5 Star Review of “Tequila Mockingbird” (Sinners 3) by Rhys Ford

Posted by eloreenmoon

Moonbeams over Atlanta welcomes Rhys Ford back for a guest post AND a review of Tequila Mockingbird which released on June 27, 2014! They are actually separate posts this time so make sure you check out the guest post from Rhys Ford too.

The Review:

Rhys provided the story to me for an honest review along with A Devil’s Brew. Thank you. I absolutely love the Sinners series and can’t wait for another installment. 🙂

5 Stars

As per usual, Rhys continues to keep Sinners’ series flowing well.

We are introduced to Lieutenant Connor Morgan of SFPD’s SWAT division and the return of the Morgan clan with his first scene: A raid on a trailer for drugs that turns out to have a murdered man he tried to save. Enter the murdered man’s adopted son Forest Ackerman, a drummer who’s trouble with a capitol T. Connor is the the eldest son in the family who has everything worked out—a career in law enforcement, a nice house, and a typical family. He doesn’t expect to fall in love with a man that started with comforting Forest after that raid. Trouble comes in the form of attacks on his coffee shop intent on killing Forest, and Connor steps in to save him. Through it all, Connor and Forest circle one another like magnets as they fall in love.

And fall in love they do. I liked that there were more suspense and a little darker with the scenes. It provided a realism that brings depth to the series, the characters, and the lives of everyone touched. We see more of the Morgan clan, including Connor’s parents Donal and Brigid, and all of the sisters and brothers. It’s great to see more secondary characters get into the action. I enjoyed it immensely and would love to see more, especially with Quinn. 🙂

With this, I give Tequila Mockingbird 5 stars.

Eloreen Moon

Book Links:

Goodreads | Dreamspinner

Eloreen Moon gives 9.5/10 pots of gold for Draven St. James’ “Grey’s Hidden Fire”

Posted by eloreenmoon

My review for Draven’s St. James’s “Grey’s Hidden Fire.” Enjoy!

5 Star Review of “A Devil’s Brew” (Sinners 2.5) by Rhys Ford, Interview, and a Giveaway!

Posted by eloreenmoon

This is a double post with a review of A Devil’s Brew AND an interview with Rhys Ford! Pull up your comfy chair, grab your coffee (or tea), and read on…be sure to read the entire post. There’s a giveaway at the end. 🙂

First, The Review:

Rhys provided the story to me for an honest review. Thank you. I absolutely love the Sinners series and can’t wait for the next installment. 🙂

5 Stars

I have to say that when I finished it, I wanted it to be longer. 😉 Then it would defeat the purpose of being a novella, as Rhys so graciously pointed out to me…

We see Miki, the lead singer, and Damien, his best friend and guitarist, looking in a jewelry story for a Valentine’s Day present for Sionn, Damien’s lover. Much drama ensues while they are there and it kicks off Miki’s angst when it comes to his lover, Kane Morgan, and his feelings on Valentine’s in general, and his lover’s happiness with his own presents in specific. It it woven well, and I love how it is written. While it had been a while since I had read Whiskey and Wry, it was easy to pick up the names again without having to pull up a character chart. The secondary characters are present and makes you fell like they are primary characters. It was fun, and despite the angst, light and short to give a better understanding of Miki and his character. And the sex is hot, too. 🙂

Because of the wonderfulness that is A Devil’s Brew, I give it 5 Stars.

Eloreen Moon

And now, The Interview:

Rhys contacted me after I had agreed to review A Devil’s Brew looking to grab some space to promote it’s release this month and Tequila Mockingbird next month. Be sure to come back for a guest post and review in celebration of Tequila Mockingbird‘s release at the end of June.

Please welcome Rhys Ford to Moonbeams over Atlanta!

Thank you for letting me be here.

Thank you for participating! So, please provide a summary of Rhys Ford to the readers. 😉

Ah, a summary? I was born and raised in Hawai’i and am now in San Diego. I am owned by three cats, two dogs, a few laptops and a vintage Pontiac Firebird. Oh, and I write. *grins*

What inspired you to write your first book?

I was actually twelve when I wrote my first book. I remember writing it but don’t recall what it was about. It couldn’t have been any good. Hell, I can’t even tell you the genre. It probably was pretentious and angsty. God only knows. I’ve been writing and daydreaming since as long as I could remember.

On average, how long does it take you to write a book in general and The Devil’s Brew in specific?

The Devil’s Brew is hard to judge because it started off as a short story then increased to a novella. So a couple of months. Some things come very easily and others I fight with. The one I’m writing right now is a fight.

The Devil’s Brew is between Whiskey & Wry and Tequila Mockingbird (set to release at the end of June) in the Sinners series. Do you plan on more books in the series?

There will be one more band-related book called Sloe Ride then a Miki and Kane focused book which doesn’t have a name yet. That’ll deal with Miki’s issues from his past. And probably how he’s going to deal with Brigid who really does love him—he’s just wary of parental figures in general.

I really like your covers. What is your process from concept to finished cover?

I have no process. Usually I go with my gut. Some of them I really like and others I am all…what was I thinking? It’s hard to find good stock photo because so many of the really nice guys are taken and used by so many people. I might have to stalk gyms to get pretty guys on my own. Really, that’s the hardest part of it.

How many of your Sinners characters were sparked by real-life examples?

Wow. Um… Brigid and Donal are probably amalgamation of relatives I have. There’s a lot of me in Miki. Damie—no clue. He just fit into Miki’s character so well. And well, who wouldn’t want a Morgan?

How much research did you do for the Sinners series?

Not a lot of research because most of it is emotional stuff. The murdering part is stuff I pick up over the years. Bodies are dismayingly easy to dispose of but evidence is always lingering. San Francisco’s background probably is where I spent the most research. I always want to make sure the city flows well in the stories.

Where there any things you found in research that surprised you?

Oddly enough I found out Cousin Oliver from the Brady Bunch was the bus driver in Sharknado. That surprised me a hell of a lot.

What story, or stories, are you working on at the moment?

I am currently working on Down and Dirty, a side story featuring Cole’s younger brother Ichiro and Bobby Dawson, Cole’s very badly behaved best friend. It’s a bit of a fight because I can’t kill anyone. Really, a well placed bloodbath is never to be discounted. *nods*

What is one random fact about yourself that no one knows about?

God, I think I’m pretty open about everything. One random fact? Um… I don’t like pears? Well people know about that. Wow. Huh. I’ve got nothing. No dark secrets. Or if I do, I’ve conveniently forgotten them. *grins*

Thank you for having me and I hope you enjoy the novella! I am so appreciative of everything you’ve done for me here. Thank you again!

You are very welcome, Rhys. Come back anytime.

And that concludes our interview with Rhys Ford!

Oh! I promised a giveaway. 🙂

Finally…The Giveaway:

Rhys has graciously agreed to provide one ebook copy of her backlist to one lucky commentator to this post. This does not include A Devil’s Brew. Please make sure you leave an email address so she can contact you for your choice of book and format. Giveaway ends on 5/25/2014 at 11:59 PM. I will be picking with random.org and will provide the lucky winner’s information to Rhys within 24-48 hours. I will announce it here as well.

You must be 18+ in order to participate.

Good luck!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Dreamspinner

Eloreen Moon gives 10/10 pots of gold for L. Dean Pace-Frech’s “A Place To Call Their Own”

Posted by eloreenmoon

Another review on Rainbow Gold Reviews. 😉 Enjoy!

5 Star Book Review: “In His Sights” (Don’t Tell 1.5) by Rie Warren

Posted by eloreenmoon

Hello peeps! This is a review for Moonbeams over Atlanta instead of Rainbow Gold Reviews. 🙂 How about that? It’s been crazy these past few months. Now I’m getting back on track with beta reading, reviewing; and, of course, writing. Be on the lookout for an update about my writing…

I was provided a copy of this from the author for the purpose of writing this review. I was a little leery of reading something that was part of a series but Rie assured me that this was a stand-alone short story. Oh boy. It was wonderful! Now I need to read the rest in the series. 😉

5 Stars

Blurb:

These sworn enemies have everything to lose and each other to live for.

At the outset of the Revolution against the oppressive Company regime, Hawke is a freedom fighter on a mission. Infiltrate Alpha Territory, kick some Corps ass, and stay alive. His plans unravel when he’s captured by the enemy on his first sortie. Waiting for death by the soldier sworn to kill him, all his training couldn’t have prepared him for what happens next.

A corporal in the Company’s military branch, Mayce is a hard-liner intent on ridding his city of the insurgent threat. Yet one look at the gorgeous Freelander named Hawke and years of yearning and unrealized desires change his course permanently. If discovered, he’ll be branded a traitor and a homosexual—and sentenced to death.

Mayce and Hawke act on their intense and immediate attraction. But amid the escalating war their dangerous trysts come at the risk of their own lives.

Review:

It is the year 2070 set in a dystopia Earth following a mostly destroyed planet population two generations previous. In order to rebuild the population, homosexuality is a death sentence by the Company, the ruling body of sixteen identical international territories that were once big cities: damaged but not destroyed. In His Sights is a stand-alone story set in the same universe as the Don’t Tell universe. It follows the explosive meeting of two enemies: Corporal Mayce from the Company and Hawke, a freedom fighter for the Revolution against the Company Corps.

What happens is a sexy, fast-paced, and dangerous run through Hawke and Mayce’s trysts in Alpha Territory where they come together with a passion neither expected to find, let alone continue. It’s stupid. It’s crazy. Both men shouldn’t be doing this, but they can’t stay away. From the beginning to the end, you can’t put it down. There is a happy for now ending and makes me wonder if there might be a sequel to Hawke and Mayce’s story. 😉 I loved it and I give it 5 stars.

Eloreen Moon