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

What am I doing? Packing... packing... and more packing. Trying not to take too much to GRL but also attempting to keep it at a manageable level. The goal is to come back home with less. I need to make sure all my music is loaded on the phone and ipad. I need to make sure I have some good audiobooks for the drive. Should I take me own coffee grounds?

Title: Ghosts and Grudges
Series: The Shaman Queen's Harem
Author(s): Jasmine Walt & J.A. Cipriano
Length: 332 pages
Publisher: Dynamo Press; 1 edition (December 4, 2017)

Genre: Romance / Fantasy / Reverse Harem / 

Notes: I love this cover but it seems to be only available in paperback at this time. It's possible they are revamping the covers or the edits. 


Blurb: A hidden world. An ancient power. A trio of hunky, dangerous shamans. What could possibly go wrong? When an ancient spirit awakens a hidden ability within Aika, grateful is the last word that comes to her mind. Being able to summon monsters and spirits to do your bidding might sound cool in comic books, but in real life it brings nothing but trouble. And between chasing after a medical degree, caring for her ailing mother, and running the family business, she's got plenty to deal with. Unfortunately, Aika doesn't have the luxury of ignoring her new abilities. An ancient, powerful evil has taken her mother, and the only way to free her is for Aika to embrace her heritage. Luckily, a couple of hunky shamans have recently taken an interest in Aika, whose abilities are unique from others of her kind. They're willing to train her, and even fight by her side. But the more time Aika spends with her guys, the more she realizes that they might not be what they seem. The truth is just out of reach, and once Aika uncovers it, she'll either find the key to saving their world... ...or destroy the best thing she's ever had. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you can't stand the idea of a girl having relationships with multiple guys and who does NOT have to choose between them, this book is not for you. There's also a sprinkling of swear words, some hot kissing and sexual tension, and plenty of action scenes. You have been warned!

Title: Now and Then
Series: (Touch of Gray Book 5)
Author(s): Dakota Rebel
Length: 101 pages
Publisher: Supernova Indie Publishing Services LLC (October 1, 2018)

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Shifter / Gay /

Notes: Sometimes it nice reading a straight up shifter romance.

Blurb: Brie and Calvin Grayson had what anyone could see was a typical suburban life. With two young boys and a thriving dental practice, they were happy and comfortable…by day anyway. At night, they were an extermination team, ridding their home town of monsters to ensure the safety and comfort of their son Bryce, and their adopted son Cole.

It’s been a rough year for the Grayson boys and their partner Sebastian, learning the buried secrets of their family history, coming to terms with the emotions and attractions that have been building between them for so long and trying to manage hunting and being supernatural creatures, things have reached a boiling point.

On the anniversary of their parent’s murder, the boys find themselves trapped in a dangerous situation, trying their hardest to keep history from repeating itself.

Title: Leopold
Series: Saga of the Bold People, 1
Author(s): MD Grimm
Length: 512 pages
Publisher:

Genre: Romance / Sci-Fi / Gay / Assassin /

Notes:

Blurb: How does a human survive in an alien dominated InterGalactic Community? By becoming an assassin, of course.

At least, that’s what Leopold thought when he became an assassin for the elite. Pretending to be an alien known as Voidstriker, Leopold feeds his appetite for vengeance, killing aliens as well as taking their money. It's a win-win to his mind. That is, until a bounty is placed upon his head.

With his true identity now revealed to the IG Community, Leopold knows it's only a matter of time before the powerful family members of his victims come for blood. Far worse is the fact that the one who put the bounty on his head, is the one he most fears.

A routine job three cycles ago brought him face-to-face with Mastrodai, a prince of the powerful Mrrog Nation. Not only did Leopold—accidentally—destroy part of Mastrodai’s moon, but one glimpse of the mighty alien had him feeling desire for the first time in his life. He ran, and like predator after prey, Mastrodai never stopped hunting him.Leopold is convinced that Mastrodai wants bloody revenge. But when he finally confronts the mrrog, he is stunned to realize Mastrodai wants something very different. Something surprisingly intimate—the one thing that scares Leopold more than torture.

Title: The Complete Tempted Series
Series:
Author(s): Selene Charles
Length: 1025 pages
Publisher: SeleneCharlesPublishing; 1 edition (September 6, 2018)

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Vampires / Demons /

Notes:

Blurb: This is the complete boxed set of all three books in the Tempted series, a spinoff of the Night Series which features a carnival of the damned, a grim reaper known as Dean, and Pandora, one of the seven deadly sins also known as Lust. There is a lot of crossover between both series, but you do not need to read one to understand the other. 

Book 1: Forbidden

Welcome to Whispering Bluff, Tennessee. Where the guys are hot. The girls are sweet. And nothing is what it seems...

Flint DeLuca is sick and tired of moving. She and her dad have moved three times in the past year. But that's the life of a carnie. Even an ex-carnie like her. Her father swears this is the last move. All Flint wants now is to graduate from High School and put the carnival life behind her. Unfortunately, one of the two ain't gonna happen. So now not only is she back in the life she can never seem to get away from, she's also met this guy who pushes all her "I totally hate you" buttons.

Cain. No last name. Wears shades in school. Dresses entirely in black. And only speaks to her when he's insulting her. She hates him. Hates him. And yet... there's something about the Goth boy that draws her like a moth to flame. God, she can't wait to graduate and get away from Whispering Bluff, only problem is she's pretty sure her high school is infested by vampires. Cain might be one of them. And for some reason, she seems to be on their menu.

Sometimes High School really sucks...

