...On Book Shopping!

Ohhhhh! I went book shopping this weekend. My favorite past time...well... one of my favorite past times! Some of these books have been on my list of books to buy for a while, and others are recent recommendations. There's a little bit of everything I like to read in this neat little pile and I can't wait to get my hands on them. So, here are the latest additions to my TBR pile...

Babylon Babies,  a translation of the futuristic thriller written by the French sci-fi author Maurice G. Dantec. This is one I've had on my list for a while.

 

The Outback Stars by Sandra McDonald is the first in a military Sci-Fi trilogy -- a recent addition to my list. Big Red Tequila by Rick Riordan, the first book in the Tres Navarre Mysteries, I've been wanting to read these for quite a while and decided now is the time! And could not shop for books without picking up at least one historical romance, so I chose The Promise by T.J. Bennett -- medieval romance set during the reign of Charles V that caught my attention.

A few Contemporary Romances also made my shopping cart. Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James, Head Over Heels by Susan Andersen and A Little Light Magic by Joy Nash are all books I've either been meaning to buy or have been recommended highly. 

And of course, I finished my shopping by buying one Category Romance, The Rancher's Rules by Lucy Monroe. I saw a review in the bloggosphere for this book a while back and I put this book on my list. It finally went from the TBB list to the TBR pile! 

Now, to find the time to read them ALL!

Reviews at Musings

I keep forgetting to announce the books I'm reviewing at Musings of a Bibliophile! I'm almost finished reading the 20 books I set as a goal for the M/M Reading Challenge -- one to go -- but, I'm behind on posting my reviews. Surprise, surprise! I guess I've been too busy reading to write *g*... not a bad thing, I say.  I'll be all caught up by next week with my writing and then one last book to read!

This is a late post -- this week, so far, you'll find three M/M Mini Reviews and a historical romance.

M/M Romance Reading Challenge - Part Six

Dancing in the Dark by Jenna Byrnes, a love story between a vice cop and a hustler. Crime, angst, love and illicit erotic encounters all weaved into this novelette. I placed this one under the "Cops and Lovers" category and it was perfect.

Which Way to Dominance by Gavin Atlas, a short story included in the How the West was Done Anthology by Editor Adam Carpenter. A short story that was disturbing, but one that made me think. With a strong subject matter, this fit right into the "Out of the Comfort Zone" category where I placed it.

Str8te Boys by Evangeline Anderson is a straight to gay story of two college buddies. Anderson wrote one of the first M/M stories I read... "The Assignment." I placed this book under "First M/M Authors Ever Read" Category. I was very happy when I saw she had a new release and added her to my list immediately!

Don't Tempt Me by Loretta Chase

Also at Musings, you'll find a review for Don't Tempt Me by Loretta Chase. A historical romance book I was looking forward to reading and one I enjoyed. This was not only a fun book to read, but I loved writing the review as well. Loretta Chase is one of those authors whose new releases I always look forward to. This one was a good choice. 

Hope you stop by... see you at Musings!

M/M Mini Reviews: Jenna Byrnes, Gavin Atlas, Evangeline Anderson

Dancing in the Dark by Jenna Byrnes

Vice Cop, Nick D'Amato is turning 40 and he and his buddies, Gil and Sam, are three gay cops in a sea of blue. They've had their share of fun and broken relationships, now Gil is feeling the weight of a long-term relationship going south, and Sam is in desperate mode looking for love wherever he can find it. Nick seems to be the only one who doesn't have a problem with being alone or with that upcoming birthday.

Nick is holding out.

William (Squeek) is a hustler who works the streets on Nick's beat. Will has become Nick's dirty little secret. A young man who refuses to change his lifestyle and take help from Nick, even when there is a serial killer on the loose, Will is Nick's obsession and his secret love.

Dancing in the Dark was erotic and dished out enough angst for my taste. Nick's obsession and love for Will are obvious and you can feel his pain, hurt feelings and his love for the young man, as well as his anxiety about the future. The suspense part of the story felt contrived, although it did not affect my overall enjoyment of this piece as it was not really the central part of the story.

