What's on the Reading Radar? #WishList #tbr #reading

What's going on? Self-Edits are going on. Sometimes I forget the little things that came before in the manuscript; gentle, thoughtful things or a characters fervent hopes and wishes that tug at my heartstrings, making me teary-eyed. I'm wondering what people will make of Cherish and the people of Aries 7 who are nothing like humans. 

Title: Pass

Series: Shattered Pawns, 1

Author: Jennifer Cody

Length: 299 pages

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Poly / Gay / 

Notes: So I found this being talked about in an author's group and I'm like, hey this is my jam, but I haven't read the trilogy that is a spinoff of is based on. I want to read this NOW, but now I think there are things in the trilogy that will keep me from being lost in this one that rely on the readers knowledge of the tribology this is a spinoff from. But I don't want to read them. I want this one! The woes of a mood reader.

Blurb: Luca:

I’ve lived my life in the pursuit of justice. I worked my way from the police academy to detective to the leader of the organized crime task force. Then six weeks ago all that career momentum came to a screeching halt after someone set off a car bomb across the street from L.L. Security. That event changed everything for me. Six weeks of fear, looking over my shoulder, and pretending my world hasn’t crumbled down around my ears. Sometimes I wish I’d never heard of L.L. Security, sometimes I’m glad I at least know how dangerous this world really is. I may be the only detective who can see the wings on the body in my crime scene, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to find the guy’s killer even if my Captain keeps trying to erase my memories with magic.

Auggie:

Something is wrong with my roommate, but every time I ask, Luca says he’s fine. I want him to confide in me, but expecting him to talk to me when I’ve been hiding secrets from him for years seems a bit hypocritical. I have enough patience to wait until he’s ready to talk. The Chimera inside me isn’t in a hurry to mate him anyway, at least not until he comes home tasting just right. Luca kissed someone else and now the beast inside me is ready to take them both and make them mine.

Tio:

After my father sold my brother to the youngest prince of Morgaine, the Elven Realm, I thought it would take me a decade at least to buy him back, but my employer tussled with the wrong Headsman—well, Headsmen. Erroll’s execution relieves me of the contract I had with him, but it puts me and my brothers in infinitely more danger. My father is coming, one of my brothers won’t talk to me, the other doesn’t know who I am, and controlling my extra arms has become an exercise in futility; kissing Chimeras is not normal for me. I promise.

Pass is a 105k words, MMM, gay, fated mates, paranormal romance featuring three good-to-the-core non-humans in the Diviner’s Game universe. It features an HFN for these three characters and a cliffhanger ending of the overarching plot of the Shattered Pawns Trilogy. Includes plenty of 18+ fun with tentacles. Best if read after the Diviner’s Game trilogy starting with Bishop to Knight One.

Title: Craved by Them

Series: 

Author: Lily Harlem

Length: 294 pages

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Vampires / Mystery? / RH / 

Notes: I'm so happy to find more vampire romances.

Blurb: Vampire police serving the streets of London.

Really?

Hell yeah, you'd better believe it!

The Worshipful Company of the Ancient Order was created at the beginning of vampire memory. Its goal to enforce law and order over blood-thirsty paranormal existences. To do this, a secret elite group was created known as The Ancient Ones. Their word on the street goes, they are trusted to preserve human life and fight enemies to the death.

What experienced DI Corey Tatum hadn't been expecting was that The Ancient Ones were to be her new team.

Intelligent--tick. Gorgeous--tick. Soon to be in love and lust with her--tick. This is no ordinary case, and these are no ordinary policemen.

Will Corey ever be able to return to a normal life? Or will her heart, body, and soul crave those who crave her?

*CRAVED BY THEM is the full-length novel extended from the short story in the Duty Bound anthology (no longer available).

Title: Cyber Pulse

Series: 

Author: Multi-Author Anthology

Length: 

Genre: Romance / Sci-Fi / LGBTQIA

Notes: releases June 17th

Blurb: Love is love...anywhere in the universe.

Whether they meet on alien planets or spaceships, through mate lotteries or by chance, the characters in these stories of aliens and humans, alphas and omegas, M/M, F/F, bisexual, transgender, and more will leave you breathless.

Get your copy of this collection including hot new lgbtq+ science fiction romances by the best, new, and up-and-coming authors in the genre.

One-click now to reserve your copy!

Featuring stories by:
Arizona Tape
Skye MacKinnon
Leona Windwalker
Meg Bawden
Stephanie Barr
Tiegan Clyne
Coyote Starr
Zelda Knight
Helena Novak
Tami Veldura
Sadie Marks
Sienna Sway
Céline Glaude
Alex Austen

Title: Betrayal

Series: Grimm Brother's Duet, 1

Author: November Sweets

Length: 193 pages

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Bisexual / Poly / Classed as RH / 

Notes: I have been in a weird mood for a rejected mates story. This was suggested in a RH group that had MM were the guys are just as in love with each other. I'm going to put a trigger warning out there for y'all (that doesn't give spoilers). Some might consider what the guys did as cheating. The guys ghosted their mate without breaking the bond and she felt every time they sought release outside the family group. In my mind, they are technically broken up. Once they found out she was caused pain by their philandering, they stopped. (Although, the reason they gave for why they started in the first place is BS and I hope it is addressed at sometime.) There is a lot of MM and MMM sex in the story. The pain of the rejection is glossed over a bit, which I'm of two minds on. I did enjoy the book enough to start the next one. RH is infamous for their cliffhangers and if I finish the book I will stop a couple pages from the end so that I don't have to deal with it. If I remember correctly, this series is complete so I went with it, and as cliffs go it would be tolerable if book two wasn't out.

Blurb: Five years ago, I thought life was nothing short of a fairytale.I had the love of my five mates and the future was looking so bright.
Five years ago, I was an idiot.
Now I know that life isn’t sunshine and rainbows.
Now I know that life is full of lies, darkness, and blood.
It only took my mates abandoning me without a word or a trace to open my eyes to the things I had previously ignored.
When you are a rejected mate, you learn pretty quickly how people actually feel about you.
It took me five years to track them down, and now that I have, they have a choice:
Break the bond, and finally set me free
Or
I’ll kill them, and hope I survive their deaths
I’m Delphina Grimm, my enemies call me Umbra

Betrayal is the first in a duet PNR/UF Reverse Harem romance. Not suitable for anyone under the age of 18 due to language, sexual situations, and violence. There is MM in this book which means swords will be crossing. There are things in here that people might find triggering.

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!

What's on the Reading Radar? #WishList #tbr

 What am I doing? Self-editing! Imagine that in the most dramatic voice with a pose. I'm so ready to be done but alas, it is not to be.

In the meantime, my pre-orders arrive and they are glaring at me because I'm not letting myself get distracted, mostly.

Title: Sorcery Always Satisfy

Series: 

Author(s): Louisa Masters

Length: 245 pages

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Gay

Notes: The last of the series. I will be sad but maybe there will be a spinoff. 

Blurb: Just because I enjoy planning and researching doesn’t mean I’m not the most dangerous badass mothercracker around.
The world sees me as boring, dependable David. And I like it that way. I know things and I’m organized. Plus, I’ve seen firsthand the harm a chaotic life can inflict, and I’d rather have my lists and be called dull.

Which is what makes it all the more disconcerting when a sexy elf declares his adoration and begins to “woo” me. What am I supposed to do?

Hide, mostly. It’s hard, though, because Caolan and I are supposed to be working together. And he’s tough to resist: sweet, competent, and so incredibly beautiful. He sees something in me that no one else does. Would it really be such a bad thing if I gave in to temptation?

But my personal life can’t be the priority right now. The bad guys are gearing up to strike, and if we don’t stop them, the end of the world could be nigh. I need to focus on that, not on letting Caolan show me the benefits of spontaneity. Why don’t world-ending disasters come with an instruction manual?

Title: Peregrine

Series: Forbidden Desires

Author(s): Piper Scott, Virginia Kelly

Length: 347 pages

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Established Relationship / Gay

Notes: I have been reading on this. Take seriously the trigger warnings. Also, I have lots of thoughts about certain people in this story. 

Blurb: 1508

Sebastian Drake, stoic protector of the Drake family, always gets what he wants—and there is nothing he wants more than the half-starved Pedigree omega named Peregrine he comes across on his travels. It doesn’t matter that Peregrine is a Disgrace. Sebastian will do whatever it takes to keep him… and somehow, as impossible as it might be, find a way to be his mate.

Present Day
For hundreds of years, Peregrine has enjoyed life as Sebastian’s mate. Sure, as one of the only bonded omegas in recent history he’s been kidnapped more times than he can count, but with Sebastian there to save him it’s little more than an inconvenience. And attacks from hostile clans? That’s just a typical Tuesday.

But there is one thing Peregrine fears, yet desperately wants.

One thing that has hurt him time and time again.

One thing Sebastian can’t save him from.

And now it’s happening again.

He’s pregnant.

Peregrine is an 85,000 word omegaverse mpreg romance set prior to as well as following the events of the Forbidden Desires series. It has answers to questions you’ve been dying to know and contains heartache, laughter, origin stories, meddling reptilian families with huge hearts, exotic locales, a dash of danger, and a love story five hundred years in the making. For maximum enjoyment, Peregrine is best read following the events of Clutch, Bond, Mate, Swallow, Magpie, and Finch.

Please use the Look Inside or Download Free Sample feature to read the Content Warning for possible triggers.

Title: Broken Fangs

Series: Hollywood Creatures, 1

Author(s): Skylar Sweeney

Length: 337 pages

Genre: Dark Romance / Paranormal / Vampires /  Werewolves / Gay

Notes: I'm seriously considering this one even though it is tagged as being dark with triggers. I mean, I've been looking for certain kinds of vampire stories. But this one is the 'father of all vampires' and I'm intrigued because you always assume that such characters have all the power they want but this dude doesn't. I'm encouraged by the reviews that say it can be funny. 

Blurb: Even after decades of abuse, the father of all vampires still can't bring himself to leave the man he's loved for years. But when a tragic loss finally convinces Gus to step up and leave, he discovers that running from the boss of the Celtic witches' mob isn't an easy thing to do. But in Hollywood, anything is possible.

There's no better escape from life than a reality TV show, and when the chance to star in a gay dating show lands in Gus' lap, he sees the cameras as his savior--even the mob can't steal him back on live TV. Especially not when the man the contestants are all trying to win is LA's baddest Alpha werewolf and former chief of the Paranormal Police.

The only problem? That same wolf wants nothing more than for every vampire to find themselves as dead as undead can be.

This paranormal drama is about to get real…

Order your copy NOW!

WARNING: This book depicts graphic scenes of abuse and past trauma. Reader discretion advised.

Title: The Lost Mage

Series: War of the Wood, 1

Author(s): Ben Alderson

Length: 358 pages

Genre: Romance / High Fantasy / Gay 

Notes:

Blurb: A Mad Queen. A host of ancient dragons. A jealous heir.

Maximus Wodlin hated magic. Long before it erupted from him, killing the son of Master Gathrax and altering the course of his life forever.

Over 100 years had passed since the War of the Wood, when the northern army swept across land and killed the four ruling mages. Eradicating their ties to magic and leaving their vengeful families to rule.

