Tag: A Sammy Review

A Sammy Review: A Way Home (Gay Amish Romance #3) by Keira Andrews

 Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Anna stepped back just as Eli appeared. She nodded to David and dashed back upstairs with an apologetic smile to Eli, who sighed.

“She reminds me of a horse I once had. Wouldn’t pull the plow no matter how much I coaxed or threatened.”

“What did you do with it in the end?”

Eli shrugged. “Let it run free. What else was there to do? Come now. I’ll take you where you want to go.”

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00067]In the third and final (for now) book of the series, tragedy forces David and Isaac to return to Zebulon, a place they’d left behind just months earlier.

The city has taken a toll on their relationship, but coming back to a place they once called home is even scarier than the chaotic streets of San Francisco. Here, they once again face their parents and loved ones, all who struggle to understand their decision to leave not only their family, but the Amish way, and in turn, lose their ticket to Heaven.

Between family pressure, repairing their relationship, and the threat of losing Nathan for good, this place in their journey is sure to be a difficult one.

He knew they had problems they needed to face, but there was a sense of certainty growing deep inside him that felt sturdy and right. A certainty that despite whatever mistakes they made, this thing between them was solid and sure, rooted deep into the earth like the roots of a tree. No matter what happened, they’d face it together.

This book couldn’t have been more aptly named. It truly was a lot about finding a way home, but more than that, figuring out what home really meant to each of them.

I complained about a loss of something magic in the previous book, and this book gained some of that spark back for sure. There’s just something about the forbidden nature of love in Zebulon and how it all relates to their family that adds a dimension to it. The family, though we did see Aaron, was missing in the last book. Not here, though. They’re all back.

And speaking of family, I can honestly say one of my favorite aspects of this story was feeling like I got to know them a bit better, especially Isaac’s mother. My heart absolutely broke for her and that the author allowed us to see her struggle and be so emotionally raw was truly a gift. One particular scene between her and Isaac felt so incredibly genuine that I almost was afraid to read it, like I was invading a personal moment between them. I had a rough idea of her as a woman before, but now I feel like I know her so much more.

I also really enjoyed getting to see Aaron and Jen come into this world. Like with Isaac’s mother, I feel like I got to know Aaron so much more in this book. Hearing about the love he has for his family, even now, and seeing it, are two completely different things, and we definitely see it here.

And of course, Isaac and David – this wonderfully enticing pair that kept me coming back for more. Love conquers all is such a cheesy thing to say, but in their case, I’d say it’s true. Throw in a dash of patience and understanding, and they really have something beautiful. They grow both apart and together in this book, and it’s a great thing to see. Sometimes in a series, the characters become kind of stagnant. There’s just a new plot line with the same old person, but that’s not the case here. They evolve more with each page.

What keeps this from being a full five stars to me is the ending. While I was mostly satisfied, something still felt off to me. The epilogue just seemed to jump to a random point in the future and try to wrap things up so quickly. The books rolled out so slowly and evenly, and then it’s just thrown together at the end, and I think that’s what left me a bit off. I felt like they all deserved more of a full ending, but hopefully we get to see more of them in the future.

The cover art is very nice and flows well with the others in the book. The only thing I can pick at is that the guy on the left has this skin roll thing happening, which is completely shallow, but it simply sticks out to me in a not-so-great way. He’s attractive, it’s just the angle that’s causing the problem for me.

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
seriesGay Amish Romance #3

 

Gay Amish Romance Trilogy:

Forbidden Rumspringa coverA Clean Break coverPageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00067]

 

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 Sammy Review: Taken (Taken #1) by J.C. Owens

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Taken coverLandon’s past has been a series of shadows and pain. After the loss of his parents at a young age, he’s been tormented by his brothers for years. As a mercenary, he’s been forced to do things he never wanted to, has blood coating his hands. Their latest mission is the result of his brother being captured. It seems simple enough, kidnap a man and bring him back.

But no mission is ever so simple. The men on the island are prepared for them, and Landon soon finds himself held hostage by Kirith, the brother to a well-known mob boss. Their first meetings are that of anger and contempt, but they soon reach an agreement, one that will give Landon his freedom. As they grow to learn each other, bodies and minds, Landon begins to wonder if freedom from this man is what he really wants after all.

“Kirith holds great sadness in his heart, more than any man should have to bear. I have worried over the years as I watched those he brought here, worried that he would never find someone strong enough for him. He isn’t an easy person, but well worth the trials, you will find. You, Landon, are strong enough. You have a fire in you that will match him, keep him from sinking into his depressions. For the first time, I have met someone who could save him from himself and the past.”

I wasn’t necessarily excited to read this book, but I had to for a couple challenges, so I kind of forced myself into starting it. At first, I was very confused. The opening chapter was fairly vague and I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into. When I finally understood, I was like “Oh, okay, gotcha.” – but still not gripped.

While I wasn’t the most amazed by this story, I did grow to enjoy it. I love things with a dash of darkness to them, and this certainly had elements of that. My biggest problems were in the quick development of Kirith and Landon’s relationship. One minute he’s threatening Landon, and the next they’re so head-over-heels. I just wanted a smoother transition.

What I liked most about the book were the characters, particularly Enzo and Laura. I was immediately drawn to Enzo for his killer demeanor. I mean, come on, who doesn’t find crazy psychopaths hot, right? But in all seriousness, there was just something to him that I was drawn to. And Laura, she was just such a sweet little character in the midst of such a dark, dangerous world. I also enjoyed Michael, Stephanie, and Trent. Actually, I’d love to get to see Trent have his own story. Why not?

I am looking forward to reading about Enzo and Chase. It’ll be interesting to see how one broken heart can unfreeze another. All in all, a pretty good book. It was just missing a bit of something special for me.

The cover isn’t the best thing in the world, but it works. The island theme is displayed, so that’s a place. Beyond that, it’s fairly generic.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 1st Edition, 158 pages
Published January 14th 2011 by Etopia Press
ISBN139781936751105
edition languageEnglish
seriesTaken #1

A Sammy Review: Song of the Lonesome Cowboy (The Society of Masters ) by Lynn Kelling

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

If William could find love and escape oppressors, find his own kind of happiness, maybe there was hope for all of us—myself included. I wanted to write a song about that—the struggle to own your dreams, to chase them and hold on no matter who tried to kick you down. Sometimes it was like love and happiness was a big bucking bull, trying to knock you off, to bolt free or throw you into the dirt, and all you could do was hold on and pray.

Song of the Lonesome Cowboy coverThey say that fame comes with a price. For many people that price means their privacy, the constant, watchful eyes of people just waiting for you to mess up so they can catch it on camera. That’s one payment for fame, but for Tucker, that’s barely a paper cut compared to the way his debts have been paid.

He sold himself to get where he is now, famous and just finishing a tour with his best friend. For six years he’s had a shadow following him, haunting him inside and out. The end of the tour and a champagne delivery bring that shadow into view, looming even greater.

Jess Grayville, a member of the band, seems to be the only one to see through the facade Tucker’s carefully constructed and always thought he held in place so well. But Jess isn’t just going to let him drift along anymore, but in order to move on, Tucker will need to face unimaginable demons, starting with himself.

Everyone had secrets. People wanted to fit you into a neat little box, but life wasn’t like that. We were all more complicated than we appeared to be on the outside. It was a good thing, something to be thankful for. All of those unexpected details were what gave people and circumstances their beauty.

First, I want to put it out there that I’m a fairly heartless person when it comes to books. Yeah, I feel what they write, but I don’t really become captivated easily. When people say dark, I often expect it to be a difficult topic with a lot of angst and pain thrown on top of it. This book I would consider to be truly dark – not just an imitation of the theme.

