» 5 Star Reviews

Smokinhotbooks Gets Addicted to Downside Ghosts

K.C. — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 05:11:28 +0000

Book # 1 Unholy Ghosts Amazon

Book #2 Unholy Magic Amazon

Genre: Urban Fantasy

It’s not often that you will find me reading a book about a drug- addicted heroine who makes more terrible choices than Lindsey Lohan on a four day coke bender; but at the urging of my blogger friends I decided to stop being such a square and see what all the hoopla was about. As the rehab therapists would say, I had to “trust the process’.

Stacia Kane’s Downside Ghost series is dark, thrilling and gut wrenching. Chess Putnam works as the ‘Churchwich’ for a new order Church that indoctrinates the motto “Facts Are Truth”. They employ debunkers who use magic to rid the world of murderous ghosts. The world is in a post-genocide era, where the dead have risen and attack the living. The government has fallen, and the Church of Truth is now in power …

At first, I was worried that I would have a hard time connecting with Chess. Writing your main heroine as a drug addict whose life is spiraling dangerously out of control is an intricate balance. To create a sort of alternative, anti-hero who still has some redeeming qualities that allow her to appear vulnerable without playing the “Im a victim card” is the make of a truly talented writer. And that is the genius of Kane’s writing. She really makes the reader understand the depth of Chess ability to survive a life that most would turned in the keys and signed off. Abandoned and placed in foster care, her life is filled with one violation of trust after another. You truly understand that to forget the pain of the past, to live a somewhat ‘normal’ life you need something to numb the past. You don’t battle the demons without a few toxic coping mechanisms.

I was so taken with how vibrant and alive Kane has made her characters. Her dark, urban setting was fascinating rather than graphic and I have fallen head over heels with Terrible. (The body-guard/bouncer for Chess drug-dealer of choice, Bump). The intensity of Chess and Terrible’s budding friendship shows that even the most hardened shell can be cracked with just a little kindness, a little compassion. Although, their relationship is tenuous at best, you can’t help but be captivated and root for them.

Unholy Ghosts and Unholy Magic are two of the best books I’ve read of 2010 and 2009. I’m not going to lie, the second book will tear your heart out, you may even find yourself emotionally ‘stress eating’ but so worth it. I promise! This series has grit, angst, violence, and pulls you in with each page – if you haven’t read this series, get thee to a bookstore post haste!

Other Reviews:

Fiction Vixen 5/5 Unholy Magic and Unholy Ghosts

Smexybooks Unholy Magic 5/5

Wicked Lil Pixie 5/5

Kindlelicious 10/10

PS. “Facts are Truths”, my friends

PPS City of Ghosts #3 is coming out next Tuesday (July 27^th) I’m white knuckling until next week…

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Twice Bitten by Chloe Neill Made of Awesome

K.C. — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 03:50:58 +0000

Genre: Urban Fantasy

#3 Chicagoland Vampire Series

355 pages

Amazon/Kindle

Merit, Chicago’s newest vampire, is learning how to play well with others. Other supernaturals, that is. Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene—and to spy for the vamps while she’s at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan’s offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.

Merit must accept the assignment, even though she knows that she’ll probably regret it. And she’s not wrong. Someone is gunning for Gabriel Keene, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She’ll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals—not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries old master vampire.

I heart the Chicagoland vampire series big time. Merit is a kickass sentinel that pretty much makes her own rules and is gaining in strength and power. We begin Twice Bitten at the cusp of a war that could bring down all the vampire houses. Merit is tasked with gaining the trust of the shapeshifters (who calls her Kitten) in hopes that an allegiance can be struck between the two clans that will strengthen the power of Codogan house.

With each new installment of this series I grow to like Merit even more. She’s sassy, independent, and really is her own person. Yeah, Ethan, (her vampire master) is a total hottie who’d like to get the 411 on getting into her pants, but she doesn’t let her attraction to him lesson her own self-worth. I like her attitude of ‘yeah, you want me, but I don’t dance on anyone’s pole just because they want me to’. I think that Neill really pulls this off without making Merit seem caustic or dramatic. She’s charmingly self-assured with a vulnerable side that is a nice juxtaposition against her superhuman warrior strength. Some of the most memorable scenes in the book are her sparing sessions with her uber vampire stud master. My favorite scene has to be when she is sparring with Ethan, while the rest of the Codogan vampires are watching. After overhearing Ethan’s bitchy ex call her ‘common’, she gets right in his face and says ‘I’m just a common solider’ and then proceeds to beat the ever-living crap out of him. I may have held my kindle high in the air are hooted ‘victory is mine’!

Be warned! There is mad, hot, sexytime between Merit and a person that shall not be named. I couldn’t help but be inspired by the Wold Cup and shouted Goooooooooooooooooooooal, when I read this scene. I know, tacky, but if you knew how rarely I use sports-talk you’d been proud.

Overall, this is a great installment in the series and we do get out hearts ripped out and stomped on the ground a bit, but alas, there is light at the end of the road. And more so, for Merit. Damn, tricksy vampires and their tempestuous ways! Will they never learn! Merit is the shiznit, you don’t throw away quality like that! Anywho, I definitely will be staying tuned to see what happens next.

All you need to know is that Twice Bitten is made of awesome, ‘nough said.

PS. For those of you who finished the book…You had me at ” I give you this baseball”. Couldn’t you just die! Sigh, that made me make stink eyes at Mr. Smokin. Where’s my token of appreciation for our love goddamn you?! Ethan gave Merit a baseball from her childhood and for my birthday I got a lapdesk, so I can use my laptop on what is essentially a glorified pillow.

Other books in Chicagoland Vampire Series

Some Girls Bite #1 Amazon | Friday Night Bites #2-Amazon

Other Reviews:

Wicked Lil Pixie 4/5

Smexybooks 4.5/5

Peace Love and Reviews 5/5

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Lover Mine Is So Boss…True

K.C. — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 03:59:04 +0000

Genre Paranormal Romance/UF

Pages 528

#7 in Black Dagger Brotherhood

Amazon $9.99

[def:Qhuay {kuh-oo-ay} the most highly anticipated relationship (hopefully) between Qhuinn and Blay dubbed Qhuay]

Like most relationships, I’ve had my ups and downs with the brothers, but damn if I just can’t say no, and mutter ‘ I wish I could quit you’. I prayed Ward wouldn’t let me down even going to far as to light all my candles and make a few wishes. So I took a yoga breath, made sure I went potty, and told Mr. Smokin’ to piss off for four hours. I. Was. In. The. Zone.

The ‘Sitch’

Lover Mine begins with a delicious trifecta of man meat, aka. JM, Qhuinn, and Blay. Lover Avenged, left us with a whopper of a cliffhanger as Xhex had been kidnapped by Lash – which leaves John Matthew thinking that Xhex isn’t going to be coming back. Thus why he is in a tattoo parlor with V’s secret concoction of ink wanting to immortalize her on his skin. Permanently. (starts fanning self). Meanwhile, Xhex is in an invisible prison, being roughed up by that sick, rat-bastard Lash. Whoa, he is one sick puppy and I can’t for the Brothers to end his ass, True. Bruised and starving, Xhex wishes she hadn’t left things as they were with John Matthew (Smokinhot Cliff Note: remember she wouldn’t let JM kiss her during sexy time).

Meanwhile Blay is in love with Qhuinn, and Quinn is well, still being Quinn, meaning he’s sexin’ his way through the human and ‘civilian’ female populations. It seems the only person that Qhuinn won’t sleep with is Blay. Qhuinn, in his typical fashion, knows that Blay has feelings for him but all he can offer is a fist bump and a decanter of liquid fire. He can’t give up his dream at leading a normal life. (the glymera will never accept a homosexual Brother with two different colored eyes). Qhuinn just can’t keep his feelings bottled up for much longer especially when Blay meets his cousin Saxton. (FYI Saxton is a charmingly sexy man!)

This Book was ‘Boss’

Lover Mine is probably Ward’s best book to date and makes up for any disappointments I may have felt with previous AZ* BDB books. (Smokinhot Cliff Note: AZ =After Zadist).

Xhex:

John, she said softty.
He paused and looked over his shoulder toward the bed.

“I love you.”

His handsome face tightened in pain, and he rubbed the middle of his chest, as if someone had fisted up his heart and squeezed it dead.

And then he turned away.

As she hit the confines of her prison…

She was screaming at the top of her lungs.

John Matthew

John locked eyes with her and was instantly transported to a different plane of existence. Mighta been heaven again. Who the f*ck knew or cared. All he knew was that there was only her and him together, the rest of the world drifting away in a fog.

Was it possible to fall in love with someone twice, he wondered dimly.

JM has always been my favorite Brother and I liked that Ward didn’t try and get all angsty’ with Xhex & JM’s relationship. After surviving a trauma that would destroy most others, they deserved a little happiness; they’d been through enough. And let’s face it, my poor heart couldn’t take another rodeo down heartache lane. ( cries out ‘Qhuay’)

Blay:

(Qhuinn the ho’, is having sexy-time…again)

Better than the full bifta. Especially because Qhuinn was beautiful to watch when he had sex. Just….beautitful.
Back when Blay had tried to do the hetero thing, the two had tag-teamed a number of human females – not that he could have recalled any of the women’s faces, bodies, or names. It had always been about Qhuinn for him. Always.

For those you sitting on the fence, wondering if you should shell out the mulah for hardback pricing of Lover Mine YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPOINTED (<– notice the caps for extra ‘I’m really serious guys’)! Ward gets back to her romance roots in LM and does a stellar performance with John Matthews story.

Rating

BDB Q&A What Do You Think?

Who do we think is going to be Tohr’s Mate? Ward in her message boards has said that Wellsie is not coming back so that leaves us with…..?
Will Blay and Qhuinn get their HEA? Will it be m/m or m/m/f? I’m really hoping Ward will go all the way m/m, quick somebody make a blog button!
Is Payne the next BDB book?
How many more ‘brothers’ are there to write about? Tohr, Lassister, I’am, …?

GIVEAWAY
I’m in hearts with this book therefore I will donate Amazon Gift Certificate ($10.00) for one lucky SOB to go towards their Lover Mine book. Contest open to all that access Amazon. Giveaway End Friday April 30th

Whose your favorite BDB character? (this is where you go off and gush people!)

Other Lover Mine Reviews

Fiction Vixen 4 1/2 /5

Smexybooks 4.5 /5

Katiebabs B

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Enlightened: Little Boy Lost by JP Barnaby– Beautiful Coming of Age Love Story

K.C. — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 04:52:21 +0000

Enlightened: Little Boy Lost – A Beautiful Coming of Age Love Story

Genre M/M Contemporary Romance (Coming of Age)

216 pages

Amazon Print (Also Available on Kindle)

Ebook (PDF)

I {Brian} felt his warm breath on my face; he was so damn close. My heart rate accelerated wildly, and I could hear the blood pounding in my ears. He (Jamie) whispered, almost too softly for me to hear.

“Please…please don’t hate me.” {Jamie}

In the lightest of touches, soft but unyielding, his lips pressed against mine. My eyes closed , and I felt a rush of emotion, sexual tension – something- building within me. The kiss was delicate, sweet, and lingered just long enough to make me want more. I had waited my whole life for my first kiss, and while it wasn’t exactly how I’d pictured it in my youth, it was perfect. It was everything that a boy’s first kiss should be.

Only it wasn’t with a girl.

Little Boy Lost tells the story of two teenage boys struggling to come to terms with their own sense of identity and sexuality as they make the transition into manhood. Told that homosexuality is a sin, Brian and Jaime combat their feelings of love, knowing that that their own sense of morality could lead to their own damnation. Taught that what they are feeling is depraved, this is a moving story of friendship and love, illuminating that even in the darkest of times there still remains a shimmer of hope.

Brian is a foster child that for the first time, has finally found peace in the guise of an older altruistic couple. His friendship with Jaime begins to change into something more, something he can’t control. Grief stricken by his own inability to control his sexual desires, Brain painfully makes the decision to back away from his friendship and try to be something he knows deep down he can’t be. Straight.

[Blows nose and dabs at the sheen in my eyes]… Cough, Cough, sorry it must be my allergies. [Clears throat]. It’s not often that I get the chance to read about characters that have an innocent, unspoiled love. I can’t imagine what it would be like to hide such an essential part of who you are for fear that you would be ostracized. What must it be like, to know that deep down, what you want might be impossible? The most poignant scene of the story has to be when Brain wants to go out on a real date with Jaime. Even though they can’t appear as anything more than friends, Brian so enviously wants what normal couples don’t have to hide. Freedom to be seen as a couple. Fearful of being ‘caught’ Jaime places a sweatshirt over his armrest at the movie, so that he and Brian can hold hands without being observed. Uh, just tear my heart out and stomp it to the ground why don’t you!

Add, a tearful ending and an insatiable need to read the next installment, Abandoned, and I’ve fallen hook line and sinker for these two.

I wonder what would it be like to see yourself as being ‘wrong’? How much of what we do or say is influenced by the acceptance of our peers? I applaud anyone who’s fought to keep their individuality even when it brought more pain than good. If you’re in the mood for a great coming of age love story that successfully shows that an erotica novel can be based on love and intimacy then don’t wait to read this one!

Rating

I heart this book so much I’m doing a Giveaway via Amazon either a gift card or print book

Just comment and tell me your thoughts. Giveaway ends Thursday 8:00pm.

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Catch Me If You Can by LB Gregg: Transgenderism, Nekkid Man Chests & Justin Timberlake

K.C. — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:53:45 +0000

Genre: Male Male Romance

Series #1 Romance & Albright Series

Purchase Ebook Samhein

Kindle

Book given to me by author for giggles & review

Lowly art gallery assistant Caesar Romano is freely out of the closet. Now he’d just like to get out of his Nana’s guest room. Everything—his reputation and his financial freedom—is riding on the success of tonight’s gallery opening. If only he could shake free of the past so easily.

Warning: This book contains graphic language, sex, lies, intrigue, clowns, kleptomania, anal sex, oral sex, mutual masturbation, bad driving, good cooking, and the missing head of a Justin Timberlake statue. Not for the sour of disposition. –> Already I was taken in with “mutal masturbation”

You know when you are really excited to read a book and you have to go on a “time out” before you start it? That’s the phase I was in while jumping up and down to read Catch Me If You Can. I’ve been an LB Gregg fan since I asked Smexybooks what does m/m stand for? I’ve been a man love fanatic since then (just ask Mrs. Easy Peasey my kindle), thanks Smexy.

The Recap…

Cesar is a struggling gallery assistant is in the midst of throwing the most important gallery event of his young carrier. Hsis one goal is to make Johan Papp a superstar. Did I mention he creates busts of Justin Timberlake, Howard Stern and other celebrities? Everything starts to go downhill when he chokes on an olive after seeing his newly tannerexic, closted ex, enter the gallery..Add some oiled up, nude-chester waiters, a boss who is obsessed with clowns and an ex that won’t that is photographed in a compromising position and you have a cluster-F of magnanimous proportions. Christ he just isn’t getting paid enough to deal with this kind of crap.

Sexy Detective Green has been hired by Mallory Albright to investigate stolen pieces of art from her collection. Cesar is financially depressed and turns up as the most likely perp in Private Dick-ehem, I mean Green’s list of suspects. All signs are pointing towards out of his prime Brandon with an seriously odd cosmetic surgery addiction. With Dan’s help Cesar is going to find the lost missing head of JT so he can move out of his nana’s house.

The Highlights

- Someone steals the bust of Justin Timerberlake, valued at over $15K.

- Cesar’s ex, found naked in the gallery bathroom smelling of puke and wearing stolen evidence of the missing bust of Justin Timberlake around his woo-ha.

- Boss has a weirdo clown collection and has compulsion to klepto anything clown related.

- Cesar trips on weirdo boss’s used condom he left on the floor in his office.

- Detective Green likes to talk dirty…you naughty, boy you.

-And finally, a transsexual waitress (waiter?).

I absolutely loved everything about Catch Me if You Can. LB Gregg’s is one of those authors you have to pay close attention to each and every word because she is just so damn funny. I actually went back and re-read most of the book in case I missed any of the sarcastic, nuances of Cesar’s inner monologue.

Cesar: What was Shep wearing? ….cowboy boots. Everyone knows that Shep likes to be ridden.

(after Cesar nearly chokes on an olive after seeing his ex)

“I’m just a little embarrassed, that’s all. I’m sure the gin will kill any bacteria.” (Cesar)

“Oh don’t be silly. Sometimes we swallow wrong. You need to swallow slowly, dear” Mallory sipped her martini. She smiled with good humor at the (art) bust of Howard Stern.

I couldn’t possibly comment…(Cesar)

I swear only LB Gregg can keep me on my toes not only does she fabulously work in a Justin Timberlake bust, a transvestite, and a crying game scenario – her quick wit and sexy scenes kept me smiling all through Catch Me If You Can. (Clears throat) including a verra hot (in the) closet scene between Dan and Cesar.

Final Verdict. For those of you who haven’t ventured into the male/ male romance, LB Gregg is a great author to “wet your whistle”. I swear. You’ll become a convert. Trust me on this. If you loved Gobsmack and Cover Me, I dare say Catch Me If You Can is one of my favorite male male romances this year…okay maybe two years. And I close with the motivational words of pop sensation Brittney Spears after reading this book all I can say is “Gimme More” .

Rating

Book News LB Gregg’s just announced that she has another book in the Romano & Albright series. Author’s Website:

Other Reviews

Kris N Good Books

Other Books by LB Gregg

Gobsmack Review (On Goodreads)

Cover Me Review

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