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


Friday, August 12, 2011

Review Update

Sigh. This was supposed to be posted Friday, my travel day but the stupid scheduler didn't work. Oh well, WHATEVER (accompanied by eye rolls).

Well, I've actually got a ton of reading done here in Chicago. Much more than in Manitoba when I did absolutely nothing. LOL Here we've been running like mad but I got lots read. Go figure. The one hour train ride downtown and back did wonders for Lord of the White Hell. Should be finished book 1 tonight. Looking forward to book 2 when I get home. I also like to show off my signed page to my kid daily so I can get a good eye roll from her as I lovingly stroke it. LOL

Moonspun by Lee Benoit (140 pages)
Loose Id

Jamie is a young playwright who has moved to another city but is having trouble working on a new piece. His roommates are noisy and very out gay and while Jamie is gay, he's not out. One day, sent to pick up some draperies, he meets Spider, a tailor who also does his own weaving. Spider's family is from the Dominican Republic including his wacky "aunt" who is into Santeria, the religion of the islands and senses that Jamie and Spider are meant to be. However, there is a kink. Spider is compelled to weave from moon rise to moon set, not matter what. He just weaves like his grandfather and what shows up shows up. He finally confesses to Jamie who it seems writes similarly and is soon wring the Grandfather's life story without realizing it. So there is sort of a mystical element here and both Jamie and Spider are virgins who move in together on day 2 but don't actually do much, even kissing for weeks, if not months, despite sharing a bed. I found that a bit ... weird. 22 year old healthy guys, in bed together, not even kissing? Right. They didn't even seem to jerk off privately. It was an okay story although I would have liked to get some explanation of the whole weaving thing, but I guess the mystery is the point. So if you like mystical stories it's well written.

Wicked Good edited by EM Lynley (260 pages)
Ravenous Romance

This is as it says, an anthology of angel/demon stories. Sometimes both, sometimes just demons, various combinations. Like any anthology I liked some better than others. Some stuck to a very religious theme of trying to save the souls while a demon tried to win them, others went for a lighter look at the whole situation. I particularly liked Kiernan Kelly's Demonology 101 about a demon who teaches that course at a university in an effort to educate humans about the reality of demons. When he catches a demon hunter in his car, he decides to take him home and educate him as well.  Cute with a demon who hungers for good BBQ ribs and classic cars. I also enjoyed Suriel's Sword by Jay Di Meo, which has angel warrior Suriel confused by his attraction to demon warrior Arioch who he keeps helping secretly, although someone's helping him secretly in battle. When they are forced to go on a mission together (angels and demons work together), Arioch leads him to act in ways which get him nearly kicked out of heaven, then when Arioch is injured Suriel has to make a decision which way to go. Most of the themes were not new, angels falling in love with humans and being made human to be together or some version of that with demons and angels, those who enjoy the theme will enjoy it as they are all a bit different.

Getting Gabe (Moon Pack #7) by Amber Kell (
Silver Publishing

The author has taken up her alphabet series again. Gabe works for Anthony, the alpha mate and is attacked one night. He confused and wakes up with the pack told that he must have latent were genes and now he's been changed, like it or not. While figuring this out, in walks twin fae Vielle and Vien. Gabe instantly attacks one deciding he's his mate, however before long he's figured they are both his mates, however the guys are clear, no touchy between the twins. They'll be naked in bed together but don't have sex together (pity that) but Gabe prefers that anyway. On the mutant werewolf side, Gabe is sent with the twins to see the fae king to ask for help, it seems there is much corruption in the fae kingdom and after returning Gabe is attacked by his best girlfriend who wants to make him mutant. I didn't quite get her role, but there was more learned about the mutants and which fae may be aiding the mad scientist in his pursuit to wipe out the regular shifters. I'd say this is an improvement on the previous books which were published under a different publisher, fewer errors and are a bit like candy, a quick read that leaves you looking forward to the next, especially now I'm kind of invested in figuring out the mutant werewolf thing. Hopefully it won't take quite so long for H as it did for G.

8 comments:

Average Reader said...

I have Wicked Good, and I'm going to move it further up the to-read list based on your review!

Tam said...

As always Val, not everything will be to everyone's taste, but I really enjoyed a couple of them and the rest were okay reads as well.

Chris said...

I don't think I could suspend disbelief for Moonspun and those two guys sleeping together so chastely for so long...

Hope the travel day goes well!

Tam said...

Yeah, I was kind of torn between it being sweet that they didn't rush and were both kind of nervous as first relationships, and the reality of 22 year old guys and hormones. LOL

Leontine said...

That reminds me, I still need to read book 2 of Lord Of Hell too! I ripped through the first one in like a day or so. Loved the characters and the world!!

Tam said...

I spent a lot of time ignoring my daughter on the train (to her annoyance) as I was glued to White Hell Leontine. I just realized every time I go to Chicago I get caught up in a Ginn Hale book. Last time was Wicked Gentlemen which I read part 1, then took me forever to read part 2. Hopefully I won't do that with White Hell. :-)

orannia said...

Oh, I look forward to hearing what you think of Lord of the White Hell! (I'm currently working my way through Ginn Hale's serial The Rifter :)

I was reading Amber Kell's alphabet series, so it is good to know there is more :)

Tam said...

I loved the first book Orannia. I've kind of fallen behind on the Rifter. Must try and catch up before I'm overwhelmed.

It's been a long time since another alphabet book, hopefully the rest will follow a bit more quickly.