I just finished Curse: Ride or Die by Eden Winters. Werewolves are a particular favorite of mine. Winters created a world where humans believe they are alone. Slade is a human who is cursed by a sorcerer to never stay longer than a month anywhere. Noah is a werewolf without a family or pack with hunters on his trail. The story built on Slade and Noah is very enjoyable. I hope the author writes more books set in Slade and Noah's world.
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I am so happy Leighton Greene has given us one more story in her Morelli Family series. What a story it is. I have always had a soft spot for Angelo. From the first book where he demonstrated his loyalty but going to help Luca and letting his boss die, to the second book where the story of his upbringing broke my heart, he has always been a larger than life character. He made a few quick appearances or mentions in the next four books. Now in the seventh book, the author gives the reader what they always wanted: a happy ending for Angelo and the possibility of a future without the mob. If the great writing and characters you are already invested in isn't enough to tempt you, then come for the creepiest, most chilling hit man. I received a copy of Vow of the Vigilante by Leighton Greene from Gay Romance Reads and have written an honest review. Audio Review of A Nothing Special New Year(Nothing Special #7.5)by A.E. Via, narrated by Aiden Snow3/22/2022 Audio review A Nothing Special New Year Author A.E. Via Narrated by Aiden Snow Publication date Mar 29, 2022 Running time 4 hrs A Nothing Special New Year has all the things I have come to expect from an AE Via book. It has action, romance, and mystery. What is very different about this book (7.5) is the series is the perspective. The series focuses on the Atlanta Narcotics Special Unit headed up by Lieutenants Leonidis Day and Cashel Godfrey. In this book, Officer Ellis Mason is the focus. We see the squad, the good and the bad, through the eyes of a patrol officer. I enjoyed learning more about Mason, who has been a favorite of mine since he first appeared in the series. Jesse is a good reminder that the majority of people are one problem away from living on the streets. Jess is a recent college graduate. Yet it is living on the streets of Atlanta, a city he has never been in before, while he tries to find his friend who was supposed to provide a roof over his head. The exposure to the weather, lack of food and clean water, and the rough conditions of being victimized all contribute to battering a gentleman. The storyline was good. It kept me listening. I listened to this in one day with a break from having to do life stuff. As always Aiden Snow was fantastic. His portrayal of Mason and Jesse was wonderful. He expresses the fear and anxiety that haunts Jesse. I loved the confrontations God has with Mason and/or Jesse. It is the God that readers and listeners have come to love. Aiden Snow is a terrific narrator who has the ability to take a good book and make it outstanding. I received a copy of A Nothing Special New Year from Tantor Audio and agreed to an honest review. Lucifer's Landing is the beginning of a new series by Davidson King. It has everything I have come to expect from her books: action, romance, and my favorite, characters who are morally ambiguous. The book begins with Dante burying his father and taking control of the family criminal enterprise. He has trained for this. He has employees who will follow him. He also has a traitor close at hand. Rainn is a sex worker. When he catches Dante's eye, he moves into Dante's mansion. He knows this could be a very limited relationship and Dante could send him away whenever he grew bored. Both Dante and Rainn are not morally good or bad. Yes, Dante is a mob boss. But there is so much more than that to him. The same with Rainn. Their relationship was interesting to watch unfold. One of the secondary characters, Ren Ikeda is fascinating. He connects with another secondary character, Mykel. I really enjoyed that the scope of the story expanded outward. It has the potential to be an excellent series. I received an advance review copy and wrote an honest review. I requested A Quick & Easy Guide to Asexuality from Netgalley because I was curious. Asexuality has come up in the books or social media I have read but have not understood what it means. I found the book answered my questions. The few remaining were answered by using the resources listed at the end of the book. The author and illustrators both identify as asexual. It was nice to have the contents explained by people who live it. I liked how the illustrations helped me to understand the text better. I hope others who are curious or searching find this book useful. I did. The book covers: * What is Asexuality * The Spectrum of Asexuality * Asexuality and Aromanticism * Dating While Asexual * Growing Up Ace * Ace Stereotypes * The "A" is LGBTQIA+ * Resources - including books on asexuality, websites, resources, and forums #AQuickEasyGuidetoAsexuality #NetGalley Head Rush is excellent. The ninth book in a series and it is excellent. There are very few series that can continue to be excellent after a book or two let alone nine. I have been hooked on the Haven Hart series since Snow first stepped onto the page. The growth of the characters, not just the physical growth, is well written. This growth relates to some of the characters who were in the first book but it is also the newer characters introduced in Simon Says. What did I like about Head Rush? Rush's struggle to accept Simon's life of danger is relatable. Rush loves Simon. Does he wish Simon sound insurance instead of being the heir to a large criminal empire? You bet he does. As the danger from the last book becomes more then he bargained for, Rush has to decide if he is all in, if Simon is worth it. One of my favorite quotes from the book reflects this struggle, "I know it's not easy to life this life, Rush, but it's near impossible not to love this family and not be willing to die for them." What I didn't like was the way all of Black's technological wonders seem to end is a massive explosion. It is like Roland Emmerich personally plans his destruction. The book is fantastic, explosions included. If you have enjoyed any of the Haven Hart books, Head Rush is a sure good read. While I did receive an advanced review copy to submit an honest review, I also paid for the Kindle version because Davidson King is a one-click author. #DavidsonKing #HeadRush #HavenHart A. E. Lister creates a western in a universe not often mined, the Canadian frontier. The Yukon Territory, in 1906, is a sparsely settled land with settlements days apart. The weather is much harsher than the American West. It is a huge canvas to work with. Jimmy and Oscar are a couple who were made for each other. Each coming from bad situations, they form a partnership with a finite end. As they travel from Dawson City to White Horse, Jimmy's violent past comes to call. All the action happens against the huge canvas I mentioned earlier. This would be a fantastic visual film if made. I enjoyed the growth of the relationship between Jimmy and Oscar. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the landscape and the towns. I am not familiar with Canadian history or geography except in the most basic way. It is apparent that AE Lister researched her topic well. If you enjoy the western genre, take a trip to the Canadian frontier. #AELister #760Miles Over and Over Again Author Cole McCade Narrated by Philip Alces Publication date Mar 22, 2022 Running time 17 hrs 7 min Tantor Audio Over and Over Again by Cole McCade is one of those books that when the story ends, the reader does not want to leave. Like a guest at the best party ever, when it draws to a close you are happy and not willing to leave. So many lovely things about this book. Imre Claybourne is one of the best protagonists. Imre is a man who only fits in one place, his farm. Luca Ward is the son of Imre's best friend from college who is still looking for his own place to belong. Part of the beauty of this book is the setting, Lohere Farm. The rhythm of daily life and all it takes to support it is illustrated through the land and the animals. It is a life that is hard but rewarding. One of the best scenes is Luca falling asleep in front of the fire cuddled with the two working dogs. The main beauty is found in the evolving relationship of Imre and Luca. It is a natural progression, with no limit other than the two men and their fear of being hurt. I also like that Imre is demisexual and there is a conversation around that topic. Imre and Luca made my heart happy. Philip Alces's narration is wonderful. He creates a strong, calm voice for Imre. Luca's voice reflects his mood of the moment, wonder when he first works with the animals, and rage when his father does not listen to him yet again. If the words were to raise off the page and speak to me themselves, they could not have done a better job than Philip Alces. I received a copy of Over and Over Again from Tantor Audio and have written an honest review. Review of audiobook Dragon Ever After Here Be Dragons Series, Book 1 By: Louisa Masters Narrated by: Joel Leslie Series: Here Be Dragons, Book 1 Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins Unabridged Audiobook Release date: 03-15-22 Language: English Publisher: Tantor Audio The Here Be Dragons Series is set in the same universe as Louisa Masters' Hidden Species Series. The story starts several years after the events of the last book of the Hidden Species Series. Percy is relieved not to be in the middle of all the chaos and stress of the Community of Species Government. He also misses everything but especially his friends from CSG. Percy has been struggling to decide what he wants to be when he grows up, which has nothing whatsoever to do with age. He is at loose ends when a dragon fledgling crashes and destroys his shed. Brandt, the leader of the dragons, comes to retrieve the fledgling in the hopes of getting Percy interested. One conversation full of innuendo later, awkward with a teen in the room, and Brandt has invited Percy to visit him in the United States. Their relationship is sweet and hot. Joel Leslie is one of my favorite narrators. Dragon Ever After is a good illustration of why. The voice that Mr. Leslie creates for Percy is great. He combines all the strength Percy has previously shown with the vulnerability of a man questioning if he is enough. Brandt, the leader of the Dragons and ten thousand years old, is someone who has control of his life. His voice is strong but playful. The playfulness that the narrator brings out not only in the main characters but the others is wonderful. For example, Alistair whining about anything he isn't a part of. I find it easy to recognize each character, not only the main couple because Mr. Leslie has given them unique voices. I truly enjoyed this audiobook. I started it this morning while I had breakfast and continued listening to it until I finished it. It was a fun book and definitely kept me interested. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, and this is my honest review. #DragonEverAfter #NetGalley #TantorAudio #LouisaMasters #JoelLeslie "To that point, Petrograd is meant to capture how it feels to wake up and realize you are (as we all are) living in history. Our actions have consequences–some small, some enormous. All of them impossible to predict with accuracy." - David R. Stone Petrograd, written by Philip Gelatt and illustrated by Tyler Crook, is exceptional. The writing is great. Gelatt takes a complex story and makes it a page-turner. I enjoyed how all parts of the story are represented: the British, the Russian aristocracy, and the Russian peasants. It also shows how unsettled every segment of society is. Crook's illustrations are rich in detail. Each face in a crowd is distinct. The locations are also very detailed. David R. Stone writes an explanation of events and how it relates to the graphic novel. I got so much more out of this graphic novel than had read a book of the events. I highly recommend Petrograd for the story and the illustrations and the world they create together. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, and this is my honest review. #Petrograd #NetGalley #PhilipGelatt @MrTylerCrook Title To Whom It May Concern Author A.M. Johnson Narrator Kirt Graves and Aaron Shedlock Length 2h40m Series For Him series, 3.5 Genre Contemporary To Whom It May Concern is the first book or audiobook I have ready by A.M. Johnson. It is also book 3.5 in a series. I enjoyed it so much that I put book 1 on my to be read/listen list. I will also take a look at the author's back list for more books to add. I liked the relationship between Clay and Syrus. It grew organically out of their shared interest, not just physical attraction. I like that people who know Syrus accept him and are not trying to "fix" him. Clay's grief was based in reality. He was so consumed by it that he had not moved forward from the point where it started. There was not anything I did not like. The narrators were terrific. Kirt Graves is one of my favorites. He has narrated several series I love and what I consider the best audiobook is my collection (my huge, do I really need more, yes I do collection). Aaron Shedlock is a new narrator for me. He has over three hundred titles listed on Audible. I enjoyed his voice. I am going to look through it and select another one to listen to. The two voices together create a wonderful experience. It is very easy to differentiate which character is speaking. The voices they create also fit the characters well. I am grateful to Gay Romance Reviews which gave me the opportunity to review this title. |
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