Hi guys! We have Pearl Love popping in today with her upcoming young adult urban fantasy Salvation’s Song, we have a brilliant guest post where Pearl talks about the inspiration for the story and we have a great excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
Salvation’s Song
by
Pearl Love
Only a chosen few can prevent an ancient evil from overtaking the world: the Singers, the Seekers, and the Saviors….
Tyrell Hughes and Jeremy Michalak are both juniors at Winton Yowell High School in Chicago, and aside from sharing a homeroom, they couldn’t be more different. Tyrell is well-liked, surrounded by friends, popular with girls, and looking forward to a bright future. Jeremy transfers to Winton Yowell to escape the troubles of his past. He’s hoping to survive his last two years of high school by flying under his new classmates’ gaydar and indulging in his passion: playing clarinet.
Tyrell and Jeremy struggle to ignore their attraction to each other. But that becomes increasingly difficult as young people across the city start dying. Both teens realize they alone know the true cause of the tragedies—and have the ability to put a stop to them. They’re the city’s only chance to defeat the dark forces threatening it, but to succeed, they’ll need to find common ground and reconcile the desires they’re trying to deny.
Title: The First Bloom of Winter Series: The Garden Series, #2 Author: Pearl Love Genre: Historical Romance Length: Novella (136 pages) Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (August 5th 2015) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts Blurb: Holden Peters is a normal, middle-class English lad in all respects save for his preference for his own gender. Caught in a compromising position with his father’s clerk, Holden is forced from his childhood home and sent to The Garden, a mysterious tea and flower shop located in the heart of the notorious Seven Dials slum.
To his dismay, Holden soon learns that the shop sells more than floral arrangements. Behind its genteel façade, The Garden is as an all-male brothel, and he is to be its newest acquisition in order to pay off the debts his father owes the enigmatic owner, Mr. Leslie. But Holden’s nightmare grows only more grim when he learns that, before he is allowed to see his first customer, his new employer will personally see to relieving him of his inconvenient virginity.
Now Holden must steel himself and face his fears if he is to survive his new life as a courtesan in Victorian London’s depraved underbelly.
Review: Holden Peters gets caught with his hand down the wrong person’s pants. Rather than face the humiliation of having a deviant for a son, his father exiles Holden to The Garden, basically selling him to the owner, Mr. Leslie, to pay off a huge debt.
2 birds, 1 stone, so to speak.
Holden is beside himself not only because his father shipped him off with nothing more than a “Don’t come back!” but now he’s been sold to the owner of a brothel. He’s scared, alone, doesn’t get along well with one of the other flowers in the shop, and worst of all, Mr. Leslie wants to de-flower his newest flower.
I loved the premise of the story; naïve young man thrown into the lion’s den, other players in the game having a pissing contest over their spot in line, and the big, brooding butler that is to be Holden’s bodyguard. Holden most definitely wants him to guard his body alright. I enjoyed the costumes, the language fitting of the era and the blinders Holden wore.
Just one little speed bump for me. I wanted the scene between Holden and Richard to be just them. All that other mess was distracting; it pulled me out of the story and made the special moment between them less special for me. I hope there is more in this series in the future for them. I would love to see how their relationship forms and grows.
Still a fast, fun read and definitely worth consideration if you like historical type mm romance.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: To Be Human Series: To Be Human, #1 Author: Pearl Love Genre: Science Fiction Length: Novel (326 pages) Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (January 9th, 2015) Heat Level: Low Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts Blurb: TM 05637 was created to be a killer. Genetically engineered for superiority, he was facing a life of missions, blood, and death until his creator decides to set him free. On the run from those holding his leash, he is found by David Conley, an ordinary storeowner who stumbles upon a remarkable find. Renaming himself “Tim,” TM 05637 sets out to discover what it means to have a normal life.
Through his friendships with a young boy dealing with a nightmarish family life, and David’s mother, who decides Tim is perfect for her son, Tim slowly discovers his humanity. Even more importantly, David teaches Tim about the power of love. But General Woodard, leader of the project that created Tim, threatens their happiness with his determination to bring his evasive quarry permanently to heel.
As the search net closes ever tighter around him, Tim must find a way to thwart his pursuers so he can stay with David and live out his dream
Review: This is just… wow! This book is both complex and amazing, so don’t be intimidated if you prefer reading short novels or novellas. The book is set in present day (I had initially thought that it was set in the future) and features a big scary government, or rather a mad character who represents the said government. I
t’s a bit like Terminator (minus the time travel). Actually, the main character Tim (aka TM 05637) reminds me more like River Tam from Firefly. Yet at the same our main character, Tim, is also learning to be human, so from that aspect he had the charm and plain analytical nature like seen from the character of Data in Star Trek: TNG.
Ok, all sci-fi references out the way and I think it’s plain to see that I loved this book. So…
Tim, as in the blurb, is genetically engineered and was born in a lab for the express purpose of being trained for military ops (this is kind of where the River Tam association came in for me). He’s a sad figure because other than the lead scientist that created him, as well as his birth mother,
Tim has not known love. Hell, he doesn’t have a real name beyond his barcode. As for David, he’s a rather ordinary small-ish town guy. He is sweet, kind, and loyal to a fault. He’s just about everything that Tim needs after escaping.
I really enjoyed how the attraction between Tim and David was set to simmer. It especially works really well so as the romance doesn’t get in the way of the other forming subplots.
There is a lot going on, but everything is interesting and they all worked well to develop the characters, particularly Tim. There are a few surprises in store as well, but again, these too were put on a slow simmer.
There is one main plot point throughout that is integral and had me both ongoing and dreading for the end – that’s when some of these little pleasing surprises really helped me along. It’s not specified in the blurb, so suffice to say it’s about a genetic flaw inbuilt into Tim’s DNA by his creators.
And that brings us to the end! Oh-my-bloody-God! The biggest tease of all? We get the Prologue and first chapter of the sequel (To Be Loved, released February 23).
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: The Uncertain Customer Series: The Garden Series, #1 Author: Pearl Love Genre: Historical Gay Romance Length: Novella (80 pages) Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (April 23rd 2014) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 hearts Reviewer: Tams Blurb: Devon Wilcox, the privileged fifth son of a viscount, has everything a man could want … except being gay in a time when such deviant behavior could land him in prison. He tries to console himself with the denizens of society’s underbelly, but frequently ends up the victim of those who’d rather take advantage of his desperation. Fortunately, his best friend and secret object of infatuation, Sir Wallace Church, comes to his rescue. Wallace tempts him with the promise of high-class entertainment at a mysterious boy brothel called “The Garden.” Situated in the heart of mid-Victorian London, The Garden offers an array of choice morsels, beautiful young men named after flowers. There, Wilcox finds not only the perfect bed partner for the evening, but the chance to gain his most ardent heart’s desire. Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4909 Review: Devon Wilcox is in love with his best friend, Wallace Church, and has been for close to fourteen years, since their first day of college. It’s a secret he holds dear. Both men carry a persuasion for the same-sex that only they and their random lovers are privy to. Wilcox doesn’t mind sharing stories of his conquests and the sometimes harrowing situations it leaves him in with Church, but he has never told him how he feels about him, until now.
Church learns of a club that caters to his and Wilcox’s particular fancy and makes them an appointment. The Garden offers a wide variety of young men to suit any man’s fancy, and the owner awards Church and Wilcox with two of his most beautiful, delicate flowers for the evening. Wilcox is uncertain about almost every aspect of the evening’s events along the way, but each time he’s convinced. The one thing he is absolutely certain of is his feelings for Church and the obvious reciprocation when they finally share their first kiss.
What begins as a safe rendezvous with a couple of chance strangers, transforms into Wilcox deepest fantasy coming to life. I adore historical romance. The time period, the phrasing of words and sentences, the clothes and the scenery. And this short story did not disappoint or deviate from any of the aforementioned attributes. Wilcox and Church are very much the proper gentlemen, aside from being in love with each other and both being men in a time when it could get you killed. The foursome aspect was quite a surprise, but there is so much passion and tenderness weaving its way around the bedroom that I was completely mesmerized by the scene.
I know I usually say short, sexy and steamy… my three favorite colors. Well, this was short, passionate and heart warming… and these three are a close second! Just a fast, fun read that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I loved it!
** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through MM Good Book Reviews ** http://www.mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com
![FirstBloomofWinter[The]LG](https://mmgoodbookreviews.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/firstbloomofwinterthelg.jpg?w=300)
Title: The First Bloom of Winter
Title: To Be Human