LGBT Monday: Dreamspinner Novellas Edition

Title: Piece of Cake
Author: Mary Calmes
Series: Matter of Time, #8
Released: August 11th 2015
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Length: 70 pages
Source: Publisher for review
Buy: Dreamspinner press

After years of domestic partnership, Jory Harcourt and Sam Kage are finally going to make it official in their home state of Illinois. It’s been a long and rocky road, and nothing—not disasters at work, not the weather, not a possible stalker, not even getting beat up and having to attend the ceremony looking like he just got mugged—will make Jory wait one more day to make an honest man of the love of his life.

Should be a piece of cake, right?

When you've loved a series as much as I have and for as long as I've loved A Matter of Time, getting a novella that celebrates everything that was special about it is a treat like no other. We’ve followed Sam and Jory to hell and back, seen them make awful decisions and come together in their explosive way, witnessed them settling down and weathering one storm after another, laughed through Jory’s antics and loved them both unconditionally for many, many years. In Piece of Cake, the two can finally get married in their own state after years of domestic partnership, but Jory wouldn’t be Jory if murder and mayhem didn’t follow him closely.

Review: Eyes Deep

Author: Tim Marquitz
Series: Clandestine Daze, #1
Released: October 28th 2014
Source: Author for review
Buy: Amazon

No one trusts a doppelganger, and for good reason. Behind every stolen identity lies murder. 

For Theodor Crane, his latest crime comes with a new family, a new job, a new set of troubles, yet there’s no escaping his past lives. 

On the precipice of war between humans and supernaturals, Theo is thrust in the middle, charged with maintaining the balance while keeping his true identity a secret. Conspiracies and old hatreds lurk just below the surface, creeping to a head as the veil between the two worlds slowly crumbles. Failure means reigniting an age old conflict. Success means living a lie for the rest of his days. Either way, Theo loses.

What is one of the best things that can happen to urban fantasy enthusiasts? Tim Marquitz starting a new series and creating a new anti-hero, that’s what! So now that that’s happened, please join me in this happy dance I’m doing all over my house.

Short and Exciting: A Curse Awakened Blog Tour

Author: Cecy Robson
Series: Weird Girls, #0.4
Published: August 18th 2014
Publisher: Loveswept
Lenght: 94 pages
Source: Publisher for review
Buy: Amazon

Discover Cecy Robson’s sensational Weird Girls series—or return to where the magic first began—with this eBook original prequel novella about four sisters coming to grips with their unique supernatural powers.

Celia Wird shouldn’t possess the ability to transform into a tigress. Her three sisters should never be able to burst into flames, heal wounds, or transform common objects into deadly weapons. And yet they do.

Before they were born, the Wird Sisters were cursed by a spell that was intended to destroy them, not endow them with extraordinary powers. The sisters’ magic is untamed and explosive at best, and time is running out for them to take command.

Vampires have targeted Celia’s sweet, tragically human ex-boyfriend Danny. The sisters rush to his aid, but in order to take down the vamps, first they must face their dark past and break a spell that’s screwing up their powers. Except this curse wasn’t meant to be broken . . . and the witch who cast it isn’t done toying with them yet.

A Curse Awakened is another prequel novella in Cecy Robson's Weird Girls series (one was released before the first novel). It takes place right before the girls gained their full powers, which I thought was very interesting. The curse that was placed on them by a distant relative remained more on less a mystery until now, and it was great to learn more about it. The curse, it seems, actually backfired, but while the girls didn’t die like they should have, they didn’t reach their full potential either. So when Celia’s first boyfriend Danny (fans of the series undoubtedly know and love the shy geek) comes to her for help because the vampires kidnapped his father, the girls have to find a way to deal with the curse and become stronger before they run to his rescue.

Review: Fracture Me (Shatter Me, #2.5)

Author: Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me, #2.5
Published: December 17th 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: ebook, 62 pgs
Buy: Amazon

In this electrifying sixty-page companion novella to the New York Timesbestselling Shatter Me series, discover the fate of the Omega Point rebels as they go up against The Reestablishment. Set during and soon after the final moments of Unravel Me, Fracture Me is told from Adam's perspective.

As Omega Point prepares to launch an all-out assault on The Reestablishment soldiers stationed in Sector 45, Adam's focus couldn't be further from the upcoming battle. He's reeling from his breakup with Juliette, scared for his best friend's life, and as concerned as ever for his brother James's safety. And just as Adam begins to wonder if this life is really for him, the alarms sound. It's time for war.

On the battlefield, it seems like the odds are in their favor—but taking down Warner, Adam's newly discovered half brother, won't be that easy. The Reestablishment can't tolerate a rebellion, and they'll do anything to crush the resistance . . . including killing everyone Adam has ever cared about.

Fracture Me sets the stage for Ignite Me, the explosive finale in Tahereh Mafi's epic dystopian series. It's a novella not to be missed by fans who crave action-packed stories with tantalizing romance like Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Legend by Marie Lu.

Weird how things can change in very short periods of time! At the beginning of this series, there were Adam and Juliette, and I couldn’t imagine anything else. Then came Destroy Me, Warner’s novella that showed a whole new side of him, and (to my own surprise) I started thinking he might be a better choice for her after all. But my heart was breaking for poor Adam. I saw him as a nice and honest – if somewhat plain – boy, not strong enough and certainly not insightful enough to fully understand someone as messed up as Juliette.

However, just like the previous novella, Fracture Me made me completely change my mind. In only 62 pages, Adam has managed to convince me that he’s so very wrong for her, and what’s more, that he doesn’t even really love her. Regardless of my past feelings for him, which were lukewarm at best, I didn’t expect to see this level of anger, jealously, and most of all, weakness.

The thing that troubles me most about Adam, his own doubts and reservations aside, is that he sees Juliette as someone in need of protection, someone incapable of defending herself. Their relationship, as good as it might have seemed in the past, would never be a relationship of equals, never a true partnership. With Adam’s attitude, Juliette would never be free to grow to her full potential, she would always be kept back and sheltered. Unlike Warner, who keeps pushing her to be her best, even through nefarious means, Adam would wrap her in cotton and convince her she needs him – a big, strong soldier – to fight her battles.

Tahereh Mafi still does a wondrous job of adapting her writing to her POV character. It’s one of her greatest talents, I think, this ability to use writing as yet another tool for characterization. Adam’s narration is much like Adam himself – plain and a bit dry, with nothing distinctive about it.

Compared to Warner’s novella, Fracture Me is almost painfully short, but it contributes a lot to the series and sheds a very different light on Adam. I’m not sure how many fans he’ll have after this. If he ends up with Juliette after all, I for one am going to be very disappointed.

My three stars in no way reflect Tahereh’s writing and storytelling, which are brilliant. It’s more about the bitter disappointment this novella left me with, and it’s definitely a result of my strong dislike of Adam. I know I’ll be a sobbing mess after Ignite Me, though. Whichever way this goes, it can’t end well for everyone involved. Perhaps we should be smart about it and start a support group while there’s still time?
The clock is ticking, my friends. The heartbreak is almost here.

Novella Reviews: Breathless (Elemental, #2.5) and Undone (Unraveling, #1.5)

Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Series: Elemental, #2.5
Release date: May 2013
Publisher Kensington Teen
Source: Publisher for review
Buy: Amazon


Everyone knows that Michael is my favorite Merrick (if you have any illusions that you’ll be able to take him from me, please keep in mind that I have mad ninja skills I’ve been keeping under wraps all this time and that I won’t hesitate to use them), but what you might not know is that smart, calm, level-headed Nick is a close second. There was always something especially vulnerable about him that made me want to hide him and protect him.

I must admit that I love the direction Nick’s story is taking. What lies ahead of him is sure to be painful and extremely difficult, but I hope he’ll find the courage to go where his heart leads him, despite what his brothers might think. In the end, it probably won’t be nearly as terrible as he’s imagining it.

Ever since Spark, I’ve been uneasy when I thought of Nick (and I do think about the Merricks more often than I care to admit). I didn’t like Quinn for him, she is too unpredictable, too wild and self-centered. But Breathless showed a different side of her, and a different side of Nick, too, and I can’t wait to see where it will all lead them in Nick’s full-length novel, scheduled for January 2014. I liked Adam the second he showed up. I think he might be exactly what Nick needs – gentle and wise beyond his age, but also a bit pushy and determined not to let anyone dictate his life. I don’t doubt Nick’s happy ending at all, I just hope neither of them will get too hurt in the meanwhile.

January 2014, huh? Where’s that darn pre-order button?

Author: Elizabeth Norris
Series: Unraveling, #1.5
Release date: March 5th 2013
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Buy: Amazon


My poor, POOR Ben.
The first part of Undone focuses on Ben’s life before Janelle. We see where he came from and how, and it all helps explain his unflinching loyalty to his two best friends, Eli and Reid. Ben spent so many years admiring Janelle from afar, but even though he admitted as much in Unraveling, I never quite understood the importance of it until now. It was charming and a bit heartbreaking to learn how many times he wanted to approach her, talk to her, but could never quite gather the courage to do it.

In the second part, which is also the shortest, we see some of the most important events from Unraveling through Ben’s eyes. His decision to save Janelle’s life carries far more weight now that I know all about the risks it brought with it. For Ben, Janelle shines like a comet, she’s as untouchable and perfect as a goddess.

Third part is the longest and it shows Ben’s life after Unraveling. Going back to his old life wasn’t nearly as easy as he’d hoped – by the time he and Eli made it back, there wasn’t much left to find. Neither Ben nor Eli really belong there anymore, but just as they start to talk about leaving once more, something happens to change their plans.

I’m not quite sure whether I should recommend reading Undone before or after Unbreakable (honestly, I’m leaning toward after), but I definitely recommend reading it. It will give you a very clear idea of Ben’s life before and after Janelle, but even more importantly, seeing Janelle through Ben’s loving eyes will make the intensity of his emotions somewhat easier to understand.

Review: Pros and Cons (Nikki Glass, #2.5)

Author: Jenna Black
Series: Nikki Glass, #2.5
Release date: February 25th 2013
Publisher: Pocket Star
ebook, 65 pages
Source: Publisher for review
Buy: Amazon


Nikki Glass is an immortal descendant of Artemis the Huntress, which makes her a Liberi and a natural enemy of the Olympians. She is the latest member of the Liberi and she’s still adjusting to her new life, but that doesn’t mean she’s entitled to a drama-free existence. After the great fight with Anubis’ descendant in the last book, things are tense between Nikki and her boss Anderson, so Nikki decides to do what she does best – hide.

In an attempt to avoid conflict, she leaves the house she shares with him and the other Liberi, at least for a little while, and goes back to being a private investigator, albeit one with a few extra senses. The case that she decides to accept is very mundane – a pregnant party girl wants to locate her one-night stand to inform him of their baby. After some digging, however, the case becomes far more complex, and Nikki’s strong sense of right and wrong complicates things even further.

It was nice to revisit familiar characters; not just Nikki, but Jack (descendant of Loki), Blake (descendant of Eros) and a few others as well. I like this world and I’m always excited about spending time in their company. However, Jamaal was entirely absent this time, and considering his newly established friendship with Nikki, as well as their growing attraction, I found this rather odd.

I wouldn’t recommend jumping into this novella if you haven’t read the previous two books. Jenna Black offered no backstory, no explanations and no recaps. It still helped jog my memory, which I desperately needed after all this time. It was nice to be reminded of how much I like Nikki Glass. A year is a very long time between books, especially for someone who reads as much as I do, and I must admit to forgetting the finer details of her character, as well as some of the worldbuilding. Even though Pros and Cons didn’t help much with the latter, it still helped me remember Nikki’s integrity and honesty.

The lesson Nikki was forced to learn in this little e-novella is this: never ask the descendant of Loki to help you solve a problem because he is likely to cause more problems than he can solve. And he's likely to land a few people in jail in the process. Nikki disliked Jack from her very first day as a Liberi, but I always liked reading about his antics. Who could be more fun to read about than the descendant of a trickster god? Oh, yeah, Jamaal, but no such luck.

I can’t wait to get my hands on Rogue Descendants in April. Despite her many qualities, Nikki has some serious challenges ahead of her and she’ll have to resist her natural tendency to run away from her problems. Hopefully things will move forward with Jamaal too, he is still such a mystery to me.

Review: Leashing the Tempest (Arcadia Bell, #2.5)

Author: Jenn Bennett
Series: Arcadia Bell, #2.5
Published: December 17th 2012
Publisher: Pocket Star
E-novella, 65 pages
Buy: Amazon

The purpose of this e-novella, at least in my eyes, was to make waiting for the May release of Binding the Shadows just a bit easier. Mission accomplished, Ms. Bennett. You gave me a chance to spend some quality time with my favorite characters and if possible, got me even more excited about the upcoming book. In length, Leashing the Tempest is about one-fourth of a book, so it’s definitely worth your $0.99 or 2.99, depending on your location.

Things rarely go as planned for Cady Bell, her Earthbound demon boyfriend Lon and his teenage son Jupe. In this novella, a relaxing one-afternoon boat trip turns into a real adventure when two storms hit their location and an otherworldly creature pays an unexpected visit. Once again, it’s up to Cady and her abilities to save the day.


The plot picked up a bit late, especially for a novella, but I loved that Bennett built it around a mythological creature I’ve never even heard of. Yes, there are still a few out there, and no, I won’t tell you what it is, you’ll have to find out for yourselves. I’ll just point out that I was pleasantly surprised and completely creeped out by this creature. Here, I’ll give you an extremely unhelpful clue because I’m nice like that.

I’d summoned a few demons with weird appendages: tails, cloven hooves, wings… but I’d never seen a multi-headed demon outside a medieval engraving in a musty goetic tome.

Fortunately, Jenn Bennet unleashed her sense of humor in this one, and of course, most of the humorous remarks came from the teenage Earthbound wonder Jupe and his not-so-secret crush Kar Yee. I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t be affected by Jupe’s innocent charm. Even Lon, who is a pretty strict father, all things considered, lets him get away with almost anything.

Lon and Cady’s wonderful relationship with Jupiter brings me to my favorite thing about Bennett’s books. What sets this series apart from all other urban fantasy series is the family at its center. Even though their stories are told from Cady’s point of view, in first person at that, they are indeed their stories. Every member of the newly formed family is just as important as the other two, and Bennett manages the stories with three equal protagonists beautifully.

The second book in the series, Summoning the Night, found its place among my very few favorite 2012 adult releases. If you like urban fantasy at all, you’ll definitely like this one.