Tag: A MelanieM Review

Review: Rise of the Ruthless (Lucifer’s Landing #2) by Davidson King

Rating: 3.5🌈

In the sequel to War of the Wicked, I both found a lively entertainment experience but also a much less realistic story, one that’s has quite a few issues . The first novel, with its more complex violent crime plot, didn’t contain these elements .

The first issue starts with the main character of Ren Ikeda, the Japanese crime boss. Where the Italian mob family of Dante Scavo felt grounded in their culture and deep rooted belief systems, including language, the Ikeda’s Japanese culture and community here is barely existent or explored. The language appears in a couple of phrases that get dropped in a couple of times, instead of as a language that the characters use them freely and without thought. Japan’s culture or the yakuza (if that’s what King is aiming for) criminal tradition, any observance of honor is fleeting and not put into context. We are “told” Ren Ikeda’s family and business is that of an insulated Japanese society, right down to his houses. But there’s never any reason to believe this is true. Other than koi pond and some decoration.

This entire element is poorly written, which is a shame as Ren is an interesting character.

Ren can, at times , come across as a crime boss, but he doesn’t have the same strength as Dante Scavo. That’s on purpose, of course. His is supposed to be a subtle sort of “scary power” but it’s not as translatable here.

That’s left to ex military security guy, Mykel Finlay, and his scary guard dog, the cane corso, Zeus. Those two are the most dangerous creatures in this narrative. Not the mob boss. Which is part of the problem here,and causes some of the best and most unrealistic elements within the book.

Best of Mykel. His developing relationship with Ren. King gives them really great chemistry and a compelling dynamic as Mykel has to wrestle with his honor system as his loyalties start to transfer to a mobster, with all that entails. I really enjoyed watching their relationship grow. Best of this book.

Most problematic. Other than the Japanese culture aspect is how erratic King’s implementation of Mykel’s security/military company support system is. It’s so irregular as to come across as slapdash.

Mykel is part of a security company made up of ex military personnel, with access to extraordinary weapons (even helicopters) and their personal are equipped with special equipment. Mykel’s cane corso, Zeus, a special guardian breed dog used for military/ security measures , is a huge character here. He factors into many action scenes. However , he never wears special identification, not the halter nor vests which in battle/fights id him as part of a team, nor is there any mention of a special permit for him or anyone needing extra paperwork for any activities Zeus has done. That seems unlikely.

Again with Mykel , there’s a hugely significant scenario with a planned raid. What’s missing? Bulletproof vests. From both a organized crime and black ops standpoint, that’s unacceptable.

King’s story has her characters portrayed as significantly competent, highly skilled ex military or assassins yet over and over in the narrative, odd or arbitrary storytelling choices are made that counteract that.

Then there’s things like a brother who is the cause of Mykel’s involvement initially and who appears to be a perpetual screwup. He disappeared except for a brief mention towards the end of the book.

So Rise of the Ruthless (Lucifer’s Landing #2) by Davidson King has a terrific romance that’s surrounded by a problematic plot.

Read it to complete the series and for fans of the author.

Lucifer’s Landing

✓ War of the Wicked #1)

✓ Rise of the Ruthless #2

Buy Link

Rise of the Ruthless (Lucifer’s Landing Book 2)

Blurb:

Ren Ikeda’s world is falling apart. War has broken out in the streets of Lucifer’s Landing, and his entire empire is being dismantled one explosion at a time. Unsure of his men’s allegiance, but desperately needing protection, he snatches up an opportunity when it lands in his lap. Hiring Mykel Finlay, his complete opposite in every way, has the markings of being disastrous. Realizing Mykel may be the only person he can trust, he clings to the man despite the danger to his heart.

Mykel Finlay doesn’t like bad guys. As ex-police and military, he prides himself on walking the line of good, not evil. When his brother gets in a bind with Ren Ikeda, the Japanese mob boss, he must put aside his moral compass and dive into the murky waters of the mafia. The only thing Mykel isn’t prepared for is falling in love and willingly drowning for Ren, a man he should hate.

With the help of some very unlikely allies, Ren and Mykel try staying alive long enough to take down their enemies and grab a happily ever after neither man thought they wanted. Will their salvation end up leading them down a path of destruction, or will they actually prevail?

This is book two in my Lucifer’s Landing series and is not a standalone. It is highly recommended you read book one: War of the Wicked first.

• Publisher: (January 5, 2024)

• Publication date: January 5, 2024

• Print length: 190 pages

Review: War of the Wicked (Lucifer’s Landing Book 1) by Davidson King

Rating: 4.5🌈

Trigger warnings:

“This book contains on-page violence, torture, attempted rape, and abuse.”

That out of the way, and yes, I think most readers appreciate that the warnings are put at the beginning of the book so any reader can make a quick judgement as to whether they should read the story or not, rather then search it out at a website or wait until the end of the book for them when it’s too late, War of the Wicked is an exciting, violent mob romance.

King has created a city in New York, Lucifer’s Landing, that’s completely owned, and operated, however illegally, by various mob families. There’s the Italians, the Japanese, the Irish, the Haitians, and the Greeks, all fighting against each other to ensure their territories and weaken their opponents.

These are the main characters, primarily, so the violence and warnings make sense.

It starts with the Italians. Dante Scavo, who’s just buried his father, the now former head of their mafia family. It’s Dante, in this time of mourning for his father, who must gather the family together, keep their businesses and territories intact against the other families, and find out if his father’s death was murder.

King builds a strong sense of who Dante is in this moment of crisis and grief, as well as the people closest to him. That includes his family and the men who worked under his father, like his consigliere, Edward.

That these people are violent predators, criminals who are also capable of being loving family members is inherently important to the plot and their characters. King’s creations get that across beautifully.

If there is an “innocent” person here, it’s the high end prostitute/escort, Rainn Blessings, who works at one of the Scavo businesses, The Magic Mirror. The sex workers here aren’t forced to work here. They’re paid highly and treated extremely well and with respect. It’s a matter of perspective or level.

And while their initial meeting and discussion of future plans is that of a business plan, which I found interesting and pretty relevant to the situation, King still builds on a chemistry happening between them.

This is a book I gobbled up. The action and events just start speeding up as the Scavo family comes under attack, Dante has to fight back against forces inside and out, while his relationship with Rainn builds.

The warnings at the beginning are there for a reason. It gets intense when the families go to war and start slaughtering each other. If this is a trigger, this might not be the book for you.

I’m recommending it for lovers of this trope and fans of this author. I absolutely enjoyed it. And moved onto the sequel.

Lucifer’s Landing

✓ War of the Wicked #1)

✓ Rise of the Ruthless #2

Buy Link:

War of the Wicked (Lucifer’s Landing Book 1)

Blurb:

Lucifer’s Landing is full of unscrupulous people: five families desperate to own every inch. For years, under the watchful and most powerful eye, there has been peace. With the murder of the most powerful man, it’s as if the gates of Hell have opened.

Dante Scavo is trying to fill his father’s shoes, find the person responsible for killing him, and stop Lucifer’s Landing from becoming a war zone. He has to focus, find out who the traitor among his ranks is, and end them. The last thing he needs is a distraction, but when he meets Rainn, one look, one touch, takes his breath away.

Rainn Blessings is no stranger to strong and powerful men. His life is about survival and getting to a place where he finds his peace, though sometimes that means being the fantasy of others. Working as a high-class escort he’s seen a lot…done a lot…and not much surprises him. Then Dante walks into The Magic Mirror and turns his world upside down.

With an unlikely ally, Rainn and Dante try to survive the storm, but no one is bulletproof or untouchable in the game of violent delights. Getting out unscathed is impossible; the question is: will they get out alive?

***Please see start of book for trigger warning

(This was previously released through Maple House Publishing. War of the Wicked has been reedited and minor changes have been made from the original content)

• Publisher: (January 4, 2023)

• Publication date: January 4, 2023

• Print length: 235 pages

Review: Dario: Wicked Legacies by Victoria Sue

Rating: 3.75🌈

Victoria Sue’s mafia boss romance was a good read. It was exciting, had many fast paced moments, thrilling scenes, and good characters.

And had the book been longer or tweaked so that the time frame let the main characters have more time to develop their relationship, this would have been a much better story.

Everything that surrounds the romantic aspect of the story is interesting and could easily be even more fully explored in additional stories. The multiple storylines that Sue has created are really intriguing, as are the five Mafia factions that go along with them. They are factor into the main narrative as well as the subplots that make the book so compelling.

But the romantic story itself between mob boss Dario and reluctant husband, Alessandro, feels as contrived as the marriage. Too instant love for me. Especially given the short timeline here. It doesn’t work. Dario is all killing Alessandro one minute and loving him the next. For Alessandro, it’s all I love him but won’t communicate with him.

I understand that last. For me, the relationship needs more time to grow before these feelings feel realistic.

So while the story is still very exciting, a terrific mob takeover tale of revenge and retribution, the romantic aspect leaves something that could have been better developed.

I enjoyed it and if this is your jam, you might too.

Buy link:

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com › Dario-…Dario – Wicked Legacies – Kindle edition by Sue, Victoria. Literature & Fiction …

Blurb:

Dangerous secrets will get you killed. Sometimes it might even be me that’s pulling the trigger.

Dario

I’m hours away from finally inheriting my father’s legacy. All I need to do is dodge the Russians and the Irish, and put a wedding band on my fiancée. Until the moment I find out my father’s best-friend and fiancée’s papa ordered the hit that had taken out my parents eighteen years ago.

And my fiancée will step over my dead body as she walks back down the aisle and marry into the Irish Mob. The ones that have promised my future father-in-law he will have everything that is rightfully mine.

Not happening.

Even if I have to light the night sky with the fires of revenge and retribution.

I just need to get married first.

Then miracle of miracles, I find out my traitorous fiancée has a half-brother. An illegitimate one, but one that still fulfills the terms of my father’s will, so the territory rightfull becomes mine.

I just have to convince the brother of that.

A twenty-year-old innocent that has been a near slave all his life? Piece of cake.

Or is it?

• Publication date: January 11, 2024

• Print length: 235 pages

Review: The Grim Adventures of Death and Chan: Vol. 1 (a Dead Serious Companion novella) by Vawn Cassidy

Rating: 5🌈

The Grim Adventures of Death and Chan: Vol. 1 (a Dead Serious Companion novella) by Vawn Cassidy is a story available at the author’s website. There was a mention of it at the end of Dead Serious Case #4 Professor Prometheus Plume, a book I just loved that was a recent release. So of course when the author drops this side story into the series list at the end of that novel, I’m on it like it’s a hunk of chocolate. Don’t judge.

Chan has been such a special, strong character throughout the series, evolving as relationships and the shattering events have altered this character’s perceptions about himself and the life around him. I say him now but as Chan explains here, the journey to understanding himself has been a long process, one that included Dusty, their past, and, surprisingly, the Grim Reaper too.

The Reaper’s presence has been a constant source of fascination and continued curiosity for me in the series, especially recently with the Reaper’s interactions with Chan.

This is Cassidy’s answer, I’m sure, to the overwhelming number of people asking for more Reaper/Chan relationship content. It’s fabulous.

These are thoughtful, well developed characters, and Chan’s journey to a new awareness of himself and the next chapter in his life is a great read. The reader is able to see certain events from a new perspective, watch as Grim woos Chan (a wonder in itself), and a new found paranormal family gets formed.

Plus the author has promised more adventures to come. Be still my narrative yearning heart.

Yes, The Grim Adventures of Death and Chan: Vol. 1 (a Dead Serious Companion novella) by Vawn Cassidy is a must read. However, it’s not a standalone, but a novella that is a significant part of a fabulous series. I’m highly recommending them all.

Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed:

✓ Dead Serious Case #1 Miz Dusty Le Frey #1

✓ Dead Serious Case #2 Mrs Delores Abernathy #2

✓ Dead Serious Case #3 Mr Bruce Reyes #3

✓ Dead Serious Case #4 Professor Prometheus Plume #4

✓ The Grim Adventures of Death and Chan: Vol. 1 (a Dead Serious Companion novella) – Side story

◦ Dead Serious Case #5 Madame Vivienne: Schedule 2024

Buy Link:

The Grim Adventures of Death & Chan Vol 1. (EBOOK)

Blurb:

The Grim Adventures of Death and Chan is set in the Dead Serious Universe. It is a compilation of bonus shorts told in chronological order and documenting the hilarious and sweet beginnings of the relationship between the drag queen known as Chan and the supernatural entity known as Death.

This volume includes Death goes on a Date, Death goes Shopping, Death goes on Holiday and Death gets a Puppy!

Don’t miss out! It’s a must have for all Dead Serious fans!

Review: Shoulda Swiped Left by K. L. Hiers

Rating: 2.5

Hiers is an author that’s a hit or miss writer for me. I really liked the last book I read , Twelve Days of Squidmas by H.L. Hiers . Thought the characters and plot were well developed and had depth. But one before that was a DNF and I didn’t even review it.

Shoulda Swiped Left by K. L. Hiers came much, much closer to a DNF than the previous holiday romance. I am astonished because the plot is an interesting one. But it’s how the author chooses to implement this narrative that makes the story stumble.

With mythical overtones, Hades needs a “bride” to collect his parts after he disintegrates as he must once a year. The person he “marries and disappears on, lives in splendor while going on a body part adventure.

Oh joy! Here a body part, there a body part!

For this he needs a bride. Apparently they aren’t very willing . Here comes the issues. Well more issues. The gods weren’t picky about who they had sex with so why the term bride? Anyway.

It starts with the characters. Primarily,

Joseph Abrams who’s checking out profiles on an online dating site when the absolutely most perfect man appears. I mean, this guy is PERFECT. He’s a match for our guy Joe in every aspect, and he’s drop dead gorgeous. Rich.

Joe has the situational awareness of a piece of pea gravel.

Hiers is writing another TSTL character and I’m gobsmacked. Because the author is also writing in major warnings flags for dangerous relationships in this story as though it’s a romantic oblivious joke.

Here’s a couple. They meet after exchanging some texts. No real information. Guy gives over the top gifts asap. First date. He drives, supplies the drinks. His place. Flags! That’s check mark for several dangerous activities, including sexual assaults and trafficking.

Zale Petropoulos, the gorgeous, hot mystery man, immediately gifts oblivious Joseph an extraordinarily beautiful, bejeweled gold watch. Says over the top compliments over Joe’s halfhearted attempt to say that’s too much a gift. Whisks him away in his own limo with guards. To a club where it seems no one is actually having fun, with dark atmosphere. Where he’s given several drinks. In a club that Zale owns.

Does Joe trust what tiny self preservation instincts Hiers wrote in? Nope. He’s all for sex in the back room. As I said TSTL.

If Hiers had been writing a scenario for a kidnapping by a serial killer, this entire thing would have worked. Been realistic. And Joe, naturally, would have been body number 1.

But as a romantic comedy? Absolutely not. There’s flags on the field. Let’s be wooed by someone who is literally lying about the situation, drugging you into a nonconsensual relationship, beginning with trapping you into this setup. Yes, so fun and amusing in this day and age of vulnerability and high incidence of abuse and trafficking. Only things missing are elements like ketamine in the plot line.

Which considering what the Greek gods got up to in the mythology wouldn’t be out of line if updated to current times. Oh, wait.

So no, Shoulda Swiped Left by K. L. Hiers is a miss and a mess, narratively speaking.

There’s more I could say about the story but the fact that they end up together after this, is just another example why this just doesn’t work for me.

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com › Shoulda…Shoulda Swiped Left – Kindle edition by Hiers, K.L.. Romance Kindle eBooks …

Blurb:

Joseph Abrams can’t believe he’s found his perfect match through online dating. Zale Petropoulos is hot, charming, and just the right amount of mysterious.

They meet for their first date and the sparks fly all the way through dinner and right through dessert.

But Zale has a confession to make and finally reveals his secret…

He’s god of the Underworld.

And Joseph is his new prince-consort.

• Publication date: January 24, 2024

• Print length: 99 pages

Review: Fake Dates and Fanged Mistakes (Fanged Mistakes Book 1) by Alice Winters

Rating: 5🌈

I’m an Alice Winters fan and this latest book is a prime example why. Fake Dates and Fanged Mistakes is the first in Winters new Fanged Mistakes series and contains all the best of a Winters novel experience.

Her characters are intelligent with at least one having a history that’s incredibly tragic or traumatic. The dialogue is witty, fast paced, sarcastic , and filled with humor. Same often applies to the scenes of tension, where the interaction between the characters is interspersed with moments of humor and quiet understanding is used as a basis for the solidification of the relationship, as it so often does here with werewolf Julian and vampire Casimir.

It helps that Winters has created a strong group of characters, including a poodle Gustov, that supports the couple in a number of ways, comedic, action wise, and emotionally compelling.

I spent so much of this book cackling over the dialogue, finding total enjoyment in the dynamic between Julian and Casimir that Winters is developing that the story just flew by.

There’s a faint mystery that’s surrounds Julian’s character but that’s left for future stories to unravel. Plus we have a fabulous grumbling romance in progress between a human detective and Casimir’s second in command sorta , these two alone had me howling! All kinds of shenanigans galore and a nasty villain to boot!

Really, this is golden Alice Winters. A fabulously scripted and gloriously entertaining narrative that had me laughing out loud and ready to read it once again when I was done.

I’m highly recommending this and ready for the next in the series.

Fanged Mistakes:

✓ Faked Dates and Fanged Mistakes #1

◦ Dire Straits and Entwined Fates # 2 – March 12, 2024

Buy Link:

Fake Dates and Fanged Mistakes

Blurb:

Julian:

This week hasn’t gone the best for me unless you count Casimir, the sexy ancient vampire, bringing me back from the brink of death (and tying my fate to his in the process). Not that it matters if the werewolves and vampires don’t stop their ridiculous feud, because someone is targeting them and widening the divide between our communities with each body they leave in their wake.

But as the alpha’s son, I have a plan to fix everything. I’m going to convince Casimir to fake date me to show the others that we can work together.

I mean… what could go wrong?

Casimir
Everything.

Literally everything could go wrong. Who is actually going to believe that I want this joke-cracking, cute werewolf tagging alongside me?

Honestly, do I even care if people get along? I really think I have much more important things to do than going on hardware store dates, learning the torturous art of holding hands, and attending awkward family dinners, like… staring at my dog… and… I’m sure there’s something else.

Okay, fine, maybe this whole fake dating scheme isn’t the worst idea that I’ve come across in the past five hundred years, but it’s definitely in the running. The two of us are just going to have a bit of fun while I stop whoever’s hunting down the vampires and werewolves… right?

Fake Dates and Fanged Mistakes has a sunshiny yet stubborn werewolf who just wants everyone to get along, dang it; a bored vampire who isn’t nearly as aloof as he wants to appear; paper napkins trying (and failing) to stand in for clothes; some awesome swordsmanship; and the last thing you’d expect to find in a secret cupboard.

Review: Shades of Sepia (The Sleepless City #1 ) by Anne Barwell

Rating: 3.5🌈

I’ve read this series out of order and this probably has hurt the way in which I have viewed the first story, Shades of Sepia.

I’m already familiar with the couple and characters here. Also how the events of this story unfolded and were resolved. I read it basically to complete the series and grab up any new information or missing details before heading into the series finale.

I liked getting to know Ben Leyton, a New Zealand human drawn to Boggslake, Ohio because of an old photograph from his grandfather. He’s a wonderful, relatable character. Simon Hawthorne, vampire with a terrifying past, is a quiet presence here against the vibrancy that’s Ben.

I liked them but my main quibble here is the rushed relationship. There’s no foundation, no chemistry at the beginning. Yes a feel for a realistic dynamic comes later in the book, but at the beginning, it’s all soulmate, insta-love ‘oh, I love you’ type of relationship and I just think it comes across as flawed and flat.

Especially when viewed against the funny, partly antagonistic tone of the one that emerges from Electric Candle with Blair and Forge. That is one that’s slowly grown and, even with a soulmate bond, definitely not an instant love connection. As I said, series should be read in order.

I thought the second half of the story and plot was better constructed. But again, I had the advantage of reading books 2 and 3 . For me, I enjoyed it but got frustrated that the investigation into the murders was simply too slow to see what was going on around the main characters. And major plot points weren’t followed through on, another issue which bothered me.

For me , there’s a large amount of sex to the exclusion of character and relationship development. Instead of giving the reader information about what exactly happened to certain characters, what did the investigation reveal, and some more vampire bonding details, we get sex.

It’s not as satisfying as it sounds.

So while there are some good things about this book. The characters themselves are lovely, some really nice moments individually, the whole story doesn’t come across as strongly as the book that follow.

It’s still a rec for me. It a good lead in to a terrific series. Read them in the order they are written.

The Sleepless City:

✓ Shades of Sepia #1 by Elizabeth Noble

✓ Electric Candle #2 by Elizabeth Noble

✓ Family and Reflection #3 by Anne Barwell

◦ Shifting Chaos #4 by Anne Barwell

Sequel Series:

The Vampire Guard by Elizabeth Noble:

◦ Code Name: Jack Rabbit #1

◦ Quarry #2

◦ Endosymbiont #3

Buy Link:

Shades of Sepia (The Sleepless City Book 1)

Blurb:

To be soulmates they first have to survive.

A serial killer stalks the streets of Boggslake, Ohio. The victims are always found in pairs, one human and one vampire.

Simon Hawthorne has been a vampire for nearly a hundred years, and he has never seen anything like it. Neither have the other supernaturals he works with to keep the streets safe for both their kind and the humans.

One meeting with Simon finds Ben Leyton falling for a man he knows is keeping secrets, but he can’t ignore the growing attraction between them. A recent arrival in Boggslake, Ben finds it very different from his native New Zealand, but something about Simon makes Ben feel as though he’s found a new home.

After a close friend falls victim to the killer, Simon is torn between revealing his true nature to Ben, and walking away to avoid the reaction he fears. But with the body count rising and the murders becoming more frequent, either, or both of them, could be the killer’s next target.

Author’s note: This story was originally released in 2014 by another publisher. This edition has been revised and re-edited with the end result being a better, stronger story.

• Publisher: LaceDragon Publishing; 2nd edition (July 11, 2020)

• Publication date: July 11, 2020

• Print length: 240 pages

Review: All I Want for Christmas is Tentacles: A Winter Holiday MM Tentacle Romance by Chloe Archer

Rating: 5🌈

Chloe Archer had me at every single aspect of this story, from the disillusioned Grinch of a human who’s lost his job as an “elf” to the small ship full of found family tentacled aliens, complete with a runaway groom, arriving at Earth with visions of Hallmark Christmases and rom-com movies abounding in their heads!

I laughed, smiled, and just delighted in all the many imaginative elements and great scenarios that Archer incorporates into this imaginative sci fy holiday romance. It’s got adorable aliens escaping a totalitarian world where only warriors are celebrated and those with other personalities and other types of skills and abilities are deemed lesser or weaker in nature.

One is, in fact, a wealthy IT alien, Khephren, who’s a definite fan of the Earth rom-coms and Hallmark movies. Yep , these will survive into the future , was there ever any doubt? This is such a hilarious and perfect idea and it’s used beautifully throughout this storyline.

Holodeck anyone?

Anyway, Khep goes all runaway groom, as one does, after seeing those movies and heads for Earth with his small found family of friends with similar problems. Which I love. Archer has a great way with characters, alien and human.

There Kheph kidnaps/encounters a depressed human , Sasha. Recently fired, and with a very sad past. Cue the restoration of Christmas spirit to the Scrooge human by aliens!

Honestly, this is such a joyful, hilarious, and heartwarming story. The characters have been given such depth that, human or alien, the reader connects with them easily and comes to care about them greatly.

Even that “Christmas tree” that arrives on board. More pls.

I would love to see where this merry crew is next Christmas. What’s happening with the show and what worlds they’ve visited.

I’m hooked. My favorite of the series and one I’m highly recommending any time of the year.

Tinsel and Tentacles (11 books)

◦ Jingle Bells and Elder Gods by Kiernan Kelly

✓ All I Want for Christmas is Tentacles by Chloe Archer ❤️🫶

◦ Tentacles and Other Stocking Stuffers by Delaney Rain

◦ Tentacles Rock by K.C. Carmine

✓ A Sucker for Christmas by J.P. Sayle

✓ Kraken Klaus by Charlotte Brice

◦ Twelve Days of Squidmas by H.L. Hiers

◦ It’s a Tenta-ful Life by Amanda Muewissen

✓ Rebel without a Claus by L Eveland

✓ Cthulhu for Christmas by Meghan Maslow ❤️🫶

◦ Tentacle Wonderland by Reese Morrison – Jan 1,2024

Buy Link:

All I Want for Christmas is Tentacles: A Winter Holiday MM Tentacle Romance

Blurb:

Seasons greetings and alien abductions! Can two misfits find love together? It might just take a Christmas miracle! Let’s hope Santa doesn’t mind that tentacles can be both naughty and nice…

Khephren

There’s no way in Helgar’s Nebula I’m marrying the candidate my parents have chosen for me. I don’t want to be the house-husband of some stoic warrior who only cares about training all day. Boring! Thankfully, I’ve learned a thing or two from all those rom-com human movies I’ve illegally downloaded off the intergalactic web. No one will see it coming when I pull a runaway groom maneuver on them!

Once I make my escape, I can go on the solo honeymoon of my dreams—to planet Earth. It’s almost that wondrous time of year when they celebrate their holiday known as “Christmas.” Human Hallmark movies make it seem so magical. I want to experience it for myself! Now, I just need to find a human who can make my wish come true and help me have an authentic holly jolly time…

Sasha

Scrooge was right when he said “bah humbug” to Christmas. This time of year sucks balls, and not the fun kind. I’ve just lost my crappy part-time job and I’m slowly sinking under a sea of student loan debt and crushed dreams.

Just when I think my life couldn’t possibly get any worse, my cat and I are abducted by an alien who wants me to help him experience a “real human Christmas” on his ship. WTF? Clearly he’s chosen the worst possible candidate for the job.

But there’s something about Khephren’s enthusiasm and eternal optimism that starts to melt even my grumpy, cynical heart. Heck, I even agree to be his fake fiancé to get his parents off his back! I don’t know what’s happening to me, but Khephren’s charm is making me feel things I never have before. And those bright pink tentacles of his are strangely fascinating. I can’t help but wonder what all they can do…

As we spend more time together, I start to realize I might not want to go home and that maybe, just maybe, I’ve found what I’ve always been looking for. Could Khephren feel the same? If so, it would be a Christmas miracle and I don’t believe in those…right?

All I Want for Christmas is Tentacles is a standalone novel (74k words) in the Tinsel and Tentacles multi-author winter holiday MM tentacle romance series. It features a runaway tentacled-alien groom obsessed with Hallmark movies and Christmas, a grumpy human who’s down on his luck and says “bah, humbug” to the holidays, an alien abduction, fake fiancé fun, a cat named Jonesey, a droid named Rambo, a ship called the Sleigh Belle, found family, sweet and cozy vibes for the season, and a guaranteed HEA!

• Publisher: Rainbow Dreams Press LLC (November 24, 2023)

• Publication date: November 24, 2023

• Print length: 277 pages

Linked series:

Tentacular Tales

Review: The Necromancer’s Prisoner (Hearts of Allaria Book 1) by Elric Shaw

Rating: 4🌈

Elric Shaw is a new author for me and I found Shaw’s new fantasy novel a wonderful story and enjoyable start to a new series.

Several elements drew me immediately to this story. A misunderstood necromancer, a Paladin with a mission, and a magical mystery. Yes, please.

It’s actually more complicated than that, the two men, Alistair, Knight of the Church, and Ignatius, necromancer, both has painful, emotionally traumatic wounds from their respective childhoods. Each tragic event that ended up causing the deaths of the other’s parents, while the men not being actually responsible, the Church and magic was.

Shaws made Alistair and Iggie so relatable with their own doubts about the lives they are living, building such depths into their characters. For Alistair, it’s living the life his father and the Church wanted for him without any real introspection. Until the mission, Iggie, and a snowstorm intervened.

The same for Necromancer Iggie, alone, almost starving in his temporary home with his animated skeletons as companions, hating the Church, its Knights for his tragic past and what they represent. Until Alistair charges into his life bringing light and a huge change.

There’s a mystery that needs investigating. A village known for its magical crystals at its heart and a relationship between two men that’s uncertain to resolve until the end.

Just a couple of elements I wish were fully explored. The magic itself here. I loved the crystal elements, and there’s one amazing scene where Iggie sings to a dull solitary crystal bringing it to unbelievable splendor. There was poignancy and wonder. Why? What happened? I wanted more of that.

Alistair was someone whose actions as an indoctrinated Knight of the Church made sense but also frustrating from a narrative standpoint. Poor Iggie.

Shaw just pulls it all together in a smashing (literally) battle and has a satisfying ending, with a touch of the sadness. As it should.

I’m looking forward to the next book and more from this author. It’s a definite recommendation.

Hearts of Allaria:

◦ The Immortal Covenant #0.5

✓ The Necromancer’s Prisoner #1

◦ The Prince’s Curse #2 – May 2024

Buy Link:

The Necromancer’s Prisoner (Hearts of Allaria Book 1)

Blurb:

Sometimes the real villain isn’t who it seems…

Alistair’s first solo mission as a paladin sounded simple enough: purge the undead terrorizing a remote mountain village and bring the wicked necromancer controlling them to justice. But when he’s captured, he begins to suspect that the village faces a far greater threat than a few skeletons…and that his strange captor might need protecting just as badly.

Paladins have hunted Ignatius his entire life. His crime—daring to be born with the wrong kind of magic. The mountains seemed like the perfect place to seek refuge for the winter…until an obnoxiously handsome paladin arrives on his doorstep. Ignatius expects to loathe Alistair like the rest of his arrogant kin; however, when a harsh winter storm forces them together, he finds himself opening up to the paladin in ways he’d never dreamed possible.

Alistair and Ignatius both have every reason not to trust the other. Yet, as mysterious magic threatens to eradicate the nearby village, they have little choice except to combine forces if they hope to survive.

Can a paladin and a necromancer set aside their differences for the greater good…or will the rift between them prove impossible to ever bridge?

A slow burn, fade-to-black M/M fantasy romance featuring forced proximity, hurt/comfort, enemies-to-lovers, and a hard-won HEA. Every book in Hearts of Allaria is standalone and can be read in any order. Perfect for fans of K. D. Edwards, Tavia Lark, and Ben Alderson.

• Publication date: November 27, 2023

• Print length: 309 pages

Review: Mr. Mustachio Gets Collared (The Mr. Mustachio Murders Book 3) by Dawn McKinnon

Rating: 4.5🌈

Mr. Mustachio Gets Collared has the feel of a finale story without all the characters and smaller threads getting their due.

McKinnon’s third book contains several mysteries, a couple of murders, and a case of mistaken paternity, in this case, Mr Mustachio, who has been accused of having “relations” with another prize winning Persian cat who’s now expecting kittens! And everyone, including Algernon wants his name cleared!

It’s hard to say if this is indeed the finale book because I can’t find anything else from the author (this was written in 2022). So I’m just not sure. But it has that tone.

It starts ,as they all have, with Mr Mustachio’s POV , him out on the town and having an encounter trying to prevent a amorous cattery attack that’s part of the story and his character’s thread.

Then it’s right off back to Chez Celine, the richly entertaining daily life of its human characters where more investigations are about to drop into Sam’s lap. At this point, Sam has finally finished his book, his and Algernon’s relationship is going well, and Chez Celine is adjusting nicely to new artists.

So things should start to fall apart, naturally!

There’s potential for Algernon real identity to be discovered by others outside of those already in the know. There’s multiple murders that center around a restaurant, and many other complex investigations for Sam, Algernon, Mr Mustachio, and Chief Baldwin to get involved in. Even Sven does his own wild part here.

I can’t help but think that the author crammed more than one book into this one. It’s full of so many different stories themes and plots that it’s hard for McKinnon to bring them all to completion, let alone explore them to the fullest extent possible.

Sam finishes a book he’s had problems writing. We never explore Algernon’s character fully, his background nebulous and his type of being purposefully vague on certain aspects. Sven never gets his due and that’s a shame.

But we do have several completely good mysteries, dramatic moments, adorable kitties, and HEA’s for more than one couple.

I can’t find any more information on this author or more books. But I’m ever hopeful. I just adore this series, found them charming. And am absolutely recommending them to all lovers of cozy mystery romance with a delightful twist.

Cover: Cate Ashwood

The Mr. Mustachio Murders (3 books)

✓ Mr. Mustachio Is Falsely Accused #1

✓ Mr. Mustachio Sings Like a Canary #2

✓ Mr. Mustachio Gets Collared #3-finale

Buy Link:

Mr. Mustachio Gets Collared (The Mr. Mustachio Murders)

Blurb:

Algernon is eager to assist Sam in his cases, and Sam is willing to let him—as long as there’s no murder involved. But the embezzlement case he’s been hired to investigate for a local restaurant turns sinister when a diner gets poisoned right in front of his eyes.

Sam sets out to discover whether the death was the accidental result of a plan to sabotage the restaurant or if the high-maintenance woman who got served poisonous mushrooms was the target of a plot to kill her. She does seem like the type you’d want dead.

Meanwhile, Chez Celine learns Mr. Mustachio is going to be a father. Or so the high-maintenance woman claims when her prize-winning cat turns up pregnant. Algernon denies responsibility, but how to prove it? When Mr. Mustachio’s habit of poking his nose in where it doesn’t belong lands him in cat jail, Sam has to ask the one man he least wants to turn to for help in saving his partner.

Mr. Mustachio Gets Collared is book 3 in the Mr. Mustachio Murders.