Category: Uncategorized

In the Spotlight: Annabelle Jacobs “The Altered” (excerpt and contest)

 TheAltered-f

The Altered by Annabelle Jacobs
Goodreads Link

STRW In The Spotlight Header
Release Date: April 9, 2015

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Twenty years ago the UK’s water supply was contaminated with an experimental pathogen, Lycanaeris, causing widespread panic across the nation. Terrorism was suspected but never proven, and when nothing happened–no epidemic, no unexplained illnesses–the whole episode was written off as an elaborate hoax. But Lycanaeris was selective. Only those of a certain age, and with a specific gene in their DNA were infected. Time would reveal the pathogen’s true nature, when those susceptible grew up Altered.

Daniel is one of thousands forced to hide his altered status by living a quiet life. He’s not like the others, though.

Daniel can’t help looking so distinctive or being able to see every altered for what they really are. To those abducting altereds, that skill makes him valuable.

For Jordan, shifting from human to wolf means living under the radar to avoid unwanted attention. Meeting Daniel complicates matters. Daniel’s existence is a threat to Jordan and his friends, but Jordan can’t seem to shake the strange connection between them. When danger threatens, there’s little time for Daniel and Jordan to work out their feelings before lives are at stake.

Pages or Words: 209 pages, 75,000 words

Categories: M/M Romance, Paranormal

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

He laughed at the joke Matt was in the middle of telling, chipping in for a bit and teasing him, and then he felt it again, creeping up the back of his spine like icy fingers. Daniel stayed perfectly still, suppressing his body’s natural reaction, and carefully turned to place his empty pint glass on the bar.

He let his gaze wander along to the end of the bar, past the couple he’d spotted earlier, and—

Bloody Hell.

He sucked in a sharp breath before he could stop himself. Usually he got a flash of images, depending on how much they’d been altered—claws, teeth, and fur if they changed fully, but never anything like this. One minute Daniel was looking at a tall dark-haired, really hot man, and in the blink of an eye he’d changed into a huge black wolf, fangs bared in a snarl—clearer than anything he’d seen before.

The image vanished almost as soon as it appeared, and the noise from the bar suddenly jarred Daniel back to his senses.

Fuck.

Banner300x250

Publisher: Annabelle Jacobs
Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Sales Links:  Amazon US – Amazon UK

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About Author Annabelle Jacobs:

Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with her husband, three rowdy children, and two cats.

An avid reader of fantasy herself for many years, Annabelle now spends her days writing her own stories. They’re usually either fantasy or paranormal fiction, because she loves building worlds filled with magical creatures, and creating stories full of action and adventure. Her characters may have a tough time of it—fighting enemies and adversity—but they always find love in the end.

Where to find the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ajacobsfiction
Facebook Author Page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJacobs_fiction
website: http://www.annabellejacobs.com

BannerTemplate

Tour Dates & Stops: April 9, 2015

Parker Williams, Inked Rainbow Reads, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Cate Ashwood, Amanda C. Stone, Gaylist Book Reviews, Havan Fellows, Molly Lolly, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Rainbow Gold Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Chris McHart, MM Good Book Reviews, 3 Chicks After Dark, The Hat Party, Lee Brazil, Bayou Book Junkie, Emotion in Motion, Divine Magazine, Carly’s Book Reviews

 

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Contest: Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Any book from Annabelle’s backlist. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Heat Up with Never Too Early: Finding Their Way by Chris Owen and Tory Temple (excerpt and contest)

Combine Cowboys and Firefighters and what do you get? Finding Their Way (Never Too Early #2)

by Chris Owen and Tory Temple!

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Finding Their Way (Never Too Early#2) by Chris Owen and Tory Temple
Should not be read as a standalone
Release Date: April 15, 2015

nte-findingtheirway1400

Chris Owen has been a favorite of mine since Owen’s Bareback books introduced us to Tor and Jake. And Tory Temple’s Firefighters have been heating up things for 6 novels.  The combination in Never Too Early: The Beginning, it was explosive.  Now both Tor and Jake and Chance and Tucker are back in a book you won’t want to miss!  Check it out below and don’t forget to enter the contest too.

Never Too Early: Finding Their Way (Never Too Early#2) by Chris Owen and Tory Temple

STRW Author BookSynopsis

When Jake Taggart fell from the roof of his barn, Tor had only one thought — to reach out to Chance Shanahan and Tucker McBride for support. In this follow-up to Never Too Early: The Beginning, the first book in the Cowboy/Firefighter series, the two couples are reunited in their mutual concern for Jake. But how far will that concern go?

A strong friendship begins to explore the boundaries of something else; something all four men never looked for or expected. Emotions and attraction are difficult to deny, try as they might, but giving in has the potential to destroy everything both couples have worked so hard for. How will they handle something that none of them set out to find?

Pages or Words: 54,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Menage/Poly, Cowboy, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Jake reached out and touched the back of Chance’s hand. “Thank you for coming all this way to be with me. Thank you for coming to sit next to me, and for helping Tor. Thank you for everything you and Tucker have done around here, but mostly thank you for being someone I can count on.” Jake nodded firmly and looked up into Chance’s face, studying his eyes. “Thanks for caring so much.”

Chance’s gaze was steady and direct. “I didn’t mean to,” he said quietly. “I thought you were a good guy, that’s all. I thought you were nice and funny and smart and easy to talk to. I didn’t mean for there to be more than that.”

Jake nodded. “I know. We all know. But there is, and I’m okay with that. Thankful for it, really. And so is Tor. And Tucker sent me upstairs to talk to you, and said not to let you overthink it.” He smiled, trying not to shake with nerves. “So sit down here next to me and stop thinking.”

RC
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay

Sales Links:   Torquere Books

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About the authors:

Chris Owen: I live and write in eastern Canada. I went to a bunch of schools, learned a lot of things, and now make stuff up because not to do so is unthinkable. I’m fond of fountain pens, Levenger’s Circa system, and Steampunk fashions. Lately I’ve been watching a lot of Discovery channel. I’ve seen every episode of CSI Las Vegas and New York, but I’m not terribly keen on CSI Miami. It might be due to weather envy. I have a crush on the whole cast of Criminal Minds, and fondness for wool. The two are not related. Hoarders keeps me honest. I’m inspired by the day to day minutia of life, and find beauty in the way words go together. I like texture and richness of experience. I’m not shy. I’m happy, I’m learning, I’m living.

Tory Temple: Tory lives and works in southern California, where she spends a lot of time around firemen. She visits the beach frequently and wears flip flops even in the winter. Tory likes television, salted pistachios in the shell, and chenille socks. She dislikes cauliflower, not being able to find the right shoes in the morning, and not having enough free time. She shares her space with numerous pets, including but not limited to cats, dogs, and tortoises.

Where to find the authors:

Websites: http://www.chrisowen.net   http://www.torytemple.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chris-Owen/362850963876393
https://www.facebook.com/torytemple
Twitter:
Chris Owen:  https://twitter.com/chris_owen
Tory Temple:  https://twitter.com/ToryTemple


BannerTemplate

Tour Dates & Stops: April 9, 2015

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Molly Lolly, Inked Rainbow Reads, Cate Ashwood, Bayou Book Junkie, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, BFD Book Blog, Love Bytes, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Boy Meets Boy Reviews, Chris McHart, 3 Chicks After Dark,

Multitasking Mommas, Divine Magazine, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, MM Good Book Reviews, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Velvet Panic, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, The Blogger Girls

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Contest: Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of the story. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and Prizes provided by the authors and Pride Promotions.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Mika Review: More than Anything by T.T. Kove

Rating: 4.5 star out of 5 stars

More Than Anything coverArriving home after work one evening, Jørgen sees a young man who looks adrift and out of place—and who promptly has a seizure on the sidewalk. Jørgen takes care of him until the seizure passes and then, not knowing who to contact, takes care of him for the night. After giving the kid, Geir, a ride home the next morning, he expects that to be the end of it.

He doesn’t expect Geir to be a student at the vocational school where Jørgen works as an electrician. He definitely does not expect to be drawn to Geir time and again, to want things that will never be possible for two people with more obstacles between them than can ever be overcome.

This was a first for me by this author. I truly enjoyed this book. I was taken aback by some things, but I have to remember that there are rules outside North America. LOL. 

I didn’t know how I would feel about a 16 yr old being in a relationship with a 22 yr old, but T.T. Kove surely wrote it beautifully.

Geir was so amazing; all he wanted was a mate. I found myself tearing up whenever he would talking about being lonely, hell they didn’t tease him for being gay, no, these insensitive ass children teased him for having Epilepsy something he has no freaking control over. I was so pissed off at every push, hit, taunting. I know a book has affected me when I want to step inside Geir’s school and deal with the bullies instead of him. I was mad as hell his father left his 3 weeks out the month for work. I understand him having to have a job, but not noticing anything about your only child until he got hit in the face was crazy.

I don’t have children yet, and I am the first to not judge a parent but really liked he was super lonely, and the first person to show him an ounce of kindness outside of family was the tragic boy himself Jorgen. I know he isn’t a boy, but when he was, no one protected him at all. Reading that letter he wrote to Geir literally broke me in to pieces. 

Both of these guys stepped outside themselves and decided to trust each other.

I like Daniel & Thomas. I wish we had more fathers, uncles, and role models like this in the world. 

I had a couple of issues but they were my personal beliefs so I couldn’t factor those into my rating. Why not 5 stars? Well I really wanted to know more about Kay, since he was brought up more times. I also would have liked an epilogue. What is happening since Geir moved it? At the end of the day I truly loved this book, I devoured it and surely I want more. Can’t wait for book 2.

Cover Art by T.T. Kove. I actually liked the cover a lot. I liked that it showed Geir right in his moment; it showed him going forward in his life.

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

ebook, 380 pages
Published September 24th 2014 by Less Than Three Press LLC
original titleMore Than Anything
ISBN139781620044292
edition languageEnglish
seriesMore Than Anything #1
charactersJørgen Lister, Geir Berger settingSmall town (Norway) (Norway)

In The Spotlight: Keira Andrews and A Way Home (Gay Amish Romance #3) (interview and contest)

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00067]A Way Home (Gay Amish Romance #3) by Keira Andrews

The end of the Trilogy

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words, we fell in love with Keira Andrews from the moment we picked up A Forbidden Rumspringa, the first in her Gay Amish Romance trilogy.  And now with A Way Home, the trilogy is over but not our romance with this author and her stories.  We invited her here today to talk about the inspiration behind her stories and what’s next in line for Keira Andrews.

Our Interview with Keira Andrews on A Way Home and her Gay Amish Romance Trilogy

1. Did you know this was going to be a trilogy from the start?

Yes. Well, initially it was going to be a novella, but I soon realized Isaac and David had a LOT more to say. Once I started writing, it quickly became a planned trilogy.

2. Why the Amish as a main story element?

It started out as a chuckle with an m/m blogger who mentioned that she got a lot of hits for “sexy Amish men.” It started my mind working, and I took out a book on the Amish from the library. It’s a fascinating culture so different from mine, and I thought readers might find it interesting as well. I’m also a huge fan of forbidden love.

3. I found the scenes within the Amish community so effective and real, how much research did you do in order to accomplish that?

Thank you! I read a lot and also connected with some former Amish. Their stories and recollections were incredibly helpful.

4. Coming out is hard enough, to do so in such a closed and restrictive community must be shockingly difficult. You got that across in the stories. Was there a key to finding your way inside such characters and moments in their lives?

I think it was just to put myself in their shoes as firmly as I could. Leave all my prejudices and experiences behind, and imagine that world and their experiences as authentically as possible.

5. Parts of these stories just broke my heart and others made it soar, do you find yourself as emotionally affected when writing the scenes?

Totally. If I make myself cry, I know it’s an effective scene!

6. What is the first word that enters your mind when thinking about this series?

Gratitude. I’m so grateful to readers for embracing Isaac and David and loving them as much as I do.

7. What is next for Keira Andrews?

My next book, Kick at the Darkness, is coming in May. It’s a contemporary romance about a college student and the TA he hates (who is also a secret werewolf) being stuck together on the run as they try to survive the zombie apocalypse. So it’s just a little different from the Amish series! A lot more blood and adventure, and fewer barn raisings. I like to challenge myself in a variety of genres, and this one was really fun. But I do have an idea for a fourth book about Isaac and David that would take place down the road, so I’ll be working on that as well.

STRW Author BookSynopsis

More About A Way Home:

Will returning to their Amish roots renew their faith in each other?Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00067]

Isaac and David never thought they’d go back to the Amish world. But when Isaac’s younger brother is stricken with cancer, they don’t hesitate to return. Their relationship is on the rocks after insecurity and fear drove a wedge between them in San Francisco, and David is determined to make things right. Yet if they thought navigating “English” life was confusing, being back in Zebulon is even more complicated.

Their families are desperate to bring them back into the fold, and pressure from the community builds. Isaac and David yearn for a future together, but each day it becomes harder to hide the truth about who they really are. They’re caught between two worlds, and if they’re not careful it could tear them further apart.

Can Isaac and David make their way back to each other—and find a place to call home?

This is the final chapter in a trilogy of forbidden Amish love.

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

Book Details: ebook, 240 pages
Expected publication: April 8th 2015 by KA Books
ISBN139780993859892
edition languageEnglish

The rest of the Trilogy:

Forbidden Rumspringa cover

A Forbidden Rumspringa (Gay Amish Romance #1)

When two young Amish men find love, will they risk losing everything?

In a world where every detail of life—down to the width of a hat brim—is dictated by God and the all-powerful rules of the community, two men dare to imagine a different way. At 18, Isaac Byler knows little outside the strict Amish settlement of Zebulon, Minnesota, where there is no rumspringa for exploration beyond the boundaries of their insular world. Isaac knows he’ll have to officially join the church and find a wife before too long, but he yearns for something else—something he can’t name.

Dark tragedy has left carpenter David Lantz alone to support his mother and sisters, and he can’t put off joining the church any longer. But when he takes on Isaac as an apprentice, their attraction grows amid the sweat and sawdust. David shares his sinful secrets, and he and Isaac struggle to reconcile their shocking desires with their commitment to faith, family and community.

Now that they’ve found each other, are they willing to lose it all?

Note: Contains explicit sexual situations and graphic language. This is not an inspirational/Christian romance.

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

A Clean Break (Gay Amish Romance #2)
They’ve escaped to the outside world—but can they really be free?A Clean Break cover

David and Isaac have found happiness in each other’s arms. In faraway San Francisco, Isaac’s brother Aaron helps them explore confusing “English” life and move beyond the looming shadow of their Amish roots. For the first time, David and Isaac can be openly gay, yet they struggle to reconcile their sexuality with their faith. At least they don’t have to hide their relationship, which should make everything easier. Right?

But while Isaac thrives at school and makes new friends, David wrestles to come to terms with the reality of the outside world. Haunted by guilt at leaving his mother and sisters behind in Zebulon, he’s overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the city as he works to get his carpentry business off the ground.

While David and Isaac finally sleep side by side each night, fear and insecurity could drive them miles apart.

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

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

 

About the Author:Keira Andrews pic

After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration, Keira discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes contemporary, historical, paranormal and fantasy fiction, and—although she loves delicious angst along the way—Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar Wilde once said, “The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.”

You can find Keira Andrews at http://www.keiraandrews.com/

 

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

To celebrate the end of the Gay Amish Trilogy and the release of A Way Home, Keira Andrews is giving away a copy of A Forbidden Rumspringa, the wonderful novel that started it all.  Please leave a comment below as well as an email address where you can be reached, that’s part of the entry process.

To enter to win, you must be 18 years of age or older.  Use the link provided to enter and for all additional contest details.

Contest ends midnight, April 30th, EDT.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A MelanieM Review: Gavin & Morgan (Storming Love: Blizzard #5) by Nicole Dennis

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Gavin and Morgan coverDrained from forecasting both hurricanes and twisters, Gavin Larson, a meteorologist, accepts a request to become the head forecaster for a Philadelphia television station. He goes for a trial time during winter. A calm, quiet winter where he can recharge. Until he discovers a series of potential events ready to clash.

Taking over his family’s position, Morgan Rylee Whittaker III feels the pressure to follow their lofty attitude, he can’t stay hidden in the executive suites. He jumps into the chaos. Bumping into the meteorologist, Morgan feels a thump of arousal, but listens when Gavin locates a dangerous blizzard heading up the coast.

Together, they protect and prepare Philadelphia from the incoming nor’easter. They dance around the steady beat of attraction brewing between them as the storm rages.

Gavin & Morgan by Nicole Dennis brings up the end (for me) of MLR’s Storming Love: Blizzard collection and it’s fitting that it goes out with a romance between a meteorologist and the owner of a tv station during the blizzard of the century.  Gavin Larson is an intense, “owned by his job” man.  His passion is the weather but that passion has taken him into jobs such as hurricane and then tornado forecasting that has left him burned out.  The offer of a job at a station in Philadelphia holds out the promise of less meteorological drama and some much needed down time.  After all, says his old college friend that hires him, nothing huge ever happens weather wise in Philly.  Of course, Mother Nature and a Polar Vortex have other ideas.

Also trying out a new position is Morgan Rylee Whittaker III, stepping into the manager shoes at his family media company.  When he meets Gavin, its due to the fact that Gavin sees unstable and dangerous fronts forming and wants to start alerting the community around him that a huge  snow storm is headed their way.  It doesn’t help that newcomer Gavin is the only meteorologist with this forecast or that the “on camera” old school weatherman refuses to use Gavin’s forecasts.  It’s a clash of  old established ways of doing business against the new “youngsters” at the station, even if one happens to be the son of the owner.

It’s a great storyline and one I enjoyed immensely.  Dennis makes her characters and their passions for their jobs believable and grounded in authenticity of the forecasts heard nightly on the weather forecasts.  The weather patterns and the buildup, from equipment to the various fronts forming to build the “storm of the century” felt plausible and real.  The same goes for the attraction building at the same time between the men during this stressful time.    I liked that this is no instant love sort of story, more instant attraction and respect that might grow into something larger and deeper down the line.

In fact, Gavin and Morgan could easily have been written as a much larger story.  The men and their backgrounds were not only complicated and interesting but the present position that each found themselves in could have been made more layered by adding the background that was only hinted at.  I wanted to know more about Gavin’s past stressful jobs and the life style that brought him to Philadelphia.  Same goes for Morgan and his strained relationship with his father.

The clash of personalities of the station was also well done as was the “wear and tear” of a 24 to 48 hour non-stop working situation during a “storm of a lifetime” broadcast.  That aspect of the story was fleshed out beautifully and felt as real as any other element here.

What hurt the story?  The editing and incorrect word choices not caught by either the author or editor.  At one point in the story, Gavin is said to be ” the finest meteorologist and one of the most facetious  researchers” in the country.  Uh, no.  Facetious would be if he  “treated serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor” or was flippant about his job.  That is the opposite of Gavin. Further along, poor Gavin got the brunt of even more malapropisms when it talks about his calm “facade” when I suppose the author meant demeanor or mien.  Façade which is actually the spelling Dennis used means ” outward appearance that is maintained to conceal a less pleasant or creditable reality”, definitely not what the author intended.  I think Dennis wanted to get across that Gavin had a strong, calm presence in front of the camera in face of this dangerous storm.  But that’s not what she said. Oh, for a Funk and Wagnalls.  These inappropriate word choices had pulled me straight out of the story because I was so dumbfounded that the errors had not been caught before publication.   There’s more but I think I made the point needed.  Poor editing hurts a story, it stops the flow of the narrative and makes the reader start concentrating on structural elements rather than the plot.  This should have rated a 4 star or higher rating.  But the inaccuracies and inconsistent editing pulled it down.

I liked this story, and thought the major elements were well crafted.  Perhaps I’m too picky and the things that bothered me about the story aren’t as important to you.  Pick it up and decide for yourself.  For me, its spring and I’m looking forward to flowers, and higher temperatures while putting the snow, Polar Vortexes, and all things similar away for another season.  If you find yourself missing the cold, and snow and ice of the past months, pick up any of the six stories that form the Storming Love: Blizzard collection.  There you will find a story sure to bring those months and romance alive once more.

Cover art by Kris Jacen.  A simple cover that serves to brand the series as a collection.

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

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 81 pages
Published February 22nd 2015 by ManLove Romance Press
ASINB00TXELCB0
edition languageEnglish
seriesStorming Love: Blizzard

Stories in the Storming Love: Blizzard Collection are:

A BJ Review: A King’s Ransom by Lia Black

Rating:   4.25 stars out of 5

A King's Ransome cover

Kaidos Vailinn is a Wander-born thief trying hard to overcome an unfortunate past when he’s approached by a gentleman offering him a large sum of money to recover a kidnapped prostitute for return to the King of a distant kingdom. Kaidos is surprised when he undertakes the mission and discovers upon trying to bed Veyl that not only is the prostitute in question the highest paid companion in the brothel, but also very much male.

Thus begins a journey of epic fantasy proportions. A King’s Ransom is a longish book separated into two parts. Part One was awesome—I adored it. Veyl and Kaidos are sexy, quirky well-developed characters that captivated me and had me thoroughly invested almost immediately. I was absolutely riveted watching them fall in love on their journey across the kingdom to an unknown end. As their pasts are revealed in all its delicious angst, they had me enthralled. Then about midway through came part two and everything changed.

At that point, the book shifted from a tightly focused love story to a sprawling Lord of the Rings style epic set within a complex world of elves, werecreatures, mages and demons in a kingdom of political intrigue. The storyline complexity bumped up to encompassed three m/m love stories, and to facilitate that there are several new POV characters introduced. None of them were bad, in fact, all were interesting and well-drawn. But I’d become so completely invested in Veyl and Kaidos, that this shift threw me.

The entire book is well-written with compelling characters, wonderful storytelling and world-building. Part two just wasn’t the story that I personally craved after having become engrossed in part one. Having the main couple separated for nearly the whole second part of the book had me itching to hurrying through all the other fun stuff going on in order to get back to the relationship of Veyl and Kaidos again. In the end, the brief time on-page after they were reunited left me wanting just a bit more.

Veyl and Kaidos are an awesome couple. I enjoyed them so much that my only niggle with this book centers around my annoyance at having them share the spotlight with any other couples no matter how interesting and fun they were.

Cover Artist: Cinchbug. I appreciated the cover more after reading the story than before.

Sales Links:  Smashwords        All Romance (ARe)     Amazon  Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 432 pages
Published February 1st 2014 by Smashwords
original titleA King’s Ransom
ISBN139781311782328
edition languageEnglish

A Sammy Review: Slasherazzi by Daniel A. Kaine

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Slasherazzi coverAlex Beckman, newly promoted to detective, already has the case of his career, no, his life. The serial killer dubbed Slasherazzi is like nothing anyone’s seen before. With each murder, the killer is getting more and more daring. At first, the bodies were found his slashes all done postmortem, but now the killer is torturing them first, and takes it even a step further when he picks high-risk targets.

It seems nothing can be done to catch him. He’s too careful, too precise. To top off the theme of failure seeming to seep into Alex’s life, he’s also maybe-somewhat back on with his on-again off-again boyfriend, Vincent Fairfield, a journalist who got his first big break by breaking Alex’s trust.

With the bodies piling up and suspicion brewing, there’s no telling who the killer may be, or where he’ll strike next.

Hello, mind fuck, how are you today? Good, that’s great. Me too.

I had hunches along the way and they often went back and forth. It’s this person, no it’s this person, oh man, what if it is that person. This story got me so twisted with theories and when it finally revealed the truth, I felt like I was hit with a ton of bricks.

First of all, I have to commend Mr. Kaine on his delivery of the reveal. I’ve never seen anything like it, and it was the most perfect way to do it. I was speechless and actually had to reread that particular part a few times. My first thought was “He’s jerking my chain, right?” Nope, no chain being jerked by Mr. Kaine. Brilliant. Just brilliant.

I was literally at 92% and still had no idea what was going to happen, so when it did, yep. Stunned. I’m still cruising on that misty dafuq feeling. I feel like I’m floating, or maybe I just lost my brain for a bit.

Okay, so, the rest of the story. It was good too. I’ve never made it a mystery that I love all things dark and delirious. This hit all those buttons, and then some. As an editor or beta reader, I’ve always encouraged authors to push more, just a little more, reach that much more. Well, I think that this author reached that far and then reached some more. He truly exposed some of the most raw, fucked up imaginations I’ve read in a long time, and I ate it up. Completely, totally, ate it up. If you’ve read the book, that will probably make you throw up in your mouth a bit, but so be it.

This story is not for someone who can’t handle explicit details of mutilation and torture. When I say that, I don’t mean the kind of torture we read in BDSM. This torture is so twisted and depraved, it left even me speechless.

So, Mr. Kaine, may I have a ticket to the darkest parts of your mind? I think I rather like it there. Until then, I think I may have to reread this with new eyes.

The cover art by Wilde City Press fits the story nearly perfectly. The only exception is that I wish the knife had been made of a different material (as to resemble a certain weapon in the story). All in all, though, it represents the story quite well.

Sales Links:   Wilde City Press       Amazon    Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 189 pages
Published June 11th 2014 by Wilde City Press
ISBN139781925180152
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.danielakaine.com
settingTampa, Florida (United States)

A Mika Review: Defined by Deceit by A.E. Via

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Defined by Deceit coverLife isn’t always fair, and that’s something that Llewellyn Gardner knows about first hand. His life was on the fast track until one night of extreme passion changed everything. Now eight years later, he’s still living with the aftershocks of that night. Everywhere he turns or runs, there’s another reminder. What the hell do you do when you try to drown your demons only to find out they can swim?

Shane Smith, Jr. owner of Smith Construction, could see the emotional turmoil within his new employee — it’s why he hired him. There was something about the gorgeous, misunderstood man with the overly expressive eyes that came to their small town with a past no one was willing to overlook. Shane could see the good in Llewellyn, and those eyes of his were a clear window to his soul. Shane wasn’t going to let the man live a future of solitude because his past had been plagued with deceit.

Llewellyn wasn’t sure what to think about Shane. After years of protecting himself from being tricked twice, he was now faced with worry again. What would happen to him if Shane didn’t believe his truth, and walked away? Llewellyn wasn’t sure he’d be able to survive being left alone. Again.

I’m shocked and in awe of this book. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t read this author for her writing skills or plots at all. I strictly went into reading this book because she writes good SMUT. OMG, Tamika, be still with your tongue until you know next time. She has surprised me, with emotions that I haven’t gotten out of her yet. Man the first 50% of this story had me in constant tears. I literally wanted to go to inbred, backwoods Virginia (Just my personal opinion, excuse me if this isn’t you =) ) and rip a new hole in Moss the sixth! I literally wanted to destroy him with everything I had in me. After my initial shock and treatment of Llewellyn I wanted to try to see where this was going to go.

I can’t really say much without giving up the plot. A.E. Via,  if you are reading this please write a book for Ace & Big Waldo!!! Please, I’m begging you. Back to the story, Llew has to get his life together and it’s not easy. I couldn’t imagine being in his shoes. It was so heartbreaking what he went through, but he is a survivor. One thing that surprised me was when he was confronted with his past. He let it go, and his reasoning made sense. Whereas I wanted what Shane wanted, revenge, anger and everything else, but that didn’t matter because Llew is an awesome guy.

Let’s talk about Shane Smith Jr, he gave a guy a chance when the entire world turned his back on him. Shane’s spirit was just a breath of fresh air. Honestly I didn’t think he had a mean bone in his body but he definitely isn’t a pushover. I liked how the relationship between the two progressed. I absolutely loved the scene between Big Daddy and Shane. Their relationship made sense in a way, which I would like to see in more m/m books with the southern states as the setting. The supporting cast was good. Leslie is a great brother; Ms. Pat was good as well. I really am impressed with this book, and can’t wait to see if we get a follow-up!

. Cover Art by.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 300 pages
Published March 26th 2015 by Via Star Wings Publishing
original titleDefined By Deceit
ISBN139780990608981
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.authoraevia.com/new-release

 

In the Spotlight: Falling (Fall or Break #1) by Barbara Elsborg (author interview and contest)

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Falling (Fall or Break #1) by Barbara Elsborg
Samhain Publishing

Falling cover

Author Barbara Elsborg is here today to talk about her book, Falling, and the Fall or Break series.  Check out our interview below and the book details  that follow.

Contest: Enter to win a eBook from Barbara Elsborg’s library.  Leave a comment below, along with an email address where you can be contacted.  And also click on the Rafflecopter link below as well.  Contest ends midnight, April 21st (2 weeks from today):
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

An Interview with Barbara Elsborg on “Falling”….

1. What prompted you to write Falling?

I hate the idea of someone being put in prison for something they didn’t do. I hate the idea of someone being accused of something they didn’t do! It made me think how awful it must be to be in prison and be constantly encouraged to admit your guilt and how hard it must be to stand against that pressure. It used to be the case that if you didn’t admit your guilt you spent more of your sentence behind bars. That’s not really true now BUT since a parole board has to agree to your early release, if you haven’t accepted your guilt it can be a reason to deny you the chance of life outside on license. I had to do a lot of research to check I had my facts right!

2. Where do you draw your inspiration?

Everywhere. Things I’m told, things I read or see. An addiction to Google! Another inspiration for Falling was when a friend told me of a young man she knew who was a teacher in Scotland – accused of abuse by a pupil. He was innocent. The accusation was withdrawn but the damage was done and he left teaching. I think in these days of political correctness, you have to be so careful what you say and do and in a way, it’s a shame. We need a better balance.

3. Falling is the first in the Fall or Break series. Will you continue with the couple in Falling or will each subsequent book feature a different set of MCs?

The next book Breaking – features Conrad – a minor character out of Falling. It’s a stand alone book but it does help to know who Conrad used to be with. Malachi and Harper have a little part in Breaking – out in July. I prefer writing books that tell the story of one couple, and end it rather than let it run to several books.

4. Or will the series chart the progression of the relationship?

So no – LOL – the series will be about different MCs!

5. Were you a prolific reader as a child?

Huge reader. I used to be trouble with the local library because I took books back to change them for new ones before they’d filed the cards for the ones I’d taken out. (that dates me!) I read very fast. 80 pages in 30 minutes of a paperback – often even quicker. I also read up to 3 books at the same time – not actually at the same time but I have 3 by the side of the bed now, all part read, plus the one on my Kindle. I read according to mood! I’m not always in the mood for romance. I like suspense and thrillers.

6. If so, what book or author made a impact on you as a child reader?

That’s really hard. I think I might pick the Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. I loved the idea of another land up a tree!I was scared of heights though so I never climbed trees.

7. And has that impact continued into adulthood, as a reader and writer?

No. Enid Blyton was of her time. Some stories like the Magic Faraway Tree can be read now, but the others are dated. I didn’t have a favourite author. I just read anything. Once I was in my teens I was addicted to James Bond books. Then I branched out to the classics. There aren’t many genres I won’t try. The one I have the most difficulties with is hard core sci fi. It’s too technical for me.

8. Who do you consider your influences as an author today?

Impossible to say. I’ve read so much and loved so much- Adele Parks, Jennifer Crusie, Fiona Walker, Freya North – but I love thriller and suspense writers like Mark Billingham, Tom Wood, Karin Slaughter, Harlan Coben, Mo Hayder – so many. I also love regency romances – Eloisa James, Mary Balogh, Julia Quinn… too many to mention. I think any good author that you read has to have some influence if only to encourage you to write better.

9. What drives you to write? And have you always written?

What drives me? The love of telling a story, the need for a happy ending, a belief in love, an interest in what makes people tick. I have always written. I started with fan fiction as a teenager for TV shows and wrote my first novel in my early twenties. I found writing was a way to escape a not very happy time at school. I could dive into my own world, make myself the heroine and give myself a HEA.

