Tag Archives: Sara Bell

Contests, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Last of the Linkity until November 12!

44 Comments

Congrats to Leigh, who won Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Clare London!

And congrats to elaing8, who won The Third Floor by Stephani Hecht!

Congrats to Tam, who won Eat Me by Mia Watts! Eat Me will be released on Monday, October 25, by Total-E-Bound.

I suppose you’re curious about the title of this post, huh? Early next week, I’m heading to San Francisco with Kris, Tam, Jenre, and Tracy to see the city and attend Yaoi Con. Subsequently, blogging will be a little spotty for the next two weeks. On Monday, October 25, I’ll have a vampire-themed edition of the Misadventures for Halloween. A new Kim Dare contest will automagically post on Thursday, October 28. I’ll post contest winners in the evening on October 25, October 28, and October 29 – please consider 7 pm CDT as a rough ending time for those contests! Contests are still open until I shut off the comments on the contest posts. Also, I’m not going to be able to reply to all of the contest entries and I apologize in advance for that.

Vacationy sorts of random posts may appear without warning. 🙂

Contests

Bookity

  • Go take the Romantic Times survey – is it just me, or do others feel like having the lowest range spent on books being $0-$20 is weird? My spending $0 on hardcovers, trade paperbacks, and mass market paperbacks (buying ebooks instead) gets lost…
  • Reasoning with Vampires dissects the writing in the Twilight saga, with delightfully incoherent results. (Warning: This site is addictive!) (Thanks, Bron!)

Ebookity

  • The word on ebook piracy continues to be conflicting – is it zOMG or no big deal?

Learn, Think, Make, Do

  • Did you know that Wednesday was World Statistics Day? Take a minute to read this post at Lifehacker that will help you interpret survey statistics better.

Linkity Peeps

Halloweeny

Cool

  • Is there a Michigander in your life who would appreciate some Michigan Mittens?

Huh

  • I find these Homer Simpson slippers disturbing, too. Can’t you just hear Homer saying, “Mmmmmm…. feet”?
  • Are you supposed to mix the contents of the instant coffee straw with water, or snort them straight?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Dudleytown by L.B. Gregg. advance ebook. Very good Halloween-themed m/m romance about several college students taking a “shortcut” on their drive home for the weekend. Things go a bit more spectacularly awry than is usual for such shortcuts… Plenty of trademark L.B. humor and insight make for an entertainingly suspenseful read.
The Third Floor by Stephani Hecht. ebook short. Cute short Halloween-themed m/m romance about two guys working the admission booth of a haunted house, one of whom insists he’s not at all interested in the other. I wonder if there will be more books about these two? 🙂
Dance with a Vampire by Fabian Black. free ebook short. Very good, very short Halloween-themed m/m romance about a guy, trying to get in to a club for a Halloween party and becoming upset with the man at the door who won’t let him in.
Through the Red Door (Vampires & Mages & Weres, Oh My!, Book 2) by Devon Rhodes. ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m romance about a demon enforcer out house hunting who finds a house that would be perfect if it wasn’t for the warded red door and his inexplicable reaction to the owner’s scent… Alas, I felt this book was marred by an abrupt ending – spending a few more pages tying things up after the conflict was resolved would’ve helped immensely.
Trick of the Senses (Sensational #4) by Anah Crow & Dianne Fox. ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m romance about a psychic and his lover, who also shifts into his service dog. This probably would’ve made more sense if I’d read the previous three stories. 🙂
Calendar Boys of October: Trick of Silver by Jamie Craig. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about a werewolf hunter sent to kill an allegedly murderous werewolf… but the evidence doesn’t add up. And the werewolf is really sexy…
On the Ragged Edge of the World (Trick of Silver, Book 2) by Jamie Craig. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance continuing the story of the werewolf hunter trying to fit into the pack that his werewolf lover leads.
Out of Bounds by Viki Lyn. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a well-known and openly gay artist who returns to his small and bigoted hometown to get away from memories of his ex. Against his better judgment, he becomes involved with the deeply closeted football coach.
The Way You Say My Name (Reed, Book 2) by Sara Bell. ebook. Meh m/m romance about two 18-year old high school students. Besides the insta-love and chicks with dicks, there was just way too much going on in this book and it dragged on way too long.
Winston Quirk by Martin Delacroix. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance set on a small and very racist island in the Bahamas in the mid-1970s. A white professor on vacation from Florida finds himself rethinking his beliefs about race after meeting the title character.

“……..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz……….” -Mayhem

http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/10/homemade_owl_pellets_ftw.html
Contests, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Loungetastic Linkity!

35 Comments

Congrats to Jenre, who won her choice from LA Witt’s backlist!

Congrats to cturtlechick, who won Why Jay Ran Away (Contact, Book 3) by Jade Archer! Why Jay Ran Away will be available from Total-E-Bound on October 18.

Congrats to Mary F, who won Blood and Alchemy (Drone Vampires, Book 11) and a bonus copy of The Third Floor by Stephani Hecht. How did Mary get so lucky? Well, after I kicked off the contest for Blood and Alchemy, the publication date got changed from October 15 to October 31; The Third Floor is being released today instead. Stephani’s giving Mary a copy of The Third Floor to help tide her over until the 31st – and you can still enter to win a copy of The Third Floor. 🙂

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Learn, Make, Do

Linkity Peeps

Halloweeny

Cool

Huh

  • I think the Portable Armrest makes people look like escaped asylum patients…

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Like Pizza and Beer (Dino & Seth, Book 2) by Elle Parker. ebook. Excellent m/m romantic suspense that you should not even pick up until you’ve read the first book, Like Coffee and Doughnuts. That won’t be a hardship. 🙂 Dino takes on two new cases: one for Seth, trying to find dirt on Seth’s sister’s scumbag boyfriend, the other for his own ex-girlfriend, which makes Seth very jealous. Add to that Dino’s own discomfort with anyone knowing that he’s dating Seth…
Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Clare London. ebook. Very good short m/m romance about a guy waiting at the airport for a very good friend who’s been overseas for a final job interview. Since his friend’s flight turns out to be delayed 12 hours, he has plenty of time to think about how much he’ll miss his friend and how much he screwed up the last time they saw each other. Some very unusual people sit near him and help distract him from his thoughts… or do they?
Picture Postcards by J.M. Snyder. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a guy, in love with his best friend, who drifts out of touch after his friend marries a woman… and then a postcard arrives in the mail.
Bittersweet Seasons by Fabian Black. ebook. Very good collection of short, poignant m/m romances, most of which touch on seasons or time passing.
Maxxed Out by Treva Harte. ebook. Good m/m romance about Max, a college student who hasn’t come out to his parents, who shows up at the door of his (deceased) brother’s best friend with an agenda… The one detractor was the alternating first person, which, while done pretty well, was confusing at times.
Sub for Hire by Claire Thompson. ebook. So-so kinky m/m romance about an author who works as a sub-for-hire at a professional dungeon until he can support himself with his writing. He can handle the job, as long as he’s able to keep his emotions detached, because he actually longs for a loving D/s relationship. Again, I just can’t engage with Claire Thompson’s older books the way I can with her newer books. This was particularly challenging, because I wasn’t overly fond of the dominant characters.
Burning Up by Z.A. Maxfield. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a fire dancer, entertaining on the street, who gets heckled by a drunken idiot with a quieter, nicer friend.
Lockdown by Augusta Li & Eon De Beaumont. ebook short. Ok short m/m story about a superhero and a supervillain who are locked in a nuclear power plant after their fight damages the core…
In Knots by Celia Kyle. ebook short. Meh kinky short paranormal m/m romance about a human sub who goes to a werewolf bdsm club. At least there were some amusing editing fails.
Call Me Sir, Too (Sir, Book 2) by Stormy Glenn. ebook. Meh kinky m/m romance about a Dom and sub who met in the first book. Since then the Dom’s been gone on mysterious business and the sub’s been seriously traumatized and injured by an evil Dom. Will the good Dom be able to get the sub to trust again? My favorite line in the whole book (and I’m reproducing it exactly!): “That strange twinkled shinned in Dante’s eyes again.”
The Magic in Your Touch (Reed, Book 1) by Sara Bell. ebook. Meh m/m romance from an author whose more recent work I really love. Chicks with dicks, insta-love, stalker(s)… *sigh*
You Don’t Need a Doctor by Julia Talbot. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Good short paranormal m/m romance about an ER doctor who notices that the shooting victim he’s treating is awfully hairy and has very pointy teeth and is healing very fast… This would’ve been better as a longer story, because so much was crammed in.
El Cedral by Kiernan Kelly. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Very good short m/m romance about a doctor from NYC, taking a sabbatical from his cushy hospital job, who agrees to help out an old friend at his clinic on an impoverished Mexican island.

“None of you better be thinking of trying to steal my stripey socks! I’m keeping an eye on you!” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Pool Hall Green by Sara Bell [CONTEST CLOSED]

43 Comments

Congrats to Antonette, who won the copy of The Blue Moon Cafe by Rick R. Reed! And congrats to Kassa, who won the copy of Phonebook by Amy Lane, which will be released today by Dreamspinner Press.

Many thanks to author Sara Bell for donating an ebook copy of her recent m/m romance, Pool Hall Green, for a lucky reader to win!

Drew Harris is a master when it comes to the game of pool, but family is always a crap shoot and Drew rolled snake eyes. His parents want little to do with him. The only time they call him is when they need money, or when they want him to bail his gambling-addict brother, Vic, out of a jam. So when Drew’s mother calls in a panic to let Drew know that Vic owes a local casino owner two-hundred and fifty grand, Drew’s not exactly shocked. Not shocked, that is, until he learns that the guy Vic owes doesn’t want the money: he wants Drew.

Casino mogul Evan Stacie never thought he was the kind of man to resort to blackmail, but the death of his brother two years ago changed a lot of things. He needs Drew’s skill with a stick to ruin the man who sent Evan’s brother to an early grave, and if Evan has to fight dirty to make that happen, so be it. Nothing, not his growing attraction to Drew or the soft spot Evan feels for the guy, is going to stand in his way.

Excerpt

About Sara Bell

Sara Bell lives in North Alabama with the world’s sexiest, most supportive husband, the two most beautiful, gifted daughters on the planet, and two of the most neurotic but lovable dogs ever created. She’s a full-time author who writes stories about never-ending love for all kinds of characters – gay, straight, and somewhere in-between. Sara still can’t believe she gets paid to do something she loves so much, and she’s darned grateful to her incredible readers for making her dream a reality. To find out more about Sara or to give her a shout-out, please stop by her website.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Tuesday, June 8.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“Whoa. Was that ‘nip spiked or something?” -Mayhem

Contests, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Here, linkity, linkity, linkity…

45 Comments

Contests

  • Kris is having a really incredibly complicated super cool contest in which you could win m/m romance ebooks from Wren Boudreau, Stephani Hecht, Jambrea Jo Jones, Sean Kennedy, K.Z. Snow, and Angelia Sparrow. Since no one who’s entered so far has any clue what the right answers are (even those of us who’ve read the books in question) and we’re all guessing, your odds are no worse than random! Go! Go now! Guess away! Contest closes at noon Perth Australia time, May 23. According to the World Clock, that is 11 pm CDT, May 22, and 4 am GMT/UTC, May 23.
  • Amora’s having her very first blog contest and she’s a little excited/anxious about it – stop by and help calm her down, ok? 🙂 She’s giving away an ebook copy of Barbara Sheridan’s paranormal time travel samurai novel, Falling Through Glass, to someone who comments by May 28.
  • Nicole’s had some contest luck lately and now has duplicate books. She’s giving away the duplicates (Dear Sir, I’m Yours by Joely Sue Burkhart; Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione; Elfshadow by Elaine Cunningham) to three different people who comment on any of her posts from May 14 through midnight PDT, May 31. Make sure you mention which book you’d like in your comment!

Books & Reading

Ebooks

  • I really like this iPad/ebook reader stand. (Book stands are great for saving your wrists and for letting you knit while you read. If you swing that way. To knitting, that is.) *ahem* Apparently I’ll have a review of how this stand works with my handy, dandy ereader in the near future, since I just bought one – I can’t resist a cool book stand…

Minnesota

Learn, Do, Make, Think

  • Qwotebook is a new site that lets you save your favorite quotes and find new favorites.
  • I can’t decide if I’d love the pixelated rug or if it would drive me nuts.

LOL

  • I’m just waiting for this cat to start scratching his business and yelling for a beer…
  • Poor Basement Cat – he has minion fail. (Oh! Chaos has his very first minion! He’d like to welcome Lea to her new life of minionhood.)

Awwww

Reading Update
The Angel of 13th Street by Eden Winters. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a bar owner and former rentboy who, with help, turned his life around and now helps other young men get off the street and out of the life… and then one of his rescues really starts to get to him.
Valentine Wish by Eden Winters. ebook short. Like The Boy Under the Bridge, this was another good spinoff from The Wish. In this short m/m romance, Anton’s out with his friends and employers, celebrating his Valentine’s Day birthday. Will he be going home alone again, or will he get his birthday wish?
Mobry’s Dick by K.Z. Snow. ebook. Very good paranormal romance about guy who purchases an extremely mysterious object at a flea market and is not prepared for all of the interest it generates.
Handcuffs and Leather (Rawlings Men, Book 1) by Kim Dare. ebook. Very good kinky m/m romance about a constable who was briefly held prisoner and has to talk to a psychiatrist about the experience – the same psychiatrist he’s been dreaming of submitting to.
Lessons in Mastery 1-3: Under Control, Under Restraint, and Under Fire by Laine Williams. ebook shorts. Good m/m romances about a nurse, abused in the past, whose cop lover isn’t quite comfortable with exercising his dominance. Each of these books focuses on a critical life/relationship event.
Pool Hall Green by Sara Bell. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a former pool player whose white trash family kicked him out when he came out, yet keeps calling him to clean up their expensive messes… and he does.
Be the Air for You by T.A. Chase. ebook. So-so m/m romance about a rock star and his best friend, who he’s loved for 20 years but done nothing about. Is it time to change that? This just seemed to have a theme or two too many, and I never got emotionally invested.
Never Let Go by Jourdan Lane. ebook short. Decent short m/m romance about a writer who got tired of being the backup lay for his friend, a porn photographer, and kicked the guy to the curb six months ago.
What the Heart Wants by Cassidy Ryan. ebook short. Ok m/m romance about a guy who takes his cat Hellion to the vet and discovers that the vet is the guy he once loved… and left without a word.
Acquisitions and Mergers by Lucius Parhelion. ebook short. Ok m/m romance that I think was set in the 1950s (although I’m not sure it was ever stated). Anyway, it’s about two friends, one gay, one straight (and a widower), who own a company that’s in the process of being acquired. The story was fine, but for some reason the style kept me distanced from the whole thing.
Secret Skin by Sean Michael. ebook short. This ok short m/m encounter features Dal and Dillon from Secrets, Skin and Leather.
Nine-tenths of the Law by L.A. Witt. ebook. Very good m/m romance about two guys who start seeing each other after they discover they both had the same boyfriend… and neither was aware of the other. When something has such a messed up beginning, does it have a chance?
Carnal Intentions (Lost Shifters, Book 4) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. This was a good m/m paranormal about the continuing search for the jaguar shifter brothers who were kidnapped when they were very young. But I did realize that there’s only one more lost shifter in the immediate family this series has been about… will the next book be the last one?! There are still multiple unmated siblings…
Nothing But Trouble by Rachel Gibson. Not an ebook, not m/m. 🙂 Ok addition to Gibson’s books about the Seattle Chinooks hockey team. This was about the embittered and difficult former team captain, who won’t ever be able to play hockey again, and the actress the team hires in lieu of a home health care assistant (since the health care assistants never last longer than an hour).

*sunbeam blissout* -Chaos

Contests, Gluten Free, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

An Epic Episode of Linkity

32 Comments

Contests

  • Jackie of Literary Escapism is holding a baby pool – two lucky winners will receive $15 gift certificates to the online bookstore of their choice.
  • Ms Moonlight is giving away five print m/m romance books (Tri-Omega Mates by Stormy Glenn; Switch by Claire Thompson; Frost Fair by Erastes; Male of the Species by Kate Steele; Polar Reaction by Claire Thompson) to a follower of her blog. Contest closes noon EDT, May 7. You must live in the US or Canada to win.

Free Reads

  • Check out the Free Gay Ebooks page at the GLBT Bookshelf, which has free stories from Josh Lanyon, Mary Calmes, Victor J. Banis (the first Stanley and Tom Deadly mystery! I love that series.), Eden Winters, P.D. Singer, P.A. Brown, Claire Thompson, and more. (Thanks to Mary Calmes for the link!)
  • My Reading Update (below) has links to some of the books above, plus links to additional free m/m romance ebooks. Apparently it was freebie week!

Reading & Book Miscellania

  • Beware this nasty and elaborate scam in which victims are pressured to accept a “‘pre-trial settlement’ for copyright violations.”
  • Hmm. This bookcase seems like it’d be a bit hard on books – but what great exercise!

Ebook News & Views

  • Some articles on how public libraries are dealing with ebooks.

Covers

  • Thanks to SciFiGuy for the link to the amusing Good Show, Sir blog, which features the very worst of scifi and fantasy covers, complete with snarky commentary.

Reviewing

Learn, Make, Do, Think

  • Lay’s has restructured salt to help it dissolve faster and reduce the amount of salt needed for taste.
  • If you’re into genealogy, check out the new FamilySearch.

Huh

  • A sculpture made from cords and cables – love the quote from Gizmodo: “I do, though, wish I could stop myself from thinking how annoying it’d be to untangle all of those cords.”

Gluten-Free

LOL

The Cute

Reading Update
All or Nothing (Taking the Odds, Book 3) by James Buchanan. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense, being the continuing adventures of Nicky and Brandon. With a beloved series, I always worry that a new release won’t live up to the previous books, but I should’ve known better. So go. Go get the first book, Cheating Chance, and read it. I’ll wait. 🙂
Only for Him (Only, Book 2) by Shawn Lane. ebook. Sweet m/m romance about a slightly outrageous administrative assistant at a law firm who’s really attracted to a cutely nerdy guy (one of the firm’s partners).
Cow Pie Bingo by Addison Albright. ebook short. reread. A guy who’s recently realized that he’s gay but has no idea what to do next discovers a very cute guy in line at his kissing booth…
The Wish by Eden Winters. ebook. Very good m/m paranormal romance about two guys who have never met, but dislike each other based on reputation and circumstance. (Hmm. Possibly my most vague summary ever!) I don’t want to tell you too much about the story, because part of what I enjoyed about it was reading and putting the pieces together. How about I just say I highly recommend it? 🙂
The Boy Under the Bridge by Eden Winters. ebook short. This is about a character who makes a brief appearance in The Wish and isn’t treated particularly well or shown in the best light – it’s surprisingly satisfying to find out what happens to him. You should definitely read The Wish first!
The Telling by Eden Winters. free ebook. Good m/m romance about a soldier who returns from Iraq suffering from PTSD and crippling guilt.
The French Have a Word for It by Josh Lanyon. free ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a young man painting in France who runs into the bodyguard who rescued him from kidnappers when he was a teen.
Pinky Swear by Lynn Lorenz. ebook. Good m/m romance about two guys who grew up next door to each other in New Orleans and were best friends until a misunderstanding drove them apart and they lost touch… and then Hurricane Katrina arrives.
Upwardly Mobile by Clare London. ebook short. Steamy m/m romance about a couple talking to each other on the phone, one from his parked car, the other from the train…
Home Sweet Home by Clare London. ebook short. Ok m/m romance about a couple who have been taking a break from each other, not sure that their differences are surmountable.
Swap Meet by Lolita Lopez. ebook. This m/m romance is terribly misnamed. It should be The Straight French Billionaire and the Gay Firefighter, especially since it reads like a smokin’ hot category romance, complete with the slightly awkward writing. The straight French billionaire is accompanying a female coworker to a partner swapping event – he’s just there because she needs to appear to be part of a couple to get in. A mysterious, magnetically handsome man gives the billionaire a card with just a name and a room number and the billionaire cannot resist going to the room… (Issue: If this is a couple’s event, who the heck did said magnetically handsome man arrive with? That’s never mentioned.)
Last One Standing (The Five of Swords) by Andy Slayde & Ali Wilde. ebook. Decent m/m romance about a prostitute who tries to blackmail a customer and instead ends up off the streets, working as a dishwasher. I liked this a lot more before the ending – it felt like the story simply stopped. If this kicks off one of those Torquere serials, I’ll be mightily annoyed. (Also, if they managed to tie the Tarot into this Arcana, I completely missed it.)
Angelfish by M. King. ebook. Very good m/m story about a guy, back in New Zealand after attending college in England, who isn’t settling comfortably into parental expectations as he’s haunted by the mocking image of a tattoo.
The Ice Shack by M. King. ebook short. Good m/m short about a couple getting away from their families over the holidays.
First Day of Forever by Mary Calmes. free ebook short. Sweet m/m romance about two guys who were best friends growing up. Did one wait too long to figure out what he wanted? (Needs a few more commas…)
If by Rowena Sudbury. free ebook short. Meh m/m story about two martial artists who train and live together, until one realizes the other has been lying to him. I didn’t really care about either of them by the end of the story, so… *sigh*
Waiting by P.D. Singer. free ebook short. Good m/m romance about a spring break that gets off to a really rocky start when Daniel’s boyfriend shows up at the airport with a girl clinging to him.
More Than Just a Good Book by Sloan Parker. free ebook short. Very good m/m short story about two guys who meet in the college library. *fans self*
Gregori’s Ghost by Sarah Black. free ebook. Very good m/m romance about a neurologist whose dying grandfather charges him with looking after the son of a man befriended by his grandfather during WWII. I’m definitely going to be reading more Sarah Black.
Some Place Only We Know by Christiane France. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a rather innocent bookstore owner who volunteers at a hospice, where he meets a writer who’s visiting his brother. Beware! Instalove alert!
The Five of Wands by Sara Bell. ebook. Decent m/m romance about a resident suspended after being accused of a careless medication error who finds help from an unexpected source.
Only Human by Glyn Soitino. ebook short. Good paranormal m/m romance about a man, created by a wizard with all the knowledge he needs to survive, who falls for a closeted cop. I didn’t realize until I was well into this story that it was the sequel to Out of the Blue. Oh well.
Hoosier Werewolf: Howl and Prowl by Kate Steele. ebook collection. Very good paranormal m/m romance collection of three stories about werewolves finding their mates. The cover’s the usual Changeling Press horror and the title’s kind of weird, but this was one well-done and scorching read.
BDSFerret by Celia Kyle. holiday ebook short. While this m/m paranormal romance about a ferret shifter going to a prairie dog shifter bar is billed as being a satire, it only managed that once or twice.
Passion’s Victory by K.C. Kendricks. ebook. So-so m/m romance about a guy who owns part of an architectural firm and can’t resist the newly contracted, older architect. Does Kendricks always write in first person point-of-view? Seems like it, from what I’ve read. Not my favorite, especially when the characters don’t seem particularly guy-like.
A Hard Habit To Break by K.C. Kendricks. ebook. Another so-so romance about two guys who’ve been in love with each other since high school, but allowed massive miscommunication and misunderstandings to come between them. Another story told in first person… Also, I think the blurb for this one is a bit misleading, so beware.

*happy sleepy stretchy clawy purry* -Chaos

Contests, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

In which the linkity thing gets incredibly out of hand (yes, even more so than usual)

39 Comments

Congrats to Nancy, who won the copy of Stephani Hecht’s Man Down (which was released today)!

Contests

Reading & Books & Lions, Oh My! (Ok, I made up the lions bit)

  • All sorts of book news, interview links, new release info, and more: Lily (m/m romance), SciFiGuy (urban fantasy, paranormal romance, etc),  Literary Escapism (urban fantasy, paranormal romance), Smexy Books (contemporary & paranormal romance), and Katiebabs (assorted romance genres).

Learn Things, Make Things, Do Things

  • Have you voted in the Webbys yet? Goodreads is nominated in Websites – Connections – Social Networking… and voting closes April 29. Thanks for the heads up, Ralph!

Things That Made Me Happy or Amused Me

  • Colin. Really. You must read it.
  • Oh, Hyberbole and a Half, how I do love thee! Favorite recent quote: “As a grammatically conscientious person who frequents internet forums and YouTube, I have found it necessary to develop a few coping mechanisms.”

Ewww

Squee!

Reading Update
The Prayer Waltz by K.Z. Snow. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a writer who returns to the Wisconsin town in which his lover had been a priest (before he left the church), looking for understanding and closure, but finding so much more. A gorgeous and highly recommended read.
The Darkling Thrush by Josh Lanyon. ebook. Very good m/m fantasy romance about a finder of magickal books who’s interning in England from the American Confederation and gets drawn into something more complex than he realizes. I did spend the first quarter of the book with my usual “I am reading a fantasy” frustration of trying to remember all the specialized details, but I enjoyed the story enough that I got beyond that. Recommended.
Colliding in Free Fall by Vivien Dean. ebook. Good m/m romance about a closeted Midwestern firefighter who, in his early 40s, wants to keep doing his job, no matter what the doctor thinks.
Of the Clan O’Grady by A.M. Riley. ebook. Good m/m urban fantasy about the (male) banshee of the Clan O’Grady who befriends a naive young fae lost in New York City.
Son of a Gun by A.M. Riley. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense about a writer who returns to the small Texas town where he grew up. He’s there for the funeral of his best friend, but why won’t anyone give him a straight answer about what happened? Highly recommended.
The Nest by G.S. Wiley. ebook. Good m/m romance about a young man struggling to take care of his three younger siblings and keep them out of the hands of Social Services while living on the wrong side of the tracks.
Mightier (The Seven of Swords) by G.S. Wiley. ebook short. Good m/m romance about a writer who’s staying at a friend’s Irish cottage trying to get past his writer’s block.
Heart Song by Sara Bell. ebook short. Nicely done m/m romance about a guitar player who’s forcibly outed and the impact it has on the rest of the band. What I really like about Sara Bell? She can write a sweet story without making it sappy.
The Lovers by Sara Bell. Another good m/m romance from Sara Bell about a soap opera star whose drug addict mother threatens to out him unless he pays her off (again).
Making Lemonade by T.C. Blue. ebook. A sweet m/m romance about a guy whose partner just died, but whose blossoming friendship with his partner’s nephew helps ease his grief.
In Hot Pursuit by Kate McMurray. ebook. Good m/m romantic suspense about a closeted NYPD cop, whose boyfriend was killed by a shot meant for him and who has been working too much in the years since then, is sent by his captain to a timeshare in Tampa on vacation to avoid burnout. Oh, the excitement he finds on his vacation…
Lynx by Joely Skye. ebook. Pretty good paranormal m/m romance about Trey, a werewolf who hides his nature and works for a blacks ops group in the US government. When running as a wolf in the Canadian Shield, he encounters a giant lynx shifter, and life will never be the same for either of them. While I enjoyed this book, I had trouble with how large, critical parts of it occurred offsides… and it distanced me from the story. The author’s note at the end of Lynx actually explains the offsides bit. Trey has been in Skye’s books Monster, Zombie, Minder, Marked, Feral, and The Strength of the Wolf and it was finally time for his story. Since Lynx was occurring at the same time as those books, with much of the critical stuff happening in other books, it ends up being sort of an odd read.
Bi Now, Gay Later (Perfect Timing, Book 5) by Kim Dare. ebook. Good m/m romance about a dominant who doesn’t believe that bisexuality exists, which causes a problem for his bisexual submissive.
Sandalwood and a Potato by Andy Slayde & Ali Wilde. Enjoyable m/m romance about two guys who work at a mall – one owns a New Age shop and the other’s a banker who’s sworn off relationships. The best part? Finding out how the potato fit into the story!
Finding Chandler (free), A Test of Love, Switching Gears, and Stardust (The Solitary Knights of Pelham Bay, Books 1-4) by Claire Thompson. ebooks. These m/m romances are decent reads and remind me quite a bit of a Carol Lynne series. The Solitary Knights of Pelham Bay are a group of extremely cynical guys who’d given up on love and get together to bitch and moan about fools who believe in love. Then the bartender issues them a challenge…
Balance by Zahra Owens. ebook. So-so m/m romance about a desk jockey whose fascination for being tied up leads him to an introductory session at a kinky club, at which he meets a very intriguing tattoo artist.
Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by M. King. ebook. Interesting m/m romance about a guy working in advertising who becomes involved with a guy who works in the adult film industry. Usually this particular dynamic feels completely unrealistic to me, but in this book, it felt more plausible because it addressed the emotional complexity of the situation.
The Perfect Pumpkin Pie by Aaron Michaels. ebook. Cute m/m romance about a guy whose obsessive roommate keeps sending him to the store for very specific items – good thing the assistant manager of the store is so helpful, hmm?
Finding the Words by Terry O’Reilly. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a speech therapist who finds himself increasingly drawn to one of his patients.
One Good Turn (Turner & Turner, Book 1) by Amber Green. ebook. M/m romantic suspense that’s really too complicated for me to even attempt summing up. Not sure if it was my state of mind while I was reading or what, but this felt disjointed. Plus I really disliked the abrupt ending – I think this book needed to be longer or more tightly edited or both. (Yes, very good, that is Candy Cane Guy with the smiley face!)
Never Say Goodbye (Slippery When Wet, Book 3) by Jenna Byrnes. ebook. Ok m/m romance about an ex-con who’s been hired as a live-in lover by a wealthy and unscrupulous man. Had the insta-love thing, which is never a favorite of mine.

*bathing in the sunshine sounds* -Chaos

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Congrats to Jody, who won the Not Quite Wicked ebooks! Rumor has it there may be another contest starting tomorrow… 😉

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Reading Update
Fatal Shadows, A Dangerous Thing, The Hell You Say, Death of a Pirate King, and The Dark Tide (The Adrien English Mysteries, Books 1-5) by Josh Lanyon. ebooks. I read books one through four last August and was amazed at how much emotional impact this m/m mystery series had on me. As I reread the first four books last week, preparing to read the fifth (and final) book, I was amazed again, because the books affected me just as much this time. When I wasn’t reading, I’d find myself thinking about Adrien, about Jake, about their complicated history. I was both looking forward to reading The Dark Tide and afraid to read it, knowing that it would most likely take me through the emotional wringer yet again. It did. I cried a few times. But at the end of the fifth book? I smiled.
Love Dot Come by Julia Talbot. ebook short. Absolutely adorable short about two geeky, klutzy guys who meet via an online personals site.
Aquamarine by Sara Bell. ebook. After a college football player is seriously injured during a game and learns that his publicity loving boyfriend won’t stick around, his life changes in unexpected ways in this sweet m/m romance.
The Manny by Sara Bell. ebook. Another sweet m/m romance from Sara Bell. This one’s about a male nanny/custom motorcycle designer and his evil landlord.
Crimson Regret, A Taste of Darkness, A Glimpse Inside, and Windows and Walls (Inches of Trust, Books 1-4) by A.R. Moler. ebook shorts. These m/m shorts are about an architect and a cop who meet as a devil and Zorro at a Halloween costume party. I enjoyed these, but found them frustrating at the same time – they read as sort of serial novel. I’d rather read the novel or collection.
Knowing Caleb (Hawkins Ranch, Book 4) by Cameron Dane. ebook. Pretty good m/m that I guess I’d categorize as a very steamy paranormal Western romance. (Hot demon cowboys!) I haven’t read the others in this series, but I’m sure I’ll read at least a few others.
You Were Always On My Mind by Deirdre O’Dare. ebook. Um. Yeah. I think I damaged my eyeballs from rolling them so much while reading this m/m romance. *shakes head at self for finishing this book*
A Promise Kept by Stormy Glenn. ebook. What is it about Stormy Glenn’s m/m romances? This one was about miscommunication and misunderstanding (with a stalker thrown in for good measure) – I was alternately sniffling, then rolling my eyes at the hokey bits. (My eyeball muscles are strong! Strong! after reading this story.) But I kept reading (er, skimming)… even though this book should have been about 1/3 the length it was, based on the amount of actual story.
Beautiful Viking by Steve Sampson. ebook. Well, the cover’s nice… Unfortunately, the writing in this m/m romance was clumsy and choppy and the characters unrealistic and gushing.
In the Rough (By Degrees, Book 2) by J. B. McDonald. ebook. Pretty good m/m romance about two guys, longtime friends who are both survivors of childhood abuse and who slowly realize that even 20 years later, they’ve been allowing their pasts to control them.
Bastards and Pretty Boys by K. Z. Snow. ebook. Well done m/m romantic suspense about a guy who buys a cabin on a quiet Wisconsin lake, hoping to work through his hydrophobia. Alas, I’ve never stayed at a cabin that had such a scenic next door neighbor!
The Night Sky Man by Mallory Path. ebook. Nicely done dreamlike m/m romance about a model and a modeling agent.
As Serious as the Grave by Kiernan Kelly. ebook short. Well. Yes, I read an m/m zombie romance and liked it. (Anyone who knows how I feel about zombie stories probably just spit the beverage of their choice on their screens.) Both Jenre and Tam have said far more eloquent things about this short than I will ever manage, but don’t let the zombie aspect squick you out. As Tam kept reiterating, “He’s not a zombie, he’s reanimated.”

“If you really loved me, Mom, you’d buy me a super-fancy kitty house instead of making me live in this plastic tub.” -Mayhem