Book 2: Reckless

The day Flint DeLuca moved to Whispering Bluff, TN she thought her life was over...until she met the dark, brooding, and seriously hot Cain. And then things were epic. Until they weren't.

Prom night, her school is bombed by a pack of monsters known as hive, Flint's nearly killed in the explosion and her best friend Abel is kidnapped—all of it orchestrated by Cain's crazy mother, Layla aka The Hive Queen.

The race is on to find Abel before Layla can turn him into one of her twisted creatures. But when a sword keeps appearing and disappearing in Flint's room, one that bears strange markings on it and hints at a secret buried deep in her past, Flint's already chaotic life is turned upside down. Now not only must she find a way to save Abel, but everything she thought she knew of her world and her life is about to change forever...

Book 3: Possessed

Flint DeLuca had hoped that recapturing Abel from Layla's vicious clutches would have been the end of a very long nightmare, but she couldn't have been more wrong. She's taken her friend--now twisted into a thing of rage-filled darkness--deep below the earth to heal and recover from the atrocities his mother committed upon him, only to discover they've been tricked by the dark fae court and have been thrust into a game of high stakes. Where the winners walk away, but the losers die.

As if that wasn't bad enough, back on Earth, Cain's grappling with biblical end time prophecy, an Aunt who may or may not be the reincarnation of the Scarlet Woman doomed to tear open the Gates of Hell, and the loss of his mate and his brother.Great sacrifices will be required of them both, losses will accrue on every side, will Cain and Flint find their way back to each other? Only time will tell...time neither of them have much of...

Title: The Good Shaman
Series:
Author(s): JE Lorin
Length: 207 pages
Publisher:

Genre: Romance / Fantasy / Gay /

Notes:

Blurb:

In the fanciful world of Sendalar, where dragons dot the skies and magic is steadily giving way to industry, Raven’s Blood and Talman Goodearth meet in the tiny village of River’s Bend, where they become best friends. When a tragedy occurs, however, the boys are torn apart. Years later, they come back together at university. Love blossoms, but danger lurks in the shadows. Raven and Tal slowly discover that their love may come with a price too high to bear. 

Title: Conquered by the Alien Prince
Series: Alien Prince Series, 1
Author(s): KR Morrighan
Length: 24 pages
Publisher:

Genre: Erotic Romance / Sci-Fi / Gay / Short Story /

Notes:

Blurb: After years as flight partners, training aboard a spaceship fighting the Chuama forces, Acsel knows Xander better than he knows himself. However, Acsel has been keeping a secret from his partner for far too long: his feelings go beyond that of a fellow soldier. When Xander goes missing during a mission, Acsel worries he will never be able to confess his feelings. Thankfully, Xander returns, but something terrible has happened to him.

Prepare for shocking twists and steamy sex in K.R. Morrighan's debut novel, the first installment of the Alien Prince series.

Title: Corrupting Kross
Series: Terra Mortis Book 1
Author(s): JD Light
Length: 83 pages
Publisher:

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Gargoyles / Gay / Comedy /

Notes:

Blurb: Larrin Brenner

I know there is more to Kross than most people see. I mean, it's not like I've been stalking the guy, but I may or may not have happened by all the places my hand-to-hand combat instructor goes and possibly watched as he played with the kids at the daycare and helped at the animal shelter in his free time. I also may be obsessed with the man, but as long as my friends keep me from making drunken confessions that will only prove just how much Kross is not into me when he rejects me like a bad check, all will be fine. Until one of the other gargoyles on Terra Mortis falls asleep a real girl and is rubble only hours later. Suddenly, Kross's protective instincts are in overdrive and as it turns out, that's because I'm his mate. As a member of the regiulapis bloodline of gargoyles, I was born without the ability to scent my mate, but Kross is bellalapis and had known since the first time we met. Though his reason for not telling me immediately is solid and becomes more so once I meet the man who raised him, I can't help but be hurt. And it might not matter, if the unknown person using forbidden magic against me succeeds in their mission to get rid of me completely.

Kross McCabe

A century is a long time to train for something, only to find out it was never meant to be in my life anyway. And that's exactly the shock I get, when I find my mate facedown on the sidewalk in front of the castle that serves as a training facility for special factions of immortal warriors. Terra Mortis is an island in the Caribbean where that training facility is located, and it's supposed to be the last milestone before I'm sworn in as a master for the Praemani, a group of men who devote their entire life to the study of immortal history and hand-to-hand combat. The problem is, I can't have a mate and be a master. Full devotion is needed for both. I've chosen my mate, but before I'm ready to claim him, I have to figure out who I am outside of the only thing I've ever known. And did I mention that celibacy is part of the full devotion to Praemani? So, yeah. I'm a hundred-year-old virgin. Can I convince my mate to accept me when I'm still struggling with being myself? And what if I'm the reason a practitioner of forbidden magic is targeting him? Can I forgive myself if I trusted the wrong person and my mate suffers for it? Can he?

Warning: Mpreg elements! (Though the MCs in this book aren't and cannot get pregnant, this is a spin-off series from my Chosen series. Occasional Mpreg characters might have cameos. You've been warned!)

Also, my books have little to no angst, and lots and lots of fluff! They are better read in order, because I kind of write them like a continuation of a story, and I don't like to repeat explanations over and over if I can help it. No cheating, because that makes my heart hurt, and I try to avoid things that make me sad like I SHOULD be avoiding carbs. Sorry, I just don't want anyone being disappointed if they like the angst filled heart-rippers. These read more like a romantic comedy than a romantic drama.

