Review: Gasp!

January 29, 2013Kassa 3 Comments

Gasp! by Z.A. Maxfield
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Overall I liked Gasp but perhaps I’ve moved out of serious fandom with this author. The books remain good and the same quality as always but they don’t engage me enough anymore. I find myself skimming parts and liking the characters well enough but forgetting the book pretty quickly once it’s done. The story is entertaining to read but not enough for me to really escape into the drama and romance. Part of that is the lopsided pace with the beginning starting slowly only to revel in the details of Nigel and Jeff together but then change the pace entirely by separating the two. I found these changes abrupt and jarring when I’d just settled into the slow, smooth upscaling of their relationship. Not to mention there are a few holes and leaps in the plot but I will say there are more good things to like about the book. Continue reading →

Review: Turkey in the Snow

January 2, 2013Kassa 2 Comments

Turkey in the Snow by Amy Lane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Turkey in the Snow is a super sweet holiday story with a touch of angst but mostly just a feel good, easy to read story about 2 men and a child making a ready made family. I found the maturity of the men somewhat startling given their age but it’s not impossible or unrealistic. Add in a very on point four year old and the quick novella is well written in Lane’s style and sure to please her fans. It’s definitely sweeter than Lane typically goes for so be sure you’re in the right mood. Continue reading →

Review: Dex in Blue

November 28, 2012Kassa Leave a comment

Dex in Blue by Amy Lane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I like Amy Lane’s work and Dex in Blue is very much more of the same. I think it’s slightly too similar to previous books though and so I had trouble connecting to the characters. Dex in Blue is a companion piece to Chase in Shadows and the same events happen in both books, although from different perspectives. I think it’s almost better not reading CiS first because the repetitive events and changing characters. However that said, DiB has the same feel but is definitely lighter. There is not the same level of angst and emotional brutality as the first book and there is a pretty big bow tied on everyone at the end – everyone gets babies, jobs, money, houses, love, and security! It’s a bit much no doubt but Lane puts her characters through the emotional ringer so the big splashy happy ending is the payoff. Continue reading →

Review: Your Biggest FAN

November 13, 2012Kassa Leave a comment

Your Biggest FAN by Missy Welsh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I tend to like Missy Welsh’s books because they focus on younger men, just figuring themselves out. These characters tend to have inherent immaturity, due to their age, but that gives them charm and likability. They’re not perfect but struggling to be happy with who they are. Your Biggest Fan is along those lines this time with a closeted jock that happens to like cross-dressing and a self-professed “hairy Greek” that is a bit of a nosey troublemaker. Together the sparks fly and all issues are resolved pretty easily. The plot is nice and attempts some real depth but the shorter space means just about any issue or conflict is very easily resolved. This keeps the tone and pace easy and light and negates the weighty topics that are actually addressed. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but the resolutions are particularly cheery and light. Continue reading →

Review: Hard Tail

October 3, 2012Kassa Leave a comment

Hard Tail by J.L. Merrow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

JL Merrow usually works pretty well for me with her smooth writing, great wit, and adorable characters. Hard Tail is no departure from that and feels like a solid comfort read that fits well with the author’s backlist. The situation is interesting with some good and obvious research thrown in. I think the external tension drew out a bit too long and in a very predictable way. Due to this some sections of the book seem to drone on while others flew by easily giving an uneven pace. Despite this the nice guy characters and cute chemistry should be enough to win over fans of the author. Continue reading →

Review: SuburbaNights

September 24, 2012Kassa Leave a comment

SuburbaNights by Eric Arvin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I quite like Eric Arvin’s over the top parody Jasper Lane series but each one isn’t quite as good as the last. The first book in the series is truly original, unique and laugh out loud funny at every turn. Subsequent books, this one included, feel less original and more of the same. I didn’t laugh out loud once while reading the third book, mostly because I expected and am accustomed to the ridiculous and farcical actions of the various cast. It’s not unexpected or even surprising as parody is the norm here. That said, it’s an amusing and entertaining read even if less focused than previous books. Continue reading →

Review: Gambling Men: The Novel

September 16, 2012Kassa Leave a comment

Gambling Men: The Novel by Amy Lane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’m a fan of Amy Lane’s work and this is a good example of her writing and I enjoyed it. However, having said that, I think the story is very safe for the author and entirely expected. So much so that while I could appreciate certain technical aspects of the book and writing, overall I found the story repetitive and ho-hum. Part of this could be from my fatigue with my favorite authors, who seem to put out the same book over and over with minor differences, so I’ll try to separate my personal issues from the merits of the writing. For Lane fans I think most will enjoy this but die hard fans will have read this basic story many times over. Continue reading →

Review: Shepherd, Slave, and Vow

July 11, 2012Kassa Leave a comment

Shepherd, Slave, and Vow by Lyn Gala
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Shepherd, Slave, and Vow is a fun, quick erotica story about a spoiled royal son that finally meets his match in a slave shepherd. The novella is entertaining and well written with a deft hand that keeps the main narrator from being too insufferable or obnoxious but gives instead a light hearted tone about a bratty, attention seeking man who finally finds someone to give him the “tending” he’s always wanted. Continue reading →

Review: False Start

May 16, 2012Kassa Leave a comment

False Start by Janey Chapel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’m a fan of Chapel’s work and with this offering I realize I like her writing more than I like the actual plot. The story here is predictable though well told, and almost boring with its mundane and expected actions. There’s nothing unique or different to the story but Chapel’s clean, inviting prose makes it enjoyable to read anyway. She has a way of writing that invokes clear, impressionable imagery while being smoking hot every single time. It wasn’t until I hit the end of the novella that I realized the characters are woefully under developed, there’s no closure, and no real purpose to the story. Yet despite these issues the crispness of her writing makes me want to read it again for the easy flow, wrenching emotions, and hot sensuality. Continue reading →

Review: DUC*K

December 21, 2011Kassa Leave a comment

D*U*C*K by Poppy Z. Brite
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

D*U*C*K is a series of vignettes put together featuring G-man and Rickey. They’re somewhat related but also has a random feel to the collection. I guess there is an over reaching arc in that a former employee is rising to kind of challenge Rickey while Liquor is getting ready to serve at an out of town banquet featuring Rickey’s hero crush. The stories do have common elements but they also feel disconnected and arbitrary. That said it’s a fun, quick novella to read without the punch and impact of previous novels. Continue reading →

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3 stars