Blurb: When Adam’s father catches him in bed with his best friend, he rips Adam away from his comfortable life in the city and sends him to a farm in the country, hoping some hard work will “fix” him. Adam is supposed to work with Ben, a hostile young man who clearly doesn’t want him there, no matter how hard Adam tries to prove himself. When Ben kisses him, Adam is shocked and delighted but terrified his father will once again pull him away from a home he’s grown to like.
As their relationship grows in secret, Ben promises to stay with Adam when school starts to help him get to know the place and the people. However, Amelia, a young woman Ben had dated, latches on to Ben again. Adam is furious at being abandoned to fend for himself on his first day in a new school.
A physical confrontation with Amelia lands Adam in trouble again, and his father’s involvement complicates all their lives. Betrayal and an uncertain future threaten Adam and Ben’s budding summer relationship.
Review: What happens when your dad catches you in the bed making out? And with a guy at that? Adam finds out the hard way. He faces the cold shoulder of his dad and his best friend turning on him at the same time. Can things get worse? Yes, they can. Adams dad shows up and tells him to pack for several weeks they are going somewhere but won’t say where.
Adam fears the worst that it may be military school, or one of those pray the gay out camps but finds himself in the middle of nowhere on a ramshackle farm that no one has lived in for weeks. Maybe one of those camps wouldn’t be so bad… then it gets worse. He finds out his father has promised the neighbor that he will work for them. Free of charge. All summer. But can blessings come in nightmares?
I thought this was a very good book. I loved Adam with his snarky wit and felt sorry for him. I still don’t know about Ben. One of the things I liked about this is that it wasn’t a perfect, love at first sight, knight in shining story. Ben and Adams relationship has lots of up and downs and twists and turns.The only issue I had with the book is at time there were a few repetitive lines, but it didn’t really affect the story for me. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
If you like young adult, coming of age, first loves, family drama, sweet relationships, and a relatively clean but sexy story this is for you.
Hi peeps, we have Jay Jordan Hawke stopping by today with his brand new re-release A Scout is Brave. Jay lets us have a peek at an excerpt and there’s a great giveaway, we also have Cat’s review for you to enjoy. So enjoy the post and click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
A Scout is Brave
The Two-spirit Chronicles: Book Two (Sequel to Pukawiss The Outcast)
by
Jay Jordan Hawke
In the months following the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, fourteen-year-old Joshua, a half Native American boy, is new to a Boy Scout troop and spending a week camping in northern Wisconsin. The weaker kids in the troop soon realize Joshua is not afraid to stand up to the troop’s ruthless bullies. Joshua’s bravery and kindness is infectious, and the bullied Scouts quickly find their own inner strength.
Joshua, however, is plagued by self-doubt as he realizes he has feelings for Cody, the son of the troop’s harsh and puritanical Scoutmaster. The two discover they have more in common than Scouting as they share their deepest secrets and develop a close friendship. That friendship faces its greatest challenge as the homophobic bullies claim a “faggot” has “infected” their troop. As if struggling to come to terms with his sexuality while dealing with hatred and bigotry isn’t enough, Joshua discovers the camp holds another dark mystery, one that will make him summon all his courage and learn for the first time what it truly means to be brave.
Title: By the Creek Author: Geoff Laughton Narrator: Paul Morey Genre: Contemporary/Young Adult Length: 5 hours and 29 minutes Publisher: Harmony Ink, Dreamspinner Press (06-18-2014) Heat Level: Mild (age appropriate for teens and young adults) Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts Blurb: Soon-to-be high school junior David Harper hates his family’s move to the country. There’s nothing to do, and he misses his friends in the city. But he doesn’t have a choice. His mother’s job is in Mason County now, so David and his mom are too, and he has to make the best of it.
At first, the only redeeming feature of David’s new home is the swimming hole across the field from his house. Then David meets Benjamin Killinger, and suddenly life stops being so dull.
Benjamin is Amish, and cooling off in the swimming hole is one of the few liberties he and his brothers enjoy. A friendship with an English boy is not—but that doesn’t stop him and David from getting to know each other, as long as it’s on the neutral ground by the creek.
After David risks his life to save Benjamin’s father, the boys’ friendship is tolerated, then accepted. But before long, Benjamin’s feelings for David grow beyond the platonic. Benjamin’s family and the rest of the community will never allow a love like that, and a secret this big can’t stay secret forever…
When I first took this book for review I asked the author to tell me about the story. He said he wanted to write a YA novel with a gay storyline because there really aren’t any available. I have to agree with him, at least not where the entire story is based on the two young men. This isn’t a sexy steamy M/M novel, this is a well written YA novel about young love, that love just happens to be between two young men.
David and Benjamin happen upon each other one afternoon at the swimming hole that lies between their properties. David has recently moved into his ancient country home with his mom, and Benjamin is a member of the Amish family that lives in a homestead across the road from David. The pair move at a steady pace starting with a friendship that is forbidden at first, and then accepted due to David’s actions, moving into something kind of like love. It’s not an instant overnight love, and it’s not a slow burn, it’s pleasantly steady and happens exactly when it’s supposed to.
Benjamin is wildly curious about the outside world and David is more than happy to fill him in. The swimming hole becomes their sanctuary where innocent conversations lead to looks of longing and ultimately, that first kiss. It’s during one of these afternoon frollicks when the boys are locked in a passionate embrace that Ben’s father finds them. David is inconsolable as his mom and two best friends rally at his side. Will Ben come back to him, or will he ultimately choose to stay with his family.
