Review: The Forest of Dark Delights (A Cox Fairytale #1) by James Cox

After the beast became human, Belle turned into the animal.

We all know the story. The dangerous and ugly Beast finds his true love in Belle. After a horrific fight with Gaston, the beast is finally transformed back into a man. What happens after that? It’s almost two years later and Belle is no longer the sweet woman the Beast fell in love with. She sweeps into towns with her ruthless army to pillage every book she can find and add it to her library. Beast is lonely, saddened by the lover he can’t understand but soon an old enemy returns to the castle.

Gaston is not the man he used to be. He made a promise to himself when he survived that fall, broken but alive. He’d make his amends to the beast. Someway, somehow.

When Gaston and Beast start a forbidden romance, the evil that is Belle returns to the castle…

Well I can't decide if it was a mistake to read this book or not. I adore Beauty and the Beast and now I may never be able to watch those movies the same ever again. I mean Belle turns into the most psychotic book hoarder in history! Who knew?

If the town did not agree to give up their books she’d send in her army. They’d take care of the villagers, steal the books, then burn the buildings to the ground.

So Belles gone crazy and Adam is at a loss of what to do for the woman he was once so in love with, therefore he has once again become a recluse within his castle. Then Gaston comes along, offering to help until Adam can forgive him for almost killing Adam 2 years prior (remember the knife to the back on the tower!). One of the ways Gaston can help out is by offering to elevate Adams mood…. If you know what I mean *waggles eyebrows*.

As it turns out big Gaston is a big ol’ bottom and Adam is quite the rough dominant. I was not disappointed by the sex!

Adam pushed a little deeper then pulled out and gave the area another spit. He wasn’t a gentleman, not tonight. Tonight, he was the beast. Adam thrust forward, urging half his length in Gaston. The man tangled in shackles groaned and winced. “Take me,” Adam whispered.

Then there was some serious face fucking. It was all very fairytale like….not.

I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of Gaston's character and the development between Adam and himself. It took a while for them to be more than convenient fuck buddies, but they got there in the end and I really enjoyed all of it!

So was this whole story more than slightly ridiculous? Yes absolutely. Did that make it all the more better? Yes absolutely. This is not the type of story to take to seriously, so only go into this if you're after some silly, sexy fun!

If you want to read something different, fun and sexy as hell, this is probably the book for you, but be prepared it will ruin Beauty and Beast for you.

I am soooo eagerly anticipating the rest of the series!

Guest Review: Surrendering for Two (Soul Match #4) by Morticia Knight

Strength is found when surrendering to destiny.

Graham has suffered so much at the hands of the Nall. Ever since he was enslaved after the invasion, he’s been raped and tortured by the Alasharian Supreme Commander and his cohorts. Condemned to die by hanging for his part in the human rebellion, Graham gives in to the inevitable, no longer caring if he lives or dies. But an unexpected event occurs and at the last moment, Graham is saved.

Balor is a guard to the Nall, but he’s also a part of the growing rebellion among the Alasharians. When one of the Nall’s advisors enlists his help in getting a human prisoner to safety, Balor comes to his aid. Startled by the soul match hum that sparks to life when he touches Graham, but unable to do anything about it, Balor is determined to protect his human match at all costs. When Advisor Oman arrives on the scene to rescue Balor as he helps Graham to escape, it becomes clear that yet another alien/human triad is forming—even if Graham may never accept being bonded to two aliens after the trauma he’s endured at the hands of Alasharians.

The time has come to depart to the secret military complex located in the Rocky Mountains where the human and Alasharian allies will stage their final assault against the Nall and the Void. Families are reunited and others torn apart as they prepare for battle. But the biggest question that remains is where Chris has gone. The allies fear what will become of them all if the special human Sha Sha Ar chose to lead them spiritually is no longer there to guide them.

