Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

Etiquette & Espionage
by Gail Carriger
Pages: 320
Date: February 5 2013
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Series: Finishing School (1)

Review
Rating: 4.75
Read: October 30 to 31 2016

Neat to see a young Genevieve Lefoux - who would later grow up to be a side character in the Parasol Protectorate, and will appear in her own book tomorrow in Romancing the Inventor. Also from the Parasol Protectorate series was Sidheag Maccon. A side character in that and in this book. Nice to see her as well, though she plays a rather small role in everything I've seen her in.

Right, well. I knew of this series years ago, but when I noticed that the series was called something like 'Finishing School', I immediately avoided it. Bad me. It's not exactly that type of finishing school. No, it's more of a spy school for young ladies that floats in the air in balloons (well, dirigibles), and is affiliated with a male version (which is located on the ground) - and it is designed to produce evil geniuses (also a sign of what type of series this one is about).

This is a humorous steampunk/science fiction/alt history/young adult book. Quite enjoyable. Not sure how others might or might not like it since I'm kind of out of my normal reading zone. In the sense that I have almost never enjoyed nor, for that matter, liked steampunk books. heh. I just looked at my steampunk shelf. 5 stars (1 book, this one, though it's more 4.75), then 4 stars (5 books), then 1 3 star and then 2 2 stars (hmms, I appear to be missing . . wait, no, there's Boneshaker). Every steampunk book I've liked has been by Gail Carriger. Naturally this means I shall now gobble up the rest of this series, and turn a serious eye on the sequel series (Custard Protocal). Fitting that lesbian fiction book starring Genevieve Lefoux into the mix somehow or another.

October 31 2016

Timeless by Rachel Spangler

Timeless
by Rachel Spangler
Pages: 235
Date: April 13 2014
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Darlington Romances

Review
Rating: 4.29
Read: October 27 to 28 2016

This is my first Spangler book since August 24 2015 when I read a short story that caused me to erupt in rage and had me rating it 0.5 stars. Mostly because I do not actually have a rating lower than 0.5. It was a ‘fun exciting story of lesbian rape instigated by a ‘friend’’ that I am in the minority about in terms of hating it – the story (heck, I gave it 1 star, and it is still all the way up at 3.68 overall rating on GoodReads; hmm – I was going to say that all my friends that read it loved it, but none of them have even read it. heh).

It’s funny, in its way that I used to write reviews for a website. I had it all figured out – I did a kind of teaser paragraph or mini-review (depending) because I knew people could see that teaser then would have to click a link. Here on Goodreads, people see a paragraph (or a little more) and have to decide to click or not. Yet here I am almost constantly filling up my first paragraphs with nonsense. Or paragraphs talking about reviews.

This is one of Spangler’s Darlington Illinois romances (lesbian romances set in Darlington). I’ve read two of the four that have been linked together under that tag – ‘Darlington Romances’. Those two, at least, follow a pattern. Relatively successful (though could do better) out lesbian returns home to Darlington (reluctantly). They find themselves a closeted lesbian who they may or may not have noticed when they used to live in Darlington, and they latch onto them. I worded that badly – one of the two characters in the book (Rory in Long Way Home, and Stevie in Timeless) flee Darlington, then, when they returned, hook up with women who grew up and remained in Darlington (Beth in Long Way Home, and Jody in Timeless (technically Jody is form a nearby town, and still lives there, though works in Darlington).

Rory ‘came home’ because she needed to – she got an offer at the local college, and she didn’t have much in the way of other offers. Stevie ‘came home’ because she was offered an ‘award’ by her old high school, and her publicist pushed her into accepting it because Stevie needed publicity.

The books are by no means carbon copies, though. One is a straight forward ‘return home, find love’ book. Then there’s this one. Which involves a ‘Pretty in Pink’ type situation. Bah, no, I mean “Peggy Sue Got Married’ – the one wherein ‘Peggy Sue Bodell faints at her high school reunion. When she wakes up, she finds herself in her own past, just before she finished high school.’ Stevie is Peggy Sue. She fainted in her old high school gym while on stage, and when she woke up she was 18 again and finishing up high school as a senior. Peggy Sue also fainted while in her old high school gym while on stage.

So yeah, that’s the plot. Peggy Sue Got Married. Starring a lesbian. And set in 2002, instead of in 1960. Add in a deep plot line about how Stevie is very anti-social and would prefer to never leave her apartment – just write, sell what she writes, and write more; lust for teacher plot line; bullies, both adult authority figures and teenage students; death of a classmate.

The book started slowly and I almost regretted attempting to read it. But it picked up steam and rather enjoyed the book. And it’s many plot-lines.

Of note: Rory and Beth from ‘Long Way Home’ have cameos in this book. I looked at the two books in the series that I have not yet read, and did not recognize the names listed in the descriptions.

Rating: 4.29

October 28 2016

The Trip by Robin Alexander

The Trip
by Robin Alexander
Pages: 183
Date: July 13 2015
Publisher: Intaglio Publications
Series: None

Review
Rating: 5.0
Read: October 28 2016
Three old women - a grandmother and her 'sister' (a long time next door neighbor who both see the other as a sister) and a third friend of similar age, set up a 'meet up' between two lesbians involving relatives. As in, the grandmother's granddaughter, and the third friend's niece. Neither of the younger generation set knows what's going on.

Book starts immediately with three people (a fourth is there as well, though not immediately obvious - she's sleeping) driving along in an RV ('not a bus'; - that joke? I did not get. Who the hell would call an RV camper a bus? Have you seen an RV Camper? Have you seen a bus? They do not look the same. Sure, both can be relatively the same shape and size and length but there's no mistaking one for the other). Apparently the two oldest in this foursome have decided to have a 'trip', and because they are super old, they 'get their way'. Even if others have other stuff to do at work (Jill - new accounting software system at work) and at home (Jill - currently has a girlfriend); or, because they are currently out of work and have just moved back to the state - work on getting a job, and 'fixing up' their currently messed up nurse license (Shay).

Anne and Ella, the two super old people who went on the trip (Chloe, I believe it's Chloe, stayed home), tricked Jill onto this trip - mostly because they wanted to use Jill's fathers (and Ella's son's) RV, and the father didn't trust anyone to drive it except for himself and Jill, and he wasn't going to go on the trip. Well, that's how they tricked people into allowing them to have the RV, and got Jill along for the ride. The trick part, though, was supposed to be referring to how they dragged a fourth member onto the trip - to set up with Jill unbeknownst to either Jill or Shay.

It's been a really long time - I forget now what they said to Jill about Shay's presence. But Jill is a massive bitch to Shay from the get-go, because she suspects that she's being set up on a really long 'blind date' type situation - really long because it will last the entirety of a RV vacation (2 weeks I believe I recall). Shay, I know, got tricked because she's a nurse and her aunt, Chloe, told her that she could go along to help because Anne and Ella are feeble and/or could use the use of a nurse.

Well, so - old wacky people, grumpy crotchety younger people - a mix common in Alexander books. Roadtrips are also something seen before in an Alexander book, though not as common. Here we go from Louisiana to Tennessee to West Virginia then back again. (Tennessee and Louisiana do not touch? Well . . . um . . obviously some time was also spent in either Arkansas or Mississippi, though I do not recall if either was actually mentioned; probably – one of the weird and wacky side trips was probably in one or the other state; maybe the hunting bigfoot part).

As expected, this book was filled with humor, people older than 30, mixed up with people older than dirt (or, say, 70; I mean as a side character, I do not mean in one of those May-December thingies because that’d be gross, having the 30+ year old granddaughter dating her grandmother, eww).

Unexpectedly, see I can also use the word ‘unexpected’, I rather enjoyed this book and grew to like all four main characters (you can’t share a RV camper for 2 weeks – have that be the entirety of the book, and not have all four people in that tin can be anything but main characters. Heck – the old people even sleep together (as in share the same bed, though both joke about being lesbians)).

I liked the book. I liked what occurred in the book. I still remember the book all this time (3 or 4 days) later. I do not really have much more to note. And so . . . I won’t.

October 31 2016

Laughing Down the Moon by Eva Indigo

Laughing Down the Moon
by Eva Indigo
Pages: 220
Date: December 16 2013
Publisher: Bella Books
Series: None

Review
Rating: 5.5
Read: October 26 to 27 2016
I found this book off of a list, the Funny Lesbian Romance books list.

Unexpectedly – I use that word both because I had not heard of this author before, and because of the rating it had before I rated it (I think it was somewhere down near 3.5 something), I found that I really enjoyed this book. It was a sliver from actually being ‘perfect’. Couple things kept it from that designation though.

Reasons for not perfect:
1) The ending was a little . . . much. Not exactly sure how to describe what I mean. I suppose the ending is perfect-ish if you think of the book as a slice of life-‘woman working through issues’ type of book instead of a romance. So this isn’t really a negative so much as an indication of what type of book this actually was. plus, I kept expecting that the cat who seemed to be following Allura around would end up near her or on her at the end – I mean, she did start the book basically fearing and hating cats, and ended up somewhere not fearing and hating cats – and the book did end with her sitting outside on the ground, so it’d have been a perfect opportunity to show a little tiny extra bit of growth if she openly acknowledged her change by having the cat near – shown she had grown as a person. But no cat.

2) The main character is/was largely anti-cat. Feared them. That’s a little tough to move past.

3) I mentioned this in 1 – but this book is not perfect as a romance, but closer to perfect if the book was/is supposed to be seen as a slice of life-woman dealing with/overcoming issues type of book. I say that for many reasons but I’ll just say, here and now, that the book was more about Allura dealing with herself, her family, her ex-girlfriend, her ‘funk’, her career, and – to an extent, dealing with the concept of letting herself have a new girlfriend – while Shiloh was kind of off to the side . . . there. That specific aspect isn’t helped by having the story completely from Allura’s point of view.

Right, so – Allura’s a writer, of Japanese-Irish descent, has two sisters (one older, one younger – heh, I just realized this book actually was focused on the middle child when so many seem to be focused on the oldest) and is in something of a ‘funk’. Oh, and is a pagan. She is attempting to get out of this ‘funk’ by doing certain things – like taking a new class, getting a pet (something along the lines of – ‘getting the neediest pet’, though the wording was slightly different than that I believe), and . . . I do not remember the third thing.

I rather liked Allura – I mean, the book sounds like it’d be depressing – a woman attempting to get past ‘issues’, dealing with whether or not she might be depressed, dealing with not actively currently liking her job (and actually kind of disliking it at the moment), and dealing with having been dumped by her girlfriend – and dealing with the issue of friends – would the friends stay with her, go with Mickey (the ex), etc. But, instead, the book was quite enjoyable. For someone in ‘the funk’ – Allura sure did do a heck of a lot of laughing and finding herself in funny situations. And I rather liked the bald bird she ended up with – Dwight Night Jr. And the antics of the two of them bonding. I even liked how Allura moved past, somewhat, her fear of cats (when I say she fears cats, I mean she literally would redirect her walking so she wouldn’t end up walking near a cat – or on the same street as a cat).

I also rather liked Shiloh, though she played a smaller role in the book than would be expected for a potential mate.

Fun, funny book. Fortunately there’s another book out there for me to read by this author – unfortunately there is only one more, and it came out more than 2 years ago.

October 27 2016

Manhattan Moon by Jae

Manhattan Moon
by Jae
Pages: 95
Date: October 18 2012
Publisher: Ylva Publishing
Series: Shape-Shifter Series (1.75)

Review
Rating: 4.25
Read: October 26 2016

This is my 22nd work that I’ve read by Jae. Something like the 9th short story (though I do not always remember to include that shelf). This is also the last story in the Shape-Shifter series that I had not yet read. This might be the only Jae series where I’ve actually read everything in it. Every novel length work, every short story length work.

Right, so – Shelby Carson is a psychologist who works in the psych ward at an ER in New York. Or works in an ER deal with psych patients. One, the other, or both. She works with a woman by the name of Nyla Rozaksi – a nurse. Both characters have appeared before, though the timing is a little confusing here (Shelby mentions Jorie and Griffin, and how they are an accepted Wrasa/human couple; while at the same time Shelby and Nyla are not currently a couple (and haven’t previously been) – yet I have a strong recollection that they were a couple when Jorie and Griffin meet them (meaning that they became a couple before that point, which means Jorie and Griffin weren’t an out (to Wrasa) and accepted coupling, which means . . . circling I go).

Right, sorry.

I was going to lead into it, but I kind of already indirectly indicated the issue at play in this book. Shelby is a Wrasa – a werecoyote (like Mercy Thompson, though completely different fantasy universe, one by Patricia Briggs, other by Jae), while Nyla is a human. Both, as you might expect considering, are females who like females.

Both Nyla and Shelby show signs of being interested in each other, and they go on a date. Though the date is almost instantly ruined when Shelby, indirectly, mentions the matter to a cousin – who howls at her. Then later by neighbors who catch Shelby and Nyla on her date. Neighbors who happen to be Wrasa. Humans in the past who learned about the Wrasa were killed. Things are changing now, but that doesn’t mean that Wrasa and humans are allowed to date (with the one exception of Griffin and Jorie). And so – naturally Shelby doesn’t show her good side on the date. She’s incredibly nervous, and somewhat cowering. While at the same time pulled towards Nyla.

I liked the story. Though it was a) super short; and b) incomplete (okay, so, they become a couple. But . . . what’s next? Will they somehow remain hidden? They can’t – others can literally smell the ‘mate scent’ clinging to both of them – and Shelby has to go on family gathering events on a regular basis – it’s not like she can hide in Manhattan and never see another Wrasa, there’s the gatherings, and random Wrasa living amongst the humans (like her neighbors). So the story is left incomplete. It’s not like the story was already 600 pages and the author decided that that was enough. The thing is only 95 pages long. Toss in another chapter or 5 to ‘handle’ the issue. Even if ‘handling’ it actually does involve ‘hiding’ somehow) and unlikely to be completed (what, this story came out in 2012, and none of the stories that came later addressed the issue (or, if they did, it flew past me because I hadn’t read the Shelby Nyla story yet).

October 26 2016

Sigil Fire by Erzabet Bishop

Sigil Fire
by Erzabet Bishop
Pages: 104
Date: June 8 2014
Publisher: Ylva Publishing
Series: Sigil Fire (1st in series)

Review
Rating: 3.23
Read: October 26 2016

This book stars a succubus and a vampire/blood witch. And, depending if you consider someone with a POV as a star or not, others. One issue with this book is the huge number of POV's involved.

So - someone or something has been killing women - sucking them dry (of soul). Fairly quickly (as in immediately) it is realized that all of the women have at least one thing in common - all of them were supposed to be immortal - all of them are succubus demons (in the past I've seen people get around the question of 'what is the plural of succubus' but having singular or plural forms of demon; here, if I read things right, they go with succubi).

Several succubus demons pop up in this story - Jeannie, Gina, um, others, but most importantly - Sonia (one of the two main stars). Jeannie and Sonia were linked as 'almost girlfriends', though being succubi, both still needed to feed off of humans - though Sonia tried as hard as she could to limit her feeding. Gina and Sonia are linked as being friends. All but Sonia seemed to be there so they could pop in for a minute or two, say 'hi', then go and die. Ah sorry, forgot Charley. She's also a succubus, but unlike all the others (except for Sonia who works as a fetish model), Charley works as a homicide detective (the others work in either a strip club or strip clubs - we only seemed to see the one club so unclear).

Charley's partner is a vampire. And while both are in the story, pop up, do things, and stuff, neither are as important to the story as expected.

Then there's Fae - tattoo artist, lesbian, witch (blood), and - not to be forgotten - vampire. She's the other main character.

I was enjoying the book, liking most of the people I came across until something snapped. Not exactly sure what, exactly, but suddenly Fae's making mean nasty comments about everyone around her (mostly about the succubus demons) and other characters started doing mean things. And the story took a turn for the worse because of that. Oh right - Sonia, despite everything, suddenly started being flippant, and acting all 'I don't need to follow your advice, it's stupid' and stuff.

This is the fifth story I've read by Bishop, and the first separate thingie (all others were short stories in anthologies). I, in general, have liked the stories I've read, but had been reluctant to read a book by Bishop because there seemed to be about 8,000 of them (well, really "94 distinct works"), and many seemed to look, on the surface, like they might be MF. Or MM for that matter. So I was happy enough when I saw that Ylva had a sale going on based on Halloween - the second story in the series was free (and I picked it up immediately), and this one here was $0.99. I didn't pick it up immediately (for reasons - mostly involving how Ylva requires payment via Paypal (it's true you can 'use your credit card', it's still through Paypal, and I don't want anything to do with Paypal), but I eventually went ahead and got it.

There's a vague and weird connection to another series - that being Loreli Brown's Belladonna Ink series - mostly because both series seem to be internally linked (as in the stories inside the individual series) through tattoos (though I still don't see how exactly the first book in that Belladonna Ink series has anything really to do with ink, but whatever). Random thoughts that occur - two different lesbian series that appear to have stories that are linked based solely on ink (well, also being in the same internal universe (as in, the two series themselves are not linked to each other).

Wow, I got way off the story there. Right, so - okay story. Lots of characters. Not really sure why there were so many, they got their brief moments to shine - show characterization, then fade into the background to not be worthy of further story or die.

I'll read the next story in this series, though somewhat more because I've liked stories by Bishop before, and I already own it.

Rating: 3.23

October 26 2016

When the Clock Strikes Thirteen edited by Astrid Ohletz

When the Clock Strikes Thirteen
edited by Astrid Ohletz
Pages: 204
Date: October 13 2013
Publisher: Ylva Publishing
Series: None

Review
Rating: Overall - 3.703
Read: October 21 to 25 2016

Oddly, despite the book title, this collection only has 7 stories in it (yeah, I know that they were 'going for something' by using 13, but the last collection I read had 16 stories in it, so 13 isn't impossible.

Midnight Messages by Lois Cloarec Hart

This is one of those stories wherein it is hard to mention what exactly the paranormal nature of the story might be. The other two stories I've read so far are fairly straight forward in that regard. The vampire and werewolf nature of those stories was known more or less immediately and neither was exactly a twist. Here? I can't mention it - it is in fact a twist. There are some things I can mention though.

It is unfortunate that I do not know the age of the main character for one specific reason - I have a strong suspicion that she falls into an age range I do not normally get to read. I suspect that she is somewhere between the ages of 40 and 70, and likely somewhere around 55 or so - at a guess based on certain factors. She could be older, she could be younger, but not a lot younger.

That main character, Luce Sheppard, has had a long 'think' recently based on her circumstances. And she has come to a specific conclusion. Having reached said conclusion, she is able to have a relatively peaceful sleep that night - that is until she's startled awake by some noise around 4:44 am. At first she thinks it's her inconsiderate neighbor who is known for having parties nonstop at all hours, but then she realizes that the sound she hears is crying. So she springs into action.

Luce finds a young woman of about 16 years of age outside - soaking wet (it had been raining. She offers that woman, Keira, a temporary abode of safety. They have a long talk - much discussed, a good serious talk. Luce likes Keira, and her dog Ferron likes Keira as well. After offering Keira the use of some sweats and the guest room, Luce heads off to sleep. When she awakens, Keira - after having left a note - is gone.

And now I can't mention anything else (though I've probably already said to much, though there is a ton of good stuff I haven't mentioned), though the story doesn't end here.

I'd give this story a rating of 4.66

October 23 2016

Batteries not Included by L.T. Smith

This is one of those stories that needs to be read/felt/experienced by the reader - anything/most things I could write/explain would just be in the way.

All I can really say is that there's this house with more than 1 floor, a woman in it working late at night, noises heard, and a building tension. Building . . . building . . . building . . .

Rating: 5.0

October 24 2016

Lost and Found by Emma Weimann
Fae, Ireland

A woman, a month after finding her girlfriend in bed with her brother (the woman's brother with the woman's girlfriend), is attempting to 'relax' in her grandparents old cabin. She's having trouble sleeping, though, do to nightmares involving a forest.

Then she meets a particular woman, briefly.

Then she finds that her dog went missing, and searches for the dog. Ending up in a forest. Stuff happens.

This was a frustrating story for me. Not really sure why, exactly, but it was.

Rating: 2

October 25 2016

Chrysalis by Joan Arling

Not sure why this story is in the collection. All the other stories involve adults and lesbians. This one focuses on a kid. And while there is a moment when the young girl says something like 'I don't like boys', she is also at the age when no one likes boys. Something like 5 or so.

I think there supposed to be something like a light breezy feel to this story, but I was just sad. And confused. There needed more to the story to allow the story to make any sense. If I understand correctly . . . well, I can't actually say because that'd be spoiler. Let's just leave it at 'I've no clue why this story is in here, it's not what I'd call paranormal, does not involve adults, and - as far as I can tell, doesn't involve lesbians.'

Rating: ? 2.7

Sisters of the Moon by Diane Marina
Nurse, waitress, Annapolis, Maryland, Halloween

This is another one wherein I can't exactly say what's going on. Though I can give certain information.

A woman (Nicole), who has a dog named Tater, has worked a long week as a nurse at a hospital. Wanting nothing more than to spend her time off lazing around, she is, instead, 'forced' by her friend (Dani) to drive her, her friend (Stephanie), and her friends date to a pub crawl. Or, I guess I should call it, bar crawl. One tied to a Halloween tour of Annapolis and the various haunted houses/ghosts of the area.

Once in Annapolis, Nicole is immediately made to feel like a third wheel as Dani and Stephanie fondle each other and stuff. Meanwhile, all three, along with a smallish crowd, follow a man around as he points at things and says spooky stuff.

Eventually the tour makes it to the first bar, and people are allowed to drink and stuff. Nicole immediately breaks off and heads to the bathroom. While there she encounters a rather attractive looking woman. Who, somewhere along the way, thrusts herself forward and kisses Nicole. Nicole becomes enraged and leaves the bathroom.

Later, she realizes that part of her anger is connected to how she actually was, in fact, aroused by that woman in the bathroom. She further interacts with that woman, then returns to work and works. While still thinking of Liz.

Interesting enough story, and yeah, more happens, but I can't mention as it'd be spoilery.

Rating: 3.7

Wolf Moon by Erzabet Bishop
Crime, Police, FF, Werewolf, Fantasy, Erotica

A woman is talked - begged - into going to see a band at a concert. She arrives to find that the band is apparently actually performing at something like a mix comic-con/halloween party at a convention center. Well, it is halloween . . .. Half the attendees are wearing costumes, the other half are wearing 'geek apparel' (whatever that means).

The woman is grumpily wandering along - grumpy because she doesn't get much time off and she'd rather be at home with a good drink and a smutty book. Then two people plow into her and knock her into stuff. Somewhere in the process something about 'he has a gun' is mentioned. She grumbles more. Before she is fully able to resume her forward progress, she's almost hit again by more running people. More mention of 'a gun'. Now she hears sounds and what might be gunshots. She still continues forward.

Meanwhile - in a separate point of view - another woman enters the scene - a police officer in bullet-proof vest and stuff (slightly confusing visualization here, as she is described as being both protected by police stuff and undercover).

Both women end up in a back side hallway with a window onto the scene. One literally backs into the other. They meet nice. Then they meet even nicer. Gunshots going off. Still, in this tense situation, lust erupts.

Quite a neat little story. There's a hint of a backstory for the civilian - as in a hint that there's more to her backstory, but whatever that hint was getting at wasn't revealed and probably will never be revealed (there was mention that she hadn't been touched in a very long time - tossing off that she works inconvienent hours is something of an excuse, but there seemed to be more there that wasn't fully explored).

The other, the cop, recently-ish became a) divored, b) a werewolf (becoming such caused the divorce).

Rating: 4.56

October 21 2016

Love Bites by R.G. Emanuelle
Vampire, New Orleans, Straight-to-lesbian

A vaguely creepy vibe, vaguely annoying irritating vibe to this story.

A woman who has never felt 'complete', and is straight, feels called to New Orleans, and always feels 'something' when she visits the place. The story starts with that woman in an airport bar (if I've got that right) waiting to go to New Orleans, beside her is her friend. The friend makes some annoying comments, like 'you should fuck a woman, I have' - in a 'I'm creepy and I like to use women as sex objects' way.

They get to New Orleans. The woman spots someone up on a balcony. Feels drawn to them. Spends hours in a bar that has a window that looks upon the house the woman is at. Stalks the woman when she leaves the house. One thing leads to another and they end up together somewhere else.

I do not particularly like anyone in this story, and the story itself is kind of icky feeling.

Regardless, I've read it, it's done. I'll rate this . . . . 3.3 stars.

October 22 2016

Overall

Midnight Messages by Lois Cloarec Hart - 4.66
Batteries not Included by L.T. Smith - 5.0
Lost and Found by Emma Weimann - 2
Chrysalis by Joan Arling - 2.7
Sisters of the Moon by Diane Marina - 3.7
Wolf Moon by Erzabet Bishop - 4.56
Love Bites by R.G. Emanuelle - 3.3


Overall: 3.703

October 25 2016

A Singular Spy by Amanda Kyle Williams

A Singular Spy
by Amanda Kyle Williams
Pages: 179
Date: May 1 1992
Publisher: Naiad Press
Series: Madison McGuire (3rd in series)

Review
Rating: 4.64
Read: October 25 2016

The third spy thriller starring Madison McGuire finds her dealing with a mole, or the potential for one, in the CIA.

This book takes place mostly in Switzerland, with some parts taking place in Moscow, Washington DC, and ‘the Carolinas’ (whichever one Terry and Madison’s place is located, it gets referred to as ‘the Carolinas’ in the book).

As in the prior books, a) more than Madison herself gets to have a point of view; b) there’s a bit of ‘other potential lesbians’ around (a prior book had one of Madison’s trainers be bisexual, though I do not know if that word was actually used), and in this book there are three lesbian spies (and a fourth lesbian in the book – Terry) – Donna, Madison, and Alex – all three working on the same mission on the same team; c) there’s a bit of ‘government work is hard/conspiracies regarding governments and government work, etc.’ – I thought, while reading the book, about John Le Carré and how his spy thrillers were kind of depressing and involved burnt out (or near there) spies, and spy work isn’t that glamorous vibe (looking to get his name right, I ended up on ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’ which involves a spy implanted decades ago by the Russians . . . though in British Intelligence, instead of the CIA – yeah, a common enough spy theme, just interesting I ended up there when that’s the theme of this specific book here with Madison).

I think it was something I was told on GoodReads, something I read somewhere, or something I dreamed (I’m leaning heavily towards ‘was told’) – the bit of romance got added because the author turned in a copy of the first book without it and the publisher talked her into adding it. Correct or not, fair or not, I’ve always had a kind of ‘tacked on’ vibe about the whole Terry-Madison affair, though it was bitter sweet in this book here.

Right, so – as noted, there’s a mole that was implanted in the CIA – or at least there’s evidence of one that came to light when a specific station chief in Geneva was murdered. He had apparently been handing out some secrets, and there’s evidence that he wasn’t the only one involved. Madison is sent in to investigate – she asks to go in with a team she builds herself, with outsiders – which causes the team to become disavowalable (which doesn’t appear to be a word, hmm, made them be put in a position wherein they could be disavowaled . . . wherein they might have someone disavowal them. Bah.) Madison team consists of Donna, someone Madison had worked with in the past – former CIA head of . . . hmm . . . information? Along with her were people with names like ‘Harley’, ‘Old Charlie’, ‘Alex’, and . . . there may or may not be more, but I forget now.
There was a strong neat plot to follow, much excitement, many POV’s – one of which (well, two) involved following two spies in Moscow – a CIA one, and a KGB one (though he was also a spy for the CIA).

An enjoyable book. There’s nothing that would cause me to hesitate to recommend this to any and everyone who likes spy books.

Rating: 4.64

October 26 2016

Ticket 1207 by Robin Alexander

Ticket 1207
by Robin Alexander
Pages: 84
Date: December 23 2014
Publisher: Intalgio Publications
Series: None

Review
Rating: 4.75
Read: October 24 2016

There are certain things that come with an Alexander book, not always, but a lot of the time.

1) Quirky characters that border on being super irritating/great characters;
2) A story that takes place in Louisiana (I believe all but one that I have read took place in Louisiana, and that other one took place in Mississippi – ‘Gift of Time’ (though a few include other places in addition to time in Louisiana, like ‘Dear Me’ has some time in Florida, and ‘Just Jorie’ has a brief moment or two in New York));
3) Wacky older people – mostly grandmas (not always);
4) Wacky side characters (not always);
5) Humor;
6) The main characters tend to be older than somewhat the norm with Lesbian Romances, tending to be in their 30s or 40s;
7) For a while there I thought vomiting was one – but then I found out that it was just the luck of the draw – the first books I had read by Alexander all had that in there (like ‘Just Jorie’, but that it isn’t actually a trait common with Alexander books I was happy to eventually find out).

Here we have quirky characters, a story that takes place in Louisiana (New Orleans), wacky side characters (Theo); humor; no vomiting (that I recall).

Shawn Masterson is two things – super good looking (of which she is somewhat aware), and super shy. So shy that the book opens after about a year of Shawn dropping by a specific jewelry store. Giving up various items to be repaired (which include breaking them first so that she could drop them off). Because she fancies one of the women in there – Jill Searcy (the other main character and other POV), but cannot get up the nerve to ask her out. Shawn is a botanist. (just as I add in someone else in Jill’s paragraph, I’m back to add in Shawn’s best friend – straight Vera (at least I believe I recall that being her name – trouble with being 55% into the next book before I write anything down for the book I’d already completed).

Jill Searcy is also two things – competent and good at her job, and lonely – after getting her heart twisted and torn up. Jill owns and runs a jewelry store with her cousin Rene. Rene is the acknowledged ‘better’ version – acknowledged at least by her own family (by her I mean both Rene and Jill’s families). Just all around better. To the point that they blamed Jill when Rene came out as lesbian around the same time Jill did. (Not because of any kind of kissing cousins thing, but because they ‘expect’ certain things, and tom-boy Jill is expected to be lesbian (well, less expected to be lesbian than expected to be the one if one of the two became one), Rene – whose two hobbies growing up were playing dress up and playing with make-up, was expected to be straight – so they blamed Jill when Rene turned out to not be straight).

Theo Brasseaux is the owner of Theo Brasseaux’s Shop of Voodoo. And I’ll note immediately – no, she’s not either the third person in a three way relationship, or a third angle on a love triangle. She’s just the owner of the shop across the street. Who has a major impact on the story (depending). Theo’s the wacky side character. She is also the one that I, as seems somewhat common with Alexander books, rather disliked in the beginning, before having her grow on me. Somewhat. By the end of the book I was up to the level of ‘meh, I’m okay with her existing’.

Right, so, story – both Shawn and Jill fancy each other but Shawn’s super shy and, apparently, Jill isn’t the type to ask someone out – at least not when they look super hot like Shawn (she has some confidence issues of her own, what with growing up being compared, and being found the lesser, with Rene). Theo gets into the mix because a) right when Shawn finally got up the nerve to ask Jill out, Theo storms into Jill’s store and demands immediate work done by Jill on something Theo has that is broken; b) Theo offers, separately, advice and ‘help’ to jump start ‘something’ between Shawn and Jill.

It’s a great little mini-story, set during the holidays. Great Christmas-in-New-Orleans vibe and theme. As opposed to the current Alexander book I’m reading which has a strong Halloween-in-Baton-Rouge vibe going on (and no, Holiday’s in and of itself isn’t another thing to add to the ‘things Alexander is known for’).

I wasn’t sure where I’d end up when I started the story – I liked it, then Theo appeared and I started to dislike it, then humor exploded, and stuff happened, and in the end I rather loved the story. Good solid lovable story.

October 24 2016

The Fall by Robin Alexander

The Fall
by Robin Alexander
Pages: 204
Date: November 15 2014
Publisher: Intaglio Publications
Series: None

Review
Rating: 5.75
Read: October 24 2016

This is my 12th book by Robin Alexander that I have read. Second one that I read on the 24th of October. Though that may or may not sound impressive, I feel the need to note that that is only 284 total pages (84 pages for ‘Ticket 1207’ and 204 pages for ‘The Fall’).

This book picks up that holiday theme, just like the previous book I read on the 24th, – there, ‘Ticket 1207’, it was a Christmas theme, here it is a Halloween theme. Similarly, certain other themes that Alexander likes continued to pop up – old wacky people (mom/grandma Savino; dad/grandpa Savino), set in Louisiana (here Baton Rouge), humor, and two of the main characters are in the 30 to 40 age range.

Unlike any previous Alexander that I have read (as far as I recall), though, there are also two characters in the 13 to 19 age range (17 going on 18). For you see, this is one of those double couple type books (like in ‘The War Within’ by Yolanda Wallace – which involved two women in their 70s, and two in their 20s). This book stars Noel Savino and Harper Guidry (niece of Noel), and Sunny and Lydia Chase (daughter of Sunny).

The book opens with Harper painting a badger, and Lydia nearby working up the courage to burst forward and be near Harper – for you see, Lydia fancies Harper. Though she ‘knows’ that Harper is straight. They quickly become friends - with Harper finding that she rather likes Lydia - as a friend. Also, somewhat less quickly, Harper’s sexual orientation begins to come into question, by by Harper herself, and by others around her. Harper and Lydia are the 17 to 18 year old 'couple'.

Then there’s Sunny and Noel. They meet for the first time through another Chase family member – Uncle Ethan (Sunny’s Uncle). Ethan, formerly a hairstylist, now forced to be retired due to car accident, lives with Sunny and Lydia. He’s quite dramatic and a bit of a character himself – constantly dressing up as various old Hollywood actresses (and constantly trying to get everyone who comes within his reach to allow him to paint their faces, do their hair, and dress them in dresses; he’s a little hard to take at first though he grows on me). So I was mentioning a first meeting. Ethan has a tooth issue, and Sunny drives Ethan to the nearest dentist. Ethan’s kind of fragile like, and so he drags Sunny into the examination room with him. Whereupon Ethan and Sunny meet . . . a woman wearing cat ears. For, you see, Noel normally deals with kids, though can fit in adults as well. So Sunny and Noel meet. Ethan gets gassed and babbles certain things Sunny might not wish Noel to immediately know. Sunny and Noel are the 30-40 year old 'couple'.

Meanwhile, the generation below Sunny and Noel continue their own form of flirtation – as Lydia and Harper continue their friendship.

The generation above Noel and Sunny involves grandpa/dad Joe and grandma/ma Inez Savino (I haven’t been tracking this, but this actually might be the first time I’ve read an Alexander book wherein both father and mother at this level (the grandparent level, other books have had living father and mother) are living, I could be wrong here). Joe’s retired and loves going out on his boat with his friend Jeff (‘taking the boat out’, if they happen to actually catch any fish, it changes to ‘went fishing’). Inez loves making gigantic meals and loading everyone’s plates to the point wherein it is hard to see someone on the other side of the table, past the plate. She also likes sitting in bushes and spying on her neighbors (see a wacky old person).

The extended Savino family also includes Mason and Corey (cousins of Harpers - neither large presences in the book), Mary (Harper’s mother), and Matthew (father of Mason and Corey - barely there sibling). Mary plays a slightly larger role in this bunch, what with being Harper’s mother; while Corey gets slightly more lines than the rest (except for Mary).

It took me awhile to have Uncle Ethan grow on me, but I rather liked everyone else of major importance (Harper, Noel, Sunny, Lydia, Inez). Great story all the way around. I actually liked seeing things from the perspective of 17 year olds (unexpected, that - since I'd only really experienced main characters in the 30s/40s from Alexander).

As I noted, this is the 12th book I’ve read by Alexander, and I believe that it is tied with ‘Dear Me’ as being my favorite Alexander books. And to think, I read 3 books in 2014, then took almost two years to read another. And now I’ve read 9 more – as of this writing, bookended on one side by 5.75 ‘Dear Me’, and 5.75 ‘The Fall’. To a certain extent, I like the fact that ‘Ticket 1207’ actually appears above ‘The Fall’ on my list, even though I’d read ‘The Fall’ second. Because now I don’t have to play the ‘two great books, bookends, stop now for another 2 years?’ game. I can just continue reading.

October 26 2016

Women With Handcuffs: Lesbian Cop Erotica edited by Sacchi Green

Women With Handcuffs: Lesbian Cop Erotica
edited by Sacchi Green
Pages: 234
Date: April 21 2014
Publisher: Cleis Press
Series: None

Review
Rating: Overall - 3.5
Read: September 7 to October 21 2016

16 stories that involve lesbians and police. Certain amount of erotica involved.

NOTE: If you previously read 'Lesbian Cops: Erotic Investigations', also edited by Sacchi Green, then you have already read this book here. At least going by the Kindle sample - exact same set of stories in both books without an addition or subtraction.

Hollis by Jove Belle
A woman who is both a police detective and someone who sees themselves as being on the verge of middle age, is at a training . . . um . . thingie. Story opens while she's running for seven miles under the supervision of a FBI agent.

Apparently this police detective has a certain level of submissiveness, though only to those who she sees as being . . . um . . . strong enough. Which works out here, since she sees the FBI agent as strong enough, and that agent is quite happy with the concept of dominating another.

They have a moment in the agent's office.

Quite exciting, in its brief way.

Rating: 4.89

Only Game in Town by Delilah Devlin
The only two female police officers in the small Louisiana town hook up. No handcuffs involved. Nice characterization.

rating: 4.15

Dress Uniform by Teresa Noelle Roberts
Not sure what to think of this one. Some hot moments. Some not so hot moments.

A woman with something of an anime fetish (which is good since her girlfriend looks quite anime girl-ish) is a police officer. She, the police officer, kind of losses it when her girlfriend suggests going to a fetish thingie wearing her uniform. Sex occurs. Then more lossing it. Then more sex.

hmms. Rating. hmms.

Rating: 3.80

A Cop's Wife by Evan Mora
kids (not really seen much), family, crime, suspense

This . . . I do not really know how to rate this story. This story feels like it belongs in a different collection. it is technically 'good' but . . . it's kind of the opposite of erotica. You expect a certain something with erotica, and while I know there's a segment that involves 'dangerous erotica' or 'in danger'. But this isn't really that either.

A woman answers the phone. A man on it says that he is going to kill that woman's wife. That wife is a cop. The story involves both being super stressed and not having much in the way of sleep (as in none). This story is an 'impact' story - as in the impact and experience of what it actually means to be a cop's spouse. It is not, though, as mentioned, an erotic story.

Remove that 'Lesbian Cop Erotica' part from the title and this story would fit perfectly. Or at least remove that erotica part. But it does include that title.

I do not know how to rate this. I tentatively place a '3' on this while cringing a little while doing so.

October 19 2016

Charity and Splendor by Andrea Dale
Dog, Kid, Single mom, Latina

Interesting enough story, though all but the 1 POV are distant from reader.

Kid learns of a police dog that got injured, learns that not all dogs have bulletproof vests because of the cost, talks with her mother. Talks mother into setting up charity to get some money for vests.

The police head dog person is a hot latina. As you would expect in a book like this, cop and mother hook up.

Nice enough story but kind of bland.

Rating: 3.5

CHAPEL STREET BLUE by R.V. Raiment

I believe nearly half, maybe even 75% of this story was spent on how absolutely fabulously gorgeous the cop truly is. And how she knows it. And how every man whistles when she is near, even if they do not wish to do so. And how . . . bah.

Some portion was sex while talking about a creepy partner (the cop's partner), and the death of a hooker. Kind of . . . odd vibe combo.

Unfortunately, I didn't particularly like this one.

Rating: 2

COP AT MY DOOR by R.G. Emanuelle
Wasn't sure where I was and accidentally read this one out of order.

Two women live in a house in NY (I know because a badge on a cops uniform says NYPD on it). They live next to a 'crazy neighbor' who is always calling the cops on them. So they see police at their door often - usually involves the same two police, though this specific occasion sees one of those two police with a different partner. One of the women who live in that house are literally dripping with excitement every time she sees one of these two police officers. Since this is a lesbian novel - it's the female officer she drools over.

One thing leads to another and . . . the officer yet again leaves without Lisa (or is Lisa the roommates name? mmphs. Yeah, the roommate is Lisa, the officer is 'Officer Brewer', and the lead POV in this story is 'Ms. Janssen'. The temp partner is named 'Officer Nolan'. Oh and when I say that she literally drips with excitement, I'll give an example: 'When I caught sight of those amazing brown eyes, my muscles went limp and my underwear got damp.' Finally - the lead POV, the non-cop, is named 'Morgan'. And Officer Brewer is Nicole Brewer).

Okay, now that's out of the way, let's try that paragraph above again: Morgan lusts after Officer Nicole, and Lisa pushes Morgan to ask Nicole out but Morgan constantly chickens out and takes all positive signs that Nicole is interested as meaning something else. One night, though, Nicole takes things into her own hands and stops by on her way home - as in off-duty.

Interesting quick brief story. Got an impression of Morgan, Nicole, and tiny tiny impression of Lisa. Vaguely hot graphic sex.

Rating: 3.77

TORN OFF A STRIP by Elizabeth Coldwell
Female cop and male cop are called by a concerned neighbor to a disturbance in the neighborhood. They arrive to find a stripper wearing a fake cop outfit handcuffed outside a house. Apparently the stripper had decided to try to lift a wallet. Got caught.

Female cop sends male cop inside. Once the way is clear, female cop molests the stripper. The end.

The story is from the point of view from the female cop. And she's just sure that the stripper appreciated the attention and got off on it. To me, it just reminds me that women can rape women.

I'd like to give this story some kind of negative stars rating.

Officer Birch by J.N. Gallagher
Mental illness

Hmm. This is a super creepy story. A young woman is rescued by the school security officer. A friend there makes a comment like 'I'll bet [she] is into some really hard-core dyke sex shit' and the young woman seemed to run with that concept.

The story is basically a note to that police officer, years later. It's very 'me me me me me me me', and not a love note. The character tells the cop that she developed this belief as to what kind of woman the cop was, and so the young woman went about the process of learning - watching hard core lesbian porn, writing stories based off of that -- etc etc.

The point I am attempting to make is that the character comes off as a deranged person suffering mental illness - there is nothing in the story that indicates that she actually knows anything about the police officer. She even says, in the beginning '... Officer Birch. No, I'm not going to call you Melissa, or Mel.' - The character is fixated on the idea of Officer Birch, not on whoever the fuck 'Melissa' might be - who the woman under the uniform might be.

So. Another one I have no clue how to rate. Another non-erotica story in a 'erotica' collection.

I'll give this one a rating of . . . I've no idea. It's not a story so much as a rant. A deranged rant. By someone who should be in a mental hospital. So, on the one hand, this is not in any way erotica. On the other, the author did a rather good job creating a deranged psycho. So . . . um. I'll tentatively give this one a 2.75.

October 19 2016

Raven Brings the Light by Kenzie Mathews
Alaska, small town, frozen dead body, teacher, cop, native/Norwegian/Irish

Told from the point of view of the teacher in the story - the story consists of learning that someone who had gone missing for six months had their body found - and the ramifications on the police (and their families) of finding the body. Though, as mentioned, told through the eyes of the teacher, who, while she knew the dead woman, didn't have to find and deal with the body.

Good solid interesting story.

Rating: 4.3

October 21 2016

Healing Hand by Lynn Mixon
Witness Protection, US Marshal

The story is from the point of view of a woman who was a professional gambler, and has now been in witness protection for the last 5 years. The story kicks off with that woman hearing a car, grabbing a shotgun, and looking outside. Spotting a slick SUV - out of place in the mountains of her home. A US Marshal steps out - one that the woman knows.

That US Marshal mentions that the evil dude who is the reason for the woman to be in protective custody had escaped.

The story then proceeds to have the protector and protectee engage in a display of erotic play. Though in a much better and more satisfying way that my little comment might make it seem.

rating: 4.95

October 21 2016

Undercover by Ily Goyanes
A vice detective goes undercover as a hooker. Stands on a cold rainy street corner in December in a miniskirt and halter top. Waiting. Standing. Getting wet from rain. Finally a car appears - the detective knows what she needs to do - get the 'John' to say the right words. But . . . it's a Jane. And a rather attractive Jane. Despite not saying the right words, the detective joins the 'Jane' in the car.

A quite fun little story.
rating: 4.34

Riding the Rails by Sacchi Green
Butch-Butch, Cop, Writer

A sergeant is escorting a Sultan's wife on a train. The sergeant hasn't had sex in a while, and the wife is very . . . touchy and interested in action. With any and everyone. Therefore the sergeant is kind of quite tense when an old college friend turned up.

That college friend joins them and sits across from the princess (apparently a Sultan's wife is a princess). Princess ups her game, and her breasts may or may not fall out, and some foot action might or might not occur.

One thing to note right off . . though I forgot to note it right off - you can tell how much I enjoyed this story by one specific factor - that college friend is packing. And I don't mean a gun (no, the sergeant is the one with the gun). By packing, I mean she's wearing a 8 inch strap on under her tight leather pants. I've never exactly been that thrilled when a character like that pops up - sounds painful. Heck, I don't even like wearing watches (or jewelry or whatever) because I don't like things tied down on me, clutching me (none of my shoes have laces).

And yet . . . this was a quite interesting and exciting little story. Two butch women, both normally the aggressors, and a third woman rubbing against them. Naturally, because of rules, they handcuff the third woman so she can't get a hand on them, but allow her to watch. As the butch women get it on in a train bathroom (by the way, wha? Somewhere in the story it was mentioned this was an Amtrak train - Amtrak bathrooms are barely larger than linen closets (by linen closet, I mean a room with a door - room wide enough for shelves right up against the door, as in there's no room in there but for towels and stuff) - so three women in there? And with 'action' occurring? hmms).

Right. So. Unexpectedly liked it. I'd rate it 4.73

October 20 2016

Blazing June by J.L. Merrow
kid, single mother, housewife, cop, romance

A woman's next door neighbor seems unresponsive, so that woman contacts the police. The story starts with the police already there. They had to break in as the neighbor had had a fall.

Interesting story. Somewhat more romance in this one than some of the other stories in this collection. Solid story. I liked it well enough.

Rating: 4.23

October 20 2016

A Prayer before Bed by Annabeth Leong

Hmm. I'd read this one but then didn't include something here. Might be I only put something in a status update.

Ah, good, I did.

Prayer before bed - cop arrives at a crime scene. Is tasked to interview a witness. While her partner is in another room watching 'the kids'. Witness is somewhat insane, hostile, and - at one point - reaches forward and grips the cops nipple through her shirt.

Creepy, disturbing vibe.

Rating: 1.3

How does your Garden Grow by Cheyenne Blue
erotica

cop keeps getting sent to an out of the way place to look for dope. Finds woman. Humps woman (after making sure no dope there)

rating: 4.6

October 19 2016

Overall

Hollis by Jove Belle - 4.89
Only Game in Town by Delilah Devlin - 4.15
Dress Uniform by Teresa Noelle Roberts - 3.80
A Cop's Wife by Evan Mora - 3
Charity and Splendor by Andrea Dale - 3.5
Chapel Street Blue by R.V. Raiment - 2
Cop at my Door by R.G. Emanuelle - 3.77
Torn off a Strip by Elizabeth Coldwell - negative stars
Officer Birch by J.N. Gallagher - 2.75
Raven Brings the Light by Kenzie Mathews - 4.3
Healing Hand by Lynn Mixon - 4.95
Undercover by Ily Goyanes - 4.34
Riding the Rails by Sacchi Green - 4.73
Blazing June by J.L. Merrow - 4.23
A Prayer before Bed by Annabeth Leong - 1.3
How does your Garden Grow by Cheyenne Blue - 4.6

Overall Rating for the 16 stories: 3.519375 (which is impressive in and off itself since one of the stories received the equivalent of 0 stars).

There are over 120,000 "full-time law enforcement officers who were authorized to make arrests and carry firearms in the United States" (as of 2008) spread across 73 Federal agencies (as of an article from 2012). State and local agencies have 765,000 full-time police with the power to make arrests, plus an additional 44,000 part-time (and therefore carry handcuffs - based on a 2008 Gov't report). The state and local agencies come in a wide range of places and occupations, from state, local, city, port, etc.

I mention all of the above because I noticed something along the way. The vast majority of the people walking around with handcuffs in this book were local police. It was not always obvious what specific department they worked for, but it was obvious that they were local police. There was at least one vice cop, one homicide detective, and one patrol officer. In addition, there was one FBI agent (hooked up with a local cop who was the POV), and one US Marshal. It's a book of erotic stories, I guess the lack of variation, the opportunity not taken is somewhat acceptable. I guess.

An interesting collection of stories. Some seemed misplaced - as in, while they might have included sex, they were not erotica stories. Most seemed relatively well-written, even the ones I rated poorly - I just didn't like those stories based on the meat of the story, not the underlying writing abilities of the author.

Of the sixteen authors present in this collection, I had previously read 2 of them - and liked their stories here. Both of whom fall into my 'highlights'.

Top stories:
1. Healing Hand by Lynn Mixon - 4.95
2. Hollis by Jove Belle - 4.89
3. Riding the Rails by Sacchi Green - 4.73
4. How does your Garden Grow by Cheyenne Blue - 4.6

October 21 2016

Eye to Eye by Caroline Shaw

Eye to Eye
by Caroline Shaw
Pages: 314
Date: 2000
Publisher: Bantam Books
Series: Lenny Aaron (2nd in the series)

Review
Rating: 4.5
Read: October 19 to 21 2016

The second and last book in this series (and, apparently, by this author).

Lenny continues 1) her cat-catching work, 2) seeing that Japanese psychiatrist, 3) finding herself investigating more than cats, 4) cleaning obsessively, and 5) popping pills.

Lenny, for those who are coming to this cold (I digress to note that this series is probably better to be read in order, and this is the second book in that series), is an ex-police officer. 'Forced' out by a case that caused her to be severally scarred on her arm, and mentally fragile. It's one of the reasons she went into cat-catching work - the cats might claw her up, but they are not likely to kill her - unlike what she might find in human investigations.

She's both further along her progression to 'getting better' (whatever that might mean), and further down the path to self-destruction (see: popping pills). The 'further along' references the fact that more and more of her cases involve human investigation. And this specific book is about a case at a film school - wherein Lenny goes undercover as a film student to investigate theft and vandalism. A month before she arrives, one of the students is murdered - but she isn't there to investigate that crime (though, of course, she does look into it).

I made several status updates (I think) referencing such issues like: is Lenny a lesbian? Am I reading lesbian fiction? Partly because it had been a while since I'd read the first book in the series, and it took me a little while to regain my understanding of the character. Long and short - it's not 100% certain one way or another. Lenny appears to be closer to being asexual or demisexual ('sexual orientation in which someone feels sexual attraction only to people with whom they have an emotional bond' - reading that definition makes me think she isn't really demisexual). Why do I say this? Because Lenny has very little in the way of sexual desires (close to zero, if possible, some negative number), while at the same time - in this and in the prior book, she does indicate tiny vibrations of desire - all of which are towards other women. There are several occasions wherein in the thought process occurs, and/or she is asked point blank if she's a lesbian, but she always seems to dodge the question (while still allowing herself to realize certain vague attractions to women). So - is Lenny a lesbian? I'll let someone else decide. **(I allowed myself to indulge in this 'lesbian/asexual/not lesbian' diversion because lesbianism comes up a lot in this book - from the downstairs 'about to be married' lesbian couple, to the lesbian affair at the film school, to the negative attitudes of various people to the concept of lesbianism)**

The book is set in Melbourne Australia. Was neat to see the story unfold - and there were neat little bits here and there of Melbourne and what it means to be there (one such scene saw Lenny driving down a specific street, whereupon she thought to herself about how three streets dive in and out of Melbourne - are the major arteries - and what can be found on all three).

I liked the mystery plot - was solid. Several mysteries - some involving cats, some involving theft and vandalism at a film school, and one involving murder.

For those looking for romance - look elsewhere.

I am happy that I was able to read this series, and sad that it is already over - after two books.

I would rate this book somewhere around 4.45 stars.

October 21 2016

Miss Match by Fiona Riley

Miss Match
by Fiona Riley
Pages: 240
Date: May 17 2016
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: None

Review
Rating: 3
Read: October 12 to 17 2016

Not really sure what to write here. Unfortunately, I found this kind of flat and meh (barring an event that occurred near the end that has me thinking of putting this book on my 'mental illness' shelf).

For whatever reason I spent the majority of the book having trouble keeping track of which was Samantha and which was Lucinda. One or the other worked as the head of a division at some marketing/public relations company and was also a dancer (this is Lucy , right?), while the other worked for a match making company and was, apparently, latina (Samantha) - 'funnily enough', while writing this paragrah, I accidentally put the names in the wrong spots).

This is not a book that will go down, in my mind, as something truly memorable. I can't even remember which character had which job/hobby (boxing)/enraged mother/was in foster care/has the gay best friend, etc. mmphs.

This issue is making my brain hurt. I've no freaking idea why I'm having this problem. Other than the characters are kind of interchangable, but still, no idea why I have this issue.

Right, I'm just going to flee before I hurt myself.

As written October 17 2016

Waiting in the Wings by J.A. Armstrong

Waiting in the Wings
by J.A. Armstrong
Pages: 146
Date: October 4 2016
Publisher: Self
Series: Off Screen (7)

Review
Rating: 3.5
Read: October 17 2016

The Off Screen stories have been my second favorite series by Armstrong, and I was quite excited when I spotted a new one appear after a longish while with me not knowing if the series was done or not.

Unfortunately, though, I feel/felt that this was the weakest of the 7 stories. Mostly because of all the talking. And repetition. I mentioned in my updates that nothing had happened by the 32% mark. Mostly Emma being happy to be a mother (which was neat in and of itself, and not the issue), and Addison being whiny and very insecure. Very. Repeatedly. Over and over again. Beating herself up for being herself.

Well, the point of the story is that Emma is not working now, as an actress (and is, instead, working as a mother), and while she misses acting, she doesn’t miss the fame/questions/reporters/photographers that come with it. Meanwhile Addy is feeling the need to get back into doing things. But is very insecure, because her success came through writing a love story for/involving Emma. And now she’ll have to try to do something without Emma at the center of the story.

And that’s basically the story. Emma likes being a mother. Addy is very insecure. Some movement in Addy’s career is going on. And Addy’s father is back in the picture, and the issues involved with that.

One of my biggest problems with the story is the part where a lot of the ‘angst’ in the story isn’t new. Addy has been insecure, she has been antsy. She has had issues with her father. Yet, here we are again. Okay, no, the biggest problem I had with the story is how many words were needed to convey the ‘angst’, and how often the issue had to be repeatedly mentioned. It seemed as if everyone had to be beaten over the head about the issues. A kind of ‘what do you mean what do you mean *boink* oooh, I never thought of that!’ experience that many characters had to go through. Sometimes several times.

As I put in my last status update: holy crap. Now Emma's going around telling everyone the bloody simple issue that everyone's all kind of like 'wha? What’re you talking about . . .ooooohhh'. For . . something . . sake. talking talking talking. This is the 7th bloody story. Were there no new ideas? This isn't a new idea. It's an old idea - in this series I mean.

Right. So. One of the reasons that I rated this story as highly as I did (3.5, high, low?), was because the author is quite good at tugging on my emotions. Even, on occasion, causing a tiny bit of something that might be or appear to be some kind of watery substance near my eyes. Yes, that’s right, the author makes me wet. My eyeballs I mean. Though I had to read a lot to get to that point of wetness. Hmm. Moist eyeballs.

October 26 2016

Blinded by Kim Pritekel

Blinded
by Kim Pritekel
Pages: Unknown
Date: November 15 2016
Publisher: Sapphire Books Publishing
Series: None

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: August 8 2016

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

This is the second story I’ve read by this author. I had loved the first one I had read, so was quite happy to see a new one pop up. Though there was/is a certain amount of confusion generated by odd twists of fate – the nature of the previous book I had read, the cover of this current book, and the title of the current book.

I went in knowing that the book involved a rising television reporter, Burton Blinde, who was involved in a tragic accident that forced her to flee. I learned more, obviously enough, but I’ll get to that in a bit. Combining that snippet of information with the cover, shattered glass as if a bullet had been shot through it, plus wide open startled eyes, in addition to the ‘Blinded’ part of the title, and combing the first with the prior work I’d read I had this vague idea that the reporter might have been blinded by the tragic event. The prior work involved a blind report, though I believe that one was born blind.

Right, so, I’m not actually sure why the title is ‘Blinded’, nor, for that, why there is that specific cover implying someone got shot (what with the reporter who had been, relatively recently, within the last three years?, been shot while on air, combined with the shot glass, I assumed that is how Blinde would end up in that tragic accident – shot). Blinded, could be taken like when something happens that remind people of someone else, and say that they have been ‘Last Named’; or it could mean literally that someone had been blinded and are now blind. Neither works in this instance.

Why am I rambling on like this? Simple, for the longest time I wasn’t sure what exactly I was reading, where we were going. The book starts with Blinde being a rising television reporter for a local Denver television station, the kind who has acquired awards for her work. And the kind who had just secured a contract to leave that local station for the big time – with CNN. Things were advancing along, some odd little things were occurring here and there (both in terms of things that flowed with the story, unexplained post cards and vodka bottles arriving at Blinde’s work), and those things that were just odd (occasionally the point of view, I assumed, would switch and ‘things’ of no importance, nor obvious reason would be revealed (a unnamed man and woman are in an old studio and fiddle with some of the buttons and . . scene; a woman arrives in a helicopter, goes down some stairs, talks with some people and . . . scene – there was never any explanation for either scene). Then a tragic accident occurs that left a limp and other injuries (I’ll otherwise leave that vague – the injuries and the situation; though will include the bit wherein Blinde was not blinded), and Blinde flees.

Years later, while working a side job for a private investigator, she makes some comment about these odd things she had been receiving. One thing leads to another and Blinde’s off to some tiny island nation, Chilvokia, off the coast of Russia that may or may not be involved in a civil war or other war related issue.

It kind of felt like, rightly or wrongly, that something like 90% of the book was from Blinde’s point of view, though there were a few other point of views filling out the rest of the book (hmm, wording it that way, maybe Blinde had 75% of the book). One of the other points of view was a young woman by the name of Lilli, and she is the other ‘important’ character in the book. Though I believe she only first appears 22% into the book (and I’m not 100% sure that is her). Lilli has the second largest percentage of the book, though her parts were super rare, just not as rare as the few other people who got POV’s.

There was a bit of action/adventure/investigation/damsel-in-distress going on – quite interesting. Not always clear what was going on (in terms of why certain things were occurring when they occurred (though, except for two specific instances, the ‘confusing’ things were later explained), like why postcards from Chilvokia were landing on Burton’s desk; not in terms of a confusion foggy plot).

I liked the book well enough. For most of the book I had in the back of my mind that I was reading something that I’ll eventually rate between 3.8 to 4.2, and by the end found to be a good solid 4 star book.

August 8 2016

Truth, Lady Justice, and the American Way by Jude McLaughlin

Truth, Lady Justice, and the American Way
by Jude McLaughlin
Pages: 16
Date: May 13 2016
Publisher: Self
Series: Wonder City Stories (#1.25)

Review
Rating: 4.0
Read: October 16 2016

Second story I've read by this author, another superhero based one, and set in the same universe as all the other works listed on the author's page.

A woman tracks down and interviews an old time superhero - Lady Justice. A 'puff' piece, the interviewer expected, that turned out to be more.

Interesting look at the dynamics of women-men relations in the mid-20th century years, plus the added aspect of the women being hired to work in the military being superstrong/bullet-proof, etc. (well, not neccessairly all of them but all superhero powers of some sort or another). As seen through the eyes of a 91 year old woman who lives in a van and is figthing the Veterans Administration to get her pension. TO be fair to the VA - she was declared dead in 1946, and the fact that she was chipped out of ice and revived in 1965 didn't matter in terms of declaring her alive again. Apparently the state of affairs for the last 45 years.

"people are hot to know about the status of veterans right now. People are starting to get the idea that maybe, possibly, veterans are being screwed.”

Lady J smiled ruefully. “We always have been, sweetie.”

A sad story. A brief story. An interesting story.

October 16 2016

A Date with Angel: and other things that weren't supposed to happen by J. Judkins and Kendall Taylor (narrator)

A Date with Angel: and other things that weren't supposed to happen
by J. Judkins and Kendall Taylor (narrator)
Pages: 15 hours
Date: July 16 2015
Publisher: Asylum Inspirations Books
Series: ?

Review
Rating: 4.75
Read: Heard: August 30 to October 14 2016

Interesting experience - the 'listening' to a book part. Quite fun, really.

As before, the book was great until we got to the part wherein Angel got flustered by Kim's constant double-talk and conspiracy theory ramblings. And went insane herself.

To a certain extent, those 'frustrating moments' were magnified in audio form. The numerous times Kim mentioned to herself that Angel didn't love her because of a comment she made about sex. The double-talk - obviously Angel is trying to trick Kim into sex. It was funny until it was annoying.

I did notice one thing, though - there were certain jokes that were more humorous via ear than eyeball. Like the one wherein Angel, in a kind of off-hand comment said something like 'you always play with my breasts as if you are trying to get milk out of them.' And the whipped cream is desert topping or something to be used during sex conversation was both humorous and frustrating.

October 14 2016

Once Broken Faith by Seanan McGuire

Once Broken Faith
by Seanan McGuire
Pages: 418
Date: September 6 2016
Publisher: DAW
Series: October Daye (10)

Review
Rating: 4.83
Read: October 13 to 14 2016

I was long down the road to marking this 5 stars, maybe even 5+ stars, but it is hard to do so now. Though it would be somewhat unfair to not do so for the specific reasons that are currently blocking me: the book ended abruptly. No, I do not mean that it ended on a cliff-hanger, or that there wasn't an ending, but that it ended at 84% of the Kindle file. I think I was at something like 80% when I decided to call it a night last night. Woke up this morning for a good long read and . . . 3 pages after I ended (more or less) and the book was over.

Right, so, this is the 10th book in a series - there's no way someone can come in and read this as a stand-alone. There's way too much back story a person needs to know to be able to enjoy this book (I was going to say 'fully enjoy', but just 'enjoy' works). As for those who have been keeping up with the main books (as in not having read the short stories, like me) there's enough 'there' to both bring you back up to speed and not be annoying about it (as in hints dropped here and there about who and what has gone before; enough for someone who has read the prior books, not enough for someone who hasn't - hence both the 'can't read this as a first book in the series read' and the 'not heavy-handed backstory info drops' way).

So - as people know - . . . bloody hell. I can't say anything really about this book without spoiling prior books. Right so - there's this conclave going on, bunch of kings/queens/other assorted higher ups are all meeting to decide how to deal with an issue that has popped up that is something of a 'game-changer' to how the current system operates. While this conclave is going on, someone starts killing and/or 'putting to sleep' various conclave members - and October Daye investigates.

I was being purposely vague as that's about as deep as I can be without spoiling everything. So . . ..

Enjoyed the book. Enjoyable book. Still vaguely annoyed to have the book end at 84% of the kindle file (or, if I'd read the physical copy, end with a massive wad of pages still sitting there unread). To be fair - there is 'something there'. A whole other story. Not a snippet, but a story. I think. That's the impression I got. Don't particularly wish to read it at the moment, though. And no, I do not mean that at 84% of the book the POV changed and I feel like the book ended, it actually is a situation wherein the book I had been reading ended, and there's this 'bonus' other story there. I purposely did not look at the cover of the book, book description here or on amazon, because I already knew I wanted to read this book and did not wish to be spoiled by a book description (as so many seem to do; or, if not that, then present things in a way completely unrelated to the actual book). Looked at those things just now. Nothing in the book description (on Goodreads), but the cover does have 'Includes a brand new map (I do not recall seeing a map, what map? there's no map; *looks* oh, there's a map (I can't really tell, but I think there's a guy doing inappropriate things to a goat on the map; no wait, he's sitting on a rock next to a seal. hmm. My eyes don't work.)) and an original Arden Windermere novella!' (of note: Arden Windermere is not the main character of this series, no that would be October Daye). So if I had looked at the cover I'd have seen that note. And maybe be less annoyed now about the book ending at 84%.

Right, whatever. Book read. Rating just the book I thought I was reading and not including the 'bonus novella', I rate this 4.83 stars.

October 14 2016

Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon
Pages: Unknown
Date: October 13 2014
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: None

Review
Rating: 4.25
Read: October 11 2016

A 19 year old and a 20 year old meet at a strip club, one's there with her sister and her sister's friends - celebrating the sister's upcoming marriage. The other was there working. As a stripper.

Alexis, the 19 year old, has a certain amount of social anxiety and 'issues', but she sits there somewhat frozen, clutching a bunch of money, and with somewhat bulging eyes (conceivably) not for these 'issues' but because of the woman dancing near her. Wiggling her breasts at her, wiggling her ass at her. The dancer/stripper being the 20 year old named Trisha aka Treasure. Alexis, it would appear, is quite aroused. Eventually, one thing leads to another and Treasure (Trisha's stripper name) gives a 'private dance' to Alexis in a back room. Both, by the way, appear to be quite aroused by the experience.

Both go about their ways with life, never to see each other again. The end.

heh.

Trisha sat in the middle of the college class room, for a computer science class. She didn't want to sit too far in front, nor too far in back. She glanced around - a sea of men surrounded her. She, it would appear, will be the only woman in the class. The professor starts the class . . . and someone rushes in. Another woman. Who sits in the only seat left open - next to Trisha. The two women glance at each other. It's Alexis. So they meet again.

An interesting and enjoyable book. The book involves two people from 'opposite sides of the tracks', both youngsters, both quite okay with the concept of 'starting something'. Families play a big part in the story - on both sides.

As a side note, this is the second book I've read that begins, more or less near the beginning at least, with a woman giving another woman a lap dance in a strip club. The other book being [book:Warriors of the Heart|17161428] by BadSquirrel. Completely different types of stories, beyond that initial beginning. Both have their pluses and minuses. Both enjoyable.

October 12 2016

The Secret of St. Claire by Robin Alexander

The Secret of St. Claire
by Robin Alexander
Pages: 222
Date: April 30 2012
Publisher: Intaglio Publications
Series: None

Review
Rating: 5.5
Read: October 11 2016

I do not know what it is about Alexander books. I always seem to have a certain amount of reluctance to start, I stumble a little in the beginning, but - most of the time (with a few exceptions), I end up giggling happily as I inhale the book. Also I like how Alexander seems to like people roughly around 37 years of age.

St. Claire Louisiana is, as the book description notes - 'straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting'. It's a lovely little town, off the beaten path, miles from hotels and highways, a more or less peaceful, calm, lovely . . . I'm repeating myself. Just a few things mar the perfection - there's one particular family that has some rather absurdly abusive and mean little shits . . um . . little boys who harass and terrorize the people around them. Plus the second imperfection - to live there one must be straight (or so thinks one Lindsay Juneau - owner and operator of the hardware store in town, mother of a small girl, and, secretly, a lesbian).

Into this 'perfect' setting comes one Nicole Allen, veterinarian and lesbian. Allen's there to take over the local veterinarian office.

Nicole and Lindsay meet almost immediately when Lindsay brings in her cat, Mr. Peepers, who had been terrorized by that earlier mentioned family of little shits. Caged in an abandoned house, and pelted with balloons filled with paint.

Their 'relationship' advances more through the pushing of Rose, Lindsay's mother, though both were quite happy to become friends.

The family dynamics, small town dynamics, cats and kittens, and budding friendships and relationships fill the book; as well as numerous moments of laughter. That and some neat holiday moments - Halloween and Christmas.

(Of note, as an aside, I need to stop listening to books while writing reviews, like I did with this one and the previous review. Listening to 'A Date with Angel' makes review writing hard).

October 12 2016

Less Than Dead by Samantha M. Derr

Less Than Dead
by Samantha M. Derr (editor)
Pages: 256
Date: October 26 2016
Publisher: Less than Three
Series: None

Review
Rating: See overall section at end of review
Read: October 7 to 10 2016

*I received this book from NetGalley and Less than Three in return for a fair review.*

Eight LGBT short stories perfect for Halloween (I assume) - as the teaser puts it "There's nothing quite so terrifying as a corpse that moves, a creature that even death can't stop. It's all the worse when the living dead is someone you love..."

Dove in the Window by Kara Race-Moore
1930s, Kentucky. FF. Inability to sleep.

This first story almost threw me off-track there, but it was the first story, and I was excited to read this book, so I continued. And I’m glad I did, for – despite starting off slowly and kind of annoyingly, I kind of fell into a nice content like hypnotic trance there once the story really got going. Well, to a certain extent, once the northerner appeared.

Okay then – Pearl and the main character, “I’ (Cissy McGurk – it’s not always easy to remember the names of characters if most of the story has them be ‘I’) loved each other. Unfortunately for them they are both women, this is the 1930s, and Kentucky. That kind of thing isn’t exactly welcome in those parts.

Well Pearl up and died on day, you see, but there’s another problem beyond the dying part – she keeps sleep walking (so to speak, though the word used is ‘nightwalking’). No, I mean after she’s died. She keeps pulling herself out of her grave, wandering over to Cissy, and noting that she can’t sleep.

Cissy, naturally, doesn’t particularly like this turn of events, more because it’d be awkward for anyone to find Pearl in her bed. Less because she’s walking after death. Because, apparently, things like that happen in Cissy’s neck of the woods.

Well, Cissy attempts to figure out how to stop this – visits Pearl, asks some questions, learns that a lot of people are walking at night, calls upon Death - - - etc. etc. Somewhere along the line a quite attractive northerner named Marie enters the picture, and the two of them work together on the problem.

Okay then. Hmm. A rating. 3.65.

October 7 2016

Only Human by Meredith Katz
MM (bisexual), dead receptionist

A man, Saul, feels ill, and goes through a series of slightly more disturbing specialists. First place visited was a university clinic, then a hospital, then a magical illness specialist, then a necromancer.

The referral to the magical illness specialist upset the man, but not because of oddness of the referral, but because he was referred to a magic specialist. Since magic is harder to deal with. So second story in this book and second time people are okay with the concept of fantasy land stuff.

Hehe – ‘most of his time was spent . . . browsing cat blogs, and sleeping.’

Hehe – ‘He tried to look up more about magical curses online – but as usual, the internet wasn’t a huge help, and mostly just its best to convince him he was about to die.’

Beyond a guy, Saul, having this ‘issue’ he has to deal with – health related, the story is mostly about him dating the last health specialist’s receptionist. Who happens to be a zombie. A Frankenstein’s monster kind of zombie (made up of parts from various bodies).

I was kind of leery of trying this specific story, based on the short snippet, but there’s humor, and the budding relationship described in the story was actually fun to watch. Then lots of sex, which was less fun to watch. But still, good story.

Rating: 4.421

October 7 2016

Lavish are the Undead by B.A. Huntley
FF, Doll-monsters

A self-described gym rat is on a treadmill listening to her girlfriend, a DJ, on the radio until she starts to play an hour long David Bowie album. Switches to a book. Switches back to the radio. Runs. Lights flicker. Mick, the gym rat, powers down the treadmill - worried she'd end up planted in a wall if she didn't and the power cut out suddenly. Screams erupt (okay, I don't recall if there are screams, let's try that again). People start fleeing from the area near the windows. Mick looks over. Sees . . . things. She in turn flees.

Gets outside. Sees . . . doll people? Well, human shaped creatures bouncing around looking like porcelain versions of humans. They are breaking everything reflective - windows, glass, mirrors. They charge towards Mick. Mick leaps into her car and flees.

Somewhere along the way she spots a woman being attacked, and older woman. She saves her. Takes her back to the older woman's place. As they clean themselves up, they listen to the radio. Apparently some kind of 'bone-disease' is sweeping the area. People are told to stay indoors and board up their windows. Mick gets Sally (the older woman) to change the station so she can check on her girlfriend. Girlfriend still alive but . . . sits inside a giant tower of glass - 100 floors up. In a wheelchair. Mick must save her.

Quite thrilling short story. Fun, exciting. I'd rate it . . . hmms . . . 4.85.

The Eighth Tree by Alex Stitt
MM, German minefield and yellow mist

Two soldiers meet on the way to the Western Front during, I assume unless I'm very mistaken, WWI. They become friendly with each other. Somewhere along the line one 'accidentally' shoots the other in the leg. Their boss (heh), the sergeant major sees this as them being cowards and strips them of their dog tags and shoves them into no mans land. It's been three days. One has a bullet wound in their leg.

Germans start launching mortar at the trenches their old unit is in - the one they were kicked out of. Gas erupts. People die. Time passes. The two men out in no mans land look back and . . . what's this? The dead are rising again somehow. And they appear to be charging either the two men, or the German lines. Even as they run, their bodies are dissolving from within.

Gross story. Told non-linearly (which was annoying - that). I do not really want to rate it but . . . um . . 2?

October 7 2016

Orion Shone Right Through by Dmitri Dene
Zombies, MM?

For better or worse the 'zombies are monsters' version of zombie stories are not working for me. That would be the WWI story, and this one here. I'd no real clue what was going on - scenes were disjointed and the 'stuff' happening in each individual scene seemed designed for me to be utterly confused.

So - story opens with a guy in, I think, a convenience store (maybe?). He's depressed. And contemplating what he'd have to do to get himself dead - all the way dead. Then he notices that there might be others and starts tossing cat food around and stuff. Turns out there were six (or was it 7?) others in a fridge. And they are human not zombies. One is named Daisy. The rest aren't even there beyond the basic idea that Daisy wasn't there by herself.

Then, apparently, they all live to get to someone going to fly them somewhere. Next thing I know Daisy and Marcus (I think lead guy is Marcus) are climbing stairs. Where? Strong vibe they aren't in the convenience store now but no idea where they are. Also - it's just the two of them now because the others . . . um . . . for all I know spontaneously combusted or peed themselves to death. No explanation is given.

They get to the roof - where they were going to get picked up by a helicopter, then hear live humans below them. Screaming for help. So . . . they go help. And Marcus ends up with his hated ex. *shrugs* And I really don't give a fuck. It's not even that we keep bouncing from one thing to another, it's that there are no actual scenes. Like the first one - Marcus is . . somewhere? Contemplating moldy hot dogs? Starring at bullet hole filled cans. Realizes someone else is there. Tosses a can of cat food. Meets Daisy. Reader told that there are others there and that Marcus meet them as well but . . . the info on them is about what I just said here in this sentence.

I rate this one no stars.

October 8 2016

A Witch in Arkham by Cora Walker
FF, witches, zombies, bisexuals, lesbians, Old Ones

Strange one - this. Alternate earth. One with Innsmouth and other such places. Well, action takes place in Arkham. Witch girl is in cemetery on a job - she's going to raise a really dead person to ask them a question about a century long inheritance dispute. Gets distracted when a ghost wandered into her line of sight. Her ex-boyfriend Marcus - dead three years now (and no, not the same Marcus as prior Marcus, and one of the reasons I'm not certain both were actually named Marcus). He has warnings. Involving a 'Michael', 'Phoebe' and 'Templars'.

Then witch girl spots a Templar and bolts (the magic users and the Templars/Vatican are not exactly best friends).

Quite an interesting entertaining story - once I got deeper into it. I'd rate this one something around 4.66.

October 8 2016

Zoey Loves Zombies by Adele Gardner
FF, Fatal argument

Gross, quite gross. A woman gets into an argument with her lover. Agrees to leave their safe place and head to NY during this zombie thingie. Lover gets scratched by an owl. Begins to decompose - see my mention of 'gross' earlier.

Right, so, not necessarily a bad story anything. Just . . . gross. I'll rate this one something like 2.8 stars.

October 9 2016

Noble Pursuit by Helena Maeve
MM? Historical Fiction, England.

Not sure when this specific story takes place. Has the 'feel' of 17th-18th or even 19th century (depending on circumstances) England. Whatever the date, zombies have 'come ashore' and are moving northward in England. Guy by the name of Delaney (Lord Delaney I believe), is defending his estate while hundreds of thousands of zombies march around. He fights them with saber, musket, flintlock revolver (released around 1814), and machete while he has his servant play various classical recordings (ah, so it's at least late enough for phonographs to be around - which popped onto the scene in 1877 - so actually this might even be the 21st century, just seems somewhat more primitive with the use of muskets and the like - but you use the weapons at hand).

Of note: very rarely, like once or twice before, I've read something with music in the background - mostly when specific music is mentioned. Well, Lord Delaney is hopping around killing zombies while listening to Tchaikovsky, so I decided to play 'The Best of Tchaikovsky'). Listening to classical music while reading about a guy thrusting his sword into rotting corpses and the like. hmms. Though I only lasted 9 minutes listening to music and reading before turning the music off.

Charging forward, Delaney is set to dispatch the one commanding the undead - apparently some boy. The boy acts afraid and passes out so Delaney stays his hand - temporarily.

Whereupon the awakening Ephram West takes over POV control of the story. Then it switched back again, I think, and then . . .. Right.

Slight twist when a brother named Arthur appeared. Should I mention the twist? Not mention? Bah, I'll not mention - keep it hidden. Though will mention that Ephram, it would appear, worked as a pornographer before the rising (that is unrelated to the 'slight twist', no the 'slight twist' relates to Lord Delaney's first name).

Shesh. The two main characters sure do take offense easily. mmphs.

--
Quite good story, this one. I enjoyed it. I'd rate it something around 4.65.

October 10 2016

Overall
Dove in the Window by Kara Race-Moore - 3.65
Only Human by Meredith Katz - 4.421
Lavish are the Undead by B.A. Huntley - 4.85
The Eighth Tree by Alex Stitt - 2
Orion Shone Right Through by Dmitri Dene - 0
A Witch in Arkham by Cora Walker - 4.66
Zoey Loves Zombies by Adele Gardner - 2.8
Noble Pursuit by Helena Maeve - 4.65

Overall rating: 3.378875

October 10 2016