Weekly Round Up

Major Mummy brag to start with this week. My eldest daughter took part in a Taekwondo competition on Saturday and got gold in the sparring and silver in the patterns for her age group (girls 11-17).  She was so chuffed because this is her first competition.

Other than that, it's been a quiet week for me. I've been trying to catch up with stuff, especially housework, after 6 weeks of marking. Sometimes I wish I could afford to hire a cleaner *sigh*.

My Reading Week

Houseboat on the Nile by Tinnean
This spy drama, which in no way reflects real life (think James Bond rather than anything more realistic), follows WBIS agent Mark Vincent, who finds himself attracted to CIA agent Quinton Mann. They may be on the same side but there's no love lost between the agencies and this causes problems for Mark as he fights the attraction for all its worth. This author has a large fan base who came with her from her days as a fan fic/web author and this story was originally written as a serial on her website. It shows. There's a lot of repetition, some of this is due to the style of the book which is written in alternating 1st person POVs and has one character in a situation before changing to see the same situation from the other character's POV. This sometimes worked for me and sometimes not because there was a lot of extraneous detail which could have been cut. Apparently, the author edited heavily for publication but not enough in my opinion. Having said that, I loved the characters and the push/pull of their relationship.It was this aspect which kept me reading and it was a shame that the book ended so suddenly - obviously leading onto the next book in the series. Recommended to those who are looking for a popcorn spy thriller. Grade: Good.

Beholding Beauty by Sam Singer
I'd enjoyed a previous story by this author and, seeing that this new release had a rent boy theme, I couldn't resist buying. 300+ books in my TBR pile and I buy and read a new release instead *sigh*. Anyway, this story follows male escort Craig who gets a new client in Dee. Dee only wants companionship, not sex, and won't allow Craig to see his face. Over the course of a few weeks, Craig comes to care for Dee, but Dee still holds him at arm's length.  Whilst I enjoyed reading this story, and liked both the characters, this turned out to be a rather predictable, if nicely written story. Having read the blurb, I'd got a pretty good idea as to what would happen and it did, in the order I expected it.  I wasn't bored though because the writing drew me in and Craig was a nice guy, but the story didn't stand out as anything that I would remember over time.  If you're looking for a light, easy read with nice characters and a good emotional content this story will be for you. Grade: Good.

Also this week I reviewed the very good Last Stop by Lou Harper, the poor Giving it a Name by Elizabella Gold and the good Like it or Not anthology edited by SL Armstrong and April L'Orange.

Over at BER we've just had the first week of our Canadian fortnight. So far we've interviewed 6 Canadian authors and reviewed stories by them.  We've had lots of interest in the posts, but not so many people leaving comments on the interviews so if you could help out we'd be grateful.

Next week

You'll be pleased to know that I've found my book with the review lists in. Although, it now turns out I've accidentally scheduled two guest posts in a week during September. Oops! This is what happens when my organisational tools go missing!

Next week I shall review Changing Worlds by Cari Z and Graceland by Ally Blue.  My sulking managed to garner some results and so I shall be able to do my post on author reactions to blog tours on Tuesday. thanks to those who emailed me with their opinions. They've been very helpful.  Then on Friday, I'll be here with the round up.

Have a great weekend everyone. I'm at a family party tomorrow to celebrate my in-laws Ruby Wedding Anniversary which should be good. I've bought a new outfit and everything :).

Review: Like it or Not Anthology Edited by SL Armstrong & April L'Orange

As many of you know, I'm a complete deviant who likes to, on occasion, read stories containing dubious consent. Yes, I know, this makes me evil.  So, when I saw this anthology at Storm Moon Press I jumped at a chance to read it.  The anthology contains six stories all with the theme of either non or dubious consent and I was interested to see how each author/pair of authors would approach this theme. As there are only six stories I'll do a sum up of each.

Out of Options by Angelia Sparrow and Naomi Brooks
Talk about jumping in at the deep end! If you can get past this story then the rest of the anthology will be a breeze as it's by far the harshest story in the anthology with a definite non-con, violent sex scene and an ending that is in no way happy. In fact, this isn't a romance but rather a psychological horror with the spine chilling ending to fit with that genre.  It tells of Connor who turns tricks when he can't meet the rent and on one such occasion he has a very pleasant evening with Jarrett who pays well. When Connor loses his job he turns to Jarrett to help, signing a contact which he doesn't read closely enough.  I have to admit that this story was my least favourite of the anthology, mainly because despite my deviant tendencies, I do crave the romance that was sorely missing from this. In fact, it read a little like the first half of a romance - hero gets in a sticky situation - without the last part - they fall in love.  It also didn't help that I didn't connect with either character. Connor is too stupid and gullible, and Jarrett too much a duel personality in that the nice and sadistic parts of Jarrett didn't gel for me.  So overall, despite the good writing, I didn't like this one and I can see some readers never getting past this story to the rest of the anthology, which would be a shame because there were some great stories.

Obedience Classes by Sean Michael
This was a typical Sean Michael book with a dub-con twist. Trevor is a wolf who is sick and fed up of being part of the pack. When he begins to make waves amongst the other younger werewolves by stirring up dissent, the pack alpha sends in Dirk to teach him how to toe the line. I quite enjoyed this story which had a good build up in the way Dirk at first unsettles Trevor and then uses sex to bind him to Dirk.  Trevor's character was interesting at first but he was so bamboozled by Dirk that he lost his appeal for me by the end becoming a slave to sexual desire rather than a person in his own right. Dirk is your typical SM Dom, used to getting his way and thinking he knows best. The story settled into a series of sex scenes towards the end which were OK, but I began to lose interest. It was a decent story though and fans of SM will love it.

What it's Worth by Gryvon
This was my second favourite story of the anthology. It tells of grumpy, anti-social writer/reporter Ian who whilst researching a piece on past immigration, gets unwittingly involved in the grandson of a mob boss.  This story had lots of elements which pressed by 'like' button. I really liked Ian. He's a totally grumpy, introverted, rude so and so, and I enjoyed seeing the world from his point of view: Nothing is good enough, everyone is annoying and life is something to endure. His time with Vincenzo gives him the opportunity to let go of all those repressed feelings and fly.  The story also tapped into a few kinks which make me squirm such as public sex and being completely at another person's mercy so that was just a plus point for me.  The only minus points is that Vincenzo remains a distant figure and we are kept a little in the dark as to his motivations behind his actions. However, I could appreciate it's difficult to get those ideas across with such a closed third person narrative.

Blindside by Stella Harris
This was my favourite story in the anthology, perhaps because as well as the dub-con, it was a true romance with a lovely ending which made me go awwwww.  The story follows Matt who is in his first year of College and plays rugby.  When Matt attends an appointment for a check-up at the College health centre, he finds it's all part of a hazing involving a fellow team-mate, Upperclassman Dylan. Matt endures his treatment the best he can especially as he's struggling with a huge crush on Dylan. I really liked the character of Matt and felt that his struggles to conceal his homosexuality were shown realistically.  The dubious consent is actually pretty tame, with most of the story showing Matt's confusion over Dylan's actions and trying to find some meaning in them.  Again the closed third person narrative meant that we are kept guessing along with Matt, and so Dylan is a bit of an unknown quantity but we are given enough in his actions and occasional glimpses behind the hard facade to be prepared for the happy ending.  A final niggle was that I was unsure about the setting. I didn't think they played rugby in the USA, but it definitely wasn't a UK setting - Australia or NZ, perhaps? I wish it had been clearer because it bothered me a little.  Still this was a nice little story which left me smiling.

Unnatural Means by TC Mill
I've liked a lot of stories by this author so I was looking forward to this one. Unfortunately it fell a bit flat for me. It's set during the time of the witch hunts and has a Confessor for a main character. Isak is charged with getting a repentance for witchcraft from Sain, a man accused of murdering his employer/lover through unnatural means.  However, Isak is tortured by images of Sain and him together, forcing him to acknowledge his long repressed homosexuality.  My feelings for this story were clouded a little by my dislike of the setting. The author does well to show us the conflicts of Isak, and his struggles with being gay and very religious and so the scenes where he snaps and takes this out on Sain were realistic. However, I found him a little repugnant, especially because we know he has murdered and tortured in the name of God. Sain also remains a shadowy figure (hmmm, bit of a theme with this anthology) and because of that I couldn't warm to him. I found the ending a little abrupt and couldn't understand what Sain saw in Isak, a man responsible for inflicting great pain on him.  Even the romance at the end left me cold because I didn't like Isak and didn't know Sain. Having said that, this may appeal to people who enjoy a study of what brings a man to inflict cruel acts on another in the name of God.

Salting the Earth by Heidi Belleau and Violetta Vane
The final story in the anthology is a tale of the fae, set in Ireland.  Ronan has recently returned from a failed trip to the USA to find his sister behaving in an odd manner. Ronan becomes convinced that she is being taken by the fae each night and so in a fit of drunken righteousness he sets out to a fairy mound, shovel and salt in hand, to reclaim his sister, only to find himself captured by the king of the fae.  This story had rather a dream-like quality to it, which only intensified during the scenes with the fae, and reminded me of the authors' other SMP book, The Saturnalia Effect. I liked Ronan, who is troubled, having been through a tough time recently.  His time with the fae allows for a sort of release, and although the dub-con is there in this scene, there's a sense that Ronan needs to feel wanted, and the fae provides that for him. I also liked the way that the authors played with gender, although all the sex scenes are strictly m/m. Finally, I enjoyed the themes of loyalty, friendship and power which are explored along with the ideas of what is cruelty. The tone has an edge of unreality and I liked the contrast with the so called cold-hearted fae and that of Ronan's friends in the 'real world'.  Although this was not my favourite story in the anthology, it made me think and is perhaps the most complex story in the collection, which can only be a good thing!

Overall, I had a mixed response to the anthology. Looking back, I can see that my favourite stories were those containing the most in terms of romance, and my least favourite those which I deemed too cruel and callous.  What I did like overall, was the way that the anthology as a whole made me reflect on my own responses to the story, and maybe I've learned something about myself as a reader as a result.

Can I recommend this anthology? Cautiously, yes. It's not going to be to everyone's taste and I certainly didn't enjoy reading it all.  As a result, I'm giving it a grade of 'Good', and offering it up as a the sort of book which may appeal to those who like their romance with a dash of cruelty. Buy this book HERE.

Review: Giving it a Name by Elizabella Gold

I picked this book because I'd read a really great short story from this author a while back and wanted to read more from her. I was also interested to see where the step-brother angle would go and how that conflict would impact on the romance. Unfortunately, several factors meant that I couldn't connect well to this story or the characters.

The story opens with Aaron's new step-mother and sister moving in with them after his Father has remarried. they are getting settled together when his step-brother, Jordan, arrives having finished College early and recently split up with his long-term girlfriend. Aaron gets the instant hots for Jordan but struggles with being in the closet to anyone but his closest friends, and feels unable to tell Jordan how he feels.

I knew I was going to struggle with this book from the start because the writing, especially in the internal dialogue of Aaron, was stilted. This meant that it took a little while to get into the head of Aaron, especially as he has a tendency to ramble about inconsequential things in his head. Another problem I had with Aaron is that he is supposed to be 21 and yet behaves like a 16 year old. When he and his friend Kenny get together it was like a scene out of Beavis and Butthead, and that pretty much set the tone for most of the book. Aaron develops this instant crush on Jordan and then behaves like a 13 year old girl trying to get his best friend to use his gaydar to decide whether Jordan is gay or not, even though Jordan has had a long term girlfriend and barely hints at the fact that he might be interested in Aaron. He then spends most of the first part of the book lusting after Jordan, and practically throwing himself at Jordan, which of course allows Jordan to manipulate and use Aaron.

Another aspect which didn't work with Aaron was the way he viewed coming out of the closet. Aaron is out to his friends but in the closet to everyone else, but his reasons for staying in the closet were flimsy at best. He feels that his father will reject him, but his Dad seems very a accepting, liberal person, and he worries about being bashed but still hangs around with a gay best friend thus putting himself in a position where he could get involved in a violent incident through association anyway. It just didn't seem realistic for me. If there had been pressing and serious reasons why he shouldn't out himself, then I would have believed this part of the book more. Instead he whines on about being forced to remain in the closet whilst being completely paranoid that anyone will guess that he's gay. This just reinforced my opinion that he's immature for his age. 

By the time I got into the middle of the book, I had started to get more into the swing of things. Aaron settled down a bit and wasn't as annoying, and the story began to flow a bit better. Aaron's relationship with Jordan proved to be an interesting dynamic. Basically Jordan's a bastard to Aaron, and is obviously using him for companionship and hoping it will lead to sex. He blows so hot and cold that Aaron hasn't a clue what to make of his behaviour. This confusion was shown well and there were even a couple of poignant scenes where Aaron tries to sort out his feelings for Jordan. This obviously meant that I didn't like Jordan, he's selfish and obnoxious, but I got the impression that I wasn't supposed to like him so I was happy with that. The arrival of a rival to Jordan in the form of nice bloke, Chris, seemed to give a fair indication of where the story was heading and I was looking forward to a satisfying conclusion.

Unfortunately there was no satisfying conclusion. In fact the end was so out of left field that if I had been reading the book as a paperback, rather than my ebook reader, the book would have hit the wall. I ended the book feeling very disgruntled and that I had somehow been cheated out of a decent ending. Aaron ends up in a position where he's open to being hurt or further manipulation and I couldn't feel happy for him or the situation.

So, as you can probably tell, this book didn't work for me. It gets a grade of 'Poor', rather than anything lower, because I spent time during the middle of the book warming to Aaron slightly and I wanted him to be happy. The wobbly beginning, Aaron's immaturity and that ending all mean that I can't recommend the book, which is a shame when I had such high hopes for this author.

Buy this book HERE.

Post-poned

Just a quick note to say that I won't be posting my promised post on author's views about blog tours today. I've only had two authors contact me and I could do with a few more views before I go ahead with it.

If you're an author and have been involved - or not involved - with blog tours could you send me your good and bad thoughts about it to jenre30ATgmailDOTcom. I promise that you will remain anonymous if you wish. I'll see how many I have by next week and either go ahead with it or not depending on how many authors respond to this plea.

Sorry about that (and the bad pun in the title).

Review: Last Stop by Lou Harper

Jay is a young guy who has been travelling from place to place, moving on when his latest guy turns out to be a bastard. He's at a truck stop in the middle of nowhere Montana when he sees a sign at a diner for 'help wanted'. Sam is the owner of the diner and it isn't long before Jay has a job, a place to stay and a new man in his life. Sam, however, is keeping secrets and when Sam's past comes back to haunt him, things take a very dangerous turn.

This turned out to be a story of two halves. The first half is taken up with Sam and Jay getting to know each other, starting a relationship and finding out that both of them are a bit kinky. I really liked this part of the book. Things moved at a steady pace, but I was engaged by both characters. Jay is a bit flighty and does a good job of pretending to be all helpless and innocent when he's anything but. Sam pretty much sees through him from the start, but decides since Jay's not going to be sticking around forever, he might as well have some fun. I liked that Jay manages to quickly get under Sam's skin, and brings out the big protective bear in him. I also liked how this part was used to get information about Jay's past, through his retelling of his adventures with other men. Although Jay does feel sorry for himself sometimes, on the whole these adventures reflect well on Jay showing him to be a bit of a romantic. It's maybe a bit of a stereotype, but Jay comes across as a young guy looking for love and protection, something Sam seems to be able to offer in spades, and so this part appealed to the part of me who likes hurt/comfort, and the part of me who likes feisty submissives.

The second half takes on a more action based plot with Sam and Jay on the run from Sam's past.  Whilst I still enjoyed this part, it didn't appeal to me as much as the first part of the story. I felt that I had to suspend my disbelief a little too much at times, especially when Sam seems to have the means to fix any situation just because he has past 'contacts'.  The bad guys were also a little cartoonish at times.  For the most part, I went with it though and enjoyed the way that the suspense was built up.  This part is also used to tell us about Sam and his past. I liked that the author doesn't pull her punches here and shows that Sam really wasn't a nice guy. Fortunately, we are spared gory details but we are given enough to show the difference between his past life and character and the noble and caring man he is throughout the book.

Another part of the book which appealed to me was the BDSM bent to the sex scenes. Jay isn't in the BDSM 'scene' at all and I loved the way that Sam gradually introduces him to the joys of BDSM. Most of the sex scenes are very tame, so don't let this put you off.  Aside from the sex, I also enjoyed how the author used the theme to tell us things about Sam especially, about his patience and understanding with Jay and also the restrained violence which gets an outlet through pain play.  It meant that the sex scenes were there for a reason and if there wasn't anything extra to show us about the characters then the scenes were fade to black or mentioned obliquely - OK, I admit, this did make me pout a little, but I also understood why the author had gone for the 'less is more' approach!

Overall, I really liked this story. It had two great characters, as well as the D/s dynamic to which I'm partial, whilst providing a story with varied pacing, great dramatic moments and a delightful romance.  It gets a grade of 'Very Good' from me and I'd happily recommend it.

Buy this book HERE.

Review: Fire on the Mountain by PD Singer

This book is a re-release and I reviewed the original book when it was first released three years ago. Most of this review is taken from that original review, except there are changes to this book. The main change is that, although not much has been changed, this book has had a re-edit from the author and has been extended by about 20,000 words. This is reflected in tighter prose and greater depth to the character of Kurt, who I felt was a little idealised and not as well rounded as Jake in the previous version. There's a new opening to the book which establishes the characters and sets the scene more effectively than the original story. Overall, I approve of the editorial changes which have enhanced the story and allowed for better characterisation.

One final change is the addition of a bonus short story which fills us in with an incident involving Kurt before he became a ranger. I definitely approved of this!

Jake is spending his summer season as a forest ranger before heading off to Pharmacy college. His job is to drive through the forest park looking out for the beginnings of forest fires and putting them out before they can catch and do too much damage as well as keep an eye on the various tourists, walkers and occasional scout groups who wander around the park. He is partnered by Kurt who has spent a few years doing this job. Jake and Kurt are basically living in each other’s pockets in a tiny cabin in the middle of nowhere so it’s a good job that they gel and work together. Jake is gay and he finds Kurt, who he believes to be straight, very attractive. He’s managed to keep a lid on his feelings for a few weeks now until something happens to put a spark to his lust for Kurt. The following few weeks are difficult for Jake as he struggles with his raging lust and growing respect and admiration for Kurt, until one day both men are thrown into a life threatening situation and Jake can no longer keep his feelings to himself.

Fire on the Mountain is what you might call a ‘slow burner’ – no pun intended. For most of the book we are treated to descriptions of the daily lives and job of a forest ranger. I didn’t know anything about this job before I read this book, so I found this part completely fascinating. I had no idea about how much effort goes into seeking out potential fire hazards and dealing with them. I also loved the descriptions of the forest park and the simple life that these two men lead, cut off from civilisation. Their peaceful existence is interspersed with some hair raising incidents - not all to do with fighting fires - which adds to the pacing and makes it a real page turner. The quieter moments are spend building the friendship between Jake and Kurt, and in Jake trying to hide his feelings. These were often my favourite parts to the story.

The story is from Jake's first person point of view. I liked Jake very much. He has almost a wide eyed innocence about him and the way he views the world which I found utterly charming. Jake is also somewhat of a naval gazer, being introspective, and he perhaps worries over his problems a little too much, especially later in the book. He has tried so hard not to fall for Kurt because he knows that it will cause a rift in their burgeoning friendship. Once he realises that it is too late and he has a huge case of unrequited lust, he tries to deal with it the only way a man can and takes himself in hand (literally). The number of masturbation scenes in the story is mildly amusing because there’s only so much that can be said about a man masturbating, but I can see why a man in his early twenties may need to let off steam in that way. Although Jake’s naivety was endearing most of the time, when it came to his assumptions about Kurt’s sexuality I was astounded that he didn’t figure it out before he did. Even Kurt is exasperated at what he saw as his obvious attempts to get Jake’s attention:

“I spent most of two weeks trying to get your attention, and you have to ask that? I did everything but drop one wing and run in circles,”

Jake has an obvious case of hero-worship when it comes to Kurt so he comes across as a little too wonderful. Having said that he acts kindly to others, gets on well with people and is an all round ‘nice guy’ so it was very difficult to dislike him at all and, as I said earlier, the new or newly expanded scenes help to give us more about Kurt so that he seems fleshed out and realistic.

Fire on the Mountain really is a special read for me and one that I would highly recommend. The book is tightly plotted with a number of tense, exhilarating action scenes; the relationship between the heroes as friends and then lovers is beautifully done and contains a lovely gentleness which I found delightful; finally the descriptions of the forest park in all its terrible beauty just added to the overall positive feelings I have for this book. I recommend that you read Fire on the Mountain – you won’t regret it.  Grade: Excellent.

Buy this book HERE.

Brief Encounters Reviews Canada Tour

Over at Brief Encounters Reviews we have a couple of exciting weeks coming up where we are going to be profiling some exciting Canadian m/m authors. They may be small in number and polite, but they're feisty and know a good read when they see one. I've posted the schedule below and we have a super give-away package where each other is offering up one of their books to a lucky reader so, one reader per author, lots of chances to win.

 I hope you'll come back everyday and read the interviews along with the reviews and maybe find a new favourite or two (or more) in the bunch. Enjoy.

• June 24 - Kate Sherwood 
• June 25 - Keira Andrews 
• June 26 - Jaime Samms 
• June 27 - Pender Mackie 
• June 28 - KC Burn 
• June 29 - Elizabeth Lister 
• June 30 - Heidi Belleau 
• July 1 - Canada Day Celebration 
• July 2 - Jane Davitt 
• July 3 - Kaje Harper 
• July 4 - ID Locke 
• July 5 - Sue Holston 
• July 6 - GP Keith 
• July 7 - DW Marchwell

Boystown 4: A Time For Secrets by Marshall Thornton

Although this is the fourth book in the Boystown series, it's the first full length novel. The other books have been a collection of two-three novellas. It's also a change in publisher for the series, with the other books published by TQ and this one from MLRP, so don't let that confuse you either.

This book follows on almost directly from book three.  Nick Nowack, our PI hero, is employed by a man, Ronnie, who helped to save Nick and his lover (now ex-lover) Daniel when they were attacked in a gay bashing. Ronnie asks Nick to find the whereabouts of an old lover of his, Vernon. It seems like a simple case but actually turns out to be a huge, dangerous mess for Nick when he discovers the reasons why Ronnie wants to find Vernon.  Nick is torn between avenging the deaths of three men, or staying out of a case which could get him killed.

One of the main plus points of this being a full length novel is that there is a balance between the case and Nick's personal life. In the other books the case seemed to take up most of the pages with Nick's relationship with Harker given little time to grow, but here we find out much more about Nick and Harker.  It meant that Nick's feelings for Harker were also explored in greater depth making Nick seem much less cold-hearted than he may have appeared in earlier books.  Nick is finally admitting that he loves Harker, and isn't coping too well over the fact that Harker has been diagnosed with GRID (Gay Related Immune Deficiency) - something which has been signposted since book 2.  Nick is trying to do his usual thing of pretending he doesn't care, and sleeping around whenever the chance arises. However, it's becoming clear to the reader that these trysts are becoming increasingly tawdry and unfulfilling for Nick, and I've liked the clever way that the author is showing this slight change in Nick, through comparing the opportunistic sex with the tender and loving kind found between Nick and Harker.  We are introduced to a new character in the form of journalist, Christian, who gives Nick a sour taste of his own medicine when Christian attaches himself to Harker. Those scenes made me smile in a wry fashion, as even Nick can see the hypocrisy in his feelings about this.

As always the eighties setting is vividly realised, although this time less through description of setting and fashion and more through the attitudes shown in the characters.  Politics and corruption in particular are highlighted in the book, especially police brutality, with many of the stumbling blocks that Nick faces being due to the actions and ignorance of those who profess to protect the innocent. It gave me a very different view of the 80's than I experienced and at times frustrated me as much as Nick.

The case itself was another plus point, with the longer format allowing things to unfold slowly.  Like the previous books I was exhausted on Nick's behalf as he pounds the streets, looking for clues. The amount of leg work which had to be done then just to find someone seemed overwhelming in the face of today's technology when Googling a person will find more information in seconds than it took Nick to find in several days.  I enjoyed watching Nick puzzle through things and also weigh up how much his conscience could allow him to continue with the case or not.  Often Nick comes across as heartless, self-seeking and cynical, but here we see that he is also dogged and moral. It made me warm to him more than I have in previous stories.

One final thing I liked about this book is that we get to see Nick being vulnerable.  There were several scenes where he allows his emotions to surface, for example talking to his friend Ross about Harker, or seeing his Dad for the first time in three years, that made him wholly human. His confusion about being a couple and doing couply things is also another point where he seems less cold as do his feelings for Harker, his loyalty and fear for the future.  This development in Nick showed a side to him which is increasing my admiration for him as a character, and my admiration for the author who is slowly changing Nick through each subsequent book. Marvellous.

Overall, if you're a fan of the Boystown series then this is a must read. You could even start with this book if you've not read any of the previous books because the only continuity problem would be Nick's relationship with Harker which could be easily picked up.  Be warned though, you'll want to pick up the rest of this series once you read this!  As for me, Nick is fast becoming one of my favourite detective characters.  The fact that we are seeing chinks in that tough, rough, cynical exterior only makes me like him all the more and I shall look forward to seeing more of him in the next book in the series.  Until then, I highly recommend A Time For Secrets with a grade of Excellent.

Buy this book HERE.

Weekly Round Up

About a month ago we had blazing hot weather in the UK. It was so hot, I even had to get my legs out and expose the milk-bottle flesh to poor passers by who were blinded by the sun reflecting off them. Suddenly, in the news all the water companies were panicking, "We have had too dry a winter", they said, "we'll have to implement a hosepipe ban/water rationing".  Since then it's pretty much rained non-stop, with maybe a few days here and there without rain. The temperatures have also been about 5C or more lower than average.

Curse you, water companies, curse you. This is all your fault.

My Reading Week

The Invisible Chains - Part 1: Bonds of Hate by Andrew Ashling
Someone recommended this to me. I think it might have been Chris.  It's been on the TBR pile for a little while and I fancied a fantasy so I decided to give it a read. I'd be hard pushed to set down the plot in a few words but it tells of two half brothers, Anaxantis and Ehandar, who are sent by their king father on what seems like a fools errand to protect the Northern borders of the country.  Anaxantis is weak and sickly and his brother takes full advantage of that. However, after brutal treatment by Ehander, Anaxantis vows revenge and is determined to turn the tables.  There are some very difficult themes in this book, incest for a start - although there's hints that they may not be true brothers - and a pretty horrible rape scene. However, as these events are needed for the story to progress, and also because incest doesn't bother me anyway, I could see why they were included. The book is thick with rich plotting, fully rounded characters, devious plotting and politics, and a hero who I both liked and disliked - he truly was a mix of anti-hero and true hero, and one of the best parts of the book was the conflicted personality of Anaxantis. My only niggle was the excessive head-hopping which jarred me out of the narrative. However, that seemed to be the style that the author was aiming for with an omniscient narrator and so I went with it after a while. The book is first of a trilogy and as such ends on a cliff hanger. I rushed off to buy the sequel and I'm looking forward to that. Grade: Excellent.

Make You Sweat by Pia Veleno
I've read several quite heavy themed books in the last few weeks and mostly fantasy and UF, so I really fancied a light, fluffy contemporary. This hit the spot exactly. I'd had it on the TBR pile after I bought it because of the PL Nunn cover (yes, I'm a total sucker for her covers) and dug it out because I reasoned that anything with a PL Nunn cover tends to be generally light in tone. It was.  The story follows Tyler who is spending his summer before senior year in College with his father who works at a beach resort. He meets Cody and they begin a summer fling. Tyler knows he has to guard his heart because he's going back to College at the end of the summer, plus his Dad doesn't know he's gay.  I like heroes who have some self esteem problems and Tyler was just like this. He's skinny and lacking in muscle and that makes him feel unsexy. I loved the scenes where Cody tried to bolster Tyler's self-esteem and show that he's perfect for him, and I also liked the way that Tyler works hard to try and get fit and improve his own image - it showed an admirable determination.  In fact both characters were nice guys and I liked reading about their romance. The story was a sweet and sexy, undemanding read which was perfect for what I was looking for and I finished the book feeling like I'd had my palate cleansed in a most enjoyable way.  Grade: Very Good.

Also this week I reviewed the excellent Stone Rose by Megan Derr. I was supposed to review A Time For Secrets by Marshall Thornton, but time got away from me and I only finished reading it last night. I'm hoping to put up a review either later today or over the weekend instead.  Over at BER we've just about got the DSP Time Travel stories all reviewed and there are reviews of some highly recommended stories. Do pop over and have a look see.

On Tuesday, I did what I haven't done for ages and wrote a commentary post. It was about my views on blog tours for publicity purposes and it's here if you didn't see it.  Thanks to all of you for the comments. They were really insightful and helpful.

Next Week

I've had a bit of a disaster and mislaid my notebook which has all my review books listed in order of when they get a review, plus the dates for blog tours. I'm hoping it turns up soon because I can't quite remember who's next on my list of reviews. I think it's Last Stop by Lou Harper so I'm going to go with that for a review next week. I shall also review Giving It a Name by Elizabella Gold.

On Tuesday, I plan to do the second post about promotional blog tours - from an author's views this time. Some authors left comments on Tuesday's post, but no-one has emailed me. If you're an author who takes part in these tours could you email me at jenre30ATgmailDOTcom and let me know the positives and negatives of taking part in the tours. I promise to keep your name out of the post if you'd rather be anonymous.

Watch out for a post tomorrow advertising the Canada Fortnight that we have coming up at Brief Encounters Reviews. Tam and Cole have put a lot of hard work into this and I'm very excited about it!

And that's it. I've a busy weekend of toing and froing with the kids but at least I've finished the marking now. Hooray!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Review: Stone Rose by Megan Derr

Stone Rose is the third book in the Lost Gods which I have been enjoying immensely. This book focuses on two minor characters from book 1, Treasure. The first is Culebra who is the mortal incarnation of the god of Death and as such has to keep his eyes bound at all times. One look from Culebra is deadly and as such he is feared as much as he is worshipped for who he is. The second character is the Captain of the Navy, Midori,who in that first book, allows Prince Nankyokukai to escape and as a result is forced out the navy and forced into an uncomfortable life as a diplomat. He travels to Piedre where he meets again with Culebra, who he helped to rescue from the mermaids in book 1, and they act upon a mutual attraction but before anything can come of this, Culebra is kidnapped.

Midori and Culebra are not the only characters in the book which, like the other books in the series, manages to produce an excellent emsemble cast. Culebra's ex-lover and bodyguard, Dario, forms the third in the m/m/m trio, but this aspect is not explored until quite late in the book - although tendrils of the theme permeate the whole book. The final set of characters are Cortez, a female assassin and her friend, Fidel. These five characters form the core characters for the story, although other characters do flit in and out of the story. They move in and around each other with the main part of the story following Culebra and Cortez and the secondary plot following Dario, Fidel and Midori as they try to catch up to the others before tragedy can befall either of them. Although there are several action pieces in the story, the main focus is on character and relationship. I think this is what makes these books so sucessful because the characters breathe life into the story and are so vivid that they almost climb out of the book at you. I especially loved the troubled Culebra, with the intense pressures of his life and the terrible tragedy in his past; and Cortez who was tough as nails, had a terrible past but was also human and honourable in her own way. It was refreshing to see a strong female as a main character in an m/m book.

As well as the wonderful characters, this book also built upon the mythology and world-building of the other books. There were strong ties to the first book in the series, and I suggest that in order to really understand Midori, then that book should be read before this one. The country of Piedre, with its god of Death, is reflected in the dour stone of its cities, uncivilised population and unforgiving countryside. However, there is also laughter and brightness in the interactions between the characters and I didn't feel this was a depressing or heavy book. There were other things about the mythology, such as the importance of snakes and the two opposite groups who seek to either worship or kill the Basilisk Prince, which furthered the setting. I really have been astonished at the level of detail in the setting in all the books in this series and this one is no exception, and yet there is no dumping of information because everything seeps through the story in the thoughts of the characters or the dialogue. Superb.

One final thing I liked was the clever way that all the characters were used as part of the plot, not just in terms of relationships, but as necessary components as each person slotted into their allotted place towards the end of the book. It appealed to me in the pleasing way everything worked out.

This was almost a perfect read for me. Almost. There were a couple of little niggly things which prevented it from hitting that top spot. Firstly, I got a little annoyed with all the typos. Normally typos don't bother me too much when there's one or two, but there were a lot of typos in this book, enough that I began to notice it. Secondly, I felt the m/m/m romance was a little sudden at the end of the book. There had been some preparation for it, as I mentioned earlier, and I understood that all three men were attracted to each other, but in the end the romance was a bit overwhelmed by other events and as such squashed towards the end of the book. I could still see the characters making it in the long run, and maybe future books may show this, but I would have liked more time with all three of the men together before I could be truly happy.

Overall, if you have been following this series then this book is a must read. The complexity of the world building and the strong characterisation hits my like buttons; the mix of quiet reflective parts and action sequences delights me; and I love how bawdy humour, the raucousness of men (and women) accustomed to fighting, and yet the dignity of nobles and royalty and the underhand deviousness of politics and intrigue, all have a place in this book. I highly recommend Stone Rose, with a grade of 'Excellent', and can't wait for the next book in the series, Poison.

Buy this book HERE.

Promotional Blog Hops/Tours: A Blogger's Perspective

Blog hops or tours for promotional purposes seem to have become an important weapon in an author's promotional arsenal these days and I'm a little surprised at how prevalent they have become. At the risk of sounding like an old fart, when I first started blogging nearly four years ago, there were few, if any, promotional blog tours. There were occasional scavenger hunts where a group of authors would get together to coordinate an event over their blogs. Alternatively, an author might use sites, such as the sadly missed DIK blog, to promote a book or they may use a friend's blog to post a promotional post. However, there was nothing like the deliberate, organised blog tours you see today.  I've been involved with a few lately and my experiences have made me consider the validity of such tours for a blogger. What are the good and bad points of opening up your blog for an author to promote their latest book, especially knowing that the next day (or days or weeks) are going to be spent by the author doing exactly the same at a string of other blogs?  With that question in mind, I've decided to set out my thoughts and experiences: The good, the bad and the ugly.

Please bear in mind these are from a blogger's point of view only, not a reader or an author, and refers to blog tours or hops, not occasional guest posts.

The Good

1. It fills in the gaps
Having someone come and do a post at my blog means that I have an extra blog post that week.  If it's true that the more you blog, the more popular your blog becomes, then that extra post helps to keep my followers and readers happy. Once you're on the list as someone who is happy to host a blog tour post then it it can be a regular way of filling in a day's posting and takes some of the pressure off me as a blogger. It also means that I don't have to answer comments on that day as in theory the author should pick up the slack there (more on that later).

2. It allows me to develop relationships with authors
I like making new friends, especially in our small genre.  Allowing someone to post at my blog often means that I exchange a few friendly emails with them and maybe paves the way to get to know them a bit better.  This makes me happy.

3. It brings new people to my blog
If the author who is posting is a popular one - and IF they mention that they are at my blog on their own social network or blog - then I'll have new visitors to the blog that day. That can only be a good thing.  More on this point later too.

The Bad

1. It still means work for me
Once the author sends me the post I still have to format it, paste it into the blog and arrange the pictures.  Blogger hates having stuff pasted into the compose editor and it can be a real faff to do it.  Most authors want working links to their books and social networking sites and this isn't done easily through Blogger either.  Even if the author sends me the most pristine and blogger friendly word document, it takes a while for me to get right for my blog.  Perhaps I should switch to Word Press which is much more MS Word friendly, but for now I have to accept that setting up a guest post still takes time.  Some authors ask for interview questions which takes even more time to prepare. If I'm using a guest post on a day that I normally wouldn't blog - which is what I tend to do - then I have to find time to get organised so that everything is ready in time to post on the right day.

2. Boring/generic posts
Some authors have so many posts to set up and arrange for a tour that they rely on pretty dull generic interview questions, often given to them by their publisher, or they write a short paragraph of something which says a little about the book they are promoting, followed by the blurb and a massive extract from their book - with the blurb/extract often much longer than the original material.  I know this isn't the fault of the author, after all they have sometimes 2 weeks worth of posts to prepare, but it still leaves me with a dull post and doesn't reflect well on me and my blog.

3. The new people don't stay
Going back to my point on how guest posts bring more people - which is the carrot often used by publishers to convince bloggers to be a host for the tour. However, in my experience, whilst I get more visitors on the day of the posting, most of them never follow me or even visit my site again. I've offered prizes which have been won by a first time visitor which have never been collected because they didn't even come back to check and see if they'd won the prize.

The Ugly

1. Having to chase up authors/publishers for posts
I get really annoyed when I have to chase up posts for a blog tour.  I have to say that this doesn't happen when authors approach me directly to do a post, because they tend to be in charge of their own tours and are more invested in being organised, but rather when the post is arranged through a publisher or publicity company who are maybe co-ordinating several tours with different authors.  If I've arranged a date for a guest post then I expect that post to be to me with a couple of days to spare so I can have time to set it up on my blog. I shouldn't have to email people and ask where the post is.  After the last time this happened I decided I wouldn't do this again and that if the blog post didn't arrive then that was the problem of the author not me.  This month I should have had a guest post but nothing arrived and I didn't chase it up, so the posting never went ahead. Even though when I set up the date, the person in question told me that they were desperate for places to host this particular author.  Their loss.

2. Authors who fail to turn up for their own blog tour/promote the tour
This annoys me too. I've had to chase up authors whose tour post I was hosting and ask them to visit the blog and answer comments left by their fans. I shouldn't have to do this and it shows a lack of respect for me and my blog that they haven't been bothered to keep up with their own tour. I especially get cross when the author fails to advertise that they are visiting my blog that day because it means that I won't get any visitors who are fans of the author stopping by - the carrot thing doesn't work then.  Finally, I also get annoyed if, once the author bothers to show up, they leave one comment saying "thanks for your comments" before buggering off never to be heard from again, without addressing the visitor's comments individually,  even if some of the comments have been questions or personal comments to the author.  It shows disdain for the commenters and surely doesn't endear the author to the fans who have bothered to come by and leave a comment.

So there you have it.  Is it worth being a host for a blog tour?  Well I have to admit sometimes not.  By far the best guest posts have been from authors I know, who approach me personally and who have a vested and personal interest in their own blog tours. In future, I think I shall try as much as possible to stick to those types of guests posts rather than being a small cog in a publisher's publicity machine - although, having said that, I have just agreed to host one of those types of posts.  Oops!

Next week, I'd like to turn the tables and look at this issue from an author's perspective. I've already had one author who's been willing to send me her thoughts and I'd love it if more authors could contact me on the good, bad and ugly parts of being involved in a blog tour to publicise your book. Or maybe you don't take part in promotional blog tours and want to share your reasons why you don't.  Please email me at jenre30ATgmailDOTcom and let me have your thoughts. I'll collect them and put them in a post this time next week and I'll only mention you by name if you are happy with that.

As for this post, I know that there are many bloggers who stop by here. Do you allow your blog to be used for promotional blog tours? Have you experienced the same pluses and minuses that I have mentioned above? Overall, would you say that that the experience is a positive or a negative one? Have you tried hosting blog tours and have now given up, and why?  Please do leave a comment and let me know because I'm interested in your experiences.

Weekly Round Up

Yes, I finally made it this week - and no sarcastic comments from the back row about being AWOL for a few weeks, thank you!

Back to school this week for the kids after the half term holiday and back to work too for me. To be honest, I love my kids, but I like the peace and quiet of my office too!  I'm still doing the marking so that's taking up nearly all my spare time, although I'm hoping to have that finished by the end of this weekend. What a relief that will be!

I've had a few new followers this month (OK 3 new followers, but they still count!) *waves*. Thanks for following guys, do leave a comment if you want. I honestly don't bite :).  It's nice to see people still finding me after all this time, especially when the blogging here has been erratic these last few weeks because of the marking.

My reading week

*hangs head in shame*

A Man's Sword by W.M. Kirkland
I squeezed this story in before going to bed one night because I'd read a review by Tam at BER and it sounded like just my thing.  It was.  It was a fun story about a guy who buys a Roman sword, only to find that the original owner, a Roman gladiator, turns up in his basement. I liked the alternating viewpoints, especially from the gladiator's POV when he sees all the modern gadgets.  There were also a few little funny asides about gladiators, and in particular the reference to the Russel Crowe film made me giggle.  It was only short but there was enough to get the guys together and send them off on the road to a new life.  It made me smile and left me feeling happy so I can recommend it if you like time travel stories and need cheering up.  Grade: Very Good.

Aaaaaaaand..... that's it.

Yup. No other reading for me except the two books I reviewed earlier this week - Hard Tail by JL Merrow and Infected: Shift by Andrea Speed - both excellent and highly recommended.  As soon as this marking is done I'm catching up. I read Chris and Tracy's round up of the books they've read during the week and it puts me to shame!

However, if you like Time Travel stories we're reviewing the DSP Daily Dose stories at Brief Encounters at the moment. From the reviews it seems like they're a great bunch of stories this year. Do pop over an have a read of the reviews.

Next Week

I'm definitely doing two reviews again next week. There'll be a review of Stone Rose by Megan Derr, which is the latest in the superb Lost Gods series, and A Time for Secrets by Marshall Thornton, the latest Boystown book.  I'm tinkering with an idea for another blog post too, but that may not happen next week. It depends how much time I get.  Then I will be back for the round up on Friday.

Enjoy your weekend everyone.  The weather in Britain is pretty crappy at the moment and that's set to continue into next week. Oh joy.

Review: Infected: Shift by Andrea Speed

Just a quick warning that there maybe spoilers for the previous books in the Infected series in this review.

After thinking about it, I’ve come to the conclusion that this is my favourite book in this Infected series so far. It’s more assuredly written for a start with a cohesion which has been missing from some of the other books. It’s tighter in terms of pacing, and less inclined to wander off from the plot. I also found that the two parts of the book were more fluid in the way they were connected than in past books and I was pleased to see that some of the niggles I’ve had in the past with the writing were all but ironed out in this book. There’s still the great characterisation, the imaginative and complex setting, and the breathtaking emotion that can be found in the other books but that is now coupled with a maturity in the writing which made the reading experience flow more smoothly.

Shift follows on almost directly from the previous book Freefall. Like the other books, it’s divided into two linked parts. Part one follows Roan as he looks into the death of a murdered transexual woman and in part two he is on the case of a missing spoiled rich kid. Throughout the book, Roan is trying to combat depression and save the world at the same time. His increasingly reckless behaviour, especially after being told his next shift could cause a fatal brain hemorrhage, puts pressure on his relationship with Dylan.

I’ve said in previous reviews that I wasn’t wholly convinced about Roan’s relationship with Dylan, that I thought that Dylan was just too wishy-washy as a character and as a result paled into insignificance alongside Roan. I was pleased to see that this book began to build a little on Dylan as a character. We see some things in his character which showed me a little of why he is good for Roan and that made me a little happier about their relationship. Dylan still comes across as a bit of a mother hen, who spends much time worrying about Roan, but that is tempered by some touching scenes between them. Another reason why their relationship is beginning to feel more solid is that the spectre of Paris is starting to diminish a little. He’s still there in Roan’s heart, and always will be, but I felt that he wasn’t casting as much of a shadow over Roan as he has in the previous two books. I liked this development, although maybe fans of Paris might not be so happy.

Another reason why I enjoyed this book so much was because of the introduction of the ice hockey team. One of the team, Grey, initially employs Roan to look into the death of his friend’s sister, but gradually over the course of the book Roan is introduced to the rest of the hockey team, especially Scott, the team captain, and Tank, the nutcase goalie. These guys provided a breath of fresh air to the series mainly because they provide a completely different type of friendship for Roan. All of Roan’s other friends, with perhaps the exception of Holden, seem to be there so that they can nag at poor Roan and point out how much of a reckless idiot he is. The hockey team, however, like Roan’s recklessness, and even encourage it! So instead of cautioning Roan not to get involved in fights, they jump straight in and fight alongside him. It was all great fun and brought some much needed lightness to the series as a whole, even if it was in the form of a rather black comedy. the book came alive when Roan was with the hockey players and I hope they are going to be a regular feature in the rest of the series.

The more serious side comes from Roan’s adapting body, as he struggles to keep control of the lion inside him. As with the rest of the series, these parts were totally gripping and sometimes very violent. Those who are a little squeamish may not enjoy these parts too much but I loved the visceral action and the almost dispassionate way that Roan describes the changes happening to his body. The story builds on this until a final scene which was very gory and which gave us more insight into Holden as a character.

Overall, this book shows an author coming into her own as the series really picks up the pace. I feel like I’ve missed an awful lot out of this review because I hadn’t had the space to talk about the wonderful development in all the secondary characters, or the way that Roan is deepening his association with Holden or the changes in Roan’s virus, but those who love this series will be able to find that out all for themselves. If you’re an UF fan and you haven’t started this series yet, then you really need to get going because this is turning out to be one of my favourite UF series and shouldn’t be missed.  Grade: Excellent.

Buy this book HERE

Review: Hard Tail by JL Merrow

I started reading this book yesterday during my weekly gymnastics run - no the gymnastics is not for me, but my daughter. If I'm feeling particularly anti-social, instead of staying to watch the gymnastics and chat with the other gym mums, I buy a sandwich (from Asda actually, just like the hero in this book) and sit in the car and read.  This is what I did last night, only to find that this book was so addictive that I was wholly immersed in the story.  So much so, that after dragging myself out of 'book world' to check the time I discovered that an hour and a half had passed and I needed to get back to the gymnastics or I would be late for pick up.  Then, after returning home whilst thinking about the book all the way back, I barely gave hub a wave before I was back in the book. Then I was late to bed because I HAD to finish it before I went to bed.  The bedtime conversation was like this:

Hub: Are you coming to bed?
Me: No, I need to finish this book and I still have 40 pages to go.
Hub: Why don't you leave it until morning?
Me: Because I won't sleep until I finish it!

It's a good job that the Euro 2012 football is on TV at the moment otherwise hub would have been very miffed that I'd ignored him all evening.

Anyway, after that lengthy and possibly pointless introduction, you will hopefully get the idea that this book was compulsive reading.

The story centres around Tim, who, after his wife leaves him for another man, moves temporarily from London to Totton, a small town on the edge of the New Forest to look after his brother's bike shop whilst his brother is in hospital with a broken leg.  The other worker in the shop is Matt, who assembles and mends bikes.  Matt's a nice guy but awfully clumsy and Tim finds himself attracted to Matt.  Unfortunately Matt's already taken and, besides, Tim isn't sure he's ready to tell everyone that he's gay after being a supposedly happily married man for so long.

There are a few interlocking themes in the book but two main themes that stood out for me.  The first is Tim's coming out.  Tim is someone who, due to various reasons, has decided to suppress his homosexuality. Kate leaving him and the move away from London acts a catalyst for Tim who decides that he could try coming out slowly and safely among people he doesn't really know.  Of course, this all backfires rather and the fun of the story is following Tim as he blunders around trying to be cool and sensible about being gay, whilst on the other hand, living in fear about his parents or brother discovering his secret before he can 'experiment' with the idea.  Tim is a very endearing character who seems to be constantly putting his foot in it, or more entertainingly being completely oblivious about the fact that he's not being particularly subtle in giving away his feelings.  There were a few scenes where I laughed out loud at his behaviour or the situations he gets into.  More than this though was my utter delight at the way that the author uses situation to further Tim as a character.  Each embarrassing situation or new experience moved him further on in his journey towards happiness and fulfillment, and I was pleased when I got to the end of the book and saw how much more content Tim was with his life.

The second theme is that of partner abuse.  The book is taken from Tim's first person point of view, and as is typical for him, it takes him a while to clue into the fact that Matt's bruises are not all due to his natural clumsiness.  It's easy for the reader to pick up on it though because the author does such a good job in showing Matt's embarrassment, shame and even slight fear whenever his injuries are mentioned that even through Tim's eyes the theme remains strong and realistic.  I liked that despite never seeing Matt and Steve together we are able to see the effect of the abuse, the lies, the excuses, recriminations and the defeat of someone who suffers from abuse.  It was handled sensitively and with a deft touch that made it real without becoming too heavy and dragging down the generally lighthearted tone of the book.

There were other themes and characters to like too, as well as Tim and Matt.  Tim's family were a total delight and showed a realistic family dynamic.  Jay, Tim's brother, is the attention seeker of the family and I liked the way we are shown how Tim's personality has been affected by his larger than life brother.  Alongside Tim's family were Matt's friends, especially Adam who showed Tim the pleasures gained in male companionship and relationships of both a platonic and sexual nature. The fact that Tim mentions no-one from his life in London, except for Kate and Alex, was very telling about just how lonely and isolated he must have been and I loved seeing Tim grow and flourish as he makes new friends in Totton.  There's even a cameo appearance from Luke and Russell from Pricks and Pragmatism, which is used as a way of forwarding the plot and I was pleased to have a quick revisit of that couple.

The final thing that I liked a great deal was the way the romance develops between Tim and Matt.  They become friends first, and it is the attraction that Tim feels for Matt that begins his process of re-evaluating his life and coming out of the closet.  There were a number of lovely scenes where the pair just spend time with each other, the attraction and desire crackling between them, before either of them made a move.  I love books with a slow build-up and it made it all the more satisfying when the pair were able to act on their attraction.

So as you can see, this is a book that I enjoyed immensely and there was so much more I could say about it that I haven't put into this review. Things like how much I enjoyed the way the setting was described, in that I felt I was actually there through the vivid description of place; or the way that the narrative was so perfectly paced that I never felt that the story dragged or was rushed; or that the author has pitch perfect 'blokey dialogue (the scenes with Tim and Adam were both funny and wholly realistic); or even that I liked the way that Tim's marriage and especially Kate is shown.  Let's face it, I pretty much loved this book overall, and whilst it might not have surpassed Muscling Through as my favourite JL Merrow book, it's come a close second.  I'd highly recommend Hard Tail to those looking for an entertaining romance with a big heart and a very likable narrator.  A word of warning though, you may wish to set aside a chunk of time before you start it! Grade: Excellent.

Buy this book HERE.

Review: Carny's Magic by KZ Snow

This is a real treat for me. A book featuring Adin and Jackson, one of my favourite m/m couples. I was so excited to read this that I could barely contain myself. In the end I did enjoy the book a great deal but was slightly underwhelmed by the romance between Carny and Peter.

The book begins with our first person narrator, nineteen year old Carny. He's decided to leave his abusive home and apprentice himself to a wizard, none other than Jackson Spey, star of many K.Z. Snow books. Jackson isn't so happy to see Carny, but is intrigued by the 'red paths' that Carny has been seeing leading to Jackson's house. When Carny meets the ethereally beautiful Peter and starts to form a relationship, he's baffled by Peter's odd mood swings, something else which intrigues and worries Jackson.

The book is structured in three parts. The opening and closing parts are all from Carny's first person POV. I liked Carny a great deal. He's a spunky, punky guy with a slight sarcastic streak and a habit of speaking his mind without thinking - which led to a few funny moments in the book. He's also full of that fascinating mix of bravado and insecurity which comes from being nineteen. His emotions are sometimes all over the place which fit well with his age, and yet this is tempered by a growing self awareness of himself as a young man which manifests itself as a chiding inner voice telling himself to man up and be more mature. There was never a dull moment with Carny and I enjoyed being in his head and watching him muddle his way through the situations in the book.

The middle section takes the alternating third person POVs of Adin and Jackson. This worked for me because I felt that it was necessary to see the struggles that the pair are facing as their relationship is put under strain. It's also important because some of the 'detecting' in the book, as they try to discover the whereabouts of the sorcerer, comes from Jackson and Adin and that aspect would have been lost to the reader if we only had Carny's point of view. It reminded me again how much I love Jackson and Adin as a couple. However, the middle section of the book is where the romance between Carny and Peter is solidified and so we miss out a little on that development. Their romance moves quickly and because of the forces which are affecting Peter it's not always clear how he feels about Carny - and there's a vagueness about Peter which fits with the story but didn't allow me to see exactly what attracted Carny to him, other than stunning good looks. This meant that the love that Carny professes to have for Peter wasn't wholly convincing to me because I felt that most of it was fueled by lust and the extreme emotions of a teenager and I wished there had been more after the denouement showing them together.

One final niggle is whether this book is accessible to those who have not read any of the previous books. I think maybe just, given that most of the book is seen through Carny's eyes. However, there's a lot of back story between Jackson and Adin that a newbie to the series will not understand and this could potentially be frustrating. Being a Jackson/Adin devotee meant that I got maximum enjoyment out of seeing them together and knowing how the history between them has shaped the couple they are in this book. Those who are curious to know where to begin, I suggest Obsessed (review here) as that is where they first come together as a couple.

This author is an autobuy for me, and all the things I love about her writing are here in this book. The blend of humour and drama; the ability to capture an emotional moment; the gripping action scenes; all combined to provide a story which I found very enjoyable and I would recommend Carny's Magic, with a grade of 'Very Good', definitely to those who have followed the Jackson/Adin stories, but also to those looking for an entertaining paranormal book.

Buy this book HERE.

Holiday Reading

It was a bit of a mixed camping experience for me this time.  Saturday was bloody cold. About 7C maximum during the day and I spent the day wrapped in as many layers as I could, shivering in my tent.  Things picked up after that though and it was even rather pleasant on Monday and Tuesday.  We came home a day early because the forecast was for lots of rain on Wednesday and I'm still recovering.

Reading wise, I didn't get a lot done because we were pretty busy getting out and about as much as possible to keep warm. I managed two books and started a third - Summer Knight by Jim Butcher, but I won't finish that now until my next camping trip.

Turnskin by Nicole Kimberling
This has been on the TBR pile since October 2010 when I bought it at Yaoicon. It's a fantasy book set in a world where humans and shifters live alongside each other. Shifters are furry people who can manipulate their bodies to take on any form and as such they are sometimes looked on with suspicion. Our hero, Tom, is half shifter/half human and a playwright. He is accused of murder and so flees from the country to the city where he meets his cousins who run a theatre.  There's lots in the story about deception, changing your identity and gender fluidity which I found very interesting. It's also a smashing good story with characters who delighted and amused. Tom is a sweetheart and his innocent earnestness was endearing. I also liked his cousins and the way they brought in the theme of family verses being alone.  All in all I enjoyed the book a great deal and would recommend it to those looking for a well written fantasy with strong world building (as is to be expected with this author) and a story which is in turns funny, witty, romantic and very engaging with a core of a serious message about looking below the surface.  Grade: Excellent.

The Lady Most Likely by Julia Quinn, Connie Brockway and Eloisa James
Don't faint but, yes, I read a m/f historical. I had it in my pile of books to read after buying it a while ago now. It was a fun, lighthearted story about a horse mad Lord who, after a near death experience, decides he needs to marry and pass on his genes. He asks his sister to draw up a list of eligible ladies and she offers to throw a house party.  The story then follows three couples as they find love at the party, each one written by a different author.  I thought this was a fun take on the old anthology type books which Avon used to (and still do) produce. The connected story worked well and I enjoyed watching the three couples come together.  Really, the whole experience was like slipping into a pair of comfortable slippers, and reminded me why I used to read books like these in droves.  One thing that surprised me was how tame the book was, with only one oblique sex scene. I think I've been corrupted :).  Overall, though an easy read which took me less than a day to read, with three sets of engaging couples and lots of fun and froth.  Grade: Very Good.

And that's it for books.  I'm camping again at the end of July and it better be warmer!

Not a Weekly Round Up

I know, I know, I didn't do one of these last week either. Blame the dreaded marking which is sucking up all my free time. 

I'm not going to be around in the next 5 days or so because I'm going on one of my camping trips.  Usually we go in the last weekend in May because that is when the UK has a bank holiday. However, this year, because of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the bank holiday has been moved to this coming weekend.  Last weekend the weather was glorious with temperatures of 25C and no rain.  This weekend it's rainy, cloudy and with temperatures of between 12-15C.  Ironic, much.  In fact it's just given my hugely anti-royal hub something else to dislike about the Queen.

At least the camping gives me an excuse to read some of the paperbacks from my TBR which are gathering dust on my shelves. I promise I'll do a post about that next week.  Plus I shall be reviewing Carny's Magic by KZ Snow.

Have a great weekend everyone and if you've got the bunting out, I hope you have some great Diamond Jubilee celebrations.