings meet the requirements his boss had given him for his next purchase. But he’s fascinated by a dark gray stallion, one with unusual forest-green eyes. The first time Brother Mustang sees Justin, he’s rightfully fearful and wants to charge the man, but Nohatu, the human who lives side-by-side in Brother Mustang’s mind is able to keep the stallion calm. Unfortunately for them, Justin makes the purchase, and Nohatu and Brother Mustang find themselves taken far away from the land they’ve known.

Caitlin Ricci took an interesting twist on shifters with this story. Each half lives within the current form, but they are not one and do not always agree. In addition, the human prefers being in the shifted form, even though he’s often in a subjugated position. We learn rather quickly that Nohatu prefers sex with men because as soon as he’s found in the stallion’s pen, he’s shipped off to the bus station, and on the way, he manages to seduce Justin into stopping for a quick blowjob. It turns out that sex is the means by which they pass on the spark to shift when they meet someone who appears to be of “their kind.” And they believe Justin is. The way the background is filled in is via storytelling by Nohatu of the tale of his own turning. It’s a clever way to impart a lot of information in a brief way.

Overall, the story was very short, but it was packed with a lot of information. On the negative side, there was no time for a romantic buildup, and in fact, it felt like there wasn’t even a romantic element promised for the future. The story ends with a HFN and actually felt as if might have been an introduction to some future series or novel.

There also wasn’t enough time to fully develop any of the characters, and although I felt a little sympathetic to Justin, I lost that when he made his decision at the end. And because Nohatu and Brother Mustang were at odds with each other throughout most of the story, and neither had a likeable personality, I couldn’t manage any empathy toward their joint or individual well-being.

Since it is so short and does display a clever and interesting treatment of shifters, I’d recommend the story to those who enjoy paranormal shifter stories with a different twist.

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Cover art by Natasha Snow features a leafy background on which is the head of a white horse, looking down, with some of his mane flopped forward. If I look closely, I can see a hawk-like bird instead of the horse—one ear a beak, one a body, and the horse’s mane the full wingspan of a hawk in flight. It may be an optical illusion, but due to the content of the story, I suspect the artist did this purposely, and if so, she did a remarkable job.

Sales Links:   Less Than Three Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook
Published January 13th 2016 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781620046920
Edition LanguageEnglish
URL settingColorado (United States)