Review: Freedom by Jay Kirkpatrick

Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Patrick Henry thought that he had it made. Patrick was tested by the Empath Center at New Las Vegas and now he was being promoted to Class One Empath. As a Class One Empath, Patrick will have all the stability and success he has wanted, an apartment, independence and even a chance to partner and have a family. Patrick has come a long way from being a scavenger on the streets of Neverneverland on the outskirts of New Las Vegas and appreciates everything the Empath Center has done for him. So he is eager to succeed with his first assignment his Adjudicators give him.

The file reads Case #723, John Doe 439 and it is Patrick’s first solo assignment. His advisors have warned Patrick that the man has tried to commit suicide several times and is to remain heavily medicated for everyone’s safety, including his own. John Doe 439 was found tortured, raped and unconscious outside the city and since he was brought inside the Empath Center, he has been mute and unmanageable except with drugs. Patrick’s assignment is to try and reach inside to see what is anything is left of the man they call 439.

What Patrick finds is a haunted, beaten and abused man that he is not only attracted to but can actually reach. And the discoveries Patrick makes as he connects with John Doe shatters his notions of the society he lives in and the rules he has lived by. John Doe 439 is actually high-level Psychic Talent named Jac. And Jac’s talents have made him a wanted man. Soon Patrick must decide between the safe confines and regimented society of his world or help Jac flee to freedom in the outside, fighting the government forces every step of the way.

Freedom by Jay Kirkpatrick was listed as one of the Best M/M Book by a Debut Author of 2013 by Goodreads and it certainly deserves that title and more. What an astounding debut novel for Jay Kirkpatrick. I kept returning to the author’s bio, sure to find previous works listed and finding none. It is rare that an author’s first novel packs the emotional punch this one delivers, along with just terrific world building (I can count those other authors with one hand), but Jay Kirkpatrick’s first novel is just amazing.

First of all, Freedom is set sometime in the post apocalyptic future after some catastrophe has hit Earth. Whether the “Blast’s” origin was human or astronomical in nature is never stated but we see how the human societies have restructured themselves, the “civilized society” pulling back from the contaminated “outside”, where touch and the notion of romance is frowned upon and people are elevated by their “gifts” to a level where they are granted education, housing, safety and perhaps even a “partnership”. A white city peopled with those in white, all seemingly isolated by their very politeness and niceties, a very chilling place to be sure. Jay Kirkpatrick does a remarkable job in letting us feel how safe and content Patrick is within these regimented walls while still portraying how stark and barren of life the Empath Center and the City really is. As Patrick meets John Doe 439 and we accompany Patrick through the halls and rooms that house John Doe and others, we start to get an uneasy feeling about the place and the rules Patrick has lived by, just as Patrick does. The author slowly builds our suspicions and unease with each chapter until we feel like screaming at Patrick to grab Jac and run. At that point, the reader is completely lost within the story and the plight of Patrick and Jac. A perfect blend of skillful world building, complex storyline and great characterizations.

I can tell you that Jay Kirkpatrick had my stomach was churning with apprehension, because the author had lead me so skillfully to the point that I was so fearful for Patrick and Jac’s future. I was absolutely invested in these characters and others around them because they were 100 percent real to me at that moment. We watch Patrick evolve from a citizen complacent in his gilded cage he didn’t even know he was in to one shattered by the truths he uncovers and the person who revealed them to him. A transformation made all the more believable because of Jac, the wounded, abused psychic Patrick heals and then loves. Jac is also a beautifully realized character. His abuse and the events that set off his broken mental state are shown to the reader in flashes, the worst of which occurs “off stage” as it were but the horrors inflicted upon Jac and others is still brought home to the reader and Patrick with skill and sensitivity. And the villains are made more chilling because of their absolute belief in the rightness of their actions.

This book is divided into two sections. The first called Confinement, taking place within the Empath Center and focuses on Patrick and Jac’s meeting and slowly building relationship. The second is called Escape where Patrick realizes his world and work are a sham and has to decide whether to stay or flee with Jac. That is all I will say but the focus does shift from the personal, intimate stage of Jac and Patrick to a much larger focus, with more characters introduced and a greater reveal of the world outside. I think Jay Kirkpatrick handles the shift in focus smoothly and realistically. And while I do understand the direction the author took with the narrative, I might have preferred the focus to have stayed narrowed to Patrick and Jac, but that’s just my preference. Not all will feel like that.

The only quibble keeping me from a 5 star rating is a power one character demonstrates late in the book that had me wondering why it did not reveal itself before. Either I missed something or this new power came out of nowhere, giving me a “huh” moment at the end of the story. But that small quibble aside, the ending was everything I expected from this story and its author. Heartrending, satisfying, while still leaving room for more to come.

