Author of the Month Interview - Lyn Gala

Today the UM welcomes Lyn Gala to the clubhouse! We chatted about Claimings, Tails and Other Alien Artifacts, squeed over the amazing Ondry bonus scene that Lyn Gala debuted here on BMBR, and are now super thrilled to have Lyn herself visiting us!

BMBR: Keeping with our book of the month, where did you get the inspiration for the Rownt culture?

LG: C.J. Cherryh is a huge influence on my writing. I love how her alien cultures are always so alien, and when I started doing coursework for a Masters in International Diplomacy, I came to appreciate her even more. I could see how various societal structures showed up in her work, only with particular aspects exaggerated or shifted.

I wanted to create a society that valued subs, so I wanted that trait to be rare in this society. That meant I needed to create a society that emphasized individuality and competition instead of service. However, if these creatures were hyper-focused on the individual, they wouldn’t have family structures the way we knew them. Even family members would be competitors, although parents would be proud when their offspring were strong enough to challenge them.

The second breakthrough came when I tried to figure out what animal to pattern them after. If they were that individualistic, a cat was such an obvious choice. I just didn’t want obvious. So I went with the least obvious choice I could come up with… a turtle. The choice turned out to be a blessing as the Rownt long lifespan and enormous penis came into play.

BMBR: Had you decided from the beginning that Ondry and Liam wouldn't be having sex in the "traditional and expected" manner? Did that plan evolve as you wrote or was that the plan from the start?

LG: The second I picked a turtle as the physical inspiration for the Rownt, I knew the couple wouldn’t be compatible. Not even close. That’s not to say they could have had sex if I had chosen another animal because I don’t see why incompatible species would have interlocking parts. That doesn’t make sense biologically. I have a het romance, Blowback, where one of the main characters is alien, but she’s part human and she was created in a laboratory. That’s the only way I could imagine an alien that had similar sexual organs. So yeah, if I have an alien culture, the couple is unlikely to be getting lucky the old fashioned way.

BMBR: In general, which character type do you enjoy writing more, the Dom or the sub?

LG: Generally I like to explore the sub when I’m writing slash stories. It’s the sub that’s breaking society’s rules about what it means to be “manly,” and I like characters that break the rules and find their own paths. However, I mainly like the way partners fit together. I like subs that push Doms into new territory. I like “caretaker” Doms that derive pleasure from controlling but also pleasing their partners. So I think this is a long way of saying that I don’t know how to answer this question.

BMBR: Favorite scene you've written so far?

LG: I have so many that I don’t know what to say to this. I love the scene where Liam finally admits that he was raped only to realize that Ondry will never blame him for that or even understand why a victim might feel the weight of guilt. I am a little in love with Rownt culture for not even understanding the psychological toll of rape. However, I am equally in love with the big action scene in Blowback where the heroes take down an alien invasion, and I love the scene in Fettered where Dylan’s friend gives him some pills, and he doesn’t realize how strong they are. He ends up wandering down the street trying to find his way to the club while utterly stoned. In Gathering Storm, I love the scene where Charleston catches Vinnie spying on him. I often write individual scenes as they inspire me, and I only go back and write the rest of the story later, so I have a whole host of these snippets that actually predated the book they appear in.

BMBR: A unicorn fan jumped in to ask: I'm in love with Jacqs from your book Turbulence. Is he based on someone you know in real life? And more importantly, will we be seeing more of him in future works?

LG: As a teacher, I’ve seen such a range of students come through my classes. I teach government and history, and that means that I get to talk to them about such real subjects that it allows me to know them in a way that a science teacher might not. I’ve seen a number of students who had honestly good hearts that were matched with such social ineptitude that I would cringe when they would piss off some classmate. They would make some political statement and then act bewildered when half the class wanted to kill them. Hopefully I taught some of those students to stop and listen first, and hopefully I taught a few of the other students to look beyond the surface. Honestly, I don’t know. However my sympathy for that set of character traits comes out in Jacqs.

I would like to do more stories in the Turbulence series. I think they’re going to have a lot of adventures, and I also think there are some mysteries to explore. People high up in the military had an eye on Jacqs from the beginning or he wouldn’t have landed on the Candiru instead of in a jail cell. The who and why of that is a great story, but I don’t know if I’ll get around to writing it. I tend to have entire universes in my head, but writing sequels is my kryptonite. I also think the relationship with Ben, Copta and Becca is interesting. Just because Copta is asexual doesn’t mean that she doesn’t want a long-term relationship. I can see doing a book with them as a triad.

BMBR: Any upcoming projects, Lyn? Maybe a sequel to a certain book with a certain character that is certainly popular?

LG: I always have a dozen or more irons in the fire at any one time. I currently have three books half or more than half written. Desert World Immigrants follows Verly Black, a disgraced captain who accidentally caused the deaths of a ship full of immigrants and Naite Polli, a wounded man who has always tried to fix things by working harder. Customary Miracles is about a geeky, unlucky-in-love author who has done the cheap sex thing until he’s tired of the game and just given up on men. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get his happily ever after until he meets an equally geeky professor of comparative religions from India.

However, I suspect you’re asking about Assimilation, War, and Other Human Oddities. Liam and Ondry are back and are happily nesting and trading. However, the humans are determined to take advantage of what they see as an “in” with the Rownt. Craig makes a cameo appearance. He’s the tech who showed Liam “Rownt porn” when he first came to Prarownt. However, Earth has sent some power players to try and reopen negotiations with the Rownt, and Captain Susan Diallo is their “go to” girl.

I was 80% done with this when my mother had a stroke and then needed emergency surgery for her gall bladder. Right now I’m trying to get back into the right mindset to finish this story. I don’t know if I’m ever going to finish the Desert World book because I’ve been away from it too long, and I don’t want to let the Claimings sequel fall into the same black hole.

Other than that, I have a lot of scenes written that might turn up in later books. Aaron is a tired soldier who has fought demons ever since a spell destroyed their ability to hide using magic glamours. He’s come to realize that not all “demons” are evil, but he’s realized this after killing too many. He’s worn down to nothing by the time an incubus hunts him down.

John is a lobsterman who was too injured to keep fishing. He made an unlikely switch to high-end prostitution (through a weird series of events), and now he’s been hired by a Hollywood type who likes to put men in harness and then try to tame a wild stallion. John likes it a little too much.

Vicissitude of Magic stars David, a mere mortal in the secret world of wizards. Faulkner believes that mundanes should be protected from the magical world; however, a spell turns this good guy into a bad guy, and David becomes the target of an evil monster that wears the face of a former ally.

Darryl is a black man raised by a white family after his mother died and his father crawled in a bottle. Now as an adult, an injury means he has time to visit his birth father, who has sobered up and asked for another chance. However, Darryl doesn’t know how to handle his jealousy when his father seems more comfortable with Evan, another recovering alcoholic his father is sponsoring.

I think it’s easy to say that I have ideas on ideas on ideas, and not nearly enough time to write them all. And add onto that the fact that I do still write fanfic. It’s fun to get in and just build sandcastles in someone else’s sandbox sometimes. It all means that if I had time to sit at the computer full time, I could never finish one-tenth of my projects. However, as a part-time teacher/part-time administrator and teacher trainer, I am completely screwed. And with my mother’s recent stroke, I am not even pretending that even half these will be written. My mother is definitely getting better, but I’ve had to do a little rearranging of priorities.

So, that is me in a nutshell.

Thanks once more to Lyn Gala stopping by and gracing us with an awesome interview and exclusive bonus scene for our book of the month, Claimings, Tails and Other Artifacts. We couldn't let her leave without unicornizing her. She shall hereby forever be known to us as Starflower Fair Rump:

Starflower is always as happy as a clam.
She is handsome to look upon,
and she melts the snow and brings the warm weather.

Review: Turbulence by Lyn Gala

Corporal Jacqs Glebov is a simple soldier who wants a bunk, decent food and the company of other battle-hardened men and women who understand the realities of fighting. Instead he's stuck patrolling a remote corner of the border with cadets straight out of boot camp. They don't understand him, and he sure doesn't have an ounce of respect for them.

After a field promotion, Earth sends Commander Zeke Waters to the Candiru for some practical experience in a leadership role. Instead, Zeke falls in lust with the adamantly heterosexual Jacqs. The way Jacqs fights and the way he sees the world draws Zeke closer, even if common sense tells him to walk away.

Even if they can find a way to reconcile their sexual differences, they are both still soldiers. The war will eventually take them away from each other unless they can find a way to escape the rules that have defined their lives.

Man, did I get sucked into this story, this world and these characters or what?

You get the gist from the blurb right? I’m not going to go into what Turbulence is all about, read the blurb and you’ve got the basics. I want to tell you about all the things that make this so much more than sci-fi, M/M romance.

I love M/M romance stories. You know, the 100+ page stories about the relationship, there’s some angst, some self-discovery and then an HEA? Those? I love those. But, if you read too many in a row, it won’t matter how good they are, they are going to run together and that’s not fair to them. You’ve got to have a book that is going to give you more and take you somewhere else in there too. This is one of those books.

There is an incredible amount of world building and politics that needed to be explained but it never read like an instruction manual or a laundry list of rules and regs. The history and state of their world evolved organically with the story and I was never left confused as to why or who. After reading Claimings, Tails and Other Alien Artifacts I can see how Lyn Gala is a master of this. Being that the bulk of the story takes place on one spaceship, the Candiru, while the earth is at war, the situation has a monumental impact on the crew and every part of their lives. Knowing what is happening and learning about Jacqs’ past explains everything about who he is and why he acts the way he does.

So, Jacqs. One of the most memorable characters I’ve read. He’s big, he’s rough, he’s scary and he likes it that way. He keeps people at arms-length on purpose. He’s a simple man who has no tolerance for stupidity and indecision. Problem is, he deals with it daily as much of the crew on his ship are either fresh out of training and/or have never been to the front to experience the true impact of the war.

“Jacqs snorted. Stupidity didn’t deserve more of a response than that.”

A new captain is assigned to his ship and Zeke confuses Jacqs to no end. Their dialog is classic and I loved reading it. Jacqs is one of those characters who can be witty without meaning to be, brilliant on accident and insightful to the point of being scary. Unfortunately a lot of those qualities get buried in his gruff delivery and overall lack of social skills and no one really takes the time to know the real Jacqs. Fortunately for Jacqs, Zeke does come along and he does see and more importantly, he appreciates Jacqs for who he is. Scars and all.

What was so incredibly refreshing about the relationship between Jacqs and Zeke was Jacqs reaction to the fact that he wasn’t the het he thought he was. He didn’t freak out, get overly aggressive or push Zeke away. He went to Zeke and TALKED about it. What a novel idea and interesting concept. As an FYI - Sexuality in this world is very different and it was incredibly interesting to read about the dynamics, and that made Jacqs' reaction believable and completely normal for him. Jacqs is not the kind of guy to back away from something, so he barrels right in and gets a handle on who he is and who he can be for Zeke.

As the two become closer and Jacqs gets the major revelation about his sexuality, the reality of the war comes to the ship and the real tension and worry that the two have for each other is so well done and I got completely wrapped up in the mission. I really felt the confusion and stress that they were under when Jacqs finally made it back to the ship. The war they knew was changing and they had no clue what was coming for their future.

There is just so much crazy stress as the war seems to be coming to an end and not a favorable one for the humans. Thankfully Jacqs and Zeke did have some great stress relieving activity throughout and their chemistry together was off the charts. I loved that Zeke truly appreciated everything about Jacqs and those little moments as Jacqs was figuring that out were quite sweet.

I really had no idea how this was going to end. You really have to read it to get the full impact of their situation on what turns out to be their last mission. It was really well played out and I loved how it turned out for them. It was really an HEA for them and their world.

There are WAY too many great Jacqs quotes to pick out just one or two to give a taste of how he thinks. I do think this thought process about his sexuality sums up Jacqs well:

Jacqs didn’t rightly like self-introspection. It never led to good things. It didn’t even lead to mediocre things, not in his estimation. But, at the same time, he’d never run away from a fight in his life, not when it came to bullies in the camps, not when he’d faced off against the batfaces for the first time, and not when he had demons rolling around in his head. He battled them, and he either won or lost the fight, but he didn’t go hiding.

Review: Snatched Anthology

Any hunter will tell you part of the satisfaction is in the chase as well as the triumphant capture of their prey. In Snatched, the focus is on the eroticism of the power play between men and their male captors. Sometimes romance ensues, sometimes just a good amount of steamy sex, but in all cases, the effects of one character being in utter control of the man he has captured takes center stage. The appeal is in the erotic dominance and the way the captive would try to escape if he could, whether he truly wants to deep down or not.

