Which may explain why four of the 5 books I reviewed this month were romances - guess it even got to yours truly! (I'm not going all soft on you though, dearest nerdlets, I'm still your Rebel Valentine! Lol.)
Showing posts with label contemporary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contemporary. Show all posts
Wednesday 8 March 2017
Month in Review(s) - February 2017
February. The shortest of months, and the one with Valentine's Day crammed into the middle there.
Monday 27 February 2017
Review Time! - Outsider by Olivia Cunning
Title: Outsider
Author:
Olivia Cunning
Genre: Romance (M/M/F; M/F; M/M,) LGBTQ+ (and polyamorous,) Contemporary
Genre: Romance (M/M/F; M/F; M/M,) LGBTQ+ (and polyamorous,) Contemporary
Series: Exodus End (#2)
A
few starting notes:
I
received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley.
NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair
and honest reviews.
This book is #2 in a series, but they're more companion novels - focussing on different characters - rather than one continuous story.
Plus, even the publishers say that it can be read as standalone (so it's not just me this time!)
This book is 18+ only, on account of the amount of graphic sexy-times.
Huge thanks to Naz @ Read Diverse Books for taking the time to discuss queer and Latinx rep with me - any mistakes are 100% mine.
If any Latinx, queer male, and/or polyamorous reviewers have reviewed this title, let me know - I would love to link to your review.
If any Latinx, queer male, and/or polyamorous reviewers have reviewed this title, let me know - I would love to link to your review.
This was a difficult one to review (which is why I keep procrastinating!) because there's so much the author got right, but also so much she got wrong, and I have to somehow explain all that!
So let's give this a shot!
Premise:
Meet Reagan, the new guitarist with Exodus End. She's kind of feeling like an imposter right now - after all, Exodus End are rock legends.
She's also trying to keep the fact that she's dating both Ethan and Trey, together, as a unit, a secret.
Meet Trey, guitarist with Sinners. Though he's Reagan's public boyfriend, he'd prefer things between him and Ethan to be public too.
Meet Ethan - Reagan's body-guard.
Ethan's still in the closet, so admitting he's in a relationship with both Reagan and Trey is out of the question.
But with the tabloids around, and the music business to navigate, things are not going to be plain sailing!
She's also trying to keep the fact that she's dating both Ethan and Trey, together, as a unit, a secret.
Meet Trey, guitarist with Sinners. Though he's Reagan's public boyfriend, he'd prefer things between him and Ethan to be public too.
Meet Ethan - Reagan's body-guard.
Ethan's still in the closet, so admitting he's in a relationship with both Reagan and Trey is out of the question.
But with the tabloids around, and the music business to navigate, things are not going to be plain sailing!
Best
bits:
Trey is a beautiful character - he's such a darling, and Cunning writes him with real affection and a real understanding of his feelings and his vulnerabilities.
Basically, if I had to pick the best aspect of this book, Trey would be it. He's amazing.
I also loved the way the romance wasn't the only thing going on here - each of our trio has their own life, their own hopes, their own personality. They're complete people, not just defined by their relationship.
I liked that we get scenes from each of the characters' points-of-view (POVs,) without the other main characters present, and that we get an understanding of their relationships with family members, friends, etc.
Can we also point out that polyamory is portrayed as a viable and healthy relationship (albeit not perfect)? I think we can. Guys, that's just awesome.
And the relationship itself is not 2-dimensional. People say the wrong thing, they mess up, but they also make things better, comfort each other, make each other laugh etc.
Basically, if I had to pick the best aspect of this book, Trey would be it. He's amazing.
I also loved the way the romance wasn't the only thing going on here - each of our trio has their own life, their own hopes, their own personality. They're complete people, not just defined by their relationship.
I liked that we get scenes from each of the characters' points-of-view (POVs,) without the other main characters present, and that we get an understanding of their relationships with family members, friends, etc.
Can we also point out that polyamory is portrayed as a viable and healthy relationship (albeit not perfect)? I think we can. Guys, that's just awesome.
And the relationship itself is not 2-dimensional. People say the wrong thing, they mess up, but they also make things better, comfort each other, make each other laugh etc.
Of course, the rock music was one of the draws of this book to me - obviously, you can't hear it, but the whole rock-star deal gave this book a centre and a vibe that was pretty cool.
Cunning also explores the issues of being in the public eye, and the problems with being a woman in what is still predominantly a male industry.
People think you got where you are because of sex, because of your looks, etc. - not because of your talent.
Reagan's frustration at the sexist press, fans, and the band management who want to turn her into a sex symbol, is more than justified.
She knows she's good enough to be there. But everyone else seems determined to undermine her achievements.
'She knows she's good enough to be there...' Click to Tweet
Not so great bits:
The potentially distressing content in this book is:
- homophobia
- homophobic slurs
- biphobia
- bigotry against polyamory
- sexism
- sexist insults
- grief
- parental rejection/abandonment
- press harassment
- libel
- being closeted
- coming out
- being outed
- past emotional abuse (sexual-related)
- jealousy/overprotectiveness
- rough sex
- one brief but graphic instance of gore
- references to gangs
- references to past stalking and physical assault
I think that's everything - sorry if I missed anything.
There's also a lot of swearing, and a lot of graphic sex, often involving three people. And there's some references to BDSM.
OK, there were some issues with the representation of various themes/groups of people in this book, so I'm gonna try and break it down for you the best I can, and as efficiently and clearly as I can.
Spoilers are marked in square brackets [] - and written in white.
Relationship issues:
[Trey] recounts a tale of emotional abuse with a very sexual element when he has a relationship with [Brian.]
Despite that, he's still friends with [Brian] and sees him in a generally positive light.
Look, this emotional abuse involved (this is potentially triggering as well as spoilerific) [turning him around, refusing to look at his face, and telling him to be a girl during sex.]
From where I'm stood, that's messed up.
The way Ethan acts towards Trey can also be very possessive and jealous - I didn't find it over-the-line, but it wouldn't surprise me if others did.
Latinx (Mexican-American) representation:
(Ethan is Mexican-American, and both Trey and Reagan are white.)
- Negative trope of the homophobic and unaccepting Latinx family - something which gives the impression that all Latinx people are somehow homophobic, and really shouldn't have been tackled by a non-own-voices author.
- Ethan fears that his Latino brothers will beat up and harm his precious white boyfriend - I can't be the only one to see a problem there.
- Strange references to being in a Mariachi band as something shaming to the family, and the family's heritage. This seems inaccurate as Mariachi players take pride in their music, and the music is part of Mexican culture.
- Ethan has a different last name to the rest of his family. In context, this serves as a distancing of Ethan - who has a more Anglicised name - from the rest of his family, and makes that part of his life and heritage seem more 'Other.'
Polyamorous representation:
My main problem with this aspect was that, even though I know this is an'erotic romance,' the polyamorous people here are written as being heavy on the sexy times, and 'not satisfied' by only one partner.
While of course polyamorous people can have high sex drives, so can monogamous people.
The linking of libido with polyamory gives the wrong impression about polyamory as a whole.
And the repeated portrayal of sex-hungry polyamory in media can lead to some very persistent stereotyping.
Queer/LGBTQ+ representation:
- Ethan takes more offense to the word queer than the word perversion. While I get that queer was being used as a slur in this context... are we just supposed to let the perversion comment slide...?
- Being gay or bisexual is described as a lifestyle more than once. As I've said before, I don't like this, but it's a personal thing.
- The author gave the impression of confusion between the terms gay and bisexual (more in the 'sexual fluidity representation' section.)
Sexual fluidity representation:
If Reagan is the only girl Ethan has ever been attracted to, then fine, but you've really got to know what you're doing when you write that. And Cunning doesn't seem to.
I like that Ethan is questioning, rather than just going, 'ok, I'm bi now!' but in places, Cunning doesn't really seem to understand that there's a difference between the term gay and the term bisexual.
If that's supposed to be because Ethan is questioning, then say that. Don't just casually put gay in when he's in a relationship with a man and a woman.
(And yes, I know it can be an umbrella term, but since Ethan previously identified as gay, it might be an idea to be clearer about these things.)
It gives the impression of Ethan's sexuality changing simply for the purpose of the plot, and so that Cunning can write three-way sex-scenes, rather than because she supports fluidity or homoflexibility/being gay-fluid.
That's disappointing.
Verdict:
There need to be more polyamorous romances. And I'm glad that this presents a largely positive view of polyamory.
It's an enjoyable book, but there are a lot of problems with it.
These are problems that can't be ignored, and should be learned from.
It's an enjoyable book, but there are a lot of problems with it.
These are problems that can't be ignored, and should be learned from.
'There need to be more polyamorous romances...' Click to Tweet
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Tuesday 21 February 2017
Really Mini Reviews! - 3 Contemporary F/F (Lesbian) Romances
It's
funny isn't it, how there seems to be a lot more support for M/M
romance than there is for F/F romance?
That's not to say that M/M romance doesn't deserve support (it totally does!) but F/F romance shouldn't have to linger by the wayside.
Now,
I have a habit of reading... pretty much anything I can get my hands
on, which includes F/F romances, of course!
But
I also tend to go for cheap/on-offer, and free books where possible (I'm broke
dammit!) - so in this post, I review 3 short (novella/short story)
contemporary F/F books that I managed to snag as freebies. (Woo!)
All three of these books are classified as lesbian romances; there isn't an awful lot of non-lesbian F/F romance out there, which is another reason F/F romance needs more support!
'3 F/F lesbian romances!' Click to tweet
Title:
Flashbang
Author:
Lee Winter
Verdict:
OK,
this one is 18+ only guys, on account of sexy-times.
This
is about two journalists at a glitzy Hollywood party.
To be honest, there's not much plot – it's a short pre-sexy-times scene, followed by a sexy-times scene.
To be honest, there's not much plot – it's a short pre-sexy-times scene, followed by a sexy-times scene.
But
it actually feels really... intimate, and lovely.
It's got real heart, and it's a small snapshot of a relationship that clearly means a lot to the characters involved.
It's got real heart, and it's a small snapshot of a relationship that clearly means a lot to the characters involved.
Title:
The Morning After
Author:
Jae
Verdict:
This
is really sweet, fluffy, and enjoyable.
Kathryn
wakes up at a strange apartment, with a hangover, not remembering
much from the night before.
I
really loved the stomping all over stereotypes, and the realistic
characters, in this.
I also love the conversations between our main characters, lesbians Kathryn and Michelle, and the whole sweet 'when you least expect it' vibe.
I also love the conversations between our main characters, lesbians Kathryn and Michelle, and the whole sweet 'when you least expect it' vibe.
If
you're looking for something sweet (but not too
sweet,) light, and free of sex-scenes, I really
recommend this one. It's well written t'boot! :)
However, some people might find some of the language used in the opening
date scene ableist towards people with mental health problems.
('Psycho,' 'loony,' - that kind of thing.)
I
personally wasn't bothered, but I can see why it would bother a lot
of people.
Verdict:
This
one is also 18+ on account of sexy-times.
This
was actually less trashy than the title would suggest (or than the
cover would suggest...)
There's actual plot here! (Which I know from M/F romance/erotica, isn't always the case!)
Don't get me wrong though – there was still a lot of graphic sexy-times!
There's actual plot here! (Which I know from M/F romance/erotica, isn't always the case!)
Don't get me wrong though – there was still a lot of graphic sexy-times!
What
I loved about this one though (aside from the romance stuff) was the
real love for books and reading in general that shone through the
writing. That was awesome.
Not
so great was the occasional... odd verb choice... when it came to the
sex scenes. It wasn't terrible. It was just... a bit odd.
Perfect
indulgence reading though.
Like this post? Check some of these out:
Tuesday 7 February 2017
Month in Review(s) - January 2017
Well, that was January 2017... don't blame 2017 too much, guys, it keeps following 2016's examples.
You can check out alllllll of the posts from everyone during the event in this Google+ collection, and most of the posts in this BlogLovin collection.
So, I only reviewed 2 books in January (I know, I know, I need to review more!) and both were for the Disability Diaries:
My other posts for #DisabilityDiaries2017 are listed below:
I'm sure that in time it'll move away from the influence of it's older sibling, who was, let's face it, a freaking disgrace of a year.
2017 though can still be steered in the right direction with the help of intervention programmes, and stopping it from hanging out with the wrong people. We hope.
On a more positive note, this was the month that yours truly, along with Angel, Jolien, Dina, Lara, and our fearless leader, the lovely Ely, ran #DisabilityDiaries2017.
And it rocked. In case you hadn't noticed. ;)
You can check out alllllll of the posts from everyone during the event in this Google+ collection, and most of the posts in this BlogLovin collection.
If I've missed your post out, please let me know! Some of the posts I couldn't add to the BlogLovin collection, because not all of the blogs involved had an account there.
You can also submit your discussion and list posts from the event to The Bookish Diversity Link List 2017.
So, I only reviewed 2 books in January (I know, I know, I need to review more!) and both were for the Disability Diaries:
My other posts for #DisabilityDiaries2017 are listed below:
And that's January! :)
Monday 23 January 2017
My 7 Top Picks of 2016's Books
(This post contains a flashing/fast-moving gif which may cause problems to those with photosensitive medical conditions.)
2016 wasn't 100% bad - just, like, 85%, or something. Anyway, there were some pretty awesome books!
I've purposefully picked books with 2016 release dates here - but I should point out that I also read some pretty great 'back-list' (pre-2016) titles during the year, they're just not on the list.
So, these are my picks of books released in 2016, that I read in 2016. Everyone got that? Great.
(And yes, I know this post is technically 'late' - but I make my own rules dammit!)
I'm also uber-pleased to note that most of these are diverse books - so anyone who says diverse books are lower quality needs to go and ask themselves some serious questions 😇
They are also all written by women - girls rock!
Here we go then (and in no particular order, because I am a wuss who can't rank books over each other):
Nina Is Not Ok by Shappi Khorsandi
For my international readers (and boy is that a phrase I'm never going to get used to,) who may not have heard of her, Shappi Khorsandi is an Iranian-British comedic genius.
Her first novel though, is not light-hearted. It's not funny. It's not for the faint of heart. And it's freaking incredible.
Seriously, this is one that I'm sooooo happy I had a digital review copy of, because I was so privileged to be one of the first people to read it.
Since then, I've basically been like 'read the thing!' whenever it's been possible to recommend it.
And I'm clearly not the only one, since it was recently nominated for the inaugural Jhalak Prize - though Khorsandi unfortunately withdrew the book from the longlist out of concern that drawing attention to her ethnicity might alienate white readers.
It's a disappointing decision, but it's far from my place to tell a person of colour (PoC) how to market their own book.
And it really is a fantastic book guys! You can see my full review here.
Swan Boy by Nikki Sheehan
Nikki Sheehan is a definite talent. I can't wait to see what she comes up with in the future.
Swan Boy is a remarkably artistic and lyrical kids' novel (middle grade/MG) and it's just... a stunningly beautiful read.
Honestly, it's amazing.
Check out my full review of Swan Boy here.
Blood Stain, Vol 1 by Linda Sejic
Linda is an amazing person who writes awesome and oh-so relatable comics that make me laugh and bring me smiles when I need them.
You will love the hapless Elliott as she tries to make her way in this bizarre world of adulting (and she has levels of clumsiness and bad luck that most of us will recognise!)
You can see my full review of Blood Stain, Vol 1 here.
Monstress, Vol 1: The Awakening
ORHGUIREJNGOIRGHNKETMNHOEIROIJTGGWMKRNGHTOI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There are very few books which I consider '5 star' books guys.
(And I have issues with the arbitrary and restrictive nature of star ratings anyway - which is why I don't use them on this blog!)
But, if there is such a thing as a five-star book, then THIS IS A 5 STAR BOOK.
It has everything - fantasy, world-building, a disabled Asian protagonist, and stunning artwork.
And I want to adopt the small fox child. Soooo cute!
The ladies in charge here - Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda - have a lot to be proud of.
You can see my
Santa Muerte by Lucina Stone
One which I haven't reviewed yet (but I will dammit! I will!)
Santa Muerte is an awesome-sauce first instalment in a new-adult urban fantasy series by the lovely Lucina Stone.
What is urban fantasy? It's only an uber-incredible sub-genre of paranormal and fantasy that involves paranormal-types faffing about in cities and/or towns!
Add in the focus on brujas (witches,) and a chatty prose-tone (that's totally a phrase now. Shh,) and what more do you want?!
Luna the Vampire: Grumpy Space by Yasmin Sheikh
Do you want grumpy internet-style humour with bright colours and a millennial attitude? Of course you freaking do!
Seriously, Luna makes me smile. And will make you smile too.
Check out my review here.
Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova
Another bruja book, although a lot different to Santa Muerte, Labyrinth Lost is the beginning of a YA series about a bisexual Brooklyn Latina girl, Alex, who has a big mess to clean up.
This one is so involving, and those of you looking for a new YA obsession and/or fandom need look no further!
You can see my review of Labyrinth Lost here.
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