#author Ariana Nash

[melaniem54]

Review: SOS HOTEL: For a Supernaturally Safe Stay by Adam Nex , writing by Ariana Nash

Rating: 4.5🌈 SOS HOTEL has the feel of a terrific serialized fiction story, with a fast paced narrative, a first person point of view, and many, so so many mysteries contained within the storytelling. In other words, it’s highly entertaining as well as a lively, sexy, mysterious paranormal romp. I really enjoyed it. Nash, writing as the main character Adam Nex, is having a blast here with all…

[jayktoralldaylong]

Eroan: I have come for the dragon Lysander!

Elisandra: I have sold him to Dokul.

Eroan, breaks into Dokul's house: Lysander?

Bronze dragons: France took him.

Eroan: FRANCE?! What the actual F-! (Gets to France) I am here for Lysander!

Chloe: Eroan I am so sorry. 🥺😭 I should have listened to him, he was so scared.

Eroan: Just tell me who took him Chloe. 😑

Chloe: It was Dokul.

Eroan: Man, FUCK DOKUL! (Saves him from Dokul) Okay I've finally done it. 😌 No one can hurt you now. (Wakes up one morning to find Lysander gone.)

Eroan: ......................

The other elves: ............ Yeah. So it was Akiem.

Eroan, sharpening butcher knives: Alright! 🙂🔥 (Eroan just wants peace 😂)

Get you a book about dragon and a woodland elf...... But the woodland elf is the blood thirsty one. Really love that dynamic. 😂

Eroan shows up dripping with dragon blood: I have come for my dragon. 👺🗡️

Lysander: OMG, that is so hot. 😆🔥

Akiem, judging: You know you're a freak, right? 😑

[magicalyaku]

Why is it October already and why am I still talking about books I read in April?! I'm like half a year behind in time than the rest of the universe. So let's make this quick, eh? The theme of this part is Gay Adult Fiction series, my comfort food. uAu

The Prince's Assassin series (Ariana Nash): I picked this up on a whim, at the end of April when I was in a slump, and then I read all 3 books and the novella in about a week. It's good! In the beginning, it has quite a few parallels to Captive Prince but I didn't mind and it quickly becomes its own story. There's magic and elves (who are very different from what you usually imagine as 'elves') and some dark themes. I liked reading it a lot and I enjoyed Nico as a character. That he actually walked away from Vasili when it got too much. And that just when I thought "how often will you repeat this?" they worked it out. :D

The Paladin's Shadow & The Sword-Witch's Heart (Radiance 2+3) (Tavia Lark): The easy-going ones, here they are! Not much different to say from the other books I read by this author. Enjoyable adventure, romance that works, good world-building. For the third book, I was very apprehensive to read about the second protagonist because I didn't like him when he appeared in the second book. But suprisingly, he got better and I ended up liking book 3 a lot more than book 2. The series got new covers recently btw. These look a lot better than the old ones. :'D

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen & The Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (The Doomsday Books 1+2) (KJ Charles): Omg, so much fun. I loved reading the first book, so 4 days waiting for the second volume to be delivered was testing my patience really hard. yAy It's fun and at times suprisingly dark (as in people die) and I really like the portrayal of the marsh, as a place, as a home. That was the one piece I missed a little in the second book, but otherwise I liked that one just as much. Can't go wrong with KJ Charles. :)

Running Close to the Wind (Alexandra Rowland): As it turns out, we started with the darkest and end with the funniest book. :'D This one is not exactly a series, but set in the same world and slightly connected to the events of the author's previous novel A Taste of Gold and Iron. This one took me by surprise. It's hugely different than its predecessor but so much fun! It's a comedy, really, and a smart one at that, despite it consisting 70% of dirty jokes. (There are no explicit scenes, though!) I enjoyed reading every second of it. It's just great. Good characters, smart writing and dialogue, adventure, absurdity. Highly recommended.

There's still 4 more books on my list but I just decided that I don't to need to talk about them much, so have one (or three) sentence(s) for each and then be done with it:

Snow Boys (Simon Doyle): Cute, contemporary story with coming out drama and family drama. Why does it change covers so often?

A Spark of Magic (Tari Riley): Self-published fantasy story with a budding romance between a teen witch and an accidental merboy, first book of a series, was pretty okay. The only thing that irked me was how they were constantly grabbing things (instead of taking them or picking them up or fetching them ...). :'D

Only Mostly Devastated prequel novella (Sophie Gonzales): Of course, I've already forgotten everything about the main story except the main points and that I enjoyed it, yet it was easy enough to get into the prequel.

The Cat Who Saved Books (Sosuke Natsukawa): I didn't like it, because it's not about the cat but the usual Japanese teenage manga protagonist, but because it's a novel instead of a manga suddenly it's great and serious? My ass. It makes some good points about our modern reading habits but is very simplified, and if you let me talk any further, I will only rage about every single point that annoyed me, so I stop. :)

[the-novel-approach-reviews]

Review: Luxury to Die For by Adam Vex

Title: Luxury to Die For Series: SOS Hotel: Book Six Author: Adam Vex Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 220 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Adam Vex (Ariana Nash) continues to charm and entice readers with her witty and lovable characters. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: My big secret is out. Adam Vex may be a tiny bit not human. But it’s not so bad. Just so long…

[elaine-white-author]

#SocialSunday: Take A Chance: Ariana Nash

On Take A Chance posts, I’ll be showcasing authors I love to read, but who I don’t have contact with, for things such as interviews and teasers. I will be sharing their bio, some of the works I loved best, and a showcase of up to 5 books, if they have a larger back catalogue, as well as their social media links. ~ Ariana Nash Born to wolves, Ariana Nash only ventures from the Cornish moors…

[lost-in-fictionn]

Dear Author,

I was dreaming about it happening eventually

[caplanbuckybarnes]

CAPPYS DECADE CHALLENGE

It’s absolutely been forever since I made a writing challenge and I’ve been wanting more fics to read, so alas, here’s a new one for y’all.

updated on April 4 2024 to allow for ANY character you'd like!

Rules:

It’s not necessary to follow me, but it’s always appreciated

There are no deadlines, but please keep me updated on your fics.

Tag the fic #cappysdecadeschallenge

Also tag me in the authors notes (along with the hashtag so I know which Masterlist to place the fic when I post it)

Please tag the proper warnings before the fic

CAN BE ANY CHARACTER YOU HAVE INSPIRATION FOR!!

More than one person can write for the prompts

No RPFs

If this happens to get more reblogs/ participants than I expect I’ll add more songs to each decade.

If you’d like to write for more than one song, please make them separate fics

Can be however long you’d like the fic to be. (If it’s more than 450 words PLEASE use the keep reading feature.

If I do not respond to your fic being posted in 24hours of you posting the fic, please message me a link.

Send me an ask or a DM with your prompt and the character you’re writing for.

50s

I’ve Got You Under My Skin— frank sinatra

Dream A Little Dream of Me —Ella Fitzgerald $ Louis Armstrong

Put Your Head on my Shoulder- Paul Anka

Stupid Cupid- Connie Francis

Pennies From Heaven —- Louis prima

I’m Gonna Get Married —Lloyd Price

Your Cheatin’ Heart — Hank Williams

I Walk The Line — Johnny Cash

We Belong Together — Ritchie Valens

Tears On My Pillow — Little Anthony

60s

My Girl — The Temptations

When a Man Loves a Woman —- Percy sledge

Stand By Me — Ben E. King

Build Me Up Buttercup —- the Foundations

I want you back —- the Jackson 5

I want to hold your hand —- the Beatles

You can’t hurry love -- the supremes

I can’t help myself — four tops

Then he kissed me— the crystals

Can’t help falling in love— Elvis Presley

70s

Dancing Queen— ABBA

I can see clearly now— Johnny Nash

December 1963 — the four seasons

I want you back — the Jackson five

Ain’t no sunshine — bill withers

Jolene — Dolly Parton

You’re so vain — Carly Simon

September — Earth, wind, and fire

Edge of seventeen — Stevie Nicks

80s

Love Shack — b-52s

Jesse’s girl — Rick Springfield

Dancing in the dark — Bruce Springsteen

Africa — ToTo

Never Gonna Give You Up — Rick Astley

Only in my dreams — Debbie Gibson

Careless Whisper — George Michael

Call Me — Blondie

Bohemian Rhapsody— Queen

You to me are everything — the real thing

I got lucky — Elvis Presley

90s

Wonderwall — Oasis

No scrubs — TLC

Fantasy — Mariah Carey

Say my name — Destiny's Child

Waterfalls — TLC

Remember the time — Michael Jackson

Two Princes — Spin Doctors

Torn — Natalie Imbruglia

Iris — Goo Goo Dolls

Kiss From a Rose — Seal

00’s

My Boo — usher, Alicia keys

Not Over You — Gavin DeGraw

Grenade — Bruno Mars

Home — Phillip Phillips

You Found Me — The Fray

Bleeding love — Leona Lewis

Irreplaceable — Beyoncé

Since You’ve Been Gone— Kelly Clarkson

This Love — Maroon 5

If I Ain’t Got You — Alicia Keys

U Remind Me — Usher

I Don't Wanna Be — Gavin DeGraw

‘10s

Diamonds — Rihanna

Talk — Khalid

You Belong With Me — Taylor Swift

Lucky — Jason Mraz

Shape Of You — Ed Sheeran

Treat You Better — Shawn Mendes

Just Give Me a Reason — P!NK

What Do You Mean? — Justin Bieber

Shut Up and Dance — WALK THE MOON

Someone Like You — Adele

no tears left to cry — Ariana Grande

We Don’t Talk Anymore — Charlie Puth

Delicate — Taylor Swift

[ive-garden]

Tag Game!!!!!

I was tagged by @hklnvgl! Thank you Dory!

How many books are too many books in a series? I don't think there is such a thing as too many books in a series as long as the author knows since the start how the story is going to progress (like dory said). I'm not really a fan of books that end in a trilogy, for example, and the author decides to write more because of the success or the pressure (it almost always goes bad for the story).

How do you feel about cliffhangers? They give me a little anxiety so I try to avoid it, but sometimes it's there without you knowing so, what can I do!? (I don't have the patience to wait for all the books to be published when I'm a fan).

Hardback or paperback? Like Dory I'm mostly buying Ebooks now because I don't have space in my house anymore and also because it's easier to read using Kindle! But I do buy the physical copy when the book is special to me and the hardback when the book is EXTRA special! But hardback is not really common here in Brazil, so I started with them now that I'm reading books in English (I do have a few in Portuguese though, very few, 3 or 4?).

Least favorite book? Oh my God, I cannot do this one because I have no idea the last book I didn't like!

Love triangles, yes or no? I'm not a fan but I don't avoid it either! I watch a lot of Kdramas and Anime and they ALWAYS have love triangles, so I'm mostly used to it! The last love triangle I read was a Korean manhwa named Love or Hate and for the first time in my life I didn't know who I wanted the guy to be with!!!!!! Both guys were awesome!

The most recent book you just couldn’t finish? Like Dory I mostly finish all the books I start and lately I'm very picky with the books I read, so it's been a while since I didn't finish one. But I remember not finishing the Fence novel because I wasn't vibing with it like I do with the comics.

A book you’re currently reading? Last night I finished Rare Vigilance by M.A. Grant. It's good. I'm in kind of a vampire vibe right now.

Last book you recommended to someone? The Song of Achilles! I recommended it to my friend because we both love M/M books and there isn't enough in Portuguese (she doesn't speak English, unfortunately).

Oldest book you’ve read? I have no idea!!!! Probably some of the books I read for school? I don't know.

Newest book you’ve read? Newest as in most recent published it was Infernal Sin by Ariana Nash.

Favorite author? I don't really have a favorite author like in I read everything they publish favorite but I do have a few that I know for sure I'm gonna like what they write. Dan Brown, Harlan Coben and Julia Quinn are a few names I remember from the top of my head.

Buying books or borrowing books? I do prefer buying! it's been a while since I borrow a book.

A book you dislike that everyone else seems to love? I'm sure there are a few but I can't think of one right now! Urgh!

Bookmarks or dog ears? Bookmarks! I have a box filled with them! I used to go into bookshops just to grab a few free bookmarks.

A book you can always reread? TRC and Harry Potter are the ones I read the most and the ones I always go back to.

Can you read while listening to music? It depends! I can't read while listening to music in English or Portuguese or even Spanish because I understand what they are saying and it distracts me. But I did find out I can read while listening to Kpop because I don't understand what they are saying! But I prefer not to.

One pov or multiple povs? Whatever, I don't have a preference.

Do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days? It depends if I have the time and how good the story is! I did read Mister Impossible in one sitting because I mostly didn't work that day. And last weekend I finished the book More Happy Than Not in one sitting without even realizing it! And also finished A Surplus of Light in one sitting but this one just has a few 100 pages.

Who do you tag? No one because I'm super lazy today! :D

[wiltking]

My 2021 LGBT Reads So Far

I'm 12 books into 2021 and I'm here to talk about the best and the worst, the good the bad and the ugly. Under the Read More I'll be talking about Everyone on the Moon is Essential Personnel, The Prey of Gods, Silk and Steel, Maurice, and the Land Fit for Heroes Trilogy.

Content warnings for each book are included at the bottom of the page.

Everyone on the Moon is Essential Personnel by Julain K. Jarboe - Short Story collection with trans characters + trans author ★★★★☆

A collection of body-horror fairy tales and mid-apocalyptic Catholic cyberpunk stories about bodily autonomy and transformation, the importance of negative emotions, unhealthy relationships, and bad situations amidst the staggering and urgent question of how to build and nurture meaning, love, and safety in a larger world/society that might not be "fixable."

This collection was more than I expected. Admittedly I'm not usually drawn to short story collections, I find them difficult to enjoy due to their abruptness and disjointed narratives. But there's not a single story here that I didn't like for some reason or other. Despite how much they vary in topic and tone, I found something to like about all of them, and I'm having a hard time picking a favorite out of the bunch. Self Care, Estranged Children of Storybook Houses, and I Am A Beautiful Bug! stood out to me the most, but each story was its own whirlwind of emotion and ideas, to the point where I feel like I can't correctly put into words why I enjoyed this collection so much. It's weird and difficult and beautiful. It's an experience - at once painful, cathartic, freeing, and discomfiting. But a joy nonetheless. The coolest thing was seeing all these different trans experiences form different angles and perspectives. I'm very interested in keeping an eye on this author's future works.

The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden - Adult Scifi with M/M and a Transwoman MC ★★☆☆☆

In South Africa, a new hallucinogenic drug is sweeping the streets. At the same time, the makings of AI uprising start to gain traction, and an ancient demigodess hellbent on regaining her former glory makes plans to shake things up.

I liked this book at first. It was weird, in a way that I like things to be weird. I liked the variety of characters and their intertwining paths. I liked the story and the setting. But in the second half, weirdness turned to absurdity and I found myself slowly losing interest and immersion in whatever the hell was going on. I don't want to say this was a bad book, because I still enjoyed it overall, I just think it didn't align with my tastes very well at the end. The characters were still a joy, and I have to say I'm happy to see gay and trans characters existing in these kinds of strange and interesting stories. I'm excited to see our stories expanding in this direction.

Silk & Steel by Ariana Nash - Adult M/M Fantasy ☆☆☆☆☆

I didn't deign this book with a review when I finished it because I wanted to forget it as soon as possible. This book made me lose braincells. It made me question why I keep doing this. There's not a single thing about this book that I enjoyed, except for the concept. Desperate Elvin Assassin meets Miserable Dragon Prince? Sign me up! Or so I thought. Instead I got constant sexual assault out the wazoo, a weak plot, and characters I struggled to care about. To put it simply, not my cup of tea.

Maurice by E.M. Forester - Historical M/M Romance ★★★★★

A classic. But somehow I made it this far without having read it before. I went in without expectations and very little knowledge for what the story was about. Almost immediately I was hooked, and by the time I reached the second half I couldn't put it down. While it was a challenging read at times, I adored the story. The characters. The romance. The conflicts. The tone. The ending. This book left me feeling very good and I'm so thankful it exists.

A Land Fit For Heroes trilogy by Richard K. Morgan - Adult Fantasy with a Gay Male MC. rating: its complicated

Ringil Eskiath, enlisted by his estranged mother to find his missing cousin, embarks on a grumbling journey to track her down with only the sword on his back. At the same time, the gears of a bloody prophecy jolt into motion.

I liked the first book. I really did. I loved Ringil as a broody angry sword-weilding character fueled by revenge. I loved Archidi and all her knives. Egil was kind of gross from the start but I was willing to see where his progression would go. I should have known that when the sex scenes failed to be the least bit sexy, it was probably my subconscious trying to warn me the rest of the series would be just as much of a cocktease and eventual letdown. That I would be sitting there with an aching brain, a flaccid heart, and questions that would never be answered. This is one of the most disappointing series I've read in a long time, made all the more painful due to how much I loved the first book. I genuinely don't know what Morgan was thinking. But by the end of it I couldn't stand the pretentious, vague, boring dribble that everyone was reduced to. It's just bad writing, babe.

-

content warnings:

everyone on the moon is essential personnel - misgendering, implied self harm

the prey of gods - R*pe, Gore, Self Harm, Misgendering, Implied Sexual Abuse of a Child, Child Abuse/Neglect, Death, Drugs, Violence

silk & steel - incest, abuse, violence, sexual assault, explicit sex

maurice - suicide ideation, homophobia

a land fit for heroes - r*pe, csa and pedophilia, homophobia, gratuitous use of the f-slur

[melaniem54]

Review: Fool Me Twice (Court of Pain Book 2) by Ariana Nash

Rating: 4.5 🌈 Well, that was brutal. And ultimately satisfying. It’s been a while, from the beginning of the year, since the first book of this two story series was released . So it took me a while to mentally catch up on the events that Fool Me Twice opens up on. That the cliffhanger that Fool Me Once ends on and this novel opens up with. Our three characters , Lark, Arin, and Draven,…

[jayktoralldaylong]

Also, I hear there is another sapphic romance by the name of Silk and Steel. What are the odds that two gay book be wearing the same name? 💀

After wandering the empty halls of Tumblr and finding next to no Silk and Steel content...... I realise that the book might not be very popular. That's interesting.

Does this mean...... I can totally promote it? 🤩 Will the author mind? Oh dear. I'll be totally bias though, and favour my favourite character.

But if I talk about it, more people will read it right? ☺️ Okay! Imma do it!

[libraryinthecountry]

★ Who is your favorite character from The Last Hours? If you haven’t read the books, who is your most owned author?    Happy #ShadowhunterSunday friends!  My favorite character from The Last Hours is Jesse Blackthorn. I’ve always been intrigued by his character and am so glad we’re getting his story in this series!    James, Lucie, Cordelia, Matthew, Thomas, Christopher, Alastair, and Anna are all close seconds. Grace is in third. 😂 Honestly, I’m really glad we’ve learned a lot more about Grace’s backstory too, as I always assumed there was more to be known. I liked her quite a lot more in Chain of Iron.    That said, my most owned author is definitely Cassandra Clare! Funny thing is, I still have a whole shelf full of Shadowhunter books not pictured. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I thought they’d be the perfect books to use for the first photo with my new book cart though, I love the way it turned out!     ★ On top are the @illumicrate editions of Chain of Gold and Chain of Iron  ★ In the top basket are the black @fairyloot editions of Chain of Gold and Chain of Iron  ★ Also in the top basket are the @waterstones editions of Chain of Gold (purple) and Chain of Iron (green)  ★ Finally, on top of the books in the middle and bottom baskets are the @walkerbooksuk anniversary editions of City of Bones and Clockwork Angel    ★ CURRENTLY //  ��� Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory  📖 Neon Gods by Kate Robert (eARC)  📖 Eternal Sin by Ariana Nash  📖 The Duke Makes Me Feel ... by Adriana Herrera (short story)    ★ CHALLENGES //  #springflingreads / time travel   #tumblesoverbooks / jesse : hauntings   #allthebooksmarch21 / thrillings   #bookscoasttocoastmar21 / shelf love    ★ HASHTAGS //  #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #bookstagram #bookphotography #bibliophile #booklover #bookaddict #bookobsessed #bookish #beautifulbooks #prettybooks #bookdragon #bookstack #bookshelves #shelfie #shelfiesunday #bookcart #shadowhunters #cassandraclare #themortalinstruments #theinfernaldevices #thedarkartifices #thelasthours #chainofiron #simonteen https://www.instagram.com/p/CMaGnYgAs7m/?igshid=wp1yxvv07m4u

[the-novel-approach-reviews]

Review: No Rest for the Wicked by Adam Vex

Title: No Rest for the Wicked Series: SOS Hotel: Book Five Author: Adam Vex (Ariana Nash) Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 214 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Adam Vex is doling out this story at just the right pace. It’s engaging, it’s page-turning fun, and most of all it’s charming as heck. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: Closed for gremlin…

[curiousconch]

Sobering Truth

Chapter 10 of Ricochet (An Open Heart AU)

Catch up here: Series Masterlist

Chapter Synopsis: After the fallout of Rafael and Heather, what could this mean to Bryce and the recovering doctor? 

Pairing: Rafael Aveiro x MC (Dr. Heather Song) | Bryce Lahela x MC (Dr. Heather Song)

Words: 2.1k+ | Genre: Crime, Suspense/Thriller, Romance

Rating/Warnings: Mature (16+) / hints of past violent experience and sex

Author's Notes: Almost is Never Enough by Ariana Grande and Nathan Skyes was the perfect song for this chapter, the lyrics are very fitting. Also, watch out for a cameo from a PM character 😊

Thank you so much for taking time to read this series. Please let me know if you want me to include/remove you in the tags list. Also, disclaimer: Majority of the characters are owned by Pixelberry, except the main character Heather Song and an OC Jordan Anderson.

Bryce found himself hunched alone in a bar stool downtown Boston. He swirled the brown liquid in his glass, brows furrowed in remembering the scene in the hospital room. 

His face contorted with the pain piercing through his chest, the possibility of losing Heather once again sinking like a sword. He racked his mind for an option, but it seems all is lost in that battle.

He thought back to their last outing together, and he was so certain that something was there. So why did she choose to stay with someone else instead of being with him?

His lips formed a thin line, his hand rubbing over his face in frustration. The emotions within turbulent and unnerving. Was he just too much of a fool when he thought he had a shot with her? 

This is exactly why Bryce Lahela didn't want to commit. It was far more easier for him to seek momentary connections rather than build permanent ones. He didn't want to relive the rejections-filled past from his adolescence, at the time of his parents' criminal convictions. 

Yet here he was again, suffering the same consequences of wanting something permanent in his life. Something that could bring him happiness. Something better than him being alone in the middle of a crowd of drunken patrons. 

He should've stayed in his own lane of hook-ups and one night stands instead of chasing for this relationship. 

So the first thing he did when he realized that that door is closing, was to go back to his old stomping grounds. 

But why can't he will himself to look around? 

As if on queue, an olive-skinned woman slid herself beside him, her sudden presence invading his thoughts. With a half-smirk and green catty eyes, the coils of dark hair loosely wrapping her head. The mere sight of her was mesmerizing. 

"I know you," she said, almost in a purr. 

Bryce looked back at her, and a long-forgotten heat warmed him up. And it wasn't because of the alcohol in his system.

"I guess my reputation is my charm," he replied, leaning forward. He loosened his tie whilst sipping from his glass. 

"Oh I know all about your reputation," her voice made him shiver, her fingers ever slowly trailing a path towards his arm. "You're the one with magic hands," she whispered, her brows dancing as she spoke. 

This commanding woman was pushing his buttons in all the right places, her sparkly black cocktail dress that clung on her body tightly wasn't making him feel suddenly parched. 

Her hand continued to venture up his arm, and eventually the side of his neck. As it followed the line of his jaw, Bryce couldn't help but lean closer. 

Nothing was stopping him at the moment. 

Miles away from being sober, his lips blew a short burst of air into the woman's bare neck, after which he got the chance to breathe in a whiff of her perfume. 

The jasmine scent was all too familiar. It conjured the image of the woman who Bryce fled away from tonight. 

Heather. 

Snapping out of the trance, he took a step back. Gone was the sexual tension that floated in the air mere seconds ago. Bryce only shook his head to the woman and paid his tab, before almost sprinting out into the cold rain that continued to flood the concrete pavement. 

He let the drops of water wash all over him until he was soaked. With it, the inevitable tears began to fall, which he didn't hold back. He also didn't mind how it easily reduced the numbing effect of the bottle of Jack Daniels that he just consumed. 

Like a thief in the night, the woman of his dreams snatched what was left of Bryce's vulnerable heart. He knew, deep down, that it would take a long time before he can get it back. 

*** 

"Breaking news. Declan Nash and Jordan Anderson pleads guilty as co-conspirators of the kidnapping of Senator Ed Farrugia and Edenbrook doctor Heather Song."

"This is following an intensive investigation by the joint special task force created as the public clamored to protect Massachusetts famed senator. 

"We are joined today by one of the victims, Senator Ed Farrugia, after he gave his testimony today at the Boston courthouse."

The video flicked from a female news anchor to the steps of the city's courthouse, where the politician was joined by Chief DA Tanaka. Heather's hazel eyes however wasn't on the prominent people in the screen, but instead drawn to the tall figure standing beside the older man, his intimidating stature made more pronounced by the sharp gray suit that contoured just enough to please.

Bryce. 

Saying his name, even in her mind, made her involuntarily shudder with regret, aware that between them was an undeniable attraction that she just couldn't shake off. Ever since her kidnapping, she couldn't stop herself from thinking about what could've been. Was it just too late for them? Will it only remain a connection that can never be explored? Will it ever be something more? She knew, deep down, if she could change the world overnight, she wanted to try. If there was anything she could learn from her almost dying, it was the sobering truth that life was too short to be restrained by inaction.

But she hadn't been able to speak to him for a while now. He didn't answer his phone nor returned any of her texts or messages. She hoped to get the chance when she was scheduled for her recorded testimony. To her dismay, another ADA visited her and took her witness account. 

She thought he was just busy with the case, but she sensed that he was avoiding her altogether. Her free time provided her so many hours to rack her brain for the reason why. To this day, that question was left unanswered. 

Danny raised his gaze to Heather, as he felt her pulse beat faster than normal. He turned to the TV monitor in the hospital room, stifling a chuckle as he found the reason behind her palpitations.

"Let's try to do this again," Danny said, making Heather's attention swivel to him. 

"Why? Something wrong?" she asked, obviously confused. 

This time, Danny snickered, grabbing the remote from her and switched the channel. The gesture was enough to make her fluster as it dawned on her what the nurse was insinuating. 

"I can't put your last BPM on your chart, Heather. We dont want Dr. Ramsey to not sign off on your discharge papers today. Two weeks of him pestering us is enough torture to last a lifetime," he scoffed jokingly, referencing how the senior attending relentlessly chased the hospital staff to put her case on priority. 

She curtly nodded, her mentor's crass actions embarrassing her further. 

"Thanks, Danny." she sheepishly smiled, hoping the two words were enough to express her appreciation of how the hospital helped her get back on her feet during the roughest period of her life yet. 

Danny returned her gesture, before getting back to taking her pulse. Satisfied, he recorded it to the clipboard in his hand, as her friends thundered into the room. 

Sienna, Elijah, Jackie and Aurora all stepped inside, each carrying an assortment of food items. They moved their Sunday brunch to that day in celebration of Heather's discharge. The welcome noise warmed her heart, their usual banter flowing like music to her ears. 

The thundering of her deep-seated emotions momentarily toned down, as she enjoyed the company of the small family she found in Edenbrook. 

Outside, the weather was warm with no clouds threatening to dampen the surroundings. 

It was going to be a good day. 

*** 

As the last of the questions were addressed and the cameras were turned away, Bryce sighed in relief. 

With the news crews dispersed, Chief Tanaka left to head back to the DA's office, leaving him as second chair to wrap up all the remaining paperwork. He strutted into the courthouse, the ADA facade well in effect. 

It was an understatement to say that the past few weeks were hectic. 

Interviewing Declan Nash and Jordan Anderson was like being pulled into opposite poles. Their personalities were so polarizingly different that Bryce suspected that there was a more to the case than what appears. 

So he advised the special task force to dig into that angle. The FBI's investigation is still ongoing, and he is betting against it finishing soon. 

Today was a day of accomplishments, and Bryce's mood was better than it was ever since that night. Or so he thought. 

As his mind shifted back into the present, he caught the unwelcome sight of Agent Rafael Aveiro conversing with someone in the hallways. He managed to hear a glimpse of the conversation as they got into earshot. 

"You're background would be invaluable to us, Agent Rafael," the strange man in the tweed-colored jacket said. 

"This is such a timely offer that I couldn't refuse. I'll let you know as soon as I wrap up my last case." Bryce heard Raf say. 

"Of course. But please don't keep us in the Interpol on our toes, Agent." 

"Of course, Agent Nazario." 

Taken aback, he stopped, trying to understand what had just transpired. Why was Rafael taking a job with the interpol? 

Once Bryce saw that the special investigator was alone, he approached him, words blazing. 

"Interpol? Seriously, Raf, this soon?" 

Raf turned to face him, surprised at Bryce's sudden interjection. 

"I don't see the need to explain myself to you, ADA Lahela." He politely said as he begun to walk away. 

"But you just got back together! Why leave for an overseas job this soon when she needs you the most?" Bryce's voice rose, echoing into the nearly full hallway. He honestly didn't mind, weeks worth of bottled up frustration threatening to surface. 

A more puzzled expression filled Rafael's face, the line of interrogation making him turn around and stare back at the prosecutor. 

Rafael recognized the look on Bryce's face. It was a mirror of his own haunted reflection. Of a lost love, never to return. The confusion gave way to understanding. 

It made him soften his stance, and place a brotherly hand on the lawyer's shoulder. 

"Look, I don't know why you think that, but Heather and I..." he paused, taking a deep breath as he tried to bury the painful memory of their goodbye into the back of his mind. "We broke up. The same night that she was admitted to Edenbrook after her kidnapping, we talked and agreed to go our separate ways." 

Bryce couldn't believe what he was hearing, his knees weakening with the revelation. Amber eyes widened in shock and feeling like an idiot at the same time. 

He smiled despite himself, the nightmares of his imaginary rejection transformed into a wonderful dream. The door that he thought was closed is now unlocking, and he was determined to blow it wide open. 

With a hasty thank you and goodbye to Raf, he turned the soles of his leather shoes and raced to the door of the courthouse. 

Bryce didn't dare waste another minute to look back. 

Tags: @ramsey-lahela @eleanorbloom @openheartfanfics @choicesficwriterscreations

[muses14]

Silk & Steel Series (Review)

Type: English Novel (BL) Genre: Fantasy Author: Ariana Nash Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ Summary: The Dragon Queen’s reign is one of darkness and death. Humans have vanished under the rubble of their world and if the queen has her way, elves will be next.  Eroan, one of the last elven assassins, lives for one purpose: kill the queen. He would have succeeded if not for her last line of defense: Prince Lysander. Now, captured and forced into the queen’s harem, Eroan sees another opportunity. Why kill just the queen when he can kill them all? It would be simple, if not for the troubled and alluring prince. A warrior, a killer, and something else…, something Eroan finds himself inexplicably drawn to.  Trapped in a life he despises, Lysander knows his time is running out. If the queen doesn’t kill him for his failures, her enemies will. There’s nothing left to live for, until an elf assassin almost kills him. A stubborn, prideful, fool of an elf who doesn’t know when to quit. An elf who sparks a violent, forbidden desire in Lysander. If Lysander can’t save himself, maybe he can save the elf and maybe, just maybe… one stubborn elf will be enough to bring down the queen before she kills them all. Duty demands they fight for their people. Love has other plans.

Characters: Eroan Ilanea A elf and an Assassin of the Order. He’s described as tall, fair skinned, white haired, and blue-eyed with sharp features. He has a strong sense of justice and loyalty to his people. He was sent on a mission to assassinate the amethyst dragon, Queen Elissandra, but failed and was captured. While in captivity, he was put through torture and nearly made into one of the Queen’s playthings. Eventually he meets both of the Queen’s sons, the black dragon, Akiem, and his younger brother, Lysander. He was inexplicably drawn to the latter, as is Lysander to him.

Lysander Amethyst A amethyst dragon prince who was condemned right after his birth. He has dark skin, dark hair, and a pair of beautiful green eyes. He is able to shift freely into dragon and human form. Akiem tried to kill him when they were young but didn’t manage to. He was suppressed under his mother’s rule, and vowed to one day kill her to escape his hellish existence with her. His only purpose in her eyes (as of others) was a tool for breeding, and she tried her hardest to pair him with another dragon to further her reign.

Relationship: Initially, I felt it was mostly based on lust. Every chance they met and they were always thinking about “dirty” things. Lysander sees Eroan as a pillar of support, because everything in his own life was in shambles and he had no one who believed in him like Eroan did. Eroan is the type who saves and protects, and this was clearly prominent throughout the story, of him wanting to save Lysander and shield him from harm. There is also no distinct bottom or top, in my opinion. Both Eroan and Lysander give and receive, if you know what I mean.

I find it interesting this story is told in more than one POV. It switches between Eroan and Lysander every other chapter (save a few that is reserved for another character...whose name I won’t mention), so we get into their heads and see both sides of things. I was baffled at how much Lysander suffers at the hands of dragons and elves, and even humans. I forgot to mention them but humans exist here too.

Supporting Characters: There were quite a few, and I remember them all clearly. Nye, the male assassin elf who was in love with Eroan and would have done anything for him. Seraph, the spunky young elf girl whom Eroan cares for deeply. Trey, a male elf messenger. Akiem, Lysander’s older brother. Dokul, the oldest of all dragons and was a bronze; he was obsessed with Lysander and did anything he could to get his hands on him. Janna, the female elf who was in love with Eroan. Carline, an ancient dragon herself who loses her life when she aids Lysander. Mirann, Dokul’s daughter who went through any means she could to couple with Lysander to bear his children. There’s more but I’ve rambled on long enough. lol

Overall: This story is very dark. The darkest I have read ever so far. It was what drew me to it, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the dark element and how it was played out. I was not disappointed, but rest assured it has a happy ending. Though I didn’t cry, I did feel sad in certain parts of the story. Lysander suffers a heck of a lot, and I salute him for being able to come out okay somehow. I would have rather died or killed myself long before. If the idea of it being very dark doesn’t deter you, I recommend it. Happy reading!

[mgeereads]

“Primal Sin” (book 1/3) and “Eternal Sin” (book 2/3); My Thoughts

(this is a first impressions review, and I maybe subject to change my opinions should I decide to read through these books again.)

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

2.5 stars out of 5. (I gave it 3 stars on goodreads.)

Gosh that was so difficult to get through. This review is going to be harder to write, still, and it’s going to be long, so buckle up.

Let it be known that Ariana Nash is a decent writer. She has a flare for the dramatic, which suits her fantasy genre quite well, and most of her style relies heavily on character development. I’ll be honest, it works really really well. She’s adept at building both atmosphere and characters to the point of familiarity, she’s wonderful at world building without running the risk of sounding like a bore with her descriptions *cough* J.K. Rowling *cough*, and overall, her writing was engaging and at times, had me both holding my breath and sitting at the edge of my seat.

But, (there’s a but. I know, I’m sorry.) this particular series was lacking in so many areas for me. The premise of the plot was focused on betrayal and love during extenuating circumstances that allowed for both to hurt our main character, Severn. I was promised a war torn setting where I’d be witness to the betrayal, and to events that would later lead to Mikhail (the other main lead) to fall in love with Severn.

I got absolutely none of either.

Admittedly, there was a lot of pining. There was a lot of plotting. But for the most part, the betrayal happens completely off screen. The betrayal already took place ten whole years prior to when we catch a glimpse of the characters withing the first page of the first book. The best we get of the “big even that sets Severn against Mikhail” are ill timed flashbacks that don’t transpire until book two, contrary to the fact that the summary of book one promised me such content.

The most you get are allusions and whispers of suggestions as to why Mikhail and Severn were supposed to be enemies, but nothing concrete. And honestly, I could not be more disappointed. That big event was suppposed to be what had Severn swearing to end Mikhail, and the whole reason for the existence of this series. It was the foundation of their enemies-to-lovers storyline. Yet we did not bear witness to any of it. What a damn shame.

Alright. So I figured, “it’s fine. We still have the riveting slow burn that was promised, and if nothing else, at least I can fall in love with them along the way.” I foolishly held out hope that at the very least, we’d get to see them fall in love.

No, reader. We did not get to see them fall in love because that also happens off screen. Are you fucking kidding me? Apparently, Mikhail realizes 3/4ths of the way through book 1 that he already loved Severn, and he was just now realizing it, although the entirety of the both books 1 and 2 stresses the idea that Angels do not feel any emotion, whatsoever, so this idea is so fuckin ridiculous I couldn’t even tell you how frustrated I felt reading through the confession scene.

So alright, let me get this straight; we didn’t get to see the big betrayal, we didn’t get to see the war, and we didn’t get to see them fall in love. So what do we get to see, you might ask?

Sex. We get to see sex. Lots and lots of sex. Well written sex, but sex all the same. And alright, i won’t lie, the sex scenes were immaculate. They were the kinds of scenes I wish other authors would write in their long and epic ballads of heroes in their quest to *insert adventure here*. The sex Ariana Nash wrote was the thing of dreams, and the sole reason i gave it as many stars as i did.

But ultimately, this series had been a disappointment because the plot wasn’t supposed to be centered around sex; it was supposed to be about a war, a betrayal, and love (the feelings aspect). I got none of those, but hey, at least i got (great) butt sex!

In conclusion, I would absolutely recommend this to a friend who’s keen on great characters with lots of chemistry, but I would not recommend this series to a typical high fantasy fan.

Maybe I’ll do another read through and a follow up review on how I missed the point of the book the first time I read it. Maybe I’ll love them the second time. But as it stands, it had great characters, a strong beginning, but completely missed its mark for me.

Ariana Nash, you have a gift in writing, and had the summary been a better represantion of the actual contents of your book, I would have given you 5 stars.