Author: Kassa

Friday Follow – Dreaming Reviews

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I’m not sure how I discovered this gem but I think it was from following someone’s comment on twitter (he’s @DreamingReviews) who commented on someone else who referred someone else and so on ’til Dreaming in Books came up. He’s a YA blogger and I think pretty young (though not sure on his exact age). He’s intelligent though, articulate, and pretty well read. He has broad tastes and right now he’s doing a LGBTQ Voice week. He’s reviewing only LGBTQ books, interviewing the authors, giving away books and highlighting the entire genre.

When I first discovered his reviews I was impressed with what he picked up, the nuances that stood out for him and even more so with this celebration week. It’s extensive and thorough and make sure you pop over and see what’s going on then stay for a while and follow the blog.

Fan Letter Blog Crawl … Again!

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It’s that time of year again! Well not really but almost…within planning time anyway.

Last year I organized an author appreciation blog crawl that involved bloggers writing fan letters to their favorite authors. The blog crawl was very successful and involved over 30 blogs across a variety of genres. We had gay blogs bookending Christian blogs and smut blogs next to literature reviews. It was a lot of fun and I hope successful for all the blogs involved.

It’s about that time to organize another one of these so I’m seeing who wants to be involved! I know not everyone visits my little corner *le sobs* so I’ll be emailing those that participated last year if I can find everyone’s email. You can make my life SO much easier if you take the following steps to contact me.

Just tell me an email address to contact you and your blog address. We’ll be posting hopefully every day in June so if there are scheduling conflicts please let me know which days don’t work. However I will follow up on that so no worries if you don’t know right now. Feel free to sign up anyway.

Those that already know they want to be involved can contact me any of the following ways:

  • email (kassa011 AT gmail DOT com)
  • comment on this post
  • twitter reply (@kassa_11) / DM
  • carrier pigeon
  • smoke screen
  • or plain out shout outs

If you participated last year and aren’t feeling it, don’t worry no black marks. Just a few muttered words behind your back. If you didn’t participate last year, you can still get in on the fun! After all where would we be without the authors and books we adore so much.

Be sure to check out last year’s crawl for inspiration and some really awesome blogs.

Is kinky the new black?

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In the last few years there seems to be a shifting perspective as far as sex scenes in books. What was once taboo and not talked about has gained mainstream (ish) acceptance. Within the m/m genre, sex scenes are often explicit and of late – increasingly kinky. While I enjoy the kink factor as much as the next person – perhaps more so even – I’m noticing that things that were once taboo or “too kinky” are now become more commonplace.

For example various BDSM elements are becoming almost normal in the context of man on man sex. The first is the D/s component. This theme was once only very vaguely referenced or if the book got daring they added a little in but nothing too overt. Usually this was left for the BDSM themed books specifically but more and more you find the D/s dynamic (dominance/submission) being worked in an otherwise contemporary, every day romance. This could be that it’s perhaps the easiest and most mundane toe into the scary pool of BDSM and it also adds a little spice to the sexin’. I’m good with it but I have noticed more and more of it appearing in sex scenes. Same with spanking.

What really prompted this commentary is the abundance of fisting references. Since when did fisting become as common as the 1-2-3 finger stretch? Suddenly it’s 1-2-3-hello forearm. I’m seeing it talked about and actually done between otherwise totally non kinky couples. I mean here you have a normal, everyday couple with no appreciable kink. Or maybe at best some D/s flavored sex and all of a sudden there’s fisting going on during an otherwise unremarkable sex scene. When did that start happening?! Honestly, when did fisting step out of the BDSM realm and into everyday dialogue?

Not that I’m against fisting mind you but more and more there seems to be light BDSM flavoring stories that have nothing to do with it. This seems like I’m against the mixing and not so, except that you see reviews littered with “not hardcore BDSM won’t turn you off.” It doesn’t turn me off but I can’t help but wonder about those readers that don’t like any flavor of BDSM in their sex. How do they feel about the slow, almost inevitable integration of kinky themes into otherwise hot but standard sex.


Review: Breaking Logan’s Laws

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Breaking Logan's Laws (Quinn Security, #4)Breaking Logan’s Laws by Cameron Dane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Breaking Logan’s Laws is a pretty typical Dane book. Fans of the author should enjoy the story and over the top romance while the somewhat corny style of writing isn’t likely to bother familiar readers. The mystery is eclipsed by the exaggerated relationship which is unfortunate since it has all the elements of being engaging and intriguing. However, the men are cute and sweet together which makes the story fun to read. This is an easy, enjoyable story to read even if it runs a little long with too many repetitive sex scenes and not enough interest in the mystery portion. Continue reading →

Review: Servant of the Crossed Arrows (Rifter, #2)

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Servant of the Crossed Arrows (Rifter, #2) Servant of the Crossed Arrows (Rifter, #2) by Ginn Hale
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

For those unfamiliar with the title, this is book two of a ten part serialized fiction piece by Ginn Hale. I’ll be reviewing each book as they come out and any new readers should start at the beginning (here). While I will attempt not to include any spoilers, my reviews will assume that the readers are familiar with the characters and concepts and simply speak about that particular book in the series.

Continue reading →

The things you learn about family

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I spent the last week taking care of my mom after surgery. Now considering I’m extremely close to her I did this easily and without reservation, although I gotta say it wasn’t easy at all. (She’s doing well now btw). What’s hilarious is the amount of information I learned about someone I thought I knew everything about already. This could be attributed to being doped up on pain meds, or that’s what I’m praying it was.

For starters, my mom wants me to marry this guy.

He’s supposedly some wanna be Cris Angel of ghost hunting. All mom wanted to watch were these stupid Ghost Adventure shows. This from a highly educated, intelligent, and very successful professional woman. I guess it’s her version of smut..hehe. Not to mention my mom’s never -ever- said anything about this before but all of a sudden that’s all she can talk about. How I should move to Las Vegas to find this guy and “get with him.”

Yea – he looks like the monogamous type.
Thanks Ma.

Review: Enter Oblivion

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Enter OblivionEnter Oblivion by C.M. Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enter Oblivion is a complex novel with fascinating characters. It’s a look into the life of a group of gay men in London during the early 1980s. There are rockers, meatheads, skinheads, drug users, death, hope, fame, destruction, money, romance, despair and the early threat of AIDS. The writing is steeped in British culture and language giving the city setting a vibrant feel. The characters are all flawed, messy, and complicated. There is a romance but the heart of the story is about Vince’s journey into this unknown and compelling world parallel to pop star Jik O’Blivion’s own journey within that glittery masses. Continue reading →