Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell

Format: e-ARC, 528 pages

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Published: February 25, 2016

ISBN: 9781447266945

Genre: Teens & YA

Back cover blurb: Simon Snow just wants to relax and savor his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest, and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he’ll be safe. Simon can’t even enjoy the fact that his roommate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can’t stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you’re the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savor anything.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story — but far, far more monsters.

My review: At first glance, this is Harry Potter with swearing. No, more like Harry Potter/Twilight slash fan fiction with swearing. But it’s a bit of a hoot, and after a slow start – let’s face it, like Twilight it didn’t get going until the hot vampire boy turned up – I really enjoyed it. Rowell’s trademark humour is all through this and there are pop culture references to burn, even an Ant and Dec mention. I’m now racing off to read Fangirl.

***Disclaimer: This e-ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thanks to them. ***

My rating: 4/5

Amazon

Base Instincts (Demonica 11.7), by Larissa Ione

Format: e-ARC, 150 pages

Publisher: Riptide Publishing

Published: September 12, 2015

ISBN: 9781626493087

Genre: LGBTQIA, Sci Fi & Fantasy

Back cover blurb: As a Seminus demon, Raze’s life literally depends on having sex with females. The problem is that he doesn’t desire females, and it’s physically impossible for him to be with males. Thankfully, he and his best friend, Fayle, have an arrangement that keeps him alive . . . if lonely. He finds some solace in his work as a medic at Thirst, a vampire club known for its rough clientele. But his carefully structured world turns upside down when he meets a mysterious male who makes him want what he can never have.

Slake is an assassin used to getting what he wants, and what he wants is Raze. But he also wants to earn back the soul he sold when he was a much different demon. All he has to do is capture a runaway succubus named Fayle and hand her over to her family. What he doesn’t count on is being caught himself by a web of lies—and his attraction to Raze.

Raze and Slake must navigate a dangerous world to be together. But as Fayle’s jealousy of their relationship turns deadly, they find themselves embroiled in a battle not only for their love, but their lives and souls.

My review: I’m a bit behind in my reading of the Demonica series, having not really gotten into the Four Horsemen spinoffs, but this novella reminded me of how much I missed these characters and has renewed my interest in going back and reading the ones I’ve skipped. Not only is it a hot M/M story, but there is a great underlying message of acceptance. I loved Raze and Slake together, and Ms. Ione was very creative in her writing of their HEA. The villains here were sickeningly bad, and the glimpses we got of Underworld General’s favourites were great. The star for me, though, was Revenant, who was an absolute hoot. I just have to read his book now! Highly recommended.

***Disclaimer: This e-ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thanks to them. ***

My rating: 5/5

Amazon

Stacking the Shelves #19

Hosted by Tynga’s Reviews

Welcome back to Stacking the Shelves, a regular meme hosted by Tynga at Tynga’s Reviews. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the latest books you have added to your shelves, physical or virtual.  This means you can include books you buy in store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course e-books!

My Netgalley splurge continued this week, with a few more approvals added to my growing pile. First was Base Instincts, by Larissa Ione, which is a new M/M story in the Demonica universe. I really enjoyed this series and am looking forward to reading this novella.

The second was Fangs for the Memories, by Molly Harper, who is one of my favourite authors for a good laugh. This is a novella in the Half-Moon Hollow series which I have really enjoyed.

Based on a recommendation from a friend, I picked up Coming In From The Cold, by Sarina Bowen, which is currently free on Amazon Kindle. I haven’t read anything by this author but I value my friend’s advice and it was free, so why not!

Finally, I was browsing the bargain bins at a large department store this week and found All Fall Down, by Ally Carter in hardback on special, so I grabbed that, too. First time in a long time I have actually purchased a physical book for myself, but this has been on my TBR list for a while and the cover is so pretty!

So that’s it for this week. Keep an eye out for my reviews of these in coming weeks. So what new books did you pick up this week? Let me know in the comments.

Cover reveal: Lover At Last by J.R. Ward

Here it is: the cover we have all been waiting for! J.R. Ward revealed Blay and Qhuinn’s book cover and title on her Facebook page today, and I think we can agree it is a winner 🙂 I particularly like that arm gripping the dagger 😉

There have been a few comments bemoaning the fact the cover doesn’t have two men on it, but Ward has said this:

“I do think it’s going to be important for people to realize the story’s going to be written as it comes (came) to me, and that they’re not getting special treatment either for or against them because of their sexuality- to me, this story has always been about Qhuinn coming around and accepting who he really is and who he really loves- so the title and the cover was always about him in my mind. This is not to dimish Blay or his journey or his role- not at all. And it is not a case of the book focusing solely on Qhuinn and ignoring Blay’s feelings (because he’s going to have some big issues to deal with, too.) I just think Qhuinn’s the one who’s fought against their HEA and is the one who has to travel the most to get there. If that makes any sense?”

Well, in any case, I’m eagerly anticipating the release of this, the 11th book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, in about nine months’ time!

Related articles

• Lover Reborn, by J.R. Ward (mrsaubergine.wordpress.com)

18 & Over Book Blogger Follow #5

18 & Over Book Blogger Follow is a weekly feature that runs over the weekend, hosted by Crystal from one of my favourite blog sites, Reading Between the Wines.

Question of the Week: Have you read a romance or erotic novel with an M/M or F/F relationship in it? If so, did you enjoy the read? And if you haven’t, is that something you would read in the future?

I don’t have any problem with same-sex relationships in books. In fact, I’ve been quite surprised by my reaction at times 😉

I’m a big fan of Qhuinn in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, and can’t wait to see him get his HEA, and of course V and Butch are another couple with more than just a friendship.

I guess the most obvious M/M series I have started to read is the PsyCops series by Jordan Castillo Price. I’ve read the first two books, Among the Living  and Criss Cross, and I really enjoyed the humour and the relationship between Victor and Jacob. I gave them both four cupcakes, and will be reading the rest of the series when I can. You can read my reviews on Good Reads HERE and HERE.

I love Lord John Grey, Diana Gabaldon‘s character in the Outlander series and his own spin-offs, and I also really love the relationship between Gabe and Colton in the Supernova saga by C.L. Parker. Gabe is just hilarious, and I’d love him for a best friend 🙂

Honourable mention must go to Laura Kaye‘s Just Gotta Say – not so much M/M as M/M/M/F… yep. Good times 😉

Oddly, I can’t recall reading much F/F. I guess I’m all about the hot boys!

What about you? Leave a comment below or link up HERE to follow the meme.