Talon P.S.'s Blog, page 37

BOOKS ‘n COZY SPOTS Book reviews – FINN: Endangered Fae by Angel Martinez

4 Stars!

Review of FINN: ENDANGERED FAE, by Angel Martinez.
{copy was submitted by the author for fair and honest opinion}
Review by Jaycee for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews, www.Talon-ps.com
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Lost and starving, Finn wakes to a poisoned world, but a man comes to him, a white light in the darkness—can a centuries old pooka find what he needs with a heartbroken, modern man?
When Diego rescues a naked man from the rail of the Brooklyn Bridge, he just wants to get the poor man out of traffic and to social services. He gets more than he bargained for when he discovers Finn is an ailing pooka, poisoned by the city’s pollution. To help him recover, Diego takes him to New Brunswick where Finn inadvertently wakes an ancient, evil spirit: the wendigo.
While they struggle to find a way to destroy the wendigo before it can possess Diego or kill nearby innocents, Diego wrestles with his growing feelings for Finn. Kill the monster and navigate a relationship between a modern man and a centuries old pooka. Piece of cake.
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I must start by admitting to being slightly…okay, hugely biased on the side of romance, paranormal romance being at the top of my personal food chain. It’s all about the love story for me, and let’s face it: Urban Fantasy commonly just doesn’t get there fast enough!
Until now.
In this particular Urban Fantasy, the love story is still the subplot (grumbles madly) though perhaps not quite so “sub” in plot as is customary, and is in fact, a love story for the ages or through the ages. Literally. And that sound you hear is the romance reader in me applauding madly.
However, the predominant back-story will satisfy the UF readers with rich detail and extensive history that also dabbles in myth and magic, and is pretty inclusive of all things supernatural.
Combine the two this nicely and you have something that satisfies most readers, with plenty of the requisite UF openings for an ongoing storyline, and a warm and cozy HFN for two compelling characters whose lives define romantic.
I utterly love Finn. His blend of innocence yet old-world wisdom is a pleasing read and the humour provided by both sides of his character coin, up the ante even more. His inherent supernatural powers and yet startling weaknesses, at least compared to some of the other supes, makes him far more complex than this gentle soul might otherwise appear.
Diego is a tree-hugging, granola-crunching, soul-saving human who would seem to be about as down and out as any mere mortal can be. But he’s got what it takes when life and love come calling. And the history to prove it… His inherent ‘human’ weaknesses yet startling powers bring this volume to its climax while equalizing the characters.
While I didn’t have the usual mind-boggling time keeping track of a plethora of spooky beings in this tale, I did occasionally suffer from my customary struggle to grasp the various powers and elements that relate to each supe represented in the story. Things that would be self-evident to most readers of this genre completely escape me somehow, like I’m missing the gene that can keep all the otherworldly stuff in some semblance of order. But my lapses were not so onerous as to detract from my enjoyment of this entertaining world or the characters inhabiting it.
Finn was an enjoyable read and a promise of things to come…
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FINN Also received the following ratings:
HEAT FACTOR ~ 2 flames

SUPERNATURAL FACTOR ~ 2  bags of Fae magic

 

SUPERNATURAL FACTOR ~ some spooky disruptions

 

BOOKS ‘N COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS – Apollo’s Curse by Brad Vance

4 Stars!

Review of APOLLO’S CURSE, by Brad Vance

(received a copy from the author for review, but also purchased a copy from Amazon)
Review by Jaycee for BOOKS ‘N COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS, www.Talonps.com
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All Dane Gale ever wanted was to be a successful writer. After a few sessions with his new friends Rose and Sherry at a romance book club, well, the more romances they read, the more they’re convinced they can do better. And do they ever! They join their creative forces to become “Pamela Clarice,” self-published romance novelist. When they look for a cover model for their first book, Dane sees the photos that will change his life.
Paul Musegetes is the world’s most popular romance cover model, and the most secretive. Dane soon finds himself obsessed with this supernaturally handsome man, and when he meets Paul at the Romance Writers’ Ball on the Summer Solstice, he and Paul connect for one night of passion…
After that night, Dane’s a writing machine. He can’t stop writing romances, and every story he touches turns to gold. But he also finds that he can’t write anything but romances. And soon he’s spending every waking moment of every day writing another after another…
Then Dane finds out that this Midas touch has a heavy price. When the year is over, he’ll never write again. Not a romance, not a serious novel. Nothing. Not even a grocery list. And that leaves him with only one option – find Paul, and get him to break the curse. But before he can do that, he’ll have to track down Paul’s equally mysterious photographer, Jackson da Vinci…
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I had a slow start with this book. Not because I didn’t like it; I knew I was going to like it just fine. I also knew, when it was all over, that I was going to have a difficult time writing the review. And here I sit, just as in English Comp classes of yore, praying for a way to analyze the author’s work in as intelligent a fashion as he wrote. If I get it wrong, as I did so often in school, just remember Mr. Vance (or should I say “Dane”): there is a magical Greek Isle out there where everyone gets it. You can return as often as need’s may…
Based in the world of “Dane”, a self-published author of serious fiction though dismal sales, “Apollo’s Curse” chronicles the course of said author “meeting” the Muse who inspires the romance author in him and who provides him that wild ride called success. Of course the ride (Muse), in this tale named “Paul”, is a hard taskmaster, and like so many success stories before him, the price Dane owes sees him facing the dreaded wall that stops the ride, steals the identity, and leaves a useless husk with no option but to walk off the end of the earth. Metaphorically speaking.
Hiding in plain sight is the romance disguised as merely a friend: “Jackson-don’t-call-me-Jack” is also a creative sort and he is facing his own creative wall, though he does seem to have better insight, at least into Dane, and an abundance of patience for Dane’s plight.
In a climactic “Come-to-Paul” moment, the Muse offers up the obvious to Dane: he can write the never-ending-story, or he can write the ending he wants. Of course, he scales the wall, finishes the story, gets the man, and lives to write another day. His way.
This is a really, really smart tale of the life, the highs, the lows and the potential life-traps of being an author. In a cunningly presented fictional romance and with terrific humor and supporting cast of friends and acquaintances, Mr. Vance has managed to pen a cautionary tale to writers, while hopefully giving astute readers some appreciation of the war between creative process and commercial success that is the life of an author.
So if I didn’t ‘get it’ as intended, Mr. Vance, perhaps I just visited a different Greek Isle. After all, art is very subjective, and the same story behind different sets of closed eyes has nuances that personalize it. At least a good story like this does…
…and THAT is how I got through English Comp!
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APOLLO’s CURSE also received the following ratings:

 

ROMANCE FACTOR ~ 2 Cozy hearts

TWIST FACTOR ~ Supernatural elements

TWISTER FACTOR ~ The Pursuit of Happiness

Books ‘n Cozy Spots Book Reviews – Highland Shift by Laura Harner

 

4 stars!
Review for Highland Shift by Laura Harner
 Paranormal, suspense, romance
 
Review by Terry for Books ‘n Cozy Spots Book Reviews at http://talon-ps.com
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Elena MacFarland wonders what everyone else knows about her new farm that she doesn’t, and whether she’ll live long enough to find out. Betrayed by her fiancé and the powerful Worthington family, Elena fights back and negotiates a comfortable settlement with one small caveat: she must live in Scotland for two years. One kidnapping and two attempts on her life later, the darkly arrogant Scot, Faolan MacGailtry declares himself her new protector and moves into her farmhouse. Major problem? He was present at all three incidents. Elena decides to follow the adage to keep her friends close and enemies closer—but which is he? One by one, Elena uncovers Faolan’s darkest secrets: his Druid heritage, his connection to her past, and finally, the deadly curse that is powerful enough to destroy them both. 
Reader notes: This is the first book of the Highland Destiny series and includes multiple paranormal elements, including Druidry, Fae, shapeshifting and magick. Heat level warning: slowly builds from extreme sexual tension toward full erotic romance.
Got my copy from Amazon – this book is free right now in digital form from these vendors
Available
http://www.amazon.com/Highland-Shift-Destiny-Laura-Harner-ebook/dp/B005OY0JFI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399922541&sr=1-1&keywords=highland+shift
 
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/highland-shift-laura-harner/1104528023?ean=9781937252762
 
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/347414
 
https://itunes.apple.com/ie/book/highland-shift-highland-destiny/id690325532?mt=11
 
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-highlandshifthighlanddestinyi-602665-140.html
 
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Every now and again you just have to go to Scotland and that is where Laura Harner takes us in Highland Shift the first book in the Highland Destiny series. There is also a whole lot of shifting going on in Elena MacFarland’s life. Elena has the world by the tail. She just passed the bar exam, has a position with the Law Firm of Worthington, Tyler and Walters, is engaged to Marty Worthington son of the Worthington in the firm and lives in a beautiful townhome in Arizona. Well actually she had the world by the tail until her future father in law showed up at her townhome with an envelope that changed everything. After Elena makes a deal with the devil, her ex-fiancés father, she is on her way to Scotland as part of the deal. Let the shifting begin!
 
Laura Harner has given us a great story that will keep you reading until the wee hours of the morning. This isn’t your typical romance where our hero, Faolan MacGailtry, knows Elena is the woman of his dreams and sweeps her off her feet. After what happened Elena she doesn’t trust men right now, even a handsome kilt wearing man. This might be a good thing because there are a lot of strange things happening when he is around.
 
There are some great plot twists in this story! This is one of the things I enjoyed, I love it when you think you know where the story is going then it hangs a quick left turn. The characters are totally lovable well most of them, there are a few who are not so nice but they are good at what they do. The only thing about this story that caused me a little hitch was after our main characters worked things out on their relationship there was a little too much sex. I know you’re thinking, huh? The sex was written very well but later in the story they couldn’t be in the same room without getting naked. The story didn’t really need it. This is a good story and could stand on its own without it.  
 
Highland Shift is the first book in this series the next three book titles are
-Highland Pull
-Highland Push
-Highland Destiny
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HIGHLANDER SHIFT also received the following ratings ~
HEAT FACTOR ~ 3 flame
 

 

TWIST FACTOR ~ 3 for plot twists, old magick – fae and Druid
 
 
 

Books ‘n Cozy Spots Book reviews – Rescuing the Damaged One by Faith

5 Stars!

Review for RESCUING THE DAMAGED ONE BY FAITH

Genre: Romance, fiction

{Purchased copy from Barnes and Noble}
Reviewed by Terry ~ for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews. http://talon-ps.com
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Bella Ramsey is a college student in her last year. She has made her life revolve around school, work, and studying. She is a survivor of childhood abuse; she doesn’t see it that way. Bella believes she is damaged and unworthy of being loved. That is until…
Blake Grant is a business owner. He is very successful; he wants Bella as his assistant and more. Blake is ready for the challenge to make her understand she is worth everything to him.
Bella’s past walks back into her life. It threatens her relationship, her life, and the lives of ones that she loves. She must kill or be killed. If not all will be lost for everyone.

Available at

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rescu...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rescu...
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This is a story of not only surviving family violence but finding and having the strength and courage to overcome it. Faith didn’t sugar coat the events of Bella’s childhood and the effects they are having on her as she starts her adult life. It is hard to believe you are more than you were told you are and were treated like when you were a child. The way Faith writes this story she shares with us how this affects our characters in different situations by letting us know what they are thinking and feeling not just saying. It isn’t easy for victims to open up to people because as you know, if you don’t voice what has happened it isn’t real and you don’t have to worry about being judged. Faith has done a wonderful job of giving us a story that addresses a somewhat taboo subject and making it a story of strength and hope.
Bella has a plan to become the person she knows she is. She is about to receive her college degree and start a new job. A job that has brought an old friend, Blake, back into her life one that made her feel things she never thought she would.
Blake and Bella were more than classmates there was just too much going on in both their lives at the time to realize it. Blake graduated a couple years ago and has been building his business and making a name for himself. He has also decided now that Bella is back in his life he is going to do everything he can to keep her there and he has let her know this. Bella is having a hard time accepting that Blake will stick around after he finds out about her past, the lasting effects of it and the potential threat that her father possess.
This is book one in the Damaged series. I will let you know it ends with one heck of a cliff hanger but the good news is Book two – Healing the Damaged One will be released May 30th. Enjoy!
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RESCUING THE DAMAGED ONE also received the following ratings:
ROMANCE FACTOR ~ 1 damaged Angel

TISSUE FACTOR ~ 1 box of tissue & a group hug

 

 

Books ‘n Cozy Spots Book Reviews – SQUIRM: Virgin Captive of the Billionaire biker Tentacle Monster by Cari Silverwood

5Stars! 
Review of “SQUIRM: Virgin Captive of the Billionaire Biker Tentacle Monster”, by Cari Silverwood.

{purchased on Amazon}

Review by Jaycee, for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Reviews. www.Talonps.com

 

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A parody of everything great and weird in erotic romance that could be stuffed into one book without it exploding.

For some girls, one tentacle isn’t enough.

Having a bad day isn’t good but when Virginia Chaste has a bad day, she gets felt up by a tentacle monster. If it simply has to happen, let it at least be a billionaire and a hot biker.

Virginity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and her search for the Holy Grail of Erotic Romance, the ten inch purple-headed schlong, may have finally borne fruit.

Yeehaw! Playing hide the tentacle has never been so much fun.(

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Totally brilliant and utterly hilarious. The parody to end all parodies. I’m not certain what bottle of tequila this concept came from, but it sure beats the worm!

One hundred stars for originality, one hundred stars for extreme belly laughs, and another hundred for hitting every trope–albeit, hitting below the belt–in one short story. Even if we readers did get robbed of the money shot at the end!

But those of us from the (potentially) demonic world of Canada truly appreciate the guffaw, eh?

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SQUIRM also received the folloing ratings:

 

HEAT FACTOR ~ 1 Flame

 

LAUGH FACTOR ~ Enough of those to wet yourself

 

TWIST FACTOR ~ Where to begin?

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Books ‘n Cozy Spots Book Reviews: SQUIRM: Virgin Captive of the Billionaire biker Tentacle Monster by Cari Silverwood

5Stars! 
Review of “SQUIRM: Virgin Captive of the Billionaire Biker Tentacle Monster”, by Cari Silverwood.

{purchased on Amazon}

Review by Jaycee, for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Reviews. www.Talonps.com

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

A parody of everything great and weird in erotic romance that could be stuffed into one book without it exploding.

For some girls, one tentacle isn’t enough.

Having a bad day isn’t good but when Virginia Chaste has a bad day, she gets felt up by a tentacle monster. If it simply has to happen, let it at least be a billionaire and a hot biker.

Virginity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and her search for the Holy Grail of Erotic Romance, the ten inch purple-headed schlong, may have finally borne fruit.

Yeehaw! Playing hide the tentacle has never been so much fun.(

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Totally brilliant and utterly hilarious. The parody to end all parodies. I’m not certain what bottle of tequila this concept came from, but it sure beats the worm!

One hundred stars for originality, one hundred stars for extreme belly laughs, and another hundred for hitting every trope–albeit, hitting below the belt–in one short story. Even if we readers did get robbed of the money shot at the end!

But those of us from the (potentially) demonic world of Canada truly appreciate the guffaw, eh?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SQUIRM also received the folloing ratings:

 

HEAT FACTOR ~ 1 Flame

 

LAUGH FACTOR ~ Enough of those to wet yourself

 

TWIST FACTOR ~ Where to begin?

~~~~~

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK for our KEEPING HIS DESTINY – Release Day – GALA – JUNE 14th

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK for our
KEEPING HIS DESTINY ~~ Release Day ~~ GALA
JUNE 14th
With Guest Authors and chances to win great prizes.

 ~ ~ SPECIAL GUESTS LIST ~~
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 AND WE’RE STILL ADDING! SO MARK YOUR CALENDERS TO PUT
KEEPING HIS DESTINY by Princess so & Talon ps
ON YOUR TO BUY LIST AND SWING BY TO HANG WITH FRIENDS AND FOR A CHANCE TO WIN SOME GREAT PRIZES


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Honored to be safe space for people of all identities.

 

BOOKS & COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS – NAUGHTY BITS: Part II- TRAINING SESSION, by Joey W. Hill

5 Stars!
ARC Review of NAUGHTY BITS: Part II, TRAINING SESSION, by Joey W. Hill

Review by Jaycee for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews. http://talon-ps.com

Also purchased on Amazon.com

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Fear is no match for lust in Joey W. Hill’s sexy new novella about a woman who sheds her shame to embrace her pleasure…

Madison may have ditched her well-ordered Boston life to run Naughty Bits, her sister’s North Carolina lingerie shop, but she didn’t expect to throw herself into such chaos—or to become intimate with the sexiest man she’s ever had the pleasure of meeting. After spending a night observing a submissive’s training session, Madison is ready for Logan to teach her how to feed her own deep fantasies—and get rid of all her lingering fears…

Madison’s aching desire to submit is unlike anything Logan’s ever experienced before, and he’s determined to be the man to make her relinquish control. Still, Logan’s unsure if Madison is ready to take that first step to becoming his—until she shows up at his door ready to be commanded. Luckily for them both, Logan’s got more than a few surprises up his sleeve that he knows she’ll enjoy…

 

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So, there is this quote early in Part II, and it is the essence of any of Joey Hill’s stories, even though in this case, it is a reflection of Logan slowly but firmly dipping the toes of a not wholly unaware Madison into a place of trust, under the guise of having her “assist” with a sub training session:

“Logan nodded. ‘It’s nice, isn’t it? Touching something this beautiful without having to play games, to excuse yourself or apologize? You see a rose and you touch it, smell it. You don’t explain yourself to the rose, figure out the right approach. You don’t stop touching it because you think you’ve overstayed your welcome or you’re wondering how the rose is feeling about it all. You could tear the petals off if you wanted to do so, but instead you find yourself cherishing it all the more because of your power over it.’ ”

Part II is an ode to starting to get out of your own way. It’s about Madison giving herself permission to feel, so her feelings can’t paralyze her or be a crutch. It’s about trusting that there just may be a person she can believe will accept that, warranted or not, all her “bits” are real. To her, at least. That they deserve acknowledgement, not dismissal. But more importantly, that she deserves to feel everything, and to be everything that she feels.

And she couldn’t be in better hands than Logan’s. Though I sense a full-court press is due in Part III…

 

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NAUGHTY BITS II also received the following ratings:

 

HEAT FACTOR ~ 4 Flames

STING FACTOR ~ 3 Paddles

 

ManCandy Monday – I’m about to make you wet