Natalina Reis's Blog, page 4
November 20, 2024
The Bodyguard – Book Review
The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Lately I have found myself craving rom coms, both in print and on the screen. Unfortunately not all rom coms are created equal so when a friend suggested I read Katherine Center’s “The Romcomers” I was cautiously excited. I read it and absolutely loved it. As soon as I finished it, I bought this one and I wasn’t disappointed.
The story is bubbly without being cheesy, the writing is excellent but not stuffy, the characters are fantastic (I really want to be their friend) and very well developed. The handling of serious issues was perfectly balanced with humor. In summary: I LOVED IT!
My only and super tiny bone to pick with the author is that I felt the epilogue went on for far too long. I was more than satisfied with the ending and I didn’t feel the epilogue added much to the story. It’s just my personal opinion and I am certain others will totally disagree.
But I did love the author’s note at the end. Being an author myself, I so identified with the feeling of joy and freedom that writing a good story can bring, and how attached we can get to our fictional characters. Thank you for writing this, Ms. Center.
If you like rom coms, don’t miss this one.
November 9, 2024
An Enchantment of Ravens – Book Review
An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was not sure what to expect from this book. I bought it partly because I love the cover, and partly because I loved her Sorcery of Thorns novel. But I am so glad I did because I loved it.
Some of the things I loved the most about it:
1. It’s an unusual story that doesn’t follow the same type of plotline as many recent romantasies (both YA and adult).
2. Love the use of art as a type of weapon against the ugly side of things (and by ugly, I mean everything shallow and evil).
3. The fact that Isobel’s love interest is not perfect, in fact he is–in his true form–pretty unsightly.
4. LOVED her twin sisters (I won’t say why but these are two of the most unusual characters I have read in a long time).
5. Isobel’s intelligence and smarts (redundant? Maybe).
6. The writing is fabulous with such vivid descriptions that you feel you can see, hear and smell it.
But the end was the cherry on top. I really couldn’t imagine how it would end with all the odds stacked way up against a happy ending. But Rogerson came through with a surprising and satisfying ending to the story.
Highly recommend it to any fantasy with a side of romance fans.
October 31, 2024
Golden Hills Haunting-Blog Tour
M.D. Neu has a new gay horror book out: Golden Hills Haunting.
After their daughter was bullied at school, Kyle and Alejandro decided to make a fresh start and move into a beautiful new cul-de-sac development. As they take up residence, the family enjoys seeing the community come to life. But when lights flicker, shadows lurk, and small objects disappear, they begin to doubt their sanity.
When Alejandro and many of their neighbors are struck down by a strange sickness that defies explanation, the family starts to question their recent life change. Feeling trapped they speak with their new neighbors, learning they aren’t alone in the haunted neighborhood.
Who do you turn to when the authorities can’t offer any assistance or protection? How do you fight against a sinister force that is older than time? Can Kyle, Alejandro and the rest of the occupants of Golden Hills Court survive or will this nightmarish ordeal destroy them?
Universal Buy LinkExcerpt
(from Chapter One)
When I decided to sit down and write our story, I wasn’t sure where to open, and I’m still not. Since things didn’t begin all bad, they kicked off slowly. Which makes finding the starting point difficult. I guess when we questioned what was happening in our neighborhood was the day Alejandro came home not feeling well. We’d been in our house for about four months, everything had been unpacked, and our new place felt like a home. Even Chloe, our daughter, had managed to make friends in the neighborhood. We’d had family and friends over and even managed to pull off a big party: our housewarming, which thinking back now should have been our first warning given what happened that day. I digress. Alejandro rarely came home from the office sick, but on that day, I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen him so ill.
We were lucky, of course. He was unwell, but he wasn’t as bad as some of our neighbors. By the time we got Alejandro settled in bed to rest, three different ambulances had shown up on our cul-de-sac dealing with numerous medical emergencies at various houses. By that evening, almost every home in our circle had been visited by emergency services. The media didn’t catch wind of the story for a few more days, not until the EPA showed up. Hell, everyone arrived, PG&E, San Jose Water, representatives from the housing development, the County, basically every government organization you might throw a rock at. The weeks that followed were only the beginning of our nightmare.
This new house had been our dream, one we had been working toward for years and we needed the change desperately. Our home was the second finished on our street and we were the second family to move in. Yes, we were going to be living around construction for a couple more weeks, but for this house, the daily construction would be worth it, especially at the price we paid. In this valley, these homes were an outright steal. Chloe, in theory, would be at school during the day or off with friends or at therapy. Alejandro and I both worked so we wouldn’t be around during the day when a majority of the construction commenced. Well, except for me. I still worked from home three days a week, but I could manage the noise; I had my music. The only real problem: the traffic as people were moving in and construction teams came and went. We imagined we’d be able to deal with the building and the neighborhood, but we were wrong.
The cause of the mystery illnesses. What a joke. It wasn’t a gas leak or anything in the water or the dirt. We were all looking for the wrong things. At the time, no one ever contemplated we were under attack from the supernatural or paranormal or whatever you want to call a bunch of pissed off spirits and a horde of Demons thrown in for good measure.
But is that when everything commenced?
I don’t think so.
We should have known something was off when we went to the sales center, about three months prior to our moving in. Let me start from before we moved in and go from there. Knowing how things began will help paint a full picture.
Our new neighborhood, our new home, was an infill neighborhood, one of those small groupings of houses that are built on a subdivided parcel of land. They do that a lot in San Jose, with housing being an issue. It’s funny, there wasn’t even a model home to look at. There was a portable sales office with floor plans and finishes to pick from. How we got the house didn’t matter to us; getting the house was what mattered. Chloe needed the change, especially with all she had been dealing with. So, when I found out they were building this infill community, I told Alejandro and we understood we would have to move promptly. After seeing the information, the next day we called out from work and drove to Evergreen to check the location.
The area had everything we were looking for. Chloe could walk to the school, Chaboya Middle School, and she would have to make new friends, but we understood she’d manage. Chloe was social despite the trouble she had when we first got her. There were parks and a creek, plus several trails for hiking and biking. Down Fowler Road at Ruby Avenue a quaint Evergreen Village had been established with shops, restaurants, and larger stores. We couldn’t have asked for a better neighborhood.
If we only knew.
Author Bio
M.D. Neu is an international award-winning inclusive queer Fiction Writer with a love for writing and travel. Living in the heart of Silicon Valley (San Jose, California) and growing up around technology, he’s always been fascinated with what could be. Specifically drawn to Science Fiction and Paranormal television and novels, M.D. Neu was inspired by the great Gene Roddenberry, George Lucas, Stephen King, Alice Walker, Alfred Hitchcock, Harvey Fierstein, Anne Rice, and Kim Stanley Robinson. An odd combination, but one that has influenced his writing.
Growing up in an accepting family as a gay man he always wondered why there were never stories reflecting who he was. Constantly surrounded by characters that only reflected heterosexual society, M.D. Neu decided he wanted to change that. So, he took to writing, wanting to tell good stories that reflected our diverse world.
When M.D. Neu isn’t writing, he works for a non-profit and travels with his biggest supporter and his harshest critic, Eric his husband of twenty plus years.
Website: http://www.mdneu.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Writer_MDNeu
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mdneuauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormdneu/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-d-neu
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/66488958-md
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AuthorMDNeu
QueerRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/m-d-neu/
Liminal Fiction: https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/m-d-neu/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/M-D-Neu/e/B076FK1S14
Chaos Kin – Cover Reveal
Sheryl R. Hayes has a new FF paranormal romance book coming out (bi, poly), Jordan Abbey book 3, and we have the cover reveal: Chaos Kin.
In the town of Rancho Robles, can one werewolf protect the Children of the Wolf and the Bat? Chaos Wolf Jordan Abbey has made friends among the Black Oak Pack even though she refuses to join it. The same can’t be said of the vampires, but her life has taken a turn for the better.
That is until Enya Blevins, sister to the werewolf who turned Jordan, arrives in Rancho Robles. She wants to know who killed her baby brother and is less than impressed by the Chaos Wolf. Enya wants revenge, starting with Jordan and ending with the vampires infesting the area.
Jordan is prepared to flee, but a technicality makes her an Alpha Werewolf. Now she must stand her ground to protect her nascent Pack and those she loves.
The past has come back to bite her. Does she have the fangs to bite back?
About the Series:
In the Northern California town of Rancho Robles where the Children of the Wolf and the Bat share an uneasy coexistence. One werewolf woman threatens to upset that balance.
Universal Buy Link | Liminal Fiction | GoodreadsAuthor Bio
Sheryl R. Hayes can be found untangling plot threads or the yarn her three cats have been playing with. She is equally likely to be shooing one of them off the keyboard as she is working on her novels and short stories. In addition to writing, she is a cosplayer focusing on knit and crochet costumes.
Author Website: https://www.sherylrhayes.com
Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/sherylreneehayes
Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/sherylrhayes
Author Mastodon: https://mastodon.online/@sherylrhayes
Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sherylrhayes/
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16468770.Sheryl_R_Hayes
Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com): https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/sheryl-r-hayes/
Author Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/sherylrhayes
October 24, 2024
Rivers of London – Book Review
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I picked up this book after an author’s recommendation at a writer’s conference panel. A few years ago I started having at least two books going at the same time: one physical or e-book and an audio book. I bought Rivers of London as an audio book.
I LOVED it! It had great voice, amazing world building where the fantasy flawlessly blended in with reality, awesome characters, intricate mystery, and a very healthy dose of humor.
The voice actor did an excellent job and I looked forward to my commute to and from work everyday just to listen to the story developing and evolving.
I already picked up book 2 in the series and I can only hope it’s just as good and that we can find out who exactly is the penis snatcher, lol.
Great read. Highly recommend it to anyone who likes urban fantasy or really any fantasy with mystery and action.
October 19, 2024
A Study in Scarlet Women-Review
A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I picked up this book after a friend writer recommended it but I wasn’t quite sure if I’d like it. Even though I love the Sherlock stories and the shows that stemmed from them, I’m a mood reader and reading something about an eccentric man who seems to be totally out of touch with feelings and shows very little empathy for others was not in my top list of things to get lost in.
But Sherri Thomas won me over. This female version of Sherlock is awesome. Yes, the main character is still someone not quite in touch with her feelings, not always empathetic, someone who lives in her own world but Thomas makes it work for me.
The mystery is amazing (I hate to admit it that I never saw it coming) and intricate, the subtle commentary on women’s life back in Sherlock’s times and their lack of even the most basic rights is excellent, and the other characters in the story (her sister, Inspector Treadles, Mrs. Watson, and her love interest, Lord Ingram) are well-developed and interesting. And the writing is fabulous.
What I was not expecting was the romance. No, there’s no “spice”, but man it’s hot!!! The sexual tension between Charlotte (Sherlock) and Lord Ingram is off the charts (especially toward the end of the book) even if never really acted on in this first book in the series.
Highly recommend it and I will be buying the second in the series right away.
October 11, 2024
Meet You At The Blossom – Series Review
I don’t like to give bad reviews about artistic endeavors, be it a book, a painting, or a movie. But once in a while I have to, because I’m baffled by the popularity of such work and the great reviews they get.
This is one of those cases. I started watching this series on a streaming service because it had 9.2 out of 10 stars given by viewers and also because it was a short series (only 12 episodes compared to the usual 30-60 of shows of the same type). I had just finished a long Chinese romcom series and was ready for a romantic quick story.
So I decided to watch Meet You at the Blossom, a BL period fantasy. Within the first couple episodes I was ready to DNF it. But I kept going, hoping that it would get better. It didn’t.
I feel I should first disclose that I am well aware this is the first Chinese BL show that unabashedly shows the same gender couple being physical, and I commend both the producers and the actors who will undoubtedly face a lot of backlash from the government’s censorship. I am also aware that apparently the film crew and everyone else involved invested their own money to make this movie. Kudos for the guts and the vision. However, I cannot honestly say something was good when it really wasn’t.
Back to my review.
The best part of the series was the ending. I don’t mean this to be sarcastic, I mean it literally: the ending was actually pretty funny and kind of sweet. The rest was all an exercise in bad acting (overacting), bad writing, love scenes that reeked of lack of consent, and bad/wrong casting.
A few actors/characters were at least fun to watch, like Xiao Bo goofy servants and his little sister. The cranky doctor was not terrible either. All other ones, especially the major roles, were extremely overacted. The young actor who played Xiao Bo was a decent enough pick for the role of a spoiled rich young man and had some bright moments where he truly came across as very young, immature man, someone who didn’t have much of a connection with the harsh realities of life. On the other hand, Leslie Li who played the morally grey and tortured hero Huai En seemed like a poor choice for the role, which called for a strong, kickass, take-no-prisoners, cruel look.
The romance part (BL/Gay romance) didn’t quite work either, as the writers placed Xiao Bo having his bi-awakening by basically being raped by the one who was to be his love interest. Even worse was the fact that it was done in a way that made it look as if he liked it. This is the kind of scene that made me quit reading the Outlander years ago and now almost made me quit watching this series. People apparently confuse violence for passion. Big no-no in my book. There are a couple more sexual (insinuated rather than shown for the most part) scenes like this one where it looks and sounds as if the younger man is being forced rather than a willing participant.
Another thing that bothered me was the overly long scenes when Xiao Bo was suffering under the influence of poison, which focused on the character rolling around in pain in bed or on the floor for what it felt like forever. To be fair, one of the better-acted scenes for Wang Yun Kai (who plays Xiao Bo) is one where he’s in extreme pain while being treated for the poisoning. His pain at that time came across as real, unlike in other parts of the show. I may have cried a little.
A small spattering of decent and entertaining things: the young girl who plays Xiao Bo’s sister is a definite highlight in the last two episodes, The weird (and very handsome) doctor with the worst bedside manners, the first actual romantic kiss between the two lovers is very sweet (I never felt much chemistry between those two, unlike Wei Ying and Lan Zhan of Untamed fame who never even hugged throughout the whole 50 episodes but exuded sexual chemistry), and a hilariously overacted goodbye scene between Xiao Bo and one of his servants.
I should have DNFed it, lol. On the bright side? It was pretty short and I can now advance to better ones, I hope.
September 21, 2024
The Death Bringer-Book Tour
J. Scott Coatsworth has a new queer sci-fantasy book out, The Tharassas Cycle book four: The Death Bringer.
AIK WILL NEVER BE THE SAME… AND NEITHER WILL HIS WORLD
War is coming. Aik has become the Progenitor, and the Seed Mother has released him to transform the world for her alien brood. Silya and Raven, Aik’s former friends, are the only ones who can save him and the world. But what if the cure is worse than the invasion?
As Silya rushes to prepare Gullton for the battle to come, she’s determined to save as many people as she can. But new crises emerge that demand her attention.
Raven has his own hands full, keeping the dragon-like verent in line, while helping Silya to save the world. But what if the only way to do so is to sacrifice Aik, the man that he loves?
It’s the end of the world … or could it be the start of something new?
About the Series:
The Tharassas Cycle is a four book sci-fantasy series set on the recently colonized world of Tharassas. When humans first arrived on planet, they thought they were alone until the hencha mind made itself known. But now a new threat has arisen to challenge both humankind and their new allies on this alien world.
Universal Buy LinkExcerpt
Regroup
He floated, weightless and naked, surrounded by a reddish light and suspended in fluid. Something connected to his mouth and wrapped around his head, like a lover’s embrace.
He used to have a name. He searched his mind for some clue to his identity. I exist, so I must be someone. Or something.
That made sense, but got him no closer to an answer. He blinked. Who am I?
There was no immediate reply.
He lifted his hand. It was encased in metal. The gauntlet. That much he remembered, though it meant nothing to him. Except… it seemed different, somehow. Thinner.
He moved his arms in the liquid, and it sparkled around him where his shifting disturbed it. The metal extended down his wrist and along his forearm, like before, but now it went farther, around his elbow and up his bicep. He touched it with his free hand.
I can feel it. It was as if the metal had become a part of him, his nerves growing through it. He held out his metallic hand and flexed his fingers. What is it?
We call it uurcaa. It’s a sacred metal—it will protect you, and if your host dies, it will collect and save your soul.He could feel the emotions she held back from him. It is the last of its kind from our homeworld. Like us.
He blinked. Then what am I?
You are my son, Iihil. The progenitor, the one who has come before and the first of many more like you. The voice was deep and comforting.
Mother. Warmth infused him at her voice, and an eagerness to please her.
Still, something wasn’t right. He was more than that. He searched his mind, running up against that stubborn blankness. Somewhere beyond it were the answers he needed.
He’d been someone else. Before.
Who was I? Memories of a face—dark hair, intense eyes that nevertheless twinkled at him. Raven.
It came flooding back to him. His mother. His life in Gullton. Training to be a guard and meeting Raven for the first time. My name is Aik.
He reached for the mask that covered his face. It was suffocating. Something was stuck in his throat, and he coughed hard, trying to force it out, whipping around and causing the liquid around him to flash red in alarm.
Calm yourself. The voice was as thick and heavy as an ix hide, and just as soft and warm.
Aik pushed back. What are you doing to me? I don’t want this! Let me out! He thrashed about, trying to force his way through the suffocating liquid. The metal crept up his shoulder. If it covered all of him, he would be lost.
Calm yourself! It was more insistent this time.
Aik stiffened as an enforced lethargy settled over him. He lost control of his limbs, falling still in his floating prison. The voice pressed against his mind. You’re safe. Be calm, my little one.
He closed his eyes and thought of Raven, trying to stay fixed on that face. I can’t let myself forget again.
Then the world around him dissolved, and he was swept up in a torrent of memories that weren’t his own.
Author Bio
Scott lives with his husband Mark in a yellow bungalow in Sacramento. He was indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine. He devoured her library, but as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were.
He decided that if there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends.
A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, Liminal Fiction, and Other Worlds Ink with Mark, sites that celebrate fiction reflecting queer reality, and was the committee chair for the Indie Authors Committee at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) for almost three years.
Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com)
September 19, 2024
The Rom-Commers – Book Review
The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’ve always loved romance, but for the past few years I had grown a bit disenchanted with the genre after reading one after another bad story that focused on little else than sex. Nothing against sex, but romance for me goes beyond that. I tried the so-called sweet romances and I couldn’t get into them either–there was no sexual tension and the love was kind of bland.
Recently I was at a bookstore event with other romance writers (did I forget to mention, I am a romance writer? Oh, the irony of it all) and I was telling this to one of them and she recommended a few rom-coms she had enjoyed in the past. I bought one of them to give romance another try.
And oh boy, am I glad I did. I absolutely LOVED The Rom-Commers, so much so I already bought another of Center’s rom-coms.
This book is witty (in the best way), well-written, full to the brim with subtle romantic moments (like when the MMC takes line-dancing classes just to please the FMC or how he says he loves her hair enough for both of them), high on sexual tension (without sex scenes), bits of drama to keep it real, and lots and lots of delightful humor.
I cannot recommend it enough. It was just what I needed to remind myself why I fell in love with romance as a young woman and the reason I write it myself.
Thank you Ms. Center, keep writing these fabulous stories.
Poison in Their Hearts – Book Review
Poison in Their Hearts by Laura Sebastian
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Great ending to a fabulous series. I did pay extra to buy the UK version because of the cover and it’s so worth it.
This series has a little of everything I love in a fantasy: great imperfect characters, awesome world building without overwhelming the reader with minute details, action, intrigue, surprises, and of course a touch of romance.
My next Sebastian read will be her first adult novel and I can’t wait, considering I have loved everything I have read under her pen.
Highly recommend it to anyone who loves court-intrigue fantasy. Even though this is a YA novel, it doesn’t read as juvenile at all.
What’s next Ms. Sebastian?
