Impulse buy for a road trip but I got tired of it at about 58%. It's written in this overblown, overly descriptive, over the top, purple prose style tImpulse buy for a road trip but I got tired of it at about 58%. It's written in this overblown, overly descriptive, over the top, purple prose style that I'm not a fan of. There's not a bit of realism between these two guys. (view spoiler)[ Their first time Caleb says didn't need lube because he's so hot for Darce that he had his own natural lubrication. (hide spoiler)] It's got a soap opera like feel to it as well. May try to finish it later but for now not working for me....more
2.5 Stars I think this book had something to say about art & artists and how it can consume a person but as a romance, it kind of sucked The writing 2.5 Stars I think this book had something to say about art & artists and how it can consume a person but as a romance, it kind of sucked The writing was fine for the most part, but half the time I couldn't figure out who was saying what. If I have to keep backtracking to figure it out then it will take me out of the story.
While Jesse and Maryboy are interesting characters we don't get to know them very well. Maryboy is a former marine and Native American who wants to be a cartoonist. I don't think we really learn much more than that. Jesse comes across as spoiled and selfish & it's vaguely mentioned he has a past history of using & discarding men & sleeping with his models. He lies to Mary about the status of his relationship with Sam, and doesn't hesitate to use Mary as well. In fact, I think what he does is pretty despicable.
(view spoiler)[ He painted a giant picture of Maryboy naked & wounded as if he's a victim of War. He did this without permission. He uses Maryboy's marine status to make his anti-war point. He also deliberately uses him because he's Native American. When Maryboy is upset when he finds out about this, which is after the painting has been sold, Jesse says he's sorry. When Maryboy says he feels violated because Jesse uses his marine uniform without permission he leaves without responding. Then afterwards, Jesse proves how sorry he's really not, when he uses the painting as a gigantic backdrop as he speaks at a peace anti war Rally that's aired all over the country. All, again without permission.
I think using someone's military status and their race to make political statements without their permission is really not forgivable.
In contrast, there's an earlier scene where Maryboy is considering using Jesse's face in his cartoon but decides not to because he thinks that's wrong to do to him. He thinks that image that he made would last a while and it wouldn't be fair to Jesse. It's too bad Jesse never cares enough to think the same thing about Maryboy. (hide spoiler)]
To make matters worse, Jesse doesn't really change the shallow self centered person he appears to be to win Maryboy back. Instead we have the everything is forgiven because someone is in the hospital scene. (I'll have to find that listopia & add this book to that list) Maryboy just crumbles and does everything Jesse wants and that's how the issue is resolved. It was very unsatisfying.
Jesse gets called on his lies about Sam, his manager, and he responds by saying Maryboy is too controlling. There's more but I'll just say that by the last third of this book I wasn't rooting for this relationship. I think this book is OK for those who can get behind the thinking that the end justifies the means, artists are self centered people & it's fine if they use people to get what they want and if you like lukewarm one sided romance. (view spoiler)[ Considering American history of relations with Native Americans & what's been appropriated without permission, it's troubling that it's the white artist who appropriates the Native American image of his boyfriend & all it represents & uses it for his own personal agenda and for profit. The fact that he never answers for this but is allowed to 'cute' his way out of it by flashing his blue eyes and blond curls, is what I consider the huge failing of this novel. (hide spoiler)] ...more
This is a very enjoyable coming of age story filled with lots of warm humor and pathos. Tyler is the star of the novel trying to navigate his way fromThis is a very enjoyable coming of age story filled with lots of warm humor and pathos. Tyler is the star of the novel trying to navigate his way from childhood to adulthood trying to accept the limitations of the people in his life from a father who denies he's gay, a mother who missed most of his childhood to a best friend who's fighting her own demons. The disappointments in Tyler's life instead of leaving him despondent and passive, instead fuels his belief that not only does he deserve love but that he should actively pursue it.
The object of his desire is Billy Greske, a popular high school drama student. Tyler's quest for love with detours and errors along the way is at the heart of this story. Some of it is laugh out loud funny and some of it is quite sad. It's a snapshot of that point in one's life when you truly might need to hear it gets better.
This book was easy to read with a writing style that vividly captured the images of Tyler, his best friend Jenny, Billy and the others. I think it would appeal to a wide age range from teen to adult and I certainly recommend it as a worthwhile read. ...more
This started off good with an interesting premise. Can two people who are both cheated on by the same guy, find happiness together. Can a relationshipThis started off good with an interesting premise. Can two people who are both cheated on by the same guy, find happiness together. Can a relationship built out of anger, mistrust & a need for revenge, survive & grow into something more. What we actually get as the novel proceeds is the ex, Jake, acting in a cliched manner, lots of sex between Nathan and Zach, and a lot of conversation that revolves around what Jake did to them.
The other bone of contention between the two MC are trust issues. It's bought up over and over only to be set aside and left unresolved in order to have another sex scene. By the end when it's bought up again, I was becoming convinced that while Zach & Nathan certainly had good chemistry and may even love each other, they probably weren't a good match. A person with trust issues like Nathan, would probably be better off with a partner who had a clean slate and not part of the drama he had with his ex. Just as I'm thinking that, the two are back together and the books ends.
In summary, I liked the story idea but I could have done with more conversations between the two main characters & a more satisfactory resolution to the one issue between Zach and Nathan. Really--this was the only issue (unless you count the projector that kept breaking down. I kept waiting for an explanation for why we kept reading about that. Sabotage? Ghosts? Anything? ) It's baffling why either one of these storylines was just left hanging at the end....more
4.5 Stars I must say I put up little resistance to this book because once I started I had to read it all the way through. It's not like this was a sus4.5 Stars I must say I put up little resistance to this book because once I started I had to read it all the way through. It's not like this was a suspense novel but there's something about watching commitment shy Ryan's efforts to stay uninvolved with Jayden that made me have to know, what's going to happen next.
Ryan has lived happily by the rules of one night hook ups and no repeats for years. When he stumbles across Jayden one night he thinks it's more of the same, but he quickly finds out Jayden doesn't like to play by the rules. Ryan finds himself drawn to Jayden but tries to fight this attraction at every turn.
Jayden has a warm, likable and engaging personality. He is not a doormat character but he likes Ryan and is willing to put up with some of his nonsense until one day he's not. It's at this point that Ryan must decide if he's willing to put himself out there, let go of all of his fears and do what it takes to win Jayden back. Ryan has a couple of friends who try to push him in the right direction.
There are a few stumbles made by Ryan on the road to happiness and he does some things that may be unacceptable to some readers. But This is one of those cheesy, romantic stories that just happens to push all the right buttons for me
I may write a review later but the blurb covers the story pretty well. Suffice to say, this story of alien Ash who comes to earth to search for his miI may write a review later but the blurb covers the story pretty well. Suffice to say, this story of alien Ash who comes to earth to search for his missing sister & in the process, meets his soulmate Conn, could have benefited from eliminating some of the POV of the minor characters in the story. Also before when I thought of Vermont, I think maple syrup & fall colors. Apparently I missed the gang problems. I did end up liking this story mainly due to Ash & Conn.
For more coherent reviews see Nikyta & Bubbles reviews which pretty much covers it. ...more
4.5 Stars This is a really strong debut novel filled with a lot of warmth and wit. Essentially this is the story of a young man of 17/18, Bear, who is4.5 Stars This is a really strong debut novel filled with a lot of warmth and wit. Essentially this is the story of a young man of 17/18, Bear, who is left to raise his younger brother after their mother abandons them. He somehow finds a way to make it work with the help of girlfriend Anna, his best friend and his best friend's brother Otter. I like what this story has to say about what a real family is all about. The main thread of the story, however, is Bear's buried feelings for Otter, which all comes to a head several years later.
The author chose to do a non-linear style of writing which is a risky way to do it, especially for a new author. This essentially means that we have present day Bear who often reflects back on what previously happened to explain his actions. This leads to some repetition of scenes, words & thoughts which drives home the emotional points of the novel. This works for the most part, as when Otter's mantra about his feelings for Bear is periodically repeated throughout the book. It's less successful when we repeat things like the contents of the letter that Bear's mother left. I think the author needs to have more faith that the readers will remember the important stuff & we don't always need a recap.
The emotional content of this novel is high with Ty, the kid, often used as comic relief. Bear, Otter and the kid are all really lovable characters. As many have pointed out, the kid doesn't act like a kid in a lot of ways. I know what a kid like this, the precociously smart ones, would be like, but I'm not sure that even they would be able to understand the nuances of an adult relationship the way this one does. But he's still a great character in the story.
This is a really good story. It had the potential to be a great story with just a bit of ruthless editing(I'm hoping the author keeps this in mind for the sequel--do not be afraid to cut) I still really loved it....more
This was a fun story high on romance (very non-explicit), action and adventure, a kind of romantic comedy sci fi. Tough marine Eve Marcori has semi adThis was a fun story high on romance (very non-explicit), action and adventure, a kind of romantic comedy sci fi. Tough marine Eve Marcori has semi adopted Kintaro (he has no family & Eve was friends with his mother) & rescued him. She considers him her little brother & Taro doesn't want to disappoint her, but at heart he doesn't want the life she's planned for him including college. He's too restless, gets into bar fights, gambles & is a pickpocket. He's also hiding the fact that he's gay from her. Taro, due to his life experience, appears older than his age, which at the beginning is only a few days away from turning 16.
Taro is assigned to pick up and look after a new 'baggage,' Rafe. Rafe is another one of Eve's rescue (from the sex industry-he's called a joy boy) & her former lover for a brief time. Rafe turns out to be a playboy, a womanizer & an incorrigible flirt who Taro finds attractive but annoying & thinks is totally useless. He plots & schemes to get rid of him. The convergence of Kintaro's plot & Rafe's womanizing ways catching up with him results in them getting kidnapped & being forced to work together & for them to see each other differently. It also causes Taro to evaluate what & who he wants for his future.
Rafe is not exactly a typical romantic hero. He is in some ways as useless as described, flirts way too much and when he does try to help usually ends up almost getting himself or Kintaro killed. But he is a very caring person as well. Kintaro is the opposite in terms of competency. He's a trained fighter, a survivor and a gambler who decides to make his biggest bet yet on something he finds himself thinking he cannot afford to lose, Rafe.
The story has a complete but slightly HFN ending. There is a another story from Rafe's point of view, that I will be checking out. That one takes place 2 years later.
Recommended for those looking for a nice romantic space adventure. ...more
3.5 starsThis is a very carefully told story about Evan who is a stone mason who discovers that he has the ability to make stone come alive and wakes 3.5 starsThis is a very carefully told story about Evan who is a stone mason who discovers that he has the ability to make stone come alive and wakes up the gargoyles around him. This is a forbidden talent as Evan lives in a time where the church has the power & has forbidden these activities and actively seek to destroy gargoyles. Things start coming to a head when Evan wakes up Adel, a gargoyle that has been asleep for centuries, and finds that he will do anything to keep him from being destroyed.
The writing style used is reminiscent of some YA novels (with sex scenes) & this first novel in a possible series, is definitely the setup one. We're given information on what gargoyles are like, what makes someone a maker, who are the enemies etc. You're given enough that you won't get lost trying to follow the storyline and the cast of characters are limited to mainly the gargoyles, evil enemies & Evan.There is some action but it never reaches quite to a boiling point until near the end of the novel. You do sense the author has some definite (anti ?) religious agenda at times (kind of like if an environmentalist wrote a futuristic story--then it would be all about how the earth was destroyed because of what we did to it)
This book is a promising start & I'll be interested to see where the next one takes us. ...more
3.5 STARS This featured two likable characters & a host of interesting side character with Sawyer's friend Bruce being a scene stealer. There was a lo3.5 STARS This featured two likable characters & a host of interesting side character with Sawyer's friend Bruce being a scene stealer. There was a lot of repetitive stuttering starts & stops to the relationship between Sawyer & Marc. There were too many ridiculous interruptions which the writer used to build tension (and not much more) between the couple. Marc is rather frustrating as a closeted character although there was an attempt of an explanation for it. It's easier to believe that a person would stay closeted because of certain professions like acting, politics & religion. It's just harder to swallow that someone into house restorations would be one of those professions. Also, Marc's father was way OTT and didn't seem to match earlier descriptions of him as being merely thoughtless & indifferent. The story in the end was competently written & had a nice flowing quality to it. Recommended for those looking for a slow building nice romance story. ...more
This book has a lot going for it & it's fun to read. Cole Kenjiro is a half Japanese private investigator recruited by his brother to investigate the This book has a lot going for it & it's fun to read. Cole Kenjiro is a half Japanese private investigator recruited by his brother to investigate the apparent suicide of a Korean businessman. In this case, the ethnicity of the characters matter & is not just wallpaper for the story. The more Cole starts to investigate, the more trouble starts to find him. Cole has to deal with this, his attraction to Jae Min, the dead man's cousin who is not all that he seems at first, & the fact that he's not completely over the death of his lover. Cole is scarred both on the outside & inside.
The focus on the story is equally on the mystery & the romance & the story is filled with various likable, funny & colorful characters. The ones that stand out besides Cole & Jae Min are Cole's brother Mike, his secretary Claudia, Scarlet & Bobby. And there's even an evil(in Cole's eyes) ball of fur (a cat) that has a few memorable cameo appearances. Cole is the narrator of the story & he has a nice self deprecating sense of humor throughout the book.
The action part of the story is the over the top kind, where most of us would be laid up for a month trying to recover. Our heroes instead, are able to walk away & despite the bumps & bruises, manage to just keep on ticking. This aspect requires a little suspension of belief. The actual mystery is interesting & I wasn't able to pick up on the person who did the crimes. That may be because everything is shown through Cole's eyes so we only know what he sees.
I like that we delve somewhat into the Korean & Asian culture & their attitudes towards homosexuality. Cole & Jae Min are not perfect characters which makes them a little more interesting to read about. Everything is not totally tied up at the end. We have a happy but leaning more towards HFN ending. There is also a little bit of mystery still unresolved over the death of Cole's lover Rick & his friend Ben. Since this is going to be part of a continuing series, I'm assuming the next book may cover that more. I'll be checking that one out as soon as it's available. ...more
I'll start by saying that everyone has different limits on what's acceptable for a romance story & I hit a wall in the middle of this story when thereI'll start by saying that everyone has different limits on what's acceptable for a romance story & I hit a wall in the middle of this story when there was a significant portion of time spent in the torture of one of the main characters. The scenes were protracted & overly long & got to the point of being ludicrous. I don't need to have the hero of the story brutally mutilated & tortured for my entertainment. It also starts getting impossible to believe that you can put someone back together after you've broken them, in the short space of time allotted in the book. I'm all for expanding my comfort zone but I see no value in me coming to a point to find torture acceptable & to me becoming so desensitized to it that this is OK in romance.
In terms of this story, the torture scenes also served to highlight other issues I had with this book which is it is very inconsistent in tone. At the beginning it's almost a meet cute story between Shigure & kenneth. The two characters from their description on to how they behave have a cartoonish quality to them. They had very stereotypical characteristics as well, the pretty head in the clouds boy with odd eyes & the big tattooed tough guy. I kept picturing manga comic book drawings or a Yaoi style to them. Shigure is in the Yakuza, but we never see them doing any 'bad things.' It's presented almost like an all boys club rather than a criminal organization. It's a very romanticized version of Yakuza.
Just when you're settling for this cutesy style Yakuza story, the story abruptly switches to this brutal torture story during which Shigure comes across not as the leader of a criminal organization, but someone operating like a chicken with his head cut off. He misses the obvious clues to the identity of the criminal rogue. It's as if the writer cuts to him, only to take a mini break from the torture scenes, then goes back to it with this criminal mastermind that's apparently harder to kill than the Terminator.
Then when we're finished with the torture, the tone switches again & just like that, after a couple of nightmares, they're having sex again because we're now back to the romance portion of the book where sex & love can cure anything. PTSD is dismissed as something you can just get over. Within a month it's all fine & the book ends as in a scene from some comedy script.
Throughout the book, there's a lot more sex scenes than I was expecting. A lot of it had an odd element to it of Kenneth having to prove himself & being tested by Shigure. I have no idea why. After almost every one of them , Shigure is regretful about being harsh--then he does the same thing over again. It was very exasperating.
In the end I found the weird mix of tones from cutesy, cuddly, to brutal violence to everything is fine now to comedy just made for a very annoying book. Lots of people loved this story. It just wasn't for me.
This book failed for me on several levels. When you start off with an unlikable protagonist like Kellen & a closed one like Nate you're starting off iThis book failed for me on several levels. When you start off with an unlikable protagonist like Kellen & a closed one like Nate you're starting off in a romantic hole that the writer needs to dig themselves out of. Kellen is obnoxious, immature & shallow. He wants to get back at his dad so he's going to pretend to be gay & get himself a gay boyfriend. He picks out Nate, a man he was friends with for several years until the year Nate came out as gay. Then he deserted him & witnessed him getting gay bashed without ever helping. His explanation when asked doesn't go any deeper than 'not everyone is perfect like you' to 'you never let anything go.' 2/3 of the way in we finally get some kind of explanation but it feels false like the writer is digging out of that aforementioned hole.
The way the premise of pretending to be gay is handled is also borderline offensive. But it gets the approval of the happy gay guy in the story which is the writerly way of making it OK.
As for the romance, a Goodread reviewer here called it like an extended game of gay chicken, and I really can't come up with a better description. It's all I dare you, I'm going to win, who's going to crack first etc. Kellen & Nate had little chemistry & Kellen transition from straight to gay was not convincing. This book felt like formulaic GFY romance 101 without much heart. ...more
for GB Q3 picked by MandyM. Sometimes in romances where kids are involved, they can overtake the story & make it all too sticky sweet. This one avoidefor GB Q3 picked by MandyM. Sometimes in romances where kids are involved, they can overtake the story & make it all too sticky sweet. This one avoided this problem (just by a hair). The kids are just cute enough without causing cavities, the ex is just mean enough without becoming an arch villainess & the two men Peter & Aaron are just hot enough when they finally get together. This one was an enjoyable story. ...more
For the GB Q3. This felt a little like a chick lit book, but instead of the aimless young woman with no more on her mind than finding the perfect shoeFor the GB Q3. This felt a little like a chick lit book, but instead of the aimless young woman with no more on her mind than finding the perfect shoes, job & mr. right, you have Luke Corbin who casually exchanges sex with rich men for the finer things in life & to complete his university education. Luke is so good hearted about the whole thing that it doesn't even seem like prostitution.
After his last ejection, he rooms in with Russell, who is the first person who helps Luke without thoughts of anything in return. Russell is a nerd, a social outcast and not that attractive (a true rarity in m/m romance) but they slowly build a true friendship with both hearts eventually becoming involved. It's a nice story but a little short with an abrupt HEA ending. I think we needed more explaining of Russell & more time spent with the two characters after they finally got together. ...more
Loading...
