Sunday 23 September 2012

Hainted by Jordan L. Hawk Blog Tour



The Good Guy: Haint-working runs in Dan Miller’s blood. Not everyone can help the restless dead cross over, especially when the haunting threatens the Living. But the death of his parents six years ago forced Dan to give it up in exchange for raising his brother and sister, all the while struggling to keep their rural NC farm afloat.

So when the flamboyantly goth Leif Helsvin shows up on Dan’s doorstep looking for help with an evil necromancer named Runar, Dan’s first instinct is to turn him down. With two teenagers to look after, he’s already got all the trouble he can handle. Besides, the sexy Leif is too much of a temptation, and Dan is firmly in the closet.

The Bad Boy: Pierced, tattooed Leif never has sex with the same guy twice. It keeps things simple, especially since his oath to stop Runar has him constantly drifting from one town to the next.

But this time, it looks like Leif is going to need help, in the form of the very down-to-earth Dan. Since Nice Guys are off the menu, Leif just has to keep his hands to himself for as long as it will take to stop Runar’s latest scheme. But as Leif finds himself drawn deeper into Dan’s life, he quickly realizes he’s not just in danger of breaking the rules, but breaking his heart as well.


My Review:

Hainted by Jordan L. Hawk


Hainted is what I would say is an excellent, well written novel by Jordan L. Hawk.  This story is full or suspense and of course a romance and paranormal elements.   But this is not just a paranormal romance novel, there is a lot more to this story, it was refreshing to read and learn about being a Hainted something new in the paranormal genre.

We meet Dan who has come home from college to take care of his brother and sister when his mother passes away,  Dan’s family has being doing Haint work for many years but now his goal is to take care of his brother and sister.  Keeping his feelings repressed Dan knows he will never be able to be an openly gay man.  Leif who is out trying to stop an evil that has been unleashed, is openly gay and when his and Dan’s life’s cross paths there is an instant attraction between both men.  Dan knows he will never allow himself to have a relationship with Leif ….he has so many secrets hidden within himself….and is very worried about the people in the community and the fear of losing his siblings.

There is sadness and heartbreak while you read this story as you want Dan to overcome his issues and find happiness with Leif.  I have to say there are times when you may need a Kleenex.  I love knowing there is going to be a happy ending and at times I was worried I wasn’t going to see these two men together in the end.  But you will have to read it to find out what happens.

This is a fantastic paranormal m/m romance novel, I have given it 4 stars and I definitely will be reading anything Jordan L. Hawk writes as this story was really good.  I enjoyed her writing style very much and recommend anyone who enjoys the m/m novels this is a must read.

Interview with Jordan L. Hawk:

1. How would you describe Hainted? 

A pair of sexy ghost hunters must stop an evil necromancer from unleashing hell on earth. Along the way, there is angst, drama, zombie-slaying, and lots of hot sex.

2. Which character you had most fun writing?

Dan’s friend Taryn, because she has no filter and says whatever pops into her head, usually laced with profanity. 
As for the main characters, it’s a toss up, but I’ll go with Leif because even though he’s this very pretty (and angsty) goth, he’s a serious badass when it comes to fighting the undead.

3. What was your main source of inspiration for the story?

I was mainly inspired by the area where I grew up, which may seem odd for a paranormal. Things are changing, but even today people still paint hex signs on the their barns to ward off bad luck. I grew up hearing ghost stories passed down through generations, some of them dating back to the earliest white settlers if not before. 
Hainted is something of a love letter to that experience, if a love letter can be about the flaws as well as the positive experiences. Ransom Gap and Dan’s way of life are very much based on an amalgam of places and people I knew growing up (minus the laying of ghosts, of course).

4.   How did you come up with the title of your book?

In the southern Appalachian dialect, “haint” is essentially a way of pronouncing “haunt.” It can be used as both a noun and a verb: a haint is a ghost, a hainting is a haunting. The two main characters in the book not only lay haints to rest, but are themselves “hainted” by their pasts.

5.   What books have most influenced your life most?

I grew up primarily reading science fiction and fantasy, although the ones I liked best always had some kind of romantic element to them, even if deeply buried. Louise Cooper’s Time Master Trilogy profoundly changed my perspective when I read it as a teen, but I was also influenced by The Silent Tower and The Silicon Mage by Barbara Hambly, the first two Vampire books by Anne Rice, Michael Moorcock’s Elric Saga, Tolkien, and the works of H.P. Lovecraft. 
But that’s really just the tip of the iceberg. Truthfully, I believe I take some lesson, no matter how small, from every book I read.

6.   What are your current projects?

My next novel, Widdershins, is currently in the editing stage. It’s a Lovecraft-inspired paranormal set in 1897, and tells the story of an uptight scholar hired by an ex-Pinkterton detective to translate an arcane book. Lots of monsters, magic, and of course fun in the bedroom.

Right now I’m working on a contemporary paranormal novella tentatively titled “Eater of Demons,” about a man possessed by a vampiric spirit and an exorcist who works for a government agency tasked with solving paranormal crimes.

7.   Do you see writing as a career?

Absolutely! It’s my full-time job, and I hope it continues to be for as long as I can put words together.

8.   As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? 

I secretly hoped I’d grow up to be a dragon or a werewolf, but unfortunately neither of those things have happened yet. Archaeology was my back-up plan, and I actually did that for little while.

But I’m still hoping for the dragon thing.

9.   Where do you hope to take your writing in the future?

The first thing I ask myself before committing to any novel is “does this project scare me?” That is, do I fear that I don’t have enough talent, that I can’t pull it off, that I must be crazy for even trying? If the answer is yes, I get to work. The only way to improve is to keep challenging myself. I want to continue to grow as a writer, to keep pushing my boundaries.

10.   What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Figuring out how to portray Leif’s relationship with Runar, the evil necromancer who also saved Leif’s life as a teen and made Leif his apprentice. Leif owes him everything, but at the same time the guy is pretty evil. It was hard to make myself push their relationship as far as it needed to go, but I had to for the sake of the story.

Any last thoughts or words of wisdom you would like to share with the readers?

Thank you for having me on the blog! And thanks to everyone who has taken time to read this interview. Never forget: love has the power to change the world.



Authors Bio

Jordan L. Hawk grew up in the wilds of North Carolina, where she was raised on stories of haints and mountain magic by her bootlegging granny and single mother. After using a silver knife in the light of a full moon to summon her true love, she turned her talents to spinning tales. She weaves together couples who need to fall in love, then throws in some evil sorcerers and undead just to make sure they want it bad enough. In Jordan’s world, love might conquer all, but it just as easily could end up in the grave.





To Purchase

Amazon



Photobucket

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday 22 September 2012

Blue Notes (Blue Notes #1) by Shira Anthony

 
Blue Notes (Blue Notes #1) by Shira Anthony
 
A m/m contemporary romance novel (Rated NC-17)
 
3.5 out of 5 stars
 
Book Summary
 
Blame it on jet lag. Jason Greene thought he had everything: a dream job as a partner in a large Philadelphia law firm, a beautiful fiancée, and more money than he could ever hope to spend. Then he finds his future wife in bed with another man, and he’s forced to rethink his life and his choices. On a moment’s notice, he runs away to Paris, hoping to make peace with his life.

But Jason’s leave of absence becomes a true journey of the heart when he meets Jules, a struggling jazz violinist with his own cross to bear. In the City of Love, it doesn’t take them long to fall into bed, but as they’re both about to learn, they can’t run from the past. Sooner or later, they’ll have to face the music.

About the series: Each Blue Notes Series story is standalone and can be read in any order. All of the stories are set in the same classical music universe.

 
My Review Terri @mybookboyfriend
 

Jason was burned by his fiancé. Knowing he was part of the problem spurred him to take some time off from his demanding job. Thinking he would find solace in a causal fling, he never thought that he’d meet a guy that would draw out that part of him that was always attracted to men.

Jules is a carefree guy. The kind of guy that life kicked in the butt so many times, he just rolls with the punches. He never thought he would meet a guy that would complete care about him in a way no one not even his own mother has.

This is a match made in heaven. And I did like the dynamics between the two. My only problem is the set up. I just don’t see the causal way Jason took it. As a lawyer, I would think he would be more cautious. But getting over that, it was a really cute story.

My only other wish would have been that the author had not continued refer to them as the older and younger man. I got it that there was about a 10 year age difference. I was annoyed to be reminded time and time again.

My book boyfriend, Jason.


View all my reviews

*Disclaimer - I am not the owner of this picture. I found it on the web for causal fun use on my blog for which I receive no compensation. If this picture belongs to you (you are the copyright owner) please let me know and I will remove it.

Thursday 13 September 2012

Cut & Run (Cut & Run #1) ~ Abigail Roux
 
This is an adult m/m romance crime mystery novel (Rated NC-17)
 
4 out of 5 stars
 
Book Summary
 
A series of murders in New York City has stymied the police and FBI alike, and they suspect the culprit is a single killer sending an indecipherable message. But when the two federal agents assigned to the investigation are taken out, the FBI takes a more personal interest in the case. Special Agent Ty Grady is pulled out of undercover work after his case blows up in his face. He's cocky, abrasive, and indisputably the best at what he does. But when he's paired with Special Agent Zane Garrett, it's hate at first sight. Garrett is the perfect image of an agent: serious, sober, and focused, which makes their partnership a classic clich: total opposites, good cop-bad cop, the odd couple. They both know immediately that their partnership will pose more of an obstacle than the lack of evidence left by the murderer. Practically before their special assignment starts, the murderer strikes again this time at them. Now on the run, trying to track down a man who has focused on killing his pursuers, Grady and Garrett will have to figure out how to work together before they become two more notches in the murderer's knife.
 
My Review (Terri @mybookboyfriend)
 
I’m a big crime/thriller/police procedural genre reader. I’d hoped that his book would mesh that love with my growing love for romance novels. And what I got was an interesting romance novel and a lack luster mystery.

So, I knew the killer at Hello, but that is just me. I’ve read these types of novels from the best. In the end, I don’t think that was the real point of this novel or series. The point seems to be how these two clicked and came together.

Characters – We’ve got two guys. I think they are both bi, but Zane didn’t seem so much bi as Ty did. Zane claimed to sleep with women, but I didn’t feel it. Anyway, for the most part I enjoyed the two. And let me confess, I didn’t enjoy Ty bottoming. It again, just didn’t feel right. However, I do think it added to his character development to let loose and give up control.

Overall, it was a fun, cute, and predictable read. I will continue the series if nothing more to see where the author could possibly take it. It feels like we’ve had our HEA and I won’t be reading for the crime side of things. So my curiosity will have me reading at least the next one.

My book boyfriend is TY.



View all my reviews

*Disclaimer - I am not the owner of this picture. I found it on the web for causal fun use on my blog for which I receive no compensation. If this picture belongs to you (you are the copyright owner) please let me know and I will remove it.