Category: Less Than Three Press

A MelanieM Review: Wytch & Prinze by Kassandra Lea

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Medium Jacob Wytch lives in the forest with his fluffy dog Gruff and his ghostly fairy godmother Amelie. When he gets a call from his friend Renwick Prinze, he panics. Jacob has been pining for Renwick longer than he cares to admit. Instead of admitting, however, he listens to Amelie and begins to sabotage Renwick’s beds in hopes of inviting his dashing friend to sleep with him.

Wytch & Prinze by Kassandra Lea is a retelling of the Princess and the Pea fairytale turned M/M romance and it’s a fun one. Successful medium Jacob Wytch and his dog Gruff live alone in the forest, an outcast in town due to the nature of his gifts and his name which is of no comfort at all to his superstitious townspeople.  His best friend, living that is?  Renwick, a chef gaining favor and success, due in part to Jacob’s help.  But there’s more to it, Jacob’s fallen in love with Renwick but is too scared to change the status quo of their current friends relationship.

In a cute turn, Lea has his fairy godmother be a ghost, Amelie, a young girl killed during a fire at a Rave.  I really loved the character of Amelie.  She’s quirky, determined and I honestly wanted to know so much more about her.  I could actually see an entire series built around Amelie and the people she decided to help.

Which brings me the reason why a story I found so charming wasn’t rated higher.  I loved the premise, the setting, the dog, and absolutely adored Amelie.  Jacob Wytch, who was a wreck when we meet him, I liked him too.  Not adored, liked.  Ditto Renwick.  I wish I had more of a feeling of them together, their friendship prior and who they really were as people.  As characters, the author didn’t give me enough of a connection to them as I would have liked to have had.

There are some missed opportunities to do just that here.  The author brings the characters together, but the readers only get a few scenes (not talking of sex but connectivity) to see any chemistry.  Instead it’s more conversations with Amelie or internal arguments with themselves, which would work if the story itself had been much longer.  Which it isn’t.

Those are the places where I feel the author missed the mark.  Overall, the story is a sweet, cute, romantic fairy tale.  I enjoyed it and wish the author would revisit the characters and universe again to give us an update on them and of course, Amelie!

Cover artist Natasha Snow: Cover art tells us immediately we’re in fairy-tale land.  I liked it.

Sales Links

Less Than Three Press LLC

Book Details:

ebook, 10,000 words, 20 pages plus
Published April 19th 2017 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781620049969
Edition LanguageEnglish

A MelanieM Review: Twilight (Dance with the Devil #7) by Megan Derr

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

 

More than seventy years have passed since Neirin du Lac was banished from the dragon clans he called home. Though he misses them, he and his dragon Troyes have built a happy life with his lover Barra, and their friends Devlin and Midnight. It is a not a life he would ever trade, not even for a chance to return to the clans.

Then the very last person he ever expected to see again comes begging for help: Prince Avalon Pendragon, ruler of the clans, a man Neirin once called friend, once wished to call lover. When Avalon tells him why he needs Neirin’s help, it’s not a request he can refuse, nor can his friends refuse to help him.

But the people bold enough to steal from the clans are not to be trifled with, and in the midst of fighting for their lives Neirin also finds himself caught between the man he loves now and the man he never truly left behind…

Twilight is one of those books where I yearned for hardbacks or paperbacks of all those stories I had stored in my Kindle of the Dance with the Devil series by Megan Derr. I adore this series. A mere whisper of another story has me gearing up in anticipation and curiosity because I never know where it will go and who will pop up next. Dance with the Devil is rich in layers, vast in scope,  more a universe full of interlocking series where the characters and worlds sort of bleed into one another and time (and the most wondrous author) can play havoc with your memory!  Its exactly the sort of book where I want to get all the previous stories together and spread them out around me as references as I read the one I’m currently absorbed in.  Damn you, Kindle!  Never have I missed bookmarks or dog-earred pages more.  How I miss tossing books around looking for a particular character or pertinent magic thread by flipping actual pages! Sigh.

I had just finished reading and reviewing Shield of the Dragon (Dance with the Devil #6) which brought up a major question that this book answers…backwards of course.  The events in the Shield of the Dragon happen after Twilight (just go with the magical flow) so I was thrilled beyond measure to get my answers here. Another character who shows up in a major role here without a consort?  Well, those of us addicted to this series know who and what’s in store for him.  We’ve read his story.  But that’ s not essential to Twilight, its just another giddy, book grabbing element that will send devoted Dance with the Devil readers zooming back to that story (and the reason I need all those books scattered on the bed around me).

Twilight again swirls around the abduction of a very special dragon and a call of help from Prince Pendragon, ruler of all the clans.  The man Pendragon needs assistance from? Neirin du Lac and his dragon Troyes, a man nearly whipped to death and banished forever from the clan and kingdom.  Neirin is now happily living with his lover the elf wolf, Barra and their friends, the Mad Duke (and witch) Devlin and the draugr Midnight.  Each couple has had their stories told in previous books but its not entirely necessary to have read them as their pasts together is recounted here for the new reader.  For us fans, yep…back to their stories not because its necessary but because its a pleasure we seek.

Anyhow, it seems that hearing from the Prince stirs up old romantic crushes in Neirin, ones that threaten his current relationship as well as bring up all  those old bitterness he thought he had buried from being banished. Now both come crashing back in the form of the Prince.  In addition, it pulls in his protective friends, Devlin and Midnight to aid in not only the quest to find the dragon but to see their friends safely home and still together.  Magic swirls, both good and evil, there are huge battles, enormous surprises and yes, hot sex, dragon and otherwise. So be prepared for not just M/M, but menage and more.

The only elements here that may confuse the new reader is the aspects of the dragons.  These aren’t dragon shifters but dragons who take the form of men in order to better interact with their humans.  But they are always dragons.  Dragons who are the “weapons” to be wielded by the knights who are the dragons “shield”.  That’s the bond between dragon and warrior that’s often tarnished, warped or worse and that Pendragon is trying to reestablish and that readers new to the dragon part of this series may not get immediately.  The dragons act as dragons not as men.  As I said this is a story that has so much to it, and that includes the mythology the author herself has built into it over a number of tales.

I loved this story.  I felt that the way it worked out suited everyone and that Derr worked her way up to it in a manner that let us think about it and adjust to it along with all the characters.  And now I need to read Shield of the Dragon again.  Laughing…it never stops. The Wheel moves on.

If you love Megan Derr and all her incredible creations.  This is for you.  If you love fantasy, supernatural and just the shear high flying imagination this series represents…Dance with the Devil and Twilight is for you.  Pick them all up and have the times of your life.  That’s not a typo!

Cover art by Natasha Snow is dark, green and perfect for the story.

 

Sales Links

Less Than Three Press

Amazon link to come

 

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: April 5th 2017 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781684310005
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesDance with the Devil #7

 

Dance with the Devil series

10 works, 7 primary works

A series about a dangerous paranormal world ruled by the elite, where all too often the lesser paranormals get lost in the fighting. These stories revolve around the people who look out for the forgotten, overlooked, and abused.

Stories are best read in sequence, though they are not in chronological order. If you prefer to read them chronologically Not in the order they are released:

Midnight
Twilight
Dance with the Devil
Dance in the Dark
Sword of the King
Shield of the Dragon
Dance Only for Me

And the short stories in between can be read at any time.

A MelanieM Recent Release Review: Dragon Soldier (Supernatural Consultant Book 5) by Mell Eight

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

The aftermath of the last battle has left Nickel weak in bed and grounded for the next decade. Despite being in trouble, Nickel wants to return to the battle as soon as he can, but thoughts of Platinum, the dragon helping to nurse him back to health, keep distracting him.

Platinum can’t believe how much his life has changed. He went from being a lonely fugitive on the run to part of a family in only hours. The last few days have been his happiest, especially now that he’s met Nickel. He knows it’s only temporary, though. The enemy that kept him captive for most of his life isn’t finished with him yet, and even Platinum and Nickel’s combined powers might not be enough to save them.

Dragon Soldier was a different sort of story in this series, focusing on the relationship between Nickel and Platinum, and Nickel’s recovery from his last battle which left him comatose and healing.  Now awake, Nickel is having a hard time with his slow recovery and being kept away from the investigation into the man responsible for the dragon kidnapping and experimentation.  Nickel has always been a favorite of mine, so having a Nickel centric book is a plus.

The romance between Platinum and Nickel is slowly heating up.  Think teenagers discovering love and romance for the first time.  Gentle, sweet and endearing and ever so slow that you shouldn’t expect things past a cuddles and a kiss.

I loved all that part of this story.  Even the battles and Platinum’s working through the damage left over from his time as an experimental subject.  All those was typically wonderful Mell Eight.

The only places where I feel this story came up short was in the villain aspect and the conclusion.  I felt shortchanged somehow.  With everything that went before, I wanted rants and ravings of a lunatic or explosions or something.  I don’t know.  It just  seemed sort of quiet.  All the rest was lovely.  The author does seem to be wrapping this series up.  Not sure yet.  But I adored the dragons and this family, so I hope not.  I’ll be waiting to see if there’s more to come.

Cover art by Aisha Akeju includes an element of the story but really doesn’t work as a design.

Sales Links

Less Than Three Press

 

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 30,000 words
Published March 7th 2017 by Less Than Three Press, LLC
ASINB06XH1YR8J

An Ali Review: We Three Kings by AF Henley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Chicago 1982 is a goldmine for the construction industry, and Eric and his two business partners are thriving. Once nothing more than orphans in a Catholic boys’ home, they’ve overcome poverty and abuse to obtain success. Now living the lives they once only dreamed of, they’re sure of one thing: they will never look back.

Then the past returns, by way of a cheap polyester suit and a smile Eric has never forgotten—and all the dark memories come crashing back. Lucky for him, Jimmy has no idea who Eric is, or who Eric used to be…
This is a beautifully written story about forgiveness and redemption.  Eric and his two best friends, Mark and Devin, have overcome the abuse they suffered at the hands of the church run orphanage they grew up in.  They are now successful businessmen and they try to live their lives in a way that is positive and helpful to others.  Eric’s past behaviors though still haunt him and the walls he’s built come crashing down when he interviews Jimmy for a job at their company.  Eric sees hiring Jimmy as a way to fix past wrongs. Unfortunately the longer Eric is not honest with Jimmy, the harder time he has with the truths about himself.
This story is told from Eric’s point of view and I found him to be a fantastic narrator.  He begins each chapter with memories from his past.  I was worried about this part of the story going in because I saw that movie Sleepers and I remember it being pretty hard to watch.  Fortunately the author doesn’t make these scenes graphic.  Despite that you still get the feel for the terror these boys went through in every creak in the hallway or dark shadow that passes their door.  I was on pins and needles for everyone of those flashbacks.
Despite his lack of honestly with Jimmy, Eric finds himself attracted to the man and begins a romantic relationship.  Eric is slowly unraveling and while he knows his decisions are bad, he can’t seem to stop himself.  Throughout he does a bunch of soul searching and he’s stuck on his anger at himself for both the past and the present.
While part of the story is about Jimmy and Eric falling for each other, Jimmy is almost a side character.  He has a strong role and a place of importance but really this story is Eric’s.  I thought the connection between the two men was touching.  Eric’s two friends have smaller roles but they play a major part in the end of the story.  By far though, my favorite side character was Meryl, a homeless man that Eric talks to every day.  This was so well done.  So creative and thought provoking. I don’t want to say more about this because I don’t want to spoil anything but I loved these interactions. He and Eric are characters that will stick in my head for a long time to come.
In the end, yes, this is a romance, but it’s also a story about letting go of your past, of your fear, you anger and/or self-loathing and starting afresh.
There are a few authors I wish got more attention and this is one of them.  I’ve loved everything I’ve read of hers and I would have everyone I know read this if I could (and after this go read her Wolf series).
Cover by Aisha Akeju:  I liked the cover.  It was nicely done but did not stand out in any special way to me.
Sales Links
Book Details:
ebook
Published March 1st 2017 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781620049600
Edition LanguageEnglish