Friday, February 17, 2023

What's on the Reading Radar?

What are you up to? I missed last Saturday, again. I only had this post partially created and by the time I remembered I didn't finish, the weekend was pretty much gone. Not only that, I'm scrolling the list and not recalling what theme or the reasoning for my choices. What can I say, last week was crazy.

Title: January Blues
Series: Northarbor Coven, 1
Author: Jax Stuart
Length: 186 pages

Genre/Tropes: Romance / Fantasy / Paranormal / Gay / Alternate Universe / 

Notes: I haven't read the other series referenced in this blurb. EDIT: I finished this on Thursday night and I really liked it! In this world, everyone knows about paranormal people. Going in, I suspected Cody would be a sunshine character, but he's a survivor who puts up a good front. He's so easy to identify with. Toth was great, too. This can be read without having read the series it spun-off from. I am going to go back and read the Sweetwater Pack series while I wait for more to be released on this one.

Blurb: While practically human in a coven of powerful witches, Cody has still picked up an enemy. After an assassination attempt fails spectacularly, his rival summons a demon to get rid of him.

Contracted to ruin Cody's life, Toth tries everything within the rules to break the perpetually cheerful man. Nothing he does seems to work, and he is pressed to try something else: seduce Cody.

Cody's hidden magic soon has Toth under his spell and he has to decide if his freedom or Cody's heart are more important.

January Blues is a 34k spinoff novella from the Sweetwater Pack series but can be read as a standalone. While MPREG can happen in this world, it doesn't in this story.

Title: Wielder
Series: Soldier and Swords, 1
Author: Margaret Couplet
Length: 143 pages

Genre/Tropes: Contemporary Fantasy / Dystopia / Gay / 

Notes: This isn't a a romance. None of the categories attached to this are gay romance but gay fiction, though there may be romantic elements. That doesn't mean that there isn't heat. I listened to the the audio clip and it is a smexy section. I did pick up the ebook sample and it I liked it. I might get the audiobook instead of the ebook, though, just because I have a hard time finding something to listen to when crocheting. 

Blurb: Hundreds of years after a race of magical beings called dindeary have taken over most of the world Corporal Clark Jameson is graduating from the Human Empire’s military academy after four years of grueling work. As a common born orphan from a small town too close to the border for anyone’s comfort Clark knows that he doesn’t have many prospects until, on the night before his future unit is to be decided he meets a strange pair of men who belong to the infamous Squad 42: Adam Milson, a sexy blonde that makes Clark’s blood run hot, and Harry Browning, the mysterious swordsman carrying one of the 13 magical swords which the dindeary will do anything to reclaim.

He never expected to see them again, especially considering Adam Milson was the heir to one of the most wealthy provinces but the next day he is called before all three of the members of Squad 42 and is offered the opportunity to try and wield Harry’s sword, Linsgarum. But Clark was a commoner, he couldn’t wield a sentient blade that burned any who were deemed unworthy, could he?

Title: Primal Instincts
Series: A Reverse Harem Love Story
Author: Nicole Edwards
Length: 244 pages

Genre/Tropes: Romance, Contemporary / RH / BDSM? / 

Notes: I haven't read Nicole Edwards in a while. She only writes contemporary but she was one author that I could count on having a well rounded menage romance when she wrote it. This popped up on one of my searches and nostalgia got me. 

Blurb: What twenty-four-year-old recent college graduate would sign up to uncover a secret kink club rumored to be hidden within the walls of a multi-billion dollar  conglomerate?

Me.

Why? Well, that’s easy. I’ve spent my entire life with my nose to the grindstone, doing the right thing, focusing on my future, and now I’m bored, which isn’t a good thing when you have an insatiable curiosity.

I probably should’ve considered the type of bait needed for a fishing expedition of this magnitude when I applied for the job at Primal Instincts, LLC, looking to uncover the secret world that exists only on the whispers of those who’ve never so much as glimpsed the dark, seductive inner workings because those who had wouldn’t dare reveal anything.

Now that I’m through the door, I’ve got my determination and single-minded focus to keep me moving forward. I will figure it out if for no other reason than to say I did.

Provided I don’t get sidetracked by not one, not two, but three men who are ridiculously good at keeping secrets.

Title: Hitmen & Heartaches
Series: Hitmen & Hexes
Author: Charlotte Brice
Length: 304 pages

Genre/Tropes: Romance / Urban Fantasy / Mystery / 

Notes: I'm not sure if this should be considered a dark romance. This is a four book series which is complete and while reading through the blurbs there are references to different triggers. I actually really like the sound of the Russian hitman throughout the series and is the reason I might pick this up to read.

Blurb: Voodoo and Hunter are not your average private investigators. Being a witch doctor and a werewolf gives life added challenges. Finding love is one of them.

The Lincolnshire Poacher transmitted it's strange song for fifty years before going silent in 2008. When the disbanded ghost radio transmits one last message, no one can ignore the mystery sound. Things don’t go to plan when the inn keeper, Carl, becomes a target of international hitmen.

When Hunter loses his heart to the Russian Assassin, Doll, things start to change for the better.

It’s not an easy journey, but these men learn to accept each other, even if they are all squashed together in a magical motorhome
And they still need to solve why the world wants Carl dead.

This book is suitable for readers over 18. It contains graphic sex and violence, including the death of a main character. But no one says he doesn't deserve it. Otherwise, it ends on a HFN, no cliff-hanger.

Title: Heir's Companion
Series: Companion Series, 1
Author: RY Long
Length: 313 pages

Genre/Tropes: Medieval Fantasy / Alternate World / 

Notes: I'm in the middle of reading this one. This is not my usual pick. Despite the trigger warnings, the humor of the blurb and tags convinced me to give this a try. I won't categorize this as a romance or even having romantic elements simply because Cas is an unwilling slave. He's caught in a situation in which he does his best to make the situation more palatable for himself. I'm at the point in the story where the relationship between Cas and Raidon is slipping into more of a partnership. I'm invested in the story and interested in seeing where it goes, but I will admit if somethings don't happen by the end of the trilogy (i.e. abolishing that nasty tradition of sex slaves, freeing Cas) then I'll be highly disappointed.  

Blurb: Being transported to a strange world and sold as a sex slave to a young lord? 9 out of 10, Cas does not recommend (What? His master is hot.).

When the going gets tough, lit geeks analyze. Cas is going to analyze his way right out of this trope, thank you very much.

Trigger warning scene, check inside for details

Tags:

Evil uncle, master/slave only in name, teacher kink, hurt/comfort, isekai, falling in love, medieval society, found family, brief, romance lovers unite, lit geeks for the win, sex education, carriages suck, seriously, who maintains these roads, the staff is awesome, maids really do know everything, the king and Bob are the best, Bob needs a bondage set, Cas and Raidon fuck like bunnies


Thank you for stopping by and reading!

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