Mini-Impressions: Demon Bound by Meljean Brook

Among the Guardians, Alice Grey is known as the Black Widow—a woman trapped in a web spun by the demon Teqon. To save her soul, she agreed to deliver to Teqon the heart of the oldest and most powerful Guardian of all, or else be damned for eternity. After more than a hundred years, Teqon is calling in his debt.

Jake Hawkins is a novice Guardian whose gift of teleportation could be invaluable to Alice in determining her next move. But in aligning himself with her he never expected to fall in love. Now, their passionate flight to escape Alice’s damnable bargain is threatening both their souls. For they’re about to discover a hellish secret about the Guardians—something that will change their universe forever.

Demon Bound by Meljean Brook was a solid addition to this paranormal series. The hero Jake and the heroine Alice "the Black Widow" were both likable characters that at first didn't seem to fit together. Jake is an extrovert who doesn't think before he speaks. He comes off as young and exhuberant, but there's more to him than just his runaway tongue. Alice, is an introvert and a repressed woman... both sexually and socially. She uses her Gift, that of using spiders, to keep away those around her and has done so successfully throughout the centuries. She can come off as more than a bit creepy at times, and Brook handles that very well through Jake's perspective.

Although this installment is not as sexually explosive as the previous ones by any means, there is a definite connection between Jake and Alice. The best part of the book is that through Alice and Jake's slowly developing romance, the overall storyarc really moves forward in Demon Bound. Brook introduces new intriguing characters that we'll be seeing in future installments, and there are significant revelations as well. The resolution to Alice's conflicts will definitely have a huge impact on all the Guardians and their future. This is a key book in this series that should not go unread.

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Series: Guardian Series, Book 4

Released: November 4, 2008

Grade: B

Visit Meljean Brook here.

M/M Mini Review: Best Gay Erotica 2010 edited by Richard Labonté selected by Blair Mastbaum

In Best Gay Erotica 2010, Richard Labonté together with Blair Mastbaum, again puts together an excellent anthology that gathers a wide range of perspectives from the gay community using the erotic and of course different writing styles.

Some of the stories tackle subjects that are not always comfortable: closeted married or engaged men who are on the "down low" and cheating on their wives or girlfriends; older men cruising and using younger men; men looking for sexual pleasure in seedy places. Then there are touching stories... stories of couples, of loss, of single encounters that make an impact on the reader. The writing and the content make it possible for both these types of stories to make that impact.

By the time I finished reading, I found that I did have favorites in this anthology: Smoke and Semen by Jeff Mann; Colin and Gregory: 1956 by Jonathan Kemp; Holiday from Love by Hank Fenwick; Better Late Than Never by Rachel Kramer Bussel; The Boy in the Middle by Thom Wolf; 8 Beautiful Boys 8: The Follies Revisited by Jamie Freeman.

The above are not in any particular order and represent the wide variety of stories that are included in this anthology. I must admit that Smoke and Semen by Jeff Mann is my favorite story. The plot has everything in it, from light BDSM, to love, to loss -- the characters are developed in this little story and by the time I finished I had thoroughly connected -- not an easy thing to accomplish in a 13 page short.

These are all excellent stories, all well written and well edited so there's no waste. I certainly enjoyed reading the entire book. This is an anthology I recommend if you like variety when reading your erotica.

Genre: LGBT - Gay Erotica

Series: None

Released: December 1, 2009

Grade: B+

Find it here and here

M/M Romance Challenge 2010 Review

New M/M Release: Echoes of the Future by A.B. Gayle, Aleksandr Voinov, Jude Mason, Kate Cotoner

Burn by Aleksandr Voinov

Flight Lieutenant Chris Waters is the pilot of a cutting-edge unmanned SAD fighter drone that is used for secret government missions. Chris is cutting-edge technology himself: his neural network is upgraded with cyber-technology and software that makes him the interface of his combat drone.

Then, something goes wrong as he connects to his drone. Haunted by strange, disorientating impressions, a so-called 'ghost', he hooks up on leave with fellow pilot Cyril for a night. But Cyril is not the man Chris thought he is, and Chris soon finds out what the 'ghost' in his body really is, as well as the truth about his missions.

Conduit by Kate Cotoner

Ismail and his ex-husband Toki are divided by class and circumstance. Toki is a cybernetic upgrade human and part of the city elite, while Ismail is a baseline human and a cop. Their brief marriage failed when Toki walked out, but now he's back, asking for Ismail's help against Hanuman, a malicious cyber-intelligence who plans to poison the water supply of all baseline humans in the city. Now Ismail and Toki must find the underground reservoir targeted by Hanuman before time runs out for them both.

Rescue Me by Jude Mason

Assigned to guard Leetchi Ambassador Dar and his family, Lieutenant Thomas Patch finds himself inexplicably drawn to Jad, the diplomat’s son. The tall, slender Leetchi turns out to be as gay as Patch and steals his heart. When Jad is kidnapped, Patch goes undercover to find and rescue him. The rescue takes him to the underbelly of the space port city and a whore house where slaves are bought and sold at will. Finding Jad proves easier than he’d hoped, but the rescue takes an insane twist when their escape attempt is thwarted by the one person they knew was on their side.

Will Jad’s enslavement tear the lovers apart? Will Patch be torn from the love of his life? Find out, in Rescue Me.

Reversal by A. B. Gayle

Sebastian is bored. He has another five years of lone duty supervising his family's robots on their space station. The last thing he wants to do is the housework. For Christmas, his mother sends him a Domestic Darling cyborg. True to form, she purchases a factory second and sends one that doesn't quite fit the bill. Instead of being a pert blond with big tits and a cute ass like in the advertisement, this one is six foot tall and built like a Greek god, a very virile Greek God. In an attempt to improve its functioning, Sebastian uses some of his brilliant programming skills. The resulting changes ensure Sebastian will never be bored again.

Genre: M/M Sci-Fi
Find it here

Life, Curves & March 2010 Releases

It's only Wednesday and this week has already been a doozy for me! Life and the curves it throws you... amazing. Well, since due to those curves I don't have a review to post today, instead I'm going to share the new releases I'm looking forward to reading this month. It has been a while since there were these many in one single month.

I already mentioned two contemporary romances I can't wait to read, Naked Edge by Pamela Clare and Something About You by Julie James, on a separate post. Here are the rest of the books I'll be reading as soon as they arrive -- two are Urban Fantasy and one is Science-Fiction/Romance.

I'm loving the Cal Leandros UF series by Rob Thurman and can't wait to continue reading Cal and Niko's adventures -- so Roadkill I'll be reading that book as soon as I can slot it in! THEN, there's Rebels and Lovers by one of my favorite authors, Linnea Sinclair. Her books made the top of my 2009 list of favorite books, so you know I've been waiting impatiently for this book's release. And hey... Ms. Carolyn Crane's first book -- our own CJ herself -- Mind Games, is finally here! Can you believe it? I can't wait to get my hands on that puppy! So here are the blurbs. Enjoy.

ROADKILL (Leandros Series) by Rob Thurman

It's time to lock, load, and hit the road...

Once, while half-human Cal Leandros and his brother Niko were working on a case, an ancient gypsy queen gave them a good old-fashioned backstabbing. Now, just as their P.I. business hits a slow patch, the old crone shows up with a job.

She wants them to find a stolen coffin that contains a blight that makes the Black Death seem like a fond memory. But the thief has already left town, so the Leandros brothers are going on the road. And if they're very, very lucky, there might even be a return trip...

Release Date: March 3, 2010

REBELS AND LOVERS (Dock Five Series) by Linnea Sinclair

It’s been two years since Devin Guthrie last saw Captain Makaiden Griggs. But time has done little to dampen his ardor for the beautiful take-charge pilot who used to fly yachts for his wealthy family. While Devin’s soul still burns for Kaidee, she isn’t the kind of woman a Guthrie is allowed to marry—especially in a time of intergalactic upheaval, with the family’s political position made precarious by Devin’s brother Philip, now in open revolt against the Empire. And when Devin’s nineteen-year-old nephew, Trip, inexplicably goes missing after his bodyguard is murdered, this most dutiful of Guthrie sons finds every ounce of family loyalty put to the test. Only by joining forces with Kaidee can Devin complete the mission to bring Trip back alive. And only by breaking every rule can these two renegades redeem the promise of a passion they were never permitted to explore. At risk? A political empire, a personal fortune, and both their hearts and lives.

Release Date: March 23, 2010

MIND GAMES by Carolyn Crane

JUSTINE KNOWS SHE’S GOING TO DIE. ANY SECOND NOW.

Justine Jones has a secret. A hardcore hypochondriac, she’s convinced a blood vessel is about to burst in her brain. Then, out of the blue, a startlingly handsome man named Packard peers into Justine’s soul and invites her to join his private crime-fighting team. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime deal. With a little of Packard’s hands-on training, Justine can weaponize her neurosis, turning it outward on Midcity’s worst criminals, and finally get the freedom from fear she’s always craved. End of problem.

Or is it? In Midcity, a dashing police chief is fighting a unique breed of outlaw with more than human powers. And while Justine’s first missions, including one against a nymphomaniac husband-killer, are thrilling successes, there is more to Packard than meets the eye. Soon, while battling her attraction to two very different men, Justine is plunging deeper into a world of wizardry, eroticism, and cosmic secrets. With Packard’s help, Justine has freed herself from her madness—only to discover a reality more frightening than anyone’s worst fears.

Release Date: March 23, 2010

February 2010 Reads & Minis: Under Her Skin by Susan Mallery, Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips & Pasado Perfecto by Leonardo Padura

Wow! February was a short/long month for me. Short on days and reads, but long on posts!

It was a month-long love fest between the Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction anthology and me. I had a wonderful time choosing quotes from each story, and in the process re-read the whole book slowly. It was a personal treat, and I hope you enjoyed reading these little quotes as much as I did choosing them. :)

I'd like to give a shout out to my friend Indigene (Cowboy Junkie). The lady who not only recommended this wonderful anthology, but who also sent it to me as a gift. You can check out Indigene's awesome GLTB reviews at Rainbow Reviews any day. But, to check out her Fool for Love review you'll need to go to The Three Dollar Bill Reviews -- a new GLTB review site. Thanks Indi!

When it comes to reading? Well, I was craving contemporary romance and that made up the bulk of my reading, although I did manage to sneak in other genres in there. The Winter Olympics took up a lot of time away from my reading, but I enjoyed them thoroughly so no complaints. Weren't they great?! Now, I'll have to detox. :)

Okay, on to my February reads:

1) The Outback Stars by Sandra McDonald - B- (review here)

2) Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione - B+ (review here)

3) Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin - Solid B (review here)

4) Under Her Skin (Titan Series, Book 1) by Susan Mallery - B-

This is the first in her Titan Sisters series (4 books).

Under Her Skin was a good read, not great. I thought it had a predictable plot with a couple that had good chemistry, some great interaction between the sisters and one girlfriend, and good writing that kept me reading.

The plot is based on an engagement of convenience between Lexi and Cruz. They obviously have feelings for each other but lots of baggage. Cruz is a good man with flaws -- mainly due to the childhood baggage that he can't seem to let go, and Lexi's the same. She has a lot of "daddy" issues -- all the sisters do. The father is rich, powerful and basically unfeeling and he uses his fortune to set up the sisters against each other -- it doesn't quite work that way though, they get along although it does affect their relationship and their decisions.

I have the next book on my TBR pile and will read it.

5) Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips - B-

Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, is another contemporary romance from her backlist and from my TBR pile, I wanted to read. I liked the setting for this book, it was set in a circus and it made for a different atmosphere. Daisy and Alex were both interesting as a couple. She was supposed to be this flighty, weak-minded person who didn't have any confidence in herself and who grew as a person as the story unfolded. He was supposed to be this strong-minded man who had lots of pride but whose past marked him badly -- an interesting play on strengths and weaknesses.

Although I enjoyed Susan Elizabeth Phillips' writing and the character growth that is usually found in her contemporaries, this book is not a favorite. I didn't find the plot itself, a woman who is forced into marriage by her father to a man who owes him a favor, appealing. The secondary characters were not appealing either, although I did enjoy the parallels Phillips drew between the couple and the animals.

6) Pasado Perfecto by Leonardo Padura (Mario Conde Series, Book 1) (Re-read) - B (thoughts here)

This is the first book in a 4 book series in Spanish. It's a police crime series set in modern Havana, Cuba. The author is a Cuban author who still lives there, not in exile.

In this book he introduces Mario Conde, a Lieutenant in the police department who is investigating the disappearance of a man he knew in High School. A powerful man who happened to marry el Conde's High School crush... well, more like the woman he has lusted after for years, Tamara.

Padura uses Pasado Perfecto (a perfect past), and this investigation to introduce Conde and a set of characters that will reappear in the next three books of the series. I love the way he captures the people, culture and the flavor of the city in these books. He uses the language beautifully -- a combination of Cuban Spanish -- to give the books authenticity and tops it with some darn good writing. Although I would say this is not the best book in the series, it's a great introduction.

There are English translations to this series. Pasado Perfecto's title in English is: Havana Blue.

7) Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas (Re-read) - A- (review here)

8) Glory in Death (In-Death Series, Book 2) - B (review here)

9) Double Play by Jill Shalvis - B Upcoming Review

10) Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole - B+ Upcoming Review

I didn't realize it, but I had mostly B reads this month and I only read two new releases. My TBR pile is diminishing though, so I'm not doing too badly there. How about you? How was your February?

Angels, What You Must Hear on High by John H. Roush

A happily ever after...

I wouldn't be anywhere else except with Tom. He keeps me grounded. He's the silent type, and you know what they say about the silent type: They're animals in bed! This man could make me praise Jesus in twenty-one different languages. Oh, sorry about that, Angel. Page 258

Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction edited by Timothy J. Lambert and R.D. Cochrane


About the Author:
John H. Roush lives in a quiet New England town in Connecticut with his partner. He belongs to a nonprofit organization that goes throughout the United States and Canada raising money for other nonprofit groups. He is one of New England's leading female impersonators. Mr. Roush doesn't have a website (at least not that I could find).

Everyone Says I'll Forget in Time by Greg Herren

Closure and new beginnings.

I got through it all; I survived; I went on. I went through the closet and the dresser and took his clothes to Goodwill. I did all the things you're supposed to do, and I got through it all.

But the bed still seems empty every morning when I wake up. The house seems quieter, no matter how loudly I play the stereo. The world seems different, somehow -- the sun a little less bright, the sky a little less blue, the grass a little less green.

Everyone says I'll forget in time. Page 240

Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction edited by Timothy J. Lambert and R.D. Cochrane

See a list of books by Greg Herren here.

Review: Glory in Death (In-Death Book 2) by J.D. Robb

In a time when technology can reveal the darkest of secrets, there's only one place to hide a crime of passion - in the heart. . .

The first victim was found lying on a sidewalk in the rain. The second was murdered in her own apartment building. Police lieutenant Eve Dallas had no problem finding connections between the two crimes. Both victims were beautiful and highly successful women. Their glamorous lives and loves were the talk of the city. And their intimate relations with men of great power and wealth provided Eve with a long list of suspects - including her own lover, Roarke. As a woman, Eve was compelled to trust the man who shared her bed. But as a cop, it was her job to follow every lead . . .to investigate every scandalous rumor . . .to explore every secret passion, no matter how dark. Or how dangerous.

"The dead were her business. She lived with them, worked with them, studied them. And because that didn't seem to be enough, in some deep, secret chamber of her heart, she mourned for them." 

That is how Glory in Death begins and a theme that is carried out throughout the book -- justice and Eve as the avenger for the dead. Eve is plunged into the murder investigation of Prosecuting Attorney Towers, a successful woman who stands for justice. She finds herself in the middle of a delicate investigation that turns personal in more ways than one -- both Roarke and her own Captain are involved. When two other women are murdered and an acquaintance becomes snared by the murderer, Eve's race to solve the case becomes a race against time.

In Glory in Death, Robb further develops Eve's character both as a woman and as a cop. She explores her personal insecurities as a woman through her relationship with Roarke. As a cop, we get to experience how Eve's mind works, what procedures she uses to solve crimes, and how she reacts to both crime and victim. In her reaction to the victims, we see more of caring Eve, the woman who feels so much for them she'll go balls to the wall to get them justice, but if/or when unable to do so, takes it all onto herself. As a character, there is a lot of growth for Eve in this one book. You can see it in her rigid black and white mind-set at the beginning of the story, changing into a slightly softer gray "Roarke-like" mind-set by the end.

Eve's relationship with Roarke hits a glitch when she's unable to commit and he's unwilling to settle for less. Their passion is steamy and their pain is evident throughout their conflict. I loved the way Eve worked through her reluctance and the fact that Roarke understood her, but would not settle for less than what he wanted and she deserved. Roarke's ruthlessness, tenderness and willingness to commit to Eve were a winning combination in this installment. Robb weaved their romantic bliss and upheaval with the suspense quite well.

There were some favorite recurring secondary characters and relationships in this book. My favorite so far is Eve's prickly relationship with Roarke's butler Summerset. I can't believe she elbowed the old man to get into Roarke's house... I just can't -- that was a joy! I'm loving the way those two go out of their way to annoy each other. Eve's friendship with Mavis seems to be a steady one and one she needs to unwind. I like Mavis' irreverent qualities.

I found the suspense to be predictable in Glory in Death, just as it was in the first book, although the way the crime was solved was certainly enjoyable. So far, my favorite part of this series is the characterization, and of course Eve and Roarke's ongoing romance. Going on to read Immortal in Death.

Genre: Futuristic Suspense/Romance

Series: In-Death Series, Book 2

MMP Released: September 7, 2004

Grade: B

Visit J.D. Robb here

Christine's 'In-Death' Reading Challenge - February Review

Two Kinds of Rapture by Andrew Holleran

Yearning.

...I found rapture in a street of yellow leaves, and the super from Guatemala, or his wife and daughter, have located it in a miniature Christmas tree. But better than all these is love, he thought as he went into the building. Oh, how I wish I were in love. Page 238

Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction edited by Timothy J. Lambert and R.D. Cochrane

See list of books by Andrew Holleran here.