Saturday Summary

So we've finally got a bit of a break from the heat. Still hotter than "normal" but not that kind of heat that turns you into a giant slug who stands staring into the fridge for hours just to enjoy the cold air. I got some reading done or at least am motivated to post about that I read before.

Wings of Equity by Sean Kennedy (246 pages)
Dreamspinner Press

Ezra Kneebone (wildest name ever) and his female partner Jazz run a transport service using their small dirigible. Ezra has dreams of mass production for the common man but refuses to take money from Jazz's lover Lady Bart. He decides the best way to get the funds is to capture Icarus, a Robin Hood type figure who robs from the government and gives the money away. Things don't quite go according to plan and eventually both he and Icraus are shot and held captive. Ezra is finding himself more and more interested in Icarus personally and the adventures to rescue Ezra, and Icarus and Jazz begin. It's hard to describe because there is so much action. There are fights with other big ships in the sky, Jazz being rescued by Lady Bart when their ship is shot down, Ezra being rescued by Icarus and Jazz, Icarus being rescued by Ezra and Jazz. Chock full of adventure, with crashing burning ships, gun fights, the works. Jazz and Lady Bart are no mere sidekicks, they are smart and resourceful and snarky which I loved. The descriptions of all of the gadgets are really detailed and let you envision the ships and all of the Steampunkery. Hopefully we'll see more of the whole gang including Lee who has me curious. Another great read from Sean.

Blast from the Past by Stephani Hecht (86 pages)
eXtasy Books

Teacher Bailey got laid off and is forced to work in his sister's daycare to make ends meet. One day he runs into his old high school crush David who's picking up his nephew. David is a rich lawyer and was a senior when Bailey was a freshman. They have a small conversation and Bailey feels as much like a loser as ever around David. Thanks to the machinations of their mothers, they meet up again and they finally admit their attraction back in the day and David explains to a hurt Bailey why he never made a move back then. There are some flashbacks as Bailey and David remember certain incidents from their high school days which shows two perspectives to the same incident which is interesting. It only takes place over a 12 hour or so period with an epilogue but it's a cute little story about finally getting the man of your high school dreams.

Because It's True by Willa Okati (158 pages)
Loose Id

Ford learned to read signs from his Grandfather and one day while chatting with a delivery girl he determines the signs (birds, colors, winds, etc.) say he's going to meet the love of his life when the elevator opens. There is Gavin who works for a museum and after being abandoned by his fiance the night before their wedding he's sworn off men, especially men who look like Ford (or his ex). Ford wears him down though as he's 100% certain that Gavin is his life mate. While Gavin's not sure of the signs thing, they are getting along and decide to get married. All of a sudden Ford starts seeing all of these horrible signs that say they are doomed and he freaks out and it gets kind of deja vu-ish for poor Gavin. At first I was fine with the obsession with signs. It was kind of quirky and cute and then at the end where Ford basically was ready to toss everything because the wind was blowing funny and the sign was swinging and it rained. Hello? WTF is wrong with you man? And the ex showed up 3 years later which I thought was unnecessary. What I loved was Kayla the delivery girl who became a friend and sounding board first for Ford then for both. I liked her character a lot, I liked Gavin and Ford too until Ford got all freaky deaky at the end. So it was a disappointing end for me in that I felt the only reason he was with him was because of "signs" not that he necessarily loved him.