A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: A Cowboy’s Home (Montana #3) by R.J. Scott

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

a-cowboys-home-by-rj-scott One burned and broken man finds his way home. Can he find peace in the arms of a man easy to love?

Justin made the ultimate sacrifice for his country, battling domestic terrorism, never the man he really was, using hate to avenge the death of his best friend. The friend he’d killed.

What he doesn’t count on is getting shot, and if he’s going to die he wants it to be on Crooked Tree soil. Home.

Sam is as much a part of Crooked Tree as any of the families, and the offer to buy into the ranch is a dream come true. But falling for a hidden, secretive, injured man isn’t the way to keep his head in the game.
I’m thrilled that I was given the opportunity to read book three in this series for review. I loved book two so much I went back and read book one so I was more than ready for book three. I had high hopes that this would be even better than book two, which was full of action, danger, and intrigue. And though this book had action, most of it was in the telling of past events, and the potential intrigue and danger of Justin’s return home after a twelve-year absence was easily resolved and not suspenseful at all.

On the down side, there was quite a bit of time devoted to Justin’s inability to make up his mind about what he would do next, where he wanted to live, what he could safely share with others, and how unfit he was to share his life with another man, particularly Ben. And though they grew close while Justin was injured, once he left and later returned, he avoided Ben for reasons that were shaky at best, boring at worst.

I did have to suspend disbelief to get past how the mystery was cleared up, and I was so done with Ethan and Adam and their behaviors long before the big reveal. And that’s upsetting because I really like both men in book two. They were so strong and together, but in this one, Adam walked around like a zombie with Ethan as his protective mama. Justin’s father, Marcus, was totally cluelessness and had his head so far in the clouds (or in his own you know what!) that I could barely tolerate him. I just found that there was way too much time spent worrying and doubting and spinning in circles without accomplishing anything at all for much too much of the story.

So, sadly, this wasn’t on a par with the others, and certainly not as good as book two. I liked it, mostly because I was already invested in this group of people, but I really can’t see giving this one more than three stars.

Cover art by Meredith Russell depicts both good-looking MCs against an outdoors Montana background. The soft colors and artwork tie it to the others in the series.

Sales Links

Book Details:

ebook
Published July 8th 2016 by Love Lane Books Limited
Edition LanguageEnglish
URLhttp://rjscottauthor.blogspot.com/2016/03/a-cowboys-home.html
SeriesMontana #3

A Caryn Review: The Eleventh Hour by Elin Gregory

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

the-eleventh-hour-by-elin-gregory This book has it all! Action, adventure, romance, spies, car chases, explosives, intrigue, cross-dressing…

Wait. What? Cross-dressing?

Yes indeedy. London, 1928. Ten years after the end of the Great War. An anarchist threat against the British Government foiled by a cross dressing linguistic specialist.

I loved it all. I was immediately drawn into this fast paced adventure where field agent Briers Allerdale teams up with linguistic agent Miles Siward to track down and neutralize the vicious terrorist Andrija. Briers has been stationed in the Balkans for years, and is one of the only men who’s ever seen Andrija’s face, and those of his comrades. He gathered intelligence that Andrija was on his way to London with his henchmen, but no one knows what Andrija has planned, or what his target is. They only know that Andrija’s girlfriend and co-conspirator has taken up a position as a nanny next door to a diplomat with the Foreign Office. With nothing else to go on, the home office decides to station Briers and Miles to do surveillance of Josephine and try to discover the rest of the plot. The catch? They must pose as a married couple in the rooming house across the street.

Although Miles hasn’t been an active field agent, he is a very talented actor, and the home office has used him to impersonate women in the past, though only for very minor and short missions. This mission will require him to be much more convincing on a longer term, as he needs to fool not only the people in the rooming house, but Andrija’s girlfriend as well. While Miles might be unassuming, his alter ego Millie is brash, brave, and intelligent, and more than up to the task. Briers is impressed first with Millie, but over time he recognizes that Miles is braver than he thought, equally clever, and worthy of respect. Affection grows between the two men, but their focus remains on the mission, on bringing down Andreja and saving England.

