A Wynter Review: Wolf, WY (Wolf #1) by A.F. Henley (A 2 Review Novel)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 ★★★★★

There’s nothing like a fresh start, and for Randy, still nursing wounds left by a cheating ex and harboring a deep mistrust for all things corporate, Wolf, Wyoming seems like the perfect place to start over. Secluded, quiet, and self-sufficient, Wolf is bound to not only inspire, but to bring Randy the peace he needs. The view’s not bad, either.

Vaughn O’Connell and his family are Randy’s only neighbors for miles, and while Randy knows it’s somewhat unlikely that a man with three kids is gay, it doesn’t hurt to look. When a misunderstanding brings Randy face to face with both Vaughn and his eighteen year old son, Lyle, Randy’s not sure what to feel about either of them.

But things are not what they appear in Wolf, and the closer Randy gets, the stranger the O’Connell family seems…

The beauty of this novel has two parts. The first was how easy it was to sink into the world of Wolf, WY. The second lies in the two story perspectives presented in every chapter. The first and most obvious perspective is Randy Connor through whose point-of-view we follow in the story. The second, less obvious one is of the wolves that the author shares at the beginning of every chapter in italics. It did such a beautiful job portraying the cold – emotionally and of-the-weather, as well as the loneliness and isolation of Wolf, WY and its inhabitants.

While I wished those italics parts were longer, Henley’s ability to convey so much in so little is, in and of itself, a thing of wonder. They are a very powerful depiction of, presumably, Vaughn – a man of few words but full of emotion from holding on and keeping in all the secrets that protected himself, his family, and his community. I can just imagine how he must’ve wrestled with the notion of sharing who and what he is (and Lyle) with Randy. For me, all of that made me ask many questions about Jackie (you’ll have to read to find out who that is, I’m afraid).

As much as I could ache (and cry) for the head of the O’Connell family, I couldn’t help laughing, groaning, and shaking my head at Randy Connor, an attorney who left all he knew behind in search of a fresh start. One of the best things about Henley’s stories is his knack for getting the main character’s introduction out of the way so the story could unfold without interruption. The prologue found (“stupid”) Randy buried in the middle of his dry and sarcastic introspection about life. The following chapters unfold the mystery of the O’Connell family and how Randy changes as a person – from an arrogant and egotistical city-brat to someone who realizes that there’s a lot more to being out in the country other than self-efficiency, and that running away can’t keep being the answer to his life’s problems.

As a lover of the winter season, I loved how Henley described Wolf, WY in the cold months: a rare and most beautiful place of a winter wonderland where snow danced and both the wolves and the winds howl in harmony with each other. There is ample warning though, and as Randy came to learn, the more beautiful winter became, the more likely it is to find fun ways of maiming a person, if it doesn’t succeed in killing you first.

I found the story predictable in some areas, but I think Henley did a good job in keeping the mystery going and left plenty of opportunity for some of the questions to be answered in a sequel. I like how several of the paranormal elements were kept simple while the author inserted his own creativity and kept the characters and the circumstances real. We didn’t have two characters who meet and immediately try to make things work. What seems like indecisiveness in Vaughn (along with his coldness and curt behavior) really drives home just how much the man struggles within himself – something that Randy didn’t, and couldn’t, understand. Many of us have been there ourselves, finding that one interesting and overly intriguing person who refuses to open up. In fact, such silence tends to annoy and frustrate some more than others, doesn’t it? It certainly frustrated Randy.

If nothing else, reading the book for the children is well worth it. Hannah and Isaac are positively adorable in this novel, so full of life and character, yet don’t let their young years deceive you. They can be quite the adults when the circumstance calls for it, much to Randy’s chagrin. It made me so proud and made my heart ache all in the same instance: children grow up entirely too fast. Faster in Wolf, WY, it would seem.

And per Henley’s usual arsenal, it does contain a couple of very hot, very erotic scenes.

This is the first time this author has published a book intended for a serial. I think the readers of this book are going to fall into two groups: the ones who absolutely love it (like me) and the ones who will absolutely hate it. I do recommend the book – highly, in fact – but if my personal experiences can be called upon to make a judgment about serials for those hesitant about this novel, sometimes reading Book 2 before Book 1 might be better. It’s worked for me before.

Thank you for reading! I hope you have yourselves a lovely Fall day! ❤

The cover artist for this novel is Raphael (Boys in Ink and Color), and I must say he did a splendid job. If I had been walking the aisle of a bookstore and strode right by a showcase with this novel on it, there would definitely be a pause in stride to pick it up. The wolf eyes just draws me in. On top of that is a snow covered landscape that suggests an adventure is about to happen, or is happening, and will involve at least a wolf.

Sales Links: Less Than Three Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Author: A. F. Henley
Length: ebook, 223 pages; kindle edition, 260 pages
Language: English
Series: Wolf, #1
Genre: Fantasy – Paranormal, M/M Fiction
Published: 1st edition October 21, 2015 by Less Than Three Press LLC
ISBN-13: 9781620046180
Digital ISBN: 9781620045398
Print ISBN: 9781620046197

A MelanieM Review: A Solitary Man by Aisling Mancy and Shira Anthony

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 ★★★★★

Sparks fly when Chance meets tall, sexy Xav at a Wilmington bar and they have the hottest one-nighter of their lives. But Chance doesn’t do repeats, Xav seems detached, and they go their separate ways without a word. Later, when closeted Assistant District Attorney C. Evan “Chance” Fairchild meets Dare’s Landing’s newest deputy sheriff, Xavier “Xav” Constantine, Evan isn’t only wary. He’s irritated as hell.

Xavier is a former FBI agent turned deputy sheriff who is hot on the trail of a South American child prostitution ring. Evan is fighting to put an end to rampant cocaine trafficking and chafing under the thumb of an election-hungry boss. When someone tries to kill the eleven-year-old witness who holds the key to both their investigations, they’re forced to work together as they put their lives on the line to protect him. As Chance and Xav collide in the heat of a sweltering North Carolina summer, dodging bullets and chasing bad guys isn’t the only action going on.

A Solitary Man by Aisling Mancy and Shira Anthony tackles one of the most heartrending and horrific subjects imaginable, that of child trafficking and child abuse and does so with depth, heart, and compassion. At times, a story so difficult to read that I often found myself in tears having to put my Kindle down, these authors have combined their talents to bring forth a story so powerful and timely that I’m shocked they haven’t combined their forces before now.

The vehicle of advocacy for these abused and often murdered children is a intense story, starting with one driven man, Xavier “Xav” Constantine. A FBI agent working the child prostitution rings, an undercover job gone horrifically wrong sees Xav resign, following a sickening trail of lost children to North Carolina and a Deputy Sheriff’s job. Already present in the small town of Dare’s Landing is closeted Assistant District Attorney C. Evan “Chance” Fairchild, a man so haunted by his own past that its imprisoned him in his present.

Mancy and Anthony takes these two disparate, intense men and gives them a raw, gritty feel to make them vividly, fully alive. One is already willingly shouldering the yoke of advocacy for these missing, abused and most likely murdered children to the extent that nothing else really exists for him. Sex is quick and meaningless, relationships nonexistent. The other? Hiding behind his own nightmares and denials. And what huge denials they are. Because of their careful crafting of these characters, these men, instead of judging them , we really understand the fear, the anger, whatever emotion they may be feeling and the foundation from which each man is coming from, even without the full history.

Their relationship is slow to come and perhaps this really isn’t a romance novel, nor should it be considering the content and subject matter. Its definitely not the main thread here in the narrative. So if that’s the book you are looking for, a total romance, than this is probably not the novel for you. Like everything else about A Solitary Man, their strides towards each other is hard work, fraught with missed steps, miscommunications, and fear. That they are able to go forward in the end is both courageous and rewarding. That alone is reason to read this story, even if the romance isn’t the main storyline.

Its the abused children here that will tear at your heart. Just as they should. There are descriptions here that gave me nightmares and I think that the authors were most likely less graphic and monstrous than they could have been, given the actual knowledge they have of the subject matter*. That such scenes are also written with tenderness, compassion but with accuracy doesn’t lighten the emotional impact, but instead makes it all the more powerful, because you know that the children represented in the story are but a fraction of the children impacted worldwide. Here they are given names and faces and their fates make it all too real.

To get to the missing children there is a number of investigations that are full of heartbreaking clues, pulse-thumping, action-packed, white-knuckle scenes and dialog. The authors balance the mystery of combined investigations, then the suspense of a race against time for a combined rescue that was a true page turner, a thriller in the best sense of the word.

A Solitary Man is such a powerful book. An advocate for abused children, a suspense thriller, a crime novel and yes, a romance story, and the authors handled it all beautifully. Does one element come across with a little more power and precision? Perhaps, but with that emotional engine driving this story, it makes A Solitary Man by Aisling Mancy and Shira Anthony a book to remember and perhaps one of the best of the year. I highly recommend it.

Cover art by Reese Dante is perfect in tone and design for the character in the story.

*Making a Difference in the Lives of Children by Shira Anthony & Aisling Mancy

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 1st, 304 pages
Published November 6th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1623807271 (ISBN13: 9781623807276)
edition languageEnglish

Making a Difference in the Lives of Children by Shira Anthony & Aisling Mancy, Authors of A Solitary Man (guest blog, giveaway)

A Solitary Man by Aisling Mancy and Shira Anthony

Making a Difference in the Lives of Children

Thank you Melanie and Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for hosting the A Solitary Man book tour! Aisling and I are so excited to finally see our labor of love in print. Don’t forget to scroll down to the bottom of the post for a chance to enter the tour giveaway!

For this, the final stop on the A Solitary Man book tour, I want to discuss the important subject matter of the book. A Solitary Man was born of many conversations that Aisling and I shared about something very near and dear to our hearts: keeping children safe. Both of us have professional connections to the struggle to prevent child abuse and neglect, and continue to be vocal advocates for children, each in our own way.

For me, that advocacy comes from a very personal place: I’m an abuse survivor. I share that fact only because it’s important to understand that chances are you know more than one survivor of child abuse. It could be a relative, a friend, a colleague, or a child in your son or daughter’s class at school. The statistics are truly frightening. The National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse (NAASCA) estimates that:

· There are over 42 million survivors of sexual abuse in America.

· Somewhere between 2/3 and ninety percent of sexual abuse victims never come forward

· 293,000 children and youth are estimated to be at risk of exploitation

· 100,000 children are prostituted annually.

· 90% of those abused children are abused by someone they know, love or trust

· 20% of child sexual abuse victims are under the age of 8. Most never tell, and some don’t recall the abuse.

· One in 7 children who are regular Internet users receive sexual solicitations online.

· 800,000 children are reported missing every year in the U.S. or 2,000 every day

· An estimated 200,000 are abducted by family members; 58,000 by non family members, the primary motive for which is sexual.

Now that I have your attention, you may be asking, “What can I do about it?” The simple answer is, “More than you know.” First, get involved. Report suspected abuse or neglect to the authorities. Most states have mandatory reporting requirements and shield the reporter’s name from discovery. Don’t hesitate and don’t wait. A child’s life may depend on your speaking up.

What else can you do? Talk to your own children about abuse. As I child, I remember feeling that something was wrong with how my neighbor was treating me, but I didn’t understand and wasn’t sure what to do about it. It took me nearly a year to tell my parents about the abuse. When I did, they believed me, and that was a huge relief. As an adult and a parent, I spoke to my children about abuse. I told them to come to me if they ever felt uncomfortable about something an adult, teen, or anyone did or said to them. You, as a parent, know how much your children can understand. The point is to make it clear to them that you are not only there to listen to them at any time, but want to hear immediately if they are uncomfortable with anything. Even very young children understand that concept.

Don’t have kids? Or want to do more? Be an advocate for an abused or neglected child through your state’s CASA or GAL program. My state, North Carolina (where A Solitary Man is set), has a fabulous Guardian ad Litem (GAL) program where lay people (non-lawyers) advocate for the rights of abused and neglected children in court. It’s a great way to help kids who need someone to speak for them or help them to speak about what they need. You can find more information about programs like North Carolina’s on the CASA website.

There’s an amazing video that brings this all home. It’s not long, but it has a powerful message:

A Solitary Man is fiction, but it’s based on real life events which occur regularly all around us. In wealthy neighborhoods, in poor neighborhoods. In cities, in the more rural parts of states. The fictional children of Dare’s Landing have their champions, Xav Constantine and Chance Fairchild. It’s up to all of us to make sure that real children have theirs. Step up and make a difference in the life of a child! You’ll be so glad you did. –Shira (and Aisling)

Now at Dreamspinner Press, ARe, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Add A Solitary Man to Your Goodreads and Booklikes Shelves

Like A Solitary Man on Facebook

Thursday, October 29th Aisling is at The Novel Approach Reviews
A Brief and Frank Discussion of A Solitary Man

Friday, October 30th Aisling is at Jo & Isa Love Books
A Few Notes Behind the Music Playlist

Wednesday, November 4th Aisling is at Bike Book Reviews
Writing Supporting Characters

Thursday , November 5th

Aisling is at Joyfully Jay Reviews
One of the Biggest Benefits of Co-Writing

Shira is at Prism Book Alliance
Entertainment With a Message

Friday, November 6th RELEASE DAY CELEBRATION!

Yarning to Write Kermit Flail with lovely Amy Lane!

Aisling is at Divine Magazine
More Notes Behind the Music Playlist
Shira is at The Novel Approach Reviews
Southernisms!

Aisling is on Dreampsinner’s Blog

As Authors and Readers, We Bring Awareness to the World

Saturday, November 7th Aisling is at Love Bytes Reviews

Sunday, November 8th

Shira is at My Fiction Nook

LIVE FACEBOOK CHAT with Shira & Aisling 2-5pm EST

Monday, November 9th Aisling is at My Fiction Nook

Tuesday, November 10th Shira is at Bike Book Reviews

Wednesday, November 11th Shira is at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

TWEET, COMMENT, AND VISIT A SOLITARY MAN’S FACEBOOK PAGE
TO BE ENTERED TO WIN A TOTE BAG,
SIGNED BOOKS FROM SHIRA & AISLING,
AND SWAG!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Zombies are Here in DC Juris’s ‘Bad Moon Rising’ (excerpt and contest)

Bad Moon Rising by DC Juris
Release Date: November 11, 2015

Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: Kris Norris

Blurb

Bryce never expected to find himself smack in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, and he certainly never expected to meet the man of his dreams along the way. But there’s more than zombies in the way of his happily ever after. Richard comes with baggage, in the form of his on again, off again bipolar lover Cole, who is off his meds and descending into his own mental hell at an alarming rate. Will the three men be able to work out their romantic feelings? Oh yeah…and then there’s that little issue of the zombies…

Previously published by Breathless Press.

Excerpt

“Stay down!”

“What’s going on?” I whispered.

“Looters,” Cole revealed. “They’re going up and down the street, searching cars.”

Well, at least they wouldn’t steal it, since we had the keys, and the chances of them sticking around to do any real damage to it seemed pretty slim, too. All we had to do was wait it out, and they’d go away.

Dolly stood and paced to the door, walking back and forth in front of it like she was on guard duty.

On the street, yelling broke out, and gunshots echoed in the night.

Richard cursed.

Our visitors had apparently been discovered. Shouts of run and look out descended into just inarticulate screaming and then the unthinkable: Dolly started barking.

Cole lunged for her, but the damage had already been done. The people outside started banging on our door, pleading to be let in.

“What do we do?” I looked to Richard, who was shaking his head.

“Nothing.”

“But if we don’t let them in, they’ll be infected,” I argued. Those were people outside — we had to help them. What if the roles were reversed? What if that had been me outside?

“And if we do let them in, we’ll be infected.” He reached for one of our backpacks and started shoving things inside. “We can’t stay here. Cole, shut that damned mutt up!”

“I’m trying!” Cole struggled with Dolly, trying to get her calmed down and quiet.

Richard threw a bag at me, hitting me square in the chest and bringing me back to reality. “Pack light. We’ll be walking.”

“The car–“

“Is compromised. We’ll never get near it. Hurry up. Cole!”

Cole scrambled back to us, dragging Dolly behind him.

Outside the shouting and banging intensified. Someone must’ve gotten smart, because a brick came careening through an exposed part of the door glass near the top. It sailed through the air, barely missing Richard’s head.

“Time to go!” Richard shoved Cole toward the back door. “Bryce, help me with the boards!”

I grabbed up a discarded hammer and handed it over to him while I fished in my bag for the crowbar I’d brought. We struggled with the boards, hacking and pulling. Richard’s face turned red with his exertion, and the warmth of my own efforts spread out from my arm muscles, making my chest tight and painful.

“Hurry up, guys!” Cole shouted.

I glanced back at the front door. The newcomers — two beefy men and a scraggly haired woman — had managed to get several of the boards free and were shouting at us. Behind them, I could see the horde moving closer. The woman let out a scream and disappeared from sight. The men didn’t even look back for her — they just kept on coming.

“Bryce!” Richard had gotten enough of the boards cleared for us to get through. I jumped out after him as he pulled Cole through. We ran along the back alley, Cole carrying a still-barking Dolly.

“Shut her up! She’s going to give us away!” Richard smacked at Dolly’s muzzle as he ran.

That seemed to stifle her for a few minutes, and we made it down the alley and through two more without chase. At last Richard stopped, heaving for air, and leaned against the wall of a building. I didn’t want to stop. My nerves on fire with adrenaline and fear, I ran past him.

“Bryce!”

I ignored him. Fight or flight had kicked in. I wasn’t much to look at size-wise — I had no hope of fighting off a crowd of hungry zombies, so flight it was. I had to get away from there. Like a rat in a maze, I kept running through alleys and streets I didn’t know and couldn’t really see, until I stepped square into a hole and stumbled. I put my arms out and tried to catch myself, but only succeeded in falling on my wrist, wrenching it back against my arm. I couldn’t keep from crying out, but even the momentary pain didn’t stop me.

I surged to my feet again, but I must’ve injured my left ankle in the fall as well, because it wouldn’t support my weight and I fell back down. Undaunted, I crawled for my life. Footsteps grew nearer and nearer. They’d catch me, but I’d be damned if they’d catch me easily.

“Bryce! Stop!”

I rolled over under the power of someone else. At any other time, I probably would’ve registered that the person was Richard. But right then, I didn’t recognize him. He knew my name, kept yelling it over and over — that much I realized — but it made no difference to me. I fought him as hard as I could, and at last, he simply pinned my wrists and collapsed on top of me.

He stopped yelling, instead resorted to just whispering my name in my ear again and again in a monotonous tone that finally managed to bore into my brain and made me stop struggling.

Richard pulled back and looked down at me. “I’m getting up, okay?”

I nodded. Still feeling skittish though, I tried experimentally to wrest one of my wrists out of his grip.

“Easy,” he cooed. “You’re not in danger.”

“Not yet,” Cole chimed in from behind him.

“You’re not helping,” Richard snapped at him.

Pages or Words: 31,000 words
Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Horror, M/M Romance, Romance, Thriller

Buy the book: Torquere Books

Meet the author:

Romance author, sic-fi fan club Captain, cosplayer, reigning Queen of Monkeyland, and random menace. Yep, we’re talking about DC Juris. She’s a cupcake making, football watching, rubber duck collecting, drag show loving, full of fabulous with a Capital F kinda gal. She’s also an Ordained Minister and an amateur photographer. She lives in Upstate NY with her husband, three dogs, and three cats. When she’s not writing, you can find her in her favorite chair watching “Star Trek” and “Supernatural” repeats on Netflix, or surfing the web for porn. Er… research. Surfing the web for research. She may speak softly but she lives and loves loudly. Just ask the neighbors. ::wink::

Where to find the author:

Blog: http://www.dcjuris.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danielchristianjuris
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dcjuris
Periscope: @dcjuris
Instagram: @dcjuris

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Bayou Book Junkie, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Inked Rainbow Reads, Happily Ever Chapter, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, BFD Book Blog, MM Good Book Reviews, Ogitchida Book Blog, Bonkers About Books, The Hat Party, V’s Reads, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Kimi-Chan, Jessie G. Books, Open Skye Book Reviews

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Bad Moon Rising’ by DC Juris. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prize provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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Coffee Sip and Book Break with Elle E. Ire ‘Vicious Circle’ (excerpt and giveaway)

Book Name: Vicious Circle (Guardian Assassin #1) by Elle E. Ire
Release Date: November 4, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Torquere Press

Blurb

Assassin meets innocent. When sweet and attractive Kila asks Cor to eliminate her abusive brother, Cor is more than willing to take the contract, but things aren’t what they seem, and for Cor, her trust and love aren’t easy to give.

Excerpt

Kila might not pose a threat, but she was not what she appeared to be.

She pulled the covers from me and examined the wound on my arm. It showed no signs of infection. She’d done a good job, a better job than a barmaid should have.

My eyelids grew heavier. The room became dim, and I blinked to clear my vision. “You’ve had medical training.”

“You could say that.” She wrapped the blankets around me and tucked them in like a mother for her child. Something about her made me feel warm and safe. I fought to shake it off.

“What else could I say? Who are you?” I demanded.

She smiled cryptically. “I’m the least important member of my family. Not like you.”

I scowled at her. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” My voice rose and fell in my ears, echoing in a disconcerting manner.

She turned away from me, instead facing my table, the bag, the book. “You are

Corianne Sandros, the Core of Sardonen. And I want to hire you to kill my brother.”

Pages or Words: 92,800 words
Categories: Lesbian Romance, Science Fiction

Buy the book: Torquere Books

Meet the Author

Elle E. Ire resides in the Disney-created town of Celebration, Florida, with her spouse, twin daughters, and two dogs. A graduate of the University of Miami, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in creative writing but left the MFA program when they refused to allow her to write genre fiction, instead receiving a Master’s in Literature mostly made up of writing courses. Currently, she teaches writing to seventh and eighth graders. She and her spouse run several writing groups, as well as present at many local and statewide conferences.

Where to find the author:

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Jessie G. Books, Full Moon Dreaming, Bayou Book Junkie, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Inked Rainbow Reads, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Happily Ever Chapter, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Unquietly Me, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Bonkers About Books, The Hat Party, Havan Fellows, Nephy Hart, Velvet Panic

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Vicious Circle. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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Young Readers Week and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Announcements

Tuesday is National Young Readers Day

How many of you were read to as children? Then kept reading on yourself, in libraries, in beds, where ever you could lose yourself in your story. Still remember those stories and even perhaps have those torn and well worn books to this day? Tuesday is National Young Readers Day and I will be blogging about favorite and popular children’s stories, childhood reading and the impact I feel it has into adulthood. Have a favorite childhood book as a kid? Let me know, I’d love to hear from you.

November’s First Line Quiz Starts Next Week

Yes, I let it slide a week. I finished gathering all my first lines for the quiz. It’s 14 first lines from current books and not so current novels. Some might be easy, others will be some you might have to work for. How I loved compiling this list! In fact, this list will come with a prize attached. The winner will receive a Amazon gift card but its still not the big Quiz. That will happen in December.

Now here is our schedule for the week, baring any RL events or disruptions like book releases being pushed back (hey, it happens more than you think):

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, November 8:

Young Readers Week and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, November 9:

Will and Patrick Meet the Family Tour and Giveaway
Coffee Sip and Book Break with Elle E. Ire ‘Vicious Circle’ (excerpt and giveaway)
A Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Oracle, The Complete Collection by RJ Scott
A BJ Audiobook Review: Into Deep Waters by Kaje Harper
A Stella Review: A Man of Unusual Talent by Lee Brazil

Tuesday, November 10:

Coffee Sip and Book Break: Brina Brady ‘Make Me’ book blast and contest
Supernatural Spotlight: Lisa Oliver ‘Watching Out For Fangs (excerpt and giveaway)
National Young Reader Day- “Does Childhood Reading Make An Impact On You As A Grownup?”
A Mika Review: Will & Patrick Wake Up Married #2 by Leta Blake
A MelanieM Review: Under The Gun by Havan Fellows (A Pulp Friction 2015)

Wednesday, November 11:

Early Bird Spotlight: DC Juris ‘Bad Moon Rising (excerpt and contest)
Coffee Sip and Book Break for ‘Duce’ by Kai Tyler (excerpt and giveaway)
A Solitary Man Blog Tour with Shira Anthony and Aisling Mancy (excerpt and contest)
A MelanieM Review: A Solitary Man by Shira Anthony and Aisling Mancy
A Stella Review: Flyboy’s First Adventure by Havan Fellows

Thursday, November 12:

A BJ Review: Heart (Spotless #14) by Bailey Bradford
A Jeri Review: Wolf, WY by AF Henley (double dip review)
A Wynter Review: Wolf, WY by AF Henley (tale of two reviews)
A MelanieM Review: Hopelessly Devoted (The One That I Want #2) by R.J. Jones
A Free Dreamer Review: My Magical Palace by Kunal Muherjee

Friday, November 13:

Early Spotlight Tour: Raider Captured by J.J. Lore‏ (excerpt and giveaway)
Rebound Remedy blog tour with Christine d’Abo (contest)
Contemporary Romance Highlight with Pat Henshaw’s ‘Behr Facts’ (excerpt and giveaway)
A MelanieM Review: Behr Facts by Pat Henshaw
A Mika Review: How To Walk Like A Man by Eli Easton
A Sammy Review: Entwined by Liberty Lace

Saturday, November 14:

A MelanieM NA Review: Jefferson Blythe Esq. by Josh Lanyon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Best Books and Book Covers of October 2015

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Best Books and Book Covers of October 2015

Its time to look back over the past month and pull out the books that stood out from the crowd. No matter the genre, the author’s characters, plot and writing made us want to shout out about the book we just read, share it, wave it, let everyone know “here’s a book you just can’t pass up”.

If you missed these books and reviews the first time around, now is the perfect time to remedy that fact. Left off the list are the Scary Review Redux Books in October. Here in the order their reviews were posted this month, are :

Best Books of October 2015:

All are 5 Star Rating Novels, All are Linked to our Reviews.

Best Covers of October 2015

Kaminishi (Bittersweet Dreams) by Jan Suzukawa, cover art by Anne Cain
Winter (The Haunted Heart #1) by Josh Lanyon, uncredited.
Blueberry Boys by Vanessa North, cover art by LC Chase
Mad About The Hatter by Dakota Chase, artist Paul Richmond (YA novel)

Ruin Porn (Resonator #1) by S.J.D. Peterson and S.A. McAuley, cover by Paul Richmond
Kraken by M. Caspian, uncredited artist created the perfect cover.
How To Be A Normal Person by T.J. Klune, artist Reese Dante who delivered something simple, different and perfect.
Leythe Blade by Jaye McKenna, artist Chinchbug

Winter Oranges by Marie Sexton, artist L.C. Chase was perfection with the snow globe and young man with the slight historic feel.

Dark Space by Lisa Henry, ? artist. BJ felt the cover was perfect for the story.

Did our Best Books and Covers match up with yours? What books were we missing? Leave us a comment and let us know how we did! We love hearing from you all.

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Boyfriend Forever (Boyfriend #2) by Diana DeRicci

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Seven years after leaving his boyfriend Jayden, Nash Vargas has reached his emotional limit. Not because he’s left Jayden behind, but because his sister, whom he loves more than he’d ever have imagined possible, is dying from cancer, and Nash will be left to raise her nine-year-old daughter, Lupe, alone.

After Jayden sent him off to finish his degree, Nash did very well in college and rolled right into a master’s degree program, but his sister had problems with a deadbeat father, and Nash seemed to be the only family member willing to help. He moved in with her and Lupe, and when they were stunned by her diagnosis of cancer, he became caretaker for both of them. Now, operating on barely any sleep, Nash is caring for Lupe while trying to make his sister’s last days comfortable.

In the meantime, contrary to the advice of his friends, Jayden hasn’t moved forward. He’s never forgotten Nash, nor given up hope for his return. However, with all of Nash’s moves, Jayden doesn’t know where he is and no longer has his phone number. Could Jayden find it if he searched hard enough? Yes, but he figures Nash has moved on, and he refuses to go begging.

Two stubborn men = one messed-up relationship = good plot bunny.

Fortunately, Nash’s cousin Bill and his partner Tim know where Nash is, and they plan to bring both men together at their own wedding, having separately asked both Nash and Jayden to be their best men. But even before that happens, Nash’s sister dies, and Bill and Tim convince him to bring Lupe back to Arbor Heights and move in with them.

I’m sure anyone reading this review can now guess that Jayden and Nash do get back together, but the fun is watching them fumble and bumble along. Neither has had a relationship since they broke up because they considered each other the love of their lives. I found this a bit hard to believe on an intellectual level. After all, young men in their twenties and thirties going seven years without even having casual sex feels a bit farfetched, but the romantic in me was happy to hear it.

I finished book one, Boyfriend for the Weekend, about six weeks ago. I loved them in that story and was happy to find out there was a sequel. However, when I read the blurb, I felt very disappointed that the men had lost touch, seven years had already gone by, and they were still not together, so I put off reading the sequel. I shouldn’t have done that. This book was a very satisfying ending to the series. The men were as charming and sweet as before, with an added layer of maturity and experience to make their lives as a couple that much richer.

I recommend this to those who have read the first book. I would not recommend this as a standalone as it’s setup as a continuation of the first. It’s a sweet contemporary romance with two likeable characters who finally move forward on the road to their HEA.

~~~~~

Cover art by Melody Pond depicts the torsos of two casually dressed men, with arms around each other, in the top panel of the cover, with a script-style title across the center and a scenic view of the mountains across the lower panel. Closely linked to the style of the cover of the first book, this one shows the men in light-colored casual wear more indicative of men comfortable with each other as is the case in this story.

Sales Links: MLR Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 101 pages
Published September 20th 2015 by MLR Press
ASINB015NHSXSU
edition languageEnglish
Boyfriend Series

Boyfriend For The Weekend (Boyfriend #1)
Boyfriend Forever (Boyfriend #2)

A MelanieM Review: Cardinal Sins (Hidden Gems #2) by Lissa Kasey

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Paris Hansworth, star whore turned senator and the most powerful man in City M, has been hiding his terminal illness for years. Searching for a way to reverse the toxic environment that’s killing him, Paris stumbles upon a lost research facility, and a merman named Rain.

Years alone have made Rain long for companionship, and the beautiful man on the other side of the glass intrigues him. But Rain speaks the wrong language, and is decades out of touch. He isn’t quite sure what to think of the new environment he’s been thrust into.

As a virus spreads through the city targeting City M’s most private residents—A-Ms—Paris realizes he’s out of time. He’s willing to sacrifice everything, even his own life, to stop it. But Rain might just be the missing DNA link to explain the mutations created in the last plague, maybe even the cure.

Watching Paris race to save his friends, Rain knows he’s found someone special and will do anything to stay by his side. But the past Paris thought he’d escaped is seeking revenge, and he’s forced to adapt yet again, possibly even becoming a monster. He only hopes Rain will still want him.

Hidden Gems, the first novel in this series, was also my first introduction to this wonderful author. That story, a dystopian novel full of dark flights of fancy, fallen chemically engineered angels of your nightmares and so much more captured both my mind and my heart. Now Lissa Kasey has returned to that pain, disease wracked world with a new story Cardinal Sins and I am more than delighted with what she has delivered.

Hidden Gems is the name of a fancy whore house in City M, operated by Paris Hansworth. A former whore, turned powerful senator and businessman, Paris has found a long abandoned gambling casino called the Cardinal Sins (think along the lines of Las Vegas, maybe it is Las Vegas, we never know) on the outskirts of the city. Paris intends to bring the Cardinal Sins back to life, including the major feature of enormous fish tanks with tunnels that go from gambling hall to hall throughout the looming old construction. No matter there may be no more salt water fish to fill it after the disaster, still Paris has plans and only a short amount of time in which to complete them.

The power of Kasey’s stories lies not only in her plots but in her almost magnetic descriptions that, from scene to scene, make you lean closer and closer towards your tablet, pulling you towards the story…into the story itself. From the eerie feel of the gambling hall to the icy cavernous research lab where mysterious things flashed behind dirty glass walls, I felt I needed to be there. Don’t be surprised to find yourself nose to nose with your Kindle in no time! Her images filled my mind, dancing there, long after the story was finished.

Kasey picks up her story after the events of Hidden Gems, so it does help to have read that story. Why? Well, the first book is a wonder and should be read. But also because no matter how much background the author gives you here it can not give you all the intricacies of the politics, or the layers of the events that took place for you to get the full picture. You will enjoy it, don’t get me wrong. But you will love it more with more knowledge about the people, places, and their relationships. Plus that first book is so good you just need to read it.

In Cardinal Sins, Kasey expands on her initial (and beautifully done) world building to go beyond the chemically engineered A-M’s, people cruelly experimented on by the government for weapons warfare and extends her universe into something new. I won’t include any spoilers but it is a natural progression and one I thought was so smart to include here. I hope she goes further with this element in the next story or stories because its such a great one and has so much potential as far as characters and plot. We still have people that turn into wolves, big cats, winged taloned beings and now a whole buried research facility designated towards sea creatures. Its a great mixture of all the old and new elements here, blending into a great new dynamic. This is fluidity is wonderful in a story where the atmosphere and environment is toxic, the chemical nature of the population is unstable and nothing is certain, not even their form. Just wonderful.

Lissa Kasey’s characters are more than a match for her narrative. I love Paris, such a complicated man. Here he has never been so vulnerable then here at the end of his life as the virus is taking hold and killing him. Its heartbreaking to all around him. This includes Rain and Paris because of the new plans Paris formed, especially when he finds Rain under all that ice and Paris doesn’t think he will have time to complete his plans for him. That’s another astounding piece of this story I won’t spoil for you. How I loved that element of this story. Magic! Rain holds so many mysteries within his tank, including that of his origin. That is not completely solved during this story…a thread I hope to follow to another book. Other characters from the previous story return. Aki and his mate,a private investigator as well as Candy, a whore without boundaries finds that he may have a new role in life and someone to love after all. Kasey remembers all her characters and keeps them in play at all times. She also continues to add several more important ones, beings I can wait to see again in a new novel.

