Absinthe of Malice by Rhys Ford: Release Day Review DSP

June 22, 2016 by Denise

We’re getting the band back together.

Those six words send a chill down Miki St. John’s spine, especially when they’re spoken with a nearly religious fervor by his brother-in-all-but-blood, Damien Mitchell. However, those words were nothing compared to what Damien says next.

And we’re going on tour.

When Crossroads Gin hits the road, Damien hopes it will draw them closer together. There’s something magical about being on tour, especially when traveling in a van with no roadies, managers, or lovers to act as a buffer. The band is already close, but Damien knows they can be more—brothers of sorts, bound not only by familial ties but by their intense love for music.

As they travel from gig to gig, the band is haunted by past mistakes and personal demons, but they forge on. For Miki, Damie, Forest, and Rafe, the stage is where they all truly come alive, and the music they play is as important to them as the air they breathe.

But those demons and troubles won’t leave them alone, and with every mile under their belts, the band faces its greatest challenge—overcoming their deepest flaws and not killing one another along the way.

Title: Absinthe of Malice
Series: Sinners Series: Book Five
Author: Rhys Ford
Release Date: June 22, 2016
Category: Mystery/Suspense
Pages: 200

I was so happy to get more the all the guys in this one. I think Rhys did a wonderful job showing us the beginning of what is sure to be an amazing band. I liked that we got to see this start from all four band members perspectives. And of course if wouldn’t be a Rhys Ford book it there wasn’t a little bit of mystery and mayhem. Whether it be personality clashes between band members, or crazy people trying to hurt the band.

One part of the book in particular made me cheer and smile(you’ll know when you read it). Miki, Damon, and Rafe all had ghosts to face in this book. Forrest didn’t really have anything to face, other than missing Conner. Miki had a breakthrough moment that made my heart smile, and gave me hope for him and his happiness. Rhys did a wonderful job showing us Crossroads Gin’s growing pains. I like that it isn’t all easy-peasy at the beginning, it makes it feel more real. The end of the book got to me though, Rhys as she sometimes does, leaves us with questions until the next book.

5 pieces of eye candy

Amazon

ARe

Dreamspinner Press

Practice Makes Perfect by Jay Northcote: Release Day Review and Excerpt

June 22, 2016 by Denise

Getting experience with the guy next door seems like a great idea—until the lines blur.

Dev, a geeky first year physics student, has zero sexual experience and he’s determined to change that ASAP. After a bad time in halls of residence, he’s starting the summer term with different housemates and a new plan of action.

Ewan lives in the house next door to Dev. He’s young, free and single, and isn’t looking to change that anytime soon. When awkward circumstances throw them together, Ewan offers to help Dev out in the bedroom in return for maths tutoring, and Dev jumps at the chance.

They work their way through Dev’s sex-to-do list, but what starts as a perfect no-strings arrangement gets more complicated as their feelings for each other begin to grow. If they’re going to turn their lessons in lovemaking into something more permanent, they need to work out how they feel about each other—before they get to the end of Dev’s list.

Title: Practice Makes Perfect

Author: Jay Northcote

Publisher: Jaybird Press (self published)

Length: 54,000 words

Genre: Contemporary gay romance

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

Release Date: Wednesday 22nd June 2016

Series info: #3 in the Housemates Series but it may be read as a standalone

Sitting on his bed, Dev yawned, his full stomach making him sleepy. He stared at his phone as he contemplated calling home but decided he couldn’t face it tonight. He loved his mum, but she did tend to bang on. Once she got him on the line, she’d end up talking for ages and asking him a million questions he was too tired to answer. Instead, he sent his mum a quick text.

All moved in, everything’s good. I’m shattered now so I’m going to have an early night. I’ll call you tomorrow.

She replied within seconds as though she’d been waiting for him to call.

Okay sweetie, glad you’re settled. Sleep well xxx

He picked up his notepad and crossed off phone home. Texting counted. He also crossed off everything else on his list for today. That was Saturday done.

Dev set his notepad aside, opened his laptop, and pulled up his lists app. He liked his notepad for day-to-day organisation; it gave him a certain satisfaction to cross out the things he’d done and to get to the end of the day with all the tasks completed. But for longer-term planning, he kept his lists on his Mac, synced to his phone.

For the first time in six months, Dev could breathe again. Finally he had a safe place where he could get back on track and look to the future. He began to type.

Things To Do This Term

Make some friends

Learn to cook

Research sex stuff

Join Grindr

Get some experience

Find a boyfriend

He stared at the words on the screen and sighed. That seemed like a lot of things to aim for. But it was good to have goals, right? Jez and Mac seemed really nice, so hopefully Dev was already on his way to achieving the first objective. And that bloke Ewan… Dev’s mind conjured up the image of the flame-haired hunk who lived next door. Ewan had been friendly.

Maybe there was potential there too.

I absolutely adore the Housemates series by Jay Northcote. When I saw the announcement of Practice Makes Perfect, I seriously started bouncing around like a kid in the month of December. I wanted it. Right. Flipping. Now.

Dev is just a bit obsessed with his lists. I’m pretty sure he has a bullet point on his list to make a list, because otherwise he doesn’t get the same sense of satisfaction. There were times this obsession got a bit tiring, but it was still cute.

After seeing one of the worst ever Grindr profiles, Ewan jumps in to basically save Dev. I’m not typically a fan of this motivation, but it was cute. It worked. And I loved how Ewan helped Dev get the experience he wanted without trying to rush him into anything. Again, should’ve been awkward, but it wasn’t.

Overall, Practice Makes Perfect was a great weekend afternoon read. It wasn’t overly angsty, it wasn’t so steamy you’d blush if you read it at the pool or beach. It was just a good, fun read.

4 pieces of eye candy

Amazon

Goodreads link

meet the author

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.

She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

#GRL2016 Featured Author Blog Post – Laura Baumbach

June 21, 2016 by Denise

Hi, everyone! I’d like to thank everyone here at Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy for allowing me to be here today.

My name is Laura Baumbach. I write m/m erotic romance. I’ve been writing for fifteen years or so. I’m an RN, a wife, mother, and grandmother. I’m CEO of MLR Press, LLC. I’ve been away from writing for several years helping other m/m authors bring their work to readers. But, I’m happily back in the game.

Currently, I’m writing a romantic suspense novel, Reese Holt: The Dark Side, the start of new series for me. Reese Holt – Ex-Special Forces, ex-CIA, current Security Specialist, a mind of steel, heart of stone…and putty in the hands of a handsome math geek.

It centers around Reese Holt, an ex-Special Forces, ex-CIA agent turned private security specialist. He owns a firm that handles sensitive and impossible international and domestic security challenges. He has been a loner all his life, knowing living life on the edge every hour of every day not very conducive to a lasting relationship. He is smart, highly skilled, educated, gay, connected and deadly. He is surrounded by a loyal team of ex-soldiers he’s gathered from all branches of the service, some from around the world. He is a tough guy with a tough job that he excels at. He’s resigned to doing it alone.

Not many people would choose to spend their lives with a man who can disappear for weeks without a goodbye, sleeps with a weapon, and who’s idea of a compliment is a curt nod. Luckily for Reese Holt, just that kind of guy falls into his path. Alex Throne is the kidnapped son of a business mogul, who drops from the sky into Reese’s current mission. Reese is forced to rescued the man, and in doing so embroils himself and his team in the scheme that threw Alex in his protective path.

THE DARK SIDE will release October 2016, premiering during the week of Gay Rom Lit retreat in Kansas City. I’ll be there giving away signed print copies of the book. It will be available for pre-order at the end of July from select distributors. It is the start of a new series, and the second one is already in the planning stages, but I will be waiting to start it until after I finish the long-awaited sequel to MEXICAN HEAT titled TEQUILA SUNRISE.

I’ve been working and reworking the cover art and plan on having a cover reveal in several weeks. It was a balancing act trying to have suspenseful stock art that told the story and still attracted a reader’s eye for the cover, the ads and banners and promotional items. I’ll be giving away a special something at GRL for every print copy purchased there during the event. I hope everyone enjoys the effort that went into this book, from the characters, the writing, to the editing to the creation of the artwork.

Since I had been away from writing daily for almost seven years, I refreshed my writing skills by taking the James Patterson Master Class in writing. I found it helpful in regaining my confidence to tell a compelling story. Even those of us with a wall of writing awards can feel a little hesitancy at times, and I needed the reassurance I wasn’t wasting everyone’s time. The class and two positive and enthusiastic beta readers’ opinions got me through the process! I hope everyone who takes the opportunity to read THE DARK SIDE when it releases enjoys it and looks forward to more adventures with Reese and Alex.

In case you are interested, my website is here:

www.laurabaumbach.com

My upcoming novel is listed under FUTURE RELEASES.

Follow me on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/laura.baumbach

Other great m/m titles can be found here:

http://www.mlrbooks.com/books.php

Wrong Way by Taylor Law: Author Interview and Review

June 21, 2016 by Denise

Leading The Shenandoah pack consumes most of Thomas Collowell’s time. The Alpha’s job is never done. That had never been more true than when a killer targeting shifters strikes too close to home. He doesn’t have time to deal with a mate, especially a human. There is nothing Camdon Williams wouldn’t do for his best friend, which is why he was the best man in Jessie’s joining ceremony. While in Skyline Village, he gets more than he bargained for, including a strange attraction to the Sheriff. When Camdon and Thomas are forced to work together to stop the killer, Camdon’s eyes are opened to a world he wouldn’t have believed existed. They both learn that there is no such thing as perfect timing. Sometimes, it’s about taking a chance… before it’s too late.

Hi Taylor, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book, please.

Thank you so much for having me. The hardest question – a little about you. I grew up in my parent’s restaurant in south Florida. Well, that’s from when I can remember. I waitressed while I studied music and theatre and then, when I realized that chunky people had no hope of being a performer in our society, I studied criminal law. I wanted to be a crime scene investigator, but I wound up with a paralegal degree instead. I worked in family law for a bit before moving to contract law and civil litigation. Music continued to be a big part of my life, along with writing. Now, I am disabled. Before, I worked 40-50 hours a week and wrote novels for fun because I’m that kind of nerd. Now, I still write for fun when I can, when my body allows me to. I will always be a writer. I started when I was a kid and I’ll never stop. It’s part of what makes me who I am.

I’m 100% Sicilian but I’m probably the quietest one in my family. My son is going to be a Senior this year – AHHH! – and then will join the military. That’s what he wants anyway. Makes me feel old. I love paranormal and fantasy. They’ve always been my favorite genres. I came from a generation who played in the woods by my house with homemade forts and stick swords. Our imagination was everything.

Wrong Way is the second book in The Shenandoah Pack series, and it’s release was long awaited. It features Alpha Thomas and Camdon, Jessie’s friend, as the leads. They are both so much fun because neither one of them are submissive types at all. The push and pull is electric, and when I heard that come from a reader, I was so excited it came across on the page. They are both such interesting characters, and I believe they balance each other well.

Honestly, writing this book was like pulling teeth. I knew what needed to happen but I couldn’t find the right path to get there. I had to stop and work on other things. So I think this book took me over two years to finish, and it’s not that lengthy. It was just that I stared at the screen or deleted scenes so much. Also, I wanted to do it justice. I believe I did. I’m proud of how it turned out.

Speaking of Justice – he may be my favorite character. I’ve never picked before because all of my characters are so different, it’s hard to compare them. But Justice is special

Do you pay attention to literary criticism? If so, how do you handle it?

If an author tells you they don’t pay attention, they are probably lying. I read them, especially the bloggers’ reviews. I love constructive criticism, though. That’s how I got better. I reread old stories, and holy cow did they suck. However, I’m looking for something different from the reviews than what the readers look for. My first job is to make the reader feel something – hatred, joy, wistful, happy, love, anger, etc. So when they tell me they wanted to slap my character, I take that as a compliment. Unless I didn’t mean for that to happen, then I did something wrong. If they laughed, cried, or screamed at the Kindle even better. When they say it was too short. It was a full story but it ended too soon. I take that as they wanted more. Readers always want more. As a reader, I want more. But the story directs itself, and I won’t put in filler for a higher word count. It’s not my style. If the review is bad, I look at why. Sometimes it’s just a matter of the reader not liking my voice or style of writing. When people ask how I feel about those, this is my typical response. “I’m not going to be everyone’s favorite flavor of ice cream. Some will like vanilla, and I have nuts.” And I truly believe that. There are different styles for everyone out there. Now, if there is something I can do better, I will work on it. If they just didn’t like me, that’s okay, too. Does it hurt? Sometimes. It feels like rejection, even though it’s not. It feels personal, even though it’s not. After a while, though, it’s a small sting and I grow from them instead of dwelling.

How do you come up with your titles?

Typically, so far, they are a play on words of the theme of the book. Wrong Way – Both the leads go about things the wrong way and realize it almost too late. I don’t want to go into too much detail for spoilers sake, but all my book titles are a variation of the same. My Lord’s Judgment – a judgment sends the angel to earth and when things turn out different than he’d thought, he thinks to himself that he should have trusted his lord’s judgment.

What new authors have grasped your interest?