Ms Byrne touches lightly on sexual addiction -- a subject key to the story that needed to be better fleshed out. Will's feelings for Nick were not as clearly defined even at the end, and the resolution to their conflict seemed rushed. This novella was a short but complete story with likable characters.

M/M Erotica: Grade B-
Find this book here.

Which Way to Dominance by Gavin Atlas (How the West Was Done Anthology by Editor Adam Carpenter)

Teddy has worked on the Lawson ranch and sheep farm going on four years now, since the age of 16. Roy is the ranch foreman and quite a despicable man who abuses Teddy. For all of his 20 years on this earth, Teddy hasn't had an easy life and doesn't ask for much. Teddy feels that all things considered, his life "could have been worse: and at least he has a job and isn't alone.

One stormy night, Roy sends Teddy to the airport to pick up the new ranch hand, Marco Belini. Marco becomes Teddy's bunkmate, and in getting to know him, Teddy finds a kindred spirit when it comes to gentling horses. In Marco, he also finds a friend and eventually a lover.

Roy was a bully and an abuser. The man took his pleasure by inflicting pain. He was sadistic and uncaring of his partner's pleasure or lack of it -- a brute to both humans and animals alike. I found the abusive scenes disturbing, although Atlas writes them well.

Teddy is a near illiterate young man with submissive tendencies. His rationale for staying and taking Roy's blackmail and abuse was: better than being alone. It seemed to me as if Teddy was afraid of going out into the world on his own. He felt comfortable enough where he was, even if he had to take the abuse.

In comes Marco -- a new ranch hand that travels all the way from Argentina and ends up bunking with Teddy. Marco and Teddy share their love of horses and their abilities to tame them without force. The title, "Which Way to Dominance" in this book can be applied to both Teddy and the horses. Marco's role in this triangle shows us how to use dominance without force.

Although I was repulsed by Roy's character and behavior, I thought Atlas dealt well with both. The abuser in this instance is definitely dealt with, and although we don't exactly know his motivation, his character is well established. The abuse and the consequences are not glossed over. Atlas takes them straight on.

Teddy's character was a bit tougher for me to process. Although it is established that he has a submissive personality, he also emerges as being very dependent. I was ultimately unable to connect with his character and thought that due to the heavy subject in this short story, the victim needed further development.

Marco played the knight in shining armor with lots of tenderness and a soft touch. The perfect way to illustrate "Which Way to Dominance."

M/M Erotica: B-
Find the Anthology here.

Str8te Boys by Evangeline Anderson

How far would you dare to go... to win it all?

Maverik Holms and Duke Warren share almost everything -- a college soccer team, an apartment and the same extremely competitive nature. Thanks to that never-back-down spirit, they're about to share more than they bargained for.

The game is "gay chicken." The rule: get as close as possible without kissing, and the one that pulls away first is the loser. The problem: neither of them likes to lose. It isn't long before the game becomes an excuse to touch and kiss in every possible forbidden way. And after they pose for a gay website to earn extra money, things really heat up.

Suddenly Duke is talking lifetime commitment, and Mav is backpedaling as hard as he can, not sure if he's ready to accept all his best is offering him. Or the truth about what he is.

Oh my! What can I say about this book? Except, that it was tons of fun to read. Evangeline Anderson wrote one of the first M/M books I read, "The Assignment." I still feel nostalgia when I think of that book and my reaction to it *g*... so, when I saw she had a new release, I just had to add it to my list.

Fun and sexy, the characters in this book go from playing "gay chicken" to "super gay chicken" to well... you can just guess. Mav's denial is as deep as the River Nile, and Duke plays the game pretty well, no doubt about it.

Two hot, sexy and likable characters, some erotic games, lots of straight boy denial mixed with angst, and a happily ever after. If you want a light, fun read, you can't ask for more.

M/M Erotica: Grade B-
Find this book here.

Originally posted on Musings of a Bibliophile July 21, 2009

Mini-Review: Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh

The Psy Changeling Series

When a brilliant changeling researcher is kidnapped, DarkRiver sentinel Mercy, a cat, and SnowDancer lieutenant Riley, a wolf, must work together to track the young man - before his shadowy captors decide he's no longer useful. Along the way, the two dominants may find that submitting to one another uncovers not just a deadly conspiracy, but a passion so raw that it'll leave them both branded by fire.

Many wonderful reviews have been posted for Branded by Fire -- Lurv A la Mode , The Book Smugglers, Book Binge, to name a few -- I figured I would just post a short, mini-review outlining my final thoughts.

Nalini Singh continues to deliver with her latest installment in the Psy/Changeling series. In Branded by Fire, the romance was the center of the story and it was one of the most sizzling romances in this series so far. Mercy and Riley set the pages on fire.

The pairing of these two dominant changelings turned out to be both hot and tender. I loved the way Ms. Singh consistently maintained Mercy's alpha characteristics throughout the story. Mercy gave of herself without ultimately losing herself. Her dominant female characteristics and self-assurance were not lessened to give Riley, another alpha hero, the spotlight. Reiley as an alpha hero was also a winner. The give and take between these two characters made for a balanced and well done romance, gifting us with a strong and passionate pair.

Ms. Singh also delivers on the world building front. The overall arc in the Psy/Changling world stays tight and the story moves forward without sacrificing the romance. This world keeps getting better and it absolutely has my attention. I'm looking forward to learning more about Kaleb, the Ghost, the Net and of course, the Forgotten. Blaze of Memory should give us more on that front and I can't wait.

As you can see, I loved Branded by Fire. Nalini Singh's Psy/Changeling series maintains its place at the top of my Paranormal Romance list. Maintaining the romance focus without losing the tight world building, this installment gets a Hot A

Visit Nalini Singh here. Read an excerpt here.

Originally posted at Musings of a Bibliophile July 17, 2009

Troubled Thoughts... on Hidden Currents by Christine Feehan

I'm almost done reading Hidden Currents by Christine Feehan and I find myself needing to write down some thoughts on this book. This is the last book in the Drake Sisters series, and I figured... well, good, one more series down. For me this has not been a great series, but an okay, readable one that I wanted to finish. But this book? This book has floored me and not in a good way.

Let's begin. I WARN you now, there will be Spoilers, so if you don't want to know, please don't read this post.

The Plot, so far:
Elle, the youngest and most powerful of the sisters is undercover. The bad guy in this book, who also has psychic powers, kidnaps Elle and holds her captive for over a month. During this month, he rapes her repeatedly, he beats her, he uses both psychological and physical ways to torture her, and uses her psychic powers against her. He also rapes her psychically. So, this woman is degraded and raped in every way possible as he attempts to break her. A violent and graphic way to begin the story.

Jackson, Elle's destined mate, comes to the rescue together with her 6 sisters and their mates. At this point, Elle decides Jackson is the only one who can protect her physically and psychically and goes home with him instead of seeking her sisters' help. We know that the evil/bad guy is seeking Elle. He has somehow bonded with her through his psychic powers and continues to torture her this way, while Jackson and her family attempt to protect her.

Problems I see with the story, so far:
If we take into account that Elle has been brutally raped in various ways, beaten and almost broken then the following timeline becomes quite problematic.

* the following day after rescue: SHE is kissing Jackson

* two days after rescue: SHE is performing fellatio on Jackson

* three days after rescue: SHE is having hot/steamy sex with Jackson

* four days after rescue: THEY decide to marry

Mind you, during the first two points, she is still exhibiting some symptoms of trauma, but she is enjoying this. This is something that SHE wants to do, not something that HE asks her to perform and requires of her. It's presented as her choice.

Also, please note that at this point:

* she STILL has not de-tangled her hair from her one month ordeal, due to trauma; although she did shower.

My troubled thoughts:
What was really the purpose for Elle's violent rape in this story?

Was it used as a tool to dis-empower Elle? To cut her "balls" (figuratively speaking)?... Elle is the most powerful of the sisters, yet in this book, she has been reduced to a ball of wax. Jackson, on the other hand, has become the stronger one of the two, even though he's not as powerful as she is. So, we are told. Not shown. Is this a way to make this "kickass" heroine more amenable and malleable for our alpha hero?

Or, was rape used as a tool so that Elle could reach a better understanding of Jackson as a person? Jackson having gone through torture himself and still suffering from PTSD.

Either way, why is a serious subject like rape being used in this manner? Why is it being used as a tool?

I certainly don't think it's being taken seriously. Not when the female character in this book has been brutalized and without receiving any real help for trauma or having spent any real time recovering, she is WILLINGLY having a sexual relationship three days after rescue. The fact that the male is not the aggressor and the female is the one wanting this does not make this better. It makes it unbelievable. Or should I use the word outrageous? Was that really supposed to make this acceptable?

I'm not finished with this book yet. You're probably asking, why are you still reading it? Well, I WANT to see exactly how or why this plotline was used... I want to know...

M/M Minis: Recovery and Recovery Ranch by CB Potts

I'm continuing with the M/M Romance Reading Challenge and I made some strides this past week. I am now three books away from reaching my goal of 20. I'll be reviewing the other books I finished separately. Today, I'm featuring the author, CB Potts.

Recovery by CB Potts

Adam can't wait to get back to civilian life after months of military life in a war zone. Things don't go as he plans, though, when his Army buddy and lover dumps him without so much as goodbye, and his family starts pressuring him to make decisions he's not ready to deal with.

When Adam does tell his dad his plan for the future, his father asks him to wait long enough to help out an old friend who lives in Texas, and sends Adam off to decompress some in the back country. There, Adam finds Calvin, a man who knows what it's like to be lost, and who knows just what Adam needs to find his way again.

Can Calvin and Adam clean up Calvin's land, and Adam's life?

A beautifully written short piece featuring a soldier returning from Iraq. Ms. Potts addresses the difficulties faced by veterans when arriving home, and attemping to incorporate themselves into their families and the routine of daily life. Not only does she show us the soldier's perspective, but we also see how their plight can affect the family unit. The fact that our hero is gay doesn't really play a big factor in the first part of this story as the focus stays on his difficulties adjusting to everyday life after war, and Adam is still in the closet.

There is sexual tension in the scenes between Adam and Calvin and the story definitely gains momentum once Adam goes to the Texas ranch to attempt recovery. Calvin is an older man with a past. A past that is not explored in this book, but that we know is tied to Adam's father. This is a May/December pairing with lots of possibilities.

A happily for now ending was expected, although I found it to be quite abrupt. I knew there was a sequel and had it waiting for me. The characters drew me enough to want to read it immediately.

M/M Romance: Grade B
Find this book here. Read an excerpt here.

Recovery Ranch by CB Potts

Adam and Calvin are still living and loving on Calvin's ranch in back country Texas in this sequel to Recovery. Adam's time at the ranch has helped him a lot, and he and Calvin figure there must be other veterans who could use time on the ranch to find their own peace.

Before they can start, though, they need to get the ranch ready for the men who'll come to heal. They also need to deal with their own relationship as it grows and changes. Then there's Adam's father, who's none too happy to find out that his old friend has become his son's lover.

Will Calvin and Adam be able to survive their trials and tribulations and find the healing and peace they're looking for not only for others, but for themselves as well?

Ms. Potts continues Adam and Calvin's story. In Recovery Ranch she focuses on their developing relationship. Adam is obviously going through the trauma that is PTSD and Calvin is there for him. I chose C.B. Potts books for the Challenge because I fell in love with her writing, while reading one of her very short pieces in an anthology. Ms. Potts does not disappoint in her writing style in Recovery Ranch. She makes you feel Calvin's angst, his desperation at their age differences, and his love for Adam.

"God damn, babe," Calvin said. "Look at you."

Adam turned his head to see. "Am I shining?"

"You have no idea."

It was like touching an angel, perfect and pure, Calvin thought. He'd had his share of lovers over the years, some young, some pretty, some precious, few both. None had had this radiance about them, this almost inescapable force that drew him in, made him look.

It was moths to the campfire, that's what it was. Or more properly, Calvin reflected, with a wry little smile, it was a moth that had seen him a bunch of citronella lawn candles coming up cold on a big old bonfire, ten feet tall and blazing bright.

Nothing could compare.

"Tell me," Adam urged.

Calvin stopped watching the passage of his hand, even now still starkly tan against Adam's white flesh, to meet Adam's eyes. "Boy, I can't." There was real pain in the words, rent from somewhere between contemplation and comprehension. "There just ain't the words for it."

This just made my disappointment with the end of this book keener. I wasn't disappointed in her characterization -- I fell in love with the characters -- or in her writing. No, both were excellent. My disappointment came with the end of this story. When you have more questions at the end of a book than answers, and the resolutions are temporary ones, then for me there's a definite problem. Not only did I have questions that surfaced in this book, but there are questions still left unanswered from the first installment, Recovery.

I don't mind sequels, in fact I read sequels, but not when the set up for the next book is so obvious that most of the questions/problems are left hanging -- not when the book feels as if these were chapters taken out of a larger book, something left unfinished. Recovery Ranch was a frustrating read for me in the end and for that reason alone, I could not give it a higher grade, even though I wanted to.

M/M Romance: Grade C

You can find this book here. Read an excerpt here.

Originally posted on Musings of a Bibliophile on July 14, 2009

Review: Black Hills by Nora Roberts

A summer at his grandparents' South Dakota ranch is not eleven-year-old Cooper Sullivan's idea of a good time. But things are a bit more bearable now that he's discovered the neighbor girl, Lil Chance, and her homemade batting cage. Each year, with Coop's annual summer visit, their friendship deepens from innocent games to stolen kisses, but there is one shared experience that will forever haunt them: the terrifying discovery of a hiker's body.

As the seasons change and the years roll by, Lil remains steadfast to her aspiration of becoming a wildlife biologist and protecting her family land, while Coop struggles with his father's demand that he attend law school and join the family firm. Twelve years after they last walked together hand in hand, fate has brought them back to the Black Hills when the people and things they hold dear need them most.

I really did enjoy the relationship between Coop and Lil -- their friendship, banter and snark, all the way from childhood through their young adulthood and later -- specially their love for each other. I thought Roberts took her time developing these characters and their relationship, and it worked in Black Hills. The romance definitely took precedence over the suspense.

These two people come from two different backgrounds and upbringing and those differences, although plain to see at the beginning, become blurred for while. However, those same differences are the ones that will eventually drive these two beautiful people apart. Lil, having been loved and nurtured all her life, has a focus and an assurance about her that give her the drive to go after what she wants. Coop, on the other hand, neglected and bullied by his parents all his life, receives nurturing only from his grand parents and that begins at age eleven. His focus is different from Lil's and their lives will inevitably go in different directions.

I could understand both Lil and Coop's points of view. I must admit to being a bit frustrated with Lil for a bit, until I realized that she just couldn't see things from a logical perspective -- she was still heartbroken and too emotionally involved to do so. Lil having been raised in the safety of a family, loved, secure, and with a focus couldn't quite understand Coop's need to prove himself to his father or to himself. I thought this was a real human reaction on her part and quite realistic, really. How could she possibly put herself in his shoes? She never had the need to justify or prove herself to her parents.

I think I fell in love with Coop and his sad/mad eyes from the get go -- although this phrase did get overused a bit! Coop had to make some tough, very adult and wrenching decisions at an early age. Those decisions seemed to have been just as hurtful to him as they were to Lil. He didn't see it as having a choice at the time, and he chose a tough road. I really liked the way neither one of them was easy on the other -- they let each other have it and it was okay -- loved their dialogue.

There's a whole "childhood gone wrong" theme to this book. The choices made by the different individuals who were victims of this childhood trauma, and how their lives turn out depending on the amount of love and nurturing they received (or not). Coop, Farley and Ethan are part of this overall theme. Lil is the exception in that she's the one with the happy and safe childhood. There's a marked difference in how they make their decisions, how their lives turn out, and the final results.

Nora Roberts does some wonderful work when it comes to the research and details covering both the animal preserve area and the Black Hills of South Dakota -- she makes you want to visit those hills. The family relationships and friendships are wonderful, and the secondary romance in the book is sweet and brings the family and friendship part of the story together.

The suspense was the weakest part of the book. I find this is the case in most of her Romantic Suspense releases. The perpetrator was identified early, and although this didn't make a difference to the suspense, the way it was going to play out also became obvious before the end and that made a difference to me. I found the end to be abrupt--a couple of more pages of Coop and Lil would have gone a long way, in my opinion.

Overall, I enjoyed Black Hills even with its weak spots. I tend to enjoy the romance part of her books more than the suspense and for me that part was enjoyable. I give this one a B

Visit the author here. Read an excerpt from Black Hills here.

Originally posted at Musings of a Bibliophile on July 13, 2009

Hilcia's Weekly Reads: Eloisa James, Rick Riordan & Jennifer Heymore

June was a busy reading month for me. I reviewed most of my early reads, but missed posting my Weekly Reads post for a couple of weeks. There were some disappointments with new releases along the way, but in general I would say it was not too frustrating.

I decided to give Paranormal Romance a rest and picked up some Historical Romances and a Young Adult Series, an enjoyable one. Let's see if we can catch up.

Re-read Desperate Duchesses by Eloisa James as a precursor to This Duchess of Mine. I remember loving the initial relationship between Jemma and the Duke of Beaumont, the whole chess theme and of course Villiers, the villain. I also loved and enjoyed the main couple in the book, Roberta and Damon , I thought they were both sweet and hot together, although not as edgy as the Jemma, Beaumont, Villiers triangle. I love historicals set in Georgian times and I thought Eloisa James did an excellent job of setting up this historical series and giving us a taste of the Georgian morals, fashions and of course the hot ticket of the day, chess. This book was a winner for me the first time around and I must admit to enjoying it even more this time. Too bad the rest of the books in the series didn't quite catch or keep my attention.

I followed by reading This Duchess of Mine by Eloisa James. I've been waiting all this time to find out what happens to Jemma and her Duke of Beaumont and couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I must admit to being somewhat disappointed in this book. The characters didn't quite

live up to my expectations or to the initial edginess I found in Desperate Duchesses. It all seemed a bit diluted. The overall romance was pleasing, if somewhat angsty with Jemma still playing some incomprehensible games, Beaumont giving it all he had and Villiers having lost most of his bite. Having said all that, it was an average read for me and I will read Villiers story this month. I must find out how much more humiliation this man can or will take. After all this time, if anyone deserves an HEA in this series, I believe it's Villiers.

Continued by reading and reviewing the first three books in the five book Young Adult series, Percy and the Olympians. You can find reviews for The Lightning Thief (Book 1) and The Titan's Curse (Book 2) and The Sea of Monsters (Book 3). I did finish this series. I read both The Battle of the Labyrinth (Book 4) and The Final Olympian (Book 5) and can say that both these books are Grade A reads. 

There were no disappointments waiting for me and no unanswered questions at the end of this series. Rick Riordan finished the series the way he started it, with wonderful characters and great adventures -- all of it told with great wit and a fast paced narrative that I truly enjoyed. The last two books move quickly and are dark, although not overwhelmingly so. I strongly recommend it for 8th to 12th graders, especially the later books, due to content. An overall "Grade A" Young Adult series all the way.

I also read three historical romances this past week, A Hint of Wicked by Jennifer Haymore was one of them. Triangles in a romance are not my favorite trope and I had some trepidation about picking this one up, but decided to give it a shot. I must say the triangle part of it was well done. Both men were worthy of Sophie and neither gave up on her. Sophie seemed 

level headed and I was happy with her decision at the end. Having said that, I did find myself rooting for one man more than the other -- I couldn't help myself. That part of the story was well done, but due to personal preference, I didn't really enjoy this book that much. I don't seem to enjoy historicals that focus too much on suspense/crime/spy plots and that part of it was not enjoyable for me. I also found myself being yanked out of the story every time someone called Sophie, "Soph" or Becky, "Becks" -- this reminded me of the beer label. Words can do that to me, specifically in a historical setting.

The other two historical romances I read were Julia Quinn's What Happened in London and Loretta Chase's Don't Tempt Me -- two enjoyable reads. I'll be addressing these as well as the five M/M books I read for the Challenge, the latest Nora Roberts' Suspense Romance, Black Hills and finally the long-awaited Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh, later on.

So, not too shabby -- I've been a busy bee on the reading front. What about you? What have you been reading? Any good recommendations? I'm looking for some good/great Sci-Fi Romances to add to my list!

Originally posted at Musings of a Bibliophile on July 11, 2009

2009 Midyear Reads

For 2009, I set a few personal reading goals:

1) Read some Urban Fantasy.

2) Finally get to some authors that have been lingering on my list of authors to try. Read one book, and if I like them, go for the backlist.

3) Read more Contemporary Romance and Sci-Fi/Fantasy Romance.

I haven't done too badly in all three categories. My third goal is lacking, but there's still time. Here's my list so far, although I know there are books I've re-read and didn't write down:

January

Wicked Games by Jeri-Smith Ready A-

Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole B+

What I Did for Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips B+

Veil of Midnight by Lara Adrian B

Simply Perfect by Mary Balogh B

The Donovan Trilogy by Nora Roberts (Re-read) B

Reflections by Nora Roberts (Re-read) B-

The Sins of Lord Eastbrook by Madeline Hunter C+

February

Angel's Pawn by Nalini Singh A

Rough Cut by Vincent Diamond (M/M) A

Angel's Blood by Nalini Singh (ARC) A-

Hot by Julia Harper B+

First Comes Marriage by Mary Balogh B

Desire Unchained by Larissa Ione B

Moving On by Addison Albright (M/M) C+

March

Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione A

Virgin River by Robyn Carr A

Gabriel's Ghost by Linnea Sinclair A

Hopes Folly by Linnea Sinclair A

Extreme Exposure by Pamela Clare A

Shelter Mountain by Robyn Carr A-

Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas B+

Shades of Dark by Linnea Sinclair B+

Whispering Rock by Robyn Carr B+

Feathers by Vincent Diamond (M/M) B

Hard Evidence by Pamela Clare B-

Then Comes Seduction by Mary Balogh B-

Code of Honor by Marquesate (M/M) B-

Second Chance Pass by Robyn Carr C

I Do Anthology (M/M) C

Dark Victory by Brenda Joyce C-

Tempt the Devil by Anna Campbell C-

April

Anything for You by Sara Mayberry A

Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews A

Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews A

Three Day Passes by Sean Michael (M/M) A

Bound by Love by T.A. Chase (M/M) A

To Beguile A Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt A-

Beautiful C*cksucker by Barbara Sheridan (M/M) A-

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews B+

Unlawful Contact by Pamela Clare B+

Starcrossed 1: Demon Tailz by MacLeod and Valentine (M/M)B+

Animal Attraction 2 Anthology by Vincent Diamond (M/M) B+

The Wild's Call by Jery Smith-Ready B

All the Windwracked Stars by Elizabeth Bear B

Wet Pass by Gavin Atlas (M/M) B

At Last Comes Love by Mary Balogh C+

My Only Home by Pepper Espinoza (M/M) C-

The Secret Wedding by Jo Beverly DNF

May

Country Boys: Wild Gay Erotica by Richard Labonte (M/M) A

The Irish Trilogy by Nora Roberts (Re-read) B+

In the Driver's Seat by Angela Benedetti (M/M) B+

Visions in White by Nora Roberts B

Sea Witch by Virginia Kantra B

For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper B

Guardian (Time Hunters) by Angela Knight B-

Candy Courage by Angela Benedetti (M/M)B-

Submission by Jody Payne and Chris Owen (M/M) DNF

June

Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale (Re-read) A

Silent Blade by Ilona Andrews A

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan A

Dial Emmy for Murder by Eileen Davidson A-

The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan B+

Desperate Duchesses by Eloisa James (Re-read) B+

The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley B+

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan B

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan B

The Bride in the Bargain by Deeane Gist B-

This Duchess of Mine by Eloisa James B-

Dancing in the Dark by Jenna Byrnes (M/M) B-

Str8gt Boys by Evangeline Anderson (M/M) B-

What Dominance by Gavin Atlas (M/M) B-

Ashes of Midnight by Lara Adrian C

Just One of the Guys by Kristen Higgins C

Touched by Light by Catherine Spangler C-

Recovery by CB Potts (M/M) B

Recovery Ranch by CB Potts (M/M) C-