Archives for August 2018

The Last Banquet of Temporal Confections by Tina Connolly

August 10, 2018 By Leave a Comment


The Last Banquet of Temporal Confections by Tina Connolly
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical
Length: Short Story (30 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Review by: Astilbe

A young food taster to the Traitor King must make a difficult choice in this story of pastries, magic, and revenge.

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The flashbacks were handled well. At first I was a little surprised to see so many of them popping up, but they fit into the plot so perfectly that I treasured every single one of them. In fact, I soon began to look forward to when the next flashback would arrive because of how much information these scenes gave me about the characters and what happened when people ate pastries in this world.

I would have liked to see a little more attention paid to the ending. It was such a powerful way to wrap up everything that had happened in this tale that I was surprised by how quickly it passed. There simply wasn’t quite as much time as I would have preferred to have to savor everything that happened once all of the various parts of the plot began to come together.

With that being said, this was still an incredibly satisfactory read. Saffron, the confection taster, and Danny, her spouse and the Head Pastry Chef, had experienced a great deal of pain in their lives. More than anything, I wanted them to figure out a way to find meaning in all of their previous experiences with disappointment and grief. Finding out how or if they might have been able to do this gave me a deep sense of satisfaction. I truly loved seeing how these characters grew and changed over the short amount of time I had to get to know them.

The Last Banquet of Temporal Confections should be read by anyone who has ever found themselves overwhelmed by a memory from their past.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

Top Rodeos IMHO by BA Tortuga – Guest Blog

August 10, 2018 By 2 Comments


Long and Short Reviews welcomes BA Tortuga who is celebrating the recent release of Rainbow Rodeo.

Top Rodeos IMHO

Hey y’all. I’m BA Tortuga, resident redneck and lover of all things rodeo.

Since I’ve started my new series, Rainbow Rodeo, I’ve been doing a lot of remembering all the rodeos I love best. I managed to whittle them down to five.

Cheyenne Frontier Days – it’s not called the granddaddy of them all for nothin’. I love the tradition, the music, the parade, the pancake breakfast…

Denver Stockshow and Rodeo – lord, the stories my girl and I could tell… from longhorns in coats to crazy escaping chickens to rodeo clowns coming onto us…

Austin Star of Texas rodeo – I’ve been to this rodeo 100 times and I’ve loved it every time. It’s my hometown rodeo. Hell, I even went to the Rodeo Gala once…

Houston Rodeo – This will always be the rodeo where George Strait almost shook my hand…

Rodeo de Santa Fe – this is the most famous teeny tiny rodeo I’ve ever been to.

Much love, y’all.

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As a teenager, Dalton Jakoby made Tank an offer—one Tank turned down gently. It was still embarrassing as hell, so when Tank returns to the Jakoby Rodeo Company after a big-time bull riding tour, Dalton decides polite but distant is the best course of action.

Tank is hurting from some tough injuries and ready for a lighter workload. He’s also ready to admit Dalton is an adult now, one he wants to get to know much better. While Dalton’s past makes him suspicious of Tank’s attention, he can’t stay standoffish for long… not with Tank.

The new romance burns hot, but problems inside and outside the arena threaten what Tank and Dalton might have together.

About the Author: Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy’s Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds and her beloved wife, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. BA’s personal saviors include her wife, Julia Talbot and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.

Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but has heard the call of the high desert and lives in the Sandias. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery menages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | Blogger | Instagram | Tumblr

Buy the book at Dreamspinner Press.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Guest Blogs Tagged With:

Interview: Michelle M. Pillow

August 10, 2018 By 1 Comment

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Michelle M. Pillow whose latest book Better Haunts and Garden Gnomes, the first book in her new (Un)Lucky Valley series, was recently released.

Michelle’s first book was published in 2004. When she started she thought she would only write historical romance. She went to college to study history and still love it. Her first books were all historical romances and she told me “some of those manuscripts are still sitting in a cyber vault.”

After her first book, a Regency ghost story romance (The Mists of Midnight, now retitled Forget Me Not) was published, the editors contacted her because they wanted authors to fill out their Sci-Fi Romance list.

“I agreed but was convinced I was not a sci fi writer. I was a historical writer,” she said. “I laugh at younger me now. Though I still love them, historicals are no longer my passion. I do use history to infuse my worlds, though. Those first Sci- Fi books, Dragon Lords, a futuristic dragonshifter series, grew into the Quirlixen World collection with 34 books within 7 series installments and growing. I’m fortunate to have readers who follow me from genre to genre.”

Last year she released her first paranormal cozy mystery in the multi-author The Happily Everlasting Series. She has also recently released the first book in her new cozy mystery series, (Un)Lucky Valley: Better Haunts and Garden Gnomes. It was inspired by her love of garden gnomes and her desire to build a gnome village in her yard.

“I’m not sure the neighbors would like my plans, and so far my family has curbed the impulse…but someday…” she warned.

She’s about to start the next Warlocks MacGregor novel, book 6 – a fan favorite series filled with magic, mischief and kilts. The series involves Scottish warlocks living in modern day Wisconsin. Check it out here.

I asked her what her writing space was like.

“I’ve learned that deadlines don’t care if I’m not at home in my office. I can write anywhere and everywhere, and have, including while riding in a car, airports, hotels, parking lots, coffee shops, waiting rooms, my couch… Strangely, I’m rarely in my office. If I can bring a laptop with me, I’m probably sneaking in a few hours of writing time.

“I’m one of those Type A, work-a-holic personalities, so I’m always writing and working. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t do at least one work thing a day. When I’m on deadlines, it’s grueling hours (10-18 hrs) in front of the laptop. Hiney in chair, hands on keys. It’s the only way to push through and get it done.”

On the rare times when she isn’t writing, she loves trying new things and getting out of the house for an adventure. She has a degree in photography and she loves taking out her camera. She and her husband are also interested in film production. One day, she would love to publish a photography book and a travel book, but right now writing fiction keeps her pretty busy.

10. What do you like to do when you are not writing?
On those very rare times I am not writing, I love to try new things, and get out of the house for an adventure. I have a degree in photography, and I love taking out my camera. My husband and I are also interested in film production. I’d love to someday publish a photography book, and a travel book, but fiction writing keeps me pretty busy.

On a more personal note, I asked her to share her favorite (and least favorite) foods.

“I hate purple onions, mayo, and fish. I wish I liked fish, I really do. As to the others, so many potentially delicious dishes have been ruined by those two things.

“I love pasta. Chicken Parmesan, Fettucine Alfredo, Fettucine with Basil, Pine Nuts and sun-dried tomatoes… yum. I also have a strange, sometimes embarrassing love for a good chicken fried steak with cream gravy, mashed potatoes, corn, and a dinner roll. (can you tell I’ve ordered that at restaurants a lot?)”

“What is it about fantasy/science fiction that attracts you?” I wondered.

“Though I love the new cozy mysteries series I’ve started, I’m probably most known for my sci-fi and futuristic romances. I was recently recognized by RWA for having published a 100 romance titles. The majority of those would fall into the Sci Fi or Fantasy category—alternate reality romances, futuristic, sci fi, space opera.

“For me, I love the ability to imagine the future and build a universe that is uniquely mine. The possibilities are endless—so many planets, aliens, cultures, ships, technology, and histories. With Dragon Lords and Lords of the Var, I have two very different alien societies that have been at war for a long time. They live on the planet of Qurilixen. That’s how my futuristic multi-series, Qurilixen World was named.

“As the Dragon Lords and Var start to leave the planet, the series, Space Lords begins. This is more of a space opera romance with space pirates flying the high skies and trying, not very successfully to stay out of trouble.

“The ancestors of the Dragon Lords and Var use portals to travel to Earth to meet women in the Captured by a Dragon-Shifter series. They’re the same planet, only in modern day. Galaxy Alien Mail Order Brides, also set in modern day, are basically alien invaders.
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“My newest sci fi futuristic romance, Space Lords: His Earth Maiden released in May.”

Former elite Federation soldier, now turned space pirate, Jackson Burke has done his best to turn his life around—for the better. He isn’t prepared when fate leaves a woman’s safety totally in his hands. Since heroes don’t leave a damsel in distress—and despite being outlaw pirates, the crew considers themselves the good guys—Jackson assumes responsibility for the beauty. It’s enough that his ship is held together by rust and sheer will, now he’s got to keep this good guy thing straight and not give into the urges the sassy female brings out in him. Raisa is everything a man could want and for some reason she seems to like him, rough edges and all, but he’s on the Federation’s wanted list and they aren’t known to back down.

Finally, I asked her, “What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?”

“There is no magic pill. You have to do the research and the work. Well, coffee is kind of like magic, and energy helps do the research, so maybe that’s my secret. Research everything—your book, marketing, promo, your genre—and think about the long-term goals, not just instant career gratification. That’s what separates career authors from hobbyists. Writing as a hobby is fine, if that’s what you want to do. If you want to be a professional, you just have to spend the time and study up. There is no magic formula or secret handshake. I so wish there was. You just have to put in the hours and do the work. Knowledge really is power.

“Finally, write the book. No book, no reason to go through the trouble of everything else. The book is the fun part!”

Welcome to Lucky Valley where nothing is quite what it seems.

Lily Goode wasn’t aware she had an inheritance waiting for her in the form of a huge Victorian house in Lucky Valley, Colorado. Life might finally be coming together for her. That is if you don’t count the endless home repairs, dealing with eccentric Aunt Polly who claims they’re both witches, and Nolan Dawson the handsome home inspector who seems to have it out for her, then, sure, life is grand. Oh, and not to mention the strange hallucinations and garden gnomes who are far more than lawn ornaments.

If mysterious accidents don’t do her in, then the rebellious gnomes just might. With the help of Aunt Polly, it’s up to Lily to discover who’s sabotaging her new home and trying to drive the Goodes out of Lucky Valley once and for all.

About the Author:NYT & USAT Bestselling Author Michelle M. Pillow is a multi-genre romance writer with over 100 published books over the course of her nearly 15-year career. She is best known for her Quirlixen World including the series: Dragon Lords, Space Lords, Lords of the Var, Galaxy Alien Mail Order Brides, and more. She also writes the award-winning Warlocks MacGregor series.

Michelle is always up for a new adventure or challenge, whether it’s a paranormal investigation of an old Vaudeville Theatre or climbing Mayan temples in Belize. She was a refugee extra on SyFy’s Z Nation. She loves to interact with readers on social media.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | BookBub Author Page

Buy Better Haunts and Garden Gnomes at the author’s website, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Kobo.

Check out Michelle’s Sci-Fi Works:

Quirlixen World Collection

The Qurilixen World is an extensive collection of science fiction and futuristic romance novels by award-winning author, Michelle M. Pillow. It all started nearly 15 years ago with the original Dragon Lords series and has since grown into a massive collection. Check out each series within this bestselling world. Note: Each book in each series is a standalone story.

Dragon Lords 1: Barbarian Prince
Lords of the Var 1: The Savage King

Captured by a Dragon-Shifter 1: Determined Prince
Galaxy Alien Mail Order Brides 1: Spark

And More!

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With:

Born to be Wilde by Eloisa James

August 9, 2018 By Leave a Comment


Born to be Wilde by Eloisa James
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: Historical
Length: Full length (277 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review by: Xeranthemum

The richest bachelor in England plays matchmaker…for an heiress he wants for himself!

For beautiful, witty Lavinia Gray, there’s only one thing worse than having to ask the appalling Parth Sterling to marry her: being turned down by him.

Now the richest bachelor in England, Parth is not about to marry a woman as reckless and fashion-obsessed as Lavinia; he’s chosen a far more suitable bride.

But when he learns of Lavinia’s desperate circumstances, he offers to find her a husband. Even better, he’ll find her a prince.

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Why does the woman who’s completely wrong feel so right in his arms?

Romance perfection can be found within the pages of Born to be Wilde. It’s rocky, silly, snarky, romantic, fun, surprising and engaging, but at all times, entertaining. I knew the relationship between Parth and Lavinia was strained because of the previous books, but to finally get to know why? Priceless and well worth the wait.

The title of the book isn’t based on the song by Steppenwolf but is actually a pointed clue about Parth’s life. The explanation and the story telling that showed me all about it tugged at my heartstrings. When I finally ‘got it’, I was overcome with a reaction I usually reserve for a cute, cuddly puppy that needs reassurance – Awwwwww!

The sparks that fly between Lavinia and Parth, their misunderstandings and assumptions that complicate any attempt at a relationship, all worked to create a dynamically difficult and emotional trial between the two, akin to running the gauntlet. Watching them fall in love in spite of all of that made for excellent reading.

The wedding between Diana and Lord Roland Northbridge Wilde is in the background throughout this novel and culminated in the HEA that I’d been waiting for since I read Too Wilde to Wed. It was wonderful to witness because both Parth and Lavinia were involved too. It was a brilliant wrap-up to add to the fun of this current novel.

The epilogue gave me happy sniffles. If I thought the book was romantic before, the author outdid herself with Lavinia’s final presentation to Parth. It was the most compassionate, convincing, tender and affectionate proof of Lavinia’s complete and pure love for Parth and it made me tear up. This book was a really good read but that scene boosted it up to a whole other level of awesomeness.

Once again, Ms. James set the hook for her next novel. The intense scene regarding Lord Jeremy earlier in the book was a shocker. He’s the epitome of a tortured hero and that was reinforced with his interaction between himself and Becky Wilde. What happened to him that was so bad that it affected him that way? And how in the world would Becky help him? What will she have to do to get through to him? It boggles the mind and creates a craving to read the next book in the series.

So far, every single book has been a winner in this series and Born to be Wilde is no exception. It’s a story too good to miss with characters I would love to know in real life. Fans of the Wilde family are in for a treat. There’s never a dull moment even when I get to meet the most adorable Queen of the Fairies and her court. Wilde antics are the best!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Solemn Vows​ by Ginny McBlain

August 9, 2018 By Leave a Comment


Solemn Vows​ by Ginny McBlain
Publisher: Uncial Press
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational
Length: Full length (246 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Meredith agreed to marry Quinn McAllister if he would promise that theirs would be a childless marriage. They were made for each other, having come from similar unstable backgrounds and pulled themselves up by their own ambition and determination.

Five days after their wedding, Quinn learns that his best friend, his “brother” from Boys Town, is dead, leaving his three young children orphaned. Years ago Quinn promised to care for the children if anything happened. Now he is faced with keeping his vow. But what about his promise to his wife, that theirs would be a childless marriage?
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Meredith has a secret, one she fears could doom her marriage if she ever reveals it. The choice is hers: her secret or her marriage? She must take the orphans into her home, despite her conviction that she will be a terrible mother to them.

Love may not be enough to save their marriage when one promise must be broken if another is kept.

Solemn Vows shows how life goes on after three young children lose their parents in an accident. Newly married Quinn and his wife Meredith uphold Quinn’s promise to look after the children and this at times is humorous, not exactly funny, but lighthearted.

I loved how the children wormed themselves into Meredith’s heart. She hadn’t wanted children and this instant family came as a shock to her. The two adults struggle through bad and good times which puts a strain on their first year of marriage.

Throughout the book Quinn often refers to Meredith as Marigold. This is puzzling. I could only think of two reasons for this. Either the author changed the name, but didn’t catch all of the changes needed, or this was the pet name for Meredith. If the latter then I felt some explanation should be given as to why Quinn used this name. The use of Marigold irritated me every time it came up and spoil​ed​ an otherwise good book.

A good premise with a lot of thought gone into how both adults and children would react. Gives a cosy feeling when reading about the instant family.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Advice for Writers by Michael Okon – Guest Blog and Giveaway

August 9, 2018 By 8 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Advice for writers

This is a sloooooooooooow industry. When I was self-publishing, I would crank out 4-5 books a year because I was in total control. After I got published it took a full year before my first book Monsterland got published and was available to the public in its new form. Then, fast forward 6 months later, my second book is getting published, Monsterland Reanimated . I have two other books ready to go and my agent has to get those into the publishers’ hands. Everything takes time. You have to have tremendous patience and know that good things come to those who wait. Don’t do this for the money, because you probably will not make anything in the beginning. After a while, once things pick up, writing can become a full time job.

After Monsterland has imploded, the entire world is thrown into chaos. World leadership is gone, economies have collapsed, and communications are non-existent. Wyatt must go beyond the boundaries of his small town to reestablish contact with the outside world, and alert the government about a traitor-in-chief.

During his journey he discovers a new threat released from the bowels of the defunct theme park.

When an army of relentless mummies, a life-sucking ooze called The Glob, and a hybrid reanimated Behemoth rise from the depths of Monsterland, who will survive?

Enjoy an Excerpt

A bright moon painted the desert’s surface pewter. Here and there, dark spots soiled the landscape like oil spills. Most of the bodies had been taken before the troops were ordered to leave. They carted away the corpses, bulldozing the zombies into mass graves, until radios chirped with urgent orders deploying the soldiers to the bigger threats that erupted in the main cities like a chain of angry volcanos.

Monsterland was extinguished, its carcass left for the vultures to pick, the exhibits silent as a tomb.

The dead president and his equally dead entourage were whisked away on Air Force One, along with the dark-clad special operatives that came and left like the brisk desert wind that now howled through the empty streets.

A gate screamed in the silence, slamming with a reverberating smash. The uneven gait of someone with a physical challenge filled the void. The scrape and plod of his limp echoed against the wall of mountains framing the theme park. His labored breathing huffed as he made his way down the streets.

A door creaked loudly as it was blown by the wind. He stopped, his distorted figure silhouetted in the pale moonlight, his body turning silver. He looked at the broken glass littering the pavement like diamonds, then up to the still, pre-dawn sky. He considered the sun peeking over the jagged horizon in the east, its golden light painting the dips and hollows of the hills. Soon the coming day would chase the darkness away.

Time was the enemy now. He had to move faster, or it would be too late. He picked up his pace, lurching along the winding road. A keening howl ricocheted through the streets, bouncing off the walls. It sounded like a … no, he thought, it couldn’t be. The werewolves were all dead. Destroyed by Vincent Konrad when he made their heads explode.

The old man paused, listening for it again, and was not disappointed when the animal whimpered. He gauged it to be inside the defunct vampire exhibit. He moved toward the entrance. The storefronts had been destroyed. A few body parts lay on the pavement, as if people had discarded them in a rush. He heard the scraping of paws on the street and a shiver went down his crooked spine.

About the Author: Michael Okon is an award-winning and best-selling author of multiple genres including paranormal, thriller, horror, action/adventure and self-help. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in English, and then later received his MBA in business and finance. Coming from a family of writers, he has storytelling in his DNA. Michael has been writing from as far back as he can remember, his inspiration being his love for films and their impact on his life. From the time he saw The Goonies, he was hooked on the idea of entertaining people through unforgettable characters.

Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, and a sucker for self-help books. He lives on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife and children.

Website | Amazon Author Page | iBooks Author Page | Kobo Author Page | Barnes and Noble Author Page | Smashwords Author Page | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Snapchat

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

The Importance of a Professional Book Cover by Cristelle Comby – Guest Blog and Giveaway

August 9, 2018 By 6 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Cristelle Comby will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The importance of a professional book cover
We all know one of the biggest burden of self-publishing is that you are responsible for everything—editing, proofreading, advertising, and the list goes on. But one of the greatest advantage is that you have complete control over… well, everything. And that includes cover creation.

Of course, we’re not all named Picasso, and most of us skipped the Photoshop-101 class. But, in this day and age, it’s really easy to hire a professional to do your cover art. Yes, it can be pricey, but this is one thing you shouldn’t skimp on, and here’s why:

Your cover is your book’s first impression. That’s the cold hard truth of it all. Most readers do judge a book by its cover. It doesn’t matter if the interior is amazing, and your story is the best one that’s ever been told. If the exterior is bad and cheap-looking, readers simply won’t pick it up.

There’s more to it than art. Yes the cover has to be nice and pleasing on the eye, but it’s a bit more complicated than that. Your cover is a filter that should only let in readers who’ll enjoy the story and leave a positive review. Designing the right cover is all about demographics, market research and psychology and it requires professional skills.

It broadens your horizons. For my latest novel, Hostile Takeover, I turned to 99Design.com which is like the designers’ Craig’s List. My job description was very short: a little bit about the genre of the book, the full summary and a few pictures of random book covers I like. Mostly, I encouraged designers to be creative and to follow their inspiration.

Seeing what the artists came up with—how they perceived my story and how it inspired them—was the most interesting experience. The designs were very varied and far exceeded my expectation.

Some of the entries.

The final cover, by Spanish designer Miguel A. Ereza.

Yes, it costs money to get a professional cover. But think of all the time you invested in your story, all the hours you put in. Would you really gift-wrap your hard work in cheap newspaper?

P.I. Bellamy Vale isn’t your everyday investigator. Moonlighting as Death’s earth-bound envoy, he specializes in the weird, wacky, and slightly unhinged.

When a mysterious beast savagely mauls random residents of Cold City, the police assume that these are the killings of a rogue wolf. But experienced private investigator, Bellamy Vale, is unconvinced.

Ordered by Death herself to investigate, Vale has no choice but to obey, for his boss is not someone to disappoint—if he wants to keep breathing, that is.

With friend and computer hacker Zian, nosy journalist Candice Kennedy, and homicide sergeant Melanie Ramirez by his side, Vale has no choice but to end the killings or face the wrath of the demon who holds his life in her hands.

Enjoy an Excerpt

I was having a bad day.

The ugly thug facing me readied himself for the next swing. “What did you say, bastard?” His red-splattered knuckles were ready for the next round; my body wasn’t.

“I’m haffin a fah fay,” I managed to repeat through a mouthful of saliva and blood.

That made Julian Ragazzo, former welterweight boxing champ and top bodyguard to the city’s prime Italian Mafia family, smile. His wet beard glistened with sweat beads around stained teeth. Glad one of us was happy.

I took stock of the damage Ragazzo had already done. Broken nose, check. Split lip, check. Swollen eye, check. Broken rib, double check, and the list went on and on. It could have been worse. The injuries, though painful, weren’t enough to put me in the hospital. Sure, I’d hurt for a week or four, but I’d live to tell the tale outside of a body cast. I knew that, and Ragazzo did, too. This was a game we’d both played before … not that I’d gotten any better at it.

I caught a reflection of myself in the glossy surface of a cabinet door. My messy mop of brown locks was matted with blood on one side and the five o’clock shadow had a hard time concealing a fast-bruising chin. One eye was swollen shut and the other had a pale blue, haunted orb dancing amidst a sea of red veins. I was a mess, and not a hot one.

I closed my good eye and waited for the next blow. The bodyguard didn’t disappoint. A second later, he delivered a power punch and I saw stars. It didn’t help that I was tied to a chair and my already sore shoulders screamed in protest at the added strain. In a noise that only I could hear, my body cried out, ‘How in all the hells was this part of the plan?’ Fair question—it wasn’t.

In truth, there may have been a few glitches here and there. Like those two extra guards at the office building’s back entrance, plus that wrong turn I took on the fourteenth floor. Yeah, okay … the plan was just as screwed as I was.

Ragazzo followed up his haymaker with another kick in the guts. It would have ripped a scream out of me if I’d had any breath left for it. Instead, my lungs just took in short, choppy gasps I couldn’t control.

“Well, well, well … look what the cat dragged in,” taunted an Italian-lilted voice.

I recognized the lazy drawl and opened my good eye to confirm my suspicions. Sure enough, Alonzo Vitorini, Cold City’s resident wannabe kingpin, stood near the entrance in a dark-green pinstriped suit. Shit, looking at his ugly get-up hurt worse than any of Ragazzo’s blows.

Vitorini sauntered into the room, smiling as he noticed my stare. “Like the suit?” he asked, doing a little pirouette to show off this walking insult to fashion.

I wasn’t going to reply, but the second my eye caught sight of the finishing touch, a pair of black-and-white spectator shoes, my mouth kicked into gear on its own.

“Al Capone called,” I wheezed out. “He wants his brogues back.”

Vitorini laughed, the corners of his muddy-green eyes wrinkling. Not sure if he was laughing at the crack or the fact that he was going to kill me for it in another minute or two.

About the Author: Cristelle Comby was born and raised in the French-speaking area of Switzerland, in Greater Geneva, where she still resides.

She attributes to her origins her ever-peaceful nature and her undying love for chocolate. She has a passion for art, which also includes an interest in drawing and acting.

She is the author of the Neve & Egan Cases series, which features an unlikely duo of private detectives in London: Ashford Egan, a blind History professor, and Alexandra Neve, one of his students.

Currently, she is hard at work on her Urban Fantasy series Vale Investigation which chronicles the exploits of Death’s only envoy on Earth, PI Bellamy Vale, in the fictitious town of Cold City, USA.

Website | Twitter | Amazon Author Page

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Take a Chance on Me by Jaqueline Snowe

August 8, 2018 By 7 Comments


Take a Chance on Me by Jaqueline Snowe
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (291 pgs)
Heat: Hot
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Poppy

Kate Zell and Brody Carlson have been best friends since elementary school. Their relationship had always been easy. Both of them loyal to a fault, they had been there for each other through everything: heartbreaks, hangovers, and tragedy. So when Kate needs a place to stay for three months, Brody doesn’t think twice about agreeing. After all, they had known each other forever. Would could go wrong living with his closest and oldest friend?

Apparently, everything. Three months in a small apartment becomes more than complicated. Brody shouldn’t be attracted to his dorky best friend…he most definitely shouldn’t. That would be absurd. She’s a relationship girl and he’s more a one-night-sans-clothes kind of guy.
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One drunken dare of strip poker changes everything. Suddenly, two people with too much to lose play a dangerous game. The unapologetic playboy and the girl-next-door have a choice to make, if only their pasts didn’t keep getting in the way of their future.

I really enjoyed reading this novel. The author has created a great, well-rounded cast of characters and a believeable storyline. And, I have to admit, the “friends-to-lovers” trope is my favorite.

The author has an easy way of writing that made me forget I was even reading a book… the story, instead, played out like a movie in my mind. I zipped through the first few chapters without even realizing! I liked Kate a lot. She was focused, driven, but also still a regular gal. That she’d partied a little too hard before catching a plane for the start of the job of a lifetime was believable for a girl her age. Brody was such a solid guy for her. Friends since pretty much forever, their back and forth repartee was just a joy to observe. Add in some great secondary characters (his mom, X and others) and you have the formula for a winning story.

The only thing that I did struggle with was Brody’s overwhelming guilt about his brother. I guess I can understand why he felt that way, but not so much why he just couldn’t move on at least a little. It absolutely ruled his emotional life. His mom was grieving just as badly, but she was doing it in a healthy way that I could understand. I just couldn’t get behind Brody’s behavior (and shame on him for the times he snapped at his mom–she’s a jewel).

Other than that, though, the behind-the-scenes football information and getting to observe what goes on before the team actually hits the field was interesting. I’d never realized some of that stuff happened! And I did like how the author portrayed Brody and Kate’s switch from just friends, to more than friends … it was believable, too. The sex scenes were fluid and very, very hot and a lot of the growing romance was really touching, largely due to the background they shared.

All-in-all a solid, fun, romantic story. I’m really glad I had the chance to read it. I don’t typically pick up new adult (I’m ::: mumble mumble ::: years past that age), but grabbed this as a favor and it was a gem. If you’re a fan of the genre (and maybe even if you aren’t!), you should give this book a try. I’m betting you’ll be just as glad as I was.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Skeleton Lady by Tori L. Wilson

August 8, 2018 By Leave a Comment


The Skeleton Lady by Tori L. Wilson
Publisher: Books to Go Now
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Horror, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (64 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Oliver Adams and Kayte Westin have been best friends since the first grade, when Kayte stood up against Oliver’s bully, earning his undying loyalty. The two are neighbors and are now attending their small town of Adairsville, Georgia’s local high school together, counting down the days until summer vacation. Oliver and Kayte both have feelings for one another besides simply friendship, however neither of them have been able to summon the strength required to confess their true feelings.

One day, when the two friends are walking home together after school, they hear a chilling scream from a nearby alley. Kayte rushes to investigate the noise and Oliver follows behind her, making sure Kayte doesn’t get into any trouble. As they come to the alley, Oliver and Kayte notice something strange- there is no one around, and the alley is completely desolate.

Suddenly, everything goes black and Oliver and Kayte awake in separate rooms, chained to old beds and surrounded by concrete walls, floors, and ceilings.

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All of this changes, however, when on Oliver’s birthday, the Skeleton Lady allows him to see Kayte for the first time since they were kidnapped. Having all but forgotten their previous lives, it takes the two a moment before they even recognize each other. Once their memories come flooding back and they finally confess their attraction for one another, Oliver and Kayte realize they must escape The Skeleton Lady’s lair.
Driven by their love for each other, the two must use their mental and physical strength to escape the clutches of their captors.

Will their love be enough to break the grasp of their tormentor’s clutches, or will they die trying? Find out in this exciting tale filled with twists and turns at every corner.

If they ever want to have a chance of breaking free and going home again, Oliver and Kayte are going to have to quickly figure out what The Skeleton Lady wants from them and how they might be able outsmart her. Only time will tell if any of these things will happen for them.

Oliver was a brave guy. No matter what happened to him, he always held onto the hope that he’d figure out a way to escape his captor and find his way back to everyone who missed him. This wouldn’t be an easy attitude to cling to for anyone who went through the things he did. I admired his determination to make it through no matter how dire his circumstances became.

The plot development wasn’t as strong as I would have liked it to be. So much time was spent describing the various ways The Skeleton Lady seriously harmed Kayte and Oliver that there wasn’t a lot of attention paid to everything else that was going on in the scenes. Reading about these characters being tortured without knowing why it was happening made me less interested in finding out what their fate would be than I otherwise would have been.

This was one of the most descriptive short stories I’ve read in a long time. Everything from the outfits the various characters wore to the various ways The Skeleton Lady came up with to cause even more physical and emotional pain for Kayte and Oliver was described in vivid detail. No matter what scene I was reading, I could picture what was happening in it perfectly.

I’d recommend The Skeleton Lady to anyone who loves the gory side of the horror genre.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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