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Covalent Bonds
Covalent bonds aren’t just about atoms sharing electron pairs anymore—it’s about the electricity that happens when you pair two geeks together. This anthology celebrates geeks of all kinds (enthusiasts, be it for comics, Dr. Who, movies, gaming, computers, or even grammar), and allows them to step out of their traditional supporting roles and into the shoes of the romantic lead. Forget the old stereotypes: geeks are sexy.
Featuring nine stories ranging from sweet to hot, by authors G.G. Andrew, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Tellulah Darling, Mara Malins, Jeremiah Murphy, Marie Piper, Charlotte M. Ray, Wendy Sparrow, and Cori Vidae, Covalent Bonds is a chance for geeks get their noses out of the books, and instead to be the book.
Featuring nine stories ranging from sweet to hot, by authors G.G. Andrew, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Tellulah Darling, Mara Malins, Jeremiah Murphy, Marie Piper, Charlotte M. Ray, Wendy Sparrow, and Cori Vidae, Covalent Bonds is a chance for geeks get their noses out of the books, and instead to be the book.
316 pages, Paperback
Published February 14, 2017
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November 6, 2016
ARC Review - Release Date: Feb. 14, 2016 by World Weaver Press (It's Valentine's Day - isn't that just the cutest?)
Okay, this was my first ARC review, so excuse me, until the squeals of joy die down. I know, I know, not very grown-up, but there's something just so epic about being able to read something before the due date. I feel so official - even though it came down to super mega luck on a Goodreads giveaway. Thank you, Trysh Thompson, for making my bookfangirl dreams come true!
This was one of the books in my aimless stalking of Goodreads giveaways. Anything that has a cover with a man in sexy librarian glasses will always catch my eye, and when I saw the word, "nerd-hot" I may had a moment of uncontrollable arm flailing. Recently, I have definitely been into the "nerd guy" books that have been coming out in both YA and regular adult contemp, so a whole anthology of cute little nerd-hot guys? That was a definite sign-me-right-the-heck-on-up!
And like magic, I somehow won it. And then the reality set in.
I had never made it through any kind of anthology. I hadn't made it through Slasher Girls and Monster Boys (although that my a creation of my own mess), any of the recent Stephanie Perkins adorable books, The Dubliners by James Joyce (although old man wanting to spank people did me right in), and the poor Wild Irish Woman book who has been sitting on my Goodreads shelf for about six months now.
How in the galaxy far, far away would I make it through these nerd-hot stories when I couldn't even finish stories about badass Irish women?
Well, enter in 9 incredibly talented authors and the interesting and unique stories they created. In a surprise turn of events, I enjoyed every single one of them. I know, I know, there usually is that one that just falls down the rabbit hole but this anthology had 9 stories that captivated me all the same. There were a few that I liked less than the others, but I still liked them and never said, "Oh, lemme finish this one super quick so I can read the next one."
What also really surprised me was I had a hard time picking a favorite. I would often sit there and go, "OH, this is the one I'm going to put in my review as my favorite! Make sure to remember the title correctly, Mandy!" and then by the next story, I was telling myself the same exact thing over again. I ended up with not one favorite but a couple that could have taken the geekiest love story prize from this anthology. I will just give you my top two.
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae
Although I think this was the shortest of the short stories, it was one of the peak stories for me. It was so ridiculously cute, and even though it was not more than 15 pages, I really felt personally involved with the characters. It was a little story about two Dungeons and Dragons players (I've never actually played and not knowing much about it, I was still able to get into the story), and our lovely heroine, Hallie, decides to use it to try to make her move on her best friend, Terrance. Will she succeed? I didn't even care if she did, because this story was just so very cute and romantic. Definitely a must read from this book!
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins
This is one of the longer stories in the book, which really allowed us to connect to the characters more and have that delicious enemies to lover angst. Emily has an embargo against dating nerds - and her new boss, Jack, is one of the biggest ones out there. When they're forced to go into a work trip together, will all their hate and angst perhaps turn into something more?
I really loved Emily, and I thought her character was very nicely developed, which can be a super struggle for an author to do in a short story. I felt her reservations were warranted, and I loved all of her interactions with Jack. This is one of the spicier stories, but the chemistry between these two were off the charts. I loved it, and the trope - although always overused - was done beautifully in this! Definitely this and Critical Hit are reason enough to read this book.
The Hacked Match (two hackers that meet under false pretenses and create a a bit of a love bargain) by Wendy Sparrow, Issues (Comic-Con convention where two enemies meet but instead of trading insults...will they trade more?) by Jeremiah Murphy, Spoilers (guy meets girl...girl spoils movie for guy...will guy and girl fall in love with a camp horror movie backdrop?) by Marie Piper, Better than Chocolate (former geek girl meets former bad buy...perhaps they more in common than they think) by Tellulah Darling, and Girl Meets Grammarian (will a poet learn more about diagramming from hot grammar professor or perhaps more about love?) by G.G. Andrew are all very good stories as well. I enjoyed them, but they didn't resonate with me as much as the first two did.
Now, you're probably sitting there going, why, she's only mentioned 7 but she said there was 9. Don't worry - it's not my math skills, although they are pretty shoddy at times. There were two that were perhaps the weakest for me, and it wasn't really their fault.
The first was Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray. I am not a gamer - at all. I wouldn't even do the Wii no matter how much my father would beg me when I was younger. Therefore, I just didn't get a lot of what was going on in this story. I didn't know what they were doing half the time, and the lingo went way above my poor little geek head. I would have liked a bit more explanation on some stuff. The romance was cute and I totally shipped Trent and Addie hard, but it was just tough to understand much of what they were doing when they weren't feeling the feels or flirting.
The other one was Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh. This one did involve gaming again, and while it didn't have the same issue as much as the first one I mentioned, I couldn't really get into this one as much because I felt that it was less on the romance, more focused on the storyline. A lot of things happened in it, which was good, since it had an interesting story arc, but all of these elements kind of made the romance dwindle a bit. I couldn't even remember if they got together by the end of it, lol. It was a good story, but I just expected a bit more of romance when I'm reading a romance anthology.
Overall, this is definitely the best anthology I've ever read- shhhh...not because it's the only anthology I've ever fully followed through with. It had fantastic writing, great characters, shippable and lovable romances, and stories you would want to read on their own. I definitely would look out for all of the writers' work in the future, and I was surprised to see that so many of them didn't have much work published before this. They are definitely all very talented, and this anthology is a must for any geek, nerd, or in-betweener out there! And don't worry if you're not any of those, because only as a moderate geek lover, I managed to get through it mostly okay - if you don't count a major craving for a hot nerd guy in my life.
Definitely five stars and thanks again for sending me an ARC!
Make sure to pick it up Valentine's Day 2017!
Check out more of my reviews:
https://bookprincessreviews.wordpress.com/
Okay, this was my first ARC review, so excuse me, until the squeals of joy die down. I know, I know, not very grown-up, but there's something just so epic about being able to read something before the due date. I feel so official - even though it came down to super mega luck on a Goodreads giveaway. Thank you, Trysh Thompson, for making my bookfangirl dreams come true!
This was one of the books in my aimless stalking of Goodreads giveaways. Anything that has a cover with a man in sexy librarian glasses will always catch my eye, and when I saw the word, "nerd-hot" I may had a moment of uncontrollable arm flailing. Recently, I have definitely been into the "nerd guy" books that have been coming out in both YA and regular adult contemp, so a whole anthology of cute little nerd-hot guys? That was a definite sign-me-right-the-heck-on-up!
And like magic, I somehow won it. And then the reality set in.
I had never made it through any kind of anthology. I hadn't made it through Slasher Girls and Monster Boys (although that my a creation of my own mess), any of the recent Stephanie Perkins adorable books, The Dubliners by James Joyce (although old man wanting to spank people did me right in), and the poor Wild Irish Woman book who has been sitting on my Goodreads shelf for about six months now.
How in the galaxy far, far away would I make it through these nerd-hot stories when I couldn't even finish stories about badass Irish women?
Well, enter in 9 incredibly talented authors and the interesting and unique stories they created. In a surprise turn of events, I enjoyed every single one of them. I know, I know, there usually is that one that just falls down the rabbit hole but this anthology had 9 stories that captivated me all the same. There were a few that I liked less than the others, but I still liked them and never said, "Oh, lemme finish this one super quick so I can read the next one."
What also really surprised me was I had a hard time picking a favorite. I would often sit there and go, "OH, this is the one I'm going to put in my review as my favorite! Make sure to remember the title correctly, Mandy!" and then by the next story, I was telling myself the same exact thing over again. I ended up with not one favorite but a couple that could have taken the geekiest love story prize from this anthology. I will just give you my top two.
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae
Although I think this was the shortest of the short stories, it was one of the peak stories for me. It was so ridiculously cute, and even though it was not more than 15 pages, I really felt personally involved with the characters. It was a little story about two Dungeons and Dragons players (I've never actually played and not knowing much about it, I was still able to get into the story), and our lovely heroine, Hallie, decides to use it to try to make her move on her best friend, Terrance. Will she succeed? I didn't even care if she did, because this story was just so very cute and romantic. Definitely a must read from this book!
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins
This is one of the longer stories in the book, which really allowed us to connect to the characters more and have that delicious enemies to lover angst. Emily has an embargo against dating nerds - and her new boss, Jack, is one of the biggest ones out there. When they're forced to go into a work trip together, will all their hate and angst perhaps turn into something more?
I really loved Emily, and I thought her character was very nicely developed, which can be a super struggle for an author to do in a short story. I felt her reservations were warranted, and I loved all of her interactions with Jack. This is one of the spicier stories, but the chemistry between these two were off the charts. I loved it, and the trope - although always overused - was done beautifully in this! Definitely this and Critical Hit are reason enough to read this book.
The Hacked Match (two hackers that meet under false pretenses and create a a bit of a love bargain) by Wendy Sparrow, Issues (Comic-Con convention where two enemies meet but instead of trading insults...will they trade more?) by Jeremiah Murphy, Spoilers (guy meets girl...girl spoils movie for guy...will guy and girl fall in love with a camp horror movie backdrop?) by Marie Piper, Better than Chocolate (former geek girl meets former bad buy...perhaps they more in common than they think) by Tellulah Darling, and Girl Meets Grammarian (will a poet learn more about diagramming from hot grammar professor or perhaps more about love?) by G.G. Andrew are all very good stories as well. I enjoyed them, but they didn't resonate with me as much as the first two did.
Now, you're probably sitting there going, why, she's only mentioned 7 but she said there was 9. Don't worry - it's not my math skills, although they are pretty shoddy at times. There were two that were perhaps the weakest for me, and it wasn't really their fault.
The first was Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray. I am not a gamer - at all. I wouldn't even do the Wii no matter how much my father would beg me when I was younger. Therefore, I just didn't get a lot of what was going on in this story. I didn't know what they were doing half the time, and the lingo went way above my poor little geek head. I would have liked a bit more explanation on some stuff. The romance was cute and I totally shipped Trent and Addie hard, but it was just tough to understand much of what they were doing when they weren't feeling the feels or flirting.
The other one was Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh. This one did involve gaming again, and while it didn't have the same issue as much as the first one I mentioned, I couldn't really get into this one as much because I felt that it was less on the romance, more focused on the storyline. A lot of things happened in it, which was good, since it had an interesting story arc, but all of these elements kind of made the romance dwindle a bit. I couldn't even remember if they got together by the end of it, lol. It was a good story, but I just expected a bit more of romance when I'm reading a romance anthology.
Overall, this is definitely the best anthology I've ever read- shhhh...not because it's the only anthology I've ever fully followed through with. It had fantastic writing, great characters, shippable and lovable romances, and stories you would want to read on their own. I definitely would look out for all of the writers' work in the future, and I was surprised to see that so many of them didn't have much work published before this. They are definitely all very talented, and this anthology is a must for any geek, nerd, or in-betweener out there! And don't worry if you're not any of those, because only as a moderate geek lover, I managed to get through it mostly okay - if you don't count a major craving for a hot nerd guy in my life.
Definitely five stars and thanks again for sending me an ARC!
Make sure to pick it up Valentine's Day 2017!
Check out more of my reviews:
https://bookprincessreviews.wordpress.com/
December 15, 2017
A wonderfully smart and sexy anthology! I especially loved G.G. Andrew's 'Girl Meets Grammarian.' Who knew that sentence diagramming could be so sensual?
March 5, 2017
4 Stars
“Covalent Bonds aren’t just about Atoms sharing electron pairs anymore- it’s about the electricity that happens when you pair two geeks together. This anthology celebrates geeks of all kinds (enthusiasts, be it for comics, Dr. Who, movies, gaming. Computers, or even grammar), and allows them to step out of their traditional supporting roles and into the shoes of the romantic lead. Forget the old stereotypes: geeks are sexy”.
Covalent Bonds is the third book in the Red Moon Anthologies series and is made up of 9 short stories- all from different authors. All the stories are wonderfully different and each is individual to the author- but they all have the common thread, that follows nerds/geeks and their romantic and/or sexy antics. I really recommend that you dive right into this incredibly entertaining book and enjoy all the geeky and nerdy goodness.
The Hacked Match By: Wendy Sparrow
Aubrey Lawrence is a FBI analyst who’s thrown completely out of her element when her boss sends her on a mission that takes her out of the office and into the field. Her mission is to attend a cyber security conference where retired hacker turned businessman and cyber security expert, Seth Lawrence will be a guest speaker- She has to convince him to help the government hack into a network belonging to a weapons manufacturer. This won’t be an easy task, as it was the FBI who were responsible for his conviction 10 years earlier. Her advantage is she is just his type- smart, shy and sexy. Things aren’t exactly as they seem. Will she be able to gain his trust and convince him or will her mission be an absolute failure.
This is a really fantastic story that has a lot happening in a short space. It is really well written and the author has done a wonderful job of blending all the various elements of this story into a really riveting read. There’s drama, action, a little suspense, romance and lots of swoony sexy antics. I really wanted more and can’t wait to read more from this author.
Issues By: Jeremiah Murphy
Emma moved to New York in the hope of becoming a comic book artist. It’s her passion and she can’t see herself doing anything else. She is attending a comic book convention to not only showcase her work, but she is trying to hunt down the missing comic book for her collection- as well as enjoying the atmosphere and company of likeminded people. So when she finds her annoying neighbour Max is also there, she is not impressed. Emma does everything she can to avoid him for the rest of the day, but they seem to keep running into each other and the sparks are flying. Will she make an unexpected connection? Will she find what she’s looking for?
This is a super short story that didn’t make a lot of sense to me to begin with, but by the end it all came together. It is an interesting, funny and sweet story with a touch of sexy.
Addie-cted By: Charlotte M. Ray
Addie runs a live streaming game chat/show. It is her passion as well as her business. On the eve of a marathon weekend of gaming play and organised raids- one of her most important team members has major computer problems that will put him out of the game. As this would jeopardise the whole weekend, Addie invites him to come to her place to use her desktop PC, while she uses the laptop.
Addie is a bit of a loner, not venturing out much and doesn’t have many friends in the real world. So this is a new experience for her and she is both anxious and excited. When Trent arrives she can’t believe how Hot he is, and has trouble concentrating on the gaming. This is going to be an interesting weekend. What happens when her secret is revealed? Will these two find they have more in common than just the game?
A very quick, easy read. The story is super sweet and the characters were delightful. This is a lovely, touching story with a wonderful message.
Spoilers By: Marie Piper
Mike is a camp horror movie buff who meets Aliesha in line at the grocery store while buying movie snacks. Neither knows that the other is attending the same 80’s horror classic, but they end up in a conversation where they find they have a lot more in common than it may have first appeared. Will attending the same movie bring them more than they bargained for?
This is a really short story that has a wonderful message about ‘not judging a book by its cover’. Aliesha and Mike are adorable and were a perfect match. A clever story that has left me wanting more.
Rogue Trip By: Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Adam is a gaming writer on the verge of making it big. Cassandra is a gamer who also volunteers at a hospital where she works with sick kids. These two are about to have their world collide in a major way, when they both have missions that have go seriously awry. The only way to solve both their dilemmas is an anxious race against the clock, a cross-country road trip where they will not only have to share the driving, but as they aren’t each other’s favourite person- they’ll have to put up with each other as well.
So ensues a story of Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Turning point and Acceptance.
The story was entertaining, but I did have a lot of questions and was left wondering right up until the end. The author did manage to tie up the story well in the end, although the ending did seem a little rushed.
Critical Hit By: Cori Vidae
Hallie is shy and unsure of herself, she’s has had a crush on Terrance for months but hasn’t had the courage to do anything about it. Can Hallie find the bravery she needs to express her feelings through a very flirty game of Dungeons and Dragons? Will her gaming bravado follow her back into real life? What does Terrance think/feel?
“She was distracted. His leg was still touching hers beneath the table. Was it because he hadn’t noticed, or did it mean something else? And if it meant something else, what? Did he like her the same way she liked him, or was he just oblivious to her because he thought of her as only a friend?”….
“The idea of having him control her, even in a D & D session, was enough to make heat flood her belly…..”
The story is cute and well written. It is a quick, easy read that flows well and has a great pace.
Classification of Nerd By: Marla Malins
Emily works for a gaming company called Tester.com, the best computer game testing company in the United Kingdom. “She knew the work would be mostly tedious and repetitive but the lure of testing games pre-release was so thrilling that she had taken a pay cut to join the company.” But since joining the company, her boss Jack has been almost unbearable- awkward, stubborn, bossy, rude and downright unpleasant. So when they are both sent on a work trip and end up having to share the same room due to a booking mix up, things get very interesting. Will she discover why Jack acts the way he does? Can Emily get over her trust and control issues long enough to discover what she needs may be right in front of her? What is the classification of Nerd?
This is a really erotic, well written, witty and entertaining story. I was engrossed in it from the first page until the last. I can’t wait to read more from Ms. Malins.
Better than Chocolate By: Tellulah Darling
Sadie has had a night from hell and just wants to drown her sorrows with chocolate. Nic Rossi has also had a pretty horrendous time and is at the same store as Sadie. So when the two clash over the last bag of sweet goodness, sparks fly. The two went to school together, but never ran in the same circles as the other- they had some of the same classes though and she always thought he was arrogant, getting what he wanted either through charm or intimidation. He thought she was a mouthy know-it-all. They haven’t seen each other since graduation a year ago and here they are having a run in over a bag of chocolate.
Will the two bond over their awfully bad night? Can they put aside their judgemental attitudes and really see the other for who they are? Will they turn things around and make this a night to remember for all the right reasons?
A sweet, clever and captivating story. This wasn’t what I expected at all and I enjoyed it immensely. I will definitely be checking out Ms. Darlings other work.
Girl Meets Grammarian By: G.G Andrew
Eliza Stein is a newly appointed professor at a prestigious university. She’s trying to establish herself and find her way in this new endeavour. Eliza is a poet who is very passionate about the English language. So when her older, frustrating colleague Dr. Kunal Narang gives her his opinion on grammar and sentence diagramming, the two butt heads. If only he didn’t look so distractingly handsome, or was so infuriatingly charming – or so wonderfully good with his hands.
“Their words were fighting words, but their tone wasn’t and instead of sparring, Eliza simply wanted to reach up and run her finger down the straight bridge of his nose. Or, she realised with surprise, turn her head up to press her lips against his.”
A well written, interesting and witty story of finding love where you least expect it. I will definitely be looking at the authors other work with interest.
I really enjoyed all the stories in this unique anthology. I was captivated and read the whole thing in one sitting. The stories are diverse enough that each one has something different to offer the reader, yet all were based on the same theme- that of Geeks and/or Nerds becoming the heroes of their own story, instead of the support act in someone else’s tale.
Thank you to all the contributing authors!
“Covalent Bonds aren’t just about Atoms sharing electron pairs anymore- it’s about the electricity that happens when you pair two geeks together. This anthology celebrates geeks of all kinds (enthusiasts, be it for comics, Dr. Who, movies, gaming. Computers, or even grammar), and allows them to step out of their traditional supporting roles and into the shoes of the romantic lead. Forget the old stereotypes: geeks are sexy”.
Covalent Bonds is the third book in the Red Moon Anthologies series and is made up of 9 short stories- all from different authors. All the stories are wonderfully different and each is individual to the author- but they all have the common thread, that follows nerds/geeks and their romantic and/or sexy antics. I really recommend that you dive right into this incredibly entertaining book and enjoy all the geeky and nerdy goodness.
The Hacked Match By: Wendy Sparrow
Aubrey Lawrence is a FBI analyst who’s thrown completely out of her element when her boss sends her on a mission that takes her out of the office and into the field. Her mission is to attend a cyber security conference where retired hacker turned businessman and cyber security expert, Seth Lawrence will be a guest speaker- She has to convince him to help the government hack into a network belonging to a weapons manufacturer. This won’t be an easy task, as it was the FBI who were responsible for his conviction 10 years earlier. Her advantage is she is just his type- smart, shy and sexy. Things aren’t exactly as they seem. Will she be able to gain his trust and convince him or will her mission be an absolute failure.
This is a really fantastic story that has a lot happening in a short space. It is really well written and the author has done a wonderful job of blending all the various elements of this story into a really riveting read. There’s drama, action, a little suspense, romance and lots of swoony sexy antics. I really wanted more and can’t wait to read more from this author.
Issues By: Jeremiah Murphy
Emma moved to New York in the hope of becoming a comic book artist. It’s her passion and she can’t see herself doing anything else. She is attending a comic book convention to not only showcase her work, but she is trying to hunt down the missing comic book for her collection- as well as enjoying the atmosphere and company of likeminded people. So when she finds her annoying neighbour Max is also there, she is not impressed. Emma does everything she can to avoid him for the rest of the day, but they seem to keep running into each other and the sparks are flying. Will she make an unexpected connection? Will she find what she’s looking for?
This is a super short story that didn’t make a lot of sense to me to begin with, but by the end it all came together. It is an interesting, funny and sweet story with a touch of sexy.
Addie-cted By: Charlotte M. Ray
Addie runs a live streaming game chat/show. It is her passion as well as her business. On the eve of a marathon weekend of gaming play and organised raids- one of her most important team members has major computer problems that will put him out of the game. As this would jeopardise the whole weekend, Addie invites him to come to her place to use her desktop PC, while she uses the laptop.
Addie is a bit of a loner, not venturing out much and doesn’t have many friends in the real world. So this is a new experience for her and she is both anxious and excited. When Trent arrives she can’t believe how Hot he is, and has trouble concentrating on the gaming. This is going to be an interesting weekend. What happens when her secret is revealed? Will these two find they have more in common than just the game?
A very quick, easy read. The story is super sweet and the characters were delightful. This is a lovely, touching story with a wonderful message.
Spoilers By: Marie Piper
Mike is a camp horror movie buff who meets Aliesha in line at the grocery store while buying movie snacks. Neither knows that the other is attending the same 80’s horror classic, but they end up in a conversation where they find they have a lot more in common than it may have first appeared. Will attending the same movie bring them more than they bargained for?
This is a really short story that has a wonderful message about ‘not judging a book by its cover’. Aliesha and Mike are adorable and were a perfect match. A clever story that has left me wanting more.
Rogue Trip By: Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Adam is a gaming writer on the verge of making it big. Cassandra is a gamer who also volunteers at a hospital where she works with sick kids. These two are about to have their world collide in a major way, when they both have missions that have go seriously awry. The only way to solve both their dilemmas is an anxious race against the clock, a cross-country road trip where they will not only have to share the driving, but as they aren’t each other’s favourite person- they’ll have to put up with each other as well.
So ensues a story of Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Turning point and Acceptance.
The story was entertaining, but I did have a lot of questions and was left wondering right up until the end. The author did manage to tie up the story well in the end, although the ending did seem a little rushed.
Critical Hit By: Cori Vidae
Hallie is shy and unsure of herself, she’s has had a crush on Terrance for months but hasn’t had the courage to do anything about it. Can Hallie find the bravery she needs to express her feelings through a very flirty game of Dungeons and Dragons? Will her gaming bravado follow her back into real life? What does Terrance think/feel?
“She was distracted. His leg was still touching hers beneath the table. Was it because he hadn’t noticed, or did it mean something else? And if it meant something else, what? Did he like her the same way she liked him, or was he just oblivious to her because he thought of her as only a friend?”….
“The idea of having him control her, even in a D & D session, was enough to make heat flood her belly…..”
The story is cute and well written. It is a quick, easy read that flows well and has a great pace.
Classification of Nerd By: Marla Malins
Emily works for a gaming company called Tester.com, the best computer game testing company in the United Kingdom. “She knew the work would be mostly tedious and repetitive but the lure of testing games pre-release was so thrilling that she had taken a pay cut to join the company.” But since joining the company, her boss Jack has been almost unbearable- awkward, stubborn, bossy, rude and downright unpleasant. So when they are both sent on a work trip and end up having to share the same room due to a booking mix up, things get very interesting. Will she discover why Jack acts the way he does? Can Emily get over her trust and control issues long enough to discover what she needs may be right in front of her? What is the classification of Nerd?
This is a really erotic, well written, witty and entertaining story. I was engrossed in it from the first page until the last. I can’t wait to read more from Ms. Malins.
Better than Chocolate By: Tellulah Darling
Sadie has had a night from hell and just wants to drown her sorrows with chocolate. Nic Rossi has also had a pretty horrendous time and is at the same store as Sadie. So when the two clash over the last bag of sweet goodness, sparks fly. The two went to school together, but never ran in the same circles as the other- they had some of the same classes though and she always thought he was arrogant, getting what he wanted either through charm or intimidation. He thought she was a mouthy know-it-all. They haven’t seen each other since graduation a year ago and here they are having a run in over a bag of chocolate.
Will the two bond over their awfully bad night? Can they put aside their judgemental attitudes and really see the other for who they are? Will they turn things around and make this a night to remember for all the right reasons?
A sweet, clever and captivating story. This wasn’t what I expected at all and I enjoyed it immensely. I will definitely be checking out Ms. Darlings other work.
Girl Meets Grammarian By: G.G Andrew
Eliza Stein is a newly appointed professor at a prestigious university. She’s trying to establish herself and find her way in this new endeavour. Eliza is a poet who is very passionate about the English language. So when her older, frustrating colleague Dr. Kunal Narang gives her his opinion on grammar and sentence diagramming, the two butt heads. If only he didn’t look so distractingly handsome, or was so infuriatingly charming – or so wonderfully good with his hands.
“Their words were fighting words, but their tone wasn’t and instead of sparring, Eliza simply wanted to reach up and run her finger down the straight bridge of his nose. Or, she realised with surprise, turn her head up to press her lips against his.”
A well written, interesting and witty story of finding love where you least expect it. I will definitely be looking at the authors other work with interest.
I really enjoyed all the stories in this unique anthology. I was captivated and read the whole thing in one sitting. The stories are diverse enough that each one has something different to offer the reader, yet all were based on the same theme- that of Geeks and/or Nerds becoming the heroes of their own story, instead of the support act in someone else’s tale.
Thank you to all the contributing authors!
March 2, 2017
Covalent Bonds – Trysh Thompson Nine Authors and nine short stories. Wendy Sparrow wrote The Hatched Match. Jeremiah Murphy wrote Issues. Charlotte M. Ray wrote Addie-cted. Marie Piper wrote Spoilers. Laura VanArendink Baugh wrote Rogue Trip. Cori Vidae wrote Critical Hit. Mara Malins wrote Classification Of Nerd. Tellulah Darling wrote Better Than Chocolate. G.G Andrew wrote Girl Meets Grammarian. This is my first read from each of these Authors. These nine stories are well written. These stories might be short, but they are filled with so much, each story has enjoyable couple. You have the love/hate or horror movie lovers and gamers. I really enjoyed this Anthology. This is actually my first book about nerds. I didn't know much about geeks and gamers, I have actually learned a few things reading this book. I thought each couple had great chemistry. Aubrey and Seth, Emma and Max, Addie and Trent, Mike and Aleisha, Cassandra and Adam, Hallie and Terrance, Emily and Jack, Sadie and Nic, Poet Eliza and Kunal. Each of the couples were sweet, cute and nerdy. Perfect for each other. There was many different emotions in these stories. I was not disappointed with this collections of stories. These are really good stories. If you enjoy a fun, nerdy romance book. You would really enjoy this book. I want to Thank all the Authors that wrote the stories, Wendy Sparrow, Jeremiah Murphy, Charlotte M. Ray, Marie Piper, Laura VanArendink Baugh, Cori Vidae, Mara Malins, Tellulah Darling, and G.G. Andrew. Great work on these stories :)
May 9, 2017
Review originally posted at For What It's Worth on 1/6/17: http://www.fwiwreviews.net/2017/02/re...
Geeky romance is hot right now and this anthology covers a lot of ground. Gamer's, pop culture, grammar nerds, comics. The *nerd* aspect of every story was well done and romance varies between steamy to light kisses on the heat level so there’s a little something for everyone here.
Quite a few of the stories ended rather abruptly, despite being good otherwise, and that would be my one criticism of this collection but there were also several stand outs so I’ll just give a quick recap/thoughts below.
💗 The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow – Hacker falls for FBI consultant who is tasked with bringing him back into the open to help with a case.
This was a tad far fetched but cute. I liked it!
Issues by Jeremiah Murhpy – comic convention/aspiring artist falls for annoying journalist/former hookup.
Way too short – more on the sexy side that the others but basically just a quick hook up and it’s over.
💗Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray – Gaming livestreamer's fall for each other after having to team up for a weekend raid marathon.
This was cute. Both characters were nice, loved the gaming geek factor, solid ending.
Spoilers by Marie Piper – classic horror movie geek meets gorgeous red red at the theater one night at a show but she ruins all his movies with spoilers.
Another story that was way too short. More of a how we met tale than an actual story but what was there was cute.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh – Gamer vs game writer who hate each other need to work together against a common enemy to achieve their separate goals – road trip adventure!
I liked the couple but there wasn’t much in the way of romance and super short.
Critical Hot by Cori Vidae – Gamer uses Dungeons and Dragons to help her reveal her crush on fellow gamer.
Cute but again…too short with an abrupt ending.
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins – Divorce' tries to regain her independence working at a gaming company but her nerdy boss dislikes her – or does he?
Sweet nerdy guy but meh – another abrupt ending.
💗Better Than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling – Geek girl battles hot but annoying bad boy over a bag of M&M’s and sparks fly
I’m not a fan of bad boys but this story was so cute and I wanted it to be a full length story so bad! One of my faves from the collection and I’ll be reading more by this author. Great characters and humor.
💗Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew – poet and grammarian clash over sentence structure and art and sparks fly!
Loved this one! It was sexy as hell with all the *hands on* sentence diagramming and grant banter. My favorite of the bunch.
If you’re into geeky romances and are suffering from short attention span reading disorder right now, like I am, this is a fun collection. Especially with Valentine’s Day coming up/
Geeky romance is hot right now and this anthology covers a lot of ground. Gamer's, pop culture, grammar nerds, comics. The *nerd* aspect of every story was well done and romance varies between steamy to light kisses on the heat level so there’s a little something for everyone here.
Quite a few of the stories ended rather abruptly, despite being good otherwise, and that would be my one criticism of this collection but there were also several stand outs so I’ll just give a quick recap/thoughts below.
💗 The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow – Hacker falls for FBI consultant who is tasked with bringing him back into the open to help with a case.
This was a tad far fetched but cute. I liked it!
Issues by Jeremiah Murhpy – comic convention/aspiring artist falls for annoying journalist/former hookup.
Way too short – more on the sexy side that the others but basically just a quick hook up and it’s over.
💗Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray – Gaming livestreamer's fall for each other after having to team up for a weekend raid marathon.
This was cute. Both characters were nice, loved the gaming geek factor, solid ending.
Spoilers by Marie Piper – classic horror movie geek meets gorgeous red red at the theater one night at a show but she ruins all his movies with spoilers.
Another story that was way too short. More of a how we met tale than an actual story but what was there was cute.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh – Gamer vs game writer who hate each other need to work together against a common enemy to achieve their separate goals – road trip adventure!
I liked the couple but there wasn’t much in the way of romance and super short.
Critical Hot by Cori Vidae – Gamer uses Dungeons and Dragons to help her reveal her crush on fellow gamer.
Cute but again…too short with an abrupt ending.
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins – Divorce' tries to regain her independence working at a gaming company but her nerdy boss dislikes her – or does he?
Sweet nerdy guy but meh – another abrupt ending.
💗Better Than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling – Geek girl battles hot but annoying bad boy over a bag of M&M’s and sparks fly
I’m not a fan of bad boys but this story was so cute and I wanted it to be a full length story so bad! One of my faves from the collection and I’ll be reading more by this author. Great characters and humor.
💗Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew – poet and grammarian clash over sentence structure and art and sparks fly!
Loved this one! It was sexy as hell with all the *hands on* sentence diagramming and grant banter. My favorite of the bunch.
If you’re into geeky romances and are suffering from short attention span reading disorder right now, like I am, this is a fun collection. Especially with Valentine’s Day coming up/
March 2, 2017
Covalent Bonds is a chance for geeks to get their noses out of the books and instead to be the book...
This Anthology is a collection of nine stories written by Authors, Wendy Sparrow, Jeremiah Murphy, Charlotte Ray, Marie Piper, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Cori Vidae, Mara Malins, Tellulah Darling and G.G. Andrew.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
Aubrey Lowen is a FBI consultant, not an agent and not a spy. Her one job is to seduce retired super hacker into a job. Will she get him to do the job? His toughest hack will be into her heart. Will what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas? This is a fun read. Wendy Sparrow wrote a whole book into a few pages and it is great!
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
Emma has come to the Comic Book Convention with her best work. She has tried every year to show the panelist she is worthy of a job, but every year she is turned away. They say her drawing don’t have enough expression on their faces, her perspective was off, her layouts weren’t good enough. If that’s not sad enough her nemesis and highly annoying neighbor was at the convention claiming to be working, upon which she highly doubted. The biggest problem with Max Fuentes was Emma had a very hard time keeping her hands off the egotistical maniac. Plus, he called her Em and she hated that he did that. Will Emma keep up the façade of hating him or will she give in? Will Max finally drive her away or give her the one gift she has wanted for so long?
This is a great entertaining story! The banter was at times funny and at swoon worthy. The writing is descriptive and flows smoothly.
Addie-cted by Charlotte Ray
Addie knew better than to have someone she had only met over the internet in her home. She knew that inviting a stranger to stay the weekend was not a safe choice, especially since she lived alone. With her physical issues had Addie lost her mind? Maybe, maybe not. She knew that if anything went wrong she had it all on livestream chat and there would be witnesses. They have known and only seen each other online in the chat room of the game. That is why Addie is so nervous, he will discover her who she really is and what she really looks like. Will it bother Trent aka Karaash, his online name? Trent is a very handsome man and Addie is drawn to him. Trent seems unaffected by Addie’s condition and soon the online community want to know what is going on between the two characters. Will this be a good connection or crash?
I really like the way Charlotte Ray wrote about Addie’s disabilities and how Trent was unaffected. It was a very interesting weekend. This story was honest and a pleasure to read!
Spoilers by Marie Piper
Mike is looking for someone to fill in for him at work. He has an appointment at the Harris Theatre to watch his favorite camp horror films. He has a few minutes and is standing in line at the Walgreen’s to get movie snacks. He is getting antsy because he needs to hurry and he is third in line to check out. A very cute girl is inline in front of him and has over heard him say something about the movie showing across the street. They start talking and find out they both like a lot of the same movies. She introduces herself as Aleisha and he tells her his name. Mike thinks she could very possibly be the girl of his dreams. They head into the movie chatting about all the things they share interests in. Together they really enjoyed the flick and when it is over Mike has a huge smile on his face as they walk out of the theatre.
Never judge a book by its cover. I like how Marie Piper wrote an easy to read sweet story!
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
What do you do when your games and products aren’t at the Expo like they are supposed to be? Adam and the marketing chief Brenda have a huge problem. The company’s products are supposed to be there by now but the truck has a flat tire and then the driver gets hurt so the load has been delayed. Some of the people have been in line for three hours waiting to get their hands on the Limited-edition figures and stuff. Brenda comes up with a fantastic idea called the Cannonball Run but will it work with Adam a game designer and a girl named Cassandra a gamer who doesn’t like Adam. Cassandra is promised a good pay off. Can the two of them become friends while on the journey? Will they retrieve the games and products that have been promised to the gamers at the Expo? What secret will they uncover?
This story written by Laura VanArendonk Baugh is fun and fast paced. It is like being there with the characters. I loved it.
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae
Terrance and Hallie are game writers. Hallie has a crush on Terrence but she thinks he doesn’t like her that way. Hallie decided to write the characters like her and Terrence but he wants her to write his and he will write hers. Will this work? Will they find they have more in common than just a game campaign?
This is a fun sweet story. Cori Vidae’s writing flows and you feel these two connect.
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins
Emily works for Tester.com, the best computer testing game company in the UK. She has a dream job playing computer games all day. On Friday nights, the team goes to the pub for pub quiz. She is the only girl and no one seems to mind except Jack. Jack is her boss and he is unbearable, stubborn, and rude. Because of her past, she sees Jack as a control freak. When the gaming director calls Emily in to his office she is, afraid someone told him about her discord with Jack, but he was there also. What happens when they are sent to the head office to make a presentation on the game they have been working on? Does Jack really dislike Emily? Cam Emily overcome her feelings for Jack?
This is a surprising story and a lot of fun to read.
Better Than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
It all started with a bag of M&M’s. It was the last bag and Sadie was determined it was hers! So of course, bad boy and said to be the nephew of the devil, Nicky, wanted that same bag, the last bag. Sadie won. Nic was good looking and he did not want to be call Nicky or Satan. Sadie want the candy to help get over the horrible night she was having. They started talking and Sadie decided if she was going to rebound with someone tonight it would be Nic. Does he feel the same way and do they hook up or is a night of constant interference?
This is a funny read and sweet read. The ending will get you. I loved it.
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew
Eliza is a young poet and associate professor at the university. She doesn’t want her writing to be structured or diagrammed but he thinks knowledge of grammar will aid in writing and by diagramming the sentences will aid the students in their writings. Dr. Narang and Eliza have a very different perspective on English and writing. They become friends and dissect each other over their teachings. Can they come together and put the differences aside for a relationship or will they let it be destroyed?
G.G. Andrew has written a thought provoking story and made me think while reading this short but potent story.
These stories have been full of fun and witty writings about what happens when geeks and nerds are thrown together. I like the fact that the stories make it clear that there is always more to someone then meets the eye and how much fun we all can have on the journeys together no matter what kind of geeks or nerds we all are. I would highly recommend this anthology!!
This Anthology is a collection of nine stories written by Authors, Wendy Sparrow, Jeremiah Murphy, Charlotte Ray, Marie Piper, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Cori Vidae, Mara Malins, Tellulah Darling and G.G. Andrew.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
Aubrey Lowen is a FBI consultant, not an agent and not a spy. Her one job is to seduce retired super hacker into a job. Will she get him to do the job? His toughest hack will be into her heart. Will what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas? This is a fun read. Wendy Sparrow wrote a whole book into a few pages and it is great!
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
Emma has come to the Comic Book Convention with her best work. She has tried every year to show the panelist she is worthy of a job, but every year she is turned away. They say her drawing don’t have enough expression on their faces, her perspective was off, her layouts weren’t good enough. If that’s not sad enough her nemesis and highly annoying neighbor was at the convention claiming to be working, upon which she highly doubted. The biggest problem with Max Fuentes was Emma had a very hard time keeping her hands off the egotistical maniac. Plus, he called her Em and she hated that he did that. Will Emma keep up the façade of hating him or will she give in? Will Max finally drive her away or give her the one gift she has wanted for so long?
This is a great entertaining story! The banter was at times funny and at swoon worthy. The writing is descriptive and flows smoothly.
Addie-cted by Charlotte Ray
Addie knew better than to have someone she had only met over the internet in her home. She knew that inviting a stranger to stay the weekend was not a safe choice, especially since she lived alone. With her physical issues had Addie lost her mind? Maybe, maybe not. She knew that if anything went wrong she had it all on livestream chat and there would be witnesses. They have known and only seen each other online in the chat room of the game. That is why Addie is so nervous, he will discover her who she really is and what she really looks like. Will it bother Trent aka Karaash, his online name? Trent is a very handsome man and Addie is drawn to him. Trent seems unaffected by Addie’s condition and soon the online community want to know what is going on between the two characters. Will this be a good connection or crash?
I really like the way Charlotte Ray wrote about Addie’s disabilities and how Trent was unaffected. It was a very interesting weekend. This story was honest and a pleasure to read!
Spoilers by Marie Piper
Mike is looking for someone to fill in for him at work. He has an appointment at the Harris Theatre to watch his favorite camp horror films. He has a few minutes and is standing in line at the Walgreen’s to get movie snacks. He is getting antsy because he needs to hurry and he is third in line to check out. A very cute girl is inline in front of him and has over heard him say something about the movie showing across the street. They start talking and find out they both like a lot of the same movies. She introduces herself as Aleisha and he tells her his name. Mike thinks she could very possibly be the girl of his dreams. They head into the movie chatting about all the things they share interests in. Together they really enjoyed the flick and when it is over Mike has a huge smile on his face as they walk out of the theatre.
Never judge a book by its cover. I like how Marie Piper wrote an easy to read sweet story!
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
What do you do when your games and products aren’t at the Expo like they are supposed to be? Adam and the marketing chief Brenda have a huge problem. The company’s products are supposed to be there by now but the truck has a flat tire and then the driver gets hurt so the load has been delayed. Some of the people have been in line for three hours waiting to get their hands on the Limited-edition figures and stuff. Brenda comes up with a fantastic idea called the Cannonball Run but will it work with Adam a game designer and a girl named Cassandra a gamer who doesn’t like Adam. Cassandra is promised a good pay off. Can the two of them become friends while on the journey? Will they retrieve the games and products that have been promised to the gamers at the Expo? What secret will they uncover?
This story written by Laura VanArendonk Baugh is fun and fast paced. It is like being there with the characters. I loved it.
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae
Terrance and Hallie are game writers. Hallie has a crush on Terrence but she thinks he doesn’t like her that way. Hallie decided to write the characters like her and Terrence but he wants her to write his and he will write hers. Will this work? Will they find they have more in common than just a game campaign?
This is a fun sweet story. Cori Vidae’s writing flows and you feel these two connect.
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins
Emily works for Tester.com, the best computer testing game company in the UK. She has a dream job playing computer games all day. On Friday nights, the team goes to the pub for pub quiz. She is the only girl and no one seems to mind except Jack. Jack is her boss and he is unbearable, stubborn, and rude. Because of her past, she sees Jack as a control freak. When the gaming director calls Emily in to his office she is, afraid someone told him about her discord with Jack, but he was there also. What happens when they are sent to the head office to make a presentation on the game they have been working on? Does Jack really dislike Emily? Cam Emily overcome her feelings for Jack?
This is a surprising story and a lot of fun to read.
Better Than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
It all started with a bag of M&M’s. It was the last bag and Sadie was determined it was hers! So of course, bad boy and said to be the nephew of the devil, Nicky, wanted that same bag, the last bag. Sadie won. Nic was good looking and he did not want to be call Nicky or Satan. Sadie want the candy to help get over the horrible night she was having. They started talking and Sadie decided if she was going to rebound with someone tonight it would be Nic. Does he feel the same way and do they hook up or is a night of constant interference?
This is a funny read and sweet read. The ending will get you. I loved it.
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew
Eliza is a young poet and associate professor at the university. She doesn’t want her writing to be structured or diagrammed but he thinks knowledge of grammar will aid in writing and by diagramming the sentences will aid the students in their writings. Dr. Narang and Eliza have a very different perspective on English and writing. They become friends and dissect each other over their teachings. Can they come together and put the differences aside for a relationship or will they let it be destroyed?
G.G. Andrew has written a thought provoking story and made me think while reading this short but potent story.
These stories have been full of fun and witty writings about what happens when geeks and nerds are thrown together. I like the fact that the stories make it clear that there is always more to someone then meets the eye and how much fun we all can have on the journeys together no matter what kind of geeks or nerds we all are. I would highly recommend this anthology!!
January 29, 2017
Overall, I really enjoyed this anthology - I found the stories to be cute and fun, and I definitely appreciated the geek factor. As with all anthologies, there were some hits and misses for me, so I actually rated and jotted down a few notes for each individual story (my ratings averaged out to about 3.5, but I bumped it to 4 because of how much I enjoyed the last story).
The Hacked Match: 3.5/5 stars. I mostly enjoyed this one and tonight it was super cute. I would have rated it higher but there were a few things that bothered me (Seth's stunt with the flight, the insta-love, the stuff at the end about Aubrey's boss). Still, I did enjoy it otherwise.
Issues: 4/5 stars. I really like this one -the dynamic between Emma and Max was fantastic. My main complaint is that it could definitely have been longer!
Addie-cted: 2/5 stars. This was my least favorite of the bunch. I really wanted to like it - I played WoW for years and merry so many wonderful people because of the game and the characters play a similar game together in this story. It just felt like there was an awful lot of telling rather than showing, which made Trent and Addie feel unconvincing.
Spoilers: 4/5 stars. Cute, quick, and fun!
Rogue Trip: 4/5 stars. Ok, so the scenario in this story was completely ridiculous, but it was adorable nonetheless.
Critical Hit: 4/5 stars. Another cute, quick story that I would have enjoyed more of.
Classification of Nerd: 3.5/5 stars. I mostly enjoyed this, but the I love yous after such a short time really bothered me.
Better Than Chocolate: 3/5 stars. This was cute, but nothing about it really grabbed me.
Girl Meets Grammarian: 4.5/5 stars. My favorite story of the bunch. There was sexy grammar! And it was so cute! I had a smile I my face for pretty much the entire story.
Just a note - I won an ARC of this anthology from the publisher.
The Hacked Match: 3.5/5 stars. I mostly enjoyed this one and tonight it was super cute. I would have rated it higher but there were a few things that bothered me (Seth's stunt with the flight, the insta-love, the stuff at the end about Aubrey's boss). Still, I did enjoy it otherwise.
Issues: 4/5 stars. I really like this one -the dynamic between Emma and Max was fantastic. My main complaint is that it could definitely have been longer!
Addie-cted: 2/5 stars. This was my least favorite of the bunch. I really wanted to like it - I played WoW for years and merry so many wonderful people because of the game and the characters play a similar game together in this story. It just felt like there was an awful lot of telling rather than showing, which made Trent and Addie feel unconvincing.
Spoilers: 4/5 stars. Cute, quick, and fun!
Rogue Trip: 4/5 stars. Ok, so the scenario in this story was completely ridiculous, but it was adorable nonetheless.
Critical Hit: 4/5 stars. Another cute, quick story that I would have enjoyed more of.
Classification of Nerd: 3.5/5 stars. I mostly enjoyed this, but the I love yous after such a short time really bothered me.
Better Than Chocolate: 3/5 stars. This was cute, but nothing about it really grabbed me.
Girl Meets Grammarian: 4.5/5 stars. My favorite story of the bunch. There was sexy grammar! And it was so cute! I had a smile I my face for pretty much the entire story.
Just a note - I won an ARC of this anthology from the publisher.
March 3, 2017
Covalent Bonds Anthology
Authors
G.G. Andrew, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Tellulah Darling, Mara Mlins,
Jeremiah Murphy, Charlotte M. ray, Wendy Sparrow, Cori Vidae,
Trysh Thompson and Marie Piper
4 Stars
About the stories:
This anthology features stories of geeks and how they find love.
Covalent Bonds is about the electricity that happens when geeks are brought together.
For the electricity to happen the characters in the stories need to take themselves to places they haven’t been in a long time or places where they didn’t think they wanted to be. Some love comes from starting out not liking the other person, but in the end love wins out.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
Aubrey was called in to her boss’s office where he told her he had a job he needed her to do. He wanted her to go to Vegas and attend a conference where she would meet Seth Lawrence. Seth was an ex hacker previously known as The Savage Lynx. She was to ask Seth if he would hack into ta computer system to iron out bugs that were there, the same system that had got him in to trouble years earlier. At the conference, Aubrey, could not stop staring at Seth and go unsettled when she noticed that he to could not take his eyes off her. All Seth could think was that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and was asking himself why she could possibly be interested in him. Seth and Aubrey had dinner but things ended up badly and Aubrey left Seth in the restaurant. Seth now had to find a way to get Aubrey to see him again and hopefully get to know her, but he wasn’t sure if he could achieve his goal.
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
The comic convention was the only place Emma thought she could avoid Max. He drove her crazy every time she saw him, it didn’t help they fact that she had slept with him a few times and that he lived in the same apartment building. When talking to Ted she thought she heard Max’s voice and looking around she saw him heading her way. Not wanting to get in to a conversation with him he hurriedly walked off only to find he was not that far behind her. She had no idea how a man she was trying so hard to avoid could make her knees go like jelly just at the sound of his voice. She could either try and get rid of him for good or she could travel back to where she had already been with him, a place that she really enjoyed.
Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray
Addie and Trent are online gamers, who constantly flirted with each other behind the scenes of the game. Unfortunately, Trent’s computer using Addie’s words had, had a major melt down making his computer useless for the time being. Addie invited Trent to her home, something she had never invited someone before. He was arriving Friday evening and returning home Sunday evening. It was also the night that Trent and Addie would meet each other face to face for the first time. What neither of them knew was this weekend was going to be a game changer for both in ways that they wouldn’t see coming. There was an instant attraction between both and by the time the weekend had finished neither of them wanted Trent to leave. Unfortunately, Trent had work on the Monday so he had no choice although he had thought of making out he was sick for a few days. Finally deciding that since Addie was coming on Wednesday to fix his computer things would be ok since they could talk on the phone. Both Addie and Trent hoped what they had would go the distance and that they would be happy together.
Spoilers by Marie Piper
Mike loved the old horror movies from the seventies and eighties even though the special effects were so bad. The horror movies played at The Harris every Tuesday afternoon during summer and for the years he had been in Chicago he had not missed one of the movies. In the supermarket, he meets Aleisha where both were getting snacks for the movies, Mike thought that the lady in front of him was quite cute. To his surprise, he soon found out that Aleisha was just as fond of these movies as he was. Feeling bad as he mentioned that he had earlier upset Aleisha he bought her ticket for the movie. Sitting next to each other they enjoyed each other’s company throughout the movie. After the movie, had finished Aleisha gave Mike a kiss goodbye telling him she would be at the movies next Tuesday.
Rouge Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Adam was a partner in a new game that was due to be released at the games convention on the weekend. Problems arise when Adam is told that the truck bringing their game Hellraisers had a flat tire and that the driver had broken his leg from a fall. Adam and Cassandra meet when Cassandra voices her opinion loudly about the game not being at the convention and what were they doing to get it here. To make matters worse having got off on the wrong foot with each other they were now expected spend the next twenty-two hours together on the road to meet up with the truck driver and hopefully get the game to the convention before it made its debut. Cassandra said there was no way she was spending that amount of time with Adam and he thought the same but knew he didn’t have a choice. After being promised stuff for the new game Cassandra gave in and went on the twenty-two-hour road trip with Adam.
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae
Hallie has had feelings for Terence for a while and always wondered if it was wise to let him know. Having finished up the game they were playing Hallie’s best friend Lila told her if they were finished she was going out on her date. Hallie told Lila and Terence she had created a dungeon crawl for the game, Lila in a hurry to get ready asked if Terence could help her as she was going to be late. After Lila left Terence stretched his legs out under the table making sure to make a connection with Hallie, the touch of his leg on her sent shivers through her body. Two could play that game so she lifted her leg and sat in on his. Not missing an opportunity, he rubbed his hand in her leg restarting the shivers again. Hallie wanted this but also was worried if anything happened it may affect the friendship. Hallie wondered if this would work with Terence or would it be a mistake.?
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins
Emily and Jack had not got on from the time she started at the company. She figured Jack being her boss it would not be a good thing to provoke him too much, so she tried to stay out of his way. Friday nights were quiz nights at the pub and even through this they had the need to compete against each other. After the quiz night ended Jack offered to walk Emily home since they both lived in the same apartment building. Emily took this as Jack being controlling and arrogant and decided he thought she couldn’t look after herself. After Emily went off at Jack telling him not to be controlling he just looked at her confused as he didn’t know what he had done that was so wrong. The reason jack ignored her at work was because he was shy and had feelings for her since the day she walked into the building and of course there was a stupid company rule on relationships. Jack decided after that night it could be a mistake to let her know how he feels, so their lives went on the same way ignoring each other. He wanted to find a way to let her know how he felt but would she listen or turn him away? Time would tell.
Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
Sadie was at a party being thrown by her best friend, unfortunately also at this party was her ex-boyfriend who thought nothing of throwing his new girlfriend in her face. Taking as much as she could she left the party to go buy a bag of Peanut M&Ms. As she was reaching to get the bag off the shelf so was another hand reaching for the same bag. There was no way she was going to let anyone take the last bag from her. Looking around she saw she saw the other person was Niccolo. She knew Niccolo was used to getting his own way, she was determined that this night Niccolo was not going to win. He was not going to have that last bag of Peanut M&Ms.
Girl meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew
Eliza was doing a talk on the use of grammar in English. She noticed an attractive man sitting in the front row, she also noticed that it was impossible for her to read his face. When he asked a question, she noticed it was a rich British accent with an over tone of Indian. Taken back but the sound of his voice when she answered his question she stumbled over her words and had to pull herself together. At the end of her talk Stella Tompkin introduced her to the attractive man sitting in front row, she found out he was Dr Narang. This man seemed to be testing her on her knowledge of correct grammatics and by the end of the day she was determined to find out why.
Authors
G.G. Andrew, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Tellulah Darling, Mara Mlins,
Jeremiah Murphy, Charlotte M. ray, Wendy Sparrow, Cori Vidae,
Trysh Thompson and Marie Piper
4 Stars
About the stories:
This anthology features stories of geeks and how they find love.
Covalent Bonds is about the electricity that happens when geeks are brought together.
For the electricity to happen the characters in the stories need to take themselves to places they haven’t been in a long time or places where they didn’t think they wanted to be. Some love comes from starting out not liking the other person, but in the end love wins out.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
Aubrey was called in to her boss’s office where he told her he had a job he needed her to do. He wanted her to go to Vegas and attend a conference where she would meet Seth Lawrence. Seth was an ex hacker previously known as The Savage Lynx. She was to ask Seth if he would hack into ta computer system to iron out bugs that were there, the same system that had got him in to trouble years earlier. At the conference, Aubrey, could not stop staring at Seth and go unsettled when she noticed that he to could not take his eyes off her. All Seth could think was that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and was asking himself why she could possibly be interested in him. Seth and Aubrey had dinner but things ended up badly and Aubrey left Seth in the restaurant. Seth now had to find a way to get Aubrey to see him again and hopefully get to know her, but he wasn’t sure if he could achieve his goal.
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
The comic convention was the only place Emma thought she could avoid Max. He drove her crazy every time she saw him, it didn’t help they fact that she had slept with him a few times and that he lived in the same apartment building. When talking to Ted she thought she heard Max’s voice and looking around she saw him heading her way. Not wanting to get in to a conversation with him he hurriedly walked off only to find he was not that far behind her. She had no idea how a man she was trying so hard to avoid could make her knees go like jelly just at the sound of his voice. She could either try and get rid of him for good or she could travel back to where she had already been with him, a place that she really enjoyed.
Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray
Addie and Trent are online gamers, who constantly flirted with each other behind the scenes of the game. Unfortunately, Trent’s computer using Addie’s words had, had a major melt down making his computer useless for the time being. Addie invited Trent to her home, something she had never invited someone before. He was arriving Friday evening and returning home Sunday evening. It was also the night that Trent and Addie would meet each other face to face for the first time. What neither of them knew was this weekend was going to be a game changer for both in ways that they wouldn’t see coming. There was an instant attraction between both and by the time the weekend had finished neither of them wanted Trent to leave. Unfortunately, Trent had work on the Monday so he had no choice although he had thought of making out he was sick for a few days. Finally deciding that since Addie was coming on Wednesday to fix his computer things would be ok since they could talk on the phone. Both Addie and Trent hoped what they had would go the distance and that they would be happy together.
Spoilers by Marie Piper
Mike loved the old horror movies from the seventies and eighties even though the special effects were so bad. The horror movies played at The Harris every Tuesday afternoon during summer and for the years he had been in Chicago he had not missed one of the movies. In the supermarket, he meets Aleisha where both were getting snacks for the movies, Mike thought that the lady in front of him was quite cute. To his surprise, he soon found out that Aleisha was just as fond of these movies as he was. Feeling bad as he mentioned that he had earlier upset Aleisha he bought her ticket for the movie. Sitting next to each other they enjoyed each other’s company throughout the movie. After the movie, had finished Aleisha gave Mike a kiss goodbye telling him she would be at the movies next Tuesday.
Rouge Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Adam was a partner in a new game that was due to be released at the games convention on the weekend. Problems arise when Adam is told that the truck bringing their game Hellraisers had a flat tire and that the driver had broken his leg from a fall. Adam and Cassandra meet when Cassandra voices her opinion loudly about the game not being at the convention and what were they doing to get it here. To make matters worse having got off on the wrong foot with each other they were now expected spend the next twenty-two hours together on the road to meet up with the truck driver and hopefully get the game to the convention before it made its debut. Cassandra said there was no way she was spending that amount of time with Adam and he thought the same but knew he didn’t have a choice. After being promised stuff for the new game Cassandra gave in and went on the twenty-two-hour road trip with Adam.
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae
Hallie has had feelings for Terence for a while and always wondered if it was wise to let him know. Having finished up the game they were playing Hallie’s best friend Lila told her if they were finished she was going out on her date. Hallie told Lila and Terence she had created a dungeon crawl for the game, Lila in a hurry to get ready asked if Terence could help her as she was going to be late. After Lila left Terence stretched his legs out under the table making sure to make a connection with Hallie, the touch of his leg on her sent shivers through her body. Two could play that game so she lifted her leg and sat in on his. Not missing an opportunity, he rubbed his hand in her leg restarting the shivers again. Hallie wanted this but also was worried if anything happened it may affect the friendship. Hallie wondered if this would work with Terence or would it be a mistake.?
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins
Emily and Jack had not got on from the time she started at the company. She figured Jack being her boss it would not be a good thing to provoke him too much, so she tried to stay out of his way. Friday nights were quiz nights at the pub and even through this they had the need to compete against each other. After the quiz night ended Jack offered to walk Emily home since they both lived in the same apartment building. Emily took this as Jack being controlling and arrogant and decided he thought she couldn’t look after herself. After Emily went off at Jack telling him not to be controlling he just looked at her confused as he didn’t know what he had done that was so wrong. The reason jack ignored her at work was because he was shy and had feelings for her since the day she walked into the building and of course there was a stupid company rule on relationships. Jack decided after that night it could be a mistake to let her know how he feels, so their lives went on the same way ignoring each other. He wanted to find a way to let her know how he felt but would she listen or turn him away? Time would tell.
Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
Sadie was at a party being thrown by her best friend, unfortunately also at this party was her ex-boyfriend who thought nothing of throwing his new girlfriend in her face. Taking as much as she could she left the party to go buy a bag of Peanut M&Ms. As she was reaching to get the bag off the shelf so was another hand reaching for the same bag. There was no way she was going to let anyone take the last bag from her. Looking around she saw she saw the other person was Niccolo. She knew Niccolo was used to getting his own way, she was determined that this night Niccolo was not going to win. He was not going to have that last bag of Peanut M&Ms.
Girl meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew
Eliza was doing a talk on the use of grammar in English. She noticed an attractive man sitting in the front row, she also noticed that it was impossible for her to read his face. When he asked a question, she noticed it was a rich British accent with an over tone of Indian. Taken back but the sound of his voice when she answered his question she stumbled over her words and had to pull herself together. At the end of her talk Stella Tompkin introduced her to the attractive man sitting in front row, she found out he was Dr Narang. This man seemed to be testing her on her knowledge of correct grammatics and by the end of the day she was determined to find out why.
March 6, 2017
Covelent Bonds - Various Authors – 5 Stars
This is an anthology containing nine short stories all relating to Nerds, Geeks and other that take their craft seriously. All romantically based with events throwing characters together left, right and centre. I have never read an Anthology before or any of the authors but would definitely recommend it as I enjoyed them all and will be putting the authors on my to read list.
The Hacked Match – Wendy Sparrow
This is a sweet story of two Geeks brought together through the FBI and past transgressions. Aubrey works in the office as a consultant, however all this changes when her boss asks her to go into the field to convince a well renown hacker to help them on a case.
Intelligent and Beautiful, Aubrey lacks confidence, however Seth aka Savage Lynx, has never felt this kind of draw to a woman before and is determined to delve deeper into her without the use of a computer.
A short story, but the geek speak between these two made for some damn hot chat up lines, I will never look at my PC man the same when discussing Hard drives. Laughed throughout, loved both of these endearing characters.
Issues – Jeremiah Murphy
Emma is attending a Convention for her addiction to superhero comics, with her friend Ted. Trying hard to get herself know as a comic book artist, she returns year after year honing her skills waiting for her big break. Max is her annoying neighbour that she loves to hate and he happens to be at the same convention.
Max is a smooth player with his witty chat up lines, however they have a connection between them even if they are denying it. Sex – one time, or was it more. This short story should not be a short one! This could be the start of an hilarious novel where the two main love interests can’t stand each other but literally seem to be joined at the hip.
Loved the uncertainty of Emma apart from her lust for Max.
Addie-cted – Charlotte M. Ray
Addie, a die-hard gamer is all set for a live weekend of streaming, then Trent one of her team, needs her help. So after he settles in her flat for the weekend, all her dreams seem to be coming true.
A lovely story showing the hidden desires between these two and hoe the online flirting can be made a reality.
Addie is self-conscious due to a disability but strong willed in her passion for the game. Not being a gamer myself did have me confused with some of the jargon, but didn’t detract from the heat bouncy from the screen.
Spoiler – Marie Piper
This is one of the shortest in this anthology, Mike determined to see a classic movie is greeted by a “yoga girl” who has as much passion for the film as for real life. Love blossoms in the dark and only your imagination can continue this one.
Rogue Trip – Laura Van Arendonk Baugh
Angie and Cassandra are friends that play fantasy table top games, a true fan determined to get to the new Expo. Adam is trying to cut it as a game writer and when given his perfect opportunity all hell breaks use. Thrown together in the most bizarre situations these two battle against first impressions to make one great impression together.
Fast paced and with a twist, not your normal gaming short story. Could see this one progressing to a full novel.
Critical Hit – Cori Vidae
Lila, Hallie and Terrace are friends that are keen D&D players, when Lila desserts them both for a hot date, does the games heat increase. Hallie is so oblivious to the flirtatious passes made by Terrance that it is sweet in a geek sort of way. Short and sweet but hits all the right parts with a sigh.
Classification of Nerd – Mara Malins
Emily and Jack work together, or rather Jack is her boss. He is attractive, but Emily can’t see him that way as he hates her, or does he. With an ultimatum at work they have a weekend together to sort through the feelings and opinions of others.
Jack is written as a vulnerable man who is shy and nerdy, but has deep feelings for a co-worker, after getting past his demeanour, you can see the real Jack. Emily is reserved after being bitten by her ex and determined to not be reliant on anyone, her emotions take over and this leads to the wrong signals being given. Loved this so sad that it ended so quickly, this could have easily grown over a few more chapters and a full length novel with the other characters being involved.
Better than Chocolate – Tellulah Darling
Sadie is on her way home after a night on the town when she is rudely interrupted from eating her M&Ms by none other than Niccolo Rossi the bad boy from her school days. As events through the night push these two together they seem to enjoy each other more than they thought they would.
A night out never had so many opportunities and this short story showed a love/hate relationship in its true colours.
Girl Meets Grammarian – GG Andrew
Eliza is a renown poet ready to start her teaching career, with her outspoken beliefs on grammar and its need in creating poetry she classes with another teacher at the university Dr Narang. His teaching speciality Grammar 101, 102 and 103. This is an amusing story of one man’s intent to convert Eliza beliefs and gain her heart in the process.
This had all the right components of a romance story with all the flirting and banter between the two main characters, just sad it ended so soon, could have read another few chapters easily.
This is an anthology containing nine short stories all relating to Nerds, Geeks and other that take their craft seriously. All romantically based with events throwing characters together left, right and centre. I have never read an Anthology before or any of the authors but would definitely recommend it as I enjoyed them all and will be putting the authors on my to read list.
The Hacked Match – Wendy Sparrow
This is a sweet story of two Geeks brought together through the FBI and past transgressions. Aubrey works in the office as a consultant, however all this changes when her boss asks her to go into the field to convince a well renown hacker to help them on a case.
Intelligent and Beautiful, Aubrey lacks confidence, however Seth aka Savage Lynx, has never felt this kind of draw to a woman before and is determined to delve deeper into her without the use of a computer.
A short story, but the geek speak between these two made for some damn hot chat up lines, I will never look at my PC man the same when discussing Hard drives. Laughed throughout, loved both of these endearing characters.
Issues – Jeremiah Murphy
Emma is attending a Convention for her addiction to superhero comics, with her friend Ted. Trying hard to get herself know as a comic book artist, she returns year after year honing her skills waiting for her big break. Max is her annoying neighbour that she loves to hate and he happens to be at the same convention.
Max is a smooth player with his witty chat up lines, however they have a connection between them even if they are denying it. Sex – one time, or was it more. This short story should not be a short one! This could be the start of an hilarious novel where the two main love interests can’t stand each other but literally seem to be joined at the hip.
Loved the uncertainty of Emma apart from her lust for Max.
Addie-cted – Charlotte M. Ray
Addie, a die-hard gamer is all set for a live weekend of streaming, then Trent one of her team, needs her help. So after he settles in her flat for the weekend, all her dreams seem to be coming true.
A lovely story showing the hidden desires between these two and hoe the online flirting can be made a reality.
Addie is self-conscious due to a disability but strong willed in her passion for the game. Not being a gamer myself did have me confused with some of the jargon, but didn’t detract from the heat bouncy from the screen.
Spoiler – Marie Piper
This is one of the shortest in this anthology, Mike determined to see a classic movie is greeted by a “yoga girl” who has as much passion for the film as for real life. Love blossoms in the dark and only your imagination can continue this one.
Rogue Trip – Laura Van Arendonk Baugh
Angie and Cassandra are friends that play fantasy table top games, a true fan determined to get to the new Expo. Adam is trying to cut it as a game writer and when given his perfect opportunity all hell breaks use. Thrown together in the most bizarre situations these two battle against first impressions to make one great impression together.
Fast paced and with a twist, not your normal gaming short story. Could see this one progressing to a full novel.
Critical Hit – Cori Vidae
Lila, Hallie and Terrace are friends that are keen D&D players, when Lila desserts them both for a hot date, does the games heat increase. Hallie is so oblivious to the flirtatious passes made by Terrance that it is sweet in a geek sort of way. Short and sweet but hits all the right parts with a sigh.
Classification of Nerd – Mara Malins
Emily and Jack work together, or rather Jack is her boss. He is attractive, but Emily can’t see him that way as he hates her, or does he. With an ultimatum at work they have a weekend together to sort through the feelings and opinions of others.
Jack is written as a vulnerable man who is shy and nerdy, but has deep feelings for a co-worker, after getting past his demeanour, you can see the real Jack. Emily is reserved after being bitten by her ex and determined to not be reliant on anyone, her emotions take over and this leads to the wrong signals being given. Loved this so sad that it ended so quickly, this could have easily grown over a few more chapters and a full length novel with the other characters being involved.
Better than Chocolate – Tellulah Darling
Sadie is on her way home after a night on the town when she is rudely interrupted from eating her M&Ms by none other than Niccolo Rossi the bad boy from her school days. As events through the night push these two together they seem to enjoy each other more than they thought they would.
A night out never had so many opportunities and this short story showed a love/hate relationship in its true colours.
Girl Meets Grammarian – GG Andrew
Eliza is a renown poet ready to start her teaching career, with her outspoken beliefs on grammar and its need in creating poetry she classes with another teacher at the university Dr Narang. His teaching speciality Grammar 101, 102 and 103. This is an amusing story of one man’s intent to convert Eliza beliefs and gain her heart in the process.
This had all the right components of a romance story with all the flirting and banter between the two main characters, just sad it ended so soon, could have read another few chapters easily.
October 12, 2016
Very geek chic, Covalent Bonds explores a variety of nerdoms and romantic entanglements from horror movies to video games, from innocent to delightfully dirty. I'll say one thing for misfit men: they sure are full of sexy snark.
March 2, 2017
Covalent Bonds ~A Red Moon Anthology
This is the third book in the series which contain nine short stories. The common thread in these nine stories is geeks, nerds and a love for gaming.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow 4 stars
This first story is quick and sweet. Not all things are what they appear to be~forgiveness, betrayal, redemption, love and deception are all part of this quick read.
Aubrey Lowen is a consultant for the FBI. She is smart, shy and known as a nerd. She doesn't agree with her task, but wants to prove herself to the FBI so she is headed to Vegas. She needs to convince ex hacker Seth Lawrence aka Savage Lynx to help the FBI get into the network of a company specializing in weapons systems and poke around.
Seth Lawrence is representing his company at a convention in Vegas. He is distracted from his q&a time when he spots Aubrey in his audience. She was not only paying attention, but she’d asked a valid question. He has to find a way to spend alone time with her. He normally is shy and something about her is drawing him in. Will this give her the in to get him to hack the system? Will he think she played him or does she really feel a connection?
The second story is Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
4 stars
Emma and her friend Ted attend a superhero convention. Ted is interested in the work of one of the directors while Emma is attending for the superhero/comic angle. They separate so she can get autographs. While walking around to meet back with Ted Emma runs into someone she hoped to avoid. They seem to have a love hate relationship.
The third story is Addie-cted by Charlotte M.Ray
4 stars
Addie wanted to keep her life private from others. She didn't want to be judged by her disability. She is a big gamer on line and can be herself without worrying about being judged. Trent was finally going to meet Addie in person. They had only known each other through the online chat. They were meeting at her house and were going to be streaming online. Trent wants to set up a camera so her viewers can see her and she's trying to figure out how to stop him from “helping her” set it up. Will addie be able to keep her secret from others? Will Trent see her differently when he finds out why she doesn't want the cameras?
The fourth story is Spoilers by Marie Piper
4 stars
Mike was waiting in line for a movie he'd been looking forward to seeing when he met Aleisha. They hit it off immediately while they were waiting in line talking about their taste in movies, favorite actors and he found out she was the unspeakable…”a movie spoiler”...can someone who should be so wrong for him be so right?
The fifth story is Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh 4 stars
Angie had her friend Cassandra join her for the weekend so she didn't have to be the only female playing. Most of the con players she's encountered are friendly but she's been burned in the past. Adam was looking to advance in the gaming community. He was a primary writer hoping to be on the cusp of being credited for his work with top names in the industry. While at the convention Angie and Adam run into each other over an unfortunate circumstance. Will this unexpected hiccup bring them to an understanding and closer or will they continue to get on one another's nerves and not see eye to eye?
The sixth story is Critical Hit by Cori Vidae
4 stars
Hallie and Lila were friends since junior high and now college roommates. She would watch Lila interact with Terrace with such ease. Hallie shared everything with Lila except how she felt about Terrence. Hallie has been secretly creating something with her D&G game and isn't sure if she will have the courage to have it play out.
The seventh story is Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins 4 stars
Emily was very defensive around her boss Jack who she thought disliked her. He always seemed rude, stubborn, unpleasant and short with her. She had finally landed her dream job, loved the team she worked with, but her boss Jack was unbearable to be around. She did her best to avoid him, if possible. When the team frequented the pub on Friday's for quiz night they were very competitive with one another to prove who knew more.
Just when she thought she had a handle on things they get sent out of town together to present a project for a game they are working on. How will she avoid him now? Will he continue to treat her like her controlling ex? Will Jack try to take away her independence? Will they see what everyone else does when they are in the same room? Not everything is as it appears...she sees control and dominance...Jack thinks he's being a gentleman and getting over his shy, awkward, nervousness around her.
The eighth story is Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling 4 stars
Sadie was mending a broken heart when she had the unfortunate run in with Niccolò aka Nic aka Satan who had been her high school resident bad boy. They bantered back and forth about everything. Both seeming to flirt yet push back enough to protect themselves from getting hurt and guarding their true feelings. Sadie and Nic kept hanging out, but were constantly getting interrupted from getting to really know each other better. Sadie kept judging Nic from his past and he kept up with teasing the her as the Geek Girl. Were they destined to keep sabotaging their hookups? Was it away to protect their hearts? Would they keep judging each other from their high school days or see each other for who they are and what they really want?
The ninth and final story in this anthology is Girl Meets Grammarian by GG Andrew 4 stars
Dr Eliza Stein is a twenty nine year old poetry professor at a prestigious university. While giving a presentation she feels a man aka Dr Narang in the audience giving her a captivating yet disapproving look. While Eliza is a poetry professor Dr Narang teaches grammar. They have different views on writing styles and are constantly trying to get each other to see their views as being the more pertinent writing style. They quote articles, try to break down each other's stubborn views, leave messages for one another attempting to sway and prove their philosophy ...in a way it becomes their own style of flirting. Even if the sparks are there if you don't see eye to eye or share the same views is it better to just avoid the inevitable ending of losing yourself?
This is the third book in the series which contain nine short stories. The common thread in these nine stories is geeks, nerds and a love for gaming.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow 4 stars
This first story is quick and sweet. Not all things are what they appear to be~forgiveness, betrayal, redemption, love and deception are all part of this quick read.
Aubrey Lowen is a consultant for the FBI. She is smart, shy and known as a nerd. She doesn't agree with her task, but wants to prove herself to the FBI so she is headed to Vegas. She needs to convince ex hacker Seth Lawrence aka Savage Lynx to help the FBI get into the network of a company specializing in weapons systems and poke around.
Seth Lawrence is representing his company at a convention in Vegas. He is distracted from his q&a time when he spots Aubrey in his audience. She was not only paying attention, but she’d asked a valid question. He has to find a way to spend alone time with her. He normally is shy and something about her is drawing him in. Will this give her the in to get him to hack the system? Will he think she played him or does she really feel a connection?
The second story is Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
4 stars
Emma and her friend Ted attend a superhero convention. Ted is interested in the work of one of the directors while Emma is attending for the superhero/comic angle. They separate so she can get autographs. While walking around to meet back with Ted Emma runs into someone she hoped to avoid. They seem to have a love hate relationship.
The third story is Addie-cted by Charlotte M.Ray
4 stars
Addie wanted to keep her life private from others. She didn't want to be judged by her disability. She is a big gamer on line and can be herself without worrying about being judged. Trent was finally going to meet Addie in person. They had only known each other through the online chat. They were meeting at her house and were going to be streaming online. Trent wants to set up a camera so her viewers can see her and she's trying to figure out how to stop him from “helping her” set it up. Will addie be able to keep her secret from others? Will Trent see her differently when he finds out why she doesn't want the cameras?
The fourth story is Spoilers by Marie Piper
4 stars
Mike was waiting in line for a movie he'd been looking forward to seeing when he met Aleisha. They hit it off immediately while they were waiting in line talking about their taste in movies, favorite actors and he found out she was the unspeakable…”a movie spoiler”...can someone who should be so wrong for him be so right?
The fifth story is Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh 4 stars
Angie had her friend Cassandra join her for the weekend so she didn't have to be the only female playing. Most of the con players she's encountered are friendly but she's been burned in the past. Adam was looking to advance in the gaming community. He was a primary writer hoping to be on the cusp of being credited for his work with top names in the industry. While at the convention Angie and Adam run into each other over an unfortunate circumstance. Will this unexpected hiccup bring them to an understanding and closer or will they continue to get on one another's nerves and not see eye to eye?
The sixth story is Critical Hit by Cori Vidae
4 stars
Hallie and Lila were friends since junior high and now college roommates. She would watch Lila interact with Terrace with such ease. Hallie shared everything with Lila except how she felt about Terrence. Hallie has been secretly creating something with her D&G game and isn't sure if she will have the courage to have it play out.
The seventh story is Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins 4 stars
Emily was very defensive around her boss Jack who she thought disliked her. He always seemed rude, stubborn, unpleasant and short with her. She had finally landed her dream job, loved the team she worked with, but her boss Jack was unbearable to be around. She did her best to avoid him, if possible. When the team frequented the pub on Friday's for quiz night they were very competitive with one another to prove who knew more.
Just when she thought she had a handle on things they get sent out of town together to present a project for a game they are working on. How will she avoid him now? Will he continue to treat her like her controlling ex? Will Jack try to take away her independence? Will they see what everyone else does when they are in the same room? Not everything is as it appears...she sees control and dominance...Jack thinks he's being a gentleman and getting over his shy, awkward, nervousness around her.
The eighth story is Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling 4 stars
Sadie was mending a broken heart when she had the unfortunate run in with Niccolò aka Nic aka Satan who had been her high school resident bad boy. They bantered back and forth about everything. Both seeming to flirt yet push back enough to protect themselves from getting hurt and guarding their true feelings. Sadie and Nic kept hanging out, but were constantly getting interrupted from getting to really know each other better. Sadie kept judging Nic from his past and he kept up with teasing the her as the Geek Girl. Were they destined to keep sabotaging their hookups? Was it away to protect their hearts? Would they keep judging each other from their high school days or see each other for who they are and what they really want?
The ninth and final story in this anthology is Girl Meets Grammarian by GG Andrew 4 stars
Dr Eliza Stein is a twenty nine year old poetry professor at a prestigious university. While giving a presentation she feels a man aka Dr Narang in the audience giving her a captivating yet disapproving look. While Eliza is a poetry professor Dr Narang teaches grammar. They have different views on writing styles and are constantly trying to get each other to see their views as being the more pertinent writing style. They quote articles, try to break down each other's stubborn views, leave messages for one another attempting to sway and prove their philosophy ...in a way it becomes their own style of flirting. Even if the sparks are there if you don't see eye to eye or share the same views is it better to just avoid the inevitable ending of losing yourself?
March 4, 2017
The Hacked Match – Wendy Sparrow
This story is about two computer geeks, Seth and Aubrey. Seth is a hacker who has paid his dues to society and Aubrey is a consultant with the FBI. Aubrey believes she is convinced she is the best person for the job to one time hacker Seth to help out the FBI, but it all becomes serious as Seth is attracted to her in a big way. They enjoy the two days and realise that there is an attraction and wish to continue when they get home, Seth the makes a mistake and the budding relationship maybe in jeopardy but Aubrey decides to give a second chance.
Issues - Jeremiah Murphy
This is a short story about pure animal attraction, two people who seem that they can’t stand each other but cannot keep their hands off. Emma is a wannabe Comic artist and Max is a journalist covering the local comic book convention and sees Emma again. Once the witty banter has past they find themselves wanting fan the flames of passion.
Addie-cted - Charlotte M. Ray
This story is about Addie and Trent who meet after Trent’s computer breaks, but there is something familiar with the person who is mending his computer until he realises they have been communicating in the virtual world. As there is chemistry as soon as these two meet the story takes place during the weekend and the story tells there happily ever after.
Spoilers - Marie Piper
This story is short like “Issues” but full of chemistry and love. Mike is wanting to see the film Silent night, Deadly night and is in the queue, who he should see but the girl of his dreams and instant attraction. Relived that she is seeing the same film as him, you read how the sparks fly as the story concludes.
Rogue Trip - Laura VanArendonk Baugh
The story is about one company trying to sabotage the other companies’ product launch. It comes down to Adam and Cassandra to salvage what they can from the disaster. Although this is a short story the characters where ones you would like to get to know better.
Critical Hit - Cori Vidae
This story is about a game of Dungeons and Dragons and one girl’s game to catch her man. Hallie purposely plans a game so that see can tell and show Terrace that she is in love with him. The story is short and enjoyable and I loved Hallie’s character in this story.
Classification of Nerd - Mara Malins
This story is about a woman called Emily and a guy name Jack. Jack is Emily’s boss in a game testing business, Emily is sure that Jack hates her, he is always rude to her and avoids her all the time. The company decide to go to a Trivia night and Emily is surprised that Jack is there after a large quantity of alcohol Jack is hiding a secret that he actually like Emily a lot and with the help of Dutch courage he finally does something about it. I liked this story and think wished it would have been a longer story.
Better than Chocolate - Tellulah Darling
This story revolves around two people who went to High School together, who both have disastrous night with their ex partners decide to indulge in what they have in common Dr Who and as the show goes on so does there attraction.
Girl Meets Grammarian - G.G. Andrew
This is story is set in a University where Eliza has just starting teaching, she is smart and a poet but if there is one thing that annoys her is another Professor who is constantly arguing with her over Grammar and sentence diagramming. Although Eliza is mad with him she finds him extremely hot, but it feels like a game with them trying to annoy each other constantly. Until they cannot deny the chemistry any longer.
I have never read an anthology before but enjoyed the short fast pace of the books, they only thing is some of them feel like teasers and would love to read these as full novels to get to see the happily ever after.
This story is about two computer geeks, Seth and Aubrey. Seth is a hacker who has paid his dues to society and Aubrey is a consultant with the FBI. Aubrey believes she is convinced she is the best person for the job to one time hacker Seth to help out the FBI, but it all becomes serious as Seth is attracted to her in a big way. They enjoy the two days and realise that there is an attraction and wish to continue when they get home, Seth the makes a mistake and the budding relationship maybe in jeopardy but Aubrey decides to give a second chance.
Issues - Jeremiah Murphy
This is a short story about pure animal attraction, two people who seem that they can’t stand each other but cannot keep their hands off. Emma is a wannabe Comic artist and Max is a journalist covering the local comic book convention and sees Emma again. Once the witty banter has past they find themselves wanting fan the flames of passion.
Addie-cted - Charlotte M. Ray
This story is about Addie and Trent who meet after Trent’s computer breaks, but there is something familiar with the person who is mending his computer until he realises they have been communicating in the virtual world. As there is chemistry as soon as these two meet the story takes place during the weekend and the story tells there happily ever after.
Spoilers - Marie Piper
This story is short like “Issues” but full of chemistry and love. Mike is wanting to see the film Silent night, Deadly night and is in the queue, who he should see but the girl of his dreams and instant attraction. Relived that she is seeing the same film as him, you read how the sparks fly as the story concludes.
Rogue Trip - Laura VanArendonk Baugh
The story is about one company trying to sabotage the other companies’ product launch. It comes down to Adam and Cassandra to salvage what they can from the disaster. Although this is a short story the characters where ones you would like to get to know better.
Critical Hit - Cori Vidae
This story is about a game of Dungeons and Dragons and one girl’s game to catch her man. Hallie purposely plans a game so that see can tell and show Terrace that she is in love with him. The story is short and enjoyable and I loved Hallie’s character in this story.
Classification of Nerd - Mara Malins
This story is about a woman called Emily and a guy name Jack. Jack is Emily’s boss in a game testing business, Emily is sure that Jack hates her, he is always rude to her and avoids her all the time. The company decide to go to a Trivia night and Emily is surprised that Jack is there after a large quantity of alcohol Jack is hiding a secret that he actually like Emily a lot and with the help of Dutch courage he finally does something about it. I liked this story and think wished it would have been a longer story.
Better than Chocolate - Tellulah Darling
This story revolves around two people who went to High School together, who both have disastrous night with their ex partners decide to indulge in what they have in common Dr Who and as the show goes on so does there attraction.
Girl Meets Grammarian - G.G. Andrew
This is story is set in a University where Eliza has just starting teaching, she is smart and a poet but if there is one thing that annoys her is another Professor who is constantly arguing with her over Grammar and sentence diagramming. Although Eliza is mad with him she finds him extremely hot, but it feels like a game with them trying to annoy each other constantly. Until they cannot deny the chemistry any longer.
I have never read an anthology before but enjoyed the short fast pace of the books, they only thing is some of them feel like teasers and would love to read these as full novels to get to see the happily ever after.
March 6, 2017
Covalent Bonds is the third book in the Red Moon Anthology series. This book contains nine short stories written by authors, Wendy Sparrow, Jeremiah Murphy, Charlotte Ray, Marie Piper, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Cori Vidae, Maria Malins, Tellulah Darling, and G.G Andrew. The common theme of all nine books is geeks and nerds of all kinds.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
Aubrey Lowen is a consultant for the FBI. She gets asked to meet with a retired hacker (who was caught previously) Seth Lawrence and convince him to cooperate with the FBI by hacking into the very thing that got him caught in the first place. Aubrey is so nervous she ends up missing her meeting with Seth. This works to her favor though because now Seth is looking for her. He doesn't want to miss a chance to be near her. When Aubrey explains that she is there to convince him to help her company, he tells her to spend the weekend with him, convincing him. After spending the weekend together, Aubrey isn't sure she wants any part of using him and tells him as much. She just isn't sure they will work out as a couple. Can Seth convince Aubrey they can?
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
Emma is at the comic convention on two missions. Mission one is to find the comic her collection is missing. Mission two is to turn in her portfolio in hopes of becoming an artist. While making her way around the convention, she runs into her neighbor that she is less than thrilled to see. Her only issue is, she can't keep her hands off of him. After all, he might not be as obnoxious as she plays him off to be.
Addie-cted by Charlotte Ray
Addie is a live streaming gamer who has set up a marathon weekend raid. However, Trent (an important part of the team) is out of commission due to computer malfunctions. Addie invites him to use her computer as a way to make sure the raid is successful. Addie is sure their flirtatious friendship online is just Trent being nice. She is sure that once he sees her and how different she is from her live streaming personality, he won't possibly be interested in anything other than friendship. Addie is not sure she can risk letting Trent in even though it turns out he's not as undeterred as she thought he might be.
Spoilers By Marie Piper
Mike religiously goes to see classic camp horror movies every week and that's all he wants to do now. He's on his way there when he meets Aleisha, who he learns also enjoys the horror movies. Mike is immediately drawn to her but does she feel the same? She doesn't want to spoil it for him so he'll just have to show up next week to find out.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Cassandra is at a game convention in part because of a promise she made and has every intention of fulfilling. Adam is a game writer at the convention to debut his new game hoping to reach fame. After a series of mixups, not only is a rumor spreading on social media about Adam, his game is stuck on a truck 10 hours from the convention. The only way Cassandra and Adam will both meet their goals is to make the drive to save the game. If they fall for each other on the way that's just bonus points right?!
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae
Hallie has had a crush on her friend Terrance for quite some time. The only person that knows of the crush is Hallie herself. When she is not brace enough to make a move, she devises a special game of D&D to feel out how Terrance might feel for her. Terrance's reactions in the game will tell her all she needs to know.
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins
Emily endured a nasty divorce and since then has regained her independence and plans to keep it that way. Now, she works for a gaming company testing video games. She is convinced her new boss Jack doesn't like her. His behavior certainly makes it clear. She doesn't mind for the most part. Emily just needs to keep him at a distance. She doesn't need the hassle and can't lose her independence. During a trip for work, they are forced to share a room and Emily learns that she's not much different from Jack after all.
Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
Sadie is in need of chocolate m&m's after seeing her ex with his new girlfriend at her best friend's party. However, it seems as though the high school bad boy wants to ruin that plan as well. Sparks fly for Nic and Sadie and Sadie decides a hookup with Nic is just what she needs to get over the anger from seeing her ex. Not only does their hookup get interrupted multiple times assumptions on Sadie's part drive a rift between Nic and Sadie. Will Nic be able to forgive Sadie sweeten the deal?
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew
Eliza is hired as a new professor at the university. When she meets Dr. Kunal Narang and subsequently buts heads with him, she realizes establishing herself as poet and professor won't be as easy as she thought. Not only is she currently stuck on her most recent poem, Dr. Narang and Eliza go back and forth over grammar necessities. After a breakthrough on her poems, Eliza realizes he might be able to have Dr. Narang without losing herself in the process.
These stories are not typically stories that I would read however, I really enjoyed the whole anthology. The stories were sweet and fun to read and I'd recommend this book for anyone, especially someone wanting to step out from their comfort zones.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
Aubrey Lowen is a consultant for the FBI. She gets asked to meet with a retired hacker (who was caught previously) Seth Lawrence and convince him to cooperate with the FBI by hacking into the very thing that got him caught in the first place. Aubrey is so nervous she ends up missing her meeting with Seth. This works to her favor though because now Seth is looking for her. He doesn't want to miss a chance to be near her. When Aubrey explains that she is there to convince him to help her company, he tells her to spend the weekend with him, convincing him. After spending the weekend together, Aubrey isn't sure she wants any part of using him and tells him as much. She just isn't sure they will work out as a couple. Can Seth convince Aubrey they can?
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
Emma is at the comic convention on two missions. Mission one is to find the comic her collection is missing. Mission two is to turn in her portfolio in hopes of becoming an artist. While making her way around the convention, she runs into her neighbor that she is less than thrilled to see. Her only issue is, she can't keep her hands off of him. After all, he might not be as obnoxious as she plays him off to be.
Addie-cted by Charlotte Ray
Addie is a live streaming gamer who has set up a marathon weekend raid. However, Trent (an important part of the team) is out of commission due to computer malfunctions. Addie invites him to use her computer as a way to make sure the raid is successful. Addie is sure their flirtatious friendship online is just Trent being nice. She is sure that once he sees her and how different she is from her live streaming personality, he won't possibly be interested in anything other than friendship. Addie is not sure she can risk letting Trent in even though it turns out he's not as undeterred as she thought he might be.
Spoilers By Marie Piper
Mike religiously goes to see classic camp horror movies every week and that's all he wants to do now. He's on his way there when he meets Aleisha, who he learns also enjoys the horror movies. Mike is immediately drawn to her but does she feel the same? She doesn't want to spoil it for him so he'll just have to show up next week to find out.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Cassandra is at a game convention in part because of a promise she made and has every intention of fulfilling. Adam is a game writer at the convention to debut his new game hoping to reach fame. After a series of mixups, not only is a rumor spreading on social media about Adam, his game is stuck on a truck 10 hours from the convention. The only way Cassandra and Adam will both meet their goals is to make the drive to save the game. If they fall for each other on the way that's just bonus points right?!
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae
Hallie has had a crush on her friend Terrance for quite some time. The only person that knows of the crush is Hallie herself. When she is not brace enough to make a move, she devises a special game of D&D to feel out how Terrance might feel for her. Terrance's reactions in the game will tell her all she needs to know.
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins
Emily endured a nasty divorce and since then has regained her independence and plans to keep it that way. Now, she works for a gaming company testing video games. She is convinced her new boss Jack doesn't like her. His behavior certainly makes it clear. She doesn't mind for the most part. Emily just needs to keep him at a distance. She doesn't need the hassle and can't lose her independence. During a trip for work, they are forced to share a room and Emily learns that she's not much different from Jack after all.
Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
Sadie is in need of chocolate m&m's after seeing her ex with his new girlfriend at her best friend's party. However, it seems as though the high school bad boy wants to ruin that plan as well. Sparks fly for Nic and Sadie and Sadie decides a hookup with Nic is just what she needs to get over the anger from seeing her ex. Not only does their hookup get interrupted multiple times assumptions on Sadie's part drive a rift between Nic and Sadie. Will Nic be able to forgive Sadie sweeten the deal?
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew
Eliza is hired as a new professor at the university. When she meets Dr. Kunal Narang and subsequently buts heads with him, she realizes establishing herself as poet and professor won't be as easy as she thought. Not only is she currently stuck on her most recent poem, Dr. Narang and Eliza go back and forth over grammar necessities. After a breakthrough on her poems, Eliza realizes he might be able to have Dr. Narang without losing herself in the process.
These stories are not typically stories that I would read however, I really enjoyed the whole anthology. The stories were sweet and fun to read and I'd recommend this book for anyone, especially someone wanting to step out from their comfort zones.
March 6, 2017
Covalent Bonds is an anthology featuring nine short stories. The stories are all romance, with varying degrees of "heat," and they all focus around two geeks and their sprouting relationships. The geek each has their own specialty, whether its movies, video games, comic books, or even grammar. I enjoyed the book as a whole, with some stories more than others. Some of them were pretty funny. I am not a geek myself, but I still liked the stories and found myself laughing at some of them. Overall, 4 star book, and some of the authors I will be seeking out to read more.
Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow:
Aubrey Lowen is a consultant for the FBI, and her boss sends her to a convention to have a consultation with a retired hacker, Seth Lawrence AKA Savage Lynx. She is to try to seduce and convince him to help the FBI, however she chickens out last minute, and misses her appointment. Seth calls her to reschedule, and offers to do the consultation over dinner. They really hit it off, and decide to spend the weekend together. The more they talk, they more they discover they have in common. This was a fun story, and kept me entertained.
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy:
This story was super short and quick, but I liked it. It made me laugh, and I liked the author style of writing. Emma came to the comic book convention with her friend Ted. She is trying to become a comic book illustrator, and uses the convention to network and get her geek on. She runs into her neighbor Max, who you get the impression they used to date, and things ended badly and they hate each other... but maybe that is not the case after all??
Addie-cted by Charlotte Ray:
Two gamers, who have been flirting online finally meet in person. Trent and Addie are in the same guild, but live two hours apart. When Trent's computer broke right before a big raid, Addie offers her spare to him, but he must come stay at her house for the weekend. Its their fist time meeting, and they both instantly feel sparks. Is it just the lack of sleep and adrenaline that comes from a weekend long raid or true feelings? This was a nerdy story, but I thought it was cute.
Spoilers by Marie Piper:
This was another super short one, ending before I was ready, but I liked it. It was cute and funny. Mike and Aliesha meet in line at a convenience store while buying snacks to see a film. He instantly stereotypes her, and makes some sarcastic remarks, but she volleys them right back at him. Turns out, they are both going to the same showing of the horror flick at the theater across the street. They decide to go and "watch the movie" together.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
This is a story of how first impressions can make or break you. Cassandra cant wait for the release of a new game and its merchandise, and has waiting in line for hours to be the first at the gaming expo. Adam works for the company releasing said game, but gets news the truck delivering it, has had some complications and wont make its deadline. The only way to get it to the expo on time, is to go pick it up their selves, and Adam and Cassandra get roped into that job. They had a bad meeting, but are going to be spending the next 20 hours side by side in a truck, whats the worst that can happen??
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae:
This story was another quick one, and a little more steamy. Terrance and Lila are best friends, and also game writers. They are playing a game of D&D and use it to role play out their feelings for each other, that they otherwise have been afraid to show.
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins:
Emily is a video game tester at one of the best testing companies for computer games. A group from work go to the bar weekly to play trivia, including Emily's boss, Jack. He is normally cold and unfriendly, even rude, to her but then seems to have had a change of heart. One night he bought her a drink and offered to walk her home. He was just trying to be nice and sweet, but Emily sees it as domineering and controlling, and pushes him away. Soon after, they are sent out of town together for work. Will this be a disaster in the making, or the best thing for them to straighten out their feelings? This was a cute story, and perfect length.
Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling.
This was my personal favorite of the anthology, and I really liked the author's writing method. It was the perfect blend of sexy and funny. It all started with a bag of m&ms. Sadie and Nic went to high school together, and he has a reputation of the badboy. After having a crappy night, they both end up at a gas station, trying to buy the last bag of m&ms. That quickly leads to the decision of a rebound hookup. The odds are not in their favor tonight, and a meaningless hookup proves to be harder than it seems.
Girl Meets Grammarian by GG Andrew.
I liked the back and forth banter of the characters in this one. Elsa Stein is a poet recently hired as a professor at the University. She is giving her first speech during a seminar when she is interrupted by another professor- Dr Kunal Narang. They have polar opposite views on grammar and writing, and each makes it their mission to change the other's opinion. What started out as a fun rival, quickly turned a little hotter. After all, opposites do attract, right?
Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow:
Aubrey Lowen is a consultant for the FBI, and her boss sends her to a convention to have a consultation with a retired hacker, Seth Lawrence AKA Savage Lynx. She is to try to seduce and convince him to help the FBI, however she chickens out last minute, and misses her appointment. Seth calls her to reschedule, and offers to do the consultation over dinner. They really hit it off, and decide to spend the weekend together. The more they talk, they more they discover they have in common. This was a fun story, and kept me entertained.
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy:
This story was super short and quick, but I liked it. It made me laugh, and I liked the author style of writing. Emma came to the comic book convention with her friend Ted. She is trying to become a comic book illustrator, and uses the convention to network and get her geek on. She runs into her neighbor Max, who you get the impression they used to date, and things ended badly and they hate each other... but maybe that is not the case after all??
Addie-cted by Charlotte Ray:
Two gamers, who have been flirting online finally meet in person. Trent and Addie are in the same guild, but live two hours apart. When Trent's computer broke right before a big raid, Addie offers her spare to him, but he must come stay at her house for the weekend. Its their fist time meeting, and they both instantly feel sparks. Is it just the lack of sleep and adrenaline that comes from a weekend long raid or true feelings? This was a nerdy story, but I thought it was cute.
Spoilers by Marie Piper:
This was another super short one, ending before I was ready, but I liked it. It was cute and funny. Mike and Aliesha meet in line at a convenience store while buying snacks to see a film. He instantly stereotypes her, and makes some sarcastic remarks, but she volleys them right back at him. Turns out, they are both going to the same showing of the horror flick at the theater across the street. They decide to go and "watch the movie" together.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
This is a story of how first impressions can make or break you. Cassandra cant wait for the release of a new game and its merchandise, and has waiting in line for hours to be the first at the gaming expo. Adam works for the company releasing said game, but gets news the truck delivering it, has had some complications and wont make its deadline. The only way to get it to the expo on time, is to go pick it up their selves, and Adam and Cassandra get roped into that job. They had a bad meeting, but are going to be spending the next 20 hours side by side in a truck, whats the worst that can happen??
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae:
This story was another quick one, and a little more steamy. Terrance and Lila are best friends, and also game writers. They are playing a game of D&D and use it to role play out their feelings for each other, that they otherwise have been afraid to show.
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins:
Emily is a video game tester at one of the best testing companies for computer games. A group from work go to the bar weekly to play trivia, including Emily's boss, Jack. He is normally cold and unfriendly, even rude, to her but then seems to have had a change of heart. One night he bought her a drink and offered to walk her home. He was just trying to be nice and sweet, but Emily sees it as domineering and controlling, and pushes him away. Soon after, they are sent out of town together for work. Will this be a disaster in the making, or the best thing for them to straighten out their feelings? This was a cute story, and perfect length.
Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling.
This was my personal favorite of the anthology, and I really liked the author's writing method. It was the perfect blend of sexy and funny. It all started with a bag of m&ms. Sadie and Nic went to high school together, and he has a reputation of the badboy. After having a crappy night, they both end up at a gas station, trying to buy the last bag of m&ms. That quickly leads to the decision of a rebound hookup. The odds are not in their favor tonight, and a meaningless hookup proves to be harder than it seems.
Girl Meets Grammarian by GG Andrew.
I liked the back and forth banter of the characters in this one. Elsa Stein is a poet recently hired as a professor at the University. She is giving her first speech during a seminar when she is interrupted by another professor- Dr Kunal Narang. They have polar opposite views on grammar and writing, and each makes it their mission to change the other's opinion. What started out as a fun rival, quickly turned a little hotter. After all, opposites do attract, right?
March 4, 2017
Covalent Bonds (Red Moon Anthologies Book 3) gave us nine stories by nine different authors G.G. Andrew, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Tellulah Darling, Mara Malins, Jeremiah Murphy, Marie Piper, Charlotte M. Ray, Wendy Sparrow, and Cori Vidae. This collection of authors was great! This anthology got me right away; I have always loved nerdy, odd topic books that are something different. Well these books succeed in that!
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow, was a super cute 4 star story. This story is about FBI consultant Aubrey Lowen who is well… a nerd. She wants to prove that she is good at her job and she can do what is needed. So when the task comes to get hacker Seth Lawrence she heads to Las Vegas to complete this task. Seth feels a pull to the equally shy girl, but is it just an act or is it real? Time will only tell as Aubrey does her best to convince Seth to help the FBI out. Seth has his own game plan in mind. Very cute story, very well done.
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy 5 star worthy. Emma is at a superhero convention and runs into the person she really didn’t want to see Max. Emma loves going to the conventions it’s the one time she finally gets away from him. Except that he is here at her convention. This was a very cute and witty story, I wish it was longer. These two feed of each other with banter and comments is so funny!
Addie-cted by Charlotte M.Ray 5 stars this was a super cute entertaining story. We meet Addie who is an online gamer big time. She loves her life behind the computers especially because she doesn’t have to be judged. During one of the gamer weekends a fellow gamer computer dies. Addie does the craziest thing she can think offers Trent the use of her computer at her home. Trent shows up and says not only for the night but for the weekend. The two hit it off ,no if they can only win the game.
Spoilers by Marie Piper 4 stars. Mike who is a movies lover is going to The Harris camp horror films. While waiting impatiently in line for some movie snack Mike meets “yoga girl” who is nothing like he thought. Aliesha is a very surprising character. She does the movie sin and spills on the movie Mike is going to see. Surprisingly enough for this movie snob he enjoys her mind, witty remarks and movie taste. But is it too good to be true? This was a very swoon worth story, great writing and good ending.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh is an entertaining 5 star book. Cassandra is at this huge Expo when the best, the most unfortunate and the weirdest thing happens to her. She is waiting to get Hellraiser products, she is cranky and upset when she runs into Adam who does not have any luck calming her down only makes things worse between them. Then they are trust into a event saving car ride that ends up being very surprising. They have to race againt time, people, and crazy drivers to make it back in time for the Expo. But will they come out without needing healers. I thought this was a sweet book. Cassandra was a bit snarky at first but when you understand her reasons you love her. Great job!
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae 4 stars. This was a cute story about Tarrance and Hallie. These two have been friends forever and recently things have changed. Hallie has a huge crush on Tarrance but she is a big chicken. She has no idea how to go about something like that until it clicks. She has made a special game of Dungeons and Dragons in hope that her character will do what she is scarred to do. Will Tarrance return the feelings in real life or is it just a game? Cute story, great writing!
Classifications of Nerd by Mara Malins,4 stars. We meet Emily who loves her job. She loves that she can do nothing but plays computer games all day and gets paid for it. What she doesn’t like is her boss Jack. Since she has been around she feels Jack has been stubborn, rude and just does not like her for some reason. When she is told her and Jack were being sent away for a presentation, she is not prepared for the time alone with him. Jack being a nerdy guy and is shy around Emily. Well she states that he is just like her ex Jack doesn’t know what to do. Should he tell her how he feels or just let it all go? This was a lot of fun to read, was surprised.
Better Than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling 4 stars! Sadie is a very unhappy girl who just wants to eat her chocolate and be left alone. That does not happen, instead she meet up with former high school bad boy Niccolo or Nic. They have it in for each other from the beginning. Remembering each other’s faults from high school, yet never really getting to know each other as new people. Can this work or is all the interruptions a sign that they are just not meant to have their cake and eat it too. Great story!
Girl Meets Grammarian by C.G. Andrew 4 stars this was a wonderful story in the nerdiest fashion. Eliza Stein is a poetry professor who keeps wondering why she is getting dirty looks from a man while giving her lecture. She then finds out that the dirty looks guys is none other than Dr. Kunal Narang the grammar police, well not actually the grammar police , he teaches grammar. As these two try to persuade the other that they are right, can they discover that they are actually flirting and if they do discover that what will they do? Can they compromise enough to like each other?
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow, was a super cute 4 star story. This story is about FBI consultant Aubrey Lowen who is well… a nerd. She wants to prove that she is good at her job and she can do what is needed. So when the task comes to get hacker Seth Lawrence she heads to Las Vegas to complete this task. Seth feels a pull to the equally shy girl, but is it just an act or is it real? Time will only tell as Aubrey does her best to convince Seth to help the FBI out. Seth has his own game plan in mind. Very cute story, very well done.
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy 5 star worthy. Emma is at a superhero convention and runs into the person she really didn’t want to see Max. Emma loves going to the conventions it’s the one time she finally gets away from him. Except that he is here at her convention. This was a very cute and witty story, I wish it was longer. These two feed of each other with banter and comments is so funny!
Addie-cted by Charlotte M.Ray 5 stars this was a super cute entertaining story. We meet Addie who is an online gamer big time. She loves her life behind the computers especially because she doesn’t have to be judged. During one of the gamer weekends a fellow gamer computer dies. Addie does the craziest thing she can think offers Trent the use of her computer at her home. Trent shows up and says not only for the night but for the weekend. The two hit it off ,no if they can only win the game.
Spoilers by Marie Piper 4 stars. Mike who is a movies lover is going to The Harris camp horror films. While waiting impatiently in line for some movie snack Mike meets “yoga girl” who is nothing like he thought. Aliesha is a very surprising character. She does the movie sin and spills on the movie Mike is going to see. Surprisingly enough for this movie snob he enjoys her mind, witty remarks and movie taste. But is it too good to be true? This was a very swoon worth story, great writing and good ending.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh is an entertaining 5 star book. Cassandra is at this huge Expo when the best, the most unfortunate and the weirdest thing happens to her. She is waiting to get Hellraiser products, she is cranky and upset when she runs into Adam who does not have any luck calming her down only makes things worse between them. Then they are trust into a event saving car ride that ends up being very surprising. They have to race againt time, people, and crazy drivers to make it back in time for the Expo. But will they come out without needing healers. I thought this was a sweet book. Cassandra was a bit snarky at first but when you understand her reasons you love her. Great job!
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae 4 stars. This was a cute story about Tarrance and Hallie. These two have been friends forever and recently things have changed. Hallie has a huge crush on Tarrance but she is a big chicken. She has no idea how to go about something like that until it clicks. She has made a special game of Dungeons and Dragons in hope that her character will do what she is scarred to do. Will Tarrance return the feelings in real life or is it just a game? Cute story, great writing!
Classifications of Nerd by Mara Malins,4 stars. We meet Emily who loves her job. She loves that she can do nothing but plays computer games all day and gets paid for it. What she doesn’t like is her boss Jack. Since she has been around she feels Jack has been stubborn, rude and just does not like her for some reason. When she is told her and Jack were being sent away for a presentation, she is not prepared for the time alone with him. Jack being a nerdy guy and is shy around Emily. Well she states that he is just like her ex Jack doesn’t know what to do. Should he tell her how he feels or just let it all go? This was a lot of fun to read, was surprised.
Better Than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling 4 stars! Sadie is a very unhappy girl who just wants to eat her chocolate and be left alone. That does not happen, instead she meet up with former high school bad boy Niccolo or Nic. They have it in for each other from the beginning. Remembering each other’s faults from high school, yet never really getting to know each other as new people. Can this work or is all the interruptions a sign that they are just not meant to have their cake and eat it too. Great story!
Girl Meets Grammarian by C.G. Andrew 4 stars this was a wonderful story in the nerdiest fashion. Eliza Stein is a poetry professor who keeps wondering why she is getting dirty looks from a man while giving her lecture. She then finds out that the dirty looks guys is none other than Dr. Kunal Narang the grammar police, well not actually the grammar police , he teaches grammar. As these two try to persuade the other that they are right, can they discover that they are actually flirting and if they do discover that what will they do? Can they compromise enough to like each other?
March 14, 2017
Covalent Bonds Anthology
4 Stars
Covalent Binds is an Anthology of 9 stories of the not so average romance stories. Each story is about the nerdy, geeky, smart hero or heroine and I loved that about this set of books.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
In the Hacked Match, Aubrey Lower is an FBI consultant and when asked by her boss to attend a convention in Vegas, and have a one on one consultation to hook Seth Lawrence and get him to want to do the hacking job the need help with, shes apprehensive. When told who Seth is known as, Savage Lynx, she goes down like a fan girl!
Seth is captivated by the one woman who is in the panel room he's in and when she knows what she's talking about makes her even more intriguing. Seeing that she's a consultation of his later that day he's excited, until she doesn't show up and he puts his hacking skills to work to find her. But when he takes it too far, who will be left speechless?
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
Emma is attending a convention and along the way runs into her neighbor, and one night stand, Max. Between their banter and the bet the have, this read was very quick, witty and straight to the point.
When Max makes Emma a bet she takes him up on it because she needs to win what he's offering . Can they resist the temptation of each other or will they have a repeat performance?
Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray
Addie is leader of an online group for a game that gets tons of followers. Not just for gameplay either. They come for her antics and just friendly personality that she exudes. When a fellow members, Trent, computer had a meltdown she invited him over to her house to use her extra setup. Addie is nervous as she has a disability and is afraid of how he'll react.
Having an instant attraction to Trent wasn't what she expected and now she is nervous to spend the weekend with him in her home. As the weekend comes to an end, will they keep in touch or see where their potential relationship could go?
Spoilers by Marie Piper
Mike is trying to make sure his shift at work is covered so he can make the rerun movie at the theater. Eyeing the girl in line in front of him while buying snacks, he finds she is into old movies too. As she spoils part of the movie he accidentally does the same for a movie showing she hasn't seen yet. They sit next to each other at the movie and quickly things get heated!
This was an insta -like book and it was short, funny and sweet. They were characters that you wanted to get to know better and could see a full book about them.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Cassandra busted her tail off to be able to attend the convention where the newest game was being launched s she could make then kids at the hospital happy. But upon arriving she learns there's an issue with the delivery truck. When given the opportunity to ride with the rude man at the booth she's hesitant but does it anyways.
Adam is stuck in a bind and must take a road trip to get his game and merchandise to the convention. When on the trip he learns about Cassandra and the kids she plays his games with. When they find the truck and the story they were told is found to have been false, they now have sabotage to add to the list of what else could to wrong. But could they have found themselves looking for more with each other?
Critical Hit by Cori Video
Hallie has always been attracted to her friend Terrance but has been too shy to do anything about it. When given the opportunity to play a game sequence she created she jumps at the chance, until Terrance switches it up on her.
This was a sweet fast read of friends looking for more. Who says friends can't become more all thanks to a game?
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malin
Emily is a game tester along with a group of others. On Fridays they attend trivia night at the bar and she and Jack don't always see eye to eye. He's her boss but outside of work, the tension never leaves. This particular evening, Jack makes a move and then acts like a gentleman. But Emily wants to be independent thanks to her heartbreak over her over controlling ex. When they have to go out of town together, the sparks fly, but can they get over the boss/employee lone they've crossed?
Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
Sadie just needs her chocolate M&Ms and her night will be better. When Nic steals them from her, they find both of their evenings haven't been the best. After an action packed evening of ex boyfriends and sleeping partners, and finding Nic is a Dr. who fan, Sadie goes home. Being drawn to the window by a noose she finds Nic outside asking for a redo. Can two people who never liked each other become more?
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrews
Eliza is a new professor at college. She's a well known poet and is putting her craft to work. When introduced to Naval, when learns the have a very different view of teaching and writing. When feelings come out to play, Eliza reacts badly for fear of being trapped and possibly losing her job. Will different views and hurt feelings cause them to miss out on the possibility of a future?
4 Stars
Covalent Binds is an Anthology of 9 stories of the not so average romance stories. Each story is about the nerdy, geeky, smart hero or heroine and I loved that about this set of books.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
In the Hacked Match, Aubrey Lower is an FBI consultant and when asked by her boss to attend a convention in Vegas, and have a one on one consultation to hook Seth Lawrence and get him to want to do the hacking job the need help with, shes apprehensive. When told who Seth is known as, Savage Lynx, she goes down like a fan girl!
Seth is captivated by the one woman who is in the panel room he's in and when she knows what she's talking about makes her even more intriguing. Seeing that she's a consultation of his later that day he's excited, until she doesn't show up and he puts his hacking skills to work to find her. But when he takes it too far, who will be left speechless?
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
Emma is attending a convention and along the way runs into her neighbor, and one night stand, Max. Between their banter and the bet the have, this read was very quick, witty and straight to the point.
When Max makes Emma a bet she takes him up on it because she needs to win what he's offering . Can they resist the temptation of each other or will they have a repeat performance?
Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray
Addie is leader of an online group for a game that gets tons of followers. Not just for gameplay either. They come for her antics and just friendly personality that she exudes. When a fellow members, Trent, computer had a meltdown she invited him over to her house to use her extra setup. Addie is nervous as she has a disability and is afraid of how he'll react.
Having an instant attraction to Trent wasn't what she expected and now she is nervous to spend the weekend with him in her home. As the weekend comes to an end, will they keep in touch or see where their potential relationship could go?
Spoilers by Marie Piper
Mike is trying to make sure his shift at work is covered so he can make the rerun movie at the theater. Eyeing the girl in line in front of him while buying snacks, he finds she is into old movies too. As she spoils part of the movie he accidentally does the same for a movie showing she hasn't seen yet. They sit next to each other at the movie and quickly things get heated!
This was an insta -like book and it was short, funny and sweet. They were characters that you wanted to get to know better and could see a full book about them.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Cassandra busted her tail off to be able to attend the convention where the newest game was being launched s she could make then kids at the hospital happy. But upon arriving she learns there's an issue with the delivery truck. When given the opportunity to ride with the rude man at the booth she's hesitant but does it anyways.
Adam is stuck in a bind and must take a road trip to get his game and merchandise to the convention. When on the trip he learns about Cassandra and the kids she plays his games with. When they find the truck and the story they were told is found to have been false, they now have sabotage to add to the list of what else could to wrong. But could they have found themselves looking for more with each other?
Critical Hit by Cori Video
Hallie has always been attracted to her friend Terrance but has been too shy to do anything about it. When given the opportunity to play a game sequence she created she jumps at the chance, until Terrance switches it up on her.
This was a sweet fast read of friends looking for more. Who says friends can't become more all thanks to a game?
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malin
Emily is a game tester along with a group of others. On Fridays they attend trivia night at the bar and she and Jack don't always see eye to eye. He's her boss but outside of work, the tension never leaves. This particular evening, Jack makes a move and then acts like a gentleman. But Emily wants to be independent thanks to her heartbreak over her over controlling ex. When they have to go out of town together, the sparks fly, but can they get over the boss/employee lone they've crossed?
Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
Sadie just needs her chocolate M&Ms and her night will be better. When Nic steals them from her, they find both of their evenings haven't been the best. After an action packed evening of ex boyfriends and sleeping partners, and finding Nic is a Dr. who fan, Sadie goes home. Being drawn to the window by a noose she finds Nic outside asking for a redo. Can two people who never liked each other become more?
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrews
Eliza is a new professor at college. She's a well known poet and is putting her craft to work. When introduced to Naval, when learns the have a very different view of teaching and writing. When feelings come out to play, Eliza reacts badly for fear of being trapped and possibly losing her job. Will different views and hurt feelings cause them to miss out on the possibility of a future?
March 9, 2017
Covalent Bonds is a Red Moon Anthology consisting of cyber-type novellas. Enter the world of techs and geeks where everyone deserves a happy ending no matter what their profession is. I gave this anthology 4 stars because the novellas that it contains, makes you laugh and you fall in love with the characters of each novella. This Anthology has varying degrees of romance and happy endings.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow is a hilarious read. Aubrey is an FBI agent who is assigned to her biggest crush. Seth is a retired hacker who got into big trouble. When Aubrey’s boss tells her he needs her to do some field work and its Seth, she refuses. When they meet each other, its instant attraction. This novella made me laugh and smile the entire time I was reading it. Wendy Sparrow is a terrific writer who knows how to make her readers laugh. Fall in love with The Hacked Match and enjoy a happy ending.
Issues Jeremiah Murphy
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy is a very funny read. You will laugh at the characters and how they hate each other and how they try not to admit that they have feelings for them. When you have two people who are neighbors and one is a nerd, it is hard not to like them. Jeremiah Murphy is a wonderful author who knows how a geek or nerd feels.
Addie-cited Charlotte M. Ray
Addie-cited by Charlotte M. Ray is an adorable story about a gamer girl that falls in love with her online crush. When they meet in real life, things bloom. Charlotte M. Ray is an extremely talented writer that takes a fiction relationship and turns it into a real-life romance where the geek gets the guy. For any gamer who wants a happy ever after, this is a must read.
Spoilers Marie Piper
Spoilers by Marie Piper is a hilarious read about two people who form a relationship over old movies. They banter back and forth about the movies and tell each other that they can’t give spoilers. Each person has their own opinion about movies but when you get two movie geeks together, it’s a match made in heaven. Marie Piper has a sense of humor that shows when she writes. Enter a world of movie fun and the geeks get a happy ever after.
Rogue Trip Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh is hilarious in all things geeky. Laura VanArendonk knows how to make her characters seem more real and life like than others. You will laugh the entire time at her character’s antics and be sad at the same time when they start telling each other personal details. Filled with intrigue, laughter, and corporate espionage, you won’t know what happens until its happened.
Critical Hit Cori Vidae
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae is a wonderful story where the geek gets a happy ending. Who doesn’t love a geek? What happens in cyber world doesn’t always have to stay there. Cori Vidae shows us this with Critical Hit and how something in a game can become more than just a game it can become a happy ending for everyone involved.
Classification of Nerd Mara Malins
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins is a more down to earth type of story. It’s about what happens at a work place when you have a boss that you try to avoid but that boss wants to know you better. Classification of Nerd could be used in the real world on how to go through with a work place romance. Mara Malins is a fantastic writer who not only has a talent for happy endings but for making you laugh along with the story.
Better Than Chocolate Tellulah Darling
Better Than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling is about a woman nursing a broken heart that runs into the old bad boy from high school. They flirt and argue back and forth but it makes them more interesting as characters. This novella reminds me of Beauty and the Beast in a way and Tellulah Darling did a wonderful job portraying the characters of this novella.
Girl Meets Grammarian G.G. Andrew
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew is about two professors that have a differing opinion on what is being taught. The two of them battle it out in a nerd battle but they find they have more in common with each other than they think. G.G. Andrew’s style of writing will leave anyone laughing. Nerds need a happy ending too and no matter what they will always find how to do it. G.G. Andrew is a fascinating author who not only captures the heart of the characters but can portray their emotions as if they are real people.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow is a hilarious read. Aubrey is an FBI agent who is assigned to her biggest crush. Seth is a retired hacker who got into big trouble. When Aubrey’s boss tells her he needs her to do some field work and its Seth, she refuses. When they meet each other, its instant attraction. This novella made me laugh and smile the entire time I was reading it. Wendy Sparrow is a terrific writer who knows how to make her readers laugh. Fall in love with The Hacked Match and enjoy a happy ending.
Issues Jeremiah Murphy
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy is a very funny read. You will laugh at the characters and how they hate each other and how they try not to admit that they have feelings for them. When you have two people who are neighbors and one is a nerd, it is hard not to like them. Jeremiah Murphy is a wonderful author who knows how a geek or nerd feels.
Addie-cited Charlotte M. Ray
Addie-cited by Charlotte M. Ray is an adorable story about a gamer girl that falls in love with her online crush. When they meet in real life, things bloom. Charlotte M. Ray is an extremely talented writer that takes a fiction relationship and turns it into a real-life romance where the geek gets the guy. For any gamer who wants a happy ever after, this is a must read.
Spoilers Marie Piper
Spoilers by Marie Piper is a hilarious read about two people who form a relationship over old movies. They banter back and forth about the movies and tell each other that they can’t give spoilers. Each person has their own opinion about movies but when you get two movie geeks together, it’s a match made in heaven. Marie Piper has a sense of humor that shows when she writes. Enter a world of movie fun and the geeks get a happy ever after.
Rogue Trip Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh is hilarious in all things geeky. Laura VanArendonk knows how to make her characters seem more real and life like than others. You will laugh the entire time at her character’s antics and be sad at the same time when they start telling each other personal details. Filled with intrigue, laughter, and corporate espionage, you won’t know what happens until its happened.
Critical Hit Cori Vidae
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae is a wonderful story where the geek gets a happy ending. Who doesn’t love a geek? What happens in cyber world doesn’t always have to stay there. Cori Vidae shows us this with Critical Hit and how something in a game can become more than just a game it can become a happy ending for everyone involved.
Classification of Nerd Mara Malins
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins is a more down to earth type of story. It’s about what happens at a work place when you have a boss that you try to avoid but that boss wants to know you better. Classification of Nerd could be used in the real world on how to go through with a work place romance. Mara Malins is a fantastic writer who not only has a talent for happy endings but for making you laugh along with the story.
Better Than Chocolate Tellulah Darling
Better Than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling is about a woman nursing a broken heart that runs into the old bad boy from high school. They flirt and argue back and forth but it makes them more interesting as characters. This novella reminds me of Beauty and the Beast in a way and Tellulah Darling did a wonderful job portraying the characters of this novella.
Girl Meets Grammarian G.G. Andrew
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew is about two professors that have a differing opinion on what is being taught. The two of them battle it out in a nerd battle but they find they have more in common with each other than they think. G.G. Andrew’s style of writing will leave anyone laughing. Nerds need a happy ending too and no matter what they will always find how to do it. G.G. Andrew is a fascinating author who not only captures the heart of the characters but can portray their emotions as if they are real people.
February 21, 2017
A bit of geek mixed with a bit of nerd…
This book is nine short stories brought together by Trysh Thompson, and very much for the nerd and or geek in all of us. Each contains a mix of humor, love, comedy and plenty of the world of geekiness…
The first book is The Hacked Match by; Wendy Sparrow. This was a super cute bit about Aubrey Lowen, a FBI computer nerd that rather blend in at work, than be out in the field or in the action. She is content with her life until her boss throws a little wrench in that life and asks her to help him on an assignment that only a nerd can fully understand. During this new foray into the field she meets her nerd match, Seth Lawrence who has also earned the name The Savage Lynx for his hacking past. “He graduated high school when he was twelve, by seventeen he had three undergraduate degrees and had been working toward a doctorate. He’s been a member of Mensa since he was four years old, and he holds the patent on his elementary school science project.” The two are what appear to be a match made in heaven but work gets in the way and so does each of their trust issues. Aubrey can only describe the situation as “This was like some crazy Mountain Dew-fueled fantasy. This was a three code reds and four am ‘feeling of surreal.’
Book two is Issues by; Jeremiah Murphy. Although, I found this to be super short and wanting more I was impressed with the action that was packed into the little we got to read. Max and Emma are ‘casual’ neighbors who tend to have a complete lack of understanding of casual, but its oh so good.
Book three is Addie-cted by; Charlotte M. Ray. Foremost I loved how this touched on differences amongst people and how two people can come together despite one or the other having a handicap. I feel the author did a wonderful job of drawing attention to a subject that should be more normalized in such a subtle, yet impactful way. Addie and Trent are the main characters who meet online via a live game chat and game. It seems that fate has broken Trent’s computer at the right time for them to meet face to face and spend a weekend together for gamming, guilds, and raids. Addie is hesitant; “She didn’t meet new people. Not in real life. She didn’t go out much, content to get social needs met online and together with her own family. That wasn’t the problem. The problem was now that she’d met Trent in real life, she wanted to do something about it. She couldn’t let him slip by her because chances were she’d never again meet someone like him.”
Book four is Spoilers by; Mane Piper. Mike and Aleisha are our main nerds in this book, more specifically movie nerds. A random run in and preconceived notions may be just what brings this odd couple to come together. Mike; “I can’t believe I am arguing camp horror from the eighties with a woman who does yoga.” Not only that she’s a yoga loving, movie geek that tends to ‘spoil’ things for Mike. Aleshia of course counters with “People have more than one interest. Most people in the world in fact, do. I like yoga and horror movies. Don’t judge, dude. All it does is shut doors you might want to open.” (I loved this line, seriously couldn’t have ever said this like it myself!)
Book five is Rogue Trip by Laura Van Arendenk Bough. This was a uniquely told short using the steps of grief to play out the potential love that can occur between Adam and Cassandra, the two main characters that are thrust into a debacle that neither of them planned on. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, turning point, and acceptance are all major factors throughout the story.
Book six is Critical Hit by; Con Vidae. This one was super short so to avoid spoiling the story I will just tell you that we meet Terrance and Hallie during a game of D&D that has more than meets the eye to it at first.
Book seven is Classification of Nerd by; Mara Malins. In the short we meet Emily and Jack. Both work in the same office and really are deep down the same nerds at heart, they just need to see it. Emily has a lot of trust issues from a previous relationship that was very controlling and damaging to herself. Jack doesn’t want to let the chance of something happening with her slip away but, fears that the work situation is going to do just that.
Book eight is Better Than Chocolate by; Tellulah Darling. Sadie and Niccolo or Nic are the main geeks of this short story. Sadie is scorned from a recent heartbreak and Nic is really just an opportunity for her to get even, or is it? “She could really like this guy. Not lust. Like. She nibbled her bottom lip, turning her stare anywhere but him.” I felt so bad for these two, every obstacle possible seems to be getting in the way of something that could be so good.
Lastly but definitely not least, in fact my favorite in the anthology is book nine. Girl Meets Grammarian by; G.G. Andrew. In this little gem we meet Eliza and Kunal or Dr. Narang. What seems so wrong can sometimes be so right. That tends to take a long time to figure out unfortunately. Co-workers and lovers or nerds of the English language, both have different takes on how it should be learned and practiced. Sometimes learning together is the best way to solve differences. “I don’t remember what a present participle is.” Kunal; “I’d be happy to teach you.” I loved how the author packed so much punch, lust, anger, etc., in such a short and well written story.
If you are looking for something with romance and that will fulfill your geek and or nerd side this is definitely the anthology for you. It is a very nice change of pace from the a-typical Alpha male meets distressed, or weak female and all ends in a happily ever after, that we are so used to seeing in the romance section of literature lately. And, all lovers of Sci-fi should pick this up. You will have a lot in common with each character and book for sure.
This book is nine short stories brought together by Trysh Thompson, and very much for the nerd and or geek in all of us. Each contains a mix of humor, love, comedy and plenty of the world of geekiness…
The first book is The Hacked Match by; Wendy Sparrow. This was a super cute bit about Aubrey Lowen, a FBI computer nerd that rather blend in at work, than be out in the field or in the action. She is content with her life until her boss throws a little wrench in that life and asks her to help him on an assignment that only a nerd can fully understand. During this new foray into the field she meets her nerd match, Seth Lawrence who has also earned the name The Savage Lynx for his hacking past. “He graduated high school when he was twelve, by seventeen he had three undergraduate degrees and had been working toward a doctorate. He’s been a member of Mensa since he was four years old, and he holds the patent on his elementary school science project.” The two are what appear to be a match made in heaven but work gets in the way and so does each of their trust issues. Aubrey can only describe the situation as “This was like some crazy Mountain Dew-fueled fantasy. This was a three code reds and four am ‘feeling of surreal.’
Book two is Issues by; Jeremiah Murphy. Although, I found this to be super short and wanting more I was impressed with the action that was packed into the little we got to read. Max and Emma are ‘casual’ neighbors who tend to have a complete lack of understanding of casual, but its oh so good.
Book three is Addie-cted by; Charlotte M. Ray. Foremost I loved how this touched on differences amongst people and how two people can come together despite one or the other having a handicap. I feel the author did a wonderful job of drawing attention to a subject that should be more normalized in such a subtle, yet impactful way. Addie and Trent are the main characters who meet online via a live game chat and game. It seems that fate has broken Trent’s computer at the right time for them to meet face to face and spend a weekend together for gamming, guilds, and raids. Addie is hesitant; “She didn’t meet new people. Not in real life. She didn’t go out much, content to get social needs met online and together with her own family. That wasn’t the problem. The problem was now that she’d met Trent in real life, she wanted to do something about it. She couldn’t let him slip by her because chances were she’d never again meet someone like him.”
Book four is Spoilers by; Mane Piper. Mike and Aleisha are our main nerds in this book, more specifically movie nerds. A random run in and preconceived notions may be just what brings this odd couple to come together. Mike; “I can’t believe I am arguing camp horror from the eighties with a woman who does yoga.” Not only that she’s a yoga loving, movie geek that tends to ‘spoil’ things for Mike. Aleshia of course counters with “People have more than one interest. Most people in the world in fact, do. I like yoga and horror movies. Don’t judge, dude. All it does is shut doors you might want to open.” (I loved this line, seriously couldn’t have ever said this like it myself!)
Book five is Rogue Trip by Laura Van Arendenk Bough. This was a uniquely told short using the steps of grief to play out the potential love that can occur between Adam and Cassandra, the two main characters that are thrust into a debacle that neither of them planned on. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, turning point, and acceptance are all major factors throughout the story.
Book six is Critical Hit by; Con Vidae. This one was super short so to avoid spoiling the story I will just tell you that we meet Terrance and Hallie during a game of D&D that has more than meets the eye to it at first.
Book seven is Classification of Nerd by; Mara Malins. In the short we meet Emily and Jack. Both work in the same office and really are deep down the same nerds at heart, they just need to see it. Emily has a lot of trust issues from a previous relationship that was very controlling and damaging to herself. Jack doesn’t want to let the chance of something happening with her slip away but, fears that the work situation is going to do just that.
Book eight is Better Than Chocolate by; Tellulah Darling. Sadie and Niccolo or Nic are the main geeks of this short story. Sadie is scorned from a recent heartbreak and Nic is really just an opportunity for her to get even, or is it? “She could really like this guy. Not lust. Like. She nibbled her bottom lip, turning her stare anywhere but him.” I felt so bad for these two, every obstacle possible seems to be getting in the way of something that could be so good.
Lastly but definitely not least, in fact my favorite in the anthology is book nine. Girl Meets Grammarian by; G.G. Andrew. In this little gem we meet Eliza and Kunal or Dr. Narang. What seems so wrong can sometimes be so right. That tends to take a long time to figure out unfortunately. Co-workers and lovers or nerds of the English language, both have different takes on how it should be learned and practiced. Sometimes learning together is the best way to solve differences. “I don’t remember what a present participle is.” Kunal; “I’d be happy to teach you.” I loved how the author packed so much punch, lust, anger, etc., in such a short and well written story.
If you are looking for something with romance and that will fulfill your geek and or nerd side this is definitely the anthology for you. It is a very nice change of pace from the a-typical Alpha male meets distressed, or weak female and all ends in a happily ever after, that we are so used to seeing in the romance section of literature lately. And, all lovers of Sci-fi should pick this up. You will have a lot in common with each character and book for sure.
March 4, 2017
Covalent Bonds is a Red Moon Anthology of short stories that: ‘celebrates geeks of all kinds and allows them to step out of their traditional supporting roles and into the shoes of the romantic lead.’
There are nine stories by authors: G.G. Andrew, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Tellulah Darling, Mara Malins, Jeremiah Murphy, Marie Piper, Charlotte M Ray, Wendy Sparrow, and Cori Vidae.
The first story is ‘The Hacked Match’ by Wendy Sparrow. Aubrey Lowen is a beautiful but ‘geeky’ FBI consultant who is sent to a conference to gain the attention of a retired ‘hacker’, Seth Lawrence, aka ‘Savage Lynx’. She knows she is clever but she is totally unaware of how attractive she is. She lacks the confidence in herself to gain his attention. Unknown to Seth (Savage) Aubrey’s aim is to persuade him to ‘hack’ into the same system that he was arrested and served time in prison for. Can she gain his attention and confidence? Will he do as she asks?
Issues is the second story by Jeremiah Murphy. Emma is at a comic convention ‘peddling her hopes and dreams as an artist’. Her morale dips when she runs into her neighbour who is there working. She finds out he is a journalist. Her problem is that she is very attracted to him. Can she keep her thoughts and ‘her hands off him?’
Addie-cted by Charlotte M Ray is the third story. Addie is a gaming live streamer. She has recently acquired a new team member (Trent) whose graphics card breaks. Her solution is to invite Trent over to use her computer. However, she is unprepared for the way he makes her feel. Will their flirtatious online relationship develop or will he be put off by her limp and her onesies?
Spoilers by Marie Piper is about Mike who likes ‘classic camp horror movies’. When a girl in front of him in a queue for tickets ‘commits a movie sin with her accidental spoilers’ he knows he should get mad but finds himself attracted to her instead. As ‘cute girls didn’t usually glace his way’ would it be worth pursuing his interest?
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh is about a ‘table top gamer’ called Cassandra and Adam who writes games. They are thrown together when a social media rumour threatens to spoil Adam’s reputation. Reluctantly they become co-drivers in a cross country race against time. Will their dislike for each other make things more difficult?
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae focuses on Hallie’s crush for Terrance. Hallie plans a special game of Dungeons and Dragons hoping that when she is in character she has more courage to act on her real feelings. Will her plan work?
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins is about a divorcee – Emily who is fiercely asserting her independence by working for a gaming company. Her new boss, Jack, takes a dislike to her. Emily knew she was the best ‘tester’ in the team but Jack never appreciated her efforts seeming to do his best to ignore her on all levels. Despite this Emily feels attracted to Jack, especially when she sees a ‘softer’ side to his character. They are both sent down to Head Office to make a presentation together. Will they continue to ‘war’ with each other?
Better than chocolate by Tellulah Darling. Sadie Lipovsky annoys Niccolo Rossi when they both reach for the last packet of M & M’s. Both are reeling from events that have happened to them earlier that night. Sadie thinks of Niccolo as the ‘high school bad boy’. He thinks Sadie is a ‘mouthy geek girl’. Can their night get any worse as they spark off each other and make judgements?
The last story, Girl Meets Grammarian by G. G. Andrew centres on Eliza Stein. As well as being a published poet she is a new professor at a prestigious university. She becomes attracted to an older professor, Dr Kunal Narang, who teaches grammar at the university. Their relationship is quarrelsome. Why does he have to be so ‘infuriatingly charming’?
Some of these stories were easier to read than others. Where the characters were one dimensional, you only knew them through their first names, not a lot of background details were given or technical terms (acronyms) were used without explanation, the stories were harder to read and get into. I found myself having to reread opening paragraphs to try and gain a better understanding of the relationships between the characters or what they were actually doing. Some of the story lines and characters could possibly have lent themselves to longer stories or novellas in their own right.
My personal favourites were the stories like; Girl Meets Grammarian, Better Than Chocolate and Classification of Nerd because the characters were more complex and developed so they were easier to understand. There was a lot less use of technical terms: where there was usage the terms were explained.
There are nine stories by authors: G.G. Andrew, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Tellulah Darling, Mara Malins, Jeremiah Murphy, Marie Piper, Charlotte M Ray, Wendy Sparrow, and Cori Vidae.
The first story is ‘The Hacked Match’ by Wendy Sparrow. Aubrey Lowen is a beautiful but ‘geeky’ FBI consultant who is sent to a conference to gain the attention of a retired ‘hacker’, Seth Lawrence, aka ‘Savage Lynx’. She knows she is clever but she is totally unaware of how attractive she is. She lacks the confidence in herself to gain his attention. Unknown to Seth (Savage) Aubrey’s aim is to persuade him to ‘hack’ into the same system that he was arrested and served time in prison for. Can she gain his attention and confidence? Will he do as she asks?
Issues is the second story by Jeremiah Murphy. Emma is at a comic convention ‘peddling her hopes and dreams as an artist’. Her morale dips when she runs into her neighbour who is there working. She finds out he is a journalist. Her problem is that she is very attracted to him. Can she keep her thoughts and ‘her hands off him?’
Addie-cted by Charlotte M Ray is the third story. Addie is a gaming live streamer. She has recently acquired a new team member (Trent) whose graphics card breaks. Her solution is to invite Trent over to use her computer. However, she is unprepared for the way he makes her feel. Will their flirtatious online relationship develop or will he be put off by her limp and her onesies?
Spoilers by Marie Piper is about Mike who likes ‘classic camp horror movies’. When a girl in front of him in a queue for tickets ‘commits a movie sin with her accidental spoilers’ he knows he should get mad but finds himself attracted to her instead. As ‘cute girls didn’t usually glace his way’ would it be worth pursuing his interest?
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh is about a ‘table top gamer’ called Cassandra and Adam who writes games. They are thrown together when a social media rumour threatens to spoil Adam’s reputation. Reluctantly they become co-drivers in a cross country race against time. Will their dislike for each other make things more difficult?
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae focuses on Hallie’s crush for Terrance. Hallie plans a special game of Dungeons and Dragons hoping that when she is in character she has more courage to act on her real feelings. Will her plan work?
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins is about a divorcee – Emily who is fiercely asserting her independence by working for a gaming company. Her new boss, Jack, takes a dislike to her. Emily knew she was the best ‘tester’ in the team but Jack never appreciated her efforts seeming to do his best to ignore her on all levels. Despite this Emily feels attracted to Jack, especially when she sees a ‘softer’ side to his character. They are both sent down to Head Office to make a presentation together. Will they continue to ‘war’ with each other?
Better than chocolate by Tellulah Darling. Sadie Lipovsky annoys Niccolo Rossi when they both reach for the last packet of M & M’s. Both are reeling from events that have happened to them earlier that night. Sadie thinks of Niccolo as the ‘high school bad boy’. He thinks Sadie is a ‘mouthy geek girl’. Can their night get any worse as they spark off each other and make judgements?
The last story, Girl Meets Grammarian by G. G. Andrew centres on Eliza Stein. As well as being a published poet she is a new professor at a prestigious university. She becomes attracted to an older professor, Dr Kunal Narang, who teaches grammar at the university. Their relationship is quarrelsome. Why does he have to be so ‘infuriatingly charming’?
Some of these stories were easier to read than others. Where the characters were one dimensional, you only knew them through their first names, not a lot of background details were given or technical terms (acronyms) were used without explanation, the stories were harder to read and get into. I found myself having to reread opening paragraphs to try and gain a better understanding of the relationships between the characters or what they were actually doing. Some of the story lines and characters could possibly have lent themselves to longer stories or novellas in their own right.
My personal favourites were the stories like; Girl Meets Grammarian, Better Than Chocolate and Classification of Nerd because the characters were more complex and developed so they were easier to understand. There was a lot less use of technical terms: where there was usage the terms were explained.
February 28, 2017
****4 stars****
“Covalent Bonds: A Red Moon Anthology” edited by Trysh Thompson
“Covalent Bonds” is an anthology of 9 short stories that place nerds and geeks at the center of contemporary romances. The stories had humor, flirtation, sweet romance, and geekiness all mixed together. I give the Anthology as a whole 4 stars.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow -
Great short story about a weekend spent at a conference where FBI consultant Aubrey Lawrence attempts to seduce Seth Lawrence, aka Savage Lynx, former high profile computer hacker in order to get him to agree to do a hack for the government. Loved this one, would enjoy a full length book. The story was very easy going with the flirtations between the two characters being very natural and you couldn't help smiling. I will have to look for more by Wendy Sparrow in the future.
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy - Emma, who moved to New York to become a comic book artist, attends Superworld Con comic convention where she runs into her neighbor Max who she finds frustrating, but just can't keep her hands off. The story was ok, a little forced. Not my favorite.
Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray - this story follows Addie, who runs a live stream gaming chat, as she invites over Trent, who also is an online gamer, to help with a marathon weekend of gaming raids. In the end though, they find that “in person” is different than online, and they want to explore that side of things. It was a nice story, but not my favorite.
Spoilers by Marie Pepper - this very short story follows Mike and Aliesha as they meet in line at Walgreens, both unknowingly planning to go to the same afternoon classic campy horror movie showing nearby. They connect over mutual interest in the movie and connect in other ways as well. When the movie is over they are left looking forward to the next movie the following week. I liked this one. Very short, but thoroughly covered the cute interaction between the two of them and even sent a message that a yoga girl can be obsessed and knowledgeable about cheesy old horror flicks. As Aliesha said, “Don’t judge, dude. All it does is shut doors you might want to open.” This is my second favorite, and the fact that it could be so good in such a small number of pages leads me to believe Marie Pepper could be awesome at full length novels so I will be looking for more of her work.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh - this story follows Adam, an aspiring game writer, and Cassandra, a gamer trying to get merchandise for kids she volunteers with at a hospital and their last minute trip to try to get some “new release” gaming merchandise to a convention as quickly as possible after a delay in the truck carrying the product. I found myself trying to figure out the point of the story, other than making sure it focused on gaming, until the very end where it came together in a rushed way.
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae - Hallie and Terrance enjoy a flirtatious game of Dungeons and Dragons. Hallie tries to be brave enough to act on her feelings through the character she plays in the game.
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins - This story follows Emily, and her boss Jack, who both work for tester.com, a game testing company. Jack has always been stand-offish and almost rude to Emily, but after a night of playing trivia at a pub, Jack makes a move and shows he really likes Emily and has just not known how to act since he is her boss. A business trip related to a project they were both assigned to and a hotel room mix up leads to them both finally dealing with their frustrating awkward interactions and also the difference between being a nerd vs a geek, because there's a difference. Cute story.
Better Than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling - This is a great fun short story. Romantic, sarcastic, and fun between Sadie and Nic, who knew of each other from high school, but ended up in each other's crosshairs after they both had crappy nights out that involved run-ins with their exes. There was fun interactions and awkwardness mixes with sassy flirtation. It was a good story and showed how sometimes things don't work out exactly how you want, but then they do. This is another one of my favorite stories and I will be looking for more by Tellulah Darling soon.
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew - a university professor, Poet Eliza Stein butts heads with another academic, Dr. Kunal Narang, over grammar and sentence diagramming. She finds him both frustrating and very intriguing.
Overall, as with all anthologies there were some stories I really enjoyed and others I didn't really care for, but it allows readers to get a taste of what many different authors have to offer, which is great. There's something for everyone and you don't have to be familiar with computer systems, online games, tabletop games, etc in order to enjoy the stories. My favorites were Better Than Chocolate, Spoilers and The Hacked Match and I look forward to checking out more by their authors in the future. Overall, the Anthology was very good and I rate it 4 stars.
“Covalent Bonds: A Red Moon Anthology” edited by Trysh Thompson
“Covalent Bonds” is an anthology of 9 short stories that place nerds and geeks at the center of contemporary romances. The stories had humor, flirtation, sweet romance, and geekiness all mixed together. I give the Anthology as a whole 4 stars.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow -
Great short story about a weekend spent at a conference where FBI consultant Aubrey Lawrence attempts to seduce Seth Lawrence, aka Savage Lynx, former high profile computer hacker in order to get him to agree to do a hack for the government. Loved this one, would enjoy a full length book. The story was very easy going with the flirtations between the two characters being very natural and you couldn't help smiling. I will have to look for more by Wendy Sparrow in the future.
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy - Emma, who moved to New York to become a comic book artist, attends Superworld Con comic convention where she runs into her neighbor Max who she finds frustrating, but just can't keep her hands off. The story was ok, a little forced. Not my favorite.
Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray - this story follows Addie, who runs a live stream gaming chat, as she invites over Trent, who also is an online gamer, to help with a marathon weekend of gaming raids. In the end though, they find that “in person” is different than online, and they want to explore that side of things. It was a nice story, but not my favorite.
Spoilers by Marie Pepper - this very short story follows Mike and Aliesha as they meet in line at Walgreens, both unknowingly planning to go to the same afternoon classic campy horror movie showing nearby. They connect over mutual interest in the movie and connect in other ways as well. When the movie is over they are left looking forward to the next movie the following week. I liked this one. Very short, but thoroughly covered the cute interaction between the two of them and even sent a message that a yoga girl can be obsessed and knowledgeable about cheesy old horror flicks. As Aliesha said, “Don’t judge, dude. All it does is shut doors you might want to open.” This is my second favorite, and the fact that it could be so good in such a small number of pages leads me to believe Marie Pepper could be awesome at full length novels so I will be looking for more of her work.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh - this story follows Adam, an aspiring game writer, and Cassandra, a gamer trying to get merchandise for kids she volunteers with at a hospital and their last minute trip to try to get some “new release” gaming merchandise to a convention as quickly as possible after a delay in the truck carrying the product. I found myself trying to figure out the point of the story, other than making sure it focused on gaming, until the very end where it came together in a rushed way.
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae - Hallie and Terrance enjoy a flirtatious game of Dungeons and Dragons. Hallie tries to be brave enough to act on her feelings through the character she plays in the game.
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins - This story follows Emily, and her boss Jack, who both work for tester.com, a game testing company. Jack has always been stand-offish and almost rude to Emily, but after a night of playing trivia at a pub, Jack makes a move and shows he really likes Emily and has just not known how to act since he is her boss. A business trip related to a project they were both assigned to and a hotel room mix up leads to them both finally dealing with their frustrating awkward interactions and also the difference between being a nerd vs a geek, because there's a difference. Cute story.
Better Than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling - This is a great fun short story. Romantic, sarcastic, and fun between Sadie and Nic, who knew of each other from high school, but ended up in each other's crosshairs after they both had crappy nights out that involved run-ins with their exes. There was fun interactions and awkwardness mixes with sassy flirtation. It was a good story and showed how sometimes things don't work out exactly how you want, but then they do. This is another one of my favorite stories and I will be looking for more by Tellulah Darling soon.
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew - a university professor, Poet Eliza Stein butts heads with another academic, Dr. Kunal Narang, over grammar and sentence diagramming. She finds him both frustrating and very intriguing.
Overall, as with all anthologies there were some stories I really enjoyed and others I didn't really care for, but it allows readers to get a taste of what many different authors have to offer, which is great. There's something for everyone and you don't have to be familiar with computer systems, online games, tabletop games, etc in order to enjoy the stories. My favorites were Better Than Chocolate, Spoilers and The Hacked Match and I look forward to checking out more by their authors in the future. Overall, the Anthology was very good and I rate it 4 stars.
March 3, 2017
Covalent Bonds… just, wow! What can I say? This anthology consists of 9 of the sweetest, funniest, steamiest short stories I think I have ever had the ABSOLUTE PLEASURE to read. If you don’t already think nerds and geeks are sexy, get ready. This set of stories will change your mind. I had a hard time putting this down. I will be looking into the other works of these 9 fantastic authors. Ok, here is the down low.
First, we have The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow.
This story is about FBI consultant Aubrey, who is sent on a covert mission to seduce retired hacker, Seth Lawrence aka Savage Lynx, and convince him to do a little hacking for the government, which got him busted before. Aubrey doesn’t think she has the confidence to pull it off. Seth, is out of the game, but maybe he can be tempted.
Next up is Issues by Jeremiah Murphy.
Here we have a short story about Emma who is at comic convention trying to get her dreams off the ground and looking for the Holy Grail of comic books. Then she hears the one voice she was hoping to escape for the day. This voice belongs to her all too sexy neighbor with horrible pick-up lines, and now he’s turned them on her. She isn’t too happy to run into him, not because he is there, but because she can’t seem to keep her mind from “going there”. Can she keep her hands from going there?
The third story we have is Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray.
This story is about Addie, a game lover that live streams while playing, and Trent, one of the gamers that plays an important role in the raids she is live streaming. His graphic card breaks, which let’s be real, is like death to the game. Addie invites Trent to come over for the weekend to use her computer so she can salvage her stream and save the raids. When he gets there, Addie is not prepared for how he affects her. Sure they flirt online, but in person? That’s something neither or them were prepared for.
Ok, fourthly, Spoilers by Marie Piper.
Such a cute story about Mike who is headed to the movie theater to see a classic horror film. After begging a co-worker to cover the shift that someone else promised to cover and bailed, he barely makes it to the movie in time. Then there is the mystery girl that commits the cardinal sin of movies. SPOILERS! Instead of getting upset, he is drawn to her.
Next is Rouge Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh.
Here we meet Cassandra, tabletop gamer with a promise to keep. She has waited in line and is ready to get her hands on this game. Then she meets Adam, a game writer trying to get his face and name recognized. When the truck with all the goodies gets a flat tire a few states over they get roped into making the fastest trip known to mankind to get the truck and back to the Expo before everything goes up in flames. The only problem, they can’t stand each other.
Sixth on the list is Critical Hit by Cori Viade.
Hallie and Terrance are playing Dungeons and Dragons with a friend. When they are left alone to run a new and special game of D&D, maybe Hallie will have the courage with her new character to tell Terrance how she feels.
Number Seven in our nerdy adventure is Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins.
Divorcee Emily is working her dream job at Tester.com, at least she thought it was. Her boss, Jack, doesn’t really like her and lets it show. This is frustrating and a huge relief to Emily. Then, of course, they get sent together on a business trip, so she can’t keep her distance anymore. Time to deal with the elephant in the room, his dislike for her.
Then we have Better Than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling.
This story is about Sadie, the sassy and mouthy geek that just wants some chocolate M&Ms to forget all about her sleazy ex. Nic, the bad boy from high school, wants the same bag of M&Ms, which happens to be the last. Nic is trying to escape his horrible evening, but the mouth on Sadie is getting in the way of the peace he is looking for.
Last, but certainly not least, is Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrews.
In this story we meet Eliza, the young poet and new professor at a prestigious university. She is trying to solidify her place, which could be difficult. Before she even starts the school year she meets Dr. Narang, also a professor at the university. They disagree and quarrel over how sentences should or should not be diagrammed. She is tempted by him, but reluctant to give in.
I have a love/hate relationship with this anthology. I absolutely loved every single story, but I hated that there wasn’t more to each one. They all left me wanting more. I 100% recommend this to anyone that is a nerd, geek, lover of nerds and geeks or just wants a sweet, funny, steamy read!
First, we have The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow.
This story is about FBI consultant Aubrey, who is sent on a covert mission to seduce retired hacker, Seth Lawrence aka Savage Lynx, and convince him to do a little hacking for the government, which got him busted before. Aubrey doesn’t think she has the confidence to pull it off. Seth, is out of the game, but maybe he can be tempted.
Next up is Issues by Jeremiah Murphy.
Here we have a short story about Emma who is at comic convention trying to get her dreams off the ground and looking for the Holy Grail of comic books. Then she hears the one voice she was hoping to escape for the day. This voice belongs to her all too sexy neighbor with horrible pick-up lines, and now he’s turned them on her. She isn’t too happy to run into him, not because he is there, but because she can’t seem to keep her mind from “going there”. Can she keep her hands from going there?
The third story we have is Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray.
This story is about Addie, a game lover that live streams while playing, and Trent, one of the gamers that plays an important role in the raids she is live streaming. His graphic card breaks, which let’s be real, is like death to the game. Addie invites Trent to come over for the weekend to use her computer so she can salvage her stream and save the raids. When he gets there, Addie is not prepared for how he affects her. Sure they flirt online, but in person? That’s something neither or them were prepared for.
Ok, fourthly, Spoilers by Marie Piper.
Such a cute story about Mike who is headed to the movie theater to see a classic horror film. After begging a co-worker to cover the shift that someone else promised to cover and bailed, he barely makes it to the movie in time. Then there is the mystery girl that commits the cardinal sin of movies. SPOILERS! Instead of getting upset, he is drawn to her.
Next is Rouge Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh.
Here we meet Cassandra, tabletop gamer with a promise to keep. She has waited in line and is ready to get her hands on this game. Then she meets Adam, a game writer trying to get his face and name recognized. When the truck with all the goodies gets a flat tire a few states over they get roped into making the fastest trip known to mankind to get the truck and back to the Expo before everything goes up in flames. The only problem, they can’t stand each other.
Sixth on the list is Critical Hit by Cori Viade.
Hallie and Terrance are playing Dungeons and Dragons with a friend. When they are left alone to run a new and special game of D&D, maybe Hallie will have the courage with her new character to tell Terrance how she feels.
Number Seven in our nerdy adventure is Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins.
Divorcee Emily is working her dream job at Tester.com, at least she thought it was. Her boss, Jack, doesn’t really like her and lets it show. This is frustrating and a huge relief to Emily. Then, of course, they get sent together on a business trip, so she can’t keep her distance anymore. Time to deal with the elephant in the room, his dislike for her.
Then we have Better Than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling.
This story is about Sadie, the sassy and mouthy geek that just wants some chocolate M&Ms to forget all about her sleazy ex. Nic, the bad boy from high school, wants the same bag of M&Ms, which happens to be the last. Nic is trying to escape his horrible evening, but the mouth on Sadie is getting in the way of the peace he is looking for.
Last, but certainly not least, is Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrews.
In this story we meet Eliza, the young poet and new professor at a prestigious university. She is trying to solidify her place, which could be difficult. Before she even starts the school year she meets Dr. Narang, also a professor at the university. They disagree and quarrel over how sentences should or should not be diagrammed. She is tempted by him, but reluctant to give in.
I have a love/hate relationship with this anthology. I absolutely loved every single story, but I hated that there wasn’t more to each one. They all left me wanting more. I 100% recommend this to anyone that is a nerd, geek, lover of nerds and geeks or just wants a sweet, funny, steamy read!
March 3, 2017
5 star review!
Bring out your inner Geek with this fabulous collection of stories in the Covalent Bonds Anthology! What an amazing set of stories! All of the authors featured in this anthology were new to me so I was really looking forward to reading their work! It is very rare that I give 5 stars to a book of this type because I don’t always enjoy every story but in the case of this one I loved all of them! Of course I had my favourite but the others were equally as good as each other!
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
I LOVED this story! It just also happened to be my favourite out of the anthology too. I was hooked as soon as I started reading. It was one of the longer stories out of the book and I just instantly fell for the characters. FBI consultant Aubrey has one weekend to seduce Seth who is a former hacker whilst at a conference in Las Vegas in order to convince him to work for the Government. Their attraction was instant and there was a lovely little twist at the end! I will definitely be looking for more by this author. I also would have loved this book had it been a full length novel! It certainly has potential to be one!
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
This was a nice short story about Emma who is a comic book artist and Max, a person who she hates but can’t seem to keep her hands off! They meet at a comic book convention and things get a little bit steamy!! I liked this story! It was certainly short and sweet!!
Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray
This was another one that I really liked! Addie and Trent find their selves meeting for the first time in real life after Trent’s computer breaks! They have known each other virtually for a while! There is an instant chemistry between them! I don’t really understand the world of online gaming but it was interesting to read about! The story takes place over their weekend together so was one of the longer stories which meant I could get my teeth into it and get a feel for the characters! I really liked Addie and Trent!
Spoilers by Marie Piper
Another great story! Short and to the point but still well worth a read! Mike is a horror film fan and is desperate to see Silent Night, Deadly Night – he didn’t know that he would meet the girl of his dreams in the Walgreen’s queue! They end up in the same film and sparks fly whilst they are watching it!
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
This story was a little different from the others I had read so far but I still enjoyed it! Still centred around the world of fantasy we see one company trying to sabotage another company’s release of a new game! Adam and Cassandra try and save the day! Whilst they are on their road trip we find out more about the two characters and their lives. Again this was one of the longer stories in the book and I think I was able to get to know the characters well in this story! I would happily have read more about these two!
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae
In this story we read about Hallie and Terrence who are enjoying a flirtatious game of Dungeons and Dragons. Hallie is crazy about Terrence so uses the game to try and act out her feelings! This was a sweet short story and I really enjoyed it!
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins
This one was another favourite of mine! I loved Emily and Jack! Emily is a tester for a game testing company. Since she began her job it been pretty obvious to her that her boss Jack hates her. He is rude, barely speaks to her and avoids her at all costs. She is particularly confused when after a trivia night and a fair bit of alcohol Jack makes a move on her finally showing Emily how he really feels! When a room mix up on a business trip happens it leads to the two of them finally sorting out their awkward interactions! I really did love this story and I’m definitely going to be looking for more of this authors work.
Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
What a great short story! Sadie and Nic, acquaintances from High School find their selves together after they both have had a rubbish night with their exes. It all started over a bag of M&M’s! They bonded over their love of Dr Who!
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew
In this story we see Eliza, a highly regarded Poet butt heads with Dr Kunal Narang a Professor at the University where she has just started teaching, over Grammar and sentence diagramming! She finds him particularly frustrating but also extremely sexy! There is definite chemistry between them even though they both seem to try and rub each other up the wrong way! I liked this story! It was sensual in all the right places!!
Overall I absolutely loved this anthology! I would happily read any of these books if they were made into full length novels! As with every book of this type I had my favourites but they all had their own uniqueness about them that was enjoyable!
Bring out your inner Geek with this fabulous collection of stories in the Covalent Bonds Anthology! What an amazing set of stories! All of the authors featured in this anthology were new to me so I was really looking forward to reading their work! It is very rare that I give 5 stars to a book of this type because I don’t always enjoy every story but in the case of this one I loved all of them! Of course I had my favourite but the others were equally as good as each other!
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
I LOVED this story! It just also happened to be my favourite out of the anthology too. I was hooked as soon as I started reading. It was one of the longer stories out of the book and I just instantly fell for the characters. FBI consultant Aubrey has one weekend to seduce Seth who is a former hacker whilst at a conference in Las Vegas in order to convince him to work for the Government. Their attraction was instant and there was a lovely little twist at the end! I will definitely be looking for more by this author. I also would have loved this book had it been a full length novel! It certainly has potential to be one!
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
This was a nice short story about Emma who is a comic book artist and Max, a person who she hates but can’t seem to keep her hands off! They meet at a comic book convention and things get a little bit steamy!! I liked this story! It was certainly short and sweet!!
Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray
This was another one that I really liked! Addie and Trent find their selves meeting for the first time in real life after Trent’s computer breaks! They have known each other virtually for a while! There is an instant chemistry between them! I don’t really understand the world of online gaming but it was interesting to read about! The story takes place over their weekend together so was one of the longer stories which meant I could get my teeth into it and get a feel for the characters! I really liked Addie and Trent!
Spoilers by Marie Piper
Another great story! Short and to the point but still well worth a read! Mike is a horror film fan and is desperate to see Silent Night, Deadly Night – he didn’t know that he would meet the girl of his dreams in the Walgreen’s queue! They end up in the same film and sparks fly whilst they are watching it!
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
This story was a little different from the others I had read so far but I still enjoyed it! Still centred around the world of fantasy we see one company trying to sabotage another company’s release of a new game! Adam and Cassandra try and save the day! Whilst they are on their road trip we find out more about the two characters and their lives. Again this was one of the longer stories in the book and I think I was able to get to know the characters well in this story! I would happily have read more about these two!
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae
In this story we read about Hallie and Terrence who are enjoying a flirtatious game of Dungeons and Dragons. Hallie is crazy about Terrence so uses the game to try and act out her feelings! This was a sweet short story and I really enjoyed it!
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins
This one was another favourite of mine! I loved Emily and Jack! Emily is a tester for a game testing company. Since she began her job it been pretty obvious to her that her boss Jack hates her. He is rude, barely speaks to her and avoids her at all costs. She is particularly confused when after a trivia night and a fair bit of alcohol Jack makes a move on her finally showing Emily how he really feels! When a room mix up on a business trip happens it leads to the two of them finally sorting out their awkward interactions! I really did love this story and I’m definitely going to be looking for more of this authors work.
Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
What a great short story! Sadie and Nic, acquaintances from High School find their selves together after they both have had a rubbish night with their exes. It all started over a bag of M&M’s! They bonded over their love of Dr Who!
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew
In this story we see Eliza, a highly regarded Poet butt heads with Dr Kunal Narang a Professor at the University where she has just started teaching, over Grammar and sentence diagramming! She finds him particularly frustrating but also extremely sexy! There is definite chemistry between them even though they both seem to try and rub each other up the wrong way! I liked this story! It was sensual in all the right places!!
Overall I absolutely loved this anthology! I would happily read any of these books if they were made into full length novels! As with every book of this type I had my favourites but they all had their own uniqueness about them that was enjoyable!
March 3, 2017
Covalent Bonds
A Red Moon Anthology
☆☆☆☆
The third book in this series. This set has 9 stories about geeks, nerds, romance, and the love of games. It's all about 2 geeks and nerds coming together over computers.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
Aubrey Lower is a consulted for the F. B. I. She is also a nerd who is very shy and quiet. She is sent to Vegas to convince the hacker Seth Lawrence to help the F. B. I. on a case. She does not agree with this case but wants to prove herself.
Seth Lawrence has been on probation for hacking into government computers. Changing his ways, he is running his company at a convention in Vegas. He spots Aubrey and now he wants to find a way to spend alone time with her.
2. Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
Emma and Ted are at a Superhero convention. Emma is looking to find comic books and superhero for autographs. While Ted is interested in the directors angle. Then Emma runs into someone she is trying to avoid.
3.Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray
Addis keeps her life private as she does not want others to see her as disabled. She is a big gamer on line, keeping her from being judged. But now she has invited Trent another gamer she met online to her home for a streaming online weekend.
Trent is going to meet his favorite gamer, with whom he has only chatted online in the game room. He wants to help Addie set up a camera so the other gamers can see her, but she has secrets. Then there is the elephant in the room. Could it be in the lines of a romance?
4. Spoilers by Marie Piper
Mike is headed to the old movie theater to watch a movie. While at the market he meets Aleisha. Another movie fan, who is a movie spoiler as well. They get to talking and are soon attracted to each other during the movie. Two very different people, one movie and romance, can this really happen?
5. Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Angie takes her friend Cassandra on a weekend of game playing, so she is not alone. She has been burned before so she is taking precautions. Adam is trying to further his career as a writer for the gaming community. When Adam meets Angie things could all change, will they continue to get on each others nerves , or can they get past it?
6. Critical Hit by Cori Vidae.
Hallie and Lila meet in junior high school. Now they are in college, sharing a room and very close. The girls share everything, yet there are secrets. Hallie and Terrance get along just fine. While Lila is creating something with her game. The question is can she follow through with her plans?
7. Classification of Nerd by Mara Malin
Emily works with a boss who is rude, stubborn and mean to her. She feels he does not like her. She has landed her dream job, love her team but her boss is unbearable. Therefore she stays away from him. Now they are out of town on a project. How can she avoid him now? Only reading the story can answer that question.
8. Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
Sadie has had enough with Niccolo,he has broken her heart for the last time. Nic and Sadie fight about everything, they also flirt with each other, then back off. Either one wants to give in. Sadie judges Nicole for calling her Geek Girl in high school. She still holds this against him. Will they be able to get past that and move on? Can they ever see what is right in front of them?
9. Girl Meets Grammarian by GG Andrews
Dr. Eliza Stein 29 a poetry professor at a high end college. While giving a presentation she feels a man giving her captivating and disapproving looks. The man is Dr. Narang who teaches grammar. Their views are very different as are their writing styles. This breaks out in many arguments as they both try and get the other to see their point of view. Will they ever get through this and open their eyes to the real issue?
While is enjoyed this set of writers. I will be looking for more from each and everyone of these writers. They all have different writing techniques, they all have a common genre. Geeks and games. Fun for a fast read while waiting for the next event in your day. I hope you enjoy this anthology of nine writers. They have done a fine job in keeping me entertained.
A Red Moon Anthology
☆☆☆☆
The third book in this series. This set has 9 stories about geeks, nerds, romance, and the love of games. It's all about 2 geeks and nerds coming together over computers.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
Aubrey Lower is a consulted for the F. B. I. She is also a nerd who is very shy and quiet. She is sent to Vegas to convince the hacker Seth Lawrence to help the F. B. I. on a case. She does not agree with this case but wants to prove herself.
Seth Lawrence has been on probation for hacking into government computers. Changing his ways, he is running his company at a convention in Vegas. He spots Aubrey and now he wants to find a way to spend alone time with her.
2. Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
Emma and Ted are at a Superhero convention. Emma is looking to find comic books and superhero for autographs. While Ted is interested in the directors angle. Then Emma runs into someone she is trying to avoid.
3.Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray
Addis keeps her life private as she does not want others to see her as disabled. She is a big gamer on line, keeping her from being judged. But now she has invited Trent another gamer she met online to her home for a streaming online weekend.
Trent is going to meet his favorite gamer, with whom he has only chatted online in the game room. He wants to help Addie set up a camera so the other gamers can see her, but she has secrets. Then there is the elephant in the room. Could it be in the lines of a romance?
4. Spoilers by Marie Piper
Mike is headed to the old movie theater to watch a movie. While at the market he meets Aleisha. Another movie fan, who is a movie spoiler as well. They get to talking and are soon attracted to each other during the movie. Two very different people, one movie and romance, can this really happen?
5. Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Angie takes her friend Cassandra on a weekend of game playing, so she is not alone. She has been burned before so she is taking precautions. Adam is trying to further his career as a writer for the gaming community. When Adam meets Angie things could all change, will they continue to get on each others nerves , or can they get past it?
6. Critical Hit by Cori Vidae.
Hallie and Lila meet in junior high school. Now they are in college, sharing a room and very close. The girls share everything, yet there are secrets. Hallie and Terrance get along just fine. While Lila is creating something with her game. The question is can she follow through with her plans?
7. Classification of Nerd by Mara Malin
Emily works with a boss who is rude, stubborn and mean to her. She feels he does not like her. She has landed her dream job, love her team but her boss is unbearable. Therefore she stays away from him. Now they are out of town on a project. How can she avoid him now? Only reading the story can answer that question.
8. Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
Sadie has had enough with Niccolo,he has broken her heart for the last time. Nic and Sadie fight about everything, they also flirt with each other, then back off. Either one wants to give in. Sadie judges Nicole for calling her Geek Girl in high school. She still holds this against him. Will they be able to get past that and move on? Can they ever see what is right in front of them?
9. Girl Meets Grammarian by GG Andrews
Dr. Eliza Stein 29 a poetry professor at a high end college. While giving a presentation she feels a man giving her captivating and disapproving looks. The man is Dr. Narang who teaches grammar. Their views are very different as are their writing styles. This breaks out in many arguments as they both try and get the other to see their point of view. Will they ever get through this and open their eyes to the real issue?
While is enjoyed this set of writers. I will be looking for more from each and everyone of these writers. They all have different writing techniques, they all have a common genre. Geeks and games. Fun for a fast read while waiting for the next event in your day. I hope you enjoy this anthology of nine writers. They have done a fine job in keeping me entertained.
May 29, 2017
If you love geeks and nerds in love, you will love this collection of short stories. Some I liked better than others. I had a bit of a hard time with some of the stories involving gaming as I am not a gamer, but how could you not love random mentions of Firefly? A few of the authors, I would like to read more of their work - Wendy Sparrow, Mara Malins, and G.G. Andrew.
Overall, I give this collection four stars. Here is the breakdown:
The Hacked Match - Wendy Sparrow
Loved this story. Both the characters and the story felt very real to me. Four stars.
Issues - Jeremiah Murphy
While I did like the characters and the setting in this one, I didn't care much for the story. Two stars.
Addie-cted - Charlotte Milay
Cute story of two gamers falling in love. They were both adorable. Sweet story. Three Stars.
Spoilers - Marie Piper
Two movie geeks find each other. Cute story. Three stars.
Rogue Trip - Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Really liked this geek turned hero story. Very well done. Four stars.
Critical Hit - Cori Vidae
This one is probably my least favorite. As I said, not being a gamer, I wasn't really into the subject matter, but the two young people were cute together and it's a sweet story. Two stars.
Classification of a Nerd - Mara Mailins
I loved this story. Oh the complications! Boss/employee attraction, nerd/geek mixed relationship, misread motives, mixed up hotel reservations. So glad this couple finally got it figured out. Four stars.
Better Than Chocolate - Tellulah Darling
While both of the main characters started out with a chip of their shoulder and all kinds of attitude, the more I got to know them, the more I liked them. Three Stars.
Girl Meets Grammarian - G.G. Andrew
I love everything about this story. The setting, the characters, the way the relationship develops. Being a bit of a poet and a bit of a grammarian myself, I couldn't help but love these two characters. I give this one five stars.
Overall, I give this collection four stars. Here is the breakdown:
The Hacked Match - Wendy Sparrow
Loved this story. Both the characters and the story felt very real to me. Four stars.
Issues - Jeremiah Murphy
While I did like the characters and the setting in this one, I didn't care much for the story. Two stars.
Addie-cted - Charlotte Milay
Cute story of two gamers falling in love. They were both adorable. Sweet story. Three Stars.
Spoilers - Marie Piper
Two movie geeks find each other. Cute story. Three stars.
Rogue Trip - Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Really liked this geek turned hero story. Very well done. Four stars.
Critical Hit - Cori Vidae
This one is probably my least favorite. As I said, not being a gamer, I wasn't really into the subject matter, but the two young people were cute together and it's a sweet story. Two stars.
Classification of a Nerd - Mara Mailins
I loved this story. Oh the complications! Boss/employee attraction, nerd/geek mixed relationship, misread motives, mixed up hotel reservations. So glad this couple finally got it figured out. Four stars.
Better Than Chocolate - Tellulah Darling
While both of the main characters started out with a chip of their shoulder and all kinds of attitude, the more I got to know them, the more I liked them. Three Stars.
Girl Meets Grammarian - G.G. Andrew
I love everything about this story. The setting, the characters, the way the relationship develops. Being a bit of a poet and a bit of a grammarian myself, I couldn't help but love these two characters. I give this one five stars.
February 28, 2017
Covalent Bonds (Red Moon Anthologies Book 3) by G.G. Andrew, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Tellulah Darling, Mara Malins, Jeremiah Murphy, Marie Piper, Charlotte M. Ray, Wendy Sparrow, and Cori Vidae
4 out of 5 stars
This anthology celebrates geeks of all kinds (enthusiasts, be it for comics, Dr. Who, movies, gaming, computers, or even grammar), and allows them to step out of their traditional supporting roles and into the shoes of the romantic lead. Forget the old stereotypes: geeks are sexy.
I found the stories to be cute and fun, and I definitely appreciated the geek factor. As with all anthologies, there were some hits and misses for me and a few of the stories ended abruptly this is why I rate this book a 4.
The Hacked Match: Aubrey Lowen, a FBI computer nerd that rather blend in at work, than be out in the field or in the action. She is content with her life until her boss throws her a curve ball in her simple life and asks her to help him on an assignment that only a nerd can fully understand. During this new assignment she meets her match, Seth Lawrence who has also earned the name The Savage Lynx for his hacking past. “He graduated high school when he was twelve, by seventeen he had three undergraduate degrees and had been working toward a doctorate. These two appear to be a match made in heaven but work gets in the way and so does each of their trust issues.
Issues: Although, this is a super short story that leaves you wanting more I was impressed with the action that was packed into the little we got to read. Max and Emma are ‘casual’ neighbors who tend to have a complete lack of understanding of casual, but it’s really awesome....
Addie-cted: This story shows you how two people can come together despite one or the other having a handicap. The author did a wonderful job of drawing attention to a subject that should be more normalized in today’s society. Addie and Trent are the main characters who meet online via a live game chat and game. Trent’s computer broke at the right time they meet for the first time face to face and spend a weekend together for gamming, guilds, and raids. Addie is hesitant; “She didn’t meet new people. Not in real life. She didn’t go out much, content to get her social needs met online and with her family. This wasn’t the problem. The problem was that she’d met Trent in real life; she wanted to do something about it. She couldn’t let him slip by her because chances were she’d never again meet someone like him.”
Spoilers: Mike and Aleisha are our main nerds in this book, more specifically movie nerds. A random run in and preconceived notions may be just what brings this odd couple to come together. This story was fun and cute.
Rogue Trip: This was another short story Adam and Cassandra, the two main characters that are thrust into a debacle that neither of them planned. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, turning point, and acceptance are all major factors throughout the story.
Critical Hit: This is also a short story so to avoid spoiling the story I will just tell you that Terrance and Hallie meet during a game of D&D that has more than meets the eye to it at first.
Classification of Nerd: We meet Emily and Jack who work in the same office and are the same nerds at heart; they just need to see it. Emily has a lot of trust issues from a previous relationship that was very controlling and damaging to herself. Jack doesn’t want to let the chance of something happening with her slip away but, fears that the work situation is going to do just that.
Better Than Chocolate: Sadie and Niccolo or Nic are the main geeks of this story. Sadie is scorned from a recent heartbreak and Nic is really just an opportunity for her to get even, or is it? I felt so bad for this two; with every obstacle possible seems to be getting in the way of something that could be so good.
Girl Meets Grammarian: We meet Eliza and Kunal or Dr. Narang co-workers and lovers or nerds of the English language, both have different takes on how it should be learned and practiced. Sometimes learning together is the best way to solve differences. What seems so wrong can sometimes be so right.
I love reading Anthologies but I hate writing there reviews because some of the stories are to short and you really don’t want to give spoilers away.
By Tracy Manderson
4 out of 5 stars
This anthology celebrates geeks of all kinds (enthusiasts, be it for comics, Dr. Who, movies, gaming, computers, or even grammar), and allows them to step out of their traditional supporting roles and into the shoes of the romantic lead. Forget the old stereotypes: geeks are sexy.
I found the stories to be cute and fun, and I definitely appreciated the geek factor. As with all anthologies, there were some hits and misses for me and a few of the stories ended abruptly this is why I rate this book a 4.
The Hacked Match: Aubrey Lowen, a FBI computer nerd that rather blend in at work, than be out in the field or in the action. She is content with her life until her boss throws her a curve ball in her simple life and asks her to help him on an assignment that only a nerd can fully understand. During this new assignment she meets her match, Seth Lawrence who has also earned the name The Savage Lynx for his hacking past. “He graduated high school when he was twelve, by seventeen he had three undergraduate degrees and had been working toward a doctorate. These two appear to be a match made in heaven but work gets in the way and so does each of their trust issues.
Issues: Although, this is a super short story that leaves you wanting more I was impressed with the action that was packed into the little we got to read. Max and Emma are ‘casual’ neighbors who tend to have a complete lack of understanding of casual, but it’s really awesome....
Addie-cted: This story shows you how two people can come together despite one or the other having a handicap. The author did a wonderful job of drawing attention to a subject that should be more normalized in today’s society. Addie and Trent are the main characters who meet online via a live game chat and game. Trent’s computer broke at the right time they meet for the first time face to face and spend a weekend together for gamming, guilds, and raids. Addie is hesitant; “She didn’t meet new people. Not in real life. She didn’t go out much, content to get her social needs met online and with her family. This wasn’t the problem. The problem was that she’d met Trent in real life; she wanted to do something about it. She couldn’t let him slip by her because chances were she’d never again meet someone like him.”
Spoilers: Mike and Aleisha are our main nerds in this book, more specifically movie nerds. A random run in and preconceived notions may be just what brings this odd couple to come together. This story was fun and cute.
Rogue Trip: This was another short story Adam and Cassandra, the two main characters that are thrust into a debacle that neither of them planned. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, turning point, and acceptance are all major factors throughout the story.
Critical Hit: This is also a short story so to avoid spoiling the story I will just tell you that Terrance and Hallie meet during a game of D&D that has more than meets the eye to it at first.
Classification of Nerd: We meet Emily and Jack who work in the same office and are the same nerds at heart; they just need to see it. Emily has a lot of trust issues from a previous relationship that was very controlling and damaging to herself. Jack doesn’t want to let the chance of something happening with her slip away but, fears that the work situation is going to do just that.
Better Than Chocolate: Sadie and Niccolo or Nic are the main geeks of this story. Sadie is scorned from a recent heartbreak and Nic is really just an opportunity for her to get even, or is it? I felt so bad for this two; with every obstacle possible seems to be getting in the way of something that could be so good.
Girl Meets Grammarian: We meet Eliza and Kunal or Dr. Narang co-workers and lovers or nerds of the English language, both have different takes on how it should be learned and practiced. Sometimes learning together is the best way to solve differences. What seems so wrong can sometimes be so right.
I love reading Anthologies but I hate writing there reviews because some of the stories are to short and you really don’t want to give spoilers away.
By Tracy Manderson
March 3, 2017
Covalent bonds is an anthology by Trysh Thompson that includes short stories by G.G. Andrew, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Tellulah Darling, Mara Malins, Jeremiah Murphy, Marie Piper, Charlotte M. RAY, Wendy Sparrow and Cori Vidae. While some stories are a lil too short for my liking there are great stories here.
The first story is called The hacked match by Wendy Sparrow. We meet Aubrey who works with the FBI and Ex-con hacker Seth. Their initial meeting is made under false pretenses. The reader can see how they fell in lust right away. But there are secrets that she is hiding. Even if she does another agree with her task she has a job to do. Will Aubrey see more to Seth then just a job? Will Seth be able to see past Aubreys occupation? Quick read but great story. 5 star read.
Next is Issues by Jeremiah Murphy. Very short story of 2 friends Ted and Emma that go to a comic book convention. They are seperated when he waits in line. As she walk around she runs into a neighbor that she's not too fond of. I give this one 3 stars.
Addie-cted by Charolotte M. Ray. This story tells a story for Addie and Trent. She is accustomed to staying home and having her privacy. She's a huge gamer and invited Trent over. She has a disability that does not help with her getting out into the world. For this one I was a bit lost since it's more of a gamer story. Trent sees past what she puts out on the World Wide Web. Will she be open to something more? 5 star story.
Spoilers by Marie Piper. Also one of the shortest stories in this anthology is about Mike and Aleisha. While waiting at the movie theater they strike up a conversation about movies which is cute. 3.5 stars.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh. We read the story of Cassandra and Adam. They are both at a convention. Cassandra is big into gaming while Adam is trying to get his foot in the door, so to speak. Cassandra. is at the convention to game while Adam is there on business. While trying to sort out a delay on his business end he meets Cassandra. Them having a difficult introduction is putting it mildly. With having been thrown together on a long trip to save Adams presence at the convention will they kill each other? Will their journey help save Adams reputation and career? 5 star read.
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae. This is a story for 2 friends Hallie and Terrence. We immediately learn that Hallie has harbored feelings for her longtime friend Terrence. Both gamers and really good friends. Will Hallie finally make a move or will she be always be in the friend zone? Very cute super fast story. 5 stars.
Classification of a Nerd by Mara Malins. This story is about gamer Emily and her boss Jack. This one is kind of a enemies to lovers book. We see how they bicker throughout the story. Both hiding their attraction towards the other. Will a work trip help these 2 come together or drive them more apart? Will they let the bickering come between what they could become? 4 stars
Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling. We meet Sadie and Niccolo aka Nik in this story. Right away we see them arguing over a bag of m&m's. Having know each other since high school they have a set image of what the other is. Sadie is trying to mend a broken heart when Nic makes a racy suggestion. Will their arrangement lead to something better? Can she get over the ex Eric? 5 stars
Girl meet Grammarian by G.G Andrew. We meet Eliza and Dr. Kunal Narang. This is kind of like opposites attract. This story really emphasis their differing views on grammar in the English Language. Best quote in the book and the overall theme "I guess we have have to agree to disagree". Will they let their differences come between the attraction they feel? 4 stars
The first story is called The hacked match by Wendy Sparrow. We meet Aubrey who works with the FBI and Ex-con hacker Seth. Their initial meeting is made under false pretenses. The reader can see how they fell in lust right away. But there are secrets that she is hiding. Even if she does another agree with her task she has a job to do. Will Aubrey see more to Seth then just a job? Will Seth be able to see past Aubreys occupation? Quick read but great story. 5 star read.
Next is Issues by Jeremiah Murphy. Very short story of 2 friends Ted and Emma that go to a comic book convention. They are seperated when he waits in line. As she walk around she runs into a neighbor that she's not too fond of. I give this one 3 stars.
Addie-cted by Charolotte M. Ray. This story tells a story for Addie and Trent. She is accustomed to staying home and having her privacy. She's a huge gamer and invited Trent over. She has a disability that does not help with her getting out into the world. For this one I was a bit lost since it's more of a gamer story. Trent sees past what she puts out on the World Wide Web. Will she be open to something more? 5 star story.
Spoilers by Marie Piper. Also one of the shortest stories in this anthology is about Mike and Aleisha. While waiting at the movie theater they strike up a conversation about movies which is cute. 3.5 stars.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh. We read the story of Cassandra and Adam. They are both at a convention. Cassandra is big into gaming while Adam is trying to get his foot in the door, so to speak. Cassandra. is at the convention to game while Adam is there on business. While trying to sort out a delay on his business end he meets Cassandra. Them having a difficult introduction is putting it mildly. With having been thrown together on a long trip to save Adams presence at the convention will they kill each other? Will their journey help save Adams reputation and career? 5 star read.
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae. This is a story for 2 friends Hallie and Terrence. We immediately learn that Hallie has harbored feelings for her longtime friend Terrence. Both gamers and really good friends. Will Hallie finally make a move or will she be always be in the friend zone? Very cute super fast story. 5 stars.
Classification of a Nerd by Mara Malins. This story is about gamer Emily and her boss Jack. This one is kind of a enemies to lovers book. We see how they bicker throughout the story. Both hiding their attraction towards the other. Will a work trip help these 2 come together or drive them more apart? Will they let the bickering come between what they could become? 4 stars
Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling. We meet Sadie and Niccolo aka Nik in this story. Right away we see them arguing over a bag of m&m's. Having know each other since high school they have a set image of what the other is. Sadie is trying to mend a broken heart when Nic makes a racy suggestion. Will their arrangement lead to something better? Can she get over the ex Eric? 5 stars
Girl meet Grammarian by G.G Andrew. We meet Eliza and Dr. Kunal Narang. This is kind of like opposites attract. This story really emphasis their differing views on grammar in the English Language. Best quote in the book and the overall theme "I guess we have have to agree to disagree". Will they let their differences come between the attraction they feel? 4 stars
March 3, 2017
Author/s: Marie Piper, G.G. Andrew, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Tellulah Darling, Jeremiah Murphy, Wendy Sparrow, Cori Vidae, Trysh Thompson, Mara Malins, Charlotte M. Ray
I give this book a 5-star rating. *****
Covalent bonds aren’t just about atoms sharing electron pairs anymore-it’s about the electricity which happens when you pair two geeks together.
This book is an anthology and is a must read for enthusiasts of comics, Dr.Who, Movies, games etc. I never considered myself a sci-fi geek, despite loving science fiction. There is a moment you realise that actually, you are possibly a bit more of a fanatic when you are sat in a quiet waiting room, kindle in hand reading and you burst out laughing because you ‘get’ the story more than you thought. But this book did that, the stories were brilliant and I liked that they were mostly female characters. It is really hard as a female to be acceptably ‘geeky’ in my opinion. Each story was romance based, which was great and the racier ones were fab.
The first story I REALLY liked having been to a similar convention. It is the story called The hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow, where Aubrey who works for the FBI, though she is not a field agent, she finds herself sent on a mission so to speak. Seth the ultimate hacker is in attendance at the con and the sparks really fly!
Issues By Jeremiah Murphy, this story is short and sharp, it starts with attending a con and finding your neighbour who you love to hate is there, the ‘issues’ suddenly don’t matter and the relationship can go either way.
Addie-cted by Charlotte M Ray is a story based on the gaming world. A girl who helps out a fellow GM Trent, so they can continue with a weekend of raids when his computer breaks down. Will the weekend be pure gaming or will the closeness of someone Addie has flirted on line with spice it up?
Rogue Trip by Laura VanAredonk Bough. When the XPO and sales of a new game are in jeopardy, the plan to save the weekend falls to a 22-hour road trip to rescue the merchandise. Everything Adam seems to say makes Cassandra upset, but circumstances thrust the two of them together on this trip. Can they be at least on speaking terms or friends by the end of the road trip?
Spoilers by Marie Piper, another short and sharp tale but centres on Mike a 26 year-old who likes to split his time between watching and blogging about horror movies. Whilst buying a bottle of Mountain Dew Aleisha starts to chat to him and he is surprised by her knowledge about movies and shocked by her spoiler. Could he have found someone who is interested in the same things he is?
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae, this story starts with a game of Dungeons and Dragons but can Hallie turn her own version into something which will make Terence notice her? Who knew you could get hot and bothered over a board game!
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins. This story starts with Emily who works for surly Jack. He seems to really dislike her but hurt and cautious after being hurt dreadfully in a previous relationship she isn’t overly bothered. Until she is forced to work closely with Jack on a project. Can the pair remain polite and how long will she be able to remain under her own control?
Better than chocolate by Tullalah Darling see’s Sadie hook up with Nic when she leaves a party where her ex just turned up. As they fight over a bag of M&Ms can she find something better than chocolate with Nic?
Girl meets Grammarian by GG Andrew. Erica Stein is a 29 year-old poetry professor at a large university. During her opening talk, she is surprised when another colleague Dr. Narang questions her. It soon becomes clear they both love words but have polar views on it. Can Dr. Narang change her view on this or is he after changing more than her understanding of his work?
The stories get better and better and having an anthology of them in one book means you can read them comfortably in-between breaks at Comic-cons and such like…wow I sound like a geek already ha ha! I will recommend this 5-star book to my friends who I attend cons with.
I give this book a 5-star rating. *****
Covalent bonds aren’t just about atoms sharing electron pairs anymore-it’s about the electricity which happens when you pair two geeks together.
This book is an anthology and is a must read for enthusiasts of comics, Dr.Who, Movies, games etc. I never considered myself a sci-fi geek, despite loving science fiction. There is a moment you realise that actually, you are possibly a bit more of a fanatic when you are sat in a quiet waiting room, kindle in hand reading and you burst out laughing because you ‘get’ the story more than you thought. But this book did that, the stories were brilliant and I liked that they were mostly female characters. It is really hard as a female to be acceptably ‘geeky’ in my opinion. Each story was romance based, which was great and the racier ones were fab.
The first story I REALLY liked having been to a similar convention. It is the story called The hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow, where Aubrey who works for the FBI, though she is not a field agent, she finds herself sent on a mission so to speak. Seth the ultimate hacker is in attendance at the con and the sparks really fly!
Issues By Jeremiah Murphy, this story is short and sharp, it starts with attending a con and finding your neighbour who you love to hate is there, the ‘issues’ suddenly don’t matter and the relationship can go either way.
Addie-cted by Charlotte M Ray is a story based on the gaming world. A girl who helps out a fellow GM Trent, so they can continue with a weekend of raids when his computer breaks down. Will the weekend be pure gaming or will the closeness of someone Addie has flirted on line with spice it up?
Rogue Trip by Laura VanAredonk Bough. When the XPO and sales of a new game are in jeopardy, the plan to save the weekend falls to a 22-hour road trip to rescue the merchandise. Everything Adam seems to say makes Cassandra upset, but circumstances thrust the two of them together on this trip. Can they be at least on speaking terms or friends by the end of the road trip?
Spoilers by Marie Piper, another short and sharp tale but centres on Mike a 26 year-old who likes to split his time between watching and blogging about horror movies. Whilst buying a bottle of Mountain Dew Aleisha starts to chat to him and he is surprised by her knowledge about movies and shocked by her spoiler. Could he have found someone who is interested in the same things he is?
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae, this story starts with a game of Dungeons and Dragons but can Hallie turn her own version into something which will make Terence notice her? Who knew you could get hot and bothered over a board game!
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins. This story starts with Emily who works for surly Jack. He seems to really dislike her but hurt and cautious after being hurt dreadfully in a previous relationship she isn’t overly bothered. Until she is forced to work closely with Jack on a project. Can the pair remain polite and how long will she be able to remain under her own control?
Better than chocolate by Tullalah Darling see’s Sadie hook up with Nic when she leaves a party where her ex just turned up. As they fight over a bag of M&Ms can she find something better than chocolate with Nic?
Girl meets Grammarian by GG Andrew. Erica Stein is a 29 year-old poetry professor at a large university. During her opening talk, she is surprised when another colleague Dr. Narang questions her. It soon becomes clear they both love words but have polar views on it. Can Dr. Narang change her view on this or is he after changing more than her understanding of his work?
The stories get better and better and having an anthology of them in one book means you can read them comfortably in-between breaks at Comic-cons and such like…wow I sound like a geek already ha ha! I will recommend this 5-star book to my friends who I attend cons with.
March 5, 2017
Covalent Bonds-A Red moon Anthology is the third book in this series and gives the readers nine great short stories about a common thread. Nerds and they love they have for gaming.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
5 stars
Aubrey works for the FBI and is very shy and smart. Wanting to prove herself to the FBI, she is headed to Vegas needed to convince an exhacker to help the FBI get into a network of a company taking weapons. Seth has come to Vegas to represent his company and when he sees Audrey walk in, he is taken back by her. She has a valid question and all he can think about is being alone with her! With her motives, can they really get to know one another?
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
4 stars
Emma and Ted are attending a conference together. While Emma is attending as a superhero/comic angel...Ted is there because he is really into one of the director’s work that is in attendance. While trying to fund Ted, Emma runs into someone she really wanted and needed to avoid.
You know what they say about LOVE and Hate!
Addie-cted By Charlotte M. Ray
5 stars and a favorite
Always having been judged for her disability, Addie wanted to keep herself hidden from others. So into the world of online gaming she went because she knew, no one who judge her or make fun of her. Having known Addie for a long time online, Trent is finally going to meet her. He wants to set up cameras so he can live stream the event. Addie tries to find reasons why she doesn’t need his help. Addie wants to hide her secret and worries that will see her differently.
Spoilers by Marie Piper
Nothing like standing in line to watch a movie you have wanted to see for so long when you meet someone amazing. Mike and Aleisha have so many interests that are the same.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
4 stars
Needing a friend for a game weekend, Angie invites Cassandra to join her. Adam is looking way to advance into the gaming community and he wants to become one of the top in the industry. Angie and Adam meet during the gaming. Read to see if they see eye to eye or annoy each other.
Critical Hit By Cori Vidae
Friends since junior high and now college roommates, Lila and Hallie are as close as ever. Terrance is a friend and watching Lila be at such ease bothers Hallie because of how she feels about him. Players of D and G Hallie is planning something big but will she have the courage to show others?
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins
5 stars another favorite
Emily thinks her boss Jack hates her, He has always been rude and unpleasant with her. This is her dream job but dealing with a boss she can’t read has been hard. Trying to avoid him until they must travel out of town together work on a game together. She is worries he is controlling like her ex and Jack thinks he is being nice but so nervous being around Emily.
Better then Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
4 stars
Mending a broken heart, Sadie then runs into Nic, the bad boy of her high school and while they flirt, they both are protecting themselves from being hurt and guarding how they really feel. Can Sadie stop judging him from his past and see that he is more than just someone who is into hook us?
Girl Meets Gammarain
4stars
Dr. Eliza Stein is 29 and is a poetry professor. Having to give a presentation, she is seeing Dr Narang giving her looks from captivating to disapproving. Both have different views of writing and both can be very stubborn. Can the sparks still fly?
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
5 stars
Aubrey works for the FBI and is very shy and smart. Wanting to prove herself to the FBI, she is headed to Vegas needed to convince an exhacker to help the FBI get into a network of a company taking weapons. Seth has come to Vegas to represent his company and when he sees Audrey walk in, he is taken back by her. She has a valid question and all he can think about is being alone with her! With her motives, can they really get to know one another?
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy
4 stars
Emma and Ted are attending a conference together. While Emma is attending as a superhero/comic angel...Ted is there because he is really into one of the director’s work that is in attendance. While trying to fund Ted, Emma runs into someone she really wanted and needed to avoid.
You know what they say about LOVE and Hate!
Addie-cted By Charlotte M. Ray
5 stars and a favorite
Always having been judged for her disability, Addie wanted to keep herself hidden from others. So into the world of online gaming she went because she knew, no one who judge her or make fun of her. Having known Addie for a long time online, Trent is finally going to meet her. He wants to set up cameras so he can live stream the event. Addie tries to find reasons why she doesn’t need his help. Addie wants to hide her secret and worries that will see her differently.
Spoilers by Marie Piper
Nothing like standing in line to watch a movie you have wanted to see for so long when you meet someone amazing. Mike and Aleisha have so many interests that are the same.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
4 stars
Needing a friend for a game weekend, Angie invites Cassandra to join her. Adam is looking way to advance into the gaming community and he wants to become one of the top in the industry. Angie and Adam meet during the gaming. Read to see if they see eye to eye or annoy each other.
Critical Hit By Cori Vidae
Friends since junior high and now college roommates, Lila and Hallie are as close as ever. Terrance is a friend and watching Lila be at such ease bothers Hallie because of how she feels about him. Players of D and G Hallie is planning something big but will she have the courage to show others?
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins
5 stars another favorite
Emily thinks her boss Jack hates her, He has always been rude and unpleasant with her. This is her dream job but dealing with a boss she can’t read has been hard. Trying to avoid him until they must travel out of town together work on a game together. She is worries he is controlling like her ex and Jack thinks he is being nice but so nervous being around Emily.
Better then Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
4 stars
Mending a broken heart, Sadie then runs into Nic, the bad boy of her high school and while they flirt, they both are protecting themselves from being hurt and guarding how they really feel. Can Sadie stop judging him from his past and see that he is more than just someone who is into hook us?
Girl Meets Gammarain
4stars
Dr. Eliza Stein is 29 and is a poetry professor. Having to give a presentation, she is seeing Dr Narang giving her looks from captivating to disapproving. Both have different views of writing and both can be very stubborn. Can the sparks still fly?
June 12, 2017
This anthology was at the perfect intersection of all things I love in stories: geekiness of all varieties, smart main characters, witty banter, and romance. I loved all of the stories but one, but I'll say a bit about my favorites below:
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
This was a great story to kick off the anthology. Aubrey the FBI consultant going undercover at the con to entice a former hacker and crush into an assignment was a fun premise. I immediately downloaded another series from Wendy Sparrow after reading.
Addie-cted by Charlotte Ray
This reminded me a wee bit of The Guild, and I'm a sucker for stories about internet friends (or crushes) meeting in real life and navigating the new dimension of their relationship. I also liked how the author handled Addie's disability and Trent's reaction to it.
Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
Short and sweet and full of chocolate and Doctor Who goodness, but the banter is what really made me fall for this one.
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew
One of my very favorites. I love G.G. Andrew's writing and characters and this was no exception. I loved the push and pull between Eliza the poet and her more traditional grammar-loving colleague Kunal. Also, think diagramming sentences can't be sexy? Prepared to be proved delightfully and unequivocally wrong.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow
This was a great story to kick off the anthology. Aubrey the FBI consultant going undercover at the con to entice a former hacker and crush into an assignment was a fun premise. I immediately downloaded another series from Wendy Sparrow after reading.
Addie-cted by Charlotte Ray
This reminded me a wee bit of The Guild, and I'm a sucker for stories about internet friends (or crushes) meeting in real life and navigating the new dimension of their relationship. I also liked how the author handled Addie's disability and Trent's reaction to it.
Better than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling
Short and sweet and full of chocolate and Doctor Who goodness, but the banter is what really made me fall for this one.
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew
One of my very favorites. I love G.G. Andrew's writing and characters and this was no exception. I loved the push and pull between Eliza the poet and her more traditional grammar-loving colleague Kunal. Also, think diagramming sentences can't be sexy? Prepared to be proved delightfully and unequivocally wrong.
March 5, 2017
Fun, fast, nerdy and geeky
Covalent Bonds is an anthology consisting of nine stories from nine different authors that have come together to write stories where the geeks and nerds of the world are the objects of lust, want and need.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow is a funny, cute, constantly have a smile on your face story. This short read follows Seth and Aubrey whom meet when Aubrey is sent on assignment by the FBI to convince the world's greatest computer hacker to help them. I absolutely loved Seth!!
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy tells a story of Emma who is an aspiring comic book artist and Max who is a journalist and Emma’s next door neighbor. Emma and Max share a little history beneath the sheets but they don't always get along. They bond when Max helps Emma find a rare comic at comic con. This is a super fast read full of sexual tension.
Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray is about Addie who is a female gamer who is insecure about her looks due to a disability and Trent who is another gamer who played online with Addie. They end up thrown together when Trent’s computer dies and Addie offers her up.
Spoilers by Marie Piper is about Aleisha and Mike who meet while standing in line at Walgreens and instantly clicked with a passion of old horror movies.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh is about Cassandra who attends a game con and Adam who is a game writer. They meet at a XPO and find themselves traveling together across state lines to save the day at xpo despite not liking each other when they first meet but after talking out their differences they realises they have a lot in common. This book has a touch of suspense and adventure to it.
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae is about Hallie and Terrance who are college friends who flirty during a D&D session. This book is a very short fun, flirty, cute, and sweet read.
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins is about Emily and Jack….Jack also happens to be Emily's boss. Emily works for the best computer game testing company in the UK which is great because she loves playing video games. Emily and Jack struggle through the whole story with their attraction to one another. Emily also has a ugly past relationship that is making it hard for her to trust Jack.
Better Than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling is about Sadie who was just cheated on and dumped by her boyfriend and Nic who was gorgeous cool guy from high school who was rumored to be a player. They bond over a bad night and bag of m&ms.
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew is about Eliza who is a university professor and Dr. Kunal Narang who is also a professor. They meet when Eliza is giving a talk at the university and their teaching views and techniques which very different come to light but they end up bonding over grammar.
I thought this book was a very neat and cool twist on a romance read. All the authors did an amazing job with their stories and they were all very well written. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a change from the typical billionaires and bad boys. I give this book 4 stars.
Covalent Bonds is an anthology consisting of nine stories from nine different authors that have come together to write stories where the geeks and nerds of the world are the objects of lust, want and need.
The Hacked Match by Wendy Sparrow is a funny, cute, constantly have a smile on your face story. This short read follows Seth and Aubrey whom meet when Aubrey is sent on assignment by the FBI to convince the world's greatest computer hacker to help them. I absolutely loved Seth!!
Issues by Jeremiah Murphy tells a story of Emma who is an aspiring comic book artist and Max who is a journalist and Emma’s next door neighbor. Emma and Max share a little history beneath the sheets but they don't always get along. They bond when Max helps Emma find a rare comic at comic con. This is a super fast read full of sexual tension.
Addie-cted by Charlotte M. Ray is about Addie who is a female gamer who is insecure about her looks due to a disability and Trent who is another gamer who played online with Addie. They end up thrown together when Trent’s computer dies and Addie offers her up.
Spoilers by Marie Piper is about Aleisha and Mike who meet while standing in line at Walgreens and instantly clicked with a passion of old horror movies.
Rogue Trip by Laura VanArendonk Baugh is about Cassandra who attends a game con and Adam who is a game writer. They meet at a XPO and find themselves traveling together across state lines to save the day at xpo despite not liking each other when they first meet but after talking out their differences they realises they have a lot in common. This book has a touch of suspense and adventure to it.
Critical Hit by Cori Vidae is about Hallie and Terrance who are college friends who flirty during a D&D session. This book is a very short fun, flirty, cute, and sweet read.
Classification of Nerd by Mara Malins is about Emily and Jack….Jack also happens to be Emily's boss. Emily works for the best computer game testing company in the UK which is great because she loves playing video games. Emily and Jack struggle through the whole story with their attraction to one another. Emily also has a ugly past relationship that is making it hard for her to trust Jack.
Better Than Chocolate by Tellulah Darling is about Sadie who was just cheated on and dumped by her boyfriend and Nic who was gorgeous cool guy from high school who was rumored to be a player. They bond over a bad night and bag of m&ms.
Girl Meets Grammarian by G.G. Andrew is about Eliza who is a university professor and Dr. Kunal Narang who is also a professor. They meet when Eliza is giving a talk at the university and their teaching views and techniques which very different come to light but they end up bonding over grammar.
I thought this book was a very neat and cool twist on a romance read. All the authors did an amazing job with their stories and they were all very well written. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a change from the typical billionaires and bad boys. I give this book 4 stars.
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