Audiobook Blog Tour #The Swansong Conspiracy #The Eldritch Twins @AnAudiobookworm @NickVossen @MarcusRVoice

Author: Nick Vossen

Narrator: Marcus Rothenberg

Length: 8 hours 30 minutes

Series: The Eldritch Twins, Book 1

Publisher: The Parliament House

Released: Jan. 5, 2021

Genre: Horror; New Adult

Audiobook Tour: #Wrong Side of the Storm - #Mothman Mysteries, Book Two @mogdocnews @AnAudiobookworm

Author: Bryna Butler

Narrator: Michael Mola

Length: 3 hours 2 minutes

Series: Mothman Mysteries, Book 2

Publisher: Swancrest Publishing

Genre: Paranormal Mystery; YA

Audiobook blog tour #Fever Rising @thespirit_riley @AnAudiobookworm

Author: K.M. Riley

Narrator: Audra Cook

Length: 6 hours and 5 minutes

Publisher: Trifecta Publishing House

Released: Sep. 14, 2018

Genre: Science Fiction; Dystopian

“I don't save, I kill. I don't build, I break. I don't run, I chase. And I won't rest until a new society is built on the System's ashes.” (Cassidy Havok)

Kaden Valens' world is kill or be killed. Such is the life of a Challenger, the property of a Citizen. Fight or die. When Kaden is ordered to face his sole family member, his sister, Nix, he chooses a different battle - one against the Federacy that owns him.

Rebel Cassidy Havok is the Federacy's worst nightmare. Her only goal is to bring down the government, doing whatever it takes to eradicate the slave-based society. When Kaden defies the Federacy publicly, she hopes to make an ally out of him, turning the tide in the resistance's favor.

Cassidy helps Kaden escape the clutches of the Citizenry, and they flee to the Wilds, the world outside the Federacy's reach. There they plan for the fight of a lifetime. Can they take on a nation, or is their cause a lost one?

K.M. Riley is not only a lover of stories, but she's a game designer, artist, and fan of all things imaginative. If she's not writing, she's daydreaming or doodling about more worlds and characters that will make great tales. With a background in Creative Writing, she's always busy creating new adventures, or taking part in them.

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K. M. Riley delivers an interesting new take on the future Dystopian world, one where Oligarchs rule and slave fights are a mass form of entertainment and financial gains for the owners. That said, Dystopian world building can be tedious while the author is trying to craft the rules, the history and provide enough character development and story line to keep things moving forward. Ms. Riley does a decent job once the ball gets rolling.

The characters of Kaden, Cassidy and Nix are well done. Kaden remains a steadfast hero throughout the story and Cassidy is his source of intrigue and inspiration as she shifts from foe to ally and back. What this novel does well is delivers action and adventure. The story is well paced and the characters, for the most part, are developed enough for the reader to experience joy and sorrow with them throughout the intensely crafted storyline. There are moments where the plot feels muddy - whether this is a product of underwriting or over-editing is hard to tell when the vehicle is an audiobook. I love the high tech meets old world elements of Fever Rising. The cast system trope is regularly used in the YA and Dystopian genre so that is pretty typical but I thought the sub-sects were clever and I loved the Wilds, the Casteless people and the missions they undertook to rescue Wardens and others with gifts to build Cassidy's army. I also loved that the siblings, Kaden and Nix, had to come to terms with each other as adults and rebels, working together to help save their people when the causal fallout of their defection resulted in the Sirdars and the Prime destroying entire sectors as a message.

The narration was truly my least favorite part. At first it was so stilted I thought I had perhaps altered the speed on my app. There was very little inflection, character changes or even modulation for story pacing. It did get better about midway through the story. It was almost as if a different voice actor took over. I have heard Audra Cook read before and think she is quite good overall. This one just falls short for me.

Overall I give Fever Rising four (4) Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries. I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by K.M. Riley. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Q&A with Author K.M. Riley

• Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?
  
  • To be honest, no. When I’m writing a book I focus on the story itself, having fun with what I’m envisioning. Characters are my favorite part to shape. Can they compel a reader to the world, the plot, to keep reading at all?

• How did you select your narrator?
  
  • I had the auditioning narrators read one of the most compelling scenes from the book. To me, if they could capture that moment, that intensity between the characters, they could nail the rest of the narration.

• How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process? Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters?
  
  • For the most part, I trusted my narrator to run with the story after a brief breakdown of pronunciation and descriptions. What mattered most to me was her portrayal of the characters. I wanted them to not only sound different, but they needed to feel as impassioned as the words they’re speaking aloud to the listener.

• How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
  
  • Burnout is common everywhere. I work in video games, so I recognize when to stop and take a break. It’s the same with writing. Sometimes I’ll read a new series, draw a character I’m thinking of, or play excessive amounts of D&D. I let my imagination stay alive until get inspired again, keeping that enthusiasm alive in other forms.

• Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
  
  • Of course I’m a listener, that’s the best part about my commute. Audiobooks make it easy to do other things while listening to a story. Exercising, long drives, you name it. Whenever I can’t hold a book in my hands but crave a tale, that’s what they are there for.

• What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
  
  • Nonsense. Some avid “readers” have actual impairments. Audiobooks are a fantastic way to help those with disabilities, sharing a story regardless of obstacles. For those without impairments, it’s just another way to cram more books in. Either way, getting through a book is an achievement to be praised, not condemned based on method.

• In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of writing a stand-alone novel vs. writing a series?
  
  • Having done both, there’s something freeing about a stand-alone. For me, I had a single vision in mind, and all I wanted was to get that across, but not drag it out per se. Having a series means considering aspects beyond your first hook, a story that needs unfolding over more hurdles, thicker plots or complex character development. There’s no right or wrong, good or bad, it’s just a matter of what the author wants to write.

• Have any of your characters ever appeared in your dreams?
  
  • All the time. They reenact scenes with more complexity than I could have remembered to write down when I woke up. Sometimes, and without giving too much away, some of the characters have made it a point to romance since there was only alluding in the book.

• What’s next for you?
  
  • Currently, I’m working on a narrative project at Hangar 13 that I’m incredibly excited about. Unfortunately, I can’t talk about it. Hopefully one day it’s something I can share. That said, I’m not done writing books; the next one is just beginning to take root in my imagination.

Author K.M. Riley's Dream Cast for Fever Rising

• Cassidy Havok - Chloe Bennet
• Kaden Valens - Chris Evans
• Nixandra Valens - Daisy Ridley
• Hunter Cath - Javier Bardem
• Liam Mercer - Tahj Mowry
• Sly Simmonds - Jeff Bridges

Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card

Fever Rising Giveaway: $50 Amazon Gift Card




Nov. 13th:

Dab of Darkness Book Reviews

The Book Junkie Reads . . .

Nov. 14th:

In Patti's Imagination

Nov. 15th:

Lilly's Book World

Nov. 16th:

Guilty Indulgence Bookclub

Nov. 17th:

Book Addict

T's Stuff

Nov. 18th:

Jazzy Book Reviews

Nov. 19th:

Lomeraniel

The Book Addict's Reviews

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Audiobook Blog Tour #Girl VS @AnAudioBookworm @XCulletto @ToniaBlakeVO

Author: Xela Culletto

Narrator: Tonia Blake

Length: 7 hours 2 minutes

Publisher: Xela Culletto

Released: May 21, 2018

Genre: Science Fiction; Young Adult

Before the Vela invasion, Rhyan's biggest concern was getting through a day of school. But when she is thrust into the madness of a kill-or-be-killed world, her true strength emerges and a deadly warrior is unleashed.

Stumbling through the new morals of a post-apocalyptic world, she learns to depend only on herself. As she gets closer to discovering what the aliens actually want, her lethality becomes unmatched, and she soon learns the extent she'll go to in order to survive.

Xela is a working mother of three, living in the Utah. Currently in her ninth year of teaching secondary education, she decided that after talking to students about achieving their dreams, she would take her own advice and complete a lifelong goal of writing a novel. When not playing Legos with her sons, or sorting through the endless laundry, you’ll find her watching The Walking Dead, horseback riding, or working on her next book.

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Growing up, Tonia told stories at sleepovers and sang in competitive chorale groups. Storytelling and songs eventually gave way to the competing interests of science and veterinary medicine, but she continued to indulge a reading addiction so fierce it led to a recurrent and rather jaunty facial tic under one eye. Audiobooks to the rescue!
Her stethoscope now lives in her sock drawer, and she’s delighted to be telling stories once again, this time narrating audiobooks from her at-home studio in mid-coast Maine. When she’s not in her vocal booth, she enjoys spending time with her family, fur-babies, and on her yoga mat.

