I don't usually give up on books but this one I did.

Quozl by Alan Dean Foster DNF
BLURB: Rabbitlike aliens from outer space colonize Earth during humankind’s Second World War in a delightfully funny and thought-provoking science fiction adventure
The Quozl just need somewhere to call home. A gentle race of extraterrestrial rabbits, they have a propensity for reproduction that has left their home planet, Quozlene, dangerously overpopulated, and in their search for greener and less-crowded pastures, they have discovered the perfect place to start over: the third planet away from a healthy, warming sun. What they don’t realize is that this world they call Shiraz is already inhabited by a species of violent sentient creatures known as humans.
But there’s no going back now. In the midst of the brutal and helpfully distracting global conflict the Shirazians call World War II, the colony ship lands undetected, and the space rabbits immediately go into hiding. But a secret like the Quozl can be concealed for only so long, especially when their numbers start to increase and certain rebellious members of the long-eared society decide the time is ripe to claim their place in a world they believe is rightfully theirs.
One of the most admired and prolific authors in the science fiction arena, Alan Dean Foster will delight readers who hunger for something different with this funny, thoughtful, and wildly inventive novel of first contact and coexistence. Once you meet the Quozl, you will never forget them.

My Review: Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley DNF! I love Alan Dean Foster and have become a great fan of his Pip & Flinx series as well as his Humanx Commonwealth series but this was a load of drivel. It showed non of his talent that shines through on the Humanx Commonwealth stories and I'm afraid the elaborate rituals and exchanges were too much for me and I stopped reading. I have a nasty feeling that this is a re-release of one of his earlier stories and not a new story at all. It certainly seems like the work of an immature author compared to his Humanx Commonwealth stories.

Jamie Lynn Miller Bio and Interview

As promised in my previous post here is a lovely interview with the lady herself.

Interview:

Me: We know you are an author and therefore enjoy writing but what interests you apart from writing?

JLM: I enjoy glass blowing, yoga, going to comic book conventions, bowling, photography and riding the biggest, fastest roller coasters out there.

~~~

Me: Are you a ‘typical’ author who reads as much as she writes? If yes, what are your favourite genres to read?

JLM: Oh yes, very much so. I've been a voracious reader since I was a child. Besides m/m contemporary romance I like to read sci-fi and mysteries.

~~~

Me: Have you always wanted to write Science Fiction or was your interest in other genres first?

JLM: Actually no, surprisingly enough, even though I've been a sci-fi fan since I was six years old when Star Wars first came out. I've been writing contemporary romance for 5 years. Inspiration for An Endless Sea of Stars struck pretty much out of the blue. It was a pleasant surprise! And then I wondered why I'd never written sci-fi before! I've already started the sequel.

~~~

Me: I know a lot of authors have no say in their covers, do you have any say and are you happy with the covers you have on your books?

JLM: With the exception of Memory's Prisoner, I've designed all of my own covers. I'm a graphic designer in my "day job". So I've been extremely lucky in that I always get what I want! :-)

~~~

Me: How hard is it to write believable characters in a Science Fiction setting and do you think writing aliens is easier or harder than human characters?

JLM: An Endless Sea of Stars is an Earth-based book. While I do mention various species of aliens I don't have one as a main character. But I have written aliens in several fanfic stories and I find them more interesting to write than human characters. Because you can do anything with them. Humans have limitations. But aliens can have wings or breathe underwater or even become invisible. Endless possibilities!

~~~

Me: I know most authors hate the question ‘where do your ideas come from’ so I’ll ask instead, what influences your writing ideas?

JLM: My tag line pretty much says it all - "Men in uniform…and out". I've just got a thing for law enforcement or the fire department and now I've spread out into my fictional Interstellar Exploration Alliance, where they all wear uniforms as well. :-) And with my contemporary fiction, real life experiences I've had with the police and fire department have greatly influenced my story ideas.

~~~

Me: Are your family supportive of your writing and what do they think of your stories?

JLM: Only my husband knows that I write m/m fiction. The rest of my family would not be supportive so I have no desire to ever tell them. But that's okay, because my husband has been my biggest cheerleader from day one. He's all I need!

~~~

Me: Did you want to be a writer as a child or did you have a different ambition then?

JLM: While my main focus was always on art, since I was a little kid, I think I always knew I'd get into writing at some point. I was always writing short stories and took as many writing classes as I could in high school. Then I found fan fiction in 1995 and that was truly the start of my writing career and what led me here today.

Me: Thank you so much Jamie for your kindness in answering my questions. Readers if, like me, you want to read An Endless Sea of Stars you will find the buy links in my previous post.



AUTHOR BIO:
Jamie Lynn Miller has been writing fiction since childhood and decided to take the plunge and go pro in 2008, finding to her amazement that people truly enjoyed her love stories. She’s a romantic at heart, and her tales reflect the desire we all have to find “the one,” persevering through trials and heartache for that happy ending.
Jamie has a degree in fine arts and has spent the last twenty years working as a graphic designer, though she’d much rather be writing. She was born in Chicago and still lives there today with her husband and their two furry, four-footed children, er… cats.
If she’s not brainstorming story ideas, you can find Jamie at a sci-fi convention, in front of a furnace doing glass blowing, or on a mat twisted into a yoga pose.

So I hope you are here because of my heads up about Jamie Lynn Miller's blog tour.

First here is the cover of her lovely book

and moving straight on here is the lady herself (and if you want to know more about the lady or her book my interview with her is in my next post).


Romance among the stars

Many thanks to Ilona for having me here today to talk about my new novella, An Endless Sea of Stars.

I've been a sci-fi fan since 1977, the year that a little film called Star Wars hit the movie screens. I was only six years old back then. While my friends wanted to go see Bambi I was begging my dad to take me to Star Wars. My mother thought I was nuts and refused to go, saying my dad was just wasting his money because I wouldn't understand the movie. Seven days later and seven consecutive trips to the movies with my dad and she had to admit she'd made a mistake. :-)

To this day Star Wars remains a big part of my life. My home is filled with about a thousand pieces of memorabilia and photos of myself with many of the actors. I also love shows like the original Battlestar Galactica, Stargate SG-1, Firefly, Buck Rogers, Babylon 5, Fringe, Doctor Who and Alien Nation. I also read sci-fi novels voraciously.

So why it's taken me to this day to write my first m/m sci-fi novella I have no idea! LOL! But inspiration finally hit and An Endless Sea of Stars was born.

This is Book One of the Genesis Project series, which follows the lives of a test pilot and an engineer as Earth strives to build a starship that will take them beyond the Milky Way and into deep space. My friend Gina calls the book a "futuristic romance" and I love that description. While it has sci-fi elements to it, the story takes place entirely on Earth with its focus on the love story between Toby and Cade.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

BLURB:

The year is 2121. While Earth has conquered exploration of the Milky Way, we have yet to develop an interstellar engine to take us beyond our own galaxy. Thus the Intergalactic Exploration Alliance and the Gemini Project were formed.

Lieutenant Tobias Dekker is fresh out of the IEA academy and determined to be assigned to the Gemini engineering team. Putting career above all else. He knows from experience that relationships have no place in the Alliance. Commander Caden Flynn is equally determined to see the Gemini prototype take flight to uncharted space. The engine is his late father's design and he wants nothing more than to be the test pilot that breaks the next light speed barrier.

Two men dreaming of a sea of stars find that it's instead an ocean here on Earth that brings them together. Can Cade convince Toby to open up his heart and take a chance on love and explore the universe with him, side by side?

EXCERPT:

Toby rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. “Anyone ever tell you you’re a smartass?”

At that Cade finally let loose with his suppressed laughter. “I had you going there, though, didn’t I?” he smirked.

Toby waved his hand in dismissal. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll have you know that’s never happened to me before. I would’ve gotten us outta there. I just needed another minute…or two,” he finished with an embarrassed grin.

“You know, I really should report this to Hank,” Cade quipped as he finished removing his wetsuit. “But!” he held up his hand before Toby could say anything. “We can forget about the entire thing if…” he trailed off for a second and rummaged in his duffle bag, pulling out a bottle of Kentucky bourbon and showing it to Toby. “…you have a drink with me.” He shrugged one of his shoulders. “Since I couldn’t get you to a bar with me I thought I’d bring the bar to you.”

Toby paused. Alone, in the dark, sharing a few drinks. This wasn’t a good idea. He should politely decline and say they needed to start heading back. But his mouth was apparently not listening to his brain, because before he could stop himself…

“Deal.”

A very pleased smile crossed Cade’s face and he reached over and squeezed Toby’s bare shoulder before turning back to the duffel bag and producing two plastic cups. A few minutes later they had donned their t-shirts and shorts and were relaxing on the bow, sitting close enough that their shoulders were almost touching. The clouds had dissipated, revealing millions of stars twinkling in the clear sky and a full moon reflecting on the water.

Cade took a swallow of bourbon and turned his head toward Toby. “I can’t get over what an amazing feeling it was, being down in those caves tonight.”

Toby took a drink as well. “Been through those caves ‘bout a hundred times. But like I said earlier, there’s something different every time. It never gets boring.”

Cade looked up toward the sky. “It’s like being out in the stars. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it.”

Toby couldn’t help his wistful, and envious, sigh. “Closest I’m probably ever gonna get to the stars is in one of the flight simulators.”

“From what I hear you’ve made some fabulous improvements to those simulators,” Cade said. “I wish I’d had you building and programming them when I was in flight school.”

Toby turned to look at him. “How did you know I was on the simulator team?”

Cade shrugged, took another drink. “After we met I took the liberty of looking into your Academy history.” He grinned. “I was curious as to who was going to be teaching me.” Cade shifted so that he was turned more fully toward Toby. “And I was damn impressed at what I read. You need to stop selling yourself short when it comes to your dream of working on the Gemini project. You’re in the top two percent of your class, Toby. Alliance Command is not going to overlook that when they hand out assignments next month.”

Toby shook his head. “Don’t you think they’d want someone older, more experienced, working on something as monumentally important as Earth’s first hyperdrive engine?”

“Just because you haven’t been in space doesn’t mean you’re not qualified to work on a starship engine. It’s about technical expertise, not flight time.”

Toby now turned to face Cade, a tinge of excitement in his voice. “Tell me about that. What’s it like up there? I’ve gotta admit that as much as I want to experience it for myself, it makes me kinda nervous, too.”

“It’s a lot like scuba diving, actually,” Cade began, then tipped his head up toward the sky, his voice gone quiet. “Surrounded by an endless sea of stars instead of water. It’s beautiful. And so serene. But there’s so much more out there to explore than in just our galaxy.”

Toby couldn’t help but smile at the passion and wonder in Cade’s voice. “You said we’re close to breaking barrier three?”

Cade nodded and finished off his drink, poured himself another and topped off Toby’s. “The engine tests we’ve been running are really promising. Captain Hoffman’s team is burning the midnight oil.”

“From what you told me last month it sounds like you are, too.”

Cade blew out a breath. “You know how badly you want in the Gemini program? That’s how badly I want to pilot that next barrier flight. It’s going to come down to myself, Logan Ramsey, Kenji Tran or Padma Singh. And they’re all damn good test pilots.”

“Well let me give you some sage advice that a friend of mine gave me,” Toby said with a grin. “Don’t sell yourself short.”

Cade gave him a look. “Now who’s the smartass?”

Toby just laughed and knocked his cup against Cade’s. He settled back to look up at the stars, and Cade did the same. They let the quiet of the open ocean surround them for several minutes, nothing but the sound of gentle waves against the hull.

“Does this place have a name?” Cade asked quietly.

“Not that I know of,” Toby answered.

“Then I think we should call it Dekker’s Cove.” He once again turned his head to look at Toby. “Thanks again for taking me out here. This is your spot and you didn’t have to share it with me.”

Toby turned his head to look back at Cade, his voice sincere. “I wanted to. I knew you’d appreciate how special it was.”

Cade pinned him with a gaze full of hope and desire. “There are a lot of things I’m finding are special down here.”

Toby’s breath caught in his throat. It would be so damn easy to give in to Cade’s flirtations. To say the hell with it and just reach over and touch him. Because Toby knew that’s all it would take. One touch. But then what? A summer fling, like they were teenagers away at camp? Toby just wasn’t wired like that, for one-time hook ups. Especially with someone like Cade. He knew he’d want more and he knew it’d never work. He just needed to keep reminding himself that it was Cade’s friendship that was most important, what he really wanted, was the only thing that
would work between them. But it was getting harder and harder to do with each passing day he spent with Cade. His heart was warring with his head. And he honestly didn’t know which was going to win.

The moment stretched on between them, Toby knowing Cade was waiting for something from Toby, but he didn’t trust himself to speak.

Cade glanced away, then back. “Toby, I…”

And Toby’s stomach somersaulted, certain of what Cade was going to say next. He wasn’t ready for this…

“…I have to leave tomorrow.”

Toby blinked and released a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. “Wh-what?” he stuttered, completely caught off guard by Cade’s words, so far from what he had been expecting.

Cade sighed. “I’m needed back at Alliance HQ. I found out this morning but was putting off telling you.”

“That – that’s okay. I understand,” Toby replied, trying to hide his disappointment.

“I even brought a holo vid of a rugby match I was hoping to show you tomorrow,” Cade grinned and Toby chuckled. “Next month, okay?”

Toby nodded. “Next month.”

Next month. One last chance for Toby to sort out his feelings for Cade. And be able to live with that decision with no regrets. He had a sneaking suspicion that was going to be easier said than done.



BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/ng25ocw
LuLu (Paperback and epub): http://tinyurl.com/qe5oeal
Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/nvj3toh
Barnes and Noble: http://tinyurl.com/ow92qj2
Also available at the iBookstore

CONTACT INFO:
Jamie Lynn Miller

jamielynnmiller@live.com
http://www.jamielynnm.wordpress.com
http://www.facebook.com/jamielynn.miller.3

Special day tomorrow

It's my second eldest's 30th birthday (Happy Birthday son) and I have Jamie Lynn Miller guesting on my blog :D

I have also finished the snowman for the yarn bombing and have a large amount of baby blankets done for Preemie's UK. Whilst doing that I listened to a few more audio books and finished the last of the Haven City series.

Audiobook: The Martian by Andy Weir Narrator:R C Bray Narration: 5 Story: 5
Audiobook: Catch The Lightening by Catherine Asaro Narrator: Anna Fields Narration: 5 Story: 5
Audiobook: Outcast Mine by Jamie Craig Narrator:Jack LeFleur Narration: 5 Story: 5

Just two more days

until Jamie Lynn Miller visits my blog!!

Meanwhile I have been catching up on some series' reading and am now up to date on the Shibari Auction House series by Sean Michael, the Love Slaves of the Alphas series by various authors, the Cat Star Chronicles series by Cheryl Brooks, the Lupinville series by Alica Cain and I'm currently reading the last book in the Haven City series by Zoe Perdita.

With the one I read for review as well that averages out at two books a day for the last week! I think maybe I read too much :D

A Call to Arms (The Arden Chronicles #1) by Shiriluna Nott

A Call to Arms (The Arden Chronicles #1) by Shiriluna Nott 5*
BLURB: War is brewing on the eastern border of Arden. The shaky truce between Arden and the neighboring realm of Shiraz has all but dissolved, and both sides are building their forces for battle. But in the quiet farming community of Willowdale, the rumors of war are the least of young Gibben Nemesio’s concerns. With both parents dead and two younger brothers to care for, Gib doesn't have time to focus on anything besides keeping food on the table. Everything changes the day he receives a conscription notice and must report to Arden’s capital.
In Silver City, Gib is forced to leave his life as a farmer behind when he enters the legendary Academy of Arden as a sentinel trainee. If called to war, he will have no choice but to go, for the Sentinels of Arden are the realm's first line of defense against the evils beyond the border.
A newcomer to this breathtaking city of stone, Gibben finds himself thrown into a world of cutthroat politics and scandals that run deeper than he ever imagined. Caught between the responsibilities to his family and to his country, Gib struggles to find balance. When he unwittingly overhears a sinister plot--that if seen to fruition will bear dire consequences for all of Arden--the young sentinel trainee must find a way to warn those in power before it is too late.

My Review: Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Author Have you ever read Mercedes Lackey's Collegium Chronicles? Or maybe Elizabeth Moon's Deeds Of Paksenarrion? If you have, then you know that when I say this book is in a similar vein, you are in for an epic fantasy read with good characters and a lovely, magical and intriguing story. In fact this is such a good read that I didn't put it down more than I really needed to (a visit to the doctor and some shopping :( ) and had just finished it before this review. I hope that book two isn't too long in getting published as it is going on my wishlist immediately. I know I should say something about he story itself but if I start I will end up gushing so much I will be giving away spoilers and all my readers know I don't do that. So take my word for it you won't go wrong buying this one if you want an epic 'young boy grows to manhood in service to the crown' fantasy book. One word of warning it has an m/m romance but, as the main character is a young teen, it is extremely mild.

A review and a heads up.

First the heads up. I am taking part in a blog tour on 29th October and hope you will all come and join me in celebrating Jamie Lynn Miller's new book An Endless Sea Of Stars.

Now for the review.

Wildcat (Cat Star Chronicles #9) by Cheryl Brooks 4*
BLURB: ONLY ONE WOMAN CAN TAME HIM
When horse breeder Sara Shield encounters Jerden Morokovitz riding bareback and naked, she's stunned by the magnificence of both man and stallion. But Sara came to Terra Minor to get away from men.
IF SHE CAN GIVE UP HER FEAR...
The murder of Jerden's lover by a deranged woman has left this former star attraction of the Zetithian Palace brothel shattered in mind and body. Jerden is sure Sara can heal his anguish—but not unless he can find the key to her heart.

My Review: I have loved the 'Star Cat Chronicles' since the very first book and this one just added to my enjoyment. The heroes are heroic, sexy and monogamous when they meet their heroines. The Heroines are usually fairly normal humans (one or two are human/other) who have that something extra that attracts those Heroes (and I'm not talking model type good looks). In fact most of the time it is a typical 'boy meets girl and they fall in love' book but somehow Ms Brooks is able to imbue her books with a spicy sexy story with action and intrigue that keeps the reader hooked. In this one there was the added attraction of horses and a 'pet' leopard and an interesting back story that helped move the whole thing along.

Reading Sue Brown

I know I mentioned going to London for a book signing last month so you won't be surprised to know that I came home with a LOT of signed books and I had intended to leave them looking all nice and pristine on my shelf but today I gave in to the urge to read one.

Morning Report (Morning Report #1) by Sue Brown 4*
BLURB: A decade on from their first kiss, Luke Murray is more in love with Simon every day. Running the Lost Cow ranch for Luke's parents, they keep their heads down and get along with the locals, even if Luke is known for being a hothead. Then one day they discover the local store owners refuse to serve them. They're bewildered until Luke's mom tells them the new pastor has targeted the couple in his sermons. Suddenly Luke and Simon find themselves alienated from people they called friends, and their ranch comes under a series of attacks. As the town's hatred and homophobia turns on them, Luke and Simon will face a critical choice: give in to the town's demands and disappear, or stand and fight for themselves and their love

My Review: I don't often read books with an established couple but I am glad I read this one. It had so much realism to it, like the fact that even after ten years together there were still things they didn't know about each other and also the fact that there could still be misunderstandings in communication. They also showed that with love, hard work and compassion no obstacle is to difficult to over come, not even hatred from people who used to be friends just because of a religious zealot preaching hatred. (A personal comment here: This happens too often and is why I hate most religious doctrines that can be twisted into hatred of your fellow man) If you like loving family stories and cowboys then you won't go very wrong buying this book, the fact that it has some extremely hot sex scenes is just an added bonus.

I've also read a few e-books too - looks like the reading slump is over :D

Deefur Dog (Deefur)by R.J. Scott 4*
BLURB: For over a year, widowed Cameron Jackson has tried to juggle his business with childcare for his two year old daughter ...all while living with Deefur, a Great Dane who believes he rules the house.
Nannies last a day, some don't even make it through the front door if the self-proclaimed ruler doesn't approve. Something has to give. Enter Jason Everson, nanny, teacher in training, apparent dog whisperer, and the only man who seems to make it past the initial scrutiny of the king. Can Jason help Cam put his house in order and help to heal his heart?

My Review: If you want a light-hearted, feel good romance with a rather LARGE dog who is a right handful then read this book. I loved Deefur and am going to be buying the follow up short story just to read about him again. The story however was really about the romance between Cameron and Jason and this was handled with a nice delicate touch and absolutely no angst. I really liked that. I am fast becoming a big fan of R J Scott's writings.

Reluctant Alpha (Love Slaves of the Alphas #4) by Shannon West 3*
BLURB: Handsome, young Kai is living a lie. On Scythia, male children are “rejected” so his mother, the queen, hid his true sex all his life. On this planet of Amazon-like women, he’s been able to hide out, but his mother needs to get him safely away from the planet, arranging a marriage to the powerful Lycan alpha. Lucas likes men but is being pressured to find a female and have an heir. Reluctantly, he agrees to meet Princess Kai, and is shocked to discover Kai is no princess, but a handsome young man! Instantly recognizing him as his bloodmate, Lucas is still furious at the deception. He mates with Kai and takes him home, but the lies between them threaten to tear them apart. Kai is still harboring a terrible secret—one that will destroy his world if it ever becomes known
My Review: One of these days I will get hold of book #1 and read it. In the meantime each of these books can be read as a stand alone, even though they are a series of interconnected stories. This one was interesting in as much as one of the main characters gets brought up as a female without much knowledge of the world outside his home. The other main character really peeved me with his lack of understanding what this would mean for the guy once he was allowed to be a man. Luckily the story overall was a good one and the second character did redeem himself before the end of the book. A nice addition to the story of the Balenescu Alphas and their mates. N.B. I hated the women of Scythia and can only hope such a thing can only happen in the imagination of a good writer.

A Graphic Novel Review

Jim Butcher's Dresden Files: War Cry #1 (Dresden Files: War Cry #1) 4*

BLURB: A war is raging between the vampire forces of the Red Court and the White Council-a war the wizards are losing. So desperate are the Council that they’ve dragooned the experienced and the outcast to reinforce their thinning ranks of Wardens. One of these draftees is one Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only wizard for hire and a guy who’s long been looked upon with suspicion by the supernatural authorities. Now, he’s one of them, and his first big mission as a Warden is a doozy: take a small team of greenhorns to a frigid town in the middle of nowhere to rescue a handful of mortals who’ve been targeted by the Red Court.

My Review: Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley Having been in written format for a long while and had a TV series made from the books Jim Butcher's Dresden Files have even branched out into Graphic Novel territory. This one is the second one I've read now and I was not disappointed. The art work was brilliant and the storyline great. My only problem was my own eyesight and the medium on which I read the novel making it hard to do. I strained to read the words due to a lack of ability to change the size of the font without ruining the look of the pictures. However I persevered and, apart from the odd headache from eye strain, I have nothing negative to say about the novel itself. If you have enjoyed the Dresden Files on TV or have been reading Jim Butcher for a while you won't need telling to go an buy this one. If however you are new to either Graphic Novels or Jim Butcher this is a good one to start with, go ahead try it, you won't be disappointed either.

Published today!!

Tales from High Hallack, Volume Three: The Collected Short Stories of Andre Norton (Tales from High Hallack #3)
by Andre Norton Not yet finished but a 5* so far.

BLURB: In the third and final volume of High Hallack, tales of high fantasy, science fiction, and coming of age reach back 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 the genre writer's library she opened in Tennessee. It is a wondrous keep that she called home, and now High Hallack opens its gates and allows these amazing stories to unfold
My Review (So Far): Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley I've been reading the individual stories a day or so at a time, so as to really enjoy them without the next one interfering with it. So far I am about half way through and each story has been really good and exactly as I expected the standard to be after reading the previous High Hallack books. Unless my opinion changes on reading the second half of the book I think this one will stay as a 5* read.
24/11/2014
ETA: I didn't change my mind This book was worth the 5* I gave it on the 14th Oct. and I highly recommend it to any Andre Norton or Anthology fans.

It's been a week since last update

and unfortunately I still haven't found anything to really hold my interest. I've read a lot of short stories and listened to a Catherine Asaro book on audible but mostly I've been suffering from a lackluster interest in life.
One reason for this is that last Saturday was the one year anniversary of losing my husband and I realised just how much I still miss him.
In an effort to cheer me up my daughter came around for a few days and decided to help me grow old disgracefully by using orange hairspray on me :D

I will update in few days and hopefully have better luck with the books I pick to read.

The trouble with reading good books

is that afterwards it's hard to find something to hold your interest. So since my last update I have read a bunch of short stories one of which was a read for honest review.

Spooky Ginger Love by Kendall Morgan 3*
BLURB: Keith Norwood, a handsome African-American gay bear, came to Camp You-Mee's Bears Haunted Halloween Boo-Nanza Extravaganza for some cheesy holiday thrills and a little ass. A fan of the one-night stand, he thought all he wanted was to get laid. The camp’s cute assistant manager with a fantastic butt was Keith’s first choice.
Instead, he loses his way in the haunted woods. He finds his way and himself with the help of Ronnie Gans, a big, friendly, hairy redhead, who is unlike any one-night stand Keith has ever had.

My Review: I received this from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The first thing I have to say about this is that it made a nice change to read a main character who was not a generic white guy. The second is that it will be difficult to give a full review without adding spoilers and as most of you know I hate spoilers. So the book. . it was a nice and easy read with a lovely little twist. I could have wished for a longer story (that is in fact the reason for only 3*s)and wish the author had given more depth to the relationship that Keith had with Ronnie. In my opinion that would have made more sense to the ending, but I am a little biased as it would have given me a longer story to read if she had :D Let's just say if you want to read a short m/m story about a cute Bear and his spooky weekend then buy this book.

Ratings for the other shorts I've read since my last update:

Sugar-free Beta (Wolves of New Haven, #1) by Angelique Voisen 3*
Vegan-licious Omega (Wolves of New Haven, #2) by Angelique Voisen 3*
Lukas's Omega by Alice Cain 3*
The Omega Prince by Lia Cooper 3*
On Dragon's Wing by Pelaam 3*
Alpha's Moon (The Half Breed Chronicles, #1) by Shannon West 3*7
Captive Hearts (The Half Breed Chronicles #2) by Shannon West 3*
The Alpha and the Outcast by Cheryl Dragon 3*

Reviewing Prince Of Faith by Belinda McBride - A 'Must Buy' book!

Prince of Faith (An Uncommon Whore #3) by Belinda McBride 5*
BLURB: Held captive in a whorehouse, Markus Dayspring wakes every morning with a thirst for revenge, and collapses every night with a prayer for strength. He lives on in spite of deadly addictions and a crippling, shameful secret. When he’s rescued by a man from his past, his reawakened love threatens to crush his damaged soul.
Caius also has a secret, one that could ultimately kill him. But his vow to rescue Markus is stronger than guilt, fear and even his loyalty to King Helios. Too many have died because of Caius and rescuing the missing prince might allow him to sleep without nightmares.
Old habits are hard to break and new pain threatens their growing love. Yet one gleaming ray of hope continues to guide them to safety, even in the face of an unexpected violation of trust. With the stakes growing higher by the hour, Markus and Caius must learn to have faith before they can heal and face the future together.

My Review: This was an eARC from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. The book is out at the end of the month (20th I believe) but you can download the first three chapters for free from LooseId right now.
So on to that honest review.
I loved it! Now I could stop there as I am loath to continue incase I give away any spoilers. Suffice to say that the book lived up to my every expectation of well written characters and an intriguing and action packed story line. We even get to see Helios and Griffin near the end, which is a bonus for all those out who are big fans of that pair! However the main pair in this story are Marcus and Caius and the way they both deal with the betrayals, violations and hurts of the past and learn to deal with the present and look forward to a, hopefully, happier future. Belinda takes a pair of broken men and gives them a hard time and really puts them through the wringer but, as a loving touch, she also gives them each other. Throughout all the hardships of drug withdrawal and illness they find they trust no others but themselves, not even family. I best stop here or I will be giving away those spoilers and I want everyone to go an buy the book when it's out and read it for themselves so they can feel all the emotions I felt whilst reading this book. It will be worth it I promise.

Reading and listening to some good stuff.

Audiobook: Adorned by John Tristan Narrator: Shannon Gunn Narration: 5 Story: 5

Audiobook: Space Cadet by Robert A Heinlein Narrator: David Baker Narration: 4 Story: 4

Temptations of Desire (Desires Entwined #3) by Tempeste O'Riley 5*
BLURB: Alexander James Noble is a gender fluid gay man who gave up on finding Mister Right a long time ago. He’s not asking for much, though. He just wants a guy who loves all of him and appreciates his feminine form too.
At the local LGBTQ center where Alex regularly volunteers, he meets Dal Sayer, an officer of the Milwaukee PD. Because he’s been rejected one too many times, Alex doesn’t trust the huge cop and the interest he shows in him, but once Dal sets his mind on something, he goes all out. Pushing aside his preconceived notions, Alex opens up just a little and soon caves.
From their first date—while dealing with his father’s failing health and his parents’ demands for him to settle down and have children—Dal never takes his eyes off his goal of making Alex his. But proving to Alex he isn’t like all the men who couldn’t see him for who he truly was and only wanted to hide him away is harder than he thought.

My Review: As seems to be common with this series there was a lot of intrigue and danger going on in the background. There was also a different point of view on the situation with Dal's father and his demands (some of which is touched upon in book #2). However, as should be the case, most of the book focuses on the relationship between Dal and Alex. I really loved Alex and the way Tempeste showed how his life was affected by his wanting to cross dress and his gender fluidity. She also did a good job of portraying Dal's bisexuality (which made this book ideal to have read in this week of celebrating bisexuality in the real world). However at no point did either man's sexual preference so dominate the story of their relationship that it became a treatise on sexual identity, instead it became a love story about accepting the person with all their foibles and flaws and still loving them. I recommend this story to anyone who likes a little spice and sweetness in their romances, because Tempeste put both in there with style.

Love Comes Home by Andrew Grey

Love Comes Home (Senses #3) by Andrew Grey 5*
BLURB: When architect Gregory Hampton’s son, Davey, starts having trouble in Little League, Greg takes him to an eye doctor. The diagnosis hits them hard. Davey’s sight is degenerating rapidly, and eventually he’ll go blind.
Tom Spangler is used to getting what he wants. When Greg captures his attention, he asks Greg for a date. They have a good time until Greg gets a call from the friends watching his son, telling him Davey has fallen. Greg and Tom return to find the worst has happened—Davey can no longer see.
With so much going on in his life, Greg doubts he’ll see Tom again. But Tom has researched beep baseball, where balls and bases make sounds to enable the visually impaired to participate in Little League. Tom spearheads an effort to form a team so Davey can continue to play the game he loves. But when Greg’s ex-wife shows up with her doctor boyfriend, offering a possible cure through a radical procedure, Greg must decide how far he’ll go to give Davey a chance at getting his sight back.

My Review: I love the way Andrew Grey writes. He takes your heartstrings and plays them to the max. In this story he has a ten year old boy going blind and the reader is given a true insight into how that must feel for everyone involved. The relationship is also given equal billing and the slow growth of love between Tom and Greg is shown with sensitivity and panache.
I look forward to reading the next book in the Senses series.