10. What’s next for Barbara Elsborg?
I have an MM called The Demon You Know out in April. An MMF called Talking Trouble out in May. Breaking out in July and I’ve just finished writing an MM tentatively called Give Yourself Away. It’s going to be a year of many releases!! But on a personal note, I’m going to be at RT in Dallas if anyone would like to meet me!

STRW Author BookSynopsis

About Falling…

Falling is easy. Landing without breaking your heart? Impossible.

Harper is no longer behind bars, but it doesn’t feel like it. Ten years serving time for a crime he didn’t commit have left him shut down, numb, and a frozen wreck over the simplest of choices.

He’s acutely aware of the dark-haired young man checking him out in the supermarket, but he’s too deep in panic mode to even meet the guy’s gaze. Afraid the slightest move will trigger a fall that will never stop.

Fresh off a long-term relationship with a controlling man, Malachi is stuck living with relatives who think he’s a waste of oxygen. The tall guy in the long, gray coat is the first bright spot he’s glimpsed in a long time…though the man’s unblinking stare at a bottle of shower gel is a touch alarming.

Hard experience tells both of them to turn away before lust turns to hopeless attraction, and inevitably to disaster. But once their sparks connect, the arc of electricity is too strong to deny. Even if the cost is too much to bear.

Warning: Contains an ex-con with disaster written all over him, a boy toy who’s trouble with a capital T, a damp old British house, compulsive meddling, and enough hot sex to cure the severe case of nervous babbling.  Read an excerpt here at Samhain.

Sales Links:  Samhain Publishing           Amazon       Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 282 pages
Published March 24th 2015 by Samhain Publishing
original titleFalling,ASINB00Q33IKYG
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.barbaraelsborg.com/book/falling/
seriesFall or Break #1

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About Barbara Elsborg:

Barbara Elsborg lives in West Yorkshire in the north of England. She always wanted to be a spy, but having confessed to everyone without them even resorting to torture, she decided it was not for her. Vulcanology scorched her feet. A morbid fear of sharks put paid to marine biology. So instead, she spent several years successfully selling cyanide.

After dragging up two rotten, ungrateful children and frustrating her sexy, devoted, wonderful husband (who can now stop twisting her arm) she finally has time to conduct an affair with an electrifying plugged-in male, her laptop.

Her books feature quirky heroines and bad boys, and she hopes they are as much fun to read as they are to write.

Contact/follow Barbara at her blog/website:  http://www.barbaraelsborg.com/

A BJ Review: Spiretown by Lia Black

Rating:   5 stars out of 5

Spiretown coverIn this urban fantasy novel, the human population has been split into two factions after the Mage wars, plainbloods born with no magical abilities and mages born ‘tainted’ with magic. Mages are considered dangerous and separated from the rest of humanity into compounds like Spiretown, a ghetto city within a city that serves as a prison. Templar Commander Collin Anderfels has a duty to contain the mages and protect plainbloods. When a group of power-crazy mages target Logan Gray, the powerful self-proclaimed leader of Spiretown, Collin finds himself forced to protect a man that embodies everything Collin loathes.

Spiretown features exceptional world-building, lots of plot twists, and a story that runs the gamut from fun, witty dialogue to delicious angst, from hot and sexy moments to intense action, and from sweet emotion to gory horror.

The characters are well-drawn, complex guys with imperfections and hurtful pasts (oh, how I love the broken boys). Logan and Collin represent the two sides of this separated world. Each have reasons to hate the other, but when fate brings them together, can they come to trust each other in order to survive? Logan, the emotionally damaged, tattooed and pierced mage initially uses his androgyny and flamboyance to taunt and flirt with Collin. Collin is strongly anti-Mage due to both personal events from his past and his sworn duty as a Templar. Both characters must change in order to stay alive. As a side note, I enjoyed how Collin’s repressed dominant tendencies were just waiting to come out when Logan opened that door. Very tasty.

There’s also a strong and relatable female character in Collin’s mother, Penny. I mention this mainly as its not often in M/M that I encounter female characters that aren’t props, stereotypes or bad exs, but rather a real character that participates in moving the story forward in a positive way.

I consider Spiretown a picture perfect M/M urban fantasy of forbidden love between two guys from opposite sides of the track in more ways that one. Put this one on your must read list right now. It’s awesome.

Cover Artist: Author
Love this cover. Eerie city spires darkly silhouetted against the blaze of setting sun. What could be creepier than facing encroaching darkness alone in such a scary, godforsaken place?

Sales Link:    Amazon US       Amazon UK         Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook
Published August 28th 2014 by Lia Black/ VineDark
(first published December 2nd 2012)
ISBN139781310068072
edition languageEnglish