Posts Tagged With: The Blogger Girls

Honorary Blogger MxKnowitall: A Day in the Life of Mo Written by Gatsby + Excerpt

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A Day in the Life of Mo

Written by Gatsby

At nine-thirty in the morning, I, the Great Gatsby with my flowing black mane and pearly white fangs, get tired of waiting for Morven to get up, so I pounce on their chest.  If this doesn’t work the first time, then I do it multiple times from different heights.  My current record is jumping from the top of the curtains onto my sleeping, unsuspecting owner.

Then, I get breakfast.  And that’s the highlight of my day; well, that and dinner, of course.

Buddha, the other cat in the house, usually refuses to eat the wet-food breakfast that Morven gives us, so Morven puts it back up on the counter.  I ask repeatedly for it, but alas, Morven has other things to do.

I tear up the house for bit, until I ‘accidentally’ pounce on Morven while they’re working on their artwork (something ‘important’ called Themensha) in the living room.  In my defense, I feel like I have to check on them because they just sit there for hours working on their tablet.  My methods may be impractical, but it makes sure that Morven is still alive.  What would I do without Morven to feed me?

At two in the afternoon – I told you they sit there forEVER – they get up and make themself some food.  I can’t believe that Morven waits that long to eat, but I guess that just means more food for me.  They make something on the stove, usually rice and greens; things that I don’t like in the least.  At most, I’ll lick the greens once soaked in soy sauce, but it’s really not my thing. But, when they eat their lunch, I get the rest of Buddha’s breakfast.  I guess lunch is a highlight, too.

From then on, Morven stays in office nook.  It’s supposed to be a breakfast nook, but it has a desk and printer and all of the bills and papers that I’m not supposed to shred.  Sometimes I do anyway, just to spice things up.  Morven peruses Facebook, watches videos of other cats – TRAITOR, and tries to keep the outside world up-to-date on what’s happening in our home.  Most of the updates are pictures of me and pictures of their projects.

Sometimes, Morven opens the front door while they sit in the office nook.  That means I get to explore outside; well, I explore the porch mostly.  The outside is kinda scary.  That’s probably why my owner stays home so much. Sometimes, Morven comes out on the porch with their tablet to do their social media updates or drawing outside, but one time they got really red from being in the sun, so they don’t do that much anymore.

Other times, I scream at Morven and claw at their legs until they pick me up into their lap or up onto the windowsill-shelf above the desk.  Then I can either sleep in the sun or watch them type or stare at birds.  It’s nice up there, lots of room for me, and Morven always tucks me back up when I’m about to roll off the side.  They’re really considerate like that.

Around five-thirty, we go inside, close the door, and start with dinner.  Morven makes more rice and vegetables or maybe some ramen noodles.  I inspect all of it; I have to make sure that they aren’t using up food that could be mine.  Honestly, though, Morven does a good job of eating only the things I don’t like, leaving all the meat for me! (And Buddha.)

After dinner, Morven gets their tablet again and settles in to live stream for the night.  They draw a lot.  I wish they drew me more, but my awesomeness is difficult to capture with merely two-dimensional media.  Sometimes we watch movies or animes, but Morven still draws when we do.

Around eleven-thirty, Morven puts the tablet down and tells me it’s almost time for bed.  Buddha’s already gone to bed; she’s older and has an earlier bedtime than I do.  Morven does exercises and stretches to help them get ready for bed.  I don’t like them; I’d rather they just go to bed.

And at midnight, we trot into the bathroom.  I hop up on the counter to supervise, while Morven brushes their teeth and washes their face.  Then, another highlight of my day, they get ten treats out of the jar.  Buddha gets her five treats first, it’s so unfair.  Buddha never checks to see if Morven is alive in the middle of the day. But, whatever, then I get mine.

Morven goes to bed.  

Then it starts all over again the next day!

Check out more about Morven’s newest project, Themensha, a graphic novel written and drawn in memory of their grandmother to bring dementia and alzheimer’s awareness to a younger audience.  You can watch them stream the process on their Twitch or support the Kickstarter.

And to see more of me, the Great Gatsby, check out Morven’s Instagram or Facebook pages. Continue reading

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Honorary Blogger Post, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: It’s All About the Duke by Amelia Grey

Reviewed by Heather C

Title: It’s All About the Duke
Author: Amelia Grey
Series: The Rakes of St. James #3
Hero/Heroine: Duke of Rathburne/Marlena Fast
Genre: M/F Historical Romance
Length: 320 pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Release Date: May 29, 2018
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Nearing thirty, the Duke of Rathburne is finally ready to make amends for the wager that caused him and his best friends such scandal—but taking on a ward who needs a husband is a feat he’s not sure he can manage. The last he saw of Miss Marlena Fast, she was a spirited little ruffian, not the sort of bride most bachelors on the marriage mart sought. But one glance at the lovely lady she has become is enough to convince him otherwise…

Orphaned young and shuffled from family to family, Marlena counts on her fierce independence and quick wits to keep herself content. Being the responsibility of a notoriously wicked duke who upended so many lives is an unexpected challenge when she realizes he arouses her decidedly feminine desires. Marlena must be careful. She has her own scandalous secret to protect. If he finds out, will it shatter her chances of a happily-ever-after with the notorious rake? Continue reading

Categories: 3 Star Ratings, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, M/F, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cover Reveal: Overtime by V.L. Locey + Giveaway!

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Overtime

by V.L. Locey

Sander March is one season away from the pros, or so everyone tells him.

If only Sander had as much faith in his ability as the Cougar coaching staff does. Outwardly, he’s cocksure, borderline bitter, and slightly sarcastic. All that strut and sass hides a wounded soul though. Working to hide a brutal past filled with humiliation, abuse, and a family member who still haunts him, Sander has never found the kind of comfort and understanding he so desperately needs. Until he meets Mateo Castillo, a minor league baseball player for the nearby Elmira Egrets. Mateo and Sander click instantly, and a budding friendship develops between the two athletes.

Mateo then introduces Sander to his boyfriend, Noah Coombs, an aspiring manga comic creator. The three men find themselves bonding strongly, and that slowly gives way to sexual attraction. Eventually, Mateo and Noah invite Sander into their relationship. The path to happiness isn’t going to be easy for Sander as he faces criticism from his friends, teammates, and the press for his choices. The brash young star can handle all that, it’s when his abuser shows up in Cayuga that Sander fears not only for his own safety, but for the lives of the two men he has grown to love. Will Sander’s past tear him away from Mateo and Noah, or will he be able to leave the darkness behind?

Warning – This story has disturbing subject matter.

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And the moment you’ve been waiting for! Overtime cover reveal… Continue reading

Categories: Book Promo, Cover Reveals, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo

Reviewed by Heather C

Title: The Way You Make Me Feel
Author: Maurene Goo
Heroine: Clara Shin
Genre: M/F Young Adult
Length: 336 pages
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Release Date: May 8, 2018
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: From the author of I Believe in a Thing Called Love, a laugh-out-loud story of love, new friendships, and one unique food truck.

Clara Shin lives for pranks and disruption. When she takes one joke too far, her dad sentences her to a summer working on his food truck, the KoBra, alongside her uptight classmate Rose Carver. Not the carefree summer Clara had imagined. But maybe Rose isn’t so bad. Maybe the boy named Hamlet (yes, Hamlet) crushing on her is pretty cute. Maybe Clara actually feels invested in her dad’s business. What if taking this summer seriously means that Clara has to leave her old self behind? With Maurene Goo’s signature warmth and humor, The Way You Make Me Feel is a relatable story of falling in love and finding yourself in the places you’d never thought to look. Continue reading
Categories: 3 Star Ratings, Book Review, Heather C's Reviews, M/F, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Edge of Forever by Barbara Elsborg

Reviewed by JustJen

Title: Edge of Forever
Author: Barbara Elsorg
Series: N/A
Heroes: Pasha/Levi
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 279 Pages
Publisher: Barbara Elsborg
Release Date: May 31, 2018
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: When you stand on the edge, you might just find yourself falling.

Teaching Russians how to be cowboys? Levi thinks his father is joking when he tells him that’s what he wants him to do for the next six months. Working in the frozen desolation of southwest Russia he’ll earn enough to buy a new barn for their Montana ranch. But there’s a deeper agenda for sending him to the edge of nowhere. It will stop him sloping off on Saturday nights to gay bars and clubs for threesomes with strangers.

Pasha finally pushes his father too far and is banished to a remote ranch in the middle of a snowy Russian winter. Stripped of all the trappings of his privileged Moscow lifestyle, he has nothing at his disposal but a suitcase of designer clothes and a whole lot of sass. Pasha hates the countryside, hates physical work, hates the cold and hates cows. But de-prived of money, phone, and access to anyone who might help him, he’s screwed and not in a good way.

Levi’s counting down the days till he can return to the States and his Saturday night hook-ups. Then Pasha arrives at the ranch wearing eyeliner, retching every time he walks into a barn, and Levi is amused, irritated—and attracted. After a vicious attack on Pasha throws them into close quarters, both men are forced to re-evaluate not just who the other is, but whether they truly want to return to the lives they left behind.

When you stand on the edge, you just might find yourself falling in love.
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Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, JustJen's Reviews, LGBT, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: My Fair Captain by J.L. Langley

Reviewed by Nikyta

Title: My Fair Captain
Author: J.L. Langley
Series: Sci-Regency #1
Heroes: Nate & Aiden
Genre: M/M Sci-fi
Length: 244 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: May 29, 2018
Available at: Dreamspinner Press & Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: When Intergalactic Navy Captain Nathaniel Hawkins goes undercover to investigate the theft of an IN weapons stash, the mission raises painful memories from his past. Using a title he fled nearly two decades earlier, Nate once again becomes the Earl of Deverell, heir to the Duke of Hawthorne, in order to navigate the ins and outs of a Regency world. But planet Regelence—where young lords are supposed to remain pure until marriage—has a few surprises for Nate, not least of which is his attraction to Prince Aiden.

A talented artist, Prince Aiden Townsend isn’t interested in politics and the machinations of society gentlemen, and he adamantly rejects the idea of marriage and a consort. Aiden wants the freedom to pursue his art and determine his own future. But the arrival of the dashing and mysterious Deverell awakens feelings of passion and longing the young prince can’t deny.

As Nate uncovers a conspiracy reaching far beyond the stolen weapons, his future is irrevocably altered by the temptations of a life he never thought he could have. Drawn into the web of intrigue, Aiden is in danger of losing his life… and his heart. Continue reading

Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Nikyta's Reviews, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Just A Year by Jena Wade: Exclusive Excerpt

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Exclusive Excerpt from Just A Year

by Jena Wade

“I want—” He started, then broke off. He moved away from me on the bed until we weren’t touching anymore. I missed him immediately. Felt empty without him close to me. “I wish you had talked with me about the job. I understand how important it is, but I didn’t realize we were going to be so far apart again.”

Damn it. “I know. I’m sorry. I had to make a decision and the company in Pittsburgh will look better on my resume. It’s only a four-hour drive. That’s nothing compared to the seven hours it takes to get here from home.” As if that helped.

Maddox sighed, his face reflecting a sadness I felt down to my core. “It’s only a year.” I took a deep breath. “You could always come there with me you know.”

His gaze shot to my face, and he narrowed his eyes. “No. I can’t. I like Milton. It’s my home. And, honestly, I don’t think your dad can run the store without me anymore.”

I startled at that. “What?”

“I’ve been taking over more and more of the responsibilities lately, and he’s been slowing down quite a bit. I think he might want to retire soon. We’ve talked about me buying into the store as a partner.”

Now my mind spun out of control, the conversation turn giving me whiplash. “He can’t retire. He—You—. Do you even want to own the store? I mean, you don’t seem like—” I stopped myself. If there was one thing I’d learned from Maddox in the past year, it’s that you don’t judge a book by its cover.

He shrugged. “Maybe. I like the hardware. I like helping people and being a part of the community. I’m good at the bookwork.”

I yawned. The day’s events finally catching up with me. I tried to stifle the yawn, so Maddox didn’t see. I failed. We needed to discuss this, but I wasn’t even sure how to begin. The information about my dad threw me for a loop, and I hadn’t quite landed yet.

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Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, LGBT, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Legendary by Stephanie Garber

Reviewed by Heather C

Title: Legendary
Author: Stephanie Garber
Series: Caraval #2
Heroine: Donatella Dragna
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Length: 416 pages
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Release Date: May 29, 2018
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.

After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister Scarlett from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.

The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice. But now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…the games have only just begun.
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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: Riven by Roan Parrish

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Riven
Author: Roan Parrish
Heroes: Theo & Caleb
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 235 pages
Publisher: Loveswept
Release Date: May 29, 2018
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Theo Decker might be the lead singer of Riven, but he hates being a rock star. The paparazzi, the endless tours, being recognized everywhere he goes—it all makes him squirm. The only thing he doesn’t hate is the music. Feeling an audience’s energy as they lose themselves in Riven’s music is a rush unlike anything else . . . until he meets Caleb Blake Whitman. Caleb is rough and damaged, yet his fingers on his guitar are pure poetry. And his hands on Theo? They’re all he can think about. But Caleb’s no groupie—and one night with him won’t be enough.

Just when Caleb is accepting his new life as a loner, Theo Decker slinks into it and turns his world upside-down. Theo’s sexy and brilliant and addictively vulnerable, and all Caleb wants is another hit. And another. That’s how he knows Theo’s trouble. Caleb can’t even handle performing these days. How the hell is he going to survive an affair with a tabloid superstar? But after Caleb sees the man behind the rock star, he begins to wonder if Theo might be his chance at a future he thought he’d lost forever.
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Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2018, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Murder in New York by C.J. Baty: Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway!

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Exclusive Excerpt from Murder in New York

by C.J. Baty

Thirty more minutes passed, and Stiles was ready to jump out of his skin. His hand was on the door knob and just as he twisted it, the club door opened. Michael appeared and there was no one with him. He stepped to the curb and looked up and down the street. As soon as he spotted the taxi, he waved for it. Stiles slumped down in the back seat and Martin turned the vehicle around and stopped in front of Michael. The street was deserted at this time of morning. He opened the door and slid into the back seat.

“Oh,” Michael said as he sat on Stiles shoulder where he was lying in the seat.

“What on earth?”

“Sorry,” Stiles answered as he sat up. Martin had pulled away from the curb and given him the all clear to do so.

“We just didn’t want anyone to see me already in here when you got in.” Stiles said reaching for Michael’s hand, not caring whether Martin saw them or not. Michael tried to pull his hand away, but Stiles wouldn’t let him.

He whispered, “I was getting worried.”

Through the dirty windows of the taxi enough light shown through for Stiles to see Michael’s face. His hand was ice cold and he was perspiring. He laid his head back on the seat and closed his eyes.

“How did it go?” Martin called from the front seat.

“Give him a moment Martin, he doesn’t look good,” Stiles said as he stroked Michael’s fingers to warm them.

“I’ve never seen anything like it in my life,” Michael uttered as he sat up straight in his seat.

“They. . . he. . . didn’t hurt you. . .” Stiles couldn’t finish the sentence.

“No, I didn’t participate in anything,” Michael said with a small smile on his lips. “He just wanted to show me around. Have me witness some of the things going on and discuss them with him. I wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but I played along and told him what I thought he wanted to hear.”

“Who are you talking about?” Martin asked. “Gershon?”

“Yes of course,” Michael answered bewildered by Martin’s question. “Who else would it be?”

“We never saw him enter the building,” Stiles said releasing Michael’s hand. They had pulled up in front of the Pinkerton building and would be getting out.

“Let’s go in,” Stiles said. “I could use a drink.”

“Agreed.” Martin replied.

“He kept you waiting how long?” Martin asked as he poured them each another drink. Stiles noted this was his third and possibly Michael’s fourth.

“It was well over an hour,” Michael answered as he sipped his drink. “Another man, Justin, entertained me and brought me drinks while I waited in this tiny sitting room. I could hear voices coming from all directions in the building. Above me. Below me. Some were very muffled, and I came to realize later on, that was because the men in some of the rooms were gagged. They could do little more than moan, no matter their level of pain or pleasure.”

Martin shuddered as he asked, “You actually saw men being whipped?”

“Oh yes. I’ve been to a lot of places and seen a lot of things in my life but nothing like this. There was a large man, as large as Gershon, with huge shoulders and long legs dressed only in his britches and boots. He had dark hair that curled around his neck and even more dark hair covered his back. Gershon, said it was a flogger. A long stick with leather strips on it tied in knots at the ends. The other man was flinging it repeatedly on a young man’s back and buttocks. It left red welts where ever it touched the man. He wasn’t gagged. He screamed each time the strips cut into his flesh.”

“Did you see Gershon doing any of these things?” Stiles asked.

“No. He was completely dressed as was I. He never said a word about me partaking of any of the things we observed. At one point, I ask him why he invited me to the club.”

“Did he give you an answer?” Stiles had a feeling he already knew what the answer was, but he had to ask.

Michael hesitated and held his glass out to Martin. After Martin poured the drink, he took a gulp before he answered Stiles.

“He said he wanted to be sure that you understood what his partners have participated in.” Michael’s eyes were huge, pupils dilated. He was afraid.

“What the hell?” Martin shouted. “He wants Stiles to do these things.”

“No,” Stiles answered, then finished his own drink. His hands were shaking when he sat the glass down on Martin’s desk. “He wanted me to know that he had participated in this before.”

Stiles looked back and forth between Martin and Michael before he spoke again. “He knows we are on to him and we don’t have one bit of evidence.”

“You aren’t going back there,” Stiles stated as he wrapped his arms around Michael.

They’d left Martin’s office at nearly four in the morning and returned to Michael’s small apartment. Only taking time to undress, they fell into bed. Stiles was exhausted, and he knew Michael was as well. He was determined that they get some sleep and refused to discuss the evenings events again.

“Don’t you think. . .” Michael started but Stiles stopped him.

“No,” Stiles rolled to his back and stared at the ceiling. “Please do this for me.”

Michael ran his fingers up and down Stile’s chest. Touching him gently and never going very far away. Stiles felt the same way. He needed Michael close.

“Then you can’t go either,” Michael insisted.

“He knows he can get to me through you. He won’t ask me to visit the club.” Stiles stilled Michael’s fingers with his hand.

“This is too dangerous. I don’t want you involved anymore.”

“Why?” Michael’s voiced quivered.

“Because.”

“Why?” Michael asked again.

“I don’t want to argue with you. It’s late, well early but both of us need to sleep. Just let it go Michael,” Stiles raised up on his elbow and bent over to kiss Michael.

“I can say it, you know?” Michael’s eyes twinkled as he spoke. “I love you Stiles. Why are you so afraid to say it?”

Stiles kissed Michael and twisted in the bed until he had Michael wrapped in his arms facing away from him. He heard the deep sad sigh that Michael released before he relaxed in Stiles embrace. He didn’t know why he couldn’t say the words aloud, but in his mind, they played over and over until he finally fell asleep.

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Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment