Showing posts with label Villain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Villain. Show all posts

Series Tour + Giveaway: The Perfect World Series by Shari Sakurai


 

SERIES TOUR and NEW RELEASE

The Perfect World Series by Shari Sakurai

Superhero. Supervillain. Super-complicated

The stories should be read in order:

Perfect World (Perfect World #1)

Adam (companion novel)

New Era (Perfect World #2)

Broken World (Perfect World #3)

Publisher: Farnhurst Publishing

Cover Artist: Shari Sakurai

Genres: LGBTQ / Science Fiction / Superhero Fiction

Tropes:  Enemies to lovers

Overall Heat Rating for the series: 1 flame

BOOK DETAILS

BOOK 1

Book Title:  Perfect World

Length: 341 pages

Release Date: July 18, 2014

This book ends on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US   |  Amazon UK 

Blurb 

London, 2115

It is the year 2115 and the world is very different. With climate changes, natural disasters and war shaping the landscape, England has become a nation made up of several super cities and wasteland in between.

Eric Rawlins is a genetically engineered superhero created by the London Security Agency (L.S.A) to defend and protect the city against both national and international threats. With his superior abilities, celebrity status and beautiful girlfriend, Eric appears to have the perfect life. However, it is an illusion created by the L.S.A in order to control him.

Eric's nemesis is the charismatic Adam Larimore. The only son of billionaire business tycoon Victor Larimore, Adam is gifted with a genius level IQ as well as the same longevity as Eric.

When the actions of the L.S.A throw the two of them together Eric finds himself questioning everything that he has ever known as well as discovering the true course of events that led to Adam turning to a life of crime. As they become closer Eric realises that the L.S.A may be the real threat to London. But can he trust Adam or is he part of Adam’s plan for revenge against those who have wronged him?

BOOK 2

Book Title: Adam

Length: 243 pages

Release Date: March 12, 2016

It can be read as a standalone but it is best to read with the Perfect World series.

The book does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK 

Blurb

Adam Larimore is on a mission of self-destruct. After learning that he was genetically engineered for the sole purpose of inheriting his father’s empire, Adam has been determined to ruin his father’s life and, in the process, his own. When Ivan Williams, the man soon to become the Head of the London Security Agency (L.S.A), approaches Adam with the offer of a business partnership, Adam discovers the appalling truth behind the technological and genetic advancements that have come to shape England. His relationship with his father is at breaking point and when events take a devastating turn, Adam finds himself pushed further than perhaps he wanted to go.

BOOK 3

Book Title: New Era

Length: 272 pages

Release Date: May 28, 2018

It is not standalone story and does the book end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

Blurb 

Eric Rawlins is a broken man. Still reeling from the L.S.A’s betrayal and then the death of his lover, Eric is struggling with his new responsibilities in north London. When a proposition from the Government heightens the stakes, Eric very quickly finds himself faced with a choice that could change the destiny of the entire country.

Eric knows that he has to step up and become the hero that those closest to him are convinced that he can be, but a deadly confrontation with the L.S.A’s new special agent leaves his belief in tatters.

Meanwhile, unknown to Eric, Adam awakens to once again find himself a pawn in Ivan Williams’ play for power.

BOOK 4 - NEW RELEASE

Book Title:  Broken World

Length: 87 569 words

Release Date: July 8, 2022

It is not a standalone story. It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Warning for some readers: This novel contains a brief non-graphic depiction of a suicide attempt, which may be a trigger for some readers.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

Blurb 

Eric Rawlins has made the people of England a promise. That he will stand for them against Ivan Williams and the L.S.A, but with politics and agendas threatening to dictate his every move, Eric struggles to find allies that he can trust. 

When a daring mission to rescue Adam’s staff goes awry, Eric finds that he is starting to question himself in ways that shake him to the very core. Whilst grappling with his inner turmoil, Eric can also see that Adam is struggling against his own demons. 

As the pressure begins to build, Eric takes the fight to Williams. However, Adam’s dangerous obsession with revenge threatens to not only put the entire operation in jeopardy, but his relationship with Eric too.

Excerpt from Broken World

Adam moved as soon as the L.S.A agents did. He slammed into Elle and knocked her to the ground. As the gunfire started, Adam kept her covered with his own body. Beneath him her screams were barely audible over the shooting. It was not just coming from the White Tower, but from the opposite direction where the barracks had been located.

Then he felt a hand on his arm. Glancing up he was relieved to see Eric leaning down over them. Adam reacted immediately. He got to his feet and dragging Elle up with him, Adam pushed her into Eric’s arms.

“Go!” he snapped when he saw how Eric hesitated. “I’ll be right behind you!”

Lifting Elle up off the ground, Eric started to run back towards the bridge and Perses. The gunfire began to fade into the background as the L.S.A seemed to now be concentrating on whoever it was who had started shooting at them.

They had passed the ruins of the Bell Tower when it happened. Adam felt something crash into him, and he was thrown back into the masonry. Pain exploded from his left shoulder and travelled all the way down his arm.

“Eric!” he tried to shout, but the pain had robbed his voice of its strength and his boyfriend’s name came out as a choked whisper.

“I’m afraid he’s long gone,” Neil’s sneering figure appeared in Adam’s line of vision. “It’s just you and me!”

Neil reached down and dragged Adam back to his feet by his good arm. He looked battered and almost deranged. Neil’s nose was still bleeding and when he spoke Adam could see blood staining his teeth red. His eyes were wild and one of his pupils was enlarged. There was blood in his hair, matting the blond against his head. Still despite all this, he seemed supercharged with his fury. All of it was directed at Adam.

“Dad’s going to be pretty pissed off about this mess!” Neil snarled as he started to pull Adam back towards where Traitor’s Gate had once stood. “But maybe if I bring him you, he will be more inclined to look passed all of this!”

Adam tried to dig his heels into the ground, to make it as difficult for Neil as possible but his struggles barely seemed to make a difference.

“Eric!” he croaked into his radio. As soon as he spoke, Neil lunged forwards and ripped it from his ear. Suddenly free, Adam drew back whilst his uninjured hand went for his gun. Neil was on him before he could raise the weapon. He struck Adam hard around the side of the head. Pain blossomed from the impact as he once more fell to the ground. The cry that escaped Adam as he landed amused Neil. His snarl twisted into a sadistic grin as he once more hauled Adam back to his feet. For a few seconds, the pain forced Adam let himself be dragged through the former Traitor’s Gate site and towards the river.

If he gets me back into south London, then it’s all over…

Adam renewed his struggling. He could not move his left arm and Neil still had hold of his right, so he quickly changed tactics. Using his momentum to push himself closer to the other man, Adam brought his knee up between Neil’s legs with as much force as he could muster. Neil yelled angrily, but he did not let Adam go as he doubled over. His action jerked Adam off his feet, and he would have fallen had Neil not kept his hold on his arm.

“You’re going to fucking pay for that!” Neil screamed furiously as he slammed Adam against the metal railings that cordoned off the Thames from the Tower of London site. One hand still held Adam firmly in place whilst the other closed around his throat.

Adam gasped. Pinned between Neil’s body and the railing, he was unable to move more than a token struggle. He tried to pull his arm free, but with the pressure on his neck increasing Adam was finding it impossible to breathe. Neil loomed over him, and he was close enough that Adam could see the red lines streaking through the whites of his eyes. He was not trying to kill Adam, just force him into unconsciousness. This thought gave him little comfort. If he was taken back to the L.S.A headquarters, then he would be dead by the end of the day.

Adam’s vision was starting to blur, and he had stopped fighting. He could feel the cold press of the railing at his back and the metal shaking under their combined weight.

“Neil...” Adam choked out with the last of his strength. “The railing…”

Yet as he spoke, he felt it give way. Adam shot his arm out, trying to reach for something - anything - to save him, but his hand closed around nothing other than air. As he felt himself falling, Neil drew back and managed to catch his footing right on the edge. The sight of him stumbling onto the firmer ground was the last thing Adam saw as he hit the water. Immediately as the cold river enveloped him, Adam fought for the surface. However, with only the use of one arm, he was unable to break his head above the water. Feebly he tried to kick, but his already oxygen-starved lungs could not take anymore. Adam barely had a moment to feel afraid before he blacked out.

Copyright © 2022 Shari Sakurai

All rights reserved

About the Author

Shari Sakurai is a British author of paranormal, horror, science fiction and fantasy novels that almost always feature a LGBTQ protagonist and/or antagonist. She has always loved to write and it is her escape from the sometimes stressful modern life!

Aside from writing, Shari enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to (loud!) music, going to rock concerts and learning more about other societies and cultures. Japanese culture is of particular interest to her and she often incorporates Japanese themes and influences into her work.

Shari loves a challenge and has taken part and won the National Novel Writing Month challenge thirteen times!

Author Links

Blog/Website  |  Facebook

Twitter  |   Instagram  |  Goodreads

Giveaway

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one of 3 ebooks from the author's backlist

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Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Cover Reveal: To Poison a Prince by Aldrea Alien


 

Author Aldrea Alien and Gay Book Promotions reveal the cover of upcoming 2021 fantasy romance, To Poison a Prince! Read more today!


COVER REVEAL 


Book Title: To Poison a Prince 

Author: Aldrea Alien 

Cover Artist: Leonardo Borazio 

Release Date: July 31, 2021 

Genre: Fantasy M/M Romance 

Trope/s: Hidden Villain, Hurt/Comfort, Man in Peril, Opposites Attract 

Themes: Love, Cultural Differences, Revenge 

Heat Rating: 4 flames 

   

Someone is out to murder his husband and he might just be the reason they succeed.



Blurb

Imperial Crown Prince Darshan knew his journey home wasn’t going to be the modest one he hoped for, especially not after eloping with Hamish, a former prince—and now exile—of Tirglas.

When he thwarts a clumsy attempt on his husband’s life during a soirĂ©e hosted by his long-standing rival and half-sister, he figures the worst is behind them.

Yet, the threat of death continues to shadow them across the empire. Someone is intent on making the rumours of his husband’s demise a reality, someone who can erase the memory of their very presence from people’s minds.

Darshan must discover who is behind the attempts before they succeed. But who can he trust when the culprit is capable of slipping by the most vigilant of guards?



About the Author

Aldrea Alien is an award-winning, bisexual author of fantasy romance with varying heat levels. Born and raised in New Zealand, she lives on a small farm with her family, including a menagerie of animals, who are all convinced they're just as human as the next person. Especially the cats. Since discovering a love of writing at the age of twelve, she hasn't found an ounce of peace from the characters plaguing her mind with all of them clamouring for her to tell their story first.



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Guest Review: The Amateur: A Villainous Love Story by T.J. Land

Worst thing about being a supervillain? Getting your butt handed to you by caped do-gooders. Best thing about being a supervillain? Getting your hands on caped do-gooders' butts. Heh.

Red Velvet and his two partners in crime – super-strong beefcake Ares and proud degenerate the Electric Eel – are the League of Larceny, the most notorious gang in town. They’ve been together in every sense of the word for years, and these days everyone knows better than to mess with them. Which is why they're surprised to have their weekly heist interrupted by a rookie hero.

His costume is hideous. His banter is corny. His body is amazing. He’s Mister Valiant and he’s here to save the day. Or if not, then at least he might prove to be an amusing distraction for a few bored bad guys…

38K, poly (M/M/M/M), standalone, happy ending. Features a bigender AFAB viewpoint character.

Reviewer: Shee Reader

The premise for this book had me practically salivating! A group of super villains who work together as The League of Larceny to rob and pillage the city are greeted by a new super. Mr Valiant - he’s new, so hasn’t been inducted into the Remarkables. Mr Valiant tries to take on the serious bad guys, but he needs help…

I was so excited to start reading, but honestly it took me awhile to get into the story, which was disappointing. The League of Larceny includes Ares (the boss) who has super strength, The Eel who can utilise electricity, and Red a bi-gendered supervillain/superhero who can become invisible. Red identifies as a man and a villain, his alternative identity, Scarlet, identifies as female and a superhero. Just these things alone should be enough to have this book leaping off the page at me, but honestly it took me a few chapters to really care about the characters.

Red finds Mr Valiant and his hopeless hero skills so endearing that he offers to mentor the newbie as his alter ego Scarlet. I absolutely loved that Red/Scarlet straddled all the lines. Even though all the different personas (including their civilian identities) kept me on my toes to follow who was who, not to mention who was getting down and dirty with whom!

Mr Valiant and his hilarious fan-boy love of the League of Larceny was such a loveable character with his super-horrible father, tight little ass and fancy apartment he was bound to wiggle his way into the League’s bed, not to mention their affections!

The story includes a number of heists, bad guys, heroes and twists and it got steadily more enjoyable as I read on. Their heists and sexy times didn’t really flow at the start, but by the end I was thoroughly hooked. I’d love to see follow up stories of all the guys having more fun japes!

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review
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Guest Review: Good as Gold: A Villainous Love Story by T.J. Land

Being the most powerful superhero in the world can get lonely.

Ask the Golden Ranger. He’s still struggling to make friends after landing on Earth two years ago, even now that he’s become a member of the Remarkables. Humans are just so complicated, with their odd aversion to public nudity, their obsession with sex, and their temperamental genitals.

Thank goodness for his villains. Sure, they’re crooks and it’s his job to thwart them, but at least they offer him a chance for social interaction. And they’re all pretty cool, as villains go. Henry X has a gun that can fire anything from exploding bullets to robot bees, and he's also got these incredible biceps and warm brown eyes – not that the Golden Ranger cares about stuff like that. Light Brigade can create holograms, plus he’s handsome and snarky and covered in tattoos – again, not that the Golden Ranger cares. The Sash can use his clothing as a weapon, which isn’t really fair seeing as how his slinky body would be an effective weapon all by itself. Which isn’t something the Golden Ranger cares about. At all.

It’s possible that the other Remarkables are right when they accuse the Golden Ranger of being a little too intrigued by his rogues gallery. But he thinks they’re just jealous. Even so, when they tell him that Henry X, Light Brigade and the Sash are working for someone who might be a threat to the whole city, the Golden Ranger knows he needs to learn the truth. And what better way to do that than by adopting a civilian disguise and getting to know his villains personally? It’s a brilliant plan. Nothing can go wrong.

65K, M/M/M/M, standalone.


Reviewer: R *A Reader Obsessed*


Well that was certainly different!

Imagine a world where superheroes on a daily basis, go against their set group of villains, trying to thwart whatever current scheme they’re hatching. It’s basically a gentlemen’s agreement - fighting crime/doing crime - a delicate balance of not too much and not too little, keeping the cycle going in order to live to fight another day.

First, you have Golden Ranger, who’s not from these parts. He’s actually an alien who left his planet in search of a purpose, and thus picked Earth to use his indestructible self to do good. This is a guy who’s a little naive, a little innocent, one who doesn’t fully grasp the nuances of human nature but is so eager to learn and acclimate. As a member of the superhero team, the Remarkables, Ranger has been tasked to keep in line three villains, who each have extraordinary, mysterious weapons to aid their escapades. In order to learn more about them, he dons a civilian disguise to covertly do recon.

Funnily enough, Ranger is not fooling anybody, let alone his three villains. These guys are simply ordinary men wanting more out of life, whether that be notoriety, a sense of purpose, or simply to belong. They too, have vulnerabilities and flaws, revealing personal facets that definitely blur the line that sharply delineates “good” from “evil”. As these four dance and interact, all of them come to know each other better, not only through their masked identities, but their true selves outside their disguises. Understandably, feelings change, loyalty develops, and their dynamic slowly evolves beyond their initial fractious beginning, as each is lonely and yearning for more.

So to make a long story even longer, there’s definitely a certain kind of interplay taking place between all the superheroes and their nemeses, creating a somewhat orchestrated environment of peace. However, there’s unseen forces and players manipulating the situation and purposefully influencing these 4 men and how they do their “jobs”. What results is a very complicated relationship that can often be antagonistic, intense, and definitely proprietary, as they ultimately band together to fight a common foe.

I’m finding it difficult to quantify or explain this story, except that it was interesting and unique, with some fun and funny, lending a comic book vibe or oddly enough, akin to the cartoon movie The Incredibles. I was consistently entertained despite no overt smexiness and the need of a good edit. In return though, there is some sweet romance and carnal, emotional scenes that involve all 4 players in various different groupings, and ultimately encompassing the full M/M/M/M aspect. It was well done and totally plausible. Well... plausible in a world of superheroes and villains. Overall, if you want something different and like this particular genre, I don’t think you could go wrong.

Thanks to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33554200-good-as-gold

Review: Hearts of Darkness by Andrea Speed

Kaede Hiyashi is sick and tired of living in the shadow of his father, supervillain Doctor Terror. Brilliant but crazy, Doctor Terror sends his son to Corwyn, California, for reasons Kaede can’t imagine. Sent to accompany and protect him is Ash, a genetically modified supersoldier raised and trained by an infamous death cult.

Corwyn is lousy with superheroes, led by the obnoxious Dark Justice. Kaede finds himself dancing around Dark Justice as he digs into his father’s mysterious business and teaches his socially awkward—but physically lethal—bodyguard to acclimate to “normal” life. Can these two wacky supervillains figure out what Doctor Terror wants them to do, solve the riddle of the villain known as Black Hand, and keep Dark Justice from raining on their bloody parade? The course of love—and world domination—never did run smooth.



Action. Humor. Supervillians. And snuggling. Oh, the snuggles! I'm such a sucker for the cuteness.

Kaede's the son of the Supervillain, Doctor Terror. Doctor Terror sent Kaede a bodyguard, Ash, when he sent Kaede off to Corwyn. All for his super secret master plan, of course. *insert Supervillian laugh*

Corwyn was full of Heroes and Villians. They're all ridiculous. And what I loved most is that Kaede knew exactly how ridiculous they all really were. He loathed them. Kaede was tired of being compared to his father and people assuming that he was as evil as Doctor Terror. When the Heroes and Villains confronted Kaede, he didn't take them seriously and laughed in their faces, while simultaneously kicking all their asses. He was completely awesome. He came off as very "whatever" about everything, but was brilliant at the same time. He toyed with them, made them think he was clueless... little did they know he had a secret weapon. Ash.
"For a killing machine, Ash was goddamn cute."
Yes. He absolutely was. I love an adorably clueless virgin, and Ash was exactly that. Plus, he was totally badass. He was genetically engineered by Doctor Terror to be practically invincible. Because of all the training growing up, he had no social skills. He's a little on the awkward side and it was adorable. I'm not sure how a killing machine can be so endearing, but Andrea Speed has made it so. 

Ash was curious about Kaede and all the things he made Ash feel. The feelings in his pants, if we're going to be specific. Being the generous soul that he is, Kaede helped him explore all things physical. The sex scenes were not explicit at all. They were mostly fade-to-black, but they were so damn cute that I didn't even care. I was in it for the sweetness and the cuddling because it gave me all the mushy feels.

I really liked the whole vibe of this story. Kaede was immersed in the Superhero and Supervillian drama, even though he didn't want to be. He basically thought they were a bunch of dumbasses. I kind of felt the same way. It's like I knew everything was ridiculous, but at the same time it wasn't because I was so into the plot. The story made fun of itself and I liked that.

I loved, loved the ending. Kaede being a brilliant Supervillian mastermind and Ash kicking asses everywhere he turned. I hope there's a sequel. I have to know what happens next.

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more info on Goodreads and DSP Publications.

Review: Where There's Smoke (Panopolis #1) by Cari Z.

Panopolis is a rough place to be an average Joe. I came here looking for adventure and excitement, but nobody cares about one more normal guy in a city filled with super-powered heroes. The closest I’ve come to glory is working in a bank that villains often rob.

But then I maybe accidentally-on-purpose helped a villain escape the hero who was trying to save the day. Imagine my shock when, a week later, that villain asked me out for coffee. One date turned into more, and now I’m head over heels in love with Raul.

Falling in love with the guy dubbed the Mad Bombardier isn’t without its downsides, though. I’ve had to deal with near-death encounters with other villains, awkwardly flirtatious heroes who won’t take no for an answer, and a lover I’m not sure I can trust. It’s getting to the point where I know I’ll have to make a choice: side with the heroes, or stand fast by my villain.

Either way, I think my days as a normal guy are over.





I picked this up on a lark after reading Cari's LOR story, . 

I am not disappointed in my purchase.

Where There's Smoke is a great start to a series. Ordinarily, I don't like serials but every once in a while one comes along that I can't resist sinking my teeth into.

This was one of those times.

Where There's Smoke takes place in the fictional city of Panopolis which sounds a lot like Gotham with corrupt politicians who have, possibly (probably), sinister intents. 

Who are the good guys? The Heroes or the Villains or does the truth lie somewhere in between? Could it be that they're all just pawns in a grand, Machiavellian agenda to maintain the status quo and keep the city of Panopolis in the dark as to what's really happening? My money's on SuperTruther, the subversive radio show host, playing a role.

All of these governmental machinations are the backdrop to a burgeoning love story between Edward and Raul. Raul, a Basque Villain, who's been given the moniker of the Mad Bombardier, sets his sights on Edward while casing his bank. Coffee leads to more and more and more and then... 


We hadn't done this often, fucking each other after one of us was spent, but tonight I welcomed it. I wanted to show him I was for him, just for him, that he could take what he needed from me.

It ain't easy dating a Villain. All his villainous friends and those pesky Heroes try to stand in the way of their love, namely Freight Train, Hero and, as I've dubbed him, White Bread. Man, is he boring. Jesus, Mary and Joseph! He's the walking incantation of watching paint dry. Plus, he pretty much lives with his meddling "Memaw", Edward's neighbor, and is always lurking. Weirdo.

I don't always love the villains or anti-heroes. I admit I do lurve me some Batman, but more Dark Knight Batman than Michael Keaton Batman, so kinda edgy. I didn't know if I was coming or going in The Dark Knight Rises because... 



Tom Hardy could be the hero, the villain, the crazy train, hell, he could have multiple personalities and I'd still be down! Because Tom Hardy. 

But, I do really like Raul. He my kind of crazy. That thing with Pinball was fucked up and nasty and horrid and fantastic and kinda sweet, actually. I totally understand why Edward's got it bad for him.

Writing is... it's Cari Z.! If you haven't read anything by her, you're only hurting yourself.

Highly recommend and will be on pins and needles for the next installment which releases 7/13!!!!!!!!

WEEEEEEE!!!!!!!



Find out more on Goodreads.