Mini-Review! - Play Hard by J T Fox

Title: Play Hard

Author: J T Fox

Genre: LGBTQ+, Romance (m/m,)Short Stories, Contemporary

Series: Hot for Him (#1)

Amazon: UK - USA

Verdict:

18+ only

I picked this up for free on Kobo, because I have an addiction to free smut.

This is about two American football players who play for rival teams... and just happen to fancy the pants off each other (quite literally - this is a steamy romance dammit!)

I didn't understand a word of the American football stuff, but luckily it served as background more than plot.

Amongst all the naughty goings-on (which are mighty hot, might I add!) Jordan and Eric are dodging match-fixing scandals, helping out sports programmes, doing news interviews, and hiding in the closet so far that they can probably see Narnia!

The closet-thing is for their careers (the inference being that gay players will be dropped from the team.) But they just can't seem to keep their hands off each other...

And all this in just over 50 pages!

Seriously, this is quick and breathless and damned hot. Luckily there are plenty of references to showers, so you can cool down.

There's also actual relationship stuff: will-they-won't-they moments and some feelings stuck in for good measure. So it's not just about the pretty faces ;)

Buy Now UK - Buy Now USA - Goodreads – Author's Facebook

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The Month in Review(s) - February 2016

Ah, February - a month of storms and Valentine's cards. And books of course.

 

Check out all my reviews from this month...

 



Kids

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (aka just 'The Lightning Thief') by Rick Riordan - Fantasy, Mythology

Adult

Today Means Amen by Sierra DeMulder - Poetry
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - Classics, Romance
The Trouble With Wolves (aka 'The Trouble With Weres') by Leigh Evans - Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Werewolves, Fairies/Fae
Omega Beloved by Aiden Bates - Romance (m/m,) Paranormal, Fantasy, Werewolves, LGBTQ+, Short Story

Graphic Novels

Grumpy Cat Volume 1 - Kids, Humour, Media Tie-In
Red Sonja/Conan: The Blood of a God - Fantasy, High Fantasy 

Popcorn Reviews (Film)

Seventh Son (2014)

Mini-Review! - Omega Beloved by Aiden Bates

Title: Omega Beloved.

Author: Aiden Bates.

Genre: Romance (m/m,) Paranormal, Fantasy, Werewolves, Short Story, LGBTQ+

Series: Omega Beloved #1

Amazon: (UK - US)

Verdict:

This is an 18+ book - I mean it! (Stay in school, don't commit crimes, etc. etc. - don't let your parents yell at me. Please.)

This is a book that I mentioned in my post on guilty pleasures - and how we need to ditch the 'guilt' part.

Basically, what we have here is a fairly steamy m/m werewolf romance. It follows the Omegaverse trope - something which will be fairly familiar to fanfiction readers like myself.

It's also quite sweet in places, very well-written, and there's signs of real character development, and real heart.

So, yeah, I thought it was pretty damned awesome - even though, at 35 pages, it's short to say the least. Time well spent.

Buy Now UK - Buy Now USA - Goodreads – Author's Facebook

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Pleasure, Not Guilt

No more guilty pleasures.

I refuse to feel guilty about what I read.

The other day, I stopped, I stalled, I hesitated. I didn't want to record books I'd read on my Goodreads - even though that would've upped the number-count on my challenge.

Because, putting it frankly... it was m/m werewolf porn.



Felt the need to put a full moon in here... just because.

So I hesitated - I didn't want family and friends seeing what I'd read, because I didn't want them thinking I was weird (well... ship has probably sailed on that one... weird-er.)

(By the way, the reason that I don't share my Goodreads profile with you lovely people is that it's linked to personal social media accounts, and, knowing my luck, I'll be the one who the crazy mad-axe-murdering stalker decides to fixate on. It's just inevitable.)

So, did I actually add those books to my account?

Damn right I did!

I suddenly realised that I had to - because otherwise I'm sending a message that some types of books are 'worthier' than others. And you know what? That's simply not true.

Those books (Omega Beloved by Aiden Bates and Omega in Heat by Heather Silver - you can tell that I usually read a lot of fanfiction, right?) while short, and not what many would consider 'literature,' still had things to say.

And, actually, Omega Beloved in particular was very well-written, and gave a lot of scope for development in the further books of the series.

To further fan the flames of controversy -

I've tried to read Possession by A S Byatt not once, but twice. This is a 'literary' and 'worthy' book that a lot of people flap on about and are over the moon for.

I couldn't finish it. I couldn't get on with it. I just couldn't connect; I found it too pretentious and wooden.

Would I say that, to me, the time spent reading Omega Beloved was time better spent than the time I spent trying to force my way through Possession? Completely and utterly.

I'm not saying that people shouldn't read things held in critical regard.

Quite the opposite. I'm saying people should be accepting of both.

I didn't like Possession - a lot of people did. To those who genuinely enjoyed it - good on you. It wasn't my cup of tea, so what?

And if m/m romance isn't your cup of tea? Fine. I don't mind. But please don't think there's anything wrong with reading it - or anything else, for that matter, just because other people don't.

Reading is the key part - and then, you can judge the book on its own merits, instead of on preconceptions of genre or style.

No more guilty pleasures! We shouldn't have to feel guilty about reading what we enjoy.

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The Alternative Valentine's Playlist Part 3 - Destructive Love

Part 3 - the final part! - of my alternative Valentine's playlist. Aren't you excited? :P

Sooooo, this third part is all about destructive love - y'know, the down-side of things, the burn-a-hole-in-your-heart side of things. That's fun, right? ;)

A reminder that this is my personal taste in music - which tends to err on the emo/rock/indie/punk side of things.

And there's probably swearing in here somewhere.

Green Day - Brutal Love

Argh! This song! I love this song! It's like a soul-filled punch to the chest - in a good way. :)

 

My Chemical Romance - I Don't Love You

 

Soooo many levels to this song - all of them very tragic. A beautiful song, and one of my favourites.

 

 

 



 

All American Rejects - Hope He Gives You Hell

 

A bitter break-up song if ever there was one.

 

 

Fall Out Boy Ft. Foxes - Just One Yesterday

 

This is an incredible song about how love hurts. I love this song. So much. So very much!

 

 



James Blunt - Love Love Love

At first glance, you may think this is a lovely song - then, as with all James Blunt songs, you listen to the words and realise it's all about pain :) Enjoy.

 

Hope you've enjoyed my slightly-wacky list-making! :) I know I have.

 

 

 

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The Alternative Valentine's Playlist Part 2 - Unusual Love Songs

So, here's part 2 of my alternative Valentine's playlist: here bright and shiny and new.

Sick of sappy love songs? Here's some alternatives from your dear Cee Arr (me, in case you were wondering) - this post is all about 'unusual' love songs.

'Unusual' love songs - for the purposes of this post at least - are songs about the things that normally mean love: weddings, kisses, love in general; that are slightly off-key, quirky, and/or unexpected. Listen to the lyrics, you'll get it.

Again, this is my personal taste in music - which tends to err on the emo/rock/indie/punk side of things.

There's probably swearing in here somewhere.

The Killers - When You Were Young

'He doesn't look a thing like Jesus...'

 

Panic! At the Disco - I Write Sins Not Tragedies

 

'But what a shame the poor groom's bride is a whore...'

 



 

Fall Out Boy ft Big Sean - The Mighty Fall

 

"How the mighty fall/ the mighty fall/ how the mighty fall in love...'

 

 

AFI - Love Like Winter

 

"She wanted love/ I tasted blood...'

 



 

So, there you go! Tomorrow's (last) portion of the list will be about Destructive Love (yes, I know some of today's could've gone in there - shhh.)

 

 

 

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The Alternative Valentine's Playlist Part 1 - Diverse Love

It's nearly Valentine's day again, and everywhere there are fluffy hearts and balloons and teddies and the whatnot.

There are also plenty of love songs faffing around the place - and I figured, why not provide some alternatives to the usual cohort of sappy ballads? So I give you, The Alternative Valentine's Playlist.

Part 1 is a short list of songs about diverse love. Songs which deal with LGBTQ+ themes and love - literally or by clear subtext.

Obviously, this is a list that I've thrown together, and only represents my own musical tastes (which tend to veer towards the weird/emo/rock,) but I hope you enjoy it!

Oh, and there's probably swearing in one or more of these songs, just to warn you.

Panic! At the Disco - Girls/Girls/Boys

A really catchy song with about as clear a message as you're ever likely to come across: 'girls love girls and boys/ and love is not a choice.'

 

Mika - Billy Brown

 

A song about a man who 'fell in love with another man.'

 

 

 

Mika - Toy Boy

 

This is subtext rather than overt, but I think it speaks for itself: 'Had a boy once who loved me/ Now he's so afraid of me.'

 

 

Placebo - Nancy Boy

 

A fairly deep song (with a freaky video,) that talks a lot about gender and sexual fluidity.

 

 

 



 

 

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Mini-Review! (Classics Edition!) - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Title: Jane Eyre

Author: Charlotte Bronte

Genre: Classics, Romance

Amazon: UK - USA

Verdict:

Awesome, awesome, awesome book! I just finished re-reading this, and I forgot how much I love this book!

Some people may find the prose and style old-fashioned (but given that this book was published in the 1840s, that's hardly surprising,) but the effort you put in really does pay off.

Honestly, I adore this book - if you love creepy, atmospheric, novels with complex characters, societal conventions to use and rebel against, and secrets upon secrets, then this book is for you too!

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads

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The Month in Review(s) - January 2016

From now on I'm going to provide a brief 'Month in Review(s)' post.

This is literally a re-cap of all the reviews that I've written this month, collated in one post.

So now you can take a shufty at the books (and the odd film) that I've reviewed in the month, and catch up on any you may have missed.

Enjoy! :)

Kids

Hetty Feather by Jacqueline Wilson - Historical Fiction

Young Adult

Dark Hope by Monica McGurk -  Angels, Paranormal.
The Invisibles by Francis Gideon - Romance (M/M), LGBTQ+.



Adult

Dead Ice by Laurell K Hamilton - Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Zombies, Vampires, Crime, LGBTQIAP+
Poetry From the Lady of the Pier by Effrosyni Moschoudi - Poetry, Short Stories, Chick Lit

Graphic Novels

STARVE Vol 1 - dystopian

Non-fiction

Death, Disability, and the Superhero: The Silver Age and Beyond by Jose Alaniz

Popcorn Reviews (Film)

Batman (1989)
Constantine (2005)


I'll do a Charity Reading Challenge 2016 update when I've actually read something towards it. (Note to self: remember to read stuff for that challenge.)

The Invisibles by Francis Gideon Now Available on Amazon

The Invisibles by Francis Gideon - a short story of life and romance between teenage boy Mike and his new friend Johnny, is now available on Amazon. You can see my full review here.

I really enjoyed this book - it was sweet, well-written, and thoughtful. If it looks like your kind of thing, then give it a try.

Full Disclosure: I am an Amazon Associate and will receive a small commission should you choose to use any of my links to make a purchase. I received a free digital review copy of the 'The Invisibles' from the publishers, via NetGalley, in return for an honest and fair review.


                                                

Buy Now UK - Buy Now USA - Goodreads – Author's Site

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Review! (Yaaaay!) - The Invisibles by Francis Gideon

Title: The Invisibles.

Author: Francis Gideon.

Genre: YA, Romance (M/M), Contemporary, LGBTQ+.

Release Date: Jan 6 2016.

Amazon: UK - USA.

A few starting notes:

I received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley. NetGalley provides review copies from publishers (in this case +Less Than Three Press, LLC ) in exchange for fair and honest reviews.

I didn't really have any expectations of this short story - never heard of it, never heard of the author. I picked it solely on the premise, because it seemed quite interesting.

Premise:

Mike is the new kid in school. No one suspects that the 9th of September, 2001, will be anything but another day.

In the chaos that hits the whole country when the towers fall, Mike slips out of school with Ray and Johnny - and they bond over movies and comic books.

Against a backdrop of comics and friendship, Mike starts to wonder if Johnny has his own secret identity... and if it's an identity he's willing to share.

Best bits:

This is a really sweet (but luckily not overly sweet,) story - capturing perfectly the awkwardness of teen identity, friendship, and romance.

The awkwardness never gets cringe-y, and remains cute but not patronising. To be honest, achieving this balance is pretty damned difficult to achieve, and I was impressed by the level of skill that Francis Gideon uses to pull it off.

I also love the comic-book language that the boys use to converse, and to make their way through life.

Of course, being a total nerd, and knowing that comics are more than just comics, I would delight in these bits - but I'm pretty sure non-comics-savvy-folk would understand enough to not be left in the dark.

Not so great bits:

Some people may not be too happy about the references to porn, but there's nothing graphic sex-wise here. There is some swearing, which won't be to everyone's taste.

Occasionally, there is an awkwardness to some of the prose - maybe the syntax (order of the words - check me out with my technical terms and my smarticalness!) is a bit off in places. It's not a big problem, but it's a little jarring when reading.

To me, the 9/11 fixation seemed a little much, but then I was very small and living in South Wales at the time, so wouldn't know to what extent it affected everyday life in the USA.

Verdict:

This is a sweet and well-written romance with an excellent depiction of the awkwardness of teenage social life, and the uncertainties of love and identity.

It flows really well, and will melt some of the most frozen of hearts.

Buy Now UK - Buy Now USA - Goodreads – Author's Site

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Review Time! (Yay!) - Carnevale by Michelle Lovric

Title: Carnevale.

Author: Michelle Lovric (M. R. Lovric.)

Genre: Historical fiction, Romance.
 

USA Link.

A few starting notes:

I'd previously read The Book of Human Skin by Michelle Lovric (US link) - which I loved. So when I saw this, with its bold and eye-catching cover, in my library, I picked it up (that really does make me sound so easily distracted... which I can't really deny...)

Premise:

Fictional painter, Cecilia Cornaro, tells the tale of her life and loves in the Venetian Republic as it slowly disintegrates. What unfolds is a description of her two greatest love affairs - with Casanova, and Lord Byron.

Best bits:

Lovric has clearly researched her primary male leads - Casanova and Byron - very well.

 

Separating man from myth (was Casanova black? what was Byron really like as a person?) is almost impossible with these figures, but Lovric simply uses this mythologising as a theme, and for detail, uses the interpretations of history which most suit the plot and characterisation of the novel.

 

This is a novel of myths and masks, and whether we really know the people behind them; Lovric weaves themes around themselves with skill and style, making for a book filled with intensity, emotion, and dubious morality.

 

Lovric's writing is lush and detailed - every inch of prose has its own rhythm and flow. Her style and talent evoke vividly the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries - and the exoticism and mystique of Venice.

 

Venice is almost another character here - I hear that a lot about places in books, but it seems true in this case - as if Venice (or 'La Serenissima,') is an active participant in the events. Plus, the (often risqué) Venetian proverbs are great.

Not so great bits:

As can be imagined in a book which features two of history's greatest (and most notorious) lovers as main characters, there is a lot of sex. Rarely is this gratuitous or graphic, but it's there. There's also a bunch of swearing.

 

More uncomfortable though is the amount of abuse in this book. This book has descriptions of, or references to, pretty much any type of abuse you can think of: emotional, physical, sexual, animal, child...

 

Often the reader is made unwillingly complicit: Cecilia is a very young teenager throughout her affair with Casanova, and, if anything, the sexual relationship between teenager and significantly older man is glamorised and romanticised.

Looked at objectively (and in a modern light,) it's creepy, but the book somehow manages to turn it into this beautiful love, which Cecilia holds onto as the ideal relationship - not sure I'm all that comfortable with this.

 

There are other issues here which might be distressing to some readers - homophobia, incest, the loss of children, and suicide, for example, all feature.

 

It should also be mentioned, briefly, that real historical figures commit fictional offenses - this is fine in terms of plot and story, but the reader should remember that the real Byron and Casanova did not act like this towards Cecilia, because there was no real Cecilia. (It's that tricksy man and myth thing again!)

 

This is also a very long book (over 600 pages,) which may put off some readers.

Verdict:

While there are certainly moral issues with this book, it's still magnificently written, and an exceptionally good read.

If you're looking for a tale of love, loss, and the intoxicating Venice, you will find few other books which succeed in taking you away to this time and this place so vividly.

 

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA - Goodreads – Author's Site

Books Everyone Else Seems to Have Read (But I Haven't)

My TBR list is currently taller than I am (not that that's difficult - I'm short,) but there are books that everyone else seems to have read which I just... haven't. Not that I particularly mind. I'll either get around to it eventually or I never really wanted to read it in the first place. But I thought it would be fun to have a little meander through the books I haven't read which everyone else has.

A lot of these turned out to be YA, but I guess that's because I read a lot of YA in general, and it's such a popular genre. I'm sure there's more than what's on this list - but this is what I could think of right now.

Catching Fire and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

I know! I loved The Hunger Games, but just haven't gotten around to reading Catching Fire yet. I do want to - but it's been sitting on my shelf now for what I can only describe as years. I'll read it one day... I just don't know when that day will be.

The Divergent Series by Veronica Roth

I know people who swear by this series - and one of these days, I may even get around to reading it. But currently, I'm not all that bothered either way. It could be cool though, maybe some day I'll give it a try.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I have to admit that I have no real desire to read this. I mean, never say never, but it doesn't really seem like my thing. That's not to say that other people won't enjoy it, but I really just have no drive to read this. Sometimes that happens. Everyone else is raving about something, and you're just there like... meh.

The Maze Runner Series by James Dashner

My best friend loves this - so eventually she will grind me down, and I will have to read it. Not that I mind, it's part of what friends are there for, after all. I tend to like dystopia, so I'll probably enjoy it.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Part of me is like, 'Ooh, that looks interesting!' and then part of me is like, 'But it's going to be some sort of contemporary romance, and those can get silly/annoying really fast.' So, yeah, in two minds about whether or not to read this one.

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

I've read Shiver - the first book in The Wolves of Mercy Falls series - by Maggie Stiefvater, and that was OK. The Raven Cycle actually looks quite interesting, and I wouldn't mind giving it a go.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

I've heard good things about this but it's another one that has me in two minds. Part of me thinks it might be a little pretentious for my tastes - but then I think I'm being the one being snobby by making a snap judgement...


The Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan

I really want to get into this series. I've seen the films, and loved them, and these books seem like they'd be totally on my thing. So, when I get around to it, I will - at some point - read The Lightning Thief, and get sucked in to all the Percy Jackson-ness.

Carrie by Stephen King

I will get around to this! It's on my tbr list! I will read it!

The Fifty Shades Trilogy by E L James

I am in no way a prude (I read fanfiction for Chrissakes!) but I really couldn't care less about Fifty Shades of Grey. All power to you if you like these books - you have the right to read and like to read whatever you want - but I just don't give a damn to be honest. This won't be on my tbr list for the foreseeable future.

Reviewing the Evidence Time Again - Charm by Sarah Pinborough

Title: Charm (US Link)
Author: Sarah Pinborough
Genre: Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Romance
Series: Tales From the Kingdom (#2)

A few starting notes:

Even though this is the second book in Sarah Pinborough's Tales From the Kingdom series, it's not really a sequel as such. Oh, I'm sure there are elements which tie-in with the other books of the series, but I haven't read any of the others, and can confirm that this can certainly be taken as a stand-alone book.

Premise:

Handsome prince? Check. Magic? Check. Ball? Check. Fairy godmother? Urm... there's a bit more to that one. Cinderella? Well, yeah... but she's a bit... different. So, come to think of it, are the step-sisters, and the happily ever after deal is quite complex... This is a fairy-tale, sure, but are you ready for it?

Best bits:

I love the whole inter-weaving fairy-tale world that Sarah Pinborough has created - it's full of magic, but also a creepy gothic-ness that creeps into everything.

I also really admire anyone who can bring a zing of freshness to a tale that's been told so many times - and Pinborough does, by showing that even in fairy-tales, reality is different to what you were expecting.

The illustrations give a welcome portion of gothic pizzazz to the mix, and the book is most definitely readable. I finished it in a matter of days, and found it oh-so-easy to pick up and read, and not so easy to put down again.

Not so great bits:

A lot of people will find the degree of naughtiness going on here jarring when compared to the squeaky Disney-clean image of Cinderella et. al. they were provided with in childhood. Some may even find it distasteful - I'm honestly not all that bothered, since it didn't really get in the way of the plot, but a lot of people won't like Cinders erring towards debauchery!

I know this is fantasy - own world, own rules, etc. But, the main thing that bothered me here was that I felt I couldn't get a good enough feel for the setting - was this medieval levels of technology and styles of fashion, or closer to Victorian? I just couldn't get a handle on it.

Verdict:

Ahhh, this is a book for the ladies (and the men who are secure with their identities.) Grab a cuppa, a cat, and a blanket (and maybe some chocolate? Yes?) and enjoy the hell out of it.

Reviewing the Evidence Time! - Sweet Evil

Title: Sweet Evil (US Link)
Author: Wendy Higgins
Genre: paranormal, romance, ditzy, angels, ya
Series: The Sweet Trilogy (#1)

A few starting notes:

So, this was a random library haul selection - according to the blurb there were angels and much ditzy goings-on, according to the cover there was a freaking huge red dress and a bloke staring moodily over a girl's shoulder, so I decided to give it a shot.

Premise:

Anna Whitt is a girl from Georgia (the state, not the country,) who is a little quirky. She's the ultimate good-girl, a rule follower to a T. Except she also sees other people's emotions - and can remember being born...and the time before she was born. Inevitably, she meets a dude that's a little bit quirky like her - bad boy Kaidan Rowe - and everything turns into this whole angels/demons complicated thing.

Best bits:

Anna is actually likeable - something not to be sniffed at in YA paranormal romance. Sometimes she can be a little stupid - but she is 16, and does require plot-points to happen, so we can excuse her the slip-ups. Although I have to admit, I would've attempted to get in touch with my biological parents at about the point where my senses got hyper-charged - not several years later. She's worryingly un-curious about herself.

The whole angels and demons set-up is quite interesting, and managed to keep me reading - which is what you want really.

The whole book is entertaining and enjoyable, and I read it in a couple of days. It draws you on through the story, and doesn't require any deep levels of attention to enjoy.

Not so great bits:

Anna's modesty bugs me. I don't like her statement about dressing modest because she understands how difficult it is for teenage boys to deal with their hormones. Let them deal with them. Dress however the hell you want - it's for you, not them. Women should not have to consider what blokes think of their clothing - it doesn't matter.

There's a bunch of issues that are touched upon or referenced: abortion, drinking, drugs, adoption, suicide, lust, sin, rape, etc... Because it's angels and demons based there's a lot of pondering the nature of sin etc. etc. It's also religious in places (no big surprise,) which may not be to everyone's taste. I personally found the preoccupation with Anna's 'virtue' more than slightly annoying - particularly as for a book that's so prude-y in its attitude, it never seems to stop mentioning sex.

I also think the romance would've been better off more subtly nuanced and that demons weren't blamed for everything that could possibly go wrong, but that would be asking a bit much I suppose.

Verdict:

It's enjoyable, it's different - it does (occasionally) make you think. It's also an easy read for the train. I liked it - I may even consider reading something by this author again - but it's a take-it-or-leave-it kind of book.