Friday, January 31, 2014

Book Tour for Prince of Tricks by Jane Kindred (Review & GIVEAWAY)


Fans of the paranormal, as well as the m/m genre, will find this an intriguing and steamy read with many erotic scenes.  Keep reading to get a tantalizing taste of Prince of Tricks by Jane Kindred along with my impressions of it.  Make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win some truly amazing gifts like a caviar gift pack, a $150 GC, and 10-$10 bookstore GCs too!

When desire rises, angels will fall. One, by one, by one…
Over the past century, Belphagor has made a name for himself in Heaven’s Demon District as a cardsharp, thief, and charming rogue.
Though the airspirit is content with his own company, he enjoys applying the sweet sting of discipline to a willing backside. Angel, demon, even the occasional human. He’s not particular. Until a hotheaded young firespirit steals his purse—and his heart. Now he’s not sure who owns whom.
A former rent boy and cutpurse from the streets of Raqia, Vasily has never felt safer than in the arms—and at the feet—of the Prince of Tricks. He’s just not sure if Belphagor returns those feelings. There’s only one way to find out, but using a handsome, angelic duke to stir Belphagor’s jealousy backfires on them both.
When the duke frames Vasily for an attempted assassination as part of a revolutionary conspiracy, Belphagor will do whatever it takes to clear his boy’s name and expose the real traitor. Because for the first time in his life, the Prince of Tricks has something to lose.

EXCERPT:

Belphagor pushed him onto his back and straddled him, his own unfulfilled erection poised between them like an exclamation point. “I told you, you’re my boy. Mine.” There was an implication in the words that Vasily couldn’t miss. The firespirit had been earning his bed and his supper on the streets of Raqia since the word “boy” had been applied to him more literally, likely from an even earlier age than had Belphagor himself. When Vasily had come to him after the night Belphagor caught him trying to cut his purse, he’d attempted to continue with his street business as usual until Belphagor forbade him selling himself to angels or to rough trade demons. He wouldn’t stop Vasily bartering his favors if that was what he chose to do, but he would see to it he was treated as the valuable commodity he was if he insisted on continuing in the trade.
This hadn’t sat well with a firespirit just coming into his prime. Angels in particular desired him, finding his rough looks and the wild coloring of his tangled hair the epitome of what they pictured as demonic. Mostly students out on their own for the first time with purses of crystal facets to burn, they wanted the quintessential Raqia experience. They crossed Elysium’s River Acheron to slum in Heaven’s Demon District, and in their eyes, Vasily was as low-rent as they could get. Which was all the more reason they were to keep their filthy angelic paws off Belphagor’s boy.
A red glimmer of flame threatened in the black depths of Vasily’s pupils, giving the hazel irises an amber cast. This evidence of his defiant anger, despite the fact that Belphagor had finally given him what he wanted—or broken down and caved to his charms, more like—was a Pavlovian bell to Belphagor’s hunger for him. It had nearly driven him mad to keep Vasily at arm’s length this long, telling himself he didn’t deserve him, that Vasily couldn’t possibly want him—the Vasily in his head still the same skinny cutpurse youth he’d first encountered, though his “boy” had long been nothing of the sort. Even now, his heart fluttered like a panicked bird caged in his chest, waiting for something terrible to happen, for Vasily to realize Belphagor wasn’t as young as he appeared and to ridicule the helpless state to which he’d reduced him—hopelessly enamored of another demon after the equivalent of a human lifetime of solitude.
For Belphagor, solitude had been his strength. He hadn’t needed anyone since the earliest betrayals of youthful love. But Vasily had brought him to his knees. Never mind that it was Vasily on his knees that had done it to him.
“What’s got your fire up, malchik?” He kissed the spot he’d cleaned with his tongue beneath Vasily’s Adam’s apple. “I thought you wanted to be mine.”
“I hate it when you treat me like a child.”
Belphagor raised an eyebrow. “I’m fairly certain I treated you as rather the opposite last night. Was it not satisfactory?” 
The natural pink of Vasily’s cheeks reddened more obviously. “Of course it was. I mean, it was more than satisfactory. Way more. Dammit, Beli.” He crooked his arm over his eyes as if looking up into Belphagor’s embarrassed him during such talk. He was utterly charming. As was the little endearment that had just slipped out, though Belphagor might have decked another demon for it.
He kissed Vasily’s sullen mouth. “It was far more than satisfactory for me.” The soft words were almost a whisper. “You’ve absolutely spoiled me for anyone else.”
Good.” The word was delivered with a sudden sharpness. So that was what was bothering him. It sparked a bit of defiance of his own. He wasn’t used to having anyone put restraints on him. That was Belphagor’s specialty.
“Don’t seek to possess me, malchik. I’m an airspirit.”
Vasily moved his arm away from his eyes, and they were glowing with furious heat. “So that’s how it is. You own me, you tell me what I can and can’t do, but you can do as you like.” The roiling anger in the firespirit eyes heated Belphagor like combustion from the inside out. The thought of putting Vasily over his knee once more made him almost painfully hard. Without equivocation, he was a slave to this brutally beautiful young demon.
“Yes, Vasya. That’s how it is.”
The violent rebuff wasn’t unexpected, but Belphagor, nonetheless, had failed to brace for it, too absorbed in the feel of the body beneath him and the thoughts of what he wished to do with it. He found himself forcefully ejected from the cot and sprawled on the cold wooden floor, with Vasily standing over him, magnificent in his literally naked anger.
“Then maybe you should just skip the foreplay and go fuck yourself!” Vasily delivered the Germanic hardness of the lovely verb “fuck” as if he were demonstrating it. As Vasily jerked his jeans onto his legs like he was punishing the fabric, Belphagor watched with unabashed admiration of the musculature being regretfully hidden away. Hooray at least for his lazy laundering habits that had resulted in this morning’s “commando” mode.
He picked himself up, along with the black T-shirt on the floor beside him, which he handed to Vasily as if he couldn’t care less whether the demon walked out on him. Vasily snatched it from his grip and yanked it on over the tangled red locks he’d been cultivating. The shirt had once been Belphagor’s. It had stretched to its limits and was now much too small on the firespirit frame. Belphagor wished there were cameras in Heaven. He could just about die from gazing at the image Vasily struck.
Vasily was waiting for him to apologize or take back what he’d said, to placate him into staying. He had no intention of doing so. Vasily was his. It was an indisputable fact. He’d be back.
The younger demon turned and yanked open the rickety door in danger of coming right off the hinges at his grip, cast one last furious, fiery glare in Belphagor’s direction, and left him with a fierce slam. The bottom hinge bent.
Belphagor glanced down at his relentless and unameliorated state of arousal with a sigh of resignation. His masochistic streak might be at an all-time high.