S. Joyce is the only new author I’ve read lately. She writes M/F bear shifter books that make me happy sigh. Everyone else has been my favorites – Mary Calmes, Laurann Dohner, Dianne Duvall, JR Ward, Sara York, B.a. Tortuga. Oh, I’d never read T.c. Blue, although I love her to pieces. I recently read two stories by her and loved them. Her voice is really strong and easy to fall into.

What is the hardest part about a world that you have never been in, that doesn’t (as far as we know) exist?

Ah, most of my books are in our worlds but with slight variations. For example, angels and demons exist. They just hide in society. Or shifters hide in society. I’m not sure what will happen when I write a different world. I have plans. Oh yes, I do. The most difficult I find, with any paranormal or fantasy, is to make the reader believe. To take the little details and reveal them in just the right way that the reader can see them or feel them. I try to not info dump to my readers. I want them to learn things as they go, when it feels right to let them know. And hopefully, I get it right and don’t fall on my face. Heh heh.

What is the favorite character trait or flaw that you put into Wrong Way?

Oh, it’s so funny you asked. I just posted about this on Facebook. Jessie’s game, poke-the-bear, is totally me. I don’t seem like the brat type, but I so am. I have to feel comfortable enough with the person, but ladies and gentlemen, I have horns. I’ll admit it. Example: my friend – I’ll call her Jane – Jane told me she hated clowns. She just didn’t like them. They gave her the willies. A few friends and I were sitting around a table at Day of the Dead at Coastal Magic this past February, and another friend walked up with her face completely painted like Jack from Nightmare Before Christmas. I told her to go say hello to Jane and then I watched with an evil chuckle while she walked up behind Jane and tapped her on the shoulder. *giggle* Now, I knew there would be no trigger or horrible reaction. It wouldn’t be fun if it really hurt someone. I would feel guilty forever. Think of Jessie’s poke-the-bear game. Camdon talks about it and does it a bit in Wrong Way. That’s me – the little shit. 😉

I was really looking forward to the next book in the Shenandoah Pack Series and I wasn’t disappointed. I love the world Taylor has created. I’m such a sucker for paranormal romance and she nails it with this series. I caught myself laughing, gritting my teeth, and I never knew what to expect next.

I loved seeing the relationship grow between Thomas and Camdon. Camdon has a strength to his personality that worked well with Thomas. The chemistry between them from the start is amazing, but like typical guys the lack of communication eventually causes things to go south in a big way. I do wish i could have seen a little more of them together as a couple though. I will be excited to see more of their relationship together in future reads.

The storyline was very realistic and getting to see much of the story from the killers POV was pretty cool. It explained his behavior and made me want to see him taken out even more. The ending sets up the next story nicely and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the series. I’m looking forward to Justice’s story and I hope it’s him we get to see next.

4.5 pieces of eye candy from me.

Amazon

ARe

Contact Taylor Law:

Website or Blog: www.taylorlawbooks.com

Author Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TaylorLawbooks/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/taylorlawbooks

Blood & Milk by N.R. Walker : Pre-Release Day Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

June 21, 2016 by Denise

Title: Blood & Milk

Author: N.R. Walker

Genre: M/M Romance

Release Date: June 23, 2016

Heath Crowley is an Australian man, born with two different coloured eyes and the gift—or curse—of having premonition dreams. He also has nothing left to live for. Twelve months after having his life upended, his dreams tell him where he needs to be. So with nothing―and no one―to keep him in Sydney, he simply boards a plane for Tanzania. Not caring if he lives or dies, Heath walks into a tribe of Maasai and asks to stay. Granted permission, he leaves behind the name and heartbreak of Heath and starts over with the new Maasai name of Alé.

From the day of his birth, Damu has always been an outcast. The son of the chief and brother to the great warrior leader, Damu is reminded constantly that he’s not good enough to be considered a man in the eyes of his people. Ordered to take responsibility for Alé, Damu shares with him the ways of the Maasai, just as Alé shares with Damu the world outside the acacia thorn fence. But it’s more than just a cultural exchange. It’s about trust and acceptance, finding themselves, and a true sense of purpose.

Under the African sky on the plains of the Serengeti, Heath finds more than just a reason to live. He finds a man like no other, and a reason to love.

PROLOGUE

It was twelve months on. A full year had passed, yet my world had stopped completely. The men who stole my life were charged and would serve time for their crime. No one called it a hate crime, but that’s what it was. If I was expecting some sort of finality to come with the court findings, I didn’t get it.