But now one had returned. With Maximus’s palm branded by a mage mark, there is no escaping the crime he committed or the truth of what he is.

Instead of death at the hands of his Master’s grieving family, Maximus’s newfound power is controlled by them. Forced to become the son he killed and live as a false heir, to restore the dwindling legacy of the Gathrax Estate.

As Maximus struggles to discern allies from enemies, the Mad Queen watches from the North. Trusting is impossible when motives are invisible to him… even if they are shrouded within a handsome stranger.

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!

New Bits and Bobs #TheValespianPact #Cherish #comingsoon #lgbtqiascifi

It has been a while since I did an actual book update--not a reading update, but something to do with how my writing is going. It always seems like I'm saying the same thing over and over again as I crawl through writing a story. :)

I thought I would be finished with Cherish (The Valespian Pact, 4) before the end of 2020, and it would be published by now. **Glances at the not-published manuscript** Then I thought the end of February, and yet when February arrived and left, I still wasn't finished. 

See, I was about halfway to what I thought would be the finish when I had one of those moments where I realized that there was a major imbalanced to the story.  All, and I mean ALL, the chantelle (female GyrFalconi) were depicted as despicable. It was something I needed to fix, but I did not want to introduce new characters because they would just be window dressing. I needed people who were important to characters to show that they were desperately loved by the females in their lives. But since Cherish takes place post The Twenty-Year War on Aries 7, backing up would put them in the war, a terrible time for the GyrFalconi.

Cherish was suppose to my fun, sweet story about found family and untraditional love in a ridged society. It was supposed to be sweet, with the war and captivity in the past, an event that I didn't mind telling instead of showing. It wasn't supposed to have politics, action-adventure, danger, or all the other crazy stuff that has been going on in the rest of the series. 

Sweet. And romancey and sweet with little hatchlings that fit into the palm of your hand.

I wanted to write something for myself. For a couple of years now, Destin has been talking to me about his adorable cute little hatchlings and I wanted to write THAT. But if I backed up and and wrote about these people as the war started, it would break my heart because I already loved them.

The imbalanced needed to be fix, and the story didn't care what I wanted. My muse didn't care what I wanted. I begged my muse to not break my heart, and she just stared at me imperiously, then told me to go do what I knew had to be done.

So, I backed up to show what happened when Aries 7 was invaded, and how the lives of these people changed. How wonderful, brave chantelle died or endured. Since I did this, the core of the story and the plot changed, revealing that this was not the standalone side story that I thought it was. And, it came with some revelations for me.

Why am I telling you this now? Well, I finished writing on Cherish, and it is going through some self-edits before I send it out to the editor for the official rounds of content and line editing (that it desperately needs), then the proofreading. I don't have a publication date yet. The manuscript is just under 185k words (Remember how I said after Constant that I wasn't going to write another long book? Yeah, that really took hold, didn't it?) and I don't know how long each round of editing will take. So it will be a couple months away yet. 

Ope! I need to write a blurb! 

*stares at computer in disbelief* 

How did I forget that? LOL!

There you go! The news on the next book in the Valespian Pact!

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!

What's on the Reading Radar? #read #WishList #TBR

What am I up to? Well, I got the 2nd Covid shot and it kicked my butt. Fever, serious chills, achy, exhaustion, nausea. Not fun, y'all. Not fun.

Title: King & Queen

Series: RELIC, 3

Author(s): Maz Maddox

Length: 216 pages

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Gay

Notes: 

Blurb: Running into your one night stand is always awkward.

It’s especially awkward when said hunky hookup pulls you into a secret war over fossils and a kidnapped, newly awakened Albertosaurus shifter.

As if my life wasn’t already a mess (understatement), now I’m cruising through Canada hunting down an ancient monster who tried to kill us, attempting to get my social media career off the ground, and ignoring my feelings for my one time fling.

Royal is hot as fire, funny, brilliant and has a thing for dinosaurs almost as much as I do.

Probably because he is one.

Title: Hell Breaks Loose

Series: Hellhounds Champions, 4

Author(s): Macy Blake

Length: 299 pages

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Gay

Notes: 

Blurb: Safe to say Achim’s life wasn’t going as planned. First, his mission for the fire goddess ended up with him—a hellhound who’d never actually been to hell—being sent precisely there. Worse, he found himself stuck in the strange hellscape with Ozias, a guy who’s a) hotter than the fire of both suns in the hell-realm, b) really, really likable, despite his arrogance, and c) oh yeah, the actual prince of hell.


Their connection comes in handy, though, when a demon escapes into the human realm and Ozias is sent to track it down. With magic fluctuating wildly around them, the hellhound pack is run ragged trying to keep the supernatural world a secret from the humans… especially since Achim is just a wee bit distracted keeping his mind and hands off the gorgeous-but-cocky prince. But when the strange forces wreaking havoc on the human realm attempt to drive Achim and Ozias apart… well, that’s when things get really messed up.

Because if they think they're gonna keep a hellhound from the guy who might just be his mate… They’re gonna watch all hell break loose.

Title: A Torn Paige

Series: Hidden Kingdom, 1

Author(s): L. Rose

Length: 165 pages

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / RH / Bisexual / 

Notes: From what I understand this story turns into more of a polyam romance toward the end of the trilogy. A couple of things to note: lots of people said they cried, the FMC is a ghoul so I'm expecting some gore. I've been dithering over this because Lila Rose is a hit or miss with me, but I decided to give it a try and bought the audiobook. It warns that there is a cliffhanger but the trilogy is complete so there is no waiting for the next one.

Blurb: Three, four, monsters at your door.

Five, six, no one could predict.
Seven, eight, you learn they're your mates.
Nine, ten, it's time to fight again.

Paige Alice has changed, but she's not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.

The good.
Four annoying and different types of men, who she trusts with her life. A scary but faithful sidekick, and of course, her crazy family.

The bad.
...Everything else.

*This is the first in a reverse harem romance trilogy. There's adult themes, course language, humor, and mm scenes, for 18+ only.
*Sorry about the cliffhanger, but the second book will be released in early December 2019.
*Bestselling author, Lila Rose, writing as L. Rose to bring you a brand-spanking-new reverse harem paranormal romance series. You'll laugh, maybe cry, and hopefully enjoy feisty Paige and her annoyingly hot men.

Title: The Price of Exorcism

Series: Pizza Shop Exorcist, 2

Author(s): Dakota Brown

Length: 195 pages

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / RH

Notes: I really enjoyed the first book in the series. I've been looking forward to this one. 

Blurb: I was an exorcist, one of the best. When things got hot, I got out. I wasn’t fast enough, and I ended up with nothing but my parents’ old pizza parlor.

Then my ex-best friend Darius wandered back into my life needing my skills. Innocent lives were in danger and I couldn’t say no. That dragged me deeper into the occult than I ever thought possible, and I can’t see a way back out. There’s upheaval in the demonic world and it’s spilling onto Earth and into my life; including stealing away my incubus boyfriend.

I thought I’d accidentally banished Sabian back to Hell, along with the demonic prince, Ezra, who’d been possessing me at the time. Turns out, the enemy snatched my incubus away from me as leverage in the upcoming war.

Mal, my vampire boyfriend, and I try to summon both Sabian and the demon prince, failing at every turn. When we’re at our wits’ end, Prince Ezra shows up in person with an offer I can’t refuse: help him with a small task and he’ll take me to Hell to rescue my incubus.
Terrifying? Sure, but what isn’t these days? Even more frightening are the feelings tugging me ever closer to Ezra. If I get out of this with my relationships and my soul intact, it’ll be worth the price I’ve paid to get Sabian back.

This book is intended for mature audiences. 18+ readers only! It contains language and sexual situations. This is a medium burn reverse harem where the girl gets all the guys. Why Choose? Harem members added as series progresses.

Title: There Will Be Aliens

Series: 

Author(s): Holly Day

Length: 123 pages

Genre: Romance / Alien / Kidnapping / Gay / 

Notes: I haven't read Holly Day before and I'm not keen on the 'kidnapped' theme but I'm willing to give this a try to see how it turns out.

Blurb: Carlo Russo is having the worst day. Not only has he lost his job, caught his boyfriend cheating, and had one too many shots with his best friend Grace, now he’s seeing aliens too. Big, black, tail-equipped aliens. After a futile struggle, he and Grace find themselves on a spaceship leaving Earth.

Zenon Scoreceds Qhainqons doesn’t know what it is about the earthling male. Their mission is to bring back ten females in hopes of them being able to provide their planet with children, but he wants the male. What he’s going to do with the male, he doesn’t know, but he’s claiming him as his payment for going on the mission.

Carlo doesn’t approve of kidnapping, but the aliens aren’t too bad, and once the language chip is installed, he finds it entertaining to talk to them. Zen in particular. They’re standoffish and never show any emotion, but Carlo has no problem cuddling up next to Zen at night.

All Zenon wants is to spend time with Carlo, but it’s his job to get them all home in one piece. Will he be able to keep Carlo safe from all the dangers lurking along the trip? He has to because Carlo is his, and he’s not letting him go.

Title: The Alpha's Mage

Series: Wild Magic, 1

Author(s): Claire Cullen

Length: 241 pages

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Gay

Notes: I wanted to read book 2 in the series, but figured I'd better get to know the world in book one.

Blurb: Magic. Without it, Knox’s pack will die. The only way to get it? Steal it. Steal him. A wolf mage.

The slow decay of magic is destroying Samhain Pack bit by bit. Down to their last ailing mage, Knox snatches a mage from a rival pack. Better to be a pack with enemies than a dead pack. But when Lorcan is foisted upon him, Knox refuses to take the mage as a mate. Until their alpha leader drags up an old pack law to punish the wayward mage, and Knox finds it isn’t so easy to walk away.

Being a wolf mage is a curse. It’s taken everything from Lorcan—his family, his home, and his magic. Now he’s been taken by another pack, with a whole new set of rules. He has no intention of sticking around, especially when they plan to bond him to one of their alphas. Running from wolves comes naturally to him, only Knox proves hard to run from.

The Alpha’s Mage is a paranormal romance featuring a stubborn wolf, a distrustful druid, and a pack in dire need of luck. It’s the first book of the Wild Magic series, which should be read in order. It contains mature and somewhat dark themes but does not contain mpreg.

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!

What's on the Reading Radar? #WishList #TBR #reading

What is going on?

Title: Slumbering Ember: Wolf Shifters of Norse Lore

Series: The Vargr, 1

Author(s): Meraki P. Lyhne

Length: 275 pages

Genre: Young Adult / Romantic Elements / Paranormal / Fantasy / Gay

Notes: I found this advertised on a FB group that I'm in. A couple of things to note that was revealed in the blog tour but not here is the MC is 16. There is no sex until later in the series when the MC comes of age. So expect this to be story heavy.

Blurb: The belief in the old Norse gods may have been suppressed by Christianity, but that doesn’t mean the races of old didn’t survive. Like the Vargr wolves.

All Matt knows of his dad is that he was Danish and that he’d died in a motorcycle accident ten years earlier.

When Matt’s sixteen and a half, his mother declares it important that he at least knows the other half of his heritage, so she sends him from the States to Denmark as an exchange student for a year.

