A Paul B Review: A New Alpha in Town (Hardwood Shifters #1) by A.J. Marcus

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Tanner Groff has been on a mission since his wolf shifter pack was killed by hunters last year. The former alpha, now lone wolf, has been crossing the country trying to find other shifters to warn them of the danger and prevent another slaughter like the one his pack experienced. But lately, being a lone wolf has been trying on him. Tanner wants to feel like he belongs somewhere, as wolves as social creatures. He hopes to run into another wolf shifter pack or at least a group of shifters willing to let him stick around for a while. Sensing a storm coming, Tanner decides to stop for a snack before going forward in front of the storm. While there he scents another shifter at the truck stop. He decides to follow the van that this shifter gets into.

Van Saunders is a bear shifter from a hidden community of shifters in Colorado. He and his friend Parker are delivering merchandise that members of his community have made to be sold to the human world. Knowing that a storm is coming, Van wants to get home for the first snow celebration that happens every year. Having made a pit stop, Van is eager to get back on the road. However, an accident further up the freeway and the approaching bad weather force the pair to exit and stop at another truck stop further up the road. Uneasy with all the humans there, Van decides to take the back roads back home despite the bad weather. As he gets ready to get into the van, he sees Parker struggling with another man.

Tanner, who had wiped out on his motorcycle, arrives at this truck stop thanks to the kindness of a fellow biker driving in a truck. Noticing that he found the shifter’s van that he lost due to his accident, Tanner is relieved. Then he sees the gorgeous bear shifter struggling with a man who appears to be trying to abduct him. Not seeing Van’s partner anywhere, Tanner shifts to his wolf form and kills the would-be kidnapper. Now Tanner and Van must work together to find Parker before he is either killed or is tortured for information on the shifter community. They must also deal with the growing attraction that is building between them and not let it distract them from their mission.

This first book in A J Marcus’s new Hardwood Shifter series strikes all the usual chords when it comes to shifter novels. You have shifters trying to remain hidden from society while trying to become more modern in their ways. You have the evil hunters who want to kill all shifters. And you have mates who fall for each other at almost first site. The community of Hardwood Valley is somewhat unique in that it features a collection of different shifters that have been living together for over 200 years. When you throw in the mages that protect the village you have a something that is not seen in most books. The real treat of the book is Van’s friend Parker. His shifted form is unusual and his personality fits his animal form.

The cover art by Latrisha Waters fits the book well. Tanner in his leather jacket along with Van in his bear form are in front of a snowy Colorado mountain.

Sales Links: Extasy Books | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 82 pages
Published April 15th 2016 by eXtasy
ISBN139781487406950
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series: Hardwood Shifters

A New Alpha in Town (Hardwood Shifters #1)

A BJ Review: Withered + Sere (Immemorial Year #1) by T.J. Klune

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Once upon a time, humanity could no longer contain the rage that swelled within, and the world ended in a wave of fire.

One hundred years later, in the wasteland formerly known as America, a broken man who goes only by the name of Cavalo survives. Purposefully cutting himself off from what remains of civilization, Cavalo resides in the crumbling ruins of the Northern Idaho Correctional Institution. A mutt called Bad Dog and a robot on the verge of insanity comprise his only companions. Cavalo himself is deteriorating, his memories rising like ghosts and haunting the prison cells.

It’s not until he makes the dangerous choice of crossing into the irradiated Deadlands that Cavalo comes into contact with a mute psychopath, one who belongs to the murderous group of people known as the Dead Rabbits. Taking the man prisoner, Cavalo is forced not only to face the horrors of his past, but the ramifications of the choices made for his stark present. And it is in the prisoner that he will find a possible future where redemption is but a glimmer that darkly shines.

The world has died. This is the story of its remains.

Like some DSP stories, this is not actually a romance and there is also no sex. It’s very dark, I knew that going in, violence, death and cannibalism in a barren, brutal wasteland with no laws. But none of those things bothered me in the least. Yet this story was hard for me in some ways, so should say those bits up front.

The beginning didn’t draw me in immediately. If I hadn’t been reading it for review, I’m not sure if I would have continued on because I was just really confused by it. The POV starts out omniscient but moves to being from Cavalo’s third person POV that starts out feeling distant (calling him the man and seeming outside of him) before slipping in closer and more into his head. There are still times later in the book when it almost seemed to slip back towards omniscient. I was actually about 20% in before I started feeling involved with the story.

Another thing that was hard for me is that there are quite a large number of scenes that are sort of dream or flashback or hallucination sequences that move around in time and place. In addition to bringing in backstory, these work to show how messed up the MC’s mind is—an insanity of a sort like when so much has happened that one cannot hold onto their mind. But there were quite a lot of them, some lengthy and involved, and it tended to pull me from the story.

For me, this book read like a nightmare… one where dark, scary, awful things happen but they just don’t fully make sense and then I wake up and still can’t put it all together and am left unsettled, confused, and shaking my head. That was how I felt at the end of this story. Perhaps some small part of this has to do with the cliffhanger ending but also to be perfectly honest, must admit that sometimes I felt lost.

Those things being said, this book has some fascinating post-apocalyptic world-building going on! While I didn’t feel a strong connection with the main characters, I did find both Bad Dog and the robot SIRS interesting and compelling. In fact, I think my favorite chapter of the book was “the ballad of bad dog.” When I read that title, I was so hesitant to read on as I know ballads are often tragic. But it actually not only tells the story of how Bad Dog came to Cavelo, but contains the most tender scene of the whole story.

