Update: I'm Back & Future Posts
Hello everyone! Long time, no post. I have decided that I want to start posting on here again but it will be different. I would like to share short updates and thoughts about things like my Fibromyalgia, what I'm reading, what I've been up to etc. I may add some other things. I am going to be working on renovating my blog a bit. If you'd like to subscribe via email click the Bloglovin' link in the sidebar to be updated when I post!
Books and Blogs to Check Out: Monthly supporters showcase #11
This post contains affiliate links
Hi everyone and welcome to another monthly supporters showcase! This is where I share the books and blogs of my Ko-Fi members. Please check out their amazing work!
A. K. Faulkner
AK Faulkner is the author of the Inheritance series of contemporary fantasy novels, which begins with Jack of Thorns.
AK
lives just outside of London, England, with a charismatic Corgi.
Together they fight crime and try not to light too many fires on the
way.
Visit AK's website at http://akfaulkner.com/
Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @poopraven
Jack of Thorns
Laurence
Riley might be able to see the future, but he can't see a way to fix
his messed-up life. He can't control anything—not his supernatural
talents, not his drug addiction, and not his violent ex-boyfriend.
Laurence needs help and he knows it. A lifelong pagan, he turns to his
god... and he gets Jack. Jack can help Laurence tame his powers and take
control of his life. But it comes at a price: Laurence will need to
keep him fed with regular offerings of sex. For the old Laurence, that
would've been a pleasure. Problem is, Laurence has met Quentin.
Quentin is devastatingly handsome, way out of Laurence's league (like British nobility levels of out-of-his-league), and unbearably chaste. If that weren’t enough to keep Laurence away, Quentin's wild telekinesis is even more uncontrollable than Laurence's precognition. But Laurence doesn't want anyone else, and Jack is getting hungry.
Then Laurence foresees a glimpse of Jack's true plan. It will leave a trail of death across San Diego--and Laurence has been helping him do it. The past has taught him that the future can't be changed. But if Laurence and Quentin can't stop Jack, there won't be any future at all.
Jack of Thorns is the first book in a dark urban fantasy series where X-Men meets The Magicians.
Quentin is devastatingly handsome, way out of Laurence's league (like British nobility levels of out-of-his-league), and unbearably chaste. If that weren’t enough to keep Laurence away, Quentin's wild telekinesis is even more uncontrollable than Laurence's precognition. But Laurence doesn't want anyone else, and Jack is getting hungry.
Then Laurence foresees a glimpse of Jack's true plan. It will leave a trail of death across San Diego--and Laurence has been helping him do it. The past has taught him that the future can't be changed. But if Laurence and Quentin can't stop Jack, there won't be any future at all.
Jack of Thorns is the first book in a dark urban fantasy series where X-Men meets The Magicians.
FREE on Kindle
Responsibilities You Take On When You Hire For Your Small Business
This is a collaborative post and it may contain affiliate links
Most small businesses come to the point where they recognise that they need to start hiring to take on the work that the owner can’t handle themselves. However, aside from the many benefits that come with having a team under you, there are also responsibilities that you had better be ready to deal with, as well. Here, we’re going to look at some of those.
Book Video for A Cry in the Moon's Light Special Edition by Alan McGill!
AD
Synopsis:
It is the late 1700’s of eastern Europe. A beautiful woman must travel across the treacherous Dark Forest. to be by the side her dying grandmother. With only a young carriage driver to protect her, she must use her wits and all of her courage to cross the wild country.
From the beginning, a mysterious wolf stalks her every move, and a deadly wolf pack, led by a black wolf, seems determined to kill her. When she stops at a hidden village deep in the forest, gruesome murders force her to flee to a nearby castle. A castle that holds its own secrets. And what follows will unravel everything she knows.
It is a time of castles, muskets, werewolves and other hideous creatures of the night. Nothing is as it seems and it is only the beginning of this journey. Come, join us for all the horror, mystery and romance this story has to offer. You will learn as she does that only love can defeat evil.
Check out the book here:
https://www.amazon.com/Cry-Moons-Light-Special-ebook/dp/B0BN2J1SRS/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cry-Moons-Light-Special-ebook/dp/B0BN2J1SRS/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-cry-in-the-moons-light-alan-mcgill/1142735980?ean=2940165969577
True crime book recommendations
This post contains affiliate links
Do you like reading true crime books? Then look no further! Here are some books written by indie authors!
