Three Book Reviews: Agamemnon Frost Trilogy by Kim Knox

Reviewed by Heather C

SERIES: Agamemnon Frost Trilogy
AUTHOR: Kim Knox
BOOKS: 3
PUBLISHER: Carina Press

Agamemnon Frost and the House of Death (Book One, Agamemnon Frost Trilogy)

BLURB: Liverpool, 1891

Decorated artilleryman Edgar Mason was forced to find new work when the British Empire replaced its foot soldiers with monstrous machines. Now he waits on the Liverpool elite as a personal servant. He has just one rule: he won’t work for fashion-addled dandies.

Agamemnon Frost, however, is far from the foppish man-about-town he appears to be. He’s working to protect the Earth from an alien invasion being planned by a face-changing creature known as Pandarus. And on the night he plans to confront the aliens, he enlists Mason to assist him.

For a man to love a man is a serious crime in Victorian England. But when Mason meets Frost, his heart thunders and his blood catches fire. And when Pandarus drags the two men into the torture cellars beneath his house of death to brainwash them, Mason’s new passion may be all that stands between him and insanity.

REVIEW:

Okay, this was crazy!

The cover is what first drew my interest to this story, but when I originally read the blurb for this, I was immediately turned off by the Victorian England-slash-alien invasion concept.  Then, something kept pulling me back to it over and over, and when I finally realized it would be a trilogy, I decided to give it a try.

It’s Liverpool in 1891, and Edgar Mason, a former soldier, has been hired for the night to play manservant to Agamemnon Frost, a well-dressed gentleman *cough* and guest at Sir Randolph’s dinner party.  Mason soon realizes that ALL things aren’t what they seem and the two men soon find themselves on the run…from Martians!

I’m going to separate my review into parts: first half and second half…

For the first half, the entire first half, I was so lost and confused I almost gave up.  There was a lot of “alien speak” and I couldn’t figure out what the other characters were going on and on about.  Plus, all the Greek references were lost on me.  I couldn’t visualize any of the alien contraptions, nor could I picture what the bad guys were doing to the MC.  It was like all this was written for a higher level of intelligence and my measly, human brain could not comprehend the complexity of it.  Like I said, it was a real struggle for me to continue reading.

Then, for the second half, like right AT the 50% mark, something changed, and all of a sudden, it was making sense and I was really interested in what was going to happen.  The story was still crazy, but by then, it was a fun crazy in a creative and unique way.  I now believe that the beginning was meant to be confusing and hard to follow, since we are getting the story from Mason’s third person POV, and not necessarily a poor execution from the author.

My favorite part of this story was the sexual tension between Mason and Agamemnon.  There’s lots of heat there that I really hope will finally reach a climax in the next book. (Yes, I can’t wait to read it; I must find out what happens).  I am really, really intrigued by Agamemnon and want to know more of his secrets; and I want to know what’s really going on in Mason’s head.

I’m giving this one 3 stars for the fact that it failed to hold my interest for a large part of the story.

Don’t let the historical aspects scare you if that’s not usually your thing, because the feel of the story is more science fiction, alternate universe.

Heather rates it –

BUY LINKS: Carina Press :: Amazon

Agamemnon Frost and the Hollow Ships (Book Two, Agamemnon Frost Trilogy)

BLURB: Edgar Mason is ready to embark upon his new life at Agamemnon Frost’s side. But all is not perfect. His Martian overlord, Pandarus, has implanted a dark voice in his mind, a voice that urges betrayal. And though Mason can keep close to Frost, there’s little room for romance under the watchful gaze of the engineers from Station X.

That changes when Mason and Frost reopen their investigation into their old enemy’s whereabouts. Posing as double agents and investigating cryptic rumors of “hollow ships,” they find him impersonating a London banker and worm their way into his confidence.

But their success brings them trouble in spades. Pandarus takes them into the belly of his ships, where he plans to transfigure them into mindless automata. And with Earth on the brink of invasion, Frost’s old flame Theodora reappearing and Pandarus’s brainwashing growing more effective, Mason and Frost will find their bond tested as never before.

REVIEW:

I’ve come to the conclusion that science fiction just might not be the genre for me.

So, Mason is still trying to adapt to his “changes” and is working as Frost’s valet, but now they are stuck at Station X and really can’t explore any of that unresolved sexual tension that’s been building up between them.  Mason is also still struggling with the whispers in his mind that keep telling him that Frost is a traitor and urging him to report that to his master.  Nestor decides that Mason and Frost need to go check out the “hollow ships” and see if they can find Pandarus.  And that’s where things begin to fall apart…

I didn’t think it was possible, but this story was even more difficult for me to follow than the first one.  I couldn’t picture ANYTHING that was happening to the characters or the setting around them.  There were chambers, and spikes and ships made out of human skin…I think.  It was all over the place!  Mason kept thinking he was dying and then he would wake up and I would be even more lost. Then, I think there may have been some kind of time travel to an earth made of living skin…or was it dead skin?  I have no idea because then it was gone…I think.

The sexual tension/romance was much more lacking here than in the first book.  Previously, Frost was all ready to fuck Mason, and then when he finally has a chance, he turns him down!  But not before giving Mason a hand job that I couldn’t even see in my head. And Mason keeps going on and on about how Frost needs to be with his former fiancée, Theodora, even though Frost has told him over and over that he wants Mason and not her.

I struggled reading this from the first page to the last, but I’m still going to read the third book to see how this mess ends.

Heather rates it – 

BUY LINKS: Carina Press :: Amazon :: All Romance eBooks

PRE-RELEASE REVIEW: Agamemnon Frost and the Crown of Towers (Book Three, Agamemnon Frost Trilogy)

BLURB: Edgar Mason is losing Agamemnon Frost despite everything they’ve been through–the passion, the torture, the heat. Frost’s fiancée, Theodora, is back, and Mason can feel his lover gravitating toward her. Every day he sees them together, it tears at his heart.

Frost feels raw himself. His brother and sister-in-law are missing, and his guilt about failing to save Theodora from Pandarus eats at him. His feelings for Mason, whom he has put through hell twice already, just twist the screws tighter.

On top of that, Pandarus and the Martians are back to make their final push to Earth, and Frost and Mason are duty bound to fight them. People are vanishing. Bodies are turning up burned beyond recognition in the slums. The bleak, human-less future Frost and Mason saw in the hollow ships has nearly come to pass.

And in order to prevent it, each man will have to make a final choice: lose his lover or doom the world.

REVIEW:

Probably my most favorite book of the series and the most coherent…for the most part.

After rescuing Theodora, Mason and Frost are now protecting her at Frost’s home, Greenbank Hall, and trying to keep the darkness in her mind from taking over. Then, Frost’s brother, Menelaus, and his wife go missing and Frost decides he must take action against Pandarus and discover what the puzzle of The Crown of Towers really is, and choosing between Mason or Theodora’s safety.

For about the first 75% of this book, I was really liking it and was able to follow what was going on.  We get to see more of Frost’s vulnerabilities when it comes to the safety of Theodora; and Mason’s jealousy of Frost’s “engagement” to her.  We also get to see a resolution to all the sexual tension between Mason and Frost…and it’s totally HOT!!

For the last 25% of the book and the big climax where earth is saved from the invading Martians, well, this is where I got confused again and I’m still not sure I understand what really happened. Somehow Mason was the brain of Pandarus’s ship and then Frost’s cravat pin somehow becomes the key to saving the world. Huh?

In the end, Mason and Frost are free from Pandarus and Theodora and can now live happily ever after.

So probably, this kind of science fiction just isn’t for me.

Heather rates it –

BUY LINKS: Carina Press :: Amazon :: All Romance eBooks

==================================
Heather C. is one of the official reviewers on The Blog of Sid Love.

To read all her reviews, click the link: HEATHER’S REVIEWS
==================================

Book Review: Signal to Noise by Talya Andor

Reviewed by Nina

TITLE: Signal to Noise
AUTHOR: Talya Andor
PUBLISHER: Less Than Three Press
LENGTH: 194 pages, 65,000 words approx.
BLURB: It’s been three years since the Incursion; three long years since Bastian and his twin brother Theo became the sole survivors on the planet Noise. Their distress calls have gone unanswered, and they are running out of supplies. They have no one but each other. And when the long-awaited rescue finally arrives, it brings with it complications that make being alone and forgotten look easy.

REVIEW:

The premise of this book is nothing short of amazing. Twincest? Not-too-hardcore sci-fi? A tiny bit of horror? Sign me up. I’m happy to say the execution mostly lived up to the novel’s promise.

This can’t be a long review, because the book is short and the story is full of small and big twists. All I’m going to do is talk about some of the things I liked and about a few I didn’t.

To start with, I loved the characters. They are all easy to distinguish and have a very characteristic personality. From the twins to Captain Bane, from Lucky to Ventura (oh, Ventura), Striker, Millena; despite the shortness of this book, I grew to love them all – and mourn some of them, as was expected, because you can’t put a dozen people in the middle of what is virtually an alien minefield waiting to mass-explode and have them all get out of it unscathed, can you?

They’re well-rounded and ambiguous, and they had me second guessing myself and them and biting my nails, fearing their actions almost as much as I did the Armors’; their personalities are basically one large swathe of grey, with little almost-white corners of compassion in the hearts of the most ruthless of them and tiny black holes of prejudice where compassion is supposed to reign. Their dynamics are rich and varied, also due to the fact that they’re essentially cooped up together in a relatively small space for days on end, creating friction and tensions.

