Book Review

Book Review: Surreal Estate by Jesi Lea Ryan

Posted on November 5, 2018 by thebloggergirls

Reviewed by Ami

Title: Surreal Estate
Author: Jesi Lea Ryan
Heroes: Nick & Sasha
Genre: M/M Paranormal
Length: 271 pages
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: November 5, 2018
Available at: Riptide Publishing & Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  Sasha Michaels is a psychic with an affinity for houses. And he’s homeless. Go figure. After months of sleeping rough, he stumbles upon an abandoned house, and the lonely place beckons him inside. He’s finally safe . . . until someone comes blundering in to his hideaway.

House-flipper Nick Cooper lost everything in the recession. Desperate to revive his business, he turns to a loan shark to fund his comeback project: flipping an abandoned house full of potential. But it turns out the house has an unexpected occupant.

Nick and Sasha make a deal: Sasha can stay in exchange for helping with the renovation. To both of their surprise, the closer they get to the loan shark’s due date, the stronger their feelings for each other grow. Problem is, Nick isn’t the only one with feelings for Sasha, and now the house doesn’t want to let Sasha go.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Ami's Reviews, Book Review, Guest Reviewer, LGBT, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Fawkes by Nadine Brandes

Posted on November 4, 2018 by Heather C

Reviewed by Heather C

Title: Fawkes
Author: Nadine Brandes
Hero/Heroine: Thomas/Emma
Genre: Y/A Historical Romance
Length: 448 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: July 10, 2018
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, and the only cure to the Stone Plague is to join his father’s plot to assassinate the king of England.

Silent wars leave the most carnage. The wars that are never declared, but are carried out in dark alleys with masks and hidden knives. Wars where color power alters the natural rhythm of 17th century London. And when the king calls for peace, no one listens until he finally calls for death.

But what if death finds him first?

Keepers think the Igniters caused the plague. Igniters think the Keepers did. But all Thomas knows is that the Stone Plague infecting his eye is spreading. And if he doesn’t do something soon, he’ll be a lifeless statue. So when his Keeper father, Guy Fawkes, invites him to join the Gunpowder Plot—claiming it will put an end to the plague—Thomas is in.

The plan: use 36 barrels of gunpowder to blow up the Igniter King.

The problem: Doing so will destroy the family of the girl Thomas loves. But backing out of the plot will send his father and the other plotters to the gallows. To save one, Thomas will lose the other.

No matter Thomas’s choice, one thing is clear: once the decision is made and the color masks have been put on, there’s no turning back.
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Categories: 3 Star Ratings, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, M/F, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Courting Sin by Mercy Celeste

Posted on November 2, 2018 by susan65coug Miss Behaving

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Courting Sin
Author: Mercy Celeste
Heroes: Sin & Riley
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 190 pages
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: June 26, 2018
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: The team of Carter Sinclair and Riley Thompson has ruled the sport of Beach Volleyball for years.

Partners on the court for six years, and friends with benefits off the court for almost as long.

Until a photo of Sin and Riley in a compromising position goes viral.

Shouldn’t be a problem, Sin and Riley have been together for years.

Except, Riley is straight. Or so he claims.

But when Sin’s estranged father dies, something as mundane as a sex scandal is the least of their worries.

Scandal not of their own making puts Riley’s dream of Olympic gold on hold. And threatens to cost him his partner… on the court and off.

He has two choices, he can pretend the photo never happened, and find a new partner. Or… admit his feelings and choose a lifetime of Courting Sin.
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Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, Published in 2018, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf

Posted on October 30, 2018 by Heather C

Reviewed by Heather C

Title: Bring Me Their Hearts
Author: Sara Wolf
Series: Bring Me Their Hearts #1
Heroine: Zera
Genre: M/F YA Fantasy
Length: 400 pages
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: June 5th, 2018
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Zera is a Heartless—the immortal, unaging soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.

Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum: if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy Zera’s heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.

Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him—every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him—until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.

So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.

Winner takes the loser’s heart.

Literally. Continue reading →

Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, M/F, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Dead Inside by Alexander Ward

Posted on October 23, 2018 by thebloggergirls

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Dead Inside
Author: Alexander Ward
Series: Temporary Bliss #1
Heroes: Alex and Raymond…maybe
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 385 pages
Publisher: AW Publishing
Release Date: September 23, 2018
Available at:  Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: 

Pain and heartbreak. Tears and blood. Life’s never been easy for Alex. Pushed to become a male prostitute and also having to deal with trauma and abuse in the relationship with his boyfriend, doesn’t help a 19-year-old stay sane. In his struggle and desperation to get out of that toxic environment, he soon finds himself in the middle of something much worse.

Caught between two powerful Russian organizations, a broken man and his abusive lover, Alex has to make a decision and he must choose quickly. But when he starts spiraling out of control, the lines between life and death begin to blur and his steps seem to take him towards what might very well be his end.

Warning: The book contains triggers and approaches subjects such as abuse, self-harm, PTSD, human trafficking, murder and suicidal ideation.
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Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2018, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review: Handle with Care by Cari Z.

Posted on October 16, 2018 by thebloggergirls

Reviewed by Ami

Title: Handle With Care
Author: Cari Z
Series: Dreamspun Desires #68
Heroes: Aaron/Tyler
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 194 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: October 16, 2018
Available at:  Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: A fragile heart needs extra care.

Burned-out social worker Aaron McCoy is on vacation for the first time in years–boss’s orders. Road-tripping to his brother’s wedding with his best friend, Tyler, seems a fun way to spend the mandatory two-week leave, and they set out for Kansas–and a difficult homecoming.

Aaron’s mother was a drug addict, and his adorable younger brother was quickly adopted, while Aaron spent his childhood in foster care. As Aaron mends fences, Tyler hopes to show him that this time, he won’t be left behind to face his problems alone.

Aaron’s opening up to how right it feels to be with Tyler and to the possibility of taking the leap from friends to lovers. But along with the wedding celebration comes a painful reminder of the past. Aaron’s heart is still breakable. Can he put it in Tyler’s hands?
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Ami's Reviews, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Saving Noah by T.S. McKinney

Posted on October 15, 2018 by justjenbo

Reviewed by JustJen

Title: Saving Noah
Author: T.S. McKinney
Series: N/A
Heroes: Noah/Zach
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 348 Pages
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 1, 2018
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Noah tries to do the right thing—protect the innocent and make the evil pay for their sins. But instead of saving the world, he loses himself. After testifying against one of the biggest crime bosses in the country, Noah’s fear of retribution leads to a serious case of agoraphobia. There isn’t much in Noah’s safe zone that calms his nerves… well, except for his short interactions with his surly but hot new neighbor.

Life crushed Dr. Zachary Meadows’s rose-colored glasses years ago. He makes amends for the deeds of others—and for his failure to protect those in need—by saving as many lives as he can as an ER physician. After early betrayals, he purposefully keeps his circle small. Until he meets his odd new neighbor and unwanted desires cause him to act like a jerk.

When two survivors collide—one desperate for love and one afraid of it—sparks fly. But just as Zachary and Noah begin to heal one another, the past returns…with a vengeance.

One. Two. I’ve decided to come for you.
Three. Four. It won’t help Scaredy Cat to lock his door.
Five. Six. You committed a sin you can’t fix.
Seven. Eight. I’ve picked the date.
Nine. Ten. No one will ever see you again.
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Categories: 3.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Paint the Stars by Christina Lee and Nyrae Dawn

Posted on October 14, 2018 by susan65coug Miss Behaving

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Paint the Stars
Authors: Christina Lee and Nyrae Dawn
Series: Free Fall #3
Heroes: Ezra Greene/Daevonte Randall
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 252 Pages
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: February 20, 2017
Available at:  Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Ezra Greene has made a pretty decent life for himself. He has a nice apartment and spends his days doing the one thing he’s always loved—creating art. Despite being somewhat of a grumpy recluse, he’s even made a few loyal friends. When he takes a side job painting a mural at a local holistic center, he can’t help being curious about a certain friendly and self-assured yoga instructor, even if he doesn’t buy into any of that Zen crap. His holier-than-thou family already tried fitting him inside a box, and he swore he’d never be molded into anybody’s belief system again.

For Daevonte Randall, adulthood has worked out pretty well. He’s close to his parents and lives with an awesome roommate. He’s content with weekend hookups, teaching yoga, and taking college courses. What he doesn’t expect is to be so intrigued by the brooding and reserved painter he’s been tasked to stay after hours with at the center. Something fascinates him about Ezra, even after Daevonte’s attempts at flirting gets him friend-zoned on the spot.

As weeks pass, Ezra and Dae get to know each other, and soon their friendship catches fire. But Ezra’s been burned pretty badly before so trust and intimacy has to be earned. Daevonte feels up to the task, but it proves difficult as Ezra continues to keep his emotions in check. Dae’s only willing to wait so long, and when they’re dealt a surprising blow, Ezra needs to decide if love is worth the risk, that is…if it’s not too late.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2017, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment