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One of the short stories in the new PsyCop Briefs collection, Seasons, has Vic caving to peer pressure and participating in a fictitious moustache-growing charity event. And of course he can’t grow a decent moustache because he’s Vic. But it put silly pictures in my head, so I give you “VemberStache Vic” ⚆_⚆
Completed December 2021
Gigantic M/M Romance Rec List
A gentle reminder that I keep an ongoing list of my favorite m/m romance books.
There are 50+ books on the list! I’m always adding more as I read.
Sometimes it’s not about doing things right the first time around. It’s about course-correcting when you screw up.
Jordan Castillo Price_Psycop #5 camp hell
A thing I always forget a little between PsyCop books that I really don’t like Jacob that much. Like, he's well-written. He's fine, but in that way where your friend is with someone and you Do Not Get It, but it makes your friend happy so that's that?
I do love the series though. Victor Bayne is my (gay) book boyfriend.
Among the Living by Jordan Castillo Price
Series: PsyCop, #1 Read Time: 2 Days Rating: 3/5
The quote: And when I felt overwhelmed, I’d just stand around and zone out, and everyone would assume I was talking to dead people. — Victor Bayne
PsyCop
(I like these books, but)
I know this is just me venting but I seriously bristle something fierce at queer books that have hang-ups about threesomes and open relationships. Just be together. All of you. What is the big deal?
Okay, this is primarily directed at my own frustration at shipping Victor x Jacob x Crash from the PsyCop series and scowling into the void has me feeling better.
Here goes.
Nothing says limited pov to me like the coveting of a two person romantic ideal. In my opinion that particular fixation (and obvious distrust of alternative options) leads to writing that's afraid to take chances on exploring the complexity and complications of adult relationships. Full disclosure: I have rolled my eyes at characters in romance who want threesomes and turn down threesomes because capitulation would mean their relationship was dead. I don't know many couples who haven't been in a threesome. It's not a dire death-knell. It's a pretty mundane human experience. Jealousy can be worked through. Jealousy should be worked through, whether polyam or not.
I can handle underdeveloped romances in a romance series if the other books flesh it out later. It's not going to turn me away from a story. However, when it came to Vic and Jacob... I love Victor way more than I cared about his relationship with Jacob. That's not to say I didn't like Jacob. I did, but Victor's romanticism of Jacob and my observations of Jacob didn't correlate. Which was fascinating when I thought the writing was heading for a Victor/ Jacob/ Crash romance, but became frustrating when I realised it wasn't. I was interested in the dynamic because Crash knows how not-perfect Jacob is, and Vic and Crash's mutual attraction was building in a way that Jacob and Victor's relationship never got the chance to.
The dynamic felt like a story that was going to be told and it filled all three men with definition. Rather than going through the motions of relationship milestones, it gave me hope for a continuing, series-wide development between Vic and Jacob. If that had been the case, I'd classify PsyCop as romance because it took me on a romantic journey. Rather, I'd say it's more erotica because Jacob's fetishism of Vic seemed to be the point of Jacob and Vic's dynamic.
I was also frustrated because Red's relationship with Crash is so underdeveloped and unnecessary it felt like what heterosexual writing does to homoerotic tension on tv— hastily pairing them off with love interests of a different gender to cut off the unconventional romantic tension. Crash and Victor had obvious sexual tension. Jacob had flaws when it came to his romantic dealing with both men. That tension didn't dissipate. That tension needed to be dealt with. And, yes, one option was navigating a polyam relationship.
Those relationships exist. I'm in one. Happily. Many in the queer community are in one. When you question one romantic social convention you question more of them. It works as any relationship involving people— communication and self awareness being the key to success. It would have been nice to see those three characters reaching the potential I saw in them to bring out the best in each other.
Ultimately PsyCop is a fun, gritty series with a great main character for the most part. Its plot and style is addictive. I just— I wish...
Psycop: Camp Hell - Jordan Castillo Price
Victor Bayne honed his dubious psychic skills at one of the first psych training facilities in the country, Heliotrope Station, otherwise known as Camp Hell to the psychics who've been guests behind its razorwire fence. Vic discovered that none of the people he remembers from Camp Hell can be found online, and there’s no mention of Heliotrope Station itself, either. Someone's gone through a lot of trouble to bury the past. But who?
Normally I don’t like book covers with models because they tend to be cringe-inducing but I liked this book model. Even before I started reading Psycop, I thought he was perfect as Victor Bayne. JCP’s book models are almost always on point. Also, Gomez Pugh’s narration is the best!
Anyway, when Vic was 23, he sported DMs, mohawk and safety pin piercings. Love it!. His boyfriend at the time was Stefan Russell who I dubbed Boy George because of his teased hair and makeup. When Vic got out of Camp Hell and became a psycop, he never looked back. After some research, Stefan resurfaced, reinventing himself as Steven Russeau, an empath specializing in counselling rich housewives and corporate types. I didn’t warm up to the guy. Although he seemed concerned about Vic’s panic attacks and succeeded in helping him deal with it somewhat, I suspected there was a catch somewhere. As to Jacob meeting the ex part, it’s a good thing that JCP wisely steered away from petty jealousies. Jacob met Stefan and deemed him a decent guy. But if I am okay with a Jacob+Vic+Crash threeway, Stefan would be no, just no to Boy George.
Via Stefan’s hypnosis therapy, Vic revisited his memories of Camp Hell which was something like a college dorm slash medical facility slash science lab, the lab rats being young psychics. Vic was in his rebellious state, messing with his tests, sneaking up with Stefan to get high and have sex, stealing food from the kitchen, and getting involved in other shenanigans until the new guy in charge put his foot down and made their lives hell. He was as good a prisoner in the facility with almost no control over what they did to him. I know it was one of the worst periods of his life but the Camp Hell experience was actually kind of fun to read about and I would love a Psycop spin-off featuring young Vic.
I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the flashbacks of him was doing it with Stefan because I kept thinking he should be with Jacob dammit! but the Camp Hell memories had some answers he was waiting for. Although I said reading about the place was fun, being trapped in a mental facility with no one believing your sanity is a big fear of mine. So I could understand why Vic had panic attacks every time he remembers the place.
This installment is one of my favorites. There were major character developments and revelations. Vic faced his past, put it behind him and came to terms with himself. Meanwhile, Jacob discovered abilities he never knew he had. How these abilities play out in the succeeding books is something I am looking forward to. I think this marks a new chapter in Vic and Jacob’s life.
Now, about that ghost tv...
P.S.
Review of Psycop books here. Review of JCP books here
Rating: 4 Stars - minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: Mental Hell Artist: Ramones Album: Animal Boy
(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6003542-camp-hell)
Psycop: Secrets - Jordan Castillo Price
Victor Bayne’s job as a PsyCop involves tracking down dead people and getting them to spill their guts about their final moments. It's never been fun, per se. But it's not usually this annoying. Vic has just moved in with his boyfriend Jacob, he can’t figure out where anything’s packed, and his co-worker is pressuring him to have a housewarming party. Can’t a guy catch a break? On a more sinister note, Vic discovers there’s absolutely no trace of him online. No trace of anyone else who trained at "Camp Hell," either. Everyone Vic knows has signed a mysterious set of papers to ensure his “privacy.” The contracts are so confidential that even Vic has never heard of them. But Jacob might have. What other secrets has Jacob been keeping?
Secrets is notable for the disturbing sexual assault case that affected Jacob badly, Jacob acting cold towards Vic, Vic realizing he doesn’t exist on the internet, him in a jealous rage upon learning Jacob’s secret visits to Crash and then Vic subsequently discovering his own exhibitionist streak. This is also the installment that completely sold me on Vic and Jacob.
While I do like most Psycop characters, it took me a while to be 100% into Vic and Jacob as a couple. Normally Jacob is all over Vic and is being his Mr. Perfect self. I think this might be the first time I have seen Jacob being distant towards Vic. When Vic stormed in, I was ready to see Jacob lose it but the way he handled it so calmly and showing his vulnerable side I finally understood why they’re perfect for each other. Also Jacob staring at Vic with “goo-goo eyes”.
It never failed to amuse me that Vic is both insecure and strongly attracted to Crash, punk, empath, Jacob’s ex, also potential friend whether Vic wants to admit it or not. Crash, being psychic and audacious, knew all about it and took every opportunity to flirt and shamelessly drop innuendos because he loves to push Vic’s buttons. If this ends up a three way, I’d be the last to complain. I like Crash.
All throughout the series, Vic tries to forget Camp Hell existed because the whole experience was a nightmare for him. This time, he tried doing research about the place, even asking Zigler for help. Vic, not the most tech-savvy person in the house, was shocked to discover that Camp Hell, officially known as Camp Heliotrope, might indeed be a figment of his imagination because he couldn’t find it anywhere online. He was disturbed to know that there was no information about him and his fellow inmates on the internet. He was angry to learn that people never mentioned this to him and he didn’t take it well. My dear Victor, why didn’t it ever occur to you to google your name all these years?
The series is from Vic’s POV and we, more or less, know how he thinks by now. However he has always been hazy about his past and there were only tidbits of information to explain why he is the way he is, most of which is related to some trauma regarding mental institutions and psych wards. There were also hints that Vic might be a more powerful medium than his current level 5 category and I wouldn’t be surprise if he is indeed more powerful because he is the type who will intentionally half-ass his tests. This is a pretty exciting development! It’s about time Vic face his past and learn how to properly use his abilities rather his usual “hit-or-miss style”.
It’s time to resurrect deeply buried ghosts. Yep, Camp Hell is next. Hey! Ho! Let’s go!
P.S.
Review of Psycop books here.
Rating: 4 Stars - minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: All Secrets Known Artist: Alice in Chains Album: Black Gives Way to Blue
(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5260437-secrets)