Matt’s not overly excited. Matt’s a loner who doesn’t connect with people. Going to a foreign country was never a part of his plans, but he’d do it for her. He’d go to where she’d loved the only man in her life. The love that gave her Matt.

Everything he’s heard from his mom and read about Denmark and the area he’s going to live in did not prepare him for what he finds, though—a heritage that has an old Norse god on the family tree.

Title: Murder Mittens

Series: A Magical Comedy (with a body count)

Author(s): RJ Blain

Length: 321 pages

Genre: Romance / Urban Fantasy

Notes: I started reading this and it got put on pause... and I forgot I started reading it! LOL Then I saw that the audio came out and bought it, only to be reminded I did not finish the ebook. So that was actually fun. The next ebook in the series is out and I think I'll save it for a rainy day.

Blurb: Becoming a bounty hunter and taking on the call sign of Murder Mittens wasn’t Harri’s brightest move, but what’s a lynx to do with millions of debt while working a customer service gig? The scars deforming her face won’t remove themselves, and she’ll bag and tag every criminal in the United States to get rid of them if necessary.

Being assigned a handler could make or break her, but did the powers that be really have to toss Sebastian Sumners her way? The lion with a stubborn streak as wide as hers tests her patience on a good day, but nothing makes her purr more than goading him into roaring.

Add in a protective family, a serial killer on the loose, and more trouble than any one cat needs, and it’s going to take a miracle for Harri to get through the most important job of her life.

Warning: contains magic, humor, cranky shapeshifters, cats, murder, and mayhem. Proceed with caution.

Title: Manny for Walker

Series: Claws Inc. 1

Author(s): Fel Fern

Length: 214 pages

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Mpreg / Gay

Notes: 

Blurb: Finding a mate? That’s not in the cards for a busy alpha like Walker.

With a murder to solve, a company to run and his 2 nieces to take care of, alpha wolf shifter Walker Olsen has no time for distractions. Hiring a manny will solve one of his problems. Walker just never expected his one true mate to turn up on his doorstep. Manny’s unbelievably sweet and great with kids. The omega’s also far too good to be wasted on a broken alpha like Walker. Walker’s determined to maintain professional boundaries but no shifter can resist the mating call.

From day one, Manny Santos fell in love with the Olsen family. He prefers working with human clients but he’s made an exception for Walker and his adorable nieces. Walker’s a sexy, walking disaster. A puzzle Manny can’t wait to solve. Getting too close to the alpha seems like a bad idea. Walker’s hiding secrets. Manny has his own personal fears to overcome but destiny doesn’t make any mistakes when it comes to fated mates.

An adorable but distrustful omega and a hard-headed and stubborn alpha find out they’re fated mates in Manny for Walker. It is the first book in the Claws Inc. series. There are no cliff-hangers or cheating, and a HEA is guaranteed.

Title: Sage and King

Series: 

Author(s): Molly Ringle

Length: 195 pages

Genre: Romance / Fantasy / Gay

Notes: This is a new to me author. When I was checking out her backlist to see if she has released anything that I've heard about. No, but the Goblins of Bellwater caught my attention. It is young adult and listed as suitable for kids aged 12yrs+. I don't usually read YA any more but I like the sound of the story. Maybe.

Blurb: When the queen of Lushrain is murdered, her unprepared youngest brother gets thrown into the spotlight as the new king. He's soon assigned a charming young magician who's meant to protect him from the assassin, and they grow romantically close—which comes with a host of dangerous complications and secrets.

Zaya expected to be the irresponsible youngest prince his whole life. But when his two older siblings are killed by an unidentified magician, he finds himself crowned king of Lushrain—the end of his liberty as he knows it. As part of his training, he's sent to Heartwood for a month, the house of the sages high in the mountains. There, to his shock, the sages tell him he must learn about magic—which is illegal to practice, but has nonetheless been among Heartwood's secret studies for centuries.

They assign Col as his tutor, a charming young sage with unusually strong powers. Zaya abhors and distrusts magic, and Col absolutely doesn't want the job of attempting to change the king's mind. But in their lessons and debates, they grow closer and begin envisioning a future in which a sage and a king might make a harmonious couple.

But the assassin still roams, seeking to hurt Zaya, and the budding love affair may be crushed by the secrets that Heartwood—and Col—have kept about this killer.

Title: The Prince and the Thief

Series: (Ambrosia Royals Book 1)

Author(s): PS Scott

Length: 232 pages

Genre: Romance / Fantasy / Gay

Notes: Book two of this duology releases on May 23rd.

Blurb: Enter the magical world of Ambrosia with the first book in a new duology about a troubled prince who hires a thief with magical powers to safeguard his secret.

A jewel thief with magical powers…

Eighteen-year-old Will is a jewel thief with only one goal in life — to be rich. That's why when he spots Aidan, the second prince of Ambrosia saving a peasant girl from royal guards, he steals the prince's ruby bracelet. A few days later, Aidan stumbles into Will during a robbery, and the two strike a bargain.

Meets a prince with a secret…

Aidan is a prince torn between duty and desire. In a world where same-sex relationships are forbidden in the royal family, he is attracted to men. To make matters worse, his uncle is in possession of love letters that Aidan exchanged with his old lover. In a desperate attempt to retrieve the incriminating letters, Aidan hires Will.

A forbidden love that transcends time…

The unlikely partnership blossoms into something more but political tensions threaten to separate the lovers. Will’s loyalty lies with the rebels who want to overthrow the king, and Aidan is honor-bound to protect his family. Will they end up together or be torn apart by the hands of fate?

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!

What is on the Reading Radar? #WishList #TBR

 Hello! So, I have a problem for this week's Reading Radar. I haven't picked up a new book this week. Eeek! Right?

I'm in the middle of reading a half dozen books (no exaggeration there) but I'm stalled for one reason or another. Most of them is because the story turned tense and my anxiety screamed, "I CAN'T LOOK!" So though it's a great story, it's on pause. There are a couple that that I'm almost finished with but since the last book in the series ended in a huge cliffhanger, it is paused until the next book comes out 'cause I just can't read a cliffhanger. Then I thought, well, let's look what I put on the wish list, but nothing is calling to me. Even go-to story types. I'm sort of in this weird reading limbo. So I'm just going to blindly pick titles and put them on the Radar. No rhyme or reason. LOL

Title: Shift of Morals

Series:

Author(s): K. Webster

Length: 188 pages

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Age Gap / Angst Central / Gay / 

Notes: Angsty! I'm so glad there is a warning. The blurb sounds so good though... !!

Blurb: ***This is the fifth book to release in the Kingdom of Wolves collection but is a COMPLETE STANDALONE. It’s meant to be read on its own and is a full story with a happily ever after.***

I found him when he was a boy.
Bloody. Mangled. Near death.
If I’d been a merciful Alpha, I would’ve snapped his neck and ended him right then.

Except, I didn’t.
Something in his big brown eyes tugged at my heart strings.
I kept him. Healed him. Raised him to be fierce, loyal, and brave.

Now that he’s an adult, everything’s changing.
He’s no longer the soft, scared boy I once thought he was.
No, there’s an uncontrollable anger inside him.
A rage-filled hate I don’t understand.

As a dangerous pack begins tormenting us and destroying our home, I feel him pulling from me as he seeks justice.
He thirsts for revenge, even if it means leaving our pack and going solo.
But, as his Alpha, I won’t let him go without a fight.

Each time he pushes, I pull him right back to me.
I’ll keep him locked in my arms or pinned beneath me forever if that’s what it takes to keep him.
A shift of morals has begun.
One I don’t understand, but certainly don’t resist.

I’m the most powerful wolf on Beacon Island. I don’t have weaknesses.
Until now.
This wild, reckless young man changed everything when he stole my heart.

This book is a steamy standalone MM age-gap shifter romance. No other books need to be read before or after this one as it is a complete story.  

Title: Entity

Series:

Author(s): Toshi Drake

Length: 208 pages

Genre: Romance / Science Fiction / Action & Adventure / Gay

Notes: Releases May 16th

Blurb: Lieutenant Michael Collins’s week just went to hell. The suspicious actions of his captain escalates as he orders Michael to investigate a dead ship’s heart—the cephalopods that pilot the star drive system. The mission forces Michael from the safety of his ship and his lover, Commander Eizen Sartris, while straining the bond with his own ship’s heart, Padua. Attacked by Siwu pirates, Michael finds refuge on a damaged alien vessel, where he waits for Eizen to rescue him. But in the dark cold wreckage, he discovers a thriving garden tended by a strange young boy on behalf of his enigmatic “Mama.” Fear dominates Michael’s thoughts as he struggles not to succumb to the darkness and terror of abandonment. To survive he must rely on his wits and hold fast to his faith that Eizen will find him before the pirates—or before the mysterious entity on board decides to destroy him.

Title: Kraken My Heart

Series: (Sucker For Love Mysteries Book 2)

Author(s): KL Hiers

Length: 191 pages

Genre: Romance / Mystery / Sci-Fi / Gay

Notes: Releases May 18th

Blurb: It’s just Ted’s luck that he meets the love of his life while covered in the blood of a murder victim.

Funeral worker Ted Sturm has a foul mouth, a big heart, and a knack for communicating with the dead. Unfortunately the dead don’t make very good friends, and Ted’s only living pal, his roommate, just rescued a strange cat who’s determined to make his life even more miserable. This cat is more than he seems, and soon Ted finds himself in an alternate dimension… and on top of a dead body.

When Ted is accused of murder, his only ally in a strange world full of powerful magical beings calling for his head is King Grell, a sarcastic, randy, catlike immortal with impressive abilities… and anatomy. The two soon find themselves at the center of a cosmic conspiracy and surrounded by dangerous enemies. But with Ted’s special skills and Grell’s magic, they have a chance to get to the bottom of the mystery and save Ted. There’s just one problem: Ted’s got to resist Grell’s aggressive advances… and he isn’t sure he wants to.

Title: Chronicles of Blood Series Boxset

Series:

Author(s): Crea Reitan

Length: 1243 pages

Genre: Romance Fantasy / Wonderland Fairytale / Dark Fantasy / Paranormal / Bisexual / RH

Notes: 

Blurb: Mal is a Fixer, a child raised and trained to “fix” broken fairy tales by an organization the Fixers refer to as DeadEnd. Because, once you enter a fairy tale, there’s no getting out.

Mal has been assigned Wonderland. You know Wonderland, the place Alice visited as a child. Wonderland, with a Mad Hatter and a Cheshire Cat. Wonderland, who has consumed twenty-seven Fixers before Mal and has been dubbed “toxic” by the Operators of DeadEnd. But Wonderland needs to be fixed. It’s been toxic so long that every Wonderland story in the real world is being transformed into something entirely not child friendly.

After training for eleven years and studying every re-telling of Lewis Carroll’s classic, Mal leaves the world behind and enters her very own dead-end fairy tale. Well… everything is certainly twisted. The people are broken; the Bloody Queens’ reign has thrown the world into turmoil and upset the balance; and the places are, quite frankly, mad.

