Winner of Dead Iron by Devon Monk

We have a winner of a copy of Dead Iron by Devon Monk and it is....van_pham!!

I have sent out an email and look forward to hearing from you. Congrats!!

Thanks to all who entered!

Winner of Dirty Kiss by Rhys Ford

is Nixie!!!

Congrats, Nixie! I have emailed you and look forward to hearing back so we can get you your prize.

Thanks to all who participated.

I have no content so I bring you...

Meeeeee!!! At a Britney Spears concert. Don't hate. I lurve me some Brit Brit. There was the cutest gay couple in the section bordering the stage (you know, the one you sell your kidney for?). They almost made me believe in love...except I'm married which is kinda like being inoculated for it. I kid. Mostly.

Anyhoo....

Here I am in Vegas (for the fist time) for my last bday with one of my sistahs in the law and an awesome and totally random Mad Hatter. (A lil' Vegas advise for noobs: Pace yoself. Trust me on this.)

And lastly, me and my sis, Jen, Who also blogs. We are serving time at in-law Christmas. God bless my MIL, she has a well stocked wine room.

Winner of Grave Witch and Grave Dance by Kalayna Price

And the winner is marybelle!! I will be emailing you shortly. Congrats!!

Thanks to all who entered.

Queen B's hubby reviews: A Shot in the Dark by K.A. Stewart (Jesse James Dawson #2)

Jesse James Dawson's vacation is interrupted by a pack of hell-spawned creatures. To save friends, family and himself, Jesse will have to put his trust in his most dangerous enemy-his personal demon.

Note: I received a copy for review from the publisher.

Buy links: A Shot in the Dark: A Jesse James Dawson Novel (Jesse Dawson)
book depository


My dearest and my darling reviewed the first in this series for me last year. Now, he is back with his usual charm and panache (back off, bitches, he's mine...and he totally snores) to review the newest offering in the Jesse James Dawson series by K.A. Stewart. Please show him the love...

After reading the first book in this series I was a little skeptical, as the first book had interesting concepts with imperfect but adequate storytelling. I am pleased to announce that this outing is extremely solid. Now that the characters and world have been established this book concentrates on a well done combination of action and tense anxiety. The story follows protagonist Jesse James Dawson, who eviscerates demons with cheery abandon. When someone makes the mistake of selling their soul to shady characters, they call in a champion like Jesse to fight in their stead. Now that Jesse has a few notches adding up on his belt, the underworld is conspiring to end his winning streak. Things quiet down after the ending events of A Devil in the Details, and (against his better judgement) Jesse proceeds to go on the annual paintball vacation with all of his best friends. The boys all head out to a cabin in the Colorado Rockies, where an ambush is flagrantly waiting for them. The situation quickly devolves into a seige of the tiny cottage. This was the highlight of the book, as all the action was punctuated by tense scenes of scrambling to mount defenses, as well as blaming eachother for the situation. Fighting eachother as well as demonic entities makes for a nice bit of drama. The atmosphere had a palpable sense of foreboding for almost the entire story, and really added to my entertainment.

There was some heavy handed foreshadowing that made the story extremely predictable, but this did not hinder my enjoyment of their fight for survival. The action scenes are well written and had me on the edge of my seat. Overall I enjoyed part two much more than the first. Indeed, this book seems like a major departure from all of the mundane activity of the previous story. Well done Ms. Stewart, you have gotten me to care about what happens next in the series. The only other issue I had was whenever Jesse had an inner monologue it came across a little like a womans' voice. I had this same criticism of A Devil in the Details, but honestly it is not as bad this time around. However, at some points it almost seemed like the author was deliberately trying to sound like a man, which kinda made it worse. At any rate these moments were few and did not affect the flow of the story that badly, but they were noticeable. Despite my gripes I did enjoy the story, and the characters were developed nicely (everytime Axel, the demon, shows up he steals the show). So if you've read the first book you really should pick this one up and see what's new in Mr. Dawson's world.

Final Grade: B

Giveaway of Dead Iron by Devon Monk

Today is the release day of the fabulous Dead Iron by Devon Monk, and to celebrate the publisher has generously offered to give one lucky person a copy of the book. Open to continental U.S. only. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post. Giveaway will run from now until Sunday, July 10, 2011 at 11:59 pm PST.

For more info about this book and Devon Monk's new series as well as an excerpt, go here.

Stay tuned for my review of Dead Iron, coming soon!

Review: Dirty Kiss by Rhys Ford (And Giveaway!!)

Cole Kenjiro McGinnis, ex-cop and PI, is trying to get over the shooting death of his lover when a supposedly routine investigation lands in his lap. Investigating the apparent suicide of a prominent Korean businessman’s son proves to be anything but ordinary, especially when it introduces Cole to the dead man’s handsome cousin, Kim Jae-Min.

Jae-Min’s cousin had a dirty little secret, the kind that Cole has been familiar with all his life and that Jae-Min is still hiding from his family. The investigation leads Cole from tasteful mansions to seedy lover’s trysts to Dirty Kiss, the place where the rich and discreet go to indulge in desires their traditional-minded families would rather know nothing about.

It also leads Cole McGinnis into Jae-Min’s arms, and that could be a problem. Jae-Min’s cousin’s death is looking less and less like a suicide, and Jae-Min is looking more and more like a target. Cole has already lost one lover to violence—he’s not about to lose Jae-Min too.

Note: I received a copy for review from the author

Buy link: e-book
paperback
Author's Website
Rhys on twitter
Pub Date: July 1, 2011

Dirty Kiss is a well written mystery/romance featuring two very different men that have to face familial and cultural obstacles along with a fanatical killer just to be together.

The story is told through the eyes of Cole, a Japanese/Irish former cop who is now a private investigator. Cole has faced hate and loss in his life and although he hides behind a great sense of humor and a few close friendships, he's basically cut himself off from any hopes at romantic feelings again. I really liked Cole. He's a guy that I can see having a drink with down at the bar and he's also the guy you call when your back's against the wall and you need a loyal friend to turn to. For all the betrayal and lack of understanding he's faced in his life, he's not a bitter or hateful person. He lives his life as he pleases and he knows that not everyone is going to like it, so he accepts if they choose not to be in his life. He's damaged, haunted and wounded but he's so worth fighting for.

The man that finally reaches through the protective shell that Cole has encased his heart and even his sex drive behind is the enigmatic and beautiful, Jae. Jae has also faced hatred, betrayal and very hard times, but unlike Cole, Jae is a captive to his cultural and familial obligations and knows that he will never have the luxury of saying "eff you" to the world and living as he pleases. This is frustrating to Cole, but over time he begins to understand what it means to have such a strong sense of family and culture, all the beauty and ugliness of such ties and how they make their members both stronger and weaker.

The romance is sweet with two wary and wounded men that come from two different worlds trying to learn to trust and discovering if what they have is worth fighting for. The supporting cast is vivid and full of dynamic and varied characters. My personal favorite being the incomparable Scarlet. The mystery is intriguing and the threat of violence hanging over Cole and Jae give an urgency to the relationship. The ending is satisfying and leaves the door open for more growth and adventures while giving the reader, and I believe the characters, hope for the future.

The book is thought provoking, sexy and at times graphic.

I recommend this book to fans of mystery, suspense and gay romance.

Final Grade: B+

Now, thanks to the lovely author, I have one copy of Dirty Kiss for a lucky commenter to win. Just comment on this post and leave your email address. The contest will run from now until Friday, July 8, 2011 at 11:59 pm PST. Contest is open internationally. (Much thanks to Rhys!)

Good luck!!