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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Terror by J. Hali Steele (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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REVIEW: Secondhand Skin by Hailey Turner
Soulbound: Secondhand Skin – Hailey Turner
Nothing says you can’t steal a heart. Keeping it though? That’s another problem.
Wade Espinoza knows a thing or two about hoards. As a dragon, he’s got plenty. What he doesn’t have is a relationship, and he swears he’s not looking for one. But when he’s sent to Boston to answer a cry for help from another pack, he’s drawn into a mess of fae bargains centered around a selkie who Wade instantly becomes obsessed with.
Riordan Maguire is struggling to keep his selkie clan out of the clutches of a fae lord who will do anything to take over their territory. Partnering with the Boston god pack means coming face-to-face with the first person he’s ever wanted to willingly give his sealskin. Too bad Wade isn’t local and is something altogether strange that Riordan isn’t sure he can trust.
Amidst a growing danger in the streets and Boston Harbor, Wade and Riordan are desperate to find a way to keep everyone safe. For bargains are dangerous things to break, but so are hearts. Wade isn’t willing to shatter either of theirs in a race against time that could see Riordan torn from him forever.
Secondhand Skin is an exciting new standalone novel set in Hailey Turner’s best-selling Soulbound Universe focusing on Wade Espinoza.
Like most MM romance readers, I have an undying love for Patrick and Jono and the Soulbound series by Hailey Turner. But I confess, I got stuck in the middle of the series because my lazy reader brain could not handle recalling all the details of the previous installments and the many things happening in the present.
One of the most unforgettable characters was Wade Espinoza, the teen dragon Patrick and Jono rescued from slavery. Wade, like all dragons, has a bottomless pit for a stomach.
I still recall with amusement the scenes where Patrick wondered how he could stretch his government salary because, at the rate he was going, Wade could eat them out of house and home. I really loved Patrick for this.
Secondhand Skin is Wade’s book. Now 23 years old, Wade has grown into a confident (sometimes overly so), irreverent, fun-loving, sassy, protective, and loyal dragon so adept at hiding his true identity that even powerful beings can’t tell what he is. Still, a bottomless pit.
His pack gave him a mission to go to Boston to help the dire of the Boston god pack, Ella, find her alphas abducted by an evil fae, Niall. This led him to cross paths again with the selkie, Riordan, whom he met at Gerard and Orla’s wedding.
The Maguire clan is in dire straits. The same evil fae was responsible for attacking Saoirse and stealing her sealskin. Riordan and his older brother Donal were given the ultimatum to hand over their sister or Riordan. And as the clan leader, Riordan handing himself over means handing over the clan.
So Wade, Ella and the Maguires banded together to deal with the Niall problem.
I’m not too familiar with Western folklore so at first I thought selkies were seahorses. The Maguire siblings actually shift into seals! How cute! The relationship between the Maguire siblings is one of my favorite parts.
A selkie’s most precious possession is their sealskin, which can transform into anything, like a leather jacket for Riordan. Owning a selkie’s sealskin means you can control the selkie. The sealskin is usually gifted to their mates.
Wade was taught a few tricks by one of the toughest negotiators, Sage, fae-trained lawyer, tiger shifter, and wife to billionaire seer Merek. Our boy also inherited most of Patrick’s brash, not-taking-any-of-your-shit, kamikaze style of dealing with a problem.
The difference between Patrick and Wade is Patrick will throw himself directly in the line of fire to save someone despite knowing he might not survive. Wade will throw himself directly in the line of fire to save someone with all the confidence that he won’t even be scratched.
Personally, I thought his characterization here was Gary Stu-ish, like an overpowered anime character. Magic has no effect on him so he’s hardly threatened by anything. If someone becomes too inconvenient, he knows he can just eat them.
He bulldozed his way into high-level fae homes and gets away with disrespect because of his pack’s reputation and when he releases his dragon-y aura, it intimidates people. Also, he’s on a first-name basis with god-tier folks many people feared.
He doesn’t worry about spending millions of dollars bribing Carmen the succubus and her master the psycho vampire Lucien because, very conveniently, Wade has a billionaire in his pack.
So apart from a tragic past, our boy really had it easy, relatively. He even found his mate, Riordan. I loved how the selkie’s calmer energy grounded Wade’s more excitable one.
I miss the days when our heroes went through hoops of fire in their adventures. Here, it’s the Maguire clan that is put through the wringer.
But mini gripe aside, this is the same fast-paced, action-packed, completely engrossing magical romp we loved from Hailey Turner. The sass and humor were spot on and the fight scenes! There’s nothing like the Soulbound fight scenes!
These are easily some of the most jaw-dropping, high-stakes battles between our heroes and pissed-off gods/goddesses with fabulous displays of magic and no-punches-pulled derring-do. The cameos from the folks we loved and loved to hate since the beginning of the series were cherries on top of this spectacular chaos and mayhem.
The blurb said this could be read as a standalone but I recommend delving into the Soulbound main series first since many references and characters were mentioned.
Secondhand Skin is Wade coming into his own. His adventure is filled with excitement, magic, supernatural creatures, and a pack that always has his back. Overall, a rip-roaring addition to the Soulbound universe!
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: I Am Your Skin
Artist: The Bravery
Album: Stir The Blood
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SECONDHAND SKIN: Kindle I Audiobook
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SERIES REVIEW: A Paranormal Yakuza Duet by C.J. Ravenna
A Paranormal Yakuza Duet: Secrets & Sake – C.J. Ravenna
Jinta
He’s a yakuza with secrets. I’m the reporter determined to bring them to light.
When people start going missing, I sense a story that could make my whole career. I even have the perfect Raiden Noboru, enforcer for the most powerful yakuza organization in Japan.
The plan is go undercover as “Hiro” the photographer, cozy up to Raiden, and discover all he knows about the disappearances.
Problem is? Raiden isn’t the monster I thought he was. The beast beneath his skin is fiercely protective of what’s his, but he worships my body and soul, showing me a tender side of himself he hides from the rest of the world.
But I’ve got a story to tell. All I have to do… is betray the man I’m falling for.
Raiden
I stopped believing in fated mates long ago. Love only ends in heartbreak.
Ever since I was a boy, my only purpose has been to serve the Namikawa-kai.
Until him. The minute I see Hiro smile like a sunbeam and catch his cherry blossom scent, I’ve got to have him. What I thought would be a casual fling becomes so much more. Hiro is mine. Mine to care for, mine to protect. No one else can have him.
Before I realize it, I’m beginning to dream of a life outside the yakuza, a life with Hiro. Too bad that’s all it’ll ever be. A dream. I’ll never make someone as innocent as Hiro happy. I’m a criminal, and I’m no good for him…
…But I can’t stay away from him.
Secrets & Sake is book 1 in A Paranormal Yakuza Duet. It features insta-love, fated mates and wolf shifters, a sunshine undercover reporter and the grumpy yakuza soft only for him, loads of possessive touch-him-and-die vibes, plenty of searingly hot spice, and a Happy-For-Now conclusion.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Unmei no Akai Ito (Red String of Destiny)
Artist: Koshitomo
Album: Atelier
A Paranormal Yakuza Duet: Curses & Kitsune – C.J. Ravenna
Jinta
Nothing’s easy when you’re fated to a yakuza boss.
I’m possessed by an ancient, powerful kitsune hellbent on chaos and destruction. Until we can find a way to lift the curse, I’m a threat to everyone I hold dear. Tensions within the Namikawa-kai, hunters lurking in the shadows, and vengeful ex-boyfriends want to thwart us at every step.
All I want is to be with Raiden, my mate, the man I love. If we stand together, we can get through it all. But when I see a new, ugly side to Raiden, I can’t help but question if we really want the same things.
When the time comes to run, will Raiden leave it all behind for me?
Raiden
I’ll destroy anyone who hurts my mate—but I’m the one hurting him the most.
I’m the boss now. This is my pack. Tokyo is my city. No one will ever control me again. As I fall deeper into my new responsibilities, Jinta and I grow more estranged.
When betrayal strikes from within my own pack, Jinta is the one who pays the price. Jinta has no place in my world. He’s a pure ray of sunshine in the darkness of my life, and I can’t be the reason he gets hurt. I don’t deserve him. Never have.
I’ve got to let him go. Before the shadows of my world consume the only person I’ve ever loved.
Curses & Kitsune is the final book in A Paranormal Yakuza Duet and concludes with a hard-won Happily-Ever-After.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Kisetsu wa Tsugi Tsugi Shindeiku (Seasons Die One After Another)
Artist: Amazarashi
Album: Kisetsu wa Tsugi Tsugi Shindeiku
A Paranormal Yakuza Duet by new-to-me author C.J. Ravenna is a fabulous combination of werewolves and yakuza. Add to that a deft use of Japanese mythology that blended seamlessly into the plot, with action-packed scenes that pulled no punches on the violence and gore, the noir atmosphere, and it was easy to imagine how fantastic this would be as an anime!
