Hidden Gem is a gem of a book!

Hidden Gem by Lissa Kasey 5*
BLURB: Misaki “Aki” Itou is a psi—a person with mutated DNA granting him psychic abilities. He’s also a contracted companion—a whore. It may not be the perfect profession, but having a roof over his head, food to eat, and not being subjected to torture is a dream come true. He is the top companion at the Hidden Gem, and it makes him enough money to buy the prettiest, most sparkly shoes he can find.
Shane McNaughton is an Irishman who survived the Third World War and works as a cop. Head of Missing Persons, he’s good at finding people, but after the plague of the Third mutated his DNA, he has a hard time letting anyone see the monster inside. He’s been paying for Aki’s services for two years, both the psi and the sexual kind, but he wants more from the companion.
Shane needs Aki’s ability to see into another person’s past to track down a serial killer murdering the children of rich and powerful men, but the more they work together, the clearer it becomes that they are linked through a darker past than either of them realizes.

My Review: WARNING This book should not be read before trying to go to sleep! It is such a page turner that I didn't put my light off until gone 2am. The Characters are all well written and the intrigue is scattered throughout the story. Just as you think you have a handle on it a new surprise or plot twist turns up. Without giving away spoilers this book is as sparkly as the Shoes Shane buys for Aki and as gut wrenching as the monster who kidnaps teens. Yet I was both happy and sad when I finished. Happy because the book was full of all sorts of lovely new ideas and sad that it didn't go on forever.

N.B. Ms. Kasey generously wrote a short story called First Glimpse which is a prelude to Hidden Gem and was the reason I HAD to have this book :D.

Reviewing Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities by Lyn Gala

Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities (Claimings #2) by Lyn Gala 5*
BLURB: Ondry and Liam have settled into a good life, but their trading is still tied up with humans, and humans are always messy. When political changes at the human base lead Ondry to attempt a difficult trade, the pair find themselves entangled in human affairs. Liam wants to help the people he left and the worlds being torn apart. He also wants to serve Ondry with not only the pleasures of the nest but also by bringing human profits.
Ondry has no hope of understanding human psychology in general, he only knows that he will hold onto his palteia with the last breath in his body, and he'd like to keep his status and his wealth too. Unfortunately, new humans bring new conflicts and he is not sure how to protect Liam. He does know one thing that humans seem to constantly forget—that the peaceful Rownt are predators and when their families are threatened, Rownt become deadly killers. Liam is his family, and Ondry will protect him with his last breath… assuming that he can recognize the dangers in time to do so.

My Review: Remembering how much I enjoyed book one of this series I couldn't resist reading book two as soon as I got my greedy hands on it. I cannot believe how well Lyn Gala manages to portray the utter alienness of the Rownt and the way they think. She does such a wonderful job of getting Liam to be our view into Rownt thinking and society that I was a little disappointed to reach the end of the book. If you like your books with a true science fiction feel that is character driven and very alien then this is for you, just read Claimings #1 first.

Reviewing Blind Space and finishing Love's Landscapes.

Blind Space by Marie Sexton 4*
BLURB: Captain Tristan Kelley enjoys the luxuries of Regency service, as well as the pleasure of his Prince's bed. It's an easy life, if not a happy one. When the Prince decides to take a trip through the perilous Blind Space, Tristan must go with him, but somebody in the Prince's guard is a traitor. Blind and held prisoner, Tristan finds himself at the mercy of Valero, a pirate who bears no love for the Regency. Valero is determined to seduce Tristan, and Tristan fears his resolve won't last. His duty is clear, but so is his desire. As the days tick by with no word or ransom from the Regency, Tristan begins to question what loyalty means to his Prince, the Regency he's sworn to, and to the man who holds him captive. He begins to realize that being a prisoner may actually set him free

My Review: If there had been more of a Science Fiction feel to this it would have got 5* but as it is it only got 4* and most of that was for the well written characters. The main storyline of Tristan's conversion from duty bound, easy going soldier to disillusioned prisoner and senses deprived at that was very well done. With plenty of emphasis on how the lack of sight changed everything for him from how he reacted to situations to how he felt about people. I just wish it wasn't the kind of story that could have taken place anywhere and any when. In fact he spaceships and the flashguns were about the only thing remotely science fiction about the story.

And at last I have read all the Love's Landscapes stories.

The Rake, the Rogue and the Roué by Eric Alan Westfall 5*

Don't forget that yesterday's post has a prize attached.

Giving away a £5 GC to celebrate fREADom.

So far this week I have read the following books, none of which are really long enough to warrant reviewing. However this is Banned Books Week. So, to celebrate my right to read what I want, I will give a £5 GC from Amazon to a random commenter who can give me their top ten reads from the top one hundred banned books of the first ten years of this century.

My read list:
The Wizard's Boy (Power Games #1) by Jan Irving 4*

Alien Attraction by Alice Cain 4*
Alien Seduction by Alice Cain 4*
Alien Delight by Alice Cain 4*

Slave to the Vampire King (Angorian Kings, #1) by Desmerelda 3*

The Vampire King's Husband by Amber Kell 3*

Reviewing The Spirit Room by Michael Cairns

The Spirit Room (The Planets #1) by Michael Cairns 4*
BLURB: ‘The Avengers meets Magician' The Planets is superhero conflict on a global scale.
An ancient cadre of magicians
A select team of extra-ordinary warriors
An unseen foe
As two ancient forces battle for control, reality as we know it is being torn apart. Caught somewhere in the middle, and tasked with ridding the world of the insidious alien intelligence are The Planets. Neptune hails from Rio, the gay daughter of strict catholic parents. Mars, from Ireland, still missing the sister he lost years ago. Uri grew up on the streets of New York, and Venus… well, no one knows and she isn’t telling. Imbued with extra-ordinary powers, these highly trained individuals take the fight across the globe. With startling and unnerving revelations at every turn, the depth of deception is only now becoming clear…

My Review: I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review. Thank you Michael. I feel exhausted! That was a very frenetic story and even though I put it down quite often (I needed that break time) I still felt that everything was on fast forward. Don't get me wrong it was a very good story and had the added value of not making the superheroes into clones of the Marvel or DC Comic ones. It's just that I had too many unanswered questions by the end of the book. On the plus side the characters are well rounded with plenty of back story eventually given on them and it had plenty of intrigue and action to suit most people. On the negative side there were a few times I felt quite lost and there were a few editing errors (probably more than I spotted). Not sure if I'll try reading book two, it will depend o nif it looks like it will be as frantic as this one and if I feel like diving back into that wild rush.

Love's Landscapes stories I've also read:

In Your Veins by S.J. Eller 3*

Until the Bitter End by L.L. Bucknor 1*

William's Whimsy by Susan Beck 4*

Starlight And Constellation: Gemini by Alexis Woods 1*

Review of With A Kiss by Kim Dare

Another book that's been on my to-read list for a longish while:

With a Kiss by Kim Dare 4*
BLURB: When Liam Bates volunteered to visit lonely patients at his local hospital, he expected them to be able to talk back when he chatted to them. But, when he’s assigned to visit a comatose man, he soon finds himself spilling out his whole life story in an effort to fill the silence. It’s not long before the peace and comfort he finds in the man’s hospital room becomes Liam’s refuge from an increasingly hostile world.
Vampire Marcus Corrigan has been trapped inside his paralysed body for over three years, unable to communicate with anyone. The chatty young man who visits Marcus quickly captivates him, and Liam’s softly spoken words soon have him determined to rescue the boy from his current life, but, unable to move a muscle, all Marcus can actually do is lay there and listen.
There’s only one thing that can wake up Marcus. There’s only one thing that can save Liam’s sanity. Everything is about to change for them both, and it will change with a kiss.
My Review: So this story has an abused man and a vampire in a coma who awakens on being kissed by the man. Fairytale? Probably! But it sure was a hot one, with Marcus teaching Liam the difference between submission to a caring Dom and abuse from a bullying ex boyfriend and some really great sex scenes that were well written and not put in just to titillate the reader. Each and every one made sense within the storyline and showed the emotional connection between the two guys. I enjoyed this story as much as I expected to given who wrote it. Kim has a way with words that makes reading her stories a treat.

Only the one Love's Landscape read this time:
Zippadacious by A.R. Noble 4*

and one listened to:
Audiobook: Scent of Danger: Dale Kinsall Mystery, Book 2) by Doranna Durgin Narrated by: Tom Schiff Narration: 5* Story: 5*

The Servant by Mary Calmes & others reading stuff

The Servant by Mary Calmes 5*
BLURB: After saving his younger brother’s child, Daemon Shar is cursed by a witch and runs far from home, a stray who will seemingly never be anything more. But destiny is hard to outrun, even for a man who is now more cat than man beneath his robes and cowl. A chance battlefield meeting between he and Ehron, a foreign lord, gives him purpose amidst the darkness of his accursed life. Soon Daemon finds that his true nature cannot be corrupted no matter the form he inhabits.
As Ehron’s consul, Daemon plots and plans to shape his new lord's future so that he may leave it blessed when he runs away yet again. But he never counted on his soul hungering for Ehron’s brother Gareth or for his past to catch him by the tail at last.
My Review: I love Mary Calmes books, as she has a wonderful way of bringing all her characters to life (even the minor, in for a few minutes ones)and this book was no different. At times I was reminded of Puss-in-boots because of the cat aspects of the hero and the way he creates situations to help his friend Ehron. But mostly I was just so fixated on reading what came next that I didn't do anything I had planned for the day and I only meant to read the first chapter!

Plus one short story, one audiobook and one Love's Landscape one to rate as well

Goldilocks and His Three Bears by A M Riley 3* (Some of it was a little far fetched but it was great as a bedtime erotica).

Science and Fiction by Ray Van Fox 5* (Go read this at LL on the M/M Romance group if you like unusual science fiction concepts).

Audiobook: Shades Of Dark by Linnea Sinclair Narrated by: Dina Pearlman Narration: 5* Story: 5*

Werewolves Don't Purr by J. S. Rowan gets 5*

Decided to go to my TBR and get one of the sci-fi books that had been on there for a long time. Glad I did!

Werewolves Don't Purr by J.S. Rowan 5*
BLURB: Thor and Leona were a happily married couple from Texas. Well, they were from Texas before the alien raiders captured them and converted Thor into a werewolf. Leona is just a little too feisty to let a little thing like her husband being turned into a monster get in her way. Seeking the help of an international cast, including the resolute Commander Gupta from India, they battle for survival and make the aliens wish they had left Earth alone. Add in lots of coffee, telepathy, star ships, battles, explosions and many, many more werewolves, and you get one fantastic adventure!
My Review: I remember I got this one because the title intrigued me and I am very glad I finally got around to reading it. If you like evil aliens, heroic humans and werewolves you won't go far wrong in taking time out to read this one. Thor and Leona are wonderful people and the author shows them with faults and all. The secondary characters are as richly filled in as the main ones and the story was wonderful. I feel this would make a great tongue in cheek, action, science fiction film very easily as the writing is so descriptive I felt almost like I was watching it on a screen. I have now decided that when the book funds allow I MUST get book two in this fun and action packed series.

Since the last update

I've read a lot of shorts and listened to another old favourite by Linnea Sinclair. I have lso finished a few more Christmas gifts and almost finished a Tunisian crochet baby blanket. I have also decided to do a CAL (crochet a long) with the end product beign a mystery blanket for a single person. Should be fun and it will be done in time for Christmas too. Starts on October 3rd so plenty of time yet to fit in a few baby hats and jackets maybe :D

Ratings for the stuff I've read recently are below.

Love's Landscapes stories read:
Bromance to Romance by Elizabeth Daniels 3*
Accidental Karma by Katies Crewman 4*
Randy's Ghost by William Tate 5*
Only To You by Gabrielle Bhlack 3*
Before You Go by Vicktor Alexander 3*
Mad Passion by Naaju Rorrete 4*

Other short books read:
Sold to the Man in the Purple Fur by Anya Byrne 4*
I Want to Bite on Your Ears by Marcy Jacks 4*
Foxy-Eared Devil (I Want to Bite on Your Ears #2) by Marcy Jacks 4*
Hedgehog's Delight (Wolf Creek, #3) by Jade Buchanan 4*
Gay Erotica: A Sea of Possibilities: by Tesgura 2*

A few quick reads.

Knocked Up by His Werewolf Dom (Lone Wolf Pack #2) by Anya Byrne 4*
BLURB: Jessie Orwell has a secret. He likes a little pain with his pleasure, and he craves the freedom he can only find in another man’s domination. But that secret has cost him, and now, he no longer dares to indulge in his true needs.
One night of loneliness and desire makes his path cross with that of Andreas Brandt. For the first time in years, Jessie trusts a Dom, allowing himself to surrender to Andreas's strength. His faith seems misplaced, as he soon learns Andreas has a secret of his own. He is a werewolf, and his role is to track down Jessie's best friend, Gavin.
Andreas is an enforcer, carrying the important duty of ensuring the safety of the werewolf world is protected from humans. Tasked with finding Saul Simmons and his mysterious human mate, he plans to approach Jessie for the investigation—only to run into him at a D/s club. One look at the beautiful human, and he knows his life will never be the same again. He knows he can never let anyone else touch Jessie. Jessie is his, his lover, his sub, his mate. His everything.
But there are a few more secrets hiding in Jessie's past and eventually in his belly. And Andreas will face a battle he never expected, to protect his new mate, his new family, and the new precious bond growing between him and Jessie.
My Review: Like the first in this series this was an easy, sometimes predictable, read. It was supposed to be BDSM but there wasn't that much dom/sub stuff going on. Mostly it came across to me as a little spiced up vanilla. Maybe that's just a personal thing because the odd bit of tying up, spanking and delayed gratification is not that hardcore for me. The werewolf stuff on the other hand did have a bit more umph to it with enforcers and assassins entering the picture. I look forward to reading book three in the series with the hope that it will be about Finn and the enemy pack. *oops . . . sorry about the spoilers*

I also reread a couple of books and read one Love's Landscape one:

The Blood Legion: Oracle by Ashlyn Daube 4*

A post by Sue Brown about Falling For Ramos

Yesterday I announced that the wonderful Sue Brown wanted to post on my blog about her book Falling For Ramos. Well here it is. . . . enjoy and, if the funds permit, buy the book - I will be!

Falling for Ramos is based on a real life love story spanning half the globe. Although only the bare bones of the story are based on the real couple, somehow it made it easier to write. I gave these two guys the happy ever after that I wanted them to have, that they should have had. Of course I put them through hell first. That goes without saying. This is a Sue Brown story after all. They can’t go from A to B without going via Q, J and W.
I’m trying to write a story set in Texas in 1954. Now you would think it’s not that long away and information would be easy to find. The thing is it’s pre-internet and just post-war. The little details, like what pain meds are available and where would I get them, are not that easy to find. In Falling for Ramos, it’s set in three time periods and based in London, and I’ve lived through them all. Also, most of it is on Google. It’s the little details that can hold up writing a story.
I can see why people say write what you know. Except that being a middle-aged woman bringing up a family and dogs is not my idea of interesting. How about a middle-aged guy with a daughter, and a dog that dies and… oh yes, I’ve already done that.

Buylinks for Falling for Ramos: Dreamspinner Press; Amazon.com; Amazon.co.uk

BLURB:
A glimpse of a group of businessmen in a newspaper tells Colin Hess his old love, Alejandro Ramos, is back in London a decade after they split up.
They met by chance as students, when Colin was pushed into Ramos’s lap at a party. Despite the disapproval from Ramos’s parents, Colin and Ramos were inseparable from that moment and settled in their own place as soon as they finished university.
But when Ramos’s father fell ill, Ramos was forced to return to the family vineyard, leaving Colin behind. When Colin joined him for a holiday, the plans Ramos’s parents had for their son became painfully clear—and those plans did not involve Colin.
Colin knows it would be stupid to rekindle their old love after the devastating end to their relationship. Still, neither can deny that they still have feelings for each other from the minute they meet, and Colin learns the meeting might not be as random as it seemed.

Sue’s bio:
Sue Brown is owned by her dog and two children. When she isn't following their orders, she can be found plotting at her laptop. In fact she hides so she can plot and has got expert at ignoring the orders.

Sue discovered M/M erotica at the time she woke up to find two men kissing on her favorite television series. The series was boring; the kissing was not. She may be late to the party, but she's made up for it since, writing fan fiction until she was brave enough to venture out into the world of original fiction.
Sue’s internet links:
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Pintrest
Goodreads Page
mailto: suebrown.stories@gmail.com

Excerpt:

He sighed and curled up with the newspaper.
“Why did you have to come, Andro?” Colin used his private pet name for Ramos. “I’ve tried so hard to forget you. Why did you have to come back now?”
His mobile phone buzzed on the coffee table, and he answered without checking the caller ID
“Yeah?”
“He’s here. Ramos is here,” Lil, his younger sister, said.
“I know.”
“How? Did he call you too?”
“Uh, no. I saw his picture in the paper. Wait, you mean you’ve spoken to him?”
“Well, yes. He called fifteen minutes ago asking where you were. He didn’t know if you were in the country or not.”
The breath caught in Colin’s throat. “He asked about me?”
“Duh, doofus, he’s not going to be interested in me, is he? Of course he asked about you.”
“What did you tell him?”
“I told him you were off shagging Chelsea football team. What did you think I told him?”
“Did you give him my number?”
“I told him I needed to talk to you first. I didn’t know how you’d feel about talking to Ramos again after he destroyed your life.”
“It wasn’t as bad as that,” Colin scoffed.
“Colin, you didn’t get out of bed for three months after you came home. I had to hose you down and force you to eat. My kids were scared of the yeti in our spare room.”
“Was I really that bad?” He didn’t really need to ask the question.
“Worse!” Lil’s voice softened. “I was scared my big brother was going to die of a broken heart.”
“I’m sorry I scared you, li’l sis.”
“You did scare me, and I don’t want to see you like that again.”
“I’m all right. It’s not like it was before. I’m over him now.”
“Uh-huh.”
Damn his sister. She could put so much feeling into two syllables.

Review and ratings for a Sunday

Pregnant with His Werewolf's Baby (Lone Wolf Pack, #1) by Anya Byrn 4*
BLURB: Gavin Price’s had enough. He’s lost countless relationships because he can’t seem to take that last step into intimacy. Never again. He’s going to get rid of his pesky virginity.
It’s a simple enough plan. Go into a club, pick up a handsome guy. Shouldn’t be hard. Other people do it all the time.
Of course, other people don’t run into Saul Simmons, a man with eyes that seem to change color, and whose sheer presence makes Gavin’s breath catch. One night together, and Gavin thinks this might be it. He might have finally found someone worth not only of his body, but also of his heart.
And then, Saul mysteriously disappears, leaving Gavin heart-broken and… quickly gaining weight? What in the world is happening to him? And why is his stomach suddenly being kicked from the inside? Surely it must be indigestion from his new excessive diet of meats.
Unbeknownst to Gavin, Saul is actually a werewolf. From the very first moment they meet, Saul realizes they are mates. But Saul is also a naturally born Alpha, and his pack has very specific plans for him, none of them including a bonding with a human. He also has no idea he’s going to be a daddy.
Can two men from two different worlds accept everything they thought they knew was wrong? Can they handle both a forbidden relationship and impending parenthood ? They’re definitely going to try.
My Review: If you wanted a little brain candy with hunky guys and a male pregnancy then this is the one for you. Simple, easy and fun sums this book up nicely. It has some great emotional bits in it but it isn't going to be one of those tearjerkers or heart breakers so don't expect anything truly in depth from it. I liked it for what it gave me - a bit of light reading that cheered me up and gave me a warm fuzzy feeling when I finished.

Love's Landscapes Stories:

Not Just a Kiss by Jennah Scott 3*

Raising Cade by Jonathan Penn 3*

Fly Like an Eagle by Cherie Noel 3*

Taking a Risk on Love by K. Mason 3*

Missing Piece by Riina Y.T. 4*

Assassin's Love by Sammy Goode 4*

Meridian by Gabbo De La Parra 5*

A guest and a promo coming soon.

Si I have a wonderful lady guest posting soon. Her name is Sue Brown and she can be found here. I am also going to be doing a blog tour post for Jamie Lynn Miller's latest release An Endless Sea of Stars.. I am also doing a Q&A interview with Jamie. Dates to be confirmed but I look forward to hosting both parties.

Meanwhile I have been taking it easy after the weekend trip (all the walking in London actually caught up with me by Wednesday!). I managed to finish three Christmas gifts and read a few books (ratings below). I also listened to an audio of an old favourite, I was surprised at how different the story felt listening to it instead of reading it myself, if I could afford it I would do that with a lot of favourites :D

Love's Landscapes Stories:

His, No Matter What by S.J. Lenox 1*

In the Flesh by Jae T. Jaggart 3*

Overkill by Elizabeth Daniels 4*

Billie Jean by Claire Davis 4*

Other short stories were:

Mickey's Duke (The Wilgrin Chronicles, #1) by Vicktor Alexander 3*

Ethan's Earl (Wilgrin Chronicles, #2) by Vicktor Alexander 3*

Audiobook: Gabriel's Ghost: The Dock Five Universe Series, Book 1 by Linnea Sinclair Narrated by: Dina Pearlman Narration: 5 Story: 5

Since the weekend

I have had aching legs and been feeling exhausted so I've been taking it relatively easy and doing baby blankets and Christmas gifts whilst reading and listening.

Since the last post I have read a few Love's Landscapes stories and these two from a new series for me:

Revealing the Beast (Solitary Shifters #2) by Summer Devon 4*
BLURB: Colt Easton is easygoing, fun loving, good with little kids and he occasionally turns into a beast capable of ripping out a man's throat. It's a family secret he d be more than happy to keep if there wasn't a little boy's life at stake.
A deathbed confession revealed the child could carry Easton blood. The only way Colt can monitor the boy is with a job at his day-care center. The problem? New laws decree that all shifters be tagged. No blood test, no job.
Dr. Jasper Glen is instantly drawn to the outgoing Colt and is certain any child would be safe in the handsome shifter's care. He ought to know he's been studying shifters for years, even invented the blood test that now, to his shame, the government is using against them.
All it takes is a quick vial switch. Except Jasper's good deed blows the lid off a secret he didn't even know he was keeping. And triggers a chain of events that makes them all moving targets.
My Review: I read this one first, even though it is the second one in the Solitary Shifters series, but it made no difference as it was a definite stand alone style story. I loved the story idea and the author did a good job adding plenty of tension as the different government departments all try to get their tuppence worth in. I liked the Characters of Colt and Jasper even though at first I was annoyed at Jasper's attitude towards the shifters. Once he got his mind on the right track though it became a great story with plenty of angst and romance.

Taming the Bander (Solitary Shifters #1) by Summer Devon 4*
BLURB: He thought he had nothing left to lose…until he lost his heart.
Jake will be forever grateful to the man who rescued him and brought him to an animal preserve to live. It’s the perfect home for a bander, a type of shifter known to be notoriously taciturn. Now Jake runs the place, and he’s content with the hard truth that he’ll always be alone.
Summer visitors are a necessary evil. And Vaughn Prentiss is exactly the sort of tourist that gets on Jake’s last nerve. A happy-go-lucky, carefree, trust-fund baby.
Vaughn can’t fathom why Jake seems to enjoy insulting him for no reason. Yet he’s attracted to the man’s gruff kindness with the preserve’s youthful workers. And it hasn’t escaped his notice that Jake is something special. Something not quite human.
When Vaughn discovers his financial manager has absconded with the family fortune, Jake acts on impulse to offer him a job, and wonders if he’ll live to regret it. It’s hard enough to keep his shifter nature private, much less keep his paws off his newest employee…a man Jake is coming to admire. If only he could be sure, when danger reveals the truth of what he is, if Vaughn will stay by his side—or run.
My Review: This is the first in the series and actually mentions a character from the second book (the one I read first)but he was more of a bit character in this book. Jake is a grumpy man who is trying to keep his 'other' self hidden from the world but Vaughn isn't fooled for long. The loss of Vaughn's money and need to work put the two men in daily contact and the rest is a forgone conclusion to any reader who enjoys a decent romance with plenty of external problems. Overall this was a slightly predictable story but the author makes the characters so interesting that I didn't mind at all.

Love's Landscapes:
Of Gods and Monsters: Menoetius by Wulf Francu Godgluck 3*
Adam's Flight by Penny Wilder 5*

In case you are interested the ratings for the weekend books were as follows:
Morgan and the Star Guard (Star Cadets #1) by Jade Astor 2*
Liam’s Unexpected Alpha (Lupinville #1) by Alice Cain 4*
Aiden's Accidental Beta (Lupinville #2) by Alice Cain 4*
Cody's Eternal Sheriff (Lupinville #3) by Alice Cain 4*

What a wonderful weekend!!

Not too sure what the best part was as so much of it was good. The meet up in Railway Tavern was such fun and it was great to meet all the M/M Romance writers that I've been reading all this time. I even overdid the spending on books and got them all signed (regretted it a little on having to carry the weight home today though :D). I also got to see the Rosetta Stone and the Warren Cup, both of which were on my list of things I truly wanted to see in person. I was mightily impressed by both and awed at how small the cup really is (the engravings always made the cup look much larger on TV). The only bad point was the closure of the Circle Line which caused a lot of problems using the tube.

After the fun time at the signing/readings (DICK! - those who were at that reading know what I mean) we went to see the sea of red. May I just say I was so mixed up emotionally over that. We approached from a small dip and as we came up and saw the poppies it was both awe inspiring and heart stopping at the same time. It's hard to describe the impact of seeing it in person. When we went closer (to the railings in the vine snippet below) it was so obvious how many thousands of poppies were there and the thought that each one represented a life lost in WW1 was very poignant and heart wrenching.
http://enticingthorn.tumblr.com/post/96958100142/sea-of-red

After seeing the poppies we went to spend the rest of the weekend with my middle son and his fiancée at their house. They've been there for about two years and it was the first time for me to see it. I was very impressed with the amount of work they had managed to get done already. They have a very comforting and pleasant home there and I enjoyed my Sunday gaming (just one game for me though) and just chilling out. Then off back to Cardiff where even with transport problems we still managed to get home early :D Maddy was ecstatic to see us home and is now peacefully snoring under the table on her bed :D

Oh yeah, I also managed (somehow) to finish four books - not going to bother reviewing them though as this is getting too long already. *Has three days of emails/internet surfing to catch up on*

London Weekend Photos

Going to be absent from online

for the next three days at least. Off to London for a book signing and some sight seeing. Then it's off to Chelmsford for a visit with my middles son.

Meanwhile September is turning into the month of rereads as I reread all of Amber Kell's Dragonmen books as well as the following Love's Landscape stories:

Charon's Dilemma by Eloreen Moon 4*

This Too by Isla James 4*

Wrecking Ball by Elin Austen 3*

Cenotaph by Gabbo De La Parra 3*

A Heart of Klondike Gold by E. Davies 4*

The Other Side by MA Jackson 4*

A Cup of Tea and a Few Broken Rules by C.C. Jaz

Oh, I also finished my hand-stitched voile skirt whilst listening to

Audiobook: Orphanage: Jason Wander, Book 1 by Robert Buettner Narrated by: Adam Epstein Narration: 5 Story: 4*