Touching Paradise by Cleo Peitsche

Touching Paradise
by Cleo Peitsche
Pages: 193
Date: August 27 2014
Publisher: Pouch Productions
Series: Shark Shifter Paranormal Romance (1st in series)

Review
Rating: 4.25 to 4.45 out of 5.0 stars
Read: January 29 2016


This is my fourth work read written by this author, though my first book length work (I know there are some who see a 193 page work as still being in something like the novella class or the like).

Just so I don't have to attempt to spell or use the word again - the island that Koenraad patrols, and that Monroe visits is Tureygua.

Characters
Only two characters really matter in this book, for the most part, though . . . side characters push the characters. Like, the only reason work-a-holic Monroe is even in the Carribean is because of a wedding ofa friend. And the only reason Koenraad happens to be wandering around kind of patrolling is because of his missing son, and the deal he got talked into by his son's grandfather.

I may or may not be conveying this correctly. I'll just pull back and say: there are two point of views. Monroe and Koenraad.

Monroe is a work-a-holic woman who would prefer to work than take vacations. Would rather take the money instead of vacation days. She does, though, have some friends. So when they marry, she attends their weddings. Most of the time, though, taking the least amount of time off that she can get away with - like this time, she's planning on leaving earlier than anyone else in the wedding party. She's smart, and she's attractive (through her own eyes she sees herself as being attractive, but not model attractive, to not be overly happy or overly sad that her kinda boyfriend calls her 'kinda hot'; while through Koenraad's lust filled eyes, she's . . . um . . attractive. heh). She is the last of her female friends to remain unmarried, and her current boyfriend refused, at the last minute, to go with her to the wedding. Calling her kinda hot, but boring. One of the most important character traits, though, is that she's deathly afraid of water - mostly 'deep water'.

One last point - I've no idea if Monroe is a first or last name. It might have been mentioned in the book, but if so, I overlooked it. I do know that . . . well, vaguely recall that some people, like hotel desk people, might have said something like 'Miss Monroe' at some point or another. On the other hand, everyone calls her Monroe. Her friends, people hired to do stuff for her, her ex?-boyfriend, and her lover all call her Monroe.
People connected to Monroe: Thomas - boyfriend who may or may not be ex-boyfriend. He isn't in the story physically, though texts and emails appear. Oh, and one or two phone calls. Tara - friend, fellow bridesmaid. The friend who appears to care most about Monroe, at least in the sense that she keeps turning up to ask questions and the like. Linda - the bride. Nya - another bridesmaid. I'm not sure if Linda or Nya actually say anything in this book.

Koenraad is a shark. Not in a 'loan shark' or a 'he's spirit animal is a shark' way, but in a 'he is a great white shark' way. There are shifters in fiction who are human and then transform into something else - when they are something else, they are a beast and this beast takes over and does stuff that the human has no memory of (this is one of the original versions of werewolves). There are also shifters who are animals who can transform into humans. The closest I can recall would be a kitsune, though that is more of a fox spirit than a fox, who can transform into a woman. There is a fox who transforms into a human female in one series I enjoy, though, in Sam Ryan's Dynasty Saga (still might be a spirit fox instead of a fox fox). And then there are those shifters who shift from human to animal, and retain something of their humanness, their human is in control of the beast. I mention all this because I don't know what Koenraad is. There are indications that he might actually be a shark that can transform into a human. I'm not sure if I misreading things, though.

The book opens with Koenraad being super frustrated with his inability to find his son. His . . . um. See, another thing, I got confused as to whether or not Victoria, his son's mother, is actually his wife, ex-wife, or just some woman who tricked him into imprenanting her (well, I do know that he says she tricked him into imprenanting her, I just don't know if after the fact they married or what). Got confused there.

Victoria, Koenraad's son's mother, had allowed the boy, Brady, to enter the ocean by himself. Whereupon he transformed into a shark and swam away. He was something like six or seven at the time, and would be around 8 or 9 now. He has still not been found. Victoria alternates between believing the boy to be dead, and believing him to be alive, though most of that 'believing' is to done to get under Koenraad's skin.

The missing son pulled Koenraad into agreeing to be a protector to the island - otherwise he would assign Victoria to be the protector. And Koenraad can't be near her, and can't leave because his son might still be around. So, he blocks her by taking the job himself. This being two years before the start of the main story.
People connected to Koenraad: Victoria - the mother of his son; Brady - the son; Darius - the big fish in the area, and uncle? to Brady ("He's your nephew...").

One of these days I'm going to have a more natural 'character' and 'plot' sections. mmphs.

Others: as I have mentioned, others are in the book. Most don't matter a hill of beans beyond how they pull the two main characters one direction or another. Mostly, though, in having Koenraad being pulled away from humping Monroe to go do his job. Collecting samples and stuff.

Plot
The book opens, after the prologue part, with a woman named Monroe standing outside drinking. She's wearing a bridesmaid dress. She's depressed because she's the last of her friends still single, and her boyfriend, who ducked out at the last might from attending the wedding, might be her ex-boyfriend. She gets talked into attending the scuba/snorkel girls-only event the next day. She reluctantly agrees despite being horribly afraid of water.

Monroe, that same night, skips out on the reception food and eats something from the hotel while watching an informcial. Both are important plot points.

The next day, Monroe turns up to go on that girls-only event. Wearing a bikini that has apparently shrunk. But retained it's very bright colors. She's barely covered but it's the only swmsuit she has. So she throws a cover dress on and heads to a meeting point for that girls-only on the water event. She finds someone named Sosie. Who asks if she is ready. Then proceeds to lead her to a van. Whereupon Monroe notices that the van is empty. Where's her friends? They all got food poisoning (see, I said that the fact that she skipped the wedding reception food was an important plot point). She wants to pull back, to not go on the trip, but she doesn't want to be boring any longer (like her boyfriend calls her), and decides to emprace the opportunity (or whatever that informercial said to do; see, also an important plot point).

They, as in Monroe as the only passenger/client, Sosie, and some other guy named Ralph (photographer?; captain of the boat? something), head out to sea. Monroe clutches the railing tightly, may or may not be constantly whimpering as the boat slides through the water.

The boat then breaks down. Monroe is quite happy with this development because it means she'll just rest there for, like, 45 minutes, then head back to the hotel. While clutching, tightly, the rail she looks down. Into the eyes of a really really huge great white shark. She screams.

Koenraad, that shark, darts under the boat so that now Monroe looks like a moran, because no one else sees the shark. He's kind of happy with himself until he overhears the woman begging to be brought back to her hotel (or something like that). He is now sad that he ruined her vacation. Swims back to his yacht, hops aboard, and sails over to 'rescue' Monroe. And show her a good time. In water. Monroe would much rather just go back to her hotel, but is talked into going with Koenraad (plus that informercial attacks her thought process again). Sosie, though it isn't really important, goes with them as well.

It should be noted that Koenraad, as a human, is basically wearing a very revealing speedo. And is something like a well-muscled 6 foot 5 inches tall (and heavily scarred, but I'll let readers find out why). So, Koenraad is wearing a speedo, and Monroe, once she removes her coveral dress, is wearing a shrunken bikini that barely covers. More importantly, Koenraad's senses are heightened, even in human form. He can tell that Monroe is very afraid of the water. And quite aroused by him.

There's a nice little scene wherein Koenraad helps ease Monroe into experiencing being in the water. But this was supposed to be a plot section, not a 'let's recap the whole story' section.

So, Koenraad and Monroe meet. They have fun together. Make plans to meet again later. Etc.

Romance/erotica
Part of the romance is sabtoged by Koenraad needing to work - emergency situation developing in the waters. Which reminds Monroe of someone, Thomas. Who volunteerily took on extra work just to not go to the wedding. But, for the most part . . um . . I really don't know what to say in the romance part. They don't have the traditional candle ligt dinners and the like, but they do date nice - out on the water, and in a lake, and stuff.

The graphic sex, aka erotica, was well done. I do not wish to go to far here, but feel the need to note at least one thing - sometimes books like these feel the need to have 'shifted sex' or 'beast sex'. That does not occur here. Though, I do need to also note that Koenraad, even while human, isn't . . . um, fully human. Though that has more to do with the need to bite to mark, and stuff like that. Plus the spikes on his dick. Which he is able to supress. Barely. Was that too much information? I'm not sure. I mean, it's one of those things where you are reading a kind of arousing scene and the guy is thinking about how he has to keep from having his spikes come out. It's kind of . . . distracting.

Scenery
The idea of being in the caribbean, on a boat, in the sea, on an island, then in a mansion, was well done. I don't wish to short-change this section but it's the last one I worked on and . . . I'm kind of tired. So . . um . . good work on the scenery stuff.

Overall
I rather enjoyed this short novel, and wonder what a full book by Peitsche might be like. Full as in, no cliff-hanger. There is a scale to cliff-hangers; at the lowest level, 1, a book will end with mention of another adventure - everything that came before that mention was a full story and te only reason this counts as a cliff-hanger is the simple matter that the nice happy feeling of 'conclusion' is marred by a 'continued next in [insert title here]'. Compared with something at level 5 which ends mid-scene.

'Becky turned to Samantha, opened her mouth and said: "Frankly my dear, I ---"

To be Continued'

An example of level 1 in films would involve James Bond, which routinely ended with a 'continued in' or 'will be back in' type words at the end ofthe movies. Now not all James Bond stories are complete, though, in one film. There are several occasions wherein the action in the next film picks up directly from the unresolved plot points from the prior film (like when Sean Connery-Bond is hurriedly running around beating people at the start of the next film after George Lazenby-Bond's film. Because Bond's 'girl' was killed. And Bond is pissed off). In books, an example would be the series of short stories put out by J.A. Armstrong, which almost always end with a 'continued in [insert title here]' (it's one of the reasons I somewhat assume one of the series is over now, because it didn't end with that 'continued in' stuff).

A level 1 cliff-hanger is just an indication that the characters/story continues. Tacked on to the end of a story/film that is complete in and of itself. A level 2 cliff-hanger is a complete story that has unresolved issues, but ends on natural conclusion. Sometimes those plot points/unresloved issues are never answered. Sometimes they are answered in the next book, or even in the tenth book in a series.

This book here is a level 2 cliff-hanger. It has a beginning, middle, and natural end point. But also has unresolved issues. Specifically three unresolved issues, with varying weights of importance attached to them: (1) ex(?) Boyfriend Thomas is on his way to the island and is pissed that Monroe is attempting to end the relationship; (2) the book opened with Koenraad being very frustrated with the inability to find his missing son, there is a seen involving a smallish shark in the book, I am not sure if the reader is supposed to assume that the shark is somehow related to the missing boy, regardless, the book ends with the boy still being missing; (3) there is a 'sickness' spreading through the sea, well, technically there is a point made that it seems to be staying in a certain area, but might spread, or something - that 'sickness' mystery hasn't been resolved.

That lack of resolution on three plot points is why I mentioned, at some point, that I'm curious what a 'complete' book by Peitsche might be like. Because, despite certain issues (mostly writing serial works, writing in a genre that gets looked down on, etc.) Cleo Peitsche actually does seem to know how to both write, and write interesting stories.

I rather liked this specific book here. I was supposed to read this book next month, for a challenge. But I had read the prologue a few days before (which is how I decided that I wanted to read this for a challenge next month), but when I came to the end of my latest book, I turned to this wereshark book again. I don't know, maybe I figured that, since I had a nonfiction book going, maybe I could stretch this book out until the beginning of February. Didn't happen. I opened the book. Reread the prologue, and by the time I looked up, I was at something like the 80% mark. And blinked. Looked back at the book, and the next time I looked up, book was over.

Very interesting book. I rather got into it on several levels, and at least two of the characters, the main two, apepared fully formed. I'd recommend the book. I would note that I didn't immediately pick up the second book because: it's the weekend (and I tend to read less on the weekend) and it's almost February. Maybe I'll read the second book for that challenge. Or not.

Overall I'd rate this book a good solid 4.25 to 4.45 out of 5 stars.

January 30 2016

Fragile Wings by Rebecca S. Buck

Fragile Wings
by Rebecca S. Buck
Pages: 304
Date: January 18 2016
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: N/A

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: January 28 to January 29 2016

*I received this book from NetGalley in return for a fair review.*

I think Evelyn, the main character in this book, would be about 115 if she was still alive today (17 in 1918, 26 in 1927). Just a random passing thought I had while the book was winding down.

This is the first book that I’ve read by this author. And the second book that involved lesbians living and doing stuff in the 1920s (this one specifically 1927). Though the other book I had read with that setting and theme was set in the USA. Both involved however distantly one or the other might be from the action, both have some vague connection to celebrities and theater people.

Shakespeare wrote three types of plays, Tragedies, Comedies, and Histories. The tragedies had moments of comic relief, and the comedies had bits of tragedy mixed in as well. While the histories, well, I don’t know what to say about them – they were the plays based on real life people – kings and Julius Caesar and the like.

I note this so that I can then say: the first lesbian book I read involving lesbians in the 1920s was a Comedy. This book here is Drama. Hmms. Oops. I mean, Romeo and Juliet was a Tragedy. Macbeth was a Tragedy. You know what happened at the end of them? Lots of death. Well, death really didn’t play a part in that other 1920s book, and while it played a part in this book, it occurred prior to this books beginning. This is the aftermath of a tragedy. What happens after lots and lots of people die. Hence my calling this a drama instead of a tragedy. Because the tragedy already happened, and now people are trying to live after that fact.

Hmms. Now that I look, this book is set in 1927, later than I had thought, while that other book? Set in 1931. Right so . . . not the 1920s. mmphs. That other book being The Seduction of Moxie

Characters
The book contains two points of views, though Evelyn’s POV appears to be much larger than Jos’s. Might even be something like 80/20. 80% Evelyn, I mean.

Evelyn Hopkins is a young woman from the countryside of England, the southwest peninsula, specifically Devon. Well, more specifically I believe the name given was something like West Combe in Devon, though, looking at a map, I don’t see said place. Though I do see a Woolacombe, and an Llfracombe, and a Salcombe in Devon. Oh look, there’s a Widecombe as well. And a Sutcombe, which is, oddly, in the north of Devon. And a Combe Martin. Whatever Combe is, there sure are a hell of a lot of them.

Right, sorry, I should probably just look it up (West Coombe; so I was both right and wrong. Odd how all the Combe’s on the map are listed as Combe not Coombe; well it’s West Coombe, at least, at the 89% mark). I’m doing something that I sometimes do – putting thoughts down when I’m about 90, 95% of the way to being completed. Not sure why. Ooh, there’s a Wiveliscombe also. Dang it, I need to close this map. Hehe.

Okay – Evelyn is a young woman from the southeast part of England. I think, and I could very well be wrong with this, but I think that she’s about 26. She’s not ‘modern day’ 26, though. No, she’s a product of her generation and place. Pulled from school at 14 to help her parents in their shop, while her brother gets to remain at school. Whimpering as her brother heads off to war, making a promise to ‘fly’, to, if her brother dies, to go to London. And if he doesn’t, they’ll go together. So that they can fly high. To a certain extent, the worst case scenario occurs – something of a holding pattern. Worse case in being freed to ‘fly’ or make true on the promise, at least. Brother Edward is pronounced MIA by the gov't (assumed dead because so many who are MIA end up being DIA). Months (is it only months?) later news arrivals that a fella who is badly damaged, didn’t have any identification, and couldn’t talk finally was able to convey who he was. He was Edward. So, shell-shocked badly damaged Edward returns home. Limping. Battered, bruised, barely able to occasionally utter a few whispers that might be words.

Years pass. Eventually Eddie thrusts a letter into Evie’s hands. And, through his limited means, and her ability to interpret him, learns that Edward wants Evelyn to head to London to deliver the letter. It’s a letter from Edward’s friend from the war – who had entrusted it to Edward’s hands. It’s been something like 5 years later, so it’s vaguely awkward. With certain coaxing, Evelyn is off to London, by herself, on a train.

I’d normally leave all that for a plot section, but I included it here to try to convey something of where Evelyn is coming from. Her innocence, determination, something of a ‘women’s place is this’ (in the home, not in school, etc), combined with something of a strong backbone.

Evelyn arrives in London and finds . . . two people who are important to the story, but not romantically.

Lillian Grainger and James Grainger are the brother and sister of Frank, the fella whose letter Evelyn carries to London. Once the letter is delivered, they invite her to stay in London with them. Lillian and James live in an expensive house in an expensive part of London, Mayfair. And Evelyn knows that, in any other circumstances, her place would be more with Grace – the servant in the house. Lillian is very vain, and in another era I’d call her an attention whore. In the 1920s I’ll just call her . . . vain. She cares more about clothing, fashion, being modern, being free, while at the same time ‘looking right’. She’s also a singer in a jazz club – to add to her comfortable place in society (and her vast wealth). James is less enamored with the social side of ‘modern’ times, but deeply enamored with the business side – he’s an architect and just loves building ‘modern’ stuff. He’s mostly off at work, though, so his part in the story is less than it might be. Though he seems to have developed quite a crush on Evelyn, though. Both Lillian and James look down on those abnormal ‘inverts’ (James word for lesbians). James seeming to be slightly more aggressive in his disdain about ‘them’.
Friends & or lovers: Dorothy is friends with Lillian, and to a certain extent with James. Vernon, Jos’s brother, is friends and lovers with Lillian, and disliked by James.
Enemies: Neither like Jos. James doesn’t like Jos’ brother Vernon.

Joselyn ‘Jos’ Singleton is the other person in this book who has their point of view expressed. Though only about 20% of the book is from Jos’s point of view. If I was doing this as some movies list credits, as in ‘in order of appearance’, technically I should have started with Jos. Because the book opens with a 1916 prologue involving Jos hiding under a table while bombs drop during WWI. Book occurs years later in the ‘20s, though. Jos works in the theatre, mostly as a ‘background’ type – building sets, moving things around, and the like. Oh, and she’s openly (as openly as she can be) a lesbian. Jos is something of a player, someone who doesn’t want nor need commitment. Mostly because of her back story and how she fears to trust and love someone because she expects failure and heartbreak.
Friends & or Lovers: several lesbians are friends of Jos, including Clara and Courtney (a couple), and others. Also friends with Jos is, strangely enough, Dorothy.
Something like Enemies: Lillian.

Plot
The book follows a young woman from somewhat rural and relatively poor and backwards England to London in the 1920s, after the first world war. The war that killed many of their generation. They live to forget, to remember, to live as if every moment counts, as if no moment counts and it can all be taken away in a blast. Not all fought in the war, but almost all are somewhat ‘shell-shocked’ from the traumatic experience. At least in London.

The young woman, Evelyn, arrives in London and presents a letter from a dead brother to that brother’s siblings – Lillian and James. They offer to allow Evelyn to stay and see the sights in London. Lillian shows Evelyn around to several locations, like Buckingham Palace, and to a jazz club wherein Lillian sings (and wherein Evelyn sees Jos for the first time, and, for that matter, lesbians).

The story unfolds with Evelyn, as much as she can what with her feeling somewhat trapped and under obligations in James & Lillian’s house, exploring the city of London. And, eventually, her feelings for another woman, specifically Jos.

Romance
By the very nature of this book – the times people live in, the openness/closedness of society, and other considerations, and specifically the nature of the lead character – a poor-ish young woman who basically ran away from home (at 26) to see London – the romance is at a slow pace. On one level. And at an accelerated pace in another. Also because of the nature of the time and people involved.

At a slow pace because Evelyn can’t see Jos as often as she might wish to do so. Especially after she sees Jos for the first time, and they have a brief conversation. She’s obligated, apparently, to wait on Lillian and her inviting Evie to the jazz club. So, days, weeks, time passes while feelings are examined, as needs develop.

The accelerated pace involves the action that occurs once people can actually be near each other – though, I suppose, Jos and Evelyn could have ‘done’ each other in the bathroom at the nightclub. No, by accelerated pace, I mean . . . well, I’ve been attempting to say what I mean, but I guess I can’t. Potentially. Hell, I don’t know. What is and what isn’t a spoiler mystifies me. They have sex on their first date

Overall
The opening of the book, the stuff after the prologue, was written in a way that I probably wouldn’t have continued if not for the fact I had kind of already committed to reading this book. It was overly wordy, overly melodramatic. It was . . . well, what I just said.

I don’t know if things changed, or if I had just fallen into a trance and dove in. Because somewhere along the line, I just moved past all that wordiness, that melodramatic way of talking, and just lived the book.

And this book surprised me. It was a lot deeper than I expected. Emotions were touched. Thoughts were had. Though I first noticed this not in the romance part, but in world part. In the people, times, the ‘generation that had to live after so many died’ part. Though I rather liked both Jos and Evelyn. And I wasn’t sure I would like Evelyn in the beginning, but I did, I really did.

Overall I’d give this book 5.0 out of 5 stars.

January 29 2016

Grumpy Cat, Volume 1 by Ben McCool

Grumpy Cat, Volume 1
by Ben McCool, Royal McGraw, Elliott Serrano, Ben Fisher, Steve Uy (Goodreads Author) (Illustrations), Ken Haeser (Illustrations), Tavis Maiden (Illustrations), Agnes Garbowska (Illustrations)
Pages: 104
Date: February 16 2016
Publisher: Dynamic Forces
Series: Grumpy Cat

Review
Rating: 3.80 out of 5.0
Read: January 28 2016

*I received this book from NetGalley in return for a fair review.*

Grumpy Cat, the comic, is often times cute and funny. And really really short. A lot of the stories are quick little adventures. The kind where everything is set up, certain things happen, then poof off to the next story – all seemingly within a few pages.

Some of the ideas might be interesting to have seen followed through, like detective Grumpy; haunted house Grumpy; superhero Grumpy.

Characters
Grumpy - as might be expected, the cat that became a meme on the internet for having a permanent grumpy expression (a genetic condition) is, in fact, the star of this self-titled comic series.

Pokey is a hyperactive constantly in motion, constantly wanting to play house mate of Grumpy’s. Oh, and a cat. I forgot to mention the cat part.

Others - the above are the two most common characters to appear, though occasionally others appear, like a dog, and ghosts, and . . . others.

Plot
It’s hard to discuss/describe the plot since this is a collection of many very short stories. Mind you, some authors have become super famous for writing stories so short that they can be contained on one page. So super short stories, in and of themselves, are not a ‘problem’.

It’s not always easy to see in a collected volume, but there appears to be three or four stories every 26 pages. Most of these stories are, to a certain extent, interesting. Humorous at times. The problem, as I think I’ve mentioned before, is simply the fact that the stories get me interested in a certain topic/theme then . . . that specific topic of theme is suddenly over before I could ‘get my thrill.’

Overall
I think, I’m not sure now, but I do believe that I had recommended people to try at least the first comic way back when it appeared. I don’t remember if it was cheap, free, or what my rationale was, but simply that the comic was a humorous way to spend a few moments out from the overall hard working life many people suffer. That’s harder to say in regards to a complete volume, at least in terms of talking about how ‘inexpensive’ it all is. Still, I’d recommend Grumpy the volume. As long as you like cats. And mild humor.

I did something I rarely do – I looked at some of the other reviews before I started my own review. Therefore I saw a somewhat reoccurring theme, that being ‘Garfield’. Well, sure, both involve cats. Garfield is more lazy than grumpy, though that can, at times, come across as grumpy. And both Garfield and Grumpy have somewhat annoying younger cats that they kind of dislike (I can’t recall exactly the name of the cat, Nerman? Nermal? Norman? Something like that). Though the hyperactive, always cute cat in Garfield is somewhat a rare addition to the storyline, while Pokey is in, I think, all the stories.

In looks and temperament, I might have thought of comparing Grumpy and Bucky. I could be wrong, but they might be both the same breed of cat. Though, if I recall what I’ve read in the back story to the Bucky series, the writer/author there didn’t base the cat on any specific breed/cat. While Grumpy, obviously, is based on Grumpy. In looks mostly. I’ve some vague understanding that the real Grumpy might actually be a sweet little kitty, though again, I could be wrong there.

Oh, one thing I was going to mention – I didn’t actually realize, until I saw this on Netgalley that this series was for kids. See, here I was having fun reading a comic that had mild humor and involved a cat, and suddenly I learn that it was designed for kids. Mmphs. Heh. Would this hold a kids attention? Would a kid just absolute love this collection of comics? No idea, I’m not a kid and I do not have full time responsibility for any kids, so I am not sure. Would an adult enjoy a comic designed for kids? Well, I did.

I probably would give the overall collection of comic issues, I think they collect four or five issues?, a combined score of around 3.8 out of 5.0 stars.

January 28 2016

The Sun Dragon by Annabelle Jay

The Sun Dragon
by Annabelle Jay
Pages: 180
Date: January 28 2016
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
Series: The Sun Dragon (1st in the series)

Review
Rating: 4.50 out of 5.0
Read: January 28 2016

*I received this book from NetGalley in return for a fair review.*

This is another book by an author I'd never read before that I somewhat randomly picked up from Netgalley when I saw it in one of the categories as a 'Read Now'. Not sure which specific category I saw it in, though. Young adult, LGBT, Fantasy, just not sure.

It's also one of those kinds of books wherein if someone told me the plot, or gave me a rough outline, I'd probably think I'd want nothing to do with the story, and/or that it'd be absurd, or out of the range of books I like, or . . . something. So it's good, in its way, that I had a good enough idea of what the book was about to try it, but not enough to cause me to flee before trying it. Because, despite believing that others might feel differently, I rather enjoyed this book. Though it has all the hallmarks of being something that might normally annoy me.

Characters
This is one of those first person type books, with the main character being a young woman named Allanah.

Allanah is a young woman of roughly 16 years of age who starts off the book as a student at a school. I am unsure if her last name is given, nor if she's in high school or not. Though I assume both sets of information might have been given at some point. She's shown instantly as being a flighty kind of woman, the kind who spaces out, starring at a blade of grass, or clouds, or the like and forgetting to focus on what's around her and what she should be doing. Like, say, getting to class on time.

Allanah is described in the book as something of an odd mix of spacey, unable to keep her grades up, naive, inexperienced type of young woman who ends up showing massive amounts of magical skill. Mostly instinctively. And one who seems quite capable of pulling forth solutions to problems. An odd mix.

For the most part, Allanah is the only character that really matters in this book. Though there are others with varying levels of importance.

Victoria is a prim and proper young woman with great intellectually ability. The kind to be class president and straight A student. She’s also best friends with Allanah. Oh, and unknown to her, she’s also a dragon in human disguise. Revealed when she starts to shift one day in class. She has her important moments, and is quite important in certain pivot points, but as a character, is something of minor importance. If I’m conveying this correctly. Maybe if she had her own point of view for people to follow, her importance would be heightened, but beyond being a dragon, and being helpful as such, and being a friend of Allanah’s, and also being helpful as such, she’s really kind of unimportant to the story line.

Jason is a young man of roughly Allanah and Victoria’s age. The book opens with Allanah lusting after him. But apparently he is actually something of an undercover agent for a magic counsel, there to watch over Allanah. And is even less important than Victoria. Really really unimportant.

Cormac is the next man Allanah crushes on. He is a general for the magic counsel, and they – Cormac and Allanah, have a certain connection. Is something of a hot head. Again important, but minor.

Grian is a light dragon Allanah summons when she is tested by the magic counsel. The dragon bonds to Allanah and follows her around.

Roland is a magic user and super evil. Wants ultimate power.

Dena is the reason this book falls into the LGBT category. She’s a female who Allanah meets while she is living with the Igreefree people. Dena stumbles out all bloody and stuff, they touch, they realize they have this deep connection, and now Allanah has to determine if she prefers the man or the woman. I’m being quick there – they don’t literally touch the first second they meet. Though the connection is there the first second they touch.

Others: there are, of course, other people in the book. Some more important than others, some less.

Plot
The book opens with Allanah spaced out, standing near the entrance to her school. She's saved from her third tardy slip by two factors - her best friend, Victoria, offers to give her the hall pass she had, and more importantly, as it develops, everyone is distracted once Victoria and Allanah reaches the class room. The president's on the tv, see, so, as I said, people are distracted. He looks different, though, than Allanah recalls him looking. Then he starts stripping down to ropes. Weird stuff starts occurring, and the words out of his mouth are equally weird. He's calling forth the dragons to come to him.

Well, this certainly is odd, eh? Book opened with a prologue talking about how there's this Prince Roland guy who said he took care of the dragons, but didn't really. But it's told in a way to indicate this occurred longish ago, and now everything is modern looking. As in planes in the sky, televisions in the class rooms, etc.

Back to the gibberish coming from the television. President whatever reveals that he is actually King Roland come forth to take over the world. With his dragon army. Who he had hid among the humans, since he had transformed them into humans. Suddenly screeching is heard - people look outside, a half boy half bird/dragon like creature is wiggling out there, then springing up into the sky, heading towards this President slash King Roland dude.

Suddenly squeaking and yelling in the classroom. Victoria is looking odd. Instinctively Allanah orders everyone else to leave. Without knowing what she is doing, Allanah is able to keep Victoria from transforming into a dragon.

Victoria, Allanah, and Jason (who, it is revealed, is a guardian like guy for Allanah) head off in a magical mustang to the magic counsel (Mustang as in car, not mustang as in horse; they do not climb inside a magical horse). For various reasons I’m confused as to why Jason had been sent off to be a guardian since, if I recall correctly, he is only a level two. I might be confused. Well, magical eggs are put into Victoria’s and Allanah’s hand. Victoria’s egg opens. She learns she’s a level two magic user. Allanah’s egg opens. She learns she is a level five magic user. And now has a pet dragon. Who came out of the egg. And she’s the only person to have a dragon appear in a really really long time. That other person? Roland.

So – several parts to this book. Quite quick from one to the next with almost no rest. There’s the shifting at the school (revelation of the magical nature of the world, the dragons hidden among humans, the evil dude who wants to take over everything, etc.), then visit to magic counsel, then visit to some people who might be allies in the fight against Roland (Igreefee . . . split; I forget how the names look with the word split). The dragon grows just as rapidly as the story unfolds.

Romance
Technically there is something of a romance. Kinda. In the ‘Allanah lusts after Jason; no wait, now she has this connection to Cormac, no wait she also has this deep connection to this woman named Dena’ way. Now she has to figure out where her feelings reside. But she’s going to push all that to the side to go fight. And . . stuff. Whatever else this book is, though, this is not a romance book.

Overall
I may or may not have mentioned this before, but, this is one of those types of books that I actually, and unexpectedly, loved. No, seriously, I did. But, even as I was loving it, I kind of suspected that others might be less inclined to enjoy the story. Regardless, I rather liked it, and look forward to further books in this series.

I believe that I would give this book a good solid 4.5 stars out of 5.

January 28 2016

Altered State by Ella Dominguez

Altered State
by Ella Dominguez
Pages: 202
Date: May 27 2015
Publisher: Bondage Bunny Publishing
Series: N/A

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: January 27 2016

I received this book free from the author for a GoodReads group discussion

My third work by this author.

So, the first thing I noticed was that there is a playlist. I occasionally, as in almost never, listen to music at the same time as I read. Slightly more often I listen to music. I'll probably accidentally create something like 22 music videos if I included the youtube links, so I just list the songs. The links, though, are in the book (though one goes to a private video, so I had to find a public version for one).

Playlist
01. Ed Sheeran & Rudimental­ "Bloodstream"
02. Ellie Goulding - This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)
03. Coasts - Oceans
04. MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS | "HOMEWRECKER"
05. Titanium / Pavane (Piano/Cello Cover) - David Guetta / Faure - ThePianoGuys
06. James Bay - Hold Back The River
07. MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS | "FORGET" OFFICIAL VIDEO
08. Three Days Grace - The Good Life
09. James Bay - Let It Go
10. BANKS - Beggin For Thread
11. CHVRCHES - Get Away
12. David Guetta - I'll Keep Loving You ft. Birdy & Jaymes Young
13. AURORA - Running With The Wolves
14. MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS | PART 9: ♡ "STATE OF DREAMING"
15. AURORA - Runaway
16. Kiesza - Hideaway
17. Stone Sour Wicked Game
18. Simon Curtis - Flesh
19. Tove Lo - Talking Body
20. Sia - Breathe Me
21. Dorothy - Gun In My Hand
22. Keywest - Fight for Love

So, let's listen to some music. I mean, read a book.

Well, I just read the preface while the first song played. And you know what? This isn't going to work. Maybe if these were all instrumentals or something, but I can't have someone singing words into my ear as my eyes try to make sense of the black lines on the screen shaped in a character like fashion. Well, I did learn (1) there's someone who apparently believes that they've killed someone, is covered in their blood, and is in front of a detective; (2) person wishes to tell some guy named Zeke; (3) apparently it's all Zeke's fault; (4) that or the girls since she wouldn't leave; (5) it was all unavoidable, see. Hmms.

Book then moves to "One", Miranda and A Month Ago. If I understand correctly, I'm now in some woman's head whose name is Miranda. And it's a month ago. I assume she's the woman the person in the preface thinks is dead.

Okay then - love at first sight, everything is great, better than a year ago; but there's this 'something' this 'nagging feeling that something is off'. His eyes drift; she's no longer the center of his focus; her words used to matter; he's closed off now, before he was an open book.

Wait, what? 'In less than twenty-four hours we'll celebrate one year of marriage.' But . . but . . everything only got better a year ago. What, did they meet, fall in love immediately, and, also immediately, marry? I'm so confused and I'm only on, like, the second page.

Hmms, now I'm listening to Ellie Goulding - This Love (Will Be Your Downfall) while reading a woman recalling a dream of kneeling on a beach and giving a blow job. Hmms.

Um . . and now chapter two is Shelby. Who, oddly, apparently lived through what Miranda dreamed. Is there a connection, me wonders. Well, so far I don't like Shelby.

Now Shelby meets a married man, by accident, while hunting for food. Man apparently knows Shelby from his comments. He's confused by how she is dressed. She's confused by his tone that he deserves her time and answers.

Well, I'll now be confused and vaguely disappointed if this doesn't turn out to be a book involving a split personality. Shelby-Miranda. Judging by how the man is reacting. And how Shelby is reacting. And Miranda's dreams.

Oops, now Miranda's section again and she's busy at work as her husband, Zeke, is being hit on by Shelby. Well, maybe Shelby and Miranda are twins, or something. heh. See, I knew there was something odd about this book so I'm attempting to find it as I read. - Other than Miranda being in one place at the same time Shelby is in another (but who knows, maybe there's a fautly/bad narrator; I forget what that's called, tis a thing), everything seems to be lining up for either 'split personality' or 'twins'. Well, twins can occur regardless of positioning. Especially how the husband reacts. How the story is unfolding.

'But new things scare the hell out of me. People scare the hell out of me. That’s why our marriage ceremony was private. That’s why I don’t attend work functions with Zeke or meet his friends no matter how much he pleads. That’s why I’d prefer to hide-out in the back room rather than help out like I’m getting paid to do. It can’t be helped. I’m an introvert. It’s how I was built. He always seemed to understand and be accepting of that. How can he expect me to change a part of my personality that’s so engrained in me?' Ella Dominguez. Altered State (Kindle Locations 308-312). - um, that's not being an introvert, that's someone with social anxiety. It not same thing.

Okay, so, 13% into the book and there's two point of views. Miranda and Shelby. Not sure if Zeke's will appear at any point. He does, he does.

I don't particularly like needy whimp-y 'my live is all about my husband, what would I be without him' Miranda (I need to be perfect for my husband, nothing else matters *eww*), or Shelby.

'He’s simply acting on the physical and primal needs that all men have. And me… I’m being used the way I was intended to be used - like a good, obedient wife who has no say in such matters. A wife who’s simply here for her husband’s enjoyment.' Ella Dominguez. Altered State (Kindle Locations 662-664). - Well, now I really do kind of hate Miranda. It's somewhat unfair of me, I know. Still. Is an annoying thing to think. And also not true fo the parties involved, even if she mistakenly thinks so.

Yeah, I'm fairly sure we are in twin zone. Unknown twin zone. Or split personality.
'Out of breath, Zeke comes barreling into the same hotel room as before. “Jesus, you’re fast.” He looks me over with astonishment. Ella Dominguez. Altered State (Kindle Locations 765-766). - hmms, I suppose I should say 'poor Zeke, poor Miranda' or something, but meh.

Heh - So I continued listening to the music while reading, rarely being in synch with the cues in the book. But now while Zeke's fucking his 'Mistress', they listen to "The Good Life", and what do you know, that's also playing on my end. hmms.

Delusional. hmms.

Tis funny, I suppose, how right I was from almost the beginning. Barring red herrings here and there. About certain things. Not about other things.

Okay, so I wrote this as I read along. Modifying it some as much as I can near the end, then afterwards. Probably have to have another pass tomorrow when it isn't near midnight.

Despite some of the things I wrote, I assume - not sure, my brain is kind of floating at the moment, but it's possible I've given a somewhat flippant or otherwise wrong impression in my babbling above. Despite that, if actually present, I actually did like this book. It's a different one than I expected, but still I liked it. Well, that's an odd sentence and thought right there. It's quite possible I wasn't thinking coherently as I appear to have confused myself. (here I thought I'd exited babbling zone to wrap up zone, and I'm babbling again).

So, Shelby, Miranda, Zeke are the main characters. Other people pop up every once in a while, but super minor characters. Minor in a 'guy at reception desk' kind of minor. A book tightly bound up with these specific characters and limited sets. Mostly a house and a hotel, though also select other areas, like restaurants, bars, beaches, offices/shops. But mostly inovling these characters at a house and a hotel room.

One last paragraph - I started off with music, I'll end with music. For the most part I did listen to music while reading. That probably had an impact on my reading. Especially since I do not normally do that, like, ever. My point with this paragraph, though, was to note that there were 4 or 5 songs left when the book was over. As in I hadn't heard them. That wasn't because I read the book so fast, it was because I didn't always go and turn on the next music video when the last one ended.

January 27 2016

Whirlwind Romance by Kris Bryant

*I received this book from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in return for a fair review.*

Whirlwind Romance
by Kris Bryant
Pages: 240
Published Date: February 16 2016
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: N/A

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: January 26 2016

My first book by this author.

This was a strange one for one specific reason - I've been reading so many books lately wherein the author felt the need to tell the story through many many points of view. This one? Just one point of view. From Tristan 'Tris' Stark. I guess 'strange' isn't exactly the correct word to use there.

Characters
The book has just one point of view, so let's start with her:

Tristan 'Tris' Stark is a 28/29 year old woman who works as a storm chaser during the storm season, and a university professor during the fall semester. If I recall one conversation correctly, Tris works as a teacher during the fall semester, a storm chaser during the spring semester, then spends the summer going over the data/film/pictures recovered during the storm chasing season.

What storms are chased? Well anything really, but mostly tornadoes. She does live and work where tornadoes are quite common.

Tris has worked for the last six years as a storm chaser, the entire time (unless I missed something) with a short-haired woman who looks like a lesbian, named Hunter. That particular aspect, about how attractive to the same sex Hunter could be, is brought up once or twice (or more). She's not actually a lesbian though (nor bisexual, nor interested in anyone but her musician boyfriend).

I got side tracked there mentioning Hunter. I had only meant to say: Tris has worked the last six years as a storm chaser with Hunter. Several times in the book two other people are mentioned, their parts are so small that I will probably get their names wrong. I believe it's Adam and Ryan. Also, 'teams' gets mentioned. About how there are teams sent out under the grant Tris got (and then failed to secure for the next season - major plot point here). But I am uncertain how the team system works. Since they never interact as a team. There's even a passage wherein Tris asked what the plans were for this other two person storm chasing team was for that night, with the expectation that she wouldn't get any information about which direction they planned to go or anything like that. Then internal mention that the storm might go north or south. I kind of got confused here. Two teams. Storm might go north or south. But they don't expect to coordinate at all? Granted, maybe I was wrong, but the reason for my confusion is the simple fact that I thought Tris was talking with people from her own university - on her own extended team. I must have gotten that part wrong.

Hmms. I kind of ruined the 'characters' section, didn't I? Mmphs.

Tris - 28/29 (she has a birthday during the storm season). Storm chaser. University teacher ('relatively new' at that, and forced to teach the 'boring' classes). Works with a woman named Hunter. Tris, apparently, is the one in charge of getting funding - which is a major plot point for two reasons: (1) funding for next season, a grant, fell through and Tris blames herself greatly for this failure; (2) there are trust issues wrapped up in the funding, tied directly to a former girlfriend, Julie, who 'stole' research, about 4 years ago, and screwed Tris -- therefore Tris is kind of naturally distrustful of motives/etc. when it comes to women/girlfriends and funding.

Hunter is a storm chaser who works with Tris. Despite looking like a lesbian (apparently), she has a boyfriend back home. Boyfriend doesn't 'mind' too much that she's on the road during storm season because he himself is a musician and has to go out on the road.

Maddox is a dog, a pitbull mix (I believe). He doesn't have his own point of view or anything like that, nor does the story follow him as he runs around. I've included him because he is quite important to Tris, Hunter, and, to a certain extent, the story.

Kate Brighten is a graduate student at a rival university who Hunter and Tris bump into (along with Gage, her storm chasing partner) while at a . . um . . . I'd like to say 'gas station/truck stop/food place'. Kate seems kind of stand offish and not particularly interested in Tris. Though there are some mixed signals going on. Which I mention because Tris kind of drools over Kate. Finds it hard to pull her eyes off of her.

Gage is the man Kate is chasing storms with. He doesn't really have much scenery to chew, so to speak. He's just there so that there's a reason Kate is out and about chasing storms, then to suddenly need to disappear because of an accident to his girlfriend, so that Kate has to ride with Tris/Hunter/Maddox. Then, later, be shown to be dangerously wild and reckless. He doesn't really have much of a personality or character beyond being a pivot point for other characters and plot points to pivot off of.

Others: there are, in fact, other people in this book.

Plot
Tris, Hunter, and Maddox the dog are out driving around the midwest chasing storms. Getting caught in massive hail storms. Watching clouds to see if tornadoes form, watching radar. Etc. There is some exciting moments while this occurs.

While taking a break from driving, they pull into a rest area (I believe it's a gas station that has food, bathrooms, etc.). They bump into two other storm chasers, Kate and Gage. They interact, then all four go to dinner together (mostly because Tris wants to spend more time drooling over Kate).

Time passes but it isn't always possible to tell how much time has passed; at some point Tris and Hunter encounter Kate and Gage hurriedly rushing from a hotel (might have jumped the gun on conveying that 'time passing' part, since this might be the next morning). Gage had received a call that his girlfriend had been in an auto accident and he needs to get to her hospital. Unlike her normal attitude on having students in her car (isn't keen on the idea), Tris suggests that Kate ride with Hunter and herself until Gage can get back. Everyone agrees.

So, for two weeks or so, Kate, Hunter, Tris, and Maddox drive around chasing storms.

More or less immediately, the story turns. One night, Tris' birthday night to be exact, the not-very-talkative Kate follows Tris when Tris takes a break from the party. To get air. To walk Maddox. The 'story turns' part involves what happens next. Apparently Kate was, in fact, also attracted to Tris. Unlike herself, Tris finds herself in a rather public sexual situation out in a parking lot. So, yes, the story turns. From being one that follows storm chasers, to one that does that plus has lots and lots of sex.

Naturally, to continue the plot section, 'something' occurs to cause 'issues' with this budding romance. Time must pass before the relationship might move to the next level. If it can.

Romance
The romance in this book was between Tris, a woman of 28/29, and Kate, a woman of, if I recall correctly, 23. I might not recall the ages correctly. I liked how both were described out on the road. I . . um . . . lost my train of thought.

On the one hand, the romance isn't one I've seen, personally, a lot. It's quite possible that others have read stories like this numerous times and will be quite bored with it. But, for me personally, the romance was somewhat refreshing. Two women find that they are attracted to each other, they are in a difficult situation in that it is difficult to find alone time; and in that both are a long way from home in a 'roadtrip' type situation. Instead of just pining away, they actually do something (to a certain extent, that is somewhat the refreshing part; so many times I read something like this and they don't do anything . . . for hundreds of pages). On the other hand, they sure did things backwards. They were friendly-ish with each other first, true, but sex did come before a romantic relationship.

I'm not really sure what I'm trying to convey in this section. There was a romance, it involved Tris and Kate. Not that far apart in age, but 4 or 5 or 6 years is a biggish gap when you are in your twenties (well, see, I lifted that almost directly from the book, that concept). They both find the other attractive. They act on it. One has issues that keep them closed off more than they might otherwise be, while the other has trust issues that can be violated, and if violated will find it difficult to move past the feeling of broken trust.

Scenery/location
The book wasn't located in any one location - even when the storm chasing season was over, the activity still wasn't in the same location. Since Kate lived an hour and a half away from where Tris lived.

I did have a strong sense, most of the time, of being out on the road, of being in the storms, or near, of being next to farmlands, small towns, and the like. Quite well conveyed there.

I had a strongish sense of what Tris's house was like, and what Kate's apartment . . . well, that it . . hmms. I had a strong sense of what Tris' house was like. Kate's place, ah, it's coming back to me. Up scale. Amenities. Located so that the sound of the wind isn't as hearable. I had no sense of the location, the 'place' Tris' house was located. I mean, the town/city/rural area. Nor do I have any impression of what might surround Kate's apartment.

Not necessarily the most important thing in a story like this - more important that the time on the road conveyed what it needed to convey, which it did.

Overall
First off, in terms of the relationship, there were two cliches that popped up that seem to be used in romance books. I liked how they were used in this book here because they both seemed somewhat natural (to a certain extent) and weren't, in the case of the not actually mentioned storm related injuries, not used as a magical relationship cure. The two somewhat cliche like elements being miscommunication and I'm not actually sure what to call the second one (accidents? injuries/massive traumatic events that cause feelings to bounce around). The miscommunication here was more failure to communicate and was reasonable under the circumstances (I'm not sure if I should be purposely vague or not).

Right, so, now that I wrote a gibberish paragraph, let's move on. There was more sex than I expected. Having just one point of view was both somewhat refreshing, and somewhat limiting. Limiting in that I only had Tris view of Kate, and not Kate's own thoughts and desires. Though everything was conveyed quite well. Probably better, on one level, because I kind of ended up liking Kate, while my 'liking' for Tris was on a smaller level. Well, I liked both well enough.

In the end, I rather enjoyed the book and would give it a solid 4 stars (out of 5).

January 27 2016

Ask a Queer Chick: A Guide to Sex, Love, and Life for Girls Who Dig Girls by Lindsay King-Miller

Ask a Queer Chick: A Guide to Sex, Love, and Life for Girls Who Dig Girls
by Lindsay King-Miller
Pages: 256
Date: February 2 2016
Publisher: Plume
Series: N/A

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: January 23 to January 26 2016

*I received this book from NetGalley in return for a fair review.*

My first book by this author. This is not my first LGBT nonfiction that I’ve read, but it is the first that I’ve read that is about current events. Well, no, I read that book about . . . okay, let me rephrase. This is the first LGBT nonfiction book about that appears to have been written from the millennial generation perspective.

I’m not actually sure if the book is from that perspective, especially since the author information is empty on GoodReads, but it certainly appeared to be from a millennial generation perspective.

Right so: a) No, I’ve never read the online version of ‘Ask a Queer Chick’ advice column; b) I’ve forgotten what b is; c) b might have been: this is a nonfiction book, I do not have a ‘set’ way to review nonfiction books, nor have a method to rate nonfiction books. I shall now stumble through some thoughts and hopefully they will be helpful to others.

There are certain reoccurring formatting errors that pop up in this book. I assume that this is because I’m reading an uncorrected proof, or an ARC, or whatever words work here, and therefore do not, in any way, add or subtract ‘points’ because of those errors. Many of which involve words running together. As in I’meatingsomecheesenow. I do not hold the author or book accountable for these specific issues.

This book is a nonfiction work written by the advice columnist at The Hairpin who writes a column, as you might suspect, called ‘Ask a Queer Chick’. The column is for, well anyone I suppose, who has questions regarding the queer women (which, and this is stressed, includes those women who are, in one shape or form, transgender (which is how discussions about penis-in-vagina got into the book, I assume); it is stressed, also, though that the author of the book is not an expert on transgender issues). The author herself is, and she has called herself several things over the years, a bisexual queer married woman. I suppose it may be of importance, since I noted the bisexual part, to note that she is married to a woman.

The book, like the column, is basically for anyone. Specifically designed for bi/queer/lesbian women, but there’s a chapter for ‘friends of/adjacent/family/etc’ who wish to learn more about what they should know.

The book is not set up in a question and answer format, but in a more narrative form – written based on questions the author had received (and, presumably, answered), plus conversations she has had with transgender people.

The book is quite informative. While it might drag near the end, and be oddly fixated on certain issues, it still was quite informative and actually quite fun to read.

The book opens with, well, let me just follow the table of contents and include some of my own words under the headings:
Introduction: How Do You Know You’re a Queer Chick?
- This book is for everyone. Though specifically geared for those who are girls who like girls. Girls includes those who might have been born in a body designated differently than they, the person inhabiting the body, believe it should have been designated. As long as they like girls. Trans-issues, though, are not a subject the author is an authority on.

Chapter 1: Coming Out
- An interesting examination of when to come out, how to come out, various methods (one-on-one; social media; hand written letters; etc.); and how bisexual women will routinely have to keep coming out over and over again, to the same people.

Chapter 2: Of Mullets and Motorcycles: Your Guide to the Subculture
- While getting a ‘lesbian’ haircut is something like a rite of passage (and getting the shortest haircut you can force yourself to get at least once in your life), get the hair that ‘works’ for you instead of stressing about whether or not ‘your hair’ is ‘queer enough’.

Chapter 3: Don’t Stare at Her Rack Too Much, and Other Advice on Dating
- Be aware that people are people. They are individuals. If you see someone who looks like they have modeled themselves on the most stereotypical representation of butch women that does not mean that they themselves are stereotypes. Maybe the woman you are looking at, regardless of how they look, likes to cook, doesn’t like to cook, likes to work on car engines, likes to ride Harleys, likes . . . etc. People are people. Don’t assume.

Chapter 4: But What Can Two Girls Do?: Your Guide to Queer Sex.
- Lots and lots of stuff. Including fisting. There’s a graphic description of how to fist another woman included in this book, free of charge.
- Most importantly, though, don’t ‘assume’ that what you see in porn is what two ‘real’ queer women do with each other, nor assume that just because something like scissoring can start fist-fights in bars, that there aren’t, in fact, some real queer women who just love to engage in scissoring.
- Do what you like. Communication is super important.

Chapter 5: A Queer Chick’s Guide to Heartbreak
- Hmms. What do I recall? Everyone will have their heart broken at some point in their lives, don’t hide yourself away fearing this issue.

Chapter 6: Bi Any Means Necessary: Notes on Non-Monosexuality
- Bisexuality (or whichever word you choose, pansexual, etc.) is real. It is not a privilege (i.e., there’s a believe that bisexual people have the privilege, the bisexual privilege, of being able to ‘chose’ to be with a person of the opposite gender and therefore ‘pretend’ to be ‘normal’. This is not actually a privilege, and is in fact something of a burden. Bisexuality is real. Just because that, sometimes, might result in a man and a woman dating, does not mean that the person who is bisexual is not still queer/a member/part of LGBTIA. That’s what the B in LGBTIA stands for. Bisexual.

Chapter 7: I’m Not Gay, but My Sister Is: Advice for Straight People
- Here are some terms to use, mostly in general. If the person who you are speaking with has told you the terms they like to be referred to as, then use those terms with them. If you over hear them using terms which are and/or can be slurs or the like, don’t use them yourself.
- If you suspect someone is queer, do not confront them. Let them tell you when they wish to tell you.
- If you see/over hear someone making slurs, or the like, being bigoted, stand up for queer people. Don’t let them get away with it. If it is someone you cannot ‘cut from your life’ then just let them know that what they are saying isn’t ‘okay’ with you, and redirect conversation elsewhere.
- The A in LGBTIA does not stand for Alley. Despite the previous point, it isn’t your fight. You can help, but you are in no position to say/argue/demand that someone that actually is LGBTIA follow what you have learned. A, by the way, stands for asexual (it also stands for other things, but in this specific instance, the author says it stands for Asexual, not alley).
- Oh, and, the LGBTIA person is not obligated to teach you stuff. Do your own research.

Chapter 8: Haters Gonna Hate: Dealing with Discrimination
- Regardless of what you might wish, or how the world currently is ‘evolving’ (not a word actually used in the book, I don’t think), some people are just incapable of ‘accepting’. They are going to hate. You, the LGBTIA person, are not obligated to teach them.

Chapter 9: If You Liked It, Then You Should Have Put a Ring on It: Marriage
- Marriage is very important. There are, if I recall the number right . . I can’t, okay, there’s some organization that said that there are something like 116 legal benefits for two people getting married.
- Despite the win in the Supreme Court, there are still states wherein two queer people cannot currently marry, legally. Though, because of the Supreme Court, their marriage elsewhere has to be respected.
- Marriage equality is/was/and will be important, but it’s not the only thing out there that needs to be addressed. Nor is it really that important, it’s importance is kind of minor, compared to other issues. (This is one of the times, of several, wherein the author kind of got fixated on certain things. One moment marriage is super important, the next it is/was of minor importance; now it’s back to being super important; yo-yo; main point, though, was that there are more issues out there that need to be addressed, like the statistically large number of health, education, and other issues that queer people face).

Chapter 10: It’s Not Good Enough Until It’s Amazing
- Don’t settle

This is an interesting and informative book. There were certain points where I felt like the millennial point of view is more important than my own (see: terms to be used and comments made on how older people need to inform themselves about what words now mean inside the community). But those were just passing thoughts.

I’d recommend the book to others, inside and outside the LGBTIA community, especially if they happen to be a queer woman and/or know one; and or wish to date one.

I’ll end with my favorite quote from the book:
'The first rule of Bi Club is that you can talk about Bi Club all you want, because most people won't believe it's real anyway.'

January 26 2016

Intermission by J.A. Armstrong

Intermission
by J.A. Armstrong
Pages: 97
Date: January 15 2016
Publisher: Self
Series: Off Screen (Sixth in series)

Review
Rating: 3.7 out of 5.0 stars
Read: January 26 2016

Most of this story I read it thinking that I'd probably give this closer to 3 stars than anything else. There were certain moments that annoyed me, a certain lack of communication (though I jumped the gun, somewhat, with my irritation there), a certain overly emotional set of circumstances, and then two sex scenes that I was rather not in the mood for.

Everything else, though, the family, the show, 'stuff', was good enough to pull everything together. To make this another good short work in the series. The sixth in this particular run. My, I believe, 13th tale that I've read by Armstrong.

I close with two thoughts - I notice this story is titled 'Intermission', and that implies certain things; while at the same time this story doesn't end with some comment about the story continuing next in 'insert title of story here' or any other indication of continuation. I know By Design has at least one more story, since that one ended with a 'continued in' comment, and think I saw the same at the end of the second story in Special Delivery, but this might be the closing chapter in Off Screen. Is sad, that.

January 26 2016

Wonder City Stories by Jude McLaughlin

Wonder City Stories
by Jude McLaughlin
Pages: 299
Published Date: November 29 2015
Publisher: Self
Series: Wonder City Stories

Review
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Read: January 24 2016

*I received this book from NetGalley in return for a fair review.*

My first book by this author.

This is one of those books that I randomly ran across, wasn’t sure exactly what it was about, but it looked interesting enough, so I tried it. I mention that because by the 1/3rd mark, or maybe half way mark, I still wasn’t sure what exactly I was reading. A slice of life/coming of age/ending years/mixture of this and that. What I did find, though, that it wasn’t a Romance (capital R romance), though there are/were romances that occurred within the pages.

Characters
Before I dive into the many and varied cast of characters, I’d like to point out two things: (1) this book is a ensemble type of story, a cast of various characters, with no one character being the main (though one has a greater impact on the plot than others); (2) take a look at the cover, you see four people on it – there are, in fact, four point of views in this book (Megan Amazon, Nereid, Suzanne, Ira). Though those four points of view are not the only important people, or even the most important people in the book; they just happen to be the ‘point of view’ that some of the story leaks through.

The character that acts something like a domino effect, or her appearance in the city acts like . . . I’ve lost this already. Heh.

Megan Amazon is the first point of view encountered in the book, and the one that leads to much else that occurs. She’s just short of 8 feet tall, by about ½ inch, though she’s referred to at various times as being a 9 footer. The book opens with her just arriving in Wonder City with her huge backpack and her vague plans to get away from her ex, and intermix with other paras. Her first move, upon arrival, is to go up to one of the two tallest buildings in the city and leap off.

Well her story ended quickly, then there’s . . . heh, no, this be a Superhero Prose novel. Her leap off the building was neither a suicide attempt, nor take off for someone who can fly. Because she can’t fly. She’s something of a plummeter, though (at the top the people up there are asked if they are jumpers or flyers; she says she’s a jumper, later says she is more of a plummeter).

While falling she spots a woman nonchalantly walking right in Megan’s arrival zone. Megan starts screaming. Eventually, Megan impacts the ground. First she’s happy to determine that there does not appear to be anyone under her (though she’s not sure how that occurred). Second she’s happy that she isn’t injured. In certain pain, but not injured. That woman? That would be Nereid.

Before moving on – Megan Amazon is the daughter of ‘The Amazon’ (yes that comes up a lot in the book), is roughly 8 feet tall, is invulnerable (not indestructible; she kind of gets injured a lot), is something of a player and is pansexual (at one point she noted that she liked men, women, AI’s, cyborgs, aliens . . . ). Has an undergraduate degree in Psychology. Her age, if given it flew over my head, is not stated. I’d say that she’s roughly 23 to 26 years of age. Is, because that also plays a minor part in the story, biracial (though she doesn’t know who her father is, so doesn’t know what mix she is).

I’d do a ‘through Megan we meet’ type of paragraph, but she kind of meets everyone so it’s kind of a difficult paragraph.

Nereid is a young woman who is both attending college and is a member of a superhero team. She’s somewhere between 19 and 23, I assume. Like Megan, Nereid is also ‘Spandex Spawn’. That’s a term that comes up in the book for someone who is the off-spring of superheroes. Unlike Megan, Nereid followed her parents into the ‘Spandex set’. She’s a member of the Young Cosmics. A group that appears to be known in the superhero community, rightly or not, as a ‘Queer’ group (oh, and the group that is filled with spandex spawn). They are also a bunch of assholes, dicks, and bullies, with some exceptions including Nereid, so don’t take that ‘Queer’ thing as something like a badge of honor.

Nereid has the ability to teleport, but only if she believes her life is in danger. She kind of gets soaking wet when that occurs, when she teleports. Also she appears to have some ability to control water. Her sexual orientation, and yes it matters to the story, is somewhat up in the air. Apparently bisexual, though she has, up to this point (beginning of book), not exactly accepted the fact that she might actually like women. Nereid is also one of the four points of view.

Through Nereid the reader meets the other members of Young Cosmics, specifically and importantly the cyborg Citizen Pain (I think that’s his name), and Brainchild (Sophie).

Suzanne is the daughter-in-law of Ira, and the wife of Ira’s son Josh. Seemingly moments after Suzanne mentioned to Josh that she wanted a divorce, he slips into a coma. She’s been trapped next to his side for the last ten hellish years. She’s roughly . . . 35 to 45.

Ira is an older fella of roughly 70 to 80 years of age. He is a retired superhero who works at a local Y (I’ve forgotten what the letter are, YMPA? YPA? Basically a YMCA for paranormals). He pins for his missing wife, Tin Lizzie, though no one knows who that might be. Apparently there was this time loop type of situation that messed with things. Now he has two ex-wives and his love of his life, Tin Lizzie, no longer exists. Meanwhile his son is trapped in a coma. Oh, and he is somewhat blind, and because he has a certain invulnerability, his cataracts can’t be treated. Life is swell, eh?

Point of view characters are not the only ones who are important in this story. Many others appear, some more important than some of the point of view characters.

Simon Canis is the son of Professor Canis, superhero scientist type, and works in a coffee shop. Simon, his mother, and his siblings are something like werewolves, though that word is never used. More like shifters who can shift into wolf/puppy/dog like creatures on all fours. So Simon is also of the spandex spawn set. Though scoffs at the idea of . . . um . . . pulling on spandex himself? Something like that.

His friend, from before the start of the book, is Nereid. Once the action in the book gets going, he develops a new friendship with Megan Amazon. And later meets a much older lady whose name is something like Suzanne.

I do not know his age range. One thing is important in the story, to the overall plot, though I’m not sure how to note it. I’m not sure if it’s something that would be spoiler-y or not. Hmms. Simon, as Megan puts it, is queer. He is also a man who appears to like women. Though there’s at least one scene where he flirts with men. Also, some people, well at least one, have trouble using the he pronoun when referring to him.

Plot
Right. I almost did this in the character section then stopped myself. Okay then – Everything seems to occur because Megan Amazon happened to arrive in the city. Everything appears to be oddly interlinked. This book is like a fictional blueprint for the importance of networking.

Megan arrives in the city, goes up to the top of a high building, leaps off, lands almost on Nereid. Nereid, feeling guilty for being there, begs Megan to allow her to buy her coffee. Megan somewhat reluctantly agrees. At the coffee shop she meets another character of importance, one Simon Canis (I think that’s his last name). Simon and Megan will become friends/date. Simon is already friends with Nereid. Through Nereid, Megan gets directions to the Y. Immediately upon arrival at the Y she meets an older fella named Ira. Ira, when it comes up, directs Megan to a specific diner owned and operated by Flo and Ebbe (parents of Nereid, though that isn’t known to Megan at the time). When it comes up, Flo directs Megan towards her first job. Through that job she meets Tzemit(sp?) who she then introduces to Simon’s mother for a potential lab job. When things get mafia-like, Megan looks for another job. And another place to live. Simon directs Megan to a specific place to live (this actually occurred sometime before the new job issue came up). Through living there Megan meets the foreman of a construction company, Jack Hammer (where-upon she meets the CEO, Ultimate, who just happens to be the surrogate parent (that might not be the correct phrase) to Brainchild, who is on the same young heroes team Nereid is on (the link on the two is important). Um. My brain kind of froze over. Suzanne gets linked in through Simon (and Ira, what with being Ira’s daughter-in-law).

So, right. There is a lot of interlinking going on here. And I haven’t even linked in G and some others yet. Just know that there are others linked in.

So, the plot is basically: in an effort to get away from a really bad situation involving an abusive stalker ex, Megan heads to Wonder City. There are several reasons why she went there specifically. One, the one she tells others, involves how her mother used to live there. The one she tells still others, and kind of means more, is that it is something like therapy, to surround herself with other paras – who she kind of fears and distrusts.

While in Wonder City, Megan bumps into several other people who she does not actually interact with as much as I kind of expected. She first bumps into Nereid. Nereid is a member of a superhero team called Young Cosmics[sp?]. Her story, with that team, and somewhat in general (romance, life, etc), flows through her point of view.

Megan also bumps into Ira. Ira is a retired superhero with a son in a coma. His story, the story of an old fella in the last years of his life, is told through his point of view.

The fourth point of view is that of Suzanne. Her story, of being trapped in a ten year hellish existence next to a man she kind of hates, though is trapped in a coma, so she can’t extract herself without burning bridges she doesn’t want to burn, is told through her point of view.

Romance
This is not a romance book, though romance occurs in it. A certain amount. Some seen, some unseen but mentioned. When I went into the book thinking this might be a romance book, I suspected the two people who meet in the beginning of the book would have a much closer connection than they did. Nereid, though, is more of a stepping stone for Megan to meet others. They appear to end up as barely acquaintances.

Let’s see, there’s . . . well, I can’t even really say anything without going into spoiler territory, so let’s just say that there are people, they may or may not hook up, and stuff.

Scenery/Location
At times I had kind of a strong impression of this city and its surroundings, especially when architect G was showing Megan around the city. Both the ugly buildings, and her favorite part of the city. Mostly, though, I didn’t exactly have a huge strong impression of everything. Heck, there are times when people are in cars going to or from places and it’d take me a moment to realize that I knew where they were going/leaving (like, several times people head to a manor, or away from a manor, took me a moment to realize that they were talking about the place Megan lived).

Overall
I rather liked this book. A lot of moving pieces which took awhile to come together, but there actually was a rather interesting interlinked underlying plot-line that was going on. I’d probably rate it somewhere around 4.5 stars out of 5.0. There is nothing inherently ‘bad’ or wrong with it that I can point to; nor do I have a feeling that there is something I can’t point to. In a way, I think the biggest negative is also one of the biggest positives – how busy it is, how many people are weaving in and out of the story. Both a positive and a negative, that.

January 25 2016

Switcheroo by Aaron Elkins

*I received this book from NetGalley in return for a fair review.*

Switcheroo
by Aaron Elkins
Pages: 273
Date: February 16 2016
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Series: Gideon Oliver (18th in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: January 21 to 22 2016

My 22nd solo author book by Aaron Elkins (not counting the six I read that he wrote with his wife). And 18th Gideon Oliver book.

Characters
I'll start off by noting something that troubled me at the beginning. Well, the beginning of the Gideon section. This is a series that began some time around 1982. There is a seemingly big point made about how Gideon Oliver is 42 in this book (or was it 43? one or the other). Reinforced when it is mentioned that his FBI buddy is only one year older. I have some vague idea that both were in that first book, but I could be mistaken.

Fellowship of Fear being that first book. That book appeared 34 years ago. Which means that Gideon Oliver would have been 8 years old in this first book. 8. Or at least the Gideon Oliver in Switcheroo would have been. The Gideon Olvier in that first book was not, in fact, 8.

It is true that there are series wherein the character might age during the run of the series, but at an altered rate. A rate wherein the character, over a 30 year period, might age about . . . oh, 5, 10 years. I understand that fact. There are also series where the character never ages. At all. It is just . . . I kind of wanted to enter this specific book with an older man, distinguished, respected, experienced. By making him 42 instead of, say, 52 (which still wouldn't work with a series that has been out for 34 years, but still . . .), it kind of undercuts everything that came before.

I do not mean to harp on this specific issue. It just . . . bugged me. Somewhere along the way, though, I allowed myself to take the current series number, 18, divide it by half, and pretend that the series books are about 6 months apart chronologically. Meaning that only 9 years passed from first book to 18th book. Meaning, that 42 might actually work. With that out of the way, I moved past this age issue and continued. (One last point, and probably the real reason I went so deep into this issue - I've been reading this series for 26 or so years. To find a guy who was a huge number of years older than me when I started the series, and then find this same man appear in a book at roughly the same age as I am now . . . to find myself in this situation, was kind of horrifying, truthfully).

Right. Other than age, everyone who is a regular, Julie the wife, John the FBI friend, Gideon Oliver the skeleton detective, all operated within the parameters previously set for these series regulars. Nice and comfortable, in its way. No one grew over the course of the book, no one expanded. Just . . . there. Like a comfortable rock.

The others were detailed enough for their roles. I kind of wonder what it might have been like if Elkins had written more stand alone novels, because some of these 'other' characters he created actually showed some rather neat deeper than expected characterization. Well, at least the ones who were in the beginning of the book.

Mystery/plot
To start with - the book opens in 1940 with some characters wandering around the English Channel Island of Jersey. Stressing, mightily, over the fact that 'Winnie' has given up the islands to the Germans. Winnie being Churchill. The troops have been removed. The islands are left for the Germans to swoop in and take if they want. And they do want.

Apparently the idea of removing civilians hadn't really been a consideration. Until it was. But in a really hurried way. Announcement came, people had to decide basically immediately if they would leave the island. And one specific family found themselves in a tricky situation. One of the richest people on the island, a Howard Carlisle, if I recall correctly, felt it was his duty to stay his post. Until . . . he remembered his very sickly son. But he remembered too late. After efforts to get his family off the island after registration had closed, Carlisle turned to his brother-in-law. And made a deal. They'd swap kids. Skinner's kid was quite healthy, while his own was sickly. His own wouldn't last an occupation, while George, the Skinner kid, would. So swap.

Book then jumps five years later to 1945 when the Skinner family returned to Jersey island. Then time passed through several news articles, news articles mentioning some issues involving the Roddy Carlisle (that young sickly son) and George Skinner (and a third guy). Then mention of George's death. Then mention of Roddy's body being found. This being roughly 1964 or so.

Book then leaps forward to 2015 to Gideon Oliver and his wife Julie (and friend John) in Spain. As somewhat usual with these types of books, specifically meaning Oliver books, Gideon is at a conference. He is a student, though, and therefore very bored.

An old friend bumps into Gideon, they get to talking, and Rafe Carlisle invites Gideon to come to Jersey to look at some old bones. There is this murder mystery to be solved, a really old one. Gideon jumps at the chance.

And so, Gideon looks at some bones. Julie wanders the island playing tourist. John does . . . um . . . whatever it is John does (seemingly eat everything around him, since he is away from his wife).

The mystery is actually quite interesting. Difficult to mention completely without going into spoiler territory, but there are some things I can mention. In the 1960s, the Carlisle paving company was doing quite well. Then, suddenly, it was found out that some of this success was made through corruption. Plus, there's this embezzlement plot. Charges are going to be brought against two men. When, poof, one of the two men is dead. George Skinner. Suspicion turns to Roddy Carlisle and another man, a really smart fella with maths. Then, five years later, bones are found in the Carlisle tar pits. The police, at the time, decide that it's the two missing men.

This is the mystery Gideon is asked to look into. He goes into it after first noting that there might not be anything he can find out. He is just applying modern forensic science to some bones. Science that didn't exist in the '60s. As kind of expected, he finds more than he personally thought he would, and suddenly causes a chain of events to unfold and shock and aw all.

Overall
I'm rather glad I saw this book on NetGalley. While it is true that I have read every Gideon Oliver book Elkins has put out, and most of his other books as well, it is also true that I haven't exactly enjoyed many of the later Oliver books. And the most recent book I had read by Elkins, A Dangerous Talent, I only gave two stars to. Sure, that's not an Oliver book, but the last bunch of those I gave no more than 3 stars to.

So, again, I'm glad I saw this book on NetGalley. Because I probably would have figured I was done with Elkins. But I did see it on there. And so I took a chance on the book and am quite happy that I did. Because this is actually a rather good book. A four star (out of 5) book.

January 22 2016

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 4: Last Days by G. Willow Wilson (Author), Adrian Alphona (Illustrator)

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 4: Last Days (Ms. Marvel (Marvel NOW!) #4)
by G. Willow Wilson (Goodreads Author), Adrian Alphona (Illustrator)
Pages: 120
Date: December 1 2015
Publisher: Marvel
Series: Ms. Marvel (4th in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: January 21 2016

This is the last Marvel title I'm currently reading. It's not like I have a long history with reading Marvel or comics in general. Marvel is one of the last ones I tried though. All of this, I'm sure, is exciting to read.

So, 16 year old Ms. Marvel is depressed and, naturally, over eating hot dogs. On a pier in her home town of Jersey City. She's depressed because her boyfriend turned out to be evil. As in supervillain want-to-be evil. Suddenly hordes of people start screaming and running past. Something is going on in Manhattan. Ms. Marvel hurriedly investigates. Finds a planet hovering over Manhattan. Yes, a planet.

It's connected, somehow or another, to some story line I'm not paying any attention to. See, my mentioning of the fact that this is the last Marvel title I'm reading did have purpose. I'm completely out of it when it comes to what's going on in the Marvel universe.

Well it's . . . um . . . no idea. Only plays an indirect role in this story. Indirect in that it has a connection - everyone is running around afraid that the world is coming to an end, and/or zombies apocalypse is about to start. But what the planet is? What’s going on over in Manhattan? Not directly important to this story.

This story is about that evil ex-boyfriend taking the end of the world as an opportunity to try to get in good graces with his old boss. By kidnapping Ms. Marvel’s brother and spraying him with mist. And thereby unleashing his inner superpowers. Also the story is about coming to the realization that the world is coming to an end and this is the last chance for everyone to express themselves. And stuff.

Interesting enough storyline, I suppose. Every time I read one of these volumes I suspect I won’t continue, but do continue anyway. We’ll just have to see, won’t we, eh?

January 21 2016

Totally Worth It by Maggie Cummings

*I received this book from NetGalley in return for a fair review.*

Totally Worth It
by Maggie Cummings
Pages: 250
Date: 2015
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Bay West (as stated in this first book published by the author)

Review Rating: 3.65 out of 5.0
Read: January 19 2015

This is the first book I've read by this author.

The last review I did I said something I have to say this time as well, ironically, or not, or the opposite reason. Fair warning, but I appear to be an outlier with this book. What with how I ended up, rating wise, at least, compared to everyone else who has read this book.

Characters
There are two main points of view plus moments when a third point of view pops up sparringly every once in a while.

Meg McTiernan worked for a specific company for a number of years as an administrative assistant while attending night classes to get a college degree. She then went off and got an MBA at Wharton business school. Paid for by her company. To which she returned as a business consultant.

The book opens with her moving into a special kind of community on Staton Island, in New York. Bay West, a lesbian community. At the same time she's relatively nervous about starting her new position at her old company. Also, she just broke up with her longish term girlfriend of several years (2? 3? I know there were 2 years that involved Meg knowing Becca wasn't really into her, but I forget if there were more years before that).

She's smart, hard charging, and eager to develop new friends, and explore relationship possibilities. Her old friends, baring one who lives far away (California), were actually Becca's friends, so naturally they are no longer hers. So she needs a new group. Especially since she's found that lesbian bars/meeting places are not like the movies. Go there by yourself/single, and there isn't a woman who will instantly pounce on you. Instead, you are something of a reject.

While moving in, that day and the next that is, Meg runs into two people of the Bay West Community. First is Lexi Russo, her next door neighbor. Lexi helps Meg figure out what keys are while Meg just kind of stares at her door. It's her first new home, that she owns, doesn't rent. She's in a kind of shock state. Lexi's nudge allows her to actually enter her place. Second, I believe the next day, is a meeting with Jesse Ducane. They have a friendly little meeting. Though for the life of me I can't exactly recall what all occurred during the meeting. Just that it was as super quick as her meeting with Lexi, and that afterwads Meg feels like a loser because her second opportunity to make a friend in Bay West ended with her missing her chance.

Lexi Russo lives in the townhouse next door to Meg McTiernan, and across the street from Jesse Ducane. Two things to note immediately - Meg has drooled, maybe literally, maybe not, over Jesse for years. She's just absolutely fascinated with her. So much so that Lexi's best friend, Sam, makes a joke at some point about how Lexi directed her career just so she could get a job at Jesse's work place. Which is the second thing to note, in a week or so, law student Lexi will be interning at Jesse's law office.

Hi, my name is Lexxi, I have a law degree. I live in New York. In he area the people in this book seem to go to for a good time, instead of staying in this magical land of lesbians, i.e., Brooklyn. I say all this so I can next say that I kind of don't like Lexi. The Lexi Russo of this book. Who lives on Staten Island.

Why do I feel this way? Many reasons. I'll just note that Lexi is a sweet good natured woman who lusts over a much older woman. No, that's not my problem. My problem is the combination of that plus her kind of causally accepting the advances of a woman who lusts over her. There's this Julie, see, who is a renter (there's a section of Bay West where the 'renters' live, literally, the rent, hence 'renters'; they tend to be closer to Lexi and Sam's age, so they tend to try to get wander near to them to get them to notice the two of them so they can join their parties). Sam and Lexi (and Meg, she's along too), meet up with a gaggle of renters (a gaggle is a thing, right?) at a bar in Brooklyn. You live in a lesbian mecca, but you go to Brooklyn to party. hmms. By the way, I've been to every bloody borough of NY except one. Staten Island. Because it's so bloody difficult to get to and from there. You basically have to do what the people in this book do - drive. It's one thing to decide to live in the most suburban of the boroughs, but to then drive into Brooklyn? Or Manhatten? Bypassing the massive subway and bus system . . . okay, I got all annoyed there, sorry.

Obviously I got annoyed. Let me back track. Lexi is a sweet young woman of 24 (I believe) who lusts over a woman of 36 (at one point there is a comment that Lexi is 24, another that Meg is 26, another that Lexi is 12 years younger than Jesse, and yet another that Meg and Jesse are "exactly" 9 years apart; my math skills cannot make this work). While lusting over this woman, Lexi joins that woman's law firm. Just to be closer to her (you know, closer than living across the street). At the same time there's this renter named Julie who gushes to Sam about how much she just lusts over that runner (I'm wording this wrong, I'm sure, point being Julie lusts after Lexi). Lexi is happy to get into a relationship with Julie. She's kind of a bitch about it though, by accident. Because she keeps fucking up their dates. Again I'm wording this badly, because it gives the wrong impression. Julie and Lexi date for a really long time. It's not one or two failed dates messed up by Lexi getting distracted by her lust over Jesse. It's . . .. Well, let me just stop and just say that there are moments I don't really like Lexi.

Jesse Ducane is a high powered lawyer with her own law firm. She's 36 years old. She lives across the street from both Lexi and Meg. There is at least two passages where her point of view comes to the forefront in this book.

Plot
Meg moves into her very first home that she owns heself. She initially meets two women in Bay West but so briefly that she isn't able to immediately make them her friends. She then spends the next, oh, many weeks very very busy at work, so much so that her townhouse is filled with boxes. She just doesn't have the time to unpack. Meanwhile she flirts with people.

Lexi dates Julie. Works, indirectly, then directly, for Jesse. Lusts after Jesse.

Lots of action at bars. And community parties. And . . . stuff. I'm being kind of rambling because I really don't know what to put here. It's a slice of life type plot inserted into a romance novel that has more than one point of view.

Romance
I spent the majority of this book thinking two things: (1) who the bloody hell is the couple in this book; (2) please don't let it be Lexi and Meg, please don't let it be Lexi and Meg.

The romance consisted of randomish hook-ups (deeper connections than that implies, but close enough for me to use that phrase) mixed with deep layers of miscommunciations.

Overall
On one level I enjoyed reading about a lesbian community in the same city I happen to live in. On another level I was somewhat frustrated trying to figure out where the romance was that I was supposd to be on the look-out for.

Despite some of the things I say along the way, I actually did like most of the people, at least those who had enough substance for me to get a handle on them. Even Lexi is likable. Just very immature.

In the end I'd give this book a rating of, say, exactly 3.65 out of 5.0 stars.

January 19 2016