Blurb: Sometimes, the one love you seek is closer than you ever imagined.
As an Elf Owl shifter, Kayden is the smallest one in his Parliament. But that hasn’t stopped him from being an important member. An IT Tech, he can hack his way into any computer system. Plus, he’s in charge of his own group’s security. Now, if he can only get their leader, Austin, to notice him for something more than his technical skills.
Austin takes his job as the leader of his small Parliament of Owls seriously, which leaves little time for himself. However, he can’t help but notice the cute, small tech, Kayden. But Austin knows he has no time for romance. Not if he wants to keep his group safe.
Will Austin and Kayden find a way to get together? Or are they forever doomed to be alone?
Review: This is a start to a new series and I have to tell you it was amazing.
I love shifters of all kinds, but for some reason birds are really cool. Most are big hawks and falcons, so to learn that Kayden is such a small owl makes it even better. He gets himself kidnapped, but the whole time he knew that his Parliament would come to save him. He knew Austin, their leader, would bring the others to help him get out of there. He and his cellmate needed help. He has always wanted Austin, but he didn’t think that a big grey owl would ever want him. Boy is he wrong.
Austin had went crazy when Kayden got taken because he felt the way Kayden felt, but he also thought that he could never let it be known. He could not play favorites with anyone, that is until one of the other owl’s tells him that maybe just maybe Kayden is his mate. That changes all the rules. Once they get past all their barriers, they realize that they are meant to be together.
I absolutely have another favorite series. This one has it all two hot sexy men, shapeshifters, lust mixed in with love, danger, and excitement. I would definitely recommend reading this story because it will hit you where you need it most. I think that Stephani has an amazing gift for telling a story. It makes for a great read and I cannot wait for book two.
It’s time again for the annual Comic Book and Horror Convention. Normally, Deke liked to avoid these things. While he may be a well-known actor, he wasn’t hunky or a beefcake and he was always overlooked. In fact, most people like to call him ‘the geek of geeks’. But, the producers of his popular TV series don’t care and they order Deke to go. So, while he knows he won’t have any fun he has no choice but to attend.
Blake harbored a crush on Deke even before the other man became famous. When he finds out that Deke will be at the convention, Blake knows he has to attend as well. Since he is trying to promote his own comic, Blake decides that he can mix a little business with his fun.
To Blake’s dismay, not only does Deke not remember him, but also the actor refuses to believe that Blake could have any romantic feelings for a geek. Blake decides that he can’t let this opportunity slip through his fingers, though. He may have given u
Unconventional at Best
p on Deke all those years ago, but not this time. Will Blake be ab
le to convince Deke to give him a chance? Or will the final credits roll before they find love?
Reader Advisory: This story has been previously released as
part of the Unconventional At Best anthology by Total-E-Bound
Review: Blake has traveled to a convention to show off his comic books, he has a small following and he hopes to entice more… but his real reason for being at the convention is to meet the man he has fantasized about since high school Deke (Eric). Deke is in a popular TV show and always has fans coming onto him, on the off chance that he will introduce them to his co-stars. When he meets Blake, he finds it hard to believe that the cute artist is interested in him. Until he remembers him from high school. Now he just has to convince Blake that together they could be so much more, than either of them are alone.
This is a really cute geek love story about two men who connect years after they first knew each other. Blake has had a crush on Deke for years, ever since they were in high school now he has the chance to meet Deke again but Deke doesn’t remember him. Deke is intrigued by the comic book creator and as he spends more time with him remembers the quite shy guy from school, now he has to convince Blake that his offer isn’t charity and that he genuinely wants a relationship with the sexy man.
I really liked these two characters and the way that over the space of a week they connected and fell in love, the way that Deke’s memory was jogged and he wishes that he had taken more notice of Blake in school. Blake doesn’t want to be a burden, and you can understand why when you realize the psychological crap that his mom pulled on him. I really liked how the characters came together and they were really hot together as well.
I will recommend this to those who love geeks falling in love, a great storyline and a very happy ending.
Publisher: Total Bound Publishing (October 25th, 2013)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts
Reviewer: Lisa
Blurb: Sometimes you have to face your horrible past or else you will never have a bright, happy future.
Lester has always been only half-good enough—half a sorcerer, half a dragon, but all a bastard, he was shunned and unwanted as a child. So the first thing he does when he can is move away to the human world and never look back. But the supernatural world is coming to him. The war between the dragons and the sorcerers is at its climax and both sides want Lester on their side.
Dragon shifter Mick grew up watching his best friend Lester being abused and shunned. Now that he’s back, Mick is more determined than ever to protect him. As the two find themselves falling in love, will they be able to overcome all their obstacles, or will war win over love?
Review: Wow this book was amazing. Stephani has written another series that I cannot wait to get my hands on. I am truly amazed by her gift to tell stories. The characters have the perfect amount of strength and weakness that make the story come together. It had the best twist to it. I love the humor in this story with just a mixture of seriousness.
Lester had always considered himself a bastard, unwanted as a child. He was a half-breed, half sorcerer half dragon. All his life his dragon never made an appearance and he couldn’t do magic so he felt more human than anything. Leaving his home, he had made his way to the human world living and working as an ER nurse. Having loved Mick all his life but thinking Mick never wanted him had made him feel so alone all the time. That changed when Mick came to the ER and basically kidnapped him, before the sorcerer’s killed him. Lester is gentle, kind, compassionate and very loveable. Mick was in love with Lester, and wanted him to be his mate.
But even though Lester felt that Mick didn’t want him, Mick had felt the same way. Not because of genetics but because Lester was royalty and he was a soldier. When they come to their senses, the sex was hot and amazing. You just want to cheer them on and fan yourself from the heat. This story made me laugh and cry at the same time. To feel the pain of abandonment is a something many people feel and you just want to wrap them up and heal their pain.
I loved this story and cannot wait to read the next book in this series.
Blurb: The tree is trimmed, the stockings are hung, the lights are strung with care, but none of that matters, because somebody is watching, and he doesn’t give a damn.
Its holiday time at the Wayne County Shifter dwelling, and everybody is in good spirits. Not only have they not heard from their enemies in a long time, but also the pack is thriving and growing. So they are all looking forward to a happy time and a good celebration.
But if there is one thing, everybody knows about the shifter world, one can never get too comfortable when things are going well. Just when they think, all is well, trouble strikes in the worst way possible. It couldn’t happen at a worst time, either. For not only is there the celebration to think about, but the babies are coming.
Review: Once again, Stephanie has made my week. She has an amazing gift to tell stories. She has the ability to bring you such wonderful characters and an intriguing world to just lose yourself in. When times get really hard, I find a story that catches my attention and just read the day away. This story was one of those stories. To get a true feel of every character you really need to start with book one in this series. It was told in such a humorous way that I just about died laughing. There is a bit of seriousness to it though.
Hale, a really cute beagle shifter was mated to a big, bad leopard assassin. Toby loved his little mate with everything in him. It doesn’t hurt that the sex is tender and hot. Now it was Christmas time and they were getting everything ready. Hale had gotten nominated by the alpha mate of their family to decorate for the holidays. Hale, however, wasn’t too sure he could do it. He was a bit intimidated by all the fierce hunters around him, but when he said he would do something, he would do it. He is not only cute, but extremely smart, caring and very loving. His mate is all alpha type, tough and can be mean when needed, but he lacked the self-confidence to be true to himself. He loved his mate though and was determined to help him with every bit of decoration there was. When Rand group of shifters attacked, things go up in smoke. This book has the perfect amount of excitement mixed with danger. Hale just needed to be reminded what the holiday’s are all about.
It is a great story, one that I have read more than once. I cannot wait to read the next book in this wonderful series.
Blurb: Sometimes the thing you hate the most takes you to the love of your life.
Dire Wolf Shifter, Angel, may be the youngest of four brothers, but that doesn’t make him the stupidest. He knows that Valentine’s Day is nothing but one big joke. It’s just a way for candy and card shops to make extra money. How does he know this? Because there is no such thing as true love. Every man he’s met has proven this by stomping on his heart, leaving him bitter and jaded. Fellow Dire Wolf, Baily, has always had a crush on Angel, but he never acted on it. As one of Angel’s older brother’s best friends, Baily had never thought the time was right or appropriate. But as he sees Angel hurting, Baily can’t stop himself from reaching out to the younger man. Will Baily be able to show Angel that there is such a thing as true love? Or had Angel’s heart grown too hard?
Review: I love Stephani’s books. She has such a gift of storytelling. She gives you wonderful characters that you will fall in love with. A world you can lose yourself into when times get rough.
Almost everyone that lives in Angle’s hometown are Dire Wolves. Wolves that have given up all the old ways believing that they are myth’s. Bailey had left home to get his business taken care of, had come home without warning because it was where he believed to be. He also knew that he wanted Angel. He also wanted him to be old enough to claim. Although he didn’t realize that the claiming was because they were mates, for the old ways were long gone. Thinking that mates didn’t exist he was in for a surprise. Angel had always wanted Bailey, but he had not expected Bailey to be at his home when he got there. He had always hated Valentine’s Day for many reasons, but the one major reason was he didn’t want to be alone. So when Bailey told him that he wanted to be with him, he was a bit surprised, confused, and wary. However when they did make love, it was with tender care, love and passion. When the hunters come for them, they start believing in the old ways. Angel will do anything to save his mate when the danger comes for them. There are going to be a lot of changes coming and they were going to be ready for them.
I love almost anything paranormal however when it comes with two very sexy men, you can count that I will read it. I loved this story, just wished it were a lot longer to lose myself into for the day. It has gone on my favorite list. If you love sexy men, danger, and excitement, you will love this story.
Blurb:When two bad boys meet, nothing good can come of it.
Might is the biggest outcast in the pack of Wolves that he lives with. Not only is he actually an Eagle shifter, but he’s also half-human, but that hasn’t stopped him from sleeping with every available male in the pack. Hey, call him a slut, but he likes to have a good time.
Adan left the pack ten years ago, before they could have a chance to exile him. Always breaking the rules, fighting, and committing petty crimes, he caused nothing but trouble for the pack. Now he’s back, and the question everyone is asking is, has he changed his old ways?
Then he meets Might, and he knows he has to have the Eagle shifter. But when these two bad boys clash, will they cause nothing but trouble? Or will they be able to tame each other?
Review: Stephani has always given me the perfect escape during a busy day. I have always loved her stories and this one ranks right up there with all other others. An amazing read if I say so myself. The right mixtures of excitement, intrigue, adventure, and danger. I love how she can give you two of the sexiest men around, put them into a dangerous situation, and watch them work their way out.
Might is a half eagle shifter and half wolf shifter, living among a pack of wolves. He doesn’t fit in at all, and to make things worse he sleeps with anyone and everyone. He likes to have a good time. Now you add in one very sexy mate Adan and you are going to have fireworks. Might had pretty much been in a lab all of his life, experimented on and tortured. He was adorable, sweet, and gentle and kind, but he only thought he was worth much in bed nowhere else. Whereas Adan was strong, fierce, yet loving to his mate. When they do get together, it was hot, sensuous and set the sheets on fire.
This series should be read in order otherwise you might get a bit lost. It has its humor mixed in with a touch of seriousness. I love the way they can overcome pain and turn it into happiness. It gives you a whole new world to lose yourself into.
Blurb: Sometimes, your worst enemy can become the one you love the most.
Leo may be one of the best goaltenders in the minor hockey league, but he has one chink in his armor—Dern. A forward from Leo’s rival team, the two of them get along like fire and paper. Leo lives to stop Dern from scoring, and Dern relishes in getting a puck past Leo.
Then one night while Leo is out clubbing, he runs into Dern. Instead of squabbling, the two of them of end up heating up the sheets. But is it just a one-night stand? And if not, do the two of them have a chance of changing from enemies to lovers?
Review: I have always love Stephanie’s stories. She has such a gift of storytelling that leaves me wanting more. This series should be read in order to gather a bit more information on everything. I can guarantee you will love it though. I know I did.
Leo and Dern are hockey players who hated each other, or so it appeared. Leo is a goalie and Dern, a forward for a rival team. They fought each other. Basically, they were enemies. Well, until Dern shows up at a club. Leo is out and proud, but Dern is in the closet so deep, that Leo had always thought he was straight. Until one night at a gay club when Leo sees Dern. They are both strong, argumentative, edgy, with lots of charisma and sexual heat. They end up heating up the sheets. They made me laugh throughout the whole story.
I have never been interested in reading any sport romance, however this book made me rethink that idea. There is a lot of twist and turns to this story. It caught my attention from the first line and kept it all the way to the end. I love the way they fight and the way they love. It makes me smile to see how enemies turn to lovers. It is a definitely believable story. I loved how supportive some of the people they hang with and work with. I will definitely be checking the rest of this series out.
Blurb: Thrown into a world of paranormal of violence, there’s only one thing to do: create your own destiny.
Sebastian has been tossed into the thick of a war between the Birds of Prey and Blood Demons. He’s heard it all about fate, destiny, and this is how it’s going to be. Oh, hell no, it isn’t. Sebastian has his connections and will use them to help him and his mate Wren solve the problem of the mates’ loss of freedom.
Wren has been drawn to Sebastian since he laid eyes on him. Hurt by his refusal to even be near him, Wren feels at a loss of what to do until he follows Sebastian one night. Wren discovers that Sebastian may have been in this world a lot longer than they all ever knew.
Review: Now this installment of Birds of Prey was a nice surprise after the slight disappointment of the earlier ones. I suppose having a flock created by Athena it is bound to be a greater agenda behind the scenes, an agenda that now is reaching our eyes.
This book follows Wren and his fated mate Sebastian. Honestly I groaned a bit inwardly when I read the blurb, as Sebastian made it pretty clear on the previous installment that he does NOT want a mate, therefore causing me a bit of wariness for the upcoming fights between the inevitable lovers. However, as I said I was pleasantly surprised as Sebastian proved to be more, much, much more than reaches the eye. He (thankfully) is not the weak mortal mate in distress being haunted by the blood demons who desperately needs his immortal one to save the day every little step of the way. Nope, Sebastian can perfectly stand up to his enemies by himself. What with his Father and brother making an appearance, promising more to come I have the impression this is turning to be one exciting turn of events.
As for Wren, well his insecurities are still there – they do come with the little wren thing – but he manages to get over that fact and not cause lots of drama, thus allowing us to focus on his relationship with Sebastian and the action that takes place.
Again being totally honest, I must say that while this installment was a great, great improvement from the previous one, with the plot picking up and becoming highly interesting, Gods and Demi-Gods coming in to play and finally the mates not being all prey for the Demons, I still found Sebastian and the story around him not properly exploited. Some of the explanations given between the couple felt rather hasty and rushed, simply stated and over with, and that gave cause for a bit of detachment. I am having a feeling that we will see more in the future though so I’m reserving judgment, but I can’t help feel that these books should have been a bit bigger, a bit more.
As it is, my interest is highly spiced and though I began reading this book with the thought let’s give this series another try I ended up fascinated and anticipating what is to come. Please let it be Fallon and Raven.
Publisher: Devine Destinies and Extasy Books (December 15th, 2013)
Heat Level: No Heat level
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3 Hearts
Reviewer: Lisa
Blurb: It’s the holiday season and the Haven Coffee House Boys area looking forward to a time of parties, gifts, and good food. But their past comes back to haunt them in the worst way possible.
It’s Christian’s favorite time of the year, the holiday season. He thinks it’s just the thing he and his friends need to pick them up from the funk they’ve been in the past few months. Now, they are all back together and it looks like the bad times are behind them.
But the past has a way of catching up to you, whether or not you want it to, and it threatens the Haven Coffee House Boy’s dreams of a happy holiday. Will they be able to forget the former bad times? If not, will the holidays be doomed for failure?
Review: This was a sad story, but sweet at the same time.
Most of the kids had very lousy home lives, but they come together as a family. Andy was coming back to school after trying to commit suicide because of his friends and a very rude bunch of homophobes. Dalton’s own home life pretty much sucked, but his friends rally besides him and he even has a crush on Andy.
This story is told in such a way that you come to realize what happens to many teenagers that come out to their family and friends. It makes you want to stand up and scream at people who are such fools. To tell them that you support your friends and others that come out as gay or lesbian. The only problem I found is that it left me hanging wondering about Andy and Dalton. This story is told with seriousness and you feel the anger and pain from each character, but you also feel the support and love they have for one another.
If you want a truly heartwarming story, one that might make you cry and want to just hug each and every one of them.
Hey guys, today you will see various posts from Authors that we hounded… er asked what they would be doing for Christmas and many of them have sent us wonderful posts with pictures so we can share their holiday’s with you.
My first author is Mary Calmes, I adore Mary’s stories like Where You Lead and with how she creates great stories I just had to find out how she celebrated Christmas.
Christmas at the Calmes house begins with tree decorating and we watch the movie Elf while we’re doing it along with eating popcorn and drinking hot chocolate. Even in Hawaii we did the same thing. There are store bought ornaments and handmade ones as well. We hang the kids’ stockings and two years ago, we got a cat, so Dewey’s goes up too. The last decoration we put up is the angel and she always goes in the kitchen. We open gifts Christmas day, not Christmas Eve, and since we moved to Kentucky, we drive out to the country to spend the day on the family farm. The very best part of the holiday is being together.
.
My next author is Sjd Peterson, and after chasing her all over cyberspace I finally pinned her down to share her Christmas plans. Oh I nearly forgot that she once did a Christmas story, Leon it’s a cute read that’s all warm and snuggerly.
Well, I’m not big on decorating. I used to be but I’ve gotten lazy so the tree is all you get. But hey, it’s a perty… “Oh shiny” tree. (It’s so totally me)
I’ll be spending time with friends and family on Christmas and taking all the positive vibes and magic of the holiday season and sending them to Tj, Eric and their families. If anyone deserves a Christmas miracle it’s them. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Merry Christmas Hugs
Jo
.
And now we have R.J. Scott, who within minutes of being asked had everything back to me with a picture collage, but then she always seems prepared with her excellent Christmas stories like Texas Christmas.
When Pixie asked me to write and tell you about the Scott family Christmas I immediately went to my stock of family photos. I love Christmas, I love the friends, the food, I love writing about Christmas, watching Christmas films, giving presents… you name it and I sign up to it!
This Christmas day is at mum’s house where wine will be consumed and presents opened alongside a huge Christmas dinner. We’ll play games, Matt’s favourite is Sorry, followed closely by Uno and Sevens. We’ll build lego, and probably Mr RJ and my sister’s hubby will have a sleep – that is if Mum’s dog will let them! We always have big plans for what we call *tea* which is at around 7pm… but end up being way to full to manage even a small slice of cucumber.
We don’t really have snow at Christmas (despite what the films tell you!) but every so often we do get the white stuff. Apparently this year it will be overcast and raining… 🙁
All my presents are wrapped and ready, I just need to get Jesse’s Christmas out and available then I can relax!
Happy Christmas to everyone!
RJ X
Picture 1 – Baby’s first Christmas… and yes that is me… bald as a coot and three months old, with my first two teddy bears. I think those bears are the only things holding me up, bit like after I have had a few too many wines.
Picture 2 – Baby’s first Christmas, take 2 – this time I am the one in the rather fetching blue dress, with my mum and dad, circa 1972, holding my little sister (and yes she WAS born with that much hair, unlike me). This was a very special Christmas as we were a family of four.
Picture 3 – An old Christmas Decoration – This is a decoration that we have just put on my Mum’s tree. So many memories of putting this same decoration up every year.
Picture 4 – The Scott Christmas Tree with added arty effects. We put this up at the weekend and I love turning the lights out and sitting watching TV with just the Christmas lights on. Beautiful.
Picture 5 – Don’t ask. When I was 12 I was in the wonderful Panto Cinderella at my school. Yes I played the ugly sister and it was a big (and funny) part, and yes I absolutely needed padding and so much makeup on to make me look hideous…
Picture 6 – Cinderella again. This is a set of Christmas lights that hang in my mum’s house and have done every Christmas since I was little. The set is Cinderella’s carriage interspersed with tiny lanterns. Very pretty and so old now.
Stephani Hecht, sent along her little post about her family Christmas and only technical difficulties have postponed their Christmas snapshots. I suppose to make myself feel better I should read Wayne County Holiday’s and Hot Cocoa and Candy Canes!
Family Traditions-Stephani Hecht
Our family traditions are pretty simple. We like to decorate our tree as soon as possible, usually on Thanksgiving Day. Yeah, we love the Holidays that much. The thing we look forward to the most is the day where they have the Christmas Story marathon. We usually watch it all day long. Sigh We never get tired of that movie. Even though Cody is twenty and Joie is twelve, we all still get stockings. We even make up little ones for the birds and our lizard, so nobody gets left out.
We don’t leave cookies and milk out for Santa anymore, which is kind of a bummer. I miss doing that. The one silver lining in that, is that we passed down our nice plate and glass down to Jackie’s kids. So, it almost feels like the tradition has carried on.
As usual this year, I went overboard on presents. But, to me, the fun part is giving, rather than receiving. I love to see people’s faces when they open a gift that I got for them. To me that’s what the Holidays are all about—bringing joy to others.
Amber Kell, Well if I had RJ then I had to have Amber Kell as well, well they did come up with the wonderful The Case of the Sinful Santa and Amber went even further with her free Christmas short stories Christmas Tree Magic & Santa Wishes! So I had no choice to invite the Queen of Novella’s to tell us her Christmas plans.
When MM good book reviews asked me to write a post I had to take a moment and ponder if I truly wanted everyone to know how strange I truly am. Then I realized most of my fans probably already do so they probably won’t be the least bit surprised at my revelations.
I was asked what sort of Christmas traditions my family follows. Growing up we didn’t really have any. My family isn’t religious and most of the time was spent putting up the fake tree and juggling time between my mom or dad’s house. As an adult I decided to start my own traditions.
1) We always have a real tree. We go to a tree farm and find the perfect tree. Then my husband tells me it won’t fit in our house. Next, we scale down expectations and find a tree that will at least scrape the ceiling. Once tree is home we drown it in lights and ornaments until it can barely stand beneath the weight.
2) We go to Archee McPhee’s and purchase a mystery bag. This will be opened on Christmas Eve to keep the children’s little heads from exploding from Christmas expectations. It contains the normal stuff: poseable Einstein dolls, zombies and the occasional bacon flavored candy…you know the usual holiday cheer.
.
.
