Lexxi is Reading

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Take Your Time

Take Your Time by V.K. Powell Series: Pine Cone Romance (3rd in series) Date: July 2018 Rating: 3.78 out of 5

I received an ARC of this book from Bold Strokes Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the conclusion of a three book series, each book written by a different author, and all three books set during the, roughly, same period of time.  The difference in all three books is which specific characters are the lead characters.

The first book in the series, Take My Hand by Missouri Vaun, follows Pine Cone resident Clay Cahill, and Pine Cone visitor River Hemsworth. They meet when River accidentally drives into a hair salon while attempting to avoid driving into an illegally parked horse trailer – which I mention because the horse trailer belongs to Trip (star of book two in the series), who attempts to help her after the accident, and the police officer to talks with her is Grace Booker, star of book three. Clay is the tow-truck driver who drive up to pull the car away from the scene of the accident.  

The second book in the series, Take a Chance by D. Jackson Leigh, follows Veterinarian Trip Beaumont and police officer Jamie Grant and her smelly dog.  I've not read that one so I can't say more, though both of the characters appear in all three books.  Which I can say since they star in book two, and I've read book one and three.

The third book in this three book series is this book here.

All three of the locals who match up with ‘outsiders’ are best friends. Trip and Clay are on the ‘butch’ side of things, while Grace is on the femme side.  

Of the ‘outsiders’, River is also femme, and Dani is androgynous.  Jaime, the ‘other’ in book 2, is in other parts of this series, both in book 1 and 3, but, as I’ve not read book 2, I cannot ‘pigeon-hole’ her.  

Right, now that’s out of the way, this specific book here.

Grace Booker is a sheriff’s deputy, the . . . a . . .well, she’s also some form of Sergeant.  The book opens with her having to deal with the fact that her latest roommate has fled, leaving behind a freaking out parrot.  Which is how Grace and the other main point of view character meet – Grace needs help and stops by the local Vet office, expecting to talk to her friend Trip, but she’s out.  She has to, instead, ‘deal’ with Dr. Dani Wingate.  I say ‘deal’ with because Dani has already come to a negative view of Grace, simply because she wears a cop uniform.  It is one of many things the two will have to get over, in the course of the book, for the two to have a relationship.

Dani, see, had ‘previously meet’ Grace when she was in a store.  While there the store owner had grabbed and detained a youngster for shoplifting. Dani, while hiding her presence, watched as Grace handcuffed and lead the youngster away.  What really happened, and yes what Dani saw wasn’t the whole story, wasn’t explained until after Dani witnessed Grace restraining a drunk man and leading him off.

A cop being a cop, negative vibes being created in the watcher?  Dani grew up in a poor neighborhood – her only interaction with the police was when they would come and ‘hassle’ the residents, once even destroying her food when they raided her parents place.

The book unfolds with the two being interested in each other but having reasons to not pursue the other.  Dani: Grace is a police officer and Dani doesn’t plan to stick around the small town.  Grace: Grace just had one relationship (not really a relationship, but . . .) implode, and is still trying to get over a previous relationship that was an actual relationship in which Grace let her heart be open; plus Dani isn’t planning to stick around.

Somehow or another, largely due to: 1) attempting to deal with the bird issues; 2) living in the same bed & breakfast and therefore running into each other a lot – the two developed some kind of relationship.

I liked the book; though felt that there was a little too heavy focus on sex for my own enjoyment.  Ended up rating this one about a half star less, not for the sex, than the first book in this series.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and now I need to check some more out by them.

Rating: 3.78

July 24 2018

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The Cursebreaker Countess by Sasha L. Miller

The Cursebreaker Countess by Sasha L. Miller Read: July 2018 Rating: 4.5 stars

I received an ARC of this book from Less Than Three Press and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

 A woman named Kas comes across a sleeping woman when she goes into a tower to escape the rain.  The woman has been asleep for some sixty-odd years, and is awakened by Kas. For that is Kas’ nature, no not waking sleeping women – destroying magic.  She touched something, something else happened, and the sleeping woman was no longer asleep. Said her name was Anika, then admitted to being the Lost Princess (well, being a princess of that kingdom, and Kas informed her of that title, the ‘Lost Princess’ one).

 The two talk.  Kas filling in a little on what has happened the last 66 years.  Anika fell asleep, by however means, in a world of magic. But magic doesn’t work in that kingdom any longer – at least new magic doesn’t, and magic that’s already working can’t be fixed if Kas touches it.

  --

I do not wish to do a step by step plot-line break-down, so let’s move on, eh?

 The main character is Kas.  She’s the ‘Cursebreaker Countess’ of the title, though providing more explanation than that might be too much spoiler information.  The entirety of the story is from Kas POV.  

 I rather enjoyed this story – it had a nice ‘vibe’ to it, and it was a pleasure to read.  The beginning and middle were great.  The ending . . . eh, what needed to be done was done, but the ending did kind of seem abrupt regardless.

