June 21, 2017 · 5:00 am

Author Showcase – Jennifer Allis Provost (The Chronicles of Parthalan)

~BOOK ONE ~

A mad king. An escaped slave. One warrior to save the realm…  

When Asherah, stripped of both her memory and her dignity, learns that King Sahlgren is responsible for her torment it nearly breaks her. Instead, she leads her fellow slaves to freedom. More prisons are scattered across Parthalan, and Asherah vows to burn them all. 
 
Caol’nir, a warrior descended from the gods, is sworn to serve and defend the king. Then a priestess is murdered, and Caol’nir learns that Sahlgren is to blame. Determined to stop the king, sacred oath or no, Caol’nir joins Asherah’s rebellion. 
 
What Caol’nir doesn’t know is that Sahlgren has promised the demon lord a woman of rare and singular beauty, a woman whose abilities are rumored to rival the sun god’s themselves…a woman Caol’nir knows all too well. 
 
 
 
 
 

~~ BOOK TWO ~~

 
A broken queen. A friendship mired in deceit. Can one man from the desert help hold the realm together? 

Asherah, Queen of Parthalan and Lady of Tingu, has led her people through eight centuries of prosperity. That peace shatters when Mersgoth, the mordeth thought long dead, attacks Teg’urnan. In the aftermath a new warrior emerges: Aeolmar, a man as secretive as he is deadly.
 
Asherah and Aeolmar race across Parthalan in pursuit of Mersgoth, and track the beast to the High Desert. While they’re gone, Harek, now Prelate of Parthalan, conspires with the Dark Fae against the elves…Against Leran, the king of the elves and Asherah’s son in all but blood. Will Asherah see the truth of Harek before it’s too late, or will he bring down the fae once and for all?
 
 
 
 
~~~ BOOK THREE ~~~
 
A stolen girl. A legendary champion. A plan that might destroy Parthalan once and for all…

Aeolmar, First Hunter of Parthalan, leads a solitary life. Having long since abandoned his quest to kill Mersgoth—the demon that murdered his family—Aeolmar moves through his days with cold efficiency. Everything changes when he leads a training mission in Brennus, where he’s attacked by Mersgoth himself, and saved by an unlikely heroine.

Latera, first born and heir to Gannera’s throne, is kidnapped and left for dead in Parthalan’s vast forests. A lone human amongst Parthalan’s fae, she makes a home in Brennus, and lives a quiet life—until she finds herself defending a wounded First Hunter from a clutch of demons.

Back in Parthalan, Harek warns Asherah of something called the deva’shi—a warrior loyal only to the demon lord, Asgeloth. Both Aeolmar and Latera suspect that there is more to this deva’shi than what Harek has told them, but before they can learn the truth, Parthalan’s borders are attacked. Will Aeolmar and Latera be able to stop the deva’shi in time, or is it a distraction to hide Harek’s true plans?

 
 
 
 
 
To buy all three right now, use this link —-> CLICK ON ME
 
 
 
 
Golem – 2017
Elfsong – 2017
Blood Prince – 2018
 
 
Jennifer Allis Provost writes books about faeries, orcs and elves. Zombies too. She grew up in the wilds of Western Massachusetts and had read every book in the local library by age twelve. (It was a small library). An early love of mythology and folklore led to her epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Parthalan, and her day job as a cubicle monkey helped shape her urban fantasy, Copper Girl. When she’s not writing about things that go bump in the night (and sometimes during the day) she’s working on her MFA in Creative Nonfiction.
 

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June 17, 2017 · 5:00 am

Author Showcase – Cassandra Riley (Coastal Love Trilogy)

 BOOK ONE❣

Jasmine Parks is a strong, no-fuss woman from the wrong side of the tracks. Benson Walsh is a fraternity brother who was raised in a life of privilege. After a chance encounter on the campus of William and Mary, their worlds collide as they start on a path that will forever change their destiny. When forces work to tear them apart, will their love be enough to help them let go of their pasts so that they can build a future?

 

Click —> HERE <— to read my review

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 BOOK TWO❣

 

Ben and Jazz are a couple from completely different backgrounds trying to find a common middle ground. Just as their love solidifies, a new threat enters their lives. Follow them as they embark on a journey together. Will this force tear them apart or is their love strong enough to help them hold on?

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Ben and Jazz took a walk along the dock out to a pavilion that sat in the middle of the sound. Hand in hand, they gazed out across the choppy waters to the darkening sky. Benson lifts their conjoined hands to his mouth and kissed the back of hers her soft skin tender to his lips.
Jazz felt like a treasure when she was with him. He paid attention to every detail and took such good care of her. Ben nurtured her soul. How did she find such a man?
 

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 BOOK THREE❣

The final installment of the Coastal Love Trilogy is a whirlwind of drama and passionate love. Ben and Jazz are trying to live their life, but every time they think that they have escaped the drama, another problem arises. Will they survive their trials and tribulations? Will their love fall apart under the pressures

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Hello, my pen name is Cassandra Riley. My real name is Renee. I live in Yorktown Virginia with my husband and two children. I have been a teacher for 14 years. Two years ago I sat down and wrote what was to become my Coastal Love Trilogy. I have since completed two novellas and I am working on two more novels. Two of my works can be found on Kindle, Holding On (book 2) and Reflections (not really a romance).

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June 13, 2017 · 5:00 am

Review of “Gallowglass” – Jennifer Allis Provost

Publisher: Bellatrix Press; 1 edition (April 13, 2017)

 

Karina didn’t set out to free the Seelie Queen’s gallowglass. Now she’ll do anything to keep him.

After Karina and her brother, Chris’s, lives fall apart in separate yet equally spectacular ways, they leave New York behind and head to the UK. Karina buries herself in research for her doctoral thesis, all the while studiously not thinking about the man who broke her heart, while Chris—who’d been a best-selling author before his ex-fiancée sued him for plagiarism—drinks his way across the British Isles.

In Scotland, they visit the grave of Robert Kirk, a seventeenth- century minister who was kidnapped by fairies. No one is more shocked than Karina when a handsome man with a Scottish brogue appears, claiming to be the Robert Kirk of legend. What’s more, he says he spent the last few hundred years as the Gallowglass, the Seelie Queen’s personal assassin. When they’re attacked by demons, Karina understands how dearly the queen wants him back.

As Karina and Robert grow closer, Chris’s attempts to drown his sorrows lead him to a pub, and a woman called Sorcha. Chris is instantly smitten with her, so much so he spends days with Sorcha and lies to his sister about his whereabouts. When Chris comes home covered in fey kisses, Karina realizes that the Seelie Queen isn’t just after Robert.

Can Karina outsmart the Seelie Queen, or is Robert doomed to forever be the Gallowglass?

 

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(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)

 

I’ve always longed to visit Scotland. It appears to be a magical place where all your worries are washed away once you get a glimpse of it and all its splendor. I know Karina was thinking the same thing until the unthinkable became real. When the idea of magic and magical creatures wasn’t so far-fetched after all.

