Category Archives: Reviewettes

Linkity is shivering



Congrats to Karl A, who won Galley Proof by Eric Arvin! Galley Proof is being released by Dreamspinner Press today.

Congrats to Cayce, who won Noble Metals by L.A. Witt!



Contests

Bookity

  • If you haven’t watched the Joy of Books video yet, you really should… even if it does take a dig at ebooks at the end.

Ebookity

  • Beware of knockoff ereaders and tablets. (And I’d further suggest that if you see a great deal on Woot! or the like, take a few minutes to go read reviews on reputable tech blogs – a lot of crappy tech gets dumped on “deal” sites.)

Think. Learn. Do. Make.

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
The Violet and the Tom by Eve Ocotillo. free ebook. Excellent kinky historical fantasy m/m romance about a pleasure slave gifted by a king to his unwilling son, who is uncomfortable owning a slave for reasons that slowly become clear…
The Angel of 13th Street by Eden Winters. ebook. reread. Excellent 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.
The Gallows Tree by RJ Scott. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a guy who hasn’t stayed anywhere very long since his abusive ex got out of prison. When he goes to England to oversee the renovation of an old cottage, he realizes he’s hearing and seeing things and starts to wonder if he’s finally snapped. I liked this one despite there being a stalker. 🙂
Squeaky Clean by Kim Dare. ebook short. Good kinky short m/m story about a guy sitting on his couch, working on his laptop, who’s startled by a window washer. Inspired by an email I sent Kim last summer. 🙂
The Fix (Whitetail Rock #2) by Anne Tenino. free ebook short. Good short m/m romance following up with the recently graduated but underemployed Nik and his cop lover Jurgen.
Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Aspergers Syndrome by Rudy Simone. This was a book that definitely gave me a lot to think about… because even though I’m positive my computer design engineer father has Aspergers, it never occurred to me until recently that I might have it. I’m now pretty sure that I do – the reasons are too numerous to list, but having had the same breakfast for the past 20+ years and finding my weird pattern-matching ability described as “fluid intelligence” and an Aspergers savant skill… Yeah.
I also had a lot of trouble with this book because it seemed too touchy-feely, without enough references beyond the author’s other books. And then I hit a sentence that exponentially increased my resistance to the book: “…depression exists because there’s a problem in your life.” Oh, hellafuckno – sometimes it does, to be sure, but sometimes it’s a purely biochemical sort of thing that you have little control over.
Psychic Moon #1 by MD Grimm. ebook. Good m/m paranormal romance about two guys working for an animal rescue organization who are attracted to each other, but unaware of the other’s paranormal abilities…
Celtic Warrior and Wolf Spirit (Psychic Moon #2) by MD Greem. ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m holiday romance in which the two guys from Psychic Moon have to deal with one’s psychotic ex tracking him down.
Nothing To Do With Pride (Supernatural Mates #4) by Amber Kell. ebook short. So-so m/m paranormal romance about a coyote shifter trying to find his missing, possibly psychotic sister. This read almost like a story outline, plus it had some continuity issues; for example, is the sister’s son fine, as at the beginning of the story, or is he missing, as at the end of the story (with nothing between the two points about him vanishing)?
The Thirteenth Child (Section Thirteen #1) by JL O’Faolain. ebook. So-so m/m urban fantasy about an exiled sidhe living in New York City who gets called in by his “straight” ex to help the police solve a series of murders and child abductions. This had potential that wasn’t realized due to clunky style and pacing. As with so many other releases from this publisher, it needed indepth editing to realize that potential. Also, be aware that there’s virtually no romance in this one.
The Thirteenth Pillar (Section Thirteen #2) by JL O’Faolain. ebook. So-so m/m urban fantasy about an exiled sidhe now working as an NYPD cop investigating paranormal crimes. This was a frustrating read, because I like the characters and the storyline… just not their awkward presentation. The sex scenes in this one read like bad amateur porn, using terms like “love nut” (for the prostate) and “almighty Johnson”.
Loving Jacob by Lee Brazil. ebook. So-so m/m romance about a married attorney who has an “understanding” with his wife (they’re staying together “for the sake of the children”) and gets involved with a younger man – a younger man who’s looking for his Prince Charming. Broken hearts, boozing, and cutting ensue, but it’s all ok by the last couple pages. Um, yeah, obviously this one hit some negative buttons for me…
Layover by CJ Black. free ebook short. Meh short m/m encounter between two guys in a bus station.


“My name is not Kilroy! Honestly, Mom, you are so weird.” -Mayhem

Linkity for a new year



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 rings out the old year



Congrats to Tara R, who won Take Me Home by Sloan Parker!

Congrats to Michelle L, who won FUBAR (EMS Heat #12) by Stephani Hecht! FUBAR will be released by eXtasy Books on January 1.


No Misadventure on Monday, which is another holiday for me!



Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Do, Think, Learn, Make

Drinkity

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Among the Living (PsyCop #1) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m paranormal romantic suspense about a PsyCop, who can see ghosts even though he really would prefer not to. (This is one of my comfort rereads… you might’ve guessed, as it’s the second time I’ve read the book this year!)
Criss Cross (PsyCop #2) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Very good m/m paranormal romantic suspense that takes place a few weeks after Among the Living. Jacob’s staying with Vic while looking for a new condo, and Vic has a creepily eager-to-please new partner at work. (Second time I’ve read this book this year, too.)
Body and Soul (PsyCop #3) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Very good m/m paranormal romantic suspense in which Vic gets another new partner at work and Jacob continues hunting for an unhaunted place to live. (Second time this year, third time overall – as with the others.)
Secrets (PsyCop #4) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Very good paranormal m/m romantic suspense in which Vic and Jacob’s living situation changes dramatically and Vic stumbles upon an epic conspiracy. Do I need to repeat myself again?! 🙂
Jesse’s Christmas by RJ Scoot. ebook. Very good holiday m/m romance about a photographer who hates Christmas because his lover left him the previous Christmas, emptying his bank account and breaking his heart. Will he be able to get into the Christmas spirit for his assignment taking daily photos in “Christmasville”?? Bonus points to RJ for including a scene that matches the cover!
Home Ice by Kate Sherwood. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a closeted hockey coach trying to deal with working with his ex after not seeing him for ten years.
A Calling for Pleasure (Lars & Rael #1) (2nd edition) by JL Merrow. ebook (available 1/15/2012). Very good short paranormal m/m romance about two detectives for the Paranormal Enforcement Agency trying to track down a succubus who’s leaving a trail of dead guys behind her. The male detective (non-romantic detective pairing, not to worry!) becomes fascinated by a male succubus who’s picked up during the investigation… This was a fun start to a (currently) three-book series that I’m hoping JL adds to. 🙂
A Silence Kept by Theo Fenraven. ebook short. Very good short paranormal m/m romance about a guy who rents a place a bit off the beaten path for his summer weekend getaway after he catches his boyfriend cheating on him. He doesn’t really believe the place is haunted… at first.
Take Me Home by Sloan Parker. ebook. Good m/m romantic suspense about an author and a screenwriter who’ve been best friends since high school, even after a night together years ago left one brokenhearted and the other moving from guy to guy to avoid intimacy. As they take the train back to Ohio from Los Angeles for Christmas, they try to sort out the decades old mystery they’ve fallen into while figuring out whether they can trust each other if their relationship changes…
Puppy, Car, and Snow (Ryan & Scott #3) by Amy Lane. ebook. Good holiday m/m romance about two guys snowed in at a cabin for the holidays with one guy’s family, trying to deal with with his mom’s ongoing nasty comments to his boyfriend. I think enough background is provided in the book for those who haven’t read the previous two short stories.
Free to Fly by Belinda McBride. free ebook short. Good short kinky m/m romance about a guy who comes home from work planning to move out while his lawyer boyfriend is out of town for the weekend. But his boyfriend is still there, and their confrontation changes the course of their relationship.
Ten Things to Hate About Being a Werewolf by Vic Winter. ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m romance about a guy who was recently turned into a werewolf and hates everything about it.
Winning in a Landslide (Change #1.5) by JM Cartwright. ebook. Good holiday m/m romance that follows up on the sheriff, the rock star, and their two young adopted kids right after an extremely trying election. Something that once I noticed, I couldn’t un-notice – the two main characters just seemed to use each other’s names way too much.
Southern Winterland (By Degrees #1) by Taylor V. Donovan. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about a gay guy who’s been distancing himself from his straight best friend after a drunken almost-kiss under the mistletoe the previous Christmas. This needed to be a bit longer!
The Gift of the Maggie by Belinda McBride. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about a divorced rancher who has his very first boyfriend and is nervous about coming out to his kids.
A Picture Perfect Holiday by ZA Maxfield. ebook short. Good holiday m/m romance about a high school senior, president of the photography club, who has a crush on a straight football player.
Chance of Snow by Brynn Paulin. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about two coworkers who share a steamy night together when their chartered bus can’t make it home during a big snowstorm.
A Summit City Christmas (Sno Ho #2.5) by Ethan Day. ebook short. Pretty good short m/m holiday romance about Wade and Boone’s first Christmas together. This really needed to be fleshed out more to be a coherent or satisfying narrative.
Nice: Christmas Mistletoe by M. Durango. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about a guy who moved home to live with his parents and work at their Christmas tree lot after he was laid off. He runs into an old high school track buddy one night while he’s working at the tree lot… This felt a bit disjointed to me.
Blue River by Theo Fenraven. ebook short. Good short m/m holiday time travel romance about a photographer who walks through some mist and ends up in 1863, where he stays with an innocent young farmer and his sister. The thing I liked best about this book was that it didn’t gloss over historical details like people not bathing very often. I do have my doubts that greens stored in a root cellar would be lovely and fresh by December…
More Than Enough (More #2) by Shawn Lane. ebook short. Pretty good m/m romance about a guy in college who lives at home to run interference between his abusive alcoholic father and his younger sister. When a handsome jock asks him out, he’s sure it’s as a joke.
The Question by Sean Michael. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about two guys who’ve been best friends for years, but not romantically or sexually involved since their single disastrous attempt many years ago. This would’ve been more satisfying had it not been so very short.


*blank* -Mayhem

Linkity bells, linkity bells, linkity all the way…



Congrats to Courtney S, who won Eight Nights by Keira Andrews!

Congrats to Heather C, who won Let It Snow by Devon Rhodes!

Congrats to kasjo_peja, who won Jesse’s Christmas by RJ Scott! Jesse’s Christmas will be released by Silver Publishing on December 25.


There will be no Misadventure on Monday, December 26, as it’s a holiday for me – but maybe on Tuesday. Happy holidays to all of you, from all of us. 🙂



Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Do, Make, Learn

Holidity

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

  • xkcd on brand identity… looks an awful lot like some generic brands I’ve seen! (Remember to hover your mouse cursor over the comic for additional text.)

Teh Cute

Reading Update
A Gift of Mistletoe by Alex Whitehall. ebook short. Very good short m/m historical holiday romance about a young man returning home from university for the holidays, hoping he’ll be brave enough to tell his former tutor of his attraction.
The Santa Problem by Tam Ames. ebook short. Steamy short m/m holiday romance about a bouncer whose boyfriend guilts him into dressing up as Santa for his office building.
Holiday Outing by Astrid Amara. ebook. reread. Another delightful Hanukkah m/m romance from Astrid Amara! A successful author of gay fiction, still closeted to his family, gets snowed in with his family (and a high school nemesis) for Hanukkah.
Hopes and Fears by Rowan Speedwell. ebook short. Very good short m/m holiday romance about an investigative journalist going to physical therapy for his injured knee who’s very attracted to his physical therapist.
Melting Mr. Mowburrey (The Whole A-Z #1) by Kim Dare. ebook short. Very good kinky short m/m story about the titular character who’s staying at a friend’s house and is tempted by a young sub he believes to belong to his host. (And I took the picture that inspired the story!)
You Melted Me by Kari Gregg. free ebook short. Steamy short m/m romance about an office worker who was sleeping with one of the executives, a known player, but has been trying to avoid the guy and protect his heart.
Patchouli for Christmas by Bren Christopher. ebook. Good m/m holiday romance about an event planner putting together a Christmas party for a wealthy client, who wants her grandson’s very dark paintings displayed at the party.
Russell’s Reversal (Lost Shifters #14) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about Russell, a Wolf shifter and crime lord, who decides to clean up his act because of his feelings for Lynx shifter Dalton.
Fangs, Fur and Snowballs (Lost Shifters #15) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Good m/m holiday paranormal romance that catches up on many members of the Feline Coalition, focusing particularly on Keegan and Colby.


“Diva? Moi?” -Mayhem

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



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

It’s beginning to look a lot like linkity!



Congrats to Sammy2006, Yvette, and Heather K, who won Simple Gifts (Cornwall Novellas #2) by LB Gregg!

Congrats to Morgana, who won My True Love Gave to Me by Ava March, which is now available from by Carina Press. It’s also available in the Men Under the Mistletoe anthology.

Congrats to Dianna, who won Winter Warmers by Josephine Myles, JL Merrow, Clare London, Chrissy Munder, and Lou Harper!



Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Make, Do, Learn

Holidity

  • Gift Guide: Food (including adorable rainbow cake earrings, which are sold out)

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

  • Truth (as someone who works from home three days a week…).

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Bad Boyfriend (Bad in Baltimore #2) by KA Mitchell. ebook. Excellent kinky m/m romance about a teacher who’s dumped by his closeted boyfriend of ten years, then picks up a hot younger guy at a bar to take along to the baptism of his ex’s baby.
While Under the Influence (Perfect Timing #8) by Kim Dare. ebook. Very good kinky m/m romance about a guy who’s in denial about being gay. He foolishly mentions it to his cousin when he’s drunk, thus setting in motion her plan for him to find out definitively whether he is or isn’t.
Paper Planes by M. Jules Aedin. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a photographer whose partner died in a plane crash a year ago and who isn’t really moving past that until after he becomes friend with an older pilot. I particularly liked that this book didn’t go in for quick fixes – recovering from a significant loss takes time – and that one of the main characters had a disability. Perfect main characters get boring!
Search Me (Cover Me #3) by LA Witt. ebook short. Good short m/m romance following up on Andrew and Nick from Cover Me, who we saw were having problems in Trust Me. I got a little sniffly when things didn’t look too promising for the guys…
The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-Bearing Critters by Amy lane. ebook. Very cute holiday m/m romance about a grumbly Colorado alpaca rancher who takes a liking to the cute younger guy who moves in next door.
Let It Snow by Devon Rhodes. ebook short. Good short kinky holiday m/m romance about a professional house sitter who’s feeling lonely and a little sorry for himself on Christmas Eve as he falls asleep making a wish…
What Can Be by Mary Calmes. ebook. Good holiday m/m romance about a guy who hasn’t seen his father or brothers for 13 years, since his mom took him and left. Since then, he’s avoided getting close to people… except he has and now he’s running away from that.
Happiness for Beginners by Zahra Owens. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about two guys, one gay and one presumably straight, who used to play a gay couple on a tv show but haven’t seen each other for ten years. And then the straight one shows up at the other guy’s front door out of the blue…
Winter Rescue by Dawn Kimberly Johnson. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about a guy trying to make it home for the holidays after not seeing his family for a few years, but he ends up in the ditch during a bitterly cold and snowy night and almost doesn’t make it home…
A Walk in the Dark by Kate McMurray. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about a guy with a crush on his roommate’s boyfriend. This needed to be just a bit longer to be a satisfying read.
Prey Time by Sue Brown. ebook short. Steamy m/m/m encounter between a guy in a bar and a couple he picks up… or do they pick him up?
Cherry Pie by Samantha Kane. ebook. Pretty good m/m romance about a wealthy guy who recently moved to a small town in North Carolina from San Diego. One morning, he discovers the son of his house’s former (deceased) owner sitting outside. Alas, I never got fully invested in the main characters as a couple.
No One Should Be Alone by Tinnean. ebook. Ok holiday m/m romance about two operatives in a top-secret government agency who hook up. This one just didn’t work for me – not only could I simply not get into the story, it was told in alternating first-person with insufficiently distinct voices, so I kept getting confused.
Feels Like Home by Rowan McAllister. ebook. Sweet m/m holiday romance about two guys who end up spending a couple of days together because of a snowstorm. Editing inconsistencies kept annoying me and pulling me out of the story. (Really, that spare tire that got run over by a Hummer H2 at the beginning of the story? You’re not going to be putting it on and driving on it later in the story…)
Bringing Home the Ice Prince by Jana Downs. ebook short. Meh short m/m holiday romance written in the sort of flowery, over-the-top style that annoys me no end.


“Can’t… quite… hit… the… itchy… spot…” – Mayhem

Linkity of the Doomed



Congrats to Fehu, who won Crescendo (Song of the Fallen #2) by Rachel Haimowitz!

Congrats to SueM, who won Men Under the Mistletoe by Ava March, Josh Lanyon, Harper Fox, and KA Mitchell! Men Under the Mistletoe will be released on December 5 by Carina Press. (The stories will also be released separately.)

Congrats to Tracey D, who won While Under the Influence (Perfect Timing #8) by Kim Dare! While Under the Influence will be released by Total-E-Bound on December 5.


Not enough linkity for you today? You could check out last week’s poor neglected linkity… 😉



Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Do, Make, Learn

Holidity

Gift Guidity

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

  • Toilet paper personality types. (Hmm. I have to keep the toilet paper in the cabinet under the sink, protected by a childproof lock, or Chaos turns it into confetti.)

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Men Under the Mistletoe by Ava March, Harper Fox, Josh Lanyon, & KA Mitchell. ebook collection. Another exceptional collection of holiday-themed m/m romance from Carina Press. Ava March’s historical was very good. (Poor Sasha! Then… poor Thomas!) Harper Fox’s story drew me in slowly, then seduced me utterly. So good! Its excellent epilogue should serve as the standard to which all other epilogues should strive. Josh Lanyon’s story was a pretty good read, but left me with too many unanswered questions to be truly satisfying. Finally, KA Mitchell’s story kept me wondering how things were going to turn out until the absolute end.
Winter Warmers by Clare London, Chrissy Munder, Lou Harper, Josephine Myles, & JL Merrow. ebook collection. This m/m romance holiday collection is perfectly titled – these are heartwarming, cozy tales that will help you find your holiday spirit as you curl up on your couch with your ebook reader. (Yes, they are also sexy tales. I know you were wondering!) 😉
Simple Gifts (Cornwall Novellas #2) by LB Gregg. ebook short. Very good short m/m holiday romance about an emotionally closed off bar owner who’s dragged to a holiday party, where he runs into the guy who loved and left him for the military without a word ten years ago.
Dudleytown (Cornwall Novellas #1) by LB Gregg. ebook short. reread. Very good Halloween-themed m/m romance about some 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.
Trompe L’oeil by KC Burn. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a history professor who’s been a bit of a hermit since he dumped his cheating boyfriend six months ago. When he moves into a new apartment, his sister gives him a mysteriously compelling nude portrait of a Depression-era artist…
“A Calling for Pleasure” (Lars & Rael #1) by JL Merrow (from The Care and Feeding of Demons). short from ebook collection. I just read “A Calling for Pleasure” because it’s the first story in an m/m paranormal romance series by J.L. Merrow about two detectives for the Paranormal Enforcement Agency. In this short, the detectives are after a succubus who’s leaving a trail of dead guys behind her. The male detective (non-romantic detective pairing, not to worry) becomes fascinated by a male succubus (why didn’t they just call him an incubus?!) who’s picked up during the investigation…
A Blast from the Past (Lars & Rael #2) by JL Merrow. ebook. Good short paranormal m/m romance in which the detectives are trying to catch a demonic firestarter.
A Wish Too Far (Lars & Rael #3) by JL Merrow. ebook. In this one, our detectives are after a mysterious person who’s making and pushing pills that grant wishes… slightly twisted.
Broken Memories (In the Shadow of the Wolf #2) by Diane Adams & RJ Scott. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about the wolf shifter rescued at the end of the last book, who’s terrified of shifting and can’t remember much from before his rescue. I don’t think this book was long enough for the amount of story being told. At times, things seemed to jump ahead inexplicably, as if parts were missing.
Someone Special by TC Blue. ebook. Good holiday m/m romance about a photographer working as a Santaland elf who gets involved with a somewhat prickly, time-crunched guy also working as an elf. This started out much stronger than it finished – the last 1/4 of the book got painfully sugary and repetitive.
Tribe (Todd Mills #2) by RD Zimmerman. Pretty good gay mystery in which an old friend of Todd’s reveals secrets kept since their college days as some creepy fundamentalists with nefarious intent close in. I didn’t like this as much as I liked the first book – way too much time spent with the creepy fundamentalists.
Working It Out by Sara York. ebook. Meh m/m romance about a gym owner whose partner died six months ago. He’s surprised to find himself with feelings for a handsome closeted doctor. Such a frustrating read! The main characters’ intentions and emotions seemed to flip flop on every page. There were not one but two psycho women intent on seducing the gay main characters. The writing was choppy and simplistic. *sigh*


“What a long week! I’m exhausted!” -Mayhem

The land that linkity forgot



Congrats to jayhjay, who won Broken Memories (In the Shadow of the Wolf #2) by RJ Scott & Diane Adams! Broken Memories will be released by Silver Publishing on November 26.

Congrats to Brandi R, who won More Than Enough (More #2) by Shawn Lane! More Than Enough will be released by Amber Allure on November 27.



Contests

Bookity

  • Alas, Anne McCaffrey died this week. My very first hardcover purchase was her book The White Dragon, which I still have. It cost… $8.95 and appears to be valued a bit above that now.

Ebookity

Think, Do, Learn, Make

Holidity

Cookity

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Cop Out by KC Burn. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a straight cop who, after his partner on the force is killed in the line of duty, discovers that his partner was gay and had been in a long-term relationship. As he helps his dead partner’s boyfriend, he finds himself reevaluating his own sexuality…
Private Dicks by Katie Allen. ebook. reread. Well, um, it’s the second time I’ve reread this book this year and the fourth time I’ve read it in the past two years. Do I need to say more? 🙂
Hide Out (Private Dicks #2) by Katie Allen. ebook. reread. Third time I’ve reread this one, second time I’ve reread it this year. 🙂
The Second Door by TC Blue. ebook. Good holiday m/m romance about a guy who has a crush on his best friend and downstairs neighbor. He doesn’t want to chance their friendship, so he has to watch as his friend makes bad dating choices over and over…
Make a Right by Willa Okati. ebook. I’m pretty sure I cried for 2/3 of this book. I’m pretty sure I’ll have a crying hangover in the morning, too. The struggling couple in this m/m romance just got to me, over and over… and I can’t even tell you that it was anything other than a decent, angsty read, because I can’t step back far enough from the emotional impact it had on me. Your mileage will definitely vary. 🙂
It’s Not Shakespeare by Amy Lane. ebook. Sweet m/m romance about a community college professor who becomes involved with a younger mechanic introduced to him by one of his students.
This Rough Magic (A Shot in the Dark #1) by Josh Lanyon. ebook. Good m/m mystery set in the 1930s about a young man who fears that his sister’s thuggish boyfriend has stolen a valuable Shakespeare folio, so he hires a private investigator to find the folio. Sadly, this read too much like every other Josh Lanyon mystery.
The Closer You Get (The Distance Between Us #2) by LA Witt. ebook. Good m/m romance about an unrepentantly slutty bartender who befriends a virginal college student and helps him get rid of that pesky virginity, then panics when he realizes he’s developed feelings for his friend. I struggled a bit with this one because I had been frustrated by the previous book, The Distance Between Us.
The Name of the Game (Game #1) by Willa Okati. ebook. reread. Good m/m romance about a gay DJ who has a crush on his straight cop roommate. In an attempt to get rid of his psycho girlfriend, the cop decides to pretend to be gay and the DJ’s boyfriend and things get a bit complicated…
Starch Contrast (A Choose Your Own M/M Romance Story) by Deanna Wadsworth. free ebook short. Cute short story about a shy m/m romance author who goes to a gay romance conference in Idaho. (Sorry, you’re just going to have to read it to find out why there’s a potato on the cover…)
Altered Heart by Kate Steele. ebook. reread. Pretty good paranormal m/m romance about a werewolf enforcer who kills a psychotic alpha werewolf and rescues the young man/werewolf being kept as a pet by said psychotic alpha werewolf. It felt like the author was setting things up for a second book, but it doesn’t appear to exist.
Imperfect by Cassidy Ryan. ebook. Ok m/m romance about two cops who are partners at work and bed partners off duty. But one is prickly and erratic and just might explode… This had a lot of potential; however, the book wasn’t long enough for that potential to be realized, so it ended up feeling abrupt and not exactly believable.


“Why are you calling me a green-eyed monster?!” -Chaos

Linkity: The post-birthday, pre-Thanksgiving edition



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? 🙂

In which I can’t think of a clever title for linkity and so just ramble on in the title box for a while instead



If you’d like to learn a bit more about me, I’m featured on Coffee Time at Coffee and Porn in the morning today. Beware if you stray off that page, because most of the posts are NSFW.



Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Make, Do, Learn

  • When I told people I was going to drive to New Orleans for vacation, nearly everyone asked if I had a GPS and seemed distressed to learn I do not have one. But it was ok! I have a pretty good sense of direction. Rediscover yours and wean yourself from your GPS. 😉

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Missing Daughter, Shattered Family (David Lloyd Investigations #1) by Liz Strange. ebook. Very good m/m mystery (with a bit of romance) about a cop-turned-PI who’s hired to find a troubled young woman. The case becomes increasingly complex, and he finds himself dealing with unresolved issues from his own past. I’m really looking forward to the next book in this series!
His Last Resort by Devon Rhodes. free ebook short. Cute free short m/m romance about a college freshman who’s decided to come out when he arrives at college. It doesn’t go so smoothly at first…
One More Wish (Wish #2) by Devon Rhodes. ebook. Very good m/m paranormal romance that starts out in parallel with One Wild Wish, although from Benny’s point-of-view. Benny wants to spend time with the shifter he can’t get out of his mind, but why does Curtis keep making excuses not to see him?
In the Wild (Wish #2.5) by Devon Rhodes. free ebook short. Steamy free short paranormal m/m romance about Benny and Rory waiting for their guys to show up.
Healer (The Institute #1) by Cassandra Gold. ebook. Very good m/m paranormal romance about a doctor who can heal people with his mind. Bad guys who want to capture him and use his power for their own ends are closing in on him when a purportedly good guy offers him a way out.
Friction (Dominion #0.1) by Lissa Kasey. free ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m romance that introduces an unusual male witch and his sometimes vampire lover. Set in the Twin Cities of Minnesota! 🙂
Decadence (Dominion #0.2) by Lissa Kasey. free ebook short. Good short m/m paranormal romance about male witch Seiran, who’s preparing to bake a cake for his mother’s birthday when his sometimes lover stops by.
Resolute (Dominion #0.3) by Lissa Kasey. free ebook short. Good short m/m paranormal romance in which Sei starts to work at the bar his sometimes lover owns.
Inheritance (Dominion #1) by Lissa Kasey. ebook. Very good m/m paranormal romance in which someone is trying to make it appear that Sei is murdering other witches. Fortunately, his vampire boyfriend, Gabe, and the mysterious Jamie have Sei’s back. I’m really enjoying this series – the next book is already queued up on my ereader.
Chance’s Vindication (Lost Shifters #13) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Good m/m paranormal romance about Raven shifter Chance, who feels extremely out of place staying with the Feline Coalition – a situation that his crabby Lion Shifter guardian doesn’t do anything to remedy. I did want to smack Chance for some TSTL behavior later in the story.
A Fix in Time by Jade Falconer. ebook. So-so scifi m/m romance about a guy who works for an organization charged with keeping people from tampering with the past. He’s sent back to the 1800s to fix major time tampering and capture those responsible. He doesn’t mean to get involved with a guy from the past… This had too much infodumping and the writing felt stilted to me.


“You are all in so, so, sooooo much trouble. I saw what you did there. I won’t tell if you give me kitty treats.” -Chaos