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook

I live for a good YA story.  I love a kick-ass heroine.  I appreciate a story that makes me think while holding on to the edge of my seat.  Girl VS has all that and more.  Quite frankly, Girl VS caught me by surprise.  I am not a huge fan of sci-fi and alien apocalype stories are not my usual go-to for summer kicks.  But something about this story sounded intriguing and I am so very thankful I took a gamble.  The story is sharp, writing is strong, action intense and emotions spot on.  The reader takes to Rhyan right away - but not in a pitying way.  She has lost everything and continues to lose what little she acquires along the way and she fights - fights for life, for her friends, for humanity.  Xela Culletto - I am waiting for the next installment because I know you are not done with Rhyan by far!

Tonia Blake is an amazing narrator.  She delivers a strong performance as the voice of a powerful young woman and her supporting cast of characters.  There were no cringe-worthy moments of mispronounced words.  The story flowed, the action swelled and the awkward social skills of a hardened loner girl were given aural life.  This was one of my favorite narrated books this summer.

RATING Four and a half Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries! (It was pretty near to perfect for me!)

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Xela Culletto. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.



Jul. 19th:

The Book Junkie Reads . . .

Lilly's Book World

Jul. 20th:

Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews

Jul. 21st:

T's Stuff

Jul. 22nd:

Jazzy Book Reviews

2 Girls and A Book

Jul. 23rd:

Adventures Thru Wonderland

Jul. 24th:

Declarations of a Fangirl

Guilty Indulgence Bookclub

Jul. 25th:

Holed Up In A Book

The Book Addict's Reviews

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A #Spanking Sexy #Review of Human Surrender @ReneeRoseAuthor @SueLyndon @AltaHensley

Human Surrender
Fierce alien warriors don't ask. They take, they claim, and they conquer--even when the object of their desires is a trembling human female.

Human Surrender contains five *all-new* dark sci-fi alien warrior romance novellas, brought to you by USA Today and international bestselling authors of BDSM and spanking romance:
Renee Rose | Alta Hensley | Sue Lyndon | Aubrey Cara | Kallista Dane

Publisher's Note: The books included in this naughty collection are MF and MFM pairings. Though the stories are dark, all have happy endings.

**Over 175,000 words of dark romance ~ complete stories with no cliffhangers**

REVIEW
A spanky sexy collection of Sci-fi romance novellas. I've been excited about this genre since reading Cara Bristol's Sci-fi romance Breeder so I was so happy to discover this anthology. While some stories were better than others, they all interested me and had me checking the authors out on Goodreads to add to my TBR list. This anthology was a great read.

RATING
4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was given to us through NetGalley. Many thanks.

#REVIEW @NetGalley: TAKE @NashodaRose

Take (Scars of the Wraiths #1) by Nashoda Rose

MAX

Feelings are a luxury I can’t afford. Hidden behind a shield of quiet placidity, I keep my secret safe from those who’d use it against me. Until him—the tatted up, self-centered Scar assassin hired to protect me.
He takes pleasure in tormenting me, chipping away at my defenses as if I’m a toy to be played with. I hate that he continuously reminds me that I’m nothing more than a job. I hate that my body responds to his touch. I hate him. 

JASPER
I’m not a good guy and I don’t pretend to be. Condemn me if you want, I don’t give a fuck. You’re nothing to me. No one is … except her—Max. She’s my target. And I was hired to do a hell of a lot more than protect her … I was hired to kill her.
It should’ve been simple, but it was complicated as hell.

Full-length novel. Come meet the Scars.
Scars: Immortal warriors with capabilities derived from the senses: Trackers, Sounders, Healers, Tasters, Visionaries, and the rare Reflectors. They each have what is known as an Ink, a tattoo that can be called life. 

REVIEW
The author built an incredibly complex world in the first book of her newest series. Unique and full of intrigue, Max and Jasper's complicated story is a page turner.

RATING
4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was given to us by the author through NetGalley. Many thanks.

New Release! #REVIEW Chaos Unchained (Outlaw MC 1) by James Cox @EvernightPub

Chaos Unchained (Outlaw MC #1) by James Cox

Evernight Publishing, February 18, 2015

What if bad guys ruled the world and the good guys were the outlaws?

I’m Chaos, patch member of Outlaw MC of Mars. We fight against the government’s warped rules under the guise of hover bike enthusiasts. Gays are put to death. Women are used for breeding. Dark skinned men are considered slaves. I told you our world is messed up and the battle is going to be bloody.

I’m currently on my way to earth for a six-month prison sentence. Level six is for sex, a twisted buffet of ass and mouth. Level five is for the fights. That’s where I shine. Beau is a sexy Hispanic man that’s too goofy to play with the big boys. He’s a follower that was loaned to me for some quick, naked fun. But it turned into something else. I didn’t do relationships because of my past. My father was a serial killer, childhood trauma, blah, blah. But it seems that now, I had a boyfriend. It’s all confusing.

Beau is released from prison before me. Can I survive three months without his calming touch? Will he survive on Mars with my dangerous and violent club without me?

REVIEW
Like no other MC romance I've read before, Cox developed a unique world during the course of this first book in his new series. It's a dark and dangerous world, far from today's Earth. Everything is backwards - bad prevails - and the Outlaw MC plan to change that. Despite quite disparaging circumstances, I was drawn into this world with each new detail without feeling like it was overwhelming.

Chaos is a bad ass biker. And when he meets Beau, who is absolutely adorable, he's won over by his smile. It gave my heart a little flutter. The combination of sweet moments with the sexy encounters is a perfect blend.

Combine that romance with the dangerous world and suspense, and I am hooked on this series and will keep a look out for more to come.

RATING
4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was given to us by the publisher. Many thanks.

Be Warned: m/m sex, public exhibition

EXCERPT

“I could do other things, Beau. Better things than just a kiss. If you want.” I coasted my hand down his abs and hovered it over the bulge in his pants. “Messier things.”
He swallowed so hard I could see his Adam’s apple bob. He nodded.
I lowered my hand and felt his hard dick under the loose pants. It was long. I followed the outline with my fingers and squeezed the tip. “How messy do you want to get, Beau?” I moved to the rim of his pants and tugged. An inch of his darker flesh was revealed. I kept tugging, slowly lowering his pants until I could see his cock. I tucked the rim under his balls and took in the sight of him. He was nice looking. Longer rather than wider. His balls had a nest of curly, dark pubic hair at the base of his shaft. That thick vein was prominent as it laid on the underside of his erection. His tip was cut, the foreskin gone. It made the darker almost plum-colored head more visible. I could see a cloudy drop at his slit. Beau was breathing heavily by the time I finished my exploration. Then I took him against my palm, my fingers wrapping around his girth. I stroked him and a groan welled up from his open lips. “You want me to touch you Beau or do you want to get messy and let me suck you?”
His gaze fell on my face. For the first time, the foolish expression was gone. He looked serious and with his eyelids half closed.
“Suck or stroke, Beau?” I squeezed him and his hips jerked forward.
“Can you...will you suck me?” His voice was soft like he was afraid to get his hopes up. “It’s been so long since...”
“That’s a shame, Beau. A real fucking shame that you haven’t had a warm mouth on this pretty cock.” I lowered leisurely like I was going to sip a drop of water from a puddle. I tucked my legs so that only one was lying on the floor with both my feet and my hip. Then I lowered my elbows. I pressed the flat of my tongue against Beau’s tip. He let out this gently sigh. It was nice. I took a lick and then pressed my lips to his head. My tongue dabbed at his piss slit while my hand rode up and down his length.
“Chaos.”
The way he said my name was almost a plea. I worked his head with my mouth, alternating between sucks and licks. My hand rubbed up and down his shaft, using more pressure as I came to my working mouth. His legs fell open slightly and Beau’s head dropped back. He was moaning. The sounds muddled by the back of his hand. I kept playing with him, forcing him to wait when he came close to orgasm. I took the time to lap at his balls and nip at the skin. Then when he calmed his hips, I sucked on his head again. It was like sexual torture, forcing him to linger at the edge of the cliff and not letting him jump. I didn’t want him to fly like a bird just yet.
Beau was using one hand to cover his moans and the other on my shoulder. He’d squeeze the muscle then soothed it with his fingers and when he came close, his fingernails scratched at my flesh. Sweat began to mist his body. His hips jerking upward wildly and nearly threw me off balance.
I worked the top half of his shaft with my fingers. Up and down, hard as my mouth sucked at his head. Then that warm sperm jet from his hole. It splashed at my tongue and teeth. I swallowed amid Beau’s cries of pleasure. He was bucking and squirming, chanting my name. Then he was empty. I licked him clean, raised the rim of his pants, and sat up. His cheeks were slightly flushed, but you couldn’t really tell with his skin color. His eyes were closed and his bottom lip had the faint markings of teeth. I smiled as he sat there recovering. My own dick begged for some attention, any really. It was greedy like that.
The lights overhead blinked and Beau’s eyes popped open. He smiled at me, looking shy and awkward.
“I just had your dick in my mouth. No need to by shy after that.”
His dimples showed.
The other cell doors started to open. I hissed out a breath. My pleasure left for another time. I stood as the prisoners started to walk around, checking the stairs. I extended my hand and Beau took it, coming to his feet. I pushed him to the wall, leaning so that just our upper bodies touched. “When we have more time, I’m going to pull those pants down and make sure we get real messy.”

5th Annual Happy Hunky Days - Day 13 Chestnuts Roasting Anthology by @Silvia_Violet @FreddyMacKay @AngelMartinezrr @MischiefCorner #REVIEW #CONTEST

DAY Thirteen...Happy Hunky-Days!

Seasons greetings and literary tidings to all our Ndulgent Blog readers. It's the most wonderful time of the year.....to celebrate with family, friends and fellow book lovers galore! We have enjoyed another year of fabulous reads and hope you will all join us for our 5th (holy smokes!) annual Happy Hunky-days! Twelve fun filled days(We added an extra day!) of Christmas where we treat you with gifts of joy and happiness (aka free books and very yummy eye candy!). All good readers who jump over to our Hunky Days Page will get a chance to win some really great e-books from our featured authors! Seriously, you can even be quite naughty and still get free books - just remember to enter to win!

Click Here to enter!

Chestnuts Roasting Anthology, Toni Griffin, Angel Martinez, Silvia Violet & Freddy McKay
Christmas means different things to everyone, but most often it’s all about pulling loved ones close and brightening the gloom. The fire’s crackling. The snow is piling up outside, even if it's only in your dreams. Time to snuggle up with some cocoa and some stories carefully crafted by the Mischief Corner Crew to warm hearts and cockles.


Wreath of Fire: Smokey Mountains Bears 2 - Toni Griffin
Michael's trying to start a new life away from his abusive father, but he's drifting and not sure what he wants. When he accidentally starts a kitchen fire, the hot new fireman who comes to the rescue is not only another bear shifter.  He's Michael's mate. Michael desperately needs to get his act together and figure out what he wants if he has any hope of claiming the bear fated to be his.

REVIEW:
Michael has had a hard life but things are finally starting to get better for him...until he catches the Packard's kitchen on fire. But this accident may turn out to be the best thing to happen to Michael yet, when he mate turns out to be a big bear of a fireman


A Christmas Cactus for the General - Angel Martinez
Exiled to Earth for perhaps the worst failure in Irasolan history, General Teer must assimilate or die. Earth is too warm, too wet, too foreign, but he does the best he can even though human males are loud, childish louts whom he can't imitate successfully. When a grieving seaplane pilot strikes up a strange and uneasy friendship with him, he finds he may have been too quick to judge human males. They are strange to look at, but perhaps not as unbearable as he thought.

REVIEW:
I have to admit I wasn't sure about his story when I started it but oh man am I glad I read it. It may have been about an alien exiled to Earth but the story of acceptance and love apparently is universal.


Holly Jolly - Silvia Violet
I’m not gay. I just notice men sometimes. Everybody does, right? I notice Dane a lot, like every time I’m near him, but just because I think he’s an attractive man that doesn’t mean I like him, does it?

I’m also not a fan of Christmas. Too many years “celebrating” with my Bible-thumping family ruined the holiday for me. So what if I envy all these cheerful souls dashing about with smiles on their faces? I don’t have to like Christmas, do I? If anyone could get me in the Christmas spirit, it would be Dane with his easy, relaxed manner and his gorgeous smile. If that were going to happen, though, I’d have to find the courage to talk to him and to admit that maybe I don’t know myself all that well after all.

REVIEW:
Sometimes the most loving family is the one you find yourself. Being open and ready for love is much easier when you accept yourself first. This story is all about acceptance and the happiness that can be found when you aren't looking.


Snow on Spirit Bridge - Freddy MacKay
Alone in Japan, Finni is struggling against the constant distrust, avoidance, and xenophobia he experiences every day. He misses home. He misses his family. Nightmares come all too frequently because of the stress, and well, Christmas is just not Christmas in Japan. Not how he understands it.


Distressed by how miserable Finni is, his roommate, Mamoru, offers to be Finni's family for Christmas. Little does he know how much one agreement would change everything between them, because both of them kept secrets neither ever dreamed were true.

REVIEW:
I think this story was my favorite. Completely different from anything I have read before and a beautiful blending of two legends from different mythos. If this one doesn't bring a tear to your eyes then I don't know what will.

Overall Review:
What a unique set of Christmas stories. While each story is completely different, the re-occurring theme ties them together. The joy of finding that one person that completes you.


RATING: 4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries This book was given to us Silvia Violet. Many thanks.