September Stories and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

September Readings And Romance

Here we are mid-September and my temperatures are bouncing from summer highs to autumnal 70’s and some of the leaves have started to drop. As I said all the fall sports have turned my attention to contemporary romances and main characters that are athletes. Hockey, football (both versions European football, aka American soccer, and of course, the NFL), then there’s rugby, and the miscellaneous sports we have mentioned.

This week, I’ve read books by VL Locey (The Good Green Earth,hockey), Avon Gale and Pipe Vaughn (Goalie Interference, hockey), and the memoir I mentioned last week,My Life on the Line: How the NFL Damn Near Killed Me, and Ended Up Saving My Life by Ryan O’Callaghan and Cyd Zeigler, courtesy of Akashic Books. That on top of my usual list of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, and regular contemporary romances.

I had passed over some comedic romances that our reader HB had rec’d a few weeks ago and wanted to include them here:

📕HB:Anyway back on topic for humorous reads or books with some humor I would recommend:

THIRDS series by Charlie Cochet
Nine Stones by Ofelia Gränd
Shawn’s Law by Renae Kaye
Tales From Verania series by T.J. Klune
The Weight of It All by N.R. Walker
Lightbearer by L.C. Davis
Learning How to Lose series by Alex Gabriel
Shy by John Inman
At First Sight series by T.J. Klune
Struck by Susi Hawke & Crista Crown (Book 3 in it’s series, shouldn’t be read as standalone)
Any book you can find by Kyle Adams

For myself? I am rediscovering NR Walker’s outstanding Spencer Cohen series on audio! Right now I’m on the first story as narrated by the incomparable Joel Leslie, such a treat. Look for that review by the end of the month.

So yes, a full week indeed.

It’s also the sort of weather that has me wanting to curl up with comfort reads and start planning ahead for those cold fall and winter nights when all I want to do is listen or read my favorite stories, snuggled up toasty warm and ready for all friends…in book form that is.

The geese overhead are telling and honking to me that it’s not that far away. So with the voice of Joel Leslie as Spencer Cohen in my ears and the gorgeous Sunday weather pulling me outside, I’m making this short and sweet.

I hope your Sunday is the same.

Happy Sunday. Let me know what you are reading or listening to this Sunday. Have a great week. And this is what our week is looking like ahead!

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, September 16:

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, September 15:

Cover Reveal – Their Special Agent (Thistle Hearts #1) by Mel Gough
BLITZ Clueless Cabot by André D. Michaels
RELEASE BLITZ Dine With Me by Layla Reyne
Blog Tour Dominated but not Subdued by JP Sayles
An Alisa Review: Murder in the Condo Next Door by Edward Kendrick
A Stella Review: Noah’s Bane (Lormount City, #1) by Wulf Francú Godgluck

Tuesday, September 17:

Cover Reveal for Under Pressure by Lauren Ashley
Release Blitz Ride the Whirlwind by Jackie North
Release Blitz Not Another Statistic by JM Dabney
Release Blitz – Allison Temple – Hot Potato (A Seacroft Novel)
An Alisa Review: Love You So Sweetly (Love You So Stories #4) by Tara Lain
A MelanieM Review: Romancing the Rough Diamond (Romancing the… #4) by Clare London

Wednesday, September 18:

Release Blitz, – FLAME AND ASH by Morgan Brice
Release Blitz with ARC Reviews – Yours, Forever After by Beth Bolden
Release Blitz Signal- V.L. Locey – The Good Green Earth (Colors of Love #4)
A Stella Review : Yours, Forever After by Beth Bolden
A MelanieM Review: Beyond Identity by Karrie Roman

Thursday, September 19:

Release Blitz – Clare London – Romancing The Rough Diamond
Blog Tour Kel’s Keeper by KC Wells
Release Blitz – Rick R Reed – The Secrets We Keep
An Alisa Review: Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love by Kris T. Bethke
A Caryn Review: The First Step (Coastal Carolina #1) by Shira Anthony

Friday, September 20:

Review Tour – Eli Easton – Puzzle Me This
Blog Post – Leta Blake – Bitter Heat
A MelanieM Review: Slay Ride by Josh Lanyon
A MelanieM Review Under Review by Meg Harding
A Lucy Review : Puzzle Me This by Eli Easton

Saturday, September 21:

Release Blitz In Safe Arms by Ann Grech
Release Blitz Ground Zero by Aimee Nicole Walker
An Alisa Review: In Safe Arms (My Truth #2) by Ann Grech

Release Blitz and Giveaway for Bitter Heat (Heat of Love #3) by Leta Blake

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Length: 110,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Dar Albert @ Wicked Strange Designs

Heat Of Love Series

Book #1 – Slow Heat – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Book #2 – Alpha Heat – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Blurb

A pregnant omega trapped in a desperate situation, an unattached alpha with a lot to prove, and an unexpected fall into love that could save them both.

Kerry Monkburn is contracted to a violent alpha in prison for brutal crimes. Now pregnant with the alpha’s child, he lives high in the mountains, far above the city that once lured him in with promises of a better life. Enduring bitterness and fear, Kerry flirts with putting an end to his life of darkness, but fate intervenes.

Janus Heelies has made mistakes in the past. In an effort to redeem himself, integrity has become the watchword for his future. Training as a nurse under the only doctor willing to take him on, Janus is resolute in his intentions: he will live cleanly in the mountains and avoid all inappropriate affairs. But he doesn’t anticipate the pull that Kerry exercises on his heart and mind.

As the question of Kerry’s future health and safety comes to an explosive head, only the intervention of fate will see these desperate men through to a happy ending.

This gay romance novel by Leta Blake is the third in the Heat of Love universe which began with Slow Heat. It’s 111,000 words, with a strong happy ending and a critically-acclaimed, non-shifter Omegaverse. It features alphas, betas, omegas, male pregnancy, mpreg, heat, and knotting. Content warning for a violent and oppressive society regarding reproductive rights.

Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake’s educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.

Patreon | Website | Facebook | Twitter

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An Alisa Review: Hearts of Blood (Chevalier #2) by Kay Doherty

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Omega wolf shifter, Vance, and the rest of his small pack have finally found an Alpha willing to take them on and were still trying to regain their footing when the McBane Pack attacked them. When a vampire appears in front of him, Vance realizes he’s looking into the ice-blue eyes of his mate, and the fact that his mate is something other than wolf scares him.

Sakima knew the wolf shifter was his destined companion the moment he scented him at Elysium, but claiming the gorgeous young Omega wolf is a dangerous proposition. Vance and his unconventional pack have attracted the attention of the vampire coven. As the owner of Elysium, Sakima has been asked to use the club to gather information on the powerful interspecies pack and its Alpha.

Unfortunately for Vance and Sakima, the vampire coven and the continued attacks by the McBane Pack are only a portion of their problems. Amidst concerns over Alpha Tanner’s abilities growing with Sakima’s addition to the pack, a spurned ex targets Vance in an attempt to remove him from Sakima’s life, and Elysium becomes a hot bed for interspecies mingling where anyone could be an enemy.

This pack continues to face opposition especially as Tanner’s abilities seem to grow. Vance finding his mate with a vampire only opens them up to more attacks.

It’s interesting that these paranormals don’t know much about the Chevaliers except that they were bad so everyone assumes that Tanner’s pack will be the same. This pack is a good group of guys who just want to live in peace but aren’t getting the chance to even try.

In this book we are seeing Vance and Sakima navigate the beginning of their relationship but also Luca and Tanner continue to navigate theirs and leading the pack. The now have Sakima and Luca’s friend that know about the Chevaliers but we still don’t seem to get much information, hopefully that will change as this series continues. I hope to see more of these guys find their mates but I want to understand why they have so much resistance, I know that power scares people but the fact that everyone assumes the worst hurts.

I really like the cover art by Natasha Snow and it’s similar in style to the first book.

Sales Links: Nine Star Press | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 42, 000 words

Published: July 29, 2019 by Nine Star Press

ISBN: 978-1-951057-23-7

Edition Language: English

Series: Chevalier #2

Check Out the Release Blitz and Giveaway for Fated Hearts (A Shadow Bound Novel) by Garrett Leigh

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link – Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited.

Length: 60,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Blurb

“He’s not a wolf.”

Devastated by the death of his best friend, Zio is a soldier with one thing on his mind: revenge. Consumed by a conflict that’s raged as long as he’s been alive, he’s had little time or inclination to learn the legends of the shifter world he was raised in. And he certainly doesn’t have time to deal with a shifter of a different kind, even if it’s for the good of the war effort. For the good of his pack. The fact that he’s already crossed paths with the new face in his unit is almost irrelevant.

Almost.

Do no harm. Give life not death: it’s the oath Devan was reborn to live by, so when he’s sent abroad to embed with a wolf pack as their resident healer, he doesn’t hesitate. In the supernatural world, some bonds are instant–soldiers become brothers, pack become family. But others run deeper and before long, Devan’s at the mercy of instincts he can’t control. Zio’s inner wolf is desperate to be with Devan, while Devan struggles to keep the pack safe. But as the war escalates, and new love is tainted by anguish and pain, the battles within might prove the toughest of them all.

“I won’t let him die.”

Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer, currently working for Dreamspinner Press, Loose Id, Riptide Publishing, and Fox Love Press.

Garrett’s debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.

When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.

Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with renowned LGBTQA+ photographer Dan Burgess.

Website: http://www.garrettleigh.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garrettleighauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Garrett_Leigh

Giveaway

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Don’t Miss Out on the Blog Post for Wolf Lost (The Wolves of Kismet #1) by Sam Burns (excerpt and giveaway)

An excerpt from Wolf Lost. Sawyer is on the run from his former pack, and he’s taken refuge with the Kismet wolves for the night.

***

He wasn’t sure why the sound woke him, but he came to consciousness suddenly. For a second, his heart tripped in hope that Dez was sneaking into his room, but the alpha wouldn’t do that, and if he would, he wasn’t the man Sawyer thought he was.

Besides, this noise was coming from the door that opened onto a front terrace. An outside door.

He strained his ears and made out two heartbeats. Two flickering pack bonds. The betas who were following him. Apparently one of them knew how to pick locks, because there was a loud click, tumblers turning, and the door opened.

Sawyer sat up in bed and turned to look at them. They froze for a second, but it wasn’t as though Sawyer could fight his way through two beta enforcers.

In that moment, he had very few choices. Let them drag him off, which wasn’t an option at all. Fight, and lose. Or kick up a ruckus and hope that the Kismet pack were light sleepers. They were ex-military—it was normal for them to sleep lightly, right?

He grabbed the edge of the comforter draped over him and threw it up and over the beta’s head, and at the same time, yelled the first thing that came into his head. “Dez!”

There was movement from elsewhere in the house a second later, and a crash after that. He only had to hold them off a moment. He could handle that. The important thing was that unlike this morning, he wasn’t alone.

“Fuck my life,” the guy in the doorway hissed. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

The other beta ripped off the comforter, and glared at Sawyer with flashing yellow eyes. “That’s it. I’m gonna cut this little asshole. Alpha didn’t say he needed to be pretty.”

Without any further warning, he lunged at Sawyer, claws swiping out at his chest. Searing pain followed a second later.

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link – Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow With Kindle Unlimited

Length: 50,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Natasha Snow

Blurb

An omega on the run.

An alpha fractured.

Sawyer Holt can’t go home. The Alpha who has replaced his father wants to use him as a tool to cement his political power, and Sawyer isn’t interested in marrying his father’s murderer.

Dez Sullivan’s leg may never heal from his last mission in Afghanistan, but he’s getting used to that. What he can’t adapt to are the nightmares and the tremor in his hand that the doctors insist is all in his head. Next to that, being a brand new werewolf seems easy, until Sawyer Holt blows into his life. The omega activates his burgeoning wolf instincts in a new way, and they threaten to overwhelm his common sense.

Both men are in Colorado searching for a new start, a new pack, and the safety they’ve lost. Their meeting is pure Kismet.

Sam Burns wrote her first fantasy epic with her best friend when she was ten. Like almost any epic fiction written by a ten year old, it was awful. She likes to think she’s improved since then, if only because she has better handwriting now.
If she’s not writing, she’s almost certainly either reading or lost down a Wikipedia rabbit hole while pretending to research for a novel.

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A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Dead Man Stalking (Blood and Bone #1) by T.A. Moore

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

This story features Agent Luke Bennett, aka Took, a member of the BITERs unit of the Anakim (vampire) police known as VINE. The reader is thrown into the action two years after Luke was Taken and turned. He’s been in therapy and is acting as a P.I. His case throws him in the path of his old commander Madoc, who wants him back at work, and is in love with him. It seems obvious to say Took has PTSD; he can’t remember the night he was taken and his fear seems to be getting worse instead of better, until he becomes consumed by this case and takes back his agency, literally and figuratively. As a former Cardinal for the Anakim, Madoc has always been a type of enforcer. He has a strength that Took finds and matches during the book. It switches between Took’s and Madoc’s POV. These are complex, three dimensional charcters. They have their blindspots, insecurities, and make mistakes; yet, both of these men can be cold, arrogant and prickly. For as much as these characters are not pleasant people, I loved them so much. Yes, the romance relies on the longer, off-page relationship in order to work, but the love scenes are hot (and bloody) and I love their working dynamic and banter.

I liked this new take on vampires, werewolves, and hunters. There was something called a Goat, but there wasn’t much detail about this species. I believe there may be other shifters, but that’s not explored in this book. While the political landscape is painted enough for this story to be successful, I wanted more, even if I think this book wasn’t quite the right time without info dumps that I wouldn’t want. There is also a weird shadow realm that is intriguing and terrifying, but not explained at all. The sorcerers are also not explained very much, but they are not capitalized like everyone else so I guess they are not considered born as their own species. There are times where the chapter or scene starts abruptly and I felt like I missed something until I kept reading and everything was explained: while this is a valid stylistic choice, I found it jarring. Although the secondary characters are all effectively utilized and would be great to build upon in other stories, I would have liked them a bit more concrete. (I did appreciate there wasn’t a formulaic meet these characters that will be the couple in the next book type of setup.) These may be minor things, but they did keep me from giving this a 5 star rating. It was a near thing because I loved everything else about this, so let’s talk about that. This is a book I will reread and be will on my best of the year list.

For those not familiar with this author, she always describes the scenes in stark details–gross, grimy, gory–but effective. This is brutal, as with any police case involving violence. I don’t want to give spoilers, but for trigger warnings and tags you might want to keep these in mind: child abuse, brainwashing, murder, child trafficking, kidnapping, and torture. I found this urban fantasy/police investigation mashup really effective; both the world and the case are interesting and well thought out. The action scenes are really well done. The world-building here is fantastically layered in throughout the book. There is information the reader gleans from the thoughts and instincts of the characters, suppressed memories, flashbacks, dialogue, and the actions and their consequences. All of the events and discoveries lead to logical conclusions, but not always the ones that I thought they would from the beginning, yet I never felt blindsided with too many plot twists. I liked the intricacies of the story that require thought. Now that this world is built, I want so many new cases to be written, but I am also content if they are not. The last sentence of this book was perfect. Don’t cheat, you have to read the whole thing.

The cover art is by Kanaxa. I didn’t love it, although it is striking and conveys violence and blood, which are main themes of the story.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 260 pages
Expected publication: September 10th 2019 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781644053379
Edition Language English
Series Blood and Bone #1

An Ashlez Review: Wolf Lost (The Wolves of Kismet #1) by Sam Burns

Rating : 5 stars out of 5

An omega on the run.

An alpha fractured.

Sawyer Holt can’t go home. The Alpha who has replaced his father wants to use him as a tool to cement his political power, and Sawyer isn’t interested in marrying his father’s murderer.

Dez Sullivan’s leg may never heal from his last mission in Afghanistan, but he’s getting used to that. What he can’t adapt to are the nightmares and the tremor in his hand that the doctors insist is all in his head. Next to that, being a brand new werewolf seems easy, until Sawyer Holt blows into his life. The omega activates his burgeoning wolf instincts in a new way, and they threaten to overwhelm his common sense.

Both men are in Colorado searching for a new start, a new pack, and the safety they’ve lost. Their meeting is pure Kismet.

I can’t express how much I love shifter stories ..bears, lions, wolves..I love them all. This story although predictable at times, was well thought out and brought some heat !

This story was unique in that I’ve never read a story about a wolf that carried an injury ..normally you read all about how shifting heals, I found this unique and fascinating.

The banter between all of the characters in this book is superb, you really felt like you were in the book bantering along with them. And the sweetness that is Sawyer works so so well in that environment!

Definitely a must read I can’t wait for more.

Cover art by Natasha Snow: Sexy cover shows the duality of shifting so it fits perfect with the story /

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link – Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow With Kindle Unlimited

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 188 pages
Published September 5th 2019
ASINB07X7K1MMN
Edition Language English
Series The Wolves of Kismet #1

Review Tour and Giveaway for Wolf Lost (The Wolves of Kismet #1) by Sam Burns

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link – Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow With Kindle Unlimited

Length: 50,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Natasha Snow

Blurb

Read Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 6 star review here. We highly recommend it.

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September Reading and Sports (cont’d. This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

September Reading and Sports (cont’d)

So with the sounds of Friday night high school football as well as the Saturday game that plays behind me still ringing in my ears, I’m well aware of the place that September has as a marker for certain sports. Fall especially. It trumpets the call to the line, the shout of “play ball”, and the loud roar of air horns so ubiquitous at games these days. Football once again is flooding the media with team speculation, games, and player drama of all types. One player was let go after being fined for repeated bad behavior and immediately resigned and rehired (Antonio Brown from the raiders to the Patriots), another famously retired pre 30 early leaving millions on the table because of injuries and pain (Andrew Luck). That drew some derision from some corners, support from much more considering what we know now about brain injuries and the treatment of players as a commodity. And then there is this.

One that pertains to this community and certainly our stories. A story and excerpt in The Advocate about NFL lineman Ryan O’Callaghan and his new story My Life on the Line: How the NFL Damn Near Killed Me, and Ended Up Saving My Life by Ryan O’Callaghan and Cyd Zeigler, courtesy of Akashic Books.

The Exact Moment NFL Player Ryan O’Callaghan Came Out

If we are ever inclined to think that perhaps these authors take it too far in these stories, make the angst and pain too much, make the terror of discovery, and have a character collapse under the weight of being closeted or being unable to face those he loves with the truth that he is gay, well, just read even the excerpt from The Advocate to know perhaps how much some of those authors may have been holding back. This book is now on my list for this month and I will be reviewing it here. But go to that link and bring a box of tissues and prepare for a window into courage.

I think we sometimes forget the reality behind our stories. The grit beneath the sweet contemporary, the raw behind the warm-hearted goodness. Reading the excerpt from My Life On the Line was a swift and needed reminder of the men who still fight for the right to be who they are in professional and non professional sports these days. We still have so far to go.

Have a great Sunday.

Now for this week ahead…

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, September 8:

Dine with Me by Layla Reyne Promo
September Reading and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, September 9:

Review Tour – Sam Burns – Wolf Lost
Blog Tour – Last Call in Wonderland by Rob Browatzke
Check our the Tour for T.A.D.: The Art of Death by M.D. Neu
An Alisa Review: The Ninth Elixir by Pelaam
An Ashlez Review: Wolf Lost (The Wolves of Kismet #1) by Sam Burns
Caryn Review : Last Call in Wonderland by Rob Browatzke

Tuesday, September 10:

Release Blitz Happy For You by Anyta Sunday
Release Blitz SOULBOUND #3 by Hailey Turner
PROMO Andrew Grey
An Alisa Review: Kept in the Dark (Locke and Keyes Agency #1) by Charlie Cochet
A MelanieM Prerelease Review: Goalie Interference (Hat Trick #2) by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn
A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Dead Man Stalking (Blood and Bone #1) by T.A. Moore

Wednesday, September 11:

PROMO PARKER WILLIAMS
Cover Reveal, for FLAME AND ASH by Morgan Brice
An Alisa Review: Love Potion #9 by Tinnean
A Lucy Review: Happy for You (Love and Family #3) by Anyta Sunday
A MelanieM Audio Review: Family Camp (Daddy Dearest #1) by Eli Easton and Matthew Shaw (Narrator)

Thursday, September 12:

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW TOUR – Tainted Life by Mel Gough
Blog Post – Sam Burns – Wolf Lost
PROMO Rowan McAllister
A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Hellion (415 Ink #3) by Rhys Ford
A Stella Review :Stained Hearts (Links in the Chain #3) by Parker Williams
An Alisa Audio Review: Dirty Mind by Roe Horvat and Vance Bastian (Narrator)

Friday, September 13:

Audio Review Tour for Family Camp (Daddy Dearest #1) by Eli Easton and Matthew Shaw (Narrator)
Release Blitz Garrett Leigh – Fated Hearts
Promo Tara Lain
A Lila Review: Mystery of the Bones (Snow in Winter #4) by C.S. Poe
An Alisa Review: Hearts of Blood (Chevalier) by Kay Doherty
An Ashlez Review Resonance (Rhythm of Love #2) by Neve Wilder