I was still hollow. I was still numb to the world, and I was still alone.

I was also awarded damages, civilian victim and medical.

A nice healthy sum that meant I could pay off my debts after not working for twelve months, and more. Though no amount of money would make this right. No amount of money would bring him back.

My mother came along for the final hearing, though I could only guess why. I had barely spoken two words to her in the last year. Maybe she came so she could vie for the sympathy card with her friends. Or maybe she thought she could have one last twist of the knife…

“Now it’s all over,” she said, nodding her head like her words were wise and final. “You can put all this homosexual nonsense behind you.”

I looked at my mother and smiled. I fucking smiled. I raged inside with a fury to burn the world, and maybe she saw something in my eyes―maybe it was a ferocity she’d never seen before, maybe it was madness―and my words were whisper quiet.

“You are a despicable, bitter human being, and you are a disgrace to mothers everywhere. So, when you go to your church group, instead of praying for my soul, you should be praying for yours. You have only hate and judgement in your heart, and you are doomed to an eternity in hell.” I leaned in close and sneered at her. “And I hope you fucking burn.” I stood up and stared down at her. She was pale and shocked, and I did not care. “If you think my words are cold and cruel,” I added, “I want you to know I learned them from you.”

I walked away, for the final time. I knew I’d never see her again, and I had made my peace with that.

I didn’t care for the money. I didn’t care for anything. I longed for sleep, because in my dreams, I saw him. And that night, almost one year to the day since he was gone, in our too-big bed, in our too-quiet flat, in my too-alone life, I dreamed of Jarrod.

He sat on our bed and grinned. I longed to hear his voice, just once. It’d been a year and I craved the sound of his voice, his touch. But when I reached out for him, even in my dream, as in my waking nightmares, he was gone. I sat up in our bed, reaching out for nothing but air. He was gone, really gone.

But in this dream, on the bed were he’d sat, was a plane ticket. Mr Heath Crowley, it said. One way ticket to Tanzania.

NR Walker just blew me away again. She created a stunning place for me to visit for a while. Her characters were incredible. Heath Crowley was such a strong character. After something horrible happens to him he decides to go to a remote part of a country and live with natives, based off a dream. He has courage, heart and compassion and it shows. It shows in his anger about what he perceives as injustice in how Damu is treated by his people. It shows in how he tries to help this village of Maasai people. He starts of so lost and broken, then we get to watch him heal and it is beautiful. We get to see his heart begin to be put back together and watch him fall in love again. Damu was also a brilliantly written character. He is basically relegated to the bottom rung of the group because of something he had absolutely no control off. However, he isn’t angry about it, he just accepts it as the way it is. He still has joy and happiness. He was just what Heath needed. I really like the way he seems to blossom with Heath. I though the book ended exceptionally well, and I really hope that we get another book about these two guys. I would love to get more of their life outside the village.

5 pieces of eye candy

N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance.

She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things: a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things… but likes it even more when they fall in love.

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since…

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Wolfsong by TJ Klune : Release Day Review DSP

June 20, 2016 by Denise

Ox was twelve when his daddy taught him a very valuable lesson. He said that Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then he left.

Ox was sixteen when he met the boy on the road, the boy who talked and talked and talked. Ox found out later the boy hadn’t spoken in almost two years before that day, and that the boy belonged to a family who had moved into the house at the end of the lane.

Ox was seventeen when he found out the boy’s secret, and it painted the world around him in colors of red and orange and violet, of Alpha and Beta and Omega.

Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his bloodred eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces.

It’s been three years since that fateful day—and the boy is back. Except now he’s a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

Title: Wolfsong
Author: TJ Klune
Release Date: June 20, 2016
Category: Paranormal, Werewolves
Pages: 400

OMG, this book. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would. TJ Klune has created amazing characters for us to read. I absolutely ADORE Ox. His personality and heart just grabs your heart and stays there. After every bad thing people have said to him and about him, he is still the sweetest person. For me this book was really about him. His sacrifices and his ability to draw people to him was heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. He has such integrity and protectiveness. Everything that happens to him as he grows and changes just seems necessary. There was so much loss in this book I shed a few tears, but Ox just pushed through and became stronger. I like the storyline between Ox and Joe. I didn’t connect with Joe as much as I did Ox and that’s mainly because I was in Ox’s head and Joe was gone for some of the book. The storytelling and flow of this book was awesome. I really hope we get another book with Ox and Joe.

5 pieces of eye candy