Early Book Review: Gender Queer: A Memoir Deluxe Edition by Maia Kobabe
Book Review: Season's Change by Cait Nary
Book Review: Exodus 20:3 by Freydis Moon
Early Book Review: Book Boyfriend by Kris Ripper
Book Review: Sink or Swim (Shore Leave) by Annabeth Albert
Book Review: Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly
Book Review: Something Fabulous (Something Fabulous) by Alexis Hall
Early Book Review: Cinder the Fireplace Boy; And Other Gayly Grimm Tales by Ana Mardoll
Once upon a time there lived a beautiful prince who kissed a frog, a cinder-smudged child who hid a secret, a princess who climbed a long braid of golden hair for love, a thumb-sized boy with the courage of a giant, and a valiant little tailor whose wit was as sharp as her needle. These stories and many more await you in this collection of classic fairy tales, lovingly retold and featuring characters who receive wonderfully queer happily-ever-afters! Let these new takes on the Brothers Grimm warm your heart and nurture your yearning to see yourself reflected in beloved favorites.
Cinder the Fireplace Boy; And Other Gayly Grimm Tales is a wonderful collection of fairy tale retellings missing the various forms of prejudice that can be seen in the originals. The spirit of each story holds true, with some tweaks that make them more inclusive and engaging for all readers. I like that there were some very well known stories included, like Rapunzel and Hansel and Gretel, as well as lesser known stories- some of which I do not remember ever having encountered before. All of them captured my attention and had me fully engaged. The story length of each story helped me break out of a reading slum, that had made it hard for me to become invested in what I had been reading lately. I dove into this book, and will be revisiting some of the stories again in the near future. I think readers that have always enjoyed reading fairy tales, and enjoy seeing them evolve, will definitely want to pick this up. Readers that have been put off by the prejudices and attitudes found in many of the originals might want to give collection a try to see a new take on the old tales.
Book Review: Acoustics (Portland Symphony) by London Price
Acoustics is a trans romance series set in Oregon. It contains robot talk, found family, and a happily ever after. It’s not intended for readers who don’t want to read explicit LGBTQ sex scenes. CW for the death of a fish. I really loved the characters in this book, including the main and secondary characters. Colby knows better than to date his sister's roommate. He does not want to hurt her, but cannot seem to stop himself. Chance is a fantastic character, and I love the balance of shy tech guy and dominant nature in the bedroom. My favorite part of the book is the frank and honest discussions Chance and Colby have. They talk about everything I think most people should before getting intimate- covering what they are comfortable with, hard limits, and so on- even holding themselves to that when other choices could have been made. I loved the caring and thoughtful nature of their relationship, even when they were trying to 'just be friends'. The support and honest caring between all of the characters made me want to be part of this circle of friends and family. I cannot wait to see what comes next in the series so I can see them all again. My only big complaint was that it ended too soon.
Book Review: The Life Revamp (Love Study) by Kris Ripper
Book Review: Whatever He Needs by Mia Kerick
Whatever He Needs by Mia Kerick is a contemporary romance. Trigger warning, Whatever He Needs includes instances of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, and kidnapping.
Heir to the McAllister Construction fortune, Liam is focused on maintaining the myth that he is exactly the son his father wants. When he falls for Dimmy, a heavily inked go-go dancer, he fears revealing the romance, certain it won't go over well with his upper-crust family—especially his father, who seems obsessed with building a family legacy. Dimmy’s father, Gregory, is bent on making Dimmy earn his keep by any means, no matter how unsavory. He puts his barely legal son to work dancing provocatively at the seedy bar he runs and finds Dimmy work on the side providing masseuse services—and more—to club clientele. Gregory has Dimmy twisted into believing he can do no better, and Dimmy does it all in hopes of a pat on the back from his dad. Though Liam is but a few years older, Dimmy sees him as a man who might take care of him as his callous father never has, and reluctantly lets his guard down. But Liam, though he’s falling hard and fast for Dimmy, still hides his blossoming relationship from his family. A crisis ensues when a clash between the two fathers’ business interests puts Dimmy at serious risk. When the right side of the tracks meets the oh-so-very wrong side, will Liam set his priorities straight in time to keep Dimmy from harm, or will fear shatter their lives?
Whatever He Needs is a tough read emotionally. Dimmy is in a very though situation, and has never had it easy in the best of days. The abuse from his father and everything he goes through is hard to read, but his character is extremely well written. Liam has his own issues, and dos not handle everything as well as readers might hope- past and present. The relationship is a journey, and not always healthy, but I was fully engaged and invested as they each figured out their worth and how to move forward. There were moments of the book that reminded me how fully awful people can be and moments that pointed out that people can carry just as much kindness and grace- and those qualities are not dependent on circumstances. I loved the supportive secondary characters, and viscerally hated some of the characters that made life so hard. They were all well written, and invoked very strong responses from me. In fact, I plan on reading more from the author in hopes of catching some of the characters I loved one more time.
Whatever He Needs is a hard be very worthwhile read.
Book Review: Sailor Proof by Annabeth Albert
Book Review: The Price of Silence (Winterfell Academy) by Elle Mae
The Price of Silence is the first book in the Winterfell Academy series by Elle Mae. I am Rosie Miller and at the age of ten, I was cursed. Because of my parents' debt, I was forced into silence and now every word, every laugh, was a weapon used against me. By nineteen I had come to understand that I would have no choice but to follow in my parents' footsteps. Get a soul-sucking job reserved for low-levels like me, keep my head down, and die alone. That was until I got a letter one day welcoming me to the most prestigious demon academy in the entire country. I knew that when I opened that letter, it was too good to be true. There was no way after thousands of years of separation between high-levels and low-levels that I would ever be given such a golden opportunity. Meeting them only proved my suspicions to be correct. A bloodthirsty gangster. A child of a high-ranking demon official with a penance for blackmail. And last but not least a witch who seems to be called by the power my curse exudes. Becoming tangled with them will probably be the most reckless thing that I have ever done in my life, but will it be worth finally breaking my curse after nine years?
Book Review: Weekend Girl by Alex Powell
Weekend Girl by Alex Powell is a contemporary romance. Ashley Kingston is a gender fluid university student with a major crush on attractive and charming Nolan. He seems just too perfect to be true. What happens when Ash meets Nolan while dressed as both a man, and a woman? And even more confusing, what happens when Nolan seems enamored of both versions of Ash? A twisty-turny romance filled with fun and shenanigans.
Weekend Girl is a book that entertained, while also leaving me wanting more from the whole friend group. I really enjoyed getting to know Ash, and going along with them on their journey of self discovery and realization. I could relate to their anxiety and avoidance, and it was great to get a personal understanding of how one person experienced being genderfluid- since like most everything each individual's path is unique. I thought t was very well written, giving me a better understanding of how some individuals feel and what they experience without ever feeling performative- which sometimes happens. I liked the group of friends here, and the amount of support they offer each other, even when they are not necessarily getting along. There were so many times that I thought something big and bad was about to happen, but was thrilled with the reality and the solutions that Ash and Nolan discuss and work out together. The only thing that I wanted but did not get from this book was some of the story from Nolan's perceptive. There were several moments when how he felt was pivotal, and I thought I knew but would have loved confirmation.
Weekend Girl is an engaging read that had me rooting for Ash, and feeling some significant sympathy anxiety.
Early Book Review: Playing It Safe by Amy Andrews
Playing It Safe by Amy Andrews is currently scheduled for release on September 6 2021. Donovan Bane loves playing rugby for the Sydney Smoke. And if that means he has to keep his sexuality a secret, that’s a sacrifice he’s prepared to make. At least until after he retires, anyway. He doesn’t want to be the first pro rugby player in Australia to officially come out while still playing. The team doesn’t need the media shit storm and he’d rather be known for his footy skills. Which means no dating, no relationships, no sex. Nothing but playing ball. Until one man suddenly changes everything. Beckett Stanton is out and proud, and not looking for a guy who isn’t. Been there, done that, complete disaster. Unfortunately, on the first day of his new job working for the Sydney Smoke, he locks eyes with Donovan Bane and he’s a goner. Big, gruff, and athletic isn’t usually Beck’s type, but for some reason this man is ticking all his boxes. And it’s clear the feeling is mutual. It’s also clear that Donovan is not out, and doesn’t plan to be anytime soon. Still, Beck can’t resist being the man to show Donovan everything he’s been missing. For the first time, Donovan doesn’t play it safe and allows himself to indulge in things with Beck he knows he can’t have. But when their relationship gets serious, he knows he has to choose between the career he loves and the man he loves, because how can he possibly have both?
Book Review: An Unexpected Kind of Love by Hayden Stone
An Unexpected Kind of Love by Hayden Stone is currently scheduled for release on August 9 2021. Bookstore owner Aubrey Barnes likes his quiet, orderly London life, thank you very much. His shop may be struggling, his only employee is a menace, and his plumbing is one creaky pipe away from disaster, but he can handle it. Maybe. He cannot, however, handle the film company that’s thrown his Soho street into chaos. And he definitely can’t handle the charismatic American actor Blake Sinclair. Which is why he’s extremely reluctant to lease out his shop as a set for Blake's film, but it’s his one opportunity to save his business. Now he can’t get away from the distractingly hot actor. Then Aubrey finds himself alone with Blake in a trailer, and what happens next turns London’s heat wave into an inferno that leaves him breathless. Aubrey is not cut out for the high-profile life of dating a celebrity, especially an American actor who’s not even out yet. Good thing their tryst is absolutely not going anywhere. Of course, when you expect nothing, that’s exactly when it starts to mean everything.
An Unexpected Kind of Love is a romance with well developed characters and a solid setting I could understand and empathize with Aubrey. He is awkward and more loved by his friends than he realizes, and just trying to be the best person he can under a lot of stress. I understood every moment of his worries and self doubt. Blake is well written as well, but since we do not get his point of view I connected much more with Audrey. I thought the set up, the secondary characters, and the problems everyone faces are all realistic and well written. I was intrigued by some of the secondary characters, and while some are definitely not my favorite (looking at you Eli) I would love to see more about Ryan, Gemma, and Lily. I think they were all well developed past the role they needed to play in this story.
An Unexpected Kind of Love is a sweet contemporary romance with plenty of heat and feels.
Early Book Review: Hot Days, Heated Nights by Renee Roman
Hot Days, Heated Nights by Renee Roman is currently scheduled for release on August 10 2021. Cole Jackson’s promise to her dying father has left her destined for a solitary life in the small town of Inlet, NY. After Lee Walker's employer goes bankrupt, her world crumbles, and she’s forced to move in with her uncle. When Cole and Lee meet, instant attraction quickly flares into uncontrollable passion, but their connection might be short-lived. Lee’s identity is tied to her life in the city, and she’s worked hard to make it on her own terms. Inlet, NY, is just a way station on her trip back to the world where she belongs. It will be up to Cole, and the heated nights they share, to give her a reason to stay.
Hot Days, Heated Nights took me on quite the ride. Cole and Lee are independent women that struggle with balancing who they are and what they want with the fear of being rejected, left behind, or humiliated. The story is as much about them coming together are it is about them resolving their individual issues and communicating. I enjoyed seeing the pair come to trust themselves, ad each other, as the story went on. I also liked that they issues they faced in the past were addressed, but did not overtake the other aspects of the story. The past events set the stage, but the damage was not the point, the growth made to foster love, communication, and trust is the point. I felt like the character development was very realistic, and I liked the secondary characters as much as the main characters. So much so that I would not mind getting more of the whole cast of characters at some point.
Hot Days, Heated Nights is a steamy and emotional romance with all the feels.
Early Book Review: Role Model (Game Changers) by Rachel Reid
Early Book Review: Glass Syndrome by Eiko Ariki
Glass Syndrome by Eiko Ariki is a graphic novel currently scheduled for release on August 10 2021. Class president Nijou is a talented athlete, popular honor student... and a total people-pleaser who can't stop living up to others' smothering expectations of him. When his teacher asks him to check on Toomi, a classmate who's stopped coming to school, that chance meeting leads to an unexpected connection that neither young man expects. Toomi sees right through his diligent facade, and Nijou can't forget the cool comfort of Toomi's undemanding touch. But when Nijou discovers the reason behind Toomi's frequent absences — that he's been working as an online cam "girl" — he doesn't know how to react. How can he bring up what he knows? And how will it change their relationship?
Glass Syndrome is a nice romance, with a second story included in the volume. I thought it was well done in terms of story, text, and art. I felt for Nijou and Toomi as they face their individual struggles. I kind of wanted a bit more oft hem actually figuring the relationship thing out- it felt more like they just decided that they would be together without ever saying anything. Then the switch to the second romance confused me for a bit- I knew they were different people from the first couple but could not figure out how everyone related only to decide that it was a completely unrelated story. It was also good in its way, but was short. I think I would have liked it more if I could have connected the two stories and the main story was expanded on a bit more. However, I did enjoy the read and think it is a quick, fun read.