Hiya peeps! We have C.S. Poe visiting today with the tour for her upcoming release Southernmost Murder, we have a brilliant guest post, a great excerpt and a fantastic exclusive giveaway where you can win a bag key lime jelly beans & Southernmost Murder swag! So guys, check out the post and enter the fantastic giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~ p.s. Make sure you visit the other blogs on the tour to take part in each blogs giveaway 😉
Southernmost Murder
by
C.S. Poe
Aubrey Grant lives in the tropical paradise of Old Town, Key West, has a cute cottage, a sweet moped, and a great job managing the historical property of a former sea captain. With his soon-to-be-boyfriend, hotshot FBI agent Jun Tanaka, visiting for a little R&R, not even Aubrey’s narcolepsy can put a damper on their vacation plans.
But a skeleton in a closet of the Smith Family Historical Home throws a wrench into the works. Despite Aubrey and Jun’s attempts to enjoy some time together, the skeleton’s identity drags them into a mystery with origins over a century in the past. They uncover a tale of long-lost treasure, the pirate king it belonged to, and a modern-day murderer who will stop at nothing to find the hidden riches. If a killer on the loose isn’t enough to keep Aubrey out of the mess, it seems even the restless spirit of Captain Smith is warning him away.
The unlikely partnership of a special agent and historian may be exactly what it takes to crack this mystery wide-open and finally put an old Key West tragedy to rest. But while Aubrey tracks down the X that marks the spot, one wrong move could be his last.
Blurb: Though some struggles have ended in victory, ease and contentment are not the fate of the gods of war. Instead they must contemplate the sometimes terrible and frightening nature of their powers—and the effect those powers have on the people they love.
After their campaign in Ummana, the gods of war return to the Valley with their ranks finally complete. Sic is the eighth Emeris to join Renaldo and Canubis in their war against the Good Mother. Even so, they must wait for their powers to manifest, and trials lay ahead.
It is only when a tragedy befalls Aegid, Kalad, and Daran that Sic learns the extent of his abilities as a Luksari. What he achieves will change Daran forever—and set him up for trauma that leaves him doubting his relationship with Aegid and Kalad. After surviving battle, torture, and rape, Daran must affirm his commitment to his lovers and his new status among them through even more blood and violence.
Even though Renaldo and Casto’s relationship has improved, they’re still struggling, which could prove to be more dangerous than they think—because the Good Mother is already plotting her next move.
Review: An engaging story about the struggles of several men. Renaldo, Casto, Canubis, Aeid, Kalad, Daran and Sic must find a way to defeat the good mother character in this book. I was appalled at the treatment Sic suffered through other books. But things are different this time.
Daran suffers through his own hell and afterwards has to deal with the things that happened to him.There are quite a few characters throughout that add an element of surprise by their actions and/or thoughts. Twists and turns are all throughout.
I like this series even though at times I feel overwhelmed by certain events that take place. An interesting addition to the series to say the least.
Blurb: Sometimes the fiercest battle a man faces is against himself.
In the hidden alleyways of New York City, George “Tank” Tankersley defeated what he believed were demons. But the victory cost too much. Tank joined the Army in the hope of outrunning the guilt haunting him—only to stumble into a vast and deadly conspiracy, the enemies he’d hoped to never encounter again, and the arms of the brilliant, eccentric scientist tasked with saving humanity.
In a world where the line between dark magic and alien science is thin, Dr. Lev Underwood must reverse engineer recovered alien technology to give humans a fighting chance against the extraterrestrial beings who consider Earth nothing more than a petri dish. His old friend, Colonel Clyde Aldrich, wants to protect Lev from entanglement with the scarred and emotionally volatile young soldier, but Lev cannot help the pull he feels toward Tank. Still, his first loyalty is to the secret government program, and love might have to take a back seat to protecting the world. But if he can find a way, Lev wants both.
Review: Tanks life takes a turn when he is thrust into a secret alien base. Not one who is new to the strange Tank learns that everything he thought he knew was wrong. I liked the story. It has all sorts of twists and turns that delve further into the aliens and what they are up to.
The aliens themselves are not that different from humans. You have your good ones and bad ones. The slave ships were horrifying for the humans they had captured. These things were mentioned but not in deep detail.
Overall I found the characters in the story complex at times yet intriguing. They all added to the story in some way or another. The biggest shock was about Tank himself. But, I won’t spoil what all happens for the readers. Needless to say it was an adventurous, action packed, and mysterious story that captures your imagination and attention from the start.
The Earth is in a state of collapse, with wars breaking out over resources and an environment pushed to the edge by human greed.
Three living generation ships have been built with a combination of genetic mastery, artificial intelligence, technology, and raw materials harvested from the asteroid belt. This is the story of one of them—43 Ariadne, or Forever, as her inhabitants call her—a living world that carries the remaining hopes of humanity, and the three generations of scientists, engineers, and explorers working to colonize her.
From her humble beginnings as a seedling saved from disaster to the start of her journey across the void of space toward a new home for the human race, The Stark Divide tells the tales of the world, the people who made her, and the few who will become something altogether beyond human.
Humankind has just taken its first step toward the stars.
Review: The Stark Divide throws you into the stars as Earth races towards extinction. Humanity takes one last grasping chance to save themselves even as the world dies around them because of their stupidity, and even in the dying last breaths they continue throwing nuclear missiles at each other and condemning the entire species.
J. Scott Coatsworth has written an amazing science fiction novel that sends shivers down your spine because of the ring of truth to it.
The setting of the story is a living world/ship that’s an amazing combination of organic/technology with an artificial intelligence that is more than it seems.
The story starts from the very beginning of Forever’s life when she’s still a seedling and the amazing crew who first ‘plant’ her. The Dressler’s crew, Captain Colin McAvery, Anastasia Anatov scientist and creator of the seedlings (Forever) and Jackson Hammond ship’s engineer, have the important task of ensuring that the seedling is planted on an asteroid so it can begin growing so it can save a portion of humanity. The problem is something’s wrong with the Dressler and it’s a race against time.
The story then jumps in time with Colin, Anastasia and Jackson’s son Aaron meeting as Forever is being colonised for human habitation. It’s a fraught time as truths come out and Forever doesn’t forget grudges.
The final segment in the story is 30 years on from Forever’s birth, while Forever still isn’t quite big enough or ready for mass human habitation the Earth is failing, and refugees are flocking to Forever.
This really is an amazing story and while it has gay, lesbian and Trans characters I would actually say that this is a more mainstream story. There’s no romance and no one character to focus on, the story is about Forever’s journey with the stories of some of the humans who are important to her survival coming through.
The world building is absolutely amazing; we get to see a new world emerging through determination and survival instincts, we get to picture through the authors words exactly what a new world for humans might be like, living inside that world… it’s just amazing.
The characters each come to life, their hopes, dreams, fear, anger, desperation and shame comes through brilliantly, we are left in no doubt as to what the characters are going through.
This isn’t your usual science fiction story, there’s no danger other than that brought on by humans stupid actions, there’s no aliens racing to help humanity, there’s no devastating natural world event, there’s no nicely timed rescue of Earth. It’s a story of amazing ingenuity, characters connected by the beginning and shear survival instincts.
I recommend this to those who love deep science fiction stories, who adore a storyline that pulls you along in its wake, who love interesting characters, and an ending that is also a brand new beginning.
Hi peeps! We have J. Scott Coatsworth visiting today with his brand new release The Stark Divide, we have a fantastic interview with J. Scott, a great excerpt and my review, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
The Stark Divide
(Liminal Sky 01)
by
J. Scott Coatsworth
Some stories are epic.
The Earth is in a state of collapse, with wars breaking out over resources and an environment pushed to the edge by human greed.
Three living generation ships have been built with a combination of genetic mastery, artificial intelligence, technology, and raw materials harvested from the asteroid belt. This is the story of one of them—43 Ariadne, or Forever, as her inhabitants call her—a living world that carries the remaining hopes of humanity, and the three generations of scientists, engineers, and explorers working to colonize her.
From her humble beginnings as a seedling saved from disaster to the start of her journey across the void of space toward a new home for the human race, The Stark Divide tells the tales of the world, the people who made her, and the few who will become something altogether beyond human.
Humankind has just taken its first step toward the stars.
Hi guys! We have new author Mark David Campbell stopping by today with his upcoming debut novel Eating The Moon, we have a fantastic interview with David and we have a great excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
Eating The Moon
by
Mark David Campbell
During his twice-weekly sessions, Guy, a sixty-seven-year-old anthropologist, tells Richard, his thirty-two-year-old psychiatrist, a fantastic tale about a society where almost everyone is homosexual and sex is considered the most basic form of communication.
As a young man, on a cargo ship that sinks in the Bermuda triangle, Guy is saved by the first mate, Luca, and they wash up on the shore of an uncharted tropical island. There, Guy must undergo a brutal initiation ritual, endure a crazed shaman, and swim across shark-infested waters in order to win the love of a local man. Meanwhile, Luca, who cannot accept his sexuality, is obsessed with being rescued and soon degenerates into drug dependency. Serious trouble ensues when Luca discovers that the locals have a large stash of gold, and he devises a plan to steal it. When Luca’s scheme falls apart, Guy must choose between remaining on the island with the man he loves or saving Luca’s life.
Could there really be such a society, or does it only exist within the fantasy of lonely old gay man?
Blurb: The heat took everything from Rowen: his parents, his voice when the local cure for heatstroke poisoned him, and the trust of his fellow villagers, who branded him a water thief. It would have claimed his life when he was deemed unworthy of precious resources and left in the sun to die, had not a strange man named Kristoff ridden in on the wind and told Rowen he had power.
Rowen works hard to become a Storm Lord, one of a secret magical group that brings storms to break the heat waves overtaking their world. But Rowen is starting his training at a disadvantage since he cannot speak and is much older than the other novices. The desire to please Kristoff inspires him to persevere even more than the threat of being sent back to his village to die should he fail. Still, he cannot gather rain, and when his abilities manifest, they are unlike anything known to the Storm Lords. Unless Kristoff can help him control his deadly powers, the entire world will be in danger.
Kristoff might be among the mightiest of the Storm Lords, but he’s never been a mentor before. For a chance to be with Rowen, he’s willing to risk everything.
Review: Rowen is a sweet man that has had a hard life. The village he lives in a tiny villaged plagued by severe heat spells that kill. One day he is to be sacrificed as a way to end the spell. Kristoff is a Storm Lord with the ability to disperse heat spells. He comes upon Rowan badly burned and on the brink of death. He senses something within the young man and so takes him with him.
I am not even going to pretend that I understood the explanations on certain things pertaining the lords. Though the story was good I felt it was to drawn out. At times I felt as though I was back in school learning.
I hated the way people treated Rowan because he could speak. It seemed people in this story were barbaric to a degree that I did not approve of. I was glad Kristoff stood up for Rowan against those that would do him harm because they felt threatened by what he could do.
Blurb: In war, loss is the price of victory, and the cost of love is sometimes pain.
After Renaldo and Casto finally celebrate their marriage, the time has come for revenge against the followers of the Good Mother who tried to kill Casto—though this time, the gods of war won’t use bloodshed to take Medelina.
As a member of the Confederation of the Plains, Medelina answers to Ummana, the head of the alliance… and Casto is heir to the throne of Ummana. Accompanied by their most capable mercenaries, Canubis and Renaldo travel to Ummana to make Casto king.
They’ll face the Council of Elders; Lord Aran, Casto’s father; and Princess Anesha, Casto’s sister—none of whom are happy about the king’s return. For Casto, the city is a reminder of a terrible childhood, and Renaldo can only helplessly watch his beloved fight a seemingly hopeless battle.
Through trickery and political scheming, vengeance against the Good Mother is finally within their grasp—but their success might be bittersweet. Not everyone will return to the Valley with Casto and Renaldo..
Review: Book three in the series has a different feel than the previous two books. There is still an interesting cast of characters throughout that add an element as well as political, plots, and some background info. I just could not put my finger on what was different with the overall feel of the story.
I love Casto but would like to see more of other characters as the main MC sometimes. Sic’s past and what he has been through broke my heart. I was happy that the person responsible for his pain finally got his.
Though I enjoyed the series so far I did not care for this one as much. It’s a complex story that had me confused at times with explanations as to certain things. Never the less it’s a good read for the series.
Hi guys! We have Ravon Silvius popping in today with their upcoming release The Storm Lords, we have a brilliant guest post from Ravon and a great excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
The Storm Lords
by
Ravon Silvius
The heat took everything from Rowen: his parents, his voice when the local cure for heatstroke poisoned him, and the trust of his fellow villagers, who branded him a water thief. It would have claimed his life when he was deemed unworthy of precious resources and left in the sun to die, had not a strange man named Kristoff ridden in on the wind and told Rowen he had power.
Rowen works hard to become a Storm Lord, one of a secret magical group that brings storms to break the heat waves overtaking their world. But Rowen is starting his training at a disadvantage since he cannot speak and is much older than the other novices. The desire to please Kristoff inspires him to persevere even more than the threat of being sent back to his village to die should he fail. Still, he cannot gather rain, and when his abilities manifest, they are unlike anything known to the Storm Lords. Unless Kristoff can help him control his deadly powers, the entire world will be in danger.
Kristoff might be among the mightiest of the Storm Lords, but he’s never been a mentor before. For a chance to be with Rowen, he’s willing to risk everything.
Series: A Green’s Hill Collection | Companion to the Little Goddess Series
Author: Amy Lane
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Length: Novel (220 pages)
Publisher: DSP Publications (June 14, 2016)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 4 ½ Hearts (Combined)
Blurb: Welcome to Green’s Hill, a small, secret collective of the fey, furry, and undead, existing unnoticed in the California foothills for over a hundred and fifty years. Whether your passion is exotic were-animals, angels, elves, or vampires, you can find them here—although things are changing on the hill.
Bound by love and honor, Cory, Green, and Adrian work to give their followers a home—but they have no idea that the effects of their true love will spread like ripples in a pond.
Be prepared for the unexpected, and ready for enchantment—you never know who will be awakened to the romantic possibilities of a vampire, a sorceress, or a pansexual elf who finds power in the force of love.
This anthology includes:
Litha’s Constant Whim
It is on Litha that Whim meets Charlie, and their vows to return next Litha and finish what they started launch a thirteen-year tradition of celebration.
1st Edition published by Dreamspinner Press, June 2010.
I Love You, Asshole!
It’s a good thing vampires live forever, because it might take Marcus that long to convince Phillip that gender lines are for the living.
1st Edition published by Dreamspinner Press, May 2011.
Guarding the Vampire’s Ghost
An accident of divine politics has put Adrian, a twice-dead vampire, in heaven and under the care of angels Shepherd and Jefischa.
1st Edition published by Dreamspinner Press, October 2010.
This is the story of Whim, a young Sidhe, and Charlie. An awakening of love between the two and the journey they take to be together. Sweet and entertaining.
I love You, Asshole! Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Marcus seems strong and knows what he wants. Phillip seemed quite the opposite. He has insecurities and fears but with Marcus’ help becomes the man he was meant to be. I really liked Phillip as he seemed real to me.
Guarding the Vampire’s Ghost Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts
This is my favorite book in this series as it shows despite watching his lovers move on that Adrian learns to live without them and is happy. It’s about letting go and living again. The characters were wonderful in this series.
All in all it was an entertaining read with a whole cast of characters whose lives were intersected each other’s. Sweet yet heart-breaking this series will make you smile yet tug at your heartstrings.
Hi guys! We have Anne Barwell popping in today with the tour for her upcoming release Comes A Horseman, we have a brilliant guest post from Anne, a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so check out the post and click that giveaway link! <3 ~Pixie~
Comes A Horseman
(Echoes Rising 03)
by
Anne Barwell
France, 1944
Sometimes the most desperate struggles take place far from the battlefield, and what happens in secret can change the course of history.
Victory is close at hand, but freedom remains frustratingly just beyond the grasp of German physicist Dr. Kristopher Lehrer, Resistance fighter Michel, and the remaining members of the team sent by the Allies—Captain Matt Bryant, Sergeant Ken Lowe, and Dr. Zhou Liang—as they fight to keep the atomic plans from the Nazis. The team reaches France and connects with members of Michel’s French Resistance cell in Normandy. Allied troops are poised to liberate France, and rescue is supposedly at hand. However, Kristopher is no longer sure the information he carries in his memory is safe with either side.
When Standartenführer Holm and his men finally catch up with their prey, the team is left with few options as they fight to keep atomic plans from the Nazis. With a traitor in their midst, who can they trust? Kristopher realizes he must become something he is not in order to save the man he loves. Death is biding his time, and sacrifices must be made for any of them to have the futures they want.
Hi guys! We have Don Travis popping in today with his upcoming release The City of Rocks, we have a short guest post and a brilliant excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
The City of Rocks
(B.J. Vinson Mystery 03)
by
Don Travis
Confidential investigator B. J. Vinson thinks it’s a bad joke when Del Dahlman asks him to look into the theft of a duck… a duck named Quacky Quack the Second and insured for $250,000. It ceases to be funny when the young thief dies in a suspicious truck wreck. The search leads BJ and his lover, Paul Barton, to the sprawling Lazy M Ranch in the Bootheel country of southwestern New Mexico bordering the Mexican state of Chihuahua.
A deadly game unfolds when BJ and Paul are trapped in a weird rock formation known as the City of Rocks, an eerie array of frozen magma that is somehow at the center of the entire scheme. But does the theft of Quacky involve a quarter-million-dollar duck-racing bet between the ranch’s owner and a Miami real estate developer, or someone attempting to force the sale of the Lazy M because of its proximity to an unfenced portion of the Mexican border? BJ and Paul go from the City of Rocks to the neon lights of Miami and back again in pursuit of the answer… death and danger tracking their every step.
Blurb: Resistance, exile, plague. Raif has survived them all, but now he finds himself in search of a new purpose. Traveling north to wake the dragon Arden, he hopes he has finally found a leader worthy of his loyalty, but Arden turns out to be more of a frivolous annoyance than an almighty spirit lord. Now bound to Arden’s side despite his frustration, Raif follows the dragon to the rich and influential lagoon city of Aliann, chasing rumors of the Shadow that once cursed his homeland.
With the election of a new duke at stake, Raif struggles to make sense of the challenges he meets in Aliann: a conspiracy of nixies and pirates, selkie refugees in desperate need of a champion, a monster that devours souls, a flirtatious pirate prince, and a machine that could change the world. For nothing in the city of masks is what it seems, from the new friends Raif makes to the dragon he follows—or even himself.
Review: This is my favorite book in the series. I will have to re-read the entire series at some point to see if my opinion on the other two books has changed since I read them. Raif’s duty is to give his heart to Arden, a fierce dragon who has a world of hurt to work through.
The two are made for each other but the road is long and tough for them as they are also as different as night and day. Raif is serious whereas Arden is cheeky. But they both have their secrets that eventually come out as the two set out to gather Arden’s hoard.
I really enjoyed the cast of characters in this story as they added to the already interesting read. I was immersed in a world of dragons, humans, secrets, adventure and fantasy that took my breath away.
Blurb: Overthrowing the Shadow that ruled Tiallat was only the first step. For rebel leader Iskandir, rebuilding his shattered country is an even greater challenge. A poor harvest, religious conflict, and years of tyrannical governance combine with the challenge of getting the soldiers of the Shadow’s army home and rehousing the exiled who are flooding back into free Tiallat.
Then people begin to get sick.
A thousand years ago, after the Shadow’s first defeat, a blight fell upon the north: a disease that killed more than the war itself. Now, as this plague returns, Iskandir must look north again to the newly awakened dragon Halsarr, a learned doctor and professor who wants no part in a new war. Even if Halsarr agrees to come to their aid, Iskandir is afraid of the truth he will expose. For the dragon Halsarr once loved a bold and reckless steppes elemental who later transformed into the lonely and powerful Dual God of Tiallat, the two-faced Lord who has been missing since the Shadow entered the country.
Review: I understood the downcast mood of the story given the circumstances. I even understood Iskandir’s doubt in himself at first. But, he got on my nerves with his uncertainty off and on throughout the book.
He did not really give Halsarr a chance as far as I’m concerned. I loved Halsarr. Iskandir, not so much. I was ready to slap him quite a few times just to knock some sense into him.
However, I did enjoy the story line and how everything played out. Though it’s depressing at times it fit perfectly and added an intriguing layer.
Blurb: For a thousand years, since their defeat of the Shadow at Eyr, the dragons have slept under the mountains. Now their king, Tarnamell, has woken. Driven mad by loneliness, he hurls himself south until he finds and tries to claim the Alagard Desert. Unfortunately, the desert already has a guardian spirit, and he doesn’t want to share. Amused by the cocky little desert spirit, Tarn retreats, planning to return in human form.
When his caravan enters the desert, however, Alagard is missing. Rumors fly of a dark power, and soon Tarn’s caravan encounters the living dead and an amnesiac mage called Gard.
Forced to take refuge in the Court of Shells, a legendary fortress in the heart of the desert, Tarn, Gard, and their allies decide to seek out the Shadow before it destroys the desert. But to confront the Shadow, Tarn needs to gather his strength. A dragon’s power depends on the love and loyalty of his human hoard, but Tarn’s original hoard has been dead for centuries. Before he can face his most ancient enemy, he must win the trust of new followers and the heart of a cynical desert spirit.
First Edition published by Dreamspinner Press, 2014.
Review: I have mixed feelings on this story. Hence the lower rating than I would have usually given this type of story. Tarn has awoken from a very long sleep and so sets out to find a new horde. A horde of people? Umm could you not have said people loyal to him? They are not treasures they are living beings.
I understood Alagard’s antic’s in his spirit form but not in his form. He absolutely got on my nerves then. The story line slows on and off throughout and it drove me crazy as i was like can we speed things up please I don’t have all day.
Other than those things I really enjoyed this story. It was well written with adventure and mystery. Not to mention the evil guy that most paranormal stories have in them. I was captivated by the descriptions of the places where Tarn travelled on his mission.
Blurb: All is fair in love and war. By now, Renaldo has found out the hard way how utterly stupid this statement is once you’ve met your match. And Casto won’t give an inch in their ongoing war for love.
After a tumultuous start to their relationship, Renaldo and Casto seem to have finally reached calmer waters. But just when Renaldo starts getting comfortable and thinks he can relax, things get out of hand again. His old enemy, the Good Mother, is dangerously close to defeating the divine brothers by reaching out to what is most dear to him. Casto still clinging to his stubborn pride is all the plotters need to drive him and Renaldo apart. Burdened by the secrets of his past, Casto fights with everything he’s got not only to save his life, but also to secure his future happiness. Facing the destruction of everything they have built together, Renaldo and Casto must choose between pride and love.
Review: I have to say from the beginning of this book I hated Renaldo. I cannot honestly understand someone who claims to love another then turns around, because Casto was late, and forces him to accompany him to a festival where he allows him to be touched by another, paraded nude around others and then has sex with him through the night as a part of a display of ownership knowing that Casto did not want to.
Renaldo was way too full of himself. The way he treated Casto was atrocious. I would have left. I loved Casto’s spirit and defiance. Unfortunately it seemed as if Renaldo wanted instant submission yet for him to be defiant. That is contradictory to say the least. I think Renaldo should not have been in a relationship as he knew not what he actually wanted.
There were a lot of POV’s by different characters throughout this story. It gave an added depth to the story. So much happens that it’s impossible to write about everything. Some want both Renaldo and Casto gone for good. Some want just Casto gone and still others want to see them succeed.
As with all stories there are villains in this one there are more than one that will stop at nothing to destroy Renaldo and Casto. The though was well written with a master/slave theme, suspenseful, drama humiliation aspects at times. It was an o.k. read. I did not enjoy it as much as I did the first book.
Blurb: In a postprivacy future, secrets are illegal and all communication is supervised. Telepaths are registered and recruited by a government with no qualms about invading the minds of its citizens. Fugitive psychics are hunted by the Bureau of Counterpsychic Affairs, or Countermind.
Alan Izaki is one such fugitive, as well as a hacker, grifter, and thief.
Countermind agent Jack Smith is hunting him through the twisted underbelly of Hong Kong.
But Alan possesses a secret so dangerous and profound it will not only shake Smith’s loyalties, but the foundations of their society.
And Alan isn’t the only one on the run. Rogue psychic Arissa binti Noor escapes Countermind, in search of brilliant game designer Feng Huang. She hopes that together, they can destroy the government’s intrusive Senex monitoring system.
Their goals seem at odds, and their lives are destined to collide. When they do, three very different people must question their alliances and their future, because everything is about to change.
Review: Let me start by saying this story was complex. The terminology used in it confused me at times but never the less I understand the nature of what it meant the further I read. A glossary would have been nice though to have a reference to look at. So much takes place in this book there is no way I can cover every character and twist in the review.
The Countermind agency is tasked with keeping psychics from using their abilities in an unlawful way by any means necessary, including reprogramming. This is done by using a telepath. What I found strange that they use other telepaths to scan minds in the guise of looking for rogues. Yet it is against the law for other telepaths to do the same.
There was an overabundance of information throughout this story. So much so that I had to continuously stop and restart reading. I found Jack’s character to be without emotions and cold at times. He seemed almost inhuman. But he thawed the further I read and started thinking for himself at the end.
Alan makes his living as a thief. He’s extremely smart and cunning for his age. There is a massive mystery surrounding who he is which I will not go into less I spoil it for other readers. Arissa is a Countermind agent in training who is a powerful telepath. Zheng is the head of Countermind and most defiantly is not who he seems.
There is abundance of mystery, adventure, deceit, betrayal and drama throughout. All these ingredients and characters made for a great read with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader intrigued
Hi peeps, we have Xenia Melzer stopping by today with her upcoming fantasy release Ummana, we have a brilliant guest post and a great excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
Ummana
(Gods of War 03)
by
Xenia Melzer
In war, loss is the price of victory, and the cost of love is sometimes pain.
After Renaldo and Casto finally celebrate their marriage, the time has come for revenge against the followers of the Good Mother who tried to kill Casto—though this time, the Gods of War won’t use bloodshed to take Medelina.
As a member of the Confederation of the Plains, Medelina answers to Ummana, the head of the alliance… and Casto is heir to the throne of Ummana. Accompanied by their most capable mercenaries, Canubis and Renaldo travel to Ummana to make Casto king.
They’ll face the Council of Elders, Lord Aran, Casto’s father, and Princess Anesha, Casto’s sister—none of whom are happy about the king’s return. For Casto, the city is a reminder of a terrible childhood, and Renaldo can only helplessly watch his beloved fight a seemingly hopeless battle.
Through trickery and political scheming, vengeance against the Good Mother is finally within their grasp—but their success might be bittersweet. Not everyone will return to the Valley with Casto and Renaldo.
Hiya guys! We have S.A. Stovall stopping by today with her upcoming release Vice City, we have a short intro from S.A., a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so guys check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
Vice City
(Vice City 01)
by
S.A. Stovall
After twenty years as an enforcer for the Vice family mob, Nicholas Pierce shouldn’t bat an eye at seeing a guy get worked over and tossed in the river. But there’s something about the suspected police mole, Miles, that has Pierce second-guessing himself. The kid is just trying to look out for his brother any way he knows how, and the altruistic motive sparks an uncharacteristic act of mercy that involves Pierce taking Miles under his wing.
Miles wants to repay Pierce for saving his life. Pierce shouldn’t see him as anything but a convenient hookup… and he sure as hell shouldn’t get involved in Miles’s doomed quest to get his brother out of a rival street gang. He shouldn’t do a lot of things, but life on the streets isn’t about following the rules. Besides, he’s sick of being abused by the Vice family, especially Mr. Vice and his power-hungry goon of a son, who treats his underlings like playthings.
So Pierce does the absolute last thing he should do if he wants to keep breathing—he leaves the Vice family in the middle of a turf war.
Blurb: Family is worth fighting for—and family doesn’t always mean blood.
No one knows what calamity poisoned the earth and decimated the human population, but living close to the toxic ground means illness and death. Justin is determined to keep his twin sister and younger brother from that fate—no matter what he has to do. To earn enough to keep his family safe in a high-rise, Justin enlists in a deadly sport called Shadow Fray. He quickly finds himself in over his head, especially when he is scheduled to face the most dangerous player.
Hale—who competes as Black Jim—knows he won’t be on top forever, despite his skills. He fights for a better life for his daughter, but his time is running out as Shadow Fray becomes increasingly lethal. Something about the newest fighter intrigues him, but does he dare defy his masters to investigate? Justin and Hale will clash in the ring, while beyond it the powerful elite and the crumbling world seem determined to keep them apart. If they can find common ground, they might have a chance to fight for their futures.
Review: This book was intense. It has fighting to the extreme in it. So be advised of that. It’s brutal and gory.
Shadow Fray is a no holds bar fight ring that never stays in one place. Fighters are anonymous when they fight. The bosses do not care if they die in the ring either. I found that even though this story is no so much a romance as it is a survival in a time when things are not so great.
The main character’s, Hale, who fights as Black Jim and is known in the fighting world for his impressive winning streak fights for his daughters wellbeing. Justin, a beginner to the scene, has aligned himself with the wrong handler who really does not care anything about him except the money he brings in. But Justin is fighting for his family to have a better life.
I really liked the explanation of the epidemic that tore the wold apart and found it intriguing that no one could actually walk on the ground due to the contamination. As a result all the population that is left has to live in high rises.
I don’t want to give away too much but I will say I loved the plot as it was more than fights. The rules to this new earth are downright scary. At times it seemed that civilization went backwards instead of forward. The mystery surrounding the bosses was intriguing. It’s truly a well written story about two men trying to survive any and all dangers.
Title: The Storm Lords
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Title: Resistance
Title: Reawakening (2nd edition)
Title: Love and the Stubborn
