Chance Carter's Bad Boys series - Review

It is funny where you learn about new-to-you authors. Recently, I had a sponsored ad on Facebook show up on my timeline for an author named, Chance Carter. My first thought was, “A man writing romance?” Okay, I was curious. I love reading romance novels with a HEA style ending. Going to Chance's page, I read that he writes Bad Boy stories that are stand alone and always have the HEA ending. I looked at the covers and saw pictures of ripped guys with tattoos. Definitely, they looked like the bad boys the story description promised.

The next thought that intrigued me was the idea of reading a romance story that was written from a man's perspective. Let's face it, men have a completely different way of seeing relationships. I knew that reading these books would be a fresh point of view. I wasn't disappointed. I absolutely loved the books.

I will say here though, if you are not one who can handle a more rough and raw dialog, then be warned. The bad boys in these stories are more liberal with dropping the F-bomb that any military operation. Likewise, there is a deeper rawness to the sex scenes. They play out like a man's fantasy. It isn't the most graphic that I have read, compared to some erotica stories that I have read in the past, but it is much more graphic than a sweet romance book.

The story lines in the books are solid. Don't let the self-published status of the books fool you. Chance Carter writes like a seasoned published author and his books deliver. The four books he has available are each a stand alone. They are also a part of a series. I love the way one book seamlessly flows into the series, yet you could read them out of order without feeling lost.

Once I started reading the books, I ended up reading all four books in just two days. They are quite literally books that were hard to put down.

The reading order of the Bad Boys series:

Faith is a woman on the run.  With her live in danger, she turns to the only man who is capable of helping her.  Jackson has the skills that Faith needs to ensure her safety, but it comes at a price.  Jackson will protect Faith - if she has his baby.

Grant has always had a thing for Lacey.  The chemistry between them in undeniable.  But deny it, they try.  Faith is on the hunt for a husband, a man willing to be strong enough to claim her heart and soul.  Will Grant stand by and watch as Lacey plans a wedding with another man?  Or will he finally make a claim that he has wanted for nearly 2 decades?

Forrester is a emotionally wounded man trying to overcome his past.  A broken soul, he finds himself reaching out to Elle, a cute waitress at the small town diner.  Elle and Forrester feel the sparks between them fly as they tentatively get to know each other.  Elle has some painful secrets of her own to content with. When demons from their pasts come back to haunt them, will they have the strength and courage to stand and fight? 

Hunter is a man with a price on his head.  He is the ultimate bad boy and doesn't give a crap what others think.  Secure in his strength and fighting skills, he only knows how to do one thing,,,,,win.  Kelly is a young woman with a heavy responsibility.  Being guardian of her little brother since the death of their parents, she struggles to cope with the daily challenges.  When some wanna-be players decide to make Kelly the focus of their torment, Hunter steps in to rescue her.  The chemistry flies between these two.  Hunter knows that being with him could spell danger for Kelly and her brother.  Can they take a chance for happiness?  Or will the reappearance of Hunter's dangerous past destroy everything that Hunter holds dear?

What's on Your "To Be Read" Shelf?

It seems that my favorite authors all have the same release schedule.  They come out in batches.  It is exciting when several authors release a book about the same time.  It also can bring up a case of "which do I read first?"

I haven't been reading Christine Feehan's Dark series recently and she has another one coming out soon.  I love to re-read a couple of the books in a series that lead up to the new one being released.  It gives me a continuity, reminding me of where the series is going.  When you read the number of books that I do, this is very helpful for me to keep a series fresh in my mind so that things mesh together more easily.

I am currently re-reading Dark Storm.  It is funny that no matter how many times I have read the book, I find new things that I didn't catch the first time.  I am also re-reading the Black Knight series by Julie Ann Walker, in preparation of her newest book that she is finishing right now.

I think this story by Julie Ann is one of my most awaited for.  The main character is one that I have enjoyed in the earlier books of the series.  I have been looking forward to his story being told.

What books are you reading?  What is in your "to be read" stack?  

Spider Game by Christine Feehan

I hadn't realized how long it has been since my last post.  My Kindle died on me and I still haven't been able to repair it.  So, back to the low-tech methods.  I purchased a book that I have been waiting for.  Hopefully, you will enjoy it as well.

Spider Game is the newest title in the Ghostwalker series by Christine Feehan.  The main couple, Trap Dawkins and Cayenne, were introduced in the previous story, Viper Game.

Trap is a member of Wyatt Fontenot's Ghostwalker team.  Now living in the Bayou to help protect Wyatt's family, Trap also finds another reason to stay.  At the time when he aided in the rescue of Wyatt's daughters from the man who held them captive, Trap met Cayenne.

Cayenne was another captive held in the same building as the Fontenot girls.  Cayenne is set to be terminated.  Much feared by those who created her, she is powerful and a danger to all.  She has learned to not trust in anyone.  Trap helps her to escape and she repays the favor by helping in the protecting of the girls.

Trap and Cayenne have a chemistry from the very beginning.  Trap understands the attraction.  Not only is Cayenne beautiful and alluring, he realizes quickly that they have been genetically paired to be mates.  Now, the challenge is to get past Cayenne's distrust and fear.

Cayenne has been genetically altered, now carrying the DNA of a black widow spider.  Her venom can kill in moments.  Can Trap and Cayenne join as a couple and have a life together?  Or will her black widow's bite be a risk too great for their love to take?

Melting Point, by Kate Meader

Melting Point, by Kate Meader

Melting Point is a short e-novella in the Hot in Chicago series by Kate Meader. This story is one that I was surprised to find myself looking forward to. I don't generally read a lot of books dealing with same sex relationships, but this one got my attention.

Gage Simpson is one of the Dempsey foster kids. These kids grew up together in the home of Sean & Mary Dempsey and found a family. The foster Dad was a firefighter and all of the children followed in his footsteps. Together, the kids work at the same firehouse.

We first met Gage in the first book of the series, Flirting with Fire. He is the most happy-go-lucky guy I have ever met in a book. He was also a bit of a man-whore. With a great physique and an over abundance of charm, he has no trouble finding another guy to hook up with. That is, until he meets Brady Smith.

Brady Smith is a chef and owner of the Smith & Jones restaurant. He is a brooding, former Marine, with a complete dislike of being touched. When Gage is taken back to the kitchen to meet Brady, the sparks flew instantly.

Brady is a wounded soul. Having been captured and tortured while serving in the Middle East as a Marine, he has scars both inside and out. He avoids people as a much as he can. What he didn't count on was the persistence that Gage has as he pursues Brady.

Their relationship isn't easy. Each has past issues that they are dealing with. The biggest obstacle however is the effects that Brady's time as a captive has on his perceptions of self worth. Gage is patient and understanding of what Brady is dealing with up until an event challenges that steadfast support.

There is a lot of sex involved in the story. For the amount of it though, it didn't seem too over the top. I found that overall their story was one that felt so natural. Unlike some stories that make same sex relationships look like two people in constant heat, this story really had a strong emphasis on the relationship over the physical side of things.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story. It was good to see these two have a happy ending.

Advance review copy provided by Simon & Schuster publishing for review.

Book Review: The Last True Vampire, by Kate Baxter

The Last True Vampire, Kate Baxter

Release Date: June 2, 2015

In some ways, I am conflicted as I write this review. Did I enjoy the book? Yes. I can honestly say that I did. This is also where the conflicted feelings come in. Almost immediately, actually within the first chapter, there was something familiar in the story. Soon, I realized what was bothering me. The basics of the story is extremely similar to the Dark Prince book written by Christine Feehan. The more I read The Last True Vampire, the more similarities I was finding. Let me explain in the following breakdown.

The Last True Vampire by Kate Baxter

The vampires in this story are born but are considered “dhampir” until they are transformed by a true vampire. At the time of transformation, the vampire loses their soul. They must find their mate, who carries their soul, to have their soul restored to them.

Vampire leader/king is named Mikhail

His mate is a human female, Claire

Fear that if he transforms her into a vampire that she will become deranged and die/be killed

Upon meeting Claire, his soul is restored

Blood bond is necessary between Mikhail and Claire to strengthen the bond between them for her safety

Mikhail's right hand is named Ronan

Nemesis of the story is a secret society bent on the total genocide of the vampire society

Key Nemesis is named “Gregor the Black”

Claire is nearly killed by a secret society member who uses a knife to assault her

Mikhail is forced to risk transforming Claire into a vampire to save her life

Dark Prince (Dark Series) by Christine Feehan   Released Date Aug. 1,  1999

Carpathians are immortals, similar to vampires but are not evil nor kill their prey. Once a Carpathian male kills his prey, he loses his soul and becomes vampire. A Carpathian male, as he becomes an adult, loses his ability to feel emotion and see colors. He must find his lifemate, she is the light to his darkness, to become whole again.

Prince/Leader of the Carpathians is named Mikhail

His mate is a human female, Raven

There is fear that converting her to become Carpathian will cause her to be deranged and have to be killed

Upon meeting Raven, Mikhail's emotions/soul is restored

Blood bond is needed to help keep Raven safe

Mikhail's father's, Prince Vlad's, second in command was named Roman

Nemesis of the Carpathian series is a secret society bent on complete genocide of the Carpathian race

Mikhail's second in command is named Gregory, also known as the Dark One

Raven nearly dies after being attacked with a knife by a secret society member

Mikhail is forced to risk converting Raven into a Carpathian to save her life.

As I read the story, The Last True Vampire, I simply could not separate it from Christine Feehan's book. Though the specifics or details of the story were different, the theme and flow of the book was eerily familiar. So much so that when I talked about The Last True Vampire to my husband, he thought I was talking about Ms. Feehan's book. Which leads to my conflicted feelings. Did I like this book on it's own merits? Or did I like it because it resonated so strongly with the Dark (Carpathian) series which I have been a fan of since its beginning? I honestly cannot say. What I do know is that I truly wish that the book was more original in it's content. It would make reviewing a lot easier. Bottom line is that the book is good, but I wish it had something that set it apart from another author's work. 

Review of the Anthology book, Way of the Warrior

I have been having fun the past couple of weeks.  There are so many great books coming out that it is hard to choose which to read first.  One book that I absolutely had to read is an anthology called, Way of the Warrior.  Due out on May 5, 2015, this book is one that you are going to want to buy.

The book summary on Amazon reads as follows:

EIGHT PASSIONATE LOVE STORIES ABOUT AMAZING MILITARY HEROES BY BESTSELLING AUTHORS:
Suzanne Brockmann, Julie Ann Walker, Catherine Mann, Tina Wainscott, Anne Elizabeth, M.L. Buchman, Kate SeRine, Lea Griffith

To honor and empower those who've served, all author and publisher proceeds go to the Wounded Warrior Project.

The Wounded Warrior Project was founded in 2002 and provides a wide range of programs and services to veterans and service members who have survived physical or mental injury during their brave service to our nation. Get involved or register for programs and benefits for yourself and your family online at www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

"It is a proud privilege to be a soldier." ―George S. Patton Jr.
"We sleep safely at night because rough men stand ready to visit violence on those who would harm us." ―Winston Churchill

My Thoughts:

I absolutely loved this book.  Though the stories are short, they each are complete and do not leave you hanging.  The writing is engaging and in each and every story, I felt drawn to the characters.

The stories each featured a warrior as a main character.  Each one had challenges to deal with that were the results of their experiences in military service overseas.  Each is a reluctant hero.  Humble in their service and willing to sacrifice all for their battle buddies.

I loved that the book included a female hero in one story.  She both broke my heart and had me cheering.  It was wonderful to see a story where the character who served and sacrificed in the military was a woman.  With so many women serving in the armed forces today, it was a welcome change to see a woman take the hero role.

One thing that I have always loved about anthologies is that I read stories written by some favorite authors while also being introduced to new to me authors.  Actually, that is one of the joys of reviewing books.  I am able to share what I read and often will stretch my own comfort zone.  There are times when an anthology is a hit and miss.  Some stories connect with me while others fail to hold my interest.  Not so with Way of the Warrior!  Each story was a pleasure to read.

An added incentive for me was the fact that all proceeds from the sales for this book will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.  This organization has done great things to help our veterans to transition after serving in combat and being wounded.  The help these warriors receive is a critical part of their recovery as well as improving their quality of life.

Though I already have this book on my Kindle, I plan to purchase the paperback as well to support both the authors and the Wounded Warrior Project.   I applaud the authors for their generosity of sharing their talent to benefit such a worthy cause.  It says much about the character of each of the authors that they are willing to give up their income from the book sales to benefit our warriors who sacrificed so much for us all.  Buying the book is just one other way that we can all honor them and give back.  

I highly recommend this book both for its stories and for the fund raising that it is doing for the Wounded Warrior Project.  

New Facebook Page & Update

Hello!

It has been a crazy week here.  We live in a rural area and as you may know from my blog title, we live off of the grid, which means not using any electricity from a power company.  With spring finally here, we are scrambling to get homestead tasks going in between rain storms.

I am reading as much as possible to keep up with the demand and will have many more book reviews coming soon.  Currently, I have about 9 books on the shelf ready to be read & reviewed.  I am choosing to do them in order of which one is going to be published first.

I have started a Facebook page to help connect readers with this blog as well as announcements of  upcoming books and events that I read about on author websites.  If you would like to check out my page on Facebook, you can find it at Off-Grid-Momma's Bookshelf.