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

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

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

.@IndieSagePromo #Review #BlogTour: Her Kind of Man by Non Raines #LGBT #Contest #Romance #Contemporary

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Her Kind of Man
by Nona Raines
SPECTRUM, #2
Publication Date: November 10, 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBT, Romance
77 pages

Her Kind of Man Cover

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Synopsis: During the day, Roy Girard works with truckers. It’s a macho environment where a man is judged by how tough he is. And everyone knows Roy as one of the toughest.

On his own time Roy helps mentor young people who are LGBT, and cares about them as if they were his own. He’s in love with Venetia, a trans woman.

He’s careful to keep his nine-to-five completely separate from his private life. He knows his work buddies wouldn’t understand. And he doesn’t want Venetia exposed to their crude, narrow-minded views. It’s his job to protect her.

But when his two worlds collide, he has to make a choice. In trying to protect the woman he loves, he asks for more than she can give. In his need to keep her safe, he risks pushing her out of his life forever.

*NOTE* Her Kind of Man is the sequel to His Kind of Woman.

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Excerpt

Upstairs, she collapsed on the divan, doubts writhing like a tangle of snakes in her brain. Had she been out of line to question him? Had she been too suspicious, even paranoid?

Would he forgive her?

She’d changed into on her nightclothes, the comfy cotton ones decorated with cats, and was just reaching for the Häagen Dazs in her freezer when her phone buzzed.

Roy had texted her. I’m home.

Her fears eased. He’d kept his promise, letting her know he was safe. He was a man of his word. Her kind of man.

Good, she responded. Then, as of their own volition, her fingers tapped I miss you.

She waited, holding her breath. At last an answer came.

Miss u 2.

A few moments later, the phone rang. Her hand trembled as she picked up. “Roy?”

“For God’s sake, do you really think I’m the kind of man who’d pull a shitty play like that?”

“You don’t know the stories I’ve heard. Things that have happened to friends of mine.”

“Forget your friends. Forget the stories. This is me. The man who loves you. You’re the only woman in my life, the only one I want. And fuck! It pisses me off, you thinking I’m some lowdown scumbag who’d cheat on you.”

She caught her breath. The man who loves you. Did he realize what he’d just said?

“I was scared. I had to ask.” Why else would he have been so secretive? But she didn’t want to bring that up now and start the whole argument again.

“So you believe me?”

“Yes.”

“And you trust me?”

She gripped the phone, her heart thudding. “Yes, I trust you.”

“So how come I’m here and you’re way the hell over there?” His voice lowered an octave, turned soft and intimate.

Her girl parts tingled, reacting to his sexy rumble. “It’s a problem. I do remember asking you up, though.”

“Huh. And like a real dumb-ass, I blew it, trying to make a point.”

“Well, the invitation’s still good,” she responded in the most mellow, seductive tone she could summon.

“I’m on my way.”

The Review: Her Kind of Man

5 Stars

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I was provided a free copy of both books in the SPECTRUM series for the purpose of an honest review for second book for this blog tour. As a bonus, I’ve reviewed the first book after this review.

As soon as I finished His Kind of Woman, I jumped into Her Kind of Man immediately. Since I knew that I enjoyed His Kind of Woman, I expected Her Kind of Man to be equally good. I wasn’t disappointed.

Roy and Venetia have been dating for a little while now and Roy’s fears come to a head with a report on a beating in the news that hits home for him. He steps up his machismo wanting to protect Venetia from perceived threats because he can’t lose her.  Several things happen to bring things to a head and they both step back to work out their issues.

This seemed to have a breadth and depth more so than the first book, realism still high on the list. They love each other but like any other relationship, it still takes work and their own personalities may get in the way. Roy does things in the name of protection but he can’t coddle someone who has been there and done that too many times before. While Venetia understands, they both have to trust each other in order for their relationship to work. While there is not as much sex between the two stories, the plot is great and I enjoy a better plot than better sex. Don’t get me wrong, the sex is amazing and maybe a little short, but it works for the story line. I love the SPECTRUM series and I hope we hear more, especially with the teens Venetia has helped over the years.

Overall, I give Her Kind of Man 5 stars.

-Eloreen

His Kind of Woman, Book #1 in the SPECTRUM series…

His Kind of Woman Cover

His Kind of Woman
by Nona Raines
SPECTRUM, #1
Publication Date: June 13, 2013
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBT, Romance
67 Pages

Buy: Loose-IDAmazonB&NKobo

Synopsis: When Roy Girard went looking for Victor Varrano, he never expected a woman to answer the door. He soon discovers that Victor is now Venetia. Roy’s startled, but even more surprised by his attraction to her. As they spend time together, he doesn’t want to let her go. But she’s sure to dump him when she learns his secret.

Venetia’s falling hard and fast for Roy. But when she learns that his brother was the bully who tormented her in high school, she’s shattered. She can’t wrap her head around the fact that the man who made such amazing love to her could so completely betray her trust.

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Bonus Review: His Kind of Woman

5 Stars

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This blog tour is for the release of Her Kind of Man, but I like to read a series in order even though the author said they could be read independently. While that is true, I feel I was richer for the experience reading His Kind of Woman first to get the background on Roy and Venetia.

I enjoyed this book as Venetia is comfortable in her skin for the first time since she knew she was in the wrong body dating back to when she was a he as a teen. When Roy and her meet, she is attracted to him but still has doubts about herself despite his interest in her. Roy is attracted to her but must find Victor to right a wrong his brother did to Victor but is unable to do it himself. He is guilty because of his own issues and things he had done when he was younger. The guilt only gets worse once he finds out Victor and Venetia are one and the same. They circle each other like the Earth and Moon getting closer as Venetia introduces Roy to the SPECTRUM kids and the place she started to support LGBTQ youths in their quest to find themselves. Something she didn’t have when she was a kid. Roy is a little startled but he takes these kids in stride and comes to care for them as well.

Overall, it was a great read and I was not able to put it down once I was started. It’s and easy read with only 67 pages but you see the love bloom between Venetia and Roy as they overcome their angst with themselves and each other, although Roy has more than Venetia. Explanations are a little slower than I prefer but I’m the “must know everything right now” kind of gal. 🙂 There is a happy ending, but the work to get there is very realistic and tugs on your heartstrings.

With this, I give His Kind of Woman 5 stars.

-Eloreen

ABOUT NONA RAINES

Nona Raines

Nona Raines is a former librarian who lives in upstate New York with her many pets. She’s currently working on her next novel between walking the dog and shooing the cats off the laptop. Her romances are published with The Wild Rose Press and Loose Id. Her transgender romance His Kind of Woman was nominated for the 2014 DABWAHA sponsored by the Dear Author and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books review blogs. Her most recent work is the romance novella Write to Me and the transgender romance Her Kind of Man.

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5 Star #Review ‘Fish Stick Fridays’ by Rhys Ford #LGBT #Mystery #Romance

An another Rhys Ford review on release day! This is for Fish Sticks Fridays here on Moonbeams over Atlanta.

 

The Review:

5 Stars

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Bad boy Deacon Reid fought for his niece, Zig, after his sister passed away, and has settled in Half Moon Bay. Lang Harris grew up a rich kid and actually owns a lot of Half Moon Bay. Together, they dodge people trying to kill them, fires, and things that go boom. In between they discover each other and strive to make their own family.

Deacon and Lang are hot together. They are real and learning to love, in their own ways. They each have their own brand of baggage and angst. Who doesn’t? Zig is cute in her tutus and combat boots with her own issues and nightmares entwined with Deacon and Lang, and tied up with why they are being hunted. I didn’t see the reason until almost to the end. Rhys did a great job of the overall mystery arc. I love the realism, suspense, and mystery in this new series and can’t wait for the next one.

With this, I give Fish Stick Fridays 5 stars.

Eloreen

Blurb: 

Deacon Reid was born bad to the bone with no intention of changing. A lifetime of law-bending and living on the edge suits him just fine—until his baby sister dies and he finds himself raising her little girl.

Staring down a family history of bad decisions and reaped consequences, Deacon cashes in everything he owns, purchases an auto shop in Half Moon Bay, and takes his niece, Zig, far away from the drug dens and murderous streets they grew up on. Zig deserves a better life than what he had, and Deacon is determined to give it to her.

Lang Harris is stunned when Zig, a little girl in combat boots and a purple tutu, blows into his bookstore, and then he’s left speechless when her uncle, Deacon Reid, walks in hot on her heels. Lang always played it safe, but Deacon tempts him to step over the line… just a little bit.

More than a little bit. And Lang is willing to be tempted.

Unfortunately, Zig isn’t the only bit of chaos dropped into Half Moon Bay. Violence and death strike, leaving Deacon scrambling to fight off a killer before he loses not only Zig but Lang too.

Buy Link: Dreamspinner Press

Title: Fish Stick Fridays
Author: Rhys Ford
Series: Half Moon Bay, Book 1
Print Length: 204 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published Date: November 30, 2015
Cover Artist: Reece Notley
ISBN-13; 978-1-62380-948-5

Author Bio

Rhys Ford was born and raised in Hawai’i then wandered off to see the !rhys_ford_headshotworld. After chewing through a pile of books, a lot of odd food, and a stray boyfriend or two, Rhys eventually landed in San Diego, which is a very nice place but seriously needs more rain.

Rhys  admits to sharing the house with three cats of varying degrees of black fur, and a ginger cairn terrorist. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird, a Toshiba laptop, and a red Hamilton Beach coffee maker.

5 Star #Review ‘D.N.A.’ by Alex Hurst #ScienceFiction #Amazon

Here is the review I promised from the release day post. I’m slowly catching up on my reviews. 🙂 Blurb, purchase information, and author info at the end of the review.

 

The Review:

5 Stars

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So, I ran across this from the author requesting blog space.  It was intriguing because of the “science” for a full-skin transplant that involves nanonites and synthetic tissue, resulting in a little bit more than expected when Alta, the main character, was given technology to save her life.  It’s short and has funny parts, and makes you want to read the rest. The illustrations are wonderful and I can’t wait to see more of them as well. D.N.A is a little different in that it’s an illustrated story and not a comic. You don’t see that everyday. It does read a little bit like a comic–I like that, but it doesn’t distract from the words or the illustrations. I read it on my Nook Color, just fine.

Alta has a symbiotic relationship with the AI, called Digital Nanocell Accelerator, or D.N.A, for short, that controls her nanoCell skin. She is elevated to an almost superhero power of a Chameleon. It’s an unique way for someone to gain paranormal capabilities. Definitely a must read for the Science Fiction fan. While there was not romance in this story, there were hints that there might be some in future installments. It was still fun to read, and look forward to more.

With this, I give D.N.A. 5 stars.

Eloreen

DNABlurb: 

The story chronicles the adventures of Alta Williams, a woman of a future where genetics dictate quality of life and scientific discovery advances at an inconceivable rate. Alta is known to the media as the Human Doll, the first successful case of a full nanoCell organ transplant.

Alta appreciates the technology around her: without it, a chemical fire would have killed her in her early twenties. Though the fire destroyed her extracellular matrix, scientists from the medical behemoth nanoTech were able to replace her ruined skin with their patented nanoCell material, giving her a second lease on life.

However, with nanotechnology now advanced enough to alter the human genome, and a company determined to capitalize – and control – the endeavor, it is up to Alta to expose their plans.

And she’s not alone.

Helping her every step of the way is D.N.A., the Digital Nanocell Accelerator, a self-learning computer program charged with telling synthetic cells which tissue they should build. D.N.A. fuses with Alta’s fully-synthetic skin and convinces her to fight against those who would otherwise oppress society as she knows it.

Of course, it helps that D.N.A. can change the genetic makeup of Alta’s skin at will, gifting her with the characteristics of any living recorded in the Genome Project. With the world’s genetic code at her whim, Alta has the power to overcome anything…

…but at what cost to her humanity?

**Please note that this is a novella with illustrations, not a comic or full-length novel**

Buy Link: Amazon

Title: D.N.A.: Alta
Author: Alex Hurst, Illustrated: Kevin Nichols
Series: D.N.A. Book 1
Print Length: 24 pages (Novella)
Publisher: Bookmark Comics
Published Date: July 15, 2015
ASIN: B0101Y6Z9Y

Author Bio

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Alex Hurst writes primarily character-driven fantasy, in such sub-genres as urban, Gothic, uncanny, and regional fantasy. Sometimes, she dapples in science fiction, horror, and LGBT literature.

She was raised in the wilds of the south. Lightning storms and hurricanes created the playpens of her youth, and in the summers, she used to spend all of her time dodging horseflies in a golden river, catching fish and snakes with her bare hands, swinging from vines, and falling out of magnolia trees.

In the dawn of her adolescence, her family took her on a journey across the United States, from the white sands of Pensacola, FL, to the razor’s edge of the Hell’s Backbone in Utah. They finally landed in Marin, CA, where lotus eaters tried to make city folk out of them (but miserably failed.) She currently lives in Kyoto, Japan, working as a writer and dream-smith.

She also freelances as an editor for the Writers’ Anarchy anthology series, designs book interiors at Country Mouse Design, and admins on the Fiction Writers community on Facebook, assisting emerging writers.

Feel free to stay a while, leave a comment or send her an email. If you feel so inclined, you can also follow her on any of the links below.

 

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