So run, don’t walk to the nearest eBook store and grab this up. What a remarkable debut, what a marvelous journey Jay Kirkpatrick takes us on. I can’t wait to see what Kirkpatrick will come up with next. This will be one of my top books of 2013.

Cover art by Anne Cain, just perfection in every way.

Freedom by Jay Kirkpatrick

Dreamspinner Press, novel length, 232 pages

Buy link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3618

Review: Creature Feature by Poppy Dennison and Mary Calmes

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Diagnosis Wolf by Poppy Dennison

Rating: 4 stars

Andrew Hughes life sucks and its all due to his twin brother. For as long as Andrew can remember his twin has caused problems for everyone, especially Andrew. His brother has gambled, lied, then stolen Andrew’s identity and savings. This has left Andrew miles deep in debt, with an unsalvagable credit rating, and scrambling to rebuild his life and move forward. Andrew can’t afford to be choosy, so when his temp agency offers him a job with a client that has run off all other nurses, he takes it for the money he can’t afford to turn down.

His client is Caleb DiMartino and no one will let him see his chart or tell Andrew what illness his new client has. Caleb comes with armed body guards, a mansion and an intimidating father. But the pale unconscious patient pulls Andrew in and Andrew wants to help him despite the mystery that surrounds him. But the truth behind Caleb’s illness will bring Andrew’s brother back into his life and pose a threat to Andrew and Caleb that neither expects.

Diagnosis Wolf spells out the problem in the title and wolf shifters is something that Poppy Dennison is very familiar with. She has her own take on wolf shifters and does a great job in creating a universe for them and Andrew. Andrew is a lovely, sympathetic character whose twin brother has made his life miserable their entire lives. I liked that Andrew had reached a point with his twin where he no longer enabled his twin’s problems (that his brother stole his identity and savings helped push Andrew over the edge). I loved that Andrew was a nurse and his empathic caring nature made it plausible that he would stay with Caleb, even as the situation escalated past complicated and into scary.

I had some issues with the villain of the piece because I kept wondering how it was that the rest of the pack had not figured it out. And maybe a little more exposition would have been nice with respect to Andrew’s brother, Danny and his future at the end. But those issues aside, I loved Poppy’s wolf shifter culture, especially when it came down to the mate bite and the politics surrounding it. So nicely done and the complexities surrounding the status of the bite made the “aha” moment more angst and adrenaline filled. It also made the slow build to a permanent relationship between Caleb and Andrew extremely satisfying at the end. All in all, a really lovely story.

Landslide by Mary Calmes

Rating 4.5 stars

Courier Frank Corrigan is injured again and while he is waiting for his wounds to heal, he gets a call from his sister, Lindsey. Lindsey is in trouble as usual, but this time her impetuousness has lead her to get bitten by a werewolf who just so happens NOT to be her fiance. And the wedding is this week and she doesn’t know what to do and needs her big brother now. Frank feels certain that his boss, the demon Cael Berith has the solution to his sister’s problems. But Frank is also certain that there will be a price to be paid for Cael’s assistance. Cael told Frank that Frank was Cael’s mate. That was three years ago and Cael’s patience is running out. With a love hungry demon on one side and a werewolf sister to be on the other, what will Frank do to save the situation and perhaps his love life in the bargain?

I will admit this was my favorite story of the two. It was perfect Mary Calmes in every way from the characters involved to the plot. First let’s take a look at the characters. Paranormal courier Frank Corrigan is tall, a former Marine who just so happens to be a mihr. A mihr is a mutant human who has all the typical human frailties except that he cannot be influenced by any otherworldly magic or glamour or tricks. And in the universe Mary Calmes has created for Landslide, this makes Frank the perfect go between the paranormal beings. It seems that wolf shifters, vampires, ghouls, demons and what have you exist openly in human society. All must register with Homeland Security and various rules and regulations apply to their movement and existence within human societies. Take everything currently going on with border regulations and green cards, illegal aliens and extrapolate that times ten and you begin to get the picture that Calmes is so vividly painting for us.

Into this world, we meet Frank, a bundle of complexities. A former Marine with excellent combat skills, he also has huge self image issues and an abusive family in the background that has made him doubt his worth and attractiveness. His friends are a odd group of non humans, and his sister is his one family member who loves and supports him. Frank also has a secret that is helping to keep the one person he wants at a distance. And that would be his current boss who also claims Frank is his mate.

Incubus demon Cael Berith is 1,000 years old and only now has he found his mate in Frank Corrigan. But misunderstandings and Frank’s insecurities have kept them apart for three years and a demon can only take so much frustration. Cael is such a mouthwatering character. He has so many facets to his personality. Scary demon, check. Romantic suitor? Check. Patience personified? Check and check. Mary Calmes makes us see Cael in all of his dimensions and still gives us a character to fall in love with. And when you add him to the soft, insecure and honorable Frank Corrigan, well then, just sit back and watch the sparks fly.

