Tag Archives: Book Review

Book Review: The House of the Scorpion – Nancy Farmer

Posted on January 30, 2018 | 1 comment

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.

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Book Review: I’ll Give You The Sun – Jandy Nelson

Posted on January 24, 2018 | 1 comment

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.

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Book Review: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda – Becky Albertalli

Posted on January 16, 2018 | 1 comment

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.

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Book Review: Call Me By Your Name – André Aciman

Posted on January 12, 2018 | 4 comments

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

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Book Review: Santori (Santori Trilogy #1) – Maris Black

Posted on January 3, 2018 | Leave a comment

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

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Book Review: Tried & True (THIRDS, #10) – Charlie Cochet

Posted on December 31, 2017 | Leave a comment

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.

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

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Book Review: The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue – Mackenzi Lee

Posted on December 29, 2017 | Leave a comment

This is another one of my backlogged reviews. The last few weeks have been incredibly busy for me due to the holidays and some work deadlines, but I wanted to write a review for this awesome book before welcoming 2018, which will hopefully be full of adventures and positivity.

Let me first tell you what I thought after finishing this book: “That’s it?! That’s the end? I f*cking wanted more!” I mean, seriously, I enjoyed it so much that I didn’t want to let go of it right away. It felt like it ended too abruptly for my liking.

The most recent book I’ve read that resembled this one in some way—in terms of traveling through Europe and all its glory—is Josh Lanyon’s Jefferson Blythe, Esquire, which happens to be the most Young Adult-ish of all of Lanyon’s books, if you are not familiar with her works.

Henry, his sister Felicity, and his best friend Percy are on a Grand Tour of the Continent, after which Henry is expected to enter adulthood. As per the usual trope, things didn’t go as planned. The trio managed to steal a panacea (thanks to Henry), get captured by amateur pirates, and basically cause chaos wherever they went.

The story revolves around these three characters, all of whom have lead potential. They are indeed the main characters in this book, although the story is told entirely from Henry’s perspective. Each of them is distinctly different, vibrantly characterized, and full of personality.

I absolutely adore Henry. I loved his candor, and you can really see how he matures over the course of the story. Percy, on the other hand, is totally adorable! Gaaahhh, I loved their chemistry from the get-go! I was dying to get to the chapter where they finally realized they had been pining for each other for what felt like forever, and when it happened—ugh, I just can’t!

I feel like there is more to this story, and I cannot wait to read more of their adventures. I hope it’s Felicity’s turn next! I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

About the Author
Mackenzi Lee holds a BA in history and an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Simmons College. She is the New York Times bestselling author of the historical fantasy novels THIS MONSTROUS THING and THE GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO VICE AND VIRTUE (HarperCollins), as well as the forthcoming THE LADY’S GUIDE TO PETTICOATS AND PIRACY and SEMPER AUGUSTUS (coming in 2019 from Flatiron/Macmillan). She is also the author of BYGONE BADASS BROADS (Abrams, 2018), a collection of short biographies of amazing women from history you probably don’t know about but definitely should, based on her popular twitter series of the same name.

She currently calls Boston home, where she manages an independent bookstore, drinks too much Diet Coke, and pets every dog she meets.

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Book Review: Red Dirt Imago (Red Dirt, #4.5 / Imago, #2.5) – N.R. Walker

Posted on November 21, 2017 | Leave a comment

Date of Publication: April 20, 2017
Publisher: BlueHeart Press
Genre & Theme: LGBT, MM, Romance
ASIN: B0724ZFHRT
Characters: Charlie Sutton, Travis Craig, Jack Brighton, Lawson Gale

Blurb:When Charlie Sutton’s neighbour Greg is notified by the Queensland government that they intend to run a pipeline through his property, Charlie vows to help him fight it. Then Travis remembers seeing butterflies at the creek near their joining fence line – the same butterflies they couldn’t find in any Australian butterfly book. Hopeful this might be their only chance to stop the development, they seek the help of a specialist.

Lawson Brighton-Gale receives an email request to identify a butterfly in the Outback, only to discover it’s not an Australian butterfly at all. But that’s not all he discovers. The name on the request is familiar to Jack. An old friend from his university days, who also happened to be his old friend with benefits, Charlie Sutton.

Years ago, two out-of-towners met at the University of Sydney. Both studying environmental sciences, both hundreds of miles from home, and both finding their worlds open to new experiences, they fell into bed together. Meeting again after all this time, in front of Lawson and Travis, won’t be awkward at all, right?

Lawson and Jack’s trip to Sutton Station certainly doesn’t go to plan, and what they take back to Tasmania isn’t just butterflies, but a cocoon of possibilities.

Red Dirt Imago is our cutesie little return to the very much beloved Red Dirt Heart Series and this time, with Lawson and Jack from the author’s Imago series (or the other way around).

Reading about Charlie and Travis again makes me a bit melancholic because I absolutely loved their story and the timeline of this story is in the past since we all know that their daughter grew up to be a beautiful strong-willed woman.

I can absolutely relate with both Lawson and Travis here. No matter how mature we think we are in these situations – meeting your former lover and their current lover – though in this instance, former sex buddies, there’s still a tinge of something that will make us feel a bit jealous I guess…I think that’s what makes us human. That’s what’s make Lawson and Travis more realistic in a way.

This is a cutesie little gift from the author for the fans of both series and that super cute surprise at the end is just too adorbs! This is highly recommended for those who are missing Travis and Charlie!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars 

About The Author
N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance.
She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things…but likes it even more when they fall in love.

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since…

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