The twins’ character development, weirdly, is the most lacking. Both Theo and Bastian have clearly defined and extremely likeable personalities, but the reader ends up spending more time with the “rescue” (yes, I am so teasing you) team than with the people who are supposed to be the main characters. Their romance is already in full swing and most definitely not unstable when the story begins, so it is far from being the focus of this novel.

On to the sci-fi part of the equation. People, the Armors? I won’t say they scared RL-me, but book-me was quaking in her boots, particularly since I might have a tiny smidge of entomophobia. These creatures have all the repulsiveness and numerousness of insects, but they’re also big and possessed of actual decent-sized brains. Think it can’t possibly get any more horrific? That’s what I thought too, at the beginning. But they can, and they will.

It’s all good, really, not counting some minor niggles. Except for the sex scenes.

I never thought I’d do this, but I skimmed. Why were they so cringe-worthy? Was it the purple prose? (Possibly.) Was it the vein-clogging sweetness? (Just as probable.) Was it the incongruousness of frantic, hormonal teenage loving in the middle of a Planet Federation-proportioned alien invasion? (Very likely.) Whichever of these it was, I just. Couldn’t. Do it.

Apart from that, the romance itself is not fleshed out – it just is, was for years, and will be for years to come. There’s no question as to why, or how (though both are quite obvious, considering how Theo and Bastian spent their early adolescence). The twins’ protectiveness of each other is heartwarming, particularly since it’s easy to see how young they are, yet how battle-hardened, but short scenes showcasing exactly that are pretty much all there is to their love story.

One last complaint I have is that there were scenes, feelings, situations that would have made for a much more satisfying experience had they been explored more in depth – and there was plenty of space to do that, given the length of this book.

Summing up, this is not a romance. It’s a short sci-fi story with a colourful cast, nerve-wrecking tension and horrific baddies, with a minor subplot involving a gay couple. Don’t go into this expecting a grand love story, because you won’t get that. What you can expect is entertainment and tension – which I enjoyed immensely, which in turn is why this 3.5 star rating will be rounded up to 4 on GR. And I’m not usually that generous.

Nina rates it –

BUY LINKS: Less Than Three Press :: Amazon

==================================
Nina is one of the official reviewers on The Blog of Sid Love.

To read all her reviews, click the link: NINA’S REVIEWS
=====================================================

Book Review: Patient Z by Becky Black

Reviewed by Elizabetta

TITLE: Patient Z
AUTHOR: Becky Black
PUBLISHER: Loose Id Publication
LENGTH: 265 pages
BLURB: Two years ago the zombie apocalypse wiped out the world police officer Mitch Kennedy had a role in. But he’s found a way to continue doing his duty, serving as guardian of a small community of survivors, living in the safest place they can find. When the group takes in Cal Richardson Mitch can’t help but be attracted to the first available—and incidentally, gorgeous—man to cross his path in months.

Mitch and Cal can’t resist each other physically, but each man tries to hold back his emotions. Though he’s strong on the outside, Mitch is too badly hurt inside to risk more pain. Cal’s very sure he won’t stay for long. He’s been a drifter all his life and it came naturally to him to survive alone after civilization fell. He’s sure this is a temporary stopover for him. He has no intention of becoming emotionally involved with a cop who is certain to despise Cal when he learns the truth about him.

The longer Cal stays the stronger his urge to run, but the harder it becomes to give up the safety of the community and his new friends. The harder it becomes to give up Mitch.

REVIEW:

An offshore oil rig, near the southern US coast, is the setting for this zombie action thriller. This is a clever plot device, it’s what I’d do post-disaster, head for an island or some other structure that gives distance to the moldering mob. It seems that zombies suck at navigating boats and climbing ladders. But, is the rig as safe as it would seem?

For two years the world has been under a zombie takeover. The disease is spread by an infected human biting a non-infected; zombies are only interested in uninfected people, they ignore each other, and their numbers have been increasing. Mitch Kennedy, a cop back in the normal days, has learned how to evade the zombies, he has set up the oil rig as a fortress-haven for himself and a small group of very self-sufficient women and small children. They have learned to survive by carefully scrounging the countryside in well-planned excursions, for supplies, medicine and weapons. More importantly, they have a doctor on board who may have found a vaccination for the zombie pathogen, and it is paramount that her work continue.

There used to be other men on the rig, but when they started sexually harassing the women, they were booted off. In particular, Ethan, who heads up his own on-shore gang of marauding fellow meat-heads. Mitch and his “harem” have learned to live comfortably on the rig and have trained themselves to stave off vicious attacks by Ethan’s gang. Mitch is the only guy left onboard not only because he is a trusted leader but because he is gay and does not pose a sexual threat to the women. It isn’t until they rescue Cal, mysteriously adrift in a small boat found near the rig, that there is hope for Mitch finding someone he can be with. The plot gets messy because Mitch is a stand-up guy, looking for commitment where Cal is, literally, the drifter with a shady past who’s aim is to keep on the move.

The enemies in this story aren’t so much the zombies, but the fellow non-infected humans who covet what Mitch battles to keep safe— the women and rig. The author sets up the well-used premise that in a post-apocalyptic world, mankind can be its own worse enemy, so there is nothing really new here. But, the action is great; the dangerous on-land excursions and confrontations with Ethan’s gang have good suspense built in. And having to kill zombies that one may have known previously poses some ethical issues.

Along with the colorful setting there are a lot of wins here. It’s when the story focuses on Mitch and Cal, together, that it drags a bit for me. They’re nice enough guys, and their characters are well-drawn, but I just don’t find their pairing that compelling. It seems like a set up of convenience where they have to be attracted to each other by their both happening to be gay and the ‘last gay man on earth’ or close to it. So, the romance seems a bit forced to me. Still, this was a fun action/adventure zombie read and I would recommend it for those who like this genre.

Elizabetta’s Rating:

BUY LINK: Loose Id Store  ::  All Romance eBooks  ::  Book Store

==================================
Elizabetta is one of the official reviewers on The Blog of Sid Love.

To read all her reviews, click the link: ELIZABETTA’S REVIEWS
=====================================================

Check out all our recommended books in Sid Love’s eBook Store:
Recommended Books

(Support this site and buy the books from my A-store)

Book Review: Cloak & Silence by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Reviewed by Heather C.

TITLE: Cloak & Silence (Book #6)
SERIES: The League
AUTHOR: Sherrilyn Kenyon
PUBLISHER: Sherrilyn Kenyon
LENGTH: 171 Pages
BLURB: One of the fiercest soldiers the Phrixians have ever produced, Maris Sulle has been an outsider the whole of his life. He grew up with a secret that cost him everything- His birthright, his family and his military career. In all his life, he’s only had one love and he has sacrificed his own happiness to see his best friend reunited with the woman he loves. But now that his good deed is done, he feels lost and adrift. Even though they do their best to include him in their new family, he’s once again on the outside looking in.

Ture has spent his life hiding from everyone around him while trying desperately to fit in. His family, the world, you name it. Badly hurt by everyone he’s ever known, he trusts no one except his own best friend. And honestly, he can’t understand why he trusts her. Nor can he believe her when she describes a loyalty between friends the likes of which he’s never seen.

But when he is in his darkest hour, he’s saved by a hero he thought only existed in novels. A man who is every bit as scarred and mistrusting as he is. One who has no interest in being dragged into another relationship with anyone.

Having spent his life as a living study of doomed relationships, Maris is well aware of the courtship and fiasco that invariably follows. Still, there is something about Ture he can’t resist. Something that won’t let him walk away when he knows he should.

But when old enemies return to threaten them both, they either have to stand together or die alone.

REVIEW:

I’ve been waiting for Maris and Ture’s story for soooooo long! I was so excited to read it, but also a little nervous because it is this author’s first male/male romance. In the end, I wasn’t disappointed!

Cloak & Silence begins during the Born of Silence timeline in the middle of the big climactic scene near the end and finishes before the epilogue.

For almost all his life, Maris Sulle, the effeminate lethal assassin, has been in love with is best friend Darling Cruel. Throughout the series, we all (except for Maris) have believed that Darling was gay, but all his secrets came out in his book Born of Silence when he married a woman, Zarya. Previously, the one and only person who has always been there for Darling was Maris, and vice versa. But now, Darling is married, and Maris is feeling very lonely. That is, until he meets Ture…who happens to be Zarya’s best friend. But Maris’s heart still belongs to Darling…for now.

I’m not going to go into all the specifics of the plot. If you read Born of Silence, then you know how Maris and Ture met and you know they get a HEA. If you haven’t read any books in this series, then I suggest you DO NOT attempt to read this as a stand alone…this is a complicated series with a lot of characters that even gets me a little confused at times.

Now, on to my impressions…

I really enjoyed this story; it still had the feel of reading any other book by this author and fit well with the style of this series. Of course, there were plenty of action/fighting scenes with another of Kenyon’s classic scarred and tortured heroes. Yes, Maris had a lot of secrets…these may have been revealed in the previous book, but I just can’t remember. He does have few shocking revelations about being a Phrixian! Wow, I never saw that coming! And he was able to trust Ture with this, which I thought was very sweet. There was a lot of sweetness in this book, and to be honest, it kind of felt like insta-love to me. Well, it was insta-love for Ture, Maris was the hold out til the end. Eh, but I still enjoyed the romance aspects.

I liked how the dynamics of Maris’s character were portrayed. Initially, I had trouble imagining him being this flamboyant, flirty guy one minute and then the scary, ass kicker the next. But once the details of his heritage and past were told…it made perfect sense; I still love Maris and all his inappropriate banter. And then there was Ture, not much I can say about him, because he’s not a very unique character. Ture saw and accepted Maris for who he was and didn’t judge his purely platonic relationship with Darling.

Now to the big question. How was the sex? Hmm, well on the hotness scale, I think it ranked somewhere in the middle. I was hoping for it to be a bit more explicit, but I think for the primary intended audience it was probably appropriate. There is one thing I was hoping for that I didn’t get… (keep reading)

My biggest compliant with this book is the length! There was so much going on that everything felt rushed. It was moving along at a decent pace, then BAM so much was happening crammed into the last 25%. Maybe I’m just being picky, but I wanted more, more, more of these guys! 😦

My second complaint is that it was a bit predictable. There was no big, shocking twist that had my jaw dropping. 😦

And my third complaint is that there was no sex in the water!! I was hoping to read that for most of the book after the heavy foreshadowing! But it never happened. 😦

So, overall, this was a fun read, and I was mostly happy with the outcome. I’m really looking forward to Born of Fury which I believe will be Hauk’s story…maybe we will see more of Maris and Ture.

I recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed The League Series. And for those who haven’t read it and who enjoy m/f paranormal romance with a sci-fi influence…try Born of Night first.

Heather’s Rating:

BUY LINK: Book Store

==================================
Heather C. is one of the official reviewers on The Blog of Sid Love.

To read all her reviews, click the link: HEATHER’S REVIEWS
=====================================================

Book Review: Hell’s End by Ally Blue

Review by Elizabetta

TITLE: Hell’s End
SERIES: Hellscape
AUTHOR: Ally Blue
PUBLISHER: Samhain Publishing
BLURB: Rebellion, war and survival. Love’s a bitch.

Tuck’s a Gutter, one of a gang of violent orphans running level thirty-six of Hell’s End, the solar system’s outermost space station. There’s only one way out of this brotherhood of blood—grow up and be killed and eaten by other Gutters.

Tuck barely escapes his death sentence, only to fall prey to the powerful L’arisian family. Rescue from a L’arisian whorehouse never happens, but rescued he is, and by Gov soldiers no less. Alone among the enemy, Tuck trusts only one person—the man who risked everything to pluck him to safety.

Ivan’s a soldier. No more, no less. But the disquieting things he learns about the Government’s plans for the Gutter kid have him doing the one thing a soldier shouldn’t do. Think about doing what’s right instead of what he’s told. All for a guy he can’t get out of his head.

Getting involved in a rebellion that might get them killed is a problem. Falling in love? That’s a disaster in the making.

REVIEW:

Hell’s End starts strong with its depiction of a dark, dystopian future-world where anarchy reigns supreme. A multilevel deep-space station is the backdrop for a story about power struggle. Some of the station levels are home to regular folk. Some are fierce battlegrounds where ‘Families’—the Sorensen, L’arisian, Ortega and McDougal clans, feud for supremacy. Factor into this the Government (Gov), the secretive, corrupt, evil, villain of the story whispered to have experimented with genetic and psychological modifications on adults and children. Some have been chosen, willingly or not, for their enhanced physical, mental or extrasensory abilities, to act as clandestine agents. Of course, where there is an evil ruling body, there has to be a rebellion— in this case a rag-tag group of fighters unhappy with the repressive regime.

Enter Tucker, member of the vicious Gutter gang, a group of street kids ranging from toddler to young adult. They live on the edge, roaming the station levels, looting, wreaking havoc and just trying to stay alive. They are orphans, abandoned or lost from their families, who have formed their own nest. For some reason when a Gutter ‘comes of age’ (unspecified, but I’m guessing around eighteen-years-old) they are ousted, hunted, and eaten by the other members of the gang. Hey, it’s the future, and food is scarce. It’s never clear what triggers this expulsion, but Tucker’s time has come. Lucky for him, the Gov had sent in hunky soldier, Ivan, to the rescue just in the nick of time, from a gutting and spit-roasting. It seems that Tucker has something the Government wants and needs. He is a valuable commodity. And anyone can be conscripted to work for the cause. As long as they want to stay alive, that is. To add further interest, the rebellion also has its eye on both Tucker and Ivan.

So, here we have an intriguing premise with a hard-core anti-hero who has defied all odds for survival. Unfortunately, the story starts to lose steam. Boy meets boy, lust ensues, and there is much hand-holding and stolen kisses. All good and dandy but it seems it’s mostly convenience that keeps Tucker and Ivan together. And we meander from the dark desperation of this dystopia waiting in the wings, to our heroes, sweet as they are, waiting for something to happen. Tucker, with his mysterious super ability, is relegated to an administrative position, of all things (is this how you treat a talented, ninja dude?), putting the kibosh on any real double-agent super-sleuthing for the rebellion. We are given a lot of secondary characters, mostly in the rebellion, but none of them are more than sketched-out figures. In fact, the most interesting side characters are not human. Creepy predators, the engineered “nanobots,” remind me of the ‘Borg’ from the Star Trek TV show— creatures of the hive mind.  So, our MC’s Ivan and Tucker, continue to moon after each other, looking for something to do. And then, Boom. About two-thirds of the way into the plot things lurch into high gear and we finally get some interesting action. Tucker finally comes into his own. I only wish this could have happened earlier. Here, we have an interesting premise that loses its way mid-story and seems stronger in its parts than in its whole.

I’ve read other stuff by this author and enjoyed it. The ‘Bay City Paranormal Investigations’ series is fun and well done— I found the writing there better put together. Still, sci-fi lovers who want some sexy boy action mixed in will find something to like in “Hell’s End” but patience is required.

Elizabetta’s Rating:

BUY LINK: Book Store

 

==================================
Elizabetta is one of the official reviewers on The Blog of Sid Love
=====================================================

Check out all our recommended books in Sid Love’s eBook Store:
Recommended Books

(Support this site and buy the books from my A-store)

GIVEAWAY #11: LAURA HARNER (CLOSED)

The Blog of Sid Love is hosting a giveaway event for the readers and fans. This is your chance to win some FREE ebooks – written by some well known M/M authors! The event which began on 15th April, 2013, is now almost about to end. Currently, “RJ Scott”, “G.A. Hauser”, “S.L. Danielson”, “Nephylim” and their books are featured for this purpose.

Chris Quinton’s giveaway contest has ended. I wish to thank all those who took part in that giveaway and also, good luck to you! The winners of all the giveaways will be announced on May 1, 2013 and the books will be sent out to you by May 2! Till then, enjoy the on-going and upcoming giveaways…

Giveaway Contests that are still on:

RJ SCOTT: GIVEAWAY #8 (ENDS TODAY @ 11:59 PM)
G.A. HAUSER: GIVEAWAY #9
S.L. DANIELSON/NEPHYLIM: GIVEAWAY #10

And now, please welcome LAURA HARNER!

Laura likes it hot, which helps explain why she ended up Arizona after living in such diverse places as Japan, New Orleans, Maine, and Florida. She once enjoyed hobbies such as gardening and travel. Now the characters in her head compel her to tell their stories to her readers, so she writes.

She shares her home with her husband and youngest son, a dog and a cat. Laura writes under the names L.E. Harner for her MMF ménage and MM erotica. She writes under the name Laura E. Harner for everything else. Her books can be found at All Romance eBooks, Barnes and Noble,  Amazon, and other online retailers.

Thanks for hosting this fantastic giveaway, Sid—I’m truly honored to be here, especially with such a stellar line up of authors. As my contribution to the giveaway, I’m bringing my whole backlist for readers to choose any single title from OR…both books from my Pulp Friction series, Triple Threat OR…the entire Willow Springs Ranch Series.

Pulp Friction

Late last year, I was chatting with my friends and fellow authors, Havan Fellows, Tom Webb, and Lee Brazil, when we got to talking about hard-boiled detectives and the rich history of serials and pulp fiction.

With dirty minds and good intentions, the idea of creating a little PULP FRICTION for our readers was born.

Why Pulp Friction? We wanted to pay homage to the golden days of story telling, when talk was cheap and so were the women…. Okay, not exactly, but close. We all loved the idea of telling a great story for a fair price. We also know that readers love a well-developed character, and when that character steps out of his own book and into another—double bonus.

Our Pulp Friction Books (PFB) group has three lines we publish:

Sweet Exchange – short, sweet romances;

Heated Exchange – hot, naughty, with a promise of leaving you satisfied for now;

Pulp Friction– Four discrete mystery/suspense series—one from each author—all set in Atlanta. Each one of the series can stand alone, but the stories weave back and forth, brushing against each other, adding depth to already intriguing tales.

You never know when Wick might show up in the Chances Are to meet with Chance, Marcus, or Zack…characters from all four series. The crossovers are numerous and fun, and show a long history of friendship between the core characters.

We publish two books a month, on the 1st and the 15th, in a round robin format, taking turns with our releases. The latest release by T.A. Webb, Knightmare, completes the second round of each of the four series.

My latest release in the Pulp Friction Line is

Retribution: Triple Threat No. 2. (April 1, 2013)

When Dom Zachary walks out the door with Master Archer, leaving his inexperienced sub to wait for his attention, he never imagines the boy would call an abusive slave trainer with a grudge instead. Now they must find the missing Jeremiah and make the bastard who took him pay. Their salvage business has never been so personal.

Learn more: At Amazon  ||  At All Romance eBooks

You need to answer one question in order to be entered into this contest, so let’s make this easy…the Pulp Friction Books are mysteries, but my fellow PFB authors and I write a variety of genres (Mystery/Thriller, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, etc.).

What is your favorite genre to read and why?

Click to check out the back list!

======================================================================

To win this contest and take home a free copy of any of Laura Harner’s books, reply to this post in the following format:

Name*:
Email ID*:
Your Answer*:
Message to the author:

Feilds marked * are necessary

Please note that all the comments for this contest will be under moderation and hidden from public view till 29th April, 2013.

Contest deadline: MONDAY – 4/29/2013 – 11:59 PM Central Time

So HURRY!

======================================================================
Connect with the author online:
Twitter  ||  Facebook  ||  Smashwords
For Laura’s blog, book news, and to read free excerpts, visit her: Website

Join “THE BLOG OF SID LOVE – FB Group”
Sid Love on Facebook
Follow Sid Love on Twitter

Farmer’s Son, Play Me – I’m Yours and Forbidden Bayou!

Here is a list of few very interesting books that released this week!!

THE FARMER’S SON – G.A. Hauser 

Summary: All Wade Reed wanted to do was make it to his brother, Cole’s parole hearing at Corcoran State Prison. But the forty year old environmental planner from LA, never made it. With a bad navigation system and the infamous Tule fog, Wade ended up on a road to nowhere, his BMW stuck in the mud. His gas tank running low, no phone reception, Wade couldn’t think of a worse scenario.

Until…headlights appeared through the gloom.

Twenty-two year old Ayden Solomon worked with his three brothers and father on the almond orchard in the Great Central Valley. Ayden, being the youngest, and prettiest, was constantly the source of amusement for his brothers’ teasing and put up with it, but grew weary of the bullying. At night, when he was alone in his room, Ayden drew superhero comics, a dynamic duo who he imagined would save the world from bullies…bullies who attacked men like him. Gay men.

After unsuccessfully trying to pull Wade’s car out of the ditch, and getting himself stuck as well, the two strangers spend the night in Ayden’s truck, keeping warm, talking, bonding, and sharing things with each other; personal things. Ayden and Wade, although had nothing in common, got to know each other on a very deep level in the eight hours they were sitting in the dense fog, alone and completely isolated.

What had begun as a frustrating trip for Wade, had turned into a gay erotic fantasy with a young stud. But neither man could imagine what would come next, when the city slicker met…The Farmer’s Son.

Links to buy: AMAZON   ||   ALL ROMANCE eBOOKS

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

PLAY ME, I’M YOURS – Madison Parker

Summary: Fairy Tate. Twinklefingers. Lucy Lu. Will the taunting ever end? Lucas Tate suffers ridicule because of his appearance and sensitive nature. When he’s not teased, he’s ignored, and now he doesn’t know which is worse. His one comfort in life is his music; he feels unloved by everyone. What he wants more than anything is to find a friend.

Much to his dismay, both his mom and a schoolmate are determined to find him a boyfriend, despite the fact Lucas hasn’t come out to them. His mom chooses a football player who redefines the term “heartthrob,” while Trish pushes him toward the only openly gay boy at Providence High. But Lucas is harboring a crush on another boy, one who writes such romantic poetry to his girlfriend that hearing it melts Lucas into a puddle of goo. All three prospects seem so far out of his league. Lucas is sure he doesn’t stand a chance with any of them—until sharing his gift for music brings him the courage to let people into his heart.

Links to buy: AMAZON    ||     DREAMSPINNER PRESS
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

FORBIDDEN BAYOU – Kelly Romero

Summary: Philippe was abused for most if not all of his life. After his mother’s disappearance, the beatings got even worse. He dreamed of the day he’d make his escape fearing that if he waited too much longer, he might never leave the swamps alive.

Adrien was born into one of the richest families on the bayou. Although he had every chance to be a snobby rich kid, he chose a different path. He never thought of himself better than others and he would never ask anyone to do something that he wouldn’t himself.

One day, by chance or some may call it fate, they meet. The circumstances a matter of life and death, the encounter will change both of their lives forever. Just when things are going their way, the past returns to haunt them. Together the two must find the strength to face their enemies, and find out if what they share between them is strong enough to withstand the evil that is trying to keep them apart.

Links to buy: AMAZON

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

PRE-RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

A WILD RIDE – Andrew Grey

Summary: Dante Rivers just lost the rodeo by two one hundredths of a point: he’s frustrated as hell, needs to get laid, and he knows just where to go. That night he meets Ryan Abbott and catches his eye—Ryan watched the rodeo and is still riding high on the rush. The chemistry between them ignites, but Dante, unable to deal with complications, leaves while Ryan’s asleep.

Ryan figures he’ll never see Dante again, but they’re fatefully reunited when Dante’s grandfather, Hy, hires Ryan to help straighten out some old investments. The attraction between Ryan and Dante still sizzles. Sex slowly turns to more, but obstacles abound: Hy’s failing health, Dante’s homophobic sponsor, an attack on Ryan, and Dante’s own struggle with his identity. Any one thing would be enough to separate them permanently… unless they both decide to hang on for the wild ride.

RELEASES TOMORROW – 8th April, 2013!!

Click to read the excerpt and/or Pre-order: DREAMSPINNER PRESS

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

HUNT AND PRAY – Cindy Tuff Sutherland

Summary: Reporter Drew Edwards got too close to his story and now finds himself a hunted man. After being kidnapped and then released in Colorado Springs Forest, he has six hours’ headstart on a madman trying to teach his son a lesson.

Chance Collins gets one warning from his bigoted, abusive father: “Kill him or be killed.” Horrified, Chance sees only one real option—run with Drew. When he takes it, there’s no turning back. If Drew and Chance can work together, they might make it out of the mountains alive to the promise of a brighter future.

RELEASES THIS WEEK – 10th April, 2013!!

Click to read the excerpt and/or Pre-order: Dreamspinner Press

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Own your copies right away!!

P.S.: All authors can submit a request for promotion of their newly released books on my blog. It will be presented under this section on Sundays. All you need to do is reach me through the “Contact Me” page of this website, mentioning your book name, the summary you want to display, the links of websites where the books are available for the readers to buy and any other information you’d want me to put in.

AND NOW, only 8 days to go for THIS:

Book Review: Heated Blood by Alicia Nordwell

I have read Cia’s works before this and I won’t deny the accusation that I am a huge fan. So, in case, this review seems a bit biased, blame it on my love for her writing. When I heard that she was getting her works published, my first thought was “About time she is doing something about her talent!”

Sadly, I haven’t had an opportunity to read her first published book yet, so “Heated Blood” was the first that I read in that sense and I must say that I truly enjoyed the ride.

Jakob leads an awful life, working as ‘bait’ for the heartless group of people called “The Order” – who call themselves the protectors of humans (but Jakob knows better) as the world is seemingly on the edge of getting destroyed. He remembers his grandfather telling him tales of “the flash of light” which changed everything around them; soon the sun wasn’t shining anymore and all that was left was an eternal winter. It didn’t stop at that. Human lives weren’t simply endangered by the environmental changes, but the old legends came to be true. A weird species crawled out of hiding – the blue bastards called the Draugrs – who drained several people to death. Jakob is a special attraction to that lot because of the one mystery which relates to the way he was born, so the Order uses him to lure these blue monsters out in order to kill them. However, he knows they wouldn’t care if he died during one of these dangerous expeditions.

While on a mission, Jakob runs into a dangerously handsome man – or well … he wouldn’t call him that – but all his beliefs take a turn around when Jakob is chased by a whole bunch of Draugrs and this man comes to his rescue. He man assures to help him, but then why does he kidnap him? Who is this man who claims to know more about Jakob than Jakob himself? Who are the Draugrs? What actually happened on the day when the flash of light was witnessed by the whole world and what did it have to do with Jakob?

So many interesting questions and Alicia answers them very neatly in the book. This novella grasped my interest right from the beginning and as I progressed, I realized how much I loved the character. You can’t not read this story and not fall in love with Jakob. He is such a sweet boy, with too many sufferings of the past. Being orphaned at such a young age, it is really a pity. However, as the story develops, I feel the change in him for good. He matures, I’d say and I love that. The Order as I believe, had fucked up his mind so I was glad when Tobias takes him away. And Tobias!  Well, that sexy man gave me goosebumps every time I read about him.

I wouldn’t even forget to mention the picture Alicia paints of this alternate universe in your mind. The whole set-up was frightening of what had happened of the world after that “flash of light” thing. Between the lines, the author also hints how terribly humans have treated the mother nature. The ill-effects of ozone depletion might not be exactly as it has happened in this story, but I believe the author did want to signify that something horrible could happen if we humans didn’t get our acts together.

Not to mention, the Draugrs absolutely gave me creeps, though I did wish their look was a bit more original. It wasn’t cliché as such, but I felt the author didn’t really expand on the details. What didn’t properly go down my throat were the words “THE END”. I was all settled into the story, after getting to know the characters, finding some interesting answers and had just enjoyed an amazingly written intimate scene, when that hit me – like a hard brick hit my face and I was sulking wondering why did it have to end at that?

But I am going to trust the little birdie that chirped something about a second book and will hope to see more of this unique story.

A perfect blend of fantasy, sci-fi and paranormal genres, which actually got me interested in reading this book in the first place and I highly recommend it to those who are suckers for stories in this genres.

You can buy the eBook on Amazon by clicking the link: Heated Blood by Alicia Nordwell.

For more information or news on the author, visit: Cia’s Blog

Sid’s Rating: