Month: September 2009

Screen Shots: Slinky by Willa Okati

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Screen Shots 3: Slinky by Willa Okati 

Blurb:
Ross, the All-American "boy next door," is a long-established star of twentysomethingtwinks.com. He’s settled into his comfort zone. Maybe too much so. He needs shaking up and waking up.

Maddox thinks he’s the perfect man for the job. Unfortunately for him, Ross doesn’t. Ross can’t see anything happening between himself and a crazy punk, but he’s wrong. Ross and Maddox have the kind of on-screen and off-screen chemistry no one can deny. It doesn’t hurt that Maddox is amazingly flexible and can do things in bed that’d blow a monk’s mind.

When vanilla meets Rocky Road, it’s a taste sensation and exactly what Ross discovers he’s been craving. But can he find it in himself to take what he and Maddox have to the next level?

 

[I hate these covers because it looks like a pixelated avatar from the SIMS. Someone also pointed out that using "Directed by" actually violates conditions of the Directors Guild of America. Oops. Nice catch Changeling.]

 

Review:

By this third installment of the Screen Shots series, the pattern has pretty much been established. A newcomer to the twentysomethingtwinks.com group will hook up with an established performer and end up feeling some deeper emotion than just the have sex on camera for cash deal. Sometimes that union is easy and practically seamless and sometimes there is a little drama thrown in. Very likely the series will continue with other various groupings and the only difference are the main couples. While this pattern may become staid and a bit predictable, the fun characters, incredibly hot sex, and witty dialogue make this a highly enjoyable series – even if it lacks much depth and weight. Slinky is no different with some quirky men, page burning sex, and pure unadulterated fun between the pages.

This particular offering focuses on the incredibly flexible newcomer, Maddox, that has entered the group with his eyes on All-American Boy Ross. Maddox is determined to have Ross, both on camera and off, and before Ross really knows what hit him – he’s too wrapped up in the tattooed, crazy hair, utterly insane Maddox to stop.

In this story, Ross and Maddox are the focus to the point that unlike other stories, neither Ross nor Maddox have sex with anyone else within the pages of the book. Other stories in the series are always careful to show that while relationships may happen, the men still engage in casual sex on camera as their jobs. The point is always hammered home that these men are somehow able to separate sex as their job with close friends versus sex at home with someone you love. Here, that is less the focus and the story instead caters to Ross’ initial confusion and wary attraction to the off the wall antics of Maddox. Maddox slowly draws Ross out of his shell and into more adventurous areas but always with the security that Maddox knows what it means to Ross to take those chances and to be with someone outside of a scene.

This does create a relationship between the two, independent of their work. Also the final scene shows the sheer love of men to be voyeurs, well these men anyway. None of them really want to give up their jobs of casual sex – they’re not only good at it but they love what they do. There is no attempt to justify their actions in this story, instead hot sex and a lot of it with some fascinating characters carries the narrative. There are of course scenes with other men from the company that slide in out with quick dialogue and teasing, always reminding the reader of previous matchups and potential ones in the future.

These may be harmless, fluff pieces of fun but they are incredibly entertaining and exactly that – fun. Although the series doesn’t really satisfy my curiosity in establishing how the men differentiate between work and relationships (they’re all friends with benefits), by now I can ignore that qualm and just enjoy the various couplings as they emerge.  Fans of the series definitely won’t be disappointed with a return to the lighter, easier tone of this book and will devour the many erotica scenes included. There are several small editing mistakes, misspellings and etc, but these are minor and shouldn’t impact the enjoyment of the story. I easily recommend the new book in the series. You’ll want to read about the human slinky, especially the soccer scene.

Get it HERE!

Screen Shots 1: Seduced Review
Screen Shots 2: Smolder Review

 

Nowhere Diner: Finding Love by TA Chase

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Nowhere Diner: Finding Love by TA Chase

Blurb:
Leaving Minnesota, Timothy Gapin doesn’t have any plans except getting as far away from all the memories as he can before his money runs out. His secret lover has married, breaking his heart and making him chose a life in the open rather than a relationship built on lies.

Little does Tim know that four days later he would grab dinner at a diner and find a place to stop. Somehow this diner in the middle of nowhere becomes his home and the people who work there his family. In addition to the workers at the diner, Tim meets Bernie Capley, a long-haul trucker who isn’t all he seems to be.

Falling in love with Bernie is easy for Tim, but the past has a way of barging into the present, forcing decisions that affect their future…

 

gay paradise where the lube runs free…

The Master Series: Book 1 – Devil’s Spawn by Sarah Masters

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The Master Series: Book 1 – Devil’s Spawn by Sarah Masters

Blurb:
Vincent’s life is turned upside down with the return of Julian. Will Vincent find out why Julian is really called The Master?

After an altercation with Vincent, Julian leaves the ton as captain of Le Frai de Démon, trading his wares in foreign parts. Two years pass, two years of Vincent abstaining from sex and mourning the loss of his love.

Week nights, gay men gather in Devil’s Spawn, Julian’s club, and though Vincent doesn’t partake in sexual contact, he visits the club as a way to bring Julian closer despite his absence.

One night, Vincent’s life is turned upside down with the return of Julian. Though his heart tells him to open up and allow Julian in, his pride rears its stubborn head. Will Julian be able to break down the barriers? And will Vincent find out why Julian is really called The Master?


[I actually really like this cover.]

Review:

I’m trying out the loveyoudivine publisher and I have to say, I have a few problems with it. Perhaps that’s for another post though and this one is a review for the book Devil’s Spawn. This is a good book with some very light BDSM elements and mostly focuses on the turmutous relationship between the two main characters. There is very little setting and world building, even though this is a historical, yet the strong chemistry and characters easily carried this enjoyable story. I’m very interested to see where this leads and hope to pick up the next in the series, although this plays into the problem I have with one story broken up over several different books and rather expensive per story when they should be combined. Here each short story (~30 pages) is $2.40 and there will be several that put together equal one full story. So know that going in, you’re paying MORE for the full story than you would if you bought a full sized novel. Trust me, I’m annoyed by this too.

But moving on to the story itself, Vincent is upset that Julian left him two years ago without a word. Since then Vincent has craved Julian’s dominant personality and their explosive chemistry, making Vincent rather grumpy and ill tempered. Upon hearing that Julian is back at port, Vincent returns to Julian’s club in hopes of seeing the man who captured then broke his heart. When their chemistry picks up where it left off, Vincent must decide if he’s going to take a chance on Julian a second time or hide his heart.

Given that this is a romance, it’s not a stretch to know what Vincent chooses but the short journey between the two men is very hot and dynamic. Vincent may crave Julian’s domination but it’s not classic BDSM and more so, Vincent loves Julian’s take charge attitude more than he loves being tied and whipped. The BDSM elements are very light and not overwhelming so readers shouldn’t be turned off by the inclusion but be warned this is not the main aspect of their relationship. Perhaps in future books it’ll become more defined, but for this introduction the focus is on the characters, sex, and their acceptance of each other despite past hurt.

Told from third person from Vincent’s perspective, the character of Julian is less defined for the reader but still very dynamic. While Vincent has been pining away for Julian, Julian on the other hand has been enjoying the delights of many young bodies. His explanation is practical and understandable, even if his lack of fidelity may displease romantics. There are a few details brought up but not fully resolved or integrated into the story, such as the altercation at the start, but this is very much a beginning to the men and their relationship so I assume further stories will delve more deeply into these aspects and perhaps resolve the lingering details – of which there were many.  

The writing was decent, but tried too hard in a few areas. The beginning especially is filled with alliteration and detracts from the story as it attempts to be more literary than necessary.

Vincent‟s carriage drew up outside Devil‟s Spawn, dark shadows swallowing it with a fog-filled, frost-bitten maw. He puffed out an impatient breath, and his cloudy exhalation amalgamated with the mist.
 
 

There are several points in the story where such examples litter the writing instead of enhancing it, but overall it does settle somewhat to a more enjoyable narrative. Hopefully future stories won’t be filled with such overblown writing and instead concentrate on the strengths of the story, which are the characters. The sex scenes are smoking hot and enjoyable so fans will be certain to enjoy this story. As an introduction, it’s decent to good with enough interest for me to carry on, even knowing it’s a sneaky way to get more money out of readers. 

Get it HERE!

Spoilers in reviews

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A while ago, Romancing the Blog did a post on spoilers in reviews and DA followed that up with a poll for readers to vote on spoilers in reviews or no spoilers. The majority voted they liked spoilers but what caught my attention is that neither the blog post nor the poll really identified what they considered spoilers. They hinted this could be characterization points or perhaps plot points. At the time, I thought “I like spoilers, sure.” Yet when I read a recent review that had so many plot spoilers that it takes the fun right out of that book should anyone buy it after reading that review – I was pissed. I read the same book and knew that it would be hard to write a review. So, why write a review if you can’t keep the spoilers out?


I realize that review writing isn’t easy. Even with the plethora of uninformative reviews (personal opinion there), that doesn’t mean the writer put little to no effort into the review – even if it seems that way. So it stands to reason that the average book is hard to review: what to say, what’s unique, different, did the reader like it, etc. When a book appears with a twist, a mystery, clues, etc and it’s even harder to review, it’s no surprise the reviews tend to have spoilers. I’ve done spoiler reviews myself.

However, I do think it’s essential to keep spoilers out of reviews as much as possible. This benefits everyone. Those readers who use reviews to help choose their books can still enjoy the book without knowing the ending and the author doesn’t feel as those their book was just thrown up on a pirate site because now everyone know that Mrs. White did it with the candlestick.

Romance reviews are really easy. It’s a HEA and there is really no spoiler that despite the tense question of “will jack and tom end up together?!” the reader knows they will end up together and they’re not buying the book to answer that question. They’re buying the book to read how Jack and Tom end up together despite the problems the author has thrown between them. There the journey of the romance is the reason to read the book, not the actual outcome. That is a given – it’s why readers buy romance. Well one reason anyway.

So what about mystery or other elements? The rule of thumb I use is that anything I didn’t see coming is a clear spoiler (duh). Even elements clearly telegraphed, if the author obviously thinks they are clever or a twist, don’t explicitly tell them. If one of the main characters has a surprise prince albert that plays into the plot – leave it out. Usually books are told in such a way as it’s clear to see what the author thinks of as the twist or an important clue – even if it doesn’t work the way the author wants or it’s really not that clever. Still, the story uses it as so and other readers may enjoy it more.

It’s exceedingly difficult to review a book without spoilers. I have a hard time doing it and furthermore, I don’t enjoy writing those reviews. Especially so if the review is negative, as there is very little you can say beyond that element wasn’t clever/didn’t work/too obvious. You can’t really explain that it was too obvious because Jack killed Tom’s brother in the opening sequence thus Tom is bound to find out and so the argument was uh, predictable. Instead there is an inherent vague quality to the review with bland words and not much explanation. Yet the review is for the reader so they can make a judgment. They can decide if they are intrigued enough to read the book even knowing the twist isn’t that well done and as obvious as the proverbial smoking gun.

Giving too many clever details and synopsis points away hurts everyone. Although I personally like spoilers in a review when they are obvious such as Tom and Jack are going to live happily together – it’s a romance – I’d rather not be told that Tom and Jack kill each other in a bizarre Romeo and Juliet twist. You can simply say there is no happy ending due to a weird twist.

 

What do you think?

Too many spoilers in reviews? Or not enough?

 

 

Ghost Star Night by Nicole Kimberling

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Ghost Star Night by Nicole Kimberling

Blurb:
Desire. Destruction. Destiny.

Thomas Myrdin knows that intrigue is part of life at court, but that doesn’t make his king’s betrayal any easier to take. Yet heartbreak troubles him less than the apocalyptic visions that haunt him. Fiery premonitions that show the world burning in ruins—and the cause, the king’s daughter. Visions and vengeance awaken a strange new power within him, but not even he is sure if he is the kingdom’s savior, the king’s pawn.

Lord Adam Wexley harbors a secret longing for the elegant Thomas, but his duty is to protect the newborn princess. When a sudden threat arises, Adam seeks to procure services of Grand Magician Zachary Drake. Even if it means sacrificing his own soul—and his body.

Drake has seen the worst of kings and courtiers. Now he protects himself with powerful sorcery and the adamant refusal to affiliate with any of the Four Courts. But the grand magician isn’t without weaknesses and Adam may be the one enticement that could draw him to ruin.

In a rising storm of magic with the power to strip away men’s souls, the thread of desire connecting three men could be the kingdom’s last lifeline…

 

 

Review:

Without a doubt this is a stunning piece of fantasy fiction. The fabulous and intricate world building explodes and overwhelms the story as the creativity and imagination of the author expand to offer a new unique, absorbing world. The story itself is just as complex with twists, turns, assassinations, betrayals, possessions, murders, and a thin romance. The short length of the story – a mere 116 pages – doesn’t do the entire plot justice as the romance is definitely the weakest aspect. However, fantasy lovers will clamor for this world and forgive the almost non-existent romance element in favor of the intricate world building.   

The plot is complicated with a large cast of characters and the intricacies of the world often come into play. This is a world with all the seedy court politics where magic, favors, and souls are the currency over money. The city is ruled by four courts of power and the jockeying for power, souls, and position happens almost constantly. The large cast involves kings, heirs, courtiers, magicians, and a bevy of inhabited creatures. Inhabited creatures are animals, insects, and objects inhabited by a human soul that has been stolen, bought, transferred, or bartered. The most precious commodity is a soul and that is also the most often used in negotiations. These apes, spiders, rings, lions, birds, and so on perform a variety of jobs from nanny to driver to family pet. These souls are also the source of power for all magic.

The plot is dense with details and world building. While this fantasy creation is truly wonderful, engaging and fascinating, it is also riddled with information and detail so it’s thick to read. There is a large cast that is all important, many more characters than just the blurb suggests, but they are easy to follow once the basics of the world are established. The theme and central plot at its core is timeless with greed, avarice, and selfish choices of revenge and regret. Although the story changes point of view several times to follow various characters and their thought process, the main character could arguably be Grand Magician Zachary Drake. His point of view offers the most information with regards to the plot while Lord Adam Wexley’s point of view enhances the complexities of the courts and their politics.

For all the wealth of information and characters offered, this is a completely engaging and entertaining read. The ending is slightly complicated, yet beautifully drawn with evocative imagery and a solid resolution. While the plot does have extraneous information, the details add such flavor and color – it’s easy to see where the author got carried away and a pleasurable trip for readers to do so as well. If there is anything lacking, the romance element and characters lack some depth. The intricacy of the plot and world building overwhelms the story, so much so that the characters themselves are often very superficial. Their motivations are explained, but often just stated without the complexity of their personalities. This plays into problems with the shorter length for such a packed story. Along those lines the romance between two of the characters is very superficial and poorly developed. There is almost no chemistry and interest between the two men as politics, intrigue, and soul catching dominate their interactions.

The modern aspects such as cars, cell phones, elevators, clubs, and shops mixed with court politics make for a somewhat jarring reading experience at first until the pacing and flow get their stride. The absentee romance may frustrate some but the brilliant fantasy world should engage readers even over objections. The tight writing and descriptive prose create a story within the story, and a must read for fantasy lovers. Such a complex and creative world demands a sequel (or maybe that’s just me) but hopefully there will be more of this wonderful new fantasy in the future.

 Get it HERE! 

 

Lessons in Desire by Charlie Cochrane

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 Lessons in Desire by Charlie Cochrane

Blurb:

Perfect love casts out fear. If you let it.

Cambridge Fellows Mysteries, Book 2

Jersey, 1906

St. Bride’s English don Jonty Stewart is in desperate need of a break from university life. A holiday on the beautiful Channel Island of Jersey seems ideal, especially if he can coax his lover Orlando to step outside the college’s walls to come along.

Orlando Coppersmith is scared. Within the safe confines of the school it’s easy to hide the fact that they are not just friends, but lovers. In an unknown place, in full view of everyone, how will they keep their illegal affair private—much less dare to make love, even in the security of their suite?

A brutal murder at their hotel forces their personal problems into the background—at first. The race to catch the killer gets complicated when the prime suspect finds Orlando irresistible. Suddenly keeping their affair clandestine isn’t only a matter of legality. It’s a matter of life and death…

 

 

Review: 

The second book in the Cambridge Fellows series is another wonderfully lyrical story that engages the reader with the slow pace of life in the early 1900s. This beautiful writing, clever mystery, touches of humor, and engaging characters create an interesting story that never sacrifices the pace and time for quick action or sex scenes. Although the pace may drag in some places, this is very likely to be reader specific. Be sure to pick up this story when you want an easy, languid journey filled with gentle laughter, love, and a touch of very English mystery. The lovely prose and delightful characters carry the book when the action is light.

Ten months have passed since Jonty Stewart and Orlando Coppersmith have been more than friends and Jonty decides it’s a perfect time for a vacation. The reserved and shy Orlando has great trepidation about a vacation away from St. Bride’s but is convinced to travel by his lover and best friend Jonty. Once on the island, Jonty and Orlando settle into the relaxing, enjoyable pace with new friends and childhood antics. Unfortunately their vacation is marred when one of the guests is found murdered and the amateur sleuths can’t help peeking into the investigation.

This story is set with a languid pace where there are no big action sequences, gunfights, dramatic scenes, or hysterical ranting. Every character is far too refined and English for such displays and thus even murder is handled in the most upright and gentlemanly fashion. The gentle flow of the vacation is filled with small delights. The antics remembered and reproduced from Jonty’s happy childhood scare and charm Orlando as he struggles to let go of his own unhappy past. Their relationship is revealed more as Orlando’s past is highlighted with his difficult parents and their affect on his current views. This even extends into Orlando’s fears of ultimate consummation, a fear that greatly frustrates Jonty. As Orlando and Jonty seek more intimacy in their relationship, they are hampered by the untimely murder of another guest in addition to Orlando’s paranoia at being discovered and his fears of change of any kind. 

The characters of Jonty and Orlando are once again beautifully drawn and fully realized. The established nature of their relationship is a wonderful addition as their ease with each other layers more texture to the story. Their depth and interaction make the tale come alive from the good-natured teasing to gentle fits. Their conversation is filled with humor amid staid English properness. Even their arguments are easy and without great drama, but the emotion is clearly present. Their love and even unhappiness is deeply felt and expressed in the smaller details and sighs than exaggerated action and statements. This is a story filled with subtle detail and the sum of those details produce a loving relationship with its ups and downs without great drama. 

The mystery itself is filled with fun characters from Matthew to Mrs. T and even the return of Investigator Wilson. As with the previous mystery there is perhaps too large a cast so as to keep the ultimate culprit a mystery, although clever clues and hints along the way will allow a savvy reader to discern the true villain. Not all the characters introduced are important or memorable so there is no need to try and keep track of the cast. The gentle pace never overwhelms and it’s easy to follow where the story leads. The immense amount of detail offered about the setting and time period show incredible research and thus builds an impeccable world of that time. From the meals to activities and even thoughts, hopes and fears of the time, the story is immersed in that time period with mastery.

If there are any qualms, it is that the book for me was sometimes slow and difficult to engage. While the writing is evocative and lyrical with often creative and delightful prose, the slow pace and unresolved issues led to some reader frustration. Orlando’s fears of the bedroom were never sufficiently explored, merely dropped. Due to his constant weighted fears of any change, this is clearly a significant and important step that seems glossed over in the scheme of the book. Additionally the details of the murder dragged, as the characters seemed to rehash the same information while rarely offering anything new. The most engaging part of the story was the interactions between Orlando and Jonty alone and their discussions.

Overall, this is another excellent edition of the series and it may please readers more than it did me. Although I greatly enjoyed reading it, those who enjoy a slower pace and glee over the details of the time period will be more riveted, but the gentle romance and so very English setting is fun to read. I’m very curious about future books in the series as the men are often paranoid about discovery yet still have much to learn and grow within their relationship. The side mystery this time didn’t entice me as much as the previous mystery but the writing is incredibly well done. If you’re a fan of the series, definitely continue.

Get it HERE!