Category: Part of a series

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Take You Home Audiobook by Cooper Davis Narrated by Brian Pallino

Audible Solutions Presents: http://www.audible.com/pd/Erotica-Sexuality/Taking-You-Home-Audiobook/B00PUXI2JS/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1417122448&sr=1-1

Taking You Home Audiobook (Sequel to Boys of Summer)

taking home

Blurb

The man on his arm isn’t nearly as scary as the man in the mirror. Hunter Willis’ “Guy Town” passport was stamped and in as good working order as his Harley. Like a good Midwestern jock, he’d ride that manly machine to his construction job every day, even throw back a few beers with the boys. Hockey and baseball filled out his single-dude weekends. Then, summer heat worked its magic, and he fell in love with his best friend, sexy stockbroker Maxwell Daniels. The Harley is still in the garage, but the man is definitely – and lustily – out of the closet. As in tearing the door off its hinges. Now that Hunter’s in love, he’s in all the way. Even proposed – and Max has accepted. But before their dream wedding in Vermont next spring, they must face the greatest danger to their perfect love. Meeting the family. It’s not just enduring the Daniels clan’s magnifying glass. It’s facing the deep, dark fears and secrets that are suddenly brought into sharp focus. Forcing them to decide if theirs is only a summer fling – or a love that can flourish even in the chill of winter.

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Review

This is the sequel to Boys of Summer and in a way it’s the bigger of the two books. In book one – we see how they met and the process they took to becoming a couple. We see a some of their angst – especially Hunter’s – as they go from identifying as “straight” to a gay relationship.

This is Maxwell’s journey. We meet his family, learn about his early forays into reading gay mags and wearing his sister’s dress. Together, he and Hunter face the family displeasure and disdain and then we see it gradually morph into acceptance and love.

Max also “tests” Hunter several times – making him prove his devotion as he takes him out clubbing and then again when Max becomes Maxine.

Some will find this over the top – full of ooey gooey love and emotion and light on plot. But… that’s where the two books taken together are such a remarkable pairing. Book one showed us what was one of the major hurdles (Max and Hunter coming together) but book two shows us how much more there is to the story.

I really enjoyed all the emotion and the quick build up to conflict and resolution as each “trial” for Hunter is easily met by his steadfast devotion. Max’s growth and emotional maturation from straight to gay is thorough. There is more depth to him than we glimpsed in book one and this explores all those early feelings and the hidden desires he had that he only now feels confident enough to share with Hunter.

It was an imminently satisfying book in that we never feel uncertain about the ending, but get to explore the nuances of their relationship so much more intricately.

The sex was scorching hot. Let’s not forget that. Scorching.

I also thought the time with Maxine was done very well. What an interesting dichotomy. Max both loves and hates that Hunter was attracted to Maxine and Hunter has to handle that so delicately and he does with tremendous aplomb.

It was also very satisfying to see them all the way through the wedding. Such a nice neat bow tied off for us.

Brian Pallino continues to do an excellent job with the narration and I really enjoy listening to his voice.

I give both the book and the narration a 4.5 of 5 and I would highly recommend the book and the series.

4.5

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The Heart of Frost (North Pole City Tales #2) by Charlie Cochet

Dreamspinner Presents:

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4517

heart frostBlurb

At the North Pole, no one is more powerful and feared than the Prince of Frost. As general of the toy soldier army, Jack Frost has been working extra hard to put away the villainous Mouse King once and for all. If that isn’t taxing enough, Jack has to deal with the scandal and gossip brought on by news of his relationship with Rudy Rein Dear, captain of the Rein Dear Squadron, which hit headlines last holiday season. Lucky for Jack, his reputation has managed to deter any foolish attempts to stir up trouble. At least until now.
When someone sabotages Rudy’s plane during a test run a few weeks before Christmas, Jack is determined to find the culprit by any means necessary. The closer he gets to finding answers, the more difficulty he has not falling back to his icy ways. Has the Mouse King stepped up his game in order to throw Jack off his, or is someone a little closer to home behind the attempt on Rudy’s life? Either way, Jack has every intention of delivering a Christmas they won’t soon forget, even if it means losing the newfound warmth in his heart.

