Tag: m/m fantasy romance

Author Spotlight: BJ on Author Jaye McKenna

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Author Recs!

 A BJ Author Rec: Author Jaye McKenna

Burn The Sky cover

The first time I picked up a book by Jaye McKenna was during the 2014 Don’t Read in the Closet event put on by the Goodreads M/M Romance group. It was a free story, and it was awesome. Then I found out it was the second of a series, so I went back and read the first freebie book, Human Frailties from the previous year’s event. Then another freebie, Facing the Mirror. I enjoyed all three. I requested a review copy of her newest book, Burn the Sky, and promptly fell in love with the broken ice dragon, Ilya. But it was when I went back and read the expanded version of Human Frailties, Human Strengths that I completely fell in love, irrevocably and head over heels. Ashnavayarian has stolen my heart and its for so many reasons but really, really its just like that quote by Michel de Montaigne, “because he was he.” There is just something magical and unique about him—so strong, yet he has his vulnerable moments. He’s imperfect, starts out self-centered and snarky but he’s growing and changing. And its so fun to see.

This author pushes some of my buttons big time, because I love angst and broken boys. Especially ones with long hair (ok, it’s a fetish of mine!). This author’s boys never have an easy time of it, they go through the wringer a few times over for their HEA. I eat that right up. The heat and sexual tension buildup that I love is always there. There’s snarky characters and witty dialogue.

Then there is her world. Most of McKenna’s stories are set in the same well-developed and nuanced fantasy world. The fantasy stories are separated from the more sci-fi ones by thousands of years, but it all ties in and builds… it sucked me in.

Jaye McKenna serves up magic meets science. Its lovely, nuanced broken boys getting slowly put back together and finding love. With a hefty dose of hot and sexy on top.

                                                                       ~  BJ

 

About author Jaye McKenna –

Jaye McKenna was born a Brit and was dragged, kicking and screaming, across the Pond at an age when such vehement protest was doomed to be misinterpreted as a “paddy”. She grew up near a sumac forest in Minnesota and spent most of her teen years torturing her parents with her electric guitar and her dark poetry. She was punk before it was cool and a grown-up long before she was ready. Jaye writes fantasy and science fiction stories about hot guys who have the hots for each other. She enjoys making them work darn hard for their happy endings, which might explain why she never gets invited to their parties.

You can find Jaye McKenna at the following:

Website , Twitter,  Goodreads Author Page

Human Choices coverHuman Frailties Human Strengths coverBurn The Sky coverPsi Hunter cover

Books You May Have Missed from Jaye McKenna (with links to BJ’s Reviews):

And look for the following books and their reviews from BJ in the upcoming weeks…

  • Psi Hunter (Guardians of the Pattern, #1)
  • Gremlin’s Last Run (Guardians of the Pattern, #2)
  • Ghost in the Mythe (Guardians of the Pattern, #3.0)

A MelanieM Review: Two Hearts One Voice (Mending the Rift #3) by Valentina Heart

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Two Hearts One Voice coverThey are at war, fearing for each other, both carrying the upbringing of their children and the survival of their country. They are kings.

With the future of the throne secured, Rin and Merin still have little time to rejoice for their children or the unity of their kingdoms. Stuck in the middle of a battlefield, their lives prove to be once again at risk, Rin heads out on a long journey home with his heirs, leaving Merin to lead their army.

Rin receives his rightful title of a king from the Kari council and for once feels as if he belongs on the throne without Merin there to guide him. Missing his husband, he raises their children the best he can, but there’s no end to the war in sight and, after months of futile conflicts, Rin sees Merin cut down in battle.

Distraught and with no patience for his council, Rin threatens the Riki, making even his own men fear him.

Can Rin cope alone and still win the war, or will his sorrow mark the end of his reign?

I fell in love with Valentina Heart’s Merin and Rin in the first two stories in the Mending the Rift series.  Two kingdoms, torn by constant warfare, turn to royal marriage to stop the conflict and losses from battle.   Prince Rinin, heir to the throne of Kari Kingdom, has been demanded as a war conquest by King Merinej of Jede.  Rinin is an innocent, sheltered and lovely.  King Merin, a warrior,experienced and bold.  As part of their marriage contract, Rinin demands that Merin be faithful and in return Rinin will  provide the heir Merin needs.  And yes, this is a male pregnancy series.

The first two stories had an interesting format that brought y0u intimately into the thoughts of the main characters.  The first book is narrated by Rinin, the second by Merin and I loved that.  It was even more powerful when the traumatic events of the second story came close to shattering the characters and our hearts.  So I was thrilled to see that the last story in the trilogy was out.  How would it all end?  Who would be the narrator of this final story?

Two Hearts, One Voice by Valentina Heart brings the trilogy to a close with a tale that, while it supplies a satisfactory happy ending, is missing the impact and drama of the first two stories.  And that has to do to the manner in which it is told.  We lose the powerful single person narration to a narrative of multiple points of view and a time frame that goes from immediate events unfolding to years down the line.  Unfortunately, this change up in style brings about a loss of energy and power to the story.  Two Hearts, One Voice fluctuates between powerful scenes of battle to the intrigue of the court, and then back again.  These transitions don’t feel as smooth as they should and the momentum of Merin and Rin’s story gets lost along the way.

Another element that lessens the impact of the finale is that the power of Owner of My Heart (Mending the Rift #2) was so strong and that story so full of pain and loss, that any finale would be hard put to equal its effect upon the reader.  Plus the children grow at such a speed here that its hard to connect with any of them emotionally as we do their parents.  For those readers not fond of mpreg, other than the mention of the children and Rin’s after-childbirth body, this element takes a back-burner to the battles still going on and the mechanisms found at court.

So, while I was not completely satisfied with the story, I still found many wonderful scenes to throw my heart into.  Merin’s segments at the front, Rin’s anger and pain….that made this story sing with life and energy.  That and their love for each other that Valentina Heart made so real and gripping.  I loved their love story most of all and here they get the ending they both deserved and wanted.  I will have to be content with that.

Two Hearts, Once Voice is not a standalone story. As part of a series, the books must be read in the order they were written.  None are long and that works if you want to read them together in one sitting as I did the first two.  I recommend this series. The love story is moving, the mpreg aspect well done, and you get a HEA you want for them both.

Cover art is ok but nothing that really captures your imagination like it should.

Sales Links:  Totally Bound Books – Amazon   Buy It Here

Book Details:

Note: This book and series contains scenes of and references to Mpreg.

book, 95 pages
Expected publication: June 2nd 2015 by Totally Bound Publishing
original titleTwo Hearts One Voice
ISBN 1784305731 (ISBN13: 9781784305734)
edition languageEnglish
seriesMending the Rift #3

Books in the Mending the Rift series:

  • King’s Conquest (Mending the Rift, #1)
  • Owner of My Heart (Mending the Rift, #2)
  • Two Hearts One Voice (Mending the Rift #3)

 

A Paul B Review: For a Dragon’s Redemption (Highland Dragons #5) by Charlie Richards

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

For A Dragon's Redemption coverWhen Chieftain Goth offers Ross McCord’s sister as a bride for an alliance with another clan, the shepherd must find a way to keep his family together. Will the sexy man he meets trying to fulfill the Chieftain’s alternative be able to help him out of his situation?

Ross McCord is a shepherd at the edge of Chieftain Goth’s territory. When summoned to the castle, Ross finds out that the Chieftain has promised his sister to a member of a neighboring clan to form an alliance between the two clans. Having promised his dying mother he would keep the family together, and knowing the fuss his sister would create, Ross asks the Chieftain if there was another way to help the clan, The Chieftain tells Ross that if he is able to find a way to get to the village where the wayward son is living, the betrothal would be called off and Ross’s duty to the clan fulfilled.

Ziethmann is a dragon of the warrior class. However, he tires of the constant drill that the warrior class must undertake to prepare for a future battle. As such he has a tendency to goof off or act up. As punishment for his misbehavior, Ziethmann is assigned additional tasks to help the dragon community. Returning home from one such task, Ziethmann spots a human trying to climb the cliffs to the dragon valley. Recognizing the human as an asda, or human who can mate with a dragon, he investigates.

Ross is attracted to the sexy redhead. Having never been with a man before, he finds that curious. After trying to lie about the reason he is trying to enter the dragon territory, Ziethmann convinces Ross to have some fun. After their encounter, Ziethmann once again asks what Ross is doing trying to get into the valley. Ross tells him about his sister and that he was sent to find the Chieftain’s son, who is another asda.

Things begin to get complicated when two young dragons show up to challenge Ziethmann’s right to Ross as an asda. To make matters worse, when Ziethmann goes to the elder council to get approval for his relationship with Ross, his grand-sire states that he is not worthy of an asda. While this is going on, Ross must make his way back to his clan to try to save his sister from an unwanted marriage and process the existence of dragons in this world. The two new lovers must resolve these challenges before they are able to make their happily ever after.

I enjoy Charlie Richard’s Highland Dragons series and this book is no exception. The dialogue is written partly in a brogue style to emphasize the fact that the series is set in medieval Scotland. The characters of Ross and Ziethmann seem to be perfectly tailored for each other. Ross is the consummate family man who will protect them no matter what. Ziethmann, while mischievous when getting bored about doing the same thing repeatedly, is nonetheless a man of honor who will protect his asda and those he loves. The meeting at the elder council provided something new for Ziethmann, which should alleviate the boredom he has experienced in the past.

This is the fifth book in the Highland Dragons series. As with most of Ms Richard’s series books, it can be read as a standalone but in order to get some of the back story it is best if you read the series in order.

The cover art by Angela Waters is gorgeous. In the foreground you see the muscular shepherd carrying his sword looking at the red dragon of Ziethmann in the background.

Sales Links:  eXtasy Press          Amazon     Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 76 pages
Published March 1st 2015 by eXtasy Books Inc
ISBN139781487402488
edition languageEnglish
seriesHighland Dragons #5
Series: Highland Dragons
For a Dragon’s Touch (Highland Dragons #1)
For a Dragon’s Protection (Highland Dragons #2)
For a Dragon’s Treasure (Highland Dragons #3)
For a Dragon’s Forgiveness (Highland Dragons #4)
For a Dragon’s Redemption (Highland Dragons # 5)
 

A Stella Review: The Fifth Son by Blaine D. Arden

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

A prince without power…

The Fifth Son cover

In a land where magic is commonplace, Prince Llyskel has none. He can’t command spells, he has never been taught to fight, and as the fifth son of the King, he will never rule. Everyone believes he’s a weakling, most of all himself.

Powerlessness is Llyskel’s problem—and his pleasure. In his secret fantasies, the prince dreams of nothing more than finding himself helpless at another man’s hands… particularly the hands of Captain Ariv of the Guards.

Then Ariv makes Llyskel’s dream a reality, and as the powerless prince surrenders to the soldier’s desire, he finds his own true strength at last. But a web of royal politics is closing around Llyskel, threatening to tear him from his lover, and it will take all his newfound courage to escape…

Contains five shaded black-and-white illustrations by Yana Goya

I can officially say I’m becoming a fantasy girl! I’m reading a lot of fantasy books lately and I’m really loving them. This one too. A really well done short story and the beautiful black and white illustrations helped me to visualize better the MCs. The Fifth Son was only the first book I read by Blaine D. Arden but it surely will not be the last. I loved the writing, the plot, the setting, almost everything, except I’d really like to read a little more about this two young men.

I don’t want to linger on the story, the blurb tells you already enough and being a short one, I don’t want to spoil your reading. What I’d like to talk about is the writing. I was really impressed, it’s not only well written book but what I loved the most was the feeling I got while I was reading about the prince and the captain. I was able to feel myself in the story, to see the places they were, the author was very good at bring me with her in a beautiful, colorful world full of magic.

