Tag Archives: Eden Cole

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity lurches along

17 Comments

Congrats to SusieQ, who won Battle of Hearts by Valentina Heart! Battle of Hearts will be released on April 14 by Silver Publishing.

Contest

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Make, Do, Learn

Cookity

Gluten-Free

Drinkity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Magic Mansion by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about two magicians who briefly connect during auditions for a reality television show about magicians in which they both end up as participants (along with ten others). Who will take home the glory… and the $250,000 prize? Wonderfully written and with bonus points for a completely unique story concept!
The Art of Words by RJ Scott & Meredith Russell. ebook arc. Very good m/m romance about an artist with severe dyslexia that he keeps hidden. When his work attracts a wealthy, handsome sponsor, it seems too good to be true…
If Only by sadtomato. free online. Very good *braces self* Edward/Jacob slash. I can’t believe I typed that! LOL. But really, it’s just a story about a gay guy and his straight roommate/best friend… with a crazy number of “outtake” chapters at the end, including an alternate ending that made me sniffle a bit.
Little Boy Dead (Boystown #0) by Marshall Thornton. free ebook. Very good gay mystery prequel to the Nick Nowak Boystown series in which we get to meet a younger, less cynical Nick working as security for a film festival and just starting his new life as a private investigator. (Also, that is a scary belly button.)
The Long Con by Lori Toland. ebook. Good m/m romantic suspense about a British agent who tracks a stolen Faberge egg to New York City, where he’s mistaken for a prostitute and uses that to his investigative advantage. This book had a somewhat over-the-top old-school romance feel to it; while that’s not usually my forte, it mostly worked here and I got sucked into the story.
Ice Blues (Donald Strachey #3) by Richard Stevenson. Good gay mystery that starts with Don going to pick up his car (towed in a snow emergency, the bane of all northern folk) and finding a dead, frozen body in it…
Third Man Out (Donald Strachey #4) by Richard Stevenson. ebook. Good gay mystery in which Don is asked to protect a guy who forcibly outs prominent gay people and who fears his life is in danger as a result. (In the ebook edition I read, none of the acronyms were capitalized. Argh.)
Shock to the System (Donald Strachey #5) by Richard Stevenson. ebook. Good gay mystery in which Don tries to figure why a guy who’d dropped out of an ex-gay program ended up dead. (Had the same acronym issue as the previous book. And… aren’t these covers heinous?)
Chain of Fools (Donald Strachey #6) by Richard Stevenson. ebook. Good gay mystery in which Done investigates what may be one part of a family turning against another over selling the family’s award-winning newspaper to pay off debts. (No acronym issues! Yay!)
Learning from Isaac by Dev Bentham. ebook. Good m/m romance about a college professor who’s mutually attracted to one of his students (a senior), but they agree not to act on that attraction until after graduation. And then the professor runs into the student in a most unexpected place…
Reluctant Mate 2 by Eden Cole. ebook short. Meh short paranormal m/m romance about a guy who, aided by a drug that makes it seem as if he’s a shifter, vows to hunt down the wolf shifters who killed his brother.

Every time I see this sign in my neighborhood, it gives me the giggles, so I had to get a (somewhat enhanced) photo of it:

“You’re too close, Mom!” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity loves flying saucer sandwiches!

15 Comments

Congrats to choccygrl, who won Going With My Heart by Stephani Hecht and My Subby Valentine by Amber Kell!

Congrats to Paul B, who won First Impressions by Josephine Myles!

Congrats to Nette, who won The Only Easy Day (Sanctuary #2) by RJ Scott! The Only Easy Day will be released by Silver Publishing on February 18.

Congrats to Melissa, who won The Pirate’s Gamble by Eden Winters! The Pirate’s Gamble will be released by JMS Books on February 19.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Do, Make, Learn

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

  • Toas-Tites are back! Or, as we called them when I was growing up, flying saucer sandwich makers! 🙂 They work well with a gas stove, too.

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Midnight in Berlin by JL Merrow. ebook. arc. Excellent paranormal m/m romance about an American who’s been drifting around Europe for a while. One rainy drunken night, he accepts a ride from a devilishly handsome man in a Porsche… and his life (and his reality) will never be the same again.
Lesson Learned by Lillian Francis. ebook. Excellent m/m romance about two teachers at a Welsh secondary school who become close friends, although one finds the friendship increasingly challenging, due to the attraction he feels for his oblivious, obviously attracted to women friend.
The Only Easy Day (Sanctuary #2) by RJ Scott. ebook. arc. Very good m/m romantic suspense picking up where the first book left off. As the Sanctuary guys work to build a case against the mobsters responsible for the murder Morgan witnessed, things are complicated by the murder victim’s Navy SEAL stepbrother showing up on a mission of vengeance.
The Hanged Man’s Ghost by Missouri Dalton. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a Chicago police detective with a drinking problem and a crush on his straight best friend. When he realizes he can see ghosts, his life spirals quickly out of control. Sloppy proofing and a storyline that needed to be reined in just a bit kept this from being a five-star read. (But! There is knitting!)
Fiends in Low Places by Missouri Dalton. ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m romance about a guy who works for the MC from The Hanged Man’s Ghost and who’s trying to get back together with an FBI agent. Apparently the rest of this story (much alluded to throughout this one) is still being written.
Getting It Right (Life Lessons #1.8) by Kaje Harper. free ebook short. Sweet short m/m romance about both Mac and Tony agonizing over what to get the other for Valentine’s Day.
I Dare You, Back (Dare #3) by Tam Ames. free ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a college senior who’s been sleeping around for two years, ever since his boyfriend dumped him and left for grad school. Now his ex is back in town…
The Swimming Swan (Cob Brothers #2) by Amber Kell & Stephani Hecht. ebook. Fluffy m/m paranormal romance about a merman come to land to meet his mate, who he doesn’t know is a swan prince.
Taking the Dare (Truth or Dare #4) by Lee Brazil. ebook. Ok m/m romance about the last unattached Blake brother, who habitually manipulates people and just can’t seem to stop. I didn’t particularly care for him or for his love interest.
Reluctant Mate by Eden Cole. ebook short. So-so short paranormal m/m romance about a wolf shifter who’s pissed off that his father has arranged for him to mate a man instead of a woman.
Awakenings by Tara Larson. ebook. DNF. I only made it to 8% – this looks to be another unedited book from Dreamspinner Press. It featured random and constant POV shifts, non-stop infodumping, and passive voice. Ugh.

*scratch scratch scratch* -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity for a new year

22 Comments

Congrats to Jen B, who won Melting by VJ Summers!

Congrats to Gina, who won Blind Space by Marie Sexton! Blind Space will be released by Silver Publishing on January 7.

Congrats to Azure J, who won The Gallows Tree by RJ Scott! The Gallows Tree will be released by Silver Publishing on January 7.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Do, Make, Learn

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Camp Hell (PsyCop #5) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m paranormal romantic suspense in which Vic experiences some personal growth (beyond his paranoia, even!), and both Vic and Jacob have unexpected professional growth.
GhosTV (PsyCop #6) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m paranormal romantic suspense in which Vic and Jacob head to California to find their friend Lisa, who’s vanished without a trace. Definitely looking forward to the next book!
Turnskin by Nicole Kimberling. ebook. Very good m/m fantasy romance about a young half-blooded man who grew up in a small town in a world split between Shifters and Skins. When his lover abandons him, he tracks down his cousins in the big city who own an impoverished theater.
Cherish Your Name (Warder #6) by Mary Calmes. ebook. Sweet paranormal m/m holiday romance about Warder Malic visiting his hearth Dylan’s family for Christmas and things getting off to a rough start because Dylan’s family thinks Malic is too old for their son.
Where the Heart Is by Kaje Harper. ebook short. Sweet short holiday m/m romance about a vet who’s been running his father’s remote practice for the past few months since his father died, while his boyfriend is far away in the city.
I Dare You…Again (Dare #2) by Tam Ames. free ebook short. Sweet short m/m New Year’s Eve romance in which Steven needs to decide whether or not to take his roommate’s dare and tell Cory he loves him…
In December My Heart’s Full of Spring by Kate McMurray. free ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about two guys who find themselves on top of the Empire State Building together on New Year’s Eve.
Six Degrees of Lust (By Degrees #2) by Taylor V. Donovan. ebook. Pretty good m/m romantic suspense about an emotionally unavailable FBI agent who can’t get a one-night stand out of his head, even as he’s trying to track down a serial killer targeting gay men. This book was heading toward a solid four-star rating before a nasty cliffhanger ending. Pretty much nothing at all was resolved. That makes me really, really cranky.
FUBAR (EMS Heat #12) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Pretty good m/m romance about a nurse who gets attacked outside of a gay bar and is rescued by an off-duty cop.
Dragma’s Tavern: Where Every Good Bar Comes by Bryl R. Tyne. free ebook short. Good short, trippy m/m story about a guy who ends up in a very odd bar on New Year’s Eve.
NYPD Night Shift by Eden Cole. ebook short. Meh short m/m story about a cop who’s being a jerk to everyone around him – turns out that he just needs to get laid. This wasn’t easy to read because of how much I was rolling my eyes. Definitely skip this one if you prefer stories with condoms, lube, realistic dialogue, or plausible plots.

“I know you’re all jealous of my lovely kitty bed!” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

The linkity post in which I realize I missed my sixth blogiversary

24 Comments

Congrats to elaing8, who won A Gift of Mistletoe, by Alex Whitehall!

Congrats to Wendy, who won Dreams of a Stolen Child (Stolen Child #3) by Anna Mayle!

D’oh! My sixth blogiversary was November 22. The blog now bears little resemblance to the blog then, other than regular cat photos. 🙂 Of course, it was just Chaos back in those days… Anyway! Thank you all so much for visiting and commenting – you make each day a little brighter for me.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Do, Think, Learn, Make

Holidity

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

  • Hello Kitty toaster. (The comments on that post have other fascinating things, like a bubblewrappish waffle maker.)

