Review: Special Needs by K.A Merikan

Special Needs (Special Needs #1) by K.A Merikan
Self-Published
Novel
3 Pants Off

Blurb:
Liam slept with his boss. Again. And lost his job because of it. Again. Set on changing his ways and tired of sleeping in his car, he applies for a job as a live-in caretaker, even though he has no experience in it whatsoever. He has a lot of practice in lying his way out of any situation though. Only problem is, his new boss - wheelchair bound owner of a sex hotel - is gay, cute, funny and oh, so fuckable! There is only one logical solution to Liam’s dilemma - pretending he’s straight. Brilliant!

When Ryan inherited his aunt’s B&B, he thought he’d hit the jackpot by changing it into a fetish sex hotel. Things didn’t go as planned though, all of his marketing efforts seem to fail, and the debt is mounting up. Being a wheelchair user doesn’t help in actively promoting his hotel, but his luck starts to change when he hires a new caretaker. Liam is open-minded, helpful and caring. All that Ryan needs from a caretaker to kickstart his business, but things would all be a lot simpler if he didn’t start crushing on his new employee. And even if, in some other dimension, Liam did return his feelings, how long can Ryan keep his fetish a secret?

The web of lies they weave around each other is more bondage than any of them enjoy.

Review
Liam has a bad habit of sleeping with his bosses and then getting fired. It’s becoming old and he always finds himself sleeping in his car and without a job. This time he swears it’s going to be different, he's going to find a job and he will keep his dick in his pants for once. His job options are limited because of course his last boss/lover has put out the word and he probably won't get hired by any restaurants in the area. It’s time to find something else, and when he sees and ad to be a caregiver (knowing nothing about it) he decides to try his hand. His luck is that the sexy twink in the wheelchair is into guys and Liam fits everything he's looking for.

Ryan is the owner of a B&B and not your generic run of a mill B&B I'm talking sexy kink hotel filled with all fantasy your heart can desire. The hotel isn't doing as well as he's hope and with his disability and struggling with a wheelchair Ryan needs all the help he can get. Hiring Liam might not have been the best choice basing his decision of sexy alone but Ryan can't deny that they're a good fit. Too bad Liam is as straight as they come any Ryan knows that even if he wasn't who would want him anyways?

Alright, I had few problems with this book and the first being it’s just too freaking long. I found some scenes unnecessary and others way too long which took away from me really enjoying the story. It’s like boom, you tighten up some of those scenes cut down 3 chapters to one and you have golden. Next, the character Ryan irked me most of the time and yes I get that he was a bit innocent and stuff but dude you run a sex hotel your naiveté was just too freaking much. He had these weird childish tangents and wouldn't use his words and most of the time I wanted to move on from him. Third, what irkes me above all else is flaunting killer and obvious shit (seriously the rope and digging doesn't give it away) unless I'm being set up and would have to say that I was tricked quite splendidly. Seriously, I feel like I could have liked this one more because it is unique but the story dragged and Ryan irked me.

The ending, I was all like "WTF" where is the rest of it and that was me complaining about it being too long, if that don't beat all. I am truthfully looking forward to reading the second in hopes with a more mature Ryan where he actually starts to be a bit truthful. Liam, he's just Liam he means well.

Should You Read It? I am a supporter of K.A Merikan cus I feel like they offer up some unique stuff and I give kudos to authors writing any kind of diversity. While I didn't love this one, I could have called it quits at anytime but it intrigued me enough to continue and left me wanting more. Who knew?

3 Pants Off

Excerpt & Giveaway: Stung by K.A Merikan

Stung by K.A Merikan

Blurb:
Victor is a man of delicate sensibilities, not fit to do backbreaking labour on a farm ran by the mob. Upon arrival in Honeyhill, he decides he needs an anchor, an alliance with one of the guards, if he wants to survive. That anchor comes in the form of Crunch, a hunky ex-sailor with a pair of tight leather trousers and a ruggedly handsome face.
But from day one, Victor knows he won’t last long with the hard physical work assigned to him and the torment he suffers at the hands of a sadistic guard. He needs to run, and his new alliance might prove to be a burden instead of solace.

If Crunch wants Honeyhill liberated, he needs to focus on his job, not on protecting Victor, one of many new arrivals on the farm. Distraction is the last thing he needs after months of undercover work. But it’s hard not to get seduced by Victor's big brown eyes and fingertips that don’t know work. Hundreds of people depend on Crunch keeping his identity a secret, revealing it could be fatal for both him and Victor, and a failure of his mission.
Thankfully, Victor would never be dumb enough to try and escape through a forest that's swarming with zombies. Would he?


“Stung” is a standalone book and a part of the “Zombie Gentlemen” universe.

Excerpt

Crunch cleared his throat, gently moving his fingertips over Victor’s shoulder blade as they walked past the spot where Victor’s team had been working earlier. 

“Yeah, I got ya something betta’ than the fuckin’ porridge.” 

 He glanced at Victor in the darkness and couldn’t help but smile. The prisoner had the largest eyes he had ever seen on a grown man, dark brown with lashes so thick and long it bordered on obscene. Crunch let his gaze trail down the elegant, narrow nose to a luscious mouth that simply belonged with all that dark stubble on Victor’s chin and cheeks. Crunch would love to feel it scratching against his skin.

“You did?” And that voice. It was smooth as velvet. Crunch did feel velvet once so he knew.

“Poshy like ya prolly eats berries and uh... veal or somethin’?” 

He laughed and, after making sure they weren't followed, slid his arm around Victor's shoulders as they made their way towards the watchtower on the outskirts of the orchard. The fact that Victor was dirty didn’t matter much. That could be dealt with easily. He was too horny to care.

Victor looked up at him, wide eyed like a rabbit staring into the barrel of a shotgun. In the bright moonlight, Crunch noticed the prisoner had a mole below his lower lip, close to its right corner. He couldn’t wait to kiss it.

“You have veal?”

“Nah, but I do ‘ave some nice dinner for ya.”

Victor’s eyes focused on him for the longest moment. “Why are you being so nice?”

That got Crunch to slow down his pace. “I... there’s not much chance to bed someone here, ya know...”

Victor licked his lips, though it looked more like a gesture of nervousness than seduction. “I’ve been told the guards have someone to warm their beds whenever they wish.”

Crunch's mood soured, but he didn’t stop walking. “If ya ‘ave taste for rape,” he muttered with a pout. He certainly didn’t, and the lewd look on Victor’s face in the morning was what got him so excited in the first place. It showed genuine interest, not a trade-in for a steak and a bottle of whiskey. At least he hoped so. Victor’s chuckle fetched his attention back.

“You have a taste for courting. That’s a clean shirt, isn’t it?” Victor leaned closer into Crunch. Warm fingers ran down Crunch's torso, swirling over the buttons, all the way down to his belt. He swallowed, trying to keep his breathing in check, but his heart was already rushing in his chest. He wanted to feel those hands all over and pump straight into Victor’s juicy arse at the same time. Crunch hadn’t seen it yet, but he could bet it was as gorgeous as Victor’s face.

“Well... yeah.” He wanted to add something wittier, but it wasn’t coming, so Victor took over from him.

“Oh, I’m so embarrassed now about forgetting to wear my good shoes.” The grin he gave Crunch though was tinted by the tension around his eyes and the tight voice.

“I think ya don’t need‘em. Ya might even look betta’ without any clothes.”

Giveaway

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Review: Scavengers September by K.A Merikan

Scavengers: September by K.A Merikan
Self-Published
Novella: 117pgs
3 Pants Off

Blurb:
--- Keeping his wife happy was hard enough without a gay lover and the zombie Plague. ---

In July of 1893, James Hurst, a perfect English gentleman, had retrieved a treasure that would secure the financial future of his family, got scarred by a zombie and lost his virginity to Ira Russell, the mercenary he hired. After a rocky start, their mutual fascination makes James happier than ever.

Despite initial worries, Ira has no trouble blending in with the aristocratic household. Even James’ young son comes to adore the new teacher of survival tactics and his maritime stories. His wife on the other hand takes a different sort of interest in Ira. Her infatuation with him is the living proof of James’ failure as a husband, but is it too late to pick up the pieces? With a political opponent watching his every move and the threat of a terrorist attack on London, James is walking a tightrope. Can he keep his family safe without giving up on his newfound happiness (and Ira’s skills in tying him up)?
*
"Scavengers: September" is the third and last book in a three part series and is set in the universe of “Gentlemen’s Tales of Love, Lust and the Undead”.

Review:
July 1893 finds James Hurst baring the zombie apocalypse to retrieve values from his family home. He had to take on the help of a Mercenary, one called Ira Russel a man who brought out feelings that another man should ever have for another. James has survived a zombie bite, hordes of zombie, and yet he can’t seem to win the fight of staying away from Ira. With a wife and young son at home, important job responsibilities, yet James finds himself unable to stay away. Succumbing to the sins of the flesh isn't something James is proud of, but he loves and adores Ira and there is just no way is he giving him up regardless of the living threat that hangs over their heads.

In Scavengers September Ira is now a part of the Hurst household, and James couldn’t be happier. He has his lover under the same roof, though being discreet for their rendezvous is at the outmost importance so he doesn't cause his dear wife distress. In all truth, James is cheating but his acceptance is clouded is that; his wife is like a friend he shares a child with. Yes, he married his wife out of obligation but he's brought the man he's sleeping with and introduced him as a friend. To add more spice to the spicy, James's wife is starting to feel a little something/something for Ira, because he clearly is very irresistible. With hordes of zombie barricaded outside the city, James and Ira's only threat is a devious little woman who happens to know the nature of their relationship and is dead set on a little blackmail which could possibly bring all James have worked for to an end.

Alright, so I really liked the first books in this series and found the characters to be delightful but now I can't help feeling like the conclusion is a letdown. First, I can't help like feeling that James has no backbone; I thought he would be bad ass (I feel no character development from him). Second, he brings his lover into his family home. That’s just a little too much, regardless of whether your wife is like a friend or not. Third, the development of the overall plot just kind of hit a wall, and provided filler with James/Ira sex scenes (hot scenes but filler nonetheless). Then the ending was somewhat ridiculous and it all felt very contrived, and in the end I was very disappointed. I think this one was missing the magic that the other stories managed to offer up.

Should You Read It? Well, I really like the first story, and the second was very enjoyable so those defi are worth a looking into. As for this one...I can't recommend it.

3 Pants Off

Review: Book #1 Scavengers: July

Review: Book #2 Scavengers: August

Guest Post: A Quick Guide to Erotic Horror Dating by K.A. Merikan

Erotic horror stories mix the scare factor of adrenaline-inducing events and the sensual, arousing aspect of erotica. The plot is often not about two people connecting, like in a romance story, can go different ways, even ending with the main character dying a horrible death. Which doesn't mean a horror story has to end badly for the character, but definitely takes them on a rollercoaster ride of a journey.

In our story for the Queer Fear anthology, "Matthew Powers Lives!", we acknowledge the bridge between the two not only through the plot, but also through the main character's profession. Matt is an adventurous porn actor, ready to do his first big horror porn shoot in a deserted asylum. With a set up like that, he's ready for some high-adrenaline experiences, even if they are acted out, but having to deal with actual fear when things get out of hand is a completely different story.

In contrast to a romance story, which, by definition, should have at least a 'happy for now' kind of ending, thrillers or horrors really keep you on the edge of the seat. Reading becomes a lot less about 'Will they? Won't they?', more about 'Will he survive?'. As a reader, I love being surprised and dragged through all sorts of twists and turns, biting my nails for the outcome. And as a writer, I enjoy surprising my readers, taking them on a journey that isn't obvious, or predictable.

Having your heart leap at ghosts, blood, and gore might actually set the mood for an erotic encounter later on. Just like people are proven to have higher probability of sexual attraction rushing through them in times of great adrenaline rushes. The feelings melt into one in times of war, catastrophes, or even when you go on a rollercoaster ride with your date. Living through stressful situations together creates a bond much stronger and more intimate than going on a date to Starbucks.

So, where is this all going you might wonder? The mix of fear and sexuality, what does that have to do with you? Well, since misattribution of arousal is an actual thing, why not use it to your advantage when you're dating, or even when you want to spice up your relationship? You could treat a 1974 experiment as dating instruction and use a wobbly bridge as a beau hunting ground, or just use its premise to your advantage. Here are a few adrenaline-inducing dating tips, sure to get your date hot under the collar.

Why not invite your date to a place as delightful as Zombie Manor? That is some serious hand holding material right there.

Host a dinner by the window in a skyscraper. The height is bound to make your date attentive. A see-through floor is preferable, just don't wear a skirt or dress. Or, if you're dating a woman, make sure to suggest she wear a skirt/dress (naughty, I know).

Sabotage the electricity in your house for dramatic effect on your date. That calls for hand holding in the dark, accidental stumbling onto the sofa, searching for candles that might end up as some spontaneous wax play (only not actually spontaneous; know where the candles are). Works just as well as sabotaging the elevator, but less dangerous.

Or, when you're really out of ideas, a good old fashioned horror movie night can do the trick. But at least spice it up with some creep-tastic dinner choices like a scorpion on a stick, insect sushi, or ant chocolate. Even if your date doesn't end up eating them, it will surely keep up their heart rate.

Whatever you do, make sure you can save the day. And don't be too reckless on the first date, people's fright thresholds may vary.

Thanks to Pants Off for having me here today, and for those who needed a little spice advice to mix fear with passion, you're welcome!

Kat Merikan

K.A. Merikan is a joint project of Kat and Agnes Merikan who jokingly claim to share one mind. They finish each other's sentences and simultaneously come up with the same ideas. Kat and Agnes enjoy writing various kinds of stories, from light-hearted romance to thrillers. They love creating characters that are not easy to classify as good or evil, and firmly believe that even some villains deserve their happy endings. They can be found at http://kamerikan.com/ as well as on Facebook and Twitter @KA_Merikan. Their latest short story, "Matthew Powers Lives!" can be found in Storm Moon Press' Queer Fear anthology.

Guest Post: Scavengers Series by K.A Merikan

I’d like to talk about two things today. About our covers for the Scavengers series and about working with an illustrator.Scavengers:July was the first novella we published. I was really keen to do the cover myself, cause I felt I knew what style I wanted it to be.

And the thing is, I still like the illustration on this cover. It might not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s quirky and a bit different. I did the cover for the second one in the series in the same style, but when it came to the third one, I got stuck. I sort of knew what I wanted to do with it, but I wasn't happy with any of the sketches I came up with. Maybe it was because what I usually do is fashion illustration and it's mostly women that I draw.

So I talked it through with Agnes, my co-author, and we decided to do a redesign for the whole series. The stories are set in a steampunk, post-apocalyptic Victorian London, a few years after the outbreak of a zombie Plague. I wanted to convey all those things, without commissioning an over-detailed, realistic painting with too much going on. Even though I wouldn’t be painting it myself, after some brainstorming, I had a clear vision of what I wanted. 

I was really excited, as I had already found an artist who did cute silhouette art some time ago and knew I would want an illustration from her sometime. This was the perfect time to call on her and see if she’d be interested in a project out of her usual line of work. 

Instead of a literal portrayal of steampunk guys with no shirts on or something of that sort, I wanted to have a Victorian style portrait of the MC’s in profile as a symbol of the times they live, since those were popular at the time. Gas masks symbolize the steampunk element, but we needed to add a zombie element as well. Something elegant and discreet, because the story itself is not a slasher, with the zombies serving as a backdrop. In the end, we went for a frame of bones and guts, and some blood splatter in the middle.

We needed the imagery to work for all three parts of the story, even though each one has a bit of a different theme. To use the illustration for the whole series, we used the damask style pattern for the background, and gave each one a different color scheme.

The end result and the cover for a paperback bundle coming out soon:

I love how the whole series works together in the different colors.

What I enjoy about working with an illustrator is getting that unique image. It’s not just a stock photo that can reappear on several different covers. I got to tell the illustrator how the character’s look like and have her create a design for the bone and guts frame that will be ours to use for the series.

When working with an illustrator, it is best to approach them with some kind of idea, but also with an open mind to let them suggest things. For example, I wanted James to have a top hat, but it turned out that it didn’t work with the composition, so we ditched it. It’s like cutting out scenes, which seemed a good idea at the time, but turned out unsuitable. 

I come from a Fine Art background, but if you don’t feel overly confident about your color choices, sometimes you just have to put trust in the designers and let them work their magic.

There’s also a myth and fear among many self-publishers that they won’t be able to afford an illustrator. My answer to that is - you don’t ask, you don’t know. One of the artists I asked for a book cover quote, came back with 2000$ and fair enough if he’s in demand, but there are lots of young freelancers, talented, but not yet popular. They’re looking for commissions and by lurking around a place like http://deviantart.com, you can easily approach artists and ask if they’d want to do your project. When you consider the fact, that you can work with people from all over the world ,you’ll find that you can get a brilliant, made-to-measure cover starting at 20-30$.


Here’s a blurb from the newest and last part of our zombie-apocalypse-Victorian-gay-romance extravaganza:

--- Keeping his wife happy was hard enough without a gay lover and the zombie Plague. ---

In July of 1893, James Hurst, a perfect English gentleman, had retrieved a treasure that would secure the financial future of his family, got scarred by a zombie and lost his virginity to Ira Russell, the mercenary he hired. After a rocky start, their mutual fascination makes James happier than ever.


Despite initial worries, Ira has no trouble blending in with the aristocratic household. Even James’ young son comes to adore the new teacher of survival tactics and his maritime stories. His wife on the other hand takes a different sort of interest in Ira. Her infatuation with him is the living proof of James’ failure as a husband, but is it too late to pick up the pieces? With a political opponent watching his every move and the threat of a terrorist attack on London, James is walking a tightrope. Can he keep his family safe without giving up on his newfound happiness (and Ira’s skills in tying him up)?

WARNING: Contains graphic m/m sex scenes, gore, zombies, violence, angst, BDSM, lots of deliciously dirty talk  and a confident, tattooed ex-sailor.

And for an excerpt, you can visit: http://kamerikan.com/books/gentlemens-tales-of-love-lust-and-the-undead-series/scavengers/scavengers-september

Kat Merikan

Art by Alison Mutton 

http://alene-art.com/

Review: Off With Their Heads by K.A Merikan

Off With Their Heads by K.A. Merikan
Self-Published
Short Story: 40pgs
3/3.5 Pants Off

Blurb:
It’s 1907, twenty years after the outbreak of a zombie Plague. For a young medicine student like Clint, the undead bodies provide an opportunity to study human physiology in the working. He is a good young man: tidy, well-mannered and hard working. Focused on his goal to become an excellent surgeon, Clint has a bright future ahead of him. If it weren’t for a shameful secret he’s forced to keep, his life would have been perfect.

Xavier, a peculiar foreigner he finds in the morgue late at night, claims to be an assistant to one of Clint's professors, but doesn’t know the first thing about the proper way to behead zombies. Xavier’s story has many loose ends, but something about him unlocks all the emotions Clint always kept bottled up inside. When he learns the truth about Xavier, Clint finds himself involved in a conspiracy that could destroy everything he’s worked so hard for. Frightened by the possible consequences, yet strangely fascinated by the eccentric, tattooed stranger, Clint follows him to places he would never dare explore on his own.

Review:
Clint is a medical student who works closely with zombies. They are provide a way to study the human body, and how it’s evolving. 20 years since the plagued hit and left millions of the undead walking around, Clint doesn't know what the plague was like, but he knows what life is like now, crowded and safely inside behind protective walls. When he runs into a professor assistant cutting off some heads, Clint offers his help because clearly the assistant is new to the removal of zombie heads. What's peculiar is that he says he needs ten heads, and that’s a hard job without some help.

It all becomes clear when Clint finds himself sneaking out with heads in a bag, and the beautiful thin stranger sharing his plot to make living art (well undead art). Running through back alleys, trying to stay clear of the cops, suddenly life for Clint has become a lot more interesting. If only Xavier wasn't so thin, different, and beautiful because trying to hide his body's reaction isn't easy.

The thing with short stories is that they end far too quickly for my liking. Off With Their Heads was getting into the meat, and then it just ended. So it’s very hard to rate and come up with my exact feelings. Firstly, I am very interested in the skinny Xavier, he's all artsy and rebel (also a bit silly). Clint is his complete opposite, sheltered, intellectual, and very innocent. They come together in a playful hot kinda way.

Not my first Zombie book by the authors, but this one failed to move me like the Scavengers stories. I am feeling all blah about it, so I don't know how to rate it. I didn't really like it, but I don't dislike it (at a crossroads). Hopefully there will be more of Clint and Xavier because the plan for the heads is just too big to be ignored.

SideNote- Cover is AWESMAZING!!

3.5 Pants Off

Guest Post: Christmas special no-nos (a subjective list) by K.A Merikan

It’s that time of year again. Everything’s red, white and green, there are Santas on every street corner and tv shows indulge us all with the proper Christmas spirit. All those commercials that promise amazing festive deals for those who so far forgot to buy gifts for their loved ones (just like me at the moment I’m writing this) inspired me to reread some of the christmas-themed stories/specials/chapters I’ve written. Let’s face it: anyone who reread their early works was at least mildly embarrassed by what they’ve found. Well, my Christmassy stuff from years ago is horrendous, with the ones written in high school topping it all.

When I was done mocking my early attempts at authoring, my first thought was to write a post about my take on the perfect Christmas story, but then again is there anything like that? I’m the type who can enjoy both fluff and a kinky short about a bunch of reindeer-boys pleasing their handsome and not-so-ancient owner (which is kind of in line with something I’m working on with my co-author right now). It is much easier to sum up the things one should avoid in Christmas shorts, based on my early failures. So here it goes:


1) Long descriptions of food/drinks
We all know the bigger the holiday, the more delicacies there are on the table, but is it really interesting to read all those descriptions? Is it sensible to tease the poor reader like that? What if all they have in the fridge is a box of cheap french fries? Pure sadism, especially if the characters are snacking on pecan pie.

2) Likewise, but with presents
I once wrote a scene with eight characters exchanging gifts and I not only mentioned each present, but even described some of them. It makes absolutely no sense and is boring to the reader. I guess it’s always best to stick to the meaningful gifts. The other ones will be forgotten anyway, because for meaningless things, most people have goldfish memory.

3) Cliches!
Ok, that’s a tricky one, because anything can work if it’s well done, but the fact is that everyone knows how Christmas should be like. For those raised in countries where Christmas is a big thing, the image of its idealised version is always ready to retrieve. It usually features a decorated tree, a fireplace with socks hanging over it, a nicely dressed family or a couple making Christmassy love in front of the already mentioned fireplace. That’s all cool, but the readers have seen it all. They are probably watching snapshots like that every time they switch on their televisions (maybe not the couple, but you get my drift). Even if the author’s idea of a twist on the topic doesn’t go all the way to mixing holiday spirit with sci-fi, it’s great to read something a little bit different. If the story’s meant to be semi-traditional, why not change the setting to somewhere exotic, or throw some kind of catastrophe on the characters. Or, literally, have a cat throw the christmas tree down the stairs. Yay for disaster.

I probably missed some valid points here, so I beg you to forgive me. It’s Christmas.

---

Agnes Merikan is the worse half of the dynamic duo writing as K.A. Merikan( http://kamerikan.com ). Kat and Agnes have so far published two M/M romance novellas set in a steampunk world plagued by the undead, Scavengers: July( http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14739686-scavengers ) and Scavengers: August( http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15753465-scavengers ), as well as a free erotic short, Birthday Burglar( http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16073518-birthday-burglar ). Agnes can be found on Twitter @AgnesMerikan .

Review: Scavengers: August by K.A Merikan

Scavengers: August by K.A Merikan
Acerbi & Villani 
Short Story
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
In 1887, history changed course. A new Plague turned the infected into flesh-eating monsters and bound the population to overcrowded cities. The rapid advance in technology creates opportunities for the rich, but also helps to spread new social ideas which challenge traditional Victorian morality.

In July of 1893, James Hurst, a perfect English gentleman, had retrieved a treasure that would secure the financial future of his family, got scarred by a zombie and lost his virginity to Ira Russell, the treasure hunter he hired. It seemed to be a match made in heaven but back in London, the harsh reality of having a wife and child came crashing into his new found infatuation.

A month later, James’ life has returned to normal, but the recent past is there to haunt him. His newly acquired wealth makes him very interesting to a lady he works with but her agenda might be more political than financial. She seems to support a new mysterious cult – The Witnesses of the Apocalypse.

James and Ira meet again in the most unlikely circumstances and this time, it isn’t as easy to let go. Deciding to risk it all, James finds Ira’s house, but who is the beautiful young man who greets him at the door?

WARNING: Contains graphic m/m sex scenes, gore, zombies, violence, angst, BDSM, lots of deliciously dirty talk and a confident, tattooed ex-sailor.

Review:
I am surprised by how much I am enjoying this series. There is nothing gripping about the plot and there really isn’t anything fantastic going on but it is freaking entertaining.

It’s one month later and James Hurst is living it up as a wealthy aristocrat after retrieving the treasure from his family home. He could not have landed the treasure without the help of ex-sailor turned treasure hunter (and other things) Ira Russell. The men shared a sexy interlude, and James then found himself being bent over and being called Boy. Experience with a man is something he had longed for, but of course its immoral and wrong and all that.

Now, James has not seen Ira in a month and he’s longing for him after his body had such a wonderful taste of carnal delights. Because of his newfound wealth, James has to be out doing important things, and he’s garnered unwanted attention. However, being important has led him right back to Ira, and now that he has him back, he’s sure that he won’t be able to give him up.

With all this romance and feeling going on, the reader never forgets that there are zombies and crazy people. There’s always crazies driven by some god to do some crazy and try to justify it (sorta sounds like the life we live in now). There is a bit of drama thrown in to keep the story from being completely pointless. I like it for the man love >.<  I love the whole “I want you but I shouldn’t, and this so wrong I’m gonna burn in hell” Makes for good reading.

I am all in to see what happens in Scavengers: September, some drama is about to unfold and I can’t wait to read it. Bring it on!

4 Pants Off

Review: Scavengers: July by K.A Merikan

Scavengers July by K.A Merikan
Acerbi & Villani ltd
Short Story: 46pgs
3.5 Pants Off

Blurb:

1887, history changed course. A new Plague turned the infected into flesh-eating monsters and bound the population to overcrowded cities. The rapid advance in technology creates opportunities for the rich, but also helps to spread new social ideas which challenge traditional Victorian morality.

James Hurst is a man of obligation and good morals. After most of his family perished as a result of the new, horrific illness, he didn’t hesitate to live up to his new responsibilities. A few years later, he is married to his childhood sweetheart, with whom he has a son and his political career is going smoothly. Unfortunately, most of his family lands had been overridden by the undead and therefore, bring no more profit. Facing bankruptcy, he decides to risk it all and try to get the jewels hidden in his family manor…

In order to get there, he will need to leave the safe city walls and cross a region swarming with ghouls. He hires Ira Russell, a man whose skill at recovering valuables from lost territories has earned him a small fortune. From the moment James first saw Ira, he knew the man was dangerous, but he could have never predicted just how much of a danger he would be to all that James had always believed in.

WARNING: Contains graphic m/m sex scenes, gore, zombies, violence, angst, light BDSM and a confident, tattooed ex-sailor.

Review:
Zombies have always been the one thing that scares the crap out of me above all else. I always say, I have a love/hate relationship with them, because I can never just stay away. So when I had the opportunity to read about the creepies, mixed in with the man love. I was on it like white on rice. In all honesty as much as I wanted a bit more, I really did enjoy Scavengers: July.

James Hurst is desperate to replenish his funds when they start to run low, and as the saying goes “desperate times calls for desperate measures”. The time is 1887 and after a devastating plague, most human have become flesh-eating zombies. James must now go off into his lands that are over run with the undead and in order to accomplish his mission he must get the help of mercenary Ira Russell.

The men leave the city walls in search of a fortune hidden in one of James old estates, but before the jewels, there are some other things of value he must get his hands on. Seriously, James should have just head for the jewels. Seems zombies’ wanting to feast on his flesh isn’t nearly as frightening as it should be. While fighting of zombies, and retrieving ‘art of utmost importance’, the men find time to share a sexy interlude (seriously man freaking zombies).

I really did enjoy reading this short, but I had few niggles which knocked the .5 in making this a 4PO. I wanted more background on the plague. I know it was meant as a short offering, but I am curious about the how the plague came along, and how life was before it wiped out almost everyone. I wanted a bit more background on Ira, he’s all clothed in mystery (mercenary I know) but I really want to know if he lost anyone in the plague.

Overall, I really liked it and look forward to reading the next instalment. Scavengers has really captured my interest, and I want to read more about the things I love to hate zombies.

Warning: Do not have sex when you might possibly be attacked by zombies. You might lose some very important parts. No actual parts were lost in this book (luckily).

3.5 Pants Off