Blog Tour + Giveaway: (Un)Masked by Anyta Sunday & Andy Gallo

“What made the book for me? One word: Gristle.

Gristle, the straight boy, Jay's best friend, his "bro," is one of the best characters I've had the joy to read this year. His devotion to Jay is breathtaking, his snark so very snappy [...]. Read this book if nothing for the character of Gristle. [...] Spectacular.”

--T.J. Klune, Author of For Real, Bear, Otter, and the Kid, and Lightning-Struck Heart

(Un)Masked

by Anyta Sunday & Andy Gallo

Self-Published

Release Date: October 30, 2017

New Adult, LGBT, paranormal, romance, magical realism

Jay Walker has two wishes: to perform the play of his dreams alongside his best friend at Wellington’s Tory Street Theatre, and to meet that special someone. Someone he’d go to the ends of the earth for. Someone who might only exist in fairy tales. 

When Jay meets accordion busker Lethe Cross, it’s like living a dream come true. Lethe’s music captivates Jay, and he resolves to meet the man who plays so beautifully. But then he discovers Lethe’s life is more like a nightmare. The phrase “down on his luck” can’t begin to cover it. Determined to help, Jay does some snooping for answers—and winds up on the wrong end of a centuries-old curse. The good news is there’s a way to break it. The bad news is it might cost Jay his life. 

This book was previously published by Dreamspinner Press. This updated 2nd edition has some rewritten parts and has been line edited again.

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Excerpt:

Knuckles hit his cheek, forcing him to his knees.

My busker took another hit, going with the force, doing nothing to defend himself.

“What the hell is going on here?”

My voice ripped through the air, startling the older man. He stopped midpunch and twisted in my direction, a deep frown etched into his face.

“Get away from him!” I yelled, but he was already on his way, barreling down the hill.

I moved in front of my busker, who was slowly pushing himself to his feet. “Are you okay?”

He lifted his head as he rose upright. Dark green eyes met mine, and he smiled. My breath hovered a moment at seeing the blood spilling from his lip and down his chin. He pulled something from his pocket and began dabbing the spot, still staring at me as if waiting for something.

His stare seemed to reach deep inside me and pull at chords like I was an instrument. One he was curious about, though weary.

A dog’s excited bark echoed in the car park.

I glanced down to see the attacker walking away with his dog, and a sudden urge to chase the man down and hurt him flared through me.

“It’s not his fault.” The voice was light and curious, and I looked at him.

“His fists, his fault.”

My gaze flickered to the scar running through his right brow.

His smile faltered “Not always. Don’t you recognize me?”

“You played the accordion earlier. At Oriental Parade.”

He studied me, cocking his head to the side. The simple tilt made his hair fall slightly, covering half of one eye.

“Look,” I said. “I don’t want to pry, but why didn’t you block any of his punches? Why didn’t you run?”

The blood he’d wiped off left a smear on his chin. I reached in my pocket, ready to offer him the soap, when he said in a light tone, “I’ll never let him see me again. You can be sure on that.”

“Why did he do that?”

My busker shrugged. “He’s not a bad person. He lost his son.”

“That’s sad, but still no excuse.”

He stuffed his hanky back into his pocket. I watched his eyes narrow, as if he was hesitating to say something more. Then he shook his head and broadened his smile. “I’ve got to go. Maybe we’ll meet again.” He started toward the path.

“Thank you,” was the last thing he said before he dashed down the hill.

Author bios

Anyta Sunday is a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. She loves to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.

Some of her favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.

Anyta writes a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy. Her books have been translated into German, Italian and French.

Member of Romance Writers of America.

Connect with Anyta: Website | Twitter | Facebook | To receive a free e-book, sign up for Anyta’s newsletter here!

***

Andy Gallo’s stories capture how he wished he’d spent his formative years, instead of how it really happened. Unfortunately for his characters, they find themselves infused with some of Andy’s less noble qualities.

A hopeless romantic, Andy writes seated next to a hundred year old Smith Brothers typewriter he inherited from his grandfather. He also dreams of superheroes and wizards and sees no reason why two men with superpowers can’t fall in love just like everyone else. Although not all of his stories have a paranormal bent, a touch of the supernatural never derailed a good read in his mind.

Married and living his happy ever after, Andy helps others find their happy endings in the pages of his stories. He and his husband of more than twenty years spend their days rubbing elbows with other parents as they raise their daughter. Embracing his status as the gay dad, Andy sometimes has to remind others that one does want a hint of color even when chasing after their child.

Connect with Andy:  Website | Facebook

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ARC Review: The Quarterback by Mackenzie Blair

The Quarterback
by Mackenzie Blair
Published by Riptide Publishing
eARC
New Adult, LGBT, contemporary, romance

Matt Lancaster is the star quarterback at Bodine College, a small Southern Division II school with an ultra-conservative Dean of Athletics. Matt is also very much in the closet, and he thinks he’s kept his secret well hidden. Until his best friends take him to a happy endings massage parlor and request a male masseuse for him.

In walks Trevor Kim, a gorgeous, pierced, tattooed fellow Bodine student who does massages—without happy endings—to pay for school after his family kicked him out for being gay. Trevor takes one look at Matt and breaks all his own rules about mixing business with pleasure.

Matt needs to keep his scholarship, win the National Championship, and survive his asshole father. Instead, he falls in love. Trevor needs to accept that the football god is meant to end up with him rather than a perky cheerleader. It’s time for a happy ever after for both of them.

The Quarterback was heartwarming and delightful read with a dash of angst that never got too overwhelming. The best part of the story was definitely one of the main characters, Matt, because he was just so adorable and sweetheart. Matt also breaks the stereotype of dumb jock - he's majoring in environmental science, and he doesn't want to make a career out of playing football.

The main characters, Matt and Trevor, are complex and flawed, as was Matt's situation: he's deeply in closet because he's the quarterback of small southern college football team and because his father is controlling Matt's younger sisters. Matt could lose his scholarship and not see his sisters until they turn eighteen if he'd come out. It's a heavy burden for Matt, and his facade starts to crumble when he meets Trevor, who's confident, and the chemistry flares between them. Matt and Trevor are adorable together, but the problem arises because Matt is so closeted and Trevor isn't. However, the story manages to avoid the usual, huge melodrama moments. There was various fights over the issues, which mainly centered around Matt being in the closet and scared, but I loved how the fights were never dragged on. Instead they dealt with them by talking about it. Sometimes Trevor might have caved in a bit too quickly, but personally I didn't find that as a bad thing, mostly because I understood Matt's situation and how much he could lose if he'd come out.

Despite the issue of Matt being in the closet, the angst wasn't overwhelming. The story was funny and heartwarming and the relationship was steamy and adorable at the same time. The story also included moments with Matt's family and both Matt and Trevor's friends. Let me just say that Matt's father was absolutely despicable! But then there was Trevor's roommate Drew, who was so funny and nice, and his family had basically adopted Trevor and it was heartwarming.

The Quarterback was a good story, and it definitely left me with a smile. It's a sport romance without being overwhelming on the sport part, which I really liked.

4 of 5 stars

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Thank you, Riptide Publishing, for giving me a chance to read and review The Quarterback!

(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

Stacking the Shelves (66)

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and is all about sharing the book you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!
I've been binge watching CSI New York, and so I've been also getting some crime fiction to read lately.
Purchased

 

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Review: The Last Wolf by Jim Crumley

The Last Wolf
by Jim Crumley
Published by Birlinn
Paperback (purchased)
Non-fiction, natural history

In The Last Wolf, Jim Crumley explores the place of the wolf in Scotland - past, present and future - and challenges many of the myths that have been regarded for centuries as biological fact. Bringing to bear a lifetime's immersion in his native landscape and more than twenty years as a professional nature writer, Crumley questions much of the written evidence on the plight of the wolf in light of contemporary knowledge and considers the wolf in today's world, an examination that ranges from Highland Scotland to Devon and from Yellowstone in North America to Norway and Italy, as he pursues a more considered portrait of the animal than the history books have previously offered.

Within the narrative, Crumley also examines the extraordinary phenomenon of wolf reintroductions, physically transforming the landscapes in which they live that even the very colours of the land change under the influence of teeming grasses, flowers, trees, butterflies, birds, and mammals that flourish in their company. Crumley makes the case for their reintroduction into Scotland with all the passion and poetic fervour that has become the hallmark of his writing over the years. This is an elegant, erudite and imaginative account that readdresses the place of the wolf in modern Scotland.

"There can be no reliable history of the wolf. Histories, after all, are only ever written by people, and there is no species less qualified and less entitled than yours and mine to write that particular history."

Jim Crumley has a very valuable point here. The Last Wolf is gorgeous natural history of the wolves in Scotland; extinct since the eighteenth century because of humans, and reintroduction programs not going anywhere because as Crumley argued, the wolf has been painted as the enemy, the demon, since the Middle Ages. Still, Scotland's ecosystem needs wolves, because they are the top predator (which, not counting humans, Scotland's wilderness doesn't really have) to keep the red deer numbers down. And it is proven that the large herds of the red deer are not good for the ecosystem because they cause erosion. Crumley goes through all this and gives examples of Yellowstones and Norway's wolf reintroduction programs, which have been successful. As Crumley argues, Scotland's wilderness needs free, wild wolves.

I haven't really delved into natural history before, despite my keen interest in wild animals such as wolves and foxes. After reading The Last Wolf, I'm more than interested in reading some of Crumley's other books and delving into the world of natural history books more. Crumley's writing is very poetic yet simple; it's a pleasure to read. He knows how to paint a picture of the Highlands - especially Rannoch Moor - in a way that just won't leave reader alone. It's almost haunting picture of wilderness and its dwellers. Absolutely beautiful and stunning, and with such interesting topic as the history of wolf in Scotland, especially since it the presence/absence of wolves is something that has been debated over decades.

The Last Wolf is important book, and it'll without a doubt stay with me for a long time. It's one of those influential books that just make readers think, especially with such a good argumentation as Crumley presented. I do highly recommend this to anyone who is interested in the topic. 

5 of 5 stars

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Review: The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus, #2)
by Rick Riordan
Published by Penguin
Paperback (purchased)
Young Adult, fantasy, mythology, adventure

ONE CURSED DEMIGOD.
TWO NEW HEROES. A QUEST TO UNLEASH THE
GOD OF DEATH.....

Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, God of the Sea, has woken from a very deep sleep and come face to face with two snake-haired ladies who refuse to die.

But they're the least of his problems. Because Percy finds himself at a camp for half-bloods, which doesn't ring any bells for him. There's just one name he remembers from his past. Annabeth.

Only one thing is certain--Percy's questing days aren't over. He and fellow demigods Frank and Hazel must face the most important quest of all: The Prophecy of Seven. If they fail, it's not just their camp at risk. Percy's old life, the gods and the entire world might be destroyed.....

In true Riordan style, The Son of Neptune was brilliant, hilarious and full of page turning adventure and action. I loved to see Camp Jupiter, meet new characters (especially Reyna!), new gods (finally Thanatos was included!) and catch up with the old faces (I can't get enough of Nico).

Heroes of Olympus is turning out to be even more stunning than the Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Such brilliant books, I highly recommend them to everyone!

5 of 5 stars

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ARC Review: Fox Hunt by Zoe Pedita

Fox Hunt (Haven City, #10)
by Zoe Perdita
Self-published
eARC
LGBT, paranormal, romance, mystery

Edward Wilder’s life sucks. At 18, the fox shifter is homeless, trying to care for his baby sister, and since a group of hunter’s maimed him, he can’t even get a normal job. Things can’t get worse—until he witnesses a murder. Now the cops and criminals are on his ass, and he has nowhere to turn. Until Maxwell Strider shows up. Problem is, Max is a hunter, and Edward hates hunters.

Max wouldn’t take in a couple of foxes under normal circumstances. He may only hunt truly dangerous shadow folk, but that doesn’t mean he wants to open his home to a potential enemy. But he owes an old friend a favor, and Edward and the baby, Daisy, need his help.

Protecting Edward should be easy, but the fox wakes a desire Max never knew he possessed. A lust Edward seems to share—if only at night. But can he mend the hurt Edward faced in the past and earn the one thing he’s denied himself—a chance at a family—before it’s too late? 

I read the first installment of the series, Shadow Scars, few years ago and it was centered around detectives Seth and Connor, who were part of this book too. I never continued with the series until now, even though I quite liked the first book. The books in the series can be read as a standalone, so jumping from the first to last was not problematic at all.

Fox Hunt was an enjoyable story about homeless fox shifter Edward, who was all alone and taking care of his baby sister Daisy. He witnesses an assassination and get a glimpse of the assassin, and because of that he and his sister end up under the protection of an older hunter, Max. Basically, the story is about what happens when the opposites are thrown under the same room and if they can get over their distrust of each other - Edward has been tortured and mutilated by hunters before, and he hates hunters for it.

There's plenty of action and exciting moments when the assassin starts to close in and Max vows to protect Edward and Daisy from all kinds of danger. And of course, the slowly building trust and chemistry makes everything even more complicated. Daisy's absolutely adorable baby, who was hard not to love, and Edward just deserves all the happiness in the world after all the stuff he's been gone through. Max is the protective type who's all for justice and not just hunting down shifters - only those who have gone over the edge and started killing humans. There were plenty of interesting side characters, especially Sylvia from Max's hunter team, and Ari, Seth and Connor.

However, there was one problem with the story; it was way too short. I felt that there wasn't enough pages to cover the story and develop the characters and their relationships. It was a good story, but the ending was rushed: a long build up throughout the story but only one short chapter to wrap it up. Overall the story was a bit too fast paced to deepen and develop properly Edward and Max's budding relationship. The story would have been really good if it had been longer and thus reserved more space for character and relationship development, and yeah, it would have been nice to read more about Edward and Max.

So, if you're yearning for quick paranormal romance with likable characters, I'd recommend Fox Hunt for you.

3 of 5 stars

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(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

ARC Review: Cover Up by L.A. Witt

Cover Up (Skin Deep Inc., #3)
by L.A. Witt
Published by St Martin's Press
eARC
LGBT, contemporary, romance

After ten years of blissful marriage, Navy Pilot Nate Chandler is divorcing his cheating husband. Single for the first time in years, Nate is numb to all emotion and kisses any chance of another relationship goodbye.

Not only is Nate struggling to get through this divorce, but his body is branded with a permanent reminder of his failed marriage: a matching tattoo with his ex. Searching for a place to cover up his old tattoo, Nate finds himself at the Skin Deep, Inc., where he meets the young and charming cover-up tattoo apprentice, Lucas Brandt.

From just flirty glances to steamy hot encounters, Nate and Lucas dive headfirst into a fling of hookups. But worried that he’ll forever be Nate’s “cover up” rebound relationship, Lucas fears that their love won’t be anything more than just skin deep. What was once just a casual attraction, Lucas now hopes to turn into a real relationship. But will he be able to convince the still tender-hearted Nate to fall in love again?

Cover Up starts with Nate leaving a divorce settlement meeting as he's going through a divorce because his husband cheated on him. He's angry and he wants to get rid off everything that reminds him of his ex - including a tiger tattoo, which he got a matching ones with his ex. That leads Nate to meet Lucas, who's tattoo artists specializing in cover ups. It's instant lust between the two of them, and they decide to hook up. Everything seems to be perfect between them, because they both love how hot the sex between them is, and Lucas has gone through divorce twice already so he understands it's just a rebound for Nate, and he's okay with that. Their chemistry flares up and they end up being friends with benefits because they enjoy each other's company on and off bed.

Both Lucas and Nate were likable characters. Nate's a little bit lost and avoiding his feelings of grief from the divorce, but he's also funny and gentle. Lucas's struggling with confidence issues because he screwed up a tattoo not long ago, and he works three jobs just to pay off student loans. Life certainly didn't seem too easy for them, and I rooted for them. Other characters were quite likable too, well, everyone else but Nate's ex-husband but he was mostly off page.

However, there were quite some problems I had with the story. Mostly it comes down to excessive sex scenes - there were so many of them and so frequently that the story seemed to drag on, especially since there wasn't much anything else going on. There weren't many scenes were Nate and Lucas spend time separately (and even if they did, they were certainly thinking about each other). There just wasn't much plot to go on, and not much character development until the last few chapters. Quite honestly, the story felt really long even if it wasn't, and I did skim read some of the sex scenes because there wasn't anything new for the overall storyline. I wished more interaction with secondary characters and more activities that had nothing to do with sex - I would have liked to see more tattooing or army training as Nate was a Navy Pilot. There was plenty of potential to extent the story to cover more than just Nate and Lucas together, and it would have fleshed out the story more.

Cover Up was a nice story with a happily ever after, but it wasn't something that blew my mind and it ended up just scratching the surface of the potential the story could have reached. So if you're looking for something relatively light with some angst looming on the background and plenty of sex scenes, then I'd recommend Cover Up for you.

3 of 5 stars

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Thank you, St Martin's Press, for giving me a chance to read and review Cover Up!

(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

ARC Review: Sightlines by Santino Hassell

Sightlines (The Community, #3)
by Santino Hassell
Published by Riptide Publishing
eARC
LGBT, paranormal, romance

Chase Payne is a walking contradiction. He's the most powerful psychic in the Community, but the least respected. He's the son of the Community's founder, but with his tattoo sleeves and abrasive attitude, he's nothing like his charismatic family. No one knows what to make of him, which is how he wound up locked in a cell on the Farm yet again. But this time, the only man he's ever loved is there too.

Elijah Estrella was used to being the sassy sidekick who fooled around with Chase for fun. But that was before he realized the Community wasn't the haven he'd believed in and Chase was the only person who'd ever truly tried to protect him. Now they're surrounded by people who want to turn them against their friends, and the only way out is to pretend the brainwashing works.

With Chase playing the role of a tyrant's second-in-command, and Elijah acting like Chase's mindless sex toy, they risk everything by plotting a daring escape. In the end, it’s only their psychic abilities, fueled by their growing love for each other, that will allow them to take the Community down once and for all.

Chase intrigued me right from the beginning in Insight, and I was so glad he finally got his own story - especially since it seemed that life always dealt him the worst cards. Chase was the labeled troublemaker; described as difficult, smart mouth and bad ass by others. In truth, he was tortured since childhood and always an afterthought even though he is the most talented psychic that was known. Chase, if anyone, was the underdog of the series, and I loved to see him in the spotlight and get to see inside his head. Especially since he turned out to be a vulnerable bad ass who didn't think he was worth the love of those who he loved. I couldn't help but to fall for him.

The romance part was left a little bit on the background because of all the suspense and mysteries, but there was enough of it. Especially since some of Chase and Elijah's story have been going through the whole series. There was definitely chemistry between them, and it was great to see how devoted Chase was to Elijah even though he tried to pretend that Elijah didn't hold the key to his heart. Just so adorable!

Holden, Chase's half-brother, was the idealistic one who didn't know what Richard and Jasper, who run the Farm and the Community, were up to. Chase knew a lot from the very beginning but even he didn't know everything. The mystery behind the organisation and those who run it, the very mystery which started from the first book in the series, finally folded in Sightlines. And what a ride the book was! Truly an edge of your seat material; I couldn't stop reading because the questions were being answered while new secrets were revealed - and of course I had to know if all my favourite characters were going to made it to the end. I loved how the whole crew was finally back together as Chase's path crossed with Nate, Trent, Holden and Six.

Sightlines was a stunning end for the Community series. My only complain is that I would have liked more! I still need more of this world! I'll keep fingers crossed that Hassell will visit this world in the future. I highly recommend the whole series to everyone interested, because it's truly well written and there's everything: romance, mysteries, suspense and plot with so many twists. And of course, great and lovable characters!

5 of 5 stars

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(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

Release Day Blitz + Giveaway: Sightlines by Santino Hassell

Sightlines (The Community, #3)
by Santino Hassell
Published by Riptide Publishing
Release day: October 9th 2017
LGBT, paranormal, romantic suspense

Chase Payne is a walking contradiction. He's the most powerful psychic in the Community, but the least respected. He's the son of the Community's founder, but with his tattoo sleeves and abrasive attitude, he's nothing like his charismatic family. No one knows what to make of him, which is how he wound up locked in a cell on the Farm yet again. But this time, the only man he's ever loved is there too. 

Elijah Estrella was used to being the sassy sidekick who fooled around with Chase for fun. But that was before he realized the Community wasn't the haven he'd believed in and Chase was the only person who'd ever truly tried to protect him. Now they're surrounded by people who want to turn them against their friends, and the only way out is to pretend the brainwashing works. 

With Chase playing the role of a tyrant's second-in-command, and Elijah acting like Chase's mindless sex toy, they risk everything by plotting a daring escape. In the end, it’s only their psychic abilities, fueled by their growing love for each other, that will allow them to take the Community down once and for all.

Get your copy;

Riptide Publishing

Amazon

Quotes from Santino about the book:

“Chase is one of the most vulnerable bad asses I’ve ever written.” 

“Chase is one of those heroes who thinks no one reasonable would ever be in love with him, and anyone who claims to be is probably lying.”

Excerpt

Chase opened his eyes and slid his hand away from Elijah’s face. Slowly, he raised it to touch his own cheek, and was amazed to find it damp. Elijah’s tears had become his tears. All that pain and hopelessness. The fear and all those building doubts at the end . . . had become his own.

He inhaled slowly, surprised when it shuddered audibly, and tried to take deep calming breaths. All the while, he stared down at Elijah. The pinched brow and dark circles. How exhausted and thin he was.

If Chase compared the torture he’d endured for his entire childhood, the mind games they’d played with Elijah might look like nothing. But that was wrong. The ability to turn someone as strong, as durable, as Elijah into a mess of self-doubt and guilt, actual fucking guilt, was incredible.

For the first time, Chase doubted his own self-assurance that Elijah would make it through this. The fear welling in Elijah’s chest became his own, and it drove Chase to lean down and brush his lips against Elijah’s temple. Then across each closed eye, the tip of his nose, and then his mouth.

Elijah made another soft sound, but he sighed through the kiss.

“Chase . . .”

Chase started to pull away, but Elijah’s hand shot up to hold him in place. There was strength in that grip that should have been impossible given the past two weeks, but Elijah’s fingers dug into him hard enough to cause pain. A desperate clawing grip that sent chills down Chase’s spine.

“Is this real?” Elijah whispered, his eyes cracking open. Only a glint of damp light-brown showed beneath his feathery lashes. “Are you really here this time?”

Chase’s relief was so powerful that a lump swelled in his throat. He tried to clear it, but it still came out shaky. “I’m here.”

Elijah opened his eyes wider, a trembling smile growing on his face. “Did I do good?”

The burning behind Chase’s eyes meant fucking nothing. He wasn’t going to cry. He wasn’t going to let Elijah see him break. He wasn’t.

“You did fucking perfect, baby.”

Author bio

Santino Hassell was raised by a conservative family but grew up to be a smart-mouthed, school cutting grunge kid, a transient twenty-something, and eventually transformed into a grumpy introvert and unlikely romance author with an affinity for baseball caps. His novels are heavily influenced by the gritty, urban landscape of New York City, and his desire to write relationships fueled by intensity and passion.

He’s been a finalist in both the Bisexual Book Awards and the EPIC Awards, and was nominated for a prestigious RITA award in 2017. His work has been featured in BuzzFeed, Huffington Post, Washington Post, RT Magazine, and Cosmopolitan Magazine.

Connect with Santino: Website | Twitter | Instagram | FB Group | FB | GR | Tumblr

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Stacking the Shelves (65)

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and is all about sharing the book you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!
Purchased

  

Review Copies