🐰📘🎥Friday's Film Adaptation🎥📘🐰: How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

Summary:

How to Train Your Dragon #1

7 MILLION COPIES SOLD OF THE SERIES THAT INSPIRED THE HIT MOVIES!

 

Action-packed, hilarious, and perfectly illustrated, How to Train Your Dragon is a beloved modern classic with millions of fans across the globe. Journey into the adventure that started it all for Hiccup and Toothless!

In the book that started it all, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, the quiet and thoughtful son of the Chief of the Hairy Hooligans, tries to pass the important initiation test of his Viking clan by catching and training a dragon. Can Hiccup do it without being torn limb from limb? Join his adventures and misadventures as he finds a new way to train dragons—and becomes a hero.

See How to Train Your Dragon come to life in the new live-action movie—coming to theaters June 2025!

Read all the books in the series!

How to Train Your Dragon

How to Be a Pirate

How to Speak Dragonese

How to Cheat a Dragon’s Curse

How to Twist a Dragon’s Tale

A Hero’s Guide to Deadly Dragons

How to Ride a Dragon’s Storm

How to Break a Dragon’s Heart

How to Steal a Dragon’s Sword

How to Seize a Dragon’s Jewel

How to Betray a Dragon’s Hero

How to Fight a Dragon’s Fury

For more fantastic stories from Cressida Cowell, don’t miss the out-of-this-world Which Way to Anywhere adventures, and The Wizards of Once series.

Chapter One

FIRST CATCH YOUR DRAGON

Long ago, on the wild and windy isle of Berk, a smallish Viking with a longish name stood up to his ankles in snow.

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, the Hope and Heir to the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, had been feeling slightly sick ever since he woke up that morning.

Ten boys, including Hiccup, were hoping to become full members of the Tribe by passing the Dragon Initiation Program. They were standing on a bleak little beach at the bleakest spot on the whole bleak island. A heavy snow was falling.

"PAY ATTENTION!" screamed Gobber the Belch, the soldier in charge of teaching Initiation. "This will be your first military operation, and Hiccup will be commanding the team."

"Oh, not Hiccup," groaned Dogsbreath the Duhbrain and most of the other boys. "You can't put Hiccup in charge, sir, he's USELESS."

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, the Hope and Heir to the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, wiped his nose miserably on his sleeve. He sank a little deeper into the snow.

"ANYBODY would be better than Hiccup," sneered Snotface Snotlout. "Even Fishlegs would be better than Hiccup."

Fishlegs had a squint that made him as blind as a jellyfish, and an allergy to reptiles.

"SILENCE!" roared Gobber theBelch. "The next boy to speak has limpets for lunch for the next THREE WEEKS!"

There was absolute silence immediately. Limpets are a bit like worms and a bit like snot and a lot less tasty than either.

"Hiccup will be in charge and that is an order!" screamed Gobber, who didn't do noises quieter than screaming. He was a seven-foot giant with a mad glint in his one working eye and a beard like exploding fireworks. Despite the freezing cold he was wearing hairy shorts and a teeny weeny deerskin vest that showed off his lobster-red skin and bulging muscles. He was holding a flaming torch in one gigantic fist.

"Hiccup will be leading you, although he is, admittedly, completely useless, because Hiccup is the son of the CHIEF, and that's the way things go with us Vikings. Where do you think you are, the REPUBLIC OF ROME? Anyway, that is the least of your problems today. You are here to prove yourself as a Viking Hero. And it is an ancient tradition of the Hooligan Tribe that you should-" Gobber paused dramatically-

"FIRST CATCH YOUR DRAGON!"

Ohhhhhh suffering scallops, thought Hiccup.

"Our dragons are what set us apart!" bellowed Gobber. "Lesser humans train hawks to hunt for them, horses to carry them. It is only the VIKING HEROES who dare to tame the wildest, most dangerous creatures on Earth."

Gobber spat solemnly into the snow. "There are three parts to the Dragon Initiation Test. The first and most dangerous part is a test of your courage and skill at burglary. If you wish to enter the Hairy Hooligan Tribe, you must first catch your dragon. And that is WHY," continued Gobber, at full volume, "I have brought you to this scenic spot. Take a look at Wild Dragon Cliff itself"

The ten boys tipped their heads backward.

The cliff loomed dizzyingly high above them, black and sinister. In summer you could barely even see the cliff as dragons of all shapes and sizes swarmed over it, snapping and biting and sending up a cacophony of noise that could be heard all over Berk.

But in winter the dragons were hibernating and the cliff fell silent, except for the ominous, low rumble of their snores. Hiccup could feel the vibrations through his sandals.

"Now," said Gobber, "do you notice those four caves about halfway up the cliff, grouped roughly in the shape of a skull?"

"Inside the cave that would be the right eye of the skull is the Dragon Nursery, where there are, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, three thousand young dragons having their last few weeks of winter sleep."

"OOOOOOOH," muttered the boys excitedly.

Hiccup swallowed hard. He happened to know considerably more about dragons than anybody else there. Ever since he was a small boy, he'd been fascinated by the creatures. He'd spent hour after long hour dragon watching in secret. (Dragon-spotters were thought to be geeks and nerds, hence the need for secrecy.) And what Hiccup had learned about dragons told him that walking into a cave with three thousand dragons in it was an act of madness.

No one else seemed too concerned, however.

"In a few minutes I want you to take one of these baskets and start climbing the cliff," commanded Gobber the Belch. "Once you are at the cave entrance, you are on your own. I am too large to squeeze my way into the tunnels that lead to the Dragon Nursery. You will enter the cave QUIETLY-and that means you too, Wartihog, unless you want to become the first spring meal for three thousand hungry dragons, HA HA HA HA!?

Gobber laughed heartily at his little joke, then continued. "Dragons this size are normally fairly harmless to man, but in these numbers they will set upon you like piranhas. There'd be nothing left of even a fatso like you, Wartihog-just a pile of bones and your helmet. HA HA HA HA! So ... you will walk QUIETLY through the cave and each boy will steal ONE sleeping dragon. Lift the dragon GENTLY from the rock and place it in your basket. Any questions so far?"

Nobody had any questions.

"In the unlikely event that you DO wake the dragons-and you would have to be IDIOTICALLY STUPID to do so-run like thunder for the entrance to the cave. Dragons do not like cold weather and the snow will probably stop them in their tracks."

Probably? thought Hiccup. Oh, well, that's reassuring.

"I suggest that you spend a little time choosing your dragon. It is important to get one the correct size. This will be the dragon that hunts fish for you, and pulls down deer for you. You will catch the dragon that will carry you into battle later on, when you are much older and a Warrior of the Tribe. But, nonetheless, you want an impressive animal, so a rough guide would be, choose the biggest creature that will fit into your basket. Don't linger for TOO long in there-"

Linger??? thought Hiccup. In a cave full of three thousand sleeping DRAGONS?

"I need not tell you," Gobber continued cheerfully, "that if you return to this spot without a dragon, it is hardly worth coming back at all. Anybody who FAILS this task will be put into immediate exile. The Hairy Hooligan Tribe has no use for FAILURES. Only the strong can belong."

Unhappily, Hiccup looked round at the distant horizon. Nothing but snow and sea as far as the eye could see. Exile didn't look too promising, either.

"RIGHT," said Gobber briskly. "Each boy take a basket to put their dragon in and we'll get going."

The boys rushed to get their baskets, chattering happily and excitedly.

"I'm going to get one of those Monstrous Nightmare ones with the extra-extendable claws. They're really scary," boasted Snotlout.

"Oh shut up, Snotlout, you can't," said Speedifist. "Only Hiccup can have a Monstrous Nightmare, you have to be the son of a chief" Hiccup's father was Stoick the Vast, the fearsome chief of the Hairy Hooligan tribe.

"HICCUP?" sneered Snotlout. "If he's as useless at this as he is at Bashyball, we'll be lucky if he even gets one of the Basic Browns."

The Basic Brown was the most common type of dragon, a serviceable beast but without much glamour.

"SHUDDUP AND GET INTO LINE YOU MISERABLE TADPOLES!" yelled Gobber the Belch.

The boys scrambled into their places, baskets on their backs, and stood to attention. Gobber walked along the line, lighting the torch that each boy held in front of him from the great flare in his hand.

"IN HALF AN HOUR'S TIME YOU WILL BE A VIKING WARRIOR, WITH YOUR FAITHFUL SERPENT AT YOUR SIDE ...

... OR BREAKFASTING WITH WODEN IN VALHALLA WITH DRAGONS' TEETH IN YOUR BOTTONI!" screamed Gobber with horrible enthusiasm.

"DEATH OR GLORY!" yelled Gobber.

"DEATH OR GLORY!" yelled eight boys back at him fanatically.

Death, thought Hiccup and Fishlegs, sadly.

Gobber paused dramatically, with the horn to his lips.

I think this could possibly be the worst moment of my life SO FAR, thought Hiccup to himself as he waited for the blast of the horn. And if they shout much louder, we're going to wake up those dragons before we even START.

"PARRRPRRRRRP!" Gobber blew the horn.

A hapless young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons becomes the unlikely friend of a young dragon himself, and learns there may be more to the creatures than he assumed.

Release Date: March 26, 2010

Release Time: 98 minutes

Directors: Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois

Cast:

Jay Baruchel as Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III

Randy Thom provides the vocal effects for Toothless, Hiccup's faithful Night Fury, and Stormfly, Astrid's Deadly Nadder

America Ferrera as Astrid Hofferson

Gerard Butler as Stoick the Vast

Craig Ferguson as Gobber the Belch

Jonah Hill as Snotlout Jorgenson

Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fishlegs Ingerman

Kristen Wiig as Ruffnut Thorston, Tuffnut's quarrelsome twin sister

T.J. Miller as Tuffnut Thorston, Ruffnut's quarrelsome twin brother

David Tennant as Spitelout Jorgenson

Ashley Jensen as Phlegma the Fierce,

Robin Atkin Downes as Ack

Philip McGrade as Starkard

Kieron Elliott as Hoark the Haggard

Awards:

83rd Academy Awards - February 27, 2011

Best Animated Feature - Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois - Nominated

Best Original Score - John Powell - Nominated

68th Golden Globes - January 16, 2011

Best Animated Film - Nominated

64th BAFTAs - February 13, 2011

Best Original Music - John Powell - Nominated

Best Animated Movie - Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois - Nominated

Cressida Cowell

Cressida Cowell is the author and the illustrator of the bestselling How to Train Your Dragon book series. Her latest book The Wizards of Once is an international bestseller. Cressida is also the author of the Emily Brown picture books, illustrated by Neal Layton.

How to Train Your Dragon has sold over 8 million books worldwide in 38 languages. It is also an award-winning DreamWorks film series, and a TV series shown on Netflix and CBBC. The first book in Cressida's new series, The Wizards of Once (also signed by DreamWorks), is a number one bestseller.

Cressida is an ambassador for the National Literacy Trust and the Reading Agency and a founder patron of the Children's Media Foundation. She has won numerous prizes for her books, including the Gold Award in the Nestle Children's Book Prize, the Hay Festival Medal for Fiction, and Philosophy Now' magazine's 2015 Award for Contributions in the Fight Against Stupidity.

She grew up in London and on a small, uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland and she now lives in Hammersmith with her husband, three children and a dog called Pigeon.

FACEBOOK  /  BLUESKY  /  TWITTER

WEBSITE  /  KOBO  /  iTUNES  /  IMDB

AUDIBLE  /  AUDIOBOOKS  /  YOUTUBE

CHIRP  /  GOOGLE PLAY  /  INSTAGRAM

LINKTREE  /  BOOKSHOP  /  WIKI  /  B&N

BOOKBUB  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

How to Train Your Dragon #1

AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  B&N

KOBO  /  iTUNES  /  iTUNES AUDIO

CHIRP  /  GOOGLE PLAY  /  AUDIBLE

WEBSITE  /  BOOKSHOP  /  AUDIOBOOKS

BOOKBUB  /  WIKI  /  GOODREADS TBR

Series

AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  B&N

KOBO  /  iTUNES  /  iTUNES AUDIO

CHIRP  /  GOOGLE PLAY  /  AUDIBLE

BOOKSHOP  /  AUDIOBOOKS

WEBSITE  /  WIKI  /  GOODREADS TBR

Film

AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK

B&N  /  ALL MOVIE  /  WIKI

IMDB  /  DREAMWORKS

🐰⏳Throwback Thursday's Time Machine⏳🐰: Love Nest by Kiki Burrelli

Summary:

Welcome to Morningwood #8

A classic tale of hawk meets mouse…and falls in love.

Last summer, Gus and Blaze were just life-long best friends. They made the leap from friends to lovers and now, several months later, Gus loves Blaze more than ever. Recently, he’s wondered if Blaze still feels the same way. Gus thought their honeymoon phase would last forever.

Blaze is on cloud nine. He has his best friend and his mate. He always knew Gus was his, and now that his best friend has realized that too, Blaze’s life is perfect. He can’t wait to spend eternity with Gus, but recently, his little mouse has been acting strange. Like something has changed in him.

A sudden mission with the Elite Force comes at the worst time, separating the two when they need to talk the most. Blaze waited too long to have Gus in his arms. He’ll deal with the human hunters encroaching on shifter land and he’ll do it quickly enough to make it home in time for the big Easter barbecue—and to convince Gus that they’re mates now and forever.

Love Nest is a Welcome to Morningwood novella that continues the love story of Gus and Blaze. and contains all the steam and laughs you expect from Morningwood and can be read and fully enjoyed as a standalone.

Original Review March 2024:

When I saw Kiki Burrelli had another Easter-y themed entry in Welcome to Morningwood I had to read it now which means I jumped ahead a couple of entries(again something I rarely do, as in 99.999% never do).  I don't think I missed out on anything that I can't go back and catch up on in the coming months but time will tell😉.

On to Love Nest.  Unlike the two I have read, Sack of Gold and Hop On, there really is no darkness here other than relationship drama that yes, mostly comes from non-communicating but as I often feel, without drama you can't enjoy the happy.  Personally, sometimes not talking things out happens, it's just human nature to keep things tight to one's chest once in a while for a variety of reasons.  For Gus and Blaze, those reasons I think is fear of disappointment in each other's decision to leap from friends to lovers, very understandable.

In their shifter form, hawk and mouse, they couldn't be more opposites attract but as we know, in non-shifter they have been BFFs most of their life so friends to lovers it is and there is no denying their chemistry and passion for each other.  Sometimes no amount of chemistry and passion can allay those fears of crossing the friends/lovers line. I get it, it is frustrating and more than once I wanted to shake the pair yelling "TALK TO EACH OTHER!" but it's that frustrating that sucked me in so thoroughly that before I knew it, the last page was swiped.

Whether you're like me and went looking for Easter themed stories are are just on the hunt for a  fun read, Love Nest is definitely worth the read.  There is a brief mentions of Arthur and Aries from Hop On the biggest being the Easter BBQ is at their home so it was nice that I read that entry first and knew what that pair went through to get their HEA but it's not essential reading to fall in love with Gus and Blaze's journey. Another great holiday gem.

RATING:

Chapter One

Gus 

The warm spray washed away the aches of the night. With my eyes still halfway shut from sleep, I reached for my moisturizing conditioner. My fingers knocked into the navy-blue bottle. I'd been expecting it to be heavier than it was, and my miscalculation sent the container flying.

The corner of the lid landed hard against my big toe, and I growled—even though such a thing wouldn't have been possible for me in my mouse form. My lip curled.

"Blaze!" I howled. He wasn't home. He'd earned early PT for mouthing off while in the field on our last mission. "I'm going to pluck you and stuff you into a pillow!"

He couldn't hear me. Not even Blaze's hawk hearing was sharp enough to pick up my voice from across town, but threatening him made me feel better all the same. If this had been the first time he'd used my product, I wouldn't be so angry, but Blaze had been making a habit out of using my deep moisturizing hair mask as body wash for weeks now.

Yes, standing in the shower for ten minutes while the cream soaked was excessive, but I liked to spend that time thinking or jerking off. Now I'd have to go my whole day minus my think time and without my stress reliever—all of this while I had frizzy hair.

At the moment, nothing was actually keeping me from masturbating. I glanced down at mini-Gus. He was especially mini at the moment thanks to my annoyance, and I sighed. I'd use this time to enjoy a second cup of coffee before I left instead and save myself from the glop they served down at the station.

Rinsing quickly, I reached outside the shower curtain for my towel, grasping an empty towel rack instead. I wrenched the shower curtain open. My towel lay crumpled—soaking wet—on the floor. I must have missed that when I'd climbed into the shower half asleep. And yep, there were no more towels in the bathroom cupboard. Why would there be? It was Blaze's turn to do the laundry.

It had been months since I'd agreed to move into Blaze's place. Before that, my entire life had been spent pining for the man. When a bizarre accident blew away the barriers between us, I discovered he felt the same way I did. At least, I'd thought he had. Blaze was my boyfriend and my roommate, but before he was either of those things, he'd been my best friend.

I stepped from the tub to the door, shaking like a dog to knock off the excess water. I'd have to air dry today. The only one who would be upset by the water droplets I left on the floor behind me was me. And I decided to forgive myself as I padded, buck naked, into our kitchen—stopping in my tracks.

The kitchen had been spotless last night. Now, coffee grounds were strewn across the counter. A small pile sat in a puddle of milk, turning it a light tan, while the milk dried to a flaky finish. Sighing, I grabbed a paper towel and wiped up the mess. I opened the cupboard under the sink to throw the paper towel away and discovered the trash can as overflowing as it had been last night when I'd asked Blaze to take it out.

When we'd first moved in, things had been perfect. Blaze's roommate, Kyle, had been our biggest hurdle, and it hadn't taken long before Kyle begged to move out, claiming our lovey-dovey behavior made him ill. I'd smugly helped him pack and carry furniture, all the while assuming that the stage we'd been in was how Blaze and I would be forever.

I didn't understand what had happened. I still loved him as much as ever. When I looked at Blaze, my stomach fluttered the same as it used to. But I was beginning to fear the same couldn't be said for him. I didn't know what had happened. Had I changed? Maybe I wasn't taking the changes in our living situation as stoically as I thought.

I tied up the garbage and set it outside the front door, planning to take it to the can on my way to the car.

The state of the kitchen had looked like Blaze had tried to make coffee. Tried and failed, if the amount of grounds on the counter was anything to go by. During mornings when we got ready together, making the coffee was one of my tasks.

I sipped my first cup, the nutty, earthy flavor waking me up in a way the shower had been unable to. I looked around the kitchen with new eyes. My relationship with Blaze wasn't in such a bad shape; it was mostly my lack of caffeine that had made me so morose. I took another sip, doing a spin on the tile to judge my dryness.

I caught my reflection in the living room mirror and posed. Nothing had changed in my looks. Lifting my arms over my head, I flexed like one of those oiled-up body builders. My lips turned down in a frown. Maybe my body had looked a little more… put together.

As a mouse shifter, my metabolism ran at a level most people would have to make a deal with the devil to achieve, but maybe my age was finally catching up to me. Blaze had been teasing me about how I liked caramel sauce in my coffee instead of sugar or honey. Maybe the teasing had been a cover, and he was actually annoyed. And unhappy.

My fingers were slow and unsteady when I dressed in my Elite Force uniform. I winced, my pants feeling just a little tighter than they normally did. Ignoring my finished reflection, I went back into the kitchen and brewed myself and Blaze a fresh cup, placing them both in our travel mugs. I'd bought them our first weekend together, smiling as I imagined all the things we'd do together while sipping on our matching mugs. This way, when I saw him at the office, he'd be relieved to see me.

The drive through town was short, and it was only minutes before I'd parked and walked down the sidewalk to the joint building that the Morningwood Elite Force shared with City Hall, the police department and the morgue.

"Good morning, Gus," Arthur greeted me outside on the path in. He had an Elite Force hat shoved over his blond curls and a leather satchel draped over his shoulder. Captain Aries must have had to go into the office early because he was absent from Arthur's side. Captain always went in when one of us had to go in early, saying he'd never asked one of us to do something he wasn't willing to do.

"Morning, Arthur. How's the little one?" I asked.

Arthur and the captain had enrolled Harlow, their daughter, in T-ball in the hopes that the sport would help her keep climbing out of her shell.

"You should've seen it," Arthur said, already smiling. "Aries bought her the entire outfit, pads, and helmet, and she refused to take any of it off all weekend. I didn't mind. Less bumps and bruises that way—ouch." Arthur rubbed his elbow after accidentally knocking it against the building wall.

"Maybe you should've gotten your own pair," I teased, reaching for the door to pull it open.

"Did you guys make a decision about Easter yet?" Arthur asked, going through the entrance I held open.

I frowned. "Easter?" The holiday was coming up this week.

"For our Easter barbecue this weekend? We wanted to throw a shindig where everyone could enjoy themselves. I know the town comes together, but that's mostly for the kids, and some of you guys have yet to settle down and pop any out. "

My face burned red. Arthur spoke like I should know what he was talking about. Clearly, he'd asked Blaze, but Blaze hadn't mentioned a word of the party to me. Why? Because we hadn't settled down and popped any out? "Blaze and I just… we hadn't made plans to…"

Arthur's eyes widened. "No! I didn't mean you two specifically. Oh, man, that was rude of me, wasn't it?"

I hurried to respond. "No, no, it's fine. I know what you meant. So, anyway, you're throwing an Easter barbecue?"

"I gave Blaze the invitation. He said he wasn't sure but would ask you. It's Easter, starting anytime you want to come over in the afternoon. We'll be at the parade and the gold hunt before then. You don't have to bring anything. Aries and I want to treat all of you. I don't think we ever officially thanked you as a team for just how amazing you all were when Aries was going through his stuff and then with accepting me so warmly as part of the team."

I shrugged, uncomfortable with his praise. He made the way we'd all been decent humans sound like we'd done something special. "We're more than coworkers in the Elite Force, Arthur. We're a team only as strong as our weakest link." I gasped, thinking about what I'd just implied. It felt like we just kept taking turns sticking our feet into our respective mouths. "Not that you were our weakest link."

"Uh-oh," Bruno said when the two of us reached the Elite Force lobby. He was a giant of a man with a wiry beard that covered a blocky, square-shaped face and short dark hair. "Someone let Arthur and Gus alone together. They're socially awkwarding themselves into a hole." Bruno's voice boomed as loudly as his laugh.

Arthur blushed a deep red while I flashed Bruno the finger. That only made him laugh harder.

"Mouse has a bite?" he bellowed.

Blaze walked through the lobby, coming from the other side. He'd changed out of his PT clothes into his uniform, and, as I always did, I took a second to simply stare. He wore the Elite Force uniform like a second skin. His dark hair, streaked with blond from hours out in the sun, was half dry but styled neatly. He looked up at me with amber eyes—like twin pools of whiskey. I wanted to drink him dry.

"Hey there," I purred, forgetting all the little annoyances that had clung to my back, weighing me down on the drive over. This was probably why nothing ever changed between us. The moment I stood within talking distance of the man, I became a formless puddle of goo. "I brought you a coffee."

Though I'd done the same thing hundreds of times, even before we'd started dating, I still felt shy, like someone would recognize I liked him. And after hiding my love for Blaze for so many years, it was ingrained in me. His fingers brushed over mine as he grabbed the travel mug, and our eyes met. I waited for that glorious moment where the rest of the world would fall away, and the only two things that existed were him and me. Blaze and Gus.

"Thanks," Blaze murmured. "But the coffee I had this morning gave me the shits. I think it's those fancy beans you insist on. Bruno, you want it?"

"Sure, I don't mind the shits. Gives my day some excitement," he guffawed. He took the mug from Blaze, popped off the lid, and proceeded to dump in an ungodly number of sugar packets from the small coffee station.

I glared at him. Those were my home beans! I had to have them specially delivered to Morningwood. Blaze knew that. Blaze knew everything about me. The fact that we'd been best friends since birth meant he'd seen me in every state of life: sad, happy, goofy. We'd had farting competitions and had been entirely too open with our bathroom behavior.

Dread made my gut uneasy. Was that what was wrong here? Most couples took years before they knew so much about each other. We'd jumped into a relationship already aware of the other's most embarrassing moments because we'd been there when it had happened. Before dating me, Blaze had no shortage of men and women willing to give up the chance for forever in exchange for a mind-blowing night of sex with him.

Our relationship had popped up so quickly. At the time, we'd also been fighting for our lives. Had enough time passed since then that Blaze now realized he'd made a mistake?

"How come you didn't tell me about Captain's barbecue?" I asked, the question sounding random and angry since no one else was in my head, and they hadn't been there for the mental lead-up.

Blaze's smile faltered. "The what?"

Captain poked his head out of his office. "Good morning, love," he said to Arthur before his tone hardened to address the rest of us. "Morning briefing, thirty minutes. Don't be late."

I pushed my wet hair back, tucking the strands behind my ear. Embarrassment made my cheeks burn. I should have waited until it was just us two before asking about the barbecue. Maybe Blaze hadn't wanted to go and not asking me was just a cover. One that I'd ruined.

"Uh-oh, trouble in paradise?" Bruno looked between Blaze and me like we were two players in a tennis match. "That didn't last long. Is your old apartment even cold yet?"

Any second, Blaze would correct our coworker. He'd tell him there was nothing wrong with us. No trouble.

Except Blaze didn't say anything. He looked at me. "Do we need to step outside?" he asked warily.

I lifted my chin, both as a reflexive and defensive movement. "Maybe we do."

"Oooo," Bruno howled.

I spun away, facing the door so I wouldn't have to see Bruno's annoying smiling face. Blaze charged ahead of me, and we walked outside together in silence until we lingered at the side of the building.

"Did something happen at home?" Blaze leaned with his shoulder balanced against the building, managing to keep his distance but also shield me from anyone walking behind him.

I sighed loudly, wondering how we'd gotten to this point so quickly. "No, nothing happened. I'm just wondering why you didn't bring up the party at Arthur and Captain's? Do you not want to go? Is that why?"

"Of course I want to go, Gus."

I folded my arms. "Oh so you just don't want me to go."

"That isn't what I said at all, Gus. What the heck? What is wrong?"

I didn't know how to verbalize what I felt. Individually, my complaints felt so petty. If I said them out loud, I'd only see how silly I was being. But they didn't feel petty. My anger simmered just hot enough to keep steaming while never exploding into a full boil.

"Are you upset because I wasn't there this morning?" Blaze asked, his tone turning deep and husky. "You know that wasn't my choice. Captain's orders. I prefer waking up with you."

My stomach clenched as my dick twitched. I was no closer to controlling my sexual reactions around Blaze now as I was able to fly without his help. Blaze and I had sex. Lots. It wasn't like our last time together was all that long ago, but my body reacted like we hadn't had sex in months. I slumped back against the wall, my arms dropping to my sides. "Maybe that's it. I don't like mornings where we don't get up together."

Blaze leaned in, his face free of the stress wrinkles that had been there moments ago. "Then I know just what to do." He kissed my nose. "Shift."

He shifted first, wiggling from his uniform and flapping his wings as he blinked expectantly.

I was wary, unsure of what his plan was. I shifted, scurrying down the sleeve of my uniform to peer up at him. Blaze swooped down, reenacting the scary part of a nature documentary as he secured me in his talons. We'd been flying together for years; it had been our favorite thing to do once we were both mature enough to shift. I still squeaked because even though it was exhilarating and amazing to soar up into the clouds, it was really freaking scary.

Though the ground quickly grew too far away, I knew I was safe in Blaze's talons. He might try to eat me later, but we'd both enjoy that.

Blaze didn't take us back to his house on the bluffs, though; he flew us to the very edge of the Morningwood city limits, over the park and forest to the boundary line where we'd constructed our top secret tree fort when the two of us had been ten. He flapped his wings, soaring in through the open window, where he released me on to a pile of cedar shavings.

I shifted and caught my footing quickly. "I didn't know you meant here, Blaze. We're gonna be late for the briefing."

Blaze surged forward, pushing my back to the wall, his front pressing against mine. "A quickie." His lips massaged my neck as he spoke, kissed, and nibbled his way down my chest.

I looked over his head at the familiar four walls. How many hours had we spent in this space as children, dreaming about the type of people we'd become? Blaze had always wanted to work in law enforcement, but in his younger years, he switched between wanting to work for Morningwood Police or the Elite Force. I'd only ever wanted to be where he was, by his side.

I sighed, wishing I could talk to the younger version of me who used to beat himself up.

"What is it?" Blaze asked, pulling back to allow a few inches between our faces. "Where are you in that head?"

Our gazes collided, my blue eyes clashing with his amber ones. "I'm here, Blaze. I think… sometimes… this is all a little surreal, you know? How many times did I imagine being with you like this, while I sat in this treehouse with you?"

Blaze smiled and kissed my nose. "I'm sorry I wasn't more confident back then. We could've been together the way we were meant to be for so long by now." He dropped to his knees and looked up from under my erection. We hadn't brought our clothes with us, so we were both still completely naked. "I'm still not finished catching up for all that lost time, though." He parted his lips and slid the head of my cock into his mouth, suckling just the tip while tiny explosions of pleasure went off over my body.

I didn't know how Blaze made other parts of me feel so good when he was really only touching my penis, but he knew every trick and tip to make sure I felt each lick and suckle everywhere. He could lick my elbow and make my big toe shiver with pleasure. The sounds of his mouth on my cock alone were nearly enough to bring me to orgasm. Lewd, sloppy, and wet, my moans were like the melody to his erotic percussion.

He took me deeper, his nose brushing my groin as his chin collided with my balls. He gripped my ass cheeks, pulling them apart with a growl that was as possessive as it was seductive. I wasn't in heat, so we didn't need to worry about protection.

Blaze withdrew, letting my dick fall out of his mouth with a sharp pop. "Grab the branch," he ordered, and my hands flew to the tree branch overhead that grew out of the window.

The tree creaked, but it was sturdy enough for me to hang my weight from, and I did as Blaze rose to his feet, lifting me with my legs around his waist.

"I promise I'll be on my best behavior from here on," he said as he lined our bodies up.

"Your what?" I frowned.

"So I don't get morning PT. You're always grumpy when I have morning PT."

That wasn't one hundred percent accurate, but Blaze thrust inside me in the next moment, stealing my breath and my concentration. Sometimes, he took hours lovingly preparing my body to accept him. Other times, our lovemaking was more primal. I loved both types, but right now, I needed his dominating strength. It was possible that he was more correct than I gave him credit for. Maybe it really was just his absence that got to me. I closed my eyes and pushed the thoughts out of my mind. While my alpha's cock was inside me—giving me a good dicking, as Blaze would call it—I would think only of him and now. Of us.

He kept one hand gripped tightly over my nape, holding me in place while his other hand held my hip. My feet were off the ground as I remained suspended, helpless. I couldn't control the rate of his thrusts or the speed. All I could do was hang on and let my alpha fuck me in the exact manner that he desired.

In our old childhood treehouse.

"You're milking my cock," Blaze growled. "So tight and hot. You're my hole, my perfect hole."

Fuck, that shouldn't have thrilled me as much as it did, but when Blaze started talking like that, I was lost. It felt like something else inside of me took over, like Gus had taken a break, and some other version, one that was needy and wanton, took over. I squeezed my legs around his hips, earning me another low growl. "I can't hold it back," I gasped. I'd done all I could to keep my orgasm from crashing. I'd hung suspended on the precipice for so long that it didn't take long to plunge me into pleasure.

"Don't," Blaze commanded. "Don't ever hold back, my omega."

There was no one around to hear us, and that was a very good thing. The noises I made had likely cleared our section of the forest, spooking small and large animals alike. My vision blurred, going dark before snapping back into perfect clarity. Seeing Blaze fuck me was almost as much fun as being fucked, and I didn't want to miss a single moment, not even while I was coming so hard I'd feel the aftershocks all day long.

Blaze continued to buck and thrust, drawing out both of our orgasms until I could do nothing but collapse against him, sweaty, panting, and satisfied.

"I'm gonna need a second shower," I groaned.

"Don't worry, sweet cheeks. I have that covered," Blaze said, jumping to his feet with an exuberance I wasn't capable of right just then. "Shift. I'll get us washed up and bring us back."

There wasn't any time to argue; we were likely late as it was. But the ridicule we'd get for returning sweaty-faced and smelling like sex would be unbearable. I shifted and waited.

I was still me as a mouse, but my thoughts were clearer, more focused. It was almost like as I shrunk, so did the world, my problems and worries, all of it, shrinking right along with me. But Blaze was still big. He grabbed hold of me with his sharp, brown talons and then took off.

My tiny mouse stomach flew into my throat, and I squeaked but kept my eyes open. The ground below zoomed away before rapidly growing close again. I looked up, but I couldn't see Blaze's face in this position. His beak was pointed down, in the same direction we were flying. When he said he'd handle the problem, I thought he'd fly us home really quickly, but that wasn't the direction we were going. We went down, through the canopy of trees.

The blue of Morningwood Lake grew larger and larger. I squeaked loudly, realizing what Blaze had planned. He screeched as if to tell me to calm down and that he had it all under control. At the last moment, I sucked in a breath and then nearly lost it the moment we plunged beneath the ice-cold water. My heart pounded rapidly, and my lungs stretched tight, demanding I inhale.

Blaze took us back up, using his wet wings to get distance between us and the water. If he tried to dip us a second time, I already decided I would bite his foot and take my chances falling. His wings lifted us higher. The wind whipping by was cold, but it also helped dry my fur so that by the time I spotted the Elite Force building below, I was nearly dry.

That had been my second shower for the day, and I couldn't help but compare the two. I much preferred this one, even if there still wasn't a towel waiting for me after.

Saturday Series Spotlight

Easter Edition

Sack of Gold  /  Pumpkin Cream Pie

Kiki Burrelli

Kiki Burrelli lives in the Pacific Northwest with the bears and raccoons. She dreams of owning a pack of goats that she can cuddle and dress in form-fitting sweaters. Kiki loves writing and reading and is always chasing that next character that will make her insides shiver. Consider getting to know Kiki at her website, on Facebook, or send her an email: kikiburrelli@gmail.com.

FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  FB FRIEND

WEBSITE  /  iTUNES  /  AUDIBLE

AUDIOBOOKS  /  CHIRP  /  INSTAGRAM

PINTEREST  /  FB GROUP /  TANTOR

BOOKBUB  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

EMAIL: kikiburrelli@gmail.com

Love Nest #8

AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  BOOKBUB

WEBSITE  /  GOODREADS TBR

Series

AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK

WEBSITE  /  GOODREADS TBR

🐰Monday Mpreg Mania🐰: Bunny Hop Beau by Lacey Daize

Summary:

Holiday Surprise #5

Saint Patrick's Day was the best day of Avery's life, the day after was the worst.

Avery left home for Valle Granja at the insistence of his instincts, and the urging of his mama, who'd always supported him. When he meets his fated mate, Cam, at the Saint Patrick's Day Dance he understands why. But joy is soon replaced with grief when only hours later he learns that his parents were killed in a car accident—having never heard that he met his mate and leaving Avery's five-year-old brother behind.

Finding his fated mate was like a dream come true for Cam, but their bond is immediately put to the test.

Cam knew that Avery was his fated mate as soon as he saw him, and he was excited to begin their lives together. However an early-morning phone call shatters the peace of their new bond. Suddenly he finds himself as the surrport for his grieving mate and orphaned brother, a position which brings up memories of his own.

Can new love survive grief and loss, and can they come together as a family?

Bunny Hop Beau is a 23K word , non-shifter, M/M, mpreg, omegaverse romance

Content note: Loss and grief play prominent roles in this book.

Original Review March 2024:

First off I'm going to say I found Bunny Hop to be a companion piece to Lucky Dance Date(Holiday Surprise #3) as the first chapters are a recap of Lucky but from Cam and Avery's POV.  If you haven't read Lucky, I highly recommend doing so, not because you'll be lost in regards to what is going on but to some degree I would say it has spoilers for Lucky, not word-for-word but enough that I would not enjoy Lucky as much knowing what we see here first. For those who think the first chapters are wasted as "rehashing" they aren't, I was excited to see those events from Cam and Avery's POV as the friends of the MCs, not something you often get to see.

As for Bunny Hop, it goes from unbelievably happy happy to devastatingly saddy saddy in a heartbeat, which life tends to do once in a while.  As heartbreaking as the death of Avery's parents is, the flip of a coin change in emotional fortune for the pair was in a way refreshing because of the reality of it.  Hard to think in terms of reality when dealing with mpreg and omegaverse genres & tropes but the heartache leaves you even more emotionally attached to the characters than one often finds themselves.  Let's face it, Cam has been handed the perfect get-out-of-jail-free card(for lack of better phrasing) but he doesn't bite and he shows Avery just how all in he truly is, yet another reason Bunny Hop is a heart grabber.

Once again Lacey Daize has once again proven mpreg can be both realistic and fantasy all at the same time.  Can't wait to read more of her awesome stories.

RATING:

Chapter 1 - Avery 

 ~January~ 

I side-eyed the fax machine as it picked up a piece of paper and started printing. The thing was a constant thorn in my side, but no matter how often I tried to convince my bosses that it was obsolete, they insisted that we keep it. 

Apparently some people still preferred to fax documents, no matter how secure and convenient the web portals we offered. 

I blinked as it picked up a second sheet. The spam adverts that it usually printed always fit on a single page, which meant that it was one of the rare real faxes. I snagged the cover sheet and noted the number of expected pages, and whom in the office I needed to hand it over to. 

I smiled when I saw that José—a handsome alpha mortgage broker—was the intended recipient. It gave me an excuse to talk to him.  

I’d met José six months earlier, when I first arrived in Valle Granja, and my instincts had immediately insisted that I get close to him. The urge was almost as strong as the one that had made me move there. 

I didn’t question it at first. My mama had always stressed that the universe knew what it was doing, and that it guided us through our instincts. But after months of flirting, and him seemingly oblivious, I was starting to wonder if that inner voice had been wrong. 

Once the fax finished printing I checked to make sure that it had all arrived properly, then took it to José’s office. 

Unfortunately, several minutes—and even an invitation to lunch—later, he still seemed as immune to my flirting as ever. 

I forced a smile as one of the other mortgage brokers, Morgan, headed towards me, and passed him as I walked to the break room.

I was almost there when I realized that I’d left my cell phone at the front desk. I turned around to grab it, but stopped when I heard something that stopped me in my tracks. 

“...I ran into my old highschool boyfriend, and… I’ve still got it bad for him,” Jose said 

“From high school?” Morgan asked. “Man, you’ve gotta move on. It’s been more than a decade, right? Why not give Avery a chance? He’s obviously interested.” 

I plastered myself against the wall. Listening was wrong, but I needed to know. 

“No omega should ever be an alpha’s second choice,” José replied. “They deserve a mate who looks at them, and knows that there could never be another. We owe them that much since all the consequences of a failed mating falls on them.” 

“I didn’t say mate him, just date him.” 

“That would be leading him on, and I’m not down for that.” 

“Whatever man. Your loss, but maybe you should let him know so he can move on too.”

Jose sighed. “You’re probably right.” There was a pause, then he continued. “So what did you need?” 

I stepped away and decided to return to the break room without my cell phone rather than walk past the open office door and give away that I might have heard the conversation. 

I needed to think. How had my instincts been so wrong to lead me to a man who was in love with somebody else?

 ∞∞∞ 

I flopped on the couch and removed my glasses. I rubbed at a spot with the hem of my shirt until I was satisfied that whatever it was was gone, then I started to put them back on. It was then that a lock of blond hair decided to fall in front of my eyes. I huffed and smoothed it back into place, making a mental note to get a haircut, then put my glasses back on. Finally I picked up my phone. It was time for my weekly call with my parents, and I really wanted to talk to my mama. 

José’s words had echoed in my head for days. “No omega should ever be an alpha’s second choice…”

There was a finality in the statement. He would always love his high-school boyfriend, and it would never change. Anybody else would be the backup option. 

I knew in my core that the universe wouldn’t pair me with an alpha who would forever carry a torch for somebody else. But I still had a strong urge to be near him. 

I blew out a breath and tapped my parents’ number from my contact list. 

“Avery! Sweetheart!” my mama said as she answered. “How are you doing?” 

I smiled. Somehow just hearing Mama’s voice always lifted my spirits. “I’m good, Mama. How about you?” 

She laughed. “Busy as always. You know how it is.” 

“I know. But you’ll have to slow down at some point.” 

“Ridiculous!” she replied. “Only death itself can slow down your dad and I.” “Somehow I’m not surprised,” I laughed. “How’s Eric?” 

Mama sighed happily. “He’s good. He’s at a birthday party for one of his classmates right now.” 

I chuckled. “And you were worried that he wouldn’t make friends.” 

“All the other parents are your age or younger!” Mama protested. “Your dad and I are in our fifties.”

“I don’t think anybody cares about that,” I argued. “What they care about is Eric, and what they see is a happy and healthy five-year-old.” 

Mama sighed happily. “He reminds me so much of you at that age. Full of energy, and so kind to everybody. I bet he’ll even look like you when you grow up. He’s got the same blond hair and slight frame. Just missing the glasses, though the pediatrician’s keeping an eye on his vision.  I just wish you’d have been born closer together.” 

“Life does funny things. It just decided that I needed a baby brother to keep you busy until I have kids of my own.” 

“That it does, and we’re happy to have him around.” Mama paused. “Did you want me to call in your dad?” 

I licked my lips, trying to decide. 

“Ave? Honey?” 

“Mama?” 

“Yes dear? 

“Do you remember when I moved out here, that I felt that my instincts were pulling me?” 

“Of course.”

“Did I tell you about the alpha at my work?” 

Mama hummed as she thought about the question. “You mentioned that there was a handsome alpha there, but that was all. Are things going ok?” 

I sighed. “I don’t know. My gut says to stay close to him, and I thought that meant that I was going to end up with him at some point. But I don’t know what to think anymore.” 

“Oh honey, what happened?” 

I took a deep breath. “I overheard him talking to another mortgage broker at the firm. Apparently he’s still in love with an omega he dated in high school.” 

Mama hummed. “Ok…” 

I paused. “Mama… he said something that I can’t get out of my head.” 

“What was it?” 

“He said that no omega should ever be an alpha’s second choice.” 

Mama sighed softly. “He’s right.” 

I blinked. “Mama?” 

“He’s right. But it goes both ways. Nobody should ever be the second choice, alphas or omegas. You want a partner who looks at you and can’t imagine anybody better.”

“What’s it mean though? Why are my instincts insisting that I get close to him if I would only be second best?” 

“Just because the universe says to get close, doesn’t mean they’re supposed to be your mate. I don’t think it’s ever really discussed, but if we can have fated mates, then surely we can have fated friends.” 

“Fated friends?” 

Mama laughed. “Why not? If the universe wants people to be close, it doesn’t have to limit it to romantic partners.” 

I was silent as I thought about it. Was I meant to have José as a friend, not as a mate? Somehow it felt right. 

“Did that answer your question honey?” 

I smiled. “It did. I feel better now. Thanks Mama.” 

“I think you already knew the answer, but sometimes it helps to talk things out.” 

“You’re probably right.” 

Mama laughed. “Only on good days. Let me call in your dad so he can talk too.” 

“Ok.”

She set down the phone and I closed my eyes, running over our conversation while I waited for my dad to join her. 

Mama always knew just what to say to make me feel better about myself, and I couldn’t imagine life without her.

Saturday Series Spotlight

Xmas in July

Cutie  /  Cupid  /  Date

Beau  /  Flame  /  Crush

Lacey Daize

Lacey lives in New Mexico with her four critters. She’s a Jill-of-all-trades by day, but loves writing in her spare time. She dabbles in a variety of pairings, but jumped feet-first into the deep end of omegaverse the first time she read it. She loves the play on social expectations and the different ways to express romance.

FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  FB FRIEND

WEBSITE  /  AUDIBLE  /  FB GROUP

NEWSLETTER  /  INSTAGRAM  /  BLUESKY

YOUTUBE  /  LINKTREE  /  TIKTOK

BOOKBUB  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

Bunny Hop Beau #5

AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  BOOKBUB

WEBSITE  /  GOODREADS TBR

Series

AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK

WEBSITE  /  GOODREADS TBR