I promised myself that I would try minimizing my book purchases this year and be more vigilant on book sale and promos! Hah! So for this month, I’ve acquired five books which got me busy for the first three weeks of the year. I was so engrossed with The House of the Scorpion* whose review I just posted earlier tonight as well as the disappointing I’ll Give You The Sun*.
I am currently reading Number The Stars by Lois Lowry and once I finished this, I’d try to reread one of my favorite books in 2015 – Wolf by Wolf* so I could start Blood by Blood as soon as possible! So exciting!
I bought The House of the Scorpion from PowerBooks and the rest are from Fully Booked. Big thanks to Fully Booked for carrying Ryan Graudin’s Wolf by Wold Duology! ❤
Published: September 3, 2013
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Format: Novel
Genre And Themes: Young Adult, Dystopia, Romance, Drugs, Death
Length: 411 pages, Hardcover
Ebook ISBN/ASIN: 1442482540 (ISBN13: 9781442482548)
Characters: Matteo Alacran, El Patron, Tam Lin, Maria Mendoza, Chacho, Fidelito, Ton-Ton, Celia, Mirasol
Now, The Lord of Opium may not have the same literary awards received by its predecessor – The House of the Scorpion but it’s still as strong, story-wise.
This book started a good few hours during the funeral of El Patron and from thereon, Matt’s young life is about to really change because he is technically The Lord of Opium (still no spoiler) thus becoming the most powerful man in the world (by default).
This one is as riveting as the first book. I loved the characters of the “Lost Boys” especially little Fidelito. He is my favorite character here aside from Matt. I really connected to his character because he kinda reminded me of my 6 year old nephew.
Then there’s Mirasol. The author really knows where to give us the feels. The ‘relationship’ between her and Matt was just heartbreaking. I dare you not to feel anything for her. You’d lose.
There are tons of things here that maybe a bit too much for some I think. I mean, I loved every single details of it although some readers may find it too crowded. Nevertheless, it’s good to imagine such things and wish for a possible third book.
The relationship of Matt and Maria was finally rekindled here and I loved that Matt was finding his own identity separate from El Patron. It’s odd that he is basically the same person but different at the same time.
I just want to dissect everything about this book, including the zombie-like eejits, the drug lords, the countries surrounding Opium and more importantly – how Mattero will run it as a totally grown man! Man’ I’d kill for a third book!
Again, my friends – I cannot recommend this high enough!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
About The Author Nancy was born in 1941 in Phoenix and grew up in a hotel on the Arizona-Mexico border where she worked the switchboard at the age of nine. She also found time to hang out in the old state prison and the hobo jungle along the banks of the Colorado River. She attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon, earning her BA in 1963. Instead of taking a regular job, she joined the Peace Corps and was sent to India (1963-1965). When she returned, she moved into a commune in Berkeley, sold newspapers on the street for a while, then got a job in the Entomology department at UC Berkeley and also took courses in Chemistry there. Restless, again, she decided to visit Africa. She and a friend tried to hitchhike by boat but the ship they’d selected turned out to be stolen and was boarded by the Coast Guard just outside the Golden Gate Bridge. Nancy eventually got to Africa on a legal ship. She spent more than a year on Lake Cabora Bassa in Mozambique, monitoring water weeds. Next she was hired to help control tsetse fly in the dense bush on the banks of the Zambezi in Zimbabwe. Part of the time she spent in the capital, Harare, and was introduced to her soon-to-be husband by his soon-to-be ex-girlfriend. He proposed a week later. Harold and Nancy now live in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona on a major drug route for the Sinaloa Cartel. This is the setting for The Lord of Opium. They have a son, Daniel, who is in the U.S. navy. Nancy’s honors include the National Book Award for The House of the Scorpion and Newbery Honors for The Ear, the Eye and The Arm, A Girl Named Disaster and The House of the Scorpion. She is the author of nine novels, three picture books and a number of short stories. Her books have been translated into 26 languages.
