New MM Gay Ebooks [Summaries and reviews] (torrent)
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Bad for Business by B.A. Tortuga
Paranormal
Julian is literally a cat burglar. Being a werecat really helps with his job, at least until he meets up with Detective Thayne Terra. Thayne is strong, smart and sexy, and he could be very bad for business. Luckily, Thayne likes to play with his prey a little before closing in, at least in the case of very sexy kitty Julian. He thinks it might be just what he needs to have another big cat around. Can Julian and Thayne be together and get their jobs done?
BOOK REVIEW:
This short story (just over 10,000 words) has a fun concept but unfortunately focuses on the sex scenes to the exclusion of plot or characterization. While the author can clearly write a scorching hot sex scene and this offering demonstrates that repeatedly, the writing is very staid, repetitive, and basic. Although the plot is loosely about two cat shifters, the dialogue, language, and writing style is incredibly reminiscent of Sean Michael’s novel, Bite. If you liked that book, you will probably like this similar offering but with cat shifters instead of werewolves.The novelette opens with Julian in cat form as he burgles a house while leaving a few indicators behind. However, in the old adage of it takes one to know one, only another shifter would know exactly what those details mean. Thayne realizes it’s a “cat” burglar and sets about finding the newcomer. When Julian and Thayne meet, the sexual chemistry overwhelms the two and neither worries about the small details such as Julian’s criminal activity.
There is very little plot and character development as the two men meet very soon and immediately the sexual chemistry flairs. They rub, flirt, tease, and touch each other on their first meeting. This is shortly followed by a second meeting where the flirting and teasing goes even further and the two can’t keep their hands off each other. The prolonged sex scenes fill the majority of the story so that neither Julian nor Thayne are well developed beyond the basic information that they are cat shifters and their jobs. Although the conflict inherent in a burglar versus a cop scenario could add tension to the story, this detail is forgotten in the face of their lust for each other. Thayne knows that Julian breaks the law but simply teases that he’ll have to punish Julian when the other man is “bad.”
The writing itself is incredibly basic and repetitive. Both men are often described as slinky, this adjective is used over and over ~ even when describing Julian’s apartment. Furthermore the prose is repetitive and uninteresting, injecting nothing fresh or new to the writing. The story is composed of short sentences, often one or two words, and very little descriptive quality. Here are several examples:
"Damn it.'Oh-ho.' Laughing, Thayne followed him closely, right on his tail. So to speak.
Julian let himself bare his teeth, rumble, trying to push back.
'Shh. Be a good kitty, and I'll give you a treat.' Pushy, pushy.
[…]
He needed to get out.
Really.
Soon.
Now.
Julian stretched, reaching up far enough that his back popped, his loose sweats sliding down his hips.
Out. Out hunting. Playing.
[…]
Thayne chuffed, cheek pressing against his. Then his sexy kitty jumped off him and ran, stopping at the tree to look back at him.
Play.
Play.
He crouched, butt wiggling just a second before he pounced, leaping in a happy attack. PLAY!"
[…]
They snarled and growled, all of it in damned good fun.
Yeah. Thayne grabbed his ear, gnawing.
Fun.
He raked his claws along that soft, thick-furred belly, chuffing at the growl.
Fun.
[…]
He licked that poor leg until Thayne purred, melting under him.
The uninjured front paws both came out, pulling him down, letting them curl around each other.
Warm. Comfortable. He licked at Thayne's chin, purring. Stay. Stay. Nap.
Rest.
Heal.
Yes. Yes. Thayne purred for him, tail twitching against his, whiskers pressed to his face. Stay.
Good kitty."
The writing is so simplistic, this almost felt like an X-rated children’s book. The repetition of words and actions had this reminiscent of other books and thus this will likely be of interest to similar fans. The erotic scenes are very classic for this author so readers will know what they’re getting into. The chemistry is entertaining and this quick, fun read is easy to get through. For a mostly forgettable but easy fluff erotic story, this should fulfill that desire.
If Wishes Were Horses by B.A. Tortuga
Malcolm and Dalton had a thing years ago, before Dalton got famous and Malcolm got screwed out of the limelight. Now Dalton's career might be over due to a damaged voice, and Malcolm is the successful, if reclusive songwriter who has it all.
When Dalton shows up at Mal's door, Malcolm thinks about tossing Dalton out on his ass. But neither of them can resist the attraction that still burns between them, and the old friends are trying to decide if they can be lovers once more. Will they get their Christmas wish?
Verdant by Jordan Castillo Price
Watercooler gossip reveals that everyone in Colin's office gets lucky before they embark on yet another day of files, faxes, and covert games of solitaire. Everyone but Colin, that is.
Colin's live-in boyfriend Rand is creative, gorgeous, and entirely too self-sufficient. Colin can hardly remember the last time they did anything fun together, let alone got down and dirty before his daily commute.
Colin is sure he's about to face another morning brag session when he gets to the office, but instead he finds the building eerily deserted. The radio has been taken over by the Emergency Broadcast System, and Colin must rush back to make sure nothing's happened to Rand.
Luckily, Rand is okay. Even better than okay. And he's been dying for Colin to get home.
BOOK REVIEW:
Conversations around the water cooler at work prompt Colin to try to seduce his lover before work one morning. When Rand claims exhaustion, Colin is left driving to work wildly frustrated by the refusal. It's that frustration that distracts him from all the strange goings-on in the city until he arrives at the office and is sent back home.The writing in this story is so strong that just a few details are enough to set the mood, to let the reader know that something is very wrong. The characters are strong enough that even in sixteen pages, the reader can connect to them, can understand their conflicts and see when something is not quite right.
To say more would give too much away, but this story is an excellent example of gay horror. I highly recommend "Verdant" to anyone who enjoys a story in which the ending comes with no easy answers.
Starlight by Jordan Castillo Price
The tearing of flesh, the pulsing of blood … these things haven’t aroused anything other than simple hunger in Joseph for centuries. But now he’s caught the scent of a creature no more human than he is, and his hunger has turned to desire.
BOOK REVIEW:
“Starlight” by Jordan Castillo Price is a sexy, short tale of two predators meeting, discovering, and desiring each other. The writing is excellent. Price uses words like Van Gogh uses color ~ vivid, passionate and exciting. A delicate balance between surreal/sensual and real is achieved through the descriptions of the environments of this tale. The town is a nameless place that could be anywhere and thus is everywhere.The events are described to us through the eyes of the Vampire. His wonder at first seeing the Werewolf and the intensity of his desire are palpable. The pursuit and the game of ‘cat and mouse’ that these two engage in makes for a great read. This short story is highly recommended and is a Sensualist’s dream come true. Enjoy!
Channeling Morpheus 1: Payback by Jordan Castillo Price
Pretty young men and women like Michael’s best friend, Scary Mary, are disappearing from underground Goth clubs all over Detroit. Michael has been tracking buried newspaper articles and obscure medical reports for over two years, and he’s finally found the source of the problem. But he can’t exactly go to the cops and tell them his friends have been murdered – by a vampire. So he’s posing as bait to catch the killer, and he’s got a bag of sharpened hickory stakes to do the job.
Everything should go smoothly, given the amount of preparation that Michael’s put into the hunt. He’s got a practiced repertoire of come-hither looks and a full blister pack of the date rape drug, Rohypnol. But he didn’t count on Wild Bill showing up.
Bold and sexy, Wild Bill’s the type of guy Michael would have liked to date… if he’d ever gotten the chance. Despite his best efforts, it seems there’s nothing Michael can do to shake Bill loose. Looks like they’re in for a wild, wild ride.
BOOK REVIEW:
"Payback" is the first book in the bold new Channeling Morpheus series by Jordan Castillo Price, author of the PsyCop novels. I'll say up front that this is the kind of book you'll want to read more than once because the writing is so stellar you're bound to miss a lot of good stuff on your first pass.Michael is a young Goth on his maiden vampire-slaying expedition when he meets Wild Bill, a tatted and pierced hottie. It's a shame Michael can't do anything about it since he's not-so-patiently lying in wait for the vampire who killed his best friend, Scary Mary. But Wild Bill doesn't give up easily and Michael is left to figure out how to ditch him when his prey, Gray, shows up. A deadly two-step menage ensues as Michael tries to determine if Wild Bill is friend or foe.
The characters in this tale are well-drawn: fascinating, enigmatic and complex. Michael is earnest, practical and determined. Kudos to the cover artist Bryan Keller for the stunning cover image of Michael, who looks exactly as I pictured him, a smoldering, twink Goth a la Pete Wentz. Wild Bill is a Jack Sparrow-like figure, lean and sexy, hilariously wry, physically agile and a master tactician:
“Tidy Inn,” said Bill. “Just a hop, skip and a jump away.” He slipped his index finger into the keyring and twirled it in a circle as he started skipping along in his combat boots. “I can hardly wait.”
Gray, on the other hand, holds his cards close and is as puzzling as he is deadly. Watching the three men waltz around each other in the tiny hotel room will leave you on the edge of your seat, as it does Michael:
"It was tempting to just pretend that dragging two hot men back to my bed was exactly what I was doing, and not trying to figure out a way to get rid of Bill temporarily, and get rid of Gray permanently."
The writing in "Payback" is absolutely top-notch. How it manages to be both spare and descriptive is beyond me but there's not a wasted word to be found anywhere in the story. I also liked how the author put the reader smack dab in the middle of the story with Michael:
"This must’ve been how it was for Scary Mary. A tangle of bare limbs, wet tongues and stiff, flushed, spit-wetted nipples. She’d had three vampires to tangle with. I had only one."
Coming on the tail end of an explosive sexual encounter, this powerful revelation brings the story full circle and gives us a sense of what motivates Michael.
"Payback" works well on many levels, and literally has it all: beautifully written visual descriptions, wildly hilarious and snarky characters, solid dialog that gives you a sense of each character's personality and hot, hot sex. Wild Bill is unforgettable and I'm eager to find out what will happen when and if Michael catches up with him.
The Channeling Morpheus series is being offered like an old-fashioned serial. Each book is short and can stand alone even though it's related to the previous one. This is a great device because everything you need to know to enjoy a particular story is included in that book. I confess to having read "Vertigo," the second book in the series, first and I'm happy to report that it didn't affect my understanding or enjoyment of "Payback" in any way.
In case it's not clear from the review, I loved everything about "Payback." As I read it, I felt as though I were watching a movie and all that was missing was the popcorn. This kind of riveting storytelling is not to be missed.
Note: The next titles in the series are "Vertigo" and "Manikin."
Channeling Morpheus 2: Vertigo by Jordan Castillo Price
Long, dark hair. Dewy, khol-rimmed eyes. Ripe young lips just made for kissing … Guys like that are dime a dozen. Wild Bill likes a little edge on his playmates, and Michael's got the whole package going on, plus a loaded gun in his leather jacket, and an unquenchable obsession with vampires. Michael's back, and he's got a few new tricks up his sleeve. Hopefully the latest addition to his arsenal doesn't include a wooden stake with Wild Bill's name on it. But anything can happen in the dark ...
BOOK REVIEW:
Jordan Castillo Price has penned one of the longest sex scenes I've ever read, and it's utterly delicious. "Vertigo" is the follow-up story to "Payback," the first book in the Channeling Morpheus series. Wild Bill is a cynical vampire fighting his attraction to Michael, a sexy, Goth vampire slayer. They met in "Payback," fooled around a bit, then apparently Wild Bill abandoned Michael when he couldn't handle the heat between them.This time around, Wild Bill spots Michael in a crowd of human sycophants and rushes in to claim him when a fellow vampire shows interest. Fully intending to give Michael a piece of his mind, Wild Bill drags him away but awakes hours later to discover that "it was real sweet, except that he’d drugged me and ridden me to within an inch of my life, and I was still so high I was paralyzed and mute. But other than that, I guess it was pretty romantic."
What begins as a quick and dirty seduction by Wild Bill morphs into a mind-blowing devouring by Michael, with a little help from several mind-altering substances. Wild Bill remains unsure of Michael's intentions ~ is he there to have sex with him or stake him? In any event, Wild Bill cannot deny him, and this undercurrent of sexual unease gives the story yet another welcome edge and dimension.
Wild Bill and Michael writhe together for pages and pages of delightful, carnal excess. Wild Bill acknowledges how good it is with Michael, and concedes "if I hadn’t seen his ID and been fucked silly by him, I would have pegged him as about fourteen. Oh, and then the way he outsmarted me. And trapped me. Couldn’t forget that, either." Michael is clearly a man who can take care of himself.
I liked both men immensely. Wild Bill is cynical and has a hilariously snarky voice that will make you laugh out loud. He's a deeply tortured figure but it's not clear why this is so (perhaps this is revealed in "Payback?"). We're not privy to Michael's thoughts but his actions are revealed through Wild Bill's narrative and they are fairly easy to understand. He really likes Wild Bill and just won't take no for an answer. He doesn't whine or yell or threaten; he simply and quietly goes about the business of getting exactly what he wants. Wild Bill never knew what hit him!
These guys are two of the most irreverent and fascinating new characters to hit the e-book scene. It was a lot of fun watching them shunt and spar, duck and weave and finally give in to their powerful attraction. I didn't read "Payback" and was able to follow the story fairly well, but I'm thinking it would have been a lot more fun to read it first. "Vertigo" is short at only 40 pages, but I enjoyed every minute spent with Wild Bill and Michael and I eagerly await the next story in the series.
Channeling Morpheus 3: Manikin by Jordan Castillo Price
Marushka loves pretty things: lace and velvet, porcelain and pearls. She sews elaborate costumes for all of her dolls, and she spends hours arranging their hair just so. Her collection is growing; she’s added a very pretty trinket, and his name is Michael. She can’t wait to dress him up.
Michael always suspected mentally ill vampires grew worse and worse as the years went by. He’d never realized how unhinged they could get.
Now Michael is in way over his head. Will Wild Bill save him? Or was it only wishful thinking on Michael’s part that their connection ran deeper than sex… or blood?
BOOK REVIEW:
This gritty third installment in the Channeling Morpheus series by Jordan Castillo Price ratchets up the tension between Michael and Wild Bill and reveals new dimensions in their on-again, off-again relationship.Michael has tracked down another serial-killing vampire, Marushka, but somehow found himself on the business end of a straight-edge razor wondering if he'll make it out alive. Marushka is as batty as she is dangerous and Wild Bill rides to the rescue just like his namesake, but will he be the hero Michael needs?
Michael is relieved and delighted to see Wild Bill again, but he's brimming with questions and insecurities that Wild Bill is in no hurry to answer or assuage. Their attraction hasn't waned one bit since their last encounter but this time it's imbued with more pathos and hostility.
"Manikin" stretches sexual boundaries in exciting ways. The sex scenes run more toward a Robert McCammon novel than erotica, but the style is very effective here. There's nothing more stimulating than getting it on after you've offed a vampire, especially when all of your nerves are on edge after you've been shaved to within an inch of your life. Michael and Wild Bill come together in a melange of blood, sweat, tears and pain, lots of pain. Michael is still sexually inexperienced but he's a lot more willing to ask for what he wants and what he needs from Wild Bill. As an added bonus, the ever-cynical Bill discovers a new and exciting kink.
Michael's physical and emotional vulnerabilities are more pronounced here. His body is physically no match for any of the vampires he encounters, but it doesn't stop him from taking them on and prevailing. It's extraordinary, really, when you think about a human going up against a vampire, but Michael does it bravely, even when he's filled with fear. Nowhere is this more evident than when we find out just how far Michael is willing to go in the name of justice. The revelation is equal parts heroic and horrifying, and eerily reminiscent of Stephen King's "Carrie."
One of the more satisfying elements in this series is watching Michael and Wild Bill's relationship develop. Wild Bill's knee-jerk reactions to Michael are fascinating to watch. Though a lot more brash than Michael, Bill's got issues to confront, too. At this stage they've done little more than admit that they want each other, but it's become clear they don't have a clue about how to make a relationship work. Most of their encounters have been train wrecks, but in "Manikin" they move just a little closer to acknowledging their emotional connection. I'm starting to believe that they just might make it, but the jury's still out. That's what makes this series so good (in addition to the writing): it's witty, harrowing, thoughtful and very unpredictable.
Do yourself a favor and pick up this latest chapter in the Channeling Morpheus series. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.
Note: The other titles in this series are "Payback" and "Vertigo."
Channeling Morpheus 4: Tainted by Jordan Castillo Price
Vampires agree that vampirism must be spread through sex, because if a bite on the neck could turn someone, the world would be overrun with legions of bloodsuckers by now. So Wild Bill’s been careful. The last thing he’d want is to turn anyone. Especially his boy toy.
Despite Wild Bill’s caution, Michael’s looking pale and thin … more so than usual. He wears it well, just like the leather jacket, the black-dyed hair and the eyeliner. But for someone as starved as he is, food should hold more of an appeal. And is that a preternatural grace Bill detects in Michael's movements?
BOOK REVIEW:
Wild Bill and Michael are back in the fourth installment of the Channeling Morpheus series. Bill narrates this tale in a voice as strong and clear as ever, though the snarkiness has been toned down. "Tainted" finds the guys shopping at Wal-Mart for provisions, but this is like no shopping trip you've ever been on.Michael wants a mini computer so that he can conduct his research on the road and Bill gets him one, but the byplay in this scene reveals a lot between the two men. Bill never pays for anything, so you'd think Michael would be like a kid in a candy store anytime they hit a retail establishment, but he's still a little unsure of his place with Bill, even though they've been together as a couple for a little while now.
Even if he can't verbalize it, Bill is deeply intoxicated by Michael and can deny him very little. Their quickie in the dressing room is made all the more arousing by a roomful of mirrors complete with a security guard on the other side. Bill's thoughts during the encounter are a riot of desire, doubt and fear: combustive desire for Michael, doubt about taking his blood and fear that he's fallen in love with him.
He's also worried about Michael's health. Michael is so thin that he's dropped a pants size, plus he has little appetite. Bill is concerned that, despite their precautionary use of condoms, he might have inadvertently turned Michael into a vampire. They head off to see a blood specialist, who also happens to be a vampire, for confirmation.
The results of this meeting are unexpected and cataclysmic, and they force Bill to deal with how he was turned and what he means to Michael. Bill's usually very good at deflection, but the doctor's diagnosis stuns them both to the point that Bill can no longer deny his feelings for Michael. It shakes him up so badly that Michael has to support him both physically and emotionally. This scene demonstrates what some readers may have already picked up on: Michael may not be as physically strong as his partner, but he's the one calling the shots; and Bill need Michael's inner strength and calm more than ever now.
The upside to the doctor's pronouncement is they get to lose the condoms, and oh, what a glorious moment that is! Since Bill is the narrator, the reader is treated to an up-close-and-personal view of Michael's hatch-marked body. This visceral image shows us all the places where Bill has cut Michael to drink from him, and it's gory indeed, but it's also a profound testament to the unbreakable and intimate connection they share. Bill is shattered by Michael's strength, control and survival instincts, and humbled when Michael sheds it all for him.
The Channeling Morpheus series is so well-written and thought-provoking that it's hard to imagine how it could get any better; well, at least until the next installment comes out and tops the previous one! 'Tainted" reveals more about the inner workings of their relationship and hints at things to come but, alas, there is only one more installment left. I'm sure I'm not alone in waiting with bated breath to see what the future holds for Michael and Wild Bill.
Note: The other books in the Channeling Morpheus series are Payback, Vertigo and Manikin.
Channeling Morpheus 5: Rebirth by Jordan Castillo Price
Michael has never put much stock in clichés, but there’s one he probably should have listened to: You can never go home again.
His family assures him that plenty of young people take a few semesters off between high school and college, that a year of travel is practically a prerequisite nowadays. His father can pull a few strings, and he’ll be a freshman at ISU by September. Michael’s neglected to tell them that he’s not just driving around aimlessly, stopping only to have sex with his chain-smoking boyfriend ~ that in fact, he’s hunting vampires.
After a disastrous family reunion, Michael unearths a vampire commune where he and Wild Bill can settle down. But Michael is the only human in residence, and the other vampires can’t stop themselves from sniffing around him. In the words of Wild Bill, “This can’t be good.”
BOOK REVIEW:
"Rebirth" is the fifth and final installment of Jordan Castillo Price's compelling Channeling Morpheus series featuring the vampire Wild Bill and his long-suffering human partner, Michael."Rebirth" continues to reveal different aspects of Wild Bill and Michael's personalities and their evolution as a couple. In this offering, Michael takes Wild Bill home to meet the parents. Can you imagine? My heart ached at the thought of Michael coming of age in this household, with his strident but puzzled mother, jealous and needy sister and patently out-of-touch father. With this bunch as a family unit, Michael's relationship with Wild Bill no longer seems dysfunctional.
Michael doesn't come across as the type to settle down but his need for a family, any family, leads him to suggest that they join a vampire commune in the middle of Iowa. While it's an interesting idea, one that allows for a lusty interlude in a claw-foot tub, the outcome leaves a lot to be desired. Readers are treated to a genuinely wild and exciting action sequence that shows just how synchronistic the couple has become. Indeed, they make a powerful team.
The repercussions of their run-in with the commune are wide-ranging, the most important of which reveals Wild Bill when rage and blood lust are upon him. We've seen him at his most sarcastic, sexy, funny and pensive, but we've never seen him when he's truly angry. Michael witnesses it firsthand and is initially freaked until he realizes it's just another facet of his partner's vampire makeup. Michael's quiet "Do you still love me?" is heart-breaking as he tries to understand what being with and loving a vampire really entails.
Although the story is told from Michael's point of view, we know that Wild Bill has his own agenda, too. He witnesses his lover in action and it reassures him that Michael can not only hold his own, but he's still the same intrinsically decent man Bill fell in love with. The scene in which he takes Michael to the cemetery where his mother and sister are buried is bittersweet. We're confronted with the very real remains of Bill's misbegotten former life. It's a moving scene made all the more poignant when Michael, and the reader, realizes that Wild Bill's grave lies just a few feet away.
That powerful moment unsettles Michael and makes Bill philosophical. After all, Bill has just laid his past, present and future wide open to review, scorn and rejection. To his credit, Michael is humbled and honored. Make no mistake, these are two incredibly complex characters for whom right, wrong, good, evil, love and hate have no meaning or bearing. I'm grateful to Price for not telling us what or how to think about these guys ~ they are simply who they are, in all of their undefined glory.
The Channeling Morpheus series is successful because none of the oft-told vampire or relationship conventions work in this context. Michael and Wild Bill make their own way in an ever-increasingly chaotic world in ways that make the most sense for them as a couple. Outside influences have no place in their relationship, but one thing is certain at the end of "Rebirth." No matter where they eventually go, or what Michael eventually becomes, they are meant to be together.
The Channeling Morpheus series includes, in order, Payback, Vertigo, Manikin and Tainted.
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Sweet Oblivion 1: Brazen by Jordan Castillo Price
It’s a sultry July night, and Wild Bill is content. It’s deliciously warm outside, the fireworks are about to start, a whole pint of freshly-tapped blood is on the menu, and his boyfriend hasn’t murdered anyone in months.
Too bad Bill’s contentment isn’t shared by Michael, who’s tired of his own lack of experience. He hints that a new lover in their bed might broaden his horizons. Their first encounter might have been a threesome, but it certainly didn’t end well for the third participant.
Even now, Bill can’t seem to shake the memory of the hickory stake protruding from the chest of his old nemesis. Lust wars with guilt as Wild Bill tries to figure out how to bury his past, once and for all.
BOOK REVIEW:
Wild Bill is a vampire, his boyfriend Michael is not, though he's not altogether human either. Together they make a paranormal odd couple and this latest episode in their on-going story is again edgy, witty and sexy.Michael wants to engage in a three-way with another vampire. Wild Bill isn't keen on the idea. He remembers only too well that the last time they indulged themselves with another vampire, Michael had been seeking revenge for the death of his best friend, Scary Mary, and said vampire ended up staked.
Because he loves Michael, Wild Bill agrees to the liaison and is introduced to Damien, a very young vampire who intuits that Michael is what he calls a 'Renfield' ~ not quite a vampire, but not fully human. The description of their three-way is erotic, but also amusing, filled as it is with Wild Bill's often hilarious observations that sometimes made me laugh out loud.
Miss Castillo continues to make Wild Bill and Michael a really interesting couple, and if their funky lifestyle sounds a bit off at times, Wild Bill more than makes up for it with his philosophical meanderings on life ~ and un-death.
Sweet Oblivion 5: Elixir by Jordan Castillo Price
Wild Bill and Michael might have thought they made it out of the subterranean vampire nest unscathed, but in her anger, Silk left Michael a taste of her wrath that's impossible to shake.
It's a race against time to cure Michael of a bizarre affliction, and though the hunter and his favorite vamp have few enough friends, Bill can't ash a cigarette without burning another bridge. Now Wild Bill must decide what he's willing to sacrifice to save his lover.
His friends? His scruples? His pride?
His humanity?
More to cum….
Gay Best Friend (G-A-Y #10) by Kim Dare
What's a straight man to do when he can't stop fantasising about dominating his gay best friend? Should he resist temptation or simply give in and enjoy?
Carlton's not gay. He knows that, because he's checked. Internet gay porn does nothing for him. Checking out guys who he's pretty sure any genuinely gay man would find hot as hell doesn't even raise a flicker of interest inside him. He wouldn't mind being gay, but all the available evidence says he's as straight as they come. So why the hell can't he stop imagining himself tying up his gay best friend?
Carlton knows Bryce better than he's ever known any other man. He's all hard edges and even harder attitude, all sarcastic quips and uncertain temper. He might be gay, but he's not the kind of guy who'd let another man push him around. He's not the sort of man who'd humour someone who can't even decide which way he swings either. And he's sure as hell not the type to submit to anyone. Or is he?
Carlton's got lots of questions. It's time for him to find some answers…
Warrior’s Cross by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux
Cameron Jacobs is an open book. He considers himself a common waiter with normal friends, boring hobbies, harmless dogs, and nothing even resembling a secret … except a crush on a tall, dark, devastatingly handsome man who dines alone at his restaurant on Tuesday nights. All it takes is one passionate night with Julian Cross to turn Cameron’s world on its head.
Julian's love and devotion are all Cameron could have hoped for and more. But when his ordinary life meets and clashes with Julian's extraordinary lifestyle, Cameron discovers that trust and fear can go hand in hand, and love is just a step away from danger.
BOOK REVIEW:
Some books you have to read every other paragraph to keep up with and be able to build the basic story in your head as you continue along. Some you can skip whole pages at times and still not skip a beat in the plot, and others require that you read every word. Every word is necessary, not just because the plot is less predictable but also because the writing is so much more intricate and vital to the voice of the story.Warrior’s Cross is one of those books that require true dedication to the words of story and the characters in the book. No half-ass effort is going to get you through this without missing so much that it would be a crime to even say it had been read.
I love that kind of story. They are rare in this genre where sex scenes can so easily make up more than half the book and the same conversation or phrase is used so many times if you strung them together it would cover several pages by themselves. It’s a pleasure to pick one up that really takes you away into the world that is written and bonds you with the characters strongly and irrevocably like Warrior’s Cross.
Abigail Roux and Madeleine Urban are no strangers to great writing. They team up extremely well and have not put out anything that has ever disappointed me. Meaty well thought out stories with bad guys that are good guys but still they are really, really bad guys. Good guys that love them despite all the evidence, warnings and odds. Watching the relationship that can be built heedless of the danger and ambiguous moral compass is fascinating and always makes me ask myself, “What would I do?”
Julian and Cameron are poles apart in temperament, life and physical attributes but they are also the halves of a whole if only they can come to see past the obstacles. The first third of this book is dedicated to the beginning of the relationship that includes some pretty great sex scenes. The second third is focused on trying to get to know each other under less than open and honest circumstances. Like all relationships by this time the focus is less on the sex and more on the realities of couple-dom which is complicated by so many other factors in this case. The last third of the book deals with the consequences of self doubt, dishonesty, fear and underestimating the power of love. While the sex scenes fade fairly quickly after the first third of the book I didn’t really miss them too much. As the two start working on actually getting to know each other and the reader begins to really be introduced to Julian and Cameron as well it doesn’t seem to be something missing
I don’t want to add too many spoilers to this review. I highly recommend the book. Put aside some time when you can really focus on the words and let the story build. It will be a great way to spend a long evening. The book is long but just perfectly so.
Far From Home by Madeleine Urban
A collection of three m/m sci-fi novellas: Following the Sun - The nearly fatal crash of their spacecraft leaves Jack and Samuel stranded on a verdant planet far from civilization. Discovered and sheltered by a native tribe, the two resign themselves to new lives - lives that include a new culture, a new language, and even new love. But their new home isn't at all what it seems, and when war and illness strike, they find out just how far from home they are. Close Encounter - Space privateer Tris is just doing his job - delivering canisters to a military science vessel - when he discovers that he is transporting people infected with an engineered virus designed to exterminate the human race. In the midst of an alien attack, can the rogue pilot save patient Retter - the key to the cure? Or will he lose both humanity's salvation and his heart? Enhanced - In Earth's not-too-far future, a talented scientist stumbles over a plot to use the genetically enhanced military to declare martial law and take over the government. Dr. Ryne Siler enlists his friend, Dr. Cary Matthews, a brilliant engineer, to figure out how to stop it. When the investigation goes awry, they're on the run, and the only thing between them and capture is a hidden cache of sleeping soldiers with enhancements of their own. Ryne and Cary are desperate, but will waking these soldiers help - or just make things worse?
Torn from his home and family by slavers, Varan escapes the brutality of the mines only to struggle for existence in the hellish desert of an alien world. When he stumbles across an injured, winged being, he can barely believe the beautiful stranger isn't a hallucination conjured by his loneliness. Hiding from the slavers as they learn to communicate, Varan teaches Tvri'il how to survive, and Tvri'il teaches Varan how to love again. But can that love endure once the secrets of the slave planet ~ and of Tvri'il himself ~ are revealed?
BOOK REVIEW:
Varan doesn’t remember how long he had been hiding in the desert. His world was invaded and an unknown number of people were taken by slavers and Varan toiled until he escaped into the vast regions of desert on his planet of captivity. This all changed when he stumbled across a beautiful winged man, Tvri’il, who is obviously injured and unconscious. It was not only the beauty of the man, but just to have another individual to spend time with that helped Varan to regain his desire to live.After taking care Tvri’il’s injuries, Varan carried him back to the oasis he had just left. Tvri’il is obviously someone of importance as noted from his well-made clothes to his unblemished hands. Their inability to communicate made it difficult at first, but they soon found simple ways to communicate. The intense attraction is mutual and their first time together is incredibly beautiful. Varan and Tvri‘il's feelings deepen as they fight to stay alive in this hostile environment. Will Varan and Tvri’il find a way to escape before the slavers find them?
Ms. Bennett has created an interesting story with two men undergoing a terrible ordeal who overcome the odds through trust, cooperation, and a strong will to live forged by an unforgettable love. The plot line is based in the future, but the challenges that Varan and Tvri’il face being forced into a hostile environment and fighting to survive can be easily understood. It is remarkable Varan can still trust after the ordeal he has gone through and the loss of his family to the slavers. The visual description of Tvri'il through Varan's eyes brought him to life for the reader. I hope that Ms. Bennet to continue Varan and Tvri’il’s story to answer many of the unresolved questions about their future.
The cowboy is a larger than life figure, a legend of the American west. But he's also very much a part of modern life, whether he rides a horse or a pick-up truck, whether he works cattle or works the rodeo circuit.
Under this Cowboy's Hat is all about the cowboy, his life and loves, his work and his play. Each story takes a slice of a cowboy's life and serves it up hot, letting the reader in on a world most folks only dream about.
Masked Riders, by Parhelion, is set in 1860s California. Rich ne'er-do-well Jesse is sent to a relation's ranch to deal with a ghost rider who seems Hell-bent on making trouble. When Wardley Bridger is sent along to keep Jesse out of trouble, sparks fly. On the trail or off, these two have to deal with their feelings for each other, and try to solve the mystery of the masked rider.
In Hung Up, by Cat Kane, rodeo cowboy Billy is looking for a little companionship. When he finds Spence, he thinks he might have just what he needs. But Spence has secrets he's not sure he wants to share, and Billy has something to hide as well. Can these two learn to trust?
Rounding out this trio of stories is Ricochet, by BA Tortuga. Holt is coming off a bad break-up. So bad that it's left him with holes that are physical as well as mental. His old friend Teague comes to help him find his way home, back to Texas, and the life he thought he'd lost forever. Can they stand strong against the ricochet of Holt's past? Get Under this Cowboy's Hat today and see what makes the men tick!Wings of Equity by Sean Kennedy
Ezra Kneebone is most at home in the skies, piloting his airship with his best friend Jazz, even if it doesn’t quite pay the bills or warm Ezra’s empty bed. Those same skies are also the territory of a man known as Icarus, who uses his metal wings to steal from the rich and feed the poor. Icarus and Ezra could be soul mates but for one thing: Icarus has a bounty on his head, and Ezra is desperate for money.Against the wishes of Jazz and her partner, the formidable Lady Bart, Ezra is determined to get his man … in more ways than one. But when Icarus saves Ezra’s life, Ezra realizes he would be betraying a hero ~ and his heart ~ if he turned Icarus in. Unfortunately, the bounty is tempting more than one hunter, and Ezra will find that loving a fugitive may mean becoming one too.
BOOK REVIEW:
Steampunk awesomeness from start to finish ~ the action keeps on coming whilst the technology and the politics of this universe come into focus, building up gradually and organically into something truly impressive.I love that no one's perfect ~ not the people's hero, not the book's hero, not even the fantastic hero's best friend. I love that the various relationships - romantic and otherwise ~ come up with some perfect combinations: combinations which bring into focus the flaws and strengths of the protagonists, giving all of them room and reason to develop as the story goes on.
The obvious arc belongs to Ezra, forced to reconsider his world-view by his attraction to the 'Robin Hood' bandit, Icarus. The unmistakable depth of his feelings shakes Ezra's deep held beliefs about his capacity for love, while Icarus' actions force Ezra into reconsidering his political and practical positions, Icarus' idealism confronting Ezra's pragmatism head on, but those challenges affect Icarus too, as well as Jazz, Lady Bart, and everyone else.
I love that Ezra himself looks to the relationship between Jazz, and her girlfriend, Lady Bart, as a model of successful love, in all the living, changing glory of their unconventional, lovingly negotiated, affair.
Take, for example, this snippet of conversation:
“Is that ~” Ezra began to say, but broke off.“What?”
He felt foolish, but thought he might as well go through with it because he really wanted to know. “Is that what love is like?”
“Like what?”
“Doing things to please people, even if you don’t like it or don’t agree with it?”
I loved that they had this conversation, I loved that it was so clearly awkward and not something they'd usually discuss in so many words, and I love that it's not a perfect, platonic idea of love, rather something that I could completely believe that Jazz, with all her cumulative damage and joys, could come up with, and that Ezra, with all his cumulative damage and currently a-swirl with unfamiliar feelings, might be able to accept.
I also loved that that conversation took place on the bridge of their dirigible, the Lilliput, because she's their private working space, their creation, and very literally the ship of their joint dreams. I love that Jazz is both a consummate pilot and a fantastic engineer, as well as a friend and business partner.
Essentially, I loved that the author not only presents us with a cast of rich, rounded characters, but has also given serious thought to the construction of this universe, and opted to offer steampunk with the societal downsides left in ~ there's no unsupported wealthy party set here, wafting around in amazing costumes that materialise out of nowhere ~ this world has seamstresses, hat makers, farmers, and no doubt factories where the fabric is woven and worker's limbs are at risk in the machinery. For me this makes the romance elements that much more compelling, and the books as a whole a really engaging read.
I Fell in Love with a Zombie by Sean Kennedy
Jay didn’t expect to be one of the very few survivors of the virus that decimated the country, leaving shambling, ravenous zombies behind. Fighting for his life amongst the dead, he keeps moving until the day he’s surrounded and facing his bloody end—and shockingly, another zombie saves him. But not just any zombie… it’s Dave, the first man Jay ever loved, and there’s something special about him even now, in the midst of the horror around them.
Tehmper is a fire demon, devoted to hunting down Shayātīn. One such mission leads him to Gabe, his mate. He bites Gabe and claims him. But convincing Gabe to return to Jinnistan is harder than Tehmper thought. When more rogue demons attack, trying to take Gabe, it's all Tehmper can do to convince Gabe to leave with him, especially when the man is so angry over the destruction of his home.
When Tehmper and Gabe are met at the portal gate by the ruling Amir and his personal guards, Tehmper has no choice but to turn his mate over or risk Gabe's life. He vows to do everything in his power to free Gabe, even if it means returning him to the surface world. But can he save Gabe before the Amir turns him into royal consort or will Gabe lose his head to the executioner's axe?
Lovers, Dreamers, and Me by Willa Okati
Tolliver's buried his life in taking care of his sister and the independent bookstore his grandmother left him. That doesn't leave much time for romance or fun. Sarah, his sister, thinks he's getting hidebound and decides to do a little matchmaking. Only the first problem with which is that her choice is another man, and Tolliver's not gay!
It turns out, Noble's not either. But he is attracted to Tolliver, deeply, and as a seer, he knows they can be together, if they can just figure this out. He's not above using his psychic gifts to draw them together on a sexual journey to self-discovery, but the road has more twists and turns ~ and toys ~ than even he ever dreamed.
BOOK REVIEW:
Lovers, Dreamers, and Me by Willa Okati is a homoerotic with paranormal aspects.Tolliver, at the age of eighteen, gave up everything, his hopes and dreams, when his parent’s died, leaving him to raise his sister, Sarah. Tolliver has spent the eight years working at his the family book store and watching his sister grow up, leaving no time for an outside life. Now at the age of sixteen, Sarah is beginning to explore her sexuality, not necessarily in a positive way, leaving Tolliver scrambling to keep her safe. Sarah does the unexpected when she meets a taro card reader, Noble, and goes about setting them up. The problem is Tolliver says he isn’t gay, but the attraction between them is instantaneous. Noble is a man with a mysterious past who seems to know things about Tolliver that he can’t explain. Things get out of control when Sarah starts acting out of character causing Tolliver to question his actions and life. Is Sarah okay? Will Tolliver and Noble’s budding relationship have time to grow into something lasting?
Ms. Okati has created a fascinating contemporary story with a paranormal flair. Noble is an interesting character who remains a mystery until the very end. His abilities are beyond the normal creating a mood that effects all the other character. Tolliver gave up his youth, something that few people would be willing to do that makes him a gem in my book. Sarah isn’t your average teenager, but she doesn’t always think things through keeping her brother off balance. Together, each character has to look beyond their usual lives to hopefully find the gold at the end of the rainbow. Thanks go to Ms. Okati for an interesting story.
Jack Christensen has everything he ever wanted. He's a rising star in US Diplomacy, the youngest man to have been appointed as an Ambassador of the United States. A career diplomat who's just been sent to a politically interesting Embassy in Europe, he has the perfect wife, speaks five languages and has all the right credentials, yet there's something missing and he doesn't quite know what.
Then Lucas Carlton walks into an Embassy reception and introduces himself and his American fiancée. From the first handshake, the young Englishman makes an impression on Jack that leaves him confused and uncharacteristically insecure. Lucas' position as the British liaison to the American Embassy means they are forced to work together closely and they have a hard time denying the attraction between them, despite their current relationships.
When their women decide to go on a weekend trip together, Jack and Lucas start a passionate relationship, which continues long after their partners return. Diplomatic circles are notoriously conservative though, and they each know that the right woman by their side makes a very significant contribution to their success. Will they be able to make the right choices in their professional and personal lives? Or will they need to sacrifice one for the other?
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You can discuss this torrent, books from this torrent in this thread. It would give more information for those considering reading some of them - would help to decide which book they would like to read best.
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So, I almost finished reading Channeling Morpheus series, thought to give some feedback :).
From that I have read this is a different type of vampire story (not that classical, both vampire parts and the relationship). Involves hot sex scenes in every book. It tells a story of a relationship with a vampire (even coming to the problems of where to live, etc.). Both characters are well made, they actions tells about them and not simple descriptions. Of course, some blood fetish is involved (it is a vampire story after all). And it looks romantic without being mushy (sex is rough, no gentleness, sweet words, but other actions shows that vampire cares for his human companion).
To sum up, this story is type which stands out from the many stories I have read.