Review: Magnetism by Talia Carmichael

Reviewed by Fehu
Magnetism (Something in Common #7) by Talia Carmichael
Dreamspinner Press
Novella
2.5 Pants Off

Blurb:
Taggart Monroe wants to know what makes Rhodes Winslow tick. Rhodes finds the friendly barbs he and Taggart exchange intriguing, fun, and sexy. He wants Taggart and knows Taggart wants him even though he won’t admit it. Taggart studies people the way he studies the details of his cases, so he’s drawn to a man who is an enigma. Getting to know Rhodes is an adventure Taggart can’t resist, just like the magnetism between them.


Review:
So this was Taggart and Rhodes story, personally I didn't remember them, but the plot sounded intriguing, since it promised some variation of enemies to lovers.

Taggart Monroe and Rhodes Winslow both have a military background, are sarcastic and actually pretty boring. I don't know about magnetism, but I didn't feel any good sexual tension between them or chemistry, really. The best part of this story was not the relationship, which progressed very, very quickly, but the mystery. Rhodes is accused of murder and he and Taggart have to prove that his innocence and find the real culprit. Although they live in a small town, there seemed to be a mass of dirty cops there, if one considered previous books as well, at least for such relatively small community.

Boy was I disappointed about the enemies to lovers plot! Taggart and Rhodes do seem to have a bit of an antagonistic relationship and do constantly argue. The banter between them annoyed me most of the time, because they would go on and on about the most mundane things and not in a fun way. Sometimes the story felt disjointed, at one time they are arguing and feel somewhat antagonistic, then out of nowhere they are on a date. I actually went back to see if I missed a chapter, a page or something in the dialog to suggest it! Then there was a time jump of several weeks, which I didn't enjoy, but why go back in time, again, a few weeks after this first big jump in time?

All in all the characters were a bit to flat to really make me enjoy this story. Suddenly they were in love and I was wondering how this happened and why I didn't feel the love. At the end I wanted to say and now once more with feeling. I liked some instalments in this series and if you are a hardcore fan you might like this one more than I did.

2.5 Pants Off

Review: Book #3 Resonate

Review: Book #5 Trouble

Guest Post: If Music be the Food of Love...by Mina MacLeod

Is ... is this thing on? Hello! How are you? This is my very first blog tour post, which is not intimidating at all. Thank you to Pants Off Reviews for having me!

I'm Mina MacLeod, and I wrote Some Rules for Success in the Music Business. It's a short story about a band from Seattle that doesn't fit into any preconceived genres. They dabble in whichever style they please, except for when they don't. This was a story that had been in my head for quite some time, inspired by my own adoration of indie bands that aren't so easy to classify.

I love music, but under very specific circumstances. I like ambient tunes while I'm editing and upbeat indie when I'm driving. O'Death and Matthew Good are a must for busywork at the office, but writing requires absolute silence. I love everything from Rush to Ani DiFranco to Murder By Death. I adore the smooth folk of Girlyman, the alternative rock of Vertical Horizon, and the classic rock of the Rolling Stones.

The paternal side of my family is very musical. My late grandparents played the guitar and organ, among other instruments. My father and many of our uncles and cousins play the guitar and drums. Instruments I've studied include the ukelele, piano, alto sax, and the one I played for seven years: the clarinet. When I was in high school, I was in the jazz band and wind symphony. Music was my Arts elective and I spent many an evening traveling to other schools and malls to perform. Just don't ask me to sing ...

I love music so much, I married a musician. Watching my husband struggle with his own band endeavors was another factor that inspired me to write "Some Rules." He's a ball of raw talent, but finding like-minded individuals who all want the same thing out of a band is an uphill battle. If the group isn't torn apart by creative differences, it's something else -- somebody isn't practicing, somebody just wants to be in a casual garage band, or somebody's job situation has changed. When the formula mixes together to create something fantastic, there's nothing like it. But getting there is a long and difficult road for most.

Creative energy brings out passion in many of us. While drafting "Some Rules," I wanted to touch on the tension in a band with strong personalities. Ben and Alex were inspired by the Gallagher brothers from Oasis, but I wanted to explore the effect of their feuding from an outsider's perspective. Stephen is like my husband--like so many people out there waiting for their chance to make a mark: he's working, he's making ends meet, he's writing and composing in his spare time. Stephen has never been sure if he's good enough to make a splash, and now he's trying to keep himself afloat.

Most musicians want the glory; not as many are prepared for the bureaucracy in the industry. Still, the notion of a successful rock band is a romantic one, and I can definitely see the appeal. Stephen did, too--and as for his own bureaucratic troubles, well ...

Some Rules for Success in the Music Business comes out July 31st from LT3 Press.

You can contact Mina MacLeod at her website, her Goodreads page, Twitter, or Tumblr.

---

Blurb:
Stephen can hardly believe it when he lands the gig of a lifetime: keyboard and lyricist for hot new sensation Dewdrops in Thunderdome, headed by twin frontmen Alex and Ben McMaster. The dream job, however, proves to be almost more than Stephen can take, between learning new responsibilities, the pressures of the industry, the dangerous lure of countless parties—and finding himself right in the middle of a complicated relationship between Alex and Ben.

Review: Rakshasa by India Jackson

Reviewed by Fehu
Rakshasa (Native Instinct #2) by India Jackson
Less Than 3 Press
Novel: 181pgs
3.25 Pants Off

Blurb:
Colin was born in Ireland, but he hasn't been home in ten years because his father wants his monster of a son dead, and the vampires Colin angered want to make certain he suffers first. Afraid to stay in one place too long, Colin travels aimlessly, stealing, drinking, always looking over his shoulder, and always alone.

Then he meets a little girl who got separated from her family, and in helping her get back to them he meets her uncle, Rakshasa and winds up in a world filled with all new complications and dangers—and reasons to hold his ground and fight.



Review:
Surprising sequel! I've read the first book some time ago and didn't even know that there would be a sequel. Honestly I would have liked to read more about Mohegan and not of his sister and it's always hard (for me) to read that the characters I liked died long time ago. Alas, this is the story about Colin and Rakshasa and Kyle and Logan, four new characters.

Colin is a shifter and in his family he is the first one for a very long time. Time is also the part I was unsure of in this book. I mean at the beginning Colin is introduced as from Ireland and as a vagabond. His family was superstitious about wolves like most of the folk in the village where he lived. That all made it sound like it was set in the 19th century, but not in the modern world. So I was surprised, when there is a modern bar, cars, credit cards and an Aquarium, which suggest current century. That made me stumble in my reading to contemplate the lifespan of shifters and various grammar errors threw another wench into my enjoyment of this story.

Colin is on the run from hunters and vampires and hasn't ever met a shifter before, so he is quite surprised to learn that there are more than one kind of shifters and that his new crush, Rakshasa, is one of them. Rakshasa comes from a wealthy family, but that is not the only reason he is respected in the shifter community. He has the ability change at will in the full moon, and also to help others control their change. Rakshasa is able to bear children as well. In some way he reminds me of a shaman in his abilities, but he is also the judged for shifter disputes and can feel lies and deceit, which is pretty useful ability for a judge/ruler to have.

Of course Rakshasa's parents and especially his mother are set on finding him a good husband and him making a good match. Colin would never be considered as even a candidate, since he doesn't have a job, is stealing and doesn't have a home.  None the less Rakshasa feels drawn to the young wolf shifter and finds him adorable in his naivety about all things of shifter nature. This doesn’t discourage him from dating the guy his mother chose for him and actually agreeing to become his wife!!?? No, I didn't misspell, he would be considered a wife, furthermore he would have to bear at least one child and give up his job as a doctor until he conceived said child. How he could have agreed to that is a mystery to me, since the guy he supposed to marry seemed very conceited, stuffy and selfish, more worried about status.

While Rakshasa has to decide who he will chose, his best friend Kyle a coyote shifter has found love in the form of wolf shifter Logan. Kyle is not exactly he most committed person, but from the first time he meets Logan he is fascinated by the man. Part of the charm is Logan's refusal to have sex with Kyle and actually Kyle has to work for Logan's attention and not the other way around, like he is used to. But Logan is a hunter for a very powerful vampire and actually followed Colin into town. Other  vampires are also taking notice, since there is a silent war going on between wolf shifters and vampires and Logan is on the side of Mala, the one vampire who dared to defy her maker and to free shifters and lead them into a fight against their oppressors, the vampires. Kyle and Rakshasa find themselves unwittingly in the middle of an ongoing conflict and Kyle has to pay the price for Logan's involvement in the conflict, when he is captured by a vampire lord and thrown into the pit to fight against wolf shifters. Logan and Rakshasa have to find out what they are willing to risk to save and keep their loved ones.

While Colin and Rakshasa might be the main couple, I liked Kyle and Logan more and would love to see them getting their own story/book.  All in all this was a nice story, but it really could use some edits. The story doesn't flow smoothly, because of some grammatical errors and that does distract from the story.

Review: Safeword by A.J Rose

Safeword (Power Exchange #2) by A.J Rose
Voodoo Lily Press
Novel: 333pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
Everywhere Detective Gavin DeGrassi looks he’s reminded of his attack by the Breath Play Killer. It’s in the house he lives in with his partner and Dom, Ben Haverson. It’s in the sympathetic yet pitying looks he receives from his fellow detectives when he returns to the force after a year-long hiatus. It’s in the suffocating coddling of his entire family, and the relentless reporter demanding an exclusive of his ordeal.

Most of all, it’s in his lack of submission to Ben, who isn’t convinced Gavin’s recovered enough to trust the power exchange between them.

The miraculous recovery of two teen boys from a twisted kidnapper gives him heart, and Gavin's determined to prove he can handle anything despite increasing strain between him and Ben, painful nightmares, and panic when anyone touches him.

But his next case is too close for comfort: a friend and colleague found raped and murdered in a fate chillingly similar to what could have been his own, and this killer isn’t stopping with one cop. As the body count rises and taunting souvenirs are being hand-delivered to Gavin, he faces a frustrating lack of leads, a crushing need to prove himself, and a sinking suspicion the imprisoned kidnapper’s reach is further than originally thought. A miasma of uncertainty and fear threaten to suffocate him when he asks a question with which he’s overwhelmingly familiar: what happens when a victim is pushed too far?

Review:
Gavin Degrassi is back in the sequel to Power Exchange; he's healing up and trying to get his life back after being violated by a serial killer. There's also the reoccurring guilt he feels everytime, like he could have done more and saved all the boys who lost their lives to the Breath Play killer. After a year long hiatus, Gavin feels ready to head back to work, and with the support of his lover Ben Haverson, Gavin is feeling pretty confident he's ready to dive right back into work.

Thats until his first case feels too close for comfort, someone is killing cops and in a style that is all too familiar to Gavin. Bounded, beaten, and defiled cops are dropping like flies and suddenly Gavin isn't feeling as confident because it brings back bad memories of his own assault at the hands of a killer. To make a bad situation worse, it involves kids, a vile pedophile and Gavin and his partner Myah have their hands full and have to beat the clock before a killer strikes again. Suddenly, the killer is making everything personal by breaking into Gavin's home and leaving him little gifts. Just maybe his job is becoming too much, and its putting a strain on his relationship with the man he loves.

Alright, I have to say I enjoyed the first book a lot more which doesn't mean this book was bad, I just didn't fall in love. I still enjoyed it, but found Gavin to be the same as he was in Power Exchange his head wasn't in the game and once again most things could have been avoided. Hooray for a killer that wasn't obvious and the execution of the overall mystery were well done. Twisted and all kinds of sad, this killer really hit me in the feels; it was a sad out come to a very sad situation. 

The relationship between Gavin and Ben took the backseat in Safeword but it doesn't mean that their relationship didn't play a role. With what happened to them both in the first book there was some hurdles that needed to be jumped for things to be overcome. The BDSM part of it all was very mild, and I sorta missed what their relationship used to be but it was understandable as to why they went easy with D/s thing. My peeve is that Gavin felt like he had to leave his job, and in the end I felt like it was forced on him but that’s just my feelings. 

Overall, I really enjoyed it and it turned out to be a solid written crime novel. With lots of twists and turns along the way, the reader is guaranteed to be kept on his/her toes. 

Should You Read It? Yes, if you enjoyed the first book and wanted to see how Gavin and Ben's relationship progressed. I enjoyed it and found it to be a solidly written sequel.

4 Pants Off

Review: Book #1 Power Exchange

Guest Post: Tools of the Paranormal Trade by Megan Derr

~I have the lovely Megs on the blog today! It's always a pleasure having her on POR, cus there is always a fun post involved. don't forget to say "hello".~

A reader asked me how I came up with the different gadgets and all that appear in Dance. The honest answer is, 'I don't know, it just comes to me.' My writing style has long been 'start typing and see what happens.' I have notes, outlines, spreadsheets, but nine times out of ten, what I think will happen does not happen at all, or plays out in a way far different.

This also comes out in the details. Until I wrote them, I had no idea grimoires would be one of the most important items in Dance verse (or that Sable would collect them obsessively). Jackie's guns I knew well ahead of time, and I did quite a bit of research on what kind of gun he would most likely have. For the curious, his guns are Colt Single Action Army, also known as the Peacemaker. As with most magic items in Dance verse, they belonged to his grandfather and were passed down to him. Jackie's father has a pair as well, and traditionally they would go to any child Jackie might have.

Another gadget that briefly shows in Dance Only for Me is a watch obtained by another character. It's not actually a watch, but a sort of miniature spell circle, all the runes laid out and only requiring to be moved into the correct arrangement to set the spell. This is, in theory, much easier than having to draw out a spell circle, but the technology, so to speak, has a ways to go yet. Interestingly, this idea was very loosely inspired by the alethiometer from His Dark Materials. I am pretty certain it's going to be important somewhere else down the road, though as usual my brain has not bothered to tell me how.

I like gadgets, tools, seemingly harmless items that can do a world of harm in the wrong hands (Johnnie's swordstick is a prime example of that). I always try to give each of my heroes something that is uniquely theirs—Chris' jewelry, Johnnie's cane, Devlin's runes, and Jackie's guns. And, of course, the more I get into the dragon clans, the more you're going to see the special relics they have

And I could babble about any and all of them for days on end, but I shall cut my rambling off here, thank you for reading.

Jackie Black is a cowboy and sorcerer and proud of both. He spends his days breaking curses and locating items of interest for other abnormals. His pride and joy are the alchemy-enhanced pistols at his hips. The love of his life is Roman, a businessman and witch. Tired of living several states apart, Jackie decides to surprise Roman by moving closer.


But instead of being a happy surprise, Jackie finds himself the victim of an unpleasant one. Alone in a strange city, with nowhere to go and his world in pieces, Jackie is taken in by an old man who says he is a paranormal detective and could use someone of Jackie’s power and abilities to catch a killer.



You can buy it here.

And in honor of its release, all this week paranormal books at LT3 are discounted 20%, so check those out too :3


Megan is a long time resident of m/m fiction, and keeps herself busy reading, writing, and publishing it. She is often accused of fluff and nonsense. She loves to hear from readers, and can be found lurking in various corners of the internet.

maderr.com
maderr.tumblr.com
maderr.livejournal.com
meganaderr@gmail.com
@amasour