Book Review: “Pact with the Pack” by A.J. Mullican – Releases 9-15-20

Plenty of hot sex and a good story linking it all together.

Transparency: I received this e-book as an ARC from the author for review purposes. “Pact with the Pack” is also available in paperback.

After surviving one murder attempt by her ex-boyfriend, Cherry is rescued from a second attempt by a pack of wolves and is hiding out in a house in the woods. Then the real fun begins in this paranormal romance – reverse harem – wolf-shifter tale by independent author A. J. Mullican. I gave the book four stars. “Pact with the Pack” is the first book in the Bargains Struck series, and it’s a great story. I’m just leaving room for growth.

What I liked:
The story is told from Cherry’s first person POV. It didn’t take long for me to get used to this. Cherry is tough and strong, but through her narration, we get to see her self-doubts, concerns, and fears. We also get her thoughts on each of her rescuers. This results in Cherry being a well developed character. A lot of the action takes place off-screen, but we get a good idea of what happened after the fact. And honestly, I wasn’t reading it for action scenes, although the action scenes we do get are pretty good.

Cherry’s rescuers, the Hunter men, are also well developed. Each of their personalities is expressed through their wolf’s position in the pack. Cherry’s presence in the house seems to loosen the control each brother has of their wolf, which leads to them showing more of their personalities than they intend to Cherry.

There is plenty of sex in the book, all from Cherry’s point of view. I know, why else would you read the book? The point of view is refreshing for me, a male reader who usually doesn’t stray far from science fiction and fantasy. Throughout the course of a couple of days, Cherry finds herself alone (usually) with each of the brothers. Each scene is as different as each of the brothers. And each scene is HOT.

In closing, get this book. There’s plenty of steamy sex, and a good story linking it all together. Then follow A.J. Mullican and keep an eye out for the next book in the Bargains Struck series.

This review was also posted on Goodreads and Amazon . Go check them out and give a like and a comment. Spirited discussion and constructive criticism are always appreciated.

Book Review: “Vicious” by V.E. Schwab (Yes, I know I am late to the party.)

This is what happens when bad people get superpowers.

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Victor Vale and Eli Cardale were friends and roommates back in college. Together, they discovered how to grant themselves superpowers.

Eli thinks Extra Ordinaries (EOs), the term used for super powered individuals in Eli’s thesis and the news media of the day, are wrong. He starts to hunt down other EOs to kill them. Victor is out to stop Eli because he finally wants to see Eli fall. In Victor’s mind, if Eli is the hero, he must be the villain. “I can live with that,” Victor thinks. Victor is fueled by pride and jealousy and the idea that he’s “no fucking sidekick.” Others, both regular and Extra Ordinary, are dragged into the battle, leading to a conclusion that is complex, exciting, and pretty damn entertaining.

Have You Ever Experienced Something That Just Could Not Be Logically Explained?

Another entry in the 300 writing prompt journal my son gifted me for Christmas.

When I was a child, or maybe a young teenager, I was lying awake in bed one night. Very late. I thought I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I looked over, and I saw the dresser moving. Left and right. Sometimes slow, sometimes fast. I could feel my skin tighten with goosebumps. I couldn’t move. The dresser continued to move. I finally managed to say a little prayer. Or maybe it was a line from The Exorcist. The power of Christ compels you. Honestly, I forget which. The dresser stopped moving. I felt the foot of the bed rise and drop to the floor. And everything was quiet. I don’t know if any of this happened or not. It could have been a dream, I suppose. You know the one, you feel the bed disappear and you are falling. Maybe similar to that. I don’t know. But I don’t think so. All these years, hell, even decades later, I can still remember the night vividly. I’m not a strictly religious person, but I am spiritual. I’m still leaning towards my belief that this really happened. Maybe it was psychic energy acting out or my imagination. I wasn’t controlling the scene, though. I’m not sure what happened, but I think it did happen.

How I’d Spend a Lazy Day

For Christmas this year my son gifted me a journal containing 300 writing prompts and space to write. I think it’s a wonderful gift, and have started making use of it already. I’ll start with the first entry for my first blog of the year.

What is your favorite way to spend a lazy day?

My favorite way to spend a lazy day is to read. Possibly write. Maybe throw something tasty on the grill. Go to the gym for a workout and get a nice shower after. I might also play a video game.

If it is raining, I might put some music on and take a nap. A heavy rain is always good for a nap.

Music will be playing regardless. Something relaxing to fit the lazy nature of the day. Maybe some jazz, or meditation music.

Zoning out in front of QVC is always an option. I just must resist the temptation to buy something out of boredom.

I’ll have to resist the urge to waste the day watching YouTube.

A good movie or Netflix may be in order. I’d probably make popcorn to go with.

01-16-20

The M&Ms Tournament of Champions

From back in August. Another example of the shit I come up with to keep my mind occupied…

Back in July, I started walking to get some exercise when I found out I could download Google Fit on my phone and keep track of the steps I took. I made a discovery:
I barely move all day.

No shocker there. My job requires me to sit and watch monitors all day. So, I started walking around my apartment building’s parking lot when I got home from work. I soon found out it doesn’t take long to do the amount of activity Google and the American Heart Association have determined to be a healthy amount of activity. I go by Heart Points, which are one point per minute of activity in which I take one hundred steps or more. That’s not much. In fact, I did that rate back in high school marching band. I often play the old fight song in my head because the tempo was 120 beats per minute.

I decided to walk in the Metro Parks today. I had the day off and nothing else to do until my kid’s band camp let out, and the walk around the parking lot was getting boring.  The park also has a nice paved all-purpose trail for bikes and walkers. Tons of trees for shade, and plenty of animals. I saw deer, which is not unusual in the suburbs, but one of them was a six-point buck. He just watched me walk by, and I imagined he was Herne the Hunter, blessing me and my travels in nature…

And that’s how we get to the M&Ms™. Awareness of my surroundings isn’t very difficult, so my imagination takes over.

Book Review: “Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase,” by Richard C. White

Kindle version will be released July 9, 2019.
Some extras not included in the Amazon and Goodreads version of my review.

“Chasing Danger” is an enjoyable read. I find the idea of fantasy-noir intriguing. Magic and magical creatures in a old time detective setting didn’t seem like a natural fit, but White pulls it off like a dress on prom night. I have a few extra thoughts, but first, here’s the review I posted on Amazon and Goodreads.

Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase by Richard C White
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Word on the street says “Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase,” is the cat’s pajamas. A real pocket full of firecrackers of a read.
It was a slow day. I was cooling my heels at my desk, looking for an excuse to spend the evening reading. Outside my window, it was shift change in the city. Day shift was going home to their everyday lives and the night crew was coming in to take over. It was time to lock up and go nose around, maybe drum up a little business.
My Kindle buzzed. Seems I had a delivery. I clicked open and there it was. Sleek looking cover, the type that makes a man want to open the book and read it. A lot of women, too.
But, what’s this? Fantasy Noir? You gotta be kidding me.
White isn’t kidding, and “Chasing Danger” is no joke.
From the very first line, you feel the scene turn black-and-white. It doesn’t last long, for White doesn’t waste time showing that Calasia isn’t your typical gumshoe story town. There’s magic in those alleyways.
A collection of four stories that are probably best read in order. At the very least, “The Full Moon Affair” should be read first. A good story, but it also introduces Theron Chase, the supporting cast, and the city of Calasia.
Theron Chase is a straight shooter whose reputation precedes him wherever he goes. Even the bad guys respect him. He likes Scotch, always a plus in my book, and he’s non-magical. In fact, magic has a tendency to malfunction when he’s around. This is an excellent choice by White. The focus on his detective skills helps balance the fantasy aspects of the stories, keeping the Noir in Fantasy Noir.
There is a decent sized supporting cast, and none of them are throw-aways. They all have a part to play in each case, and White makes good use of them all.
Full disclosure, I received my copy for review purposes, but I would purchase a print copy for myself and gift giving.

View all my reviews

I gave “Chasing Danger” five stars. The rating is well deserved, but I can’t help hearing a voice in my head saying, “People don’t trust five-star reviews.” I got over it. Seeing as I was the first person to review on either platform, I figured others will just have to deal with it.

Once I started reading a case, it was hard to put down. I had to resist the urge to make popcorn while reading. The stories pull you along, so, make sure you have time to finish.

On a similar note, I kept hearing music as I read. Mostly “Harlem Nocturne,” from the Mike Hammer TV series, and the soundtrack to Police Squad. White’s words pulled me in that much. Immersion is the word I’m looking for, I guess. I didn’t include this snippet in the other reviews, because I didn’t want to sound like a crack-pot and hurt the book sales.

The Kindle version comes out July 9th, with paperback soon to follow.

My (Possible) Brush With Jesus

How Catholic guilt lead to a $3,000 car repair.

There I was, the Monday night before Easter, warming a stool at Jimmy’s. Jimmy’s on Monday nights, watching Monday Night Raw with the lovely Heather, bartender extraordinaire, was becoming a tradition. With my work schedule, Monday is my Friday, so, there you have it.

This wasn’t just the Monday before Easter. It was the Monday before the court date on Wednesday to finalize the divorce. Quite possibly the last Monday/Friday night out I was going to get in a while once child support and shared parenting began. I was hoping to make the night last, but seeing as it was just me and Heather, and the final hour of Raw was starting, that hope was fleeting.

Then Jim walked in. Not the Jimmy the bar’s namesake. White dude, ball cap, mid thirties, wearing a landscaping t shirt. He was already sporting a tan from working, even that early in April. He sat a few stools down, ordered a drink, and started playing Keno. He asked if we always watched wrestling on Monday nights, and casually joined in our conversation.

After a bit, Jim went and checked his Keno numbers. That’s when the fun began.

Stupid Images That Pop into My Head and Give Me a Laugh: 06/18/19

Been a while since I’ve posted. Sorry about that. Life got in the way. Changed the title of the blog, but I’m still ordinary and average.

I got to the counter and Wayne, the guy taking orders, said, “Hey Bro, what’ll it be?”

“I’ll take the chicken special I saw on the sign by the gas pumps.”

Wayne turned and shouted to the kitchen, “Brocephus! I need an eight-piece for my bro here.”

“Coming’ right up, Brofessor.”

When I got home, I opened the clamshell container and found eight Tyson chicken patties and a couple of Kraft singles, still in the wrapper. I dunno. Maybe I’ve watched too much Food Network, but, I had a totally different idea of what broasted chicken meant.

Air Fryer Bacon

Of all the air fryer bacon recipes on the Internet, this is one of them.

I needed crumbled bacon for a breakfast recipe I was making. I couldn’t find crumbled bacon in the grocery store, so, I decided I would have to make my own.

Sure, I could have bought pre-cooked bacon, but who’s going to read a post about using pre-cooked bacon? “I opened the package and used the bacon in my recipe.” As boring as kissing your sister. Unless you’re into that step-sister porn thing, but that’s another post.

I also have a quirk about having to make one recipe in order to prepare the recipe I actually want to cook. I’m looking at you, Mr. Bacon and Egg Salad, with your bacon mayonnaise recipe that is required for the salad. Since air fryer bacon is just one ingredient, I let it slide. This time.

Actually, it’s one ingredient and one piece of equipment, the air fryer. And I just happen to own one. Behold the majesty of the Emeril Lagasse 4.8 quart air fryer, in egg plant.

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Memories 01-24-19

The things that pop into my mind at any given moment fascinate me.

I was completing on on-line survey. I had to laugh at one of the questions asking which choice was not an ice cream flavor. It gave the choices of chocolate, vanilla, mint chocolate chip, and carpet, not necessarily in that order. In fact, carpet came first. I’m guessing this is to spot robots and people filling out surveys just for the heck of it, breezing through, clicking the first choice, just to earn a reward. Whatever. All of the other questions are multiple choice, though.

So there I am, clicking along, putting some thought into my answers. A written question comes up. Again, whatever, but out of the blue, this one asks about a childhood memory. I wrote down the first thing that popped into my head.

Eating rock candy with my Grandfather on a store-front porch in Amish country.

I looked at what I wrote. I was stunned. I knew that memory was in there, somewhere, but how did that just pop up as the first thing in my mind? This was a very long time ago. My Grandfather passed away when I was very little, maybe four or five years old. This had to happen when I was three. There’s not much else I remember from that long ago. The Moon landing. Nixon leaving the White House. That’s pretty much it.

Some hypnotist/analyst will have a field day with me someday.