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Review

In book one (Mending Noel) we met Jack and Rudy, an already established couple, in love and helping two Christmas Elves in trouble. The author introduced us to her sometimes hysterical, sometimes tongue in cheek, always creative and sometimes exciting alternate or adjacent world in the North Pole. Kringle is the Superior Being and Jack Frost is the Prince of the land, his father the king. Rudy is a Rein Dear, a pilot for Kringle, of course.

(You can definitely read this as a stand alone, but I suggest reading the series in order for the most enjoyment.)

In book two we learn more of Rudy and Jack’s back-story. Before Rudy, Jack had a heart so frozen he had no compassion and was feared throughout all the land. Rudy came along and thawed that heart, showing him love. At this point in the story, they’ve been a couple for hundreds of years, but only recently have they become public knowledge. Rudy has just moved into the castle and his presence is causing lots of trouble.

Rudy ends up in a suspicious accident and Jack ends up with a frozen heart again. Now it’s up to Rudy and his friends to try to unfreeze that heart before it’s too late.

**

This was not nearly as light hearted as book one. Jack has a dark side and we see a lot of it in this story. The heat between Jack and Rudy a little hotter in this book but it’s still pretty tame.

I absolutely love the Christmas-isms and the different roles all our favorite characters play in this alternate reality. How can you not laugh at curses like Holy Holly?!

Because they were an already established couple, the “romance” was a little less the focus and the drama more compelling than in book one, but it was still very tender and sweet.

I’m really enjoying these novellas and highly recommend them to anyone looking for a light holiday read full of fun and magic.

I give it 4 of 5 hearts.

4

 

 

 

 

 

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Wild Magic Audiobook by Poppy Dennison Narrated by Robert G Davis

Dreamspinner Presents:  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4944

wild magicBlurb

Triad: Book Four

Joseph Anderson was heartbroken when his childhood best friend Dominick Levent moved away. Years later, Joseph is a successful real estate broker with good friends, an easy smile, and a stunning house. When he finds a dying mountain lion who miraculously shifts into Dominick’s sister, Joseph must find Dominick and reunite him with the two young sons she left behind.

When mountain lion shifter Dominick gets a call telling him his sister is dead, he rushes home to protect his nephews and avenge his sister. Seeing Joseph brings back the feelings Dominick tried to bury and he dares to hope Joseph’s newfound knowledge of shifters means they can finally be together.

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Review

Joseph “Joey, stumbles upon his childhood friend and her two children, just as she’s morphing from a mountain lion into a dying woman. Wow! Talk about a mind melter! With her dying breath she asks Joey to take the kids and find her brother (his other childhood friend Dominick “Nicky”) because the kids are in danger.

Though he is thoroughly freaked out, he does as told with the help of his friend Vicky.

When Nicky hears about his sister’s death he’s torn up but he’s also a bit relieved because now he can share with his friend all the secrets he’d been hiding. It was those secrets that drove him away from Joey all those years ago. The secrets and his feelings for Joey.

Together, Nicky and Joey must figure out how to track the killer of Nicky’s sister, raise the “cubs” without a pack, keep the whole shifter thing a secret while both of them are at work and manage to confront the simmering feelings between the two of them.

Nicky manages to stumble on to Gray and Simon’s pack through a work related investigation and that leads him to the answers to several of his problems. He and Joey also manage to figure things out between the two of them and we are left with a very HEA.

**
I just loved the Triad series. I loved watching Gray and Simon’s slowly developing relationship, the intense world building, the climactic finish… all of it.

I’m not sure what happened here.

Joey and Nicky’s story as a couple felt like barely a footnote. It isn’t until 85% in that they even get together physically. Most of the book is about Nicky the boys and their need for a pack. That aspect was very interesting and I loved the tie-in to Gray’s pack and the involvement of Riley, but the story (for a m/m romance) felt really lopsided.

My need for Joey and Nicky to work on their relationship, to develop their relationship, to have a relationship was essentially given one chapter of 15 and could be described as anemic at best.

Watching Nicky find a place in the world again was fulfilling and I was so happy everyone found a home in the end, but I was disappointed by how little Joey impacted the ending.

Overall, I wouldn’t say this added much to the series and as a stand-alone was not very satisfying at all.

I give the book a 2.5 of 5 hearts

2.5

Audio:

I found Robert G Davis’ narration to be of equal quality as his previous work. He still does a great job with dialog but has a tendency to lilt upward on his sentences in a way that can sometimes be distracting.

The sound quality and editing were good and I enjoyed listening to the book more than reading it as he does add to the experience with his voice changes and modulations.

(I still really love his kid voices!)

I give the narration a 4 of 5 hearts

4

 

Overall, I give it a 3 of 5 hearts

3

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AE Via Spotlight Tour for Here Comes Trouble with Giveaway

HERE COMES TROUBLE MASTER COVER (1)Detectives Mark Ruxsberg and Chris Green are very good at their jobs. Being the enforcers for God and Day’s notorious Atlanta PD Narcotics Task Force causes the crazy duo to get into more trouble than they can often get out of. The pair never misses out on an opportunity to drive their Lieutenants crazy with their dangerous, reckless, and costly stunts, landing them in the hot seat in front God… often.

Ruxs and Green love their jobs and they don’t mind the very demanding schedule that leaves them little time for socializing or dating. It was fine with them, they enjoyed hanging out with each other anyway.

However, most of the men in their close circle of friends and colleagues are pairing off and settling down. God has Day, Ro has Johnson, and their Sergeant Syn has Furious.

For the past several years, Ruxs has only sought out the advice and company of one person, his partner and best friend Green, and vice versa. Both of these alpha males are presumed straight, but neither can deny the heat that’s building in their once ‘just friends’ relationship.

Excerpt:

   Ruxs yanked open the first drawer and dug his hand in to yank out the shirts he had in there. The first one he pulled out was brand new, still with the tag on it. He blinked a couple times, trying to remember buying a new shirt. He unfolded the soft cotton material and saw it was the exact same black AC/DC shirt that he’d ruined at his mom’s house when he was washing dishes. Obviously, Green had immediately ordered him another one. Fuck. Ruxs plopped down on the bed clutching the shirt in his hand. Ruxs groaned. “Why does he have to be straight?”
“Who said I was?” Green’s smooth voice wafted over him like a warm blanket. Is that supposed to be another joke? Ruxs closed his eyes, wishing things could be different.
Ruxs tensed as he heard Green’s footsteps come closer. He felt him standing in front of him, but he couldn’t look at him. Ruxs was humiliated again. He should’ve just admitted to himself that he wasn’t good enough for a man like Green, even if he was gay. He’d been halfway beat to death by his own goddamn mother. Now he had busted into his house a huge, drunken mess.         No one —.
“Shut up.” Green’s voice was dark and stern. “You’re actually gonna sit here and have a fuckin’ pity party for yourself. That’s not the man—”
Ruxs cut Green off, jumping to his feet, barking in his partner’s face. “Fine! Then I won’t st —”
“Sit your fuckin’ ass down!” Green yelled back louder, bumping his chest, making Ruxs fall back down on the bed. Ruxs grunted at the pain in his back, in his head… in his heart.
He didn’t quite know what to do when Green stepped in between his legs. Ruxs didn’t know why he was breathing so hard either… he just was. He felt a strong hand grip his face, tilting his head up. He stared into Green’s dark eyes. Beautiful eyes. Green looked at him like he was the most important thing in the world. God, Ruxs would do anything for this man to want him back as much as he wanted him. Green stroked the cheek with the bruise and Ruxs flinched lightly. Green didn’t talk, he just manipulated his head, turning him left and right, surveying his injuries. Then Green did something that had Ruxs’ last reserve cracking. He gently cupped the back of his head and brought him forward until Ruxs cheek was resting on his hard stomach. “Hold me back,” Green whispered.
Ruxs’ arms felt like they weighed a ton. He managed to put both arms around the man in front of him, and when he did his whole world crashed down around him. Everything that had been weighing him down the last few weeks. All the pain of wanting something permanent in his life. The hurt of losing his mom forever. He squeezed Green to him, held on to him for dear life. Held him like he’d die if he let go. And Green held him right back, whispering quietly, “It’s okay. You’re going to be okay now. I’ve got you. I never meant to hurt you. I swear. I didn’t know. I promise you I didn’t. I never would’ve gone out with her. Why didn’t you just tell me? Damn you.”
Ruxs finally calmed after several minutes and looked up at him. “What are you saying, Chris?”
Green went down on his knees so he was eye level with him. “I’m saying: Why didn’t you talk to me, Mark? How long have you been feeling like this?”
“Long enough to drive me crazy.” Ruxs laughed humorlessly.
Green stared at him. He put his hands on Ruxs cheeks. “Com’ere,” he whispered.
Ruxs’ eyes widened slightly, his voice a hushed murmur, “Are you gay?”
Green smirked. “Are you? Just shut up and come here.”

