Excerpt, Review, & Giveaway: Holding on to Hope by Sid Love

Blurb:
BLURB: Bradley Parker has waited twenty years for Mr. Right, and on Valentine’s Day, he finally finds him. It’s love at first sight, and Brad even loses his virginity to the man of his dreams. But when he wakes up the next morning unable to remember anything—even what the man looked like—his best friend, Leslie, is convinced he imagined the whole thing. Brad knows he didn’t make up the best night of his life, but he has no idea of the danger he’s putting himself in as he struggles to recall the details of his perfect man. His search may lead him to parts of New York City he never dreamed existed and a war being waged in the shadows.





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Review
I have mixed feelings about Holding on to Hope. In one hand I found certain parts very enjoyable and in the other hand I was equally annoyed by most of it. It could all come down to the unique way in the storytelling, my feels are misplaced.

Bradley Cooper has just met the man of his dreams and lost his virginity on the most romantic night of the year. The only problem is that he can't really remember the details and the name of the guy but he knows he was beautiful. If it wasn't for the constant ache in his ass it could all just wind down to the tale of a drunken man getting caught in his fantasies. With his best-friend Leslie at his side they're going to find this mystery man but finding this man isn't the outcome they expected and maybe they should have left it at a night to forget.

What they find out is a world filled with vampires and their offspring’s and mind control, Brad and Leslie are about to be caught up in fight between a father and son. Seems Brad mystery man has some secrets and there is a price when it comes to learning the truth.

First off, the story is told from Leslie's perspective (it’s neat) but it really made me enjoy the story less. Like all I'm getting is her feelings and impressions of the other characters so I wasn't 100% invested in it all. Like Brad trying to find Ronan was interesting enough but after the whole Dhampire thing it sort of fizzled for me. I just wish there was another villain with a different plot line and just something else because for me it was missing something.

Overall, a likable story with interesting characters but with everything coming from Leslie's POV, I feel like I didn't get to know the boys very well. A good choice if you're looking for something sweet and a nice little love story.

3 Pants Off

DarienMoya

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Excerpt

“Okay, remember how I said it is huge?” Brad finally spoke, and Leslie nodded her head to let him know she was all ears. “Well, it is. Last night, something happened, something unimaginable… beyond any of my wildest dreams. I never thought….”

“Brad.” Leslie yawned. “To the point, please. I don’t have all day.”

“Okay, all right! What happened is….” He paused, plastering a big grin on his face. She tried very hard not to roll her eyes, letting him tell her at his own pace. “Last night, my dear, I finally got laid!”

When he broke the news to her, Leslie’s subsequent yawn was cut short by the initial shock she went through. Her body jerked forward, now fully awakened. There wasn’t any amount of caffeine that would have made her feel as lively as she felt at that moment.

This was definitely huge, and not just for Brad. Over the years, Leslie had constantly tried and consequently failed in hooking him up with several guys. Bradley Joseph Parker had the arrogance of a drag queen, she thought. He was too picky when it came to dating and relationships; never wishing to settle for anything less. He dreamt of a guy whose mere presence would take his breath away, who would be so handsome that every girl and every gay guy in the world would yearn to have him in their lives. “Such a guy would only belong to me, holding my hand in a roomful of envious people,” he would say with a smirk. “I would look around and say to them ‘Suck it up, bitches! He is mine!’”

Brad had wasted years with these stupid fantasies, and he had remained a virgin. So Leslie never thought the day would come when Brad’s whining would ever end.

But it had. And Leslie thought she would faint, even with the adrenaline rushing through her veins.

“Wha—?” She became aware of the fact that she had left her mouth hanging open for too long and shut it immediately. A smile crept across her lips, getting bigger by the second, and it turned into a cheek-hurting grin. “Oh my God! Shut up. Seriously?” She quickly sat up, hopping on the bed to cross her legs.

“Very seriously, Les.” Brad’s cute face beamed with wonder and excitement. Leslie couldn’t blame him. She remembered the day she had had sex for the first time, and even though it was a while back, she couldn’t forget the bliss she’d felt after finally losing her virginity or the hunger she felt for getting some more. Leslie was ready to bet that Brad was experiencing similar whirls of emotions in him.

“Last night, on Valentine’s Day…?” she asked.

Brad gave a nod. “On Valentine’s Day.”

“That’s so funny.” Leslie laughed out loud. Even though Valentine’s Day never meant anything to her, something this huge happening to her best friend did force her to consider it a special day. “Okay, you have to tell me everything, dude! Don’t leave out a single detail. I don’t care if it’s too much information. I just have to know. How long has this been going on between you two?”

Brad laughed. “Not too long. I just met him yesterday.”

“And you slept with him already?” Leslie’s mind was drawing up the picture of the perfect guy in her imagination, a guy who had managed to entice someone like Brad in such a short time. She was sure he would be down-to-earth, with an impeccably charming personality. “Way to go! I won’t deny it; I like the spontaneous Brad. Who is this guy, by the way? Do I know him?”

“No, you don’t.” His smile wavered a bit.

“Well, what’s his name?”

Leslie watched him hesitate for a moment. “I… don’t know.”

It took her by surprise.

“I think my devilish side just had a mind-blowing orgasm. You not only have sex with a guy for the first time, but you are also telling me it was simply a one-night stand?” She put her hand over her heart and mockingly said, “Mama Les is so proud of her boy!”

“But Les,” he knitted his eyebrows together as he stood up and came over to sit by her side. He took hold of Leslie’s hand, and she felt his grip tightening when he said, “It wasn’t a one-night stand. Definitely not, uh-uh.” He shook his head, and she immediately wondered if he was trying to convince her or himself. “It was special to me, and I could tell it was special for him too. Why else would he go to extremes to make that night an unforgettable memory? He lit up hundreds of scented candles in the room for me, and there were rose petals all over the bed where we did it.” Leslie didn’t miss the blush forming on his face again as he spoke. “There was champagne, sweet music, and he was a perfect gentleman. He kept asking me if I was sure about this.”

“WOW! Sounds utterly cheesy to me….” Leslie said, although she was quite impressed by all of it and maybe a bit jealous too.

Brad let go of her hand and sighed. “It was damn romantic.”

Leslie moved her gaze around the dorm room, scrutinizing it. “I am guessing it wasn’t here you did it then?” She inquired, turning to face him and watched him slowly crossing his legs like she had.

“No, he took me to his place.” Brad had his mouth open to probably add something more, but he stopped abruptly, scrunched his nose up, and glanced at her with some doubt. “I think it was his place… I don’t know. Where else would he take me?”

Leslie noticed uncertainty, even when he shrugged. What Brad was saying didn’t make any sense to her. “The champagne! Did you have too much of it?”

He frowned. “God, no! Why would I want to give him the impression I’m an idiotic drunkard on our first meeting?”

Of course she didn’t believe him. “Right, says the one who’d put Britney Spears to shame with his underage drinking. Seriously, dude, I’ve had to pick you up in a drunken state from God knows how many parties by now. So don’t shit me by saying you didn’t have any amount of alcohol in you last night.”

Brad reddened and carefully said, “I may have had a little bit of alcohol.”

Typical. Leslie rolled her eyes. “Weren’t you at Ian’s party last night?” She tried to keep her face straight as she asked. The party he had gone to was for all the single men and ladies from their college. Leslie knew exactly how that turned out every year by the end of the night.

He gave a nod in reply.

“Well, maybe you did it at his place?”

“No, it can’t be because we were partying at a nightclub last night.”

“Since when do nightclubs allow in a bunch of twenty year-olds?” she asked, certain they must have been stopped at the door for IDs. She couldn’t say about the others, but Brad’s cute baby face did give away his age.

“They don’t, but Ian somehow knew a few guys working at this nightclub that we went to, so we were able to sneak in.” He grinned.

Leslie suddenly wished she could have joined them. “Lucky you!” Now she couldn’t wait for May to arrive; that was when she turned twenty-one. She had been planning it in her mind forever. “So you met this mysterious guy in that club?”

“Yes, I think so.” Brad chewed on his lower lip.

“Well, what did he say to you? What did he look like?”

Brad turned sorrowful. “If I only knew….” He hung his head down and began to pull on his hair. “Fuck, Les!” He yelled, then looked up, scowling at her. “I can’t seem to remember any of it. The only thing that has managed to stay stuck in my memory is the mind-blowing sex that I had with him. I even remember all the positions we did it in, and God, that guy has the stamina of a wild lion, I tell you.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sid Love grew up in one of busiest cities in the world, Mumbai, listening to the excerpts of Indian epics from his father every night. While it served as an inspiration back in time, he has always had an ambitious mind. In 2007, when he had just turned sixteen, he decided that he would make his lifelong dream come true—to become a well-known, respected author some day.

Ask him and he would refuse to accept that he is obsessed with books. Or movies. Or TV shows. Addicted may even be the right word. He is a die-hard fan of Jane Austen’s romance novels and loves to reread them time and again.

You can find him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sid.love.16?ref=tn_tnmn or tweet him anytime: https://twitter.com/FatefulMercy, or simply e-mail him at sidlovethewriter@live.in.


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Review: Marked by Kayla Bain-Vrba

Reviewed by Fehu
Marked (Proud to be a Vampire) by Kayla Bain-Vrba
Less Than 3 Press
Short Story
3.5 Pants Off

Blurb:
Jake is a vampire and a drug dealer. To humans, he sells crystalized vamp blood; to vamps, he sells the blood of humans hopped up on the finest drugs. In the midst of a deal gone wrong, he runs into Benji, a human desperate to escape the city. Though they're natural enemies--hunter and prey--their paths keep crossing, and they quickly find themselves in a mess from which there is no escape.




Short Review
An interesting whirlwind romance between a drug dealing vampire and a human, who despises vampires.

Jake is a wannabe bad guy, a drug dealer and vampire, who sells human blood to his bretheren. He is also a good brother and after his first meeting with Benji, quite interested in the fate of one special human, especially, when the live of said human is at stake. Benji wanted a new life and couldn't explain his attraction to the vampire who nearly got him killed on their first meeting.

Jake was a cute at least how he was following Benji and called him babe to get a rise out of him. I liked the chemistry between Jake and Benji. Jake, with his bad boy image, was quite sweet to Benji, well in his own way. I would have liked a bit more background about the world, the author created, but it's a novella, so I know there isn't a lot of page space for that.

There is a lot of action and the world feels a bit dystopian, with vampires on top reigning over the humans and their own, like mob bosses controlling the cities. For all the angst, the solution and the final battle appeared to be over pretty quickly, especially considering that Jake had to have a lot less people than the overall vampire master.

3.5 Pants Off

Review: Fairytales Slashed #5 by Jaime Sulllivan

Reviewed by Fehu
Fairytales Slashed 5 by Various Authors
Less Than 3 Press
Novel: 579pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
Five tales, familiar and new, where nothing and no one is precisely what it seems, and where it will take more than determination and magic to set all to rights again …

Part of Your World is the tale of a man adrift, his dreams of music all but lost, and his only solace found in taking his boat out to sea for a few hours. Deep beneath the water, the lonely Ren looks up at the surface he is not supposed to breach …

In Beast, the very last thing Beau expects to land on his desk is the story of the year: the location of the missing scumbag rockstar Gabriel Fletcher. Eager for the chance at a story that could make his career, he heads off immediately for the remote mansion where Gabriel is rumored to be hiding. But the questions he seeks to ask bring answers he never could have expected …

The Heart of Evil is the story of Kallum: depressed, broken, his magic burnt out. All he wants is to recover in peace and quiet, an opportunity he hopes he'll get when he agrees to look over his aunt, comatose for the past five years. But his first week in town, Kallum is pressed into service by Nathaniel, who needs his help fighting an evil wizard. And there's Ash, who seems to be anything but the harmless librarian he claims …

Matters of Perception is the tale of Nathaniel, a young apprentice wizard still trying to get the hang of his powers, worried about his sister and jealous about the relationship between his master and his former brother-in-law. But all that is set aside when he falls into a magical garden from which there is no way out, and his only companion the garden's mysterious caretaker …

In Memories Lost in Forgotten Time, a broken pocket watch and a shop full of junk are all that Colin has left of his lover, Quentin. Behind on the rent, tormented by his landlord, he knows he should sell everything and move on. But memories are not so easily discarded—or trusted.

The Power of a Wish is the tale of a boy forbidden to cut or otherwise alter his hair until he turns twenty-five, on the orders of his strict grandmother. But when he returns home and reunites with an old friend, a seemingly harmless prank goes horribly awry …

And in The Blind City, Charley, a lowly librarian's assistant, never expected to be sent out on a quest with the most famous knight in the country. Sir Thaddeus Constantine is strong, honorable, a legend told in countless stories. To spend time with him is a dream come true, especially when Charley realizes that the man behind the knight is far more fascinating than stories …


Review
Anthologies are always a mixed bag and this one is not different, but fitting for Christmas this collection was a delight to read and it has some surprises!

What I loved was how fairytales which seemed similar had a different approach and I was impressed with the constructed worlds in this one, also not all of them were set in a fantasy world. I liked the urban fantasy ones as much the ones with knights, that one reminded me a bit of the Arabian night’s cartoons.

I liked this fairytales collection a lot, with the exception of one story, which was just weird. The character set to repair a watch and traveled in time to see his dead lover and found out that his dead lover actually is not dead, but that they found a youth fountain and he himself de-aged too much. I did mention my confusion about this one right? First he was grieving for his lover and then he started travelling in time, seeing zombies, dead people, a war in the past, but he always come back and sees the nephew of his dead lover. He himself was a brilliant inventor, before his de-aging days.

My favorite stories were by Sandra Bart, The Heart of Evil and Matters of Perception. They are set in the same universe and were beautiful fairytales. One about a charmed house where it's always summer and which is sustained by a magical orb and is guarded by a beast. The other one was about a wizard who had to fight an evil woman to rescue his aunt and the villagers, she put in a coma.
I found both the story telling and the characters very charming. Both stories were 4 pants reads.

The Blind City- 4 Pants Off 
Also a very charming story about a librarian assistant and a knight, who searches for his brother and finds a lover instead, when they travel together into the lost city. The actual librarian was quite bossy and I think was having an affair with the king. I would have loved it if that one was longer and not wrapped so fast at the end.

Beast- 3.75 Pants Off
This one was about a rockstar, who had pretty bad bed manners and was therefore cursed to be a beast. I thought the ending was a bit funny, when the manager brought back the witch, since the solution to the curse was not the typical one, which is not true love. It was a bit of a refreshing remake of that particular fairytale.

Part of Your World -3 Pants Off
I know it’s a novella, but still I felt like it lacked depth. I liked the merboy, but it was just not explained well enough how he was able to learn to speak, if he was always alone and with fish. I know that it's fiction, but still. Also the end was wrapped up pretty fast and the villain defeated with ease. The whole story lacked details and the characters were behaving strange. I didn't feel the love between the main characters, since the selfish bastard, who is supposed to be the prince in this one, abandons his mute friend, as soon as a girl appears and only remembers him when he is gone.

The Power of a Wish  -3.5 Pants Off
I found that one to be an infesting take on Tangled. Here it is a guy who is not supposed to cut his hair and it's not because of some evil witch, so his mother might see her mother in law that way. He promised it to his grandmother, that he won’t cut his hair up to a certain age and the hair did come in handy in a fight for the live of his best friend/ love interest. The genie was a bit of a surprise to be sure and the sister was, let's just say strange.

4 Pants Off

Review: Danse Macabre by Janette

Reviewed by Fehu
Danse Macabre (Proud to be a Vampire) by Janette
Less Than 3 Press
Short Story
2 Pants Off

Blurb:
Angelo is the right hand problem solver for Broodmaster Ardoin Baptiste. He loves the hunt and thrives on the kill. Ordered to get rid of someone making Ardoin's life difficult, he finds that the job is nowhere near as simple as it should be—and just how deadly a weapon love can be.





Review
Well this one gets points for hot sex scenes.


The first meeting with Angelo and he is already having sex with his master vampire. Said sex is a bit of dub-con and sound a bit painful, what with happening without lube or preparation, but it is all explained away, as Angelo being a vampire and not feeling thing the same way as humans.

Someone has been encroaching on Ardoin's territory and he sends Angelo to find out who it was and how it was done. Angelo finds a normal human is behind it, but he has someone in his employment, with some highly unusual paranormal abilities. Of course Angelo's boss want said paranormal individual and Angelo has to make him come to the fold.


The whole story is very focused on sex, violent sex and I know this is not everyone taste. Personally I would have not minded the sex, but sometimes the scenes felt pointless and I was just confused about what the whole story was about. I didn't feel the love or a lot of tender emotions in this story, to go with the violent sex, so that did detract from my enjoyment of this particular story. 

I like romance and this one just didn't have enough of romance to make me care. The characters were not likable, they murdered without a conscience and there was mention of statuary rape at least, in one of the characters past and said character was still attached to the guy who used him like that as a child. I would have felt sorry for him if he was not a ruthless killer without any remorse for his victims. So yes, while the story was a bit confusing and a lot about some power play, the characters didn't have anything I could have liked about them, which made me uninterested in the story they had to tell and honestly with all the sex, they were not exactly about witty dialogs.

2 Pants Off

Review: Truth or Lie by Lynn Lorenz

Reviewed by Whuppsy
Truth or Lie by Lynn Lorenz
Amber Allure
Novella: 133pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
Travis Conners is a firefighter who barely made it through high school. Why would Anthony Pappas, an adorable second grade teacher, be interested in him? Travis is willing to find out, if Anthony will give him a chance.

Being descended from a goddess, Anthony Pappas possesses a unique gift—he can tell when people are lying. Sounds good, until your boyfriends all end up lying to you. Anthony's tired of it. It's easier not to get involved than to have your heart broken time and time again.

When a little redheaded boy brings the men together, these two heroes will have to find the courage to take a leap of faith and follow their hearts...

Review
This tender story is about Travis Conners-a firefighter and Anthony Pappas-a schoolteacher. Both of these men came to each other with pasts that haunt them still.

Travis, as a child had problems learning in school. Therefore, he thinks that he’s not smart enough. Definitely not smart enough for Anthony. Anthony grew up being a descendant of goddess and his power of knowing when people lie to him has made him feel trapped. He’s had so many guys that he’s dated lie to him that he’s given up even looking for Mr. Right.

They meet when Travis shows up to Anthony’s class for Take You Dad To School Day. Travis is there for his nephew, whose father died in Afghanistan. As you can imagine, they have such an instant attraction to each other. They both need to just take a leap of faith in each other and work it out.

Now, this short story just gave me such a feeling of light heartedness. I smiled my way through this book. It was sweet and tender and I couldn’t get enough. These two guys were just so perfect for each other. Sweet as can be. I loved how they came together and then fought to stay together. I loved watching them work on their issues. Yes, it was a bit of insta-love, but being a descendant of a goddess, what do you expect?

I would recommend this book if you just wanted a sweet, gentle story that didn’t have any real angst or drama. With an HEA that you can’t wait to see these two guys get. You’ll enjoy watching these two fall in love.

4 Pants Off

Review: Werecat: The Rearing by Andrew J. Peters

Werecat: The Rearing (Book #1) by Andrew J. Peters
Vegabondage Press
Short Story: 69pgs
3.25 Pants Off

Blurb:
For Jacks Dowd, a college senior who feels ungrounded from his family and life in general, an alcohol and sex-infused weekend in Montréal sounds like a pretty good escape. His Spring Break binge takes a detour when he meets Benoit, an admiring drifter with startling green eyes. A hook-up turns into a day, two days, and then a full week in Benoit's hostel, making love and scarfing down take-out food. But at the end of the week, Benoit demands that Jacks make an impossible choice: stay with him forever, or go back to college and never see him again.



Review
Jack Dowd is just looking to get away for bit. His relationship with his family is pretty much over and school is just stressing him out. When some friends decide to hit up Montreal during their break this looks like the perfect time for Jack to get some R&R. A weekend filled with sex and alcohol seems like the perfect escape. Yet being drunk makes Jack realize how truly alone he is and he brings on the pity party. He leaves his friends, is too drunk to know where the hell he's going and finds himself drunk as a skunk passed out in some ditch. Luckily a mysterious stranger comes to his rescue and though Jack is sceptical about his saviour Benoit he can't deny that pull.

Things get complicated when Jack finds himself leaving his whole life behind and though he hardly knows much of Benoit they belong together. That is until Benoit gifts him with the power to change into a cat (a gift that he didn't really ask for) and life gets all types of crazy. He has this new found power but he moves around in the shadows but all is well because he has Benoit. When the moment comes for him to make his first hunt, Jack realizes how much of mistake he's made and the man he thought he loved is no man and more the beast that he turns into.

First, this is great set up to a series. Poor ole shifter boy all alone and needs to find others like him. He has the back story of having a crazy ass maker and it’s pretty much intriguing. Yet the story is a little all over the place, and the delivery could have been tighter. I did like the flashbacks which I felt showed the evolution of crazy when it came to Benoit and the whole "what is and what was" feel. I am interested to see where the story goes and if Jack ever finds a home or someone to love.

Review: Gumption & Gumshoes by Alex Kidwell

Reviewed by Fehu
Gumption & Gumshoes by Alex Kidwell
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 200pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
August Adahy Mendez would rather be buried in the world of his detective novels or a good film noir movie than in real life. He’s overweight, undermotivated, and stuck in a dead-end job. As a Chincha, he’s part of a long line of chinchilla shifters, but the greatest accomplishment in his life so far has been moving an hour away from his close-knit herd. That all changes when August’s grandfather leaves him enough cash to pursue his dream: becoming a detective himself.

Sam Ewing is a bitter divorcé who enjoys watching football and being alone. It’s easier when his only interaction with people is when he collects rent from his office building tenants. Then August rents space from him to set up his new detective agency, and Sam is drawn to him despite his misgivings.

Sam soon finds himself involved with one of August’s cases, and the men join forces to catch their criminal. The greater challenges they face, however, are how August makes Sam want to give love a second try and how Sam makes August believe that real life might be even better than fiction.

Review
A nice summer read, without a lot of angst with charming characters! August was losing his pants at the start of the book and it proved to be a story that can make you lose quite a lot of pants.

The cover was very cute and actually that is very fitting for the story. While it is also a mystery, the focus was on the characters, especially on August. August is a shifter, but not just your usual cat or wolf shifter, no he turns into a chinchilla. He is also a bit overweight, cannot shut up when he is embarrassed and pretty much adorable in his bumbling, geeky way. August dreams about being a private detective and after the death of his grandfather, he inherits enough money to actually make that dream reality.

Sam August's landlord, at least for his office, and love interest, is his opposite, quite, scary looking, build and afraid to trust again and set himself up to being hurt. After a bad divorce from his partner, Sam mostly keeps his own company, but the shy guy in a fedora and a detective trench coat piqued his interest.  When Sam sees August shift, while August tries to avoid discovery on his first big investigation, they get closer.  Still August has to overcome his own insecurities and Sam relearns to trust people again, for them to work as a couple. Of course there is still the case to solve, about missing money in the laundry store.

The mystery was not the best I've read and a lot was happening very fast or was told and not showed, that distracted me from the story. BUT I liked August quite a bit, even Sam with his gruff attitude at the beginning, and grew on me. The heart of this book was the characters and they hooked me from the start. August with his charming non-stop babbling, his daydreams and his sense of humour, was simply too adorable to resist. For the most part the story flowed smoothly and the dialogs were entertaining. The only thing that wasn't really working for me, even though I liked August, was his insecurity about his looks and his weight, it came up quite a lot. He was fixated on being overweight and quite insecure, which is not exactly an attractive quality in a potential lover. Oh and I thought for such a shy, meek character, without a lot of experience, well it was a bit strange for me when he turned out to be the top, because it just didn't fit in with all the things former mentioned about him or his personality.

Other than that it was a nice, read, without much drama, but quite charming with very likable characters.

4 Pants Off

Review: A Meeting of Fate by S.L Armstrong & K. Piet

Overture: Episode 1: A Meeting of Fate (Immortal Symphony #1) by S.L Armstrong & K. Piet
Storm Moon Press
Short Story: 39pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
You think you know the story of Dorian Gray, but you're wrong. The real story didn't end the way Oscar Wilde penned; in fact, it hasn't ended at all. The ageless beauty of Dorian Gray walks now in our world of cellphones and lattes and internet porn. His latest conquest is Gabriel Lawrence, a paranormal investigator with a secret or two of his own. But the trouble with a life as long as Dorian's is that the skeletons are threatening to overrun the closet... and not all of them want to stay dead.

Season 1
Overture introduces Gabriel to the truth of a world he had only suspected, where ghost hunting is the least of his worries. And at the heart of it all is the mysterious and fascinating Dorian Gray, as though he'd stepped out of the pages of the book bearing his name. But if he has, he hasn't come through alone. And this figure from a past Dorian had though long behind him bears a grudge nurtured for a hundred years and intends to tear down everything Dorian has built, a piece at a time.

Episode 1: A Meeting of Fate
Gabriel Lawrence, a paranormal investigator from America, finds himself in London chasing down a supposedly haunted artifact. While there, he meets a man who calls himself Dorian Gray, who may not match the description from that famous story, but certainly has the attitude. And the seduction. And because ghost hunting isn't exactly a lucrative venture, Dorian's invitation into his world of opulence, decadence, and wealth may just prove too tempting for Gabriel to resist!

Review:
And so this book opened with a bang, and my eyes and pants went into a sexy coma. I am such a huge fan of K. Piet & S.L Armstrong, and I look forward to their edgy and unapologetic writing. A Meeting of Fate is the first story in a serial involving the infamous Dorian Grey, a character I loathed and also kind of love at the same time. With a modern spin, I have to say I love this vision of Dorian Grey. He's all types of sexy and a whole lot of wicked.

As I said, the book begins with a very sexy bang. Told from the pov of a woman who is getting fantastic sex from Dorian and another sexy man, from the very beginning it clear that sex is a tool for Dorian and it something he enjoys immensely. This power he has over people fills him with such a high, and it is something he just can't get enough of. There is a lot of sex for such a short story but it never feels like PWP, sex is the very foundation of Dorian's character and it builds for things to come. Dorian Grey is a charming, sexy, immortal type of man.

Then comes Gabriel who is a paranormal investigator and has a dead twin Michael who he still talks with. Already, his character is an interesting one and when he meets Dorian sparks begin to fly. As the reader you know what the gist is with Mr Grey already, so I couldn't help feeling like Gabriel is setting himself up for doom but the magnetism of a seasoned seducer like Dorian is hard to resist and Gabriel didn't stand a chance.

As the first in the series its mostly a set up of things to come and man, am I excited. I look forward to emotional progression Gabriel and Dorian's relationship, the excitement of Gabriel's day job, and working in a dead twin with some doubts and you have a intriguing/exciting read. The writing is spot on, and I just can't wait to dive into the second episode and lose myself in the immortal beauty of a Mr Dorian Grey. A fantastic start to a brand new serial by a dynamic duo writing team, a solid 4 Pants Off with a future that looks like I might lose them entirely, and I can't freaking wait. Let the awesome fucking commence :D

HEADS UP: There is female parts, as some of you guys like to call it. So don`t go buying it, then acting all surprised, and then go on and complain. Dorian is fabulously sexually fluid and he loves the pussy.

4 Pants Off

Review: Just Call Me Kris by Allen Mack

Just Call Me Kris by Allen Mack
JMS Books
Short Story: 20pgs
3.25 Pants Off

Blurb:
It’s Christmas Eve, but the season doesn’t seem very merry and bright for Mike and Karl. Interns in a major New York City hospital, both men are away from their hometown of New Orleans and miss it terribly. Their tiny apartment has barely enough room for a bed, let alone a Christmas tree.

Lonely, they console each other with a long, leisurely make-out session that looks like it will lead to something more between them. But before they get too involved, the doorbell rings, interrupting them. It’s a late-night delivery, a present from their friends, but when they open the door, who should appear?

Not a jolly old elf, but a southern Santa by the name of Kris Kringle stands before them, hot and hung and ready to satisfy their every sexual desire.

Short Review:
Its Christmas Eve and Mike and Karl are missing their hometown. As interns at a hospital they got stuck with holiday hours, so they'll be spending the holidays in New York, in their tiny apartment. With the tiny place having no room for more than a bed the make do with a tiny Christmas tree to bring holiday to cheer to their gloomy space. Though they would rather spend their holidays in New Orleans, they still have each other and there’s nothing like a little sexy time to put them at ease. But before things get heated up, there is a knock on the door which could only mean gifts from friends. When they do open up the door, it’s nothing but a sexy Santa come baring gifts.

At first glance Santa looks like old Kris Kringle but when he literally starts baring all good ole Kris is sexy man here looking for a sexy time. Mike and Karl have always wanted to try a ménage, but never found the right person but its seems to be their lucky night cus things are heating up fast, and sexy ole Kris is most definitely giving them a good night.

This is sexy short with a little paranormal twist to it (at least to me). Because it seems Kris was not a gift from friends and his appearance seemed to be different to both men, they don't question it but bask in the glow of the amazing sex. This is a short quick read that can be enjoyed if you're in the mood for something simple. The writing flows well, and bound to bring holiday cheer no matter which month/season you read it in. Very cute!!

Review: Cambion Epi 2: Black Magic Woman by Cari Z.

Dark Around the Edges (Cambion #2): Black Magic Woman by Cari Z.
Storm Moon Press
Short Story: 43pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
Tracking Porter Grey means making a deal with Lynlis Syfer, a witch with a gift for finding the unfindable. It takes something special to catch the eye of a woman like that, and so Devon and Rio split up in order to blacken the eyes of Lynlis' two main rivals. But that just gets them in the door. To secure her help requires a sacrifice that may be higher than the boys can afford.




Review:
This serial is getting more awesome by the episode, and I am 100% invested in the characters. Rio and Devon have found a certain groove together, away from all the sexual chemistry they sorta just fit. After the one man rescue team Rio pulled in extracting Devon from takedown gone wrong the men (I use that word loosely) still have yet to capture their target the elusive Porter Grey, demon summoner extraordinaire. They're gonna need to bring in some big help, which might or might not put them in all kinds of danger. So with the bright lights of Las Vegas and of course the seediness, Devon and Rio has to put all their skills to the test. They will move in the circles of a black magic woman, while trying to keep their explosive chemistry under-wraps (well Devon's explosive sexuality).

I just love the adventure these guys are on while searching for Porter Grey, and every new character introduced give me feels like a kid in a candy store. Some are clouded in mystery (ahem Rio), some are so interested you hope they end up getting more page time, and others seem just a tad bit bat shit crazy (Lynlis). But even though the focus seems to be all case work all the time, we get to know Rio and Devon a little more and look at their ever evolving relationship. Makes me wonder with Devon being a Cambion (half incubus demon) can anything long-lasting become of their relationship (oh man I hope their long lasting ever loving and monogamous to each other).

So yeh, I am all types of hooked on this and can't wait to dive in the follow up story. I am looking forward to more interesting characters, explosive sex, and finding out exactly what Rio is. Man, is something other and curious minds are dying to know *me*. Love Cari Z's writing and look forward to anything that mind of hers pushes out. Can I just say "On to the next one!”.

4 Pants Off

Review: Epi #1 Heaven's On Fire

Review: Stealing the Dragon by Mell Eight

Reviewed by Fehu
Stealing the Dragon (The Dragon's Hoard #3) by Mell Eight
Less Than 3 Press
Novella
4.25 Pants Off

Blurb:
Stealing from a dragon's hoard is never a bright idea, but stealing from a baby dragon's hoard can lead to tears, sniffles, and smoke in the middle of a busy marketplace.

Jerney, a witch who does work for a well-known thieves' guild, knows exactly who's to blame for the brazen theft. With no other choice in the matter, he quickly becomes entangled in trying to help the baby dragon. What he doesn't expect is that his own heart might get stolen in the process.

Review:
Stealing the Dragon is the third instalment in this series and so far it's my favorite, also the first I'm rating over 3 stars. It's not really a stand-alone, since characters from previous books play an important role and of course the world building happened over all three stories, so I would recommend to read all of them, as to avoid confusion about the races and how who ended up where with what partner. ^_^

Tori is a cute baby dragon, but because of his eccentric mother, who gave birth to him in her human form, he cannot become a dragon, yet. In the human world Tori is 17 years old and that means an adult, but for a dragon he is just a child, so he doesn't really doesn't understand why the mean uncle Bast wants him to catch the witch, working for the Thieves Guild. Jerney on the other hand, had to grow up very quick after he lost his mother and had to save his siblings, from being sold as bed slaves by their stepfather. The Thieves Guild took them in, because of Jeney's abilities with magic and he promised to work for them in return and his siblings helped the guild when they were old enough, especially his half-sister enjoyed thieving and they were never caught, thanks to the spells Jerney worked for them.

So when Tori went to look for new treasures for his horde, he was unfortunate enough to run into Jewel, Jerney's sister, who stole his favorite jewel, which was very important to him - his hatching gem. The poor dragon baby is angry and sad at the same time and it's up to Jerney, who feels sorry for the dragon child, to bring him the jewel back, unfortunately for Jerney the theft and the return of the jewel, has far reaching consequences for him and his siblings.

Tori is adorable and Jerney is really sweet in his interactions with him, he understand that Tori is still quite young and that he has to be taken care of. Tori doesn't really understands what he feels for Jerney or at least not fully, he knows that Jerney is important to him and makes him part of his horde, but he isn't old enough, in dragon years to know how to act on his feelings.

The story flows smoothly and it has just the right length, though I am looking forward to see a grown up Tori, but I think that might have been too much in this novel. It's a sweet and well written story, without a lot of drama and it was mostly like a fairy tale, which had enough action and humor to keep me entertained, what with kidnappings, bad wizards and a rescue by an angry dragon mother and of course there is the cute dragon baby in a grown up human body, who acts adorable!

Should You Read It? If you've read the previous stories, then it's a must and this is the best story from the three of them so far. It's great to see the improvements with every novel. Also if you like stories that are fantasy, novel length and plot driven, then this is just the right book for you!

Review: Bestiary Volume #4 (Take 2)

Reviewed by Fehu
Falling, Rising by Annabelle Kitch
Less Than 3 Press
Short Story: 67pgs
3 Pants Off

Blurb:
Jake works for the Order of Divine Human Protection, an organization that works to contain supernatural elements. Being half-demon and psychic makes him very good at his job—until he tries to read a young man suffering from amnesia and is brutally struck by an aura too powerful to be read. Curious as to what could defeat even his abilities, Jake offers the man a place to stay, hoping the time together will give him a chance to unravel the mystery.


Short Review:
So what to write about this story? A demon found an angel and no, this is not the beginning of a joke, just the summary of this story. Jake is a half-demon and is therefore not exactly the most favorite or the most trusted worker in the Order of Divine Human Protection, since they usually fight demons and supernatural elements. He is also the one that found a man with amnesia and an unreadable aura and takes him in. They become friends and this is something we are told and there are some flashbacks, but the story doesn't show a lot about their relationship/friendship. There is a lot of sexual tension between them and of course it's in the least expected place that they find out the identity of Jake’s love interest, which also means he has to let him go. Thankfully there is a happy end, but no I'm not telling you how they manage to be together, you have to read it to find out. ^_~

It's an ok story, cute even, but I didn't really connect to the characters, at all, which diminished my enjoyment of the story. Too many things were told and not shown and I was missing a lot of background information, so I was basically just thrown in as a reader and had to find my way, but there was no hook to reel me in. Nice read but the spark is missing.

3 Pants Off

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Inside the Wizard Tower by Ashley Shaw
Less Than 3 Press
Short Story
3.25 Pants Off

Blurb:
Determined to escape the tower where he is poked and prodded and experimented on daily by the wizards who captured him, Rhine makes use of his kelpie magic to steal what he needs to summon a creature that even the wizards cannot control or contain. What he gets, however, is far from what he expected …





Short Review:
Rhine is a kelpie, who is captured for wizards to experiment on him and he is not the only one. All kinds of supernatural creatures and beings are kept in the wizard’s tower, more or less as a magical ingredients source, just that they are living and not dead and that they are ingredients and test subjects in one. The reason why no one is escaping is that they capture the young and inexperienced ones and there is a magic barrier that no one can destroy.

Rhine has a plan though and it involves using the knowledge he was able to gain from the wizards to summon a mystical creature of his own, one that should hopefully help him escape his prison. Of course nothing goes like it supposed to! First of all he summons a sphinx and said hot sphinx guy can mostly do defensive and protective magic, which doesn't help Rhine escape, at all. With the new captives, arrives another problem, they are kids and Rhine doesn't want to escape alone, but to help the kids go home.

The idea is interesting, but the spark is missing. I'm somewhat reminded of a fairytale, which tells us a story, but doesn't really show it. There is not much room to form attachments to the characters, since they try to escape and this is the central point of the story. Also the relationship develops pretty quickly; I would have liked another reaction from the summoned sphinx and at least some hesitation.

Review: Cambion Epi 1: Heaven's On Fire by Cari Z

Dark Around the Edges (Cambion #1): Heaven's On Fire by Cari Z
Storm Moon Press
Short Story: 41pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
Devon's infiltration of a Chinese kingpin's lair doesn't quite go off as planned, and lands him in a dangerous predicament. Shangdi knows about Devon, and knows how useful a cambion can be, particularly to his partner, the mysterious demon summoner Porter Grey. With time running out for Devon, it's up to the even more mysterious Rio Pagani to storm the compound and pull Devon out before Porter can put his plans for the cambion into motion.



Review: 
I don't know what I was expecting, but surely I was not expecting this. And by this, I mean an awesome story packed in a few pages filled with sexy love. Then again, it’s a Cari Z. so I should have expected awesome. The serial starts off with a bang and interesting characters which puts new meaning to "I will make your pants drop". Heaven's On Fire is the explosive beginning to something quite special.

Devon has to infiltrate some seedy establishment based in the desserts of Las Vegas; he's the best so he was expecting to get it done easily. When he starts off by accessing his greatest power, he never expected them catch on so quickly and now he's at the end of a taser and being captured. Upside, the man that was his target is present but the downside he's going to need back-up (after-all it’s not really a downside). Porter Gray is the top demon summoner and he has been putting his skill to use in the den of disastrous deeds, and landing his eyes on Cambion like Devon is intriguing but you know there's no time to play. There are succubus to summon and dirty old men to entertain but Porter's demon is about to come to a standstill and he's going to have to hightail it out of there and start anew because Heaven's Lair is about to get blown to bits.

So Devon is a Cambion which is like part incubus demon and human, which means he's got the skills to make you overcome with lust and do anything. That’s my conclusion on his makeup cus I feel like there's a bit more info to come on the whole Cambion thing. Right now it’s very singular, but I feel like there is more to come. Devon at the moment just seems like a sex kitten, supposedly he is one of the best but he came off like a horny kitten to me (so lots prove in the next episode). I am very interested in his backup Rio, who's all like mysterious, big, and might be interested in Devon a little more than he's even aware of (and Devon like really likes him).

It ends off on a thrilling note, which leaves the reader begging for answers. Like "Who was Porter Gray getting all hot in the pants and misty eyed with on the phone?” Judging by his reaction to the voice, something tells me that his "boss" might be a little bit other. Lots of awesome happening so far and I am just so excited to see where the serial is going. So excited to read up on the others, because the first had humour, guns a blazing, and hot sex. Just imagine what the others will be like....

Should You Read It? Hell yes...all fans of Cari Z should be picking this one up, and the story is intriguing and exciting. Who doesn't love a half-sex demon? Plus, Rio and Devon's relationship should get all types of interesting as the episodes keep coming. Really enjoyed it!!

4 Pants Off

Review: Vampirism And You! by Missouri Dalton

Reviewed by Fehu
Vampirism and You! by Missouri Dalton
Prizm Books
Novel: 199pgs
3.75 Pants Off

Blurb:
Louis’ whole life was planned right to a bite on the neck at his seventeenth birthday. The British native has a whole lot of changes coming his way. There’s the cravings, the urges, the relocation to rural USA…it’s a lot for a teenager to handle. Throw in the possibility that he might not be as straight as he always thought and it’s a tangled mess as Louis tries to navigate his new life as a vampire.

Things aren’t going to be easy though, and his foster-vampire Duncan is determined to make Louis a fine upstanding example of vampirism—or else. Louis has his handbook though to explain well, some things. But not everything.

When a new vampire shows up in town, Louis thinks he’s finally found someone to confide in, except Eli has his own agenda and Louis is about to find out that being a vampire means more than drinking blood and causing mayhem—there are also dirty politics, dark secrets, and a whole lot of reading assignments.

Review:
Let's talk about book chemistry! With some stories I can get into the story from the first sentences and this was the case with this one, though I don't read a lot of vampire stories, Louis's bratty voice drew me in. I liked the references to modern shows and movies, like Twilight and Interview with a Vampire; they were all worked well into the story. So what is the story about?

The first person narrator is Louis, who has been rather less willingly turned into a vampire and now has to move away from his family, that is serving a vampire countess and move in with his new vampire guardian Duncan, to the USA. Now Louis have to learn how to be a proper vampire, there is a guide book (which is pretty funny) and adapt to a new live as a high school student, as if being a vampire wasn't enough of a challenge and his sadistic foster parent makes him participate in a drama club as a punishment, which wouldn't be so bad, if all his new classmates didn't smell like food to poor Louis. While Duncan is out of the house Louis meets Eli, another vampire and his blood brother, bitten by the same countess, who he later finds out is also a psycho killer, who doesn't stop from killing his own or drinking their blood unwillingly, even if that is forbidden. All is not well in the archaic vampire society and Louis and Duncan find out they are in the thick of things, they have strong allies but their enemy is the current Lord Dracula himself, if they want to have their revenge for the people they lost or change things in the vampire society, Louis will have to fight Dracula for his title.

I did mention that I did fall into the story quickly, the characters are well developed and I liked the sarcastic comments or the funny way the vampire guidebook was written (for the most part). The story is not fun and light like it appears in the beginning and it's not all about teenage angst or adapting to a new role/ way of life. There are some serious themes mentioned, like rape of a minor, which happened in the past, and is not graphic but it's still one of the darker parts of the story same as a mass murdering of humans, which is described, so this part of the book might not be for everyone’s taste.

Honestly I liked the first part, which was light-hearted quite a bit more and would have given the book a better rating had it stayed that way. The adventure and intrigue part progressed rather quickly and the arising challenges were solved too fast for my taste, especially after all the build up. I'm giving it more that 3 pants off for engaging characters, making me laugh and an interesting take on a vampire story.

Review: Trick of Time by JL Merrow

Trick of Time by JL Merrow
Carina Press
Short Story:
3.75 Pants Off

Blurb:
A lover from another time

When Ted Ennis steps out the doors of the Criterion Theatre for a cigarette and finds himself in Victorian London, he begins to doubt his sanity. At first he thinks it's all a film set, and is sure that the strikingly handsome young man leaning against a lamppost must be the leading man…

What starts as a sordid transaction with a beautiful rent boy quickly turns into something much deeper, drawing him back again and again as he gets to know Jem and craves meaningful encounters with him.

But Ted doesn't understand the exact conditions necessary for his trips through time—and for Jem, time may actually be running out. Now Ted has one last shot to get back to Jem and save their relationship, before it's too late…

Review:
I am a huge fan of JL Merrow's writing, wonderful characters with great bits of wit and personality. Trick of Time is unlike any of the stories I've read, but it’s another side of the author's writing I very much enjoyed.

Ted Ennis lost his husband and family in the blink of an eye, and now he's all alone. Left with the scars of the accident, he just has the theatre where he works as something to keep him sane. When he heads out for a smoke break one night, Ted thinks he's walked unto a Victorian London movie set, and there's even the rent boy by the lamp post to make it authentic. Ted feels like he's losing his mind, and a co-worker confirms it when he looks out and see present London (billboards and all). This might all be a trick of the mind, but the beautiful boy against the lamp post with the talented mouth can't be a figment of his imagination, there’s just no way.

Lamp post boy turns out be Jem, and Ted is fascinated by him and looks forward to every smoke break. For Ted it’s like waking up after the death of his family, there’s the guilt and self doubt but most of all there's all the feels. A series of intimate encounters lead the men towards a friendships of sorts, and Ted finds that he likes to be where Jem is, that is until he gets trapped in the time warp and faced with the confusion, poverty, and reality that he might be trapped in a time he was never meant to be in.

This story though short is very moving. I feel like I got to see things through both the character's eyes, though it’s told only through Ted's pov. It has a great sense of place that pulls you in, and even though I was trying to figure out the reason for this time slip, it all just felt right. I wanted Ted to find happiness and I wanted him to have it with Jem. The idea behind them being together seems ludicrous and impossible, but I wanted it anyways. How JL brings it all together was done rather well, maybe a little farfetched but it worked out very well. There is some focus on the how the time travel came about, and how Ted was able to work it for favourable results.

Overall, I really enjoyed it and it felt like a full novel on such a few pages. I really got to know Ted and I got to know Jem through Ted. There was nothing to laugh about in this one, but the author still manages to bring her cleverness.

Review: Bestiary Volume #1 (Take 1)

Reviewed by Fehu
Cleanly Wrong (Bestiary #1) by Mell Eight
Less Than 3 Press
Short Story
4.5 Pants Off

Blurb:
Rung is a half-breed orphan brownie who can't do anything right, much to the worry of his cleanliness teachers. When he runs away, Rung decides that he can resist the need to clean. Only, there is that one office that so desperately needs help...






Review:
My favourite story in the bundle.

Rung is very sweet and is bullied by his peers and teachers. After a particular bad day, one of the other students tells him, that since he is such an embarrassment as a brownie, the Orphanage and the Council, will probably kill him and helps Rung flee the Orphanage. At the same time Rung heard of the human Prince decree, that no brownie is to enter the palace, the prince thanked all that tried to clean up his rooms and this way dismissed them. (Thanking a brownie, if done by his employer is equal to dismissal.)  Therefore Rung decides to live in the palace, where no one of his kind will find him, since they are not allowed there. Of course a brownie cannot go against his nature and so he starts doing small things in the place where he lives, but not in the usual brownie way, he sorts things not alphabetically but in an order that is most suited for the needs of the user. A big draw for him is the messy room, with stacks of papers, clothes, jewellery lying about, which turns to be the prince's rooms. Rung helps uncover a plot and actually proves that conforming to the old ways isn't always the best.

Engaging story about Rung finding a place for himself and defying the brownies tradition in doing things. In doing so he also manages to catch the eye of the prince. The story is well written, with lovable characters, an interesting story, which flows nicely. It's sweet, but the romance is very light and takes place towards the very end, the fantasy story in itself is interesting enough.

4.5 Pants Off

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The Hunt of the Cold Moon (Bestiary #1) by Beth Wirth
Less Than 3 Press
Short Story
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
Home for winter break, Terry is reluctantly caught up in an old tradition, a hunt for a forest spirit that he has never understood. When he unexpectedly wins the hunt and finds himself bound to the spirit, he has no idea what to do with it. The advice he is given, however, is dubious at best and if he does not act soon his father will take matters into his own hands …







Review:
Terry is a student but on a visit home, to his parents farm, he is offered to take the first shot in a hunt, for something very special - a forest spirit. While not believing that he has an actual shot at catching the spirit, Terry manages to do exactly that, to his shock and to the crowning delight of his father, who always wanted to have the spirit, after his own brother caught one.

Isi, the spirit turns out to be more than Terry ever expected and he learns some things about his father and his family, that have him trying to save Isi, even at the expense of his own well being. From the start there was an air of threat and expectations and it all culminated in Terry finding out the truth, that the spirit can grant a wish and that his father intends to use Terry to get this wish.

Another well written story but this was darker, than the previous one. The father looming in the iron stall over Isi, was very creepy, learning what the other hunters did with their catch, was not exactly encouraging, as to Isis fate, since most of the hunters treated the spirits like animals. Alex, Terry's younger brother was an interesting character, but since the story was short, he and his story wasn't explained, like the circumstances, he got injured. Also Terry's friends came out of nowhere, at least that's how it felt for me. At the beginning there was some mentioning of him needing a new place to stay but his life in the city sounded rather lonely, also a reason he reached out to his brother. Then at the end it turns out his friends are his family? That surprised me, since he considered staying at his fathers farm and thought that there was nothing holding him back in the city. If he had such close friends, why didn't he take them into consideration?

4 Pants Off