When I saw the polls in Elisa's Rainbow Awards, I was surprised by the number of votes for a novella called Clippings by A.J. Mirag. It is self published and as far as I can tell a translation from an original work in Portuguese. I bought it half wondering if the high counts of votes were some sort of glitch and it would lead to a waste of good money. What a wonderful surprise to find myself turning the pages non-stop until the end. I read the whole thing in less than two hours even with interruptions. It is approximately 140 pages and a bit pricey, but given that I have paid more for DNF books I'd say it is worth every penny.

The writing is less than perfect and the ending is not a HEA, but the story is marvelous. The characters are amazing and there is food for thought galore. I highly recommend Clippings and hope that RL will give me a chance to write a worthy review over the next couple of days.

Meanwhile, go buy and read Clippings!

http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=2672666

I am about to spice your m/m soup with some excellent m/f - m/f/f/m. Yes, I did it again! ;-)

Camille Rocheford is a talented writer, one of precious few female writers of her time published under her own name. Together with her best friend Nicolette, Camille spends a summer at Eventide, a country manor known for the debauchery surrounding its current owner, infamous poet Stefan Eldritch. Before long, demure Camille is seduced by the decadent pleasures of Stefan's world and the powerful magic he carries within. Sizzling chemistry and a shared love for the written word lead Stefan and Camille to become friends, lovers and collaborators. Inspired by their shared views regarding politics and the injustices perpetrated against the common people by the current emperor, Stefan and Camille begin writing seditious pamphlets and publishing them under a pseudonym. Outside the comforting walls of Eventide the head of the Eldritch clan is seeking favor with the emperor in a quest to place an Eldritch woman at the emperor's side and have the Eldritch name in the ruling house again, even if it means trampling one of their own.

I confess. I was addicted to historical category romance novels when I was a teen and the Regency period was my favorite. I loved those books, but they always left me wanting more, so much so that eventually I stopped reading them. Now, decades later, I picked up Katrina's Lessons Learned and found a Regency style romance that delivers everything I love about the period together with the kind of spicy, dark, explicit, genre crossing edge I always wanted, but never got . Yeah!

I was impressed by the writing and the way in which the author adapted her style to fit this story. This is one of Ms. Strauss' biggest strengths and a key element in creating the right "feel" for the book. The reader is placed in the right period and the right frame of mind from page one.

The characters are fabulous. It is apparent from reading the story that these are cherished characters. At times, I could almost hear the author clicking her tongue (or was that me...), particularly at Stefan, with a mixture of love and annoyance. Very appropriate since Stefan is like a wayward child in some ways. In fact, Stefan Eldritch is full of contradictions. He is disreputable but honorable, spoiled yet adaptable, incredibly powerful but with the soul of a lover. He is precious!

The plot is good and keeps the story moving at a nice pace. However, the enjoyment is not in unexpected plot twists or shocking discoveries. Instead the beauty of the story is in the masterful blend of Regency period sensibility with strong paranormal elements, executed in a way that keeps the perfect degree of tension flowing from the first page through the last. Even as the author pleasures the senses with idyllic descriptions, a thread of tension thrums underneath reinforcing the feeling that everything is not what it seems. Throughout the story, well placed details foreshadow future events. I love it!

Lesson's Learned is a unique story perfect for those of us who prefer our romance dark and spicy. A nice treat bound to bring excitement to the most boring of days!

Buy Eldritch Legacy 2: Lessons Learned here.

Let's not miss the opportunity to take a look at the gorgeous cover by Anne Cain. Yum!



Other books in the series:
Eldritch Legacy 1: Secrets Revealed

Kevin was forced to leave the police force following a horrible traffic accident that left him with one sightless eye and a psychic gift.  Since then, he prefers to stay at home in his middle of nowhere ranch writing romance novels.  When his brother-in-law calls him back home to help solve a missing children case, Kevin decides it is the perfect opportunity to help him forget the recent loss of his beloved pet.  In the span of two weeks, Kevin rebuilds his relationship with his father, learns to manage his psychic gift, finds the child predator and falls in love with his "handler", Connor Dougal.  Is their love the real thing or is it just the product of bonding over holiday celebrations and two intense weeks of police work?

The Long Way Home is another Z.A. Maxfield masterpiece.  On the one hand, the missing children story-line can be quite emotional, particularly for those of us who have small children.  On the other hand, the absolutely wonderful characters and well developed romance provide balance and make the book a compulsive read.  I just couldn't put it down and it's a long one!

The cast of characters is fairly large, yet given the generous length of the story there is plenty of room to get to know them.  The scenes in and around sailboats and the community of friends built around sailing were particularly entertaining, perhaps because it is something I know nothing about. The interactions between Connor and Kevin were sometimes hilarious and the "trekkie" jokes hit pretty close to home.  ;-)

No doubt that the story has a healthy dose of angst.  Readers who enjoy stories that envelop the senses and drive emotions are likely to enjoy this book as much as I did.  Yes, the book put me through the wringer, but it was a worthwhile journey with a satisfying ending.  Just the way I like it!

Pick this one up when you are looking for a well written, entertaining, plotty novel with a hefty dose of romance, sex and angst.

The Long Way Home by Z.A. Maxfield

 I just finished Jessica Freely's Rust Belt. It was fun to read about David and Seth again. The ending was hard-hitting. I have very clear images in my head. Even if the scenes were rough, I love it when an author can create those pictures for me with just enough detail to make them "real".

Also, I have been slowly reading Torquere's Charity Sips. 

Some Day Some Way by Slade and Wilde about two gay teachers is a nice read, though it could be better with some good editing. 

If Wishes Were Horses by Julia Talbot is a well written and moving escape into the world of cowboys. 

Mentor by Sean Michael -a Jarheads short- is everything you would expect from an interlude with Rig, Rock and Dick. God I love Rig! 

Changes by AKM Miles is a romantic "rescue" story. In typical AKM style it is low angst and has lovely characters. 

The Good Life by Vic Winter is not only is it well written, but it managed to send me down memory lane to my college days (and some of the challenges of being a penniless student). Better yet it managed to leave me feeling better than good in the end, which is always a good thing.

Do Over by Sara Bell is my second favorite of the bunch so far. In typical Sara Bell style the characters are awesome. The story about a man who is declared cancer free after a challenging battle with the disease is heartwarming. It has some funny moments and some poignant moments, but most of all it has that satisfying vibe that comes from reading about someone living life the way it should be.

Save The Last Dance by Kara Larson is my favorite so far. It is a beautifully written tale about a wedding photographer and a wedding DJ. It is hard to develop characters that the reader really cares about in a sip length story, but Larson managed that and more. The feel of the story is uplifting with a focus on new love and possibilities; it stuck with me for quite a while.

I still have a few more charity sips to read. I'll keep you posted.

 So... I have been carrying around a lot of guilt about the limited amount of time I have dedicated to this LJ.  Actually, the guilt is not so much about my LJ, but about all the excellent books written by authors I love that are not represented here.  I figured out that I post about approximately 25% of the books I read. That in itself is not an issue.  The issue is that whether or not I post about a book, can many times have more to do with timing than with the book itself.  I may read a great book and tell myself I must post about it, but if I turned the last page at 2:00am and I have to be up at 5:30am chances are I will be putting my reader down and catching some zzz rather than posting on LJ.  

So... This is a general apology to all the authors whose books I read and probably mentioned on Twitter or Facebook or at The Phade, but never posted more about.  Know that the lack of a post is NOT a reflection on the quality of the book or the level of enjoyment I derived!  I will continue to post here as time permits and as of right now I am letting go of the guilt.  Go me!

A fabulous blend of loss, grief, hope and finding the way back to love!

Evan is slowly facing the sudden loss of Bill, the love of his life and partner of eight years. You could say Evan is going through the motions, but he is nowhere near ready to face the world again, let alone face Bill's estranged nephew, Gray. Gray travels from Montana to Connecticut to pay his respects to his deceased uncle and visit his widow, Eva Monroe. Instead he finds handsome Evan, who is unfailingly polite and clearly in need of moral support to manage his grief. Gray's intentions were to welcome Evan to the family, little did he know that he would end up welcoming Evan into his heart as well.

There are so many things I like about this book that I don't know where to start. The character of Evan Monroe is stunning. T.C. does an amazing job of portraying Evan's grief, confusion, anger, lust and love. It is impossible to read the story and not "live" Evan's grief to some extent. We are not told of Evan's deep grief, we are shown. Therein lies one of the best aspects of the story.

Through excellent use of point-of-view, T.C. allows the reader to experience emotions and doubts from the perspective of both Gray and Evan without resorting to head-hopping or repetition. The touchy subject of falling in love shortly after being widowed is presented in a series of interactions with just the right feel, at just the right pace and with a great degree of credibility. The entire premise of this book had the potential to be a disaster. Unlike other stories about widowers, Evan hasn't had months or years to heal before meeting Gray. He is not clinging to the memory of Bill past its time. He has just lost Bill! Yet, T.C. wrote this story and made it believable without smearing the memory of Bill or claiming Evan had never been in love with him in the first place. This a very well written story!

Pacing and style are very well executed and key to the story. Every time Gray and Evan are together, everything seems to slow down and the focus narrows. There's no flowery prose. Instead there are simple words and actions that slowly build the case for love. I am impressed. Fans of angsty romance stories are likely to love Lemon Yellow: Making Lemonade. Anyone who loves a romantic story is sure to enjoy it. Don't miss the chance to read this heartwarming tale.

Lemon Yellow: Making Lemonade at Torquere Press

 Dreaming of You is a short story featuring Quinn and Trevor.  If you read Addison's "Another Dream", then you'll recognize both of these guys.  The short story stands alone just fine, but I think it's nice to read it after "Another Dream".

From the moment Addison mentioned she was writing Trevor's story, I knew I wanted to read it.  Trevor is one of those characters that stand out  and I desperately wanted to know his story.  "Dreaming of You" is sweet, passionate and very uplifting.  One could argue that there's a bit of a disconnect between where we left Trevor (emotionally) at the end of "Another Dream" and where he is at the beginning of "Dreaming of You".  Then again, I could easily fill in the gaps myself.  Overall, I enjoyed reading about Trevor, Quinn, Marty, Larry, Ronald and Ray again.  My chief complaint is that it was too short!

Read this one when you need a "pick-me-up".

Dreaming of You by Addison Albright

 Yet another fabulous paranormal story by Valentine!

Spencer Patterson loves the paranormal.  He has always wanted all the stories of vampires, ghosts and other paranormal phenomenon to be real.  Unfortunately, in his years as a reporter for The Weekly Harbinger, all he has proven is that he can write a good fiction story.  In fact, you could say he is a "frustrated romance novelist".  When Spencer meets "Damn Gorgeous" Virgin Slade, he does more than fall for the guy, he falls down the proverbial rabbit hole into the world he always hoped was real.  Before he can blink, Spencer has the writing job of his dreams and a man that is literally "stunning".

Ok I'll admit this from the start.  Jaye freaked me out.  He totally grossed me out with this story.  I had to put the book down and "eeeew" out loud. The amazing thing is that he managed to bring me from "eeew" to "yum" with the turn of a few pages.  Isn't that why I always run to buy Valentine and MacLeod/Valentine releases?  The stories shock me, gross me out, scare me and then bring me around to honest passion and in this case love.  I absolutely love the range of emotions and this book was no exception.

Virgil is an unexpected paranormal character.  For some reason I thought this was a vampire book.  It isn't quite that, but who cares?  It is something better and different.  As usual the plot is great and the writing is excellent.  The author's trademark descriptions, vivid and three dimensional are always a pleasure to read.  The humor is carefully woven in, appropriate for the characters and oh-so-on-point. The hot sex scenes... Well, need I say more. 

This is clearly not meant to be just a "one of" story. (If I am wrong, let me know Jaye!)  Quite a bit of world building is done, some questions are left unanswered and some plot points remain open.  That said, Virgil and Spencer get a nice HFN ending that is quite satisfying.  I look forward to the next story set in this world.  

Buy Damn Gorgeous at Noble Romance

This story reads like Corbin Fisher fan fic.  Since I like amateur ghey pron and I like Corbin Fisher that's not a bad thing in my book. Jaden is a starving college student (literally) who does some gay-for-pay porn to make ends meet and in the process discovers he is gay (pay or not) and finds the love of his life.

I really liked the premise of this book.  Many times I watched my favorite CF vid and wished I had the talent to write a story to go with it.  Glad to see someone actually executed the idea. The characters are likable and engaging. I really enjoyed reading about what these guys lives might be like and what might be on their minds while they work. All in all, I really fell for Jaden and Brendan and their beautiful journey into love.

Spoilers ahead...

Unfortunately, there are a couple of things about the book that pulled me out of the story and I had to work hard to get "back in".  First, there were a couple of times where the character's action's just didn't seem likely.  One example is the time that Brendan told Jaden that they had to save their first time for the camera.  Yeah, right.  Because we all know that when an amateur porn website posts a video of a model's first time bottoming, it's really, truly their first time.  Gods, I sure hope not!  

Another example is the ending.  Perhaps it is the rebel in me, but no way that I would ever go back to my parent's home if they talked to me the way they talked to Jaden, unless there were some serious apologies going on.  ...and no way that a man is going to take the "high road" and step away so his boyfriend can have a relationship with his parents.  The parents that kicked him out and refused to pay tuition.  BS.  It would take years to undo the kind of damage that Jayden's parents inflicted in one day.  Bottom line, I hated the ending.

The writing style was good but not great, a little clunky in places, but generally unobtrusive.  Plot issues aside, this is an author with potential whose writing still lacks a little finesse.  I suspect this story was fanfic and was tweaked for publication.  Who knows? (The author knows, of course!  It has been clarified in the comments below that this story was never fanfic.  So I was way off base there.)

After all the ranting you might think I wouldn't recommend the book.  However, fact is I enjoyed reading the story quite a bit and will probably read it again minus the ending.  Fans of CF, college boy stories and stories set in the porn industry in general will most likely enjoy this book.  While I did not like the ending, most people may like it, even love it.  After all, it is a HEA. So, go ahead and check it out and let me know what you think.

Patient Eyes by Andy Eisenberg

 
Marshall Vincent is a middle aged man enjoying a great European adventure.  Actually, he is just plodding along after his wife while she presides over their guided tour vacation, like she presides over their lives.  An unplanned stroll around a Swiss village and a chance visit to a Swiss chocolate shop give Marshall an unexpected erotic thrill and a flash trip down memory lane. Perhaps this wasn't Marshall's dream vacation, but it may be the most memorable yet.

In a style that I have come to view as uniquely hers, G.S. Wiley weaves a spell around the reader with just a few choice words.   Before you can blink, the characters jump from the page and establish their presence loud and clear.  Their world envelops you and nothing else matters until "The End".  The characters are incredibly believable.  In fact, I immediately assigned them faces, because they felt so familiar.

Marshall with his non confrontational personality and mild manner, managed to make me feel a full range of emotions.  I was annoyed at his passivity, proud of his devotion, amazed at his capacity to love, sad at what I perceived were lost chances, and ultimately puzzled by his reactions (or lack there of). One thing is clear, Marshall bypassed all my expectations and in doing so forced me to think.  It's easy to complain about the hand we are dealt, sometimes its even easier to walk away and leave everything behind, but sometimes... sometimes easy or not, we just live the life we chose, make the best of it and value what we have.  I guess it's ok to think about the things we didn't do, the paths we didn't walk and leave it that that, no more, no less. 

Wow!  This little story is surprisingly rich and fabulously written.  I highly recommend it for those looking for a short story that provides food for thought and a good break from the plethora of porn without plot that epitomizes most stories of this length (~4k words).

More information and buy link for Sweet Tooth by G.S. Wiley here.

I looove these guys!

Well...  They disabled embedding.  Here's the link instead: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mi1xxT3Fqc

Unexpected girl power!

Terry is a slight, effeminate boy growing up in The Bowery in the 1850s.  He dreams of becoming a famous dancer and pursues that dream with single minded determination.  While his physical appearance and regular dance lessons make him an easy target, being the younger brother of one of The Bowery's toughest provides a modicum of protection. Somehow Terry manages to scrape a living, nurture his dream and remain innocent of the harsher realities of life until a rough encounter with an arrogant, wealthy young man brings an end to Terry's innocence and marks the beginning of a literal and figurative quest for success, happiness and ultimately freedom.

Lola Dances is not your average m/m story.  It is a wonderful saga about a gay man's journey of self-discovery and empowerment.  It is not a "pretty" story, but rather a gritty, no nonsense tale.  The author does not shy away from portraying the ugly realities of life, not for shock value, but because every scene adds a layer of meaning to Terry's character and builds the foundation for the new person Terry becomes.  I admit that half-way through the book I had to put it down and read something else for a while to relax a bit.  The impact was that strong!

The cast of characters is varied and well written, even secondary characters manage to jump from the page.  There is no one evil villain, or maybe there are several.  That is to say, the author populates the story with real people, flawed people, and real people can be worse that the worst villain.  Ultimately, Victor J. Banis' crowning achievement in this book is the way the character of Terry Murphy is developed.  Every event, every interaction, every scene leads to the transformation of Terry and the forging of Lola.  It's ironic that a man not only survives but succeeds in what was the ultimate man's world through awesome girl power.  Yet it works because Lola is not a "costume".  Lola is Terry.  Terry and Lola are one but they are not the same and this distinction is masterfully crafted.  Terry is grounded in the ugly realities of being a gay man in the "wild west", he wants to be loved and to love in return. Lola draws power from her beauty and strength from Terry's history.  She loves her audience and her audience loves her.  Without Terry, there could be no Lola and without Lola, Terry wouldn't have survived. 

From New York's Bowery through the western mining towns and ultimately to the Barbary Coast, Terry Murphy will pull you into his story, wring your heart and squeeze your soul, and just when you think you can't take it anymore, he'll show you that life is what you make of it, and with a little effort you can make it something you enjoy, even something you love.  Thank you Victor J. Banis, for this magnificent story and one absolutely amazing character I won't soon forget.

Lola Dances gets a spot in my best-of-the-best shelf for its absolutely incredible portrayal of a man who becomes a woman and a woman who just happens to be a man in 19th century America.  If you haven't read Lola Dances, go buy it now! 

High entertainment value and fu@king sexy rope bondage!

Inland Empire is a fabulous sequel to Cheating Chance in which Nicky travels back to Ca to visit Brandon and pick-up Querida, and ends up becoming a key player in a high profile case right in the middle of Brandon's home turf. Things get interesting rather quickly once the guys start managing the challenges of living and working together, while keeping Brandon closeted. All this leads to a great balance of plot, smut and relationship angst.

Since Nicky and Brandon's relationship is already established, James Buchanan is able to deliver a plethora of scorching hot sex scenes and highlight some pretty awesome bondage scenes.  Uber hot!  That said, this book delivers much more than just hot sex.  The details of the case provide a nice backdrop to the story and the insight into police work helps further develop both main characters. The best part of the book is not the sex or the plot, but the way both are skillfully woven to show the maturing of Nicky and Brandon's relationship and Brandon's slow, bumpy, yet inevitable steps out of the closet.  All elements of this story blended together to keep me turning pages non-stop.  The times when I put the book down, I did so reluctantly.  I just didn't want to step away from Nicky and Brandon's life.

I hope this is not the last time we see Nicky and Brandon.  While the ending of the book was more than satisfying, I certainly haven't had enough of these two guys.

More information about Inland Empire by James buchanan here.
 

Moving, entertaining, hot and just plain awesome!!!

I absolutely loved Barbara's Beautiful C*cksucker. That said, had I taken the time to read the blurb for Beautiful C*cksucker II, I might have chosen not to read it. What a big mistake that would have been! Good thing I saw it and bought it without even reading the blurb! On the surface, Beautiful C*cksucker II has many elements that are not my cup of tea. (Lead over 50, potential for daddy issues, death of a key character, HFN ending...) In reality, the story was everything I like and then some. Wow!

It's been decades since we last saw Miki. He is older, tired and lonelier than ever before. He is also at a cross-road in his personal life. For the first time in many years, he has true freedom to choose his path. When the search for a deviant criminal pairs him with young, gay and handsome cop David Kirkland, the outcome is predictable, the journey is not.

I was blown away by Barbara's portrayal of Miki, now 54 years old. I was afraid I would struggle to recapture the aura, sexiness and downright beauty that characterized Miki in Beautiful C*ocksucker. Boy was I wrong. Barbara skillfully paints a picture of a more mature Miki whose physical beauty has only changed not diminished, whose magnetic appeal has only gotten stronger, and whose personality has been polished by diverse (sometimes undesirable) life experiences from brash abandon to carefully restrained control. My heart hurt for Miki's past and soared on the possibilities for his future. This character will stay with me for a long, long time.

David's character, while not as deeply developed, was a joy to read. His beautiful awakening to submission was not the overly drawn out affair I have read in other stories, but rather a subtle internal struggle aided greatly by his sense of duty. His insecurities were realistic and done in just the right measure. He is the perfect combination of strong man and sexual submissive, a fitting lover for Miki.

This story really hit the spot for me. Barbara, you rocked my world in a very unexpected way. Thank You!  Please, please, please tell me we will see more of Miki, even if it is only a short.  I really want to experience his HEA.

If you like BDSM, yaoi and sexy older men, buy this book now! Buy Beautiful C*cksuker II: Such a Good Boy here.
If you haven't read Beautiful C*cksucker, you should. Buy Beautiful C*cksucker here.
Learn more about Barbara's work here.
Learn more about Barbara's work with Anne Cain here.

This anthology surprised me.  I am often disappointed by the lack of consistency in quality that many anthologies deliver. In  fact, when I read an anthology, I consider it a boon if more than one story is worth my time.  Queer Wolf delivers wonderful story after wonderful story without problem.  While the writing style, heat level and tone of the stories varies quite a bit, I found the quality of the stories to be great throughout.  I am not going to summarize each story (Don't want to spoil the surprise!), but here are some of my favorites from this wonderful anthology:

Moon Sing by Laramie Dean - A wonderful story about teen love between a wolf and a witch.  The first person narrative added to the feeling of youth and inexperience. Overall, the story was romantic, engaging and bittersweet.  A great "pick me up" story.

New Beginnings by Cari Z - Michael, the "Enforcer", second in command of an all gay werewolf pack falls in love with a recently rescued young werewolf.  The romance factor is high, as is the heat level.  A well written, traditional werewolf romance story.

Shy Hunter by Ginn Hale - A wonderfully atmospheric story with a gothic feel about a werewolf, the man he falls for and the "monster" that turned him.  Ginn Hale packs a lot of characterization into a few pages.  The heat level is low and the entertainment factor is high. Awesome!

The Stray by Anel Viz - An entertaining yet unusual story about a man who picks up a stray not knowing the stray is his lover.  I liked the concept of a wolf that just doesn't "get it".  Unique.

Wolves of the West by Charlie Cochrane - A very humorous story about a pack of wolves in England whose ability to shift during the full moon is greatly hindered by the typically cloudy English sky.  For these wolves shifting is not an uncontrollable nuisance or a magical power, but a privilege to be enjoyed when granted. Fantastic concept, gorgeous writing and plenty of humor wrapped and delivered in an excellent short story.

This anthology is like a box of chocolates "you never know what you are going to get" and the variety is half the fun.  I expect more excellent books from Queered Fiction and Rasmussen.

More about Queer Wolf here.

In the Driver's Seat by Angela Benedetti: A lovely story with a D/s theme, hot sex and likable characters.  One of the characters was not what I expected.  I love it when authors avoid cliches!  A very good read. Buy it here!

Jazzy Little Christmas by Nica Berry : An angsty short story with a latin heart that kept me turning pages non-stop.  Interesting plot, strong characters and a hypnotizing beat.  This story is unique and sexy! Buy it here!

Instinct by Jessica Freely: This sequel to Virgin had an unexpected "american gothic" feel that kept me waiting for the other shoe to drop the whole time I was reading. Cool! Joam and Blake were as cute as always and varnal sex is just freaking hot! Buy it here!

Lust in Translation (I Do Anthology) by Storm Grant: A lovely (and hot!) piece of fluff about a cop and a college professor that come together under very unusual circumstances. The story has some of my favorite elements, a cop, a cute blond boy and a pair of cuffs. Buy it here!

Seeds of Time 2: Bread on the Waters and Seeds of Time 3: Final Curtain by G .S. Wiley:  I loved Seeds of Time 1: Blue Roses. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about books 2 and 3.  The plot didn't work for me.  Characters motives were not clear.   I finished the series feeling like there were too many unexplained actions, too many loose ends and too much untapped potential. Buy it here and here!

Code of Honour (I Do Anthology) by Marquesate: An interesting story of personal growth, acceptance and maturity in a military setting. To me the love story between Henri and Joe was almost secondary (in importance not airtime), yet it was pivotal to Joe's personal journey. Those who are partial to men in uniform are bound to love this one! Buy it here!
 
Beloved in Toy Box: Collars by Zoe Nichols: A very short but beautiful interlude between Master and slave. Those who enjoy D/s will find it sensual and romantic. Buy it here!

Beautiful Cocksucker by Barbara Sheridan: I absolutely LOVED this short story.  Cops, D/s, private clubs, cross-dressing and pretty boys... Yeah! I want Miki for myself.  ;) Buy it here!
 
Another Dream by Addison Albright: This story shows a "maturing" of Addison's writing style. I liked A Dream Come True and I LOVED Another Dream. The plot is great and the characters are adorable. You won't want to miss Uncle Marty's story.  I know Addison is writing another book in the series... Can't wait! Buy it here!

Str8te Boys by Evangeline Anderson: If you are looking for a believable contemporary, this story is not for you.  However, if you can suspend disbelief and enjoy an unlikely but highly entertaining and erotic contemporary pick this one up today.  I particularly enjoyed the game of "extreme gay chicken".  LOL Buy it here!

Self Preservation by Ethan Day:  Even though they are no longer together, Davis always considered Jack his.  Jack is Davis future just waiting to be reclaimed.  He couldn't possible be getting married to someone else, could he?  Self Preservation is a funny, emotional story about the things we take for granted.  While the style is light and humor abounds, the story has a healthy dose of angst and a satisfying ending. Buy it here!

Clarity by Jourdan Lane in Toy Box - Biting:  A fantastic short set in the Soul Mates world.  We learn about Caleb's reintegration into the world from his point of view, and experience first hand his love for Xander.  A must for Soul Mates fans. Buy it here!

Making It Up by T.C. Blue: Small town boy does good in the big city, but realizes the hard way that true love is still back home.  Fans of highly dramatic stories with well developed characters that can enjoy a good story with "low" heat level will really like this one. I loved the characters and the drama.  Then again, I have been known to enjoy soaps too! Buy it here!

 
Well, the challenge ends Monday.  I have read 69 books/stories and it seems unlikely that I will be able to read any more before Tuesday morning.  Besides, 69 seems an appropriate number to end the challenge. *snickers*  There are three books (Phade Author books) left to read from the core list.  My plan is to keep them at the top of my TBR pile even after 8/31.

I am very glad I joined the challenge.  Surprisingly, it was indeed a challenge.  Turns out I am much more of an impulse reader that I would have ever acknowledged before.  Faced with a list of books I HAD to read, I felt very constrained.  Also, high stress in RL led me to do a lot of re-reading of favorite stories, including Jet Mykles' Heaven Sent series, Katrina Strauss' Blue Ruin series, Drew Zachary's On Fire series, Chris Owen's Bareback series and Deviations series, Sharon Maria Bidwell's Snow Angel and Angel Heart and more.

Soon I hope to post some very overdue reviews and comments on the stories I read.  Meanwhile, the updated Challenge list is here.

I read Eraste's "The Snow Queen" (in the "I DO" anthology) while sitting in a waiting room today. I had a huge sense of dejavu. Either I read it before and forgot, or I started it but didn't finish. Either way, my poin-of-view is that the story embodies what I love about reading fiction stories and what I hate about many gay lit (and to be fair any-type lit) offerings.

The story is beautifully written, smooth and lyrical. The characters are better crafted than would be expected for such a short story. The character's emotions are so real you can touch them. Unfortunately, the emotions themselves were not what I look for in my choice of fiction, and certainly not what I expected from an anthology to raise funds for marriage equality. The sadness, the despondency, the resignation...all three rubbed me the wrong way. The symbolism, which I am sure appealed to many, to me seemed pretentious and overdone. I wanted to do a literal wall banger, except my Kindle is way too pricey for that.

I am sure that my current (stressed , frustrated) state of mind influenced my reaction to this story. But even in the best of days, a story without a HEA is not for me. As far as I am concerned, this one should come with a warning sign.

The Snow Queen by Erastes in the I Do Anthology