The author doesn’t simply skim by horrible memories of rape and abuse, Ms. Kelling takes them head on and in graphic detail. The thing is, as horrible as it is, she doesn’t do it just to have these scenes thrown in. They serve a purpose, a point… they are necessary to understanding Tucker and his pain. I truly felt my heartstrings being pulled on during this book, and the sadness ran quite deep. To put it simply, this book is not for the faint of heart. At times, it’s literally like reading someone’s living nightmare.

So why do it? Well, because books like this give me faith in humanity. They show people in their darkest, most vulnerable moments, and then it gives them hope. Is this hope always easy? No. It’s difficult and oftentimes tragic, the road is rocky, but the fact is that there is a road, and these are stories worth telling.

The author did a fantastic job of capturing the thought process of someone with an abusive past. There was conflicted thoughts and Tucker really went through a process with himself, one that continued even after the last page. There was no easy fix, and I appreciated the reality in that.

Now to the relationship, which really was not, in my eyes, the primary focus of this story, but it was a really lovely part. I really enjoyed seeing them come together. I would’ve loved to find out more about Jess though, as I felt his story was half told. But still, I appreciated their love and how they grew together.

The story was hard to get through but it was still a good book. Unfortunately, the cover by Siolnatine is a complete no go for me. I appreciate the symbolism of things such as the chains and the dark background, but beyond that, it’s really not an attractive cover for a good book.

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

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 270 pages
Published February 10th 2015 by Fantastic Fiction Publishing
original titleSong of the Lonesome Cowboy
ASINB00S8HLP9C
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://forbidden-fiction.com/library/story/LK1-1.000185
seriesThe Society of Masters

A Sammy Review: Falling (Fall or Break #1) by Barbara Elsborg

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

“I’m well aware I should just accept the things I can’t change. I know the mantra—live one day at a time, enjoy one moment at a time, accept hardships as the way to peace, accept the world for what it is. But I don’t believe in God.”

“You don’t need to believe in God, you need to believe in yourself. There’s another line in the Serenity Prayer about having the courage to change things that you can. It’s not just about acceptance.” Malachi inched his fingers closer. “Start the rest of your life right now.”

Falling coverNeither Malachi nor Harper have necessarily had it easy. Life, for each of them, is a series of missteps and stumbles. Ten years ago, Harper managed to not only stumble, but crash. Convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and serving time that wasn’t his to serve, the world outside looks to be a jaded place, not an easy release from the literal and figurative bars he’d been living behind for years.

Malachi, on the other hand, has escaped a prison of his own. Out of a long-term relationship defined by control, he’s lost his job and is left with no money. He has a roof over his head, but even that is suffocating.

One happenstance meeting doesn’t bring them together, but a second one does. Their connection is instant and strong, but is it strong enough to withstand a world so stacked against them and a guilty conviction that is burned within Harper’s skin?

He’d spent so many years swamped by waves of bleakness that he’d grown to accept them as part of him. He’d been in a prison of his own making as a boy, and barely escaped it as a man before he’d lost his freedom again. The only thing imprisoning him now was the past. It was up to him to put it behind him and let the man in his arms be his future.

I’m a picky reader at times, but I can honestly say that from the very start, this book had me and it never let me go, not once. I had to take a long break in reading, and when I came back, it hadn’t let up at all. I was captivated and enticed and I loved every second of it.

The novel itself isn’t a light, fun story. It has a lot of heavy subject matter that doesn’t quite sit right in the pit of your stomach, and that’s part of what I liked so much about it. The author put the characters in places others would be too afraid to. She made both characters wrecked but able to stand. They weren’t weak, they were damaged and beautiful.

It’s funny, though, because this is one of the first books I’ve read, at least in a long time, where there was laughter during sex, and I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed that until here. It was as if their intimate connection and the release that came with it was truly an escape from the shadows surrounding them. I truly enjoyed it. Not to mention each scene was steamy and lovely and though there were plenty, I never got bored of them.

The mystery element of this was also pretty good. Typically I figure it out within the first fifty percent, and then I spend the rest of the book just waiting for the characters to open their eyes. In this one, I found out about the same time the characters did. I had an inkling, but I had many of those, so it was nice to still be waiting toward the end, as opposed to having a “well now you get it” moment.

I also have to say that it takes a special author to take a character, build them to be disliked, and then make you feel for them, to the point where you want them to have their own story. This is how I am with Conrad. I want to read his story, I want to learn to feel with him.

This story has many good points, and it has left me ready to seek out more by this author.

I enjoy the cover art by Kanaxa. I think the dark shade of it fits the mood of the story and I appreciate the use of texture. What I’m not so sure of is the choice of fonts. For the title, I get that the L’s are meant to simulate the act of falling, but instead all I can think of is the symbols for the world trade centers. Whoops.

Sales Links:  Samhain Publishing      Amazon   Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 335 pages
Expected publication: March 24th 2015 by Samhain Publishing
original titleFalling, available for preorder prior to 3/24
ASINB00Q33IKYG
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.barbaraelsborg.com/book/falling/
seriesFall or Break #1

A Sammy Review: Chance of the Heart by Kade Boehme

Rating 4 stars out of 5

And this was why he couldn’t stop himself. He felt like he was anchored, protected against the battering winds of the uncertainty of his mapped-out life. He didn’t have to provide or take care of. Someone was taking care of him and his needs and letting him surrender. And he had no clue that it was something he’d want, much less that it’d be such a relief.

Chance of the Heart coverChance Becket has never really questioned the path laid out before him. He knows what he’s supposed to do – run the ranch, marry Caitlin, have kids and live happily ever after. That’s always been the way it is, except for when Caitlin throws a wrench in those plans and decides that a break will do them both some good.

He’s not sure why he ends up at Bar None, but maybe it’s some twisted game fate plays. There he comes across Bradley Heart, a man he grew up with. The chemistry they have is sizzling, but being gay doesn’t exactly fit in the plans anywhere. But neither of them can deny they’re drawn together, it’s just a matter of if Chance is willing to divert from the path and go his own way, and if that way includes Bradley.

“You don’t have to follow the mapped out path. I know it’s easier for everyone else but maybe you want more than easy. Some people just want more.” Sometimes we just need more.

There are a few things I love in stories. I love a good cowboy, and this story provided me with that. I love a nice dash of kink and a whole lot of heat, and this book also provided that. I also love a good love story, and I do believe that you can mark that as checked here.

To get the negative out of the way though, I will make a point of saying right away that I think this book needs another round or two of edits. It wasn’t just commas that were missing here and there, but also some misspelled words, sentences worded awkwardly, and even a point where there was an obvious and distracting POV switch. I understand that self publishing can be difficult, and finding a good editor even more so, but I was really sad to see the number of mistakes in this book. I can say that sometimes as an editor you can get caught up in the story and miss a lot when that happens, I just feel that the amount missed here was far too much.

But back to the positives, because this book had a lot. I enjoyed the premise, but I wonder if maybe the preacher son idea was originally made to be a more prominent theme. Still, it worked out well. This wasn’t a story where everything ended perfectly, but it also wasn’t a story where the angst consumed the happier moments.

Boehme managed to balance the drama very well with all the other aspects, which I greatly appreciated. To top it off, this isn’t a hard read by any means. It’s the kind of story that when if you have a lazy Saturday afternoon, you could read in one sitting and be content.

The cover art by Allison Cassatta is nice and simple. It’s fitting for the story, and while I sometimes have an issue with just slapping a person on a cover, I feel it works here. I also really enjoy the color combination. It’s warming, which only serves to support the story inside the cover.

Overall, a good book, and just a reminder for me to keep an eye out for Boehme’s future stories, as I’m sure they’ll be wonderful.

Sales Links:          Amazon   Buy It Here  No ARe link found.

Book Details:

ebook, 254 pages
Published January 26th 2015 (first published January 22nd 2015)
edition languageEnglish

A Sammy Review: Take the Long Way Home by J.A. Rock

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

“I think TV and movies have taught us all to make this production out of how we’re damaged goods and no one will ever love us. You know what you are? You’re a human being. You have good days and bad days. All your feelings are normal. And if the people you’re around now don’t treat you right, you’ll have opportunities to go other places and meet other people.”

Take The Long Way Home coverDresden Marich is going through the world, observing, listening, and very carefully interacting. He’s not your typical boy, doesn’t fit any bill for the kid who suffered childhood trauma, who went through a great loss, or who failed out of school because he just didn’t care. Those things all have stereotypes, and he fits none of them.

Maybe he’s a little broken, maybe a lot, but that’s okay. Or so Caleb Harview tells him. A chance meeting brings them together, and through their time Dresden begins to learn a lot – not simply about himself or the world, but about the intricacies of human life. But there’s still so much more out there, and running is so easy. He’ll have to decide where he wants to be and where he wants to go.

I think he feels all the right things. I think the world is so full of people who are scared and alone, and maybe that guy who tried to save me from being kidnapped is right—nobody helps. So I’ll change that. I’ll love harder and make a fool of myself. I’ll try to be braver, because nobody just floats through life. We all get banged up. I’m going to find the right person to show what’s under the skin, how deep the scars go. Because there’s no way being wounded should be a lonely business.

Have you ever maybe watched one of those shows on HGTV, where people are touring a house that’s old, with these little details of a life lived, and a small arch that has so much character, and the people sigh and smile and say “how charming” – despite the possible mold in the bathroom, the cracks running down the walls, or the water stain from a rainstorm twenty years before? That’s kind of how I’d describe this book – surprisingly charming.

For a lot of the book I was very uncomfortable. As a social worker, I find myself especially attuned to certain things, and this entire book screamed at me. A lot of Dresden’s thoughts were disconnected, jumbled at times, and occasionally shockingly morbid. It made me ache, wish I could just soothe some of the constant chaos in his head. But then I grew to appreciate it, because if there’s one thing is it, it’s honest. And perhaps it’s partially that honesty that made me so damned uncomfortable.

Take the Long Way Home approaches sensitive subjects and throws the idea of being politically correct completely out the window. It dares to push the lines that we as a society has built and make you question things you never even thought of before. Even if you read it and hated it, I can’t see you not wondering for even just a moment “why?” – why does he think that? Why does that happen? Who could do that? Do people really think like that?

But what I don’t understand is, where were we going, the two of us? Because maybe I loved him. But it’s hard to imagine him feeling that way about someone like me. Although, if you limited who you could love to people who weren’t broken, you’d never love anyone. Or you’d love an idea of a person. It takes nothing to say you love someone. But it takes a stupid kind of courage to actually do it.

This book is so different from any other thing I’ve ever read. As I said before, Dresden’s thoughts come across as disconnected at times, and for some that could make the reading feel choppy. But for me, once I connected with the character, once I began to really move with him and feel with him, it all made so much more sense.

The characters are deep and flawed, and I appreciate how well thought out they are. You didn’t just have Baby Kate to have her, she played a role. And even those who weren’t actually in the book, but who were remembered, such as Dresden’s father, had such a life.

So this story is a little twisted, brutally honest, deep when you don’t want it to be, and daring. It’s not for everyone, but I can say it’s one of those books you just have to read for yourself.

Unfortunately, I am not a fan of the cover art by Dar Albert. The models look plastic and fake and I’d actually prefer the cover without them even on it. It has a nice base, but that’s all lost with the models.

Sales Links:   Loose Id             All Romance (ARe)              Amazon   Buy it Here

Book Details:

ebook, 225 pages
Published January 20th 2015 by Loose Id LLC
original titleTake the Long Way Home
ISBN139781623005436
edition languageEnglish