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


Friday, March 12, 2010

Finally Friday

I'm wildly jealous of my daughter who is starting spring break today. A week of not getting up in the morning. Lucky her. Oh to be 14 again. Ummm. Maybe not.

So I have read two stories since I finished Immortality is the Suck. Considering it took me four days to read that I'm fairly blazing through them. Okay, they weren't hugely long but that's still pretty good. *pats self on back*

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend. The rain is coming our way after two weeks of lovely sun, but it will wash all the crud off everything now that the snow is nearly melted. Hopefully it will be fresh and lovely next week. Well lovlier. So life is good.

The Prayer Waltz by KZ Snow (114 pages)

Steven's lover Frank, a former priest, died about 8 months ago. As part of the healing process he heads 3 hours from Minneapolis to his lover's former small town to try and figure out what made him tick. At the church where he was posted (I'm sure there's a word but I'm falling into diplomatic speak) he starts to get some closure. He heads to the bar across the street and meets Evan (who was cleaning in the church). Seems Evan knew Frank so Steven invites him back to his room to talk. He finds out that Evan and Frank had a fling while Frank was still a priest. He's feeling very confused and wonders if he ever knew Frank during their 4 years together. He's attracted to Evan though and they strike up a friendship which after a few rough moments here and there takes off like wildfire while Steven continues to figure out who Frank really was. Okay, I needed a tissue here a couple of times. I'm not talking all out sobbing but I think in the first 5 pages in the church I was sniffling. Evan lost his teen son in a car accident a year ago so I was sniffling some more as he writes his son letters as a way of coping with the loss. Damn you woman, don't make me sniffle. I also chuckled several times as well especially at the end when Steven is helping clean the church. I would classify this is a gentle story. You just got that feel, yes there was angst but it wasn't the kind of harsh angst, in fact I think the cover fits very well. Those soft muted blues and purples reminded me of the book. A very soft way of writing and dealing with loss on both sides. So I think it was a terrific read and KZ really made me feel the emotion of the two men. Hence the tissue (okay, it was a napkin, but close enough).

Home Sweet Home by Clare London (31 pages)

This is a little short about free spirt Chaz who is moving house. He gets a call from his ex Ryan who offers to help but he tends to be the kind of guy who takes charge and has a plan for everything which makes Chaz crazy so he turns him down. Ryan shows up on moving day and they talk about WHY they are taking a break. Chaz doesn't even own a bed or a couch, but hey, he's got a sleeping bag, what more does he need? Ryan probably has matching end tables. LOL It's a little story about two people who love each other and have to agree to disagree in some cases and both have to bend a little to be together. I was quite amazed that although the story only takes place over a few hours, you find out a lot about their long term relationship. Just from listening to them talk you can understand what went before and why they are like they are a bit and why they would drive each other crazy. Personally, no matter how hot Chaz was I think I'd be doomed. While my end tables don't match (okay, I only have one) I at least HAVE one. And a bed. So a cute little short about opposites attracting.

As an aside, I am concerned that the pregnant woman around the corner from me who has been sneezing her head off all day is going to shoot that baby right out. LOL Not sure if she has allergies or what but the poor woman has been sneezing all day.

20 comments:

Chris said...

Must pick up KZ's book!

Oh, dear. Maybe you should spend some googling on delivering babies. ;)

Jenre said...

Wave and I have requested Prayer Waltz from DSP for review and we're still waiting for it. They're terribly slow at sending out books *taps foot*.

I read Home Sweet Home this week too. Review tomorrow on my Saturday Shorts post :).

Make sure you have the hot water and towels at the ready in case the pregnant lady pops mid-sneeze :).

K. Z. Snow said...

Tam, sweetie, you made my day. I awoke to a Google Alert informing me this book is already on a piracy site. It made me sick and sad... until I read your mini-review.

Thank you.

K. Z. Snow said...

P. S. I'll look into the cost of shipping napkins to Canada. ;-)

wren boudreau said...

*sigh* more kleenex. I'll have to remember to read it before bed b/c crying makes me tired.

Did you read the other one by Clare with Chaz and Ryan? I forget the name - something about cell phones or airwaves? I liked it, even though it was short!

As for the pregnant lady - just get out of the way!

Smokinhotbooks said...

Tam have you read Chris Owen's Bareback, if so I sobbed absolutely sobbed over that book. That being said do you think I can handle The prayer?

Tam said...

Well, she's a few month off yet Chris so I'm hoping she can hold it in. LOL You must get it. Very nice read.

Tam said...

Jen: You're kidding. That's dumb. I can't believe DSP would be so slow. Maybe they forgot you.

I'll look forward to your review of HSW tomorrow.

Tam said...

KZ: My pleasure love. It was a beautiful story, even if I sniffled a bit more than I might have liked. :-)

Wow, pirates waste no time. Jerks. Hugs for that.

Tam said...

Wren: You'll probably only need or one and half kleenex. Not too bad or maybe I'm just a sap. Dealing with death is sad but it wasn't depressing sad.

Hmmm. Is that the same couple from Upwardly Mobile? I did read that but I'm too lazy to look up the characters name. Similar personalities except Chaz was to the n-th degree.

Tam said...

SHB: You won't be sobbing like that. It's very tender as they "talk" to their departed loved ones. But you feel their pain at the loss. So you won't need a whole box of tissues. LOL And there are some good chuckles in there too. So you'll be fine. Read it. :-)

wren boudreau said...

No it isn't the same couple, Tam. That was Owen and Caleb. C'est la vie.

Lily said...

I've had the rains here for a couple of days so I guess it's your turn now. :D

I've got both of these in my TBB. Sounds like I should move KZ's book up the line.

Tam said...

It's only a little over 100 pages Lily so a nice fairly quick read.

It's so dark here now with the clouds. Depressing.

K. Z. Snow said...

Two more pirates have turned up, Tam. If it weren't for you, I'd be having one shitty day.

Tam said...

Jesus Christ. If they spent the efforts they put into pirating books towards world peace or the cure for cancer we'd be living in Utopia.

Anonymous said...

The books sound lovely. I'm adding them to the never ending list.

Concerning the pregnant lady--get ready to catch! Every year or so I have a pregnant student, and I've always been terrified that one of them would go into labor during my class. What would I do? I guess I could get a catcher's mitt from the PE department and some tongs from the cafeteria? Seriously, it's worrisome.

Lily said...

Tam, that would mean they would be doing something constructive and worthwhile with their time instead of sitting on their asses stealing.

Tam said...

"I guess I could get a catcher's mitt from the PE department and some tongs from the cafeteria?"

LOL She made it to the end of the day. :-) It was a good reading day (or day and a half).

Tam said...

Good point Lily.