Book of the Week: Winter Burning by Rain Carrington #Review

Author: Rain Carrington
Book: Winter Burning
Publisher: AAS Publishing
Cover Artist: AJ Corza
Publication date: May 18, 2017
Length: 583 pages

Synopsis

James Snow Bringer is an impressionable young Native American man living on the Montana sheep farm his family has owned for decades. His life on the reservation bores him to death and James yearns to see more of the world. During a trip into town, he meets a bus load of hippies, headed to a commune. When he goes to stay with them, he gets a taste of a different world which only wets his appetite to learn more.

Wyman Crow has faced hate many times and serving his country in Vietnam, and losing his lover there, only makes things worse. He returns home with the deep-seated knowledge that he will always be hated for his skin color wherever he is. It takes some time, but Wyman learns to accept himself and vows to become the warrior his ancestors were, the only way he can. He tells their stories. Wyman will not lie down and let bigots win, determined to fight for equality in a world that doesn’t want him.

A chance meeting at a pow-wow brings James and Wyman together where they quickly succumb to mutual attraction. Wyman falls in love with the innocent young man but when James persists in asking questions about who their people are, Wyman decides to do more than tell him. He shows him. When they embark on a journey of discovery together, James is eager to learn. He’s not prepared for what he finds.

Winter Burning – An epic tale of painful truth, hatred, and most important of all, deep and abiding love.

 Purchase on Amazon

Review

Winter Burning is very different from any other book this author has produced. That said, it's also amazing and truly shows the versatility of this author.

This is a journey that you, the reader, take with James. His journey is so meaningful and important because of his background. A child who lived a sheltered life because his parents were terrified of the prejudices of the white race.

James' journey opens his eyes to so much. He's such a wonderful character. You connect with him and the compassion he encompasses in everything he does. In his adventures of discovery, he finds love. he also finds the hatred his parents spoke of and sees the suffering of Native Americans.

This story is very emotional. Each moment is felt deeply. Whether it be love, loss, fear or reality.

Wyman and James take a lot of this on together. Wyman, a man who's seen it all from Vietnam to back home. He takes James to the answers he seeks. Though they are opposites in the lives they've lived up to, their start point, by the end they seemed to be right where they should.

There's so much amazement in this book. Yes it's long but it's epic and the situations, discoveries, and personal revelations are truly outstanding. I very much recommend this book.

Book of the Week: I Do or Dye Trying by Aimee Nicole Walker #Review

Author: Aimee Nicole Walker

Book: I Do or Dye Trying

Series: Curl Up and Dye Mysteries #4

Self-Published

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Publication date: May 2, 2017

Length: 242 pages

Synopsis

Newly engaged Josh Roman and Gabe Wyatt know the road to happily ever after won’t be easy, but the two men are certain their biggest challenges are in the rearview mirror. However, life in Blissville is never what it seems and all signs point to dangerous curves ahead. Josh and Gabe refuse to take a detour because everything they've dreamed of is within reach, not even when professional and personal revelations threaten to wreck their plans. It should be the happiest time in their lives, yet neither man can shake the feeling that something sinister waits around the next corner. Buckle your seatbelts and hang on for the ride because Josh and Gabe are committed to saying “I do” or die trying. I Do, or Dye Trying is the fourth book in the Curl Up and Dye Mysteries series. These books need to be read in order as the storyline unravels throughout the series. They contain sexually explicit material and are intended for adults 18 and older.

Links

GOODREADS

AMAZON

Review

I have been reading Gabe and Josh since the very beginning. Following their mysteries and reveling in their suspense. Whether it's romantic suspense or other, it's thoroughly enjoyable. In I Do or Dye Trying we are coming to Josh and Gabe's conclusion in a sense. Though I think the author will be writing about other characters we've been seeing, for all intents and purposes Gabe and Josh are coming full circle. Loose ends are being tied and their future is an adventure waiting to happen.

The banter in this book is probably my favorite part of it all. Josh is the king of snark but Gabe has learned well. I love Gabe and John's back and forth and Adrian's too. The wives rock and Meredith will forever be my queen!

I've read everything Aimee Nicole Walker has ever written and I can say this series is probably my favorite and Josh is the best character she's ever written. 

I don't know how Aimee outlined this series but she nailed it. I didn't have questions afterward. Everything made sense and even in the heartbreak, there was sunshine. Namely, Josh. So many amazing things happen for these guys in this from weddings to birds to honeymoons and babies! It's a thrilling ride you have to start at the beginning. When you're done, do it all over again because it's that good!

Book of the Week: Well-Tailored by Silvia Violet #Review

Author: Silvia Violet

Book: Well Tailored

Series: (Standalone) Thorne & Dash

Self Published

Cover artist: LC Chase

Publication date: April 25, 2017

Length: 280 pages

Synopsis

Marc longs for a grand romance, but he doubts he’ll ever be that lucky. Then he meets Darius, an arrogant tailor who pushes all his buttons. When Darius offers him a job, Marc hesitates—he needs a direction for the future, not another man who doesn’t believe in relationships.

Darius lives by a few unbreakable rules: never sleep with employees, fashion should be simple, and romance is for fools. Marc, with his shimmery-sweaters collection, makes him want to break every single one.

They quickly give in to desire, but Darius wants to protect himself and Marc refuses to repeat past mistakes. It’s only when they let go of assumptions, that love has a chance to take hold.

Well-Tailored is a companion novel to the Thorne and Dash series. It can be read as a standalone.

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK | iTunes | Barnes & Noble | KOBO

Review

Who else has been super excited to get to Darius and Marc’s story? I was so freaking excited! The second they met, two books ago ever so briefly, I KNEW there was a story there. Alas, their time has come.

I felt like I knew Marc a little better going in since we read his interactions with Riley in past books. I felt confident that I read him right and that was validated in this book. He’s unabashed about his appearance and yet when it comes to the deeper parts of who Marc is he’s extremely self-conscious. He lacks confidence in being boyfriend material even though he has a beautiful and romantic dream about a relationship. His past is what made him feel this. His past also made him think he would never become what he wanted. Then he met Darius.

The mouth on Darius. He had me laughing till my sides hurt when he was angry the weird and angry phrases spewed from his mouth. Then there’s his dirty talk! It’s fabulous. SO HOT! This reserved (ish) character with his British accent, brilliant mind, the best education, creativity, and determination is just as closed off as Marc. Maybe a bit more. He’s adamant about no relationships. But reading his and Marc’s interactions you see early on that won’t last. 

These two characters fall hard but not fast. There’s a burn to this story and it’s not the passion in the sheets it’s the passion of the hearts. Accepting they want more and embracing it.

I loved loved loved this book SO much! It was exciting and beautiful and I cried. You can read it as a standalone because it doesn’t follow Thorne and Riley’s story but you still should totally read those books too.

Book of the Week: Olive Juice by TJ Klune #Review

Author: TJ Klune
Book: Olive Juice
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Publication date: April 26, 2017
Cover Artist: Reese Dante
Length: 121 pages

Synopsis

It begins with a message that David cannot ignore:

I want to see you.

He agrees, and on a cold winter’s night, David and Phillip will come together to sift through the wreckage of the memory of a life no longer lived.

David is burdened, carrying with him the heavy guilt of the past six years upon his shoulders.

Phillip offers redemption.

 

Buy Links

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

 

Review

As an avid reader who averages reading about 5 books a week across all genres, I have a lot of authors I love, but I only a few are immediate auto-buys that don't even require a blurb, a cover, or hell even a title. TJ Klune is one such author for me. Regardless of genre or subject matter, the man NEVER fails to deliver a story that is brilliantly written, imaginative, emotional, and guaranteed to stick with you long after you finish the last page. His new release, Olive Juice, is all of that. And more. 

If you follow TJ at all on social media or if you're one of those that scrolls through your Goodreads feed you've no doubt seen it mentioned MANY times that Olive Juice is best read without ANY spoilers of any kind. I can't agree with this more strongly ... you absolutely need to read this book without knowing anything about it. Remember what I said up there about not even needing a blurb for TJ's books? I started this book without even an inkling as to what it was going to be about and I can't begin to tell you how much better my experience was for it. Another thing I'd recommend, don't try to figure out where TJ is going while you read or try to guess what comes next. Just sit back and experience what's going on as it happens. Trust me. 

It is impossible to say much at all about Olive Juice (which has one of the most meaningful and compelling titles ever) without giving anything away. I can tell you that in true TJ Klune style, this book will completely enthrall you from the first sentence and keep you hooked until you reach the end. I recently read a blog post of TJ's where he recommends reading the book in one sitting ... DO THIS! It's meant to be read that way and the impact you'll feel at the end will be all the more powerful if you're able to do this. But believe me when I say, once you start you won't want to stop. 

As with any TJ book, the writing is beyond fantastic. There is love and hope and despair and so much pain that it's almost unbearable. There are flawed characters that are so real you'll swear you know someone just like them. Be prepared for an emotional onslaught while reading Olive Juice. Expect for your heart to break and for there to be tears. Expect to be angry and sad. Expect for there to be hope. Most of all, expect that this might be one of TJ Klune's best books yet.

Book of the Week: Shelter the Sea by Heidi Cullinan #Review

Author: Heidi Cullinan
Book: Shelter the Sea
Series: The Roosevelt #2
Self-published
Publication date: April 18, 2017
Length: 190 pages

Buy links:

  Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, Tolino, Smashwords

Synopsis

Some heroes wear capes. Some prefer sensory sacks.
Emmet Washington has never let the world define him, even though he, his boyfriend, Jeremey, and his friends aren’t considered “real” adults because of their disabilities. When the State of Iowa restructures its mental health system and puts the independent living facility where they live in jeopardy, Emmet refuses to be forced into substandard, privatized corporate care. With the help of Jeremey and their friends, he starts a local grassroots organization and fights every step of the way.
In addition to navigating his boyfriend’s increased depression and anxiety, Emmet has to make his autistic tics acceptable to politicians and donors, and he wonders if they’re raising awareness or putting their disabilities on display. When their campaign attracts the attention of the opposition’s powerful corporate lobbyist, Emmet relies on his skill with calculations and predictions and trusts he can save the day—for himself, his friends, and everyone with disabilities.
He only hopes there isn't a variable in his formula he’s failed to foresee.

Review

I thought about this book for a long time after reading it. Just like with Carry the Ocean it left me breathless. When I read Shelter the Sea, like with the first book, I couldn't help how impacting it was.

My son is autistic but he also suffers from severe anxiety and Executive Function Disorder. That means his memory isn't good at all. There's a lot to say about it but that's not why I'm mentioning it in my review. I'm mentioning it because every day I see the struggles he faces and I see how hard he fights and prevails and watching him grow has been an honor. So, to read Shelter the Sea and watch the evolution of Emmet and Jeremey was like watching my son.

Jeremey's depression is bad when this book starts and he's struggling and Emmet hates seeing the man he loves in pain and so he must find a way to make it better for Jeremey, so he does. The Roosevelt is in trouble, Darren is miserable in Icarus House and needs saving, there's money woes, and evil doers trying to stand in the Roosevelt Blues Brothers' way... and then there's Emmet. He shows incredible strength. He's so brilliant and he became my hero in this story, hell, in fiction!!!

I tried not to cry reading this but then there was the scene at the restaurant, with the mother, and the video Emmet made and... you'll know the scene when you get there. That did me in. I was all sobs and hiccups from there!

This is a tremendously wonderful series that grips you and pulls at you and when you walk away from it you're informed. You're connected to these amazing guys who are but fictitious characters speaking for the real deals out there. The ones who face what Emmet, Jeremey, Darren, and David face every day. In RJ King we see the enemy and the fighting that can never end so the RJ's can be defeated.

This is an amazing book that will touch your heart and soul and fill you with a deep understanding of true love and perseverance.

Book Of The Week: Imagines by N.R.Walker #Review

Author: NR Walker

Book: Imagines

Series: Imago #2

Self Published

Publication Date: April 8, 2017

Length: 147 pages

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Synopsis

Imagines is the Latin plural for Imago, and the only thing better than one metamorphosis, is two.

Jack Brighton and Lawson Gale have been together for six months and are very much in love. Lawson’s work ensuring the survival of the Tillman Copper is demanding as ever, and Jack’s work with the regeneration of the bushfire-ravaged national park is just as hectic.

When Jack suggests they take a short trip, Lawson agrees. But then he is offered a two-week research position in tropical Queensland to help determine why the Ulysses butterfly is on the decline. Figuring they could combine work and pleasure, Jack and Lawson go on their first vacation together.

Working alongside renowned professor Piers Bonfils isn’t easy. But personal and professional differences aside, Lawson is offered a more permanent role in Queensland. Torn between his new life in Tasmania with Jack and a dying species of butterfly he feels compelled to save, Lawson has to decide where his fate lies.

