-
RELEASE BLITZ: Family According To Liam by V.L. Locey (Giveaway)
-
RELEASE BLITZ: Defiance by Annabelle Jacobs (Giveaway)
-
SERIES REVIEW: Claimings Books 1 & 2 by Lyn Gala
*note: long post so you can skip to the end for the tl:dr version if you wamt
Covers like these make it easy to dismiss alien romance as nothing more than smut with freaky body parts. But judgey mcjudgey me should have learned my lesson from Earth Fathers Are Weird. This is Lyn Gala we’re talking about here and she is a master of romances that are out of this world.
I picked up this series because I found out it is narrated by John Solo. He blew me away with his performance in Earth Fathers Are Weird so it’s pretty much guaranteed this was going to be enjoyable even if the story itself might not be that good. Turns out, this was absolutely perfect!
Claimings is so much more than alien meet cute. It is an epic love story, a very unique cultural experience and perhaps, also a mini commentary on human nature. It introduces us to a species known as the Rownt.
Rownt are natives of the planet Parorownt. They are a large, extremely long-lived humanoid species with heights up to 11 ft and lifespans reaching a millennium or so. They have purple skin and tails. They are born from eggs. They are very vaguely based on turtles.
The Rownt are a status-conscious, matriarchal society ruled by grandmothers (who, btw, are total badasses, you’ll love ’em!). They have a highly logical mindset, predatory nature and live solitary lives. They only engage in sex to procreate then go their separate ways immediately after the act. They are highly protective of children but don’t have family units. Their primary occupation is trading and thus live for profit. As Liam puts it, this is a society that “worships on the altar of business acumen“
I am not a detail-oriented reader. I tend to gloss over a lot of things. That I can easily recall these information is a testament to how immersive this series is. This is one of the most fully-realized worlds I have ever come across. The amount of details the author put into these books is astounding. And she did it without making me feel overwhelmed. She made the Rownt feel real and likable yet still truly alien.
And the language! I enjoyed this part so much. It was like she created a foreign language using English words. We gradually pick up Rownt-speak the same time the MC, Liam, is learning his way around it. This is one of my favorite parts of a Lyn Gala book.
I loved how the way the author writes about two characters trying to work around language and cultural barriers. She always does it in an amusing and thought-provoking way. And it further heightens the feeling of being in another planet.
Sgt. Liam Munsun is a soldier, linguist and trader currently assigned as a liason in Prarowont. After many traumatic experiences fighting in the civil war, Liam wants a peaceful, boring life. Trading in the Rownt marketplace is as close as he could get to that.
One day, he met a certain Rownt trader named Ondry with whom he struck a friendship. They had lunches together and spent their time talking about Rownt culture. This went on for about 5 years until Liam had a new superior officer who treated him badly. Ondry saw this incident and immediately made a move to stake his claim on Liam. This is where things get really, really interesting.
Claimings: Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts – Lyn Gala
Liam loves his life as a linguist and trader on the Rownt homeworld, but he has ignored his heart and sexual needs for years. After escaping the horrors of war, he wants a boring life. He won’t risk letting anyone come too close because he won’t risk letting anyone see his deeply submissive nature. For him, submission comes with pain. Life burned that lesson into his soul from a young age.
This fear keeps him from noticing that the Rownt trader Ondry cares for him. Ondry may not understand humans, but he recognizes a wounded soul, and his need to protect Liam is quickly outpacing his common sense. They may have laws, culture, and incompatible genitalia in their way, but Ondry knows that he can find a way to overcome all that if he can just overcome the ghosts of Liam’s past. Only then can he take possession of a man he has grown to respect.
The first book is solely from Liam’s POV. For 5 years, our boy was apparently very oblivious to the fact that he was being courted by Ondry. The astute trader recognized that he is paltea, a certain type of rare individual highly valued by the Rownt.
Because I didn’t even read the blurb properly, it took me a while to figure out what it meant until it was spelled out to me. And so I suddenly realized I’m right smack in the middle of a BDSM set up. A pretty unique one at that.
The Rownt perspective is especially significant because humans tend to look at submissives as weak and broken. Liam had a really shitty past where his submissive nature was abused (TW: off page sexual abuses). His current situation wasn’t helping either. He’s good at his job but knows he’s not going to be promoted because of his past.
Meanwhile, to the Rownt, a paltea is someone who serves, someone who devotes his life to his chilta‘s happiness. Therefore, such person should be cherished and protected at all cost. They are the closest thing these solitary creatures ever get to a spouse.
While the two did get around their anatomical differences to enjoy sexual pleasures (which involved creative use of twitchy appendages), the beauty of Ondry and Liam’s dom/sub relationship is that it’s not even sexual in nature. It is a relationship of equals where one person willingly gives his complete submission to a dominant who would fight even the gods to protect his beloved submissive.
His very obvious pride of his paltea, his gentle comforts to the wounded man, his growly protectiveness, his single-minded devotion to Liam delivered in unerring Rownt logic, Ondry just makes you swoon!
The dork is so damn proud of his Liam, he goes around town just to show him off. Also, his “unholy glee” whenever Liam bested another trader.
Liam! I was rooting really hard for this guy. Such a cinnamon roll. The man deserves all the hugs! I liked that he has a good sense of humor without being wasn’t overly sassy. I could definitely relate to him wanting a boring life.
This book blew me away so much that I finished it in one sitting. Then I immediately dived into the sequel.
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: Protect
Artist: High Sunn
Album: Wishes
Claiming: Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities – Lyn Gala
Ondry and Liam have settled into a good life, but their trading is still tied up with humans, and humans are always messy. When political changes at the human base lead Ondry to attempt a difficult trade, the pair find themselves entangled in human affairs. Liam wants to help the people he left and the worlds being torn apart. He also wants to serve Ondry with not only the pleasures of the nest but also by bringing human profits.
Ondry has no hope of understanding human psychology in general, he only knows that he will hold onto his palteia with the last breath in his body, and he’d like to keep his status and his wealth too. Unfortunately, new humans bring new conflicts and he is not sure how to protect Liam. He does know one thing that humans seem to constantly forget—that the peaceful Rownt are predators and when their families are threatened, Rownt become deadly killers. Liam is his family, and Ondry will protect him with his last breath… assuming that he can recognize the dangers in time to do so.
Here we meet another human who attempts to liaise with the Parorownt natives. What she was actually trying to do was, well, let’s just say Ondry wasn’t pleased.
We finally get Ondry’s POV along with Liam’s. I love getting inside the Rownt’s head. He finds humans confusing, amusing. and not very bright. Excerpt of course for his Liam who he adores. If he could bind this human to his very existence, he would.
Our boy Liam is practically a Rownt now. He very much came into his own here. He’s so happy now! I also loved how he and Ondry just sync together perfectly.. The trust between the two men was absolute, the love and affection was infinite and pure.
That scene after they were attacked by a huge predatory animal was, hands down, the most intimate scene I have ever come across with. It’s even more intimate than sex scenes.
This was the part where Ondy was making sure Liam wasn’t injured. I had this weird feeling of wanting to move away and give them privacy. I was holding my breath the entire time! For this scene alone, John Solo deserves an award for his sublime performance.
The second book answers my burning concern regarding the huge difference in Rownt and human lifespans. For which I was so relieved because I don’t want Liam dying on Ondry any time soon.
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: It Would Be An Honor
Artist: Night Terrors Of 1927
Album: Everything’s Coming Up Roses
Admittedly, Liam and Ondry’s caudal bonding might not be someone’s preferred way of interspecies liaising. But freaky body parts notwithstanding, these are alien stories with a lot of heart. Claimings is one of the most achingly tender and breathtakingly beautiful love stories out there.
The first two books are set in Parorownt. The next two take Liam and Ondry to space. I will review them in the future. The series is should be read in order in audiobook as decreed by the grandmothers.
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Claimings. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
You can also use my Bookshop affiliate links to buy paperbacks and MP3 CD audiobooks and help support independent bookstores.
Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts
Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities
Affiliations, Aliens, and Other Profitable Pursuits
Expedition, Estimation, and Other Dangerous Pastimes
If you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!
-
COVER REVEAL: The Elven King’s Forever by Devon Vesper (Giveaway)
-
BOOK BLITZ: You Are Cordially Invited by Jay Hogan (Giveaway)
-
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Love, Blood, And Sanctuary by Brenda Murphy, Megan Hart & Fiona Zedde (Excerpt & Giveaway)
-
SERIES REVIEW: Witchbane Books 4 & 5 by Morgan Brice
Witchbane is a series that started off as a disappointment but became better and better with each new installment. The main thing that kept me hanging on was that I really liked the paranormal world Morgan Brice created. This series is part of her shared Morgan Brice/Gail Z. Martin world that includes Badlands, Deadly Curiosities, Treasure Trail, and other series.
Witchbane is about an ongoing witchhunt for disciples of th evil warlock, Ryfel Gremory, who was killed by the sheriff and his men hundreds of years ago. As revenge and to keep themselves immortal, the disciples sacrifice the first born son of the men who killed their master every 12 years.
Seth would have been another victim had his brother, Jesse, not been mistaken as him and murdered. Vowing to avenge his brother, he made it his mission to track down the disciples.
Evan was one of the intended victims but Seth was able to save him. After initial distrust, the two quickly became partners in more ways than one.
This is a review of Books 4 and 5. I haven’t read book 2, Burn.
Witchbane: Flame and Ash – Morgan Brice
The third novel in the Witchbane series.
One hundred years ago, a sheriff’s posse killed dark warlock Rhyfel Gremory, but his witch-disciples escaped, and their magic made them nearly immortal. To keep their power, each year one of the witch-disciples kills a descendant of one of the men in the posse, a twelve-year cycle that has cost dozens of lives, including that of Seth Tanner’s brother, Jesse
Seth rescued Evan Malone from one of the witches, and they’ve fallen in love despite the danger and chaos, going on the road to complete the quest and bring an end to the ritual murders. Their relationship is new, their emotions are raw, and the danger is real. It’s a challenge to find their way as a couple while they’re on the road together in the close quarters of Seth’s RV, training in magic and combat skills to fight off a supernatural killer.
In pursuit of the next witch-disciple, Seth and Evan team up with older hunters Milo and Toby as their quest to stop a century-long killing spree takes them to a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. They’re ahead of the sacrifice cycle, with plans to stop the murders and kill the dark witch. Only this time, the hunters become the hunted when the witch knows they’re coming to get him, and has deadly plans of his own. When their lives are on the line, will love be enough?
Flame and Ash contains sexually explicit content intended for adults 18 and over.
Flame and Ash is meeting Seth’s family and Evan coming into his own.
The story started with something as close to normalcy two witch-hunting boyfriends can get, which is meet the parents. Seth brings Evan to meet his mentors/foster dads, Toby and Milo. These two grizzled hunters took Seth under their wing when he was just starting on his mission. I’ve heard so much about them so I’m happy they finally made their appearance.
I loved this two oldsters always grousing about each other with so much affection. They give the boys hope that there’s a happier future together after their very dangerous and seemingly endless mission.
When I first met him, I thought Evan was too much of a TSTL character. Distrustful of Seth who saved him, too trusting of appearances and not much good in a fight. But he has grown by leaps and bounds with every book. Here, it was up to him to save Seth when his boyfriend was hexed by a henchman of the witch they’re hunting. If I had any lingering doubts about Evan, well, our boy proved his mettle.
The book takes us to a very weird museum that was inspired a real life one. There’s also the very real Road To Nowhere. I enjoyed the creepy artifacts. All of these were worked brilliantly into the story, amping the suspense and adding to the chills and thrills the series is known for.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Up In Flames
Artist: Ruelle
Album: Up In Flames
Witchbane: Unholy – Morgan Brice
A cycle of ritual murders. A coven of dark warlocks, drawing their immortality from the magic of their dead master. Two men sworn to stop the deaths, destroy the warlocks, and avenge the victims. Except this time, the killer flips the script.
Seth Tanner swore vengeance on the dark witches who killed his brother, Jesse. He rescued Evan Malone from one of the witches, and they’ve fallen in love despite the danger and chaos, going on the road to complete the quest and bring an end to the ritual murders. Their relationship is still new, tested at every turn by danger and magic.
Seth and Evan head to Charleston to stop the next warlock and save his intended victim. But this time, they’re too late. The warlock has already powered up, and he’s determined to destroy the two hunters one way or another. A deadly curse on Seth and Evan means time is running out. Can they find a way to turn the tables, or is Charleston their final destination?
Unholy is an urban fantasy MM paranormal romance with plenty of supernatural suspense, hurt/comfort, hot sex, found family, dark magic, and paranormal thrills. It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone and features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels. Intended for readers 18 years of age and older.
Unholy gave Seth and Evan more friends. Also, they were cursed with blue balls.
Witchhunting is a lonely business. Most of the time, it’s long hours on the road just the two of them. Many of the ‘cameos’ from characters of other books were either though mentions by name or communication through email or phone. Here, we meet some of these people.
Their latest target took Seth and Evan to Charleston. Readers of Deadly Curiousity will recognize the place as home to Cassidy, Teag and their friends. They have been helping the boys indirectly for a long time now so I’m very glad to see them finally interacting face to face. I loved how they all rallied to Seth and Evan’s aid.
The boys also learned something about the warlock that changed their perspectives. I think it was a great twist to what would otherwise be the same old pattern of roadtrips and hunting.
All the books have a lot of action/suspense in them but this book felt more dynamic than the rest. Maybe it’s because there are more characters involved. It also had two climactic scenes that were executed brilliantly. The author was able to give each MC their moment to shine without one overshadowing the other.
Not only was this aspect of the story pulled off skillfully, the romance was so damn good! When a relationship is going well, it is common for authors to deploy the separation. Morgan Brice did just that. It was how she did it that made it extra excruciating for the boys. Evil. I loved it!
Seth and Evan were cursed by a touch-me-not spell. This means that they cannot touch each other or else they will eventually kill one another.
Now this curse might not be exactly new, but it’s very effective. You can feel the longing, the sheer torture of not being able to touch your lover when he’s so close, that pang of sadness at seeing others casually shaking his hand when you can’t. All the feels leaping off the page! And the boys had tensions aplenty so they had to get creative.
All in all their Charleston experience shake things up for our boys. I consider this the best book so far.
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Together
Artist: Arula
Album: We Belong
From the too insta-love beginning that favored steam to substance and world-building to well-written, well-rounded sequels that completely won me over, Witchbane has certainly come a long way. You can definitely see how everything, from the characters, to the plot, to the writing, improved the further we get into the series.
The paranormal elements has always been its strongest suit and it always worked beautifully with the plot. I liked the idea of rote magic, the kind of magic that you can learn through practice. Normally, I’m all about high-level spells but I think it’s just right that Seth and Evan can only do simple spells. After all, they were just ordinary joes who were suddenly thrust into the world of the supernatural.
Lastly, Seth and Evan takes readers on a road trip all over the US. I am not a fan of road trips in books but they made it enjoyable. I’ve always wanted to tour places mentioned in books. Like how anime fans make pilgrimages to sites shown in anime. The supernatural element coupled with the various unusual points of interest the author included in the stories makes Witchbane a good source of bookish places to visit. Places that might even have a real witch or two.
P.S.
To get the most out the experience, Witchbane is best read in order. Check out Seth and Evan’s wonky beginnings in Book 1, Witchbane (review here). And watch them hit their stride in Book 3, Dark Rivers (review here).
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Flame and Ash and Unholy. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
Flame and Ash US | UK
Unholy: US | UKYou can also use my Bookshop affiliate links to buy paperbacks and MP3 CD audiobooks and help support independent bookstores.
FLAME AND ASH: US | UK
UNHOLY: US | UKIf you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!
-
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Ternary by Kristin L. Stamper (Excerpt & Giveaway)
-
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: This Vow by J.R. Hart (Excerpt & Giveaway)
-
REVIEW: Black Moon by Elle Keaton
Veiled Intentions: Black Moon – Elle Keaton
One corpse, two corpse, old corpse, new corpse.
Summer is crashing into fall, Mat and Niall have a wedding to overthink.
A body is discovered floating in the harbor and this time it’s the missing ex-Piedras Marine officer Duane Cooper.
Who, aside from Niall, wanted Duane dead? He’s been on the run for months, why would he turn up dead now?
Black Moon, third in the Veiled Intentions series, Black Moon is a dual POV following Sheriff Mat Dempsey and now Private Investigator Niall Hamarsson as they grope their way to a happily ever after.
Black Moon is the third book in the Veiled Intentions (formerly Hamarsson & Dempsey) series. Hopefully not the last. It follows directly from the awkward and very Niall proposal from the second book, Long Shadow.
The series is set in a small island of Piedras, part of the real life San Juan Islands in Washington. Island natives Niall Hamarrson and Sheriff Mat Dempsey both grew up in the island, moved away as adults, only to come back to their hometown later on. Niall, as way to find himself perhaps and Mat, after his father died.
The two started off antagonistic but Mat is a do-gooder who slowly but surely chipped away at the walls Niall built around himself. Fast forward many months later, Niall and Matt were trying to squeeze in wedding planning amidst murder investigations, new jobs, bomb explosions and buildings collapsing. A man involved in the previous case and who was missing for months was fished out of the water, dead.
I’ve been following this series since the beginning and I loved watching the characters grow. Niall in particular. Look how far he had come! When I first met him in Book 1, Conspiracy Theory, he was a grumpy bastard who barely said a word to anyone. The longest sentence he uttered was when he was talking about his dog, Fenrir.
Now, well, I wouldn’t say he’s a completely different person but you can definitely see his warm, caring side. Especially when Mat and animals are involved. He’s not really talking more but at least he talks. He’s even getting along with his new co-workers at West Coast Forensics, a private investigation firm.
I also loved how even if the two men were settling into a nice, comfortable domestic routine, the romance is far from boring. There’s enough external conflict to keep them on their toes. With work as dangerous as theirs, it’s just right that they have something safe and normal to come home to. And even if they had huge blow ups, they don’t let the bad feelings fester. They always talk and work things out. They’re complete opposites but they just synced perfectly!
The case was a tough one. It had me guessing until the big reveal. Mat unearthed a decade old secret about his father’s death. Niall was doing his usual bullheaded best by ‘helping’ with Mat’s investigation whether his fiance wanted him to or not. The big guy was supposed to rest after a building collapsed on him. But obviously, not one for staying at home and twiddling his thumbs. Not one to concern himself with legalities either.
The mystery connects to the previous cases as well as the author’s other books. There were many characters from other series that made appearances. I enjoyed this part a lot. It introduces a bigger world and more stories to explore.
This series has great supporting characters. There’s Alyson, Mat’s mom, as well as his sister and niece, who welcomed a long-lost Viking and his new-found mutt to their home right from the very beginning. There’s Birdy, Mat’s deputy and, possibly, the only capable officer in their perpetually understaffed department. There’s Marshall Soper, the only doctor in the island who had to double as a coroner. There’s smooth-talking lawyer, Shay, Niall’s half-brother, who he now likes. I hope Shay gets his own book.
The pacing here was better compared to the second book. It was faster and more consistent, giving a sense of constant motion while still delivering tension. There was ample time for the plot to develop properly. The downtimes didn’t lag. All in all, the best written installment in the series.
It also felt like a finale. Aside from the wedding, it wrapped up a lot of loose threads. It gave the boys their hard-earned happy ending and returned Piedras Island back to its sleepy, peaceful state. If Black Moon is indeed the last book, it’s a fitting conclusion to this compelling story about a big taciturn man and his giant dog, a kind-hearted sheriff who wouldn’t quit and a tiny island that always feels like home.
P.S.
Veiled Intentions should be read in order.
Find out how a grumpy Viking found his way back to the home he thought he would never see again and a sheriff who wouldn’t leave him alone in Book 1, Conspiracy Theory. Check out my review here.
Witness how glacial that Viking can get when it comes to making up his mind about the sheriff (a patient, patient man bless his heart) in Book 2, Long Shadow. Check out my review here.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Black Moon
Artist: Heathers
Album: Midnight Is A Place
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Veiled Intentions books. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
US: Conspiracy Theory | Long Shadow | Black Moon
UK: Conspiracy Theory | Long Shadow | Black MoonYou can also use my Bookshop affiliate links to buy paperbacks and MP3 CD audiobooks and help support independent bookstores.
CONSPIRACY THEORY | LONG SHADOW | BLACK MOON
