A Night at the Mall by M. Hollis

A Night at the Mall by M. Hollis

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A vain materialistic girl, of ~27, goes to the mall for a blind date. Is stood up. Goes to redeem the day by buying clothing. Gets locked in store. Meets another woman. Stuff happens. The other woman is a fidgety flighty weirdo. The end (baring a few scenes here or there after the store scene).

Nothing much happened. And this is not a romance. Though there was a little bit of kissing.



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Out Here by Yeaka

If you were ever curious about: 1) an Empire version of Uhura (you know, mirror universe on the various television shows has the Federation be an Empire; 2) a lesbian version of Uhura; 3) a dominant sexual version of Uhura – well, here you go.  This story.  If you also had a desire, based maybe on seeing Carol Marcus on one of the alternative time line Star Trek movies, based maybe on something else – well, this story also includes Carol.  Though she’s pretending to be ‘Carol Wallace’.  And the story is entirely from Uhura’s point of view.

Right, so – this story may or not be both a mirror universe story and an alternate time line story. Not sure. There’s a tag that normally gets used on Archive of Our Own if the fanfiction is based on the alternate time line universe, and that tag isn’t used on this story. But then, the tags are oddly wrong in many ways – I mean the tags that did get used. Actually, maybe just the ‘animal play’ one – sure, Uhura had a thought about leashing Carol and having her crawl around on the bridge, but that was a thought, not actual action in the story – and it was a very brief thought.

Distracted myself. There’s several reasons why I believe this might also be an alternate time line story because several of the things seem to line up that way, albeit in a mirror universe way.  Like Chekov being described as fragile – weak to see this as a hint, but he did seem more fragile in the alternate time line than original series (though that might be faulty memory) – and Carol got aboard the Enterprise under false pretenses in this story, like in the alt time line . . . etc. etc.  Not important, really.  Important is that this is a mirror universe story.  And humans are assholes and take every advantage to show how sexually aroused they can be.  Or something like that. Considering the stuff that went on during the original series run . . . that just means Kirk is: 1) shown to be more emotional; 2) more prone to making cruel jokes that have more bite;  - but is at about same sexual level as ‘non-mirror universe’ time line, heck, he might be even a little less sexualized in the mirror universe.  Everyone else, though, is more sexualized. Including Uhura.

I keep writing paragraphs as if I forgot what I wrote before and not really getting anywhere. Pfft. Right, so, Uhura is the main and only point of view character. She’s in the same or similar position on this Enterprise as she is on the TOS television series.  Unlike Alternate Time Line, she hasn’t had anything to do with Spock sexually (actually, that reminds me that I saw everyone in the story in the form of the TOS actors, except for Carol Marcus, who I saw in the form of the film actress); who is more like his television series and original film time line films – a cold fish sexually.  Only mentioned to indicate a difference – important because the story starts with Uhura feeling ‘lonely’, and deciding to go ‘on the prowl’.

After an exchange between Uhura and Kirk, Uhura begins looking for a ‘yeoman’ of her own – someone about on the same status level as an Orion slave girl.

One thing leads to another and Uhura targets Carol Wallace – whose name popped up on the crew register as Uhura was staring at it – there's something fishing going on there.

Blackmail/power games/dominance/submission/graphic depictions of sex fill out the rest of the story.

Entertaining in its way.  More of a sex story set on the Enterprise than a Science Fiction story of exploration and stuff.  Though it is a Mirror universe story, and they did tend to go that direction, albeit not as graphically as here.

Rating: 3.50

March 28 2018

Season's Meetings by Andi Marquette

My fourth short story read today, and second involving a Christmas theme. Odd.  Right, so, this is another of those free short stories findable on the Dirt Road Books website.

Rae is attempting to fly to California to be with sister and her kids for Christmas. But the story starts with her at the airport watching as her flight moves from delayed to cancelled.  While waiting in line at the airline desk, Rae interacts with ‘art gallery woman’, aka Erika.  They flirt.  Rae isn’t 100% certain if they are or are not actually flirting.  She does feel sparks in her intestines though (well, sparks are mentioned, I forget where they were striking her). 

Luckily for Rae, the mountain of snow fell on the airport where she lives (well, she lives in Washington DC and this is Reagan she’s at, but it’s one of the two regional airports, if you don’t include BWI, which is really close, really, so there’s like – at least, three regional airports, though I say regional but I think all of them are international. Is Dulles considered International? I don’t remember.  Ah, it is, though Reagan is considered national not international; did the story call Reagan an international airport? I don’t’ remember).

My reviews sometimes seem like I just opened my brain and dumped whatever was in there onto the screen.  They ramble, but, no, there generally is some filtering. The above was an example of the unfiltered version. 

And now I’ve forgotten what I’ve written.

Rae, while at Reagan National Airport two days before Christmas, watches as the announcement board moves her flight status from delayed to cancelled. There’s, like, a mountain of snow outside.  She informs certain people, like her sister, before moving over to the airline desk to see about what’s next.  While in line, she interacts with a woman she calls ‘art gallery woman’ because of the way she’s dressed.

Later, Rae gives Erika a ride from the airport to her, Erika’s, hotel.  And they interact/flirt more.  A spark is sparked.  A fire is fired.  A pickle is pickled. Okay, I do not know where I’m attempting to go there.

Now this one, of the four short stories I’ve read today, is the fullest most complete short story that I’ve read. Today.  Quite satisfying.  Not sexually explicit.  Except for the kissing. 

Rating: 4.44

March 28 2018

The Boston Marriage by Jae

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

1) I'm 99.99% certain this is a different author using the same one name name as the Jae I've read something like 40 books by (since that Jae is from Germany, and this Jae - the one that wrote this story, is from New Jersey);
2) I've never seen Gilmore Girls (I know, bad me);

You know how good a fanfiction this work is? I've no clue what Gilmore Girls is or what it is about, but after reading this hilarious short story, I want to immediately find and watch . . . well, let's not go overboard - an episode of this show. This story is that good. I couldn't stop laughing.

This is a story wherein two characters apparently aren't two who would normally have chemistry together, but the author was very good in laying the foundation - of showing how and why they are good together, and how and why they actually do, in fact, have chemistry. Hell, I'm not sure if the tears are form laughing hard (which I know some are) or from some other emotion. This was one damn good short story.

I loved this short story, I did.

Rating: 5+



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Mated to the Meerkat by Lia Silver

My rating: 3.33 of 5 stars

This is a quick short story involving a man that likes to hump meerkats. heh, no, but that's what the cover looks like, right? A topless man standing next to a meerkat with the title 'mated to the meerkat'. Shesh - that cover is wrong on almost every level - it implies that the man humps animals, and that's not even what he looks like - he has blond hair in the story, and both chest hair and a 'treasure trail' or however that was worded. The meerkat is supposed to have redish-blonde fur with some black stripes mixed in - though I'm not sure if the meerkat on the cover doesn't actually have that so I can't say the meerkat is wrong. Not what I pictured, but can't say it's wrong.

No, this is actually about a paparazzi and a freelance reporter who keep popping up at the same locations. And the reporter is pissed off at the paparazzi constantly stalking her - and yes, the other main character is in fact female. A relatively large black woman (what, it's important to the story). Both always found the other attractive, but the woman found something about the man, Chance, to be off-putting, so it is only somewhat by accident that they get a freelance job together and are forced to spend time together. And no, the woman is not the meerkat - that's another thing wrong with the cover, it's the man who is a meerkat, or, I should say, a weremeerkat.

After I got over my disgust with paparazzi's, I found the story to be interesting enough to pass the time. There are weresnakes, weremeerkats, and werecats rolling over each other, political intrigue, and some sex mixed in there as well.

This is the second story I've read by this author, the other is a fanfiction under a different name. The author writes under at least three for pay author names, and at least one fanfiction name. I don't remember the third author name, though, unless I'm mistaken, the fanfiction name is Edonohana and I read a short story by them involving two lesbians rolling around humping each other that I gave a rating of something like 4.75 stars. Oh, what, there it is, the other author name is Rebecca Tregaron - the one she writes lesbian stories under. She uses Lia Silver for heterosexual romance fantasy stories, and Rachel Manija Brown for young adult fantasy stories.

Rating: 3.33

September 19 2017



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Delle Seyah's Slave by Edonohana

My rating: 4.93 of 5 stars


I have no idea what 'Killjoys' is, beyond it being a television show (which I didn't even know until the little 'tv' after 'Killjoys' on Archive of Our Own). Based on what occurred in this story, I assume that there's some science fiction element to this television world. Though, until I Googled the show, I had developed this idea that it might be one of those animated shows (the 'she's my enemy!' comments that popped up over and over again, plus some similar comments, seemed like things I'd see on animated shows *shrugs*).

Right, so I have no clue what the show was, nor who the people were. But, apparently, I didn't need to know to find this story downright entertaining and fun and . . . stuff.

This is probably the part where knowing the show would help - the part where I mention what the story was about. No matter - a woman has been instrumental in the capture of someone another person cares about in some way. To get information needed to secure 'Johnny's' release, Dutch would have to agree to be Delle Seyah's slave for the night.

So . . . she reluctantly agrees. Partially because she wants the information, partially because she's very aroused by the whole thing. Though she's damned determined to not allow that part, the aroused part, show up on her face, in her reactions, etc.

Right, so, I don't want to convey the whole story here, but there are a few more tidbits that are needed to be dropped: part of the 'slave for the night' involves stripping, putting on barely there skirt, and having nipples painted with edible rouge. Okay, I could have just gotten away with - part of the slave for the night is the part where Dutch was dragged (by leash connected to a collar) to a 'lesbian kink party'; I think the wording was actually 'lesbian sex party', but . . . ).

Everyone has fun. Dutch is confused and angry about it, but has fun.

This picture here oddly seems to correspond to the story - woman in lingerie, being helped with her clothing. (I'd originally had that as Belle in lingerie with Dutch helping her get clothed, but I still don't actually know what either look like - I know that at least one of the women in that picture is either Dutch or Belle, and that both might in the picture but am not sure).



ETA:




Rating: 4.93

September 18 2017



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001. bodies and body parts by spiralstreet (bertee)

001. bodies and body parts by spiralstreet (bertee)

My rating: 4.63 of 5 stars


Second story I'd read by this author - and first time I realized the numbers actually meant something (based on the other words in the title, I assumed that the number corresponded to some prompt somewhere, not to series story order).

Right, so, liked the first story I'd read by this author, so tried another - starting from 1. And by 'tried another', I mean that I had intended to create a bookmark and read it later. But got sucked into the story.

It's another straight forward story of bondage play. Again involving three women, same three as in the other story I'd read by this author. This time only one of the three is in bondage. Bound tightly in work clothing, gagged, and blindfolded. On a sofa or the like (at least at first), while her two girlfriends eat popcorn and watch a movie. And played with their 'captive' during the viewing of film.

Another fun diverting piece of erotica. Interesting at how well characterized the three women are from the little that is seen of them in this short snippet of a scene.

Rating: 4.63

September 17 2017



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015. humiliation by spiralstreet (bertee)

015. humiliation by spiralstreet (bertee)

My rating: 4,61 of 5 stars


Fanfiction: Supernatural

I'd watched a couple episodes (or more) of Supernatural's first season. Nowhere enough to have a clue who any of the people are in this short story. If they are actually a part of the show or not. I didn't even know there were enough women to have a story like this one here.

Three women play an erotic BDSM game together. One takes the dominant role, while the other two take the submissive roles. It's a straight forward well written scene that involves bondage, spanking, flogging, electric shocks, crawling, etc.

Story is titled 'verbal humiliation', and was apparently written based on a prompt for that, but I did not specifically see anything in the story that I'd label that particular kink. The 'verbal humiliation' appeared to consist of the domme having the other two ask to have the things done to them that are done to them. And . . . hmm, that's basically it (in terms of what might have been verbal humiliation, I mean). *shrugs*

So, the three woman are: Genevieve Cortese (Ruby), Danneel Harris (not actually on show), Adrianne Palicki (Jessica Moore)
I've been including pics in the fanfiction I read as identifiable characters are being written about and so what they look like is known and stuff - and so -


Rating: .... how do I rate something that's a short erotic piece that I can't tell how it actually relates to a show I've only seen a few episodes of? mmphs. um, 4.61

September 17


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Hit the Road, (Uncle) Jack, and Don't You Come Back No More! by Emachinescat

Hit the Road, (Uncle) Jack, and Don't You Come Back No More! by Emachinescat

My rating: 3.3 of 5 stars


Fanfiction: Psych
Place in series: During (or right after?) the episode 'The Greatest Adventure in the History of Basic Cable'

I'm not exactly sure what the point of this story here might be. Uncle Jack, Shawn's actual uncle, tricked Shawn and Gus to go on a pirate treasure hunt. Some bad guys chased them. Shawn, in turn, tricked Jack. Etc. etc. - that's what was on the episode.

This short story here involves the bad guys capturing Gus and Shawn at gunpoint. Leaving Gus behind as a mobile ransom note, and taking Shawn with them. They wanted the gold for Shawn.

And . . . so, that happened. Story unfolded. I don't actually remember how the episode ended, so I don't know if it actually ended with Jack starring into the bag that was supposed to hold gold, of if it ended later. I've a vague recollection that the police arrived while the bad guys and Gus/Shawn were in the woods. Doesn't matter.

I don't really know what all to note here. Story occurred. Wasn't an original, just an extension of an episode.

Rating: 3.30

September 17 2017



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Veronica's Tale by Saxon Bennett & Layce Gardner

Veronica's Tale by Saxon Bennett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a humorous short story about a woman who woke up one day to find that she had a tail. She first noticed it, and I mention so I can show what I mean by tail, when she saw her naked body in the mirror and saw a snake biting her butt. Eventually she realized that the snake was a tail. After some sharp tugs, and the lack of anyone leaping out to film her and scream something about pranking her, she realized it was real and there. Where you might expect a tail on a human.

I rather liked the story, the humor, the 'coming out' aspects - including having to tell mother.

It is unfortunate that this was only a short story, though, because right when we moved to possible romance time, the story ended. So, slice of life. If life involves rolling over and squealing in pain. Because you grew a tail.

Rating: 4.28

August 30 2017



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Liberation by Debra Dunbar

Liberation by Debra Dunbar

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I read the prior Nyalla starring book and this short story here specifically because another side book, one that interested me more than either these two prior works, was said to also include Nyalla. And I figured I'd go ahead and read these prior works before I read that later book ('Far from Center').

This is a short story and tells of an event specifically mentioned in the Imp series book 'Exodus' when some elves, 42 in number, had been captured by other elves and Nyalla had gone and retrieved them. This is that story of Nyalla's actions.

It's an interesting enough story but it confused me in certain ways. The story read as if the author, who I assume is in fact the same as wrote all the other stories in this series, had never read 'Stolen Souls' (which is odd since the action in that book kept getting referenced in the Imp series). Why do I say that? Because Nyalla's personality seems to have been set back a little from how much it had grown in Stolen Souls. She'd accomplished much, but now she's back to being kind of wimpy and very reluctant, but determined, to do the right thing to save people. Quite confusing.

No matter. Story was interesting, as noted, but wasn't exactly much more than a few action scenes that were cut out of the 'Exodus' book starring Nyala.

Rating: 3.12

August 5 2017



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Midnight Couch by Jae

The Midnight Couch by Jae

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A short story by Jae, one of my favorite authors. About Dr. Christine Graham, a psychologist, and host of a late-night radio show, and Paula, a technician at the radio station. Despite my arrangement there, this is from Paula's point of view, and her lust for the good doctor.

This is another of those stories I picked up free then took a long while to read. See, I did say that characteristic even occurred with authors I've read before's work. Not sure when I picked this work up, though it is possible I got it Feb. 2017.

Christine, it'd appear, is Scottish. Or, at least, she has a 'slight Scottish lilt'. She's also 5 feet tall, but I didn't mean to go into 'describe' mode. I just wanted to note the Scottish part.

Paula, as noted, lusts for Christine, but cannot get her mouth to form words that would convey her interest (like, say, asking her out), despite many many opportunities to do so. Including massive chances put forth by Christine to give Paula openings (course Christine could ask but . . .).

Cute story. Passed the time. Too bad it ended when it did and I have no more Paula and Christine to read (I assume, another short story I'd read by Jae turned out to be had later been expanded to book length, though I don't recall any books that involve these characters).

Rating: 3.8

July 16 2017



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The Goose Girl by Robin Gallica

The Goose Girl by Robin Gallica

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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

I was not aware of the Goose Girl story fairy tale before reading this story here. Well, I’ve a vague idea I’ve heard the title before, and that it was a fairy tale, but I’ve not read it so I can’t say how this story here is similar or different.

*looks it up* Okay, so, ‘The Goose Girl’ was put out by the Brothers Grimm in 1815. *reads* And, as might be expected, the Brothers Grimm story is vastly more horrifying than you might expect for a fairy tale, as the original tales actually are. I was reading along and the story was similar – the fairy tale and the retelling, then the horse’s head gets nailed to a door and the little girl talks to it when she passes by. That’s the Grimm tale. No severed horse’s heads appear in Gallica’s version. Right, enough of that.

As both the Brothers Grimm story, and this story here has it – a young woman is sent off by her royal parent(s) (Grimm story – pop’s is dead; Gallica story – both king and queen are still alive) to be married. The young princess has no ability to get out of it, no choice. She is forced to conform, to do her duty. So she sent off to marry this mostly unknown boy (they had apparently been near each other at least once as very young children). One maid travels with her. As in the Grimm story, the maid refuses to continue serving the young princess, steals her identity and wanders off to the castle to marry the prince (actually, not sure if it is a prince in the Grimm version) while the real Princess is forced to be a servant.

I already mentioned two differences (severed horse head, dead/not dead pops), another is that the goose boy in the Grimm story is named Conrad, and in the Gallica story is named Konrad. And here ends my comparison because I’ve not read any more of the Grimm version.

Right, so, Ava (the princess, and the main point of view character) rides off on her favorite horse Falada (same name in the Grimm tale) with the maid Otilla. Before they left, the Queen – the mother – gives Ava a charm so that she would not be harmed on her journey by anything found along the way (which is important, of course, the wording). Along the way Ava is forced to change places with Otilla, and once they arrive at the castle where Ava was to be married, fake Princess Ava is warmly greeted while fake servant is said, by fake Ava, to be super bad as a servant and clumsy and stuff. So fake servant is lead away to work in the castle. Otilla – as Ava – says that the servant’s name is Margrit.

One thing leads to another and Margrit works as a goose girl who, for reasons, pretends to be mute (and they are important reasons). She watches the geese, watches Otilla as Ava (who makes a point of always being nearby at the end of the day looking super happy), and lives this life for a week or so until the wedding day appears. But let’s not give everything away, eh?

I rather liked this story. Quite interesting and entertaining.

Ava sighed. She’d heard that many little girls dreamed of being princesses, but that was only because they had no idea what being a princess entailed. They thought of it as having all the money in the world and the freedom to do with it as one wished. They weren’t thinking of the impeccable manners, the endless tutors, the state visits, the social schedule so full that going for a ride was a treasured treat. Or the arranged marriages. For that matter, every single one of Ava’s friends had been chosen for her by her mother . . .

Rating: 3.73

June 8 2017



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Angel Fever by May Ridge

Angel Fever by May Ridge

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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

The story was both not what I expected and what I expected. For I expected a story involving an Angel and a Priest, and that the Angel would be looking for his mother - with the help of the Priest. And that there had been conflict between the two species in the past. And possibly still some conflict on-going in the present.

An Angel did pop up looking for his mom. And a priest did help. But . . . I . . . for some reason I didn't expect that the Angel would be 17-I'm-almost-18 year old. Stupid of me, I know, but I just assumed that it would be an adult who was curious about his past, not some wet-behind the ears kid. One who is smug, arrogant, and very very determined to smirk at everything (I'm actually surprised that the word 'smirk' only appears 21 one times in the short story). Quite frankly the Angel was completely unlike-able. The priest? While he also seemed to like smirking, he also seemed . . . less than what I'd want to find, but he was tolerable just the same. (I suppose Eli took up that 'really arrogant, smug, extremely smirk-able, asshole priest' position - Eli being one of the side characters of the piece).

There were many things that just baffled me. Like, is this short story supposed to be part of a larger series? Because I kind of entered it and found myself confused immediately. It was hard to get a handle on the society I found. Words I know, like 'Angel', 'Priest', 'Chapel', 'Pope', 'Western Europe', 'London', kept appearing in the story . . . and yet, it was the back drop to a society and people that did not correspond to what I would naturally think of when those terms were used. For one thing the priests are not celibate, women have more power than I'd expect for anything that has a 'Pope' as the religious head, the Pope apparently lives in London, and Angels . . . appeared to be massive pricks.

I didn't really get a good handle on this culture. Just that there were three entities in it - Angels, Priests, and mundane humans. And that the Priests, I think, came from humans. And that everyone with any kind of position is forced to give up their kids to orphanages - which is also where the same people go to get people to be things like Priests and Angels. But, is there a society outside of that? Just . . . Angels who do not correspond to the concept I have for angels, priests who do not appear priest like, etc. etc. And don't get me started on how women were treated in this story (the only one with a bit of power is kind of disliked, had her (view spoiler)[baby stolen from her, and is a bit evil, more than a bit (hide spoiler)], while those without specific 'power' are seen as being 'common' and somewhat beneath contempt - at least in the only ways you see them in the story (evil, or lessor, common - like, for example, three types of Angel healers, Male (rare), It (?), and Female - with female on the bottom). And, oddly, except for that one 'Lady', the Priests side apparently had no other women in evidence except door-minders (one). I can't really go with the council part on the Angel side - only one council member was shown, it wasn't explicitly stated that no women were on it, and just because the only female seen over there was the receptionist doesn't really mean anything.

Saying all that - the story had some interesting aspects. Part of my problem is I didn't really know the society at all so I couldn't pick up on some of the things I would have in another story. Like there was kissing, but mentions that it 'wasn't really what it seemed', or maybe it was - I do not have the background to tell what's going on. I do not know enough about the people and society.

I didn't particularly like 'kid-angel' though as the story progressed I 'accepted him' more. The Priest dude . . . well, everything was from kid angel's point of view. And he didn't exactly like some of the things the priest dude did. Though, by observation, the priest dude also had some disagreeable aspects. Like when he ended up in a jail like cell with the kid, his immediate reaction seemed to be to turn to tease the kid (until he realized something that caused him to stop, but that still was his first reaction).

Oh and - we all have differing levels of 'explicit content'. I went into this story with this little note on NetGalley: 'Angel Fever contains no explicit content.' Which made me think that there would be no explicit content at all - like no touching, kissing, etc., at least not passionate type. A lot more kissing in this story than I'd expect for 'no explicit content'. Which, of course, brings us back to different levels of what 'explicit content' means. And, well, kissing is icky - you know the amount of germs the mouth contains? 'A single tooth can host 500 million bacteria.' And one of the worst things about a bite wound isn't the bite itself, it's the icky gross germs, bacteria, and the like that will infect the wound - transferred over from the mouth, from the bite (my own grandmother ended up in the hospital less because of the cat bite, but because of the germs that infected her from the cat bite).

Rating: 3.05

June 7 2017 and June 8 2017



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Trial by Fire by Lore Graham

Trial by Fire by Lore Graham

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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

‘And that’s enough for me to keep playing superhero.’ – Lacey, near end of story.

There’s several ways I can ‘read’ and ‘take’ the story. And yes, that has an impact on rating and enjoyment of the story. I chose to take the story, read it in a certain way that ended up causing the story to be an enjoyable enough read. Though I might not have liked it as well if I’d gone a different direction.

I chose to go the direction that pulls in that quote above that started me off. The ‘playing superhero’. Because this story sure did seem to be filled with amateurs, people who didn’t really seem to know what they were doing, and were largely lucky to a) find someone to fight; b) ‘win’.

Why do I say that? Amateur superheroes? Well, a lot of time and effort apparently went into recruiting a new superhero to the group – that’s good, professional. But . . . then it was all – okay, you are in, make sure to come to the meetings, here are some phone numbers, be on call. And . . . that’s that. No attempt at any kind of training. No words on what to do on a day to day basis. No words on fighting techniques. Nothing. Heck, you could have everyone be from a military or police background and there still would have been some ‘okay, I was trained to do x in a situation like y, how were you trained?’ Here, no one seems to have any kind of background training. Nor do they appear to have taken any time to even think about how they might ‘mesh’ together (‘I have fire power. As in, fire comes out of me. ‘ ‘I have the ability to run really really fast.’ ‘I’m largely unable to be hurt – largely, not sure about bullets. Oh, and I might be strong-ish’.) Nope just – you are in now. Nothing was even said about what kind of costume might be best; Elena had to ask about that.

And the action that takes place in this book? Reflects that amateur hour approach to things. Like, they just kind of noticed/made mention of someone threatening the city without doing much about it. Elena, on her own, tracked down some information. Then she got some of her new teammates to help but – even there its amateur hour. Using your own personal vehicle? Um . . . a big thing was made about hiding your personal identities but . . .. *shrugs* And, what’s up with ‘everyone’ heading to that first crisis event (after Elena joined) but only Elena and Lacy actually going into action while everyone else just kind of sat around in their cars (everyone available, some couldn't make it . . . for . . no explained reason - I mean, Elena came and she was dead asleep and had to come in her work-out clothing because she doesn't have a costume, what were the others excuses?)? No clue what anyone else on the team brings to the group, maybe they are just pretending to be superheroes – only Lacy and Elena have shown their ‘abilities’ (super speed; ability to shoot fire out of fingers). Maybe the others stayed in the cars because they lied about having any kind of abilities (I know Guardian said they had something like invulnerable skin (or similar) but they never did get involved in any of the fights so . . . lying? Just . . . too busy to get involved in the fights? Fell asleep and forgot? Amateur hour.

Can’t really blame Elena, really, for the amateurish stuff she did. Using her personal car. Basically hugging her new girlfriend out late at night in plain sight of parked cars that she has under surveillance, instead of doing the more professional thing of having separation (so one ‘blast’ of whatever, bullets, magical power, fists, doesn’t take out both superheroes), and remaining in contact by the phones they did have (there are such things as hand free devices). As said, can’t blame her because no one taught her anything. And yes, this is also why I went this direction in my read – I think the author intended the story to be read this way – it is titled ‘Trial by Fire’ – she’s just tossed out there, unguided, untrained, trial by fire indeed.

Right, so, I wrote like three pages of notes while reading this short story. Let me see if I’ve covered everything in those notes. Oh, right. There’s a weirdly sibling like vibe coming off Elena and Lacey that I know isn’t intended, since they interact in sexual relations – and can’t keep their hands off each other (especially when they should, like when they are standing around watching a bad guy late at night). Made the sex scenes oddly disturbing. Mmphs. Bad vibe. Luckily the sex in the second scene quickly turned in a direction I want nothing to do with so I just leapt over it (eww, butt sex). First one was oddly interesting and arousing, though, so eww for a different reason. Hehe. Oh right. Heh. I lead into the ‘amateur hour’ in my notes by noting that safe sex practiced, but they didn’t seem to practice safe . . . um . . . superheroing (see training and stuff like that). Bah. I kind of ranted for three pages about the amateur hour stuff in my notes so I don’t have anything else from there to add.

Okay then. So, this story is about Elena, and from her point of view. She’s a paralegal living and working in Los Angeles California. She’s a Latina, a white Latina, as she puts it (parents from Chile), and has a superpower – the ability to have mild to strong resistance to heat and fire, while also being able to generate fire from her hands. She didn’t really want to actually use her powers until she got bored and decided to join a local superhero group. The story opens with them interviewing her.

Fairly quickly she’s a member, doesn’t have a suit yet, but does have some phone numbers. Despite lacking training or a costume to wear, she’s put on call immediately. And, almost immediately, she’s out in the thick of things. Battling a villain who calls himself Consequence.

Meanwhile, on the personal front, Elena picks up a new girlfriend named Lacy. Who happens to already be a member of the same superhero group Elena has joined (this kind of makes it seem like they meet first at a supermarket or something – no, Elena meets Lacy through the group). Luckily for my own sensibilities, they don’t go immediately from meeting to love, but they do seem to get to ‘can’t stop touching you’ rather quickly.

A good interesting story. I’d like to read more in this universe. And yes, I realize that I kind of said a bunch of stuff that could be seen as negative – I saw it as positives – as these are real people attempting to ‘do stuff’ with powers in the real world instead of something like personifications of goodness . . . or something like that.

ETA: Of note: If it's important to someone - Lacy, it is quickly learned, is transgender (MtF), and hasn't fully transitioned yet (and might never have 'bottom surgery' (did have whatever it is that is done to have breasts; still has a penis. Which she calls her lady cock . . . or clit)).

Rating: 3.77

May 17 2017



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The Loveless Princess by Lilian Bodley

The Loveless Princess by Lilian Bodley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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

I read this work because it was short and I was under the impression that it involved an asexual character. I was misinformed (or didn't remember correctly what I'd been told). The description doesn't actually say that it involves an asexual person, though so it isn't the story's fault. *looks at description on NetGalley* Yeah, doesn't say asexual there either. (ETA: with more thought on the matter, as seen later in my review, yes, Anette is asexual, it is just the case that she's more than just asexual. There's some other element that she is as well, whatever word goes for that. 'alove' or something.)

This is not a story about an asexual main character, she's something . . . extra. This is a story about . . . not actually sure what word gets used. I tried to find a word that could be used for someone who cannot love, but all I can find involve things like "Scientifically speaking, the only people completely unable to love are the people whose brain genetically lacks empathy, people commonly..."; or psychopaths. But that's not the main character either, because The Loveless Princess, Anette, does have empathy. And she didn't really seem like a psychopath. I do not know enough about psychopaths to know though.

Why am I going down this road? Someone who is asexual has no desire to have any kind of sexual relations. They might love, they might get into a relationship, they might . . . etc. They just have no desire to have sex ('person who has no sexual feelings or desires.'). Someone who is aromantic has no desire to have a romance. "A person who experiences little or no romantic attraction to others." An aromantic person can have desire for sex, can feel love - just not romantic love. A specific individual might be both asexual and aromantic.

So is Anette asexual? Well, she has no desire to have sex. I'm somewhat short-sighted to immediately say that because she has no ability to love that that means that she's not asexual. Instead she's asexual with the addition of something else (whatever the 'inability to love' part would be called - not aromantic, because, again, they can form attachments/love, just not romantic love - like they can love their parents or siblings, but feel no romantic desire for another). And Anette cannot love at all. Not just can't form romantic attachments. She is, as the title notes, 'The Loveless Princess'. Again, though, she's not a psychopath because she can feel empathy.

Bah. Okay, Anette is a princess of some unknown age who has been told by her parents that she is going to be marrying Prince something or other. They argue but Anette can't get out of it. And no, this isn't one of those fantasy lands where everyone is magically open to everything - this is a land where a man must marry a woman; and Anette's mother actually began to get furious with the idea, short lived, that her daughter might be attracted to women (short lived as Anette feels no attractions at all).

'For reasons' (like, what else is she going to do?), Anette goes along with the marriage. Marries the dude. Glancing at people in the audience, then at the groom, then around, she comes to the conclusion that the man might have some vaguely attractive features . . . to others. She feels nothing towards him.

After they are married, the Prince takes his new wife back to his kingdom (well, his parents at still in charge so 'his kingdom' in the sense that's where he's from). 'Stuff happens'. Turns out the Prince has no real desire for the Princess, like the Princess towards the Prince, but the Prince is definitely not asexual. No, he's homosexual. (He's not bisexual, he can't even get it up to fulfill his duties as a husband to his wife).

'Something happens' and the Prince poofs. Princess has to save him. Quest occurs.

The End (of the short story).

hmms. Sorry to have spent so long battling with the concept of 'asexual not equal alove!'. Annoyed me. Especially considering the underlying theme of the story. On the other hand, yes, marriage/love does not have to be either the path to happiness or, in and of itself - the happiness.

Rating: 3.5

May 12 2017



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Safe Passage by Kate Owen

Safe Passage by Kate Owen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A simple quick book about more New Orleans lesbians (New Orleans be popular). This is the second book I've read by this author, other book I gave 5 stars to, this one I give 3.75(something).

A woman wants to make a larger closet for her clothing so, despite being somewhat clumsy and notoriously bad with tools, Jules starts (very carefully) slamming a sledgehammer into her closet wall. She does this despite the fact that her house has like, three or four entire spare guest rooms that she could convert into a closet. Mind, a larger closet in your actual bedroom might be 'nicer' but no one else lives in the house and she's 'notoriously bad with tools', so the smarter option would have just been to do what my mother did when her kids moved out - converted their bedrooms into closets.

While hammering away Jules stuns herself when the tool slams into metal. Confused she looks closer. And closer. She's found a safe. That she can't open. Locksmith contacted, locksmith opens safe, items examined (okay, here - she looked at what the items were, but . . . seemed to be like someone who eats food one item at a time (must not let peas touch steak! must eat peas now! NO PEAS ONLY!) - I say because she examines each item, slowly, before ever looking at the rest. As in, she looks at a drawing of an attractive black woman. Then looks at a letter. Then . . continues to look at letter. Decodes letter. Spends days (weeks?) working on that letter, trying to figure it out . . . while completely ignoring everything else in the safe (which, by this point, is just a journal but still, maybe there's something in the journal of use, perhaps?).

Right, jumped ahead of myself. Jules, despite being a many generation French descendant, doesn't know French. And the letter appears to be in French. And there's this really gorgeous (straight, assumed) French teacher Jules can call upon. Or have the excuse to get close to the other woman. So, Jules and Gen work on the letter together. Gen, by the way, isn't the only teacher in this story - Jules is a math teacher (and a rowing coach).

Interesting enough story. Nothing earth shattering. There were some 'funny moments', or at least moments that could have had a tinge of humor, but they weren't really conveyed in a humorous manner. Not sure if that was just me, or what exactly happened there with the humor angle.

Right, so, another author I've now read everything they've written.

Rating: 3.75

Mary 9 2017



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A Tie by George Mazurek

A Tie by George Mazurek

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


An odd thing happens sometimes. You are made aware of a free story. You get it. Months later you read it but you have little knowledge, by this point, about what the story might be about. You are, in effect, entering blind though with a vague idea that it has something to do with Science Fiction and maybe a space station.

You start reading and . . . the main character is named Calm and he apparently is some kind of member of a primitive tribe (and I'm using that primitive word on purpose) barely scraping by. hmms . . . confused.

And, truly, it was fun to watch things unfold in this kind of dark uninformed way - for the people on the ground are in the dark and uninformed, and the people in the sky are as well. So I'll not get any more specific than I have so far.

Two points of view. One from a person calling themselves 'Calm', and a second from a person calling themselves 'Alice'. There is a bit of thrill attached to the story at certain points. Some excitement. Some confusion.

A good short story.

Rating: 4.88

May 6 2017



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Puss in Prada by Marie Jacquelyn

Puss in Prada by Marie Jacquelyn

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*I received this book from Less Than Three Press and Netgalley in return for a fair review.*

I wanted to read this short story ever since I saw it listed among the 'coming soon' stories over on Less Than Three Press' website. I wan't really sure what it was about beyond the 'Puss in Boots'/'Puss in Prada' angle and I think I knew it involved a guy who got transformed into a cat.

And so I excitedly read the story when I saw I could. And I was very happy to have been able to do so. Not sure how everyone else might feel about the story (though I saw while going to the review box that the story currently has a 5 star average rating (though that might be based on 1, or 3 ratings)), but I really liked it. Loved it.

There is one point of view and two main characters - both of whom live in the same apartment (not actually sure it's an apartment, but I'll go with that). Ethan and Alex dated at some point, as humans. But at some point before the start of this story, six months?, they broke up. Ethan runs the family pastry store and is quite good at it, at baking and stuff. Alex? Alex is a very successful writer and . . . very much a dick who didn't take care of himself and seemed destined for an early grave.

Despite breaking up about six months ago, the two currently live together. There's a reason for that, of course. And that reason is . . . . Alex got turned into a cat by a witch. No, really, a cat. Luckily for him, he can still talk and was able to get Ethan to help him. And so Alex spends his days being a cat, occasionally texting Ethan, occasionally attempting to continue be a writer (on the internet, no one knows you are a cat . . . or on the computer typing a book one letter at a time).

Alex, who at some point I should mention is the POV, and Ethan have a neat little situation going on. They are quite fun to watch together. Great characterization/dynamic.

Loved the story. Want to read more cat based stories. Would write more but this is a short story we are talking about so it's hard not to accidentally reveal everything while bumbling along in a review, so I'll cut that part of the review short.

Rating: 5.5

April 15 2017




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Making Love by Aidan Wayne

Making Love by Aidan Wayne

My 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).

I won't actually be able to rate or review this story, though, until Dec 30th because the story itself isn’t to [will] be released until January 30 2017. The cover screams ‘Valentine’s Day’, and the story itself, while not actually directly tied to that day in any form, seems like a good Valentine’s Day type story. So that is probably a good release date. Though that means I have to wait a while to reveal my review and rating.

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)[the things that occur in this story seem to blink at me that she is actually demisexual - especially the word choices. (hide 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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