End of month catch up

Been catching up on Christmas gift making (not saying what as I don't want to spoil the surprise for family members ;)) and I've also got a small pile of baby stuff for PreemiesUK that I need to find a box for so that I can post it off.

I've read a few short stories that I have rated but not reviewed, plus rereading Omorphi put me in the mood to reread another book and I picked up Wolverine's Daughter by Doranna Durgin (which was also just as good the second time around.)

Short stories:

Faerly Furry (Club Soulfinder, #2) Amber Kell 4*

The Nesting Habits of Strange Birds by Charley Descoteaux 4*

Human Rights by S.L. Armstrong

plus I listened to this and might I suggest you listen to this in private (with plenty of tissues handy) or get used to the strange looks you get when you burst out laughing or crying whilst on the emotional roller-coaster that is T.J.'s writings.

Audiobook: Who We Are by T. J. Klune Narrated by: Charlie David Narration 5* Story 5*

Reading series books and rereading Omorphi

Forbidden (Planet Alpha #5)by J.J. Lore 4*
BLURB: Working to heal wounded Alphan warriors is the new duty of bondmates Leo and Deklan. Although recovered from severe injuries received on the field of battle, they are no longer fit to fight. Their orderly, all-male existence is turned upside down when an injured human female becomes their new responsibility.
Aura Tremain wakes up in an alien hospital, healing from a beating delivered by the scaly Xyrans who’d kidnapped her. Upon her discharge, two handsome Alphan men offer her refuge until she’s well enough to travel.
Even though Leo and Deklan know they will never be permitted to bond with Aura as their souls demand, they can’t ignore the desire she stirs in them. Her time with them is short, but so intense. Will the intimacies they share be strong enough to withstand the expectation that bondmates are for battle-worthy warriors? Can their passion bind the three of them forever?
My Review This was (currently) the last one of the Planet Alpha series for me to read. As in all the other ones the story was interesting and erotic. In this case though it had a pair of Alphan's who were not the apex of warrior fitness and health but were still very, very hot and sexy. I loved the bad-ass attitude of Aura and thought she coped well with everything that happened to her. I especially liked the ending and the way it was so different from the previous ones I'd read.




Elijah's Ghost (A Wizard's Touch #4) by Amber Kell 4*
BLURB: It only takes one event to change the world.
Elijah Trenton had always been considered a weak wizard. With little magic and an overpowering father he’d expected to spend his life teaching. When an accident reveals his ability to talk to the dead, new possibilities open up.
Devin Stewartson had been eyeing Elijah for months. The shy redhead drew his eye from that first day, and only the thought of a relationship had him shying away. When Elijah saves Devin’s life, Devin decides some things are worth a chance.
Old enemies and new adversaries try to tear the two men apart, but love can withstand most anything and even death can’t part two men fated to be together.
My Review: I enjoyed reading another one in 'A Wizard's Touch' series but this one had a few twists and turns I hadn't expected. I don't want to say too much in case I give them away but I will add that I loved Reaper and hope to see him mentioned in future books. He might even replace Gideon as my favourite character in the series now.

The reread of Omorphi is just as emotional as the first read - why do I do this to myself? Oh yeah, I enjoy a good in depth heart breaker once in a while, especially if it has a happy ending :D

Tales From High Hallack, Volume 2 by Andre Norton

Tales from High Hallack, Volume 2: the collected short stories of Andre Norton (Tales from High Hallack #2)
by Andre Norton 5*
BLURB: In the second volume of High Hallack, tales of high fantasy, science fiction and coming of age stories reach back to as far as 1943, yet are still as fresh and relevant today as when they were written. High Hallack was a place in Andre Norton's fiction, and was also the name of her genre writer's library she opened in Tennessee. It is a wonderous keep that she called home, and now High Hallack opens its gates and allows these amazing stories to unfold.
My Review: Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley I've had this book for a while now reading a story every now and then so as to enjoy them all individually. So today I was offered High Hallack 3 to review and decided to read the last two stories and put my review of it out there for everyone. I think that the thing I liked most about it is how versatile Andre was, she even wrote great poetry *jealous*, and how her stuff still resounds today as fresh and new as the day it was first published. Andre was an awesome author who had plenty of talent and I for one will miss being able to read new stuff by her. I think my favourite story was the one set in her Witch World series just because I was already very familiar with the setting in that one. Though all the others were excellent too with Rider on a Mountain being another favourite from the book for me just because it had mind speaking horses and ballsy felines in it :D I recommend this to all Andre Norton fans who might not have read it yet and to anyone who enjoys great high fantasy writing that contains wonderful characters and interesting worlds.

Record breaking

The Craft Club had their yarn bombing on Bank Holiday Monday and smashed the record with 13,388 pieces of crochet on display. Makes me feel proud to have been a small part of it (click on the link to see all the wonderful photos).

So on the reading front I have caught up with all the downloadable stories from Love's Landscape from before the Goodreads M/M Romance Group's 5th anniversary celebrations. Now to see if I can keep up with the remaining ones :D

Game On by Olley White 4*

Woven by Lor Rose 3*

Into the Wastelands by Gwynn Marssen 5*

Blood In The Water (An Act of Piracy, #1) by Tami Veldura 5*

Fleece, Fleas, and Flirtation by Ava Penn 4*

Omissions by Taylor Law 4*

One Step at a Time by S.N. Kat 4*

Apart from reading the above I also read two more Planet Alpha stories and listened to an audio book or two whilst starting on my gift crocheting.

Bondmate (Planet Alpha #1)by J.J. Lore 4*
BLURB: Decorated Alphan warriors Mateen and Bynton are on a clandestine mission to one of Earth’s refugee camps, in search of the one woman who might complete their bond. Tempering their instincts to capture and hold, both men realize they must court their chosen woman to win her trust.
Avanelle Rein is merely trying to survive in the chaos of a dying society. The last thing she expects is rescue at the hands of golden-skinned alien men. Despite her attraction to them, she fears their warrior ferocity.
Facing danger from Xyran raiders draws the three together as they explore their new relationship and one another. An unexpected challenge during an ancient claiming right forces Avanelle, Bynton, and Mateen to decide if their bond is strong enough to survive.
My Review: For me this was yet another great erotic, adventure story from the Planet Alpha series even though it is the first in the series. It's really fun to see how each author has their own twist on the ménage relationships predominant in these stories.

Proposition (Planet Alpha #3) by Beth D. Carter 4*
BLURB: Geoffrey DeWinter and his wife Keirah live on a dying Earth. The only refuge is an alien world that needs human women as mates, only Keirah refuses to leave her husband to save herself. Geoff decides to bring them to an auction house that takes married couples, accepting that he will have to share her with another.
Their shuttle is attacked by Xyran raiders looking for women and it's Keirah who defends them. When Captain Krig sees Keirah looking like an angel come to life, he wants her. The Alphan warrior wants her enough to accept her husband, thinking he will deal with Geoff in some way or another. But when a vengeful Xyran comes after Keirah they have to take refuge on a wilderness moon, forcing them to work together to survive. Is their love for Keirah enough to turn them into a family?
My Review: This was a lot different to the others in as much as the heroine was already happily married before meeting her Alphan mate. I liked the way Beth managed to show how the two guys interacted with each other without making the whole story clichéd and sloppy. I hope that the Planet Alpha stories continue to be this good.


Audiobook: Sunrise Alley by Catherine Asaro Narrated by: Hilary Huber Narration: 5 Story: 5

Audiobook: Magic's Promise The Last Herald Mage, Book 2 by Mercedes Lackey Narrated by: Gregory Nassiff St. John Narration : 5 Story: 5

Bank Holiday reading

I've read a few books but haven't felt like giving them full reviews., mainly 'cos I've been enjoying doing other things over the bank holiday weekend. Like going to the cinema for the first time in 27 years!!

So anyway the books I read are:

Faerly Enchanted by Amber Kell 4*

Jude's Magic by Hollis Shiloh 4*

and a bunch of Love's Landscape stories:

It's You, Then Breathing by Vicktor Alexander 3*

Going Home by Kris Ripper 4*

Time Trials by Jay D. Clark 4*

Bird Meets Cage by Anyta Sunday 3*

The Fourth Act by L.E. Franks 2*

What I've done since last update

I've red a few more Love's Landscape stories nd listened to a couple of audio books whilst making baby jackets, bonnets and blankets. Will be taking a break from the baby stuff and working on daughter's birthday gift and family Christmas gifts for a while now (pastels can get so boring after a week or two :D).

Love's Landscapes:

Jaden's Honor by sassy lane 5*

On Edge by T.C. Blue 5*

Dancing for Diamond by K-lee Klein 4*

Dare by Matthias Williamson 3*

Budding Love by Adara O’Hare 3*

Never Cry Wolf by Phoebe Sean 4*

Indian Summer by D.C. Williams 2*

Audios:

Audiobook: Scales and a Tail: Midnight Matings, Book 2 by Stormy Glenn Narrated by: Johnny East Narration: 5 Story: 5

Audiobook: Brute by Kim Fielding Narrated by: K C Kelly Narration: 5 Story: 5

So far behind on reading

I am so far behind on reading the Love's Landscape stories - read the following but still have about 20 or so to read (even though there is a hiatus on the postings until the 24th).

All or Nothing by C.J. Anthony 4*

Tutti Fruitti Rudi by S.M. Franklin 5*

Dogwatch by Kiernan Kelly 3*

Elevation by Jenna Jones 3*

Exposed by Bette Browne 3*

The Arroyo by M. Caspian 2*

Blaze of Glory by Jeff Erno 4*

Love the Little Guys by M.E. Sanford 4*

Tidewater by Les Joseph 3*

Oh and I have also listened to another audio book whilst crocheting more baby blankets.

Audiobook:Trade Secrets: Liaden Universe Books of Before, Book 4 by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins Narration 5 Story 5

All change

All change in the handicraft department. No longer making anything for the Little Hospice Yarn Bombing (which will be next weekend for the bank holiday) but am making stuff for PreemiesUK instead. So far I have made three varying sizes of baby blankets and three special bonnets for preemies in incubators. In between I have read the following from Loves Landscapes stories and spent a lot of time listening to audiobooks.

Dreaming of Fire by J.J. Cassidy 4*

Love's First Kiss by Jambrea Jo Jones 2*

A Second Chance for Three by Christa Tomlinson 3*

Taken From Him by Jackie Nacht 4*

Touching Narcissus by Jamie Fessenden 2*

Audiobook: A Boy and His Dragon by R. Cooper Narrated by: Guy Veryzer Narration: 4 Story: 4

Audiobook: The Pack or the Panther: Tales of the Harker Pack, Book 1 by Tara Lain Narrated by: Max Lehnen Narration: 5 Story: 5

Audiobook: A Wolf In Guchi Loafers : Tales of the Harker Pack, Book 2 by Tara Lain Narrated by: Max Lehnen Narration: 5 Story: 5

Audiobook: Balance of Trade: Liaden Universe Books of Before, Book 3 by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins Narration 5 Story 5

Reviewing Born of Fury by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Born of Fury (The League #7) by Sherrilyn Kenyon 5*
BLURB: The war is on...
Counted among the fiercest Andarion warriors ever born, Hauk is one of the five founding members of the Sentella- an organization that has declared war on the League that rules the Ichidian universe with an iron fist and terrifies it with an army of well-trained assassins. Hauk's enemies are legion, but he fears nothing and no one. He will do whatever it takes to survive and protect his Sentella brethren.
Sumi Antaxas is one of the best assassins the League has ever trained. In her world, failure is not an option and she has never met a target she couldn't execute. So when she's assigned Hauk, she believes it'll be a quick and easy mission.
But nothing is ever as simple as it seems, and Hauk is far better trained and skilled than his dossier shows. More than that, as she pursues him, she stumbles upon the key that will bring down not only Hauk, but the entire Sentella organization.
In the race to report her information, she is overtaken by enemies out to end her as effectively as she intends to end Hauk. Now her only key to survival is the one man she's been sent to kill. And Hauk doesn't trust her at all.
The only question is, will he help her to live... or send her to her grave

My Review: If you have ever read any of Sherrilyn Kenyon's books then you already know that you are in for a feast of angst containing a tortured hero, a torn between duty and heart heroine and a lot of loyal friends helping the two find a happy ending. This story follows that formula but with it's own individual traits that make it so much the same and yet so different from the previous League stories. I can only say it was as good as the others and I can't wait for book 8 to be done, especially as it will be about one of my favourite characters after Hauk.

I've also read the following Love's Landscape stories:

Displaced by Sofia Grey 4*

Window by Ali MacLagan 2*

The Raven's Luck by Laylah Hunter 4*

Guarding Dizzy by Casey K. Cox 4*

Love's Landscapes and Audio Books

So, the vast number of Love's Landscape books I've read recently are rated below, followed by the three audio book I listened to whilst crocheting the Little Haven Hospice items and some preemie bonnets and blankets for Preemies UK :D

High Five Dive by Adrian Fridge 3*

Gravitational Force by C.M. Walker 4*

We the Calari of Calar III by Wart Hill 2*

Stranded by Lies by Finn Marlowe 4*

The Archers of Kynthos by K.M. Harty 2*

Marketing Beef by Rick Bettencourt 3*

Consorting With Dragons by Sera Trevor 5*

The Hate Game by Hennessee Andrews 4*

Five Dates by Amy Jo Cousins 3*

A Dark Love Story by Jonathan Treadway 3*

My African Prince by Vona Logan 4*

To the End by Kathleen Hayes 3*

Count Your Blessings by Amelia Mann 5*


Audiobook: A Matter of Time Volume 1, Books 1&2 by Mary Calmes Narrated by: Paul Morey Narration: 5 Story: 5

Audiobook: A Matter of Time Volume 2, Books 3&4 by Mary Calmes Narrated by: Paul Morey Narration: 5 Story: 5

Audiobook: Bulletproof, A Matter of Time Book 5 by Mary Calmes Narrated by: Paul Morey Narration: 5 Story: 5

Interview with Breakfall's Asbjorn Lund.

Me: I managed to get to chat with Asbjorn Lund from Breakfall and took the chance to have an interview with him.

AL: Hey… So, okay. I’m Asbjorn Lund, a navy vet, but I don’t have any official combat experience, y’know? And I’m with Sean, but you already know that. We’re both students at MIT. (He pauses and fingers his triskellion pendant.) Anyway, I was born in Denmark. I love Denmark, it has a lot going for it, but my home is here. My home is wherever Sean happens to be at the time actually. So… y’wanted to ask me some questions?

Me: Why did you pick Okinawa to go to to learn about the more ancient styles, was it the Sensei or the locale that was the deciding factor?

AL: I didn’t pick it. I was lucky enough to be stationed in Okinawa after a mission in Micronesia went to shit – but I’m not allowed to talk about that, sorry. Damn. So, anyway. We got pulled out. I’ve been keeping up on my empty-hand combat with other seamen because there’s only so much you can do onboard a ship and not go totally fucking nuts, y’know? Hand-to-hand came in very handy against the – well, you know. Can’t talk about that. But we got shunted out of the way to Okinawa, and I just about exploded with excitement. I’d missed Tiger something fierce, he was my teacher. My first teacher. Okinawa’s the birth of Japanese karate. Turns out, Chinese Buddhist monks brought kung fu to Okinawa and the Okinawans then used the arts to defend themselves against this Japanese family, who got exiled to the islands. The Japanese samurai were really brutal, but the Okinawans used whatever weapons were available, and some of them are really wicked. Sickles, fishing forks, all that. I was lucky to be accepted into a local family for instruction. They sort of adopted me, language barrier and all. When other guys had leave and went off base to fuck chicks, I was at the dojo, collecting bruises.

Me: Which Martial arts weapon is your favourite or do you prefer to fight without weapons?

AL: (Shrugs.) Anything can be a weapon, really. This coffee mug? Lethal, if you know what to do with it. A sharpened pencil can be a deadly weapon. It always cracks me up, how the TSA tries to ban certain objects, but women’s high heels will penetrate a temple no problem. I like punching things when I get pissed off, but Sean hates when I skin my knuckles and then he goes all mother-hen over me. That’s why I started working with the sai a lot. You have to modify the punch a bit, but you can cause tons of damage with a weapon like that. I’ve been doing all the katas with sai recently. It really forces me to focus on the essence of the biomechanics – oh, sorry. I could geek out about this all night long! Go on. Next question?

Me: Apart from Martial Arts (and Sean) what gets your passions going?

AL: Astrophysics, definitely! I’d love to be in the field, but it’s not practical. Sean and I have to think in terms of getting jobs in the same city, so I keep astro as a hobby, I keep up on the latest cosmological developments, but my career will be more micro than macro when it comes to the nature of matter. I’m going into metallurgy. And that’s interesting, too. Take Japanese swords, for instance. It’s fascinating, the quality of the steel they accomplished with such meager natural resources. If you compare that to early Viking steel and the trace isotopes, it seems that both cultures used meteorite iron for their steel on occasion… oh, sorry. I’m geeking out again. (He suppresses his sheepish smile and produces a feral grin instead.)

Me: Do you like animals and which would you prefer as a pet, cat or dog?

AL: Nah, animals are food. Most of them, anyway. I never got to have a pet. Mom’s allergic, and my nomadic lifestyle never allowed for such luxuries. But when we were doing some work near Indonesia, I got stuck in a mean tidal current and my air ran out and I thought I was totally fucked. And then this school of dolphins turned up! They explored me for a while, they’re pretty curious, and then they got curious about our boat, which was barely visible by then. This one dolphin rose right under me, so I grabbed its dorsal fin, and they took me almost all the way to my boat. So, yeah. I owe those guys my life. I’ll do what I can for them, and that includes not eating tuna. And I used to love tuna!

Me: How much influence did the DADT have on your Navy career and how much did that career help in coping with Sean's PTSD?

AL: That’s a tough question. I was sort of in the closet in the Navy anyway. I haven’t realized it at the time, but I was running away from my attraction to Tiger, who was like an older brother to me after my dad died. So I enlisted, mom freaked out, but enlisting meant I got to stay in the US near Tiger and Nell, and not be hauled back to Denmark. Regarding Sean, yeah, he displayed some classic symptoms of PTSD. It’s likely to rear its ugly head down the line, but he can handle it. We had some training on that sort of a thing. Knowing what to expect is really key to recovery. (He pauses, then gives a hard stare.) Not that I personally have PTSD, or anything. I’m perfectly fine. I’m not affected by stuff like that.

Me: How badly did Sean's attack and subsequent stalker problem affect you, especially as you were unable to be the bait instead of him?

AL: Well… I hate to think that it brought us closer, but it probably did. I thought I was done with all that drama after I got discharged. I never expected this sort of a thing to happen to anyone I knew in civilian life. It was like being taken right back into the middle of action, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do. There was no command structure. Sean was taking risks – but we don’t have to talk about that. That’s all over now. There’s no way I could have been bait instead of him, ‘cause I’d have ripped the fucker’s balls off and shoved them up his nostrils, but then I’d be in jail and Sean would have gotten sore over that. I wanted to shadow Sean, though, have his back in case the police screwed up, y’know? And they put a fucking babysitter on me! I got totally thwarted. I thought I’d go ballistic. Sean did great, though. They wouldn’t have caught the perp if it weren’t for Sean. I’m so fucking proud of my man.

Me: Do you think you and Sean will ever get to the point where you will communicate better?

AL: (Hard stare.) I don’t know what you’re talking about. We do just fine.

Me: Do you think that Kate did justice to your story?

AL: (Embarrassed smile.) She should have kept the sex out of it. That’s nobody’s business but ours. But really, this story’s about Sean kicking butt. She should’ve focused on that, and she should’ve described all the Okinawan weapons in greater detail. It’s not like I didn’t teach her! But she’s a chick. Nell would’ve done the same, I’m afraid – and Nell can kick Kate’s ass any day, except Nell loves the book the way it is. I don’t understand women, I really don’t.

Me: One final question that is a little frivolous but people always seem to want to know - what is your favourite colour?

AL: Any shade of blue. Like the ocean. Plus Sean looks great in blue – it really sets off his hair.

Thank you Bjorn it was nice to meet you and I'm sure my readers will be delighted to read your story.

I hope you all enjoyed our chat, personally I think he is scrumptious and well worth chatting to. If you want to read more about Asbjorn and Sean just follow the links in my previous post.

Breakfall Blog Tour Review

Blog Tour Aug 4 - 15
Giveaway at end of post!!

Breakfall by Kate Pavelle
The Fall #1
Publication Date: June 27, 2014
Genres: Contemporary, Erotica, LGBT, Romance
BLURB: Sexual assault doesn't discriminate. Aikido instructor Sean Gallaway learns that when he falls prey to a violent stalker. Asbjorn Lund, a karate sensei on campus and a Navy vet, yearns to teach Sean how to survive. How to overcome. How to recover. Sean feels hunted and alone as the stalker escalates, testing his boundaries. With the entire dojo at his back, Sean resolves to play bait. He will catch the animal stalking him and reclaim his sense of self if it's the last thing he does. Yet Sean's hunger for justice clashes with Asbjorn's protective streak, and their budding romance might not survive their war of wills.
Buy Links:
Amazon: Breakfall by Kate Pavelle
B&N: Breakfall by Kate Pavelle
KOBO: Breakfall by Kate Pavelle
Dreamspinner Press: Breakfall by Kate Pavelle

My Review: Let me say in advance that although one of my pet peeves is a cliffhanger ending, I was not upset at the one in this book. Firstly, because I suspected there would be one as it's part of a trilogy but secondly, and more importantly, the book was too good to get upset over that minor detail.
Asbjorn and Sean were both very powerfully written characters. Sean in particular came across as a well-balanced and strong person who coped well with being bait for the stalker. I really loved how the author wrote both the attack and the aftermath in an insightful and matter of fact way that brought home that anyone can be a victim of such a crime but not everyone need be a victim for life because of it.
I liked the martial arts aspect of the story but could have done with a little less of the full on information about it. That said, it played a big part in the characters of both men and the way they interacted with each other with neither willing to be considered weak and girlish.
If I have one complaint about this book, it's that the author used a lack of communication between the men to add tension and drama to an already excellent story.
Taking all these points into account, I give this book a 5*. Generally a well written story and worth the read. I highly recommend it to any reader who likes Martial Arts, stubborn guys, realistic drama or just a great romance story.

About the Author

Just about everything Kate Pavelle writes is colored by her life experiences, whether the book in your hand is romance, mystery, or adventure. Kate grew up under a totalitarian regime behind the Iron Curtain. In her life, she has been a hungry refugee and a hopeful immigrant, a crime victim and a force of lawful vengeance, a humble employee and a business owner, an unemployed free-lancer and a corporate executive, a scientist and an artist, a storyteller volunteering for her local storytelling guild, a martial artist, and a triathlete. Kate’s frequent travels imbue her stories with local color from places both exotic and mundane.

Kate Pavelle is encouraged in her writing by her husband, children and pets, and tries not to kill her extensive garden in her free time. Out of the five and a half languages she speaks, English is her favorite comfort zone.

speaks, English is her favorite comfort zone.

Website • Twitter
Facebook • Goodreads

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Love's Landscape and my prompt story

I've been reading a lot of Love's Landscape stories and today my prompt one was published at the group page and all I can say is Andrew Q Gordon is a magician.

The previous stories I read:

To You I am Bound by Cam Kennedy 3*

Geeking Out on 11C by L.L. Bucknor 4*

Waiting, Hoping, Wishing by Nic Starr 4*

No Enemy But Time by Angel Martinez 4*

Half Past Forever by A. Morell 3*

Jagged Rock by Willow Scarlett 5*

Meant to Be by Rawiya 4*

The Shopping Mall Massacre by Erica Pike 4* (This one is not getting done as an ebook due to a planned extension into a YA book)

Agile Moves by JC Shelby 4*

Ashes Of Life by Andrew Q Gordon 5*

STORY LETTER:
Dear Author,

I never knew the day I rescued the injured phoenix that it would create such a large change in my normal run of the mill guardsman’s life. After all how was I supposed to know he was a mage shifter and I was to become his warrior to own.

Sincerely,

Ilona


My Review: As the prompter I am naturally biased towards enjoying the story my prompt inspired. However that bias does not detract from the fact that this was one wonderfully fulfilling story with great characters, nice world building and a plot that was both interesting and intriguing. I just hope that Andrew takes this world and writes more stories set in it as I would love to read more about the dragon mages and Brill.

p.s. I love the line 'That meant I owed my position to my skills as an actor because I was one loud noise away from soiling my britches.' it sums up the subtle humour threaded throughout the story that made me love it even more.