The book is, therefore, primarily an adventure. The romance is secondary, but I still enjoyed watching as Miles and Brier went from wary colleagues to casual lovers to a true couple. The descriptions of being gay at this time in England were very interesting, especially how men of the lavender persuasion went about finding other like minded men. Miles’ female impersonations, though necessary for national security, opened him up to ridicule and derision, and I loved how the author described his inner conflict of enjoying becoming his alter ego while concurrently being ashamed of enjoying it. Briers had a great deal of sensitivity about it as well, recognizing that Millie is actually an essential part of Miles.

Historical fiction buffs will love this, with the realistic trivia of daily life in interwar London. Action aficionados will love the car chase (high speed was less than 40 mph then!) and the sewer reconnaissance. Readers like me who enjoy character development will appreciate how two quite different men came to know and love each other. Highly recommended!

The cover art is different, murky. Not sure what to think of it exactly.

Sales Links

Amazon US, Amazon UK and Smashwords

Book Details:

ebook, 248 pages
Published August 1st 2016 by Manifold Press
ISBN139781908312402
Edition LanguageEnglish
URL http://manifoldpress.co.uk

Jay Northcote’s Into You Release Tour

Jay Northcote – Into You

Author: Jay Northcote

Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design

Length: 57,000 words

Release Date: September 9 2016

Buy Links: Amazon US Amazon UK

Blurb

What do you do when the body you wake up in isnít yours?

Olly and Scott promised to be best friends forever. They grew up on the same street, went to the same school, and did everything together. But one hot summer night, teenage experimentation caused hurt feelings and confusion, and their friendship was destroyed.

Four years later theyíre both eighteen years old and in their final term at school. Scott is a football star and Ollyís preparing for a main role in the school play. After a heated argument in the streetówitnessed by their mysterious, elderly neighbouróthey wake up the next morning stuck in each otherís bodies.

With no idea how to get back to normal, they have to co-operate in order to hide their secret. Spending time together rekindles their friendship, yet feelings run deeper for both of them. With the end of school fast approaching, the clock is ticking. Unless they discover how to change back, they could be stuck in the wrong bodies forever.

Excerpt

The sound of music playing pulled Scott from a thick blanket of sleep into
wakefulness. He lay curled on his side; his room was darker than usual, as though someone had come in and closed the blinds while he slept. His bed felt weird, softer than it should be, and it smelled different.
He sat up, blinking in confusion as he looked around. He took in the room, the details unclear in the half-light that crept around the edges of the blind, but it was enough for him to realise where he was.
The posters on the wall were new, but the layout hadnít changed in four years.
What the fuck?
It wasnít possible. Logic told Scott there was no way this could be happening.
Heíd gone to sleep in his own bedóhe hadnít been drunk or high. So why the hell was he waking up in Ollyís room with no recollection of how he got there? And where the hell was Olly? The music that had woken him was coming from a phone on a docking station by the bed. He picked it up and pressed some buttons until it stopped. His brain was fogged with sleep and he couldnít think clearly.
Scott got out of bed on shaky legs. His hip ached as though it was bruised.
Actually, his whole body felt weird. Perhaps he was sick? Maybe this was all some bizarre hallucination?
Pulling the cord to raise the blind, Scott flooded the room with light. He looked down at himself, onlyÖ.
He closed his eyes and shook his head. When he opened them again, he still didnít see himself. His body was too thin, his skin too pale, the hair on his legs darker than usual, and he definitely didnít own any snug purple briefs like the ones he was currently wearing.
Stomach roiling with disbelief and terror, Scott turned to the full-length mirror on the wall and blinked.
Ollyís reflection stared back looking as horrified as Scott felt. Scott raised his hands to his face, and so did Olly in the mirror.
ìThis isnít happening,î he said.
The voice was Ollyís too, softer and a little higher-pitched than Scottís own.
It was the weirdest, most vivid dream Scott had ever had.
He pinched himself hard. ìOuch!î
Why wasnít he waking up?

Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep!
Olly shot up, heart pounding at the shrill sound. He opened his eyes and blinked in the sunlight.
Ugh. Too bright.
He looked around wildly and closed his eyes again, refusing to believe what he saw. Obviously he wasnít awake yet because he couldnít be in Scottís room. He hadnít set foot in Scottís house in years.
Olly cracked his eyes open again but still saw the white walls, the posters of Scottís football heroes that Olly remembered from years ago, and the freakishly tidy desk that definitely wasnít his.
The alarm clock by the bed was still making an awful racket, so he found the button to silence it.
ìScott?î he said hesitantly, then coughed.
What the fuck was wrong with his throat? His voice was deep and rough sounding. Oh God, no, please donít let him be getting a cold. He couldnít afford to lose his voice with all the play rehearsals coming up.
He pushed the duvet off and swung his legs around to get out of bed. Heíd find
Scott and work out what the hell was going on. Maybe he had some weird amnesia after his accident yesterday, although he hadnít hit his head. There had to be some explanation for why he was apparently in Scottís bed rather than his own.
Then Olly looked down at his legsóand froze.
They were thicker and more muscular than they should be. Olly only dreamed of having legs like that. The hairs on them were light brown instead of dark, the skin more tanned. He looked at his hands, they were all wrong too, thicker and sturdier than they should be. He lifted one to run it through his hair, the way he often did in times of crisis.
ìWhat the fuck?î No long floppy fringe falling in his eyes. Instead he found short-cropped hair and his ear piercings were gone.
Now convinced he was dreaming, because that was the only possible explanation, Olly got up to look in the mirror. Scottís handsome face stared back at him, the mouth slack with surprise and the blue eyes wide.
Olly shook his head in disbelief. No way could this be happening. No way. This was the stuff of Hollywood movies, not reality. But cold, creeping panic rose in his gut, because apart from the fact that he appeared to be in the wrong body, everything else felt normal. Way too normal for it to be a dream.
ìNo,î he said loudly, putting his hands up and touching Scottís nose, Scottís
cheekbones, Scottís lips. He felt every brush of his fingertips. ìOh, Jesus Christ on a bike, this is not happening. No.î

Author Bio:

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.

She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short storyÒjust to see if she couldÒand found it rather addictive. She hasnÌt stopped writing since.

Its Release Date for Bread, Salt & Wine by Dev Bentham (excerpt and giveaway)

bswbanner

Title: Bread, Salt and Wine
Author: Dev Bentham
Series: Tarnished Souls #4
This can be read as a standalone
Release Date: September 13th 2016
Genre: MM Contemporary Romance

18005863

BLURB

Some wounds never heal. George Zajac grew up in a religious family with a father who beat “the swish” out of him. At thirty-eight he’s a troubled man. Escaping his miserable life as a banker in New York, he moves across the country to start again in Los Angeles as the catering chef for a prestigious French Restaurant. Kenny Marks, a writer who’s currently waiting tables, is everything George cannot be—flamboyant, proud and sexually confident. Enthralled by Kenny, and against his own better judgment, George agrees to a date. Sparks fly. The sex is amazing. But even after the two get close, George is crippled by humiliating sexual hang-ups. Still haunted by his childhood, he lingers in the closet and can’t commit to a relationship with Kenny.

Love is the great healer, but is it enough? George’s emotional scars could drive Kenny away, and with him, George’s last chance at happiness.

**Bread, Salt and Wine was previously published by Loose ID in June 2013, but is being re-released with a fabulous new cover, designed by Jordan Castillo Price.**

Goodreads

Buy Links: Amazon

Find the rest of the Tarnished Souls series here: Goodreads

EXCERPT

It was after midnight by the time we got everything cleaned up and stowed away back at the restaurant. I got change for the five one-hundred-dollar bills the financial manager had pressed into my palm as we left, and doled out fifty dollars to each of the four waiters, the busboy/dishwasher, and the bartender. I stuffed one into my pocket and the others into an envelope to give the kitchen crew.

The group started toward the staff locker room, and the kitchen emptied out. Except the cute one, Kenny.

He waved his money at me. “And the momma? Was she pleased?”

I shrugged. “She says she’ll call if she needs catering. We’ll see.” He watched me expectantly until I added, “Thanks for pointing her out.”

“No problem. Glad to be of service.” He shifted his weight onto one hip and looked at me from under his eyelashes. “Chef sometimes forgets to schedule me. Maybe you could put in a good word.”

I nodded. He smiled and turned to leave, throwing a “good night” over his shoulder as he sauntered out the door. I stayed behind to check on the preparations for the next event, Sunday brunch for a hundred. I reviewed the work schedule and was surprised by the pang of disappointment I felt when Kenny Marks’s name wasn’t on the list.

Giveaway: 5 lucky winners will receive an ebook copy of Bread, Salt and Wine!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/391d73bd46/?

About the Author

dev-author-pic

I write contemporary gay romance. My characters are flawed and damaged adult men who may not even know they’re looking for true love, but when they meet their bershert, their true love, their lives are transformed. My stories are set in the real world where gay men have gay friends, families who do or don’t accept them, personal histories they’re not necessarily proud of and a myriad of experiences that have made them who they are.

I live in Northern Wisconsin with my Boston Terrier and Chicago spouse. I’ve published short stories, poetry, newspaper articles and academic papers and have worked in nearly every profession from restaurants to retail to open-water diving and now write m/m romance out of my fascination with love, courage and gender.

Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Obsidian Moons (Obsidian #2) by Jon Keys

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Sequel to Obsidian Sun

After achieving the impossible and releasing their people from the Varas slavers, Anan and Terja, a spellweaver and spellspinner, start the arduous journey back to their homeland. A winter trek across the grasslands is dangerous enough, but the traitor, Xain, is tasked with recapturing the slaves, and failure will mean his death. As added insurance, the Varas High Regent hires a Triad of legendary Ubica assassins and assigns a full regiment of his personal guards, along with their captain, to the task. Their mission is clear: recapture the escaped Talac slaves destined for the Varas pleasure houses—and the bed of the High Regent—at any cost.

The newly freed Talac travel toward their homelands with the full knowledge they are likely being pursued. The flight westward is fraught with new and unexpected dangers as Anan and Terja struggle to save their tribe. The battle for shelter, food, and a way to defend themselves becomes an all-consuming task, but they are reminded by the avatars of their gods that all is not as it appears.

The sequel to the amazing fantasy epic Obsidian Sun (Obsidian #1), Obsidian Moons, enlarges on the peoples, cultures and religions of the world that Jon Keys started in his first story. In Obsidian Sun, we met Anan, a spellweaver and Terja a spellspinner of the Talac people and followed them on a tale of blood revenge and rescue while learning about their culture, their religion, their part of the world and yes, their enemy, the Varas, a frightening people.

Keys forgot nothing in building up his universe from the grasses and insects to the climates. It was an jaw-dropping bit of artistry and the story laid on top of it was just as incredible. Even more amazing for being his first published novel.

Now comes Obsidian Moons. How does it stand up?

Very well.

While I jumped into the first story immediately, this novel took a bit to get into. Keys re-accounts some of the past history for readers unfamiliar with his tale (by no means should you skip the first story, this is not a standalone). It felt denser, less forward moving in the narrative than the first. Of course the first started with a massacre, so that’s hard to top.

But while I was getting reacquainted with all the familiar characters, the wonderfully magical and fascinating like Anan, Terja and the Talac (even Xain, that traitor), Keys starts introducing his new elements here. Again all marvelous additions to his world building. Keys brings in other cultures, religions, magic even. Keys gives us a triad of contract assassins from Ubica to hunt the escaped Talac (a vocabulary is supplied in the front which is maybe not necessary but definitely worth checking out), and a wild mountain tribe Meke, a separated tribe that…well, that part of the story is better left to the saga, and more. Each addition comes fully established, down to the clothes they wear, the weapons they carry, and the deities they worship. All blended so smoothly into the narrative that its seamless.

While the enemy is hunting for the escaped Talac, we see the growth in both Anan and Terja, individually and in their relationship that was born out of a blood revenge oath. Yes, there is multiple points of view here but it works and never feels too jumbled or too much to keep track of. In fact, sometimes I wished for less because this is a scary, daunting, and pain-filled journey. Not without cost of life. Some of those voices will be lost.

It won’t take long to get back into this saga and these people as they are hunted across some of the harshest terrain this world has to offer. Jon Keys brings it all vividly to life. Every snow bound step, all the predators after them. The loss of hope, and the hope found once more. Its an incredible story. And it ends just as another journey is about to begin. I can’t wait for that novel and that story too.

Jon Keys has an incredible saga here. One you should put on your TBR list if you are a lover of fantasy. Or of love and hope. Its an amazing tale. Start with Obsidian Sun and then come here to Obsidian Moons. I highly recommend them both.

Cover Artist: Paul Richmond. I loved the first cover. Found that one amazing. This one doesn’t live up to that one’s standards imo.

Sales Links

Book Details:

ebook, 220 pages
Expected publication: September 12th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1634777182 (ISBN13: 9781634777186)
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series Obsidian – add to your Goodreads shelf here:

An Alisa Release Day Review: Cougar Chaos (Mountain Spirit Mysteries #4) by A.J. Marcus

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

cougar-chaos-by-aj-marcus Parks and Wildlife Officer Brock Summers-Weir and his new husband, wildlife rehabber Landon Weir-Summers, are on their honeymoon high in the northern Colorado Rockies when they find an orphaned cougar cub. They quickly discover that there have been a number of cougars injured or killed in the area around Steamboat Springs. Although they are supposed to be on vacation, they work with local officials to try to find out what’s happening to the big cats.

When they get too close to the answers, their camp is ransacked and an ominous message is left. Rather than letting this intimidate them, they step up their investigation in the hopes that they can find the people responsible for the carnage and still manage to have a happy honeymoon.

This is the fourth book in the series and it was my favorite so far. I liked this one a lot. As the blurb states Brock and Landon get involved in a case while on their honeymoon. This story was mostly focused on the mystery since the guys are in an established relationship. The mystery itself was really interesting. It was fast paced and action filled and I was totally engrossed in it from start to finish. As usual with this series the animal aspect is the star of each story and I really like that. The author appears to do a great job with his research and information and I learn things each book. We learn a lot about canned hunts in this and honestly it was just heartbreaking in places. (gah….people are just horrible to animals sometimes) Being a big animal fan myself and someone who used to do animal rescue, I really appreciate the passion and advocacy for animals and nature that are in each book. You can tell when reading these stories this is an important subject to the author. It comes out so clearly through his characters.

While this is an ongoing series this book can be read as a standalone. If you are looking for a uniquely done series you really ought to check this out.

Cover: I like the cover and it fits well with both the story and the other covers for the previous books.

Sales Links

DSP Publications

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Expected publication: September 13th 2016 by DSP Publications
ISBN 1634770749 (ISBN13: 9781634770743)
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series: Mountain Spirit Mysteries – add it to your Goodreads shelf here:

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Counterbalance by Aidan Wayne

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

counterbalance_600x900 John loves his job as head rigger for Cirque Brilliance. The heavy scarring over half his face makes it a little hard to meet new people, but John’s got a good crew and a nice found family, and he’s content with his lot in life.

When Cirque hires talent for a new show, John meets Bao, a bright, ever-cheerful acrobat. Bao seems drawn to John and becomes a constant presence at his side—talking to him during downtime, spending time with him at lunch, and generally seeking out his company.