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AUTHOR BIO:

A.E. Via is still a fairly new author in the beautiful gay erotic genre. Her writing embodies everything from spicy to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.
When she’s not clicking away at her laptop, she devotes herself to her family—a husband and four children, her two pets, a Maltese dog and her white Siamese cat, ELynn, named after the late, great gay romance author E. Lynn Harris.
While this is only her sixth novel, she has plenty more to come. So stalk her – she loves that – because the male on male action is just heating up!
Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak on upcoming work, free reads, and where she’ll appear next.

Links

Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Here-Comes-Trouble-Nothing-Special-ebook/dp/B00Q3UI6VG/ref=zg_bs_7588788011_12

AllRomance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html

Barnes&Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/a.-e.-via

Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7354860.A_E_Via

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

Facebook (Friend me): https://www.facebook.com/authoraevia

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorAEVia

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/A.-E.-Via/e/B00GMNMS4U/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

#01 Here Comes Trouble (Teaser 2)

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King of Me by RA Kaitland

Dreamspinner Presents:  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5837KingofMe

Blurb

Cast out of his clan of shifters and with no family of his own, Anton Cedwell wants nothing more than to be accepted by his partner Sean’s family when the two of them visit over Christmas. But Sean’s powerful father, Flavius, isn’t happy his son chose a shifter as a mate, and Sean is hiding secrets from Anton. When Sean is attacked by rival weres, Anton hopes Sean’s family will finally see the depth of his commitment and how far he’s willing to go to protect the man he loves.

 

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Review

This is a fascinating world. Anton is a shifter but Sean and his family are… something else, very powerful. In this short story we get politics, magic and power, intrigue, a fight scene and… some really hot sex, too!

Since the couple is already established, we already know they are committed to one another, but this short story shows us just how committed they are and what that means to their families and their community.

I really wished this was a longer story because so much happened in so little space that just as I got a handle on Kaitland’s “universe” the story’s over.  The “King of Me” aspect was really touching – I loved all that it implied with such a simple phrase.

The chemistry and devotion between Sean and Anton was electric and their scene on the ride was very erotic. I really enjoyed this glimpse and hope to see more about this world in a longer book.

4 of 5 hearts

4

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There Is No Fear (The Knight Cycle #3) by Michael J. Bowler

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The most famous boy in the world is a prisoner. He’s been charged with a crime he didn’t commit, a crime that could send him to prison for the rest of his life. Languishing within The Compound, the most secure juvenile facility in California, while the district attorney vows to make an example of him because of his celebrity status, Lance must endure the daily indignities of the incarcerated.

New Camelot is fractured without him. Ricky and Chris are bereft, living for the weekly phone call that becomes their only lifeline to the brother they so desperately love, while Arthur and Jenny feel the loss of their son with a sadness that can’t be quelled. And what about Michael, the highly volatile teen who helped write the proposition that will change California forever? Could he really be the monster he says he is? His hatred of Ricky is palpable, and his instability may well threaten the lives of everyone at New Camelot.

As the election looms closer, Proposition 51 takes on an even greater significance in light of the pending trial of the century. The more harshly fifteen-year-old Lance is treated within the broken justice system, the more he contemplates the wisdom of his idea that children need more adult rights. If The Child Voter Act becomes law, won’t it simply allow adults to throw more kids into prison with impunity?

Whichever way the voters decide, his greatest fear remains the same: will he ever again be with the people he loves?

The Knight Cycle Continues…

Kimi’s thoughts:

While working hard to secure children’s rights, with the choice before state voters to either always treat kids 14 and up as adults or always as children, Lance finds himself becoming an unwitting poster child for the criminal justice system. Once again Bowler casts a frank eye at the unpleasant side of what reality is like for too many of today’s youth and makes us look it square in the face. Lance’s experience shows the good with the bad, making for a balanced look that challenges the reader to consider how things can be improved, benefitting society at large as well as the individual.

Lance continues with his struggle for identity and the situation he finds himself in doesn’t help matters. It does however give him a lot of time to think. What makes a person a monster? Does a person doing something horrible make them irredeemable? And what about doing one thing to redress one wrong, while unintentionally opening the door for more possible abuse? Lance’s very incarceration is thanks to such an occurrence, from laws designed to keep dangerously violent offenders off the streets trickling down to children who only MAY have committed a violent crime. It’s a study in the very nature of checks and balances and the need to look at the individual and the facts before to rushing to judgements, whether personal or legal. It’s also a good hard look at the nature of love and of self acceptance. Kimi deems it another must read for both youths and adults.

Rating: 4.5

kimisig

Buy from Amazon UK     Amazon US 

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Running Through a Dark Place (The Knight Cycle #2) by Michael Bowler

21873271King Arthur and his extraordinary young Knights used ‘might’ for ‘right’ to create a new Camelot in the City of Angels. They rallied the populace around their cause, while simultaneously putting the detached politicians in check. But now they must move forward to even greater heights, despite what appears to be an insurmountable tragedy.

Their new goal is lofty: give equality to kids fourteen and older who are presently considered adults only when they break the law. Arthur’s crusade seeks to give them real rights such as voting, driving, trading high school for work, and sitting as jurors for their peers charged with criminal behavior.

Understanding that the adults of California will likely be against them, Arthur and his Knights must determine how best to win them over.

However, before the king can even contemplate these matters, he finds himself face to face with an ally from the past, one who proves that everything isn’t always what it seems – even life and death.

The Knight Cycle Continues…

Kimi’s thoughts:

It’s not an Arthurian tale without Merlin, and here he makes his first appearance and it’s with a trick that makes the whole world sit up and watch intently. Unsure if it’s the hand of God at work, Satan playing games, an elaborate hoax, or something else all together, everyone has an opinion and wants to do nothing but talk about it. This puts the Arthur and his Knights square in the spotlight san Facebook, Twitter, TV, radio, and the rest of the electronically connected world go absolutely crazy.

It’s a double edged sword. they can use their visibility to rally more to their cause but it comes with great cost. From paparazzi to protestors, to fanatical fans, everyone wants a piece of Camelot and for their own agendas. Learning to handle the spotlight even in the midst of tragedy is a hard lesson. So is learning to accept one’s self worth and coming to grips with one’s burgeoning sexuality. The characters are as beautifully flawed as ever, but always striving to improve themselves and the world around them.

The current crusade of fixing up the crumbling neighbourhoods is well under way, and the new one of drafting a ballot measure regarding children’s rights is one that understandably has many adults balking. It’s sensitively handled though, and it is very hard indeed to argue with the notion that children are either always children or are deserving of being treated as adults in many more legal matters than merely those within the criminal justice system.

This is a darker read than the first in the series, with more details of abuse being revealed. Younger teens may finds several of the scenes distressing, but I still highly recommend this for mature readers aged 11 and up. I urge adults tor read it as well, and to talk about the issues within with their children.  I will warn you that it ends on a cliffhanger, so be ready to have to hit the buy button for volume three. I just hope it picks up right where it left off, as this volume did from book one.

