Lost for Words by Andrea Bramhall

I received an ARC of this book from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

This is an odd position to find myself in . . .. I picked up two Ylva ARCs this time around and assumed I’d like/love the Jae one, and ‘enjoy’ the Bramhall one well enough but not love it. Since I tend to love Bramhall’s mysteries more than her other works, not that I’ve read everything by her yet.

As I was reading along my expectations were being mostly meet, an enjoyable enough book but not loveable. An odd thing occurred along the way, though, I began to get quite into the story, unable to stop reading, gobbling it up. There’s a certain amount of humor, but this isn’t a humor book; there’s a certain amount of tears, but it isn’t an angsty book (the tears are for . . . well, they weren’t from laughing too hard); certain amount of annoying ex, but barely – in the end this was a much deeper more enjoyable book than I expected when I started it an saw it was about a spa worker, her fellow spa worker friend, and Sasha’s ‘pothead’ mother.

Bobbi, that friend of Sasha’s, did a certain something behind Sasha’s back (and said it in a way that I knew I’d find irritating if it was repeated too much in the book, and it did seem, in the beginning, like it would be a reoccurring gag – the one friend constantly telling the other ‘I have a confession to make’ whereupon she would spill some horrible thing she just did – but for various reasons, that didn’t become an irritating reoccurring gag, though it did pop up a few more times). That certain something hinted at in prior sentence? Entered Sasha’s script into a film competition (well a script competition) being run by a film company. And Sasha’s script won.

That’s one point of view in the story – Sasha Adams, 45 year old Sasha Adams of many careers, and sometime secret scriptwriter. There are two other important people who ‘enter’ things through Sasha (well others, but two ‘main’ others) – Sasha’s mother (Fleur), and Nips, Sasha’s mother’s cat.

Pothead mother? Well, Fleur, you see, had a cancer scare about 5 years ago, a serious one. And ‘weed’ is one of the things Fleur uses to combat the still occurring pain. Also she wears tie-dye clothing and went to Woodstock.

The other point of view, meet much earlier than I’m letting on, is 50 year old Jac Kensington. Director, producer, and co-owner of the film company based in Manchester (where Sasha also lives and works) that is/was holding the scriptwriting competition.

And, unless I missed something, that’s the point of views in the book – a 45 year old and a 50 year old. Both full-fledged lesbians. Who live and work in Manchester England. I quite like the age of the main characters. *nods*

Right, so – from Jac’s side of things come: Mags & Sophie, the other two co-owners of the film company (which had a name like Keffan Media or something like that), and Vanessa – the ex-girlfriend of Jac’s (the 50 year old Jac’s 25 year old ex-girlfriend who opens the book still Jac’s girlfriend, short lived, though, that state of affairs would last (technically, to be really accurate, at that point Jac was still 49)).

The story, as maybe hinted at already, is about:
1) Sasha having yet another career change, as in becoming a paid scriptwriter;
2) Coming together of Sasha and Jac;
3) The family interactions of: a) Sasha and her mother (and to a certain extent her best friend Bobbi); and b) Jac and her chosen family, best friends Sophie and Mags;
4) Complications of aging;
5) Mean cats;
6) constant mention of both Sophie and Mags having significant others, but never actually seeing these women (like Norm’s wife in Cheers; or Frasier’s brother’s wife on Frasier – heard about, never seen), even when you’d expect them to be there (group party; occasions when people come together to help others – the kind even random strangers would show up to help at – but not the significant others for no given reason) – seriously, is this something of an attempt at a ‘hidden’ humor gag like thing, on par with Norm’s wife, Cliff’s mother, Frasier’s brother’s wife (why the heck am I channeling Cheers right now? Though technically that Frasier thing was only on Frasier)?

That’s a serious thing, by the way, that last point. If there was anything about this book that I found . . . less than excellent/perfect/whatever, it was the missing ‘significant others’ part that built and built and made me annoyed. It’s probably one of those things only I noticed (or not), and only I got annoyed about. But . . . I did notice. *shrugs*

Right, so, another enjoyable book read. Unexpectedly: loved it beyond all expectations (see: overuse of ‘unexpected’), and became teary-eyed beyond any expectations (this is not a book I expected to get teary-eyed about).

Rating: 4.8888

August 7 2018

Paper Love by Jae

Paper Love by Jae

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I received an ARC of this book from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

While not a favorite book by one of my favorite authors, the book is still quite enjoyable – for many reasons. Possibly largely due to just what it sets out to do: tell a female-female romance set in Germany involving only Germans. It was quite fun to bump into the unknown (to me).

While I did, for the most part, like both of the main characters, neither really ‘clicked’ for me. Unfortunate, but that happens.

The main characters being: Susanne Wolff and Anja Lamm. Susanne is an aging, currently out of work (by her own choice) business consultant. Wolff also has a non-identical twin sister. Lamm is a long time employee of a stationary store, the same store owned by Wolff’s uncle. Both women, if I recall correctly, are somewhere in their thirties (Anja is somewhere around 36 or 38 and Susanne might be slightly older . . . or not, I forget now).

The book opens with Susanne dreading a question her mother always asks this time of year: New Year’s resolutions. Because she knows she’ll have to admit to quitting her job (with her resolution being finding a new job). I’m not sure why that is/was a ‘must’ thing for Susanne to admit, but it did push things along. Since that got a completely unexpected response from the mother – who said that it’s great (or something like that) because her Uncle (no not that one, the other one, the one on your father’s side of the family (being the father’s brother)) needs help trying to save his business. Serious and immediate help – as in, the place will probably close within three months without some help, any help (and so it’s great that a highly skilled, clever, etc. etc. business consultant is there available to try to help . . . for free).

Certain problems, though, to how this isn’t really ‘great’ – Susanne has a seriously bad attitude about the whole thing before anything even was learned about the situation (Susanne really didn’t want to have to be forced to go to some middle of nowhere German city to try to help; plus a) Susanne is not at all knowledge about the industry her Uncle’s shop is in (pens/stationary/etc.) and b) does nothing to learn about the industry before arriving in the city).

Right, but let’s move on, mostly because I just shook myself awake to continue typing – not a good position to be in – obviously I’m going to have to wait for night three before I fully polish an actual review (ETA: I said this jokingly, but I fell asleep two paragraphs after this one and then there’s a really long string of ‘2’s that I’m not sure how to interrupt; in other words, we are now in night 3).

Other point of view character is the quite short (it’s important¬) Anja Lamm (Wolf & Lamb, get it get it? (it is, like, one of the first comments that pop up . . . uh, somewhere in the book)). Lamm has spent the last, oh, . . . darn, I can’t remember. Spent the last ‘really long time’ being an employee at Uncle Nobby’s store (I do not recall if that’s actually the guy’s name, but that’s what I read every time his name came up, so that’s the name I stuck on him (which, for all I recall, might actually be his name in the book)). Lamm’s late thirties and really, and I mean really into pens, and stationary, and all that (seriously, she is, to the point she’s super giddy and bouncing around like a ferret on sugar when she learns she gets to go to the Paper . . . um, convention).

As expected, there are other minor characters, though the ‘most important’ other characters are Miri (sp?), Anja’s lesbian friend (which I mention because I forgot to mention that Anja is bisexual); ……… (ETA: and here’s where I fell asleep. Um, let’s try to reconstruct this now?).

I’m not sure why I said it was expected. Mmphs. Stupid need to sleep.

Right, so, there are some good minor/side characters in this book – characters that help push the story along. Including Miri, Lamm’s best friend, and Frenzi (seriously I cannot recall the non-identical sister’s name, but it . . . wasn’t that, I think I started with an F though). Oh, and I suppose I should include Uncle Nobby (may or may not be his name) since that’s the person who owns the store to which Wolff went to try to save, and Lamm works at.

Also important is a small cat. Lovely cat. Lovely interaction with cat. Though there were times I was sad when Wolff kept tossing the cat outside and/or not letting the cat inside (it’s not her cat, but a neighbor’s cat – said neighbor just gave birth and the cat and the child are not getting along).

*looks at notes* Right right, there’s a ton of kissing in this book – either a tease or a warning, depending on if you like or care to not involve yourself with graphic depictions of wet germ filled mouths interacting with each other (‘Scientists at Harvard School of Dental Medicine have discovered more than 615 different types of bacteria that can live in the mouth, tongue and throat making it the dirtiest place in the human body.’ – what, the sister is a dentist, I figured I could pull up a quote from dentists)

*goes back to looking at notes, realizes other tab is still locked in on germs, flees screaming; goes back to notes* In addition to the many sloppy graphic kissing scenes, there are also many scenes of a graphically sexual nature.

Right. So. I enjoyed the book, but I find that it is the second favorite of the new Ylva books I’ve read. I’ve read two new Ylva books.

Rating: 4.37

August 8 2018


Behind the spoiler tag are my notes I wrote three nights ago after I finished the book. (view spoiler)[
NOTES:
1) I rather enjoyed reading a
---a) non USA based f/f story that
---b) contained no USA citizens (everyone in the story was/is German)
2) for the most part I rather liked both main characters but, admittedly, until something ' 'clicked' in me, i found myself somewhat distant from the characters and action.

This is a work place romance,,but with a twist - more on that later.

3) I really like the cat, though there were moments when I was sad, but more on that later
4) this book deeply dove into the power and lure of kissing- not really what I like reading but I'm weird and stuff
5) there was a lot of graphic depictions of a sexual nature ...
6) I liked the brief flashes seen of the nonidentical twin sister and Miri, Annie's BF

Rating; up in air at moment. Leaning towards 4.37 (hide spoiler)]



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Shattered by Lee Winter

Shattered by Lee Winter

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I received an ARC of this book from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.


Damn. This is, unexpectedly, one quite good book. I had kept putting this one off because something about it looked vaguely depressing, and, while I tended to like the other works by this author, I didn’t do so at the same level of others – and some of those others seemed less impressed with this book. But then I read Winter’s most recent book, and had been very favorably impressed, so, I finally dove in.

One note before I continue: I note above that this is an ‘ARC’. That’s an odd thing to say about a book that’s been published for a while, eh? Did I get the ARC then take forever to read it? Is that what I meant in the first paragraph about ‘finally dove in’? No – when June 2018 ARC’s were offered, I was given the chance to select previously published books, and I selected two of the three current Superhero Collection books (I’d already read the third). So, no, this is not a long delayed read of an ARC I got long ago, nor a long delayed review of a book I‘d read long ago.

This is a hard book to write a review about. Many of the things I think of possibly mentioning seem to bounce against possible spoiler territory. So….

This book specifically two women. I’ve forgotten the age of one, though I think she’s in her thirties. The other is, if I recall correctly, 142 years old. 142, eh? That’s . . . old. Heh. One of the two women, the younger one, Lena Martin specifically, has the lead point of view for the first, oh, 64 percent of the book (65%?), before Shattergirl, Nyah, got a turn at the POV controls. Once Nyah got her hands on the POV, the point of view alternated between the two until the end of the book, though still favoring Lena’s insights.

Roughly around 1916 (or exactly then?), a spaceship flew through the skies (and broke up) and 50 aliens sat down on the lawn outside Parliament in London. The world was at war at the time, and people were on edge. The military marched up and shot at them – that was the first response, not an ‘Arrival’ (the film) type of military turning up, securing things, then sending in scientists to try to communicate, no, just point guns, open fire. Oddly no one died, for, you see, the aliens had certain powers. Powers that would allow them, later, to be ‘Guardians’, or ‘Superheroes’.

Long and short: this is an alternate history that branches off from our world in 1916. The alternate history ‘What If?’ question is simply: ‘what if 50 aliens with advanced powers turned up while the world was at warm what would have happened next?’ Well, the story doesn’t continue from that point – it leaps ahead to . . . hmm, something like 2017. Specifically to Lena Martin. Tracker.

Lena Martin works as Tracker, someone who tracks down ‘runaway’ aliens. She’s shown tracking down ‘Beast Lord’ at the start of the book; before returning home and being given a new assignment: track down Shattergirl. Rumors place her on an island of the coast of Yemen.

Superhero prose is a tough genre in a certain way – in the sense that anything might be found. Maybe the story will be light and fluffy, with humor (think Adam West Batman), maybe it will be darker, though with strains of sanity (Michael Keaton Batman with Jack Nicholson as the Joker); or maybe it’ll be out and out insanity (Heath Ledger’s Joker), and/or weirdly dark and insane (Watchman). You can’t really go in thinking ‘well, superheroes, comics, who reads comics? Who is the target audience? Kids? This’ll be light and fluffy’ because you’ll be dead wrong (or right, that’s the part where superhero stories are tricky, maybe it will be light and fluffy).

Here? Well, this isn’t light and fluffy. The world is crap, and the superheroes are breaking down. There is one twist, though, that you do not normally see in superhero stories – there are no real supervillains in this story (there are ‘bad guys’, but they aren’t really supervillains, and they don’t act like bad guys).

Oh, and another thing: people expect a certain thing from ‘Romances’, as such I’ll say: there’s a romance subplot, but this is not a Romance book.

Both main characters are tough to take, and kind of dislikable at the start of the book. Heck, they might have been that way by the middle of the book, but both grew on me and ‘redeemed’ themselves before the end, and I found myself rather enjoying both of them and the story.

Unexpectedly, this becomes my second favorite Lee Winter’s book, after ‘Under Your Skin.’

Rating: 4.75

June 9 2018




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Code of Conduct by Cheyenne Blue

Code of Conduct by Cheyenne Blue

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I received an ARC of this book from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

This, my second full length work I’ve read by this author, is a sports story. Mixed in are several other things, like family, aging, and, most importantly, romance.

Genevieve ‘Viva’ Jones is a thirty-two year old professional tennis star from Australia. She’s spent most of her life, all of her adult life, living, and breathing, and consumed with tennis. Certain issues turn up, though, that causes her problems. Namely: professional athletes age rapidly, or, more exact, the ability for their bodies to remain at peak physical performance tends to rapidly lesson as they age. Or, more specifically in this case, Viva has a tendon issue in one of her arms which makes it very painful for her to continue being a professional tennis star. Or continue performing on the top tier, at least.

That’s not exactly how the book opens, though. No, the book opens roughly 2 years earlier with Viva playing in the US Open. Attempting to once again win that specific tournament. But a line judge makes certain calls, good or bad calls, which lead to Viva getting distracted and losing.

Then the book jumps to two years later with Viva diving back to her parents’ pub in Queensland Australia. Along the way she spots a car by the side of the road (actually, partially in the road), and a woman waving. Being that it’s dangerous to leave someone just stuck there like that, Viva stops to help. Gives a lift to her parents’ pub. Strange things happen in life, eh? That stranded woman is none other than that line judge who Viva blames for her losing the US Open. Gabriela . . . um, hmm, the book description doesn’t give her last name.

Gabriela Mendaro is a silver badge umpire. Second highest level umpire. She’s 37 (if I recall correctly), Spanish, and quite determined to follow the rules and regulations of her profession (which includes not getting involved with tennis players), and get to the next level, the gold badge level.

Both characters have point of views in this book.

The book follows Viva as she attempts to figure out if her career is over due to injury; while at the same time following the potential romance involving Gabriela and Viva. Though no romance can occur while Viva is still a player, an active player (to the extent that Gabriela sleeps outside and gets eaten by mosquitos instead of sleeping in Viva’s room on a cot).

One thing leads to another, and Viva finally accepts what several doctors tell her. She’s done. She has to retire. Which she tells Gabriela. So, with a great deal of reluctance on Gabriela’s part, they date.

Oopsie – Viva hadn’t told her agent about her retirement, the agent, informed by other means, sets up a ‘farewell tour’ kind of deal; Viva thinks hard about it and . . . .

The following, what, 75%? of the book follows Viva as she attempts to play in a few more tournaments, while still lusting after Gabriela; and follows Gabriela as she suffers from having been with Viva (professionally suffers), and suffers emotionally from not being with her now.

Main characters: Gabriela and Viva.

Side characters: Viva’s parents (Lindy and . . . whatever the father’s name was) & brother (Jack). Viva’s doubles partner (Michi). Derek (I’m not 100% certain I have his name right), her coach. Viva’s agent also has a few important scenes, but I forget her name now.

Long and short: I rather enjoyed this book and am quite happy I read it.

The romance story line was good and solid – I especially like the part where both parties realize that they might have something special, but don’t immediately assume love. The sports story-line was fun to see unfold.

Rating: 4.5

June 8 2018




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Under Your Skin by Lee Winter

Under Your Skin by Lee Winter

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I received an ARC of this book from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

First thing first: yes this is a sequel and yes you need to read the prior book before reading this book here. It feeds off of the prior book and follows the same couple from that prior book. I should mention titles, no? I’m referring to The Red Files

Second thing second: Lee Winter has some massively high overall average rating on Goodreads, *looks*, an impressive 4.42 rating. Most of my friends and those I follow seem to rather enjoy Winter’s books. I’ve read two (now three) books and one short story by this author – and my ratings have generally fallen lower than other people’s ratings for the works (that overall average rating kicks in again – like, I gave ‘The Red Files’ a rating of 4, but I has a rating of 4.49 on Goodreads).

Insert here standard: I like giving authors many chances to ‘connect’ with what I like.

So all that build up is to note: I really really enjoyed this book here. Quite readable. I started it and read it almost in one gulp. And it’s a 332 page book, so that’s a big chunk of pages to wade through quickly.

I’m fairly certain the first book in this series was a solo point of view book, though I might be misremembering – it has been a while and I, stupidly, forgot to put the book on a POV shelf. This specific book here, ‘Under Your Skin’, is a multiple point of view story – following both main characters. 44 year old Catherine Ayers and 34 year old Lauren King. Both reporters.

A good portion of this book involves Lauren and Catherine being in Iowa, meeting the King family, accidentally meting the Ayers family, and planning a wedding. Somewhere along the way various news stories are covered – and eventually a massively huge story begins to be investigated by both women. But let’s not give everything away, eh? Let’s just note I rather liked the family dynamic, the couple dynamic, and the news investigation dynamic on display here.

There’s a specific book that came to mind as I was reading this one here. I’m sure the connection between the two is kind of weak, but there are certain reasons I think of that other book. Or, for that matter, that series. Both it and this series here are duologies. The first book in both have the two people become a couple; and the second book in both series have the couple go to some middle of the USA state to ‘meet the family’. I’m referring here to The Adventures of Decky and Charlie series by R.E. Bradshaw. Specifically to Out on the Panhandle.

There are massive differences between the two series, and the two second books in the series. Certain similarities, though: going to ‘small town’ ‘middle of America’ in a ‘fly-over state’ (Oklahoma vs. Iowa); huge family for someone without much family (if I recall that other series well enough, I might not be, the one meeting the Oklahoma family might have had a largish family to, but I recall there just being, I think, a mother (a crazy mother, but now I’m really stretching my mind to try to remember)) to meet.

There were some interesting dynamics that popped up. Also a few issues I had seemed to have picked up on earlier than the characters, but, eh, that happens.

My fingers are bouncing up and down without touching the keys, as I think of what else to say: read ‘The Red Files’, then read this book. Is good book.

Rating: 5 stars

June 6 2018




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Survival Instincts by May Dawney

Survival Instincts by May Dawney

My rating: 4.4 of 5 stars


*I received this book from Ylva Publishing for an honest review*

This was one of those dense rich stories that took a while to read. If I recall correctly, and I might not, there was a similar denseness/richness in the short story I read by this same author – the only other work I’ve read by them. ‘What does that mean?’ Um . . . hmms. Boiled down: there’s a lot of ‘stuff’ packed into the words/actions/scenes. Right. So.

This story, entirely seen through the perspective of one character, Lynn Tanner, is a future post-apocalyptic world. And the majority of the story takes place in New York (well, all of it, really, just there’s references to Lynn having been elsewhere, like ‘up north’ in Canada). It is unclear what exactly happened – there are references to ‘bombs falling’ but this story takes place centuries later and I’m not sure Lynn herself knows what happened. I pause here to insert a paragraph as this reminded me.

There are two specific things I had ‘trouble with’, which were ‘problematic’. First is easy enough to mention – I despised all side characters, who were basically one step away from being evil, with the possible exception of Toby – no, strike that, he was way too loud to survive – and was a massive liability. Though some of the side characters grew on me, mostly Dani Wilson. Right, with that out of the way let’s get to the second major specific trouble spot – remember how I mentioned this is a future world, and that Lynn herself might not know what happened? Well . . . that was a mixed bag type of thing. There were things she knew, things she didn’t know, and it didn’t always make sense – considering this sometime in the future after a traumatic event, that’s somewhat reasonable. Some weird and wacky things get remembered, other things get lost. This area she’s in had once been called ‘New York’? Sure, reasonable for that to either get remembered or forgotten. Was remembered here. Remembering that a particular type of building was an ‘office building’ when their culture, their being the centuries later people living on earth, eh, okay. Remember a certain area was the ‘receptionist area’ . . . um, really? Seriously? She ‘learned’ this fact from someone? Who learned it . . . how exactly? Bah, sorry, as I said, some things get remembered that are wacky to remember, and maybe this is just one of those wacky things. But Lynn’s ability to ‘know’ the world around her was oddly off and on – like ‘knowing’ that a particular area was the receptionist area, and not knowing what a zebra is. That’s the off and on – there’s parts where she calls them zebras, and other times calling them weirdly colored stripped horses (and hey, what are zebras but stripped horses, eh?). I suppose here it’s more an off and on on what she called the zebras.

Which leads me to: one of the things I had to remind myself almost immediately is the fact that I’m reading a story set far (ish, it’s unclear how far in the future) into the future and the people and whatever culture cannot really have ‘our’ (as in 21st century) ideas forced upon them. Or, more specifically, for a while there I was thinking that Lynn was quite immature for her stated age, and seemed to be acting more on the level of a teenager (as did most of the others), until I recalled that she was – in ways, quite immature – and quite mature. Depending on the thing talked about. I think I messed up noting what I wanted to note. Basically I needed to, initially, remind myself that I wasn’t reading about characters living in my own time period, and that I couldn’t put my own time period standards and stuff onto them. This is way too many words. I move on.

Lynn has lived the vast majority of her life as someone who wanders the wilds – as someone Dani Wilson’s people call ‘Wilders’. As opposed to Wilson’s people who Lynn called ‘Settlers’. Lynn had a mother and father and . . . let’s not reveal the whole plot here, eh? Lynn has lived in the wilds most of her life and is now something like 39. While looking for food she hears something in the distance and creeps closer. Watches as a group of humans ‘take down’ an elephant. She remains hidden until she can’t – for the dog she’s with charges forward to get into the fight. And Lynn runs out to get her dog. Whereupon she’s almost immediately tackled, pummeled and almost killed by some kid. For . . . reasons. One thing leads to another and Lynn’s now these other humans captive. Based entirely on the dog – for, you see, the other humans know this dog – it’s the dog that had been with the scout that they had sent out – the scout who isn’t around anywhere. How’d Lynn get the dog? Did she kill Richard?

Eventually, after 99% of the settlers show how much of a dick they can be, Lynn meets up again with Queen Bitch (who had been off doing something or other), Kate. Who tells Lynn to lead them to Richard, the dead guy, or Lynn will die. One thing leads to another, and before you can say boo . . . Lynn’s in a closet like it’s a cage. Then later off on a journey with one of the settlers, Dani.

And that’s the story the book tells. The quest of Dani and Lynn to retrieve a dead body in the wilds of post-apocalyptic New York. Lynn is wild and, at times, feral. But the settlers, as . . . well I didn’t show did I, well, they aren’t as civilized as they might appear.

I liked the story of Lynn and Dani. Though Dani really comes off quite badly in this story. It seemed like every time you turned around let’s reveal another bad personality trait of Dani’s. But, meh, she was still okay-ish.

I liked the book and enjoyed it. For those wanting to know – there’s a bit of romance, a lot of action/adventure/thrills, a bit of sex (here or there, barely), and . . . ums, stuff.

One last bit: Warning, there are scenes that occur in this book that you do not want to read while eating food.

Rating: 4.44

March 9 2018




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Up on the Roof by A.L. Brooks

Up on the Roof by A.L. Brooks

My rating: 3.68 out of 5 stars


*I received this book from Ylva Publishing for an honest review*

I know I’m something of an early outlier, at least based on early ratings for the book, but I haven’t read anything yet to see how and why I’m an outlier. For, you see, despite things that probably would be off-putting to me in any other situation, I rather enjoyed both this book’s story, and the two main characters in it.

The negatives: I like cats, tis just who I am, and react vaguely badly when I see/hear/read someone being bad to cats. Lena doesn’t like cats. Yet have two of them living in her apartment. Therefore I must despise her, right? Well, oddly, I had no real trouble with Lena’s reactions to the cats – they weren’t hers, but her ex-girlfriends; she does take care of them, and give them pets (about 90 to 95% less than a cat-lover would do – pet-wise), but she’s also quite allergic to them, and needs to pump her body full of drugs to be around them. So, yeah, I can live with this type of situation – human cat situation. Plus, there were tears in her eyes when a specific moment occurred regarding the cats that I cannot mention without being spoiler-y. I think. Would it be spoiler-y? hmms. So – cats. What other ‘negatives’ do I have? Well, Lena’s quite of-putting, easy to anger, hard to forgive (Lena finds it hard to forgive, I mean), remembers the wrongs done to her, and just plain mean. Probably not anyone I want anything to do with (on the other hand, I might have just described myself, but let’s pretend I didn’t say that).

She’s socially awkward, but for different reasons than other similar characters I’ve run across. Here it’s a combination of her upbringing – bad relations with her parents, and culture, and bad horrible break-up with her ex-girlfriend that led her to be the stand-offish loner that she is. As is mentioned at some point, her personality changed when the ‘tough times’ hit her one after another. So, yes, she is different than others like her I’ve come across, in that others like her always were like that (though there’s evidence that Lena’s worse now, but still was off-putting before ‘the troubles’ began (see: stories about her childhood). This is a negative since it’s not easy to read a person like this . . . in theory. Though I mostly enjoyed her interactions with others. Especially when her feistiness caused her to call out Megan’s family for their actions. Standing up for Megan. But, let’s not get too spoiler-y, eh?

The positives: well, let’s see. I liked both Megan and Lena. Megan being the other main character (and point of view) who has a much different experience with life than Lena. Both from a family point of view (her family were quite okay with Megan being lesbian; Lena’s cut her out of their life, mostly), and from a cultural point of view (difference between being of Indian decent and not of Indian decent, though Megan has the ‘burden’, not actually seen in this book, that comes from being of Irish decent living in London (is it a burden? Is it not? Do people care one way or another? I really have no clue)). On the other hand, Megan also has had some rough times lately, see her most recent relationship. And, well, just that really. Oh, and she’s clumsy and her family call her names she dislikes but they refuse to stop calling her. But otherwise . . . . something something.

Where was I? Where was I going? Bah. No idea. I started off going down the wrong path anyway, after seeing the current overall rating and reacting. Mmphs.

My head hurts and it’s almost 1 am.

This book is set and takes place mostly in London. A few moments are spent in a nearby city (living in the USA, everything is ‘nearby’ in England) where Lena’s sister Madhu lives (and where Lena is from and where her parents also live). The time? The present.

The story? Lena lives in an apartment complex in London. The kind with, apparently, just three apartments in it. One of the apartments has been empty for a while, but the book opens with someone moving into that other apartment. Whereupon Lena and the other main character, Megan, ‘meet badly’. When Megan accidentally puts a massive scratch into Lena’s apartment door while attempting to move furniture into her new apartment. Recall how I mentioned that Lena is easy to ‘set off’ and has trouble with forgiveness? Yeah, so, here ‘meet badly’ really has meaning.

Megan, though, is a nice albeit clumsy woman, and Lena doesn’t think, 24/7, mean thoughts about her. Especially after Megan keep making overtures of friendship after Lena’s often mean words (like inviting Lena to parties). Then a storm damages Lena’s apartment and Lena now needs a place to live. Whereupon . . . I stop recounting the story or I go too far, eh?

As I said, I actually liked the two main characters. The parents of Lena’s were intended to be disliked. I didn’t specifically like Megan’s parents (father: laughing at and name-calling daughter; mother: some mean things said, albeit said with love; plus the things father did), though I think I was supposed to do so. Jen, Megan’s friend, had a presence in the story, but I didn’t really like her much either. Madhu, Lena’s one good relative, was a good side character; as was the other apartment dweller in the building – Dorothy (who everyone tiptoed around for . . . unexplained reasons – she’s pushy, argumentative, and plays loud religious music if you annoy her, but . . . two can play that game . . and stuff, so…). Hmms. Slow burn romance. There was graphic sex. Hmms. What else to note, what else to note. Hmms. High possibility I’m the outlier in liking the book, and that’s a danger to anyone coming along after me, but they probably will see the book’s overall rating so come to their own ideas pre-reading.

Rating: 3.68

ETA: (not really edited to add, but just remembered something I normally mention for whatever reason - this is the first book I've read by this author).

March 2 2018




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Chasing Stars by Alex K. Thorne

Chasing Stars by Alex K. Thorne

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*I received this book from Ylva Publishing for an honest review*

This is one of those books that is tricky for me – in that I found it both intriguing and vaguely hard to get into in the beginning, and yet, despite that ‘hard to get into’, I read 62% of the book in basically one go – and only stopped because I slumped over asleep. I mean, it was 3 am at that point.

So – this book is the third in Ylva’s stand-alone Superhero books. For various reasons I have not yet read the other two books so cannot make any comment beyond what I just stated.

I do not mean to have a series of short paragraphs but . . . I do. One of the reasons I was first lured to this book was because I happened to notice that the author was from South Africa and I’d, as far as I know, had never read a lesbian fiction book from there, set there, or otherwise connected to there. This book, though, is set in California. One of the main characters is an alien to the country, though. Alien as in literally from outer space. Well, no, that might imply something one way or another. An alien from another planet who arrived to Earth in a spaceship that had crash landed on Earth roughly . . . . 17 years prior to the start of this book. I know it was 17 years prior because the lead and solo point of view was ten when the ship crashed and is 27 now.

Ava Eisenberg has two jobs – she works as the personal assistant to a high-flying Hollywood elite actress, Gwen Knight, and she also works as Swiftwing, superhero. Like, say, Supergirl, Ava’s personality changes when she has the mask on or off. Confident, in control, powerful with mask on. Not confident, stuttering, occasionally clumsy without mask on (okay, she wobbled once in her shoes, I’m not actually sure if clumsy works here or not). And like Supergirl, Ava’s boss knows both Ava and Swiftwing – separately (referring here to the Cat Grant/Supergirl dynamic, not whoever Supergirl’s boss is at the moment on the tv show).

That boss, as noted, is Gwen Knight. Highly successful, bitchy, ice-queen like Hollywood actress of 44. Who has a young adopted son named Luke. Which is important to the story line since it’s the reason certain things unfolded. Like, say, the part where Gwen’s ex-husband has now, after years not doing so, is fighting for full custody of Luke. Because he’s, the ex-husband Alfonso, is in a stable relationship, while Gwen is not. Which is how Ava and Gwen ended up in a fake relationship to show stability or whatever it was they were trying to show.
This was a rather neat, much more interesting, deeper, more exciting book than I had expected (or thought it would be after the opening parts). And has a lot more characters of importance and story-lines than I’ve mentioned – I can’t mention everything here.

Oh, and yes, there’s a tiny bit of graphic sex embedded in the book. At least one scene (if I recall correctly, just one scene – if that kind of thing matters to review readers).

And, since I haven’t expressly mentioned it before now, there is in fact a bunch of superhero stuff that occurs in this book. Actual flying around, doing superhero type stuff.

Rating: 4.78

February 28 2018




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All the Little Moments by G. Benson

All the Little Moments by G. Benson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*I received this book from Ylva Publishing for an honest review*

This is one of those difficult books to read. Oddly ‘unputdownable’, yet still angsty. Well, I say that because I do not normally find angst among the things I normally find with books I can’t stop reading.

In my second book by this author that I’ve read, the main and only point of view character, Anna, opens the book in a car on the way to her parents place . . . cutting short a longish vacation with her long-term girlfriend, Hayley. Cut short because her best friend – her brother Jake, and her other friend, his wife Sally, were killed in a car accident. Losing either/both immediately and permanently alters Anna’s life. Then the will is read and her life is altered even more – for the woman who never planned nor wanted children, is now the guardian to her brother’s two children – six year old Ella and 18 month old Toby. Anna is rather reluctant to take on this burden.

By the half way mark I was vaguely confused and worried, there was a bunch of angst and drama up to this point – the book is filled with it – but everything seemed ‘set’ now. Kids, support system that includes Anna, Anna’s mother (father’s still around but hiding), and Anna’s two new friends Kym and Lane (with Lane being more than just a new friend). Then Cathy, Sally’s mother, suddenly turned up. And there were like huge blinking lights foreshadowing the horrors that would be unleashed by this evil horrible women. And, sadly, I was right in my perception.

I’d a loose idea that the book was a medical fiction involving lesbians, one of whom had dark skin, and that the book was by an author I’d recently read and rather enjoyed. Beyond that I hadn’t read too closely about the book to know what I was getting myself into when I opened it up and dove in.

There’s the trauma of death, relocation, relationships collapsing, forming, new responsibilities, and all that to navigate. Since there’s just the one point of view, everyone but her is something of a side character . . . or something like that. Which I mention more because I wanted to express my admiration for how deeply and well-constructed the many different characters were in this book. From the main – Anna, to Lane (girlfriend), to Kym (new friend), to Sandra (Anna and jake’s mother), to even Toby & Ella (Jake & Sally’s kids). None of these characters, at least, were stand-ins, paper thin. They all had stories and structure to them. In the beginning there was even enough there to build up an idea of both Jake and Sally, who were never, at any point in this novel, alive to present themselves to the reader.

Others, it is true, were more ‘as needed’ type characters, but there were enough well-formed characters to fill up a book. As needed as in – Andrew, Jake and Anna’s father, had something of his character presented through the almost constant refrain of how Anna and/or others were like or not like him in certain ways (like how he dove into his study and into a bottle of whiskey after his son died – hiding his emotions), though he was more someone to work around than someone to rely upon – which was the point – in its way.

Long and short of it is that this was a rather good and interesting book. Somewhat hard to read from the lingering after effects of death (both Jake & Sally, and, in addition, Kym’s husband as well).

It was interesting to watch Anna morph from the woman who opened the book – the woman who was super career focused and dead set against children to the woman she became by the end of the book.

Well, I’ve run out of things to say, at least out of things I can squeeze out and sprinkle over the screen to reflect my thoughts. Ah, I know – I’ve reached the point where I’m talking nonsense, yeah, that’s it, so I’ll depart.

Rating: 5.25

February 7 2018




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Just for Show by Jae

Just for Show by Jae

My rating: 4.89 of 5 stars


*I received this book from Ylva Publishing for an honest review*

An exciting event occurred last night – I glanced at my Kindle and saw a new Jae book sitting there (this isn’t magic or unexpected, I had requested the book). And, as luck would time it, I’d just finished a different story right before I noticed. Naturally, though, I couldn’t begin right then and there, for reasons, except I did and found it hard to pull myself away, as I really did need to go off and do something else at the time. Course I was unnecessarily teasing myself, since that ‘something’ was walk to a train station and commute, so my departure from the book was brief. I then proceeded to gobble 81% in almost one go (if you count 7 hours as one go; one go, is that actually a phrase or am I just randomly putting words together again?). But then needed to sleep. As previously noted, though, hard to stop reading.

Simple enough reason why it was difficult to pull the book from my hands – I really like both main characters - Claire Renshaw, psychologist, and Lana Henderson, struggling actress & barista. Both of whom are allowed their own point of views to be seen. Oh, and when I say I liked both main characters, I mean separately as their own people, and together. Though the two first meet under odd circumstances – at an audition. Lana was there thinking she was there for a film audition (though thought it odd she was the only one in the waiting area); Claire was there because her agent (literary) talked her into it. It wasn’t a film audition, though, but an audition to be Claire’s fake fiancée. But then, I’m off chronologically, as the reader already knows why Claire might need a fake fiancée. Since the book opens with the real one taking off.

Strangely enough, despite going out of their way (agent and Claire) to find a fake girlfriend for Claire, they came up with someone completely different than her norm. This is where I was going to slide in things like ‘not super thin’; ‘not a lawyer or the like’; and the like, but I got distracted and when I came back I lost the thread. Long and short – there’s a certain cultural clash on obvious display in this book, and part of that, and part of why Lana is a struggling actress instead of a leading actress, is the part in which Lana isn’t ‘standard’ actress thin, instead being curvy and comfortable in her larger than normal body. Bah, I keep getting distracted with scenes from the book flashing in my brain, messing up my ability to write.

I move to how I almost started this little write up – the game of connecting the dots. Or, more accurately, connecting books to this one. Through side characters. But let’s see if I can do that without just bluntly stating book titles.

I’ve mentioned the main characters, very briefly (read, learn for yourself, they good people), so something about the side characters now, as noted in that mini-paragraph above. The previously encountered via other stories side characters are almost entirely meet through Lana Henderson’s side of things. I’m fumbling around in my brain, thinking hard, but I can’t think of anyone on Lana’s side who isn’t a previously meet character (other than her mother, but never meet), and finally remember her step-sister, Avery. Interesting, thinking to myself, there’s one character on Lana’s side not previously meet; and one character one Clarie’s side previously meet. Right, so – Lana’s mother, despite never actually appearing in the book, plays a somewhat important role in the book, as an example of someone addicted to self-help books, and as someone who pulled psychologists into Lana’s orbit (and made her wish to avoid them as much as possible – see, more conflict, since that’s Claire’s life). Avery is actually seen, somewhat barely (well more than barely but near that), as Lana’s boss at the coffee shop Lana works at (though they act more like sisters there than employee/employer). And then there are all those previously meet characters – not previously meet in this book, but in previously works.

Lana learned about the audition through her friend Jill, who in turn was informed of it by, I think, her friend Mercedes Soto. Jill and her girlfriend, Crash, pop up several times in the book. When some pictures are needed to be taken, Lana turns to her friend Michele to take them, being as she’s a professional photographer. And Lana both eats at another friend’s family restaurant, then later in a different meal, eats with that friend, Laleh, and her girlfriend Hope. I might be forgetting someone but I think I got every character who has previously appeared, at least those meet through Lana. Jill and Crash are from Just Physical (and other books, but that’s the one they star in); Laleh and Hope are from Heart Trouble; and Michele is the Hollywood series character who normally doesn’t get to do more than occasionally be mentioned or spotted, and is from Departure from the Script (Amanda, from that same book, is, as far as I recall, not seen or mentioned). (Somewhat strangely, Claire makes a joke in the book about maybe needing an actress for a job, then jokingly says Grace’s name, despite Grace never being mentioned to Claire (Grace is mentioned as someone invited to a party that Lana can’t go to, told to Lana without Claire present (Grace’s Lauren was also mentioned in that same conversation (Grace and Lauren from Damage Control), as were Jordan and Emma from Falling Hard)).

On Claire’s side of things, several side characters also wander throughout the book. That would include that literary agent, already mentioned (Mercedes Soto), both of Claire’s parents are meet several times, as is her sister Stephanie. And ex-girlfriend Abby. And the various people from Claire’s work like Renata and Vanessa. Oh, and that character previously meet? Barely in the book, is mentioned and is meet – the radio psychologist Dr. Christine Graham from Midnight Couch who interviews Claire. Though, as far as I could tell, there is no previous connection between Claire and Christine.

Well, I just spent way too much time playing connect the books. Pfft. Long and short – loved the scenery, images, characters, and story I encountered in this book. I had two specific problems with the book, but I worked past them. How to word it, hmms. First problem consists of a sequence of scenes that seemed forced and weirdly out of character – not that the action itself was, just how everything was being presented, as if the characters needed to go from here to there, so . . . they did. Wow this is vague. Less vague for those who have read the book – it’s the scene that involves Claire and Lana going to the top of the hotel to drink – which weirdly seemed forced. The second problem I had involved how the book ended in longish sex. I watched as the percentages increased, as the book got closer and closer to 100% and continued reading what I didn’t particularly want to read right then and there though knew there were those who would, feeling vaguely cheated, for reasons, then, finally, action moved to a few tiny moments out of the bedroom before concluding. Funny thing to have a problem, of course, but, meh, was something I personally had a problem with since I wanted to spend more time with the two in the real part of their relationship.

Rating: 4.89

February 6 2018



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The Last First Time by Andrea Bramhall

The Last First Time by Andrea Bramhall

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Book received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review

The Last First Time is the third book in the Norfolk Coast Investigation series.

POV
Both Gina and Kate have point of views on this book, and there’s a third point of view in the prologue.

Characters
In a book like this characters both matter more and matter less than in a pure romance. There is a romance-plot-line here, but it’s subservient to the thriller/mystery plot-line.

On the Romance side of things, the main characters of importance are Gina Temple and Kate Brannon.

On the Mystery/Thriller side of things, the main characters are Kate Brannon, Stella, Clare, Jimmy, Tom, Timmons, Gareth and the rest of the police force. Plus the victims and near victims, like Gina & Stella, Pat O’Shea, and others, like the baby in the baby carriage, in the first explosion; police and innocent bystanders in the second explosion.

On the family side of things we include the growing closer to being a single whole family of Gina, Kate, and Sammy (Gina’s kid); plus Gina’s mum Alison.

Setting
King’s Lynn, Norfolk, England. 98 miles north of London, 36 miles north-east of Peterborough, 44 miles north north-east of Cambridge and 44 miles west of Norwich.

The story takes place around Christmas time.

Story
Gina and Stella are in a sex shop buying a present for Kate. Stella’s there to help Gina, though Stella isn’t really sure why. While in that shop, two teenagers wearing explosives explode.

The story proceeds from there, following several plot-lines:
Plot-line 1: Police investigate terrorists.
Plot-line 2: Gina and Kate’s relationship advances.
Plot-line 3: Gina meets a woman in that sex shop and makes a specific promise, to track down a lost love of that woman.
Plot-line 4: Two police officers from Kate’s past turn up – one an older mentor type, someone Kate thought of in a ‘sister’ type way; other ex-girlfriend of Kate’s. Both betrayed Kate.
Plot-Line 5: Someone is stalking Gina – sending her flowers, cards, letters, indicating that Gina is theirs and that Gina just doesn’t see them.

Review
Before I jump to ‘one specific problem’ (which is what I actually wrote first), I insert this part here: I realized, suddenly, what type of book I got myself into when I started to read from the beginning – the pre-beginning. When the author started to list all the terror attacks that had happened in the UK in the preceding year. Then turned to a prologue that show-cased two women getting ready to explode themselves. This is the third book in the series, I didn’t expect that this was what would pop-up, a terror plot-line. I don’t know what the book’s description says, as I said, this is the third in a series, of course I was going to read this book, no questions asked, no desire to look at the book description in that situation as it might reveal stuff I don’t want to have revealed. It’s like when you are about to watch a show, and three seconds before it starts there’s a preview . . . for that show. Pfft, no want to watch that preview (or read book description)!

I’ve one specific problem right at the start of the book, something immediately let me know that this was not going to be a five star book (or, at least, not a 5+ star book). And that’s the way the prologue and opening chapter merged – no no, not the prologue itself. It was neat that the prologue showed two young women outside a particular shop, showed them entering a shop . . . moved to chapter one, with Gina and Stella both noticing the young women right as the two older women enter the shop. That’s neat and thrilling. It’s the part where the reader knows that the two young women are wearing explosives, and that they are seconds away from detonating them. And that two people who have been in the series from the beginning are, seemingly, inches from them. And then . . . . paragraph after paragraph, word after word . . . way too much in between that, forgive me the use of this phrase, that ‘oh my god’ moment and . . . the actual explosion. I, even though I really really didn’t want to do so – found myself starting to skim. I knew an explosion was just about to happen, I couldn’t read all that crap right then and there. I needed to know what happened next! Yes yes, it builds things up to have these two women acting all human like but . . .. That happens more than I’d like in this book – not really padding, the ‘stuff’ had its use, but it wasn’t ‘stuff’ I really wanted to read right then and there. Elongated the book beyond what it could have been. But, bah. Choices and stuff.

Beyond that specific ‘problematic’ issue, the book was quite riveting, exciting, interesting to read. All aspects of the story. The horror of terrorism, of being in a blast; the bone-wearying investigations; the constant bumping up against ‘need to know’ issues that hamper investigations; the further joining together of two families; the further lives of three women (Kate, Gina, Sammy).

Rating: 4.68

December 13 2017



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Do You Feel What I Feel edited by Jae and Fletcher Delancey

Do you feel what I feel: A Holiday Anthology by Jae

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Book received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review

12 short stories by 12 different authors. A mix of authors who I have read before with authors who I have yet to sample. And a short story is something like a sample, an appetizer instead of a full meal. All 12 stories have a holiday theme. Not sure if that means that they all take place in December; all involve Christmas; or what exactly (ETA: I was going to adjust this after I read the anthology, but I still don't know if everything takes place in December, though I know not all involve Christmas). I know 4 have Christmas or Claus in the title. And one has lots of snow in the story itself, though never mentions Christmas or any holiday (though that's also the story with the ultra-right wing Christian fundamentalist family).

S. Claus by Blythe Rippon
North Pole, World Travel, Magic, Talking Caribou, Santa Claus; Solo POV

Selene Claus is Santa Claus' sister. She's quite jealous of Santa and sees him in a negative light. She plans to 'get back' at him by making him look bad in the eyes of the world. She plans to do that with magic, and a talking caribou - Rudolf's granddaughter Lara. Complicating Selene's plans is the appearance of Zaida, Santa's wife's sister.

There's not much to the story but I rather enjoyed it. I've slowly lowered my rating from my initial enthusiastic rating, and hopefully I'm 'close' to where I should be with my rating (should be as in my real rating for the story).

This is potentially an 'age gap' story, but Zaida's age was never given. If I understand correctly, Selene's about 100. 50 in a photo that might itself be 50 years old.

Rating: 4.88

This Thing by Jove Belle
Age Gap; Single Mother; Tattoo Artist; Reality Star; Multiple POV

I've gone the opposite direction with this story, raising the rating a little after my initial low rating.

So, there's this 'Beth' and a 'Willa'. Beth is a tattoo artist & Single mother who, on a dare, asked out a reality show star (who is also, presumably, at least 8 to ten years younger than her). That reality star being Willa. Who works in her parents gun shop and on her parent's reality show. Apparently they, the parents, signed up for this show when Willa was in high school. She's college age now (I forget if it was worded as 'college age' or 'in college now'), and so has more on-camera time. Which was apparently important to note in the story.

Willa's family is ultra-religious and conservative (I don't watch reality shows myself, but the few that I've heard mentioned, here or there, always seem to have that pattern - ultra-religious and conservative, at least the family focused ones (though even as I write this, several people pop into my brain - hard to know if they fit the pattern without watching the show, but I think there might be some that don't fit the pattern). Willa's ultra-guilty about spending time with Beth, but just loves doing so. Plus she also really loves guns.

I know I've mentioned something about age up above, giving the impression that we are reading about two mature fully functioning adults but . . . both of the main characters read as if they are lustful 15 year olds. Not even just because of their thoughts/words/actions between each other, but also their interactions with others. Like, for example, Beth seems weird in relation to her tattoo shop boss, oddly . . . wishing for her approval and feeling a couple of words expressed to her by this boss as if they were her 'graduation'. Weird.

I did not like the story, though I normally like the work I've read by this author.

Rating: 3.10

December 6 2017

Red Suits and Second Chances by Eve Frances
Office Party; Transgender: MtF; Toronto; Canada

An office has a Christmas party. Gina finds a coworker, Felicia, attractive but doesn't know if she should do anything with this thought. Gina is made aware of Felicia's thoughts. The end.

Rating: 3

December 6 2017

A Gift of Words by Patricia Penn
Boston, Demons

Something called the 'Fianna' defend humans against rival demons. Yet another story involving two women who find it 'wrong, but feels so good' to be with another woman 'that way'. bah. I looking for nice holiday stories, not guilt-tripping women tentatively pawing at each other, while knowing it's 'wrong'.

The two female demons stumble upon a Christmas fair in Boston while attempting to locate rival demons. While doing so, one becomes bedazzled by the decorations, while the other becomes shocked by watching two women publically kissing each other.

I believe the story might take some time around 1993? Well, I think some part of it is, and some other part is set in 1996.

I've no idea if this story is some kind of stand-alone, or if there is some series connected to it. It is quite . . . good though.

Rating: 4.94

December 6 2017

Snow, With a Chance of Love by B.A. Caldwell
Librarian, dog, snow-storm, Portland, Graduate Student, Humor

The story opens with a woman gazing about her torn up apartment. Her own apartment. That she herself tore up. Because she was looking for a missing library book. She starts putting stuff back together, sad that she can't find the book. Her dog wakes up and wanders over. She begins petting the dog then glances over to his bed. And spots the book in that bed. All chewed up.

There's a snow storm about to hit and the main character (it's easier to remember people's names and stuff if I don't read about 20 short stories in a row before being able to do reviews, mmphs) wants to get some entertainment from the library. Otherwise she'd put it off.

There's a good bit of humor here. And great chemistry between 'Dream Librarian' and the main character. Fun story.

Rating: 4.80

December 6 2017

Crossroads by Ruth F. Simon
Religion, Christianity, Family, stuff, Nurse, Accountant?

At the advanced age of 29 the main character in this story has come out to her family during Thanksgiving meal. At the part where everyone was supposed to go around saying what they were thankful for. Whereupon her father very aggressively lectured her and told her to leave and never return until she has repented her ways. Her father, by the way, is a Pastor.

Lots of conservative religious people in this collection.

Right, so, that was prior to the start of this story - that revelation and banishment. Now father has cancer and the main character is the only one capable of taking the time to try to help. And she tries to do so.

Meanwhile, because hey why not, that main character struck up a friendship with one of the nurses in the hospital, and there may or may not be more there (it's hinted at).

Rating: 3.33

December 6 2017

More than a Holiday Romance by Chris Zett
30s; Advent Calendar; Doctor; Professor

For 12 years two women traveled together during the summer as travel friends and fuck buddies. At least from end of college to before last summer. When one of the two had wanted to have an important discussion and the other cancelled at the last minute.

Now the one who cancelled has been sending postcards from their trips as a kind of Advent calendar kind of thing. And the other isn't sure how to handle things.

Interesting story.

Rating: 4.35

December 6 2017

We Wish You A Merry Christmas by Lyn Thorne-Adler
Fantasy; Christmastime; Elves?

I've literally no clue how to rate this story. It just . . what the . . . what did I just read?

Rating: WTF?

December 6 2017

Sadie and Rosa by Alison Solomon
Hanukkah, 70s, Family

Two old Jewish women fight over coming out to their family.

While it is nice to see another religion in the mix, the story itself was just average.

Rating: 3.20

December 7 2017

Kicker's Christmas by Lois Cloarec Hart
1917, Canada

This and the next story in the collection would probably have been better read after reading the book/series associated with them. I'm sure both could have been 'neat' and or 'interesting' additions - additions to the story. But both were crowded with people - one even had an odd little brief POV jump to one of the side characters for like 2 seconds that I'm sure is better understood by those who have read the series - and both had story lines that add to the original series/books instead of being stories all by themselves (for the most part, both could be read by themselves, both, though, seem tightly tied to previous works that I've not read).

This specific story here involved Kicker and . . . um, I think it's Maddie preparing dinner, learning of Clarence being hasseled for not being in the war (which pisses off Pudge), though he's not off fighting because of a heart condition not because he is a coward; Seamus arrives, mentions there's a guy at the train station, the women wander off to get him, etc. etc. Oh, and Kicker and Maddie think of their life together.

If you enjoyed this short story, you might want to read Lois Cloarec Hart's Kicker's Journey, the novel in which Kicker and Madelyn met and fell in love.

Rating: 3.43

Just a Normal Christmas by Caren J. Werlinger
Christmas; Big party, Cats

As noted above, this story is also a continuation of a series/book.

The story opens with Jules and Kelli arriving back at their home after a longish journey - they'd spent Thanksgiving with Mae, Brooke (don't recall if it actually is Brooke or not) and Ronnie. Jules has invited that gang to pop over for Christmas. And, before the story is over, many more pop over, including Kelli's dad, sister, coworker Toni, and friend Donna. Toni being the super clumsy klutz, while Donna's the one who briefly gets a turn at the POV controls (and recently finalized her separation with . . . whoever she broke up with, Elaine or something like that).

Interesting good story. Best part were Holly and Mistletoe. The cats.

If you enjoyed this short story, you might want to read Caren Werlinger's Turning for Home, the novel which introduced Jules, Kelli, and their family and friends.

Rating: 3.75

December 7 2017

Chatting with Charlie by Catherine Lane
Gym Teacher

A gym teacher reflects on her life and is super depressed until a former student gives a speech.

Rating: 3.12

December 7 2017

OVERALL
S. Claus by Blythe Rippon: 4.88
This Thing by Jove Belle: 3.10
Red Suits and Second Chances by Eve Frances: 3.00
A Gift of Words by Patricia Penn: 4.94
Snow, With a Chance of Love by B.A. Caldwell: 4.8
Crossroads by Ruth F. Simon: 3.33
More than a Holiday Romance by Chris Zett: 4.35
We Wish You A Merry Christmas by Lyn Thorne-Adler: WTF?
Sadie and Rosa by Alison Solomon: 3.2
Kicker's Christmas by Lois Cloarec Hart: 3.43
Just a Normal Christmas by Caren J. Werlinger: 3.75
Chatting with Charlie by Catherine Lane: 3.12
Overall: 3.8072727272727272727272727272727

So, top three reads: 1) A Gift of Words by Patricia Penn: 4.94; 2) S. Claus by Blythe Rippon: 4.88 & 3) Snow, With a Chance of Love by B.A. Caldwell: 4.80

Sadly, in terms of finding new authors to read, I've already read all but one of Rippon's books, Penn has just one more short story in a different collection for me to read, and Caldwell, apparently, has nothing at all else I could read. mmphs.

December 7 2017



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Love at First Write by Jae

Love at First Write by Jae

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Book received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review

This anthology contains four short stories written by Jae. All four stories involve at least one writer, some involve two (like the first story, 'Romance Bet', involves a reporter and a best-selling romance author). One of the four stories is also part of a series, the Shape-Shifter series. And at least one of the short stories has been previously published prior to this collection - 'Sex Sells' previously appeared in Finding Ms Write.

The Romance Bet
Reporter, Romance Writer, Bet, Solo POV

Story consists of a reporter talking with a romance writer. The reporter has never read a romance book, at least not a contemporary romance book, and is disdainful of the genre. She accidentally lets this information slip while talking to the romance author. One thing leads to another and a bet is made - since 'anyone' can write a romance novel, the reporter has a month to do so. Well, a novella - for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), since that requires 'only' 50,000 words for 'victory' (and 50,000 words, apparently, is a novella not a novel, despite the November writing event being called a novel writing event). 50,000 is, roughly depending on different factors, about 125.6 pages (if the font size is 12, font is Times New Roman, and there's single spacing (all other factors the same, Comic Sans would make it a 141.9 page book; Arial - 111.1 pages; Calibri - 105.1 pages; Courier - 138.1 pages; Verdana - 134.7 pages; it would be neat if I could write those little factoids in the font I'm writing about, but I don't know how).

Distracted myself with the idea of reading a 50,000 word book written entirely in Comic Sans. Where was I?

Oh, right, so a bet is made. The journalist, who has never even read a romance book, will write one in a month. because 'anyone' can.

Interesting enough story. I didn't really like either character, but interesting enough story.

Rating: 3.78

December 6 2017

Sex Sells
This is the story I'd previously read. I'll insert here the review I'd written for that read.

Writer, Editor, Solo POV
A woman is in public talking on the phone – specifically with her editor. She’s thinking of how to kill someone (then saying so loudly – again in public). Editor mentions something about how those books that include romance tend to sell a lot more copies than books like what the author currently writes (mysteries). They discuss this. Then fumbling over what a ‘date’ means.

Neat story. I want more stories involving these two characters. I like them. Sadly this is more of a snippet than anything else. It’s not even really a full short story. More of a snippet.

Rating: 4.15

January 18 2017

Rating: 4.50

December 6 2017

Overall rating: 4.325

The Snow Liger
Writer, Investigator, Shifter, Solo POV

Griffin, the liger shifter, and Jorie, the writer, live in snowy Michigan - as the story puts it, it's either snow time or it's about to snow time in Upper Peninsula Michigan. This is another story snippet as opposed to full length short story, but it's quite good and interesting. And, frankly, probably a lot more interesting for someone who has read the first book in the series than someone who's read nothing in the Shape-Shifter series. There just are 'things' that need to be known that aren't reinforced, that are just touched on. Like, for example, this story mentions that Jorie is a Dream Seer - said in passing in the same way that the next story happens to mention that one of the characters can read the other character's mind - said in a joking manner not to be taken seriously, I mean. Except, Jorie is in fact a Dream Seer. She can 'see' things through dreams.

The fact that Griffin is a liger (her father is a lion shifter, her mother is a tiger shifter; they don't actually use those words, but other words something like Puwar for the tiger shifter . . . or something like that) and therefore has cat like tendencies is probably something a reader new to the series can pick up relatively quickly.

But still, more of a nice little glimpse into the further lives of Griffin and Jorie for those who've read the series instead of an introduction for new readers into the series.

Rating: 4.48

December 6 2027

Blind Date at the Booklover's Lair
Writer, Hypnotherapist, Bookstore, Blind Dates, Solo POV

It is rather unfortunate that this story starts off with me disliking it out of the gate. Why? Because I really, and I mean really, dislike that pushy 'best friend' who barges in and demands that the main character go on a date. A blind date. In an hour. This is the same best friend who had set her up on a date a month ago with someone horrible; and had previously set her up with Lisa, the main character's horrible ex. I really dislike Chi Lo.

Well, no matter, that was relatively easily gotten past.

The main character has two names, one of the reasons I keep calling her 'main character' - she uses a pen name on her books, and then there's her actual name. Though it's something like the difference between Tricia and Trisha (or Trish). I'm going on and on because I couldn't actually remember the main character's name. heh. mmphs. Right, on with it.

Chi has set Tricia up on a date at Tricia's favorite bookstore. She's to meet a Jenny in the LGBT section and she'd be holding a particular author's book (not Trish) - and that's how she'd know her. And so that's what happens - Tricia very reluctantly changes and goes to the bookstore. Scopes out the woman in the LGBT section. Finally wanders over and introduces herself - they have coffee, etc. etc.

I wish to learn more of Jen and Tricia's story. Was a great humorous story.

Rating: 4.78

December 6 2017

OVERALL
The Romance Bet: 3.8
Sex Sells: 4.15 + 4.50 = 8.65/2= 4.325*
The Snow Liger: 4.48
Blind Date at the Booklover's Lair: 4.78
Overall rating: 4.34625

* admittedly I was going for the 4.33 overall rating, so I put down whatever would get me there for the second read rating.



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Grounded by A.E. Radley

Grounded by A.E. Radley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The story of Emily and Olivia & Henry continues. It's hard to say much without being spoiler-y.

The prior book ended somewhat abruptly, though I'd already known that going in so it actually seemed somewhat less abrupt than others might have experienced. Probably because I owned both books before starting the series. No, the problem I encountered wasn't the abrupt ending of the first book, but the extra long opening wherein the issue that popped up at the end of book 1 took a really long time to be addressed.

There's a lot more business conflict in this book. And while the prior book included information that would lead one to expect that neither woman had great parents (or, in Emily's case, parents-in-law - I don't actually remember if Emily's parents were ever mentioned), that specific family conflict dynamic wasn't really seen until this book here. Where it played a massive an important role - when Emily's in-laws, after years of being 'quiet' on the conflict front, suddenly popped up again to be assholes.

...

I've now spent about five minutes starring at my screen trying to figure out what I can write here that wasn't/isn't filled with spoilers. Um . . . both women face work related 'issues'; at least one faces health-related issues, while the other faces family drama. Nicole, Simon, Tom, and Lucy all show up in this book (as well as someone connected to Simon, though I'm not sure if that's spoiler-y or not).

Rating: 4.45

November 20 2017



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Flight SQA016 by A.E. Radley

Flight SQA016 by A.E. Radley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I'm probably following along way behind everyone else with this series, so I'll be brief. The fact that I wanted to wait until after I had completed the second book before writing a review for this book probably plays some part in my lack of desire to be extra wordy (you know, like several hundred sentences as long and wordy as this one here).

When I say that I'm probably long way behind everyone else, I'm not just blowing smoke. Something like 35 of the people I am friends with or follow on here have read this book, and roughly 415 others have also already read this book. Soooo....

The book opens with Emily White being driven, somewhat recklessly, towards the airport and the start of her new job by a man named Tom. First thought: crap, this is another 'not-a-lesbian' who opens the book with a boyfriend (or husband)? mmphs. But wait! Tom's the husband of Lucy and both of them are allowing Emily stay in their house (along with Henry, Emily's ~5 going on 6 year old son). That new job? I forget the exact word used, since it has kind of changed over the almost century of flight - wait, no, first commercial flight was in 1914, so century plus of flight. From stewardess to flight attendant to . . . um . . well, those two at least. Cabin attendant. Flight crew. Or I'll be as vague as the book description: Emily has just taken a job working the first class cabin. For reasons which may or may not be spoiler-y and therefore won't be mentioned, Emily makes the flight from New York to London and London to New York twice a week (as in 2 round-trip flights, though not back to back).

While working at this job, Emily meets the other main character of deep importance (I know the second book has many many point of views, but I forget if this one has more than just a few). That being Olivia Lewis (Olivia, I've recently learned, is a massively popular name in the English world - falling within the top 1 to 2 spots (everywhere being Canada (2), Australia (1), England (1), New Zealand (1), USA (2nd), Scotland (1) - except Ireland where Olivia is 14th on the popularity list, 5th in Northern Ireland). Olivia is the head of a financial services organization. She also has an undiagnosed condition that may or may not be aspergers.

Over a long period of time the two women form a friendship - though it is hard, sometimes, to tell if the relationship being watched by the reader is between Henry and Olivia or between Olivia and Emily (Emily, by the way, is also a super popular name world wide).

The story that unfolds is quite enjoyable to watch.

Rating: 4....something. Something around 4.5 stars.

November 17 2017



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All the Ways to Here (Future Leaders, #2) by Emily O’Beirne

All the Ways to Here by Emily O’Beirne

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Book received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review

I am in the unfortunate situation wherein I enjoyed the book I read but am unsure what to actually write about said book. Edited to add: Oh, and yes you need to read the first book in the series before reading this book here.

Well, as I noted somewhere, I think in my status updates, this book, like the prior book in the series, has two point of views – Finn and Willa. Unlike in the prior book – which had the book split roughly evenly in half with the first half of the book seen through one point of view, and the second half seen through the other, this book alternated. Though not every other chapter – occasionally the reader would go from one chapter seen through Finn’s (or Willa’s) eyes to another chapter through their eyes. Other than my initial issue of trying to remember which character was which, and which personalities went with each character – which wasn’t helped by seeing the characters in a new setting – I much prefer the alternating POV instead of the half-and-half approach.

In the first book, Future Leaders of Nowhere, various teenagers, roughly around the age of 15 to … some age over 15, 18? I am not sure if there was just one age level or multiple, I forget now, and if multiple what the cut-off age was. Right, sorry, a group of teenagers, roughly around the age of 15, from various schools in Australia ended up at a leadership camp called ‘Camp Nowhere’. At that camp two young women from different schools, but the same city, meet and fell into . . . deep liking (which may or may not have been love).

In the second book their story, Willa and Finn’s story, continues. But now they are back in Melbourne, back amongst their fella school students, back among their families and are only able to see each other at certain times.

The second book is much more about family, and friends, and individual people’s places in the world, and what they actually wish to prioritize (is the almost thankless task of being student/school captain (what would be called student president in the USA), really worth it for the bit it adds to their resume and college admissions? Should an absentee father be given more of your time? How about a mother who works so much that she never seems to be home? Or a sister who gets on your nerves, or a brother who rarely talks, or … etc.). While, at the same time, the relationship/romance between Finn and Willa continues. Now that they are 16 . . . or 17. I’ve lost track of how old they were in book one and two; and book two picks up immediately after book one so it’s not like their age could advance massively, though time seems to fly in book two, and birthdays do occur.

This was a quite enjoyable slice of life, romance, young adult novel. Those looking for sex should look elsewhere, except for heavy passionate kissing.

Wow, I’ve not really said anything, eh? Well, as I said, I enjoyed the book but do not have much to say about it. I didn’t hate the book, nor love the book so deeply that I wish to immediately move to Australia and become a 16 year old living under the fear of whatever VCE is. (That comes up a lot – almost as much as ‘semi’s’ came up on Glee. Okay, it came up like three times, much less than semi’s on Glee.)

(“The Victorian Certificate of Education or VCE is the credential awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete high school level studies (year 11 and 12 or equivalent) in the Australian state of Victoria.” – hmm, so not only is it an Australian thing, it’s a local state thing. Heh. Though judging from a quick glance and seeing a QCE (for Queensland Certificate of Education, this is probably something nationwide. Must complicate moving between states, though. Potentially. I suppose. I really have no idea how ‘stuff’ like that works, though I know the UK has something also that pops up in British young adult books; also know there’s something like it in New York specifically, since I hear people talk about it occasionally – the closest I had to anything like whatever this ‘thing’ is would be AP classes, which you take, then take a test, if you pass the test you get college credit – which I did; though I think some of these ‘things’ are more geared to ‘pass or you don’t get a high school diploma’ type of thing. I prefer it being geared to possible college credit instead of having one bad day and not being able to graduate high school due to fucking up some tests – see, I’ve no clue what this VCE thing is about, I don’t even know if there are, in fact, tests – heh, I just gazed blankly at a website for the VCE thing and I still don’t know what it is about. I think I might be dim. http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vce/...).

Rating: 4.68

November 8 2017



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Next of Kin by Jae

I received a copy of this book from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Genre: Mystery/Police; Bisexual, Lesbian Fiction; Questioning/Coming Out; Romance
Location: 99% - Portland Oregon and surroundings (other 1% - brief visit to Sacramento California)
POV: multiple (six, 4 are more at 'co-leads' level (), other two are at 'side character' level)

This is the second full length book in this specific series. I had read the first a good three plus years earlier - and hadn't immediately dove into this book because ... well, I think it was because the book had been pulled to be revised or something like that, I know that occurred, but not sure if same time.

This book picks up with the main characters from the last story, though I'm not certain how much time has passed. An important question for any series book - can you read this without having read the prior works? I'd give a tentative yes. I didn't have any issues keeping up with the book, and/or had confusion generated by my long break between books. But, then again, I had read prior book so some of the knowledge about the book is probably stuffed inside of me.

Characters: POV characters: Aiden Carlisle - sex crimes detective; Dawn Kinsley - psychologist; Kade Matheson - prosecuting lawyer (Deputy District Attorney); Delicia 'Del' Vasquez Montero (Lieutenant - homicide); Evan Whitfied - young rebelous woman in the foster system who is a patient of Dawn's; stalker.

The stalker's point of view has the least amount of page time - and both the reader and characters in the story already know who the stalker is before they get any page time. Evan's page time is the second smallest, though she has a good amount of time to be observed. The other four would consist of the 'main characters' and I won't attempt to dive into creating percentages for how much of the book is 'there's'.

I have a good feeling of the characters, though if pressed, I'm not exactly sure what all I could say about each of them. Del is in her forties, has darker skin, and is either from and/or has Puerto Rican blood. Kade is younger than Del, maybe significantly younger and comes from a rich tight assed, stiff background - the kind where people are expected to fit certain roles and not deviate from those roles. Aiden is a strong one, though has the background of growing up with a single mother who was a drunk, and whose father (Aiden's) was a rapist (both of which, naturally, impacts Aiden's own thoughts/personality/etc.) - I've a vague idea Aiden might be older than Dawn. Dawn . . . has a kind of calming ability with most of those around her; is seen by Aiden as being somewhat damaged (Dawn had been raped in the prior book)/fragile - while Dawn kept doing things that belied that impression. I've this vague impression that Dawn might be somewhere in her late 20s, though that seems wrong somehow.

Story: This is the story of three couples and/or potential couples, dealing with each other, and with the issues that life tosses at people. Which can include such things as stalkings, family troubles (one, Del, hasn't seen her family for 25 or so years, but they've popped back up again; another has a bad relationship with her mother; yet another is currently in the foster system with the inherent troubles that can present), time on the job (like seeing Dawn as a psychologist), and life in general.

The story follows these three couplings (and potential couples) through the eyes of all but one of the individuals. We have Aiden (sex crimes police detective) and Dawn as one couple - and yes, their life and relationship is an important part of this book. Then we have Del and Kade's circling, will they, won't they relationship (will they/won't they date, Kade being someone who hadn't, up to this point, allowed herself the possibility of being interested in women). Then we have Evan and Laurie's young teenager relationship. Their relationship is mostly seen through the eyes of others, though some of Evan's point of view page time is somewhat connected to that relationship. Laurie though, is rarely seen, and even when Evan's page time is spent connected to that relationship, it rarely actually directly involves Laurie (as in, for example . . . I can't think of a for example; we have Dawn seeing Laurie and Evan interact, but that was Dawn's POV; then we had the skating scene, but again, not Evan's point of view; mmphs).

Mystery: While two of the main characters are police detectives, and while they are seen being overloaded with work (well, Aiden is shown that way, Del is shown with lots of 'unofficial' work but not official - to the point that I sometimes forget she's a homicide detective not sex crimes detective), that work tends to be background 'stuff'. There is an actual mystery, though, that runs throughout a good portion of the book - someone is stalking one of the main characters, and two of the main characters are investigating the matter.

In terms of the mystery - while the stalking case took up much of the time for some of the characters, the actual mystery was somewhat back-burner for most of the story. That specific plot-line would drift hot ('wait, you aren't the one who has been sending me flowers for months? crap, I'm being stalked'; active investigating/action/danger/blood) and cold.

In terms of the stalker - I knew immediately who the stalker was, and no I don't mean the book said who the stalker was immediately, I mean that I figured it out immediately. And I thought at the time, and still think, that it is fair that the detectives didn't immediately pick up on who the stalker was (though I have issue with some of the time between taking the case and finding the stalker (on the one hand, the case was unofficial so they didn't have the resources necessary to investigate everything, on the other hand, the detectives investigated many people, but not the people who have near daily contact with the stalking victim.). Right, back up - the clues were there for the detectives to see, but only one was working on the case, unofficially, and she wasn't even on it from the start.

Sex: both graphic and non-graphic sex occurs in this book.

Overall: Solid enjoyable book. In a way my only real 'problem/issue' with the book is somewhat my own fault. I was 'ready' for the book to be over before the book was ready - my own fault because it was more that I was ready to finish reading for that reading session and there wasn't much left of the book so I continued reading. And reading. And reading. Eventually just stopping inches from the end before, later, completing the book. It felt like there were these concluding scenes one after another. First we get sex from one couple, then sex from another, then . . . well, you get the idea.

Right, sorry. So, as I said, good solid book. Both as a kind of slice of life book, as a mystery, and as a romance. None of the characters seemed 'tacked on', and all had something to do/deal with.

Rating: 4.67

September 10 2017