Laughton has a way of conveying emotions from pen to paper that is really unique in books today. I was seriously drawn into David and Benjamin’s reality, I grew with them, I fell in love with them, and I cried with them… it was fabulous!
I was reminded of one of my favorite movies while reading this book, Latter Days. There is a line in By the Creek where Ben questions if the love that he and David share is a sin, David quickly tells him that to be loved and love someone could never be a sin. At the end of Latter Days Jacqueline Bissets character has one of the best lines in any movie ever “So, your church forbids drinking and homosexuality. Well, forgive me for not joining. I can’t imagine Heaven without both of them.” That line is so perfectly, David and Ben!
Highly recommended! Well written. Characters have depth and realism. Overall an emotionally fabulous read!!
Updated audio review…
David is all but forced away from his home, job and friends due to his mom’s relocation for her job. Miserable to say the lease, and slightly bored with isolation, he ventures to the creek that lies between his home and the local property of the local Amish community. It’s here that he meets Benjamin, an Amish teenager that knows nothing other than the life he has been taught to lead. Through his friendship and mutual attraction to David, Ben starts to question the life he is meant to lead. The two teenagers build an unbreakable bound and love that will last a lifetime, by the creek.
The perfect marriage of narration and writing, Morey gives Laughton’s words a voice, he truly brings David and Ben to life. I love when I can listen to a story that I’ve already read, and find something new within the story or the characters that I missed in black and white. While I was so drawn to this story because of the passion and pain that was written into the relationship, hearing David’s pain at possibly loosing Ben at that point in the story just took it to an entirely new place for me.
These two young men were the very definition of endearing, the story just utterly engaging and now with the addition of Paul Morey’s voice to give the words new meaning, one word… Flawless! This is a YA story, but I believe it is written and conveyed in such a way that fans of all ages will fall in love with David and Ben and their journey.
Definitely a must read AND a must listen!
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Blurb: Never stop running. No matter how often life trips you up, or how many times your enemies knock you down, just get up and keep on moving until you find where you belong.
Kelly Phillips has been out of the closet since he was a young teenager, and thanks to the gay youth group he frequents, he has never been short on friends or lovers. But when you have almost everything, it’s hard not to focus on what’s just out of reach: A best friend, who would be Mr. Right if he weren’t already Mr. Straight. Or that handsome guy at school, who would be easier to wrangle if not for his angel wings.
And then there’s the one who might be a perfect fit, maybe even a soulmate… if only he wasn’t convinced he didn’t need anyone at all. Kelly has always been good at running. Now he must learn to chase, which will not only test his endurance, but the durability of his heart as well.
Something Like Lighting is a new beginning in the Something Like… saga, shifting the focus to a fresh set of characters while also revisiting a familiar face or two.
ISBN #: 9781310109133 Product Link: http://www.amazon.com/Something-Like-Lightning-Storms-Book-ebook/dp/B00N7OR36U
Reviewer: GiGi
Review: I really enjoyed Something Like Lightening for its moments of self-realization. Kelly seems to have it all, confidence, speed, talent, looks, and plenty of attitude!!! But he really needs to take a closer look at himself…and it takes a huge tragic moment to do that. It’s the sadness, loss, aching awareness of flaws in ourselves and those we love, it’s those things that Jay Bell magically worked into …Lightening. Those are the themes that stung my heart and kept me glued to the pages.
Something Like Lightning is a coming of age, finding one’s true self kind of read. I’m not sure but I think this fits into the Young Adult genre…I’m not as familiar with that.
Now, I know I would have an even greater appreciation for this book if I had read the previous Something Like series…there are repeat characters, overlapping and intersecting plots, and a ton of character building for Kelly that I missed and thus lost a big chunk of the impact this book makes for those readers. So I really need to go back and do some more reading.
The writing is smooth, the characters rich, and the plot painful, somewhat predictable, and poignant at the same time. The big moment I had to read carefully, think about and reread comes before the big accident, it comes in the subtle details of a relationship in decline, the pain in recognizing that, and letting go for the sake of both people involved….such a big life lesson, a huge thing for an author to tackle.
I must also add, I really like the cover art for all of Jay Bell’s books! Yes, beat the stereotype baby!
Title: Unicorns and Rainbow Poop Series: Vocal Growth Author: Sam Kadence Genre: Young Adult Length: Novel (260 pages) Publisher: Harmony Ink Press, Dreamspinner Press (November 6th, 2014) Heat Level: Low Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3 Hearts Blurb: Ex-boyband member Dane Karlson is struggling to overcome an eating disorder and a body dismorphic disorder. His fall through a glass table puts him in rehab and on the road to recovery. Then a friend dies. When depression causes him to lose ground, he calls for the only person he trusts—former bandmate Tommy. But Tommy doesn’t know how to help. He begs his friend Sebastian “Bas” Axelrod to aid them through the emotional struggle.
Bas, an openly gay high school student who’s recently lost his grandmother, is trying to survive his last few months of school before escaping to Stanford. Having just lost the only person in his family to care for him, he is victim to the cruelty of the others. His younger brother bullies him, and his parents are suing him for his gran’s inheritance. When Tommy calls, Bas can’t help but run to his side.
Together Dane and Bas find a middle ground, supporting each other through the lows, dancing together during the highs. They build friendships and plan for the prom and graduation, thinking positively as long as they are together.
Review:Disclaimer: I have not yet read book 1 in this series (but I will be going back to read it).
WOW! I have to be honest that I wasn’t sure if I would like this book based on the title…but this is an absolute must read!! When you read the story, the title will make perfect sense and bring a smile to your face.
Let me get the basics out of the way first – the writing in this book is really good. I am a Nazi when it comes to grammatical and spelling errors and I found none in this book. I have never had a personal experience with eating disorders so I cannot speak to any of the technicalities about it. My review is based solely on the entertainment value of the book.
This story touched me on several different levels…as a mom, as a friend of gay couples that has suffered bullying for their sexual orientation and as a human being that believes all people should be treated equally.
Dane suffered at hands of his parents for most of his life, being subjected to physical, sexual, verbal and emotional abuse. Even though he has lived through all this abuse and had to grow up pretty quickly because of his fame, he has an innocence and childlike essence that just makes you want to hug him. He has no filter and says whatever comes to his mind regardless of the consequences.
Thankfully he has surrounded himself with friends that can support and care for him and who can help him learn how to be comfortable in social situations. I personally love his lack of filter as I lack one myself. Regrettably, those around him are easily hurt and don’t always understand his comments as ignorance instead of malice.
I don’t want to give too much away, but I absolutely love the way Bas, Adam and Ru help him heal from not only his eating disorder, but the effects of 12 years of abuse. These guys are truly great friends to him.
Bas is just as broken as Dane. His only advocate has been his grandmother whom he just lost. His family is absolutely horrible. He has been bullied and abused. He hides behind his snarky comments and flamboyant behavior. Fortunately for him, Dane sees through that protective layer to the man Bas really is and loves him for it. The 2 of them balance each other and make a great pair – even if they were to remain just friends, forever.
I’m hopeful Bas and Dane are able to follow through with the life plans that Bas has as I think that would be an inspiration for all the troubled teens they come in contact with.
Adam and Ru obviously have a history that is told in book 1 but it is not necessary to read that book before reading this book. As I stated, after falling in love with this book I will be going back to book 1 because I do think that information would help understand some of their quirks in this book.
Tommy is one of Ru and Dane’s ex-band members and plays a pretty big role in this book. He is a good friend to all these guys and wants to help all of them. Unfortunately, he is just as lost as Dane and Bas are but his unraveling takes place over the entire story and leaves us not so patiently waiting for book 3 for his story.
Another 2 characters that I’m hoping we’ll see more of are Paige and Marissa. I can’t say too much about either of them without giving too much away but they both play integral parts of the story that I would like to see more of in future books.
This book is very touching and will stay with you for a long time. It is definitely one you must read.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Ben Raphael’s All Star Virgins Author: K.Z. Snow Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary Length: Novella (124 pages) ISBN: 978-1-63216-257-1 Publisher: Harmony Ink Press, Dreamspinner Press (September 25th, 2014) Heat Level: Low Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts Reviewer: Zane Blurb: Sixteen-year-old Jake McCullough and his friends Rider, Brody, Carlton, and Tim are the invisible boys of Ben Raphael Academy, an exclusive co-ed prep school. Brody decides they need “mystique” to garner attention. “Nobody has more mystique than a desirable virgin,” he declares. Thus is born Ben Raphael’s All-Star Virgin Order or BRAVO.
The boys polish their appearances. Brody launches a subtle but canny publicity campaign. Soon, the boys are being noticed. But they’re emotionally fragile. Two have succumbed to a seductive female teacher. Jake and Rider, roommates and best friends who are attracted to one another, fear the stigma of being gay.
It takes an unspeakable tragedy to make the BRAVO boys realize what’s important in life, and that “virginity” has more than one meaning.
Review: Friendship is tough to navigate at any age, but what about when you’re still growing into who you are and who you want to be? At the youthful age of sixteen, to these boys, away at school, their friends are their family. As close as they are, even families have their secrets, and as we know, secrets always come out. For Brody, Tim, Carlton, Rider and Jake, life is about to change, in a big way.
Though we don’t get a deep insight into all of the characters we get a basic idea of who they are via their interactions. Mr. Ringleader, Brody, has big plans to get them noticed by “the girls”. While the five boys follow through with these plans, there are other forces at work, things going on ‘behind the scenes’ if you will, much like what occurs in real life.
The story delves deepest into Jake and Rider, who give us their tale of young teens discovering and accepting their sexuality individually, as well as their feelings for one another, unbeknownst to the rest of their circle. I loved their friendship and watching it blossom into love. I enjoyed being privy to Jake’s thoughts, and having a front row seat to his and Rider’s self-discoveries. As they navigate young adulthood, things come to light that affect them all, and they way things are handled brings about drastic repercussions for not just the two of them, but for all of their friends, which causes them to lose the biggest virginity of all – loss of the innocence of youth.
There are very serious and controversial (and somewhat taboo) issues at hand here. And KZ Snow does not shy away from these. She has given us a very well written novella with believable characters and a strong storyline. If you’re looking for something light and sweet, this is not your book. However, if you are looking for compelling characters, a coming of age story, and an author willing to tackle the hard issues, look no further.
Though not a lengthy book, it does pack a punch. When the dust (and possibly a tear or two) settles, you’ve got a great coming of age story with love, friendship and a happy for now ending that works perfectly for those with the rest of their lives ahead of them.
Title: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe Author: Benjamin Alire Saenz Genre: Young Adult Narrator: Lin- Manuel Miranda Length: 7 hours and 29 minutes Publisher: Simon and Schuster Audio (04-09-13) Heat level: Mild Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts Reviewer: Tams Blurb: A lyrical novel about family and friendship from critically acclaimed author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship – the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.
Review: Aristotle is a loner, but he’s not lonely. He’s played sports and joined clubs but he has never really had any friends, because he has never felt like he was a part of the normal teenage world. His mom is a teacher, his father is a Vietnam vet who keeps his thoughts to himself and his brother is in prison. It’s just another of many things his parents don’t talk about, his brother or why he isn’t a part of their lives. With summer break looming, Ari’s mom encourages him to make friends, and that is when he meets Dante at the local pool.
Dante is smart, open-minded, out spoken and over bearing… pretty much everything that Ari is not. As unlikely as the pair seem, they bond and become best friends. Dante’s mom is a Therapist and his dad is a Professor so his smarts come naturally, but he loves to read, swim and is a poet at heart. The two quickly become inseparable to spite the fact that sometimes Ari finds Dante insufferable. Ari even steps in front of a moving car to save Dante, who was trying to save a broken winged bird at the time.
What was supposed to be a fun summer spent together at the pool and discovering the secret of life, is now spent with Ari recouping from the accident. And then summer is over, Dante is in Chicago with his parents for the school year, and Ari is angry. He is angry with Dante for trying to save that stupid bird. He is angry with himself for getting hurt. He is angry with his parents for not talking to him, and for never talking about his brother. Most of all, he doesn’t even know why he is really angry, if he is truly so angry at all.
Things change a lot over the next couple of years, for both Ari and Dante. Dante explores a variety of vices including pot and alcohol, girls and boys, finally deciding he’d rather kiss boys than kiss girls. Ari gets to know his parents, himself and the illusion of his big brother. And then the unthinkable happens, Dante is hurt in an act of violence that sends Ari on a downward spiral that could end with him in the same place as his beloved big brother.
Wow, just wow. This story really made me think. I found myself rewinding several times to go back and listen to Ari’s thoughts again, make sure I was hearing them the way they were meant to be heard. Truly, a story about two young men’s journey of self-awareness in a big city Texas town in an era where being gay was still considered taboo, and frowned upon. To the extent, that violence was generally overlooked. But not by Ari who knows Dante better than anyone else, even if it takes almost losing him to finally see it himself.
I’ve never listened to or read another story quite like this one. Told from Ari’s POV, you are traversing these two years in time inside his mind, seeing through his eyes, feeling what and how he felt. But Saenz made sure that Dante’s unique perspective on things always shined through as well. Dante was pretty much an open book, what you saw was what you got. Ari though, he was like an onion, you had to slowly peel back the layers to reveal what was on the inside. He came across as angry sometimes, when in actuality he was hurt or confused. At one point, he finally admits that he was looking for Dante before he even knew it.
Whether it was their sometimes awkward but always intriguing conversations, letters exchanged while Dante was away in Chicago, or a real-time relay of events as they were happening described by Ari, the relationship between these two completely fascinated me. Dante knew he loved Ari long before the feelings were reciprocated, but I don’t think even Dante knew he was IN love with Ari at first. The way their relationship unfolded, becoming and staying best friends for years before anything else was very fresh, innocent and endearing.
If you’re looking for just another sexy book from the LGBT genre, you won’t find that here. What you will find is a wonderfully written story about two young men that are looking for something, anything, discovering secrets about their lives, their futures and their pasts while forging an unbreakable bond of love and friendship. And the narrator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, has a voice that matches the story perfectly. Fresh, new and youthful. This is one of the best books I’ve listened to all year. I seriously lost time while I was listening I was so engrossed in the story.
If you are a fan of authors like Mia Kerick and Geoff Laughton, both from Harmony Ink, then this book should be added to your TBR list!
Hi guys, we now have Will Parkinson stopping by with his incredible Wet Paint, Will brings along a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway. I added my review and will warn you to buy a pack of tissues… now I am off to read something with a dash of extra fantasy *sniff* enjoy the post and click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
Wet Paint
(Transitions 02)
by
Will Parkinson
Although Addy’s heart and body bear the scars from his life before he was adopted by the Deans, he’s ached for something he thought he would never find. Until he met Benny. He isn’t sure how anyone can care for someone as broken as he is, even though he wants it desperately.
High school senior Benny Peters has his whole life planned out for him, until a chaste kiss at summer camp opens a new world of possibilities. Determined to erase Addy’s insecurities, Benny works to take away his boyfriend’s pain and replace it with love.
When Addy’s past intrudes on their future, it’s going to take everything Benny can muster to show that no matter what – or who – they face, they belong together.
With time ticking until graduation, Ellis Carter doesn’t have a plan for after high school. Since his best friend Cary dropped out, he has no one to talk to. All he knows is he doesn’t want to continue being a burden to his mother. Adding to his daily torture is the school’s new resident bad boy, Saul Brooks. So to say he’s amazed, when the mysterious Saul invites him to the gym for a workout, is an understatement. Soon, they go from workout buddies to boyfriends, and Ellis couldn’t be happier. But happiness is fleeting. His mother begins a new relationship he thinks will lead to pain, and Cary makes a decision that could take him out of Ellis’s life for good. Just when he needs to lean on his boyfriend the most, Ellis discovers Saul has a secret that could break them apart.
Review: Ellis is a loner in his final months of high school and really doesn’t have any plans for his life. He secretly has a crush on the new man, Saul. But, even though he doesn’t hang around with the other kids, he is afraid Saul has heard his secret and wouldn’t be interested and/or probably is straight.
Saul has some secrets of his own. He does notice Ellis and soon he is more than interested in Ellis, he is completely obsessed with him. Carey, Ellis best friend wasn’t able to make it through school and isn’t able to find a job. He isn’t sure what to do with his life and is facing some sad decisions. Ellis mom has some secrets and at time takes her frustrations out on Ellis. There were times I really wanted to smack her.
This is a very sweet, story of three young men and how they are dealing with becoming adults. At times, it is a bit sad. All the sex is off the page and I feel that it’s tastefully done for young adult.
If you like sweet stories of budding romance, coming of age, handling what life throws at you, and a satisfying ending this is definitely for you!
Hiya peeps, we have Jackie Nacht popping in with her newest release Wrong Locker, it’s a sweet little Young Adult story. We have an excerpt for you to have a gander at and there’s a great giveaway as well, so guys I will leave you to it… oh don’t forget to check out my review and to click that Rafflecopter link! <3 ~Pixie~
Wrong Locker
by
Jackie Nacht
Sometimes the best way to turn your bad luck around, is reach out for the hand willing to help.
Sophomore Shaun Richards could not have any worse luck. The front office ended up placing his locker in the senior wing this year. A month into the year and it hasn’t gotten any better. A group of seniors make it their mission to prove that he doesn’t belong and gives him a hard time on a daily basis.
While eating lunch alone one day senior, Nash Wilder comes to sit with him. Shaun has had a crush on the senior all year and wonders what the heck the senior was doing sitting with the geeky underclassman?
Hiya guys, we now have Will Parkinson showing us his next hit with this tantalising cover reveal…. we also get to take a peek at Wet Paint with an excerpt and there’s this video thingy because Will’s a show off… *erm* a consummated professional LOL Will also has a great giveaway so guys take a peek at what Will and Wet Paint has to offer 😉 <3 ~Pixie~
Wet Paint
by
Will Parkinson
Although Addy’s heart and body bear the scars from his life before he was adopted by the Deans, he’s ached for something he thought he would never find. Until he met Benny. He isn’t sure how anyone can care for someone as broken as he is, even though he wants it desperately.
High school senior Benny Peters has his whole life planned out for him, until a chaste kiss at summer camp opens a new world of possibilities. Determined to erase Addy’s insecurities, Benny works to take away his boyfriend’s pain and replace it with love.
When Addy’s past intrudes on their future, it’s going to take everything Benny can muster to show that no matter what – or who – they face, they belong together.
Title: These Things Happen Author: Richard Kramer Narrator: Richard Kramer Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Length: 7 hours and 54 minutes Publisher: November 7th 2012 by Unbridled Books Heat: None Heart: ♥♥♥ 2.5Hearts Reviewer: Tams Blurb: A domestic story told in numerous original and endearing voices. The story opens with Wesley, a tenth grader, and involves his two sets of parents (the mom and her second husband, a very thoughtful doctor; and the father who has become a major gay lawyer/activist and his fabulous “significant other” who owns a restaurant).
Wesley is a fabulous kid, whose equally fabulous best friend Theo has just won a big school election and simultaneously surprises everyone in his life by announcing that he is gay. No one is more surprised than Wesley, who actually lives temporarily with his gay father and partner, so that he can get to know his rather elusive dad. When a dramatic and unexpected trauma befalls the boys in school, all the parents converge noisily in love and well-meaning support. But through it all, each character ultimately is made to face certain challenges and assumptions within his/her own life, and the playing out of their respective life priorities and decisions is what makes this novel so endearing and so special. Purchase Link: http://www.audible.com/pd/Teens/These-Things-Happen-Audiobook/B00I7V0XII/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1397049093&sr=1-1 Review: This story is told from multiple perspectives throughout, but the majority of the time the reader is hearing from Wesley himself and George, his father’s significant other.
Wesley is at a turning point in his life it seems, completely unsure of which fork in the road to take. He is living temporarily with his father Kenny and his father’s partner, George. While Kenny is an established gay rights activist and lawyer, throughout the story he is completely emotionally distant with both his son and his partner. George fits the older, self-aware gay man persona to a ‘T’. He is successful in his own right as the owner of the restaurant they live above, Echo, and wants nothing more than to connect with his stepson Wesley and reconnect with the love of his life, Kenny.
Wesley’s best friend Theo has won the class election for President, and announced to the entire school that he is gay. Now he wants his best friend Wes to talk to his two dads about the implications of Theo’s confession. He’s curious. Is it a choice? Was he born this way? While Wes, Theo, George, Kenny and all the other key players in Wesley’s day-to-day life circle through the story; Wes’s questions and contemplations are the heart of the novel. When the boys fall victim to a homophobic attack at school, Wes begins to question things even more so.
At the end of the novel, I learned that the author who is also the narrator is a former screenplay writer for some pretty successful TV shows. That made perfect sense then, as the story read like the script for a movie throughout, heavy on descriptive as if I needed to see what I was hearing and reading. It was difficult for me to really immerse myself into this story, as the narrator wasn’t really a narrator or a storyteller. He simply read the words from the book. And at times, I couldn’t differentiate which character was speaking because of the lack of emotion in his voice. I would like to see what a true narrator like Paul Morey or a storyteller like Sean Crisden could do with this novel.
I’m rating this one right down the middle because I’m really torn on how I feel about it. The narration was off and the story didn’t flow well, I also felt nothing but contempt for Wesley’s dad because of the way he was portrayed. My rating would be even lower if it weren’t for the character George. He was exactly as promised, utterly fabulous. His back-story and the way he was so intent on developing a sturdy relationship with Wesley made him very endearing to me.
While this wasn’t the audio book for me, I have to say, I’d love to see this made into something on-screen.
** I received a copy of this audio book from Unbridled Books in exchange for an honest review through MM Good Book Reviews ** http://www.mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com
Title: All the Colors of Love Author: Jessica Freely Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Length: 8 hours and 23 minutes Narrator: Paul Morey Publisher: Harmony Ink, Dreamspinner Press (1-31-14) Heat Level: Mild Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts Reviewer: Tams Blurb: It sucks being the son of a super villain. At home, Harry spends half of his time getting medical treatments and the other half tied up in his father’s underwater lair. It was different when his mother was alive, but she disappeared when Harry was six. He can’t seem to stay out of trouble at school, and his new roommate, Antonin, thinks he’s a spaz, but somehow Harry has to find a way to stop his father’s evil plans.
Antonin Karganilla wants to become a comic book artist, but other than that, being gay is the most normal thing about him. His uncle is an aquatic plant man, his aunt is a molecular biologist back from the dead, and his mom is an overprotective pain in the butt. Antonin’s in boarding school and it’s starting to look like he and this Harry kid might have a lot in common… and that means a whole new set of problems.
Review: The description of this story is a little bit misleading, or I misunderstood. I was expecting a darker type of Sky High (the high school for super hero’s kids Disney movie) with a gay twist. What I got instead was definitely dark in some places, but also an uplifting story about a young man trying to find his way in life, separate from his evil father, equating everything he feels to colors.
Harry’s mom left when he was six years old, supposedly on a trip with his father, but she never returned. His life from that day on was the content of nightmares. He had already been a medical guinea pig of sorts, enduring ‘life saving’ injections and now abuse across the board, physical, mental and verbal, all at the hands of his father. Harry bounces from school to school, as he lashes out at everyone and everything that isn’t his father, wishing that it were, resulting in nothing but trouble. He’s just been dumped off at his latest school with the threat of being locked under the sink for the rest of his natural life if he steps so much as one toe out of line.
Antonin is a model student, graphic artist and openly gay. And now he is Harry’s new roommate. Antonin comes from a loving, overprotective and slightly psychotic family. He’s very talented with his comic book with the writing and the art. He’s also very inquisitive by nature. Harry sees him as nosey and dorkish at the start, but when Antonin steps up to some bully’s in defence of Harry, the two become friends. Antonin accepts Harry as his friend and trusts him to spite his shady past. The two grow closer with each passing day. Harry seriously fights the attraction, but not for the reasons one would think. He see’s being gay as wrong but he is in no way hateful or hurtful to Antonin because of his sexuality. He just doesn’t understand how he himself could be bad at one more thing. His father has his psyche so twisted by this point.
Harry accompanies Antonin home for the Christmas break even knowing that his father agreeing to him going will come at a price, a price Harry isn’t sure he can pay. He tries very hard not to grow attached to Antonin, to develop feelings he knows will be returned. It scares him, to be loved unconditionally. It’s not something he comprehends. As Harry and Antonin navigate their way through family dramas, love, loss, betrayal and more abuse, Harry learns that love is a valid emotion, one that comes in many colors.
This really was an amazing story that defined the grey area between ‘children learn what they live’ and ‘we are our own destiny’. Harry’s father is a cruel bastard who doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Antonin’s mother is overprotective and overbearing to a fault, which cause some of the same personality conflicts between them that we see between Harry and his father. The two of them could become very dangerous people given the circumstances of their lives until now. But together, they can become something wonderful, something more.
Narrated by the best, Paul Morey, I don’t think there is anyone better at voicing those subtle nuances and changes in tones when going from one character and/or emotion to another as well as Morey.
There is one scene in the story that skirts the boundaries of YA and NA, it is passionate but appropriate. It’s all about a love and awareness between Harry and Antonin. The simulated rape scene is more graphic in nature to be honest, but nothing ever goes quite over the line of young adult and adult. As I said, there is a darkness to this story, but overall it’s very engrossing with the slightly sci-fi aspect. I’d definitely recommend this audio book. It has a little bit of everything and progresses so smoothly, your day will fly by.
** I received a copy of this audio book from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review through MM Good Book Reviews ** http://www.mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com
Three years after that first meeting in a theatre storeroom, Jayden Phillips and Darren Peace are separating for the first time, trading in school for the trappings of adult life. Jayden has achieved his dream of a place at Cambridge University; Darren has achieved his own of escaping the Cold War of home and tasting true independence for the first time.
A hundred miles apart and embarking on two very different paths, Jayden feels it is inevitable that time and distance will slowly pull them apart. School relationships, after all, don’t last. Darren disagrees — at first. Love is all they need, and they have weathered harder storms than chasing dreams.
That is until the separation, and the encroaching influence of Jayden’s new friends, begins to take its toll on Darren’s mental state. Alone, he descends in a rapid downward spiral that is finally arrested by one night and a drastic course of action. In the wake of a single unanswered phone call, Jayden learns that time and distance have the power to do much more than break a relationship.
The dream is over — and the reality is far, far worse.
Review: Jayden and Darren are back, this time facing new hurdles to their growing relationship and maturing lives. This story would be about the usual young love, tested by time and distance, which the odds are stacked against, but add to that one partner suffering from depression and you have even more trouble. Both fight an inner conflict about the distance college and job training are now putting between them as Jayden goes off to his dream of studying at Cambridge and Darren moves farther south to train as a crime scene investigator with the police force. They both know the odds, both Jayden and Darren struggle inwardly about whether or not it would just be better to break up now, instead of a slow drift apart. Even new friends suggest that high school love doesn’t last beyond college. But Darrin is determined to make it work, and Jayden is in love and can’t fold either. The pressure of new friends and the crazy workload at Cambridge are wearing Jayden down. He feels pressured to fit in with his snobby new friends and feels the distance between him and Darren grows each painful day.
Darren feels his depression creeping in, even the on the job training demands can’t keep him distracted, he’s starting to feel numb, even to the pain of Jayden drifting away. This story seems darker than Vivaldi in the Dark does, at least for me it brought me down to some very emotional lows. I held very little hope for the young couple, and became frustrated with the lack of coping mechanisms Darren had, not to mention how spineless Jayden became without him.
Parts of the story seemed to slow down and get drawn out, become …well….depressing. Which is kinda what the books is all about. Unfortunately, the main characters don’t pull their heads out of their bums in time to avoid a very tragic incident. Don’t worry though, the ending will satisfy you…but I think there’s more in store for our maturing couple.
This was yet another very well written story, very smooth, and the transitions in POV were clear. The sexual content is appropriate for YA readers, it’s intimate, but it’s vague. I felt the distance between Jayden and Darrin, and I felt the frustration too, the writing was most successful at that. I’m glad that in the end, Darren and Jayden didn’t just learn to cope with Darren’s depression. They took steps to learn to treat it. Empowering and encouraging!
Blurb: One October morning, high school junior Bryan Dennison wakes up a different person—helpful, generous, and chivalrous—a person whose new admirable qualities he doesn’t recognize. Stranger still is the urge to tie a red sheet around his neck like a cape.
Bryan soon realizes this compulsion to wear a red cape is accompanied by more unusual behavior. He can’t hold back from retrieving kittens from tall trees, helping little old ladies cross busy streets, and defending innocence anywhere he finds it.
Shockingly, at school, he realizes he used to be a bully. He’s attracted to the former victim of his bullying, Scott Beckett, though he has no memory of Scott from before “the change.” Where he’d been lazy in academics, overly aggressive in sports, and socially insecure, he’s a new person. And although he can recall behaving egotistically, he cannot remember his motivations.
Everyone, from his mother to his teachers to his “superjock” former pals, is shocked by his dramatic transformation. However, Scott Beckett is not impressed by Bryan’s newfound virtue. And convincing Scott he’s genuinely changed and improved, hopefully gaining Scott’s trust and maybe even his love, becomes Bryan’s obsession.
Review: The Red Sheet is a gay YA story that allows the reader a glimpse into the mind of the both the bully and his target. Then you get to watch as the bully becomes the protector and falls in love with said target, but he’s going to have to work for it!
Bryan Dennison’s life is a memory of a dream. He cannot reconcile the person he used to be, and only vaguely remembers, with the person he is now. The most important person to him now is Scott, but Scott is not so easily convinced of Bryan’s motivations. So Bryan sets out to prove to Scott that he has changed, he loves him and he is worthy of Scott’s love in return.
Scott Beckett doesn’t trust Bryan any further than he could throw him! He doesn’t believe Bryan can’t remember. The superjock or superjerk, either fits, that made his life hell, now wants to protect him and be his friend. Whatever. As the story unfolds Bryan learns more about the person he was; mean, cruel and almost vindictive. And slowly but surely how he becomes more than who he was, and earns Scott’s love in return.
Kerick really conveyed a different side of the bullying in high school aspect than I’ve ever read, and she did it well. The reality of this story was shocking and made my skin crawl. This is a reality that young LGBT YA teens have to deal with from their peers on a daily basis, to the point some believe that dying is better than living. It saddens and sickens me. If just one of these teens could see things from the perspective of Bryan and Scott, I think this book should be required reading in school. Can we turn it into an after school special?
Loved it, if my previous statement wasn’t a given, this is a must read! The topic is dark yes, but the execution is wonderful, taking a different road to explore the highly debated issue of bullying.
** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through MM Good Book Reviews **
Blurb: When family complications take Joshua away from his fundamentalist Christian mother and leave him with his grandfather, he finds himself immersed in a mysterious and magical world. Joshua’s grandfather is a Wisconsin Ojibwe Indian who, along with an array of quirky characters, runs a recreated sixteenth-century village for the tourists who visit the reservation. Joshua’s mother kept him from his Ojibwe heritage, so living on the reservation is liberating for him. The more he learns about Ojibwe traditions, the more he feels at home.
One Ojibwe legend in particular captivates him. Pukawiss was a powerful Manitou known for introducing dance to his people, and his non-traditional lifestyle inspires Joshua to embrace both his burgeoning sexuality and his status as an outcast. Ultimately, Joshua summons the courage necessary to reject his strict upbringing and to accept the mysterious path set before him.
Review: Overall, this book is a fresh take on the world and how someone’s heritage takes part in their life. And as I read it, I wanted to know more. But the book clearly took care of my questions.
I loved this novel from the start to the end. I’m not one for digging into a character’s heritage and learning about that character’s life but this was beautiful. Joshua is one of those characters that stand out in a crowd and for good reasons. He has to face his mother and her strict Christian values and at the same time, he has his grandfather thrusting Ojibwe beliefs on him.
Another thing is how the story flows. The storyline is solid and to the point. It makes for a strong read and then some. The kind of novel that keeps you interested and doesn’t preach at you. I found this novel to keep me interested. I never saw a dry point in my opinion.
When I read, I found myself curious about the Objbwe tribe the novel managed to answer every last one of them. In the end, I was highly satisfied with the novel. Jay clearly knew what he was getting into when he wrote this novel and knew how it was going to end. He had a clear mind on this the whole time.
I would highly recommend this novel. Not just for the characters but also the strong story that makes the reader want to know more.
Blurb: Hugo Thorson knows he’s gay, but coming out during high school is not part of his plan. His parents are open-minded, but Hugo doesn’t want to add more stress for anybody, especially his dad, who is fighting terminal cancer.
At a summer job, he meets and befriends Kevin Magnus, and before long, their friendship becomes something more. Kevin knows this will anger his overbearing father, so he decides to protect his secret by dating a girl at school.
Hugo plays along, but it’s still hard to watch the two of them together just to make Kevin’s homophobic father happy. And when Hugo’s father dies, he realizes he can’t go on living the lie. He comes clean to Kevin, who decides Hugo’s true feelings are more important than his father’s expectations.
One fact remains: Kevin and Hugo’s relationship must always be hidden behind friendship, lies, girlfriends, or secret kisses. Will they find a sanctuary big enough to hold their feelings?
Review: Huge had many troubles in his family when he came out. He knew his parents were accepting but life got a lot tougher when his father started fighting terminal cancer.
All the while, he meets Kevin who faces his own issues with his own issues. The more time they spend together, the more I wanted to know about the characters. And by the end of it, I found the characters to be great.
I found them to be realistic and utterly realistic. The more I read about them, the more I actually wanted to meet them.
The plot was solid and very enjoyable. I found this book to be a delight. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone that would like to read a good solid novel.
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.
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.
Blurb: Braving the start of high school, longtime childhood friends Benjamin Wells and Timmy Norton quickly realize they are entering a whole new world colored by their family responsibilities. Ben is trying to please his strict father; Timmy is taking care of his younger sisters. While their easy camaraderie is still comfortable, Ben notices Timmy growing distant and evasive, but Ben has his own problems. It’s easier to let concerns about Timmy’s home life slide, especially when Timmy changes directions and starts to get a little too close. Ben doesn’t know how to handle the new feelings Timmy’s desire for love inspires, and his continuing denial wounds Timmy deeply.
But what Timmy perceives as Ben’s greatest betrayal is yet to come, and the fallout threatens to break them apart forever. Over the next four years, the push and pull between them and the outside world twists and tears at Ben and Timmy, and they are haunted by fear and regret. However, sometimes what seems broken is just a little bent, and if they can find forgiveness within themselves, Ben and Timmy may be able to move forward together.
Review: The story is told from Ben’s POV as he relives their story, his, and Timmy’s. Ben and Tim, as their friends call them, are pretty much inseparable until normal adolescent problems and hidden feelings start to get in the way. Ben is trying so hard to please his unappeasable father while Tim is dealing with issues of his own. He starts to pull away from Ben, partying and doing drugs. When Tim realizes he has feelings for Ben that go beyond friendship and tries to explore them, Ben shuts him down, not wanting to admit to himself that his feelings for Tim go beyond friendship as well. In an attempt to protect his friend, Ben makes a decision that has severe consequences.
I loved that this story was told from the one characters POV, almost like a journal he’d written about their life together. As you live Ben and Tim’s life through Ben’s eyes, you get to see them grow and change so much. Through the good and the bad, they truly are meant to be together. The title of this book is absolutely perfect; they aren’t broken, just bent. After Ben broke Tim’s trust, they fell apart for a while. Both of them went through a lot of personal growth throughout and came out the other side stronger. Ben’s voice is passionate and smooth, and you can almost feel his pain when he has to let Tim go. Even finding their way back to each other, Tim admitting how hurt he was and yet, how much he still loved Ben.
Let me start by saying Cover Love! That is what drew me to this book initially. Then the blurb sealed the deal. What I got was a really good gay YA story. Kept my attention from start to finish with mild angst and subtle character development. Definitely recommend this one.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through MM Good Book Reviews*
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?
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.
Title: Caught
Title: The Devil’s Trill Sonata