At least she found a few mostly-sane, entirely gorgeous men to help her along the way. Help her re-write this fairy tale back to its original wonder. And perhaps help her build a life in Wonderland for when she succeeds - because she is determined to do what the other twenty-seven have not been able to.

Everything seemed pretty straight forward, and going pretty smoothly, until she realized the fairy tale she’d been sent in to fix is actually infected by another…

The box set includes a novella-length exclusive content!!

**This is a series of full-length, new adult, reverse harem, dark romance novels with a ‘why choose’ ending, meaning the main character gets a happily ever after with more than one man. It contains magic, demons, shifters, nonsense, explicit sex scenes, blood, murder. There are references to past emotional abuse. This is a MMFMM book with a STRONG focus on the woman (although there is some MM and MMF in here, too).

Title: Cold Hard Ground

Series: (Carpe Noctem Book 1)

Author(s): Ariel Millar

Length: 240 pages

Genre: Romance / Dystopia / Paranormal / Gay

Notes: 

Blurb: Kor:

As an Alpha of the First War, the only thing I had ever known was battle.

Captured, bound, and unable to see, I wasn’t the sort of Alpha to give up without a fight.

Escape turned out to be the easy part, but coping with everything else threatened to drop me to my knees. Learning that my injuries were permanent made me question my abilities as an Alpha, but when my Wolf wanted to bond with the human who had been brought in along with me, I started to question my sanity. Never mind that I had no time for a mate, there was no way the resistance would follow a blind Alpha with a human as his bonded. Still, they had little choice. More of our people were going missing every day, and it was starting to look like the corruption was going all the way to the top.

Misha:

I never believed the madness of my father would one day turn on me.

Held prisoner in a genetic lab, rescue came at the hands of a Wolf, and the promise that they could figure out what sort of experiments my father was working on me. The pain was overwhelming, and it wasn’t until I saw glowing orange eyes in the mirror that I realized what was happening. I was turned. I was an abomination, and unlikely to survive.

And I might have welcomed death if it hadn’t been for the blind Alpha whose soul wrapped around mine. When his lips called me his, I knew I had to fight. There was a war looming, and mistrust everywhere we turned, but I knew if anyone could protect his people and end the suffering of both humans and Wolves, it was the one who called me mate.

Cold Hard Ground is the first book in a Dystopian MM Werewolf trilogy featuring A/B/O hierarchy with no mpreg, mild violence, and a happily ever after.

Title: Mad Dog

Series: (Second Skin Book 1)

Author(s): Ophelia Bell

Length: 358 pages

Genre: Romance / Contemporary / Poly

Notes: 

Blurb: My military discharge was only a year ago and all I want is to do tattoos and live my life, put my old scars and previous sins behind me. But it turns out my oldest wound can still inflict fresh agony.

Her name is Celeste, she was my first everything, and those feelings haven't died.

The problem is, I have feelings for someone else now too, and I don't know if Celeste would understand...

Leo is his name, the inked-up gangbanger who visits my shop for new tattoos every Saturday like clockwork.

And just to complicate this clusterf*ck that is my life now, Leo is also in love with Celeste.

Both are off limits, and I know it. He's straight. I'm not. And she's the daughter of one of the most dangerous men in the western hemisphere. But fate seems to keep throwing them in my path, torturing me with the one thing I want but can't have.

Until the night Leo comes to me with a proposal, and a request I never expected to hear spills from his lips. But even one night with them would be worth risking everything.

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!

What's on the Reading Radar? #read #WishList #TBR

Another week gone. Still typing up Cherish (The Valespian Pact, 4) (I sort of didn't transcribe anything since the end of February... so there is a lot to get through) then I'll go on to self-edits.

Reading had been spotty but I got a novella in and I'm in the middle of several others. I'm trying not to have something too distracting waiting for me so I'm not tempted to forego a working on Cherish to binge read. I'm also working on some interview questions and a post for Macy Blake's Magical Magic book recommendations.

Title: The Anti-Quest

Series: 

Author: Angel Martinez

Length: 178 pages

Genre: Romance / Sci-Fi / Dragons Everything / Lesbian / 

Notes: I had an hour before bed and thought I would read a couple of chapters... I finished the book at one in the morning! LOL! Loved this story. I have to admit that I listened to Angel's reading before jumping into this and kept hearing Angel's voice as Snillek's with the growl-growl, grumble-grumble in all her interactions. Highly recommend!

Blurb: Brave paladin. Royal princess. Fierce dragon. Simple. Being all three at once? Way too complicated.

Paladin Snillek's mother was human and ruled a planet. That's about the extent of her knowledge since they didn't see each other much. When her mom dies in a freak accident, her father tells Snillek she's inherited the title, and she has to learn how to pass as the mostly human Princess Siel for a planet she never thought about much. The dresses alone are horrifying and the courtiers aggravating.
​
In a moment of frustrated rage, Snillek's princess persona slips and frightened palace staff misinterpret what they see. Now Paladin Snillek has been called upon to rescue Princess Siel…from herself.

Gruyere wants desperately to journey into the wilds of Tarribotia, but it's too dangerous to go alone and so far, everyone's laughed at her for suggesting it. When she spots a Dzedek paladin sulking in a tavern, she offers her services, hoping to pass herself off as a rogue guide.

Two women with secrets and possibly opposing goals head out into the hinterlands of a planet neither one of them knows well. They might both make it back by Winterfest if nothing eats them first.

This book contains one out-of-her-element paladin, the perils of academia, deadly cake, and unconventional dragons.

Title: Broken Stone

Series: The Blessed Book, 1

Author: Jameson Rivera

Length: 261 pages

Genre: Fantasy / God-Touched / Enemies-to-Lovers? / Action-Adventure / Quest / Gay

Notes: Something to note, I found this under Gay Romance section and that is why I included Romance in the Genre, but it is ranking in LGBTQ+ Fantasy and Dark Fantasy section so take the trigger warning of 'gore' to heart. 

Blurb: Ruiz Gravenor longs to destroy the Kingdom of Lygos, to finally revenge himself on the imperialist regime that subjugates his homeland, the island of Fieroe. In a trick of fate, he is chosen by the eldritch god hibernating beneath the island and bestowed with otherworldly powers. As Ruiz travels Lygos, he uses his talents to incite resistance. Still, he is but one man with many enemies 一 including the Lygian Saint-King’s right-hand man, Gideon Minmose.

Despite their animosity, both are far from home, haunted by traumatic memories. And Gideon, burdened with responsibility, is also chosen by a god. For all that Ruiz and Gideon appear as enemies, they have forged a secret partnership to eliminate Lygos’ reign. When forgotten rituals to revive the ancient gods are suddenly unearthed, they must risk everything for a chance at victory. With the gods’ rebirth comes the promise of freedom, but failure means certain death. What’s more, the gods are old and unknowable, and meddling with them could tear reality apart.

[Trigger Warnings: Alcoholism/Alcohol dependence, Colonialism, Gore, Allusions to CSA/Nonexplicit discussions of abuse, Consensual sex/Explicit sexual content, Body horror]

Title: Banished by Blood

Series: Santa Cruz Vampires, 1

Author: Marie Booth

Length: 367 pages

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Vampires / Angels / Gay / 

Notes: I have not read this author before but the angel to vampire twist is intriguing. I also heard that there is a bit of humor.

Blurb: A M/M Vampire Series with a Twist.

Ezra thinks his job sucks eggs.

My team of former angels - now vampires - won't make an effort to get along or follow orders. Kaziel, our master, is a jerk who rarely takes any interest in the nest's progress or lack thereof. Michael, my former archangel, refuses to hear my petition to return to The Realm of Light so I can plead my case. I should never have been banished and sent to Earth.

To top things off, I've been told another new recruit is about to get kicked through the portal. As usual, I'm the one who'll have to mentor the newbie and see him through the difficult transition to vampire. This one's a healer from Raphael's legion. Ha! I wish him luck. This thrown-together bunch can't even agree on the time.

Asher is excited to take a temporary journey to the mortal realm.

I've healed angels from all four legions, becoming one of Raphael’s top healers. Now there’s a job for me on Earth in the town of Santa Cruz, part of the new territory of Costa Larga. I haven’t been given any information as to what I’ll be doing, but that’s never hindered me before.

Ezekiel, Michael's third in command, is one of the six angels I’ll be working with. A male I've admired since I first came through the aether and grew my wings. This explains why he’s been out of sight for five years. He too must have been assigned a job on Earth.

A clerk from Uriel’s legion shoves me toward an open door. Michael's second in command greets me holding a bloody sword. I clutch the small bag of favorite possessions closely to my chest and tremble as doubt floods my mind. What fate truly awaits me?


*******

Next book in the Santa Cruz Vampires Series: Broken by Blood releases summer 2021.

Also by Marie Booth: The M/M Santa Cruz Shifter Series: Flying Hard, Hard Landing, Falling Hard (releasing Spring 2021). The Gate Series (M/F): Stroke, Simmer, Split; The Steamy Bites series (M/M/F): Dying for a Bite. The Theta Series (M/F) Playing with Passion, Yielding to Pleasure

Title: Daughters of Fate

Series: The Matriarchy Series, 1

Author: Teigen Bywater

Length: 300 pages

Genre: LGBTQ+ Fantasy / Epic Fantasy / 

Notes: 

Blurb: In a world with inverted gender roles, a cold war draws to a close. Against the backdrop of encroaching peace, three women struggle with their fates.

Sushan Sato is an Heir to the High Council. She’s sent on a diplomatic mission to the neighbouring queendom and takes the chance to prove herself. She must broker a treaty to ensure lasting peace, trusting that her daughter will follow in her footsteps.

Lina Sato is Sushan’s eldest daughter, a highborn Mage like her mother. When Riddhi Kapoor arrives with a diplomatic delegation, Lina’s commitment to her duty clashes with a once in a lifetime love. Will she choose love and turn her back on destiny?

Sadira Sarr is a lowborn soldier. When she develops a rare magic, she’s thrust into the world of highborn politics. She must master her power if she wants to become one of the ruling class and win the hand of her beloved.

For fans of epic fantasy and female led stories.

Title: Dead End

Series: 

Author(s): CP Rider, Alex Pitones

Length: 296 pages

Genre: Young Adult / Urban Fantasy / Bisexual

Notes: 

Blurb: A Young Adult Urban Fantasy Romance

Maria Guadalupe makes the earth move. Literally.

Life is complicated for seventeen-year-old, Maria Guadalupe. She has an ability that terrifies her, she's in love with a ghost who can only communicate with her through a steamy bathroom mirror, and she's on the run from a brutal man with a long reach and unlimited resources. Fortunately, she has her father with her—and her best friend, a rescue terrier named Toby.

In a last-ditch effort to protect her, Maria’s dad sends her through an interdimensional portal in a deserted café to find her grandfathers. Even her backstabbing, ghostly, now ex, boyfriend follows her there, much to her dismay.

But life in the other dimension isn't as bad as she thought it would be. In fact, it's kind of nice. Still, as much as she loves her new life in Dead End, Maria can’t be happy without her dad. She’ll do anything to get back home to make sure he’s safe from their shared enemy.

Even if it means using the ability she fears.

Dead End is a YA Urban Fantasy with a sweet romance. It contains adult situations and language.

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!