Special thanks to Leontine from Leontine's Book Realm for the super header.


Sunday, April 4, 2010

Happy Easter

Hope that the Easter Bunny brought you something tasty today. He brought me some nice chocolate and some lovely books. Since it's been a lazy reading weekend, I obviously read a bunch.

Skating Through Fog by Sean Michael (26 pages)

I got this since it's about speed skating and after the Olympics I thought I'd check it out. Fog is a speed skater just getting up in the rankings. He's a bad boy of the circuit, former heroin user, tattoos, smokes, the works. His coach sends him to Calgary to train at the Olympic oval, he's paired up with Jim, also a top skater. To save money Fog is looking for a cheap place to stay and Jim offers to let him room with him. That's about it. The whole story takes place over a half day, but the descriptions of the rush Fog feels when he's skating is very evocative. It's an okay short. Not a must read unless the idea of speed skating appeals to you.

A Good Thing by Julia Talbot (40 pages)

3 years ago Dan's Christmas Eve went to hell when his casual lover crashed is car into the fence injuring himself severely and while helping his friend, his house caught on fire. Ever since he's a Christmas Scrooge. Christmas Eve he as a run-in with a guy in a Santa at selling hot chocolate for charity. Somehow they end up going for a beer and when Chris finds out he's going to be alone, he ditches his friends and goes home with Dan. Chris is much younger and a tattooed snowboarder, but Dan is smitten. Everything is great until his ex who dumped him after the accident shows up Christmas morning bearing a VERY personal gift. This was a cute little story about a guy who'd developed a paranoia about fire and Christmas and kept waiting for the other shoe to drop when things were going well.

The Brothers Dim by Kris Klein (30 pages)

Mark has sworn off relationships and prefers to hook up with straight or married men on Craig's List. He comes up with the "brilliant" plan of saying he wants to try out guys in prep for a m/f/m with his girlfriend. He ends up making appointments with two younger guys to come an hour apart. The first guy is late but things are going well when the second guy arrives. Ooops. It's the younger brother of the first guy. He manages to convince them to try a threesome and then gets a bit of a surprise that makes him rethink his CL strategy. I liked the little twist at the end and the bro-cest doesn't go much beyond kissing, it's more along the lines of m/f/m, but I now some people are squicked out in principle or about menages. It was a cute story though and Mark had an appealing voice despite the fact he's a bit of a jerk tricking guys into having sex, but people should know better than to trust ANYTHING on CL. Jen reviewed this as well so you can get her perspective.

Bound Together by Jane Davitt (49 pages)

Another one reviewed by Jen (see link above). Simon is a collector of rare children's books. One night a hot young thing shows up to sell him a book that he recognizes as belonging to his closeted asshole ex. He ends up starting a sexual game that is quite outside his comfort zone but seems to be working for them both. Chris is going to spend the weekend to pay him back for buying the book, things are extremely hot and steamy when Chris says some things that cause Simon to basically hoof him out. To be honest it was so twisted I didn't quite get why he was upset and I had no clue why Chris felt the need to confess this moments before penetration. Eventually of course they work it out. It was very steamy and I liked both guys I just found the convoluted conflict a bit puzzling.

27 comments:

Lily said...

SM's book was ok and I haven't read A Good Thing or The Brothers DIM. I did enjoy Bound Together.

Happy Easter :)

Tam said...

I agree Lily, it was "okay", not great. Te other two were good reads as well and I did enjoy Bound Together.

Have a great day.

Chris said...

Hmm. Maybe the Julia Talbot or the Jane Davitt. I went on a bit of a short read binge yesterday myself. :)

Enjoy your chocolate!

Tam said...

Haven't tackled the chocolate yet, thought I'd start with a gluten filled bagel :-)

I find Kris Klein's style quite different but it seemed to work well with this story, less so in the one about Raymond where I felt it very jarring, but this is "romance" in loosest sense of the word leaving you with the potential for romance, not to everyone's taste.

Chris said...

Heh. :)

The only Kris Klein I've read was A Wet Dream on Elm Street, which was ok.

Average Reader said...

" I had no clue why Chris felt the need to confess this moments before penetration."

That does seem a bit contrived, ha, ha! Great reviews, Tam.

Chris said...

You read 'way too many Chris stories yesterday. :p

Jenre said...

I'm glad you enjoyed the two stories, Tam.

I like Julia Talbot's stories, usually, but I'm sure sure I'm up for reading a Christmas one at Easter. Hmmmm.

Jenre said...

I mean I'm NOT sure. Too much chocolate has scrambled my brain :).

Tam said...

It was a bit contrived Val. But I suppose it all worked out in the end.

I know Chris, freaking themes. I really have to work on being more random.

K. Z. Snow said...

(Yikes, Blogger is really acting goofy for me today.)

Tam said...

I realized as I was reading it Jen that it was a bit weird to be reading a Christmas story in April. But then I read Halloween ones year around so what the heck. LOL

Everyone talking about chocolate I think I better go find those bunnies on the counter.

Tam said...

Blogger as had issues the last couple of days KZ.

Thanks for the wishes. Hope you and yours are having a good weekend.

wren boudreau said...

Happy Easter, Tam!

I love the bunnies. Am wanting chocolate now. We're going to a friend's house for a late lunch/early dinner (linner?) and I'm hoping she'll have chocolate!

Tam said...

Dunch? Not sure which but enjoy your meal and hope there is some chocolatey goodness in there somewhere.

We are going to hit Clash of the Titans later or some 3-D shirtless Sam Worthington goodness. :-) Almost better than chocolate.

Erotic Horizon said...

Love the chocolate bunnies... Chuckles

How cute is the plot line on the Talbot book - and I will definately try the Davitt book - I have read her books before, not bad...

Happy Easter to you and yours

E.H

Tam said...

It was cute, I could understand his fire paranoia. Who wouldn't be. :-)

Hope you had a great Easter.

Kris said...

I'm on a DIET!!! You all need to stop talking about chocolate.

Tam said...

Ooops. I'll start my diet tomorrow. By then my 3.5 oz choc. bunny will be gone.

Try the VIDEO that Josh posted today. Might make you feel better about those who eat choco bunnies.

wren boudreau said...

We saw Clash of the Titans yesterday. Lots of Sam's legs, but sadly, no real shirtlessness. Loved Pegasus.

And yes! Got chocolate at dunch/linner/whatever.

Kris said...

I hope the bunnies attack you in your sleep tonight. Ha.

wren boudreau said...

There was only one bunny. I ate him.

Tam said...

Thanks for the heads up about the shirtlessness Wren. Or lack thereof. I'll have to do a movie review tomorrow.

My bunny is down to his lower body. My chocolate one. My real one still has all is limbs.

Chris said...

Glad you clarified that, Tam, so I don't have to worry you're like the evil mom from Hyperbole & a Half today...

Tam said...

Ha! No, with a child whom I have had to wake up every Christmas morning since her birth because seriously, 9:00 is time to open presents, no fear of being caught. And we don't eat bunny on principle. Although we just watched Iron Chef Battle Rabbit which seems a bit cruel and ironic to broadcast it on Easter.

Cecile Smutty Hussy said...

Hey Tam! Happy Easter Honey!!! I am glad that the bunny was good to you!!!!!

Tracy said...

Happy Belated Easter to you!