A BJ Review: Kestrel’s Talon (The Stonewatchers #1) by Bey Deckard

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Kestral's Talon Following the Prentish/Nemarri war, Kes is rejected by his homeland under the guise of religious purity laws. Though he’s spared execution, the proud Nemarri’s fate is only marginally more merciful than death when he is sold into sexual slavery at a prosperous pleasure house.

Despite his stoic endurance, Kes knows he’s reaching his breaking point, but there is nothing he can do—there is no path to freedom in the Holy Prentish Empire, only a lifetime of humiliating servitude.

That is, until a beautiful young slave and his formidable master approach Kes in the marketplace and make an astonishing offer to take him home with them. The only problem: “home” is the accursed Horthmont Castle from the scare-stories of Kes’s childhood.

Thrown into a world of living myth, powerful magic, and ancient gods, Kes learns the secrets kept hidden by Horthmont’s thick blackstone walls. There he discovers something he thought he’d never know again: hope for the future.

What stood out to me in this fantasy story was the excellent world-building, from the history, to the land (even with maps in the back), to the people, traditions, and clothing, it was detailed, fleshed out, and very real for me. Full of slaves and magic, soldiers and war, and so much more. The story grabbed me in the beginning scene in the market where even people (slaves) are traded, and the three main characters, all introduced in the same scene, were intriguing to me.

Unfortunately, after a very promising beginning, the pace of the book really slowed down for me. More than once I encountered parts of the story that really seemed to drag and which made me feel every one of the four hundred plus pages.

As for the characters, while I didn’t feel as strong a connection to them as I would have liked, I did find all three of them nuanced and interesting. I enjoyed Talon’s innocence, something he’d kept despite the world he’d lived in; loved his dedication to Grimma and his attitude on life/sex which seemed reasonable from his given past, but his jealousy and manipulations did often annoy me. But his bravery and selflessness later in the story made up for it. Kestrel, who I liked for the most part even though I didn’t feel the closeness I hoped for, threw me off a couple of times with his harsh actions towards Talon. I did feel and understand his anger over what had happened to him, and enjoyed watching him slowly overcome that, but still there were a few times his reactions didn’t sit well with me at all. And then there was Grimma, who I really did enjoy the most and found myself wishing for more time in his head than we were given. The story is from all three main character’s pov, but his is the least used of the three.

I felt that the author did an excellent job of bringing together three very diverse backstories. The secondary characters were well-formed and integral to the story. And I adored Pants (and the name, too) the dog. Loved how he was woven into the story and often made a difference, not just there as a prop. Kestrel’s connection with him fascinated me, and makes me want to red more of the series just to see how that goes and if the theory proposed about that tie (but then negated by another) is actually true or not.

There are many things to love about this story. The triad in this story was quite interesting, especially given that we have a hypersexual who still manages to seem innocent, a man reeling from previous sexual abuse, and an asexual character. But I felt that they worked well together, and although I’m not big on threesomes, I was pretty well sold on them. I could have done without Talon’s jealousy and manipulations though… that was the one sour note for me in their relationship.

I don’t want to say more about the story as I think some things are best discovered as you go along. Overall, I really liked this story. I just wish the pacing had worked better for me. There were places that felt slow enough that they made me want to skim, and long and detailed flashback sections that rather drew me from the main story. And then when we get to the last 10% or so, the story suddenly felt rushed to me. I wanted way more detail of… well, a lot of stuff.

Finally, there is the matter of this guy near the end that I just wanted to kick in the nuts myself because after doing something that made me livid, he just gets away with it and well… grrr. That part annoyed me. A lot.

The red-haired freckled boy on the cover is perfect, and to be honest, I didn’t pay attention to the amulet he held or the subtle outline of the castle in the background until after I’d finished reading, but that is cool as well. Wish the castle had been more noticeable as it would lend more of the fantasy theme.

Sales Links: Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 426 pages
Published May 23rd 2016
ASINB01FLG3C0M
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe Stonewatchers #1

A BJ Review: F.I.S.T.S. Handbook For Individual Survival in Hostile Environments by Bey Deckard

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 ★★★★★

Sarge (F.I.S.T.S #1) – 5 stars

Sergeant Wilkes has had a long and prestigious military career. When he’s injured on the front, Murphy brings him in. Murphy is the opposite of Sarge… big, tattooed, and delightfully submissive. Can a couple space marines stationed on an alien planet where an endless war rages on find something special in each other?

Gritty, violent, somewhat gory short novella. Its kinky, smoking hot and romantic almost in spite of itself. This story made me bawl like a baby, and I loved it!

Sarge is an older, hardened officer Dom; Murphy a younger 6ft 8in quiet, muscular, tattooed, sweet enlisted sub. Murphy also has the ability to see psychic/emotional colors (auras?). The two come together when Sarge is injured fighting on the front line, and Murphy uses his special talent to help him. Right there on the battlefield, wounded and in pain, Sarge propositions Murphy:

“You’re a good boy, Murph,” he says softly to me. “You get me home, get me patched up, and you’ll see what good boys get.”

At first it’s just an interesting diversion for Sarge, but that changes as he comes to realize what he’s found in Murphy.

Murphy is intelligent, but he doesn’t talk much. And damn it, he doesn’t need to because the nuance of communication between him and Sarge is exquisite. When it comes to D/s, one thing that fascinates me is when the physically larger guy is the submissive/bottom. And my goodness isn’t Murphy an enticing one. But it’s more the two together that really gets me about this story. They’re perfect together. Such devotion. I was seriously holding my breath and biting my nails at the end.

Speaking of the ending, it felt a bit abrupt at first. But the more I thought on it, the more I realized that wasn’t the case–the ending is perfect. I would love to explain that specifically, but don’t want to spoil it. Just read this little gem. I highly recommend it and cannot wait for the next in this series to come out.

Murphy (F.I.S.T.S. #2) – 4.75 stars

Sometimes when it seems like it’s too late, the right person comes along and opens your eyes…

Murphy is the continuing story of the D/s relationship between two Space Marines who found each other in the midst of hopelessness and misfortune.

Sarge and his newly minted squad travel across the galaxy on a top-secret mission that could help win the war. However, to Murphy something about the mission stinks, and it’s not just the planet they’ve landed on.

After the events of book one ends with a semi-cliffie where we aren’t sure if one of the MC survives, I was very happy when this book came out! It shows us the guys have both survived and gotten off that godforsaken planet. Yes! Not only that, they’ve been promoted and are heroes of a sort.

I enjoyed getting Sarge’s point of view here–enjoyed watching the veteran soldier trying to keep his growing feelings for Murphy in check (and sometimes failing); enjoyed the chance to view Murphy from someone else’s perspective; and enjoyed that even though it’s Murphy who can see the colors of other people’s emotions, Sarge is so keyed in to Murphy that it’s nearly the same for him even without a special sense. I just love how neither of these guys really have to vocalize much because they are just so perfectly in tune to each other.

Must admit that getting to read from his own POV how the crusty old career solider goes all gooey and vulnerable over his big moose of a soldier boy was a delightful treat. And this about sums it up in Sarge’s own words:

“My career has always come first. Always. What the hell are you supposed to do when something else becomes more important?”

This short story serves up kinky, raunchy sex, hurt/comfort, sweet love, a bigger bottom/sub and a smaller top/Dom, and a dangerous mission gone wrong that offers up a good helping of plot and action.

The Missing Reel

A short scene from Sarge (F.I.S.T.S #1) which the author left out in order to keep the nature of their relationship somewhat ambiguous.

It takes place a week after the explosion that took Sarge’s eye and shows their first encounter after Sarge’s comment about seeing what “good boys get.” Perfect little scene that I’m glad the author decided to give us the opportunity to read the first time these guys interacted in this dynamic and felt it gave an insight that set the tone for the rest of the relationship. Since this is a deleted scene from the first story, I’m not going to rate it separately.

The cover on this anthology is pretty plain, meant to emulate a must used/stained field manual.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

143 pages

Published July 7^th, 2015 by Bey Deckard

Kindle Edition
Published June 8th 2015 (first published June 1st 2015)
ASINB00ZA9T6WE
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Sammy Review: Better the Devil You Know by Bey Deckard

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

“I am serious. I know I have your fear—and I thank you for that—but you’re only just tasting the beginning of what fear can do to you. I find that a good, firm grasp on fear and pain helps to create fertile ground for proper rehabilitation and personal growth… But don’t take my word for it. I just work here.”

Byron isn’t like other men. For those who go out on a weekend night to celebrate, he prefers to spend his time indoors with a victim, savagely ripping them to pieces. For him, it’s a source of joy. For him, it’s life.

But his own crimes and murders of over fifty people eventually catch up to him, and when it becomes time for his soul to be reaped, the devil himself comes to collect. Still, Hell’s never seen evil quite like Byron before, and it’ll take more than torture to get to his core.

The fear of death is what drives man to succumb to his pain—fear weakens the resolve. Without the fear of death, what is left?

Weak stomach? Like things light and fluffy? Then heed my warning and keep on going. This story is gore and macabre from beginning to end.

Verging on torture porn, Deckard manages to weave plot into an infinitely dark story. Bits of Byron’s life are given at times, playing the reader like a true fiddle. Out of nowhere comes sparks of an interesting and intriguing plot. There are times when you may wonder what the point of it is, why read something so dark? Maybe you’re sick, maybe not. No matter the answer, this story is a true mind fuck.

Small hints of something that may resemble pieces of romance take parts of the readers heart, drawing you into a connection that is manufactured for a purpose. To find out why, though, you must read to the very end.

Even more surprising than the conclusion (though I figured it out a bit before it was unraveled), is the little bits of humor. In a story so depraved, it seems impossible to smile, but then the author would throw in a little phrase here or some joke there and it’d break the darkness.

Paired with a dash of hotness, the story is a quick read, but not for the faint of heart by any means.

The cover by Bey Deckard fits the story. It’s dark and has a menacing feel.

Sales Link: All Romance (ARe) | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 128 pages
Published October 1st 2015 by Bey Deckard
ISBN139780994790040
edition languageEnglish

A Stella Review: The Last Nights of The Frangipani Hotel (The Actor’s Circle #2) by Bey Deckard

Rating 3.75 stars out of 5

All James wanted was a little solitude at his favourite resort: bright sunshine overhead, soft, white sand underfoot, and a hammock to read in while the warm breeze rustles through the coconut palms and almond trees. However, when an old acquaintance shows up, and James is obliged to share “his” beach, a profound exchange over a bottle of rum leads to a lust-fuelled encounter in the dark.

Reeling from the intensity of the drunken tryst, James decides to cut his vacation short rather than face what he’s kept hidden under mountains of denial.

However, his escape is thwarted when Rudie, handsome and plainspoken, calls him out on his behaviour and makes him see that life needn’t be spent running away from his desires.

Set at a rundown old resort on a small Caribbean island, The Last Nights of The Frangipani Hotel is a story about letting go of fear and learning that passion and love can be found in the most unexpected of places.

I heard a lot of this new to me author, Bey Deckard, but I honestly was a little scared by some of his books (like the Baal’s Heart series or the newest one, Better the Devil You Know). When I saw The Last Nights of the Frangipani Hotel, I soon thought it could have been my first. I didn’t even realize it was the second one in a series but at the end it wasn’t a problem because it can be totally read as a standalone.

The Frangipani Hotel is at its last days but James is in love with this place, so he keeps coming here, but this year his quiet is broken by an old friend who takes place next to James. James and Rudie are both famous actors, stressed out by their acting jobs, looking for an escape in the Caribbean Sea. Destiny (not really!) chooses them to be hut’s neighbor. After some drinks, they share a night together (having some really boring sex, let me tell you!). Rudie is gay, but James is not, in fact he has an ex wife and two daughters. But the attraction and the magic of the place is too strong to be ignored…

I was really happy to pick this story, it was quick and light and so well written I was able to read it in a one standing, because it was easy to follow. All the story and the dialogues felt very real and normal, I could sympathize with the MCs and their fears. I especially liked the writing style in the descriptive parts. I was able to picture the beach, the shabby hotel and later in the book, the hot sex (it wasn’t boring at all!).

In my opinion The Last Nights of the Frangipani Hotel needs a sequel because the ending wasn’t really how I usually like mine to be, it was more a HFN and I need to see James and Rudie to have their HEA. Still I think Bey Deckard really did a great job at gathering a lot of elements (emotions, life crisis, the enlightenment of James) in a so short a story. I’m not sure I’m ready for his other more dark works, but I’m sure I’m going to read the The Complications of T (read BJ’s review here ).

Highly recommended if you’re looking for a short contemporary story that will let you evade your routine and bring you on a holiday even on a rainy October.

Cover design by Bey Deckard
Cover photo by Strangeland Photography

Both the covers of The Actor’s Circle series are really hot and eye catching. Well done!

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

Book Details:

Published September 12th 2015 by Bey Deckard
Kindle Edition, 78 pages
ASIN B014RZQ54I
Edition Language English

The Actor’s Circle series

The Complications of T #1
The Last Nights of the Frangipani Hotel #2

http://wms-na.amazon-adsystem.com/20070822/US/js/link-enhancer-common.js?tag=scatthouandro-20&linkId=4OTVYYQWKZZUTQQX

A BJ Review: The Complications of T (The Actor’s Circle #1) by Bey Deckard

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Stuart Leandro is a movie actor who has been taking roles for money rather than art and has recently faced that his marriage is breaking up. One night on the road in a foreign country, he winds up drunk in the gutter. Lucky for him, there’s someone’s there to rescue him before his face ends up plastered all over the tabloids. But is his rescuer male or female? His drunken senses aren’t at all sure, especially after a semi-coherent kiss enters the mix.

When he wakes in a strange apartment the next day, his rescuers gender still isn’t clear. Wary of the motives of the reclusive stranger, Stuart nonetheless can’t deny his curiosity or his attraction. He’s surprised when beneath the mystery, he discovers someone whose life has actually been intertwined with his own for years. But Tim White is unlike anyone Stuart has met before.

Tim’s simple act of kindness soon leads the two men into one of the most intense encounters of both of their lives—but are these two very public individuals willing to weather the media storm their extraordinary relationship will cause?

This story is a bit different than what I’ve come to expect from this author; less dark, lighter and most definitely sweeter. But I enjoyed it immensely.

Stuart and Tim’s romance moved from a strong attraction to sex that sent sparks flying and quickly coalescing into insta-love. It was Stuart’s first gay experience, yet he took it very much in stride. I admired his acceptance and open-mindedness, and the hesitant but determined way he dealt with discovering Tim right alongside experiencing emotions and attractions that were new to him. The sex was light rather than detailed, which actually disappointed me since unlike other trans books I’ve read, it was clear that Tim didn’t eschew taking pleasure by using his remaining female parts.

After its breakneck start, the relationship slowed down (actually came to a rather screeching halt) at Tim’s request. And I actually liked that. I was enthralled with the hopeful direction it was heading, and then it ended.

Yep, it ended way too abruptly for my liking. I wanted to experience those absence-made-the-heart-grow-fonder moments, wanted their physical reunion right there on the page, wanted to know if the reactions of others that they’d both worried over and dreaded turned out as expected, and if so, how they handled it together. Wanted more.

Sometimes life is all about being in the right place at the right time. Tim White was there just when and where Stuart needed him to be. How he came to be there wasn’t quite clear to me. Coincidence? Or was Tim stalking his favorite actor?

Despite all those nit picks, I couldn’t rate this less than four stars, because I enjoyed Tim’s character so much. His wit, intelligence, self-assurance and strength and low angst level were perfect. And his reclusive lifestyle rang very true to me. And then there’s this:

“You want to know if I have a penis?”

“Yeah,” I confessed, a little embarrassed.

“I do!,” said Tim, but when he saw the look on my face, he just tugged my hair again with a playful smirk. “I was, however, unfortunately born without it, and seeing as what science can offer really, and I mean really, doesn’t appeal to me, I’m forced to keep it in the top drawer of the bedside table. Why? Do you want to see it?”

So yeah, I love Tim, and really, really hope there will be a second book that’s from Tim’s point of view… just as in the F.I.S.T.S. series we got the second from Murphy’s. Please, with puppy dog eyes, can you give me that dear author?

The lovely and sensual cover does this story justice. Love it.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 53 pages

Published August 20th 2015 by Bey Deckard (first published August 18th 2015)

ISBN13 9780994790026

series The Actor’s Circle #1

A BJ Review: Sarge (F.I.S.T.S #1) by Bey Deckard

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Gritty, violent, somewhat gory short novella. Its kinky, smoking hot and romantic almost in spite of itself. This story made me bawl like a baby, and I loved it!

“You’re a good boy, Murph,” he says softly to me. “You get me home, get me patched up, and you’ll see what good boys get.”

At first it’s just an interesting diversion for Sarge, but that changes as he comes to realize what he’s found in Murphy.

Murphy is intelligent, but he doesn’t talk much. And damn it, he doesn’t need to because the nuance of communication between him and Sarge is exquisite. When it comes to D/s, one thing that fascinates me is when the physically larger guy is the submissive/bottom. And my goodness isn’t Murphy an enticing one. But its more the two together that really gets me about this story. They’re perfect together. Such devotion. I was seriously holding my breath and biting my nails at the end.

The cover conveys the savage heat of the planet, and the overlaid images give a hint of the size difference of the characters. A good representation of what the book has to offer.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 56 pages
Published October 2014 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139780993701764
edition languageEnglish
seriesF.I.S.T.S #1

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