John doesn’t know what to make of this. Sure, he likes Bao—maybe a little too much, honestly—but he’s had enough experience to know that Bao couldn’t possibly like him back. Or so he thinks, anyway. Fortunately, Bao seems determined to prove him wrong.

This was a delightful romance story—one of those that leaves me saying “Aww, I want more.” I’ve heard some people call this kind of story too sweet, but really, it was very satisfying on so many levels; and IMHO, nothing is too sweet. This one was somewhat like a fine piece of dark chocolate that melts in your mouth as you savor the flavor while enjoying it slowly.

Bao Liu is recruited from China to join a new Cirque show. On his first day he meets John, the head rigger, a man whose face and body had been severely burned in the past—and a man who carries the scars as much on the inside as on the outside. John has been rejected and taunted for how he looks and is even called Phantom by many in the show, including some of his crewmates. They apparently don’t know or care how much that hurts him. And they certainly don’t know why he never joins them on their time off and is never seen with a date. John is simply too fearful to take a risk. Until Bao breaks down the walls he’s spent years building.

But break them he does—one brick at a time. The cheerful, bouncy, personable acrobat will be featured in a handstand act, and it’s hard for John to imagine Bao staying still long enough to balance. He seems to be in perpetual motion, even when spending most of his free time hanging out with John, trying to befriend the stubborn recluse. It’s fun to watch Bao batter down those walls John has built, and the author does a beautiful job showing us the John who hides behind his mask of indifference.

When Bao is injured, John not only takes on the blame for not assuring his safety, he ends up volunteering to check in on Bao and ensure he gets the rest he needs for a week. And that gives the couple more time to get to know one another.

If I had one wish for this story, it would be that I want it to be longer. There is so much to these two men that didn’t have enough time for further exploration, and so many sweet moments I didn’t get to see because the story came to a close before I was ready to let them go. I hope the author considers more stories in this world. It was a unique setting, with unique and interesting characters, and I recommend it to all who love a sweet MM romance between an unlikely couple.

Cover art by L.C. Chase is beautiful and works for the story.

Sales Links

Riptide Publishing

Book Details:

ebook, 79 pages

Expected publication: September 12th 2016 by Riptide Publishing (first published September 10th 2016)

ISBN 1626494673 (ISBN13: 9781626494671)

In the Spotlight – Counterbalance by Aiden Wayne (Riptide Publishing’s Blog Tour and Giveaway)

Counterbalance by Aidan Wayne
Riptide Publishing
Cover Art by L.C. Chase

Read An Excerpt/Buy It Here

About Counterbalance

John loves his job as head rigger for Cirque Brilliance. The heavy scarring over half his face makes it a little hard to meet new people, but John’s got a good crew and a nice found family, and he’s content with his lot in life.

Purchase from Riptide: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/counterbalance

About Aidan Wayne

Aidan Wayne is a big believer in character-driven stories with happy endings. This is not to say that stories can’t contain a little (or a lot) of grief, just that at the end of it all expect there to be bandages and hugs. They particularly like to write about minority characters because damn it, they deserve happy endings too.

When not writing, Aidan enjoys practicing aerial, martial arts, and ASL, and watching reality cooking shows. They are probably in the middle of twelve projects as you read this.

Tumblr: justsayins.tumblr.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/justsayins

Website: aidanwayne.wordpress.com

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Counterbalance, one lucky winner will receive $20 in Riptide Publishing credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on September 17, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Are You Listening Now? The Popularity of Audiobooks and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Are You Listening Now? The Popularity of Audiobooks

I’m not quite sure when I first started noticing the increase in audiobook reviews on our website. A year ago? Two? Whenever the year or month, audiobooks and our reviews of them are definitely on the increase. In fact, according to Audio Publishers Association and MarketWatch*, audiobooks racked up over $1.5 billion in sales last year alone and remain, “the fastest-growing segment of the book publishing industry.”* No we aren’t saying the old print is dead thing again, or that e-books are a thing of the past. No. Just that along with those other formats, audiobooks has not only taken their place along side them but perhaps surpassed them in sales.