Rating: 4

kimisig

Buy from Amazon  Amazon UK 

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Last of Summer by Genna Donaghy


Dreamspinner Presents:  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5859

LastofSummerBlurb

Rowan and Martin must learn to trust one another if they hope to deliver a phoenix home in time.
Although Rowan Stormbringer was raised Wiccan, he’s never felt a connection to magic. That changes on the eve of Yule, when he encounters a magical creature, a phoenix, that needs his help getting to Stonehenge before the sun sets that day. Hiding a magical creature in the mortal world is tricky at best, but partnering with a good- looking, snarky taxi driver may be just the ticket Rowan needs. As they explore their instant attraction to each other, Rowan and Martin must learn to trust one another if they hope to deliver the phoenix home in time.

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Review

OMG I loved this story!
Rowan is the black sheep in his Wiccan family – not quite a believer in all things witchy – but he works for the family biz and is currently in London on a job. He goes to catch a cab when suddenly he sees something fly by and knows he has to find and help it.
Turns out, the flying thing is a Phoenix needing a ride to Stonehenge (of course!). Rowan’s cab driver (Martin) wants the cash up front if he’s going to deliver this dodgy package all the way to Stonehenge but can’t help but be pleased when he finds out Rowan plays for his team.
Rowan and Martin (if you’re as old as me that’s a funny name combination!) must walk the last few feet since the cab can’t make it all the way. Rowan has to divulge just what it is he’s carrying, and now Martin thinks Rowan’s cute and batty. But both Rowan and Martin are amazed at what they sees when they let the Phoenix fly and both lives will be changed as a result.
In the end, the clasp of hands lets us know that there will be more to the romance and having seen true magic, we know both men’s lives are going to change in lots of ways.
**
Again I’m left wishing this were a longer story because it was so dang good! However, the author did a great job of giving us a complete story full of adventure, humor, and magic.

I give this story 5 of 5 hearts and highly recommend it.

5

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Soul Magic Audiobook (Book 3 of the Triad series) by Poppy Dennison Narrated by Robert G Davis

Dreamspinner presents:  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4869

soul magic

Blurb

Sequel to Body Magic

Triad: Book Three

Blood runs soul-deep. Cormac hasn’t been the same since the night the High Moon Pack was attacked. With his magic weakened, he’s consumed by a bloodlust he hasn’t felt since he first became a vampire. His need to replenish his power makes him a danger to his last remaining family member, and his hunger makes him careless. And that’s just the beginning of his troubles. Feeding from pack, beta Liam Benson was supposed to slake his appetite, not leave him craving more.

Simon Osborne and Gray Townsend are trying to fight a being history says shouldn’t exist – one with all three types of magic. The pack must use all of their resources to combat the mysterious triad, even turning to the shady Council of Mages for help. While Cormac struggles to reconcile his past failures with his current desires, Simon must attempt the impossible: An alliance between mind, body, and soul.

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Review:

In the final installment of the Triad Series (yes, there is a book four but it is unrelated to the original series), we finally get to find out who the bad guy is and what he wants and how to stop him.

Some of the story is about Liam and Cormac as a couple (yippee!). First, we see Liam merely trying to keep Cormac from hurting himself, Simon or anybody else. Then, we see their mutual attraction and need for each other. Finally, their deep devotion.

However, the bulk of this plot is the story-line regarding the evil being (who I won’t name here) who keeps causing trouble for Simon and his pack. It turns out the being knows Cormac and that gives everyone a clue as to how to stop him. But… not before he attempts to steal the children again.  The attempted kidnapping forces Simon to do something so horrible that the entire pack wonders whether or not Simon should even be allowed to stay. (It’s very sad – just a warning!)

Fortunately, Simon’s actions are from the heart and they also inadvertently lead them all to the necessary magic needed to defeat the evil being, so he is quickly forgiven.

With some tremendously heart rending speeches to the tune of “If I die I want you to be strong without me” Cormac, Gray and Simon set out to defeat the monster and (I’m not surprising anyone here) emerge victorious!

We also get a really juicy Epilogue (I’m a sucker for the Epilogue!) and the entire series ends neatly tied up – bow not included.

**

I really enjoyed the magical storyline in this series.  The subtle  moral stories about intolerance and acceptance.  The learning and the magic passed down along family lines.  The power that is to be had by joining seemingly disparate forces.  The entire world we saw built was well thought out and thorough, without constantly banging it over your head with new words or terms.

I also really enjoyed watching the growth and development of Gray and Simon as a couple over all three books. It was nice to see their insta-love being worked on into a strong and devoted (but still lusty!) relationship.

I was disappointed that we didn’t see more from Cade and Rocky (other than they are still together) as I thought they were a great couple with a lot of potential.  But… I really enjoyed Cormac’s and Liam’s relationship. And watching Garon and Riley grow was an added bonus!

I’d say the romance was at least equal to the fantasy elements in this series but, all in all, the romance was really nicely laden in this fantasy about wolves, vampires and warlocks.   I found myself saddened by the end of this delightful series, as I had really enjoyed Poppy’s world.

Audiobook:

Again, Robert Davis did excellent work narrating book three. I loved his grumbly Liam, his stuffy mage Councilman, the grumbling Were councilman and his little kid voices.

He infused emotion and tension at the right times and did a tremendous job with the dialog.

As I noted with book one, I was still bugged on occasion by his inflections here and there, but mostly I was impressed and entertained.

I really enjoyed reading (and listening) to this series and give both the book, the audiobook and the series a 4.5 of 5 hearts. I am looking forward to seeing where Ms Dennison takes us with book four.

4.5

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Children of the Knight (The Knight Cycle #1) by Michael J. Bowler

17939303According to legend, King Arthur is supposed to return when Britain needs him most. So why does a man claiming to be the once and future king suddenly appear in Los Angeles?

This charismatic young Arthur creates a new Camelot within the City of Angels to lead a crusade of unwanted kids against an adult society that discards and ignores them. Under his banner of equality, every needy child is welcome, regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, or gang affiliation.

With the help of his amazing First Knight, homeless fourteen-year-old Lance, Arthur transforms this ragtag band of rejected children and teens into a well-trained army—the Children of the Knight. Through his intervention, they win the hearts and minds of the populace at large, and gain a truer understanding of themselves and their worth to society. But seeking more rights for kids pits Arthur and the children squarely against the rich, the influential, and the self-satisfied politicians who want nothing more than to maintain the status quo.

Can right truly overcome might? Arthur’s hopeful young knights are about to find out, and the City of Angels will never be the same.

Kimi’s thoughts:

Michael Bowler stuns with his depiction of modern disenfranchised youth, disillusioned and jaded adults, political greed and corruption, and the purity of hope. 14 year old Lance is a former foster child who is now a kid on the streets struggling to survive when he comes across the strange sight of a strangely dressed man riding a horse. Local gangs are at each others throats over a tag that’s been appearing all over the city, and the LAPD want the tagger caught before all out war erupts. What no one suspects is that this is no ordinary tag- it’s an announcement of hope. King Arthur, the once and future king himself, has indeed returned as legend foretold, only it’s not to Britain, but modern day LA. With Lance as his First Knight, Arthur looks to establish a new Round Table, to teach chivalry to a new generation, and to right the ills of society.

It might sound fantastical, and this is indeed a fantasy, albeit a gritty one. The ills mentioned in this novel are all too real: one size all education that doesn’t properly meet the needs of students, the rifeness of drugs on the street and the recruitment of children to peddle them and who are in turn cultivated as customers, abandoned children tossed onto the street, political corruption, crumbling neighbourhoods, racism, homophobia, and misogyny to name but a few of the societal ills. It’s not a story that will make a lot of adults feel comfortable, as it challenges some of the things that have been taken for granted and that feed our sense of control. It certainly made me stop and think. The more I thought, the more I realised that this book has something VERY important to say, and that I wanted my own two children to read it immediately.

It’s a story about empowerment- not just for kids, but for adults. Yes, adults. Adults who realise that children are always children, and cannot be adults because they are NOT adults. That they behave the way they are taught, and that each member of society is responsible for the examples a child learns by. It’s also a story that is about female empowerment, filled with strong adult and youth role models. It’s about LGBT youth and straight youth, of every colour, all coming together and using their personal strengths to help each other and those around them to make the world a better place. It’s about finding out who you are and your place in the world. It’s both frightening and inspiring. It’s simply a must read, regardless of your age.

Highly recommended.

Rating: amazing

kimisig

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