From Mourning To Joy Once More, Animal Adoptions and the Week Ahead in Reviews

You always hear that things have a way of changing overnight, but few experience it. It didn’t quite happen like that here but it was close. In my instance, things changed exactly one week to the day that I felt my heart shatter. On June 4, 2013, my companion of 18 years, Winston died. Exactly one week to the day, on June 11, another Winston came into my life, through circumstances so unusual, so connected, that I knew it was meant to be. I have written that story, The Tale of Two Winstons – A Terrier Comes Home, to chart the beginning of our journey together. Before that I had written of my first, indomitable Winston, my love of 18 years in My Winston. But there was one fact I had left out. You see, exactly one week before I found Winston, I had another dog, Snowflake, a rescue American Eskimo.

Snowflake was with me for two years, gorgeous and unfortunately so emotionally scarred by her previous family that only I could handle her. I never got the entire story but from her hatred of children and families in general, apparently she had been used as a target and punching bag by the people who owned her before me (and was rescued from). One day we were out in the pasture, running and checking around for a loose horseshoe, when bikers sped by and Snowflake gave chase down the fence line. Normally, that would have been fine as she couldn’t get through the wire and post fence, but sometime during the night a car had sideswiped the fence and taken down just enough to leave a Snowflake sized hole. I am sure you all can imagine what happened next as Snowflake darted out onto that winding country road. Even as we raced to the vet, I knew my Snowflake was gone.

One week to the day, on that same spot, a shivering, heavily matted, rail thin Winston was found and went home with me carrying him in my arms, the same way Snowflake left that same spot. Now 18 years later, exactly one week apart, my beloved Winston was gone and another Winston had arrived. And each time, I knew it was meant to be. How could it not? I am not sure I believe in Fate but all these connections? All these events strung together in order for one magical moment to happen? How do I not believe in that? Many people have said that Winston sent the other Winston to me, and I think I can agree there. During that week of almost overwhelming grief and loss, I swear I could hear the thunk Winston made as he jumped down off the bed to investigate something in the house during the night. Several times that occurred during that week, but since Winston arrived, not a sound. This Winston likes to bury his food bowl (on tile no less) just like my old Winston did. Perhaps one has taught the other his tricks without me knowing. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

My family now includes two rescued dogs, Winston and Kirby whose face adorns the banner of this blog. They aren’t my first rescues and most certainly won’t be my last. There are so many dogs (and cats) that need homes in shelters around the country. And there are so many shelters in need of support, both monetary and in donations of supplies. I know it is Father’s Day today but perhaps if your Dad is someone who has everything possible and you don’t know what to give him, maybe make a donation to your local animal rescue organization or humane society in his name as a gift. I know it would be welcome. I found my Winston by donating food to the shelter. Who knows if a four pawed love awaits you there as well? The larger groups, ASPCA, and the Humane Society of the United States, rescue animals from devastating events such as hurricanes and earthquakes and more. They need your help too.

So here are some links to get you thinking about rescues and the organizations who need your help to continue their mission to save animals in need:

ASPCA

Humane Society of the United States

Montgomery County Humane Society

Days End Farm Horse Rescue – located locally in MD but travel all over the US to rescue large animals. Truly an amazing organization.

I am sure there are so many local rescue organizations around you that need your assistance. They are only a tapped computer key away. Check them out as well. Here are a few pictures of Winston and Kirby playing, they have turned into the best of friends. Look below the pictures for the week ahead in reviews. Happy Father’s Day!

The week ahead in Reviews:

Monday, June 17: Flawless by Cat Grant

Tuesday, June 18: Fennel and Forgiveness by Ari McKay

Wed., June 19: In Search of a Story by Andrew Grey

Thursday, June 20: Infected: Undertow by Andrea Speed

Friday, June 21: The Heir Apparent by Tere Michaels

Saturday, June 22: Stonewall by Martin Duberman

Review: The Hanged Man’s Ghost (Night Wars #1) by Missouri Dalton

Rating: 4.75 stars

Fynn Adder’s life is on a downward spiral and he is doing his best to speed it up. Since the murder of his longtime lover, Flynn has spent his free time in a drunken haze, the alcohol contributing to his frequent sexual hookups and increasingly disastrous personal decisions. Only his professional life is currently stable, but that is due more to the efforts of his partner, Jack Winchester, than to his own discretion. Flynn Adder is a detective with the Chicago Police Department, and a son of a famous Chicago irish police family. And because of his family name and reputation, Fynn’s actions and career are under greater scrutiny, a fact not lost on Fynn.

When a girl is murdered, the case is muddied immediately when the trail of clues point in the direction of Fynn’s family and the death of his lover. That case went unsolved and now it appears the two are connected. With his Captain,partner and family expressing their concerns about his erratic behavior and drinking, Fynn tries concentrating on the strange clues he is unearthing, they just aren’t making sense.

As more murders occur, all the clues point to a supernatural rather than rational explanation. Then Internal Affairs agent Daniel Voight enters the picture. Voight is determined to prove Adder a dirty cop and will let nothing, even the truth, stand in his way. The only aspect of Adder’s life that brings him happiness is his relationship with his police partner, Jack. Fynn has had a crush on his married partner for years and been happy to just be included as a friend in Jack’s life. But even that aspect of Fynn’s life is undergoing a major change.

With all the clues pointing back to Fynn’s past and the murderer taunting him with mysterious messages he can’t decipher, the stress and unnatural events push Fynn past the breaking point. If the murderer is to be caught and the killings stopped, Fynn will need to reach out for help and support in places he never expected and soon before he and those he loves are caught in the Hanged Man’s noose.

I loved this book and fell under its spell immediately, as I should have. But I didn’t come to this series in a straightforward manner. I started with The Night Shift (Night Wars #2), than the 3rd installment, The Hellfire Legacy, and by doing so, did this series a real injustice. Trust me when I say this is an addicting, enthralling series with something for everyone to love. And I would have known that sooner had I read them in the order they were written and should have been read. Mea culpa indeed. But let’s get back to the beginning and The Hanged Man’s Ghost.

Missouri Dalton’s characters are a wonder. Fynn is especially surprising. He comes from a large irish family in Chicago whose members have always been part of the Chicago PD rank and file. But unlike his father and brother, Fynn is not your burly Irishman but rather a slender blond with a penchant for knitting and booze. He is also gay, out with a large supportive family behind him. Not that it seems to matter when we first meet him. The author has created a back history for Fynn that is incredibly complex and is only slowly revealed over the length of the book, both to the reader and to Fynn. He has been existing in an alcoholic fog since the murder of his longterm lover. Dalton’s treatment of Fynn’s alcolholism is realistic and grim without giving up any of the character’s wry, and sometimes caustic personality. It’s a personality you will come to love as much as for it’s power of survival as it is for its wry, self effacing facade. Here is a taste of Fynn for you:

“You need a lift to the station?” Jack raised an eyebrow.

I shook my head. “Nah, I see my bike.” It was parked three feet from a hydrant. Jack eyed the bike. It was sort of a death trap.

