Book Review: First Impressions Series (1-3) by Josephine Myles

Posted on October 26, 2014 | Leave a comment
via Goodreads

via Goodreads

FIRST IMPRESSIONS (First Impressions #1)
Surly artist Jez just can’t help staring at the brightly colored socks of the businessman who sits opposite him on the train every day. He weaves a whole history for the mysterious stranger in a vain attempt to stave off his attraction, but it only ends up feeding his bizarre obsession. Then one hot morning, Jez finally snaps and starts sketching…

I am totally loving this shorty about Jez and Steve!! It’s a very cute story of “love developing at first sight.” I just loved the visual of Steve wearing those quirky socks!!! And Jez’s locks was like OMG-asm!!!!! I’m just totally digging both of them. The story’s lovely, sweet and just too a-dork-able!!!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

***

via goodreads

via goodreads

Fuzzy (First Impressions #2)

This was like a very short, exceedingly adorable story five months after Jez and Steve got together. Steve unleashes one of his special talents and that is………. KNITTING!!!!! Yay! It’s just too cute!!! I swear this couple should’ve gotten a full on novel!!!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

***

via goodreads

via goodreads

Last Chance (First Impressions #3)
Jez and Steve’s story is like one of the sweetest shorts I’ve read in a while and I so loved this uber adorable couple. In this third installment, Jez received some bad news from his old home that revealed a painful past he’s been trying to keep from Steve. Dunno why really but Steve’s such a sweet guy…and this one’s making me wish that their story will continue šŸ˜‰

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Leave a comment

Posted in Books

Tagged , ,

Book Review: Love On A Wing And A Prayer – T.A. Webb

Posted on October 25, 2014 | Leave a comment
via Goodreads

via Goodreads

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group’s “Love Has No Boundaries” event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.

I love me some good ‘ol sweet navy men who are proud and aren’t afraid to love. Davey and Chuck are two beautiful guys who found love in a post-DADT era flying aircrafts and I just so loved ’em! It was an easy breezy story that will make you feel good regardless of who you love! Kudos to the author for writing yet another wonderful short story!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Leave a comment

Posted in Books

Tagged , ,

Book Review: Brothers of the Wild North Sea – Harper Fox

Posted on October 24, 2014 | Leave a comment
via Goodreads

via Goodreads

This is by far my most favorite book by Harper Fox and it’s exactly what I needed when I was reading it. The book transported me to a place where people speaks the old/ dead language (or strangely that is), where being in a homosexual relationship was merely a “friends with benefits” thing and all first aid meds came from herbs. But seriously though, this was a beautiful story of love between two very different man coming from two very different upbringing. One was supposed to become a fierce warrior but chose a different path and became a monk and the other was born and raised to fight without mercy and found his humanity through love.

The dissection of faith in the book was an enthralling welcome because you’d realize that there’s really some good point in it. No matter what the era is, human nature is human nature. I just loved the part when Caius mentioned something about an infinite god or a merciful god who will not hold judgment as an advise when one of his brethren (Benedict) was desperately seeking solace.

This story at some point will leave you in some sort of wonderment about the beauty of love and miracles of life especially in times of dire circumstances.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Leave a comment

Posted in Books

Tagged , ,

Book Review: Let’s Hear It for the Boy – T.A. Webb

Posted on October 23, 2014 | Leave a comment
via Goodreads

via Goodreads

Journalist Paul Stewart was tasked to interview Atlanta’s legendary drag performer Auntie Social and he’s set to uncover more about the man behind all the facade. What he learned though was the story behind Matthew Trammel’s plight for AIDS leading him back to the latter’s bittersweet first love.

I’ve been broken into pieces by Mr. Webb after reading Second Chances and I haven’t quite recovered from it (I can’t even listen to At Last now without remembering the book and tearing up). In this very short, melancholic story – the author has once again proven his innate ability to shatter the epicenter of his readers’ emotions. I’ve read quite a lot of books relative to this short story’s theme but there’s only few that really gets to me. This shorts is one of ’em – bittersweet, poignant and simply beautiful.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Leave a comment

Posted in Books

Tagged , ,

Book Review: Brute – Kim Fielding

Posted on October 22, 2014 | Leave a comment

Blurb: Brute leads a lonely life in a world where magic is commonplace. He is seven and a half feet of ugly, and of disreputable descent. No one, including Brute, expects him to be more than a laborer. But heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and when he is maimed while rescuing a prince, Bruteā€™s life changes abruptly. He is summoned to serve at the palace in Tellomer as a guard for a single prisoner. It sounds easy but turns out to be the challenge of his life.

Rumors say the prisoner, Gray Leynham, is a witch and a traitor. What is certain is that he has spent years in misery: blind, chained, and rendered nearly mute by an extreme stutter. And he dreams of peopleā€™s deathsā€”dreams that come true.

As Brute becomes accustomed to palace life and gets to know Gray, he discovers his own worth, first as a friend and a man and then as a lover. But Brute also learns heroes sometimes face difficult choices and that doing what is right can bring danger of its own.

Ā§Ā§Ā§

This feel good story will remind you something from “The Little Prince” that says “what is essential is invisible to the eye” and in Brute’s case, his gentle heart is what makes him an essentially beautiful character. Now this may sound like a Disney story (well it is a bit Disney-ish with all the magic, the palace, royalties and all but it’s the best kind of Disney.) My only Ā critique about it is the rather weak conclusion and how it abruptly ended,Ā  otherwise the whole story’s a smashing hit!

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Published December 3rd 2012 by Dreamspinner Press

Buy now:
Dreamspinner PressĀ | 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 ā€œeclecticā€ and she finally got that third tattoo.

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

Leave a comment

Posted in Books

Tagged , ,

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

Posted on October 21, 2014 | Leave a comment
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 clichĆ©. 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.

Leave a comment

Posted in Books

Tagged , , ,

Book Review: Good Bones – Kim Fielding

Posted on October 20, 2014 | Leave a comment

Good BonesBlurb: Skinny, quiet hipster Dylan Warner was the kind of guy other men barely glanced at until an eveningā€™s indiscretion with a handsome stranger turned him into a werewolf. Now, despite a slightly hairy handicap, he just wants to live an ordinaryā€”if lonelyā€”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 inaccurateā€”and that heā€™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 himselfā€”how can he bring up his monthly urge to howl at the moon?

Ā§Ā§Ā§

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! Iā€™m not really big into paranormal / supernatural / shapeshifting shit but this oneā€™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 itā€™s so freaking good! Iā€™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 PressĀ | 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 ā€œeclecticā€ and she finally got that third tattoo.

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

Leave a comment

Posted in Books

Tagged , , , , ,

Book Review: Str8te Boys – Evangeline Anderson

Posted on October 19, 2014 | Leave a comment
via Goodreads

via Goodreads

What Iā€™ve read from this short story and even based on its title and the cover itself is exactly what Iā€™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 Iā€™ve to wonder why such story took more than 20 page to write but hey, thatā€™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

Leave a comment

Posted in Books

Tagged , ,

Book Review: Silent – Sara Alva

Posted on October 19, 2014 | 1 comment
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 schoolā€™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 ā€œget throughā€ Sebastian, Alex did everything to be able to really ā€œhearā€ whatā€™s inside the boyā€™s mind and heart.

Ā Itā€™s always heartbreaking for me whenever the story involves foster kids because theyā€™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. Itā€™s all what Iā€™m looking for such theme and itā€™s beautifully written by the author. You can really feel the authenticity of Alexā€™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.

Ā Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

1 Comment

Posted in Books

Tagged , ,

Book Review: Mr Plum – Sue Brown

Posted on October 18, 2014 | Leave a comment

 

18332065

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?

***

This short story reminds me so much of the ā€œFirst Impressionsā€ 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, itā€™s just a very short story so thereā€™s not much really to fuzz about. I guess itā€™s pleasant enough, is all Iā€™m saying

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Published April 30th 2011 by Torquere Press

Buy now:
All Romance | AmazonĀ  |Ā Torquere Press

About The Author
Sue Brown is owned by her dog and two children. When she isnā€™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 sheā€™s made up for it since, writing fan fiction until she was brave enough to venture out into the world of original fiction.

Leave a comment

Posted in Books

Tagged , ,