Wrap-Up Wednesday | February

February 22, 2023February 21, 2023 ~ Ofelia Gränd ~ Leave a comment

It’s Wrap-Up Time! I actually had #WhatToReadWednesday on my to-do today, but February is a short month, and I’ve got too few Wednesdays to work with, so I’ll do the Wrap-Up.

I read a few books at the beginning of the month, and then I got too busy chasing deadlines to have time to read. But we have a few titles.

Out of Focus by A.L. Lester

I’ve had this a long time but haven’t read it until now. A cute, slow-burn, contemporary story set in A.L. Lester’s Theatr Fach universe. I’ll definitely check out the other stories there!

Out of Focus Alex has never quite believed he’s good enough. Not as a person and not as a lighting technician. He hates that however hard he tries he can’t get his boss, Luke, to like him. In the two years he’s been in the job it’s become a Thing with him and he’s got a huge crush on the man. He needs to move on for his own sanity and his career and he’s just about to accept a job at a bigger theatre when one of the volunteers he’s bedded and dumped pushes him off a ladder.

Luke likes Alex a lot and has done since the day he walked through the door of Theatre Fawr two years ago. He doesn’t date his staff though, or do casual, and Alex is the epitome of casual. So Luke keeps his distance despite Alex’s constant flirting.

Will Alex’s injury give Alex and Luke the push they need to open up to each other? Or will Luke’s inadvertent discovery that Alex has a secret job offer push them further apart?

https://books2read.com/Out-of-Focus

Blind Space by Marie Sexton

I reread Protection by S.A. Reid for Holly’s ReRead Friday post since The Devil Will Care is an alien prison romance, but since I read a prison romance, I then felt like reading a little sci-fi. This is great! I almost liked it better this time than the first time I read it.

51masnck1cl Captain Tristan Kelley enjoys the luxuries of Regency service, as well as the pleasure of his Prince’s bed. It’s an easy life, if not a happy one. When the Prince decides to take a trip through the perilous Blind Space, Tristan must go with him, but somebody in the Prince’s guard is a traitor.

Blind and held prisoner, Tristan finds himself at the mercy of Valero, a pirate who bears no love for the Regency. Valero is determined to seduce Tristan, and Tristan fears his resolve won’t last. His duty is clear, but so is his desire. As the days tick by with no word or ransom from the Regency, Tristan begins to question what loyalty means to his Prince, the Regency he’s sworn to, and to the man who holds him captive. He begins to realize that being a prisoner may actually set him free.

https://books2read.com/BlindSpace

Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts by Lyn Gala

I’m not gonna bore you with more talk about Ondry and Liam. I read Blind Space and was in the mood for aliens, it doesn’t have aliens even though they’re in space, or not aliens-aliens 🙄 and this was on my phone… Awesome, as always.

Claimings, Tails and Other Alien Artifacts Liam loves his life as a linguist and trader on the Rownt homeworld, but he has ignored his heart and sexual needs for years. After escaping the horrors of war, he wants a boring life. He won’t risk letting anyone come too close because he won’t risk letting anyone see his deeply submissive nature. For him, submission comes with pain. Life burned that lesson into his soul from a young age.

This fear keeps him from noticing that the Rownt trader Ondry cares for him. Ondry may not understand humans, but he recognizes a wounded soul, and his need to protect Liam is quickly outpacing his common sense. They may have laws, culture, and incompatible genitalia in their way, but Ondry knows that he can find a way to overcome all that if he can just overcome the ghosts of Liam’s past. Only then can he take possession of a man he has grown to respect.

https://books2read.com/ClaimingTails

Paranormal Protectors: Atlas by Michelle Frost

I’ve just spent a good chunk of time trying to find you a cover and/or a blurb for this one, and instead, I’ve now ended up frustrated AF. I don’t remember where I got this story, but it’s not available anywhere, so probably some giveaway/newsletter sign-up thing.

I caught Michelle Frost, the author, at a bad time. All my googling/Goodreads searching/Amazon searching has told me they’re in the middle of switching websites.

It’s a cute story about a barista being saved by a mage when someone is trying to take him out because he too can turn into a mage with a little help. It’s an interesting universe, and I wouldn’t mind reading more…if I could find the information.

Protection by S.A. Reid

As I mentioned above, this was my ReRead post over at Holly’s. I love this book, and you can read all about it here.

Protection When Gabriel MacKenna enters Wentworth Prison in 1931, he promises himself two things: never to be buggered and never to turn prison queer. Tough, smart, and ruthless in a fight, he quickly makes a name for himself inside. But Gabriel, saved from the noose by a social crusader, is serving two life sentences. And life is a very long time to endure Wentworth with no comforts but prison food, card games and cigarettes. To survive endless days without the touch of another human being…

Five years after Gabriel’s incarceration, Joey Cooper arrives at Wentworth. Every convict claims imprisonment through a miscarriage of justice, but Joey is truly blameless. Trained at Oxford as a physician, the young doctor is innocent of prison culture and too handsome for his own good. Facing eighteen years behind Wentworth’s towering gates, Joey cannot hope to survive without protection. And protection is just what Gabriel MacKenna offers. At a price…

https://books2read.com/Protection

WhatToReadWednesday | The Devil Will Care

February 8, 2023February 6, 2023 ~ Ofelia Gränd ~ 1 Comment

The Devil will Care Whatotread

I’m here as Holly today! And what I think you should be reading is aliens. My story, The Devil Will Care, was released a few days ago. I wrote it to celebrate World Nutella Day, so I guess I could’ve popped on here to say you should read books with Nutella in them. But how many books do you know of that have Nutella in them?

Maybe there are loads, and I just don’t pay attention. In contrast to my lovely aliens, I’ve never understood the thing with Nutella. Don’t get me wrong, it tastes good, but what do you use it for? If I want to eat chocolate, I buy a bar of chocolate. Sticky things in a jar won’t be my go-to thing when I crave something sweet. Sorry, but it’s impractical.

But, we’re talking aliens, not Nutella. It’s not often I write alien stories, and I might read them more often than I write them, but not by much. I do love a nice alien, I’m just not big on the sci-fi-y parts.

One of my all-time favourite books is Bone Rider by J. Fally. I love the Claimings series by Lyn Gala. If you like dark, check out Where Willows Won’t Grow by Lia Black. Blind Space by Marie Sexton is good, and as insane, as it might sound, I’ve read The Last Pure Human by Twisted Hilarity more than once.

But what I wanted to talk about today is that there isn’t only Nutella in space, in some places you might even find ice cream. Or a burger. More specifically, if you go to the Luna Terminal, you’ll run into Max, and Max has a restaurant selling human food.

If you want to know more about Max and Noir, you should check out It Doesn’t Translate by Ofelia Gränd. And it might just be that Azrail and Khaal from The Devil Will Care will have some ice cream in Max’s diner since they’re planning to escape prison and go to the Lunar Terminal.

The Devil Will Care

thedevilwillcare What would you do if the devil claimed you were his destined mate?

Khaal Lupehell isn’t really the devil, but he’s a red-skinned, horn-wearing, tail-waving, eight feet tall alien who claims Azrail Crow is his mate. For eight months, Azrail has been in an intergalactic prison, and for the most part, he’s managed to keep his head down and melt into the interior. That all changes when he runs into Khaal.

Khaal has to get out of prison. He’d planned to escape even before he met Azrail, but now he has to find a way out. He can’t live with his mate in a prison cell. It’s out of the question. So he’ll steal a ship, take Azrail, and they’ll run for their lives. It’ll work out fine. Hopefully.

Azrail has read stories about destined mates, but surely it can’t apply to him. He’s human, and humans don’t have mates. But when Khaal talks about escaping, Azrail wants to come with him. Being mated to the devil can’t be worse than being locked up in prison, can it?

Buy links:

Paranormal Gay Romance: 35,225 words

JMS Books :: Amazon :: books2read.com/TheDevilWillCare

Excerpt:

Steps drew closer, and they turned toward the door. Azrail walked in first, stiff and tired-looking, with his hands in the pockets of the prison suit trousers he wore. Behind him came Dot, all dressed in black, but not in a dress. Khaal narrowed his eyes. He’d never seen her wear anything but a dress. The black pants clung to her, and there were chains and straps. Would the guards allow her chains? She wore an over-sized knitted thing up top. He didn’t know if it was a tunic, a sweater, or a cardigan. It was black with white weird-looking skulls, and it had been ripped in several places, though he suspected she wanted it to look like that.
“Hi.” Azrail stepped into the cell. His lips were a blue shade, and he moved as if he’d hurt his back.
“Are you okay?” Khaal took a step closer, but before he could get close enough to touch, Azrail held up a jar of human food.
“For the stash. It’s not a peace offering, and it’s not to be eaten.”
Khaal took the offered jar. “How did you get it?”
“From a guard, said I needed it because Dot was in shock.”
He looked at Dot. She looked well enough. Without thinking, he curled his tail around Azrail’s arm. “Did the guards get you?” He turned his gaze away from Dot and assessed Azrail. Was it why he was so stiff? Had they hurt him?
“No, we made it back to our cell before they came running, but we have to get out of here. It was too close. If they’d gotten Dot, I’d have… I don’t know what I’d had done, but I think it’s safe to say with the combination of the two of us, no one would’ve survived.”
The combination of the two? They were tiny little humans. Though he’d seen Dot call fire, and Azrail… A shiver went through him. He didn’t know what Azrail had done, but Dot had dropped within a blink of an eye.
“Look, we’re in on the plan. We have to get out of here sooner rather than later, so from now on we work together. Right?” He looked first at Khaal, then at Yilea and Chavir, only to turn back to Khaal again.
“Yes, we work together.”
Azrail turned a little and motioned for Dot to get closer. “So, we’ll be honest?”
Unease curled in Khaal’s gut. Would he say he didn’t want him? That they’d work together to get out but then split up? It wasn’t an option. Azrail needed to be at his side at all times. “Honest.” He nodded, despite not knowing what he was nodding about.
“I don’t know where you come from.”
Yilea shifted her weight. “Dogron, but we’re not going back.”
Longing hit Khaal. Part of him would always want to go home, but it wasn’t an option.
“Because?”
Chavir snorted. “We killed the leader of one of the biggest clans and stole his ship. They’ll kill us if we go back.”
“And it’s too far.” Yilea sighed. “Going back would take too long, and we’d have to have a planned route to stock up and get fuel. We have nothing to trade, so we’ve been taking what we need. It got us here.” She flashed her teeth.
“Pirates.” Dot’s voice was neutral, but he suspected it was an act.
“Yes, pirates.” Khaal flashed fangs. “More out of necessity than desire, but pirates all the same.”
“Aye aye, Captain.” Dot grinned, and Khaal reassessed. Maybe she didn’t mind much.
Azrail broke in. “So, where are you going?”
Khaal looked at Yilea, then Chavir and both shrugged.
Azrail huffed. “I believed you had a plan.”
“We do. We’ve taken over this cell, so we’re right next to the dock. When a ship arrives, we’ll take it and get out of here.”
Azrail’s nod was slow, and if a nod could be, a bit condescending. “And you have a destination in mind? A plan for food, fuel, manpower, and so on?”
“So far, we’ve focused on the first part of the plan.”
The sound coming from Azrail was one he couldn’t describe. It flowed out of him, and it made Khaal shiver and tingle. A couple of seconds later, Dot joined in. Both of them were shaking and water was gathering in their eyes.
“What’s going on?” Chavir rubbed his arms and looked at Khaal.
“I don’t know.”
What had them making more noise? Azrail touched a hand to his forehead, and it looked like he made an effort to quiet the sounds. “Nothing but a little breakdown.” A new wave of sounds spilled out of him, and Dot touched his shoulder. Khaal stared at the hand, the casual touch, and wanted to snarl. He’d been so focused on his reaction to Azrail, he hadn’t considered his and Dot’s relationship.
“Will you stop?” It came out harsher than he’d meant to.
Azrail straightened. “Of course.” The sound died away, and Khaal regretted having interrupted because now Azrail looked angry. Dot quieted too and glared at Khaal. Damn, he didn’t want to catch fire.
“So, to put it plainly. You invited us to share your plan, but you don’t have a plan.”
“We have this cell and—” Khaal held up the jar of human food.
“Yes, a jar of Nutella we gave to you.”
Yilea took a step forward, forcing Khaal to either block her or take a step back. “What do you suggest we do?”

Wrap-Up Wednesday | July

July 27, 2022July 25, 2022 ~ Ofelia Gränd ~ Leave a comment

It’s Wrap-Up Wednesday time, and I’m a little confused about what I’ve read, but let’s give it a go, yeah? I went on a full-on Lousia Masters binge. Or not full on, but last month I read Dragon Ever After and loved it, and I knew that there was another dragon story in the YBBB giveaway, so I meant to read that. I did, but not right away.

I’ll try to do these stories in the order I read them, but I might mess up.

Demons Do It Better by Louisa Masters

This is the first in the Hidden Species series, and had I known what I know now, I’d started here, but as already mentioned, I read Dragon Ever After first. This is funny! Loved it and went right on to the next one!

Demons do it better I work for Lucifer. Only, it’s not as cool and satanic as it sounds.

The truth is, I’m an admin assistant who applied for a job that sounded kind of interesting and ended up working for the Community of Species Government. I’m the only human in the office, and basically I ride herd on a team of rambunctious shifters and demons.

I also spend a lot of time avoiding Gideon Bailey, the demon I had a one-night stand with right before I took this job. He hates me, and I really want to avoid being murdered. But I’ve been offered a promotion that will mean working with him, so we’re both going to have to get over it.

Plus, people are going missing. Pregnant people. And the word is that someone is dabbling in genetic experimentation. Putting a stop to that is more important than the sexual tension Gideon and I have been ignoring… isn’t it?

https://books2read.com/Demons-Do-It-Better

One Bite With a Vampire by Louisa Masters

This is funny, though I’d never have the energy to deal with Andrew. I was surprised by how different this was from the first, and yet it’s the same characters present and they’re fighting the same baddies.

One bite with a vampire Getting kidnapped was never part of my life plan. But being rescued opened up a whole world of crazy.

It’s not easy being the only human at the Community of Species Government—and especially not when you’re the rescue case. Two years ago, I was planning to go to college, have a wild time, then settle into a normal life. Instead, I was kidnapped, spent months being a test subject, was in hiding for nearly a year, and then found out that my whole existence is a science experiment conducted by the bad guys. It’s definitely time to reassess.

My rescuers at CSG have been awesome… mostly. They gave me a job, a home, and a support network. But the whole demons, vampires, shifters thing is not easy to get used to. Especially when one particular vampire makes me want to take up stake sharpening for a hobby. How can someone be over eight centuries old and have the maturity of a drunk frat boy?

The thing is, teenage mentality or not, Andrew is a fierce protector. With the bad guys still on the loose, I need someone like that on my side. Plus, did I mention that he’s not hard to look at? I could stare at him all day if only he never opened his mouth.

As we race to find my former captor before he can find me, life takes another twist and upends my world all over again. This time, though, I’m ready—after all, I’ve got an eight-hundred-year-old vampire at my back. What could possibly go wrong?

https://books2read.com/OneBiteWithAVampire

Hijinks With a Hellhound by Louisa Masters

Hellhounds. Alistair is a bit… I mean I love him as a secondary character, and it wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy this book – I did! – but like with Andrew, I get a bit exhausted LOL

Hijinks with a Hellhound I’m a one-and-done kind of hellhound… I don’t catch feeeeeeeelings…

Once upon a time, my first and last relationship taught me that romantic love isn’t enough to stop your boyfriend from trying to kill you. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. My awesomeness is now strictly reserved for one-nighters and casual hookups. Sure, my friends seem to be matching up in romantic bliss, but screw that—I’m not interested.

Besides, things are heating up at the Community of Species Government, and I’m right in the thick of it all. Those bad guys are going down—and not in the good way. They might seem to have the drop on us right now, but we’re going to turn the tables on them. Even if it means going on a mission with Aidan Byrne.

I’m still not happy about the way Aidan handled things with my bestest bestie a few months back, even if he did turn out to be right. Plus, there’s something about him that rubs my fur in the wrong direction. He’s the kind of guy who thinks karaoke is only for college kids and looks down on me for licking my own balls. He also thinks that just because he’s the species leader, he’s in charge.

Too bad for him, I’ve never backed away from a challenge… even if it is unnervingly sexy and really bendy. A hookup won’t lead to feelings… right?

https://books2read.com/HijinksWithAHellhound

Sorcerers Always Satisfy by Louisa Masters

Series exhaustion. You should realise how much I liked these books since I read them all back to back. That’s not something that happens often. In this book more than the others, I wished I’d read the Hidden Species series before I read Dragon Ever After.

Sorcerers always satisfy Just because I enjoy planning and researching doesn’t mean I’m not the most dangerous badass mothercracker around.

The world sees me as boring, dependable David. And I like it that way. I know things and I’m organized. Plus, I’ve seen firsthand the harm a chaotic life can inflict, and I’d rather have my lists and be called dull.

Which is what makes it all the more disconcerting when a sexy elf declares his adoration and begins to “woo” me. What am I supposed to do?

Hide, mostly. It’s hard, though, because Caolan and I are supposed to be working together. And he’s tough to resist: sweet, competent, and so incredibly beautiful. He sees something in me that no one else does. Would it really be such a bad thing if I gave in to temptation?

My personal life can’t be the priority right now, though. The bad guys are gearing up to strike, and if we don’t stop them, the end of the world could be nigh. I need to focus on that, not on letting Caolan show me the benefits of spontaneity. Or do I?

https://books2read.com/SorcerersAlwaysSatisfy

How to Vex a Vampire by Alice Winters

This is the first story in the VRC: Vampire Related Crimes series. I figured I like the Alice Winters story I read last month, so why not give it a try? I… It’s not a bad book, I think I was just a little… after the Hidden Species, and this too is funny. It was too much fun in a row if you get me. My bad, not the book.

How to vex a vampire Finn
Getting into the vampire-only detective unit was the easy part; what’s going to be more difficult is dealing with my new partner, an ancient vampire who keeps threatening to eat me. The unit has never had a human in it, and Marcus—or as I like to call him, Fangy McFangface—would really prefer to keep it that way. He’s grumpy, short-tempered, and broody, but I have a way with words and I know he’s starting to like me, even if he swears he’s not. But what he doesn’t know is that I didn’t join the unit because I was tired of being a homicide detective, I joined because there is someone after me. They’ve already taken enough from me and I’m afraid they’re going to take all of me if I don’t find someone to help. That’s all Marcus was supposed to be, but now, he’s so much more and I can’t imagine my life without him.

Marcus
The moment the pesky human walked through that door, I knew I had to get rid of him. He’s charming and almost everyone else instantly loves him, but he doesn’t understand how risky it is being part of this unit as a human. But as I get to know the stubborn man, I learn that perhaps he’s not as naive as I once thought. And maybe he’s what I needed to realize there is more to life than just work and my dog. A group arises who is threatening to disrupt the alliance between the humans and the vampires, but Finn is the one who shows me how strong that alliance can be and reminds me why it’s worth protecting. When threats hit closer to home, I realize I would do anything for Finn because he’s brought so much joy to my life—and because he’s mine.

This 105k word book contains: A creative use for undergarments, unintentional splits, a wolfhound who just wants to be a part of things, a vertically challenged human who still manages to wrap every vampire he meets around his little finger, the best date ever, possessiveness, really awkward dancing, some workplace revenge, and just a bite or two. Or three.

https://books2read.com/HowToVexAVampire

Freighter Flights by Drew Zachary

This is a story I read now and then when I don’t know what to read. Is it great? Not really. It’s mostly sex, and there are very few stories I like with this much sex in them, but who doesn’t like a growly mechanic? This isn’t available in the shops anymore.

Freighter Flights Will is the hot shot pilot and second in command on the Arillia, a pretty little cargo ship making runs just this side of legal. When they lose their engineer, Will goes on the hunt in spacedock for a new one. What he finds is Tab, a gruff, scarred man who can get the job done. For Tab, the Arillia is a job, a good one at that, and if the pilot makes him growl and want more than he should, well it sure beats starving. The sparks fly between them and they begin to care, whether they want to or not. If they can survive their pasts, space pirates and nearly being blasted out of space, they just might be able to survive each other.

How to Date a Dragon by Louisa Masters

Finally, I downloaded this from the YBBB giveaway. Dragons! Who doesn’t love dragons LOL? After this I was about to move on to The Professor’s Dragon, but… I have a thing, I have many things, but teacher-student romances turn my stomach. I think it might be because I’m a teacher and the thought just… Nope, not going there! This is fiction, and if I happily can read about violence and mate-or-die situations, a teacher-student relationship shouldn’t be a problem, right? Well… I might read it later on since I’ve really enjoyed this series.

How to Date a dragon Tip #1 for dealing with dragons: be prepared for anything

My whole life, I thought dragons were majestic, wise, fearsome creatures. Not to mention fictional, but that belief has been debunked. Dragons are real, they’re living among us, and I’m the lucky guy who gets to sell a house to their leader. I just have to impress his representative first. No problem—I’m a pro.

Except the dragon rep is the guy I hooked up with last night, and he’s fast disproving everything I believed about dragons. Unless “wise” actually means “addicted to glitter” and “majestic” is a euphemism for “overgrown frat boy.”

Hagen might truly be the most annoying person ever, yet I can’t resist a date with him. One thing’s for sure, someone needs to write me a how-to guide for dating a dragon… glitter not included.

Download here!

Rarely Pure and Never Simple by Angel Martinez

The reread of the month! Freighter Flights is a reread too, but Rarely Pure and Never Simple is the story I talk about over at Holly’s. I’m so glad this series is happening. I read it for the first time many years ago, and then it was gone from the shelves, and all the while it said it was the first in a series. Now it’s available again, re-edited and the ending has been tweaked, and the second story will be released come autumn. Yay!

Rarely Pure and Never Simple Variant children are vanishing at an alarming rate. It will take a uniquely mismatched pair of trackers to untangle a web of conspiracy and misdirection to find them.

In his isolated cabin, variant Damien Hazelwood avoids human contact as much as possible to prevent attacks of blind berserker panic. But his rare talent as a locator makes him the go-to contractor for tricky missing person’s cases and when agents bring him a troubling contract involving missing variant children, he finds it impossible to refuse.

Licensed tracker Blaze Emerson can’t help being irritated when he’s expected to follow the strange, twitchy locator’s lead on his latest case. He works alone, he’s damn good, and as a variant sparker, he has both the fire and the firepower to take on anything out there. Though he has to admit there’s something intriguing about a man who can find people with his brain.

With vastly different temperaments and backgrounds, Damien and Blaze need to negotiate quickly how to work together if they’re going to crack this case. Add in the sudden appearance of Blaze’s outlaw ex, the perils of tracking in the wilds, and a maddening lack of discernible motive or method, and they soon find themselves in as much danger as the kids they’re trying to rescue.

Variant Configurations takes place in a future Earth where humanity is reclaiming its spot in a gradually healing world. This book contains mentions of past abuse, action-adventure style mayhem, and the beginning sparks of a slow burn, series-spanning relationship.

https://books2read.com/Rarely-Pure-and-Never-Simple