BUY LINKS:  Amazon  |  BN  |  Kobo

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

Thanks to Jane Kindred I'll never picture Heaven the same way again in this cleverly crafted and highly sexualized first book in the Demons of Elysuim series.  From start to finish readers are taken on an unexpected and unique journey into the world of demons, fallen angels, and a political plan to create chaos that unwittingly forces the arrogant and sexy Beli to become embroiled in after his young lover Vasy is accused of the crime.  From this decadent and gritty view of Heaven to the perceived safety of a parallel Russia here on Earth, Beli and Vasy race to stay one step ahead of the real criminals while Beli uses his unique abilities to gain the help he needs, especially from the Heavenly guard Phaleg, in clearing Vasy's name.

Beli's youth was one of living on the edge doing whatever necessary to stay alive.  It's made him smart in maneuvering through the different levels of society but it's left him a bit jaded too.  He's considered a master of thievery, gambling, and sex but deep down it's also made him leery of love.  Vasy is sweet and naive at times, which leads him into trouble, but his kind heart and playfulness bring out a softer side to Beli.  Vasy doesn't ever seem to learn from his mistakes so it's a good thing he has Beli looking out for him.  For so long he fought the love and affection Vasy was offering him as he saw it as a weakness but when he finally does claim him it leads to unexpected events.  Beli then has to use all of his strengths to save the young man he's just starting to care for which leads readers on a super sexy journey from one demon to another and, in a very unexpected twist, shows what it's like to be a woman in a world where they have the least power.

Ms. Kindred has created an entertaining roller coaster ride full of all sorts of naughty sex.  Here Heaven is an adult's playground, like Las Vegas, a bit gritty and rough around the edges.  There's different classes of demons and angels who are constantly fighting to be on top.  This world is vividly depicted and grabs your attention from the very start.  In contrast is the Russian parallel world which is just as corrupt and dangerous and puts the Russian words Beli's always speaking with Vasy to good use.  From one world to another you're constantly on the edge of your seat waiting for the next unexpected thing to happen and Ms. Kindred doesn't disappoint.  Another area that didn't disappoint was the sexual interludes where readers witnessed m/m, threesomes, menages, and a bit of f/f, though these scenes did take over the story at times.  Sex was seen as a commodity, as entertainment, as well as for genuine affection.  Throughout it all Beli was the master, always knowing what others wanted and needed as he blazed a sexual path to get the info he needed to save Vasy.  Those who don't like their main couples with others though might be turned off by this but it slowly becomes clear that his time with Vasy is more meaningful than time spent with others.  With their sweet and heartfelt concluding scenes this is especially apparent.

With its vivid world building, steamy sexual interludes, and compelling main character of Beli this becomes an unforgettable read and an exciting start to what promises to be a unique and entertaining series.  Though I never felt a strong connection to Vasy as he always seemed to be in Beli's shadow, the character of Phaleg and his steamy scenes with Beli left a lasting impression with me and I look forward to his story being told soon.  Those looking for a very different kind of paranormal series, one with lots of sweat-inducing scenes, will want to add the Demons of Elysium to their library!

My rating for this is a B+

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

Jane Kindred is the author of The House of Arkhangel’sk trilogy, the Demons of Elysiumseries, and The Devil’s Garden. Born in Billings, Montana, she spent her formative years ruining her eyes reading romance novels in the Tucson sun and watching Star Trek marathons in the dark. She now writes to the sound of San Francisco foghorns while two cats slowly but surely edge her off the side of the bed.


**********GIVEAWAY**********

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Tour for Steal Me, Cowboy by Kim Boykin (GIVEAWAY)


Today we end the week with some romance, humor and sass courtesy of Steal Me, Cowboy by Kim Boykin.  Keep reading to get a taste of this book and make sure to leave a comment stating what you like about small town living for the chance to win a $15 Starbucks GC, a Valentine's mug, and candy too!

Unbeknownst to her boyfriend, Sassy South Carolina hairstylist, Rainey Brown, is headed to Missoula, dead set on giving her minor league baseball player boyfriend of four years an ultimatum. Either put a ring on it or let her go, preferably not the latter.
When Rainey's piece of crap car dies in the middle of Nowhere, Montana, she's sure she's a gonner, until gorgeous restaurateur Beck Hartnett stops to help. Beck falls hard for Rainey, and knows she would admit she's fallen for him too, if she wasn't too stubborn to admit it. Beck has five days before the car is repaired to steal Rainey away from a boyfriend who doesn't deserve her. Five days before she's gone for good.

EXCERPT:

I loved Beck’s hair. I loved it long. I loved the way he looked when he pulled it back and the way he looked like some kind of hot cowboy when he wore it down. “Your hair is perfect the way it is.”
“But I came here to get it cut.”
“I don’t want to.”

BUY AT AMAZON here.

AUTHOR INFO:

Kim Boykin is a women's fiction author with a sassy Southern streak. She is the author of The Wisdom of Hair, Steal Me, Cowboy, and Palmetto Moon (Summer 2014.) While her heart is always in South Carolina, she lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband, 3 dogs, and 126 rose bushes.

WEBSITE:  http://kimboykin.com/
FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/authorkimboykin
TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/AuthorKimBoykin

**********GIVEAWAY**********

The author and publisher will be awarding a $15 Starbucks card, Valentine mug, and yummy candies to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US only).

-To be entered, LEAVE A COMMENT STATING WHAT YOU LIKE ABOUT SMALL TOWN LIVING, along with your email addy (no email=no entry).
-Winners will be chosen randomly from all comments made throughout the tour, so the more you comment the greater your chances of winning.  A list of all participating blogs can be found here.
-Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST on 2/4!

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Book Tour for Worth Keeping by Susan Mac Nicol (Review & GIVEAWAY)


As a fan of the m/m genre I'm always on the lookout for new-to-me authors and was immediately drawn to the emotionally intense storyline of Worth Keeping by Susan MacNicol.  Keep reading to get a taste of this book, along with my impressions of it, and leave a comment about why you enjoy reading the m/m genre for the chance to win two of Ms. MacNicol's previous backlist titles!

Nick Mathers pulls Owen Butler from the freezing waters off the Norfolk coast, but Owen’s love can carry Nick back from the edge of oblivion.

EXCERPT:

Nick cursed the daylight and the truths it brought with it. He finally moved to get up, deciding a morning woody was worth the embarrassment as opposed to this thorough inspection of his body.
Owen grasped his shoulder, holding him back. Nick stilled at the expression on Owen’s face, a mixture of compassion and something else—sheer tenderness. He lost his breath at that look. Nick was torn between badly wanting this man to touch him and fleeing. 
He stayed. Owen’s long, warm fingers started to explore his past. Owen’s fingers moved lightly over Nick’s chest, touching the scars, finding the long, jagged one underneath his right arm that trailed down to his ribs.
Nick’s own morning hard-on got steelier by the minute at the other man’s gentle touch. Owen drew a deep, shuddering breath. “Jesus, Nick, someone really did a number on you.” His voice was uncertain. “Unless you did that to yourself?”
Nick laughed shortly. “No, I can’t take the credit for these ones. Not my work.”
Owen shook his head in incredulity. “Who the fuck could do this to someone? Nick, what the hell happened to you?”
Nick shook his head. “I don’t want to talk about it,” he whispered. He shivered as Owen’s fingertips slowly circled the burns. Then Owen did something totally unexpected. He leaned forward and kissed one of them. It was a soft, fleeting caress by a pair of warm lips that felt incredibly good against Nick’s skin. Nick pulled back defensively, sitting up, but Owen’s hand moved gently, pushing him back. The duvet fell to Nick’s hips and he closed his eyes in mortification at the tenting of it around his groin.

BUY LINKS:  AMAZON  |  BOROUGH PUBLISHING GROUP

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

As a fan of the m/m genre, and books that put you through the emotional wringer, I was immediately drawn to this story and its compelling characters.  Upon turning the final page I found much to recommend it, as well as one or two quibbles, but will definitely read more from this author as she had a way of vividly depicting the small town world these characters inhabit which helped draw me in.

Nick had a terrible childhood of sexual abuse and betrayal by the one who should've protected him.  It's left him scarred both inside and out, with nightmares that visit him often, and unrelenting self-hatred and grief that have him constantly contemplating suicide.  One night has him finding a kindred soul washed up on the beach that changes his life completely and gives him the strength to fight for his soul.  When the story starts Nick is a broken man living in seclusion from a psychotic ex-lover who used his past to control him.  Being with a man who truly listens and cares for him has him slowly coming back to life.  He starts seeing the good things in life, learns the value of trust, and becomes a stronger more confident man who can save himself when the past comes back to haunt him.

Owen too has been struggling with his past when he decides to end it all.  Fate has different plans though when he's rescued by Nick who ends up rescuing him right back by giving him a reason to move forward.  Owen's grief never felt as deep as Nick's as he hid behind a facade of humor and snarkiness.  He accepted Nick unconditionally and never rushed him to do more or be more than he could handle.  He ingratiated himself into Nick's life being the supportive lover but I didn't see as compelling of an evolution as I saw in Nick.  His past didn't make him who he is, it was more a brief visit to the dark side.

From start to finish this was an intensely sexual read where sexual healing occurred through the many hot and heavy sexual encounters between Nick and Owen.  The scenes took on a more erotic and playful feel the more Nick worked through his past.  Along with a complicated yet appealing main couple came a cast of secondary characters, among them another gay couple Nick's adoptive father Don and a cute Capuchin monkey, that overwhelmed the story at times and made for a bit of a lag in the middle of the story.  Another disappointing part of the story was the reappearance of Nick's abusive ex Brad who was truly psycho and blazed a path of vile destruction throughout the book and whose comeuppance wasn't near satisfying enough.  Ultimately I wish this story had stayed focused on Nick and Owen and their mutual recovery and the shared happiness they found in each other's arms.  Their story was gut-wrenching and heartbreaking, but ultimately uplifting and leaves me wanting to read more from this author.

My rating for this is a B.

*I bought this book for my personal library using my own money.

AUTHOR INFO:

Susan Mac Nicol was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom. At the age of eight, her family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa where she stayed for nearly thirty years before arriving back in the UK in December 2000. She has written nine novels, two novellas and a screenplay since February 2012 and clearly believes in keeping herself busy. She has found herself wanting to stay in the genre that is M/M Romance so more can definitely be expected.
Sue is a member of Romance Writers of America and Romantic Novelists Association in the UK. She is also a member of a rather unique writing group, called the Talliston Writer’s Circle, which in itself has a story all of its own to tell and lives in the rural village of Bocking, in Essex, with her family. Her plan is to keep writing as long as her muse sits upon her shoulder. Her dream is to one day make enough money to give up the day job and get that big old house in the English countryside overlooking a river, where she can write all day and continue to indulge her passion for telling stories.

WEBSITE:  www.susanmacnicol.com
BLOG:  www.susanmacnicol.wordpress.com
FACEBOOK:  www.facebook.com/susiemax77
TWITTER:  www.twitter.com/SusanMacNicol7
LINKEDIN:  http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/susanmacnicol/48/a44/602

**********GIVEAWAY**********

Susan will be awarding one randomly drawn commenter a digital copy of SAVING ALEXANDER and STRIPPED BARE.

-To be entered, LEAVE A COMMENT TELLING US WHY YOU ENJOY READING M/M BOOKS, along with your email addy (no email=no entry).
-Winners will be chosen randomly from all comments made throughout the tour, so the more you comment the greater your chances of winning.  A list of all participating blogs can be found here.
-Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST on 2/7!

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Book Tour for Redeemed By You by K.A. M'Lady (Review & GIVEAWAY)


The Vranthian Vampires series continues in this action-packed and highly sexualized third installment, Redeemed By You by K.A. M'Lady.  Keep reading to get a tantalizing taste of this book along with my impressions of it.  Make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win gorgeous custom made earrings and eBook sets of the three books in the Vranthian Vampires series too!

In Vranthia, The Wasting has claimed the lives of women, children, and warriors alike; many have fallen to this great plague. No one is safe from its darkness. Recklessness and subterfuge walk hand and hand amongst the Elders, as they seek a means to rule. With ferocity they intend to control the meek, with gluttony they will bleed the docile; destroying all who stand in their way.
But The Wasting can no longer be contained. What began as a dark elixir, stoked in the veins of hatred and revenge, from an enemy long thought dead, has spread beyond the great halls of the Vranthian Kingdom. And no one is certain when or where its darkness will end. Is the mystery and magic of the trion enough to save this great nation?
Kantella Balacjek is a lot of things, but a traitor to his people he is not. He needs to find the source of the darkness to prove his innocence, but the evidence against him grows almost daily. Lies told and enemies made have a way of shielding the truth from the light, even when the truth rages in the blood. Death and her harbinger await him. Will he succumb, or will The Wasting consume them all?
The Darengy grave-warriors have always walked in the shadows. But even they have their outcasts, the creatures that they fear. Onya knows what it is to be different, to be alone with the dying. The shadows and darkness hold their whispers and their pleas. Only she has the power to choose who crosses over. Enslaved by the resistance, she has learned the capacity for evil. Does her blood hold the power to seal the fate of many nations? Does she the courage to change that fate?
Mercenary, loner, wanderer – Traegar is one of the first among the Elders. He is a maker and destroyer of life. Time has jaded him. His people’s level of debauchery and power disgusts him. When the Great Wars ended he chose to walk away and hunt what he despises and loves the most; burying the pieces within him instead. Now his kindred are dying in droves. The Elders have grown unruly, and unstable in their bid for domination. In his dreams the whispers of the ancients fire his blood with the heat of the mating.
Will finding his trion redeem his faith in his people? Will their belief in each other be enough to set them all free?
Strong are the Binds of Love, Faith and Magic.

EXCERPT:
Draven filled half of the shot glass, his blood thick and clinging to its sides. Ooen silently did the same, filling it to the rim. With a subtle grace, Traegar tossed it back, the truth hitting his tongue like lightning. 
The instant the fiery mix of blood and memories touched his lips, Traegar’s mind filled with a vivid catalog of events. Draven’s mates, Leah and Ook— human and Darengy—captured his senses. The female, tiny and lithe; gifted and blessed with a soothing spirit both Draven and his warrior match needed.
Their memories and emotions coiled through him picking up visions of lost friends and companions long dead. Sifting through the heat and filtering through the images, he touched Ooen, the Darengy healer with his waves of oceanic blue hair and fascinating eyes. He found the learned ruler Kuthar and their feisty, fiery human mate, Cyn; her warm skintone a rich, contrasting heat against her partner’s cool, fierce strength. He knew her secrets without meeting her, for the fire of her soul burned bright.
She’d keep them dancing in her flames for a long time to come. Then the truth of this chance happening came to the front of the images pulsing through his veins.
Old wounds and perceived deceptions warred with lies and betrayals; each treachery hidden in the shadows and forged in the blood. One image in particular struck him like a punch to the gut and the name coursed fire down his spine: Kantella. A name known and yet, not.
“The truth you seek,” he finally stated, opening his eyes and staring, unseeing at the gyrating bodies before him on the dance floor, “is darker and far more dangerous than you may be willing to endure.”
“My brother must pay for his sins,” Draven growled, pounding his fist on the tabletop, the shot glass rattling against its flat surface.
Traegar canted his head, faced his young student, now Vranthia’s most feared and revered warrior, and gazed into his anger-filled eyes. He could feel the hurt and fury radiate from him in waves. “The truth, as you know it, is a dual-edged sword, Draven. Darker forces are at work here. Many have crossed over in too short of a time, and the seeker of their demise whispers in my dreams.” 
“What does she say to you?” Ooen questioned.
Traegar sighed. He’d unintentionally shared too much. “She calls to me to aid her. But I know not her name. Or where to find her.”
“I know how you can find her.” Ooen blinked calmly at the mercenary.
“Tell me,” Traegar growled, grabbing the Darengy by the arm and pulling him near. His fangs lowered as rage knifed through him like an inferno; a firestorm blazing in his belly. The need to extol destruction and death in her name—a name he still did not know—awakened his beast. The need to protect her warred with the need to take her, to keep her for himself. Possession was not an emotion he’d known before.
Ooen laid a calm hand on top of Traegar’s, waves of comfort flowing between them. “Not here. Come,” he stated, sliding over towards the edge of the booth. 
His arm stretched in Traegar’s grip, causing him to release him. “I will tell you her story, and we will piece this puzzle together. Then you will have the knowledge to find the first of your mates.”

BUY LINKS:  Amazon  |  ARe  |  Mojo  |  Kobo  |  BN

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

The quest to find a cure for The Wasting continues in the third installment of the Vranthian Vampires series.  Bad boy brother Kantella has been portrayed as a traitor to his people and a defiler of his brother's mate, but all these perceptions are based on lies perpetrated by power hungry Elders whose hate drives them to the annihilation of many.  Instead he's been tortured and left adrift by the mates he can't reach.  It's a race against the clock to reach him though before the poison running through him consumes him.  The only thing keeping him alive is Onya, whose people transition the dying towards their end.  It's her voice that guides him and keeps him hoping as she lies bound and tortured waiting to be saved and joined to her mates.  She's as lost and alone as Kantella, on the fringe of all their species, and will never feel whole until they can create their Trion.

Traegar is a loner amongst his fellow Elders as he sees that they're completely out of control.  He's feared for his hunting skills and ability to kill without remorse.  Into this world of darkness comes a sweet voice that offers him hope and guides him to those wanting to stop The Wasting.  Once he joins the journey to find Kantella and the treacherous Elders his life will never be the same in a fast-paced trek to discovering the truth and finding the Mates that will heal his soul.

This story brings everything full circle that has been touched on in the previous installments.  We get an in-depth background into each member of this Trion but on an impersonal level that shows their connection through their shared loneliness and separateness.  The main form of their connection is through dreams which made their physical joining all the more anticipatory and satisfying in its steaminess.  We get glimpses of the previous installment's pairings which made the final battle more powerful and brought the brothers back together after clearing away all the lies.  The mythology of the Trion and the Elders ultimate plan can sometimes be confusing but the characters and pace of this story kept me turning the pages in this cleverly crafted story that leaves readers with an ultimately satisfying conclusion.

My rating for this is a C+

*I received this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

Author K.A. M’Lady lives a few stone throws from corn fields, chaos and congestion; all lying on the outskirts of the many burbs of Chicago. KA M'lady spends her days calculating life expectancies, mortality and the certainty of death and taxes while in her free time the dead wander freely, buy shoes, homes, the occasional odd business or two and, if you even think of charging them too much in taxes…well, let’s just say the tax man may never come back. But if he does he might just shamble a bit.
An All Romance eBooks bestselling author, K.A. M'lady's work has been described as scary, descriptive, beautiful, dark, frightening, addictive, sexy and believable. She loves to read paranormal romances, watching horror movies, westerns on Sundays with her husband, playing fetch with her pocket beagle, Chevy and buying weird shoes. Her friends call her eccentric, her family refuses to comment. She’s been lost in the world of fiction since she was a small child, and frankly, never wants to be found—at least not any time soon. “Myth and magic builds dreams and inspirations – and in an insane world, it is our dreams that spark the revolution of change. No matter which world is being conquered. Within our dreams – all things are possible.”
PARANORMAL MONDAY YAHOO GROUP:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ParanormalMonday

**********GIVEAWAY**********



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Tour for Wyoming Heather by DeAnn Smallwood (GIVEAWAY)


Today I'm bringing you a new-to-me author and her entertaining historical read, Wyoming Heather by DeAnn Smallwood.  Keep reading to learn about what women went through during these earlier times along with getting a tantalizing taste of it too.  Make sure to leave a comment telling us what you'd hate about living back then for the chance to win a $25 BN GC!

Wyoming Heather is set in the untamed Wyoming west, mid 1800’s. Heather is a strong woman trying to
maintain a ranch left to her by her parents.  The reality is she’s alone, totally alone doing a man’s job.
During this time period, women had very few avenues open to earn a living. They could be shopkeepers, take in laundry, cook, bake, or teach school. But, being the ‘weaker’ sex, it was highly unlikely a woman would take on the overwhelming job of ranching. Heather does just that. She doesn’t hesitate to throw and brand a calf, using her horse as her partner. She runs the risk of being hurt with no one being there to hear a cry for help. In the first few years of ranching by herself, Heather comes across many obstacles that she has no idea how to handle.   Here’s an excerpt from Wyoming Heather showing how Heather reacts to one of her first encounters............
A memory of one of her first “challenges” had surfaced. She went back to the window, cup in hand, and looked out. This time she wasn’t seeing the new hay field, she was remembering this particularly challenging problem, one that had reduced her to tears and left her doubting her ability to exist in a man’s world.
Thinking back now, she could laugh at the situation. Laugh and wonder why it had presented itself as such a catastrophe. In the whole scheme of things, it was a minor incident certainly not worthy of the heavy darkness of spirit it produced. If she had known then that there would be others much more demanding of her ability and wisdom, others much more threatening, she wondered if she would have gone on.
Yes, she would have. Even in retrospect, the thought made her back straighten and her chin tilt up. Of course, she would have gone on. There was never any question of that. She had gone on to meet each day’s challenge, and she would continue to do so. And the challenge of being so alone, well, she would meet that one too.
Then there’s the loneliness. No one to share a problem with. No one to ask for help or advice. No one to cuddle with on a cold winter night. And what about friends? Other women rarely understood her independence. They relied on their husbands for everything and to put it simply, thought Heather an oddity. Men wanted to tame a strong woman alone.
Even Whip Johnson.  Here’s an example from this story:
A low growl and a few choice words rent the air. “If you were mine…”
“Aaah, but there’s the difference, Mr. Johnson. “I’m not yours.”
Heather did sell milk and eggs whenever she had them and could get them to the general store. But a woman alone had to rely on herself to provide food and shelter and to store enough to get her and any animals through the winter.
When Whip and Heather first meet on the banks of the Powder River, Whip reacts much like any man would when encountering such a feisty, independent woman.
“Who are you, lady? You dress like a man, you talk like a man, and if you just hadn’t had a bath in that river, I’d bet you’d smell like a man.”
If I had to use one word to describe the reality of being a woman alone during this time period, I’d use the word strong for that’s what she had to be. Strong enough to meet all the challenges of working and living alone. Strong enough to endure the loneliness. Strong enough to do the manual labor and smart enough to find ways of making it easier. Strong to hold her head high no matter the whispers. But most of all, strong enough to reach for love and blend it and the man’s strength with hers.

Heather is a spirited, independent woman living alone on a ranch left to her by her parents. She is also a healer of animals, domestic and wild. A woman doing a man's work, running a ranch that everyone said couldn't be done, not in this untamed, vastly unsettled land, in the mid 1800's. The ranch had everything she needed except water. She stole that from a neighboring abandoned ranch watched over by a lonely cabin and a grave.
He rode alone, coming back after five years to an empty cabin, a run-down ranch, and a grave on a hill. A former Texas Ranger burnt out on life and afraid to love. Whip had spent five years hunting the man that took his wife's life and left him to die.
Whip and Heather meet in an explosive moment on the banks of the Powder River. Both lonely, both drawn to one another, and both stubbornly fighting the attraction.
Whip vowed he would take up his dream abandoned five years ago and make his beloved ranch profit and to put aside the sweet linger of all memories shared by him and his wife. The ranch would be a jealous mistress occupying his every thought and every minute. He had no time or desire for a woman much less a pair of runaways from The Orphan Train, stowaways in Whip’s wagon and onto the Powder River Ranch.
But fate heeds no one or no thing. The criminal from Whip’s past reemerges in the present. Now, Heather is in danger and Whip stand, once again on the cusp of loss. Fate shows a strong, willful woman, full of love and compassion, just what she’s been missing in her life. And it shows a calloused Texas Ranger that Heather and love does flourish on the Wyoming plains.

EXCERPT:

Her mouth was dry, her clothes filthy. She was wearing not only the dust of the land, but hair and blood from the calves she’d spent the morning branding. Hair, blood, and dust.
Some perfume, she thought with disdain. I’m a real lady.

BUY AT AMAZON here.