Published: September 1, 2002
Publisher: Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books
Format: Novel
Genre And Themes: Young Adult, Dystopia, Romance, Drugs, Death
Length: 380 pages, paperback
Ebook ISBN/ASIN: 0689852231 (ISBN13: 9780689852237)
Characters: Matteo Alacran, El Patron, Tam Lin, Maria Mendoza, Chacho, Fidelito, Ton-Ton, Celia
I’ve read this and its sequel over a week ago and it was a bit difficult for me to write reviews for both books since they’re so epic, I’m almost at a loss where to start. Let me try my best though, to say what I thought about this incredible masterpiece. Yeah – very telling I know, but this one’s really a masterpiece.
First the characters –
I loved Matt’s character. I was with him the whole time reading the book – was rooting for this kid who’s been cloned from the most powerful man in this dystopian words where drugs serves as its currency.
His resilience is beyond admirable. For a young age, he’s been through a lot. He may have gone ‘Lord of the Flies’ on us readers but the way he came out of it was so bad-ass, it got me bawling my eyes out. This character should be in a movie, pronto.
El Patron. I find him creepy but he’s such a dynamic character I’d love to see him come to life in a film. I loved that as evil as he is, there’s still a part of him that remembers the good ol’ days when he was not the ‘El Patron’ everyone has come to know when he isn’t consume by his self-made power.
Celia– as Matt’s caregiver -she’s probably the one character in the book that is consistently with Matt all throughout. I’m just wondering exactly how old she is but nevertheless – what a great character to juxtaposed the evil surrounding Matt.
Maria who is Matt’s love interest is a bit complicated to explain. She’s got good intentions but what she’s saying sometimes contradicts her actions.
Tam Lin is an amazing father figure for Matt. Kind of reminds me of Mister Miyagi in Karate Kid.
Steven and Tom – it is odd that they weren’t given that much part in the story but their actions throughout the book effectively made me despise them.
The story arc from the get-go is nothing short of exhilarating. What a dreadful possibility this could be, what with the climate change, the advancement of technology and the ‘powerful folks’ claiming lives like it was their gift to do so. It’s terrible but effective in the story.
The world-building is almost sensory overload. I mean, reading it makes you envision them on the spot because of the author’s powerful words.
The pacing was set faster than I expected which I absolutely loved. No unnecessary scenes. Every scene in this book is pivotal to the development of the characters and the story.
I know that I’m gushing all over but it’s just that good. This is super spoiler free but I’m telling you – it is so worth reading it!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
About The Author Nancy was born in 1941 in Phoenix and grew up in a hotel on the Arizona-Mexico border where she worked the switchboard at the age of nine. She also found time to hang out in the old state prison and the hobo jungle along the banks of the Colorado River. She attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon, earning her BA in 1963. Instead of taking a regular job, she joined the Peace Corps and was sent to India (1963-1965). When she returned, she moved into a commune in Berkeley, sold newspapers on the street for a while, then got a job in the Entomology department at UC Berkeley and also took courses in Chemistry there. Restless, again, she decided to visit Africa. She and a friend tried to hitchhike by boat but the ship they’d selected turned out to be stolen and was boarded by the Coast Guard just outside the Golden Gate Bridge. Nancy eventually got to Africa on a legal ship. She spent more than a year on Lake Cabora Bassa in Mozambique, monitoring water weeds. Next she was hired to help control tsetse fly in the dense bush on the banks of the Zambezi in Zimbabwe. Part of the time she spent in the capital, Harare, and was introduced to her soon-to-be husband by his soon-to-be ex-girlfriend. He proposed a week later. Harold and Nancy now live in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona on a major drug route for the Sinaloa Cartel. This is the setting for The Lord of Opium. They have a son, Daniel, who is in the U.S. navy. Nancy’s honors include the National Book Award for The House of the Scorpion and Newbery Honors for The Ear, the Eye and The Arm, A Girl Named Disaster and The House of the Scorpion. She is the author of nine novels, three picture books and a number of short stories. Her books have been translated into 26 languages.
Published: October 27, 2015
Publisher: Speak (first published September 16th 2014 by Dial Books)
Format: Novel
Genre And Themes: LGBTQ, Romance, Young Adult, Highschool
Length: 400 pages, paperback
Ebook ISBN/ASIN: 0142425761 (ISBN13: 9780142425763)
Characters: Jude Sweetwine, Noah Sweetwine, Dianna Sweetwine, Benjamin Sweetwine, Grandma Sweetwine, Guillermo Garcia, Brian Connelly, Oscar Ralph
This is Jandy Nelson’s second novel which garnered tons of literary awards including the 2015 Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.
With that being said, let it be known that I am in the minority here when I say that this book just didn’t resonate with me. In fact, this is my least favorite read so far this year.
I just find the whole plot too convoluted for my liking. I mean, I get that there are pivotal moments in our lives that makes us see the ‘light’ or make us choose the ‘dark side’ but the whole thing between Noah and Jude, with all their secrets and their uber-competitiveness was just too much that it almost felt evil.
Jude and Noah are super competitive fraternal twins. Once inseparable, they have grown to like different things and found themselves in in the midst of family tragedy that set them apart with secrets that may or may not heal the wounds in their hearts.
I also have a bit of a tough time swallowing the fact that they’re only 13 when their story started and it concluded at 16. It felt like the author took too much of a liberty that’s too fantastical to believe. I cannot find the sense of realism in it. And I’m not even referring to their dead loved ones appearing all throughout the book. I know that the author can write it whichever way she wanted to but I guess it just didn’t work, what with all her play on the personalities of the twins.
I won’t delve deeper into the other characters because it’ll just make me think of how much older Jude’s love interest than her, then the issues about their parents and the fact that the last part made me feel like Jude was somehow venerated into sainthood. I swear, I was rolling my eyes the whole time.
This book just reads like it’s more of the story of Jude and her hang ups. It’s a shame because I really liked Noah’s character and thought that it’s much more dynamic than his twin sister
My apology for this rant-view, but I just want to get this out there. Again, this must be the cliche case of “it’s not the book, it’s me…” Oh, well…
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
About The Author Jandy Nelson, like her characters in I’ll Give You the Sun and The Sky is Everywhere, comes from a superstitious lot. She was tutored from a young age in the art of the four-leaf clover hunt; she knocks wood, throws salt, and carries charms in her pockets. Her critically-acclaimed, New York Times bestselling second novel, I’ll Give You the Sun, received the prestigious Printz Award, Bank Street’s Josette Frank Award, and is a Stonewall Book Award honor. Both Sun and her debut, The Sky Is Everywhere, have been YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults picks (Sun, a Top Ten on Both YALSA and Rainbow Lists) and on multiple best of the year lists including the New York Times, Time Magazine, NPR, have earned many starred reviews, and continue to enjoy great international success, collectively published in over 47 countries. I’ll Give You the Sun has been sold to Warner Brothers and screenwriter Natalie Krinsky is currently writing the adaptation. Jandy, a literary agent for many years, received a BA from Cornell University and MFAs in Poetry and Children’s Writing from Brown University and Vermont College of Fine Arts. Currently a full-time writer, she lives and writes in San Francisco, California—not far from the settings of her novels. Visit Jandy at http://www.jandynelson.com. Follow her on twitter: @jandynelson or Facebook: Facebook.com/jandy.nelson. Author photo credit: Sonya Sones.
Published: April 7, 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format: Novel
Genre And Themes: LGBTQ, Romance, Young Adult, Highschool
Length: 325 pages, ebook
Ebook ISBN/ASIN: B00LSRXJKC
Characters: Simon Spier, Martin Addison, Abby Suso, Nick Eisner, Leah Burke
When Simon Spier’s emails to his secret pen pal, Blue, fall into the wrong hands, he is forced to play wingman to his blackmailer
In a usual high school setting where everything is supposed to be a big ol’ cliche, the author tried her best to make this a “not another high school”story but it is a “high school story” so inevitably, it totally reads like one. Only the focus of this one involves the forced “coming out” from the closet of our main protagonist Simon and the not so big reveal of his penpal, Blue.
I liked this one mainly because it’s an easy read. It’s predictable, but good predictable. I loved Simon’s character. He’s got a very fun family and friends who are surprisingly all so supportive of him.
Althought I didn’t find anything out of the box about the whole thing, I do loved its consistency. This could end up all wrong what with the whole blackmailing thing and the whole e-mail thingy between Simon and Blue merely keeping the story afloat but the author was able to maintain the excitement until the end. I mean, I actually guessed Blue’s identity midway through the book but I enjoyed the whole works of the author trying to deviate its readers from its obvious clues. I loved the dynamics between his friends but they’re just too ideal for me. I mean, I loved that it doesn’t have this despicable evil person for a villain and that’s what maybe I was looking for. Something to stir shit up but not to the level, the “villain” of the story did it. I mean, like REALLY stir shit up.
I also want to address the issue of coming out on our own terms. I think everyone should be able to do it the way they want to – No questions asked.
This is an okay read for me, overall. It’s cute, it’s fun and I reckon, very intune with its target audience.
Now, I am really curious to see Love, Simon.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
About The Author
Becky Albertalli is the author of the acclaimed novels Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (film: Love, Simon), The Upside of Unrequited, and Leah on the Offbeat. She is also the co-author of What If It’s Us with Adam Silvera. A former clinical psychologist who specialized in working with children and teens, Becky lives with her family in Atlanta. You can visit her online at www.beckyalbertalli.com.
Published: January 23, 2007 Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux Format: Novel Genre And Theme: LGBTQ, Romance, Coming-of-Age Length: 268 pages, ebook Ebook ISBN/ASIN: B004L62E08 Characters: Elio Perlman,Oliver
Call Me By Your Name is narrated by and tells the story of a seventeen-year-old American-Italian-Jewish youth, Elio Perlman, and his six-week, summer love affair with Oliver, a university professor who is seven years older than Elio and who has been selected to live in Elio’s parents’ home as a guest “resident” while finishing a manuscript for publication as part of the parents’ way of aiding budding writers.
First, let me tell you that this isn’t a five-star read for me. I have conflicting feelings about it. I liked it enough, but then I’d think of one scene I hated, and then I would hate the whole thing, but then Elio would do this, Oliver would do that, Elio would say that, and so on. It’s just giving me a lot of feels – good, bad, depressing, beautiful feelings. I’d say that throughout the book, I became invested enough.
In the first part of the novel, you can sense Elio’s struggle to restrain his desires, his emotions. It was that youthful struggle that I think most of us have experienced in some way or another. At times, it felt like his struggle to conceal his feelings for Oliver bordered on obsession.
“I wanted him gone from our home so as to be done with him. I wanted him dead too, so that if I couldn’t stop thinking about him and worrying about when would be the next time I’d see him, at least his death would put an end to it. I wanted to kill him myself, even, so as to let him know how much his mere existence had come to bother me…”
These struggles became even more complex because he also questioned his identity and the people around him who might question his actions and decisions. Remember, this was set in 1980s Italy – a predominantly Catholic country.
What affected me most is how Aciman brought forth Elio’s emotions as he narrated his times with Oliver. His observations and opinions were so real that it felt like you were Elio at that moment, in that scene.
“It never occurred to me that if one word from him could make me so happy, another could just as easily crush me, that if I didn’t want to be unhappy, I should learn to beware of such small joys as well.”
I also love that Aciman isn’t following a chronological timeline here. It goes back and forth from that one fateful summer up to the present and back again.
“You can always talk to me. I was your age once, my father used to say. The things you feel and think only you have felt, believe me, I’ve lived and suffered through all of them, and more than once—some I’ve never gotten over and others I’m as ignorant about as you are today, yet I know almost every bend, every toll-booth, every chamber in the human heart. – Elio’s Father
Now the second part has more dialogue than the first. It allows you to delve deeper into Elio and Oliver’s interactions. Elio is acting like his younger self – the shy but vibrant boy Elio is the heart of this novel.
“What would happen if I saw him again? Would I bleed again, cry, come in my shorts? And what if I saw him with someone else, ambling as he so often did at night around Le Danzing? What if instead of a woman, it was a man?”
It is here that you can see Elio’s funny side.
“Don’t make it difficult, don’t talk, don’t give me reasons, and don’t act as if you’re any moment going to shout for help. I’m way younger than you and you’d only make a fool of yourself by ringing the house alarm or threatening to tell my mommy. “
“This was not a dessert she was familiar with. But she was going to let me have my way in her kitchen without interfering, as if humoring someone who’d been hurt enough already. The bitch knew. She must have seen the foot. Her eyes followed me every step of the way as if ready to pounce on my knife before I slit my veins with it.”
His internal musings are just funny yet heartbreaking most of the time.
“for you in silence, somewhere in Italy in the mid-eighties.”
I can’t help but think that this book is more like a collection of ruminations on lost love, about someone who has moved forward in life but never truly moved on. That’s a rather hard pill to swallow, isn’t it? It’s as if Elio is in limbo, waiting for his salvation. Alas, the only salvation that occurs here is Elio’s unwavering faithfulness to his heart. There may have been people whom he tried to love, lived with, and even felt passionate about, but there could only be one Oliver for him. It’s a sad reality. It’s unsettling to realize that he hasn’t moved on. It’s infuriating to think that this selfish American man, who captured the heart of a seventeen-year-old Italian boy, has never reciprocated such a deep connection or devotion. At least, that’s the impression I got from Oliver’s character. There doesn’t seem to be enough regret from him. Oliver simply moved on from that summer; it’s just a memory for him. And that’s what frustrated me the most about this book. Oliver’s character comes across as one selfish individual who doesn’t deserve Elio’s lifetime of adoration. Well, that’s just my perspective, though.
Overall, the writing, for me, was almost reminiscent of Alire-Saenz’s style. However, Aciman perhaps went overboard, resulting in mostly pretentious dialogues. I rolled my eyes several times but hoped that the ending would at least be hopeful, or if not hopeful, for someone other than Oliver. Alas, it’s a disaster. I don’t blame the author for this; I just regret investing so much time caring for Elio. And no, I’m not calling Oliver by his name.
I am hoping that I’d like the movie more.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
About The Author André Aciman was born in Alexandria, Egypt and is an American memoirist, essayist, novelist, and scholar of seventeenth-century literature. He has also written many essays and reviews on Marcel Proust. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, The New York Times, The Paris Review, The New Republic, Condé Nast Traveler as well as in many volumes of The Best American Essays. Aciman received his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Harvard University, has taught at Princeton and Bard and is Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature at The CUNY Graduate Center. He is currently chair of the Ph. D. Program in Comparative Literature and founder and director of The Writers’ Institute at the Graduate Center.
Aciman is the author of the Whiting Award-winning memoir Out of Egypt (1995), an account of his childhood as a Jew growing up in post-colonial Egypt. Aciman has published two other books: False Papers: Essays in Exile and Memory (2001), and a novel Call Me By Your Name (2007), which was chosen as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and won the Lambda Literary Award for Men’s Fiction (2008). His forthcoming novel Eight White Nights (FSG) will be published on February 14, 2010
Published: July 24, 2014
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Format: Novel
Genre And Theme: LGBTQ, Romance, Thriller, Action
Length: 290 pages, ebook
Characters: Miro Jones, Ian Doyle
Blurb: Deputy US Marshal Miro Jones has a reputation for being calm and collected under fire. These traits serve him well with his hotshot partner, Ian Doyle, the kind of guy who can start a fight in an empty room. In the past three years of their life-and-death job, they’ve gone from strangers to professional coworkers to devoted teammates and best friends. Miro’s cultivated blind faith in the man who has his back… faith and something more.
As a marshal and a soldier, Ian’s expected to lead. But the power and control that brings Ian success and fulfillment in the field isn’t working anywhere else. Ian’s always resisted all kinds of tied down, but having no home—and no one to come home to—is slowly eating him up inside. Over time, Ian has grudgingly accepted that going anywhere without his partner simply doesn’t work. Now Miro just has to convince him that getting tangled up in heartstrings isn’t being tied down at all.
I’ve read quite a few books from Mary Calmes and I’m generally satisfied with everything I’ve read from her. I find her writing exceptionally fun and consistent.
This is another one of those fun stories. Fun because I enjoyed devouring each and every page of it. Miro and Ian are a match made in heaven for me. You can feel the chemistry between them from the get-go. They actually reminded me a bit of Ty and Zane.
I loved Miro’s backstory. It’s a very fascinating background and I’d really like for the author to dig deeper into this. A story that has something to do with his obvious Easter European ancestry perhaps? Lol. This was released four years as the first book of a series and the fourth one is about to be release two months from now, so that “digging deeper” on Miro’s backstory is merely wishful thinking on my end.. Hah!
Ian as the total opposite of Miro’s character is very much swoony just like the way Miro was describing him. I thought he’s real funny and I absolutely adore his voice. His temper and straightforward approach with things are a fun to read especially with his interaction with Miro.
I also loved the timeline of the story here. You can actually feel the progression in the story and its characters. I loved the different angles provided by the author for its future release to expound. There’s the serial killer, th witsec kids and interesting characters that we may see in the author’s future/other books.
I’d definitely read the next books off this series!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
About the Author Mary Calmes believes in romance, happily ever afters, and the faith it takes for her characters to get there. She bleeds coffee, thinks chocolate should be its own food group, and currently lives in Kentucky with a five-pound furry ninja that protects her from baby birds, spiders and the neighbor’s dogs. To stay up to date on her ponderings and pandemonium (as well as the adventures of the ninja) follow her on Twitter @MaryCalmes, connect with her on Facebook, and subscribe to her Mary’s Mob newsletter.
Published December 15, 2017
Format: Novel
Genre And Theme: LGBTQ, Romance, Drama, Sports, Thriller, Action
Length: 230 pages, ebook
Ebook ISBN/ASIN: ASIN B077FSLKQF
Characters: Michael “Kage Santori,” Jamie Atwood, Peter Santori
I’ve been so busy with a lot of stuff and I just found out recently that Maris Black just released the first book of another series which happened to be the continuation of Kage and Jamie’s story! Yay! You should know that I absolutely adore Kage and Jamie! The Kage Trilogy is one of my favorite series’ from this genre. I’d advise though, for those who have not read the Kage Trilogy to give it a go first before starting this one because this is obviously not a standalone novel.
The book is called Santori, the first of the The Santori Trilogy which mostly refers to Michael (Kage) and in a roundabout way to his vile uncle, Peter Santori. It picks up right after the event of Peter Santori’s death.
The story is told from the POV of both Kage and Jamie’s (and one quite an important character in the story). It’s very fast-paced mostly recapping what they’ve been up to through their temporary separation since Jamie still has to finish his degree in Atlanta before moving in permanently with Kage in Vegas.
The whole vibe of the story isn’t as dynamic as its predecessor so there’s a bit of a disconnect from Jamie and Kage for me. There’s more telling in it than actually showing if you know what I mean.
I still adore this two but I thought the narrative in general was a bit draggy. Kage keeps on reminding himself that one of the reasons they’ve had problems before was their lack of communication but he’s consciously NOT communicating with Jamie and vice versa. I mean, I get it. They wanted to protect each other and not be a nuisance but if you think about it, they just sound like two immature kids playing house.
The Peter Santori angle was the biggest reveal of this installment but while I find it fascinating, I find it a bit unnecessary to give that much of a space in telling his story. The last few chapters were almost drowned out by him and I got lost wondering about the implications of this reveal. I mean it is shocking but to what extent? The guy is dead, after all.
I don’t want to sound like I hated this book because I honestly don’t. There are fun parts in it especially the Paul-debacle. Gosh, that was over the top hilarious and I’m fucking living for it. I think I’ve to pause reading for a good ten minutes just to laugh! That was really funny and cute!
Now, I am anxious to get hold of the second book because I wanted to know where the author will take this story and up to what extent. It has a lot of exciting possibilities and the very thought that it’s going on the dark side is very much thrilling!
Lastly, that cover featuring Mike Chabot is absolutely swoony!
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
About The Author
Maris Black lives in the Southern United States. In college, she majored in English and discovered the joys of creative writing and literary interpretation. After honing her skills discovering hidden meanings authors probably never intended, she collected her English degree and got a job at a newspaper. But she soon figured out that small town reporting wasn’t going to pay the bills, so she went to work in the medical field. Logical progression, right? But no matter what she did, the self-proclaimed compulsive plotter couldn’t stop writing fiction.
“The M/M genre feels sort of like coming home,” she says. “I can’t quite explain it. I’ve always had openly gay and bisexual friends and relatives, the rights and acceptance of whom are very important to me, so it feels great to celebrate that. But there’s also something so pure and honest about the love between two men that appeals to me and inspires me to write.”
Find Me: MarisBlack.com
Like Me: facebook.com/marisblackbooks
Published November 24, 2017
Format: Novel
Genre And Theme: LGBTQ, Romance, Shifters, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Length: 254 pages, ebook
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Ebook ISBN/ASIN: 9781640801165
Characters: Sloane Brodie, Dexter J. Daley
I’ve read this upon its release last month and have only gotten to writing a review as we speak! Sorry, Charlie – I’ve been so busy!
Y’all know I’m the biggest fan of Dex and Sloane and this final installment of the THIRDS series is a bit nostalgic in a way because one of my favorite couples will be embarking on a new chapter and new series for that matter which I believe is slated in 2019 (OMG! So long!)
Anyway, before I get sidetrack (I’m definitely writing freestyle right now so bear with what I am about to post in a bit and what you’re about to read haha!) – Okay, as much as I loved Charlie and the guys – I’ve to say that this isn’t my favorite book in the series. Don’t get me wrong, I still loved it but I was maybe hoping for lesser drama! But what can I do? It’s the finale so it was expected. I was just dead worried the whole time that the wedding will not be happening at all. I swear, I was ready to stalk Charlie on social media. LOL
The thing that bothers me a bit here is the disconnect I felt with most of the characters here. It’s like, we’re all just waiting for the big day to happen but lo and behold – drama unfolds! Ugh! Sometimes, I just want them to mellow for a bit!
Okay, perhaps I’m getting a bit carried away now since it’s 2:40 in the morning from where I am. It was still an awesome read overall. I’d recommend it to fans of the series for now because it’s definitely not stand alone!
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
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.
So here’s my final book haul for the year 2017! Whoot hoot! I’ve actually read of all them already but as I’ve said – I loved having my own copies – it’s sort of easier when I’d like to reread them (I am actually rereading the Andrew Brawley now in between books haha)
If you are not familiar with the titles, five of these seven books are all young adult titles save for Texas Pride by Kindle Alexander and On Dublin Street by Samantha Young – both are spectacular reads and both were purchased from Book For Less (along with the Official Illustrated Movie Companion of Beautiful Creatures)
The other four came from Fully Booked which amounted to around 2600-2700 pesos. I discovered though, that Mackenzi Lee’s The Gentelman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is P185 cheaper at the National Bookstore – a shame really cuz I saw it first in Fullybooked! I’m still happy though because I enjoyed the book plus, Fullybooked offers more LGBTQ+ title than the National Bookstore.
***
On Dublin Street – Samantha Young
Jocelyn Butler has been hiding from her past for years. But all her secrets are about to be laid bare …
Four years ago, Jocelyn left her tragic past behind in the States and started over in Scotland, burying her grief, ignoring her demons, and forging ahead without attachments. Her solitary life is working well – until she moves into a new apartment on Dublin Street, where she meets a man who shakes her carefully guarded world to its core.
Braden Carmichael is used to getting what he wants, and he’s determined to get Jocelyn into his bed. Knowing how skittish she is about entering a relationship, Braden proposes an arrangement that will satisfy their intense attraction without any strings attached.
But after an intrigued Jocelyn accepts, she realizes that Braden won’t be satisfied with just mind-blowing passion. The stubborn Scotsman is intent on truly knowing her . . . down to the very soul.
Texas Pride – Kindle Alexander
When mega movie star and two time Academy Award winner, Austin Grainger voluntarily gave up his dazzling film career, his adoring fan base thought he’d lost his mind. For Austin, the seclusion of fifteen hundred acres in the middle of Texas sounds like paradise. No more cameras, paparazzi, or overzealous media to hound him every day and night. Little did the sexiest man alive know when one door closes, another usually opens. And Austin’s opened by way of a sexy, hot ranch owner right next door.
Kitt Kelly wasn’t your average rancher. He’s young, well educated and has hidden his sexuality for most of his life. When his long time wet dream materializes as his new neighbor it threatens everything he holds dear. No way the ranching community would ever accept him if he came out. With every part of his life riding on the edge, can Kitt risk it all for a chance at love or will responsibility to his family heritage cost him his one chance at happiness?
He Forgot to Say Goodbye – Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Ramiro Lopez and Jake Upthegrove don’t appear to have much in common. Ram lives in the Mexican-American working-class barrio of El Paso called “Dizzy Land.” His brother is sinking into a world of drugs, wreaking havoc in their household. Jake is a rich West Side white boy who has developed a problem managing his anger. An only child, he is a misfit in his mother’s shallow and materialistic world. But Ram and Jake do have one thing in common: They are lost boys who have never met their fathers. This sad fact has left both of them undeniably scarred and obsessed with the men who abandoned them. As Jake and Ram overcome their suspicions of each other, they begin to move away from their loner existences and realize that they are capable of reaching out beyond their wounds and the neighborhoods that they grew up in. Their friendship becomes a healing in a world of hurt.
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue – Mackenzi Lee
Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.
But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.
Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.
The Inexplicable Logic of My Life – Benjamin Alire Sáenz
The first day of senior year:
Everything is about to change. Until this moment, Sal has always been certain of his place with his adoptive gay father and their loving Mexican-American family. But now his own history unexpectedly haunts him, and life-altering events force him and his best friend, Samantha, to confront issues of faith, loss, and grief.
Suddenly Sal is throwing punches, questioning everything, and discovering that he no longer knows who he really is—but if Sal’s not who he thought he was, who is he?
Beautiful Creatures : The Official Illustrated Movie Companion – Mark Cotta Vaz
xplore the making of the film Beautiful Creatures in this ultimate visual companion, lavishly illustrated with full-color photos of the cast, locations, and sets. This beautiful paperback edition celebrates the on-screen creation of Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl’s fascinating world, brought to life by screenwriter and director Richard LaGravenese.
With never-before-seen images, exclusive interviews and personal stories, Mark Cotta Vaz takes you behind the scenes with cast and crew, uncovering intimate details of the filmmaking process.
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I cannot wait to reread all of these books and I am excited for next year’s hunt!
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