Publisher: Less Than Three Press (January 25, 2017)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts
Blurb: .All Solae wants is to be accepted and loved by the family that has always rejected him. But given it was his late mother who cursed the kingdom to eternal winter, the chances of that happening are minimal. If he can find a way to break the curse, however, surely that would be enough to change their minds regarding him.
But Solae is forbidden to practice magic because of his mother, which limits his ability to pursue solutions. Desperate for advice and new ideas, he contacts a famous curse breaker—and has no idea what to do when the man unexpectedly shows up, handsome and friendly and dangerously intriguing.
I loved Solae. I felt he was born into a family that did not care anything for him and treated him wrong. A rescuer in the name of Millio comes to save him from said family.
The story was short but good. The only gripe I have is that the people doing Solae wrong never paid for their misdeeds against him and that pissed me off.
Other than it as a really good read.
Pixie’s Review: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts
This story is a great version of the Snow White fairytale. Solae is the son of the ‘evil’ witch and the King, after the King is convinced by others that his new Queen is an evil witch he has her killed and she curses the Kingdom, Solae is left behind to bear the brunt of hate when the Kingdom falls into an endless winter.
Millio is a magic user who has secrets of his own but when he is contacted by Solae about his Kingdom’s curse he travels to the Kingdom to help out, but what he discovers is a sweet gentle prince who is despised because of his fathers vanity.
I enjoyed this story immensely and cheered for Solae and Millio as they got to know each other, the treatment that the pair receive makes you gnash your teeth at the injustice done to the both of them and you really do hope that rather than break the curse that they leave it in place for all the petty minded people in the Kingdom.
You’ll enjoy this if you love old fairytales with a new twist, characters who overcome those around them, and a great ending.
Publisher: Less Than Three Press (February 22, 2011)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 3.75 Hearts
Blurb: Born and raised in nowhere villages, having moved to more of the same, and with a worthless drunk for a master, all Tolan really wants out of life is his own shop and a steady income. Given he’s usually left to train himself in Finding magic and do his master’s job, that’s probably not happening anytime soon.
Watching the shop one day while his master is out drinking yet again, Tolan gets an unexpected client: a child barely old enough to walk, screaming that Tolan ‘find secret’, and who clings to Tolan like he’s all that’s left in the world.
But finding secret proves to be a far greater task than Tolan ever could have guessed and leads him right into the arms of a man, and a life, that he never dared hope to find.
Review: Tolan is unhappy with his life thus far. Having a master who prefer’s Tolan do all the work while he drinks is a heavy burden. One day Goss, a small child enters the shop and tells Tolan to find secret. It’s easier said than done but when he finds what he’s looking for his life changes for the better.
I liked all the characters. Tolan seemed a bit on the whinny side at times but some characters are like that. Shaw was exactly what Tolan needed in his life to find happiness. Goss was a cute little guy that I adored.
Blurb: Near-blind without his glasses, regarded as a burden to his family, Tyri left his clan to attempt a career as a runescribe in the city, taking his mute sister Vess with him so she doesn’t grow up tormented as he was.
But finding a job proves more difficult than he anticipated, and his last hope to avoid being thrown out on the streets depends on the interview he has that morning.
A morning that comes crashing down on him by way of a thunderstorm and the stranger who runs into him and destroys his glasses…
Review: Tyri is on his way to a job interview which he desperately needs when a stranger runs into him knocking him to the ground and destroying his glasses. He can not see without them. Devastated and disoriented he allows the stranger to take him to his home. Rathte struck me as a man who could not sit or stand still for any length of time. He was always on the move even when he tasked others to do things he ended up doing them as well.
I found the story cute and entertaining as I watched these two get to know each other. I felt the story would have been better if it were longer so we could get to really know the other characters in the story as well.
Blurb: Tallant is an elf astray—he’s been disowned by his family, has dared to battle bond with a human, and has no desire to ever see his homeland again. He is, in fact, vastly more excited to finally be seeing the home his battle-bonded, Milton, is finally returning to after twelve years of exile.
But instead of the joyful place Milton spoke endlessly of, they find a land rife with deadly dragons, where fifteen women have gone missing, including Irene, the woman Milton loves.
Even Milton’s brother, Cecil, is not what he used to be. Instead of the scholar Milton talked about, Cecil is a hardened soldier who keeps company with thieves. He is also beautiful and intriguing—but contemptuous of Milton and Tallant. Worse, he’s also married to Irene, making it clear that Milton and Tallant have arrived far too late to matter.
Author’s Note: This story was first published by Less Than Three Press in Fairytales Slashed Volume Three. It has not been significantly changed for re-release.
Review: Although I liked the idea of the story the overall feel of the book was not what I expected. I did not like Cecil’s hot and cold attitude at all and felt he played to big a role in the story than was necessary.
Milton was more of a secondary character that I felt deserved a bigger role. I was surprised that Tallant and Milton was not the actual couple of the story as they seemed to better suited to one another.
Hi guys! We have the amazing Megan Derr stopping by today with her new release Fighting For You, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Fighting For You
(Lifesworn 02)
by
Megan Derr
All Penli wants to be is left alone. After nearly a decade of blood and violence, and a lifetime of enduring his cold, ambitious family, it’s almost a relief to be practically alone in the middle of a desert kingdom with no way to return home because of the warrant out for his arrest.
The very last thing he needs is to be consumed by a fit of honor and nobility—but he would much rather die than ever see the two sweet, intriguing men who cross his path forced apart, one to be thrown to the streets, the other to marry a malicious bully Penli has despised for years.
Though he means only to free them, having no desire to marry after barely escaping one unwanted marriage, with each passing day Penli fears the only thing more difficult than throwing his life away will be resisting the urge to build a new one with two men he barely knows.
Hi guys! We have Megan Derr popping in today with her new release Waiting For You, we have the second part of her interview, a brilliant excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so check out the post and click that giveaway link! <3 ~Pixie~
Waiting For You
(Lifesworn 01)
by
Megan Derr
Shanna has spent her whole life waiting—waiting to be old enough, waiting for the day she must pick a consort, waiting for a chance to finally overcome her despicable stepfather… and waiting for someone to finally banish the loneliness that comes with being a queen-in-waiting one step away from being murdered.
On the eve of the two-week event during which she must pick a consort from a bevy of suitors, two strangers arrive claiming to have been invited—though she knows full well they did not receive any such invitation. But the handsome, mischievous Prince Kallaar is too intriguing to resist, and his quiet bodyguard too compelling to ignore…
But she’s learned the hard way never to let anyone get too close, and on the verge of gaining true independence her stepfather will stop at nothing to see she never gets it.
Title: Midsummer Curse Series: Midsummer book #2 Author: Megan Derr Narrator: Paul Morey Genre: Paranormal Length: 2 hours and 51 minutes Publisher: Less Than Three Press (09-02-2014) Heat Level: Mild Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts Blurb: Brayton is a jack of all trades. He travels from one end of the country to the other, fixing problems of all shapes and sizes for the many supernaturals who call him for help. When a friend calls in a favor, he travels to the town of Midsummer’s night.
It should be an easy job: find out who cursed a gremlin and why, break the curse, over and done. But Midsummer’s Night is like no town he’s ever seen, and the gremlin he’s come to help is definitely not what he expected…
Review: Brayton is a natural-born shifter, a lone wolf and a jack of all trades. He winds up in the mostly supernatural inhabited town of Midsummer at a friend’s request to help a cursed gremlin find out who and why he was cursed, and hopefully, break it. The last thing Brayton expected was to fall for the sexy little shy gremlin that he lovingly nicknames ‘Itty Bitty’ five minutes after they meet.
Ferdie is a gremlin, mechanically inclined by nature, but someone has cursed the poor guy so that every time he tries to tinker, everything he touches falls apart. This, in and of itself, is pure torture for a gremlin. It doesn’t help that his ex-boyfriend is a tool that is trying his damnedest to get Ferdie to forgive him and take him back. And then he finds himself insanely attracted and drawn to the shifter that was sent to break his curse.
This was just a fast, fun read. Megan Derr and Paul Morey have become somewhat of an unstoppable team in the MM romance audio book department. She writes these intricate stories, usually shifter and/or magic oriented, and Morey tells those stories with flawless narration. His voice is like honey dripping off the vine. It’s mesmerizing, sexy and fluent.
While I enjoyed this audio, I did have one issue with the storyline. At least a dozen times, if not more, in less than three hours; Brayton talked about wanting to bang his itty bitty. I don’t think the man went more than fifteen minutes without talking or thinking about it. But they never do.
There is one two-minute scene at the very end where a couple heated blow jobs are exchanged, but that’s it. I felt cheated in that aspect. But aside from that, it was an awesome story and I can’t wait to hear more from the town of Midsummer.
Title: Backwoods Asylum Author: Megan Derr Series: Lost Shifters, #1 Genre: Paranormal Shifter Romance Length: Novella (60 pages) Publisher: Less Than Three Press (May 22nd 2013) Heat Level: Low Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts Blurb: Skylar is used to the way people think of him as frightening, mean, and dangerous. Snakes are not the most popular shifters around and the fact he grew up wild doesn’t help. He knows the way he’s chosen to live alone in the woods only makes things worse, but he didn’t think it meant people thought him capable of killing a couple of wolf puppies.
Determined to find the real monster who left them to die, Skylar calls up the only wolf he knows, a man he always wished would see him as more than a snake …
Review:Tams audio review from August 2014…
Skylar is a snake shifter and a loner by nature. He lives alone and secluded in the woods, it’s the way he prefers it. But his self-imposed seclusion is about to abruptly end when he wakes one night to the soft cries of a couple of wolf shifter pups. Skylar reaches out for help from the only wolf shifter he knows, Brady.
Skylar and Brady have always been uneasy around each other. Each thinking the other disliked him, when in fact it was a mutual attraction that made them unsteady. Forced into close quarters while Brady tries to figure out why the pups were dumped off at Skylar’s pond.
Presumably so the nasty snake shifter would have them as a midnight snack, the two finally get to see each other for who they really are.
This was just a fast paced, fun read with a little bit of mystery and suspense. It’s difficult to write too much about this short, as I don’t want to give everything away. Derr has a knack for writing these short stories that contain more content than a lot of full-length novels. Her characters are always three-dimensional and her stories very vivid.
Add to that the sultry voice of Paul Morey as he gives her words and characters a voice and the end result is a fantastic audible that will make the time fly by.
Updated written work review January 2015…
Most of the time reading and listening to the same book is an entirely different experience. You see or hear things you may have missed with the initial go round. Having already listened to this story I thought the suspense would be missing, but I still found myself anticipating the events of the story.
One thing I noticed more so when reading was the infatuation Brady carried for Skylar, it was completely evident to me while reading as soon as Brady stepped into Skylar’s house.
I absolutely love Megan Derr’s work, how she can take the oddest characters that you would never think of as being a lead character, much less a strong male lead, and turn them into something wonderful and believable. For so few words, there was a lot of content and character development.
If you are a fan of Shifter stories, paranormal, romance and odd types of characters then you really have to read this one!
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: A Touch of Mistletoe Series: Less Than Three Press presents a collection of stories about people brought together by the magic of mistletoe… Author(s): J.K. Pendragon, Talya Andor, A.F. Henley, E.E. Ottoman, Megan Derr
Genre: Paranormal/Contemporary/Holiday Length: Anthology (182 pages) Publisher: Less Than Three Press (December 17th 2014) Heat Level: Mild to Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts Product Link: http://www.lessthanthreepress.com/books/index.php?main_page=product_bookx_info&cPath=125&products_id=840 Reviewer: Tams Review: Five different authors came together to share these five distinctly different stories with a little holiday flare.
Blurb:
Here for You by J.K. Pendragon Warren’s life has been shrinking ever since his wife passed away. Blind, and finding it difficult to adjust to life on his own, it’s easier to hide away in his house. When his friend Missy invites him to a Christmas party, an unexpected kiss with a stranger under the mistletoe leaves him confused and wondering…
JK Pendragon set the stage for the stories with her gay for you tale that all started with a kiss under the mistletoe. Warren is still recovering from his wife’s death when he attends his best friends Christmas party. Not really in the mood to socialize, he finds himself in the library seeking solace from the festivities, but he is not the only one to need a little peace and quiet.
Warren is confused and almost argumentative with Kyung about his sexuality, but when a second kiss leaves him wanting more, Warren quickly deals with his newfound attraction to another man.
The Christmas Spirit by Talya Andor Christmas in Japan is no big deal for Ash Harmon, with his family half a world away and supernatural problems that have no respect for the holidays. When he picks up a bodyguard job for a rising star of figure skating who seems to be encountering trouble with a restless spirit, he stubbornly resists the unexpected attraction to his charge, wary of the risks that come with relationships. But the mistletoe has other ideas…
Talya Andor turns the tables with spooky ghost story set in Japan with a burgeoning romance between a paranormal investigator and the skater he is assigned to. This shot story has a lot of content with the PNR, multi-cultural romance and mysterious aspects all vying for equal attention.
A Beautiful Thing by A.F. Henley Sometimes, Fate gets tired of being ignored. And some nights, Fate decides something will just have to be done about it. Enter Drualus, Senior Correspondent for the Collective Assembly of Christmas Fae, working with the Night Before Reach Out Program. He’s got a few short hours to change Scott Misener’s outlook on life, love, and understanding. Lucky for Scott, Dru knows a tried and true trope that might just do the trick…
AF Henley confused me with her sci-fi story that included what I think were a fairy and a guardian angel, perhaps these two thoughts of a character in my mind were one in the same? I’ll be honest, I skimmed this one, didn’t quite catch my attention.
Ad Meliora by E.E. Ottoman It’s Christmas Eve and An-An and M.C. have plans to spend Christmas in Texas with An-An’s family. But their plans are cut short when M.C. takes on a last-minute case. Thankfully, though, it should be an easy exorcism.
Until they arrive at the snowbound lodge where trouble resides, and come face to face with a demon wolf unlike anything they’ve ever encountered.
EE Ottoman transcends normality with this transgender sci-fi nod that delves into something sinister, exorcism, murder and mayhem all while one of the female leads is transitioning into her new-found identity as a male. This one calls for a girly bits warning, including the terminology for said bits.
Two Parts Mistletoe by Megan Derr Kingston has worked hard to get where he is: owner of his own shop, master potion maker, well-respected… and lonely, too busy with life to enjoy more than his regular visits to Acacia House. If he wishes his loneliness might be eased by Hux, the man he meets at Acacia twice a month, well, someday he’ll work up the nerve to ask. Maybe.
Then Hux unexpectedly visits his shop, distressed and in desperate need of help to save his employer from a love potion…
Megan Derr rounds out this stellar casting with her magical tale with a historical feel. Kingston is a potion maker that Hux has called on to help him with a potion gone wrong. As it turns out, Hux’s boss is the unfortunate recipient of unrequited love that resulted in a love potion gone wrong. But that is just the backdrop for the story, the real focus here is on the relationship between Kingston and Hux, which has been a long time coming you learn as you read the story.
As I said at the start, these are all five distinctly different stories with one common interest, love. While I skimmed through the Henley and Ottoman stories due to subject, all five stories were very well written regardless. My favorite was the budding romance between Warren and Kyung. I would love to read a full-length novel for them.
If you are looking for a variety of stories from several well-versed authors then this steamy Christmas themed anthology will be perfect for you. Romance, mystery, suspense, paranormal activity and healthy dose of passion all underneath the Mistletoe!
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Backwoods Asylum Author: Megan Derr Narrator: Paul Morey Genre: Paranormal Length: 1 hour and 46 minutes Publisher: Less Than Three Press (06-12-2014) Heat Level: Mild Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 hearts Reviewer: Tams Blurb: Skylar is used to the way people think of him as frightening, mean, and dangerous. Snakes are not the most popular shifters around and the fact he grew up wild doesn’t help. He knows the way he’s chosen to live alone in the woods only makes things worse, but he didn’t think it meant people thought him capable of killing a couple of wolf puppies.
Determined to find the real monster who left them to die, Skylar calls up the only wolf he knows, a man he always wished would see him as more than a snake …
Purchase Link: http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Backwoods-Asylum-Audiobook/B00KX906R0/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1409501495&sr=1-1 Review: Skylar is a snake shifter and a loner by nature. He lives alone and secluded in the woods, it’s the way he prefers it. But his self-imposed seclusion is about to abruptly end when he wakes one night to the soft cries of a couple of wolf shifter pups. Skylar reaches out for help from the only wolf shifter he knows, Brady.
Skylar and Brady have always been uneasy around each other. Each thinking the other disliked him, when in fact it was a mutual attraction that made them unsteady. Forced into close quarters while Brady tries to figure out why the pups were dumped off at Skylar’s pond, presumably so the nasty snake shifter would have them as a midnight snack. The two finally get to see each other for who they really are.
This was just a fast paced, fun read with a little bit of mystery and suspense. It’s difficult to write too much about this short, as I don’t want to give everything away. Derr has a knack for writing these short stories that contain more content than a lot of full-length novels. Her characters are always three-dimensional and her stories very vivid.
Add to that the sultry voice of Paul Morey as he gives her words and characters a voice and the end result is a fantastic audible that will make the time fly by.
OH MY GOD, oh my god!! Hey guys! Look, look we have Megan Derr… I know MEGAN DERR *fans self* Megan has blessed our site with her incredible, new release With Pride which is from her brilliant series Princes of the Blood *squee* (okay let me just calm down *deep breath*). Megan tells us not only how Princes of the Blood began but also how they went from ficbit to an epic high fantasy and she has a incredible giveaway where one of you lucky readers will win a copy of With Pride. So I will let you have a look at what Megan has to say, have a look at my review and don’t you dare forget to leave a comment for a chance to win this brilliant book! 😉 ~Pixie~
Megan Derr:
Expanding a Story.
As previously stated, Princes of the Bloodactually began as a couple of really short ficbits I posted to my LJ and later moved to my website (one of them, anyway. Dalibor’s never got moved; I no longer remember why). So how does a 3700 word ficbit turn into a trilogy totaling 188,000 words?
Lots of caffeine and alcohol to start.
But the first part is figuring out if there’s more story to tell. Luckily for me that question already had a firm yes.
From there, it’s time to cannibalize the original 3700 words to figure out what can be kept and transformed and what will have to go because it worked in short form but will not hold together in long form.
Kristof and Håkon not getting along? Kept. That was the easiest part in the end.
Other bits had to go: Kristof not understanding how the Princes work mostly had to go, though a small element was retained. Elements of the marriage and why Kristof was marrying him had to change. Hackle got changed to Håkon because Hackle didn’t quit fit anymore.
Pieces retained and fleshed out: the concept of Håkon needing special blood, that he’s at least in part a demon. There were other things discarded or kept, but that would be spoilery.
So, roughly decided upon what is getting kept, it’s time to move on to expanding those bits.
Most obviously were Kristof and Håkon’s roles. One a paladin, the other royalty. That was changed. Princes of the Blood aren’t royalty, merely the most powerful figures in the Legion. The Legion was the next thing to come, built out from the way I designed the Princes, the way they need pure blood, etc.
A lot of world building elements are thought of all at once. Laying it out makes it look all 1,2,3,4 but really it’s more like 1T56WX3AB9CDG2.
As all of that got sorted out, I had to build the rest of the world: religion, magic system, other bits of the culture. Given they live in the fallout of an ugly war, and everything is shaped very sharply around surviving all the nightmares that plague them, this made for a lot of fun. People are slaughtered by the hundreds, even thousands, often, so keeping the population up is extremely important. You don’t see a lot of women and children (sadly) because they’re kept locked away and safe. Polyamorous marriages are fairly standard (in the beginning of OLR, Raffé is engaged to a man who already has two wives and is hoping that he’ll get along with all of them; Korin is married to Telmé, but they’re good friends with the woman with whom Korin had a daughter; the kings always have 2-3 wives).
Little things matter too. This world tells time in minutes and hours, but they mark the hours with names. Only a few of them are mentioned in the books, but I have the full list. I know the crest and colors of every force within the Legion, and all the Houses.
And all the demons etc. that come into play aren’t entirely made up, either. I spent a lot of time picking out the demons upon which to base various Princes. I drew a map, I worked out the Reaches, I figured out how they survive when pure blood is so hard to come by and people die frequently and often.
After all the little pieces were fleshed out, and I had a rough outline, laying the story out was easy. The original ficbit for Håkon and Kristof was really only the end of their story. So going back to the start, figuring out how they met and what happened from there … expanding the story really wasn’t hard.
If anything, the hardest part of doing something like this is realizing that no story is set in stone. Be it editing, rewriting, or expanding, a story is not a static thing, set down once and never allowed to change. Some of my stories I’m content to leave as they are, but I have no doubt that somebody read it and went ‘I could do this better’ or ‘yeah, but what if I did it this way’.
And they definitely should.
Other stories are like The Lost Prince. Fun as it is, once I said ‘let’s see what else you got,’ it turned into Princes of the Blood and gave me 188,000 words.
As ever, writing is less doing and more doing as one is told.
Much love to everyone for reading my ramblings.
With Pride comes out April 16th from Less Than Three Press (third party vendors will follow after about 24 hours).
Of Last Resort can be found all over. In Despair comes out July 9th.
Publisher: Less Than Three Press (13th November 2013)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Lord Vellem is a man desperate for escape. His father hides from his problems in alcohol, his mother hides from her misery in drugs, and his brother fled to the relative safety of the royal palace. Vellem eventually found solace in the Royal Army Corp of Engineers, but still could not entirely escape. Then his brother provides him with an unexpected chance, and now Vellem’s marriage to the young prince of a neighboring kingdom is only months away.
The marriage promises not just a fresh start in a new land, but a challenge to his famed skills in building roads and bridges. But before he can settle into his new life, tragedy strikes, and Vellem isn’t certain he’s up to rebuilding the ruin left in its wake.
Review: Vellem found his own place in the world when he joined the Royal Army Corp of Engineers, but he still can’t quite escape his father’s vicious alcohol fuelled rages and his mothers fall into the haze of drugs. When his brother offers him the chance to escape for good and to help settle peace on the country, Vellem agrees to marry a neighboring prince, Perdith. But just as Vellem is about to embark on his new life tragedy strikes and Vellem must step into a role he never wanted, prepare his new country for war and also save his fragile marriage.
Ah, to sink into a fabulous fantasy and be swept away to another world is a true treat and Megan Derr always hits the spot. When we enter this story, we are introduced to Vellem and his family and we are quickly pulled into the story. Vellem is a fantastic character who is a blend of confident and insecure, hard and compassionate, knowledgeable and oblivious. Perdith is a character we don’t get to know quite as well but he seems to be slightly shy and awkward but with a flash of temper that makes itself know during trying times. These two men are thrown together to help settle peace between their countries, but their first day together as husbands nearly destroys everything they hope to achieve.
This is a great story that has a bit of everything thrown in, danger, betrayal, a developing romance that’s fraught with misunderstandings and miscommunication. It has mischievous plotting and planning, swift retribution and finally a happy ending. I loved the world building and the way the plot was lay out, it brought me fully into the world as I followed Vellem through a harsh time. Perdith’s and Vellem’s relationship is nearly over before it begins and it is a very tense one, while Vellem does his best to hold it all together it seems that Perdith is pushing Vellem away but they finally come to an understanding when they both give the other a chance.
The supporting characters are brilliant, each of them playing their part wonderfully and adding to the storyline with their personalities. The storyline itself is brilliant with dark betrayal threaded throughout, but with that spot of hope as Vellem refuses to succumb to the despair that is trying to take hold. While we might not get to know Perdith well we do understand why he acts and reacts as he does, he doesn’t know his new husband, and trust is a very delicate thing especially when their countries have been at war for so long and the peace is still new. One thing I can say about them as a couple though, is that when the trust is built they are incredible together and they make a formidable team.
I highly recommend this story to those who adore high fantasy, brilliant characters, a romance that is rocky and trust is fragile, a story filled with doubts, betrayal, devastation, and unforgivable kings, but also filled with hope, trust and developing love.
Blurb: Jackie Black is a cowboy and sorcerer and proud of both. He spends his days breaking curses and locating items of interest for other abnormals. His pride and joy are the alchemy-enhanced pistols at his hips. The love of his life is Roman, a businessman and witch. Tired of living several states apart, Jackie decides to surprise Roman by moving closer.
But instead of being a happy surprise, Jackie finds himself the victim of an unpleasant one. Alone in a strange city, with nowhere to go and his world in pieces, Jackie is taken in by an old man who says he is a paranormal detective and could use someone of Jackie’s power and abilities to catch a killer.
Review:This story is part of a series but can be read as a standalone, although it is best-enjoyed read in order. Jackie is a cowboy sorcerer and is proud to be both, he spends his time breaking curses and finding items for other abnormals. Jackie has finally decided to take a step to making his relationship to his lover more permanent by moving to the same city, but he gets a surprise of his own when he makes an unexpected visit to his lover. Alone and upset Jackie is asked to help an old paranormal detective, but when the task is done Jackie discovers the old detective has been attacked and Jackie won’t rest until he has captured the culprit.
This is a great addition to the Dance With The Devil series continuing in the same universe as the previous books and we meet some of the previous characters as Jackie seeks justice. Jackie Black is a great character; he is a proper cowboy with all their turns of phrase. Jackie is also a sorcerer and he loves his alchemy-enhanced pistols, and he uses them often and with skill. When Jackie has his heart-broken by his lying cheating lover, he doesn’t let it interfere with his new case that he has taken on for himself. We get dragged into a world of mystery and intrigue as Jackie hunts for an evil killer who is after a secret that is best left buried.
I thought this story was great, I loved the way we get drawn into a world of danger and secrets, the way that Jackie won’t back down from a challenge and how he is completely blindsided by Ned… well how we all were. Jackie is a wonderful character and for the first half of the story we wonder just who his love interest will be, will it be Wyatt the annoying kid who annoys everyone, will it be Phoenix the damaged vampire or Ned the demon who has a huge grudge? It was nicely done because it came out of nowhere and the characters played it nicely so when we do discover who Jackie’s love interest is we are surprised. The actually storyline becomes blurry at times as you try to keep up with what is going on, mainly because there seems to be more people involved than originally thought and all of them seem bent on killing.
I recommend this story to those that love paranormals galore, danger at every turn, digging out old secrets, righting a wrong, discovering love, and getting the bad guys.
Publisher: Less Than Three Press (9th January 2013)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb:From the world of The Missing Butterfly comes a tale of two men who cannot stand one another, but cannot stand to be apart …
Jet gave up everything to make it to the top of rock. On track to take over his family’s business and wealth, he defied everyone to start at the bottom and work his way up to become drummer of one of the world’s most popular bands, Forever and a Dai. And his family might have forgiven him if he hadn’t taken his cousin Dai with him.
Jason is everything Jet chose not to be: an obedient son, a powerful and respected lawyer, wealthy, established, and set to inherit the family kingdom. Dai’s brother, and Jet’s cousin, he is a constant reminder of everything Jet should be and is not.
But everybody has secrets, and those secrets are all about to come out.
Previously a Less Than Three Press serialized online fiction
Review: Jet turned his back on the family business to embark on a career in the music world. His cousin Dai joined him, much to the family’s disapproval. Now, having worked hard they are in the world-famous band, Forever and a Dai. Jason is the white sheep in the family, staying behind and doing as his parents want. But, he has his own secrets and as his uncle (Jet’s father) dies, all the family secrets come bubbling to the surface.
This is a great family/rock group story that has many twists and secrets. Jet is estranged from his parents and uncle after making his own way in life. the only one that he still has any real contact with, beside his best friend and band mate Dai, is his cousin Jason who is also his lawyer. When Jet’s father dies, Jet gets a shock. But, Jason is there to help him. Unfortunately, things get nasty when Jason’s father gets involved. Jason has his own problems and soon secrets begin to come out. Jason is just getting ready to fight dirty, when the biggest secret crumbles. Finally, Jason and Jet can live their lives how they want.
The characters in this book are all wonderful with visiting characters from TheMissing Butterfly series and from future books and series. Jet and Jason are a combustible couple, having to hide their feelings from the world because they are cousins. But, they also hide their own feelings from each other. The writing is well done and the storyline flows really well. There’s some angst and drama that fits well and the love story is great with its forbidden aspects. This story is filled with ups and downs, scheming and backstabbing with unexpected danger, there’s nothing like emotional blackmail from family members to bring out the sneaky vindictive side of a lawyer.
I will recommend this to those who love conflicted families, seemingly forbidden love, threats, danger, secrets uncovered and a very happy ending.
Blurb:Nine gods ruled the world, until the ultimate betrayal resulted in their destruction. Now, the world is dying and only by restoring the Lost Gods can it be saved.
Verde is ruled by the mortal reincarnations of their Lost Gods: the Faerie Queen, the Pegasus, and the Unicorn, slain nine centuries ago at the base of their Sacred Oak. Every one hundred years, the tragedy repeats itself, plunging Verde ever deeper into despair.
Now, the Tragedy of the Oak draws near and Gael, the Unicorn, grows increasingly afraid because of a dark secret kept by the Three: If he cannot find a way to break the tragic cycle, the Twelve White Beasts and his secret lover are cursed to die right alongside him.
Review: Gael, the Unicorn is praying and hoping that this time around they will break the curse that has befallen Verde time and time again. He knows that if they fail not only himself and his sister Gods, but also his secret lover and the Twelve Beasts are cursed to die. Ailill is the White Panther asked to undertake the investigation. when the White beasts start to fall, can he discover who is behind the poisonings and why?
Okay. if you have read the previous blog story, then you want to rip it up, chuck it over your shoulder and dance in joy over this much darker and angstier Poison. Gael has been keeping a secret from his sister Gods, Freddie and Etain; he has a lover who he wants to be with more than anything else. Gael no longer loves his sister Gods in any way other than as family, but knows that he cannot reveal his secret until after the Ceremony. Now the White Beasts are being poisoned and the people of Verde are out of control. Ailill is asked to discover the culprit, but the answer is always just out of reach.
This is a wonderful continuation of The Lost Gods series. Ailill is a character that we have seen many times before in previous books; the most memorable being in Burning Bright with Vanya (Ivan). In this one, Ailill is missing Ivan enormously, even though it has been nearly two years since he last saw him. When Ivan comes to visit, he is delighted, but he is embarking on an investigation into the poisoning of the White Eagle. So Ivan helps him out. Gael and his lover are both being pulled apart with keeping their secret and are hoping that the Ceremony will be a success so they can be together. But, as more White Beasts fall they begin to despair as Verde falls apart.
This is a very intricate storyline and although you are given subtle hints along the way, it is still a shock to discover the depths that someone will go to out of jealousy and the refusal to let go. If you have read the original blog story, well here’s a warning because this one is a lot darker and more violence, and with much more bitterness and vindictiveness with no remorse in sight. If you haven’t read the blog story then be prepared for violence, angst, bitterness and vindictiveness with no remorse in sight. In this one we again get a visit from the Gods from the previous books and more clues fall into place as to why Licht turned on his brother and sister Gods.
If you love high fantasy, fantasy, hot sex, brilliant storylines, incredible characters, twists, betrayal, secrets kept for hundreds of years, two great couples fighting their way to be together and a happy ending, then this is the story for you.
Blurb:Nine gods ruled the world until the ultimate betrayal resulted in their destruction. Now, the world is dying and only by restoring the Lost Gods can it be saved.
The Kingdom of Piedre has been torn apart by feuding since the Basilisk was found dead. The Brotherhood of the Black Rose seeks to ensure the Basilisk is destroyed forever, while the Order of the White Rose searches desperately for a way to restore him.
The latest mortal incarnation of the Lost God of Death is Prince Culebra, the Basilisk Prince. Plagued by assassins, one lover dead and the other gone, Culebra spends his days in despair, painfully aware that his predecessors died only one of two ways: murder or suicide.
Review: Oh. I was so looking forward to this one and it was worth the wait. Culebra is the incarnation of the Lost God, Basilisk. He goes through life feared, hated and worshiped, never able to see, as his eyes are covered to prevent his deadly gaze from killing. But, now one of the Roses has him in their hands and the fate of the world rests in the hands of the lover he drove away; the Captain who comforted him, his kidnapper and his kidnapper’s closest friend.
A great re-written story based on the original blog story. The story-line may have changed, but the plot is still the same (well with one added addition). Culebra is still reeling from the shock and horror of listening to one of his lovers being killed by mermaids and driving his other lover away. When he gets a visit from Captain Midori (now a Lord), he begins to think he might be able to put the past behind him. Cortez is given little choice in the matter of kidnapping the Basilisk Prince and it leads to an outcome that nobody could have foretold. Dario was pushed away by Culebra after the death of Dario’s brother. Now, he has been kidnapped to force the prince to do as he is told. Fidel has also been kidnapped, as a way to force Cortez to do as the cult wants. Now, as they all come together, the actions of a few have terrifying repercussions that could affect the world.
Okay. After all that and getting all the main characters a mention, I’m tired *sigh*. Okay, I’m refreshed, so this installment of The Lost Gods saga has quite a bit going on and is separated to different character’s POV. Luckily, we don’t lose track of what is going on or what is happening to whom, and although there are five MCs it doesn’t lessen the enjoyment of the story. We have seen Culebra and Midori in previous books so we have a good idea of their back stories. Dario is the bodyguard who was also Culebra’s lover and also the brother to Culebra’s other lover (confused?). Cortex and Fidel are former members of The Brotherhood of the Black Rose. I will be honest, for more information you will have to read the book otherwise this review will be an essay!
Culebra and Dario’s relationship was torn apart when Granito died. The trouble they find themselves in pulls them back together and add a new third to their relationship. We get to see a bit of M/M/M and we also see some hot sex, but it is far from that important to the story; finding that Schatten (the country) and Teufel (the God Licht’s companion) is involved in the plot to harm the Basilisk prince is. We also see the Gods from the previous books as well.
Well. I recommend everyone read this book, but then I am bias, so I will just say this, if you enjoy kidnappings… well, multiply kidnappings, snakes, assassins turning good, earthquakes, sword fights, chases through the mountains, throwing ones-self over a waterfall and a happy ending then I recommend this book for you. And for those of you who read the original then this is definitely worth reading.
Publisher: Less Than Three Press (14th March 2012)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb:Nine gods ruled the world until the ultimate betrayal resulted in their destruction. Now, the world is dying, and only by restoring the Lost Gods can it be saved.
In the land of Pozhar, the people fear the return of Zhar Ptitsa, the god of souls and rebirth who nearly destroyed them nine hundred years ago in a terrible rage. To prevent his rebirth, the people hunt down and sacrifice Vessels, those born with a piece of Zhar Ptitsa’s soul within them.
The Sacred Texts say that one thousand such Vessels will be born and all must be sacrificed to destroy Zhar Ptitsa once and for all. Now, only two pieces remain in the bodies of two thieves who will not go to the Flames without a fight.
Review: Oohh. What can I say to this one except Ooohhh? This is again a revised edition of an original that was posted on Megan Derr’s website and she has changed it up a bit so that even though it still has the original plot and characters the storyline is completely different. High Priest Dym has spent his entire life searching for the Vessels who carry pieces of Zhar Ptitsa’s soul. Now, finally there are only two left. Raz and Pechal are thieves and when the hunt for the new vessel begins Raz is determined that his friend will not be sacrificed and with the help of friends he sets out to avoid the sacrifices.
This is a brilliantly written fantasy that has mystery, intrigue, hunts, twists, danger and a couple of romances. Dym is in charge of the sacrifices to prevent the return of their God Zhar Ptitsa to Pozhar, but everything isn’t as it seems and a faction is trying to prevent the sacrifices from going to the Sacred Fire. Raz is one who doesn’t want to lose his friend to those fires, but even he ends up in danger when he comes face to face with Dym. There is a lot going on, as there are slightly overlapping stories as some actions in this book help with the progress of future books.
The characters in this book are great. There are quite a few of them and some of them are from future books which whets your appetite for those stories. we see Duke Krasny, Lord Ailill (a White Beast of Verde), Shio and Shinju (the mermaid sisters from the end of Treasure), we have new characters Raz, Dym, Zholty and Ivan and his gang and they make it an interesting story with quite a bit of action. Zholty is a sneaky character and is one to keep an eye on, but that isn’t to say that you should take your eyes off the others. There is again as always with Megan Derr inferred sex and we see the relationships building, but the focus is on the fantasy storyline. Can I say any more about this story? Well. Yes. But, then I might give it away and I would hate to ruin the discovery for you, so you really do need to read this book.
What can I say about this one except…damn? I have to read the next books in this series. For those of you who read the original then I say you have GOT to read this book, because there are some significant changes for some characters that will make interesting reading in the future books and it will be interesting to see how these changes affect books 4 and 5. And for those of you who haven’t read this book then what are you waiting for? If you love fantasy, danger, intrigue and a great storyline then you shouldn’t miss this book.
Publisher: Less Than Three Press (28th March 2012)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: An ordinary rainy day at the Bremen is interrupted when a strange courier shows up with a package for Peyton Blue, the Bremen’s much-loved owner and bartender. When the package turns out to be a piece of Peyton’s past and brings that past violently into the present, it is up to Johnnie to resolve a years old problem and put the past where it belongs once and for all.
Even though this is classed as Dance With The Devil 04 this is actually a follow on from Dance In The Dark(DWTD 02) and DITD must be read first.
Review: A stranger leaves a parcel for Peyton, who then reacts badly to seeing it. Johnnie and Grim set out to get to the bottom of the mystery.
This is a great little short story for those of us who are fans of Johnnie and Grim. Johnnie and Grim come to the aid of Peyton when a parcel is delivered and a mystery begins. Peyton ends up being attacked by members of his former pack, as they look for the Alpha Candidate. and the alpha candidate has fled them for a very good reason. Hudson has a good reason for fleeing his pack and with the Dracula upholding his laws, Hudson and Peyton might just be free.
Even though this story is for Peyton and Hudson and the start of their life together after the mystery is solved, this story is actually from Johnnie’s POV and it also gives us a glimpse once more into the lives of Johnnie and Grim. I must advise reading Dance In The Dark first, as that gives you the entire background into Johnnie and Grim. This story is a wonderful catch-up on what Johnnie and Grim are doing now and shows us that they are still helping their friends solve mysteries and Johnnie’s penchant for fairy tales.
I will recommend this to those who love paranormal, mysteries/sleuthing and a great ending for all involved.
Publisher: Less Than Three Press (23rd November 2011)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥4 ½Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Selsor’s only dream growing up was to be a mage, to bond with a warrior and drive back the monsters in the Territories, live the life his parents had so loved. His dreams falter, however, when he displays no magic despite possessing the ability to use it. His dreams are lost when, during an attack by bullies, he lashes out with uncontrolled magic and accidentally kills an innocent bystander. His jewels blackened, banning him forever from using magic, Selsor is thrown out to survive on the streets as best he is able…
Review: Okay, so this is a revised work of a previously free blog story with quite a few changes and it has made it even better. Selsor and Jenohn were both mentioned in An Admirer this is sort of a prequel and their story.
Selsor can’t work his magic; no matter how hard he tries and he is endlessly bullied because of it. One day he lashes out by accident in an effort to protect himself and finds himself condemned and banished. Three years later he finds himself a floor scrubber and hating his life. Jenohn is a Royal soldier who is on a mission to discover who is messing with the weather. He remembers Selsor well and needs his help.
I must admit I love a good Megan Derr book as there is always something so enchanting and simple about her stories. They are also about the story and the slight romance and not sex. To be honest there usually isn’t much sex in a Megan Derr book and I have to admit that for some reason I prefer it that way.
This story is well written and it kind of has a medieval feel to it and the descriptions are well-formed and give you a really good picture of the area. It has some danger, magic, a conceited soldier, an untrained mage and a happy ever after so I have to recommend this to anyone who wants a really good story and any of the above.
Title: The Prince of the Moon
Title: Finder Tolan (2nd edition)
Title: Runescribe
Title: Rasnake (2nd Edition)
Title: Midsummer Curse
Title: Backwoods Asylum
