From Third to Home by Chris Paynter

From Third to Home
by Chris Paynter
Pages: 277
Date: April 3 2016
Publisher: Companion Publications
Series: Playing for First (3rd in series)

Review
Rating: 5.5 out of 5.0
Read: June 8 2016

My third book by this author. And my favorite of the three I’ve read by Paynter. Though all three are part of the same series that builds on itself, so people coming along behind me are directed to read from the beginning – from the first book.

Unless I'm mistaken, and I could very well be, I see a pattern in this series. First book had 1 point of view, Lisa Collins. Second one had two points of views - Lisa Collins and Amy Perry. Third one has three points of views. Lisa Collins, Amy Perry, and Kat Benson.

Book one focused on Lisa Collins and her personal and professional life and her connection to Amy Perry. Professionally, Collins, in that first book, followed Perry as she moved from a player on a professional female baseball team, to the MLB winter league, to minor league ball, and then a brief appearance in the majors. Personally, Collins, very quickly in that first book, developed a friendship and romantic relationship with Perry. By the second book (actually, during the first), the friendship part remained, but only the friendship part. By the third, the friendship part, which was somewhat shaky in the second, was on firm ground, and any lingering romantic feelings are gone.

Book two focused more on Amy Perry and her time in the majors. Well, the book opened with her still in the minors, but very quickly she made it up to the majors in the second or third month of the season. Collins, though, remained one of the points of view in the book, and some of the focus remained on her professional and relationship life.

Book three, this book here, keeps the focus on Perry and Collins, but adds in an unexpected third party. Perry’s former coach contacts Collins and suggests she stops by and watches one of her players. That player being one ‘Kat Benson’. Like in the first book when Perry was watched by others, Benson is introduced to readers by having people watch her. Unlike the first book, Benson’s own thoughts suddenly, seemingly of their own accord, break through and let others in on her thoughts.

Benson could very well have ended up being an afterthought. Someone whose story is just tacked on, but she has a deeper story, and deeper impact on the book than I had expected.

Benson pulls in another character who wasn’t previously in the series, one Stephanie McGrady – Stacey’s sister. Kat and Stephanie circle each other in this book, and I quite like both of them and their budding relationship.

Family plays a large role in this book. Collins and her long lost father. Perry & McGrady attempting to deepen their own family by having a baby together, and Benson and her strained relationship with her alcoholic mother.

Baseball remains the underlying theme, and structure to which the various subplots anchor upon. And the baseball action, at times, was even somewhat thrilling to observe.

As I mentioned in my review for the previous book in this series, written moments ago, I liked the third book best of all. The books, if I were to give them a number rating, probably hovered around 4.7 for the first book, 4.8 for second, and something at or above 5 for the third.

June 9 2016

Two for the Show by Chris Paynter

Two for the Show
by Chris Paynter
Pages: 214
Date: September 15 2014 (Orig. April 2011)
Publisher: Companion Publications
Series: Playing for First (2nd in series)

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 7 to 8 2016

My second book by this author.

Unless I'm mistaken, and I could very well be, I see a pattern in this series. First book had 1 point of view, Lisa Collins. Second one, this book here, had two point of views - Lisa Collins and Amy Perry. Third one has three point of views. Lisa Collins, Amy Perry, and Kat Benson.

This is a rather enjoyable series, but this being the second and not the third in the series, I should focus on it and not on the whole series.

Book one focused on Lisa Collins and her personal and professional life and her connection to Amy Perry. Professionally, Collins, in that first book, followed Perry as she moved from a player on a professional female baseball team, to the MLB winter league, to minor league ball, and then a brief appearance in the majors. Personally, Collins, very quickly in that first book, developed a friendship and romantic relationship with Perry. By the second book (actually, during the first), the friendship part remained, but only the friendship art.

Book two focused more on Amy Perry and her time in the majors. Well, the book opened with her still in the minors, but very quickly she made it up to the majors in the second or third month of the season. Collins, though, remained one of the points of view in the book, and some of the focus remained on her professional and relationship life.

In the second book, having Perry’s point of view helped in one specific point (though initially I was vaguely disappointed that we suddenly had her view). The end of the first book had a ‘rushed’ meet and become a couple deal involving Perry and another woman. That other woman had been in the book previously, but barely at a level of being a background character. She, and now that she actually matters I’ll use her name – Stacey came into her own, became a deeper character once someone with a point of view actually cared about her on a friend and romantic level. But then, that’s somewhat of a pattern itself – Frankie seemed barely there until Collins affections switched to her. Then she rounded out into a fuller character.

These writing reviews long after I read a book are difficult. Heh. I’m not really saying much here, eh?

There were two main couples in this book. Frankie Dunkin (51, bar owner) & Lisa Collins (36, sports reporter); Amy Perry (28, baseball player) & Stacey McCrady (?, bartender/bar worker). Both couples, against the background of a baseball season, goes through the ups and downs of medical and family issues.

I enjoyed all three books in the series. In terms of ratings, I’d reverse them. As in, I liked the third best of all, then second (this book here), then the first. Which, does not really mean anything since all three are at or around 5 star books.

June 9 2016

Playing for First by Chris Paynter

Playing for First
by Chris Paynter
Pages: 210
Date: September 15 2014 (Orig. June 1 2009)
Publisher: Companion Publications
Series: Playing for First (1st in series)

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 7 2016

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

The book follows several characters, but from the point of view of one (unless I got confused, I know the next book follows the point of view of two people, Amy Perry and Lisa Collins; I believe the first one, and this is what I get for waiting until after I read two books before writing anything, is only from Lisa Collins point of view).

Lisa Collins is a writer for both a local Indianapolis newspaper, and for Minorleague.com. When she comes across an interesting story involving a major league baseball team taking a close look at a baseball player, Collins goes to investigate. When that team invites that player to winter league with a good possibility of then having that player join a minor league team in their system, Collins comes up with a proposal for her MinorLeague.com bosses involving Collins following along and reporting on the games as they occur.

I was attempting to be somewhat subtle there, though I'm sure anyone reading this review already knows two things - whom that baseball player probably is, and the part wherein that baseball player happens to be a woman. So, yeah, it appears that a Major League team, the Cincinnati Reds to be exact, is interested in testing the concept of allowing a woman play for them.

Following Amy Perry, that female baseball player, through the eyes of Lisa Collins, sportswriter, as Perry moves along on the possible path to breaking into the major leagues is quite fun and interesting. But the book is more than just a sports book. There's also a bit of romance in there. And, for those who care about such things, graphic displays of a sexual nature.

Several thoughts I had while wandering along in my reading:
The dating of a writer with her subject, had a vaguely 'icky' feeling; the dating occurred a lot quicker in the story line than I expected (I do not recall now if it was 'Hey Collins, this is Perry; Collins to Perry - 'let's date'; Perry to Collins - 'sure'; but it was close enough to that to make things weird; since Collins had already committed to a really long lengthy project that would force her to be away from her home for a longish period of time to report on Perry's progress. What if their relationship imploded? What if it didn't? What if it got awkward to interview your lover? Not an issue? Well . . . apparently not an issue for Collins).

I was set to be annoyed about the 'lesbian character who needs to remain in the closet, while at the same time attempts to have a relationship'; and yet I was more annoyed with the other party in that relationship. Since Perry's 'public outing' of her lesbian nature could quite easily destroy her chances of fulfilling her life-long dream of breaking into the major leagues. Or, at the very least, be an extra little layer that a team might not want to tackle at the same time as tackling everything else.

I’d insert something here about how Jackie Robinson was neither the best Negro League baseball player playing at the time Robinson was scouted, nor the only Negro League baseball player scouted. This book here kind of had a vague vibe that made it seem as if Amy Perry was the only possibility available for a major league team; while at the same time including the part where Perry played for a professional baseball team. A female team. Which, obviously enough, meant that there were other female baseball players out there. Of course, Perry was the one that people, and scouts, thought should have already had a chance to play for a major league team, or in a major league system, but for the fact she was female. While not having that thought about other female players. Still, it was never a certainty that any woman would get the nod, nor that, if one did, that Perry would be that player. Point being, that adding an extra layer of ‘issue’ might have knocked Perry out of the running. The book makes note that there’s just been one professional athlete who came out as being gay or lesbian while still playing, and that it isn’t exactly a profession open to the concept (there have been others since the book’s publication – many of whom possibly cut short their career by being open).

Hmm. Interesting. The team Perry gets sent to was the Chattanooga Lookouts. On April 2, 1931, 17 year old Jackie Mitchell, while playing for the Lookouts, struck out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. The baseball commissioner promptly voided her contract.

Hmmx2. On June 24 2015 the first female player was added to major League Baseball’s international registration list. That being Melissa Mayeux, a 16 year old French short-stop. http://nymag.com/betamale/2016/05/women-could-be-in-the-majors-sooner-than-you-think.html

Right, got distracted. And to think all I was going to note was that I was more annoyed with Collins reactions to Perry needing to remain in the closet than with Perry needing to remain in the closet.

But that’s something of a misdirection/red-herring. Those who notice my shelves might notice certain issues that seem odd. Like, say, the ‘fell-for-friend’ one. Perry and Collins were not friends before they started dating. Course the ‘love-triangle’ one kind of gives the game away in and of itself. Yes, this is a book that involves more than one coupling. Involving one person tangled up in the same coupling. Weirdly, or not, some of the same shelvings work for both couplings, including the age-difference one. And, for that matter, the butch-butch one.

Collins goes from a relationship involving someone 8 years younger than them, to a relationship with someone 15 years older than them. When she moves from 27 year old Amy Perry to 50 year old Frankie Dunkin, a long time friend of Collins.

In terms of relationships/romance: things bordered on the edge of things that annoy me, that I dislike (like, say cheating); but things kept just on the side of the border wherein things remained enjoyable without becoming unbearable.

In terms of sports: that was handled quite well. Following the trajectory of Perry playing for a female baseball team against a minor league male team, to going to winter ball, to going to a minor league team; etc. Enjoyable experience.

Overall: Obviously enough I liked the book so much that I immediately acquired and read the next book in the series. A good solid effort by the author. Quite good for a baseball book.

June 8 2016

The Open Window by Eve Francis

The Open Window
by Eve Francis
Pages: Unknown
Date: August 17 2016
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Series: None

Review
Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 3 to 6 2016

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Less Than Three Press in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first book by this author that I’ve read. Though I’ve seen the author’s name pop up here and there a few times now. I’ve always avoided any and everything by the author. This was bad for two reasons. (1) I’ve made a rule for myself that I will not allow one story/book/whatever be my end-all-be-all reaction to an author – as in, if I give something 5 stars, I’m not going to assume everything by them I’ll love; if I give something by them 1 star, I’m not going to assume that everything by them I’ll hate. I failed this time, as I only gave one short story be my guide. (2) And that short story was by a completely different author with a similar name. So I’ve been avoiding this author for a while now, stupidly.

Characters
This book has two main characters and two point of views (happily with the two main characters, so that wasn’t a weird bit, eh?)

Morgan O’Brian is a self-described chubby girl, one who requires shirts that come XXL, and who may or may not be in her 30s (I had a vague feeling somewhere that she was, then realized later that I might have been confused by all the 30 year olds I’ve read recently). Regardless, she’s either late 20s or somewhere in her 30s. Her mother recently died, she has no connection to her father, and has one brother who has ‘grown up’. Morgan is someone who beats themselves up, emotionally, and has something like low self-esteem. She likes seeing signs to help her navigate life – though sometimes more as a ‘see, I suck’ excuse.

Morgan is an artist – mostly comic strips/book, though she has some paintings floating around – and designs for things like bands. She currently is, very slowly and somewhat reluctantly, been working on a proposal for a comic book when the book opens.

Her best friend, and apparently only human contact in the outside world (other than her brother, and nieces), is a fella named Reese. Who has a kind of annoyingly stereotypically gay persona, though certain events have him grow on the reader. They meet in art school.

Valentina ‘Val’ Lyall, aka Velouria is a woman on the brink of her 30s who works as a waitress in a crap job to pay the bills, while also being a member of a ‘electro-punk’ band called ‘The Asexual Kinks’. She’s bisexual, had been a member of a band long ago, took a break for an attempt at ‘growing up’, and is now back to being a band member. Velouria is her band name/persona.

Story
Most of the book involves Morgan and Val meeting, Val mentioning she’s going to be going on a road trip shortly, then going on said road trip – ‘road trip’ being a . . . um, six week? music tour with the band. Val and Morgan Skype, text, and (less so) email/phone each other while Val is on tour.

Meanwhile Morgan is lazily working on a proposal for a comic book. The comic book involves Joan of Arc working in a sex shop. And the sex toys talk to her. Actually more of a ‘Joan of Arc’ like person, since her name is Leah.

A few notes:
1) There were several (many?) occasions wherein I thought people were acting a lot more immature than I'd expect for people their stated age - I felt that way off and on; the kind of vaguely naive, vaguely teenage-esque angst; and yet, thinking about it, they kind of did act their ages, albeit kind of immaturely, but you can be mature or immature at any age.

2) There was a weird conflict that popped up in this book. I kind of assumed, from the beginning, that the conflict would be 'signs'/tarot card/psychic mutterings/nonsense that would be the cause of trouble. And . . . I was right. I really really want to lambast and very lowly rate this book because of some of that crap . . . except for two things: (a) the author and characters knew what was occurring, and reacted accordingly (as in everyone yelling at the dimbat, while the dimbat realized they were stupid); (b) I never really liked Reese . . . except these 'issues' brought out a specific side of him that I liked.

3) There is a lot of sex in this book.

4) There were a lot of errors in this book. Missing words or wrongly used words. Most of the time that is something I just overlook, while knowing that others do not over look those things. Well, I note that this is an issue while also noting that I read an advance reader copy, and those errors might be gone in the finished published book.

The errors consist of occasions when:
(a) the wrong word was used, as in:
'The last place Val and the band had placed at was a solo show that literally had six people in the audience.’ When, I'm fairly certain that the sentence was supposed to be
'The last place Val and the band had played at was a solo show that literally had six people in the audience.’ – location 2281 of 3799 – 60% into the book.

(b) missing words, as in: Again, not exact example:
Something similar as to what was in the book: 'Do you the pattern in the stars up in the sky?' What was likely supposed to be there in the book: 'Do you see the pattern in the stars up in the sky?'

(c) mixed up sentences. I have an exact quote from the book for this one:
'The crowd cheered. A few spilled people spilled over onto the stage, but most listened to Denis in awe.' - occurs at location 2153 of 3799 (57% into the book).

A few of the crowd spilled people onto the stage?

Remember – I’m reading an ARC, the errors I noticed might not be in the final released book.

5) It was interesting to see a comic book artist as a character. And one of the two main characters being 'chubby.'

I tentatively recommend the book, though note that the reader might need to be in the right 'mood' to read it.

June 7 2016

Under her Skin by Lea Santos

Under her Skin
by Lea Santos
Pages: 264
Date: August 1 2010
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Amigas y Amor (2nd in series)

Review
Rating: 4.8 out of 5.0
Read: June 2 2016

This is the second book I’ve read by Lea Santos. I gave that first book I’d read a good solid five stars. This book here, ‘Under Her Skin’, seems to be closer to something between 4.65 to 4.85. Which doesn’t really mean anything. Even if we had half stars, I’d still rate this 5.

This book is about a world famous model by the name of Iris Lujan, and about a gardener named Torien Pacias. Iris is of Mexican descent, though she’s at least third generation USAian (if not more) – given that Iris makes a comment about Torien to one of her friends about Torien being Mexican Mexican like one of their friends parents. Meaning that Iris’s own parents are not first generation Mexican. That was more complicated that it should have been. Heh. I’ll just finish up this thought with the note that Iris, maybe because of this, maybe for some other reason, is not exactly fluent with Spanish, though knows enough to get by.

Iris is 30 to 31 years of age, is a supermodel, grew up in the Denver area, and is super tired of being a model. She’s in between jobs at the start of the book, vacationing at her business manager’s estate (stupid idea right there – doing so gives the manager access to you for spot jobs, which does in fact turn up, while supposedly on vacation). Iris feels trapped by her fate and is unsure what to do with herself. Especially as she has no other talent, nor higher education (having gone directly from high school into the modeling ranks). She’s just tired of being seen as ‘meat’ though. A shallow dimwitted piece of meat to be moved around and posed. One last thought on this particular issue – (1) cliché – the (super)model who wants to be seen as more than just a face/image/body; (2) what is she whining about? So she wants to stop being ‘meat’, so she would prefer to live in the Denver area near her friends and family . . . .well, do so. She’s fabulously wealthy now from her modeling. Bloody retire already. Go off to college if you desire, you have the money. Dabble in art, music, acting, or just spend the rest of your life ‘vacationing’. That ‘ooh, I’m . . . I’m . . . more than just a body! Right? Am I? Am I just this body and nothing more? *cry cry cry*’ is bloody annoying. But, sadly, realistic.

Torien Pacias is from Mexico, legally in the USA, and is around 31 years of age. Her papa died when she was around 17 to 19, right before she was going to head off to college, and she had to redirect herself to taking care of her many sisters (three), and mother. Somewhere along the way she moved to the USA with her next oldest sister (I failed to mention that Torien is the oldest child). For paid work, Torien is a gardener at a rich woman's estate. In her spare time she is . . . a gardener. For a volunteer project dedicated to planting gardens in less affluent neighborhoods (including her own).

One night while gazing out into her business manager’s garden, Iris spots a stunning woman moving around gardening. In, if I recall correctly, just her bra (ETA: and pants, only her shirt is removed). Iris drools. That woman then happens to move enough to catch Iris starring at her. Iris, caught, just goes with it and waves. The woman in the garden flees. That would be Torien. And immediately one of the potential points of conflict/road-blocks-to-happiness is revealed. Torien is super desirous of being responsible and not doing anything wrong – despite the fact that Torien finds Iris starring at her, she doesn’t think of it that way, she thinks of it as she herself having starred at a guest, and that may or may not upset the guest. Who might report her. And get her fired. So, you have that dynamic going on.

Torien, nicknamed Toro for her stubbornness, is drawn to Iris but she cannot allow herself to do anything with this desire. It’s too risky, and she has too much responsibility to provide for her family to risk anything.

Iris pursues Torien, who she nicknames Tori (except when Torien is being extra stubborn, at which point, Iris reverts to calling her Toro).

I rather enjoyed this book. It was a nice slow move from cultures clashing, to acquaintances, to possible friends, to more than friends. As already mentioned I’d give this a rating of roughly 4.8 stars.

I had, maybe, one or two issues with the book. The ‘whoa is me, I’m super hot and rich but do people only see me as meat?’ aspect of Iris’s personality was vaguely annoying, though not a huge issue. The ‘reason’ for Torien’s strong need to be responsible, and her heavy burden of guilt was both realistic and extra stupid.
Warning, don’t read thisTorien's father was called a dreamer. He was the kind of person who jumped from job to job looking to make as much money as possible. He died in a work related accident when his oldest child was around 17 to 19 (that being Torien). This caused Torien's personality to somewhat change. And lead her to take upon her massive guilt and the burden of responsiblity to help support her family. Which completely baffled her family. The part wherein she felt guilt. Torien was no where near the accident.

Well, apparently Torien feels guilt because she's like her father. A dreamer. And the work related accident was caused by her father, who didn't take the time to learn the work safety protocols because he didn't think he would be there that long. And others died in the explosion. People died because her father was a dreamer. That's one layer of the guilt. The second? The part that, even after this, Torien still wanted to use her scholarship and go to college. What a horrible horrible woman, right? No? Well, Torien has massive guilt for having these thoughts, though she didn't act on them. That's her source of her burden. She's a dreamer. And she wanted to go to college.

June 3 2016