 Right, so, I liked the main characters – Kas and Anika. The story was good. There are things left incomplete, but that’s more of a ‘what happens next’ type of feeling than a ‘plots not completed’ type of feeling.

 Rating: 4.38

 July 4 2018

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Shadow of the Phoenix (Storm’s Quarry #3)by Rebecca Harwell

Shadow of the Phoenix by Rebecca Harwell  Series: Storm’s Quarry 3rd in series Read: July 2018 Rating: 4.44

I received an ARC of this book from Bold Strokes Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When a book is released as part of a series (or, for that matter, released without mention of a series, but an unofficial series connects other books to that book . . . but that’s not what is occurring here so I’ll move on), it is important to ask and answer one simple question.  How important is it to read the prior works in the series?  It is prudent to ask a question like that – there are books that are officially part of a series, but there is no real connection between the books (and, sometimes, between the authors); then there are series like this one here. That builds on each additional novel. How important is it to read this series in order? Very.

 Right, so, assuming you haven’t read the first book in this series – go and do that now.  I’ll patiently wait here.  Now read the second book, as this here is the third.

 I’m both joking and serious in the last paragraph. Serious in that you need to read this series in order, joking that you need to do it immediately.

 Right, so, what’s this third book about?  Well, see . . . *insert here spoiler for the series* . . . and we enter the realm of ‘how do you talk about the third book in an interconnect series that builds on itself without spoiling prior books’?

 Well, let’s look at the book description. ‘Nadya and Shay have built a quiet life together away from the island city-state of Storm’s Quarry and their outlaw vigilante identities, the Iron Phoenix and the Shadow Dragon.’  Well, that’s wrong on two levels. Nadya is constantly in a state of depression and guilt at the actions of the past.  Shay keeps having jealous flashes, though she keeps getting reminded that ‘I choose you’.  Quiet life?  Built? They live in a tent and are caravanning around with Shay’s adoptive mother, the Forgemaster.  And that ‘life away from .  . . Iron Phoenix and the Shadow Dragon’  is just . . . wrong.  They still put on the costumes and help those around them. Heck, the book opens (at least the Nadya & Shay part) with Nadya tentatively approaching the Forgemaster to ask to have her armor dinks un-dinked.  Because it got damaged. From being used, by Nadya, as the Iron Phoenix.

 The only thing ‘correct’ in the part I quoted from the book description would be the ‘away from . . . Storm’s Quarry’.  

 Okkkay, I was going to say the second paragraph in the book description is accurate, until I read it again and . . . just don’t read that, m’okay?  The paragraph. It’s too spoiler-y. Mentions stuff that occurs later in the book, and is kind of spoilery.  

 Right, so, the two women who, over time, have developed a relationship – Shay and Nadya, continue their relationship. Though their bonds are tested when news reaches them that call Nadya back to the city-state. Not specifically that the city is/was under invasion/attack, but there are coded parts in the message that lead Nadya to suspect something like that. So they return and do what they can to help.

 A good solid book.  Enjoyable.  There’s both a feeling, as another review (the only other review at the moment) indicated, that the series has reached its conclusion, while at the same time there’s a tantalizing bit that could be followed in another book that’s left open by how the book ended.

 Rating: 4.44 (of note: I rated the first book ~4.25 stars, second 4.45, and now rate the third 4.44) July 5 2018

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The Lady and the Thief

The Lady and the Thief by Megan Derr Read: July 2018 Rating: 2.75

I received an ARC of this book from Less Than Three Press and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ever read a story where fun and exciting mysteries and adventures and stuff are going on? Daring do, and all that?  Like a James Bond novel or film, or even an Austen Powers film?  There is a specific individual that comes to mind I wish to mention – he’s a fella that appeared in several Bond films, if I recall correctly he was a fatter man who may or may not be from either Texas or Louisiana, and may or may not be involved in law enforcement. I’m taking the time to mention him so I can note: in the films James Bond is doing these exciting things, speeding past in a boat, in a car, on a train.  Texas dude watches with his mouth open clueless to what all is going on.  Ah, there we go – Louisiana Sheriff J.W. Pepper, appeared in ‘Live and Let Die’ and ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’.

 Adeline is the lead character in this short work, and the only one whose point of view is shown.  Adeline is like Pepper in Bond.  Exciting stuff is happening, but Adeline is just getting whiplash from it occurring around her, and occasionally to her, but without her knowing why.

 This specific story open with Adeline seducing James Bond, saving money, and letting the individual know of her plans to run away together to ‘have a life’.  The next morning Adeline wakes up to wails – ‘my jewelry!’ – the person she had expressed her love to, James Bond, had left the premise with Adeline’s money and jewels (as well as her aunt/uncles stuff).  James Bond is, of course, not James Bond, but the chamber maid Lissette.  Think a moment as to why I’d mention Bond here in this way.  I do not wish to be too specific.

 Two years later, 21 year old Adeline is finally ‘out for a season’ (and yes, this book reads like a vaguely English Regency period romance, but it is close enough to give that vibe, while also be irritating at the obvious differences between the 800,000 Regency romances I’ve read, and this story here – which, and this should be or should have been obvious, is not a Regency romance).  While at a ball, Adeline spots a newcomer pop in.  It’s Lizette!  In a ball gown!  And . . . calling herself Lady something or other!

 One thing leads to another and . . . the reader follows Adeline mostly locked in her room ‘grounded’ while stuff happens. Since we, the readers, are following Adeline, ‘we’ know nothing, since Adeline knows nothing. Well, we and Adeline do know ‘something’ is going on. But not much more than ‘something’.  Meanwhile, as far as the reader knows, an intricate chess match between rival spies could be occurring, or a game of poker, or high-speed . . . horse races . . . or nothing at all.  That’s all the information we and Adeline have of the activities. Nothing at all.

 Picture reading ‘North by Northwest’, and we are the Hitchcock character (not the director, the character – Hitchcock popped up on screen as someone at Mount Rushmore, sees ‘weird things occur’ but has no clue what’s going on).  That’s us and Adeline. We are Hitchcock, or Pepper, or . . . any of a million other people who are near action, can sense something is occurring, but has no inside knowledge and is only involved indirectly (well, Adeline is involved directly, in a way, but she doesn’t know it).

 Because of all of that – this is one of the most frustrating stories I’ve read. Borderline boring. Maybe more than borderline.

 Adeline is a skilled and trained swords-person (fencer). Isn’t stupid. Etc. etc. But spends the majority of the story, as noted, locked in her room, or without agency – having people do things to her. Either for or against her. Sure, occasionally she gets to stab someone, but super rarely.  Mostly she’s locked in a room.

 I do not really like reading stories where the character has no agency, and stuff just happens to them. Especially if most of the stuff is off screen and sometime near the end the character has to be sat down and have things explained to them because . . . they both had no agency to act, and had no opportunity to observe anything.

 Adeline remained true to her first love, but this is not, by any means, a romance. I can’t even call it a spy story, even though everything that occurs is spy related – Adeline just isn’t involved in it. It’s like a Sherlock Holmes story, and we the reader are following . . . the person off to the side, who is both blind and deaf, who shines shoes for a living.  Hears and sees nothing. Feels only shoes and shoe cleaning stuff.  Yay?

 Oh, and the main character is also overly emotional and angsty. Hehehe, gah.

Rating: …. I really have no idea.  2.75 

July 3 2018

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Enemies to lovers

Lists Fell for enemy or rival

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Erotica & erotic romance

Finding Jaime by P. Dawn Read: Feb 2018 Rating: 2.5 Stars Review

Lists: Lesbian Erotica

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Age difference

Under Your Skin by Lee Winter Read: June 2018 Rating: 5 Stars Review

~10 Year Age Difference

Also Read

Chasing the Dream by Ashlee Winston Read: May 2018 Rating: 2.75 Stars Review

1 character in 20s, other in 30s

Also Read

Kellen’s Moment by Robin Alexander Read: March 2018 Rating: 5+ Stars Review

5 year age difference

Also Read

Who’d Have Thought by G. Benson Read: Jan 2018 Rating: 4.5 Stars Review

15 year age difference

List Other Age Difference stories read

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Science fiction

The False Knight on the Motorway by Arden Ellis Read: Jan 2018 Rating: 5 Stars Review

Post Apocalyptic

Also Read

Erased by Robbi McCoy Read: Jan 2018 Rating:  4.25 Stars Review

Time Travel

Also Read

Survival Instincts by May Dawney Read: March 2018 Rating: 4.5 Stars Review

Post Apocalyptic

Also Read

Shattered by Lee Winter Read: June 2018 Rating: 4.75 Stars Review

Superhero Prose, Alt History, Aliens

Lists Lesbian Science Fiction read

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Historical Fiction

The Sublime and Spirited Voyage of Original Sin by Colette Moody Read: Jan 2018 (reread) Rating: 5+ stars Review

18th Century

Also Read:

Berlin Hungers by Justine Saracen Read: March 2018 Rating: 4.25 stars Review

1940s-1950s

Lists: Lesbian Historical Fiction read.

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Heart of Chaos Read: July 2018 Rating: 3.44

I received an ARC of this book from Less Than Three Press and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First off: This is the first story I’ve read by this author. What did I know going in? Not much – something about a business partner proposing marriage to Rin, Rin not wanting to marry, turns to a Goddess for help, who tells her to marry her instead. Or . . I think that last part was something I read somewhere the story was about. Sounded interesting enough. Oh, and the cover indicated an interracial relationship of some kind. What did I find? Well, I immediately knew my impression was off. From the ‘this is what the story is about’ I pictured some Middle Ages (knights and castles level) level fantasy world. And the story opens with Rin turning off a computer. Soooo… Oh, and the people in this world are super focused on business matters (’the Empire of Alhira was a corporate country through and through. Business was expected to be her first love’). Oh, and that business partner who proposed marriage is male (with Rin 2being female). So this is a ‘modern’ world with computers, technology, people living for their jobs, etc. etc., mixed with an active polytheistic religion with multiple Gods and Goddesses – who can be seen in person (‘the goddess walked the earth just as all gods did’ – so said after seeing the goddess Hina walking around picking up pastries to eat late at night). …. Forgot to mention the Goddesses name (God/Goddess, whatever, they are/can be both, heck when first meet, they were a cat licking up milk) – that name being Vistri. Not sure I particularly like either main character. Rather than saying no to Jarrod, the man who proposed marriage, Rin went to the Gods for help. Um, eh? Saying no is harder than making a plea for help from a trickster god? And the other, Vistri, appears to be a pompous asshole. Eh, whatever. … Vistri uses terms of endearment, like ‘dear’ way too much. … Right, so, short story read. Unfortunately I never really got into it as much as I thought I would. I was a little too detached from what was going on. Rating: 3.44 July 2 2018

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Orbiting Bodies by Diana Jean Read: June 25 2018 Rating: 4.78 

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I received an ARC of this book from Less Than Three Press and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

 Well this is a somewhat strange position I find myself in. In 2016 I read and loved a book by this author. In 2018 I reread that book and loved it again.  I’ve now read two more works – both of which I read today. Didn’t love the short story, but it was a good enough way to pass the time.  This brings us to this novel here – which I somewhat unexpectedly find that I also loved.

 Unexpectedly?  Well . . . there’s like 80 (no, there’s just 4) point of view main characters in this book. All of them young adult college students.  It is somewhat harder for me to love a multiple cast point of view book.  Not impossible, just harder.  Plus – I had been eyeballing this book for a while now, and kept not getting it because of the sample – Caleb, the star of the beginning chapter, seems a pain to be around – a super hyper super-selfish extrovert type who has great trouble sitting still for longer than three minutes, and brings unrelated books to tutor sessions in case he gets bored. He seemed . . . annoying when I first glimpsed him in the sample.  Then he made me laugh a few times in that sample, so I got the book.

 So that’s Caleb – super hyper short slim dude who is an extreme extrovert, wants to be friends with everyone, and is quite pushy in getting people to do his thing – oh and he can be quite . . . dramatic. He is also 18 and a college freshman and the roommate of another main point of view character, Andrew.

 Andrew, also a freshman, is also probably 18, though the one and only time his age was given, it was 15 – but that was also an unexpected flashback.  

 That happens a lot in this book, by the way, flashbacks. Also – merged . . . um sessions. There were times when a character, in the present, would be doing something and have thoughts of the past – detailed thoughts. There were also times when a flashback would occur – and then there would be italicized text – thoughts from the present. That was . . . different.

 But I was on Andrew and got distracted.

Andrew, when he first appeared, was dressed all depressing like and .. . well, I forget the exact words Caleb used.  Emo? Goth punk? Something in that range. Andrew’s life is art, and that’s why he’s at college – to get an art degree and do art.  He is also, unlike Caleb, gay.  And a little bit (or more) lusting after Caleb, who reminds him, personality wise, of his great lust-person of high school years (Daniel, the name was Daniel, right?).  Andrew kind of became the fifth well in this book, even though there were only four points of view. But, eh, whatever.

 As I mentioned, Caleb is quite pushy and gets his way a lot. I mention this because, the first day Caleb and Andrew move in on campus – Caleb drags Andrew to a club mixer thingie. Which I mention less to mention Caleb being pushy, but so I could mention that that is where the two meet Jun.  Sitting at one of the club tables (Astronomy).

 Jun, unlike freshman Caleb and Andrew, is a junior – studying for a bio-chem degree (degrees?, I forget if that was described as ‘bio chem pre med degree’, or bio chem degree and pre med degree or . . something). Jun is the third point of view character in the book.  He is very studious to the point he rarely does anything else.  When he was 7 his family moved from Japan to the USA, which I mention because the transition was such that he lost the ability to make friends, or something like that, and so went a different direction – taking on a persona of hiding, and being studious and not pursing friendships and social interactions.

 Jun is roommates with the final point of view character, Piper.  Who pulls in Lizzy, though Lizzy, oddly, doesn’t get a point of view in this book.  Lizzy and Pipper are seniors and girlfriends.  Jun was a last minute addition to their apartment, as they figured that having another person in the application would increase their chances of getting the apartment.  Piper is into Computer Science, while Lizzy is into dance.  Piper’s the one who pulls in the family (though Caleb’s mother is mentioned and very briefly seen in the opening chapter) – for the mother, Piper’s that is, keeps opening stating things like how Piper’s going through a phase and stuff, by dating women (though . . . eh, let’s not give everything away).

 There’s a slight disconnect between me and the characters involved. Possibly due to there being so many to follow, possibly for other reasons.   That doesn’t mean I didn’t feel them at times – like, again unexpectedly, there were moments when Piper and Lizzy’s story-line made me vaguely teary eyed.

 Right.

 So, young adult book. Many characters. Three men, two women.  Mix of LGBT characters.  Multiple LGBT couples in the same book. Mix of MM and FF in same book. Lastly: the only thing graphic was kissing.

 Enjoyable book.

 Rating: 4.78

 June 25 2018

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I received an ARC of this book from Less Than Three Press and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Unlike many reviews I’ve attempted recently, the start of this one is easy: Why did I read this work here? Because it involves Sherlock Holmes, it’s a short story, it’s a mystery, and I like all three things. Plus it might be interesting to read what a female Holmes might be like, with a female Watson. I do not go in knowing if they are supposed to have a relationship or not, just that the two main characters have been ‘regendered’. The work was in the LGBT section, though. I’ve never read the author before, though, and no one else has read and reviewed this work. So I’m a risk-taker. *nods* That’s why I requested the story, though, what I said up there. It looked interesting. Was it? Well the opening was weird. About a dream, the dreamer dreamed they were a stingray swimming around the ocean. At the time of reading the opening for the first time, I had had no clue who the dreamer might be, though it becomes clear later. The second noticeable thing, after the weird dream, is that the police person Holmes tended to talk with (I’ve the vague idea this is the case) has also been regendered. Is everyone in this story female? Well the homeless woman lying dead at Lestrade’s feet is also female. So . . . yes? More information needed (ah, Holmes makes reference to an imaginary male police detective as the stand-in for the average police investigator, therefore, there be males on this world, question answered; a male in the flesh finally appears – Mycroft remains male in this universe). Right, let’s stop with writing about each word, sentence, and paragraph. Why was Holmes called in for the death of a homeless woman? Holmes name was carved into the body. Holmes doesn’t seem as outwardly all-knowing in this universe. Ah, wonder why it took me so long to realize why things felt ‘off’. Everything is from Holmes point of view, not Watson’s. It’s odd being in Holmes head, though other stories have done it. ----- This is set in modern times, based on well-hidden clues, like mobile phones. --- Eww, kissing. --- That’s what my reviews become with short stories: Random thoughts with Lexxi as she reads (oops, I admit now, I’m writing this as I read). -- There’s a nice buzz/vibe to watching Holmes investigate, but . . . I can’t say as it’d be spoiler-y. -- The mystery plot-line was interesting, though there was that issue I can’t mention for spoiler-y reasons. The romance plot-line was . . . different. Well, not really – romance has popped up in Holmes stories before and tends to be weird/different than the norm. As it is/was here. So I guess, in that sense, the romance plot-line meshes with my idea of Holmes, for being weird. Heh. All-in-all this was an interesting story. On one hand, making this be a Holmes story adds a certain tension to things, at least to me, to my reading of the story. Needing to watch closely at this interpretation of the character. On the other hand, this story probably works . . . better as a Holmes story, at least one set in modern times like the modern television series are. Better as there are added layers already built into the story – like I knew about Holmes drug issue, the connection to Watson, Lestrade, Moriarty, and Mycroft. And to boxing. Oh, and the vague not-clearly-stated asexual vibe of the character. There were only two things really missing from this story: I might have preferred it set a century ago for . . . reasons; and there was no connection to music like Holmes’s love of listening to or playing music in the original stories (or was that a later addition?). At least I do not think I noticed music. Was there music? Hmms. I don’t think there was. No matter. Rating: 4.44 June 23 2018

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Wildrose by  by Max Ellendale and  R.M. Bruce Read: June 21 2018 Rating: 5 Stars

I’ve started this review something like twelve times now.

Eve Grant works as a homicide detective in Seattle. There are investigations she is shown investigating, but the main point of the book is not to follow and/or unravel mysteries, but to watch Eve’s love life. She’s both not the kind to have relationships (more of a one-night stand type of person), and hasn’t

been

on a one night stand type event in months (six?). So, naturally, there’d be some changes in store for Eve in this book.

Her first potential love interest is the somewhat vaguely ice queen like Ainsley Monson, the medical examiner. I’m not actually sure if she has that reputation so much as she kind of acts that way in the book.

I’d like to say ‘various other people weave in and out as potentials’, but that’s hard to have happen, what with Eve mostly just hanging out with straight people, and in straight bars. Another potential love interest does pop up, though, through the means of visiting that gay friendly bar that shares the same name as this book

(Ciara is meet there, and a tiny bit of time is spent here otherwise, but . . . I’m not sure why this specific book is named after that bar).

An interesting dynamic breaks out that I rarely see in books like this one, though it might be obvious from what I’ve written up to this point – Eve starts dating two people at the same time (one knows the name of the other; the other knows that Eve is dating someone else, but not her name). The three woman love triangle actually, and somewhat unexpectedly, seems to flow naturally for the people involved, and the situation(s) encountered. Or, in other word, there are reasons for why things developed the way they developed, for how Eve ended up dating two people at the same time, who are aware of the situation and vaguely accepting of it.

Fire and ice. I’ve mentioned Ainsley, she’d fall on the ice side of things. On the fire side is Ciara. Using the ‘fire and ice’ as opposite extremes is a nice motif for me to use, eh? But doesn’t really apply, and was never used in the book. Ainsley has elements of being closed off emotionally, being something of an ice queen; while Ciara, with her flaming red hair, and ability to openly express her wants and desires would fall inside . . . whatever category that would imply. Fire seems to imply someone who becomes enraged easily or something like that, which is not Ciara. Or someone controlled by their emotions, again not her. I need a new motif.

You know, writing a review for this book should probably be easy. I’m not sure why it took me twelve times to get to this point, or why I’m ham-fistedly going about things as I am.

I probably should have just gone with the thought I’d had while reading the book, and seen if there was something I could have built off of it, review-wise. That thought being: ice-queens are popular in lesbian fiction, off the top of my head I can think of three fanfiction universes that use that dynamic and in turn get used for inspiration for fanfiction, and published work (Cat Grant from Supergirl; whoever the ice queen is from: Devil Wears Prada, and, in addition, the one from Once Upon a Time (that’s the one that’s called Swanqueen, right?); a fourth could be Janeway from Star Trek Voyager, though I rarely see fanfictions from that universe, and when I do, they tend to attempt to show what would have happened if Janeway

hadn’t

made the decision to not pursue romantic interests while in the Delta quadrant – she has more of the ‘stand-offishness’ vibe more from circumstances than actual traits (at least there were hints she wasn’t that way when she wasn’t cut off from the Alpha Quadrant)).

Melting the ice queen’s heart, especially since she tends to be shown as much older than the other individual involved in the romance, has never really been my thing to enjoy. I prefer the more nurturing, emotionally stable . . etc. etc. There’s probably a term for that type of character, eludes me (not 'mothering' type, that's going too far in a different direction, I'm not looking 'mother and little girl' stories either, more equal partners type stories). I’m referring here to what I like to read, not real life situations (*shrugs*, I can't really say I'm

not

into that in real life since my longest term relationship, roughly 7 to 8 years, was with someone with a vaguely ice queen vibe, though I only really noticed after the fact when watching her interact with others who were not me).

Nope, that thought experiment to create a review didn’t work. Ah well.

I liked what I saw unfold in this book. For the most part I liked the sole point of view character, Eve, and her best friend Ang. I liked the personality shown with Ciara, though we, the reader, didn’t really get to dig deep into her character. We learn a little bit more about Ainsley, but, due to her character, there are walls around her that weren’t breached.

Hmm. I now fall into an odd problem. Since I wrote, then discarded a dozen reviews, I’m not sure what all I actually have and haven’t written. Since I feel like I’ve written everything now, but probably have discarded most. Pfft, having to reread my own review… mmphs.

Right. There are two things left I wanted to mention. Or, at least, two things I thought of mentioning.

Nah, I just deleted the paragraph(s) I wrote that rambled about this being the sixth book I’ve read by one of the two authors listed on this book’s cover, and I’ll just move to the next topic.

There’s graphic sex in this book. I, somewhat unexpectedly, liked it more than I figured I would.

Some quotes:

"Nice sunglasses," . . . "Shut up." "I thought you weren't drunk." "Wasn't drunk. Totally no drunkness occurred." "Uh huh. So you normally wear sunglasses in the rain?" "I do. Don't judge me." "Idiot."

"Hey, don't discount the awesomeness that is my firearm. It's saved your life a time or two." "Yeah, but what happens when you're disarmed? You scream 'I beat terrorists!' while waving your arms in the air?" I laughed at him. "That'll work."

"Prude." Now I laughed at her. "I was kidding. I'm thirty-six years old. I have no gaydar. I'm broken."

If I was any less of a person, I'd deny the deflated feeling inside when I heard the dreaded heterosexuality pour from her lips. My inclinations were, no doubt, wrong.

"Thanks for the drink." "Anytime." I smiled, half-heartedly at the sexy woman who I would now only get to ogle at until I shriveled up and died.

"Worst lesbian ever. Most U-Haul. You Fed Ex." I laughed hard at the unusual statement. "What's that supposed to mean?" "U-Haul, love 'em and married by the third date. Fed Ex, love 'em and ship 'em out next day air."

"Are you aware that we're both in our mid-thirties and behaving like bi-curious teenagers?"

"I've also never kissed two women at the same time." I looked at her. "Wait, that sounded odd."

"I don't care if we eat in the middle of the road, as long as we get to spend time together," I told her because that's how I felt.

I lost my fingers in her hair but she pulled back suddenly. "Did I give you a boner?" She grined down at me, biting her bottom lip in the way that made me want to bit it for her. "I think you might've." I reached under my shirt and tugged my sidearm free, shoving it into my purse a few inches away.

"Dating," I said. "We're dating. Poorly, at the moment." She laughed, genuinely. So much so that her eyes lit up with it. "Very." "Just relax a little, okay?" "You too then. Sometimes you look about ready to regurgitate a meal." "Ainsley!" I laughed, swatting her arm without thinking. "That's gross. You say weird shit."

Nothing brought me more joy than spending this time with Angelina. She was my best friend, my sister, my person, and no matter what, that wouldn't ever change. I was lucky to have her, to call her my family.

ETA: by the way - if the relationship had ended up the way I thought it might, I'd probably have rated this book way differently. Like, a lot.

Rating: 5.0

June 21 2018

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truelesbianlove.com by Carsen Taite Read: June 18 2018 Rating: 3.68 Stars

Super quick story about two long-time friends who realize they have feelings for each other. Though they take forever to reach this realization. Along the way they spend a little bit of time looking at online dating stuff - hence the title of this book.

“Handle?” Mac frowned. “It’s not like we’re truckers looking for love on our CB radios." - Setting up their online dating profile.

Dear Huge Pig letter: At first I thought you were cute, but then you ate the entire city of Dallas in one sitting. When I said I wanted to see you again, I didn’t mean you had to make yourself big enough I could see you across town.

The above is though after a date during which Mac made it a 'working date' by doing a little taste test of a rival restaurant's menu.

Rating: 3.68

June 18 2018

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Taking Flight by Siera Maley Read: June 17 2018 Rating: 4.88 Stars

There are some authors who I, once I actually find them, gobble everything by them up as quickly as possible (or, at least, whatever I can get my hands on). Then there are authors who have written books I’ve liked and who, for reasons that aren’t really clear to me, I take a lot of time getting around to reading other stuff by them. Sierra Maley falls into the second category – I’ve now read all but one of their six books, but it took me three years to read these five books.

Part of my slowness in reading these books is the nature of the books – all but one are contemporary romance young adult books, and that other one also involved youngish adults, though it was one of those high fantasy books. I’ve read a ton of young adult books – more than the 78 on my shelves

(view spoiler)

Still, I seem to always be kind of reluctant to dive into young adult books, especially if they are romances. This is everything this author, Sierra Maley I mean, writes.

But enough of that.

Three months before the start of this book, Lauren Lennox’s mother died in a car accident. She, the mother, was somewhere around 42. Lauren, at the time, was 17. Before that tragic death, Lauren had two parents, but not the normal type of life experience that one would get from having two parents. Pops (not sure if his name was ever given) is an alcoholic and basically disappeared into the bottle long long ago – other than someone to stumble across as he is passed out drunk, Lauren doesn’t really have a relationship with her father. Her mother, on the other hand, disappeared from her life for another reason – she was an A-list movie actress and was constantly working. So Lauren has spent basically the last 10 years of her life with limited (any?) rules, and low level parenting and support (the mother became an A list star 10 years ago, though she’d been a child actress at some point, so she was always working, just not at the same level).

For the last three months, since her mother’s death, Lauren has basically spent her time in her bed. This is how she ended up in court for failure to attend school. This is not her first time getting into trouble for attendance. The Judge set her up with a program in a small town in Georgia. A quite religious town, with a Baptist family. Lauren, by the way, has been openly lesbian since she was . . . what, 14? Something like 14.

The early part of the book shows Lauren with her one good friend, Caitlyn, dealing with the issue of being shipped off (shortly, like in three days) to Georgia. Her plan, which she sets up with her friend before leaving, is to be a disagreeable sort with her program family, and once she turned 18, the friend would pick her up and they’d drive off, freeing her early. Money? Her trust fund has millions in it. Not that she can touch any at the moment.

The second part of the book (and no the book is not cut evenly in half) involve Lauren interacting with the small Georgian town, the Baptist family she lives with, and the small high school she attends.

There’s a lot about the description of Lauren, who and what she presents herself as, which would likely be annoying for me to read. But there’s more to her than this description, and she’s actually pretty fun to follow along.

There are many things I liked about this book, beyond Lauren: there’s quite good characterization, a good story-line, great side-characters, etc. etc. I like how this book mentions a young adult who is attending high school . . . and actually shows stuff in the school.

After that was lunch, only the lunch periods were beyond confusing, and I wound up sitting alone at a table for two lunch periods instead of one. Then it turned out neither of those lunch periods were the one I was supposed to have attended

Many seem to like to just skip that part. I liked how there is/was a romance in the book and it wasn’t a ‘love at first sight’ type of thing, nor was it without complications (I’m trying to figure out how to mention some of this without spoilers -

(view spoiler)

.

The characters felt real. The story felt real. Quite good book.

I was literally huddled under a tree in the middle of nowhere during an increasingly heavy downpour, soaking wet, in order to watch a recently-pseudo-dumped blonde girl dance around and drink rain. Caitlyn would die of laughter if she could see me now.

Watching Cammie interact with Nate and Fiona was like watching a baby bird take a nosedive out of its nest.

- Lauren, being Lauren, had looked for some non-threatening looking people to sit with at lunch, so became friends with Nate and Fiona. They were initially quite confused, though, as to why Lauren would want to sit with them. Lauren, I've never mentioned, is white. Nat and Fiona are black. Lauren hadn't thought it would be strange to sit with them, but . . . while the small town wasn't necessarily racist, it was still a small town in Georgia, one that was about 99.9% white. Cammie, here in the quote, is Cameron Marshall, the young woman who Lauren lives with in the Marshall home. Cammie isn't specifically racist but never thought of sitting with Nate & Fiona. Until that particular part of the book.

“Don’t make fun of my boobs,” I hissed. She just giggled and pulled me down for another kiss.

Rating: 4.88

June 17 2018

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The High Priest and the Idol by Jane Fletcher Series: Lyremouth Chronicles:#4 Read: June 14 2018 Rating: 4.33 Stars

I didn’t mean to read a book in-between finishing this one and attempting to write a review, but I did. Makes it harder now to write a review. This is the final book in this particular series, and a definite let-down from the prior book in the series. This is not my least favorite book in the series, though. In fact it might even be my second favorite – the first book in the series was, I noted ‘vaguely interesting, vaguely boring’. Well I never really felt bore, per se, with this book here. Though there were certain things that frustrated me – namely how incredibly naïve Jemeryl seemed in this story (specifically with regard to her ex-lover, and the things to do or not do to ‘stop the crisis’); though the separation of Jemeryl and Tevi for a longish stretch of time, a relatively favorite tactic of this author in this series, was also frustrating. There were some rather neat ideas explored in this book, namely regarding religion and . . . um . . . other things. I mention a little note about the book so I’ll have an easier time remembering it later: Jemeryl and Tevi, at the end of the prior book, mentioned where they might live next. The mentioned a particular city/region/village (? – I never did get a clue the size of the place) that had petitioned to join the Protectorate near the end of that book. Well this book picks up a little bit later (I forget if it’s years later, a month, or what), with Jemeryl the local Protectorate Sorcerous in the region, and Tevi the head . . . mercenary/guard person. Fairly rapidly, though, this changes – Jem gets a note (by bird) to return to the capital to talk with the current Protectorate Guardian. Who is new, and who despises the idea of Jem spending time with a non-magic user. Jem fears the worst. The dude-whose-name-escapes-me does still dislike the relationship between Tevi and Jem, but, other than noting his disapproval again, that isn’t why he called Jem to him. Jem’s ex-lover, a man (a reminder to readers that it’s Tevi’s same-sex desire/feelings that’s the odd-ball in this universe; her people are MF and kill and/or expel (not sure how and/or works there, heh) FF, MM people; while everyone else on the planet, apparently, are some form of bisexual/pansexual/polysexual/whatever), has fled the Protectorate and the Guardian wants Jem to go get him. He provides reasons why he wants Jem to go instead of sending anyone else. The reasons are reasonable enough, though separating Jem and Tevi probably play some role. Jem heads across the sea (I’ve no real map in my head to what’s going on geographically) to a land of desert like conditions. Reaches an oasis near the city the rogue magic person fled to. People with weapons approach. Jem basically faints, along with the two helper people who had come with her. The fainting spell is super brief, and when she blinks awake again, she realizes she has lost her ability to sense the higher dimensions – she has lost her ability to use magic. She and her helper people are lead to the city. The city has historically been known as a religious city – it’s the point of its existence (I believe). There’s this temple there that houses many Gods/goddesses, open to anyone to enter and . . . stuff. Now, though, there’s a new High Priest and a new God. And the other deities have been tossed out. That new High Priest? Well, it’s not really a spoiler, is it, to note that it is the rogue sorcerer. The High Priest has set up a device that blocks access to the higher dimensions – they still exist, which is why spells created and used before the device went online, still work, but no new spells can be released as no magic user can tap into the magic dimensions now. The High Priest sends the Protectorate people back with a message, Jem, though, elects to stay with her ex-lover. Tevi, due to reasons (like the magpie left behind as a link to Jem going all unmoving and like), heads to Jem. One thing leads to another and . . . um . . stuff happens. I do not wish to be too exact here. Though will note Holy War erupts; the High Priests naïve idea is to level the playing field, with the belief that if no one has the ability to control magic, then a kind of paradise would erupt. He’s flabbergasted at the idea that anything but magic user/non-magic user divide actually exists (like when he learns Tevi comes from a place without magic users, a place where men and women are treated differently, and a place where women are in ascendance – naïve dude just throws a tantrum and runs away (seriously, the ‘rogue sorcerer’ seems to have the mental abilities of Forest Gump, isn’t evil, means well, but creates a wave of death and destruction because of his naivety.)) Sex: I cannot remember now if it is this one or the prior one that had, suddenly, graphic sex erupt. I do not normally expect that in a Fletcher book, and it seemed to have occurred just the once. I just can’t recall if it was this book or the prior book. Rating: 4.33 June 14 2018

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The Empress And the Acolyte by Jane Fletcher Series: Lyremouth Chronicles: #3 Read: June 12 2018 Rating: 4.50 Stars

The book was better than expected. Mostly because I thought that the first two books in the series made a perfect duology and wasn't really interested in 'what happens next'. Yet, I fell into this story, and, when I emerged, I was quite happy I decided to try it.