Category Archives: Authors

Book Review: Who We Are (The Seafare Chronicles #2) by TJ Klune

Kindle Edition, 2nd edition, 323 pages
Published October 31st 2019 by BOATK Books (first published April 26th 2012)

Picking up from where the author left the story in the first book – Bear, Otter and the Kid are now settled into their new house called the Green Monstrosity. The names says it all folks!

Anyhoo, this little family of three still have a lot in their hands as they face their future together. The Kid is skipping a grade, attending therapy and meets his new bestfriend. Otter is still big, now works at the local studio and designated himself as Bear and the Kid’s protector. Bear on the other hand is as protective with the Kid but a lot has change as well in him aside from his diarrhea of the mouth. Anna and Creed are still working out their unlabeled relationship and Mrs.Paquin still rocks!

This book is totally way funnier and more indulgent if I may say, compared with the first book. It’s also a lot lighter in vibe and characters coming into full circle.

The coming-out dinner with Otter’s parents was just downright funny it’s almost slapstick. Ah! Indulgence! Indulgence! But I f–ng loved it! “Coitus, Drunken….oh my lawd! LOL”

oh, and my guess from the first book regarding Jonah turned out to be right. It was painfully predictable but that makes the story okay because the author didn’t drag it.

Now that Mrs. Paquin has planted a seed in my brain about Bear, Otter and Creed’s threesome – I can’t seem to get it out of my head! LOL

This book is really such a great follow up to Bear and Otter’s love story that by the end of it, I almost feel melancholic saying bye bye to them. I now couldn’t wait to read the Kid’s own story!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

About The Author
TJ KLUNE is a Lambda Literary Award-winning author (Into This River I Drown) and an ex-claims examiner for an insurance company. His novels include the Green Creek series, The House on the Cerulean Sea and The Exraordinaries. Being queer himself, TJ believes it’s important–now more than ever–to have accurate, positive, queer representation in stories.

tjklunebooks.com

Book Review: Bear, Otter, and the Kid (The Seafare Chronicles #1) by TJ Klune

Kindle Edition, 2nd edition, 375 pages
Published November 1st 2019 by BOATK Books (first published August 11th 2011)

I’ve just realized that I don’t have the review of this book right when I was searching my blog for TJ (or T.J) Klune and I could’ve sworn that I’ve read a few of his books already. Apparently, I have it on my Goodreads profile so here’s a little review throwback showing up this year. I’d just like to post this first while I’m working on my review for The House in the Cerulean Sea which I’ve recently finished. So here it goes…

This is my very first book by T J Klune and I’m totally aghast of not catching onto it sooner. He’s got some mad skills! He’s witty, direct, a bit self-indulgent at times but that’s when you know you’re up for a good ride.

The title of the book is a bit strange and sounded silly but once you started it, you’ll find that it’s neither strange nor silly. The book was told through Derrick McKenna’s (Bear) perspective starting on how her mother abandoned him when he was about to turn 18 and was left to be the sole care taker of his six year old brother Tyson (Kid). As the story progresses, we meet the people supporting Bear on what seemed to be a dire situation for a barely legal adult to carry.

This support group includes Creed (Bear’s best friend), Anna (Bear’s on and off again girlfriend), Mrs.Paquin (Bear’s 70 year old sitter) and Oliver aka Otter (Creed’s big bro). Unexpectedly, Bear initially finds himself leaning more towards Otter for emotional support which eventually led to Otter running away to California leaving Bear devastated beyond measure. Three years later, Otter is back and will do everything to make it up to Bear. Their reunion proves to be more than just making up for Otter’s abandonment. Bear also needs to face the truth about himself, fight for the Kid and the man he couldn’t live without.

I really do like the first person point of view narration and I really enjoyed the book except for the final few pages which was a bit depressing to be honest. I also find it a bit anticlimactic and the confrontation’s a bit subdued for my taste.

(Oh, I’m also guessing that Jonah has something to do with Bear’s mother sudden appearance)

The book is truly a beautiful journey with these nice people who are all awe-inspiring!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

About The Author
TJ KLUNE is a Lambda Literary Award-winning author (Into This River I Drown) and an ex-claims examiner for an insurance company. His novels include the Green Creek series, The House on the Cerulean Sea and The Exraordinaries. Being queer himself, TJ believes it’s important–now more than ever–to have accurate, positive, queer representation in stories.

tjklunebooks.com

ICYMI: Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz Announced!

If you’re a fan of the multi-awarded and celebrated book, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by the oh-so-talented Mr. Benjamin Alire Sáenz. In that case, you’d be glad to know that the most awaited sequel is finally just a few months away from our grabby hands and reader apps!

In the sequel entitled Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World, they must discover what it means to stay in love and build a relationship in a world that seems to challenge their very existence.

Ari has spent all of his high schooQ days denying who he is, staying silent and invisible. He expected his senior year to be the same. But something in him cracked open when he fell in love with Dante, and he couldn’t go back. Suddenly he finds himself reaching out to new friends, standing up to bullies of all kinds, and making his voice heard. And, always, there is Dante, dreamy, witty Dante, who can get on Ari’s nerves and fill him with desire all at once.

The boys are determined to forge a path for themselves in a world that doesn’t understand them. But when Ari is faced with a shocking loss, he’ll have to fight like never before to create a life that is truthfully, joyfully, his own.

The highly anticipated sequel will be released on October 12, 2021, with this awesome cover below!

I’ve already pre-ordered my copy and I cannot wait to read it!!! Make sure to preorder your copy now!!! Link below!

About the Author
Benjamin Alire Sáenz is an author of poetry and prose for adults and teens. He was the first Hispanic winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award and a recipient of the American Book Award for his books for adults. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe was a Printz Honor Book, the Stonewall Award winner, the Pura Belpré Award winner, the Lambda Literary Award winner, and a finalist for the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award. His first novel for teens, Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood, was an ALA Top Ten Book for Young Adults and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His second book for teens, He Forgot to Say Goodbye, won the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, the Southwest
Book Award, and was named a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. He lives in El Paso, Texas.

Book Review: The Capital (The Knight and the Necromancer #1) by A.H. Lee

Date of Publication: March 23, 2020
Publisher: Pavonine Books
Genre & Theme: Fiction & Literature, LGBT, Gay, Fantasy, Romance
ASIN: B085N89TD9

Roland is the premier knight of the realm, leading troops in a bloody war. Sairis is a necromancer with a price on his head, eking out a lonely existence. When they meet under false pretenses, their mutual fascination is obvious. But can their attraction survive the revelation of their identities?

I really enjoyed this one particularly because the world building with necromancers, knights, magicians, demons and all may have been rehashed a million times already but the way the author tells her story feels fresh and quite unique. I was very much immersed with the world she created for the characters.

Speaking of characters, I do loved the dual POV that we’ve got here because with so many things happening in the book and questions arising each chapter, we get immediate answers from the characters themselves.

We have Prince Roland, back at the capitol to see his sister ascend to the throne after the untimely death of their father and we have the young and shy necromancer, Sairis confused as hell as to why he was at the kingdom’s capital to begin with. Lol. Okay, I was kidding. It’s just how I would describe my initial reaction to his predicament in the book.

This first book isn’t that long and I really enjoyed reading about the majority of the characters that were introduced here and the development of the MCs blooming feelings towards each other. There’s a cliffie at the end but I thought this being the start of the series is pretty solid.

(Note, I’ve read the rest of the series after reading the first one.)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

About the Author
A. H. Lee writes steamy fantasy with LGBTQ+ characters. Her books nearly always include a talking cat.

You can learn more at https://www.abigailhilton.com/a-h-lee

Book Review: Imagoes (Imago Series, #2.6) – N.R. Walker

Kindle Edition, 73 pages
Published January 16th 2021

If you haven’t read the Imago series by N.R. Walker, then you should go start adding it to your ‘reader’/ TBR* list because it is absolutely a delightful feel-good series! I swear you won’t regret it! You can read my reviews of the previous books HERE.

I know I’ve been saying this for the last couple of reviews I’ve posted but again, it’s really been ages since I’ve read the last short from this series, when Lawson and Jack visited the guys from the Red Dirt Heart series. So this little add-on that we’ve got right here let us see our boys, Jack and Lawson and their little boy Brennan living their happy and domesticated family life, it was so sweet and just simply adorable.

But of course, another adventure awaits Lawson and Jack as they’re about to discover new breed of butterflies or a new species altogether perhaps? Anyway, their interaction is just again, a signature N.R. Walker storytelling – loved the setting as it made me think of my time vacationing and doing spelunking and rappelling cliffs (gosh, I really cannot believe I did that in the past lol), the side characters and just Jack and Lawson’s interaction with each other. I just wished there’s more Brennan in it! So yeah, this is for fans of the series like moi because you’d absolutely loved this little story, and if you haven’t read the previous two books, I mean – like I’ve said, you’d have to because it’s going to be so worth your moolah.

Rating this a perfect 5 stars!

*TBR – To Be Read.

Book Review: Galaxies and Oceans by N.R. Walker

Date of Publication: June 23, 2018
Publisher: BlueHeart Press
Genre & Theme: LGBTQ, MM, Romance
ASIN: B07DZNX1LT
Characters: Ethan Hosking, Patrick Carney, Aubrey Hobbs

These past few weeks, I’ve been binge-reading N.R. Walker’s books because I wanted to get back to reading more this year, and it was just a wonderful feeling to get into it again after almost a couple of years of hiatus! I’m such a fan of her works and based on my count, I’ve reviewed 27 of her books here! Yay me!

So I picked this book based on its glowing reviews (yeah, I tend to get swayed a lot by reviews lol) and I’m sure glad I did because I absolutely loved it! I cried. I smiled a lot and cried again.

The story is basically about Ethan escaping from an abusive relationship, leaving his old self behind and renaming himself as Aubrey (an homage to his beloved gramps) and he met Patrick, a lighthouse keeper who is grieving the loss of his partner.

The romance between them is just gorgeous. I loved the steady interaction between Patrick and Aubrey, and the side characters living in their small town. Speaking of small town, the setting was gorgeously described by the author. It’s romantic, nostalgic and just about serene like the main characters’ personalities. Nothing seems forced. I loved how we just see go along with the story, and witness how they just opened up to each other and developed something beautiful.

There was no twist but there’s obviously a big reveal about Aubrey’s past at the end which was a bit anticlimactic but it didn’t diminish the merit of the story for me. The writing itself, the pacing and the two main characters more than made up for it. I couldn’t ask for a better first read from the author after my long hiatus from the genre.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

Coming Soon: Paradise Lodge by Riina Y.T.

If you’re like me who’s  looking for something to read over the holidays – then look no more because I’ve got you. I mean, NinePress Star will be releasing a holiday anthology that is surely going to tickle your boy to boy – men 2 men romance fantasies! That doesn’t sound dirty at all, is it? Haha!

Let me present to you of course the first story I’d be reading in the series – it is from one of my favorite people from Europe! 💙 From my good friend Riina Y.T. who wrote the very charming Spring, Bax and Butterflies and the super adorable Blame the Fireworks comes Paradise Lodge.

Azariah Bell is a nervous wreck. He isn’t prepared to spend the final week of the year with his best friend, Ky O’Sullivan, lead vocalist for their pop rock band, Moving Insignia—especially after the fight he caused before they parted ways two weeks ago.

Afraid of not being taken seriously by Ky, Azariah was concerned about what confessing his feelings would do to their friendship, or the band. He tried to keep his emotions in check, but instead, he exploded in anger over some petty issue, and now he’s potentially lost Ky forever.

Ky is looking forward to the band’s annual writing retreat for a week of songwriting and recording at a secluded mountain resort. Spending Christmas with his family gave Ky time to reflect on how he’d handled Azariah’s epic meltdown. It wasn’t good, and Ky is determined to uncover the true nature of Azariah’s unusual behavior. They didn’t keep secrets from each other, or so he believed.

Expecting to see the rest of the band when they arrive by helicopter, Ky and Azariah are shocked to learn they are alone at a deserted lodge. When they discover they’ve been set up by their bandmates so they can “sort it out,” their choices are few. But it’s critical for them to resolve their problems if they have any hope of enjoying the new year together, let alone make that new album happen.

I am super-excited to  read this one and enjoy it as much as I’ve enjoyed SBB and Blame the Fireworks!!!!

Preorder it here!

Paradise Lodge will be release on December 3, 2018 by NineStar Press.

About The Author
Riina currently resides in Germany. She spent countless exciting days in the UK and US and lost her heart in Tokyo.
She would be thrilled if one day her stories could brighten someone’s day in the way those beautiful romances always lighten up her dull everyday life. Riina is looking forward to sharing many more stories with the world.
When she doesn’t daydream about boys in love, and isn’t glued to her Kindle, Riina loves to travel the world and explore the unknown.
Website: http://www.riinayt.wordpress.com

Out Now: Playing in the Dark (Glasgow Lads #4) by Avery Cockburn

Finally! The long wait is over! Close to three years after the release of the last Glasgow Lads installment, we are finally getting Evan’s story. if you’re a big fan of the series like moi, you probably are very curious as well as to what pushes Evan to leave Fergus behind? A lot of us speculated that he’s a secret service agent, was blackmailed or he’s just a regular-ol’-a-hole but we all want a great redemption story right? So here’s the answer to all of our burning questions – Evan and his love interest Ben’s own book entitled Playing in the Dark! 

The popular Scottish gay romance series takes a thrilling turn, as a spy falls for a wedding planner who can’t keep a secret to save his life—literally.

Evan Hollister needs to feel real. He’s pledged his life to protecting the innocent, but heroism carries a heavy price. After his job forced him to abandon his last boyfriend, Evan vowed never to love—and hurt—another man. Now, a wedding planner with a kind heart and a goofy grin is taking a blowtorch to Evan’s wall of ice.

Ben Reid needs to feel safe. Burned by secrets in the past, he thinks knowing everything about everyone is the best way to keep people happy—to keep them, full stop. But after falling for a god-on-earth-gorgeous footballer spy, Ben learns that some secrets can never see the light.

When Ben’s same-sex weddings become a terrorist target, Evan must once again choose between the man he loves and the country he swore to defend. And Ben must find the courage to fight for what he needs—no matter the cost. 

I don’t know about ya’ll but I’m having my pre-holiday vacation next week I have this newly released book from Avery to read while enjoying the beautiful  beach of Boracay.

If you haven’t read the series you can get them from Avery Cockburn’s Amazon page. and of course, don’t forget this latest release from the series! (Read my reviews of the first three books by clicking this link)

I’d really try my best to contain myself and not read this right away because I really just want to savor the whole thing while enjoying my off from my dayjob!

You can order Playing in the Dark below!

About The Author
Hiya, I’m Avery Cockburn (rhymes with Savory Slow Churn). In a previous incarnation I wrote over a dozen novels for major publishers. Some of these books even won awards, which was pure awesome. But last year I decided to “go indie” so I could write exactly what I wanted, how I wanted, and publish as fast as readers wanted. Now my days are filled with beautiful men who play the Beautiful Game in the most beautiful place in the world—and who happen to love other beautiful men. It’s pretty much the best job ever.

I currently live in the United States with one infinitely patient man and two infinitely impatient cats. Readers make my day, so email me at avery@averycockburn.com, or sign up for my mailing list at http://www.averycockburn.com/signup to get loads of exclusive Glasgow Lads bonus material. Cheers!

ICYMI: New Release from Brad Boney – Brothers Across Time

I am a massive fan of Brad Boney and I’ve read (and reviewed) all of his published books so far – The Nothingness of Ben, The Return, The Eskimo Slugger, Yes – and enjoyed each one tremendously!

Brothers Across Time is a sweeping saga of family and friendship that spans four centuries, three love stories, two generations—with one unassuming but kick-ass gondola…

Over three years after the release of Yes, Brad is back with another story that will surely render his avid fans (yet again) in awe of his talent and captivate new readers with his heartwarming/wrenching storytelling with absolutely memorable characters!

Tony Bass longs for an adventure, and on a sleepless night in 1997, fate is about to deliver. His random encounter with twin brothers at first seems unremarkable, since it takes more than period costumes to stand out in Austin, Texas. When pressed for an explanation, the twins make an astonishing confession. They have traveled across time from sixteenth-century Venice.

Once Tony learns their enchanted gondola goes both ways, he convinces his brother Frank to take a vacation to 1590. There, Tony meets the beautiful and enigmatic Isabella, the daughter of a Venetian senator. But what begins as an innocent flirtation ends in crisis when Isabella gives birth to twin sons. The boys must be separated and raised in different centuries.

Eighteen years later, an American teenager boards the gondola and returns to the past to find his brother. While a struggling young man in old-world Padua embraces an unexpected future, which might just include romance with a handsome stranger.

I am still in the process of writing my review so do watch out for it but let me tell you right now that I absolutely loved it!!!

You can buy you copy in the Amazon Link below:

About The Author
Brad Boney lives in Austin, Texas, the 7th gayest city in America. He grew up in the Midwest and went to school at NYU. He lived in Washington, DC and Houston before settling in Austin. He blames his background in the theater for his writing style, which he calls “dialogue and stage directions.” His first book was named a Lambda Literary Award finalist. He believes the greatest romantic comedy of all time is ’50 First Dates’. His favorite gay film of the last ten years is ‘Strapped’. And he has never met a boy band he didn’t like.

Cover Reveal: Love in Spades by Charlie Cochet!

Here’s the new cover of this book! I don’t know why it was change but it’s still lovely just the same! ❤

For fans of Charlie Cochet (like yours truly), we’ve a brand new series to watch out for! Love in Spades is the first book of Four King’s Security series which will be coming our way April of this year and here’s its super-amazing and drool-worthy cover!

Right? Right?! I cannot wait to get a hold of this one!!!!

If you want to learn more about this series and the other amazing series from the incomparable Charlie Cochet, you can visit her website: http://www.charliecochet.com/ and sign up to her newsletter to get the latest updates directly from her!

About The Author
Charlie Cochet is an author by day and artist by night. Always quick to succumb to the whispers of her wayward muse, no star is out of reach when following her passion. From adventurous agents and sexy shifters, to society gentlemen and hardboiled detectives, there’s bound to be plenty of mischief for her heroes to find themselves in, and plenty of romance, too!

Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading, drawing, or watching movies. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.

Website: http://www.charliecochet.com
THIRDS HQ: http://www.thirdshq.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/charliecochet
Facebook Author Page: http://www.twitter.com/charliecochet
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/charliecochet/
tumblr: http://www.charliecochet.tumblr.com

Email: charlie@charliecochet.com