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Title: The One That Was Lost
Author: TC Blue
Author’s website: here
Publisher: Torquere Press, Inc.
Release Date: May 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60370-721-3
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary GLBT
Sensuality Level: 4
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Elliot and Jamie met by chance when their friends Jim and Michael reunited and they were thrown into each others’ company for a weekend. Their physical attraction was instantaneous, and neither man saw any reason to deny himself at the time. Their time together was incredible, but it was just a fling, a way to let off a little steam, and neither one of them ever intended it to be more than that. They parted on amicable terms never really expecting to see each other again, because Jamie lives in Boston and Elliot in another town hours away. Besides, they are too different to really make a go of a relationship. Elliot is ten years younger than Jamie and most definitely a player – not the kind of person a established professional like Jamie would go for, anyway.

When Elliot’s happy-go-lucky life is disrupted by a traumatic encounter, he runs to Boston in an attempt to push the event away and forget. This time when he meets up with Jamie, he’s more in need of Jamie’s counseling services than anything physical, so the two men begin to build a friendship based on conversation and companionship.

The attraction between them still simmers, however, and it seems inevitable that they end up back in bed together. But this time, the intensity of their feelings frightens both men, especially Elliot. When Elliot breaks off their friendship abruptly, Jamie is left feeling hurt and confused. They were only supposed to be friends with benefits; they were most definitely not supposed to fall in love, so why does Jamie feel so lost and alone?

********

TC Blue’s novella The One That Was Lost picks up where The One That Got Away ends. This is pretty much a self-contained story; however, the reader will have a more rounded understanding of the plot if they read the stories in order. After reading The One That Got Away, one might wonder what happened to the extremely nice Jamie. And what about party-boy pain-in-the-ass Elliot? Blue pairs up these two, and their relationship is just as fraught with difficulty and misunderstanding and heartache.

I found this story to be well-written and unexpectedly touching. Elliot and Jamie are about as mismatched a pair of lovers as you are going to find, and yet they are able to look beyond their differences and find a connection based on similarities. Along with finding each other physically irresistible, they also just plain like each other.

Blue does an excellent job making both Elliot and Jamie sympathetic characters. Although Elliot has been promiscuous in the past, we can't hold that against him. Nor can we blame him for his inability to deal with his feelings, because we are given enough of his back story to understand his motivation. As for Jamie, it’s a matter of “physician heal thyself.” Although he can counsel others, he is unable to take his own advice, and this feels like a realistic and human foible. These two delude themselves for almost the entire story. Although they refuse to acknowledge it, we can see that the emotion between them is developing into love, regardless of how stubbornly they hold on to the belief that what they have is friendship and lust only and should stay that way.

Blue has infused this story with very real and affecting emotion. The sex scenes are very sensual and intense and illustrate just how perfectly attuned to each other they have become. Likewise, the pain that they cause each other is almost tangible. While I was a little nonplussed at Elliot’s about-face in attitude toward the end of the story, he reveals himself to Jamie in a manner that proves his feelings without a doubt.

To steal a quote: “what we have here is a failure to communicate.” The characters in The One That Was Lost each think that he knows what the other is thinking and feeling, and they are both absolutely wrong. Because they are estranged over misplaced fear and lack of communication, it makes us quite invested in a reunion between them. And that makes reading The One That Was Lost time well spent.

-Bobby

Title: A Date With the Other Side
Author: Erin McCarthy
Author’s website: www.erinmccarthy.net
Publisher: Penguin Group
Release Date: January 2007
ISBN: 978-1-101-08691-9
Length: Novel
Format: Print, Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Paranormal
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.75

Reviewed by: Teagan S. Boyd

Shelby Tucker is the guide for the Haunted Cuttersville Tour in the most haunted town in Ohio. She is quite surprised by the naked man she has found in the bedroom of the haunted White House that her grandmother rents out. He is definitely not an apparition but one very hot-blooded male.

Even though big city boy Boston Macnamara is in Cuttersville short-term and is renting a supposedly haunted house, it does not mean he is a specter. Though after meeting Shelby Tucker in a very "in your face" way, he may wish he could turn to mist. Boston can't figure out why he finds himself drawn to the down-home girl that stands for everything he doesn't. Now if the ghostly happening would stop whenever they are together, maybe they could get down to business. Can two total opposites attract, and will either be able to sacrifice to be with the other?

********

Get ready to hold your sides with this one, because you will be laughing like crazy. A Date With the Other Side starts out with a humorous bang, and never lets up. Ms. McCarthy draws the story so well with her words that it comes to life right before your eyes. When Boston gets his manly parts stuck in an eyelet hole of antique Belgium lace, the image it created is enough to keep me giggling every time I think about it. Shelby is a memorable heroine; she is far from perfect with her dirty clothes, and unkempt look, yet she digs herself right into the reader’s heart from the beginning. The battle between the two is humorous and at the same time tells a love story that is full of sensuality and the bizarre. While I am already a fan of Ms. McCarthy, I am a newcomer to this series, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the other book in this series. Ms. McCarthy never fails to bring a smile to my face, and entertain me wonderfully.

Title: The Geography of Murder
Author: P.A. Brown
Author’s website: www.pabrown.ca
Publisher: MLR Press
Release Date: June 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60820-054-2
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic and Print
Genre: Contemporary Suspense GLBT
Sensuality Level: 4.5
Rating: 4.5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

When Detective Alex Spider of the Santa Barbara Police Department is called to the scene of a murder, he arrives in time to apprehend the suspect, a young man covered with the victim’s blood but professing no knowledge of the crime. Jason Zachary, definitely a drug user and apparently a BDSM submissive, admits to having woken up next to the body, but he doesn’t know who the man is or how he got there. That doesn’t keep Alex from reading him his rights, however.

Alex is an active participant in the BDSM lifestyle and has been content up to now with casual pickups and one-night stands. Even though Jason is a suspect, Alex finds him attractive and would like nothing better than to get his hands on the young man for a little bondage and rough love. When evidence clears Jason of wrongdoing, Alex decides to pursue him regardless of how the police force might frown on such an association.

The two men might strike sparks off each other in the bedroom and complement each other sexually, but their relationship is far from an easy one. Jason’s propensity for self-destructive behavior and Alex’s anger and jealousy are an explosive combination. As the murder investigation continues, these two get caught up in a destructive spiral of behavior that could very well destroy each other. That is, unless the killer gets there first, because while Jason may have been cleared as a suspect, the real killer is watching him.

*******

Those of us who enjoy crime and suspense novels usually expect to be a little unsettled when we read a novel of this genre. That’s part of the entertainment value. So it should come as no huge surprise when I say that P.A. Brown’s The Geography of Murder pulled me a little bit outside of my comfort zone. This is not a sweet and easy read. Mixing suspense with a BDSM element, The Geography of Murder is dark and intense and uncomfortable at times, but it is also quite well-written and interesting. I found this story to have a plot that kept me fully involved in the crime and relationship-related drama as well as characters that are memorable enough to make an impact.

In this novel, the character Alex Spider must reconcile his feelings for Jason with his dominant and borderline abusive nature while Jason attempts to deal with his self-destructive tendencies and his confusion over his need to submit. Both men are active in the BDSM lifestyle, and this story explores their relationship in depth and brings to light the fact that there can be a very fine line between what would be considered a “scene” and physical abuse. In a trusting relationship with safe word firmly in place, this might not be a big issue. These two have difficulty building trust, however, and the results are almost devastating.

In Jason and Alex, Brown has developed two characters who will make a definite impression on the reader. I did not “like” Alex as a person, but I still found him to be a great character. In fact, both men have characteristics that are unpleasant and self-destructive, and that made them feel all the more realistic to me.

The narration in The Geography of Murder switches back and forth between Jason and Alex’s point of view. This gives us a clear picture of what is going on in their heads, making them slightly more sympathetic in the eyes of the reader. It doesn’t excuse Alex for his actions, but at least we can see the fact that regardless of his anger, he truly does not intend to hurt his lover. The chapters are short and the points of view change frequently, but Brown keeps it all very well organized, giving readers the impression of being able to see through both men’s eyes at the same time.

In all, P.A. Brown takes readers on a dark and involving ride in this novel. It is definitely not a “sunshine and roses” type of a tale, and it may have pushed my limits a time or two, but I found The Geography of Murder well worth my reading time.

-Bobby

Title: Cultivating Love
Author: Addison Albright
Author’s website: http://addison-albright.tripod.com/
Publisher: Loose Id LLC
Release Date: June 2009
ISBN: 978-1-59632-971-3
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary GBLT
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: Teagan S. Boyd

Ed has inherited a farm from the father he thought had died before he was born. So his surprise knows no bounds when he finds out his father has only been dead a short time. Shocked but excited, he and his partner, Joe, are eager to see if they can make a go of the inheritance. Luckily, Joe grew up on a farm, and Ed is a mechanic, so the odds they can make it are pretty good. Both men are not exactly comfortable showing their true feelings for each other, and neither is sure what the other's expectations may be. Acceptance in a small farm town is not always easy for a gay couple, and many hurdles stand in their way. Can they cultivate more than just crops, and realize how much they mean to each other before it's too late?

********

Cultivating Love is a sweet, meaningful romance that addresses important issues that effect the gay community. Ed and Joe's feelings for each other are deep and caring, yet both men have a hard time voicing how they feel. They both know how they feel for each other, and the author does a wonderful job of showing the reader the torment they feel inside as they worry how the other will react should they show their emotional vulnerability. This vulnerability is what takes this story from good to great. The depth of emotion is strong throughout. Addison Albright also addresses other issues that gay men face; from prejudice that stems from stupidity to familial acceptance, she brings them to forefront. At the same time, she intersperses truly loving people that accept what life shows them. I enjoyed this heart-warming love story.

Title: killerbyte
Author: Cat Connor
Author’s website: http://catconnor.blogspot.com/
Publisher: Rebel e Publishers
Release Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-9814256-2-7
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Suspense
Sensuality Level: 2
Rating: 5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

FBI Agent Gabrielle Conway is no stranger to death threats. She seems to get them daily and from a poetry chat room of all places. Although she thinks it strange how people will get so worked up online that they would resort to such actions, she never really took any of the threats seriously. That is, until someone from her chat room showed up on her doorstep with murder on his mind. The police manage to chase him away, and Ellie believes that the incident is over until a dismembered body shows up in her trunk accompanied by a cryptic and poorly-written poem.

A series of emails and yet another gift of an incomplete corpse convince both Ellie and the FBI that she is being stalked by a madman. Now she is under the protection of both her own agency and her boyfriend Mac as they work to discover exactly who the killer is and to apprehend him. As the killer plays a twisted game of cat-and-mouse with Ellie and Mac, the body count grows. People Ellie knows from her chat room as well as agents she works with are beginning to show up dead, and the FBI is completely unable to track the murderer down. To make matters worse, evidence is beginning to point at someone she cares very much about. Mac and Ellie both know that if they don’t nab this killer soon, the deaths will begin to include family...as well as themselves.

********

Readers who enjoy suspense and FBI crime thrillers will find Cat Connor’s novel killerbyte to be right up their alley. This is the first of several stories featuring FBI agent Ellie Conway, and it is well-written, gripping, and highly entertaining. Not only is the action realistic and exciting, but the mystery is well-executed enough to leave readers guessing for the entire duration of the novel, and the characters are developed in such a way as to render them both real and familiar. Before I picked up this story, I had never heard of Ms. Connor, but by the time I finished killerbyte, she had definitely increased her fan base by one.

I admit to being a bit of a sucker when it comes to murder and mayhem. The grislier it is, the better I like it, and Ms. Connor definitely did not let me down in this regard. The murders in killerbyte are wonderfully gruesome. As I read this story, I watched in horrified fascination as the body count increased exponentially and the murderer remained at large. And this killer is definitely one nasty and deranged piece of work. Not only does he seem to know where Ellie and Mac are at all times, but he taunts them with his knowledge. It is enough to make readers wonder, especially those readers who spend a lot of time on the Internet, just how easy is it to keep track of a person online. Adding to the horror is the extremely bad poetry on post-it notes. There were times that I thought Ellie might expire just from reading them.

With Ellie and Mac, Ms. Connor has given us two main characters that we can become fully involved with. Ellie has an irreverent humor and a kick-ass attitude that can’t possibly fail to capture the affection of the reader, and the first-person narration of this story pulls us right into her psyche. She is off-beat and not just a little bit eccentric. I managed to get a little lost in Ellie’s dreams and struggled with differentiating them from reality a couple of times as I read this story, but I also believe that this was intentional on the part of the author. We share in Ellie's confusion and disorientation as well as her fear that she may be becoming crazy like her mother.

Mac is perfect for Ellie. He might not be the perfect example of an Alpha male, but this merely serves to render him more sympathetic to the reader. He has his own issues and foibles that complement Ellie perfectly. Both he and Ellie are characters that we as readers can care about and also want to get to know better.

In all, I found killerbyte to be an excellent read. The tension created by the suspense is so heavy as to be almost tangible, the action is both exciting and gruesome, and the mystery is extremely well-executed. Add to this Ms. Connor’s polished and enjoyable writing style, and you have a book that is almost guaranteed to please. The second novel in this series featuring Mac and Ellie is titled Terrorbyte, and I am definitely going to have to get my hands on it in the future. 

-Bobby

Title: Dead End Street
Author: Rick R. Reed
Author’s website: http://rickrreed.com/
Publisher: Amber Quill Press, LLC
Release Date: October, 2008
ISBN: e-book 978-1-60272-385-6,
print 978060272-917-9
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic, Print
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Horror
Sensuality Level: 1
Rating: 5

Reviewed by: Teagan S. Boyd

Five eighth-graders, all friends since they were small, have decided to start a new club called the Halloween Horror Club. They decide that they will each tell a tale to others and whoever tells the scariest tale will be dubbed the winner. The catch is that they will tell their tales in the supposedly haunted, and definitely scary, abandoned Tuttle house. The Tuttle house sits alone at the end of a dead end street, and fifteen years ago was the home to a family of four. Three of the family were brutally murdered in their beds. Only the son, Paul Tuttle, was missing from the house, and most people assume he was the murderer. Yet Paul was never seen again...or was he?

As the five friends tell their stories, strange sounds and occurrences make them wonder if they are really alone in the house. As each story gets scarier, and scarier, so do the strange goings-ons in the house. Is there someone or something there?

********

Whether you are young or old, this story will have you in its clutches from the onset. I found myself drawn in to Mr. Reed’s world of horror. I felt like I was back at Girl Scout camp, and everyone was telling those scary stories we all grew up on, but this was so much better, and definitely much creepier. The tension builds with the telling of each story, and I felt my own anxiety building right along with it. Each kid's story is unique and offers its own twists and turns that will have the reader hold their breathe waiting for what will happen next. As the story unfolds, the reader is treated to a first-class suspense imbibed with horror. I couldn’t put this book down. I highly recommend this book to readers of any age; it is a treat for your senses.

Title:  Forged
Author: Sean Michael
Author’s website: www.seanmichaelwrites.com
Publisher: Torquere Press, Inc.
Release Date: December 2008
ISBN: 9781603705868
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic and Print
Genre: Contemporary GLBT
Sensuality Level: 4.5
Rating: 4.5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney 

Simon cannot deny that he’s had a pretty poor run of luck in the relationship department, but when he meets the cowboy who is the new bouncer at his favorite club, the Hammer, he has a feeling that his luck is about to change. Jeremy is big, muscular, and wonderfully strong, and there is also something in his eyes that tells Simon he is submissive to the core. Just what Simon needs, because he doesn’t want to play at the D/s lifestyle…he wants to live it.

Jeremy’s muscles aren’t from any gym – he has earned them the hard way. He’s an artist and a blacksmith and lives to stand over the forge and bend metal. A man’s gotta eat, though, and that’s why he’s working at the Hammer. In Simon, Jeremy finds a man who is not afraid of his size. Someone who can tie him up in the most intricate ways and make him scream with pleasure. He’s not so sure that he is the 24/7 submissive that Jeremy assures him he is, but he’s willing to give it a try if it makes the other man happy. Strangely enough, it makes Jeremy happy as well.

Life feels almost perfect for the men until an act of heroism on Jeremy’s part lands him in the hospital with critical injuries. Suddenly, life is altered beyond recognition, and both men know that they’ll never be able to return to what used to be. Simon still loves Jeremy, however. Nothing can change that. But Jeremy is devastated and doesn’t see how Simon could possibly still love and desire the man he has become. He’s a burden now, and perhaps if he truly loves Simon, he should let him go. Can Simon convince Jeremy that love is about who you are, not what you are? His life would be incomplete without Jeremy in it.

********

With Forged, Sean Michael continues his series of novels that are loosely centered around a private BDSM club named the Hammer. In this story, the heroes are less focused on the discipline aspect of the lifestyle than they are on bondage. If anyone told me a couple of years ago that I would be reading books with a BDSM theme and even enjoying them, I probably wouldn’t have believed them, but Mr. Michael brings this theme to life and instills his stories with love and color and character, and I for one find them absolutely fascinating.

While the club features a little more prominently in this book than it did in the previous one (Bent), the story is still focused on the one couple and the development of their relationship. In Jeremy and Simon, Mr. Michael gives us two men whose roles you would expect to be reversed. Jeremy is the big, muscular one with the bad temper and an aggressive job. Simon is smaller, milder, and just plain nice. Yet it is Simon who holds the ropes and takes the dominant role, and it is Jeremy who has a very basic need to submit. This role reversal serves to make the story just that much more interesting, as we watch the reactions of not only the main characters but also of others to this situation.

As in much of Mr. Michael’s work, much attention is spent on the physical relationship between the men. These scenes are quite adventurous, but along with their sensual impact, these scenes illustrate the development of trust and love between the men.

As the story progresses, we become caught up in this trust and love. We even perhaps become convinced that these two have found their happily-ever-after, because Jeremy and Simon are obviously meant for each other and are two halves of one whole. However, just are we are becoming enveloped in warm fuzziness, Mr. Michael yanks us out of that happy little world and smacks us with an emotional sledgehammer. I felt as if the wind was knocked out of me, because I had become invested in these two and their happiness. They’re good guys…how can something so nasty happen to such nice people? But it’s an unfortunate fact of life that bad things happen to good people, and this story illustrates that perfectly.

As Jeremy and Simon work through the devastation that has been handed to them, fate can lead them in two different directions. They can let the tragedy get the best of them, or they can weather through it and come out as stronger people. It’s not an easy journey for anyone involved: not Jeremy, not Simon, and not the reader either. Their struggle is fascinating as well as tragic, and it will keep the reader glued to the page and hoping (and perhaps holding their breath) for a positive outcome. 

In all, Forged is well-written and interesting and packs a mighty strong emotional whallop. This is one that will linger in your mind well after you’ve finished the story, and that makes reading it time well spent.

-Bobby
 

Title: Tarotica
Author: Amber Austin
Author’s website: http://www.ravenousromance.com/
Publisher: Ravenous Romance 
Release Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60777-092-3
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary
Sensuality Level: 3.5
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: Teagan S. Boyd

Miranda Malone has been car jacked by hunky Eli Hart. Eli is on the run. Eli is a winemaker for a Napa Valley vineyard, and has discovered that someone has been poisoning their crop; and he suspects it is their French competitors. Two Frenchman are after him, and he needs to get out of town quick so when he sees Miranda he takes matters into his own hands, and abducts her.      

Miranda has planned on making her cross country trip for a long time and she finally has the chance. Getting sidetracked by Eli wasn’t in her plans but she realizes that it is one distraction she could easily get used to. She is intent on fulfilling her dream and sets off. Blazing a sexual path across the United States, her mind always comes back to Eli. Is he the one her father foretold her about? Was their destiny written in the cards?

********

Tarotica is a sexual romp across the United States. Miranda and Eli’s adventures each represent a tarot card, and along the way the sometimes magical journey delves into many unique delights. Miranda cuts a sexual swathe across the United States. She is strong, independent, and extremely sexual. The magical aspect of the book is intriguing. It is a journey of the mind and soul. The added element of Eli on the run produces a new dimension to the story, and keeps the reader interested in the outcome. If you are looking for a sexy, magical, story to set your senses ablaze; this is the story for you.

Title: Physical Therapy
Author:  Z. A. Maxfield
Author’s website: www.zamaxfield.com
Publisher: Loose Id, LLC
Release Date: May 2009
ISBN: 978-1-59632-933-1
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary GLBT
Sensuality Level: 3.5
Rating: 5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Santo Ignacio is a tiny California town that sits on the Pacific Coast Highway and is affectionately referred to as “St. Nacho’s” by its residents. Perhaps it is the sense of welcome that it exudes or the slow pace of life, or perhaps it’s the salt air and the morning fog, but there is just something magical about this little beachfront community. Something that catches the heart and encourages life and healing and a sense of belonging.

Jordan has arrived in Santo Ignacio looking for a new beginning and perhaps a little peace. He is haunted by the mistakes of his past, and even though he has served his time and paid the debt he owes society, he can’t forgive himself for the drunk driving incident that caused the death of a child. The best way that he knows to mend his ways is to throw himself into his work as a massage therapist, caring for other people and making them feel better. It seems like cruel irony, then, when his very first client in his new job in St. Nacho’s is Ken Ashton, a baseball player whose athletic career was ended by a drunk driver.

Ken is bitter and in pain, but although Jordan represents everything that he hates, he is still drawn to the man, finding that Jordan’s touch makes him truly feel for the first time since his accident. Jordan, however, shies away from the connection, forcing Ken to be the aggressor and to pursue him. But even as Jordan relents, he is reminded of just how mismatched they really are. Once Ken recovers completely, he will probably wonder what on earth he is doing with a loser like Jordan, a man he normally would never have given a second glance. The best thing for Ken would be for Jordan to cut him loose right now, before anger and resentment can set in.

Can Ken convince Jordan to give the two of them a chance? Will Jordan allow the healing nature of St. Nacho’s to wash over him, or will he allow his own self-doubt and the judgment of others bring him down and ruin his chance at happiness?

********

What does it take for a man to prove to himself that he has changed for the better? In Physical Therapy, Z. A. Maxfield tells the story of a man who must come to terms with his past, learn to trust and forgive himself, and deal with the guilt he feels so that he can allow himself to be accepted and loved by others. This beautifully-written story has a flowing narrative style that makes reading it a pleasurable experience. It is entertaining, involving, and touching with characters who will steal your affection and a story that will grab you by the heart and not let go.

Jordan’s first-person narration pulls you into the very center of his character from the beginning. As we watch the world through his eyes, we feel his pain and experience his joy. Jordan is deeply scarred by the guilt that he feels. He constantly judges himself and finds himself lacking, so when he hears his innate beliefs about his lack of worth coming from the mouths of others, he doesn’t doubt it for a second. In his heart, he has room for everyone…except himself.

As well as giving us unique heroes, Ms. Maxfield offers her readers a whole host of secondary characters to delight and entertain us in this story. From Izzie, the bodybuilder who sees auras and knows that Jordan and Ken are meant for each other, to the police officers who refuse to admit to each other that they want a massage, the residents of this town are unique and colorful. The town itself almost feels like a character. There is something organic about St. Nacho’s, almost as if the town is a breathing entity. There is a lot of love and friendship here, and the town wraps its inhabitants in a warm and friendly embrace.

Deep emotion, including sadness, love, pain, hope and even the occasional peek of charming humor characterize Physical Therapy. All tangle together in a colorful and addictive whole. I was snared by this story from the first sentence and became so involved in the plot that I couldn’t put it down; I read it in one evening, enjoying every sentence. By the time I turned the final page, I had developed a true fondness for both the characters and the town of St. Nacho’s, and I was sorry to see the story end. There is little doubt in my mind why so many people are fans of Ms. Maxfield’s writing: she is extremely talented, and her stories deliver a pleasing combination of excellent characterization, real and heartfelt emotion, and entertaining narrative. Bravo.

-Bobby

Title: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Author:  Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Author’s website: N/A
Publisher: Quirk Books
Release Date: April 2009
ISBN: 978-1-59474-334-4
Length: Novel
Format: Print
Genre: Historical Zombies
Sensuality Level: 1
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: Teagan S. Boyd

The beloved Austen novel is now imbibed with zombie mayhem. A mysterious plague has beset London and quickly spread to the countryside. The dead are returning to life as flesh-eating zombies. Meryton is in peril, and heroine Elizabeth Bennet has the skills to vanquish as many zombies as she can. When the new arrivals in their small village distract all the Bennet girls, Elizabeth can’t help but be at odds with the arrogant Mr. Darcy. Romances are afoot, while zombies lurk around every corner. The comical story that follows involves the cherished novel we love while putting a particularly ghoulish and humorous twist throughout. Follow along with all your favorite characters with the added excitement of swordplay, flesh-eating corpses, and ninjas!

********

First off let me say that I am a huge Austen fan. I have read all of her books so many times, I can recite parts . . . if you really want me to. So when I see Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I am supposed to cringe since I am a true Austen fan, right? No way. I jump up and down with enthusiasm, because I will take anything I can get my hands on that deals with Jane Austen. Did I expect this book to be of the same literary caliber as the original? No not really; I read for entertainment. and entertain me this book did. I was entranced from page one. The humor was pure delight, and the witty repartee extremely well-done. The demeanor of the characters is an added bonus to this new take on an old story. Lady Catherine has ninjas! The unmentionables are definitely worth mentioning, and who would have thought that Elizabeth Bennet could wind her way into the hearts of men because of her sword skills? If you are looking for a light-hearted, fun, and humorous book, this is right on the money. Though Mr. Grahame-Smith claims only to have taken a class in English literature, he has a winner here.

Title: The Vision Quest Factor
Author: Teel James Glenn
Author’s website: http://www.theurbanswashbuckler.com/
Publisher: e-Press Online, Inc.
Release Date: November 2008
ISBN: 9781934258286
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic and Print
Genre: Sci Fi
Sensuality Level: 2
Rating: 4.5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

The Mensora are watching Earth, but is the interest in their eyes benevolent, or do they have some other interest in the fate of mankind? It all began with the kidnapping of four human babies from Earth by the Mensora. Raised to be perfect warriors and specimens of man, these young men – The Monitors – are sent back to earth in order to influence the future of mankind. If they succeed in their mission, Earth will be lead into the future by the Mensora. If they fail, the world will be destroyed.

David Gilbert is a captain for a Homeland Security entity known as the Hades Corps. He and his fellow agents all have exceptional mental abilities, and Dave is a telepath. Raised in poverty and fear and snatched from prison for training by Hades, Dave has no real love for society.

When the Monitor known as Chris, or Monitor One, crosses paths with Dave, Dave is intrigued because he can’t read the young man’s mind. Then a series of events entangles Dave in Chris Monitor’s world, and they find themselves both fighting for not only their own lives, but those of innocent parties as well. As these two protectors of society work together, it becomes apparent to them that the residents of Earth need protection not only from themselves but from outside forces as well.

********

Teel James Glenn’s novel The Vision Quest Factor is Book One of his Mensora Chronicles. Although science fiction is not a genre that I usually read, I found myself caught up in this story about the otherworldly race known as the Mensora and their plans for Earth. This novel is well-written and interesting. The imagery is vivid enough to bring the story to life, and the characters are well developed, unique, and intriguing.

The Vision Quest Factor has three different storylines that merge over the course of the book: those of Dave Gilbert, Chris Monitor, and the symborg Phillip Simon. Each is involving on its own, although Simon’s story feels mostly like a set-up for the plot of the next novel in this series. In order to assist with the timeline, each individual chapter is dated; however, I actually found this device to be more distracting that it was helpful. It didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the story, however.

Mr. Glenn’s website indicates that he is a stuntman and fight choreographer as well as an author. This is quite evident in the action and fight scenes in The Vision Quest Factor. The action is very realistic and clearly depicted and is almost cinematic in quality. There is a very real sense of danger involved that draws the reader right into the middle of each scene.

Overall, I found The Vision Quest Factor to be well-executed and entertaining. It appears to have only scratched the surface in the tale of the Mensora and their plans for Earth, and it definitely leaves the reader hungry for more.

-Bobby

Title: To Romance a Charming Rogue
Author: Nicole Jordan
Author’s website: www.nicolejordanauthor.com
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Release Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-0-345-51010-5
Length: Novel
Format: Print
Genre: Historical
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.5

Reviewed by: Teagan S. Boyd

It has been two years since Eleanor Pierce ended her engagement to Damon Stafford, Viscount Wrexham, when she found him with his ex-mistress. After an extended absence, Damon is back in London, and ready to stick his nose in Eleanor’s business. Even though Eleanor is trying to move on with her life and find a new suitor, she can’t help but remember the fire that burned between the dashing rake and herself. She has no intention of allowing her heart to be broken again, and she is going to make sure he feels the same as she does and put him to the test. Is Damon willing to play the game?

********

To Romance a Charming Rogue is the fourth installment in The Courtship Wars series, and “charming” is the perfect word to describe this book. Eleanor is a very likable character; she has a soft spot when it comes to the people she cares for, and she has a strong inner strength. Her interaction with Damon is witty, humorous, and sexy. Damon is sexy, strong-willed, and at times downright annoying. His inner turmoil about his feelings for Eleanor are the crux of the story, and this keeps the conflict alive throughout the story. The book has a decent pace, it succeeded in keeping my interest through most of the book. At times I wished for the romance between Eleanor and Damon to develop at a faster pace. I wasn't sure if it was the actual tempo of the book or my impatience. As a long-time Nicole Jordan fan, I was not disappointed. She has a talent for telling a tale, and as always I wait impatiently for her next novel.

Title: Surf ‘n’ Turf
Author: Scott and Scott
Author’s website: www.romentics.com
Publisher: Loose Id, LLC
Release Date: May 2009
ISBN: 9781596329430
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic and Print
Genre: Contemporary GLBT
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.75

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Seaside is a small resort town and a popular tourist destination for the gay community. Quiet and insular during the off-season, it positively explodes during the summer with an influx of visitors and takes on a sparkling carnival atmosphere. The promise of beautiful beaches, solitude, and a gay-friendly environment has lured Robert there. After breaking up with his partner of over ten years, he has planned to take the summer off to read, decompress, and rethink his life, and Seaside seems the perfect place for him to do just that.

Blakely has also just arrived in Seaside. A refugee from his homophobic Arkansas hometown and fresh from a disastrous broken relationship, he has never felt as if he belonged anywhere. As soon as he steps off the bus, he feels as if this community has opened its arms to him and has welcomed him home.

When Blakely and Robert meet, they are completely enchanted with each other. However, what should have been a summer in paradise for these two ends up more like a trip to hell, because quiet and quaint Seaside has a little gang problem. The east side of town is run by the leather-clad posturing Meanies, the west side is territory of the well-coiffed and super bitchy Queenies, and Blakely and Robert find themselves claimed by opposite sides. They only want to be together, but the gangs will have none of that and are determined to keep them apart. It’s upsetting and frustrating to be pawns in these gangs’ turf wars, but Robert and Blakely are determined not to get mad. Instead, they’re going to get even.

********

Every once in a while, I run into a story that is just plain fun and that truly makes my day, and that is what I have found in Scott & Scott’s novel Surf ‘n’ Turf. I picked this story up and got so caught up in the humor and drama of the situation that the two main characters find themselves in that I could hardly put it down. And I think I had a silly grin on my face the entire time I read it. This is a combination of a gay West Side Story without the singing and dancing and Romeo and Juliet without the tragic and bloody finale. It is well written, a little outrageous and utterly entertaining.

The authors have created two sets of antagonists who are larger than life and so colorful as to be almost blinding. The Queenies glitter like exotic birds, but these birds hiss and strike with all the innocence and good intention of a cobra. The Meanies, with their unseasonal leather and their overblown attempts to look and act as mean as possible, don’t project quite the amount of venom that their rivals do, but they are just as instrumental in creating misery for the two heroes. These are characters that you love to hate, and their over-the-top antics frequently left me shaking my head and laughing.

Robert and Blakely contrast completely with these two gangs. They are just two guys – two normal, nice guys – who are trying to escape for a little while. Next to the Queenies and the Meanies, they look like bewildered innocents dropped unexpectedly into a twisted Wonderland. One can’t help but sympathize with them even while chucking at their strange situation.

Surf ‘n’ Turf is overtly humorous, but the story also takes a step back and looks at the entire Seaside scene from a scientific and anthropological angle. We may laugh at the comic nature of these rival gangs, but they also exhibit the potential dangers of anonymity and the mob mentality. The men in these two gangs may just be play-acting thugs, but at what point does a game of make-believe get out of control and step over into reality?

I’m not sure when I’ve had as much fun as I had while reading Surf ‘n’ Turf. Scott & Scott have given us a gem in this story. I was sorry to leave the little community of Seaside and its residents behind when it was over, because the time I spent with them was pure delightful escapism. Thank you, gentlemen.

-Bobby

Title: Jinxed
Author: Inez Kelley
Author’s website: http://www.inezkelley.com/
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Release Date: June 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60504-580-1
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by: Teagan S. Boyd

Francis Sullivan has been accosted by a crazy man on an airplane, and to make matters worse she finds out they have the same name and she has his luggage and he has hers. Frances Sullivan, commonly called Jinx, is determined to convince Frannie that she is his destiny. She may think he is crazy, but he is serious and he intends to show Frannie just how much he loves her . . . even though they have only known each other for a couple of days.

Frannie is carrying a lot of baggage from a previous marriage, and she is having a hard time believing that Jinx could be in love with her so quickly. Her doubts are crumbling as her feelings for Jinx grow, and she has to fight what she is feeling. He seems too good to be true. Can Frannie overcome years of mental abuse to find out if true love really exists?

*********

Jinxed will tickle your funny bone while giving you a warm fuzzy feeling. It combines humor, romance, and steamy sex to create a memorable story, and I found myself giggling out loud on numerous occasions as I read it. The narcoleptic cat is one of my particular favorites. Frannie is a complex character; she has emotional scarring that stands in the way of her and Jinx’s happiness. Jinx, on the other hand, is a fabulously colorful and delightful character, and his happiness is infectious. There are particular parts of the book that stand out and that I won’t forget soon. Jinx buying feminine products for Frannie is downright hilarious. While the humor is wonderful, I can’t neglect to mention the sweet, romantic aspect of the story. This is an entertaining book that I would recommend to anyone wanting a humorous, sweet romance. Ms. Kelley has a wonderful knack for telling a tale.

-Teagan

Title: The Shadow of a Dog I Can’t Forget
Author: Mary Kennedy Eastham
Author’s website: http://www.rp-author.com/MKE/
Publisher:  Robertson Publishing
Release Date: April 2007
ISBN: 9780972772174
Length: Collection
Format: Print
Genre: Literary Poetry and Prose
Sensuality Level: 2
Rating: 4.75

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

The Shadow of a Dog I Can’t Forget is a short collection of poems and prose by Mary Kennedy Eastham. When asked to review this book, I immediately felt self-conscious and a little bit intimidated. I mean, it’s poetry, for heaven’s sake, whatever do I know about verse? In general I avoid it in favor of prose, and when I do read poetry it’s usually the rhyming kind, à la Lewis Carrol or William Shakespeare. And so it was with some trepidation that I waited for this book to arrive.

Once this volume fell into my hands, I immediately fell in love with the cover. I thought, mine, and I placed it in my briefcase and carried it around with me, just so I could stare at it and enjoy the pretty blue picture. And when I opened the cover (queen of procrastination that I am), I discovered a different world of words.

These aren’t toss away reads. Each entry encourages the reader to slow down and actually think, to process the imagery, and to perhaps even read it again. And again. Each entry tells a story, inspires an emotion, or asks a question. I’m not going to pretend that I understood each and every poem or scene. I will, however, profess to have been utterly hooked by a quite a few of them. They contained words that spoke directly to me and images that captivated me.

I dare anyone not to be moved by the poem “Forget…Move On…Remember,” written to commemorate the first anniversary of the September 11 disaster. It brought tears to my eyes. I also enjoyed the scene titled “Destiny of Joy,” in which two runaway boys, so cocky and self-assured in their newfound independence, watch jets take off, fantasize about the passengers, and slowly begin to understand the importance of family. Ms. Eastham paints such a clear picture with her words that I can clearly vision these two losing their bravado and suddenly wanting to go home. And another poem, “Points of Love,” appealed to the romantic in me. It feels like a series of vivid snapshots as it describes a New York snowstorm and several women in different stages of a romantic relationship.

In all, The Shadow of a Dog I Can’t Forget was a very pleasant surprise. Ms. Eastham is a talented artist with words, and this little volume will definitely be read and re-read in my house a number of times.

-Bobby

Title: Mate Marks 1: Hunger    
Author: Kate Hill
Author’s website: www.kate-hill.com
Publisher: Changeling Press, LLC        
Release Date: May 2009           
ISBN: 978-60521-130-5
Length: Novella
Format:Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Shapeshifter
Sensuality Level: 3.5
Rating: 4

Reviewed by Teagan

 Chante loves cats, and she is sure it has something to do with the feline-shaped mark upon her breast. Strange things have been happening, and she decides to get away to Jamaica to escape a strange but alluring amber-eyed stalker. Jamaica is not the safe haven Chante thought it would be. Her aunt tells her about a family curse, and it hits too close to home when she realizes she has a mark just like in the tale.

His destiny is to mate with the marked human woman, and Joshi is determined to do what is expected of him. His dislike of humans must be put aside, and he must focus on the future of his dying race. The cat shifters are quickly dying out, and cat shifting females are few. His destiny must be fulfilled even if it means making the headstrong Chante his regardless of her feelings.            

********

Hunger is a unique story with interesting characters. The heat index is off the charts when it comes to the sex. There is an aura of mystery surrounding the story, and this was a definite appeal to me. The plot is unusual, and the story different from any other shapeshifter book I have read. Being a cat lover, I especially liked that aspect of the story. Chante and Joshi are dynamite together. The sex scenes are torrid, and the interaction between Chante and Joshi is blazingly hot. Ms. Hill has the gift of description; she is able to paint a vivid picture in your mind. Shapeshifters fans, give this one a try; I think you will like it.

-Teagan

Title: Weekend Chase
Author: Laura Guevara
Author’s website: http://drearileyandlauraguevara.blogspot.com/ 
and http://badazzauthors.com/lauradrea/
Publisher: Red Rose Publishing
Release Date: January 2009
ISBN: 9781604352771
Length: Short Story
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary
Sensuality Level: 4
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Eleven days. That’s how long Jayce and Carlos have been without each other, and it has felt like a lifetime. They have been lovers for over a year, and this is the longest they’ve ever been separated. Their reunion promises to be heated, but Jayce has a little something special in mind for Carlos upon her return home. She plans to tease him, seduce him, and lead him on a merry weekend chase. But what happens when he catches her? Jayce is going to find that her lover can give as well as he can get.

********

Laura Guevara’s story Weekend Chase is a short story about a sizzling reunion between two lovers who have been apart longer than they’re comfortable with. Reading this story feels like a guilty pleasure – I felt a little bit like a voyeur, as if I were intruding on a very intense and private moment between these two.

The two main characters are obviously comfortable with their sexuality and enjoy playing games with each other. Jayce has planned out her little chase and capture fantasy, and she is not willing to lose control of it. Carlos has other ideas and also plans to get the upper hand. These lovers talk big and play a little rough, but the love that they have for each other shines through the scene. And it is that very love that makes this scene so sensual.

If you’re looking for a quick, sexy, and fun little read that will raise your temperature a couple of degrees, Weekend Chase is for you. Now after reading a little bit about Jayce and Carlos, I’m hoping to read more about them. Since this story is subtitled San Angel Family: 1, I’m assuming that we’ll see more of them in the future. I certainly hope so.

-Bobby

Title: By Chance
Author: Cat Grant
Author’s website: http://www.catgrant.com/
Publisher: Lyrical Press, Inc.
Release Date: February 2009
ISBN: 9781982417041
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary GLBT
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Eric Courtland is less than pleased at being saddled with an unexpected roommate his junior year in college. Money has its benefits, and he paid handsomely to be assured a private room. The only child of wealthy but extremely dysfunctional parents, Eric is reserved, icy, and standoffish. He avoids relationships, preferring to have his sex anonymous and perfunctory and uncomplicated, and this works for him. When he finds a roommate encroaching on his territory, he turns a blind eye to the man’s warmth and smile and just wants him gone as soon as possible.

Nick Thompson didn’t ask to be assigned to Eric’s room, but there are no other rooms on campus, and his dorm has shut down for repairs. They’re just going to have to make the best of it. Surprisingly, the men actually do get along together once Eric drops his prickly attitude, and as the men spend time together, a friendship grows between them. A friendship that soon blossoms into physical attraction.

It would seem to be an ideal relationship – roommates with benefits – except for a couple of major issues. Nick is not willing to admit that he’s gay. He’s attending Columbia on a football scholarship and refuses to put that at risk. And Eric is afraid of commitment, having seen the pain that this can cause first-hand through his parents. They might not be able to get enough of each other sexually, but a lack of trust and an inability to communicate erect an emotional barrier that they can’t seem to navigate around. If they can’t find a way through this roadblock and come to terms with their differences, they’re going to end up pushing each other away forever.

********

By Chance is the third book in Cat Grant’s Courtland Chronicles. In this story, we meet Eric, Nick, and Ally during the infancy of their relationship when they were students at Columbia University. This is a stand-alone tale, and the reader does not need to be familiar with the rest of the story in order to enjoy By Chance. This is a story about first love and all the doubts and insecurities that go along with it. It is also about lack of communication and the dangers that can pose to a relationship.

Ms. Grant has a very polished and easy-to-read writing style that makes reading this story effortless and enjoyable. She doesn’t assume that her readers know her characters already but introduces and develops them in a way to make them sympathetic and familiar to us. I appreciated this, because I personally have not read the other stories that comprise the Courtland Chronicles. After reading By Chance, I’m definitely intrigued, though.

In Eric and Nick, we have a mismatched pair who is, as the character Ally puts it, a real “odd couple.” Eric is uptight and cynical while Nick is relaxed and nurturing, yet they complement each other perfectly. They’re still kids, really, and have all the quick emotion and impatience of youth, and this spills over into their relationship. Although what they need most is to slow down and communicate, this is an impossible task for them, and so misunderstanding leads to over-reaction. And this in turn leads to heartache.

Ms. Grant successfully hooks her readers’ emotions and curiosity with By Chance. We know as we read it that there is more to Eric and Nick’s story than we find here. There is no doubt that these two deserve a happy ending together, but it promises to be a long and difficult journey for them to reach this goal.  

-Bobby

Title: Riding Out the Storm
Author: Desiree Holt
Author’s website: www.desireeholt.com
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave Publishing
Release Date: June 2009
ISBN: 9781419921186
Length: Short Story
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary BDSM
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: Teagan

Jody Rush is having a bad day. Her car has careened off the road in a flood and is nose down in a ditch with water everywhere. Just when she thought things couldn’t get worse, her best friend’s brother Logan Mitchell shows up to rescue her. Jody and Logan spent an amazing night together only to have him disappear the next morning, and he has kept his distance ever since.

Jody and Logan are stranded in his cabin until the storm passes, and the heat between them is undeniable. Jody wants to know what happened to make Logan run like he did, but the truth might be more than she can handle, and that is what Logan is afraid of.

********

Riding Out the Storm sizzles with heat from the beginning to the end. The conflict between Jody and Logan is well-written and will keep the reader interested throughout the book. I was drawn into the anxieties that Jody felt about Logan. The feeling of being left after one night of what she thought was amazing sex is something most readers would understand. Logan is in a quandary over his feelings for Jody and the fact that she is his sister’s best friend. He doesn’t want to ruin their relationship. I think that the way Ms. Holt has given such in-depth feelings to the characters makes them very realistic. My only problem with the book was that it was too short. I would love to read a full length novel about these two interesting characters. This long-time fan of Ms. Holt is happy she keeps putting out fun, adventurous, and sexy books.

-Teagan

Title: Like Coffee and Doughnuts
Author: Elle Parker
Author’s website: www.elleparker.com
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Release Date: May 2009
ISBN: 9780982417058
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Suspense GLBT
Sensuality Level: 3.5
Rating: 4.5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Dino Martini considers himself to be an old-fashioned private investigator. He lives on the beach in St. Petersburg, drives a vintage Mustang named Matilda, and packs a gun when he needs to. And when he needs a little back-up muscle on a job, he calls on his best friend Seth. Seth Donnelly may be small, but he makes up for his size in sheer attitude and is handy to have around in a fight. And all Dino has to do is feed the guy in repayment for his services.

While Dino might like to say that life as a PI is full of excitement, the truth is that his bread and butter comes from the routine jobs like background checks and car repossessions. His world isn’t going to stay simple and routine for much longer, though; it's about to become much more complicated. Suddenly Seth, who Dino has always considered to be his best friend and number-one sidekick, is showing a romantic interest in him. Dino always knew Seth swung both ways, but Dino’s not really into boys. Is he? Besides, Seth’s younger than he is, and wilder, and he listens to loud music to boot. But darned if the man isn’t determined to date Dino – he certainly has to give his friend points for determination and tenacity.

When a simple car repo leads to a case of murder, Dino knows that budding feelings aside, he can rely on Seth to watch his back. Dino’s curiosity draws both men into the puzzle, but once they get the pieces put together and realize how serious and deadly the issue actually is, it’s too late to back out. Now somebody wants the information that Dino has, and they’re not above using Seth as leverage to obtain it. When his friend goes missing, Dino is left realizing that what he feels for Seth may be more than mere friendship. Is it a case of too little too late? Dino will do whatever it takes to keep his friend alive.

********

If I were to use one word to sum up Elle Parker’s Like Coffee and Doughnuts, it would be this: entertaining. I’m not exactly sure what I expected when I picked this novel up. I know I was intrigued at the fact that this is a PI story and a little puzzled as to where the title came from. (Doughnuts? Coffee?) What I ended up with was a mix of an interesting private investigator mystery/suspense, a wise-cracking buddy story, and a sometimes sizzling homoerotic romance. And it all adds up to just plain fun.

The mystery/suspense portion of this story is well-developed and interesting and probably could have carried the novel even without the romantic element. Ms. Parker does an excellent job building the suspense throughout the novel and allowing the reader to share in the “a-ha” moments of discovery along with her characters. I enjoyed following along with Dino during his investigation and felt as if I were looking over his shoulder as he and Seth puzzled out clues and chased around Miami finding answers and digging through junkyards. The story pulled me right into the action and kept me hooked until the end.

Although I truly enjoyed the mystery, in my opinion the most outstanding feature of Like Coffee and Doughnuts is the characters. I’ve probably said it before, but if a story has interesting, well-developed, and quirky characters, I’m just about sold. No wonder I think this novel is a winner: Ms. Parker has given us a pair of irresistible heroes who are guaranteed to capture our attention. These two are absolute opposites of each other but share a wit and an irrepressible streak of sarcasm that they direct at each other constantly.

The main character and narrator is Dino. He’s confused and conflicted when it comes to his relationship with his best friend. He’s an old-fashioned guy (or at least he thinks he is) with morals, but he is also faced with having to make a choice between doing what is right in regards to the law and what is right in terms of preserving the safety of the people he cares about. Watching him open his eyes and actually see his best friend after years of friendship and also come to grips with the new emotions he is feeling is a treat. He might not be sure that he and Seth are meant for each other, but we the readers can see it very clearly, and we wait in anticipation of him finally coming to terms with their relationship.

Overall, I honestly enjoyed reading Like Coffee and Doughnuts. My interpretation of the title: Dino is the coffee, Seth is the doughnuts (bottomless pit that he is), and they complement each other perfectly. Ms. Parker has given us an entertaining read with this story, and I think I learned something as well. If I ever get caught in a salvage yard at night? I now know exactly how to deal with the guard dog!

-Bobby

Title: Truth or Dare
Author: Selena Kitt
Author’s website: www.selenakitt.com
Publisher: eXcessica Publishing
Release Date: June 2009
ISBN: N/A
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Paranormal Mystery
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.75

Reviewed by: Teagan S. Boyd

Dare’s twin brother is dead and she is back in her hometown trying to come to terms with his mysterious death. The police are not forthcoming with information, and want to blame recent strange deaths on a wild animal. Dare is not content to sit and wait. Recently let go from her job as a Chicago cop, Dare decides to take a job at the bar her brother frequented to see if she can come up with any leads. Her suspicions center around her brother’s best friend, and local bad boy, Shane. Dare and Shane have never seen eye to eye, yet when they are around each other sparks fly. Dare knows that Shane knows more about her brother's death than he is letting on, and her feelings for him are unclear. You know what they say, “there’s a thin line between love and hate.”      

********

I love a book that can combine numerous elements without it being “too much," and that is exactly what Ms. Kitt has accomplished. She has done a wonderful job of including mystery, romance, and the paranormal while blending all of it to work perfectly together. I was instantly drawn into the emotional side of losing a loved one, while at the same time wondering what was really happening. The suspense was so well-written that I was guessing what was going on right up until the end. That is the earmark of a talented author in my book. The emotional struggle that the reader experiences along with Dare is realistic, and succeeds in making her a believable character. Shane is a mystery throughout the story, and again Ms. Kitt did a wonderful job of keeping me guessing. The romantic side of the story is well done, but it was the mystery that grabbed my attention and held it throughout the book. Detailed imagery and characters with depth combine to make this an unforgettable story. This is my first book by Selena Kitt, but rest assured she is now on my “authors to watch” list.

-Teagan

Title: Sunlight & Slavery
Author: Mina Carter
Author’s website: http://mina-carter.com
Publisher: Changeling Press, LLC
Release Date: May 2009
ISBN: 9781605212401
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic
Genre: Paranormal
Sensuality Level: 4
Rating: 4

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Neri is terrified. After her attempt to get away from her mobster boyfriend is foiled, she knows her days are numbered, and she is afraid that Jason has worse plans in mind for her than simply killing her. If the leer on his bodyguard’s face is anything to go by, she’s in for a painful and humiliating experience. Now as she sits in the club Moonlight & Magic, the biggest paranormal club in town, she is counting down her last hours, and she knows that there is nothing that anyone can or will do to help her.

The bartender at the club does more than simply tend bar. Knuckles is a gargoyle, and his very purpose is to protect innocent life. He has had his eye on Jason’s group all evening and can almost smell the fear rolling off of the lovely woman. Even in his human form, Knuckles is huge, and no one has ever accused him of being easy on the eye, but he is drawn to Neri, and when her worst fears begin to come true, he’s there to remove her from danger.

Neri is grateful to Knuckles for his protection, but he wants more than her gratitude. He wants her heart. Can Neri learn to love a creature as large and as frightening as a gargoyle? And just as important, can he keep her permanently safe from her criminal ex-boyfriend? Because a gargoyle is trapped in his stone form while the sun shines, and that leaves him powerless – and her vulnerable – during the daytime.

********

Sunlight and Slavery by Mina Carter is the second in a series of stories that center on the fictitious club Moonlight & Magic. It is a short, sexy read that takes the reader into a world where paranormal individuals coexist (not always peaceably) with regular people. This story is a well-written and entertaining “Beauty and the Beast” themed tale.

Knuckles is huge and intimidating but also vulnerable in his own way. His gargoyle persona lies just below the surface, thinly veiled by a human shell. He gives us the impression of great power and strength, but he also has a softer side that cares for people and that longs for physical contact. We don’t really appreciate the “beast” aspect of the gargoyle until he is on a rampage and out of control. When this happens, even his demon friend is afraid of him, and he makes me think of a cross between an angry bull and an alligator (don’t ask me why…perhaps because they’re both big and scary and unpredictable). Yet for all this frightening aspect, we never forget that his prime motive is to protect people. And, most notably, to protect Neri.

Neri may be a bit of a gangster moll, but we also get an impression of innocence from her. She is never put off by Knuckles’s rough exterior. In fact, she sees right through that to the beauty and patience and kindness that is inside him, and that is what she falls in love with. Her character is at times quite entertaining as well, because along with having a playful streak, she wonders if she is perhaps a bit of a freak because she is just as attracted to Knuckles in his gargoyle form as she is to his human self.

This novella is short, but it contains a couple of sex scenes that can’t be described any other way than by saying that they are “hot.” These scenes are sensual and playful and prove that the chemistry between the two characters is spot on.

I found Sunlight and Slavery entertaining and touching and well worth the reading time. My interest in Ms. Carter’s world of Moonlight & Magic has been piqued now, so I’m definitely going to have to check out what else she has to offer readers.

-Bobby

Title: For the Boys
Author: J. M. Snyder
Author’s website: www.jmsnyder.net
Publisher: Aspen Mountain Press
Release Date: May 2009
ISBN: 9781601682123
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic
Genre: Historical GLBT
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Carl Prosser is an Army Warrant Officer stationed in Chorwon, close to the Korean military front. His job as helicopter pilot is to ferry the wounded back from the battlefields to the MASH unit in his camp to get them the medical attention they need. It’s a dangerous, bloody nightmare of a job, but after seven months, Carl has almost gotten used to the sounds of war and the haunting stares of the wounded. What he hasn’t gotten used to is the sheer loneliness he feels. His buddies all seem to have a girl (or two) back home to write to them and send them cheer. Carl’s not interested in girls, but he still aches to have somebody to hold during the long nights and to dream about returning home to.

When the USO sends a performing troupe to his camp, Carl meets Tommy, one of the members of the chorus. Tommy is young and pretty and seems to be equally enamored with Carl. Although they only have a few days together before the USO ships off to another camp, they form a bond so strong that Carl feels as if Tommy is the lost part of his soul. After Tommy leaves, they correspond daily, trading declarations of love and plans to reunite after the war is over.

But during wartime, the future is never a given. Life is tenuous and can be snuffed out without notice as bombs fall and artillery explodes. Just as Carl begins to believe that his forever is within his grasp, a rescue mission brings his life tumbling down around him. Because the dead and wounded that he has been sent to recover are from a bomb-decimated USO truck. The very same truck that was carrying his lover Tommy.

********

J. M. Snyder has a talent for pulling her reader right into her stories, and For the Boys is no exception. In this novella, she brings the days of the Korean Conflict back to life and gives faces to the men and women who were involved. For the Boys contrasts the ugliness and despair of war with a story of love and hope in a story that feels like a snapshot of one place and time during the Conflict.

Ms. Snyder does an excellent job of creating wartime atmosphere and describing the environment in this story. As I read, I was right there with the characters in the middle of the action, whether sneaking through camp after curfew or riding in a military chopper looking down at the smoking ruins of a battlefield. The imagery is so vivid that I could almost feel the chill in the air and hear the moans of the wounded in the hospital. Many of us are familiar with the setting of the Korean Conflict through the long-running television series M*A*S*H. I have to admit that reading For the Boys made me somewhat nostalgic for this program, but whereas the television program was more of a dark comedy, this novella concentrates on love and loneliness and the misery that only war can bring.

As I read this story, I thought about how wasteful the Korean Conflict was and how many lives were lost and destroyed. The soldiers’ reliance on the daily mail call and their eagerness to hear from friends and loved ones at home underscores just how solitary the soldiers must have felt thousands of miles from home.

In For the Boys, Carl and Tommy create an island of emotion in the middle of a sea of ugly conflict. When they are together, Carl can almost forget the death and violence that surrounds him. This fragile bubble of happiness is easily broken, however, and it doesn’t take much for reality to come rushing back in and for elation to be replaced with anguish. As we witness Carl’s blinding despair over losing Tommy, we can almost feel his heartbreak. Without a doubt, war is the most despicable of all villains, and this is illustrated very clearly here.

All told, For the Boys may be short, but it is both enjoyable and thought-provoking. It showcases the horror of war but also underscores a hope for the future, and I found it to be more than worth the reading time.

-Bobby

Title: Dead and Gone   
Author: Charlaine Harris
Author’s website: www.charlaineharris.com Publisher: Penguin Group        
Release Date: May 2009
ISBN: 978-0441017157
Length: Novel
Format: Print
Genre: Contemporary Paranormal
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4

Reviewed by Teagan

First the vampires came out to the world about their existence, and now the world is getting another shock. The Were community, people that shift into animals, is letting their presence be known, and the Louisiana town of Bon Temps is reeling from more than just the reveal. Sookie Stackhouse, Bon Temps local telepath and connection to all things supernatural is in the middle of all the turmoil. The murder of her brother’s estranged wife, who happens to be a Werepanther, has the entire town looking over its shoulder. Sookie’s affinity with vampires, and her link to the fairy world, is creating a problem all it’s own. Danger lurks around every corner, and Sookie’s feelings for a certain vampire are brought to a head. Tune in for the ninth book in the Southern Vampire Series to find out what Sookie is up to this time.

********

The ninth installment in the Southern Vampire Series does not disappoint this Sookie fan. I will take my Sookie any way I can get her. I enjoy the numerous paranormals that Ms. Harris introduces in this series, and I especially like that she focused on more than just the vampires in this one. Just when I think that Ms. Harris can’t come up with something new, she goes and does it again. I especially like the background given on Eric, which enables fans to understand him better. The introduction of new characters and the exit of other characters is both happy and sad. The story is so fast-paced that at points, I was confused by what was happening and had to go back to clarify. Sookie continues to be humorous, quirky, and just plain interesting. All in all, the novel is highly entertaining, and I couldn’t put it down. Charlaine Harris can’t write quickly enough for this fan; I want more and I want it now. 

--Teagan

Title: Miami Moon
Author: A.J. Ryan
Author’s website: N/A
Publisher: Eternal Press
Release Date: June 2009
ISBN: 978-1-926704-06-7
Length: Novelette
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Vampire GLBT
Sensuality Level: 4
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Jason Cain has run away from his life. Away from his controlling father, his grasping superficial girlfriend, his arrogant and over-competitive college classmates, and most importantly away from a night of violence that has stolen his faith in himself and his fellow man. Newly arrived in Miami, without a penny in his pocket or a worry in his heart, Jason plans to begin his life again and to realize the potential that his life in Chicago denied him.

His empty pockets won’t fill an equally empty belly, however, and when his search for a job in the clubs and restaurants of South Beach is fruitless, he grabs the one offer he receives regardless of how shady it might appear. When Jason finds himself in a mansion in the middle of the bayou – a mansion that appears to be hosting a party that is filled with men both naked and clothed – he begins to wonder if perhaps he wasn’t hired to be a waiter after all.

When faced with such a scene of hedonistic freedom, Jason figures that he’s up for a little sexual experimentation, and his host – boss? – Xavier is a very attractive man. Even if he is a little odd, spouting off about fate and destiny and healing. And thinks that he’s a vampire, of all things. But Jason is incorrect about his host’s intent. Xavier isn’t offering Jason a night of debauchery; he offers Jason a much more basic choice: die tonight or live forever. It’s got to be a joke, right? Xavier, however, is dead serious. Under a Miami moon, Jason will discover pain, terror, incredible pleasure…and ultimately redemption.

********

A.J. Ryan’s Miami Moon is a slightly different take on the vampire story. As with many such tales, it is filled with blood and sex and terror; however, in Miami Moon, the vampires are much more than the sum of these three items. This story is about healing, transformation, and making a difficult choice.

The imagery in Miami Moon is incredibly vivid and will pull the reader right into the action. Ryan uses all of the senses to involve us. Not only do we see the sights: the red of the door and blood and the flickering candlelight, but we hear, smell, and even feel the scenes. We see the wax that drips from the candelabras, hear it drop on the floor or on the shoulders of the revelers, feel the wax splatter on our skin. As Jason experiences the unusual, startling, and terrifying happenings of his evening, we’re there right along with him.

The characters of Miami Moon are well-drawn and compelling. Jason is physically beautiful, but he is scarred inside. He puts on a brave front full of sunny smiles and a friendly laid-back disposition, but guilt is eating away at him within. He wants to do good in the world, to have a new life and even a new him, but he doesn’t expect that to actually be offered to him. Xavier is larger than life. He seems to be more of a god than a man (or vampire), comfortable in his nakedness, a dispenser of power and healing and pain as well. Although he spouts words of love, kindness, and healing, I still found him to be somewhat creepy and a little frightening. I got the impression that he is not exactly focused on philanthropy in his interaction with Jason and that he is also a bit of a predator wearing a “good guy” mask to keep Jason at his ease.

Overall, this is definitely a vampire story with a twist. While the ending is somewhat unusual, it felt very “right,” and I enjoyed it very much. Ryan has created a new breed of vampire – one who is more than a set of fangs and an inconvenient allergy to sunlight and who lives for more than just drinking blood and having uninhibited sex. I am definitely interested in seeing where Ryan takes these creatures in the future.

--Bobby

Title: Second Chances
Author: Nika Dixon
Author’s website: www.nikadixon.com
Publisher: Red Rose Publishing          
Release Date: May 2009         
ISBN: 978-1-60435-346-4
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 5

Reviewed by Teagan

Jackson Hale has spent his life getting Casey Marshall out of all kinds of scrapes, and six months ago he wrote her off after yet another one of her escapades. He never expected her to show up on his doorstep with a bullet wound, and no memory of how she got it. As they run from the men that want Casey dead, Jackson starts to realize he may have been wrong about her all along, and he just hopes he hasn’t realized his feelings for her too late.

Casey Marshall wakes up in an alley with a gun in her hand, and no memory of how she got there or what happened. She doesn’t want to go to the one person who thinks she is nothing but a problem, but she has nowhere else to go. Casey has had strong feelings for Jackson since she was just a young girl, and he wants nothing more to do with her. Even though she knows he thinks the worst of her, she also knows he will protect her regardless of his personal feelings. On the run, and in close proximity, her feelings are stronger than they have ever been for Jackson, but she doesn’t want his life in jeopardy because of her. They can only hope to stay alive long enough to give their feelings a second chance.

********

Second Chances is superbly written with an action-packed plot, and amazing characters. The story flows so well the pages fly by, and before I knew it I was at the end wishing for more. My emotions ran the gamut throughout the book: I laughed, I cried, and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for what was going to happen next. The primary characters quickly place themselves directly in the reader’s heart, and the supporting cast is the perfect complement. Casey is a strong, caring woman with a touch of a wild side. Her feelings for Jackson are complicated yet sweet. She is realistically written, and I found myself able to identify with her throughout the book. Jackson on the other hand is rough, pigheaded, and utterly sexy. His protective feelings for Casey are sweet while at the same time the conflicting with his underlying hostility towards her. This makes the story just that much better. The romantic aspect is the icing on the cake. This book is the total package; excellent writing, fabulous structure, and red hot romance. Ms. Dixon is a must-read author, and I will be impatiently waiting on her next book.

--Teagan

Title: Brought to Life
Author: Dara England
Author’s website: http://www.daraenglandauthor.com/
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Release Date: March 2009
ISBN: N/A
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic       
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Sensuality Level: 1
Rating: 3.25

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Megan is beginning to feel a little desperate. For the past several weeks, she has been busy pounding the pavement looking for a new job after having been laid off of her position at the museum. She’s an artist, but the closest she has ever come to success in that field is her now-lost job as a cashier at the museum gift shop. Now in her late twenties, she sometimes feels like all she has is failed dreams. When her roommate presses a romantic novel on her telling her that she’ll love it, Megan takes the book figuring that reading it will make a change from her usual watching of bad daytime television. She’s not much of a reader, let alone one of romances, but Noble Hearts appeals to her. Especially its hero, the Duke.

When Megan saves a man hit by a car, something compels her to follow up to make sure he’s okay. He professes to have lost his memory, and in Megan’s mind he is the image double of the Duke in her novel. Although she is initially suspicious of him, his mannerisms, his returning memories, and his reactions to his surroundings all point to him being the embodiment of her romantic hero. The more time Megan spends with Duke, the more she is convinced she is falling in love with the man. In spite of this, Megan can’t banish the suspicions that linger in the back of her mind. What if he’s not who he appears to be? How can she love a man who doesn’t truly exist? Love doesn’t just cause fictional characters to spring from the pages of a book. What’s going on here, anyway?

********

Dara England’s novella Brought to Life is a story for anyone who has ever fallen in love with a hero from a romantic novel and wished he were real. It blends fantasy and tough reality as a down-on-her-luck heroine struggles to reconcile her wishful thinking with common sense. While the “paperback hero” plot device may have been used in the past, I found this story to be a unique spin on the theme.

Brought to Life has a very eclectic blend of characters: a stubborn heroine, a dashing hero, and a feisty but incredibly meddlesome roommate. While not exactly sympathetic characters, Megan and her roommate Carlita are well-developed and very believable. Megan is so full of angst, self-doubt and negativity that there were times I wanted to shake her and tell her to buck up. She almost won’t allow herself to believe that her mystery man could be the Duke of her novel, and her supposed friend Carlita doesn’t help matters. No matter who he is actually is, though, Duke has a very positive influence on her life – from her art to her relationship with her family. Unfortunately, Megan is so stubborn and has such a negative attitude that she is only willing to believe the worst of him.

Duke isn’t truly developed as a character in this story. He is more of a pretty prop than an individual. In a way, this reinforces the possibility that he truly is the character from Megan’s novel. As a reader, I couldn’t help but like the guy, but since he remains a somewhat hazy presence, I couldn’t really witness Megan falling in love with him. In addition, I wasn’t quite sure what Duke found appealing about Megan. But then, love is blind, because he obviously does love her.

I enjoyed the fantasy of this story, and even though I didn’t personally connect with the heroine, I found myself hoping that she and Duke would find their happily-ever-after. Is this the best book I’ve ever read? Perhaps not, but if it were a fish I wouldn’t throw it back. The mystery surrounding Duke’s true identity and whether or not Megan will completely ruin any chances she hasfor happiness definitely made reading this story worth my time.

--Bobby

Title: Pacific Nights
Author:  Lynn Lorenz
Author’s website: www.lynnlorenz.com
Publisher: Loose Id, LLC
Release Date: May 2009
ISBN: 9781596329348
Length: Novella
Format: Electronic
Genre: Historical GLBT
Sensuality Level: 4
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by BD Whitney

Sergeant Mike Dabrowski never professed to be an angel. He has always trod the narrow line between what is legal and his best interests, and it has landed him in hot water repeatedly. When his most recent misdemeanor lands him once again in the brig, he is willing to take on a special assignment from his commanding officer in order to avoid a military court martial. He’s less than thrilled, however, when he finds out that he is being sent on a glorified babysitting mission to accompany some pansified, silver-spoon, super-genius PhD professor to a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific. Professor James Hamilton’s mission: intercept and break Japanese coded messages and send them on to the Allies. Mike’s charge: keep Hamilton alive during their time on the island.

Mike doesn’t like Hamilton and sneers at him for being homosexual, and the dislike, it seems, is mutual. After a few weeks on the island, though, Mike begins to get sexually frustrated, and the professor begins to look increasingly attractive to him. Is this a case of “any port in a storm,” or could Mike actually be beginning to develop tender feelings towards his charge? James is willing to explore a relationship on his own terms, and together they find a passion that neither one would have ever expected. But what will happen between them when their mission is over and they return to their regular military duties? Have the two men built something that will last between them, or is this heat and connection simply a result of sultry Pacific nights?

********

In her novella Pacific Nights, Lynn Lorenz takes her readers back to the days of Second World War and the conflict in the Pacific. This is an engaging story about love during war-time and a man who finds his home where he least expects it. It contains imagery vivid enough to bring the reader right into the story and characters and conflict interesting enough to keep them there until the very end.

Pacific Nights centers around two characters who are complete opposites of each other, and Ms. Lorenz has exploited that difference to create sexual tension and interpersonal conflict that is compelling enough to carry the entire story. The character Mike is a stronger presence than is James, but that is because the story is told from Mike’s perspective. He is a super-macho, chews-on-cigars military grunt, proud of his libido and quite frankly disgusted that he has to waste his time babysitting the other man. He’s crude, frequently crass, and has a huge chip on his shoulder about belonging to a lower social class, but there is a still something about him that strikes a sympathetic note. He gives the appearance of being proud of his solitary status, but we can see right through the bluff to the loneliness that he hides and his basic need of human contact.

James may receive a little less attention than Mike, but that doesn’t keep him from being an attractive character. He teaches Mike that being gay is not the same as being promiscuous. He is a pacifist, and while this might seem to be a positive characteristic for a person to have, he finds that his caring and do-no-harm attitude does not always serve their best interests.

This story might not have the lingering undercurrent of humor that distinguishes much of Ms. Lorenz’s work, but that doesn’t reflect negatively on Pacific Nights. It just makes it a little bit different. This story is tense with both repressed emotion and danger and contains action scenes that are realistic enough to grip the readers and hold them in suspense. It starts out with a bang as the two men are forced to jump from their airplane to the island. At night, no less. Ms. Lorenz does an excellent job of describing each of these scenes so that the reader feels as if they are participating in the danger, whether they are crashing through a canopy of trees at night or exploring a downed enemy airplane.

In Pacific Nights, it’s not just the island jungle that is steamy. The sex scenes are very sensual and are hot enough to blister paint. James leads Mike to discover a side to him he did not know existed or that perhaps he has repressed his entire life. Although Mike struts into their relationship with an “I’ll screw anything with a pulse” attitude, he quickly discovers an emotional side. He willingly embraces that which he had previously reviled, and in his defense, he admits almost immediately that what he is doing with James is making love rather than simply having quick-and-dirty sex.

Those looking for an entertaining and very sexy read should look no further than Pacific Nights. This story will raise the temperature of even the coolest of readers while at the same time providing a story of self-discovery and love.

--Bobby

Title: Mortal Coil     
Author:  Julie Eberhart Painter
Author’s website: http://www.books-jepainter.com/       
Publisher: Champagne Books 
Release Date: May 2009         
ISBN: 9781897445914
Length: Novel
Format:  Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Mystery/Suspense
Sensuality Level: 2
Rating: 4.75

Reviewed by Teagan

Widowed single mother Ellen Lange is caught in the middle of a police  investigation after two of her elderly residents are murdered. She never figured being the administrator of the Kingsley nursing home would include fending off questions about a serial killer from one very attractive detective. Between parenting her 10-year-old daughter and still reeling from the death of her beloved husband, Ellen finds herself shying away from the attraction she feels for the detective.

Special Investigator Bill Watts is on the case of the Ponytail murderer and has more than just questioning in mind when he meets Ellen. With a killer at large, and his concern for Ellen escalating as new evidence appears that may concern her, Bill finds himself wanting to spend more and more time with her and her daughter. He just has to convince Ellen he is there for the long haul.

********

In this story, the interaction among the characters is wonderfully written, giving the reader a dose of witty humor and edge-of-your-seat suspense. I even teared up at one point and had to grab the tissues. This books intrigues the reader on so many levels. It will appeal to many people, as it weaves so many different genres into one story. I enjoyed Ellen’s strength of character and her commitment to her daughter. It spoke to me as a parent, and added to the realistic feel of this story. The author has wrapped a sweet romance, fraught with the typical problems of relationships, inside a suspense that seems straight out of true crime. It meshes together for an exceptional story. I found myself unable to put it down and at no point did I suspect what the mystery might be, Ms. Painter does a fabulous job of keeping the reader guessing right up to the end. If you are in the mood for a story that will play on your emotions, and keep you in suspense at the same time, this is a book for you.

--Teagan

Title: Hunter's Dawn: Laying the Ghosts
Author: Meg Leigh
Author’s website: http://megleigh.wordpress.com/
Publisher: Torquere Press, Inc.
Release Date: May 2009
ISBN: 9781603707091
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre:  Contemporary Paranormal GLBT
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 3.75

Reviewed by BD Whitney

Professor Jack Stevens has dedicated his professional career to studying the paranormal from a scientific viewpoint. He wouldn’t go so far as to say he exists to debunk ghosts and things that go bump in the night, but he is convinced that there is a rational explanation for everything. Raised in benign negligence by a mother who claims to have psychic powers, he considers soothsayers, fortune tellers and other such psychics to be charlatans whose main goal is monetary gain. When Jack is called to the house of an elderly woman to investigate a supposed haunting, he is less than thrilled to find that he is to work with one of these phonies: Casey Lambert, a self-professed psychic.

Casey has been called to the house by his spirit guide, who is also his long-dead mother. He is not after personal gain of any kind, and he resents Jack’s implications of such. He and Jack quickly discover that the source of the home’s trouble is an angry spirit – a poltergeist who not only detests Jack but also appears to want to keep Casey for her own. As Jack and Casey work together to find a way to help the ghost cross over into the afterlife, they find that they are perhaps not as incompatible as they first believed. They also realize that before they can deal with any feelings they might have for each other, they must first come to terms with their pasts.

********

Meg Leigh’s Hunter’s Dawn: Laying the Ghosts is a story for those who enjoy ghost hunters and paranormal phenomena. In this story, not only do we get to experience the chills of a ghost story, but we get to sit back and watch sparks fly as a skeptic and a believer face off and find perhaps more in common that they initially expected. This is a story about opening one’s mind to possibilities and coming to terms with the past so you can look toward the future.

I enjoyed this story and found that it captured my attention from the beginning. Not only does it include an interesting paranormal element, but Ms. Leigh also give us characters who conflict enough with each other to be interesting. Jack thinks Casey is a con artist. Casey thinks Jack is an obnoxious bully. Both have a very strong system of beliefs, and both have personal issues that make them flawed and therefore more agreeable to the reader than they might have been otherwise. Jack is abrasive and perhaps just a little too stubborn. He is not only skeptical, he truly doesn’t want to believe and refuses to see what is right in front of his eyes. During the course of the story, he is described with the proverb “there are none so blind as those who will not see,” and this is very true for him. Jack is forced to gradually open his eyes, however, which in turn means that he has to deal with a few buried issues from his past.

I wish we had seen a little bit more of the ghost Sarah in Hunter’s Dawn: Laying the Ghosts . She had great potential to be frightening, and I enjoyed the way that Ms. Leigh manifested her in the story. Having her spirit centered around an antique hair mourning brooch is a delightfully creepy touch. This desire for more of the scary element is probably a manifestation of my own personal affinity for horror, though. This story is not horror – I do want to make that clear – it is essentially a romance between the two main characters

A little hocus pocus, a little romance, and a little bit of “fear factor” combine to make this a unique story. It’s a quick and enjoyable read, and I’m interested to see what Ms. Leigh brings us next.

--Bobby

Title: Miss Taken     
Author: Kerri Nelson
Author’s website: www.kerrinelson.com 
Publisher: Whispers Publishing           
Release Date: May 2009         
ISBN: N/A
Length: Short Story
Format:  Electronic
Genre: Contemporary
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4

Reviewed by Teagan

Tabby Stuart has devoted the last few years of her life to her job. She has become the first female partner at the accounting firm where she works. She has made a New Year’s resolution to lead a more exciting life, and she intends to do it. Unfortunately, she never figured on being abducted by a notorious mobster who claims she stole half a million dollars from him. Stranger yet is that Tabby has never set eyes on him before. The upside is the delicious kidnaper that is sexy as hell and seems to feel the need to protect her, even from his mob boss. If temptation were a man, it would be Steele, and Tabby is having a hard time resisting the man that took her.

*********

Kerri Nelson's debut book Miss Taken is full of suspense and adventure and is sexy as hell. For a short story, this book packs quite a punch. I found it to be fast-paced and attention-grabbing. The interaction between Tabby and Steele is pure heat. Even if the timing is questionable, Tabby is tempted by Steele and goes after what she wants. Strong characters and steamy sex scenes make for a highly entertaining book. Steele is sexy, gorgeous, and can kidnap me anytime. No matter how short the story, Ms. Nelson is adept at keeping the reader wondering what is going to happen next. This was a short, light, and fun read, and I look forward to enjoying more books by such an entertaining author.

--Teagan

Title: Sperm Count
Author: Kev Henley
Author’s website: www.myspace.com/kevhenley
Publisher: eXcessica Publishing
Release Date: February 2009
ISBN: N/A
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Futuristic
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4

Reviewed by BD Whitney

Society changed after the nuclear war. Land was decimated, and people died from the nuclear fallout, but the radiation had an another unexpected effect: it caused men to become sterile. With few children being born, the population began to dwindle even more, leading some communities to take extreme measures to ensure the survival of man. With so very few fertile men in existence, any man with viable sperm could count on losing his autonomy.

When Jordan is found to have viable sperm, he is kidnapped and taken to a breeding center in Boulder, Colorado, which is run by an unpleasant creature by the name of Madam Giri. There he is imprisoned, treated like a commodity rather than a man, and is expected to perform on command and impregnate as many women as possible. Although being expected to have sex three times a day may be a teenager’s wet dream, Jordan find that the reality is dehumanizing and humiliating. Although he tries to adapt, Jordan can’t help but try to fight system, which in turn makes him a target for the vicious madam.

As time passes, the only thing that keeps Jordan sane is the affection he feels for a woman named Lily. Even though she is the person responsible for his kidnapping, her visits to him remind him that friendship and love still exist in the world. When Lily is threatened in order to keep Jordan in line, he knows that his days of “grinning and bearing it” are over. It’s time to take action, even if it means threatening both his life and his sanity to do so.

********

Some young men might think that they live for sex, but what if this were actually true? What if the “recreation” was taken out of sex, and men capable of producing children were forced to have sex with thousands of women? Kev Henley’s Sperm Count takes us on a trip into such a world – to a post-nuclear holocaust America, where radiation-induced sterility has threatened the stability of the population. This is a story about objectification and loss of personal freedom, but it is also a story of love and hope as well.

This is an entertaining and quick to read story, and the cover simply does not do it justice. Mr. Henley has created a future that many of us dread to see coming – one in which the United States comes out on the losing end of a nuclear war. He has tossed his main character into a situation which alternates between a teenager’s wet dream and a nightmare. As we read Sperm Count, we vacillate between amusement and horror as Jordan recounts his experiences in the breeding center.

In Jordan, we have a main character that we can’t help but like. He’s a good guy – a nice guy – that doesn’t deserve the situation that he finds himself in, and his good nature and sense of humor will capture both the sympathy and the affection of the readers. Since he narrates his own story, it brings us into the action at an even more intimate level, so that we get a clear picture of not only what he is going through but also how it affects him emotionally.

Mr. Henley has instilled a certain amount of humor in this tale, and this is the element that truly captured my attention. This bit of levity is one of the ways that Jordan keeps himself sane during his captivity. The repulsive madam, Giri, is a very ominous figure, but Jordan comes up with hilarious names for her that help render her less threatening to him, even when she is causing him pain.

Although there are many times that Jordan’s situation appears to be hopeless, Sperm Count still contains love and hope and an acknowledgement that life is precious and worth fighting for. Overall, I found it to be unique and engaging and well worth the read

--Bobby

Title: The Magic Shop 
Author: Ed Sutter
Author’s website: www.ebjsutter.com    
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press          
Release Date: May 2009         
ISBN: 978-1-60313-691-4
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic, Print
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy Thriller
Sensuality Level: 1
Rating: 5

Reviewed by Teagan

Alec Gavins wanted a summer job to earn money to buy a car. He finds a job at The Magic Shop by way of his lifelong friend Marina Torres. He never figured a mysterious gypsy-like woman would give him a magic amulet that will grant wishes and do strange things Alec never thought possible. Upon closer examination, Zack Torres, owner of The Magic Shop, thinks it may be an amulet once owned and worn by Alexander the Great and calls in archeologist Megan Long to help decode the map on the amulet. The amulet leads Alec, Marina, Zack, and Megan to the wilds of Mexico, and bad guys are right on their tails, because a sinister faction wants the amulet and will stop at nothing to obtain it.

********

The Magic Shop succeeds in delivering adventure, magic, humor, suspense, romance, and history all in one action-packed thrill ride. From page one the story doesn't miss a beat. The book encompasses many dimensions in one package and each impacts the story in a different way. From teenage drama and pressure to life-threatening action and thrills with a good dose of humor, this well-rounded book offers it all. Mr. Sutter weaves a web of magic around the reader. Alec's personal progression is fascinating; we watch him go from chubby teen to a sleek warrior without him even realizing it. The author’s passion for history is evident throughout the book, and this Egyptian history buff was delighted with this aspect of the book. Mr. Sutter has penned a story that will appeal to a variety of readers. Simply put, I am a fan.

--Teagan