AUTHOR INFO:

I live in Colorado with my husband and my two Yorkie kid dogs: Stormy, four pounds, and Eli, six pounds. I’m a native of Colorado, but I lived several years in Wyoming and Montana.  I draw from these beautiful states for much of my material. My historical romances are: Montana Star, Sapphire Blue, Unconquerable Callie, and Wyoming Heather.  Tears In The Wind is a contemporary romance. Then I changed genres from my beloved romances and wrote, under the pen name of D. M. Woods, my first suspense/thriller: Death Crosses The Finish Line. The second book in this ‘death’ series, Death Is A Habit, will be out later this year. Truly, I mean it when I say my greatest pleasure next to writing is having my books read and enjoyed. There are many more stories just waiting to be written and enjoyed.

FACEBOOK:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/DeAnn-Smallwood-also-writing-as-DM-Woods/366637150050917

**********GIVEAWAY**********

DeAnn will be awarding a $25 BN gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

-To be entered, LEAVE A COMMENT TELLING US WHAT YOU'D HATE ABOUT LIVING IN THIS PAST WESTERN HISTORICAL PERIOD, along with your email addy (no email=no entry).
-Winners will be chosen randomly from all comments made throughout the tour, so the more you comment the greater your chances of winning.  A list of all participating blogs can be found here.
-Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST on 2/19!

Book Review of Claimed By You by K.A. M'Lady


On Vranthia, The Wasting is spreading, mutating, claiming not only the women of this fierce, warrior race, but stealing the lives of men, children, warriors, and now, some say, even the Elders among their race.
Rumors of the trion – the ancient joining of Vranthian, Darengy and Outworlder blood and magic as a cure – is growing beyond the halls of Prince Kuthar’s court. With his brother, Prince Draven’s recent joining, there is the first glimmer of hope for their people. But with hope comes lies and growing subterfuge. The Elders demand a rightful ruler and some will stop at nothing to get it. 
Kuthar Balacjek – leader, warrior, and vampire is first in line to be the rightful king. Bred to rule from an early age, he has learned Vranthian laws, and their ancient history. He has studied their past, and fought their battles with the blood, sweat and ferocity, that only a true ruler can comprehend. But The Wasting is an enemy that even he is uncertain how to conquer. Will he find the answers he seeks in the ones whose fate he now controls? Or have they laid claim to his soul?
Cynthiana Rue – Cyn – has never been more irritated in her life. Space-napped by her best-friend and a misfit crew of alien vampires she is swept up in Vranthian legend, war and her captors’ unbridled passions. Will she fight for her freedom or give in to the unknown?
Ooen has known slavery his entire life. Bound since youth to guard the Elder, Vogeth, he has known a life of deception. And now, The Wasting has changed everything. Accused of Vogeth’s death, his fate now lies in the hands of the Vranthian ruler – something his human captive can comprehend. Will he too rebel, or will his magic help to set them all free?

********************

This book picks up immediately where the previous installment ended with this ragtag group of aliens on the run to discovering a cure to The Wasting and discovering who's really behind the treachery.  For human Cynthiana it's a jarring change that has her caught up in danger and an intense attraction to the domineering man who lays immediate claim to her.  We don't get to know her too well beyond the fact that she's strong-willed, gives as good as she gets, and has a secret talent that is being kept hidden for now.

Prince Kuthar's life up to now has revolved around training and studies and it's led to a lonely existence.  After seeing his brother's happiness in finding his Trion he now hopes to find one of his own and immediately senses Cynthiana is the first piece to the romantic puzzle.  He's overbearing with her early on and sets out to overpower her in a sensual haze that leaves her in bed for the first half of the story.  Amongst all the sexual encounters he finds time to discover his other Mate in the physically and mentally tortured healer Ooen.  These two men work together to discover who the real traitor is while struggling to keep themselves and Cynthiana safe from those close to Kuthar bent on destroying his family.  Ooen is exotic, exudes confidence, and has no doubt that Kuthar and Cynthiana are his Mates.  He immediately claims Cynthiana in a sexual encounter just as scorching as Kuthar's claiming and shows both men equal in her eyes which makes their Trion believable.  Through their combined joining they're no longer alone and finally have another there to share the burdens that have come before and those still to come.

The majority of this story revolves around sex and the intense feelings and power generated by the Trion.  We don't get to know these characters too deeply but I still found myself drawn to them and their fight to save their people.  This is an entertaining transitional story that promises an exciting conclusion to the series.  With its steamy sexual interludes and exciting action sequences you can't help but keep turning the pages to find out what happens next.

My rating for this is a B-

*I bought this book for my personal library using my own money.