To review or not to review?

About six months ago, I took a mini-sabbatical from reviewing non-paranormal books on Reviews by Jessewave. I also cut down the number of reviews I did here. It's not because I wasn't reading M/M books; no, the reason was I needed a mental health break because there were some issues when I posted a negative review on Jessewave. I needed to regroup and figure out what I loved about reading and reviewing again. I think my time off has helped me. Which is why you'll be seeing more reviews on this site.

Writing is hard. Any type of writing, whether its writing a book, writing a column or reviewing romance books. Each author puts their heart and soul into their work and hopes their readers enjoys their efforts.

I'm no different. I love the written word and I like to express my love of books through reviewing. Now my tastes may not be your tastes, and your tastes may not be mine...and that's totally cool. If you read through all of my past reviews whether they be here, on Jessewave or at Dark Divas Reviews, I have a few tropes I truly enjoy: mates, bonding, knotting, police officers, Gay For You, mpreg and many, many others.

My pet peeves are just as varied. I don't care for: heavy BDSM, domestic abuse, rape, poor editing and blatant misogyny. Normally, I don't review books with rape and heavy BDSM, so that takes care of those plots I won't read, but sometimes a book doesn't resonate with me...for whatever reason and I write that in reviews.

Which comes to the point of this post. When reviewers write a less than favorable review, how should an author handle it?

Well, since I'm also an author too, I thought I'd go over how to turn a negative review into something positive.

Yeah, I know that might be difficult, after all, your published book is your baby and you're very protective, but always know that any ethical reviewer is not out to get you or your book. I've rarely seen malicious reviews on professional sites. (Now GoodReads and Amazon? It's like the Alamo there, so can't say anything about those places).

But, here's what you do when you get a 'bad' review. (According to me. *g*)

1. That review is not a reflection of you as a person. You are not your bad review. For whatever reason, the reviewer did not like/understand your book and that's okay. Believe me, someone else will!
2. Ignore bad reviews. DO NOT RESPOND to them on any level. (i.e. do not leave on comment on GoodReads!) Take the high ground. I'm not saying don't read them, do. But do not comment on them.
3. Do not allow your friends, family or fans to respond to any negative reviews. It looks petty and turns off potential new readers. And reviewers on large sites do talk, so if your friends harass another reviewer, the likelihood of you getting a new review on that site again? Nil.
4. Avoid being put on a Authors Behaving Badly shelf by acting like a professional at all times when you have your author cap on. (e.g. conventions, book signings, etc.)
5.  Learn from the 'bad' review. If the reviewer states you need a professional editor for your next self-published title, you might want to find one. If they talk about point-of-view, characterizations, lack of positive women characters, realism in your story, etc., then take notes. These are all concrete, constructive things you can improve on. However, "you suck," is not a constructive review. Ignore that. But, "I felt the main character was weak and two-dimensional and as a reader I did not understand their motivations enough to draw me into the plot," is constructive criticism. Use that advise when you write your next book and I'm sure that reviewer will see the effort you made and respond accordingly. 

Lastly, no reviewer wants to leave a less than positive review, but if they do your reaction to it will help determine how readers, reviewers and potential new readers judge you and your future works.

Or, don't let a bad review ruin your next best seller. Work your craft and the rewards will be many!

Top Five Paranormal M/M Books of 2013

To celebrate the holiday season, I am posting my top five paranormal picks for 2013 - in no particular order. These books were, in my opinion, some of the most amazing novels I read in the paranormal category. Three of the top five I reviewed on this site.


All of the top five books will be raffled off to one lucky winner!

Many thanks to the authors who donated a free copy. Please use the Rafflecopter option for a chance to win these books.


Lasha’s Top Five Paranormal M/M Books for 2013:  

• A Shadow of Wings by Linda Gayle - REVIEW HERE
• Kiss of the White Wolf by Cassidy Ryan 
• Pretty Poison by Kari Gregg - REVIEW HERE
• The Alpha's Ardor (Wolves of Flathead) by Rebecca Brochu - REVIEW HERE
• A Boy and His Dragon (Being(s) in Love) by R. Cooper

Honorable Mention: Just Lion Around (Wolves of Stone Ridge #19) by Charlie Richards


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Pretty Poison by Kari Gregg

Title: Pretty Poison
Publisher: Self-Published
Length: 160 pages

Grade: A


BLURB:

Deadly poison…or exquisite cure?

Noah fell from an eighth story balcony as a toddler, cracking open his skull and shattering his body. The accident would’ve killed a human, but even shifter blood can’t heal some damage. After the pack recommended a mercy killing, Noah’s family ran. But there’s no outrunning the mating pact formed before Noah’s birth.

Wade, the new alpha, chooses an adult Noah to fulfill the pact. Wade believes the previous alpha was a fool to reject Noah as a weak and inferior wolf, but Noah’s family was wrong to hide him and starve his wolf, too. Human doctors with human medicines are poison to shifter physiology. Now that Noah is fully grown, halting his shift to retain the pins, plates, and bars holding him together hurts rather than helps him, and for Wade, more than Noah’s recovery is at stake.

Noah’s family sacrificed everything to keep him alive. Noah will do whatever it takes to save them—including mate with the alpha who is determined to correct past mistakes and defeat old prejudices contaminating the shifter community.

Too bad some still believe Noah is the true poison…and should be culled from the pack for good.


MY REVIEW

There are two things I can expect from a Kari Gregg novel: hot sex and various characters who have ulterior motives. That is exactly what you get in Pretty Poison, Gregg’s newest shifter book. The reader is introduced to Noah, a disabled shifter who lives with his family on the outskirts of a pack. Enter Wade, the pack’s Alpha who comes to Noah’s family and demands they honor a contract of marriage made years before. Since Noah’s sister ran off and married a human, Wade picks from the remaining brothers for his “bride.” And to everyone’s surprise he chooses Noah as his mate. Noah’s not happy but goes along with the proposal because if he refuses Wade could have his entire family killed. What ensues is a turbulent and rather sweet love story as Noah and Wade learn to love each other and made changes to their pack.

Since I read about 90% paranormal books these days, it takes a really good shifter book to make me sit up and take notice. What I loved about Pretty Poison was that we finally get a disabled shifter character, whose serious injuries do not automatically heal. Noah walks with crutches and his disability has made him a liability to his old pack, they even suggested a “mercy” killing, which is why the family removed themselves from that pack. Any type of disabilities are rare in M/M books, more especially more rare in paranormal books. I thought the author handled Noah’s limitations and his eventual semi-recovery in a very unique manner.

The second best thing about Pretty Poison is the scorching hot sex scenes. K.A. Mitchell, look out for Ms. Gregg! Wow. Wade and Noah burn up the sheets and cement their bond their many, many sexy scenes. Those readers looking for a “is-it-hot-in-here?” novel will not be disappointed.

The third item I enjoyed were the secondary characters. We have strong female characters, a great beta character and the dynamic of the pack is explored very well in my opinion. My only complaint and why I did not give this 5 stars was I felt there should have been one more extra scene between Noah and Wade — like a date — that didn’t involve sex. There were some very sweet moments between the two men, but I felt more would have rounded out the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it all the paranormal fans out there. It has something different that I think most M/M readers would like.

Originally posted at Reviews by Jessewave

Tara Lain Cover Reveal

The Pack or the Panther

(Tales of the Harker Pack Series)

By

Tara Lain

Blurb:

Cole Harker, son of an alpha werewolf, is bigger and more powerful than most wolves, tongue-tied in groups, and gay. For twenty-four years, he’s lived to please his family and pack—even letting them promise him in marriage to female werewolf Analiese to secure a pack alliance and help save them from a powerful gangster who wants their land. Then Cole meets Analiese’s half-brother, panther shifter Paris Marketo, and for the first time, Cole wants something for himself.

When Analiese runs off to marry a human, Cole finally has a chance with Paris, but the solitary cat rejects him, the pack, and everything it represents. Then Cole discovers the gangster wants Paris too and won’t rest until he has him. What started as a land dispute turns into World War Wolf! But the bigger fight is the battle between cats and dogs.

Release Date: 

January 8, 2013

Available for pre-order now at:

EXCERPT

Cole took hold of a branch a few feet from Paris. “Do you think the alliance will stand?” He shrugged. “Hard to say. I know everyone hopes so, so I hope so too.” Cole pulled his eyebrows together. “But you don’t really care.”

Paris looked up sharply. “Yes, I care. I care about my parents. They’ve been good to me and I owe them a lot. I’m a freak by wolf standards, and my father has never abjured me. I honestly believe he kept me separate for my well-being more than his own. He acknowledges me as his son even though I remind him of his greatest sorrow.”

“Your panther mother.” He nodded. “And Trixie isn’t a brave female. My existence is difficult for her, but she’s been nothing but good to me. She had to stand against the combined disapproval of a lot of other females for me. They didn’t know what I was, but they knew I was Merced’s first wife’s son. They weren’t kind. She was. I value her and want the best.”

 Cole nodded. If there was one thing he understood, it was loyalty.

“And then there’s you.”

Cole glanced up. Look at that mischievous face. He’d switched from deeply serious to court jester in one second flat. “What about me?” He grinned.

The cat danced around his tree, unfastening buttons on his shirt with intricate skill. “You want the alliance and I want you. Isn’t that an Aristotelian principle? If A equals B and B equals C, then Paris wants Cole to have his alliance so Paris can have Cole’s big yummy cock in his ass. An ass, I might add, that’s been throbbing like a voodoo drum since I first looked in your silver eyes, wolfman.” He whipped off the shirt, leaving his upper body bare.

Wow. Even knowing what was coming, that sight was hard to believe. The cat’s skin glowed in the moonlight like so much alabaster formed into a work of art. If you liked bulky, you wouldn’t like Paris. But if the look of a black leopard stealing along a branch stilled your heart, this sight would do it for you down to the ground. Not really slim. More like lean, with muscles just where they should be, but as if they were made of silk rather than stone. Fluid.

Paris reached and grabbed a branch, then pulled himself up one-armed until he leaned over the wood on his belly. Flip. He circled and came up to sitting, his upper body glowing and long legs dangling. He spread his arms out for a second as if balancing on a tightrope. Then he reached in and started to unfasten his belt. Slowly, he slipped it from his trousers, then swung it over his head until it caught on an upper branch.

 He pulled himself to standing and used one hand to slowly lower his fly. White showed in the gap. Oh my. Not white underwear.  White skin. Cole shuddered. He wasn’t used to this kind of sexy. Hell, who was? This cat was one of a kind. 

About the Author

Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 23. Her best­selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul­mate husband and her soul­mate dog in Laguna Beach, California, a pretty seaside town where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!

You can find Tara at

               

Presented By

Feature Author Spotlight: Eleanor Bruce

Welcome to the Feature Author Spotlight on Lasha's Paranormal M/M Reviews.

In this piece, we are going to highlight one author and their new book. (If you'd like to be featured, please email me privately).

Eleanor Bruce has only been writing professionally for about year. Some of her books include: Doctor, Doctor, The Law of the Jungle, and The Moon's Dirty Light (the last two books are nominated for the GoodReads M/M Romance Member's Choice Awards in Best Free Short and Best Law Enforcement categories).

Her latest release is Beneath the 13th Moon (Werewolves of Baltimore #2).  

To celebrate her new novel, she is offering up a copy of the book. Please leave your name and email in a comment, if you'd like to be entered into the contest.  It ends 12/15 midnight EST.

And to wet your appetite, here's the blurb for Beneath the 13th Moon:

    Is Liam Van Zandt living in The Twilight Zone? It sure looks that way. The victims in the murders he’s investigating seem to have been crushed by a cursed statue.

    In the middle of his investigation Liam is fighting his attraction to the mysterious Dr. Bartek Szala, a police consultant and amateur folklorist. With everything coming to a head and his Captain breathing down his neck, Liam has been denying his attraction to Bartek. But when they are thrust into a supernatural world of witches, vampires and werewolves they have to join forces or they won’t survive.

    Will Liam and Bartek come out alive or will they succumb to the danger that surrounds the Legend of Black Aggie?