Reading

#Review: The Captive’s Curse (Twilight Mages Book 2) by @eliotgraysonauthor #LGBTQ #RecentRelease #Romance #Fantasy #Magic

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Moonbeams over Atlanta welcomes Eliot Grayson to the blog.  Eliot is back at it again with the sequel to The Royal Curse (see my review of the first book here, if you missed it). While standalone, I would recommend reading the first book to get the backstory of the universe.

Note: A reader copy was provided for an honest review.  The book released on Amazon May 30th, 2024.

The Blurb:

Unwanted. Unloved. Unransomed. And unable to control his dawn magic by any other means…

At odds with his family and on the run, Lord Cyril is taken prisoner and held in a gloomy mountain fortress—which he brightens up quite a bit, thank you. His captor wants him to be quiet and not cause any trouble, but who cares? Cyril may need the mysterious highwayman to quell his dawn magic and keep him sane, but he’s overbearing, sardonic, and unpleasant.

Mostly. Except when Cyril can’t live without his touch, or his voice, or his rare smile…

Ser Enzo, a robber and (not quite) a gentleman, desperately wants his obnoxious, adorable, irritating, irresistible captive off his hands…and other parts. Lord Cyril’s wanton, irrepressible, and worst of all—his family won’t take him back. Enzo can’t release him without being paid. It’s against his principles.

But so is keeping his bewitching captive forever. Cyril may be his prisoner, but Enzo’s dangerously close to losing his own freedom by falling under the mage’s spell…

The Captive’s Curse is the second book in the Twilight Mages series, but it takes place concurrently with book one and can be read as a standalone. Contains wildly inappropriate discussions of vegetables (no vegetables were actually harmed in the making of this book), the mad ghost of an evil lord (the Mad Lord is harmed, to no one’s regret), and the overcoming of fears, family quarrels, and scheming villains to reach a guaranteed HEA.

The Review:

5 Stars

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As per usual, I devoured this story in one sitting eschewing sleep no less. Again, the opportunity to read an ARC of the second book in this fascinating universe of Twilight mages was too good to pass up.

In this story, we have Lord Cyril who enjoys his magic control to the fullest extent, riding away from his family in his wedding finery, and demands his due from the disagreeable kidnapper/savior Ser Enzo even while hurt in the raining forest Cyril finds himself in. They circle each other, both pompous in their own ways, and they have their adventures as their story unfolds and fall in love. We continue in the British-style of storytelling, obnoxious ghosts, betrayals, some angst– mostly on Cyril’s part, but Enzo has some too, and some humor thrown in here and there to liven things. Most of the story is told by Cyril’s perspective and I would have loved to see Enzo’s side more, but I’m weird that way. 🙂

Overall, it’s a great book and you will run the gamut on the feels. The book continues with high-heat, quirky secondary characters, and the happily-ever-after ending we’ve come to expect.

The Captive’s Curse has everything you expected from the swashbuckling highwayman, plot twists, Cyril coming into his own, and of course, a love story with a slow buildup. Again, it was a fantastic read and I can’t wait for more. There are other characters waiting in the wings, and I would love to see their story unfold.

With this, I give The Captive’s Curse 5 stars.

Eloreen Moon

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon

About the Author:

Eliot’s a lifelong Southern California girl, right down to the flip-flops and backyard garden. When she’s not writing her next book, you can find her reading, drinking tea, or (more likely) catering to the demands of her kids and ancient, cranky cat.

Steamy books with delicious tension, heart-wrenching pining, and a hefty dose of action and adventure have always been her jam as a reader. Guess what she writes?

You can catch up with her on Facebook in her reader group, Eliot Grayson’s Escape from Reality, or sign up for her newsletter at eliotgrayson.com.

Website | Goodreads Author Page | Amazon Author Page | Instagram | Facebook Group ~ Escape from Reality | BookBub | Linktree

#Review: The Royal Curse (Twilight Mages Book 1) by @eliotgraysonauthor #LGBTQ #RecentRelease #Romance #Fantasy #Magic

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Moonbeams over Atlanta welcomes Eliot Grayson to the blog.  Welcome to the first post on the new site. 🙂 Eliot is a new author to me but was intrigued by the burb she sent to me in Instagram direct message and wanted to read it.

Note: A reader copy was provided for an honest review.  The book released on Amazon December 7th, 2023.

The Blurb:

Dawn mage. Twilight mage. Cursed, useless, damaged, dangerous…

His birth magic leaves Prince Nikola with nothing but bad choices: live as another man’s possession, subject to his whims and his desires, or remain dependent on a potion that stunts his powers and prevents him from knowing love.

Andreas vows to protect the prince with his life—whether Nikola wants him to or not. After all, the queen pays his soldier’s wage. Nikola’s nothing but a job to do.

But when they find themselves stranded, with Nikola’s potion running out, Andreas has to…improvise. Because what Prince Nikola needs to survive is the opposite of a lowly guard’s respectful protection.

It should’ve been only one night. Just until the potion’s refilled. But now that Nikola’s had Andreas’s touch, he craves Andreas again and again. He shouldn’t. But he—and his magic—can’t live without it…

The Royal Curse is a high-heat MM fantasy romance with a stubborn prince, an even more stubborn soldier, and cursed magic that can’t be denied. There is an on-page attempted sexual assault that is not between the main characters. HEA guaranteed.

The Review:

5 Stars

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I read this a few months ago, in one sitting no less; but, work, holidays, and moving my blog to be self hosting delayed this review. I realized as I was writing this post that it’s been a few years since my last review on my blog. I had said in an earlier post I wanted to review more this year. Well, now I have posted the first review of the year. 🙂 Hopefully, the first of many.

It is a start of a new series about Twilight mages and I have to say that Eliot knocked it out of the park with this first installment. We have Prince Nikola who suppresses his magic with a potion that needs to be carefully made, a trip that has some action-packed scenes highlighting that Nikola is not just a pretty, royal face, and Andreas, who started out as a bodyguard but the seeds of romance were in place long before these events. The writing is a cross between Victorian and medieval English in wording and cadence, and just a delight to read. It is definitely high-heat and wonderfully written with the requisite happily-ever-after ending.

It’s a fun story with some darker elements, a betrayal, and the romance gives you all the feels. In it, you can see the hints of who will be one of the main characters in a later book. Whether it’s the next book, or not, remains to be seen. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I can’t wait for the next installment.

With this, I give The Royal Curse 5 stars.

Eloreen Moon

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon

About the Author:

Eliot’s a lifelong Southern California girl, right down to the flip-flops and backyard garden. When she’s not writing her next book, you can find her reading, drinking tea, or (more likely) catering to the demands of her kids and ancient, cranky cat.

Steamy books with delicious tension, heart-wrenching pining, and a hefty dose of action and adventure have always been her jam as a reader. Guess what she writes?

You can catch up with her on Facebook in her reader group, Eliot Grayson’s Escape from Reality, or sign up for her newsletter at eliotgrayson.com.

Website | Goodreads Author Page | Amazon Author Page | Instagram | Facebook Group ~ Escape from Reality | BookBub | Linktree

Day 2 Denver pre-GRL #GRLRetreat2017

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Day 1 was traveling and getting to the house Marc (M), MTSnow (S), and I rented before GRL. We all converged to Denver in one piece, hung out last night after dinner in a mall food court, and crashed.
Picture of the standing horse at the Denver airport. We had to circle a lot while we waited for M to arrive from customs. Not the best picture. I’ll see if I can get a closer one with my picture software. And crop it a bit.

Day 2 was leisurely awakening this morning, a Costco and grocery run for the week, and returning back to the house for lunch. Just finished lunch and now I’m ready to nap. I’m on vacation. I can nap if I want to!

Picture below is a bush full of finches, it looks like. They are so cute. Their was this morning on the way to Costco.

The house is beautiful and plenty of room. The owner lives in the basement and rents out the upstairs via Airbnb. He got me a candy thermometer for the making of Divinity, a little Goergia I’m bringing to the retreat. I’ll probably do that this evening or tomorrow. I’m going to bring some just for K-lee to distract/cheer up from the pain she’s been having. Don’t worry, I’ll have plenty for people to try if you are attending.

Bedroom I’m sleeping in awhile at the house. That’s my purse/belt on the end of the bed. More pictures of the house later.

We’re going to do a planning session and see about what we want to accomplish before going to the retreat hotel on Wednesday. Perhaps I’ll read or maybe write. I’m feeling a little inspired–something about not working helps–so I might pull out my laptop or iPad. I definitely would like to catch up on reviewing.

I’m planning on wearing my new Rainbow Gold Reviews (RGR) t-shirt or hoodie Wednesday that S brought us. I’ll try to post pictures once I get them. I brought my camera, but I have my phone camera too. There is something to say for ease of posting to social media with the phone camera.

I going to take my nap now. More later. 🙂

Eloreen

#NaNoWriMo #amwriting what was I thinking?

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So, I meant to post that I’m writing in NaNoWriMo this year before starting on the first. I intended to bog about my progress every day. I wanted to have a good flow of words and at least get around the average daily word count.

Not exactly how things went.

Started on the 3rd instead of the 1st. Never got around to that initial blog post. I’m sitting at 3120 words instead of about 6600. I have no motivation to get up to go to my computer. I could pull out my iPad but I really need a table or desk so my keyboard typing on it doesn’t cause the whole thing to drop. I’ve already cracked my screen (thanks cat) and had to replace the screen. There are other things but I’m not going to bore you with my problems. You’re welcome. 🙂

 It’s gotten to the point when I want someone to pee for me… Not physically possible but nice to dream about. 😀

Reviewing had been almost non-existent. Here or on RGR. Although, we have discussed a meet-up at some point. Tentatively planned for next year. I’ll post more once we finalize it. That’s part of the reason, I’m trying to write something to publish. Get some mad money in and try to pay for these conventions I want to go to.

I do continue to read and likely will review regularly again. If I could get the full time job to slow down, I’ll be happier. If you want to connect on NaNoWriMo.org, look for my name and the pic below.

I’m going to sign off now and read some more.

It’s been a surreal day, week, month, year…

-Eloreen

Check this out on Pinterest.

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Woot! I can share from Pinterest to WordPress! On my phone! I’m so excited. Sorry for the double post on G+ 🙂

Work and family had been taking up time. I’ll post a new installment within the week. I hope.

Fabulous Sale EVERYWHERE on The Pack or the Panther and Wolf in Gucci Loafers http://taralain.com/20… – http://pinterest.com/pin/317292736222900741/?s=3&m=wordpress

Musings from the Moon

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Well, the scheduled date for Charon’s Dilemma was supposed to be August 15th, but that didn’t happen.  It has been rescheduled for a date coming up very soon. I still can’t tell you when but I will be posting as soon as I see it. 🙂

So, you can watch for it here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_folder/230111?group_id=20149 (must be a member to view it) to see it as soon as it releases.

The Moonbeams over Atlanta 100 blog posts contest ended and I, finally, got to send the winner her gift card to Amazon.  She should have it by now as I just emailed it to her…

This past week at work has been insane.  Internet has not helped.  When getting a phone call on the house line can kick you off internet…you know you have a problem with the lines…

Dragon Con is coming next week.  And there is a move in my future.  Good news is it is to a spiffy, updated house and better internet.  Bad news is the move part.

This writer is going to bed before I fall over.

Hopefully work will slow down a bit and I can post more.  I do have more blogs to host and a few reviews to do.  Keep watching and maybe I’ll get some writing going…maybe a freebie on the blog. 🙂

I enjoy freebies from my favorite authors.  Not that I’ve had a lot of time to read. Maybe the beginning of September I’ll start posting a work in progress.  Then maybe, I can finish something else.

*yawn*

Night Night

Eloreen

 

Another new beginning…and an update

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Well, I started my new full-time job this week.  It’s going to be interesting.  Have to get back into the swing of things and ramp up for long days and nights.  It’s just that kind of job.

Not sure how much writing I’m going to be doing for awhile, but I hope to get back to the swing of things once work settles down.

Good news, though!  Charon’s Dilemma will be published soon.  I can’t tell you when, but you should keep an eye out for when I post about it once it releases.

So, watch for it here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_folder/230111?group_id=20149 (must be a member to view it) to see it as soon as it releases.  I’ll post it here, too.  🙂

For the ebook fans, the ebooks will release within a week after it posts to the group.  I’ll post about that, too.  Because you KNOW I’m going to go grab my copy of it. *big grin*

Can I say that I’m excited?

On a blog note, Moonbeams over Atlanta has reached 100 blog posts.  There is a contest here and ends 8/13/2014.  The post will tell you how to enter.  It does have a question relating to the tour post it’s on so you will have to look at the tour.  So, go.  Enter.  There’s a giveaway for a $10 gift card to the ARe, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble retailer of your choice…

You know you want to…

🙂

Signing off.

Eloreen

 

Love’s Landscape Event on M/M Romance Group at Goodreads.com

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loveslandscapes

 

 

Hello and welcome to Moonbeams over Atlanta for the new followers.  Thank you to those that have been following.

My Love’s Landscape story, Charon’s Dilemma, is starting the editing process with an editor assigned to provide feedback to me from the annual Don’t Read in the Closet Event sponsored by M/M Romance Group in Goodreads.com.  However, the group has started the Love’s Landscapes postings of the first of the stories yesterday.  When totaled, and if all authors submit, there will be 212 stories available.

Best of all: It’s Free!

To see them as they release, join the M/M Romance Group on Goodreads.  The Love’s Landscape link above will get you to the folder where they are all at.  Later this summer (maybe fall), the eBook versions and the Anthologies will release.

When mine releases, I will post it here for easy access.  Again, you have to be a member (and 18+ to join) to view them before they go the general populous.

Go read.  I will be.

Eloreen

Welcome Rainbow Gold Review Facebook Page

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Come one, come all and like the new Facebook fan page.

https://www.facebook.com/rainbowgoldreviews

Cover banner provided by Sara York!

 

Eloreen Moon

Kickstarter for a Bi Anthology

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http://kck.st/1gKb0tm

 

Go help out.  It’s reached it’s goal but it needs to reach it’s stretch goal so the authors are paid more.

 

E