@GoddessFish, @DavidBernstein, #Detective, #Mystery

Caleb Jacobs is a man with a past. After serving on a failed dark ops assignment in Afghanistan, he leaves Marine Corps Intelligence to try to build a new life in Philadelphia as a homicide police detective.

Jacobs is happy, for a time, until he is assigned to solve the murder of Shannon Faraday. During the investigation, he is convinced the evidence points to him as the killer. He knows it is only a matter of time before other investigators see the same. He has no alibi and the clock is counting down.

Behind his partner’s back, Jacobs hires a private investigator named Lawrence Holmes. The PI is an irritation to the police, but he is unmistakably brilliant. And, many powerful people in the city owe him favors. Holmes is a bit odd. He insists on calling Jacobs Watson but claims to never have heard the name Sherlock. Jacobs can live with this kind of crazy as long as together they find the real killer.

They quickly link the murder to a series of seemingly unrelated crimes occurring throughout Philadelphia, and Jacobs becomes convinced the murder is related to the truth of what had happened during his time in Afghanistan. Old secrets have come back to haunt him.

Devi is a mercenary whose life goal is to be a Devastator (an elite group that serves the king of Paradox). She signs up for a year of security work on The Glorious Foul because she'll get credit for 5 years and serve 1. However, all is now what it seems.
I liked the writing and I thought the world interesting. However, I would have liked more backstory on the different species and planets (why don't Paradoxians like the Terrans and vice versa for example). I liked Devi, but had trouble connecting with her. I found this was very easy to pick up and put back down. I wasn't really that invested in her story. Then that fucked up ending. I disliked that

For Romance-opoly Outer Space Sun track.

Spellbound Square: Vanyel eventually manifests the mage and herald abilities in this early Valdemar novel.

Vanyel spends his days dreading practice with his father's brutal arms-master, weathering the scorn of his father towards his 'soft' son, practicing music, and fending off the advances of his mother's ladies. Vanyel doesn't enjoy bedding those worthy women like his younger brother. As his father's heir Vanyel has responsibilities that make it impossible for him to follow his dream of becoming a Bard.

He is ultimately sent to the capitol to be under the eye of his stern aunt who is one of many Herald-Mage's in the Kingdom of Valdemar. Vanyel faces the usual pressures of being a gifted young person, but also must keep truths about himself secret from those at Court and those who would harm him. The book ramps up as Vanyel faces many personal challenges.

Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books were the queerest things going in fantasy for a long time, and I owe a lot to that. Her books were not only queer friendly, they had empowered women, talking horses, and more pink and violet covers then you can shake a stick at. There are some mixed messages in these novels, to be sure, but reading these as a scared closeted kid in high school must have offered some comfort.

I say must have, because, honestly, I'd forgotten just how big a part Vanyel's sexuality played in these books. My ultimate disappointment in how the love story played out was likely a factor in my willful amnesia. Three recent reviews (Linda, Carolyn, Wanda) mention the sudden melodrama, the off-screen action, the lazy short-hand in developing all the romantic relationships here as really downgrading the reading experience. That is why the book gets an 'OK' review from me today, but at the time of publication and for a long time after there was nothing else in genre-fiction that talked about prejudice and coming-out so directly. Like it or not, many readers needed to experience the course in Queer Empathy 101 Lackey offers here.  I read these around 2001-2, and it was still revolutionary. The fact the book is from '89 makes it that much more extraordinary.

With so many other options out there in fantasy, I will probably not revisit these books again, but they were there for me when I needed them.

The Last Herald-Mage

Next: 'Magic's Promise'

Previous: 'Oathbreakers'

ABOUT THE BOOKS

King
The Broken Bows MC Book 1
by Kerri Ann
Genre: MC Romance

Liar.
I lie to everyone.
I don't know where the truth starts anymore.
As Enforcer of the MC my job is to protect the club at all costs.
When I'm tasked with watching Oubliette—the sexy bartender from the Four Horsemen—that's when protecting the club became difficult. That's when keeping the lies straight was hard.
I thought she would be a simple job.
I was wrong.
I may chance everything to save her.
My life, my future…. My club.

He wants something I won't give.
He wants what I can't give.
Even if it means my release.
Even if it could help others.
I need a way out of this and through him is the best way.
Busta is arrogant, ruthless, and a complete prick.
I need to find a chink in his armor.
I'll do whatever it takes to gain my freedom.

Add TO SHELVES
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40411135-king

Rook
The Broken Bows MC Book 1.5

Forgive me Father for I have Sinned.

True

Oh, how I've sinned and sinned. Even my brother's pious meddling can't undo the damage I've done. As VP of the Broken Bows MC I'm content to be the devious, dark and dangerous twin.
I love to cause mayhem.
I enjoy destruction.
Truth though? I wish he was by my side. I'd do almost anything to pull him away from his flock and back to the darkness that I know resides within him.
I will do it anything.

Strike

I see their evil, their malice.
I see myself in them.
My sins.
My brother and the MC want me to return to the club, though it's not my home. It never was. The church has nurtured me, settling my demons. When an attack occurs on the club their request becomes my undoing.
They use her.
She is my desire.
Scarlet is True's though I covet her.

I've fought their pull like the taught string of the bow.

Like me, a single shot will ruin everything.

Read the novella that bridges the continuation of King to Pawn. (To be read between KING and PAWN)

ADD TO SHELVES

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40696969-rook

Pawn
The Broken Bows MC Book 2

I escaped hell. I was free.
I thought I could go back to normal.
I can't.
Right now, normal hurts.
I've seen things—done things—I'm not the same girl I was.
It changed me—he changed me.
The only thing that feels right is my pain.
Our club is in ruins. It's left me at the helm.
Twists and turns took me down this path that lead to further destruction. I know King orchestrated it all.
Thing is, I'm no one's pawn.
King won't take us down.
One way or another, he'll pay for the damage to us, to them, to her…

ADD TO SHELVES

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41069379-pawn

AVAILABLE in ebook

KING

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GNW7MLV

iBooks - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/king/id1428253205

B&N - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/king-kerri-ann/1128919200

GPlay - https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=NQZgDwAAQBAJ

Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/king-62

Books2Read - http://www.books2read.com/KerriAnnKing

ROOK

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FCXQ9YP

iBooks - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/rook/id1409493887

B&N - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rook-kerri-ann/1129054674

GPlay - https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kerri_Ann_Pawn?id=MiVqDwAAQBAJ

Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/rook-12

Books2Read - http://www.books2read.com/KerriAnnRook

PAWN

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GS911B3

iBooks - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/pawn/id1409495818

B&N - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pawn-kerri-ann/1129054568

Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/pawn-22

GPlay - https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kerri_Ann_Pawn

Books2Read - http://www.books2read.com/KerriAnnPawn

Queen
The Broken Bows MC Book 3

The King of Clubs had been laid.
He had been laid to rest.

I thought the game had been played.
I thought we were done.

The Queen had another play to make.
Her game was not done.

The Broken Bows MC brought you King, Rook and Pawn.
Delve into the Restless Souls and fall prey to the evil Queen.

Coming February 7th, 2019!!

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41579622-queen

Books2Read - https://books2read.com/KerriAnnQueen

What are some of your pet peeves?

Manners. People have lost touch with the simple please, thank you, your mouth shut as you eat, not sneezing on each other.

Where were you born/grew up at?

North of Toronto Canada. I’ve never left, but my heart has had pieces left in travels.

If you knew you'd die tomorrow, how would you spend your last day?

With those I love. If I couldn’t be with them, my phone would run out of power as I talked to as many as I could.

What kind of world ruler would you be?

I’d love to say fair and just, but I can be persuaded like anyone. Not by shiny things, not about power, but about trusting and feeling it’s the best way. Finding out that you can be tricked is awful.

What do you do to unwind and relax?

A long drive. A hot tub. A tea. A book. Dumb movies.

How to find time to write as a parent?

My boys are old enough to give me my own space. Hubby has odd hours at work, so I stay up late to write.

Describe yourself in 5 words or less!

Quirky, dirty minded, optimistic, naive. Most important loving.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I knew to trust in the words. Letting the characters lead me. When the next story, then next rolled through. Their lives were more than a fleeting idea. That’s when I became a writer.

Do you have a favorite movie?

Labyrinth

Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie?

Broken Bows MC I’d love done! But….I think Crashed would be a great TV mini series. Just like all authors, we’d love to be seen and loved everywhere. LOL

What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?

That sounds creepy. I expect women in long robes, walking through the woods with candles and chanting. Just kidding. None.

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

Pitbull. I love hard, care deeply, need lots of love in return and would ask for devotion.

A signed paperback set of King, Rook and Pawn. (international)

Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!

https://www.silverdaggertours.com/sdsxx-tours/the-broken-bows-mc-book-tour-and-giveaway

Mother of two insanely (well trained) sarcastic men, wife to a dangerously smolder inducing grumble bunny (fireman), and friend to some amazing ladies (you know who you are). Thanks for reading, thanks for being a friend, and I look forward to meeting you in the future for drinks, danger and laughs.

Living in Northern Ontario, Canada, Kerri loves to read, travel and find new reasons to write you fantastic love stories. Remember, not all love is clean. Dark, light, angsty, sexually charged and twisted—that’s her genre.

It’s heart wrenching stories where the muse directs her. As the instrument of their lives, their stories are told piece by piece. You can hope for the good guy to win, but it won’t always happen. There's no guarantee of an HEA (happily ever after) or HFN (happy for now), because life doesn't always have those.

Enjoy the OMG's and tears. Tear your hair out, toss a book or two, because Kerri Ann wants for you to feel their pain too. As they live it, you absorb it on the pages.

Website - https://www.authorkerriann.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LoveandDreams

Twitter - https://twitter.com/Daresanddreams

InstaGram - https://www.instagram.com/authorkerriann

BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kerri-ann

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Kerri-Ann/e/B01K689UZ6

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15556808.Kerri_Ann

HOSTED BY

Silver Dagger Book Tours
https://www.silverdaggertours.com/

THANKS FOR VISITING ~ HAVE A MAGICAL DAY!