While attempting to work on her thesis, Karina and Chris’s lives took an unexpected turn. What was supposed to be a quiet, explorative trip for Karina’s  doctorate became so much more. Instead of unearthing rocks, they unearthed things of legend: fuath (water demons), fey, wights (pixies) and much more. Some beings were grotesques monsters and some otherworldly beings were sweet and friendly. Unfortunately, Karina and Christ had run-ins with rather unsavory beasts.

Jennifer was very descriptive in the construction of the various creatures and the battles Robert faced during their meet ups. For instance, imagine running into this: 7 to 8 ft. tall being with thick gray hide and covered in lesions. Would you run away or scream like your hair is on fire? Me…. I’d probably faint on the spot. And that is only one beastie Karina saw after Robert applied the fairy ointment to her face. BTW: the fairy ointment allows normal people to see beyond glamour and spells. In one hand, wicked cool. On the other hand, the ointment is more of a curse than a blessing.

Speaking of curses: The Seelie Queen cursed Robert but, in true romantic fashion, the curse will be lifted by the time Jennifer ended this magically marvelous book. Love will be tested and I mean TESTED. After all is said and done, neither Robert nor Karina will question their love for each other….EVER!

As for Chris, well his story took quite a surprising turn. A twist I didn’t see coming. BRAVO, Jennifer! At the end of the day…err book… it is apparent his binge drinking days are over and his life is forever changed. FOR THE BETTER! 

 

 

Heart Rating System:

1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)

Score: ❤❤❤❤1/2

 

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Jennifer Allis Provost writes books about faeries, orcs and elves. Zombies too. She grew up in the wilds of Western Massachusetts and had read every book in the local library by age twelve. (It was a small library). An early love of mythology and folklore led to her epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Parthalan, and her day job as a cubicle monkey helped shape her urban fantasy, Copper Girl. When she’s not writing about things that go bump in the night (and sometimes during the day) she’s working on her MFA in Creative Nonfiction.

Find her on the web here: http://authorjenniferallisprovost.com/     

Friend her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jennallis

Follow her on Twitter: @parthalan

 

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June 9, 2017 · 5:00 am

Author Showcase – Kevin Hammond (The King’s Peace)

The Kingdom is young and yet it stands in great peril. Dark tales of the unnatural have reached the King’s city. The King is slain in his bed and the storm on the horizon brings black ships closer to the coastal city of Erenon. Nathaniel, a clever thief has stumbled upon a job that brings him to the home of the King when he is slain and Nathaniel is unwillingly dragged into the quest to reach the southern garrison which has gone quiet in recent months. Strange powers are helping and hindering him and the small company of soldiers dispatched to that garrison as war comes to the city.

They will find those horrors that plague the common man, an ancient legend will unravel, and a deception so epic in scale it involves the Gods. The whole world of man and nations who live on the other side of the mountain range known as the Great Divide will come together in a war no one really understands and as the kingdom fights to survive it will face an enemy they know nothing about.

 

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Between the two men, one of the serving girls had placed a candle and Nathaniel watched for long minutes in silence. The flame shone so bright in the dim corner of the room where they sat. The Duke sipped a cool glass of water and the men milled around the room trying to get the place cleaned up for the morning when the locals would come by expecting food and drink. He had no idea that the Duke would allow him to sit for as long as he needed before giving his answer, nor did he know how much time had passed. He extended his hearing around the room to isolate the many conversations and hushed whispers among the people in the room. Two men near the door spoke of the genius plan to install archers on the balcony of a brothel across the road. Another man was offering a silent prayer to whichever God he favored. He asked that his wife and young daughter be well cared for in his absence, but he spared little thought for himself, and Nathaniel approved of the man’s selflessness and care for his family. He wondered if he might ever live long enough to have what this man ached to be away from. Hector, on the other hand, cursed the King’s men quietly while scrubbing some unseen mess made in the kitchen by the soldiers battling with the fake guildsmen who had managed to flee that way.

The Duke was sitting quietly staring off into space as the young thief peered at the candle. His mind and his senses were away somewhere else and he could not have named that moment when the flame of the candle had turned black. He sat for long moments staring at the ominous, dark motion of that snaking flame, but as his mind was elsewhere he did not call any alarm or draw attention to it. And Nathaniel continued to stare at that dark flame until the creeping itch travelled up his spine and a terrible alarm pounded in the back of his head. Slowly, in a voice filled with a terror he had never before experienced, he managed to grind out the words “Something is terribly wrong.”

With his senses extended still, around the room, he heard the conversations fall mute. Hector stopped cursing the mess and the soldiers had stopped cleaning. One man silently crossed himself, and many instinctively reached for their weapons. The storm had picked up in earnest and the darkness outside was complete. Inside the room something had filled the air. It was an ecstatic tension buzzing between the people like something travelling around, under the tables, men jumped as they felt something brush past their feet.

He heard the rolling hiss of something swirling around the room. There was no point of issue and it was charging the air with energy. Nathaniel thought he could almost see something turning around in the shadows of the room, in the corners of the building, travelling around the ceiling.

And the scream, so filled with helpless terror, was cut short with a gargling cry and a vile hissing as blood coursed from the soldier’s neck; behind him stood one of the false guildsmen. His body had been hacked to shreds by the soldiers and it was so impossible that he could live yet he had torn the throat from a live man. The monster’s stumbling gait was its only betrayal of the deep injuries inflicted from the passage of his death. There was a cruel glimmer that Nathaniel thought might have been pleasure within the coal black shades of his eyes as he crammed some of the dead soldier’s flesh into his mouth.

Most of the men in the room were frozen in mute horror at what they were seeing, their eyes recorded it but their minds couldn’t process it. The dead were rising, for vengeance, for wrath, for whatever dark intent fuelled their desire. The weapons were held in shaking hands by ashen white faces but no one made the move to attack. The reality of it, the cruelty of it, had not dawned on the soldiers fully until they saw their own comrade- freshly killed- beginning to stir on the floor. As his coal black eyes fixed on the living, some of the younger soldiers expelled the contents of their stomachs.

Amid rasping, unintelligible threats and flailing limbs, the walking dead ambled forward, and the soldiers slowly moved backward-inch by painful inch. From the kitchen they could hear Hector and the serving girls fending off the creatures come back to life, until they burst through the door with panic strewn on their faces.

“Barricade that door!” The Duke screamed, and the soldiers came to life with the practiced obedience of listening to his authority. Two men broke ranks to help the girls shove tables before the kitchen door and held it in place while the pummeling assault came from the other side. The creatures vented a deep throated rage as they tried to smash their way through.

Nathaniel loosed a throwing dagger with a strong throw and the knife struck a guildsman square in the chest. It would have been a mortal blow for a living man but the creature barely even flinched.

“Fall back, hold the line, press them away with your swords.” Jorge barked orders at his men. The soldiers gave up ground slowly while the creatures came on. A few men dared hacking blows that severed limbs but the dead pressed further on, until the living had given up fully half of the bar room.

Dashing behind the soldiers, Nathaniel reached for a broken table leg, wrapping it in some table cloths and poked the brand into the flames of Hector’s hearth. The rags quickly caught fire and he returned to the line to throw amid the dead men. The brand caught fire on one guildsman’s leg but the creature stumbled forward with one arm and a leg partially alight, still questing after the flesh of the living. “Don’t lose your heads, hold your line and strike for their limbs,” Jorge ordered his men.

“Gods save us,” McKeen uttered a loud curse as he returned to the bar. Some of the undead turned to face him but the burly Sergeant did not turn and run as expected. Nathaniel watched in awe as he locked the door behind him. “Can’t have you fellas roving about my good city now can we? Wouldn’t be good and proper for the fancy folks to see your like parading about chewing up their nice outfits, no we can’t have that.” The Sergeant pulled his sword and roared like a man possessed as the first of the guildsmen drew near. His long blade sliced in a powerful arc to sever the thing’s head from its shoulders and the body crumpled in a heap on the floor. The body lay still as the head rolled around the floor, still gargling and hissing.

“Set to, gentlemen, the Duke gave the quiet command and the men pressed on the counter to hack and slash at the heads of the undead. Nathaniel saw little use for himself in the fight but he mustered the courage to pick up a fallen man’s sword and help to press the unliving backward so the soldiers could do their job.

“Ware the limbs!” Jorge warned, as he ducked an arm to drive his sword upwards through a dead man’s neck. With a savage twist he pried the head clean off the shoulders. While the undead snatched and grasped for any contact with human flesh, the soldiers worked in pairs to parry their limbs while his partner placed the killing stroke to take the head clean from the shoulders. The fray took little time to come to an end and, though the men looked sick with fear, they knew it was a miracle that only one man had died. The resistance in the kitchen was brief compared to the main assault that took place within the bar room with only a few of the undead left to be dispatched.

A blood spattered Duke stood to the left flank of the melee in the midst of a small gathering of headless men “Sergeant McKeen? Are you still alive, sir?”

“Present and in good working order, sir.”

“Mind telling me how you came upon inspiration to save the day then, Sergeant?”

“Gods save us, sir. I hail from the small island of Forfar on the Southern Reaches, beyond the widow’s peak, sir. The people have been around from before the Kingdom and they say there was a village overrun in our history. They say one night when a dark storm brewed that the dead folks long since passed had come back to tear at the living. They say, sir, that they craved the taste of living flesh, and ought to blame us for their passing as we are alive and they had already gone to their maker. That the body is dead and the mind possessed by some dark magic, they say the only way to kill them was to sever the head from the body. It’s bloody butchery, if you don’t mind me saying, sir. But now we best tend to the corpses and the severed heads. If legend be true then the heads will never die until the spell is ended. But we are best to burn all that’s left of them so they might never find way to rise again.”

 

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I always thought there was something very iconic about falling down a really big hole. Until that happens I’ll just write some stuff.

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June 5, 2017 · 5:00 am

Review of “Sweet Caroline” – Silke Ming

Genre: m/f/m, erotica, romance

 

Trying to get over a broken heart, Simon Hyatt, artist/painter walks into the upscale bar, Benny’s, hoping to find a one-night stand. When the gorgeous Caroline Brandeis walks in, there is an immediate connection, but she is with her bi-sexual roommate, the renowned architect Christopher Banning. Hoping that Simon would show interest in him, Christopher invites him to their home, but Simon’s sole interest is Caroline. Simon is adventurous and teaches her what absolute fulfillment in the bedroom means. Christopher also has his eyes on her, and is jealous of their relationship. When she receives a promotion from cop to detective, her first assignment puts Caroline and Simon’s relationship in jeopardy. Although she considers the situation abnormal, when she suddenly finds herself in love with the two men who love and worship her, she knows there will be no turning back. But will their love stand test of time?

 

   Buy now at  BookStrand.com

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ADULT EXCERPT!!!

 

Caroline felt his hardness pushing into her back, and she reached around her and held it. The man’s appetite for sex knew no bounds.

“What time is it?” he asked.

“Just after seven.”

“Time for breakfast,” he said turning over on his back and putting his impressive piece of manhood on show.

“What would you like this morning?”

He ran his hand between her thighs and whispered softly.

“This.”

“Are you trying to make up for lost time?”

“You could say that. Look at him,” he said, looking down at his erection.

“He’s raring and ready to go. I want you to ride him.”

“But you don’t have any protection.”

“I’ll be careful just like I was last night. Come on. He’s impatient. I want to feel it inside you.”

She climbed on top of him and spread her thighs.

“Turn around and put your back to my chest, baby.”

He lifted her by her waist and slid her down on his manhood. Deep, so deep.

“Be careful,” she whispered, staring into mirrored closet door. He slid her up and down on that piece of steel, stopping when he felt her muscles tighten around him.

“Lean back,” he said softly. “Let me kiss you.”

* * * *

Chris Banning climbed out of the taxi and, spotting the strange black car in the driveway at that time of the morning, climbed the steps and quietly opened the door. The noises he heard were not those of distress, but rather combined sounds of animalistic growls and soft whimpers of pleasure. He placed his suitcase beside the sofa and walked quietly down the hallway. Caroline’s bedroom door was open, and he stood in the doorway as if hypnotized. What he was witnessing caused his cock to swell in his trousers. Two long years he waited, only imagining what she looked like, and this morning, there she was on view for him. Her legs were parted and Simon’s cock was embedded deeply inside her, leaving only his nuts clinging to the entrance. He started a slow walk in the direction of the bed and observed Simon as he lifted her by the waist, propelling her up and down on his thick piece of flesh. When the floor creaked beneath his feet, Simon opened his eyes and looked directly into Chris’s face.

“Don’t move,” Simon whispered in Caroline’s ear, tightly wrapping one arm beneath her breasts. Simon watched as Chris, sinuously moved up the bed until he was inches away from the action. He weighted Caroline’s thighs down with his arms and spread her nether lips with his thumbs. As he stared at the eroticism of the scene before him, Chris’s cock twitched behind his trousers. He licked his lips as he gazed at Caroline’s two big, creamy packages of pleasure that were still jiggling, the nipples pert and crimson. Her clit was throbbing and her cream adorned the root of Simon’s cock. Chris settled in for the kill, his tongue dancing on her nub of pleasure. She threw her head back onto Simon’s shoulder, and cried out, her screams edged with delirium. Chris moved down to the junction where she and Simon were joined together, and licked them both until there wasn’t a trace of her cream left.

“Oh, Simon,” she rasped. “That’s so good.”

“I know, baby,” Simon growled, staring down at Chris’s head.

She attempted to move again, but Simon tightened his grip around her midriff, watching as Chris’s expert tongue wrapped around them both. She couldn’t believe the amount of self-control Simon was exhibiting. Oh, how she wanted to feel him moving inside her again, but she knew she had to practice restraint because he wasn’t wearing any protection.

“It feels so good, Simon. I want to…”

“Don’t move,” he whispered. “I’m not wearing a condom.”

It suddenly dawned on Caroline that if Simon was whispering in her ear, he couldn’t be licking her, too. She opened her heavy-lidded eyes and looked down only to see Chris’s head embedded between her thighs, devouring her. She turned to look at Simon, and he nodded. Still fully clothed, Chris set out on an exploratory path. Caroline’s body stiffened as that magical tongue flicked back and across her clit, sending her into pleasure overload.

“Oh god,” she cried out. “More. A little harder.”

Holding her by her waist, Simon raised her up and down, propelling her on his cock until she was on the verge of exploding.

“Come, baby,” he implored.

Chris was not letting up. He refused to relinquish her piece of delicate flesh.

“Lose control, baby,” Simon whispered. “Let yourself go.”

She spread her legs even wider, shame or embarrassment playing no part in the equation. All she could think about was the pleasure that was being meted out to her. The battle was between self-control and ecstasy, as Chris raised himself to his knees, licking, sucking, and washing her warm cleft with his broad, rough tongue, each lick causing her moans and groans to permeate throughout the home. The blood raged inside her head, her heart threatened to jump from her chest, and her body throbbed with need. She stared down at Chris’s head, unable to look away, and she didn’t dare move for fear of Simon exploding inside her. Tremors wrapped around her like a cocoon and the explosions reached the far corners of her being, prompting the scream that escaped her lungs. The orgasm burst upon her like a volcanic eruption, plunging her into an abyss of unrivaled passion and ecstasy, and she shrieked like an alley cat. On the upward stroke, Simon’s shaft, still hard and ready for action, slipped out, coated in her cream and bobbing before Chris’s face. Now gazing directly into her sweetness, Chris impaled her with two fingers, moving them in and out, and filling the void that had been left behind by Simon’s cock.

“Simon,” she called out. “Oh, Chris.”

She threw her head back, and Simon thrust his hot tongue between her lips. Simon never looked away from the action, and his cock grew steadily harder. Finally releasing her clit, Chris stared at Simon’s erection bobbing and weaving before his nose. With his fingers still embedded inside Caroline’s wet channel, he turned his attention to Simon’s swollen shaft. He stared at it as if in a daze, and, like a hungry omnivore, took it into his mouth, nibbling on the head while his audience of two stared down as he licked Simon’s thickness. Not since his experimenting days in university had Simon experienced anything like it, and he had to admit that it felt good. He lay back and allowed Chris to pleasure him.

 

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(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

Sweet Caroline is an erotic tale about a woman loving two men and the love shared between them as well. It is also a story about a detective (Caroline) being assigned the task of locating 7.5 million dollars. I am going to discuss both areas separately.

As far as the relationship aspect of the story, Silke Ming wrote exceptionally passionate sex scenes. There was masturbation in a train car, voyeurism, man-woman only, ménage à Trois, and the men did engage in solo play as well. Each sexual encounter was steamier than the last. Favorite scene was when Chris came home and stumbled upon them (Simon and Caroline) in the throes of lovemaking. When he made the decision to join them, it was extremely erotic. More erotic than watching the fun play out before him and I do believe being a voyeur can be pretty orgasmic in its own right. Now as steamy as those scenes were I had one issue. Silke kept flip-flopping with Jack’s sexuality. He admittedly experimented in college, was attracted to Chris from the start, and didn’t have a problem with Chris sucking him off the first time. After more than one blowjob, Simon stated it would never happen again. I wish Simon would’ve made a stand and stuck to it. Gay, straight, bi, it makes no difference to me but the push/pull attitude needed to go. Finally, he stated no backdoor play. For me, I did think the man-on-man action was hot as hell but I would’ve liked some anal play. Even some straight guys like their anus massaged so……. Ah, just some wishful thinking on my part. 

 

Ok on to police investigation….. 

 

Throughout the entire investigation, Silke painted the police as bumbling idiots. Caroline allowed her phone to be accessed by two different people, jeopardizing her case. My 8 year old has a passcode on her iPad so shouldn’t an undercover detective use one? I mean after her phone was compromised the first time you’d think she’d learn her lesson. And, where were Caroline’s badass cop moves Chris talked about? She acted more like a mouse than a lioness. Another thing, her two co-workers also didn’t appear to know how to do their job at all. If so, things in Mexico would’ve ended differently. Oh and things centering around her department just became worse when she came home. (Nuff said – read to find out more.)

For me, the detective work/portrayal of law enforcement needs work. However, the erotic portion of Sweet Caroline was highly arousing. Those scenes saved the story and kept the score from lowering past a THREE. 

 

 

Heart Rating System:

1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 

Score: ❤❤❤

 

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I have always loved writing, but never in my wildest dreams, did I think I’d be writing erotic fiction, and the most surprising part is that I’m enjoying it. I started out with poetry and then moved onto novels. Not a day goes by that I do not do some form of writing, and I try to read at least two books per month, thanks to the convenience of the E Reader, which makes it easy to shop the bookstores from the comfort of one’s home.

In addition to my love of books, is my love of travel. Although my career was in travel, I am still bitten by the travel bug, and travel whenever I can. Living in different parts of the world has broadened my horizons, and I try to include some of it in my writing.

I consider myself a gourmet cook, and Thai and Italian are among my favorite foods. My other pastimes are cooking and gardening.

I am relatively new to romance writing and have written twenty one books so far.

 

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June 1, 2017 · 5:00 am

Review of “The Dishonest Lover” – L.J. Longo

For Royal Chanticleer, forging false IDs was basically joining the Peace Corps: make a little money and help refugees. But when his employers branch into human trafficking, Roy decides to steal his share and cut ties.

George Morrison, a lapsed Catholic and non-practicing gay in Ireland, has his lonely Christmas disrupted when a dangerous gang demands he abduct a fleeing con-artist by threatening his family. George manages to capture Roy… when Roy mistakes George for the average local, he charms and seduces him.

Suspicion and desperation soon war with their growing love for each other as Roy struggles to escape and George fights to protect his family from the gang that might kill them both.

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“Another beer, cutie?” The man behind the counter sashayed and winked at him.

George nodded trying not to see the bartender.

“Sure I can’t interest you in something hard? We serve great cocktails. Sex with the bartender is my favorite.”

George shut his eyes and blocked out the suggestive remark. “No, but thanks. Just another Guinni.”

The bartender went away and George could breathe again. He had to figure out a way to get a hold of Dizie and get Roy into his car. Had to stop thinking about sex.

How to do that? When right there was the dance floor. Male bodies grinding. George had no idea there were that many gay men in Galway, though with the tourists…

Boyish cheeks leaned against neatly trimmed beards. Lips on ears. Bulges in tight jeans or tenting pressed trousers, over here rubbing against the firm globe of another man’s ass, over here against a stranger’s thigh, then his hand. Sex just there for the asking. All George’s dirty DVDs came to life and surrounded him in this prissy club, suffocating him with the heat and promise, drowning him in the scent of wine, sweat, and his own desire.

Then Roy stumbled out of the crowd, smiling, laughing at someone else’s joke or maybe his own happy thoughts.

Roy grinned wider seeing George. “You’re still here! Merry Christmas Eve to me.”

His eyes shone with too much liquor and he staggered toward George, then fell into his chest. Instinctively, George caught him under his arm to bolster him. He’d caught many falling drunks in order to sit them down and call a taxi.

But Roy was different. For one thing, Roy hugged him.

George’s breath sucked out of him. Accident of gravity, sure. Just a faltering step, sure. But the look in those big brown eyes, the way his fingers lingered to trace a circle over the flannel of George’s shirt, made George’s cock lunge.

“Hello there.” George tried to steady the American on his feet. “I think you’re drunk, mate.”

Roy closed the gap between them. No accident. Not in the way the American pressed his lean body against George’s mass and squeezed away any space between skin and muscle. “As an otter in a Kansas cornfield.”

“Is that a real expression ’cross the pond or just drunk nattering?”

The bartender returned with George’s beer and cooed with approval.

“No! It’s not like that. He’s just—” George tried to step away from Roy, but the bar prevented him and besides Roy was … Roy took his hand.

George was aware he was stronger, that he could easily break the drunken hold on his wrist and pull away, but his hand went obedient and limp where Roy lead it. His fingers settled on the swell of Roy’s ass. George trembled weakened by the wave of desire.

“What’re you doing, Roy?”

Roy was smiling. “It’s yours for the asking, Cowboy.”

Fuck.

George stared at him, lacking the strength to move away. Instead, he found the fresh beer and drank half in one gulp. “You’re … paralytic drunk, man.”

“Can we anyway?” Roy’s entire weight hung on George’s arm, so much trust, so poorly placed.

George sipped the beer. It was a way to get him to his car, to keep him close until Dizie could tell him what to do. Take him home. Be a gentleman, put him on the couch. Yeah. That was the way.

“I don’t care that you’re into girls.” Roy rubbed his body against the boulder in George’s trousers, spoke near his ear. “I just want you.”

On its own volition, George’s hand squeezed Roy’s ass. So taut. That’s what was meant when they talked about a juicy bottom. The music, some British bitch crooning over and over again “take me, take me home”, pulsed through his body. His blood matched the beat and his cock hammered along.

“Fuck…” George muttered.

“That’s the idea.” Roy’s lips moved at George’s ear, then lower and Roy kissed him.

Not just a little peck, either. A mouths-parting, tongues-tangling kiss. It stole George’s breath, will, and senses.

A kiss from a dead man. Fuck.

George was undone. Before he could think to stop, before he could reorient himself and this man he intended to betray, George grabbed Roy’s ass with both his hands. He squeezed the soft mounds tight and jerked him even closer.

“You have no idea the hurt you’re in for, riling me up like that, you fuckin’ slut.”

Roy’s mouth opened in a kind of happy shock.

“But if it’s cock you’re after, you’ll get it.”

 

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(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

No good can come from crossing the mob, right? Well if you answered yes then you would be wrong. Roy is on the run from the Silent Skulls, the German mob. He has something they want, 20,000 euros. To get it back they have hired George Morrison to abduct him and find their missing loot. George does in fact find their money but, more importantly, he found something more valuable. Passion. Love. 

To George, Roy went from a mark to something more. In a small span of time, these two men shared a passion neither has every experienced with another. To say their scenes were simply hot would be putting it mildly. L.J. Longo designed some extremely kinky scenes. So kinky, at times, chains were included. One bondage encounter had almost pushed my comfort limits but it turned out for the best in the end. Both men were okay with the extreme play. Ropes, chains, it’s all good in my book as long as every party is consenting to the act.

Speaking of the sexual encounters, I had a problem with some of the dialogue during these intimate moments. Now, I know others are into name-calling and that’s their prerogative but I can’t seem to enjoy it. Words used such as bitch, slut, and whore are a mega turn off. It kills the vibe a writer is creating. However, if you take those words aside, the scenes were top notch. I also think you’ll enjoy how George and Roy handled the Silent Skulls. Bloody brilliant!

HEA

 

Heart Rating System:

1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 

Score: ❤❤❤

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L.J. Longo is a queer author, a geek, a feminist, and is ARe best-selling author of Erotic Romance. The Dishonest Lover is L.J.’s first solo project through Evernight Publishing, though you can also find L.J.’s stories in Dark Captive: Manlove Edition and in Owned by the Alpha: Manlove Edition. Find more thoughtful, hot erotica at Graceful Indecency where L.J. offers free erotica and contests to win romance e-books. L.J. also sometimes takes a break from writing and messes around on Twitter and Facebook.

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May 30, 2017 · 5:00 am

Authors: Get Inspired with May’s Sensational Selections!

Monique Robinson, IPM Model Management

 

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Felisja Piana

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May 26, 2017 · 5:00 am

Author Showcase / Interview – Jennifer Macaire (The Road to Alexander)

 

  1. Welcome, Jennifer! For those who might not be familiar with you, would you be a dear and tell the readers a little about yourself? How did you get your start in the writing business?

(JM) Hello Kam, and thank you for the warm welcome! I think I was born with a pen in my hand – I’ve written stories since I could put letters together to make words. My mother (who else?) still has a copy of my first book written when I was 6, called ‘Tafy the Wunder Hors’. I have made progress in spelling since then, but the joy and creative passion is still intact. I love to invent stories.

 

 

  1. All writers fear the dreaded “block”. Please tell us how you handle it.

(JM) I sacrifice to Calliope, muse of epic poetry. A bar of chocolate and a cup of coffee usually do the trick. Otherwise, I’ll send a prayer to the Oneiri. In Greek mythology, the (Ὄνειροι, “Dreams”) were various gods and demigods that ruled over dreams and nightmares. My favorite would be Morpheus – god of dreams, but Phobetor, the god of nightmares, is handy too. Many of my books are born of dreams.

Source: wikipedia.org

 

  1. Contrary to what some people envision about a romance writer’s life, it’s not all glitz and glam. Well not for the majority of us. With that bubble sadly busted, when you’re not writing, how to do you spend your time?

(JM) I have a “real” job as an assistant to an orthodontist that keeps me grounded and gives me a different kind of job satisfaction. We say, here in the office, that we make smiles. I love my work, and we have a great team working together.

 

 

  1. I know many writers, such as myself, keep their pastime/career a secret. Do those close to you know you write? If so, what are their thoughts?

(JM) Since I live in France, and my books are all in English, it’s rather a let-down when people find out I write but that they can’t read my books. (Let down for me, that is – I can’t brag or show off, lol) So far, none have been translated into French. I have one translated into German and another in Thai – but no French. Otherwise, I don’t hesitate to tell people I’m a writer – it seems natural, since it’s so much a part of me.

 

 

  1. Will you share with us your all time favorite authors? If you’re like me, it’s a long list so give us your top ten.

(JM) Ray Bradbury, Dorothy Dunnett, Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Larry Mcmurtry, Diana Norman, Louise Penny, Ian Rankin, Philippa Gregory, Mary Renault…there are ten, but like you said, I could go on forever!

(KAM): It is truly difficult to stop at ten. Like you, I’m sure, my favorite’s list grows longer each day. 

 

 

  1. If you could choose one book to go to the big screen, yours or otherwise, which book would you choose and whom would you love see casted in the parts?

(JM) Well, my wish came true when The Game of Thrones became a TV series – I devoured those books, and the mini-series did them justice. If I could see my Time for Alexander series be transformed into a show, like Game of Thrones, that would be so cool. I’d need a huge cast of characters, and for the main part, I’d love to see Paris Jackson play the part of Ashley – she’s a tough girl, with a strong character. She’d be perfect. As for Alexander, a certain Alexander Richard Pettyfer might be good, and Richard Madden as Plexis.                      

(KAM) Can you believe I’ve yet to watch it?! Maybe one day I shall see what all the fuss is about. I’ve heard rave reviews regarding the books and show. 

 

 

  1. Would you care to tell us what you’re working on now? That is if it’s not top-secret information. If so, just whisper it in my ear. I swear it’ll go no further.

(JM) Not top secret, but taking a while because squeezed in with promoting and my day job – I’m writing a YA story about a daughter of a Muse, she’s mortal, lived in the present day, and wants to become a great hero so she can become immortal and join her mother’s family on Olympus. I can tell you right now, it’s an impossible dream. (But what are dreams for, right?)

(KAM) Sounds fantastic! 

 

 

  1. Where can we find your stories and is there a particular reading order?

(JM) The first one in the Time for Alexander series is ‘The Road to Alexander””, and there are 7 books in the series. They’ll be coming out every 3 months or so – all are written and I’m just in edits with the later books. Writing is easy – editing is tough.

 

 

Otherwise, there is a list on Goodreads, and also on Amazon are a few of my other books. I have a really cool space cowboy series about horses that travel through the galaxy at Evernight Teen (‘Riders of the Lightning Storm’ is the first book in that series)……..

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…..and also at Evernight are ‘Jack the Stripper’ and ‘Murder and Mayhem’ that feature zombies and vampires, oh my!

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  1. Would you please share how your present and future fans can contact you?

(JM) My Time for Alexander FB page is: https://www.facebook.com/TimeforAlexander/

My blog is: https://jennifermacaire.wordpress.com/

My author webpage is: https://authorjennifermacaire.wordpress.com/

Twitter: @jennifermacaire

 

 

  1. Before we conclude this enlightening interview, do you have anything else you’d like to share? The stage is all yours.

(JM) Nothing really – except – I am eternally grateful to readers everywhere! I feel like we’re a dying breed sometimes. Buying books can be expensive and it’s hard to budget sometimes, so I am always thankful when someone takes the time to invest in one of my stories. I buy books too – my favorite pastime is reading (besides biking – I love my bicycle!) And if you, dear reader, could just put a small review or remark on your blog, tweet, Amazon review – anything – I promise that every little bit helps, and this author, at any rate, is truly thankful.

 

~~ Closing remarks ~~

Jennifer, thank you for divulging a bit of yourself with all of us here today. It has been a true pleasure getting to know you.

Now folks, before you go back to work/school/etc, please grace us with a few more minutes of your time and lets take a more in-depth look at  The Road to Alexander. 

THANKS!! 

 

After winning a prestigious award, Ashley is chosen to travel through time and interview a historical figure. Choosing her childhood hero Alexander the Great, she is sent back in time for less than a day. He mistakes her for Persephone, goddess of the dead, and kidnaps her, stranding her in his own time. What follows, after she awakes under the pomegranate tree, is a hilarious, mind-bending tale of a modern woman immersed in the ancient throes of sex, love, quite a bit of vino, war, death and ever so much more.

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EXCERPT

 

I wondered if I should speak or wait until he spoke to me. I was irritated to feel myself getting flustered. Then Alexander sat down next to me with a fluid movement and I stifled an exclamation.

‘What can I give you? Grapes? Some wine?’

‘That sounds fine,’ I said, my fingers itching for a pen so I could write down all my impressions. But I had to wait until I got back. Until then, I was supposed to make a mental note of every word and action.

He chose a grape for me and gently put it into my mouth. It was one of the most sensual gestures anyone had ever made to me. I felt faint, and, when he leaned over and kissed me, I toppled over onto the rug with hardly a whimper. Alexander obviously thought I’d come to see him for only one reason. I guess he was smothered with women throwing themselves on him, but vestal virgins? My body was saying, ‘Yes! Yes!’ My head said, ‘Ashley! Get a hold of yourself this instant!’ I sat up and pushed him away.

‘Sorry, I can’t do this,’ I said.

His expression of surprise was comical. ‘You mean, you really did come from the temple?’

‘Can we talk?’ I avoided the question and took a bunch of grapes.

‘Not those,’ he said, plucking them from my hand and putting them back into the bowl. ‘Those grapes are poisoned. I keep them in case an enemy comes. So, what do you want to talk about?’ His brow furrowed, then his face cleared. ‘Ah, yes, I recall. You’re the onirocrite. So, what dreams have you had?’

‘I dreamt that I came to your tent while you were sleeping. In your sleep you were calling out my name, the secret one that I can’t tell to anyone except the goddess. When you woke up you saw me. You said that I must come to you because you had a dream that you wanted me to interpret for you. You also said that it was a waking dream.’

He looked interested. ‘Really? And just what is a waking dream?

‘It’s like a wish,’ I said. ‘It’s what you want to do with your life. Can you tell me about it?’ I was hoping for grist for the prize-winning article that I was going to write when I got back. No one knew why Alexander had decided to conquer Persia and travel as far as the Indus River. It was a mystery, and I’d decided to solve it.

Instead of answering me, he lay back on his bed, put his arms above his head and stretched, showing off his lean body with its beautiful, flowing lines. ‘That’s too bad,’ he said. ‘I was hoping you were one of the virgins who didn’t want to be sacrificed. There are lots of them, you know,’ he added, looking at me sideways out of his magnificent eyes. ‘When they don’t want to be sacrificed they simply cease to be virgins, if you get my meaning.’

‘I do,’ I said, ‘and I’m flattered. But can we get back to the subject of my visit?’

‘A single-minded woman,’ he sighed. ‘You remind me of my mother. She’s terribly stubborn. She hated it when I sucked my thumb, so I did it for years just to spite her.’

‘Well, that explains your teeth,’ I said, vexed to be compared to his mother.

He looked at me, his expression unreadable. I started to think that maybe conversations about his mother weren’t the best idea, but all he said was, ‘You want to hear about my dreams, is that it?’

‘Please,’ I said, concentrating on his next words.

‘Very well.’ He stood up, poured two glasses of wine from an earthenware pitcher, and sat down next to me again, handing me one. The wine had a faint spicy note.

I was feeling smug. The article was going to net me a huge prize. I could just imagine the accolades. I was going to be famous; I couldn’t wait to see the faces of those who’d been waiting to see me fail. ‘Cheers,’ I said, and sipped. The drink wasn’t bad. It was young grape wine with spices and a trace of honey. It had been watered down so it was refreshing.

He raised his eyebrows. ‘Cheers?’

‘Here’s to your health,’ I amended.

We sipped our wine in silence for a few minutes while he studied me. Finally he put down his glass and shook his head. ‘There’s something strange about you,’ he said, ‘though I cannot say exactly what it is. You are impressed, I sense this, and you are interested. But, you are not afraid. Perhaps it is your lack of fear I detect the most. I am extremely attuned to fear; my father beat it into me. But it goes deeper than that.’ As he spoke, he wound his body around me, pausing now and then to touch my cheeks, my neck, or my breast. ‘I get a very peculiar feeling from you. There is a coldness, a frost that emanates from your very bones.’ He paused and ran his hands lightly down my sides.

‘I don’t know what you mean,’ I stammered. ‘I’ve wanted to meet you since I first heard about you. It was a dream, and now it’s come true.’ The passion in my voice startled me. I frowned, struggling to keep my emotions in check. This was not the cool, calm, collected Ashley I knew.

Alexander took my hand, stroking the inside of my wrist before pressing it to his mouth. ‘I want to bite you,’ he said. ‘I want to shake you out of your indifference. I want to hear you scream.’ He stared at me, a fierce expression in his uncanny eyes. ‘My mother is cold like you. She’s as cold as the ice on the mountaintops.’

I shivered. ‘I’m sorry if I appear cold. It was my parents’ fault. I had to stay quiet, otherwise I was punished.’

‘Perhaps that’s it.’ He tilted his head and looked at me. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. There was such intensity in his gaze that I had to struggle not to drop my eyes. ‘Did you know that of all the living things on this earth, only man can look another man in the eye? My teacher, an old Greek, taught me that. He is a very intelligent man. He said that the world was round like an orange, and that the stars we see at night are in reality other earths, like this one, or suns. Is that heresy, do you think, or is it truth? I would like to know the answer to those questions and to so many more. I want to see the ends of the earth where the water drops off into a great chasm. Of course, if my teacher is right, I shall never find that. Instead, I will end up where I started out.’ He sighed, then leaned over and lifted a corner of the tent to peer outside. ‘It’s getting near midday, I have to go see my troops. Will you stay, or will you go back to your temple?’

‘If you please,’ I said humbly, ‘I’d like to stay.’

‘I please.’ He smiled then, and I realized that his face had more expressions than anyone’s I’d ever seen, including the great actors and mimes. His smile seemed to bloom from within, to reach out and caress me, and to bind me to him.

Anyone on the receiving end of that smile, I thought, would walk straight off the edge of the world if Alexander asked him to.

 

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May 22, 2017 · 5:00 am

Review of “Rescue Me: Escape From Reality series” – Sara Schoen

Mia Daniels is running away.

She’s leaving her family, her job, and her life behind, all to get away from her past. With no plan, she packed her suitcase and took off for a town where she thought she’d be safe. She should have known she wouldn’t be safe anywhere…

Gage Greystone is running from his family name.

His family has owned the town for generations, but he doesn’t plan to take it over from his father. He has a dream to save others; from the treacherous hiking trails or from themselves. Maybe that’s why he’s so attracted to the newest resident of Escape, Mia. She seems to be silently begging to be rescued. From what, he doesn’t know, but he’ll do anything to rescue her.

But this rescue may be impossible for the decorated emergency serviceman…

 

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As I traveled through the camping ground and the wellness camp, I could see what Lottie meant by a slow start to summer. There was room for well over one hundred and fifty hikers, and that didn’t include the trailers I’m sure drove through occasionally, at the camp site. The wellness camp had about ten cabins with what seemed like only one being used and a lot of open space.

I made a point to travel through the wellness camp slowly so I could possibly find Kelsey and see if she wanted her bike back, but I only saw a few girls who looked to be about fifteen. They were lacing up their hiking boots while others were preparing for a swim. A few waved at me as I passed, others seemed shy and looked away from me. I tried not to be offended. To them I was an outsider, someone they should stay away from. Just like he had taught me to do. I waved back regardless and continued my ride over Faith Bridge. I could see the town crowning over the hill to my right, but the well-defined hiking trail to my left beckoned me.

Lottie can wait a little longer, I decided with a smile. Turning my front tire toward the dirt path, I took off with the girl’s excited laughter and shrieks from entering the cold-water echoing around me. Their voices faded behind me as trees thickened around me, wrapping me in a cool, shadowy blanket, shielding me from the sun, and silencing everything around me until I was left with only my thoughts.

A few months ago, leaving me to my thoughts would have been dangerous. Maybe even suicidal. In the past few years, I had gone through more turmoil than I thought possible, and it seemed like the pain was never-ending. No matter what I did, I couldn’t escape bad news.

I thought I had found the one, the person I was meant to be with, the one who’s supposed to be by my side for the rest of my life, but then it all fell apart. “It’s over, Mia.” I had been trying to fix a broken relationship; cheating, fighting, and abusive, manipulative behavior. I should have known it couldn’t be fixed, but I didn’t want to give up on him. I thought we loved each other, but it turns out that had been one sided too. “Mia, stop. You’re embarrassing me and you’re embarrassing yourself. It’s over, Mia. I don’t love you, I don’t think I ever did. You’re someone I settled for, you’re nothing. It’s your fault this happened, not mine. Now it’s time to move on. I have, and you should too.”

Trees moved past me in a flash as I peddled faster, taking my memories with them. But once those were gone, I was left with a harsh reality. The same ex who had told me I wasn’t worth anything and would never amount to anything is chasing me to ruin the life I had created without him. I shook my head as the path took a turn. Stop thinking about it. It’s over now. The small flickers of sunlight through the leaves and the light at the end of the tunnel of trees echoed my thoughts; a new life, one without him.

I broke free of the trees and came out on a stunning overlook. The path settled against the edge of one of the mountains, giving me a great view of Peak View, a small town the bus had stopped in for a short time, and the surrounding landscape. It reminded me a lot of Escape, but with more shopping, a high school, a military base, and more homes. It’s going to be packed in the upcoming months. Not that I could blame anyone for wanting to visit. I had been here only a few days and I already loved the little town. Even as I looked over the lush green landscape, I didn’t feel as far from my family as I had when it came to Wes. For the first time, in a long time, I genuinely felt at home. I didn’t feel the need to look over my shoulder. This is the place for me. This is where I can finally heal and move on. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for.

Taking a deep breath of the fresh mountain air, I realized I couldn’t wait to move on. I’d dive in head first, even if it meant accepting another gift I didn’t deserve from Lottie. If this is what they do, then I should accept it. It’s time to move on. Whether he wants me to or not. Turning my bike around to head back to town, I took one last glance at the overlook. The sun hanging over Peak View, the mountains keeping us concealed, and everything in me was screaming for me to take a leap of faith. And that’s just what I’ll do. I pushed away from Mountain Side Height lookout and headed toward town, thanks to the helpful signs on Morning Glory’s trail. I left feeling the best I had in years…I’d return when my life turned to shit again. As it inevitably would.

 

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(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

Every day, every minute, people are starting their lives over. Some choose to build a new life in a town close to home while others move out of state or even out of their country. Any move, no matter the distance, can be nerve-racking; however, relocating because you’re hiding from an abusive ex takes the stress of the situation to a whole other level. Abuse, in any form, can reek havoc on your mental state. I am not surprised Mia was skittish with dating again. She’s literally running from the past, trying to stay one step ahead of Wes.

While embarking on a new life in Escape, Colorado, Mia let her guard down and formed relationships. In this small picturesque town, she found support, acceptance, friendship….. a home. The quaint town had accepted this “outsider” as one their own. I know a lot about little towns so I can relate to a small community banding together. They do help each other out and secrets are few and far between.

Sara painted small town living to a tee. She also created a hidden treasure many vacationers would love to unwind at for days, week, or longer: breathtaking mountain view, tranquil lake, numerous hiking trails, caves to explore, etc. It’s a nature lovers dream destination. 

It was Mia’s dream come true, too, until her past caught up with her. After three months on the run, Wes did find her. For me, I thought their confrontation would’ve been more nail biting. Everything was leading up to their monumental moment so this was Mia’s time to shine. Now was the time for Mia to take the bull by the horns and make her stand. Unfortunately, she didn’t and I felt disappointed by her lack of action. I wanted her to take the power away from him. In the end, it all worked out but not in the way I was foresaw. But hey, she still got her happily ever after and that’s what matters at the end of the day. 

 

Heart Rating System:

1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 

Score: ❤❤❤1/2

 

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Sara Schoen is a Biology major at James Madison University who was born and raised in Northern Virginia. She has been an adamant writer since she was young, and now enjoys reading, ghost hunting, and traveling. She hopes to have readers find solace in the worlds and characters she creates and in some cases provide a cautionary tale. Sara plans to continue writing and explore various genres in the future.

 

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May 18, 2017 · 5:00 am

Review of “An Empire in Runes: The Runes of Issalia, Book III” – Jeffrey L Kohanek

A Long Forgotten Magic That Might Save the World …Or Destroy It

Led by a boy named Brock, a small team of teens urgently assembles a force to confront an army of monsters, one that ravages and destroys anyone or anything in its path.

In a race against time, Brock attempts to train a group of recruits to wield the powerful magic known as Chaos, a magic that he himself is still learning to master. All the while, they must remain vigilant against a secret organization within the Ministry that will do anything to prevent the return of Chaos.

As foretold by an ancient prophecy, the human army must face and defeat their ancient enemy on the Tantarri Plains. For if they fail, all will be lost.

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(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

I knew the battle against the banshees was going to be fierce. Standing ten feet tall, with red eyes and sharp talons, they would strike the fear in any man, woman, or child. Their wail alone leaves their opponents frozen in place, but to see them actually engage in battle is a sight to cause night terrors. Hell, that is if you survive their rampage. With their immense power, they can and will rip you limb from limb and then devour you — dead or alive. To them, it makes no difference. A meal is a meal.

However, there were many a men and women who wouldn’t stand by and watch the towns fall. They fought back and with a vengeance. The battle lasted many chapters but Jeffrey knew not to rush such a pivotal moment in their lives. The humans used magic (runes), flash bombs, swords, fire-tipped arrows, and much more to hinder the banshees’ path of carnage. Many lives were lost, two especially I hated to see go. The losses hit the survivors hard. I felt their grief as my very own & wished they could be brought back to life. Sadly, there was no coming back. 

Once the battlefield had grown quiet, Jeffrey led the team to another battle — with humans. This is the point where everything is explained: The Hand, banshees, bacabras, Chaos…..everything!

There were multiple happily ever after’s. Some old characters reappeared. Plus, the ending showed us that the future looked remarkably promising; a major turnabout from hours before when death was thisclose to knocking on their door. 

Great job, Jeffrey. You’ve written three wonderful tales, full of triumphs and tragedies. And most importantly, each was more intriguing than the last. 

 

Heart Rating System:

1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 

Score: ❤❤❤❤1/2

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Catch all the action from the very start……..

 

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Discover a lost magic, long buried and forgotten…

Without a rune marking his role in society, Brock is doomed to a life below the lowest rung of the social ladder. Unwilling to accept his fate, the teen risks his life to obtain a fake rune that marks him as a member of the Empire’s ruling class. He then embarks on a quest to join an institution where the Empire’s future leaders are trained.

As a student of the Academy, he soon uncovers a chain of secrets kept hidden for centuries, secrets that expose cracks in the foundation of Empire society. Among his discoveries is a powerful magic, long buried and forgotten.

Brock’s compassion and sense of justice are seeds that sprout tight friendships and a blossoming romance. An unwillingness to be bullied earns him a dangerous enemy, growing into a feud that escalates to a climactic showdown.

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Link to my review – 1/07/17

 

 

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As they strive to become Masters within the Ministry, Brock and his friends resume their training at the Academy, an institution founded on magic, science, knowledge, law, and combat. They soon discover an expansive web of conspiracies and deceit within the Ministry, hidden behind a veil of benevolence and piety. The exposure of one of those secrets forces Brock and his friends to flee the institution with their lives in the balance.

Joined by a fierce Tantarri warrior, the group embarks on a quest to locate a mysterious throne that has been lost for centuries. Guided by the cryptic words of an ancient prophecy, and backed by a forbidden magic that they are still learning to wield, they journey across the continent to save humanity from extinction.

 

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Link to my review – 1/27/17

 

 

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Jeffrey L. Kohanek grew up in rural Minnesota where comic books sparked his young imagination, inspiring fantasies of heroes with super-powers saving the day. His tastes later evolved to fantasy epics featuring unlikely heroes overcoming impossible odds to save worlds born from the writer’s imagination.

Now residing in southern California, Jeff uses that imagination to weave tales of engaging characters caught in fantastic plots to inspire young adults and the child within us all.

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