Cinder Ella by S.T. Lynn

Cinder Ella
by S.T. Lynn
Pages: 62
Date: June 24 2016
Publisher: LoveLight Press
Series: None

Review
Rating: 2.75 out of 5.0
Read: June 29 2016

I went into this story hoping/expecting to love it. Or at the very least like it. I found that hard to do. Unlike the most recent ‘fairy tale retold’ I had read, I had not previously read the original story. Though I have read numerous ‘retellings’ (one or more of which have been adult in nature).

There were several flaws I thought of while reading. 1) Gender – time period; 2) magic; 3) drag queen personality.

Gender: Ella was born in the body of a boy that his dad called Cole (not sure if mother was involved in the name at all, since she died while giving birth to Cole/Ella). I have no inherent problem with Ella having been born a boy, nor with ‘Cole’ realizing that they are actually ‘Ella’. No, I had a problem with the situation as presented. I mean, there is a reason why Cinderella ended up basically being a servant in the origin story.

Mother died giving birth to Cole/Ella. Dad remarries. Woman he marries has two children from a previous . . . situation (whatever that situation might have been; I was going to say previous marriage, but I have no information indicating that the woman had ever been married before except for the fact that she has children, and the fact that being unmarried with children in this time period (assuming this is still marginally historical fiction) ‘just isn’t done’ (or, in other words, it would be a scandal hovering over her head even after marrying Ella’s father). Father dies. And . . . um. Now we get into the interesting little bit about how Ella was born a boy named Cole. Or, in other words, Ella’s father had a son in terms of inheritance laws. In the time period this story is apparently set, the son would inherit, potentially everything – sometimes with a token given to the widow, sometimes nothing but some form of ‘live-inheritance’, or sometimes nothing. So why is Ella living in her step-mother’s house? Here I should be using the birth body gender, eh? Why is the son living without any inheritance in the step-mother’s house? This . . . doesn’t compute. So, that’s the gender issue.

Magic: I’ve not read the origin story, I note again here, so that I can say that I do not know the level of magic in it. I do know the retellings, though. The level of magic is on a par above the level shown here. The level shown here? About on the level of a magician. Some elements might be hard to ‘figure out’ how a magician did it (like the larger than expected tailor cart), but then how does a magician make the statue of liberty disappear? Roses grew much faster than expected in this story. Without blinking Ella just assumed that the land was fae enhanced land. Me? I just went with it – fae enhanced land. Though technically a magician could have done it by sleight of hand. Mini-rose bush planted. Ella disappears for a time (sleep, etc). Comes back, sees full grown rose bush, the kind that looks like it has been there for years. Could a magician do that? Of course – while Ella is distracted, plant a full grown rose bush (yeah, it is the exact same type of hybrid roses she planted that her father created, but just because she thinks it might be unique doesn’t mean it really is unique).

I expected certain things when I went into this story. I expected Ella to actually be transformed by her fairy godmother into a woman. The book description kind of even says something like that. Rereading the description, okay, it didn’t actually say that. I misread ‘transforms Ella’s life’ as ‘transforms Ella’. Meh. It is a fairy godmother story. They big powerful critters. Transforming woman trapped in the body of a man into that of a woman in the body of a woman? Child’s play. Instead the fairy godmother gives Ella a dress. And . . . that’s basically it (at least in terms of helping her get to the party – I expected the step-family to laugh at Ella and not allow her to go; which would have lead fairy godmother to step in and transform Ella, and her doggy also. She’d ride on the back of her dog slash horse and visit the party. Then flee when the clock chimes (that also isn’t how she exited the party, time was not an issue here).

So. Basically Ella is someone with a male body who wears a dress and make-up. No mention is made of transforming her voice in any way – which I mention because two of the people she meets at the big ball had previously meet Ella when Ella was bouncing around as Cole. No mention was made of Cole sounding like he had an effeminate voice, and no mention was made of Ella (a) sounding like Cole; or (b) sounding like she might have a deeper voice than expected.

I feel annoyed. I wanted Ella to be transformed.

drag queen personality: this one has nothing to do with gender, or the like. And everything to do with personalities. Drag Queens, real ones, can be straight, gay, bisexual, and even transgender (I know of several who have transitioned; though I mostly know of the one Drag King who transitioned but still performed, at times, to give back to the community who helped him come to the realization that he was transgender). No, this is personality/level/emotion/etc.

The person in the film ‘Crying Game’ was not a Drag Queen. I’m not actually sure where Jaye falls in real life or in the film. But Jaye, as Dil in the film, wandered around looking like a woman and presenting as a woman (who just happens to have a dick, if, you know, you got Jaye/Dil’s skirt off). There are some drag queens you have to look several times before you realize that they are in fact drag queens. By looks. By personality? More or less immediate – both types of Drag – king and queen, are something like caricatures of the gender they are performing as – on purpose they are.

And so I come to Ella’s personality in this story. She has kind of a caricatured female personality. A stereotypical personality. Overly emotional. Unable to stop the tears. Etc. Obviously that must mean Cole is really Ella, right, because men don’t cry or something like that? Well, just for the record (1) not all women are caricatures of women; (2) not all MtoF are caricatures of women (though I understand that there is something of a conflict in the community – like a relatively recent reality show had a contestant booted because she wore boxer shorts and ‘obviously’ ‘real women’ didn’t wear boxers (WTF?). Point being that I acknowledge that some MtoF (and some FtoM) ‘overplay’ their roles). Well, Ella overplays her role here (For most of the story; when she was off by herself growing things and making bread, she settled down to being more of a woman and less of a caricature).

I liked the magical elements of the other retellings I’ve read/seen. This story seemed to lack it; to replace it with extra extra harsh step-mother/sisters. And a magician slash tailor. That is/was unfortunate.

At the moment I rate this somewhere around 2.75 or 2.5. Meaning I might bump this to 3 stars on GoodReads at any moment. It might even have been a 3.5-3.75 (4 on GoodReads) if the magic had been a bigger part of this story – if Ella had been transformed. Had the body of a woman – maybe only for the period of time she was at the party (then something could have been added wherein she’d be transformed again, this time permanently, by way of the Princess finding her again and expressing her love or something (though that would be mixing Beauty and the Beast with Cinderella). Bah, I’ll go ahead and raise my rating to 3 on Goodreads while noting that I would rate the story 2.75 if I could. Still annoyed by that lack of transformation though. Mmphs.

June 29 2016

The Dildo in the Kitchen Drawer - a short story of jealousy and slippery fingers by Clare Ashton

The Dildo in the Kitchen Drawer - a short story of jealousy and slippery fingers
by Clare Ashton
Pages: 15
Date: August 14 2013
Publisher:
Series: None :(

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 29 2016

My first story by Clare Ashton.

This is a short story of only 15 pages. Seems to be liked well enough by friends (3.80 average rating), and it is 'free' to me via Kindle Unlimited (read enough, cost goes down; it should be noted, that while I got this 'free' it also lead me to immediately pay something like $6 for another story by Ashton so . . .). So, read it I must.

Right off the bat I get: this is first person point of view from 'Beth'. Who is annoyed with 'Cat' who is her roommate (the annoyance might be with Cat or with Mrs. Smedley, the landlord, and the person holding a parcel addressed to Cat). Cat is Beth's girlfriend. Her Rubenesque girlfriend.

'This is so you,' she beamed. 'Look at this place.'

I didn't know what about the orange-brown, mildew and old-dog smell was me in particular . . .

- hehe

*reading further* Hmm - this is one rather humorous story.

A dildo the width of my fist, which surely would only be painless to those who'd given birth . . .

Well - that was/is a very funny story. Howling with laughter I was.

June 29 2016

All In by Nell Stark

All In
by Nell Stark
Pages: 264
Date: June 14 2014
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: None

Review
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0
Read: June 27 to 28 2016

The player and the ice queen meet. Though neither are typical for those roles. One is gracious and outwardly open, and happy, and everything that goes against the idea of ‘ice queen’. But that’s outwardly. She works as a host – the gracious host. It’s her job. Romantically? Relationships? She barely has any friends, and she just doesn’t date. At all. Not since she was 16. That would be Vesper. Casino host in Las Vegas.

The player? Not the typical player. Atypical. I’ve run across a few atypical ones in my reads. There was that one in Brayden’s universe who more used that player reputation as a shield; the one in Galli’s universe who got a player reputation because she, almost nightly, went home with a different woman – but she was helping them, the drunk women, get home, not helping them to her or their bed for sex (why she didn’t fight the ‘reputation’ is something I didn’t understand at the time, nor now); then there’s the one oh, darn. That is also Galli universe. The Virginia clan one was in fact a player, but had decided to not be anymore, kind of bored with it, but hadn’t gotten around to letting everyone know. The ‘took women home nightly’ was in Galli’s most recent book (Clichéd Love, I think it was called). Here? Nova is, in fact, something of a player. Though . . . not. She has no trouble sleeping with women and putting the moves on women, but she kind of fell into being a player by accident.

Nova arrived on a college campus, back in the day, and got talked into someone’s bed, and – once the women of the campus realized there was ‘new meat’, they all sampled her. And she was quite up for that. Then she fell into a situation wherein she lived with . . um . 4? Other women in a group home type situation. And they kind of fell into and out of each others beds. So while she is a player, she’s an accidental player. She doesn’t really have much ‘game’ – she just happened to fall into situations wherein a lot of women wanted her, and she was okay with that. As opposed to her seeking out women to charm, hump, discard.

So, those are the two main characters. Vesper is working hard to advance herself and always believes someone wants something from her, a quid pro quo. Nova is a very talented math genius who is super good with poker. Made millions through her abilities. Is just about to buy her dream home. Except . . . her money was made illegally – through online gambling (online poker). That's the set up at the start of the book.

Now Nova is in Las Vegas, attempting to make some money through live poker but she is very much not 'built' for live poker. Antsy, needing to constantly move. No ability to ‘school’ her features, to assume a poker face. Very good at reading people on line – seeing patterns, very bad at reading people in person, reading tics, movements, bluffs. She is doomed for failure, but she’s still trying.

So – the book follows Vesper as she ‘hosts’ people at her casino (one of whom turns out to be Nova, though that’s more of a favor to an online gambling place); while Nova strives to learn live poker by playing little games before the world series of poker. Romantically the two circle each other. Vesper is very much opposed to relationships. Nova wants to hump Vesper, and maybe have something more – though that more part confuses her.

I liked the book, enjoyed it even. There was just a small undefined 'something' missing though that keeps me from rating this 5 stars. That undefined something, plus the ending kind of felt a little rushed, and there were a few plot lines left dangling (like how Jeremy did in the tournament. He was still in it but . . . book didn't say how he did. And it's not like the book ended before the tournament ended. The book ended . . . what, months later? Days? An hour after Vesper got the hotel job offer? Hmm. Hadn't noticed before that I've no clue how much time passed between Vesper got the job offer, she took it, then she ended up in Los Angeles at a specific party. But still, how ever much time passed, it was after the poker tournament was over, yet no idea how Jeremy did (unless I just completely missed seeing it, which is possible).

June 28 2016

Keeping Time: The Planning by Emily Smith

Keeping Time: The Planning (Wedding Novellas)
by Emily Smith
Pages: Unknown
Date: July 1 2016
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Wedding Novellas (2nd in the series)

Review
Rating: 2
Read: June 26 to 27 2016

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

This is the first story I’ve read by this author. Despite that indication I went into this story with two previously implanted impressions: (1) this story is the second in that Wedding Novella series – and I liked the first; (2) before I started I noticed negative comments about the story in reviews. So I went into the story with two competing preconceptions.

First impressions are important, right? 17% into the story I was annoyed. By how things were being conveyed. One of the two leads pulls the other up on stage, despite knowing that the other dislikes being in the spot light. The one pulled on stage is thinking about how much they love the other. This thinking continues. Into a scene at a bar. Weren’t we all just on stage? One asks the other if they are ready to leave. Then one signals for a taxi. We . . . did we leave the bar area yet? Is Carter assuming that a taxi will just drive into the bar area? Wait, Carter just randomly spit out an address to ‘the driver’ (no mention of a taxi or a car, maybe he will carry both of them on his back). Apparently a taxi did just drive into the bar.

Going back to what I wrote above and adding specifics. Sadie Maron is the one pulled on stage, by Carter McKenna. I dive into specifics for one specific reason. Sadie mentions that she is furious about what Carter did – pulling her onto the stage. Then . . . the fury leaves her. Because . . . she’s just so lucky to be with such a gorgeous woman (okay, that isn’t the actual thinking expressed, but it is the impression given throughout the story). I mention this quick to anger, quick to forgive because it is a reoccurring thing in this story. Carter does something to anger Sadie. Sadie becomes angry. And she’s over it so quickly, Carter doesn’t always even know she’s angered Sadie. This whole ‘I’m lucky to have her’ nonsense is annoying.

There’s a funny thing about mentioning things that annoy you. The morphing from scene to scene without transition was annoying. And more or less stopped instantly when I posted my status update noting this issue. I’m powerful! Hehe.

Right, so. Carter McKenna comes from a super rich family. Dick of a father (where’d I see that before? Maybe every book involving people coming from rich families? Man, must suck to be from a rich family). Has a business degree. Works in a music store because she doesn’t want to sell her soul and . . . um . . not work in a music store. Also plays in a band. Still waiting for her big break with her band. Oh, and she is 32 years of age.

Sadie Maron comes from . . . um . . not a rich family, though I do not recall how unrich the family might be. Both parents are described as being ‘good people’ but with a somewhat rigid set of religious beliefs. Which come in conflict with the fact that Sadie, their daughter, is a lesbian. Sadie is a teacher. And somewhere around 32.

So, the point of this series. The first story involved a proposal (different characters). This one involved planning a wedding. This leads directly to how Sadie really wanted a huge wedding. And has been planning one forever and a day. Carter wants to give Sadie what she wants, though she doesn’t have the resources to do so. Sooo . . . when pops offers to pay for everything on condition of Carter jr. (I forgot to mention that pops is also Carter) coming to work for the company firm.

Which leads directly to: the beginning annoyed me for its lack of transitions. The middle? Annoyed me for the relatively stupid plotline. For reasons that are beyond my ability to understand, Carter believes that the thing to do to/with/for her beloved is to lie to her. For her own good. Or some reason like that. Meaning? She not only doesn’t tell Sadie that she took a job with McKenna Inc, she also lies constantly about where she is located. Carter made a couple decision without including her beloved. But Carter has a history of doing shit like that – like pulling Sadie up on stage early in the book.

To complicate matters – the middle of the book also includes an ex-girlfriend of Carters. Wherein we learn even more about how much of a dick Carter is. Carter, apparently, is the kind to date a woman, fuck them for a while, get bored of them, then . . . . just plain never contact them again. Never actually gets around to dumping them or anything like that. Just . . doesn’t call them or return their calls. Well, she did that with Eliza Trobani. Eliza’s so pissed that she .. . keeps rubbing herself against Carter and wants to get back together. See, Eliza and Carter dated way back in college times. Eliza works for McKenna. They bump into each other on Carter’s first day at her new job. This certainly complicates matters, eh?

Man I hate this type of story-line. Wherein the woman ends up connecting up with someone who they don’t even like, but ‘don’t want to hurt their feelings’ or some shit like that, so does crap that she doesn’t want to do and doesn’t have time to do. Because . . . um . . . anyone? Bueller? No? No idea. None. I call this the ‘accidental cheating’ storyline. The kind wherein the person doesn’t want to cheat, but also doesn’t want to ‘hurt’ someone else’s feelings. I hate this story concept. And this is not the first time I’ve seen it in a story.

Right. So. Didn’t particularly like how the story started (though specific source of the ‘dislike’ disappeared almost immediately), didn’t particularly like the middle and . . . what’s this? At 87% I left a status update. Indicating that I was not sure if I could finish the book. Directly related to the wedding planner. And how she was going on and on about how just perfect the two women are. Um. Hil, the wedding planner, knows that one has been lying to the other. Knows they aren’t perfect, knows . . whatever. *shrugs* I’ll go ahead and finish . . .oh. Book is over at 94% of the kindle file. Ended abruptly, it did.

Right. Okay then.

June 27 2016

Chaps by Jove Belle

Chaps
by Jove Belle
Pages: 340
Date: 2009
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: None

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 24 to 25 2016


Picture, if you would a young teenager living in a bad part of L.A. She doesn't know her father, and her mother spends her time looking down at the bottom of various alcohol bottles. Bought from the liquor store, as bars are too expansive. Said mother skips out every once in a while, until, when this young teenager is 16, the mother disappears for good. Dead? Alive? Unknown. The young teenager has an older brother named Gabriel. He's 19. In most other stories, Gabriel would have ended up stepping up and being a surrogate parent for his younger sister. At least for a few years. He might resent having to do so, to having his dreams pushed to the back-burner. But he would have done so.

Gabriel? He was so far down the heroin pathways by the time the mother poofed, that he was in no position to take care of himself, much less a younger sister. No, to a certain and limited extent, it was the sister who had to help the older brother. She didn't become a mother to him or anything grand like that, but tried to help him. And she did - extending his live another seven years.

Eden is around . . . oh, 23 or 24 when this book opens. Eden being the kid referenced above. She's not the typical 23/24 year old. Not by a long shot. No, she's someone with power. Someone who, during one exchange, noted that she didn't have to worry about anyone doing anything to her car. Despite the type of neighborhood they were in. Because no one would want to touch her car. Because in the seven or eight years she's worked for Luther Ward - the top drug guy on the West Coast, she's become a stone-cold killer. Luther's top enforcer.

Then, somewhere around six months before the start of this book, that brother of Eden's, Gabriel, died. Directly related to some stupid stuff he did near Luther/to Luther. The seeds of need, of escaping, were planted.

The book, though, specifically starts with Eden on her last mission for Luther. Moves through it, then moves to Eden on a motorcycle, zooming along . . . somewhwere, ends up in Idaho. And a specific ranch/farm/body of land attached to the Cornwell family.

When the book opened, Eden was in control of the point of view. But somewhere along the way Brandi Cornwell popped up with her point of view. At the start of her story, she's struggling mighily to try to save the family land. From the heavy debt placed upon it by her now dead father.

While making repairs on the land, Brandi spots a woman pushing a motorcycle up the road. Brandi mounts her horse and rides over. Cowgirl and biker meet (that's the image presented; Eden, though, only got the motorcycle just before leaving L.A.).

Brandi offers help. Eden accepts. They warily circle each other. With both knowing that Eden will leave once she is able to repair her motorcycle. Each 'wanting' the other Some heavy flirtation takes place.

Time on the farm advances. Relationships move along. The past comes back to haunt the present. To a large extent due to Eden's own fault.

The book was quite a good book. There are certain 'issues' a lot of lesbian fiction authors use to add points of conflict and the like to the story - miscommunication, misunderstandings, etc. - are not the bedrock to which the conflict is built in this story. No, I've already mentioned it - Eden plans to leave as soon as she can. Brandi isn't the type to have a fling in her own home - technically she isn't the type to have long-term relationships; instead preferring to hop into a bar every once in a while for some fumbling action; but she can't do that in her own home. With her own mother just down the hall. And so, most of the tension is based on that. On the short term nature of their temporary situation. In addition to certain cultural/class differences. A person from L.A. (or from just from a city) is going to have certain different life experiences from someone from a more rural area. Add in the part wherein one of the two was raised in the more standard sterotypical way, while the other was basically a gang-member . . . then you have built in differences (I immediately note that assumptions should not be made regarding how gang-members act in terms of how Eden acts; nor the part wherein Eden is fleeing her old life when she bumps into Brandi ).

That was a wad of words. I liked the slow-burn relationship. I liked both Brandi and Eden as people. And I liked the plot-line of the book. Eden did certain stupid but understandable things which, to a certain extent, needed to happen for a specific plot to move along, but - while stupid - the action wasn't unrealistic. She made contact with someone from her past; when she left she left both clues that she was dead, and clues that 'something' was going on, that she might not be dead; etc.

Long and short - I liked the book and the people involved. It was not the standard lesbian fiction storyline, which added to my enjoyment.

June 25 2016

Up The Ante by P.J. Trebelhorn

Up The Ante
by P.J. Trebelhorn
Pages: 264
Date: January 19 2015
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: None

Review
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0
Read: June 22 to 24 2016

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I randomly found the book when I was wandering the profiles of various friends looking at their favorited authors (actually, I’ve said that before in a thread, but I just realized that I might have found the author by looking at random people’s favorited authors, as long as they had also favorited Lea Santos).

The book description on GoodReads gives a good little synopsis. Woman, Jordan Stryker, gets diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Leaves the FBI. Heads to Los Vegas to see if she can make a go at playing poker professionally. While in Vegas bumps into the woman she loved and had a relationship with 15 years ago. More specifically, that woman is the only woman that she has loved – the woman she judges all others against. The woman who told her to leave and never contact her after Jordan told her that she loved her.

That other woman being Ashley Noble, though she was Ashley Green when Jordan and Ashley had their thing. I would have said ‘relationship’, the relationship word works, but using it might imply things. See, 15 years ago, Ashley Green was a police officer in LA, with the LAPD. She was married to some guy whose first name doesn’t matter, but whose last name is Green. Until bumping into Jordan because of business, she never even considered being attracted to women (I believe that was expressed once or twice, though also the concept that she was in fact attracted to other women before Jordan, but never thought of it as a romantic attraction . . . or something like that). By ‘business’, I mean, Jordan Stryker was on a task force with the FBI in LA tracking a killer. She worked with Ashley. The husband was also a cop, but an undercover one. While the husband was out on assignments, Ashley would meet up with Jordan at Jordan’s hotel and they’d hump. They both knew from the beginning that (1) Ashley was married; (2) she had no plans to leave her husband – in fact they were trying for a child; (3) Ashley claimed to not be a lesbian; (4) this was just a fling.

Near the end of the assignment, Jordan and Ashley were in Ashley’s hotel room. Jordan couldn’t stop herself from blurting out an ‘I love you.’ To which proclamation, Ashley turned and told Jordan to get out and never contact her again.

They had neither seen nor contacted the other before the start of this book. Jordan does not know that Ashley is now Ashley Noble, or that she is the head of security at a specific hotel in Las Vegas. The same hotel that Jordan is staying in. She’s there in that specific hotel because that’s where a poker tournament is occurring (actually several, some low level ones, then a world series of poker tournament). For her part, Ashley did know Jordan was going to be there – because one of her friends who knew of the Ashley-Jordan affair (and yes, that is the type of relationship they had had, an affair), saw Jordan’s name on the poker tournament list of attendees, and brought this to Ashley’s attention. Ashley immediately changed the work schedules so that she would lessen the chance that she would bump into Jordan. Ashley’s plan was to never see Jordan while she was there.

The first night (day?) in Vegas, Jordan plays a warm up game of Poker. She wins. Is flirted with by a woman. A rather attractive woman – whose name doesn’t matter. While cashing out her chips – and on her way to ‘have coffee’ with the gorgeous woman, Jordan spots a specific woman on the other side of the money cage. In the cage. They both see each other. Ashley flees. Jordan is stunned. Confused. Continues her date with the gorgeous woman (less of a date than a pick up). They go back to her hotel room. Knocking on the door – there’s Ashley. She needs to explain what happened 15 years ago.

And so the two meet again. The feelings both had resurface, though they didn’t have to come that far from inside – as both strongly feels for the other.

This is the second lesbian fiction book that I’ve read that involved a woman with multiple sclerosis. There were some similarities and some differences. The ‘don’t want to be a burden’ was similar. The ‘meet someone again after a long absence’ was different – and an important plot point (since, having it here, allows one or the other to think about and/or bring up the concept of – ‘if we had been dating/in a serious relationship, when you were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, do you think I would have left? And/or felt ‘obligated’ to stay?’). Both the woman in this book and the woman in Jae’s Just Physical feel, to a certain extent, to be ‘undeserving’ of being a ‘burden’. And they both want others to find a true love that would be fully capable of all physical activities. By no means are they the same book, though. Heck, one involves a Hollywood actress hooking up with a new acquaintance – a stunt woman – both in their 20s. The other involves a woman hooking up with an old acquaintance and two women older than their 20s; it isn’t specifically stated, but based on the 15 year gap in the relationship, and their work positions when they did know each other, they are both probably in their 40s, possibly 50s but certain ‘things’ seem to indicate that isn’t the case – the age in the 50s part (the closest I recall to overt confirmation of age, is a ‘grandmother’ who is ‘only’ 11 years older than Jordan – and who became a grandmother when she was 32 – but no mention is made as to how old the grandmother is now, so I can’t subtract 11 years from the age to get Jordan’s current age; she’s a grandmother to someone who is, at least, in their 20s – adding ~25 to 32 to get 57, removing 11 to get 46 – so Jordan might be somewhere around 46 years of age).

All that work to attempt to pinpoint ages. Mmphs. ‘Her father died from a self-inflicted gunshot would seven years ago, when Jordan was thirty-six.’ Jordan is 43. ‘I’m forty-three years old.’ Bah. I didn’t need to look for hints. Or even do the simple math of adding seven to thirty-six. Mmphs. I do not know what Ashley’s age is, but the same woman that Ashley says is ’11 years older than Jordan’ is also ’14 years older than her’ – so I’m going to assume that means that Ashley is 40. And that Sherry, this grandmother I’ve been referencing, is 54 (I was off by 3 years).

Well, I just spent way too much time distracting myself with dates and ages. Mmphs. So I’ll cut this short.

1) I liked this book, it was entertaining. I’d rate it somewhere around 4.5 stars if I could. Since I can’t on Goodreads, I’ll give it 4.
2) There is graphic sex in this book.
3) There are certain cliché’s that pop up, re: someone with MS; and it is certainly ‘convenient’ that Ashley’s next door neighbor just happens to also have MS.
4) I plan to read another book by this author.

June 24 2016

Face of the Enemy by Sandra Barret

Face of the Enemy
by Sandra Barret
Pages: 216
Date: November 23 2013 (Orig. Published November 10 2007)
Publisher: Bedazzaled Publishing Company
Series: Terran-Novan (1st in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 22 to 23 2016


This is the first book I’ve read by this author, though I have previously read a short story. That short story had been inside an anthology titled Spread the Love. Other than DeLancey, who I’d read before reading the short story in the volume of short stories, Barret is the first author among the six previously unread authors in that collection for me to read.

I liked that short story (rating it 4.72 out of 5 stars), despite it’s rather graphic nature, and had immediately added the first book in the Terran-Novan series because of it. What with that short story being set in the same universe as the series. But enough babbling.

‘Face of the Enemy’ is about two young women, both of whom, at times, act rather immature – but then they are in a stressful situation. Almost constantly. Both are attending a Terran military academy that is training them to be both pilots and officers.

Helena ‘Dray’ Draybeck is the daughter of a General (father) and a Lt Commander (mother). The mother was the commander during the Turien battle, one where many people died. Dray is, somewhat, suffering under two vaguely counter-intuitive burdens. The burden of having a mother who was a great fighter pilot . . . and the burden of being the daughter of someone, again her mother, who caused the death of many people during a large battle. To add to that, there are even rumors that her mother was a traitor. All of that, both the praise and damnation of the mother, occurred before Dray was even four. And, just to top things off, that General father dude is rather a distant kind of guy. Oh, and Dray deeply hates Novans because ‘they killed her mother’.

Jordan ‘no nickname’ Bowers is the daughter of an ambassador (mother), and a dead pacifist philosopher (father). The mother is ambassador to a planet that has, at least so far, remained neutral during the on-again-off-again war between the Terrans and Novans. Unknown to many (most?), while the mother is obvious and overtly a Terran, the father (and this is the unknown to most part) is/was a Novan. Making Jordan half-Novan. It’s basically illegal for her to exist. Heh, no, it’s more that if her nature were known, she would be dishonorably discharged from the military academy during peacetime and face trial as a traitor/spy if her nature was found out during war time.

A little back story. Both Terrans and Novans are from a planet known as ‘Earth’ (though neither Dray nor Jordan are from this planet; this isn’t like Asimov’s Foundation series – Earth is both known and still inhabited, it’s just that both Jordan and Dray live on worlds that were colonized by Earth people). Terrans believe in advancing themselves, augmenting themselves through technology (implants); while Novans believe in advancing/augmenting themselves through genetic modification. I do not know if Novans find technology icky, but Terrans find genetic modification to be really gross. It has been a while now since the two groups split, to the point that Novans are actually a different (sub)species now, one where it is actually pretty damn hard for Terrans and Novans to have ‘natural’ offspring (offspring from natural means, as opposed to . . . whatever ‘f-k procedure’ might be, though I assume some artificial test tube like system is used (Jordan is one of the few ‘natural’ offspring of the two species mating). Novans are classified as Homo Sapiens Novans. I do not know what the Terran’s are classified as, though I assume they are Homo Sapiens Sapiens (or, possibly, because of the heavy use of technology, they have moved on to being a different subspecies; by the way, Neanderthals are also possibly Homo Sapiens, sometimes referred to as Homo Neanderthalensis, or as homo sapiens neanderthalensis depending on the scientist you speak with – depending on whether that scientist sees them as a separate species or as a subspecies of homo sapiens; which I mention because subspecies can have viable offspring – and there is Neanderthal DNA in modern humans; which is directly important to this book here because Jordan exists because Novans are a subspecies of homo sapiens and not a completely different species).

Right. So. I do not know more than that. One uses technology to advance themselves, other use genetics. They occasionally fight each other.

As mentioned, Dray and Jordan are in a military school. The book follows them as they advance, get directly involved in the off-again-on-again war, then continue to advance again. The book is mostly a military academy (in space) kind, with occasional moments of extreme violence, as opposed to a war book. And the next book in the series involves a completely different character (though at least one of the characters popped up in this book), though I am uncertain how close or how far apart the two books are since I have not read the second one yet.

Overall, this was a rather entertaining book. To a certain extent I liked the action/training aspect a lot more than the romance aspect. Though I’m not going to claim that part was thin or something like that, it’s just that it is set against the background of a military situation. And it’s damn difficult to have a romance in such a situation (though, obviously, such things happen in real life – otherwise I myself wouldn’t exist, but let’s not pull myself into this discussion).

I enjoyed the book. A good solid 4 star book. I might even see my way to increasing the rating at some point, though likely only in terms of moving it to 4.5 or something. Good enough that I’ve already acquired the second book in the series (then noticed it involved a different lead character).

Oh right, one last point: yes there is graphic sex in this book.

June 23 2016

The Beast That Never Was by Caren J. Werlinger

The Beast That Never Was
by Caren J. Werlinger
Pages: 211
Date: June 1 2016
Publisher: Corgyn Publishing, LLC
Series: None

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 22 2016
I received a copy of this book from the author via Netgalley for an honest review.

This is my third story by this author, though only second book.

I was somewhat reluctant to read this book for one specific reason. I had read the original fairy tale a while back. And did not particularly like it. A lesbian version of that tale did not really seem like something I would want to read. What with a man, the father, being willing to have his daughter killed in his place (or at least thinking so); and the beast being a whiny bratty critter – one who starves himself because the woman he vaguely likes is late. Of course he’s also the one who threatened to kill people because of their theft of a rose. Written in another era, Beast would be seen as an overly dramatic overly emotional bully. Beauty being overly selfless, intelligent, hard working young woman. The lesson of the story seemed to be that people ugly on the inside (and outside) deserve good things, like women, if they are bratty enough and that the women should just accept it (well, the story is from 1740, women were just property back then (well, not really, but kinda)). A lesbian version of that? Hmm . . . not tremendously interested. But I’ve loved fantasy based books by this author before, so I was willing to give the book a go. (And just an FYI before I move away from the original tale – this is not the lesbian version of that original tale; maybe the lesbian version of the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, but not the lesbian version of the original story).

To start off with: I’ve a vague recollection that the mother was missing in the original story, but the father was there. Here, in this story, the father is dead, and the mother is the one still around.

When the book opened, I didn’t actually realize that Lise was not the beast. I kind of expected her to be since there’s the tag-line of ‘What if Beauty was the Beast?’ But, I suppose, I wasn’t thinking clearly. I mean, Lise is a woman who dressed like a man, and did man like work back in an era when women might do that, but beauty’s certainly didn’t.

Up to a certain point, Lise and her family lived in a relatively well to do situation – what with her father being a King’s Huntsman (I believe the original story has the father being a businessman/merchant, though it has been a while since I read that story). Then Lise’s father died and the family was kicked out of their house. Though they did get a death boom, or . . um, some amount of money due to the father dying in service to the king. The mother uses the money to buy a small farm, and the proceeds from selling their old stuff to buy some cows for milking. For the mother had a specific skill set that she brought to her marriage – the ability to make cheese. So that is how she, the mother, and her four daughters survive now – by being cheese merchants. They are no longer well-to-do, but they survive well enough. Though the mother is often angry and bitter, and at least one or two of the daughters are still living as if all of this is just temporary – until the day a good marriage occurs and their status changes again.

Speaking of marriages – Lise’s mother wants and or assumes that the new Huntsman’s son will be married to Lise shortly. Lise loves Rhein as a brother, but not as a future husband. They circle each other. With Lise trying to dodge him, while Rhein keeps trying to kiss her. Meanwhile Lise spends a good amount of time starring with adoration towards a rather pretty young baker woman, Sabine. Though Sabine has a boyfriend, so that’s not going to work.

There’s this forest that they, Lise and their farm, and the nearby village, live next too. Over a period of time certain ‘things’ start to happen, strange and mysterious things. Like some hearing crying, or seeing wolves, or – basically whatever it is they fear the most – they see it in the forest. Eventually Lise bumps up against the ‘Beauty’ of that ‘what if beauty was the beast?’ tagline. And Lise sees . . . a gorgeous woman. Senna, the beauty and the beast, is quite confused. No one has been able to see her as anything other than that which they fear most in a very long time. So she is a little hesitant, at first, to be near Lise. Lise, though, is quite drawn to the beauty (until, that is, when Lise learns of the curse, and what people see because of the curse).

One thing leads to another and Lise finds herself being pushed, almost forced into a marriage with Rhein, while at the same time she is developing something of a relationship with Senne. All against the backdrop of normal life unfolding, the seasons changing, snow falling, cows being milked, lead up hills, lead back down hills, etc.

I liked the story. A good deal more than the original. Not sure I’ll read another tale based on Beauty and the Beast any time soon, but I’m happy enough to have read this one.

June 22 2016

Playing the Player
by Lea Santos
Pages: 208
Date: October 1 2010
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Amigas y Amor (4th in series)

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 21 2016

Well, the sad day has finally occurred. I have read the fourth and last book in the Amigas y Amor series, which just happens to correspond to the last book published by Lea Santos. There is a fifth book listed on GoodReads, a start of a new series, but that book has a note indicating that it was pulled from the publication schedule. So I’ve now read everything released to the public by Santos under the Lea Santos name.

I had wondered who might pop up in the fourth book as the main character, since the ‘friends’ part of Amigas y Amor consisted of the three people who have been friends since high school. Emie Jaramillo (star of Little White Lie - and she is matched up with Gia Mendez; in addition to being a latina, Emie also adds to the diversity of lesbian fiction by being someone who isn’t exactly the standard beauty, but instead someone who cares more about brains, her own, than beauty), Iris Lujan (star of Under her Skin - supermodel, matched up with Torien Pacias, Torien adds to the diversity column by being from Mexico (the friends grew up in Denver), and last of the three friends – Paloma Vargas (Picture Imperfect, Paloma is matched up with Deanne Vargas, both of whom went to the same high school; for one reason or another, I got the impression that Deanne was not one of the ‘three musketeers’ (I believe that phrase was used at some point). So, if the three (or four if Deanne is actually supposed to be considered one of the friends) friends have had their stories told, who would pop up to star in the fourth book? Someone who has popped up in the books before, Madeira Pacias, the sister of Torien Pacias.

Based on context, on what is mentioned over the course of the books, the first three books all happen, chronologically, one after the other in a short span of time. The fourth book, for whatever reason, opens three years after Iris and Torien meet and opened their charity together (and became a committed couple). A reader does not immediately know this factoid, though, since the book does not open with Madeira, but with Grace Obregon.

The book opens with Grace driving down a highway after a parent teacher night. She’s annoyed/upset/frustrated with the fact that her past, which she has been trying to outgrow, has intruded into her new life. She was a wild party girl once upon a time, the kind who impulsively gets two tattoos just because the tattoo artist was doing a 2 for 1 deal. But Grace is no longer that woman. She still has the ‘scars’, though, and occasionally they appear. Like when ‘little Stevie’ pulled on her sweater. Revealing the tattoo on her chest, the one that is a yellow caution sign that has the words ‘easy vixen’ written on it. Recall, if you will, that this was a parent teacher conference – and yes, Stevie’s parents did in fact see that tattoo. Their expressions immediately changed upon seeing such a tattoo. The other tattoo says ‘unbreakable’, but is in a spot a child cannot accidentally reveal, being on her inner thigh. Grace is, naturally, horrified that her new life as a teacher is already ruined. As she drives down the highway. At least she has Mrs. Wright next to her – Mrs. Wright being a beat up bear that Grace’s mother had given her.

Then, a truck begins to skid/crash/become an obstacle upon the highway. Grace clips the rear of the truck and her own SUV goes flipping through the air, to land on the roof. Grace is left dangling upside down. Mrs. Wright has flown free from her belted position (yes, Grace had pulled a seatbelt around Mrs. Wright, little good that it did) and flown through a window.

Point of view change. Madeira Pacias is driving down the highway. Thinking about her night. About going to a new lesbian bar, cruising, picking up women, humping them. As her thoughts fill with such ideas, Madeira spots a semi-truck skidding, watches as a vehicle clips said truck then goes spinning. Madeira barely misses hitting a horrified chicken before braking in the emergency lane. Braces for someone to slam into her rear, but luckily the person behind her is able to stop. Barely. Madeira gets out and wonders how to help. More chickens run past screaming – apparently the semi was transporting chickens. Others have gotten out of their vehicles as well. An old man reacts first and begins checking vehicles. Finds that someone is still alive in the SUV and calls upon Madeira for help, as she is small enough to squeeze inside.

Madeira wiggles into the car, looks around, spots a blood covered woman dangling from above her in the upside down SUV. Her leg doesn’t look good. There’s lots of blood. She’s not even sure if that woman is actually alive. Just then the woman makes noises, blinks at Madeira, before exclaiming ‘You are not Mrs. Wright.’ Madeira stays with Grace until help comes. Making a promise to find ‘Mrs. Wright’, and to contact Grace’s grandmother. Madeira is not the kind of woman that gives another woman promises, but she is unable to stop herself, this time.

All of the above takes place in the first one or two chapters. The next chapter begins a year later (so now it is four years since the previous book in the Amigas y Amor series). Grace is yelling at Lolo, her sister. For her sister has given the newspaper a story. The story of Grace and her lost soul mate good Samaritan. The one who ‘saved her’ in the accident. A story about how Grace wants to find said Samaritan. It’s the year anniversary of the accident. Grace has just restarted her new teaching job. She does not need this distraction. Especially as the article makes her look like a loon, someone looking for their soul mate. The paper calls. Grace answers. Before she can explain that she isn’t the one to have given them the story, that it was her sister pretending to be her, the man on the phone indicates that they are being swamped with calls in response to the article. And they need some way to filter them. Grace gives them a way.

Days pass. People come forward. But not the good Samaritan.

Madeira is cleaning an ambulance after their most recent pick up. Her partner, Simon, is reading the paper. Simon begins asking Madeira questions. Madeira had let slip why she had decided to become a paramedic, that it involved stopping at an accident one night. Simon draws Madeira’s attention to the article in the paper. About this ‘Grace’ person who is looking for their soul mate. Madeira is stunned. That is Grace in the picture. But, Madeira was told, when she tried to follow through on her promises and return the bear that Grace had died (there were two in the accident named Grace, one had, in fact, died).

Madeira is reluctant to contact the paper. But. She had made a promise to find and return Mrs. Wright. And, even though she thought Grace was dead, Mrs. Wright had been sitting on her dresser starring at her for a year. It is time to return the bear.

Madeira and Grace then spend the rest of the book circling each other. Madeira, initially, is reluctant to meet this overly romantic Grace (what with ‘soul mate’ and stuff), and just wants to let her know that she’s not a commitment type person; but later certain feelings develop; but Grace, immediately upon meeting Madeira, stresses that it was her sister who worded things like ‘soul mate’, and that she has no desire for Madeira. Or, ‘someone like you’. Grace had acquired an impression of what 'someone like Madeira' was like because the paper ran a story after Madeira had contacted them. A story that painted Madeira as being a major player.

Of the four Santos books I’ve read, I do believe that I liked this one best of all. I’m not really sure why. A player (Madeira) and an ex-player (Grace) circling each other for a book does not exactly sound like it would necessarily be something I would be interested in. But I rather enjoyed/loved the book.

Well, that’s that. My time with Santos draws to a close. Crush, the first in the Viñedo Valley series, looks quite interesting, but it was cancelled. These have been a rather good bunch of highly polished, well written books, but alas, I’ve read them now. And there are no more to read.

June 22 2016

Picture Imperfect by Lea Santos

Picture Imperfect
by Lea Santos
Pages: 208
Date: September 1 2010
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Amigas y Amor (3rd in series)

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 21 2016

My third book by this author. This is the third of the four Lea Santos books. I gave the first two I read ratings of 5 stars each. The third book is the one that I had noticed, even before trying the first Santos book, that everyone loved most of all.

Paloma Perea Vargas and Deanne Vargas have been together seventeen years, since high school, specifically some time in sophomore year (baring a brief father induced separation during sophomore-junior summer break). They have been ‘married’ for fourteen years now. But Paloma has just had enough with feeling like Deanne doesn’t even see her any longer, and has kicked Deanne out of the house they share together with their two children (one is 8, other is 6 – the children, not Paloma and Deanne, that would be weird).

Their relationship problems stem directly from their own childhood experiences, and from the fact that they have never had a romantic relationship beyond the one they share with each other, so they do not have any personal experience with relationships beyond whatever they’ve picked up together.

By ‘directly from their own childhood experiences’ I mean: Deanne developed two traits that she picked up in reaction from growing up. Victor, Deanne’s father (who she always refers to as Victor), left Deanne’s mother at some point when Deanne was still a child. He was lazy and lived to party. Victor, by leaving, abandoned both a wife, and five children. The mother, Rosario, had to pick up three jobs just to make ends meet. In reaction to this issue, Deanne has developed the need to not be her father. To not be lazy, to not run out/party/etc. So she shows her love by working, by providing, by self-sacrificing her free time. So, sometimes, certain ‘events’ get forgotten or missed, because of ‘work’. Deanne sees this as providing for her family the way she knows how. Paloma sees this as putting work first as priority, and basically abandoning her family – though she never actually says anything, but we’ll get to Paloma shortly.

To add to that need to work in reaction to her lazy father, Deanne also picked up something from her mother. Though based on her interactions with her mother, not based on her mother’s own experiences. At times Deanne did certain things that caused her mother to become angry with her. Deanne reacted by hiding from the problem. Her mother would, eventually, return to her normal happy personality. Deanne learned, from repeated cycles of this hiding, that the way to deal with issues is to hide from them. They will fix themselves. So, when Deanne feels/knows/senses that Paloma is upset, and angry with her, she reverts to her childhood – she hides. Paloma, though, just seems to get angrier and not revert to a happy state. Deanne does not know how to react to this situation. Like the part about not having sex for the last six months – Deanne wants to hump Paloma, but Paloma is giving off massive ‘keep away’ vibes. So, Deanne keeps away.

This reinforces the problems, adding to them. In Paloma’s own mind, Deanne’s lack of attention, lack of pouncing on her indicates that Deanne doesn’t want her any longer. Is physically repulsed by her or something. Plus she senses that Deanne has had some odd change that occurred 8 years ago – right around the time their first child was born. But Paloma also picked up something from her childhood. Directly from her mother. The need to self-sacrifice, to support, to be a housewife. To not complain. So Paloma shows her ‘problems’ with the current situation by withdrawing, though with a smile, to keeping her emotions bottled up, to never, once, using her mouth to actually convey that there is an issue.

Discussing the break-up, after Paloma kicked Deanne out of the house, one of Paloma’s friends made some comment or another. Probably along the lines of ‘well, did you ever tell her what the issue(s) were?’ to which Paloma responded with something like ‘but I shouldn’t have to if she really loved me!’ I’ve seen that attitude in MF books. This might be the first time I’ve seen that in an FF book.

Well, as noted, 14 – 17 year relationship. Poof. Gone. Because neither party knew how to communicate and things got steadily worse. Until one finally broke down and kicked the other out of the house. Instead of, you know, ever actually mentioning that there were issues. Or talking. Hell, they never even fought. Just, boom.

Paloma: ‘We haven’t had sex in six months! She hasn’t made a move on me!’
A friend: ‘Did you?’
Paloma: ‘I shouldn’t have to!’
A friend: ‘How did ‘action’ initiate in the past?’
Paloma: ‘Well, I’d make a move first.’
*stares*

Right. So. The friends saw Paloma and Deanne’s relationship as perfect. From the outside. But it wasn’t, not from the inside. Hence the book title – ‘Picture Imperfect’. Though I mentioned the friends more so that I could indicate that the other couples from books 1 and 2 of this series pop up in this book. And the one who turns up in the fourth book, Madeira Pacias, Torien Pacias sister, is mentioned in this book (in an ‘I haven’t had sex in six months, I need sex, I should hump Madeira, and she humps everyone.’ ‘Don’t talk about my future sister that way; even if I admit that she is a player’).

Ah, this book. I felt a certain wave of anger at both parties while reading this book. That is not how I wish to spend my time reading, in a state of anger. Of the four Santos books, though, this one is the one everyone apparently loved the most.

Oh, and for those who care about such things – the series moved from super fit and chiseled gardener hooking up with a supermodel to a woman who self-describes herself as being chubby (‘I had two children!’). Though she might have lost that chubbiness along the way. There was some indication of that.

And, another tidbit of information I do not know where to put: “I’m thirty-two years old, for God’s sake.” (As said by Paloma, so, she is 32).

Right, so, good book. *nods* On to next.

June 21 2016

Triad Blood by Nathan Burgoine

Triad Blood
by Nathan Burgoine
Pages: 240
Date: May 1 2016
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Triad Blood (1st novel in series)

Review
Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 16 to 19 2016

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

My first book by this author.

I’ll start off by noting that I went into the book somewhat reluctantly and with the wrong information. I’m not sure where I got the idea, which was clearly wrong, but I had the idea that this book was not erotic – something like how ‘the sex’ was in the pre prequel short story. That idea was wrong. Where-ever it is I got that idea (probably from reading reviews/description of some unrelated book that I accidentally confused for this one). I was reluctant because up to a certain point, I believe it was this year, I have not had much luck with MM books. And I do not believe I’ve ever ‘loved’ an MM fantasy book.

Hmm, no, my first 4 star MM book was read July 2014, not this year. That one was a private investigator graphic novel. Then I liked the first two Tom Mason and Scott Carpenter prose mystery books in early 2015 (4.5 for 1st book, 4.0 for second). Love for the Cold-Blooded, or the Part-Time Evil Minion’s Guide to Accidentally Dating a Superhero is my first 5.5 star (out of 5) MM book that included lots of sex – that one was read in October 2015. Loud and Clear would mark my second 5.5 MM book, though there is no graphic stuff in that book. So I’ve come a long way from 1 starring that overly erotic MM fantasy book way back when.

I say all of the above to note that I’ve read 31 MM books now, some I’ve not liked, some I’ve loved, and some were meh. So I can fairly well note that it is not actually the line of eroticism in the book and the graphic sexual encounters which lead me to a 3 star rating, though they did not necessarily help. No, it was the relatively simple part wherein I just simply did not like any of the characters that much.

There are three main characters, and all three have their own little stories that get followed separately, in addition to the overall three-person main story. Luc Lanteigne is a vain, arrogant, snobby vampire who doesn’t really like one of the three people in their triad – Anders. Luc doesn’t particularly like Anders for several reasons, though his rough personality, and shabby appearance probably doesn’t help. Anders is the kind of guy who literally feeds off of sex, what with being an Incubus, while at the same time the kind of guy who gets super jealous if Curtis Baird, the third member of their triad, ever hints at dating. Anyone. (Not that Luc is better in that regard - though somewhat less highlighted in this book, Luc sometimes gives off those same possessive vibes towards Curtis; plus he is super patronizing towards Curtis). So, Luc’s a snob, Anders is a dick, what about this third member, Curtis the human wizard? For the most part he was likable, in his own way, though there were parts that I didn’t particularly like. Like his going with the idea that he isn’t really allowed to date (even if that is not overtly mentioned), while the other two in the triad seem to go out nightly to fuck. Others, not each other. Then the time he outright laughed at a guy who indicated that he was not gay . . . well, that was annoying.

So, how did I end up here at a 3 star rating, then, if I say all that above *waves upwards*. Well, the story itself was interesting enough. Luc, Anders, and Curtis have come together as three separate ‘things’ to create a power triad – every other ‘group’ out there are of one thing (vampire, demon, wizard). Though their coming together is told in a previous short story (yes, this is in fact yet another book I picked up in the same month that turned out to be a series book that is not in fact the first in the story-line, though here the novel is the first novel length work in the series (if there is a series, I notice just now that this book is not listed as being part of any series on GoodReads). Still, the reader who hasn’t read any of the previous short stories (and there were others than just that ‘getting together’ story) should be able to pick up enough of the back-story through reading the book. I know I did, and hadn’t read any of the previous stories.

So, as I was saying, the story itself was interesting. The other ‘power groups’ in Ottawa are not particularly happy about this mixed group and are ‘doing things’ (letter bombs, car explosions, coat explosions, etc) to try to take out this mixed triad. Though ‘doing things’ while at the same time saying that they are not. The triad stands up to the vampire power structure in this specific book.

A good enough book for what it set out to do and be. Even if I didn’t particularly like the main characters that much.

June 20 2016

Eye of the Beholder by Kim Pritekel

Eye of the Beholder
by Kim Pritekel
Pages/Words: 23,800 words
Date: 2008
Publisher: Self/Fanfiction (Xena)
Series: None

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 18 2016

My first story by this author. Not my first time reading a short story off of the internet, not by a long shot (Tor.com has some lovely short stories on it, for one), though the first time I've attempted to read a story from 'Academy of Bards'. Where I found this story (actually, I found this story on xenafiction.net - it was 93rd perennial favorite in 2012).

Characters: Juliet Ross (model (ex?), businesswoman; super-bitch; 'the brunette', 'blue eyes', 35), Megan Oliver (Denver Post reporter, blind; 'the blonde', 'green eyes', 28 (if 'I've now been blind for exactly half my life' is to be taken literally))
Location: Denver, Manhattan
Time of Year: October to ~February
Weather: 'absolutely frigid' in October

The story involves Juliet Ross, bitchy ex? model, and Megan Oliver blind journalist.

Note 1: I immediately notice a difference between the description of the story and the actual story. As in, Juliet keeps being referred to as a former model in the various descriptions for this story. Yet the story opens with Juliet in a modeling session being photographed. I confused (doesn't help that there's this model session to open the story, then mention of 'Juliet the ex-model'; was she not being photographed in the beginning of the story? I might be confused. Somehow). Though the bitchy part is correct. She's a massive bitch (referring to the level of bitchness, though she is 'six feet in her stiletto heels').

And, for those who care about said things, Juliet has 'gorgeous blue eyes.' And she, Juliet, is apparently so gorgeous that her super angry/bitchy persona is not a deterance to continued work. The story bluntly makes note of this particular issue.

(Hmms. I just destroyed one or more paragraphs, not really sure what I had there. mmphs. Stupid computer). To try to recreate what I wrote, I believe I said something about how Megan, like the description of her, is in fact blind. So that, blindness of Megan, and bitchiness of Juliet are correct. Former model may or may not be correct (though there's a comment about how she was the tops for 10 years and is now something of a business woman; does not remove the fact that the story opened with her in a modeling session).

Then I had something about blonde hair. Like how bloody many times Megan's blonde hair is mentioned. Her own bloody brother refers to her, in his mind, as 'the blonde'. Seriously? Her brother thinks of her as 'the blonde?' For fuck sake. Then there was something in the deleted paragraphs about how sometimes the mention of the blonde part 'worked' with the story, other times not. Her blondeness probably gets referenced, oh, 800,000,000 times in this story (not really; though 'the blonde' sure is used a lot; for the record - Megan = 'the blonde', Juliet = 'blue eyes'). Oh, and Megan has green eyes. 'Damn shame they don't work' as the asshole boss of Megan's thinks to himself.

Interesting, I suppose, Megan's boss, Bill Carter, also has something of a point of view (actually, almost every character encountered has their own point of view inject themselves into the story). So that he can note that he hates people in general, but of all the reporters who have worked for him, Megan is his favorite. The interesting part being that Bill Carter (what, his full name gets repeated a few times) has his own point of view.

So, the story: Megan's boss wants Megan to do a story about Juliet Ross. And he doesn't want 'jack-off material', so he is sending his blind reporter. To get a different perspective, one angled more towards this (ex)model's brain. So, Megan does said story.

'Gathering his professionalism, he nodded and bade the Juliet a good night.' heh. 'the Juliet'. I bet there was a hair color there that got replaced with a name. But 'the' didn't get deleted. That or Juliet is now 'the Juliet'. heh.

Overal: Well-written (mostly, there were some missing letters here and there, like want got spelled as wan), enjoyable story. The overuse of 'the blonde' and 'blue eyes' was annoying, but . . . cliche. Sterotypical 'fanfiction', eh? Which is/was a pity, that overuse of those descriptive wording, as it made me take longer to realize just how much I rather enjoyed this story. Because I did. Enjoy it. A lot. Loved it, really.

Oh, and that 'illness-or-injury' is for both of the main characters. What with Juliet suffering from abuse, and Megan suffering from some injury which blinded her.

The story is listed as being 'original/uber'. I do not know what 'uber' means. I do know that this story has two characters who even I, who only ever saw brief flashes of the Xena show in passing, 'match up' with the two main women on Xena. The short blonde woman (Megan/Gabrielle), and the towering black/brunette haired woman (Juliet/Xena).

Quotes:
Megan to Juliet after getting tossed out before the interview could even properly begin:
"The world may think you’re some sort of visual goddess, but I have to tell you, Miss Ross, you’re the ugliest person I’ve ever met."

http://www.academyofbards.org/valentine14/2008/kp_eyeofthebeholder.html

June 19 2016

Waiting for the Violins by Justine Saracen

Waiting for the Violins
by Justine Saracen
Pages: 284
Date: March 16 2014
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: None

Review
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0
Read: June 14 to 16 2016

This is my first book by Justine Saracen.

My first historical fiction in . . . um, six days. Heh. Figured it’d be longer. Then I saw that graphic novel set in Germany, and Shaken to the Core, then Trigger Mortis all the way back from the end of April. So this is actually my third Historical fiction novel this month. 13th this year. Let me see. My third war novel of the year. 8th book that involved military or ex-military. Third spy book of the year.

Right, got distracted there. Long ago I used to devour books like this – spy books in general, war books, military books, and specifically spy books set during WWII (roughly 77 set during WWII, not all of which were spy books (26 spy books set during WWII); roughly 49 historical fiction spy books). Somewhere along the way I kind of moved past these specific types of books, to a certain extent, but it’s still of interest.

This is the first book I’ve read set in Belgium during WWII; at least I believe it is, though I know I’ve read war books set in Belgium before. Or, at least, in land that would become Belgium, since Waterloo occurred on land that was, at the time, part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.

This book is a lot more a historical fiction spy thriller set during World War II than it is a lesbian book. As the afterward noted, ‘The story of the French and Belgian Resistance during World War II is inspiring and tragic, and the sexual preferences of its heroes would have been irrelevant.’ That’s not to say that this is a book that overlooks sexual preferences, but that it does not tremendously matter what someone’s preferences were. Like how Sandrine Toussaint, regardless of her likes/dislikes/wants/desires, was forced to ‘lay with’ a man for the benefits that doing so would help keep up spy operations; and how Antonia Forrester ‘lay with’ a woman on the last night of training because . . . I believe the reason given was ‘for comfort’ or something like that. Dora, the woman Antonia slept with, certainly wasn’t a lesbian – even if she initiated the contact; she just wanted ‘comfort’. It’s actually unclear if anyone in this book is a lesbian, or, for that matter, heterosexual. From the hints dropped, Sandrine might be bisexual (not because she slept with a German; but because of some of the comments regarding her husband); Dora would have been whatever term is used for someone who will sleep with anyone breathing; and Antonia . . . just might be a lesbian. Potentially. At least she turned down advances from men, but not from women.

Right. So. As the book description notes, Antonia Forrester was a nurse at Dunkirk during the evacuation. She’s injured but survived, unlike all of the other nurses, I believe, she was with. After a period of recovery from massive injuries, Antonia joins the OSS and is trained. She’s shipped off to Brussels, since she had spent some time there as a kid. She’s to contact the resistance there, and try to help as best she can. Unexpectedly, to me, she wasn’t actually going alone nor the leader of her 2 person force – she is, though, the only one to make it to Brussels.

Because of circumstances beyond her control, Antonia is cut off from command, and from her ‘target’ resistance fighters, though she is able to hook up with some Jewish fighters (and, eventually, with the group she was originally supposed to hook up with).

Sandrine Toussaint is a high class woman living in a chateau near Brussels. After faking out the Germans when they came to inspect the place as a possible headquarters, thereby keeping it in her own hands, Sandrine worked on delivering people (downed pilots, Jewish people, etc.) out of occupied lands. The leader of her line was captured shortly before Antonia arrived, and so she suggested that if anyone came by asking about that individual, they would likely be Gestapo, and so should be ignored/diverted (which is how Antonia ended up being unable to hook up with the 'correct' resistance group for months).

Time flies quickly in this book. One moment it’s June 1940, the next it’s some time in 1941. There are some rather riveting scenes, though there is a certain distancing that comes from passing through so much time in a short work. None-the-less, this was an enjoyable book, and a nice return to a genre I used to devour.

June 16 2016

Princess Charming: A Sweet Lesbian Romance by Mia Archer

Princess Charming: A Sweet Lesbian Romance
by Mia Archer
Pages: 260
Date: May 4 2016
Publisher: Self
Series: None

Review
Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 14 2016

This is the third book I've read with Mia Archer on the cover, though the fourth if I include the book I read under a different name, that later was rereleased under this specific Archer name. I have, in general, liked the books I've read by Archer, whether by Mia Archer or Lexi Archer.

I start off with something I have a tendency to say - I do not, as a rule, allow errors of word choice, spelling, or the like to impact a rating I give a work. Once again I held to this rule, though it was slightly harder to do so this time. The few misspellings I noticed, and the few misplaced words (using 'their' when the word 'there' was meant, as one example) were just a buzzing fly, easily brushed aside. The occasions when the characters became confused, well, that was harder to brush aside. I did, though, feel the need to mention the issue as I know others find certain things to be difficult to deal with/put up with.

Specifically, in terms of what I mentioned about the characters, I refer to those occasions wherein Amelia and Dani are having a conversation. And during that conversation they discuss certain topics of no real importance. Along the way, certain issues developed. As in, Dani would say something, then agree with herself. I assume, though, that she hadn't actually . . . I mean, I assume that the author hadn't actually intended the character to agree with herself. Instead the wrong name got used. An example would work lovely right here. Sadly this is not something I made sure to make note of prior to this review. And this is not a situation that would be quickly found in a search. Since all that happened was, for example (not an actual quote):
'I rather enjoy watching the films that inspired this theme park,' Dani stopped talking and turned looking towards Amelia.

'I agree, I always found those films to be fun to watch when I was smaller,' Dani agreed.

No matter. As I mentioned, I did not add or subtract any ratings based on this issue. Or the part wherein the book arrived at the 78% mark on my Kindle and, what's this? A message from the author. And samples of other books. The book I had been reading had been completed. I do not, in this specific situation, actually mind that much that the book ended at the 78 percent mark. For I felt as if the entirety of the book was present. This is one of the few occasions wherein I actually looked up, expecting to see I was at, say, 99%, and saw 78%. So it really did feel like a small addition to the Kindle file (even if that 'small addition' was 22% of the entire file).

I suppose I should mention something about the book itself, rather than bumble around with things that didn't really impact the rating.

The book stars one very immature young woman named Dani of Ohio, and one rather immature young woman named Amelia, a princess from some made up country in Europe. About roughly the size of Liechtenstein. Both roughly around the age of 18. And both, oddly, just coming to the realization that they would much rather shag women than men.

Unfortunately, for Dani, she already had a boyfriend when this realization occurred. A boy named Colin. Who, and I hadn't actually realized this immediately, is actually both younger than Dani, and also a grade lower than Dani. I know this because Dani has graduated shortly after the book started (though the book itself opens on her prom - the same night she broke up with Colin), while Dani still has a year or more (probably just a year) in high school. So, Dani realizes she's a lesbian, and comes out as such. By breaking up with her boyfriend during prom (actually on the drive from prom to an after party). Naturally, the boyfriend doesn't take this well and tells everyone at the party. Dani's last months in high school, and her summer before college, has turned hellish (what with her going on a school related trip to whatever that Princess theme park was called during the summer).

Meanwhile, Amelia, remember there's another lead character (and point of view) in this book, is also examining lesbianism. By kissing a rather drunk female friend. While at a party at the palace. Luckily for her she did so in a small out of the way room. Unluckily for her, some gate-crasher with a camera captured the moment on film. Naturally Amelia's parents are upset. And she's sent off to be punished at, oddly enough, the same theme park Dani's band group headed off too.

So. Amelia and Dani meet. Circle. Stuff happens. The end.

An interesting enough book. The immaturity of the main characters was alarming, but that's life. Also, that is one of those things I kind of knew to expect going in. Since I knew it involved immature teenagers. No, not because they were teenagers, but because I had read the description of the book before reading the book. So . . . right.

June 14 2016

The Fifth Gospel by Michelle Grubb

The Fifth Gospel
by Michelle Grubb
Pages: 240
Date: January 18 2016
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: None

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 13 2016

I read Girls with Guns back in March. That is a short story collection that had, at that time, included three authors I had never previously read. Though I had had at least one of them on and off the possibilities list for years. I gave the Carsen Taite story in that book a rating of 4.85; the story by Grubb a rating of 4.75; and the story by Ali Vali a rating of 3.00. I mention all of that to then note that I proceeded to read 5 books by Taite, and 1 by Vali before, at long last, I tried a full length work by Grubb.

Which brings us to this book here. Two things to note immediately: I rather liked Flic Bastone from the beginning and that impression never changed; I didn’t particularly like Anna Lawrence when I first meet her, but she, eventually, grew on me (I made a comment at some point that I wished I wasn’t inside Anna’s head; because her thoughts her not helping me like her much up to a certain point). I mention that because there are several elements that might otherwise have caused me to lowly rate this book. The book was, at least in my opinion, saved by the romance between the two. Not to imply that the plotline and other ‘non-romance’ parts were bad or anything. But the romance really helped push the book along and helped me rather like the book.

I had certain problems along the way:
1) I have certain difficulties about books like this – the kind that seems to include mention within it of the idea that some ‘big thing’ is going to ‘destroy the church’. Reminds me of a short story I read. It was alternate history. Involved Lewis and Clark heading out on their expedition and seeing . . . . a wooly mammoth. Therefore utterly destroying the church. Wasn’t a badly written short story, but the logic escaped me. I think it had something to do with evolution, or the possibility that wooly mammoths were not explicitly mentioned as being among the animals on Noah’s ark or something else equally grand. Admittedly having the Pope turn out to be both gay and in a gay relationship would have an immense impact on the church. I just don’t see that that in of itself would ‘utterly destroy the church’. Hell, you have priests, bishops, and the like raping young children and the church slumps along un-destroyed – and that’s with the church mostly attempting to a) cover it up; b) moving priests around instead of cutting their balls off (they are the church, I assume they could do that if they wanted), or defrocking the priests. Actually, I've wondered why they, way back when, hadn't gone with a eunuch priesthood (the Catholic Church at least). And, I should note, eunuch's are not exactly unknown to the church - there was a time they made certain types of singers that way, by cutting off the balls of little boys.

2) saying all that in the first part, my bigger problem was Anna and her connection to the church. It, in various ways, confused me. She herself said she had a relatively . . . um, well, I forget now what she said, but she is not from an ultra religious family, I’m not even sure her parents are even religious at all. No, she’s just someone who was the offspring of people who moved a lot and had had Anna by accident; and a person who found ‘contentment’ in seeing a church at each location they moved, and spending time in it (I suppose I should be glad that it hadn’t been a McDonald’s she latched on to, eh?) Anna’s personality and character would have made a lot more sense if her back-story had been different. Hell, I had a stronger connection to the Catholic Church growing up than she did, based on what is revealed in the book, and I didn’t reach adulthood assuming that every single bloody Catholic is exactly the same (the numerous times she spoke for the billions of Catholics was very annoying. Stop speaking for me, bitch).

Right. So. The book was enjoyable. The relationship between Anna and Flic was good enough to pull me along. I had certain issues with Anna specifically, though not with the depiction of the church or its supporters/opponents. More with Anna’s connection to the church.

I wasn’t sure if I’d actually get around to reading a book by Grubb, despite loving that short story I had read, since none of her books looked like things I wanted to read. The most interesting one had that church/religion connection, and I’m less than interested in reading that. But I’m glad I, forced might be pushing things, myself to read this book.

June 14 2016

Come Back to Me by Chris Paynter

Come Back to Me
by Chris Paynter
Pages: 213
Date: September 15 2014 (Orig. Published May 1 2010)
Publisher: Companion Publications
Series: None

Review
Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 12 to 13 2016

My fourth book by this author and first that is not part of a series. The first three books I gave 5 stars to; this one I gave just three stars.

I forget how many years it had been, but two characters meet up again after a longish separation. During college, for a brief moment, Angie Cantinnini and Meryl McClain were lovers and friends.

Prior to their meeting each other, Angie had come out to her family during a Thanksgiving meal (it’s thanksgiving, what are they going to do, toss me out? Yep, that’s what they are going to do) as lesbian. This became the source for a short story that Angie wrote for a creative writing class. Meryl, along with others, critiqued the story.

Using that story as a basis to strike up a conversation, the two circled each other, until the two became friends, then lovers. Then everything fell apart. Because there was a semester break and Meryl decided to come out to her family. Her grandmother, who apparently actually ‘knew’ long ago, screamed at Meryl. The father demanded that she stop being a lesbian. Her mother looked disappointed. Sadly, the family is/was super rich, and the father was the kind to use the power that came with that amount of wealth. And he threatened his daughter that he would destroy the one who had ‘ruined’ his daughter if the two didn’t stop, immediately, seeing each other. By killing Angie’s scholarship. Angie who got tossed out of her home after coming out, and was only able to go to school because of said scholarship. Naturally Meryl couldn’t accept that fate to befall Angie. Then the father said that Meryl would have to change schools. Meryl ‘needed’ to go to that school, so the father gave her a choice – go to that other school, or remain in the current school, never make contact with Angie, and date a specific man the family wanted her to date. Naturally, or not, Meryl ended up married to that man.

All of that above is, for the most part, back-story. For the book opens some years later. I might have known a week ago when I finished the book, but I no longer recall how much time has passed between the college relationship falling apart and the start of the book.

Angie now lives in Key West. She got talked into a particular contract by her bitchy agent – see, she, Angie that is, had written a rather ‘good’ little mystery book. But she couldn’t get anyone to publish it. Mostly because she, a lesbian, had written about a really macho man type character and no publisher believed a woman would be believable/sellable as the author of that type of book. So, Angie agreed to use a pen name (even though that basically meant that Angie was giving away her soul or agreeing to kill puppies yearly or whatever fucking bit of weirdness developed here – basically Angie apparently believes using a pen name makes her an immoral and/or amoral lying horrible bitch . . . or something). But, as noted, Angie agreed with the contract. To use a pen name. And never, upon threat of death (okay, law suit), reveal that she, Angie, was Zach England.

So, that’s what Angie did after the relationship with Meryl imploded. Wrote and sold a few lesbian mysteries, made a tiny amount of money from that, then ‘sold her soul’ (again, apparently, judging by Angie’s reactions about it) and used a pen name to sell a bunch of macho man mysteries. Which pile in massive wads of money, and have a tv series be created based on the series. By the time the book opened, her eighth book in the series has just been released. This is important because the New York Banner has released a review about that book. A negative review. Under the byline of Meryl McClain. Angie’s ex.

So, after splitting up, Meryl did what is obviously natural for a lesbian (there was some comment somewhere that lead me to believe that she didn’t actually fancy men, so that she would not be bisexual, though it has been 7 days since I read the book) to do, she married a man, worked as a professor, then went off to be a book columnist. Her horrid treatment of Zack England’s latest novel is Meryl’s first review while with the New York Banner.

Then, based on several conversations she had (maybe just one with a friend), Meryl looked over England’s books again. Agreed with her initial impression, and review, but noticed something interesting. This macho macho man really seemed to ‘know’ women. Therefore, Zach England must be a woman. Just as the publishers couldn’t believe that any woman would be acceptable to the reading public as an author of a macho man book; Meryl believes that no man could ‘get’ or ‘know’ women like Zach England appears able to do. Therefore – woman. Meryl writes an article based on this thought process – well the England must be a woman part. Then, through a fluke, learns that a specific agent, who appears to mostly just represent Zach England, has a lot of mail that goes to and is received from Key West. Naturally, this means Meryl needs to immediately go down there and spend a week investigating. Because, again naturally, randomly walking around Key West asking people if they are (1) a woman; (2) Zach England; is the way to find Zach England.

Okay, I do not actually know how Meryl really expected to wander around and find Zach, because her mission got sidetracked immediately. But that appeared to be what Meryl had planned to do. Randomly wander around Key West. For a week. On the off-chance that there’d be some woman there who might really be Zach England. So, as noted, she got side-tracked immediately. Because she ran into a female mystery writer who just happened to live in Key West. Naturally she put 1 and 1 together and got . . . nowhere, because, seriously, she never once even thought that the mystery writer woman she bumped into, who lived in Key West, would be Zach England. That was kind of . . . . dumb.

The only and I say that this only is flimsy, reason that Meryl didn’t look deeper into this female mystery writer is because that writer was, and people probably already know this, none other than her former lover, Angie Cantinnini.

Angie has a weird brain disorder when she learns why Meryl was down in Key West and decides that the best thing to do is to lie to Meryl. Something that is almost cliché, and might even be cliché, in books with this type of scenario, the deceiver/lier/party who gave offense, was ‘just about to’ reveal the truth when the other learned the truth before they could do so. As if that ‘just about to reveal’ is in any way shape or form some kind of ‘get out of jail’ free card. Or, um, something that isn’t a metaphor.

It has been a week. As might be seen from how I’ve written this review, I’m still disappointed might be putting things mildly, angry would put things too severely, but something. I’m still annoyed by how this book unfolded. The way both people reacted and interacted with each other at each step of their relationship – with each other and with their parents.

Well, no matter, I’ll stop babbling now.

June 20 2016

A Reluctant Enterprise by Gun Brooke

A Reluctant Enterprise
by Gun Brooke
Pages: 240
Date: June 14 2016
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series:

Review
Rating: 2.7 out of 5.0
Read: June 9 to 10 2016

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

This is the fourth book that I have read by Gun Brooke. And the second, I believe, in that ‘secret’ ‘undisclosed’ series. Some authors have series that involve friends, close or distant (Galli’s friends might interact with each other, but more distantly than those in, say, Brayden’s friend series – who actually work together; Brooke’s unnamed, ‘hidden’ series involves friends slightly more distant than those in Galli’s series; though, to a certain extent, closer than in the unnamed series in Bradshaw’s series (she has several named series; but her characters can and do interact between series; then there’s Molly, who pops up in a bunch of books, but has no specific series of her own – the unnamed series I refer to here would be the one involving Molly).

Characters
There are two main characters and two points of views in this book.

Aeron DeForest is a 26 year old woman who has had a strained relationship with her family. This, in its way, is putting it politely. She doesn’t know who her father is, and never got along with her druggy party girl mother Maeve. Mostly because Maeve is/was a rotten mother. Was because Maeve has died at the young age of 43. Aeron prefers to live as a recluse, though does interact, on occasion, with others, including with her next door neighbors (one of whom happens to be a famous actress). Living as a recluse works for her, since (1) technically she doesn’t have to work because of her massive trust fund; (2) she’s a successful horror novelist. She’s judgmental, quick to become angry, and has a massive rejection phobia.

Sylvie Thorn is 40 and a native of Sweden. She has been in the US since she has been 25, running the Thorn Industries USA division. Though she also has her own business she’s been nursing along, a Swedish massage spa. Sylvie has an icy way to her, the way she stands, walks, and interacts with people, though on the inside she’s a ball of emotions. Super emotional. Also, her father abused her. And her mother did almost nothing to stop it. She still wants her father’s approval, and doesn’t put any blame on her mother for the abuse. While there might have been some super tight hand holding, the abuse I speak of is of the emotional kind. Daniel Thorn terrorized his daughter, to the point that she would lose control of her bowels while out in public and being gripped by him.

Plot
The plot is relatively simple and relatively goofy. Maeve, as noted above, has died. She’s worth billions. Somewhere around 25 billion. Her daughter, Aeron, will receive the vast majority of those billions, but only if she agrees to some stipulations. Mostly – Aeron would be tutored by Maeve’s business partner, Sylvie, and would then have to pass some kind of test. Doing so will give Aeron the billions; and if Sylvie agrees, she’ll get the spa business shares owned by Maeve’s estate. Aeron agrees but only because she wants to know more about her mother, the kind of things Sylvie would know since Sylvie does not seem like Maeve’s normal party girl friends. Sylvie agrees because she wants the shares so she can have more control of her business. So that she can make her spa side business successful and therefore show up her father who continually expects her to fail.

So the book consists of Sylvie and Aeron being forced to spend time together. Though the long and short of it seems to consist of Sylvie allowing Aeron to use one of her apartment rooms to store documents that Aeron would go through (and the documents would be stored there so that, if Aeron had any questions she could ask Sylvie; and the documents would be secure from the prying eyes/hands of reporters); visiting a spa and getting a massage; and heading off to visit Sylvie’s family in Sweden. Aeron does not seem to actually get taught anything business related, and while Sylvie is willing to answer questions, she seems mostly used to be nearby while Aeron reads some emotional documents (but never seems to ask any questions).

Oh, and there are flash backs throughout the book. Three kinds – Sylvie remembering how horrible her childhood was (which is how I know Sylvie peed on herself); Aeron remembering how horrible her childhood was; and Aeron’s reading of Maeve’s journal, which revealed how horrible Maeve’s life was.

Overall
I’m not sure how I might have felt about this book if not for the simple fact that I kind of despised both main characters from the beginning. From the first time I meet them. And neither grows on me. My feelings for the super rich whiny little twits, ‘my childhood was soo hard, and my parents were so mean!’, never improved.

That probably colors how I see the two as a couple. Therefore I’ll just note that I did not see their connection, romantically, as being that realistic, but then my thoughts are colored by my dislike of the two characters.

Overall I’d probably give this book a rating nearish 2.7 stars. If that.

June 10 2016