S.J. Himes's Blog
December 4, 2017
August 31, 2017
Earning His Trust by Alicia Nordwell Review and Giveaway!
Upcoming Release and ReviewEarning His TrustBy Alicia Nordwell
Title: Earning His TrustAuthor: Alicia NordwellPublisher: Dreamspinner PressRelease Date: Sept. 6th, 2017Price: $4.99Genre: ContemporaryLength: 38,718
Blurb: Evin lost the only two men he ever loved. But he might get a second chance with one of them—if he’s willing to take the risk.
Following the death of his husband, Evin is living in Portland and raising the infant son they had through a surrogate. Six-month-old Micah is his life, and if it means no time for activities or friendships beyond his minuscule support network, that’s a sacrifice Evin is willing to make. When he suffers a burn baking teething biscuits, the last person Evin expects to encounter in the ER is Ben, his lover from college—and the man who left him without a word of explanation.
Ben knows it won’t be easy to earn Evin’s trust and prove he’s not the same man Evin once knew, but he can’t bear to watch Evin struggle to care for Micah, hurting and alone. He wants back in Evin’s life, as a friend and hopefully more, but Evin’s heart is fragile, and the years have changed him too.
Review by SJ
4.5 Stars
I can say with honesty that I have never been disappointed by a Nordwell book, and this is no exception.
Earning His Trust was a sweet, charming second-chance novella that made my heart hurt and crack along with the characters. One of the reasons this book appealed to me so much was I could see myself in the characters.
At one point or another in my own life, I have been both Evin and Ben. Evin was sent adrift by Ben's seeming defection when they were young and in college after their years-long relationship ended with Ben's departure for medical school. Evin went on to find a new love with his future husband, but tragedy struck just as Evin thought he was getting his happy-ever-after. Widowed with a new baby, Evin is exhausted, grief-stricken, and in need of a steady support system and a friend. He has people who care for them, but they have their own lives and can't be there for him 100% of the time.
Ben went on to finish medical school and is a doctor, fulfilling his own dreams--but he's lonely. He regrets breaking it off with Evin, and when fate drops them in each other's paths, Ben takes the chance and reaches out to Evin. One of the biggest selling points for this book was the fact that they were friends first before they were ever boyfriends and Ben, after a few hiccups, steps back into that role in Evin's life. I like how they reconnect, and as they do, I can tell that neither of them was ready for each other back in their college days. If Ben hadn't broken it off with Evin back in college, they wouldn't have lasted. They needed to age, to grow up so more, both of them. Reconnecting now as adults with responsibilities and mature personalities was a joy and made me smile.
I kept expecting a horrific blow-up in regards to the way Ben broke up with Evin back in the day, and while there were some arguments and angry words, the dreaded screaming and volcanic eruption of blame never happened. The renewal of their relationship was gradual, a delicate slow burn, and I loved how the book ended. It felt real, felt natural, and I put the book down with a happy sigh and a smile.
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From the AuthorAlicia Nordwell
Character Journeys
Earning His Trust evolved over time from a short flash story in the Wednesday Briefers, to a longer story posted as a serial to an eBook. Writing it as part of a flash group that posts 1k updates each week was definitely different. As a challenge to myself while I was posting it online, I alternated the viewpoint between each character each week. That left me with whiplash when I tried to make it an eBook! Evin, Ben, Evin, Ben, Evin, Ben… twenty-eight times. Not so good for showing readers who the characters really are. So I started at the beginning and began shifting things around, adding here and there… and boom! My story grew by ten thousand words to the 38k novella it is now, with the wonderful assistance of my editing team headed by Rose Archer. It gained a cohesiveness it lacked, and I could really envision the journey Evin was on as he went from husband, to widow, to new dad, to… well, he’s not sure what he is when Ben comes back into the picture. But Ben’s sure he wants to be better than the man Evin once loved, to really deserve a second chance after their years apart, and he’s willing to do anything to make it happen.Even change stinky diapers.
Excerpt:
Excerpt: The curtain slid on the overhead rails, and Evin held in his urge to snap about how long it took to get to him when the nurse said the ER was slow, but he froze with his mouth open.“Hello, I’m Dr. Perez. I see you burn—” The doctor snapped his jaw shut and stopped before he reached the head of the bed. Micah was oblivious, sitting between his legs and playing with his fake keys, chewing away on the rubber tips and drooling. He clutched the soggy remains of a biscuit in his other hand.Evin had to swallow hard himself. Of all the hospitals, in all the cities, his old boyfriend had to be in this one.He looked… good. Older, some wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. It had been… how long since he’d seen him? Not since Ben was graduating medical school the same year Evin was graduating with a business degree. Evin certainly never expected to see him here, and by the shocked look on Ben’s face, he hadn’t known Evin lived in Portland either. Evin waited for Ben to say something else, but he just kept staring. Evin took a deep breath. He could be an adult. He was a dad now.“Burned my hand,” he finished the sentence Ben never did. “I did it about an hour ago, and it really hurts.” Maybe he could move this along. Plus, Micah was on his third biscuit and getting fussy again. He probably needed to be changed, have some lunch, and then would fall asleep for the afternoon, just so he could keep Evin up all night again.Ben dropped his gaze to Micah and then looked up to stare at Evin again. “What happened to you?”Did he mean how Evin probably looked like he’d aged at least ten years since Ben bailed right before graduation, the last night they’d spoken? Well, spoken wasn’t a very good description for the fight they’d had after weeks of Ben ducking Evin’s questions about what he was planning. Maybe their relationship had run its course; maybe it was better for them not to be together.But he’d never expected Ben to just up and leave. It’d been hard, but Evin had a job offer in Portland and he’d taken it. Fortunately, his best friend, Gianna, came with him, and they got an apartment together in a not-so-great area of Happy Valley. It’d been nice to have a friend he knew would stick by him, but then she met Carl, and they fell in love. Not long after that he met someone, but that had gone wrong too.Gone was the bright, glittery guy who lit up the room in a flash, and this version of himself was all Evin knew how to be anymore. It was probably a disappointment. His hair was cut short instead of hanging down to his shoulders, and he was in a blue T-shirt and a pair of gray sweats instead of skintight everything. Nothing at all like how Ben would remember him.Was he wondering how in the hell Evin had a kid, since he’d never even kissed a girl—at least before when Ben knew him? Probably.Or had he brushed off their history, leaving Evin as the only one thinking about how the years had changed them—Ben definitely for the better. Most likely, he meant how Evin got the burn. He was a professional after all, and Evin was probably just another patient to him.In the end, it didn’t really matter. His appearance, how he got hurt, it all came down to just one thing.“Teething.”
Purchase Links: Dreamspinner Press: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/earning-his-trust-by-alicia-nordwell-8830-bUniversal Amazon Link: http://mybook.to/earninghistrustBarnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/earning-his-trust-alicia-nordwell/1126959085?ean=2940158790324Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/earning-his-trust
Author Bio
The number one question folks ask Alicia when she shares she's a MM romance author: "Why gay fiction? Why write men when you're a woman?" and her answer is: "Why the hell not!" Alicia Nordwell is one of those not so rare creatures, a reader turned writer. Striving to find an interesting story one day, she decided to write what she wanted instead. Then the voices started... Yep, not only does she talk about herself in the third person for bios, she has voices in her head constantly clamoring to get out. Fortunately, with the encouragement of her family and friends, she decided for her own sanity to keep writing.
Now you can find her stories both free and e-published. When she’s not on the computer typing away, she's a wife and a mom of two in the dreary, yet ideal for her redhead complexion, Pacific Northwest. Except for when she disappears into one of the many worlds in her head, of course! She can also be found quite often at her blog, where she has a lot of free fiction for readers to enjoy or working hard, or maybe hardly working, as an admin on GayAuthors.org under her online nickname, Cia.
Social Media:Cia’s Stories: http://www.ciasstories.blogspot.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/alicia.nordwellTwitter: https://twitter.com/AliciaNordwellGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4479520.Alicia_Nordwell
Rafflecopter Giveaway:a Rafflecopter giveaway
Direct Link:
https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/a72b2c896/
[Prizes: Amazon Fire 7” *US Only* $20 Gift Card (Amazon or Dreamspinner) (2) Backlist title winners]
Thank you for stopping by! Happy reading!
July 1, 2017
I am moving the blog to my website.
ATTENTION:
My future posts will be all made on my website.
www.sjhimes.com
Starting 7/010/2017.
Thank you so much for the following and interactions.
My future posts will be all made on my website.
www.sjhimes.com
Starting 7/010/2017.
Thank you so much for the following and interactions.
June 15, 2017
Wolf of the Northern Star Release Day!
Happy Release Day!Wolf of the Northern StarJune 15th, 2017
Cover artwork by Kellie Dennis of Book Cover By DesignInterior Formatting and Design by KMD Web Designs
Wolf of the Northern StarBook #2 of The Wolfkin Saga
Blurb:
Ghost, once known as the cub Luca, is finally home. Back among his kind and learning what it means to be both a man and a shaman, Ghost battles the expectations of his people, his family, and the pressures of a society that is both foreign and familiar. His power is greater than any seen before, dwarfing that of even the legendary Shaman Gray Shadow—and his union with Kane places him in the center of a controversy that rattles wolfkin society around the world.
Kane, greater alpha and Heir to Black Pine Clan, has finally defeated the traitor and murderer that destroyed the heart of Black Pine years before. Freed at last from guilt and pain, Kane has a new enemy to face: his own people. Placed on trial for violation of Law and blasphemy, Kane will have to fight to the death to preserve his bond with Ghost and keep his mate and people safe.
The soulbond between Ghost and Kane is forged by the creator and Goddess of the wolfkin. Usually, a sacred and treasured union that honors the pair and their clans, this soulbond is seen not as a gift, but a threat to eons of tradition and Clan Law.
The union of a Shaman and Alpha is anathema—but how to reconcile that belief when it is the wolfkin Goddess who forged it? Can Ghost and Kane save themselves, preserve their bond, and find a new future when the laws of the ancient past threaten to tear them apart?
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon AU
Amazon CA
Wolves of Black Pine, Book #1, is also FREE right now from Amazon US.
From June 15th to June 19th, 2017.
Exclusive Excerpt:CAIUS OPENED the door, the wind howling and sharp as it tore through his clothes. The evening sun was long hidden behind the deep gray clouds, twilight losing its grip as the hour sped toward full darkness. He could see, the gifts of his kind allowing him to navigate where humans would be handicapped by the deepening shadows. He walked down the path, the White Wolf’s cabin soon disappearing at his back as he wound his way along the mountainside, taking the route to the visitors’ cabins further back among the trees. Ice crackled under his feet, his boots snapping the thin layers covering the gravel and stones. Any wolfkin in the area would hear him coming. Hiding his approach to where his new-found grandson and Caius’ Heir were staying was impossible once he took the final bend in the path to the cabins. There were several cabins along this path, some as old as the park itself, some far older than even that. He reached the blown out and blackened shell of one cabin, and he paused for a second, taking in the scent of sulfur and soot. This was the place bombed last week by one of the traitors at his son’s insistence. Claire, daughter of Andromeda, nearly killed Caius’ son, Heir, grandson, his Clan’s Speaker, and his Heir’s First Beta. All for the unrequited love of another of Caius’s worthless sons. Caius snorted in displeasure, and took the path deeper into the snow-covered trees. Spring was only a few weeks away, but winter in Maine was unrelenting, the temperatures hovering below freezing and snow coming at least once a day. The last heavy storm happened just hours before Caius and his fellow Greater Clan Leader, Heromindes, arrived in Baxter last week. It was that same storm that covered the attack of Roman’s misfit band of traitors and Simon Remus’ group of mercenaries. Luckily Kane, his Heir, had his tactical team already in place in Baxter, and they defeated the humans at the park gates. Andromeda easily and quickly took out Roman, Caius’ son and the great traitor they’d been searching for for twenty years, and Luca… Ghost…took care of the exiled traitors, deep in the woods. Caius and Heromindes, along with Hero’s cousin Gabriel, under the watchful eye of Andromeda, had gone the evening after the battles to see the killing ground in the woods. Gabriel recounted, in halting words and averted eyes, the tale of how they’d been ambushed by unknown wolves, and Luca, who now went by Ghost, killed the ambushers in a storm of lightning that came from the air around them. Gabe told them all, disbelief and some fear building in their expressions, how the lightning avoided touching Gabe and Gerald, instead dancing around and through the attackers. Burnt and decimated corpses littering the ground gave credence to Gabe’s tale, the scorched earth and fire-damaged trees were an indicator of just how much power was unleashed. An astronomical amount of shamanic magic had left several wolfkin nothing but ashes, charred flesh and bones, in a matter of seconds.Caius stopped, just in view now of the cabin where Kane and Ghost had been holed up the last few days. Ghost flat-out refused to allow Kane to remain under guard in the cellars of Andromeda’s cabin where Roman was currently being held, and Caius privately agreed. Whatever discontent lay in his heart towards his oh-so-perfect heir, Caius did not believe that Kane forced a bonding upon Ghost. Their gift, the one they shared, did not work on shamans. And regardless of what Heromindes thought, no matter of proper training or technique was responsible for the shamans’ immunity to the Voice; that was a gift they were born with, that flowered when they came into their roles as keepers of the faith and the magics of their kind. Kane was innocent of using the Voice to force Ghost into a bonding, and Caius had seen a few soulbonds in his long life. He knew the difference between a regular mating bond, a forced bond, and the even rarer soulbond. The most recent soulbond he saw was that between his late daughter, Marla, and the long-missing son of Gray Shadow, Josiah.Just thinking about Marla and Gray Shadow in the same thought was enough to make his heart pound painfully, his eyes shutting as he clenched his fists and fought back the tears. His daughter was dead. And Gray Shadow…. his heart was long dead, too, no matter how strongly it beat in his chest.He blinked back tears, refusing to give into the pain, but what he saw when he looked again at the cabin was enough to stagger him.The pair silhouetted in the big window in front of the cabin made his heart pound even harder. The large alpha was curled around the smaller shaman protectively, care and affection in every long line of Kane’s body. Pain tore at Caius, the image enough to pull up long-denied memories of another place and time, of a hidden glen in the Old World, where two young male wolfkin first found love of their own. A love that back then meant death. And it was a similar love that now threatened the life of his Heir and his grandson.
Happy reading!
Cover artwork by Kellie Dennis of Book Cover By DesignInterior Formatting and Design by KMD Web Designs
Wolf of the Northern StarBook #2 of The Wolfkin Saga
Blurb:
Ghost, once known as the cub Luca, is finally home. Back among his kind and learning what it means to be both a man and a shaman, Ghost battles the expectations of his people, his family, and the pressures of a society that is both foreign and familiar. His power is greater than any seen before, dwarfing that of even the legendary Shaman Gray Shadow—and his union with Kane places him in the center of a controversy that rattles wolfkin society around the world.
Kane, greater alpha and Heir to Black Pine Clan, has finally defeated the traitor and murderer that destroyed the heart of Black Pine years before. Freed at last from guilt and pain, Kane has a new enemy to face: his own people. Placed on trial for violation of Law and blasphemy, Kane will have to fight to the death to preserve his bond with Ghost and keep his mate and people safe.
The soulbond between Ghost and Kane is forged by the creator and Goddess of the wolfkin. Usually, a sacred and treasured union that honors the pair and their clans, this soulbond is seen not as a gift, but a threat to eons of tradition and Clan Law.
The union of a Shaman and Alpha is anathema—but how to reconcile that belief when it is the wolfkin Goddess who forged it? Can Ghost and Kane save themselves, preserve their bond, and find a new future when the laws of the ancient past threaten to tear them apart?
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon AU
Amazon CA
Wolves of Black Pine, Book #1, is also FREE right now from Amazon US.
From June 15th to June 19th, 2017.
Exclusive Excerpt:CAIUS OPENED the door, the wind howling and sharp as it tore through his clothes. The evening sun was long hidden behind the deep gray clouds, twilight losing its grip as the hour sped toward full darkness. He could see, the gifts of his kind allowing him to navigate where humans would be handicapped by the deepening shadows. He walked down the path, the White Wolf’s cabin soon disappearing at his back as he wound his way along the mountainside, taking the route to the visitors’ cabins further back among the trees. Ice crackled under his feet, his boots snapping the thin layers covering the gravel and stones. Any wolfkin in the area would hear him coming. Hiding his approach to where his new-found grandson and Caius’ Heir were staying was impossible once he took the final bend in the path to the cabins. There were several cabins along this path, some as old as the park itself, some far older than even that. He reached the blown out and blackened shell of one cabin, and he paused for a second, taking in the scent of sulfur and soot. This was the place bombed last week by one of the traitors at his son’s insistence. Claire, daughter of Andromeda, nearly killed Caius’ son, Heir, grandson, his Clan’s Speaker, and his Heir’s First Beta. All for the unrequited love of another of Caius’s worthless sons. Caius snorted in displeasure, and took the path deeper into the snow-covered trees. Spring was only a few weeks away, but winter in Maine was unrelenting, the temperatures hovering below freezing and snow coming at least once a day. The last heavy storm happened just hours before Caius and his fellow Greater Clan Leader, Heromindes, arrived in Baxter last week. It was that same storm that covered the attack of Roman’s misfit band of traitors and Simon Remus’ group of mercenaries. Luckily Kane, his Heir, had his tactical team already in place in Baxter, and they defeated the humans at the park gates. Andromeda easily and quickly took out Roman, Caius’ son and the great traitor they’d been searching for for twenty years, and Luca… Ghost…took care of the exiled traitors, deep in the woods. Caius and Heromindes, along with Hero’s cousin Gabriel, under the watchful eye of Andromeda, had gone the evening after the battles to see the killing ground in the woods. Gabriel recounted, in halting words and averted eyes, the tale of how they’d been ambushed by unknown wolves, and Luca, who now went by Ghost, killed the ambushers in a storm of lightning that came from the air around them. Gabe told them all, disbelief and some fear building in their expressions, how the lightning avoided touching Gabe and Gerald, instead dancing around and through the attackers. Burnt and decimated corpses littering the ground gave credence to Gabe’s tale, the scorched earth and fire-damaged trees were an indicator of just how much power was unleashed. An astronomical amount of shamanic magic had left several wolfkin nothing but ashes, charred flesh and bones, in a matter of seconds.Caius stopped, just in view now of the cabin where Kane and Ghost had been holed up the last few days. Ghost flat-out refused to allow Kane to remain under guard in the cellars of Andromeda’s cabin where Roman was currently being held, and Caius privately agreed. Whatever discontent lay in his heart towards his oh-so-perfect heir, Caius did not believe that Kane forced a bonding upon Ghost. Their gift, the one they shared, did not work on shamans. And regardless of what Heromindes thought, no matter of proper training or technique was responsible for the shamans’ immunity to the Voice; that was a gift they were born with, that flowered when they came into their roles as keepers of the faith and the magics of their kind. Kane was innocent of using the Voice to force Ghost into a bonding, and Caius had seen a few soulbonds in his long life. He knew the difference between a regular mating bond, a forced bond, and the even rarer soulbond. The most recent soulbond he saw was that between his late daughter, Marla, and the long-missing son of Gray Shadow, Josiah.Just thinking about Marla and Gray Shadow in the same thought was enough to make his heart pound painfully, his eyes shutting as he clenched his fists and fought back the tears. His daughter was dead. And Gray Shadow…. his heart was long dead, too, no matter how strongly it beat in his chest.He blinked back tears, refusing to give into the pain, but what he saw when he looked again at the cabin was enough to stagger him.The pair silhouetted in the big window in front of the cabin made his heart pound even harder. The large alpha was curled around the smaller shaman protectively, care and affection in every long line of Kane’s body. Pain tore at Caius, the image enough to pull up long-denied memories of another place and time, of a hidden glen in the Old World, where two young male wolfkin first found love of their own. A love that back then meant death. And it was a similar love that now threatened the life of his Heir and his grandson.
Happy reading!
April 4, 2017
April 3, 2017
Renewing the Soul by Annabella Michaels Release Day #Giveaway
Renewing the SoulRelease Day and Giveaway
Book FOUR of the Souls of Chicago Series
Amazon
BLURB!Rocko earned and loved his reputation as the wild child of the rock band, Carter’s Creed. His bandmates dubbed him Animal, not only for his skills on the drums, but because he was always looking for the next thrill. Sex, drugs and rock and roll were what he lived for. That was until one night when his wild ways nearly cost him his life. As the owner of Golden Entertainment Studios, Lachlan Edwards had a vested interest in his newest clients, the members of the band, Carter’s Creed. He wasn’t surprised when they quickly rose to the top of the music charts, given their talent, but he was concerned with how their drummer, Rocko, seemed to be spiraling out of control. When Rocko seemingly hits rock bottom, Lachlan decides to step in and offer him a chance to recover.Will Rocko accept Lachlan’s offer even if it means facing the past he’s tried so hard to run away from, or will it all prove to be too much and send him spiraling out of control once again?
Amazon
Souls of Chicago Series
Book #1 Feeding the Soul
Book #2 Music of the Soul
Book #3 Protecting the Soul
Author Bio!
Annabella Michaels
I am married to my high school sweetheart who let’s face it, is a saint for putting up with me all of these years. Together we have been blessed with the chance to raise two amazing human beings and so far we haven’t screwed it up; I’ll let you know for sure later. I am a business owner and spend more time laughing than actually working most days. I love watching movies, cooking, going to the beach and spending time with my family and best friends. I am an obsessive reader who is a complete sucker for a good love story, but loves to feel a broad range of emotions throughout a book. I think real life is hard enough and so my books offer twists and turns, but always with a happy ending.
Annabella on Twitter
Annabella on Facebook
Annabella's Blog!
Enter the Monthly Giveaway to WIN a $10.00 Amazon eGift Card!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Book FOUR of the Souls of Chicago Series
Amazon
BLURB!Rocko earned and loved his reputation as the wild child of the rock band, Carter’s Creed. His bandmates dubbed him Animal, not only for his skills on the drums, but because he was always looking for the next thrill. Sex, drugs and rock and roll were what he lived for. That was until one night when his wild ways nearly cost him his life. As the owner of Golden Entertainment Studios, Lachlan Edwards had a vested interest in his newest clients, the members of the band, Carter’s Creed. He wasn’t surprised when they quickly rose to the top of the music charts, given their talent, but he was concerned with how their drummer, Rocko, seemed to be spiraling out of control. When Rocko seemingly hits rock bottom, Lachlan decides to step in and offer him a chance to recover.Will Rocko accept Lachlan’s offer even if it means facing the past he’s tried so hard to run away from, or will it all prove to be too much and send him spiraling out of control once again?
Amazon
Souls of Chicago Series
Book #1 Feeding the Soul
Book #2 Music of the Soul
Book #3 Protecting the Soul
Author Bio!
Annabella Michaels
I am married to my high school sweetheart who let’s face it, is a saint for putting up with me all of these years. Together we have been blessed with the chance to raise two amazing human beings and so far we haven’t screwed it up; I’ll let you know for sure later. I am a business owner and spend more time laughing than actually working most days. I love watching movies, cooking, going to the beach and spending time with my family and best friends. I am an obsessive reader who is a complete sucker for a good love story, but loves to feel a broad range of emotions throughout a book. I think real life is hard enough and so my books offer twists and turns, but always with a happy ending.
Annabella on Twitter
Annabella on Facebook
Annabella's Blog!
Enter the Monthly Giveaway to WIN a $10.00 Amazon eGift Card!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
March 21, 2017
Audiobook Release and Giveaway!!
The Necromancer's DanceAudiobook Release!GIVEAWAY
Narrated by Joel LeslieJoel Leslie NarrationJoel Leslie Narration Facebook PageJoel Leslie TwitterAudible for The Necromancer's DanceAmazon PageBlurb:In a world where magic is real and evil walks amongst humanity, a young sorcerer is beset by enemies, both old and new.
Angelus Salvatore is the only necromancer in all of Boston, and his name is whispered warily by the undead and fellow sorcerers alike. He and his brother Isaac are the lone survivors of an attack by an army of the undead, in which Angel used a spell so powerful it forever marked his place in history. Now, years later, Angel struggles to balance his career as a teacher of the higher magical arts, his role as big brother, and a tenuous relationship with an Elder vampire from the local clan. When his brother's boyfriend is used as a pawn in a mysterious plot to draw Angel out, Angel is once again drawn back into the old hostilities that fueled the Blood Wars and led to his family's death.Leaning on others for help is something Angel cannot do, and while he searches for clues as to who may be targeting him and his brother, Angel finds his heart steadily growing occupied with Simeon, Elder and vampire. Dealing with death magic and vampires on a daily basis may leave Angel jaded when it comes to life and staying that way, but the more time he spends fending off the ancient vampire's attention and affections, the more he realizes he wants to give in.Can Angel find out who wants him dead, and keep his heart safe in the process? How can he fall for a vampire, when his whole family was torn apart by an army of the undead?
Death stalks the streets of Boston's historic Beacon Hill...and there is no one more suited to battle against death than a necromancer.
To Listen to a Sample Click Here!
Total Run-time: 8 hrs 8 minutesMature Content. Contains sex, violence, swearing and a serious amount of snark.
Hello everyone! I'm excited to share with everyone the release of The Necromancer's Dance on audiobook! This has been a fabulous experience for me, and Joel Leslie, the narrator, has done a fantastic job. He took my characters and breathed life into them! I have to say that my favorites are Angel, Simeon, and Milly. Blew my expectations out of the water.I hope everyone enjoys the book and Joel's performance as much as I do! Don't forget to enter the Giveaway Contest below for a chance to win a free audiobook copy of The Necromancer's Dance!Joel is the acclaimed narrator for the Red Dirt Heart series by NR Walker, Lord Mouse by Mason Thomas, and a HUGE list of other m/m romance titles. Click below to check out his other Audible titles!Joel Leslie Audible Titles GIVEAWAY RAFFLE!Enter to Win a chance at a FREE Audiobook copy of The Necromancer's Dancefrom Audible!
a Rafflecopter giveaway<
Narrated by Joel LeslieJoel Leslie NarrationJoel Leslie Narration Facebook PageJoel Leslie TwitterAudible for The Necromancer's DanceAmazon PageBlurb:In a world where magic is real and evil walks amongst humanity, a young sorcerer is beset by enemies, both old and new.
Angelus Salvatore is the only necromancer in all of Boston, and his name is whispered warily by the undead and fellow sorcerers alike. He and his brother Isaac are the lone survivors of an attack by an army of the undead, in which Angel used a spell so powerful it forever marked his place in history. Now, years later, Angel struggles to balance his career as a teacher of the higher magical arts, his role as big brother, and a tenuous relationship with an Elder vampire from the local clan. When his brother's boyfriend is used as a pawn in a mysterious plot to draw Angel out, Angel is once again drawn back into the old hostilities that fueled the Blood Wars and led to his family's death.Leaning on others for help is something Angel cannot do, and while he searches for clues as to who may be targeting him and his brother, Angel finds his heart steadily growing occupied with Simeon, Elder and vampire. Dealing with death magic and vampires on a daily basis may leave Angel jaded when it comes to life and staying that way, but the more time he spends fending off the ancient vampire's attention and affections, the more he realizes he wants to give in.Can Angel find out who wants him dead, and keep his heart safe in the process? How can he fall for a vampire, when his whole family was torn apart by an army of the undead?
Death stalks the streets of Boston's historic Beacon Hill...and there is no one more suited to battle against death than a necromancer.
To Listen to a Sample Click Here!
Total Run-time: 8 hrs 8 minutesMature Content. Contains sex, violence, swearing and a serious amount of snark.
Hello everyone! I'm excited to share with everyone the release of The Necromancer's Dance on audiobook! This has been a fabulous experience for me, and Joel Leslie, the narrator, has done a fantastic job. He took my characters and breathed life into them! I have to say that my favorites are Angel, Simeon, and Milly. Blew my expectations out of the water.I hope everyone enjoys the book and Joel's performance as much as I do! Don't forget to enter the Giveaway Contest below for a chance to win a free audiobook copy of The Necromancer's Dance!Joel is the acclaimed narrator for the Red Dirt Heart series by NR Walker, Lord Mouse by Mason Thomas, and a HUGE list of other m/m romance titles. Click below to check out his other Audible titles!Joel Leslie Audible Titles GIVEAWAY RAFFLE!Enter to Win a chance at a FREE Audiobook copy of The Necromancer's Dancefrom Audible!
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February 23, 2017
World of The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #3
World of the Beacon Hill Sorcerer #3Definitions, Terms and Concepts
The Veil
As I mentioned in a previous post:
"Tapping the veil", ie accessing a limitless dimension of magical energy that exists parallel and adjacent to this dimension. It exists between all parallel universes and realities. The veil can only be breached by magic users with sufficient personal strength. A natural, potential ability for all sorcerers that still requires training, and the more personal stamina, talent, and skill a sorcerer has, the longer they can access the veil. Extremely dangerous for an untrained practitioner to access the veil, and sorcerers have died before or killed others accidentally with veil-drawn power when their personal store of energy becomes exhausted or they lost focus due to mental fatigue. Only the best sorcerers can recharge themselves as they tap the veil while also utilizing it.
The veil can be accessed by a sorcerer through a mysterious means called "tapping", and it is a technique used only by human practitioners. Other species have their own sources of power or can access the veil through biological means, innate gifts they might be born with, whereas human practitioners need to have sorcery-level talent and be trained in the technique. Witches, wizards, and psychics and sensitive humans cannot access the veil, though wizard-ranked practitioners can sense the ambient fields and how they fluctuate when the veil is accessed in their vicinity. Accidental access to the veil is possible, though those who do so rarely survive the experience if there isn't a trained sorcerer nearby to free the victim.
The best description available for "tapping the veil" is the reason all sorcerers are trained in complete self-awareness--once a sorcerer can separate their own magic and their place in that world, they can move their awareness outside their own bodies and minds and cut through the intangible barriers between realities. This is similar to what a sorcerer does during a summoning of a demon, as well, though summoning a demon is more complicated, whereas in tapping the veil, it is just like opening a release valve instead of trying to pull something through.
The source of magic within the veil comes from all living things and active molecular movement in physical objects. Living organisms, from single cell amoebas to leviathans hiding beneath the sea cast off magical energy. Some species of supernatural creatures are capable of accessing this magic at the point of genesis, and produce more active, tangible magical power than humans. Practitioners use their own personal magical energy as well, and the higher ranks can access ambient magic in the world around them that has yet to bleed across to the veil. The stronger the practitioner, the greater the depth of their personal magical reserves. This is true of all practitioners, regardless of affinity.
The Mate Bond Between Angel and Simeon
In Book #2, The Necromancer's Dilemma, Angel and Simeon's mate bond is almost totally complete. When this happened, Angel was able to access not just Simeon's personal vampiric powers, but also the primordial death magic that animates the Sentient Undead--vampires.
The primordial death magic and death magic in general is very different from the "living" magic created by living creatures. Death magic seeps and pools, holding still in clusters in the world, and it is everywhere. Not just in places of death or dead things, but literally everywhere. It coats everything, and it can never be exhausted but for very specific circumstances.
Death magic is generated by all living and mortal creatures, even when alive, just in small amounts, and when something living dies, the death magic remains while the spirit departs, and the living magic stops being produced at the same time as the death event.
Here is where Angel and Simeon's bond comes into play. The veil takes power to use power, and holding the veil open for its use is dangerous and cannot be permanent. In the case of the mate bond between Angel, a necromancer, and Simeon, a vampire, Angel is given constant, effortless access to the primordial death magic in our reality. This death magic has no limit. It has been present in this reality for millions of years. It is older than the age of dinosaurs.
Due to Angel's affinity for death, he does not need to exert himself to access this power. As long as Angel is mated with Simeon, the potential is endless for what he can do.
The Other Side
This is what Angel calls the place in which spirits and souls go when they die. All that lives and dies goes to The Other Side, sometimes called the Abyss. Angel, as a necromancer, can call souls back from The Other Side, but he himself cannot see beyond it. Whether it be Heaven, Hell, or something unknown, he cannot tell for sure. He has sometimes sensed a Presence in The Other Side, an infinite awareness that stares back at him when he resurrects the departed or uses his affinity to heal the living in their moment of dying. Angel's experience in touching The Other Side leaves him less religious than other humans, as nothing in modern religion has any explanation for what The Other Side may be except for baseless conjecture. His brushes with the Presence leaves him with definitive knowledge that there are beings of immense power, and he doesn't need faith when he knows.
This frame of mind is not unique to Angel, as most necromancers have some similar thought processes. Despite the frequency in which necromancers become priests and clerics, they are all deeply skeptic and cautious in labeling the Presence and The Other Side. This habit of necromancers also explains some of the hatred and prejudice they get from others throughout history.
All the above is original concepts created by SJ Himes for the Beacon Hill Sorcerer series. Artwork/photographs property of their respective creators.
Copyright © 2017 by SJ Himes
The Veil
As I mentioned in a previous post:
"Tapping the veil", ie accessing a limitless dimension of magical energy that exists parallel and adjacent to this dimension. It exists between all parallel universes and realities. The veil can only be breached by magic users with sufficient personal strength. A natural, potential ability for all sorcerers that still requires training, and the more personal stamina, talent, and skill a sorcerer has, the longer they can access the veil. Extremely dangerous for an untrained practitioner to access the veil, and sorcerers have died before or killed others accidentally with veil-drawn power when their personal store of energy becomes exhausted or they lost focus due to mental fatigue. Only the best sorcerers can recharge themselves as they tap the veil while also utilizing it.
The veil can be accessed by a sorcerer through a mysterious means called "tapping", and it is a technique used only by human practitioners. Other species have their own sources of power or can access the veil through biological means, innate gifts they might be born with, whereas human practitioners need to have sorcery-level talent and be trained in the technique. Witches, wizards, and psychics and sensitive humans cannot access the veil, though wizard-ranked practitioners can sense the ambient fields and how they fluctuate when the veil is accessed in their vicinity. Accidental access to the veil is possible, though those who do so rarely survive the experience if there isn't a trained sorcerer nearby to free the victim.
The best description available for "tapping the veil" is the reason all sorcerers are trained in complete self-awareness--once a sorcerer can separate their own magic and their place in that world, they can move their awareness outside their own bodies and minds and cut through the intangible barriers between realities. This is similar to what a sorcerer does during a summoning of a demon, as well, though summoning a demon is more complicated, whereas in tapping the veil, it is just like opening a release valve instead of trying to pull something through.
The source of magic within the veil comes from all living things and active molecular movement in physical objects. Living organisms, from single cell amoebas to leviathans hiding beneath the sea cast off magical energy. Some species of supernatural creatures are capable of accessing this magic at the point of genesis, and produce more active, tangible magical power than humans. Practitioners use their own personal magical energy as well, and the higher ranks can access ambient magic in the world around them that has yet to bleed across to the veil. The stronger the practitioner, the greater the depth of their personal magical reserves. This is true of all practitioners, regardless of affinity.
The Mate Bond Between Angel and Simeon
In Book #2, The Necromancer's Dilemma, Angel and Simeon's mate bond is almost totally complete. When this happened, Angel was able to access not just Simeon's personal vampiric powers, but also the primordial death magic that animates the Sentient Undead--vampires.
The primordial death magic and death magic in general is very different from the "living" magic created by living creatures. Death magic seeps and pools, holding still in clusters in the world, and it is everywhere. Not just in places of death or dead things, but literally everywhere. It coats everything, and it can never be exhausted but for very specific circumstances.
Death magic is generated by all living and mortal creatures, even when alive, just in small amounts, and when something living dies, the death magic remains while the spirit departs, and the living magic stops being produced at the same time as the death event.
Here is where Angel and Simeon's bond comes into play. The veil takes power to use power, and holding the veil open for its use is dangerous and cannot be permanent. In the case of the mate bond between Angel, a necromancer, and Simeon, a vampire, Angel is given constant, effortless access to the primordial death magic in our reality. This death magic has no limit. It has been present in this reality for millions of years. It is older than the age of dinosaurs.
Due to Angel's affinity for death, he does not need to exert himself to access this power. As long as Angel is mated with Simeon, the potential is endless for what he can do.
The Other Side
This is what Angel calls the place in which spirits and souls go when they die. All that lives and dies goes to The Other Side, sometimes called the Abyss. Angel, as a necromancer, can call souls back from The Other Side, but he himself cannot see beyond it. Whether it be Heaven, Hell, or something unknown, he cannot tell for sure. He has sometimes sensed a Presence in The Other Side, an infinite awareness that stares back at him when he resurrects the departed or uses his affinity to heal the living in their moment of dying. Angel's experience in touching The Other Side leaves him less religious than other humans, as nothing in modern religion has any explanation for what The Other Side may be except for baseless conjecture. His brushes with the Presence leaves him with definitive knowledge that there are beings of immense power, and he doesn't need faith when he knows.
This frame of mind is not unique to Angel, as most necromancers have some similar thought processes. Despite the frequency in which necromancers become priests and clerics, they are all deeply skeptic and cautious in labeling the Presence and The Other Side. This habit of necromancers also explains some of the hatred and prejudice they get from others throughout history.
All the above is original concepts created by SJ Himes for the Beacon Hill Sorcerer series. Artwork/photographs property of their respective creators.
Copyright © 2017 by SJ Himes
November 23, 2016
The Copper Horse: Love
The Copper Horse: LoveBook #3 Review and Exclusive Excerpt
Blurb: Volume 3 in the ponyplay erotic romance trilogy: The Copper Horse
London 1907, twenty years into the zombie plague
Just as Reuben finally settles into the role of Copper, his master’s proud stallion, his life gets turned upside down by a revolution that has been long brewing in London. But the men who come for Erik at his home bring much more than havoc. They uncover lies that Erik has fed Reuben, and the truth creates a rift between them that might be impossible to cross.
Even if Reuben still wanted to be Erik’s pony, is it possible for them to be together if his master loses all power and property? With no harness to hold him, no bit to stop him from speaking, can Reuben still be what Erik wants? Does he have anything to offer as a man?
The relationship they have established gets shaken to its core, and on the run from Erik’s enemies, they will both have to find out if the bond they share will survive, or if it will break.
*
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
Genre: m/m dark erotic romance, BDSM
Length: ~80,000 words (book 3 in the trilogy)
Themes: class differences, slavery, steampunk, alternative lifestyle, alternative history, Victorian, master/servant, captivity, ponyplay, heavy kink, organized crime, violence, power play
Erotic content: explicit M/M erotic scenes (including ponyplay)
Excerpt:
Erik turned back to Reuben, and a frown marred his forehead, but the expression only made him more handsome. “That will not do at all. Do you have some gardening scissors, Alexander?” he asked, pulling on Reuben’s clothes, as if they were rags that somehow stuck to his skin.Alexander chuckled and offered Erik a huge pair of scissors that could easily cut off a man’s prick. Or his nose.Reuben blinked and took half a step back, but it still felt so much more comfortable to not speak. Then again, if he lost these clothes, what would he wear in case they needed to leave? Did it matter though? Was it his concern at all?Reuben swallowed and put his jingling bag by the wall. He was so ready to become Copper again, and Coal’s gaze only added to the excitement of it all. They had never talked, and Coal had seemed unhappy to find out Reuben was a slave, but Reuben preferred it that way. He preferred seeing Coal as a big hot stallion than as a man who could understand the goings-on and judge him.He closed his eyes, but when the cold steel rubbed against his bare stomach, he gave a low shriek. It was like a burn, only more like ice than fire.“Shush, Copper. I’m not going to hurt you in any way,” said Erik, but that didn’t make the sound of two pieces of metal grinding together any less unpleasant.“B-but, the clothes?” Reuben uttered, yet stayed in place. He didn’t know how he could still be Erik’s pony without the world of Erik’s home around them to provide him with structure, but maybe at Alexander’s, the make-believe could work?“Don’t be silly. Horses don’t need to cover up. There’s nothing shameful about displaying all that lovely muscle, and your cock, and your big balls,” whispered Erik as the metal moved up Reuben’s neck to cut open his collar. Then the folds of fabric opened, and Reuben felt the cool air caressing his skin.His breath was becoming shallow, yet he kept still, watching the fine clothes, which he could have never afforded in the past, fall off like layers of an onion. Erik talking about leaving him on display sent a tremor of excitement down his body already.Erik’s eyes met his, so bright and yet so odd with their different colours. Reuben’s cock twitched the moment Erik cut through one of Reuben’s suspenders, and the trousers sagged on his hips.Coal huffed in his stall, pacing behind the gate and thumping his feet against the floor.“You like what you see, Coal?” Alexander approached the stall and petted Coal’s long hair. “The beautiful Copper has grown since we’ve last seen him, hasn’t he?”The way Alexander watched him and the way Coal’s eyes followed every twitch of Reuben’s muscle made Reuben straighten up and lift his chin higher. The admiration tickled his self-worth, and now, in the presence of like-minded men, he was looking forward to shedding his humanity.When the last of the clothes fell off and Erik poked Reuben’s shoe with his foot, it was a signal to removing the last of what made him a man.
Review:
(Contains light spoilers)
This series just gets better and better. Dark dystopian zombie-verse with steampunk machinery and sexual delights of a darker nature?
My catnip!
When I first began reading the Copper Horse series (Book #1 Fear), even I had trouble adapting to the ruthless sexuality and blatant violence of Erik Dal, the Master to Reuben Wark's pony personality, Copper. As the series progresses, both Erik, aka Bluefinger, and Reuben, aka Copper, evolve and adapt. Their unique sexual relationship deepens, augmented by trust, and yes, love.
Here in the third installment, Erik is the one to sacrifice the most, and yet remain the same yet with more affection and concern for others' well-being, which will seem odd, as he kills more people in this book than any of the previous books!
We left off in the second book, Copper Horse: Pride, with the ominous sight of Hans' head rolling down the stairs after being brutally murdered. Hans was Erik's ever-dangerous bodyguard, and for him to be dead, things are indeed very bad! The Humanist Revolution has arrived, after being teased at for two books. Dima Gregorovich has assumed control of London and parts of Bylondon, stripping Erik Dal's wealth and power in vicious strokes. With Bluefinger's household destroyed, it's members scattered or dead, Erik and Reuben are left to fend for themselves, falling from one disaster to the next!
One thing about this book I really enjoyed was the use of Reuben's skills from his previous life in helping them survive zombie-infested forests and sewers. The threat of disease and death from zombies is a very real and distressing reality in this world, and I love the inclusion of the zombies as an obstacle the lovers need to defeat. This is a long book (yay!) and there's tons more the lovers are put through by the devious minds of the authors.
For me, one of the deeply appealing things about these books is the sexual aspect. Ponyplay is invigorating to read and charming, even while reading about fisting and caning. This book, while lighter on the sexual play due to the circumstances, showcases the affection and the devotion between Erik and Reuben. This book has more danger and more violence, but the real bond between Erik and Reuben shines brighter. Erik shows his feeling and desire to care for Reuben, and after a serious revelation that explains exactly how Reuben fell under Erik's regard, Reuben's submissive nature and true loyalty emerges and he finds strength in his love for his master.
The ending is rather abrupt, but I see tons of potential for a Book #4 in this series, with the same characters. (Even though it's labeled a trilogy.) I wasn't left feeling short-changed, just that there's more to tell about this couple and the world they're in.
I heartily recommend the first two full-length novels and the Short Story be read before reading The Copper Horse: Love. You won't be disappointed, as the entire series is well worth the time.
BUY LINKS:
Amazon
Previous books in the series:
The Copper Horse #1: Fear
The Copper Horse #2: Pride
Jack's Punishment: A Copper Horse Short
Blurb: Volume 3 in the ponyplay erotic romance trilogy: The Copper Horse
London 1907, twenty years into the zombie plague
Just as Reuben finally settles into the role of Copper, his master’s proud stallion, his life gets turned upside down by a revolution that has been long brewing in London. But the men who come for Erik at his home bring much more than havoc. They uncover lies that Erik has fed Reuben, and the truth creates a rift between them that might be impossible to cross.
Even if Reuben still wanted to be Erik’s pony, is it possible for them to be together if his master loses all power and property? With no harness to hold him, no bit to stop him from speaking, can Reuben still be what Erik wants? Does he have anything to offer as a man?
The relationship they have established gets shaken to its core, and on the run from Erik’s enemies, they will both have to find out if the bond they share will survive, or if it will break.
*
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
Genre: m/m dark erotic romance, BDSM
Length: ~80,000 words (book 3 in the trilogy)
Themes: class differences, slavery, steampunk, alternative lifestyle, alternative history, Victorian, master/servant, captivity, ponyplay, heavy kink, organized crime, violence, power play
Erotic content: explicit M/M erotic scenes (including ponyplay)
Excerpt:
Erik turned back to Reuben, and a frown marred his forehead, but the expression only made him more handsome. “That will not do at all. Do you have some gardening scissors, Alexander?” he asked, pulling on Reuben’s clothes, as if they were rags that somehow stuck to his skin.Alexander chuckled and offered Erik a huge pair of scissors that could easily cut off a man’s prick. Or his nose.Reuben blinked and took half a step back, but it still felt so much more comfortable to not speak. Then again, if he lost these clothes, what would he wear in case they needed to leave? Did it matter though? Was it his concern at all?Reuben swallowed and put his jingling bag by the wall. He was so ready to become Copper again, and Coal’s gaze only added to the excitement of it all. They had never talked, and Coal had seemed unhappy to find out Reuben was a slave, but Reuben preferred it that way. He preferred seeing Coal as a big hot stallion than as a man who could understand the goings-on and judge him.He closed his eyes, but when the cold steel rubbed against his bare stomach, he gave a low shriek. It was like a burn, only more like ice than fire.“Shush, Copper. I’m not going to hurt you in any way,” said Erik, but that didn’t make the sound of two pieces of metal grinding together any less unpleasant.“B-but, the clothes?” Reuben uttered, yet stayed in place. He didn’t know how he could still be Erik’s pony without the world of Erik’s home around them to provide him with structure, but maybe at Alexander’s, the make-believe could work?“Don’t be silly. Horses don’t need to cover up. There’s nothing shameful about displaying all that lovely muscle, and your cock, and your big balls,” whispered Erik as the metal moved up Reuben’s neck to cut open his collar. Then the folds of fabric opened, and Reuben felt the cool air caressing his skin.His breath was becoming shallow, yet he kept still, watching the fine clothes, which he could have never afforded in the past, fall off like layers of an onion. Erik talking about leaving him on display sent a tremor of excitement down his body already.Erik’s eyes met his, so bright and yet so odd with their different colours. Reuben’s cock twitched the moment Erik cut through one of Reuben’s suspenders, and the trousers sagged on his hips.Coal huffed in his stall, pacing behind the gate and thumping his feet against the floor.“You like what you see, Coal?” Alexander approached the stall and petted Coal’s long hair. “The beautiful Copper has grown since we’ve last seen him, hasn’t he?”The way Alexander watched him and the way Coal’s eyes followed every twitch of Reuben’s muscle made Reuben straighten up and lift his chin higher. The admiration tickled his self-worth, and now, in the presence of like-minded men, he was looking forward to shedding his humanity.When the last of the clothes fell off and Erik poked Reuben’s shoe with his foot, it was a signal to removing the last of what made him a man.
Review:
(Contains light spoilers)This series just gets better and better. Dark dystopian zombie-verse with steampunk machinery and sexual delights of a darker nature?
My catnip!
When I first began reading the Copper Horse series (Book #1 Fear), even I had trouble adapting to the ruthless sexuality and blatant violence of Erik Dal, the Master to Reuben Wark's pony personality, Copper. As the series progresses, both Erik, aka Bluefinger, and Reuben, aka Copper, evolve and adapt. Their unique sexual relationship deepens, augmented by trust, and yes, love.
Here in the third installment, Erik is the one to sacrifice the most, and yet remain the same yet with more affection and concern for others' well-being, which will seem odd, as he kills more people in this book than any of the previous books!
We left off in the second book, Copper Horse: Pride, with the ominous sight of Hans' head rolling down the stairs after being brutally murdered. Hans was Erik's ever-dangerous bodyguard, and for him to be dead, things are indeed very bad! The Humanist Revolution has arrived, after being teased at for two books. Dima Gregorovich has assumed control of London and parts of Bylondon, stripping Erik Dal's wealth and power in vicious strokes. With Bluefinger's household destroyed, it's members scattered or dead, Erik and Reuben are left to fend for themselves, falling from one disaster to the next!
One thing about this book I really enjoyed was the use of Reuben's skills from his previous life in helping them survive zombie-infested forests and sewers. The threat of disease and death from zombies is a very real and distressing reality in this world, and I love the inclusion of the zombies as an obstacle the lovers need to defeat. This is a long book (yay!) and there's tons more the lovers are put through by the devious minds of the authors.
For me, one of the deeply appealing things about these books is the sexual aspect. Ponyplay is invigorating to read and charming, even while reading about fisting and caning. This book, while lighter on the sexual play due to the circumstances, showcases the affection and the devotion between Erik and Reuben. This book has more danger and more violence, but the real bond between Erik and Reuben shines brighter. Erik shows his feeling and desire to care for Reuben, and after a serious revelation that explains exactly how Reuben fell under Erik's regard, Reuben's submissive nature and true loyalty emerges and he finds strength in his love for his master.
The ending is rather abrupt, but I see tons of potential for a Book #4 in this series, with the same characters. (Even though it's labeled a trilogy.) I wasn't left feeling short-changed, just that there's more to tell about this couple and the world they're in.
I heartily recommend the first two full-length novels and the Short Story be read before reading The Copper Horse: Love. You won't be disappointed, as the entire series is well worth the time.
BUY LINKS:
Amazon
Previous books in the series:
The Copper Horse #1: Fear
The Copper Horse #2: Pride
Jack's Punishment: A Copper Horse Short
November 16, 2016
The Painted Crown by Megan Derr Review
The Painted Crown by Megan Derr
Blurb:
Prince Istari has spent his life reviled: his parents wish he had never been born, the royal court of Belemere avoids him for fear of angering the king, and everyone else is kept away by his notorious reputation as a deadly sharpshooter. Now a hostage of peace in Tallideth, he is subjected to their hatred as well—even that of Regent Vellem, who once considered him a comrade in arms.
Unexpected solace comes in the form of Lord Teverem, a sad, quiet lord who assumed the title when his brother was killed in the explosion for which Istari's father is to blame. He is kind and sweet and a sorely needed bright spot in Istari's life—until Istari meets his family and learns of a dangerous family secret with unexpected ties to Istari's past, a secret that could drag Tallideth and Belemere right back into war...
My Review:
The Painted Crown is book #2 in the Unbreakable Soldiers series. I would not call this a standalone. You need back story, though the history and plot are laid out well enough that following along isn't a hardship.
Prince Istari is between a rock and a hard place--a prisoner of peace, he is kept safe, though hardly free. His father is responsible for a horrific crime, one that shadows Istari's experience, leaving him isolated, emotionally and mentally. The secondary characters that orbit the prince are another classic trademark of Derr's work--they are real, vibrant, and enjoyable, even when acting like jerks.
Teverem is a treat. Nuanced and with depth, Teverem brings some weighty history to the relationship, as he assumed his title when his brother was killed in the same explosion for which Istari's father is responsible. Usually an insurmountable roadblock in any other story, it is merely one thing in a line of issues that the author sets up for the characters to navigate.
Derr has an amazing capacity for creating new worlds. Her creation skills in regards to setting, environment, and how those two things influence and impact characters and plot is on a level I can only call instinctual talent. Instinct further molded by skill that ensnares the reader and leaves them captivated until The End.
This book is emotional, the characters sympathetic and endearing, and the plot is intelligent and engrossing. Another favorite series and book.
Buy Links:
Amazon US
Less Thank Three Press
Blurb:
Prince Istari has spent his life reviled: his parents wish he had never been born, the royal court of Belemere avoids him for fear of angering the king, and everyone else is kept away by his notorious reputation as a deadly sharpshooter. Now a hostage of peace in Tallideth, he is subjected to their hatred as well—even that of Regent Vellem, who once considered him a comrade in arms.
Unexpected solace comes in the form of Lord Teverem, a sad, quiet lord who assumed the title when his brother was killed in the explosion for which Istari's father is to blame. He is kind and sweet and a sorely needed bright spot in Istari's life—until Istari meets his family and learns of a dangerous family secret with unexpected ties to Istari's past, a secret that could drag Tallideth and Belemere right back into war...
My Review:
The Painted Crown is book #2 in the Unbreakable Soldiers series. I would not call this a standalone. You need back story, though the history and plot are laid out well enough that following along isn't a hardship.
Prince Istari is between a rock and a hard place--a prisoner of peace, he is kept safe, though hardly free. His father is responsible for a horrific crime, one that shadows Istari's experience, leaving him isolated, emotionally and mentally. The secondary characters that orbit the prince are another classic trademark of Derr's work--they are real, vibrant, and enjoyable, even when acting like jerks.
Teverem is a treat. Nuanced and with depth, Teverem brings some weighty history to the relationship, as he assumed his title when his brother was killed in the same explosion for which Istari's father is responsible. Usually an insurmountable roadblock in any other story, it is merely one thing in a line of issues that the author sets up for the characters to navigate.
Derr has an amazing capacity for creating new worlds. Her creation skills in regards to setting, environment, and how those two things influence and impact characters and plot is on a level I can only call instinctual talent. Instinct further molded by skill that ensnares the reader and leaves them captivated until The End.
This book is emotional, the characters sympathetic and endearing, and the plot is intelligent and engrossing. Another favorite series and book.
Buy Links:
Amazon US
Less Thank Three Press