But fate changes the rules. On a research expedition into the depths of the rainforest, suddenly it's not only the butterflies’ existence that hangs in the balance

A butterfly’s life cycle never changes. From larvae to imago, their course is plotted by design. Jack and Lawson need to determine where they stand, if they live through it. Because the only thing more incredible than one imago is two.

Review

When I read Imago by N.R. Walker I was so blown away by the gorgeous writing, the imagery, and I learned a lot. Three things I crave in my books. So naturally, when she wrote a sequel to that, Imagines, I grabbed at it.

We still have Jack and Lawson here. Their adventure continues and in this one, they're more fighting to prevent the extinction of their relationship than anything else.

Again, the writing is brilliant and though the dialog is a bit more saccharine sweet in this one it was still great. Seeing Jack and Lawson's love was truly beautiful. I awww'd a lot. We really see the strength of these characters both individually and for their relationship.

There's danger, suspense, some uncertainty, parents, lots of butterfly kisses, and most importantly there's support and love. I adored what the title means. I don't want to tell you because my heart melted a bit when reading it. I want you to experience it.

This is a fabulous romance that'll keep you on your toes in all the best ways.

Book of the Week: Heart Unseen by Andrew Grey #Review

Author: Andrew Grey
Book: Heart Unseen
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Publication date: April 7, 2017
Cover Artist: LC Chase
Length: 200 pages

Synopsis
As a stunningly attractive man and the owner of a successful chain of auto repair garages, Trevor is used to attention, adoration, and getting what he wants. What he wants tends to be passionate, no-strings-attached flings with men he meets in clubs. He doesn't expect anything different when he sets his sights on James. Imagine his surprise when the charm that normally brings men to their knees fails to impress. Trevor will need to drop the routine and connect with James on a meaningful level. He starts by offering to take James home instead of James riding home with his intoxicated friend.

For James, losing his sight at a young age meant limited opportunities for social interaction. Spending most of his time working at a school for the blind has left him unfamiliar with Trevor's world, but James has fought hard for his independence, and he knows what he wants. Right now, that means stepping outside his comfort zone and into Trevor's heart.

Trevor is also open to exploring real love and commitment for a change, but before he can be the man James needs him to be, he'll have to deal with the pain of his past.

Buy Links

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

Review

I’ve noticed something interesting about author Andrew Grey. He writes imperfectly perfect characters. I’ve seen him write love stories for paraplegics, burn victims, characters with some sort of mental diagnosis, and now a character who is blind. I have to say; it’s very welcoming. It’s rare we see this for some reason but Andrew Grey doesn’t shy away from it, he embraces it.

Heart Unseen is a sweet and beautiful love story about a gorgeous man who gets anyone he wants just by winking at them and a man who can’t see him but knows he’s beautiful on the inside. I loved the whole concept of this story. I loved that James knew how gorgeous Trevor was from “seeing with his hands” as James’s cute nephew called it. But I loved even more that James fell in love with who Trevor was on the inside. James had it rough, with losing his sight at the age of twelve, he remembers what it was like to see. Andrew Grey touches on things about James that we may not think of. Like how cautious he has to be when he eats, how nothing can be moved on him, how all his senses are heightened. It was interesting seeing the world through James’s eyes.

Trevor had a heartbreaking past. One that turned him into the man-slut James falls in love with. It takes a while to get to what happened to Trevor but we do get there. It’s only in that revelation do we see how perfect these two are for each other and how grateful you feel that they found one another.

I enjoyed this book and all the dips and turns it took. A little action/suspense is thrown in there which was quite the exciting surprise. But ultimately this is a story about feeling love and trusting it.

Awesome book

Book of the Week: Strays Garrett Leigh #Review

Author: Garrett Leigh
Book: Strays
Series: Urban Souls #2
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist: G.D. Leigh
Publication date: March 27, 2017
Length: 266 pages



Synopsis

Work, sleep, work, repeat. Nero’s lonely life suits him just fine until his best friend, Cass, asks him to take on a new apprentice—a beautiful young man who’s never set foot in a professional kitchen. Despite his irritation and his lifelong ability to shut the world out, Nero is mesmerised by the vibrant stray, especially when he learns what drove him to seek sanctuary on Nero’s battered old couch.

Lenny Mitchell is living under a cloud of fear. Pursued by a stalker, he has nowhere left to run until Nero offers him a port in a storm—a job at the hottest restaurant in Shepherd's Bush. Kitchen life proves heady and addictive, and it’s not long before he finds himself falling hard and fast for the man who has taken him in.

Fast-forward a month and neither man can imagine life without the other, but one thing stands in their way: a lifetime of horrors Nero can’t bring himself to share with Lenny. Or can he? For the first time ever, happiness is there for the taking, and Nero must learn to embrace it before fate steps in and rips it away.

Buy Links

Riptide Publishing

Amazon

Review

Strays is the sequel to Garrett Leigh’s book Misfits. Now, you can read this as a standalone if you’d like but I have to say; the connections with Nero and Cass, Jake, and Tom is felt more in this because I read Misfits… So I’d recommend starting from the beginning.

Garrett Leigh loves to write broken men and she’s good at it. She puts them back together beautifully. If you read Misfits then you know who Nero is. In Strays, we actually get to delve deep into his head where the demons play in the darkness and haunt his dreams. He keeps his personal life to himself. Not even his best friend Cass knows all that lurks.

When Lenny is being stalked and it comes to the point that the cops won’t help and he’s scared to the point he can’t breathe; Cass steps in and asks Nero for some help. A famous fictitious wizard taught us that happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light… Well for Lenny, Nero is his light and happiness and Lenny is Nero’s. They find their happiness together and it was painful, emotional, and beautiful.

It’s very hard to read this book and not become entwined in Nero and Lenny’s lives. You become invested, you become angry for them. Each is robbed of something in this and to see this story evolve and come together in all its grittiness was perfectly done. Garrett’s ability to bring realism to fiction is one of the reasons I adore her work. Strays is brilliant and a must read!

Book of the Week: The Case of the Guilty Ghost by Amber Kell & RJ Scott #Review

Authors: Amber Kell & RJ Scott

Book: The Case of the Guilty Ghost

Series: End Street #6

Length: 111 pages

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK 

Synopsis

Bob is lost in grief, Sam is fighting for his life, and there is no middle ground. Can their love survive?

Bob is grieving over his brother’s sacrifice. Guilt-ridden and devastated, he buries himself in vampire mourning and pulls away from Sam.

Magic tears Sam from the vampire castle and he has to face new adversaries alone, when all he wants is Bob at his side.

Ettore is in the Aset Ka waiting room, next in line for the ceremony for his soul to be torn from his body. Aset Ka has other plans, and Ettore finds himself reunited with a lost love and fighting alongside his brother.

A forgotten past binds Theodore ‘Teddy’ McCurray Constantine III to Ettore, and with the curse tied to Ettore broken by his death, Teddy’s past returns to him with a vengeance.

A royal family in denial, a battle between gods, and long forgotten love leaves no time for Sam and Bob to take a breath. Is it too late to save the supernatural world?  

Review

Oh my word! I love this series. It’s all been building toward this one. I think it’s the final book in the series but never say never! 

Sam is the almighty power of the universe. As we’ve followed him from book one until now, we have seen his magic grow. And through it all we’ve asked why? What is the reason? Well, I can tell you all this; you’ll find out in this book. Your questions get answered and End Street meets its end game!

Bob, Ettore, Teddy, Smudge, Jin, Mal, Maliki, all of them are in for the fight of their lives and I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. This is extremely fast paced and over before you know it. If this is in fact the end of this series I am going to miss it terribly. 

We find out Teddy’s story, Ettore’s fate, and all the questions get answers; and I have to say, RJ and Amber really filled in the holes, gaps, and loose ends wonderfully. This very well might be my most favorite paranormal series out there. I want to go back and read them all again (and I am not a re-reader) because I want to see if I can pick up on the little things that in the end made all the difference. Each case Sam took on was vital to Sam’s purpose, his power, and ultimately his responsibility.

You have to read these books in order. They aren’t stand alone and you’ll miss out on a lot if you don’t

Huge bravo and standing ovation to these authors!

Book of the Week: There's This Guy by Rhys Ford #Review

Author: Rhys Ford
Book: There's This Guy
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Reece Notley
Publication date: March 17, 2017
Length: 200 pages

Synopsis

How do you save a drowning man when that drowning man is you?

Jake Moore’s world fits too tightly around him. Every penny he makes as a welder goes to care for his dying father, an abusive, controlling man who’s the only family Jake has left. Because of a promise to his dead mother, Jake resists his desire for other men, but it leaves him consumed by darkness.

It takes all of Dallas Yates’s imagination to see the possibilities in the fatigued Art Deco building on the WeHo’s outskirts, but what seals the deal is a shy smile from the handsome metal worker across the street. Their friendship deepens while Dallas peels back the hardened layers strangling Jake’s soul. It’s easy to love the artistic, sweet man hidden behind Jake’s shattered exterior, but Dallas knows Jake needs to first learn to love himself.

When Jake’s world crumbles, he reaches for Dallas, the man he’s learned to lean on. It’s only a matter of time before he’s left to drift in a life he never wanted to lead and while he wants more, Jake’s past haunts him, making him doubt he’s worth the love Dallas is so desperate to give him.

Buy Links

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

Review

There's This Guy is in Rhys Ford's own words, her attempt at writing a contemporary romance. I'm here to say that not only did she manage to write a fabulous contemporary romance, but it's done in her own unparalleled style of gorgeous writing, gritty and raw emotions, and characters you will fall head over heels in love with. Not to mention, you know in a Rhys Ford book, nothing will ever go quite like it's supposed to. There is some serious angst going on this book, no lie, but the darkness and the heaviness is rewarded with a love story that will melt your heart. Jake and Dallas, seemingly so opposite of one another, truly are meant to be together. 

In a way only Rhys Ford can manage, she's taken a man at quite literally, the end of his rope, and guides him on a path toward love. And not just the love for someone else, but love for himself as well. Jake is one of the most broken characters I've ever come across. His sense of self-worth is less than zero and his will to keep living each day is almost as low. After suffering years of physical and mental abuse at the hands of his father, he's barely more than a shell. Throw that in with some powerful conflicting feelings toward a deceased mother he adored almost as much as he feared and he's just a jumble of tangled emotions he can barely make sense of. Enter Dallas, who in all his giving glory, slowly becomes everything Jake needs and everything he's too afraid to want. Watching these two grow closer was something else. Dallas slowly and methodically, but with oh so gentle care and compassion, begins to break down Jake's walls to help him believe himself worthy of love ... and of a life lived the way he wants. 

I'm telling you guys, the feels this book evoked in me were so strong. From smiles to tears, I felt everything. Jake is so utterly broken and vulnerable but oh my god, I wanted to just give him a hug and tell him everything was going to be okay if only he'd just let himself be happy. And Dallas, gah, he's pretty much perfection, but not so much so he seems anything less than genuine. His family is fabulous (no one does tight knit families quite like Rhys Ford does) and Celeste ... well just wait until you meet her. She's something else and another person just waiting and wanting to love Jake. And we can't forget Evancho, Jake's boss and friend and the father figure Jake desperately needs in his life. 

There's This Guy is quintessential Rhys Ford. Writing that flows like water, imagery so vivid you can see, taste, smell every single thing, and a romance that while slow to build you can feel deep into your soul. There's no magic cure for Jake just because Dallas loves him. Ford never takes the easy way out with her characters and it's one of the things I appreciate most of all in her books. Her characters, lovable though they are, are always flawed and make mistakes. They're real people, just like you and me. I loved this book and I'm so SO happy Rhys stepped outside her comfort zone and pushed herself. From the welding that Jake does (which I found thoroughly fascinating) to the friendship between Dallas and Celeste, to friendship that morphs into a one of a kind love between Jake and Dallas, this book is firmly in place as one of my most favorite Rhys Ford books. That's saying something, isn't it? 

Book of the Week: Dyed and Gone to Heaven by Aimee Nicole Walker #Review

Author: Aimee Nicole Walker
Book: Dyed and Gone to Heaven
Series: Curl Up & Dye Mysteries #3
Self Published
Publication date: March 7, 2017
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Length: 238 pages

Synopsis
Gabe and Josh’s romantic dinner date to celebrate love and life takes a shocking twist when a man who’s presumed dead enters the restaurant. What Gabe learns that night and the days that follow sends the homicide investigation down a road full of sharp twists and dangerous turns.

Josh is finally living the life he's always wanted. He has a man who loves him just the way he is and an exciting new career opportunity. All of that feels threatened when a mysterious neighbor moves into the neighborhood. Josh is convinced his presence is more than a coincidence and questions what fate has in store for the happy couple.

Can Gabe find the balance between work and love or will his focus on justice put their harmony in jeopardy? Can Josh continue to overcome his insecurities or will they overshadow the beautiful life he’s building with the man he loves?

Dyed and Gone to Heaven is the third book in the Curl Up and Dye Mysteries series. These books were written to be read in order. They contain sexually explicit material and are intended for adults 18 and older.

Purchase on Amazon

Review

Dyed and Gone to Heaven is book three in Aimee Nicole Walker’s Curl Up and Dye Mysteries series. We’ve been following Josh and Gabe for a while now. The murders have been piling up and we all have been trying to connect all the dots. Well, it looks like we have come full circle and there’s an end game here.

I know there’s more to this series coming so that’s what keeps the tears at bay. These two have gone from fighting with each other constantly, to lusty, raw magnetic sex, to the best kind of love out there. I have loved every second of their journey. I love where their life is going together and when this book ended I admit I did a happy dance.

The secondary characters are all fabulous. We see Meredith and Chaz of course as well as SallyAnn and Adrian. There’s the town folk and Kyle aka Dr. Dimples. The addition of Emory and someone else (I'm not sure I can say who it may be a spoiler) was super pleasant and I can’t wait to see what happens next. 

Aimee has made us bust trying to find the crazy murderer and she wraps it all up well. Are there questions still lingering? Of course. But I get the impression that we’ll get those in the next book or others to come. I love the character growth in both Josh and Gabe throughout this series and where they got to in this book was fantastic.

The covers for this series have been hot and gorgeous. Jay Aheer has out done herself with them and they really add that extra something to the series as well.

I found the balance of mystery, fluff, grittiness, and realism to be perfect in this book as well as the entire series. Well done!

Book of the Week: Noah's Song by Jaclyn Osborn #Review

Author: Jaclyn Osborn
Book: Noah's Song
Publisher: Encompass Ink
Publication date: March 2, 2017
Length: 326 pages

Synopsis

Noah Derwin knows what it’s like to be different. Being a seventeen-year-old kid in high school with blue hair, piercings, a mostly all black wardrobe, and an obsession with zombies and video games, he doesn’t exactly blend in. But he never wanted to. His two dads raised him to always stay true to himself.

Bastian Hunter prefers structure and predictability. Suffering from a rare disease, every day is a challenge for him, and he prepares for the future by excelling academically and denying who he really is. Everything changes when he meets Noah, the unpredictable variable in the equation he’s built his life around, and feelings he's hid for so long begin to surface.

Being gay in high school isn’t exactly rainbows and butterflies, and Noah has definitely faced his fair share of bullies. Moving to Port Haven, Oregon opens up new possibilities for him, and he starts falling for the quiet, brown-eyed boy from his English class. Too bad the attraction is one-sided… or is it?

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Review

Where do I begin with this story? When I see the title of a book, before I even open it, I wonder what the author is trying to tell us with it. The title is Noah’s Song and this book is as beautiful as you can imagine.

Told completely in Noah’s POV we follow this blue haired wonder as he navigates a new school, in a new town, while dragging around a lot of weight. He suffers from anxiety and severe depression and though you may think he drags ass through the book all emo, you’d be wrong.

 Noah finds beauty in a square, art in a foggy day, and love in a deaf, nerdy, drama guy who loves math.

I cried throughout this book. I cried for the power of love it held. I cried for joy and sadness. I cried in frustration for these characters, and cried when I closed the book.

Jaclyn Osborn manages to bring you into Noah’s family. She allows you into his beautiful blue haired boy brain. You’re forced to love zombies because that’s what Noah loves and by the end you’re okay with that. He has his bouts of depression and anxiety but he’s about living in the moment, hoping for forever, and embracing the positive. I loved all those qualities about him.

Bastian is special. He’s brilliant, nerdy hot, driven, and he falls head over heels for Noah. Though his home life is way different than Noah’s, it was interesting seeing the two different lifestyles mingle until they just melded together.

Secondary characters are vital here! From Jase, Noah’s brother, to Evan, Bastian’s best friend. All these characters are like the backup dancers to Noah and Bastian’s kick a** performance.

I want more of these guys. I’d love to see how things go for them after high school and I’m a bit curious about Maverick. That’s a character who needs his own story too!

It’s a terrific book. I very highly recommend it!