Book Review: Wyrmwood by Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes

Book Review: Wyrmwood by Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes

by fnmanning ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Quick summary: Do a supposedly extinct dragon and an incubus make the perfect match? The dragon thinks so. The incubus isn’t so sure. Though that could be because a tiny bit of kidnapping is involved. Romance and kidnapping so rarely go together well.

Overall impression: A delightful little story about the unconventional path to love for two supernatural creatures. While the book feels rich and complete, it’s also brief. There’s so much going on with the struggle to connect and understand each other, the emotional scars of each man, and even action and danger in the later chapters. It’s hard not to wish for a longer novel that could dive into everything in greater detail.

Rating: 4/5 shiny treasures

Not exactly a meet cute

Declan is an incubus with a conscience, unlike his father. He’s careful to only feed on humans once before they grow attached. Since he’s also part water nymph, he goes for a midnight swim in the ocean. It ends with him being scooped up by dragon and taken to an impressive lair full of treasure.

The dragon, August, believes Declan is his mate. Declan disagrees, though has no way of leaving.

In reality, kidnapping is never okay. In fiction, well, it still might not be okay but is at least understandable. August has spent a lot of time away from humans and doesn’t understand how his actions are perceived at first. He also has a kind of dragon-y intuition that lets him know Declan is his mate while Declan has no deeper understanding of this. He’s sure incubus aren’t supposed to have mates.

While the situation is dicey what with abduction and Declan needing to feed, I thought it was handled well and these inherent consent issues are examined closer before the couple gets too intimate.

Sexy Unsexiness

Since succubus and incubuses are like, desire incarnate and allure people with their raw magnetism or whatever, I really enjoy looking at the messier side of compulsive lust and attraction. The parts that are less romantic and glamorous.

So I really appreciated how being an incubus isn’t all about desire and sex here. Declan has many hang ups about this side of his heritage. His father is cruel and uses his allure to his advantage, but Declan vows not to hurt anyone. Though his resolve is put to the test, he refuses to feed off August, but how long can he go without eating? His promise not to hurt others becomes particularly important as the story goes on and is such a beautiful element. I don’t wanna give too much away, but it’s a great storyline and I love how they grow closer even while fighting too much intimacy.

Yay, storytelling (I’m bad at titling sometimes)

I really dig the intricacy of the story. Declan is so careful to be respectful of others, so him seemingly not having a choice in his potential mate is especially offensive to him and he doesn’t want to consider anything August has to say. He thinks August views him as another trophy to be hoarded. As dragons do.

What’s the saying, if you love a sex demon, set him free? That doesn’t sound quite right. Though of course August must release Declan over the course of the novel. It’s a narrative rule in stories like this. One of those be careful what you wish for situations on Declan’s part, but it gives him the chance to choose whether to be free or if he wants August.

Confusing and Pointy

So, there’s a talking sword that contains a piece of August’s father’s consciousness, which sounds stranger out of context. It’s wild but fun in context. I’m mentioning William the sword because having weaponry for a father is memorable and deserves a shout out for the interesting supporting character.

Not gonna lie, I have honestly no idea why the title is called Wyrmwood. I just can’t recall how it relates to the book I’ve described. If the reasoning was explained somewhere, I have since forgotten it. As I myself am often title challenged, I’m not judging since there is surely some connection and I have a terrible memory that’s probably to blame.

Book Quote

Wyrmwood

A dragon searching for a crowning jewel for his fabulous hoard.

A misanthropic incubus who just wants to swim.

Declan might be the world’s only shut-in incubus, but with a father like Elrith, it’s little wonder his faith in people is nonexistent. He skates through life as a computer programmer, closed into his tiny apartment, only feeding by ordering sex workers to his door. But his mother was a water nymph, and occasionally, Declan can’t resist the need to sneak out and swim. This time, he’s in for a surprise.

Augustine is a water dragon who has spent years building the perfect hoard, and now there’s just one thing missing: someone to share it with. When he spots the stunning creature swimming just outside his home, he realizes the jewel he sought has come to him. But after centuries of little human contact, he’s out of touch with the meaning of the word consent. When the tempting nymph chafes his control, August can’t figure out how to win him over.

But word of August’s treasure has reached greedy ears, and all he cares for is under threat. Can a dyed-in-the-wool misanthrope teach August the true value of possession before he loses everything?

Poisonwood & Lyric Series

Poisonwood

Wyrmwood

Hardwood

Paranormal Romance Book Review: Treasured by Cari Z

Paranormal Romance Book Review: Treasured by Cari Z

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Quick Summary: Getting picked up by a rich, sexy British stranger might just be too good to be true for a grad student with minimal magical abilities.

Treasured is a fun, magical heist book featuring a relationship between a sorcerer and shifter. This one is relatively low on angst and danger for the paranormal romance genre, there’s no tragic backstories or traumatic events, which fits with the heist style. It’s an exciting, steamy short read.

Made Up Rating System: 4/5 priceless magical artifacts

About Treasured

The action begins when a magical grad student with nominal abilities meets a sexy stranger at work. Danny can’t believe his luck that a total hottie is into him, even after he nerds out over magical artifacts. Rhys, the charming British hottie, asks him to dinner. And of course, we learn at the beginning that Danny is one of only a few people whose hands can pass through the magical glass safely at the museum where he works because he handles the exhibits.

Yes, the love interest is likely a mysterious thief with unknown shifter powers and motives. It’s not exactly subtle but the book is short so the action moves quickly. The short length may or may not bother you. I think a novella works for the theme and feeling of the book, but it may feel too brief and incomplete if you’re used to longer paranormal novels. This is more the start of a love story and grand adventure than complete in its own right, but the book is enjoyable and there’s a lot of potential for the future.

Finally, while I noted the book was light on angst and life-threatening situations, that doesn’t mean there’s no drama. What starts as a whirlwind romance gets complicated with that age old question: is he really into me or does he just want my museum clearance level?

Yes, that’s totally an age-old question. I ask it all the time.

My thoughts

Seeing the future or reading minds are valuable superpowers, but they come with such hassle and guaranteed TMI. And Danny’s foresight ability only gives him glimpses of like, a second later, so the same insight into the future can be attained by just, you know, waiting a second to see what happens.

Don’t get me wrong, he does have the chance to successfully use his gift throughout the book. It’s just one of those barely-a-power powers, which I admit I do love.

Sort of reminds me of a character I wrote recently, who starts turning invisible. He does the fly on the wall thing and has some fun seeing people behind the scenes and then it’s like… what now? Not terribly useful powers are probably some of the most fun to write and read about. 

Book Quote

Treasured by Cari Z

Daniel Hart barely has enough magic to qualify as a student at the University of Arcane Studies. He’s not trying to change the world; all he wants is to study, work his job at the museum, and enjoy his calm, routine life.

Everything changes when he meets Rhys Daveth, a shifter with mysterious connections and even stranger taste, who pursues him with a passion that Daniel has never experienced before.

The chemistry between them is undeniable, but things take a turn for the worse when Daniel is arrested for a crime he didn’t commit–one that he suspects his new lover had a hand in.

Once the truth comes out, Daniel will have to choose between the steady, reliable future he’s always seen for himself and something deeper, more exciting, and far more dangerous than he could have imagined.

Series Titles

Treasured

Shadowed

Reclaimed

Trick Questions?

Trick Questions?

by fnmanning ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

A 16-year old boy in a boring city ponders his place in the universe in my coming-of-age novel Invisi-bi-lity. Or at least he wonders about the important things in his universe. Namely, who he is and who he loves. John has some ideas but isn’t totally sure. He could be bi or he might just love one guy, his best friend Cody.

This seemed like a good place to start the novel, right when he’s figuring out the answers to some big questions he’s been wondering about for a while. Of course, the answers won’t slap him on the face but Cody does. He snaps him out of his daydreaming, they do some illicit activities together, and John has an epiphany.

Cody and John talk about birthday wishes in this scene, and John has a realization.

(It’s extremely possible these realizations will be a lot less shocking to you than they are to John.)

~

When we emerge on his grandparent’s front lawn, Cody makes an excited noise. “Hey, don’t I get a wish for birthdays?”

“You get a wish for your birthday, not my—”

“Too bad,” he talks over me. “I already know what I’m asking for.”

A billion dollars or a new car? Ending world hunger? A date with that gay YouTuber he always says is cute?

Cody smiles, lit by his grandparent’s porch light. “I wish that this is the year you finally realize how amazing you are.”

Suddenly I feel completely sober.

Once, my feelings and the labels that best define me seemed confusing. These days, the real issue comes from my readiness to acknowledge these inner truths. Maybe I’m just looking for a sign, a push, for the truth to slap me in the face until I can’t ignore it anymore.

The sincerity in Cody’s voice, how his lopsided smile looked so bright even in the dark… there’s another option to my life-long romantic questions. Why hadn’t I considered it before? I’ve been trying to decide whether I’m bi or in love with my best friend, but the answer seems so clear on the walk home. It’s both. I am bi and I love my best friend.

-check it out on Vella here!

M/M Romance book review: Galen by Jaclyn Osborn

M/M Romance book review: Galen by Jaclyn Osborn

by fnmanning ♥ 1 Comment

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. An angel and a regular human walk into an antique and curiosities store that the human owns and bicker over the ownership of a possibly possessed box. Oh, you haven’t heard this before?

Yeah, the premise of Galen feels fresh and intriguing, a unique spin for those looking for new takes on familiar paranormal romance stories.

Rating: 5 out of 5 possibly cursed rings (yikes!)

More than Demon but less than Angel

 Angelic beauties who have heavenly origins fight against the forces of hell even though some think they should be damned too. When one of the fiercest warriors meets a hard to forget human, his strength and willpower are put to the ultimate test. Can an immortal angel love a human without it ending in tragedy?

Galen and his brothers are cursed because their fathers were Lucifer’s generals. They were taken early and trained to fight for heaven, though aren’t allowed in heaven. (Which is some BS if you ask me, but celestial leaders do not care what I think.) The brothers are the embodiment of deadly sins. Galen is wrath. Sometimes rage overcomes him and he loses self completely, he almost had to be put down because of it.

After learning the hard way, Galen has sworn to never love a human again. They all grow old and die while he doesn’t, so it’s too painful. Though there may be a way to ensure a bond with the right human doesn’t end in despair, though it involves a big sacrifice…

Fluffier than angel wings

Okay, there’s some angst over the nature of relationships between immortal beings/humans with short lifespans. And Galen has some anger issues. Plus, all the danger, secrets, and intrigue you might expect from matters of heaven and hell.

Yet somehow this novel is incredibly sweet, gooey and adorable. Sweeter than it has any right to be considering one part of the main couple is the embodiment of wrath and fighting his feelings every step of the way. Not that I’m complaining about any of this. Does it sound like I’m complaining? A little maybe. Let the record show: not complaining. It’s not the love story I was expecting, but the sweet human and his unshakeable connection with Galen balanced out the darker parts and it was very easy to get absorbed in this world.

While the romance at the core of the story is very sweet with lots of smut, there’s also a lot of action and adventure. Traveling to hell, epic sword fights, a lesson in demon cooking, all very exciting stuff.  

A wild ride

The story is engaging also because of the vivid details the author uses. Osborn really makes everything come to life and the scene plays itself out in front of you.

Blame my ADHD brain, but I do get confused between the brothers. There are seven of them! Just make extra note of who is who at the beginning. Fortunately, they’ll probably become more familiar if you read the whole series.

Quote

Galen

Simon just wants to run his antique shop in peace. But then he finds a small mysterious box that’s (probably) haunted, and his shop is broken into by the hottest man he’s ever seen who then steals said creepy box. Now demons are after him and his only hope is to trust the tall, muscled, combat-boot-wearing thief who claims to be the son of a fallen angel.

Galen is charged with protecting humanity from dark forces. Cursed with Wrath, he’s hot-tempered and spends his days fighting demons and trying not to kill his six brothers when they irritate him.
His number one rule? Never fall in love. But then he meets Simon, a clumsy human who asks way too many questions and is—unfortunately—a total demon-magnet, and he starts breaking his own rules.

What’s inside the box, and why do the demons want it so badly? One thing is for sure… Simon can kiss his peaceful, ordinary life goodbye.

Book 1 in the Sons of the Fallen series. A low-angst urban fantasy MM romance featuring a grumpy half-angel and the human he swears he doesn’t like (he’s lying), seven warriors representing the deadly sins, a seaside mansion where they all live, banter, a snarky demon, and a HEA.

Sons of the Fallen Series

Galen

Castor

Daman

Gray

Bellamy

Myths and Legends?

Myths and Legends?

by fnmanning ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

To be honest, I have absolutely no clue how I came up with the idea for Invisi-bi-lity. Because it happened so long ago. This was a story I first had the idea for when I started the F.N. Manning pen name, which feels like a million years ago. It was at least three. In fact, as I’m writing this, it occurs to me I had a document with notes and ideas that I always planned to consult when writing this and… I totally forgot.

Anyway…

Our hero John is an overlooked 16-year-old in Buffalo, New York. His quest to come out as bi and confess his love for his best friend becomes infinitely more complicated when he starts disappearing from view.

In this scene, John’s taking a break from a game night with friends. He’s on the verge of telling people he’s bi but apparently some people don’t believe this is a real thing. He has a reaction to this he isn’t expecting.

~

“Bisexuality is what people say while they come out. Not something that actually exists.”

“Uh. Wha—”

My pulse suddenly pounds loudly in my ears. Everything seems to happen in slow motion.

“Of course you were fooled,” Dennis says. “People still search for the Loch Ness Monster or Big Foot. Myths are fascinating, and everybody wants to be the hero who proves the legends true, but it’s just not possible.”

“I’m gonna take a break,” I say.

I walk down a narrow hallway without seeing anything until I find the bathroom. One stupid comment, one opinion, it shouldn’t bother me so much. It shouldn’t. But that doesn’t stop the pain, the shame as if I did something wrong, I’m not enough…

Intending to splash cool water on my face and snap out of it, I flip on the lights and face the sink. Standing right in front of the mirror, the sight there sends me reeling all over again. I look in the mirror and nobody stares back at me. There’s nobody there.

What’s the plural of vampire? …Besides vampires.

What’s the plural of vampire? …Besides vampires.

by fnmanning ♥ 2 Comments

What kind of book am I working on right now?

Well, let me answer that question with… a statement, but not the answer. Because I like making things complicated.

I just looked up what is a group of vampires called.

Yes, I’m working on a historical drama. Just kidding, it’s a paranormal romance. And also gay, in case the blog title didn’t clue you in that everything here is hella gay.

Fortunately, when I looked up vampire group names, the internet didn’t treat me like I was a weirdo and instead provided lots of helpful information. Apparently there isn’t one correct answer. Vampire families can be called a clutch, clan, brood, coven, or pack.

Werewolves already claimed pack, so good thing there’s other options. I kind of like brood because you’ve got some (almost) rhyming and alliteration going on with vampires drinking blood in their brood.

However my initial instinct, and what I’ve already used at least once in the novel I’m writing, is clan. I guess I can’t officially decide all groups of vampires are forever hereby referred to as a clan (because I unfortunately don’t rule the universe) but I’m going to use clan from now on.

If you disagree with vampire clans, well, keep it to yourself maybe? Those guys are dangerous.

Though to be fair, this guy is pretty broody.

Anyone

Anyone

by fnmanning ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Growing up in a small town as a (presumably) straight guy, Luke Chambers has certain preconceived notions about gay people. He used to believe queer people were more flamboyant and easy to identify, but after frequently being hit over the head with the realization that this is not the case in One Little Word, it’s finally starting to sink in.

In this scene, Luke is working through his misconceptions. This is also called ‘revolutionary thoughts that actually aren’t that revolutionary at all.’ The scene is from One Little Word, and the box set for the first four books is available here.

Luke

“There are signs,” I tried slowly. “Clues that point to someone’s sexuality. There can’t just be nothing until suddenly, uh.” I puzzled my way through this as I spoke. “It doesn’t work that way. Because if there aren’t signs, then that means. That means anyone could be gay.”

“It’s true though,” she said.

“No, that can’t be right.” I laughed nervously. “Because if anyone could be gay—” I didn’t want to continue, but I also had to keep going. “If anyone could be gay, then that means I could be gay.”

Alicia nodded but showed no other reaction. The whole world turned upside down for me, but she just kept sitting next to me, eating her breakfast burrito.

“Aren’t you going to freak out?” I asked her.

“Oh no, oh no,” she replied in a monotone voice. “It’s the end of the world.”

“You’re a terrible actress.”

She smiled at me. “I’m actually a great actress.” She hooked her arm with mine and put her head on my shoulder companionably. “I just really don’t give a shit about your sexuality.”

Who knew it could be that easy?

-Get the book now!

Invisi-bi-lity: New YA M/M Romance!

Invisi-bi-lity: New YA M/M Romance!

by fnmanning ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

My newest novel is up on Kindle Vella right now!

When a teen’s attempts to come out of the closet are influenced by a vengeful witch’s hex, bisexual erasure takes on a whole new meaning in Invisi-bi-lity.

Vella is a new way for authors to post stories on Amazon, and it works in episodic format. An author I follow had this plan, probably much more thought out than my own, to have five stories published by the new year. Pretty ambitious, considering they possibly wanted the novels to be complete too. For some reason I thought I could do the same thing, so I guess I’ll look on the bright side and praise my confidence.

I have three works currently on Vella and one soon to be published. Of these four, two are finished. So I actually didn’t do too bad and am going to give myself an A for effort. I tried and I tell myself that’s the important part.

Here is a scene from the beginning of the book. The main character John has some trouble pinning down his sexuality because a certain boy always gets in the way.

~

Figuring out my sexuality is difficult enough without Cody O’Keefe screwing everything up.

The high school halls are filled with attractive people. From the cute girl with amazing legs in my English class to the washboard abs of the football quarterback. Then Cody smiles at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and I only see him.

Intelligent, funny, and gorgeous, Cody O’Keefe has it all. My favorite thing about him? When people talk, he listens. He makes people feel important. It’s basically a superpower in a boring city where nothing ever happens like Buffalo, New York… though his warm brown eyes are also nice.

Cody’s gay. And he always knew. Back in kindergarten, he told his parents he’d rather marry me than Ella Hopkins and no amount of her sharing Rice Krispy treats would change that. Girls? Not gonna happen.

Me? I’ve sometimes been pretty sure I may not be straight. Occasionally. Much less definitive.

Sometimes I think I’m not bisexual, I’m just a little in love with my best friend. Or am I bi but only fixating on the nearest and best queer guy and not really in love with him? These questions swirl in my brain constantly these days. How do I gain clarity? The answers won’t just slap me in the face with the truth.

“Ah!”

Tuning back into the world around me, I stand on the sidewalk, staring incredulously at the guy who just slapped me in the face.

“Sorry, did I hit too hard?” Cody pats my cheek this time, an affectionate sort of slap. “My bad, but you were pretty far away.”

About a head taller, he stands there with an easy smile, all up in my business without the slightest hesitation. Comfortable in our friendship and totally unaware of the thirsty thoughts in my brain.

Cody O’Keefe has amazingly soft chocolate-brown hair that gets mussed if you so much as look at it wrong. With peach skin and the most enticing slightly chubby cheeks, his beautifully open face is nearly as expressive as the song lyrics, affirmations, and notes he always writes on his arms in black or blue pen.

-check out the rest of the novel here on Vella!

Book Review: Catch and Release (MM Merman Romance) by Isabel Murray

Book Review: Catch and Release (MM Merman Romance) by Isabel Murray

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Quick Summary: The world’s worst fisherman stumbles onto the best catch ever when reeling in a mysterious man from the sea. Two fish out of water fall in love and try to find a place for themselves when one lives on land and the other at sea.

My Thoughts: Catch and Release is a beautiful, hilarious love story about basically falling for someone from outer space… or underwater. The writing is fantastic, though there’s only so much material to work with in this premise, and it goes on a bit too long.

Imaginary Rating System: 3.5 cryptids out of 5, except that seems unfair to the poor .5 creature

Our main characters

Joe used to be a hedge fund manager, had a near death experience, and changed his life. Now he’s a terrible fisher in a small seaside town. He’s minding his own business when he finds a strange man washed ashore.

Or is he a man? The guy’s caught in a net, and the situation escalates quickly when Joe tries to help.

The strange blue-haired person with gills doesn’t speak the language, is naked and well-endowed, and is instantly drawn to Joe. And weary/hostile to his buddy Jerry. And Joe is drawn right back, though he doesn’t know what to make of this encounter.

Joe doesn’t even really know what Dave is. They refer to him as a cryptid, a creature whose existence is rumored but not proven like Nessie, Big Foot, sirens, and mermaids. (However, we do learn what Dave is eventually.)

The Love Story

On the plus side, they’re attracted to each other from the jump. But they can’t communicate verbally. And humans aren’t well suited to prolonged periods in seawater. They come from different worlds and there aren’t cultural divides so much as species divides. Can they really make it work just based on the chemistry between them?

And yes, the name they give this buff, chiseled sea god… is Dave. It’s awesome.

Sidekicks and Shenanigans

Dave can’t really speak so Joe and his sidekick Jerry carry the brunt of the conversation, sharing their thoughts about Dave’s origins and what his behavior means throughout the novel. Jerry is great. He’s an older veteran fisherman who is absolutely no threat yet becomes the unwitting rival/enemy/pet of Dave throughout. He’s a lot of fun.

And many parts of the novel are light-hearted because making it work with an alien lover who doesn’t understand human customs has a learning curve. Dave woos Joe with fresh, sometimes frightening, fish, Joe worries Dave is a sea vampire for a bit, and there are some wild misunderstandings about mating rituals. It’s all very entertaining and hilarious.  

If the hilarity isn’t in play, then the writing is so descriptive and beautiful instead. It’s a joy to read and a lot of rich detail and lovely writing. However, the problem when communication is limited and their environments aren’t compatible? The title says it all. There’s only two options: catch or release. So they get together and must separate, catch and release, catch and release, rinse and repeat. It just didn’t need to be as long as it was for me.

More about Dave:

Without giving much away, Dave isn’t human or animal. He’s pretty much treated as something else entirely. That’s just something to keep in mind as some might be uncomfortable with this concept. The romance is a bit different than with shifters or vampires because those are partly human or were human once. Dave has some human-like features, but he’s largely alien.

Quote From The Novel:

Catch and Release by Isabel Murray

Joe McKenzie’s high-flying London life imploded six years ago, and it happened dramatically enough that paramedics were involved. That’s all in the past. Now, Joe couldn’t be happier living a solitary life as a fisherman on England’s wild northern coast.

Okay, he could be happier.

It’s not like he’s depressed or anything but, you know. The weather’s not great. Life’s a bit samey. He’s only thirty-eight. The idea of another forty years is a bit exhausting, to be honest. He passes the time pretending to be a fisherman but the truth is, he sucks at it.

Then Joe makes the catch of a lifetime when he stumbles across the mysterious Dave washed up on the beach—an enormous man with gills and uncanny power over the sea. Once Dave stops trying to kidnap Joe and/or kill Joe’s fishing buddy, Jerry, turns out he’s kind of…intriguing?

And not half as smooth as he seems to think he is.

There’s a lot Joe doesn’t know about Dave. He doesn’t know why Dave keeps disappearing or why he can’t seem to stay away. He doesn’t know what Dave wants from him. He doesn’t even know what, exactly, Dave is. And Joe can’t ask, because they don’t speak the same language.

Joe does know one thing, though. He is in love.

Which, great. How’s that going to end well?

Catch and Release is a gay paranormal romantic comedy featuring a truly terrible fisherman with an octopus phobia, a merman (maybe? Confirmation pending) with no sense of personal boundaries at all, constant communication fails, a whole lot of sea life not in the sea but in Joe’s house, yes, it’s dead, some epic yearning from both sides, and bewilderingly enough, maybe a way to make it work?