The Empty Hourglass by Cornelia Grey

Title: The Empty Hourglass
Author: Cornelia Grey
Purchase at Amazon
Purchase at All Romance eBooks
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Genre: steampunk
Length: 69K, 201 pages
Formats: Mobi, epub, pdf, print

Thomas Escott has always wanted to be a toymaker, yet just as he achieves his dream, an accident claims his right hand. He’s certain his life is over—until he hears about groundbreaking prosthetics being made by a reclusive inventor.

Jethro Hastings is perfectly content to live alone up in the mountains working on a secret masterpiece: a humanoid automaton that will change the scientific community forever. He’s behind schedule, and the date of the unveiling is fast approaching, so when Thomas shows up on his doorstep offering help in exchange for a mechanical hand, Jethro agrees. Time, after all, is running out on another deal he’s made: one with the devil.

The devil gives Jethro’s inventions life, but he can just as quickly take life away—Jethro’s, to be exact. As the sand in the devil’s hourglass falls, marking the time until the end of the deal, inventions go haywire, people get hurt, and Thomas realizes he needs Jethro just as much as his prosthetic. Now he must find a way to save Jethro’s soul, but negotiating with a devil is just as difficult as it sounds.

Farfarello’s back, that sly devil. It’s nearly time for him to collect on Jethro’s Faustian bargain. Jethro’s got one eye on the hourglass ticking down the moments, and Thomas is gradually figuring out what's going on. Farfarello’s got a little more sympathy for the humans he deals with than his boss might approve of.

We’re in Thomas’s head, and of course, he doesn’t have a clue about all the background. He’s come to Jethro’s workshop to beg for a prosthetic hand to replace the one he lost in a workshop accident. Even with time ticking away, Jethro manages to outfit one last person in need, and now Thomas can help him with his exacting engineering. Theirs could be a real partnership on all levels, if Farfarello wasn’t hanging about in the background.

The story is pretty straightforward, without all the side plots built into Circus of the Damned, also in this series, but that’s okay, we get a sense of desperation and confusion here. The setting is steampunky in that it’s a low tech society in the main, with the spectacular gears and whistles getting brought out, but where I ran into issues is with the style.

I open Cornelia Grey’s books expecting to be drenched in her atmospheric prose, the word equivalent of chocolate. And here, while the style is readable, it doesn’t seem to be Cornelia Grey. Plus lots of anachronisms like “okay”, “the guy”, “warm and fuzzy”, and an unusual amount of swearing for genteel people, which sit strangely next to hansom cabs and automatons. It’s a mishmash I’d expect from someone who handles language much less skillfully that she does.

While I’m glad I read this book, it isn’t on the level I've come to expect from this author. 3.5 marbles

A Thousand Word Ficlet From Cari Z

Cari Z, whose wonderful Panopolis books have me completely absorbed, found a picture that inspired her.

********************

“Dance with me.”

I shake my head at Greg, who’s on his third glass of champagne tonight. I can’t blame him; his sister just got married. Everyone else is well into their cups at this point too―there’s something to be said for a southern wedding, namely that the food is better and the alcohol is freer than at any other event I’ve ever attended. The company, however? That definitely leaves something to be desired. We’ve gotten more dark looks for our matching suits than I can count, although that could be in part because Leila’s colors are purple and gold. Purple’s not a good look on me.

Still, it doesn’t make sense to rock the boat now. We’ll be gone in less than an hour, and I sincerely hope to never be the center of this much awkward attention again.

“Dance with meee,” Greg insists, leaning his head forward on his hands. He’s shorter than I am, very cute, and debilitatingly adorable when he wants to be. Like now. “C’mon, we practiced and everything!”

“Watching Dancing With The Stars doesn’t count as practice,” I say.

“It does, though! Rory, c’mon.” He grins at me. “You don’t have to dip me or throw me in the air. We just have to move together.”

“Greg…”

“What?”

I gesture around us. “What about them?”

“What about them?” he persists. “It’s Leila’s wedding, they’re not going to say anything. If they do, she’ll shut them down before we can even open our mouths. Rory.” His grin turns into a smile, soft and private. “Please, dance with me. Just one song.”

That’s the reason we’re wearing coordinated suits. I have a hard time saying no to him. “One song,” I agree, and stand up. The lights are dim, but I still feel like everyone is watching me. I’ve been in too many arguments, too many fights, to want to take that scrutiny in silence, but then Greg is in front of me, stepping close. He puts his right hand in mine, and I tuck my free hand in the small of his back. He feels warm even through the layers of suit, and when he brushes up against me, his eyes are locked on mine.

“Now we move,” he tells me, a bit breathless.

“Yes,” I say softly, and lead him into the first step of the dance.

***********

Mmm, yes, Cari Z knows how to get the guys to cuddle up. Or punch noses, or survive zombies, or... Cari's guys do a lot of things.

Love superheroes? You'll love them even more Panopolis style, with adventure, angst, and a couple of tropes stood on their heads.

Her latest, Where There's a Will, gets reviewed next week, but it's not a spoiler to say I LOVED IT.

Being a Hero in Panopolis means living the high life: parties, money, influence, even reality television. And I’m one of the most powerful Heroes in the city. I have plenty of fans, a manager who looks out for me (after himself), and a job that pays the bills. I should be enjoying myself.

Unfortunately, the downside of my superpower means I can’t touch anyone, which tends to put a damper on things. I probably don’t deserve all those perks anyway, since I’m working in secret with two of Panopolis’s biggest Villains to undermine GenCorp—my main sponsor and the company that controls what gets through my force field.

I obviously don’t trust my corporate overseers, but they’ve hired a new scientist who actually seems interested in helping me. Dr. Mansourian might have the answers to all my questions—not to mention a starring role in most of my dreams—but he’s hiding something big. If I let him have what he wants, I might not live to regret it.  

Then again, the way things are going in Panopolis these days, I might not live either way.

Preorder at Riptide, read May 2.

Come What May by A.M. Arthur

Title: Come What May
Author: A.M Arthur
Purchase at Amazon
Purchase at All Romance eBooks (eventually)
Cover Artist: N/A
Genre: contemporary
Length: 320 pages MMP
Formats: Mobi, audio, mass market paperback
Currently on preorder, to release May 23, 2016

Jonas needs Tate. He just doesn't know it yet.

Or at least, he doesn't want to admit it. Because there is no way Jonas Ashcroft is gay. He's a straight, carefree frat boy player, just like any good son of a conservative state senator. If only his struggle to convince everyone—especially himself—didn't leave him so miserable. No matter how many girls or bottles he drowns himself in, Jonas can neither escape nor accept who he is.

Enter Tate. He's smart, confident, and instantly sees right through Jonas's surly exterior. Sure, he's done things in life he's not proud of, but he knows who he is and what he wants. And what he wants is Jonas. As their easy friendship intensifies into something more, Tate introduces Jonas to a life he's never known. One filled with acceptance and sex and a love that terrifies and excites them both.

But some inner demons refuse to be shaken off so easily. When Jonas's old life barges in, he faces a shattering choice, one that could destroy everything he and Tate have fought so hard for. Sometimes love just isn't enough—and sometimes it's exactly what you need.

~*~*~*~*

Oh no, I can’t be gay, oh dear, I am gay, and oh my, I think I love you. Oh no, pushback from world. It’s not a new story, but one that can be given new life.


The execution is competent, and in places even inspired, but I’m not seeing enough to make me feel there’s a different twist on the old formula. Issues that were brought up that could have lifted this out of the pack got little attention until they resolved with a thud. Any one of them, with more care lavished, would have mattered more than all of them with only lip service. Jonas’ uneasy relationship with numbers, his father’s political campaign, Tate’s sister’s isolation, any one of these had enough heft to be more than background noise. All of them together should be beating readers’ emotions to a pulp. Instead, I struggled to recall the characters' names three days later.

I did catch cameos from characters from other books that made me smile, although this book seems to be from a different series. A few of the new characters were more stock, such as Jonas’ father and the young woman played by Evil Harpy #4.

Fans of this author will enjoy this book greatly, and more casual readers will also find something to enjoy. We may have to chalk my reaction up as an anomaly. 3.5 marbles

The Way You Are by L.J. Mile

Title: The Way You Are
Author: L.J. Mile
Purchase at Amazon also in KU
Cover Artist: N/A
Genre: contemporary YA
Length: 141 pages
Formats: Mobi

By the time he reaches college, Robert is an expert at hiding his feelings—with a few side effects. If he has a little attraction towards boys now and again, he can bury it with a candy bar and go on living the life his parents want for him. The only thing he never expected was that he'd meet someone who would like him just as he was, flaws and all. Now his emotional armor has stopped working and he'll be forced to decide which life he wants for himself.

~*~*~*~*

How to break your heart in one easy step: watch a youth who’s sure love is conditional try to stay within boundaries too narrow for him.

This passage from early in the story defines poor Robert:

His mother loved him. His father loved him. Just like Jesus did—so long as he made sure he always deserved that love.

The dread of maybe, possibly failing to live up to that expectation seized him. It stayed with him until the service was over, until the entire congregation emptied out and traveled over to a nearby park for a church luncheon. It stayed with him even as he avoided looking at Jeremy Irons—or any other boys, for that matter.

Instead, he rounded the luncheon table a second time, a third time, and then a fourth. When the boys took off with a soccer ball, he sat beside his parents, nibbling on a brownie, or a piece of cake, or some of Ms. Henrietta's famous peach cobbler.

Bite, chew, swallow. Distract himself.

Stay loved.

So by the time Robert gets to college, he’s a studious young man who’s packing a lot of extra pounds because binge eating has become his defense. He’s studied his way into a scholarship and eaten his way out of a social life, and he’s completely unprepared for his new roommate.

Pete’s a charming young man, much more comfortable with his orientation, and really fond of men with some heft to them. If Robert fails in any way to be the man of Pete’s dreams, it’s due to his insecurities, not his waistline. And oh, is he insecure.

We have only Robert’s POV, but that’s okay, we know when Pete’s upset or happy or tearing his hair out, because Robert is so focused on him. And together they have to find a way through the minefield of Robert’s fears. Pete likes Robert just the way he is. What a concept: Robert’s never met this before and doesn’t know how to handle it.

Perhaps the absolute black and white of this story is due to being YA and aimed at a demographic that isn’t good at nuance yet, but everything is drawn very broadly. Robert doesn’t eat one or two candy bars, he eats a dozen and chases them with just as many cupcakes, to the point where I got queasy every time he started eating. This may be perfectly accurate. His parents aren’t just judgy: they’re pray-you-straight Christians, horrible people, and Robert still wants their acceptance. Pete’s adorable: bouncy, kind, accepting. He’s concerned about Robert’s overeating from a health standpoint, but love handles are just a place to put his hands. He does have limits, which is good, because it’s way too possible to whipsaw him emotionally.

The path to true love isn’t easy of course, and here it includes sex, which is sometimes on page but with an extremely light touch, so something I wouldn’t feel squidgy about putting into even a young teen’s hands. (I know they read explicit stuff. I’m just not going to be the one giving it to them.) The focus is definitely on the emotional aspect of a college freshman figuring out who he is and how he can have most of what he needs.

There is an HEA, which isn’t without its costs, but the best part is that Robert not only survives paying them, he thrives. We’re definitely left happy, and so are Pete and Robert. 4.25 marbles

A picture is worth...

Tell us how they ended up in the water,  100-1000 words. 

August Ice by Dev Bentham

Title: August Ice
Author: Dev Bentham
Purchase at Amazon  (KU)
Cover Artist: Jordan Castillo Price
Genre: contemporary
Length: 184 pages
Formats Mobi, Print

It takes a special kind of person to work in Antarctica. Max Conway, an ex-Navy Seal, loves working at the bottom of the world. Like any other diver, he's tough and hard drinking. Half the year he's stuck in the States traveling the commercial dive circuit and hitting gay bars every night. The other six months he's lead safety diver at McMurdo Station in Antarctica, reveling in the cold blue Antarctic Sea. The only drawback to life way down under is that Max feels like he has to tuck his libido into storage while he's on station, stashing all those free condoms for use back up north. That is until Andre Dubois, a gorgeous French scientist, shakes up his world. Not only is Andre out and proud, he's sober as the day is long. And the days are long during an Antarctic summer. Max must choose between his comfortable inebriated closet and a life in the sun with Andre.

Max, who dreams of being underwater with the seals and the penguins, lives for his half year during the Antarctic summer, does random diving jobs the rest of the time, and drinks enough to submerge McMurdo Station. Between his regrets from the service and hiding who he is, he goes through three people’s liquor rations. He’s also doing things both as a diver and a human that he’s risking fatal screw-ups with his drinking. No wonder Andre Dubois doesn’t want a thing to do with him, especially after their first meeting gets lost in an alcoholic blackout.

Most of the book is set in the Antarctic, and this was the best part for me. The characters such as Annie and the chief, and the station itself, a warm and smelly haven from the unrelenting, dangerous cold. The sense of environment was really intense, and the diving sequences had the ring of experience.

Andre and Max actually had more chemistry when Andre was first hurt by Max’s forgetting and then aloof because of his drinking. They did start coming together, in spite of his reservations. The second half of the book needs Max to redeem himself after huge lapses, and while he does, I just wasn’t feeling the connection between the men as more than mentor/mentee with benefits.

One thing I appreciated was that Max’s relationships with other people didn’t all end up sunshine and roses, which made everything more real. This is a gritty story in a lot of ways, but the tone changed a lot toward the end.

I enjoyed the book, but can’t help feeling like an action adventure story wandered off course into romance. 3.75 marbles

A Tested Love by Kayla Jameth

Title: A Tested Love (Spartan Love Book 2)
Author: Kayla Jameth
Purchase at Amazon
Purchase at All Romance eBooks
Cover Artist: Catt Ford
Genre: historical
Length: 324 pages
Formats Epub, Mobi, PDF, print

Lured by seductive promises, Andreas risked his life to be with Theron, only to find himself betrayed. Abandoned and alone, Andreas resigns all hope of seeing his fierce warrior again and resumes his life as a helot.

All too aware of the harsh punishment Sparta demands of men who love other men, Theron reluctantly surrenders Andreas in hopes of keeping him safe. The warrior returns to Sparta to embrace his destiny in place of the helot he has grown to see as a man, not just a slave. Cold but honorable duty will be his new lover.

Duty proves to be a jealous lover when Sparta demands the final test of Theron’s loyalty. Sent to kill Andreas, Theron must find a way to come to terms with his burning desire for his handsome helot before their forbidden love destroys them both.

My biggest problem with this book is the long wait for Book 3!

You definitely want to start with A Spartan Love (reviewed here), as the story goes in sequence, and coming in at this point is going to leave you confused. But Book 1 is a great read.

So many of the awful fears Andreas and Theron had in Book 1 come true here. Andreas’ trust was hard won to start with, and Theron’s situation has done nothing but gnaw away at what remains. Neither man knows how to avoid Andreas’ death or Theron’s disobedience, this is one place where having it all flat can’t happen. Finding a way around Theron’s duty to Sparta requires them to think the unthinkable, and do the equally unthinkable. By the end of the book, these two have traveled much farther than the mere miles to a far-flung city.

The reader has to be willing to sink into the ancient mindset and remember the lack of communication across distance. What we could solve in minutes simply isn’t that easy for them, any more than most of us would fare well in a sword fight.

We do get a hint of Coridan’s fate, which was a relief, since I’d been worrying about him since the disaster in Book 1. Doubt arises about an ally, and one big threat resolves and brings lots more trouble in its wake. Apollo and a few of his fellow Olympians take a hand in meddling with everyone’s lives, which gives me a feeling there’s going to be some big payoffs due in Book 3.

The sense of history is equally strong here, and layered with the tatters of a relationship that isn’t supposed to exist. I did feel that some aspects of their dilemma stretched out a little longer than necessary, complicated by their unwillingness to talk, but talking at all isn’t part of their daily lives. Andreas has no confidante besides Ictis the ferret (Who is just as cute here as before!). Theron’s still working on not trying to solve everything by himself, and backslides sometimes.

These two are definitely tested, but they’re stronger together than they are apart. Now to wait for the climax of the story arc! 4.5 marbles

A picture is worth...

The picture's title is "Androcles and the Lion" but we all know that story. Looks like shifters to me. Tell us, 100-1000 words. 

Knit Tight by Annabeth Albert Review, blog tour, and giveaway

Welcome to the party for Annabeth Albert's new novella, Knit Tight, the latest story in the Portland Heat collection. We have goodies from the author, and some opinions from me. Very happy opinions, I might add.


Knit Tight 

(Portland Heat Series, #4)

by Annabeth Albert


It’s no secret that Portland, Oregon, has some of best restaurants, shops, and cafés in the country. But it’s the hard-working men who serve it all up that keep us coming back for more...

One of Portland’s hottest young baristas, Brady is famous for his java-topping flair, turning a regular cup of joe into a work of art. Every Wednesday—aka “Knit Night”—hordes of women and their needles descend on the coffeehouse, and Brady’s feeling the heat. Into the fray walks a tall, dark, and distractingly handsome stranger from New York. His name is Evren, and he’s the sexy nephew of Brady’s sweetest customer, the owner of the yarn shop down the street. He’s also got a killer smile, confident air, and masculine charm that’s tying Brady’s stomach in knots. The smitten barista can’t wait to see him at the next week’s gathering. But when he tries to ask Evren out, his plans unravel faster than an unfinished edge. If Brady hopes to warm up more than Evren’s coffee, he’ll have to find a way to untangle their feelings, get out of the friend zone, and form a close-knit bond that’s bound to last a lifetime…

Review:

How am I coming in so late on this series! Must.Read.Them.All!

Here we have a talented barista raising his younger siblings after their parents died. Brady’s twenty-three, overwhelmed, and trying to make his family function in spite of considerable challenges. Time enough for a relationship is tough to come by: he’s lucky if his eighteen year old sister doesn’t flake out on being the designated adult for the evening if he’s working.

Evren overlaps a little with work hours, especially when he comes in for a themed evening at the coffee shop, where he quickly becomes the apple of everyone’s eye, including Brady’s. His Turkish background makes him exotic, his knitting skills are his livelihood, and his particular interests make him both very exciting and nearly impossible for Brady to hit his radar. He’s come to Portland to care for the ailing aunt who helped raise him.

We get a long, slow burn, because both men’s life situations have made free time a rare commodity. Friendship looks like a better bet, because Brady comes with what Evren considers a deal breaker: he’s bisexual. Evren has some bad experiences to reinforce some negative stereotypes, making Brady wonder if he can ever convince Ev he’s a good choice for a partner. 

For everyone who's been clamoring for bisexual books without erasure, here's your story. For those who say Ew! We only love the bi guys without encountering ladybits, this is your story too. This is in no way contrived, it's very organic to what's going on, and Brady is hiding nothing.

We get Brady’s POV for most of the book, which is fine: he’s a colorful character and very bright on the page. Evren’s POV comes through in snippets of his knitting blog posts, heavy with subtexts. It’s a clever take on alternating POVs and the effect is charming, letting us see Evren’s mind changing, event by event. He still advises putting a ring on the boyfriend before knitting him a sweater.

I ended up loving both these guys, and breaking my heart as theirs did, both with each other and with their home situations. The romance is lovely and heartrending all at once, and slow, while trust grows. If you require lots of ass-pounding in your story, look elsewhere, but I found the intensely emotional and everything-but sex scenes to be wonderfully refreshing.

This story will run you through every emotion you have, leaving you with a sigh of satisfaction for love fulfilled with happiness. 5 marbles

Available for purchase at 

            

Excerpt (a naughty one)

 “Why? Am I turning you on?” My hand wandered over my fly. Not stroking, just firm pressure. We’d danced past sexy talk, far out of the friend zone, now meandering into something dark and heady. I pressed hard against my aching erection as I waited to see how far Ev would let himself go.

 “Perhaps. I told you some things, now you tell me. What is your favorite thing?”

 “Uh. The long, slow grinding ending in oral that you just described sounds amazing and hits a lot of my buttons. For the record, I’m totally good with…mess. And I like giving oral. Love getting my throat fucked. Being pinned down while grinding or getting my throat fucked, that gets me going.”

 Ev was silent a long moment. Perhaps I’d pushed him too far. “Tell me about this throat fucking. How do you like it?”

 Aw yes. I’d never had phone sex, but I had a feeling we were about to head in that direction. “Where are you right now?”

 “In my bed. With a closed door. Are you going to ask me what I’m wearing next?”

 “Knitted underwear?” I laughed as I headed for the bathroom—the one room with a lock. My usual jerk-off method was a locked door and a longer-than-necessary shower.

 “Sorry to disappoint. Pajama bottoms. I worry Hala Mira could need me in the night.”

 “Hey, you don’t have to apologize to me. I share a room with a ten-year-old. I’m going to the bathroom now, though. And locking the door.”

 “You require a locked door to tell me about giving head?”

 “I require a locked door, a quiet house, and about three hours to show you,” I countered. “Fuck, Ev. I want you to wear me out.”

 “Oh, I could. Do not doubt that, Brady. You want me to wear your throat out? Use you so much you need me to feed you some gelato after?”

