Stay Tuned

 

Yes, we promised to be back after the weekend, but I will confess we haven't been reading, but playing Cyberpunk 2077. So we decided to take a short break and we'll be back in January when we've got something to review.

As for Cyberpunk 2077:

Don't just listen to the haters. I haven't found a game I enjoyed as much as this one since Dragon Age Inquisition. Yes, it has a few bugs, and it crashes from time to time, but I love it!

Happy Holidays!

 

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone!

We'll be back after the weekend.

Teaser Tuesdays - Afro Puffs Are the Antennae of the Universe

 

They called themselves (very simply and with great economy) "the Gang of Five" (although currently there were only four) and were as stealthy as any lunar ninjas. 

(page 7, Afro Puffs Are the Antennae of the Universe by Zig Zag Claybourne)

buy from bookdepository

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Last Christmas - Book Review

 

Last Christmas

by Josie Jaffrey

What is it about:

Some secrets are best left buried.

With the latest land reclamation project, the Daggett mansion is finally accessible again; rich pickings for a crew like Mara's.

It was supposed to be a simple heist, planned to perfection, but there's something in the water that they hadn't anticipated. And inside the mansion: bodies and memories.

It turns out that Mara picked this mark for a reason. She's about to remember what it is.

A standalone short story

What did I think of it:

A short, but intense story.

Set in a dark, but believable future this story might be about Christmas, but it's definitely not a fluffy and jolly read.

Pulling no punches it delivers pain, heartbreak and suspense.

If you're looking for a gritty and dark read, look no further.

Why should you read it:

It's a dark and intense read

buy from amazon

A Cup of Salt Tears - Book Review

 

A Cup of Salt Tears

by Isabel Yap

What is it about:

Makino’s mother taught her caution, showed her how to carve her name into cucumbers, and insisted that she never let a kappa touch her. But when she grows up and her husband Tetsuya falls deathly ill, a kappa that claims to know her comes calling with a barbed promise. “A Cup of Salt Tears” is a dark fantasy leaning towards horror that asks how much someone should sacrifice for the one she loves.

What did I think of it:

This is a beautifully sad short story.

Makino seeks some solace and solitude at the bathhouse after caring for and worrying about her dying husband all day, but is visited by a kappa who makes some enticing promises.

I loved the atmosphere and mood in this story. Makino's emotions are understated, under the surface, but definitely there. As the kappa makes his promises she'll have to make a choice and find out if she can live with that choice.

All in all a lovely, sad story.

Why should you read it:

It's a beautiful short story about love and grief.

buy from amazon

Five Golden Rings - Christmas Read Book Review (repost)

 

Five Golden Rings
by Jeffe Kennedy
Novella, ebook

What is it about:
On the first day of Christmas, my lover gave to me...

Matilda Campbell's plans to spend Christmas solo in the sun take an erotic turn when she encounters the handsome and enigmatic Miguel D'Oro on the plane to Mexico. As the CEO of a major firm, Tilda's used to being the one in charge--but now she'll have to learn how to take orders instead.

In the spirit of the season, Miguel offers Tilda naughty gifts for each of the twelve days of Christmas. There's just one rule: she must accept them--and fulfill his commands--or face the sensual consequences. Intrigued and aroused, Tilda agrees to let Miguel take control of her pleasure.

What follows is a week unlike anything she's ever experienced. From choosing her sexy new wardrobe and naughty accessories, to pushing her boundaries with BDSM play, Miguel satisfies every forbidden craving. But as their time together runs out, she must decide if there's room in her real life for her holiday lover and her newly discovered kinky side.

31,000 words

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
Jeffe Kennedy wrote yet another delicious story I could fall in love with.

The idea of a naughty twelve days of Christmas was alluring and I loved how Kennedy translated the song into a sensual and intense BDSM romance.

The story starts out uncomplicated enough. Tilda meets the attractive and charming Miguel and decides to take him up on his offer of a kinky Christmas, eager to explore her own sexuality. But what starts as a casual holiday fling, turns intense fast when their emotions get involved.

I love how Kennedy writes her BDSM romances. She gives her readers the hot, steaming bondage scenes as well as a romance you can believe in. As in many of her other stories she shows how submitting yourself to your lover isn't necessarily a sign of weakness, but how it can be one of strength. Tilda sure shows she's strong enough to handle Miguel.

All in all this story is hot, intense and very satisfying, and even though set in a tropical paradise it is a wonderful Christmas read. I can tell you this novella has earned a place on my list of Christmas traditions: bake a Christmas Bundt cake, watch The Sound of Music and read Five Golden Rings.

Why should you read it:
It's a delicious BDSM Christmas romance


Find buy links here

Red as Blood and White as Bone - Book Review

 

I'm quite addicted to Cyberpunk 2077 at the moment, but I managed to read a couple of short stories.

Red as Blood and White as Bone

by Theodora Goss

What is it about:

Red as Blood and White as Bone by Theodora Goss is a dark fantasy about a kitchen girl obsessed with fairy tales, who upon discovering a ragged woman outside the castle during a storm, takes her in--certain she’s a princess in disguise.

What did I think of it:

This story starts somewhere in the 1930's, but as Klara, the lead character has her head full of fairy tales it feels more magical and timeless somehow.

Klara's encounter with a woman she thinks is a princess leads to events that can be both mundane or magical. I love how there's hints for something supernatural happening while at the same time you could make a case it's all in Klara's head. I was hooked from the start and had to find out what Klara was getting herself into.

Overall this is a story about imagination, strength, and courage. I will most certainly investigate what else Goss has written.

Why should you read it:

It's a beautiful bittersweet story.

buy from amazon