Category: LGBT YA Fiction

Clearclay Park by Elliot Arthur Cross

91jsVc7c4cL._SL1500_Title: Clearclay Park

Series: N/A

Author: Elliot Arthur Cross

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Length: Novella (125 Pages)

ISBN: 978-1-6115-2936-4

Publisher: Queerteen Press, JMS Books (October 23rd, 2013)

　

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3Hearts

Reviewer: Lisa

　

Blurb: Cody Langdon’s been through a lot. He kissed a boy in the locker room and got brutally harassed for months. Unable to cope, he tried to take his own life. His parents decided a change in scenery would help, so they moved the family to Florida in the middle of the summer. The abrupt move left Cody lonely, bored, and beyond depressed. Stuck in a new state, Cody learned that a demon named Tanglewood had killed his neighbors and was taunting Cody. To save his family, Cody burned his house down.

Cody was lauded as a local hero and inducted into a support group for people who had survived encounters with dangerous demons. The support group introduced Cody to a new world of the supernatural and shared their own horrific experiences with incubi, curses, and ghosts.

Adam Monroe was a teenager just like Cody, until the demon Tanglewood killed his neighbors and his parents. Blamed for the multiple deaths and thought insane, Adam was locked away in a mental facility until Cody stumbled across evidence that cleared his name. The two bonded immediately over their shared trauma and mutual attraction.

After all, of his hardships, Cody is in for the strangest task yet — starting over at a new high school where he knows no one, doesn’t like organized sports, and thinks he’s above the petty social games.

Just as he begins to relax in his new environment, Cody’s parents find a new house to live in. Upon touring one of the identical homes in the Clearclay Park community, Cody discovers that behind the perfect hedges, trimmed lawns, and pristine appearance, a sinister force may lurk.

Forced to juggle his time between school, his parents, and Adam, Cody is confronted with the realization that not all problems are supernatural, and not all solutions are final.

Purchase Link: http://www.queerteen-press.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=102

Review: This book was interesting to say the least. Very bizarre little story line, however I did like it. I found myself laughing at certain parts of it. Cody is a teen who has gone through a really hard time. First he got caught kissing a guy at school and was bullied for it. He had tried to commit suicide but his dad save him. Then he finds out that a demon is terrorizing his neighborhood so he burns the house down. Now here is dealing with a gorgeous boyfriend who had also survived a demon attack. Moving to Clearclay Park, he finds out that it is ran by an incubus and a half demon.

His friends that he hangs out with all survived demon attacks. Even his boyfriend Adam is a survivor. The problem was when the incubus seduces Cody into a kiss and he loses his boyfriend. Now hanging out with his friends from school and his friends of the survivor group, he realizes that they have indeed found some more paranormals. One, which ends him up in the past.

Adam is sorry and wants Cody back, but Cody is not really sure what he wants now. He does know that he wants Adam but for some reason isn’t ready to go back. He has to stop the demons, free the innocents, and turn his friend Hayden’s grandparents back to humans. All in a good days work I suppose. What else could show up I wonder.

I thought that this story was told with a humorous tone, which made it more enjoyable. Although it did catch my attention from the start and kept it all the way to the end, it left me with more questions than answers. It was a bit hard to follow at the end of it. I love paranormals stories and this one is pretty good. I loved the mixture of paranormal types in this book. I would recommend it to anyone who loved cute and sexy young men, strange friendships, paranormal’s, danger and excitement.

　

Safe by Mark Zubro

20565919Title: Safe

Series:  N/A

Author: Mark Zubro

Genre: Contemporary/YA/Murder Mystery

Length: Novel (206 pages)

Publisher: MLR Press (January 12th, 2014)

Heat Level: Mild

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4Hearts

Blurb: In an unsafe world, death and danger stalk gay teens, Roger Cook and Steve Koemer.
Roger Cook is in the middle of his senior year when Kyle Davis, the most picked on kid in his high school commits suicide. Roger agrees to write an article on Kyle for the school newspaper. As he gathers information, Roger realizes the dead boy was gay and may have been murdered. Gay himself, Roger wants to find out the truth, but this leads him to danger and the possibility of love. Roger opens himself to even greater risk while trying to make those around him safe.

Product Link: http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=MZ__SAFE

Reviewer:   GiGi

Review: I’m always a sucker for a good murder mystery story, and this young adult novel does not disappoint my sleuthing fetish.

Zurbo lays out many possibilities for the bad guys, some more obvious than others, and puts young Roger Cook to work solving the crime immediately. Roger, usually the jock assigned to report of sports is given the case of a teen suicide, a gay teen, and he can’t help but wonder if it’s because someone knows about his secret, the fact that he’s also gay. Though he’s afraid of why he’s been given the story,

Roger feels it’s important to give boys like Kyle a voice, and protect those who may be different, those like himself. He manages to reach out to another reporter and mentor to help him uncover the truth to what he suspects is not suicide, but murder.

There are many twists and turns throughout this story, and the plot really surprised me! While there is a budding love interest, there is little or no sexual content aside from implied oral sex scenes and brutal attacks, this is young adult after all.

Don’t be put off by the bad cover art. This mystery is a little gem! I’d like to see more stories following Roger as he adventures off into the world.

Tyler Buckspan by Jere' M. Fishback

91q7RZL1WnL._SL1500_Title: Tyler Buckspan

Author: Jere’ M. Fishback

Genre: Historical / Edgy Young Adult

Length: Novel (167 pages)

ISBN: 978-1-61040-515-7

Publisher: Prizm Books (August 14th 2013)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb:Fifteen-year-old Tyler Buckspan lives with his mom and grandmother in 1960s Cassadaga, a Florida community where spiritual “mediums” ply their trade. The mediums–Tyler’s grandmother among them–read palms and tarot cards, conduct séances, and speak with the dead. Tyler’s a loner, a bookish boy with few interests, until his half-brother Devin, nineteen and a convicted arsonist, comes to live in Tyler’s home.

For years, Tyler has ignored his attraction to other boys. But with Devin in the house, Tyler can’t deny his urges any longer. He falls hopelessly in love with his miscreant half-brother, and with the sport of basketball, once Devin teaches Tyler the finer points of the game. In a time when love between men was forbidden, even criminalized, can Tyler find the love he needs from another boy? And is Devin a person to be trusted? Is he truly clairvoyant or simply a con artist playing Tyler and others for fools? What does Devin really know about a local murder? And can Tyler trust his own psychic twinges?

Purchase Link: http://www.prizmbooks.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=71

Review: I’m always wary of young adult titles, as they always seem to be filled with anxiety and drama to the point I can’t enjoy them much, but this title is definitely unique in many ways. I loved it, not merely enjoyed it. I started reading and didn’t stop until it ended, and I was so glad to see it end in such a realistic and satisfactory way.

The narration comes from an adult Tyler who is recalling his first steps to adolescence and his first loves that shaped his entire life. Tyler’s first crush with his half-brother who comes so suddenly into his life, the rejection he receives and the way he lives his fantasy by observing Devin’s love with his lover Jesse. His heart breaks when Devin marries a much older than him woman for her money, and Jesse’s resulting suicide. His disappointment when the schemes Devin and his mother cooked up. The terrible loss when Devin is forced away from his life after the chaos that followed Jesse’s suicide. His loneliness when right after Devin he loses his first boyfriend. The seclusion and feelings of dead-end and the birth of a new crush that later turns into his biggest love in the face of Jacob. His newfound ambitions with basketball and the loss of his never achieved dream yet again when Jacob is forced to leave. And finally, the accomplishment of his first dream that allows him to finally move on with his life as an adult.

Many readers might not like this book. They might find certain things such as the fact that Tyler crushes on Devin, his half-brother and finally he manages to satisfy his fantasy. Or his inclination to stealing his brother’s underwear and having quite some jerking sessions with them. Many might find the story to be jumping topics, as Tyler goes through some years during his narration and doesn’t dwell upon things that in a previous chapter were on the spotlight. I on the other hand found this book so realistic that I couldn’t have enough of it. The writing style is enticing, makes you keep on reading and you don’t really understand how good the skill is because you simply are captivated by the story, and such details escape you. I found the lack of angst refreshing though the story didn’t lack edge and suspense. I even felt as if I was reading a thriller at some point, constantly waiting for the gory end or the gut retching trauma to happen. The pace was simply great, not too fast, not slow and dragging, it was the perfect balance that simply kept you going, moving forward, and enjoying every second, every minute of reading. The adolescent stage our protagonist went through reminded me of mine with the differences of our world and time, yet the feelings and emotions were clear and effectively made me go back in time and relate with the character.

As for the fast beating of the heart with the first crushes and intimate moments, this is a young adult title and therefore not explicit in its descriptions, but it did not fail to produce an enormous amount of emotions. I could even picture the scenes that were not told, I could feel those kisses as I read them, I could feel the chemistry and the electricity produced by it on my own skin. I’m repeating myself but the writing while not exquisite, was way too good. So much so, it made me wish the story never ended and most definitely made me notice this author and search for more.

Overall, this book is the best homoerotic young adult title I’ve read ever since I dived into this genre. A strongly recommended one as long as you can discharge the incest issue. I on my part loved every single line.

 

The Recalling of John Arrowsmith by Alyx J. Shaw

71Hb8cN-AHLTitle: The Recalling of John Arrowsmith

Series: A Strange Place in Time #1

Author: Alyx J. Shaw

Genre: High Fantasy

Length: Novel (221 pages)

ISBN: 978-1-61040-598-0

Publisher: Prizm Books, Torquere Press (October 13th, 2013)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5~4Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb:Raised in a motorcycle gang, John Arrowsmith has a bad case of wanderlust. He’s not sure what drives him, but he knows he has to go, and he has the perfect machine to ride on; the big custom bike he calls Harley. When he and Harley get run off the road and wake up someplace completely unfamiliar, Arrowsmith knows something has gone pretty darned wrong.

With a cast of characters that include thieves, Moonhounds, and ogres, John has to find his way through this new world, trying to understand why he’s been transported there, and why he’s falling for a guy named Infamous. What Arrowsmith finds out surprises him, and might just kill him. Can he survive to find his way home?

Purchase Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1193

Review: Oh my freaking God, I can’t believe the cliffhanger. Just kill me now! Or rather don’t, I have #2 waiting for me so I won’t suffer long, though I fear what the end of that book is going to bring.

But back at this one, well what an enticing book this was. The first thought that came into my mind was “I’m reading a really weird book. Nice weird. Tolkien weird. It’s fascinating!” and then again further into the story I was reminded of World of Warcraft’s Wrath of the Lich King. It was surreal somehow that this book mixed up an assortment of favourites for me. The World it was set upon, the magical creatures and the people who inhabited this world, they were all alluring slowly drawing me in and managing to capture my interest and hold onto it.

I admit at first the book was hard to follow. The information required to understand this world was a lot to digest and every turn you took something new popped up. It was really hard to keep up with at the beginning. Then there were the twists it took, and as things constantly moved with deeper meanings, hidden subtexts, and the eerie feeling that something is about to happen, yet you had to wait and wait and wait some more made the entire read a bit frustrating and challenging your patience.

I also admit that things only come into perspective after half the book was read and became clear as crystal when the end was reached. That however was another exercise at patience on itself. There were characters left to know and understand, there were dark evils and enemies hidden in the shadows that were not revealed, yet you know for a certainty that they are their bidding their time. There was the mother cliff hanger that makes your head spin and I don’t know how I would have felt if I didn’t already have book #2 to pick it right up.

And there was the romance part that was somehow crippled. We have the main character Arrowsmith and he’s human. Through a series of weird events, he ends up into a strange place that looked quite medieval. He ends up working at the Mountain Cabin and sharing the house for the winter with seven really weird people. Warriors of the Moon Goddess, wolves, wizards and mages, werewolves and shadowy thieves, elves and half elves, dragons and the stars know what else, this world has them. It’s a lot to take when you’re a human raised to believe them as myths. When he falls for the half elf though, it was weird as it gets. One moment he wants another guy, the other he falls deeply for the Master Thief because it felt right, it felt familiar. Hmm, I don’t know what to think of that. When they came together, their lovemaking lacked the intense passion that would perhaps solidify how their relationship came to be and where it was going to take them. I just felt that particular part was not written well enough to make the entire read explode. It could, but it missed.

However, when I take a step back and look at the entirety of this book, even as I feel it needed more length for the background storyline and a little bit more love-making, I still found it absolutely captivating and certainly a must read for fans of high fantasy, because as I said at the very beginning, I just can’t wait to get to #2. Strongly Recommended!

Enjoy!

The Co-Walkers, Awakening by Hermine G. Steinberg

81lUzZpazXL._SL1500_Title: The Co-Walkers: Awakening

Author: Hermine G. Steinberg

Genre: Young Adult/Action/adventure/Sci-fi/Fantasy

Length: Novel (233 pages)

ISNB: 9781610406024

Publisher: Prism Books (November 5th, 2013)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Eric

Blurb: Could life get any worse for Ashley, Brian, and Matthew? Their father abandoned them, they’ve been shipped off to live with a total stranger, and now they’ve discovered that everything they’ve ever learned about the world is a lie!

But to find the truth, they will have to battle evil faeries, risk their lives to claim magical talismans, and earn the respect of Elves who have vowed to kill them. Will they be able to prove that they are the legendary Co-Walkers who are able to travel between the Earthly and Faery Realms? Or are they merely pawns caught in the midst of a dangerous conspiracy that could lead to the destruction of both their worlds? It’s up to Ashley, Brian, and Matthew to discover their unique abilities and restore what magick alone cannot repair.

Purchase Link: http://www.prizmbooks.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=77

Review: I found this book to be amazing. A fun spin on the world of Fae, I was enticed and addicted to it from page 2. The more I read, the more addicted I was to finding out more. The characters were great and fun to read about. I learned a lot through the characters. And when the book was done, I was almost saddened to see them go. I think this book was fantastic. I cannot wait to find out more about them.

The plot is solid and quite thorough. I would highly recommend this book for anyone that likes to read of the Fae and how they co-exist (secretly) with humanity.

Be My Valentine Bobby Bryson by Geoffrey Knight

BobbyBryson_100dpi_cvrTitle: Be My Valentine Bobby Bryson

Author: Geoffrey Knight

Genre: Young Adult Romantic Comedy

Length: Novella (10K words)

Publisher: Wilde City Press (January 15th 2014)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Blurb: Valentine’s Day has long been a difficult day for widow and single mom Kate Madsen. But this Valentine’s Day is going to be more than just difficult… it’s going to be downright awkward. For Kate’s only child, seven-year-old Mikey just stunned the small town of Elk’s Ridge by writing a Valentine’s Day card to someone name Bobby Bryson.

While the card sends teachers into a tizzy and turns Mikey’s grandfather into a grumpy old man, Kate discovers over the course of one afternoon that she and her young son are about to begin a journey of questions, confrontations and hopefully one day… happiness.

In the meantime, will Mikey and his Mom make it through this Valentine’s Day? Will the innocent intentions of one young boy change the narrow minds of a stubborn, small town? And just who exactly is the object of Mikey’s affections—Bobby Bryson?

Purchase Link: http://www.wildecity.com/books/gay-mainstream/be-my-valentine-bobby-bryson/#.Uux_LvldUQc

Reviewer: Tams

Review: Seven-year-old Mikey Madsen is so excited about Valentine’s Day. Until his teacher, principal and grumpy grandfather see the card he made. In the course of one afternoon, little Mikey and his mom learn a lot about themselves as well as the people that surround them.

The teacher throws a fit and her along with the principal visit Mikey and his mom that afternoon after school. Kate Madsen is a little surprised when she sees her son’s Valentine, but she doesn’t talk down to him like everyone else. She just wants to help her son make a cupcake for his Valentine. Throughout the day visitors come and go. The handy man is out back fixing Mikey’s tree house, the postman has eyes for single mom Kate, and Mikey’s grandfather has to get his two cents in the mix.

Kate has to assure her son she loves him just the way he is, and give that two cents back to her father in law. And at the end of the day, mom and son will both have had a very memorable valentine’s day!

This novella was just adorable. In the end, it was Bobby himself along with Kate’s support of her son’s announcement that completed the story. We are all born who we are, it drives me crazy when I read someone else saying, “You choose to be gay.” When referring to someone who is LGBT. This story is the perfect example of why that statement is entirely inaccurate.

If you want something fast, fun and absolutely adorable this book is absolutely perfect!

Silent by Sara Alva

18247083Title: Silent

Author: Sara Alva

Genre: Contemporary/New Adult

Length: Novel (383 pages)

ISBN: 1493665901

Publisher: Sara Alva (October 27th, 2013)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Eric

Blurb: Alex’s life as a teenager in South Central LA is far from perfect, but it’s his life, and he knows how to live it. He knows what role to play and what things to keep to himself. He’s got it all under control, until one lousy pair of shoes kicks him out of his world and lands him in a foster care group home.

Surrounded by strangers and trapped in a life where he could never belong, Alex turns to the only person lower on the social ladder than he is a “special” mute boy. In Sebastian, Alex finds a safe place to store his secrets—those that sent him to foster care, and the deeper one that sets him apart from the other teenagers he knows. But Sebastian has secrets of his own, and when tragedy rips the two boys apart, Alex will stop at nothing to find the answers—even if it means dragging them both through a past full of wounds best left buried.

It might just be worth it, for the slim chance at love.

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/Silent-Sara-Alva-ebook/dp/B00G8UF0JM

Review:  This book was long and quite complicated. You truly do get the understanding of Alex and who he is. When he understands something or learns something, you being to feel for him and learn.

Sara Alva truly shows what life in South Central LA is like. The tough times, the dark times and then some. I found this book to be a bit long for my taste and at the same time, I found it intriguing at the same time. Maybe it was too much for me but I’m sure someone who appreciates a great amount of detail would appreciate a book like this.

I just honestly didn’t like this novel. I don’t know specifically what made it a bit of a drag but I know that it was tough to start, tough to continue and then some.

What I did like was how the characters were willing to protect each other. How they were willing to hide the secrets each other didn’t want to voice. And while I didn’t like the length or how rough it was for me to read it, I found it to be somewhat intriguing.

Zirkua Fantastic by Voss Foster

86444fea4e5d4eba98efe505cf47b387bc37dd9dTitle: Zirkua Fantastic

Series: N/A

Genre:  Young Adult Fantasy

Author: Voss Foster

Length: Novel (188 Pages)

Publisher: Torquere Press (October 23rd, 2013)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥2.5 to 3 Hearts

Reviewer: Lisa

Blurb: Zirkua Fantastic has been running steadily since 1753, amazing its patrons with acts of otherworldly skill and prowess. But that talent comes at a steep price: each artist must give a year of his or her life to the circus. None of them knows why, only that the circus’ owners will go to whatever lengths are necessary to ensure it. Toby, the hoop dancer at Zirkua Fantastic and son of one of the owners, is content with his life: he enjoys performing and Zirkua’s wandering life, and even has a boyfriend among the circus’ hawkers. But when a new artist arrives, bringing with him a strange flask and a number of odd occurrences, Toby falls face-first into the truth behind the circus: Its contracts bind King Jester, the immortal embodiment of chaos.

Zirkua’s performances and contracts have held King Jester prisoner for centuries, but now something’s amiss. King Jester’s sister, Dragon, has escaped her own bonds and is working to free her brother, and his power is growing. If he is loosed on the world, it will mean the worst war in human history and the end of civilization… unless Zirkua Fantastic can find a way to stop him.

Product Link:https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/370220

Review: I had a lot of trouble following this story. It is written very well, but I just couldn’t keep my attention on it.

Toby is a gentle and kind young man who is a hoop dancer. He even has a boyfriend who he likes a lot, even though his father warns him to not fall in love with him because he is a Hawk and all hawks leave. He actually likes what he does even though it cost you a year of your life to be in Zirkua Fantastic. He is someone who would capture your attention and make you just take him into your arms and coddle him. Although no one knows what exactly Zirkua Fantastic is about, Toby comes across the truth. King Jester has been held prisoner for many centuries and his sister who has escaped her own bonds keeps trying to free her brother. If he escapes, everyone dies.

This story has a lot of danger and excitement in it. It has its magical side to it, which I did like and comes off like genie in the bottle. It has a good story line one that if you were in to fantasy style stories with young people it would be a big hit. The only problem I had with this story is it just didn’t come across as real to me or even a possibility to be real.

Guardian Angel by Michael Mandrake

18191004Title: Guardian Angel

Series:   N/A

Author: Sharita Lira writing as Michael Mandrake

Genre: Contemporary/YA/Suicide

Length: Short Story (39 pages)

Publisher: Triad Literary (July 12th, 2013)

Heat Level: None

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Blurb: Calvin is looking to end it all because he feels his family won’t accept him as a gay man. Unbeknownst to him, someone is watching, looking to pick him up and rescue him from his negative state. Can Calvin get help before it’s too late? This is a story of coming out and accepting who you are. Remember, you are normal and you are not alone.

Product Link: http://www.amazon.com/Guardian-Angel-Michael-Mandrake-ebook/dp/B00DWLAFQI

Reviewer:   GiGi

Review: Thank goodness for suicide hotlines and sisters…and if one believes in angels…cousins who wish, they could do things differently.

This is a sweet and sad story that contains no sexual content, but a strong message to those who are gay, feeling they cannot be themselves…You are not alone…, and it will get better!

Very after-school special kind of feeling, but important nonetheless.

Hot Cocoa and Candy Canes by Stephani Hecht

4285hotcocoaandcandycanes510w-430x645Title: Hot Cocoa and Candy Canes

Series: Haven House Coffee Boys, #5

Author: Stephani Hecht

Genre:  Young Adult (Holiday)

Length: Novella (65 Pages)

Publisher: Devine Destinies and Extasy Books (December 15th, 2013)

Heat Level: No Heat level

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3 Hearts

Reviewer: Lisa

Blurb: It’s the holiday season and the Haven Coffee House Boys area looking forward to a time of parties, gifts, and good food. But their past comes back to haunt them in the worst way possible.

It’s Christian’s favorite time of the year, the holiday season. He thinks it’s just the thing he and his friends need to pick them up from the funk they’ve been in the past few months. Now, they are all back together and it looks like the bad times are behind them.
But the past has a way of catching up to you, whether or not you want it to, and it threatens the Haven Coffee House Boy’s dreams of a happy holiday. Will they be able to forget the former bad times? If not, will the holidays be doomed for failure?

Product Link:http://www.extasybooks.com/hot-cocoa-and-candy-canes/

Review: This was a sad story, but sweet at the same time.

Most of the kids had very lousy home lives, but they come together as a family. Andy was coming back to school after trying to commit suicide because of his friends and a very rude bunch of homophobes. Dalton’s own home life pretty much sucked, but his friends rally besides him and he even has a crush on Andy.

This story is told in such a way that you come to realize what happens to many teenagers that come out to their family and friends. It makes you want to stand up and scream at people who are such fools. To tell them that you support your friends and others that come out as gay or lesbian. The only problem I found is that it left me hanging wondering about Andy and Dalton. This story is told with seriousness and you feel the anger and pain from each character, but you also feel the support and love they have for one another.

If you want a truly heartwarming story, one that might make you cry and want to just hug each and every one of them.

A Christmas Caroler by John Amory

19204694Title: A Christmas Caroler

Author: John Amory

Genre: Young Adult / Holiday

ISBN: 978-1-61040-620-8

Length: Novelette (42 pages)

Publisher: Prizm Press, Torquere Press (December 4th, 2013)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5~4 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: Jeremy Walsh is a high school senior who’s got big plans for his future — namely, to perform at Carnegie Hall. But before he can get there, he needs to secure the solo in his renowned high school choir’s Christmas concert and get into college. Everything seems to be on track until a cute new student, Zach Brooks, shows up, and ruins all of Jeremy’s plans by snatching the solo out from under him. With his college auditions looming and the Christmas concert fast approaching, Jeremy has more on his plate than he can handle. Can the magic of the Christmas season bring Jeremy and Zach together?

Product Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4082

Review: Ah, a Young Adult title from Prizm Press and one I enjoyed a lot I must say. In a slightly short space, as this story rounds up just forty-two pages, the author manages to give us a nice Christmas themed little drama. Yes, of course, there is some drama, the characters are teenagers in their senior year at high school, and there is a little bit of fighting over a solo there. But I’m rushing ahead; let me introduce you to these lovely characters first.

Jeremy; he has a dream and it starts with winning his solo for his High School’s Christmas concert, it follows by winning the audition for his college of preference, wooing everybody in his way, and ends with him performing at Carnegie Hall. If only Zach didn’t existed.

Zach; new kid in school, joins the coir to earn some new friends but ends up with people hating him. Yes, he’s talented and has a voice to blow your mind, but he ends up getting the solo and stealing the beginning of Jeremy’s dreams.

Amber, Jeremy’s best friend, a member of the choir, and also tried for the solo. She has a mouth that has no boundaries and a mind to tell things as they are, so you can imagine her role here.

Hunty, also known as Mr. Hunt; he’s the choirs director and a big influence for young students, especially gay students.

So what happens when you’ve been eyeing your target for three years and a newbie snatches it up right out of your hand? What happens when said newbie is a lonely kid in a new place and very fun to hang out with? What happens when despite you wanting to hate said newbie you just can’t and end up being good friends? Serious questions all of them, but the biggest of them all is: What happens when he gives you your first kiss and then vanishes on you?

Teenage drama at its prime, yet somehow I loved every single line. I thought it would be angsty and overbearing, thankfully I was wrong because in this short story you have a good growth of characters that are fairly depicted and manage to transport you a bit back in the times you were their age too. There also is a subtle romance brewing here that runs a bit on the background and even as things end in a happy note and with Christmassy feelings of generosity and wonders, you’re left to wonder how things will pan out for this duo in the future.

I enjoyed this read. It was a bit different from the others I’ve read that are holiday-themed and I must say it was quite invigorating. And it also made me hit YouTube and listen to some nice songs. Just the same I wish to read more of this couple in the future, so there dear author, make it happen.

Heh, I’m not too demanding am I? Recommended!