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

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

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

 

And this time, it’s personal.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Sales Links: DSP Publications | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages

Expected Publication: January 17, 2017 by DSP Publications

Edition Language: English

Series: The Vampire Guard #2

 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Best of Lists Continue along with This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

2016-2017-sign-posts

STRW Best of Lists for 2016

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Best of Lists for 2016 continue this week.  I love how we are showing so many different authors and stories in our year end lists.  That’s a great thing in a year where there was so many wonderful books, covers, and authors to choose from.  We include best covers because they continue to play an important role for the readers.  We love them, hate them, feel meh about them and still choose our books based on them.  We love them to draw our attention, for the covers to speak to us, to be be unusual enough to make us want to read the those tales or listen to that story. And want to know more about those characters and their relationships!  The covers our reviewers have chosen have done their job and their artists have made such an impression it stuck with us all year long.  Do you have favorite covers?  Let us know which ones and why?

We are also delivering our best of stories, whether they are in eBook or audiobook format, or both.  Sometimes a great narrator makes us discover a story we’ve read before and makes us look at it anew.  We hear things when a book is narrated by a wonderful narrator that maybe we glossed over when we read it.  Over the emotions carry through more forcibly when beautifully acted.  Whatever the reason, a great narrator can make an audiobook sing and stay with us as these have all year long.  What audiobooks have done that for all of you?  Send in your choices for Audiobook of the Year or Audiobooks of 2016?  And your favorite narrators!

And yes, our great stories of 2016.  There were so many of them that its always hard to bring our lists under control.  So many that made you laugh, cry, nod your head in acknowledgement of some shared history or experience.  Perhaps its the beauty of the author’s language that got to you, or the imagery of the scenes?  Whatever the reason, these stories had staying power.  They stuck to your heart and mind, rising above all the others you read during the year.  Where  do yours fit in with some of our lists?  Do you share some of our choices?  Do you have different ones?  Our lists won’t be finished until the end of January.  So chime in with yours. Let us know which ones you would include.

STRW 2016 Best of Giveaway

We will pick one random reader who leaves a comment with their year end Best of (along with their email addresses) to receive a $10 DSP gift card.   Contest ends January 29, at midnight.  Must be 18 years of age or older.

 

Alisa’s List for Best of 2016

 

fiveminuteslonger_v2love-and-snowball-fightsDreamers' Destinypower-bottom-by-rowan-mcallister

 

 

 

 

 

 Alisa’s Best Covers of 2016

Five Minutes Longer by Victoria Sue, cover artist AngstyG

Love and Snowball Fights by J.R Loveless, cover artist Bree Archer

Power Bottom by Rowan McAllister, cover artist AngstyG

Hounded by Love by Pia Veleno, cover artist April Martinez

Dreamers’ Destiny by Tempeste O’Riley, cover artist Reese Dante

hounded-by-love

 Alisa’s 2016 Top Stories

 Alisa’s Best Audiobooks of 2016

Jeri’s Best Stories of 2016:

 books-into-snowpath

Now for our reviews and blogs this week.  We have so much going on. We still have winter along with holiday stories finishing up. We have our Release Day Reviews and Recent Release Reviews as as well as audiobooks.  So check them all out to see what you might want to add to your TBR or TBL  list this week.  Authors are here with interviews, guest blogs and giveaways, offering insight into their writing and characters.  You won’t want to miss out on those posts too!  We  have a full week here.  Stay with us every day to see what’s going on!

I hope everyone is keeping warm these days.  Its snowing here, a great time to be reading, listening and typing up more lists for all of you.  Mine’s still to come!

snowflake

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

finding-forever-by-shawn-lanelove-is-heartless-by-kim-fieldinglunch-with-the-do-nothings-at-the-tammy-dinetteswitched-by-nr-walker

Sunday, January 8:

  • Release Blitz & Review Tour – Amelia Faulkner – Lord of Ravens
  • Release Blitz Request – Matthew Robinson – Irish Eyes
  • Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Best of Lists Continue
  • This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
  • A Caryn Review: Silent Night by Erin E. Keller
  • A VVivacious Review: Dare To by AKM (Miles +Dare’s Christmas Gift – Bonus short story)
  • A VVivacious Review: Reconnecting Christmas by Megan Slayer

Monday, January 9:

  • DSP GUEST POST T.A. Chase
  • Release Day Blitz January 9th for Off Base by Annabeth Albert
  • Wayward Secret by K. Renee Blog Tour
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Lagniappe by Mercy Celeste
  • A MelanieM Review: Off Base by Annabeth Albert
  • A Jeri Release Day Review:  There Has to be a Reason by Kate McMurray
  • An Ali Review: Light Up The Dark by Suki Fleet

Tuesday, January 10:

  • DSP GUEST POST KA Merikan on Writing and I Love You More Than Pierogi
  • Blog Tour for Exile Volume 1 by AF Henley (guest post and giveaway)
  • A Paul B Review: Breaker (Exile #1) by Kelly Wyre and A.F. Henley
  • A Caryn Review: Boyfriend Goals by Clancy Nacht
  • An Ali Audiobook Review: Between Ghosts by Garrett Leigh
  • An Alisa Review: Quarry by Elizabeth Noble

Wednesday, January 11:

  • DSP GUEST POST Hunter Frost on Cemeteries by Moonlight
  • Release Blitz – The Road To Frosty Hollow – RJ Scott & Meredith Russell
  • RIPTIDE TOUR Assassins: Nemesis by Erica Cameron (giveaway)
  • A Lila Review: Finding Forever by Shawn Lane
  • An Alisa Release Day Review: The Applicant (Busted Labs #1) by Aidee Ladnier
  • An Alisa Review: The Gift of Casey by Shawn Lane
  • A MelanieM Review: Wild Bells by Charlie Cochrane

Thursday, January 12:

  • DSP GUEST POST Bonnie Dee on The Mighty Have Fallen
  • Cover Reveal Blitz: Volley Balls by Tara Lain
  • A MelanieM Review: DRAMA CRUISE by Joe Cosentino
  • An Ali Review: Bullet by Garrett Leigh
  • A Stella Release Day Review: Lunch with the Do-Nothings at the Tammy Dinette by Killian B. Brewer

Friday, January 13:

  • DSP GUEST POST Lynn Lorenz
  • Blog Tour: Painted on My Heart by Kindle Alexander
  • Blog Tour: Kayleigh Sky on Doll Baby
  • A Free Dreamer Release Day Review: Love is Heartless (Love Can’t Series #2) by Kim Fielding
  • An Ali Review: Doll Baby by Kayleigh Sky
  • An Alisa Review: Night of the Blue Moon by Cassandra Pierce
  • A MelanieM Recent Release Review: Ash into Fire by Tully Vincent

Saturday, January 14:

  • DSP GUEST POST Tara Lain on Volley Balls
  • A MelanieM Review: Switched by NR Walker

ash-into-firenight-of-the-blue-moon-by-cassandra-piercebetween-ghosts-by-garrett-leighboyfriend-goals-by-clancy-nacht

Release Tour for Amelia Faulkner’s Lord of Ravens

Lord Of Ravens (Inheritance Series #3) 

 Amelia Faulkner

 

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2iLjlUM

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2iiZRWj

 
Inheritance Series
Jack of Thorns (Book #1) Amazon US | Amazon UK
Knight of Flames (Book #2) Amazon US | Amazon UK
 

Blurb

Lover. Predator. Killer.

Laurence Riley’s inheritance comes with a price – one he’s not at all sure he can pay. When his urge to hunt grows out of control, he sends a desperate prayer to his ancestor for guidance. But he never expected that Herne the Hunter would answer.

Scion. Target. Victim.

There are horrors lurking in Quentin d’Arcy’s past, but they won’t hide there forever. Something ancient is coming to take him home: a creature of nightmare who feasts on the flesh of children. When the choice is between his own life and the lives of innocents, there is no choice at all.

Honesty is the worst policy.

A legendary horror comes to San Diego, but it’s merely an emissary. Laurence has seen the real monster, and it’s a darkness which will destroy everything he loves – especially if Quentin ever finds out what it did to him as a child.

It’s down to Laurence to prepare for war against a force which far outmatches him. The enemy has the most powerful weapon of all at his disposal, and if they’re to stand a chance, Laurence must master the same power.

He must learn magic.

Lord of Ravens is the third book in the Rainbow Award winning Inheritance series and contains mature themes and events which may be distressing to some readers. It has a moderate heat rating and an HFN ending

Author Bio


Amelia Faulkner was born in Thame, Oxfordshire, and sprouted upward in short order. The ground around Thame is reasonably mucky, especially in the winter, and she can’t be blamed for wanting to get away from it.

Raised on a steady diet of Star Trek and Doctor Who, Amelia stood no chance in not becoming a grade-A geek. She has sat on the board of the British Fantasy Society, contributed fiction and fluff to various published roleplaying games, and written non-fiction for SciFiNow and SFX Magazines. For every positive there is an equal and opposite negative, and Amelia is forced to admit that she loves Wild Wild West.

In her spare time she enjoys travel, photography, walking her Corgi, and trying to convince her friends to replay the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game with all the Goblins decks.

 

F.E. Feeley Jr on Poetry, Writing and his release“The Haunting of Timber Manor“ (Poetry by the author, guest post)

the-haunting-of-timber-manor

The Haunting of Timber Manor (Memoirs of the Human Wraiths #1)

by F.E. Feeley Jr
D
reamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

140b7-dreamspinner2blogo

5668c-goodreads-button

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host F.E. Feeley here today. Welcome, F.E., to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

~

Where do we go?

Where do we go when the thunder rolls through the night

When the darkness is deep and the stars have faded from heavens inkwell sky

When shadows stretch, thin fingers coiling around us when lightning flashes

And fear grips our hearts, quickened by the sight?

How can the night grow so long? We wonder

Our huddled frames closed in on itself to stay the cold night air

Leaves dash around out feet as we lower our heads to mourn the fall of rain

Quickly, we trudge through the empty streets seeking a destination far off

Warm light in distance windows kiss promises into the night

Memories of hearth and home invade our minds

In these bitter circumstances, we trudge on

As danger lurks from heavens portals on down to the ground upon which we trod

F.E. 

I love poetry. I love writing it. I wrote that just as I began to write this blog post. It’s sort of a game with

me.

I try to visualize a scene and go with it. Try to translate that visualization onto the page in a few short

Verses.

It’s like writing books, except that I am trying to convey an entire idea in a few short stanzas instead of

Through a book.

It’s a craft I’m in no way near to mastering. I’m not sure if I’m even any good.  But like any craft, it’s

worth sticking with and doing over

And over.

Most times, I will post something to Facebook. Right in the ‘What’s on your mind’ place where we go to

‘connect’ to people.

I was introduced to Poetry by the late great Dr. Maya Angelou and was so moved by a speech I watched

Her give on Youtube, on the day she died, I read most of her biographies and read the poems in which

She recited.

Poets like Langston Hughes, Edna St. Vincent- Millay, and of course, her poetry – such as ‘I know why the

Caged bird sings.’

My husband and my favorite poem is, The Day is Done by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. When my

Husband recites it, and it gets to the very last stanza, my eyes well up.

“….And the night shall be filled with music,

      And the cares, that infest the day,

Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs,

      And as silently steal away.”

Poetry is a gentle thing. A profound but gentle thing, that – just as I mentioned before, can work to 

Provoke deep emotion from its reader.

As an author of books, I love the challenge poetry presents to me. To really pin down an image I am

Trying to convey to the reader.  I want them to be able to see with my words, through my eyes, what I

Am imagining onto the page.

I want them to see right into my heart and can communicate with them.

That’s why I write, really. I have this – as P!nk described once – this insatiable lust to connect to people

Through my craft.

Here are a few more examples:

beyond-the-witching-hour

This is one of my favorite ones that I’ve written that a friend of mine, Baz, worked onto a graphic.

This poem I wrote one night during a windstorm. I sat outside smoking, as the warm but violent wind

Whipped so hard against a Live Oak. It was one of those nights when light from streetlamps made the

World feel even more eerie. It was one of those nights where, to me, the possibility of ghosts is the

Strongest.

i-bow

This is another post my friend helped to put together. This poem was written after I’d gone down to the

Beach. My husband and I stayed out there pretty late and the force of the water slapping against the

Shore really kind of got to me. I imagined what it would look like during a hurricane and found myself

In awe of the sheer magnitude and power of the sea.

Thank you for hanging out with me, today. I really hope you liked the poetry and the blog post.

the-haunting-of-timber-manor

Blurb

While recovering from the recent loss of his parents, Daniel Donnelly receives a phone call from his estranged aunt, who turns over control of the family fortune and estate, Timber Manor. Though his father seemed guarded about the past, Daniel’s need for family and curiosity compel him to visit.

