Category Archives: Books

Book Review: Macarons At Midnight – M.J. O’Shea & Anna Martin

23209132I’ve read this a few days after its release in October and tried to reread it this month – I always love me some cute story from M.J. O’Shea. This one though she co-wrote with Anna Martin, author of the Tattoos & Another Way series. I just loved this book! It’s just cuteness overload!!! It’s about Tristan Green, an English lad who landed in Manhattan for a job at a high profile ad agency. Unable to get a life out of his mundane routine, he found himself meandering over Henry Livingston’s bakery one night. Henry is the owner of a cutesy bakery and was also a renegade child who grew up in the Upper East Side but got so fed up so he decided to ditch his “old money” family and be a baker.  It started as a taste-testing flirting that developed into a sweet and oh-sexy romance that may just be the one thing that they both needed. All things crumbled, though, when Tristan’s work made him do something that could end all ties with Henry.

Don’t you just love reading an easy, breezy story that’ll leave you giddy and smiling from ear to ear after? That’s what I felt like after reading this book non-stop. Just effortlessly non-stop. Tristan and Henry are both lovely characters carved from the chic-flick mold. They’re just lovely and Tristan’s accent – really, I could hear it in my head!  I just love the easy chemistry between these two and how the story just stayed low-key all throughout without making it overly dramatic what with all the family and work fiasco involved. This is a really good book to pass the time – I usually say this when the book’s not really worth your precious time but this book IS worth it and would be a great company whilst relaxing and getting all cozy at your reading nook.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Published October 13th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press

Buy now:
Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About The Authors
Anna Martin is from a picturesque seaside village in the south west of England. After spending most of her childhood making up stories, she studied English Literature at university before attempting to turn her hand as a professional writer.

Apart from being physically dependent on her laptop, she is enthusiastic about writing and producing local grassroots theatre (especially at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where she can be found every summer), travelling, learning to play the ukulele, and Ben & Jerry’s New York Super Fudge Chunk.

Anna claims her entire career is due to the love, support, pre-reading and creative ass-kicking provided by her closest friend Jennifer. Jennifer refuses to accept any responsibility for anything Anna has written.

***

M.J. O’Shea has been writing romance since algebra class in sixth grade (when most of her stories starred her and Leonardo DiCaprio). When she’s not writing, she loves listening to nearly all types of music, painting, reading great authors, and on those elusive sunny days in the Pacific Northwest, she loves driving on the freeway with her windows rolled down and her stereo on high.

She can be contacted at mjosheaseattle@gmail.com

Book Review: A Little Bit Country – S.J. Frost

fanmade >_@

fanmade >_@

A country star and a rock star. Two very opposite men whose rivalry has been fueled by the media for years. What will happen if this animosity turned into something neither country crooner Jackson and rock star Ash expected?

I totally loved both Ash and Jackson. The oozing chemistry and personality was there. It’s a feel-good book that makes you think that maybe this could really be happening in real life. In fact, surreal things may be happening with the celebrities we’re admiring but at the same time, they’re just normal people at the end of the day. I first read this story via the MM Romance Group’s event Hot Summer Days where it was offered for free download and I loved it back then and upon getting a copy of its full novel, I easily fell for them again. After reading the short version – I understood the reason why Jackson didn’t come out (yet) which made me a bit disappointed but I think that made the story even more realistic. Now on its full novel, I find even more beautiful the way Ash and Jackson handled their situation. I’d really like to get a a novella next time with these two in it – perhaps a wedding? Please SJ Frost… 🙂

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Free novella written for the M/M Romance group’s “Hot Summer Days” event.

Book Review: Wanting – Piper Vaughn

via Goodreads

via Goodreads

Free short fiction. Written for the M/M Romance Group’s “Hot Summer Days” anthology.