Title: Cerberus Confidential
Series: (Primordial Realms Book 1)
Author(s): Stacy Benedict
Length: 107 pages
Publisher:
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Notes:

Blurb: One missing woman. Two detectives. Numerous suspects.

Detective Niels Troelsen is nervous and excited about working his first case. Find a human woman who has been missing for a few days. Simple, right? Turns out his missing person was keeping secrets, along with everyone else in her life.

Niels and his partner, Detective Elan Cohen, use their Canine-shifting abilities to sniff out clues, but the case is tougher than they thought and bodies are piling up.

Can they find her before she, too, ends up at the morgue?

Title: Halloween Werewolf
Series: Holiday Shifter Mates, 1
Author(s): Kamryn Hart
Length: 135 pages
Publisher:

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Shifter /

Notes:

Blurb: A wolf howls on the mountain.
Austin’s heart skips a beat.

It’s been a long time since he heard that sound.
And it brings back memories.

Some are good.
Some are bad.
It was the usual Halloween fun.
Then it was two “werewolf” pelts flaunted on a viral video.

All of it conjures up memories of Mateo, Austin’s first love.

When Mateo disappeared four years ago, Austin tried to let him go.
He tried to forget about the “werewolves.”
But he couldn't.

Mateo is one of them.

That howling means Mateo is back.
And Austin has no intention of letting him leave this time.

Halloween Werewolf is a gay M/M paranormal wolf shifter romance with a guaranteed HEA at the end. This book works as a standalone, but it is part of The Holiday Shifter Mates series. For the best reader experience, the books should be read in order.

***This is a sweet and steamy romance. It contains a fire-hot wolf shifter guy with anger issues and his adorable human lover who happens to be a fantastic school teacher. Naughty language, intense scenes, and sexy times. For mature audiences only.

Title: After the Flesh
Series: (Dragon Borne Book 1)
Author(s): Fannie Price
Length: 335 pages
Publisher:

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Horror /

Notes: This cover is awesome. And the author changed it between the first time I saw this to this posting. It's billed by Amazon as horror, but it sounds more like a UF to me.

Blurb: Demons are real. 

The revelation tilts the world of Chicago's homicide detective, Veronica Sykes. Learning she is related to them, knocks it right off its axis.

A cambion.

Things go from bad to sideways when she catches the attention of the very demon she tries to protect her city from. With the help of Lachlan, a dragon liaison with a government task force, Veronica uncovers the demon’s purpose…

...break his master out of hell.

To stop the demon, Veronica makes a bold move. But when her bravery puts her in danger of embracing her demon half, she must rely on her new colleagues, and her own determination, to save her soul from the darkness within.

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!

Pact Day: Out-Of-Office Sneak Peek of Bespoken #ValespianPact #bespoken

So I'm prepping to go to GRL next week and got overwhelmed with the number of things I needed to accomplish before I left. As such, the post I had planned about the insight to the Terrans will have to wait a couple of weeks. Instead, I have an excerpt from Bespoken. Beware, it is the rough draft and not edited. Otherwise, enjoy!!

Copyright Lexi Ander

"Nanny Peri, I do not understand what this is saying about the Galactic Emperors. How can they rule but not rule?" Prometheus looked up at Peri with his silver, sightless eyes.

She had noticed that he had been responding to movement and expected he would soon begin to gain his sight. The Bespoken followed a different developmental path than most other Fal'Amoric's his age. He might be only five years old, but like the L'Eema, he mentally matured at the age of one. He thought, understood, and held the knowledge of someone older than his physical age. On average the Bespoken's eyesight developed between the age of five and thirteen. Soon afterwards, his sex would begin the maturing cycles that would last until he was twenty-five. Empress Asia pushed the development of the mental component, which was the only part the empress had any control over. Peri disagreed with Empress Asia, but that argument always went in circles. Peri wanted Prometheus to play more, allowed to be the child he was physically, but Empress Asia ignored Peri's pleas and insisted on the grueling lessons and constant testing.

Peri tucked Prometheus's dark blue hair behind his ear, revealing his sweet cherub face. "Their responsibility is primarily the maintenance of the grid. That duty takes up much of their time and energy. But they are members of the Cypress Council of Neighn, therefore they sit on the board and are the deciding factor when the council is unevenly split on a decision. Or they can overrule the council entirely, especially if the situation has to do with anything pertaining to the safety of the galaxy."

"So that is the reason I have to memorize all these trade regulations and their history?" Prometheus let out a bored sigh.

The empress had left the house an hour ago to attend meetings at the State House, and Peri was about to suggest a recess but her bracelet vibrated. She glanced down, narrowing her single eye at the display that announced an unauthorized entry. Suddenly the warning was replaced with an error message, then another announcing all was well.

Prometheus cocked his head, listening keenly. "There are eight people downstairs, trying to be quiet. I do not recognize the tread."

Peri rose from her chair and crossed to the beautifully carved toy chest with the glass front. Quickly and quietly she emptied the contents. When she turned back to Prometheus he stared in her direction.

"They are intruders. Do you remember our drill?" Prometheus's open trusting expression squeezed her heart. How many times had she almost taken him on a walk in the park in order to secret him away from this dry, loveless household? Empress Asia had approached the Giante king, Eurymedon, for help protecting the Bespoken. When given this assignment, Peri had not expected to fall in love with the child. Dutifully she had represented her father and people with honor, but here lately, she entertained dishonorable thoughts. Prometheus was in constant danger, and yes, he was well-kept and within the security of the empress's home. But he was also starving for love and affection, even though the empress pressed upon him to eschew all emotions. If Peri took him away, could she protect him on her own until he was needed at Knossos? Taking him would brand Peri as an abductor, a thief, a breaker of bonds and vows. Her father would have no recourse but disown her, strip her of title and lands, and her people would abuse her if they crossed her path outside her homeworld of Anatolia. Giantes did not tolerate those who brought shame upon their family and people. Their word was their bond, stronger than any metal forged.

Prometheus approached, bringing her out of her thoughts. She lifted the lid to the false bottom of the toy box. When she turned to pick him up, her hands engulphed his chest as if he was a newborn and not a child of five summers. The Fal'Amoric were a tall people, the average height around three meters for full grown adults, but Giantes were taller still at four meters. Peri was short for one of her people, but still towered over a mature Fal'Amoric and children Prometheus's size were like delicate dolls in her hands. She gently laid him in the box. They had worked diligently to teach him how to keep from panicking in tight spaces and she hoped those lessons served him well.

"Prometheus, you need to stay here and be as quiet as you can, just as we practiced. No matter what you may hear, do not come out or reveal your position," Peri whispered, keeping her voice calm. His sensitive hearing would enable him to discern what happened beyond the protective walls of his hideaway. She did not know if that knowledge would be a blessing or a curse.

He took the plush Valuzial Guardian toy she handed him and squished the doll to his chest. Taking one last look at him, Peri refrained from tucking his hair behind his ear, instead she closed the lid of the false bottom and piled toys he never used on top. The glass front revealed what the box held minus the boy.

From the armoire in the corner she withdrew everything she needed. With quick sure movements, Peri slipped her breastplate emblazoned with the Mukene lion over her head and pressed a sequence of buttons that caused it to reshape to fit snugly to her torso and hips. There was no time to don the rest of the ensemble. The creek of the second step on the first floor stairs gave away the intruder's location. She wished she had Prometheus's sharp hearing to know where the rest of the eight intruders were in the house.  Taking up her staff, she twisted the combination and sharp gleaming blades burst from the ends.

Crossing to the doorway, she halted and glanced over her shoulder at the seemingly empty nursery. "Stay here, my little one. I will return shortly," she whispered knowing only Prometheus could hear her.

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!

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

What am I up to? Getting ready for GRL. Trying to get ahead scheduling blog posts. Just stuff and trying not to think about traveling and strange hotel rooms. :)

Title: Heartbeat
Series: #0.5 of Trickster's Eye
Author(s): Mell Eight
Length: 42 pages
Publisher: LT3 Press

Genre: Romance / Gay / Paranormal / Urban Fantasy /

Notes: 

Blurb: A vampire's heart only beats for one reason—one person. When Denton's dead heart starts thumping at the first sight of Orion, he can't believe it. But Orion, a shy, sheltered, submissive wolf, is more of a challenge than anticipated. But Denton hasn't come this far by being a quitter, and he's certainly not giving up when his mate is involved.

Title: Accidental Alpha

Series: 

Author(s): Ashe Moon

Length: 270 pages

Publisher: 

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Shifter / Gay / 

Notes: 

Blurb: Ryan Denham’s life can’t get any worse. His music career dreams are dead, his boyfriend dumped him for another man, and now he might literally be going insane. How else could the stray dog he rescued suddenly have turned into hot-as-hell naked man, right in his living room?

Except, he’s not crazy. He saved the life of Leksa Aludra, wolf-prince shapeshifter, and now they’re bound as mates.

Leksa’s month long mission to the human world is his final test before becoming a full-fledged shifter, and his last adventure as a free omega. He expected to learn how to live like a human, but he certainly didn’t expect to be debt-mated to one. He only needs to tolerate his company—and the humiliation of acting as Ryan’s pet dog—until the end of the mission.

Can Ryan teach Leksa the joys of life in the human world? After all, it’s hard to deny the attraction crackling beneath their forced arrangement. Or will this unwitting couple tear each other to bits first?


Accidental Alpha is a 45k word standalone shifter romance story with MPREG themes, and is filled with memorable characters, lots of laugh-out-loud moments, plenty of heat, and a HEA!

Title: Blade of Darkness

Series: (Immortal Guardians Book 7)

Author(s): Dianne Duvall

Length: 394 pages; 13 hours and 15 minutes

Publisher: 

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Vampires / Psychics / 

Notes: 

Blurb:  Dana Pembroke has been able to glimpse the future of those she touches for as long as she can remember. But she never saw Aidan coming. When the tall, dark Celt with the charming grin yet world-weary eyes walks through her door, the future she sees for him is one full of violence, danger, deception… and passion. Because amidst the terrifying battles that unfold in her visions, she also sees herself in Aidan’s arms and in his bed. Dana knows she should keep her distance, but the tender moments and laughter they share entice her even as she finds herself thrust into a world of vampires, immortals, and other preternatural beings.

Immortal Guardian Aidan O’Byrne has been hunting and slaying psychotic vampires for nearly three thousand years, so visions of bloody battles don’t trouble him. The battles Dana foresees, however, show Aidan’s brethren turning against him, so he can’t help but feel alarmed. While he spends as much time as he can with Dana, struggling to decipher her dire predictions, Aidan finds himself utterly smitten. Hope rises that he has finally found a woman who can banish the darkness and loneliness that plague him. But when vampires begin targeting Dana and a powerful enemy spawns chaos, will fate grant them time to find happiness together?

Title: Aliens, Smith and Jones

Series: (The Primrose Files)

Author(s): Blaine D. Arden

Length: 236 pages

Publisher: Cayendi Press; 2 edition (October 1, 2018)

Genre: Sci-Fi / Urban Fantasy / Gay / 

Notes: 

Blurb: “It’s not all about serving coffee and typing reports.”

Working for a secret organisation specialising in alien cover-ups, Connor Smith is no stranger to the abnormal or dangerous. His love life on the other hand… not so exciting. Until he reluctantly agrees to a blind date and meets the perfect bloke, Jason.

Things are finally falling into place for Connor, so of course that’s when he attracts an alien stalker.

Noah Jones, ex-alien, has been stranded on Earth and forced to live as a human since 1648. Alone and detached from the world around him, Noah has spent centuries observing and recording humankind. In all that time, he’s only experienced a connection with a human once… until he finds Connor.

Even knowing Connor is in a relationship, Noah can’t ignore their potential bond, or stay away.

While dealing with missing alien artefacts, a dangerous and shadowy group of collectors, and the ever-present Noah, Connor finds his orderly life crumbling around him. At least he still has the perfect boyfriend…

When Noah goes missing, Connor is forced to face the feelings growing between them and the mounting evidence that Jason isn’t who he says he is...

___________________________
wordcount: 73,900 - Novel
Honourable Mention in the Best Gay Sci-Fi / Fantasy category of the Rainbow Awards 2012
NOTE: This is the second revised/re-edited edition. It was previously published by Storm Moon Press.

Title: A Ferry of Bones & Gold

Series: Soulbound, 1

Author(s): Hailey Turner

Length: 390 pages

Publisher: 

Genre: Romance / Fantasy / Urban Fantasy / Gay / 

Notes: 

Blurb: When the gods come calling, you don’t get to say no.

Patrick Collins is three years into a career as a special agent for the Supernatural Operations Agency when the gods come calling to collect a soul debt he owes them. An immortal has gone missing in New York City and bodies are showing up in the wake of demon-led ritual killings that Patrick recognizes all too easily from his nightmares.

Unable to walk away, Patrick finds himself once again facing off against mercenary magic users belonging to the Dominion Sect. Standing his ground alone has never been a winning option in Patrick’s experience, but it’s been years since he’s had a partner he could trust.

Looking for allies in all the wrong places, Patrick discovers the Dominion Sect’s next target is the same werewolf the Fates themselves have thrown into his path. Patrick has been inexplicably attracted to the man from their first meeting, but desire has no place in war. That doesn’t stop Patrick from wanting what he shouldn’t have. Jonothon de Vere is gorgeous, dangerous, and nothing but trouble—to the case, to the fight against every hell, and ultimately, to Patrick’s heart and soul.

In the end, all debts must be paid, and Patrick can only do what he does best—cheat death.

A Ferry of Bones & Gold is a 115k word m/m urban fantasy with a gay romantic subplot and a HFN ending.

Title: Rebuilding Hope 

Series: (Kindred Story Book 1)

Author(s): Jessie G.

Length: 199 pages

Publisher: 

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Shifter / Vampire / Gay / 

Notes: 

Blurb: Holden Bancroft was born with a better than average brain and not much else. Often described as strange and sickly, his attempts to conform only made him look foolish and a life-long diet of pills hasn’t provided a cure. Deciding to strengthen the only tool in his arsenal was liberating and learning became his greatest joy. But each episode is another reminder that his time is limited, and Holden intends to use everything he’s learned to help the small town of Hope before he dies.

Alpha Crowley Lomond, Zenith of the Americas, isn’t exactly happy with his ascension. Leading isn’t the problem, it’s acting like he’s somehow better than every other shifter that chafes. But while living and working beside them may seem noble, Crowley is more than just an alpha. As Zenith, he’s their example, their teacher and guide, and the one they will turn to when their way of life is threatened.

Meeting changes them in ways they never could have predicted and unveils a web of deceit that began long before they were born. Together, they will have to unravel the lies and reconcile the consequences if they are to protect the shifter way of life. Along the way, Crowley will become the Zenith his Kindred was born to love and their enemies will learn that there's nothing more dangerous than fated mates.

Title: Trysts and Burning Embers

Series: Lijun, 2

Author(s): Angel Martinez, Freddy MacKay

Length: 105k

Publisher: Pride Publishing

Genre: Romance / Contemporary / Fantasy / Paranormal / Bisexual /

Notes: General Release Date: 20th November 2018. If pre-order then release is October 16th

Blurb: Fire. Water. Burn.

In the two months since the All Hallows’ Eve party, Tally has courted Haru, buying expensive gifts, taking the two of them to upscale restaurants, and trying to find a balance between earning Haru’s fragile trust while being new parents to the Cohen joeys. Tally sees hope in the new domesticity the family has settled into despite having some bumps along the way.

Gifts and treats have satisfied Haru’s otter, but the human half remembers the brutal lessons of giving their trust away. How can two lijun who barely know each other know what will happen when times get tough? There are circumstances Tally doesn’t know yet, and Haru struggles to find their feet with an Urusar who doesn’t know the rules.

A revelation throws not only the tentative relationship between them askew, but also starts Tally and Haru down a path the two of them can’t escape, one so heart-wrenching Haru’s not sure their heart will survive.

Traditionalist concerns that have always nipped at the Bastille clan's heels come roaring to the forefront with demands and ultimatums. Tally needs to fall in line or face further threats to his otter, his family and his clan. Haru needs to find the strength to believe in the good despite the bad. In an environment where it's vital to know ally from foe, Tally and Haru need to stand united or watch the community Tally's family has built fall under the thumb of heartless, greedy autocrats.

