• book,  Uncategorized

    SERIES REVIEW: Galactic Alliance Books 1&2 by K.C. Burn

    Galactic Alliance by K.C. Burn is an oldie but goldie sci-fi romance series about intergalactic love affairs with far-reaching consequences. Published in 2011, three interconnected books can be read as standalone but better experienced by reading them in order.

    It’s too bad that the series is short. The stories are pretty enjoyable. The way the world-building is conceived and with many intriguing side characters, the potential for more books are endless.

    I’ll be reviewing the first two books.

    Galactic Alliance: Spice n’ Solace – K.C. Burn

    Every year, Jathan One-Moon faces increasing pressure that he marry and have children. What Jathan really wants is a male mate that can enjoy both playful sex and his more dominant nature. To tame his stress, Jathan orders a male escort from Spice ‘n’ Solace, the premier male brothel in the Galactic Alliance–and is thrilled to be sent a man whose air of innocence and obvious desire for Jathan arouse him like never before.

    Jathan doesn’t know he has mistaken Kazha Deinos, the owner of Spice ‘n’ Solace, as his escort. Kaz doesn’t intend to pleasure Jathan personally, but his powerful masculinity is irresistible. Kaz has dreamed of a man who’d take charge and indulge his hidden cravings–a man just like Jathan.

    With their explosive passion and unexpected tenderness, Jathan and Kaz soon want to stay together–if Jathan’s position and Kaz’s secrets don’t tear them apart…


    Spice ‘n’ Solace opens the series in Elora Ki, a frontier planet hosting the most important event in the galaxy, the yearly negotiations between the Ankylos Empire and the Galactic Alliance. The Empire and the Alliance have previously been at war, and the most important human in all the galaxy, Jathan One-Moon, is tasked to negotiate on behalf of humans and prevent another war at all costs.

    With the fate of humanity on his shoulders, Jathan’s only stress reliever is the submissive rent boys from the top brothel of the planet, Spice ‘n’ Solace. However, brothel owner Kazha Deinos encountered problems with supply and so went to Jathan’s headquarters to talk to him about it. Neither had met before, but the moment they did, BAM! Pants flew off!

    This employs the mistaken identity trope to steamy results. But this is not just about dominance and popping butt cherries. It also deals with brothel business woes, homophobic friends, sneaky competitors, familial pressures to produce an heir and how Kaz’s presence in Jathan’s life is affecting the tense negotiations.

    The plot is straightforward. The lust was so intense and insta it zinged. The romantic development was equally lightning-fast but executed satisfyingly. These are the best parts and offset the many things glossed over. The negotiations itself barely had page time, the ending was rushed, and how people can still be homophobic at a time where you can fuck all manner of alien lifeforms is beyond me.

    Jathan’s a great character. Son of a famous war general, a man of his word and a considerate dom, he’s the perfect match for Kaz. But my favorite character in the entire series will always be Kaz! He appears down-trodden most of the time. The man is too hard on himself and doesn’t seem to recognize his value but he’s actually a very savvy businessman.

    Kaz created a certain mystique about him whether he intended to or not. I liked how everyone knows his name but couldn’t put a face to it. The only people who do recognized him are the high-ranking members of society who patronized his business. So, of course, he knows all their dirty secrets. It’s like this guy is sitting on a goldmine of information. Imagine what he can do with all that power!

    Sadly, this was not the focus here but I would loved to read a story about something like that. I did get a thrill when Kaz put a scheming politician in his place with his dirty secret when the man was pressuring Jathan. Overall, Spice ‘n’ Solace is engrossing, gritty, sizzling, and sometimes cute.

    Rating:
    4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

    Soundtrack: Solace
    Artist: Feint & Laura Brehm
    Album: Solace


    Galactic Alliance: Alien n’ Outlaw – K.C. Burn

    R’kos, son of the Ankylos Emperor, is expected to settle down. But he’s much more attracted to human males than to his own species. Eager to explore his forbidden longings, he steals a ship and heads to Elora Ki to see if he can find the right human guy.

    Darien robs the corrupt to give to those in need, but now he needs a ride off Elora Ki, stat. Pursued by drug lords, he accepts help from the amorous stranger who calls himself Ricky. As they fly together along Darien’s route, their friendship quickly turns into passion.

    But when Ricky is injured, Darien must contact the embassy to get his alien lover the medical care he needs. As Darien finds himself accused of kidnapping, and Ricky fears his family’s disappointment, can the two protect their growing relationship? Or are their differences just too great?


    Alien ‘n’ Outlaw stars R’kos, one of the many princes of the Ankylos Empire. This year, it’s his turn to be the negotiator. He’s hanging at an Elora Ki bar incognito, looking for a human hookup, when he saw Darien. Liking how the man smelled, R’kos followed the man out to the back. It became apparent Darien was on the run, and R’kos decided then and there to help him.

    R’kos’s species are a hive-minded people who mate in triads, usually a female and two males. They are lavender-skinned, some have horns, have keen sense of smell, but with light-sensitive eyes. As a prince, R’kos’s three parents already arranged who he will marry.

    R’kos is different in that he prefers to be alone, and he’s attracted to males only, specifically human males. How would the Ankylos Empire react to such a union? Not to mention, another catastrophic war might erupt should the prince’s affair with a human go sour.

    R’kos is more familiar with humans because of the negotiations. Darien was a complete fish out of water among R’kos’s people. I loved how these two are all about patience, trust and open communication. R’kos and Darien’s romance is gentle yet passionate. They navigate their similarities and differences and made it work.

    The plot is a road trip across the galaxy, visiting cult-dominated planets, doing some Robin Hood side hustle, fighting off space pirates and meeting R’kos’s sprawling family. The most fun part is witnessing Darien’s culture shock at how spectacularly oblivious the Ankylos are to the concept of privacy. From throuples blithely having sex in corridors to open space unisex lavatories where your business is everyone’s business, Darien was gob smacked and just a liiiittle bit scared.

    With a suspenseful space fight, much-appreciated cameos from Jathan and his crew, and a happy reunion, the ending was much better than the first book. While I didn’t enjoy the visit to the cult, the story as a whole was highly entertaining. Overall, Alien ‘n’ Outlaw is a thrilling space adventure, an eye-opening cultural experience, and an endearing alien romance.

    Rating:
    4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

    Soundtrack: Run With You
    Artist: Middle Kids
    Album: Today We’re The Greatest


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  • song,  Uncategorized

    SOUNDTRACK: Solace by Feint & Laura Brehm & Run With You by Middle Kids

    Soundtrack to Galactic Alliance: Spice ‘n’ Solace by K.C. Burn

    Solace by Feint & Laura Brehm for a book about a fateful meeting that changed the the man who holds the fate of humanity in his hands.

    I could tell within a moment you knew me well
    I could see you gave me solace when I needed someone there
    In the darkness, I still see you like a golden arch
    Rising high above the sunset in every way you are

    I know that everything’s in focus now
    I’m seeing clearly for the first time
    Today, I woke up feeling more alive
    Tomorrow, everything will turn around

    Soundtrack Galactic Alliance: Alien ‘n’ Outlaw by K.C. Burn

    Run With You by Middle Kids for a book about a man on the run, the one who ran with him, and the worlds they ran into.

    There’s no surprising
    That you were always looking past your back
    And you were dying
    Tell me all the ways that you’ve been had
    I’m sore, I don’t have the supply or the demand
    You have the right to remain mad but understand that

    I will run with you
    And I will run with you
    Take me down
    Show me around
    Let me see
    What you have found

  • quote,  Uncategorized

    I could tell within a moment you knew me well
    I could see you gave me solace when I needed someone there
    In the darkness, I still see you like a golden arch
    Rising high above the sunset in every way you are

    I know that everything’s in focus now
    I’m seeing clearly for the first time
    Today, I woke up feeling more alive
    Tomorrow, everything will turn around

    Everything will turn around
    Everything will turn around

    All the days when I was searching for some kind of sign
    Now I’ve reached the destination, with someone of my kind
    Keep me breathing with a feeling like an LED light
    Now I’m moving through the shadows, you woke me up tonight

    I know that everything’s in focus now
    I’m seeing clearly for the first time
    Today, I woke up feeling more alive
    Tomorrow, everything will turn around

    Everything will turn around
    Everything will turn around

    There’s no surprising
    That you were always looking past your back
    And you were dying
    Tell me all the ways that you’ve been had
    I’m sore, I don’t have the supply or the demand
    You have the right to remain mad but understand that

    I will run with you
    And I will run with you
    Take me down
    Show me around
    Let me see
    What you have found

    There’s no denying
    That history will rob you of the chance
    To put your mind down
    Where’d you get that glitter on your hands?
    You laugh when I say that I’m moving to the fog
    I know that you have always been the underdog

    I will run with you
    And I will run with you

    Take me down
    Show me around
    Lеt me see
    What you have found
    I will run with you
    And I will run with you
    Take mе down
    Show me around
    Let me see
    What you have found

    I wonder
    If you know
    That you’ve got
    A friend
    I wonder
    If you know
    That you’ve got
    A friend

    I will run with you
    And I will run with you
    Take me down
    Show me around
    Let me see what you have found
    I will run with you
    And I will run with you
    Take me down
    Show me around
    Let me see what you have found

  • book,  Uncategorized

    Her of the Wood – Veronica Watts

    Determined to get out of a city where the lowest classes are subjugated into silent submission, Euodia sneaks onto a convoy of detainees being transported to the old lands to die.

    Her hope is rewarded when her group meets scouts from a small but thriving community. As Euodia learns to live and work in her new home, she struggles to shake off years of conditioning so that she can be honest with Ailie about her developing feelings.

    But just as she’s finding her feet, and maybe her courage, a deadly disease sweeps through the community…

    Her of the Wood is a dystopian story about the search for freedom and finding a home where you can be yourself. 

    I liked the cover and the premise piqued my curiosity enough for me to take a chance on this novel. Solace is an ideal community where people are free to love whomever they please. I liked all the cozy couples in the story but the vast majority of the novel is about Euodia going about her daily business which is not the most riveting subject to read about. We are shown the development of hers and Ailie’s relationship which was sweet but the writing style, composed of short almost terse sentences makes everything come across as bland. And even though I was hoping none of them die and the couples stay together, I felt like I hadn’t connected with any of the characters. In addition, the conflicts were resolved a little too easily and the sense of danger was constantly muted.

    The book’s highlights were the first and last parts which were ironically, moments that involve the city Dracon where Euodia came from. I am actually more curious about the city than Solace but I am also glad the plot was not the usual dystopian take-down-the-corrupt-government storyline.

    The ending was certainly a big surprise which might have hinted on a sequel. I would like to find out more about Dracon. Would the city people ever know about Solace? Would people from Solace want to see the city?

    Like I said, the premise shows promise but the execution could use some work, the characters need more depth and maybe an exciting event or two to shake things up in the middle part. However the book offers some positive messages I liked and the setting was good. It also has a YA feel to it which is also a plus. All in all, I rate this a pass.

    P.S.

    I received a copy of Her of the Wood from  Less Than Three Press
    via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

    Rating: 
    3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked it 

    Soundtrack: Solace
    Artist: Tom Day
    Album: Without Words

    (source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40937955-her-of-the-wood)

  • song,  Uncategorized


    [spotify id=”spotify%3Atrack%3A2f36DetdtTB6K76Zo7ZBI4&view=coverart” width=”540″ height=”620″ /]

    Soundtrack to Her of the Wood by Veronica Watts

  • Uncategorized

    Here soar
    Not with wings

    But with your moving hands and feet
    And sweating brows –

    Standing by your Beloved’s side
    Reaching out to comfort this world

    With your cup of solace
    Drawn from your vast reservoir of truth.

    شمس الدین محمد حافظ / Shams-al-Din Mohammad Hafez