Books: August/September 2014 New Releases!

At the beginning of the year I highlighted my "most anticipated reads," a few are releasing in August such as Visions (Cainsville #2) by Kelley Armstrong (August 19, 2014) and Lock In by John Scalzi (August 26, 2014), but of course there are always other books for a book addict like me. Today I am highlighting 5 books, most releasing in August or already available, all of them with covers I covet. Check them out.

AUGUST

SALVATION by Jeff Mann (Bear Bones Books)
Category: LGBT - Historical Fiction/Erotic BDSM

The American Civil War still threatens to tear the nation in twain. Private Ian Campbell betrayed his company and his duty because he fell in love with a handsome Yankee prisoner-of-war, Drew Conrad. Both men are on the run, desperate to reach Campbell’s family home in West Virginia, which may have escaped the conflict unscathed and offer them both peace and salvation from the cruelties and prejudices of men heightened by the conflict.

But the trek is dangerous. Both men are wounded, deserters, and their love for each other is viewed by so many as a crime against nature—hanging for any of these offenses threatens every moment they tarry to rest. They must rely on the kindness of strangers, but every household they enter seeking sanctuary for even a single night on a bed and scant provisions for hungry stomachs might betray them should the truth be discovered.

Acclaimed author Jeff Mann’s sequel to his beloved civil war historical novel Purgatory will instill in readers an ardent expectation over Privates Campbell and Conrad’s fate.

First we had Purgatory, now we have Salvation by Jeff Mann. I adored Jeff Mann's civil war historical novel, Purgatory and waited two years for the sequel. The wait is over, this book is available now. And, the cover is just perfect.

A HUNDRED LITTLE LIES by Jon Wilson (August 2014, Lethe Press)
Category: LGBT -- Historical Western Romance

Everyone knows Jack Tulle as a widower, a doting father, and an honest businessman. The problem is, it's all a lie. For eight years Jack has enjoyed the quiet life in the sleepy little town of Bodey, Colorado where he owns and operates the General Store. He sits on the town council. He dotes upon his eight-year-old, headstrong daughter, Abigail. He is even being sized-up as a prospective new member of the family by the bank president. But when the local saloon announces plans to host a grand prize poker tournament, Jack realizes it could spell trouble.

One of the many secrets he's been hiding is that he used to be a con man - mainly underhanded poker, but he wasn't above the odd swindle when the situation presented itself. And a contest like the one his town is planning is sure to draw some old business acquaintances - fellows Jack would really rather not admit to knowing.

Of course there's one man in particular Jack is worried about seeing - Tom Jude is the only person who knows the truth behind all his secrets. Tom wasn't just Jack's partner-in-crime, he was also the love of his life. And Tom knows things - like the fact that the little girl Jack is raising, really isn't his... As Jack scrambles to maintain his deceptions by lying to friends and neighbors as well as the child he has grown to love, he discovers the real truth: when your world is built on A Hundred Little Lies, exposing a single one of them can bring the whole thing crashing down.

I read A Shiny Tin Star by Jon Wilson earlier this year and loved the author's style, so as soon as I realized that his historical western romance A Hundred Little Lies was going to be rereleased it immediately went on my wish list. The fresh new cover that says western and speaks to the book summary is a big bonus.

SEPTEMBER

THE WINTER LONG (October Daye #8) by Seanan McGuire (DAW, September 2, 2014)
Category: Urban Fantasy

Toby thought she understood her own past; she thought she knew the score.

She was wrong.

It's time to learn the truth.

Okay, I hate it when all we get are three little lines to summarize a whole book, and a whole bunch of advanced review blurbs. Those three lines do not say anything about the book, or anything new about Toby. It seems to me that Toby has very little understanding about her past and is often wrong. LOL! But of course now we are all really curious, aren't we? Because maybe this time she will really learn the truth about her past. By the way, I not only love the cover for this book, I love most of the covers for this UF series.

I KNEW HIM by Erastes (Lethe Press, Tradeback available September 13, 2014)
Category: LGBT-- Historical Thriller

Harry George Alexander Bircham: Not necessarily an infamous name in the annals of gay fictional characters…yet. But readers of Erastes’ newest historical novel should prepare themselves for many pages of suspenseful intrigue as the miscreant Bircham, a man of Wildean excesses and humours, will do anything it takes to bend Fate to his will. And that sinister will is to keep the affections and attentions of another young English lad. If accidents, if murder, are necessary, then Bircham is just the villain. Or anti-hero, as he is quite the early twentieth century charmer.

“If there can be such a thing as too much fun, this is probably it. It’s Hamlet in white tie and flapper dresses, relocated to the country-house circuit between the wars; but nobody quite acts out the roles laid down for them. This is just too good to miss.” —Chaz Brenchley, winner of the August Derleth Award and author of Blood Waters.

The cover for this historical thriller by Erastes is beautifully sinister and matches the book summary just about perfectly. I have been in the mood for mysteries and thrillers lately and this one looks like is going to be a beaut! I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

AN AMERICAN DUCHESS by Sharon Page (Harlequin HQN, September 30, 2014)
Category: Historical Romance

At the height of the Roaring Twenties, New York heiress Zoe Gifford longs for the freedoms promised by the Jazz Age. Headstrong and brazen, but bound by her father's will to marry before she can access his fortune, Zoe arranges for a brief marriage to Sebastian Hazelton, whose aristocratic British family sorely needs a benefactor.

Once in England, her foolproof plan to wed, inherit and divorce proves more complicated than Zoe had anticipated. Nigel Hazelton, Duke of Langford and Sebastian's austere older brother, is disgraced by the arrangement and looks down upon the raucous young American who has taken up residence at crumbling Brideswell Abbey. Still reeling from the Great War, Nigel is now staging a one-man battle against a rapidly changing world—and the outspoken Zoe represents everything he's fighting against. When circumstances compel Zoe to marry Nigel rather than Sebastian, she does so for love, he for honor. But with Nigel unwilling to change with the times, Zoe may be forced to choose between her husband and her dreams.

This is the type of historical romance that I am craving at the moment. The Roaring Twenties is a favorite era, but I am curious to find out if the British setting (as opposed to America) makes a difference in "my love" of romances set during this time. Love, love the cover for this historical romance.
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Clarification: I know this happens all the time and publishers shift release dates -- that is frustrating enough -- but I am REALLY disappointed because I featured THE BURIED LIFE by Carrie Patel with a July 2014 release date and boy was I looking forward to reading that book! BUT, when I went to buy it, the release date had been changed to April 14, 2015 for the paperback, AND, January 1, 2035 for the Kindle release!!! I'm sure that's an error, but I will keep checking and will let you all know when the book is available.

Currently Reading/Next on my reading list:
Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron
Lessons in Love: A Cambridge Fellows Mystery #1 by Charlie Cochrane
Home Fires Burning by Charlie Cochrane
Downfall: A Cal Leandros Novel by Rob Thurman

Just Finished Reading:
Wilde Stories 2014: The Year's Best Speculative Fiction ed. Steve Berman
The Affair of the Porcelain Dog by Jess Faraday

July 2014 Recap: Favorite Reads + Updates

July was over a couple of weeks ago, and I am finally ready to post the month's recap. It was a really good reading month with five highly recommended reads, two of them top reads. But as you will see below, the rest are not too bad at all.

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Total Books Read: 18 (4 rereads) 
 Contemporary Romance: 4
 Historical: 3 (Romance/Fiction)
 Sci-Fi/Fantasy: 6
 Urban Fantasy: 1
 LGBT: 4 (Spec Fic/Thriller, Contemporary fiction/romance, M/M Romance & Mystery)

Top Reads of the Month:

My two top reads of the month, although different, kept me at the edge of my seat. Lee Thomas' Butcher's Road, a historical crime thriller with speculative fiction elements, is so fast-paced and edgy that it spoiled my reading momentum for a few days -- I kept looking for another great shot of adrenaline just like it and couldn't find it. I ended up rereading a favorite book afterward before picking up another new read. World of Trouble by Ben H. Winters, a pre-apocalyptic mystery, had the same effect on me for different reasons. The end of a great trilogy, this book's main character, his journey through a pre-apocalyptic world, and the questions he asks through the mysteries he solves, stayed with me for a long while. The last page of this book is just. . .

1)  Butcher's Road by Lee Thomas: A-
2)  World of Trouble (The Last Policeman III) by Ben H. Winters: A-

In July, the B+ reads are all highly recommended. In My Favorite Uncle, I loved Marshall Thornton's excellent writing along with the wit and depth, while in The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine the historical fiction, setting, characters, and atmosphere kept me thoroughly engaged. In Seduced by Molly O'Keefe on the other hand, I loved for the gritty presentation of the characters' post-civil war struggles and the redemptive qualities found in the romance.

3)  My Favorite Uncle by Marshall Thornton: B+
4)  The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine: B+
5)  Seduced by Molly O'Keefe: B+

In the B grouping, there are more solid B's than mixed bags. Of the B books reviewed, Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique and Only Love Garrett Leigh are both strong reads with either solid plotting and/or writing style, characters, and atmosphere that do not let the reader down. And while The Iron King by Julie Kagawa falls under this category with a fantastic world-building and a young adult romance that I believe young adults will enjoy, that same romance was not entirely satisfactory for me personally. I will be reviewing the remaining books soon.

6)  Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews: B
7)  Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique: B
8)  The Iron King (Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa: B
9)  Only Love by Garrett Leigh: B
10) Mr. Right Goes Wrong by Pamela Morsi: B-
11) Waiting on You by Kristan Higgins: B-

My C list is quite short this month. Dissonance is another young adult fantasy piece with an intriguing world-building and a great mystery that kept me reading. Unfortunately the majority of characters are tough to like and the young adult romance that takes center stage did not work for me at all. And unfortunately, although the story in I Want to Hold Your Hand has its highs and positives, I just did not buy the happy ever after, making it a highly frustrating romance read.

12) Dissonance (Dissonance #1) by Ericka O'Rourke: C+
13) I Want to Hold Your Hand by Marie Force: C-

I had a fantastic rereading month in July since all the books I chose are favorite A and B+ reads. All my rereads were highly enjoyed, however, I miss reading good historical romances and Duchess by Night was a treat. I'm also craving mysteries at the moment, so Fair Game was the perfect choice.

Favorite rereads:
14) Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
15) Duchess by Night (Desperate Duchesses #2) by Eloisa James 
16) Countdown City (The Last Policeman II) by Ben H. Winters
17) Fair Game by Josh Lanyon

To be reviewed at a later time:
18) In Your Dreams by Kristan Higgins

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That is it for July 2014. I'm already deep into my August summer reads, and will try to keep up with my updates. Mysteries, mysteries and more mysteries, I'm craving mysteries. :)

Mr. Right Goes Wrong by Pamela Morsi

Pamela Morsi is a favorite writer whose Americana historical romances I dearly love. In Mr. Right Goes Wrong, Morsi's latest contemporary romance, she takes two people whose lives are made up of mistakes and bad choices and gives them the chance to prove to themselves and each other that change is possible.

Mazy Gulliver has been a doormat and a slave to love her entire adult life. She has chosen one wrong man after another with disastrous results. Mazy returns home with teenage son Tru to stay with her mother, determined to begin again and do right by herself and her son. Mazy's first move is to secure a job at the local bank as a loan collector working for Tad, Tru's biological father. She then visits her best friend Eli who is looking mighty fine these days. Sexual chemistry is still there between them, but Mazy is not sure Eli is for her until later when she slowly begins to believe that Eli may be her Mr. Right.

Eli Latham is the guy next door. He is sweet, nice and dependable and not Mazy's type, except when it comes to sex. Mazy is back in town and Eli's heart can't help but hope, but she is working with Tad the Cad -- does Mazy plan to get back with Tad? Eli still loves Mazy and comes to the conclusion that if she is looking for a new jerk in her life then he, Eli, is going to be her Mr. Wrong.

Morsi's Mr. Right Goes Wrong is both a romance and a personal road to wellness that encompasses both main characters, with Mazy the type of female protagonist that many readers may not like right off the bat. She has gone from one relationship to another, dragging her son Tru along the way. For a large portion of the novel as Mazy attempts to make sense of her life, she slowly turns a corner in her job but is still the clueless doormat I mention above in her newly minted relationship with Eli. She is downright pathetic at times and I admit to gnashing my teeth throughout many scenes. In Morsi's hands, however, there are reasons behind Mazy's actions as well as character growth and a good payoff at the end.

Of the two, Eli may be the most "sympathetic," at least initially. He's a fine, responsible man who loves Mazy unconditionally. Eli is also one of the most beta male characters I've encountered in a while -- caring, giving, and seriously laid back. But in his quest to win Mazy, Eli becomes as judgmental as the rest of those people he hated for hurting Mazy and goes too far. As he goes down the "beta to hard ass" road, Morsi brings Eli's character full circle and he makes a few personal discoveries of his own, not all them comfortable or pleasant.

Morsi excels at incorporating secondary characters from a small town and making their roles count. So we have tertiary characters that make an impact, as well as secondary characters such as Tru, -- a great character by the way and the love of Mazy's life -- Tad the Cad, Mazy's mother, and Eli's family. As a secondary storyline, Morsi successfully adds depth to this story by focusing on Tru's budding relationship with his biological father as well as on the relationship he develops with Eli.

In Mr. Right Goes Wrong, I find that the characters' journeys to personal wellness and happiness are interesting but equally frustrating. Morsi, however, has a talent for creating down to earth characters with depth and infusing subtle humor in her stories even when the issues they confront are complex. I recommend this romance to readers who appreciate Morsi’s writing style and enjoy a well earned happy ever after.

Category: Contemporary Romance
Series: None
Publisher/Release Date: Harlequin MIRA/August 1, 2014
Source: eARC Harlequin MIRA via NetGalley
Grade: B-

Visit Pamela Morsi here.

July's Minis: Molly O'Keefe, Ericka O'Rourke, Marie Force, Garrett Leigh

As promised, I'm continuing my summer reading updates today by featuring four books I read during the month of July. As you will see below the categories are different and so are my reactions to each one.

I have read quite a few westerns this year within all different categories, and chose to read Seduced by Molly O'Keefe after Wendy brought it to my attention by posting a review at her site (see a link to her review, as well as to Dear Author's at the bottom of my mini). Dissonance by Ericka O'Rourke (new-to-me author) is one of the books I had on my summer wish list,  and both I Want to Hold Your Hand by Marie Force and Only Love by Garrett Leigh (new-to-me author) are books that I chose to read because the book summaries caught my eye.
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Seduced (Into the Wild #1) by Molly O'Keefe: B+

I've read Molly O'Keefe's contemporary romances but that did not prepare me for her post-civil war historical western romance Seduced. It is not at all what I expected, it is much better. Our main characters are Southern Belle Melody Hurst and ex-soldier turned bounty hunter Cole Baywood. Melody's husband Jimmy, sister Annie, and Cole's brother Steven serve as the secondary characters in a self-contained, closed setting that keeps the high tension-fueled atmosphere going even after violence erupts and dissipates.

Melody has been to hell and back and after Jimmy is gone, she has nothing left to give of herself. Melody was a manipulative southern beauty before the war and will do whatever is necessary to secure a future for herself and her sister Annie to keep them safe. Seducing Cole is her answer. Cole can't see beyond the horror of war and everything he lost -- his family and innocence, his true self. All he sees is blood in his hands. Melanie's beauty and company remind him of who he used to be, but Cole will not settle with a woman who can't give him everything.

Gritty, that's the word that comes to mind when I think of Seduced. Melody may have been a Southern Belle in her past, but she's no wilting flower and Cole is passionate and tender but tough and not easily manipulated. The violent scenes at the beginning of this romance are not gratuitous and instead serve to anchor this romance to the historical time. The secondary characters are also explored and contribute much to the story adding to the central conflict of civil war torn lives and the developing relationship between Melody and Cole. This is a gritty, redemptive historical romance with depth of character and feeling, a big scoop of hope, and the beginning of love for our romantic couple at the end. I can't wait to read the second book in this series. (Historical Romance/Western, 2014)

Other reviews for Seduced:
The Misadventures of Super Librarian by Wendy: B+
Dear Author by Jane: B-

Dissonance (Dissonance #1) by Erica O'Rourke: C+

This YA science fiction/fantasy novel is set in a great multiverse world where music and musical notes are incorporated as a basis for travel between parallel universes. The first book of Ericka O'Rourke's Dissonance series is also heavy on the romance. Expect a few sections with info dump here and there and predictable characterization such as the rebellious, reckless teenager with major authority issues, the love triangle, and the absent, unlikable parents. The characters, with few exceptions, are not immediately likable.

As with other YA romances I have read in the past, I wondered when and why the love happens. There is a disconnect between the sudden crush that turns into a sort of immediate obsession coming from the sixteen-year-old female protagonist, the young male protagonist's lack of awareness of her, and the relationship that develops whereby she is willing to sacrifice it all -- including family, friendships, and world -- for him, while he is willing to sacrifice all for his mother. It comes off desperate and off-balanced to say the least. I don't know how young adults will feel about the romance aspect of this book, but that's how it struck me personally.

Regardless, the premise for the world-building and the overall mystery are both very good, and for those reasons Dissonance was worth a read for me. The story ends satisfactorily, if with a bit of a cliffhanger, ready for book two of the series. (YA/Fantasy, 2014)

I Want to Hold Your Hand by Marie Force: Grade C-

Great premise, but an oddly executed romance where the female protagonist's dead husband gets almost more page time than the hero of the piece. Whatever it is that Hannah feels for Nolan -- lust, attraction, admiration -- her life, her thoughts, even her new relationship, revolve around her "husband" Caleb. And she and everyone else, including Nolan, think of Hannah as "Caleb's wife." She cares more about what her dead husband's family think about her new relationship than her feelings for Nolan or Nolan's feelings for her -- a man who loves her deeply and passionately and waited for her for five years. This is a frustrating read where even at the end I was not convinced that after 7 years of grieving Hannah was ready for a new man in her life.

I believe that Marie Force wrote a good book about the process that widows of soldiers go through when they lose a beloved husband. I also believe that if the timeline for Hannah's and Nolan's romance had been longer, if they had gone through what they experience in this novel and came together later when Hannah was really ready, this romance would have worked beautifully. But as it is, I did not buy it. Nolan, as the new man in Hannah's life has to be more than a saint to accept the fact that he will always be second best -- and that's the way this strikes me. He will always be second best.

Force does a great job with the sexual tension and build-up to intimacy between Nolan and Hannah and I enjoyed that aspect of the story for the most part, until the couple makes it to the bedroom which was a big disappointment. A great addition, the Abbott family and townspeople helped me get through this odd romance. (Contemporary Romance, 2014) 

Recommended book with similar storyline that really works: Joe's Wife by Cheryl St. John

Only Love by Garrett Leigh: Grade B

This is a double hurt/comfort book with tons of angst. A war veteran suffering from an incurable decease and PTSD comes home and moves in with his sister-in-law's brother, a man who suffers from severe epilepsy and is monitored by his trained dog. The two men find solace in each other, with the dog becoming a bonus both to the relationship and the story. This is a well written, multiple tissue read with some surprisingly deep issues and a slew of emotionally draining moments. Only Love is my first book by Garrett Leigh, but it won't be my last. (LGBT/MM Romance, 2014) 

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I will return with more updates. Yes, I read more! My summer reading is going well so far and I haven't even picked up my August 'must reads' yet. :)

Later!

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July's Rereads & Minis: Ann Leckie, Eloisa James, Ben H. Winters, Josh Lanyon

During the month of July I went back to my old habit of rereading a few favorites. Actually, this year, I have been rereading at least one favorite book per month. It is an old habit that keeps me grounded in my reading and that has always been more than enjoyable because there are always details to discover or rediscover in those old (or new) favorites.

As you will see below, I read some of these books a long time ago and others recently. I don't remember when I read Duchess by Night by Eloisa James but I know it was before I began blogging in 2009. I read and reread Fair Game by Josh Lanyon back in November of 2010, but have not reread it since. Countdown City by Ben H. Winters is a 2013 summer read, and the most recent read is Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, from January 2014.
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Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie (Reread)

I had to reread Ancillary Justice. I am really looking forward to the second book of the series Ancillary Sword and wanted to take my time with a reread. There were a few thoughts that crossed my mind when I finished my reread (much has already been discussed about how Leckie approaches gender in this novel -- all characters are referred to as "she"), but there was another thought that kept coming back. In my original review I mention how "emotions," particularly those coming from an AI (artificial intelligence), surprised me. But really, it's more than just the emotional impact, it is how well Leckie weaves in interpersonal relationships throughout this space opera.

An interpersonal relationship is a strong, deep, or close association or acquaintance between two or more people that may range in duration from brief to enduring. This association may be based on inference, love, solidarity, regular business interactions, or some other type of social commitment. Interpersonal relationships are formed in the context of social, cultural and other influences. The context can vary from family or kinship relations, friendship, marriage, relations with associates, work, clubs, neighborhoods, and places of worship. They may be regulated by law, custom, or mutual agreement, and are the basis of social groups and society as a whole. From Wikipedia

And, that is it. It's not just Breq's sense of self -- Justice of Toren/One Esk/Breq -- and how broken he feels or how he interacts with Station or other ships, recognizing a part of himself, but how he interacts and develops a close bond with Lieutenant Awn before the break. More importantly, however, it is the slower and deeper bond that reluctantly develops between Breq and Captain Seivarden Vendaai -- two broken individuals. There are other relationships such as the one with Lieutenant Skaaiat Awer that are brief and built on "solidarity." These are all fantastic examples of the core interpersonal relationships that make this book such an excellent read, but there is more.

Leckie also uses interpersonal relationships to build the foundation for the Radch civilization's cultural and social structure. For example: a person from a powerful House offering clientage to a person from a House in a lower social position is both a business transaction and a social/personal commitment. This is the basis in which the Radch's society functions. Clientage then becomes a way to forge "intimate" relationships, but with power and social standing playing the more significant role. Leckie then uses changes taking place in the Radch's cultural and social structure, the struggle for power, social standing and/or the status quo in how those basic interpersonal relationships develop within that structure as the main impetus for her conflict. These are just a few (condensed) stray thoughts, read the book for more.

Countdown City (The Last Policeman II) by Ben H. Winters: B+ (Reread)

I read Countdown City last year and decided to reread it in July before picking up the last book of the trilogy. I never reviewed it and didn't post it as read! Well, I don't know what happened, but this second book is great. It begins a few months after Hank Palace loses his job and is asked to look for his old babysitter's husband who went "bucket list." His sister Nico helps him find clues along the way. I've said before that Hank Palace is the star of this series, even as the pre-apocalyptic world-building is exceptional. This second book is not a disappointment as many middle books tend to be in trilogies. Instead it adds to The Last Policeman with a meaty mystery and by amping up the already tense end-of-times atmosphere created in that first book. Countdown City was a great read that left me salivating for the last book of the series. Additionally, it is a must read because details and characters introduced here are key to the last installment.

Duchess by Night (Desperate Duchesses #2) by Eloisa James: Grade B+ (Reread)

I absolutely loved this book the first time I read it (before I began blogging), and loved it again this time around. I picked up this novel last month when I was looking through my RITA Award winners for a TBR read. It is one of my favorite books from the Desperate Duchesses series so it was no surprise that after going through a few pages I ended up rereading the whole book! I had forgotten how much I loved the romance and characters. Duchess by Night is definitely one of the best books of the series. A few points:

1) Regardless of the fact that Harriet is a widow and Jem is a widower and single father there is a certain joyfulness to this romance that makes me smile.
2) I love that Jem Strange is immediately attracted to Harriet as Harry, and that although he tries to get rid of that attraction and attempts to make a "man" out of Harry, there comes a moment when he accepts the fact that he's just attracted.
3) I found it interesting that Harriet discovered her female confidence and beauty while dressing and acting out the role of a man.
4) The romance between Harry/Harriet's and Jem is filled with sexual tension and passion.
5) I love Villiers' character period, but I love that his secondary role in this novel is meaningful without the necessity of him having to play the fool or the villain.

Fair Game by Josh Lanyon: Grade B+ (Reread)

Fair Game is another reread. I decided to look for a book by Josh Lanyon that typifies what I think of as one of his best. I initially gave Fair Game a B because I think during that time everything I read by Lanyon was compared to the Adrien English mysteries and suffered by the comparison, however if you read that review it is obvious that I really enjoyed the book, so my grade goes up to a B+.

Fair Game has it all for me. It has a passionate romance with significant obstacles and fantastic characterization that I really enjoyed during my first read, but that I have come to appreciate even more during rereads. The mystery kept me at the edge of my seat with dangerous action, gruesome moments, and a great ending. I was totally satisfied at the end of this reread.
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Grades: I don't remember my initial grade for Duchess by Night, but it's definitely a B+ now. Fair Game changed for the better, and both Ancillary Justice (A) and Countdown City stay the same.

I will return with more of my summer reading updates -- new releases and contemporary romance reads -- later this week.

Review: The Filly by Mark R. Probst

Mark R. Probst's The Filly is an LGBT young adult historical western romance. Probst captures the textured atmosphere and characterization found in traditional vintage westerns by focusing on a naive young man as he first experiences the beauty and dangers of the West. These firsthand experiences are later complicated by his growing attraction for a close buddy and existing prejudices and laws of the times.

The novel is divided into three sections beginning with The Cowboy which features seventeen-year-old Ethan Keller's life in a small Texas town. Ethan has two passions: books and horses. The books he borrows from the town’s teacher and resident spinster Ms. Peet with whom he shares a passion for literature. The horses he visits on his way home from his job as a clerk at the general store, but his dream is to own a beautiful horse one day. Life changes for Ethan after he meets Travis Cain, an itinerant young cowboy looking to work in the area. Travis befriends Ethan by allowing him to ride his gorgeous mare and eventually talks Ethan into signing up and going along with him on a 900-mile cattle drive.

In the second section, The Drive, Probst's novel really shines with detailed beauty and western atmosphere as young Ethan and Travis travel through plains, rivers, mountains and desert, encounter dangers and even death on the way to their final destination. During this time, Ethan discovers he feels more than friendship for Travis who obviously returns his feelings. Also notable in this section is Probst's execution of the tender, warm and loving romantic scenes, as well as the budding relationship between Travis and Ethan. Conversations during intimate interactions help Ethan understand his feelings, but also serve as cautionary foreshadowing of what is to come.

As the drive ends, Ethan and Travis make plans for a future together, but first they make their way home to prepare for a new journey. And so the third section, San Antone, begins. Travis and Ethan are met by heavy complications and events take a grim turn as they unfold. This section contrasts heavily with both The Cowboy and The Drive where the expectation and actualization of adventure and love drive the story. Probst introduces new characters with a few from the previous two sections returning to round up his cast of key secondary characters. Of those, Ms. Peet and Ethan's brother Willie are particularly notable to end. As things turn out, anachronistic thinking drives events to a certain conclusion. However, those events contribute to the happy ending expected of a romance. It is not a forced happiness, instead it is one that makes sense and works well within the context of this historical western.

I love my westerns and The Filly by Mark R. Probst fits perfectly in that category. It offers the small western town atmosphere and grandeur of the old American West, small town conflicts and the spirit of great adventure, but at its core this story is about truth, honor, prejudice, loyalty, friendship, and love. The Filly is a grand adventure and a solid contribution, perfect for LGBT young adults.

Category: LGBT/YA Historical Western Fiction
Series: None
Publisher/Release: Lethe Press/July 1, 2014 - Kindle Ed.*
Grade: B


*Note: The Filly was first released in 2007 by Cheyenne Publishing. It was rereleased in print by Lethe Press on July 1, 2014. It is also available in both audio and in ebook formats.

Summer Reading: Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique

I think of Land of Love and Drowning as Tiphanie Yanique's magical-realism version of the U.S. Virgin Islands' history as told through the tangled lives of three generations of one family beginning with the trade between the Danish and Americans on March 31, 1917 and ending approximately in 1970.

Land of Love and Drowning may be read from two perspectives: as a multi-generational novel with a deeply disturbing subject matter at its core and magical elements taken from cultural folklore, or as a magical realism piece in the style of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude where characters and generations symbolize the historical and cultural struggles of a continent, or as is the case in Land of Love and Drowning, the annexed U.S. Virgin Islands.

"The people who had come together to make Captain Owen Arthur Bradshaw could be traced back to West Africans forced to the islands as slaves and West Africans who came over free to offer their services as goldsmiths. Back to European men who were kicked out of Europe as criminals and to European women of aristocratic blood who sailed to the islands for adventure. Back to Asians who came as servants and planned to return to their Indies, and to Asians who only wanted to see if there was indeed a western side of the Indies. And to Caribs who sat quietly making baskets in the countryside, plotting ways to kill all the rest and take back the land their God had granted them for a millennium."

Eeona Bradshaw, the eldest daughter of Captain Owen Arthur and Antoinette Bradshaw, is part of a pre-trade generation that comes to symbolize the old class-conscious, pre-American Virgin Islands. Ambitious but with a lack of vision, Eeona seeks freedom by clinging to an old way of life that erodes beauty and magic through resentment, hatred, and contempt of anything that reflects change. Still beautiful, but diminished and always arrogant, she idolizes a flawed past and attempts to preserve it by keeping its secrets and hiding the truth to disastrous effects. In the story, Eeona’s father Captain Owen Arthur with whom she becomes obsessed, and her mother Antoinette from whom she inherits her blind ambition represent the past.

Owen Arthur's bastard son Jacob exposes prejudices and racism, laying open America's true views and feelings toward the islanders during the American South's Jim Crow era. But Jacob, limited by fear and cowardice loses both love and magic by surrendering his true identity and becoming what he detests in exchange for success and acceptance. Jacob grows up as a McKenzie, a wealthy and well-known island family. Although he knows the truth about his identity, Jacob refuses to acknowledge it until it is too late.

Owen Arthur's youngest daughter Anette belongs to the post-trade generation. Proud of her Virgin Island roots, her narrative is entirely in the "Caribbean language tourist guidebooks will call Creole." Anette symbolizes the true spirit of the islands -- vibrant, open, loving, big hearted, magical, ambivalent, proud and ruthless. She is blinded by love and blindsided and deceived by family secrets, just as holding an incomplete view of its rich and flawed history blindsided and deceived a whole generation of islanders to the reality of their American status after the trade. She becomes the mother of future revolutionaries, islanders returning to their cultural roots, as well as to those who leave the shores and their hearts behind.

At the back of the book Yanique explains that some of the island's history used to create this novel was gathered from her grandmother, she also used her family's background to create some of the characters, and while some events are true to history the rest falls under fiction. The folklore or "magical stories" such as the Duenes are fiction and magic, while the "obeah" tradition comes from West African religions and can be found throughout the Caribbean, albeit under different names.

Yanique's female characters are well defined and central both to the story and as symbols in the magical realism aspect of this tale with male characters taking a backseat or weaker roles, but serving as a strong influence throughout both. Throughout the novel, the author uses heavy foreshadowing at the beginning of chapters or sections (sometimes throughout the narrative) and then develops the story until it comes to the expected conclusion. I found this technique intriguing but not always effective. The writing and descriptions of St. Thomas and Anegada are lovely, but what I enjoyed the most is how well characterization is tied to the historical fiction and magical realism aspects of the story. I found Yanique's characters to be as vibrant and complex as the mixture of cultures and antecedents that make up the U.S. Virgin Islands' population and as beautiful and magical as its nature and folklore.

This is a strong debut novel and one I recommend to readers who enjoy this style of magical story telling, however also take into consideration that disturbing subject matter/taboo relationships are central to the overall story. Grade B

Summer Reading Update I: Featuring My Favorite Uncle by Marshall Thornton

My summer reading is going well, although it has taken me in a different direction than expected. I usually read contemporary romance during the summer, but this year I hit the list of great new LGBT releases I posted earlier in June and ran with those first! I've already reviewed a few of them: A Shiny Tin Star by Jon Wilson, Wingmen by Ensan Case, Butcher's Road by Lee Thomas, and Now and Yesterday by Stephen Greco. But, I also read The Filly by Mark R. Probst, and My Favorite Uncle by Marshall Thornton. So far, the books live up to the title of my post. There are two A reads in there, a couple of B+'s, and some pretty strong B's!

I need to clarify that My Favorite Uncle by Marshall Thornton (Wilde City Press, 2014) is a combination of gay comedic romantic fiction, instead of a straight up gay fiction story. It has a happy ending.

Take a single gay uncle used to privacy with little to no social life or contact with his closest family, throw in the unexpected arrival of a runaway nephew who on his 18th birthday signed himself out of a "gay rehabilitation" clinic where his religious parents sent him after finding him having gay sex, and there are going to be problems. Martin Dixon doesn't know anything about teenagers, he just wants peace and privacy, but going against his better judgment attempts to provide the kid with guidance. Carter wanted his uncle to be a buddy, not some old guy lecturing him about safety and a code of conduct. After feeling repressed by parents and environment, Carter ignores Martin's advice and goes wild on cruising escapades. They butt heads until each comes to the conclusion that if only the other had a boyfriend, all would be resolved. That's when the fun begins and real conflicts arise.

I first wrote some quick impressions for My Favorite Uncle at Goodreads immediately after finishing the book:

"I really liked this book and sincerely enjoyed the combination of humor and depth Thornton uses to engage the reader in this familial, generational tale of personal discovery and rediscovery."

I would like to add that Thornton has a knack for reeling the reader in with his characters' narrative, which becomes evident in this book soon after beginning the first chapter. Thornton utilizes two points of view that of the uncle and nephew, so the reader gains a full picture of events from both perspectives. Humorous scenes are driven by misunderstandings due to the generation gap between Uncle Martin and Carter as well as by the different lifestyles they've lead. However with the deeper, sensitive issues and resulting heartbreaking moments Thornton weaves with the humor, this novel becomes more than a cute comedic read. As Martin helps Carter navigate new waters, his own personal lifestyle comes into question and character growth (and I don’t just mean for the young nephew) becomes key to this novel’s successful conclusion. A B+ read for me, My Favorite Uncle by Marshall Thornton is a recommended read.

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Reading: Within this grouping of LGBT reads, I began reading Let Me See It: Stories by James McGruder but had to put it aside to read my TBR book of the month. It is a slow going type of read, but I hope to pick it up again and finish it before long because I have other books to get to. I'm in the process of finishing up The Full Ride: Bottom Boys Get Play by Gavin Atlas, I already have Little Reef by Michael Carroll in my Kindle, and there are some August releases that I don't want to miss.

Additionally, I began reading from my Summer Wish List: SFF/UF list and will be posting an update on those books soon, as well as on contemporary romances, rereads, and July 'must reads.'

June 2014: Recap, Favorite Reads, Updates

I'm late posting my recap for the month of June, but it was a necessary evil as I had to play a bit of catch-up first with reviews and such before posting it. I found some great reads in the otherwise busy, stressful month of June. It was good kind of stress with lots of work as I readied myself for an extended holiday week during the first week of July, and our sweet Cami's eighth grade graduation in the middle of it all. My daughter Vanessa was a happy, proud mom! We were all happy and proud! Kids grow too fast, don't they?

Going back to books, I hit my summer reading list and managed to read a few romances by favorite authors, mysteries, and a series of LGBT books on my list of "must" reads.

Total Books Read in June:  11
Contemporary Romance: 1
Historical Romance: 1
Paranormal Romance: 1
Sci-Fi/Fantasy (Speculative Fiction/Horror): 1
Mystery (Contemporary Western): 1
LGBT: 6 (Fiction: 1, Historical Fiction/Romance: 1, Romantic Fiction: 1, YA Western Romance: 1, MM Romance: 2)

Top Reads of the Month:

My June top reads fall under vastly different categories, yet all three have something in common. Beautifully written and executed, these are books with memorable characters and journeys too riveting to put down.

1)  The Girl with All The Gifts by M.R. Carey: A
2)  Wingmen by Ensan Case: A
3)  Always to Remember by Lorraine Heath: A-

All three B+ reads were greatly enjoyed by me. I'm addicted to Craig Johnson's Walt Longmire contemporary western mystery series (both the book and TV series), and a long time fan of Nalini Singh's Psy/Changeling series, neither installment disappointed. I'm also a fan of gay fiction short story anthologies, and in June I read a great one! (See note and information below)

4)  Any Other Name (Walt Longmire #10) by Craig Johnson: B+
5)  Shield of Winter (Psy/Changeling #13) by Nalini Singh: B+
6)  With: New Gay Fiction ed. by Jameson Currier: B+
A note on Jameson Currier's With: New Gay Fiction: I did not review the whole anthology, instead I highlighted three short stories, however, the book contains 16 short stories in total. It took me a while to finish this anthology because I read each story between other books. As a final assessment I will say this, the editor chose the right stories and writers for this anthology, and each story is definitely worth reading. As a bonus, I found a few new-to-me authors whose works I will be reading. Below, I'm including the book summary and list of contributors.

With: New Gay Fiction, edited by Jameson Currier, features sixteen authors writing on relationships with men: gay men with their friends, lovers, partners, husbands, dates, tricks, boyfriends, hustlers, idols, teachers, mentors, fathers, brothers, family, teams, co-workers, relatives, and strangers.

Contributors include David Bergman, Michael Carroll, Lewis DeSimone, Jack Fritscher, Ronald M. Gauthier, Michael Graves, Shaun Levin, Dan López, Jeff Mann, Vincent Meis, Matthew A. Merendo, Joel A. Nichols, David Pratt, Tom Schabarum, Stefen Styrsky, and William Sterling Walker.

The B grouping of books read in June were all solid, as in "you can be assured, these are very good reads." Again, these are very different reads even though two are in the LGBT category. Now and Yesterday is adult gay fiction with a multi-layered plot that invites deep thought, while The Filly is a young adult western romance enjoyable for its beautiful writing, fantastic western atmosphere and a great journey. And let's not forget No Sunshine When She's Gone, a light and breezy contemporary romance that is perfection as a beach or poolside read.

7)  Now and Yesterday by Stephen Greco: B
8)  The Filly by Mark R. Probst: B (Upcoming Review)
9)  No Sunshine When She's Gone (Barefoot William #3) by Kate Angell: B

The two reads that fall under C grades in June are from the MM Romance category and both are from favorite authors. These are both good M/M romances with Sam and Aaron by L.B. Gregg a bit more enjoyable for me than Everything I Know by Josh Lanyon. I don't have anything negative to say about these stories, except that neither book really stood out for me when compared to previous works published by these great authors.

10) Sam and Aaron (Men of Smithfield #5) by L.B. Gregg: C+
11) Everything I Know by Josh Lanyon: C

That is it for June 2014. I'm already deep into my July 'summer' reading list and trying to do a better job of keeping up with reads and reviews!