Addict by Rachael Orman

Addict
by Rachael Orman
Pages: 217
Date: December 19 2014
Publisher: Author
Series: Cravings (1st in series)

Review
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0
Read: November 20 to December 31 2015

My first book by this author.

I believe I originally got this book because it was mentioned as being free in that Dark Erotica group I’m in. So, if so, I’ll mention that up front – this is not a Dark Erotica book (at least by my understanding of the terms). Though it is an erotic book. And a book filled with BDSM. There’s bondage, a bondage club, spankings, whippings, domination, submission, a mix of sadism and masochism, some comments about ‘pain slut’, some bit of orgasm control/denial, the use of chains, the use of cuffs, and blindfolds, and a bit of forced exposure (inside a bondage club, while blindfolded and therefore uncertain how many might be there); and finally a bit of romance between two sex addicts. The kind of romance that can occur while one keeps their identity a secret (hence the use of a blindfold).

As the book description starts off (at the moment on GoodReads) “My name is Alix and I am addicted to sex.” This isn’t a pose or anything like that. She’s gone to therapy. She’s a sex addict. Not someone who thinks they might be or could be. The kind who can’t stop herself from masturbating at the drop of need. Though, after the therapy, she’s been able to fight her cravings. Until recently.

Alix works as a concierge at a hotel. While in her position she has a view of the hotel lobby. This is important because her ability to fight her cravings has collapsed under the assault of a hotel visitor, who she eventually learned is named John. John’s crime? Existing. Something about him has caused Alix to lose her control. And by lose control, I don’t mean that she day dreams about him, then in the safety of her own apartment . . . handles things. By ‘lose control, I mean that she masturbates. There. At her desk. While looking at him. That kind of lose control.

Naturally, in a situation like this the thing to do is allow your coworker, the hotel receptionist (hmm, what is that position called again? Gah), to talk you into going to an exclusive club. Alix reluctantly agrees. Whereupon it turns out that this exclusive club is a bondage club. The friend is both fascinated and horrified – some petrified like deer in headlights. Alix is some mixture of that, but mostly aroused. To the point of needing to use the restroom. To play with herself. Then stand in the hallway outside and continue (if I recall correctly, been a while since that part of the book). Not that night but eventually, she meets a man whole will become her Master. That man happened to witness her actions. And had previously seen her at the hotel. That man is none other than . . . Santa Claus. Who is always watching you. Be naughty or nice. Wait, no, it's . . . John.

That guy who I mentioned above *waves vaguely upwards*, John? I’ve forgotten what his specific background is, but he has a distinctive British accent. Which I mention because, after a certain event, hell I’ll just say it. After becoming Alix’s master, he never attempts to talk to Alix while Alix knows him as John (that’s awkwardly phrased, I know, while in the mode of Master, Alix wears a blindfold and the room is kept darkish when she isn’t; when not in the mode of Master . . . John continues his never actually talking with Alix, now with the added risk that if he did, his distinctive accent would immediately give him away). So.

John keeps stopping by the hotel, not because he really likes hotel lobbies, flirty receptionists (desk attendants? Desk managers? Bloody hell, can’t remember what they are called), nor specifically because of Alix. But because he lives there. And, occasionally, uses one of the hotel rooms for work. For he is a sex therapist. The kind who helps couples who are in need of help. With sex. He, no longer, allows himself to be involved directly – at least no more directly than being in the same room.

Alix doesn’t believe she can have a real relationship (romantic or otherwise, i.e. friends) because of her sex addiction. John won’t allow himself to have a relationship because of the nature of whom and what he is. He has had too much experience with those who freak out about his job; and/or turn out to be inadequate submissives (that was mentioned, I forget now how). Yet both are drawn to the other. They complement each other’s needs and desires. The book follows this couple as they move from strangers to vaguely couple like status.

I must have hated this book, right? I mean, I started reading the book on the 20th. No, not 11 days ago. The 20th of November. And completed it on the 31st of December. Six weeks. 42 days. 1008 hours. 60,480 minutes. 11.51% of 2015. If you are familiar with my reading style then you might know why I am belaboring the amount of time taken to read this book. If not, then not. It’s simple. I have on occasion read 3 books on the same day. Though that’s stretching things and likely the first book had been started the night before, and all three are super short, but it’s been done. Books not short stories. Toss in short stories and the numbers go up. It’s a book of only 217 pages. It shouldn’t have taken this long to read, right? Well, no not right. I always take longer with certain books. Nonfiction. Wordy fiction. Erotica that is book length. I read them, at least erotica, in short chunks. Meaning that I didn’t read, or need 1008 hours to read the book. At least not in terms of amount of actual reading time.

Okay, that was a boring paragraph above. I only meant to note that it took me a while to read this but it was my own choice and not a reflection of the book itself. It was a clean well written book without anything that pushed me out, caused me issues, or otherwise ‘deserved’ to look like a ‘problem book’.

I liked the book. I’m not 100% certain I like John, but he was ‘livable’. I liked Alix though she was kind of down on herself. Straight forward BDSM novel. There’s no non-consent or dubious consent moments. Heck, John kept up a steady stream of comments, dropping them here and there, to reassure Alix, and himself, that everything was okay (I’m making that specific aspect seem worse than I mean). Certain boundaries are pushed, but with great care. There are only, really, two negatives.

First negative (One) - after being so concerned with how Alix was reacting to everything, and wanting to make sure she didn’t flee or anything like that, dragging her out into the bondage club, while blindfolded, and wearing only panties without first determining if that might or might not be an issue was vaguely confusing. In that he seemed determined to make sure everything else ‘worked’. To just drag her out there seemed out of character. Granted, I only thought of this specific negative after I started thinking about the book as a BDSM novel. At the time I probably thought of it, but it wasn’t really much of an issue. She didn’t panic, nor find herself in a situation she didn’t know how to get out of or anything like that. So it was all good. And stuff.

Second negative (Two) – this is a much more important negative. I’ve mentioned before that John works as a sex therapist. I mentioned use of hotel rooms. Apparently he also has an office (not important), and also works as an online (anonymous) consultant. At some point, Alix begins to use the service (and will continue to do so throughout the book). I forget now how John knew immediately that it was Alix, but he knew immediately. Despite both using code names as online handles. This initial online consultation isn’t the issue necessarily. He knew of her, had seen her, but had never interacted with her in any way before this initial online interaction. No, it was later, when she continued to use the service. And he continued ‘handling’ her. After they became an item. That’s . . . unethical and super creepy. And that’s not even considering the part where Alix didn’t know who her online doctor was, nor that she actually knew him.

Despite those two negatives, which I noticed in passing but didn’t actually and really get annoyed about, I enjoyed the book. I’m not exactly sure what could be in a second book. Though know that there’s both a prequel and a sequel to this book here. I’ll probably read another book by Rachael Orman but not sure I’ll read the sequel.

In terms of ratings – somewhere along the way I had a system. At some point I broke the system and started thinking of ratings in terms of deducting ½ or full stars for certain things. I’m sure I overrated (and/or underrated) books in the past during my brief run of insanity. Well, I was using a baseline of 5. ‘There’s nothing bad about it, so I’ll give it a five’. I don’t think any book actually crept into the five star slot because of that, but some probably got overrated because I’d fallen into that trap. No, I start with three, as ‘average’ and deduct or add as needed. In theory. Mostly I just wing it. Like now. I liked the book. Roughly 4.5 much. So . . . I deem this book 4.5 stars! Or something.

ETA: oh right, I just thought of something of a negative I forgot to mention. John kept calling Alix his Precious. And capitalized it. It was . . . . giggle-worthy. In that John kept turning into Gollum in my mind.


December 31 2015

Date Knight by Bridget Essex

Date Knight
by Bridget Essex
Pages: 259
Date: October 29 2015
Publisher: Rose and Star Press
Series: The Knight Legends (3rd in series)

Review
Rating: 2.8 out of 5.0
Read: December 28 to 29 2015

*Helpful hint: If you are reading this review before reading anything in this series, read A Knight to Remember then this book here (which is a direct sequel, both in time and in characters), then read Forever and a Knight (which, chronologically, actually takes place after Date Knight. I think; also involves different characters.)*

It’s unfortunate but I didn’t really have ‘fun’ with this book. Cutting off everything from roughly 0% to 68%, and everything from 96% to 100% and the book was interesting and fun-ish.

The beginning part of the book, at least up to 50 percent had ‘stuff’ happening, but it was really annoyingly wordy. Calling it purple prose might be a bit too strong, but at the very least it was leaning heavily in that direction. Could probably have been recorded with fewer words, less extravagant words. Well, melodramatic? Something.

The book opens on the one week anniversary of Virago returning from her world to be with Holly. They plan to celebrate with a date night. While heading back from a day of watching Virago joust, and get ready for the night, it gets all stormy and stuff. They get caught in rain. Lightning. Holly looks out into her backyard and . . . what do you know, there’s a bunch of women in armor back there. Virago’s quite happy. For they are ‘her’ knights (and, in addition there is also, as eventually realized, her Queen). They’ve come because they need Virago because the Queen’s life is in danger (if it matters at any point, the Queen is named Calla).

First, though, they go paint the town red, so to speak. Holly leads the merry band of knights and Queen to a lesbian bar in Boston. They get drunk, they flirt, do stuff. Then everything gets all weird when the crowd suddenly goes all quiet. And stare. At the front door, through which struts an angry woman dressed in all black armor. Vibrating with power. Accusing Virago of doing evil (as in kidnapping the queen). Eventually it comes out that, no, the queen hadn’t been kidnapped. And stuff. And they have to go back NOW! Or something. So they go back to Holly’s place so that she can get her dog. And lots of clothing. Which she doesn’t actually need, but whatever (the clothing that is; or, for that matter, the dog). All that I’ve conveyed took 50% of the book to convey. Much better than I am here, of course, but still. It was, quite frankly, not that interesting to me.

The vast majority of the rest of the book takes place back on Virago’s planet. Whose name isn’t in the book description and I don’t really know how to spell it. Aorgatoara or something like that. Things are tense. Everyone’s nervous that ‘something’ is going to happen. And the queen has to continuously put herself into danger because her city is hosting the Hero’s Tournament. And therefore if she isn’t out in the open, she’d be admitting weakness, and that’d be exactly like being defeated in war. So she has to be out there. Eventually the big bad guy finally attacks, stuff occurs, the end of the book. This occurs in the second half of the book. And, for the most part, was interesting enough, to be somewhat riveting. At least some scenes here and there.

Note - there some plot holes, and inconsistencies. Or, at least, things brought up that are not later of importance. Like, in the beginning of the book the queen is super sad and wants to resign. Which would immediately destabilize the country, and put it into prime 'taking over' mode for evil king of next door country to swoop in and take over. That was badly worded. That early 'I just want to resign' is countered later with a queen in the second half of the book who just wants to do the right thing, and stand up against King Evil; which includes putting herself out there for assassins to try to assassinate. A vague thought I had that I'm not conveying well.

So, as I indicated at the beginning, I didn’t really have the fun with the book that I expected. Part of the ‘decrease’ in tension is the simple fact that I realized instantly that the book I was reading actually took place in time, chronologically, before the second book in the series occurred. And since I’d seen how the world looked in that second book . . . I kind have had a lot of the tension that could have been there just . . . not be there. So, all in all, this barely made it to a 2.8 rating.

December 29 2015

A Date with an Angel: and other things that weren't supposed to happen by J. Judkins

A Date with an Angel: and other things that weren't supposed to happen
by J. Judkins
Pages: 380
Date: April 2 2015
Publisher: Author

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: December 29 2015

My first book by this author, and, as far as I can tell, the only book by this author.

At the 37% mark, I had written:
"I may mess everything up, somehow, by admitting this but . . . so far this is the funniest book I've ever read in my life. I can't stop laughing. On the train. In the pizza place picking up pizza. Etc. Please don't turn bad immediately after me admitting this here."

And here I am, book completed, and I’ve rated it 4 stars instead of 5. I have three theories for ‘what happened’. Or at least I did yesterday when I had originally desired to write a review. Let’s see if I recall any of them. Oh, right, I should mention what happened before presenting theories. See, if I had been able to write this yesterday*, I’d have been able to remember this bit here. The ‘what happened’ is that roughly 50 to 60% of the book is literally, and yes I know what that word means, laugh out funny. Involuntarily laughing out funny. Having people give you looks because you are rolling around laughing. While the last 40 to 50% of the book is not.

1) I read all 380 pages very very quickly. Practically non-stop. While also attempting to do stuff, like commute home from work, and walk, and get food. Theory one is that I read so quickly that I became somewhat numbed by the humor to the point that I was no longer able to achieve humor-gasm. (Theory one fails in that there were still moments wherein I broke out laughing, loudly, near the end of the book).
2) Theory one is that I was numbed from reading everything at once so my ability to feel the humor had been numbed. Theory two is that I read everything so fast that the insanity inherent in the book finally overwhelmed me to the point that I was incapable of noticing humor, except on rare occasions, as I battled through the insanity.
3) Theory one posits that I became numb; theory two posits that I became overwhelmed. Theory three takes what has been learned, felt, examined and assumes that the second half of the book was simply less funny than the first.
4) I’ll add in a fourth theory about why the latter half of the book wasn’t as funny to me as the first half had been. Add it in after I’d already written everything else in this review. I, odd as it might seem, saw a lot of similarity between myself and Kim. I had the thought, somewhere along the line, that this would probably be how any kind of romantic relationship would have to occur with me being involved. By accident. And by the insistence of another. But then the character diverged from me and so the antics of the book lost some of their pleasurable elements that had been previously acquired while reading. (Somewhere along the line my brain reminded me of that 7 year relationship I had been in, and then I had an argument with my brain about whether that was real or not; at which point I just shrugged and returned to the book).

All theories might be right. I might have read too fast and been numbed. The insanity might have been more sustainable/bearable if I hadn’t read everything in one gulp. And even if I had taken time, the second half might simply have not been as funny as the first.

From the beginning, though, the book was ‘insane’. A woman who has no social ability is out using her brand new telescope for the fourth time. She got it as a gift. She’s quite bored and figures four attempts are enough. While coming to this conclusion, she hears a sound near her. A sound like pain. With her extensive knowledge from reading, movies, gaming and the like, she suspects the sound might be alien in origin. She investigates. Eventually emerges from the woods to spot a woman near her car. The woman is naked but for a shirt she is in the process of tugging on. Near her is a shirtless man on the ground knocked out. She has two immediate thoughts – (1) Terminator!; (2) must get closer!

One thing leads to another and the woman who is wearing just a shirt agrees to go back to Kim’s place. Kim being the person who had been out with the telescope. The bottomless woman has explained that she lost her memory, and clothing, in a fire. Eventually decides that her name is ‘Angel’, since the guy she knocked out used that word. Kim believes Angel is an alien scout out to lay the foundations for an alien invasion.

Naturally, the insanity of the situation is readily apparent. I’m not really sure how to word this, but I’ll attempt to do so. One of the advantages of the first half over the second half is that Kim’s insanity isn’t overwhelming the plot, or, for that matter, Angel. Once Angel started arguing back in an illogical manner – revealing that she knows that Kim believes that Angel has been attempting to manipulate her all this time, and knows that she always seems to fail when she actually does attempt manipulation . . . once that argument occurred my head kind of exploded. We were doing loop de loops. Circular logic/circular arguments. Kim was insane but it was manageable. Angel was insane, but in a cute ‘person who lost their memory or might be an alien, or possibly a terminator sent from the future to kill all’ way.

There is supposedly a sequel. I’ll likely acquire it as quickly as my greedy little hands can get it and devour it. Hopefully I’ll be able to slow myself enough to enjoy. And, hopefully, the humor from the first half resurfaces. Harder now, though, as the ‘fish out of water’ and ‘we don’t’ know what’s going on’ elements are gone now.

The book is not a five star book; I’d directly or indirectly noted that to begin the review, but didn’t say what it is. Those peeking above the review already know what I rated the book. That’s right, I rated it 4.8 stars. What? We don’t have that ability? Hmms. I might have to raise it to five stars then. As it is closer to 4.8 stars than 4.5 or 4. I just went to so much trouble saying why it isn’t a five star book. I don’t want to have to try to find something else to write there.

This was a really fun book all the way around. From the embarrassments at work, at home, out on dates. The accidental nature of some of the activities. The slow build up of sexual tension. This, I know, is an odd thing to say considering that one of the first things they did when they got back to the apartment was take a shower. Together. Which included Angel soaping up Kim, and Kim returning the favor as she didn’t want to admit that everything was a little weird, because she wanted to keep the alien close, but couldn’t think of what to say, so found herself being soaped up, and soaping up the alien. This book should come with a warning. I was giggling and outright laughing at their antics, and the next thing I knew I was on a train reading a rather erotic scene in a shower involving two women. It was an ‘accidental’ scene, though. This is why I say there’s a slow build up of sexual tension. Because Kim denies any actual attraction to Angel until deep into the process (the process being the romance/book, not process of being soaped up). While Angel was just soaping someone, without knowledge that there is anything odd about that, nor with any romantic desires while doing so. No, that developed later. Rather quickly. A switch got flipped when they were at a restaurant and someone made the comment that they were on a date. And Kim couldn’t think of a quick way to get around that comment. From that moment on, Angel acted like a girlfriend.

Right, sorry, the warning. Two parts: 1) you will make a fool of yourself by laughing loudly. Be aware of this issue if you attempt to read this book where others can see you reading; 2) there are some rather erotic scenes that pop up unexpectedly.

*- the book was so good that when I returned to my apartment with food, I gobbled the food and continued reading. The point, though, is that I literally (my I seem stuck on that being my word of the day or something) tossed my keys when I got inside. Along with all my belongings. Because I wanted to continue reading. The next day I could not find ‘my stuff’. I spent four hours looking for my keys. I eventually found them though too late to actually write my review (so I wrote it today). Did give me the chance to watch the new Star Wars for the first time, though.

December 31 2015

How Do You Know? by Meredith Schorr

How Do You Know?
by Meredith Schorr
Pages: 270
Date: December 2 2014
Publisher: Booktrope Editions

Review
Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0
Read: December 25 to 26 2015

My second book that I have read that had been written by this author.

I’m vaguely surprised, in the end, by where I ended up rating this book. I have many a review wherein I make comments about the age of the participants, in a manner suggesting that if they hadn’t been so much younger (or, occasionally, older) I’d feel a closer connection to the book and/or possibly like the book more. Well, I should have just loved this book here, eh? I mean, it ‘starred’ a woman of my own age, not near, not slightly older, slightly younger, but my own age. And the setting was my own city.

Before I go further, no I didn’t assume that I’d love a book simply because of these characteristics (age of characters, setting). Just hadn’t run across the specific characteristics much and figured I’d like it more than I did.

Hmm. I just noticed that the book is listed as a first in a series. The other book I’ve read by Schorr is/was also the first book in a series. That one, the other first in a series book, actually either having the second book just now appearing or appearing shortly. Considering how this story unfolded, well . . . not important. (hmm. Rereading this . . . I had some point. I've no idea what that point is now).

The book opens with one Maggie Piper, 38 and with the love of her life, Doug. She works in a law firm as the marketing person. But not staff. I’ve no real idea what that means, where she actually is in the hierarchy, just that there was this big point made over and over again that she was ‘not staff’. As in, perfectly acceptable to turn up at an ‘attorney-only’ party. But whatever that means, she’s that. She loves her job, her man, and seems to like her family and friends too. She’s about to turn 39 though, days away or something like that, I forget now how close. And that reminds her of how close she is to 40. So she freaks out.

Did I mention she loved her man? Well, they’ve been going out for a while now, three years or so, live together even. Well, those aren’t just words she bats around. The love one I mean. She does in fact love him. The stuff they do the life they live. Etc. But . . . she isn’t really sure if he really and truly is ‘her one true love.’ So, she asks for a moment or to think about things. Instead of a break, like she requested, he breaks up. ‘If you don’t know now if you really love me, you won’t know after a break!’ he screams (or, actually, mutters with shiny eyes). What an asshole.

So. She’s now 39 and single. I mentioned 38 before; they broke up on her day of birth. So, 39 and single. Starring at the dating pool again. Naturally she does a second stupid thing. She dates her boss. Not literally the next second. Months are going by in this book. It’s set over slightly more than a year 39-40. But, yeah, she dates her boss. Because he’s so . . . um . . . something. They appear to have nothing in common, but at least she’s not stuck with a guy she loves, likes being with, and even likes watching television (which the boss doesn’t like doing; nor like amusement parks, another thing both Doug and Maggie love).

I’ve no inherent problem with reassessing where you are, what you are doing with your life. But the way she went about it with her man was like kind of stupid. Then to go off and date your boss? That’s just . . . icky. And no, I’m not picturing my own boss and shuddering – putting us in place of Maggie and whatever the guys name is in this book. No the icky part was getting involved with someone either higher up or lower down the chain of command. Getting involved with a coworker is kind of iffy enough without adding layers of power one way or another.

So, the book unfolds. Doug is off dating others. Maggie is dating others. Life continues. Her friends drift in and out of her life. She drinks a lot. Talks to her television. Spontaneous breaks into victory dances after guessing correctly about stuff occurring on the television. You know, life moves on. A slice of her life has been scooped up and offered for people to peer at. To a certain extent, reminding myself that this is a slice of a person’s life, helped keep me interested and moving on instead of focusing on some of the ‘dumb’ decisions made.

Not a bad book per se. Just odd. Maggie had read a lot of romantic books. She just knows there’s supposed to be angst and conflict and stuff, so it just must mean something if there wasn’t any with her relationship with Doug (pre-break up). Interesting twist. Not sure I particularly liked any of the characters as people, but meh.

December 28 2015

Touch of Trouble AND Time for Trouble by Susan Sey

Touch of Trouble
by Susan Sey
Pages: 75
Date: April 13 2014
Publisher: Third Girl Publishing
Series: Blake Brothers Trilogy #2.5

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: December 22 2015

A quick short story by an author I've read two previous books in this series.

Book doesn't actually start immediately after the previous book, it actually starts in a police station with Drew and Meg sitting there. Telling a cop why they are there. Then book flashes back to near the end of the last book. With Hildy racing in her car to an unknown, to Drew, location, and Drew in his car chasing Hildy. Meg's sitting next to him dodging his questions, and flirtations.

As I believe I read in a review, this is less a romance and more a look at Meg's family. Sure Drew flirts with Meg and makes her feel things she didn't expect to feel from such a young guy, one who seems unable to be serious, but she 'friend-zone''s him hard.

Heh. I was just thinking to myself, while staring at the cover, about what to write next (I knew, but my mind wandered), and the thought crossed my mind about how the covers, all of them in this series, show legs. A series about brothers. Cover's show women's legs. Started to think why that might be when it hit me that I already knew why this one had that on the cover. Drew is very fascinated by Meg's legs. Her long long legs. So . . ..

Before I distracted myself - so, yeah, this is a book about family. Specifically Meg's family. And less about Drew and Meg. Interesting story. Hildy being the mother. And 'special' - as in she works as something of a . . . hmm, not sure correct word, I'll call her a ghost buster for the heck of it. Joe, Hildy's ex, is described as an alpha male. Hates the very idea that his wife, ex-wife, is a con artist (in his view). Meg - the 'sane' twin. Quite good with electronics. Doesn't believe anyone when they say she's 'pretty'. Believes anyone interested in her would instantly turn their affections towards her sister, Clara. Clara's the 'insane' twin. I'd say something like - at least when she doesn't take her medication, but no, she's 'insane' even on her meds. So, that's the Wise family.

It's a short story - it's a short review. Heck, I didn't even mean to read this here story, but I'd started on the third book in the series (this story being considered 2.5), and realized that the book was opening too far forward in Meg and Drew's 'relationship', so I needed to go back and read the short story. So I did. The short story was entertaining. Had a bit of humor. And stuff. Off to the third book I go.

Time for Trouble
by Susan Sey
Pages: 309
Date: April 13 2015
Publisher: Third Girl Publishing
Series: Blake Brothers Trilogy #3

Review
Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0
Read: December 22 to 23 2015

My third book by this author, fourth work when including the short story. Everything read falling within the Blake Brothers series.

This is a vaguely strange series in that it kept bouncing around genres/themes/etc. First one involved celebrities, athletes and sports agents. Well, more the reality tv angle I’m going for here. Second introduced ghosts, the paranormal and ghost busters. Third introduced spy or crime caper or thriller.

This story barely made it to 3 stars. I was quite certain it’d end up getting only 2. This is strange as there were some good interesting parts. And it began strong. I stopped shortly after beginning to go back and read the ‘prequel’ short story, since I felt like I was ‘missing’ stuff. And I liked the short story. And the characters in it. Despite involving the same characters, Meg and Drew, I didn’t really like the characters in this one. Oh, and yes, I do think reading the short story first greatly enhances this here book.

I mean, that whole ‘Meggy – don’t call me Meggy! – you know she doesn’t like to be called that right? – that’s why I do it! I know she hates it! *giggles insanely*’ thing was super annoying. It wasn’t cute it wasn’t fun(ny). It was just downright creepy. Personally, I preferred when Drew kept calling her Pretty Meg. Instead of, you know, Meggy.

It’s strange looking back on the series, but the brother I like best of all, at least by the end of it, was Will. I never really got a good handle on James – that or by the end, I’d forgotten what exactly made him tick. I assume I had a better handle on him earlier, and that it was more than ‘smart-alacky, smarmy, lazy, super-star’. Will was, and still is to a certain extent, mostly a mean bastard. But he’s up front about it. He kind of has a rage-y shell over a raging asshole. While Drew, well, I’ll be wordier as he’s the star of this here book.

Drew is a man-child. He lost his parents at really young age, ten, and was warped by it. Not desiring to ‘lose’ anyone ever again, he developed a shell. People in this situation tend to go in two directions. The one I normally see in popular entertainment is the other path/direction. The direction/path in which the person ‘hurt’ at a young age puts on an angry grimace and glares at the world around them. That’s their mask, their shell over whatever is beneath. Drew went the other direction. He put a happy go lucky smile on his face. Bounced around all cheery like. This is a mask/shell over a mixture of numbness and rage. The outside shell mostly included crap that is quite off-putting to me personally. Including the outward appearance of never being able to take anything seriously. His need to say ‘I love you’ to everyone around him at every opportunity. And not really meaning it. Mostly.

Will and Drew sure can’t read women. Will’s a strong dominant type who is kind of rough. And knows it. So he was freaked when he ‘let himself out’ and ‘hurt’ Audrey when they had their sex scenes in the second book. And completely misread Audrey’s reactions to it. For example, she was moaning in pleasure, and he thought she was crying in despair. Will kept trying to stop himself. The woman in his life kept having to, basically, beg him to continue. And Drew? The opposite, to a certain extent.

During a sex scene with Meg, he got really creepy. Verging on rape-y creepy. It’s a good thing Meg actually wanted him, eh? Because . . . otherwise his actions could have landed him in the hospital and possibly jail (what, Meg’s strong, able to knock someone out with one punch . . . or something like that). Why do I say all of this? Because of how everything broke down. Gah, every fucking time. More or less.

Meg’s freaking out about a situation; he can barely hear her for his need to pounce on her. So he does. Forcing himself onto her with a kiss. To which she replies in kind. So he continues. When she tries to push him away, when she indicates she wants him to stop, what does he do? He thrusts his hands into her, now open, shirt to grope her. To fondle her breasts. Why? What were the thoughts going on in his head? That he might never have another opportunity, and fuck the consequences, he just needs to touch her, fondle and grope her. That’s . . . you know, super creepy.

Luckily for him, she was trying to get him to stop not for the sake of stopping their amorous activity, but to rearrange them into a more fuckable position. So, yeah, Will couldn’t read that Audrey loved what was going on and was horrified by it, and Drew couldn’t read that Meg also loved what was going on, and was, basically, turned on by it. So you might see why Will ended up being my favorite brother. James was so memorable that I can’t remember what he was like. Drew was a perv-y creep, and Will was a strong dominant type who cared what others felt.

The other star of this show, Meg, is also something like ‘damaged goods’ because of her family background. She’s a twin. In that when her mother gave birth, two daughters came out. Not in that she has someone who looks like her like a clone. Meg got the legs. Clara got the looks. Meg thought she got the brains, but Clara, once she applied herself, proved that she was quite intelligent as well. So, Meg got the legs. And that kind of warped her. Because when the two were standing next to each other, men drooled over Clara and didn’t give Meg a second look. And her parents kind of thrust their attention towards Clara. Making Meg something of an outsider in her own family. Though more because Clara had a mental illness issue and would go on psychotic episodes. So, Meg was damaged by that. Shown in this book by her constant mentioning to herself how unattractive she is to others. (That whole no underwear thing was kind of weird, but I do not wish to express any additional thoughts on the matter).

So, the book itself. Or, less on the characters now. The book opens with Drew and Meg in a bar. About 8 years after the second book. Drew spots Meg talking to a ‘very handsome man’ and becomes enraged. Charges across the room, grabs the man and thrusts him into a table. For it is Ian, the guy who Drew had watched die 12 or so years ago. They then proceed to drink a lot then go on a crime caper. That whole crime caper thing was just plain stupid. Mostly in how easily Drew and Meg were talked into it. Into doing it right then and there. Granted that Meg didn’t really want to do it, but she did. For such a smart guy, Drew sure did a lot of dumb shit. And based on various comments/thoughts here and there, he knew it too.

It’s unfortunate, but this is how the series ends. With a book I’d probably rate 2.8 stars.

December 24 2015

Love Bites by Lila Bruce

Love Bites
by Lila Bruce
Pages: 223
Date: November 23 2015
Publisher: Author

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: December 21 to 22 2015

My third work by Lila Bruce, and second novel (one of the three is a short story). If I only counted the book length works, the two of them I’ve read, I’d find that my overall rating for the author would be somewhere near 4.65 stars. Including the short story, the overall rating would be closer to 3.7666667. All of which is exciting, I’m sure.

So, this book here. There are three points of view, if I recall correctly. Well, I know there are at least three, and I think only three. The book opens up with one of the three. Obviously enough. And if I had not read something prior by this author, I might have immediately stopped reading. Well, probably not, but it’s hard to continue when the book opens with a character saying how much they hate cats. I mean, that’s just super off putting, you know? I’d like to say that I understood what was going on right around when this character lifted their hind leg and scratched their ear, since that would be fitting, but I caught on earlier.

Viewpoint one: Moose Baldwin. Dog. Specifically the dog of one Ashley Baldwin, who joking calls Moose her boyfriend. Since this cat-hating was expressed through the view point of a dog, I figured I’d not allow that to put me off. The perspective from the dog’s point of view as actually quite good and well constructed. Enjoyable even. For the most part.

Viewpoint two: Ashley Baldwin. High school teacher. Long term resident of, if I recall correctly, small-ish town Georgia (I say small-ish as it is for the most part, but it is also near two colleges). She’s spent the last twelve years attempting to move on with her life but finding it difficult to do so. Move on, that is, from a bad breakup which occurred near the end of College with her longish term girlfriend, who she actually first meet, if the stories are matching up right in my mind, back in high school. Part of the break up was based on how Ashley wanted kids and a house. With, I assume, a white picket fence. Peyton Maxwell, this so far unnamed ex-girlfriend, expressed the view that she didn’t want that. Couldn’t give that to Ashley. Expressed, or implied the opinion (it’s murky) that she didn’t like kids. So, that’s what Ashley has been attempting to move on from. Attempting relationships, breaking them off, trying again, repeat. (There was some comment somewhere along the line that all Ashley had was her dog – her parents, that she was somewhat estranged from, live in Florida now; and yet there are at least two best friends who pop up in the story. I might have misunderstood the comment. Since one of them’s off for the summer ‘elsewhere’, so the comment might have been related to that).

Well, I just distracted myself there, sorry.

Viewpoint three: Peyton Maxwell. Ex-girlfriend of Ashley Baldwin. Recently moved back to Georgia from Texas with her daughter Daisy, in the last six months I believe, and taken a position as a vet at Ridgeview Animal Clinic. There are ‘reasons’ for her return, for return it is, one of which involves living closer to her parents. One may or may not involve being near Ashley again.

Book opened, as noted, in the viewpoint of Moose. Which I mention because he’s at the animal clinic. For fleas. They wander back, when called, to an exam room. Get all settled. Find a vet come in and . . . it’s that ex-girlfriend. Moose, unlike himself, growls and instantly takes a dislike to the vet. Largely due to how tense and flustered his person is when this newcomer entered (plus he doesn’t particularly like meeting new people anyway). Ashley and Peyton somewhat nervously bounce off each other, Peyton offering to get another vet to cover, Ashley saying no, etc. etc. Visit over. Both flustered. At some point the possibility of being platonic friends came up, mayhap on this visit.

Friends:
Ashley – Cassie (fellow teacher, going off for the summer), Melanie - she only seemed to turn up at Cassie’s grill party as someone to rub her hands against Peyton’s leg and make her feel all uncomfortable and drool over how hot Peyton is.
Peyton – um, her parents? Other than attempting to become friends again with Ashley, I don’t recall any specific friends mentioned.
Moose – Elvis – Cassie’s dog. And some others, but Elvis is the one he runs into most often.

Glad I finally tried this book here. I rather liked the first book I had read by Bruce, but the second one – the short story, was such a letdown that I’d been kind of burned and was distrusting my initial impression of the author. Like maybe I had tricked myself into liking the first book or something. But this one was quite good. Solid characters, story-line, pace, humor. Not sure I’ve read a book like this one before. Oh, right. Of course I have. Before I go too far done the road of vagueness, I mean a book involving two people who appeared to love each other but broke apart, only to bump into each other again years later and have sparks fly again. The other book I’d read that had that specific relationship arc, though the stories themselves were different, was “The Thousand Mile Love Story” by Natalie Vivien.

A Man of Some Repute by Elizabeth Edmondson

A Man of Some Repute
by Elizabeth Edmondson
Pages: 306
Date: 2015
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Series: A Very English Mystery (1st in series)

Review Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Read: November 6 2015

My first book by this author.

This is a rather neat little book set shortly after the end of World War II in England. The book opens with a man and woman driving to Selchester Castle. The date is 1953. The man is Hugo Hawksworth. The woman is Georgia Hawksworth. I say woman because I initially didn’t realize she was 13. I thought she was closer to Hugo’s own age of [insert age here; he comes off as a guy in his thirties, though he might be in his 20s]. I found her annoying until I realized she was only 13.

Hugo and Georgia are heading off to Selchester because Hugo is heading there to take up a government position there. National government, not local government. Georgia’s heading there because she’s 13. And both Hugo and Georgia’s parents are dead. This is less shocking when you recall that they are the same parents. And that there was this war that just ended. That included bombs falling from the sky. Hugo is watching out for Georgia, now. So she follows him to Selchester, and enlists in the local high school. Joins. Registers with. Hmms. Whichever word works.

It’s easier for Hugo to watch out for Georgia, now, than it had just recently been. Shortly before the story begins, Hugo was jetting around the world. Doing stuff. Secret stuff. The kind of stuff spies would do. Until he got shot in Berlin. He has a cane and limp now from the ordeal. Plus the desk-bound assignment. Hugo’s all set to toss the job and get a non-government one, what, him tied to a desk? But he is talked into sticking around for a little bit longer.

So, as said, Hugo and Georgia are off to Selchester at the beginning of the book. They drive there. This pains Hugo’s leg. They arrive to find an actual castle. Not some Victorian age manor that had some little designs and fake turrets thrown up so it could be called a castle. But an actual castle. The kind that has one tower that’s livable, another that’s ruins, and a really huge servants section. They are greeted by Mrs. Partridge and Freya Wryton.

Mrs. Partridge is the . . . um . . . what do they call it there? Well, the housekeeper like person. Freya Wryton lives at Selchester Castle. She’s the niece of the Earl of Selchester. She’s vaguely put out that ‘Sir Bernard’ forced these people upon her. With short notice. She learned of their arrival shortly before they turned up. Sir Bernard being Hugo’s new boss over at the ‘Government Statistics Bureau’, or whatever fake name is stuck to the front of the building.

I’ve gone a little overboard in describing things. So I’ll just jump to: a dead body is found shortly after Hugo arrives. The police arrive. Find out that it is the missing Earl (missing for almost seven years). They begin a murder investigation (earlier it had been a missing person’s investigation). Their immediate suspect is Tom and Freya. Tom being the son of the dead Earl. Immediately they are suspect because everyone else has an alibi. While Tom and Freya only have alibis for each other. And Tom died in between the Earl’s disappearance and the opening of the book.

So, for various reasons, Hugo the spy decides to do a bit of investigation himself. One of those reasons being the weird cover-up that appears to be in progress by the police who wish to find anyone, someone, immediately to blame the crime on. And a dead guy seems like a good fit.

It’s interesting to see a spy doing investigation work. Murder investigation. Though there’s also some spy investigation going on in the background. A well constructed plot and well defined characters. There were certain things here and there which popped up and to which I gazed at in some confusion. Plot points of no importance during or after the fact. Just . . . there (like when Freya thinks she sees the Earl walking around the train station. But then remembers that the Earl is both dead and looked older than that guy walking around when alive. That was a head shaker. Why is the author showing me this particular event unfolding before Freya? There was kind of an unstated implication that Tom might not actually be dead. Which was reinforced by a chapter/section title that popped up shortly thereafter. But . . . maybe it was a plot point that was going to be expanded on later? And/or got forgotten?).

I believe my biggest regret from reading this book is the desire that developed in me, relatively early on, to continue reading this series. And I knew that there was at least one more book. So I was all satisfied to wait. Until I noticed I couldn’t actually get that second book. Apparently, despite indications otherwise, the only version available to me is the audio book version. And I don’t do audio books. So I’m sad. None of this has anything really to do with the book at hand, of course, so I’ll depart.

The Glorious Strategist by Sam Ryan

The Glorious Strategist
by Sam Ryan
Pages: 279
Date: September 27 2015
Publisher: Author
Series: Dynasty Saga (3rd in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: November 3 2015

Vaguely reluctant to review this book here. Rather liked the first book in the series, loved the second, so happily dove into this one once I finally noticed it had been released two months ago, or something like two months ago. I really need to figure out a way to pay more attention.

I'm vaguely reluctant to review because I liked this book here. And the only thing I can think to write in this little box here is kinda negative. Which would give the wrong impression about the book.

I wish to note before I go all negative and stuff: I enjoyed this book, it was fun and easy to read. Had the right amount of eroticism. The characters were nice and groovy. The plot dripped cats. Okay, I was trying to find some other way to write 'good characterization, solid plot', but I failed.

Okay then, the negatives. There were a ton of times when I got jerked out of the story. Vaguely unfortunate. I normally don't notice, but I noticed this time. Why was I being jerked out of the story? Word choices. As in:

"Lymee wanted someone knew that would force her to fight differently." - 7% into book (re: knew instead of new)

"I am after all only a lord of a minor Dynasty and am still knew to being a noble." - 29% into the book. (re: knew instead of new)

There are 89 times this word, knew, was used. Sometimes when new was meant, sometimes when knew was meant. And the word know was used 221 times. The phrase 'I know' was used 52 times.

I know. I shouldn't have gotten hung up on the times knew was used instead of new, or know instead of now; or the simple number of times the word, or phrase were used. I feel petty. But jerk me out of the story. Made me pause.

See, I didn't really want to write a review. It was a good book. It is a good book. I enjoyed it. And the only thing I can seem to write about were word choices. Sorry. *hangs head sadly*

Big, Bad Wolf AND Wolf Heart by Bridget Essex

Big, Bad Wolf
by Bridget Essex
Pages: 152
Date: February 1 2014
Publisher: Rose and Star Press

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 4.0
Read: October 19 2015

This is a weird mixture of psychological terror, fantasy, romance, thriller, etc.

A woman grows up on a mountain with her grandmother. No mention is made of her parents. At least, I don't recall mention. And yes, that kept popping up in my mind, the - where the heck are the parents? question. She lives semi-wild and without much in the way of fear. Until, some event or series of barely remembered events changed her. These are remembrances of a woman grown, though, since the book is about the woman as a woman.

A woman who spends a good amount of time fearing wolves. Which is natural, since she spends seemingly every night dreaming nightmarish dreams about wolves. Wolves with blood dripping down their lips.

Somewhat magically, an unknown woman turns up in this small town. She's apparently gorgeous. And zeroed in on getting to know Megan better. On a personal and physical level. Her name is Kara. Which Megan calls exotic or something like that. Seriously? Exotic? I went to school with two people named Kara, and a third might have lived in my neighborhood, but of a different age group. Exotic? Hmms.

There were certain vaguely strange things like that that pop up. Like a gorgeous woman suddenly turning up in a town with, apparently, two lesbians. And she just happens to be one herself. And has a deep interest in the librarian (Megan, who works as a librarian). Then there's the incredibly weird living situation Kara eventually reveals but I won't go beyond this to detail.

Wolf Heart
by Bridget Essex
Pages: 70
Date: October 1 2015
Publisher: Rose and Star Press

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: October 19 2015

I’ve read two stories back to back which are both completely different, and oddly similar. Well, certain elements are similar. I suppose that the only similarities involve: both involve lesbians, involve werewolves, both are drenched in sex, and both involve people who do not know that the other woman is a werewolf. One is written tightly, competently; the other seems to have a word or two wrong every sentence or every other sentence. It even mixes up people’s names here and there.

Here’s where I could show how much better one is over the other by saying something like ‘the less well written one was a better story’ or something like that. And that got reinforced by my reading both stories back to back. Fortunately or unfortunately that isn’t the case. The one written incompetently is in fact the lesser of the two stories. This one here, Wolf Heart, is the competently written story.

The story involves a woman going on vacation for the first time in two years. Needing rest and relaxation. She had a dream of being happy and content walking through a forest, the one her family owns a cabin in, so she takes her vacation there. Alone.

Immediately on arrival she checks in with the park ranger to say she’s there. Barbara, the park ranger, is super bitchy and growls at her that she shouldn’t be there. Abby, the main character, grunts at her and ignores the words. Or tries to ignore. They kind of frightened her.

In the darkening, gloomy, forest area, Abby drives up to her cabin and, instead of immediately carrying her things in; she turns and heads to the public shower and bathroom building. While showering, she hears the door open and close. She peaks around the shower curtain and sees . . . a wolf.

Essex seems to be fixated on the ‘normal human woman bumps into werewolf women, they fall in love, but there’s this initial ‘werewolves aren’t real’ moment that most be overcome’ storyline. It keeps coming up over and over again. Yeah, in real life, if I saw someone morphing/shifting between shapes, I’d probably freak out and flee. But still, it gets tiresome to read the exact same scenario play out over and over again. Woman sees wolf, wolf becomes a woman. Human woman falls into either lust or love with the woman. Woman shifts to wolf.

I probably could have taken that a lot better if it wasn’t an often reoccurring story-line by Essex. And even though it is, I still probably could have ‘taken it’ if Abby, in this story, didn’t keep disbelieving her eyes and constantly saying things, to herself ‘how is that even possible?’ (as a side note, one of those things I feel the need to note but not explain – if someone finds that two women have exited a building, disrobed, and left everything behind, and one had looked like she had some form of weapon before going outside – take a few moments to check to see if there was, in fact, some kind of weapon. Maybe there is, maybe there isn’t, but take a few moments. Then grab it, if it exists, and the flashlight. Abby in this story just gawked at the clothing and jewelry, and only grabbed the flashlight when she went further outside).

I’m tempted to give a lower rating because of that ‘but . . . but werewolves aren’t real!’ which also included a ‘wolves aren’t in this park!’ element. But I don’t. Because it was a good story. Pumped my adrenaline, it did. I just wish I could actually read a full story some day, instead of all these tastes, something that moved past ‘werewolves aren’t real! . . . well, maybe they are, maybe they aren’t, but I kind of like you . . .’ and got to the ‘pass me the salt, please’ stage (as in a couple stage).

Peaches & Cream: a Ponygirl tale by Felicia Montoya

Peaches & Cream: a Ponygirl tale
by Felicia Montoya
Pages: 55
Date: August 19 2015
Publisher: Author

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: October 17 2015

My first read by this author. And likely I might have put off longer but for the readathon I was doing. Since it was available. And I wanted something to read.

Ooh neat, an auction. Katie Trammel, now known as "Peaches", is the main character. And is in a ponygirl auction, as a ponygirl. When the story opens. Another ponygirl short story that starts with the main character already in ponygirl stuff. Now to see if this one also will fall back to the old classic of 'flashback: this is how I got here'.

Adding to the humiliation of standing there with 'my boobs out and my shave pussy on display, potential buyers pawing me, seeing how I moisten when their fingers probe my two lower holes' is the addition of 'the lezzie-bitch from college' - Veronica. Hmms. Veronica seems like she might be fun. I hope she wins Peaches. *nods, drools*

Well, that's different. Started a story. Read story. Looked and . . whoa, it was at 100%! A full load! That makes me happy. *nods*

Oh. I just realized I forgot to write anything between drooling and the end. I kind of fell into a trance. It was a fun story, it was. Quite fun.

By Design 1-4 by J.A. Armstrong

By Design
by J.A. Armstrong
Pages: 117
Date: April 12 2015
Publisher: Author
Series: By Design (first in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 8 2015

For better or worse, I do not particularly like Candy and J.D. as much as I like Addy and Em. Not exactly sure why. I do like, though, how we finally have two lesbians involved. I'm so bloody tired of two women meeting, one is a lesbian, other isn't and then . . . ooh, I'm a lesbian, I just didn't know (that would be Em in that other series by Armstrong, who didn't realize she was a lesbian).

Right, so, both Senator Candy, and Architect J.D. are long time lesbians long before either meet. I'd make some age joke to lead into the age difference, but J.D. probably has been a lesbian longer than Candy. Since Candy only came out as a lesbian after she divorced her husband 12 or 17 years ago. Or however long ago it was.

Right, both lesbians. One's old enough to be the other's mother (Candy being something like 55, and J.D. is something like 35).

Interesting enough story. Well rounded. Well constructed characters, both in terms of the leads - J.D. and Sandy, and the sub-characters. For the most part. That was one of they annoying things, though. The huge number of characters. I didn't actually reread the opening chapter, but for a while there I feared I'd need to. Just so many people's names slamming into me right at the start. And J.D.'s connection to the Senator was needlessly complicated. Reminded me of Space Balls. When Dark Helmet (or whatever his name was) told the guy playing the parody of Luke that he was his . . . father . . .'s roommate's uncles, hairdresser's nephew (or something like that).

J.D. went to school with Steven. Steven's married to Dana. Dana works for Senator Candy. Senator Candy has been thinking of remodeling her house for 15 or so years. J.D. is an architect. That isn't too complicated, it was just a ton of names hitting me all at once and I couldn't figure out just what the fuck connection was immediately. And yes, more names were slamming into me at the same time. There was a Susan, I think, always in the mix. Maybe more.

The first story in that other Armstrong series really made me want to continue reading, to see where everything goes. This one, though, seems sufficiently self-contained and complete. I'll probably read the next two parts but . . . I'm less eager to do so this time.

Under Construction
by J.A. Armstrong
Pages: 92
Date: May 4 2015
Publisher: Author
Series: By Design (2nd in series)

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 8 2015

Huh. I'm kind of surprised. After the first story in this series, I'm surprised by how much I loved this story here. I always seem to get smacked by family stories. Family gathering stories, I mean. Not really sure what that's about. If well written, I seem to end up loving them. Which is weird, because I don't think I actually like family gatherings.

Right. So. J.D. and Candy have their families over for a July 4th celebration. Meanwhile both are working really hard at work, while at the same time adjusting to being in a loving relationship with each other.

Meanwhile Candy's kids are adjusting to having J.D. in the family. Well, mostly Marianne, the oldest.

re: J.D. - I tend to try to use the names as used in stories/series. For a while there I thought it was going to be J.D. so I used that. I'm not sure anyone called her J.D. in this one. mmphs. hehe. Everyone was calling her Jameson. Ah well, I got stuck using J.D. so . . ..

Solid Foundation
by J.A. Armstrong
Pages: 105
Date: June 4 2015
Publisher: Author
Series: By Design (3rd in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 8 2015

A nice enough story. Some may wonder, who I don't know, why the rating dropped down from 5 stars from the previous story. Well, this was a nice enough story. Liked it even. Just didn't love it. Nothing really that I disliked, just nothing that pushed it into the "loved it" column.

I don't really have anything else to note, so I'll just leave it at that.

Rough Drafts
by J.A. Armstrong
Pages: 158
Date: August 26 2015
Publisher: Author
Series: By Design (4th in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: September 1 2015

Started out a little roughly. Mostly because I couldn't tell what was going on, who the people were. One of the problems of multiple series, when you pick up a series after a little bit, takes some time for everything to click back into place.

Well, it wasn't so much forgetting as it was a feeling that I had missed something. Story started off in a way that made me think I had forgotten to read something in between the last story I had read, and this one.

So. This story had three main story-lines. Candace is running for Governor. J.D. is working on a project that makes her interact with an individual named 'Scott'. A person she hasn't seen in a really long time, but one who she grew up with as best friends. One of Candace's kids turns up unexpectedly with, in their mind, embarrassing news.

A good solid addition to the series, baring my confusion at the beginning of the story.

One-Off by Lynn Galli

One-Off
by Lynn Galli
Pages: 292
Date: March 26 2015
Publisher: Penikila Press

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: August 4 2015

The tenth book I've read by Galli. Strange to think that it was only as far back as June 29, 2015 that I read my first book by Galli. Reading 10 books in 37 days isn't that strange. I mean, it is 10.14% of an entire year. But the reality is that there is a month gap between the first book I read by Galli, and the second. Or, more accurately, 22 days. So, in actual fact, I read 9 books in 16 days. So, roughly 1.8 days per book instead of 3.7 (though, in reality, more like a day a book; I mean, I did read a lot of other things during that month). Maths fun, eh?

Right. This book here. Right off the start I'll note that I didn't like Skye when I first meet her. Rather rapidly my opinion began to change, and by the end, I rather liked her. Both her and Ainsley Baird. Never really grew to like either Dallas or Colin, the two people who brought Skye and Ainsley back together for a wedding. But then, they were mostly off to the side. Literally on a different continent for much of the book.

Dallas and Colin are co-anchors on a cable news show. They have/had great on-screen chemistry, but fought bitterly off camera. Until they stopped doing that, and suddenly got all lovey dovey. And rather rapidly got engaged. Then decided to marry in something like three weeks after getting engaged. Because, otherwise, they'd have to wait a year - apparently a spot opened up at the church they wanted. All of this is important, because Dallas asked Skye to be her maid of honor, or as it is put in the book, her MOH. While Colin asked Ainsley to be his best . . .something or other. It fluctuated what she was called. Some even said best man, other's said best woman, and some just said best person.

Then, almost immediately, Dallas and Colin are suddenly in some other country in a situation wherein they couldn't be in close contact with anyone in the states. Which is important, because they still plan on getting married within 3 weeks. So, it's up to Skye and Ainsley to plan and make decisions about the wedding. Which they do. Reluctantly.

Reluctantly for Skye because everything about weddings - the wedding itself, churches, etc., are among her least favorite things. Plus, Skye and Ainsley had lived together, no not that way, about 15 years before. While at college - sharing a room with two other people. So four total. Skye and Ainsley fought like cats and dogs. At least the kind of cats and dogs that fought. As opposed to the kind that make that stereotype cliche look stupid.

Right. So. Skye, I forget her exact title, but she is head of news content at the cable channel she works at, or something like that. Ainsley is the greatest expert on Scotland and lives and works as a professor in Scotland.


For the sake of their friends (Skye - Dallas (BFF)), and relatives (Colin - Ainsley (cousins)), they put their differences aside to get the wedding planned and carry it off.

I'm already 50%+ into the next book, so I'm not 100% certain of this, but I'm fairly certain that the point of view, this time, focused almost solely on Skye. It might have been interesting to see the USA through the eyes of a Scottish woman, but it was not to be. Well, technically. I mean, Skye MacKinnon is, in fact, half Scottish, but, baring a trip to Scotland, might feel a connection to Scotland, but not at the level of someone born and raised in Scotland. She's half Italian, half Scottish, and all American (and it didn't help that her Scottish father refused to have anything to do with her)).

The reader does get a sense, though, of seeing America through foreigner's eyes, by watching Skye reacting and interacting with Ainsley. Though Ainsley herself isn't a fresh off the boat Scottish woman. She herself is half Scottish (and half American, though she might punch you if you try to stress that American part too much, and/or called her half-Scottish; in her mind she's fully Scottish). My earlier comment, about not being fresh off the boat, is more about how Ainsley had spent time in the USA previously, having gone to college there 15 years earlier.

Right. So. Most of the book involves planning a wedding. Watching two people circling each other, with both coming to the realization that they seem oddly to like each other, despite their previous bitter experience during college.

An interesting book. A neat book. A lovely little book. And the last one I have to read, at least at the moment. Well, there's one more in the Virginia Clan series, but I had skipped that one on purpose. It's supposedly more of a short story collection, as far as I can tell. So, even if I counted it as something more to read, it isn't a full book left to read. So, I'm all sad and stuff. Hmms. I just realized I had to actually buy all these books, as opposed to getting them through Kindle Unlimited or something like that. So, now I'm poor. And sad.

Something So Grand by Lynn Galli

Something So Grand
by Lynn Galli
Pages: 250
Date: January 15 2014
Publisher: Penikila Press
Series: Aspen Friends (2nd in serie)

Review
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0
Read: August 3 2015

My eighth book by Galli. And, based on some of the more recent books I'd read by her, one I was oddly reluctant to read. There was mention of Vivian in the prior book in this 'series', and nothing present there made me think I should rush in to read this specific book here. Granted she was just mentioned in passing in Mending Defects.

So. A designer, Vivian Yeats (huh, I recall someone else being called Yeats recently, strange), and a contractor, Natalie Harper bump into each other, and over a longish period of time, develop a relationship together. In Aspen. Hence the title of the series, Aspen Friends.

I rather liked this one. The introduction, earlish in the book, of kids made me groan. But, fortunately, wasn't the bad kind of kid-adult interaction that I've run across before. And, happily, none of the point of views came from any of the children. No, just Natalie and Vivian. Actually, I just realized that. Somewhat unlike Galli, she had both of the women in the relationship have their own sections, their own point of views expressed. Most of the time Galli seems to keep it to one POV, with the other maybe showing up in an epilogue. Or, like in the previous book in this series, in diary form (though that's the only diary I recall). If I had time, I'd hunt down her other books to see if she actually has had full multiple point of views before (as in both parties in a relationship, not two POV's, one of which is an adults, and the other is a kids; full as in equal treatment of both POV's, instead of full POV from one, and a hidden and/or diary version for the other). I can't, of the top of my head, recall.

That was nice, actually. Seeing both point of views right off the bat. Unlike, say, in Mending Defects wherein you got two POV's, but one was only in diary, or Blessed Twice & it's sequel Forevermore wherein there are two POV's in each book, but the first has Briony's POV and then this secretive one that was behind a veil, though was obviously M's; and M's POV in the second book, with some kid's as the second POV in that book.

Also nice was how fluffy this one was. Without the heartache and angst that seems mandatory in lesbian romances. A nice fluffy sweet book. Worthy of 4.5 stars. Depending on how well this book sticks with me, will probably determine if I raise or lower that rating. As, I can't, at the moment, think why I didn't give the book a full 5 star rating. I'm highly unlikely I'll raise it, though, since I didn't immediately slap five stars on, but there's a chance I will. If it lingers in my mind. The right kind of lingering.

In terms of characters, this is probably the first book I've read with a designer, and the second character (I think) who worked in construction. At least in a lesbian romance. That other contractor/construction worker being one in J.A. Armstrong's design series. Actually, I just recalled another construction worker. In Learning Curve, I believe. So, my third lesbian construction worker, then.

Life Rewired by Lynn Galli

Life Rewired
by Lynn Galli
Pages: 260
Date: May 26 2013
Publisher: Penikila Press
Series: Aspen Friends (3rd in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: August 3 2015

My ninth book by Galli. Probably my first involving an ex-con, at least in a romance. Well, yeah, I've read ex-con books before, but this is the first in a romance. One or two Georgette Heyer books involved criminals and those on the borderline of crime, but they were not ex-cons. Probably because, back then, they probably would have been hanged if caught.

Right. So. I'm fairly certain I've read butch-butch before. First time a big deal was made about it, though, since both were the kind of women who went the traditional butch-femme route. Traditional both in terms of lesbian pulp, and in terms of the real life history I've read about the lesbians of the 1930s to the 1960s. As in, the only way a butch and butch would couple up, is if one of them had switched to femme sometime before (as did, in fact, happen on occasion). At least according to oral history from Buffalo New York.

Molly, from the previous books in this series, stars in this book here. And, somewhat yet again, Galli presented me with a new take on point of views. As in, she's had one point of view - first person; two point of view, again first person - with both having full views being shown; two but limited, as in one is main, other is in some limited way (like diary or bdsm club scenes). Well, this time the book is divided into three parts. Everything in each part has one point of view. It doesn't change inside that part. Starts off with Falyn, the ex-con having part one. Then Molly with part II, then Falyn again for part three. Molly got to have the epilogue.

My fourth lesbian construction worker. Since that's the hook, the reason why Falyn is in Aspen. Long long ago, she was the one who looked after Natalie when she first worked in construction. So, when the two bumped into each other years later, and Natalie learned Falyn needed work, she gave her a job on her construction team. In between the first time they meet, and the time Natalie gave Falyn a job, Falyn had been away in prison. For burglary. Apparently she slid into a bad group of people. Figured stealing from the rich and giving to herself (and her bratty needy girlfriend) was the perfect thing to do. She was wrong. And now she has a second chance at life.

Molly showed up in the first two books in this series, though her presence built with each book. First she's barely there. More of a "oh, and there's this other lesbian, Molly, who works as a guide" type of reference. Second book she actually had some lines. Third book and she's front and center, co-star of her own little romance book.

Enjoyable book and characters.

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Dairy Queen
by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Pages: 291
Date: June 4 2007
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books
Series: Dairy Queen (first in series)

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 30 to July 1 2015

I know the book started off with me thinking "wow, this is really boring", but I kept reading. Because I'd seen others say they had felt the same way in the beginning then loved the book. So I kept reading. I'm not sure when it moved from "boring" to "this is really fun and interesting". But somewhere along the line, that occurred.

Most of the time I write something while reading, and then just post that as a review. Well, the only thing I wrote while reading was:
"Does it count as a chick lit book if the chick goes out for the football team? Does it count as lesbian fiction if the chick doesn't realize she's dating someone? Because D.J. just found out that Amber thought they were a couple. So. There's that."

This was a really funny, really interesting book. One of those that, if I'd stopped at about the 49% mark, I'd have thought was kind of boring. And . . . . something. Well, maybe not the 49% mark probably.

(everyone's a cow, eh? hmms.)

Casting Call by J.A. Armstrong

Casting Call
by J.A. Armstrong
Pages: 109
Date: June 29 2015
Publisher: Author
Series: Off Screen (5th in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: July 1 2015

To be honest, the beginning was kind of boring. (I find myself beginning several reviews this way, heh). And, while it wasn't just an event that occurred between side characters that I can't reveal without spoiling, that event did raise the possibility of giving four stars. Then enough occurred "right" in the main Em/Addy story line for me to agree with myself and mark the story "4 stars". Though, just four. Not 3.8, not 4.2, and not 4.5.

I was excited to see another Armstrong story. Though I kinda wanted to see another By Design story before another Off Screen, though it was Off Screen's turn in the release cycle. I think. Which is vaguely humorous to myself considering that I started off the review for the first By Design story by noting how i liked the couple in that one less than the one in Off Screen.

No matter. I like both series. I'm happy to have a story in either. And, apparently, this specific series isn't over yet. "Intermission" is coming next at some point. Unless "Intermission" means, you know, intermission, then maybe it's a different series taking Off Screen's spot in the release rotation?

Midnight in Orlando AND Midnight on a Mountaintop by Amy Dawson Robertson

Midnight In Orlando
by Amy Dawson Robertson
Pages: 119
Date: December 28 2012
Publisher: Fox in the Brush Books
Series: Midnight (1st in series)

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 30 2015

A slow neat little story about a lawyer and a paralegal meeting up at a conference. Circling each other. Dating. In Orlando. And while an ABA (lawyer) conference is going on in Orlando, that isn't the conference they are attending. They are at the, well some long name. Basically a lesfic conference with the readers and writers of lesbian fiction in attendance.

Quite a nice little story. Two women with insecurities. Meeting. Having fun. Romancing.

Midnight on a Mountaintop
by Amy Dawson Robertson
Pages: 131
Date: January 19 2014
Publisher: Fox in the Brush Books
Series: Midnight (2nd in the series)

Review
Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 30 2015

My biggest problem with Midnight on a Mountaintop, and it's a little odd to think this, is that I'm reading it right after Midnight in Orlando. The previous story in this series. The story is already short. Having pages and pages devoted to letting the reader in on each character, and how they relate, and what they did together . . . when I had just read off of that a few minutes before, is annoying. To be fair, the sequel, this story here, while it takes plays four months after the first story, was published something like two years after the first (or a year and a month). Still . . ..

Mmphs. I did not need the introduction of an old girlfriend. mmphs. I dislike when old girlfriends are suddenly thrust forward and dangled before the horrified eyes of the reader. The whole ex-girlfriend was really uncomfortable. Hell, the whole "let's start the story a month before they actually see each other, slowly every so slowly work up to them seeing each other again."

Bloody hell. I entered this with the idea I'd be reading a story about Nic and Susan. Instead I was reading a split story. From their point of view. Involving them but not involving them. How . . . annoying.

The Princes Affair by Nell Stark

The Princes Affair
by Nell Stark
Pages: 264
Date: March 19 2013
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: A Princess Affair (first book)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 29 2015

This was a difficult book in several ways (I'll just briefly note: closeted people hiding from the public; certain amount of miscommunication issues; etc.), and for the longest time I figured I'd be lucky to rate this as much as three stars. Though I never doubted I'd complete the book. In the end, though, I was able to like it enough to give it four stars.

I'm not sure if I can get myself to read another like it, though. For a long while I've been tired of the "straight woman who suddenly realizes they are actually a lesbian" theme. That's not in this book, though the Princess isn't "out". And that's the theme I'm rapidly growing tired of, the "not out" part. In this day and age, the cowering in the closet is something I'm rapidly losing patience with. At least among adult characters who are not over a certain age.

There's always a reason, of course. Mostly tied to work. Mostly I see it in acting related books (which is, in itself, funny in its way, as the perception has been long presented that the public thinks they are all wild weirdos anyway). Well, this time the reason is "royal highness", i.e., position in society.

Okay, I've read that now. I'll not "punish" this book for having the closeted theme, since I hadn't specifically read this exact storyline before (though I've run across princesses with fake images falling for a specific woman, and how that created complications, etc. etc. - though there it was a fantasy - it had to be, what with lesbianism being so open, allowed, and not questioned, heck the fake image was of the princess sleeping around, a lot, with women). I lost track of this paragraph. So I'll just conclude it with: I've read this story line now, I won't detract points based on it, but I'll try to steer clear of the theme in the future.

(I just noticed - the book wandered over Ireland, Scotland, and England; what, a day trip to Wales was too much to ask for? hehe).

Full Court Press by Lynn Galli

Full Court Press
by Lynn Galli
Pages: 272
Date: January 20 2010
Publisher: Penikila Press

Review
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars
Read: June 29 2015

I rather liked this story. And I liked the interactions with most of the people involved. With one exception. I could have seriously lived without having to put up with Darby. And her relationship with the coach.

But, meh, it happened. Humans make mistakes, relationship-wise. Maybe it humanized the coach. Perhaps. And, while I would have much preferred to see the Kesara and Graysen relationship, preferred to see it instead of the Darby/Grayson one, I understand why things went the way they did.

Sports: I'm actually surprised that this is my first full-on sports + lesbian fiction book I've read. I've read books that had sports pop up, there's one or two characters who played pick-up softball games on the side, but this is the first sports/lesbian fusion I've read before. And again, I'm back to being surprised. It isn't because I didn't want to read this type of thing, it's because I can't seem to find much in this niche of a niche to read.

Basketball was never something I've paid attention to as an adult, but that didn't keep me from understanding and liking the sports action. I didn't pay attention, or don't pay attention because I was a part of an undefeated basketball team when I was a kid. And so . . . I did that and felt, well, I've accomplished that. No need to try to live through others in this sport. Heck, there's a million and one others to live vicariously through, so it's good to have one crossed off. *nods*

It was neat to see a female head coach tackling the concept of coaching a male college basketball team.

Aspen's Stunt by Melissa Grace

Aspen's Stunt
by Melissa Grace
Pages: 237
Date: December 31 2014
Publisher: Author

Review
Rating: 2.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 26 2015

hmm. Aspen kind of presented, at least in the beginning, as an overly energetic 13 year old. Which is odd, since she's supposed to be 21. (well, literally she is presented as 7, but I meant during the present day scenes). Does not help that the father seems to treat Aspen as roughly 13.

'When did you become such a little adult?' - um, wha? Little . . . adult? Did I misread the earlier mention of Aspen's age? Did I accidentally transpose the 1 and 2? Forget 13, the father treats his daughter as a 12 year old. A super needy, easy to fall into tears at the mere idea of his "little adult" going off "forever" to be "lost" . . .. That's super creepy.

'I'm finally going to make some money.' - seriously, is she or is she not 21? What the hell? The dad doesn't want his 21 year old to work? Is there some unstated thing going on here? Does she actually have the mental capacity of a 4 year old? And, all these mentions of "motorcross" . . . that pays nothing?

'Dad, I honestly know that [as opposed to dishonestly knowing that?], and I will be careful.' - bah. Going off to make money to save the farm. 'I don't need friends. I need you. I need this place.' - this is really really creepy and is giving off vibes of an abusive incestual relationship.

This is all so bloody strangely laid out. A super creepy father is lose'ing the farm. Seemingly like a gift from heaven, his daughter, whom he treats like a five year old, is given an opportunity to go to Hollywood. To "do stunts". Assumption being that they are stunts on a bike. Without asking about payment or the like, the young woman immediately heads to Hollywood. Wherein the super naive young woman is given a contract. A six figure contract. And some vague idea that she will be jumping through windows. While on fire. And while on a bike. And if anything goes wrong, she can't sue. Or get any compensation. Here - sign. OOh! What a great deal! Let's sign!

I can't wrap my brain around this story. No foundation has been laid for any reason for an agent to contact this Aspen woman to do stunts. Aspen has apparently never worked a day in her life, at least nothing that would pay her money. Yet she's always out doing her "motorcross". And apparently somehow is well known enough for an agent to contact her. To do stunts. Apparently Hollywood now sends out calls to random people to see if they wish to come to Hollywood. For six figure deals. There's no bloody foundation for this story. Bah. Oh, sorry. There is foundation. Of a sort - mother died when girl is seven, while attempting to give birth, to a still-born brother. Father treats girl like she's really really young/and or really immature, while at the same time giving off massive waves/vibes of incestual stuff. And the woman is 21. There, see, foundation laid.

And . . . seriously? She's given a contract. She doesn't read it. Signs it. Agent immediatly picks it up and . . . 'pocketed it in the breast pocket of his suit." Seriously? There's naive and then there's super stupid. Maybe she does have the mental capacity/maturity/intelligence of a 5 year old. And what contract is so thin that it could be picked up and placed in the breast pocket of a suit? Have you seen contracts? Have you seen the breast pockets of suits? AARGH. Me and making notes while reading. He picked up his pen. But the wording made it seem like he was picking up the contract.

Okay, then she works on stunts. And, apparently, is the best stunt motorbike driver of all time. Who has never been paid. I guess she . . . no, I have no bloody clue what's going on.

First impressions are everything, right? Right. Jasper, the stunt coordinator (well, trainer, maybe he isn't the coordinator?) is very lazy in his coordinating. At least, from what is written. Just - do that. Aspen has blond hair. Is 21. Apparently naive. JT, the male actor on the film (apparently there's just two actors on the film), is a flirt (and apparently gets extras pregnant). And . . . um . . . given to saying vaguely inapporpriate stuff while elbowing Wren. Wren being the female actor on the set. Who, apparently, can't stand the smell of gas. Or dirt. Or anything, really. She's real bitchy and stand-offish. The dirctor, Gideon Wolff . . . um . . sarcastic twit? No, no real first
impression of him.

hmm. Apparently Aspen is the best at what she does. Still without ever, not once, never in her life, having been paid any money. For work. Maybe I need to stop fixating on that possible throw away line. I probably misinterpreted it.

Especially since her dad and her worked hard for Aspen to get to the pros. Which means . . . she should already have a source of income. To help on the losing the farm issue. Or, at the very least, have received money at some point in her life. Being a motorcross pro and all.

'The paparazzi still mention it today.' - so says the director. About JT getting extras pregnant. Um . . wha? Paparazzi take photographs. They don't . . . mention stuff. Reporters, entertainment presenters, etc. "mention" stuff. Not paparazzi. Maybe I've been misinformed? *looks up definition of paparazzi: "a freelance photographer who pursues celebrities to get photographs of them"* hmms.

Second impressions are . . something. Yeah, Wren's a bitch. Jasper's really hands-y. Oh, and, apparently, Aspen is gorgeous and everyone wants to do her. JT, and Kerri (the stylist). Correction. Wren's a major massive nasty bitch. Not just a bitch. And JT's a slimeball.

This. Is. Not. Making. Sense. (1) Aspen is 21; (2) her dad seems to treat her like she's 12; (3) she's a motorcross pro; (4) who has apparently never made any money; (5) while being the best at what she does (motorcross); (6) dad breaks down and cries when daughter Aspen is going to go away to Hollywood, because she will be away; (7) Aspen has, apparently, been all over for motorcross events, just not to L.A. (8) lives on the farm; (9) wakes up early to do chores. (10) gives
impression never leaves farm. (11) while going all over for motorcross . . . eh? (12) never been in a coffee shop before.

Does . . . not . . . compute. Super naive young woman from a small farm, who has been all over the place as a pro motorcross . . . person. Does she compete by herself? With no live audience? Just . . . out there in the wilderness?

Does she have one of those video stick things that record her, or record as if from her eyes as she zooms around on a motorcycle? And she uploads these videos? So, no one is around, she does massive stunts, records them, uploads them - is that how she is naive, but been everywhere, never made money - yet thinks she is a pro, and has had her stunts seen by others? I'm so confused.

heh. Apparently liking coffee the same way moves Wren from being a total bitch to Aspen to smiling sweetly. Those Hollywood people. So shallow.

'I won some nice prestigious awards in motorcross, but the money . . .' - um. So. She has in fact made money. Okkkay then.

Hmm. I don't really like pushy Kerri. bah. Actually, I know I don't. What a bitch.

Forcing Aspen to go on a date with Kerri. hmms. I don't think I particularly like Wren either. Esepcially when she turned into such a cold bitch after 'playing' with Aspen. Yes, playing is code. (I realize she wasn't actually, but she sure acted that way).

Huh. Now I really kinda dislike the papa as well. Pushing men at his daughter. mmphs. Bloody smoothering, that guy. Icky dude.

heh. Good grief, now I've no ability to have sympathy for Aspen. Because she went and injured herself. It got driven in too deeply about how much of a pro Aspen is so . . . I have no sympathy for her crashing. When she shouldn't have been doing what she was doing. While overly emotional. bah.