BOOK REVIEW ~ KILLER QUEEN BY L.H. COSWAY and GIVEAWAY

Title: Killer Queen
Author: L.H. Cosway
Publisher: Smashwords
Release Date: October 20, 2014
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Format: eBook






Buy Links

Amazon / Amazon UK / B&N / Kobo / Smashwords / iTunes


Willkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome…

Come inside The Glamour Patch club to see the star of our show, Miss Vivica Blue. 

Do you want to read my diary you nosy little devils? Have a glass of champagne (you’ll need it) and get comfortable because you’re in for some crazy shenanigans brought to you straight from the horse’s mouth.

I can be whatever you want me to be: boy, girl, a little bit of both.

If you have a problem with a man in a dress then best be off with you. If males in make-up give you the willies, then I’ll say au revoir and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

So, who are we left with? Ah, a fine collection of curious souls. I want to tell you a tale of love, because those are the most glorious kind. I want to tell you about real love, a love that transcends labels and gender stereotypes.


The moment I first laid eyes on my Freda I knew that we were kindred. Well okay, I also knew I wanted to get into her pants, but that’s beside the point. My world was a grey place. I was at my lowest ebb. Then she came along and patches of colour began to spring forth. One day the daffodils were yellow and before I knew it, colour was everywhere, lighting up my life.

Love is not about how we appear on the outside, it’s about the soul contained within.

Our story was not a conventional one, but it was ours, and that’s what made it shine.


Killer Queen is a companion novel to L.H. Cosway’s contemporary romance, Painted Faces. It contains scenes that take place before, during and after the original story. It can also be read as a standalone.

I originally reviewed L.H. Cosway's Painted Faces back in 2013 (click here for my 5 Star review). This was the first time I was introduced to Cosway--and I was HOOKED! I also picked it as one of my favorite reads of 2013. It absolutely blew me away.

Cosway brilliantly takes a character that you would assume could in no way be considered sexy...and makes him super hot, super charming, and King of Dirty Talking. I cannot rave enough about Nicholas.

So when I was asked to read and review Killer Queen, there was no hesitation. Killer Queen is the retelling of Painted Faces, but from Nicholas's POV. Something that I had to have. I wanted to delve inside the mind of one hell of an intriguing character. One that continues to be so damn unique, so damn sexy, and plagues my mind with all sorts of dirty fantasies.

Do you have to read Painted Faces first in order to understand Killer Queen?

No.

But you should.

Both are delicious in their own way.

Both are hot.

And both remain on my top fave list.

Nicholas has always been in awe of his mother. He loved to watch her as she prepared to perform on stage. She was stunningly beautiful to him. And when she tragically died, Nicholas knew of only one way to experience that closeness he used to share with his mother.

Young Nicholas would sneak into the attic and watch old films of his mother, slip inside her beautiful dresses and sing along to the haunting and seductive tones of his mother's voice. It was through this strange behavior he felt closer to the mother he lost. It was his secret. One he kept from his father for fear of horrible repercussions. And one that he could not--would not--deny himself.

Until an evil man who worked close with Nick's father discovered his secret--his shame. And Nicholas's life would be irrevocably changed.

Now, Nicholas is an adult. He shines on the stage as the magnificent drag queen--Vivica Blue. It is with the make-up, the dresses, the stunning shows that make it possible for Nick to metaphorically give the middle finger to the perverted monster who continues to haunt him. Who took something beautiful and tried to make it something ugly. As Vivica Blue, Nick embraces that inner little boy who once sang along with his mother. Those moments when little Nicholas watched in awe as she painted her face before a show. He becomes an entertainer, a performer, and the limelight loves him. He shines--is glorious upon the stage. He is Vivica Blue.

But drinking, partying, and maniacal highs and lows is taking its toll on Nicholas. He is slowly sinking into a pit of despair...one that may claim his very soul. He is lost and alone.

Until he meets Phil.

Until he moves to Ireland

Until he meets Freda.

And everything once again dramatically shifts in Nick's life.

But can he pull himself from out of the darkness and realize he isn't utterly destroyed and deserving of love?


Here are just some of my favorite moments in Killer Queen:

Every woman is different. Some of them make you feel satisfied, others make you feel high, most just make you feel used or dirty. But you, Fred, you make me feel cleansed. 

Okay, so when it came to sex, I was a talker. In fact, dirty talk was my forte. I couldn't help but say what was on my mind, and I loved the different reactions I got. 

Great fucking tits, Fred. I can't wait to suck on the other one next time.

Her sweet little sighs filled the room, and I knew in that moment that we weren't fucking, we were making love. I felt like running away and never leaving all at once. 

I could have lived forevermore between the beauty mark on her neck and the freckle on her collarbone quite happily. 

And for a limited time---Painted Faces is free on Amazon. 10/22/14 through 10/26/14 

 

About the Author

L.H. Cosway has a BA in English Literature and Greek and Roman Civilisation, and an MA in Postcolonial Literature. She lives in Dublin city. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favourite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books.

Author Links:

Website / Facebook / Twitter  / Goodreads 

Excerpt 

“What has you so excited tonight?” Phil asked me, one hand on his hip, the other holding Pickles under his arm. The tiny dog struggled to break free, and Phil finally let him down.

I sat in front of the mirror in my dressing room at The Glamour Patch, using some mousse to slick my hair back away from my face. My lips were red, and I’d gone for a smoky grey eye shadow that highlighted the blue of my irises.

“My new neighbour’s coming to see the show. I can’t wait for you to meet her, Phil. She’s quite something.”

His lips quirked. “Ah, I was wondering why you were going all Frank-N-Furter tonight.”

I glanced at him as I topped up my mascara. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He raised an amused eyebrow and folded his arms. “You always whip out the Rocky Horror when you want to get a lady all hot and bothered. They love that androgynous shit, not to mention those hot pants leave very little to the imagination.”

I grinned mischievously. “I do believe I’ll take that as a compliment, Philip.” A pause before I continued, “So, does it usually work?”

“Depends on the lady. If she’s that way inclined, yes, it works a charm.”

His answer pleased me. “Good to know.”

Phil was right — I was definitely going for androgyny tonight rather than full-on female, and it wasn’t because my head was messed up. It was because my own vanity was surfacing, and I wanted Fred to find me sexy. I wasn’t certain that a dress was going to do it for her, but once she saw how little my hot pants left to the imagination, as Phil so graciously put it, I was sure she’d be shifting in her seat.

Yeah, that’s right, my package, for lack of a better word, was well on display. Are you regretting picking up my diary yet, you nosy little things? No? Well, let’s see if we can change your minds. I will find a way to make you tug uncomfortably at your collars yet.

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