Book Release Day: The Sound of Violet by Allen Wolf

Posted on September 23, 2021 | Leave a comment

“Desperate to find a soulmate, Shawn goes on one awkward date after another until he encounters the alluring Violet. He starts dating her, but his autism keeps him from realizing that she’s actually a prostitute.

Shawn thinks he’s found a potential wife while Violet thinks she’s found her ticket to a brand new life. This hilarious and dramatic award-winning story has been adapted into a major motion picture.“

PRAISE FOR THE SOUND OF VIOLET:

“Wolf, an award-winning filmmaker, has adapted this first novel from his own original screenplay, and its cinematic potential clearly shows. The high-concept narrative is entertaining, well-paced, and highly visual … It’s a charming, humorous, and hopeful tale. A quirky, touching love story that offers insights into autism, religion, and personal tragedy.” – Kirkus Reviews

“A wonderfully well-written, funny, romantic love story. Unique and inspirational. The Sound of Violet is not your average romance. Rarely do I find myself so captivated by a book that I cannot put it down for nearly two hours. Pick up this book and get lost in the beauty of their relationship. My only complaint would be that the story had an ending, as all stories do, and I did so want to keep reading on. Most highly recommended. The Sound of Violet is simply remarkable.” – Readers’ Favorite

“By turning conventions of contemporary romance on its stilettos and swapping out the typical sassy, fashion-obsessed female protagonist for an autistic male who reads jokes from index cards, Wolf puts a fresh spin on the genre. Adapted from his award-winning screenplay, The Sound of Violet shows signs of its origins with snappy dialogue and humorous, well-staged scenes … A sweet and entertaining romantic comedy, The Sound of Violet touches on autism and the power of faith. It will appeal to any reader who enjoys a blend of quirky characters, humor, and drama.” – Blue Ink Review

“Heartfelt, out-of-the-ordinary romance … This warm, witty story does not shy away from serious themes like exploitation, redemption, and true love. The Sound of Violet explores heavy issues with a light touch. It’s easy to see this being adapted into an enjoyable movie …” – Foreword Reviews

You can also read my full review HERE.

GET YOUR COPY NOW!

About the Author
Allen Wolf is an award-winning novelist, filmmaker, and game creator. He is also the host of the popular Navigating Hollywood podcast.

His debut novel “The Sound of Violet” has won multiple accolades and is described as “Entertaining, well-paced, and highly visual” by Kirkus Reviews. It is now a major motion picture. (www.TheSoundOfViolet.com)

He has won 39 awards for his games that are available as books, including You’re Pulling My Leg! and You’re Pulling My Leg! Junior. They’ve brought smiles to hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

As a filmmaker, Allen wrote, directed, and produced “In My Sleep,” which was released worldwide, won multiple film festivals, and is available on iTunes and Amazon Prime. Hollywood Reporter raved, “In My Sleep never rests, a credit to the tight, psychologically astute pacing of filmmaker Wolf.”

Allen graduated from New York University’s film school. He married his Persian princess, and they are raising two kids together. He enjoys traveling around the world and hearing other people’s life stories. Allen also cherishes spending time with his family, eating chocolate, and visiting Disneyland. See more at http://www.allenwolf.com.

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Book Release Day—Hugh: A Hero without a Novel by David Lawrence

Posted on September 22, 2021 | Leave a comment

“…a work of queer historical archiving that’s as admirable and remarkable as its hero.” – Kirkus Reviews

This romp through 18th century England is like nothing told in the era of Tom Jones – a sparkling, humorous, and poetical coming-of-age 242 years in the making.

From an old family trunk comes a manuscript which never saw the light of day. Its pages tell of the life, times, and blackmail of a young queer aristocrat stepping into 1768 Society…

A time of wig powder and heeled slippers.
Duels and social climbers, when the most popular member of the government is declared an outlaw. Hugh Entwistle enters this world wealthy, witty, and well-connected. Everything to be a success – everything, except that thing stuck to the bottom of his heeled slipper.

Hugh’s is a story of secret encounters and significant looks. Hushed separations and sobriquets. But if he dares define Liberty, he might be asked to confront a blackmailer. Asked to confront a father. And before he can make a marriage proposal, follow his heart, and accept one.

Hugh is a rollicking tale of comic angst, and a celebration of the wit, beauty, and absurdities of a glorious age.

Praise for Hugh: A Hero without a Novel:

“I found it absolutely fascinating…Sui generis, thoroughly interesting, fabulously vivid in place and time, and I’m glad I read it.” – K.J. Charles, author of The Magpie Lord

“Intriguing, ambitious, and pretty damn delightful. This is a genuinely impressive accomplishment….written with passionate conviction, and without compromise. It’s so unabashedly itself that it will absolutely sweep you along if you let it, and I was very much in the mood to be swept.” – Alexis Hall, author of Boyfriend Material

Read it for Free via Kindle Unlimited.

About the Author
A native of the American Southwest, David Lawrence has spent much of his life in Great Britain, France, and Finland. He now lives in a the American Northwest – Helena, Montana – with his Finnish partner.

By day he loves hiking under the Big Sky of his beautiful adopted state.
By night, however, he prefers editing lost manuscripts and wandering the byways of 18th century London…

You can learn more about David Lawrence and his penned works by visiting his website: https://www.aherowithoutanovel.com/ and subscribing to his newsletter.

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*** Book Release Day: Stranded by Sarah Goodwin ***

Posted on September 16, 2021 | 1 comment

‘You. DO. NOT want to miss!!!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘IT WAS SO GOOD.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘INTENSE… My heart was pounding.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Eight strangers. One island. A secret you’d kill to keep.

When eight people arrive on the beautiful but remote Buidseach Island, they are ready for the challenge of a lifetime: to live alone for one year.

Eighteen months later, a woman is found in an isolated fishing village. She’s desperate to explain what happened to her. How the group fractured and friends became enemies. How they did what they must to survive until the boat came to collect them; how things turned deadly when the boat didn’t come.

But first she must come to terms with the devastating secret that left them stranded, and her own role in the events that saw eight arrive and only three leave…

A gripping, twisty page-turner about secrets, lies and survival at all costs. Perfect for fans of The Castaways, The Sanitorium and One by One.

***

I’ve read and reviewed this debut book of Sarah Goodwin a month ago, and I absolutely enjoyed it, so I thought it’d be great for you guys to check it out since it is now available for purchase online! This is also the author’s debut book, so your support would definitely mean a lot!

It has a “Lord of the Flies” feel, with the whole power-grabbing, and we see here how wicked people could get and the things they’re willing to do to survive. I just couldn’t put it down. It’s very engaging, exciting, frightening, and just a whole lot entertaining. Please read my full review here.

Order your copy now and enjoy!

About the Author
Sarah Goodwin is a novelist who grew up in rural Hertfordshire. She was raised on ‘The Good Life’ ‘Anne of Green Gables’ and ‘Little House on the Prairie’ by her parents, who turned a blind eye to her dabbling in herbal medicine, feminism, eco-warrior ideals and witchcraft. They were understandably unsurprised when she developed the lifetime ambition of building a hut in the woods and living there like a soothsayer.

Her second preferred career, was author.

At Bath Spa University Sarah studied for a BA in Creative Writing and self-published many novels across various genres, including YA magical realism, contemporary women’s fiction, romance and horror.

Sarah graduated in 2014 with an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University. After writing several historical novels, she decided to return to her roots and write instead about the wild, the darkness and survival, which led to her coming up with the idea for ‘Stranded’ which would become her first professionally published novel.

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Book Review: The Necromancer’s Reckoning (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #3) by S.J. Himes

Posted on September 12, 2021 | Leave a comment

The High Council of Sorcery has come to Boston, and they are after Angel, accusing him of many violations of practitioners law. Everyone he cares about seems to be in danger, but Angel’s isn’t about to give up without a fight.

This, by far, is the most intense book in the series. There is a lot of magic and discoveries and new characters. And these characters that we’ve come to love from the last two books are all here, vibrant as ever. They all have excellent character development, which I thought is the aspect where the author excels the most. She loves her characters that we also love. My particular favorite is Daniel’s adorable sibling relationship with Isaac. I loved that they both are healing each other in a way from their traumatic experiences.

Angel and Simeon’s relationship is stronger than ever. Being bonded, it is so lovely that we still get the same banter, and their chemistry is still as amazing as ever. I just love this series so much.

This awesome third book also paved the way for the new couples—Isaac and Batiste and Daniel and Rory— that we’d get to read in subsequent sequels (given that I’ve read the books already lol, and they’re frigging amazing.)

I don’t think I’d have to say more about this third installment. You’d have to read the first book and enjoy the succeeding stories up to this point. I’m just writing this to praise the author’s writing because she absolutely smashed it again.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Kindle Edition, 304 pages
Published May 28th 2018 by SJ Himes

About the Author

LOVE SPRINGS ETERNAL releases August 31st 2021.

I will be moving all my titles over the course of 2022 to my new author name, Sheena Jolie.

If you have questions for me, and want an answer sooner rather than later, find me on Facebook or Twitter. Social media links on my website, along with a FAQs page for the most common questions I get asked.

Current writing cluster titles are available on my Works in Progress page at my website. http://www.sjhimes.com

I also write as Revella Hawthorne. I write mainly gay romance and erotica, but I am branching out into polyamorous groupings and LGBT+ characters.

Saving Silas is my only contemporary. Everything else is paranormal, urban fantasy, or scifi/alternate universe.

I’m a nomad–I move a lot. My health is sporadic, so when I’m feeling well enough is when I’m writing. Which is good, as otherwise, I think my suffering translates to boring stories. 

I’ve learned the hard way that I can’t do release dates until a book is 100% DONE. No projected dates anymore. For up to date and accurate information, find me on Facebook and Twitter. I RARELY come to GR. It’ll be months before I’m back again.

Any books I have reviewed are my own opinions and done so without malice. I won’t review a book anymore if I can’t give it 3 stars or higher. Most of my reviews are based upon how a book makes me FEEL. Entirely subjective and personal. Exceptions are in cases of plagiarism and intellectual property theft or a massively horrible formatting job or erroneous content (ie the title and blurb don’t match the interior.)

***

Please note that this blog is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission via Amazon Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I also earn a commission, at no additional cost to you if you purchase a product through one of the affiliate links or ads displayed on the website

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Book Review: The Necromancer’s Dilemma (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #2) by S. J. Himes

Posted on September 12, 2021 | Leave a comment

This second installment of the series is as good and as enjoyable as the first one. We are back in Boston, and Angel and Simeon are very much officially together. Angel and Isaac are trying to patch things up, and Angel has gotten himself an apprentice.

The Necromancer’s Dilemma made me love the series even more. I adore Angel and his relationship with Simeon, and this follow-up cemented his status in my book as one of my favorite characters in the genre. The very sardonic necromancer is back with his snark, and his protectiveness is still as intense as ever. 

We also get multiple POVs here. I loved that we get those perspectives from the side characters, even from the adorable baby dragon, Eroch!

I also loved that the author maintained the same pacing she had in the first book. The plot was rock-solid and consistent, and as I’ve mentioned, the characters’ POVs are a sweet addition to this sequel. This is a quick review, but I’ve to tell you that it is absolutely worth reading!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
ebook, 213 pages
Published July 1st 2016 by SJ Himes

About the Author

LOVE SPRINGS ETERNAL releases August 31st 2021.

I will be moving all my titles over the course of 2022 to my new author name, Sheena Jolie.

If you have questions for me, and want an answer sooner rather than later, find me on Facebook or Twitter. Social media links on my website, along with a FAQs page for the most common questions I get asked.

Current writing cluster titles are available on my Works in Progress page at my website. http://www.sjhimes.com

I also write as Revella Hawthorne. I write mainly gay romance and erotica, but I am branching out into polyamorous groupings and LGBT+ characters.

Saving Silas is my only contemporary. Everything else is paranormal, urban fantasy, or scifi/alternate universe.

I’m a nomad–I move a lot. My health is sporadic, so when I’m feeling well enough is when I’m writing. Which is good, as otherwise, I think my suffering translates to boring stories. 

I’ve learned the hard way that I can’t do release dates until a book is 100% DONE. No projected dates anymore. For up to date and accurate information, find me on Facebook and Twitter. I RARELY come to GR. It’ll be months before I’m back again.

Any books I have reviewed are my own opinions and done so without malice. I won’t review a book anymore if I can’t give it 3 stars or higher. Most of my reviews are based upon how a book makes me FEEL. Entirely subjective and personal. Exceptions are in cases of plagiarism and intellectual property theft or a massively horrible formatting job or erroneous content (ie the title and blurb don’t match the interior.)

***

Please note that this blog is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission via Amazon Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I also earn a commission, at no additional cost to you if you purchase a product through one of the affiliate links or ads displayed on the website

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Book Review: The Necromancer’s Dance (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #1) by S. J. Himes

Posted on September 12, 2021 | Leave a comment

For the record, I’ve read this book in 2018 and the rest of the books that follow. After reading the fifth book in the series, which was released last month, I’ve only realized that I’ve never written any reviews for any of the books! I mean, the author’s books have been my comfort read for years, including her epic The Wolfkin Saga.

So, The Necromancer’s Dance is a world where vampires, sorcerers, and other supernaturals walk amongst us. It’s a great set-up with the brilliant introduction of our main character, necromancer Angelus (Angel) Salvatore. Angel and his brother Isaac are lone survivors of the Blood Wars that took the rest of their family several years back.

When someone summoned a demon to kill Angel, he realized something sinister was up in the air. The past reared its ugly head, and with the help of an Elder vampire Simeon, who’s been wooing Angel from the moment they’ve met, he knew that this isn’t just a battle between life and death.

I loved that the author quickly mentioned who the leading players are early on in the book. This made the book’s pacing so good because everything feels like it’s happening in real-time, even with flashbacks.

Angel’s dialogues are so good, and his banter with all the other characters was just incredible – full of wit, and he’s overall just a likable character. I also loved his chemistry with Simeon because it showed his sensitive side outside of his bubble with his brother.

Story-wise, this was top-notch with fantastic characters to boot. If you’re into vampires, mages, and just supernatural in general, I cannot recommend this highly enough.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Kindle Edition, 249 pages
Published January 2021 by SJ Himes (first published February 25th 2016)

About the Author

LOVE SPRINGS ETERNAL releases August 31st 2021.

I will be moving all my titles over the course of 2022 to my new author name, Sheena Jolie.

If you have questions for me, and want an answer sooner rather than later, find me on Facebook or Twitter. Social media links on my website, along with a FAQs page for the most common questions I get asked.

Current writing cluster titles are available on my Works in Progress page at my website. http://www.sjhimes.com

I also write as Revella Hawthorne. I write mainly gay romance and erotica, but I am branching out into polyamorous groupings and LGBT+ characters.

Saving Silas is my only contemporary. Everything else is paranormal, urban fantasy, or scifi/alternate universe.

I’m a nomad–I move a lot. My health is sporadic, so when I’m feeling well enough is when I’m writing. Which is good, as otherwise, I think my suffering translates to boring stories. 😉

I’ve learned the hard way that I can’t do release dates until a book is 100% DONE. No projected dates anymore. For up to date and accurate information, find me on Facebook and Twitter. I RARELY come to GR. It’ll be months before I’m back again.

Any books I have reviewed are my own opinions and done so without malice. I won’t review a book anymore if I can’t give it 3 stars or higher. Most of my reviews are based upon how a book makes me FEEL. Entirely subjective and personal. Exceptions are in cases of plagiarism and intellectual property theft or a massively horrible formatting job or erroneous content (ie the title and blurb don’t match the interior.)

***

Please note that this blog is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission via Amazon Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I also earn a commission, at no additional cost to you if you purchase a product through one of the affiliate links or ads displayed on the website

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ICYMI: CODA (Audition Scene) and Official Trailer (2021)

Posted on September 1, 2021 | Leave a comment

I thought I’d share this audition scene from the movie CODA, a coming-of-age film that follows a hearing teenage girl who is a child of deaf adults (CODA for short). I’ve seen it multiple times now, and it never fails to move me, especially when she started signing midway through her audition.

CODA premiered in January at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, receiving rave critics’ reviews.

I haven’t watched the entire film, but I’m dying to see it. I’d probably schedule it where I would just stay in bed the whole day, eating while watching movies lol!

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Book Review: Dearest Milton James by N.R. Walker

Posted on August 31, 2021 | Leave a comment

Reading the book’s blurb, I wasn’t quite sure about Malachi’s character because it felt like I’ve read his character a million times — that annoying main protagonist who’s supposed to be cute and funny who turns out to be simply irritating — luckily, Malachi isn’t like that. He is such a sweetheart, has a great sense of humor, and has diarrhea of the mouth when nervous. He may be over the top for some people, but I find this trait of him likable.

I also like the relationships he developed with his new colleagues, starting with Julian and the rest of the gang, whose characters were all wonderfully fleshed out. I particularly liked Cherry and Paul, the not-serial killer. 

I’ve read similar stories in the past where they would find a bunch of letters, and they’ll try to locate the sender or the writer and the supposed receiver. It’s always exciting for me because it’s like diving into another story. I won’t spoil anything but this is basically the story’s premise with Malachi and the gang becoming literal detectives within the Dead Letter Office.

Maybe, it’s just me, but I find this sweet story some sort of a ‘coming-of-age’ (FYI, he’s already an adult) journey for Malachi because he’s found a place where he could be himself, and everyone was so accepting. He also found love through Julian, and the chemistry between them was just electric. 

Dearest Milton James was simply a joy to read! It was a surprise release from the author, and it came out at the right time when I felt the need for a break from the barrage of bad news everywhere. It’s one of those many books of N.R. Walker that you’d keep on rereading regularly. It’s simple, funny, smart, and delicate. I highly recommend it.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Published August 24th 2021 by BlueHeart Press

About The Author
N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way. She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things… but likes it even more when they fall in love.

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal. She’s been writing ever since.

Please also note that this blog is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission.

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Manga Review: Would You Like To Be A Family by Koyama (ARC)

Posted on August 31, 2021 | Leave a comment

“Would You Like To Be a Family?“ is a collection of three one-shot BL stories. The first story is about coworkers Takemura and Natsui – opposite in personality but very similar in some ways. While Takemura likes to keep to himself due to a high school trauma, Natsui is loud, cheerful, and well-liked by his colleagues. Natsui is also a single father. After an invitation to dinner, their relationship blossoms into something neither of them expected.

story and art by Koyama

I did enjoy it. It was sweet, short, and generally feel-good. I loved that Natsui is sensitive to Take’s feelings and doesn’t make him feel out of place. I loved the single dad aspect of the story; it brings something different to the table.

The other two stories are way shorter than the first, both set in school—an angsty story about Kuma and Yagi, and Harada and Kodama. These two short stories tackle the concept of navigating young love and exploring their identity. Both are fun and quick reads, though not as impactful as the main story.

Overall, I’ve enjoyed reading these stories. I love me some happy endings, so this collection is a total win for me.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Paperback, 176 pages
Expected publication: September 21st 2021 by LOVE x LOVE

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher, TOKYOPOP, LOVE x LOVE via Netgalley for an impartial and honest review.

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Book Review: Cynthia Starts a Band by Oliva Swindler (ARC)

Posted on August 25, 2021 | Leave a comment

Cynthia Starts a Band tells the story of Eleanor Quinn, lead singer of the highly successful band Kittanning. She is also dating her bandmate, who happens to be the most beautiful man in America. Despite her success in her career and ‘love life,’ she decided to walk away from it all. Eleanor’s life is in turmoil behind the scenes, and she knew that she had to leave while she can. 

Free from her band and’ fiance,’ Eleanor decided to change her name to Cynthia, moves in with her cousin in Seattle, and enrolls in a local university’s writing class. Everything seems to be going well until her past started to creep its way into her new life.

This novel was a quick read for me. I thought it has a great concept and a fantastic protagonist in Eleanor/Cynthia. She’s likable enough for someone who’s 27, naive, and just literally based everything on what she’d seen in films. Usually, that would annoy the living crap out of me, but I liked her personally.

The book reads like a YA novel, or maybe many instances show Cynthia’s immaturity and naivety. I feel that that aspect of the story will be a hit or miss for the readers. I don’t mind it that much, but I wished it was more realistic rather than a mere copycat of the movie scenes she’s been referencing throughout the story.

I liked that the author talked about something relevant now but has been taboo in the past. It has the #MeToo movement, the #FreeBritney movement aspect, and just the ugly side of fame that we know but don’t usually get talked about more often. I love the whole narrative of claiming your power, claiming your voice, and I think it is an important topic discussed in the book but is glossed over by the hasty pacing of the storytelling. 

The book really has great potential, and I could even see it as a film in maybe, Hallmark Channel or, I don’t know – Disney adult version if there is one. That being said, I would be happy to read more stories from Olivia Swindler in the future. 

 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Paperback, 268 pages
Expected publication: October 19th 2021 by Morgan James Publishing

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher,  Morgan James Fiction  via Netgalley for an impartial and honest review.

About the Author
Olivia Swindler was raised in Spokane, Washington but resides currently in Grenoble, France, where she eats approximately a baguette a day. Cynthia Starts a Band is her first book.

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