Showing posts with label T.A. Chase. Show all posts
Showing posts with label T.A. Chase. Show all posts

Monday, October 21, 2013

Reading Habits: Moments, Blood & Guts, Cowboys & PI's

I had this post almost ready before the dreaded flu hit me over a week ago now, but it still holds since I've read very little since then. It's a little update on my reading habits, books I'm reading, and books read.
----------
Reading Habits:
Sometimes my reading habits get the best of me and other times they work like clockwork. I read different books at different times during the day. I use my Kindle and iPhone during my commutes to and from work and at lunch time, and read print books at home during the evening and weekends. That means that I'm usually reading multiple books at the same time. It gets crazy sometimes! For example, at the same time I went nuts reading gay cowboy romances and an entire mystery series, in print and in my Kindle I was reading contemporary fiction, literary fiction and other books that I don't often review here.

Moments:
In a previous post, I mentioned that I am reading Dear Life, the last collection of short stories by Alice Munro. In this book, Munro captures what seem like ordinary moments that change people's (mostly women's) lives. Sometimes the decisions that lead to those changes seem... mundane, but turn out to be life altering. Not all the stories are working for me on the same level, but one thing I can say about Munro, with few words she can pack a lifetime of information in a short story.

Blood & Guts:
I am also in the process of reading Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy, one of the most gruesomely violent books I've ever read. The writing is fantastic -- sparse, tight, yet so freaking descriptive. It's like he punches you with words one minute and just lulls you with beauty the next. The worse part of it, and the most effective, is when the beauty of his words calmly and nonchalantly describe the horror and violence that humans achieve without even trying. Mr. McCarthy's perspective of the human condition and the lack of humanity in his portrayal of the historical American West is turning out to be rather daunting.

Blood & Guts - A Legal Battle: 
I also just began reading Gilbert King's Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America, the 2013 Pulitzer Prize winner for general nonfiction. I am not too far into this book yet, but I can relate a little bit of information on it. So far I'm struck by Gilbert King's excellent creative nonfiction style of writing -- this book reads more like a novel, and it is not a dry accounting of events. The book begins with a brief accounting of landmark cases that Thurgood Marshall argued in Southern Courts and before the U.S. Supreme Court beginning and after the mid-1940's when he served as counsel for the NAACP during the Jim Crow South era. He is best known for his 1951 win Brown v. Board of Education, which brought about the desegregation of public schools, and for serving as Justice of the Supreme Court, the first black man to do so. However, this book specifically focuses on one of Marshall's less known cases, the 1949 Florida case known as the Groveland Boys.
-----------
Cowboys:
Anyway, before the flu got me, I was reading like a machine. For example, this month I finished a crazy reading spree of contemporary western M/M romances. Don't ask me why, except that I love westerns and while reading one book something began to bug me, so I decided to do some comparison reading and went on an unexpected marathon.

As I moved along from one book to another, I realized that what was bugging me was that the core of these westerns all seem to have "required" points. There is the closeted cowboy or rancher who struggles to make the tough decision to come out of the closet when that one man shows up in their lives, the requisite homophobes, and the other closeted gay cowboys who pop out of the woodwork and are always lying in wait to give support and advice when needed. This sounds cynical, I know, but as a reader, this trend just hit me as a "truly tired" plot device. I read five books in a row and all hit the above mentioned points, as have many other contemporary western M/M romances I've read before. After a while I stopped making notes and just wrote a few lines about what was different. There is always the matter of different writing styles, and a different angle thrown here and there.

In Heart of a Cowboy by Z.A. Maxfield, I enjoyed the writing and the fact that the main character is honest with himself, his lover, and those around him. In Long Tall Drink by L.C. Chase, story trumps sex and both main characters are given backgrounds that are explored and used to develop the overall story and romantic conflict. In Pickup Men by L.C. Chase, a frustrating read, the fact that the story begins with the couple breaking up is rather unique. But the most interesting aspect of this piece is that Chase incorporates two different perspectives dealing with the consequences that arise from sending young gay men to "rehabilitation camps." And, in No Going Home and Duncan's World, T.A. Chase focuses his novels on fathers who physically abuse their sons, and psychologically lost young men who need and look for "daddies" in their lovers and require their support in order to come out of the closet.

A PI:
On my iPhone, I read the first book of Marshall Thornton's Nick Nowack Mystery series, Boystown: Three Nick Nowack Mysteries. This is a series that my friend Indigene highly recommended to me because she knows how much I love good LGBT mysteries. I fell in love with the gritty central character Nick, the 1980's Chicago setting, Mr. Thornton's pared down writing, and the book format. The book is separated into three sections with titles (novellas), each with a mystery solved by Nick, but the overall storyarc focuses on Nick's personal life and the recurring characters give the book (and overall series) continuity.

This is a great first book with wonderful mysteries that hooked me and a fantastic, rather captivating, ex-cop turned PI whose prolific sexual escapades mask the heartbreak of losing the ex-lover who shoved him out of the closet resulting in the loss of both his family and job with the Chicago PD. I liked the first book so much that I ended up reading the entire Nick Nowack Mystery series up to the latest release, including Little Boy Dead: A Boystown Prequel, Boystown 2: Three Nick Nowak Mysteries, Boystown 3: Two Nick Nowak Mysteries, Boystown 4: Time for Secrets, and Boystown 5: Murder Book. I became so invested in Nick that frankly, I can't wait to find out where Thornton takes this character as well as some secondary characters I've become attached to -- particularly since we know some of what is coming and after the heartbreaking events in Murder Book.
-----------
What Else?:
I've finished a few books since I began writing this post, The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly, a historical fiction/romance book set in 1927 during the Mississippi Flood (Kindle ed.), The Padișah's Son and the Fox by Alex Jeffers, a Turkish erotic fairy tale (Print ed.), and 'Nathan Burgoine's debut full-length novel Light, a combination superhero action/adventure romance, with strong spec-fic elements (Kindle ed.).

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

M/M Review: Out of Bounds by T.A. Chase


Can a sexy nightclub owner convince an all star basketball player to risk it all?

Professional basketball player Kasey Johnson makes a point of keeping his sexual preference under guard and out of the public eye. Empty, off-season flings are all he can look forward to until he retires. He figures his secret is safe -- until he meets Ingram Fletcher, a nighclub owner who ignites a passionate inferno in his body.

Gram has lusted after Kasey ever since the long, tall basketball player was traded to Phoenix a year ago. But with Kasey's twin brother running interference, up until now Gram's been unsure if it's safe to make a play. Then some incidental contact in the crowded club leads to a kiss that starts Gram wondering if a relationship is possible -- now, and beyond March Madness.

A romantic weekend together answers that question. Now the only one remaining is if Kasey is ready to make a fast break out of his comfort zone.
In Out of Bounds, T. A. Chase touches on a few different themes: gays in professional sports; coming out to the public; privacy vs. the public's right to know. Most importantly Chase focuses on a man's personal needs and happiness vs. his career and having viable future. This is Kasey's dilemma and the one he and Gram must face together.

The contrast between Kasey and Gram's developing relationship and the almost brittle desperation we see in Garrett, Kasey's twin brother, is startling and it serves Kasey well. The protective and close relationship between the brothers was both exasperating and touching -- just as those brotherly relationships tend to be.

Kasey and Gram's story as told by T. A. Chase is full of sexual tension and eroticism. The chemistry between these two is scorching, as is the love that flourishes between them. Although their first encounter comes quick, Chase develops their relationship. Kasey's slow realization that their relationship might be worth more than a few encounters, and Gram's unrelenting and surprising commitment won me over.

Out of Bounds is a wonderful addition to my growing T. A. Chase collection.

M/M Romance Erotica: Hot B+

Find this book here.

Originally posted at Musings of a Bibliophile August 11, 2009

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Reviews at Musings


Upcoming Reviews:

















Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale is a book I've had on my TBB list ever since I saw it highlighted at the Galaxy Express last March under their 'Steampunk' recommendations. A book I looked forward to reading and saved to savor like candy for the end of the Challenge. *g*

Out of Bounds by T.A. Chase was an erotic trip through the world of sports. He addresses the prejudices still rampant in that world and the pros and cons of being "out" for an athlete -- but also the decisions that must be made by the man. I'll be reading more T.A. Chase.

Reviews Posted at Musings:



The Edge of Impropriety by Pam Rosenthal, a historical romance from a new-to-me author. I was curious about this book and just had to give it a shot. My thoughts are posted at Musings as more impressions than review mode. A book that surprised me in more ways than one.

No Limits by Alison Kent is a contemporary romance book that I won at the author's website in a contest. This is another new-to-me author and I read this book without any expectations or knowledge as to style. This book had an interesting mixture of characters and atmosphere.

Islands by Samantha Kane, a beautiful love story set in World War II with wonderful characters and atmosphere. This one made me sigh.

Summer has taken its toll and I'm not reading as much as I usually do, but I'm right on track with the M/M Challenge. One more to read, and after this week... one more to review. So, that's okay, right?

After I'm done with those... I'll have to tackle the huge TBR pile this challenge has created... all the wonderful new authors discovered and backlists to investigate. It seems I'll be overflowing with hot new reads to keep me warm come the winter. :) Plus, this second half of the year, I'm planning on reading more Fantasy / Sci-Fi Romance and Contemporary Romance.

See you at Musings!

Edited: All reviews can be found here at Impressions. 

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

M/M Mini Reviews 2: Barbara Sheridan, T.A. Chase, Vincent Diamond

Beautiful C*csucker - Little Tryst by Barbara Sheridan

Set in 1987, New York City, this is a well constructed short story involving two detectives from different cultures whose short meeting impacts both their lives. Ray Watts is a New York City detective whose assignment is to chauffeur a visiting foreign Japanese detective around New York City for an afternoon, and is surprised when he meets a beautiful and sexy female detective that sets his pants on fire. Miki Nabeshima, with a completed assignment and some time for leisure, is more interested in getting to know Ray than the City. An invitation for an evening out on the town reveals to Ray that Miki is a he, not a she. Their meeting sets up the stage and Sheridan takes us on a ride from an exclusive BDSM club to the bedroom. An erotic tale of self-discovery.

Barbara Sheridan writes both excellent insight into the characters and an well-rounded plot in this short story. As readers, Sheridan lets us take a good look at these two men, and we get an excellent idea as to what makes them tick. Although there is not an HEA -- after all this IS a tryst -- we do hope that at some point Ms. Sheridan decides to let us share another one of Miki and Ray's encounters.

M/M Contemporary Erotica Short Story - Grade: A-
Little Tryst can be found at Noble Romance

Bound by Love by T.A. Chase

T.A. Chase touches on two difficult subjects in this book, PT SD and sibling rivalry. Tyler Newsome is coming home to the Lazy N Ranch, tired of the rodeo, he wants to start his own life and stop feeling as if he is an extension of his twin brother JT. He's had a crush on Ren since forever and is looking forward to seeing him again. Tyler is portrayed as a man who has always been responsible for his family, but most of all his brother JT, who is a self-centered, competitive type of sibling and who tends to project his own inadequacies on to Tyler. Tyler is trying to break away from the hold his twin has on him.

Ren Alston and his two brothers own a successful horse ranch in Montana where they specialize in raising dun and grullo Quarter Horses. He and his two brothers are veterans who all suffer from either PT SD or its after-effects. Ren has dealt with the worst part of it, but still has some residual left over symptoms. T. A. Chase integrated this part of the story line with the romance beautifully and realistically. PT SD is a serious subject and he treated it as such, and although he didn't go too deeply into it, I would say with excellent results. Ren was always attracted to Tyler, but with all his responsibilities and the baggage, he was not sure a relationship was possible. Now that Tyler is coming home without JT, Ren sees the perfect opportunity and hopes that he'll get a chance at love.

This was a beautiful story of two men who despite their short comings, inadequacies and in some instances being short changed by life, bloom and flourish together. I loved seeing Tyler grow and become self-assured and self-reliant, and Ren more than deserved to get his one "true" love. With a bit of control and submission and plenty of riding, T. A. Chase gives us more than just a cowboy tale.

M/M Contemporary Romance - Grade: A
Bound by Love can be found at My Bookstore and More

Animal Attractions 2, Anthology edited by Vincent Diamond

Edited by Vincent Diamond, this anthology has one running theme throughout, you guessed it, animals -- all kinds of animals -- who make a contribution to each love story in this small Romance collection. Elusive Blue by Kelly Kiernan - A story of a small town sheriff whose life is that of a solitary, lonely man who meets his match through a blue tiger. Written with a 1950's "feel" this is a romantic story about both intolerance and acceptance. The Case of the Missing Boa by Aaron Michaels, is a "who-done-it" with a sense of humor, the search for the "perfect man" and how he can be found in the most unlikely of places and under the most unexpected of circumstances. Driven by Destiny by Jane Davitt is set in 1930's Hollywood. A black panther, a smooth manager and a hot bodyguard make up this story. Davitt gives us a hot story with a touch of control and submission.

All the stories in this anthology were well written and worth reading -- I certainly enjoyed every single one of them -- but as in most anthologies, we usually walk away with a favorite or two, here are some of mine. Slow and Steady by CB Potts, a beautifully written story set in the Brazilian amazon, features a scientist on assignment with his companions, a cameraman, the narrator and their guide and white, glowing snails. A story about one man's patience and how it pays off. I swear I could smell the jungle and feel the humidity, the descriptions were so descriptive they sucked me right in.

Rodeo Mafia by Julia Talbot, introduces us to an animal rights activist and photojournalist who decides to take on cattle ranchers and the Rodeo by using his photography to prove how animals are being abused at both places. The give and take in this piece was wonderful. Talbot showcased how different points of view can be appreciated and understood when individuals truly listen to each other. A sexy story.

Hiding in Snow by Sean Michael features a photographer and a scientist, who while in the mountains in Uzbekistan to document the plight of snow leopards, are the victims of an avalanche. Showcasing adventure and survival, our men get to know each other under dire circumstances and forge a bond that neither expected, but both ultimately desire. Sean Michael gives us with the perfect ending to this beautifully edited Romance collection.

M/M Romance Anthology - Grade: B+
Animal Attractions 2 can be found at Torquere

Part of Vincent Diamond's editor's proceeds are being donated to animal charities. For this book the charities are Florida Draft Horse Rescue and Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue, where they work hard to rescue, rehab, retire and hopefully adopt members of these breeds.


Originally posted at Musings of Bibliophile May 12, 2009

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Upcoming Reviews at Musings





Mini Reviews: M/M Romance Reading Challenge - Part Two





I'm continuing with the M/M Romance Reading Challenge. I'll be sharing my impressions on three books this week: Beautiful C*ocsucker by Barbara Sheridan, Bound by Love by T. A. Chase and Animal Attraction 2 Edited by Vincent Diamond.


To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt



I love Historical Romances and Elizabeth Hoyt's books have become automatic buys for me in a very short period of time. I've yet to read a book by her that I haven't either liked or loved.

Brie and I will be doing a joint review of To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt, third book in the Four Soldiers series at Musings. These are always lots of fun, I love discussing books with someone else and exchanging points of view. Look for it, I hope you enjoy it as well. See you there!