Not that I’m surprised. With our fast-paced lives, driving to and from either work, soccer games or what have you, moving about the apartment, or whatever you may be involved in from packing up a house to pushing through some other chore, listening to a book is a wonderful way to pass the time or lose yourself for a while.

Yes, romances are among the top sellers, not that any genre or type of book is outselling another. Self help? Yep, its there among top audiobooks, But so are business books and action thrillers along with the love stories I just mentioned. People want to listen to them all. Again, according to MarketWatch, Amazon reports that its Audible sales are approximately 4 times higher than its books in the printed formats, although Amazon didn’t want to be precise about the numbers. That’s a staggering figure in a short amount of time, especially as it includes self published authors or authors producing their own audiobooks for the first time.

Another surprising factor to audiobooks I’ve seen here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words? That an audiobook can make a reader take a fresh look at a book or series. Why? It all comes down to that one elemental factor ~ the narrator. How well the narrator or in some cases as a book this week, narrators, does their job, can make or break an audiobook.

I know that the reviewers here often ask first who is the narrator when an audiobook comes across for review. Yes, narrators often accumulate a following when they are good or even spectacular (or not so spectacular). The ability of a narrator to bring individual voices alive for a reader or in this case a listener goes back I think to the storytellers or bards. Whether they were gathered around a campfire or in a great hall, a bard’s ability to engage their audience, to connect with them and pull them in varies little emotionally with our narrators today. Both need to hook their listeners, make them feel the characters, move them to tears or laughter. That’s a great narrator.

We’ve interviewed a narrator and an author who narrated their own novel. See the links below.

Dreamspinner Press, Riptide Publishing, Less Than Three Press, Mischief Corner Books are, along with other publishers and Audible, companies who offer audiobooks for sale. I know there are others. Mind blank, send me names and help me out. Authors are also putting out their own audiobooks, like Jay Northcote for one. Our options to listen are getting enormous.

I hope to bring in more narrators for interviews. What questions would you like to ask them? Do you have favorite narrators of your own? Send me their names. I know several reviewers here have already accumulated their own lists.

Audiobooks have come a long way and are here to stay. Again MarketWatch is reporting that famous actors are getting into the narrating business. I’m not sure that’s a great idea. I want to be lost in the character…not thinking “oh, that’s Clint Eastwood or whoever doing the voice over”. How do you all feel about that?

And lastly, can any of you name your favorite audiobook to date? Hmmm? Start thinking about answers to all these questions. You just might find that answering them will get you a prize come the first of October.

Now on to our schedule at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words and yes, there are audiobooks being reviewed this week!

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, September 11:

Are You Listening Now? The Popularity of Audiobooks
This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, September 12:

Riptide Publishing’s Blog Tour and Giveaway – Counterbalance by Aiden Wayne
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Counterbalance by Aidan Wayne
A MelanieM Release Day Review: Obsidian Moons by Jon Keys
An Alisa Release Day Review: Cougar Chaos (Mountain Spirit Mysteries #4) by A.J. Marcus

Tuesday, September 13:

In the Spotlight: Bread, Salt & Wine by Dev Bentham (excerpt and giveaway)
Jay Northcote’s Into You Release Tour
A MelanieM Review: Heart of the Warrior by Kendall McKenna
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: A Cowboy’s Home (Montana #3) by R.J. Scott
A Caryn Review: The Eleventh Hour by Elin Gregory

Wednesday, September 14:

Series Spotlight: Crooked Tree Ranch Recap by RJ Scott (excerpt and giveaway)
Blog Tour and Giveaway: “Is This Desire?” by R. Paone
A MelanieM Review: Open Road by M.J. O’Shea
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Kyle (Legacy Ranch #1) by R.J. Scott
An Alisa Audiobook Review: The Burnt Toast B&B (Bluewater Bay #5)
by Heidi Belleau and Rachel Haimowitz with Dorian Bane (Narrator) andTobias Silversmith (Narrator)

Thursday, September 15:

Riptide Publishing’s Blog Tour and Giveaway: Rented Heart by Garrett Leigh
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Rented Heart by Garrett Leigh
A MelanieM Release Day Review:Commitment Ranch (Leaning N #1) by B.A. Tortuga
A Free Dreamer Release Day Review: Do-Gooder by J. Leigh Bailey

Friday, September 16:

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Release Day Review: Tied Up in Knots (Marshals #3) by Mary Calmes
A MelanieM Review: Skyships Over Innsmouth by Susan Laine
An Alisa Audiobook Review: Sweetwater by Lisa Henry and Dorian Bane (Narrator)
A Caryn Release Day Review: Waiting for Patrick by Brynn Stein

Saturday, September 17:

A Stella Review: Resonance by Lillian Francis
A MelanieM Review: Midlife Crisis by Rob Rosen
A Paul B Audiobook Review: Black Balled (Black Balled #1) by Andrea Smith and Narrator Eva LeNoir

An Ali Audiobook Review: Desert Heat / Native Tongue (Desert Heat #1 – 2) by Lucy Felthouse and Narrator Joel Leslie

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Desert Heat & Native Tongue Read the whole story – both books bundled for your reading pleasure, and great value!

Desert Heat:

Their love is forbidden by rules, religion and risk. Yet still they can’t resist.

Captain Hugh Wilkes is on his last tour of duty in Afghanistan. The British Army is withdrawing, and Wilkes expects his posting to be event-free. That is, until he meets his Afghan interpreter, Rustam Balkhi, who awakens desires in Wilkes that he’d almost forgotten about, and that won’t be ignored.

Native Tongue:

They may be back on British soil, but the battle isn’t over.

When Captain Hugh Wilkes fell for his Afghan interpreter, Rustam Balkhi, he always knew things would never be easy. After months of complete secrecy, their return to England should have spelt an end to the sneaking around and the insane risks. But it seems there are many obstacles for them to overcome before they can truly be happy together. Can they get past those obstacles, or is this one battle too many for their fledgling relationship?

I enjoyed both of these stories. Desert Heat is the first part of this couple’s journey. As it says in the blurb the two men meet while in Afghanistan. Hugh is a soldier and Rustam works an interpreter. They are attracted to each other but have little time together due to the circumstances of their situation. Despite the dangerous situation they are in the two men can’t seem to stay away from each other and after months of attraction they end up sharing a night of passion. They know they can’t continue to be together while they are there, but they also can’t imagine giving up their relationship. This part of the story was well written and I really enjoyed the chemistry of the two men together.

The second part of the story, Native Tongue, takes place when the men are back England, Rustam is pursuing his medical studies and Hugh is stationed close by. After being apart since Afghanistan, the two men feel nervous as they try to have a real relationship. This part of the story was also well written and was both sweet and steamy. It was lovely watching these two as they try to deal with being in a place where they can actually date. They have some things they need to work through and I thought these were realistically presented and worked through.

Overall I really enjoyed both stories. I liked the characters and the unique plot. I listened to this on audio and I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator. He did both of the main characters well and I never had a difficult time telling them apart. I also liked the various side character’s voices. I had not previously listened to this narrator but I will definitely look for his work in the future.

Cover: I liked the cover a lot and felt it fit the stories well.

Sales Links

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 154 pages
Published May 14th 2015 (first published January 29th 2015)
ASINB00X2UX08E
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesDesert Heat #1 – 2

Sales Links

Share this:

Share this:

Jay Northcote – Into You

Share this:

About the Author

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Counterbalance by Aidan Wayne Riptide Publishing Cover Art by L.C. Chase

Giveaway

Share this:

Are You Listening Now? The Popularity of Audiobooks

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, September 11:

Monday, September 12:

Tuesday, September 13:

Wednesday, September 14:

Thursday, September 15:

Friday, September 16:

Saturday, September 17:

Share this:

Share this:

Counterbalance by Aidan Wayne
Riptide Publishing
Cover Art by L.C. Chase