EPIC FAIL /o\ It has been OVER A MONTH AGAIN *sigh*. I honestly intended to post last week but RL got the better of me. With baseball coming to a close, school coming to a close, and a move looming ever closer, not to mention deadlines /o\, I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off /o\
Okay, it's not REALLY that bad. This is not our first rodeo *coughmovecough* and it WILL be our shortest move, but still stressful. And you're not here to read abt my complaints so ON WITH THE BOOKS!
Heart of the Sea by Nora Roberts M/F - the final installment in The Gallagher Brothers Trilogy. I enjoyed this a great deal, mostly because the heroine was definitely NOT your typical "swoon and fall at the feet of the hero" type woman. She was strong-willed (almost to the point of me wanting to slap her AND him upside the head) and independent. Believe me, I was almost finished and had NO idea how this was gonna end up HEA, but ...SPOILERS :D
What Wendy Wants by Nikki Sex M/F - Author's name aside, I LOVED the premise of this book. Husband finds out wife's secret fantasies when he accidentally takes her Kindle to work instead of his and then proceeds to make them come true. I mean, COME ON, who WOULDN'T want this to happen? IN the end they had some massively hot sex and it strengthened their marriage - because COMMUNICATION!!!
Once In A Blue Moon by Delilah Devlin M/F - This is the first in a series I think? The Beux something Coven series. It's about a coven of witches that are in hiding because if found demons can enslave them. The leader falls for a local construction worker who turns out to be a troll (the lowest on the supernatural food chain) her coven and his 'group' must band together to save the witches from the demon they escaped from years ago. Being a Charmed fan, I LOVED this book and I'm planning on buying the next book in the series. The sex happened fast and was a little rushed, but I still enjoyed the chemistry and the plot.
Kink by Nikki Sex M/F - This was actually mentioned in the previous Nikki Sex book so I thought I would give it a shot. This was almost a DNF for me, but I pushed through. I had some issues with the consent in this book. And also some of the BDSM is definitely not to my taste, but mostly for me it seems the consent, although given freely, seemed IDK...not necessarily forced but it just made me uncomfortable. I bought a third book by her, it will probably be a long while before I attempt to read it, if ever :(((
Cupcakes by Sean Michael M/M - Cute, short novella. Chef owns a cupcake shop and falls for a customer, cupcake shop gets swindled out from under him >:( (that really made me angry tbh) but I still enjoyed the book. It was a quick fun read and ended satisfactorily :D
Cut and Run Series by Madeline Urban and Abigail Roux M/M - I'm not going to go through ALL the books here outside of listing them - or at least the ones I've read so far...nope I didn't finish it yet...I needed a breather before tackling the end of the series /o\ as Button calls it, a palate cleanser before the final course :D
Cut and Run, Sticks and Stones, Fish & Chips, Divide and Conquer, Armed and Dangerous, Stars & Stripes (and I also read a few of the oneshots Abigail has on her Tumblr). I had forgotten JUST HOW GOOD THIS SERIES WAS. I was immediately sucked back in. I LOVED that Ty and Zane started out hating each other, I always find that is such an interesting dynamic, how such a volatile relationship can be volatile in the completely opposite direction. They are both such interesting characters, Ty with his Force Recon background along with PTSD and secrets galore and Zane with his dead wife, guilt, and addictions. Neither of these men are perfect and they don't pretend to be and yet somehow they are perfect together. I love that theirs is a SLOW BURN and that the relationship is realistic and they aren't spouting "I love yous' immediately. It makes it so much more believable. I'm almost ready to go back and finish the series off :((((
I needed some light-hearted stuff after that run...
A Piece of Cake by TM Franklin M/F - really cute novella about a matchmaker who refuses to use her talents to match people and instead uses a computer. But her talents cannot be denied when they recognize her own match. I loved the touch of supernatural and just the hint of Gypsy touch to this pairing. I plan on reading more of TM's work in the future.
Laying Down the Law by Delilah Devlin M/F - Woman flees her cop boyfriend when it's clear he's framing her for the bank robberies he's been committing and runs right to her ex, the man she hasn't seen in 16 years and is now the Sheriff of her hometown. There's a hint of D/s to their sexual relationship and the first time it happens it's a little shocking but overall, it made their sex SPICY and definitely added another layer to why she ends up trusting him with saving her life. I enjoyed it and will probably read more in this series in the future.
Sea Change by Darlene Marshall M/F - I don't normally read historical fiction, but apparently I've found my niche? This is the second Woman disguises herself as a male physician on a ship book that I've read. I REALLY enjoyed this one. Although several people found out throughout the book, her identity is kept a secret from the male lead for almost 2/3 to 3/4 of the book. Which enabled some interesting sexual tension and some rather funny situations. I love the social implications of her trying to do a man's job as a woman, and how it's important to her that the crew accept her even after her identity is revealed. This is one I'll probably read again. And if you have any more like this? Send them my way.
Next up - Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - M/F? - Yes, I know this became a movie and apparently the movie sucked, but given how much I enjoyed the Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine (and she and Richelle seem to be Twitter buddies) I thought I would give this one a try. It was made into a movie for a reason. I've read the first three books so far - Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, and I'm reading the fourth right now, Blood Promise.
The premise is that vampires are real and there are different kinds. The Moiroi who are actually alive and the Strigoi who are dead. The Moiroi blend in with humans and fear becoming a Strigoi - who are dead and without souls. The Moiroi are protected by Dhampirs (Half Moiroi Half Human) called Guardians. Vampire Academy is the story of Rose Hathaway, a guardian in training who has bonded with her best friend Lissa, a Moiroi. Rose is impulsive, reckless, and a complete and total BADASS. She ends up falling in love with her mentor, Dimitri, another guardian who is seven years older than her. Because of their society, their love is forbidden, because Dhampirs are destined to guard Moiroi and cannot have children together anyway. So, take living and dead vampires, half vampires that are either Blood Whores or Guardians, mix in politics (because ofc the vampires have royalty and a Queen that has a secret agenda) and Hogwarts style high school, throw in a little elemental control ability, the ability to heal and walk in dreams and super strength and speed, and mix it all up with a little star-crossed love...and yeah, there's so much to these books, way more than meets the eye. It's been an enjoyable read so far and I'm anxious and dreading finishing the series. (Although there is a spinoff series called Bloodlines that I will probably start at some point). Also, it's making me want to REREAD The Morganville Vampires - but that series is like 16 books long so....
But when I finish, I'm going back to Cut and Run and read the final adventures of Ty and Zane.
And THAT is What I'm Reading :D
<333
Katherine
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Guest Authors: Erin McRae and Racheline Maltese on Midsummer
The May/December trope is one that Racheline and I keep coming back to. Sometimes, it happens almost accidentally; as cowriters, we are sixteen years apart in age, and having characters with a large age gap between them lets there be a character we each relate to. Sometimes, we do it more deliberately: We’re interested in how people navigate power dynamics within relationships, and how a couple navigates disparities in age, experience, and expectations.
In Midsummer, the May/December relationship between John and Michael is a little different than other age-difference stories we’ve written, because it is also a gay-for-you romance. Michael -- who is twenty-five -- has been out and proud since he was in high school. Forty-two-year-old John, on the other hand, has never found himself attracted to men until he falls in love and lust with Michael. He insists that his attraction for Michael isn’t some sort of mid-life crisis; although he totally gets why his friends accuse them of that.
As much as we enjoy writing May/December for the fun of watching a character teach another something awesome in bed, we also enjoy the negotiation and conflict that arise when two characters are so far apart in age. And in Midsummer, the gay-for-you dynamic interacts with the May/December dynamic in ways we really enjoy. On the one hand, John is seventeen years older than Michael, and has a great deal of experience with life, the world, and relationships. On the other hand, John is very new to being a part of the gay community, and has to learn how to navigate questions of his own outness.
Blurb:
John Lyonel, a long-time theater professional and teacher, heads to Virginia to play Oberon in the Theater in the Woods’s production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, intending to focus on his work. John is recovering from the tragic loss of his family and needs a break. The last thing he expects is to become captivated by Michael Hilliard, the professional actor playing Puck, especially since John has never been attracted to men, let alone one so much younger.
They rush headlong into an affair which falls apart dramatically over secrets that John and Michael are keeping from each other. A steep learning curve, the gossipy cast of the show, and the sometimes sinister magic of the woods conspire to keep them apart. But stage lights and stars might work their magic and help them define a new future.
Bio:
Erin McRae is a queer writer and blogger based in Washington, D.C. She has a master’s degree in International Affairs from American University, and delights in applying her knowledge of international relations theory to her fiction and screen-based projects, because conflict drives narrative.
Racheline Maltese lives a big life from a small space. She flies planes, sails boats, and rides horses, but as a native New Yorker, has no idea how to drive a car. A long-time entertainment and media industry professional, she lives in Brooklyn with her partner and their two cats.
Together, they are co-authors of the gay romance series Love in Los Angeles, set in the film and television industry -- Starling (September 10, 2014), Doves (January 21, 2015), and Phoenix (June 10, 2015) -- from Torquere Press. Their gay romance novella series Love’s Labours, set in the theater world -- Midsummer (May 2015), and Twelfth Night (Fall 2015), is from Dreamspinner Press. They also have a story in Best Gay Romance 2015 from Cleis Press and edited by Felice Picano. You can find them on the web at http://www.Avian30.com.
Connect with Erin & Racheline online:
Blog | Facebook Page | Erin's Twitter | Racheline's Twitter | Erin's Goodreads | Racheline's Goodreads | Erin's Amazon Author Page | Racheline's Amazon Author Page
Buy Links:
Amazon | AllRomance | B&N | Dreamspinner
Excerpt:
Costume fittings and dress rehearsals means that John finally gets to see Michael costumed as Puck. The human characters are dressed contemporarily, in suits and cocktail dresses that become increasingly disheveled as the show goes on. The fairies, though, are dressed in greens and browns with crowns of strange wildness -- thistles, cornsilk, and Queen Ann’s lace. Michael as Puck looks deeply inhuman, covered in leaves as if dragged in from the wooded grounds. For their first dress rehearsal, it takes all of John’s considerable experience and willpower to actually focus on the play and not Michael. As taken as Oberon is meant to be with Puck, he should actually be able to remember and deliver his lines.
“Whose idea was this?” he asks Michael afterward, catching him before he can change. Michael blinks at him with eyes done up in silver and green. John wants to devour him.
“Do you like it?” Michael asks, more distant and coy than usual, sliding his hands up John’s chest which, like his own, is bare.
All John can do is groan when Michael looks up at him from under his lashes. He stands on his tiptoes to kiss John briefly, and then vanishes. When he reappears he’s Michael again, in t-shirt and shorts, but John can’t forget the image of him transformed.
In Midsummer, the May/December relationship between John and Michael is a little different than other age-difference stories we’ve written, because it is also a gay-for-you romance. Michael -- who is twenty-five -- has been out and proud since he was in high school. Forty-two-year-old John, on the other hand, has never found himself attracted to men until he falls in love and lust with Michael. He insists that his attraction for Michael isn’t some sort of mid-life crisis; although he totally gets why his friends accuse them of that.
As much as we enjoy writing May/December for the fun of watching a character teach another something awesome in bed, we also enjoy the negotiation and conflict that arise when two characters are so far apart in age. And in Midsummer, the gay-for-you dynamic interacts with the May/December dynamic in ways we really enjoy. On the one hand, John is seventeen years older than Michael, and has a great deal of experience with life, the world, and relationships. On the other hand, John is very new to being a part of the gay community, and has to learn how to navigate questions of his own outness.
Blurb:
John Lyonel, a long-time theater professional and teacher, heads to Virginia to play Oberon in the Theater in the Woods’s production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, intending to focus on his work. John is recovering from the tragic loss of his family and needs a break. The last thing he expects is to become captivated by Michael Hilliard, the professional actor playing Puck, especially since John has never been attracted to men, let alone one so much younger.
They rush headlong into an affair which falls apart dramatically over secrets that John and Michael are keeping from each other. A steep learning curve, the gossipy cast of the show, and the sometimes sinister magic of the woods conspire to keep them apart. But stage lights and stars might work their magic and help them define a new future.
Bio:
Erin McRae is a queer writer and blogger based in Washington, D.C. She has a master’s degree in International Affairs from American University, and delights in applying her knowledge of international relations theory to her fiction and screen-based projects, because conflict drives narrative.
Racheline Maltese lives a big life from a small space. She flies planes, sails boats, and rides horses, but as a native New Yorker, has no idea how to drive a car. A long-time entertainment and media industry professional, she lives in Brooklyn with her partner and their two cats.
Together, they are co-authors of the gay romance series Love in Los Angeles, set in the film and television industry -- Starling (September 10, 2014), Doves (January 21, 2015), and Phoenix (June 10, 2015) -- from Torquere Press. Their gay romance novella series Love’s Labours, set in the theater world -- Midsummer (May 2015), and Twelfth Night (Fall 2015), is from Dreamspinner Press. They also have a story in Best Gay Romance 2015 from Cleis Press and edited by Felice Picano. You can find them on the web at http://www.Avian30.com.
Connect with Erin & Racheline online:
Blog | Facebook Page | Erin's Twitter | Racheline's Twitter | Erin's Goodreads | Racheline's Goodreads | Erin's Amazon Author Page | Racheline's Amazon Author Page
Buy Links:
Amazon | AllRomance | B&N | Dreamspinner
Excerpt:
Costume fittings and dress rehearsals means that John finally gets to see Michael costumed as Puck. The human characters are dressed contemporarily, in suits and cocktail dresses that become increasingly disheveled as the show goes on. The fairies, though, are dressed in greens and browns with crowns of strange wildness -- thistles, cornsilk, and Queen Ann’s lace. Michael as Puck looks deeply inhuman, covered in leaves as if dragged in from the wooded grounds. For their first dress rehearsal, it takes all of John’s considerable experience and willpower to actually focus on the play and not Michael. As taken as Oberon is meant to be with Puck, he should actually be able to remember and deliver his lines.
“Whose idea was this?” he asks Michael afterward, catching him before he can change. Michael blinks at him with eyes done up in silver and green. John wants to devour him.
“Do you like it?” Michael asks, more distant and coy than usual, sliding his hands up John’s chest which, like his own, is bare.
All John can do is groan when Michael looks up at him from under his lashes. He stands on his tiptoes to kiss John briefly, and then vanishes. When he reappears he’s Michael again, in t-shirt and shorts, but John can’t forget the image of him transformed.
Friday, May 15, 2015
Fun Friday
WOW. Haven't done one of these in a while /o\ Sorry for that. I'm going to go ahead and warn everyone now that from now until about August - posts will not be regular. I'll try to stick to the M-W-F schedule in terms of DAYS that I post but I'm saying right now I won't be posting every single M-W-F because we are gearing up for the end of the baseball season, the end of school, and our move. Throw in some writing deadlines on top of that and I'm going to be SUPER busy. I solemnly swear I will try to post at least once a week on one of those days. I know I'm overdue for a Reading Wed so that will probably be next.
In terms of fun, we took the kid (and the grandparents who were visiting) to see the Avengers Double Feature. Had a blast, the movie was awesome, and except for the fact that I worried that a particular character was going to die after a secret was revealed, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Went to see it a second time and enjoyed it more :D
Also took the kid to see Home - HILARIOUS. So funny.
Hoping this weekend to pull of a double feature of Mad Max and Pitch Perfect 2...we'll see.
For those of you wondering, I met my two deadlines \o/ - thanks for all the encouragement & cheerleading. I have more coming up. I'll keep you posted. I have a guest post coming up on May 21 so be sure and stop by for that!
For now...have a GREAT weekend. Enjoy the weather.
<333
Katherine
In terms of fun, we took the kid (and the grandparents who were visiting) to see the Avengers Double Feature. Had a blast, the movie was awesome, and except for the fact that I worried that a particular character was going to die after a secret was revealed, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Went to see it a second time and enjoyed it more :D
Also took the kid to see Home - HILARIOUS. So funny.
Hoping this weekend to pull of a double feature of Mad Max and Pitch Perfect 2...we'll see.
For those of you wondering, I met my two deadlines \o/ - thanks for all the encouragement & cheerleading. I have more coming up. I'll keep you posted. I have a guest post coming up on May 21 so be sure and stop by for that!
For now...have a GREAT weekend. Enjoy the weather.
<333
Katherine
Monday, May 4, 2015
Just Another Manic Monday
Gonna be brief today - sorry long time no post, but baseball, parents, deadlines OI!
Two deadlines this Friday - one for the GoodReads thing and another for both the edits and the marketing info for Life Happens for Torquere.
That will pretty much be what I'm working on all week. If I have time, I'll try to write on the next Torquere project or get back into editing my novels /o\
Hope everyone is doing well!
<333
Katherine
Two deadlines this Friday - one for the GoodReads thing and another for both the edits and the marketing info for Life Happens for Torquere.
That will pretty much be what I'm working on all week. If I have time, I'll try to write on the next Torquere project or get back into editing my novels /o\
Hope everyone is doing well!
<333
Katherine
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