"Black, White & Gray All Over not only recounts the stories of Frederick's life and career but also the stories of his fellow officers. An honest, no-holds-barred history of the city of Compton's gang violence, crack epidemic, and legacy of government corruption leaves readers of all backgrounds with a better understanding of race relations as well as the gray areas of policework in one of America's most brutal cities."
-Zora Knauf
"If Fred Reynolds's memoir Black, White and Gray All Over was just about being a cop in Compton, California, dealing with gangs, murders, officers killed in the line of duty, and the politics that drives it all, it would be worth the read. This book goes deeper, into what it means to be a man, more particularly a Black man, and to overcome every obstacle along the way to redemption. Don't miss this one!"
-#1 Bestselling Author J.J. Hebert
Murder Tales: The Yorkshire Ripper
Between 1975 and 1981, one man brought a reign of terror to the north of England. His crimes brought entire cities to a standstill as women became too scared to leave their houses after dark. The thirteen slain women led to the United Kingdom’s largest-ever murder enquiry, with tens of thousands of people interviewed and hundreds of leads followed. It was an investigation led astray by a cruel hoax and devastating coincidences which would not be believed if they happened in a work of fiction. The crimes left over a dozen children motherless, led to family members dying of broken hearts, and destroyed the health and hastened the death of the chief investigator.
In this edition of Murder Tales, H. N. Lloyd examines the life and crimes of the man the media dubbed The Yorkshire Ripper, but who his wife and family called Peter Sutcliffe.
Free on Kindle Unlimited
In this latest volume of the best-selling Murder Tales series, H. N. Lloyd casts his eye to those who swore to preserve life, only to break their Hippocratic oath in the cruellest and most bizarre ways imaginable. In these bloodsoaked pages, you will be thrilled and horrified by the horrendous crimes committed by deranged doctors who put their medical knowledge to deadly use. You will meet Dr Robert George Clements whose wives had a habit of dying shortly after saying I do, Dr Marcel Petiot who used the confusion of the second world war to make himself rich via murder, and, of course, the most prolific serial killers the world has ever seen, Dr Harold Shipman. This truly is an anthology for true crime connoisseurs that will leave you turning the pages.
Free on Kindle Unlimited
A doctor with a gambling addiction poisoning his children and friends to cover his debts. A barrister cries out for help in the night, but was his death murder or suicide? A psychopath is imprisoned for trying to poison his family, only to be released from custody to kill and kill again.
In Murder Tales: The Poisoners, H. N. Lloyds looks at ten terrifying classic true crime cases where the killer's weapon of choice was a deadly poison. With the turn of each page, you will discover the fascinating facts of real-life cases that will chill your blood. Every victim, motive, trial and execution is detailed with H. N. Lloyd's eye for detail and macabre wit.
This much anticipated new instalment of the beloved Murder Tales series invites you to discover these classics from the annals of true crime, and lose yourself in tales of murder that the masters of fiction wouldn't dare to make up.
In Murder Tales: The Poisoners, H. N. Lloyds looks at ten terrifying classic true crime cases where the killer's weapon of choice was a deadly poison. With the turn of each page, you will discover the fascinating facts of real-life cases that will chill your blood. Every victim, motive, trial and execution is detailed with H. N. Lloyd's eye for detail and macabre wit.
This much anticipated new instalment of the beloved Murder Tales series invites you to discover these classics from the annals of true crime, and lose yourself in tales of murder that the masters of fiction wouldn't dare to make up.
Free on Kindle Unlimited
Murder Tales: The Granny Killers
Completely revised, re-edited and updated this new version of the granny killers takes an in-depth look at eleven murder cases that will leave you shocked and enthralled, and breathlessly waiting to turn the next bloodstained page.
Free on Kindle Unlimited
Murder Tales: They Got Away With Murder
Among the true tales of murder featured in this volume are:
Maundy Gregory: The story of a man who was at the centre of a political web of intrigue involving power and money. Maundy Gregory became one of the most powerful men in Great Britain, yet his power and influence remained secret, hidden from all but a select few at the highest echelons of governance. When his empire was threatened, he turned to murder to save himself and his fortune. Like most powerful people, he got away with it too.
Tony Mancini: The Brighton Trunk murders were, at one time, the most famous murders in the annals of crime. Tony Mancini was the young thug accused and tried for one of these infamous crimes. Yet his acquittal led to one of the most shocking and defiant confessions ever seen.
Henry John Delve Broughton: When peer of the realm, Lord Erroll, was shot dead on a deserted country road, in the middle of Kenya, during the early years of World War Two, it led to accusations of political assassination, sordid love triangles, orgies and drug abuse. It was a mystery that intrigued for decades, until a confession came to light from a very unlikely source.
Harvey Richardson: The tale of how a photograph led to a murder, and how the failure of the victims friends to tell the whole truth led to a near half century long mystery, and how a confession found in an abandoned house led to a shocking final answer.
Christopher Smith: Be sure your sins will find you out in time, nearly forty years after a brutal murder, that helped to nearly derail the infamous Yorkshire Ripper Inquiry, the killer of a badly battered and raped prostitute was unmasked thanks to his having one too many drinks.
Complete revised, re-edited and updated this new edition of Murder Tales: They Got Away With Murder contains brand new material and is sure to enthral, horrify and confound in equal measure. Written as usual with an eye for the macabre detail and a delightfully dry wit, it is another fine entry into the Murder Tales cannon.
Free on Kindle Unlimited
Murder Tales: Stranger Than Fiction
In Murder Tales: Stranger Than Fiction, H. N. Lloyd investigates crimes with an element of the bizarre, the unexplained, and the damn right weird. In this latest collection of true crime tales from the best-selling author and crime historian, you will find eleven murders that will send a shiver down your spine, and make you believe you’re reading a work of fiction, not fact. In this volume the cases include:
Elsie Frost: A young girl murdered on an isolated tow-path, a mystery that has lasted fifty years. Although the police claim that they believe the case is solved, H. N. Lloyd looks at the evidence of a conspiracy that continues to this day.
Scott Rogo: The murder of one of the world’s leading parapsychologists that has left one of the world’s most peculiar murder mysteries.
Charles C. Morgan: Hero or villain? The police insisted it was a suicide, a mysterious anonymous caller wanted the world to believe otherwise. Morgan’s death led to the discovery of mysterious messages written on bank notes, clues hidden in biblical passages, and a trail of murder as someone desperately tried to cover up the truth.
Each case will leave you haunted and questioning how real life can be so strange.
Free on Kindle Unlimited
Murder Tales: Unsolved: The chilling true stories of the world's greatest unsolved murders
Jack the Ripper: Without a doubt the world’s most famous murder mystery, in this re-examination of the case H. N. Lloyd looks at the crimes, suspects and some of the stranger explanations for the world famous murders.
Nellie Clarke: The murder of a child is the most tragic thing in the world, when the killer is not brought to justice it can destroy entire communities. This little known case will horrify, chill and intrigue, especially Nellie’s last recorded words, ‘Help! Father Christmas is after me!’
Julia Wallace: Pity poor William Herbert Wallace, lured from his home on a wild goose chase across the city of Liverpool, only to return home to discover his wife murdered and the blame levelled squarely at him. This is the crime that Raymond Chandler ranked as the greatest murder mystery in the annals of criminal history.
Charles Walton: The murder of an elderly farmhand in a sleepy English village that baffled the minds of the best detectives the famed Scotland Yard had to offer. Were the rumours of witchcraft and human sacrifice true? And just what was the significance of the worthless fob-watch stolen from Charles Walton’s body, and the spectral black dog that haunted the investigating officers.
Marilyn Sheppard: The true life crime that inspired the film and TV series ‘The Fugitive’. Dr Sam Sheppard found himself accused of murdering his wife, this in turn set two generations of the Sheppard family on a quest to discover the identity of the ‘limping man’.
Zodiac: The murder of five young people that shocked America, shot and stabbed in cold blood by a masked killer. The killer taunted the police and the press, created a media storm and pushed a city to hysterical levels of anxiety. He was never caught, leaving behind a trail of shattered lives, scarred survivors and an enduring mystery.
Professor John Cartland: A father and son’s holiday in France ends in a brutal axe murder. Jeremy Cartland is accused by French authorities of murdering his father. British police investigate and exonerate him. Not only did this case put two legal systems at loggerheads, it led to the seemingly unassuming language professor’s unmasking as a spy. Was Professor Cartland the victim of a bungled robbery, murdered by his son, or was he the victim of a sinister conspiracy the origins of which lay in the darkest days of World War Two?
Written with dry wit and an eye for detail which brings a fresh perspective to even the most talked-about cases, Murder Tales: Unsolved is the perfect read for seasoned true-crime aficionados, or those wanting to be captivated, thrilled and horrified for the first time.
Free on Kindle Unlimited
Jack the Ripper - sailor, soldier, butcher, barber, black magician, blackmailer, doctor, docker, artist, poet, religious zealot, ruffian, royal, victim, villain... Jack the Ripper, he was all of these things and none of them. A faceless blank slate for a century of researchers to etch their elaborate theories upon.
We all think we know the story of the worlds most renowned serial killer, yet the real story has been lost in over a century of lies, misunderstandings and half-truths.
In "Murder Tales: Jack the Ripper" H. N. Lloyd explores the complicated history surrounding the myth of Jack the Ripper. He explores with his trademark dry wit and eye for detail the evidence for a medical ripper, the evidence of the eyewitnesses, the methods and failures of the police investigation, the obsession that the crimes ignited at the time and today, finally he walks us through the suspects and peculiar theories that have so obscured the truth for over a century.
A must read for fans of the Murder Tales series, die-hard ripperologist or those who are risking the obsession of the Ripper for the very first time.
We all think we know the story of the worlds most renowned serial killer, yet the real story has been lost in over a century of lies, misunderstandings and half-truths.
In "Murder Tales: Jack the Ripper" H. N. Lloyd explores the complicated history surrounding the myth of Jack the Ripper. He explores with his trademark dry wit and eye for detail the evidence for a medical ripper, the evidence of the eyewitnesses, the methods and failures of the police investigation, the obsession that the crimes ignited at the time and today, finally he walks us through the suspects and peculiar theories that have so obscured the truth for over a century.
A must read for fans of the Murder Tales series, die-hard ripperologist or those who are risking the obsession of the Ripper for the very first time.
Free on Kindle Unlimited
LGBTQIA+ book recommendations!
This post contains affiliate links
Do you like books with LGBTQIA+ rep? Then look no further! Here are some amazing books written by indie authors!
Jack of Thorns
Laurence Riley might be able to see the future, but he can't see a way to fix his messed-up life. He can't control anything—not his supernatural talents, not his drug addiction, and not his violent ex-boyfriend. Laurence needs help and he knows it. A lifelong pagan, he turns to his god... and he gets Jack. Jack can help Laurence tame his powers and take control of his life. But it comes at a price: Laurence will need to keep him fed with regular offerings of sex. For the old Laurence, that would've been a pleasure. Problem is, Laurence has met Quentin.
Quentin is devastatingly handsome, way out of Laurence's league (like British nobility levels of out-of-his-league), and unbearably chaste. If that weren’t enough to keep Laurence away, Quentin's wild telekinesis is even more uncontrollable than Laurence's precognition. But Laurence doesn't want anyone else, and Jack is getting hungry.
Then Laurence foresees a glimpse of Jack's true plan. It will leave a trail of death across San Diego--and Laurence has been helping him do it. The past has taught him that the future can't be changed. But if Laurence and Quentin can't stop Jack, there won't be any future at all.
Jack of Thorns is the first book in a dark urban fantasy series where X-Men meets The Magicians.
Quentin is devastatingly handsome, way out of Laurence's league (like British nobility levels of out-of-his-league), and unbearably chaste. If that weren’t enough to keep Laurence away, Quentin's wild telekinesis is even more uncontrollable than Laurence's precognition. But Laurence doesn't want anyone else, and Jack is getting hungry.
Then Laurence foresees a glimpse of Jack's true plan. It will leave a trail of death across San Diego--and Laurence has been helping him do it. The past has taught him that the future can't be changed. But if Laurence and Quentin can't stop Jack, there won't be any future at all.
Jack of Thorns is the first book in a dark urban fantasy series where X-Men meets The Magicians.
FREE on Kindle
The Gift of Blood (Crimson Tears: Book One)
“Shit, people keep killing me off. It’s like some bad TV show.”
A lesbian vampire on a revenge quest, distracted by a slow burn romance.
One person’s gift is another’s curse. And sometimes the dark hides very real monsters. This is certainly the case for Ryann Ly, professional kickboxer, MMA fighter, and freshly Turned vampire. When the people who abducted, faked her death, and cursed her to burn in the sun attempt to enlist her into their ranks, Ryann decides she has absolutely no time for any of their nonsense. Even if she has to kill them to get some peace and quiet.
It’s only fair. They killed her first.
She just wants to get her life in order and navigate this strange new reality she finds herself trapped in. But vampire turf wars, monsters in the dark, and people hunting Ryann for mysterious reasons make that very difficult. Luckily, she’s not alone. Helping her along is a soft werewolf dad, a polyamorous triad of badasses, a vampire with PTSD and a dry sense of humour, a childhood friend, and Rachel, a human girl that Ryann thinks is very cute.
Will Ryann defeat the darkness that haunts her, and the things within? Will she be able to avenge the injustice done to her, or will she become another monster, destined to be slain? Will she find out why people keep declaring her dead?
And will she ever figure out why her found family keeps calling her and Rachel girlfriends?
Only time will tell.
Moonlight Love and Witchcraft
“I love you. And I need you like the blood in my veins. Without you I wouldn’t be me.”
A werewolf and a vampire with an unbreakable bond. A cute witch fleeing her home for a crime she may or may not have committed. A burning desire for something more between them.
Years after becoming a vampire, Logan is finally on track to their goal: Making it big in the music industry with the support of their band and their girlfriend Kay, protector of the local supernatural community. For all its issues, with her by their side, Logan’s life is perfect. But when a new girl comes to town, Nemo, everything abruptly becomes much more complicated and Logan can’t ask Kay for help anymore. Because to do that, they’d have to admit to her that they’ve fallen for someone else…
Nemo, having fled her home for a crime she totally didn’t commit, finds a welcome distraction in Logan’s friendship. But her thoughts quickly become haunted by them and their gorgeous girlfriend.
As Kay realizes that what’s going on between Logan and Nemo exceeds the bounds of friendship, she has to make a choice: Keep her partner all to herself, or encourage them to explore their feelings, and explore her own. To let love make them one, or perhaps tear them apart.
A lesbian vampire on a revenge quest, distracted by a slow burn romance.
One person’s gift is another’s curse. And sometimes the dark hides very real monsters. This is certainly the case for Ryann Ly, professional kickboxer, MMA fighter, and freshly Turned vampire. When the people who abducted, faked her death, and cursed her to burn in the sun attempt to enlist her into their ranks, Ryann decides she has absolutely no time for any of their nonsense. Even if she has to kill them to get some peace and quiet.
It’s only fair. They killed her first.
She just wants to get her life in order and navigate this strange new reality she finds herself trapped in. But vampire turf wars, monsters in the dark, and people hunting Ryann for mysterious reasons make that very difficult. Luckily, she’s not alone. Helping her along is a soft werewolf dad, a polyamorous triad of badasses, a vampire with PTSD and a dry sense of humour, a childhood friend, and Rachel, a human girl that Ryann thinks is very cute.
Will Ryann defeat the darkness that haunts her, and the things within? Will she be able to avenge the injustice done to her, or will she become another monster, destined to be slain? Will she find out why people keep declaring her dead?
And will she ever figure out why her found family keeps calling her and Rachel girlfriends?
Only time will tell.
A werewolf and a vampire with an unbreakable bond. A cute witch fleeing her home for a crime she may or may not have committed. A burning desire for something more between them.
Years after becoming a vampire, Logan is finally on track to their goal: Making it big in the music industry with the support of their band and their girlfriend Kay, protector of the local supernatural community. For all its issues, with her by their side, Logan’s life is perfect. But when a new girl comes to town, Nemo, everything abruptly becomes much more complicated and Logan can’t ask Kay for help anymore. Because to do that, they’d have to admit to her that they’ve fallen for someone else…
Nemo, having fled her home for a crime she totally didn’t commit, finds a welcome distraction in Logan’s friendship. But her thoughts quickly become haunted by them and their gorgeous girlfriend.
As Kay realizes that what’s going on between Logan and Nemo exceeds the bounds of friendship, she has to make a choice: Keep her partner all to herself, or encourage them to explore their feelings, and explore her own. To let love make them one, or perhaps tear them apart.
Some monsters come with fangs, forked tongues and sharp scales. Some come with smiles, soft eyes and honeyed words.
Laura, a totally normal sized dragon, rules the peaceful Ashwood alongside her beloved twin sister (who can shut up about Laura's height!). However, when tales of monsters and treachery reach their secluded lair, Laura feels her control over her territory and the safety of her subjects slipping. And that is something she cannot allow.
Aiding her on her hunts is Rhi, a young, cheerful ranger who hides a dark secret just beneath their skin. They’re looking for their own vengeance, and definitely not for ill-fated romances with hot, confident dragons! They’re happy to assist Laura, especially if it gets them closer to their quarry. (And definitely not because she’s pretty!)
But monsters aren’t so easily slain, and the two of them end up fighting an uphill battle.
To complicate matters, Calia, once Laura’s friend, returns, invading her territory, her head, and her heart. With enemies lurking in the shadows, Laura has no time to start new relationships or rekindle old ones. But that doesn’t stop Calia, Bringer of Storms and toughest dragon around. She wants Laura, and no monsters will stand in her way, no matter what skin they wear. If they try… well, then she might just devour them all.
Will Laura be able to hold her own against the dangers surrounding her? Whom can she trust to guard her heart? And will they all weather the storm together, or be destroyed by it?
Three strangers—an art student in Paris, a Russian spy, and a South African programmer—find their lives intertwine as magic returns to Earth. Guided by the mysterious Celestials, they must choose how they use this force in a fight that will determine the fate of every single living thing on the planet.
The year 2113 is a post-modern America, after decades of warfare and the near collapse of civilisation, America is shattered into a dozen nations. Aiyana Cassidy is a genius physicist who has stumbled upon a technology that will revolutionize the world. She makes contact with her old high school friend Kendra Foster-Briggs, who is an employee of a shadowy organization called OutLook. Cassidy's experiments at Heavy Lift Corporation (HLC) into teleportation cause many different players to begin tracking her down. Kendra and Cassidy set of on a cross-continental journey to find some answers.
In this steampunk novel, their travels take them on a continent spanning adventure as we are introduced to a world of advanced technology, strange and unfamiliar landscapes and new discoveries.
David Cooper did not believe in happily ever after. He thought he'd let his chance at that pass him by—between work, being a single father and planning a Christmas party for his mother’s charity, his life was complicated enough. And then he has to ask Alex Capili, an old friend who just returned from the big city, to help run the charity event. Spending weeks working closely together, old feelings come up and David wonders if fairy tales really do come true.
Alex came home to help sell off his family’s restaurant. He was not looking for love, and happy endings only happen in movies. But nothing about this return trip home town is quite what he had expected, and David is still the best man he's ever known: a good father, with a heart as big as all outdoors... and disarmingly handsome.
Free on Kindle Unlimited
Joel McIntyre’s life is going nowhere, fast. Since breaking up with his ex he’s oversleeping and always late. To top it all off now he’s in danger of losing his job.
All he wants to do is enjoy his European vacation with his family. He has no time for romance. But a missed flight and a layover at Heathrow with a handsome soldier upends his life.
After returning home for the first time in years, Freddie d’Pierrepont finds that it is a mixed bag. And when his brother reveals he’s ill, the familial pressure really mounts.
Having a vacation fling was one thing, but you don’t just turn your life upside-down for a guy you met on holiday. Especially when you’re keeping a royal secret.
Can Joel and Freddie excavate true love from the ruins of their complicated lives?
Free on Kindle Unlimited
The Wizard's Garden
Sil, a plant lover and head clerk of a plant shop finds himself slowly befriending a quirky wizard, while also falling in love with his garden.
Rosemary for Remembrance
Vivian has always dreamed of being swept away from her ordinary life. A chance meeting with a mysterious stranger may just grant her wish.
Kingdom Fall
Imre had carefully calculated his every move to best serve his kingdom. But he could not foresee the past catching up to him and the choices of others.
Lady of Spring
Vinq is preparing to transition from a child into an adult. While she knows she can't avoid this right of passage, she also does not want to lose who she is.
Only 77p/$0.99 on Kindle!
Now all Lior wants is to find a cure for his brother and fix what went wrong. Unlike Louan, he refuses to give up and is open to the most drastic measures – even if it puts his chapter of incubi and succubae at risk. In the world of spirits, creatures that feed on human emotions, this is no small undertaking.
When Cameo of the shades, the ninth and most feared chapter of spirits, comes to Lord Asmode in search of a mystical gem, Lior sees a new opportunity. Tasked with guarding the shade girl, he tries to get beneath her armor of indifference, ignoring all warnings that shades feed off spirits like spirits off humans.
But when Lior pushes too far, it is Cami who takes him along. Unlikely as the pair may be, they set out on the chase for the gemma lustro – the mystical gem that might not only save Louan, but Cami’s chapter as well.
Spirit Chase – The Spirit Chapters is an Urban Fantasy story for adults that includes mature scenes (M/M, M/F). It is the first of The Spirit Chapters trilogy. Books should be read in order.
Free on Kindle Unlimited
Base Means: The Story of Jack and Ada
A boy trained to be a spy and a thiefA crippled girl who is a stranger to mercy
A former bodyguard in search of purpose
When Logan Svenson joins the mysterious TABLE as newest recruit, he has a hard time shaking his suspicions. A secret organization working for the greater good, employing sustainable means? Ending slave trafficking, returning stolen goods to the owner without being known? It sounds too good to be true. His wariness increases when he meets Jack and Ada, the prodigies who grew up inside the organization – even though they are both rolling their eyes at his questions.
But then the TABLE is attacked, and suddenly, all bets are off.
Who is gunning for them – and why?
And what game are the people at the TABLE truly playing?
Base means is the first part of a complete duology about the story of Jack and Ada, part spy novel, part psychological/medical mystery, part New Adult with a dash of M/F, M/M romance.
Free on Kindle Unlimited
Asagi is different. Both a man and a woman.
In the wake of his failure to protect a boy he saw as a son from their abusive master, Asagi is sold into the house of a young nobleman, Mahiro, who is the opposite of everything Asagi has ever known—gentle, kind, and generous.
Mahiro bonds with Asagi and their friendship blooms into a deep and profound love. But when Asagi is poisoned out of jealousy, Mahiro reveals himself to be youkai, a demon who feeds on blood, and he has no choice but to turn Asagi to save his life.
Asagi awakes reborn, strong, and eternally youthful. But the price for Asagi’s new life is high.
The blood of the innocent.
Just as Asagi’s trust in Mahiro falters, the boy he failed to protect, now a man, reappears.
New master, same threat.
With both a literal and proverbial monster at the door, Asagi must decide what it means to be human to protect what he loves most.
Content Warnings: physical abuse, s abuse (off-page), self-harm, blood, graphic violence
If you like Bella Forrest, P. C. Cast, AJ Tipton, or Anne Rice, you will love this beautiful dark paranormal fantasy romance.
A story both terrifying and romantic…and completely ridiculous.
Unless it is true.
Convinced something softer lurks behind Hideyoshi’s hard mask, Hiro follows him home. And discovers the story is real.
Only instead of the blood of his enemies, it is innocent blood taken.
Hideyoshi tells him never to return. Yet after Hiro’s mother is mortally wounded, Hiro runs back to the one being he knows with the power to save her. When Hideyoshi can’t, Hiro begs him for the next best thing: the power to avenge her.
As Hiro becomes youkai, he faces a new threat, something darker, older, and far more dangerous. With Hideyoshi at his side, Hiro must decide what he’s willing to sacrifice--and what he’s willing to do--to protect this new life before he loses everything for a second time.
If you like Bella Forrest, P. C. Cast, AJ Tipton, or Anne Rice, you will love this beautiful dark paranormal fantasy romance.
A fascinating, if disturbing, story about the challenges that confronted gays (and Jews) in 1930s New York.
Thief, Acolyte, Consort
A new city and a fresh start was what former thief Catt Zago was looking for, but what she found instead was Great Bakak, a city-state ruled ancient tradition and full of everyday magic. A place full of many gods and many people. A place where the King rules supreme, but the royal executioners seem to be calling the shots.
What Catt didn't expect was to meet a fascinating woman, a professor of magic at the local wizard university, doomed by a strange bit of luck to become the next King.
Catt wasn't planning on committing any crimes, this was supposed to be a safe place to start over, but now, could she really be contemplating stealing a King?
What Catt didn't expect was to meet a fascinating woman, a professor of magic at the local wizard university, doomed by a strange bit of luck to become the next King.
Catt wasn't planning on committing any crimes, this was supposed to be a safe place to start over, but now, could she really be contemplating stealing a King?
Will you be picking up any of these books? Do you have any recommendations? Let me know in the comments!
The Curse's Light Book Review
This post contains affiliate links
If you love Charmed, Beautiful Creatures, witches, curses, LGBTQIA+ rep, loveable characters and an action packed plot check out this book!
We follow Skylar and Will. Will is running away and accidentally finds himself trapped in a town. Skylar believes there is a curse on the town but no one believes her until she meets Will.
The mystery of how to break the curse keeps you reading and is very intriguing. Skylar is an interesting character and you really want her to be happy. She truly wants to help people despite how she is treated. Will is a supportive friend and struggling to work out his life after a break up. It's really nice to see the relationship between these two characters develop!
There are lots of different sexualities and relationships depicted in this book which is brilliant. This includes gay, lesbian, asexual, aromantic and bisexual representation.
Another thing that is great about this book is that you even become invested in the side characters and their relationships! I was really rooting for two side characters in particular.
This book was really enjoyable and I'd definitely recommend checking it out. It was a quick read with a gripping plot and complex characters, full of magic and intrigue.
Get the book on Amazon
Books and Blogs to Check Out: Monthly supporters showcase #10
This post contains affiliate links
Hi everyone and welcome to another monthly supporters showcase! This is where I share the books and blogs of my Ko-Fi members. Please check out their amazing work!
A. K. Faulkner
AK Faulkner is the author of the Inheritance series of contemporary fantasy novels, which begins with Jack of Thorns.
AK lives just outside of London, England, with a charismatic Corgi. Together they fight crime and try not to light too many fires on the way.
Visit AK's website at http://akfaulkner.com/
Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @poopraven
Jack of Thorns
Laurence Riley might be able to see the future, but he can't see a way to fix his messed-up life. He can't control anything—not his supernatural talents, not his drug addiction, and not his violent ex-boyfriend. Laurence needs help and he knows it. A lifelong pagan, he turns to his god... and he gets Jack. Jack can help Laurence tame his powers and take control of his life. But it comes at a price: Laurence will need to keep him fed with regular offerings of sex. For the old Laurence, that would've been a pleasure. Problem is, Laurence has met Quentin.
Quentin is devastatingly handsome, way out of Laurence's league (like British nobility levels of out-of-his-league), and unbearably chaste. If that weren’t enough to keep Laurence away, Quentin's wild telekinesis is even more uncontrollable than Laurence's precognition. But Laurence doesn't want anyone else, and Jack is getting hungry.
Then Laurence foresees a glimpse of Jack's true plan. It will leave a trail of death across San Diego--and Laurence has been helping him do it. The past has taught him that the future can't be changed. But if Laurence and Quentin can't stop Jack, there won't be any future at all.
Jack of Thorns is the first book in a dark urban fantasy series where X-Men meets The Magicians.
Quentin is devastatingly handsome, way out of Laurence's league (like British nobility levels of out-of-his-league), and unbearably chaste. If that weren’t enough to keep Laurence away, Quentin's wild telekinesis is even more uncontrollable than Laurence's precognition. But Laurence doesn't want anyone else, and Jack is getting hungry.
Then Laurence foresees a glimpse of Jack's true plan. It will leave a trail of death across San Diego--and Laurence has been helping him do it. The past has taught him that the future can't be changed. But if Laurence and Quentin can't stop Jack, there won't be any future at all.
Jack of Thorns is the first book in a dark urban fantasy series where X-Men meets The Magicians.
FREE on Kindle
Book Spotlight: The Emperor’s Servant by Fiona Forsyth
AD
Title: The Emperor’s Servant (second in the series)
Author: Fiona Forsyth
Currently on offer at 0.99 and available on Kindle Unlimited!
First book in the seriesSynopsis:
In the depths of serious illness, the Emperor Augustus is forced to rethink how he governs the city. He calls upon an unlikely helper. Lucius Sestius, one of those who fought against Augustus in the early days of the Roman Empire.
To Lucius’ consternation, he is catapulted into office just at a time when a pestilence is sweeping through Italy. Thousands of people are dying and the River Tiber is riding dangerously high. But Lucius finds himself not only fighting floods and an epidemic. A conspiracy is forming, centered on Lucius’ friend Aulus. The Emperor feels threatened and Lucius is expected to choose the right side, but when Aulus comes begging for help to escape Italy, Lucius cannot refuse.
It is a mistake that brings the Emperor’s wrath down upon him and Lucius must pay a heavy price to redeem himself in the eyes of Augustus.
Book Spotlight: The Demagogue Wars by C. Elmon Meade
AD
Title: The Demagogue Wars
Author: C. Elmon Meade
Genre: Dystopian thriller
Synopsis:
In “The Demagogue Wars,” Meade envisions a world in which political parties have devolved into tribalism, identity politics go unchecked, the Americas, Europe and Africa have become socialist states, technology controls warfare, and disinformation reigns supreme. In this version of America’s future, disparate rebel factions join forces with either alien or Heavenly beings to combat a Communist hegemonic power in a world besieged by decades of pestilence, war, and death. “The Plan” will be revealed to an indigenous girl while the world braces for annihilation!"
Award:
#FeedMyReadsAwards2022 Sci-Fi Novel of the Year
Video: