The Vampires in this novella by Mychael Black are fashionable and charming like runaway models. They are all beautiful, alluring, wealthy... the perfect dream men. It's not surprise that "poor" humans are not at all worried by the prospective of being their lovers, what is a pint of blood in exchange of living with them?

Jason, wanna-to-be rock star, is not that different. He was a struggling artist, and alone. Now he is living in a beautiful house, he can devote himself to his art, and to top things with a cherry, he has a willing and beautiful lover, Julian. Their play in bedroom is very much like a gothic porn show, blood is not only the life source for Julian, but becomes also the main focus of their sexual encounters, and Jason learned to enjoy giving it to his partner, more he is eager to do so. Like in the title of this series, Julian is "blood", and so he is cool/cold (if not warmed another source), thick, something of continuous and life bearing, and instead Jason is "fire", impulsive, hot, unsteady and dangerous, but he himself the source of life if rightly used.

But not all is perfect in their life and an unknown stalker is creating big trouble in Jason's life. To help Julian arrives another vampire, Gabriel, another beautiful and alluring creature... those vampires are not all all scaring!

This is only a novella, but I like the mix of innocence and sex: even if it seems strange, I feel like Jason is "innocent", he is young and pretty, full of life and still a kid to life. He thinks to be independent and all grown, but in reality he still needs someone to protect him, someone wiser like Julian. And don't worry, even if "innocent", Jason is a more than willing partner in bed, and so there are a lot of nice sex scenes.

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1249

Series: Blood & Fire
1) Blood & Fire: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/649436.html
2) Blood Curse

The Rainbow Awards: Phase 2: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/823682.html

An Itch to Scratch by Julia Talbot

This is actually the prequel of a short story I read some months ago, The Werewolf Code. I remember that my impression on that story was very good, but it was too short, and I also hoped that the author was willing to write more, above all on how the couple gets together, since it was hinted a very interesting story. Apparently I was not the only one to think that, since here is the story on how werewolf Deke and vampire Kasey meet.

Deke is a vampire bite addicted. Like other people have a sex dependency, Deke has an addiction on the thrill of a vampire bite, never sex is better than when it starts with him in the role of a willing donor. Usually werewolfes are strong Alpha males who reluctantly give up the power; instead Deke loves to take the submissive role in bed; but only in bed, since even if he likes to bottom, he is not a bottom in life.

Kasey is an old and hard to please vampire. He can't imagine to commit to only a man, but when he tastes for the first time Deke, his possessive side takes the lead and he finds himself unable to stay far from Deke for long.

Kasey and Deke are very different and not only as "breed". Kasey is a prim and proper type and instead Deke is a slob. Kasey is a bit aloof, not easy to express his feelings and instead Deke is a pack animals, he is very touchy feelings and he has no problem to voice his needs.

The love between Deke and Kasey is easy and almost funny; there is a lot of sex, but it is always light and joyful. Again the story is not very long, less than 60 pages, but this time I have enough development on the two characters to know them better and to also understand better why they are together and what is the basis of their love relationship.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1535

The Werewolf Code: The Moon by Julia Talbot

Deke is a werewolf, Kasey a vampire. They are PIs and lovers. It's not the first time I read about a pair of werewolf and vampire, but it's the first time that the two breeds seem to cohabitate without problem. Kasey is the mind and Deke the arm. Not that Deke isn't bright, but he is more feral, more instinct, and instead Kasey is cool and calculator: everything can be done at the right price...

They are engaged by a beautiful tall blonde werewolf woman to follow her husband, but soon they discover that Jason, the cheating husband, is not her husband, but a genetic experiment of her father gone mad. Jason has no control, and if they don't stop him, he could spread the virus around.

Unfortunately this is a short story, less than 30 pages, but if only in few pages, the plot is complete and enthralling. I think Deke and Kasey could be worthy material for another book, and maybe also one in which we can read how they meet and became a couple (apparently Deke was a willing donor and Kasey won him on an auction... just let me image that man naked on display...)

Anyway if you like a bit of action and a bit of eroticism (there are one or two scene pretty sexy), The Werewolf Code is a fast and enjoyable reading.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1191

Belling the Cat by Julia Talbot

This is the story of Jonny, the vampire club owner who played matchmaker between Deke and Kasey, and that, if it wasn't for a professional code, wouldn't have minded to take Deke for him. Jonny is an ancient vampire, and maybe he is also a little bored; when he is not behaving like a workaholic, he doesn't know what to do. Living among so many beautiful men and possible lovers left him with a void, no one of them is right for him. When he finds a cat thief on his private room he decides that is time to play a bit: he will make a contract with the werecat, he is free to take what he was searching and in exchange the cat-man will come back to him for six months, every night.

Luc is more used to be a cat than a man, and if Jonny wasn't willing to accept his cat nature, he wouldn't probably have accepted his term. But Jonny is more than willing, and Luc can be a cat, and behave like a cat, for most part of the time they spend together; Jonny is not disgusted, or squeaked when Luc nears him in cat form, or when he wants to groom his partner like a cat would do before napping. Those are probably the most funny, tender and challenging moment of the novella: how much do Julia Talbot dare to push the challenge to overcome the tenderness? it's a quite trickly game of balancing, and I think that not all the romance readers will be up to that challenge. On my side, I didn't mind: what is the reason to read a romance with a shifter character, when that character looses all his animal side in human form?

As I said, Luc is more a cat than a man, and he has a playful nature in both form. His feline side is quite clear in his attitude towards Jonny: once they tight the pact between them, Luc tries to get the maximum from it, even if he was, in theory, the weak partner. But he is weak only since he was forced into it, for all the other aspects of their relationship, Jonny has no interest to tame the cat, and Luc is more a pet than a beast, so there isn't so much to tame in him, maybe only to teach him to not play rough games inside: again a proof that Luc is more pet than man. I wouldn't use for him the word "beast" since it's too strong and wild, Luc's cat is more the cuddling than struggling type.

So yes, if you like a good shapeshifter romance, with a strong accent on the shifter theme, but at the same time, with a funny and playful insight on the genre, Belling the Cat is exactly like that.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2159

Amazon: Codes and Roses

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

I have a strange feeling at the end of this novel, I read a paranormal novel that is not a paranormal... No it's not the late hour that makes me going crazy, it's only that the author chooses to tell a shapeshifter erotic romance, and he stated it clearly more or less from the first moment, when Brad, after having sex with Linn, finds out that his new lover is not exactly human, but then they behave like it was nothing important, like being Linn a puca, one third horses, one third wold and one third elf, it's like having a strange hair color. This is probably the most interesting and original side of the book, in a way being a fae creature is not something that makes you "different", Linn is your everyday cowboy, and he and Brad behave like any normal man out there.

Brad is a sci-fiction author in searching of a nice and quite place to write. Just out from an abusive relationship, he wants only to rest and relax. But when he arrives to Linn's ranch, he changes his idea: Linn is a wonderful stud, and Brad wants a piece of that. There is very few trouble, or remorse on having only a month together, Brad and Linn are having sex from night one. But soon after their first encounter, Linn can't hide his true nature, and Brad understands that the man who just left his bed is not a man... any other man would have packed and gone in a blur of a second, Brad instead simply asks if Linn has any idea to kill him, and to his negative answer, he invites the man back in bed.

From that moment on, Brad and Linn are having sex steadily every night and for more than one time at night. No matter that outside there is a strange creature that is after Brad, no matter that that same creature sometime lurks in the shadow just outside Brad's cabin, and that makes his presence known with strange rumors, when Linn is in bed with Brad, nothing can distract them. Actually Brad leaves the cabin only the first day, to go shopping for some food, other than that, he spends all the novel inside the cabin, writing, cooking and waiting for Linn to come back home and having sex.

See? that's the most normal paranormal romance I have ever read. It's like the author was thinking that, any paranormal event he could write, the reader already knew, and so why not instead be all happy with some nice and good and often and detailed sex scenes? Yes, yes, there is an evil monster out there, yes, yes, Linn is not exactly Mr Ordinary Man, but does it matter? No.

Another thing I noticed is the approach to the relationship and sex; it's erotic without being sugary. That is quite a difficult task to achieve; it's a dry and good approach, and I use "dry" not with a negative connation: Linn and Brad like to have sex, and this is clear to the reader; they are open and free with their sexuality, and I like their down to earth attitude towards sex. At first Brad and Linn lust after each other and nothing else. There is no romantic idea, Brad is thinking to have fun for one month and so is Linn. The sex is good, and as I said before, even when Brad finds out the true, it's not so important, in a month Brad will be far from this place, and while he is there he can have fun. Even when the relationship between them evolves in something more, still they face it with a careless and happy-to-go perspective: why bother too much with such uneventful things like having a relationship with an otherworldly being?

For sure High Country is not your typical paranormal romance, even in the writing style, with both men pondering aloud in their mind about things. But among among the abundance of paranormal romance out there, I felt like this one was different, in a good way.

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-High_Country-991.aspx

Amazon: High Country

Setting the rules for the Rainbow Awards, first phase will start soon: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/799266.html

I should plea forgiveness to Z.A. Maxfield. More or less one year ago she told me she was thinking to write a book with a dashing Italian vampire and asked me if I knew of a place that could be his Italian home. If I remember well she did me some inputs and I told her that San Sepolcro could be the right place. Then some months later she sent me a first draft and I checked the italian words, but really, she did the work all by herself and I didn't find any mistake. So you see my help was little thing and when she sent me a print signed copy I was really glad but it was not necessary. The book arrived more or less at the end of July and obviously I emailed back the author to thank her but since it was a print book, I saved it for a travel in train or plane, when I prefer to read a real book instead of my laptop. So I enjoyed the hand written dedica on the first page, and looked at how pretty the cover was and the book remained on my nightstand table till today (ndr I'm writing this post on a note book on my flight to Philadelphia).

Obviously as soon as I was seated on my sit I opened the book ready to enjoy some hours of dashing vampires and what was there on the second page? A printed dedica to me! OMG, Z.A. Maxfield dedicated the book to me and to another friend for all the world to see and I haven't even written back to ZAM to appropriately thank her, what did she think of my ungrateful behavior? So this long introduction is to let ZAM know that I'm really stunned and honored and deeply grateful.

Coming back to the story, it delivered what promised and I had my dashing vampire, Donte, and the vampire himself had a worthy partner in Adin. Actually on the contrary of the usual tale on the innocent victim fallen prey of the most erotic and dangerous vampire, here it's the vampire who seems to fall for the apparently innocent Adin, who has instead a naughty core.

Adin is a professor, but he is not the mousy type, he is an exerpt in ancient erotic manuscripts, and his latest discovery is a XVI century journal of two noblemen in a clandestine affair. Being Adin gay, the idea of that is even more appealing. At first Adin has a detached attitude towards the journal, he sees it like a piece of erotica and he is not interested in the personal lives of the men in it. But then he meets Donte: since Donte has sex with him and meanwhile sucks his blood, it doesn't take much to Adin to find out Donte's true nature. The man claims to be the author of the journal and he wants it back. Again the focus of the story is more the sex than the reason why Donte wants back the journal, and again Adin seems not moved by the situation, or at least not so much... it was good sex after all.

The the story takes a turn, Adin starts to read the journal and he finds out that it's not an erotic journal, but a love story. Like the nature of the jorunal changes in Adin's eyes, so does the mood of the book, and Adin himself, who claimed to not believe in love, and has always had one night stands or meaningless relationships, starts to wonder how could it be to have a real love like the one in the journal. And he is lucky enough that the man who lived that love is still here. The problem is, could that man loves another man so much?

The story is a full and classical vampire tale, and like that it has its high erotic mood, but it's a classy eroticism, even when the sex happensin an airplane lavatory. Both characters are good but strange enough it's Adin who comes out as the strongest, Donte is powerful and ancient, but he has the behavior of an artist, instead Adin is more the warrior type. And it's really strange since it's all a question of attitude, Adin is small and lithe and he always takes the submissive role during sex. Nevertheless I found him bigger than himself.

http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=NOTTURNO

Buy at 1 Romance Ebooks

Amazon: Notturno

Amazon Kindle: Notturno

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

A.M. Riley is probably one of the two authors who can write of Vampires and Cops, putting together two themes I'm not overtly fond, and make me like the book as I would like the sweetest romance. Not only, she made me love a full angst novel with cheating man (o apparently so), cops toying with BDSM, even a foursome... it's almost like she decides to pick up what a romance reader doesn't like and gives you the tongue, "see? how I write them, you like it". And yes, I have to say that she is right. I read almost all she wrote and was never disappointed.

Adam and Peter are not new to her readers, she wrote a short story, a quite twisted Christmas tale, in where newbie vampire Adam, former cop, was still trying to acclimate with his new life, and his old buddy friend, Peter, former and present lover, had to decide what was the best gift for a vampire who has everything. The main interesting aspect of that short story was the "odd" nature of Adam: not the vampire thing, that is no more odd in gay romance, but his apparently bad boy reputation. It was not clear if Adam was a bad or good cop, he could have been even a corrupted one. But since Peter, the perfect good cop, loved him, something good in Adam he should have seen, and the reader had to trust Peter's judgment.

Anyway this is a prequel, the story of how Adam became a vampire. He is quite the lonely hero in it, Peter is more the good wife waiting at home, they don't have many scenes together, and when they have, they are almost always in bed (or even on the rug in front of the door). That this the strange thing of Adam: he knows that he is not at the same level with Peter, he was not at the Academy nor at work, but Adam seems to believe that Peter is his own property, that he will always be there for him. No matter that he has sex with a man on the way to meet Peter (first scene together), and continuously with two other men for all the rest of the book: that is something different, something he does almost in auto-pilot; with Peter instead is an act of bonding, and for this reason, everytime Adam feels at risk his exclusivity with Peter and on Peter's body, he claims him all over again, with sex that can be without problem compared to a club on the head of a caveman who claims his woman.

It's strange, but Adam's change in nature doesn't change anything in his relationship with Peter: all of above it was happening before Adam's death, and it's happening even now, with Adam as undead. Actually, Adam being a vampire doesn't enter in their routine, not even during sex: true, Adam's senses are higher, and he can desire something, but his particularly bond with Peter was strange even before. Adam was always the one in danger, and Peter was always the one who rescued him. For this reason, even if this is a paranormal romance, the love story between Adam and Peter has instead the feeling of a quite ordinary romance: two men, both cops, with different expectations in life who arrive to compromise to be together; maybe the one who renounces to more things is Peter, but he is clever enough to know that he will be never happy without Adam, so it's better something than nothing. Another thing I loved was how they were both sure, in their way, of their feelings: Adam was commitment's shy, but when Peter gives him a token of his love, he accepts that like a natural, like it is something of less importance; but I know that in his mind, he has scanned all the implications, and he has decided to accept it to not hurt Peter, since hurting Peter is the last thing he wants... in his way Adam loves Peter, as much if not more than how much Peter loves Adam.

I think this is a novel that could appeal to the paranormal romance readers, for the intake in the vampire world, a mix of old legends and "new" technology, but also to who usually is reluctant to read a vampire novel, since, as I said, the vampire nature of the characters is important but it's not all the meaning of the book.

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Immortality_is_the_Suck-1000.aspx

Amazon Kindle: Immortality is the Suck

Series:
1) What to Buy For the Vamp Who Has Everything: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/458665.html
2) Immortality is the Suck

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Even if the cover suggests something else, Restraint is a man on man story. So this is not the trouble I found reading it, my trouble was more on the nature of the story, a very deep intake in the BDSM world to its extreme. True, the publisher warned the "innocent" reader, since this short story is part of a collection called "Raw" (and so it's also explained the cover, that is common for all the stories in the collection).

My friends know that BDSM is not my cup of tea. A light BDSM I can read, but as a newbie in the world, I have always said, no blood please and no real pain... So yes, it was difficult for me to read this story since the main focus of it is the "blood sports", Luke, one of the main characters, is into pleasure/pain games brought one with the use of knife. He has always had a fascination with vampires, but more to the aesthetic idea of it than the real meaning of being a vampire. Luke likes to see the blood on white sheets, on pale skin. He has also dreams of having sex with a man who is bleeding to death, and this side of the book left me even more perplexed... I really don't know if I liked Luke so much, I think he is a bit to nut and crazy for my like.

I think the author pushed so much the boundaries for a reason, she wanted to prove that, if these "games" are done by people with a lot of "restraints", then it's possible to enjoy them without danger. She had to describe Luke as a crazy man, to prove that, for real, he isn't. More, she paired him with an innocent looking man, to give a bit the idea of the wolf with the innocent prey, but the innocent was more than willing. It's Evan, the white lamb, who neared Luke and proposed the game. Luke has always behaved in the right way, forcing Evan to face his decision, and being sure that he was 100% willing.

I think that, for a story of less than 20 pages, the author did a good job with the characters and their reason, and there is also space for an unexpected turn, something that reinforces even more the concept that Luke, all in all, is not as dangerous as he wants to appear. But, I still feel to have to warn my friends, if you are not into BDSM things, this one could be a little too far into the world for you.

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Restraint/exact_match=exact

Amazon Kindle: Restraint

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

In a metropolis where it's possible to live by night as you live by day (it's your choice), we find a quite disrupted Fred; 24 years old and still a virgin, Fred was struggling with the realization that he was gay when he was killed in a car accident. Only that he didn't die, the hit man was a vampire, Daniel, who turned him and took residence on his couch and bathtube. Daniel calls Fred his "fledge", and he pretends that he is teaching to Fred how to be a vampire. Trouble is that to Fred it seems that Daniel is only living on his shoulders: Fred comes back every morning (he works at night), with dinner, a cup of blood, he bitches a bit with Daniel, who is slumbering on the couch, and then both of them go to bed in separate room... they are the perfect old married couple!  Blissful life as a couple but without sex... and Fred has not yet realized that sex could be a bonus of this new life.

During the first chapter the book has a definitely funny mood, and the roles seem clear: Fred plays the blushing virgin who will be deflowered by the dashing vampire Daniel. Maybe Daniel is not exactly the epitome of the perfect vampire, and drinking blood from a styrofoam cup is not so sexy. Anyway I was really enjoying this new intake on a classical vampire tale, when the author decided to give another twist in his story. It comes out that Daniel is not a simple vampire, he is a renegade; in the world there are two opposite vampire armies, the one for the Queen and the other for the Emperor; if you are turned by a vampire of a side, you have to be part of that side. Daniel instead, being a whore even before being turned, decided that he didn't like neither side and chose the renegade life. And being Daniel his fledging, now Fred is hunted down by both sides.

The quiet and almost "ordinary" vampire blissful life Daniel and Fred were having, is so turned upside down, and now they are running away from enemies who come out at every corners. At first Fred doesn't know what it is happening, since Daniel instead of telling the whole story, gives him only bit of info when it's strictly necessary. But during the run, the reader, and Fred himself, start to understand that Fred is not a normal vampire and that maybe he is stronger not only of Daniel, but also of the vampires who are hunting them. The roles are reversed and now it's Fred who is playing the hero in shining armor trying to save Daniel from the bad boys.

In the end, it seems that everything Daniel does, even turning Fred in a vampire, it's an accident, something he wasn't planning. He wasn't planning to become a vampire, he wasn't planning to kill Fred, he wasn't planning to turn him, he wasn't planning to fledge a powerful vampire... Daniel is the initiator of all events, but he is not doing it by choice. Fred, at first seems the victim of Daniel's clumsiness, and instead, in the end, he is probably the only one who is able to redirect Daniel's unwilling generating force in something useful. One without the other is no one, together they are an invincible force... even if they don't know how to use that force.

Even if the second part tends to be more adventurous and dark, overall the book maintains a funny mood. The sex scenes are enjoyable but not too detailed, as all in the story, even the sex is something not too serious.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2085

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Miami Moon is at the same time original and old fashioned. It's old fashioned for the way it looks on the vampire's lair, a den of debauchery where pain is mixed with pleasure and where the kiss of a vampire is both deadly than arousing. It's original for how it plots this novella, starting from the full light of a sunny day in Miami's South Beach to end in the moon light of a cold Chicago's night.

The first scene is like a Playgirl centerfold, an handsome blong guy with an hairless broad chest and beautiful blue eyes is soaking in the sun. Apparently he is like everyone else on that beach, someone who is spending the day lazing on the beach before heading home and probably towards a night of sex and play. But Jason is not like everyone else, he is a man who is running from a destiny that was already planned before he could decide anything; and at the beginning he was all right with it, but then he had a taste of how feeble human life is and of how powerless he was. Now Jason is searching a new meaning for his life and the sunny Miami seems the right place to find it.

In another scene that seems to come out from another glossy '70 or '80 magazine, Jason leads in the water while the sun is melting around, and it's like he is washing away his past and getting ready for what is expecting him that very night. Jason has not even time to get used to the city and the atmosphere that he is swallowed up by the night and thrown out in a vampire's lair.

Again it's like being in a lustful set for an erotic shot: men strutting around in nothing if not studded collars, candlelight, poshy furniture and a vampire master as naked as his thralls: he is alluring and tempting and he is promising something to Jason, the immortality, the lack of which was the first reason why Jason left his old life. And to add a cherry to the top, the immortality comes along with unbelievable sex, something Jason was not yet ready to admit, but that he probably already wanted.

Reading this book, the lasting impression I have is of sex that borders more on being erotic than vulgar, even if it's very detailed. There is a care to details that is clear both in the setting than in the sex scenes, sorry if I go too much into graphic description, but I believe it's the first time that in a sex scene the attention is equally distributed between the balls and its near companion... it really hit me and made me wondered if this is one of that things that let you understand when a sex scene is written by a woman or by a man (and despite the "initials" name, A.J. is a man).

http://www.eternalpress.ca/miamimoon.html

Amazon: Miami Moon: Vampires Lair

Reading List:

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Jordan Castillo Price is probably the only author I can read who presents me with needles, syringes and blood, and I find it sexy. I'm quite the squirmy type, I don't think how being punctured and bleeding can be sexy, but if it's done by an alluring pale and long dark haired artist, well maybe I can make an exception. As probably would do Mark, the man who is lucky enough to find that man.

In an alternative near future, where the vampirism virus exceed the HIV one, becoming more common and lethal, there are still few cities that allow vampire to live within their limit. Chicago is one of them, and it's here that Jonathan found his shelter; he is an artist, an Hungarian refugee, and a vampire. He is also handsome and wealthy, but a bit strange. Not artist "strange", more like he is a son of some alien planet who fell on Earth by accident. He doesn't talk of his "illness" (drinking blood is something you do in private), he is more than reclusive, even when it's night and he can go out, and he drinks only cat's blood. And before you ask, no, he doesn't kill the cats, he pays one of those old ladies with more cats than fleas to dry a bit her kittens in exchange of money. Obviously all these ordinary tasks are not brought on by Jonathan himself, he has a dogsboy for that, even if Mark is maybe a bit too old for the task.

Almost forty years old, Mark is the classical manquè artist turned art critic turned artist valet. Plus Mark is also gay, something that now maybe it's no more the crime it was, being a vampire is worst, but still it's not exactly cheered upon. Where Jonathan is reclusive and aloof, Mark is always complaining for something: he has not enough time to do everything (even if everything is only do some errands for Jonathan), he has not a boyfriend, he is not as handsome as a vampire... he is probably the only man that, while being followed by a killer and running for his life, can be disappointed by how the jeans he picked up in a store doesn't fit well. And maybe he is not the only one, but one of the best merit he finds in being a vampire, is the chance to be skinny and fabulous.

It's strange, usually in a pair there is always a leader and a follower, and here the obvious conclusion is that Mark should be the second, but neither of them have really the aurea to be leader. Don't get me wrong, they are not weak or submissive, it's only that they are almost alike, at the same level. Maybe Jonathan is the more experienced, but he has not the streak to be on the spotlight, more the people don't notice him and more he is happy. On the other hand Mark can be a primadonna, but he is too squirmy to be an adventurer; and it's strange since at 6 and half feet he is a bit too macho man to be flamboyant... I was almost expecting here and there for him to cry on his broken nails.

Then there is the love story. Again not what you will expect. As I said, probably the most romantic encounter they have is when they share blood, obviously with the aid of a needle, don't let happen that such a vulgar action happens with the use of real teeth and spit. One of the most romantic thing Mark said to Jonathan is that, if it wasn't for the virus, he would have swallowed... enough clues to frame our heroes? But despite it all, I really feel the love between Mark and Jonathan, not always sex and sex and sex is the only way to convey that feeling. I really think that Jonathan is a really reserved man, and it's not easy for him to express his feelings; and Mark is probably the same, and even if a little bitchy, he is always ready to help Jonathan, even if it means the last sacrifice, his blood... but only with a needles between them!

http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/hemovore

Amazon Kindle: Hemovore

Reading List:

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There is no way to hide that Love Bites is a vampire story. It's in the title, it's in the cover, it's in the way the main characters met. Love Bites is a perfect little vampire story, with the classical romance twist: old ancient vampire meets young gothic boy; young gothic boy falls in love with old ancient vampire; old ancient vampire and young gothic boy live happily ever after.

So it's not in the originality of the plot that you have to search the interest of this story. It's maybe in the old inner meaning of falling in love with a vampire, that is denying the actual world that no more represents you and searching solace in the night and shadows. Peter, the vampire, represents Matthew's escape from reality; Matthew lost his lover Kevin and for his own reason he feels guiltiness for that loss. Even if he has good friends and a pretty nice life, he can't no more bear the weight of his guilt. When Matthew meets Peter at a party, a total stranger, he knows that following him means doing a very dangerous thing, something that will put at risk his life. But Matthew does that anyway, since he unconsciously doesn't want no more that life. If Peter wants, he is free to take that life: at first Matthew doesn't know what exactly he is offering, but when he knows, he doesn't change his mind. Matthew will become Peter's property, in body and mind.

There is a lot of sex, with some yaoi elements, hair pulling, seme/uke playing, but it's not too much, probably an yaoi inexperienced reader will neither notice them. The sex is a mix of yaoi, BDSM and vampire gothic play, neither of them so enhanced to make the story exactly one theme or the other, and in this way, the story could appeal to different readers.

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Love+Bites/exact_match=exact

Amazon Kindle: Love Bites

Reading List:

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This is an old fashioned vampire novel. Lately vampires are become dream lover type and reader forgot that they are actually deadly creature. Creature of the night and shadows. And the Victorian London is a place that suits them, since even during the day, the reader has always the impression that the sky is cloudy and the weather is rainy. There is seldom full day light, and even if you click on the gaslight, nevertheless the rooms are always full of shadows. People also are more enthralling, same man than during the day light would make you change your path, at night it is a tempting alley.

Collin Foster is a reporter for an important newspaper; he loves to find the true, he loves to bring justice, but people like to read about scandal. Just an year before Collin was following and helped to bring to justice a children murderer, but it was not a news that makes the paper for days. And now, when Collin brings to light a brothel for very wealthy men who prefer the company of their same sex, now Collin is all over the news, the wealthy men are flying away in France or somewhere else, and the poor boys who worked there are in prison. And Collin is not feeling as he brought to justice some sinner, he is feeling bad, since those men are like him, only that Collin has never had the chance, or the courage, to follow his instincts.

One night he meets by chance an handsome man, Eduard de Sonnac. He is a stranger, he probably will leave the city soon, and Collin is tempted. Not only by the beauty of the man, but also by his deepness: de Sonnac seems to know so much and he is enthralling. Collin is tempted and he surrenders to temptation.

This is a novel which told a story in the middle of a bigger event. A lot is happened before to Eduard, and his character is only hinted here. More of the story is about Collin. Collin is quite a complicated man; not only he is homosexual, he has also chosen a strange career for a middle class man like him. Plus there is a dark and gothic story in his past, the murder of his sister, an event that was never really explained or resolved. Collin has a thirst for justice, and he tries to qualm this thirst with his work as reporter. But Collin has not a black and white perspective on the world, he is too much on the edge to have the sacred fire of a true reporter inside him: Collin is horrified by the fate of the victims when they are innocent, but he is also able to feel for the guilty ones when their acts are something unintentional. Collin can feel for who lives in the shadows, since he is like them. The only important difference between him and them is that Collin is a very strong man, able to resist to the darkest desires, even when they are sexual desires... at least he is able to resist till he meets Eduard. It's strange, Collin at first is so controlled, almost cold, but then he is even more passionate than Eduard, and I have the feel that he could be a stronger man than Eduard, if taught well.

As I said Eduard is not so much developed, it would be interesting to read his story before and after Collin. And I have the feeling that the author is not finished with them, there is still a lot to say, a lot to develop and secrets to unveil.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/WrittenInBlood.html

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The reader is plunged in the middle of a strange relationship between Brock and Dakota. Brock is a vampire slayer, but he has a secret, he is an half blood vampire; Dakota is a full bloodied vampire that after spending a one night stand with Brock, found out the truth the morning after, when is attempt to kill the man went wrong. After that night, Brock and Dakota have an agreement: they make favors to each other in exchange of sex... it's a strange relationship, as I said, I think that they are at the point that they find fake reasons to go to the other and ask for sex as payment.

But this time no, Brock is really in trouble, he received the order as vampire slayer to kill his own mother. To not bring on the deed, he has to pay off her debts, and Dakota offers the money, but not freely. Dakota is tired of their on / off relationship, he wants Brock all for his own, he wants a life together. It's strange that the one who should be the cool bloodied killer, the vampire, is the one who wants romance and sweet words. But even if Brock fakes reticence, he is till too much ready to accept the last barter.

The relationship between Dakota and Brock is easy, probably due to their past together. The sex is hot but "simple", it's already something steady between them, it doesn't need more; what it's still to be built is the intimacy, the aftermath to the main event. And so the plot is focused more on this.

Forever Yours is only a short story, but it has some interesting turn of events, a thing that I find always a plus. Nor Dakota or Brock are stereotype, the author manages to reverse the situation, making Dakota, the vampire, the hero in search of love and Brock, the human, the disenchanted hero who will find his match.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=493

Reading List:

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The Vampire King's Husband is a stand alone book by Amber Kell, an author that in the past used me to short stories inside a series. Instead I believe this short story was planned as a one shot. It has a fantasy setting, an apparently medieval town: the young hero is searching work as apprentice from a blacksmith, there is a castle overlooking the town, the life inside the castle has a strict order level... all hints that the way of life is somewhat historical. Then, here and there, I found some pieces that goes against this idea, one of the young blood donors of the castle wants to be a musician and he plays a guitar, Bastion, the young hero, studied 20 foreign language and he was taught the bare hand fighting... All right, being this a fantasy tale, they are not point that are so important, it's only to let you have an idea of the feeling of the story.

Another thing that makes it a fantasy and not an historical story, is that Vasska, the king, is a centuries old vampire. He is still unmarried and he asks the Goddess to send him a mate, Bastion. As Vasska said to the Goddess, woman or man doesn't matter, and so the homosexual nature of their relationship is not something that arises trouble. It's more a question of vicious relatives that were almost convinced that Vasska would have never been able to find a mate. Beside, Bastion is an impoverished nobleman, he is cultured and pretty, so he is the perfect "bride" for the king. There is some "rebellion" from Bastion's side, who doesn't like to be treated like a pretty boy, but basically it's what he is, and the only thing he has to do his to be pretty and to love Vasska.

The story is not very long, less than 40 pages, and all the dangers Bastion has to face are always resolved quickly and without loss... but, truth be told, in so few pages you can't expect nothing more.

http://www.literaryroad.com/product.php?ISBN_num=683

Reading List:

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Fluid is almost a connecting book in the Sweet Oblivion series. There aren't surprising turns of event that are decisively for the continuation of the story, maybe what I noticed more is that Wild Bill is starting to realize that he is a vampire... really? didn't he know before?... I'm joking, what I mean is that even if he has the look of a young man, he is older than that, and living with Michael, barely legal, makes him realize that he has years and years behind the shoulder. The excitement to find a new and young prey every night is starting to wear off and probably Michael is growing on him, or so he thinks.

On the other side, Michael is always more in love with his vampire, but his love is no more an adoration thing; it's true that he is growing, but not tired of Wild Bill, he is starting to think that maybe there is something else in life than searching and killing renegade vampires. For how many you kill, other are out there, and they are only two alone against the world. Maybe working from the inside will be better? Teaching to vampires how to be a blood sucker without being a killer?

Both men have some thinking to do, what I love of this series is that, despite all the strange events, neither of them has ever thought to let it go, never once Wild Bill thought that maybe Michael would be better without him around, and never once Michael thought that out there there could be someone better that Wild Bill. They have to decide what to do of their life, but one thing they know, they will decide together and they will bring on that decision together... or at least I hope ;-) With the help of Michael, Wild Bill is becoming a better man... vampire, giving a sense to his life, and with the help of Wild Bill, Michael is finding who he wants to be. All in all Michael is a teenager with all the doubts and unsecurities of that age.

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1161

Series: Channeling Morpheus
1) Payback: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/283039.html
2) Vertigo: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/317491.html
3) Manikin: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/360822.html
4) Tainted: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/400039.html
5) Rebirth: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/481762.html

Series: Sweet Oblivion
1) Brazen: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/557632.html
2) Snare: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/678554.html
3) Fluid

Reading List:

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The normal level of Changeling Press' books is good but seldom they are "deep". They are nice stories thought for a light break. And so it was unexpected to find such a story like Nights in Pink Satin. Even from the title I was expecting a light tale, and instead it's almost a gothic romance with a touch of urban fantasy. Anyway I should have some hints by the cover, again one of those nice covers that Changeling Press lately reserves to some authors.

Vincent is a century years old vampire, and probably he is also bored. He is searching a new satin cloth for his coffin and when he sees a deep pink satin cloth he wonders who is the vampire who made such an order. Obviously he thinks to a woman, and he is so enthralled that he decides to pay her a visit. When he arrives to her flat, he discovers some odd things, like gay porn movie and make up, sex toys and posters on the wall like in a teenager bedroom. Who is the strange vampire who is living there? Before Vincent could realize the truth, Martin comes back home.

Martin is a very young vampire, and he was a very young man. The vampire who turned him didn't teach him as to live as a vampire, and Martin is trying to go on with his ordinary life with some adjustment. But he is very lonely, and so, when he comes back home to find an handsome vampire in his one bedroom apartment, he is all for making friends, and maybe something more. On the other hand Vincent doesn't know what to do with a gay vampire... lately he isn't really interested in sex, and when he feels a stir of desire, he always relates that to a woman. But now in front of him there is Martin, and Vincent is both attracted by the man but also by the "innocent" vampire.

Forced to share a closet for a day (yes, really, a closet, the only place in Martin's apartment where there is enough darkness), Vincent lets it go any reticence, and Martin doesn't think twice to take advantage of the situation. But when the day will be over, and with the night Vincent will be free to go, will he have to courage to leave Martin alone to his fate?

I have the feeling that Vincent is drawn to Martin more since he is bored than for a real sexual interest, and Martin is drawn to Vincent above all since he is lonely and desperately wants to be with someone like him, a vampire. Martin has probably had enough bad experiences of rejection when he was a man due to the fact that he is gay, and now as a vampire he is re-living all of that, now he has another reason, even more scaring, to hide from people. It's so sad to see his life through Vincent's eyes when he is spying in the apartment, all the objects tell a life of loneliness and lost hopes. Even if I was really wishing that Vincent would have been starstruck by Martin at first sight, his reluctance makes for an even more interesting reading, I loved to see the innocent seduction of Martin, and the sex in the closet was hot and "symbolic".

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1171

Reading List:

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Call me crazy, or hopelessly romantic, but I feel like Michael and Wild Bill are setting down... they are not yet arrived to decide china patterns, but I will not bet that it couldn't happen.

Some of this feelings arrive from the opening scene, where Michael is remembering some good moments of the past, when he had an home and a family, and this is reinforced when his sister Julie comes to visit, bringing a cell phone Michael's mother wants absolutely his son has with him. This cell phone represents a link with the past, but also a bridge to a possible future... again, call me crazy, but I can see a future for Michael and Wild Bill near Michael's family, a future in which Michael finally starts college and Wild Bill... well I don't know, maybe he will play the housewife.

Anyway it's not only the cell phone that gave me that idea, it's also the sex between Michael and Wild Bill (and yes, only between Michael and Wild Bill, not intruder this time); I don't exactly remember if in the past it was so intimate like this time, I remember it was hot the first time they did IT alone, but this time I could almost feel their bodies, Michael's emotions were bare and Wild Bill seemed gentler and more caring. It was also one of the few time that anything of vampire interferes between them, there was not the urge of feeding, but only the strong pull to be together, as near as possible, more one body than two. I don't know, it was almost like if Michael was more aware of his body, and of the things his lover was doing to his body, and above all he was more aware of who was doing that... Wild Bill was no more only his lover, he was his partner, the half share of a whole they can be only together.

There is also another step in Michael's discovery journey for something even him doesn't know what, but it's not the focus of the story; it's an important detail, probably it bears an important clue for the future books, but I was so entranced by the previous sex scene between Michael and Wild Bill, that I read all the rest of the story in a dazed condition, still lingering with the mind on what has happened just before. If someone reading this series has ever doubted on Michael and Wild Bill's love, reading this book he will dissipate all of them.

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1112

Series: Channeling Morpheus
1) Payback: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/283039.html
2) Vertigo: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/317491.html
3) Manikin: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/360822.html
4) Tainted: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/400039.html
5) Rebirth: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/481762.html

Series: Sweet Oblivion
1) Brazen: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/557632.html
2) Snare

Reading List:

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My Vampire and I by J.P. Bowie

Marcus is an eighteen hundreds years old vampire. He was a roman warrior, son of a Senator, and he was turned when he was 25 five years old, so now he is a rather handsome vampire. He lost a lover in the past, but now he is again on the prowl since for centuries he is dreaming of a new lover and now is the time to claim him.

Roger is a 24 year old guy with a rather simple life. Good friends, a pretty cute image and a steady work, he is quite enamored with himself. But when he meets Marcus he suddenly falls for this handsome vampire, since he always has had a thing for vampires and co. But some enemies from Marcus' past are not so willing to allow him to rebuild a life together with Roger.

I think J.P. Bowie wanted to write a good mix between paranormal and comedy. Roger is the classical "queen": while Marcus is telling his rather sad story life, all Roger could think is how cool it's to have a vampire lover; while Marcus is trying to explain to Roger the pro and contro of turning vampire, all Roger could think is how well hung is his new boyfriend and how all his friends will die for jealousy.

Well, so,maybe I'm a bit too harsh with poor Roger: he is not a bad guy, he is young and in love, and then he has the chance to have a wonderful and immortal life with an hunk like Marcus, something he has never thought possible for an average guy like him.

Marcus and Roger's relationship is quite a master and pet's one, but Marcus is not a dom for choice, he is only the stronger in the couple and so he takes the lead. But Roger is quite an imp, iperactive and sometime naivee, very tender and cute.

All in all My Vampire and I is more funny than suspence, and for me is a good thing. I was expecting a more classical vampire story, a bit angst and sad, and instead it's a comedy where in the end neither the evil ones are so scary.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/3j5uso694076/Gay-and-Lesbian/My-Vampire-and-I/p-75-242/

My Vampire Lover by J.P. Bowie

Usually in a vampire story the Vampire is a strong and powerful man who lures and loves the innocent and naivee boy. My Vampire Lover turns the tables. Jean-Claude was a French artist of the end of the nineteen century; he didn't choose to become a vampire, he was seduced and betrayed by a man he admired, an artist like him. When he awakened as vampire, he was scared and helpless and his master abandoned him. A gentle and caring friend helped him to migrate to New World and Jean-Claude started a new life and also found the help of Marcus, who will be a good friend but not a lover.

Today Jean-Claude is drawn by Ron, a gentle man he sees every night from the window of his apartment. Ron manages the Italian restaurant around the corner and all in all he is a quite ordinary man, not someone who could steal the looks. But Jean-Claude sees something in him... I think he sees comfort and company, and also a man who can protect him! Yes, the vampire is lured by a man stronger than him. Obviously, Ron is stronger only if we consider the normal skill for a human, Jean-Claude is always a vampire, and he has special powers that makes him immortal and almost invincible. But still in their relationship, Ron is the leading man. As before with his friend Henry and then with Marcus, Jean-Claude is not a leader, he is the perfect picture of an artist, someone who can't relate with the day-to-day routine of life, someone who need a firm hand to address him.

My Vampire Lover is a little less funny than My Vampire and I, the two stories were released together in print form. But both are easy, smooth and enjoyable, not at all angst like so many vampire stories before.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/3j5uso694076/Gay-and-Lesbian/My-Vampire-Lover/p-75-252/

Amazon: My Vampire and I

Reading List:

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Cover Art by Anne Cain

HellBourne series is not exactly a romance but more a discovery journey. It's the story of Lucifer "Luc" Hellbourne, half-fae half-devil, who is trying to find his place in the human and otherworldly world. After 20 years spent as Alpha male's lover of a werewolf pack, Luc is on the loose; his werewolf lover dumped him to marry a woman and have kids, a thing that even Luc, with all his special power, can't have. Wandering alone after so many years living in a pack is disconcerning and when Luc sees a night club called the River Styx, he feels a bit at home, and enters the club and a new stage in his life.

Obviously the Master Vampire of the club, Nikko, is all of the idea to make Luc his own personal thrall, and Luc, at first, is not against the idea: Nikko is a very good piece of a man, not exactly the emaciated vampire of legends. He is a stud, and Luc is not against the idea to have a rebound lover like him. Nikko is thinking to have found his personal pet, and in his magnanimity, to give protection to Luc, but he doesn't know that Luc has no need of his protection, Luc stays and goes when he wants and how he likes.

At the same moment Luc is in a three-way: his former lover Bran wants him back, his actual lover Nikko doesn't want to let him go and there is a new young vampire with the face of an angel, Jerrod, who needs his help, and how can a demon not being drawn by an angel?

Hellbourne is a continuing series, I have the feeling that also the following novella in the series will be centered around Luc and his search for a new home, and probably his real mate. The quality of the story is way better than the first attempts by this same author, she always plays with stereotype (the Alpha Male werewolf, the Master Vampire), but this time they are all elements mixed in a slightly more original way. Not that the previous short stories weren't good, but I feel like this new novella being more mature and complete.

http://www.literaryroad.com/product.php?ISBN_num=609

Amazon Kindle: Hellbourne: Lost & Found

Reading List:

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Amber Kell continues in her paranormal series this time exploring another classical hero of the genre, the vampire lover.

Calvin is a young carpenter who is working for Anthony, the architecture who is building a paranormal posh hotel. Anthony's consultant for all it's vampire is Alesandro, a fashionable and very handsome vampire, who since the first moment is attracted by Calvin. But Calvin has two reasons to avoid Alesandro's attention, one he doesn't see what a gorgeous vampire like Alesandro could see in a simple man like Calvin, and two, he has an hidden plan to kidnap Anthony. Calvin's sister was taken in captivity by a stranger and the price for her freedom is Anthony.

In comparison to the other two books in the series, Courting Calvin is a little less sexy and a bit more simple. I think it's almost a passing book, a little step more in the series; Calvin and Alesandro are side characters in the series, friends of friends, and so it's their story, almost a side story in the main series.

As always I think it has potential, but in this case the potential is more linked to the whole series than in this single story that nevertheless it's necessary you read if you want to follow the series. And finally I have a little doubt: in book two the author says that Anthony's grandfather is Zeus; in this book Anthony's grandfather is Odin... they are two different grandfathers, one by his mother side and one by his father side, or the author gets a bit confused? Probably I have to read the following books in the series to have an answer.

http://www.literaryroad.com/product.php?ISBN_num=142

Amazon Kindle: Courting Calvin

Series: Moon Pack
1) Attracting Anthony: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/558545.html
2) Baiting Ben: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/640308.html
3) Courting Calvin

Reading List:

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This is a novella that mix paranormal with slutty behavior! Jason's character at first appears as a mourning hero, with some dark secret hidden inside, who lost his forever love Chris... this man probably will spend the rest of the book in a widow's weeds... only to end the first day in bed with Kevin, a friend's friend he meets that night. All right, the reader thinks, Kevin is Jason's hero, the man who will help him to forget his pain and face a new life happily ever after... also since they spend an entire night making monkey sex! But the morning after Jason is like, "well, it was nice, but I have to go", and Kevin is like, "good, I have to take a plane, it was good to meet you"... mmm the reader is perplexed.

The second night, Jason goes out with another friend, and this second friend introduce Jason to Tyler (side note: please can I have Jason's friends as mine? Also I'd like to have a private hunting reserve just lied out for me...). But the innocent reader thinks, Jason is a mourning hero, all right he slipped the night before, but now surely he will resist to temptation... and while the reader is thinking, Jason is heading on the back alley with Tyler, and not to smoke!

But the reader is not the only one who is looking Jason, there is also Julian. At this point the reader gives up, and his opinion of Jason is not exactly of one who holds on, so he is not exactly surprise when Julian, after finally have the chance to find Jason alone, and take him to bed, since moment one asks to Jason to be "only mine": yeah, Julian, better to play with open cards till the beginning since if you turn your shoulder, there is the risk that Jason goes home with another man!

All right, sorry if I was a bit silly, but this novella put me in a funny mood, even if probably it was not its purpose. There is also a dark side on it, all the mystery on who is Julian and why he is not affected by the strange gift of Jason to master the fire, even if, truth be told, Julian's character has not so much space to shine. All in all, probably Jason is only searching for the right man, and he adopts the technique to "taste" every possible candidate. Blood & Fire is a nice and enjoyable novella that flows smooth and good.

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1152

Reading List:

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It's not often that a book makes me cry, but when happens I can pour tears like if it's raining... or maybe I'm in tear since it's 2 in the morning and I can't let it go this book since I reached the last page... In a way or the other, Lone was a wonderful shapeshifter story, one that probably I can read over and over and always pouring some tears.

Seth is a small and cute man, 32 years old, at five foot five he looks most a teenager than a full grown man. And he is strange, sometime skittish, sometime cuddling, Seth reacts to the mood of his partner, when he is happy Seth is more than happy when he is sad Seth is more than sad... yes, actually Seth seems very much like a puppy, maybe since he is a werewolf? But Seth is not a normal werewolf, in a wolf pack he would be an omega, but since he is "different" he is a lone wolf, and a wolf without pack is easily a prey. How is it possible that a small man like Seth, who probably is also a small wolf, survived for all these years without the safety of a pack? Seth was always alone, wandering from city to city trying to find the one with less outworld creatures. And the little small town where he moved three months before seemed perfect, and he met also Rafe, six foot six of muscle and an even bigger heart. Rafe is gentle and caring, he has not a bad bone in him, and most of the safety Seth feels near him is due to the fact that no one dares to challenge such a mountain of man. But while they are visiting Washington DC they stumble upon a werewolves pack, and they are not at all scared by a simple human, and it's upon little Seth to protect his Rafe.

I have always had a kink for the story where there is a big physical difference between partners, I don't know if it's actually a theme, like the May / December or the Silver Romance... but Rowan McBride is one of my dealer in this theme. Here the contrast is even more nice, since there is also a disparity in strength, and it's not Rafe that is the strongest in the couple.

Both characters are really wonderful. I like how Seth struggles with himself, how he is easily pleased but the simplest cuddle, since he has never had one in his life; Seth is like a starving man and even a piece of bread is like a banquet for him. He is fiercely bonded with Rafe but at the same time he doesn't believe in a future for them, and so he has never asked, not for love neither for affection, or the simple things like "how old are you?"... Seth is like a stray dog Rafe collected on the street one night, and Seth is waiting for Rafe to be tired of him and to kick him out.

On the other hand Rafe doesn't understand why a clever and pretty man like Seth would be willing to set with an average man like him. And when he discovers the real nature of Seth, it's almost a shock, but in a way, it's also one more proof that Seth doesn't need him, he can take care of himself. Rafe at first doesn't understand that Seth needs a "pack", a family, even if of two, and he needs someone who is willing to play the alpha. Seth can be a man, but he is also a wolf, and his wolf needs the structure of a pack, the pack gives him safety. And Seth needs someone who is not scared or ashamed by his wolf, someone who lets his wolf out and play... yes, sometime Seth behaves like a dog (nuzzling, cuddling, licking), and he needs that.

Lone is a complex novel, not much for the plot, but for the development of the relationship between Seth and Rafe; the tension mounts, and even if I knew that I was leading toward an happy ending, nevertheless I was crying during the ride, and this is only thanks to the two characters (and the author who wrote them).

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/Lone.html

Amazon: Lone

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Sweet Oblivion is the new continuing series in the adventures of goth boy Michael and his vampire lover Wild Bill. At the beginning of this relationship, Michael was the pursuer and Wild Bill the fugitive man: Michael young and naive was fascinated by Wild Bill, a vampire not so old for vampire standards, but old enough to hold a fascination on barely legal Michael. But Wild Bill knew that Michael was not the daring man he wanted to project, Michael was almost a child playing with his parents dresses.

With the growing of the relationship between Wild Bill and Michael, also the perception they have of each other is changing. Michael probably is starting to realize that Wild Bill is not some invincible creature, but that he is quite a normal "man", and as vampire, he is mourning his lost life; Wild Bill was turned when he was too young to be in mood to settle down and make a family, but probably now he wouldn't so against the idea; he is even trying to build a nest in the van they bought, giving an illusion of stability to their relationship. On the other hand Michael is exactly at that phase in which was Wild Bill when he was turned, young and eager to taste all what life could offer. Wild Bill is starting to realize that the young puppy he took off from the street is not a domestic pet, but a wild pup, and while growing, also his hunger is growing. The tables are turning and the maybe the "top" position is shifting from Wild Bill to Michael.

In this novella, Wild Bill and Michael experiment with having a third in their bed; and again it's Michael who leads the choice to whom invite in their bed, and it's Michael who, in the end, becomes the center of the playing; Damien, the third part, is almost a "mute" partner, no more than a sex toy used by Wild Bill and Michael. I'm true, I don't know if I like so much that an "odd man out" enters between Wild Bill and Michael, but truth be told, as I said, he is almost inexistent, I didn't feel nor from Wild Bill or Michael's side a bit of interest in opening their relationship more than only for a night of play.

http://www.changelingpress.com/index.php?uaid=ISFUDNYA

Series: Channeling Morpheus
1) Payback: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/283039.html
2) Vertigo: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/317491.html
3) Manikin: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/360822.html
4) Tainted: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/400039.html
5) Rebirth: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/481762.html

Series: Sweet Oblivion
1) Brazen

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Weary Memories is a collection of four novella by Elizabeth Jewell following the life of the more than 200 years old vampire Liam and his assistant and lover Alex. All the collection is faithful to the most classic vampire rules, with Liam being a powerful but mourning vampire, and Alex a troubled man who finds in the strenght of the vampire, the force to move on his dramatic past.

Alex is apparently a shy and quiet man who is now comfortable working with Liam, an ancient vampire. Liam is also a scholar and Alex works for him as decipher and also as assistant. They have a routine, Alex arrives at Liam's home when the vampire is arising for his nightly session, and they work side by side in harmony. Liam is no more an hunter, he doesn't prey on human, he is "tamed" as vampire and drinks blood from freezed bags. So Alex has never really seen his vampire side; until the night he arrives a bit earlier and finds a sketchbooks decipting some of Liam's past victims. Alex is not scared by that pictures, on the contrary he is aroused: when Alex was only a child he was abused by his father, and even if he thinks to have buried that memories in his mind, they are still there, alive, and prevent him from having a normal life and sexual relationship. And so thinking to Liam, who is all but normal, Alex wonders if he can help him to forget, to make new memories to replace the old and scaring. Facing a bigger danger maybe is the way to move on a past, but still live one.

Even is Liam seems "tamed", he has still inside the inner urges to prey and feed on the living. He is able to suppress the urges, but when they are near, too near like Alex, his consciousness slips. But even if he is the stronger and probably the dangerous side of the couple, I never felt like Liam was a real trouble for Alex. Liam is ancient, and with the age he gained the knowledge, and so he is able to control his primal instinct. Instead Alex is still suffering for his past, and the wounds are still bleeding, and like a wounded animal he is dangerous, since he can be uncontrollable. Even when having sex, Liam is always the one who tries to follow a quiet pace, and instead Alex is like an outburst of rage, an up and down of mood.

There is a lot of sex in this collection, maybe also since, being a collection of four originally distinct novellas, everytime there must be a main course, a long sex scene between the two heroes, and this means that in the collection we have four of them, one soon after the other. But I think that this is also a very good vampire story, it has an elegant feelings, and it's also very dark; these are not harmless vampires in frilly dresses, these are the direct descendants of those vampires who rule on the horror stories of 100 years ago.

http://www.changelingpress.com/index.php?uaid=ISFUDNYA

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

The story is pretty simple: Darce is an old vampire, how old we didn't know, but he has the behavior of a cowboy in the Old Far West. He is a lonely wolf, he doesn't mix well nor with humans or with vampires. He pretty much would like to be left alone. But Raven has other ideas; as Darce is old, Raven is very young, barely a six months old vampire, and he was turned when he was still a boy. So he has all the energy and the expectations of a young man, and he is not able to stay put where you left him.

Raven sees Darce and he decides that he likes Darce and that he wants him; the fact that Darce would prefer to be left alone is not important for Raven: Raven only agrees to do things when they are what he likes, otherwise it's like nothing was said. And so he drags Darce in a relationship where Raven is the classical top from the bottom, even when Darce is trying to "punish" him, it's Raven that directs the scene.

Almost all the 51 pages of the book are devoted to describe Darce and Raven's relationship, how Darce can't help to fall for the young man. All in all Darce is not a bad guy, he is like a teddy bear, all strenght outside and tender heart inside; probably he is not enough clever to outcome Raven, the boy is too smart for his own good, but truth be told, Darce doesn't try: even if he wouldn't say, probably he likes Raven as he is, and he needs to be shaken from his torpor.

Enjoyable short story for a nice break.

http://www.changelingpress.com/index.php?uaid=ISFUDNYA

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Trev is a 400 years old vampire that in a futuristic setting is now a respected member of society. A space engineer he is on a mission with a small crew; he is hardly a favorite of society, but he is accepted inside the community. And this day could be also a nice one since Ash, one of the pilots, made him clearly understand that he is interested in an enjoyable fling during their mission. So Trev is happily taking on his offer and they playfully spend a night together... to wake up to the not so nice discovery that they are the only members alive in all the spacecraft. During the night there was a lack of oxygen, and since Ash has lung problems, he slept with an oxygen mask and survived, and Trev doesn't need to breath to live.

Now Trev and Ash are forced to suddenly shift from almost buddy friends without strings attached, to partners for life. They not only have to find a way to repair the spaceship, they also have to navigate it in a place where they could find help. It's a fight against time, since Ash has only few hour of oxygen and he is not considering to accept Trev's offer for another solution.

The story is not very long, 53 pages, but it surprised me: it's very well plotted, both characters are interesting and involving. Trev is not the usual dark and brooding vampire, he is a man who had the time to arrive to pact with life, and found his path; his vampire nature is no more something to hide, but it makes him still someone different, but maybe, for some men, also more interesting. Ash is an easy to go guy, he likes to play, he is probably not ready to settle down, but he is forced to accelerate his journey in his life to commit to a man, that yes, probably would be his choice, but maybe not right now.

I like this book, since it has a strange atmosphere, like an old classic sci-fic movie, once made more by the characters than by the setting, since, not having enough budget for the setting (read book lenght), the author prefers to concentrate on the characters' development instead.

http://www.changelingpress.com/index.php?uaid=ISFUDNYA

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Michael and Wild Bill are still together and still in love, but maybe the wandering life is starting to wear down Michael, and maybe, even if he would never admit it, also Wild Bill. And so this fifth chapter begins with Michael coming back home like the prodigal son: but what family, even if a loving one, would be happy to see their son throws away all the chance of a good and steady future? the gay news could be overcome, but the fact that Michael doesn't want to go to college is all another question.

And so Michael and Wild Bill are again on the street and since the chance with their natural family didn't go well, why not try with a vampire community? mmm, things are not easy, and maybe out two heroes are not fated to be a normal couple with a normal house and a front garden, and maybe a puppy... even if, truth be told, I can see Michael as a college student coming back home everyday to Wild Bill, and then the two falling in a routine with the sunday lunch with Michael's family... and maybe also the author is seeing beyond Michael's gruff exterior, since one of the most sweet and sexy scene of all the book is when Wild Bill tenderly washes out all the make-up from Michael's face, to see, for the first time, the real man under it... and it's not a real man, it's barely a boy, with all the dreams of a boy.

Little by little, Michael and Wild Bill are learning to build a world for their own, a world where a vampire and an hunter can fall in love and having an happily ever after... maybe...

http://www.changelingpress.com/index.php?uaid=ISFUDNYA

Series: Channeling Morpheus
1) Payback: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/283039.html
2) Vertigo: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/317491.html
3) Manikin: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/360822.html
4) Tainted: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/400039.html
5) Rebirth

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle


Cover Art by Bryan Keller

Peter is a cop, but he is not that typical cop by the book. He does his work, but he is also able to close an eye when law can't give justice. But all in all he is not a bad guy, not like his former lover and fellow cop Adam, drug addict and dirty cop. But now Adam is dead so maybe in this case justice is made. But the unusual twist of this short novel is that Peter was in love with Adam the cop, and now he is in love with Adam the vampire. How and when Adam became a vampire is not clear, but now Peter is taking care of him in an Hollywood basement in exchange of sex and companionship.

Probably Adam being a vampire is almost a good thing, since the death makes Adam reconsidered his life, and now he is a better man... well not exactly a man, but I believe that Peter prefers this vampire to the drug addict cop. Problem is that Adam, reconsidering his life, is also becoming aware that life should have a meaning, and he doesn't see any reason for him to be alive. Adam is depressed and Peter fears every moment when he is far from him, since he doesn't know what his lover can do alone.

A.M. Riley said that this is a taste on a longer story she will write if readers will like her characters. Well, I like them; I like the fact that Adam was not a perfect man alive and now he is a brooding vampire, but not since he sees as an injustice to be an un-dead, but since probably he sees as an injustice being still alive. I like Peter, with his deep love despite all the odds and his fears to loose even what little he still has. I like also the fact that, all in all, this is not your typical vampire romance, with blood sucking and splattering games, but the vampire nature of Adam is almost seen as something private, to not share with his lover. 

http://www.loose-id.net/detail.aspx?ID=855

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle


Cover Art by April Martinez

The second book in the Partnership in Blood series took me by surprise two times: first since it's almost double longer than the previous book on the same series, Alliance in Blood, 420 pages the second, 235 pages the first; and second since I was expecting the story of a new couple in the partnership between wizards and vampires, and instead it is the carrying on of the story between Orlando and Alain, the couple of the first book, but also the parallel stories of a group of others, like Adele and June, Angelique and David, Blair and Laurent, Caroline and Mireille, Catherine and Justin, Charlotte and Sophie, Jean and Raymond, Luc and Magali, Marie and Genevieve, Mathieu and Fabienne, Sebastien and Thierry, who more and who less, but all of them an important part of the story.

So this second book it's not specifically a book about a single romance, it's more a choral book where Alain and Orlando play an important role, like two main characters in an opera, but they are not the main focus of the story: the main focus is the alliance and all the little domino pieces that allow its building.

In a way I'm happy that Alain and Orlando's story didn't end in the previous book, since it was not full developed, there is a lot more to say on these two: last time Orlando came out like a very proud man, willing to risk a lot for the good of the vampire clan, but his personal story didn't come out in its full complexity. Orlando is a very troubled man, with a lot of open issues from his past that still haunt his present life. In a way, in the previous book, one could have the idea that Alain was the man with a painful past to forget, the loss of his son, and that he made the greatest sacrifice putting aside his pain to forge the alliance with Orlando. Now instead the reader understands that Orlando's pain is more ancient and deep-rooted.

Being the book so long, unfortunately there is also space for sad events in it; the full series is about a war, and as in all the wars there are victims. Alliance in Blood it was about how vampires and wizards met, and how they found about their special bound. It was a bit dark and gothic, but all in all it was lighter. Covenant in Blood must go on, and so there is also more darkness.

Two things I would like to highlight: as I listed at the beginning, there are a lot of different couples, same sex and not, and all of them have their important role. And so there is also the same sex couple made by Caroline and Mireille; usually I don't like this type of pair, it's a personal taste not a prejudice, I know that as there are fans of gay romance, there are also fans of lesbian romance. But I have to say that I enjoy also the romance between Caroline and Mireille, and they have an important share on the story.

The second thing it's more a nice wink the author makes to the reader: as in the first book she described the first meeting between vampires and wizards as one of those awkward teens party full of insecurity and shyness, also in the second book she recalls a teen memory, when one of the wizard, uncertain of the feelings of his paired vampire, asks to his best friend to be his herald, to try to find if the vampire likes him. Who of you, in high school, didn't find himself in the role of the herald or in those of one of the two sweethearts?

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/currenttitles/bloodseries/covenant/covenantbuynow.htm

Amazon Kindle: Covenant in Blood (Partnership in Blood)

Amazon: Covenant in Blood

Series: Partnership in Blood
1) Alliance in Blood: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/425820.html
2) Covenant in Blood

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Nikos lives in a futuristic apocalyptic world. Earth is regressed to a primitive stadium, and people live in tribes, without all the modern technology. Paranormal creatures are seen as monsters to be hunt like the primitive men used to do with dinosaurs. When young men arrive to the threshold of adulthood, they need to face a monster, a Nightling.

Nikos is a Secret Keeper, almost a shaman for his tribe. He is mated by the tribe to Rand, an hunter, but he doesn't love the man. Nor the man loves him back, he uses Nikos only like a sexual relief body. Then one night during an hunt, Nikos meets Alexei and from that moment  Nikos realizes that he is different from Rand and from all the people on the tribe, he craves for something more than Rand could give him. Alexei return back a second time and this time he wants to bring back Nikos to what he calls their world; Alexei claims that Nikos is his real mate and that they are fated to be together.

The story is really too short, less than 60 pages, to fully develop all the elements it has: the futuristic world, the paranormal beings, the time travel... it can be only a fast taste of something bigger. So what I liked in it is above all the characters: Nikos is a nice man, with his own desires but with a very unselfish attitude; probably if for him, he would let them go, and lives the life other wants for him. Alexei instead starts as a dominant character to soon turn almost a comedian; he is not at all a leader, he is only a man in search of love. He has not the attitude or the predisposition of a warrior, probably, at the end, Nikos is stronger than him.

The story unfortunately stops quite quickly, and there is not so much insight in Nikos and Alexei's future life. I had the feeling that probably Willa Okati was planning to write more.

http://www.changelingpress.com/index.php?uaid=ISFUDNYA

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

I remember the previous book in this short series as original and almost funny. The author decided to take two "classical" paranormal heroes, like a Werewolf and a Vampire, and pair them together; it's not here the originality, but in what she made of them. Forget the classical paranormal description, the Vampire dark and brooding, the Werewolf strong and dominant... here we have a Werewolf who by day is an antique dealer and by night a private investigator; but more than his job, it's his behavior that it's not usual: Nicholas is an annoying man, who likes is life simple and a bit detached; he had not a simple childhood, and he is pretty cautious to let other people near him. When he meets Alex, he can't prevent the young vampire to overrun his life, but he does everything in his skill to take him on the other part of the invisible line he has drawn between them.

Alex is the exact opposite of Nicholas. He is pretty touchy feeling, he likes to have a human contact with people around him... he is not the classical lonely vampire who avoids love as much as the sunlight. And in fact Alex has no problem with the day light and this allows him to be the perfect partner for Nicholas. But Alex would like to be more than a business partner for the Werewolf. And till when the werewolf doesn't decide that he is ready for commitment, Alex will amuse himself with the nice cop Doderberg, who unlike Nicholas, is more than willing to be a donor for Alex.

Again the story is not very long, this time only 30 pages, but it allows you to know a bit more on Nicholas and Alex and to have some nice insight on their life together. At the end of the previous book I had some doubt on them as a couple, since it was not clear what Nicholas wanted and if Alex was too distracted by Doderberg. This novella clears a bit the scene, and since I'm cheering for Nicholas and Alex, I'm happy to see that they have good chance to be together.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&manufacturers_id=201&products_id=1629

Series:
1) The Pardoner's Tale: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/335726.html
2) Ace of Wands

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

In an urban romance setting, a Paris in which wizards and vampires are simple citizens with more or less power, the wizards need allies.

Renegade wizards who are searching to rule the world using the dark magic are becoming more and more bolder. Marcel, the general of the army of the good wizard seeks alliance with Jean, the master of Parisian vampires. Both men agree to a meeting between a wizard and a vampire in Pere Lachaise cemetery. Alain, a wizard who lost his wife and son to the hands of the dark wizards, volunteers; on the other side the chosen is Orlando, a more than two hundreds years vampire who was turned when he was 23 years old, and so now he has the face of a blond angel, but scars which are so deeply that still marks his behavior. The alliance should implies only that the vampires will help the wizards in their fight, but when Orlando samples Alain's blood, to test his sincerity, the bond between them runs deeply than a simple military agreement.

Even if Orlando is older in age than Alain, he is not emotionally grown. Orlando was raped and enslaved by his sire, and now, even if free by his captivity, he is shy and restrained, with his body and with his feelings. Alain, with his gentle touch and ability to comprehend and soothe, is the right man to ensure Orlando's trust. Alain accepts to deepen their relationship beyond a simple fighting bond, Orlando and Alain become a real life couple; in an alliance that is new and fragile, a so deep relationship is more an obstacle than anything else, since the other vampires and wizards have trouble to understand that it's not necessary to have a sexual bond to tighten a vampire/wizard pair.

Orlando is very "young"; his relationship with Alain is more like that between a master and a pupil than between two equal adults. It doesn't matter that Orlando has lived so long, he has spent two hundreds years hiding and avoiding human contacts. Alain instead has loved and lost his love; more than his wife, he regrets the lost of his son, and, in a way, he has also fatherly feeling for Orlando: he falls so fast for Orlando since the vampire arises in him also protective feelings other than sexual desires.

The story is a bit dark and gothic, but in some points it is almost funny: the scene in the Gare de Lyon, when wizards and vampires meet to find the other match in the pair, reminds me one of those teens party, where boys and girls stand one on the other side of the room not having the courage to mingle, chat and dance.

Another thing that left me pretty impressed in the story, was how vampires are treated in this urban alternative reality: they are shunned and avoided as undesirables, but not as dangerous... a bit like gay in a conservative environment?

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/currenttitles/bloodseries/alliance/alliancebuynow.htm

Amazon Kindle: Alliance in Blood (Partnership in Blood)

Amazon: Alliance In Blood

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

At the beginning of the twenty century, Jack is a young Englishman in Santorini; he is following a dig near a church and he makes a stunning discovery: the tomb of a man; the burial seems to be prehistoric, but there are remains from all over the age, till the last, an eighteen century coin. The peasants are murmuring of evil, the tomb was not in a holy place, and the body was chained. But Jack is not a man who can be scared by superstition, and so he takes with him the skeleton, actually freeing it from its "eternal" rest.

Then Jack begins to receive strange letters from a man named Belas, a man who promises to Jack fame and fortune in exchange of very little from him: his blood.

The story now resembles a bit the myth of Eros and Psyche, with Eros pretending by his spouse that she never looks at him when he visits her at night. Belas asks to Jack to wait for him at night, blindfolded and naked, ready to satisfy Belas' desires. But probably Belas also satisfies Jack's desires, since the sexual attention of Belas are not unwelcomed by Jack. And even when Jack realizes that Belas is killing people in the village, he can't blame the man who is searching his vengeance; in the contrary, Jack offers himself as weapon for Belas' vengeance.

But then enters Gabriel, a young doctor. Gabriel fancies Jack, and he is convinced that Jack is suffering from madness... Belas is not real, it's a figment of Jack's mind, and what Jack imputes to Belas, in reality are Jack's actions... who is right? Is it possible that this is not a paranormal event, but only the oddity of an ill mind?

The story is very well written; it's a very good mix of paranormal and historical, letting the reader wondering till the end about the true nature of the tale. In the end Jack is only a man with a deep need of love, a need he brings with him since he was a child, a need that he tries to fulfill in everyway... Belas, Gabriel, are only tools for his trìhirst of love.

Belas could be real and if he is real, he is a man who has suffered for so long that his mind is cloudy with pain; if he isn't real, he is only the true nature of Jack, the passionate and outspoken man who Jack has never had the courage to be.

Gabriel is the man who bears the sin of his fathers. He is not a bad man, but he is too avid of fame; probably he, in a way, really loves Jack, but he is not the man who can save Jack, he is not enough strong.

At almost 300 pages, Revenant is an historical / paranormal / mystery romance... all genre are mixed together in a very good way.

http://samhainpublishing.com/books/revenant

Amazon Kindle: Revenant

Amazon: Revenant

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle


Cover Art by Anne Cain

First introduced in Light My Fire, Paul is a demon hunter; previous lover of Craig, the main character of Light My Fire, we found him again in Tall, Dark, Tattooed and Twisted, in the last scene when the demon hunters arrive to investigate on a zombie attack. Wild, Wicked and Haunted starts exactly where Tall, Dark, Tattooed and Twisted ended, with Paul ringing the bell to Nick's house, just in front of the crime scene.

Nick is an Hollywood young director whose lover was killed one year before in the front garden. It was not a "neat" murder and the ghost, Carter, still haunts the house. Carter is deeply in love with Nick, in his life he was an older man, more than 20 years older than Nick, and he believes that he was not able to protect his lover. So now, as a ghost, he is fiercely protective.

Nick can't see Carter, but Paul can. More, he can feel Carter's emotions, even when he is having sex with Nick. The unwillingly threesome needs to find a way to live peacefully together, or to clean break this situation.

As all the previous book, this one is rather short, less than 50 pages, and there is not much space to develop the characters. All the strenght of the book lies in the use of paranormal events in a funny way, splattering blood and violence in every corner, but never making the book really horrific... the book is like one of those movies which gather all the classical Hollywood scenes to edit a comic movie.

The most interesting thing for me is Volmere: I was already fascinated by this tall white haired vampire with an impressive... attribute, in the previous book, and now I'm even more interested in reading his story.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/WildWickedHaunted.html

Amazon Kindle: Wild, Wicked, And Haunted In Hollywood

Series:
1) Light My Fire: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/340520.html
2) Sex Scene: Take One: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/396857.html
3) Tall, Dark, Tattooed And Twisted: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/397261.html
4) Wild, Wicked, And Haunted In Hollywood

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Jack is a shapeshifter Unicorn and Scott is a virgin and we all know what happens when a Unicorn meets a Virgin... well, actually I didn't know that all the sex was involved and now images of fairy virgin princess riding white unicorn stallion are playing in my mind...

Jack is a quite young shapeshifter Unicorn; in all his existence he has met only three pure souls (virgin in mind and body) able to caught him, and two of them were women during his student phase. The only real relationship he had was with a man, lasted five years. The trick to get free of the bond with the virgin is if the virgin loses its purity; but sex with Jack is not the way to lose purity, since all the virgin and the Unicorn makes together doesn't break the bond.

Since the last relationship broke pretty bad, now Jack is used to frequent Del Fantasma, a bar where is quite impossible to find a pure soul... that is till Scott enters the bar. Scott is a shy geek boy; 21 years old and virgin, he is unaware of all the paranormal life around. He is there to help his brother and as fast as he can leave is better. But when Jack senses Scott, the bond is tight and Jack is due to obey Scott in every thing.

Scott is too young and naivee to profit of Jack's power, and all he can thing to use is Jack's skill in bed: for how much innocent Scott is, he is very interested in experiment all the sexual freedom he can find with Jack.

The story is not very long, a little more than 100 pages, and it is light and enjoyable. Jack's character, the Unicorn, is more developed than Scott; of Jack we know about his past life and his reason to be as he is; Scott instead is a bit of an enigma, for example we don't know why he is virgin: it's a choice? or a lack of opportunity?

http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/new-releases/del-fantasma-unicorn/prod_188.html

Amazon Kindle: Del Fantasma: Unicorn

Series: Del Fantasma (m/m)
1) A Slow Fuzzy Screw by Sharon Maria Bidwell: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/161239.html
2) Black Wolf by Jade Buchanan: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/219302.html
3) Undertow by J.M. Snyder
4) Virgin Special by Sharon Maria Bidwell: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/397615.html
5) Unicorn by Jet Mykles

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Halloween Angel by J.P. Bowie takes place in the same world of the previous vampire tales I read by the same author, My Vampire and I and My Vampire Lover, in the gay friendly environment of West Hollywood and the near by distance, but so far in wealthy, up-class neighbor of Hollywood Hills. Actually the story is a bit similar to My Vampire and I, with the same starting point for the main characters, a posh masquerade party.

Eddie is an hairstylist... I believe this is the first time I read a book where one of the main character is an hair stylist, and this is not a small detail, but it's something that characterizes J.P. Bowie's work: he puts together simple guys, with ordinary life, with wonderful and unbelievable vampires. Obviously the simple guy of the time is overwhelmed by the stunning vampire's world, and can't help to madly falling in love for the vampire: the lure of wealthy is as much powerful as the lure of sex... between a huge mansion in the best neighbor of Los Angeles, and an handsome naked vampire in a satin sheet covered bed, how can the simple guy resist? And why he should?

So, come back to Eddie. He is just out of an abusive relationship with a unworthy boyfriend. One of his customer, a movie star, invites him to his Halloween party, and Eddie decides to dress as an angel. With some help from friends, and some paranormal events, Eddie arrives to the party to find there Joshua, an handsome man he met in a bar some day before. From that moment on, Eddie's quite life is no more the same...

The story is not very long, 72 pages, but it's sweet and romantic. All in all, I was almost as interest in Eddie and Joshua than in Sam Peterson, the movie star who invites Eddie. I'd be happy to read a story about him, maybe also a "normal" story, without vampires and co: a boy meets boy type of story, with the allure of the movie industry setting.

There is not a real link to the previous vampire stories by J.P. Bowie, even if it's only a detail. The world is the same, Joshua, the vampire, hints that he probably knows the other Los Angelos vampires; so I will not consider this as part of a series, but you know that this story has the same feeling and setting of the others.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?s=pYb3p4568033&strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=363

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Brock is a man-eater and he is proud to have had more than one thousand of lovers; how? it's simple, he spends all his weekend hooking up with men in gay club, and having at least two lovers by night. Knowing the name of the man who gives him a blow job, or whom he is screwing is not essential. But Brock is happy of his life since he is jovial and friendly and he has a very good reputation with all his past lovers. He is loved and he loves himself.

One night Brock meets the only man who manages to break all his rules: Daniel is handsome, enthralling, sexy, but he is so aloof and mysterious. Even if they become soon lovers, Brock actually doesn't know nothing of the man: Brock is the one who changes his life, who tries to adapt his life to Daniel's desire, but he is more than willing to do so since Daniel is becoming an addictive drug for his system.

Brock and Daniel are completely different and yet so equal. Brock "eats" men like candy, he satisfies his sex urges with them, never letting him being involved, but he does that with lightness and en plain sight; his past lovers always leave with joy and are more than ready to come back if only Brock beckons them. Daniel "drinks" men, he satisfies his blood lust with them, never letting him being involved, but he does that in darkness; his past lovers never remind him and he is alone in his roaming the world. In Daniel, Brock finds the only man able to complete him and making him forget all the others. Brock is ready to leave the playground to settle down with only a man.

Daniel is an interesting character, but he is not the main character of the book; it's Brock who steals all the better scenes, and even if a reader should be find him deprecable, he is too charming to hate him. And then he actually didn't do anything wrong; he is not a cheating man, since he always states clearly that he is not interesting in relationship; he uses men for sex, but he is not a selfish lover, instead he always cares for the other pleasure; he is a bit of a vain, he cares a bit too much for physical appearance, but well, he has to have a fault! All in all I believe that he is a good boy, he is for sure a good friend, and even if he is far from his family, he has a quite good relationship with them. He is also a good employee, even when his employer behaves in a way that made me want to cringe. Probably G.A. Hauser tried to write a "bad boy" character, and instead Brock came out like a little cute angel!

The story is quite long, 190 pages, very sexy and in some part almost funny. Brock and Daniel didn't do much else if not playing around in bed, and when Brock is not playing with Daniel, he is playing with all the men available (but not after he became exclusive with Daniel), and so you will have a lot of sex scenes to enjoy.

http://www.lindenbayromance.com/product-thevampireandthemaneater-7222-139.html

Amazon Kindle: The Vampire and the Man-eater

Amazon: The Vampire and the Man-eater

Series:
1) The Kiss: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/128685.html
2) The Vampire and the Man-Eater

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Michael and Wild Bill are living together since two years. They are still wandering around in the van Wild Bill gave to Michael and like a strange family in perennial road trip, they live of drugstore and diner. Nor Michael or Wild Bill feel the necessity to set down, but Wild Bill's perception of Michael is changing; he is beginning to worry for Michael's health and comfort. Wild Bill is always ready to satisfy every little desire of his boy, from the material to the sexual one. But more than Michael's cravings, what worries most Wild Bill is the slowing but continuing wasting away of Michael. He is more thin every day that passes, and even if the Twiggy's look is good on him, Wild Bill fears that vampyrism is claiming hm.

Michael and Wild Bill's relationship is tunnelling in everyday life. The role are forming, and Wild Bill is assuming that of the wise man; before he never has to worry of home or stability. Now he has another man to take care, and Michael is so young.

Michael is like a teen, he never worries of food or clothes. Give him a new high tech toy and he can go on for day without eating or sleeping. The only thing that seems capable to distract him is sex, he never pulls back when Michael involves him in a new sexual adventure... maybe he is shier than the older man, public sex is something that he is still not comfort to. Sometime it's like if Michael is more worried to display his gayness than the fact that Michael is a vampire.

There is no more doubt that Michael and Wild Bill are a couple, no more thought on leaving, nor on Michael or in Wild Bill. They are not yet like a normal happy gay couple, more like two drifter who chose to walk together.

This last chapter on the series, is more sweet and less gothic than the previous one, it's like an aftermath of a climax, things are settling down.

http://www.changelingpress.com/index.php?uaid=ISFUDNYA

Series: Channeling Morpheus
1) Payback: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/283039.html
2) Vertigo: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/317491.html
3) Manikin: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/360822.html
4) Tainted

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle


Cover Art by Bryan Keller

Another of my error due to the fact that I click the buy button too fast! This one is part of Del Fantasma series, short story setting around the Del Fantasma night club, managed by Cody, a vampire matchmaker, a series I like very much. And it's written by Sharon Maria Bidwell, an M/M author not such prolific, but among my favorite. And so when I saw the book, and the genre M/M on the Aspen Mountain Press website, I click on the buy button without even read the blurb... and it is a menage! (sob)... I don't like menage.

But well I had the book and I know that Sharon Maria Bidwell is good, so I thought "why not? give it a try". I'm quite happy of my decision, but I have to say that in this M/M/F menage, for a time, the stronger pair is the M/F one.

James is a suicidal man; he lost his beloved girlfriend even before they had a chance to savor life. Both from very conservative upbringing, they decide to wait for sex after marriage and they never reached the time. So James now is alone and virgin and without a reason to live.

Seth and Hannah are centuries years old vampire. Seth loved Hannah and Hannah loved Seth but also Seth's best friend, Edward. And so Hannah convinced Seth and Edward to share her and after sometime, she convinced them to start also a M/M relationship. Both men loved Hannah and so they agreed, but probably the real love of their life is what they felt for Hannah. Then Edward was killed and Seth and Hannah lost their balance.

Cody thinks that Edward is the answer to their need: a man without attachments, someone who can be forged to become the perfect balance for Seth and Hannah. But it's Hannah who seduced James, it's Hannah who convinced the man, it's her who introduces him to sex. Seth is almost a detached spectator, waiting for his woman to obtain what she wants. Seth and James' relationship exists only in relation to Hannah, much like it was with Edward.

So if you decide to try this one, as I did and I'm not regretting it, be aware: it's not a classical M/M romance (how strange to use the "classical" word for a M/M romance), it's more an heterosexual romance with a twist.

http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/new-releases/del-fantasma-virgin-special/prod_156.html

Amazon Kindle: Del Fantasma: Virgin Special

Series: Del Fantasma (m/m)
1) A Slow Fuzzy Screw by Sharon Maria Bidwell: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/161239.html
2) Black Wolf by Jade Buchanan: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/219302.html
3) Undertow by J.M. Snyder
4) Virgin Special by Sharon Maria Bidwell

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Sataire and Volmere are two vampire so twisted that also among their fellow vampires they are considered crazy. So they decide to live in exile in a 18 million dollars mansion in the Hollywood Hills!

The very first day in their new home, while Volmere is giving to Sataire some heavy S/M sex, their very friendly and very gay new neighbors decide to pay a visit; when the two tall, dark and tattooed vampires open the door stark naked, Patrick, Henry and Clay couldn't believe to their lucky... and Sataire couldn't believe to his eyes since in front of him there is Clay Young the handsome star of his favorite soap opera!

All right so we have a vampire tattooed and pierced who can only reach the apex with a good dose of pain, then we have a soap opera star who has just broken with a demon lover, another vampire who can't be left alone with no one since he screws everyone with two legs... At the third book by Lee Avalone I begin to understand what she is doing: she is debunking all the myth on Vampires, Demons and co to create a crazy world where sex is the primal urge and love is the cherry atop. No one is safe from the craziness, and being an immortal being is not an assurance against it.

It was pretty funny to read a story of less than 50 pages where the two main vampire characters, Sataire and Volmere, hardly have a piece of clothes on, even when they are sword fighting with four zombie who happened to pass in their front garden... plus the little fact that Clay slept with a demon is hinted like the most normal event in a soap opera star's life.

Piece by piece, 50 pages long book by 50 pages long book, Lee Avalone is creating a very interesting universe.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/TallDarkTattooed.html

Amazon Kindle: Tall, Dark, Tattooed And Twisted

Series:
1) Light My Fire: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/340520.html
2) Sex Scene: Take One: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/396857.html
3) Tall, Dark, Tattooed And Twisted

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle