Friday Reads | Jonathan Trilogy

September 23, 2016February 12, 2019 ~ Ofelia Gränd ~ Leave a comment

These last days I’ve read the Jonathan Trilogy by Hans M. Hirschi. Hans is a fellow Beaten Track author and I was given Jonathan’s Hope, Jonathan’s Promise, and the ARC of Jonathan’s Legacy (will be published on the 29^th) in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve only read a short story by Hans before so I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into with the Jonathan books. I figured from the titles they would be about a guy named Jonathan—they are and they aren’t. They are about a whole lot of characters and they weren’t at all what I had expected.

In Jonathan’s Hope Jonathan is only seventeen years old. We get to follow him as he fights for his life before he is rescued by Dan. Sparks fly and life will never again be the same for either of the characters. As the books proceed the main focus isn’t on Jonathan and Dan but on their children and grandchildren as well. I have to admit the beginning of Jonathan’s Promise both surprised and touched me, I hadn’t expected that. Even with the epilogue in Jonathan’s Hope, I hadn’t expected that.

What I liked about the stories was that we’re served a slice of life, we get to follow the characters through ups and down, through sickness and health, and we get to see them age.

What I struggled with was the LOVE. I generally like my books with far more blood and gore and far fewer confessions of undying love. I generally avoid everything close to insta-love, and I prefer the candy floss out of sight. But that’s just me, if you’re a romantic you’ll love this book. I guess I’m too Swedish when it comes to love declarations—I love my husband and if that changes I’ll let him know until then let’s not talk about it, okay? 😀

These books touch on many important issues—homophobia, sexual abuse, overcoming the loss of a partner, being a parent etc. but I would have wanted more depth. I know you can’t dive into these questions too deeply in a book but some (not all, some we really do go into depth on) are brought up, discussed in a few lines, and then quickly hurried past.

Jonathan’s Hope was published in 2013 if my sources are correct whereas Jonathan’s Promise and Jonathan’s Legacy both are published now in 2016. I thought there was a huge difference between the first and two last books when it came to author voice. I truly do believe we develop as writers for as long as we keep at it and where I thought Jonathan’s Hope was a bit confusing at times with mixed POVs and stuff Jonathan’s Promise and Jonathan’s Legacy are skilfully penned.

If you want something more than just a quick fix you should check these books out. You’ll find love and loss and love again, and you’ll get reminded of what’s really important in life.

Jonathan’s Legacy returns to the roots of the Jonathan Trilogy: the love for those weakest amongst us, children, particularly the undesired ones, street kids who find new homes and love, just as Jonathan and Dan once had, in their youth.

We follow the Jackson family, founded by Jonathan and Dan, as they grapple with the loss of their family patriarch. Parker and Cody set out to start a patchwork family of their own, while Marc comes to terms with his loss. And who is Kim Hwan?

This is the third and final book in this accidental trilogy, a book written out of the desperate search for answers, to bring hope where there was only despair, and to find much-needed closure. Anything but a happily ever after is unimaginable.

In this trilogy:
Jonathan’s Hope (Book 1): books2read.com/JonathansHope *
Jonathan’s Promise (Book 2): books2read.com/JonathansPromise *
Jonathan’s Legacy (Book 3): books2read.com/JonathansLegacy *

* By clicking the Books2Read link you’ll be taken to an external page. Links to Smashwords, Kobo U.S and Amazon contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Friday Reads | Tainted

September 16, 2016February 12, 2019 ~ Ofelia Gränd ~ Leave a comment

It’s Friday, and I’m still immersed in the Channeling Morpheus series. I’ve reached Tainted which is the fourth story in the series and am right now in the middle of some blood sucking in a fitting room.

I’ve said it before, but I really like Jordan Castillo Price’s way of writing. I only have one small complaint, and that is that I would’ve wanted a little more focus on the plot. I get that it’s erotica, but I really believe these stories could’ve gained from a few more sex-free pages. Not that I mind read about what Wild Bill does and wants to do, I’d gladly bleed for him too, but still LOL. There are some amazing characters that we’re only brushing upon on our way to the bedroom, but that’s erotica I guess.

I like that we get both Michael’s and Bill’s POV in these stories, not in the same story (so far at least), but that the novelettes have different POVs. I can only assume that the staking will continue now that Bill got Michael a pink new toy. Off to see more bad vampires and to lose myself in the mix of sex and blood!

books2read.com/TaintedJCP *

Vampires agree that vampirism must be spread through sex, because if a bite on the neck could turn someone, the world would be overrun with legions of bloodsuckers by now. So Wild Bill’s been careful. The last thing he’d want is to turn anyone. Especially his boytoy.

Despite Wild Bill’s caution, Michael’s looking pale and thin…more so than usual. He wears it well, just like the leather jacket, the black-dyed hair and the eyeliner. But for someone as starved as he is, food should hold more of an appeal. And is that a preternatural grace Bill detects in Michael’s movements?

(Second electronic edition – novelette – 12,000 words – gay content)

* By clicking the Books2Read link you’ll be taken to an external page. Links to Smashwords, Kobo U.S and Amazon contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Friday Reads | Payback

September 9, 2016February 12, 2019 ~ Ofelia Gränd ~ 1 Comment

My morning coffee went on and on today because I allowed myself to get enthralled by Jordan Castillo Price’s Payback (Channeling Morpheus). I’m a Jordan Castillo Price fan, but instead of reading all of her books in one go I save them.

Sounds silly but it’s what I do. When I’m looking for a new book to read I go over my to-be-read list and think ‘no better save those for a rainy day’. But it’s Friday, and we all deserve something nice, for me that meant a little horror erotica with my coffee.

Payback is about Michael who is searching for the vampire who killed his friend. He finds the vamp he’s looking for, but he also finds Wild Bill. The three of them head back to Michael’s motel room, and that’s where the fun begins. I fell in love with Wild Bill, it was inevitable.

I’m assuming almost everyone has read these books already, but if you haven’t and like some scoring hot vamps mixed with a little gore, then these stories are for you. The Channeling Morpheus series has its own website if you want to check it out.

Now, on to the next one!

books2read.com/PaybackJCP ‘

The hunt is on.

Pretty young men and women like Michael’s best friend, Scary Mary, are disappearing from underground goth clubs all over Detroit. For over two years, Michael has been scouring the midwest for buried newspaper articles and obscure medical reports, and now he’s finally pinpointed the source of the problem. Too bad he can’t exactly go to the cops and tell them his friend was murdered by vampires. Since it’s his duty to start wiping out the scourge, he’s posing as bait—and he’s got a bag of sharpened hickory stakes to do the job.

Everything should go smoothly, given the amount of preparation that Michael has put into the hunt. He’s got a practiced repertoire of come-hither eyeliner looks and a full blister-pack of the date rape drug Rohypnol. But he didn’t count on Wild Bill showing up.

Wild Bill is a vision in spiked hair and scuffed black leather—exactly the type of guy Michael would have fallen for…if he’d ever had the chance. Unfortunately, with a vampire in his sights, Michael has no time for an actual date. Despite his best efforts, it seems there’s nothing Michael can do to shake Bill loose. Looks like they’re in for a wild, wild ride.

* By clicking the Books2Read link you’ll be taken to an external page. Links to Smashwords, Kobo U.S and Amazon contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.