A MelanieM Review: All Hallows’ Eve by Annabelle Jacobs

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sales Links

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Book Details:

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

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

Sunchaser Release Blitz Banner

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

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

From the authors, Beryll & Osiris Brackhaus:

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

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

  • Will we learn more about Martin?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What made you rescue the wolf?

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

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

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

Synopsis

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

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

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

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

Exclusive Excerpt

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

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

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

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

Then he pulled away.

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

Sunchaser Book Cover

Buy Links

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

Giveaway

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

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

Softpaw

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

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

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

Softpaw Book Cover

Buy Links

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

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

About the authors

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

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

Osiris

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

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

A Paul Review: To Catch His Mate by JD Walker

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

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

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

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

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

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

Sales Links

JMS Books LLC

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Book Details

EBook, 123 pages

Edition Language:  English

Published:  March 30, 2016 by JMS Books

ISBN:  9781634860673

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

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

Read an Excerpt/Buy It Here

About Wolf’s Clothing

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

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

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

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

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

About EJ Russell

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

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

Connect with E.J.:

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

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Giveaway

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

An Ali Release Day Review: Breaking Hell’s Rules by Lyssa Dering

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
breaking-hells-rules-by-lyssa-deringWhen succubus Reth finally meets their soul quota and gains freedom from Hell, they decide to take up residence in New Orleans. Immediately they discard the body they’ve been wearing since 1952 and slip into something a little more virile, pleased to find they get a cozy apartment for their trouble. Too bad the apartment has a joint lease with their body’s ex-boyfriend Jude.

Jude is walking around with a black eye and a bad attitude, and when Reth tries to explain things, Jude doesn’t believe them. Plus, he refuses to move out. Reth doesn’t want to take Jude’s soul, and they really like this body. So they show him some succubus action minus the soul-grabbing, hoping to scare him off.

But they never expected for the mortal to take a liking to them. And they never could have predicted just how pure Jude’s soul would be. When Reth unwittingly commits a sin against Lucifer, they’ll need Jude’s help to avoid an eternity of suffering… For them both.
This story was a mixed bag for me.  Some of it I liked a lot but some parts didn’t work for me.  I loved the concept of the story and all of the paranormal characters that were in it.  I thought it was a really unique idea for a book and the plot drew me in right away.  One of my issues though came up right away and that was that Reth was supposed to have no gender and therefore was referred to as “they” or “their”.  It kept confusing me and pulling me out of the story.  I would have to re-read sentences to figure out if “they” was Reth alone or Reth and Jude.  It also didn’t make a lot of sense to me plot wise because initially Reth explains that gender is just for humans but then every other paranormal creature in the story, including another succubus, are all assigned a gender and called “he” or “she”.
The biggest issue though was that I just didn’t feel any connection or love between the two MC’s.  There was a lot of telling me that they loved each other but not a lot of showing.  None of it felt believable to me.  Jude barely batted an eye to find out his boyfriend was dead and his body was now possessed by a demon.
There were a host of great side characters in this and I especially enjoyed the hellhounds.  It’s a cool world that the author has created and I’d like to see this turn into a series so we could see what happens to some of these creatures.
There were parts of this I really liked and then the above mentioned things that didn’t work for me.  Overall I would say it was a good read and I liked it well enough to check out some more works by this author.  If you’re looking for something outside the norm this would be a good pick.
Cover:  I think the cover is great.  I like it a lot and think it is perfect for the story.
 
Sales Links
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Book Details:
Kindle Edition
Published October 10th 2016
ASINB01IWLJ554
Edition LanguageEnglish

Its Release Week for Lyssa Dering’s Breaking Hell’s Rules (excerpt and giveaway)

Breaking Hell’s Rules – Lyssa Dering

Author: Lyssa Dering
 
Length: 25,000 words
 
 
Blurb

Freedom wasn’t supposed to be this dangerous…

When succubus Reth finally meets their soul quota and gains freedom from Hell, they decide to take up residence in New Orleans. Immediately they discard the body they’ve been wearing since 1952 and slip into something a little more virile, pleased to find they get a cozy apartment for their trouble. Too bad the apartment has a joint lease with their body’s ex-boyfriend Jude.

Jude is walking around with a black eye and a bad attitude, and when Reth tries to explain things, Jude doesn’t believe them. Plus, he refuses to move out. Reth doesn’t want to take Jude’s soul, and they really like this body. So they show him some succubus action minus the soul-grabbing, hoping to scare him off.

But they never expected for the mortal to take a liking to them. And they never could have predicted just how pure Jude’s soul would be. When Reth unwittingly commits a sin against Lucifer, they’ll need Jude’s help to avoid an eternity of suffering… For them both.




Excerpt

The room was thick with tension, but Jude was feeling reckless. He set the cards back on the table and came up to Reth’s back, pressing his lips to the top of his spine. When Reth didn’t tell him no, he settled his hands tentatively on his hips.
Reth turned his head, looking at Jude over his shoulder. When he next spoke, it was in a near-whisper. “I already told you this wasn’t a good idea.”
“I’m just…” He sighed. He didn’t know what he was doing. He’d never touch a stranger like this, or someone he’d only rubbed up against once. He stepped back, shoving his hands into the pockets of his sweats. “Sorry. This is stressful. Everything is stressful.”
“I understand.” Reth turned around, abandoning his cabinet search for alcohol. He averted his eyes but then focused them back on Jude. “I need you to do something for me, even though you’re stressed.”
“What?”
“Don’t tell anyone what I’ve told you. About what I am. About what you saw.”
Jude couldn’t help but laugh. Who would he tell, anyway? His mom? She didn’t need to hear about his love life, especially when it was a mess. She’d taken a couple of years to be okay with him being queer, but demons? That would take her years to get comfortable with. And his best friend Brett was always traveling for work and wasn’t great at long distance communication. “They’d think I was crazy.”
“Good. Actually, it might be better if I left. And you could pretend Tyler ran out on you.”
The mention of Tyler pinched Jude’s chest. “He did run out on me. Basically.”
“Perfect.” Reth tried to leave the room, but Jude grabbed his fingers.
“Hey, wait. What’s going on? You can tell me.” Reth stilled but didn’t say anything. “We already decided that you were staying, that you were going to help me with the rent. Just tell me what’s going on so we can handle it.”
Several strained seconds passed in which neither of them moved. Then Reth turned around and pulled Jude into a searing kiss.


Author Bio

 

 

Lyssa Dering is an author of queer erotic romance. She writes about damaged characters in impossible situations who, despite often horrifying struggles, will always get their happy ending.


Twitter: http://twitter.com/lyssadering
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/lyssadering
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/lyssadering
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100013162894226
Website: http://lyssadering.com

 

 

   

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A PaulB Review: Eternal Circle (Sirius Wolves #3) by Victoria Sue

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

eternal-circle-by-victoria-sueIt has been five months since Darric has passed and the remaining members of Orion’s Circle are still dealing with the loss.  Aden has probably been most affected as he is carrying Darric’s child.  Entering his fifth month, Aden has two more to go.  As before, he is being hidden away except for the most senior members of the leadership pack so that the pregnancy remains a secret.  However, outside events always complicate matters.

Blaze, the leader of Orion’s Circle, is still trying to integrate werewolves into the military establishment.  But Darric’s death weighs heavily in his mind.  Since he first shifted, he promised his mates that he would always protect them.  However, he failed in protecting Darric.  Now he must make sure that Aden and Connor are safe from harm.

Connor, meanwhile, has his own concerns.  The empath of the group he is suppose to know what others are feeling.  However, his powers seem to be disappearing.  Instead of feeling other people, he is using cues and thinks he knows what they feel.  He wonders if this is a temporary setback or if his powers are fading permanently.

As Orion’s Circle and the military begin to roll out a publicity campaign to sway people’s opinions about werewolves, it becomes evident that someone within the leadership group has been supplying secret information.  The only suspect they have is a wolf that used to be Aden’s friend and has been causing trouble with other pack members.  No matter what has gone on in the past, Aden cannot believe that Kellan has seriously betrayed them.

When an explosion injures Connor and a young boy, Blaze uses his alpha power to heal the two.  However, this has unintended consequences and bring unwanted attention to the werewolves.  An enemy from the past uses this situation to his advantage and places the remaining members of Orion’s Circle in jeopardy.  Will Aden and the rest survive to see the birth of their new pup?

This third book in the Sirius Wolves series is just as tension filled as the previous two.  As the three men deal with the death of their partner, they must move forward.  Being pregnant, Aden feels almost helpless as events unfold.  He must think of his unborn child first.  Blaze must contend with the human government as well as issues that deal with his pack.  Connor is worried that Darric’s death may have affected his powers and might not get them back.  Add to this someone who wants revenge on this group for past slights.  The resolution is a bit contrived but keeps with most tellings of mythology.  I look forward to the rest of the series.

The cover art by E Connors has a shirtless man in front of a cloudy night sky.  It is a decent cover that keeps with the theme of the covers of the rest of the series.

Sales Links

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Book Details

EBook, 143 pages

Edition Language:  English

Published:  September 24, 2015

ISBN:  978-1-944054-05-2

Series:  Sirius Wolves

A VVivacious Review: The Alpha’s Revenge by Shane Keleher

 
Rating: 2.5 Stars out of 5

the-alphas-revengeJustin meets Parker one night in a bar and is instantly intrigued. Little does Justin know that that night marks the end of normalcy for him, for come tomorrow he will faced by the fact that werewolves are real and he is one of them.
 
Parker’s family is a family of hunters so he knows that the thing that attacked Justin is actually a werewolf but he finds it hard to tell Justin the truth because Justin is turning out to be more than a one night stand for him.
 
This is the first romance book I have ever read that would have been much better for me had it had less romance and more focus on the story. In hindsight this story would have worked out better if it didn’t have the romance tag attached to it because I personally could not get behind Justin and Parker. They seemed forced, it was almost as if you could feel the presence of a third entity directing the events in this story.
 
This story has two journeys one is the journey of Parker and Justin and the other is Justin’s journey as a werewolf.
 
I loved Justin’s character and I really liked how he handles the rapidly changing status quo of his life, as much of the story is from Justin’s point of view you really get to dig deep into his character. Also since you are mostly in Justin’s head it makes the werewolf aspects of this story much more interesting. The story of Justin being turned into a werewolf and how he comes to terms with his new identity is the best part of this book and I loved it.
 
In most werewolf romances that I have read werewolves are not the traditional monsters they are considered to be. So for me reading a story in which werewolves are monsters was a change and I liked how the author handled that facet of this book. Also I loved werewolf Branson, I was really impressed with his character and he was one character I wanted to know more about, also I loved the interactions between Justin and Branson. They shared an interesting dynamic that I would have loved to see explored more.
 
I didn’t really like the couple of Justin and Parker as it never made much sense to me. Their initial attraction seemed forced and the fact that I found the sex scenes in this book extremely boring didn’t help matters afterwards. I don’t know what it was about the sex scenes in this book but they just seemed so dry, they read like a laundry list of steps to be followed during the course of sex. So yeah for me this couple just didn’t work.
 
Also the fact that we only get Parker’s POV a few times in the beginning made me feel a little distanced from his character. Since the story actually involves both of Parker’s older brothers’, Colin and Max, as well the fact that we don’t get to see their relationship from Parker’s POV kind of hinders the story. I for one really wanted to understand his relationship with his brothers better because that particular aspect of this story is like a bag of worms just threatening the well-being of this story.
 
Overall I feel this book would have worked out better as an adventure-verging-on-a-thriller story then it did as the romance it was forced to be.
 
Cover Art by Ginny Glass. I liked the cover, it sets the tone for the book quite well.
Sales Links
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Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 181 pages
Published September 8th 2016 by Loose Id LLC (first published February 2nd 2014)
ASINB01LVZXHB8
Edition LanguageEnglish

Here’s Reading You! Readers on eBooks! This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

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Here’s Reading You! Part I

Readers on eBooks!

Today we are starting to look at ebooks from a number of perspectives ~ that of the reader, the author, and the publisher!  Remember when the eBook was a startling new format?  And the eReader?  Oh my!  Some people railed against them both! Calling them the demise of the book world, saying print would be forgotten, the bookstores demolished…fish falling from the skies, dimensions colliding…well, uh hem…you get my drift.  Did that happen?

Nope.

Were there some adjustments to be made?  Certainly.  But other factors were at large too.  Big box stores were giving way to internet sales, niche bookstores were on the rise and ebooks?  Establishing themselves as a format. No longer an experiment…sales were rising! eBook publishers were being founded to meet demands of the readers in all niches.  eReaders from different sources were coming on the market to meet the demand. !  I still have my first generation Kindle.  Guess what?  Works just fine.  ‘Course its long been replaced by a new one with fancy lighting that’s easier on my eyes.  Or maybe you are reading on a notebook now…so many options.  All this is my way of saying the ebook is here to stay.  Its just another format now, along side the printed form, and the audiobook.  Its no longer the “new” guy in town.  And predictably the sales demonstrate that as well.  Its audiobooks that demonstrate the greatest growth in numbers.

So I was curious.  For our readers, authors and publishers.  What’s the take on ebooks these days?  Where are we  finding them?  How do we feel about them from many angles and where do you think we are going from here?

Last week, I started to ask our readers for some answers to the questions, where do you find your ebooks?  Where do you go to find that next story or next new author?  It used (and maybe still is) to be the NY Times Best Seller List for the hardback and softcover, but for the eBook the answer is a variety of places I was happy to see:

From Suze 294:

I get my read recommendations from a number of review blogs I subscribe to, including Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words! I have gradually whittled them down to about 6-8 whose reviews seem to match my reading wants.
I also subscribe to a few favoured authors newletters and/or follow on wordpress to get both their new releases and those they have enjoyed.
I also get the newsletters/updates from ARe, Pride Publishing, Dreamspinner, Riptide (think there is more too) to pick up new releases and deals!!!
On GR I check the feed from friends to see what they are reading but I dont get so many new reads there. The New Releases/Deals and Steals threads are handy too though it does rely on us posting what we see elsewhere.

From Tex Reader:

Thanks for the offer and the inquiry. I mainly have 3 sources, and I mainly search for gay-themed books across a number of favorite genres. Most recently I’ve usually used GR – I’m a member of several glbtq groups and follow their posts, as well as have several fav authors, and I find books on various “best of …” lists. Initially, I mainly looked at library and Amazon “best” lists and various award nomination lists, like Lambda, Rainbow, etc. Finally, I’m a member of a gay men’s book group in Chicago, and our discussions can lead me to some authors of interest.

From Monica:

I tend to find my authors from a variety of sources. I get recommendations on Amazon based upon books I’ve already bought. I have discovered a few that way. I also participate in Goodreads M/M Group’s Don’t Buy My Love program and discover a lot of new authors/books. Also just general recommendations on Goodreads. I’ve recently subscribed to Scribd and have discovered a couple of new authors there. I still have my old standby of favorite authors but every now and then I like to break away and discover something new.

From Ana:

I find them mostly on goodreads, by friend’s recommendations, or in post on goodread’s groups when other reader mention them. I also find some in reviews from reviewing blogs i like. If the book sounds interesting I’ll go to goodreads to check it out and if i liked it i buy it. Also by suggestions from authors i follow on twitter, facebook or their blogs. I’ve found some great authors that way. I read either from publisher or independent authors, i don’t really have a preference there, if the book sounds good, i’ll read it.

From Natalie:

I get lots from friending authors and bloggers on FB. I check Amazon lists but probably most from GR friends, and their friends, in reviews and comments. I follow all my authors on GR and most on Amazon. I usually know about new books faster from GR and FB than from notifications from Amazon. I buy direct from publishers or/and ARe as often as I can.

From Fehu:

I use Scribd, it a subscription service for ebooks mostly, if there is a book I want to try but am uncertain if I’d like it I’ll use my credit there to get the book. Some of their books are unlimited and thats also a good way to get a new author/book to get noticed, since one only has 3 credits per month. When looking for things to chose for the credits on Scribd, I use the monthly lists of new releases at Goodreads or themed lists if I am looking for some particular genre/theme.
Especially for new independent authors its important that the book are shelfes correctly, since a lot of people use the Goodreads lists for reading challenges. A nice cover and a good summary are also a must. Drawn covers get more attention at least its that way for me, a leftover from my manga reading days. Reviews are nice especially if its been around a few month.
I buy my books where its convenient for me, like ARe and Amazon but also Kobo. Sometimes the publishers website but its inconvenient to have a lot of accounts. KU is also a good way to get noticed, again it should be shelfed, the author might think about joining the GR M/m KU group, add the book to the upcoming list there and shelf it on the bookshelf of the group.

That’s just a small sampling of the replies so far.  But the trend is clear.  When searching out for that next book or author, there is no one source.  As a reader, we are looking everywhere.  That includes myself.  I love that!  To me, it means we are open to new possibilities, new authors, new stories!  That the new author has a better chance of finding a audience for their voice, their story, because readers are searching through a multitude of venues for their next book.  And yes, if that author wants it, perhaps they have a better chance of finding a publisher.  The internet and its various communities has become our book and author hunting ground and we are putting it to good use.

We also follow those authors we like through a number of sources as well be it Goodreads or their own blogs or their publishers.  Let us not forget we follow them on Twitter, Pinterest, FB, Snapchat and various other media too.  I wonder if writers these days wish they could just write and not worry about the rest.  We will hear from them later on.

There is one week left to get your comments in before our reader winners are chosen.  Next week we will finish up with our readers perspective and be on to how our authors view ebooks and writing.

Contest Reminder:

Readers, tell me how you find your independent authors. Buy randomly? Pick them out from Goodreads? Already follow them? Or maybe you don’t? Maybe you only buy books from a publisher or a author linked to a publisher. I want to know that too. 3 winners who leave comments will get a $10 gift certificate (Dreamspinner, or Amazon, or Riptide…your choice). This contest will end quickly as I need the answers to use in in my blog, so think about them. Contest ends Oct 15th, midnight. Make sure you leave your email address where you can be reached. More winners maybe chosen if the comments are extra wonderful. Thanks.

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This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

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Sunday, October 9:

  • Here’s Reading You! Readers on eBooks!
  • This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, October 10:

  • Spotlight Tour and Giveaway – Pansies by Alexis Hall
  • Changing on the Fly- M/M Hockey Charity Anthology Tour
  • A MelanieM Review:  Changing On the Fly Anthology
  • A Stella Review: Defenseless by AJ Rose
  • A Melanie Review: Reading the Signs by Keira Andrews
  • A VVivacious Review: The Alpha’s Revenge by Shane Keleher
  • A Paul Review: Eternal Circle (Sirius Wolves #3) by Victoria Sue

Tuesday, October 11:

  • Book Release Recap:  A Cowboy’s Home by RJ Scott (giveaway)
  • New Book Blitz & Giveaway –Crazy Joe (Tales From The 77th Precinct) by A.J. Llewellyn and D.J. Manly
  • Release Blitz – Breaking Hell’s Rules – Lyssa Dering (excerpt and giveaway)
  • An Ali Releases Day Review: Breaking Hell’s Rules by Lyssa Dering
  • A Melanie Release Day Review: Ben and Shiloh (The Belladonna Arms #4) by John Inman 
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Enjoy the Dance (Dancing #2) by Heidi Cullinan

Wednesday, October 12:

  • Riptide Tour & Giveaway – Wolf’s Clothing by EJ Russell
  • In the Spotlight:A Rancher’s Son Recap Tour by RJ Scott (excerpt and giveaway)
  • An Alisa Release Day Review: Chase this Light by Francis Gideon:
  • A Lila Review: Prince of Land and Fire by Emily Carrington
  • A Jeri Review: THIRDS Beyond the Books: Volume 2 by Charlie Cochet
  • A Caryn Review:  Morning My Angel by Sue Brown

Thursday, October 13:

  • Jessie G’s His Premier Blog Tour and Giveaway
  • A Caryn Review: Pictures of You (’90s Coming of Age #1) by Leta Blake
  • A Paul Review: To Catch His Mate by JD Walker
  • An Alisa Review: Amen To Love by Carolina Valdez
  • A Stella Review: A Selfless Man by Sandrine Gasq-Dion

Friday, October 14:

  • Blueprint by RJ Jones Blog Tour
  • Release Day and Review Blitz for Suncatcher – Smilodon Pride Book 2 by Beryll & Osiris Brackhaus
  • Overly Dramatic -Series Recap Tour & Giveaway- Treading The Boards Series – Rebecca Cohen
  • Release Blitz  Tour – Annabelle Jacobs – All Hallows’ Eve
  • Storming Love: Tsunami Tales are Here with Nic Starr’s Sebastian & Owen (exclusive excerpt)
  • A MelanieM Review:  All Hallows’ Eve by Annabelle Jacobs
  • An Alisa Release Day Review : Sunchaser by Beryll & Osiris Brackhaus

Saturday, October 15:

  • In the Spotlight: The Captain’s Promise by T.J. Land (excerpt)
  • A MelanieM/Barb the Zany Old Lady Joint Review: The Weight of It All by N.R. Walker
  • A MelanieM Release Day Review: Suddenly Yours by Jacob Flores

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In the Spotlight: The Ghost in the Mirror by Faith Gibson (excerpt and giveaway)

Title: The Ghost in the Mirror (Samuel Dexter #1)
Author: Faith Gibson
Genre: M/M Romance
Release Date: September 29, 2016
Photographer: Randy Rls Sewell

What do you do when you have no memories of your life except the one moment that took everything away?

My name is Dex and I’m a Marine. Somewhere in the horrors of the sand overseas, an explosion took out not only most of my unit but also my memories of everything that happened before that day. When my memories don’t return, the explosion also ends my career in the military. That one moment costs me everything.

Starting from scratch sucks. I don’t even know what foods I like or what types of music I listen to. Am I a boxer or briefs man? Do I like women or men? I also have to figure out what I’m going to do with my life from this point on.

While adjusting to my new life, I start seeing things — things that no one else can see. I think that maybe my head injury caused more than amnesia. When one of my “visions” won’t leave me alone, I have no choice but to believe in ghosts.

Along with the ghosts during the day, at night I dream vividly of two men. But are these two men merely dreams, or are they memories? When one man steps through the door of my hospital room, I have the answer. This man literally tries to lead me down memory lane, culminating in a searing kiss. Too bad my brain isn’t cooperating, because this man is breathtaking.

With the help of my sassy grandmother, I begin to rebuild my life.

I am Samuel Dexter, and these are my stories.

WARNING: This book contains scenes that might be considered triggers for some. Sam is a Marine involved in an explosion. This book also (mildly) describes children being kidnapped in the past and their remains found later.

 

“Let me say I love the characters in this book!” – Tasty Wordgasms

“It draws you in and you have to keep reading.” – Alpha Book Club

“Love, love Faith!!!! I highly recommend this book. Another smashing success by a very talented author.” – Reader Review

I sat down on the stump and allowed the sound of the water to soothe my soul. When I had complained about karma coming after me for some wrong I’d done, Grams chewed my ass out and said I was being kept alive for something I had yet to do. Fate had tried to kill me twice, and I had survived both times, so I obviously had a purpose for still being here. That purpose manifested itself in front of me. I was so used to Cindy being around me now that I had stopped being surprised when she showed up. She climbed down the bank and stood in the water.
“Can you feel that? Can you feel the water rushing over your feet?”
She shook her head no. The little girl bent down and tried to run her hand through the rolling water, but nothing happened. It was in that moment that I vowed to stop being a whiny bitch. This little girl had lost her life, most assuredly in a horrific way, and I was complaining because I was alive. She floated back onto the bank and walked toward me. Cindy climbed up on my lap and leaned her head against my good shoulder. I would have given anything to feel her hair tickling my neck. This precious child needed comfort, and I couldn’t give it to her.
“I’m sorry I got hurt, but I promise I’ll start searching for clues again real soon. I have to go to see Dr. Carr tomorrow, so I’ll stop by the old fairground then.” Her essence combined with mine briefly, letting me know she was okay with what I had said. It was the strangest feeling, having another entity flow through you. She leaned back and mouthed something. Of course I couldn’t hear her and reminded her of it. She jumped down from my lap and mimed singing into a microphone. “You want me to sing?” Cindy nodded so hard, her hair bounced up and down. “Okay, kid. It’s your ears.”
I’d been in a pensive mood ever since Orlando’s visit at the hospital, so I decided to sing something upbeat. I started belting out Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours”, and my little ghost started dancing. She grabbed the sash of her dress, holding on to both dirty ends as she twirled around, making her blue dress float around her. For the first time since she appeared to me, Cindy smiled, and I laughed. I was so caught up in the connection between the two of us that I didn’t hear the footsteps behind me. When a voice joined mine, blending in perfect harmony, I froze and Cindy disappeared.
I wanted to stop singing so badly, but I wanted to continue hearing his beautiful voice worse. I closed my eyes and sang, because if I looked up at Orlando, I’d have probably done something really unmanly. Like cried. And begged. And begged while I was crying. I’m not sure what I’d have begged him for, but it seemed the right thing to do. After the song was over, only then did I open my eyes. “We always did sound good together,” he whispered.
“I wish I could remember that.” I spoke honestly, keeping my eyes to the spot where Cindy had been. “I want so badly to remember it all, and I bet you’d probably like to forget.”
“Honestly? Yes. Most days I would like to forget I ever met you. Then there are the good days I cling to what we had and hope it wasn’t my only shot at ever finding love. But if it was, then at least I knew a love like no other.”
Orlando’s words killed me. Stabbed me in the heart, twisted, and pulled the organ out of my chest, tossing it to the ground where it landed with a flat thud at my feet. Then I remembered that he had a wife and child. If what he just said was true, he didn’t love his wife. God, how screwed up was that?
“Before we get to the reason I’m here, would you mind telling me who you were singing and laughing with when I walked up?”
Well, fuck.

 


Faith Gibson is a multi-genre author who lives outside Nashville, Tennessee with the love of her life, and her four-legged best friends. She strongly believes that love is love, and there’s not enough love in the world.
She began writing in high school and over the years, penned many stories and poems. When her dreams continued to get crazier than the one before, she decided to keep a dream journal. Many of these night-time escapades have led to a line, a chapter, and even a complete story. You won’t find her books in only one genre, but they will all have one thing in common: a happy ending.

 

When asked what her purpose in life is, she will say to entertain the masses. Even if it’s one person at a time. When Faith isn’t hard at work on her next story, she can be found playing trivia while enjoying craft beer, reading, or riding her Harley.

 


 

Faith is the author of The Stone Society, a paranormal, post-apocalyptic shapeshifters series; The Music Within, a MM romance series; and The Samuel Dexter books, stories about a retired Marine ghost hunter who has lost all his memories from before the accident that took him out of commission.

Want an Authorgrpah?  Head over to http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/authorFGibson now

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