Romance and relationships. Its there and probably more subtle than you might expect when dealing with a book full of whores and whore houses. There is talk of whipping and knot work but that’s it, talk. There is romance and love but its on equal par with the action, and suspense and mystery. There are so many elements here. Assassination, plague, military experimentation on children…so yes, romance and love is so desperately needed when things get so dark and deadly. Love and hope. Lissa Kasey remembers to give us and her characters both. Eventually.

If you are looking for hot, hot sex, this is probably not the book for you. But if you are looking for mystery, outstanding world building, suspense, a little heartbreak, and yes, romance, wrapped up in a dystopian thriller, than I think you should look no further than Lissa Kasey’s Hidden Gems series. Start with Hidden Gems and run direct here and start reading Cardinal Sins. Rain and Paris will make their way into your heart! I can’t wait to see where this series is going next.

I highly recommend them both.

Cover artist Shobana Appavu delivers a gorgeous cover. interesting and in tune with the story.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 290 pages

Expected publication: November 13th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN13 9781634765817

edition language English

series Hidden Gems #2

Hidden Gem (Hidden Gem, #1)

Cardinal Sins (Hidden Gem, #2)

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Rain Shadow (Bluewater Bay #10) by L.A. Witt

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Not realizing he was gay until well into his marriage and after the birth of his two children, Jeremy Rose and his wife stayed together through multiple counseling sessions until it got to the point where Jeremy realized he was not only keeping himself from experiencing life as a gay man, he was keeping his wife from finding a love of her own. Despite having teens who might be hurt, the two divorced, and Jeremy’s worst fears were realized—his children hated him and didn’t want him in their lives. Not sure if he was running away or running toward a better future, he took a job as Anna Maxwell’s security guard in Bluewater Bay, Washington.

When he meets a cute older man while accompanying Anna and her lover, Leigh, to an eagle-watching expedition, he’s intrigued, but fails to get the man’s contact information. Shocked when he later sees the man at the counseling practice Anna and Leigh attend to repair their deteriorating relationship, he decides to pursue a date, aka one-night stand, with Scott Fletcher. Scott is also a counselor, but not the one Anna is seeing. It bothers Jeremy that Scott is a counselor because he’s never had any good experience with counseling, but it doesn’t bother him enough to keep him out of Scott’s pants and the two have their one-night stand and many more afterward.

Over time, their “fuck buddy” relationship grows and changes but neither wants to acknowledge that out loud. They’ve gone to dinner, on picnic and weekend outings, and even to a weekend retreat at a B&B, and yet they refuse to acknowledge that they’ve become more to each other than they planned. To add to Scott’s problems with having a relationship with Jeremy, he’s got a phobia about dating cops since his life partner, a cop, was killed twenty years before. Between Jeremy being a “cop,” aka security guard, and Scott being a counselor, there’s not much hope of compromise for these two.

Can the two overcome these issues? Do they even want to try? And what happens when Jeremy’s daughter backs him into a corner and blasts him with her hatred of him leaving them and living so far away? There’s quite a bit of angst involved in this story of two men who struggle with their past issues while trying to come to terms with their present attraction.

I really liked Scott who was the epitome of the older man, with salt-and-pepper hair, and a mature down-to-earth attitude. His opinions were clearly stated, and he held his tongue when he really wanted to get in there and tell Jeremy what to do. He was also sweetly vulnerable in his worries about something happening to Jeremy. However, Jeremy was a different matter for me. I liked him but I never really warmed to him as a good character. He probably meant well but he was stubborn in his views of counselors and the benefits of counseling, and he let his kids and his ex-wife manage all their meetings and therefore all of the negative outcomes, which he then spun his wheels about over and over again. The chemistry didn’t click for me between the two, despite how much I wanted it to.

I can’t quite put my finger on why this story fell flat for me. It may have been that I couldn’t get into Jeremy’s character, but there was something about it that felt repetitive to others I’ve read by this author. If you had given me an audiobook and didn’t tell me the title or the author, I would have known it was written by L.A. Witt. The style of writing, the words used, the sex scenes—I felt like I had already been there and done that. So, overall, though I liked the story, I really can’t rate it higher than 3.5 stars.

If you like Bluewater Bay series, by all means, read this. Otherwise, I’d only recommend it to those who like a contemporary romance between older men, one of whom spins his wheels in self-inflicted angst and makes poor choices up to the end when he finally allows the light bulb to go off so that he and his partner can work toward their HEA.

~~~~

Cover Art by LC Chase depicts the two MCs: one a shorter man with salt & pepper hair and wearing a suit, the other a muscular man complete with T-shirt, jeans, leather jacket and shades over his eyes. It’s an attractive cover and represents the MCs very well.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | ARe | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 192 pages
Published October 19th 2015 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN 1626493669 (ISBN13: 9781626493667)
edition languageEnglish
seriesBluewater Bay #10

Category: Publishers

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Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: Kris Norris

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