Moreover I wasn’t expecting the little kink aspect in the story. The sweet Llyskel and the protective Ariv were explosive in bed. Having no magic powers at all, Llyskel is almost consider an outcast, but never from his lover and his family. The captain was so supportive of the prince in and out of the bed. And the courting ritual was romantic and cute.

The Fifth Son by Blaine D. Arden is sweet fairytale with some mystery and action thrown in it, nothing too heavy, but a little something that made the story not just a sweet romance but a really interesting and engaging one. I was conquered! Now I’m just hoping the author will give me a chance to read one more installment in this great world building. Highly recommended!

Cover art by Simoné. In this case it was the cover that caught my attention. I love it, the colors, the details, everything fit the story perfectly.

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

Book Details:

Published November 28th 2014 by Cayendi Press
2nd Edition, ebook, 76 pages

A BJ Review: Wizard’s Moon by Josh Lanyon

Rating:  4.5 stars out of 5

“I wish to buy a boy.”

Wizard's Moon coverA handsome one-eyed stranger visits a whoremaster asking to buy a boy and ends up with Faro. But not everything is as it seems, and Faro soon comes to question whether he was purchased for the reasons he’d assumed.

This is not your typical Josh Lanyon, although there is a kernel of mystery to be found. Lyrical and lush writing wrapped me up like a blanket as it whisked me away to another place/time. Knowing this story was short, I deliberately chose not to read it all in one sitting. Because Josh Lanyon writing a rentboy fantasy? I knew this was one to be savored slowly.

Often the fantasy genre invests a lot of storytelling time into world building, sometimes to the point where the story get bogged down in it. I was delighted that it wasn’t the case here. The author gave just the right amount of detail to create an extremely satisfying visual of a dark and moody world that I want to explore.

All the characters were rich and interesting, even those we see for only a short time such as the whoremaster at the beginning and the witch-wife near the end. Moren Ke creeped me out, such evil in a beautiful package. And Faro and Jaxon Re had me intrigued from the beginning. Their connection and chemistry came across well despite the speed of its development.

In the short forty-six pages of this well-written book, we have sexy men, suspense, magic, torture, knife play, angst, sex and mayhem. What more could one ask for? Well, I do wish it had been longer, but overall this is a yummy tidbit.

Lanyon indicates in the afterward that the story was written some time ago. I’m glad he released it for us, but my wish is that he’d expand on it. The end left all sorts of possibilities. Mr. Lanyon, more please?

Cover Artist: ?   Those beautiful eyes in such an intense and sad face set against the lush mysterious background screamed fantasy as it caught my eye. When I saw the author name snugged in small amidst the title, it was an instant had to read.

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


Book Details:

ebook, 46 pages
Published March 8th 2015 by JustJoshin Publishing, Inc.
ISBN139781937909772
edition languageEnglish

A MelanieM Review: Kian’s Hunter (The Fire Trilogy #1) by R.J. Scott

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Kian's Hunter coverKian has crossed over from his world to ours to seek revenge. His plan is to kill the monster who murdered his Uncle. The same monster who used magic to escape to our world and is hiding here and growing in strength.

Regan Campbell is a hunter of Demons. The first son, of a first son, he is the one who protects this world from the monsters that no one else knows are here.

When Kian reaches this world, he knows Regan is the perfect man to fight alongside him, but Regan trusts no one.

It isn’t until they are facing death and a terrible evil that will be let loose, that Regan finally realises he can trust another…his fated partner, Kian.

Kian’s Hunter by RJ Scott is a wonderfully imaginative tale that sets the stage for the remaining stories in this trilogy.  Through our introduction to the main characters, Scott sketches out her trilogy plot and worlds where her stories begin. Kian ap Rhys, a green fire mage come to Earth from a magical parallel world looking to revenge his uncle’s death.  Kian’s uncle had his fire stolen from him by the Danio, an exiled race of magical beings now causing chaos and pain on Earth and Kian has traveled through a portal to find those beings responsible and kill them.  On the flip side of the coin, or parallel world as RJ Scott has it, resides Regan Campbell, human being and hunter.  Regan is the latest in a long line of hunters tracking down and killing said “demons and unnatural beings”.  Regan’s own knowledge of those he’s hunting is sketchy and patchwork.  He mostly concentrates his energies on the hunt and the kill.