3) We get a Lego advent calendar so my eight-year-old Lego fanatic can put them together every day. Older son had one last year but he didn’t want one this time because they didn’t have a Santa Darth Maul. He has a chocolate one instead.
4) Hubby and I send the kids to bed early, drink eggnog and put presents under the tree while we watch our holiday movie The Ref. I always wrap and assemble everything as soon as it is purchased and stash it away. I hate wrapping anything on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is the time for coffee and movies with hubby with a side of Santa.
Along the way we do have things like the usual sugar cookie making. One year I couldn’t find my Christmas cookie cutters so I made Christmas octopuses, once baked they looked like Cthulhu. Maybe it was wrong to take them to my husband’s highly religious family but we had fun.
This year my son’s teacher sent a bag of crayons, a star mold and instructions on making custom crayons. End result. Hubby used them to make crayon zombie fingers. Just another holiday tradition at the Kell house. I hope everyone has fun this holiday season following your own traditions. Merry Christmas.
.
.
T.M. Smith, was an obvious author to invite, after all she does fulfill my pervie needs 😉 She has no Christmas stories as yet but she rocks with The Library!
Christmas in our house means a time of gathering and recognizing the traditions. There is a long list of things we do every year, and the family have come to expect it. First, we always decorate our tree on Thanksgiving day while listening to Christmas Carols. We have such an eclectic array of ornaments and each and every one holds special meaning as well. Every year each member of the family gets a new ornament and this ornament always reflects that person. Trust me, if you know us you could walk over to this tree and know who each ornament is for! For each of the kiddo’s in the family, including myself, we have a baby’s first Christmas ornament. So there are precious bobbles on this tree that are 42 years young!
Friends and family gather every year the weekend before Xmas for a party and gift exchange. And every year it seems, the group grows by one or two. Some of these people we only see this one day a year, so it is all that much more cherished. The conversations, the visiting, sharing events from the past year, eating lots of good food and drinking LOTS of good wine!
.
These are all things that my grown children look forward to every year. And my hope is that as they grow older and wiser, that they will continue these traditions in their own homes. Thanks for stopping by today and sharing my Christmas traditions with me! I’d love for you to leave a comment and tell me what Christmas means to you, or one of your families Holiday traditions.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY ** .
Cardeno C. Was cautious to join us, but as I said it’s a holiday so send what you can, so C.C. had celebrated Hanukkah and shared with us their holiday celebration, and I am going to tell you to have a look at In Another Life because it’s a wonderful Hanukkah story.
. Hanukkah came at a fun time this year because the 2nd night was on Thanksgiving. That made for some creative Thanksgivukkah celebrations, like a pumpkin turned into a menorah.
.
Like with any holiday, there’s food, of course. Potato latkes are traditional this time of year and I tried to get creative with mine. Instead of the usual grated potatoes and onions fried into patties, I used roasted potatoes and all sorts of veggies. It was pretty good, I think, though nothing beats the original. What I’m more proud of were my matzah balls. My father has always made wonderful matzah balls but he was out of town for the holiday this year so I gave it a go. I think they turned out pretty well.
But food and candles aside, Hanukkah is about spending time with family and friends. I was lucky to share candles and dinner and dreidel on the eight night with people I hold near and dear. What is dreidel? Well, it’s a fun game where you spin a top and gamble chocolate coins.
Food, games, and candles with friends and family. That was my holiday this year and it was wonderful.
And now we come to Beau Schemery & Augusta Li, I invited these authors separately but am posting them together because they are such an awesome pair, I adore both these authors books and nearly *squeed* in joy when they said yes!
My name is Beau Schemery and I’ve written the YA novel, The Seventh of London and the Verses of Vrelenden series. Xmas isn’t a real big day in our household which is to say Gus (That’s Augusta Li, fantastic and infamous M/M writer; yep, we’re roommates) and I are normally too busy to go in for all the pomp and circumstance. Our kids are older so they’re not really into the craziness anymore either. We both still work day jobs to supplement our writing so we don’t really get a Christmas break. We really just get a day off.
That said we really use the day to relax and play Xbox games that we will probably buy for each other. We do presents but nothing super elaborate (Note the extra fancy wrapping bags nicked from our place of day jobbery). We also still put up stockings for the kids with mostly Japanese candy inside. My stocking is one of my boots with my Slytherin scarf thrown over it.
Our goal this year was to not leave the house but since we don’t have cable, we’ll be seeking out a relative’s home to watch The Doctor Who Christmas Special, The Time of the Doctor. And we’ll probably sit around weeping like little kids when Matt Smith regenerates.
Oh and wine. Lots of wine. Hope your day off is as relaxing and filled with weird, authory awesomeness as ours will be!
Augusta Li was ever so kind as to create a picture of the stars of the Blessed Epoch series, Yarrow, Duncan and Sasha…. I have died and gone to heaven, aren’t the guys just so sweet! ~Pixie~
Blurb: When opposites attract, the passion ignites like nobody ever imagined.
Ever since Reno started working as the head coordinator for the kids’ centre at the hotel, he’d been harboring a not-so-secret crush on a lifeguard named Bruce. When he finally has a chance to talk to Bruce and Bruce doesn’t even know Reno’s name, Reno is crushed. Heartbroken, Reno is forced to admit that beauty is only skin-deep and that Bruce is a jerk.
Bruce finds himself intrigued by the shy, yet cute Reno. He decides that he is going to pursue the man. But Bruce has the reputation as a man-eater. Will his reputation ruin any chance he has with Reno? Or will he be able to convince Reno that he really does care for him?
Publisher’s Note: This story has been previously released as part of the Unconventional in Atlanta anthology by Totally Bound Publishing.
Review: Oh, this is a great read. It was funny and a little bit serious when needed. I haven’t laughed so much as I did when I read this story.
Reno had it bad for lifeguard Bruce, but Bruce comes off as a jerk in the beginning. You feel bad for Reno at first, but then Reno gets his man. Reno is a tenderhearted young man who wears he heart on his sleeve. Even after being warned that Bruce was a player, he still went for the date. Bruce realizes how bad he comes off and does everything he can to fix his mistake. Bruce is actually a very caring man who has decided to actually act like a man instead of a boy. The sex between them is so damn hot, you would think the sheets burned around them. There is even a bit of drama in this story, which makes it even more believable.
It is a really cute story, but I wished it would have been longer. I would want to know more about them and what will happen in the future.
Blurb: Sometimes when one is in the darkness and all alone, that is when somebody special shows up and guides them to the light and real love is found.
Zaid’s one of the rarest of breeds of shifters, an African Wild Dog. So, when he finds out that one of the biggest hunters is in Wayne county intent on killing him, he decides he’ll strike first. But to do so, he must go down into the ancient tunnels. For that, he needs the best set of eyes in the pack, Kline.
Kline is afraid to go out on the mission, but he’s been secretly attracted to Zaid for so long that he knows he can’t refuse. Will they succeed? Or will they die before they see the light again?
Review: This was as a pretty good book and I loved it. It is book eight in the series so to get the full story you would want to start with the first book.
It starts out serious with lots of danger and excitement. Zaid, an African Wild Dog who comes off serious and strong is a wonderful mate for someone who is kind of the opposite of him. Kline has always stayed at home because of a gift that he considers a curse. But his curse leads him to his mate, a man he has been wanting for a long time. When they do finally come together, it is so hot, tender, and full of love. They just had to come to terms with their desires.
Kline is what Zaid truly wants and will do anything to protect his mate. The story line and plot to this book is fantastic and even if most books start to have repeating parts to them, this one has uniqueness to it. I loved the way the whole story came together. It kept me on the edge of my seat just waiting for the next page. I can’t wait to read it again. It was one of the better stories that I have read.
Blurb: In the future, where being a warlock is unlawful a team of brothers risk all to save one of there own in his quest for freedom.
As a warlock, Delton is marked as an enemy and imprisoned by humans in an internment camp. After spending five grueling years there, he manages to escape. His freedom is short-lived when he finds himself cornered by guards who want to take him back to the camp. Then Delton is rescued by the handsome and mysterious warlock, freedom fighter, Vicen.
As Delton spends more time with Vicen, he finds himself drawn to the other warlock. But, can Delton trust Vicen? Or is he about to have his trust betrayed in the worst way?
Review: In Warlock Unchained – Detroit City Warlocks Stephanie Hecht re-introduces modern-day prison camps for those born with magical talent. Even with the solid plot line and cohesive story structure, at times the writing is a tad clunky and chewy, especially in the beginning.
This is a wonderful tale with characters that the writer leaves us wanting to know more about. The depth of Warlock Unchained could easily transfer into a full-length novel. And, more importantly, I believe it has the potential to become one of Paranormal’s full-fledged Classic contenders.
Blurb:It’s the night before Halloween, which means its Devil’s night, and the EMS Heat Boys will have a lot of fires to put out in more ways than one.
It’s the night before Halloween, and in Michigan that can only mean one thing. It’s Devil’s Night, and the EMS community will be on high alert for arson and other acts of vandalism. Matt usually doesn’t mind overtime, but he hates this time of year because he knows they will be busier than ever, and he will see little of his boyfriend Lucas. But, as Matt finds himself in a situation more dangerous than ever, he wonders if he will see Lucas again. Will Matt be able to get out alive? Or is this one time where the Devil will win?
Review: Even though this is like 18th in a series, don’t let it scare ya off. It’s very stand-alone and very worth a read. Matt and Lucas have been lovers for a long time. Matt is a paramedic and Lucas an ER nurse. They both have to work the night before Halloween also known as Devils Night. Lots of crazy things happen on that night to keep them busy, but not so busy they can’t keep their hands off each other.
This is a really cute, sweet, crazy but hot story. I found it well written, with a bit of humour and very hot. The characters are all engaging the shenanigans on this night wild and whacky yet a bit creepy and the play between the en swoon worthy. The only issue I had is it seems every firefighter, nurse, doctor and cop in this and the neighbouring towns are gay men.
I recommend this if you want a fun hot Halloween read with paramedics, male nurses, firefighters and police.
Blurb: Wells thinks life is all work and no play, and Jaret thinks life is all one big party. When the tow clash, an attraction develops that nobody saw coming.
Jaret may be a paramedic, but that doesn’t mean he lets the everyday horrors he sees keep him down. Every day is a reason to party, and he always loves to be the center of attention. When he finds out that his new partner is Wells, the stuffy medic in the company, Jaret is less than thrilled.
But the longer they work together, the more Jaret finds himself drawn to Wells. Wells, on the other hand, seems not to even notice that Jaret is there. Will Jaret be able to attract Wells’ attention? Or do opposites really distract?
Review: The author does a skilful job of making the reader take a deeper look at characters in this story. Because on the surface, this story it looks like a story of opposites attracting. This story is really the case of a very shy Englishman not knowing how to relate to his fellow EMS workers. And the life of the party is covering a very caring heart that feels deeply.
When paired together, both Wells and Jaret think it’s a disaster waiting to happen, both giving it less than a shift to blow up. Both get on each other’s nerves until they get a call to rescue a very large diabetic woman, where each gets a look into the true heart and character of their new partner. Here starts the change of heart for both of them. This change in how they view each other continues when Jaret invites Wells to movie night with another co-worker Dallas. In the rash of calls that Jaret and Wells field, several are for over doses of a new drug called The Gate.
In between work and seeing each other, Jaret is dealing with his brother who is leaching off of him. Baby brother does nothing but drain Jaret’s money for clubbing every night. Wells along with everyone else sees this happening and Jaret knows he’s being used, but it’s his baby brother.
This was another fun, enjoyable read from this author. The writing flow, the characters have depth, the plot was a bit predictable but still well done.
Blurb: Simon may be the best tracker out there, but somebody else is on his trail, and if he doesn’t watch it, they may just catch him and not release him.
Raised to never trust any other shifters outside his inner circles, the last thing Simon wants to do is to work with a Wolf, much less an Omega.
Finn doesn’t want to work with Simon any more than Simon wants to be with him. Not only does the assassin intimidate him, but also Simon is nothing more than a jerk.
But, despite all that, Finn finds himself growing attracted to Simon, which is crazy because he hates Simon. Will Finn and Simon be able to put their differences aside to give love a chance?
Review:This story is part of a series and is best read in order. Simon is an assassin, he is the best tracker in the group, but when hunting for some giant baby spiders he is assigned The best tracker the wolves have… an omega. Finn really doesn’t want to work with an assassin, but if he wants more missions than he has to prove he can handle himself, but damn Simon is a jerk! As the two work together, they surprise each other and soon their attraction flares to life but will their budding love survive when they face opposition from Finn’s brothers.
This is a great addition to Wayne County Wolves with us being introduced to more shifters who have suffered in the past. When Simon and Finn first meet neither man is really impressed with the other, they might look good enough to eat but first impressions are poor. Working together, they see beneath the surface and their attraction flares, but they both want to see what they can have together before broadcasting it to the world. Finn has his brothers to think about, especially his protective older brother Tate, but his feelings for Simon won’t be denied. Simon has only ever had his fellow assassins and has never really cared for anyone before, but Finn has shattered all Simon’s defenses to worm his way into his heart.
So we meet new characters in this installment of Wayne County Wolves and I have to say that I really hope that two of them will be getting stories of their own. We meet Finn who isn’t like normal omegas, he knows how to fight and has a super sensitive nose, he wants to do more for the pack, but his older brother is protective. Simon is an assassin and Finn is the one who finds the chink in his armor, showing Simon himself that he can have more than meaningless sex and that he is more than just an assassin. They get to know each other before they act on their attraction and then wait longer before they finally admit how they feel about each other, but they have to bring Tate around because he is opposed to the relationship. Finn also has to make his twin brother, Kline, let him go and make Tate accept that Kline should also have a life of his own.
I really enjoyed this story and loved the way that neither Finn nor Kline is a typical omega, both of them learning to fight and protect after their parents were killed. Both brothers are unique and I think they make a great addition to the series, Finn and Simon’s story is great, and we see them clearing all the spiders that escaped in The Leopard Who Changed His Spots.
I recommend this to those who love shifters overcoming their pasts, danger, great characters, hot sex, tension and a great ending.
Blurb: Lies…lies…lies….all of it is lies…until the truth comes back to bite you in the ass, and you have to deal with it or risk losing everything you fought so hard to protect.
Donny left his childhood pack behind him when his father couldn’t accept the fact that his son was just an Omega. Destined to be the lowest on the pecking order of the pack, Donny acts out in ways that are sometimes not too healthy for his wellbeing. Proctor is coming to Black Creek to visit an old friend. The last thing he expects is to find himself hanging out with some young, blond brat. What’s more, Proctor doesn’t expect himself to be attracted to the little troublemaker. But things aren’t what they seem to be in Black Creek, and as Proctor digs deeper, he discovers secrets that are explosive. Will he be able to accept the truth? And more importantly, will he be able to accept Donny?
Review:This story is part of a series and must be read in order. Donny is an Omega, because of how his father treated him Donny thinks he is useless and the way his pack mates treat him sometimes doesn’t help. So what if he is a bit of a klutz and he sometimes does stupid things they could at least give him a chance. Proctor is coming to visit his best friend but what he finds at Black Creek has him suspicious, his friends are acting strange and there’s a twink spying on them. Proctor can’t deny the attraction he feels for the little twink though and soon pursues a relationship with Donny, but Proctor finds out the hard way that the town has secrets
This is a great continuation of the Building the Pack series, this time we have young Donny and Proctor, Connor and Josh’s friend, leading the story. Proctor’s cop instincts are instantly pinging when he is visiting his best-friend Connor, both Connor and Josh are acting oddly and Proctor is determined to get to the bottom of it. Donny is keeping an eye on Connor’s and Josh’s place while they have a visitor to ensure no secrets are spilled but he gets caught by Proctor and feels an attraction to the human. Both men embark on a friendship, which quickly changes to more. Donny hates keeping secrets but he can’t betray his pack, but when the evil wolf turns up again Donny doesn’t know if Proctor will ever forgive him.
This story continues in the same vein as The New Wolf keeping the unique fresh shifter story where everything isn’t instant mates and easy acceptance. Both Proctor and Josh are great characters with Donny being sweet and bratty and Proctor being protective and suspicious, they fit together perfectly as they hang out and get to know each other (barring secrets) and when they finally get it on, wow are they hot! But as always, danger comes and both Donny and Proctor handle it badly before forgiveness is sought and given. It wasn’t all perfect as Proctor has to deal with the secrets the hard way and Donny acts like the brat he is and sulks, I did expect a slightly different reaction from Connor and Josh though seeing as what they had also recently been through, they could have been a bit more understanding of Proctor’s reaction.
I recommend this to those who love shifters, danger, secrets, hot sex, finding love, great characters and life changing discoveries.
Blurb: Sometimes when you’re at your lowest, when you’re at your saddest, and just when you think that things can’t get any worse, along comes a hero to save the day and to win your heart away.
Skye has always lived life like it’s one big party. He makes his own rules, and consequences be damned. But one night when he takes things too far, his older brother steps in and demands he cleans up his act.
In comes Alden, known as one of the toughest trainers at the feline coalition, he takes on the job of turning Skye’s life around. The last thing the Tiger shifter expects is to find himself drawn to Skye, despite his bratty ways.
Will Alden be able to help save Skye from himself? Or will Skye self-destruct and shatter both of their lives?
Review:This story is part of a series and is best read in order. Skye doesn’t really give a damn about his life and tries to drink away the memories of a traumatic childhood event, but now after many lectures his brother is doing something about Skye’s behavior and signs him up with a mentor who will train him. Alden is the one the Coalition turns to when they have a difficult case, Alden is determined to get Skye up to snuff, and the last thing he would have expected to be attracted to the lion shifter.
This is a brilliant addition to The Lost Shifters series, with a messed up shifter finding something worth fighting for. Skye is Branson’s (Gage’s Awakening) brother and has been messed up with the memories of the Raven attack that killed his parents, in a last ditched attempt to get Skye clean and doing something for the Coalition Branson signs Skye up for mentor training. Skye wants to prove to everyone that he can change and throws himself into the training, but he can’t help longing after his trainer Alden. Alden finds himself impressed with the cute shifter and seriously attracted, but he won’t cross the line with Skye while he is mentoring him, but they face opposition when the mentoring is finished.
Skye and Alden are a super couple and we get to watch their courtship in the training arena. We see Skye straighten himself out wanting to prove to people that he isn’t just a f**k up and he can be an asset to the Coalition. Both Skye and Alden are great characters and they face the fall out together. They are hot and sparks fly between them and they try to do the right thing but others interfere. The storyline continues with the increasing attacks of the Raven’s, but I can’t help wonder if they have found all the lost shifters now because I haven’t seen any new rescues of them for a while.
I recommend this to those who love shifters finding love in difficult conditions, a determination to improve one’s life, hot sex and a great ending of finding peace in a family.
Blurb:Sometimes the best things are right in front of you, just waiting to be seen.
Dax Rogers was a loner in high school, so he kept to himself. Now grown up, Dax has changed a lot. Not only has he made a huge name for himself as a special-effects makeup artist, but he has a whole new look. Then an invitation comes in the mail. It’s the tenth reunion for their graduation and they are having a weekend retreat. When he shows up and sees that Lance, his old high school crush, is there too, Dax is both overjoyed and nervous. Will the men be able to make up for lost time?
Review: Dax is a pretty confident man. he is successful in a job he loves in Atlanta and is happy with how he looks, and he is a far cry from the loner who was picked on in school. Lance used to be popular in school, but he was shunned after he came out. Now, he has a coffee shop in Atlanta and is shy. Both men receive an invitation to their high-school reunion, and they both make the choice to face the past.
I liked this cutesy short that was for both characters about putting the past to rest. Dax has walked past the coffee shop to catch a glimpse of Lance for ages now, but he still can’t quite work up the courage to ask him out. Lance has crushed on the Goth boy for months. when Goth boy finally walks into his shop, Lane is too shy to ask him out. Going to their class reunion is a way for both Lance and Dax to put high-school to rest. Lance is surprised when he sees Goth boy at his high-school reunion and is happy when they hit it off. together they face the bullies.
I did enjoy this story. It was very sweet and the characters were great. Dax and Lance make a great couple. They connect when they actually properly talk to each other and they both realize that they have wanted the same thing for months. Going into the reunion, both men had very similar expectations but different attitudes. Dax was bullied for being openly gay, skinny and quiet and he goes to the reunion to flaunt his new look and his successful career. Lance had been popular, but was shunned when he came out. his friends turned their backs on him and now he is going to the reunion to get closure on that time in his life.
Stephani Hecht has done a great job with turning the tables on the bullies when they are adults. most of them showed shame at what they had done when they were younger. While there were only one or two who still had the same attitude. Lance and Dax are great together being sweet and hot at the same time. I really liked that they never let the attitude of others make them bitter. Dax helps Lance gain his confidence when facing his tormentors as well. Ah, Dax has got a smart mouth on him. 😉
I recommend this to those who love facing the past, hot men connecting, forgiving old school friends, hot sex and a very happy ending.
Series: The Haven Coffee House Boys Series Book Four
Author: Stephani Hecht
Genre: Young Adult
Length: Novella (80 Pages)
Publisher: Extasy Books (January 15th, 2013)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3Hearts
Blurb: Sometimes the ones you love can hurt you the most of all.
Devlin is used to others thinking that he’s a jerk. He likes it that way. It makes it so, nobody ever expects too much of him. Only his close friends really know that soft side of him, and, that he’s never exposed enough so he can get hurt. Then Christian, Devlin’s boyfriend, needs him more than ever. Will Devlin be able to let his guard down enough, or will he risk losing Christian forever?
Review: No Tea No Shade is the fourth book The Haven Coffee House Boys Series by Stephani Hecht. The story revolves around Devlin and Christian and their group of friends. If you have not ready the previous novels, you might feel a little lost in this one.
Christian is suffering from depression and has been hiding it from his boyfriend Devlin. Devlin could be such an asshole sometimes and I don’t see why Christian would even consider him as boyfriend material. But, Christian does bring out the best in Devlin and I like that. One thing I didn’t like was the fact that this novel was too short and consisted of only one plot. Christian’s depression. That’s it. There is nothing more. I would have loved if the plot was extended into something more interesting.
I must admit, Mrs. Stephani Hecht dealt with a very important issue here. Depression is something serious that has been affecting a large percentage of our youths. I think that the message was clear. Get help and let other help you.
When it is all said and done, the novel was okay. If another plot was added to this very serious issue, it would have made the story ten times better and interesting.
Title: An Owl Surfaces
