Thursday, April 11, 2013

Gambling On The Unknown and Galactic Breeders





When buying a book by an author I know and love the purchase comes easy. Usually, like most people, I'm excited about the release and salivating for my chance to sit down and read it. Gambling on an unknown author is much more difficult to do. There is a chance the book may suck and I personally NEVER ask for a refund. EVER. 

There is actually a petition you can sign stating e-book publishers like Amazon shouldn't be allowed to give a refund after a person has owned the e-book for seven days. So, if you purchased by accident you have seven days to make sure it's returned. 

I think this is extremely reasonable, but I tend to side with the authors. I love to read. I want them to make money so that they keep writing and I can keep reading. (If you agree please sign the petition that will be waiting for you at the bottom of the post.)

 I will admit that I have my go-to authors and I am subject to hype. I'll check out books that are extremely popular and or getting a lot of buzz. Quite often I read the hype books and end up just not that into them.

Years ago I branched out and started buying more and more of the unknown authors. Even before I started mainly buying e-books I had begun reading lesser known and indie or self published authors.

I remember digging through the clearance bin at Books-A-Million and finding Catherine Spangler's Sheilder for a dollar. This is a sci-fi romance that kicks off her Shielder series, a series that I couldn't get enough of. These are bodice ripping sci-fis that are a blast to read. I had to search high and low in order to obtain them all but it was worth the hunt. 

Those books stay in my 'In Case of Apocalypse' chest, so that I may take them with me into the wild to read again and again, harpooning anyone who tries to steal them with my (what I assume will be) homemade spear.

Catherine Spangler's newer books can be found in e-book but I really wish she would upload her Shielder series. That remains one of my all time favorite sci-fi romance series.

Now I read unknowns almost exclusively and I've found some of my favorite sci-fi romance and sci-fi erotic authors this way. Let's face it, sci-fi romance, and erotic sci-fi haven't exactly ever been main stream. I don't think sci-fi in general has ever been main stream. 

Good news is girl geeks are on the rise and so are the number of rocking sci-fi romances and erotica.

Everyone knows I adore Tracy St. John, if you're new to me, I adore Tracy St. John. I'm in love with her alien series Clans of Kalquor. I'm pretty serious about it. I have fan t-shirts and shit. I love other books and series but I have an emotional attachment to everything Kalquor.

I stumbled upon her quite by chance and it was her controversial reviews that attracted me to trying her books. She is known for her boundary pushing sex scenes. Her last book Alien Refuge, is quite tame and has a very romantic tone, which is controversial in it's own right.

Normally romance doesn't have three heroes and butt sex. (it really should though)

Tracy rocked the romance, and it totally fit this particular story. Although completely unexpected it was a great book. The fans that have been pushing for more gentle consideration from the Kalquorians, were ecstatic and it shows in the reviews.  

I loved Alien Refuge, but I would be lying if I said I wouldn't be a little heart broken if that was the direction she were going for the rest of her series. I know she has warned us FoKs that Sister Katherine's book is going to be tame but, that's just two out of many. I doubt she would go tame for all the books she has planned...She wouldn't, right?

Just in case, Tracy, my naughty files are always open for your perusal. I would be happy to send you daily pornspiration. I have a tastefully graphic collection. 

I'm at your service. Just let me know.

Another sci-fi lady I'd like to mention is Kiersten Fay. A few months ago I grabbed up a freebie on Amazon by Kiersten Fay named Demon Possession (book one Shadow Quest). I almost didn't get it. I'm not a paranormal fantasy girl and with a title like Demon Possession what else was I to think?

Color me surprised when I discovered it's a sci-fi romance. There are paranormal fantasy elements but not even close to the amount other sci-fi romance and erotic writers are sneaking in these days.

Her Shadow Quest series is a can't miss for sci-fi romance readers. And they are 120% romance.

Goodreads (I'm not a fan) have these under a few categories including erotic. FYI, If I bought these thinking they were erotic books I would be a little pissed. I think Goodreads needs to look up the definition of erotic. Her next book, the fourth and I believe the last in the series, Demon Untamed is something I look forward to.

Kiersten Fay describes herself as a paranormal romance writer with a little sci-fi thrown in. I beg to differ. Maybe she's trying to appeal to a bigger reading audience. She does seem to have quite a few paranormal reviewers that claim to have enjoyed her 'sci-fi'. Maybe she's in denial. Either way, these are excellent books.

* * * *


The book I really want to talk about, Kaden's Breeder (Book One Galactic Breeders) by Emma Paul, can not be confused for anything other than an unknown sci-fi erotica. I'm super excited about this book and eagerly anticipate the next book in the series. I hope it's as good as the first.

Before I talk about this book let me say, I've had readers ED for about two weeks now. I've just not been in the mood to read. Everything I do read I've been pissy about, mental ripping these books to shreds in my mind.

I honestly went into this book with a few prejudices and I was prepared not to like it. Emma Paul's other books are paranormal and fantasy. Although this is the first book in a sci-fi series it's her only sci-fi. I expected it to be a menagerie of paranormal fantasy dressed up as a sci-fi at best. I couldn't have been more wrong. 

You may be wondering why I bought this book feeling this way.


Well, the heroine is abducted by aliens and I'm seriously a sucker for Stockholm Syndrome love stories. Plus the one and only review she has for this book is five stars and says some stuff about dreadlocks that is right up my alley. I was intrigued.

Picture him, super tall, super built and skin the color of his eyes. Oh yeah, and those dreadlocks are actually silky smooth tentacles about a pencil width round. Kaden.

I sat down to read this book and barely came up for air. I read it so quickly and enjoyed it so thoroughly I wasn't sure if I had imagined how good it was so I read it again. Yep, this book rocked my socks off.

Kaden's Breeder (Book One Galactic Breeders) By Emma Paul

Carina is lying in bed in her condo when a humming followed by a scanning red light flashes outside her bedroom window. All of a sudden she's being pulled into a ship.

The Mantra, big multi legged strange bug like aliens, are collecting breeders for their Tri Galaxy area. Breeders are optimally fertile humanoid women that are capable of interbreeding with other species. They are collected from planets in the Galactic Governing Council.

Earth isn't in a solar system even close to a galaxy in the Galactic Governing Council, so it's very unexpected when Carina finds herself on board a ship being prepared as a breeder. It's even more disconcerting when she finds herself on a strange planet called Yor, running from a hundred horny men of questionable species, participating in the Mating Hunt.

Kaden is a Dreg, a species made completely of men that depend on breeders for the survival of their race. He has been waiting to participate in the Mating Hunt for twelve long years. As soon as he sees Carina, he knows she is the one. Unfortunately as soon as he tracks her down he finds out that the Mantra have made a mistake. 

She wasn't meant to be delivered to Yor. She was abducted illegally to be used for nefarious alien reasons worthy of a freaky sci-fi movie featuring Sigourney Weaver.

The Trellian slavers, the Grubs and the Mantras are all after her. Carina doesn't know any of this. All she knows is that she's been labeled a breeder, mated to a greenish hunk of a sexy man with hair that seems to have it's own muscular structure, and she's way more okay with her situation than she should be.

While she's mentally warring with her predicament, and having deliciously wicked sex with her alien Kaden, he's fighting a war of his own trying to find a way to keep his breeder.

That's the quick run down, but there is so much more to this book that I don't want to get into and ruin for the reader.

 Kaden's Breeder is a fast paced read that kept me on the edge of my seat in all the places it was supposed to. The plot is well done and doesn't once taper off. This is a smoking hot read but not a BDSM.

On Amazon in the description it says 'a BDSM twist'. I finished the book before realizing there isn't even a hint of BDSM anywhere in this book. So, just an FYI. I loved it just the way it was, but no BDSM.

I will say there are a few typos that can be forgiven in lieu of such a great story. I only mention them because there are some very noticeable ones in the first chapter sample I downloaded and that could reader block the less tolerant reader. They shouldn't stop anyone from enjoying this book.

Emma Paul brings to life a well thought out alternate universe. I was completely drawn in and could clearly see all the different alien races, strange vegetation and existence on Yor. I'm glad I took a gamble on the unknown, typos and all. Kaden's Breeder was a marvelous find. 
This book is 159 pages

Warning: This book contains graphic sex with the use of alien attributes and the depiction of m/m sex that does not involve the hero. <----p.s. That little bit of m/m was hot. Wouldn't mind seeing more of that with a future hero. Just saying. ; )

I loved all the characters and I'm really looking forward to Corbin's Captive (Book Two Galactic Breeder).

Thank You Emma Paul!

You can find more on Emma Paul @ www.emmapaulwrites.blogspot.com


Kiersten Fay @ www.kierstenfay.com

Tracy St. John @ www.tracystjohn.blogspot.com

7 comments:

  1. Just wanted you to know that I really enjoy your blog posts. Most of the authors you mention, I've already found but you usually have 1 or 2 that I want to try. So I thank you for the increased reading material, my wallet not so much.

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    1. I'm so glad to hear my posts are being enjoyed! I can sympathize. The longer my TBR list is, the lighter my wallet.

      At least with the Kindle I can be in denial about having sixty books to read and still buying more.

      Someone somewhere was going to start a support group for reading addiction but they got sucked into a really good book. :)

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  2. I think it's wonderful that you took the time to blog about new authors you've discovered. There are so many worth "reading."

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    1. Thank you, I'm discovering new authors everyday. I always like to share when I find a book or series I really enjoy.

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  3. Thankyou soooo much! I'm truly happy you enjoyed Kaden's Breeder. And yes, There will be more M/M action in future books. In fact Corbin has an encounter....wink, before he meets Yani...

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    1. You are soooo welcome! ;D I was already looking forward to Corbin's Captive before, now I'm be salivating in anticipation! I'm waiting with bells on for that one!

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