Update + South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami

Wow, it has been a whole week since I posted. Let's dust off my little blog.

I read up a storm during the month of April (25 books), but only reviewed one book. This is what happened. First, I basically spent every single minute of my spare time reading instead of blogging. Second, I joined Scribd two months ago and took advantage of my first free month and first month and decided to become a paid subscriber ($8.99 per month). Needless to say I went nuts reading backlist books and/or old releases, or complete series I've been wanting to get to. Hmm... in some cases, I already have the print books (some are on my Kindle too) but it just became a matter of choosing a more accessible format -- ebook or audiobook. Anyway, I continued with the self-indulgent binge reading that I began in March by reading what I want to read when I want to read it regardless of release date, genre, etc. The good news for me is that I am again reading, and enjoying, a little bit of everything! ROMANCE (Yay!), LGBT (Hurray!), Sci-Fi (Fireworks!), Fiction, and more…

South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami (Naxos Audiobooks, narrated by Eric Loren)

I began the month by listening to the audio book South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami. This was my second audio experience, and my first in a long time. I enjoyed the narration and was able to get lost in the story without getting pulled out or bored by his voice. The plot is another matter as I did not find it exceedingly fascinating. My ongoing lack of excitement had much to do with Murakami's main characters, particularly the male character's passive inaction and the female protagonist's almost ghostly essence, or better yet Murakami's attempt to make her a mystery goes so far until, in my estimation, she becomes a non-entity and nothing more than a vehicle for the male character's ponderings.

Murakami's main character, Hajime, is a man who allows life to happen. Hajime is in an almost constant state of emotional stagnation for most of his life. He is seldom proactive, forward momentum is missing. Hajime is aware of the disconnect that occurs between his thought process and the lack of action that permeates his life. The man marries, has children, and becomes moderately successful because his father-in-law provides him with the means to do so. He seems content with his life, although there is a sort of awareness on his part, a certain resentment, but again what is there to do but go on and succeed as best he can?

Since Hajime is both emotionally stagnant and disconnected, the majority of his interpersonal and personal relationships lack intimacy. However, this man has also been obsessed (note that I did not say emotionally involved) with Shimamoto, a young girl with a lame foot, since he was a boy. At that point in his life Hajime felt a connection with her yet when his family moved away to a nearby neighborhood he allowed the friendship to die. He proceeds to obsess about this "perceived connection" with Shimamoto throughout long years, using it as a pretext to sabotage all other relationships but never seeking her out.

A reunion takes place between Hajime and Shimamoto when she shows up at his jazz club later on in his life. By that time he is married with children, however that doesn't stop him from lying to his wife and risking everything in order to grasp that old and longed-for perceived connection. Shimamoto has lived and is supposedly living some sort of complicated life that the reader never gets a handle on, and first becomes too overtly coy and mysterious about her life, while later turning into the sort of foggy Japanese female whose essence as a character is rooted in unknown tragedy.

Overall, I found South of the Border, West of the Sun to be a highly atmospheric story, moody, with lots of rain, inner philosophical monologues about life and the complexities of human connections. This passive journey of a man without a true destination has some beautiful passages with music that becomes part of the atmosphere: classical, jazz, and old standard titles that can almost be heard on the background. For me, this was a taste of Murakami's work, but I will move on to read (or listen) to his better known works.

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Coming up next: My Patricia Briggs reading binge continued in April with the complete Mercy Thompson urban fantasy series.

Vision in Silver (The Others #3) by Anne Bishop

Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop is a multi layered installment that further explores expands, or fully brings to light already introduced conflicts while opening up new dangerous threads. Residents of the Lakeside Courtyard and their human friends continue to be the main focus as they are pulled into all of these conflicts which include but are not limited to: the manipulation of humans by humans through the hidden or not so hidden agenda of the Humans First and Last Organization; consequences brought about when a group of cassandra sangue were released by the Others and brought their plight to the public’s attention; further exploration of human / Others relationships, and tentative, but effective, exposure to the terra indigene or earth natives from the wild country.

Bishop expands the world-building and kicks forward the overall storyarc by utilizing the already established characters. For example, instead of introducing a myriad of extraneous characters to establish the terrors that the newly freed cassandra sangue suffer, Bishop introduces one new cassandra sangue to the mix and heavily utilizes Meg's character as a general example of what all they girls are experiencing. Bishop achieves this by having Meg regress to a similar level of distress as she becomes overwhelmed by stimuli and loses control of the cutting urges.

Meg’s distress is an effective tool as far as the overall storyarc is concerned. However, as a central participant to everything that is going on in this story, Meg becomes more of a distraction than an asset to the Others. For the first half of the book her character disappointingly regresses to that overprotected needy role I believed she was slowly shedding on Murder of Crows, Book 2. Bishop’s Meg is an interesting and different kind of female protagonist though. She is not part of the action or fights battles, and could easily be dismissed as a sweet seer who has caught the male protagonist’s eye and makes everyone around her feel protective.

Meg's character, however, is central to this series. She has served as a catalyst to all the events occurring. The best example is how Simon and the Others at the Lakeside Courtyard slowly began to view humans as more than meat and has grown so that this viewpoint has extended outside Lakeside to other Courtyards. Furthermore, Simon's view of humans has evolved enough that some of those humans are now under the Others’ protection. This evolution in Simon's views, limited as they are toward certain humans, has not only served to open the Others’ eyes as to what is happening in the human world-at-large, but has also attracted the attention of the terra indigene or earth natives residing in the wild country, terrifying and mysterious breed just beginning to make themselves felt. Everything is connected.

In addition to Meg and Simon, Bishop also utilizes Lieutenant Montgomery of the Lakeside Police Department to further the overall storyarc by intrinsically integrating his personal life to a key section in this book. Strong contributions by secondary characters are a given, as Bishop closes some threads in this installment while expanding and opening others. Expect power plays as well as power issues -- some expected and others surprising to say the least.

The personal relationship between Simon and Meg moves forward in slow motion. The friendship has deepened to a point where they seem to be more of an oblivious couple. Meg and Simon admire and are fiercely protective of each other. However, while they have become jealous or territorial of their alone-time and accept the need to be together, there is a sense that the reality of romance has not fully entered their minds. Would a real romance with a human be acceptable to the Others? I am simply not sure how a romantic relationship would work between Simon and Meg. I am not sure that Bishop will take their relationship that far, although I am fervently hoping that she will do just that because this is the cutest couple I’ve come across in a long while -- Simon's wolfy / doggy reactions to Meg are too adorable for words.

Vision in Silver has action, a couple of mysteries, those fun and joyously adorable moments I love, a big build-up and a quiet resolution with a narrated climax that came as a bit of a disappointment. I do, however, appreciate how brilliantly Bishop ties things together to effectively and almost effortlessly further the overall storyarc. This is a great installment and a must read for fans of this excellent series. Grade: B+

The Others Series:
Written in Red, Book #1
Murder of Crows, Book #2
Vision in Silver, Book #3

The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Anne Noble

2014 Winner — Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award — Young Adult Fiction

There is no cure for being who you truly are...

In a cottage high atop Llanfair Mountain, sixteen-year-old Clara lives with her sister, Maren, and guardian Auntie. By day, they gather herbs for Auntie’s healing potions. By night, Auntie spins tales of faraway lands and wicked fairies. Clara’s favorite story tells of three orphan infants—Clara, who was brought to Auntie by a stork; Maren, who arrived in a seashell; and their best friend, O’Neill, who was found beneath an apple tree.

One day, Clara discovers shimmering scales just beneath her sister’s skin. She realizes that Maren is becoming a mermaid—and knows that no mermaid can survive on land. Desperate to save her, Clara and O’Neill place the mermaid-girl in their gypsy wagon and set out for the sea. But no road is straight, and the trio encounters trouble around every bend. Ensnared by an evil troupe of traveling performers, Clara and O’Neill must find a way to save themselves and the ever-weakening mermaid.

And always, in the back of her mind, Clara wonders, if my sister is a mermaid, then what am I?

The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Anne Noble is a whimsical short fantasy novel geared toward young middle schoolers. There are elements of the fairy tale in it, but the story itself is not based on a fairy tale.

Sisters Clara and Maren grow up happily with their Auntie on a small cottage high on a mountain. They help Auntie with her healing potions and she tells them fantastical stories, including their favorite of how Clara was brought to Auntie by a stork and Maren arrived on a stormy night in a giant seashell, while their best friend O'Neill was found beneath an apple tree.

The story takes off from there with Maren as a sixteen year old beginning to change into a mermaid with sparkly scales and the kind of beauty that maddens men. Soon they all realize that Maren will die if she is not taken to the sea. O'Neill and Clara place her on O'Neill's gypsy wagon and set off. Their journey is long and filled with troubles. Along the way they encounter evil and battle personal doubts, love, jealousies, and selfish love, as neither O'Neill nor Clara want to let Maren go to the sea.

There are a couple of threads about acceptance that are perfectly suited for young adults. Maren accepts who she is and knows where she needs to go, but can she learn that she can't always get her own way? The journey, however, turns into more of a quest for Clara, one in which she needs to figure out who she really is and what she is capable of doing. In reality Clara and Maren are adopted sisters, but in their hearts and minds they are sisters born. Their love for each other is boundless and Clara shows that love in thought and action. For O'Neill the journey becomes a lesson about letting go by accepting a loved one's decisions.

The Mermaid's Sister is a book that  young middle schoolers will enjoy, it is not for adult reading. As an adult reader, I found one too many unanswered questions at the end and a fairy tale "happy ever after" between two sixteen year olds that did not make sense. The story is well written. It contains joy and sadness, good and evil, a bit of magic, and a few extra surprises. I read it to find out if my younger nieces would enjoy it and yes, I believe they would.

This n That: News, Minis, Reads

Hello everyone! I've been MIA, but truthfully behind the scenes trying to come up with a few reviews and / or minis while having a heck of a hard time getting my thoughts together. So, I thought a "this n that" post was called for since my reviewing mojo has taken a break.

First, a couple of days ago the 27th Annual Lambda Literary Awards Finalists were announced. As always, I check out the list to find out if any of my favorite reads or authors are included, or if there are books that may interest me. I was very happy to see a few of my favorites among the finalists: (Click on titles to read reviews)

• Gay Erotica: The Bears of Winter by Jerry L. Wheeler 
• Gay Memoir/Biography: The Prince of Los Cocuyos by Richard Blanco (read in 2015)
• Gay Mystery: Fair Game by Josh Lanyon (although I'm wondering if it's supposed to be Fair Play (2014) since Fair Game was a 2010 release?) 
• SF/F/Horror: Butcher's Road by Lee Thomas

Regretfully, the list of books by finalists still sitting in my TBR is longer than the list of books above. It was one of those years. I am going to try to read a few before the winners are announced in June.

Congratulations to everyone!
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SFF:
In February I read a few sff novellas, novelettes, and other shorts works. I reviewed two separately here and here. The two novelettes below are very different in content and structure. I liked one more than the other. Yet, they have something in common. Both stories made an impact and stayed with me long after I read them.

Of the SSF short works I read in February, my favorite was Kai Ashante Wilson's 2014 SFF novelette The Devil in America, a free online read at Tor.com that has been nominated for a Nebula Award. Last year, this author's short story Super Bass was among my favorite.

With "The Devil in America," Kai Ashante Wilson introduces fantasy elements while making a strong social statement. He combines ancient African magic with the left over legacy of slavery in America. The central story, where the fantasy elements of the story are focused, takes place in a post Civil War South. Small sections, depicting racially motivated crimes committed against African Americans throughout US history and to contemporary times, are inserted throughout to punctuate consequences of events occurring in the magical section of the narrative. This excellent novelette is short, to the point, and packs a punch.

I am also familiar with Dale Bailey's short works through his contributions to Asimov's Magazine. His novelette The End of The End of Everything is not nominated, however, in my estimation it is one of the best I read in February. Think of a dystopian earth where everything in the world is slowly dying from a sort of darkness, described as ruin, that is killing everything it touches: man-made structures as well as all living things, including man. When a couple moves to an exclusive artists' colony with a friend, his latest wife and her child, they find the wealthy, famous, and semi-famous indulging in end-of-world free-for-all dissipation and suicide parties that result in carnage. A mutilation artist becomes the ultimate horrifying temptation for the main character, a philandering poet who questions the mediocrity of his life.

This story has excellent sff elements that are utilized throughout the story as a whole. The central character works as both the focus and narrator, and the world-building although murky in its inception, is clear enough for the story's purpose. This novelette, however, is sff/horror, one that is filled with the kind of violence, blood, and mutilation that is horrifying and truthfully not for everyone. That aspect of story did not bother me personally. What this very well-written, fascinating novella was missing for me, was a real representation of the psychological torture that the living should have been experiencing. Instead everyone is portrayed as very sophisticated and for the most part clinically detached. Yet, this novelette stayed with me and I will probably reread it. There is so much going on in this story that I may have missed something. Check out that great cover illustration by Victo Ngai! Free online read at Tor.com.

FANTASY ROMANCE:

I also read Radiance, Grace Draven's latest release, Part 1 of her Wraith Kings fantasy romance series. Draven's fantasy world-building is as attractive and compelling as her characters. Imagine two cultures and peoples so different in customs and physical appearance that the other appears to them as 'monsters.' Then imagine the royal houses forging an alliance through a marriage where the bride and groom find each other so physically repulsive they have a problem looking at each other without flinching. What are the chances that they will find a happy ever after?

This fantasy romance has some gushingly sweet lines between two people who find each other physically repellent. That's because Ildiko and Brishen genuinely like each other from the moment they meet.

She drew a circle on his chin with her fingertip. "Your skin color reminds me of a dead eel I once saw on the beach."

Brishen arched an eyebrow. "Flattering, I'm sure. I thought yours looked like a mollusk we boil to make amaranthine dye."

Draven does a fantastic job of utilizing a growing friendship and understanding as a building block to romantic love. Political intrigue is well integrated with both the fantasy and romantic elements of this novel. But there are also battles of wit as well as physical battles, warriors, magic, dark, light, and more. My one niggle is the overly formal dialog that creeps in between the main characters even during intimate moments. But that was not enough to spoil my enjoyment of this story or the beautiful romantic ending to Radiance. That is until you get to the epilogue, which almost serves as a prelude to what promises to be a more politically complex and fantasy-filled series. I will not miss the next installment.

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What have I been reading recently? I just finished Vision in Silver: A Novel of the Others by Anne Bishop. More of Meg, Simon, Lakeside Courtyard and Thaisia intrigue. I'm hoping to review this book next week. I'm also trying to catch up with Patricia Brigg's Alpha & Omega UF series and finished Hunting Ground with the hopes of reading books #3 and #4 in March. Maybe I will write one of my series overviews for this one? Let's see if I get going on that!

Right now I'm attempting to read a few books: Echopraxia by Peter Watts, a hard sci-fi novel (stuck at 17%); the contemporary novella Snowed In (Kentucky Comfort #3) by Sarah Title(almost done), and We Are the Cloud by Sam J. Miller, a free online sff novelette at the Lightspeed Magazine site (just began).

SF Minis: "Sleep Walking Now and Then" by Richard Bowes

In February, I continued the process of catching up by reading a few short works on Locus Magazine's list of recommended SF reads, as well as the 2014 Nebula Award Finalists. To date I've read eight novellas and novelettes -- most of them available as "free" online reads / downloads. Today I am featuring Richard Bowes.

Illustration/Cover by Richie Pope

A Nebula Award Finalist and recommended by Locus Magazine. This novelette was acquired and edited for Tor.com by consulting editor Ellen Datlow.

"Sleep Walking Now and Then," is set in the Big Arena, a futuristic New York City, where class and financial divide are wide and marked. Residents of the Big Arena will do anything to stay at the top of their game in 2060. That wider look at time, place and society is the perfect cue to the more intimate setting, characters, and motivations that come along next. Bowes' main character is Jacoby Cass, a successful playwright, director and actor whose star seems to be waning. Everything depends on the success of a new interactive production at The Agouleme Hotel in a dilapidated Kips Bay neighborhood. The hotel's original owner and two deaths, one of them a suspected but unproven murder, are the inspiration for Cass' play.

Bowes mixes up the future (2060) with the past (1890s and 1960s) through the play's dialogue, descriptions of the hotel as the set, and the actors' wardrobe. Atmosphere is grand throughout the story. Greed, egos, staging details, as well as the "anything for a hit" show business attitude are also easily captured by Bowes. The above mentioned and the idea of having the public become part of the play (imagine an interactive play set at the Algonquin), became more a focus for me than the murder mysteries. The end fits the story, characters, and attitudes perfectly.

Richard Bowes is a favorite author. Through the insights and knowledge of New York City, past and present, found in the body of his works it quickly becomes evident that the City is an intricate part of the writer, just as the writer has become part of the City. In my opinion, one of Bowes' biggest talents is the subtlety with which he infuses his New York City tales with fantasy. I again found that subtle touch in "Sleep Walking Now and Then."

I purchased this novelette to go with the rest of my collection of ebooks by Richard Bowes.

Read online at Tor.com. Buy it here.

TBR Review: Kiss & Tell by Alison Kent

The February theme for Wendy's 2015 TBR Challenge is "Recommended Read." Kiss & Tell seemed like the perfect choice. The ebook has been sitting unread in my Kindle since 2009 because a friend, a big Alison Kent fan, recommended the author's works. Additionally, I am in the mood for spicy contemporary romances and this book fit the bill.
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We have Miranda Kelly, a lovely, sexy woman keeping a few secrets about her past and present and Caleb McGregor, a man of dubious character in what seems to be a permanent sexual haze. This Harlequin Blaze is made up of secrets and a hot, sizzling fling that takes place in a week's time.

I am not giving away spoilers by including the following information as it is included in the book summary. Miranda is keeping two secrets: she moved back to her hometown to hide after having been hounded by the media during a very public divorce. Additionally, since coming back home, by day she is a florist at her own shop and by night, Candy Cane a sexy singer performing incognito at Club Crimson where she wears wigs and sexy costumes to hide her true identity. Club Crimson is where she meets Caleb McGregor who is in town to attend a wedding. Miranda hasn't been with a man since her six year old divorce and Caleb, who falls in lust on sight, catches her eye. With a song and a kiss, the two embark on a steaming hot fling that places Miranda's secrets in danger of discovery and her heart on the line.

Caleb and Miranda embark on an adult relationship, a sizzling affair with certain boundaries and a time limit. They both understand the limits and stick to this understanding even as their feelings for each other begin to change. There are no misunderstandings between them -- and no whining during or after! During their time together this couple spends plenty of time having sex or engaged in sexual play, but they also take the time to get to know each other, slowly revealing their secrets to each other. There are good, valid conflicts and the paths taken to resolve them are not overly dramatic. Most of all I enjoyed the fact that these two people like each other. In this case the adult factor wins.

There is also a secondary storyline pertaining to Miranda's best friend and her two daughters. This storyline is peripherally intertwined with the conflict that crops up between Miranda and Caleb -- Caleb's secret. As a reader I became invested in the secondary characters' conflicts, unfortunately the resolutions to their problems are glossed over and kept off the pages. My second problem comes with the time line and how it affects the central romance between Miranda and Caleb. One week of lusting, hot sex, keeping secrets, and final revelations strikes me as too short a period to achieve a happy ever after.

So far, Alison Kent's romances have been mixed bags for me. I enjoy the characters and romances. Kent writes some steamy sexual scenes that are off the charts, as is the case in Kiss & Tell and I find her adult romances very attractive. However, my experience to date shows that somewhere along the line some aspect of the storyline is left under-developed. Of course this is an older book as are the other books I have read by this author. I need to pick up a current release to find out if there is a difference in execution. Recommendations anyone?

Category: Contemporary Romance
Series: None
Publisher: Harlequin Blaze
Grade: B-

Hilcia's Minis: UF by SM Reine, Dannika Dark & Melissa F. Olson

What else have I read in January beside fiction? I purchased the 'Shifters After Dark Box Set' (October 22, 2014, Steel Magnolia Press) a PNR/UF bundle that contains five books and one novella. A couple of reasons behind that decision:
(1) the price is right ($0.99);
(2) It is great to have a few UF books with wolves and vampires handy for when the "mood" strikes;
(3) I may find a new UF series to follow.

From this bundle, I read two novels and an 'origins' novella. All books are part of already existing series.

Of Wings and Wolves (The Cain Chronicles #6) by SM Reine

I had a hard time with this story since it is apparently the sixth book of a series. Of course I did not know this fact until after I read it. The main characters, twins Summer and Abram, are whisked away by their grandmother to another dimension, and while the babies' parents are supposed to follow, they never make it. Once they grow up, Summer meets Nash Adamson, a powerful, angsty angel she suspects he wants something from her but can't help but find him very attractive. This attraction is mutual, of course. Later, another dangerous angel, along with her minions, makes an appearance and it is revealed that the twins' whole lives are based on a lie. Shifters, angels, secrets, lies, and alternate dimensions are the main components that make the world turn in this novel. Unfortunately for me, I did not really gain real understanding of how everything began or where the overall story arc was going by reading Of Wings and Wolves. I found it to be a confusing, unfinished read.

Seven Years (Seven #1) by Dannika Dark

I liked the premise for Seven Years. Wolf shifters and mages are the main players in this first UF installment. Dannika Dark begins by introducing a still grieving Lexi Knight on the seventh anniversary of her brother's death, as well as her brother's best friend Austin Cole who has just returned home after having been gone those seven years. He is a young wolf alpha only just assembling his pack, and his return home is filled with guilt caused by his discovery that Lexi and her family have been abandoned and left without protection by her father after Lexi's brother's death. She and her family are in danger and Austin arrives on the scene just in time to become their protector.

Austin comes off as too overprotective, but he is a nice guy who gives Lexi choices we don't usually find in other stories with alpha shifters as protagonists. Lexi and her family have been targeted from a few different fronts. She is independent and used to taking care of her mother and little sister, but Lexi, who is new the world of shifters and magic, doesn't ask the right questions and suffers from lack of judgment. On the other hand, Austin doesn't explain situations clearly and makes some pretty basic mistakes himself. Some of it has to do with their mutual attraction, but much of it seems to be lack of experience or stubbornness from both sides.

I like many of the secondary characters in this UF series and the whole mage with shifters magic that develops. Some sections of the storyline did not quite make sense, i.e., Lexi inheriting a business when she is admittedly not the most knowledgeable or close to the person who left it to her. But it could be that this thread is further developed later on. So, overall a good first installment filled with a sense of menace, action, and interesting secondary characters. Even with some of the issues mentioned above, Seven Years is a good enough read that I will follow up by picking up the second book of the series.

Bloodsick: An Old World Novella by Melissa F. Olson

CONTENT WARNING: Violent physical abuse & admission of rape by victim

Bloodsick is an origins novella focused on Will Carling, the werewolf alpha from Melissa F. Olson's Scarlett Bernard UF trilogy. It chronicles how he became a werewolf after he unknowingly falls in love with the young and powerful witch Sashi, and in doing so makes some powerful enemies. However, we do not actually get Will's point of view, as the story is narrated by young Sashi and Astrid, an abused female werewolf belonging to the local pack.

There are two parallel stories going on at the same time. In the first, Sashi is being pressured by her famous mother, Dr. Noring, to follow in her footsteps. To use her powers to heal through touch by listening to the bodies of humans who are terminally ill. But Sashi's powers are different from her mother's, she is not only more powerful but she is also emphatic and cannot deal with the emotional pain involved with healing. She fights her mother but goes along until she meets one of her mother's patients, a young Will Carling and they begin dating against her mother's wishes. The second story involves Astrid, a female wolf who was brought into the local pack with the sole purpose of being mated to the alpha. Except that Astrid's wolf is incompatible with his and will not submit. This results in increasingly violent, physical and non-consensual sexual encounters between the two that end with Astrid needing Dr. Noring's healing powers on a regular basis. These two threads become entangled after Sashi witnesses healing sessions and unwittingly involves Will in her attempt to save Astrid.

In my mind the title of this novella should be "betrayal" because no matter where you look betrayal at the core of the overall story. There are multiple victims, victims who pay the price for the other characters' mistakes, suffering, and/or hubris. This novella, although violent and for the most part downright depressing, kept my interest through Will's character.

Dead Spots (Scarlett Bernard #1) by Melissa F. Olson

Reading Bloodsick led me to give the original Scarlett Bernard UF trilogy a try, so I borrowed the first book, Dead Spots, from Amazon. Unfortunately, although there are some unique additions to the world-building such as the fact that the heroine is a null or someone who nullifies the magic powers of those around her (vampires, witches, and werewolves) and physically vulnerable instead of kick-ass, everything else is pretty much old news in this UF world. The heroine works exclusively for the two powerful vampire and werewolf alpha leaders as well as the head of the witches, and is at their beck and call day and night. The story is narrated from two points of view: that of the heroine and a human cop. They partner up to solve a gruesome multiple-murder and beat a deadline set the vampire alpha at the end of which, if they fail, he kills them both. There is a requisite love triangle developing between the heroine who doesn't believe in love or commitment, the werewolf Beta with whom she has had a few drunken-fueled sexual encounters (he is emotionally involved, she only wants sex), and the human cop with whom she shares a mutual attraction and could potentially give her a 'normal' life.

The crime investigation, world and character building take up most of the page time, with the potential for romance taking a back seat. The crime investigation means there is action and a mystery to solve. Olson gives enough background story about Scarlett and her family so that we know why she has become emotionally stunted, and we get a good look at the vampire alpha and Scarlett's love interests. In this first book, however, Scarlett comes off as not much more than her employers' gofer and scared witless of the vampire alpha. I looked for Will Carling, the werewolf alpha from Bloodsick, and although he is involved in the storyline his appearances are as underwhelming as the overall story in Dead Spots.
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I had some issues with this bundle.
(1) Including a book from an already established series that does not stand well on its own and feels like an unfinished product (Of Wings and Wolves, Cain Chronicles #6) is frustrating and does not give me the incentive to look for previous books.
(2) The novella (Bloodsick) has interesting enough characters that I went looking for more information about them and followed through by reading the first book of the series. Unfortunately, the one character is minor and underwhelming while the others are missing. Additionally, the plot and characters in the first book of the series turn out to be predictable and disappointing.
(3) Although I did not mention it in my minis, the editing throughout all three books need extensive work.

In the end, Seven Years (Seven #1) by Dannika Dark is the best read of this bunch. I may read the other three books included in this bundle when my "mood" for vampires and werewolves strikes again.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (Putnam Adult, July 2014) is pure 'women's fiction.' It follows three women: Madeline, Celeste as the two old friends meet Jane and her son while attending kindergarten orientation with their own children and take her under their wing.

Moriarty builds a whole story around the dangers of keeping secrets and telling small lies. It all actually begins with a murder investigation and goes back in time to an incident that occurred at the school during kindergarten orientation. At the center of this story, and providing much of its humor, you will find 'helicopter' moms who spend most of their time micro-parenting and behaving worse than their kindergarten children at the school yard. There are 'mom cliques,' fights, malicious gossip, and petitions bandied about that affect both kids and parents. It is all done with biting humor and a healthy dose of sarcasm, but I found it all mean, petty, thoughtless, and generally detrimental to the little ones.

There are, however, other darker threads running through the story that are not humorous at all. First we have the issue of 'bullying' in school, which of course is mishandled by all adults concerned because they are too busy 'outdoing' each other and playing the judgmental card to really pay attention to the children. Second, we have a conflict between a mother and teenage daughter who decides to move in with her father and his new wife, the ex-husband who abandoned them both early on. Then, there are two 'violence against women' threads: a current 'physical abuse behind closed doors' thread that grows increasingly violent as the story unfolds, and the other a past experience with date-rape that still affects the victim deeply and as a result the victim's child.

This novel is rather tough to describe. It is bitingly humorous, but darkly so. There are moments when it is easy to laugh, particularly at the adults' ridiculous behavior -- Madeline for example has some great lines. But, the dark and violent moments are tough to read through. Moriarty portrays the abused woman's delusional state of mind, self-blame, and the progression of violence in the relationship quite well. I am, however, deeply disappointed that after all is said and done the state of her children's mental health is neglected.

And that is my main problem with this novel. It is ambitious in that it tackles multiple issues affecting women and children. Some aspects of these multiple threads are well rendered yet there is so much going on that some issues are superficially touched on while others are ignored. The narrative is well done and entertaining enough to keep readers involved. Unfortunately, the entertainment factor or light approach often takes away from the seriousness of heavier issues and vice versa. As the perfect example I will use the climactic scene, a combination comedic farce (bordering on slapstick) with dark revelations culminating in murder.

I believe that Big Little Lies will appeal to women's fiction readers who may be fans of Moriarty's light and mordant humorous approach to serious subject matter or fans of books with a similar style. I am leaving a lot of what goes on out of this post: dysfunctional children, poor parenting, a romance with a happy ending, infidelities, and more. I enjoyed a few out-loud laughs toward the beginning, before the numbing truth surfaced and those horrifying violent scenes began to trickle in. In the end I found the story to be well written with some admittedly good messages, but over-the-top and somewhat confounding.

Non-Fiction: The Prince of Los Cocuyos: A Miami Childhood by Richard Blanco

The way my January reading has progressed is interesting. I'm reading books I wanted to read in 2014, mostly mainstream fiction, non-fiction, or literary fiction, that have been lingering in my Kindle since 2014. Books like The Prince of Los Cocuyos: A Miami Childhood by Richard Blanco (September 30, 2014, Ecco).

In 2013, Blanco was the fifth, youngest, first Latino, immigrant and openly gay writer to be chosen as inaugural poet of United States. He read the original poem One Today. With The Prince of Los Cocuyos, Blanco veers from poetry on to the realm of creative non-fiction. He takes a collection of linked short stories that when assembled become a partial biographical tale focusing on Blanco's childhood in Miami where his exiled Cuban family settled.

Blanco chooses slices from his childhood -- moments, memories -- and gives the reader an understanding of the Cuban exile's experience and culture in Miami beginning in the early 1970's. These slices or memories are separated into chapters, each with a title. "The First Real San Giving Day," in which as a little boy Riqui yearns for a real American experience during the Thanksgiving holiday and manipulates his grandmother into making it happen, contains much of what is found throughout this book to make it work. There are funny moments, but it also presents a portrait of the immigrant's experience from an intimate perspective, one that is also encased in frustration and nostalgia.

Nostalgia is the recurring theme. Blanco attempts to understand the seemingly perennial sense of nostalgia that surrounds the Cuban exile community by exploring or dissecting different events that take place in his personal life. However, Blanco also explores the effects cultural differences and language barrier have on an immigrant community, specifically how isolation from the mainstream and fear of the unknown prevents individuals from moving outside the "safety zone" their community represents. Additionally, he goes on to show the frustration and ambivalence of children growing up with two strong cultures pushing and pulling at them. Children who need to be part of the mainstream American culture, yet  want to understand their parents, their love of the 'old country' and cultural traditions.

An excellent example of this effect can be found in "El Ratoncito Miguel," one of the funniest, most touching chapters of the book. Riqui leaves Miami for the first time on a trip to Disney World with his parents and brother. Away from the "safety zone," Riqui's father becomes self-conscious and less confident. Riqui and his brother take control of situations for their parents because they speak English and later, when necessary, both become their parents' protectors. This is a sort of role reversal that many children with monolingual parents experience early on.

On the amusing side of things, in this same chapter Blanco also introduces his mother's "por si las moscas" (meaning or taking the place of "por si acaso" or "just in case") tote bag where she carries the most unexpected items -- some embarrassing, others dangerous. This "in case of flies bag," which Blanco translates literally, becomes a recurring joke throughout the rest of the book. The literal translation makes it even funnier in the context of the stories. Blanco translates most of the Spanish words he uses in the book, and uses literal translations for many of the Cuban sayings -- what he refers to in a later chapter as "Cubichi speech" or Cubanisms.

In one of my favorite chapters, "Queen of the Copa," Miami's glamorous history is integrated along with Miami's diminishing Jewish community, which Blanco uses to further explore the nostalgia theme. And throughout the entire book, including the remaining chapters, "It takes un Pueblo," "Listening to Mermaids," and "El Farito," Blanco also incorporates early difficulties encountered with family, community, and himself while coming to terms with his sexuality. His grandmother, a fierce woman who held old-fashioned, homophobic views, makes a particularly strong impact:

"it's better to be it and not look like it, than to look like it even if you are not it." 

From a personal perspective, I found myself relating strongly to quite a few of the circumstances Blanco portrays in this book. Looking at The Prince of Los Cocuyos from a bit of a distance, I found his storytelling to be touching, insightful, and hysterically funny at times with a bit too much emphasis placed on the nostalgia factor. The book as a whole comes across as genuine, heartfelt, and extremely intimate, depicting strengths and weaknesses in his family, himself, as well as in his community. As a great companion read, I recommend Blanco's poetry volume Looking for the Gulf Motel.

TBR Review: Big Boy (Strangers On A Train) by Ruthie Knox

The TBR Challenge theme for January 2015 is "We Love Short Shorts -- Category Romances, Novellas, Short Stories."

He’ll be any man she wants—except himself.

A Strangers on a Train Story

Meet me at the train museum after dark. Dress for 1957.

When Mandy joins an online dating service, she keeps her expectations low. All she wants is a distraction from the drudgery of single parenthood and full-time work. But the invitation she receives from a handsome man who won’t share his real name promises an adventure—and a chance to pretend she’s someone else for a few hours.

She doesn’t want romance to complicate her life, but Mandy’s monthly role-playing dates with her stranger on a train—each to a different time period—become the erotic escape she desperately needs. And a soul connection she never expected.

Yet when she tries to draw her lover out of the shadows, Mandy has a fight on her hands…to convince him there’s a place for their fantasy love in the light of day.

Warning: Contains sexy role-playing, theatrical application of coal dust, and a hero who can rock a pair of brown polyester pants.

I'm probably the last person to read Big Boy! I purchased it as soon as it released after having read two books by Ruthie Knox that I just loved. Unfortunately, I never seemed to be in the right mood to read it and let it just lie there on my Kindle.

Mandy is a very young, busy, stressed out single mom. She became mother to her baby nephew Josh after her sister, brother-in-law, and three year old niece died in a tragic accident. Of course it changed her life irrevocably at a time when she was not quite ready for it. To ease stress and give herself time to breathe, once a month Mandy goes out on role-playing dates with a man she met online. Rules are set from the beginning, they each dress-up in period costumes, keep up with their individual role during the dates, and do not exchange names or personal information.

Although technically Mandy and her hot, role-playing partner had only met a total of nine times in nine months when this story began, Knox worked to build this relationship for over a year. That slowly becomes obvious as the story progresses. It shows in how both characters, but particularly Mandy, have changed and influenced each other over that period of time through conversations, the role playing characters, and the anticipation of seeing each other again.

The role playing itself is a fantastic part of this novella for different reasons. I love the descriptions of the costumes they wore and how well Mandy and her partner-in-sexy times get into their roles. And that brings us to Knox's sex scenes which are steamy hot as well as sensual. No need for dom/sub titillation in this novella either. Take a look at the "warning" at the bottom of the summary, those brown polyester pants were hot. What a scene!

Part of the excitement comes from the fact that these two people are strangers, and pretend that they are someone else. Let themselves go. Give themselves a break. But, this is a contemporary and as such, I always look at behavior through a contemporary lens. So, of course there is one huge niggle that made the hairs at the back of my neck stand straight up. It has to do with Mandy going on a first date with someone she met through the internet and met, alone, at a secluded place that first time! I don't care if she had mace as precaution, this is not safe behavior. If you have a daughter who dates, I don't care the age, this will bother you too. I had to suspend disbelief in order to continue with the story because who does that these days? It bothered me.

Once I placed that aside, however, I loved Big Boy, the trains and historical bits about them. Knox executed the romance and eroticism in this novella beautifully and I found that the conflict between the protagonists was valid and well thought out. I like both characters and believe they had good reasons for seeing each other and for keeping the relationship "as is" as long as they did. The epilogue showed a good happy ending that I found satisfying. A great, quick read. Grade: B+

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (Penguin Press, June 26, 2014), is her debut novel. A period piece that begins in the late 50's with the main story taking place in the early to mid-70's, it focuses on the lives of a mixed-raced couple, Marilyn and James Lee and their three children, Nathan, Lydia, and Hannah.

The anti-miscegenation laws were found unconstitutional in 1967, so this was a time in America when racism was still ripe and a family composed of a Chinese/American man, a white woman and their three children did not fit anywhere, at least not in a small town in Ohio. This was a time when people of Asian descent were referred to as "Oriental," a term used by Celeste Ng throughout this novel to describe James Lee and his children. This was also a time when men were condescending to women with dreams of a career, and those women often had to choose between a career and having a family because it was not socially acceptable to have both.

The book begins "Lydia was dead. But nobody knew it yet. . . " Lydia was the Lees' middle child, the blue-eyed, most beloved child around whom everything revolved, the vessel holding her parents' combined dreams -- her father's need to blend in, and her mother's long-lost dream of becoming a doctor. With Lydia's death, a family filled with secrets, self-deception, and guilt unravels, and the truth of a small town's bigotry and lack of compassion comes to the surface. Everyone she left behind is affected. The parents who made Lydia responsible for their happiness and made of her the glue that kept them together. Nathan, the often ignored and resentful but loving older brother who became Lydia's source of strength and savior, but who in the end could not save her. Little sister Hannah, the invisible little girl who saw everything but whom no one in the family acknowledged. And Jack, the wild boy across the street whose life is entangled with the Lee's through Lydia and who becomes the focus of Nathan's rage.

This is a quiet, multi-layered story that makes an impact.  It focuses on family, the damage that may come of the too-high expectations parents place on their children while children base their "love" on meeting those expectations, love and rivalry between siblings, children caught in the middle, the effects of racism and misogyny, racial identity, love, infidelity, and so much more. It is a story that digs into each and every character and the motivation behind their actions. There are no stones left unturned and all is revealed, including what happens to Lydia.

I thought long and hard about these characters, this story, after I finished the book: about history and the high price so many people of color, immigrants, and their children have paid while reaching for the undeniably alluring and often unreachable "American dream," the price we as women have paid (and still pay) on our long journey forward, as well as the damage parents can, unknowingly and thoughtlessly, inflict on their children. This is a beautifully written, thought-provoking debut by Celeste Ng. Highly recommended.

Hilcia's Minis: Provoked, Beguiled, Enlightened by Joanna Chambers

Provoked is a great read on a few different levels. The two main characters are conflicted and therefore intriguing. There's a high level of chemistry and the sexual tension between them is off the charts throughout the story. David with his naive honesty comes off as a bit of a prig, but a lovely one. Murdo is more worldly and outwardly a bit of a cynic, but his passion just burns. They are each right and wrong and although there is not a "happy ever after" or even a "happy for now" ending to this book, Chambers sets up this slowly developing romance perfectly for the second installment. Edinburgh as the main setting gives this book a unique atmosphere. I particularly like how Joanna Chambers uses historical facts from the Radical War in this first installment. It is always a pleasure to read a historical romance where "history" is both well researched and well incorporated. Highly recommended. (Samhain Publishing, July 2013)

After reading Provoked, I couldn't resist and immediately picked up Beguiled.

Provoked hooked me on this series, but with Beguiled I fell in love with the characters. Two years later during King George IV's first visit to Edinburgh, Murdo and David meet again, and the passion between them is scorching! Chambers uses those two years of separation as the basis for character growth. David is still honest and straight forward but now open to what Murdo has to offer. Murdo's passion for David is palpable but tenderness also becomes an obvious, beguiling factor that goes along with the rest. The historical details are just as good in Beguiled as they were in the first installment. Chambers brings back secondary characters from Provoked and, by utilizing David's friend Elizabeth's bad marriage, develops a side story focusing on women's lack of rights and/or choices during that period in time. Additionally, pomp and ceremony details from King George IV's first visit to Edinburgh are featured as background. Sensuality is on the high end of the scale with many more bedroom scenes than in Provoked. The end to Beguiled is dramatic and keeps the reader in tenterhooks wondering how things will work out in the end for Murdo and David. Highly recommended. (Samhain Publishing, December 2013)


After reading Beguiled, I immediately downloaded Enlightened.

Enlightened focuses on David and Murdo. It gives the characters the together time and space to work out the remaining conflicts in the slow-burn of a relationship that was ignited in Provoked and burst into flame in Beguiled. That slow burn has evolved into a passionate attachment that neither man will name but both feel. For David it is all about his inner doubts, but for Murdo the conflicts come from personal mistakes and an outside source. Chambers uses multiple settings for this book. It all begins in Laverock House, Murdo's estate in Perthshire, Scotland where David has been recuperating from his injuries, briefly moves on to Edinburgh, and goes on to London where both men have business to attend to. David must contact Elizabeth and Euan to warn them of possible danger, while Murdo has unknown business with his father. In this last book of the Enlightenment trilogy, there are secrets and revelations that affect the growing love and trust between our main characters. But really the main thrust of this story is about the characters allowing themselves to finally grasp that elusive happiness. The pacing is inconsistent with a slow start that picks up after a while and stays true to the end. It is really tough to find a workable or believable resolution in m/m historical romances, however, Chambers finds her way around those problematic points quite well. Both characters surrender important parts of their lives to achieve happiness, but in the end Murdo and David get the beautiful life they deserve. Together. Recommended. (Samhain Publishing, May 2014)

Of the three books Provoked and Beguiled are my favorite, with Enlightened dragging a bit, but still coming in as a solid read by providing all the right answers. Overall, Enlightenment is a great m/m historical romance trilogy with excellent atmosphere and historical research, and a romance that is memorable for the author's fabulous use of sexual tension and sensuality to build-up a relationship that begins with a sexual encounter between strangers and ends with a fantastic happy ever after. Highly recommended.

November Minis: Darling Beast & A Place Called Harmony

Historical romances have been sorely missing from my reading menu this year and I miss them. In November I picked up two books by favorite authors.

I began by reading Darling Beast (Maiden Lane #7), by Elizabeth Hoyt. This has been one of my favorite historical romance series for a few years now.


Darling Beast covers the reasons Apollo Greaves, Viscount Kilbourne, ended up temporarily mute after spending time in Bedlam, and solves the crime mystery that placed him there. In the process, Apollo finds the love of his life in actress and playwright Lily Stump (stage name Robin Goodfellow), as well as happiness her child Indio and his dog Daff. Of course it's all more complicated than that, but that's the simple summary.

In Darling Beast, Hoyt combines and balances the developing romance, heat, and crime mystery. With two exceptions, secondary characters do not interfere with the main thrust of this romance. The child Indio and his dog Daff take a bit too much page time and, although cute and adorable, their contribution often comes off over the top cute. I enjoyed the light, humorous beginning to the romance combined with danger from unknown sources. Later it was the passion that develops between Apollo and Lily, and the small clues and red herrings that Hoyt uses to throw off the reader from the finding the real culprit that kept me reading. Surprisingly, of the secondary characters I was most intrigued by the Duke of Montgomery (what makes this guy tick anyway?), instead of the slightly revolting Ira Makepeace. What?

Darling Beast does not stand above other more intensely gratifying books in this series. It is, however, a solid installment with an enjoyable romance, likable characters, and an overall good story.

Maiden Lane Series Reviews: Books #1 through #6

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The second historical romance I picked up in November was A Place Called Harmony by Jodi Thomas.

For true fans of the contemporary Harmony series, A Place Called Harmony is a 'must' read. For readers who do not follow the series, this is a wonderful western historical romance that stands well on its own.

This book is a prequel that basically gives an accounting of how the town of Harmony, Texas was founded by weaving in the dangers plaguing the original trading post, as well as the romances of the three original couples who helped build the town.

The main characters are Captain Gillian and Daisy Matheson, a married couple with four little boys. There is true love but also uncertainty in this relationship between two people who feel they've made the wrong choices for themselves and their boys in the past. Patrick and Annie McAllen are a very sweet, naive young couple running away from abusive lives with their parents. They provide much of the humor, in and out of the sheets, and contribute to the overall sense of community and warmth. The romance between Clint and Karrisa Truman is the slowest to build and therefore has the most tension and biggest payoff at the end. Clint's hard shell and Karrisa's mysterious stint in jail add interest, but the trust-building and tenderness between them become the clincher. Rounding off the cast of characters we have the fiercely loyal, silent and highly intelligent Shelly McAllen, Patrick's brother, Momma Roma and her sons, and old Harmon Ely, the man who started it all with a trading post, land, and a dream.

Jodi Thomas's signature writing style is all over this book. You will find family warmth, kindness, loving, loyalty, honesty, and passion, as well as danger and a community that comes together to fight in order to survive. A truly satisfying read.

Contemporary Harmony Series Reviews & Minis 

Frozen by Meljean Brook

I've felt the onslaught of arousal, the sudden tightening of my body, that delicious shudder when a man's tongue penetrates my lips and takes possession of my mouth.
I've never been kissed as if he needed it. As if he'd die without it. 

Frozen is a stand-alone paranormal romance novella initially developed by Meljean Brook as a free on-line read. [This story includes a premise that some readers might find problematic or triggering]

The setting is contemporary with both male and female protagonists initially meeting through their jobs as civil engineers working on the same project for different construction companies. Deep attraction leads to an all-consuming kiss, but afterwards Erik Gulbrandr walks away with an apology. For a year and a half as they work together, Olivia Martin believes that Erik's cold regard signals disinterest and tries to forget that for a moment she felt that Erik was "the one." But when Olivia is asked to stop at Erik's isolated home to deliver paperwork, they find themselves snowbound during the winter solstice and everything changes. Olivia discovers that Erik is living under a terrible curse that includes her and in the end may destroy them both.

As a paranormal romance Frozen is filled with heavy sexual tension and secret longing. It offers danger and violence to the protagonists from outside sources, triggering those protective responses we have come to expect from alpha males. However, although Erik is icy-cool and sexy, he is not the typical alpha male who allows his "other" side to take control without a fight, and Olivia is depicted as a smart woman. The romance is a different story altogether. For most of the story Olivia is guided by that first moment of rejection just as Erik is tormented by the curse's compulsion and can't see past it to Olivia's real feelings. They don't communicate and as a result misunderstandings cause unnecessary pain for them both.

Brook utilizes a spattering of Norse mythology -- descendants of Odin's sons, Fenrir the Wolf and the Ironwood Witch -- to create a cursed family with the oldest son inheriting the curse and carrying it down the line, skipping some generations, but never going away until Ragnarok. Exposition is over utilized to establish world-building in some sections, i.e., Olivia's over extended thought process after alone-time research and conversations with Erik. However, Olivia's first point of view narrative works well for most of the story particularly at first when back flashes first clue in the reader on the protagonists backstory and later as Brook uses it to show the depth of feelings between the characters, to keep the reader immersed in the action scenes, as well as in all those wonderful lusty scenes that we all expect from a Meljean Brook paranormal romance.

Without giving away too many spoilers, I believe that the focus behind this novella is to establish consent within the perimeters of a paranormal romance by giving the female a choice that is initially taken away from both protagonists through "magical" means. Meljean Brook's paranormal romance novels are well-known for complex world-building and steamy couples. My expectations of Frozen were of a hot, steamy romance and good world-building with a narrower focus due to length -- they were met.

Category: Paranormal Romance/Novella
Release date: September 20, 2014
Source: eARC received from Author for an honest review
Grade: B-

FROZEN will be available in your favorite bookstores now at a special introductory price of 99¢. It is anticipated that a print version will be available shortly afterward.

Mini: The Winter Long (October Daye, #8) by Seanan McGuire

Last year I read the entire Toby Daye series (Books 1 to 7). I wasn't blown away with the beginning of the series, but somehow both the series and Toby grew on me and I devoured all the books consecutively.

Guess what? Surprise! So far, for me, The Winter Long is the best urban fantasy read of the year. I am really impressed with how beautifully Seanan McGuire weaved threads throughout the series, even bringing in the smallest of details, and wrapping them up in this book, while creating new ones. There are answers that go back to the first book -- remember when Toby was turned into a fish? Expect answers to those events and more.

There are also some terrible betrayals leading to heartbreak for Toby. However, loyal friends do step up to the plate as Toby battles an old powerful frenemy and seeks answers to a personal history that gets more complex by the minute. She gets some much needed answers, but McGuire simultaneously creates new threads by raising new questions and dropping clues to maintain the reader speculating and waiting for more adventures. Toby still ends up bloody and broken, she is still the hero jumping to the rescue, but in The Winter Long she slows down long enough to finally pay attention.

This installment has just enough action, mystery, revelations, and the right pacing to keep the flow going to the beautiful surprise at the end. Great execution. I love this installment.

Review: The Bears of Winter ed. Jerry L. Wheeler

What can you expect? Bears, Bears, & more Bears . . . Muscle-bound beauties, sexy Daddies, adorable cubs and strong bears experiencing life, adventures, and enjoying each other in stories featuring rough play, erotic moments, the consumption of orgasmic feasts, everyday life issues or those all-important connections. Bears hibernating in past, present, and future winter settings ranging from the North Pole to Antarctica, isolated cabins in mountain ranges to ski resorts, and on to far away planets.

This collection flows beautifully with variety instead of sameness. It kicks off strongly beginning with the erotically enticing contemporary foodie piece "Don't Feed the Bear" by R.W. Clinger, Jeff Mann's vampire tale of domination and submission, control and surrender courtesy of a forceful but loving hunkalicious biker in "Snow on Scrabble Creek," and 'Nathan Burgoine's exquisitely executed speculative fiction piece "Psychometry of Snow."

Frank Muse's amusing "Little Suzie" with an erotic Santa – think snicker doodles and black leather jockstrap -- as the ultimate winter Daddy bear fantasy is followed by “Snowblind,” Jeffrey Ricker's creative science fiction tale set in a distant frozen planet, and Max Vos’ extremely heated “Mountain Bear,” a story set in the cold mountains of Tennessee featuring gay bashing southern style, as well as raw lovin' between a writer and a reclusive bear. Serving as a heavy contrast, Jay Neal's reflective poet/writer sets off in an adventure to research early Antarctica explorers and finds hot romance with a devious bear in "Miles, of the Antarctic."

Up next is Xavier Axelson's fabulous speculative fiction/horror tale detailing a bear's quest for justice in the chilling "Sleeping Bear," followed by the emotional roller coaster "Feast of January” by Roscoe Hudson with a wickedly funny beginning and romantic cookfest that quickly turns into a reflective piece about a past loss and grabbing that second chance at life. And Daniel M. Jaffe serves a different sort of romantic holiday treat as his Jewish sex angel finally finds the love of his life at Christmas time in "Romancing the Pole."

The reader is then transported to 1878 and big, hairy lumberjacks and ice harvesters toiling, bunking together, and tenderly caring for each other in "Truckee," one of Dale Chase’s deliciously raw, bearishly hot and gritty stories. It is a smooth transition to contemporary times and a fabulous bear erotic fiction piece by Lewis DeSimone who with his finely tuned insight into men needing hope or a way to move forward utilizes friendship and a new acquaintance to pave the way for that to happen in "The Bears of Winter." This grouping ends with the futuristic "Thaw" by Hank Edwards, a short story memorable for its excellent world-building, fantastic atmosphere, and a dystopian frozen earth that serves as the perfect setting for a dangerous cute-meet between two surviving bears.

In Phillip Williams' rough and tender erotic tale "World of Men," a young, isolated cub desperately wants to experience the world of men and gets his wishes (and then some) when a bear gives him a few lessons in desire. Everything shifts when a man faces reality as friends help him come to terms with his beloved partner's long-term illness in Charles Hopwood's truly touching "Cold Comfort." And, the anthology ends with a contemporary piece that relies on the character's fantasies and fixation on a bear for most of its eroticism. "The Balaclava" by Nathan Sims is a story that surprises the reader by ending just as it should for the character.

I usually read anthologies in slow motion -- one, maybe two stories at a time -- but with The Bears of Winter it was different. I read one story after another without stopping for a breath in between. It is true that I am a sucker for stories about bears and that in my estimation Jerry L. Wheeler is a fabulous editor, but in this case the proof is in the pudding. All 16 stories meet the required theme, hibernating bears in all sorts of winter landscapes, however, it is quality writing by the contributing authors and the variety and caliber of the stories chosen by Wheeler that keep this anthology fresh and engaging, driving the reader forward until the very end. Highly recommended. Enjoy.

Category: LGBT - Gay/Bear Erotic Fiction/Anthology
Publisher: Bear Bones Books
Release Date: Digital Ed. August 23, 2014 / Paperback: November 1, 2014
Grade: A-

Other anthologies ed. by Jerry L. Wheeler
Tented: Gay Erotic Tales Under the Big Top, Riding the Rails , The Dirty Diner: Gay Erotica on the Menu, On The Run: Tales of Gay Pursuit and Passion

Hilcia's Minis: YA Wallflowers & Dark Horses + LGBT Mysteries: Porcelain Dogs, Cambridge Fellows & Think of England

In August I craved mysteries and urban fantasy. Today, however, I begin my minis with the young adult fiction book chosen by my Internet Book Club. All of the books below are either highly recommended or recommended reads, and four out of the five are old releases with only one 2014 release in the bunch.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION:
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is an excellent YA fiction read written in epistolary style. First published in 1999, this short coming-of-age novel is as pertinent today as it was during that time. Chbosky's narrator and main character is young fifteen-year-old Charlie whose personal isolation and awkward social skills are only rivaled by his brilliant mind. The story begins when Charlie is about to start high school and finishes at the end of his freshman year. During that one year, within 213 pages, Charlie undergoes quite a few changes, (character growth) and makes some good as well as some pretty disturbing discoveries about himself. Along the way, he makes some great friends like Patrick, Sam and a few others, but Charlie's family (parents and siblings) are also there in a meaningful way.

This is a smart read, not just a quick one. Chbosky packs in key young adult and family issues, some quite serious, in very few pages while keeping his characters young and fresh as they "discover" and process issues and ideas in their own unique way. While Charlie is the narrator through the letters he writes to "Dear Friend," all the main characters involved in Charlie's life are very well rendered. I was touched by a few them: Charlie, of course, Sam, Patrick and Brad, Charlie's teacher Bill (I wish all teachers were like that!), Charlie's sister and his parents. This is a highly recommended YA fiction read. If you've read it, then you know why. If you haven't, give it try. (1999, Pocket Books)

"In the hallways, I see the girls wearing the guys' jackets, and I think about the idea of property. And I wonder if they are happy. I hope they are. I really hope they are."

"We accept the love we think we deserve."

"[e]ven if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. We can still do things. And we can try to feel okay about them."

I read this book for my Internet Book Club. Thanks to Mariana, Lili, Maria, Christine, and Yinx for the recommendation and discussion.

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CONTEMPORARY WESTERN MYSTERY:
The Dark Horse (Walt Longmire #5) by Craig Johnson

I decided to go back and read books #5 through #7 of the Walt Longmire mystery series so I can catch up with some of the past installments I'm missing. The Dark Horse was first published in 2009. In this one a woman admits to shooting her husband six times after he burned down the barn while all her quarter horses were inside. Alive. But even with proof, a witness, and her confession, Walt doesn't believe she is guilty and sets out to prove it. The Dark Horse is my favorite book of the series so far. The mystery is fantastic and the action is even better. Good ole Walt just keeps surprising me with what he is willing to do to solve a mystery as well as for other people. What a fabulous character and what a great series. I'm picking up the other two books ASAP, and then I will be up to date. Highly recommended. (2009, Viking Adult - Kindle Ed.)

***By the way, the end of the third season for the A&E Longmire television program was fantastic! I'm still breathless.
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LGBT GAY MYSTERIES/ROMANCE:
The Affair of the Porcelain Dog by Jess Faraday

The Affair of the Porcelain Dog is the first book in a mystery duology by Jess Faraday that I picked up from the "books recommended" list in Goodreads. It is not a romance, it contains sexual involvements that lead to the mystery and action. Set in the crime-riddled streets of 1889 London, the main character Ira Adler is an orphan and former pickpocket, thief, and male prostitute from the mean East End streets, presently living in luxury under the patronage of powerful crime lord Cain Goddard as payment for an exclusive sexual relationship. Ira has become selfishly spoiled with luxury, but that begins to change after Cain asks him to steal the statue of a porcelain dog containing evidence that under the sodomy laws may send him and others, including Ira, to prison. Ira retrieves the porcelain dog only to loose it to another pickpocket, and the hunt begins in earnest leading to a friend's death, opium traders and more dangerous discoveries.

The setting, characters, atmosphere, action and plotting all come together to create an excellent historical mystery. I appreciate that the sodomy laws in place during that time are not taken lightly or dismissed by Faraday, instead they play a crucial role in the mystery, drive how the characters' conduct their lives and the actions they take in order to survive. I could not stop reading this book and will pick up Turnbull House, Book #2, to find out what happens to Ira, his detecting partner and ex-client Dr. Tim Lazarus, and Cain. Highly recommended. (2011, Bold Strokes Books-Digital Format) 

Lessons in Love (Cambridge Fellows #1) by Charlie Cochrane

First published in 2008, this is the first book in an 8 book mystery/romance series by Charlie Cochrane. There is a great mystery in this introductory book to the series and addictive characters that I want to know better. Set in St. Bridges College, Cambridge in 1905, it all begins when the outgoing, good looking Jonty Stewart joins the teaching staff at the college and catches the attention of stodgy, but brilliant, Orlando Coppersmith. A man whose whole life is wrapped up in the school and mathematics. Their relationship slowly changes to intimacy and a forbidden romance. But the murders of young students interrupt their small world of personal discovery, and soon they are caught up in a dangerous position acting as the police's eyes and ears within the college where any one of their students could be the murderer.

The atmosphere in this book is just fantastic, and I fell in love with both Jonty and Orlando. Much tenderness goes into Orlando's seduction, and there is much more to Jonty's character than his outward outgoing, jolly personality. The gay themed mystery is well integrated with the developing relationship between the main characters. I already picked up Lessons in Desire, Book #2. Recommended. (2009, Samhain - Digital Format)

Think of England by K.J. Charles

"Lie back and think of England…"

This is another turn of the century mystery/romance. Set in England, 1904, the majority of the story takes place at a house party in a country home. Captain Archie Curtis lost fingers and friends to a military accident that he believes was the result of sabotage. The only reason he is at this country home is to find proof that the wealthy owner is responsible. He meets the guests and immediately dislikes foreigner Daniel da Silva, an obviously queer poet with the kind of effete mannerisms and sophisticated wit Archie always despised. But as Archie begins to investigate, he finds that Daniel is conducting his own investigation and they join forces. As the danger grows so does the sexual tension, particularly after Archie and Daniel find themselves in a compromising situation with blackmail and murder becoming a real possibility.

This book was recommended to me by Li from Me and My Books, and she was right. I really enjoyed this story for its turn of the century English atmosphere. Particularly Archie's stiff-upper-lip British attitude juxtaposed with the entertaining, tongue in cheek moments provided by Daniel. Oh, the horror! These great characters make a wonderful romantic couple, -- "Can I call on you?" *snort* -- and the mystery and action are a plus. The sodomy laws are taken into consideration, and Charles works through that in the building relationship as well as the mystery plot. I would want to see how she works with an established romance and the complications presented by those laws in a sequel. I would definitely read it. Recommended. (2014, Samhain - Digital Format)