Rating: 4 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Genre: LGBT/Fantasy/Romance Series/Standalone: Standalone How I got this book: This novella is available for free exclusively at tjklunebooks.com Blasphemy! Or, When he sees Satan stuck in a rut, God provides a little divine intervention, suggesting the Devil get back to basics. Taking God's advice, Satan answers a summons to a crossroad on Earth, hellbent on brokering a deal in exchange for the soul of the human who summoned him. The problem with that is the summoner is a deviant twink named Jimmy who immediately falls in love at first sight, much to Satan's dismay. Blasphemy! Where God is a frat bro who wants to get his brother laid, Satan absolutely does not have time for this shit, and Jimmy wants to climb the Devil like a tree. Important note: If you are extremely religious or find religious satire offensive, this is NOT the book for you!
First off, I want to say: 1. How awesome is the artwork above? The banners were designed by members of TJ Klune's Facebook reader group and I love each one! 2. The author provided this novella for free on his website. It's available to read on the site or you can download the PDF or Mobi files to your devices! If you've read some of TJ's other work, specifically the Tales of Verania series, you'll be very familiar with the authors' brand of satirical, twisted humour. If you haven't, think like a really vulgar (but in the best way) Terry Pratchett but with waaay more sex, swearing and generally outrageous behaviour involved. Blasphemy! was a really short read (around 20,000 words) and is a tale about the lord of the underworld and his growing loneliness. Throw in some help from his (and I quote) "brother-dad" God who's incredibly interfering, and a very naive young human who falls head over horns in love and you have a classic, hysterically funny TJ Klune story that will keep you laughing out loud from start to finish. "And while Satan had never been too fond of labels, he sometimes wondered if he was a bear now, like the type who could be called Daddy." Featuring appearances from a Demon named Derek, a man named Carl, and a very teenage Jesus Christ this story is pretty much un-quotable but I did manage to find this little snippet to give you a taste of what's in store: "Jesus! Jesus Christ, you better not be making a mess in the kitchen. We just had it cleaned!" A surly response came crackling through the monitor. "I'm not! And don't tell me what to do! You're not even my real dad. Joseph is! When he and Mom get back from their vacation, I'm going to tell them you never let me do anything." As I said above, this book is really not intended for anyone who's highly religious or easily offended, but if that's not you, and you're looking for a quick-paced read that promises some heavy belly laughs, go and grab this book! Enjoy 🤣 and once you read it, feel free to leave your comments below! Rating: 3.5 STARS Genre: LGBT+/Romance Series/Standalone: Standalone (Collection) How I got this book: Bought Slow burn romance that quickens the heart. From sweet & light-hearted to raw and emotional - this collection contains eight contemporary gay romance novellas previously published individually between 2013 and 2016. “Noticed Me Yet?” “DJ Dangerfield” “Get It” “500 Kisses” “The Douglas Fir” "It Could Be You" "Hearts" "Bird Meets Cage" You can catch my separate mini review of DJ Dangerfield here.
The stories in this book are short and sweet, perfect if you're looking for something to read before going to sleep. I won't talk about every single story, because I don't have a huge amount to say about some of them. They were nice, sweet stories that delivered the promised HEA. I'm going to talk about my favourite story first, which was 500 kisses. This is a very fun friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance that I couldn't stop smiling over. The two characters are fun, witty and their verbal sparring sessions are perfect. Add to the mix several amusing teenage campers, a very risque bet and some drama from their past, this story was easily my favourite of the whole collection. The Douglas Fir was another sweet story which took a rather unexpected turn. I'm not going to give too much away here but I did enjoy the plot twist. This isn't your typical romance, but it was nice, sweet and very tender. A great story for Christmas. Bird Meets Cage was a much heavier story than the others. It features a slight age difference between the two lead characters and lots of emotional drama. What I loved the most though were the secondary relationships from family members and friends which added a lot more depth to the story. If you haven't yet read anything else by Anyta Sunday but you're thinking of trying out her work, this collection of novella's is a great place to start! Rating: 5 STARS!! Genre: Romance/LGBT Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: ARC from the author In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright has lost everything: his parents are dead, his older brother wants nothing to do with him, and he's been fired from his job as a journalist in Washington DC. With nothing left to lose, he returns to his family's summer cabin outside the small mountain town of Roseland, Oregon to try and find some sense of direction. The cabin should be empty. It's not. Inside is a man named Alex. And with him is an extraordinary little girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader. Artemis, who isn't exactly as she appears. Soon it becomes clear that Nate must make a choice: let himself drown in the memories of his past, or fight for a future he never thought possible. Because the girl is special. And forces are descending upon them who want nothing more than to control her. You're going to have to forgive me if this review turns out to be incoherent because sometimes there just aren't words to describe how amazing a book is, but I'll do my best!
I want to start by saying that the only other book I've read by TJ Klune so far is The Lightning Struck Heart which is a hilarious, outrageous m/m fantasy romance that I adored. This book is NOTHING LIKE THAT BOOK - but that's in no way a bad thing! From the synopsis, I expected a romantic suspense novel and so I was not prepared for all of the awesome shit that goes down in this book. Fear not, you know this is a spoiler-free review site, so I'm going to give you my reactions, without giving anything away because honestly, this book is one of the best books I've ever read and I want you all to read it without knowing what to expect! The plot is fantastic, I absolutely love the authors writing style and was instantly swept up into the story and into Nate's head, seeing this story through his eyes was perfect! I love Nate, and Alex and Art, three completely individual characters who's pain, suffering and love was so vivid that I felt connected to them, desperate for things to work out. "...somehow we're all made of dust and stars." Nate is sweet, kind and haunted by his past, Alex appears tough and strong but has a much deeper core, and Art...well, I'll let you discover how amazing Art is by yourself. I love everything about The Bones Beneath My Skin, the way it makes me smile and laugh, the way it warms my heart, the way it sends my heart racing or just stops it dead, the way it has me holding my breath and even the way it has me on the verge of tears, afraid to keep reading but unable to stop. The pacing, the writing, the realistic dialogue, the genuine, evolving connections be they romantic, sexual, friendly or familial, were all perfectly portrayed. The enemies-to-lovers style romance itself is such a fantastic, realistic portrayal of an m/m romance, focusing less on the sex and mostly on the chemistry, tension and bond between these two complex characters. To try and sum this up simply, I couldn't get enough of this book, I read and read for hours, never wanting to put it down and whether you like romance, action, or adventure, I urge you to read this incredible story about oppression, standing up for what matters, appreciating the smaller things in life, and dreaming of an impossible future. "You can fear what you don't understand, but in the end, you can still be brave. You can still stand up for what's right." It's a story of laughter, love, caring, anger, pain, suffering, denial, belief, and a whole shed load of bacon. "Are we going on an adventure?" Trigger Warnings: There are some dark topics that are explored in this book including; suicide, mental illness, grief and homophobia. Rating: 4 STARS Genre: Contemporary Romance Standalone/Series: Man Hands #3 - (Can be read as a standalone) How I got this book: Bought Liam The moment Sadie Matthews walks through the daycare center door, I feel my world tilt in her direction. Again. I fell for her when I was fourteen, and I'm still not over her. Problem: she still thinks of me as a teen she used to babysit. But I've learned a few things about pleasing a woman in the last fifteen years. I can't wait to show her how good it could be. I need to move quickly before I lose her again. This is more than a game to me, but I still plan to win. Sadie I've just survived the worst year of my life. As a single mom of twin toddlers, I don't have time for a man. I barely have time to finish a thought. Who knew that Liam McAllister would grow up to be so devastating? He's everything my husband was not: tall, built, and willing to have a tea party with my girls. I can't possibly get involved with him. He's too young for me. Too handsome. But he's so persuasive... I'm so happy! This book really broke me out of my recent reading slump and I am eternally grateful!
This is the first book by these two authors that I've ever read and I haven't read the previous two books in this series. I really enjoyed this book as a standalone and at no point felt as though I'd 'missed' anything from previous books. Boy Toy is sweet and lots of fun. There were plenty of moments where I giggled aloud as I devoured this book in just two short sittings. My absolute favourite part of this book is when teenage Liam makes his little appearances. He's definitely the reason I laughed so much whilst reading this. Liam is pretty much the perfect guy. He's sweet, considerate, kind, caring, handsome and he adores kids. Sadie is fun, insecure and a fantastic mum to her twin girls. I loved getting to know these two characters, their chemistry was great, Sadie's friends are fantastic and I loved every minute of the book. Fans of Tara Sivec's romantic comedies will love Boy Toy!
Welcome to my stop on the Between Frost and Fury Blog Tour!!
I have been ridiculously excited for this book ever since I read book one, Amid Stars and Darkness last year and so I just want to say a huge thanks to Xpresso Book Tours for letting me join in the fun and to Swoon Reads for the gorgeous ARC. Feel free to check out my review of Amid Stars and Darkness and keep reading for my review of Between Frost and Fury!
Rating: 5 STARS!!
Genre: Sci-Fi/YA/Romance
Standalone/Series: The Xenith Trilogy #2 How I got this book: ARC from Swoon Reads
Delaney might have done her job a little TOO well…and now her life has once again been turned upside down by aliens, this time by a deadly (and devastatingly handsome) alien prince in this explosive second installment of Chani Lynn Feener’s The Xenith Trilogy.
Delaney has been kidnapped by aliens. Again. After only a month back on Earth with her hot new alien boyfriend Ruckus, the deadly and devastatingly handsome prince Trystan has dragged her right back to his planet. While some girls may dream of winning a prince’s heart, Delaney just wishes this one would leave her alone. Instead, she finds herself at the center of both a tense political battle between two alien kingdoms and Trystan’s romantic attentions, both of which are absolutely ruining the life she’s built on Earth. Not to mention the fact that she’s about to be crowned queen of a planet she’s barely even visited. Just another day in the life of an ordinary human girl. Readers won’t want to miss Between Frost and Fury, the compelling, fast-paced sequel to Chani Lynn Feener’s Amid Stars and Darkness.
Okay, so what I LOVE about this book is that it literally jumps right back in where the previous book finished, there's no missing time in between, no catching up to do, you're just immediately immersed back into the action and carried through the story by the amazing pace.
The book actually starts with a brand new P.O.V from Ruckus, and I love that we get to hear from both him and (mostly) Trystan throughout this book. If it wasn't already clear, am I totally in this for Trystan! ?? I guess I have a thing for bad boys with hidden depths... Delaney is fantastic. No matter what happens to her, she still manages to keep her composure and her sharp tongue. "I'm not afraid of you," she told him, holding up a finger when he opened his mouth to argue. "I'm not. I'm afraid of the things you might do, yes. But of you personally? What's to be afraid of? Is it the scared little boy who'd rather steal someone else's toy than fix his own broken one?" I also can't help but smile in every scene where she purposefully goes out of her way to annoy Trystan! It's too cute, and it's great to see the new depths to these characters. I could not put this book down, and when I was forced to, I couldn't stop thinking about the characters. They made me smile, swoon and worry. My heart raced, and almost stopped altogether right at the end. Brace yourselves for another amazing, cliffhanger-style ending! ??? It's strange, because two things I'm generally not a huge fan of in books are cliffhangers and love triangles. This series has both and I LOVE them! I can't get enough of the tension, the drama, the conflict and ALL THE FEELS!! This is one of my absolute favourite series' so far. In this book, we get to explore more of the author's world, I absolutely loved the new wintry location and the introduction of some fantastic new characters, and foods! After the jaw-dropping ending, I can't wait for book 3 - I desperately need to find out how this ends, even if I don't want it to end at all!!
What do you think? Remember that you can click on the cover photo above to add Between Frost and Fury to your Goodreads TBR!
Thanks again for stopping by and joining me on my leg of the tour! Click here to follow the rest of the tour! You can also enter below for your chance to win a print copy of Between Frost and Fury (US/CAN only - giveaway hosted by Xpresso Book Tours)! Rating: 3.5/4 STARS Genre: Fantasy/YA/Romance Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: FairyLoot April 'Whimsical Journeys' The ancient land of Éirinn is mired in war. Ciara, Princess of Mide, has never known a time when Éirinn’s kingdoms were not battling for power, or Northmen were not plundering their shores. The people of Mide have thankfully always been safe because of Ciara’s unearthly ability to control her enemies’ minds and actions. But lately, a mysterious crow has been appearing to Ciara, whispering warnings of an even darker threat. Although her clansmen dismiss her visions as pagan nonsense, Ciara fears this coming evil will destroy not just Éirinn, but the entire world. Then the crow leads Ciara to Leif, a young Northman leader. Leif should be Ciara’s enemy, but when Ciara discovers that he, too, shares her prophetic visions, she knows he’s something more. Leif is mounting an impressive army, and with Ciara’s strength in battle the two might have a chance to save their world. With evil rising around them, they’ll do what it takes to defend the land they love…even if it means making the greatest sacrifice of all. I received this book as part of the April ‘Whimsical Journey’s box from FairyLoot, it’s quite a chunky book compared to a lot of the YA I’ve read recently, and I’m a big lover of mythology, so I was really excited to dive in and lose myself in the world that Jessica Leake has created.
First impressions were great, the book itself has a gorgeous cover. The first chapter was immersive. It was mysterious and tense and made me want answers to a lot of questions, which drove my need to keep reading. I love the medieval period and the Irish landscape is stunning to imagine. The first chapter presents us with Ciara, Princess of Mide, who isn’t an ordinary princess at all. She’s a battle-honed warrior, currently overseeing her father’s keep and tasked with protecting her people from Northman raiders. Ciara at first seems strong, determined and gifted, although how isn’t immediately clear, except that people seem to fear or shun her. She loves her sisters more than anything, hates the Northmen with a passion and we learn of the great loss that fuels her hatred. Even this early in the book there’s a very epic, almost Game of Thrones like feel and that only increases through the symbolism used and the very graphic, bloody battle sequences. “I'd been in many people's heads, seen their darkest thoughts, been in battles that were gruesome and violent, but nothing was as soul-crushingly terrible as the Morrigan's vision.” As you can gather from the synopsis, Ciara is forced to ally with her enemy, a young Northman warrior, Leif. I love the circumstances behind their meeting, which successfully flips the usual gender roles. Leif is almost the typical YA hero with his smouldering good looks, impossibly perfect hair, and his skill in battle. Yet he is also on a path of revenge, fuelled by his own hatred and suffering, and he hides a few secrets of his own. I really enjoyed the mythical creatures portrayed in this book and there are quite a few to discover from mythical horse creatures to gods, sea creatures and ancient queens, and so many more in between. So much happens in this book that, even though it is quite large at 421 pages, I was never once bored. I never once drifted away or lost interest in the story finding myself wrapped up in the journey and all that they must face and overcome. As well as the mythology, there’s a lot of pretty cool magic in Beyond A Darkened Shore. I loved the symbolism and imagery behind the magic, particularly in a very striking ‘resurrection scene’. There are three main reasons that I’m rating this book 3.5-4 instead of 5 stars (I kept going back and forth between 3.5 and 4...), and they’re just things that I personally had a problem with. (I still hugely encourage you to read the book and form your own opinions. If you already have, I’d love to hear from you in the comments!) First is the relationship between Ciara and Leif, which at times felt a little ‘forced’ and lacking in chemistry. The relationship just jumped a little too quickly for me, and in places, I felt that it overshadowed Ciara’s better qualities. I guess I was just more invested in the mythology and adventure. Secondly was that Ciara doesn’t seem to learn what I feel is the most important message in this book; that no one benefits from war. There will always be innocent people who suffer, and I felt that after everything the characters had suffered by the end of their journey, that this almost obvious message would have been received a little harder. Last of all, I found that whilst both characters had motives for revenge there was some hypocrisy behind how each was handled, and whilst I don’t want to give anything away by going into too much detail, I personally just felt that this was quite contradicting and could have been explored a bit better. Overall though, I did thoroughly enjoy this story. I enjoyed the characters, I absolutely loved the Norse and Celtic mythology, the creatures, the magic and the gorgeous Ireland landscape, and I’d highly recommend this book to other lovers of epic fantasy who want to be swept away on a quest of gigantic proportions. Beyond a Darkened Shore is officially released in the UK tomorrow (17th May 2018), just click the photo above to add it to your Goodreads TBR. |
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About Kay (She/Her)
Book addict, film mad, music lover, business owner, writer and mum (not necessarily in that order), living in the UK. About Sophie (She/Her)
Sophie loves books (obviously). She has a passion for photography and spotting wildlife, and is interested in anything made with passion and creativity. THIS BLOG IS SPOILER FREE!
Rating system: 5 Stars - AMAZING!! 4.5 Stars - Almost perfect! 4 Stars - I really loved it 3.5 Stars - I liked it alot 3 Stars - I liked it (I don't typically review books that I rate below 3 stars)
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