Short Stories: Michael Graves, Lewis DeSimone, Michael Carroll

June is Pride Month. I kicked off this month on June 1st by featuring LGBT short stories. I will continue to do so throughout the month by featuring short works written by gay authors, as well as  books with LGBT themes.

Today I would like to feature three short stories from With: New Gay Fiction edited by Jameson Currier (Chelsea Station, December 2013). This anthology features sixteen authors writing about all different types of relationships between gay men and others, including, but not limited to, lovers, family, friends, and acquaintances. I've been reading this book slowly and most likely will features other stories along the way. But today it is all about Michael Graves, Lewis DeSimone and Michael Carroll.

"Gold Mine" by Michael Graves
Gold Mine is an engaging and deeply emotional read written from two points of view. First, we have the boy anxiously waiting for his lover's return from the Iraqi War, and then we have boy's grandmother whose keen observations are shared with the reader. Graves uses both perspectives to explore the boy's relationship with his lover, the grandmother's love and acceptance, as well as the rejection he experiences from family members and the lover's family. This piece is engrossing in style with a political flavor that feels a bit dated, but not so much that it is not pertinent today. Particularly since there are lovers still waiting for their loved ones to come home safely.

"In Pride" by Lewis DeSimone
Lewis DeSimone's In Pride focuses on today's issue of gay marriage and all the changes that the new laws bring to individual lives and to the gay community as a whole. It's a beautiful thing and San Francisco is celebrating. But it all comes down to analyzing change and effect in the life of his main character, and as he joins the throngs of those celebrating, the effect it will have on a few of his friends who come from an older generation as opposed to the younger members of the gay community. There are questions: Is this something he wants in his life? Should he settle for the young lover who's already in his life or should he search for the right person? Does he want to? Is there still a chance for him? This is a fantastic piece by DeSimone who hits the right tone while addressing the new choices available to the modern gay man from the perspective of an experienced, mature generation.

"Werewolf" by Michael Carroll
Werewolf by Michael Carroll is one of those stories that just about anyone can relate to. It is about childhood friendships, you know, the ones that we let go with almost a sense of relief and later regret, usually when it's too late, because there are unresolved issues and feelings. In this case, Carroll's main character got there in time to say those last loving words to a dying friend and came to terms with rough realities. This is a deeply emotional, reality-based story that touches on the truth of those teen-year friendships that span years and in so many ways shape us.

Short Stories: M.R. Carey, John Chu, Justin Torres

I read countless short stories yearly but I rarely feature them on their own. Today I'm highlighting three single shorts that are not only excellent reads, but also free downloads. Check it out.

"Melanie was new herself, once, but that's hard to remember because it was a long time ago. It was before there were any words; there were just things without names, and things without names don't stay in your mind. They fall out, and then they're gone.

Now she's ten years old, and she has skin like a princess in a fairy tale; skin as white as snow. So she knows that when she grows up she'll be beautiful, with princes falling over themselves to climb her tower and rescue her.

Assuming, of course, that she has a tower."

I read the extended free preview of "The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey" (9 chapters!), and it turned out to be an absolutely fabulous speculative fiction read! I'm not saying much more about the story at this point because I believe it should be approached from a fresh perspective, but know this: if you give this book a try the main narrator and central character, a ten-year old whose name is Melanie, will snare you into reading the whole thing.

I am salivating to continue reading but have to wait until the whole novel releases on June 10th! I have high expectations for the rest of the book. As a teaser this preview is the perfect hook, but it also works really well as a short story. It gets an A- from me ONLY because I know there's more to come. Highly recommended.

In the near future water falls from the sky whenever someone lies (either a mist or a torrential flood depending on the intensity of the lie). This makes life difficult for Matt as he maneuvers the marriage question with his lover and how best to "come out" to his traditional Chinese parents.

I strongly recommend John Chu's The Water That Falls on You from Nowhere, a short piece nominated this year for a Hugo Award. I think what needs to be said about this piece has already been said. But personally what I like most about the story is how effectively, albeit sparingly, Chu uses the falling water. I like how this device affects the characters and plot which main focus is on family, love, and relationships. The writing style is both beautiful and concise, making this SF short story a personal favorite.

This story is also included in Some of the Best From Tor.com, 2013 Edition: A Tor.Com Original. Also available as a free download.

Reverting to the Wild State by Justin Torres was published in The New Yorker Magazine, August 1, 2011, but I just read it this past week.

Justin Torres is a fabulous writer whose 2011 novel We the Animals was acknowledged widely and garnered positive attention and reviews. This short piece gives the reader a taste of his writing style and a different sort of story.

Reverting to the Wild State is not much more than a broad sketch of a relationship that is related in reverse by the author. That first step as the story goes back in time is confusing but quickly becomes clear. This piece is unique, sad, and rather haunting, and leaves the reader wanting more. Free online read

Review: It Happened One Wedding by Julie James

This book has the perfect beginning. I loved it! Sidney Sinclair is in the middle of a date gone bad when Vaughn Roberts, FBI agent and first class player, hits on her. First she profiles him down to a "t" and then gives him the heave-ho in two seconds flat. Sidney is looking for Mr. Right, she's not up to dealing with players no matter how gorgeous, particularly after she was burned badly by one just like him! Sidney leaves happy because she got rid of one more player and Vaughn upset because she made him and recognized all his moves. The surprise comes when five minutes later they meet again at a restaurant where Vaughn's brother Simon and Sidney's sister Isabelle announce they are getting married and want their siblings to be best man and maid of honor.

The wedding has to take place in three-months time, and Sidney and Vaughn will be seeing a lot of each while they help their siblings prepare. Oh boy! The relationship begins on hostile terms, but James uses that hostility to stoke passion, and contact to develop a strange kind of friendship that leads these two oblivious people to fall for each other.

Early on Sidney decides that Vaughn will do as Mr. Right Now but throughout most of the story continues to go on dates looking for Mr. Right, and that's when things get hot and confused. Vaughn talks himself into believing that he is fine with the arrangement since he remorselessly enjoys the single life, and Sidney is convinced that, great sex notwithstanding, Vaughn is not the right man for her -- but what about the intimacy, understanding, and friendship that develops as a result of all the time shared and hot sex?

For most of the novel there's this snappy, witty dialog and humor that keeps the story moving forward -- fabulous texting bits and phone calls between Vaughn and Sidney, personal interactions, hot sex, and conversations between them and secondary characters. The pacing is only interrupted during those times when Sidney is at her job or Vaughn is at his. But these scenes are few and far in between, as romance trumps outside focus in this fifth installment of Julie James' FBI/U.S. Attorney series. This focus is most apparent in the contribution made by secondary characters which James utilizes, along with their story lines, to deepen characterization and relationship building for our couple. Simon and Isabella, parents and friends, are there to push and help our protagonists process feelings, but do not distract from the relationship.

It Happened One Wedding by Julie James could have done with a few extra scenes at the end to cement the love and happy ever after because let me tell you this is one oblivious pair. Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this contemporary romance -- it is fun and sexy -- and ended up loving Sidney and Vaughn as well as the secondary characters. Highly recommended.

Category: Contemporary Romance
Series: FBI/U.S. Attorney
Publisher/Release Date: Jove/May 6, 2014
Grade: A-

Visit Julie James here.

Series:
Something About You, #1
A Lot Like Love, #2
About That Night, #3
Love Irresistibly,#4 (read, not reviewed)
It Happened One Wedding, #5

Review: Scruffians! by Hal Duncan

---I was born under a bad signpost, says Foxtrot Wainscot Hottentot III.
---I was stolen from bypasses, says Puckerscruff of the urchins.
---I was raised by werewolves, says Flashjack of the hellions.
---I ran away from the circus, says Joey Picaroni.
---I bought me soul from the Devil, says Nuffinmuch O'Anyfink, king of the tinkers.
---I was a teenage virgin mum, says Bananastasia Roamin-hopper, rightful Princess of Russia (allegedly).
---I took the King's shilling and died in all his wars, says Ratatat Dan. But not for the likes of you.
---You see, says Gob, a Scruffian's story needs a hook.

I fell in love with Hal Duncan's collection, Scruffians! as soon as I read the first story. How can that be? Well, as Gob would say, that one story is the hook. It got me to read the whole book in one sitting.

Hal Duncan's work can be dense, non-linear, and highly imaginative along with extraordinary writing skills that always impress. With the addition of his homoerotic fantasy-based Scruffian stories, mythology-based fairies and pirates, and other fun adventures found in this short story speculative fiction collection, readers get a well-defined sense of what makes Duncan such a fine story teller and weaver of dreams.

The Scruffian pieces are connected primarily through world-building and recurring characters. In "How a Scruffian Starts Their Story," "How a Scruffian Gets Their Name," "Scruffian's Stamp," "An Amfabetcha of Scruffian's Names," and "Jack Scalliwag," Duncan weaves fantasy stories of lost boys and girls, some very young and others older, that after having been used or abused through the ages, gained semi-immortality and banded together in order to survive. Duncan's Scruffians are outsiders, rough and tough fighters and survivors who stand up for one another, and others, when nobody else will. In "Behold of the Eye," a recurring character, this time appearing as a fairy, inhabits the eye of a boy and experiences from the inside the changes, anguish, and terrors that take place as the boy grows into a teenager and realizes he is gay. This is a coming of age fairy tale like you've never read before.

Orphans, foundlings, latchkey kids.
Urchins, changelings, live-by-wits.
Rascals, scallywags, ruffians, scamps.
Scoundrels, hellions, Scruffians STAMP!

The characters alone make these stories stand out, but what really captures the attention is how Duncan mixes fantasy with raw reality and urban contemporary language. It is a rough reality that he depicts in the guise of fantasy. However, Duncan's boys, sodomites or not, are sexy, sly, and playful, and his stories are also filled with a high dose of fun, as well as homoeroticism, adventure, quests, and strong underlying emotions.

The collection slowly shifts to other speculative fiction pieces such as "The Disappearance of James H---," a twist on Peter Pan and Captain Hook, "The Island of the Pirate Gods," a fun, mythology-based piece with two pirates and Oberon's fairies that is filled with adventure and a fantastic narrative, and "The Shoulder of Pelops," another twist, based on the Tantalus and Pelops myth. There are also three unique pieces, the art-focused "The Bizarre Cubiques," the western-style "Sons of the Law," and my favorites in this group "The Angel of Gamblers," a story that I loved for its excellent pacing and suspenseful narrative about a gambler who sells his soul to an angel and then attempts to gain it back.

I previously read three stories included in this collection, all chosen as favorites in years past. "Sic Him, Hellhound! Kill! Kill!" I absolutely loved for its unique, fun, first person narrative from the hellhound's perspective, but for me, "Oneirica" and "The Nature of the Fiend" stand out for the distinct ways in which Duncan takes characters and readers from one plane to another. In "Oneirica," Duncan lulls the reader by using smooth dreamlike sequences that begin when a man looks into a grain of sand and travels through the ages experiencing the evolution of man and civilizations, while in "The Nature of the Fiend," the changes are surprising, abrupt, and a shock to the reader, as time evolves and a boy's recurring losses and cumulative grief bring out the darkness in him. This is a simplistic way of summarizing these stories because with their complexity and beauty they both garner strong reactions from the reader and are worth a reread or two.

To date, Scruffians! is one of my favorite single-author collections of the year -- I've already read it twice. It is the first compilation of Hal Duncan's short works and includes 15 previously published speculative fiction pieces. They are all of the upmost quality, bearing the distinct Duncan signature: a mixture of mythology and urban contemporary, fantasy and raw reality, as well as beautiful, often complex and thought-provoking plotting and characters. I find that Duncan's short works leave me gasping with excitement or reaching for better understanding, and always wanting more. Highly recommended.

Category: LGBT/Speculative Fiction
Series: None - Single Author Collection
Publisher/Release Date: Lethe Press/April 19, 2014
Grade: A

---------
ADDITIONAL INFO: Lethe Press is offering a Deluxe edition of Duncan's first short story collection. Hardcover, with dust jacket, full color art and text on heavy stock paper. Scandalous cover, too. This edition has an original story not to be found in the regular edition as well as over 40 photographs that complement the homoerotic tales. Click here for more details.

Review: The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

"Better to build new bridges, he thought, than to pine after what's been washed away. He dipped his pen again and wrote with printed legibility across the bottom of the page, Edrehasiver VII Drazhar. Edrehasivar VI had had a long, peaceful, and prosperous reign some five hundred years ago.
Let it be an omen, Maia though […]" -- Page 38

The court intrigue in The Goblin Emperor is complex and detailed, but I was really captivated by the main character Maia. Kate Addison's goblin emperor, His Serenity Edrehasivar VII Drazhar, or Maia, is an honorable young man grossly unprepared for a position he was not educated to fulfill. Stuck in a position he never wanted, Maia is lonely and looking for a friend in a place where there are no friends to be found. Instead there are those who may or may not be loyal to the emperor, or who do not or cannot consider Maia as an individual.

"If he could simply have lain down and died of grief, he would have. His mother had been the world to him, and although she had done her best to prepare him, he had been too young to fully understand what death meant---until she was gone, and the great, raw, gaping hole in his heart could not be filled or patched or mended. He looked for her everywhere, even after he had been shown her body---looked and looked and she could not be found." Page 50

The fourth wife of Emperor Verechibel IV of the Elfs, the Empress Chenelo Drazharan, a Goblin princess and Maia's mother, was banished or relegated from the Utheileneise Court by the Emperor when the legal consummation of their marriage resulted in her pregnancy. The Empress Chenelo died when Maia was eight years old, leaving the fourth and youngest son of the emperor to be raised in solitude and neglect by the resentful and abusive Cousin Setheris.

Immediately after his father and three brothers die together on an airship crash, the unprepared and unschooled eighteen year old Maia becomes Emperor of Ethuveraz, ruler of the Elflands. His insecurities show when he arrives at court where he finds intrigue, enemies, and contempt from some, while others just curry favor. The entire novel takes place in Maia's world while he navigates the dangerous and tricky pathways of court politics, betrayals, assassination attempts, an arranged marriage, and in the process learns who he is and the type of ruler he wants to become.

Following the complex pathways of the court intrigue with Maia as he puzzles it all out, slowly growing from an indecisive, self-conscious youth gaining strength and determination to become a peaceful, compassionate ruler makes for some fantastic reading. But, The Goblin Emperor's ultimate success comes from Addison's characterization of Maia as the lonely, brokenhearted young man who needs a friend, the optimistic, hopeful Maia whose understanding of other individuals comes from the heart, his own experiences, and inner strength.

And here is where those all important secondary characters come into play. Addison surrounds her main character with villains, yes, but also with other secondary characters who throughout the novel showcase Maia's character growth. Most of the relationships he forges with them are not entirely positive, and some are downright hostile in the beginning or in their entirety, yet some of these secondary characters propel Maia forward, they make him analyze his situation and himself, discover his own beliefs and grow as a person and as an emperor. For example, Maia's complex relationship with Cousin Sethersis is key in his growth as emperor, yet their personal relationship never goes beyond hostility and heartbreak. Other key secondary characters are Maia's personal secretary Csevet Aisava, bodyguards Beshelar and Cala, as well as his two sisters, his young nephew and heir Idra, his goblin grandfather, and finally his fierce fiancée Ceredin.

"His memory of his father, the only time he had ever seen him, was of the Emperor Varenechibel IV, tall and distant, with glacial eyes and a face as white and cold as marble. He remembered the white robes stiff with embroidery, the moonstones on his father's hands, braided into his hair, hanging from his ears. He remembered the black bands, the only token of mourning the emperor had deigned to wear for his fourth wife, like smears of ink across the whiteness of his person. He remembered his father's bitter mouth, and his smooth silken voice: The damned whelp looks just like his mother. -- Page 21"

Addison adds interest and gives depth to the story by incorporating pertinent social issues to her fantasy without overwhelming the story with them. For example, she weaves in heteronormative bias toward homosexual relationships, as well as strong female characters who carefully navigate gender bias in a restrictive social and cultural environment. Additionally, class and religious differences are incorporated. However, it is racism that is often emphasized through Maia's narrative as Addison utilizes the differences in coloring between elves and goblins and the elves' reactions to goblins, beginning with grey skinned Maia and his mother, and extending to other characters as they appear throughout the story.

Writing style is also quite important in this fantasy. The story is narrated from Maia's first person point of view, however the most unique aspect of the story is that all of Addison's characters use the royal "we" to communicate, with the antiquated "thou" thrown in for good measure and "I" used only to make a very personal statement and to emphasizes some powerful moments in this novel. This style works quite well and the story flows without any of the clunkiness you might expect. If anything interrupts the flow at times, it is the way in which the elven names are used. There is a long cast of secondary and peripheral characters with names and extended family titles that after a while become confusing. There is a "List of Persons, Places, Things and Gods" at the back of the book, but again, referring to it can interrupt that all important reading flow.

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Anderson (aka Sarah Monette) is a standalone fantasy with light magics, steampunk elements and a strong focus on court intrigue and characterization. This fantasy stands well on its own, with its story of vulnerable, sympathetic Maia and his idealistic views of a peaceful and prosperous future. I absolutely love that about this book! Having said that, I can see fans clamoring for more Maia, wanting to know more. However, for me, this beautiful, refreshing fantasy with its captivating main character is already a favorite. Highly recommended.

Category: Fantasy
Series: None
Publisher/Release Date: Tor Books/April 1, 2014
Grade: A-

Visit Katherine Addison here.

Review: Cub by Jeff Mann

Not every gay teen yearns for fashion and popular culture. Some boys are pure country folk and like the feel of flannel and the smell of the farm. And they're neither lithe nor muscle-bound but stocky boys, the ones who develop hairy chests, arms, and faces years earlier than their peers. One such seventeen-year-old is Travis Ferrell, shy among most of the other kids at school, but proud of his West Virginia roots. He has not yet admitted his passion for handsome guys--and his idea of what handsome is and what handsome does is not much different from him. Soon he'll learn that he's not unique; gay culture has a name for young men like him. Cubs. Lambda Literary Award-winning author Jeff Mann has written a touching romance for the outsider in us all.

Cub is a special gift from Jeff Mann to all young cubs out there. It is written for young adults who feel like outsiders, including the gay mainstream community. My first thought when I began reading Cub was that Mann dug deep into his own history and experience to create this young adult romance, the central character Travis Ferrell, and Travis's journey of self-discovery.

Travis is a handsome young man from a small conservative town in West Virginia. A bright thinker and budding poet, at seventeen Travis enjoys the quiet life he leads with his grandmother at their farm. Graduation is coming up and that means leaving for University and while Travis looks forward to the freedom this will bring him, he also finds himself wrestling with some deeply confusing sexual fantasies, frustrating desires, and questions about his future.

Travis knows he's gay but he is not like Martin, the one kid who came out in school and was run out of town. Travis is shy, quiet, and self-contained, more so after his best friends graduated and left town. He often feels different, as well as confused and horrified about his sexual desires and recurring fantasies to both control and protect someone of his own, and doesn't understand the intensity of the darkly passionate and tender feelings that turn him on. He is attracted to boys like beautiful mechanic Mike Woodson -- tall, strong, hairy boys who resemble him and enjoy life (and food) the way he does.

Cub is a story of discoveries and firsts -- first love and sexual experiences. Travis and Mike discover that their sexual desires and fantasies are shared, that there are others who feel the same way, and that there is nothing wrong with those desires. Mann handles the boys' introduction to kink, leather, and the Bear community slowly and with an understanding, gentle hand. There are some wonderful scenes where he uses sexual play instead of graphic scenes to illustrate the boys' explorations and sense of wonder. However, it is through conversation that all is explained with a deft hand: their deepest fears, the need to control and protect, to trust and feel safe.

Mann places plenty of realistic obstacles in the boys' way -- hiding their love, fighting school bullies and adults whose conservative views may not allow them to live the life they want, together. For Mike, it is fighting poverty, an abusive father, and an uncertain future. The boys often philosophize about life, they question, look for answers, and come up with their own conclusions. Jeff Mann's young characters have a thirst for knowledge and strong beliefs.

Jeff Mann is so talented that he can write anything and do so successfully. But young adult, you ask? Yes, he can write that too. In this case he does so with the authority of someone who has experience on the subject.  Cub fills an empty space within LGBT young adult reading materials by thoroughly connecting with the outsider, identifying and soothing the fears and opening up a whole new world to young cubs.  Highly recommended.

Category: LGBT/Gay Young Adult Romance
Publisher/Released: February 14, 2014 by Bear Bones Books
Pages: 215
Grade: A-

Visit Jeff Mann here.

The Left Hand of Darkness (Hainish Cycle #4) by Ursula K. Le Guin

First published in 1969, The Left Hand of Darkness is considered a science fiction classic. The best science fiction novel I read in 2013, this is book #4 (also the first full length novel) in Le Guin's Hainish Cycle series. You can read my overview of the Le Guin's Hainish Cycle series, biography, and basis for the author's world-building here.

As mentioned in my previous post, most of the worlds explored by Ekumen are populated by descendants from Terra's (or Earth's) humans, however, in the Left Hand of Darkness the story takes place in the frozen planet Winter or Gethen where it is suspected that the population may have evolved as a result of experimentation conducted on the population when it was first colonized. This complex story begins as a report from Genly Ai, a Terran who as an Ekumen mobile becomes the first envoy to contact Gethenians in their frozen planet, and follows his journey to understanding a radically different people and world.

Genly Ai has resided in Karhide's capital City Erhenrang for two years. Attempting, without success, to accomplish his mission by convincing the king to willingly agree to trade or join Ekumen in their galactic civilization. His attempts to obtain an audience with the king, however, have failed. The powerful Therem Harth rem ir Estraven is his only ally and a man Genly doesn't like or trust. Unfortunately, Estraven falls out of favor with the king and after a rather cryptic conversation flees the city, leaving Genly Ai floundering with conflicted feelings of relief and betrayal.

Besides Winter's frigid weather, Genly Ai has one big problem. After two years, he cannot seem to get over the fact that Gethenians are neither male nor female. They are both, and as such, possess physical and personality traits found in both sexes. Intellectually he knows how it all works. Genly understands the customs and biology. He knows that sexual interaction takes place only during the lunar cycle, what Gethenians call kemmer, and that the rest of the month their sexual drive is dormant. He also knows that there is no separation of gender roles, but psychologically he hasn't been able to come to terms with the differences.

"Though I had been nearly two years in Winter I was still far from being able to see the people of the planet through their own eyes. I tried to, but my efforts took the form of self-consciously seeing a Gethenian first as a man, then as a woman, forcing him into those categories so irrelevant to his nature and so essential to my own."

It is this kind of binary thinking that makes it almost impossible for Genly to understand Gethenians as individuals, so he misunderstands or fails to grasp cultural, social and political cues that are key if he is to achieve his mission's goal. Incapable of understanding the local population, Genly feels deeply isolated.

"A friend. What is a friend, in a world where any friend may be a lover at a new phase of the moon? Not I, locked in my virility; no friend to Therem Harth, or any other of his race. Neither man nor woman, neither and both, cyclic, lunar, metamorphosing under the hand's touch, changelings in the human cradle, they were no flesh of mine, no friends; no love between us."

Genly leaves for other parts of the Gethenian world to try his luck with other governments and meets Estraven under different circumstances. The two embark on a danger-filled adventure through the frozen tundras of Winter, but personally I think of theirs as a journey toward understanding. The result is a science fiction piece where Le Guin brilliantly experiments by integrating gender roles with cultural and sociopolitical issues in detail, but at its core brilliantly explores the subject of duality. Finally, Le Guin's prose makes The Left Hand of Darkness a fluid, fantastic read that I won't soon forget.

"Light is the left hand of darkness
and darkness the right hand of light,
Two are one, life and death,
lying together like lovers in kemmer,
like hands joined together,
like the end and the way."

PERSONAL NOTE: I read this book back in November but decided to post my comments on the book during my participation in the Vintage Science Fiction Month and The 2014 Sci-Fi Experience. It was my first novel by Le Guin and it will not be my last. There are a few reasons behind that decision: one, her science fiction literary writing style is a plus for me. Two, I was surprised not only by the fact that she experimented with this subject matter back in the 1960's, but by the brilliant results. And, three: her exploration of gender roles, culture, sociopolitical issues, and inclusion of racial diversity in a science fiction setting and far away world are all part of what fascinated me about this book. It is what encouraged me to immediately look for the rest of her backlist, including some of her older novellas. Highly recommended.

Related Posts:
Spotlight: Ursula K. Le Guin & The Hainish Cycle
Review: The Birthday of the World: and Other Stories by Ursula K. Le Guin

Review: Now and Forever (A Last Chance Romance #2) by Logan Belle

Now and Forever is the second part of Logan Belle's A Last Chance Romance two-part contemporary series. The conclusion to this series was a much anticipated book and worth the wait. In Now or Never, Part 1, Belle begins the process of weaving complex conflicts faced by her characters and introducing some fantastic heat and raw emotions. In Now and Forever, Belle hits her stride and delivers as she completes the characterization process and the full emotional punch of Claire's and Justin's story.

Whereas in Now or Never the focus was maintained on Claire, in Now and Forever that focus shifts to both characters, as Belle expands Claire's first point of view narration to include Justin's. This shift gives the reader the full scope of emotions needed to fully understand both characters. This is important because in this second installment Justin's background, motivations, and emotions are as fully explored as Claire's.

Claire's story begins in Now or Never when she is diagnosed with breast cancer and is told she has the BRCA gene. She makes the difficult but safe choice, which means a double mastectomy with reconstructive breast surgery and a hysterectomy to follow. She gets involved with younger, handsome Justin who becomes a friend and her wingman as Claire goes on to fulfill sexual fantasies in her "Now or Never" bucket list, going as far as ignoring reality and postponing the inevitable surgery. Claire is attracted to Justin even after he explains that he only ever has one-night stands. She gets her wish and looses her friend. Now and Forever begins exactly where Now or Never ends, with Justin walking away.

As we follow the story, Justin realizes that he can't let Claire's friendship go, furthermore he wants her badly and that one-night stand rule is not going to hold with her. He also misses his friend. It begins that way, but slowly, as the story moves along, he comes to some tough realizations about his feelings for Claire. Meanwhile, Claire has decided to stop running from reality and focuses on herself. She also realizes that although she has strong feelings for Justin, his tendency to run when things get tough doesn't make him trustworthy. Besides, she doesn't want him around when she goes through the pain or the changes that a mastectomy entails. Claire pushes Justin away.

If Justin ran away from a relationship at the beginning of their friendship, now Claire becomes the rabbit. She was game when it came to exploring sex, but love? No way. Her distrust of Justin and lack of belief in herself are monumental. Justin doesn't give up though. I loved him for that. For becoming Claire's friend and being there even when he wasn't there, and others, like her son Max and girlfriend Patti were allowed to take that place. Claire's young son Max who turns out to be a non-judgmental rock of understanding, and girlfriend Patti whose lack of understanding and judgmental ways are not as important to Claire as the fact that she's always there when needed.

I was enthralled by Claire's journey. She's a 40 something woman falling in love with a younger man just as she's going through what most women fear. Belle takes Claire, along with the reader, for a journey that begins with denial and ends with the healing process. Of course along with cancer and her growing love for Justin, Claire is also forced to face other problems in her life -- a dead-end job at a department store's make-up counter where younger women, but in particular a younger female manager first disregards and then steals her ideas and dismisses her experience, that empty nest her son Max used to fill, and facing herself in the mirror only to see a woman who let life and passion pass her by.

Belle tackles Claire's journey -- passion and lust, lack of confidence, feelings of inadequacy, pain and doubts, the healing process, and growth -- with a knowledgeable hand. Justin's journey to self-awareness, recognizing his weaknesses and Claire's strengths, leading to passion, love and true understanding of her, complete this story.

Now and Forever is a romance with some heated moments, a happy ending, and a subject matter pertinent to today's woman. Claire and Justin's journey are the icing and the cake. It resonated with me just as I am sure it will resonate with many others. I strongly recommend that both books be read to fully enjoy the experience. Highly recommended.

Category: Contemporary Romance
ebook, 165 pages
Publisher/Release Date: Moxie Books/January 11th 2014
Grade: A

Two-Part Series:
Now or Never, Part 1

Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch #1) by Ann Leckie

OVERVIEW: The Radch Empire. Lead by the many-bodied Anaander Mianaai, Lord of the Radch, this is a civilization that conquered the galaxy by annexing and absorbing worlds throughout thousands of years. Their mightiest weapons are starships equipped with an artificial intelligence core that links thousands of "corpse" or ancillary soldiers, allowing the AI to become mobile. As the Radchaai move from one annexed world to another force is used and resistance guarantees death, but once they triumph all inhabitants of that world become civilized citizens worthy of protection. With a class-based society as its core, for thousands of years the wealthy aristocratic Houses of Radch held the power and coveted positions in the military, grabbing first connections for future money-making endeavors when annexing new worlds. That changes when members of small provincial Houses begin to fill some of those positions and the seeds of resentment from the aristocratic Houses are planted and begin to grow.

Ancillary Justice focuses on characterization and an action driven slow-to-reveal plot instead of space battles, however, it is definitely a space opera with all of the romantic, melodramatic action, weaponry and science fiction details that are required of such a piece. The world-building is pure science fiction with alien-like places that provide excellent atmosphere, excellent gadgetry, and a particular focus placed on details pertaining to AI and the workings and evolution of the ancillary soldiers. Another unique aspect of the world-building is that in the Radchaai language only the female pronoun exists to specify gender. Everyone is referred to as "she" or "her," so that it is up to the reader to carefully asses who is male or female.

CHARACTERS & STORY:
Although Breq Ghaiad is our main character and the narration is from her perspective, in reality, at times, there is a three-in-one narrative and perspective -- Justice of Toren, One Esk, and Breq. It sounds confusing, but it all becomes crystal clear and works quite well. Justice of Toren, a massive starship, once served the Radch Empire for over two-thousand years. Her artificial intelligence linked thousands of ancillary soldiers, including One Esk, the ancillary segment known for singing and collecting songs from different worlds. But twenty years ago, Justice of Toren was betrayed and destroyed along with her ancillaries. The only surviving segment of her intelligence is Breq, a lone AI soldier looking for revenge against the betrayer. This character's inner evolution and actions carry and drive the novel. She is thoroughly complex, with a hard core, the cold side of an AI soldier accustomed to violence and a sensitivity for music and love of singing that opens up unimagined doors.

My heart is a fish
Hiding in the water grass
In the green, in the green -- One Esk's favorite song from Ors

Joining Breq in her journey is Captain Seivarden Vendaai. Long ago, the arrogant and aristocratic Captain Seivarden Vendaai had been one of Justice of Toren's lieutenants, although definitely not a favorite one. Later promoted to her own command, she had been thought dead for a thousand years when her ship was lost during a failed annexation. Seivarden was found frozen in a space pod, but unable to adapt to losses and changes that occurred during those thousand years, she finds herself lost and unstable. Breq finds her nearly frozen, bruised, bloody and almost dead in a remote planet, now an addict and a wastrel. Reluctantly, she takes Seirvarden along in her quest for revenge. Seirvarden's relationship with Breq is filled with revelations about both characters and becomes a catalyst as each pushes and pulls. The result is one of the strongest factors in this space opera, character growth. "Sometimes I don't know why I do the things I do." -- Breq

Breq's story shifts between the present and her past, alternating between chapters, as One Esk/Justice of Toren takes the reader back 20 years, narrating events that changed her world and lead to the present, and introducing Esk Decade Lieutenant Awn Elming. During the annexation of the planet Shis'urna, Lieutenant Awn has been in command of the city of Ors for two years at the request of the Devine priest. She has One Esk at her side along with a small twenty Esk ancillary unit from Justice of Toren under her command. Originally from an annexed world and a provincial House, Awn feels vulnerable in her position, but she is honorable, sensitive, brave and to One Esk, she is a favorite worthy of admiration. Her affair with the aristocratic Lieutenant Skaaiat Awer leaves her open to attack and eventually leads to disaster. Like tumbling dominoes, the devastating events that unfold in Ors end with One Esk set on the path to becoming Breq, the avenging soldier.

In the Ors sections, Leckie makes her revelations as the story moves along, divulging secrets at the most unexpected of times and keeping the reader on edge. Additionally, here is also where Leckie uses a multiple-perspective narrative from Justice of Toren and the different Esk segments -- a simultaneous narrative -- that gives the reader the complete scope of what is happening instead of the single point of view narrative. At the beginning, this style can be a bit disconcerting, but overall Leckie handled it beautifully. It is so well tied together that it seems possible.

Last, but not least, we have Anaander Mianaai the feared, all powerful and seemingly all knowing leader. Her actions in this story are questionable and she becomes Breq's bitter enemy. She is a key figure in this novel and a huge mystery. I will leave it at that.

CONCLUSION: If you want to know what surprised me the most about this space opera, it is how high emotions factor into the story, particularly since the narrator is well… artificial intelligence.  I became so immersed and involved with the characters, as well as the action, that I didn't want to stop reading. Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie is the first book in the Imperial Radch science fiction space opera. It is unique for its focus on the evolution of its characters as opposed to space battles. What does it mean to be human in a galaxy where artificial intelligence rules, but is also used by humans as a nothing but a weapon to conquer and build an empire? What does it mean to be civilized? What does it mean to be human? With one of the best AI narrative voices I've encountered for a long while, these are the questions that Leckie poses in her stunning sci-fi debut novel. Highly recommended.

Visit Ann Leckie here.

Trilogy (Series) by Orbit Publishers:
Ancillary Justice (2013)
Ancillary Sword (2014)
Ancillary Mercy (2015)

The 2014 Sci-Fi Experience

Mini-Reviews: Kelly Hunter, Shannon Stacey, Amy Lane, Astrid Amara

Continuing with books I really enjoyed in December, here are a few more mini-reviews.

The One That Got Away by Kelly Hunter (2013, Harlequin/KISS)

I'm still upset that I didn't read this book earlier in the year. A recommendation from Nath, this category romance has a bit more of a bite, or edge than I expected, particularly since it's from Harlequin's KISS brand and from my previous experience so far, there is nothing edgy about KISS romances. What provides the edge in this romance? The relationship that develops between the main couple is based on the exploration of sexual pleasure/pain through dominant/submissive roles. Much of it is effectively addressed and implied without resorting to overly graphic scenes. In this case, the prologue is key in establishing the background for the sexual relationship and focus for the story to come.

Logan is a tortured man, and Evie is a strong woman who knows her mind and what she wants. I really liked her. The conflict between them worked for me. The passion that runs beneath the surface when they are together and apart and explodes in the bedroom, and the fact that both realize that they are meant to go through with an adult sexual relationship is a plus. The fact that neither gives up successful careers for the other, instead coming to a mutual, workable arrangement that benefits both is refreshing. And, I believe that the story gains depth through the exploration of Logan's childhood and background story. This is a well-done and necessary aspect of the story. What does not work for me has to do with Max, Logan's half brother and his very sudden transformation and romantic feelings for a certain co-worker.

Overall, The One That Got Away felt like a much longer, meaty book because it is so well executed. It's a different type of read from Harlequin, very modern and up to the moment, yet still fits within their guidelines of not going over the top. It walks a fine line that I enjoyed. It is without a doubt my favorite read of the year by Kelly Hunter.

Category: Contemporary Romance
Grade: B+

Love a Little Sideways (Kowalski #7) by Shannon Stacey (2013, Harlequin)

I took the plunge and read Love a Little Sideways by Shannon Stacey even though I haven't been keeping up with the whole Kowalski series. This is such a cute contemporary romance series and this installment turned out to be an enjoyable addition.

Liz Kowalski is moving back home from New Mexico. The first person she meets is Sheriff Drew Miller, her brother Mitch's best friend and a man who has been a part of her family since childhood. That wouldn't be a problem except that the two of them had a passionate one night stand on the night of Mitch's wedding (All He Ever Desired #5) while they were both on the rebound from other relationships, and now they are both feeling awkward about it. Drew because Liz is his best friend's sister and there are rules between guys about that! And, he never told Mitch. And, Liz because she's not interested in anything long term, but she's really attracted to Drew. Of course regardless of concerns or guilt, Liz and Drew are pulled into a lusty affair.

Stacey uses loads of sexual tension and the encounters between Drew and Liz are smoking hot. The conflicts between them are not insurmountable. Telling Mitch becomes a problem for Drew, as does Liz's inability to commit. I like that she's the one who wants to take her time before making a commitment to the relationship, while Drew is the one who craves it. Of course the whole family gets involved and interfere in their love lives and decision-making. And, this is were my problems came in with this romance. As much as I love the Kowalski's there were just too many hands in the pie in this one. It's to the point that there are so many Kowalski couples and children and extraneous family members that after a while, I had a tough time keeping up with them.

Overall, however, this is a solid contemporary romance with a fine couple, loads of good times, and plenty of great moments. I enjoyed it.

Category: Contemporary Romance
Grade: B

Christmas Kitsch by Amy Lane (2013, Riple Publishing)

It's a little late for holiday romance reviews, but I can't not say a little something about one of my favorite Christmas romances of 2013. This is a recommendation for next holiday season. Christmas Kitsch is a straight up M/M Romance Christmas story by Amy Lane. There is nothing really overtly fresh if you think of this story in general terms: "the well-to-do jock befriends the smart geeky gay kid in high school." However, as a holiday read, this story hits all the right points.

Rusty is a slow learner whose wealthy parents push him to excel and perform above his learning abilities. He and Oliver strike up a friendship because they like each other, but yes, Oliver helps him to get through high school until Rusty goes to Berkeley where he becomes deeply disturbed and unhappy when he can't make it. Rusty is also going through a sexual identity crisis triggered by feelings for Oliver, which places even more pressure on him. Meanwhile, even when apart, Oliver is Rusty's sounding board for everything -- his daily struggles with school work, feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem, sexual frustrations and confusion, and overall fear of failure. There's good reason for Rusty's fears. His parents have never been supportive, and when push comes to shove, let him down. Self-confident Oliver, however, with his great family and strong sense of self, is up to the task and takes up the slack. When Rusty finds himself out of school, homeless, and jobless after his mother sees him kissing Oliver, Oliver and his family come to the rescue, and by Christmas, Rusty learns the real meaning of friendship, family, and home.

In this holiday story, Amy Lane throws a little bit of everything into the mix, including emotion, a little angst, and a couple of adorable characters. Rusty is particularly lovable. Oliver is typically impatient. He wants what he wants, now! And what he wants is Rusty. But, he's supportive, understanding and loving. Oliver's family, Rusty's sister, and his college roommate Felix make excellent secondary characters. Christmas Kitsch is not an overtly angsty piece, but it does have that emotional holiday kick and sweetness that makes it highly enjoyable during the holiday season.

Category: M/M Romance/Christmas
Grade: A-

Sweet and Sour by Astrid Amara (2013, Loose Id)

I absolutely loved the romance in Sweet and Sour by Astrid Amara. It's one of the few Hanukkah holiday romances I've read, and because it's set in 2013, the holiday coincides with Thanksgiving. A double holiday read. Amara sets her romance in Seattle, Washington where the main character, Miles Piekus, owns an established family kosher pickle business turned Jewish deli. He's having a frustrating time with his live-in partner, Itai, who was supposed to help but is too busy with his own concerns. So, Miles is short handed and overwhelmed with cooking, serving, and manning the cash register. In comes Detective Dominic 'Nic' Delbane, gorgeous cop and pickle aficionado, requesting to use the deli for a stake out to catch a drug dealer. Nic needs to work undercover as an employee at the deli and Miles needs an extra pair of hands during the holidays, so both agree this will work out perfectly.

I absolutely love Miles's internal monologue, as well as his dry wit. The combination of humor in the dialogue with sad and hopeful plot points are just right. It is always sad when a relationship that was once important comes to an end, and Miles and Itai's is unraveling, badly. Amara captures Miles's reluctance to accept the inevitable while knowing the end is coming, as well as Itai's ambivalence and total self-absorption. Most importantly, Amara simultaneously weaves in the romance between Nic and Miles with just the right touch by making them an unlikely, compatible pair. There's real attraction, sexual tension, and later passionate moments between them, although I personally fell in love with the cooking scenes. They were so personal and intimate. The evolution of Miles and Nic's romance is filled with those small moments and details that make it truly lovely. Oh, and by the way, Nic and his crew do catch that pesky drug dealer…

So, you can save this wonderful romance for the upcoming Hanukkah or Thanksgiving holiday seasons, or you can read it any time of the year. Either way, Sweet and Sour is worth it!

Category: M/M Romance/Hanukkah/Thanksgiving
Grade: B+

Mini-Reviews: Tenth of December by George Saunders & The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout

During December 2013 I was on vacation for half the month, so I didn't review most of the books I read -- some of them excellent and others highly enjoyable. I would like to share them with you. To begin, following are my impressions of two mainstream contemporary fiction books, one of them with science fiction elements.

Tenth of December by George Saunders (2013, Random House)

Tenth of December is a collection of ten short stories by George Saunders. He effectively uses a fusion of contemporary fiction with science fiction elements to develop a few of the stories, while firmly concentrating on contemporary issues throughout the entire book. The whole collection is notable for its sharp, modern literary writing style.

I enjoyed all the stories in this collection, including the first one "Victory Lap," a rather humorous account in which two teenagers ultimately confront a dangerous situation and make momentous decisions. However, there are a few short stories that really stand out as memorable among the rest. Set in a futuristic experimental lab where juvenile criminals are used as ginny pigs to develop new drugs, "Escape from Spiderhead" is a fantastic sci-fi based piece with a slow build up to an unexpectedly devastating climax. The execution in this story is flawless and, frankly, I couldn't stop thinking about it for a long time."The Semplica Girl Diaries" follows as another outstanding sci-fi based short that is slow to build but is grandly developed with slow, morally questionable revelations. This story is written in diary format by a husband and father competing with his neighbors and struggling to give his daughters the best future, but is he making the right decisions? Most memorable, for me, among the contemporary pieces are "Home," a tale of a soldier's homecoming, where Saunders mixes serious issues with sad irony -- "Thank you for your service!" And, in "Tenth of December" Saunders combines the sad realities of aging and terminal illness with the humorous fantasizing of the very young. Life experienced from both sides of the spectrum.

The stories in this collection are relevant to contemporary times and issues, and they flow in a way that makes this a quick, excellent read. I personally love Saunders' sharp writing style and human approach to the subject at hand. It is unfortunate that this is one of those books that lingered in my Kindle for most of 2013, and that I decided to read it during my end-of-year vacation because Tenth of December is an excellent book and highly recommended.

Category: SF/Contemporary Fiction
Grade: A-

The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout (2013, Random House)

In December, I also read The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout, another contemporary fiction book that lingered in my Kindle for much of 2013. In The Burgess Boys, Elizabeth Strout tightly weaves factual, controversial events that occurred in Lewinston, Maine in or around 2006 involving the sudden influx of Somali and Buntu immigrants to the area, with her fictional story about the three Maine-born Burgess siblings and the dysfunctional relationship that has existed between them since childhood. The two stories are tightly woven and, although Strout utilizes multiple perspectives to develop her story, -- intimate family and individual struggles, and community controversy -- the ultimate focus remains the same.

Of course the fictional story about the Burgess siblings is the core of the book and the one that immediately grabs the reader's attention. There's Jim, the eldest sibling who seems to live a charmed life as a famous criminal defense attorney in New York City, with his wife Helen acting as the perfect foil for such a man both at home and in social situations. In sharp contrast to his brother, Bob, an attorney working in the appellate division of Legal Aid in New York City, leads the lonely, sad, and rather pathetic life of a divorced man who can't seem to move on, and whose dependency on his brother's presence and approval is constant and obsessive. They both hate Shirley Falls for different reasons, but find themselves heading back when their divorced sister Susan asks for help with her teenage son Zach who is in big trouble. He threw a pig's head into a mosque where the local Somali community worships, supposedly as "a joke," and the situation is rapidly getting out of hand.

Strout's main theme poses many questions about "understanding." Do you really understand your parents, siblings, spouses, children? How about your community? Do you really know who they are?

"The key to contentment is never to ask why; she had learned that long ago." Helen

Strout delves on the consequences that arise from not understanding, or knowing. She does so by first presenting the characters as they appear to each other, slowly deconstructing them for the reader by digging into their relationships and struggles for truth and understanding and finally revealing the results. The main characters, Jim, Bob and Susan Burgess carry burdensome guilt due to a family tragedy that occurred in their childhood, and their families are unknowingly affected by this burden. Jim and Helen, Bob, Susan and Zach struggle with the consequences of not understanding, not knowing, as do the Somalis, the Buntu and the rest of the community in Shirley Falls. The story flows with little down time and excellent characterization. As far as sympathetic characters go, there are a couple, but most are portrayed as terribly human with flaws and faults -- worts and all.

The Burgess Boys is a book I really wanted to read last year, and I'm glad I did. It asks some excellent questions of the reader, and the story is good from beginning to end with tight writing, great revelations, and deeply explored characters -- some likable and others that I truly loathed. Recommended.

Category: Contemporary Fiction
Grade: B+

November 2013: Reads & Minis

November means rainy days, Thanksgiving, the end of Fall and my youngest niece Natalia's birthday! She is now one year old. That's her  picture, wearing her father's hat during our family's Thanksgiving get-together. She's a hoot!

November is also a cozy reading month with all the cold, rainy days, and early evenings. This is the time of year when I begin to crave holiday books, science fiction, and romance. This year, November turned out to be a mixed bag. Half of my reads were average or below average, but I also read some fantastic books. Following is a list with comments.

Total books read: 21
Contemporary: 10 (Fiction: 2, Romance: 4, Erotica: 4)
Historical Fiction: 3 (Romance: 1, Erotica: 1)
Historical Nonfiction: 1
Paranormal Romance: 1
Science Fiction: 1
LGBT: M/M Romance: 4
Literary Fiction (Reread): 1

Top November Reads:

Duke of Midnight (Maiden Lane #5) by Elizabeth Hoyt: A
With a strong heroine, a brooding hero, and a great plot, this book became one of my favorite in this already favorite historical romance series by Hoyt.

Now or Never (A Last Time Romance) by Logan Belle: A
Highly recommended by Wendy, Now or Never is the first in a new contemporary erotic romance series by Logan Belle, an author whose works I've enjoyed in the past. This is a fantastic story that became an instant favorite. I wrote a mini, or you can read the review that convinced me to pick up the book in the first place at The Misadventures of Super Librarian.

The Left Hand of Darkness (Hainish Cycle #4) by Ursula K. Le Guin: A
Ursula K. Le Guin is a new-to-me author within the science fiction genre and believe me, I am already a fan! Her prose is fantastic, and the core this story kept me riveted. This is not your typical forceful, action packed, science fiction, but a slowly built masterpiece. This book is from Le Guin's backlist, but definitely one of my favorite books of the year.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion: B+
I picked up The Rosie Project after reading Leslie's review at Leslie's Psyche. I didn't know at the time that this was quite the popular read! I'm glad I picked it up because it turned out to be a great read for me. Don is one of those memorable characters that stayed with me.

Promise Me Texas (Whispering Mountain #7) by Jodi Thomas: B
A sweet western historical romance that is all about warmth, laughter, and love. This is a solid read that I just enjoyed from beginning to end.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt: B
Now, this was a long and interesting read. Tartt is a new-to-me author recommended to me by one of my brothers because her latest book, The Goldfinch, is making waves at the moment (I have it in my TBR). I want to review this book, so I won't say much about it, except that I found the format she used for this "whydunit," and the intense focus on the rather unlikable characters rather interesting.

How I Met Your Father by L.B. Gregg: B
This is definitely an L.B. Gregg novella. You can tell because her humor is all over it, as well as her knack for getting the reader to fall in love with her couple and involved in the story right off the bat. Fun, fun read.

Christmas in Snowflake Canyon by RaeAnne Thayne: B
I really like Thayne's contemporaries and this was among my favorite Christmas reads last weekend. I really liked the character growth, as well as the romance in this one.

Erica's Choice by Sammi Lee: B
This is an M/M/F erotic triad piece by Sammi Lee, and a highly enjoyable one. It's emotionally wrenching with highly charged erotic moments. Lee did a great job of making this triad work. Solid piece.

Once Upon a Haunted Moor by Harper Fox: C+
Fox is a favorite M/M romance writer for me, and this Halloween read set in Scotland turned out to be really spooky. It's well written, which is not a surprise, but it's rather short with a romance that was too quick to develop.

My Own Miraculous by Joshilyn Jackson: C+
Joshilyn Jackson is a favorite women's fiction writer, and My Own Miraculous is a short prequel novella that introduces the main character to her novel, Someone Else's Love story, a book I have in my TBR and want to read in December. This prequel works well as an introduction, but of course it needs more detail.

Dark Witch (The Cousins O'Dwyer #1) by Nora Roberts: C
The first book in Nora Roberts' latest contemporary paranormal romance series, Dark Witch is nothing more than an average read. It is predictable for those who know her works well. There is really nothing new here. I recommend it to new readers of this author.

What the Bride Didn't Know by Kelly Hunter: C
A contemporary romance read with likable characters, a great premise, and a wonderful setting, but with so many tropes used that it just fizzled and ended up being an average read for me.

The Night Before Christmas by Kelly Hunter: C
A nice Christmas novella that was too short and where the main focus of the romance is interrupted with... filler.

From the Ashes (Fire & Rain #1) by Daisy Harris: C-
The basis of this MM romance by Daisy Harris is very familiar. It reminded me of "By the Numbers" by Chris Owen, and that threw me off from the beginning, additionally neither main character really grabbed my attention. The fireman lives with his family and lets them rule his life and the young man he takes home after his apartment burns down is not independent of mind enough for my taste. Actually, neither of them struck me as independent adult males for some reason. The romance is okay, but the characters bugged me.

Princesses Behaving Badly: Real Stories from History Without the Fairy-Tale Endings by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie: D+
This is a read that may be appreciated by some readers who are not keen on historical detail, but would enjoy snippets written in a chatty style. It's a beautiful looking book, but one that just did not work for me personally.

Second Chances (When Second Chances Count) by D.L. Roan: D
This is an M/F/M/M erotica piece with three brothers that find that one woman who will make them happy. It reminded me of the original August Brothers by Lora Leigh, although I believe it resembles Maya Banks' Coulters' Woman much more. This was way too similar and not as well done.

The Lord's Lover (Regency Triad #1) by Jenna Rose Ellis: D
This is a Regency historical and no, it is not a triad, but an M/M romance between a lord and his best friend who happens to be a servant. Somehow they bridge the gap between the master/servant AND homosexuality conflicts that arise. I had a tough time buying this story because of the historical time period and the way it all works out at the end with these men just living together as if all was well with the world.

The Reddington Scandal by Renee Rose: D
Historical M/F Erotica with a virginal bride and D/s flavor that just did not work for me, although it begins with a good premise. The woman's submissiveness and the male's aggressiveness with all the spanking because he needs to take his frustration out on her in the bedroom just bothered the heck out of me in this piece.

Stealing the Bride by Brynn Paulin: D-
SPOILER: This M/M/F erotic piece barely escaped an F or DNF from me. It's short and perhaps that's the reason I finished it. The "bride" goes on a camping trip right before her wedding and her two gay roommates show up to talk her into not going through with the wedding. After having shared an apartment for a few years, these two men confess they are really bisexual, not gay! Funny that nobody ever noticed!! Of course the boys want her and despite the fact that she's engaged, monkey sex ensues. The "groom" shows up to the wedding, but guess what? HE turns out to be gay! What? I can't recommend this one.

Reread:
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
I have a whole post written covering my reread of Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury, but I'm thinking of just posting it at Quotes and Thoughts. This reread was a major success for me. It goes to show that sometimes rereads are worth the time.

Hilcia's Weekly Reads & Updates

Hello everyone! I hope those living in the U.S. will have a fantastic Thanksgiving! And wish you all a wonderful holiday weekend with family and friends. I've been missing in action again and won't go into a long story, but I've been reading. These are the books I've read within the past week or so:



The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner (Reread)

Reread an American Classic, The Sound and The Fury for a discussion with my brothers. I'd forgotten about how fabulous and incredibly confusing that first section narrated by Bengy can be… the "stream of consciousness" or loose association style of writing is just fantastic in this novel. It still amazes me how Faulkner manages to change narrative (writing) styles throughout all four different sections in this book to such great effect. And, of course, the negative, almost nihilistic, views of modern man and society are overwhelming. Thank goodness for Dilsey!

I will be hitting more Faulkner in the near future. ;P

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

This contemporary fiction/romance has received some attention. I enjoyed that Simsion uses the first person point of view from the male's perspective in this romance. It makes for a great change and it's kind of refreshing. And the fact that Don's point of view is skewed because he suffers from Asperger's Syndrome makes this novel an even more interesting read. Simsion uses humor, tenderness, warmth, and the main character's personal frustration to develop the romance. The reader sees Rosie from Don's perspective and, in my opinion, this distances her from the reader to a certain degree. However, Simsion does a fairly good job of letting the reader "see" Rosie. I understood Rosie's need and insecurities, but frankly when it came to Rosie falling in love with our man I found there to be a disconnect... and hmm... maybe that was on purpose. I mean, if Don could not figure out what being in love felt like, how could he recognize it in her? Is an adult with Asperger's stereotyped in this romance? I wouldn't know, but, I do know that Simsion's novel is an enjoyable read all the way from beginning to end. Don, if not necessarily Rosie, makes it so.

What the Bride Didn't Know by Kelly Hunter

This category romance was enjoyable in the middle of all my other reads -- pure contemporary romance. It has a friends to lovers theme, which I love (and enjoyed), likable characters, and Kelly Hunter's way of rolling out a story. I was happy when Trig and Lena got their happy ever after, they loved each other openly but never told each other that they were "in love," and that was beautiful. I also loved Istanbul as the backdrop to the romance. I was not happy with the amnesia situation, the obsolete, action-less spy situation, or the fact that after a while I began to get that "kitchen sink" feeling when it came to devices thrown in for good measure. So this is a book that began with promise and a great premise, but along the way more or less became an average read.

The Birthday of the World by Ursula K. Le Guin

I haven't finished this collection of short stories by Le Guin yet, but the two stories I read, "Coming of Age in Karhide" and "Paradise Lost" were so good that I stopped reading the collection and went on to read my first complete novel by this author. Le Guin is one of those authors whose science fiction works I've been eyeing forever, but I never got around to reading. I'll be writing a post on her work so I won't go into detail now, but these two short stories are distinctly different. In "Coming of Age in Karhide," Le Guin returns to the Gethenian world-building she established in The Left Hand of Darkness and focuses on one particular aspect of what makes these people unique, "Paradise Lost," on the other hand, is a space voyage that takes place in a generational ship. Neither turned out to be what I expected, but were much more. I am definitely going to finish this collection and will write about it.

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin

This book? Well... this book is fantastic! I will definitely write a review for it, but basically it is about a man who is sent as the Envoy or first alien to contact the Gethenian planet to convince them, not only that there are other humans in space, but also to join their union of traders. Now, if you haven't read this book yet and think this is your run of the mill "first contact" book, then you'd be wrong. It's a magnificent study of humans as a whole. I relished reading this book slowly, and Le Guin's prose made every second worth the read.

I am a fan, and already have The Dispossessed in my Kindle. I can't wait to read it!


Princesses Behaving Badly: Real Stories from History Without the Fairy-Tale Endings by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie

This non-fictional collection of accounts about princesses behaving "badly" throughout history is an ARC I received from Quirk Books. The summary really caught my attention with mention of pirate and warrior princesses from different historical periods and parts of the globe. It turns out that the sections about these princesses are rather short and written in a chatty, very mod style which of course would not take away from the content if the accounts had in fact some meat on the bones, or the author's attempts to make this a feminist piece had been truly successful. I think that perhaps for readers who are not quite interested in history but want to read a book with facts and  "girl-power" flavor, this book might be fun with its light tone. Unfortunately, this collection did not hit the spot for me.

WHAT AM I READING?

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

This is a 1992 release by Tartt. I've never read a book by her, but my brother A. just read it and recommended it to me, so I picked it up. Anyway, I'm about 60% through it and I'm find it an interesting read. It's set in a Vermont university with six young students of ancient Greek as the main characters. They are a snobbish and self-contained group with a snobbish professor who inspires them to go far beyond their explorations of the language and culture. The result of these explorations lead the young group to commit murder, and the story is the progression of how it all evolves as well as revelations of what truly lies beneath the surface of each character and relationship. I will come back with more about this book because I haven't reached the meaty section yet. The story is quite arresting.


I'm hoping to read some uplifting holiday books this weekend -- romance! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'm in the mood for them. :)

Six Minis: Fabulous Erotica, Tales of Queer Villainy, A Tilted World & Murder

Now or Never (A Last Chance Romance #1) by Logan Belle (Moxie Books, 2013) Grade: A

Claire goes to the YMCA to attend a support group after having been diagnosed with breast cancer, instead she ends up at a group for erotica writers -- this is a fabulous beginning! She meets Justin, a younger man who tells her he's there attending the AA group, not because he's an alcoholic, but to pick up women. Claire is a 40 year-old, divorced woman who dedicated her whole life to raising her son Max who just left for college. She never made time for sex or herself, and now that she's ready to begin, feels that her body has betrayed her. Justin convinces Claire that before she goes through surgery, she needs to make a wish list of sexual fantasies and go through with it, ergo the "Now or Never List" is born. Now, let's get this straight, Justin doesn't plan on being part of Claire's sexual explorations, he is to be her wingman. He plans and helps with fantasies, and in the process they become friends.

Now or Never is short, but what a fantastic short it is! I've previously enjoyed Logan Belle's works, but this is different, it's more a combination of contemporary fiction with erotica than straight up erotica. There is depth in Claire's story, a 40 year woman who has been a "mother" for so long she has forgotten what it is to be a woman. She comes off as a woman with real fears, doubts and lacking in confidence -- all of this resonated with me, like part of a normal stage that women go through at some point in their lives. Justin is the mystery here. The male who you want to throttle one moment, but really makes you think the next. I cannot wait to see what happens next in Now and Forever (A Last Chance Romance, Part 2) coming out January 2014. Thanks to Wendy for the heads up on this one!

Crack Shot by Dale Chase (Bold Strokes Books, 2013) Grade: A-

When it comes to writing gay western erotica and Dale Chase the expression  "she ain't no daisy, she ain't no daisy at all" doesn't apply. In her hands, the American West comes alive as she mixes fine details and gritty characters with raw and downright dirty erotica. Crack Shot is one of Chase's latest releases (she has released a few new books lately), and in this collection I enjoyed all five stories: Brazen, Thyself a Man, Gandy Dancer, Crack Shot, and Picture Show. Favorites: "Gandy Dancer," and "Crack Shot."

Out of Dale's new releases, I'm in the process of reading Takedown (Bold Strokes Books, 2013) an erotic prison tale filled with outlaws and violence. So far it's an interesting read due mostly to Dale's exquisite research which makes the prison and men come alive for the reader. In October, I also read Lonely as God (self-published, 2013), a short story about two men who click on the trail through poetry, but don't get "at each other" until they reach the end of the trail at which time they ride off together. This story is hot, Chase style, a bit less raw than her usual pieces, but just as solid. (Grade B)

The Silent Hustler by Sean Meriwether (Lethe Press,2009) Grade: A-

I've had The Silent Hustler, a collection of twenty-six stories, in my TBR for a long, long time. I can't tell you how fantastic this collection is! It begins with two gorgeous stories about fathers and sons "Things I Can't Tell My Father," and "Ice Water." These two contemporary/lit fiction stories are brilliantly written with intimacy of thought and emotion. The collection is then divided into three sections: Frankenstein, Alone in the Country, Boys in the City, and Sax and Violins. Each section contains stories that take young gay men from early sexual discovery, through young adulthood and the discovery of the gay lifestyle, and on to adulthood.

There is nothing conventional or pedestrian about Meriwether's writing skills or the edgy, erotic, and emotional stories in this collection. Meriwether hooked me with the first two stories, but he kept me reading to the end by way of his talents, and by challenging comfort zones while making it all seem easy and fresh. A fantastic read (and a gorgeous, gorgeous cover)!

The Lavender Menace: Tales of Queer Villainy! ed. by Tom Cardamone (Northwest Press, 2013) Grade: B+

I enjoyed the stories in this anthology -- after all, it contains a favorite tale of queer villainy, Hal Duncan's "The Origin of the Fiend" -- but can I just say how much I absolutely loved the introduction by Tom Cardamone? We don't say enough about introductions and how they affect a reader (the "hook" they become), or what they mean to a collection or anthology. So to give you an idea of what this great collection is about, I will quote Cardamone:

"Queer kids identify with the monsters in the movies, empowered outcasts, bogeymen bursting out off the closet; villains are cool. They wear their shadows well and if you're going to be expelled into the darkness, you might as well flaunt it."

"We can't just be heroes and victims -- that would create a fictitious reality, one where we are more vigilant in our denials than in our quest for equality."

So yes, as an editor, Cardamone reached his goal in choosing writers with just the right tales of "queer villainy" for this collection.

The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly (William Morrow, 2013) Grade: B

I picked up The Tilted World because of the setting and time period. The whole story takes place during the "Great Mississippi Flood of 1927" in the fictional town of Hobnob, by Greenville, Mississippi. It's really a love story (a romance with a happy ending) that takes place between a bootlegger and the government man who came to town to make an arrest. There's murder, betrayal, saboteurs, an orphaned baby, and a flood that would change the course of history.

What I loved and remember the most are the historical fiction details in this book. There were also times when I enjoyed the suspense and different characters, plus the joint writing by Franklin and Fennelly is quite good. However, there was a lack of plausibility to the story as a whole that kept it from becoming more than a solid read for me. On the other hand, the romance, for some reason, worked for me. It is one of those warm love stories that seem to fit with time and place. I recommend it if you're looking for something different that will keep you reading. I read it in one sitting. :)

Still Life With Murder by P.B. Ryan (Berkley, 2003) Grade: B

The first book in the Nell Sweeney historical mystery series turned out to be really good! I know I'm giving it a B (or solid), but that's only because well... it's the first of a series and I don't usually give first books higher grades unless they are fantabulous. Nell is an Irish governess working for a wealthy Bostonian family. The time is just after the American Civil War has ended and the mystery? Nell's employers, Augustus and Viola Hewitt are shocked and appalled when they are informed that one of two sons, William Hewitt, declared dead at Andersonville, is not only alive and in Boston, but is accused of committing a violent murder while under the influence of opium. While August wants Will to hang, Viola asks Nell to help Will in any way she can. The investigation takes Nell from Irish slums to Chinese opium dens, and worse. But, is Will really innocent? And will Nell be able to hold on to her job after all this is over?

I love the setting and time period for this mystery. Nell is a wonderful main character and Will and Detective Cook both serve as great foils for her. Ryan takes a chance with this series, I think, as she begins to build a series with a woman who has a bit of a mysterious, but checkered past, and includes the beginning of a romance (?) with someone who is a long way from perfect. There is less of the "upstairs/downstairs" atmosphere to this first novel than I expected, but there is a marked difference between the clean, wealthy life that Nell leads with the Hewitts, and the life of those she encounters while investigating the murder. Ryan's descriptions of life in the impoverished sides of Boston are riveting. I can't wait for more. The end to the mystery was a total surprise for me and I really loved how it turned out. And yes, I bought the second book to the series, Murder in a Mill Town, as soon as I finished this one. :) Thanks to Li for the recommendation.