Located in a secluded area of the Northwest, Timber Manor has grown silent over the years. Her halls sit empty and a thin layer of dust adorns the sheet-covered furniture. When Daniel arrives to begin repairs, strange things happen. Nightmares haunt his dreams. Memories not his own disturb his waking hours. Alive with the tragedies of the past, Timber Manor threatens to tear Daniel apart.

Sherriff Hale Davis grew up working on the manor grounds. Seeing Daniel struggle, he vows protect the young man who captured his heart, and help him solve the mystery behind the haunting and confront the past—not only to save Daniel’s life, but to save his family, whose very souls hang in the balance.

About the Author

F.E. Feeley Jr was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and lived there for twenty years before joining the military. He is a veteran of the US Armed Services; having done a tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2002-2003, he turned college student, pursuing a degree in political science. He now lives in Southeast Texas where he is married to the love of his life, John, and where they live with their five year old German Shepherd, Kaiser.

As a young man, reading took center stage in his life, especially those novels about ghosts, witches, goblins, and all the other things that went bump in the night. His favorite authors include such writers as Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Anne Rice, whose work allowed him to travel to far off places and meet fascinating and scary characters. As a gay man, he wishes to be able to write good fictional literature for those who love the genre and to write characters that readers can relate to. All in all, he is a cigarette smokin’, whiskey drinkin’, rock and roll lovin’, tattoo wearin’ dreamer of a man with a wonderful husband who puts up with his crap and lets him write his stories.

A Jeri Review: Wolf, in League (Wolf #3) by A.F. Henley

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

3135820wolf-in-league-wolf-3-by-a-f-henley7I really enjoyed Wolf, WY, the first in the series. If was really focused on just 2 men for the most part, and their story. I looked forward to book 2, Wolf, en Garde, but was mildly disappointed. But I held out hope that book 2 was a bridge to book 3. And it was. On the other hand, you could pretty much read this book as a stand alone if you wanted to.

Wolf, in League, really expands the world that the story is in. The Committee is investigating not only the wolves from the first two books, but also Arius and other vampires. To do this, they send two men to act as a married couple. When the Committee goes to Gavin- a respected geneticist- about this, Gavin also learns that paranormal creatures are real. And he is to live with one of them during this ruse.

Naturally, throw the two main characters together and there are sparks flying. But the characters were interesting and well thought out. And they discover far more sinister things at work in the paranormal world. Gavin and Matthew are thrust into the middle of everything to help save, well, everything.

An interesting and enjoyable story that was fast paced that leaves the possibility of another book- or series- out there.

Cover art works for the book and series.

Sales Links

Less Than Three Press

7104e-waxcreative-amazon-kindle

Book Details:

ebook
Published October 12th 2016 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781620048771
Edition LanguageEnglish
URLhttps://afhenley.wordpress.com/wolf-in-league/
SeriesWolf #3

A Paul B Review: Warrior Wolf and His Little Lamb (Pariah Pack #3) by Susan Laine

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

warrior-wolf-and-his-little-lamb-by-susan-laineRhys Gunner has been away from his werewolf pack for some time.  Having recently returned from the military, he is given the task from his alpha Max to find new hunting ground for their expanding pack of misfit shifters.  With new pups and mates along with outcasts from other groups joining, they need to expand their territory.  He stops at Sheppard farm, run but a family of sheep shifters.  If nothing else, Rhys can satisfy his sweet tooth at the bakery the Sheppard family runs.  The patriarch of the Sheppard family comes in to talk to his wife who is working the bakery.  Rhys smells the scent of his mate not coming from Louis but from a handkerchief that he is carrying.  Louis tells Rhys that it belongs to his son.  Rhys takes off in search of his mate.  He finds him in bed—with a woman.

Heath’s introduction to his mate could not have gone worse.  In storms this giant of a man while he is fooling around with his girlfriend.  Not happy with the interruption, Heath is further dismayed when he figures out his mate is not only male but a wolf shifter.  How are a ram and wolf supposed to be mates?  And to make matters worse, his girlfriend is getting a crash course of shifters and mating.  Heath initially rejects Rhys’s advances but Rhys is determined to win over his “little lamb.”  Things become even more complicated when Max demands that Rhys tell the Sheppards that their farm is now part of the werewolf pack lands due to an ancient werewolf law dealing with the property of their mates.  While Rhys does not want to go against his alpha, he also doesn’t want to push Heath away just as he is starting to win him over.  Rhys decides it may come down to his mate or his pack. 

While I have enjoyed Susan Laine’s books in the past, I did not enjoy this one quite as much as her other books that I have read.  I think the major problem I had with the book was all the puns using the wolf and sheep motif that are probably used to bring some humor to the book.  While using them in moderation is fine, it seemed to me that I was hit over the head with them.  Another point that bothered me was the Scooby Doo like ending where the wise old owl mediator solves the problem with Max’s recent behavior.  On a side note, this is the third book in the Pariah Pack series but the first one I have read.  So the point of Max’s behavior not being normal was sort of lost on me.  Having someone say a secondary character in a book is acting strangely is one thing but having read the backstory in a previous book would have helped me connect why Max’s behavior was inconsistent with his past actions.  While I have a couple of misgivings about this book, I would be willing to read others in the series.

The cover art by Harris Channing is a decent cover for the book.  It has out two protagonists on the top half of the cover while a lone wolf is amongst a sheep herd on the bottom half. 

Sales Links

Siren Publishing/Bookstrand

65a2f-waxcreative-amazon-kindle

Book Details

EBook, 110 pages

Edition Language:  English

Published:  March 24, 2016 by Siren Publishing

ISBN:   978-1-68295-134-7

Series:  Pariah Pack

Release Blitz Tour – Suki Fleet’s Light Up The Dark (giveaway)

Light Up The Dark – Suki Fleet

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
Cover Design: Natasha Snow 

Blurb

For two years Nicky has wandered the dark empty corridors of the overgrown Thorn Hall, unseen and untouched, feeling like a ghost. His only company, the cold man who promised to keep him safe from harm, Lance.

But when Lance dies, Nicky’s assurance of safety disintegrates and his world suddenly becomes a lot more real and a lot more dangerous. Scared to leave the house, Nicky longs for daylight. He employs a gardener to clear the over-grown bushes and vines that have nearly swallowed Thorn Hall whole.

The last thing Nicky expects a little light to do is show him something to fight for.

Eighteen months in a young offenders’ institute has taught Cai two things: he occupies the playful puppy end of the How Dangerous Are You? spectrum, and he has an unfortunate knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Desperate for a job, he takes the first offer he gets. Even though Thorn Hall creeps the hell out of him and he barely knows one end of a pair of garden shears from the other.

Things start to fall apart when Cai is drawn into Nicky’s strange world of sticky notes and secrets. Cai finds he is now a target, blamed for a crime he didn’t commit. Desperate not to go back to prison, he digs deep and risks all the good things in life to help Nicky run.

But now Nicky has someone he wants to protect, he knows he can’t run any more.

 

Author Bio

Award Winning Author. Prolific Reader (though less prolific than she’d like). Lover of angst, romance and unexpected love stories.

Suki Fleet writes lyrical stories about memorable characters, and believes everyone should have a chance at a happy ending.

Her first novel This is Not a Love Story won Best Gay Debut in the 2014 Rainbow Awards, and was a finalist in the 2015 Lambda Awards.

Links
Email: sukifleet@gmail.com
https://www.instagram.com/suki_fleet
https://www.facebook.com/suki.fleet.3
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7919609.Suki_Fleet
http://sukifleet.tumblr.com
http://sukifleet.wordpress.com
https://twitter.com/SukiFleet?lang=en

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

Out with 2016 and Hello 2017 and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

2016-2017-sign-posts

 

Out with 2016 and Hello 2017!

Yes, its that time again. First day of the new year.  Time to shut the door on the old year and prepare to welcome in the new.  Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words turned 5 and got a whole new look!  We added reviewers and content hoping to provide more reviews as well as author and narrator interviews, giveaways and much more for all our readers.  I hope we’ve succeeded.

2016 held such promise.  LGBTQIA rights moved forward in the courts with marriage equality, transgender equality gaining ground in many states as laws were passed to protect peoples rights to live and love as they saw fit.  And so many of our stories reflected that hope and societal change.  It was wonderful and uplifting.  I loved reading about couples getting engaged and married while remembering stories reflected a reality not that long ago where that was not a possiblity.

Then came the elections.  Shock, disbelief, numbness,and so much more. Now we face an uncertain 2017 with a very different minded administration.  What will 2017 bring for the LGBTQIA community and the rest of us? And how quickly will we see that uncertainty and wide ranging emotions translated into our stories?  Will it be in our contemporary stories, science fiction, alternate universe or everything the authors can imagine and pour into their tales?  I can’t wait to read what 2017 will bring us with novels and short stories.

2016 saw the rapid rise of the audiobook as we mentioned during our month long series  where we interviewed audiobook narrators, authors and listeners.  This format is still rising in popularity and our reviews (and number of them) certainly reflect that.  We hope to be interviewing more narrators and talking more about this format in the coming year.  Do you have a favorite narrator?  Let us know and we’ll see if we can get them in for an interview!

We left off our Book Format series with the publishers view of  ebook publishing – how far its come, how its changed and where they think its going.  We hope to get back to that in 2017.

As we announced yesterday, several publishers are closing their houses.  All Romance is closed as of yesterday.  Torquere Press is closing but getting information about that is harder as all most people have is a message from the owners.  If you have more information, please let us  know so we can update our information to all our readers.  It would be greatly appreciated.

On the positive front, Samhain Publishing which once thought it would be closing, is staying open.  Great news for all.  Don’t forget to check them out as they now have over 2500 titles available to choose from.

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words also started our Flash Fiction Writing Month.  That will continue in 2017, although not in contest form.  Look to see it again towards the end of the year as it was this time.

So many thoughts swirling and scattered about in my head….not unusual this first day of the year.  It will take more than a day to process it all.  Look for my ramblings to continue each Sunday this month as we reflect back and forward on 2016 and 2017.  STRW will also be taking a look at our favorite stories and covers, reviewer by reviewer.  Today we start off with Barb the Zany Old Lady’s favorite covers and stories of 2016.  How do they match up with yours?  Have you missed some?  Start  your TBRandMissed List now!

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Best of 2016

 From Our Reviewers!

 

barbthumbnail

Barb the Zany Old Lady’s Top Ten of 2016 (in no particular order)

Empty Net by Avon GaleWolfsong980db-secondharvest255ba255dfsenjoy-the-dance-by-heidi-cullinan

Top 5 Covers:

  • Empty Net by Avon Gale– cover by Aaron Anderson
  • Wolfsong by T.J. Kllune – cover by Reese Dante
  • A Second Harvest by Eli Easton – cover by Bree Archer
  • Enjoy the Dance by Heidi Cullinan – cover by Kanaxa
  • Clickbait by E.J. Russell – cover by L.C. Chase

clickbait-600x900

*****

 Top Books & Audiobooks released in 2016:

Wolfsong by TJ Klune audiobook narrated by Kirt Graves

Absolution by Sloane Kennedy audiobook narrated by Joel Leslie

Dinner at Fiorelli’s by Rick R. Reed audiobook narrated by Joel Leslie

How to be a Normal Person by TJ Klune audiobook narrated by Derrick McClain

A Second Harvest by Eli Easton

Blank Spaces by Cass Lennox

Beyond the Sea by Keira Andrews

Enjoy the Dance by Heidi Cullinan

Tied Up in Knots by Mary Calmes

Empty Net by Avon Gale

If you’re adding to your TBR pile, keep going with some of the books we’ve reviewed this week.   From Amy Lane’s The Virgin Manny to Tara Lain’s Death Dancer to Tal Bauer’s Interlude: First Noel in his outstanding series, The Executive Office, to Falling Down by Eli Easton, there’s something for everyone this week.  Have a happy New Year’s Day everyone!

4th-Of-July-Fireworks-Picture-1

This Week in 2017 at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

the-virgin-mannyi-love-you-more-than-pierogi-by-k-a-merikandeath-dancer-by-tara-lainhoney-trap-by-fyn-alexander

Sunday, January 1, 2017 🎉 Happy New Years!:

  • Out with 2016 and Hello 2017 and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
  • Release Blitz  Tour – Amelia Faulkner’s Lord of Ravens (giveaway)
  • A Free Dreamer Review:O/s by Jane Davitt and Alexa Snow
  • A MelanieM Release Day Review: The Virgin Manny (The Mannies #1) by Amy Lane

Monday, January 2:

  • Release Day Blitz for A Collision with Reality by Storm Duffy
  • Tour: From the Ashes by Xen Sanders (excerpt and giveaway)
  • Release Day Blitz for Oops Caught by Alli Reshi
  • A Jeri Review: Wolf in League by AF Henley
  • A Lila Review: Interlude: First Noel by Tal Bauer
  • A PaulB  Review: Interlude: First Noel by Tal Bauer
  • An Alisa Review: Honey Trap by Fyn Alexander

Tuesday, January 3:

  • Release Blitz & Review Tour – Suki Fleet’s Light Up The Dark
  • DSP GUEST POST Avon Gale on “Whiskey Business
  • A Jeri Review: Death Dancer (Dangerous Dancers #2) by Tara Lain
  • A MelanieM Review: The Next Competitor by Keira Andrews
  • A Paul B Review: Warrior Wolf and His Little Lamb (Pariah Pack #3) by Susan Laine
  • An Ali Review: A Collision with Reality by Storm Duffy

Wednesday, January 4:

  • Release Blitz Tour – Clare London’s Chase The Ace (London Lads #1)
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Crush by Caitlin Ricci
  • RIPTIDE TOUR: Assassins: Nemesis by Erica Cameron
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audiobook Review: Saving Silas by S.J. Himes and Derrick McClain (Narrator)
  • A Jeri Review: Heart’s Gamble By S.J. Frost
  • A Lila Release Day Review: I Love You More Than Pierogi (World of Love) by K.A. Merikan
  • A Stella Review: Falling Down by Eli Easton
  • An Alisa Release Day Review: A Coal Miner’s Son by TA Chase

Thursday, January 5:

  • DSP GUEST POST C.L. Etta
  • DSP GUEST POST F.E. Feeley Jr on “The Haunting of Timber Manor
  • A Lila Review: Tartan Candy by KC Burn
  • A Paul B Review: Henning Box Set by Hayden Thorne
  • A Stella Review:  Idlewild by Jude Sierra
  • An Alisa Review: Under the Mistletoe by Shawn Bailey

Friday, January 6:

  • Cover Reveal for Fireballs by Tara Lain
  • AE VIA BLOG SPOT on Nothing Special
  • DSP GUEST POST Taylor V. Donovan on “Six Degrees of Lust
  • A Caryn Review:  Alpha Barman by Sue Brown
  • A Lila Review: Nothing Special V by AE Via
  • An Ali Release Day Review: Block & Strike by Kelly Jensen
  • An Alisa Review:  Defrosting Jack by Susan Laine

Saturday, January  7:

  • Release Blitz for Kayleigh Sky’s Doll Baby
  • DSP GUEST POST Thianna Durston on “Vespar
  • An Ali Audiobook Review: Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles by Eli Easton

7721f-copy2bof2bfinal_suebrown_alphabarman_ebookcrush-by-caitlin-ricciinterlude-first-noelwarrior-wolf-and-his-little-lamb-by-susan-laine

 

A Caryn Review: Bridge Over Troubled Water by Vivien Dean

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

bridge-over-troubled-waterOnce again I found myself choosing a book for all the wrong reasons:  I love the Simon and Garfunkel song.  And I like this author, so I picked the book without even reading the blurb.  When I started reading, and found out it was about vampires, my first response was ugh.  I really don’t like vampire books, why did I choose this???

Detective Brady Lindstrom is the quintessential workaholic cop.  He never takes a day off, has no life outside of his cases, and doesn’t even seem to want one.  He has no friends, no lovers, few possessions, and life outside of work is mainly working out until he drops.  He works homicide, and has dealt with some of the most horrific cases in the Bay area, but his single-minded devotion to the job means he is usually successful in bringing criminals to justice.  The case he’s investigating now, however, is much worse than anything he’s ever seen before – 12 frat boys slaughtered, found with their throats and hearts ripped from their bodies.

When he goes home from the murder scene, he’s in his usual routine of running on his treadmill until he’s exhausted enough to sleep, because he has a good idea of what committed the murders, even if he doesn’t know who.  When someone knocks at his door just before dawn, he is not as surprised as he should be to find his ex-lover, Cole Singer at the door.  Cole, who died 10 years ago.

Despite his deep distrust of vampires, and Cole in particular, he needs Cole to help solve this murder and kill the vampires who did it.  He’s the only one on the force who is aware of vampires’ existence, so he’s on his own.  Cole is severely injured, and needs Brady’s protection and help, so the two forge an uneasy truce in order to track down the killers.

Two things frustrated me about the story:  the first is that the author seems to assume that her readers know all the powers of the vampires in this book.  There is some explanation, but it was a little inconsistent – the superhuman strength and speed, the heightened senses, the rapid healing are traits I’ve come to know from other books, but what was with the hearts being cut out from bodies?  Was that another thing that vampires do?  Cole is no longer killing people, but he does go to “blood bars” where he can partially bleed men who get off on that.  It wasn’t really clear how that worked.  And what was the deal with his fangs during sex?  The second issue is the almost complete lack of background.  Why and how did Cole become a vampire?  Was it an act of malice or a random accident?  How did Brady come to know about it?  Cole apparently almost killed Brady shortly after his change, but was that what made Brady hate Cole?  Or something else?  Although the main plot arc was finding and killing the vampires responsible for the murder, the secondary arc was clearly the changing and developing relationship between the two men, and it was much harder for me to follow it without knowing what happened before.

I thought it was kind of funny that Brady brought home human blood a few times for Cole.  Like that is something you can just pick up at the grocery store.  Really?  Another pet peeve for me was how the author kept describing how Brady’s tongue would be cut just about every time they kissed, and I was thinking this poor guy shouldn’t have been able to talk or eat solid food by the time the story ended.

But despite all of those things I didn’t like about the story, in the end I did like the relationship arc between the two men, enough that I was able to give the book 3 stars.  It won’t be a reread for me though.

Cover Art by Ginny Glass captures the two MCs perfectly

Sales Links

Loose Id

c60a7-waxcreative-amazon-kindle

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 2nd Edition, 112 pages
Published October 17th 2016 by Loose Id LLC (first published 2008)
Original TitleBridge Over Troubled Water
ASINB01MDNXUO2
Edition LanguageEnglish
CharactersBrady Lindstrom, Cole Singer settingUnited States

A VVivacious Review: Under My Bed by T. A. Chase

Rating: 2.5 Stars out of 5
 
under-my-bedTabor Augustus Gilles was planning to spend All Hallows’ Eve all on his own when a knock on his door interrupts his plans. He opens the door to find an incredibly handsome man dripping wet who goes by the name Gautier.
 
Gautier knows Tabor’s secret and he wants to help him but while Tabor seems to just barely tolerate this interruption to his plans, the ghosts that haunt him want Gautier out of Tabor’s life and they are ready to do anything to make that happen.
 
But look likes meeting Gautier has finally given Tabor the courage to fight his ghosts once and for all.
 
The premise of this story is inherently flawed. Tabor has been haunted since he was ten years old yet for the past fifteen years he never tried to get rid of his ghosts and neither did his mother who was haunted by the very same ghosts before him and worst of all his mother didn’t impart any knowledge about these hauntings to Tabor. I mean I really hated the women she didn’t prepare her son for the herculean task that was about to descend on him and neither did she try to get rid of the burden, if not for her sake then for her son’s. Why this point grates on my nerves is because of the fact that getting rid of the ghosts wasn’t all that challenging, physically and mentally exhausting, yes but not difficult or impossible.
 
So because of that, for much of the plot I am left wondering why now? Why is everything becoming unbearable now that Gautier is in the picture? I mean I get that the ghosts were getting more vicious but I found it hard to believe that Tabor accepted the burden without trying everything possible to get rid of it first. I mean the ghosts are confined to a box but he never even really tried to get rid of the box, I mean the least he tried was to leave it at home when he left for college (but his mother sent it back to him, I mean this woman is unbelievable), he never tried to bury it ten feet deep or throw it in the ocean. I mean come on if a box of ghosts was draining your life force wouldn’t you try everything and I mean everything possible to get rid of it first?
 
So that is the end of me railing at the plot. What I liked about this story were its main characters – Tabor and Gautier. I liked Tabor’s self-deprecating wit and even though I didn’t like the way he handled the situation, I can appreciate the strength it took to handle things as he did and still retain his sanity. Gautier was a nice change of pace for Tabor, I liked Gautier, he seemed very kind hearted and helpful and I liked how he tried to help Tabor even at the risk of bodily harm. I also quite liked the fact that he had ulterior motives and wasn’t completely innocent.
 
Tabor and Gautier were scorching hot together. These two were yummy together and they definitely had chemistry going for them. Since this book is spread over only two days, I feel it will be a bit hasty to label them in love but I do agree that given everything they have endured together they are well on that path.
 
This is a nicely written story but you kind of have to suspend your logic if you want to enjoy this properly.
 
Cover Art by Winterheart Design. I confess I am not a fan of covers with just two guys on them especially when they are not even interacting with each other on the cover, too trite for my tastes.
Sales Links
7104e-waxcreative-amazon-kindle
Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 90 pages
Published October 27th 2016 by MLR Press, LLC (first published July 6th 2011)
ASINB01M3VTJCT
Edition LanguageEnglish