Guest Review: Witch Under Wraps (Mythmatched #2) by E.J. Russell

When supernatural secrets collide, it’ll take more than coffee to brew the perfect love.

When Ky Hernández bonded with his familiar, Zuri, his life changed forever. Their connection turned him into a practicing witch and led him to his calling as a medimagical professional. However, it totally tanked his love life—what guy would settle for eternal second place behind a parrot? So Ky keeps his witchy nature under wraps and sticks to hookups with humans, which can never go anywhere. But the mouthwatering barista at the coffee shop next door makes him thirst for more than a caffeine fix.

The charms Ewan Jones uses to appear human are inconvenient, disorienting, and . . . necessary. Ewan and his siblings are achubyddion, metaphysical healers whose powers are coveted by unscrupulous supernatural beings. And let’s face it: all supes are unscrupulous, given the right incentive. He’s grateful for the protections that hide his little family, and for the barista job that keeps them housed and fed. He’s just so lonely. And his regular, Ky, the super-hot, commitment-averse EMT, seems like the perfect candidate for a one-night shot at intimacy. After all, humans are no threat.

It takes a clumsy coffee shop intern, a mysterious werewolf epidemic, and one snarky parrot to unravel their pasts—and give them a chance at a future.

Reviewer: Shee Reader

This book has charming characters, lovely world building and a complicated story wound around Ky and Ewan.

They are both pretending to be something they are not (human) and they both get more than they bargained for!

The connection between these two lovely men is warming and enjoyable, but neither is telling the whole truth. Ewan wants to give Ky the gift of his virginity knowing Ky is not interested in a relationship. Ewan has to avoid any connections he can to keep his sister and little foster brother safe. Once they tough though, all bets are off!

I enjoyed the snarky sidekick, Zuri, and the hilarious coffee shop intern who blunders about blabbing supernatural secrets and spilling everything.

This story has witty dialogue and the triumph of good over evil and plenty of HEA to be had, even though Ky and Ewan had to go through so much to get to theirs. The mysterious wolf epidemic and the oblivious humans living alongside a wide range of super all added to the charm of the story. If anything, I would have enjoyed more relationship building between our MC’s but they got there in the end.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: That Time I... Survived My Teens by Craig Barker

The Saturday prior to starting this memoir, my ex-fiancé and I had two of his work friends over for an old-fashioned games night. And when I say “old-fashioned,” I’m talking about dice, cards, racking up your points on an abacus, etc. You know, the things people entertained themselves with before politicians blamed every violent fart that wafted their way on video games.

Stop doing that.

Anyway, seeing as I didn’t know who these people were and would’ve much rather spent the evening on the sofa with our dog, I was less than optimistic. If anything, the whole ordeal was going to be like sitting through a Christopher Nolan movie. Sure, I’d say I was having a great time to fit in, but in all honesty, I wouldn’t have a clue what was happening, and I’d probably need to take a nap midway through.

Hours before they arrived, just as I’d started to have those “what if I accidentally say something so obscenely offensive or mind-numbingly stupid, I’ll be haunted by the memory of it for years to come” thoughts, my ex ran down into the basement in which I dwell, his eyes frantic, and begged—

“Please don’t talk about choking on dicks when they get here.”

Come again?

“Please, Craig. That kind of talk makes them uncomfortable. Don’t do it.”

I felt a flurry of emotions in the picosecond it took for his words to register: amused, bemused, offended. It sounded like a joke, but his face was full of fear—a fear that I would be unequivocally crude to these complete strangers, and that my behavior would burn bridges he obviously wanted to keep erect (more on erections later).

That was when it hit me like a pair of loose-hanging nuts to the taint; a realization that I, Craig Thomas Barker, had a pattern of behavior that stretched across my life since adolescence—

I’m the person you get warned about before meeting. I’m the person that gets warned before going anywhere.

Like Carrie Bradshaw, “I couldn’t help but wonder” why that was. So, in order to understand who I am today, I decided to take a look at the years that shaped me. I spread my life out on the table, lubed it with the flare of artistic exaggeration, and went at it until I found my answer.

This isn’t so much a memoir as it is a gay’s journey to discover himself; don’t expect structure, coherency, or a thoroughly thought out narrative with a climactic closing paragraph that gives any of this dribble closure. I’m no one special, I’m not famous, and I don’t have much to say that hasn’t been said before, but I have lived a life, and all twenty-six years of that life has culminated in a single sentence—

“Please don’t talk about choking on dicks when they get here.”

This memoir explains why…
And it was cheaper than therapy.

I’ve been on a memoir kick for a bit and one thing I always struggle with is rating them. I mean, how do you give rating for someone’s actual real life moments? Luckily, this one is very readable, engaging, full of feels, and written in a casual way that is reminiscent of telling stories to my best friends… in between alcohol, drugs, sex, and all the other trigger warnings that are sprinkled throughout. That Time I… Survived My Teens is sad, soooo heartbreaking, and had me laughing as we follow the author, Craig Barker through his teenage years while getting a contact high and liver damage from reading about all his shenanigans.

My initial thoughts were that this would be a cheeky, fun, and lighthearted read about all the embarrassing moments that take place throughout the teenage years. WRONG. The bullying and homophobia Barker endured is disgusting and absolutely heartbreaking to read about. How can “teachers” turn the other way? Administrators? Friends? Adults? Who the fuck ever? Someone should have been able to step up and step their ass in to protect him. But nope… and holy shit was he terrorized. I hope you don’t let that dissuade you from reading this. I would imagine that reliving this was painful for him but finally telling his story to people that will actually listen might be therapeutic. Like lancing a wound and getting rid of the infection. I felt honored to share a fraction of this heartbreaking memoir and only wish I could have been his teacher so his path wouldn’t have been as broken.

Was Craig innocent and the picture of a perfect student, son, friend? Nope. Not even a little. He admits his pain-in-the-assery and selfish tendencies. Some reactions and actions are questionable but when you’re constantly backed into a corner/wall and the very people hired to care for and protect you only exacerbate the issues, it’s inevitable one would strike out at anyone and everyone.

Craig experienced a lot beginning at age 13 through high school and I’m glad I was able to read and feel his story, angst, anger, sadness, hopelessness, and moments of his escape. I’ll most definitely continue on this journey if he feels inclined to tell us more. Recommended.

Trigger- drugs, alcohol, mention of self-harm, bullying, homophobia, addiction, depression.

P.S. Fuck that school. Fuck the administrators and most especially Fuck the teachers. As educators we are hired to teach children not only academics but go alongside parents to model how to be good human beings and not tolerate this behavior. The assholes in this school (and any other school that allows bullying and homophobia to take place) clearly got into education for wrong reasons. On behalf of “mama/papa bear” educators who truly love their jobs and the students placed in our charges, I’m sorry. You are loved. You are valued. You are worth it just as you are.

Copy provided for honest review.

An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Anhaga by Lisa Henry

Aramin Decourcey—Min to his few friends—might be the best thief in Amberwich, and he might have a secret that helps him survive the cutthroat world of aristocratic families and their powerful magic users, but he does have one weakness: his affection for his adopted nephew, Harry.

When the formidable Sabadine family curses Harry, Min must accept a suicide mission to save his life: retrieve Kazimir Stone, a low-level Sabadine hedgewitch who refuses to come home after completing his apprenticeship… and who is in Anhaga, a seaside village under the control of the terrifying Hidden Lord of the fae. If that wasn’t enough, Kaz is far from the simple hedgewitch he seems.

With the Sabadines on one side and the fae on the other, Min doesn’t have time to deal with a crisis of conscience—or the growing attraction between him and Kaz. He needs to get Kaz back to Amberwich and get Harry’s curse lifted before it kills him. Saving Harry means handing Kaz over to his ruthless family. Saving Kaz means letting Harry die. Min might pride himself on his cleverness, but he can’t see his way out of this one.

The Hidden Lord might see that he never gets the choice.

Action, drama, heartbreak, romance, and magic - all the markings of an excellent MM fantasy adventure! Consider me very pleased.

In her latest work, Lisa Henry introduces us to Aramin Decourcey, who isn’t necessarily an anti-hero, but certainly isn’t the best of men.

Born in the underbelly of Amberwich society, Min has been raised to be tough and calculating; traits that serve him well in being a mercenary for the ruthless aristocracy.

However, his resolve and loose morals are put to the test when his nephew, Harry, becomes the latest victim of the nobility.

I was sucked into the story from the initial get-go. Yes, Harry’s a bit of an idiot. But he was just a kid, so I could overlook the repeated bad decisions. And it was nice to see from the start that Min had a weak spot, despite his reputation.

This book is action first, and romance second. The plot involves Min being put in the middle of the Sabadines, one of the most powerful families in the kingdom, and the Hidden Lord, the leader of the fae.

The Sabadines send Min on a dangerous journey to retrieve their wayward witch, Kazamir Stone. The terrifying fae seem to have taken a special interest as well.

Min definitely ends up between a rock and a hard place!

I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that I was thoroughly entertained. The magic, the constant sense of danger, and the uncertain politics all kept me on the edge of my seat. The worldbuilding was excellent!

The relationship between Min and Kaz builds gradually. While Min finds Kaz attractive, being the younger man’s captor isn’t exactly conducive to romance.

Kaz stole my heart pretty early on. He’s a bit broken, but has a core of strength. Something Min can’t help but take notice of, despite trying to ignore it.

Kaz and Min are an odd pair, but they just work. I enjoyed their romance just as much as the grand action plot. The HEA was the perfect way to wrap things up.

Overall, this was an excellent fantasy read. If you’re looking for an entertaining read with magic and a sweet romance, give ‘Anhaga’ a try!

A review copy was provided.

Review: Nudging Fate (Enchanted Occasions #1) by E.J. Russell

Not exactly a match made in Valhalla.

Half-norn event planner Anders Skuldsson is under strict orders from Asgard not to meddle with Fate. But with Enchanted Occasions’ latest booking—a competition for the hand of Faerie’s one true prince—crashing around his ears, it’s really difficult to toe that particular line. But if Andy pretends to be a contender for the prince…. It’s only temporary, so Odin can’t blame him. Right?

Conall of Odstone’s half-brother, Prince Reyner, was supposed to choose a mate before being crowned and wed. But the idiot left Con to impersonate him. Again.

When Con meets Andy, his anger turns to desire… and despair. Even if Andy forgives him for his imposture, how could someone eligible for a prince’s hand settle for the court outcast? And the double-deception isn’t their only obstacle. Unless Andy makes the right choice, their fates could be sealed by…well… Fate.

He’s a prince. He’s the client.

Anders “Andy” Skuldsson, our half-norn event planner, has a job to do and that’s to produce “The Courting, Coronation, and Handfasting of His Royal Highness Reyner of Maidencourt, the One True Prince of Faerie”… or as us humans would call it; a supernatural version of The Bachelor that parades a line of consorts in front of the prince so that he may to choose his life partner. Andy’s job basically rides on this as there has been a few mishaps with Enchanted Occasions Event Planning.

[…]Con had agreed to the idiotic, gods-be-damned spell that would make Con identical to Rey whenever the two of them chose— and Rey chose far too often for Con’s peace of mind.

Conall “Con” of Odstone has been a fool for his half-brother’s games all their lives and the one Rey likes to pull the most is the spell that allows Con to look exactly like his brother though they aren’t twins. When Con is waiting for Rey to show up so he can claim his consort, he’s begged by his brother to let him have a few moments of freedom (aka Vegas) before he is chained to a relationship he doesn’t want and frankly never will having seen what the mating vows and magically enforced fidelity for eternity had done to his father. Of course Con agrees, he’ll do anything for his brother and sends Talus, the legendary Iron Knight to fetch the first possible consort to meet the “prince.”

But when Andy is about to round up the list of eligible consorts, he finds they have all gone a bit green down to the last nasty one of them and Talus arrives, Andy is the only suitor left available and so begins our romantic deception.

Would Andy be attracted to Con once this masquerade was over and Con was no longer decked out in the trappings of royalty?

I am such a sucker for the false identity story when it comes to romance. The idea of being with someone you thought you knew based on hearsay and then getting to know the real person who literally isn’t who you thought makes me happy. I can’t explain it, it’s just this feeling of getting to be yourself and have someone fall for the real you even though you aren’t really you? You know? The internal struggle to tell the truth is so angsty that I eat it up. This book gave me so much and I am so happy that I have found Russell’s form of fantasy because I am hooked and now a fan.
When Andy and Con meet… let’s just say I squeaked because you see, we get both POV’s in this story and it was great being able to see them react immediately to the other and know they are smitten from the start. Of course, I am a fan of insta anything as long as it’s written well and this was written so well.

“We’re getting to know one another. That’s what this is all about, right? No one can fault either one of us for that.”
“You’d think.”

I have to say that Russell’s world building is my new jam. Goodness. I loved the whole idea of Faerie and its stunning beauty and the thought that Portland is its equal on Earthside makes this girl grin. Each supernatural creature was unique with a blend of old world and technology that seems like it wouldn’t fit and yet it did. While the world building was above and beyond what I didn’t even expect, the romance with Con and Andy is what sells this book. It’s fluffy but with a bit of depth that had me falling and falling hard.

Wow. I am getting to rambling status right now aren’t I and I haven’t even said much. I can’t help it I just adored the holy heck out of this story. It was so much fun watching Andy teach Con about technology and them just honestly getting to know one another though they both kept secrets. Even when it’s revealed who Andy is and Con has all sorts of hope… sigh. Then we get the whole utterly beautiful chaos at the end that had my hand on my chest and my eyes glued to the page because OMFG!! So freaking good.

“We had a good time when I was… well… pretending to be someone I’m not. I’m willing to see if we can enjoy ourselves when I’m being me too.”

Nudging Fate, that title has true meaning to the story and of course I loved it when I made the connection. Con, Andy and this incredible world have owned me with a beautiful tale of fantasy and romance and I can’t stop smiling or rambling so.

I’m done.

Le Freaking Sigh.

Review: To Hell You Ride by Julia Talbot

Second Edition

Big Roy is a hard-rock miner with a not-so-secret love for the theater, so when he hears a new troupe of actors are coming to the Telluride Opera House to put on a Shakespeare play, he saddles his mule and makes the trek into town to see it. The play doesn’t disappoint, but the beautiful lead actor, Edward Clancy, certainly does. Clancy is rude and arrogant, and Roy figures he’d never have a chance with such a man. He’s wrong, because Clancy needs some entertainment himself, being stuck in a hellish mining town for the long, snowy winter. Come spring, though, Clancy knows he’s going to want to move on, and he thinks Roy will be easy to forget. Then tragedy hits, and Clancy has to rethink his entire life. Can these two strike gold?

First Edition Published by SCREWDRIVER An imprint of Torquere Press, January 2007.

Roy is a huge fan of the theatre and attends as often as his meagre earnings as a miner will allow. One evening he attends a Shakespeare play and is instantly lustful over the lead actor, Sir Edward Clancy, until he has a poor encounter the next morning while meeting the local journalist to share his review of the play.

Clancy has no time for anyone but those he chooses as bedpartners, but a bad review from Roy makes Clancy livid and determined to get a retraction, at any cost. Even if he has to trudge up a mountain on a mule and demand it from the unsightly oaf who uttered the fateful words against him.

This is fun, witty, and light. Roy and Clancy manage to make their time together work, even when they fight. They have good chemistry and strong personalities. Clancy being stuck for the winter in a small town makes for entertainment on its own. Roy has to squash hopes for a future as Clancy continues to insist that once the snow melts he is off to sunnier places. Clancy is in denial and even though he has some *feelings* his plans will not change.

“Nonsense. I will not run after the man.” Clancy sat on the bed ticking, hand on the post. “Really, what good would it do? We’re not at all suited.”
“No. He love you. You love you. Only thing you have in common.”
Clancy glared. “That is quite enough out of you. Don’t you have a new job to attend?” “Tomorrow.”
“Well, I think you should go now.” He bounced up again and began filling his trunk.

I loved the way this story evolved. Clancy was endearing in his self-obsession. Roy was just the man to match his stubbornness and while not educated, he is a force with the witty banter and retorts. Clancy thought he had Roy pegged, and could outwit him, but no sir, Roy could match him with an equally sharp tongue and quick mind.

I like this style of writing, and found the setting and plot engaging. Even though Clancy is vein and self-involved he was a really enjoyable character to read. Roy was loveable, and didn’t allow Clancy to stomp on him. He was a mix between firm about his place and giving enough to enjoy his time with Clancy.

Their chemistry was steamy, and their relationship building was wild and at times conflict ridden. I loved them both equally, for very different reasons.

If I’m in the mood for something from the past, Julia Talbot is a sure bet for me. Even if you’re not a fan of historical romance, this is worth it for the sass.

a review copy was provided for an honest opinion.

Audiobook Review: Hemovore by Jordan Castillo Price

Mark Hansen thought working as artist’s assistant would be glamorous, especially if that artist was a vampire. Black tie events, witty repartee, gracing the pages of the local style section…. Didn’t happen. Not even once.

Jonathan Varga is an enigma. True, he’s quiet, generous, and scrupulously polite. But he has zero social life, refuses to be interviewed or photographed, and insists he can only consume feline blood.

Why supermarket blood won't suffice, Mark hasn’t asked. He’s rarely at a loss for words—he can dish an insult and follow it with a snap as quick as you can say “Miss Thang.” But one look at Jonathan’s black-as-sin gypsy eyes, and Mark’s objections drain away.

So he endures the perpetual grind of their routine: Jonathan hiding in his studio, swiping black paint onto black canvases. Mark hurling insults while he buffs the office to a shine with antiviral wipes. Each of them avoiding the other in a careful choreography…until a blurb in Art in America unleashes a chain of harrowing events.

As secrets from Jonathan’s past are brought to light, it becomes clear that all his precautions weren’t nearly enough.

Second expanded edition includes bonus novelette Sweet 

Narrated by Joel Leslie 
Listening Length 10 hrs 25 mins

For a book that started off with me making a face (not a good one) to end up...

Surprised no one more than I. Talk about finishing strong.

What I had trouble with initially was Leslie's interpretation of Mark and Mark tells the whole story. Mark's a bitchy smartass. Leslie clearly knows this but the problem was I didn't, so I kept thinking, 'why's he so bitchy?'. This is simultaneously the pro and con of an audiobook. Had I read it I would've come to this realization on my own, but having it read to me in that tone had me thinking after 10.5 hours someone might get stabbed. I should've known better. Leslie, once again, does a magnificent job distinguishing and bringing to life all of these characters. Seriously, how many accents can he do?

Once the lightbulb moment occurred Mark began to charm me with his wit, snark and dandyism. He and Jonathan are one of those rare couples that belong together, like, if they're not together the world doesn't make sense and I fell for them. Hard.

As Mark and Jonathan traverse crazed vampire ex-lovers, poverty, grand theft auto, tunnels, underwear in a bag and water of dubious origins there's never any doubt how much they mean to each other. Even when they fight, because they have very little in common, the tension builds and builds.

Hemovore is briskly paced with impressive and creative world building. It's quirky in it's delivery and leaves an indelible mark with its eccentricities especially in its deviation from your average vamp story. Make no mistake, through all the snark and banter there is a poignancy and heartache in this world JCP has created with a divide between V+s and V-s that's chilling in its similarity to the inception of HIV and its similarly polarizing effects.

That measly little symbol is the only thing keeping them apart. Honestly, I was just hoping that they'd at least be able to hold hands at some point! Instead I got a kiss that was truly epic. I know that word may seem trite and overused but in this case it's absolutely true. I think I maybe "accidentally" freebased some of the love heroin they produced.

I was sitting firmly on 4 Hearts until the Sweet novelette happened and I found myself Pretty Woman duck face clapping in my car. Don't worry there were only a couple people around. It's one of the few advantages of living in the sticks. So I figured, if that doesn't merit an extra heart what does?

Recommend to everyone. I think pretty much anyone would find this enjoyable.

 A review copy was provided.

Guest Review: Drama Luau (Nicky and Noah Mystery #4) by Joe Cosentino

Theatre professors and spouses, Nicky Abbondanza and Noah Oliver, are on their honeymoon at a Hawaiian resort, where musclemen in grass skirts are keeling over like waterfalls. Things erupt faster than a volcano when Nicky and Noah, along with their best friends Martin and Ruben, try to stage a luau show. Nicky and Noah will need to use their drama skills to figure out who is bringing the grass curtain down on male hula dancers—before things go coconuts for the handsome couple. You will be applauding and shouting Bravo for Joe Cosentino’s fast-paced, side-splittingly funny, edge-of-your-seat entertaining fourth novel in this delightful series. Curtain up and aloha!

Reviewer: Shee Reader

First let me just say it was so much fun to back in the world of camp, sassy acting professors Noah and Nicky, this time on their honeymoon in Hawaii as there is yet another outbreak of murders for Nicky to get embroiled in, and enjoy the role of amateur sleuth once more.

How come Nicky finds practically every corpse and the cops never look at him?? Just a thought.

Anyhoo, Nicky and Noah are now married and on honeymoon. They get involved in helping with the casting and staging of the nightly Luau show. Bodies drop like flies and the amateur detectives are on the case again.

For fans of Joe Cosentino's hilarious mysteries, this is another vintage story with more cheeky asides and sub plots right left and centre.

Noah and Nicky (with their friends Reuben and Martin) get thoroughly wrapped up in the staging of the show and the multiple deaths.

The story is fast paced, funny and sassy. The writing is very witty with lots of tongue-in-cheek humour.

Highly recommended.

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

Review: Resistance (Village Love #1) by Lillian Francis

How long can you wait on a promise? 

After his first night with Mal, Rick broke the habit of a lifetime and invited the sexy radiographer to spend the weekend in the sleepy English village he called home. Rick isn’t in denial but he’s afraid to reveal his sexuality in the close-knit community that has known him since he was a babe in arms. 

The sex is amazing but equally Mal loves lazy days spent in the garden at Slopy Bottom, and every precious moment he spends with Rick. For Mal the village quickly becomes an oasis of peace, far from the noise and grime of life in London, a slice of tranquillity with Rick at the heart. But Mal has defied his family and his religion to be true to himself, and there is no way can he join Rick in his self-built closet, no matter how comfortable it is... 

Rick is afraid revealing the true nature of his relationship with Mal will change the way his neighbours see him. He adores these people, this village, and he can’t face the thought of losing everything over who he chooses to sleep with. When the alternative is giving up a man who has slotted perfectly into his life—a man who he might just love—it’s no choice at all. But, knowing what has to be done isn’t always as easy as putting it into practice. 

Books set in small English villages are among my top comfort reads, probably because I'm an English village gal myself. I love reading them. They're the housecoat and slippers of the reading world as far as I'm concerned, so when the chance to read and review the first in the new series by Lillian Francis came by, I jumped at the chance.

And I loved it!

It was everything I wanted in this genre. Sweet, witty, comforting - and utterly English. This could have been set in my village - a shop, a pub, a school and village hall - and of course the village church. The village in this type of story is almost an extra character. With its selection of quirky villagers - interfering, knowledgeable and loveable - it really is such a comfort read. I know I'm overusing the word comfort, but really that sums up this genre, and particularly this story, for me. Many moons ago I used to devour Katie Forde books and this gave me the same warm feeling.

Mal and Rick are a lovely couple, they are MC's to love, but more than that the whole cast of village characters is great and promises that more stories are going to come from this world. After all, Rick is not the only gay in the village.

A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.

For more information see Goodreads.