Book Review: Blue Morning, Vol 3 by Shoko Hidaka

Blue Morning, Vol 3

Author: Shoko Hidaka

Publisher: SuBLime Publishing

American release date: November 12, 2013

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Yaoi/224 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Akihito is beginning to take greater control of Kuze family matters, much to Katsuragi’s surprise. All letters in regard to bank business are to go straight to Akihito. Meanwhile, Akihito is paying his court to the fifteen-year-old Chikako, of the Sajo family, and spends their time together playing games with her. He realizes the gap that exists between the Sajos and the Kuzes, and intends to call upon the —Moriyama, as well as the Ashizakis. Meanwhile former houseboy Amimaya is visiting with the retired housekeeper, Kiku. He reveals to her some of his thoughts regarding Katsuragi, but the older woman makes no direct comment.

Akihito requests that Ashizaki act as his agent in the matter of his proposed marriage, explaining his reasoning behind this decision, which Ashizaki concurs with and agrees to help. But that help will come with a steep price. Is Akihito willing to pay such a price? Afterward, Akihito goes to Katsuragi, and initial conflict becomes into their usual method of resolution—lovemaking. Later, Katsuragi thinks on the original plans he made when he was first put in charge of Akihito’s education, the revenge he intended to extract for promises made to him but never kept, for unforgiveable behavior toward him.  Has something changed now?

Akihito is not pleased that Katsuragi no longer dines with him. He tells the two highest ranking servants that they will dine with him from now on, which makes them uncomfortable. When Katsuragi arrives, Akihito informs him that he will be joining them as well.

When Amimaya returns to visit Kiku, he learns she has returned to her hometown, to his dismay. Furthermore, she has left instructions for him to clean every corner of the storehouse. Furthermore, her instructions emphasize papers that he will find there, given to her by Lord Kuze. Is this significant? Amimaya grasps what he perceives to be the meaning behind Kiku’s actions and agrees to do as she has requested. Maybe his lifelong dreams will come true after all.

Akihito seeks Katsuragi’s opinion on household matters, and as they work together, the butler does something quite unexpected—he kisses Akihito. A thrilled Akihito responds in kind, kissing Katsuragi’s hand. But the moment is spoiled when Katsuragi demands Akihito release him, and he walks away, to Akihito’s dismay.

The next day, Katsuragi receives a request for him to go to the storehouse, where Amimaya has something to tell him. Meanwhile, at school, Ishizake searches for and finds a despondent Akihito, who is no mood to talk. Ishizaki can only imagine what has him so upset, what is usually the cause of his upset—Katsuragi. Ishizaki knows what is being asked of Akihito, and he asks can he actually go through with it, but Akihito doesn’t want to listen and asks, instead, what message Ishizaki has from Katsuragi’s brother.

Amimaya lets loose some rather nasty accusations at Katsuragi. Akihito goes to see Katsuragi’s brother, and learns the former houseboy has made accusations of his own. But the elder Katsuragi also warns Akihito not to trust Tomoyuki.

Back at the Kuze manor, Akihito and Katsuragi now dine alone, as the other servants have begged off, due to their discomfort. Alone, they can talk more freely concerning what Amimaya has alleged.  Will this new information tear them apart or drive them closer together? What is Akihito willing to do in order to stay by Katsuragi’s side and raise the Kuze house, as he has sworn to do?

In this volume of Blue Morning, we learn about Katsuragi’s parentage, and we also get a glimpse into the boy he was, and the expectations he was raised to have by Akihito’s father. There are still pieces of that puzzle that are missing, and if they include, as I suspect, Katsuragi’s sexual abuse by the older Kuze, that will explain much. At the same time, we see more of Katsuragi’s own feelings for Akihito, as his tightly wound façade beings to unfurl at Akihito’s continued tenderness and unswerving loyalty, something he has received from no one before and certainly did not expect from the target of his own ambitions. No wonder he’s becoming confused and uncertain, as he never saw this coming. Will he embrace his feelings for Akihito or deny them in order to proceed with his plan? I’m leaning toward the former, but I am also a hopeless romantic. I’ll be very disappointed if this series ends and these two are not together and very much in love. Guess I’ll have to wait and see.

As usual, the artwork is superb, the story excellent. Both men are very lovely to look upon, but especially Katsuragi. I’m looking forward to the next volume.

Virtual Book Tour: Karma City by Gardner Browning

Good morning! Please welcome author Gardner Browning to Full Moon Dreaming! He is here to discuss his latest release, Karma City. Gardner will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on his tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!

Karma City

by Gardner Browning

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GENRE:   science fiction contemporary/post-apocalyptic

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BLURB:

A microscopic parasite has crippled humanity with night terrors and paralyzing anxiety. In this world of increasing dystopia, hope yet remains in Karma City. But when mercenary drifter, Jameson Shoals, learns that a famous scientist has created a stronger parasite to kill the original, it isn’t until the bodies litter the streets that he realizes the horrifying truth: the new parasite is a killer with a mind of its own, and upon dominating Patient Zero, this killer acquires legs, hands, and eyes. It falls upon Shoals and his partner, a deadly female mercenary, to stop PZ and his mob before they can overcome and supplant humankind.

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EXCERPT:

Jameson Shoals crouched to keep his balance atop the speeding train. The wind beat against his leather jacket, scattering his collar length, brunet hair over his eyes like a frayed, muddy rag. The scalding steam and smoke puffing from the locomotive singed his nostrils. Raising his shotgun at the attacker standing only a few feet away, he shouted, “You’re in a real heap of shit, pal.”

The man glared at Jameson, with blond hair framing his gaunt face like tendrils of fire . His

spindly legs backed to the edge of the train car roof with unnatural balance. “You should consider your own life,” he hissed. Amber light burned in the man’s hollow, jack-o-lantern eyes. “Detonation is imminent.”

Before Jameson could shoot, the man leapt from the train, flipping backward and vanishing into the night.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Gardner Michael Browning is an award-winning author and professional wrestler. In addition to receiving a New Hampshire Literary Award, two of his novels were part of an international English literacy program for middle grade readers. Browning enjoys classic literature, fishing, playing guitar and spending time with his family.

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3AGardner+Browning&s=relevancerank&text=Gardner+Browning&ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Author/G-M-Browning-217364741662041/

Buy link:  https://www.amazon.com/Karma-City-Gardner-Browning-ebook/dp/B07PJXQ7PB/ref=sr_1_1

The book will be on sale for $0.99.

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From a Game to a Novel

Before I wrote the first draft of Karma City and its sequel (not yet published), I tested the story by writing it as a Dungeons and Dragons campaign! I developed the setting, stakes and antagonist, then gathered a group of my closest friends and had them make up characters. For nine months, I facilitated the story as the Game Master (or GM) and my friends role-played their way through Karma City, defeating the villain and saving the world! It was a powerful and collective story telling experience that allowed me to really build the world and get a chance to “live” the story with them. The characters that exist in the pages now are a direct result of their combined creativity and the love of those game nights.

Preparing the story took some research. I interviewed parasitologists and vaccine developers to understand how to design and write about my fictional parasite, “Malady.”

Doing your homework is critical for any writer.

If you have science in your story, you have to talk to experts and read work in the field you’re writing about. Understand the technology. Understand how stuff works. Immerse yourself in it and be fascinated. If possible, visit places that are like your setting. You may find you don’t need to go far to get in touch with your imagination.

I believe that a good book is one with a setting (a world) that is alive around the characters. The characters should be affected by the world around them as much as possible. In big ways and in small ways. Examples: If an explosion occurs a few blocks away, they need to feel the ground shake, hear the screams, be afraid, concerned and confused. Maybe injured by a frantic mob. If it’s cold outside, the characters need to warm their hands with their breath, scrape the ice off their windshield, or even twist an ankle on the slippery sidewalk. If it’s raining, the windows are fogged, they can’t see through their eye glasses, their shoes are soaked and their attitude sucks.

By taking my story concept into a game format and allowing others to imagine with me, the characters became genuinely unique, the world crackled with energy, and the antagonist fought to stay ahead of the heroes making the conflict rich and the stakes dire.

Readers of Karma City will feel the life on the pages because of the collaborative storytelling that served as the foundation of the story. 

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Wednesday Briefs: In Pieces #55 (13.3)

Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

On the road and feeling fine! Salvation is driving to Lake Charles, Louisiana, to begin the next leg of their tour and won't be back to Mandeville for a while. The weather's lovely, food is good, and they have each other... who could ask for anything more? See how the boys are doing in this week's chapter of In Pieces. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what they're up to! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

In Pieces #55 (13.3)

“What time is Marge meeting us?” Ryan asked. 

“I’m supposed to text her when we get in,” Ben said. “I think she said she’d meet us at our motel. Late afternoon, if I remember correctly.” He took a big bite of his sandwich then moaned, as though he’d just died and gone to heaven—sort of the way he sounded when they made love. Ryan thought he could watch Ben forever. Especially when he made faces like that.

Our motel. How Ryan loved the sound of that. He couldn’t wait to get Ben alone in a room of their own.  Not that he didn’t like being around the other guys, but he was always mindful of their close proximity at Cameron’s house. He liked the idea of complete privacy.

They’d stopped at a roadside park just outside of Lafayette to eat lunch and stretch their legs. A number of other travelers, some with small children, were taking advantage of the warm day as well, Ryan noticed, but they had no problem in finding an unoccupied picnic table. When their stomachs began to growl,  Ben had mentioned having a craving for a muffuletta and was shocked to discover no one else had ever heard of them much less eaten one. Hearing that, Ben made it his mission to procure some of the delicious sandwiches, which he said were filled with all kinds of meats and cheeses along with a special olive salad. Luckily, finding muffulettas wasn’t hard to do in Louisiana. They’d found a diner just off the highway that specialized in them, as well as spicy homemade chips.

“You think she’ll come watch you play?” Ryan asked. He sat so close to Ben on the bench that their legs touched.  Aiden and Abby sat across from them. Deacon and Keanu had chosen to lie in the grass, Keanu’s head in Deacon’s lap. Ryan noticed Deacon occasionally feeding Keanu bits of his sandwich.

“Marge? Probably. She likes the way we play.” Ben swiped his finger through some of the olive spread on his sandwich and held it out in front of Ryan in a tantalizing manner, as if enticing him to take a taste. “You love this, don’t you? C’mon, you can admit it,” he teased.

Ryan wasn’t sure whether Ben meant the food or his finger, but the answer to both was a resounding yes. Instead of replying, he took Ben’s finger into his mouth and sucked on it, his eyes locked on Ben’s as he swallowed the spread. He was gratified to find that Ben was just as turned on by his action as he was. Too bad they were hours away from going to bed, and miles away from the motel.  He didn’t think it would be polite to blow off the group’s manager just for a little afternoon delight, although the idea was a tempting one.

“Guys, we’re almost at the hotel.” Abby’s amused voice broke into Ryan’s reverie. “Can you maybe hold out until then? I’d suggest using the van, but I really don’t think there’s room in the back, with all our stuff. Not to mention it’s not exactly romantic. And kinda gross, actually, for what you two have in mind.”

Ryan’s cheeks grew warm as Ben reluctantly took back his finger and winked at him before replying to Abby, his eyes never leaving Ryan’s. “What do you know about having sex in the back of the van?” he teased. “Is there something you want to tell us?”

“I’ve been in the van,” she answered him, never missing a beat. “I know how much room there isn’t back there. Doesn’t take an engineer to figure out how uncomfortable that would be. If you want to know for sure, though, why don’t you ask them?”

That got Ryan’s attention. He glanced toward Abby, who was pointing toward the grass where Deacon and Keanu lay. They grinned back, obviously not embarrassed in the slightest at her accusation, and certainly not denying it either.

“It’s quite cramped,” Keanu offered. “But it’ll do in a pinch. If you’re very careful and don’t get your—”

Deacon laid his fingers gently across his lover’s lips. “No need for an anatomy lesson, I think they get the picture.”

Abby laughed, followed by Aiden, then they were all laughing together.

Keanu motioned to Deacon that he wanted to get up. Deacon stood, then offered Keanu a hand up from the ground. “I think I’m gonna hit the men’s room. Wanna come?”

“And hold your hand?” Deacon smirked.

“No, my dick,” Keanu said with a straight face. That set off another round of laughter. Deacon just shook his head.

“Incorrigible, that’s what you are.”

“And you wouldn’t have me any other way,” Keanu said. “C’mon, big boy.” Deacon rolled his eyes but he didn’t say no, and the two strolled off, hand in hand.

Ryan looked between the others. “You don’t think they’re gonna… I mean… Really?”

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” Aiden said. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“But there are kids around,” Ryan protested. Doing it around grown men was one thing, but kids? Not cool at all.

“They’ll be careful,” Ben said. “Don’t worry. Deacon has too much common sense to get them caught with their pants down. This isn’t the place for that.” He wrapped an arm about Ryan, nestling Ryan’s head on his shoulder. “He’ll probably give him a dose of reality, actually, and remind him we’re almost at the motel.”

Ryan hoped he was right. The last thing they needed was to have two members of the group get arrested for indecent exposure, or anything worse. But his fears were allayed a few minutes later when the two returned. Keanu was pouting, and Deacon seemed more than a little smug. Not to mention Keanu’s hair was wet. What had Deacon done to cool him off?

“Time to go,” Ben announced as they gathered their stuff and hit the road once more.

to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp

Book Review: Bleach, Vol 2 by Tite Kubo

Bleach, Vol 2      

Author: Tite Kubo

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: August 3, 2004

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Supernatural/200 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 After the strange encounter with the Hollow, Ichigo takes Chad to his family’s clinic to be treated. But the next morning, to his dismay, Chad has disappeared! Ichigo questions his friends but no one has seen him. Rukia is helping Ichigo search, but she has no sense of any Hollow presence. Ichigo has the idea to feel for Chad’s parakeet’s spirit presence, although Rukia claims it is too faint to detect. When Ichigo manages to detect it, she is rather taken aback and greatly surprised. Chad and the parakeet are in hiding, and the parakeet, whose name is Yuichi, tries to get Chad to leave but he refuses. He runs into Rukia and Ichigo at the same time as Ichigo’s sister Karin appears, drawn by something she can’t explain. When she faints, Rukia tells Ichigo to take her home and she’ll chase after Chad.

Unfortunately, the Hollow finds her first, and she’s in no position to fight him, not without her powers. When she throws a spell at him, not only doesn’t it work, but he realizes she’s a Soul Reaper. Yuichi tells chad that Rukia is being attacked, although Chad can’t see the Hollow.  Chad puts Yuichi in a safe place then runs to help Rukia. He punches him, which takes the Hollow aback, but he decides it was a lucky punch. Working together, maybe Rukia and Chad can defeat this Hollow, or at least not die before Ichigo has a chance to return. When Ichigo learns what the Hollow has done to Yuichi, it only infuriates him all the more.

Rukia realizes she needs to stock up on a few supplies, so she makes her way to an innocuous-looking shop—Uruhara Shoten. A boy and a girl are sweeping in front of the closed shop, and they admit her. The shopkeeper, Kisuke Uruhara, sleepily greets her. Obviously he is acquainted with the Soul Reaper. Not only that, but he seems to carry supplies such as a soul reaper might require. When Rukia inquires about an order she’s made, Uruhara sends Ururu to get it. To Rukia’s dismay, it’s not the one she ordered. He tells her that was out of stock, this is the second most popular choice, so she is forced to accept it.

The next day, Rukia presents her purchase to Ichigo – a dispenser of sorts marked Soul Candy. The dispenser has the head of a duck, although Rukia had wanted the bunny. She explains that when he takes the candy, in order to perform soul reaper duties, his empty body becomes animated by a proxy soul. Back at Uruhara’s shop, however, the shopkeeper realizes, to his dismay, that a terrible mistake has been made. Can it be rectified in time, even as Rukia demonstrates to Ichigo how it works and they suddenly receive an order to fight a Hollow. Or will the defective soul Uruhara inadvertently sold Rukia ruin Ichigo’s reputation for good?

In the second volume of Bleach we meet Kisuke Uruhara and the people in his employ—Tessai, Ururu, and Jinta. Remember them, you’ll be seeing a lot of them.  We also discover how stubborn Rukia is, very much her own woman who does what needs to be done. She still isn’t sure what to make of Ichigo, who is like no one she’s ever encountered before. For a human, he has some pretty amazing skills. For his part, Ichigo seems to be taking to being a soul reaper—even a substitute soul reaper—like a duck to water. Since he’s used to seeing the dead, he doesn’t think twice about being able to see Hollows, and doesn’t even question their existence, as some might.  Someone else to remember for future volumes is the defective soul who’s taken Ichigo’s place and doesn’t want to give it up. (It helps that I’m also watching the anime).

Tite Kubo uses humor well in his manga, but he is also capable of dramatic, more soul-intense moments which will bring tears to you eyes. He’s good at manipulating emotions.  Rukia’s annoyance at not getting the “chappy” she ordered (the bunny dispenser) not only pegs her as pretty human and far from perfect, it’s also damn funny.

Looking forward to more of the same in future volumes of this popular series.

Virtual Book Tour: The Hierophant's Daughter by M.F. Sullivan

Good morning and please welcome author M.F. Sullivan to Full Moon Dreaming! She is here to talk about her new release, The Hierophant's Daughter, the first book in her Disgraced Martyr Trilogy. M.F. will be giving a $50 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on her tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post! Also, be sure to read my review of The Hierophant's Daughter, right before the Rafflecopter.

The Hierophant’s Daughter

(Disgraced Martyr Trilogy #1)

by M. F. Sullivan

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GENRE: Sci-fi, Horror, LGBTQ

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BLURB:

By 4042 CE, the Hierophant and his Church have risen to political dominance with his cannibalistic army of genetically modified humans: martyrs. In an era when mankind's intergenerational cold wars against their long-lived predators seem close to running hot, the Holy Family is poised on the verge of complete planetary control. It will take a miracle to save humanity from extinction.

It will also take a miracle to resurrect the wife of 331-year-old General Dominia di Mephitoli, who defects during martyr year 1997 AL in search of Lazarus, the one man rumored to bring life to the dead. With the Hierophant's Project Black Sun looming over her head, she has little choice but to believe this Lazarus is really all her new friends say he is--assuming he exists at all--and that these companions of hers are really able to help her. From the foulmouthed Japanese prostitute with a few secrets of her own to the outright sapient dog who seems to judge every move, they don't inspire a lot of confidence, but the General has to take the help she can get.

After all, Dominia is no ordinary martyr. She is THE HIEROPHANT'S DAUGHTER, and her Father won't let her switch sides without a fight. Not when she still has so much to learn.

The dystopic first entry of an epic cyberpunk trilogy, THE HIEROPHANT’S DAUGHTER is a horror/sci-fi adventure sure to delight and inspire adult readers of all stripes.

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EXCERPT:

The Flight of the Governess

The Disgraced Governess of the United Front was blind in her right eye. Was that blood in the left, or was it damaged, too? The crash ringing in her ears kept her from thinking straight. Of course her left eye still worked: it worked well enough to prevent her from careening into the trees through which she plunged. Yet, for the tinted flecks of reality sometimes twinkling between crimson streaks, she could only imagine her total blindness with existential horror. Would the protein heal the damage? How severely was her left eye wounded? What about the one she knew to be blind—was it salvageable? Ichigawa could check, if she ever made it to the shore.

She couldn’t afford to think that way. It was a matter of “when,” not of “if.” She would never succumb. Neither could car accident, nor baying hounds, nor the Hierophant himself keep her from her goal. She had fourteen miles to the ship that would whisk her across the Pacific and deliver her to the relative safety of the Risen Sun. Then the Lazarene ceremony would be less than a week away. Cassandra’s diamond beat against her heart to pump it into double time, and with each double beat, she thought of her wife (smiling, laughing, weeping when she thought herself alone) and ran faster. A lucky thing the Governess wasn’t human! Though, had she remained human, she’d have died three centuries ago in some ghetto if she’d lived past twenty without becoming supper. Might have been the easier fate, or so she lamented each time her mind replayed the crash of the passenger-laden tanque at fifth gear against the side of their small car. How much she might have avoided!

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

M.F. Sullivan is the author of Delilah, My Woman, The Lightning Stenography Device, and a slew of plays in addition to the Trilogy. She lives in Ashland, Oregon with her boyfriend and her cat, where she attends the local Shakespeare Festival and experiments with the occult. Find more information about her work (and plenty of free essays) at https://www.paintedblindpublishing.com!

Author Links:

Blog: https://www.paintedblindpublishing.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TheRealMFS

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/M.-F.-Sullivan/e/B013DDEQVE

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14199461.M_F_Sullivan

Buy/Review Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hierophants-Daughter-M-F-Sullivan/dp/0996539565

NetGalley: http://netgal.ly/AYYlKV

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42921564-the-hierophant-s-daughter

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-hierophants-daughter-m-f-sullivan/1129918390

Hardback: 978-0-9965395-6-2

Paperback: 978-0-9965395-7-9

eBook: 978-0-9965395-8-6

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The Hierophant’s Daughter

Author: M.F. Sullivan

Publisher: Painted Blind Publishing

American release date: May 19, 2019

Format/Genre/Length: Kindle/Urban Fantasy/267 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Disgraced Governess Dominia di Mephitoli is on the run. Member of the Holy Family and one-time ruler of the land formerly known as Italy, her sole focus is on, besides staying alive, resurrecting her dead wife, Cassandra, whom she wears in a diamond around her neck. Rumor has it that the man known as Lazarus can help her with this. But, assuming he is not a myth, no one knows where to find him.

Seeking refuge with a family in a remote farmhouse, she realizes too late that the Hierophant—her father—is there, seeking to reunite her with the family. She knows better than to trust him, however, which he proves with his actions, killing the family and taking out one of Dominia’s eyes, as well as her incisors. Dominia is no ordinary woman, she is a martyr, as are all the Holy Family—the Hierophant, who is the head of the family; brothers Cicero and Elijah (also known as the Lamb), who are husbands as well as brothers, sweet innocent sister Lavinia, and Dominia. Once Dominia’s name was Morgan, but many years have passed since she answered to that appellation. Besides possessing special strength and abilities, martyrs subsist on a diet of blood and flesh, and are restricted in their movements by the sun. The Hierophant has walked among the people of Earth for many years, and claims to come from a distant planet, but no one can either prove or disprove his story, so it remains accepted as truth. At least for now.

Once the poor family is dead, and the Hierophant gone, Dominia flees once more, taking the family dog with her. Why, she isn’t sure, but it seems like the thing to do.

Dominia reunites with an acquaintance of hers, René Ichigawa, a Franco Japanese professor, who is helping her to reach Lazarus. First, they have to get to safety, which is a challenge considering both Dominia’s restrictions and her infamy. Her reputation as a ruthless general precedes her, and not in a good way. René’s plan is for them to go to Japan, which is one of the few areas not under the Hierophant’s control, via boat. When Dominia awakens in the hold, she is surprised to find the dog still there. René assumed he was hers since he wouldn’t leave her and followed them onto the boat.

All Dominia has to do is find Lazarus—assuming he actually exists—have him resurrect Cassandra—assuming he can actually do that—and keep from being killed by a member of the Holy Family… or anyone else, for that matter. This is one journey Dominia won’t soon forget.

The Hierophant’s Daughter is the first book in the Disgraced Martyr Trilogy. I received a Kindle copy of the book in exchange for my review.  Before I had even finished reading the book, I had placed a pre-order for the paperback, which will show how very much I liked it, since I’d already been given a copy. The Hierophant’s Daughter turned out to be much more than I expected. M.F. Sullivan did a fabulous job of world-building, and gives us a creative and unique take on this world. The Hierophant is the benevolent (somewhat) holy father who has managed to gain control of most of the planet. It’s not hard to guess what his ultimate goal is. Martyrs are a unique spin on vampires. In this world, humans know they exist and co-exist with them… for the most part.

The Holy Family is most fascinating, especially the Hierophant. While I know in my head he’s the villain, it’s not quite so cut-and-dried as that, since he is at the same time terrible and compelling, a very charming man indeed. I found myself looking forward to seeing more of his scenes. Cicero is cruel and vicious but when it comes to his husband, Elijah (the Lamb, an obvious reference to Jesus), he would do anything for him, and the feeling is mutual (before anyone gets squicked out by them being brothers, they are not blood brothers, vampires don’t have children, and they were together as a couple before they even met the Hierophant). Lavinia is an unusual case in that she died while an infant, too young to become a martyr, yet she ended up growing even after death… so she is looked upon as very holy. Well, still waters do run deep.

Dominia is someone you have to admire for her strength and her character. She’s done many terrible things in her long life and she knows it. And yet, despite being a martyr, she is quite human in many ways, and vulnerable to making mistakes. Sometimes she just has no choice.

The more I read of this book, the deeper into it I got. The characters draw you in and make you want to know more. It’s a horrible world, and I wouldn’t want to live there, but reading about it is a different matter entirely. The biggest criticism I can make is that the author would have benefited from better editing. There are some especially stupid errors which should have been caught. But these do not detract from the overall value of the story.

There are so many things about it that I love, including the religious allegory. It’s a terrifying glimpse into a future that could be if vampires existed on other planets and came here to make this their new home. At the end of the book is a timeline that chronicles the Hierophant’s ascent, from the time of his arrival. It’s well worth reading.

I highly recommend this book, and can’t wait for the next volume in the trilogy to come out.

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Book Review: Blue Morning, Vol 2 by Shoko Hidaka

Blue Morning, Vol 2        

Author: Shoko Hidaka

Publisher: SuBLime Publishing

American release date: August 13, 2013

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Yaoi/186 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

As a young boy, Katsuragi believed he was being groomed by Viscount Kuze to be his successor, until the viscount leaves for his other home and Katsuragi learns an heir has been born. Years later, he finds himself in the bed of his new young master and questions what he is doing and what he should do. Akihito hasn’t been to school in a few days and shows no inclination toward going. Meanwhile, Akihito’s friend, Ishizaki,  concerned about his health, is buying him some fruit when a chance meeting with Katsuragi’s brother affords him transportation to the Kuze manor.

Akihito and Katsuragi are in the library. Katsuragi is gauging how far his charge has read. When questioned by Akihito, he admits to having read all the books up until a certain point. When the decision was made to bring Akihito to the mansion, Katsuragi was forbidden the use of the library. Akihito can’t keep his hands off the butler, even in the library, and Katsuragi can do not less than obey. He has promised to stand by Akihito’s side forever, as long as he strives to fulfill the hopes of the Kuze family.

Akihito has received an invitation to a formal event being given by Marquise Moriyama, and he wants Katsuragi to go with him. Katsuragi says that as his butler, that isn’t possible, but Akihito insists that it is – if the invitation is sent to Katsuragi as a representative of the Katsuragi family and not as his butler. When Akihito returns to his room, Katsuragi learns of a visitor – Ishizaki – and receives him, telling him Akihito is unable to receive visitors in his current condition. Katsuragi and Ishizaki get into a serious discussion concerning Akihito, Ishizaki questioning Katsuragi’s intentions, which Akihito overhears.

A member of the Kuze household from many years before has arrived from Yokohama, a previous houseboy. Meanwhile, at the Katsuragi bank, the brothers suspect that their younger brother has been involved in some dealings they may not be in favor of. Perhaps it’s time that they see him.

As Akihito is being fitted for his clothes for the event, he makes an inquiry regarding Katsuragi’s measurements, and requests a suit be made for him as well. Katsuragi doesn’t want to go, but Akihito tells him he procured a personal invitation for him from the Marquise, and that cannot be ignored. He also reminds Katsuragi of his promise to stay with him forever and questions whether Katsuragi is working on Akihito’s future engagement. He promises Katsuragi that he won’t question whatever methods he uses to make it happen.

 Akihito returns to school, and has a discussion with Ishizaki, who is concerned about his relationship with Katsuragi. Meanwhile, the former houseboy, Amamiya, has gone to the mansion and reveals why he is there.

The night of the marquise’s event arrives, and Akihito ensures Katsuragi’s presence by taking him with him. Once there, they seem destined to go their separate ways, to Akihito’s chagrin. A jealous Akihito watches Katsuragi’s interactions with the other guests, particularly those he knows the butler has slept with. Katsuragi is trying to make plans for a future fiancé for Akihito, but he is uncustomarily distracted by thoughts of his young master and is surprised by the unexpected appearance of his brother. His brother drops a surprising bombshell regarding Katsuragi’s heritage, but is everyone really surprised? What would Akihito think if he saw them?

The second volume of this series is every bit as good as the first. This is not a typical yaoi romance, assuming it will end up a romance at all, which is anyone’s guess, although I devoutly hope so. There is nothing stereotypical about this story at all, and a great deal to sink your teeth into and enjoy. I’m rooting for Akihito, who unabashedly loves Katsuragi and would do anything for him I believe Katsuragi has feelings for him, despite how tightly he’s wrapped up and the way he holds himself aloof. There are moments when he gives himself away in little ways.

Akihito knows he has to marry, and he’s good with that, as long as it furthers Katsuragi’s plans. I’m wondering how he will manage to keep his relationship with Katsuragi going while he’s married, and how open can they afford to be in front of a wife. Ishizaki already knows Akihito cares too much for his butler and is against their relationship, but will he do anything to jeopardize it, perhaps in the mistaken belief that he needs to rescue his friend from Katsuragi’s grip?

Looking forward to seeing where this goes in the next volume!

Wednesday Briefs: In Pieces #54 (13.2)

Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Ben and Ryan and the rest of Salvation put Mandeville and all unpleasantness behind them as they head out on their first road trip! Everyone is in high spirits, including Abby. A chance sighting of a billboard near Baton Rouge initiates a conversation about Ryan's late father. See how the boys are doing in this chapter of In Pieces. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

In Pieces #54 (13.2)

Heading north out of Mandeville, they stopped at a gas station/convenience store on the outskirts of town in order to fill the tanks for the trip to Lake Charles. Ryan was glad their route didn’t take them across Lake Pontchartrain for a change, although he felt as though he was starting to get used to the long bridge. Of course, a lot of that had to do with Ben’s presence.

 After pumping gas, they went inside and bought breakfast sandwiches and hot coffee, as well as bags of chips and pretzels and sweet treats for later, dividing them between the two vehicles. Deacon was in charge of driving the van, as usual. While it wasn’t equipped with GPS, Keanu’s phone was, and he was happy to play navigator for his lover. Ben decided the sedan would follow behind the van. That way, in case of trouble, they’d be in a better position to help, seeing as the van was the older of the two vehicles.

Ryan was happy to see Abby showed no ill effects from the night before and actually seemed to be her usual happy self. She took great delight in teasing Aiden about the shorts he was wearing, telling him they belonged on a school boy and not a grown ass man, and he retaliated in kind, asking if she thought she was Daisy Dukes.  Ryan thought Abby was prettier than Daisy Dukes, to be honest, and since she had the legs to carry off short shorts, why not? Everyone was casually dressed, a far cry from their stage personas. That only made sense in a state like Louisiana, that was more often than not humid, especially in the summer.  Ben had even persuaded Ryan to follow suit. He felt self-conscious at first about his legs, which he thought were too thin and far too pale. But Ben quickly put him at his ease, telling him they were sexy and anybody could have a tan, and he soon forgot about anything except this road trip, and being with Ben.

Ryan had left his laptop with the rest of their luggage, in the trunk, but he’d thought to bring his notebook and a pen, in case he wanted to take notes on the drive. When Ben saw the notebook, he immediately removed it from Ryan’s hand and set it behind them. “Maybe later,” he said, snuggling close to Ryan, claiming his hand with a grin. Ryan certainly wasn’t about to argue. Whatever Ben wanted, he could have.

Ben rubbed his face against Ryan’s arm, purring like a contented kitten. “We have time for that later,” he said. “Right now is you and me time.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Me too,” Abby chimed in with a grin. “Let us know if you want us to go for a walk or something.” She winked at them broadly, and they had to laugh. Ryan heard Aiden snort his laughter.

Undeterred, Ben replied, “We’ll let you know.” He nuzzled Ryan without hesitation, as if they were truly alone in their own little world.

Baton Rouge was the first big city on their route from Mandeville. As they drew closer, Ryan spotted a billboard on the side of the highway, that had a picture of a naval destroyer. USS Kidd, the legend read. Located in beautiful downtown Baton Rouge. Come visit history!

“Dad was in the Navy,” Ryan blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.

“I didn’t know that.” Ben had been lying with his head in Ryan’s lap, while Ryan stroked his hair. He pivoted his position in order to look up into Ryan’s eyes. “What made you think of that?”

“Oh, a billboard we passed, that’s all.” Ryan was sometimes hesitant to bring up Dad around Ben. He knew Ben had loved him, and he was sure their separation had to be painful for him. Coupled with his inability to even come to Dad’s funeral. “USS Kidd. It’s moored in Baton Rouge, apparently.”

Ben didn’t say anything immediately, and Ryan wanted to kick himself. He needed to edit his words a little better in future. But before he could make any sort of amends, Ben spoke first.

“You know we’re playing Baton Rouge on the way back, don’t you?”

“We are?”

“Yeah. Want to visit the ship when we do? I mean, even if Dad didn’t serve on that particular ship, it could be interesting, don’t you think? Something to remind us of him?”

Ryan was touched by Ben’s words. “I-I hope it doesn’t bother you when I mention Dad,” he said. “I know you must miss him as much as I do. Maybe more. I mean, I got to see him, up until… when he… “ He didn’t want to say the word all of a sudden. Dad’s death was still too fresh. He might know intellectually that his father was gone, but in his heart, sometimes it seemed as though he was just a phone call away.

“Not at all,” Ben assured him. He sat up until he was sitting in Ryan’s lap. Ryan was pretty sure that was illegal, but he wasn’t about to say anything and ruin the moment. He could see that Ben’s eyes were wet, even as he felt a tear fall down his own cheek. 

Ben used his thumb to brush away Ryan’s tear, then kissed him softly. “He was a good man. I’d love to hear more about him, when you’re ready to tell me.”

“I’d like that,” Ryan said, returning the kiss. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask about Ben’s mother, it almost made sense since they were discussing the past, but the words refused to form. Even now, he didn’t want to think about her. Maybe Ben would bring her up. But he didn’t, and the moment passed.

to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp

Carol Pedroso

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