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
The Gift by Kim Dare. ebook. Sweet kinky m/m holiday romance about a dom who’s visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past and shown how his sub has interpreted their time together…
An Australian Christmas in New York by Sean Kennedy. ebook short. Very good short m/m holiday romance about an ex-pat Australian living in New York City with his American boyfriend and feeling homesick for a properly hot Christmas. Tim Minchin’s “White Wine in the Sun” made an excellent soundtrack for reading this.
Carol of the Bellskis (Bellskis #1) by Astrid Amara. ebook. reread. Very good m/m Hanukkah romance about a paralegal who breaks up with his boyfriend (also his boss) because his closeted boss is backing out of their vacation plans. The paralegal heads off on vacation to his aunt and uncle’s kosher B&B alone… and finds himself taking care of all the guests, with his aunt and uncle nowhere to be found.
Miracle of the Bellskis (Bellskis #2) by Astrid Amara. ebook. Very good m/m Hanukkah/Christmas romance that takes place several years after Carol of the Bellskis, as Seth meets Lars’ somewhat icy parents for the first time… because Lars’ parents are staying with Lars and Seth for the holidays.
Fire Thief by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook short. Very good steamy short m/m story about two guys who strike some sparks together in a bar.
Numbers by Theo Fenraven. ebook short. Very good, very short m/m romance about two guys who are acting together in the musical Grease and dancing around each other offstage.
The Housekeeper (Will Crawford) by Theo Fenraven. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a housekeeper from Mexico who falls in love with his movie star employer.
Picture This (Will Crawford) by Theo Fenraven. ebook short. Good short m/m story about a discreet photographer who’s hired to take nude photos by a closeted movie star. I wish I had realized that this is a series of sorts, and that The Housekeeper was the most recent one – I read The Housekeeper first and kept wondering if Will was cheating scum as I read this one.
Love at First Sight (Will Crawford) by Theo Fenraven. ebook short. Pretty good short m/m romance about a closeted actor who pursues a bookstore owner who isn’t interested in one night stands. I’m still confused about these “Will Crawford” books. In this one and in Picture This, Will gets involved with a guy and the story ends with the sense that they’re in a relationship, trying to make things work. The Housekeeper begins with Will not involved with anyone and ends after Will makes a commitment to someone and follows through with it. Are the three books to be taken together as Will’s journey to finding love and coming out? Note: The author just posted the order of these yesterday, and I read them exactly backwards. 🙂
Zombie Wonderland by Piper Vaughn. ebook short. Very good short paranormal m/m holiday romance about a waiter who’s rescued from encroaching zombies by the customer he’s been crushing on for weeks. I’m not a fan of gruesome stories, but I am fan of Piper’s writing, so I braved it.
Christmas Baby by Johnny Miles. ebook short. This short story takes place right before Christmas in 1957 and is told from the perspective of a teenager whose parents drive off to a holiday party, never to return. Suddenly, an uncle he’s never met before is the only person he has in the world.
Secret Santa by Clare London. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about two guys who are always fighting, including over the mysterious Secret Santa presents they received.
NYPD Christmas by Eden Cole. ebook short. Meh m/m romance about a guy whose sister sets him up with a cop. Although he ditches the cop after they screw, he can’t get seem to get the guy out of his mind. Near instalove and awkward writing make this one to miss.

“That was a very suspicious noise, big kitty!” -Mayhem

“I agree, May, I agree. Stay alert!” -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity: The post-birthday, pre-Thanksgiving edition

26 Comments

Don’t forget to enter the contest for Media Naranja (Other Half) (Petit Morts #16) by Clare London & Jordan Castillo Price! Contest closes 7 pm CST, November 28.

Go enter the contest for Boats in the Night by Josephine Myles! Contest closes 7 pm CST, November 28.

Definitely enter the contest for Private Eye (Liaisons #1) by SE Culpepper! Contest closes 7 pm CST, November 28.

Congrats to Cori and Lilli, who each won copies of Honored Vow (Change of Heart #3) by Mary Calmes! Honored Vow will be released by Dreamspinner Press on November 21.

Congrats to Kelly, who won Texas Winter (The Heart of Texas #2) by RJ Scott! Texas Winter will be released by Silver Publishing on November 19.

Thank you for all the birthday wishes yesterday! 🙂 I took yesterday and today off from work and did absolutely nothing. Tonight, Jeanne and I are going to see The Mountain Goats play at the Fitzgerald Theater – Neil Gaiman is part the event, too.

Contests

  • Cecile’s giving away backlist ebooks from Rachel Haimowitz, Aleksandr Voinov, LA Witt, Brita Addams, or Cat Grant. Read the contest directions carefully! Contests close November 18 at midnight, EST.

Bookity

  • So last week’s AJ Llewellyn drama led to a larger discussion of transphobia and transgender issues. For me, this post by Aleksandr Voinov tied everything together.

Ebookity

Do, Think, Make, Learn

Thanksgivity

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Stay the Night by Scarlett Parrish. ebook. Very good m/m romance about Kit, an awkward and antisocial computer programmer who is extremely attracted to his new housemate, but manages to push him away at every turn. Kit reminded me all too much of myself…
Boats in the Night by Josephine Myles. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a guy who’s not really doing so well since his boyfriend left him a month ago. He’s dealing with a hangover when he hears a bunch of noise at the base of his garden and discovers a broken-down narrowboat, with a most fascinating owner…
True Colors by Clare London. ebook. reread. (Totally reusing my original reviewette here!) This turned out to be a very good and intense m/m romance after a sort of shaky start – I almost put the book away because there were so many different people introduced in the first few pages and I couldn’t figure out who was important and who was peripheral. But in the end? Totally redeemed, because Clare London deftly tied in those seemingly extraneous introductory bits.
Where You Least Expect It by M. Durango. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a straight guy whose unlikely friendship with a cyclist he almost ran over has him very confused about his sexuality.
Closet (Todd Mills #1) by RD Zimmerman. ebook. Very good m/m mystery about a prominent and closeted tv reporter whose boyfriend is murdered… and he’s being set up to take the fall. As a bonus, it’s set in Minneapolis in 1995. 🙂
Reclamation (Dominion #2) by Lissa Kasey. ebook. Very good m/m paranormal romance in which Sei’s seeing a Dominion-ordered psychiatrist to help him work through the events of the last book, but he seems to be getting worse instead of better. I would definitely have enjoyed this book more if I hadn’t read the prologue – it made me too anxious to really settle into the story.
Consequences (Dominion #2.1) by Lissa Kasey. free ebook short. Good short m/m paranormal romance about Gabe messing with Sei a bit after Sei gets caught out while shifted.
Touching Wood by Kim Dare. ebook short. Steamy kinky short m/m scene about a dominant and submissive reconnecting with each other in their playroom.
Wight Mischief by JL Merrow. ebook. Good m/m romance about a guy who goes to the Isle of Wight to research ghosts with the self-absorbed journalist friend he’s fancied himself in love with for years… a fancy he reevaluates as he keeps running into a sexy and reclusive author with a creepy, domineering guardian.
Drive Safe by Sean Kennedy. free ebook short. Cute short m/m romance about a guy driving home through the outback who stops to help a drag queen whose car has broken down.
Congratulations Lucky Winner by LB Gregg. free ebook short. Madcap short m/m story about a hotel manager charged with storing two very unusual awards that are to be given out at conventions in the hotel.
Speed Dating the Slow Way by Chris Owen. ebook short. Steamy short m/m romance about two guys who become briefly reacquainted during a charity speed dating event, then reconnect some time later.
Pulled Long (Long Shots #3) by Christine d’Abo. ebook arc. Pretty good m/m romance about Ian, a coffee shop owner who’s been fascinated by and flirting with a handsome customer for months… until he found out the customer was in the process of getting divorced. As he didn’t want to be some straight guy’s rebound, he backed off. I was annoyed by the whole martyr thing that Ian had going on – that’s a trait that drives me nuts. If that doesn’t bother you as much as it does me, you might enjoy this more than did I.
Between You and Me by Willa Okati. ebook. So-so m/m romance about two guys who’ve been best friends since college and now, in their mid-thirties, are starting to realize why neither of them have found “the one”. This just never came together for me – the language was convoluted and the whole beach in the rain scenario… *shakes head*
Stroke the Demon by Eden Cole. ebook. Meh kinky m/m paranormal menage about an orphaned 18-year old who discovers that the mysterious benefactors who’ve been paying for his school and living expenses are demons, and that he was basically bred to be their sex toy. This was one of those stories that had way too much sex for the tiny amount of plot.
Love Revisited: Nash & Paul (Nash & Paul #2) by HC Brown. ebook short. I read this out of sick fascination to see if it was as bad as the first book. It was. Maybe worse. It’s hard to quantify levels of badness at this level.
Saving Tate by Will Banks. ebook short. This m/m short was just bad, from using the phrase “gay lifestyle” to the clumsy writing to the excess of poorly executed plot crammed into too-few pages. Not recommended at all.

A classic picture of Chaos from early 2004! How would you caption it? 🙂

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

What has it gots in its linkses, precioussssss?

25 Comments

Congrats to Chris B, who won Where He Belongs (Belonging) by Rachel Haimowitz (courtesy of Storm Moon Press)!

Congrats to Seanna Lea, who won Shattered Secrets (Shadow of the Wolf #1) by RJ Scott and Diane Adams! Shattered Secrets will be released by Silver Publishing on August 27.

Congrats to wildflower3d, who won For the Attention Of (Pushing the Envelope #1) by Kim Dare! For the Attention Of will be released by Amber Allure on August 28.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Make, Do, Learn

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

  • Airigami… (select some of the projects from the drop-down menu) (Thanks, Donna F!)

Wha…??

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Not One Word (Stand Alone Shorts #1) by Kim Dare. ebook short. I’m definitely biased, because a photo I took at Twin Cities Pride 2011 was the inspiration for this story. 🙂 But this was an enjoyably steamy, kinky short m/m story about a jogger who stops to make sure a mime in the park is ok… I hope the real life mime had as enjoyable an evening as did the mime in this story!
Landfall by Lori Toland. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a hospice nurse who rides with some firefighters (including the one he’s been crushing on) during a hurricane so he can reach an at-home patient.
Finding Eden (Eden #2) by Kele Moon. ebook. Good kinky m/m romance that left me feeling conflicted. I really liked the evolution of Paul and Danny’s friendship as it developed into something infinitely darker and more complex. However, I was frustrated by the story seeming to end in midstream. I see that Beyond Eden takes place a number of years later, and perhaps it addresses what happens after this story ends… but I don’t want to read an mmf story. I want Paul and Danny to sort things out themselves!
Heartsong (Fae #2) by SW Vaughn. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a prostitute who accepts a month-long contract, but has no idea that the man he’ll be staying with is a Fae prince (unsurprising, since he hadn’t realized the Fae existed). If only he found the Fae prince as compelling as the prince’s much abused bodyguard…
Unforgiven (Fae #3) by SW Vaughn. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about the Fae prince from the previous book, who’s returned to the human realm on his own and very out of his element… dangerously so.
Swapped by Christopher West. ebook short. Fun short paranormal m/m romance about a gay guy whose straight wizard buddy needs to switch bodies with him for 24 hours. How odd to be inside the body he’s been crushing on for years…
On the List (Changing Plans #3) by LA Witt. ebook short. Good short m/m romance that starts with Derek and Elliott just days away from their wedding… and then Derek’s family manages to shake Derek to the core.
Sometimes It’s Fate by Angela S. Stone. ebook. Good m/m romance about two members of the RCMP (Mounties) whose friendship slowly develops into something else. I think this book had the potential to be much, much better than it was – better editing would have helped tighten it up and would have resolved problems with punctuation and the like.
Wanna Do Bad Things With You by Shelley Munro. ebook. Good m/m romance about two rugby players on the Auckland team (one gay and out, one closeted) who get secretly involved with each other. I enjoy Shelley Munro’s stories, but always end up feeling as if a deeper edit could’ve smoothed out the roughness.
Cafe de l’Amour by JM Snyder. ebook short. Sweet short m/m romance about a barista and a guy who comes into the coffee shop and flirts with him every day.
Love’s Evolution by Ally Blue. ebook. Ok m/m romance about two guys who meet and feel a deep connection with each other. The book is a series of short stories about their relationship over the course of several years. I wasn’t a fan of the book’s structure, and I found one character’s constant use of “my darling” and “my love” to be cloying and annoying.
Hard Candy (Love’s Evolution #1.1) by Ally Blue. free ebook short. Steamy short m/m romance that’s basically just a sex scene involving chocolate.
Life, Love and Lemon Cookies (Love’s Evolution #2) by Ally Blue. ebook short. Good short m/m romance in which Chris is suddenly out of work after 15 years and not doing very well at all with the situation.
Protect and Serve by Eden Cole. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance about a cop and a district attorney, whose adversarial relationship conceals their mutual attraction.
Fighting Chance (Chances #2) by Viki Lyn. ebook. Ok paranormal m/m romance that picks up where Last Chance left off, with vampire Johan having the chance to live if he stays in the custody of slayer Corbin and takes a newly developed serum that might turn him human again. Corbin chafes at the responsibility, which prevents him from taking his revenge on the vampire who killed his father. While I liked the storyline, the writing often seemed rough and overdone, which I found very frustrating.
Artie, the Good Witch by Scarlet Hyacinth. ebook. Ok paranormal m/m romance about an innocent young witch who narrowly escapes an evil wizard with his virtue intact… and then further drama ensues. And ensues. And ensues. *sigh*

*sigh* “You’d think I’d be able to get away from the picture taking up on top of the cabinets.” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Frazzled linkity feels flighty

29 Comments

Congrats to Judianna P, who won Sinnerman (Warder #4) by Mary Calmes! Sinnerman is being released today by Dreamspinner Press.

Congrats to Marie A, who won Just-You Eyes by Clare London!

Congrats to Kerstin, who won Deefur Dog by RJ Scott! Deefur Dog will be released by Silver Publishing on Saturday, June 18.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Make, Think, Do, Learn

  • Nine techy things made possible by IBM (which turned 100 yesterday). My dad (who was a computer design engineer for IBM for 30 years) said there’s a date error in this list, but I’ve forgotten which it was…

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Knight Errant by K.D. Sarge. ebook. Excellent m/m scifi romance about a 16-year old being raised on a spaceship by his sister and her crew. He’s been trying to be who she wants him to be, but is quietly miserable. And then he meets a guy who completely aggravates him…
Life Lessons by Kaje Harper. ebook. Excellent m/m romantic suspense about a high school teacher who finds the murdered body of one of his coworkers, then is questioned by (and keeps running into) a deeply closeted police detective. Plus this was set in Minneapolis! 🙂 I’m looking forward to reading more by Kaje Harper.
Lies and Consequences by Kaje Harper. free ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense about an author pretending to be his lesbian best friend’s fiance so that her career in the Navy isn’t threatened. He’s so used to protective lying… can he even tell the truth anymore? (Stalker alert!)
The Night Porter by Sue Brown. ebook short. D’oh. How did I not notice this was a Bittersweet Dreams title?! Very good, but… *blots eyes*
Moments by R.J. Scott. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a badly behaved actor in a cable series who’s been busted for possession and ends up staying at a neighborhood resource center as part of  his community service.
Being Lead by Celia Kyle. ebook short. Very good kinky short m/m romance about a dancer who’s just retired and is at loose ends, needing his Sir to ground him.
Becoming His by Shawn Lane. ebook short. This was a sweet short m/m romance about a stripper and a bisexual television actor getting together. However, it felt incomplete to me. The whole groper subplot sort of stuttered out. And the ending felt somewhat forced and abrupt.
Car Wash by Shawn Lane. ebook. reread. Pretty good m/m romance about Kevin, who’s working at a car wash after getting laid off from his office job. I must admit that I got a bit frustrated at Kevin not standing up for himself.
Kevin’s Stories: Volume 1 (Car Wash #2) by Shawn Lane. free ebook short. Good free m/m romance containing two short stories following up on Kevin and Michael from Car Wash.
Kevin’s Stories: Volume 2 (Car Wash #3) by Shawn Lane. free ebook short. Good free m/m romance containing two short Christmas stories featuring Kevin and Michael from Car Wash.
Realize by Kerry Freeman. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a college senior who has a crush on his freshman roommate, but hasn’t done anything about it other than scare off anyone looking to get closer to his roommate.
Fugitive Color by ZA Maxfield. ebook. Good m/m romantic suspense about a sleep walking artist whose muse has been murdered… and he’s pretty sure he didn’t do it…
Rite of Passage by Bryl R. Tyne. ebook. Ok m/m romance about an anxiety-stricken writer who moves to the Colorado Rockies for solitude and to hopefully get past his writer’s block. This was hard for me to rate, since I had a hard time with the writing style and never connected with the main character.
Emerald: Hey, Jealousy by B.A. Tortuga. ebook short. Ok kinky short m/m romance about two friends who are attracted to each other, but haven’t acted on it in a long time, due to a misunderstanding. And then something changes all that… This seemed to stop mid-scene, which I found annoying. And it read an awful lot like a Sean Michael title….
Possession by Jessica Skye Davies. ebook short. Ok paranormal m/m romance about a guy who brings home a cast iron Punch statue, then begins having odd accidents.
His Gentle Touch by Stormy Glenn. ebook. So-so m/m romance about a guy who meets a gentle (and very sexy) giant in a bar, then wakes up married to him without remembering what happened. Classic Big Misunderstanding plot. Fewer mistakes than usual!
Sexier When Wet by Eden Cole. ebook. Meh m/m romance about a wishy-washy guy who stays with his cruel lover because he’s afraid of being left out on the street with nothing. He’s pursued by a not-quite-as-cruel guy, who wants him to leave the cruel guy. So, as you may have guessed, my main problem with this one was the lack of likable characters… (Hi, Candy Cane Guy!)
Takedown by Stacey Kennedy. ebook short. Poorly written and edited short m/m encounter between a US Marshal and a bartender. Some examples: “Kiss for kiss, dominance filled the air until it was thick with it.” “His G-spot stimulated by Wyatt’s hard cock…”

*sunbeam bliss* – Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity lacks comprehensible weather

28 Comments

Congrats to Courtney S, who won Becoming His by Shawn Lane!

Contests

  • Lynn’s celebrating her blogiversary with a contest – your prize to be determined by whether you knit, quilt, cross stitch, or none of the above. Answer her question in the comments before June 12 for your chance to win.

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Learn, Do

Cookity

  • Petri dish jello (probably guarantees you’ll never have to bring anything to a potluck again).

Crafty

Cool

  • Instead of carrying a separate little Swiss army knife on my key chain, I could just put my keys on this clever carabiner.

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

  • Cicada ice cream?! (No longer in production, due to health department concerns.)

LOL

  • What’s your unicorn name? Mine’s Poppy Celestial Pony: “Poppy is quick-witted and bright as a spark. She is as dark as the night sky, and she brings the sunshine and chases away clouds.”
  • xkcd on the cloud. (Make sure you hover your cursor over the comic for additional text.)

Teh Cute

Reading Update
What Happened to Larry Alan? by Dawn Kimberly Johnson. ebook. Excellent m/m romance about a guy who gets hit in the head with a soccer ball and has a chance to change some pivotal events from his past.
Any Closer by Mary Calmes. ebook. Feel-good m/m romance about a good-hearted guy who owns a construction company and finds out something sordid about the past of one of his employees/friends.
The Love of a Mate (Pack Discipline #4) by Kim Dare. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about the pack troublemaker, who’s incredibly suspicious when the beta’s brother begins a subtle pursuit.
The One that Counts by Chrissy Munder. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a guy who’s feeling introspective after his father’s death and shares some things from his past that his partner didn’t know.
Just-You Eyes by Clare London. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a guy, accompanying his sister to a heterosexual speed dating night to even out the numbers of men and women, who meets a hotel employee and has an uncharacteristic one-night stand.
Cherries on Top by Rowan McAllister. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a guy who doesn’t do relationships, but finds himself unable to resist the sweet, previously straight bartender who takes him home.
Between Friends by Lou Harper. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about two guys who’ve been friends since they were kids. One’s closeted, in deep denial, and the other’s not willing to be his dirty little secret.
We’re Both Straight, Right? by Jamie Fessenden. ebook. Very good m/m romance about two straight college guys who have been best friends for years. When one of them learns how much money they can make doing a “straight guys’ first gay experiences” porn shoot, he convinces the other to do it with him.
A Deadly Kind of Love (Deadly Mystery #6) by Victor J. Banis. ebook. Very good m/m mystery in which Tom and Stanley head to Palm Springs to help a friend who found a dead man in his hotel bed. I must confess that it was refreshing to read a nearly angst-free installment of their story!
Long, Lonely Howl by Lyn Gala. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a YMCA youth counselor who inadvertently finds out about werewolves and has to make some life-changing decisions. Be aware that the ending’s a bit abrupt and is definitely HFN.
Shades of the Past (EMS Heat #9) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Good m/m romance about an EMT whose partner and cousin died on the job because she wouldn’t listen to him. He blames himself for her death and isn’t doing very well at all. (I wanted just a bit more in each of the later scenes in the book.)
Bad Company by KA Mitchell. ebook. Good m/m romance about two guys who were friends when they were kids, but haven’t spoken for years… until one decides to piss off his homophobic father and “go gay”. Strangely, he wasn’t the person who needed to be smacked in this book.
About Damn Time by Elizabeth Jewell. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance about two guys, close friends and both gay, who’ve never gotten together – but will a bet change that? I was doing ok the story until the sex scene – someone who’s just spent nearly six months restoring a classic car is probably not going to be ok with having sex on the car’s hood, especially with belt buckles flopping all over the place…
Hairy, Horny, and Over Here by J.L. Merrow. ebook short. Very funny m/m story about a photographer and a hunter out looking for jackalopes in the woods on the Isle of Wight. I’d suggest reading this book in conjunction with I’ll Tell You a Secret, Jackalope. 🙂
Pearls Before Swine by Vic Winter. ebook short. Very steamy short paranormal m/m romance about a guy who considers himself very civilized and proper, but has to reconsider after he runs into (literally) a shifter at the museum and invites him over for coffee…
What You Wish For: The Nine of Cups by Alex Marcus-Jacobs. ebook short. reread. Ok short m/m romance about a college student who gets a disconcerting tarot reading, just prior to a life-changing event. The conversations were my main reason for not rating this higher – they were awkward and didn’t feel realistic.
Obsidian (What You Wish For #2) by Alex Marcus-Jacobs. ebook. Ok kinky m/m romance continuing the story of the college student and his older lover/Dom. Like the previous book, this seemed stilted and awkward to me.
Layoffs by Dallas Coleman. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance about two guys who get laid off from the same company because others took credit for their work.
Neon Yellow: Obsessive Adhesives by Andy Slayde & Ali Wilde. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a player who starts to see the appeal of the quiet guy from Accounting. Only… who keeps leaving those unnerving post-it messages on the guy’s computer monitor?! I would’ve rated this higher if there hadn’t been some real TSTL moments in it. You know there’s a stalker. You know he’s been following your new boyfriend; in fact, he broke into your boyfriend’s house and completely trashed it (besides leaving those increasingly threatening post-its at work). Why would you decide to get away from the situation and go camping (ie, isolated)? And most especially, why wouldn’t you be completely freaked out when the axe and other items disappeared from the campsite?!?!?
Rushing Towards Perfection by Mya. ebook. Ok kinky m/m romance about two guys who are rushing into a relationship without knowing a lot about each other. This one just didn’t quite work – it felt like sections were missing.
Run With Me by Eden Cole. ebook. Meh m/m romance about the son of a crime boss who keeps running away from his father, even though his father always sends brutes to beat him up and drag him home. But maybe the latest guy who’s tracked him down will be different…
Sex Scene: Take One by Lee Avalone. ebook. Incoherent trainwreck. Any sex scene that has “his large log” in it… no. Just no.

Mutant kitty!!!! O.O

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

In which I can’t think of anything remotely clever for a linkity title and even begin to wonder if I’ve already used this title before

27 Comments

Congrats to Laura/Adara, who won Cup Check (Blue Line Hockey #3) by Stephani Hecht! Cup Check will be released by eXtasy Books on May 1.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Make, Do, Think, Learn

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Carbon and Ash by Chris Owen. ebook short. reread. This was a short but sweet m/m romance about slowing sliding into something other than friendship without being fully aware. And it’s one of my comfort rereads.
The Morning Star (Shadow of the Templar #1) by M. Chandler. ebook. reread. Ok, yeah, so I just read this the first time last month and I already reread it. I’m ok with that.
Lovers Destined by HM Broussard. free ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance fanfic that finally brings together Qhuinn and Blaylock from the Black Dagger Brotherhood!
Hell Cop by Astrid Amara, Ginn Hale, & Nicole Kimberling. ebook collection. Very good m/m urban fantasy/romance collection featuring three related stories revolving around the hell cops – the bad ass sorcerers who try to keep order in demon-infested Parmas City.
Hell Cop 2 by Astrid Amara, Ginn Hale, & Nicole Kimberling. ebook collection. Very good m/m urban fantasy/romance collection about the hell cops (and their guys) introduced in the first book.
Flesh & Blood (In the Flesh #2) by Ethan Stone. ebook. Ok m/m continuing the story of Reno police detective Cristian Flesh as he works on a case that shakes free all of the demons from his past. While I really loved In the Flesh, this sequel felt flat and lacking in both mystery and romance.
Hellbourne 2: Bound & Determined by Amber Kell. ebook short. So-so short paranormal m/m romance, during which I realized I didn’t particularly care about any of the rather shallow characters.
Hellbourne 3: Heart & Soul by Amber Kell. ebook short. Meh short paranormal m/m romance, during which I couldn’t figure out why I kept reading.
Craven by Eden Cole. ebook. So-so m/m romance based on multiple big misunderstandings… not my favorite plot device. This is my favorite sentence from the book: “His cock, which had gone down, hardened immediately, and rushed over to his side of the car.”
Catch/Caught by Vivien Dean. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance about a corrupt cop and a musician who witnesses something he shouldn’t have seen.

“Maybe you should cut back on the nip, hmm?” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Another episode of linkity in which there are no explosions

31 Comments

Congrats to Dianna, who won Accidentally His by Shawn Lane! Accidentally His will be released by Amber Allure on March 20.

Congrats to Tracey D, who won Trust, Love, Submit by Kim Dare! Trust, Love, Submit will be released by Total-E-Bound on March 21.

Congrats to Sandy Jay, who won Treacherous Sun (Nu Hayven, Book 1) by Jade Archer! Treacherous Sun will also be released on March 21 by Total-E-Bound.

Minneapolis made the news yesterday for a huge gas main explosion! Amazingly, no one was hurt, but if you look at the photo gallery in the linked article, you’ll see a melted vehicle and a huge crater. (This was about 50 blocks away from me, so the kitties were in no danger while I was at work.)

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Do, Think, Learn, Make

  • Have you checked Unclaimed.Org to see if you have money due to you?

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Time To Do (Perfect Timing #3) by Kim Dare. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m romance about two guys – one gay, one straight – who have been best friends since they were small and are now roommates at college. The gay guy’s been quietly in love with his best friend for years, but has been resigned to never being able to touch him… until he finds his friend’s list of things to experience, which segues from kissing and having sex with women (all checked off) to kissing a man (not checked off)… This was my first Kim Dare book, and remains my very favorite. 🙂
Settling the Score by Eden Winters. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a small-town mechanic whose formerly small-town, now Hollywood actor boyfriend dumps and outs him on national television. A Pygmalionesque story unfolds after that, as the mechanic goes to work for a bestselling author with his own axe to grind. My only real problem with the book was a personal one – I always get frustrated by books that use dialect; instead of immersing me, the dialect kept jolting me out of the book.
Sebastian’s Wolves by Valentina Heart. ebook. Excellent, intense paranormal m/m romance about a wolf shifter who turns wolf for a long time when his mate dies. I had a hard time putting this one down to do anything else!
Of Cocoa and Men by Vic Winter. ebook short. Delightful short paranormal m/m romance about a lone wolf shifter addicted to hot chocolate, even though it’s not good for wolves. He becomes fascinated by the scent of the new baker in town, who smells like chocolate to him.
Surviving the Change by Cari Z. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a lone wolf shifter who can only stay in one place for a few weeks before other shifters force him to move on. Right after he arrives in Denver, he becomes fascinated with an elusive law student bartending in a shifter bar.
Sunrise by Elizabeth Jewell. ebook short. Very good short paranormal m/m romance about a guy with a mysterious lover who shows up every few years and always has to leave by sunrise.
An Assassin’s Touch (Lost Shifters #9) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about Leopard shifter and assassin Shane and Panther shifter Trevor, whose lives are much complicated by an evil Cobra shifter.
Shane’s Fury (Lost Shifters #10) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about Leopard shifter and assassin Shane trying to find his kidnapped mate.
Tool for Change by P.D. Singer. ebook short. Good short m/m encounter between the nerdy facilities supervisor at a convention center and a sexy electrician. I wanted just a little bit more story…
Herbs de Provence by Jenna Jones. ebook. Good m/m romance about a chef with wanderlust who discovers that his friend’s ward has grown up into a gorgeous young man while getting his MBA.
Everyone’s Man by Edward Kendrick. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a rent boy who is brutally gang raped and left to die. The ER doctor who treats him realizes he’s not safe in the hospital and takes steps to keep him safe. With better editing, this could’ve been a very good book… presumably editing would’ve removed such silliness as being able to reach the prostate with a tongue.
Touch My Wolf (My Wolf, Book 2) by Eden Cole. ebook short. So-so short paranormal m/m romance with a dash of m/m/m tossed in. This story about beta wolf Blaine finding out that his mate is one of his pack’s enemies was definitely nowhere near as good as the first book. The whole thing was choppy and felt rushed and incomplete.
Make Me (KinKaid Wolf Pack, Book 2) by Jessica Lee. ebook short. Disappointing short paranormal m/m romance that’s basically two sex scenes between the couple from Bloodlines, strung together by a bit of plot that was left unresolved.
Heads or Tails by Jenna Byrnes. ebook short. So-so short m/m romance about an accountant, engaged to the boss’s daughter, who’s been in denial about his attraction to men until he keeps running into the sexy new guy. Warning: This book contains infidelity and graphic m/f sex.

“It’s been a long week. I’m hiding!” -Mayhem