Hi guys! We have Alex Whitehall popping in today with their new release A Christmas for Oscar, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway, so check out the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
A Christmas for Oscar
by
Alex Whitehall
Oscar has never liked the holidays and all the surrounding rigmarole, but that doesn’t stop his best friend from dragging him along for her Black Friday shopping spree. The only perk of the day is that he meets Nathan while he’s there.
With sparkling blue eyes, curly blond hair, and a smile that won’t stop, Nathan is a Christmas elf in the flesh. He even spends his days in a workshop! But Nathan is more than his bright smile, and he may be just the right person for Oscar. Assuming, of course, Oscar doesn’t drive him and his holiday spirit away first.
Blurb: Cowboys Wyatt and Brady are competing in a team roping event in Missoula, Montana’s annual Christmas Eve rodeo. Christmas is Wyatt’s favorite time of year and nothing is going to dampen his holiday spirit, not even his surly, no-nonsense roping partner. They’ve only been riding together for a week, but Wyatt has already secretly fallen head-over-boot-heels for Brady, though it’s painfully obvious Brady only has eyes for the rodeo’s grand prize purse.
When Brady is distracted during a crucial moment in the night’s first roping run and nearly disqualifies them, Wyatt is almost certain he is going to be another of Brady’s many rejected partners. Will Wyatt and Brady be able to sort out their differences and work together to win the grand prize? Maybe if Wyatt can show Brady that Christmas really is a time for miracles.
Review: This is a very cute story about two men who are roping partners and are attracted to each other. However it would seem Brady has more on his mind then Christmas, but for you to find out you have to read the story.
It is a very cute little story that has one hell of a happy ending. I got a kick out of it, but I have to say that it was not what I had expected it to be. It did show a little bit of Christmas miracles happening. I could see myself reading this more than once, however it would make for a better long story then it does a short one.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (17th December 2016)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating:♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts
Blurb: Kobbi Aackers was excited to have a traditional family Christmas with his younger sister Franzi, a famous rock star. But instead of the peaceful holiday he had planned, she’s turning it into a televised musical extravaganza, in a desperate bid for publicity.
Kobbi can adapt, especially since the show’s host Wytt Kanard is easy on the eyes and easy to work with, even if he doesn’t believe in Christmas at all. Wytt is alternatively amused and horrified at the simplicity that is Kobbi’s life and the enthusiasm he has for the holiday, all while taking care of his houseful of unexpected guests.
Maybe Kobbi can convince the cynical Wytt that Christmas isn’t an event to be managed, but something special to be shared. Maybe he can muster the courage to confess his attraction and offer Wytt a surprise present.
Review:And To All A Good Night is a wonderfully fun Christmas story – especially for those that like reality TV and celebrities – by Felicitas Ivey. This is the second book I’ve read by Felicitas Ivey, and that had been a Christmas story from 2 years ago. Looking back, I loved that story probably as much as I loved and enjoyed this book. This is a very tidy written and edited short story. It was just so easy to get into the characters and feel the sparks of attraction and emotion between them.
The story follows Kobbi, whose younger half-sister, Franzi, is a massive rock star, just as their father had been. When Franzi turns up to his home in the middle of nowhere (not literally, but it is isolated) with a film crew and a signed contract for a Christmas special. Kobbi has no choice but to open up his house to visitors. The bonus for Kobbi is that special’s director, Wytt, sparks his interest in more ways than one. I particularly liked that Kobbi and his sister Franzi also get an ending, as well as Kobbi and Wytt.
Blurb: After years of abuse in his old shifter pack, Dante found a new life with Alpha Victor. He would do anything for Victor. Anything but stay away from Jesse, the half-blood stray. But when Victor names Dante his heir, he has no choice but to accept the duties given to him even if it means relinquishing the possibility of love. He owes his life and sanity to Victor, and that’s a debt Dante can never fully repay.
But Dante should have known the good life couldn’t last. His former alpha, Caster, is not a male who lets anything of value slip through his grasp. When rumors fly of Caster’s return, Dante knows the man will stop at nothing to possess him and his talent once again. When Jesse is kidnapped and Victor falls victim to an untimely death, his worst fears are realized. His old alpha has finally returned to reclaim him. Dante must use his fears and nightmares to save Jesse and his pack, even if it means sacrificing himself.
Review: Dante has been abused by Caster for most of his youth and made into a killer. He has been through things most would have died from. Alpha Victor steals him away and shows him there are other ways to live.
Dante is a man who struggles with nightmares from his past but guidance from Victor turns into an exceptional man. His talent is rare as he take away an alpha’s strength and give it to someone else. His twin August was left behind when he fled. In my opinion August is lost to him now.
Jesse is a stray. Strays are seen as abominations as they sometimes go mad. Jesse is anything but mad. He is also doing something extremely dangerous. If found out he could be killed. Jesse loves Dante with all his heart. When things come to pass he knows he must warn Dante.
Caster is a cruel, evil, despicable man. I truly hated him and the things he did. He ruled by fear and pain. The things he and his pack did to others were heart-breaking. This man causes chaos wherever he goes. August works with him as they have secret plans of their own to accomplish by any means necessary. They will take out anyone in their way.
What does Caster want? Dante back of course. A wonderful story from start to finish. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I was horrified by the lengths these men went to to get what they wanted. By the end of the book I wanted the story to continue.
There is a romance but yet not the focus of the story which I liked. Dante has to make sure Caster does not hurt anyone else when the man comes for him. There is action, drama, horrifying scenes and a wide range of characters that keep the reader invested in the story.
This is a new author for me and I will definitely be reading more from them. Highly recommended.
Genre: Fairy Tales, Roughhouse Raiders, Urban Fantasy
Length: Novella (115pgs)
Publisher: Less Than Three Press (November 9, 2016)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 4 ½ Hearts
Blurb: Grim Misery, the President of the Black Harbinger Motorcycle Club, discovers a wounded warlock and four werepups aboard the club’s LSD shipment. And the news keeps getting better and better. Not only is the warlock sitting on the edge of death, he’s illegally bonded to the werepups, which could trigger a war with the werewolves—and he turns out to be Misery’s estranged husband.
Years ago, Griffin turned Misery away to be with another warlock by the name of Marcheso Aldo. Misery left everything behind, even his family, but couldn’t shake the heartbreak Griffin caused. With Griffin thrust back into Misery’s life, he discovers things aren’t as they seem… and everything is about to get much, much worse
Review: Wow. Grim is the president of the Harbinger MC’s. When he is informed of a problem with a shipment he goes to investigate and finds his husband, (who chose another over him years before), on deaths door and were pups blood-bonded to him. Griffin had his reasons for doing what he did years before and it had nothing to do with wanting another.
The reasoning was heart-breaking as well as distasteful on the part of the warlock who wanted more power by any means necessary. There is a whole cast of characters that were both intriguing and terrifying. I loved the plot of the good versus the bad. The way the story played out was fantastic as each had a role to play. The different beings were a plus for me as usually there are only one or two in a story. That is not the case here.
So to say this is a good read is an understatement. It had angst, celestial beings, weres, action, drama, mystery and romance. Great read that I highly enjoyed.
I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
Blurb: Sheriff Sam Daly, a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, and his husband, Michael Bellomo, have made a life for themselves in sparsely populated Pine County in the Colorado mountains. Sam oversees the small sheriff’s department, and Michael sells his paintings and tourist items out of his shop, Needful Things. From the beginning, Sam has known Michael possessed gifts: the ability to see and hear things Sam cannot.
When a report of a body in a massive snow-filled depression up a mountainside sends Sam and his deputy, Digger, to investigate, Sam struggles to reconcile the existence of skinwalkers in Pine County with the world he’s familiar with. Michael, though, deals with this reality through his art, and through the mysticism he’s been gifted. Sam’s effort to discover what is happening causes him to examine his life with Michael from the time they first met. The inevitable conclusion might be that he’ll never understand the mysteries of the mountains, but for the sake of Michael and their love, he’ll have to embrace them.
1st Edition published by Dreamspinner Press, 2015. (2nd Edition has additional 240 pages.)
Review: When I first saw this I though spooky because let’s face it the cover is. However once you start reading it, well the cover was right on. Now normally as a reviewer I don’t really pay a lot of attention to that many covers unless there is just something there that grabs me. So when that happens I know which way the book is going to go for me. Now I have had the pleasure to read a few books by this author and let’s just say, they have you sitting on the edge of your seat.
From the moment I started reading this book my attention was caught. Now normally I take my time reading such a long story and usually lose my attention after a point. However this one just wouldn’t let me go. I have heard many stories of skin walkers, an old Indian legend, mostly bad but a few were good. However like I said most of them represented evil. In the shape of an owl, it represents, but there is a part of him that is special. He notices something special about his man.
Michael has the abilities to see and hear things no one else can. It is seen in his art and it will have Sam trying to deal with it. Then when a skinwalker is found dead, it leads them on a ride that neither will forget.
I think that this is one of the best stories I have come across in a long time. It is focused more on what is going on than on just sex. It has a real world tone to it even though it is a paranormal story. Although, sometimes I wonder if our stories are not true in a sense. I really enjoyed this and look forward to more by this amazing author. This is one story I would definitely recommend. I hope that this author turns this into a series with these two finding more stuff to get into.
Blurb: Ryan Orchard moved from small-town Idaho to Portland almost two years ago and still feels like a hick. When Paulie Nesbitt dumped him, he wasn’t even surprised. Despite losing twenty-five pounds since then, Ryan’s confidence is nonexistent, and his life has stalled. Not only is he convinced the career he wants is beyond his reach, he’s given up on relationships. A new job at a familiar restaurant—and his gorgeous coworker—could be just what Ryan needs to believe in himself again.
Glenn Hernandez might be the only nineteen-year-old in Portland who dreads his days off. Between his horrible housing situation and the ever-present temptation to crawl back into the bottle, Glenn prefers to keep busy. He volunteers at the Elliott Foundation House, a homeless shelter helping LGBTQ former sex workers. As an alum of the shelter himself, Glenn finds it hard to leave his past behind. But when the new server at the trendy restaurant where he works catches Glenn’s eye and works his way into his heart, Glenn finally has a reason to start a new life.
Review: Charley Descoteaux’s Buchanan House series is really a fantastic read. However, this particular book can be read as a standalone, those that have read the previous four books in the Buchanan House series may want to go back and work out where things fit in the story. Then again, you may not want to do that either. Whatever.
Charley writes in the author’s note how this particular book fits in the story. It’s not a part of the main timeline within the series, much like the other novella within the series “Pride Weekend”, “Holiday Weekend” is a part of the Buchanan House universe but not directly, also an important of the structure is that these also don’t open with a funeral, as the other three books in the series do. That was me quickly rehashing the author’s note .
The story itself revolves around the Elliot Foundation House – it’s a shelter for young gay men living on the street, most of them as sex workers to get by which has roots in the previous books of the series. Glenn is one of the success stories. He used to live on the streets and sell his body for money but the 19 year old is now a recovering alcoholic who is making life better for himself, even if he doesn’t really see it for himself quite yet. Then there is Ryan – we met him in the book “Tiny House” when his boyfriend Paulie found love with someone else. It wasn’t that Paulie is an asshole but Ryan is a very lonely and tragic figure. Both Ryan and Glenn have a lot of healing to do but the question is once they get together and sparks fly, can they be together and heal each other at the same time? When they head to Buchanan House for a weekend a bit of magic and love from familiar faces just makes everything perfect.
This is a heartwarming story which is full of hope and love. Glenn and Ryan are simply wonderful together, they have plenty of chemistry and a lot of heart. This is a wonderful addition to the series. I love that these guys have their chance at a happy ending within their own little world.
Blurb: Retail workers and evil never get a day off, and traveling printer salesman Kale Green is no exception. He might look like a Jolly Green Giant, but he can be a real Grinch. Working on the holidays can dampen anyone’s spirits, and on top of that, a sleepy Georgia town has it out for Kale and his car. From fender-benders to flat tires, Kale and his trusty company car Bessie suffer through it all.
While everyone else enjoys holiday parties, Kale drives down south to demo printers. Business is good, but on Christmas Eve, the weather turns bad. A few patches of ice put an end to Kale’s Christmas plans—a night alone with his video games. While Kale waits for the police, his only consolation is the company of fellow driver Wes Armstrong. As festive as a Christmas tree and as jolly as Kris Kringle, Wes proves unexpectedly charming. Kale never thought he’d crash right into a crush.
Review: Kale works on Christmas, so for him his spirits are a bit down. Not to mention he seems to always end up in a fender bender somehow. However Wes just might change his mind, but for you to know you have to read it.
When it comes to short stories it is a bit hard not to give the story away. I thought this one was cute, if not a bit rambled to me. I had a bit of trouble following it, but it was still a fun little story for the holidays.
Hi peeps! We have Kris Ripper stopping by with Zir new release One Life To Lose, we have a superb video post from Kris, a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway, so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
One Life To Lose
(Queers of La Vista 04)
by
Kris Ripper
Cameron Rheingold is the kind of guy who takes a book to a bar. He’s a loner by nature, but he has to engage with the community to keep his movie theater business afloat. When two young men stay after a Cary Grant film showing to chat, Cameron thinks he might have made some new friends—but their interest is more than friendly.
Josh is charismatic, and every smile is a little bit seductive. Keith is sweet and kind, with a core of steel Cameron can sense even when Keith’s on his knees. Cameron is willing to be the couple’s kinky third, but that’s it. He refuses to risk complicating things with his growing devotion, even if being with Josh and Keith feels more right than anything else ever has.
When the three of them are attacked by the killer roaming La Vista, Cameron must decide what’s more important: pretending the assault never happened and he’s the same loner he used to be, or coming clean to Josh and Keith about how much he loves them, even if they can never return his feelings.
Hi guys! We have the wonderful Lou Sylvre stopping by today with her upcoming release Falling Snow on Snow, I asked Lou if she would ‘pretty please’ interview one of her characters from Falling Snow on Snow and she agreed and interviewed Beck! So we have a fantastic character interview where we get some fantastic insights into Beck and Oleg and Lou has also brought along a brilliant giveaway. So peeps, check out the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
Falling Snow on Snow
by
Lou Sylvre
Beck Justice knows holiday sparkle and snappy carols only mask December’s cruel, black heart. He learned that lesson even before he landed on the streets eight years ago, and his recent step up to a tiny apartment and a busker’s permit for Seattle’s Pike Place Market has done nothing to change his mind. But one day in the market, Oleg Abramov joins his ethereal voice to Beck’s guitar, and Beck glimpses light in his bleak, dark winter.
Oleg, lucky to have a large and loving family, believes Beck could be the man to fill the void that nevertheless remains in his life. The two men step out on a path toward love, but it proves as slippery as Seattle’s icy streets. Just when they get close, a misunderstanding shatters their hopes. Light and harmony are still within reach, but only if they choose to believe, risk their hearts, and trust.
Hi guys, we have Jenna Kendrick popping in today with her new adult romance Stuck With You, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
Stuck With You
(Reinvented 01)
by
Jenna Kendrick
The Assignment: Discover if forced proximity leads to increased intimacy by being handcuffed to a partner for five days.
Jamie O’Connor’s closet is tightly closed and full of secrets. Attending college on a baseball scholarship, he’s hiding an injury along with his sexuality. A college degree is the key to escaping his family’s oppressive expectations. Until he graduates, he needs to play ball, both on the field and off. Being partnered with an openly gay classmate for a sociology project threatens to put more than just his free college ride at risk.
Seth Lerner’s closet is empty, but that’s because his baggage is always right by his side. Managing his severe ADHD while trying to overcome an earlier setback leaves him little time for any kind of social life, much less a relationship. He certainly can’t afford the distraction of falling for his closeted project partner.
Neither Jamie nor Seth plan on letting this assignment get in the way of their objectives. But secrets come out and goals change when you’re stuck together.
Hi guys, we have Dev Bentham stopping by today with her new release the Tarnished Souls Bundle, we have a great new excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and click that giveaway link! <3 ~Pixie~
Tarnished Souls Bundle
by
Dev Bentham
Tarnished Souls is a series of contemporary romance novels centered around Jewish holidays:
Life can be hard. Hard enough to leave two men tarnished and hopeless.They might be too damaged to see the truth in each other, but just maybe finding their bershert, their true love, will finally make them shine.
BOOKS IN THE TARNISHED SOULS COMPILATION
Learning from Issac
It’s hard to break out of a rut. For years, Nathan submerged himself into his job at St. Genevieve’s. He enjoys teaching, hates faculty meetings, loves his science and has committed himself to the cycle of college life. Along the way, he’s become resigned to being a gay man in a straight culture, a Jew among Catholics, and single in a world of couples. Then the brilliant Isaac Wolf appears in his classroom. Isaac’s a few years older than his fellow students, gorgeous, self-composed and Jewish.
Isaac has his own secrets, which Nathan finds out at the racy new club downtown where the boys who dance out front can be bought in the back room. Nathan thinks he’s about to get a lap dance, but behind the beaded curtain the man on his knees turns out to be Isaac. Nathan’s mind isn’t the only thing Isaac blows. Afterward, Nathan can’t stop thinking about that night. The question is whether Nathan can let himself fall in love with a student, much less someone with Isaac’s checkered past. Is it too late for a student to teach his professor the true nature of love and respect?
Publisher’s Note: This book contains graphic imagery of men having sex together. And enjoying it. However, the story is primarily a romance. Don’t be disappointed if you read pages and pages and pages without encountering acts, organs or orgasms.
Fields of Gold
Life is full of compromises. That’s what Avi Rosen tells himself. He’s a yeshiva boy turned historian, working on his dissertation and stretching his meager stipend by moonlighting as a closeted politician’s houseboy. Their relationship used to feel like a real affair. Lately it seems more like a job.
It isn’t until he meets someone decent that he realizes how corrupt his life has become. Pete is a tall blond farmer who charms Avi with his dazzling smile and his straightforward life. But even if he can believe this refreshingly honest man doesn’t have his own political agenda, will Avi find the strength to emerge from the dark life he’s chosen and find a future in the sun?
Sacred Hearts
Life’s a gamble–and lately David Schwartz’s partner has been losing so much that David must close their restaurant, the hippest little place in Portland. He sells everything and moves back home, but at thirty-five, he’s not eager to sleep alone in his childhood bedroom or to be supported by his father for the second time in his adult life.
David’s had enough. He needs to start over, maybe with someone like the elusive man he’s been seeing in his dreams. An old friend offers him a job catering a movie set in Puerto Vallarta. It’s been years since David’s alcoholism spun out of control along the highways of Mexico. Determined to experience Mexico sober, he stuffs his few remaining possessions in a backpack and takes the next flight down.
As Mexico prepares for Christmas, David lights Hanukkah candles, celebrating the return of the sun and wishing for true love. On the first night of Hanukkah, David meets a tall, dark stranger who rocks his world in a secluded moonlit cove. Is this the mystery man of his dreams–the answer to David’s prayers? And what must David sacrifice to make his dreams come true?
Bread, Salt and Wine
Some wounds never heal. George Zajac grew up in a religious family with a father who beat “the swish” out of him. At thirty-eight he’s a troubled man. Escaping his miserable life as a banker in New York, he moves across the country to start again in Los Angeles as the catering chef for a prestigious French Restaurant. Kenny Marks, a writer who’s currently waiting tables, is everything George cannot be—flamboyant, proud and sexually confident. Enthralled by Kenny, and against his own better judgment, George agrees to a date. Sparks fly. The sex is amazing. But even after the two get close, George is crippled by humiliating sexual hang-ups. Still haunted by his childhood, he lingers in the closet and can’t commit to a relationship with Kenny.
Love is the great healer, but is it enough? George’s emotional scars could drive Kenny away, and with him, George’s last chance at happiness.
The book in the Tarnished Souls series can be found on Goodreads
Beau Walker, owner of the Barbecue Shack, needs the help of Jake Parnell, his one-time rival and secret crush, in a televised barbecue competition. Beau is a proud man, but the stakes are high, and smart, sexy Jake is his only hope, even if being around Jake reawakens the attraction he’s fought for years.
Jake left his hometown, determined to build a life somewhere his sexuality wouldn’t hurt his family’s restaurant business—and far away from hunky, obstinate Beau Walker. Then his twin, Josh, is killed, and Jake returns to support his brother’s wife and children. Despite his reservations, he agrees to go head-to-head against Beau on national television. Between stress and grief, as well as pride and determination, only one thing is certain—the heat between Beau and Jake extends well beyond the kitchen.
Review: Striking Sparks is a fantastic addition to the Dreamspun Desires collection – which has now become a collection I will read without hesitation, regardless of the story’s author. For the most part I have liked or loved each book in the series/collection and Ari McKay’s story of rival cooks does not disappoint.
Beau Walker is owner of the Barbeque Shack. His rival is Jake Parnell, who now runs Parnell’s Pantry and supporting his brother’s family after the death of his twin brother, Josh. Beau had always got along with Josh, but for numerous and probably obvious reason, he and Jake never got along. The main point would be that Beau is out to their small town community while Jake is still firmly in the closet. But now the time has come that they are going to have to work together, Beau had organized a friendly competition with Josh, which was going to be filmed for television. Now it is Jake who is going to take his brother’s place despite the tension between the guys. The money would be good for the family, the advertising for their businesses would be invaluable, as well as for tourism of their hometown.
I have to admit that I’m totally addicted to watching Food Network, so getting into this book was never a problem. Add onto that the great tension that was crafted between the MCs and then there is explosive attraction between them. I think that this is a book that will easily please many readers.
On the surface, life looks pretty good for sixteen-year-old Emmitt LaPoint: he’s popular, doing well in school, and he’s poised to lead his small-town Vermont hockey team all the way to the state championship—and that’ll lead to attention from scouts. Emmitt might manage to follow in the footsteps of his hockey hero, John LeClair, who he’s been secretly writing to for years.
But beneath the perfect façade, Emmitt is struggling. All he wants is to hold on to the two things he loves: hockey and his boyfriend, Dusty. But Emmitt’s absentee father has recently returned to breathe down his neck, and not everyone is eager to see him succeed. Few people in town know Emmitt is gay, and it’s getting harder to stay in the closet. On top of everything, Dusty seems to be hiding his own secrets.
Review: Thanks A Lot, John LeClair is the sequel (or companion as said in the blurb) to the book Here’s to You, Zeb Pike. If you haven’t read the first book, I really recommend going back to it. While it probably isn’t essential, it’s a fantastic book and these stories are just the perfect duo – much like Dusty and Emmitt.
The story is told from the perspective of Emmitt LaPoint, boyfriend of Dusty Porter, who after a year in Vermont has settled in with his new family and loves his new uncle and aunt. However, things are changing, as things always must. His secret relationship with Dusty is one of the main things changing and Emmitt’s little brother, Casey, is definitely the champion of his big brother and best friend. There is some drama but Emmitt and Dusty solves their current problems with style.
This series tackles some pretty upsetting things really beautifully. I think it hits the emotions and tension and the sweetness perfectly. It’s a lot more than teen drama or angst. I’m not a fan of angst ridden books, so if you’re like me, I can totally get behind recommending this for you. If you like sport novels too, we’re talking hockey here and an NHL star in the making with Emmitt.
I’m not sure if Johanna has plans for another book in the series. We are left with a HFN ending and I would really love for there to be more stories as we get see these guys go from teens to young men.
Blurb: Fact: When Zebulon Pike attempted to climb what is now known as Pikes Peak, he got stuck in waist-deep snow and had to turn back.
That’s the last thing Dusty Porter learns in his Colorado history class before appendicitis ruins his life. It isn’t long before social services figures out that Dusty’s parents are more myth than reality, and he and his siblings are shipped off to live in Vermont with an uncle and aunt they’ve never met.
Dusty’s new life is a struggle. His brother and sister don’t seem to need him anymore, and he can’t stand his aunt and uncle. At school, one hockey player develops a personal vendetta against him, while Emmitt, another hockey player, is making it hard for Dusty to keep pretending he’s straight. Problem is, he’s pretty sure Emmitt’s not gay. Then, just when Dusty thinks things can’t get any worse, his mother reappears, looking for a second chance to be a part of his life.
Somehow Zebulon Pike still got the mountain named after him, so Dusty’s determined to persevere—but at what point in life do you keep climbing, and when do you give up and turn back?
Review: Here’s to You, Zeb Pike is a really heartwarming and heartwrenching book. I know, it’s so good it makes you feel sad and happy at the same time. I didn’t know what to expect from this since this was the first book by Johanna Parkhurst I’ve read and I am glad to say that I loved both the writing style and the plot itself.
Of course, being a teen/young adult book, if you’re an adult reading it you really got to know what you’re into when it comes to young adult fiction. And if you’re reading about damaged teens from broken homes, that’s you’re first big hint that you’ll like it.
The story starts off with the heartbreaking opener of fourteen (almost fifteen) year old Dusty Porter, taking care of his six and eight year old siblings entirely on his own. His mother has flitted off months ago and his father is involved in some shady business, he doesn’t want to be around his kids but he gives them money to survive. Dusty has had a hard life from the start because of his negligent parents. Then, when his sister goes to hospital with appendicitis their entire world crashes down. Dusty’s entire life is changed when an uncle and aunt he never knew he had take him and his siblings into their home. That’s better than going into foster care but Dusty has a hard time accepting his new family and losing his role as primary care giver of his siblings.
At school Dusty is introduced to brothers Emmitt and Casey LaPointe. Emmitt is 16 years old, star of the school hockey team. To top off all the difficulties Dusty is going through, he finds himself attracted to Emmitt. Things keep piling up for Dusty, after all he is a teen as well as being a kid in a heartbreaking situation, but I like the fact that in this story his sexuality is not made part of the drama.
Emmitt and Dustin are sweet together, as only it can be for their age. This is more than a coming of age, in many ways Dusty is already an adult. This is a lot more than two boys discovering themselves. It’s a really charming story of a making of a family and the making of a relationship, which will continue in the next book.
Blurb: Chane Taunton is running out of time. He’s not a warrior. He’s a monk…well, ex-monk. And herbalist. Neither qualifies him to capture a deranged vampire. Unfortunately, to keep his brother and friends safe, he must try. He just has to set the right trap. Of course, this is made even more difficult with the arrival of his brother, Archie, who keeps following Chane from coven to coven spiking Chane’s drinks and placing himself in danger.
When the trap fails, again, Chane is saved by a gorgeous, big feline shifter, Dominic Sanchez, who declares Chane is his mate. Due to an accident, Chane is unable to immediately scent the shifter as mate, but Dom is adamant and sets out to woo Chane, soothing the vampire’s many ruffles and discovering all his secrets.
With an assassin on the loose and gunning for them, Dom has his work cut out for him. Luckily he has a lot of crafty shifters and the mate pull on his side.
Review: Chane is constantly on the move due to his psychotic ex, an assassin, who doesn’t take ending the relationship too well. I found that Chane was determined to put his in the past and try to move forward. Only to be pushed back a few steps. I was glad he had help when Dom came along.
The fight to move forward was hard. Yet with the support of his mate and all the others in Milson valley he was right where he needed to be. I felt sorry for Chane not being able to scent his mate due to an accident. But with time Chane begins to grow closer to Dom.
Archie, Chane’s brother, was a hoot. I loved his character. He was extremely protective of Chane yet funny and snarky. I loved the action, romance, drama and suspense in this addition to the series.
Genre: Ménage a Trois, Paranormal Shape-shifter, Vampires/Werewolves
Length: Novel (193pgs)
Publisher: Siren-BookStrand, Inc. (September 2016)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating:♥♥♥♥♥ 4 ½ Hearts
Blurb: Deakin Myers has a perfectly good, though slightly dysfunctional, mate, so why would he need another one? Ran Markson is more than enough for Deakin. Ran is gorgeous, cheeky, so relaxed he could slip into a coma, sweet, and just seems to stumble into trouble. And man, does he ever get Deakin hot!
When his mate has a little bit of trouble at his latest job and the local wolf pack become protective big brothers, Deakin may have hyperventilated and demanded a lawyer. Sure, the pack seem friendly—too friendly really. They keep trying to touch his mate. But they are saying all this stuff about Ran actually having a different name, needing protection, and that he is ill.
But then Ran is shot by an assassin sent by his ex-Alpha, a vicious creature bent on revenge. The local Avenger is called in to eliminate the threat, and all their lives take a very unexpected turn.
Review: Deakin and Ran have been on the move since Ran’s ex-Alpha is intent on harming Ran anyway he can and will stop at nothing to attain that goal. When Avenger Vicus is called in to eliminate the threat to Ran things take an interesting turn.
Deakin is part human, part sprite, has asthma and is a bit high strung at times. The way he acts at times was hilarious but understandable. Ran, is easy going and constantly getting into trouble. But I believe it was a result of what happened by his previous pack.
I loved the interactions between these two despite the situation they find themselves in. Avenger Vicus is used to people giving him a wide berth. He is unused to relationships but knows that Deakin and Ran are his mates. He will do all in his power to protect them.
Suspense, drama and action surround this addition to the Milson Valley series.
Genre: a Trois, Paranormal Shape-shifter, Vampires/Werewolves
Length: Novella (168pgs)
Publisher: Siren-BookStrand, Inc.
Heat Level: Scorching
Heart Rating:♥♥♥ 3 Hearts
Blurb: Keeley James is a wary human but he adores his stunning mate, Vampire Lord Xavier Dalton. When out of nowhere a huge Shifter pounces, claiming Xavier as his mate, Keeley reels. Confused, he runs.
Lord Xavier Dalton is a Vampire on a mission. Always. He is an important, valued member of his Coven and the High Council. He makes and breaks kingdoms, dotes on his little dreamy eyed human mate, and allows the big Feline to claim him, as is the paranormal way. But the Tiger will have to prove he’s not just all roar to capture this icy Vampire’s heart.
Feline Crown Prince Drake Sanchez is not letting his little human wiggle out of his paws, nor allowing his stunning Vampire to pull the renowned Vamp chill on him, shutting Drake out while keeping secrets. Both are his. They’ll get used to it, he’s real good at getting creatures to purr. This Tiger loves nothing more than protecting, heavy petting and cuddling.
Review: I wanted to really like this book but I could not, though I did love the plot of the story. The story seemed to be all over the place. Drake was a little brash regarding Keeley and Xavier was a little too overprotective of Keeley.
I thought they were all mates so I did not understand the distance in regards to being together between Xavier, a vampire and Drake, a shifter. It confused me. Keeley was a little over the top with the games he played with Drake but that was to be expected with what he had been through not to mention another paranormal mate which threw him in panic mode.
The whole back and forth panic, running, battle of wits between the three got tiresome quick. Now I love sarcasm but this was not it. I thought mates were supposed to want to be together? Maybe it’s just me but the book felt off to me.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (15th December 2016)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating:♥♥♥3 Hearts
Blurb: Alec Ryder’s arrest in Aspen, early on the morning of December twenty-fifth, is the latest disaster in his series of unhappy Christmases. He’s dreaded the holiday since being subjected to endless church services as a child. Being kicked out on Christmas Day after he came out to his parents, followed by an improbable series of yearly yuletide trips to the emergency room, haven’t made his Christmases any merrier. But getting busted for prostitution is the worst catastrophe; it means Alec’s dream of a college degree is gone, replaced by the specter of jail time.
Just when Alec thinks things can’t get worse, Hayden Adler shows up to interrogate him. Hayden is a glamorous attorney who also happens to be Alec’s college roommate’s cousin. Alec’s had a crush on Hayden for years, but whatever miniscule chance Alec might’ve had is now history—just like the life he’s been trying to build for himself.
But things aren’t quite what they seem. In a long line of miserable Christmases, Alec will never forget this one, although not for the reasons he suspects.
Review: This short story is narrated by MC, Alec. He’s had a miserable life since being kicked out of home on Christmas Day for being gay. To get through college he turned to being an escort as well as waiting tables to survive. But one of his clients leads him to being arrested on Christmas Day. The worst part for him being that his love interest and cousin to his college roommate/best friend is one of the agents trying to get information from him.
While I enjoyed All I Want For Christmas… Is No Christmas, I did not outright love it. I believe this is because I felt that there was a lot missing from the story. Yes, I could read between the lines to some extent, but part of me wanted a lot of sections elaborated upon. The main character does explain at length his past and why he hated Christmas but I just needed more on how this Christmas became a better Christmas. The spark of attraction is there between the guys, it just needed to be fleshed out more I felt.
“All I Want for Christmas… Is No Christmas” takes place on Christmas Day in Aspen, Colorado. While Alec is a skier, he spends the day being interrogated by Hayden instead of hitting the slopes. Aspen’s famous ski mountain wasn’t the first to open in Colorado, but its been around for several generations and opened with what was, at the time, the longest chairlift in the world. In 2017, what anniversary will the Aspen Mountain ski area celebrate?
(Just leave a comment with the answer on this post)
Hiya peeps, we have J.T. Hall popping in today with the tour for her new release Murder Once Seen, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
Murder Once Seen
by
J.T. Hall
In the city of Nis, things often aren’t what they seem.
Derwin is a bounty hunter gifted with the Oddity of superhuman strength and agility—perfect for hunting down fugitives and demons who roam the streets. One killed his boyfriend two years ago, and Derwin won’t stop until he finds out who. Police suspect it was someone he sent to prison, but he can’t shake the idea that they’re missing something.
Elliot is a rentboy who’s been living on the streets since his parents disowned him. He mistrusts everyone and, given his uncontrolled ability to Read Objects and a client list that includes a major gang boss, despairs of ever having a normal life.
Derwin and Elliot meet in a storm of lust. Derwin’s Oddity is fed by the pain of others, but he only wants what’s freely given. Elliot loves pain, but needs safety and a way off the streets before he can allow it. They may be able to solve each other’s problems . . . if they can survive long enough to work together.
Title: The Alpha’s Weave
Title: Death Mask
Title: Whispers of Old Winds (2nd Edition)
Title: Holiday Weekend
One Life To Lose
Learning from Issac
Fields of Gold
Sacred Hearts
Bread, Salt and Wine
Title: Striking Sparks
Title: Thanks A Lot, John LeClair
Title: Here’s to You, Zeb Pike
Title: The Coolest Prince of Cats
Title: The Avenger Claims His Mates
Title: Prince of Cats Claims a Mate or Two