It was my first read from this author, so I had no idea what to expect and tend to think after having read some blurbs and reviews from other stories, that it’s not representative of his work in general but rather a branching out into new areas.

The cover by Paul Richmond just absolutely creeps me out (and not in a good way)… luckily I had not seen it prior to requesting the story or might have had second thoughts. I’m not sure how exactly it relates to the story other than giving an impression of its awful, bleak world.

Overall, cover and story alike leave me with the feeling like awaking from a disjointed and unsettling nightmare. A nightmare that I will be compelled to revisit when book two comes out.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 280 pages
Published April 19th 2016 by DSP Publications
Original TitleWithered + Sere
ISBN 1634765575 (ISBN13: 9781634765572)
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Lila Audiobook Review: Buchanan House by Charley Descoteaux and Narrator Alexander Johns

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Our first glimpse of Eric Allen is during his grandmother’s funeral. We get some background information about their relationship, as well as the situation between him and his remaining family members. If you’re reading the book without looking at the blurb first, you can misinterpret Nathan’s and Eric’s relationship during the opening scene.

Jewell, Eric’s grandmother, left him his estate, but his mother and brother are after their share. After taking care of all the legalities, with the help of Jewell’s best friend, Nathan invited Eric for a small vacation. During which, he takes him to an abandoned hotel on an isolated stretch of the Central Oregon Coast. Since Eric is a line cook and his friend Nathan, a waiter, they pooled together all their money, plus the inheritance to buy the hotel.

Naming the hotel after the only bachelor president with a male friend, sounded like a good way to start their business. They had several months to get the hotel ready for its grand opening on the Fourth of July weekend. With the help of Tim, a local handyman, some friends, and a pair of new part-time employees, they set to work to receive their first guests. All their relationships get tangled with every passing week, and what started as a kid’s dream between Eric and Nathan turned into a small family.

Tim’s and Eric’s relationship blossoms with time, but their separate growth is as important as their romance. In the beginning, we don’t get a clear path to their future, but after a turn of events, their love goes from zero to one-hundred on a handful of pages. By the end of the story, we are cheering for the MCs and looking forward to learning more about the hotel’s future.

Buchanan House is more than a romance. It’s a story of healing, friendship, and self-discovery. Yes, Tim and Eric are the main characters, and they get more than their HEA, but how they got there is more important than the end result. As well as all the events that surrounded them.

We don’t get into their romance until later in the book. Eric’s and Nathan’s friendship takes the first part of the book, and Eric’s self-discovery unfolds with every chapter. His insecurities shaped him, leaving him second-guessing all his decisions and relationships. Nathan’s friendship and Tim’s love are the catalysts that get him to be the man he always dreamed.

All the characters in the story had a purpose, and the author incorporated not only gay characters, but bisexual, lesbians, and trans*, too. Also, the characters discussed their differences, sexualities, and genders. Everyone gets a small backstory, even those interacting with the MCs for a short amount of time.

Tim’s family is great, and the way they interacted with Eric, even the ones that aren’t completely comfortable with their sexuality do it with respect. Eric’s family, on the other hand, wanted nothing more than Jewell’s money. They didn’t care for Eric or his dreams and did everything they could to interfere.

The setting and the atmosphere played an important part in this story— Eric’s recipes too. It’s easy to identify the smells, colors, and shaped introduced by the author. Even the way each character dresses is part of their dossier. And the house, from its flowers to its moldings is another character in the story.

This is my first story narrated by Alexander Johns. I enjoyed his cadence and the distinction between the characters. My only complaint would be with the quality of the audio. For some reason, parts of the file had static in the background and others sounded as if the story was recorded in an empty room, creating an echo.

L.C. Chase did an excellent job finding a house that matched the book’s description. Perhaps, I’d have left the two figures out of the cover since they look like an afterthought.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner | Amazon | Audible

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Alexander Johns
Length: 5 hours and 4 minutes

Published: January 27, 2016 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B01B3GCEUS
Edition Language: English

Series: Buchanan House
Book #1: Buchanan House
Book #2: Pride Weekend
Book #3: Tiny House

Can There Be A Future for Them? Read Touch the Sky ( Free Fall, Book 1) by Christina Lee & Nyrae Dawn (excerpt and author interview)

Touch the Sky

Free Fall, Book 1

Christina Lee & Nyrae Dawn

New Adult M/M Romance

Touch The Sky Cover

COVER DESIGN: Natasha Snow

PHOTOGRAPHY: Giovanni Dall’Orto

RELEASE DATE: 03.28.16

AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/1MHjbEX

AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/25oGoY7

AMAZON AU: http://bit.ly/1SbDVGP

B&N: http://bit.ly/1ZBf8S5

iBook: http://apple.co/22rX0iC

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words was lucky to have the authors in for a chat and to answer a few questions for our readers. Welcome, Nyrae and Christina.

********

What made you decide to collaborate? Who approached whom?

Nyrae: It just sort of came up. We’re friends and we were talking. I’ve written two collaborations before. I wanted to do another. She wanted to write one. We enjoy each other’s work so it just sort of fell together perfectly for us.

Christina: Right. We had grown closer over the past year due to a few author groups we belonged to and we also began beta reading for each other. I have always wanted to co-write a book with somebody and it just naturally went from there.

Did you each write a character?

Nyrae: Technically, yes. We each created the backstory for the character and what they looked like. We alternated chapters and primarily worked on one character each, but we definitely were very involved in the whole book. We wrote in each other’s POV and changed and tweaked dialogue in each other’s chapters.

Christina: We talked extensively on the phone about each of our characters and how we were going to write them. Once we got going though, we found our voices blended pretty well, so it was natural to go into each other’s chapters during edits and add voice, tone, or characteristics.

How did you go about deciding the plot?

Nyrae: We knew we wanted to write NA and LGBTQ+ so we headed in that direction. We had some phone conversations. We discovered that mental health plays a strong role in both our lives for various reasons so we took it from there.

Christina: We are both pretty angsty writers especially in our New Adults books and so even though we didn’t set out to write such a weighty topic, it happened naturally, even during plotting. We came up with several scenarios and as soon as we landed on Lucas and Gabriel, we were off and running.

Did each chapter come organically or was it all mapped out?

Nyrae: It was a combination of both. The initial letter is a revision from a letter in a book I had on my computer from a couple years ago, that I never finished. We’d talk out a few chapters at a time and make loose plans but they sometimes changed when one of us sat down to start writing.

Christina: The good thing is that neither one of us are huge plotters. We knew the general place we were heading but then what commonly happens is your characters veers off in some random direction that ends up being perfect for the plot. When I saw that letter that Nyrae had written and kept stored in a file, I knew that was it. That was our story.

How was writing a collaboration different for you than writing alone?

Nyrae: You have someone else counting on you. Someone else’s thoughts and opinions to consider. Sometimes writing styles change or writing processes.

Christina: Yep. Once you get over the initial fears and pretenses, then all you have is the work in front of you. You also have somebody cheering you on. We would leave each other comments in the sidebar and I’d smile after seeing a note like SWOON, that’s so HOT, or damn I LOVE these boys. It really fueled me on which is probably why we wrote the book so quickly.

Was it a good experience? You called this book 1, so…?

Nyrae: Yes! I can’t speak for Christina but I loved working with her. We definitely plan to do it again. We’ll write one of the characters from Touch the Sky.

Christina: I loved it and cannot wait to start the next book.

BLURB

Lucas Barnett and Gabriel Stewart didn’t have it easy as kids. They were only trying to deal with bad situations at home when they became lifelines for each other. Their pipe dream was to someday meet in LA, where Lucas would design skyscrapers, and Gabriel would learn to fly. But then Gabriel disappeared without so much as a goodbye, and Lucas got himself in trouble with the law.

Five years later, both men are at a loss when they run into each other at a Hollywood bar. Lucas is still angry, but it’s not as if Gabriel could control how his mind and body had betrayed him. Being found on the ledge of that bridge had changed everything.

The attraction is immediate, but it’s more than their inability to keep their hands off each other. Neither man expects the fierce connection pulling them together. Unfortunately, ignoring their problems doesn’t make them disappear. Gabriel’s internal struggles are serious…dangerous. And no matter how much Lucas wants it to be true, saving Gabriel won’t make up for not being able to save his mom. If they don’t find the strength to face their own demons before the darkness takes hold, they risk more than just losing each other forever.

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29145268-touch-the-sky

lucas

touch the sky teaser 4

EXCERPT

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to speak for you. If you want to—”

“I don’t,” I say, finally meeting his gaze. “I only want you too.”

His eyes soften and he exhales a hard breath as if we’re finally on level ground. I feel giddy with relief and contentment as I clutch at his hand and drag him to the dance floor. At first he protests about his drink but then he places it in an empty spot on a ledge.

It’s a pulsing rap beat and my body feels like a live wire. My hips start swaying, my hands rise in the air, and the vibration of the music takes over. Lucas has no trouble keeping up with me, though not with as much enthusiasm.

“Fuck, you’re sexy,” he rumbles in my ear. I feel his hips gyrating as he grasps my waist and slides up behind me. His hard length is digging into my ass and that only spurs me on more.

After a few numbers, I follow Lucas to the back wall where we find a spot to rest between other couples swaying to the music. He pins my shoulders against the column, his breath heavy, eyes glazed over with lust, as his lips crash against mine.

My fingers reach for his waist but he grabs hold of them and raises my hands above my head as he bites my lips, licks into my mouth and then sucks on my tongue. Holy fuck, if we weren’t in a public place I’d ask him to pound me straight into oblivion.

“I didn’t know you could dance like that,” he rasps against my cheek as he releases his grip on my hands.

His fingers connect with my neck and he hauls my lips to his again. His tongue digs deep in my mouth and I groan shamelessly as I grab on to his hair and pull him flush against me. I’m so thoroughly turned on that my eyes practically roll to the back of my head.

He drags his mouth away and licks along my jawline up to my ear as he arches his hips into my groin. “You’ve got me so goddamn hard.”

“Yeah?” I ask, gasping against his neck. “Well, I know how to take care of that. Remember, you’ll need to beg.”

He laughs and kisses the side of my head. “Not here. I’d rather have you in my bed tonight.”

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Nyrae Dawn

Nyrae Dawn pic

Nyrae Dawn can almost always be found with a book in her hand or an open document on her laptop. She couldn’t live without books—reading or writing them. Oh, and chocolate. She’s slightly addicted.

She gravitates toward character-driven stories. Whether reading or writing, she loves emotional journeys. It’s icing on the cake when she really feels something, but is able to laugh too. She’s a proud romantic, who has a soft spot for flawed characters, who make mistakes, but also have big hearts.

