Friday, May 31, 2019

Review Tour: Prophesy 2~ The Bringer of Wrath by AE Via #Review #Giveaway




Length: 87,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Jay Aheer @ Simply Defined Art

The King And Alpha Series

Prophesy 1 - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link (Currently only 99c/99p)

Blurb

Shifter and Vampire True Mates story.

Alek’s older brother, Justice—the Alpha Zenith—was the first shifter to mate with a vampire in many generations, and it was believed the rare, fated pairing would stop at him. But, it hadn’t. Aleksei ‘Alek’ Volkov was second beta, next in succession to the most powerful shifter in the world. He was proud of his title and he took his duties seriously. It was all he had. Until his true mate literally showed up on his doorstep.

While his brother—the overachiever—excelled at having a vampire as a mate, Alek wasn’t that optimistic he would. He wasn’t averse to love, and he’d often thought of how different his life could’ve turned out if he’d ever experienced the emotion. His life was a mess and he’d worn a mask of stability for a majority of that time, only showing his siblings and pack what they needed to see—a strong Volkov alpha. Not the damaged man he was, with a tortured soul and a rogue wolf.

Alek dropped his heavy head in his hands. Now, for some reason, I’ve been granted a true vampire mate. And not just any vampire. The intimidating Belleron Liatos. Lord High to the King and the leader of his army.

Belleron ‘Bell’ Liatos had come to the states for one reason—his best friend and Vampire King, Chadwick Bentley. He certainly didn’t come to be pounced on by a wolf that could act independently of its master. Not only was his destined cherished a complicated and confused man; but he was also unaware of the powerful presence that lurked in the shadows of his soul. Bell didn’t know he’d be the key to unlocking an exceptional triad that would play a critical role in fulfilling the prophesy.

This story DOES NOT contain or even mention MPREG.
No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. Ends with a very HFN.

Warning: This book is M/M paranormal: If you DO NOT like alpha men shifting into large wolves, or vampires feeding from their destined beloveds, than this may not be the novel for you.

Review

At the end of Book #1, which brought me to my knees by its overwhelming beauty, we are witness of the grand arrival of The Lord High - Belleron ‘Bell’ Liatos, and how Aleksei ‘Alek’ Volkov’s claimed him as his mate, or in vampire terms ‘his beloved’ Bell surrendered to Alek.

I couldn’t wait to start with #2 Shifters, vampires, and true mates are my favorites!

Bell is the right hand of the Vampire King Wick whose true mate is Alpha Zenith Justice.

Alek, Justice’s brother, has a beautiful wolf in him but he has also a dark devastating secret no one knows of. Bell can see and feel a glimpse of the secret and can feel it is big, better to say huge and destructive, so much anger, but Bell isn’t really afraid.
Alek can’t claim Bell against his will. Bell needs time. First, he wants to fight the battle overseas, against Alessandro a vampire who recruits young vampires, under false pretenses like freedom, to fight against Alpha Zenith.

Alek and his Wolf beg Bell not to go without first being mated with him. Because without the claiming, Alek can’t connect with Bell and protect him. Bell is furious, he doesn’t need a protector, he himself is a protector. If he only knew!
Alek can’t handle this and is battling with his deep settled anger.

This is just a fraction of this immensely captivating journey. There is so much story.
An absolute must-read for the fans of shifters and vampires.

I love the claiming, the pure dedication, the possessiveness and the protectiveness of true mates. I got a bit high by it all. In this read it all is strongly present and oh boy it was outstanding. In this story we have the shifters, the vampires, the hierarchy, the unconditional love. When wolf shifters and vampires are connecting, the most beautiful things happen, pure magic. We can experience the softness of furs, the yearning, the longing of true mates. There are delicious sexy scenes. The revelations of hurt souls were devastating.

This story was a thoroughly developed beauty. With stunning creatures, breathtaking environments and a plot simply fantastic. Bit by bit we get to know more about The Prophesy.
This masterly written story was immensely captivating and intriguing. It was thrilling at times and highly sensual, it also warmed my heart with all the grand gestures.
All the feelings were exquisitely described and with that, every emotion palpable!
This story is so cleverly put together, so creative, it all made sense and was acceptable. Of course, it’s fantasy I’m aware, but hey for me, when I read it’s reality and I was totally absorbed by this story. At times I wished it was reality!

The end gave me such thick goosebumps!! What a ride!

Highly recommended
 





A.E. Via has been a best-selling author in the beautiful gay romance genre for five years now, but she’s no stranger to MM. She’s been an avid reader of gay lit for over fifteen years before she picked up her laptop to place her own kiss on this genre. She’s also the founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books, having published a couple great new up and coming MM authors.

A.E. has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan College that she used to start her own paralegal firm after she graduated in 2008. She spent five years preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions for struggling blue collar workers who couldn’t afford to file with a lawyer. It was a rewarding and satisfying career… but another path called to her. Writing.

A.E.’s writing embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.

Now that she’s gotten over her 10 books published hump, she’s kind of known now for her hardcore, play rough and love hard, bad boy, alphas. However, she does like to push herself to step out of her comfort zone, exploring different tropes, but she won’t push herself into a whole other genre. She’s head over heels for gay romance and she has tons of more hot stories to tell.

Be sure to visit Adrienne on her social media pages and subscribe to her newsletter to never miss another release date! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak at upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next.


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New Release Review: String Boys by Amy Lane #Review #Giveaway




Title: String Boys 
Author: Amy Lane
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Reese Dante
Publication date: May 28, 2019
Length: 341 pages

Reviewed by Erin

Synopsis

Seth Arnold learned at an early age that two things in life could make his soul soar—his violin and Kelly Cruz. In Seth’s uncertain childhood, the kindness of the Cruz family, especially Kelly and his brother, Matty, gave Seth the stability to make his violin sing with the purest sound and opened a world of possibility beyond his home in Sacramento.

Kelly Cruz has loved Seth forever, but he knows Seth’s talents shouldn’t be hidden, not when the world is waiting. Encouraging Seth to follow his music might break Kelly’s heart, but he is determined to see the violin set Seth’s soul free. When their world is devastated by a violent sexual assault and Matty’s prejudices turn him from a brother to an enemy, Seth and Kelly’s future becomes uncertain.

Seth can’t come home and Kelly can’t leave, but they are held together by a love that they clutch with both hands.

Seth and Kelly are young and the world is wide—the only thing they know for certain is they’ll follow their heartstrings to each other’s arms whenever time and fate allow. And pray that one day they can follow that string to forever… before it slices their hearts in two.




Purchase Links



Review

Like so many of you, early on in my reading of LGBTQ focused books (before then, I happily admit I was a fanfiction addict … along with some mainstream fiction), I discovered Amy Lane. The Locker Room to be specific. To this day, that book remains in my top five, all-time favorite books, of any book, ever. Since then, I’ve devoured every book Amy has ever written. Paranormal, fluffy, angst and pain laden; it doesn’t matter which world or what topic she focuses on, she never lets me down and her newest book, String Boys, didn’t either. If you’ve read The Locker Room, and if you haven’t I’m not sure we can be friends, String Boys is very reminiscent of that book. The same love, the same hope and joy, the same pain and turmoil … just in a very different way. I read String Boys in one sitting; I literally could not stop reading. And yes, I cried, many times as a matter of fact. But oh my, was the payoff ever worth it! 

String Boys begins when Kelly Cruz and Seth Arnold are just young boys in the fourth grade and follows them through ups and many, MANY downs. This is an Amy Lane book we’re talking about here people, and yeah, this one hurts, and the angst is high. These boys endure SO MUCH—from homophobia, to bullies, to numerous separations, to religious zealots, to violence (that mostly takes place off page, thank goodness!)—that my heart wept, and my need for continuous Kleenex was at an all-time high. I never once worried that Seth and Kelly wouldn’t make it; their love for one another was just too powerful for that to ever happen, but boy did Amy make them work for it (and us readers, too, because damn.) 

The only thing Seth loves almost as much as he loves Kelly is his violin and the way Amy uses the music to allow Seth to grow and make his place in the world is nothing short of beautiful. I was moved so much by Seth’s thoughts and feelings about his music and the ability to transport him, and those that hear him play, into another world. It’s magical, no lie. And dear sweet, lovable Kelly is simply wonderful. I’m not going to spoil the story for you, the blurb gives you a great idea what you’re in for and really, String Boys is a journey. It’s a journey that takes you from the innocence of youth, to the harsh realities of the world around us. It’s a story that centers on family and acceptance and love. The love of music and the importance of finding that one thing that makes your soul fill with joy and gives you a sense of peace. The love of family that gives you the safety and acceptance you need to figure out who you are. And most importantly, the power of first love that turns into that once in a lifetime love that can weather any storm. 

Be prepared, y’all. This book will hit you in ALL your feels. There’s tragedy and loss, pain and suffering, and the fact that life is not always fair or easy. But there is so much hope and joy and love that it makes every tear and every bit of heartache worth it. Don’t miss String Boys, this book is special, and I can’t recommend it enough.



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Thursday, May 30, 2019

New Release Promo~ Picking Up The Pieces by Annabella Michaels #Excerpt #Giveaway




Title: Picking Up The Pieces
Author: Annabella Michaels
Self Published
Cover Artist: Designs by Morningstar
Publication Date: May 30, 2019
Length: 169 pages

Synopsis

Two Shattered Hearts
Brody Murphy feels as if he’s lost everything when his best friend and partner, Paul, dies in the line of duty. Partners on the force for years, Paul Donovan was all Brody had. Paul accepted Brody as he was—standoffish from a childhood in the foster system, bisexual in a police force that wasn’t entirely welcoming, Brody is now adrift. Wracked by survivor’s guilt and grief, Brody devotes what’s left of his heart to help Paul’s widow and her children. And when his partner’s oldest child returns home a grown man, Brody is torn between what he thinks he should do and what his heart wants.
Grief Binds Them
Cooper Donovan is in his senior year of college when the unthinkable happens. His father dies, and Cooper returns home to be with his family, and help his mother with his little sisters. So many things were left unsaid between Cooper and his father, a fact that weighs heavily on his heart. College helped Cooper learn more about who he was and what he wanted from life, and with Brody Murphy comes unexpected feelings and complications.
Hope Leads Them Home
Brody and Cooper forge a connection that leaves Brody conflicted, Cooper determined, and both men wounded by their shared grief. While Brody struggles with why he lived, and Paul died—he had no one and nothing, and Paul had everything to live for, Cooper sees a man who deserves love and happiness under the grief. Tension rises when Brody and Cooper can’t deny what’s happening between them. Both men are picking up the pieces of their previous lives and putting together a new future, one where hope and love heals, and home is in each other’s arms.







Excerpt

“I’ve heard you talk about Anthony a lot. Were you ever…did you and he…you know what? Never mind. Just forget I even asked that; it’s none of my business.” Avoiding my shocked gaze, Brody picked up one of the pans and began scrubbing it furiously.
The thought of me and Anthony ever being together was laughable, but I wasn’t sure what to think about his question. Maybe he was simply being curious. We were friends after all, and we’d talked about a lot of personal things. Although, we’d never broached the topic of each other’s love lives; mostly because I couldn’t stand the thought of him being with anyone else.
But if he was just being curious then why had he changed his mind, and why was he acting like he was afraid to look at me? Unless…was Brody jealous? Did the thought of me being with someone else bother him as much as it bothered me?
“Anthony and I have only ever been friends, but would it matter to you if he and I had been together?” I asked quietly.
Brody opened his mouth, like he wanted to say something, but then he shut it and sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. My heart soared as the look in his eyes answered my question. Yes, it would matter. It would matter very much. With my pulse racing wildly, I closed the short distance between us. Brody stood still, watching me cautiously through narrowed eyes.
He was taller than me, and I had to push up on my tiptoes in order to reach him. Our eyes were open, staring at each other as I leaned in to him slowly, carefully. The first brush of our lips together was like a lightning bolt, and I gasped as electricity coursed through my veins. Brody groaned, a deep guttural vibration that traveled up through his chest. My tongue slid along his lips, begging him for entry. I wanted to weep when he opened, and I got my first taste of him. 






About Annabella 

I am married to my high school sweetheart who let's face it, is a saint for putting up with me all of these years. Together we have been blessed with the chance to raise two amazing human beings and so far we haven't screwed it up; I'll let you know for sure later. I am a business owner and spend more time laughing than actually working most days. I love watching movies, cooking, going to the beach and spending time with my family and best friends. I am an obsessive reader who is a complete sucker for a good love story, but loves to feel a broad range of emotions throughout a book. I think real life is hard enough and so my books offer twists and turns, but always with a happy ending.

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