 “Fuck yes,” I whispered. “I’d like it if you were on the bed or in a chair and I were kneeling in front of you. Or you were standing in front of me. Me on my knees is the key thing.”

 “You ever try with your head over the edge of the mattress? It happens that this bed is the perfect height for that…”

“Oh yes. Tell me more. I want to jerk off while you fuck my throat like that.”

 “Ah. But I don’t want that. Perhaps we will need to find other occupation for your hands.”

 Oh man. Ev knew how to turn my crank big-time. “I’m good with having my hands tied.”

 I could tell from his inhalation that it worked for him, too. “How flexible are you?”

 “Bendier than I look. I had to do yoga stretching exercises to rehab a skateboarding injury. Turns out I dig it.”

 “Nice. Very nice. I like your mouth very, very much.”

 “Like the beard? Because if you want my mouth more…exposed, I can work with that. Beard is pure Northwest laziness on my part.”

 “The beard is…part of the appeal. Your mouth is very full and your beard always seems like it’s…teasing. I think I want your hair down, though, yes?”

 “Go for it.” Getting into it, I pulled my hair free of the ponytail, let it flop against my shoulders. Spit gathered in my mouth like I really was about to get a go at Ev’s cock. Fuck. Just the thought had me throbbing. I unzipped to get a little more breathing room. “I want to—”

 Knock. Knock. Knock. “Brady, are you in there? I don’t feel so good,” Jonas called through the door.

 Fuck. I kept my curse to myself. “Just a minute, buddy,” I called.

 “You need to go?” Ev said in my ear. “I understand.”

 “Yeah, I’m sorry.”

 “Another time, Brady, another time.”

The Portland Heat Series

About The Author

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.

Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter.  In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two children.

You can find Annabeth at 

            

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Review: An Erie Garden Party by V.L. Locey

Title: An Erie Garden Party
Author: V.L. Locey
Purchase at Torquere
Purchase at All Romance eBooks
  (ADD IN LINK)
Cover Artist: Kris Norris
Genre: paranormal, shifter
Length: 32K
Formats pdf, mobi, epub, html

Spring has finally arrived along the shores of Lake Erie and no one is happier than skunk shifter, Templeton Reed. Now that the snows have melted, he can frolic and play on the grounds of Lupei Manor, the formidable home that he shares with his life partner, Mikel Lupei, the alpha of the Lake Erie pack. What a pity that his joy is short lived.

Not only does a stranger appear to shake things up in the manor, bodies begin showing up on the grounds as well! Could the newcomer to the pack be the one viciously killing innocent humans and shifters? Or is there a more nefarious force at work lurking just outside the boundaries of the ancient manse Templeton, Mikel, and their LGBT friends call home?

This is the latest in the series featuring Templeton Reed, skunk shifter and lover of the Lupei pack’s alpha, Mikel. Readers of the series will recognize a lot of recurrent characters, such as the grumpy vampire in the basement and the butler, Rugby. The butler was the subject of a running gag, and I admit I chuckled over it every darned time. I can just see Templeton’s eyes bugging out.


Templeton comes across as small and kind of fussy, inclined to describe himself as adorable. He’s a skunk shifter, which in this rigidly hierarchical world, puts him way below the wolves. That he and the pack he’s attached to are all gay is another hierarchical issue, because gays have no place in this shifter society. They’re all tiptoeing around the possibility of being outed, which complicates solving the murders. Getting outed as shifters has its own set of terrors.

Mikel, the alpha, is charmingly primitive in his full moon appetites, and Templeton and he clearly adore one another. Keeping Mikel’s mind on business at hand when the moon is nearly full is a chore. Templeton gets used as a chew toy and a lovey and an ally, strong in his own way. Considering that messing with a skunk is such a terrible idea, he deserves more respect than he gets. Size isn’t the only way to be fearsome.

I’m coming in late to the series, which make the mystery at the heart of the story, the dead bodies turning up at the shore, not entirely fair to the readers, as some clues are in other books but treated as if they’ve been mentioned here.

I was somewhat put off by the style, which is occasionally stilted and formal. Sometimes this was at odds with the characterization, sometimes in synch with it. I found myself enjoying the world and the story and the characters, all while wishing the actual flow of words and the sense worked better. Such as here, where Templeton has just sprayed a strange wolf.

The wolf rolled back its black lips. Canines as long as my petite little skunk arm flashed in the morning sun. I hissed like a doused cat and took a step in reverse. A car door slammed. My head and the rogue wolf’s jerked in the direction of the noise. I made a break for it. Praying it was Mikel and not some poor human deliveryman, I ran about fifty yards before my lover came trotting around the side of the mossy old mansion. He was in his finest fur. I squeaked and screeched in warning. Mikel pranced over to me. I dashed between his long legs and hid there. The rogue walked up to the Lake Erie alpha and licked his face. Mikel began wagging his tail and then jumped on the rogue playfully.

Actually, I’m imagining Mikel chewing out the newcomer for A) messing with a skunk and B) especially messing with THIS skunk. Nobody’s going to lick a freshly skunked pal, I don't care how glad you are to see him, he reeks.

So while there certainly are some enjoyable elements, I’d like the style and logic to work on the same level as the imagination. 2 marbles

This is in no way the author's fault, but honestly, Torquere, this file is a mess.

Book Blitz: An Erie Garden Party by V. L. Locey

Title: An Erie Garden Party

Author: V.L. Locey

Series: Lake Erie Shifters, Book 3

Publisher: Torquere Press

Release Date: 4/13/16

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 32k words

Genre/Tags: Paranormal, M/M Romance

Add to Goodreads

Description

Spring has finally arrived along the shores of Lake Erie and no one is happier than skunk shifter, Templeton Reed. Now that the snows have melted, he can frolic and play on the grounds of Lupei Manor, the formidable home that he shares with his life partner, Mikel Lupei, the alpha of the Lake Erie pack. What a pity that his joy is short lived.

Not only does a stranger appear to shake things up in the manor, bodies begin showing up on the grounds as well! Could the newcomer to the pack be the one viciously killing innocent humans and shifters? Or is there a more nefarious force at work lurking just outside the boundaries of the ancient manse Templeton, Mikel, and their LGBT friends call home?

Excerpt

"Son of a human," Mikel snarled. He stripped and shifted. I stood with his clothes over my arms, watching the wolf work the scent. He padded to the lake, snuffled the shore intently, and then slowly made his way back to the corpse. I turned my head to stare at Erie when he shoved his head under the bloody sheet to smell the body. The water seemed almost tranquil today. How I wished we were planning our spring fete instead of standing here beside a dead man. Mikel tapping my arm brought my attention from the Great Lake back to him. I handed him his pants.

"So, what can you tell us about this poor man's fate?"

"He's human." Mikel zipped his trousers vehemently. "And he was killed by a large animal, either wolf or bruin. Whoever did this dragged him through the lake to mask the scent. I'll have to gather the pack to scour the woods. Damnation."

"Oh dear me," I sighed. "I suppose the call must be made then."

Mikel threw his head back and stared at the soft white clouds ambling past. "Yes. We have to notify the Elder counsel. That is standard operating procedure when a human is involved in mystical matters. Damnation!"

I reached out to pat his thick bicep. I wasn't sure he wanted consolation but I offered it anyway. He placed his hand over mine.

"Let me know when they plan to arrive. I'll take a long stroll through the woods."

Mikel's lip rolled as he turned to look down at me. "I hate that as well. You should be at my side. This mansion is as much your home as it is mine."

"Yes, well, the times they aren't a changing as rapidly as needed," I smiled then snuggled into his wide chest. His arms cinched around me tightly, his smoky shirt smashed between us. My ear rested over his strong heart. "If one of the Elders saw me here it would raise questions. I know we have a lie all in place, but I for one do not wish to put that lie to the test. Better I enjoy the forest for an hour or so while they attend to this mess."

"I love you beyond words, Templeton," Mikel said into my black hair. "Someday, I swear, we shall not have to hide our love for each other."

"From your mouth to the Elders' ears," I whispered, then tipped my head up for a kiss. We both needed one. Pity it couldn't be a longer one, but it was tender.

Purchase

Torquere Press

Meet the Author

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a flock of assorted domestic fowl, and three Jersey steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand.

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If you have a ficlet or except for them, tell us, 100-1000 words. 

I don't know quite what to make of this...

From Goodreads in my mailbox this morning.

Hello Cryselle,

In our community of readers, you stand out in a notable way: You're one of the top 1% of reviewers on Goodreads!

With every rave and every pan, with every excited GIF and every critical assessment, you've helped the Goodreads community get closer to a very important milestone – the 50 Million Reviews mark! Check out the fun infographic we made to celebrate!

You've written 285 reviews since joining Goodreads on September 2nd, 2009. Out of all the reviews you've written, this is the review that got the most attention: (Insert review for an historical fiction novel about Madame Tussaud. Fascinating but not why you're reading this blog.) 

Reading reviews by book lovers like you is one of our favorite things on Goodreads. Thank you for helping other readers find a good (or avoid a not-so-good!) book.

Keep reading (and reviewing!)

Co-Founders of Goodreads 

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Now I'm confused. Did I really read close to 300 books and discuss them? Or--was that all the books I discussed over all that time? I read a LOT. There were several years in there I didn't blog much or at all, because life was difficult. Now I'm wondering which books I forgot to crosspost. There are a few I deliberately left out. 

Either way, it's kind of sweet to get feedback. Even if it's run an algorithm and send out an insert number here mass email. Sometimes that little bit of attention makes it worth doing all the work. Now I'm trying to decide if I'm pathetic or just able to live on crumbs.

Stealing Dragon's Heart by Susan Laine

Title: Stealing Dragon’s Heart
Author: Susan Laine
Purchase at Amazon
Purchase at All Romance eBooks
Cover Artist: Anne Cain
Genre: fantasy
Length: 81k, 240 pages
Formats mobi, epub, pdf, print

Notorious master thief Finn Grayson is hired to break into a high-class skyscraper in New Shanghai and steal a priceless artifact known as the Shard. But someone’s gotten to the Shard first—and the penthouse suite turns out to be a dragon’s lair.

Cameron Feilong, Guardian of the Earth Shard, is ancient enough to realize that he and his unbidden guest are being used like puppets on a string. Forming a shaky alliance is the only way for them to survive and to stop their ruthless foes.

Unfortunately, Finn and Cam seem to be forever one step behind. To learn more about their clandestine enemy, they travel together from walled Asian cities, barren tundras, and underwater temples to secret paranormal clubs and legendary elvish cities rising high in the trees or buried deep under glaciers. Finn and Cam must learn to trust each other before it’s too late, for bringing together the five Elemental Shards will spell the end of the world.

This book takes place in a fantasy Earth where the veil between the mythical world and the world as we know it has been ripped, and the two different dimensions have some serious adjusting to do. Of course it isn’t going to be easy. Neither side is pleased with the combination, and there’s all sorts of reasons for friction.

This book was somewhat problematic for me, because while I adored the world and the situations, and the entire plot to retake the Shards and prevent what could be catastrophe, the romance wasn’t on the same level. The adventure aspect is wonderful, where our only POV character, Finn, isn’t considered the equals of the mythical beings, definitely doesn’t have the same information to work with, and still manages to show them up here and there and be absolutely integral to the solutions to their various setbacks. He’s in over his head, and sometimes Cameron remembers to tell him what he needs to know. Sometimes he doesn’t.

The sections where they’re engaged against the enemy drew me along, until a moment of inappropriate sexual desire pops up. Finn pops a boner at times where his attention ought to be on the danger rather than Cameron’s butt. It didn’t really work as sexual tension, and in fact, made the romance aspect of the story feel like an intrusion on the epic fantasy going on around it.

I’m afraid the romance didn’t work for me, until the last part of the book, where the danger from the Shards has been resolved. This was unusual and delightful: Finn had a way to demonstrate how he complemented Cameron intellectually and physically. There were few sex scenes to the book, and the major scene around the 50% mark raised my eyebrows, for a previously undisclosed sexual quirk (Finn’s) that I had issues with, and for the extraordinary amount of complex conversation while they were coupled. If you can discuss matters that complicated in huge paragraphs of speech with long words while boinking, someone’s doing something wrong. The information was necessary to the plot, which made skimming an unsexy sex scene impossible. The more relaxed scene at the end worked far better.

I ended the book pleased for the lovers, impressed by the world-building and the degree of knowledge it took to make an ancient Chinese dragon and this particular human thief real and rounded. The quest was fantastic, the resolution satisfying. I could hope this author works on integrating romance into the narrative and foreshadowing certain elements that feel far too convenient if brought up at the moment of need, but I enjoyed this book. There are more Lifting the Veil stories of this troubled time, so Mount TBR just got a little higher. 3.75 marbles