“You were at the club last night.”

“Yeah.” I backed out of striking range.

He stepped closer and grabbed my arm. “Were you drinking?” I looked away. “Damn it, Fynn, were you?”

“Yeah.” He usually managed to make me feel guilty about these things. He shook his head and let go of my arm. “He could suspend you, take you off this case.”

“I know.” At least he didn’t hit me, but from the ache in my arm, I’d bet it was bruising. Sometimes it sucked to have pale Irish skin.

“At least tell me you’re still seeing the shrink.” My silence was answer enough. “If you want to kill yourself, Fynn, that’s your business. But don’t you dare think it doesn’t affect the rest of us.” He stormed off. Good old Jack, still trying to save me from myself.

The weariness of that voice gets inside of you, and the force of the personality behind that voice makes the reader want to help him out of the gutter he has tossed himself into. And this is just the beginning.

Dalton starts bringing in Fynn’s large family, each a well drawn character, and the mystery that surrounds them. We also get to know Jack, his wife and his precocious daughter too, and come to care for at least two of them just as the author intends. And as Dalton grounds Fynn with his family and Jack, she connects the reader intimately with them and we become invested in their survival. A survival that becomes increasingly precarious as the murderer starts targeting people around Fynn. Piece by supernatural piece starts to position itself in the story, as the plot lines start to crisscross, and some surprising and chilling twists arrive around each plot corner. Make no mistake, there are some truly haunting and suspenseful aspects to this story, beautifully conceived and written.

The tough thing about this story is that it is so complex and every little nuance will take on greater import as the story and the series progress. Things I would have overlooked as inconsequential here had I read this book first, now took on a larger role because I knew what lay behind the slight descriptions so casually thrown away inside this book. The narrative reminds me of that magazine Hidden Pictures. There are clues and small stories to be found everywhere as the author is constructing a much larger story outside of The Hanged Man’s Ghost. This just absolutely delighted me with its complexity while never forgetting that the story and the series has a very human heart, that of Fynn Adder and those he loves.

Another thread that weaves itself through Fynn’s life and the story is his knitting, a subject near to my heart as a knitter as well. Here is a little taste of Fynn the knitter:

Cassie’s knitting was in a basket on the left side of the chair I had claimed and I needed a distraction from the tension.

A half-finished pink scarf. Probably for Tara. Cassie would likely not finish it in time for Tara’s birthday.

I picked it up and started a new row. It looked like a simple purl knit purl. Jack raised an eyebrow, I kept knitting. He couldn’t knock my knitting; I’d fixed his sweater the day it got caught in the drawer. With pencils no less.

I intend to track down the author and ask about a certain pattern for a scarf that Fynn knits for himself. It’s perfection but not one that can be included in this review. It is just one more insightful and delightful element that is incorporated into a story that just keeps surprising the deeper into it you go. The Hanged Man’s Ghost is a cop thriller, a supernatural mystery and a love story. It chilling, and humorous, and filled with angst. And for the many angles and subject matters that are being juggled here, Missouri Dalton does them all justice and then some, pulling them together for a terrific ending that will leave the reader looking for more.

The editing could be a little tighter and the narrative gets away from itself a tad towards the middle, otherwise this would be a 5 star rating, My love for the characters and plot far outweigh those issues, so it really comes close to being perfect. Now the series has become a new favorite of mine. It will become yours too. Just don’t make my mistake and start in the middle. Go right to the beginning, and succumb to the many charms and chills of the Night Wars series and Missouri Dalton’s characters. You won’t be sorry.

Here are the books as they were written and should be read:

The Hanged Man’s Ghost (Night Wars #01)

The Night Shift (Night Wars #02) – please note revised rating and additional comments at the beginning.

The Hellfire Legacy (Night Wars #03)

Alessia Brio is the cover artist for this book and the series. I think the artist did a great job in branding the series while keeping each cover true to the story within. Great job.

Book Details:

ebook, 276 pages
Published February 1st 2012 by Torquere Press
ISBN 1610407091 (ISBN13: 9781610407090)
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=97&products_id=3507
seriesThe Night Wars #01

Prelude (A Blue Notes book) by Shira Anthony and Venona Keyes

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

World-renowned conductor of the Chicago Symphony, David Somers, is not happy when his ailing guest violinist is replaced by famous rock star, Alex Bishop. Although he has never met the musician, Bishop’s fame and notoriety has preceded him, and David Somers has little patience for tattooed prima donnas of the rock star world. But when Alex takes to the stage and starts playing the opening notes of the Sibelius Violin Concerto, David Somers is completely entranced by both the man and his music.

Alex Bishop has persevered from his foster child beginnings to become a brilliant violinist and playing under the baton of conductor David Somers is a dream realized. And although David Somers welcome was reserved, something about the man spoke to Alex. Alex knew from sources close to Somers that he was both widowed and gay. And no one was more surprised than Alex, when David accepted his invitation to go out on a date. And everything seemed to be going well, until it wasn’t and the conductor fled.

Underneath that smooth, assured and somewhat cold exterior of David Somers lies an insecure, lonely man. Brought up by a bitter, emotionally removed grandfather upon the death of his parents, David’s upbringing was one of constant degradation of his dreams, rigid control over his actions, and the pairing down of the boy into a man who would be scion of the family business. At least that’s how his grandfather saw it. But finally David found the strength to pull away and strive for his place in the music world as he had always wanted. But the damage his grandfather had inflicted upon his self image was deep and long lasting, right into his inability to compose music and maintain relationships.

Alex wants to pursue a future with David, but there is so many obstacles in their path, the largest one being David himself. What will it take to break down David’s barriers and create the future they both want together? David must find his inner music once more before he loses Alex and his chance for happiness so long denied him.

Oh, my, what a lyrical and lovely book. I have been a fan of this series from the beginning, adoring the tapestry of music and love that Anthony (and now Keyes) has woven for us in this series. But in Prelude, I think I have found my favorite. Such a gorgeous blend of personalities, location and music, it kept me enthralled for the entire story and introduced me to a new musician as well, more about that later. In the author’s notes I have included at the end of the review, Anthony writes that Prelude is actually the prequel to the stories already published. In those works, David Somers and Alex Bishop are already an established couple. David himself is an open hearted and generous mentor to other younger musicians, a far cry from the man we initially meet at the beginning of Prelude. And that brings me to the wonderful characterizations of the men we meet here and elsewhere in the series.

David Somers and Alex Bishop are both very complex men with haunting back histories. I think what surprised and delighted me was that the man you might expect to be the most vulnerable, the most insecure about his background is actually the character who has not only come to terms with his childhood or lack thereof but is the most assured and confident of the two. That would be Alex Bishop, abused in various foster settings, someone who almost died freezing and along on the streets except for his mother’s violin. He has worked hard to arrive at this stage in his life, a brilliant musician, warm human being and happily gay. It’s David Somers, the famous conductor from a wealthy family, who is the fragile one here. His upbringing by his rigid, embittered grandfather has impaired David emotionally, making him withdrawn and almost incapable of maintaining close relationships. His grandfather also was responsible for killing his ability to compose music, an important part of his emotional makeup and dreams. Both authors bring us close to the heart of both men, making it easy for us to understand their motivations as well as their flaws. I think some readers might have trouble with David’s fear of intimacy as he continually pushes Alex away but close reading of his history with not only his grandfather but present day associates makes it not only realistic but natural. And it’s not just David and Alex’s characters that are so well done but those secondary characters as well, from his sister to Alex’s roommate, all make for a deeply layered, and satisfying story.