Thomas is determined not to let the fights with his boyfriend, John, ruin his vacation in the tropical rainforests of Equador. But when he steps off the trail, he steps into danger as he is taken captive by guerilla freedom fighters. Held against his will, he nonetheless finds himself developing an attraction to the man who both arouses and repels him. And as his captivity weighs on him, Thomas finds that being "The Guerilla's Plaything" is not the worst fate he can envision...

Bryce's life changes forever the night that he and his boyfriend are brutally attacked by creatures that seem like they can only be demonic. He's sure, when they carry him off, that he's being packed off for lunch, so it's a shock when he finds that one of his captors is not the horror that he expected. As their attraction grows, it could be "The Two of Us" against the world.

As a member of the lesser nobility, Micah has never truly been able to "Feel the Wind" of freedom, and he and his family are not exempt from the brutality of the highest of the nobles. When he is imprisoned, hunted for sport, and captured by Ari, one of the realm's Princes, he feels that his life is over. But when an escape attempt leads him to the bed of Dhea, Ari's brother, he finds that there is much more to live for... and at the same time, so much more danger than he knows.

Snatched is an anthology featuring three short stories about kidnapping, some stories feature romance as the end result. Out of the three stories, two of them were really good. It was like the anthology was a naughty boy, hording his treats finally sharing the best story for last. I was almost thrown off by the weaker start. Almost.

The Guerrilla's Plaything by Tilly Hunter - 2 Hearts

*sigh*

A British student who likes bondage is on vacation in Ecuador. He's taken by a "guerrilla" named Alvaro because he looked suspicious while taking a piss in the jungle. The guerrilla has a fondness for the brit's "little dick" and leaves him exposed and kidnaps him. Then a weird, weak kidnap story starts where the Brit's dick is out and hard because he likes being tied up. No humiliation really. No bondage. No action. Just more meh.

And then the sex scene happens where the guerrilla tells the kidnappee (I can't remember his name) that they are going to have sex but he can call it rape of he has to. I couldn't even attach the lamest of dub con tag on this story. It was like C rated porn. I gave up. No wait, the closing line changed my 2.5 to a 2.

"It's perfectly understandable," John said evenly. "What do they call it? Stockholm Syndrome?""Yeah, I think so."

Really? Wouldn't you need to be kidnapped for longer than a day? I wasn't invested with the characters, so other than the different setting, I thought it was just okay. Had potential but missed the mark.

I fell asleep three times while reading this.  I was channeling Monsoon.

The Two of Us by Lor Rose - 4 HEARTS

Twenty-two year old, ginger virgin Bryce is on a lackluster date with a guy he feels no real attraction for. However, Bryce wants to rid himself of his virginity. While sitting on his potential lover's lap in a car, they are attacked by mythical horse shifters. Apparently this is story #2 from Lor Rose's Horse Shifter series. I didn't know what these shifters could do but let's just say they need to eat human hearts once a full moon to stay alive. Warning: there's a rape scene [not between the MC].

Xanthos and his fellow shifter Lampon (I couldn't help but think it rhymes with tampon) keep Bryce alive with some major bruising. But where the last story failed with capturing the power struggle between captor and captive, this story did. You could believe Bryce's fear even if he claimed he suffered from not feeling much emotions.

Xanthos is thousands of years old, has skin that is like movable granite and can't feel anything but pain. (But he feels erections) He's a killer, emotionally stunted and feels something for his captive. He's part of a group of four horse shifter killers but the group is split. Half of the group left for love. And at first Xanthos scoffed but he can't help feeling something towards Bryce.

Sadly this was just a short...I would have loved this if it were a novella. A lot of strong points and ideas were introduced but not followed through. Still it was a sexy ride, even a little mention of snowballing. I really liked, wished it wasn't as rushed towards the end.

Hooray for a more unusual type of shifter romance!

Feel the Wind by Ann Anderson - 4.5 HEARTS

It seems the best story of the anthology award goes to this story. This was what I wanted - hot sex, kink (some D/s, orgasm denial, bondage and pain kink, baby!), a surprise ménage, virgins (yep two virgins!), collaring (*squeals*), actual rape...It was fantasy, some magic, grit and deliciousness wrapped up in a sexy bow.

And I ate it up.

We have a thief (did I mention I love thieves too?) with a magical gift of controlling the wind who has been imprisoned for six years. In this fantasy filled society (there's a smidge of technology thrown in), the nobility and royalty hunt lesser folk for sport and make the captures their prey, their pets. This time around it's the thief, Micah. And he is captured by a prince! But this prince is a virgin as is Micah. But compared to Ari's larger, more sinister brothers, Ari seemed like the safest choice for Micah.

I wish there was more exploration in the world the author created. We get enough to carry the story this story would have been even better as a novella. Get more page time exploring the magical talents people have, etc. Micah was a fun character. He knew his limitations and played up what he had when he had to. Loved reading him switch from submissive to dominant. And playing those brothers? (You'll have to read to see which brother joined in this menage between pet and masters) Micah was delish! The ending was HFN/HEA-ish. Hint: a golden collar. *squeals*

I hope the author will follow up with these characters or the other brothers. It's an interesting world I wouldn't mind revisiting. 

Hands down favorite! Gotta check out more from this author. I squirmed!

The Snatched anthology is worth a read. I usually get bored because there can be a lot of duds mixed in a bundle. But this was not the case, on average. And now I have a new author to check out.

Score!

Review: Ball & Chain by Abigail Roux

Home from their unexpected deployment, the former members of Marine Force Recon team Sidewinder rejoin their loved ones and try to pick up the pieces of the lives they were forced to leave behind. Ty Grady comes home to Zane Garrett, only to find that everything around him has changed—even the men he went to war with. He barely has time to adjust before his brother, Deuce, asks Ty to be his best man. But that isn’t all Deuce asks Ty to do, and Ty must call for backup to deal with the business issues of Deuce’s future father-in-law.

Nick O’Flaherty and Kelly Abbott join Ty and Zane at the wedding on an island in Scotland, thinking they’re there to assuage Deuce’s paranoia. But when bodies start dropping and boats start sinking, the four men get more involved with the festivities than they’d ever planned to.

With the clock ticking and the killer just as stuck on the isolated island as they are, Ty and Zane must navigate a veritable minefield of family, friends, and foes to stop the whole island from being destroyed.

***may contain spoilers so watch out!***

OK, so here’s the deal.  I have been anticipating this book ever since I finished Touch & Geaux.  I was jealous of everyone who got an ARC and I couldn’t wait to read more about Ty & Zane and see what kinds of shenanigans they could get up to.  When I learned that it had been released early on Riptide I jumped on it right quick.

Then I started to read…

I was eager to see the reunion.  I just knew it was going to be epic.  I was expecting one of the hottest sex scenes I have ever read.  I knew they were going to reunite, it was going to be so romantic and joyful, and then burn up my screen with the wild monkey lovin’.  I didn’t get that.

And I was pissed!!!

Only 5% in and I was already disappointed.  Big, epic reunion at the base and they go home and fuck like bunnies, right?  NO!  All of a sudden it is two weeks later and I’m left looking for the missing scene, thinking I got a defective copy because surely Ms. Roux wouldn’t skip over something like that!  I mean, who does that?!?!?

Then they go to some castle on a cliff on a remote island off of Scotland for Deuce’s wedding.  Already my eyes are rolling because, yeah, I can see where this is going.  As I progress through the story my eyes just keep rolling until I think they’re gonna detach from their sockets from the strain.  Really?  Secret passageways?  Come on!  It was like watching the movie Clue or seeing really bad mystery dinner theatre.  Then someone is murdered, all communication with the mainland is cut off and all the boats float away in a storm.  Yep, I’m watching Clue.  

Oh, and this book is funny.  I’m telling you it is.  See, right here in the book it tells you that this book is funny.  Why aren’t you laughing?  You should be laughing because this shit is funny dammit!  The book says so for crying out loud!

I’m so freaking disappointed by this time that I consider DNFing the book.

But then I read one sentence, just five little words strung together by Nick and my entire perspective changes.

She did this shit on purpose y’all.

Suddenly my eyes are open and I’m seeing this not as a serious book (or a book trying to be serious) but for what it truly is.

Entertainment.

Now it’s gone from horrible, rant worthy mystery dinner theatre to entertaining blockbuster movie.  Because that’s what it really is.  Just pure entertainment.  So much more enjoyable that way!  I started flying through the book with glee.  Here are the shenanigans I wanted.  Oh, this is gonna be good!

As I continued reading though, I couldn’t help but notice that I was getting less and less Ty & Zane and more and more Ty & Nick and Kelly & Nick until it became just Nick.  Nick, Nick, Nick, Nickety Nick.  All Nick, all the time.  I was now watching the Nick channel.  Why is that?  I thought this was book 8 in the Cut & Run series, not book 2 of the Sidewinders novellas.  Did i buy the wrong book?  What the hell is going on around here?!?

And I’m back to being disappointed.  

But!  I persevered because, hey, it’s Ty & Zane!  Well, kinda.  I think I was hoping Nick would fade into the background so we could get back to the MAIN CHARACTERS of this story.  Sad to say, that never happened.

Then at 69% (heh) I was thrown into a big ole batch of WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS GOING ON AROUND HERE?!? Chaos has ensued and I’m digging it.  I’m digging it hard.  I am just going to come right out and say this:  I love shenanigans.  I love over-the-top storylines.  I love chaos.  Needless to say I am back to loving it.

I’m not even going to touch on the ending because it was just more of Nick the Great and I don’t wanna get mad again.  I will tell you this though.  There was a scene in this book that just about gutted me.  I won’t tell you what it was and I won’t tell you where in the book it was.  Just know this:  it made me bleed.

So to sum up, I both loved and hated this book equally.  I will give it 3 stars and hope that Abi Roux gives the boys (Ty & Zane, NOT NICK) the face time and the HEA they deserve in the final book of this series.  ‘Cause they really do deserve it.

Review: Nevada Highlander by Erin O'Quinn

For some men, love comes hard. But deceit comes even harder.

A Scottish castle laird decides to attend a big game hunt in the mountains of Eastern Nevada. His covert, and reluctant, babysitter is a governor-appointed state trooper.

The exuberant Rory Drummond needs no protector. He is a trained hunter, in addition to having several other entertaining skills. The state trooper Alex Dominguez is reserved, shrouding his past—even from himself—out of a need to seal off old memories.

Inevitably, the men find each other irresistible, and soon certain sparks begin to affect both of them. As the attraction between them grows, so does their sense of commitment to each other. Only one thing stands in the way of a mature relationship … Alex’s fear of telling Rory his secret assignment. The tension between his sense of duty and his newfound passion is a factor which threatens to tear them apart once the truth is known.

And the facts must eventually come out.

What will happen when the hunter finds he's being spied on, thousands of miles from home?

And what will the trooper do when his cover is, ah, blown?

(2.75 hearts rounded up)

So Nevada Highlander.....

I loved the blurb, it was so promising - however at times I did feel disappointed. I've not read any Erin O'Quinn before and generally I liked her style of writing, it was well formulated and easy to read. Characters were well defined and likeable and the setting was gorgeous. Rory our Scottish laird was feisty and manly (yum) and Alex our state trooper was considerate and manly (double yum). They were hot together, they had sex within hours of meeting and continued having sex, lots and lots of sex....The Nevada landscape in which it was mostly set was beautiful, Erin clearly has a love of this area that comes across in her writing, I would love to visit this part of the world on the strength of this alone. So why aren't I falling over myself raving about it?

Well firstly I have to say that I was stopped at 26% and this was my status update;

"Epic fail. They've known each other for a few hours and gone bare-back. No, just no."

Quite honestly in this day and age I really don't expect to read this. I love bare-back if it's made clear that both characters know they are disease free - and this doesn't just go for M/M writing but F/M as well. If the scene is a sex scene and it's a detailed sex scene than I want to know about protection, however hot it is without. If it's virgins, an other world story or so on and so forth I don't care about it, but in this world, in the current day and by two MC's who have a sexual past I want to either know about clean tests or condoms. End of. The fact that these two were strangers and not using condoms actually meant I put the book down and it took me some time to resume reading. Anyway now I've got that off my chest....

Then just 10% later I was at it again with the updates, this time it was;

"We, yeah, I'm pretty sure they know what jeans are in Scotland. I'm pretty sure my mum would have known what they were when she was growing up in Scotland 40+ years ago. I'm also pretty sure not all Scotsmen wear kilts on a daily basis, pretty much as sure as I am that Frenchmen, in the main, don't wear striped tops, berets and ride around on bicycles with onions round their necks. #stereotyping

So yeah, it's be fair to say some of the Scottish things annoyed me. Also the constant use of the word foogin' as opposed to fucking, (I guess). Sometimes writing an accent works...sometimes it doesn't. Many years ago I read Trainspotting and the whole thing is written in 'Scottish' -  that's to say it's written as the Scots speak, it took a few pages to get into but it worked, unfortunately for me it didn't in Nevada Highlander, I just got annoyed with it.

The other thing for me was I just found it a bit boring. I'm so sorry and I hate saying that, as I said the characters and setting were lovely but the plot line was a bit blah. It held the promise of being interesting but it just wasn't.

As always I will say that reading is a truly individual thing and what I might find boring someone else might love. There was nothing wrong with the actual writing itself, it was just for me the storyline.

A copy of this book was given to BMBR for an honest review.

Review: The Talisman Ring of Amenhotep by Zev de Valera

Can one innocent act change your life forever?

When mild-mannered veterinarian Julian Wingate picks up an unusual bauble for a song in Cairo's Khan-al-Kalili, he has no idea that the acquisition of this ancient ring will alter the course of his future. Recently widowed from the famous Egyptologist Theo Barojas, Julian finds himself on the point of tossing aside all reminders of the past; eager to start his new life with an old love .... but the curious ring - boxed away for almost a year - beckons ... Once Julian slips the artifact upon his finger, nothing in his well-ordered life will ever be the same.

Well, this was a lot of fun and the beginning of this series had me hooked in the 60-ish pages that made up this first installment. It’s got adventure, colorful descriptions and memorable characters. The author was able to really pack a lot into a small package without any part of the story feeling overwhelmed or muddled.

Julian Wingate is in Egypt with his partner, noted Egyptologist, Theo Barojas. Julian is shopping through the market at Cairo's Khan-al-Kalili market and he always brings back trinkets from their travels for their friends. He’s just finishing up when he is drawn to one stall that he doesn’t recognize and that piques his curiosity. He has a decidedly strange encounter with the shop keeper that insists he take a ring as a gift. Julian is a little disconcerted with the encounter and heads back to the hotel to meet Theo. Julian is a little embarrassed and is just waiting for Theo to give him some good natured ribbing for coming away from the market with the ring, instead Theo is stunned by the find as it backs up the theory that Theo has been proposing relating to the Anunnaki and Amenhotep. Theo calls the ring a Talisman, while for Julian it becomes the symbol of the end of Theo’s life as Theo is taken from him tragically just a few days later.

The mystery of the ring remains unsolved and it’s packed away. Fast forward a year later to the point when Julian is pulling his life back together and getting ready to move forward again and he finds the ring. He slips the ring on, he really does like how it looks and he asks himself “Why keep it locked away? It can be a symbol of a new beginning as well as an end.” Well, it is a beginning all right, this is when the mystery really gets going. Strange things start happening, strange, but kind of subtle things that keep the story believable.

The story is strong and interesting, but I have to say I really love the characters. Since this is the first installment, there is still some mystery to most of them, but there is plenty of information there to get attached to. I like Julian a lot. He’s a little fussy, but in the most charming of ways. He’s at the beginning of a potential relationship with a man who has been a friend and business partner for years, Dinesh. I have a serious book crush on Dinesh, he’s the epitome of charming. How do you not fall for a man who declares that champagne is “essential for a proper bubble bath”? He’s a great match for Julian and I liked reading about the start of their world as a couple.

Every great adventure story has to have a villain and the Directrix is the perfect, classic, old school villain. She’s beautiful, brilliant, powerful, and she wants Julian’s ring. She knows what the ring means, she knew Theo and she’s not going to stop until she gets what she wants. She’s got a reluctant handsome henchman with a story of his own, Hiroshi Sato and an assistant, Vivan Loving who has an air of mystery about her as well that I really liked.

This story has a little bit of everything. There was a really sweet new romance, an exotic mystery, some seriously sexy sexy-times and they were all wrapped up in a well written package. I highly recommend this one and I’ll definitely be on the lookout for the next installment. I’ve actually already nagged the author :D.

 

EXCLUSIVE BONUS SCENE for "Claimings, Tails and Other Alien Artifacts" from March's AotM Lyn Gala!!

For our March Author of the Month Happy Hour chat about Claimings, Tails and Other Alien Artifacts, we said we wanted more of Ondry.

So what did our amazing Author of the Month Lyn Gala give us?

MORE ONDRY! :D

When we were done squeeing over the awesomeness that showed up in our inbox (totally totally awesome!), we devoured this little snippet from Ondry's POV.

Here's an EXCLUSIVE bonus scene for Claimings, Tails and Other Alien Artifacts by Lyn Gala:


(Warning: This scene may contain spoilers.)

First Sight by Lyn Gala

Ondry paced the plaza.  Only two traders had tables – a potter with a number of pieces that might bring a reasonable profit if Ondry were to travel the nearby farms and an alien trader with a number of strange pieces that appeared artistic in nature.  Ondry tried to avoid art, at least he did now.  He was quite embarrassed to remember how he’d once shown off his paltry wealth by wasting money on jewelry.  He’d been so young he’d had egg stuck to his tail yet.

Now he tried to focus on being more sensible.  Pottery was sensible.

Ondry walked by the tables, and the human jumped, his hip hitting his own table.  He said something, the alien words darting out into the air like small fish, and Ondry exchanged an amused look with the other trader.

The grandmothers said that humans were naturally smaller and that the size of these traders did not suggest youthfulness, but Ondry had to believe this was a young one who had just left his parent’s side.  A number of pieces had fallen to the floor of the plaza, and this small human with his pale skin and his dark fur went to his knees as he retrieved his goods.

Sometimes goodwill was the most valuable commodity a trader possessed.  Ondry fully intended to be a nutu trader one day, and that meant he needed to begin to curb his own instinct toward profit and work toward the mutual profits of all involved.  Helping a child just out of the egg retrieve a few pieces from the dust was a small step toward that.

Ondry crouched down and picked up a copper piece with delicate carvings on the face, putting back on the table.  Now the human stared at him with big eyes.  In a Rownt, that would mean confusion or a shrewd mind searching for information.  Ondry wasn’t sure what it meant with this species.

Honestly it was rather disconcerting looking at this human.  When Ondry traded with Imshee, nothing in their appearance seemed familiar. The lack of similarity allowed him to search an Imshee face without seeing any reflection of his own. But the human looked like a very young, very pale, and very angry Rownt.  The protruding lips were a large part of that.

Still discomforted by the nearness of the human, Ondry turned to the goods.  The smaller containers would make nice vessels for spices or perhaps Hyst could use a few as casings for his electronic devices.  It was a larger risk than the ceramics, but it could potentially be a larger profit.

Ondry fingered the tokens in his bag without pulling them out, watching as the human stood with one foot bouncing up and down.  If the grandmothers said this was a full grown human, Ondry would not argue. However, he did not present himself as an adult.  Finally, Ondry pulled out three tokens for gasha berries, one token for da nuts, and one token for raw ore.

The human picked up each token and compared it to the images on his hand-held recording device.  He quickly pushed the tokens for gasha berries back toward Ondry, and the ceramics trader gave a little trill.  Nice. The trader was distressed for Ondry.  Ondry showed the trader his fang. Meanwhile, the human seemed to miss the entire exchange.  He put the token for da nuts down in the trading spot and fingered the token for ore for a long time. Either he trusted Ondry enough to signal his real intentions or he was a young fool revealing too much of his thought process.  Finally the human put the ore token down in the trade spot and removed two-thirds of the brass containers by pushing them to one side.

The ceramics trader gave another short trill. Ondry flipped his tail that direction. If the man wanted to start something, Ondry would be more than happy to engage.  Perhaps the other realized the depth of Ondry’s annoyance because he retreated to the far side of his table.

Then Ondry focused on the trade in front of him.  He silently swapped out tokens for tuthaha, which the human rejected, and an artisan’s reialet, which the human accepted.  The human pushed brass containers this way and that depending on what Ondry had on the table.  Eventually they settled in the middle, although Ondry was the first to say he had bested the man significantly.

In return for one reialet with sharpened metal edges, two shares of ka nuts, two shares of raw ore, and half dozen tokens for playsa root, Ondry had secured every container except the largest. That was fine.  The largest was a piece so ostentatious it had no place outside a temple.  Ondry quickly finished the formalities, carefully offering the human all the social graces required, even if the human was not aware of them. Instead the human imitated him precisely, so precise that he gave Ondry the same bow – one that implied a superior speaking to one much younger.

The one selling pottery gave another trill. Again, Ondry flashed a tooth.  This time the human looked from one to the other, clearly trying to understand their interaction.

Ondry turned to leave, a number of the brass containers in hand.  He had just stepped off the plaza platform when he realized the human had followed.  Ondry had traded with another human once, but that one had definitely not followed.  He had cringed back, looking more like a prey animal than a trading partner.  This one had more strength to him.  Ondry stopped and looked down, waiting.

“You aren’t able to carry much me purchased,” he said, mangling the pronoun.  Ondry was wondering if the human was insulting his strength, although given his size, that seemed unlikely.

“I shall return later,” Ondry said.

“Could carry me container, help.  I am Liam, trader of the human base.”

Ondry gave a small and incomplete bow.  I am Ye-Ondry of the line of Chal, graduate of the Brarownt Academy and holder of a certificate of excellence from a grandmother,” he introduced himself. For a Rownt of less than two hundred years, it was an accomplished title.  Ondry had even been chosen by three women who had pulled his tail and claimed his seed, although he would not be so crass as to introduce himself with that fact. That was an honor to slip into conversation later, and only with those traders with whom he had good relations. Considering his young age, it could inspire jealousy in those who did not understand how hard Ondry had worked to deserve such an honor.

“I hope next time to force you into a trade that leaves you with no meal to eat,” Liam said, his words so stilted and his dialect so old fashioned that Ondry suspected he had memorized the common insult out of a scroll.

“I suspect that I have already done as much to you already,” Ondry said.  It would be cruel to refuse to insult this young one.  Ondry was young enough that he did not want to imply that this Liam, trader of the human base, needed coddling like a child.

“I fail trade brass twelve days. Me not one tonight on table no meat,” Liam shot right back, his face shifting so that his cheeks were pushed up and his eyes angled slightly.  He appeared amused, although the expression was odd on his alien face.

Ondry felt the familiar warmth of traded insults.  It was the universal language of traders. “Perhaps you do not know where to sell your goods.  You stand in the rain and offer people water.”

Liam made a strange sound with air rushing out his mouth as he made a series of little noises that did not seem to have enough syllables to be words.  “Maybe you right,” he agreed, his eyes angled up in fondness.

Ondry found himself caught off guard.  He had not expected Liam, human trader, to embrace his own youth or foolishness.

“But tomorrow he trades playsa and not sits with brass undesirables,” Liam finished.

For a creature who could not speak Rownt well, Liam communicated quite effectively, Ondry thought.  And it was certainly true that Liam’s position was improved. Humans did not have free access to the planet, so Liam could not show up at Hyst’s home and offer him the goods.  Perhaps this was a mutually beneficial trade.  Certainly if Ondry wished to earn his nutu status, he had to begin to think in terms of long-term trades that profited everyone, and he had to develop a reputation for the same.

“Go get your container, young one.  Help me carry these to the warehouse.”

Liam’s lips pulled tight and thinned out so that they almost looked normal. Almost.  Liam didn’t even complain about being called young.  He simply gave a deep nod and then ran back into the plaza to gather up the other goods. 

The pottery trader came outside, and leaned against one of the trellises.  “He is not like the other humans.”

“No,” Ondry agreed.  “He is not.”

He was something more interesting, and Ondry was curious just what he might be hiding under all that atrocious grammar.

You hear that? That noise right there?

That's the sound of the entire clubhouse going "squeeeee!"

;)

Thank you so much, Lyn, for the amazing bonus scene! ♥♥♥

Review: Fettered by Lyn Gala

Dylan Carter has always played second fiddle to his perfect older brother, but now that brother is implicated in a terrible crime, and Dylan's family is imploding. Dylan can’t hide anymore. Knowing he’s falling apart, he searches for something or someone to hold him together—and lands in a BDSM bar called the Stonewall.

Dylan doesn’t understand Miss Dolphinia, the hard-drinking queen who seems determined to play matchmaker. But more confusing is the way the powerful men in leather make him feel. In her wisdom, Miss Dolphinia sends Dylan off to a back room for his introduction to the world of erotic spankings and bondage.

Dylan’s teacher—for want of a better word—is the very dominant Vin Hauser. Vin likes to play hard, but he’s honest with himself—he knows all those men want is a strong hand, not a long-term relationship. Yet Vin can’t help but hope Dylan might be different.

With controversy over his brother’s sins stirring up danger around him, Dylan needs Vin’s support more than ever. But until he and Vin learn to trust each other, Dylan will have to face his fear and the growing threats alone.

Wow. How I loved this. All for unexpected reasons. Well, mostly unexpected, that is.

Dylan is falling apart. He's got to get away from his crazy home life. His brother has been accused (and is most likely guilty) of some heinous crimes. His family is going cray because of it and he just needs to get gone. This is when he finds himself at Stonewall, a local BDSM club. And he finds someone to hold him together. *licks lips* Oh boy, he does. *grunts*

Vin. Gawd, Vin. Vin. Yes, he requires me saying his name three times. Maybe four. Vin.

"'I prefer not to talk to them afterward, but I love whipping someone, watching the strain and yield, and you strain and fight and lose yourself so completely that I am looking forward to fucking you night after night. I want to find out just how fast I can drop you into that subspace. I want to know every sensitive spot in your body, and I want to watch the muscles of your back stand out as you fight the cuffs.'"

I love his kind of Dom-ish-ness. He's all obsessive and possessive and just. so. alpha. He doesn't just fall in love with Dilly, his emotions are so much more and all-encompassing. Dylan is his. *bites lip*

He didn't have the need for things like safe-words and such. He knew what his boy needed and he was going to give it to him.

"Dilly was alone. Thinking. Dilly hated thinking. He pulled against the chains and realized he didn't have a whole lot of choice, though, because he wasn't going to be doing anything else until Vin allowed it. And worse, Dilly wanted to have sex with Vin more than ever. Well, crap."

Vin wanted Dilly to think, so he made sure Dilly was going to sit and think. Even if chains were involved. Unf.

Dylan is the perfect sub for him. He wants and needs that kind of control over him in this uncontrollable time in his life.

So, yeah, all these things are totally expected reasons as to why I would love this. But, REASONS! There's more.

I had no idea there was going to be such crazy family happenings and that I would become so invested in Dylan and the insanity that his life has become. I get not wanting to believe the absolute worst about your children but I couldn't believe how deep in denial his mother was. And then, the results because of this was just... I don't even know. Unbelievable.

I love the dedication that came from Vin. He was 100% there for Dylan, no questions asked, Dylan needed him so that was that. Vin was taking control of the situation. *rawr* Then Dylan was so willing to accept his help. There wasn't any push and pull between them, no arguments. They fit each other so perfectly.

I loved this for all the reasons that I knew I would. The ropes, chains, whips, floggers and vibrating butt plugs. The perfect Dom/sub way Vin and Dylan belonged together. Then there was just so much more to them and their story.

Fangirl Moment: Series Review: Adrien English Mysteries by Josh Lanyon

As if recovering from heart surgery beneath the gaze of his over-protective family wasn’t exasperating enough, someone keeps trying to break into Adrien English’s bookstore. What is this determined midnight intruder searching for?

When a half-century old skeleton tumbles out of the wall in the midst of the renovation of Cloak and Dagger Bookstore renovation, Adrien turns to hot and handsome ex-lover Jake Riordan -- now out-of-the closet and working as a private detective.

Jake is only too happy to have reason to stay in close contact with Adrien, but there are more surprises in Adrien’s past than either one of them expects -- and one of them may prove hazardous to Jake’s own heart.

Series review

What a ride that was! I have to tell you, I did not expect to love this series as much as I did. I’m not a big mystery fan and I think that was why I put off reading this series (and Josh Lanyon) as long as I did. But let me just say this: I’m so glad I finally gave in and tried it.

Josh Lanyon has an amazing ability to create characters that are so believable; so fleshed out that you feel as if you know them personally. They are so complex and alive. These characters are nowhere near perfect, which makes them that much more real.

Adrien held my heart throughout all five book. He’s quirky and funny and so brave. He’s also stubborn and snarky and annoying. And he can sometimes be a big ole pain in the butt. And I loved him all the more because of it even though some of the stunts he pulled and the decisions he made had me wanting to give him a good, swift kick in the rear end.

Now Jake. Jake is… well… How should I put this? I didn’t really like Jake in the first book but I didn’t really know him all that well either. In the second book I got to know him a lot better and I grew fond of him. Then I read book three and I HATED him with the fire of a thousand suns! I didn’t feel that he was in any way redeemable. Book four wasn’t much better but by the end of it he was starting to grow on me again. But with this last book I really got to know him and you know what? He’s still gruff. He still has issues. He’s not perfect and never will be. But I ADORE him. I adore him for his patience and his honesty and his caring and his love. I read on someone’s review “no one says Baby quite like Jake”. Yeah, so true.

All of the plots in each of these stories flowed well and seamlessly into each other. I discovered no plot holes or inconsistencies. The writing was smart and beautiful. The secondary characters were as well fleshed out as the MC’s. My eyes did gloss over a bit with all the classic movie and music references but hey, they’re just not my cuppa. No big deal. They didn’t hurt the storyline in the least.

And that one scene after Adrien finally pulls his head out of his ass? Guh! It was breathtaking! It was perfect in every way. I was irrevocably smitten by the time I finished reading it.

I had the best time reading this series and I will definitely be checking out all of Mr. Lanyon’s other works very, very soon. I also had a blast with my status updates and I thank each and every one of my Goodreads friends for putting up with them and me while I spewed my thoughts and emotions onto you. ♥

Review: Being Chase (The Chase Series, #1) by J.J. Scotts

Wouldn’t it be nice to be a celebrity?

Liam Collins is desperate for a job. Forced to jump to the big city, he can’t believe his luck when he suddenly gets an offer from a prestigious publishing company. Absolutely ecstatic, Liam doesn’t even bother reading the details. But on his first day of work, he isn’t ushered to a quaint cubicle. Instead, he’s brought to a classy high-rise and told that he’s been hired to be the face of the best-selling author, Chase Preston.

When Liam first meets Chase, he’s so captivated by the mysterious man’s imposing figure and deep-set eyes. Maybe Liam really did get lucky.

All Liam has to do is go to fan meetings and award events as a stand-in for Chase. It actually doesn’t sound bad, but Liam soon realizes that being with Chase is harder than it appears. Despite the challenges of Chase’s arrogant attitude, Liam puts up with it. What he finds difficult to put up with is Chase’s sexy body and brilliant blue eyes.

Even worse, the feeling may be mutual.

Being Chase is the start of a new series by J.J. Scotts with a really interesting premise and this was just enough of a tasty set up that made me want to read more. So far it’s more of an introduction to the players as the only character I feel like I have a handle on is Liam. Although I don’t feel as if I can form an opinion on him just yet either as he’s an ordinary guy in an extraordinary circumstance. All I can really speak to as far as the story goes, is that the set-up has a ton of potential and the characters have me curious. The writing is really good and the backstory flows well.

Here’s what I think of the characters so far:

Liam is a good guy with more of a story than we know just yet. I’m hoping that story will explain why he is putting up with the crappy treatment he’s been handed so far. He seems like a pretty centered person who just really needs a decent job. I don’t seem him as being desperately hopeless though, so there has to be something explaining why he’s afraid to set some boundaries and limits to these guys who are treating him so poorly. It’s a job, not a punishment. He’s attracted to Chase and all the mystery surrounding him. Chase knows and uses this and poor Liam and his blue balls are in for a long night or ten and painful relationship I fear.

Chase is a big mystery and a real asshole. So far all I really know is that he’s handsome, highly intelligent, scarred and a total prick to Liam. I’m hoping he has some redeeming qualities besides his hotness in the future because he can only ride the bad boy thing for so long. My real curiosity is with him, I want to know his story.

Eli and Landon are the good cop/bad cop in the mix. Eli seems like a pretty decent guy, but I would never assume that Liam should trust him while Landon is openly dismissive and insulting to Liam. I guess I just don’t really get the point of all the asshole-ishness. Call me old fashioned, but since when do we not have to use our manners? Really guys, no need to be such pricks. All that negativity was a little off putting for me, but if you love a bad boy, Landon and Chase won’t be a problem for you at all.

Josh is Chase’s younger brother and the only character I really liked. He’s very young, underage young, but he’s a brilliant junior chef already and his family supports his art through home schooling and training, the same way they did for Chase. He was the only one who really showed any kindness towards Liam and I hope he’ll make another appearance. Josh says that h almost never sees Chase, so it’s a mystery to Liam as to how they can be so different.

Overall I liked the beginning of this story. There is just so much mystery yet I can’t really speak to the story as a whole. It feels like it’s barely started. As I said though, it does have me curious though, and that is a good thing. Definitely go into this one knowing you aren’t getting a full story, if you’re aware of that it will help you appreciate the introduction to the series and the characters.

** a copy of this story was provided by the author for an honest review **

Review: The Faery Reel by Arielle Pierce

Faeries don’t exist, right?

That’s what Osian tells himself. So what if the stranger in the pub, the one that glows in the darkened room, has a beauty that is otherworldly. And that the man is watching him with eyes that promise trouble. So what if the music that drifts across the moor sounds like nothing he's ever heard. So what if it’s the night of the summer solstice, the night when the veil between the human world and the faery world is whisper thin.

Osian is not a believer. Not until he is kidnapped by Conall and taken to the world of the fey. In the Otherworld, Osian is offered something he’s never had: the love of another man. But this love comes at the cruelest price. For in order to stay with Conall, Osian must give up his home, his friends, and his family.

But there is a way out—if he chooses. It involves letting himself go, allowing himself to trust Conall, and finding the true meaning of his name.

Can Osian trust Conall enough to risk it all? It’s a dangerous game he plays, but the prize—love—may be worth the risk of losing it all.

Imagine you're a sarcastic, snobbish (when it comes to music), swearing Welshman in Ireland with your American friend on the summer solstice. You play the violin, you don't think you're that attractive (which you're fine with-mostly) and are prepared to have yet another lonely night pub-trawling with your fellow musician friend. And then you make eyes with the most gorgeous man you've ever seen, long blonde hair, super tall, ethereal. and you lose eye contact for just a moment...and BAM, he's gone. Disappeared in thin air.

Like the set up so far? I did too! Osain, the young snarky violinist grabbed my attention from the first words he uttered. He's scrappy, self-deprecating (without being annoying), curses like a sailor and has good taste in music. What's not to like? The story is told in 1st POV which I really like because you can get to be in the character's shoes.  On the night of the summer solstice, Osian is kidnapped by the gorgeous guy who turns out to be a fae, or aes Sidhe, named Conall. Conall is a MC I love reading about and I can eat his type up for days. That smug, yet sexy, controlling without beating you over the head with a club, slick talker. He's sort of described like this:

Legolas is always hot...I know.

But I pictured him more like this elf:

Nuada from Hellboy 2 - Frigging love him! He's creepily delicious.

Conall is a sly trickster and smooth lover that delivers the D. I wish I learned more of his world but the glimpses that was given in the short story were interesting. I loved the banter between Osain and Conall especially right after being kidnapped. Osain reacted how I would have reacted. He's not a big bloke and pretty much could have been squashed like a bug at any moment but he still tried to give as good as he got.

The two main characters can't deny the attraction but Osain does not want to stay in the faery world. He's enchanted by Conall but still wants to keep living his human life. Hint: Surprise shifting. (loved!) A challenge is thrown, some minor angst is delivered, hot sex is had, snark is given. I enjoyed. I am a lover of fae romances especially the sexy kind like The Faery Reel.

The ending? It's HFN/HEA-ish, I guess. Maybe if this was a longer story where we get to learn more about the main characters, I could rate higher. That is not to say the ending wasn't a good one. It was quite the compromise. I just wanted...more. More of this world created, more time to see the ending blossom...more.

Quick fun read, not really a re-read for me. But it is definitely a memorable little bit of fun.

My first Arielle Pierce read...will not be my last.