Book received from both Netgalley and Riptide Publishing for an honest review
One of the problems of casually entering a LGBT book, specifically a book that, on the face of it, features two women, is the assumption (maybe only by me) that you are entering a romance. The book seemed to suggest this with the book description, it seemed to suggest this with the way the book opened with two women, one a drummer of a successful band, the other a dancer, meeting on a plan and having a satisfying introduction to each other. From the general causal 'it's going to be a Romance', to the description, to the way the book opened, it seemed fairly reasonable to assume that the book would then, once the plan landed (unless the book was set entirely on the plane), turn into a romance involving Ava the drummer and Cara the dancer.
The reader would be wrong to assume this . . . or would have assumed wrong . . . or however to word this shift.
If Ava had been a younger character, someone younger than 'almost thirty', this would have been a coming of age story. If Ava had been older, this would have been a mid-life crisis type story. But it's neither - Ava is sufficiently aged to not fall into the 'coming of age' category (with exceptions given for those coming to that type of life experience later in life), nor old enough to face a mid-life crisis. but still, the story that unfolds pulls similar ideas form both 'coming of age' stories and 'mid-life crisis' stories.
Ava is 'learning about herself' and 'coming into herself' through the story, while, at the same time, 'dealing with current position in life/current success and/or failure in various aspects of life (success: career; failure: love life/parent) - and dealing with facing questions on where they should go from here. So this is something of a mix 'coming of age through a mid-life crisis', or, in other words, a slice of life book. It is not, though, a capital R romance. Despite indications that the book might become one or was intended as one.
Ava is very full of herself - the entirety of the novel finds the reader trapped, and I use this purposefully, inside Ava's head as she navigates life. Dealing with the dreaded trip home to face the parents and the grandmother. Experimenting with the idea of having 'something' with Cara, though she knows she cannot because she will be there for a very short period of time, and because she's still in love with Tuck (a band-mate, someone she's apparently known for a very long time). Ava seems like a fully formed character, while others in the story seem like they are filters - are these creatures that Ava reacts against. She believes her parents are a certain way, and she reacts to them that way - whether they are or not. She does this with most of the characters in the story. Occasionally one or another character does something to break Ava out of her own head, out of her own presumations, and she suddenly is confronted with the idea that this 'other' actually is a real person (like when she is confronted by the idea that her Grandmother really loves her books, in a similar manner to how Ava loves her drum). Mostly, though, people are 'fixtures' to rail against, rant against, and/or move around. The father, for instance, never seems to come into focus in this book.
From a Romance point of view, from viewing this book as a Romance, this book fails. But I do not think this ever was supposed to be a romance. Or, at least, I hope it wasn't. I need to double check how it is being marketed. But, and this is actually my point, do not enter this book looking for a Romance.
On the other hand, as a slice of life, as a peak into someone's life as they navigate through certain 'issues', the book is quite captivating. Trapped inside one characters mind is not normally somewhere I want to find myself. But there was something there that kept pulling me back into reading the book. Heck, I read the first 43% of the book in one sitting and that's, what, something like 100 pages. That's how captivated I was - I couldn't get myself to stop and when I finally did, I'd read 100 pages.
I rate this book for what I found, not what I expected. And I suspect others, regardless of how they enter this book, will likely come to a different conclusion than I reach(ed). I was entertained, and I found the book satisfying. While I'm interested in what an actual romance between Cara and Ava might have looked like, I'm satisfied by what I foud inside on the book's pages.
One caveat, if this turns out to have intended to be seen as a Romance, I'll have to reconsider my rating. Probably downward.
Rating: 4.12
October 30 2017
Showing posts with label Riptide Publishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Riptide Publishing. Show all posts
Monday, October 30, 2017
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
The Love Song of Sawyer Bell by Avon Gale
The Love Song of Sawyer Bell by Avon GaleMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Received this ARC from Netgalley and Riptide Publishing for an honest review
I've wanted to read this book since I first saw it - June 13 2017 - listed as 'upcoming' (or whatever it is Riptide calls their books that'll appear sometime in the future). The book looked super interesting. Course, I think I saw the second book first, which was something of a letdown - more because I noticed it looked interesting, then noticed that the lead character in that one was a man; then noticed this one had two women as main characters (and yes, both have their point of views on display). Riptide seems to like series that include multiple layers of the LGBT spectrum, but that's neither here nor there, let's get back to this specific book.
Right, were was I? Oh, yeah. I've wanted to read this book for four months now. But, there's a certain worry that develops, of course, when you are in that situation. Both in wanting to read a book, and in noticing that the book is in one of those mixed gender series (heh, that sounds weird, I meant FF books with MM books, with occasional MF mixed in with one or the other or both being transgender; plus, to ruin that use of 'both' that started this sentence, I kind of have a hate/love relationship with books related to music).
So - to recap this brilliant part of the review: 1) wanted to read this book long time; 2) some worry based on that and other things.
The book: Victoria “Vix” Vincent is about . . . oh, 25 or 26 years of age (she was a high school senior when the other main character, Sawyer Bell, was a freshman in high school, which, in most USA high schools, would make them 3 to 4 years apart in age (some high schools merge junior high and high school into one school, so there'd be a 5 to 6 year gap between the lowest level and top, but I don't think that's the case here). Gah. Let's try this again.
Vix Vincent is a 25/26 year old professional musician with a band named after herself. She's had this band for years now, about 8 at least (maybe ten, there was a comment that she's been performing since she was 16, though I don't think that literally meant the band is that old). The band has gotten a certain reputation, but it is nowhere near the top. Or even, really, the middle. But they are slowly inching up. Playing larger venues. Headlining . . . sometimes - sometimes performing as the opening band. All of this is important because the band is just about to go on the road again, in about 2 weeks. Basically for the summer. But their fiddle player went and got himself married and then got himself a baby to look after and is, therefore, taking time away from the band (maybe/probably permanently). So - they need a new fiddle player. Which is where the book opens, with Vix and her bandmates watching poor performer after poor performer play one after the other. And getting super depressed. Then another one appears, wearing a sundress and looking, maybe, 16 (actually, not sure how young she looked, but they did ask if she was old enough to be there).
That next up auditioning for the band is/was Sawyer Bell. Fiddler/Violinist. She looks real young (I'm probably overdoing that part), and when she talks - it's in a light barely heard whisper. The band kind of groans, but wave her on to perform. Which she does. She plays something classical. With authority. Blows away the band members with how good she plays. They try to trip her up by throwing out some band names and asking her to play something less classical, more rock; and she does. Masterfully. She, Sawyer, then mentions that she's a student at Juilliard, in between Junior and Senior years at college. One thing leads to another, and the 21 year old is a member of the band for the summer. Oh, and for those reading along, she also has her point of view presented.
There's one flashback in this book, occurs roughly about where we are information wise (near the beginning of the book; actually, that '7 years earlier' might have occurred twice in rapid succession - seeming as if one flashback). The flashback takes us back 7 years when both Sawyer and Vix were in high school. And show us readers that Vix and Sawyer had actually meet before, once, back in high school.
There's much humor, travel adventures, and 'getting to know you' explorations of a romantic nature. Oh, and sex, graphic in nature. And quite fun for me personally to read - since there was so much humor mixed in to those scenes. I like humor; I like the mix of humor and sex. Fun times.
Right, so - book is outstanding from beginning until the ever present need for conflict rears its ugly head and erupts in conflict. Um, poorly worded. Well, no matter. Conflict point was reached. Things got rough, this is a romance book though, not a tragedy, so . . ..
Great, super readable, enjoyable book. 99.9% of the time I really liked the two main characters, Vix and Sawyer (not 100% sure I particularly liked the others who popped up - like there's just something dislikable about Jeff (bandmate), and about Sawyer's parents (mostly the father and the jokes he was cracking during an emotional moment).
Rating: 4.88
September 20 2017
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Friday, August 25, 2017
Her Hometown Girl by Lorelie Brown
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Riptide Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
First off, a little snippet on why my rating isn't higher than it is: It is quite possible that if one specific aspect had not been included in the book, I would have likely liked the book about . . . oh, maybe 75% more than I did. It is one of those things that just shuts me down, drives me away, and makes me want to not read what I'm reading. If this book had been by anyone else, and if I hadn't already read the two previous books in this series and loved them - I likely would have not been able to continue, would have had to not finish the book.
I'd love to say that either I worked past that issue, or that the issue was not a large one in the book. However much anyone else might feel about the subject, it was large enough to adversely impact me.
This is a book that involves a woman who had to tightly control themselves in their small town in Idaho and couldn't wait to spread her wings in some much larger location - because she's a lesbian ('funny' how the tone changed on that aspect later in the book rape , that also isn't the issue I had problems with. Well, I don't particularly like reading about abuse and the like, and I have skipped books that included it, but that isn't the issue that caused me to not wish to continue this book when it first popped up (then relatively easily pass by; much much harder to pass by the second time - I literally had to stop in the middle of a sex scene because of this issue and not pick up the book again until a day or two later).
I've really built this up, haven't I? Well, it's a combination of power imbalance, and 'daddy and little play'. Yes, daddy. Tansy literally called Cai daddy during activities that occurred (maybe only once, - after I realized what the sex scenes were going to be focused on, I started just skimming them, so that daddy might have just been once, power imbalance and words like 'little', 'good girl', and other references that turn Tansy into a kid like figure and Cai into a parent like figure? Continued throughout).
That just kind of leapt out at me. First there was some reference to S&M, and a somewhat vague idea that Tansy might actually be into that . . . maybe. Then sex occurred - sex where one turned over all power to the other, and waited for permission from the other, and put themselves into pain so that they 'could feel' (wtf?). So yeah, any other author, any other book, I would have not continued this book.
Some aspect of that, one woman comforting another and helping her recover from an abusive relationship, would have worked perfectly. Turning it into 'daddy play' involving two women? Awkward and not something I wanted to read. Especially as it falls into the trope of . . . hmm. I've forgotten how that is worded now. Something along the lines of 'BDSM helps abused people recover', or 'BDSM is something abused people fall into'.
Ah well.
This book stars Tansy Graves - teacher, 20 something (26?), almost married woman, and Cai something (did her last name get past me without me catching it?). Cai is late 30s. When Tansy was 12, Cai would have been 26. 14 year age difference. I think Cai might be 39, then, and Tansy 25. Both are allowed to have their point of views expressed and seen.
The two meet when Tansy stops by the Belladonna Ink tattoo parlor to get a tattoo. And she has the tattoo placed on her skin (I'm wording this all wrong, which words do you use when you describe someone getting a tattoo?) at roughly the same time she was supposed to be reciting her marriage vows. But instead - butterfly tattoo. The tattoo artist being Cai. Both see something in the other. Then Jody, the abusive girlfriend of Tansy, shows up.
I'd like to say 'and the story jumped three months', but there's a rather . . . disagreeable scene that readers have to get through involving Tansy and Jody before we can get to that three months later bit.
Three months later Cai and Tansy meet up again when Tansy comes in to get her tattoo touched up. Whereupon they decide to date. And do so. Time passes. Mention of S&M occurs. Sex involving Cai dominating Tansy occurs - repeatedly. More time passes . . . etc.
As my status updates noted, 'Up to something like 19% in, or thereabouts, I was thinking that I might not actually like this one - at least not as much as the previous two. Then something snapped and I was really feeling everything. Sucked into the story. Was in there up to about . . . oh, 24%? When S&M was mentioned. But that came and went quickly, and I got back deep into the story.' So I was 'into it' from 19% to 44%. Somewhat deeply into the book. Whereupon the story shifted for me. Tansy had started coming into her own, allowing her more natural bouncy, happy, etc. personality out. And then she continued with that self-determination, admittedly it was her desire to go here, and became Cai's 'little one'. And that's when I had to stop reading the book for a day.
sex: lots, graphic, BDSM related, includes spanking. Other than noticing how super awkward the first sex scene was, I cannot comment on the quality of the later scenes as the nature of the 'daddy-little one' power-play going on forced me to just skim those later scenes. There's at least one scene involving Cai and Tansy that doesn't include that dynamic, but that's also the scene thatgot stopped in the middle by a kind of PTSD attack .
Overall: Despite my desire not to read a book that includes one woman calling another one 'little one', I did find the book entertaining and readable. Even, in places, quite fun and good. And, as I started off with - there's a strong chance I'd have rated this book much higher without that little one stuff. That was partly what my skimming was about - trying to get a reduced 'little one' experience. It was too ingrained in the story, though, to do that.
Rating: Tentatively rate this book ... 3.65
August 24 2017
First off, a little snippet on why my rating isn't higher than it is: It is quite possible that if one specific aspect had not been included in the book, I would have likely liked the book about . . . oh, maybe 75% more than I did. It is one of those things that just shuts me down, drives me away, and makes me want to not read what I'm reading. If this book had been by anyone else, and if I hadn't already read the two previous books in this series and loved them - I likely would have not been able to continue, would have had to not finish the book.
I'd love to say that either I worked past that issue, or that the issue was not a large one in the book. However much anyone else might feel about the subject, it was large enough to adversely impact me.
This is a book that involves a woman who had to tightly control themselves in their small town in Idaho and couldn't wait to spread her wings in some much larger location - because she's a lesbian (
I've really built this up, haven't I? Well, it's a combination of power imbalance, and 'daddy and little play'. Yes, daddy. Tansy literally called Cai daddy during activities that occurred (maybe only once, - after I realized what the sex scenes were going to be focused on, I started just skimming them, so that daddy might have just been once, power imbalance and words like 'little', 'good girl', and other references that turn Tansy into a kid like figure and Cai into a parent like figure? Continued throughout).
That just kind of leapt out at me. First there was some reference to S&M, and a somewhat vague idea that Tansy might actually be into that . . . maybe. Then sex occurred - sex where one turned over all power to the other, and waited for permission from the other, and put themselves into pain so that they 'could feel' (wtf?). So yeah, any other author, any other book, I would have not continued this book.
Some aspect of that, one woman comforting another and helping her recover from an abusive relationship, would have worked perfectly. Turning it into 'daddy play' involving two women? Awkward and not something I wanted to read. Especially as it falls into the trope of . . . hmm. I've forgotten how that is worded now. Something along the lines of 'BDSM helps abused people recover', or 'BDSM is something abused people fall into'.
Ah well.
This book stars Tansy Graves - teacher, 20 something (26?), almost married woman, and Cai something (did her last name get past me without me catching it?). Cai is late 30s. When Tansy was 12, Cai would have been 26. 14 year age difference. I think Cai might be 39, then, and Tansy 25. Both are allowed to have their point of views expressed and seen.
The two meet when Tansy stops by the Belladonna Ink tattoo parlor to get a tattoo. And she has the tattoo placed on her skin (I'm wording this all wrong, which words do you use when you describe someone getting a tattoo?) at roughly the same time she was supposed to be reciting her marriage vows. But instead - butterfly tattoo. The tattoo artist being Cai. Both see something in the other. Then Jody, the abusive girlfriend of Tansy, shows up.
I'd like to say 'and the story jumped three months', but there's a rather . . . disagreeable scene that readers have to get through involving Tansy and Jody before we can get to that three months later bit.
Three months later Cai and Tansy meet up again when Tansy comes in to get her tattoo touched up. Whereupon they decide to date. And do so. Time passes. Mention of S&M occurs. Sex involving Cai dominating Tansy occurs - repeatedly. More time passes . . . etc.
As my status updates noted, 'Up to something like 19% in, or thereabouts, I was thinking that I might not actually like this one - at least not as much as the previous two. Then something snapped and I was really feeling everything. Sucked into the story. Was in there up to about . . . oh, 24%? When S&M was mentioned. But that came and went quickly, and I got back deep into the story.' So I was 'into it' from 19% to 44%. Somewhat deeply into the book. Whereupon the story shifted for me. Tansy had started coming into her own, allowing her more natural bouncy, happy, etc. personality out. And then she continued with that self-determination, admittedly it was her desire to go here, and became Cai's 'little one'. And that's when I had to stop reading the book for a day.
sex: lots, graphic, BDSM related, includes spanking. Other than noticing how super awkward the first sex scene was, I cannot comment on the quality of the later scenes as the nature of the 'daddy-little one' power-play going on forced me to just skim those later scenes. There's at least one scene involving Cai and Tansy that doesn't include that dynamic, but that's also the scene that
Overall: Despite my desire not to read a book that includes one woman calling another one 'little one', I did find the book entertaining and readable. Even, in places, quite fun and good. And, as I started off with - there's a strong chance I'd have rated this book much higher without that little one stuff. That was partly what my skimming was about - trying to get a reduced 'little one' experience. It was too ingrained in the story, though, to do that.
Rating: Tentatively rate this book ... 3.65
August 24 2017
Friday, July 14, 2017
Thaw by Elyse Springer
Thaw by Elyse SpringerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
mmphs, there's always all this kissing in Asexual romances. eww (they want to show intimacy, they don't want/enjoy sex, so . . . lots of kissing; I'd rather fuck than kiss, and I don't really wanna fuck...)
Series: Seasons of Love; Can you read this book without reading any other book in the series? Like I said about the other book I've read in this 4 book series - yes. Though there might be things you'd miss.
I've now read books 2 and 3 - both books include as characters (in level of importance in book 2): Abby (Abigail), Brie (Gabrielle), Nathan, Sara, Tony, Jason. Jason and Tony are barely in book 2; Jason is barely in book 3, though Tony plays a much larger role (at least compared to book 2). Sara stars in book 3; plays a much smaller role in book 2 than I'd have expected. Nathan is Abby's friend, and plays a large role in this book; and is Sara's friend and plays a large-ish role in book 3; Sara, herself, is also Abby's friend and is turned to a few times. Oh, forgot there was a very brief appearance by Laura - she stars in book 3; did Abby's make-up once as a favor in book 2. Brie stars in book 2 and is barely in book 3 (and by star, I mean love interest, this is all Abby's POV show). Abby stars in book 2, and is much less of a part of book 3 than might be expected. I believe I called her something like 'one of the barely seen friends' in my review for book 3. Wow, this paragraph is downright exciting.
Abby is 29 (just like Sara was 29 in book 3; I suspect that if I read book 1 and 4, the two stars there will be listed as being 29 . . . heh, maybe). She works in a library in Brooklyn, and lives in a shoebox apartment with a roommate named Jena. The book opens with her being slutted up, sorry, with her having massive layers of make-up slapped onto her face (by Sara the diner waitress/manager (her job wasn't mentioned in this book, beyond a brief 'stopped by Sara's diner' type mention), and then with a very much 'barely there' dress pulled from Sara's closet (which is vaguely amusing considering what is found in her closet when book three stars Sara - not exactly that type of clothing). Why is she getting all . . . . um, slicked up? As a favor for her friend Nathan who has to go to a charity gala and his rich boyfriend has a meeting or is out of town or something. And Nathan doesn’t want to go by himself. Though he barely pays attention to Abby at the actual party.
Abby, who has quite low self-esteem about her own looks, is hit upon by two people – a man, and a woman. Oddly enough, the man is Tony. Nathan had made some similar comments when he laid eyes upon the dressed up Abby, so when I realized that it was Tony who had approached Abby, I assumed it was something similar. Since Nathan is gay. And Tony spends most of book 3 looking for his ex-boyfriend Gee. Except . . . Tony is serious in his flirtation. Sooo, another bisexual. World be crowded with them. The woman? Gabrielle.
Everyone’s dressed up nicely at the party. Including Gabrielle. But the red number she’s wearing is super alluring and attention getting. She looks, as someone might say, ‘model hot’. Well, I said that that way so I can then say, which is fitting since Gabrielle works as a model. Abby’s eyes are on Gabrielle almost immediately upon seeing a flash of red at the corner of her eye. Of course, as is fitting (that word again!), Abby’s first view of Gabrielle is of her in an angry little argument with some man.
Later, near the end of the party, Gabrielle and Abby dance, and that angry man glares at them as they do. Reoccurring theme, that – angry man glaring at Gabrielle and Abby. He’s a massive dick, that Darren.
Right, so, Gabrielle and Abby flirt, date as the weeks unfold. Meanwhile Abby’s library branch faces possible closure. And, there are several (many?) scenes in which Abby voluntarily goes near her mother so her mother could scream at her and berate her for doing stupid stuff like get a library degree (you’ll only get to work a few years, a decade, with a degree like that!), and/or for allowing herself to be asexual.
Did I not mention that yet? I forget. So, yeah, Abby’s asexual, but not aromantic. She’s actually biromantic. Bioromantic. In love with biology. Pfft. I can’t recall how to spell the word that means that she is romantically interested in both men and women, while, at the same time, being quite uninterested in sex (that’d be the asexual part).
A quite interesting book. There’s an issue where one or the other would suddenly go silent on the other (though I think that’s more of a trick Abby pulls), which is kinda frustrating to read. Go silent as in ignore their texts and phone calls. For days. Or a week or more. Then there’s the issue where the massive ‘conflict point’ occurred, sadness all around and . . . I’m not really sure what exactly I witnessed. The word betrayal was batted around but . . . I’m not exactly sure how that word would ‘fit’ the circumstances of the conflict point. Bah, but never mind.
As noted, good, interesting book. Now if we can just get asexuals to stop slobbering all over each other in books . . ..
Rating: 4.12
July 14 2017
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Thursday, July 13, 2017
Heat Wave by Elyse Springer
Heat Wave by Elyse SpringerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Riptide Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, let’s do the easy things first: This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and this specific book is the third in a series.
The important: Can a reader read this series book without having read others in the series? The quick answer is: of course, since that’s what I did. Are there things that a reader will miss from not reading this book after reading the others? Not sure, but based on what I did read I think that there are certain aspects that they would miss. I felt that way at times, at least.
The book kind of started off in a way that lead me to believe that I might be missing certain things. Like just why the lead (and only POV) character, Sara, had the other woman’s, Laura, phone number in her phone. There might have been something said at the time that she dialed that number, but if so, I missed it. It’s ‘important’ because the two main characters, Sara and Laura, seem as if they don’t really know each other, and yet both have each other’s phone number and are willing to randomly hang out together.
Mind, I know why the two know each other, just not why one had the other’s phone number in their phone. Why did they know each other? Eons ago, seemingly, maybe seen in one of the prior books, maybe not, a woman named Sara dated a man named Robbie. They fell into a relationship easily, and then out of it just as easily. At some point after that, a woman named Laura dated a man named Robbie. The same Laura and the same Sara who star in this book here. Laura’s parting from Robbie wasn’t as easy as Sara’s – Laura walked in Robbie doing the nasty with some other woman.
All of this might seem to be spoiler, and it is in a way, but the kind learned right up front in the book. For, you see, the book opens with Sara boredly wondering what to do that night. Too early to sleep. Her friends Abby, Kathy, and Nathan are all doing something (separately). Maybe she’d sleep anyway? Wait, she had Laura’s number. And so, she randomly dialed, randomly went out with her – and hopefully I’m remembering things correctly, that that is how everything unfolded. Oh, and it was there, when they meet up or over the phone, that Laura mentioned the situation with Robbie and that she needed to drink.
As might be expected from what I’ve written so far, two women who shared the same man at different points in time, both women are . . . . bisexual. What, that isn’t what’s expected? Ah. Hmm. Well, to be fair, Sara is quite taken with the notion that she’s straight. I mean, she’s one of those who pushes herself, challenges herself, knows herself, and she’d think, and thought, that if she was interested in women, that would be something that’d have popped up in her life before she turned 29, which she is now. Laura, on the other hand, might be somewhat off men at the moment, due to the cheating man she was just with, but is strong in her belief that she’s bisexual.
I’ve read a bunch of ‘lesbians who fall for straight women’ stories. This is the first time I’ve landed on a ‘bisexual who fell for a straight woman’ story. I think the closest I’d gotten to that in the past was a story involving a lesbian who fell for a bisexual woman. One who made some cruel and ill-advised remarks concerning bisexuals (that they are on the fence and should get off it already).
Nice to read a book that includes the idea that bisexuals are a real thing. And those who happen to be women and who find themselves drawn to other women, do not naturally and immediately leap from ‘I’m straight’ to ‘I’m a lesbian’. And that is one of the strong topics that crop up in this book – just what, exactly, Sara might be – she had been quite confident in her heterosexuality.
Enough of that.
Sara Walker is a 29 year old woman who works as one of the day-time managers at a diner in New York City. Lives in New York, specifically the Park Slope region of Brooklyn. The book opens with her being currently single, bored, and not really sure she’s happy with how her life is currently shaped. We, the reader, follow her, and only her, through her journey. Her journey that includes bumping into a woman named Laura who flirts with her. Who ‘forces her’ to dance at a bar. Who lures her into ‘kink’ (there is a section wherein the author says something, an afterward or something, about how those on Twitter encouraged her on her quest to write a book involving two kinky bisexuals).
Is it the same sex thing that’s the kink? That seems offensive, in a way. What, no? Oh. It’s the ‘surprise’ BDSM that broke out. Very early in the book. Along with the massive waves of kinky sex. I should probably make that a warning, or something. Some like knowing if a book contains that kind of thing.
Warning: This book contains several scenes of a kinky BDSM nature, and also includes, partially with, partially without that BDSM, public sex.
I distracted myself there, sorry. That’s what the book is about, though. No, not specifically BDSM. I mean, Sara coming to terms with the fact that she’s interested in another woman. And fucking her seemingly nonstop from . . . um, well, fairly early in the book. Thought I’d had a status update after the first encounter but don’t see one. That’s the relationship Sara and Laura fall into, Sara’s ‘experimenting’ and Laura’s ‘rebounding’.
Quite well written book. Had some flaws. Mostly ones that I might have created myself in that I had created a personality in my mind based on the information I’d been given about Sara, and that personality wasn’t matching up with Sara’s actions (like her inability to communicate). After being annoyed about that throughout the book I’ve come to a specific conclusion: I shouldn’t force personalities on characters based on assumptions and . . . well, words on the paper (like the part where she seriously challenges herself constantly, knows her own body, knows herself, etc. etc. The kind who confronts issues, not dives out of the way; except, you know, for communication issues with Laura). Plus the surprise BDSM kind of . . . surprised me – especially how it was handled, and for the part where I didn’t realize the book would include that type of thing. That and the part where I kept pushing past the sexual encounters to get to the rest of the story . . . in the later part of the book. Because I wanted to see what happened next, and the sex was getting in the way.
Sex: Graphic and frequent. With elements pulled from the realm of BDSM. Including such things as blindfolds, control, spankings, orgasm control, and the like. The earlier scenes were much more interesting and exciting than the later, though that comment is softened by the acknowledgement of a lessening lack of interest in reading deeply into the sex acts as the story unfolded.
Series: As noted, this is the third book in a series. I’ve not read the other books in the series, but can make certain observations: It is possible that the Jason from the first book in the series is the same Jason who makes an appearance in this book – lessoned by the fact that his boyfriend is Nathan in this book and Noah in that other book, so maybe different Jason. Abby and Gabrielle are both in the second book in the series and make appearances in this book as well, with Abby being one of Sara’s somewhat infrequently seen friends. Part of Tony and Gee’s story is touched upon in this book, but their story is told in the fourth book in the series – with Tony being a friend of Sara’s in this book here.
Would I recommend this book? Yes.
Rating: 3.98 – my rating was somewhat lower than I expected to find myself due to certain aspects that came up near the end of the book. And how I ‘took’ them.
July 13 2017
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Wednesday, May 24, 2017
The Wrong Woman (Toronto Connections, #4) by Cass Lennox
The Wrong Woman by Cass LennoxMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
*I received this book from NetGalley, and Riptide Publishing in return for a fair review.*
Book stars Katie Cherry, the angry director from Finding Your Feet, as an angry film-maker and Zay Fayed-Smith, bartender who is also a law student. Both are somewhere in their mid twenties (an indication occurred that Zay might be slightly older than the 24 year old Katie).
Book opens with Katie working as a director/camera operator at a bar filming an all queer punk band, while Zay works as a bartender there. The reader quickly learns that Katie hasn’t exactly gotten laid in months, and feels to be in a weird ‘lucky’ situation when she gets hit on by two rather attractive women – Zay, and Ana (guitarist in the band). For readers thinking ‘oh god, a love triangle’, or for readers thinking ‘yay a love triangle!’, quicker than the thought can occur, that specific aspect is removed (though flirty Ana lingers). Mostly by events that quickly unfold. Including the part where Zay and Katie head to Katie’s place that same day they meet each other and have an awkward cab ride, but mind-blowing sex (or at least both felt that way). Is it a one night stand? Will they see each other again?
Fairly early on, abusive, horribly, disgusting Parry reenters Zay’s life. An important element because Parry is Zay’s ex, the woman who she had thought she had finally gotten over. Also the woman who was a massive junkie who stole Zay’s stuff to get money for more drugs. But that’s the past and Parry is back now and wants to talk. Zay, despite knowing her friends and family will give her grief over her decision (they do), agrees to meet Parry. Parry gives every indication that she wants to get back together with Zay throughout the book, even bluntly stating that a few times, though it takes Zay a really long time to realize that that is what Parry means/wants/whatever and keeps telling people that no she doesn’t want that (that Parry doesn’t want that; there’s no question Zay doesn’t want that). To try to blunt any kind of feelings on either behave, Zay indicates that she currently has a girlfriend (ah, see, that’s what I get for writing after I finish reading. Zay had already told Parry, when she spotted her the morning after the hook-up with Katie that she had a girlfriend; she was supposed to be ‘clearing the air’ but failed to do so and somewhat doubled down on the girlfriend thing).
Almost at the exact same time, that Zay and Parry had coffee, Katie was having lunch with her mother. Katie seems the kind to be a bitch to everyone around her (what, see as evidence: this book; plus her appearance in 'Finding Your Feet'), so obviously Katie’s life goal is to see how much she can piss off her mother, especially in public. So after the seemingly umpteenth time it appears mother isn’t ‘getting’ the fact that Katie is a lesbian, Katie reminds her mother that she is, and not only that but she has a girlfriend.
So – the book then proceeds from there. Zay, who has had relationships in the past, is friends with some of the exes (who do not appear in this book), and had at least one massively abusive relationship (and she being the victim of it) decided to move a potential relationship match from the haze of ‘one night stand or more’ into ‘fake girlfriend zone’ for reasons involving Parry. Meanwhile, Katie, who has never actually had a relationship (‘dated’ a lot, was with someone for two months in college but never introduced that person to any friends or family as a girlfriend) also agrees to this ‘fake relationship’ for her own reasons. Both, it should be pointed out, have lustful feelings and ‘maybe something more could occur?’ thoughts, but these thoughts and feelings have been short-circuited by this ‘arrangement’.
Slightly further information about Zay and Katie: Katie is pale-white with red hair (daughter of people who have money - so, naturally, she herself disdains money, etc.; has anger/bitchy issues); Zay is ‘olive skinned’ and is a native of Canada (like, I think, Katie) – one or three generations native, though either her parents or her grandparents came over from Lebanon and she still is technically Muslim but for reasons, including religious ideas about homosexuality, Zay isn’t as devout as she might otherwise have been (though notes that others of her generation, as in native of Canada, are also less than devout).
For most of the book my thinking was that I’d be rating this somewhere between three and four stars. I mean, while the story was interesting, I’m not sure that there was a single character that I could actually like in the book (though, oddly, Justine started to grow on me, and she’s the barely seen mother of Katie (who also was in ‘Finding Your Feet’ . . . as a bitch)). Not so much as disliked as more not sure I liked. But the characters kind of grew on me . . . a little. Though it was the books final section that raised the book to something nearish 3.8 and then the epilogue (which I entered with a ‘oh god, probably something super annoying is going to occur now, sappy, or something to annoy me’) occurred. And that pushed everything up to 4 stars. So, unexpectedly, this got up to 4 stars. I might readjust as I think about things, but at the moment that’s where I’m rating this book. A solid (as in, nothing below, nothing above 4 solid stars).
One last little bit before I depart this review: this currently four book series of ‘stand-alones’ includes several things in common: LGBT people, Toronto people, some of the people reappear. Vaughn Hargrave and Jonah Sondern appear in the first book (which I haven’t read). Vaughn also appears in ‘Finding Your Feet’ (I know because I read that one, though I didn’t know until this book that Vaughn was a visitor from another book) and is mentioned in ‘The Wrong Woman’ (haven’t read ‘Growing Pains’ so I only know the stars of that one) but not seen. Jonah, though, is mentioned and seen (barely) in ‘Finding Your Feet’, and seen in ‘The Wrong Woman’ as a friend of Zay’s and a school friend of Katie’s (if I’m getting that right). Evie Whitmore and Tyler Davis starred in ‘Finding Your Feet’ and neither have much of an appearance in ‘The Wrong Woman’, though are mentioned, and Tyler was briefly ‘seen’. Also from ‘Finding Your Feet’ who appear in ‘The Wrong Woman’: beyond those already mentioned: Justine Cherry, mother of Katie Cherry, Gigi Rosenberg, and Brock Stubbs (Brock is a friend/sometime employee of Katie). Gigi Rosenberg and Brock Stubbs star in ‘Growing Pains’, appear in ‘Finding Your Feet’, and have largish roles in ‘The Wrong Woman’.
Rating: 4.0
May 24 2017
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Tuesday, May 23, 2017
Finding Your Feet (Toronto Connections Book 2) by Cass Lennox
Finding Your Feet by Cass LennoxMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I decided to try a book where there likely wouldn’t be much if any – likely no sex in it. So I tried a book where the main character was both asexual and aromantic. I relatively rapidly grew tired of that book so moved to another asexual lead character, but this time they are asexual bioromantic.
That’s one of those things to be reminded of immediately – asexual does not mean that the person never absolutely never has any type of relationships and that they live their lives happily alone. Though it can mean that, depending on the individual. Though even if they are asexual and aromantic, they might end up in some kind of relationship (which I mention because one of the ‘couples’ in this book does include someone who self-describes themselves as asexual and aromantic and yet are in some kind of relationship with someone who uses plural pronouns (referring here to Sarah and Bailey).
Evie, one of the two main characters, has had relationships in her past – and is asexual. She’s had relationships with both men and women (not at the same time . . . I think), hence calling herself biromantic. Biromantic instead of bisexual because she’s asexual, in her sexual orientation, and bi-in her romantic orientation. She’s also a perfect example of someone who is both asexual and has sex – and, for that matter, is sometimes even quite eager ‘for it’. Eager might be pushing it, but sometimes it seemed that way. In general vague sense there are two types of asexual –in column 1 we have those who are ‘sex-repulsed’; and in column 2 we have – ‘I’ve forgotten the term’ (oh, I think ‘sex-positive’ gets used). Sex-repulsed asexual, as might or might not be obvious, want nothing to do with sex – at all. Sex-positive asexual doesn’t particularly want sex . . . except in certain situations; either they are willing to have sex because their partner wants sex, but they themselves will ‘get nothing’ out of it; or they actually will ‘get something’ out of it because they fall into the ‘demisexual’ category – someone experiencing ‘sexual attraction’ because they have developed, first, an emotional connection/attachment to someone – a somewhat better definition is actually used in this book by Evie to describe herself. Yet she doesn’t actually use the phrase ‘demisexual’ (unless I missed it). But that is what Evie is – demisexual and biromantic.
Evie is from York England and is 26. Her job just suddenly poofed on her, due to the company closing (or something like that), and so she has to find something to do for the next few months – she had already set herself up to go get an advanced degree at a university in Toronto, but she can’t just go there early (Visa issues). She can, though, go over early to scope the place out on vacation, to then leave then come back on an education visa. Which she decides to do.
Strangely this book and the one I had started and stopped begin the same way – waiting next to a baggage carousel waiting for a suitcase to appear, and with some vague worries about whether it really will arrive, etc. etc. But it does arrive, and so Evie’s freed to exit and . . . see a sign and stuffed Godzilla for her. For she’s going to be staying in Toronto with her Tumblr friend – Sarah (who goes by ‘Greybeard’ on Tumblr, while Evie goes by Queen Evazilla). They found they had some mutual interests – namely . . . um . . . drawings? Manga? Well, that and asexual stuff. That’s one of the things Evie’s over for, well not specifically asexual things, but for Pride events in Toronto (and to meet up with some other asexuals).
Evie’s second or third day in Toronto finds her being talked into playing on a dance machine with Sarah – in competition with Sarah (since Bailey, Sarah’s roommate who appears to be vaguely more than that, doesn’t dance). Turns out that the dance machine ‘thingie’ was being used to audition people for a dance competition between two dance studios who would take ‘non-professional’ dancers, match them up with teachers, teach them for a week, then have a dance-off during Pride events. This is how we meet the other main character and main point of view – Tyler Davis.
Course Evie and Tyler’s first meeting is a classic ‘meet bad’. The two heads of the dance studios are congratulating Evie on her ‘top score’, inviting her to join the event, and then arguing about who she would join. Evie begins to tell them that she didn’t realize that it was a competition, an audition, (well tell a third person who stepped up while the dance studio heads fought each other over her), when some man stepped up and said she’d do it.
”I’m very sorry,” she started, “I didn’t really know about-“
“She’ll do it.”
Startled, she looked over to see the lean, grumpy dancer at her side. When did he get there? He was her height, with dark curly hair and light-brown skin, and he glared at her as though she were some kind of idiot. But he had to be one of the most gorgeous men Evie had ever found abruptly standing next to her-not that she was an expert on the matter.
And like all vaguely good looking men, he came with entitlement and an apparent inability to mind his own business. Or perhaps he was just as rude as his boss.
Time to end this nonsense.
“She can speak for herself,” she said, crisply enunciating every syllable.
His eyebrows raised. “Sorry.”
Heh – I didn’t mean to quote all that, I did because it included a description of the other main character. Well, meet badly, as I said. Though she agrees to do the competition, though she didn’t immediately realize she was agreeing to dance with the arrogant self-entitled man. But with the fun looking gay man who was also there. Since Tyler, who is also Sarah’s friend, sounded ‘fun’ in Sarah’s descriptions.
Tyler Davis, meanwhile, is a 100% straight black (biracial) man of 25. Why is he working at a Queer Studios? Well, he is also transgender. He is FtM.
The book was interesting and fun. Deeper and more mature than expected.
One bit of annoyance - Evie has something of a . . . difficult relationship with her mother and there's a moment that occurs, via email (view spoiler)
Rating: 4.80
May 23 2017
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Friday, March 3, 2017
Don't Feed the Trolls by Erica Kudisch
Don't Feed the Trolls
by Erica Kudisch
Pages: 205
Date: April 3 2017
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Series: None
Review
Rating: 3.88
Read: February 22 2017
*I received this book from NetGalley and Riptide Publishing in return for a fair review.*
Mini-review: Curious how the book has been marketed so far, I looked it up on NetGalley (Netgalley link and the publishers website (Riptide Link). The book has been put into two sections on NetGalley – General Fiction (Adult) and LGBTQIA – and Riptide has other works up that they’ve put in the Romance section so that was done on purpose. And the publisher has the genre listed as ‘drama, new adult’.
So there you go – this is a LGBTQIA new adult general fiction book filled with drama. But do not specifically look for romance.
Genre: Drama, New Adult, LGBTQIA, General Fiction
Setting: New York City, Seattle (GeeKon convention), Los Angeles, Eternal Reign game
Occupations: Actress, Singer, Writer, Gamer, Drag Queen
Main Characters: Fatiguee Altestis */Daphne Benoit **/Daphnis ***/Bannedict *** (* - Eternal Reign name used by the character; ** - birth name; *** the character, after controversy erupts, enters Eternal Reign on a new server on an alternative just-created account named Bannedict (and when asked by someone what their meat name is/was, they reply ‘Daphnis’, which is, apparently, the male form of Daphne)
Major Characters Alain/Ivy LeVine (drag queen roommate, Ivy being the drag queen name); Jackie/Lady Francois (rich fanfiction author (the Lady Francois part, though I’m not sure how often that name actually gets mentioned) with many devoted followers); Sachem/Orin (Sachem is Fatiguee Altestis’s second in command in the Eternal Reign game, and the meat people (or the players who control the characters), Orin and Daphne have a long history together); Uhruu*D*/Laura (current head of the server Bannedict/Daphnis plays on, potential romance interest).
Side Characters: Malcolm Harding (head of publicity at Summerstorm); Ivan (angry dude-bro); Martin Summers (head of Summerstorm, which puts out Eternal Reign – barely in book); Neal Merino (MMO correspondent for Jongleur/maintainer of Eternal Reign subreddit); Kilosi (character in Eternal Reign).
Story: The book opens with the main character receiving news that their submission in a novelization contest had won a contest (prizes include such things as a ‘badge’ for GeeKon convention). Certain amount of shocked screaming then occurs among the main character, whose name shifts depending on the situation, Alain and Jackie. Between excited squeaking and delivery of celebratory dinner, Daphne logs onto the internet – to be meet with waves and waves of vicious cyber-bullying attacks based entirely on the fact that Fatiguee’s won and assumptions that, since the game character is female, then the player is also female.
Naturally this deeply impacts Daphne who is already having a tough time of it – what with her real life attempts to make it as an actor haven’t gone that way lately. And stuff. So a certain distancing from Fatiguee occurs, but not from the game. No, the creation of a new game character, a male character, occurs – Bannedict. This almost immediately leads Daphne to tell someone through in-game chatting that their real life name is Daphnis.
The controversy swirls. Games played. White-knighting occurs by Orin. Gamergate-like backlash ensues. Gaming convention occurs. Gender questions are raised (as in, as the snippet on Netgalley puts it, ‘I might not be a woman, not really.’)
Review:
Thoughts: In general, this was an enjoyable book to read. In general. Certain rough patches occurred, hence the drama genre tag, certain realizations made through the fog of ‘do I just think it would be easier to be male, or do I actually think I might be?’
As far as the gaming aspects – most of the stuff that occurred flew right over my head – I mean the in-game descriptions. And I kind of had the impression that Laura and Daphnis would spend more time together in the course of the book (even if only through the game). They did, just . . . less time than expected. And good thing this isn’t really a romance because there was more ‘romance’ like stuff between Orin and Daphne than between Laura and Daphnis (thin relationship then pouncing).
I thought of certain things when I was thinking of what to put in a review. Like above how I mentioned that much of the in-game stuff flew over my head. And I was thinking how much or little of my own experience I should mention. Like, should I mention that I played MUDs, MUSH’s and the like back in the early and mid-1990s? Played multi-player games of Doom in college? Played one version of one of the Star Wars online multiple player games, played another version of Star Trek, twice attempted to play WoW and got bored quickly; and that I myself am basically a game character? No? Not mention? Mention? Normally it isn’t an important part of a review of a book, except here when I make comments like how the gaming stuff flew over my head. Probably because I’ve spent the most time involved in games that were/are different than that described in this book.
Right. Well, interesting good book.
Rating: 3.88
Read and Reviewed: February 23 2017
References made by me to other vaguely similar work/topics:
Internet/cyber bullying - Camp Rewind (woman tries to hide from internet/cyber bullying by going to an adult summer camp) & Drawn Together (I didn't finish the first, and haven't tried the second; my understanding of the second is that online stuff occurs, but most of the abuse is in person relating to a relationship).
Gaming/convention - Playing Passions Game, Love Games, Girl on Geek, The Student, the Rogue, the Catburglar
Genderfluid - transgender or not transgender? - Under My Skin (or, having people take you for more than one gender depending on 'things' (accounts, roles, etc.)
Thursday, January 19, 2017
As La Vista Turns by Kris Ripper
As La Vista Turns by Kris RipperMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
*I received this book from NetGalley and Riptide Publishing in return for a fair review.*
This book stars Suzanne ‘Zane’ Jaffe who is thirty-five, works in real estate, is a lesbian, and – throughout the course of this series – more exactly for the past 12/13 months, she has been attempting to become pregnant through artificial means. While that has been going on, around month 3 or 5, Zane started ‘dating’ another woman named Dred (Mildred) who has a kid of her own (baby James). Pretend dating – to get her friends, mostly Jaq, to stop talking about Zane hooking up with someone. Or, at least it was supposed to be pretend dating.
And so – that’s what this book is about. Zane, who has appeared in the previous five books as a side character, is now front and center and having a point of view of her own (the only point of view in the book). Trying to get pregnant. While that other plot line that has bounced along in the series, that serial killer guy . . . (view spoiler). So plot lines – Zane 1) is trying to get pregnant; 2) is planning a party at Club Fred’s; 3) is pretend dating Dred; 4) is working through the concept of trying to become pregnant for the past year; 5) is working through the concept that maybe she doesn’t want to just be ‘pretending’ with Dred.
Meanwhile . . . I haven’t actually said much that wasn’t in the book description.
Everyone that has appeared in the series, at least the main characters, show up in this end-book. Emerson and Obie from book one play prominent roles – they kind of have to since they live in the same house that Dred lives in (with Baby James) – there’s a story there, apparently ‘Aunt Florence’ mostly raised Obie and Dred (so those two grew up together). Jaq and Hannah from book two – more Jaq, also play important roles, since Jaq, Zane, and Carlos (who doesn’t get a book of his own) ‘grew up together’ (not exactly sure what that means fully, though I know they went to school together, though Carlos is somewhere around being at least three months older than the other two – as a ‘hint’ – Carlos is the one who self proclaims himself to be a ‘dwarf’). Ed and Alisha, from book 3, have less of an ‘in’ into this story group, but are known by Zane and so appear here in the book. I’m not sure what Zane’s connection, exactly, is with Keith/Cam/and Josh (those three being the mains of book 4), but they play a large role in this book since Zane keeps bouncing over to their community center for ‘reasons’ – some of which correspond to Zane’s need to throw a party.
Before I go too far - it should be noted: This book really is one that is better read after the other books in the series. There’s a ton of information to already know – some of which is revealed/rementioned in the book, but . . . to a lesser extent than might have occurred if the other books in the series hadn’t existed. Just a warning. Mind you, I did only complete books two and three, and still came to the conclusion that I did regarding book five (this book here) – a conclusion to be mentioned later.
Of less importance, and more of just something I noted along the way - I've known about this book, and its cover, from the beginning - since I started reading the first word in this series (or, at the very least, around the same time I read book two – The Butch and the Beautiful). So I've pictured Zane as the woman on the cover of this book whenever she popped up in the series. Well, it appears that - yes she has purple hair; she also has some portion of her head 'shaved' - unless I misread 'my half-shaved purple' - unlike the woman on the cover of the book.
Right, so, the story itself – I was bouncing along nicely with the story, watching it unfold – Zane’s all angsty about getting pregnant, and feeling like maybe she shouldn’t have suggested that ‘pretend’ dating idea to Dred, because now she wants to actually date her; while also throwing together plans to hold a party – maybe at Club Freds. You know, the plot was unfolding. Then the main character started doing a few stupid things – things that she knew were stupid, took the time to think about them, and then did them anyway. And . . . it annoyed me. That was around 62% into the book. You know what happened after that? The unexpected. I spent a good portion of the last 38% of the book giggling and outright laughing and or being happy with the book (there's a hilarious scene wherein Zane is 'impregnating' herself, while Dred watches. . . and 'helps'; I knew that scene was going to occur because there were 'mentions' before it happened - frankly I kind of expected to be grossed out, instead I found it hilarious). Odd, that. *shrugs*
But what I’ve already noted is what the book is about – an end book the series, ‘stuff’ has occurred, the ‘camera’ has focused on certain characters in this La Vista place in California – zeroing in on a few queers here and there – starting with the gay guy with MS (specifically mentioning Emerson, since this is a one camera ‘comedy’ type situation, as in one point of view – more later), then the ‘stereotypical’ Butch-Femme match-up of book 2 (of which, the couple joked in this book here, book 5, that they’d be the ones to talk to the old guard queers, because of their Butch-Femme situation), then both a transgender story and a twist on the idea of what it means to be queer – with the third book focusing on a MF couple (one of whom is transgender (and ‘ethnic’), other one thought of themselves as being a lesbian before joining up with this man). Fourth book pulled in a ‘poly’ gay relationship.
So, what did book five pull in? At the outset it pulled in a woman who was willing to pretend to date another woman to ‘hold off’ on pressure from friends to ‘find someone’ to ‘help’ with this pregnancy hunt (more help hold hand, and the like, not help as in impregnate). Said woman, Zane, never planned to end up in an actual real relationship – it’s not in her plans, not on her list. No, she wants to get pregnant. And have a family that way. She’s not aromantic, or asexual though, no she’s a lesbian with a strong need to have a certain freedom that comes from being able to come home to your place, and bounce around naked – because no one else is there. Her ‘pretend’ girlfriend is a self-described pansexual woman, who has a kid of her own, and is and/or gives the impression of being chubby. That being Dred, who is also, as noted somewhere above, connected to an older woman named Aunt Florance who raised her and Obie (the story behind that might have been mentioned at some point, but if so, I missed it). Dred, or Mildred, is the individual who allows me to put the book on my ‘person of color’ shelf, being as she’s half-white/half-black.
Dred’s actual occupation is not one that I was able to pin down. As far as I could figure out, Dred has varying income – as in one month she might pull in 200 dollars, another month could see 500 or more; and somehow or another that income comes from photographing people getting married. I believe she’s a photographer who owns her own company. I could be wrong about that. It’s not easy to tell completely, since everything about her comes through Zane’s eyes since Dred doesn’t have a point of view of her own.
One interesting aspect of bouncing around among a group of people who know of each other – some closely, some more of a passing acquaintance, is the neat part of watching the POV pull in some side characters – and see them slightly differently than others have in the past (like Donald that old Asian dude who is a legend; or Fredi; or any of the main characters seen through someone else’s eyes).
Overall I enjoyed the book – it wasn’t as angsty as I thought it might end up being, though there were moments wherein I thought it might end up being. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a bunch of angst involved – about pregnancy, relationships, etc. Just . . . not an overwhelming amount.
I liked both main characters, and the individuals who they bumped into, though a reader really gets to know Zane more than anyone else. One of those unfortunate aspects of a one person point of view. Still, I got to know Dred and Zane well enough to like them together.
Last note: This book will be published February 27 2017.
Rating: 4.97
January 19 2017
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Saturday, January 7, 2017
Making Love by Aidan Wayne
Making Love by Aidan WayneMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
*I received this book from NetGalley and Riptide in return for a fair review.*
mini-review
Point the first: Sometime after midnight I turned my phone on yesterday and noticed that my request to read this short story had been accepted. I wanted a little something to read for a few moments before turning in for the night, so figured I’d read at least (most?) the first chapter. Needless to say, I read the entire thing in one ‘sitting’ (what, I was actually reclining on my bed, but whatever, ‘one reclining’ just looks odd).
This is the third work put out under this name, and the third work I've read. The other two are MM romances, while this one is FF (and mixes a bisexual (heavily leaning towards females) with an asexual ((view spoiler)).
Of note: story involves a woman from an aromatic species that occasionally produces romantically inclined individuals (referring here to the succubus in the story, Leeta) - main character, though is a female cupid named Carla. Who loves love, but is herself something approaching asexual.
Story: Carla works for an organization that attempts to generate love, with the ultimate goal of love matches. Bah. I mean true love matches. She has been steadily attempting to better herself - she's a great shot but isn't very good with Chemistry part.
One day, after a performance evaluation, Carla overhears a conversation between the receptionist (her friend, if that’s important to know) and a strange creature from a species she hadn’t had contact with before. Turns out that it is a Succubus and she’s there to try to set up a meeting with ‘Angel’ (Carla’s boss at Aphrodite Agency). Except Tristan (the receptionist) won’t even contemplate such a request and forcefully demands that the succubus leave. Immediately. Or he will call security.
Carla overhears this conversation and is confused. The Succubus wants a true love match; isn’t that what Aphrodite Agency does? And so, Carla decides to see if Leeta, the Succubus, would be willing for her, Carla, to try to help her ‘off-the-books’.
Review
It's December 30 2016, so I can reveal my review now.
I believe I read something somewhere, maybe in the ‘about the author’ section at the end of the story, but wherever – that the author enjoys character stories. Especially if they are minorities. Well, the first story I read by them, ‘Loud and Clear’, involved a cab driver who had trouble reading (due to dyslexia), matching up with a businessman with an extreme form of speech impediment (trouble speaking except in specific situations) – ‘Counterbalance’ also went that ‘minority through disability’ route for one character – John the disfigured man, and though the ‘minority through minority’ route for the man he was matched up with in the story set in Canada – a man from China.
This time we leave behind MM romance, and move to FF romance. With a bisexual character who has dark skin and is from a mostly aromantic species with horns and a tail, hooking up with a rather chubby woman with wings who may or may not actually be asexual.
This leads immediately into one of the few problems I had with the story. It was a fantasy that had a layer missing from the reader. As in, where the heck is this occurring? Some far off land that is unconnected to humans? Well, no, humans are part of this story. In a dimension one step away from the human one but is still adjacent? On the same plain as humans on Earth (the horned, tailed demon walking around, and the chubby winged woman literally flying around visibly (which I mention because she can turn herself tiny and invisible) kind of removes this from ‘on the same plain’ – at least in the sense that people can see them and do not react . . . shocked by them)?
I did get a good sense of being in a small town type atmosphere (though, for all I know, this was supposed to be overlaying, say, Beijing), but I still had that issue of where exactly all of this is supposed to be taking place. Also – added into that layer of confusion – Carla helps Leeta go on some dates, two of whom actually get names, none of whom have their species mentioned. Were they human? Some unknown as yet unnamed species? For ‘reasons’, they weren’t likely to be succubi (re: aromantic for the most part species) or cupids (based on how neither of the women who got names were mentioned to have wings).
Moving past that, which was actually easier to do than I’m letting on – and you get the story itself. There is a high likelihood that I need to reread this at some point when I’m not keeping myself awake to do so, to read, but beside that specific point – I rather loved the two main characters in the story (though everything is really from Carla’s perspective). I just loved the personalities on display. Carla is bubbly, chubby – loves to eat (and has no self-loathing body images); Leeta is ‘lovely’ – she is a succubus after all, but has an abrasive blunt personality (I’d say ‘she is a demon’ after all, but I’m not actually sure if succubi are demons in this specific story universe; I do like how she tempers it, though, while on her quest to find ‘true love’, and in her interactions with Carla).
This is what would be call a slightly disjointed from reality, short and sweet story.
I do need to mention another story, though, that this one here reminds me of. Oddly enough, that story also involved an asexual and a bisexual (both women), and also involved a succubus. Though in that story, the main character is the succubus, and the succubus is the asexual (well, Abigail had been human, died, and was assigned to be a succubus – which she found quite confusing because, asexual; of note: asexual and aromantic are not the same thing – in case anyone was confused by all my mentions of terms earlier (aromantic is a person who experiences little or no romantic attraction to others; while an asexual is a person who experiences little or no sexual attraction to others; a person can be both aromantic and asexual, romantic and asexual, or aromantic and sexual). Also, oddly enough, the other main character is also a dark skinned bisexual (though in ‘Welcome to Your Afterlife’, this individual is a banshee; while here in ‘Making Love’, the bisexual dark skinned woman is a succubus).
To a large extent there are only superficial similarities to the two stories. I more mention it not because of the bisexual/asexual/etc. part, but because I wanted to offer it up as an example of a story that had a rather good ‘location’ vibe to it. I felt like I knew where ‘everything’ was located. I knew where I was, I mean. A version of the afterlife that has access to the ‘mortal plain’ (well, need access for the succubi and the like to go into it to feed and stuff (the 'earthly plain' was up some stairs from 'the afterlife').
Bah, I do not know why I’m going on and on about that other story – it’s not exactly going to lead people to this one here, I think it is possible that I’m the only one who actually loved that other one. Hopefully people will try and love this one. Because I did. I do not like being the oddball. :( hehe
Rating: 4.55
December 12 2016 & lightly edited December 30 2016
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Tuesday, January 3, 2017
The Queer and the Restless by Kris Ripper
The Queer and the Restless by Kris RipperMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
*I received this book from NetGalley and Riptide Publishing in return for a fair review.*
This is the third book in the Queers of La Vista series, which is important in several ways – somewhat minor characters (depending on the book and situation) pop up throughout the series – sometimes getting major starring roles of their own, sometimes just mentioned in passing, there’s a murder mystery that’s been running throughout the series (well, at least the first three books now), and – maybe most importantly on a personal level – I acquired access to this book a good longish while ago, but didn’t read it until now. Because I’d read and loved the second book (no not because of that), so asked for the third – then when I got it, attempted to read the first book . . . and couldn’t (mind you, I know that some people ‘still’ see that one as the ‘best’). Which blocked me.
The Queers of La Vista series is one of those oddball ones that require a certain broad reading ability. As in – the first book involves two men getting hot and heavy (so MM romance; one of whom is a rather depressing sort – and I believe he was before he acquired multiple sclerosis – which certain didn’t help his depressing personality) with a touch of BDSM tossed in (not sure how much, there were tastes of it in the 27% of the book I’ve been able to read so far (the two main characters in this book are Emerson Robinette and Obie ‘NoLastNamegiven in book synopsis’ – both get mentioned, and Obie has one or three lines of dialogue in the third book); second book involves two women (so FF romance), one kind of a poster child for Butch women (the well dressed kind), while the other is all curves and feminity (Jaq Cummings and Hannah – both show up and have significant lines in book three); book three, this book here, involves a man and a woman, so MF romance. With a twist (more detailed later). Book four involves a poly relationship involving three men (so a MMM romance – Cameron plays a biggish role in book three; and both Josh and Keith (to certain extents) play roles in prior books)). And book five involves another FF romance (and this one also being something of a twist – what with it being a ‘pretend’ dating thing, but I’m just going by the book description here; this one stars Zane Jaffe who has popped up in all of the books I’ve read as a fun loving, weird dancer, who is obsessed with putting a baby in herself (as in getting pregnant, not as in humping people to put a baby there).
Right. Those were some rather large paragraphs. But this is supposed to be about this book here, so let’s get to that, eh?
The book stars Ed Masiello, half Mexican half Italian, and Alisha, whose genetic make-up – if given – didn’t stick in my brain. Ed works as a reporter on fluff general interest stories – though he’d prefer more hard hitting work; while Alisha works in an adventure company – setting up adventures for people (like setting up hang-gliding in Hawaii for fat lazy balding accountants), but would prefer to be doing the adventures herself – though ‘going with the flow’ type of adventures, not preplanned.
Ed and Alisha have known each other for a while, before the book opening, but they’ve mostly been in adjoining circles, not talking much to each other. Until this book that is. When the two hook up. Which is where the twist comes in, you know that MF romance, but with a twist. Since Alisha is a lesbian and feels odd thinking of herself as straight (so she thinks of switching to using ‘queer’); while Ed also has some issues thinking of himself as straight – even though he has always been attracted to women. It’s the part wherein his father wants nothing to do with ‘Anna’ until she ‘starts acting normal again’ that might explain a few things (what with Ed’s birth name being Anna – Ed’s spent most of his life as a lesbian attempting to figure out how to fit his body, until he realized what exactly was going on – i.e., he is transgender (and is in the transition process)).
The murder mystery that has been bubbling along for a while now in the series plays a big role in this story – Ed is obsessed with it and works diligently to try to figure out what is going on – mostly on his own time, though. It’s an obsession that has an impact on his life (gets in trouble at work, relationship issues, etc. etc.). Quite neat how everything occurred.
Another ‘neat’ thing was the relationship involving Ed and Alisha. In some ways it felt more real than some I’ve read lately – especially their point of conflict. For both have personalities that the kind that do not exactly mesh together well. So it was neat to see that actually play out in a more realistic way than have a point of conflict that was some generic romance trope, but that actually focused on the characters that were in the story. (view spoiler)
You know those couples you see, who have been together for 10, 20, 30 years and are ‘known’ as always fighting, always bickering, but showing occasional flashes of love? I’ve a suspicion that if Ed and Alisha actually made it that long, that they would be one of those kinds of couples. Because their personalities really are, at times, opposed.
Neat to see this story unfold and fill up the pages of the book. Both the romance and the mystery.
One last thought that I almost forgot to include – I like humorous sex scenes – there was at least one quite good humorous sex scene in this book.
Rating: 4.38
January 3 2017
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Saturday, October 8, 2016
Take Me Home by Lorelie Brown
Take Me Home
by Lorelie Brown
Pages: 110
Date: November 7 2016
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Series: Belladonna Ink (2nd in series)
Review
Rating: 5.75 out of 5.0
Read: August 31 2016
How do I wait until November 7th to put up a review? mmphs.
Okay then - I'll just put notes here for now. Then.
Keighley and Brooke, sitting in a tree, kissing. Wait, there were not trees. hmms.
Keighley is 23 and an accountant. Brooke is somewhere around the same age and a tattoo artist. Book is from POV of Keighley.
A week and one day before Thanksgiving, Keighley is both looking forward to and cringing from the family gathering that will occur on Thanksgiving day. Because it is the all family party day. And while she loves her father, mother, and sister (17 year old Sierra), she doesn't particularly like her cousin Trisha, and especially doesn't like her fundamentalist aunt Daphne.
After asking her mother if they could just not invite Daphne and her side of the family, and becoming resigned to the idea that they will be joining the party, Keighley decides to get a ringer. Well, that's the word that would be used in a sporting context, not sure what to use here. Using a ringer is liking having a 'friendly' amateur competition between two companies, and one brings in a professional athlete and pretend that athlete is an employee. In this specific situation, Keighley decides on bringing a date to the party - a fake lesbian girlfriend. To thrust in the face of Daphne.
An advertisement on Craigslist is spotted. Pink haired tattoo artist ad - 'Feeling hemmed in by parental expectations? Are they disappointed by your sapphic proclivities? I can help! The only pay I want is the holiday meal!' Keighley contacts said artist, who goes by the name of 'Brooke', and a deal is struck.
There's some family events, dogs, angst/drama, meals and drinks, and lots of sex.
Kept on the edge of the seat I was. I couldn't stop reading. I gave the first book I read by Brown 6 stars. I want to give this one the same, though I can't really. While we learn a ton of information about the two main contestants in this game of pigeon (okay, I couldn't think of what to put there), but still, book is super short. Still, I'm on the edge of putting it on the six star shelf anyway.
Thursday, September 1, 2016
The Butch and the Beautiful by Kris Ripper
The Butch and the Beautiful
by Kris Ripper
Pages: 257
Date: August 22 2016
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Series: Queers of La Vista (2nd in series)
Review
Rating: 4.73 to 4.83 out of 5.0
Read: August 31 to September 1 2016
*I received this book from NetGalley and Riptide Publishing in return for a fair review.*
This is the second book in a series, and I haven’t read the first book. My understanding is that the books in the series can be read on their own. Though they are related as in taking place in the same city, with some similar characters, but each book involves their own characters to follow. Like, I know that the first MC’s, Emerson and Obie, have a cameo in the second book, but they do not even have any speaking lines. So you can read these, again if my understanding is correct, as you wish – straight through, or piece by piece (though I also understand that some of the story elements are in each book – like the fact that this is all taking place in La Vista, plus there’s some kind of killer running around killing people, but other than that appearing as a topic of discussion in this book, it does not actually impact the book much).
Just to round things up – book three includes Ed Masiello – he has a few speaking lines in this here book; the three people in the fourth book in the series popped up in the second book; though the person with the biggest role book 2, while still being a side character, and being a star of their own book, book 5, would be Zane Jaffe – best friend of Jaq.
Right, so, on with book 2 in this La Vista series. The book ‘stars’ Jaq Cummings and Hannah NoLastNameGiven (at least not directly adjacent to ‘Hannah’, as I just searched for it). Though it is from the sole point of view of Jaq. The two meet at the wedding of Liz and Marla – a wedding that opens the book. Jaq is Liz’s ex, and Hannah is Marla’s ex.
Ex’s, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, can remain friends, though they seem to be able to find the friend loop-hole easier in the lesbian world. At least that is my understanding. So in this world, Jaq is Liz’s ‘best man’ and Hannah is Marla’s maid of honor.
That is something of a reoccurring theme, by the way – the man part. It isn’t heavy-handed, but there is a layer of Jaq acting, thinking, and being spoken of in a male kind of way (I’m speaking more than just wearing men’s style clothing etc; but the part, as an example, where Hannah, at one point, calls Jaq ‘princess’ and Jaq responds with something along the lines of ‘call me prince charming, not princess’). Heavy-handed, by the way, would involve some things I’ve seen in other books but not here - like having the woman say things like ‘suck my dick’, ‘I’m going to shove my dick into you’ and the like – to the point that I get confused as to whether or not the woman has actually grown a dick, always had one, or is actually wearing a strap-on. That level of heavy-handedness is not present in this book.
Wow I’m all over the place with this review. Mmphs.
Okay, so – Jaq and Hannah meet at a wedding, hook-up (Jaq is interested and finds Hannah to be gorgeous in her blue dress; Hannah says something like, when they first meet and establish that both are ex’s of the marrying party, ‘we have to have sex, then’). Jaq is quite unsure of how things might work out, fling, relationship, whatever, and knows – from several sources, that Hannah is batshit insane, but is still quite interested in – at the very least a fling. One thing leads to another and it turns out that it was more than a fling. And that more than one person can be batshit insane.
Jaq, by the way, is both a high school teacher (English, creative writing, journalism, history), and the faculty representative for a school related student club (GSA – Gay/Straight/Alliance – I am uncertain if the A is Alliance). She is also either in her late 30s (her father says something along the way that indicates that Jaq is in her 30s) or in her 40s (Jaq says something at some point indicating that she’s near the same age as Hannah, and – at the same time, believes Hannah to be in her 40s). Jaq is friendly with those in the gay community, has dated a lot of them, still has a living father who she visits often – including for mass at ‘their’ catholic church, and has some living siblings. Oh, and a best friend since childhood named Zane who she sees a bunch of times a month, though more for weekly exercise sessions – as in literal exercise, not code for something like sex (they did kiss once, felt like kissing sister or cousin).
Hannah is in the middle of a messy divorce, has hair that is easy to look wild and untamed, but normally is pulled back and restrained, knows that others thing she is insane (and admits to some insanity), and is a contract lawyer (whatever that means). Oh, and doesn’t like pets or kids; and is in the process of selling her home and relocating to La Vista.
The book started off with many very hilarious moments. For better or worse, those moments of insane giggling lessened considerably as the story progressed – the story turned down right serious at times – but there were still a few giggle worthy moments here and there.
On the sex side – there were a few, well at least 1, less than detailed sexual encounters, and several, at least 2, rather detailed encounters as well. One of which was one that I found to be one of the best I’ve read. Quite thrilling to read, so to speak. (as a side note, I made a status update about there being ‘more ass play than I expected’ or something like that (what, I could look to see exact wording but meh, that boring) – it should be noted that that was a relatively brief thing – as Hannah stated at some point (the same session with ass play) – she likes everything; wow this side note says less, in many words, than I intended to say. Mmphs. Can’t figure out how to fix).
In the end, I would give this book a rating close to 4.73 to 4.83 – not quite reaching 5 star level because I kind of wanted more scenes that included both Hannah and Jaq in the same room. But otherwise loved the book, I did.
September 1 2016
Saturday, August 13, 2016
Counterbalance by Aidan Wayne
Counterbalance
by Aidan Wayne
Pages: 79
Date: September 12 2016
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Series: None
Review
Rating: 3.55 out of 5.0
Read: August 12 2016
*I received this book from NetGalley and Riptide Publishing in return for a fair review.*
After reading Aidan Wayne’s Loud and Clear, I was quite excited to see a new story pop up. I was quite eager to read it and was happy when my request was granted to read. I had to hold off, though, since I read fast, this is a short story, and I got the story a lot more than 30 days before publication. But the time had come . . .
So, John, a Texan, works as the guy who works out how to set up the rigging/matting/etc. for the Cirque Brilliance show (he is head rigger). Heh, that’s actually the first time that I noticed that it, was Cirque Brilliance. I just saw Cirque and assumed it was Cirque du Soleil.
Bao, John’s interest, is a new performer with the show. He’s quite talented, has been training since he was a kid, and is from China. Bao, though, unlike Wayne’s first story, does not have his thoughts and feelings expressed through his own point of view, but instead interpreted by John.
This brings me back to John. John, you see, expects nothing can happen with Bao, because John is horribly scarred and can’t believe anyone would see past the scarring to actually want anything to do with him. He is quite taken with the idea. That no one could possibly want him, well, other than those who have a freak fetish. That’s a really annoying reoccurring theme in the story. ‘Bao hugged me; Boa is just a happy kind of guy, and the Chinese are very huggy types of people, it doesn’t mean he likes me; Bao brought me lunch . . .it doesn’t mean . . ; Bao has pulled my pants down and is sucking on my penis. That doesn’t mean anything, he is Chinese, and it’s what they do.’ Okay, all but the last one happened in the story. John is/was scarred mentally and physically, both from the incident where he got the injuries, and from his experiences with others through his life when he attempted to get close to him. So there’s a solid backing for his reactions. It just got frustrating to see it over and over again. To the point that I’m sure that Bao could have done that last thing I mentioned and John would still likely have reacted the same way – disbelieving (except for the part wherein John would have stopped him, but whatever).
Other than believing that his English isn’t the best, there doesn’t seem to be anything ‘wrong’ with Bao. There probably is something, if we could get into his head. But we aren’t in there so, the evidence says: he’s an excitable kitten with no issues or problems other than a vague feeling that his English isn’t the best.
I mention this because we really are on unequal footing here – the reader and the participants. Because all we have are what John sees and feels. It’s hard to know, from this angle, what exactly Bao sees in him. You can only have a guy berate himself, internally, before you just accept that he’s an ugly freak and anyone who is interested is interested because they have a fetish. And no, that isn’t how I came to see Bao; no I came to conclusion that I had no idea why he was interested in John.
I’m missing half the story here. Bao’s half. That frustrates me. Especially since I really really loved the first story I had read by Wayne.
This story is interesting enough, don’t get me wrong. I just wanted to spend more time with the excitable kitten, and less with the super depressing self-loathing John.
I have a feeling that I might have ended up feeling the same way, if ‘Loud and Clear’ had been from, say, Caleb’s point of view only. Instead it was from both Caleb and Jaxon. And while neither was an excitable kitten, Jaxon seemed like a great guy to know, smoothing out any issues I might have had with Caleb (which I only really recall him being something of a stuffed shirt; but this vague recollection is probably wrong).
Caleb and Jaxon had flaws, and positives. John is a self-loathing scarred and scared man, while Bao is an excitable happy kitten – a perfect specimen of manhood (yeah, I can see why John kept asking himself why Bao would be interested in him).
Well. Hmms. Let me see. I believe I would rate this story somewhere around 3.65 to 3.885. As for GoodReads sakes, that would equate to a rating of 4 stars, since we do not have half stars on Goodreads. I reserve the right to switch the rating to 3 stars and keeping the story on my 3.5 shelf.
August 12 2016
Friday, July 1, 2016
Far from Home by Lorelie Brown
Far from Home
by Lorelie Brown
Pages: 208
Date: August 1 2016
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Publisher Book Link: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/far-from-home
Series: Belladonna Ink, (1st in series)
Review
Rating: 6.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 10 2016
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Riptide Publishing for an honest review.
To start off - I have one specific semi-major problem with the position I find myself in at this exact moment. And that's the part wherein it appears that all, after a quick check, of the other books published by this author, including those put out under another name, are all MF romances. I do not know what to do with myself now. heh-mmph.
Right, so. This is the first book I've read by this author under this or the other name I know they publish under (is on both bio of author and in book, Katie Porter).
This book here stars Rachel Fizel and Pari Sadashiv. Sadashiv is a native of India, and Fizel is a native of California, specifically the location they are currently in. San Sebastian California (my quick look at the other books by the author spotted San Sebastian appearing in at least one other book description).
The reader enters the action after a specific point. So how it came to pass that Rachel jokeningly, or otherwise, said something along the lines of 'I would marry you' to Pari is unclear. Looking and I see that the comment is literally the first thing in the book. By everything else that is revealed, it turns out that Sadashiv is legally in the USA on a specific type of work VISA, one tied to her current employer. But she wishes to become an independent contractor. Which she can't do under her current VISA, and going through immigration the 'normal way' has become a lot harder recently. So . . . she is open to the idea of marrying someone for a green card, and hopefully, for citizenship if whoever she marries and herself are able to stick together long enough.
One slight issue rears its head immediately. Rachel is not a lesbian. Which might be a small sign or point of contention when immigration investigates. That specific issue is pushed past.
Before you know it, Rachel and Pari are now living together. Going through the beginning motions of setting up their 'fake' marriage. They seem to get along well enough, so Pari decides to inform her parents via webcam. This leads to the mother announcing that she will be there shortly and will help with the wedding. The huge wedding of many guests.
One potential problem pops up fairly quickly after the mother arrives. Rachel, who - remember, is not a lesbian, has been having these rather lustful feelings for Pari. And Pari, for her part, keeps flirting with Rachel. That is not, specifically, the problem though. No, it's more the part wherein Rachel makes a move on Pari and Pari shuts her down. Arguing that they have to just remains friends, because they have 2 years to get through. If they tried to have a relationship - especially since Rachel, up to this point in her life, had not been a lesbian, then things might just fall apart.
Moving past doing a run down of the plot . . ..
I'd never heard of this author before. The subject matter - a variation of 'lesbian for you' or 'straight woman falls for lesbian woman' is one of those themes that I can rapidly grow tired off. The concept of a woman who is very much inside her own head, berating herself, measuring herself, taking very close eye on what she eats and how she interacts with the world is not one that I would think I would want anything to do with. Funny how everything unfolded then, eh?
No idea why, but my very first glimpse of this book caused two things to unfold within me - a strong desire to read this book, and the acknowledgement that this has certain things within it that could trigger annoyance in me. But from first glimpse of the book on Netgalley, to first glimpse of the actual text once I got the book, to the end of the book, I found myself in a happy kind of trance.
I loved every single moment of this book. At some point I thought to myself that I just want to be a fly on the wall, just . . . something. Watch them be together. I want to be able to watch them through the years of their lives, see them sitting on a beach, both in their seventies, just watching the sun set. I've no real idea why exactly I feel this way, but I rather enjoy both of the main characters, and, for that matter, Pari's mother.
Heck, I have a tendency to skim the erotic portions of books. Sometimes reading closely, sometimes barely reading, but mostly skimming. Here? I wanted to read each word. Feel it, caress it. Live it. So, obviously, I wasn't going to be skimming when graphic displays of an erotic nature occurred. And, quite frankly, I rather loved those sections of the book as well.
Well, I've just babbled, as I sometimes do, so I'll move on. If you, the reader of the review, take just one thing away from this review, it is this - this is a lovely book here. (oh, and I should probably have, at some point, noted that this is only the second book I've placed on my top rated shelf).
June 10 2016
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