But the highlight in Prelude is the music. Shira Anthony’s familiarity and love of the music world with its brilliant musicians and timeless compositions floats through the story like the very violin concertos referenced within. Her knowledge and joy of music enhances and embellishes every aspect of this story and the series, her touch sure and light upon the narrative. We are drawn into the emotions elicited from the music that pours forth from the violinist and the symphony. The brilliance of the pieces spills out of the instruments and musicians and into our hearts and souls, from the light hearted renditions like Stéphane Grappelli’s Blue Moon (my new favorite) to the deeply moving concertos such as the Sibelius Violin Concerto which introduces us and David Somers to Alex Bishop at the beginning of the book. The fact that this series uses music as its heart, and the exemplary manner in which the authors accomplish that, sets this series apart from all the rest. Shira Anthony has assembled a play list for Prelude, just as she has for her other stories in this series. You can find the list and links listed after the review.

At 250 pages, the story just flies by. Anthony and Keyes deliver a smooth and concise narrative, the few flashbacks are used to help understand the characters better rather than impede the story momentum. By the end of the book, I am entranced by David and Alex and want to see them older and more established as they were in the other stories. So back to the beginning to enjoy it all over again. If you are new to this series, this works well as a stand alone story, if you are as in love with it as I am, you will be thrilled by Prelude and this couple. Either way, consider this highly recommended. Shira Anthony gives us the order in which the books work on the series timeline below.

Book Details:

ebook, 1st Edition, 250 pages
Published May 6th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 162380597X (ISBN13: 9781623805975)
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3798&cPath=55_484
seriesBlue Notes #4
charactersDavid Somers, Alex Bishop
settingChicago, Illinois (United States)

Author’s Notes:

Notes from Shira Anthony on Prelude:

Book 4 in the Blue Notes Series is bit of a prequel to the other books, although it’s meant to be read as a standalone novel. For those of you who’d like to read the series in chronological order, it goes like this:

1) Prelude
2) Blue Notes
3) Aria
4) The Melody Thief

“Prelude” is the story of conductor/composer David Somers, who appears in all of the first three Blue Notes books. In those stories, David is friend and mentor to the young musicians who appear as main characters (Cary Redding and Aiden Lind, in particular). But David wasn’t always as outgoing and willing to befriend other musicians.

“Prelude” is David’s story of finding himself and finding happiness in music. I hope you enjoy it!(less)

Shira’s Prelude Playlist:

“Enigmatic Ocean,” Jean-Luc Ponty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9XHFqCvMIY

“Satisfaction,” The Rolling Stones: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx0bLBk-BNM

Sibelius Violin Concerto: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-P183jzdfw (my all-time favorite recording with David Oistrakh), or a slightly different interpretation by Joshua Bell: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITTbY1n3Iz8

Berg Violin Concerto: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqSSHwFEn_8 (Itzhak Perleman)

Wieniawski Violin Concerto No. 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYzYVsvD5as (Shlomo Mintz)

“Devil Went Down to Georgia,” Charlie Daniels Band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgvfRSzmMoU

Symphony No. 5, by Dmitri Shostakovich: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FF4HyB77hQ (Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic)

Mahler Symphony No. 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6Tbi0Rfzs8 (Leonard Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic)

Chopin’s Opus 25 Étude, No. 11: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj5Mp31nZlA (Anna Fedorova)

Gounod’s Ave Maria: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNNbtR5R68U (Anne Akiko Meyers), and a very old recording of Jascha Heifetz: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wtc4SMUjhG8 and a recording of operatic soprano Renata Tebaldi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVMSeFTHDEs

Thelonius Monk, “Round About Midnight”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMmeNsmQaFw

Dvořák Violin Concerto (last movement) (3rd movement, Allegro Giocoso): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kouKmC3yUOA (Josef Suk)

Stéphane Grappelli “Blue Moon”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhB5qAq7OkI

Mahler Symphony No. 9: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHXJw9avAn0 (Danish National Radio Orchestra)

“Harold in Italy,” by Hector Berlioz: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5B9iMLpDgU (Israel Philharmonic Orchestra)

“The World I Know,” by Collective Soul: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7TLTjqUyog

Bach, Partita No. 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcB56k4vR5k (Hilary Hahn)

Mourning and the Week Ahead In Reviews

Winston has been gone for less than a week and most of the time I can’t wrap my mind around that fact. I still turn expecting him to be there and fixed his special breakfast yesterday morning and put it on the floor before I once more realized he wasn’t there to eat it. It was not a good morning.

And I am not alone in my grief. Willow and to a lesser degree, Kirby are with me as well. When Willow arrived, Winston was already king of the house and it took him a while to get used to her but when he did, they were frick and frac, four pawed companions in everything. He slept on top of the pillow on the bed and she slept under it, they shared meals and water bowls and even their opinions of the mouthy parrot in the family room.

So when I put Winston’s food down my mistake, Willow just sat and looked at me with sad eyes. When Kirby thought that it was a shame to let it go to waste and went to get his share, there was Willow in his face, refusing to let Kirby near Winston’s bowl. She is pensive and unusually quiet, staying Velcroed to my side. Nights are the worst, listening for his snorts and snores that never come. Both of us toss and turn all night long.

Went to the South River yesterday to meet up with some of our DC Metro M/M group for some much needed distraction. Those that knew were wonderful but I just can’t talk about him yet. Write yes, talk no. Sitting there by the water, listening to the laughter and friendly banter, seeing friends and meeting new ones made me feel lighter in spirit and let me smile when I thought of Winston watching the ducks go by.

I know it was his time to go, and that Willow and I will find a measure of peace soon. We will always miss him , he is such a huge part of us, he will always be close by ,in our hearts and memories. Nothing can take that away, and nothing will.

I have to admit I wasn’t very functional last week and my reading somewhat abandoned. So I hope you all will forgive me if this week’s list is more of hopes projected instead of reviews already written. I have good days and bad so only time will tell. This is what I hope will happen this week. And thank you all for your support and comments. They were needed and loved.

Monday, June 10: Prelude (a Blue Notes book) by Shira Anthony and Venona Keyes

Tuesday, June 11: The Jouster’s Lance by A.J. Marcus

Wed., June 12: Flawless by Cat Grant

Thursday, June 13: Hangman’s Ghost (Night Wars #1) by Missouri Dalton

Friday, June 14: One Breathe, One Bullet by S.A. McAuley

Sat., June 15: Stonewall by Martin Duberman

So have a good week and wish for me, Willow and Kirby a better one. I will leave you with the Goodread Quote of the Day, a favorite of mine.

“Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings”
― John Gillespie Magee Jr.

About this quote:

June 9, 1922: An aviator and a poet, John Gillespie Magee Jr. was born to missionaries in Shanghai, 91 years ago today. His poem, High Flight, is still memorized by cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy today.

Review: The Jouster’s Lance by A.J. Marcus

Rating: 2.75 stars

Dale O’Toole makes his living as Diederik, the Demon Knight of Denmark, the dark jouster at Renaissance festivals across the country. When a jouster is injured and the Colorado fair needs a replacement, Dale figures it is a chance to see another part of the country while earning a living, and promptly heads north. Dale loves the gypsy lifestyle, jousting, and his horses. But being constantly on the move leaves little time for romance or a long term relationship and Dale is lonely.

Austin Renfro works in a pirate gift shop at the Colorado ren fair, along with his best friend, Jasmine. His home life is a wreck with a boyfriend who is constantly drunk or stoned and always abusive. When Austin spots the gorgeous jouster, he sees his perfect man but their first meeting is nothing but embarrassing as Austin trips and falls into Dale’s horse. But a renaissance fair is a small village and the two men are constantly running into each other and an attraction builds between them.

But problems abound at the Colorado faire. A gay hating knight is making problems, and the rumors are rampant that someone is out to harm the jousters. With so much stacking against them, can Dale and Austin’s build a relationship that lasts past the end of the faire?

I was really looking forward to this story for a number of reasons, the first being the author. My first introduction to A.J. Marcus was through Animal Magnetism and his story On An Eagle’s Wing. I found that story to be well researched and equally well written. The second reason would be the subject matter. I love jousting and Maryland’s Renaissance Festival is a great one to attend for jousting, and all things of similar in nature. But The Jouster’s Lance disappointed me at almost every level.

There are so many issues here it is hard to know where to start. But perhaps lets go first with the characterizations. It’s hard to put a finger is just what the issue is with them. They just don’t click, either as real people or imagined ones. Maybe it is the dialog that pops out of their mouths. Whatever it is, it makes it almost impossible to connect with them. Dale starts off fine at the beginning of the story while he is still in Texas but once he has arrived in Colorado, his character just degenerates into a shadow of his former self. And Austin is just a mess from the beginning. The only people I enjoyed in the story were Jasmine Porter, Austin’s best friend and the Lady Catherine, a performer on the circuit. Both women are the best things about this book, and neither is a main character. Maybe this will give you an idea. Here is Austin on his abusive boyfriend:

The first few messages from Rick were the basic “where are you” type. Then they got more demanding. Austin stood there listening to them while waiting in line for a steak on a stake with fries. He knew he should call his boyfriend back, but right then he didn’t want to deal with the drama. Rick had obviously forgotten he was working this weekend, but that was Rick’s pattern: anything he didn’t want to remember, he didn’t. It was one of several reasons that Austin had been hoping he would just go away with as little drama as possible. From the tone of the last two messages, there was going to be drama aplenty when he got home. He could hope Rick was passed-out drunk when he got home and stayed that way until Monday morning, so he could deal with the whole thing Monday evening when he got home from the print shop he worked at during the week.

By the end of that paragraph, my eyes are glazing over and there are pages and pages of this. But this is the least of the book’s problems. I don’t know whether it is intentional or not, but there are so many plot threads in play here and only one of them is resolved by the end of the book. All the others are left hanging to the reader’s frustration. Are these red herrings? Or were they just forgotten along the way? Or will they be addressed in future stories? Hard to say but these multiple plot threads that just trail off give the story a disjointed feel that never goes away. It’s like going through a haunted house at Halloween time, You keep expecting something to jump out at you during the tour, and if nothing does, you feel cheated. Plus as the realization sets in that nothing spooky is going to take place, you start to notice just how tacky the tour is, with cheap effects and bad paint jobs. That is exactly how you will feel by the end of The Jouster’s Lance. When the plot fails to congeal, everything else starts to pop out at you, from the poor layout to the sad structure.

And it’s not just dropped story threads, but the characterizations as well. A man nicknamed Chipmunk is featured heavily in the story and Dale makes a big issue of calling him Chip because Dale thinks the nickname is demeaning (no reason for that is given either). I waited for some expansion on that topic or other pertinent information on Chipmunk to appear later in the story. But it never did. Marcus creates situations where loads of questions swirl around this character but again, they go nowhere. This happens constantly throughout the story, with characters, with so called ominous events, with the subject matter, with all sorts of things. I couldn’t figure out if Marcus needs a storyboard or if this is intentional, but either way it doesn’t work.

While I cannot speak to the authenticity of the insiders knowledge of the workings of a Renaissance festival, I can speak to the issues involving the horses. While the general care is correct, when a fire occurs and Dale leads a horse into the fire, I was astonished to say the least. And by the actions that follow. It is unrealistic and head shaking unbelievable. Dale, just coming off major shoulder surgery, lifts a man his own weight onto a horse (spooky and frightened a few paragraphs earlier) as the fire rages around them. Sigh. Uh, no. Trust me, that wouldn’t happen, not the lifting, not the horse standing still, nothing. And the ending of the book will just garner tons of eye rolls.

I can’t figure out if this book needs a ruthless editor to trim away all the extraneous plot threads and condense it into a sharp little story or if it needed to be expanded to incorporate all the missing elements back into the narrative to give us a satisfying novel. Either would have been preferable to the final product as it is here.

Based on A.J. Marcus’ short story in the Animal Magnetism anthology, I will seek out other stories by him. But give The Jouster’s Lance a pass, not even jousting aficionados will enjoy this one.

Cover Art by Brooke Albrecht. I actually love the cover. The model looks exactly like the whip artist I saw at the Maryland Renaissance Festival last year, and the jousting graphic is marvelous. Wish the book lived up to the cover.

Book Details:

ebook, 212 pages
Published May 3rd 2013 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1623804779 (ISBN13: 9781623804770)
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Review: Aria of the Eclipse by Vivien Dean

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

For over 20 years Dek has lived in captivity, caged like the songbird he is presumed to be. Captured and sold to various buyers since the age of 13, Dek has long given up trying to speak and now the only sounds he makes are songs, music that he is prized for. His owners call him an “it”, and treat him as a highly expensive and desired pet. His current owner, the Regent, houses him in a gilded cage, brought out to sing to his guests or for his own amusement. Now the planet Ymoro and its ruler, the Regent prepare for a momentous occasion, one that has not happened in their lifetime, a total solar eclipse. And Dek’s life is about to change forever.

Tylen Merodine and his older brother Dourack have been invited by the Regent to observe the solar eclipse in the special solarium built for this incredible event. Tylen has just come to age and unlike his more conservative and stolid older brother, is excited by all the sights and sounds around him. Then he hears music so painfully beautiful it moves him to tears. Its source astonishes him. A slender alien singing from a golden cage in the Regent’s quarters, intelligent dark eyes that watch his every movement, pulling Tylen forward towards him. The Regent tells him it is an Astinian songbird, but Tylen looks at Dek and knows that is wrong, Dek is sentient and wrongfully caged. When Tylen breaks all the rules and sneaks into the room that holds Dek’s cage at night, and Dek speaks to him , Tylen knows he has to do something but what?

As the eclipse draws closer, all becomes chaos around Dek and Tylen. As events threaten to pull them forever apart, can Dek and Tylen find a way to break Dek out of his cage into a future where they can be together?

I loved Aria of the Eclipse. Vivien Dean’s incredible imagination and vivid descriptions brings to life an alien unlike any I have met before. Dek and his race of Astinians captured my heart and mind immediately from the opening paragraphs:

As much as I crave my freedom, I’ve lived so much of my life in a cage that I’m not sure what I’d do with it once it was mine. I have fantasies of mocking those men who think me some stupid animal, but sometimes, when the night is deep and I’m curtained away from any glimmer of civilization, I wonder if I’m becoming what I fear most, if the lack of true companionship is molding me into the creature they profess me to be.

These are my nightmares. These are what force my hand when my cage is on display and I’m instructed to sing. I will not succumb to complacency, no matter how impossible my circumstances seem.

I cannot.

The powerful emotions that ring out from Dek imprisoned in his cage bring the reader intimately into his mindset and we are ensnared along with him. Dean has created a magical, shadowy world as Dek’s birthplace. As Dek starts to relay his history to Tylen, we get glimpses of Astinia, filled with his species that migrate, and sing and fly across the waters. A sentence here and there, they only serve to stimulate our own imaginations to fill in the blanks she has so artfully left for us. Instead of missing a backstory, Dean has given the reader a wealth of clues from which we can extrapolate a world far more extraordinary than might have been created by words. Dek is as beautifully crafted, and as imaginative an alien as I have come across. Just the manner in which Dek creates his music is spellbinding, just as his history is heartbreaking.

This story is told from two points of view in alternating sections, that of Dek and Tylen,an endearing exuberant young man. While the transition between povs is not always smooth as it should be, the power of the narrative and the reader’s desire to know Dek’s future drives the story forward, along with the author’s lovely way with the language and descriptions of the events unfolding. Here we listen to Dek as he “sings” his music:

I was lost in the music when the doors swung open and Johaf, the porter, announced the Regent’s first guests. Their approaching footsteps added an unwanted bass to the music, so I closed my eyes and concentrated inward, on the way I tipped and tilted my hands to stir the webbing into the proper notes, on the vibrations in my vocal folds as I sang the lower line. Like most of my songs, this had no words, nothing to distract from the purity of the music. Everyone could understand. Everyone could appreciate.

Everyone listened.

From that passage, we start to get an understanding of some of Dek’s physiology but we don’t really see him until Tylen does, then it all comes together. This method both stirs our imagination, and leaves us satisfied with substance. I won’t spoil the surprise of Dek but leave that to this marvelous story.

Everything works here, from the settings to the characterizations. But even more amazing is the “aha” moment at the end with the eclipse and Dek as its stars. I was not prepared for the inspired idea that culminates the story, almost visionary. It delights me each time I think about it. So too is the ending. There are two issues for me where I had to suspend that part of me that asks down to earth questions. One would be how does someone so humanoid be mistaken for a non-sentient being for over 20 years. The other cannot be asked without giving away a major spoiler for the story. But my love for Vivien Dean’s tale outweigh such pragmatic issues.

If you love science fiction, this story is for you. If you love music, all aspects of music, real and imagined, Aria of the Eclipse is for you. It is magical, conceptually stirring and still full of romance. And all of that is accomplished in 120 pages. I wanted more, so much more but am happy with those that I got. You will be too. Grab this one up as it is highly recommended to all.

Book Details:

ebook, 120 pages

Published 2013 by Amber Allure

ASIN

B00CIYSG2U

edition language

English

url http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/AriaEclipse.html

Review: The Caveman and the Devil by Chris T. Kat

Rating: 2.75 stars

Zoologists Paul and Noah were brought together by their love of animals and their jobs at the Philadelphia Zoo. But Paul is becoming fed up with Noah’s impulsive nature as well as what Paul sees as unprofessional and dangerous behavior from Noah around the animals he is taking care of – big cats. Noah was a subject of an attack by a zoo jaguar in the past and hurt badly. So Paul is fearful and shocked when Noah charges into a cage where a lioness is threatening her cubs. Noah’s actions endanger not only his coworkers but the general public as well, something Noah will not acknowledge.

Paul is furious, their bosses horrified and Noah in danger of losing his job. Frustrated and angry, Paul and Noah have to find a way back to each other while keeping their jobs intact as well as their relationship. Can Noah understand the danger he put everyone in and can Paul find a way to understand the basis of Noah’s actions? Only time will tell.

The Caveman and the Devil is a quick read at 80 pages and quite honestly I am not sure if that hurts or helps the story. What doesn’t help is that the media has reported the deaths of two zookeepers recently, one a volunteer, for the same issue that almost gets Noah injured and fired. Almost from the beginning I found myself solidly on Paul’s side, thinking the story should have been called The Caveman and the Twit, not a reaction the author was going for, I am sure. Here is an example of not only how they communicate (or don’t as it were) but also how clueless Noah is:

“You are mad.” He wrinkled his nose as his searching gaze flitted over my face. He was clearly puzzled by my behavior. “Why?”

“Why? Why? Seriously? You’re seriously asking why I’m mad at you?”

“Yes, dear almighty Caveman, I’m seriously asking why you’re mad at me! I didn’t do anything wrong!”

Utterly baffled, I forgot all about what I was doing or what I had intended to do. I stared down at Noah, my lover, the man I’ve loved for almost a year now. Incredulous, I croaked, “You didn’t do anything wrong today? Is that right?”

The light bulb slowly went on for Noah. Of course, he immediately lunged into defense mode. “I just wanted to get the cubs out of there!”

“You went into Kiara’s compartment without waiting for the inner door to be locked! She had just killed two of her cubs and was in the process of killing the other two!”

“She had walked into the other compartment!” Noah protested.

“But the separating door wasn’t closed yet!” I shouted, eventually losing the fight with my emotions.

“Trent locked the door right after I was inside.”

“Yes, and she came back and jumped against it, roaring. What if Trent hadn’t managed to lure her away?” “

But he did. Don’t be such a nitpicker all the time.”

I could hardly breathe.

Paul later goes on to think that he would have fired Noah based on this incidence and he would have been correct. Anyone who has worked with animals would be aghast at such carelessness and disregard for regulations. So I am amazed that Kat would have written this character with these personality traits and expect the reader to identify with him. Noah “wrinkles his nose” in puzzlement. Is that supposed to be adorable while his boyfriend is confronting him about his behavior? Not so much. Nor is his bemusement over Paul’s anger and reaction to his actions. The characters then go on to have massive amounts of sex, makeup and otherwise but settle nothing between them. Lots of shouting, lots of sex, and not much else, including story.

Another puzzling element is that Paul and Noah are two characters first introduced in a story called Cuddling Up in the Animal Magnetism anthology. I mentioned there that the author seemed to know her zoo protocol, and the same applied here. So why is Noah constantly flouting the rules and regulations of the zoo they both work for. In Cuddling Up, Noah exclaimed that the cat he was in the inclosure with “would never hurt him”, an inherently false idea that I left fly at the time because it was a short story. But here the incidence is much worse, Noah’s reactions more painfully obtuse and only Paul realizes the ramifications. The question remains as to why an author would have a character negate the research that makes the story realistic and then want us to accept that character as an authentic zookeeper? What was barely acceptable in an anthology shouldn’t work in a longer story. And it doesn’t.

What makes this tale enjoyable are the main characters inactions with two lion cubs. Those sections prove to be the story’s saving grace because who doesn’t love lion cubs? Those also reveal the strongest parts of Paul and Noah’s relationship. But when the story takes to the bed or back to the zookeepers office, then it falls apart. Paul hedges and muddies the account of the actual events of Noah charging into the cage, there is a batty and bigoted media director, and it all just falls to pieces. Paul is an authoritative and dominating character, hence the Caveman appellation. In fact that is Noah’s term of endearment for him. So obviously, the Devil is Noah. Tasmanian Devil that is, spinning constantly around, upsetting everything in its path, dangerous and impulsive. Just the person you want as a coworker and partner, right?

I just remain puzzled over Paul and Noah’s relationship as written by Kat. To me it seems dysfunctional, lacking in communication. I realize that this is supposed to be a fluffy story but I guess too many issues that circle around Noah kept it from being enjoyable outside of lion babies.

I silenced Noah’s cry of protest by laying a finger on his lips. “That is, if I can convince the zoo management not to fire you.” Loosening my embrace, I turned Noah around. He stared up at me from large, frightened gray-green eyes. Water trickled down his pale face in small rivulets as the impact of my words hit home.

“They won’t do that, right? Fire me, I mean? I rescued those two cubs!” His voice rose.

“Noah, any of us could have saved these two cubs after the compartment door was closed,” I said. I was doing my best to be gentle and understanding, but at some point, he would have to accept the truth. His behavior hadn’t only been unprofessional but also irresponsible and extremely dangerous. I wondered if the management would give Noah another chance. If I was honest with myself, I wouldn’t.

By this time, I find myself nodding in total agreement, thinking fire Noah, and move on. Oh well, I liked the lion cubs and Paul. But for the rest of the story, I give it a pass. I haven’t read any of this author’s longer stories, and I consider this one is only for those of you who are die hard Chris T. Kat fans.

Cover art by Paul Richmond is the best thing about this book.

Book details:

ebook, 80 pages
Published May 1st 2013 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1623803314 (ISBN13: 9781623803315)
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Review: Outlast the Night (Lang Downs #3) by Ariel Tachna

Rating: 5 stars

Broke, despondent and soon to be divorced Sam Emery has no where to turn but to his brother Neil when he leaves his embittered wife and old life behind him. Sam is also leaving the closet as well, another reason for the divorce and the hatred his soon to be ex feels for him. Sam only got married to please his controlling father and that was a disaster from the very beginning. Now Sam turns to Neil, his younger brother who lives and works on a sheep station and Sam is unsure of his welcome there when he tells his brother he is gay. Sam knows that Neil loves him but will he be accepted? And what will an out of work bookkeeper do on a sheep station?

The brother who meets Sam is not the brother Sam remembers. Neil accepts Sam’s sexuality with an openness that surprises Sam. But then again, Neil lives at Lang Downs, a sheep station owned and operated by a gay couple, Caine Neiheisel and Macklin Armstrong and his views have undergone a fundamental change in the process. Lang Downs has been described by those that live there as a “miracle”, a magnet and haven for those in need. Sam has been hurt to his core by the constant verbal abuse thrown at him by his wife, shattered by the loss of his job and made to feel like a total failure by his life to date. A miracle is just what he needs if only he can accept it.

Jeremy Taylor is another man in need of a home and sanctuary. The youngest brother of the family that owns the neighboring sheep station, the two families have butted heads since Jeremy can remember. But since his father died and his brother took over, things have gotten out of control because of his brother’s bigotry and hatred. One explosive argument and fight leads to Jeremy outing himself to his brother and his exit from the only home and lifestyle Jeremy has ever known. Immediately Jeremy heads over to the one place he hopes to be accepted – Lang Downs. But the animosity runs deep between the seasonal buckaroos and Jeremy when the hands have problems looking past Jeremy’s last name to see the man underneath. And then the problem is compounded when Sam and Jeremy become friends to his brother’s consternation because Neil’s antipathy towards Jeremy’s family.

Can two men in need of love and a home find it with each other at Lang Downs? It will take another small miracle to overcome Sam’s insecurity and fear and Jeremy’s family’s reputation if they are to find happiness with each other and outlast the night.

I finished this book and immediately wanted to go back to the beginning and start the series a fresh because I can’t get enough of this universe that Ariel Tachna has created. This book and series has such compelling characters as well as a captivating setting that it is impossible to put the books down once started and the stories stay with you long past the last page. Really this is fast becoming one of my top favorites in contemporary fiction series.

Outlast The Night is as strong and enthralling book as the one that started the series. Lang Downs is such a large and isolated sheep station that it acts as its own small village. By using the sheep station as her setting, Ariel Tachna ensures that all the beloved characters of the previous novels are fully present and engaged in the current story as are the newly introduced main characters. Tachna creates her web of characters that works much the way that nature herself does, they are all interlocked with each other. Their actions have reverberations throughout the sheep station and all those who live there, just as it does in nature. The men, women, children and animals all live in intimate connection with the earth at Lang Downs. From the seasonal variations in their lives and work to the animals themselves, both wild and domesticated, all are aware of the fundamental role nature plays in their lives.

Winter, the season the book starts in, brings a slower pace to the sheep station. Breeding is finished, and the seasonal jackaroos are gone until spring. The village has shrunk down to those “year rounders” who make Lang Downs their home, school, and workplace. Through the previous novels, we have gotten familiar with the sights and sounds of the place and its citizens. We see the bare necessities of the bunkhouse, the functionality of the sheep sheds, complete with odor mind you, and the predators that keep watch for the unwary animals in field and barn. The author brings Lang Downs vividly and authentically to life before our eyes and before we know it, we feel right at home there along with Caine, Macklin, and Kami. Of course, Kami the aboriginal chef is in the main house kitchen, creating food for all who live there and dispensing advice to those who need it. Molly, Neil’s fiance, is a marvelous female character, a force in her own right. Well, I will let you see them through Sam’s eyes:

Sam finished eating, doing his best not to telegraph his unease to the rest of the room. Caine and Macklin sat at a nearby table talking with several other jackaroos Sam hadn’t met yet, but it was obvious from the body language that they were well known to Caine and Macklin. Sam figured the two men knew everyone pretty well by the end of the summer, but it took a certain degree of familiarity to choose to sit at the table with the bosses. Two teens joined them at the table a moment later, obviously sure of their welcome, and Sam realized one of the boys closely resembled the youngest of the jackaroos.

“Chris and Seth Simms,” Neil said, following Sam’s gaze. “Chris is the one I was telling you about in Yass, the one who nearly died. Seth is his younger brother. And that’s Jesse Harris sitting next to Chris, and then Jason Thompson, the other kid, and his dad, Patrick, our head mechanic. They’re all year-rounders. Patrick’s wife, Carley, is around here somewhere, although I haven’t seen her this morning. She helps out in the bunkhouses and in the kitchen sometimes, when Kami lets her.”

And that doesn’t even include the animals that play such an important roles on the station as well. From Arrow, Jeremy’s kelpie (a sheep herding breed), to Titan, “and a big lug of a horse who loved anyone who brought him treats”, these animals will endear themselves to you in much the same manner as their human counterparts. And never does Ariel Tachna make the mistake of treating these animals as pets. These are workers with important jobs to do on the station and are handled accordingly, although with love and affection.

Sam and Jeremy are wonderful additions to Lang Downs and the series. Sam, so vulnerable and hurting, his self image shattered over time by an angry abusive wife. Sam feels out of place,in his life and on the station. A business manager by profession, you can feel his unease and wariness at thinking that he will find a home at Lang Downs. The reader will feel his pain and insecurity and then root for him as Sam begins to pull himself back together, a slow process and a realistic one too. Jeremy is his opposite, he is so rooted to the land and the sheep that it practically rolls off of him from the moment we meet him. Coming from a tough family background has made Jeremy equally tough, inside and out. But still, Jeremy has the capacity to show his gentle side with his dog, Arrow and Sam. It is a beautiful character and the two of them together are like comfort food and magic at the same time. A difficult combination to achieve but Ariel Tachna has done it here with Sam and Jeremy.

Authenticity. Ariel Tachna brings that to this novel and her series in spades. From the Drizzle Bones the men wear (and wear properly) to the utes they drive, I never doubt that the terms and clothing the author uses are the correct ones. But just as important as the research is the seamless manner in which the information is doled out to the reader, in spurts and quick asides. And ever so slowly we have accumulated a wealth of information about an Australian sheep station and how it feels to live and work on one without realizing it. Really, the flawless manner in which Tachna has created all of Lang Downs is exceptional.

I love that all of Tachna’s characters are fully realized and vivid in their personalities as any you would meet out on the streets around you. They endear themselves to you because they feel so real, from their flaws to their passions. And just as real and special is Lang Downs, the heart of the series. I will let you hear it from Jeremy and Sam:

” “Lang Downs is a pretty special place.

”“Lang Downs is a miracle,” Jeremy amended. “A bloody miracle, and if you don’t believe that, ask Chris how he ended up here. Hell, ask Macklin how he ended up here. Or Kami. Or Patrick. I’d bet most of the year-rounders have a story to tell about how this place changed their lives. I never knew what drove Michael Lang, but even as a young child, I knew things were different here when I came to visit. That’s even more the case now.”

Yes, Lang Downs is a special place and each new story makes it even more so. I hope that Ariel Tachna has many more stories to tell on her sheep station in Australia, more people to meet, more couples in need of home and a miracle. I know that I will never get tired of this place and the people who inhabit it as the saga gets stronger with each new story it tells. If you are already on the journey, pick up this new addition and fall in love all over again. If you are new to the series, start at the beginning, discover the magic and wonder that is Lang Downs. Expect to become addicted to a very special place in an isolated territory in Australia and the people who live there.

Here is the series in the order they were written and should be read in order to understand the characters and events that occur:

Inherit The Sky (Lang Downs #1)

Chase The Stars (Lang Downs #2)

Outlast The Night (Lang Downs #3)

Cover art by Anne Cain is as lovely as the book it represents. The men are perfect representations for Jeremy and Sam and the landscape gorgeous.

Book Details:

ebook, 210 pages
Published May 20th 2013 by Dreamspinners Press
ISBN 1623807093 (ISBN13: 9781623807092)
edition languageEnglish
seriesLang Downs

Ariel Tachna (0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00). Outlast the Night (Kindle Locations 1171-1175). Dreamspinner Press. Kindle Edition.

It’s Gay Pride Month and the Week Ahead in Reviews

Its Gay Pride Month, a great time to celebrate and give back to the community. Washington, DC’s Capital Pride is coming up this week and culminates in the Capital Pride Parade on Saturday, June 8 and the Capital Pride Street Festival on Sunday, June 9. If you live in or around the metro area, there is something for everyone to enjoy. I mean how could you not want to dress up as a super hero and attend SPANDEX: The Official 2013 Pride Week Superhero Party on Friday, June 7? Plus the parade on Saturday travels through Dupont Circle, a historically gay neighborhood. I worked there in the 80’s, and believe me, that place had gay pride before Gay Pride. Here are the links to the events and places to purchase tickets:

Capital Pride 365

Gay.com – Capital Pride

If you are in the area and taking pictures at the events, send them to me and I will post them here. And for those of you in other places, send me the dates and info and I will post that as well.

There are also many organizations that help LGBTQ youth from Promise Place on the DC/Prince Georges County line to The Wanda Alston House in Washington, DC. Or perhaps the Ali Forney Center in NYC or The Albert Kennedy Trust in the UK. A favorite organization of mine is The Matthew Shepard Foundation founded by Matthew Shepard’s mother, Judy Shepard. If you haven’t visited that site before, please do so. It’s both heartbreaking and immensely uplifting to see what has emerged from such a horrific tragedy.

There are not enough shelters and organizations to go around for all of those children and teens in need and those that exist really need our support in every way possible. One easy way is to buy ebooks. Several authors and one terrific editor, Kris Jacen, have contributed their royalties from several novels. S.J. Frost and Kris Jacen with Finding A Dream, Sue Brown’s The Sky Is Dead, and Lost and Found Anthology (Kris Jacen), whose entire royalties will be sent to Lost-n-Found Youth, Inc. And these are only the most recent. Enjoy a good book and give at the same time. It’s easy, its enjoyable, and it is needed.

So have a great week. Celebrate, dance, and make time to read a book or two! Oh, and check out the cocktail recipe at the end. Here is the week ahead in reviews:

Monday, June 3: Outlast The Night by Ariel Tachna

Tuesday, June 4: Flawless by Cat Grant

Wed, June 5: The Caveman and the Devil by Chris T. Kat

Thursday, June 6: The Jouster’s Lance by A.J. Marcus

Friday, June 7: Stonewall by Martin Duberman

Saturday, June 8: Prelude by Shira Anthony and Venona Keyes

Here is a specialty cocktail recipe just for Gay Pride (shakes head, you really went there, didn’t you). It came from Alex’s Cocktail Recipes

Gay Pride Cocktail:

1 shot Apple sourz
1 shot blueberry sourz
1 shot cranberry juice
2 shots 5 alive
pop rocks
Instructions

Put the cranberry juice and 5 alive into a tumbler. Pour the sourz into shaker over ice and shake well. Pour into tumbler and add a pink umbrella, then sprinkle with pop rocks

“A womanly drink, it won’t get you drunk but drink it wearing hotpants for the ultimate sense of gay satisfaction.” Alex also has links for other drinks, none of which I can print here. Visit his site for more information.

Review: Adapting Instincts (Instincts #4) by S.J. Frost

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Zoologist and primate specialist Carl Anderson’s thoughts are consumed by one man and one kiss whose message remains unclear to Carl. And it is not just the kiss that has unsettled his life, but the fact that the man who kissed him was a vampire, one of many who live all around him hidden to most of human society. This fact was revealed to Carl through events involving his best friend Andreas Nikandros and his vampire lover Titus Antonius Calidus (Loving Instincts). Those events saw Carl caught between the vampires and the vampire hunters, including another of Carl’s friends, Matthew. At one point Carl and Andreas were threatened with death and one of Carl’s rescuers was the vampire warrior, Egill Dalgaard.

Egill Dalgaard. Viking warrior and member of vampire society’s ruling body, the Tribunal, is used to having complete control of his life but one special human has upset his calm and ordered existence. Egill cannot get Carl Anderson out of his thoughts since he first met the human and helped save his life. And that one kiss has insured Carl’s place in Egill’s nightly dreams. There are so many reasons why a continued association with Carl is ill advised and just one reason to do so. Egill hasn’t felt this way about someone in a very long time, and for that reason alone Egill cannot let this human go.

Carl’s thoughts are still so divided and upset. There is Matthew, mixed up with the vampire hunters, on one side and Egill Dalgaard, viking vampire on the other. Carl’s life is now full of fearful glances at the dark, and longing too. But the vampire hunters are still out there , posing a threat to Carl, Andreas, and the vampires Carl has come to know and respect. Any relationship Carl and Egill might have will be threatened by a variety of forces all around them, including the Tribunal. Carl has always been afraid of confrontation, but if he wants Egill in his life, then he must decide on which path to take, including one that will take him away from his humanity.

Adapting Instincts is the fourth book in the Instincts series by S.J. Frost, a series that shows continues to deliver wonderful characters and a deepening overall story arch that runs through the entire series to date. In this latest installation, all of our favorite couples are back and fully involved in this book’s narrative. We have the original couple of Andreas Nikandros (now a vampire himself) and his eternal partner Titus Antonius Calidus, Vampire Samurai Ryunosuke Kimura and his vampire lover Daniel Valente (my favorite couple) and now brought into the center are viking vampire Egill Dalgaard and human Carl Anderson, friend and former coworker of Andreas Nikandros.

Adapting Instincts picks up three months after that last events of Loving Instincts (Instincts #3), events that have left reverberations through all the lives of those involved, human and vampire alike. One of the strengths of S.J. Frost’s writing is her wonderful world building and complex narrative. While each book normally revolves around one main couple and their romance, multiple plot threads and characters weave themselves throughout the romantic relationship, acting not only as a foundation but as the perpetuator that lends the story momentum and depth. Coexisting with the daily conflicts that arise with being a human, Frost contrasts that with the rigid societal structure of the vampire world. It makes for a fascinating and absolutely addicting read to see how the two worlds will not only collide but continue to mesh as vampires and humans interact. The first three books are full of conflict and harrowing events for all the couples involved, so it makes sense for the fourth book to deal with the aftermath and emotional letdown. With two exceptions, most of this story concentrates on relationship issues, those between Carl and Egill. And while that choice simplifies the storyline, it also carries with it a more lightly layered plot as well, lacking the depth and complexity of those books that precedes it.

After the emotional events, that is a very realistic way of dealing with the aftermath of the kidnappings and near death experiences of book 3. I really enjoy the character of Egill, former viking warrior and formidable vampire lord. Stolid and controlled, it is lovely to watch such a character react to love entering his life after such a long existence. Frost does a great job with Egill’s personality, making him both realistically regal and yet vulnerable too in his tightly controlled mien. Carl, on the other hand, felt a little too passive for me to connect with. True, he has a poor self image and his need to avoid conflict puts himself and others in terrible situations. It is hard to connect with a character that you want to give a shake to most of the time. Carl’s indecisiveness is just unattractive to me so it helped immensely that Frost gave us Davy, the Black-headed Spider Monkey. Davy, along with all the other marvelous animal characters in this series, adds a touch of humor and endearment just when the story needs it the most. By seeing Carl’s relationship with Davy, it helps connect us to a character that lacks some of the vivid personality traits of the others in the series. I loved Davy and hope that the author will bring him back into the series somewhere down the line just as she did with Dakarai, Andreas’ lion, and all the other animals who a such a delight in the series. Here is your first introduction to Davy:

Carl stopped outside the habitat for the spider monkeys. He released the cart’s handles to place his hands on his hips, fixing Davy with a disapproving look. “Really? Is that necessary?”

Davy quit banging the bowl on the mesh and stared up at him with intelligent black eyes.

Carl swore the monkey was trying to play innocent. A smile broke over his lips despite trying to stay stern. It was all Davy needed. The monkey scurried up the mesh to be at eye level with him, reaching through with his left hand, the one missing the index finger. Carl held a finger toward him, and Davy wrapped his others around it. The warm, soft leathery feel of Davy’s palm made him grateful he’d been able to save the monkey’s hand. When Davy and the others came to the zoo, starved and sick from the poor care they’d received in a backyard zoo—or deathtrap, as he called it—Davy’s hand was so infected from a baboon biting his finger off, he didn’t know if he’d be able to save it. But he had, and after months of diligent care, Davy and his brothers were healthy and sassy.

The interplay between man and monkey is telling. It is humorous, affectionate, and clearly a wonderful relationship. Even when you are fed up with Carl’s dithering about, moments like this will keep the reader invested in his character and his future.

Is this book a stand alone? No, it must be read as part of the series and in the order they were written, otherwise key elements will be lost or misconstrued. I love this series and absolutely recommend it. Start at the beginning and work your way through. Instincts shows no hint of slowing down, as new characters are introduced here as well as persons left over from the last book such as Matthew. And the fact that all the other beloved characters will be there as well is just the icing on the cake. If you are already invested in this series, I guarantee you will enjoy this book too. Adapting Instincts (Instincts #4) carries the main plot thread forward while satisfying us with another romance completed. Great job, great story, wonderful series.

Here they are in the order they were written and should be read:

Natural Instincts (Instincts #1)

Enduring Instincts (Instincts #2)

Loving Instincts (Instincts #3)

Adapting Instincts (Instincts #4)

Cover art by Winterheart Designs is evocative in design and tone. I thought the two landscapes a nice touch.

ebook, 210 pages
Published March 14th 2013 by MLR Press
ISBN 1020130040
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=SJF_ADIN
seriesI

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