Halloween Reads: Steampunk/PNR/LGBT Spec-Fic

October is here and that means Halloween! From the books I've read lately and some read a while back, I have accumulated a few recommendations of books you might want to read: Paranormal Romance, LGBT Speculative Fiction, Horror, and well... things with fangs, claws or some that go bump in the night.

The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire #1) & The Rift Walker (Vampire #2) by Susan Griffith and Clay Griffith: (Steampunk Adventure/ Romance) See Leslie's review here.

The first book in the Vampire Empire trilogy has some of the scariest vampires I've seen around in a while. I really enjoyed the fact that they are Nosferatu-like vampires, parasitic, violent and portrayed as animalistic and clannish in nature. The humans are also portrayed quite differently in this world, and for the two main characters it's a learning experience as they venture into the world of vampires in the northern lands where they rule. There's a princess, a masked and caped hero, horrifying vampires and violent, often fast-paced battles, plus the beginning of a sweet romance that develops between two very different people. Along with the first book, I will recommend The Rift Walker (Vampire Empire #2), a book that I'm reading at the moment, and where the fun, chilling adventures continue. 

Demon Marked (Guardian Series #7) by Meljean Brook (Paranormal Romance): See review here.

Weather you begin this series from scratch or decide to pick up where you left off doesn't matter. This is a series that I highly recommend and that is appropriate for this month with it's angel-like Guardians and demons, hell hounds, heaven-like Caelum, and vampires. There's a lot to be said about Meljean Brook's world and it's all good... it's complex, tight, and fascinating. The romance and heat are off the charts and I can't recommend it enough. 

Supernatural with Larissa Ione, Alexandra Ivy, Jacquelyn Frank, G.A. Aiken (Paranormal Romance): See review here

And if you want something lighter, Supernatural is a paranormal romance collection of novellas where the writers feature characters set in worlds created for already popular series. A couple of the stories are a bit darker than the others, but all four are on the erotic side of the scale with lots of sexin' going on along with the fangs, claws, darkness, fire and brimstone. 

LGBT Speculative Fiction and Horror:

Wilde Stories 2011: The Years Best Gay Speculative Fiction edited by Steve Berman (Speculative Fiction): See review here

I just reviewed this collection of stories and highly recommend it. All the stories included are excellent: there are vampires, flesh eating zombies, stories about the occult, mermen, a mesmerizing psychic, a clown!, surfer dudes and dudettes, and well... romance and love along with all the hmm... weird fantasy.

Pumpkin Teeth by Tom Cardamone (LGBT Speculative Fiction): See mini here

Oh boy! Did I enjoy this collection by Cardamone or what? This is one fantastic collection of spec-fic stories where Cardamone includes both horror and fantasy. His stories are shocking and nightmarish, and if you love those ambiguous endings that leave you holding your breath at the end you'll love these. I read it last year and will be re-reading some of the stories again this October. :)

The StarCrossed Series by co-authors Reno MacLeod and Jaye Valentine (Speculative Fiction): See reviews here and here

Demon Tailz (Book 1), Opposite Ends of the Spectrum (Book 2), Sangria and Seraphim (Book 2.5), Objects in the Mirror (Book 3), Angel Tears (Book 3.5), In the Blink of an Eye (Book 4)

This is spec-fic of the horror, homo-erotic kind. The best kind. It's exciting and disturbing with demons, vampires, angels and witches equally doing their thing among humans and with each other. MacLeod and Valentine's series escalates and gets better and better as it goes along. But you don't have to believe me (I only wrote an ini-Mini), I've linked you above to Indigene's reviews of this series. She reviewed all four books when the series was first released a few years back and in my opinion, these are still the best reviews about this series out there. This series has had a resurgence in popularity recently after it was re-released by OmniLit.

There are many excellent Speculative Fiction books out there to read! I've slowly become an addict of this sub-genre, horror and fantasy in particular. For LGBT fans, Lethe Press' quarterly magazine, Icarus: The Magazine of Gay Speculative Fiction, is a great way to check out short stories by new or favorite writers, interviews, reviews, news about upcoming releases and of course networking information. So, I usually end up browsing through their book catalogue which has great choices. The upcoming fall issue has an interview with Ginn Hale who has the popular serial The Rifter out now. I've only read and reviewed the first episode from that series and am holding off on the rest. :)

So where do you look for new speculative fiction, horror, fantasy, new writers and upcoming books, LGBT or otherwise? What about books in general? What have you read lately that you would recommend as a great Halloween, October read?

August 2010 Reads

August was an average reading month for me -- although I couple of great books there were no big surprises and no deep disappointments. That's good, right?

But wait, that's not quite right! I would like to highlight one short story I thought was excellent -- Here There Be Monsters by Meljean Brook included in the Burning Up Anthology: Grade A-.  That story certainly stands out and now I'm really looking forward to reading The Iron Duke and the whole series. :)

As for the rest of my reads, here's the summary for August:

Total books read: 16
New Reads: 14
Re-reads: 2

Favorite new reads this month:

• A Not So Perfect Past by Beth Andrews: B+
• Pumpkin Teeth by Tom Cardamone: B+

I loved Cardamone's story "River Boy" in Labonte's Country Boys: Wild Gay Erotica Anthology when I first read it last year, and both the story and characters  (River Boy and Skink) stayed with me. I've been looking for something by this author and was happy when I found Pumpkin Teeth, a collection of his short stories. I was not disappointed.  

Cardamone's writing style is creative and the stories and characters are quite unusual. There's horror and fantasy with the exploration of sexuality as its core, "Tank" & "Suitcase Sam" are already favorites. He finishes some stories and leaves others with ambiguous endings that left this reader thinking and wondering more than once -- I'll definitely be re-reading some of them. Other stories stayed with me for their shocking and nightmarish qualities. I'm not into horror and this collection kept me riveted, that says a lot in my book. Category: LGBTQI Horror Released: October 23, 2009 by Lethe Press Books 

Burning Up by Susan Andersen (Upcoming Review)
One Season of Sunshine by Julia London: B
Not Without Her Family by Beth Andrews: C+
His Secret Agenda by Beth Andrews: C
The Down Home Zombie Blues by Linnea Sinclair: B
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (Upcoming Buddy Review)
Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley: C
New Normal by Jeffrey Ricker: B
Burning Up Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, Virginia Kantra, Meljean Brook: B
Love Me If You Dare by Carly Phillips (Upcoming Review)
Corralled by Lorelei James: B-
Demon from the Dark by Kresley Cole: B-
Rising Tides (Quinn Brothers Trilogy, #2) by Nora Roberts (Re-read): B+
Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas (Re-read): A

What about you? Did you have a favorite book, a big surprise or disappointment in August?

Review: Country Boys: Wild Gay Erotica by Richard Labonté

This anthology is a compilation of works by sixteen talented writers beginning with a beautiful Introduction written by its editor, Richard Labonté. Mr. Labonté, a long time city dweller who moved to a small town, wanted to showcase through these short stories, gay men's experiences of life and love in small, country towns. In the Introduction, which I enjoyed as much as the rest of the book, he gives us a bit of his own history and experiences in the small town where he lived openly with his husband Asa -- the book is dedicated to Asa, a touching and fitting tribute.

There are sixteen short stories in this anthology and every single one of them is worth reading. The writing is diverse, creative, and excellent all around. Some of the stories are very short, as in Bear Season by C.B. Potts, and some a bit longer as in Noel, for the Last Time by Wayne Courtois, but all are well developed.

There were quite a few stories where we are allowed a peek at some erotic, some tender and some wild first encounters between curious young men in the country who explore their sexuality together, and where we meet farms boys, good ole boys, and river boys.

Opening Day at The Fair by J.M. Snyder is worth mentioning in this category as you can almost hear the buzz of insects, feel the lazy summer day, the heat, the sweat and the yearning when reading it. Goodland Kansas by Jay Neal is a touching coming of age story about three boys set in a small town -- "know thyself," the beauty or the tragedy. I loved this story by Neal. These three friends know each other from childhood through adulthood. We share some of their adventures, moments of self-awareness and discoveries, their differences and in the end their choices.

Laying By written by Dale Chase where a young man traveling to California with his family, via a wagon train in 1846, experiences sexual awakening and love is a favorite. But I must say I was so surprised by River Boy written by Tom Cardamone that I had to read it twice. This was a unique piece set in the Florida river swamps featuring two unusual characters and even more unusual circumstances. Cardamone weaves D/s into the tale of River Boy and Skink in the most unexpected of settings. A story I'll remember.

Those pesky city dwellers also make appearances while they're visiting the country. The Farmer's Son by Karl Taggart was a favorite of mine, a story that somehow seemed plausible -- I wonder if our city boy will take his Harley out for a ride down that country road again...hmm. Vincent Diamond's Wrestling Gators is a fast paced erotic tale that proves once again that a man wearing a uniform and playing hero will work every single time, and in Hot Eats by Kal Cobalt, a cinematographer finds more than great fried chicken at the local Diner during that lonely third shift.

There are other stories, Goat Boy by Jack Fritscher is a celebration of manhood the likes of which I've never imagined--it made me laugh and gag at the same time. And there's the beautiful story of home coming by Dominic Santi titled Drum Stone about a Native American who while searching for his roots finds love.

I found this anthology while searching for works by Vincent Diamond, an author who has become a personal favorite. Not only did I find a wonderful story by Diamond I had not yet read, but I also found a slew of new-to-me authors whose stories I can't wait to research and read. Mr. Labonté certainly reached his goal with this anthology; it is a gorgeous celebration of life, love and experiences in the country. Great find!

Gay Erotica - Grade: A

You can find this book and other works by Richard Labonté here

Originally posted at Musings of a Bibliophile May 21, 2009