Showing posts with label Eduardo C. Corral. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eduardo C. Corral. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

2012 Top Reads



This year my top 10 reads were gathered from different categories of books released in 2012 and graded A at Impressions of a Reader or given 5 stars at Goodreads. My top ten favorite books of 2012 are numbered, but due to the fact that I read many different categories this year (and love them all) they are listed in no particular order. Please note that I've included books already listed in my *2012 LGBT Favorite Books & Authors post (read a separate list here). You will also find a list of 2012 Honorable Mention reads that I thoroughly enjoyed this year, and three Grade A 2012 favorite reprint/re-releases.

2012 TOP 10 FAVORITE READS: (Click on titles to read reviews) 

1.   The Witness by Nora Roberts: Contemporary Romance Suspense
2.   Green Thumb by Tom Cardamone: Speculative Fiction*
3.   Slow Lightning by Eduardo C. Corral: Poetry*
4.   Range of Ghosts (Eternal Sky #1) by Elizabeth Bear: Fantasy
5.   Purgatory: A Novel of the Civil War by Jeff Mann: Erotic Historical Romance*
6.   The Last Renegade by Jo Goodman: Western Historical Romance
7.   A Horse Named Sorrow: A Novel by Trebor Healey: Fiction**
8.   The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey: Historical Fantasy Fiction
9.   Captain Harding and His Men, #2 by Elliott Mackle: Historical Fiction/Mystery*
10. Thief of Shadows (Maiden Lane #4) by Elizabeth Hoyt: Historical Romance

**Book read, reviewed after this post. Read in late December and unfortunately not included with my LGBT list of favorites! 




2012 HONORABLE MENTION LIST OF HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READS
1.   Torn by Lee Thomas: Horror*
2.   Caliban's War (The Expanse #2) by James S.A. Corey: Science Fiction
3.   Riveted (Iron Seas #3) by Meljean Brook: Science Fiction Romance/Steampunk
4.   Her Best Worst Mistake by Sarah Mayberry: Contemporary Romance
5.   Immobility by Brian Evenson: Post Apocalyptic Science Fiction/Fantasy
6.   The Last Policeman: A Novel by Ben H. Winters: Science Fiction/Mystery
7.   The Heart's History by Lewis DeSimone: Fiction*
8.   This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Díaz: Literary Fiction
9.   Hearts of Darkness (Deadglass #1) by Kira Brady: Paranormal Romance
10. The Boy Kings of Texas: A Memoir by Domingo Martinez: Non-Fiction

2012 FAVORITE REPRINT/RE-RELEASE:
1.  The Temporary Wife by Mary Balogh (2012 Dell): Historical Romance
2.  It Takes Two, #1 by Elliott Mackle (2012 Lethe Press): Historical Fiction/Mystery*
3.  The Rake by Mary Jo Putney (2012 Kensington Publishing): Historical Romance

Saturday, December 22, 2012

2012 LGBT: Favorite Books & Authors

If you read Impressions of a Reader, then you know that I absolutely love my LGBT books. Every year I wish that I had more time to read and review all the great books released, but due to time restrictions and other commitments I can never read everything I purchase or in some cases review everything I read. There is never enough time!

From the list of books read and reviewed during 2012, I have chosen 9 top books and authors representing my favorite within each category. They are listed below in no particular order. And because I read so many short stories, this year as my number 10 I'm including a short list of favorite short stories chosen from anthologies and collections read and reviewed in 2012. (Click on book titles to read reviews) 


TOM CARDAMONE: Queer Speculative Fiction
Green Thumb  (2012 print & digital ed.,BrazenHead)
Green Thumb by Tom Cardamone is an original, creative, queer speculative fiction novella that takes a curve and ends up in that space we refer to as the Weird. It's a favorite combination that Cardamone handles first with subtlety and then with grand beauty, making this novella my favorite speculative fiction read of 2012. In Leaf, Cardamone created an unforgettable character and in Green Thumb a magnificent story.

EDUARDO C. CORRAL: Poetry
Slow Lightning (2012 print ed., Yale University Press)
Slow Lightning won The Yale's Young Poet's Prize in 2012. In the foreword Carl Phillips says: "Corral resists reductivism. Gay, Chicano, 'Illegal-American,' that's all just language, and part of Corral's point is that language, like sex, is fluid and dangerous and thrilling, now a cage, now a window out. In Corral's refusal to think in reductive terms lies his great authority." I don't think anyone can describe Mr. Corral's point better than that! This is one of my favorite books of 2012.  I've re-read it and will continue to do so.

JEFF MANN: Erotic Historical Romance
Purgatory: A Novel of the Civil War (2012 print & digital ed., Bear Bones Books)
One of the most memorable reads of 2012 for me, Purgatory: A Novel of the Civil War is an erotic historical romance that reads more like an erotic historical fiction novel containing gorgeous research about the Civil War and a distinct Southern flavor. The talented Jeff Mann integrates graphic violent situations yet shows a loving BDSM relationship in progress between captive and captor. A fantastic love story. 


ELLIOTT MACKLE: Historical Fiction/Mystery
Captain Harding and His Men (Captain Harding #2) (2012 print & digital ed., Lethe Press)
Elliott Mackle has become one of my favorite writers within a very short period of time. I absolutely adored Captain Harding and His Men and can't deny that I'm in love with the main character. All of his books (all of them) are worth reading. I'm including the three books I read by Elliott Mackle in 2012 in my favorite list, making him one of my favorite authors this year. That includes: It Takes Two, Book #1, (reprint digital ed., 2012, Lethe Press) and *Only Make Believe (It Takes Two, Book #2) (2012 digital ed., Lethe Press), two magnificent historical fiction/mystery romances set in the South during WWII.

LEE THOMAS: Horror
Torn (2012 hardcover print ed., Cemetery Dance Productions)
Lee Thomas has the ability to make me visualize both the subtle and horrific situations described in his books. I love the way he juxtapositions prosaic events from everyday life with moments of desperation and horror that leave the reader bug-eyed, but always saying more and adding depth to the plot. I loved this horror novella by Mr. Thomas, as well other short stories included in different anthologies. Example: "The House By The Park"(Wilde Stories 2012 Anthology).

MELISSA SCOTT: Fantasy
Point of Knives: A Novella of Astreiant (2012 print & digital ed., Lethe Press)
Point of Knives flawlessly bridges the gap between the two classic fantasy novels Point of Hopes and Point of Dreams originally written by Melissa Scott and Lisa A. Barnett. Ms. Scott further develops the romantic relationship between the two main characters and also gives fans and new readers a fantastic new mystery to solve within a magnificent pseudo-Renaissance fantasy world. I absolutely loved this novella.


MEL BOSSA: Romance
Split  (2011 digital ed., Bold Strokes Books)
Split was released in 2011. I am including it with this list because I read it in 2012 and it is also my favorite gay romance. Split has excellent characterization and plotting, plus the emotional connection I need in my romance. This is an author whose other works I followed throughout the year and whose talent I learned to appreciate even more after reading her second novel, also recommended, Franky Gets Real (2012 digital ed., Bold Strokes Books).

LEWIS DESIMONE: Gay Fiction
The Heart's History (2012 print ed., Lethe Press)
Lewis DeSimone's The Heart's History is a story that stayed with me for a long time after I read it. In this novel DeSimone displays a talent for delving into his individual characters so that their portrayals become three-dimensional. The connection DeSimone establishes between those amazing characters is extended to the reader, and that makes them and their inner struggles, unforgettable. I know Edward is the center of this story, but who can read this novel and forget Harlan? I still can't. 

ERIK ORRANTIA: Gay Fiction with Romantic Elements
Taxi Rojo (2012 digital ed., Cheyenne Publishing)
Taxi Rojo by Erik Orrantia is a novel where the characters, portrayed as survivors of everyday struggles, are placed in extraordinary circumstances. Their individual stories are so gripping that I couldn't stop talking about them for weeks after I finished the book. Additionally, I found Orrantia's depiction and incorporation of Tijuana, Mexico as almost a secondary character, brilliant. A story that stayed with me.

FAVORITE SHORT STORIES: Miscellaneous categories from Anthologies & Collections

ARTHUR WOOTEN: The "Dear Henry Letters"
(Arthur Wooten's Shorts, 2012 digital ed. Galaxias Prod)
SIMON SHEPPARD: Heaven and Earth
(History's Passion, Richard Labonté, 2011 print ed. Bold Strokes Books)
JOEL LANE & MATT JOINER: Ashes in the Water
(Wilde Stories 2012, Steve Berman, 2012 print ed. Lethe Press)
CHAZ BRECHLEY: Keep the Aspidochelone Floating & VINCENT KOVAR: Wave Boys
(The Touch of the Sea, Steve Berman, 2012 print ed. Lethe Press)
'NATHAN BURGOINE: Leap
(Boys of Summer, Steve Berman, 2012 digital ed. Lethe Press)

That is it for my favorite LGBT reads of the year. What about you? Do you have a favorite LGBT book that you would like to recommend?


Sunday, July 15, 2012

June 2012: Reads + Summary

In June, summer finally arrived in full force and my reading slowed down dramatically. By the end of the month, I found myself needing a break from reading and blogging in order to enjoy outdoorsy events. However, as we all know, quality has nothing to do with quantity, and as you will see below quality-wise June was a great reading month for me.

Total books read: 9
 Contemporary Romance: 1
 Historical Romance: 3
 Science Fiction (Police Procedural): 1
 LGBT: 3 (Gay Spec Fic: 1, Gay Fic/Rom: 1, Gay Hist Mystery/Rom: 1)
 Poetry: 1



  1. Slow Lightning by Eduardo C. Corral: Slow Lightning is one of my top reads of the month. I did not write a full review, instead I highlighted it and wrote a recommendation, but this is a magnificent little book of poetry that I will enjoy for a long time since I re-read poetry over and over again. I recommend it highly. Grade: A
  2. Starlight (The Christies #2) by Carrie Lofty: I loved this historical romance for its atmosphere and characters that ended up winning me over. The romance was sexy and ultimately satisfying. Grade: A-
  3. The Touch of the Sea edited by Steve Berman: Overall this anthology was such a wonderful flight of fancy. The stories took me away and made me dream of the sea. This is definitely one of those books that you can read by the beach while people watching. I guarantee that the stories will make you wonder. . . Grade: B
  4. A Night Like This (Smythe-Smith #2) by Julia Quinn: Julia Quinn is known for her fun and light historical romances, and this book has those qualities. I needed some fun and some lightness, so the Smythe-Smith series was perfect for me. Enjoyable! Grade: B
  5. No Tan Lines by Kate Angell: Now here's a book that spells summer. I wanted to be at the Boardwalk while reading it, and after. I had a few problems with the inclusion of two other romances and lack of focus on the main couple, but otherwise this was an enjoyable, if average, read for me. Grade: C
  6. Logan's Outlaw (Men of Defiance #4) by Elaine Levine: This western romance took me by surprise with its combination of harsh, violent situations and sweet romance. Although I believe that there are readers out there who won't enjoy this combination, it worked for me. Grade: B-
  7. Taxi Rojo by Erik Orrantia: This was my first book by Erik Orrantia. I absolutely loved his depiction of Tijuana, Mexico, as well as his rendering of everyday people who struggle to find hope and happiness. Mr. Orrantia's characters stayed with me. Grade: B+
  8. It Takes Two by Elliott Mackle: It Takes Two was my very favorite read of the month. I love the way the author transported me to a racially divided little town in a post-WWII America. There was no waste to this story beginning with the depiction of racial bigotry and ending with the realistic romance that develops between the two main characters. Loved it! Grade: A
  9. The Last Policeman: A Novel by Ben H. Winters: Now... let's talk about this pre-apocalyptic police procedural (that's not easy to say). In this science fiction story the rendering of the main character and the pseudo-contemporary setting really grabbed my attention. I will be reading the rest of the trilogy because I need to know where Winters will take his character and the overall story arc in the end! Grade: B+
What am I reading at the moment? Well, I just finished another book by Elliott Mackle, Captain Harding and His Men, the second book in his Captain Harding series. However overall, I am finding that the heat of summer has given me an appetite for romance suspense, contemporary romance and science fiction! Interesting, right? I'm not sure what I'll pick up next!

That's it for June, I hope yours was as enjoyable as mine. Did you find any great reads in June that you would love to recommend? Any gems out there? Let us know!


Friday, June 8, 2012

Author Spotlight: Lee Thomas, Jan Steckel, Eduardo C. Corral

On June 4th, the 24th Annual Lambda Literary Award winners were announced. Congratulations to all the winners! I was particularly happy to see winners from LGBT dedicated small print presses like Lethe Press, Bold Strokes Books and MLR Press.

Today, however, I'm highlighting two winners whose works I read and highly recommended because they were both such excellent reads: Lee Thomas whose book The German was on my 2011 top ten favorite books list, and Jan Steckel whose poetry book The Horizontal Poet I particularly enjoyed reading earlier this year.

Lee Thomas - The German (Lethe Press, 2011)
A finalist for the 2011 Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel and the Lambda Literary Award for Best LGBT Science-fiction/Fantasy/Horror title.

Set during the height of World War II, The German examines the effect a series of ritualistic murders has on a small, Texas community. A killer preys on the young men of Barnard, Texas, leaving cryptic notes written in German. As the panic builds all eyes turn toward a quiet man with secrets of his own, who is trying to escape a violent past.

Ernst Lang fled Germany in 1934. Once a brute, a soldier, a leader of the Nazi party, he has renounced aggression and embraces a peaceful obscurity. But Lang is haunted by an impossible past. He remembers his own execution and the extremes of sex and violence that led to it. He remembers the men he led into battle, the men he seduced, and the men who betrayed him. But are these the memories of a man given a second life, or the delusions of a lunatic?
Lee Thomas is the Bram Stoker Award and the Lambda Literary Award-winning author of Stained, Parish Damned, Damage, The Dust of Wonderland, and In The Closet, Under The Bed. His latest novel The German was released to critical acclaim in March, 2011.

Lee currently lives in Austin, TX, where he's working on a number of projects.

✥✥✥✥

Jan Steckel - The Horizontal Poet (Zeitgeist Press, 2011)
Winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Nonfiction title.


Jan Steckel is an Oakland, California writer, a Harvard- and Yale-trained former pediatrician (now retired due to an acquired physical disability), and an activist for bisexual and disability rights. Her first poetry chapbook, The Underwater Hospital (Zeitgeist Press, 2006), garnered critical acclaim and won the Rainbow Award for lesbian and bisexual poetry. She won the 2008 Gertrude Press Fiction Chapbook Award, and Gertrude published her fiction chapbook Mixing Tracks.

Her fiction, poetry and nonfiction have appeared in Yale Medicine, Scholastic Magazine, Bellevue Literary Review, Harrington Lesbian Literary Quarterly, Red Rock Review and elsewhere. She has won numerous awards, and her work has been nominated twice for a Pushcart Prize. She lives in Oakland, California with her husband, Hew Wolff.

The Horizontal Poet is her first full-length poetry book. (Zeitgeist Press, 2011).

Congrats to both!

✥✥✥✥

And since I'm highlighting winners, LGBTQ authors, and it seems as if poetry is in the air, here is a bit of information about a poetry book I read this past week by Eduardo C. Corral, Slow Lightning. (actually my husband and I read this book together and to each other) Although I'm highlighting a tiny excerpt from his amazing poem "Self-Portrait with Tumbling and Lasso," I'll quickly say that "Variation On A Theme by José Montoya" is by far my (and my husband's) favorite section of the book. Carl Phillips words from the Foreword describe Corral's style quite eloquently. This is an "A grade/5 star" read for me -- one I'll be enjoying for a while -- and a book that I highly recommend.

Slow Lightning by Eduardo C. Corral (Yale University Press, 2012)
Yale Series of Younger Poets Volume 106
The Yale Younger Poets Prize

"We can make of what would blind us a conduit for changed vision, suggest Corral. In these poems, a cage implies all the rest that lies outside it; any frame frames a window through which to see other possibilities unfolding. . . . Like Robert Hayden, Corral resists reductivism. Gay, Chicano, 'Illegal-American,' that's all just language, and part of Corral's point is that language, like sex, is fluid and dangerous and thrilling, now a cage, now a window out. In Corral's refusal to think in reductive terms lies his great authority. His refusal to entirely trust authority wins my trust as a reader." Carl Phillips, from the Foreword 
Self-Portrait with Tumbling and Lasso
My soul is whirling
above my head like a lasso.
My right hand
a pistol. My left
automatic. I'm knocking

on every door.
I'm coming on strong,
like a missionary.
I'm kicking back
my legs, like a mule. I'm kicking up
my legs, like
a showgirl.
         [excerpt - Page 21]
Eduardo C. Corral's poems have appeared in New England Review, Ploughshares, and Poetry, as well as other journals and anthologies. He received a Discovery/The Nation award and was selected for residencies at the MacDowell Colony and Yaddo. He is a recipient of a 2011 Whiting Writers' Award.

The Yale Younger Poets Prize is the oldest annual literary award in the United States. The competition is open to any American under forty years of age who has not previously published a volume of poetry.