Category: M/M Supernatural Fiction

An Alisa Review:Behind the Uniform Collection by by Toni Griffin, Gregory L. Norris, and Jon Keys

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

Behind the UniformUniformed careers are a matter of choice and of sacrifice – military, fire, police, forest service, etc. – and the people who choose these careers are often dedicated to a fault. But sometimes dedication can come with a hefty price. Behind the Uniform illustrates the physical or emotional sacrifice and the hard choices that sometimes come with such all-consuming dedication.

A Wolf in Cop’s Clothing by Toni Griffin
Marcus Holland loves his job as a small town cop and his life with his pack. When his mate, Brian, kissed him goodbye that morning and remarked, “This is Leyburn. What trouble could I possibly find?” Marcus really hoped never to find out. He had no idea how much those words would come back to haunt him as he goes about his duties.

It’s the Hat by Jon Keys
Forest ranger Matt Keller’s frustrations mount as he tries to bust a poaching ring in a Michigan national forest and now he’s discovered that Kyle, the gorgeous waiter he desperately wants to ask out, has an ex-boyfriend hanging around. The ex is bad news, Kyle says it’s complicated, and Matt’s not sure which way to jump. Just as Matt’s puzzling things out with Kyle, his pursuit of the poachers takes a dangerous turn and he could risk losing all the pieces he’s fought so hard to juggle.

The Head Shed by Gregory L. Norris
Milo Hanover is proud to manage a Head Shed. He and the sex workers he supervises are vital to the morale and sanity of troops fighting a ruthless alien invader. When Colonel Dunnegin arrives at the Shed, though, it isn’t for the usual reason. He reveals that humanity needs Milo for the secrets carried in his genetic code rather than his enthusiastic service. In the desperate race to get Milo to the front, he battles his own heart even as he’s thrust into the battleground for humanity’s survival.

 

**Please note: The stories in this anthology will not be released individually.

 

This was a nice collection of stories, each with their own set characters.  Even with a slightly common theme the stories were different and all had very different feels to them.

 

A Wolf in Cop’s Clothing

I have to admit this story is the main reason I wanted to read this anthology.  I have enjoyed the Holland brothers’ form the beginning.  This story focuses on Marcus and Brian, the couple from the first Holland Brothers books.  We were able to see both characters’ points of view and how protective and caring they both are of their children and each other.  It was great to see these characters again and how strong their relationship still is.

 

It’s the Hat

This is a classic story of two people being attracted to each other, but not knowing for sure the other wants them.  We are able to see both characters’ points of view which helps us to get connected to these characters.  In this story Matt has been lusting after Kyle for months, but doesn’t feel worthy to act on his attraction.  Kyle finally has to take the last step for them to see how good they could be together.  I love the glimpse forward at the end.

 

The Head Shed

This story is told from Milo’s point of view and has a dystopian setting.  Milo and John have been hardened by war, but know what life was like before.  Milo gets pulled from his place at the Head Shed because his genetics should be able to help fight against the invaders.  When they are captured he puts himself in harm’s way to save humankind and the man he loves.  This is the only story I had a bit of a hard time with, it kind of just picked up in the middle of this war and even though the author did some background explaining I just didn’t feel connected to these characters or the story.

 

The cover art by Freddy MacKay is nice, but it depicts firemen of which there are none in these stories.

 

Sales Link: Mischief Corner Books | Amazon | ARe

 

Book Details:

ebook, 143 pages
Published: July 20, 2016 by Mischief Corner Books
ISBN: 9781925313925
Edition Language: English

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Hexbreaker by Jordan L. Hawk ~ Audiobook narrated by Tristan James

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

HexbreakerWill a dark history doom their future together?

New York copper Tom Halloran is a man with a past. If anyone finds out he once ran with the notorious O’Connell tunnel gang, he’ll spend the rest of his life doing hard time behind bars. But Tom’s secret is threatened when a horrible murder on his beat seems to have been caused by the same ancient magic that killed his gang.

Cat shifter Cicero is determined to investigate the disappearance of one friend and the death of another, even though no one else believes the cases are connected. When the trail of his investigation crosses Tom’s, the very bohemian Cicero instinctively recognizes the uncultured Irish patrolman as his witch. Though they’re completely unsuited to one another, Cicero has no choice but to work alongside Tom…all the while fighting against the passion growing within.

Tom knows that taking Cicero as his familiar would only lead to discovery and disaster. Yet as the heat between them builds, Tom’s need for the other man threatens to overcome every rational argument against becoming involved.

But when their investigation uncovers a conspiracy that threatens all of New York, Tom must make the hardest decision of his life: to live a lie and gain his heart’s desire, or to confess the truth and sacrifice it all.

Get ready for eight-and-a-half hours of entertainment from the talented mind of the highly creative paranormal author, Jordan L. Hawk, and the smooth, delicious, and melodic voice of Tristan James.  There would’ve had to have been a very big goof-up in this audiobook for me not to enjoy it with that talented combo involved.  And there wasn’t, so I did. A lot! 

This is book one in a new series, Hexworld, though there is a prequel, The 13th Hex, that can be read prior. It’s not necessary, but IMHO, it adds to the story since the characters from the prequel are featured as principal secondary characters in this one.

Tom Halloran has been living a lie for eight years, hiding from his past identity as Liam O’Connell of the notorious O’Connell Gang, who started the Cherry Street fires. Tom saw his father and brother go on a killing rampage, wiping out his whole family, and when Tom used his hexbreaking skills to remove the hex from his brother, the man immediately died.  Tom now carries the guilt of killing his brother, and the grisly memory of his father tearing his mother’s face half off, along with the guilt of not being able to stop any of it. He hides his hexbreaking abilities and is working as a regular cop in New York City, having assumed the identity of a man he found dead in an alley who was fresh off the ship from Ireland and on his way to take a job as a patrolman.

Though he wants nothing to do with the Metropolitan Witch Police, the other law enforcement agency in the city, his mission to find out who killed one of the shopkeepers on his patrol takes him there, and that’s when the adventure begins.  Because he meets Cicero, a cat familiar, unbonded, untamed, and the most beautiful man Tom has ever seen—though with the temperament of an aloof cat who got away with the cream.

This story sets the stage for this new world, the world of hexbreakers, witches, and familiars who work for the MWP, trying their best to maintain law and order in the turn of the (19th to 20th) century. There’s angst, heartache, and regret; but there’s also hope, bravery, love, and redemption.  The adventure is complex and interesting, and the world-building was outstanding. 

As Tom and Cicero, aided by Dominic and Rook, attempt to solve the mystery surrounding the murders that appear to be caused by the same hex that killed Tom’s family, they are joined by a host of secondary characters, some of whom turn out to work for “the bad guys” and some of whom I hope will return in future installments of this series.  Tristan James’s talent for speaking with authentic-sounding British and Irish accents enhances this already amazing story. 

The book is totally different from the Whyborne and Griffin series, and yet equally as intriguing and satisfying.  Don’t miss a chance to get into this series now.  It’s going to be a wonderful adventure.

The cover art, by the author, depicts two men holding hands and embracing—one behind the other—in the top pane; and a background map of NYC with the shape of a black cat superimposed over the map in the lower pane. The cover is attractive and perfectly conveys both the characters and setting of the story.

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Audiobook Details:

Audiobook
Published August 3rd 2016 by Widdershins Press LLC (first published May 6th 2016)
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesHexworld #1

In the Spotlight: The Orchard of Flesh (Arcadia Trust #2) by Christian Baines (author interview)

The Orchard of Flesh

The Orchard of Flesh (Arcadia Trust #2) by Christian Baines
Bold Strokes Books

Read an Excerpt/Buy it Here at Bold Strokes Books

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Christian Baines here today to talk about writing, his characters and his latest release, The Orchard of Flesh. Welcome, Christian.

~~~

  •  In The Beast Without…the vampires and werewolves weren’t civilized creatures but more apex predators.  What made you go in that direction?

They’re civilized to a point, but they’re not timid or gentle, and they’re not self-loathing about what they are. I went in that direction for two reasons. One, it seemed to me like a lot of stories about vampires or werewolves established their humanity through guilt over their difference. That felt worn, and more than that, I didn’t want to reinforce their difference as being intrinsically evil. They’re all individuals, they all have things they have to do to survive, and they all make their own moral choices. If you look at it as a parallel to say, sexuality, you either learn to embrace that difference, or you go crazy. I wasn’t interested in writing self-loathing monsters.

  •  In the first story you had to lay down the foundation for your world and all the relationships.  Here in The Orchard of Flesh (Arcadia Trust, #2) you have to continue the complex story you started and the relationships as well.  What was the biggest challenge here?

The biggest challenge is keeping the storylines straight, and not introducing so much that the reader just gets confused and tunes out. There are elements in Beast Without that aren’t completely closed off by the end of that book, and they continue in Orchard of Flesh and beyond. In doing that, I’m keeping track of a bunch of plot threads, characters, and events that, even though they’re not on the page yet, are influencing the story as I’m (or Reylan is) telling it. You need to know what’s coming in the next book and maybe the one after that.

The central relationship between Reylan and Jorgas is easier in some ways because it evolves in the moment, and we see that evolution first hand. It breaks with common romance convention in that the romance isn’t confined to one book in which you know the boys are going to wind up together. I don’t make that promise. Their relationship is difficult, and it’s constantly evolving, just like every other relationship in the book’s world. Reylan’s relationship with Patricia, the head of The Arcadia Trust, which was very combative in Beast, evolves considerably here. His relationship with Brett, the human servant he adopted in Beast, is a big focus as well. His relationship with another character sours a bit. I love watching the relationships deepen gradually as the characters come to either trust or question one another. You can really bring out the details by doing that.

  •  Of the main characters, do you find you have a favorite?

Not particularly. I like characters who are elusive and kind of Machiavellian, but I go through phases and they all have aspects that I love and aspects that frustrate me. I’m always curious to know readers’ favourites though. That tells me a lot. Patricia and Jorgas are always popular, and I’m forever asked if Reylan is me. He isn’t. Or maybe he is. I don’t know. I’m not internalising it.

  •  Which is the hard one to write for you?

Kelvin, the Cloak Walker presents an interesting challenge by being invisible. There’s no image to work with there. But it’s also quite fun in that I get to come up with new and interesting ways for him to interact with people. The fact that he’s such a bad-tempered, explosive personality makes him fun too.

  • It’s been some time since the first story and the sequel.  Why the time span between the stories?

There were a lot of external factors behind that, but in the end, I don’t write quickly and I don’t see that as a bad thing for me. Initially when I got into the MM world, I’d just published Beast Without, and I would see these authors pumping out three, four, five books a year and thinking ‘My god, I can’t compete with this. I have to have something out there.’ So I put out an erotic, paranormal short, mostly because the next novel was a ways off and I felt I needed to release something. As a short, I like it. It still reads well. But it didn’t really reflect the kind of story I enjoyed writing, or reading, for that matter, and I think readers could tell. It was me caving to what I saw as this ‘pressure’ that really wasn’t there. It’s something I won’t be doing again, but it was a valuable experience.

Maybe the future Arcadia Trust books will come out faster, but they do need a lot of planning and thinking ahead. A lot of seeds are planted for payoff down the line, and the line is finite. I don’t want to be writing this series forever. There are other projects I want to do, not all of which are paranormal, or even prose, for that matter. There was Puppet Boy, which surprised a few people who loved Beast Without because it’s such a different book. But I love it. It’s another genre that I’m equally passionate about.

  •  What is your favorite aspect of the series?  Or do you have one at the moment?

Besides the deepening relationships, the humour helps, particularly if you want to take readers down a darker path. It’s funny though, people either get dark, off-beat humour or they don’t, and if they don’t, it’s no use trying to convert them. My favourite aspect though is how morally ambiguous the characters are. Most of my characters, actually, Puppet Boy’s included. They aren’t ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ They just have goals, needs, and agendas. A desire for love, justice, revenge, or whatever, which may lead them to very selfish or dangerous acts. They decide what works for them as the situation requires it, and some have ethical boundaries they won’t violate, or wrongs they won’t tolerate, while others are more ‘flexible’ or pragmatic.

  • What would you like your readers to take away from your novels?

A sense that they’ve had fun with the book, and ideally, will be thinking about it for a few days. I love a story that plays with my brain and makes me think, so I try to pay that forward in my own work. Other than that, a sense that LGBTs need not be victims. A lot of the time we talk about portrayals of LGBTs that we like or don’t like in media or stories. We don’t like seeing them get killed, wind up alone, turn out to be a serial killer, etc…the list is long and varies depending on who you ask. I’m fine with any of those things, provided the LGBT character isn’t simply a victim, calculated to get our sympathy or derision.

  •  What’s next for Christian Baines?

I’m currently working on a horror story set in New Orleans, for those who like such things. It was a short story. It’s now a novella…which is probably where it’ll stay. The next Arcadia Trust book is underway as well. It introduces a character who’ll be a bit of a game-changer for the series, so I’m excited about that.

I’m also doing a number of readings/events over the next couple of months, including Flame Con in New York City in August (look for the ‘Genre Junkies’), GRL in Kansas City in October, and the Naked Heart Festival in Toronto in November. So if you’re going to going to any of those, come say hi. I don’t bite unless you buy a book and ask nicely. You can find all the details at http://www.christianbaines.com/#!news-and-events/c1pz.

Blurb

Reylan’s last assignment for The Arcadia Trust brought a rebellious human servant under his roof, and a volatile werewolf lover named Jorgas into his bed, leaving the self-reliant Blood Shade–known to the outside world as vampires–in no hurry to risk his immortality for them again.

But when a new terror starts disappearing humans from a bad part of town, Reylan must do everything in his power to keep Sydney’s supernatural factions from the brink of war. Having an ambitious, meddlesome human in the mix is only going to make things worse…especially when that human is Jorgas’s father.

Reylan will need all his determination and cunning to keep the peace under his roof, between the night’s power brokers, and in his lover’s troubled heart.

christian-baines-110

About the Author – Christian Baines

Born in Toowoomba, Queensland, Christian Baines has since lived in Brisbane, Sydney, and Toronto, earning an MA in creative writing at University of Technology, Sydney along the way. His musings on travel, theatre, and gay life have appeared in numerous publications in both Australia and Canada.

Dual passions for travel and mythology have sent him across the world in search of dark and entertaining stories. His first novel, The Beast Without, was released in 2013, followed by an erotic short story, The Prince and the Practitioner.

A Paul B Review: Psychic Says (Revelations #2) by J.J. Black

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Psychic SaysStephen Jurgens has psychic gifts passed down from his grandmother.  He primarily uses his gift as a medium to help others contact their departed loved ones.  His psychic gifts he has basically ignored most of his life.  He works with his best friend and pseudo-brother Grey at Revelations, an outfit dealing with strange paranormal mysteries.  Grey asks that Stephen look into a local cougar pride that has had several otherwise healthy members suddenly die in the last two months.  Stephen agreed to take the assignment because his normal bodyguard and supposed mate Maddox is busy.  This will put some distance between them,

Maddox Blackwell is the alpha for the Pontiac werewolf pack.  The alpha has known that Stephen is his mate for a number of years.  First he thought he was too young to settle down with a mate.  Then Stephen consistently states that he is actually not Maddox’s mate and even if he were, their pairing would be no good.  Not knowing what kind of danger Stephen is putting himself into investigating the pride deaths, Maddox decides to follow him to Cadillac to make sure no harm befalls his mate.

Shortly after they show up, a local pride member and librarian is found dead.  When Stephen and Maddox investigate the death, Stephen’s worst fears are confirmed.  The body’s soul has been taken.  The situation is a lot more dangerous than he thought.  A necromancer has been eating the souls of the dead and living.  Stephen, Maddox’s wolf pack, and the cougar pride must now figure out a way to stop this paranormal menace or they will end up in the morgue with all the others.  Help from an unexpected source might provide just what it is needed to subdue this otherworldly killer.

This second book in the Revelations series hit all the right spots for me.  We have mystery, thills and romance in abundance.  The interaction between Maddox and Stephen is a cross between new lovers and an old married couple.  They have known each other for years and have the same arguments over and over.  Yet they also discover what it would be like if they commit to each other finally.  It kind of reminds me of Dave and Maddie from Moonlighting.  However, I predict better things for this couple and no cancellation in sight.  The character of Dana is a delight.  She is wise beyond her young looks.  She provides needed insight at the right times for Stephen to survive his battle.

The cover art by Posh Gosh has Stephen looking out over a graveyard at sunset it looks like.  The model perfectly portrays Stephen and the cover itself represents the book expertly. 

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Book Details

ebook, 207 pages
Published March 8th 2016 by Pride Publishing
ISBN139781786513847
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesRevelations #2

Series:  Revelations

  • Ask the Oracle (Revelations #1)
  • Psychic Says (Revelations #2)

An Alisa Review: Softpaw (Smilodon Pride #1) by Beryll Brackhaus and Osiris Brackhaus

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

SoftpawConnor’s life could have been the dream of any cultured werecat. He is spending his days in Paris’ gay quarter with comfortably little real work, playing the piano, surrounded by art, fine food and good friends. It could have been, if not for a feral vampire preying 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 nature becomes a problem for both when they realize there maybe is more to their initial attraction. 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…

 

Connor has been living a quiet life in Paris while trying to figure out what he really wants to do with his life.  Connor is surprised when Michel takes him up on his open invitation for a place to stay.  Both hide important information about themselves from the other while opening their hearts to the other.

 

This story is told from both of the main characters’ point of view, which helps to understand them a bit better.  Connor does everything to be helpful to others and do what he feels is right it personally hurts him when the vampire begins its’ killing spree.  Michel wants to do his job, but has trouble believing Connor’s connection to the murders is anything other than coincidental.  When Connor uncovers Michel’s duplicity I could feel how betrayed he feels and how much more determined he is to take care of the vampire.  Connor and Michel get a wonderful HFN ending that they both deserved.  There was a look at the next book in the series and I look forward to reading it in the future.

 

Cover art is nice and portrays the story setting nicely.

 

Sales Link

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Book Details:

ebook, 229 pages
Published: July 14, 2016
Edition Language: English

Series: Smilodon Pride #1

Want More Shifter Romance? Check Out Blood Moon Pack Alliance by S.A. Welsh (excerpt and giveaway)

Blood Moon Pack Alliance by S A Welsh

 
Author: SA Welsh
 
Buy Links
 
Series Blurb
Remyís life was turned upside down when Alpha Trevor, a controlling and sly leader concerned only with power, threatened his mother and a primal strength awakened inside him. He challenged the tyrannical alpha and defeated him. Now he is alpha, but Trevor isnít going away quietly to lick his wounds. Trevor is much more devious than that. Remy and his pack have to navigate through plots and schemes created by such a formidable enemy who is willing to do anything it takes to steal back control and rule not only the Blood Moon Pack but all of the paranormal world.


 

 

Lines are drawn, alliances are made, and mates are found, but will it be enough when the lies and treachery go far deeper than they know? Spies infiltrate and enemies circle, waiting for an opportunity to strike. The people closest to Remy are at greatest risk and some suffer more than anyone should at the hands of those seeking power. Vampires and shifters alike in the Blood Moon Pack Alliance must fight to keep each other safe and hope that love and family will be enough to give them the strength to weather the storm ahead.
Hi,
I’m SA Welsh and I write because I love reading and I love letting the characters and stories in my head come to life in a book. I can’t function in the morning without a cup of tea and when I’m not writing, I’m reading. Thank you to all the readers that let me keep writing and to the authors that keep me up at night reading a thrilling chapter and also to the editors that help make my books the best they can be.
Happy reading 🙂
Sa

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A Paul B Review: Tanner and Shade (Demon Elite 4) by April Kelley

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Tanner and ShadeFinn O’Reilly has be staying at the Lakeshore safe house since his rescue from slave traffickers a couple of months ago.  He had started flirting with Shade upon his arrival.  Things seemed to be going along real well with him until Finn finds out that Shade has been dating Tanner for the past two years.  Seeing that his relationship with a married man had gotten him into the situation he is currently in, Finn wants no part of breaking up a happy home.  He will do what he has must to prevent getting involved with another married man.

Tanner and Shade have kept their relationship a secret from their bosses for the past couple of years.  While at the Agency, there was a no fraternization policy in place.  Now that the Demon Elite squad has gone private, the two have no idea what their boss Justin would think about the relationship.  Both men find Finn attractive and openly flirt with him.  Shade does the more open flirting while Tanner is there for cuddles during movie night and the like. 

As Finn continues to resist both men, they decide to try to get Finn to join their relationship.  Before they can discuss the matter with him, Finn decides the best course of action is to run away from the situation, knowing it would hurt both the men and his brother.  While he is leaving town, Finn is stopped by one of the crooked cops working for Victoria Mize and his ex-boyfriend Harrison Belani.  Tanner and Shade must rescue their wayward witness before his is returned to where this whole mess started, back to Harrison.

This fourth book in the Demon Elite series is a tale of three broken men who will form a relationship to help each other heal and grown.  Finn is driven by the bad relationship that leads to his being sold into sexual slavery.  Tanner still suffers from physical and psychological effects of being tortured during a mission gone wrong.  Shade has blamed himself for not being there when his family died when he was a teen.  Add in the fact that Finn blames himself for his mother’s murder and you can see why they need each other to heal.  I have a feeling there will be some bumpy times ahead for the group but will make it through. 

This book also expands on how rotten a person Victoria Mize really is.  First she him up her brother as a fall guy for an attempted kidnapping.  Then she sells her own brother to the slave trafficking business.  Here is hoping that she gets put out of business soon.

The cover art by Latrisha Waters follows the pattern of the other Demon Elite.  Shade and Tanner are shown with shirts open showing their chiseled physique.  The Demon Elite shield is in the upper right hand corner this time. 

Sales Links

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Book Details

EBook, 116 pages
Edition Language:  English
Published:  July 8, 2016 by eXtasy Books
ISBN:  978-1-4874-0794-0

Series:  Demon Elite

A Paul B Review: Cosmo (Demon Elite 3) by April Kelley

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

CosmoCosmo Ruckman is the youngest member of the Demon Elite squad.  He takes on a sense of pride that he is using his skills in breaking and entering for the good guys now.   But his criminal past has been keeping him from the one thing he desires, Agency intelligence chief Derek Kyle.  Since the Demon Elite squad has broken away from the Agency, he no longer has to withstand the looks of contempt from Derek that a criminal is actually working for the government.  Much to his chagrin, Cosmo receives his next assignment—breaking into Derek’s house and office to prove or disprove that he is working with their ex-boss, Victoria Mize, in her sex trafficking ring.

Derek Kyle knows his boss is crooked, but he just can’t prove it.  To complicate matters, members of his team are missing in action.  He wonders how Justin goes about making leading the Demon Elite squad so easy.  Derek feels that it is the sense of family that the squad enjoys.  One night, he is alerted that his office computer is being accessed.  He goes to check out the situation and finds the cute break in artiest from Demon Elite Cosmo is the culprit.  Faced with a decision of what to do with the man, he decides to join Cosmo in breaking into his boss’s house whether Cosmo likes it or not. 

With the information they find, the two groups decide to rescue the brother of one of Derek’s team.  He is being held by Mize to blackmail Raven into working for her.  Disappointed that Raven didn’t come to him, Derek decides that while he is good at investigations, he sucks at leadership.  While waiting for backup to raid the warehouse where they suspect Raven’s brother is being held, they hear a scream, prompting them to move in before they are ready.  Entering the building, they quickly realize that they are outgunned.  They will have to survive until reinforcements arrive.  But will they live that long?

This is the third book in the Demon Elite series.  I find myself engulfed in this series.  While I can follow most of the action, there are pieces that I am missing as this is a spin-off from another series by the author.  However, I feel I l know most of the characters anyway.  The miscommunication between Cosmo and Derek leads Cosmo to think Derek couldn’t possibly be interested.  Derek meanwhile would never have gone after Cosmo while they were working at the Agency even without his shady past.  Only when Germ gives Derek the information about Cosmo’s life does he realize that he might be misjudging the man.  As some have said, is it wrong to steal if you need to do so to survive?  Put into context, Derek sees the hell that Cosmo’s life was before joining the team.  Germ, as usual, provides no brain to mouth filter and provides comic relief.  I hope he finds his love soon.  I also liked how the author changed things up in that Cosmo is matched up with another member of law enforcement and not a victim that he is rescuing, like the plot of the previous two books. 

The cover by Latrisha Waters has our young Cosmo in a model like pose with a jacket and scarf.  The Demon Elite symbol is positioned in the upper right hand corner again. 

Sales Links

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Book Details

ebook, 116 pages
Published May 1st 2016 by eXtasy Books
ISBN139781487407001
Edition LanguageEnglish
Demon Elite #3

Series:  Demon Elite

A Paul B Review: Wolf (Demon Elite 2) by April Kelley

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Wolf Demon EliteLiam O’Reilly has not heard from his brother Finn for a week.  This is unusual because the brothers do not go more than two days without speaking.  Fearing something is wrong, he confronts his mother and step-father Richard.  Liam never liked his step-father and dislikes his mother for putting up with his abuse of the family.  While talking with his parents, Liam learns that Richard has sent Finn to a gay conversion camp.  After threatening to call the police, Liam receives a video saying to go to a meeting if he wants to see his brother again.  The crap hits the fan at this meeting and results with Liam being arrested with no hope of release from the crooked cops that took him in.

Spenser Ross, known to everyone as Wolf, is an elite assassin for the team.  He has developed a soft spot for Finn O’Reilly after his team rescued him from sex traffickers.  He assures Finn that they are doing what they can to find Liam, whom no one has heard from since his encounter with Crash a month ago.  Following up on a lead, he finds he is a moment too late to rescues Liam from jail, but follows those who have come to move him.  He arrives at a warehouse being used by the sex traffickers.  When he saves Liam from being turned over to the man who had originally paid for Finn, he finds that Liam is just as feisty as Finn had described him.  The Irish red headed firecracker (Liam insists it is strawberry blond) at first resists going with his would be rescuer.  After all, he’s been screwed over by authority figures for the past month.  Only after being convinced that he helped rescue Finn and that Finn is safe does Liam begin to trust his hero.  Now all they have to do is get back to company headquarters with a department full of crooked cops along with Wolf’s ex-boss on their tail.

I found this second book in the Demon Elite series enjoyable.  It starts during the events of the first book Crash and explains how Liam got tied up in all this mess in the first place.  As with the first book, the attraction between protector and protected is almost instant.  However, the most important thing I am finding in this series is the sense of family that the team has.   Having Liam and Wolf hook up reinforces this with their relationship to Finn.  Wolf also has a brotherly relationship with the team’s young tech geek Germ.  It is Clair, the fifteen year old girl rescued along with Finn that really brings this point home.  She becomes Wolf’s foster daughter and the team’s little sister/niece.  It will be interesting to see how much further this family grows. 

The cover art by Latrisha Waters depicts Wolf as I would figure him to be.  The cover shows a long haired Native American male in a white tee shirt with a leather jacket over it.  In the corner is the Demon Elite crest, which is tattooed on each member of the team.

Sales Links

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Book Details

ebook, 120 pages
Published March 1st 2016 by eXtasy Books
ISBN 1487406444 (ISBN13: 9781487406448)
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesDemon Elite #2

Series:  Demon Elite

  • Crash (Demon Elite #1)
  • Wolf (Demon Elite #2)
  • Cosmo (Demon Elite #3)
  • Tanner & Shade (Demon Elite #4)
  • Ashley (Demon Elite #5)