Title: Consort of Secrets

Series: (The Witch's Consorts Book 1)

Author(s): Eva Chase

Length: 298 pages

Publisher: Ink Spark Press (March 8, 2018)

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Magic / Reverse Harem / 

Notes: 

Blurb: Every witch knows the rules: Stick to your own kind. Never reveal your powers to outsiders. Take a consort from the witching families or kiss your magic good-bye forever.

For years I've been quiet, obedient Rose Hallowell. I accepted the man my stepmother chose for me. But I never stopped missing my long-ago friends: brilliant Kyler, stoic Seth, passionate Jin, daredevil Damon, and Gabriel, whose self-assured warmth brought us all together.

Now we're back on my childhood estate to arrange my marriage. The boys I grew up with? They're still in town—and they haven't forgotten me either. And damn if they haven't grown up well.

They've got no magic, no place in my life. But they're charming and sweet and infuriatingly hot, and I can't seem to stay away. The more I try to resist, the more secrets I uncover about my family, my betrothal, and everything I thought was true about the witching world.

I've been lied to. I've been betrayed. So to claim my magic and my happiness, I'll break every rule there is—and then some.

Don't mess with this witch. Every rose has thorns.

*Consort of Secrets is the first full-length novel in a steamy reverse harem paranormal romance series. Take a dollop of gothic atmosphere, add a heaping of romantic angst, and mix it up with five enticing young men and a passionate witch just coming into her own.* 

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!

Pact Day: What does Terren mean? #ValespianPact

Welcome back to pact days. I thought I'd talk about the humans of the series. More specifically, the origin of how they operate.

Why did I use Terren instead of the popular and common Terran for humans?

Scientifically, over time there are cultural and language shifts. Since the Valespian Pact is set far in humanity's future, you expect that some words and meanings will change. I came across a great example recently with the abbreviation O.K. which started in the 1800s when the young, posh crowd abbreviated 'Oll Korrect' to O.K. But not only that, all kinds of things could happen, such as 100 years from now, a billionaire buys the right to rename Earth a.k.a Terra.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" you say. "That couldn't happen!"

Are you so sure? People buy sports teams and pay for the right to name stadiums and arenas. Streets and cities are named after people. New governments take over countries and rename the territory. Why can't someone rename the Earth… if the circumstances are right? Imagine it, an heiress pays an insane amount of money to rename Earth to… Gaia… Titan… maison de prostitution… or, Pink Baby.

I went a step further and linked it to how humanity became governed by corporations. Humans chose to be called Terren after a pandemic that lead to the human population almost dying out or becoming sterilized. It is a dividing line in their history that began a new era.

Humanity was saved by Dr. Henry S. Terren who created the vaccine that put an end to the planetwide plague. Those who survived started calling themselves Terrens after their savior. Dr. Terren was very nearly deified for saving what remained of the human population. His family urged this phenomenon with propaganda that bolstered the fanaticism.

Then Dr. Terren's daughter took over the pharmaceutical company. Riding the coattails of his popularity she became the president of Canada. (Sorry Canadian friends, you're just too nice.) She implemented radical policy where government was run more like a company with profits being the bottom line. At the end of her term, the pharmaceutical company became government run and a few years later, the company was running the government through the heirs of the Terren legacy and the country prospered beyond expectation.

Other countries followed suit and within 60 years, various companies were running countries. Gradually, the companies merged or there were hostile takeovers until only the largest four ruled the human population.

"Wait! Wait! That could never happen. The population would never agree!" you say.

Fact. The majority of the population wouldn't care how the government was run as long as their quality of life didn't suffer. People worry about the day to day of their bubble of influence. They sympathize with what happens 5000 miles away, but it doesn't affect them, so they don't worry it will happen to them. A very small percentage of humans would protest but prosperity breeds complacency, until that prosperity is taken away. The rigid control of all propaganda, enough half-truths with the lies, and get rid of the people who speak out… or simply ruin their credibility with a false claim, and poof, within a few weeks people forget.

The companies promised prosperity, and in the beginning, delivered, being generous to whose who supported them. The pay groups (pay range based on job title/skill) were used to push people up or down the ladder, and their benefits (housing, medical care, food, and some sundries) were all based on the pay groups the individual was in. Within another 100 years, the corporations were the bureaucrats and they controlled everything. But, over time, the divide between the have and have nots widened and the issues started because individual prosperity was threatened. :)

Okay, that was more than I was going to say about why the humans are called Terrens. I hope you enjoyed this peek at the origin story.

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!

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

What have I been up to this week? Uhm... I'm sitting here trying to figure out where the week has gone. Where has the month gone?! Looking back, I've been really busy and a lot has happened. GRL is coming up next month and I've been preparing for that. Been working Constant and Assassin's Retirement. Twin Flames is going to audio, so... busy. I think I need another week in this month, perhaps two. There's just so much to do!

Title: Sweet Nothings
Series: The Chosen One: Prequel
Author(s): Macy Blake
Length: 230 pages
Publisher: 

Genre: Romance / Shifter / Gay / 

Notes: This is one of my favorite series because it makes me happy. Where the Chosen One series is a yummy poly romance. This prequel is not poly, but about Henry's family and how they all came to be adopted by an Alpha and human. It made me want to reread the main series again. 

Blurb: Sam Baker couldn’t be more normal. He’s a teacher at the local middle school and the most exciting part of his day is dealing with a classroom full of hormonal preteens. His life takes a turn for the weird one stormy night when he finds a small boy on his doorstep. A boy who growls, flashes unnaturally blue eyes, demands for Sam to call the alpha-- whatever that is-- and gives Sam the one name he wishes he could forget: Vaughn Jerrick.

Vaughn Jerrick is the alpha to a pack of wolf shifters and a doctor to the supernatural world. After sharing a steamy one night stand with Sam years ago, Vaughn couldn’t consider the possibility of a future with the man, no matter how much he wanted him. Bringing a human into his world is against the rules, but one phone call changes everything, and Vaughn finds himself face-to-face with the man who could give him everything he’s ever wanted.

Rescuing one small child turns into saving six from a dark and uncertain fate, and although Sam doesn’t understand the world he’s been forced into, he would never turn his back on children in need, even if it means confronting his past with Vaughn.

As Vaughn and Sam join forces to protect the children put into their care, the future they’ve both dreamed of is within their reach, but first they need to survive the sinister force looking to rip away everything they’ve come to hold dear.

Title: Broken Prince, Mismatched Eyes
Series: 
Author(s): Layla Dorine
Length: 367 pages
Publisher: 

Genre: Romance / Fantasy / Gay /

Notes: Last week I asked for recommendations and this is one of them.

Blurb: All of his life, Caden DeMott’s mismatched eyes have made him the target of superstition and scorn. Though he is the son of a nobleman, he’s been allowed to run free over the hills and moors, mostly ignored by his family. No one ever thought to inform him that he had been betrothed since infancy, until the day his fiancé, Prince Rhys Gwyther arrived to marry him.

Rhys is the prince of the small island country of Mauritania, a land rich in gems, rose oil, and pearls, but poor in skilled artisans and seeds to grow crops. In order to further cement the trade route to the mainland, he’s been sent to marry a man he’s never met, and bring him back to Mauritania. Unfortunately, an accident years before has left Rhys with a lot of emotional baggage and very little trust in strangers.

But trust is exactly what Caden and Rhys are going to need if they are to make a life together, and help unravel the mystery of who’s been smuggling valuable gems and pearls off the island. Add in the realization that Caden’s stepmother, Mildred and her island representative, Maxwell, have been importing inferior goods for years, forcing Mauritania to become more dependent on them, and trust becomes even more difficult.

Caden possesses the knowledge to finally allow Rhys’ father to unravel the plot to ruin Mauritania, but only if the king and his son are willing to put their faith in Caden’s loyalty to his new home. Something that is difficult to do after Caden is accused of cheating on his marriage vows to Rhys with his guard, Luc. Will Rhys believe him innocent? Or will their marriage be over before it truly has a chance to begin?

Title: Chosen Wolf
Series: (Moonlight Mountain Book 1)
Author(s): Minerva Howe
Length: 112 pages
Publisher: Turtlehat Creatives; 2 edition (September 19, 2018)

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Shifter / Gay / 

Notes: 

Blurb: Brantley is perfectly happy with his life. He has a good job, a strong wolf pack behind him, and a trip into Denver every so often to take care of his needs. So when the Pack has the kind of meeting that only happens once in a blue moon, he's more annoyed than worried. At least until the meeting turns out to be the stuff of Pack legend, with a vampire appearing to choose a new guardian from all of the eligible male wolves.

Vampire Paul has a good arrangement with the Moonlight Mountain pack. He gets to choose a wolf as his guardian, and they get a draught of his blood to strengthen their line. His connection with Brant is immediate, and he knows Brantley will be the first guardian in maybe centuries who will match him need for need. Paul likes games of dominance, likes to put his guardians to the test. Brantley is pretty sure he doesn't even like men, let alone a vamp who's into whips and chains. Can Paul convince Brantley that they really are made for each other?

Author's note: This is a previously published story with a new edit and new material. The publisher has changed. This is a paranormal fated mates story that contains strong elements that some readers may find darker.

Title: Eramus
Series: Shadows in the Dark, 1
Author(s): Charlie Sweeters
Length: 41 pages
Publisher: 

Genre: Romance / Sci-Fi / Gay / 

Notes: 

Blurb: Rayden crash lands on Eramus, a strange planet of which not much is known, and he is rescued by a group of strangers who take him to safety – or so he thinks.

When those whom he had assumed were his saviors turn out to be his captors for reasons that are a culmination of years of animosity between his own race and theirs, Rayden realizes that he will have to fight for his life if he is to find his freedom.

This, however, is easier said than done as he is faced with a potentially deadly challenge in which his contender is none other than the Shade, the mysterious and powerful ruler of the planet.

Title: The Heku Series
Series: 
Author(s): TM Nielson
Length: 5279 pages
Publisher: T.M. Nielsen; 2 edition (October 11, 2014)

Genre: Epic Romance / Paranormal / Sci-Fi / Urban Fantasy / 

Notes: Last week when I was asking for recommendation, this was one given to me. The first two books in the series were free on Amazon (at the time of creating this post) but for $10 you can get all 9 books, which I thought was a great price, especially for the word count.

Blurb: 

Contains all 9 books of The Heku Series with the bonus novel : Return of the Encala.
Heku (Book 1 of the Heku Series)
Valle (Book 2 of the Heku Series)
Encala (Book 3 of the Heku Series)
Equites (Book 4 of the Heku Series)
Proditor (Book 5 of the Heku Series)
Ferus (Book 6 of the Heku Series)
Eternity of Vengeance : Extended Edition (Book 7 of the Heku Series)
Ancients and Old Ones (Book 8 of the Heku Series)
Banishment (Book 9 of the Heku Series)
Return of the Encala

They live among us, blending with the human society, while behind closed doors and heavily guarded compounds, they continue age old practices of the immortal. The heku are indigenous to this planet and are far older than the earliest signs of man. They are militaristic, violent, and highly secretive. They are bound by strict rules that separate them from, and protect, the mortals.

Chevalier has never been told no. For thousands of years he’s sat on the Equites Council, ruling body of his heku faction, and for thousands of years his every order has been followed immediately and without question.

One of the most important rules of the heku, is that no one is to feed from unwilling donors. Following a tip that a young mortal woman is being brutally attacked by his own kind, he seeks her out and immediately begins to experience unnatural feelings for the woman.

Emily, a beautiful rancher from Montana, has spent her entire life being violently attacked by beings she assumed were vampires. It isn’t until she meets Chevalier that she learns of her startling family history, a history that immediately throws her into the volatile world of the heku.

In a bid to protect her, Chevalier moves Emily into his isolated coven, which marks her as a prime target for the Valle and the Encala, enemy factions of the heku. Emily fights to fit into the militaristic world of the heku as her head-strong personality and independent ways turn their perfectly balanced world on end. She immediately befriends Kyle, a heku from Chevalier’s coven, and together they find Emily a niche among the immortal.

Emily’s violent past interferes with Chevalier’s plans, and he must first undo what her abusive ex-husband did before he can convince her how much he cares about her, and how much she’s worth to his faction. Chevalier’s growing feelings for Emily are unnatural to his kind, and must be hidden from the rest of the Equites Faction if he’s to remain a formidable part of their Council.

His jealous tendencies rage as Emily gets closer to Kyle, and both heku struggle to make her realize how important she is to the faction and how endangered she now is.

Title: And I Darken
Series: Claim the Throne
Author(s): Kiersten White
Length: 494 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press (June 28, 2016)

Genre: Fantasy / Dracula Retold / 

Notes: This was recommended to me last week.

Blurb: NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.
Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes the first book in a dark, sweeping new series in which heads will roll, bodies will be impaled . . . and hearts will be broken.

Title: Allison's Adventures in Underland 
Series: (Harem of Hearts Book 1)
Author(s): CM Stunich
Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Sarian Royal (December 17, 2017)

Genre: Dark Romance / Fantasy / RH / Bisexual / 

Notes: 

Blurb: Um. Um. Um.
Are you reading this?
If you are, I need your help.

I was at a party; I was running; I fell.
And get this—this is the part you'll never believe—I fell down a rabbit hole.
Like Alice in those old books.

Except in those books, there wasn't blood everywhere.
In those books, the characters weren't all male, attractive, and interested in me.

Forget everything you know about the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit, the March Hare …

This isn't Wonderland; this is Underland.
Violence, sex, drugs, and magic … that's all there is in this place.
There's me, Allison, and there are the men that want me, the enemies that hunt me, and the darkness that's quickly rolling in.

And only I can stop it.
So if you're reading this, will you help me?
Please. I just want to escape this place and go … home.

ALLISON'S ADVENTURES IN UNDERLAND (Book 1 of 3 in the "Harem of Hearts" series) -- is a full-length reverse harem/new adult/dark romance novel, a gritty retelling of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". Don't expect a children's tale; these characters are nothing like their more innocent counterparts. This book contains: drugs, cursing, violence, sex ... and love found in the darkest shadows.

Title: The Soul Spell
Series: (Fae Academy)
Author(s): AY Venona
Length: 253 pages
Publisher: 

Genre: Romance / Fantasy / Gay / 

Notes: 

Blurb: I, Elian Gustan, find myself in an unfortunate predicament. Adrian Larsa, the captain of the most elite group of alphas, shows me so much love I’m so loved-up. But here's the rub: it’s a love of the brotherly kind. Yes, it's cute, but its cuteness has long run its course and now becomes a major heartache because Adrian is not my brother. He is my soulmate. But then again I might be mistaken. I mean, who knows really? 

Enter Alexander Brunn, the most beautiful man on the planet. He is as heroic as Adrian. Together, they are the perfect couple—too perfect that they make me feel like a villain in my own godforsaken story.

And then here comes the Gatherings, the anniversary of the Founding of the Seven Realms and the only event that the gods attend. This year turns out to be full of surprises from good to bad—to worst. Guess who gets the worst part?

Set in the same universe as Alpha Academy, this book is an m/m suspense and scifi-fantasy romance with an mpreg theme. It contains a certain tragic element but with a satisfying HEA ending.

Title: Moonrise
Series: 
Author(s): Hannah L. Corrie
Length: 244 pages
Publisher: 

Genre: Romance / Sci-Fi / Enhanced Human / Aliens / Gay / 

Notes: 

Blurb: Fed up with this world? Thought about moving to Mars?

Not enough distance? Well, then!

What if you had the chance to become something completely different? To change what you are and leave the world you know, the solar system you know, behind? Would you take the plunge?

Yago Solas never got to ponder and much less answer those questions, but he faces the consequences when an escaped alien creature infects him with a mutating virus that takes everything from him, even his humanity.
The experiments intended to heal him soon turn to cold interest in his new physiology, and the very people supposed to save him become his enemies, his hunters, his looming demise. And why not? Who could feel sympathy for a twisted creature like him, much less love him now, looking like this?

Still, the Maker smiles down on all his childen. The space ship on which he is being held as a prisoner crashes and sends Yago stumbling into an alien culture and into the lap of Azekial Yyn-Thyr, a snarly, grim A'shian guard captain. The wary alien doesn't care how Yago looks, but he may yet prove to be his demise; A'shian legends tell of a species that caused a cataclysm responsible for stranding the A'shians where they are, and the Terrans might just fit the bill…

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!