Jinta Onodera, an ambitious young reporter itching for that big break, decided to go undercover as a yakuza fan magazine photographer to investigate the case of several people who disappeared in the Namikawa-kai territory. In his first meeting with the Namikawa enforcer, the notorious Wolf of Asakusa Raiden Noburo, the two hit it off immediately.
The romance started the very day they met. Raiden was immediately drawn to “Hiro,” who smelled like cherry blossoms. In turn, Jinta was falling hard and fast for the yakuza, who wasn’t the monster his reputation says he is. As fated mates, they were connected by the red string.
Raiden is growly, possessive, gorgeously tattooed, and drool-worthy in a suit or kimono. He suffered abuse and was groomed by another yakuza when he was just a teenager. He was traumatized by his parents when his father abandoned them, and his mother handed him over to the Namikawa as payment for his father’s debts.
Jinta was treated by his family as less than his golden boy brother. He’s super insecure about his worth, especially after he caught his ex-boyfriend in bed with his brother. Jinta is determined to make it big with the story he plans to write about the yakuza and the missing persons.
I was ready to root for Raiden and Jinta. Raiden calls Jinta, with his beaming smile, “sunshine,” which gives me life every time! And Raiden going after his Sunshine in the afterlife raises the bar for everyone! What I liked about Jinta is he gave Raiden the courage to dare hope for a life outside the yakuza.
While they were a solid unit at first, they soon fell into the hot/cold pattern of bitter fights and reconciliation sex. An incident would trigger an insecurity or trauma. One would lash out (usually Jinta) and then walk out. Then another incident would lead to a meeting, swoony words and grand promises are exchanged, sex ensues, and then all is okay until another trigger.
The first few times, it was emotions and feels. Then, I just stopped paying attention because the drama went on until the second book (Sunshine is a flaky boy, sadly) and I was tired. The real fun is in the paranormal and the yakuza business.
Yakuza politics, much like mafia politics, is a fascinating read. In Book 1, Secrets & Sake, the Namikawa-kai is headed by Namikawa, an elderly man who seemed to be around forever. The yakuza boss is a harsh master to Raiden, using alpha control to make Raiden hurt himself as punishment.
There is tension between the Namikawa-kai and their biggest rival, Takata-kai, headed by Takata, formerly a Namikawa, who thinks he should be their leader. There is also a painful history between Takata and Raiden, with Takata eager to get his hands on Raiden the moment the Namikawa enforcer showed weakness.
Later, we learn that Namikawa was cursed and that curse transferred to Jinta. Meanwhile, Raiden becomes the Namikawa-kai leader.
In Book 2, Curses & Kitsune, the famous nine-tailed kitsune is a bloodthirsty entity, and Jinta doesn’t know how to control it. Raiden drops everything to find a way to lift the curse (the Wolf of Asakusa always comes through). There is tension within Namikawa ranks when two members betray their pack. Wolf hunters are also making their presence known and are said to be working with the traitors.
Raiden is forced to do two unthinkable things: find his father and ask Takata for help. Meanwhile, Jinta made hissy fits. Then he tried to reunite with his family, only to realize it was best to say goodbye to the past and his family, and embrace the present and future with Raiden.
There are almost no lulls apart from the hissy fits. Lots of things are happening, and they’re happening relatively fast. The fight scenes are my favorite! The series also one of the most thorough at dealing with loose ends, with every bad guy given his comeuppance.
Representation of yakuza lore and Japanese culture was done with care, and the books were entertaining, apart from the romance. I am thankful that the author refrained from writing the books like manga in prose. I’ve encountered some books by authors doing very trope-y stories written like manga scenes, and they don’t translate well.
A Paranormal Yakuza Duet is not for the faint of heart. Passions and tempers run hot! Giant wolves and kitsune are on a rampage! Fated mates torn apart and reunited! Overall, intense, dark, and violent.
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of A Paranormal Yakuza Duet. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
SECRETS & SAKE: Kindle I Audiobook
CURSES & KITSUNE: Kindle I AudiobookIf you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or PayPal. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Trust is Fraught by Emily Carrrington (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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BLOG TOUR: Whiskey and Warfare by E.M. Hamill (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Eternal by Mychael Black (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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BOOK TOUR: This Dark Descent by Kalyn Josephson
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REVIEW: Angel’s Share by Layla Reyne
Agents Irish and Whiskey: Angel’s Share by Layla Reyne
Husbands Aidan Talley and Jameson Walker team up again as Agents Irish & Whiskey for their most precarious case yet in this established couple gay romantic suspense novel.
FBI agent Aidan Talley just wanted to spend the holiday weekend cheering on his husband’s basketball team. Instead, he’s investigating a cargo theft for the family business and coming face-to-face with a loose end from the case that almost tore him and Jamie apart.
Coach Jameson Walker may spend his days on the sidelines now, but Jamie refuses to stay there when it comes to his husband. When Aidan is cornered by his past, Jamie will do whatever it takes to ground him in the present, including stepping back into his hacker shoes for the Bureau.
Aidan and Jamie thought they’d seen it all, but the City of Angels has more than one ghost in store for them. As revenge and redemption collide, Agents Irish and Whiskey will have to trust in their love and their partnership to solve the case for the family they have, for the one they lost, and for the one they want to call their own.
Angel’s Share is the final book in the Agents Irish and Whiskey LGBTQIA+ romantic suspense series. While it can be read as a standalone, it is best enjoyed after reading the other books in the series.
Agents Irish and Whiskey by Layla Reyne were among the earliest MM books I’ve read (2017!). I never left Whiskeyverse because the succeeding spinoffs, Fog City, Trouble Brewing, and Perfect Play, kept me immersed in the City of Angels.
Angel’s Share surprised me because I didn’t expect we’d get another Aidan and Jamie story after the wedding novella. I didn’t want their series to end! I went from rating the first book, Single Malt 2 stars to one of the most memorable couples in MM romance.
This series finale opens with a luxury cargo stolen from no less than a Talley Enterprise ship. It led to a thrilling car chase with Jamie showing off his death-defying driving skills and Aidan meeting the last person he expected to see.
Angel is Aidan’s godson and the nephew of his late husband, Gabe. It seemed that the boy and his mother, Izzy, had fallen into hard times after they became estranged from their family due to their homophobic views. Aidan, in his survivor’s guilt after Gabe’s death, also distanced himself and had no idea that his underage godson was involved in illegal activities.
The plot brings the series full circle, interweaving Irish and Whiskey’s current lives with the case, exorcising past demons, and bringing closure to open threads. As Aidan is the SAC and Jamie is now a basketball coach and occasional FBI consultant/hacker, most of the action was told rather than shown. The rescue of Angel’s friend, Bev, would have been suspenseful, but it was mostly off-page.
This one is a me problem. I can’t exactly point a finger at a specific sentence, but the author has a way of writing, or maybe it’s the narrator’s style of delivery, that makes things seem more dramatic than they actually are. This is why I can’t finish the Perfect Play series. I kept rolling my eyes at how overly emo things sound. Here, it’s not as emo, and the story is very compelling.
Gripes aside, I loved the book! It felt like catching up with old friends! I am thrilled with everyone making appearances, from my fave badass babes, Mel and Helena, to Nick and Cam, even Levi, Marsh and their son, David, and of course Danny (my fave Talley). Even the other FBI agents who have their own books or I wish have their own books brought something fun to the table.
The newer characters were standouts as well. Angel went from a surly teenager to a protective friend and eager mechanic apprentice. It was a brief mention of them talking on the balcony but I’m totally shipping Angel and David. Hopefully, we get a book when they’re older.
Bev, our girl is feisty, sassy, and hella smart. Years of abuse and foster care didn’t dampen her spirits, and I’m happy she finally found her home.
And, of course, Aidan and Jamie giving me life with their strength and unconditional support to each other! It’s not so common to see the lives of married couples after the wedding, apart from epilogues. So I enjoyed seeing an established couple working together, saving their loved ones, with that absolute faith that his husband has his back no matter what.
Still with that palpable chemistry, that deep emotional connection, and that seamless synchronicity in work and personal life that makes Irish and Whiskey unforgettable even after all these years!
I complained about the “tell” parts earlier. The thrilling takedown made up for it, bringing in the big guns, bounty hunter Mel, and ninja assassin Helena, with Aidan’s team taking down mobsters, and dodging explosions. This is the action I’ve been waiting for!
Angel’s Share is about loss, grief, and long-buried fears, but it also reminded Aiden and Jamie of what matters most: love and the family we have or found. Fast-paced, and emotional, it’s happy forever we could wish for our Irish and Whiskey!
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: The Angel’s Share
Artist: Elly
Album: The Angel’s ShareP.S.
Agents Irish and Whiskey books are best read in order. Don’t miss the spinoffs, especially Trouble Brewing (Nick and Cam are top faves!), and Fog City (Silent Knight wrecked me!). Don’t listen to me about Perfect Play. I think most people will like that series.
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Angel’s Share. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
ANGEL’S SHARE: Kindle I Audiobook
If you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or PayPal. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!
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RELEASE TOUR: A Taste of Danger by Morgan Brice (Giveaway)
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Dread by J. Hali Steele (Excerpt & Giveaway)