When RJ Scott brings these two men together, not only do we get a wonderfully engaging couple on the daunting path to love and a fated bond but the back story for both men and the overall trilogy plot starts to pull together.  Here we find out about the devoted trio of childhood friends torn apart by traumatic event and the basis of the fire magic.  We also get the elementary knowledge as to what the 3 different fire colors mean as far as the type of magic it allows each person to wield.  I love the idea of magic born of fire.  The pictures that create in a reader’s mind is marvelous and as magical as the fire itself.  For Kian…his fire is green and his magic flows from nature.  What that means is explored here in a fundamental way that will be enlarged on down the road in the following stories.

But back to the men.  I found their characters engaging, snarky, and fun.  I loved their banter and the action that brings them together finally as a pair.   I wanted more and more of them both by the end of the story.

What did I find missing?  That would be more of the back history that is coming in Darach’s Cariad and Eoin’s Destiny.  For those that get frustrated with stories that feel as though they are missing elements as this sometimes does, I recommend reading all three stories, one right after the other.  Taken together you have the whole and its wonderful.  Kian’s Hunter is but the first puzzle piece, waiting for the rest to complete it.   As such, it does the job its supposed to and pulls the reader into the mysteries and romance of a trio of mages and the great evil that awaits them all.

I highly recommend this story and its companion tales.  For those of you who love romance and fantasy, here is a trilogy for you!

Cover artist Meredith Russell. I’m not a fan of this cover.  It looks as though its for a contemporary romance instead of a fantasy.   Poor job in every element for this cover.

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

Book Details:

Note: this book was originally a short story written in 2010. This version is inspired by that short story and is a complete re-write.

ebook, 2nd Edition, 102 pages
Published March 19th 2014 by Love Lane Books (first published December 1st 2010)
ISBN139781311226518
edition languageEnglish
url http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/kian.html
seriesThe Fire Trilogy #1

Books in the Fire Trilogy:

Kian’s Hunter (The Fire Trilogy #1)
Darach’s Cariad (The Fire Trilogy #2)
Eoin’s Destiny (The Fire Trilogy #3)

A MelanieM Review: The Oracle’s Golem (The Oracle #3) by Mell Eight

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Cover - The Oracles FlameOnce Golem was the proud Dragon of the Earth.  Then the Oracle’s plans for him left him broken and despairing.  In his pain and rage, he left the society he was born into, melding in all ways, including physically, with the mountain they live on. And there the Golem hid deep within its recesses, paying little notice to the passing of years or the actions of the people he came from.

Then one day a child falls asleep in his lap …

That child is Lichen, the gifted problem child of the Earth Caste and he is followed Marl, a lowly Earth caste member who is chosen to look after Lichen and keep him out of trouble.  Marl came out of his testing with only brown dirt and a seed on his back, instead of the more impressive and powerful designs that would have boosted his status and gifts.  Marl has been content to garden and use the gifts he has in gentle ways, including looking after a lonely, intelligent child easily bored with his lessons.

Prodded by the attentions of Lichen and Marl, Golem slowly returns to human form and awareness of the struggles of the people around him.  When the truth of Golem is revealed,  it just might make Marl choose between his duty or the person he has come to love: Oracle or Golem?

Once more Mell Eight has delivered an enchanting fairy tale in The Oracle series, an imaginative and wholly captivating universe.  The Oracle’s Golem is a prequel (in a manner) to The Oracle’s Flame (The Oracle #1)  and The Oracle’s Hatchling (The Oracle #2) as the events that take place in this tale start off in the years preceding those stories.  In fact, Golem is the prime figure in the main drama of The Oracle’s Hatchling, something that the reader will easily recognize early on.

Every part of Mell Eight’s enchanting universe is fascinating and fully developed to include rich details and layers of mythology.  Four castes of Elementals, and which caste you belong to is decided at a ritual testing ruled over by the Oracle.  Where a person falls within the  Caste they are ordained for is revealed by a  tattoo or pattern that appears on their back, much like a tattoo.  Only these tattoos change and come to life.  At the pinnacle of each Caste is a Dragon, whether it be the Dragon of Fire (first story), the Dragon of Ether (second story), the Dragon of Water (still to come) and the Dragon of Earth which is featured here.  Then the levels (and people) drop in status and power and are given names accordingly.

Here is another brilliant element of this author’s universe, the names.  The name corresponds to a element of each person’s caste.  All Earth caste members have names that come from the Earth.  Marl’s name (he is a lowly caste member)  describes the clay and calcium deposits that fertilize soil.  Lichen?  That’s a composite of a number of organisms and has many uses so, yes, high on the scale.  I love how inventive this author is when it comes to naming the characters.  And then there is those fascinating patterns that appear on the back proclaiming each person’s gift and future.  Poor Marl…only a field of brown dirt and a seed, a pattern that makes all the others looks down on him with distain or ignore him all together.  If you find yourself a tad gleeful with anticipation when pondering that design, then this is the book for you.    There are so many layers of meaning to be uncovered and appreciated here.  This is a fairy tale universe for all who love champions, worlds in peril, and unexpected heroes.

Mell Eight’s narrative will draw you in completely into this world and Golem’s pain.  You can almost feel the weight of the earth on top of him as he sits, so a part of the mountain that his appearance is that of stone and soil, just another boulder for a lonely, bored child would use to climb and sit on when escaping his lessons.   Which is exactly how Lichen finds him.   We move from past to present and back again easily, sliding through the years and memories of the characters.

I really have only two issues with this story.  One, it felt that the ending came a little too quickly, and secondly, that rushed feeling made it feel a tad incomplete.  I could have wished for a chapter wherein it seemed like only pages, a slight flaw in my opinion.  But the world and stories Mell Eight has created for The Oracle series is far too rich and complex to let such a small issue pull it down.

You could read these stories out of order but you might find yourself saying things like “pirates? where did the pirates come from?”.  That won’t happen if you read them in the order the author has written and released them.  I love this series and eagerly await the next installment.  Pick them all up today, including The Oracle’s Golem.  It’s the perfect present to give yourself for the holidays.

Cover artist London Burden does a great job of branding this series with the stylized dragons on the covers.  Love it.

Sales Links:   Less Than Three Press  (preorder now)            All Romance (ARe)      links to come      amazon             buy it here

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: January 21st 2015 by Less Than Three Press
original titleThe Oracle’s Golem
ISBN139781620045152
edition languageEnglish
seriesThe Oracle #3

Book in The Oracle series:

A MelanieM Review: The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate by Kay Berrisford

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

The merman and the Pirate coverRaef’s mother brought him up on tales of true love and humans when he was young.  Now grown, Raef, a lonely merman, spends his days watching the dashing Lord Haverford from afar and dreaming of romance.  The current chief of their tribe forbids any contact with humans but Raef refuses to give up his romantic dreams and spends his time watching for his prince. When Haverford is robbed by a pirate, Raef vows to reclaim the stolen goods, hoping his victory will buy him the happiness he yearns for with Haverford.

Jon Kemp is not your ordinary pirate, something Raef finds out when he steals aboard Jon’s ship in an attempt to recover Haverford’s stolen goods. But what happens next is surprising to all and leads the young merman on an epic quest to right wrongs and find true love…for merman and pirate, whether they want it or not.

Truly, this is a tale that should start off “Once upon a time, there was a lonely merman who longed for love” because this story, The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate by Kay Berrisford has all the hallmarks and qualities of the classic fairy tale.  Stories of mer folk, especially gorgeous mermen abound these days and each offers its own take on the mer folk lore and myth.

Rafe in The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate harks back to the littlest mermaid, that timeless story whether it be Hans Christian Andersen’ original fairy tale or Disney’s version.  Here as the story opens we find the young Rafe listening to tales of love from his lovelorn mother.  They enchant him and fill the babe with visions of a forever love and humans, dreams that increase their hold on him the older he becomes.  Those bedtime stories gain increasing value when his mother dies, leaving Rafe is alone in a tribe turned restrictive and cold by a new chief with his own pain and agenda.

I loved that Berrisford captured the spell woven by Rafe’s mother at that young age and the loneliness felt by the older Raef who is unable to let go his romantic yearnings.  This fits so beautifully into the fairy tale trope, from the lyrical quality of the narrative to the “casual adult cruelty” that drives Rafe to break the rules and strike out for love.

You have the beautiful prince observed from afar, someone surely worthy of love or so Rafe thinks with only his stories to go by.  Pirates or Kluggites as they are called by the mer folk are horrible things, to be avoided at all costs.  So when one appears to have stolen something from the beauteous prince, Rafe thinks he must not only get it back but feels he has an avenue made to approach his prince and find true love.  Rafe’s naivete is both charming and typical of the fairy tale hero, who are usually sort of clueless about the realities of the world around them.  Again, Kay Berrisford is sticking to the rules of the classic tales, albeit with a LGBTQ twist or two or four.

The romance is light, fun and frothy.  The adventure they set out on is fraught with peril,  an adorable merman as well as virtuous maidens who need saving (including one that is more than capable of saving herself), cannons firing on the high seas, and more scary rescues and escapes to satisfy those readers who require that in their tales of pirates and love.  I had such fun reading this story.  It was enjoyable quick read and wonderful entertainment.

The only issue that brought it down for me was one that could have been left out all together.  In a fairy tale, I don’t need any mer folk natural history lessons or rational for species.  In fairy tales, they just are.  However, Berresford felt the need to include her take on why they can shift into human form and then back again.  It involves procreation and, quite frankly, makes no sense what so ever.  Look at all the mammals living in the seas.  They certainly don’t need legs to further their species, they do just fine as they are with the appendages they have.  That much detail just doesn’t work in something so lighthearted. Yet, Berrisford returns to this again and again.  And the more she does so, the more illogical her “mer folk biology” created for this story appears.  At certain points in the story, I spent more time mentally poking holes in her world building than I did focused on the story.  Not something an author wants to hear.

But, that aside (and buried deep under the conch shells where it belongs), this is a lovely, lighthearted fantasy escape.  Rafe is a joy and Jon, a charmer who steals the heart of a young merman and readers alike.  The secondary females characters are strong, layered people with surprises of their own for the readers.  I loved them too.

If you are in the mood for a lovely, frothy, fairy tale romance, then Kay Berresford’s The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate is just the story for you.

 Cover Artist Julie Wright.  What a gorgeous cover.  It drew me in with its lush design and wonderful characters. Loved it.

Sales Links:  Less Than Three Press      All Romance (ARe)      amazon      buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 214 pages
Published July 30th 2014 by Less Than Three Press (first published July 29th 2014)
original titleThe Merman and the Barbarian Pirate
ISBN139781620043981
edition languageEnglish

A MelanieM Review: Darach’s Cariad (The Fire Trilogy #2) by R.J. Scott

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Darach's Cariad coverWhere once there were three who were as close as brothers, now there is only one who remains in the land.  Darach Gravenor is a keeper of blue Fire. He is alone in his world because one of them, Eoin, died consumed by his amber fire.  Kian, the second of them has fled to Earth, forever out of reach. All Darach can think of is to follow Kian to the Other World now that Darach is older and able to rescue his friend.  But to accomplish this impossible mission, Darach needs help and from the one people he has always been told were horrors unto themselves and banned from his city.  But Darach knows that a Cariad has crept into their city and been captured.  Now all he has to do is rescue the Cariad and get him to help Darach travel to the Other World.

Ceithin Morgan’s brother Trystan was a wielder of the amber fire, and that was reason alone for someone to kidnap and kill  his beloved brother.  Ceithin seeks answers and revenge upon those who killed Trystan,  answers he believes he can find within the forbidden city.  Ceithin is a member of the Cariad, a nomadic tribe still connected to the old magic.  Captured and tortured for his  power, the last thing he expects is to be rescued by Darach.

Both men are on a mission to find theirs to their lost brothers.  Unexpectedly, their journey and missions find themselves bound them to each other in a way neither could have predicted.  Then they come upon some shocking information, and the search that will bring them both to the Other World and Kian.  Soon it’s not just one world but two worlds that need saving….

Darach’s Cariad is the second story in The Fire Trilogy by RJ Scott.  Scott continues to build her universe and complicated mythology needed for her Fire lore and trilogy structure.  There are three fire powers. Green fire which has the qualities of nature, nuture, and protection.  Blue Fire which gives its user the power over water, and finally Gold or Amber Fire, the rarest, most powerful of them all.  Amber fire is used to rule.  But those born with amber fire are few and they have a tendency to disappear shortly after coming into their powers, a mystery that acts as another primary plot thread throughout all the stories.

I loved the world building here.  We start back on Earth (the Other World) with Regan and Kian from the first story in the trilogy, Kian’s Hunter.  Immediately we know that things and Kian’s health have gotten worse.  For those readers not familiar with the first story, this chapter provides enough information on their story and a tantalizing glimpse into the relationship between Regan and Kian.  From there we are transported back to the City, the ruling Council, and the dungeons with its one despairing occupant.  I loved all the various storylines, layered one on top of the other, and soon, to flow into one central plot that will pull all three books together, along with their characters.

Scott skillfully builds her larger trilogy leitmotif, first in small clues and facts scattered throughout the first part of the story, then gathering momentum as the characters themselves start to pool all their knowledge to arrive at a horrific and shocking revelation.  It helps immensely that we are drawn to the complex characters as much as the characters are mesmerized by each other.  Darach is a wonderful combination of youthful confidence and need.  We get his measure and strength immediately and love him for it.  Ceithin Morgan on the other hand is full of arrogance and pain, a member of the Cariad, a gypsy like clan that are the keepers of the old magic and gateway to the Other World.  The Cariad are as fascinating a tribe as all the other engrossing elements that Scott has created here.  The fire of attraction that ignites between them is hot and sexy and layered over with uncertainty.

There is so much information as to the world building and lore that it can sometimes confuse a reader unfamiliar with Kian’s Hunter, but never once will a little confusion make you want to put this story down.  No, instead, once you have reached the end of this story, the only frustration will be at not having the final story to delve into.  This trilogy is addicting and with the resolution just out of reach by the end of Darach’s Cariad, the reader will be left grasping at the clues and revelations that point to a rich, explosive final story.  Don’t be surprised to find yourself heading back to the first story, Kian’s Hunter and begin the journey all over again while you wait for the final book to arrive.

If you are a lover of fantasy and romance, if the idea of different worlds or realms connected to each other by magical portals grab your imagination, this is the series for you.  You can read Darach’s Cariad out of order but the trilogy is far richer if read in the order they were written.  This is definitely a fantasy must read for all.

Cover artist: Meredith Russell.  The fantasy element is minimal, with just a trace of fire at his hands.  I could wish for a little more of the fantastical worlds that Scott has built for us.

Sales Links:  Love Lane Books    All Romance (ARe)       amazon                 buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 133 pages
Published November 7th 2014 by Love Lane Books (first published January 1st 2011)
edition languageEnglish
url http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/new-cover-art-fire-trilogy.html
seriesThe Fire Trilogy #2

Books in The Fire Trilogy in the order they were written and should be read:

Kian’s Hunter (Fire, #1)
Darach (The Fire Trilogy #2)
Eoin (The Fire Trilogy #3)

 

The stories were previously published at Silver Publishing, but have been revised prior to their re release.