Natalina Reis's Blog, page 18

Chain of Iron – Review

Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’m truly loving this series. The characters are amazing and the snark is back. I’m a little pissed at the end just because I will now have to wait until the next book comes out to find out what happens and truth be told I’m also a little annoyed with James for (spoiler alert) having allowed Grace to hug him at the end. Come on, James, you are smarter than that.
Can’t wait to read the next one. A quick word of praise to whoever the cover artist is. Amazingly beautiful covers in this series. Couldn’t recommend enough.

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Dating the Intern- New Release

Author: Natalina ReisTitle: Dating the InternGenre: Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: May 1, 2021Cover Designer: RMGraphXAVAILABLE NOW!Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0918RB3XBAll Links: https://books2read.com/datingtheintern Who would have thought that pretending to be in love could feel so real?Ivory Tower is the successful owner and CEO of an online dating service who prides herself in matching her clients with their true love. Everyone except herself. When a TV studio wants to spotlight her company live on air, Ivory runs into a problem: she can’t produce the boyfriend she needs so she doesn’t look like a fraud.When Li Qiang, her ten-years-younger and toe-curlingly-handsome intern, offers to pose as her boyfriend, Ivory thinks her problem has been solved, but it’s going to take more than the perfect algorithm to get out of this situation. Li Qiang is too easy to love and too hard to forget, and the question remains: Does he really love her or is he only playing his role? Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0918RB3XBAmazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0918RB3XBAmazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0918RB3XBAmazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0918RB3XB Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | InstagramNatalina wrote her first romance at the age of thirteen. Since then she has published eleven romances that defy the boundaries of her genre. She enjoys writing all kinds of rebels and outcasts into her stories and she always roots for the underdog.

Natalina doesn’t believe you can have too many books or too much coffee. Art and dance make her happy and she is pretty sure she could survive on lobster and bananas alone. When she is not writing or stressing over lesson plans, she shares her life with her husband and two adult sons.

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Six of Crows- Book Review

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So I have conflicting feelings about this book. I loved the writing. The characters are so well developed with all their qualities and flaws, their backstories, their secrets, their loves. The world developing is pretty amazing too and there are some great surprises along the way (which in my book is always a good thing).
There were a couple things that bothered me. The ending was one of them. I know this is a duology so I’m not going to dwell on it. I know there will be a resolution for it in the next book.
The first chapter really bugged me. I get it that the author is setting up the stage for us to understand what the drug did to the Grisha but when pretty much all of those characters disappear, never to be mentioned again, I had to question the need for that chapter. I felt cheated because I thought the young guard, Joost and the Grisha girl he liked would be the MCs and when they vanish from the story and a whole new group of characters is introduced I felt a little confused.
I also felt at times that Kaz was way too smart, too cunning, always guessing the possibility of things happening when things were really impossible to predict. His character is great–his reason for the gloves blew my mind–but it did feel a bit too unrealistic at times (and yes, I’m aware this is a fantasy).
Another thing that bugged me was the sheer number of voice actors involved in the audiobook. To hear so many different voice interpretations for one character was just weird.
But all in all it was a great read and I will be definitely reading the next book in the duology. Great escapism.

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What’s In a Setting?

I find that the setting of a story is extremely important to set the mood. In the case of Of Scales and Fire the setting goes even further. As I wrote the series I felt as if the places where the plot was progressing was more like a character than just a setting.

This book was originally titled Monking Around (a title I still love because it makes me laugh and I’m all for chuckles) because of one of the settings in the story, a real place in Sintra, Portugal called Convento dos Capuchos (Capuchin Convent). It is a very different “convent” from all the others in the country and possibly the world. A mysterious, peaceful place that is thought of as a convent when it was built and inhabited by a male religious order (the Capuchins) not nuns.

Ancient rocks and stone building. Convent of the Capuchos, Sintra, Lisbon Region, Portugal

This is a place that was built within a mountain blessed with a micro-climate that provides for an idyllic atmosphere. It was a place of meditation and simplicity and every building blends in with nature around it.

Stone stairs covered moss in Medieval cloister of the Convento dos Capuchos or Capuchin monastery in Sintra, Portugal

It was the perfect setting for many scenes in my book. In it by itself it lent mystery to the story while providing some sexy moments and even some laughs. It also provided my main character, Aiden with the optimum chance to find out something about his own nature.

Stone table at the Medieval cloister of the Convento dos Capuchos or Capuchin monastery in Sintra, Portugal

Of course, setting a story in an old, almost mystical convent also provided this author with a unique chance to add magical monks to the cast of characters. Who could ask for anything more?

**images purchased by the author from Deposit Photos**

Anatomy of a Cover

Cover by BookSmith Design

We all know the saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover,” right? The truth is that most of us do. I certainly admit to having bought books in the past because I fell in love with the cover. But I think we all can agree that a cover can and should say a lot about the book.

I am very fortunate to work with great cover artists who are amazing at taking the little information I give them and coming up with covers that truly speak to what’s inside. Of Scales & Fire is no exception. Here’s a quick rundown on the symbolism of what’s in its cover.

On the top background there are scales, but not just any scales. Merman scales. How do I know they are merfolk’s? Well, you’re just going to have to trust me on this.Our lovely and sexy couple “crowns” the cover and hints at the interracial relationship of my two main characters, Aiden and Naël.The tagline tells the potential reader that there will be lots of humor and magic creatures in the story within.The color scheme of reds and ochres point at the earthy and fiery tones of the setting, the main characters’ relationship, and the plot.The bottom part is taken by a picture of underground Roman galleries, one place where a very important and revealing part of the story takes place.

Does this look like something you’d be interested? Grab a copy now.

Graphic Noiz – Release Tour and Review

 

 

 

Natsuya Uesugi has a new queer/mm yaoi romance out: graphic noiz 3. And there’s a giveaway!

Noiz (Wolf Tadashi Begay) is anxious as he gets involved in the New York City manga artist community who teases him calling him “Gaijin.” The community says he is not “Japanese enough” to be a mangaka while New Yorker’s say he doesn’t “act Black enough.”

Having grown up in Japan and on the Reservation after his parents died, his childhood trauma causes Noiz to doubt himself and his talents going on a journey of self-discovery as he navigates being an artist, coming out as gay, and being Hafu (half Japanese and half Native American). He finds he doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere.

Turning to Shiro Ijima, the famous Japanese SF writer who initially insults him, the aloof writer uses his own sordid past as a mangaka who was abused by his narcissistic mentor to help Noiz accept that being different does mean inferior but unique.

 

Publisher | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN | Amazon AUS

 

Giveaway

Natsuya is giving away a $20 Amazon gift certificate with this tour:

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Series Blurb:

Year old raving otaku and anime fanatic, Noiz a indie manga artist, fresh out of art school with a two year degree. Crator of his original SF manga, Disaster Code, he is eager to show off his first finsihed volume at New York Comic Convention.

Discouraged when no one stops by his table, he is intrigued when famous former manga artist, Shiro Ijima, author of the bestselling SF Fissure novels is showcasing his latest book at the con. When Noiz notices Shiro at his table and compliments his art, a chain of events that leds Shiro’s agent Keita to inquire if Noiz is available to work on Shiro’s new property.

Keita asks Noiz to illustrate Shiro’s new Fissure manga and the game of cat and mouse as Shiro leads Noiz on flirting with him in a seductive and manipulated game starts roping Noiz in hard. its all about the contract, but Shiro has other things in mind?

Author Bio

 

 

 

An award-nominated writer and manga artist with a BA degree in English, a minor in Japanese, an art degree in animation, and an MBA in International Management, certificate in Social Engineering and multiple awards for articles on Net Neutrality, Privacy,, LGBT Youth Homelessness, Cybersecurity and Cyberbullying, Natsuya is writing his dream of showcasing fictional minority characters in positions of power.

Of Multi-cultural Mixed heritage,, he sees life through the lens of challenge, marginalization, personal power and systemic marginalization of QPoC minority voices that are often silenced and invisible in mainstream literature, film, and comics. Focused on bringing stories of empowerment, truth, triumph and hope against insurmountable odds, Natsuya uses fiction, fantasy, and yaoi to spread his positive message encouraging young people to live their truth and dare to be their genuine selves. His stories, lauded for bringing visibility featuring Queer People of Colour, showcase the power of a multicultural viewpoint and the power of daring to pen diverse, real world fiction fostering the complex aesthetic of #OwnVoices realness, beauty, and truth.

Author Website: https://www.natsukoarts.com

Author Facebook (Personal): https://m.facebook.com/natsuya.uesugi

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://m.facebook.com/graphicnoiz/

Author Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/natsuya_uesugi

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natsuyauesugi

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4558587.Natsuya_Uesugi

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/tag/natsuya-uesugi/

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Natsuya-Uesugi/e/B00J6EDQQ6

 

My Review

All in all, Graphic Noiz was a fun read that touched on some serious and relevant themes such as mixed ethnicities, cultural and racial identity, and even rape. It featured characters from different cultures and backgrounds which is always a plus for me and the author/artist did a good job at representing Noiz confusion and Shiro’s trauma. 

I did think however that the writing of Noiz’s insecurities about his multi-racial ancestry was a bit repetitive (Noiz repeated the same questions many times throughout the book in the same words) and I wonder if the point would have been made stronger if the script was a bit more diversified in terms of text. I did love the support he got from both Shiro and Shawn (we all need someone like that in our lives to remind us how amazing we are) and at times I wanted to slap him and yell, “Will you listen to them already?” LOL.

The romance writer in me loved the romance between Shiro and Noiz (so glad Shiro finally confided in Noiz about his past) and the HFN ending made me smile. 

 

 

Desperate Desires – New Release

DESPERATE DESIRESSNOW TWINS BOOK ONEDARK LEOPARDS MC – WEST MICHIGAN CHAPTERRELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 22, 2021GENRE: CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE, SUSPENSE, MC, PNR BUY LINKS: https://bookgoodies.com/a/B08SW5JC61 SNOW

As a young boy, abandoned by my parents and ripped apart from my twin sister, I learned early on that the world was full of evil and hate. I survived by living between the light and darkness, using my shifter abilities to stay alive…until one mistake should have cost me my life. Instead, it became my salvation and gave me a family and band of brothers who had my back no matter what.

The Dark Leopards MC was not a gang to be trifled with, and many gave us a wide birth, and as the Sergeant At Arms, I ensured that’s the way it stayed. But someone was trying to encroach on our territory and begin a war. I suspect the woman I saved, the woman whom I discover is my mate, is tied to it all somehow. I just have to figure out the puzzle before it’s too late.

VERITY

I was only trying to help a friend. The last thing I ever thought is that my friend would try to kidnap me, but thankfully someone or something saved me. Rushing to meet my roommate, Siam, I got another shock when the gang responsible for my brother’s death are her friends. I didn’t care if her brother had mesmerizing eyes or if I had a hard time not thinking about him. He was the enemy!

But even as my enemy, he may be my only chance to stay alive and learn the truth. And if Snow is the one protecting me in and out of bed, I wouldn’t complain too much.

**Previous published in Dark Leopards MC, Michigan Chapter, it has been expanded and contains new content.

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The alley was pitch black, but I could still see through the inkiness thanks to my animal counterpart. Like most other cats, snow leopards had great eyesight and could see in the dark. It also meant we could approach our prey without necessarily being detected. At the other end of the alley, a man was dragging a woman, his arm coiled around her neck, holding her tightly as she slapped and clawed at him, struggling to break free. One of her shoes was missing, her once pristine white dress had been soiled brown and ripped in spots, and her skin was marred with scrapes and cuts. I could already see some bruises forming on her arms and face. In her abductor’s other hand, the man held a large sharp knife under her chin. Holding her head high and away from the blade, she did what she could, but nothing worked. She wanted away from him and whimpered as she attempted to pull away, the tip of the knife poking her every time she did. Along the column of her neck, a red line of blood trailed down, stopping at the top of her pale breasts, which could be seen just above her low-cut sheath dress.

I saw red and fury flooded my system. I couldn’t control myself. My inner beast cried out, and before I knew it, I’d shifted without thought to where I was or who could have seen me. I didn’t care. My only concern was for this woman and taking out the bastard who dared manhandle her.

I was bigger than any normal snow leopard, but then again, I wasn’t fully beast or man. I was a hybrid of the two, and my sister and my brothers at arms were the same. Unlike Siam, though, I was a hunter, and I would catch my quarry.

This woman, the one this man dared to touch, was mine. My leopard had caught her scent, more pronounced in the narrow alley. Her emotions were making her pheromones leak from every pore on her body. Initially, I thought it was a different scent, flowery and crisp, something that beckoned to me, but it hadn’t clicked until I’d shifted. In this form, all of my senses were magnified, allowing me to see better, smell more, hear everything. Her scent wrapped itself around me, enticing me, prodding me to act and save her. The beast within me understood immediately. We were smelling our mate. The one person who would belong to me alone, and no one else was allowed to touch her. The bastard had to die for what he had done to her.

Stalking on the soft pads of my feet toward him, I yowled, warning him I was coming. Of course, being a snow leopard, it wasn’t as menacing as a tiger, lion, or almost any other kind of big cat. It came out more as a growl mixed with a seal bark, which sounded more like a whiney ass cat. It was the only drawback, but what I lacked in roar, my snow leopard made up for in spades with everything else. Besides, if he thought I wasn’t a danger to him, that was his own damn fault. I was large and could leap farther and higher than any other cat on earth. I could also spin on a dime if needed. There was no way my prey would ever be able to get away from me once I was locked onto my target.

I saw him flinch. The bastard heard my call, and thanks to the buildings, it pelted him from all angles, echoing around him, making my yowl sound more menacing than it normally did. I cried out again and watched as he looked from side to side, trying to find me up high, never looking directly in front of him.

Maria Vickers is a bestselling and award-winning author who currently resides in St. Louis, MO with her pug, Spencer Tracy. She has always had a passion for writing and after she became disabled in 2010, she decided to use writing as her escape. Life is about what you make of it, you have to live it to the fullest no matter the circumstances.

From a young age, she has always loved books and even dreamed of being an author when she was younger. Growing up in the Navy, she used to weave tales for her siblings and her friends about anything and everything. And when she wasn’t creating her own stories, she had a book in her hand. They transported her to another world. She hopes that her readers will have the same experience when reading her stories, and that, in some way, they can relate to her characters.

Getting sick changed her life forever, but it also opened doors for her that she thought would always be out of reach.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariavickersbooks/IG: https://www.instagram.com/authormariavickers/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mvauthorAmazon: amazon.com/author/mariavickersGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/mariavickers_authorBookbub:https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maria-vickersNewsletter: http://eepurl.com/cvH8tXWebsite: https://authormariavickers.blogspot.comJoin her reader group, Maria’s Love Seekers:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1362108480474447/ @LipServicesPRLip Services PR

Upside Down – Book Review

Upside Down by N.R. Walker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely loved this book. I have read a couple other books by N.R. Walker and really enjoyed her characters, her sense of humor and the way the main couple’s relationship develops. This one was no different. I originally picked up this book because, as a writer I was curious to see how an asexual romance would be portraited. I had read several recommendation from asexual readers praising this book so I picked it up. I was pretty much loving it by the end of the first chapter. Jordan is such a great character with his irreverent sense of humor, his penchant for what he calls “word diarrhea”, and his very relatable fear of labels (who wants to be labeled anyway?). Even his obsession with a certain F-word hit me as hilarious because it fit him so naturally (I normally do not like the frequent use of profanity in books because it distracts me from the story). The support characters are great: lovable with all their flaws and quirks and their friendship makes you green with envy. OMG and the Soup Crew! What a funny and touching group of side characters. I highly recommend this book. It is sure to put a smile on your face.

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From Blood and Ash

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was really excited about this book and I was not disappointed. Loved the characters, the way Armentrout plays with the idea of vampirism, the shadowy area between right and wrong, good and evil. I also loved the fact that the closest people to the Maiden were willing to break rules to protect her. And then there’s Hawke. He’s awesome. I can’t say I was totally surprised by the turn of events toward the end of the book. I had my suspicions, but the ending was a total shocker and I love being surprised like that.
I’m not giving a full five star rating because at times something felt off for me, and I’m not even sure what it was. Maybe the very cautious way the author described certain things like the Duke’s “lessons” (which I thought kind of blurred or watered down the power potential of those scenes). Or the very immature (almost childish) way the Maiden sometimes related events or feelings.
That said, I am looking forward to reading the next one and I fully recommend this series to anyone who loves a good romantic fantasy. Thank you Ms. Armentrout for writing such a wonderful story.

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Love Your Life- Book Review

Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s no secret that Sophie Kinsella is one of my favorite writers. I can always count on her to make me laugh while still pushing me to think of common–and not so common–problems of our lives, especially when it comes to relationships. This book was a delight with her usual imperfect but lovable characters always a bit clueless but full of good intentions. It was just what the doctor ordered for this gloomy time we’re living in. Great inner dialogue as always and the dog! OMG, Harold was a character indeed. Great story, great characters. Thank you, Ms. Kinsella.

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