Reviewer: NeRdyWYRM

Bait and Switch

Allow me to preface this by saying ... WTF? And nooooo, I don't necessarily mean that in a bad way. Although ... well, not entirely in a bad way. Let me see if I can explain.

I like the space-opera-ish-ness of these even though they take place on Earth. Let's face it, they are way, way, way OTT in many respects. Again, not necessarily a bad thing because at least these are consistently OTT in very specific ways that span the entire series and don't try to 'one up' themselves by getting progressively more and more Days of our Lives if you know what I mean.

So why the WTF? Well ... that would be because, after book 3, I somehow had it in my head that things would be wrapping up in book 4. Hmm. Yeah, not so much. Imagine my surprise when another cousin-neighbor-acquaintance comes out of the woodwork and ends up with his very own alien boy toys. Yum, right? But still. I thought we were done!

Am I upset that we're getting a little more story than I expected? Not really. BUT! I'm beginning to get déjà vu à la a certain other alien invasion-type *cough* Kindred *cough* never-ending-series. It's giving me waking nightmares that I hope don't come true. As much as I initially loved that whole story arc, it got really old after about book 13 or so, ya know?

Let's hope these don't end up there because that would be a shame. It's also why I stopped watching a certain daytime soap opera about 10 years ago when real life people were beginning to get demon-possessed [head-desk—thump—head-desk—thump]. Yep. EYEROLL.

Anyway, I digress. I liked this book because we got to see the unprotected human point of view. The MC in this one had it rough. Beware triggers people; there are a few here. He was egregiously abused in every possible way. Every. Possible. Way. It was awful. But his hunky-sweet aliens make up for it.

It's absolutely cringeworthy from a psychology standpoint—the impossibility of an insta-recovery from the abuse this MC suffered—but FFS! This is a story about an alien invasion of Earth. Suspend disbelief folks, m'kay?

That said, if we immerse ourselves in the hypothetical, who's to say the soulmatch/bond thing these triads have going on—in conjunction with that everloving bitch Fate—wouldn't be enough to overcome some singularly human frailties if these things were possible in real life? Suspend disbelief folks! It's worth it because it makes these stories a lot of fun.

This series won't be winning any pretentious prizes for literary achievement, but I give it high fives for entertainment factor and steaminess. Three words: perpetually hot threesomes.

So ... I hope the author doesn't drag the overarching story line out too far, but I really enjoyed the darker side of the human coin we saw in this installment. I'm pissed that we spent the whole book not knowing WTF is going on with Chris. I feel like the author's giving us an unnecessary cliffhanger on that aspect (hate it!).

But the tension is mounting and I'm still thoroughly interested in finding out how it all turns out. Hopefully sooner rather than later. At any rate, that makes it a success in my book even if it's OTT and patently unbelievable if you're using your rational mind. It's still really damned fun.


More reviews by NeRdyWYRM can be found on Goodreads here.

Images (when present) may be subject to copyright.

An ARC copy of this title was provided for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: Something's Brewing at Joe's by S.J.D. Peterson

The promise of a dream job lures Murphy to Tampa, but he arrives to the rude awakening that the offer is on hold. Now he’s got two choices: slink back to Michigan with his tail between his legs or stay and look for work. Things perk up when he goes into a coffee shop and learns the owner is looking for someone to renovate the apartment above it. He happily takes the job, only later realizing he’s met Joe Sterling, Kaffeinate’s proprietor, before… when they hooked up at a club Murphy’s first night in Tampa.

Murphy and Joe are both proud, passionate, and outspoken. Neither is looking for a relationship, though they can’t deny they go together as well as coffee and doughnuts, in spite of their tempers. But that’s before Joe learns Murphy will be working for the corporation he believes is harming local businesses and the environment—and if Murphy will be supporting it, Joe will want nothing to do with him, dooming any possibility of an unexpected happy ending.

Listening Length: 7 hours and 29 minutes
Narrator: Chase Johnson

I don’t quite know what to say about this story. I think it has some really great things to it, but on the rare occasion that an audio can make or break a read for me, it really affected my thoughts on how these characters and the story were interpreted.

Basically, Murphy and Joe meet up in a club, and they hit if off immediately. They both want a no strings attached hookup and really believe their one off is just that - a fabulous night of hot fucking never to see each other again. However, of course circumstance will not allow such, and they find themselves employee and employer in an unconventional setting. What proceeds is the inevitable feelings and wanting more despite both of them protesting too much.

Per the blurb, these two are “proud, passionate, and outspoken”, and boy does narrator Chase Johnson take that description to heart making both Murphy and Joe aggressive, brash, and arrogant. I admit I do not have much experience reading Peterson, but this just seemed a tad bit OTT, a tad bit too much in how these guys acted and thought and spoke, running hot and cold and back to hot, as they grapple with their feelings and the volatile conflict arising from Murphy’s other job. Now granted, that could be solely from the audio, which just did not work for me. Murphy and Joe are live hot wires, and Johnson uses those cues to the max, so much so it was jarring every time they growled or snapped or barked at each other. Unfortunately, he did this constantly with both characters, making them nearly indistinguishable. Even their thoughts were loud and indignant and it seemed like they were in a constant battle to see who could be the most tough and manly.

So yes, this time around the audio influenced my rating. Usually, I can keep things separate but this was so dramatic and in your face, I was exhausted every time I listened to this. Points towards Murphy and Joe being horny with a capital H. They’re young, single, and looking to have a good time, and boy do they find it with each other over and over again despite all their squabbles. If you’re a fan of Peterson I’d say sample this audio hard, but I recommend sticking with the written word instead.

Thank you to the author/publisher for the audio in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: Drama Cruise (Nicky and Noah Mystery #3) by Joe Cosentino

Theater professors and couple, Nicky Abbondanza and Noah Oliver, are going overboard as usual, but this time on an Alaskan cruise, where dead college theater professors are popping up everywhere, from the swimming pool to the captain's table. Further complicating matters are Nicky's and Noah's parents as surprise cruise passengers, and Nicky's assignment to direct a murder mystery dinner theater show onboard ship. Nicky and Noah will need to use their drama skills to figure out who is bringing the curtain down on vacationers, before it is lights out for the handsome couple. You will be applauding and shouting bravo for Joe Cosentino's fast-paced, ribald, edge-of-your-seat, entertaining, third novel in this delightful series. Curtain up and ship ahoy!

Narrator: Brad Enright
Listening Length: 5 hours and 56 minutes

Reviewer: Shee Reader

The story is consistent to the series, with comic exaggeration, snippy asides and plenty of ‘nudge nudge, wink wink’ humour. The characters are largely overdone and hilarious caricatures, but the overstatement of their physical attributes grated in the end.

The presence of Noah and Nicky’s parents on board ship was very funny, and the reader is included in the journey by many asides. If this were a movie, it would be slapstick with many straight to camera moments. The humour and fun are obvious and accessible.

The Nicky and Noah mystery series has made me laugh, and really appreciate the author’s sharp wit, political asides and awareness of stereotypes, and this book was similar. What I found less fun and at times very uncomfortable was the inclusion of a trans character, who other characters in the book constantly mis-gender and the constant reference to, and use of the character’s dead-name. Good LGBT fiction should promote inclusivity and positive representation, and there were moments in this book that made me cringe.

Brad Enright’s narration was fun, bouncy and sassy. His characterisation was super, though some of the accents were a little inconsistent. His voice is easy to listen to and perfect for the comedy herein.

I was given a free copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Guest Review: Jordan's Pryde (Pryde Shifter Series, #1) by Giovanna Reaves

All he did was apply for a job and then his world was turned upside down.

Thrust into the world he had no idea about, Jordan Sutton’s only goal was to get a job working for Duncan Pryde of Pryde Industries. He thought werewolves, vampires, and Fey’s belonged in fairy tales, not in the real world. What will he do when he finds out that there’s more than meets the eye to his boss and his family?

Duncan Pryde had too much going on in his life. He became the sole guardian of his twin niece and nephew along with the addition of his pack and company. He had no time to think about a mate when trouble comes to his front door. What happens when the man he hired for one job turns out to be his destined mate? Does he deny what he feels or embrace it?

Disclaimer: Contains Mpreg but not the focus of the story. This book contains explicit language and is intended for adult readers over the age of 18+

Reviewer: Lost in a Book

I love shifters. Like straight up heart eyes. I also love, paranormal, fantasy, magic, etc... When I stumble upon a good book in any of these genres, it usually sets off a binge reading marathon of epic proportions. I say all that because I love the reality suspension, the hot growly claiming, and I welcome the crazy and OTT situations I find in said books. But, this was a whole new brand of OTT. The author threw everything including the kitchen sink into this first book of what I’m assuming will be a subsequent series.

This was like alphabet soup paranormal style.

Vampires (sanguines)
Nyxians (fae)
Elves
Draconem (dragons)
Witches and Warlocks
Crown princes
Lykosian (werewolves)
Portals
Controlling the elements
Sect hunters
mpeg
Sýntrofos (vampire mate)
Sodalis amans (werewolf mate)
Knotting
Transporting

It. Was. A. Lot!

It kinda sorta worked though. In all its weird, OTT, ridiculously juvenile glory, I didn’t hate it. When I wasn’t distracted by all the craziness going on, there was a story there. It had the typical elements you want in a shifter book. The mine, claiming, biting, steamy sex, growls, dominance by Alpha, the you’re-not-really-human revelation, the OMG-I’m-Pregnant, and in this one we also had a small dose dominating and pain kink from naturally self-lubricating-Jordan. Yep, Self. Lubricating. #winning

With his "human" red eyes and white hair, Jordan is a college graduate looking for a job. He is hired by Duncan Pryde of Pryde Industries. After a mix-up at HR, Jordan becomes a manny to Duncan’s twin niece and nephew. Jordan is attracted and drawn to his new boss. What he doesn’t know is that Duncan is a werewolf shifter and Alpha of the pack. And his mate. Duncan has been a well publicized playboy who loves beautiful women. He knows there is something different about Jordan and it takes him a while to come to terms with having a male mate. It’s shifter gay mate for you. Interestingly enough, insta-love didn’t take over once they met. The typical MINE, MATE caveman act in other shifters was replaced by smells, sparks of electricity and a connection that took place over a little time. Until they kiss. Ruh Roh! This kiss sets off a series of events that forces Jordan to learn the truth about Duncan, himself, and all of the people around him.

While they are coming to terms with being mates, the pack is also dealing with a threat to their safety. Young pack members are being killed and other sects are being targeted as well. This danger brings a united front between the lykosians and the vampire sect. Much of the book was laying the foundation for future books in this series. The MCs have a HFN but the story line isn’t anywhere near being settled and ends on a non-MC based cliffhanger.

I had a few problems with this book. But, around 70% I had a wtf moment and had to walk away. I understand the author’s need to set up the next book. I really do. I just don’t understand why it had to be done in such a random, thrown in, willy nilly sort of way? Straight up cray cray! I also had an issue with the writing and dialogue throughout. It was so juvenile and cheesy.

“I can’t stay here,” Jordan said, walking over to his bed, stuffing more things inside.

“Not after what I’ve done to you.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I turned you gay!” Jordan yelled.

errrrmmmm… Huh?

There was word choice errors throughout such as “business adventures” instead of business ventures or unmanageable strength instead of unimaginable strength. Contradictory statements from sentence to sentence took place as well. On a picky note, there was weird white highlighting through about 99% of the book

I didn’t hate it. Honest. It kept my attention for the most part and had some steam. I just don’t think I would read the next one in the series. *shrug* If you like crazy, OTT shifter stories, maybe you’ll love it?

Review: Hot Air: A Villainous Love Story by T.J. Land

Bluster is the most incompetent supervillain around. He’s a klutz. He’s forgetful. His schemes never work. He never remembers to plan his escape, which doesn’t matter given that most superheroes don’t even bother sending him to prison anymore. Hardly anyone takes him seriously. That’s why he decided to retire a while ago. It had nothing to do with the fact that his handsome nemesis, Judge Justice, was forced to hand in his superhero license after finally breaking one too many rules. And Bluster’s decision to give up his retirement on the same day Judge Justice gets his license back is purely coincidental.

Judge Justice is the toughest superhero around. He’s edgy. He’s grim. He wears a lot of leather. As far as he’s concerned, supervillains are criminals, nothing more and nothing less. They deserve everything that’s coming to them. Sure, maybe he’s got a reputation for being harsh. So what? His methods work. When you’re dealing with a town full of caped crooks, no amount of force is excessive…except maybe when it comes to Bluster. That guy’s hopeless. It’s not that the Judge has a soft spot for him, but anyone can see that Bluster’s a bigger threat to himself than to the city. Which isn’t to say the Judge isn’t outraged when Bluster comes out of retirement the same day he gets his license back. He’s furious. Not even a tiny bit thrilled, because he’s not one of those imbeciles who actually likes his nemesis. He’s a professional. That’s why, when the Judge learns that Bluster’s in danger, he immediately appoints himself his guardian. After all, it’s a hero’s duty to protect the weak.

Bluster, however, has other ideas… 

Adorably silly...
Utterly ridiculous...
Fabulously funny...

...and just flat out fun.

Judge Justice, the meanest superhero in town, is called back to action after a year of being suspended for getting a bit too friendly with his fists.  Bluster, his archnemesis who went into retirement the day Justice was suspended, can't let the chance of him finding a new nemesis ever happen so he dons his purple supervillain suit and heads back into action as well. 

I had a ball reading this story!  The over-the-top plot and the snarky banter were just the tip of the iceberg.  While the storyline is intriguing enough to have caught my attention, it was the characters and their interactions with each other that really carried the story.  From the surface, this story looks to be just a fun romp filled with shenanigans and ridiculousness but on a closer look you find an amazing amount of depth to the characters.

While I loved Judge Justice and all his curmudgeonly ways, always growling and sniping at everyone, I adored Bluster.  Bluster is my spirit animal.  He's older, out of shape, has a squinty eye and a penchant for getting himself into the most ridiculous situations.  He can't spell to save his life and he talks to anything.  Seriously.  Cats, birds, zucchini... he can carry on a one-sided conversation like nobody's business.  His failure rate is exponential.  But does that keep him down?  No!  He just picks himself back up and charges right back into the fray.  He's pretty dang fearless.  He's also a bit of a conundrum.  He seems innocent and naive one minute and then wily and sharp-witted the next.

Keeping the pout going full throttle, he raised a thumb to his mouth and nibbled on the nail's edge, eyes flickering to the Leech and away again.  It was an old, favorite move of his, designed to send out the unambiguous message, 'Won't you heal my broken heart with your dick?'

My favorite moments by far are when the Judge and Bluster interact with each other.  Oh, the snark!  The banter!  I laughed so hard and so much while reading this I actually got a stitch in my side.  I could read their conversations for days and never tire of them.

"Don't worry, I can do this."  "The problem is that you've got a history of thinking you can do shit that you demonstrably cannot do.  Remember that time you tried to steal an armored truck?"  "That's not fair.  I was a kid then."  "You were thirty."

This was my first TJ Land story but I guarantee it won't be my last.  This was silly.  It was fun.  It was just what I needed to pull me out of the slump I was in.  I had a blast reading this.  I recommend this to those who like a bit of the ridiculous from time to time.  If you're a lover of shenanigans, you can't go wrong with this charming little tale.