Book of the Week Poll
Welcome to the Love Bytes Book of the Week Poll!
Here are the books which achieved a 4.5 or 5.0 review last week from our reviewers.
As a reminder, the top two books from each week’s poll will roll into our Book of the Month poll at month’s end. Happy Voting!
Please scroll to the very bottom for the voting section.
POLL SCHEDULE:
This poll will remain open until at least 6PM, Amsterdam time next Friday. The actual closing time will vary depending on blog staff schedules…
How to Save a Human (VRC: Vampire Related Crimes #4) by Alice Winters
Reviewed by Valerie
TITLE: How to Save a Human
AUTHOR: Alice Winters
SERIES: VRC: Vampire Related Crimes #4
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 332 pages
RELEASE DATE: November 6, 2020
BLURB:
River
When I meet Bentley DeGray, I’m at the lowest point in my life because no matter how much I fight, my past won’t let me escape. Bentley makes me laugh and care and love, but what does any of that mean when I’m living a lie?
Things get complicated when I find out he’s with the Vampire Related Crimes Unit, the organization looking for answers about the abductions of prominent vampires.
The same organization that stands in my way.
My time is ticking down while I’m wound up in this role I’ve been forced to play, but I know that I would be drowning without Bentley by my side.
Bentley
We’re facing something that runs so deep that we don’t know who we can trust besides each other, even within the VRC. River makes me feel like every day is worth living and enjoying—like I’m not so alone. I can’t imagine life without him. But I know that if I want to keep him by my side, I will need to do everything I can to help him so our love doesn’t get cut short before it can truly grow.
The Hookup by Kindle Alexander
Reviewed by Anna Lynn
TITLE: The Hookup
AUTHOR: Kindle Alexander
PUBLISHER: Kindle Alexander LLC
RELEASE DATE: October 12, 2020
LENGTH: 37 Pages
BLURB:
The Hookup was previously released in The Bookworm Box’s special edition charity anthology, Unconditional, 2019.
Meet me @ The Hookup?
A well-deserved celebration is in order for attorney Easton Elliott. Everything is going as planned until a tempting glimpse of the past sidebars the handsome attorney’s party.
An unexpected invitation has linguist Grant Holt excited about the spur-of-the-moment rendezvous. But words are futile when he arrives to find there’s been a mix up.
A text, a celebration, and a misunderstanding all lead to…The Hookup
Bloodlaced (Youkai Bloodlines Book 1) by Courtney Maguire
Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Bloodlaced
SERIES: Youkai Bloodlines #1
AUTHOR: Courtney Maguire
PUBLISHER: City Owl Press
LENGTH: 314 pages
RELEASE DATE: September 29, 2020
BLURB:
Kanjin hardly view their servants as human. Even less so when they are different.
Asagi is different. Both a man and a woman.
In the wake of his failure to protect a boy he saw as a son from their abusive master, Asagi is sold into the house of a young nobleman, Mahiro, who is the opposite of everything Asagi has ever known—gentle, kind, and generous.
Mahiro bonds with Asagi and their friendship blooms into a deep and profound love. But when Asagi is poisoned out of jealousy, Mahiro reveals himself to be youkai, a demon who feeds on blood, and he has no choice but to turn Asagi to save his life.
Asagi awakes reborn, strong, and eternally youthful. But the price for Asagi’s new life is high.
The blood of the innocent.
Just as Asagi’s trust in Mahiro falters, the boy he failed to protect, now a man, reappears.
New master, same threat.
With both a literal and proverbial monster at the door, Asagi must decide what it means to be human to protect what he loves most.
Content Warnings: physical abuse, sexual abuse (off-page), self-harm, blood, graphic violence
If you like Bella Forrest, P. C. Cast, AJ Tipton, or Anne Rice, you will love this beautiful dark paranormal fantasy romance.
Niall (Vigilance #2) by Silvia Violet
Reviewed by Larissa
TITLE: Niall
SERIES: Vigilance Book 2
AUTHOR: Silvia Violet
PUBLISHER: Self-published
RELEASE DATE: October 23, 2020
LENGTH: 228 pages
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I’m a former FBI agent. Now I’m on the opposite side of the law as part of an underground vigilante organization.
When the fight to stop a crime ring pairs me with a pawn shop owner, it’s hate at first sight.
Fun fact: Hate and desire aren’t mutually exclusive.
To further the investigation, Marcus and I must pretend to be boyfriends. Too much time spent in close proximity has me wondering if Marcus might have the power to thaw my icy heart.
Deserted Justice (The Asylum Fight Club #8) by Bianca Sommerland & Tibby Armstrong
Reviewed by Danielle
TITLE: Deserted Justice
SERIES: The Asylum Fight Club #8
AUTHOR: Bianca Sommerland & Tibby Armstrong
PUBLISHER: Self Published
RELEASE DATE: August 25, 2020
LENGTH: 660 Pages
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The winning contender always has an edge.
Even up against the ropes, Curtis Smith can tip the odds in his favor with his devil-may-care attitude. A long and happy life has always been a longshot, so he faces every comer with his own brand of beat-down. He can claim victory in almost any situation. Except figuring out how to win at love.
You have to go all in.
A loss in the ring can have its own challenges. And rewards. But as the submissive of two of The Asylum’s core owners, the label ‘club royal’ doesn’t leave many options for how Reed Dane can get his ‘crown’ to fit. Sweets and sparkles don’t exactly go with craving the darker side of kink.
Sometimes fate stacks the odds.
When disaster strands Reed in a sea of familiar faces, only one man’s care can keep him from losing the biggest fight of all—to survive. But without Curtis, how can he avoid a lasting knockout?
If the house has reached its limit.
Concealed Hearts (A Hometown Jasper Novel #4) by Nicky James
Reviewed by Danielle
TITLE: Concealed Hearts
SERIES: A Hometown Jasper Novel #4
AUTHOR: Nicky James
PUBLISHER: Self Published
RELEASE DATE: October 22, 2020
LENGTH: 239 Pages
BLURB:
Two closeted men in one rumor-hungry small town have no chance of keeping their love a secret.
Chief of Police Windsor Elkhart is a master deceiver. Not a single person in Jasper has a clue he’s gay, which explains the endless suitors all vying for his attention. Happily married to his job, he’s convinced life is good enough. Twenty years of abstinence is the price he chose to pay, all because of a secret he’s too ashamed to reveal.
Until Tomi Lee returns to town after a two-decade-long absence.
Shame and self-loathing have kept Tomi away from his home town, but can a simple message from a lonely police officer bring him back for good?
The people of Jasper prey on gossip. Everyone is watching everyone. No one is exempt.
Falling in love is easy, but do two closeted men have any chance of building a sustainable relationship when they’re always trying to hide?
Concealed Hearts is a low/med angst MM romance novel with two severely closeted main characters. It is part of the Hometown Jasper Series but can be read as a standalone
Sort Of Dead by Rob Rosen
REVIEWED by Jay V.
TITLE: Sort of Dead
AUTHOR: Rob Rosen
PUBLISHER: JMS Books
LENGTH: 198 pages
RELEASE DATE: October 31, 2020
BLURB:
Nord wakes up to find himself sort of dead. Well, that is to say, he’s dead, alright — murdered, in fact — but not in heaven, at least not yet. In this limbo-like state, he meets Max and learns that everyone there is waiting for the final poof, hopefully to a better place. Only, with unfinished business back in the real world, like bringing his murderer to justice, Nord’s poof is nowhere in sight. So he and Max set out to find the killer and make things right again. Of course, that’s easier said than done when you’re nothing more than a couple of randy spirits.
With the help of Voltan, a diminutive mystic with a predilection for turbans, and Clark, a nerdy computer geek eager to shed his loner past, plus a ghost accountant Bruce, Bruce’s drag queen brother Eve O’Destruction, and Nord’s kick-ass mom, the newly enamored pair set out to hunt for the murderer, and are quick to discover how much they’d taken for granted when they were alive.
In this hysterically funny and often poignant mystery about fate and love and family, it ultimately takes dying for our heroes to have the times of their lives.