Category Archives: Books

Book Review: Louder Than Sirens, Louder Than Bells – K D Sarge

via Goodreads

via Goodreads

I’m not exactly sure if I liked this enough to merit it more than one star. I just find it a bit too cheesy and a bit on the trying hard side. The storytelling was okay with the first person POV employed on Lukas’s character that made him charming but Alan’s character didn’t do shit for me. He’s got this unbearable character bordering on cliché. I loved that there are so many scenes in the story and the whole “college” vibe is there. It’s quite fun and reminds me so much of my college years. I guess it’s just too placid as well as a bit indulgent for my taste.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

you can download this free book HERE.

Book Review: Good Bones – Kim Fielding

Good BonesBlurb: Skinny, quiet hipster Dylan Warner was the kind of guy other men barely glanced at until an evening’s indiscretion with a handsome stranger turned him into a werewolf. Now, despite a slightly hairy handicap, he just wants to live an ordinary—if lonely—life as an architect. He tries to keep his wild impulses in check, but after one too many close calls, Dylan gives up his urban life and moves to the country, where he will be less likely to harm someone else. His new home is a dilapidated but promising house that comes with a former Christmas tree farm and a solitary neighbor: sexy, rustic Chris Nock.

Dylan hires Chris to help him renovate the farmhouse and quickly discovers his assumptions about his neighbor are inaccurate—and that he’d very much like Chris to become a permanent fixture in his life as well as his home. Between proving himself to his boss, coping with the seductive lure of his dangerous ex-lover, and his limited romantic experience, Dylan finds it hard enough to express himself—how can he bring up his monthly urge to howl at the moon?

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I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! I’m not really big into paranormal / supernatural / shapeshifting shit but this one’s quite a read. This is just my second book by Kim Fielding (after The Tin Box) and this totally changed my perception about the author. The book is thorough with the flow of the story. The characters of Dylan and Chris are both charming and relatable. I loved that the flashbacks of Dylan were summarized quickly and the chemistry between him and Chris is just over the top it’s so freaking good! I’m so looking forward to reading the second book of the series!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Published April 20th 2012 by Dreamspinner Press

Buy now:
Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About The Author
Kim Fielding lives in California and travels as often as she can manage. A professor by day, at night she rushes into a phonebooth to change into her author costume (which involves comfy clothes instead of Spandex and is, sadly, lacking a cape). Her superpowers include the ability to write nearly anywhere, often while simultaneously doling out homework assistance to her children. Her favorite word to describe herself is “eclectic” and she finally got that third tattoo.

All royalties from her novels Stasis, Flux and Equipoise are donated to Doctors Without Borders.

Book Review: Str8te Boys – Evangeline Anderson

via Goodreads

via Goodreads

What I’ve read from this short story and even based on its title and the cover itself is exactly what I’ve expected. Two college jocks fooling around with each other and eventually they fell in love. It was pleasant enough story, shallow but nice. Although I’ve to wonder why such story took more than 20 page to write but hey, that’s just me

synopsis via Goodreads: How far would you dare to go…to win it all?

Maverick Holms and Duke Warren share almost everything–a college soccer team, an apartment and the same extremely competitive nature. Thanks to that never-back-down spirit, they’re about to share more than they bargained for.

The game is “gay chicken.” The rule: get as close as possible without kissing, and the one that pulls away first is the loser. The problem: neither of them likes to lose. It isn’t long before the game becomes an excuse to touch and kiss in every possible forbidden way. And after they pose for a gay website to earn extra money, things really heat up.

Suddenly Duke is talking lifetime commitment, and Mav is backpedaling as hard as he can, not sure if he’s ready to accept all his best friend is offering him. Or the truth about what he is.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Silent – Sara Alva

via Goodreads

via Goodreads

Silent is the story of two lost boys in a foster home who found solace from each other after both escaping their rather unpleasant pasts. Alex was taken away from home after his school’s discovery of an abuse. Against his will, the fifteen year old boy was placed in foster care where he meets the Sebastian, a mute kid whom they call a special case. Through Sebastian, Alex was able to pour all of his thoughts and secrets until a tragedy forced them apart. Determined to “get through” Sebastian, Alex did everything to be able to really “hear” what’s inside the boy’s mind and heart.

 It’s always heartbreaking for me whenever the story involves foster kids because they’re real. Their stories, their past, those boys and girls truly exist. This achingly beautiful narrative of two foster kids with their young love and their pasts just made me realize yet again how ugly and beautiful at the same time human nature could be. The book was heartbreaking, romantic, maddening and hopeful at the same time. It’s all what I’m looking for such theme and it’s beautifully written by the author. You can really feel the authenticity of Alex’s voice and the yearning of Sebastian to express himself fully. I could only wish now that the author considers writing a short story about their future as adults. Now that would be really lovely.

 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Mr Plum – Sue Brown

 

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Blurb: Dave picks up coffee every morning at the train station on his way to work. He can’t help but notice when the man in front of him is given a plum-colored cup holder, as it goes perfectly with his own tie. There are other things he can’t help but notice, like how hot “Mr. Plum” is.

When Mr. Plum hands over a cup of coffee, exactly how Dave likes it, the morning he’s late getting to the station, it’s the start of a beautiful friendship. Or is it?

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This short story reminds me so much of the “First Impressions” short stories by Josephine Myles but in a less charming way. I thought there should have been more background about the MCs since the coffee shop premise is just too cute and it just need more stuff to make the characters more relatable. Nonetheless, it’s just a very short story so there’s not much really to fuzz about. I guess it’s pleasant enough, is all I’m saying

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Published April 30th 2011 by Torquere Press

Buy now:
All Romance | Amazon  | Torquere Press

About The Author
Sue Brown is owned by her dog and two children. When she isn’t following their orders, she can be found plotting at her laptop. In fact she hides so she can plot and has got expert at ignoring the orders.

Sue discovered M/M erotica at the time she woke up to find two men kissing on her favorite television series. The series was boring; the kissing was not. She may be late to the party, but she’s made up for it since, writing fan fiction until she was brave enough to venture out into the world of original fiction.

Book Review: Going Up – Amy Lane

via goodreads

via goodreads

Every dreary day, Zach Driscoll takes the elevator from the penthouse apartment of his father’s building to his coldly charmed life where being a union lawyer instead of a corporate lawyer is an act of rebellion. Every day, that is, until the day the elevator breaks and Sean Mallory practically runs into his arms.

Substitute teacher Sean Mallory is everything Zach is not—poor, happy, and goofily charming. With a disarming smile and a penchant for drama, Sean laughs his way into Zach’s heart one elevator ride at a time. Zach would love to get to know Sean better, but first he needs the courage to leave his ivory tower and face a relationship that doesn’t end at the “Ding!” via Goodreads

This one didn’t really work for me. It was comical to the point of being folly. I loved Amy Lane but this story’s just too bland with uninspired characters. The elevator “dates” are just downright ridiculous. Like seriously? I’m like, get his freaking number already and ask him out on a freaking date!!!! It’s just way too over the top for me and it’s not even romantic at the least. I’m almost sorry I’ve to give this a 2 star rating.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Between Friends – Lou Harper

via goodreads

via goodreads

Lucas and Julian were childhood friends, but when bachelor party hijinks landed them in bed together, no one was more surprised than Lucas. That one night turned into a full-blown hidden affair—until the openly gay Julian couldn’t stand being Lucas’s dirty little secret anymore. After two years of missing his best friend and lover, Lucas finds himself desperate to convince Julian that his love really does blaze as bright and as proud as the fireworks on the Fourth of July! via Goodreads

This is a beautifully written short story that is direct, romantic and yes oh-so-sexy. The night of the Bachelor Party, I was like “No, they didn’t” – that was so freaking hot man!

It’s cute how the story was told through Lucas’ perspective from his younger years with his buddies until they’re all grown men. It seems like everything got covered here and it resulted to an awfully pleasing read!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Secrets And Ink – Lou Harper

via goodreads

via goodreads

When Karma writes you a ticket, pay up or else…

If life was like the movies, Jem Mitchell’s wouldn’t be such a mess. In LA’s glittering world of dreams, he works an unglamorous job at a gourmet grocery store. His past is so deep and dark, the details are lost even to him. All he knows is he was once cursed by a meter maid, and ever since, his love life has sucked.

When Detective Nick Davies becomes a regular at the store, Jem dares to hope he’s un-hexed at last. He should have known that sex with a remarkably normal guy, devoid of weird fetishes and fatal personality flaws, was too good to be true.

During a post-encounter cuddle, Nick recognizes the tattoo on Jem’s back—and remembers him as a young hustler he arrested nine years past.

As Jem’s memories come crashing back, he flees from Nick, but fate contrives to keep pushing them back together. And when Jem’s old partner in crime is found murdered, the stakes are raised for life, for love, and a dangerous drama with no guarantee of a Hollywood ending. – via Goodreads

I’ve to say I was a bit disappointed with this one especially after reading the author’s short story entitled “Between Friends”. That one was awesome. This, however is pretty much running on all sides of cliché with characters that are simply forgettable. I also didn’t like how Jeremy’s backstory was revealed. The whole karma and Jeremy’s shady past is borderline ridiculous – that’s just too WTF to even be part of the story’s conflict. The spider tattoo, the Japanese bondage and the whole dealio with that actor also didn’t make that much sense. Oh I don’t know, it was just all over the place.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Heatstroke – Taylor V. Donovan

via goodreads

via goodreads

At twenty-one years old, Richard Lewis Bancroft was on the fast track to fame and fortune. An award-winning start on the Broadway stage led him to the silver screens of Hollywood, where his star began to rise, and his heart fell hard for professional baseball sensation, Manuel Guzman. But there was no script for living out loud with the man of his dreams in the world of 1964.

Then Richard disappeared without a trace.

Forty years later, Michael Spencer discovered a journal in his grandmother’s attic that would change his life forever, and quite possibly, solve the mysterious disappearance of Richard Lewis Bancroft. – via Goodreads

I really enjoyed reading this FREE novella. It’s one of those stories that lingers with you days after reading it. I loved its nostalgic vibe with Michael discovering journals of a famous Hollywood actor which led him to unravel the truth about his family and getting a glimpse of love at its purest. I think I even cried by the end of the story. This is a special book with a fairy tale ending – another great piece from Taylor V. Donovan.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Sweet Little Thing – Renée Carlino

19507801Sweet Little Thing gives us a glimpse of Mia and Will’s life as a couple starting out a new journey and pursuing their dreams in music. This, hands down is one of the best novella sequels ever! I love that Renée Carlino gave us a chance to see how Mia and Will’s adventures in life panned out as they also start creating a family of their own. It’s a beautiful, beautiful journey and reading it made giddy with happiness. Thank you Renée for this wonderful novella!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars