The Sun and the Moon by Ratts

The Sun and the Moon by Ratts

In a world where vampires rule and everyone else serves them, Edward Masen lives a privileged life. He runs a successful plantation and is much beloved by all of his slaves, which consist of shapeshifters. When he comes across a special shifter, an alpha wolf, he is mesmerized. His body and his feelings betray all logic and societal norms as he finds himself drawn to the beautiful creature. Jacob, who witnessed his entire family murdered before his eyes, has been consistently mistreated and abused since he was ripped from his life in the woods. He is leery of the young vampire who takes him in, but is surprised by Edward's kindness and generocity. Jacob is also surprised by his growing feelings and protectiveness towards the vampire. Will Edward and Jacob finally give in to their feelings or will they continue to butt heads in an effort to exert dominance over one another?

This story is truly captivating. Ratts' writing is beautiful as she thrusts readers into this interesting world of class, status and wealth. Edward comes off as arrogant, conceited and at times bratty, but he also has a good heart, as evidenced by the treatment of his slaves. Emmett, Paul and Seth are absolutely adorable characters! The little vampling and puppies always manage to steal the show with their sweet dispositions and childlike innocence.

~ M

Book Review: Something Rich and Strange by Helen Louise Caroll

3.25 stars

This is a sweet story about the god, Poseidon, who lives amongst mortals. His life may soon becoming to an end, like many other gods before him, but he's determined to fight it tooth and nail. When he finds himself attracted to an unlikely choice, he just lets go and enjoys the ride, both literally and figuratively. Greg has admired Poseidon (aka Max) ever since they started working together eight months ago. He's completely surprised by the fact that Max, who is extremely handsome and fit, would find him, with his small pot belly and love handles, attractive and desirable.

Even though the story pretty much takes place over the course of one evening, it was a sweet and fluffy read. The book could have used a good editor; the typos and word choices were a little distracting.

Buy Something Rich and Strange here and here.

~ M

Heaven, Hell and Purgatory by twilight mum69

Heaven, Hell and Purgatory by twilight mum69

Carlisle has just recently recovered from a horrific beating that left him partially blind and hard of hearing. Coming back to work at the club where it all happened is difficult, but he's determined to move forward. When he waits on Edward and his friends, he's immediately attracted to the quiet and handsome stranger. Edward is tired of hiding who he truly is. He doesn't want to disappoint his family, but hiding in the closet is suffocating. As Edward and Carlisle interact and learn more about each other, they find they have a lot of common, and their chemistry is off the charts. They both set out to live their lives the best way they know how - together.

This one-shot is so, so good! My heart went out to Carlisle as he tried to acclimate himself to the club scene once again after enduring such a traumatic experience, and Edward's inner turmoil over his sexuality, and coming to terms with it, was realistically portrayed. Seeing the two skittish men open up to each other was a real treat and the ending result warmed my heart! Highly recommended read!

~ M

Book Review: Just a Little Unwell by Iyana Jenna

3.5 stars

Patrick is happy with his simple life. Even though he doesn't have many friends, he loves to tend his garden and can always count on Chad, his pet cockroach, to be there. When Patrick meets a new neighbor, Damien, he is overjoyed and makes a point to become friends with the polite and kind man. However, things aren't quite as they seem and soon Patrick must deal with an entirely new reality: one that's scary, confusing and frustrating.

I must admit that I was slightly confused at the beginning of the short story; however, all of that changed as I continued to read. I don't want to give away the plot, but I was pleasantly surprised by the haunting, painful, yet hopeful tones of the story. Iyana Jenna only reveals small snippets of each of the MCs lives and personalities at a time, but with each new reveal they become more complex and interesting.

My biggest complaint would be that I wish there was more of this story. I would love to know more about Patrick and Damien, their pasts and future.

The author provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Buy Just a Little Unwell here and here.

~ M

CLOSED - Book Giveaway! Same Page (How the Light Gets In #1) by Lily Velden

BOOK GIVEAWAY - CLOSED

Update (6/14/13): Congratulations, kirifox! I hope you enjoy your copy!

Here's your chance to win a copy of Lily Velden's latest release, Same Page! Entering is easy! Read my most recent interview with Lily and answer the following question in the comment section (please be sure to include your email address with your answer).

Lily Velden's ideal life would consist of what two things?

The winner, who answers the question correctly, will be chosen at random. The giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. (EST) June 13, 2013.

Good luck!

~ M

Author Spotlight: Lily Velden Releases Same Page (How the Light Gets In #1) June 14th

I had the opportunity to interview Lily Velden, author of Gay as Mardi Gras, once again as she prepares for the release of her second book, Same Page (How the Light Gets In #1). It's always fun to chat with Lily, so I hope you enjoy reading this interview as much as I enjoyed conducting it! :)

~*~*~*~

Your latest book, Same Page, will be released June 14th. What was your inspiration for the story?

How I wish I could encapsulate it for you in just a sentence, M! I’m afraid it’s going to take me a bit longer than that! Fancy a writer wanting to blather on!!! What’s the world coming to???

I’ve always loved to read. I believe through a well-crafted story, told with a bit of imagination, you can go any place in the universe and beyond. Because of my fascination with the written word, I started, as a teen, keeping a notebook filled with phrases, passages from novels, poems, quotes, and song lyrics that appealed to me. You name it, if I liked the sentiments, I wrote it down. I won’t tell you how many of those notebooks I’ve filled—it’s a tad embarrassing—but let’s just say, it’s a few!

I always have at least one on me and if I’m waiting for a train, or having a coffee by myself, I’ll pull out my current notebook and flip through its pages. There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets, which are two lines of lyrics from a song by Leonard Cohen called, Anthem was added to my notebook when I was in my late twenties and my life had hit a rough patch. Have you ever noticed how, sometimes, a song, book, movie etc., comes into your life at just the right time? Well, those two sentences resonated with me so much they have been transcribed into each and every one of my notebooks for the last twenty years. It’s been two decades, but I still get the same feeling when I hear them repeated.  If that’s not a testimony to the power of the written word, I don’t know what is. Those words make me feel okay about being less than perfect. They make me feel okay about being a bit damaged and broken and scarred by life.

When I was going through a tough time a few years back, I read them umpteen times a day. They inspired me to sit down and write, not only my own story, but that of Jaxon and Liam. Two men: a little flawed, a little quirky, and a whole lot of wonderful. They’re not perfect—they each come with their insecurities and their frailties, but they also come with their humor and strength. Don’t we all? No, the boys aren’t perfect, far from it, but they are perfect together.

Book Review: La Cala by N. Wood

3.5 stars

Lance McCarthy decides to vacation in Ibiza to relax, soak up the sun's rays and hopefully hook up with some hot guys. Choosing the location because of it's gay-friendly attitude, Lance is able to truly be himself and relax fully. While at a club one evening, he literally bumps into Malachy Walsh (a.k.a. Mack). Their attraction for one another is instant, and before they know it, they're in each other's arms and in Lance's bed. For the rest of their stay in paradise, they are inseparable as they get to know each other better and enjoy each other's company.

This is a very sweet and quick read that will bring a smile to your face. The MCs are very likable, and I enjoyed watching their relationship grow and deepen. If you're looking for an easy, angst-free romance, La Cala is the book for you!

Buy La Cala here.

~ M