The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison

Still on a bit of the serial killer thing, here is another book that caught my attention (that Amazon recommended to me).

Near an isolated mansion lies a beautiful garden.

In this garden grow luscious flowers, shady trees…and a collection of precious “butterflies”—young women who have been kidnapped and intricately tattooed to resemble their namesakes. Overseeing it all is the Gardener, a brutal, twisted man obsessed with capturing and preserving his lovely specimens.

When the garden is discovered, a survivor is brought in for questioning. FBI agents Victor Hanoverian and Brandon Eddison are tasked with piecing together one of the most stomach-churning cases of their careers. But the girl, known only as Maya, proves to be a puzzle herself.

As her story twists and turns, slowly shedding light on life in the Butterfly Garden, Maya reveals old grudges, new saviors, and horrific tales of a man who’d go to any length to hold beauty captive. But the more she shares, the more the agents have to wonder what she’s still hiding...

You can purchase the book here: The Butterfly Garden (The Collector Trilogy Book 1)

This book was very creepy. Nothing too overtly graphic (though there were some graphic parts), but the whole concept was a total creep fest. Maya is a victim of the Gardener a man who collects (kidnaps) beautiful girls and tattoos butterflies onto them. He them preserves them. He keeps them locked up in his garden for YEARS. The crazy thing is that he truly believes that he loves all of them, i mean outside of the rapeyness of it all, he is rather gentle and caring when it comes to their well being and what they like (as far as hobbies are concerned).

You learn all about this garden while Maya is being interrogated by the police. I had a hard time really buying into the fact that they thought she was guilty of anything... even they seemed to have a hard time buying into it, and maybe that was the point. But I found that the more she talked about the garden and her life there, the more I got sucked into it. Maya does talk about her life before being a living butterfly, but that didn't hold my attention as closely as all the rest of it.

I am definitely looking out for the next book in the series. I would give this book a solid four stars. I am glad I read it.

Obsidian (New Species, Book 8) by Laurann Dohner

         I finally got to read this!! I know that I keep repeating how much I love this author and her series, but I love the New Species.

         Dr. Allison Baker is obsessed with saving the comatose New Species male. She has tried everything and there’s only one option left. Alli will break every rule and put her life in danger by tempting 880 to wake, using only her feminine scent and touch. She just has to kidnap him and crawl into bed with him to make it work.
         880 wakes in a different world with a small female who’s been sleeping beside him, caressing him and wrapping her sweet body around his, teasing his senses. He lies silent and still, listening and evaluating each arousing touch, fighting his body’s reaction. Hatred flares when he discovers she’s human, but Mercile stole everything from him so he decides it’s fair to take her in return.
         But things quickly change and he wants her at his side and in his bed. 880 has chosen a new name—Obsidian—the personification of dark and dangerous. He’ll fight them all to keep her and no one will stand in his way of taking a new mate as well.

Click to view on Amazon: Obsidian (New Species Book 8)

         Ok, I loved this book, but I don't know if that was because I liked the story or if I just liked it because I like the idea of the New Species. I mean I know these books are quick reads, but I felt like everything went lightening fast, and that the description didn't properly describe the plot of the book.  The description makes it seem like there was going to be a lot more action than there ended up being.
         Yeah, she wakes him up because he smells her and thinks she is his mate; and, yeah, he falls for her... but he doesn't really do much to keep her. I mean, he does threaten people when they do try and take her, but when push came to shove they took her from him so easily. That frustrated me. I wanted him to kill that dumb ass shrink who said that she was raping and molesting him and everything. I understand that it is wrong to take advantage of a patient's emotional state, but she did everything in her power not to do that. Alli constantly stopped him and told him he needed to rethink things, and that she didn't want to take advantage of him. Obsidian basically coerced her into sleeping with him every time. She was always the one who said no. And then when they were going to sign mate papers, she still said no because she wanted to give him a chance at getting to know life with out her. I don't know about you guys, but I don't really consider that taking advantage of someone. If anything, Obsidian took advantage of Alli. Ugh I hated that doctor, and I looooove having characters to hate.
         Speaking of which... What the hell is up with that girl Kit? I don't remember her in the last book (But I will go back and look) but what the hell. What kind of bitch does something like that. She is a New Species herself, so she knows that once a male imprints a female he has no interest in anyone else, so why the hell did she keep hitting on Obsidian? It pissed me off so much! And to just say that because Alli was human she was no good, right in front of Alli and to Alli's mate (who is a guy who already has issues with humans). If I was there and if I had a gun, I would have shot her. I'm so serious.
         But I did like the book. I think what touches me most about the New Species is their devotion to their loved ones, whether they be friends or mates. Once they become attached to someone they are extremely devoted and protective. I think that is an amazing trait and while Laurann Dohner does seem to vilify humans, I do think that humans could learn a lot from the New Species.

I loved it and give it 5 stars. (wow I am really on a 5 star roll)

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

         I recently watched American Horror Story for the first time (Oh my goodness I am obsessed, I binge watched all the seasons). But after having finished the first season I was having a craving for understanding the mind of a serial killer. And I didn't want it to be Criminal Minds-esque where someone else was analyzing them. I wanted to be in the killer's head, and I wanted to feel something more than fear or disgust. Holy Moly did this book hit the spot. I was scared and grossed out and totally compelled to like the characters. I am a wimp though and struggled with showering by myself after reading it, for fear of someone on the other side of the curtain.

 What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?

Jasper "Jazz" Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could—from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret—could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

You can purchase this book here: I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent)

I mostly read this book during slow hours at work (I know, I am bad). It totally sucked me into the story. Jazz is a teenager who was raised by his serial killer father, to be a serial killer. He is constantly fighting the urge to give in to all that his father filled his head with, and there are graphic details of all the things he stops himself from doing.

He is accompanied by his best friend and girlfriend, both of whom help brighten up what would have other wise been a very very dark story. I really learned to like Jazz, he is prickly and really messed up, but he is a solid character that I looked forward to finding new things about who he was.

This story really makes you think. Really makes you wonder about murder and nature vs. nurture, and when Jazz struggles with it all, you are doing it right along side him. Now, like I said before, I am a major wimp, I am scared of everything, so that being said, this book is not for the faint of heart. It took me a few days to get out of that head space, and not without some serial killer dreams.

I think this was a very well written, and very well researched book. If you like this genre, then this is definitely a much read!

I give it 5 Stars!

Archangel's Heart by Nalini Singh

I know I have reviewed some of the books in this series, but the most recent one just came out and I am DYING. 

One of the most vicious archangels in the world has disappeared. No one knows if Lijuan is dead or has chosen to Sleep the long sleep of an immortal. But with her lands falling into chaos under a rising tide of vampiric bloodlust, a mysterious and ancient order of angels known as the Luminata calls the entire Cadre together to discuss the fate of her territory.

Accompanying her archangelic lover Raphael to the Luminata compound, guild hunter-turned-angel Elena senses that all is not as it seems. Secrets echo from within the stone walls of the compound, and the deeper Elena goes, the uglier the darkness. But neither Raphael nor Elena is ready for the brutal truths hidden within—truths that will change everything Elena thinks she knows about who she is…

Nothing will ever be the same again.

You can purchase it here on Amazon: Archangel's Heart (A Guild Hunter Novel)

So this book was AMAZING. now if anyone knows me at all or if anyone follows my (rare-ish) comments on Goodreads, then you know that I have a major thing for Illium and Aodhan. I just want the two of them to be together forever (who knows if Miz. Singh will give me that though). I was beyond pleased that we got to get to know Aodhan better in this novel. He had always been interesting to me with his horrific past, but I didn't really feel like I got the essence of who he was until this book. You see him through everyone else's eyes up until now, and he is a lot less calm and fragile then you originally think. I really really like him.

That aside, it was lovely revisiting the main pairing of this series Elena and Raphael. They are discovering new abilities and kicking major ass in the process. I love it when Archangels get pissed when someone over steps their bounds. Don't we all wish we could just smite the people who drive us crazy. The Duo go into what qualifies as a religious sect for the angels, and realize that not everything is how it seems.

I wish we could have gotten to know the other Archangels a little better. We know most of them in passing but it would have been interesting to get to know them a bit more.

The only drawback that I found in this one was that since Elena and Raphael's romance is very set in stone, I wanted to see new romance *cough* Illium/Aodhan *cough*.

I still enjoyed myself and I would definitely say that this book was 5 stars!!

Evensong's Heir (Songbirds of Valnon, Book 1) by L.S. Baird

I am not sure if you all remember, but I have a soft spot for feminine men. I love them. I want one. So, that being said the cover of this book really caught my eye. I thought the man of the front was so beautiful that I had to read it, I didn't even know what the book was about, but if that man on the cover was one of the characters, I was all in.

For centuries in the Temple of Valnon, young men have paid a tremendous price to be chosen as Songbirds. Every twelve years, a new Lark and Thrush are castrated for their heavenly voices, but few men have ever been capable of claiming the title of Dove: the holy avatar of Saint Alveron himself. In the six hundred years since the Temple's founding, Willim is only the third to buy the Evensong with his blood. A virtual prisoner of the Temple for the duration of his term, Willim pays little heed to anything but his duty to sing for Valnon. That all changes with the murder of the Songbirds' loyal bodyguard and Willim's rescue by Nicholas Grayson, a sell-sword who brings whispers of Temple scandal and ancient prophecy in his wake.

Plagued by ghosts and nightmares, betrayed by a fellow Temple Bird and forced into exile, Willim struggles to unravel the tangled history of his title in the hopes of understanding what it truly means to be Valnon's Dove. With his friends scattered and Valnon poised on the brink of war, Willim's only hope lies in summoning the ancient power of his saint: to Sing Down from Heaven a music that can fell an army in its tracks, or wipe a city from the surface of the earth. But the song of Saint Alveron is as unpredictable as it is powerful. Whether Willim's Song will bring salvation for his city or the destruction of everything he holds dear, only Heaven knows.

Click to View on Amazon: Evensong's Heir (Songbirds of Valnon Book 1)

This was an extremely beautiful book. I couldn't put it down, I was actually reading it in class. The whole concept of this book is that three young boys are selected based on their singing abilities to become the physical embodiment of saints, upon accepting the position the boys are castrated so that they can retain their youthful voices. Now, I am a singer, so this whole concept really interested me. I was curious as to how the author would describe the singing, because it can be a bit difficult to put amazing singing into words. (The author did beautifully).

Now, Willim, he is the dove, and it has been hundreds of years since the last dove was instated, so he is really precious to the temple. He is found wandering and covered in blood in the middle of the street by the sell sword Grayson. Grayson brings him back to the temple, where shit promptly starts to go down. This is an action packed book. And while it is toted as m/m romance, it is more fantasy adventure with a splash of love thrown in. I wanted more of the romance, but didn't even realize that until I was done with the book. I wasn't sitting there while I was reading thinking "Damn, when do they fall in love?" It was more like, I closed the book then thought, "Wait, wasn't that supposed to the a romance?" I am telling you guys, the story sucks you in.

I loved the characters and how you could really see how these boys develop into the songbirds that they are. All the characters were so expertly created I just wanted to meet them in real life. And that last scene in the book, with Willim singing (I'm not giving anything away), man it gave me chills.

After finishing I went straight to see if the next book was out (It's not, boo). But I saw that there is a perfume line based on the books... what what? I want it, I don't even care what the perfume smells like, I just want it. Actually I just took a break to go look at the perfume, and on my next paycheck I will probably buy it. I know I can be a fangirl (And I am in no way ashamed of it) but I really liked this book and so I really want to help support this world that it exists in and the author who created it.

Here is the link to the website: http://www.valnon.org/

I give this a 5 out of 5

Seriously go read it!!

Took Another Break

I am sure that some of you have noticed that I have not been posting in quite a while and I want to apologize. I told myself that I was going to be really good at posting reviews. I told myself that even if I was busy I would post at least 1 review a week, but preferably 3. Well that went out the window when I started cosmetology school. But something was missing and I just need to share how I feel about these books, so I am starting up again. I know, I am like a yo-yo.

I have read a lot of books, and I am going to share them with you now :)

Flames Burn Hotter in Texas Trilogy by Naomi L. Wyatt

I was asked to review this book, but the following review contains entirely my own opinions.

Blush has fought tooth and nail to get out of her dusty old hometown and into the city where things move at a faster pace, evolving in the blink of an eye; a place that would keep up with her ambitions. When she finally returns home to visit her father, she experiences the benefits of a slower pace. Meanwhile, an old romance is rekindled in a way that stirs both her emotions and her sexuality so powerfully that she is now forced to choose between small town life and the high tech playground where she now resides.

 Click to view on Amazon: Flames Burn Hotter in Texas

I love small town romance stories, they just can get under my skin in ways that other romance stories can't. Maybe it is the nostalgia factor, but I just love them. And this is a story that falls right into that category. 

To start off with I want to say that I love the names in this book. Blush is such a unique name and it has such character, I love it... tucking that one away for the next time I need to name something. Cade is also such a hunky name. I think that the root of this story is something that almost anyone can understand: wanting to spread your wings and fly from the nest, try and make it on your own, cut the ties to your home town. It is certainly something that I have felt, and only recently have I grown up enough to really appreciate where I grew up and I think that Blush goes through a similar learning experience in this book, and she gets a hot guy to help her along the way.

I really liked how talented Blush was, I liked how she could just pick up the reins and start solving problems it really added a depth to her character that could have been lost in such an erotica heavy book. As far as the sex goes... it was pretty hot. I loved the scenes between Cade and Blush, sometimes I think they jumped into it a little fast, but then I remind myself that lust is lust, it hits hard and fast, so the speed of the relationship didn't bother me at all. What bothered me a bit was the relationship between Blush and Buck. For a while in the book it seemed like Cade was fading out of the picture and Buck was someone Blush was interested, but that wasn't to hard of an obstacle for me to get over, and I do understand that characters have to overcome challenges in order to grow, and it definitely added another facet to Blush's character.

When I first started this trilogy (it comes as a boxed set) I thought it would just be a fluffy erotica piece, but it showed surprising depth that I found very pleasing.

I give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars! Go check it out!

Her Second First Time by Victoria Voss

I was asked to review this book, but the following review it my honest opinion.

Ever wish you could have a “do-over” of your first time? Carla never thought it was possible…that is, until she met Morgan. Carla was always straight as an arrow; in fact she had quite the reputation for being “easy.” But under the surface, what secret was Carla keeping from everyone, including herself? The day she walked into the Blue Moon something changed…she was no longer able to deny what she has wanted to do all along. Just how far is Carla willing to take things with the irresistibly hot bartender…will this be her “second” first time?

Click to view on Amazon: Her Second First Time

I was pretty excited when I was asked to review this book. It is my first lesbian erotica book that I have reviewed. Actually, it was the first on that I have read, and it definitely has me looking into the genre.

Because it is a shorter story it just jumped into the action which was a little jarring, but the author did her best to try and fill in the details. She definitely had a lot of details that she wanted to add in about the characters and at times it was a little distracting, I wish the book was a longer book so that we would have time to get to know those details about the characters without the author having to interject them in... it just made it seem a little rushed.

Now the sex scenes were great, I liked them a lot. I have never read lesbian erotica before and so I wasn't sure what to expect, but the scenes were very hot. I really liked Morgan and how mischievous she was, it just made everything about the sex seem so fun. Every girl should go find a Morgan. And I actually found it interesting that Morgan seemed to be the more dominant partner, it was refreshing.

I enjoyed the story a lot. I wish there was a little more plot and background because it would be interesting to see more of who the characters are, but over all it was a solid piece of erotica.

Four out of Five stars for hot scenes and for turning me on to the genre!

Velocirapture by Desdemona Devereaux

I was asked to review this book, but the following review is my honest opinion.

Dr. Lexxia LaBelle is not just one of the most brilliant scientists of her age, she is also an adept trained in the graceful art of harnessing the sexual pleasures of the flesh.

When the galaxy is threatened by an unknown energy field working to tear the very fabric of space apart, she vows to use all her training to stop it. She discovers Astra, a beautiful primitive whose sexual power is drawn from the center of the rift, a primal place in space and time whose raw energy offers mankind's best hope for saving the galaxy.

But to travel to that primordial plane means leaving her own flesh behind. She must capture the ancient hunger of the velociraptor in order to return with the power she needs.

Click to view on Amazon:Velocirapture: (Dinosaur Erotica) (The Salaxastrum Saga Book 1)

 Now this was an interesting read, and I actually found it a little difficult to review. So, I think in this case I am going to break down the book into two aspects: Plot and Sex. As far as the plot goes... it is not where the strength of this book lies. Lexxia must save the universe with sex, Which was an interesting concept but I was worried it would get cheesy really fast. That being said, while the plot left me wanting more, the shining point really was the creativity of the sex scenes.

I read a lot of romance novels and sometimes I find myself just skimming the sex scenes, either because they or boring or unoriginal. That was definitely not the case with this book. The sex scenes were very original. There is a little bit of everything, and also some gender bending and even some metaphysical sex. I kind of wish that there had been more of it, more of the unusual ideas, I know there is a second book, so maybe I will go and get it to see what else this author can think of.

So saying that about these two points. I would give the plot a 3 out of 5, but I don't want people to see that and think that it is a bad book, because it's not, it is an excellent book for it's specific genre, so for the sex I give it a 5 out of 5. So over all I guess that averages out to 4 out of 5. If you want to spice things up and get some reptilian surprises pick this book up.

By My Choice by Christine Blackthorn

I was asked to review this book, but the following review contains my own opinions and thoughts.

Sometimes the path of life seems inevitable — what does it mean to choose?



Jennifer Ashton has spent her whole life in one Supernatural court or the other but the realities of what this means are only brought home to her when her best friend is forced to sell her to a vampire, and not any vampire, but one she knows well. Caught in the double betrayal of friendship and love she needs to decide what her life is going to be.

Jennifer is a financial manager, her control over every aspect of her own life complete. She does not allow anything to upset her rationality, no emotion, no sensation, no desire. The only weakness she has accepted is her unlimited loyalty to her best friend, the friend who betrays her by selling her to a competitor. She joins her new master in Paris where she begins to realise that he has as little choice as she does. Can she accept that by giving up everything, by giving him everything, they might both regain their lives?

Click to view on Amazon: By My Choice

When I was first asked to review this book, I made a little woops and didn't read the description before I opened the book, so by the cover I knew it must be a romance of some sort but that's about all I knew. So when vampires started popping up I was totally surprised. But I am glad I read the book.

I liked the book. I liked it a lot. I thought that the descriptions of the courts were interesting. At first I was really curious as to what was wrong with Jen, I thought she was going to be some kind of supernatural with a unique talent, I did not expect what she turned out to be. Adrian was a really interesting character. When the author brought up the picture of him and his sons it really made me want to read more. I also was really curious as to why Jen had to give up all of her belongings before going to Adrian's court. So there were a couple of missing pieces that weren't essential to the story, but that I was very curious about.

The one thing that I didn't like about the book was that at times it was a little rape-y. It made me a little uncomfortable at first, but then Adrian was like, I feel rape-y doing this, and that made it a bit better. That being said, I really liked the way that the scenes were written, it was really easy to picture what was written. I really wanted to see where the characters went, but then the book ended, maybe there is another one on the way.

I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. Give it a try!

Supernatural Hero (Book 1) by Eran Gadot

I was asked to review this book, but the following review is my true and honest opinion.

When I saw the cover of this book all of my cuddly fangirlishness seemed to spew out of me. I love little boys. Ok, that sounded creepy. What is mean is that young boys, in my mind, make some of the best main characters, and I always find it really interesting to read things from their point of view.

Andy is the nerd everyone makes fun of. He's really skinny, wears glasses and talks to himself, but he falls in love with the prettiest girl in the class. One day Grandpa dies and turns into a ghost. Then, Andy discovers a new power, he can see ghosts and talk to the dead. Join Andy's journey and find out how a nerd can become a hero.

Supernatural hero is a great children's book with an outstanding story, for the whole family to enjoy. This book series will stay with you forever.

Click to view on Amazon: Supernatural Hero (Volume 1)

I really wish that this book had been longer. It was a cute read. The beginning was a little hard for me, because poor Andy seems to have been dealt a bad family. I just wanted to cuddle him and tell him everything would be ok. And I loved that he was so close with his grandpa, just like me, so it was something that I could really relate to.

Now let's get into the nitty gritty. The ghosts. So, Andy has been seeing and talking to his grandma's ghost for years, but he suddenly can't understand it when he see's his grandpa's ghost. That was something I had a hard time with, especially since later in the book you find out he sees all kinds of ghosts. You think he would be more understanding of it all. But really that was the only flaw that I saw in the book.

It really felt like a good coming of age story, where Andy realizes that he needs to speak up and be himself and things will go his way. I also really liked a lot of the philosophies that his grandfather taught him. There are quite a few lessons to learn in this book, whether you are a child or an adult. There were also some parts where I got to relive the frustrations of being a child and having no control. Andy couldn’t control anything, his parents didn’t understand him and sent him to therapy, and when his sister bullied him his parents never took his side. I had forgotten that feeling, the one that feels like you have no say over your own life. I thought that came across very strongly here.

Definitely a cute read. I give it 4 out of 5 stars, because of the ghost inconsistencies, but other than that it was good. :)

Crash Gordon and the Revelations From Big Sur by Derek Swannson and Darren Westlund

I was asked to review this book, but the following review is my true and honest opinion.

I know I left you guys after the last Crash Gordon book with a lot of philosophy and what not, but this second book was a different story. I couldn't put it down, and while it was still very long, it read much easier than the first book.

An amnesiac convalescing in Big Sur encounters an oddly sinister envoy from the Freemasons’ Scottish Rite Psychophrenic Research Program…. A stoned surfer trespassing on Hearst Castle property gets hauled up into the sky by a massive flying black triangle…. A notorious starlet attending the wrap party for her first major Hollywood movie assassinates a Moscow journalist with a bottle of radioactive nasal spray.... In Crash Gordon and the Revelations from Big Sur, Derek Swannson combines these elements into a comic and subversive international thriller.  

OCTOBER 1988: It’s morning in America again. Ex-CIA Director George H. W. Bush is calling the shots as Vice President. Intelligence agency black budgets are on the rise. Ronald Reagan’s trickle-down economics has been trickling upon the American populace for nearly eight years. It’s been a non-stop champagne bash for the rich, who’ve become much richer, but for the middle class and the poor the trickling has acted like acidic piss, burning gaping holes in their social safety nets. Is the increase in suffering intentional? Gordon Swannson thinks so—and he has the metaphysics to prove it. Sort of. 

Fresh from a five-year resident scholar program at the Esalen Institute, Gordon (“Crash” to his friends) arrives in the sleepy seaside town of Cambria, California, to deliver a lecture titled “Galactic Loosh Farming and Reaganomics: How Much Longer Before the Fabric of Reality is Ripped to Shreds?” It’s the start of a bizarre chain of events that will launch Gordon’s career as an investigative journalist and entangle him with a cast of characters that includes: James Marrsden, a gleefully foul-mouthed radio DJ and Gordon’s untrustworthy childhood best friend; Kayleigh Fuller, a stoner witch who happens to be the niece of Buckminster Fuller; Skeeze Lester Huntley, a porn-addicted surfer whose alien abduction inspired him to become the Dope King of Central California; Rina Rowley, a lovely young actress with a shockingly ugly past; and looming largest of all, James’ morbidly obese and obscenely wealthy Uncle Lloyd, “super secret black-ops bagman for the medico-military-occult complex… and matchmaker.”  

Determined to uncover the truth behind Lloyd’s lurid tales of psychic killers and a mind control program known as Project MONARCH, Gordon chases down leads from Cambria to Amsterdam’s red-light district and the Brussels headquarters of an alien-inspired sex cult calling itself The OääD Institute—getting a profound education in the machinations behind the 20th century’s greatest unexplained mysteries along the way. Seeking the final piece to the puzzle, Gordon returns to his roots in the isolated, faux-Swedish town of Kingsburg, where those mysteries began. What he finds there will send him hurtling toward a climactic showdown against a naked assassin dead set on turning the Cold War into a hot mess.

Click to view on Amazon: Crash Gordon and the Revelations from Big Sur

 I was so excited to read this book because I really wanted to learn more about the psychic powers that we discovered Crash had in the last book. So I dove into this head first and I was not disappointed. I really liked this book. It was incredibly entertaining and it really inspired a lot of conversations with my loved ones about life and death. I usually have a tv show playing in the background while I do things, but with this book I kept finding myself pausing the show so that I could get more into the story.

The same characters are back and they are just as funny as ever. Gordon is hilarious, but I have to say that my new favorite character was Skeeze. He was just so out of this world, literally (!), he was abducted by aliens multiples times. And his house of rats, and Senor Pepe...  I couldn't stop laughing. James (or Jimmy) really did make me nervous though, and I am really curious to see what becomes of his character if any more books were to come out. Jimmy had always made me uncomfortable because he was so violent and rude, but he really changed in this book and turned into kind of a nasty person. I wonder if he will stay successful or if he will have to face some sort of consequences for his actions.

There was less philosophy in this book, and while it was still there, it seemed to melt more seamlessly into the story than in the first book. And this book was so fully of aliens abductions and secret government programs that I barely noticed the philosophy. There were a couple of times that I did wish that I was as widely read as the author, though, so that I could understand his references better... I guess that is something that I will have to work on!

Over all I really liked this book and it will definitely be on my reread shelf. It can be read as a stand alone too, so you don't have to read the first book to understand everything in this one, but I was happy that I had read both. I hope another one comes out so that I can see more of these characters' lives! I give it a 5 out of 5 stars!

 Really guys, go get it!

Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg by Derek Swannson and Darren Westlund

I was asked to review this book, that being said this is my honest opinion.

Okay guys, this book was a bit of a doozy. When I was asked to review it and read the synopsis I was pretty excited, and then I saw it was 600 pages. Still, I felt confident I could breeze through it. I did not breeze through it, but not because it was bad, it was just very dense and thought provoking.

EASTER SUNDAY, 1973: Just before dawn in Kingsburg, California, six-year-old Gordon Swannson, asthmatic boy genius, gets his ass kicked by a spectral Easter Bunny—an event that sends his already hyperactive imagination spiraling toward paranoia. Gordon becomes convinced that ghosts and other weird entities inhabit a daimonic reality that can interact with our everyday world. He starts seeing mystery and danger everywhere in his isolated farming community. He even thinks his best friend, Jimmy, might be possessed by demons....
JUNE 7th, 1979: Reality catches up with Gordon's worst imaginings on the day after his thirteenth birthday, when his father dies by crashing a Cessna into the living room of their house. Gordon sets out to discover whether the plane crash was an accident or something far more sinister. Before he finds the answer, he'll experience puberty, Pink Floyd, trout fishing, lesbian vampire movies, and midnight cliff-diving with the Hells Angels—all while learning to cope with the trauma-induced narcolepsy that inspires his nickname, Crash Gordon....

HALLOWEEN, 1982: Gordon meets Jimmy's Uncle Lloyd, an obscenely rich insurance broker to the rocket industry who makes Woodward and Bernstein's Deep Throat look like a low-level bureaucrat. With Lloyd acting as their demented mentor, Gordon and his friends embark on a road trip to the Esalen Institute in Big Sur. Along the way, Lloyd lectures them about such diverse topics as hypnotism, assassination theories, MKULTRA, COINTELPRO, and the kidnapping of Patty Hearst; serial killers, satanic sacrifices, interdimensional energy portals, and the remote viewing program at the Stanford Research Institute; shamanism, ayahuasca, Terence McKenna's tryptamine-fueled encounters with the Logos, and the role "future causality" plays in the world's current fate. And that's only a prelude to Lloyd's startling explanation of how Gordon and Jimmy have become unwitting participants in a CIA mind control experiment known as Project MONARCH....

Click to view on Amazon: Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg

Like I said before, this is a very long book. That being said, that is not necessarily a bad thing. While the material was sometimes very very dense, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. There was a lot of humor in this book. I found myself laughing out loud plenty of times, Derek/Darren is a hilariously witty writer.

I loved Gordon, I loved him when he was a smarty pants seven-year-old, and I loved him when he was a horny teen with narcolepsy. All of the characters were pretty great, they were all very vivid. I love when writers create a character that I love to hate. I hated Mal and Cynthia. Oh man, I hated them so much, which was such a great feeling. I'll admit it, I'm a hater, so when authors hand me characters like these I just want to send them a box of chocolates or something. Imagine the worst possible parents, then mix in some weird satanic rituals and you have got these guys. Besides the parents there are some complicated characters like Jimmy, who tried to kill Gordon, yet still stood by him as he got older. The interactions between all of these characters were so funny and genuine that I just had to keep reading. I have to say that my favorite character was Derek Swannson speaking from the womb. That was such a unique concept, and he did fill in a bunch of information while being hilarious. The story also took some crazy turns that normally I would be rolling my eyes at, but with all the philosophy going on, the weird plot twists made a lot more sense.

Now, Philosophy. This is the part that really slowed me down while I was reading. The first couple times that the book delved into philosophy it was easy to follow along, but as the book went on it got more complicated. I have to say though, that the author really did try to break it down to make it clear, and even took several different approaches to explain the ideas. It was just hard for me to grasp sometimes. And there were so many references to so many different writers and poets, and so many different religions, that I kept wondering how the author knew all of that stuff. It took a bit of effort to keep it all straight, and I think some of it went over my head, but what I did grasp kept me up at night mulling over it. The book really makes you think about life and our souls and spirits. It also had me looking up gnostic religion, and even Scientology because I got confused for a second when the aliens and lizard men started showing up.

Over all I think that I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars, because it was good, I just feel like I didn't grasp everything that I needed to in order to fully understand the story.

If you want a real thought provoking book with a dash of humor and some dirty jokes, then this is definitely the book for you.

Year Long Hiatus

Hey guys! Sorry I took such a long break! I was focusing on finishing up school, and now that I have I have the time to get back into reviewing. I am going to start putting up more posts, so I hope that you all enjoy it! Thank you so much for your patience with me!

The Prince's Angel by Shayne Carmichael and Mychael Black

         Sorry about not posting on Wednesday, but my brother kicked the router and unplugged it, and none of us noticed for two days that that was the reason our internet wasn't working. Silly Charlie, kicking the router like that. I was so panicked but we just figured out what caused it and so now I am back in service! This book was a quick read that I read one night when I was worried about a serial killer hiding under my bed (I spend more nights fearing this than I probably should).

         In present day London, vampires live side-by-side with mortals living under two sets of laws.

          The Romanorum make the vampire rules, helping the Princes who rule the cities. Not all vampires are thrilled with the system. A rash of rogue vampires--vampires who have killed mortals--has descended upon London, and it is up to London's vampire prince, Mael Black, to bring them under control. When he learns who is truly behind the rogues, however, Mael's task becomes more complicated than he would like. His only choice is to turn to a sorcerer of questionable reputation--Cian Carmichael.

         But Cian is more than he seems to be, and despite the dangers inherent in becoming involved with him, Mael finds he is unable to resist. Cian is an angel, sent to bring the rogue vampires under control. Acquiring a reputation as a vampire hunter, Cian becomes notorious in the city Mael rules. The last thing he expects is to fall in love with the prince of the London vampires himself.

Can these two deal with their growing attachment, and save London from the threat it faces?

Click to view on Amazon: The Prince's Angel

         I read this book late one night because I was terrified and needed something to stay awake so I didn't have to think about the possibility of someone waiting under my bed to kill me. It actually turned out to be a rather interesting book. I thought it was a really cool concept, though it was a little difficult for me to understand. It could have been because I was tired but I didn't understand the different tiers of vampires and how a First Formula vampire had more power... I thought Mael was very old, and pretty powerful and so since he was older than Selena I thought he could take her, and I was really frustrated that it didn't work that way because of what formula they were. And I didn't understand how the rogue vampires were spreading vampirism, was it with those formula things that were being sent in the mail, or was it through more traditional methods.

Spoilers Ahead!

         The relationship between Mael and Cian was interesting. It was very quick, which I liked, but it was a little inconsistent. They were so drawn to each other, to the point that they were secretly spying on each other, and they couldn't stay away from each other. then they get together and they are pretty exclusive, but then Cian catches the assassin with Mael and gets extremely jealous, but then at the end he tells Mael to go off with Seth if he needs to. WHAAAAT? I felt they were so attached to each other, and given how possessive they were, it totally blew my mind that Cian would consider letting Mael sleep with someone else.

         Then there was the fact that Cian was so worried about falling for Mael and so worried about drinking his blood, but nobody got mad at him. He didn't get into any trouble, and Michael even approved of the relationship, which made all the angst at the beginning seem a little unnecessary, but at the same time I liked it because part of me wanted Cian to be a fretful character... he seemed to waver on that point, going from fretful to very sure of himself and the events that were unfolding.

I liked the book, and it definitely distracted me. I would give it 3 Stars.

Thank you so much for reading!

Acquainted with the Night by Tymber Dalton

         This post is going to be really hard to write. Not because the book was bad or anything like that, but because it was so good. It's been a while since I read a 5 star book, but this one was so much more than I thought it would be.

          Dale despised the Terran military. He was drafted, not a volunteer. He never expected to get captured by the Algonquans and sold as a breeder pet, either. He only prays his new owner is kind and doesn’t eat him. Then he meets fellow pet, Mark, who informs him getting captured was the luckiest day of their lives. Mark also hated the military and now spends his days in a life of sexual leisure, enjoying poetry and totally at peace with his fate.

         Dale settles in and finds not only does he enjoy this life, he loves Mark, too. Despite tragedy striking too close to home in their protected world, they find room to love their Master’s newest pets, Cooper and Nate.

         When the war ends and the Terran pets are granted their freedom, the men are faced with a choice: return, or stay with the owner they’ve grown to love?

 Click to view on Amazon: Acquainted with the Night

         This book was beyond what I expected. I thought that this book was going to be an alien orgy with some sentimental moments, but it was so completely different from that. Yes, there were times of extreme raunchiness (which were thoroughly enjoyable), but I haven't cried this much while reading a book in a while.

Spoilers Ahead! Go read the book if you don't want anything ruined!

         The relationship between Mark and Dale was one of the most beautiful that I have ever read about. They stood by each other through everything, and I thought it was so sweet how Mark kept telling Dale that he was bought for him, so they would be together always. When Dale was raped and Mark held him and helped him, I cried so hard. And one of the hardest parts of the book for me to read was when Mark decided to go off to war and everyone thought he had died when his ship went down. I cried so hard. I was so depressed right along with him. I was so mad, because I couldn't understand why the author would separate these two amazing characters.

         Now Coop is hilarious, how he was always begging to carry an egg because he was a pleasure addict. I realize to some the idea of "male pregnancy" might be a little uncomfortable, but that didn't stop me. I laughed about almost everything this character did, but he had some stunningly sweet moments. When everyone thought mark was dead and Nate was brought into the picture, he was so gentle and supportive, and the way he begged Dale to help him and to not leave him alone, ugh I was crying all over again. Luckily Mark came home and so coop could go back to being his bubbly self again, but with the addition of the serious Nate who was such a pillar to Coop. Until the very end.

         Now, I suppose I should talk about the end because that had me crying more than anything. When their first Master died, that was sad, I cried especially when you could see how deeply Mark was grieving and how terrified he was of losing Dale. But the end literally tore my heart apart, even though I suppose it was "happy". They were all getting old and as the book went on I realized that we were probably going to be shown the end of their lives, but I wasn't ready for it. They were all so great I didn't even want to think about them dying. But then Nate got sick, and I was like no, please, no I'm not ready! When he died I thought, Surely he will be the only one. But then Coop fell ill, and I knew that was only right, because how could Coop live without his true love. When he died it was horrible. But in my mind, at least Mark and Dale were still together, at least they still had each other. Then Mark got sick, and I couldn't take it. I cried and cried (I am tearing up now just thinking about it). And Dale was so torn up, it was almost to painful to read about his pain. When Mark died, I thought, How can they be separated? They were supposed to be together forever! And I could barely read about Dale's downhill spiral through my tears, and when he had to be put down, ugh god,  it was all too much for me to handle. I wanted to take a break because I was crying so much, but I couldn't tear myself away from the book. As he died, and he saw mark standing there waiting for him (damn, I'm full on crying again) it was one of the most sad/happy, good/bad, touching, bittersweet moments I have ever read. I knew I was supposed to be happy that they all ended up together, and I was, because Mark and Dale should never be separated, but I was still so far beyond sad about how they all just slipped away like that.

         What really tore me up was the epilogue. It was from Marzan's point of view. It was hard to read about how he had to make the decision to put Dale to sleep, and how he had lost all four of the men so quickly. I love how it all related back to the title "Acquainted with the Night" because Dale and Mark had talked about getting through the "night of grief" and coming into the light of life. And Marzan talked about how he had to get through the dark nights ahead. I was still crying. And I cried for many reasons. Because we finally got to hear about them from their owner's point of view. Because the book was over. Because Mark and Dale were dead. Because Mark and Dale were happy. I just was a mess. And that is such a good thing. I cant remember the last book I cried during, if I remember it I will edit this and put it in. But this book was amazing, and I want to see more of this world, I want to see more of the characters even though they are dead.  Maybe I am a crybaby, but I figured if a book can make me feel that strongly towards characters and towards their lives, then obviously the author is doing something right.

This book is a book that I will definitely read again (when I am emotionally brave enough), and it deserves way more than 5 stars, but 5 is the most I give.

Go out and get this! Please, it is so amazing!

The Left Hand of Calvus (Warriors of Rome #1) by L.A. Witt

         This is another of those books that I skipped over. I love ancient themed books, especially romance books, and it doesn't matter whether it is female/male or male/male, I just love the time. But I thought, since I am giving everything else a try I will give this one a try.

         Former gladiator Saevius is certain fortune’s smiling on him when a Pompeiian politician buys him to be his bodyguard. But then his new master, Laurea Calvus, orders Saevius to discover the gladiator with whom his wife is having an affair. In order to do that, Saevius must return to the arena, training alongside the very men on whom he’s spying. Worse, he’s now under the command of Drusus, a notoriously cruel—and yet strangely intriguing—lanista.

         But Saevius’s ruse is the least of his worries. There’s more to the affair than a wife humiliating her prominent husband, and now Saevius is part of a dangerous game between dangerous men. He isn’t the only gladiator out to expose the Lady Verina’s transgressions, and her husband wants more than just the guilty man’s name.

         When Saevius learns the truth about the affair, he’s left with no choice but to betray one of his masters: one he’s come to fear, one he’s come to respect, and both of whom could have him killed without repercussion. For the first time in his life, the most dangerous place for this gladiator isn’t the arena.

 Click to view on Amazon: The Left Hand of Calvus

WARNING! This whole area probably contains spoilers because my thoughts are so confused about this book there is no way I can break everything up evenly into sections.

         This book surprised me. Looking back on the rating that I gave it on Goodreads I might have to change it because the more I think about this book the more stars I feel it earns.The book is really interesting especially when Saevius is put in the position of having to choose between masters. I mean from the synopsis we knew that that would happen, but when you see everything that he goes through while trying to pick between the two, and the moment he realizes that no matter what choice he makes it will probably lead to his death. And the hazing of the gladiators. I never really thought about it, but when you really think about it, of course it makes sense that there is hazing. With that many men, and their lives depending on who garners the most favor, I am surprised that they backed off of Saevius.

         But I do have to get to the most interesting character in the book, the one who put me off the book, but the more I think about him, the more he becomes my favorite character. That's right, I'm talking about Drusus. Oh, you thought I was talking about Calvus? Yeah, right.... but I'll get into that later. Drusus, man, I don't even know where to start. I am going to start with the fact that DRUSUS WAS BORN A GIRL! I was so pissed off when I found that out, I felt horrible betrayed by the author. The funny thing was, about halfway through the book I thought, wait a minute, and I went onto Goodreads to check and see if this book was on any strait or transgender romance lists. Because I was like, Drusus is a girl and that's why he won't take his armor off. But because it wasn't on any of those lists I thought I was imagining it. Now, before you get all up in arms and say I am intolerant, or something of the sort, let me say that the reason I was upset wasn't because Drusus was transgender, but because I felt the author tricked me, and not in a kind interesting way, because in the moment of the reveal i felt not only my doubt that the romance between Saevius and Drusus might not last because of this, but we are also shown Saevius' doubt. I felt it was too cruel to the characters.

         So I was super pissed off about it, and somehow managed to finish the book, which was pretty ambiguous about where the relationship will go, I mean they exchange kisses and such, but i kept wondering if it would be the same. Then after finishing the book, I thought, why wouldn't it? Drusus is male, in his thoughts and feeling and actions he is male, that is what is important, and that is what Saevius was attracted to, right? So they will be fine. But it just kept bothering and I couldn't put my finger on why until I thought about Kaeso. That is what left me feeling uneasy, it shouldn't have but it did. It was because L.A. Witt, forced me to face this strange combination of man and mother that Drusus was and for some reason it took a while for my mind to fully come to terms with that. I kept arguing with myself that a father would act the same towards a child, no parent wants their child to be abused. But the way that Witt wrote about Drusus' need to save the child seemed wildly maternal (at least it seemed this way to me). And then Saevius kept commenting on how Kaeso looked like Drusus, which felt like Witt was trying to force Drusus' femininity down my throat. It was hard for me to read and I really struggled to come to terms with it. But I kept thinking, this happens to people in real life, it's not just a dramatic move on the part of the author, a transgender man can have a child and that doesn't change anything. Well, now I have come to terms with it and that strange dichotomy makes Drusus such an interesting character that I cant stop thinking about him, and I like him more and more. He is definitely the shining star of this book.

         Now on to Calvus. What. A. Jerk. That being said, The title confused be at first, because I was sure that Drusus was the one that Saevius would come to respect but then I was like maybe he is going to reveal a side of Calvus that no one knows and I kept waiting for it, but it never happened. Calvus is in the book so little (though his shadow does hang over Saevius) that I felt it was a bit strange for his name to be in the title. I understand the reference to the left hand, how it is the evil hand and shouldn't be trusted. But, I don't know, I wish that it had a different name.

         I feel like I keep complaining about this book, but really I did enjoy it! I am still debating reading other books by Witt, I don't want another curveball thrown at me, though maybe I should look forward to that because sometimes I do get a little stuck in the formulaic plots of many romance novels. If you guys think I should continue of with the Warriors of Rome series let me know!

I give it a 3 out of 5 stars for now... It might go up the more I think about it! Don't be shy, though! Leave some comments, I would love to hear what you think!

The Emperor's Wolf by J.C. Owens

         Something about ancient times always fascinates me, as does the idea of submission. And this seemed to combine the two, or I thought it did when I put it on my to-read list. But once I started reading it it was halfway between the two... kind of...

          The echoes of a war four years past still resounds in the minds of those who endured it.

         Jaden longs to search for his sister, though he is bound in the fetters of slavery. When he is given to the very man who conquered his country, he is caught up in his own hatred, yet fascinated by the mystery of his new master, the Emperor of Tranaden, who all say is demonic, without mercy. Trapped in the snare of his master’s beauty, Jaden begins to realize that there is much more beneath the surface...

         Dersai is Emperor to his fingertips, he is used to command and being obeyed. He will sacrifice anything to see his country safe. Beneath, he is well read, highly intelligent and far sighted in how he views others. Yet, Dersai has an inner demon, a demon that kept his kingdom free and safe from conquerors; only in his dreams can he imagine one strong enough to love him.

Now his slave may be the only one who can set him free.

 Click to View on Amazon: The Emperor's Wolf

         For some reason I got the impression that this book would be about ancient Rome, or something similar. And it kind of was, but it also kind of wasn't... at all. There are giant machines and curses and crazy legends in this one. And as far as submission goes, you could say that there is a kind of submission going on here, but not in the way people normally would think of it.

         Jaden is an interesting character, because he is presented to us as a tough dangerous man that many, in the harem he resides in, fear. But he has been horribly abused until he submits to this terrible lady, who in my opinion (and Jaden's as well) is totally disgusting. And she has some sort of strange obsession with him that I didn't understand, but it made me want to punch her in the throat. We go from there until he meets up with Dersai... at this point Jaden seems to have a total role reversal and becomes a very fragile and submissive man. I was confused about how I was supposed to view Jaden, because people kept referring to him as a wolf but we are shown a timid broken man. That being said, it doesn't mean I didn't like his character. I thought his vulnerability was really well done, I just thought it needed to be shown that he wasn't a wolf yet.

         Dersai scared me. When he was himself it was fine and I thought he was a real stand up guy, but when the demon took over he was horrible. Ugh, and when he killed those soldiers and started licking up their blood, that creeped me out more than anything. What I really liked about him was that while he was the more dominant partner in the relationship, he often times seemed more deeply vulnerable than Jaden did. Maybe it was because he knew how perilously he was holding on to his sanity, or maybe he was just more invested in the relationship from the start.

         They big fight at the end confused me. I don't understand why they both were keeping secret from each other like that, but at the same time I see why it happened, to show them both the strength of their relationship, but it just seemed like a tiny misunderstanding blown way out of proportion.

I liked it a lot! I wish there had been more plot thought. I give it 3 stars!

The Assignment by Evangeline Anderson

         Yay! First post back! This book showed up on a bunch of lists that I was looking at. I actually find myself getting lost in those lists, and can wander through them for hours, but This book just kept popping up and after deciding not to read it a couple of times I finally gave in.

         Detective Nicholas Valenti, tall, dark and stoic, has been best friends with his partner, Sean O'Brian for six years. The two men have seen each other through divorce, disaster, and danger, and saved each other's asses more times than Valenti can count. Exactly when he started seeing his blond, intense partner in another light, Valenti isn't really sure. He only knows that he wants O'Brian in a way that had nothing to do with friendship and everything to do with possession. It is a desire he will have to hide forever because O'Brian is undeniably straight. 

          Just as Valenti is coming to grips with his new, unacceptable feelings for his partner their police captain puts them on a new case that could blow Valenti's cover once and for all. He and O'Brian are going undercover at the country's largest and most infamous gay resort to bust a notorious drug lord and stop the shipments of poison cocaine that are flooding the gay bars all over the city. 

          Now Valenti will have to make a choice between friendship and desire. He and O'Brian will play the roles of gay men that will push the limits of their relationship to the breaking point. Will their time at the RamJack forge a new bond between them or destroy their partnership forever?

Click to View on Amazon: The Assignment

         The first thing that hit me about this book was the strange timing of it. This might just be because I never experienced them, but when the book said that this was set in the 80s I couldn't hold back a shudder. I thought, Oh dear, this is going to be painful and neon colored. But it turns out I was wrong and I don't think the story really even needed to tell us that it was set in the 80s. The story could have been something that happened today. I mean, I am assuming it could have, I haven never experienced anything that these characters went through but as far as the feelings of time and place, it felt very modern to me.

         I actually really liked the characters. It sometimes bothers me when characters are afraid of their sexuality, sometimes it just seems to contrived. And sometimes I just want to smack them until they get that being attracted to another man is not a bad things, but the struggle in this case felt pretty natural. O'Brian was so flirty and naturally physical that it never seemed forced between the two characters, even when it was forced on them. It was a bit of a "gay for you" story, as both the characters were very much interested in women until Valenti's divorce, but I have always thought that makes the story sweeter. Like they are so drawn to each other and so perfect for each other that something as little as orientation doesn't matter. So lovely.

         I felt that the whole "sleep with each other as blackmail" thing was a little forced. I understood it but it was predictable and I felt myself going, really? REALLY? But at the same time it did tear my heart apart a little because Valenti was so torn up about it, and he loved O'Brian so dearly and that made me tear up a bit when he started hating himself over it. And the chemistry between those two was sweet. As straight men they were so comfortable with each other that they were always touching, and I don't know about you guys, but my boyfriend rarely casually touched other guys, and if he does it is never more than for a few seconds... but they were ok with it and, it was great. The best part was when they were in the hotel and O'Brian finally saw his opening to get closer to Valenti. Ah it was so sneaky and sexy haha, though thinking about a pretty boy twink type with a bunch of chest hair was a bit difficult.

I  liked this book, it was a fun read and I should have read it sooner. I give it 3 stars!

Finally back!!

Hey guys,

I am finally back and am going to be able to start writing reviews again. I just finished with my summer school session (which was way more work than any classes I take during the school year) and For the next two weeks I am at home and don't have to work, so this should be a good time for me to catch up.

For those of you I promised reviews to: I am so sorry it took me so long to read/review them and I am going to do my best to get them up as soon as possible! they may not be the first ones up, because I have a ton of backed up books to get up, but they will definitely get up!

I also want to note that there will be a mild shift in genres that are reviewed on this blog. Still romance but there will definitely be a heavier load of M/M romance, I'm sorry if that makes any of you uncomfortable, but those are the books that have been on my bookshelves in the past couple months. That being said, that doesn't mean that that is all I will be posting about. There will still be plenty of other genres being posted, it just might lean a bit more heavily on M/M.

Thank you guys so so much for all of your patience!