Jonah Beckett has been in love with his older brother’s best friend, Laurie, since he was thirteen-years-old. When his boyfriend, Dirk, breaks up with him for refusing to put out, Jonah uses his heartbreak over the situation as an excuse to ask Laurie to teach him all about sex before he starts college in the fall. Problem is, he made Dirk up, and Jonah has no idea what will happen when Laurie finally finds out the truth. Via Goodreads

Reading this makes me feel like watching an episode of “Dawson’s Creek”. I loved the relaxed vibe of the story. And c’mon what is more beautiful that young love? I just have some issues about the lack of stronger conflict. It’s there but it wasn’t really felt – know what I mean? But yeah, this shortie is still a very good effort from the author J

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Drama Queers – Frank Anthony Polito

Bradley Dayton. Band Fag. Drama Queer. President of Thespian Troupe #4443. He’s gay. Err… He’s not a fag. I mean he is but…

via Goodreads

via Goodreads

I wished I could appreciate this more because it definitely reminds me so much of my high school days and most of my years in College doing student productions and all but sadly, it took me a bit of effort to last until the end. The book’s the companion of Frank Anthony Polito’s coming of age novel  Band Fags! released in 2008. Drama Queers centers on Brad Dayton (the best friend of Jack Paterno – who’s the central character in Band Fags!) and it chronicles the senior year of Brad in high school as he navigates his way through life from friendship, love and his aspirations.

I totally adore Brad and there are moments in the book that I’ve to stop because I was laughing too hard but most of the time, I feel like drowning with all the pop culture references. I find myself getting annoyed following the sequence of the story. Nonetheless, I thought it was real honest and the writing was really, really good. Can’t say I enjoyed it a lot but there’s something to chew on in it.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Billy Jean – Al Stewart & Claire Davis

23198869Billy Jean is a product of the Love’s Landscapes promotion offered by the Goodreads MM Romance Group. I love the quirky fetish involved here that was supposed to be the secret of the dance student Niall to his very butch cop boyfriend Dan. ‘twas a cute story to say the least. I thought Niall reminded me of Eli (from Bad in Baltimore series by K A Mitchell) who’s been keeping a secret from his boyfriend and has a very low self-esteem. It was short so the story was rather condensed in a good way but it felt really rushed. I was hoping the story would offer more about the Dan as a regular gay guy other than being a bad-ass cop. But het, there’s not much to complain here, it was a short read and I’d enjoy passing the time reading it.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Download the story HERE.

Book Review: Indebted (The Premonition #3) – Amy A. Bartol

via Goodreads

via Goodreads

It must have been my initial reaction to the series that made me decide to give its third book a shot. I mean, I loved most of the characters in the series but as it progresses, It somehow became repetitive with Evie, the main protagonist becoming so overbearing.

In this installment of The Premonition series, Evie find herself questioning the loyalty of her heart amongst the three “love interest” and between her “two families” [the Angels & The Gagcanagh’s].

Let me be totally honest here. Evie’s the one bringing all the trouble to begin with. Why can’t she just freaking stick to one thing! At least for once! She’s lucky people she’s messing up with keeps on forgiving her. Why can’t they just be mean to her just for once? While reading this, I was thinking that she’s the single most annoying heroine I’ve ever read of all time!

It’s also interesting to note that Russell yet again tried to become the hero but to no avail. Why do we even need his POV? Like seriously? He wasn’t even born half-angel and he’s getting all-Evie like whilst evolving. I was like, what’s up with that? Suddenly, he’s powerful and all. Evie should at least have some superior power over her “creation” right?

Okay, so I’d stop bitching about this now but surely, you can tell that I really didn’t enjoy this book. I’m not even sure I’d read the fourth book sooner (which I’ve already bought prior to reading the first book) especially after learning the fifth book is slated to be release next year. Oh, please – NEXT!

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Intuition (The Premonition #2) – Amy A. Bartol

via Goodreads

via Goodreads

The first book of this series got me all excited to read its second installment and it raised the bar pretty high that’s why I end up a bit disappointed with this one. I just really want to mention something about the three main characters here – Genevieve, Reed and Russell.

Genevieve – There’s something seriously wrong with this half human – half angel. She’s like the most inconsiderate /selfish heroine I’ve ever known in this genre. In the first book, I love how she’s carrying the girl power banner and how she’s like an overachiever and is supposed to be smart. Here though, everything went spiraling down for her character. It was like a character assassination / suicide – whatever you wanna call it. She became too emotional, irrational and to put it simply – dimwit. And for geez sake! She’s flirting with three other guys and can’t seem to make a decision – a rational one for that matter. She’s actually the one abusing the trust of people around her and is also very abusive to Reed if I may say so. I just hate the fact that during the first book, she was this strong, amazing woman and here, she became a wimpy half-angle when she’s supposed to be evolving into something superior – well, she did evolve physically at least.

Reed – I love Reed’s character from the very start and I find it weird that the author didn’t try to tell the story or at least have chapters in this book through his POV. His age and history would’ve been sufficient enough to tell something more about him. Instead, he became the martyr lover who think that it was his entire fault [yeah, yeah I get that it was in his nature to protect] for being unable to protect the thick headed Evie.

Russell – Really? The way he speaks was inconsistent. Gosh, I hate the way I could hear that accent in my head. It was annoying as hell and I don’t really see the point of giving him more than a couple of chapters [POV-wise]

I really thought that this second book lacked focus and became a bit self-indulgent midway till the end. I didn’t like the way the author made Evie’s character like she’s got a multiple personality disorder. She was such a kick-ass in the first book which is ironic because here, she keeps on getting physically stronger along with her supernatural powers but her personality isn’t developing at all. She’s becoming an emotional wreck. I guess I’m just totally disappointed with the whole thing – it really dwindled down for me big time but I’m hanging in there for the next book.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Fighting Dirty – Olley White

21955382I haven’t read anything written by Olley White until I saw this on MM Romance Group’s Love’s Landscapes event and I’m sure glad that I downloaded it [for free! yay!]

With less than twenty-five page to tell this story, the author was able to deliver vibrancy with her characters. Ethan Reed is fighting for a chance to better his life – by winning a “fighting” tournament to become part of the King’s Army. For his final opponent, he was fitted against Charlie Fitzwilliam who came from a ruling class and whom he’d been pining since he was a young boy. With him winning said tournament, he wondered if there’ll be a chance for them now that they’re almost equal.

Coverwise – the book is probably one of the best I’ve seen this year. I love an enticing cover paired with an equally stunning story! I really wished though that this was a full on novel. I could very well imagine some really good plot lines for this couple. With a longer version, the author would be able to tell more about the two – although given the length of her story, I thought she did extremely well in providing some backstory for both Ethan and Charlie. This short story without question is a gem and people should go ahead and download it right now! Hello people! It’s free!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Download the story HERE

Book Review: Spirit Sanguine – Lou Harper

via Goodreads

via Goodreads

I never thought that I’d fall for another vampire-themed story. Now this one’s totally getting into me. Like BIG TIME! The story centers on Gabe Vadas, a vampire slayer who came home in the States after five years of slaying “bloodsuckers” in Europe. Returning to his hometown in Chicago, he was kidnapped by a young vampire named Harvey Feng whom he initially tried to kill. After being spared his life, attraction ensues between him and the young vegetarian Vampire. Now scouted by the Vampire mafia boss for a job he couldn’t refused, he together with Harvey were thrust into  more  action that they know they could handle, more than their growing passion for each other.

I’m totally riding this bandwagon. I’m actually clueless why it’s not getting tons of five star ratings. I loved Gabe and Harvey. They have this amazing chemistry and I just love their adventures together. Harvey’s quirkiness and penchant for role-play was truly adorable and hot as hell. And Gabe – oh my, the guy’s a sweetheart. I’m super excited to read more from their conquest. They’re truly an amazing couple and this is one hell of a promising series!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Book Review: See You Smile – Dawn Sister

Fan Art by Arch BalaThis is probably my favorite out of a hundred stories featured in Love’s Landscapes sponsored by the Goodreads MM Romance Group. It’s a May – December love story between a fifty year old bestselling author living in a small community and his 21 year-old deaf neighbor who apparently lives on his own. It was cute how Jake started “stalking” the young Cal – it was cute and funny. I loved how the story developed from the time Jake tried to introduce him and second-guessing how his attraction to his young neighbor wasn’t a good idea at all. The only critique I have about it, though not necessarily a bad critique is that it was all too perfect and ideal. I thought Cal’s inner struggle to fit in and being independent was a very nice addition to the “major conflict” and I just loved the sexual tension between him and Jake. I’ve totally no problem with this kind of theme [May-December relationship], I just had this random thought about their age difference physically after 10 or 15 years. It was just a thought, though, really. So there people, do download the free copy now cuz’ you won’t wanna miss this!

Download the story HERE.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars