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


Monday, September 6, 2010

Happy Labour Day

This is supposed to be the last long weekend of summer for those of us in the US and Canada, but seems it's more like the first long weekend of fall. We've gone from temps in the 90/100's to 50's and 60's. Quite a shock, but it definitely seems like back-to-school.

No big plans this weekend. Saturday I picked the kidlet up from camp at her horse show. Wet, cold, windy, not very pleasant but she got two second place and one sixth so she was happy. Yesterday she had a riding lesson and today she is at the barn all day doing ... I have no clue. Braiding manes or something. LOL So I'm home doing the ton of wet gross laundry that came home from camp. I get to have all the fun. :-) Hope everyone who has the day off enjoys their day.

Trinity Trespass by Val Kovalin (145 pages)
Loose Id

Parnell and Navarro have been tasked to head into New Mexico and fetch a demon-angel hybrid and stop the "crime boss" who is after the hybrid. This is a very complex story which I'll try to summarize but I know I'll fail greatly. Parnell and Navarro are demons who are trying to police the angels who are the bad guys, think drug mafia in Mexico. New Mexico is a "holy site", if you will, for demons and it has a force field around it. When Navarro and Parnell cross they are no longer connected to the collective and can't feel each other's thoughts. There is also the whole other plot of Navarro wanting a real relationship with Parnell and Parnell being paranoid about giving up something (although he's not really sure what). So in parallel with finding the hybrid and stopping the bad guy there is a relationship power-play. I wanted to smack Parnell more than once. He was so freaking paranoid about everything he never shared information that practically got them all killed. His complete lack of trust made me a bit crazy. I have to say the scene with the two men and Sanchez, the hybrid, was HOT! For those who only like the two love interests together, you won't find that here, but I'm really hoping that Val has a sequel up her sleeve because I definitely want to know what happens to the three now. If you like complex worlds with political intrigue and black and white being more shades of gray, I think you'll love this one. Oh yeah, and hot smexin'. :-)

Talker by Amy Lane (91 pages)
Dreamspinner Press

Tattooed pierced Tate and Brian meet when they are both on the track team at university. They are both outsiders and strike up a friendship. When Brian loses his scholarship due to injury, they move in together and live in poverty and friendship. It follows their friendship over a couple of years when some incidents with Tate, who is desperate to find love, gets hurt, both emotionally and physically. Finally, with the help of his girlfriend, Brian figures out he's gay and in love with Tate. However even when he tells Tate, he doesn't HEAR him. Finally Brian seeks the help of his Aunt to SHOW Tate that he loves him and is gay. My heart broke for Tate who had been badly burned as an infant and hence the tattoos to cover the scars and his scarred heart. Brian was sometimes totally oblivious and had no clue about social cues, but their friendship was touching and I have to admit I may have sniffled just a tiny bit. It's a sweet story.

Iced by Diane Adams (18 pages)
Dreamspinner Press

Taylor gets home in a heatwave and is dying with no a/c yet in the apartment. He strips off and is TRYING to get some coolness from the fan when Adam, his casual hook-up calls and wants to come over. Taylor is too hot but Adam shows up and they have some fun using ice and a cool wet tile floor in the kitchen. I really sensed the heat and how Taylor just felt like a giant unmoving slug who didn't want anyone to touch him. BTDT I should have read this a week ago when we were sweating, not on the weekend under a blanket. This was just a short interlude but there was a lot of reference made to Taylor's past relationships with his roommate and another guy and a lot of mention of the fact that he and Adam had dated before but Adam didn't want a relationship and now neither did he so it worked. I kept waiting for some kind of relationship development but .... Unless there is to be more stories for these guys, I'm not sure. It's hot and steamy (literally) but I didn't quite know why it mattered about Taylor's past relationships.

21 comments:

Lily said...

I really liked Val's story. And like you I'd love a sequel with the three of them. HOT! ;)

The other two sound interesting. I'll have to add them to my list.

Have a fab day!

Sweet Vernal Zephyr said...

I'm enjoying my day off, kinda. Seem to be stuck with some sort of allergy/fall cold combination. You should see me.... zombie....

Tam said...

Yeah, we'll have to start the pressure on Val, Lily. :-) The other two were good reads, although the last one just a little sex scene basically.

Ugh. Sorry you are sick Miranda. That sucks. I know lots of my friends have had sick kids, just in time for school to start. Stupid germs. Feel better soon.

wren boudreau said...

I just started Val's book, and so far so good - although I can already see that Parnell needs a good smack.

I love the cooler weather we're having! Some of the leaves are starting to change. Autumn is my favorite season, so I'm glad when the heat of summer is done.

Tam said...

Yes Wren, smacking would be good, although he improves.

I do enjoy fall, I just hate that winter follows it. Sigh. Never happy. :-)

Chris said...

I also read and really enjoyed the first two this weekend. :) Val mentioned something about a possible prequel, but I admit I pushed for a sequel, too!

Janna said...

I haven't started Val's book yet, so I skipped your thoughts on that one. I plan to read it soon.
Talker sounds like one I would enjoy too! :)

Tam said...

Well Chris, we know how persistent and uh, pushy, us readers can be. :-) She won't know what hit her.

I think you'll enjoy Val's book Janna and Amy's is also an enjoyable read.

Average Reader said...

Tam, thank you so much! I just found your review of Trinity Trespass after a day of being cut off from the internet, and it came as such a pleasant surprise! I really appreciate you reading it and reviewing it so quickly after its release date -- you must have jumped my story to the top of your TBR pile. How flattering!

You did a brilliant job of summarizing, and I'm glad to get the feedback. How gratifying to hear that you liked the sex scenes and also that you had the urge to smack Parnell -- that kind of urge means involvement rather than indifference towards the character and that's always a good thing!

I have a prequel in mind in Navarro's viewpoint on how he and Parnell first started working together in Vegas, but I can see what you are saying about a sequel. There is definitely story material in that direction, too. I totally wouldn't mind doing both prequel and sequel, especially with reader interest like this! Thanks again very much. :)

Tracy said...

Oh I must get Talker - it sounds right up my alley.

And lucky you doing all of that wet laundry! lol Have fun.

Tam said...

You're quite welcome Val. I did move it up to the top of the list. :-) I'll look forward to reading more about the guys. You do know we'll keep bugging you until you do it right? :-D

I think you would enjoy Talker Tracy. Amy is becoming a fave author of mine. Laundry finished. Well, one load still in the dryer but it can wait for me to get home tonight. :-) Oh wait, the sleeping bag. Sigh.

Average Reader said...

You do know we'll keep bugging you until you do it right? :-D

Awesome!

Kris said...

I have Val's story in my tbr. It's calling me...

Tam said...

Then answer the damn call woman. Take it out for drinks. :-)

Polt said...

LaboUr Day? *SNICKER* Oh you silly Canadians. :)

HUGS...

Tam said...

Don't make me smack you with a spare U. >:-|

Amy Lane said...

*g* So glad you enjoyed Talker, Tam-- I'm writing the sequel now, and i have to admit, it's a lot easy to carve your heart out and serve it as roast if I know someone enjoyed the first course!

Tam said...

Glad to hear it Amy. I'll look forward to seeing how the guys are doing now that they FINALLY got together. :-)

Amy Lane said...

(I'm writing that right now... owchie...)

Diane Adams said...

Thanks for reading Iced Tam, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I really appreciate you taking time to review it. I was excited when I found the review. I know I'm late, but I've been dog sitting for my mom and there is no internet. It's barbaric!

There are more stories about Taylor. What's a Boy to Do is about Taylor, Z, and the old boyfriend Mark. Measure of Discipline with Taylor and Adam will be out in October. They are basically the same sort of story as Iced.

To begin with I wrote these to tease a friend of mine. Sort of a "What gay guy's are supposed to be doing" as opposed to what he really does which is sit around, watch TV and go to work like the rest of us. From these stories Taylor captured my imagination and my current WIP is a book to tell his story properly.

Thank you again for giving Iced such a positive review.

Tam said...

No internet? Gasp. Barbaric for sure. LOL

Ahhh. That's good to know Dee. It always makes sense when you have the whole story. I'll definitely check out the other stories and look forward to more about Taylor and Adam this fall as I did find there was a lot of chemistry there.