Whether she’s writing young adult, new adult, or adult you can always count on a healthy dose of romance from her books. She likes to tackle tough subjects, and believes everyone needs to see themselves in the stories they read.

Nyrae is living her very own happily ever after in California with her gorgeous husband (who still makes her swoon) and her two incredibly awesome kids.

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/nyraedawnwrites/?fref=ts

Website:

http://www.rileyhartwrites.com/p/home.html?zx=48696725e5833865

Blog

http://www.rileyhartwrites.com/index.html

Twitter: @NyraeDawn

Christina Lee

Once upon a time, I lived in New York City and was a wardrobe stylist. I spent my days shopping for photo shoots, getting into cabs, eating amazing food, and drinking coffee at my favorite hangouts.

Now I live in the Midwest with my husband and son—my two favorite guys. I’ve been a clinical social worker and a special education teacher. But it wasn’t until I wrote a weekly column for the local newspaper that I realized I could turn the fairytales inside my head into the reality of writing fiction.

I write Adult, New Adult, and M/M Contemporary Romance. I’m addicted to lip gloss and salted caramel everything. I believes in true love and kissing, so writing romance novels has become a dream job.

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChristinaLee

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/Christina_Lee04

Can Love Be Real with Magic Involved? Check out Bad Magic (Spell Slave #1) by Evelyn Elliott and find out (exclusive excerpt and giveaway)

Bad Magic (Spell Slave #1) by Evelyn Elliott
Release Date: October 28, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Christine Griffin

Blurb

Morality is relative. At least that’s what young sorcerer Regis Teller convinces himself. He’s done what he must to survive: working for a witch since he was nine, helping her throw the kingdom into anarchy, and taking his only comfort in her mysterious son, Crow. And soon, Regis is going to commit his first murder.

A do-gooder named Jonathan White has information the witch needs, and it’s Regis’s job to get that information and slit Jonathan’s throat. But then Regis actually meets Jonathan. And Jonathan is perfect—a hero with a passion for justice and little regard for civility.

Lucky for Regis, Jonathan has a weakness for attractive men. Lucky for Jonathan, Regis is fast developing a conscience and a heart. But for Regis, keeping both of them alive at their adventure’s end means breaking a magical oath and surviving his ruthless boss—all without telling Jonathan the truth. Falling in love is never easy, especially when everyone involved is lying through their teeth.

Pages or Words: 161 pages, 55,000 words
Can be read as a standalone
Categories: Bisexual, Fantasy, M/M Romance, Romance

Exclusive Excerpt

Chartreuse was a dragon, and as such, it took an entire barrel of wine to get her drunk. When she was done, she kicked the barrel over and waddled over to Jonathan. Human friend, she said. What are you doing? Human celebrations are for drinking and mating, yes? So go mate with someone.

“Go away.”

Oh, stop sulking. No one in this kingdom cares if you mate with other males or not. Just make sure you don’t produce an egg, and we’ll be fine.

Jonathan pinched the bridge of his noise. “Produce a—what? It doesn’t work like that.”

She pushed him with her tail. I tire of you. Go mate.

Stumbling upright, he wandered to where a round man was serving mulled wine to anyone sober enough to pay. He headed to the only empty table and sat.

Almost immediately, a man came over. A striking man, at that. His skin was remarkably fine, white as eggshells, and his dark hair cut a line over his shoulder. He looked delicate rather than sturdy. Despite this, he wore a row of throwing knives on his belt. Without asking, he sat across from Jonathan. “Well hello, hero. I hear you killed the baron.”

“I’m not in the mood for talking,” Jonathan said.

“Lovely. Neither am I.”

“Get lost. You’re not my type.”

The stranger smiled wryly. “C’mon. You’re the savior of the whole damn town, and you’re over here looking miserable. I feel bad for you, all right? Let me buy you a drink. I’ll sit here and scowl at anyone who tries to flirt with you.” Jonathan motioned for the barmaid to bring him a drink. “Allow me,” the stranger said, tossing her a coin. “Where you from, hero?”

Gods above. Jonathan put his head down. “The North. You?”

The stranger waved dismissively. “Not important. So, is the North really all ice and mountains and dragons?”

“Yeah.”

“I hear you barbarians can really drink.”

“Also true.” Jonathan chuckled as the stranger raised his cup in a mock toast. They both took a long drink, Jonathan draining his completely. The stranger looked suitably impressed, motioning the barkeep for two more drinks and paying yet again. Jonathan took another draught. He coughed, throat burning. This new drink was quite a bit stronger than his last.

The stranger smiled guiltily. “You look like you need it.”

Jonathan sighed. “I do.”

His new companion didn’t press him for details, something Jonathan was painfully grateful for. He wasn’t sure he wanted to talk about it. He wasn’t sure he wanted to think about it, ever.

Gods, but he wanted to kiss Regis again.

The stranger stretched. Jonathan watched from the corners of his eyes and weighed his options. The people of the North didn’t approve of such things. His family had expected him to marry a woman to have children with, an idea Jonathan found repulsive on multiple accounts. He knew what he wanted: a traveling companion. Male. Smart. Mouthy, maybe.

“So,” the stranger said, “what were you sulking about?”

“I’m not sulking. I’m frustrated.” Jonathan sighed. “Have you ever been attracted to someone you shouldn’t be?”

“Haven’t we all?”

“No, I mean, I really shouldn’t be. He’s an ass.” The stranger laughed. “No, seriously. I didn’t care for him at first, but he’s just… so easy to be around.” Jonathan drew out the words, one by one, like he was voicing something he didn’t fully understand. “It’s like there’s no filter between his brain and his mouth. He’s never polite for the sake of being polite. And I guess I’m going to miss him, you know? When all this is over. I’m helping him with this quest, see, and I’m not sure what’s going to happen once we’re done.”

“So why don’t you tell him that?”

“I don’t think he feels the same,” Jonathan said. “I kissed him, and he pushed me away.” He exhaled sharply. “He looked horrified.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much,” the stranger said. “I bet he already has a lover. Someone dashing and handsome. Funny, too. You can’t compete with that.”

Jonathan shook his head. “He’s attracted to women.”

The stranger leaned back in his chair. “So where you’re from, people are only attracted to one gender or the other?”

“Well, yes. Mostly just the opposite gender. I thought you knew that.”

“I knew Northerners had some bizarre taboos,” the stranger said. “I hear you only have sex to make children. Is it true? That’s disgusting. Who associates sex with childbirth?”

“Wait, so, all Tyrians are… are attracted to everyone?”

“You’re thinking of prostitutes,” the stranger said. “And to be honest, I think most of them are just in it for the money.” Jonathan snorted. “You have something on your mouth,” the stranger said. He made a motion across his lips.

“You mean the scar?”

“Mhm. Is there a story behind it?”

Jonathan took another drink. The man was attractive. There was no denying that. And he wasn’t much like Regis, which was important, because Jonathan would give anything to forget that disaster.

He’d told this story before. He usually made something up. This time, he settled for something close to the truth. “When I was a kid, I kissed my best friend. He bit me, leaving—well, this.” He gestured to the scar. “He told my father, who later confronted me. I lied. I said we’d fought, the mark was a knife wound, and my friend was making up stories to get me in trouble.”

“Did your father believe you?”

Jonathan considered the question. His father hadn’t believed him. His father had known everything. His father had never asked him to enjoy sleeping with women, only to keep his perversions quiet. Take a wife. Have some children. Become jarl. Dance like a puppet. Jonathan had nearly lost his mind.

But Jonathan hadn’t told anyone the full story in a very long time, and he wasn’t about to start now. It hurt too much to say out loud. “I think so,” he said. “My father let it go, but my friend never talked to me again. A while later, I found Chartreuse and realized that I was as bad at hunting dragons as I was at bedding women. So I told my family I was going to become an adventurer, and I left.” There was an extended silence. Jonathan groaned. “I’m sorry. You don’t need to hear this. I’m just another drunk raving about his troubles.”

The stranger patted him. “I’m here to listen.”

“You’re just trying to sleep with me.”

The stranger grinned. “Is it that obvious?”

“You keep batting your eyes at me. You’re also trying to get me drunk.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” said the stranger. “You’ve had twice as much as me, and you’re twice as sober. No, I’m trying to get myself drunk. I’m desperately hoping some big, strong alpha-male type will take advantage of me. You know, someone tall, blond, handsome, maybe with a pleasing foreign accent.”

“I bet you think you’re charming.”

“Oh, I do.”

Against his will, Jonathan smiled.

The stranger staggered to his feet. “Alas, it seems you don’t.” He set another coin on the table. “Take my advice. Have another round. Fuck somebody pretty. You might be dead in a week, Jonathan.”

He turned to go. Jonathan reacted purely on instinct, grabbing him by the arm. The stranger looked back, first at Jonathan’s grip, then up, and Jonathan realized what he had done. The contact was illicit, strange. He could feel muscle beneath his grip. “You’re going?” he said.

The stranger chuckled. “To find someone who thinks I’m their type.”

“Types are bullshit,” Jonathan said.

He let go. The stranger didn’t leave. He paused instead, resting his hands on the back of his chair, and rather than sit again, he looked Jonathan up and down. His lips parted, but for once, he seemed to have no witty remark on hand. “Cat got your tongue?” Jonathan asked.

“Hush,” said the stranger. “I’ll think of something in a moment.”

“And here I thought I was being seduced by someone clever. Pity. You almost had me.”

“Oh? I’ll have to try harder.” He laid a hand on Jonathan’s bicep. He ran his thumb over the muscle there, making no coy attempt to hide what he was doing. To be touched so overtly, and by someone he didn’t know… to have this person crowding his personal space… it lit all his senses.

Up close, Jonathan could see that his eyes were not brown, but black as coal. There was a significant pause. Jonathan said, “I thought you were going to try harder.”

“I am trying harder.” He reached out. His fingers brushed past Jonathan’s ear, resting on his nape, and Jonathan held still. The stranger leaned down. A breath away, he held there.

Jonathan had been amused, before.

Now the lighthearted air had transformed into something else entirely. He was keenly aware of how long it had been since he’d had another man, keenly aware of the smell of him: a spicy, heady scent, doubtless something he wore. This was a man who knew what he was doing. “You’re very good at this,” Jonathan said hoarsely.

“I’m very good at a lot of things.”

“Like being arrogant?”

“Among others. I could show you.”

Jonathan kissed him. A curious, chaste brush of lips. The stranger’s breath caught, and the sound of it undid Jonathan completely. He rose from his seat, pulling the man closer to him. Lips parted sweetly, but nothing deepened, each pressing and then drawing away, before at last they let each other go. Jonathan focused on the table. In his haste to stand, he had knocked over his drink.

“I hear the innkeeper put you up for free,” said the stranger. “You have a room?”

Jonathan laughed. “I don’t even know your name.”

He kissed Jonathan’s hand. “Crow,” he said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jonathan.”

Buy the book: Dreamspinner | ARe | Amazon

Meet the Author

At first glance, Evelyn Elliott seems like a perfectly normal person. Do not be deceived.
Her hobbies include watching grisly horror movies, torturing her characters, and tending to her flower garden. She enjoys long walks on the beach and collecting the souls of small children. Whenever she reads a book, she always roots for the villain.

Avoid her at all costs. Certainly do not find her on facebook or befriend her online. You have better things to do.

Where to find the author:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011035004723

Tour Dates & Stops:

8-Apr: Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, BFD Book Blog

11-Apr: Nephy Hart, MM Good Book Reviews

12-Apr: Havan Fellows

13-Apr: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Novel Approach

14-Apr: V’s Reads, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance

15-Apr: A.M. Leibowitz

18-Apr: Bayou Book Junkie, Alpha Book Club

19-Apr: Kirsty Loves Books

20-Apr: Prism Book Alliance, My Fiction Nook

21-Apr: Oh My Shelves

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An Aurora YA Review: The Sun Dragon by Annabelle Jay

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Dragons once roamed the skies, as common as our modern-day airplanes but much more beautiful in their gliding, soaring thermal choreography. Until King Roland and his gold-greedy men defeated them.

Years later King Roland reveals that not only did he let the dragons live, but he turned them into humans so that they could enter the population and breed him an army. Allanah, a sophomore in high school, saves her know-it-all friend Victoria from exactly this fate with magical powers she never knew she had. Allanah’s first high school crush, Jason, reveals that he’s been sent by a secret society of wizards to bring Allanah and Victoria to the Council to have their magical abilities tested by The Egg. Everyone, including Allanah, is shocked by what she produces: the world’s first light dragon.

Allanah must save her best friend and all of the rest of the dragons from Roland’s evil plan, but when she meets the beautiful Dena, a member of the native forest-dwelling Igreefee camp, she must wrestle between her feelings for her new wizard crush, Cormac, and her attraction to Dena.

There were a lot of things I really liked about this book. The biggest thing that I really loved was the characterization of every single character. While main characters in books, and especially YA books, almost always have full and fleshed out characterization, but sometimes the side characters don’t necessarily get the same treatment. In this book, that is not a problem at all. In fact, I found myself connecting more with Victoria than with Allanah. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Allanah too! But my connection with Victoria just showed me that the author really took the time to develop every single character, and not just the protagonist. In fantasy books, and especially modern fantasies like this one, I find that characterization is what keeps the stories grounded in reality and makes it so the audience can still connect with a story that may be very fantastical. In this book, I think the author did a wonderful job with that.

Now, to the actual plot of the book, which overall I really liked. I will say that I had some small problems with the beginning of the book. I found that there was a lot of suspension of disbelief in the first few chapters, and the very first chapter in particular. There were little things that seemed slightly unrealistic to me, and a lot had to be taken on faith.

However, by the end of the book, I had pretty much forgotten about the concerns I had at the beginning which, to me, just showed that the story and characters pulled me in and brought it back. I would say that the book had really picked up by about halfway through chapter two at the very latest, and there weren’t really any other lapses after that, so I didn’t have a huge problem with taking some things at the author’s word toward the beginning.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book, I found it to be a unique idea with very colorful characters no matter how minor they may have been. The author did an especially good job of grounding everything fictional in the modern reality that the book is set in.

Cover art .I really liked the cover for this book. It seems really soft and appealing, in a way that is really nice to me. Obviously we can see the connection to the story, and as you actually read the book you can gather even more information and see some foreshadowing in the cover. The thing I enjoy the most about the cover is the color palette. I think everything works together really well. I really liked this cover and definitely think that its aesthetic would appeal to a lot of people.

Sales Links: Harmony Ink Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 180 pages
Published January 29th 2016 by Harmony Ink Press (first published January 28th 2016)
ISBN 1634763416 (ISBN13: 9781634763417)
Edition LanguageEnglish

SeriesThe Sun Dragon #1

A Free Dreamer Review: Earthshatter by Albert Nothlit

Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

The world is gone. All that’s left are the monsters.

The creatures attacked Haven VII with no warning. An AI named Kyrios, a nearly omnipotent being, should have protected the city during the Night of the Swarm.

Except It didn’t.

No one knows why It failed, or why It saved eight specific people: the Captain, the Seer, the Sentry, the Messenger, the Engineer, the Alchemist, the Medic, and the Stewardess. They have no idea of the meaning behind the titles they’ve been given, why they were selected and brought together, or what Kyrios expects from them. When they awake from stasis, they find their city in ruins and everyone long dead. They’re alone—or so they think. But then the creatures start pouring out from underground, looking for them. They don’t stand a chance in a fight, and with limited supplies, they can’t run forever. All they know is that the creatures aren’t their only enemies, and there’s only one place they can turn. Kyrios beckons them toward Its Portal, but can It be trusted? In Its isolated shrine in the desert, they might find the answers they need—if they can survive long enough to reach it.

First of all, if you dislike creepy crawlies, stay the hell away from this book. This book is about flesh-eating centipedes the size of a housecat. Gross? Absolutely! If that doesn’t scare you off, at least don’t read this while eating. Trust me, I regretted that decision…

You should also be aware that there is no romance in this novel. And by “no romance”, I really do mean absolutely zero romance. Marie is engaged to Alain, but that’s all the romance we get. A past relationship between Alain and Nikos is sort of implied, but that’s very much open to interpretation.*

Looking back, I have absolutely no idea why I actually thought this might be a book for me. I find insects utterly disgusting. So yeah, I did not particularly enjoy this book…

First of all, I had major issues with the MCs, especially the girls. They wake up in the middle of the desert and they have to assume that everybody they know is dead. Instead of worrying about their loved ones, they complain about a lack of lip gloss, conditioner and make-up. What on earth are the boys supposed to think about their appearance? That’s a recurring theme for the two, especially Marie. I found that reaction absolutely unrealistic.

Marie came across as extremely self-centred and a bit of a tyrant. I absolutely couldn’t stand her. It seemed she had a hard time deciding which was worse: having to be in the company of a fat guy (Omar), a crazy kid (Dex) or an immature kid (Kenichi).

Rain was a bit better, but still rather annoying.

Kenichi was also quite annoying, in a very immature, care-free way that absolutely didn’t fit the situation.

Omar’s characterization seemed a little shallow. He mostly thought about how hot Rain was and how hot Marie could be, if she wasn’t such a bitch.

Nikos, Dex and Alain were mostly alright. Probably because they didn’t talk too much.

The world as such was very interesting, but I really would have liked more info about everyday life before the Night of the Swarm.

At the beginning, the plot promised lots of suspense. Later on, that was ruined by ridiculous actions of the MCs. The ending was actually the best part of the whole book, even if I did skim a little to finally get there.

Overall, I didn’t particularly enjoy this book. There was a lot of unused potential. It probably didn’t help that sometimes I just found the descriptions too gross to read. Honestly, it might just me being weird, because there are a lot of very positive reviews about this book.

I won’t read the sequel.

Cover: The cover shows a huge mantis. It definitely fits the creepy and slightly gross feel of the whole book.

Sales Links: DSP Publications | Amazon

Book details:

ebook, 530 pages
Published March 8th 2016 by DSP Publications
ISBN139781634768252
Edition LanguageEnglish

*Note: Most DSP Publications say that their books do not include or have romances as the focus of their stories.

A Paul B Review: The Leprechaun’s Gamble (Gifts of the Fae #1) by A.J. Marcus

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

A leprechaun gets but one chance to find love in the mortal realm. If the leprechaun is successful, they may live out their life with their true love in the mortal world with occasion visits back to the fairy world. If unsuccessful, they must find love in the fairy world which has proven difficult to do. Knowing both the reward and costs, young leprechauns gamble to find their true love.

Ailin is one such leprechaun. Having passed up his chance last year thinking he was too young for such an adventure, he decides to go forth this year. He knows that the portal will open on St. Patrick’s Day and will have until the equinox a few days later to find his love. Having found the portal site, Ailin crosses through then casts a spell to protect himself from the rush of other leprechauns coming through. Once he regains his senses, he heads to town. On the way, he meets a brownie, a dark fairy from another fairy kingdom. Ailin ignores the brownie’s temptations and finds a festival in the nearest town. He is off to find the man who will love him.

Rohan is a farmer to the north of the town. He inherited his grandfather’s farm recently and loves the simpler life. He enters a jig dance contest at the local festival. As competitors begin to drop, he notices the only one keeping up is a good looking red headed man, who happens to be Ailin in his human guise. Impressed that he can keep up, Rohan offers to buy the man a drink at the local tavern. The competitive nature in both men leads to a game of darts where wagers are made by the patrons. Finding the man challenging, he asks the man to come back to the farm with him. Ailin is overjoyed at the possibility that Rohan might be the one and accepts. Now he must turn this attraction to true love in the next few days or else he will never find mortal love.

This is the first book in the Gifts of the Fae series by A. J. Markus. If you are looking for two alpha males you have found it in this book. Both men acknowledge their competitive nature, which includes the size of their equipment. Of course both are well hung, as it seems they have to be the best at everything they do. It was interesting to see Ailin dance around some of Rohan’s questions as Ailin cannot lie to the human but also did not want to reveal his true nature until he know Rohan was the one for him. Overall it was an enjoyable start to this new series.

The cover art is perfect for this book. We have the red headed Ailin with his scruff standing beside the dark haired Rohan wearing what looks like a tam o’shanter. These fit the description of the characters perfectly. The rainbow above the author’s name is a nice touch. Kudos go to Carmen Waters for the cover.

Sales Links: eXtasy Books | Amazon

Book Details

ebook, 53 pages
Published March 14th 2016 by eXtasy Books
ISBN139781487406516
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series: Gifts of the Fae

The Leprechaun’s Gamble (Gifts of the Fae #1)

A MelanieM Review: Fish and Ghosts (Hellsinger #1) by Rhys Ford

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

When his Uncle Mortimer died and left him Hoxne Grange, the family’s Gilded Age estate, Tristan Pryce knew he wasn’t going to have an easy time of it. He was to be the second generation of Pryces to serve as a caretaker for the estate, a way station for spirits on their final steps to the afterlife. The ghosts were the simple part. He’d been seeing boo-wigglies since he was a child. No, the difficult part was his own family. Determined to establish Tristan’s insanity, his loving relatives hire Dr. Wolf Kincaid and his paranormal researchers, Hellsinger Investigations, to prove the Grange is not haunted.

Skeptic Wolf Kincaid has made it his life’s work to debunk the supernatural. After years of cons and fakes, he can’t wait to reveal the Grange’s ghostly activity is just badly leveled floorboards and a drafty old house. The Grange has more than a few surprises for him, including its prickly, reclusive owner. Tristan Pryce is much less insane and much more attractive than Wolf wants to admit and when his Hellsinger team unwittingly release a ghostly serial killer on the Grange, Wolf is torn between his skepticism and protecting the man he’d been sent to discredit.

Goodness know I love a good ghost story and author Rhys Ford, so I was pretty much a happy reviewer when I saw the blurb for Fish and Ghosts by Rhys Ford. And it delivered but it some unexpected ways given the previous series I’ve come to love and associate with this author.

Honestly, its more lighthearted, its quirky and funny. Sure it has ghosts but some of them are of the four-legged type. Tristan has seen a ghost giraffe and a ghostly elephant roam the estate and there’s a certain animal toy that will have you in giggles. Why? Because of who it belongs to. And yes, it has a Irish Wolfhound as well in the tale, a straight arrow to my heart for any story. The pathos surrounding the ghosts is there as well, Ford knows not to leave that out. The aura of mystery, sadness, hope, loss, death… everything we associate with ghosts is present here but presented in enough different ways that might make you sniffle, giggle, and pull back in horror. Yep, Ford ran the gamut here, changing up the pace to keep it interesting, the narrative swift, and the next supernatural blockade their relationship just around the next balustrade.

I loved the characters of Tristan Pryce and Wolf Kincaid. They are well fleshed out, charming in their vulnerabilities and past histories, and so entertaining that I can’t wait for more. In fact I felt that way about most of the secondary characters with the exception of Wolf’s assistants, Gidget and Matt who were more one note, and the least interesting of the bunch. Screechworthy kept coming to mind as it seems that was all the one thing (fighting, I mean, that they did, other than have sex). When you don’t mind if a ghost kills characters, than perhaps you aren’t all that connected to them.

Luckily, I loved everyone else, from Mara to Wolf’s mom. Those are keepers and I hope to see them in the next installments. Surely Tristan’s greedy relatives won’t give up so easily.

Love Rhys Ford, or ghost stories? Love romances with humor and a supernatural element or five? Check out Fish and Ghosts, the first in a new series by Rhys Ford. I recommend it and the author. Its out in a number of formats, from ebook to audiobook. You choose your addiction.

Cover art by Reese Notley. This cover really doesn’t do it for me, especially the representation of Tristan, who is supposed to have long golden hair, thin. Just no, a surprising miss from this author.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 240 pages
Published December 30th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press (first published December 29th 2013)
Edition LanguageEnglish

SeriesHellsinger #1

A Paul B Review: Sealed With Honor (Signed, Sealed, Delivered #1) by Caitlin Ricci and A.J. Marcus

Rating 3.5 out of 5 stars

What should be a happy time for Cam is actually one of dread. A fennec fox shifter from Morocco, his mating has been arranged to another shifter from the state of Washington. According to the rules and traditions of mating, Cam must give up everything from his old life to begin his new life with his mate. The one thing he will miss the most is his childhood and best friend Leo. Cam hopes that his new mate will at least give him the right to contact Leo occasionally to keep up with him, but he does not hold out much hope.

On the night before his mating, Jenner is out with his best friend Taruk. While partying, they are interrupted by a young male with what appears to be more spunk than brains. They resume their evening after the young man’s bodyguard escorts him from the bar. Jenner meets the man the next day and finds out that he is his intended mate. Things get strange when the young man asks why Taruk is touching Jenner, contrary to mating customs. Jenner chalks it up to jealousy. This would become the first of several misunderstandings that the two encounter on the first day of their mating. Cam wonders if his mate’s cluelessness is a bad sign that his mating will be one without love.

This is a good first book in Caitlin Ricci and A.J. Marcus’s new Signed, Sealed, Delivered shifter series. The main focus of this book is the contrasting cultures the different shifter clans have developed, whether from the continent they come from or the species of each shifter.

Cam has spent his entire life protected from anything that might harm him so his father could get a high dowry for him. Jenner has lived a carefree existence, doing wild things with his friends. I felt sorry for Cam and Leo as they feel that this is probably the end of their lifelong friendship. The misunderstandings of mating between Cam and Jenner seem like it comes from a screwball comedy. You just wait for the lightbulb to come on for one of them so that they can resolve their differences. I could see Lucy and Ricky in the scene where Cam hands Jenner the printout that he must read in order for their friends to interact normally with them. The story has me hooked for the next book in the series

The cover art by Latrisha Waters shows Cam in both his human form and his fennec fox form. It is nicely done cover for the book.

Sales Links: eXtasy Books | Amazon

Book Details

ebook, 80 pages
Published March 14th 2016 by eXtasy Books
ISBN139781487406509
Edition LanguageEnglish
URL
SeriesSigned, Sealed, Delivered

Sealed with Honor (Signed, Sealed, Delivered #1)

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Bad Magic (Spell Slave #1) by Evelyn Elliott Release Date: October 28, 2015

Goodreads Link Publisher: Dreamspinner Press Cover Artist: Christine Griffin

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Sales Links: Harmony Ink Press | ARe | Amazon

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Bad Magic (Spell Slave #1) by Evelyn Elliott
Release Date: October 28, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Christine Griffin