Typical of a Mary Calmes story we also are given memorable secondary characters too from the werewolf called Charming to Sheriff Gordy Roller. All perfectly drawn with interesting layers of their own. As the ending neared, I found myself wanting to know more about Lindsey’s future and other peripheral characters. And I wanted more of what life had in store for Frank and Cael.

And that is almost always the issue with these anthologies or collections. If the plots are well done and the characters engaging, then when I reach the end I find myself wishing for more. But Creature Feature has plenty to offer from Poppy Dennison and Mary Calmes in terms of great stories and characters that will stay with you. Pick up some popcorn and settle in for an afternoon double feature. You are going to love it.

Cover Art by Paul Richmond just takes you back to the theatre and the Saturday matinees with the double features and creatures galore. Just perfect.

Review: Storm Season by Nessa L. Warin

Rating: 2. 5 stars

Storm season is coming and ranch owner Jasper Borland and the rest of the townspeople of Brightam’s Ford are preparing their farms, shops and homes for the months during the wet season when they will be inside, safe from the destructive weather of the season. With rain that can strip off a man’s skin and hail that demolishes buildings, most people even have safe rooms that they can escape to if necessary.

During one of the precursor storms that lead into the wet season, Jasper finds a young man, Tobias Thatcher, wounded and scrounging for shelter near his barn. Tobias is amazed to see Jasper talk to him and when he touches Jasper’s lips, Tobias’ thoughts fill Jasper’s mind. Tobias is a telepath from a race of telepaths. He has never seen someone talk before. Jasper takes in Tobias to give him shelter and bind his wounds. Much later Jasper learns that Tobias’ sister has been kidnapped and he is trying to find her. When the same people come for Tobias, Jasper agrees to help Tobias in his quest to recover his sister. But the dark forces find them first, and both men must flee Jasper’s home to avoid capture. With the storms coming and every move they make being watched, can Jasper and Tobias find his sister before its too late for all of them?

Well, let’s just make this short, shall we? Nothing about this book works. I usually try to find some redeeming feature or positive aspect of the story to report on but really there’s nothing here to grab onto. Starting with her world building, nothing makes any sense. We are given very little information about the planet they are on or the civilizations scattered across the continent. Apparently, the majority of the time (11 months or less depending upon the paragraph), the climate is mild, but for one (or several months again, all facts here are very “fluid”), the climate turns killer and all flee inside, locking themselves away until the season is over. Apparently the weather is worse towards the coast so many move inland (towards the river/sea?), a wild territory I think. Goods are moved by ships which is just darn confusing because where do all those huge ships go during storm season? Apparently, they have cars, trucks and trains but on a very “non tech” level. Again, what? Its as though the author can’t decide if this is Little House on the Prairie time or space colonists without a clue. Phones, letters but the technology they would accompany those things are missing. Just bits and pieces cobbled together that never come close to any cohesive history.

The characters are much the same although I have to admit I have not had a character that I could classify as dumb as a box of rocks before. That would be Jasper. Where to start? Jasper never questions anything. A person shows up who is a telepath, a heretofore unknown creature, who can project his thoughts and feelings onto him and what is Jasper’s response. Nothing, just invites him in without question. No really, Jasper doesn’t ask him any questions. No “hey man I can hear your thoughts, that’s cool,” no freaking out, nada. Then the man’s dog shows up who is over the top smart. Questions? Nope. Crazy man with green and black facial tats, Matrix like overcoats, and jewels embedded in their hands, they have guns, things that scream bad men. Questions? Nope. So of course, he opens the door. Jasper has one layer and its total absence of any interesting features let alone common sense makes him one dull boy.

Tobias comes close to Jasper. Yes, he is a telepath, just not a smart one. It’s a case of dumb and dumber go to an alternative universe or whatever. Tobias has one conversation over and over. Condensed it amounts to : “Someone is coming. They are here. Run.” Repeat often. He also sets off town riots (cue the pitchforks and torches), and is adamant that they have to find his sister. When he gets hurt , Tobias still says he will set out to find her (although he can’t walk), so you assume she has just been recently kidnapped, correct? Uh, no, that event occurred over a year prior but he is just now in a panic? And don’t get me started on characters that are given large roles than disappear forever or the fact that these people write letters, have phones, cars and such but no one knows of the group of telepaths that live over the rise and visa versa? Big things don’t add up, little things don’t add up. Nothing makes any sense and after a while, you stop trying or caring about any of it.

And then there are the unintentional howlers you find throughout the story. The book is just past the halfway point and it looks like the boys are going to have sex, (their attraction to one another comes out of nowhere). Now at one point, Tobias pushed his feelings onto Jasper who wasn’t happy about it. Now as they head to bed, this conversation occurs:

Tobias: “It’s too hard to stop, too hard to keep it from happening, and if I lose that concentration, I don’t know that I’ll get it back. I know I won’t get it back if I have to try again and again and again”

Jasper: “huff. “I need to know that you’re not going to make me feel things.”

Wait, what? Isn’t that the perfect time to “feel things”? *head desk*

Plus the cliched scenes are endless. Kryee, Tobias’ dog is hunting him and here is the passage:

“What is it, girl?” Jasper asked, crouching to scratch behind the dog’s ears. He was allowed to for only a moment before she barked again and repeated her earlier antics. Carla sauntered up, her hands stuffed into her jacket. “I think she wants you to follow her.” It was a brilliant idea.

Thata girl, scifi Lassie, we get it. Timmy’s in the well. Now disappear from the narrative.

I could continue quoting but really, what’s the point? I could pick any passage in the story and you would be able to see the lack of originality, problems with continuity, shallow characterizations and poor dialog that abounds in Storm Season. This is the first book I have read from Nessa L. Warin so I have no idea if this is typical of her writing or something out of the norm for her. I sincerely hope it is the latter. At any rate, I read this so you didn’t have to. Give it the pass it deserves.

Cover: Two generic guys in generic winter wear. Problems with this book are everywhere, including the cover.

Review: Silver/Steel (Arcada #2) by Belinda McBride

Rating: 4 stars

Dream Hunter Dylan Ryve has one last mission to fulfill, one last hunt to finalize so his geas is honored and he will be free of the one who has entraped him. The problem is that the one he hunts is inside the town of Arcada and the town won’t let him inside. Frustrated Dylan waits outside of town in a bar hoping for a way in when a young shifter looking for trouble enters the bar and promptly finds it. Travis Feris is young, impulsive, and insecure and he hides his pain behind outrageous behavior and stupid acts of hostility. These actions often find him deep in trouble and this night is no different. But the men he chose to offend have a far more ruthless, horrific plan for Travis and only the actions of fae named Dylan saves unconscious Travis.

When the town lets Dylan bring Travis home to heal, the assassin has his way clear to find his target and complete his bounty. But things are never that easy in Arcada. First of all there is Travis. Dylan sees the true nature of the shifter and Travis’ innocence and inner beauty calls to him as nothing has in a thousand years. And worse, Travis seems to return his interest,and affection. Plus Arcada is talking to him, making him question his path and his future. The town makes Dylan remember what it feels like to have a home and people around him to care for him. But always there is Travis, luring him in, making him question everything. During one night as Dylan walks Travis’ dreams to help the shifter find his path, he inadvertently shares much of his own history with Travis too. And in his vulnerability, Dylan opens himself up to love and the possibility that he will fail in his mission, forfeiting his freedom and possibly his life.

But the evil that owns Dylan is waiting impatiently for Dylan to complete the last mission and when it stalls, he takes things into his own hands, putting Arcada and its inhabitants in peril. Will Dylan betray Travis and all of Arcada to finish his bounty or will he make the ultimate sacrifice to save those he loves?

This is a very different book from Blacque/Bleu which started the series I have fallen in love with. And it is that difference that most readers will have a problem with when approaching Silver/Steel. I too found I had some basic issues with this story and even, now find myself wavering in my feelings over some of its elements and scenes. But let’s start with some of the basics first.

I love the whole idea of Arcada, the sentient town that gives the series its name. In Silver/Steel, the town makes an actual physical appearance, in that it gives itself a temporary shape and we learn a little more about it, but never enough to satisfy the questions that the story brings up. I love everything about this town. Its protective nature, the fact that it nurtures a diverse group of citizenry from gremlins to a pack of wolf shifters and everything in between. Such a great idea and I look forward to how the author develops this concept further. This is one of the best elements of the series.

Then we come to McBride’s characters. I fell in love with Lukas Blacque and Oliver Bleu immediately and never lost my connection to them throughout the novel. That did not happen here. Travis Feris initially comes across as a sullen, somewhat infantile brat. He is constantly picking fights, he’s impulsive to the point of obnoxiousness and although everyone tells us how talented he is, we are given almost no examples of his artistry. He is just not that likable at the start. Then McBride pairs him up with a main character his equal in spirit and inability to connect with the reader. Dylan Reyvn is an ancient fae who gave up his freedom to save others but that is not the person we meet, Instead we are given a single minded killer on a mission. The complexities of this character reveal themselves more slowly and with each revelation, I found my liking for Dylan growing as well. For me that never really happened with Travis. Travis remained a five note character. Loves Mom, loves Pack, loves Arcada, loves Dylan and some bdsm. Where as for Dylan, he has a past to equal his many layered persona and I appreciated that. True, the Travis at the end of the book is far more palatable than the first one we meet, but I never felt that the growth he achieved was realistic within the context of the story. Dylan on the other hand is on the cusp of a major transformation and I wished that we would have seen more than just hints of what the future has in store for him and Arcada.

Finally, there are two more elements that have me divided about the story. One is a major scene towards the end of the book where our main characters and the evil fae come together in a traumatic scene that for me was just on this side of nauseating. It was very well done in terms of the emotions it will bring forth from the characters and the readers. However, that said, it was just not my thing and only my need to get to the end took me through it. For others, it won’t be a problem at all. But I found it a little too graphic in nature for my comfort zone. There are elements of bdsm and dominant/submission here between Dylan and Travis that do fit in with their personalities. I didn’t mind that so much, but others might. No, my largest quibble I save for the plot at the end. We have a major battle going on, we see and hear some of the aftereffects. This section is very well done. But where is the conclusion to this part of the story? I don’t want to give anything away by going into details but what happened to the instigators here? I went back and forth, electronically flipping pages and found nothing to satisfy my biggest question. That frustration alone almost knocked this story down into a 3 rating. But maybe it really is there and I just could excavate it out. If you know otherwise, write me and tell me where it happens. Perhaps McBride is saving this for the next novel in the series. If so, then she could have done better than just vanishing an important thread to the woods and leave it dangling there.

So, yes, this book has some remarkable components and characters that will grow on you if you take the time to get to know them. Lukas Blacque and Oliver Bleu are back as well. It is not a stand alone book by any means, you need to have read the first in the series to have a basis for this one. Not a problem as that is a 5 star rating story. There are some editing issues here, some vanishing plot threads as well but the town of Arcada is mesmerizing and will keep you coming back for more. So will the promising stories of the various inhabitants you meet here. I want to know what happens to them too. Belinda McBrides offers you so many tantalizing glimpses of future Arcada stories that she has me truly hooked. You will be too. So pick this one up, just lower your expectations a little as you find yourself in Arcada once more for another terrific paranormal tale.

Cover is the least favorite thing about this book. From the models to the poor photoshop work, just awful.

Books in the Arcada series in the order they were written and should be read to understand the characters and the plots:

Blacque/Bleu (Arcada #1)

Review: Blacque/Bleu (Arcada #1) by Belinda McBride

Rating: 5 stars

Lukas Blacque is a werewolf in a unique position. A son of the alpha wolf, he prefers life lived on the fringes of the pack, removed from pack politics. He has a college degree but prefers his car shop, bringing old vehicles back to life as well as performing normal maintenance. Another surprising element is that he is lonely for a shifter with a pack, but he has a secret. Lukas Blacque is gay and deeply in the closet and so for that his lifestyle works as long as no one looks too closely. There is one person who has caught his interest but the danger factor is too high for him to act on it, and that would be his neighboring vampire in the shop next to his. But he refuses to act until one night when his father decides to change everything and Lukas’ life is upturned.

Oliver Bleu is a vampire plagued by nightmares from his time on the front in WWI, nightmares which keep him from sleeping and replenishing his strength. Now he finds himself slowly fading away, even his hunts don’t quench his hunger. But then there is his neighbor next door to Oliver’s shop. Oliver knows he is more than attracted to the shifter, Lukas’ blood might be able to bring him back to strength. The walls between their businesses are thin and he hears the family arguments going on next door when Lukas’ father arrives for a meeting with his son. When Oliver goes to check on Lukas, their encounter turns into a passionate weekend neither can forget nor wants too as lust turns into love.

But Lukas has made a commitment to his father and his pack, and is determined to honor it even if it breaks his heart and Oliver’s as well. Lucky for both shifter and vampire, they live in a very special town who looks after her citizens, And when evil from Oliver’s past follows him to Arcada, things are set in motion that will have lasting impact on all around, including Lukas and Oliver.

I just loved this book. It is the first book by Belinda McBride and it puts her on my must have list immediately. From the start she gives her characters a marvelous world in which to inhabit, the town of Arcada. The town is sentient and although we don’t know how that happened, her affection for the diverse citizenry reveals itself in a myriad of ways. Perhaps she makes it impossible for them to leave or her protection manifests itself in prodding others to act in ways that benefits others. No matter, Arcada is a benign and loving presence and this leaves us just dying to know more about the town and its diverse community of humans, vampires, shifters, fae and so many others that we are given brief glimpses of.

But the heart of the story is McBride’s characters, Lukas Blacque and Oliver Bleu, a terrific play on words that fits in beautifully in their interactions with each other. Lukas Blacque is a complex giant of a man, gentle of spirit, lonely and sad because as much as he wants to be a part of his pack due to his wolf nature, the fact that he is gay keeps him separated and aloof. He is such a lovely creation that we connect to him immediately and we can empathize with him at this point in his life. Then we meet Oliver Bleu, in many ways the anthesis of the vampires we have meet in other novels. Far from the powerful, immortal beings we have come to expect, Oliver Bleu is a victim, struggling to survive. In a horrific element of the story, we learn that Oliver died from mustard gas in the trenches at the front. If you were not familiar with the horrors of WWI before, by the time you learn how Oliver was affected, the true evil that man can create in the name of war will be brought home in gritty, pus filled painful authenticity. Sometimes the horror of the paranormal universe has nothing on the real one we already live in.

Circling around these main characters are others of equal strength and complexity. From Dane Blacque, the Alpha wolf to Lukas’ sister and Oliver’s great grand daughter (yes, you read that right), McBridge gives us one compelling persona after another to capture our interest and move her narrative forward. Even her villains have a startling depth to them that enables you to feel some compassion for them even as you hate their actions, past, present and fear what they are going to do in the future.

This is the first in the Arcada series and really after one memorable walk through town with Lukas and Oliver, you can see she has the basis for many books to come in the fascinating town dwellers and their identities as revealed in bits and pieces. My only quibble is that I felt it ended too soon. That’s what happens when all the right elements come together in a story that will stay with you after you are finished reading it. Blacque/Blue is just that story. Now I am on to the next with great anticipation. I will let you know what I find. But pick this one up and start reading. You are going to love it!

Books in the series in the order they were written and should be read:

Blacque/Bleu (Arcada #1)

Silver/Steel (Arcada #2)

Cover art is just gorgeous and perfect for the story within.

Snowquestration, A Time Change and the Week Ahead in Book Reviews

For those of you outside of the DC Metropolitan Area, you may not have known but on Wednesday last week this area was expecting a snow storm of “historic” proportions. Forecasters got out their shovels and measuring sticks as the TV channels were full of giddy meteorologists pantomiming digging out driveways and anchors were busy imploring people to be prepared and stay home. Hour by hour the weather alerts increased the amount of snowfall we would see, Pepco our dysfunctional power company sent out text messages and robo called homes letting everyone know that they were on top of things, getting in crews from as far away as Alabama to keep the power on and lines clear of snow (for once). Schools in countries around the area from MD, DC and VA quickly cancelled classes the day before and the Federal Government closed all offices with all local governments following suit just as quickly. Grocery stores ran out of milk and other essentials, so did the liquor and wine stores. Streets emptied, stores shut down and our normally hyped up busy region turned into a ghost town. And we waited for the storm to start.

And we waited for the storm to start some more. Curtains were pulled back, and necks craned up as all eyes searched the sky for the first flakes to fall. And soon they did.

Big, fat, ginormous flakes fell.

And then they stopped falling. And it started to rain. And rain. And more rain.

Why did it rain? Because it had been f*&king warm all week long. A kindergartener could have told you that when it is that warm, it is not going to snow. And it didn’t, at least not here. It snowed in Pennsylvania, and in the mountains of VA, and the Midwest, and New England and out west, everywhere but here. Where it rained. OK we needed the rain, so that was great. But really, our entire region shut down because of rain. Is is any wonder that people outside the Beltway (the huge highway that encircles DC) think our area has lost our collective mind? That common sense and sound judgement are but vague concepts that make only fleeting appearances in the thoughts of those who inhabit Congress, run the World Bank, plot the course of the country on levels both small and large?

What name did we call this “historic” snowstorm? Why Snowquestration of course. That alone made perfect sense. A name that conjures up thoughts of dysfunction, of something that doesn’t work on the most basic level, something thought up in Congress that unfortunately affects everyone but Congress. Really, is that not perfection in labeling? I think so. It was the only thing that rang true for this storm and our area. Pundits will be using this for years in their columns. Ah, Washington, DC you have done it again. So proud to be from this area. But on the other hand it really is good for a laugh and we all need those. We closed the Federal government and schools because of rain. Have you stopped laughing yet?

The time changed. We sprang forward an hour. I hate this. Leave the time alone. Enuf’ said.

So spring is back (not that it ever really left), our DC Metro Book group is meeting today and I must be off. So without further ado, here is the week in reviews:

Monday, March 11: Blacque/Bleu by Belinda McBride

Tuesday, March 12: Venetian Masks by Kim Fielding

Wed., March 13: Silver/Steel by Belinda McBride

Thursday, March 14: Metal Heart by Meredith Shayne

Friday, March 15: Open Cover Before Striking by Willa Okati

Sat., March 16: Unconventional Union by Scotty Cade

Review: Life, Over Easy: Fragments Book 1 by K.A. Mitchell

Rating: 4.25 stars

John Andrews life was all planned out, had been since he was young and entered the pool for the first time. His life revolved around his diving. He was tutored at home and on the road, his social circle extended out only as far as his teammates and diving competitors, even the most normal rites of growing up passed him by, no dances, no television watching or movie going, nothing but diving and diving competition. Even after winning two Gold Olympic medals, that didn’t change. John was on target to repeat or perhaps exceed his goals at the next Olympics until a accident during training changed his life forever. Now he copes with brain damage, blurry sight, vertigo, and life with a cane as a college freshman, on his own for the first time in his life. But the place inside of him that used to be filled by diving is empty and John doesn’t know how to fill

One accident six months ago changed Mason’s life forever. One deer in the middle of the road, one car crash later and everything he loved and thought he would have forever was gone. Now its Jim Beam and sex that Mason uses to fill the emptiness inside of him, crawling into bed drunk with any number of nameless guys to the consternation and disgust of his roommates and friends. He needs to concentrate on his school work and project but it seems impossible.

Two men, damaged by life’s accidents. When John turns up at the wrong house for a party, they meet and while their first encounter isn’t promising, John and Mason are drawn together even as they hide secrets from each other. John can see auras around peoples heads and he sees two over Mason’s. And Mason? He is seeing and hearing his dead lover. Can both men over come multiple obstacles, including one not of this earth, to find the love both need and deserve? Life is never easy, but this is ridiculous.

I love K. A. Mitchell. She is a “go to” author for me and this book demonstrates why I grab up every book she writes. The characters are unusual to say the least. John Andrews stands out because he is different on so many levels. First of all, he is that driven individual who has been pursuing a specific goal since childhood and succeeding at it. Young athletes are in a category all their own. They deprive themselves of a normal childhood, delaying or denying all together many hallmarks of growing up in order to pursue their dream, whether it be that of an Olympic high diver or other sport. They create a tunnel of efforts, so focused and driven that they seem almost innocent and guileless outside of their sport. Take that goal, that lifestyle away and you have a person adrift in their own life, no longer tethered by long term goals. We see that happen to so many athletes once the Games are over.

K.A. Mitchell takes it one further. John has had an accident that makes him unable to compete. From a finely toned athlete, he now copes with a brain damaged during a 2 story fall. He has vertigo, blurred vision, and has a condition called Synesthesia, a neurological condition where “one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway.” Colors can be associated with sounds or words, or music is combined with sounds or specific sights, etc. Mitchell’s vivid descriptions gives us a intimate look at how it must feel when even a short walk turns into an overwhelming cavalcade of colors and sights. John has to deal with the loss of his life’s goal, his new disability, life as a college student, and all the while he feels empty inside because that one feeling of being “airborne”, floating in space as he dives is forever gone. Mitchell makes us feel that loss as acutely as John does. And then she brings it crashing up against an equally deep cavern of loss and pain that is Mason’s.

Most of us have not lived John’s life but I would bet that we all know someone like Mason or lived through a similar trauma. Mason is easily the most identifiable and recognizable of the two men. We can connect with Mason who is drowning in the loss of the man he thought he would marry and spend the rest of his life with. Booze and sex are the fillers of choice for Mason, and we get that. His friends (wonderful characters in their own right) feel helpless to stop the downward spiral, some have given up all together as Mason lashes out at them in his pain. This is all very authentic in the emotions radiating off the characters and the pages of this story.

But then Mitchell takes it an additional step further, journeying into the paranormal. John’s condition lets him see people auras, he knows what they are feeling by looking at the pulsating colors above their heads. And Mason’s dead lover hovers over all the proceedings, alternately angry and amused by being “stuck” to Mason. I have to admit I wish that this element has been left out of the story. It was terrific with just the obstacles they were already facing but then you add ghosts and “auras” and we start tipping over the edge. It is too much for this story to handle, there is just too much to do justice to all the elements involved. Then at the very end, one final piece is added. Mitchell throws in BDSM at the last minute into a relationship that had not previously explored this type of sexuality. It just seems very awkward and out of place. I could see where she was going with it, and that made sense but it really needed to be introduced much earlier in the book and in their relationship. But as it was I just thought it was a tad strange for them to take it to that level at that time.

So those were my quibbles with this story. Too many ingredients to give this a 5 star rating. It was almost there too. Do I recommend this book? Absolutely, these are wonderful characters and their stories are compelling. I wish Mitchell would bring out another book in this series because I like where it is going. Life is never easy, this book reminds of us of that fact. But there are solutions and answers for everyone, and Life, Over Easy reminds us of that too. Pick it up and let me know what you think.

Cover by Natalie Winters, interesting but not as interesting as the story within.

Mitchell, K.A.. Life, Over Easy: Fragments, Book 1 . Samhain Publishing, Ltd..

Review: Precogs in Peril series by Theo Fenraven

Rating: 5 stars

Series Description: When Gray Vecello’s grandfather Graham dies, he leaves his grandson his boat, The Constant Companion, his worldly possessions and the young man, Cooper Key, Graham rescued and let live aboard his boat. This series charts their romance, personal growth, and Gray’s acceptance of and ability to use his amazing paranormal gifts.

In the first installment, Three of Swords, we are introduced to this extraordinary couple and watch as their grow into a relationship that captures our hearts and minds. Central to the romance is that both men have paranormal elements to their natures. Gray Vecello has the sight, he reads Tarot cards passed down through his family, and has visions of the future. Cooper Key also has matching protective powers and together, they are a power to be reckoned with. Each book title is a card in the Tarot deck and has meaning for each story. Because along with The Constant Companion, Graham has also left to both Gray and Cooper a mystery to solve, a safe to open, and a secret paranormal group to investigate . And that is where the second book in the series starts.

The Knight of Wands picks up where Three of Swords left off, literally at the instant the other stops. Gray and Cooper have found the contents of the safe, Jolly Roger (a member of the group with special abilities) comes back into the picture and Gray’s lesbian cousin, Harper, makes another appearance in their lives, moving into The Constant Companion with them when her romance goes bad. With Gray and Cooper still in the honeymoon stage of their romance, having one more person on their boat is a tight fit, and then another mystery pops up concerning his grandfather’s precog group, and all chances of a life of leisure on the river disappears.

The third book, Lightning Struck Tower, brings all the elements of the previous books together and whips them into a frenzy of mystery, murder and action adventure. Oh and much more of the paranormal world then ever before in the series. The secret paranormal group that Gray’s grandfather had ties to comes into play as Gray and Cooper are kidnapped. Secret individuals want to use their special abilities for a crazy task and won’t take no for an answer. More people with special abilities are met and a new circle of friends form around Cooper and Gray in their fight against those who would use their abilities to do harm instead of good.

I first reviewed Three of Swords back in October 19, 2012 and gave it a 4.25 rating. I loved the story but had a problem with the cliffhanger ending. But now that I have finished all three books, I have to revise the rating upward to 5 stars for the series and the books within. So when I got the 2nd and 3rd books, I went back and started from the beginning and oh what a marvelous and seductive ride the author laid out for us. Each book flows seamlessly into the next, and that is the way I finally read them and appreciated the full extent of this author’s vision.

Gray Vecello and Cooper Key are the foundation stones on which Fenraven tells a story of individuals fighting to understand who they are and then gaining acceptance for the person they are inside. Cooper is still trying to overcome the shame of the life he lead after his parents kicked him out for being gay, Gray is still trying to figure out who he is even as we watch him mature and deal with the gifts he was given. Character after beautifully realized character rolls across the pages…and then we meet Wade, a young paranormal whose heart-wrenching backstory had me in tears. Wade’s story is so remarkable that I would recommend buying the story just for that element alone.

But luckily for us, there are so many outstanding facets to this series/trilogy. We have mysteries, we have murders, we have secret psychic organizations and above all, we have a romance so deeply felt, so warm and right, that I kept going back and rereading parts of their journey towards love and a full partnership. Gray and Cooper are perfection in their imperfections. Neither comes across as anything less than authentic. They feel real, became very real to me, and therefore I invested 100 percent of my affections and interest in their story and their futures.

Lightning Struck Tower is perhaps the most intense of all three stories, and as it ties up so many loose ends, it is also supplies the most satisfying conclusion to this incredible trilogy. This portion took me on a roller coaster of emotions, gasps of “no, no, that didn’t just happen”, to sobbing like a baby over Wade’s traumatic past, and I loved every minute of it. Fenraven skillfully builds our anticipation and anxiety as we can see enemies gathering around our couple, and then adds some wonderful twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I feel that every facet of this story is so well done that, really, I have no quibbles other than I wanted much more.

I think you will notice that I switch back and forth between calling this a trilogy or a series. I did that for a reason. I just don’t know what it is. As a trilogy it works beautifully, but there is enough left open ended that additional stories would fit in nicely without taking anything away from these three books. Theo Fenraven told me that it is possible that the author might return to Gray and Cooper,but there are no guarantees. So I will hold onto that hope, and return back to this trilogy to start over when I need my Gray and Cooper fix once more.

Here are the Precogs in Peril books in the order they should be read to understand the plot and the characters. Read them one right after the other for full enjoyment and to quickly get over those dang cliffhangers:

Precog in Peril Series 5 stars:

Three of Swords, Book 1

Knight of Wands, Book 2

The Lightning Struck Tower, Book 3

Cover art by Theo Fenraven

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