Random Update #1

Well, I seem to have lost my way on the ABC challenge. I just can't find something that I WANT to read with the letters I need and that's part of my issue with challenges. I want to read what appeals to me at the time, not what I HAVE to read. So I'll read what I want and if it fits, it fits.

I did get a lot read over the Easter holiday. My daughter was away most of it so I had lots of time to just do what I wanted but I did manage to do a full clean on my main floor. Now my upstairs is waiting for me. Blah. Nice to have a short work week though. That works for me.

It can stop raining any time as well. It's going to rain ALL week. Why did all of our umbrellas disappear? Well, we have one and the kidlet needs to go to her volunteer place this afternoon so I let her have it since my jacket has a hood and hers doesn't, plus she has to walk further than I do. I should probably head to the dollar store and stock up.

Ermine & Bougainvillea by ID Locke (71 pages)
Torquere Press

Wynn is an ermine shifter who is being chased by homophobic coyotes. They toss him around a bit, but he manages to escape into a bush with thorns and collapses. He awakens to find a man, Etireh, who knows he's a shifter, and he soon realizes he's a dryad, a tree sprite. Amazingly he's able to enter the tree (vine really) that half-dryad Etireh lives in which freaks Etireh out. However he's gay as well and Wynn is cute soooo.... Eventually they get back together, and seem to be perfectly in synch in the bedroom. Etireh is a dom and Wynn is happy to be a sub (bedroom only), and seems that magical folk can play MUCH harder than with humans and both want that. Etireh also controls the vines in his tree and they are an extension of him. So if they touch Wynn, it's like him touching Wynn. And lets just say vines = kink, with a fair bit of pain and whipping tossed in for good measure. Although the vine sex might not be for everyone, it was very well done and I thought it was pretty hot and sexy. There is also a lot of humour, Wynn is a smart ass all the way and learning about the world of dryads and how it all works was interesting and while it's only 75 pages or so, it wasn't overwhelming, with enough time for the guys to get to know each other. There is a follow-up short to this I will be reviewing on BER in a week or so, but I would recommend this if you like something BDSMy, and something different with the vines. And look at the little eye on that cover. Staring at you, willing you to read this. :-)

Detour by Talia Carmichael (163 pages)
Dreamspinner Press

Robert is a chemistry professor and rushing to meet his friend for lunch he gets pulled over for running a red light, and as well has a flat tire. The cop helps him with the tire and gives him a warning and then lo and behold he runs into the cop at the restaurant later, but he's sure the guy is straight. They run into each other again when a lab is vandalized at the university, and Miguel invites him to a poker game. He's still sure he's straight. He ends up spending the next month hanging out with Miguel and still clueless, thinks he's straight until Miguel FINALLY breaks the news. They quickly move forward since they've practically been dating for a month although Robert didn't know it. *eye roll* There is some drama when one of the poker buddies and Miguel's coworkers is killed (which was very sad) and when Robert walks in on a robbery and is shot. I think this is a start of a series (based on the title) and there were tons of guys at the poker night and many of them are gay including a couple of Miguel's brothers, Robert's lab assistant and his best friend who just moved to California. So I see them getting their stories and I was quite curious about his friend's story as stuff was hinted at. If I had any complaint it was that everyone was so damn perfect and nice and went out of their way to help people, donating furniture to his impoverished lab assistant, helping his friend landscape. Not that I want people to be assholes, but it just seemed like everyone was so perfect. But I will definitely check out more in the series when they come to see what happens to everyone.

Two Man Advantage by Riley Shane (77 pages)
Loose-Id

Nate is having a rough day. He's planned a get-away in the snow with his lover for their 2 year anniversary when he's dumped at the airport. He goes anyway only to find a naked hottie in the bed of the cabin he rented. Although the guy is hot, and even in a drunken stupor, grabs him and kisses him, Nate does NOT do casual sex and not on the day he's been dumped. Kyle is a former NHL hockey player whose career ended due to an injury several months ago, and he's licking his wounds and self-medicating. He also delights in making uptight Nate crazy, and convinces him to share the cabin. Nate is not thrilled but deals with it and his attraction to Kyle. Finally, after a day or so when Kyle walks in on him, he gives in, although he's oblivious to who Kyle is. They spend the rest of the week getting to know each other and Nate realizes he was in love with the idea of having a partner, not the guy himself and he helps Kyle realize that his life is not over because he can't play hockey. It runs pretty close to the insta-love line as declarations are made pretty fast, but on the whole it worked for me and I think the fact that Kyle liked to make Nate crazy just for the hell of it, and had a temper and it wasn't all rainbows and hearts made it work better. If you're in the mood for quickie feel-good story with a couple of likable guys, a good choice.