Hiya guys, we have Cate Ashwood visiting today with her newest release The Storm Before the Calm, we have a great excerpt, a brilliant giveaway and Aerin’s review for you to enjoy. So enjoy the post and click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
The Storm Before the Calm
by
Cate Ashwood
Charlie has one passion in life: dancing. It’s his salvation when it feels like the world is swallowing him whole. When his mom secretly secures him a spot in the summer intensive at the Free Rein Dance Company in New York, he is thrilled. He knows that once the summer ends, he’ll have to return to Beacon to get a job and help support his family, but for those two months, he can spread his wings.
In New York he meets Max, a junior instructor who is everything Charlie wishes he could be. Bold and self-assured, Max radiates pride in who he is. As they spend time together, Max shows Charlie what life can be like past the walls of his closed-minded home town. But Charlie doesn’t know if he’s ready to show the world who he truly is when standing in the spotlight is the last thing he wants.
Hi guys, we have Alex Dunkin popping in today with his newest release Coming Out Catholic, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway, so check out the post and click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
Coming Out Catholic
by
Alex Dunkin
Like all good Catholic boys I care what Jesus thinks. Jesus the man, and the faith. Following him make me happy. There’s just one issue… I think I’m gay. Well, it’s hard to be sure going to an all-boys school. It could be simply liking what I know and really, oh so very, liking what I see all day, guys. Being gay and Catholic can’t possible work together. Can it?
Coming Out Catholic follows a year in the life of a private Catholic school student as he comes to terms with his sexuality. Armed with sarcasm and his best friend Mark, he prepares to take on the school thug and the awkward social encounters plaguing his late teenage years.
Confronting himself and his family are just the beginning of his trials. He learns he must find solace with his sexual desires without surrendering any of his faith. He loves both too much but when the time comes he will have to know which one he has to give up or prepare to succumb to a life of denial.
Hi guys, today we have Cheryl Headford stopping by with a mini tour for her newest release Memories of Forgotten Love, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
Memories of Forgotten Love
by
Cheryl Headford
After waking from a coma, Noah discovers that memories are tricky things and sometimes blissful ignorance isn’t such a bad thing.
Noah wakes from a coma with no memory of who he is. As his memories return they become stranger and more sinister at every turn. He begins to suspect the accident in which he was injured wasn’t an accident at all, and refuses to accept what everyone is saying that he threw himself off his balcony in a suicide attempt. It just doesn’t feel like something he would do. Struggling to come to terms with the shocking story he gradually uncovers, he’s helped by his friends. Yet, his best friend, Luke is acting strangely, leaving Noah to wonder just what exactly he isn’t telling him.
Hi guys, we have Christopher Koehler stopping by with his lastest release POZ, Christopher talks to us about what inspired POZ and I’ve nicked an excerpt from Dreamspinner Press for you to check out 🙂 , there’s a great giveaway and we have Prime’s review for you to enjoy. So enjoy the post then click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
POZ
(The Lives of Remy and Michael 01)
by
Christopher Koehler
Remy Babcock and Mikey Castelreigh are stalwart members of the Capital City Rowing Club’s junior crew, pulling their hardest to earn scholarships to rowing powerhouses like California Pacific. Just a couple of all-American boys, they face the usual pressures of life in an academic hothouse and playing a varsity sport. Add to that the stifling confines of the closet, and sometimes life isn’t always easy, even in the golden bubble of their accepting community. Because Remy and Mikey have a secret: they’re both gay. While Mikey has never hidden it, Remy is a parka and a pair of mittens away from Narnia.
Mikey has always been open about wanting more than friendship, but Remy is as uncomfortable in his own skin as he is a demon on the water. After their signals cross, and a man mistakes Remy for a college student, Remy takes the plunge and hooks up with him. After a furious Mikey cuts Remy off, Remy falls to the pressure of teenage life, wanting to be more and needing it now. In his innocence and naiveté, Remy makes mistakes that have life-long consequences. When Remy falls in the midst of the most important regatta of his life, he can only hope Mikey will be there to catch him when he needs it most.
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.
Hiya guys, today we are joined by Natalya Parks & Brooke Johnson for their newest release The Need to Touch, we get a peek at this great YA story and there’s a great giveaway. So peeps I will leave you with this post and Cat’s review… and don’t forget to click that Rafflecopter link 🙂 <3 ~Pixie~
The Need to Touch
(Stay True 01)
by
Natalya Parks & Brooke Johnson
You can only win someone’s heart once you’ve captured it.
Nineteen year old Ryder Harrison grew up near a small town in Montana, working on the family’s ranch and in love with his best friend, Landon Pennington. That was until his Grandfather decided he needed to go to college in California. Ryder promised his Mom before she died that he would finish his education. Staying true to his word, Ryder packs his clothes, and heads to California, confident that it would all be one big disaster. The only thing he hadn’t planned on was meeting Bentley Carter.
Twenty year old Bentley Carter has enough emotional issues to write his own ‘How to Cope’ manual. Surviving an abusive childhood, he made a personal promise to always stay true to himself, and never let emotions overrule his common sense. Content with his current life and friend with ‘benefits’, Ben is determined to not let his new roommate affect him.
Uncertain about their places in the world, and with each other, Ryder and Ben struggle to understand the person who is not what they thought they wanted, yet who they are unable to live without. Living in a sometimes cruel and unforgiving world they are determined to embrace the reality of falling in love and the challenges that follow.
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.
Blurb: Fact: When Zebulon Pike attempted to climb what is now known as Pikes Peak, he got stuck in waist-deep snow and had to turn back.
That’s the last thing Dusty Porter learns in his Colorado history class before appendicitis ruins his life. It isn’t long before social services figures out that Dusty’s parents are more myth than reality, and he and his siblings are shipped off to live in Vermont with an uncle and aunt they’ve never met.
Dusty’s new life is a struggle. His brother and sister don’t seem to need him anymore, and he can’t stand his aunt and uncle. At school, one hockey player develops a personal vendetta against him, while Emmitt, another hockey player, is making it hard for Dusty to keep pretending he’s straight. Problem is, he’s pretty sure Emmitt’s not gay. Then, just when Dusty thinks things can’t get any worse, his mother reappears, looking for a second chance to be a part of his life.
Somehow, Zebulon Pike still got the mountain named after him, so Dusty’s determined to persevere—but at what point in life do you keep climbing, and when do you give up and turn back
Review: This book is emotional, amazing, and downright lovable. From the beginning, I found Dusty Porter to be a fantastic character. Three dimensions of pure amazing for a character. While it is a good book, it is also rather saddening. The kind of books that makes you wanna keep reading it until the end and when it comes around, you don’t wanna let go of it. Because of how amazing this book is, I would easily put it into my top 100 favorite books.
It’s a book about accepting what’s happening around you and the question of whether or not to let people have a second chance in your life. This book is downright beautiful. Amazingly written, fantastic plot and downright dynamite.
When I finished this book, I was in tears. If I could meet the author, I would wanna hug her and thank her for writing this book. The more I’d read the more I wanted to read. And in the end, I found it to be a literary masterpiece. At least, I believed so.
Blurb:Sixteen-year-old Aine lives in the Colony, and his whole life was decided before he was born. In two years, he will marry the girl next door, Brin, who was assigned as his Other at birth. Then he will be given a position in the Colony’s workforce that best suits his talents. Each night he takes four pills, like everyone else in the Colony, and he knows the pills keep them safe and their world in order.
Everything is fine. Perfect, in fact. Until Aine accidentally drops one of his pills.
Terrified, he tries to hide the mistake, but when he dreams for the first time in his life, he discovers all he’s been missing. What scares him more than not taking the pill, though, is how alive his dreams make him feel. Because it isn’t Brin, he dreams of, but his best friend Kyer.
Another boy.
Suddenly Aine’s world turns upside down, and he doesn’t know what to think or who to trust. All he knows for sure is he’s falling in love with Kyer, which is forbidden by the Colony’s Code, and he will do anything to protect their budding relationship.
Even if it means defying the Overseer and leaving the Colony behind.
Review: Aine is sixteen and lives in what they have believed to be a perfect world. The colony has no fighting, no hunger; everyone has the same and is supplied by the Colony. Everyone follows the code. There are pills for that. Then one day Aine drops his blue pill and accidently crushes it. He is afraid of being caught by a monitor. For the first time in his life, he dreams. (So that’s what the blue pills are for to keep you from dreaming) He dreams of his best friend Kyer, his hand on his knee, the feelings that he can’t get over. Then Aine’s life changes drastically.
This was one of those unexpected gems you find. The blurb sounded good so I decided to take a chance. I sure am glad I did. This book is one of the best futuristic worlds I have red in a while. It’s simple, intriguing, well written with a slight humorous twist. I will say it brought back memories of an old sci-fi movie Solent Green but with a teenage spin.
I loved how this deals with the Colony controlled people’s thoughts, feelings, entire lives with pills. It’s sweet, intriguing and thought provoking. I loved how the other would repeat a question as a statement it really pounded home the thoughts. I couldn’t put this down once I started and near the end found myself holding my breath. I cannot wait for the next.
I highly recommend this to anyone that loves a good Sci- fi or futuristic world, a sweet love story and Young adult or coming of age.
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press (Dreamspinner Press) (19th September 2013)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb:High school senior Michael Sattler leads a charmed life. He’s a star athlete, has great friends, and parents who love him just the way he is. What’s missing from his life is a boyfriend. That’s a problem because he’s out only to his parents and best friend. When Michael accidentally bumps into Christy Castle at school, his life changes in ways he never imagined. Christy is Michael’s dream guy: smart, pretty, and sexy. But nothing could have prepared Michael for what being Christy’s boyfriend would entail.
Christy needs to heal after years of abuse and knows he needs help to do it. After the death of his notorious father, he leaves his native Greece and settles in upstate New York. Alone, afraid, and left without a voice, Christy hides the myriad scars of his abuse. He desperately wants to be loved and when he meets Michael, he dares to hope that day has arrived. When one of Michael’s teammates turns enemy, and an abuser from Christy’s past seeks to return him to a life of slavery, only Michael and Christy’s combined strength and unwavering determination can save them from the violence that threatens to destroy their future together.
Review: Michael hasn’t ever really had to worry about anything in his life, he’s the captain of the track team, his best friend always has his back, and his parents are wonderful. The only thing he secretly yearns for is a boyfriend to complete his happy world, but with only his best friend and parents knowing he is gay, he doesn’t think he will be finding a boyfriend any time soon. That is until he bumps into Christy, the silent pretty young man that he develops a crush on. Christy has been through hell for most of his life, slowly healing he makes a new life for himself far from Greece and he begins to yearn for friendship and love. When Christy meets Michael, he has hope that he can find love with him, but with a homophobic jock, causing problems and a man from Christy’s past determined to reclaim Christy they both face together and can only hope that their determination and newfound love can overcome the danger they face.
This is a wonderful young adult story that will make your heart bleed for the young couple as they try to find love and peace. Michael seems to have a blessed life, but he isn’t blind to what could happen if he comes out at school. He has a wonderful support system with his parents and best friend Jake, who is there for him when needed and encourage him when he begins to feel down. Christy is a young man whose life has been hell, nobody could help him until it was nearly too late and he now has much healing to do. Christy has a long journey ahead of him as he comes to terms with what happened to him and he begins to reclaim his life with the help of his new boyfriend Michael.
This is a very touching story that has a surprising amount of danger and action for the young adults of the story. Michael and Christy make a wonderful couple even with the trauma that Christy still has to overcome, but Michael proves himself the perfect person to help Christy have a normal life. Christy may be damaged and wary but he is an incredibly strong character, Michael may not know everything that has happened but he is a very surprising astute young man, Jake is an incredible best friend and the assortment of other characters we meet make this story just brilliant. Watching as the characters pull together in the face of scorn and danger was wonderful, as each of them added that something special to the storyline.
While I would love to dissect this story pointing out everything that makes it incredible I can’t, it would take too long as there were so many things that made me unable to put this story down. While some of the story was a bit hard to swallow, like the police and bodyguards seeming incompetence and the convenient way nobody could ever find Yosef or Jason, there was some incredible understanding of the effects of abuse and how it affects those around the victims.
I recommend this to those who love young adults overcoming abuse, danger and scorn, friends and family pulling together, rescues, fear, anger and finding love.
Blurb: Aaron Downing is broken, barely clinging to the hope that one day, he will be normal again. His life remains a constant string of nightmares, flashbacks, and fear, but he perseveres and starts college, determined to move on.
Then Aaron gets assigned to work with Spencer Thomas for his programming project. Aaron doesn’t want Spencer to think he’s a freak, but as he gets to know his new deaf friend, he figures out he doesn’t need to be “normal.” If he could just learn to control his fear, that could be enough to find his footing again.
Or so Aaron thinks until his parents begin talking about institutionalizing him to give his brothers a more stable life. He searches desperately to find a way to cope or even to fake normalcy. But his new shrink’s instability makes conquering his demons that much more difficult, and his attraction to Spencer threatens to send Aaron spinning out of control.
Adapted as a YA edition of the novel Aaron by J.P. Barnaby.
100% of the author’s royalties are being donated to help homeless LGBT kids find safe shelter.
Review: Flashes of memories cause him severe panic attacks, attacks he sometimes wonders if he’ll forever be bound to suffer. He is scared that one day he will fall into the nightmare, a memory of the attack, and be stuck within his own dark mind forever. He remembers the debate team meeting with his best friend Juliette and the life altering events that took place after. The men, the van, the garage, the violation, the knife at his throat, his best friend screaming and begging them to stop. He often wonders why he couldn’t just die that night and be done with the hell he lives in daily.
Aaron Downing is a mere shell of a human being. He is withdrawn, anti social and suffers from debilitating panic attacks. His family has supported him through everything these past two years since that fateful night, but he finds himself wondering how much longer they’ll put up with what he’s become. He puts his feet underneath him and decides to enroll in college, he wants desperately to be able to take care of himself and learn to deal with his issues, to have a life.
Spencer Thomas was born premature, his poor young life began wrapped in another random act of violence, not much different from the one Aaron suffered. His mother was attacked and shot, left for dead, but miracle of miracles, unborn Spencer survived. There was a price to pay though, his mother’s life and his hearing. He’s been picked on a ridiculed his entire young life for being different, for being deaf. He though he’d found a man to love until his then boyfriend started referring to him as “my deaf boyfriend”, well, so much for that! Then one day he runs into Aaron, literally.
The two become fast friends and develop a bond based on trust, that grows into love. Once Aaron lets his guard down and lets Spencer in, he’s surprised how much he likes him and wants to be with him. Spencer has liked Aaron since the day they met, but he gives him his space and the time Aaron needs to decide where he wants to go with the relationship. Aaron makes unbelievable progress with his panic attacks and triggers with Spencer’s dad, but when his parents learn about this new therapy, they are less than pleased. Now that boy that lived in constant fear, being set off by the sound of a car door shutting or a simple touch will have to convince his parents that this is what he wants. What he needs to get better.
This book starts out terribly sad, but as the story progresses it becomes something truly beautiful. Aaron and Spencer have suffered more loss and misery in their young lives than most grown people ever will. But together they find solace, happiness, and love. It didn’t come as a surprise to me that the first person Aaron allows to touch him without going into a full-blown attack is Spencer.
Spencer tells Aaron, “I don’t even see your scars anymore, I only see you.” And he touches him then kisses him and it’s perfect! Aaron could care less that Spencer is deaf. All he sees is the kind, patient, and determined young man who has stood by him even during an attack. It’s also absolutely fanfuckingtastic that when the time comes for Aaron to tell Spencer how he feels, he uses sign language.
I’ve been a fan of Mayfield since his since his ‘Waiting for Forever’ series, and I loved this new book just as much. Yes it’s a difficult read and covers some very troubling subjects. At times Aaron is in such a dark place, you will find yourself almost hyperventilating, wondering if this will be the time, he doesn’t come back. Oh but when he and Spencer find each other and they begin to heal its mesmerizing. If you like books that are deeply rooted in reality with hard-core subject matter, excellent writing, and extremely supportive secondary characters, I think you’ll love this book. No naughty bits really, this is a YA book. But there is a HEA!! I warn you though, make sure you have a snack a beverage and some Kleenex at the ready; you won’t be able to stop once you’ve started!
Genre: Contemporary YA Romance with a Shakespearian twist
Length: Novella (74 pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (August 28th, 2013)
Heat Level: Mild
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3Hearts
Blurb: Mercutio is a funny, moody, complex foil for Romeo in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but in the four stories presented here, each an independent tale, Mercutio’s love for his friend goes far deeper, always somehow entwined with the fates of Romeo and Juliet.
The first tale sets the trio back in Renaissance Verona, where Mercutio vies for Romeo’s love. Romeo is oblivious, but the love triangle has deadly consequences. Next, we find Romeo and Mercutio in Victorian England. Though Romeo knows Mercutio loves him and returns his passion, he struggles to fit his desires into the strict mores of the day. The third story takes us to post-WWII America, where war-weary Romeo, Juliet, and Mercutio long for the right to love whom they choose. The final story in the collection brings the three characters into contemporary times, a band on a road trip that will change their lives forever
Review: Four acts bound into one novella all spurned from the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet with a slight gay twist.
We begin at the start as the original story of these two young lovers is reinvented with a gay undertone. There is still the agony of love, betrayal and death as the array of young men fall on each other’s swords, and not the sexy kind of sword, the literal sword, unfortunately.
Each tale is just a little different and more advanced, or modern, than its predecessor but always, Mercutio is in love with his friend, and Romeo and Juliet could still screw up a wet dream. From Verona to England through WWII and finally closer to the present day, the one constant is that Mercutio has to fight for the right to love who he chooses. The majority of the time, it has devastating consequences.
I’m going to give this one an E for effort. I was never a huge Shakespeare fan aside from the version with Leo, but I did like the way Rowan was able to take the classic tale and spin it into a gay YA story. This one is YA all the way, so there are no naughty bits, but surprisingly, there is no angst either. That gains bonus points from me! If you are a fan of Shakespeare then you need to give this one a go, it might just surprise you.
Blurb:Senior Dustin Ericson and his best friend Kadie have an unspoken agreement to never reveal they are gay. Dustin recently broke a school record in tennis and enjoys a new rise in popularity, but he’s still afraid of what everyone else would think if they knew the truth about who he is.
When Dustin gets asked to a prom after-party by Ryan, the guy he’s had a crush on since junior high, he can’t refuse. Ryan thinks Dustin and Kadie are dating, but Kadie refuses to be Dustin’s prom date until Dustin tells her Ryan is bringing Alyssa to prom … the girl Kadie has a crush on.
Dustin and Kadie plan the perfect date, including all of Ryan and Alyssa’s favorite food, music, even colors. Sometimes Dustin wonders if he is normal, and sort of feels like a stalker when he realizes he knows a lot more about Ryan than Ryan knows about him.
But, prom night doesn’t go well at all. Dustin drives with Kadie in the passenger seat, while Ryan and Alyssa tear each other’s clothes off in the back. Dustin feels ashamed he could have imagined making out with Ryan, instead. He hates having to hide who he is, and Kadie feels the same. Will things ever get better?
Blurb: In Tuckersburg, not a lot changes. School gets out for summer, Lydia forces her fried chicken Jell-O mold on everyone at the town’s summer picnic, and Skyler doesn’t get laid. It takes an outside force to change that paradigm, an outside force named Alex. He’s cute, he’s gay, and he finds Skyler attractive: just what Skyler always wanted. But in a small town like Tuckersburg, can they find the opportunity to act on their urges?
Review: Tuckersburg by Raven de Hart is very short novel staring Alex and Skyler. Now, these two met during the big barbecue that their town held every year. But, that was enough to let this two start and ignite.
I liked Alex and Skyler. Alex seemed like a very shy and nerdy guy while Skyler seemed very cool and down to earth. The one thing I didn’t like about this little novel was the fact that it was just too short. It almost seemed like a lost chapter of a longer one. I think that the author would benefit greatly by turning this into a full-length one.
I recommend this one to anyone who loves short YA novels with steamy hot sex or to anyone looking for a very short and enjoyable read.
Publisher: M/M Romance Group @ Goodreads (June 19th, 2013)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥4.5Hearts
Blurb: Dear Author,
I got tired of my dad using me as a punching bag, so I packed some clothes and left our apartment one day while he was at work. Life is tough, but I learned that living on the streets is even tougher.
When I thought things couldn’t get much worse, Erik suddenly appeared before me, just like an angel. Is this a dream or are the drugs making me hallucinate? What is he running from? Why won’t he tell me about his past? Can I trust him?
Photo Description:
Two slightly lanky, dark-haired boys are embraced, one behind the other. One boy has his hands inside the pockets of the hoodie of the boy in front of him. This small gesture hints at an unfamiliar reassurance that he plans to make his intimacy more than words will allow.
This story was written, as a part of the M/M Romance Group’s “Love Has No Boundaries” event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
Review: I have to admit something. I loved this novel! The Touch of Hope stars Jonathan. Now, Jonathan ran away from home and has been living in the streets. One day, he bumps into Erik and that’s where the story takes off.
I loved Jonathan and understood why he had to run away from home. His dad was an asshole and his mom lived in another world. All I wanted was to hug and protect him. I loved Erik. He was strong and a complete survivor. The one thing that turned me off was the fact that this novel was just too short. I wanted more! I really hope that the author continues with this story or expands it into a full-length one. The characters were just too good and lovable.
I recommend this little short to anyone who wants to read about the sad reality that millions of homeless teens around the world have to go through every day. Trust me, it will touch your soul and leave you wanting more.
Blurb: After enduring a painful rejection, Kennedy journeys to discover first love and support in the unlikeliest place.
Junior year has completely sucked for Kennedy. On his last day, out in his front yard, no less, he’s outed by classmates in front of his own father. When questioned about it, Kennedy comes out to his parents, only to find himself being sent to spend the summer with his aunt the very next day. Pained by the rejection, he has a hard time coping with his new environment until he meets his aunt’s neighbor, Evan. Together, the two will spend the summer enjoying friends and discovering first love. However, there’s the dark cloud hanging over their newfound relationship—thoughts of what will happen at the end of the summer and with Kennedy’s parents.
Review: I loved this short novel! It was a really short and sweet. Fireflies and Crickets star Kennedy. Now, Kennedy is very shy and tiny guy trying his best to survive high school. After he comes out to his parents as gay guy, they kick him out and send him to live with his Aunt Holly. Kennedy is devastated, but after meeting Evan, his entire life changes.
I loved Kennedy! He was shy, sweet, and caring just like Aunt Holly. I hated Kennedy’s parents. Those two bigot bastards kicked him out for being himself. I’m glad that Kennedy stayed with his aunt because those two did not deserve a son like him. To me Evan was amazing! I absolutely loved him. He was always there for Kennedy, to love and protect. I was also glad to see Drew in this novel. He was the star of another short novel by the same author. I’m so glad that the author linked the two short stories because they went perfectly together.
Overall, this was an amazing little read. If you’re looking for a short, but gooey love novel about life, family, and friendship, this one is the one for you.
Blurb: Kyle Jackowski, typical sullen emo teen, struggles to find a way to deal with his sexuality and finds himself in trouble with the law… again. But instead of being sent to a juvenile detention center like he expected, he is given a chance to commute his sentence by working on a farm for the summer.
Enter Sam, son of the farm owners, who shows Kyle what he feels is perfectly normal and that he doesn’t have to hide from his feelings. In turn, Sam’s parents show Kyle that his abusive stepfather and battered mother are not the norm. With their love and support, Kyle finds his place in the world—by Sam’s side.
Review: I absolutely loved is novel! Last Of the Summer Tomatoes stars Kyle. Now, Kyle is a very troublesome kid who had a very hard life. His stepfather abuses him and his mom does nothing to stop him. After getting in trouble with the law again, he’s place under a new work release program in order to avoid jail time. Kyle, being a smart guy, agrees and he is sent to work at a farm. It is there where he meets Glenda, Walt and their son, Sam.
I loved Kyle! There were several times where I simply wanted to hug him and shelter him from everyone. His stepfather, Hank, was a complete homophobic asshole! I hated him almost immediately. I loved Glenda and Walt. They were the perfect parents and instantly accepted Kyle as their own. However, to me, Sam was the bomb! Everything he did was to make sure that Kyle felt good, happy, and comfortable. There were times where I wanted to choke Kyle. He simply founded hard to let loose and love life with Sam, but I knew the reasons why. Hank did a number on him and I’m glad that at the end, he finally saw the light and let loose.
All in all, this was a great and entertaining read. I recommend this novel to anyone who is looking to read something with a lot of heart, family love, friendship, and genuine love.
Publisher: Simon Pulse; Original edition (May 22, 2007)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Blurb: Life is fabulous for Jonathan Parish.
He’s seventeen, out and proud and ready to party through senior year with his posse of best girlfriends. But the year starts off with the wrong kind of bang when Jonathan — in an inebriated lapse of judgment — sleeps with a friend of his… A girlfriend!
When word gets around that hot-but-previously-unavailable Jonathan might be on the market, the school’s ‘it’ girl approaches him with a proposal: pretend to be her boyfriend, and achieve popularity like he’s never known. But popularity isn’t what Jonathan wants. And suddenly, going back into the closet becomes Jonathan’s only way to get what he’s after — a trip to see Kylie Minogue.
Review: Wow! I loved this book. The Straight Road To Kylie stars Jonathan Parish. Now, Jonathan is an out and proud senior at Winter Park High. What is his obsession? The amazing and incredibly beautiful Kylie Minogue. And trust me; he would do anything to meet her, even turned straight.
I loved Jonathan Parish. His obsession for Kylie reminded me so much of my obsession for Nelly Furtado. It’s just so cute and funny! Kylie means the world to him like Nelly means the world to me. I loved Jonathan’s friends. They seemed so cool and down to earth. Yes, they had their little flaws, but everyone does. I really liked Laura. Some readers won’t like her, but I fell for her. She was a really cool bitch.
All in all, I loved this novel. The plot was solid, the characters seemed real, and the Kylie Minogue references reminded me so much of her music. I love her! She may not be my favorite artist of all time, but her music is fun and I must agree with the author. It is so sad that Kylie’s music has not reach every single soul on earth. She is just fantastic.
I recommend this novel to all the Kylie fans out there and to any who wants to read something new and fresh. Trust me; you won’t get this book out of your head.
Blurb: Justin Reed is sixteen and has problems. His mum died during the summer holidays, his older brother, the only person he feels he can talk to, is away at university, and he lives with a father who simply can’t deal with anything emotional. Justin tries to navigate his way through his final year at secondary school but his friends and teachers no longer seem to know how to treat him, or what to say, so they keep their distance.
But then there’s Niall Casey; he’s funny and compassionate, and makes Justin feel things that confuse him; they make him feel wonderful but even more isolated at the same time. As if Justin’s life isn’t complicated enough, he now has to try to make sense of the thoughts and emotions that course through him every time he sees Niall.
This is a story about taking risks, facing the truth, and finding love when it seems that the whole world is against you.
Review: I have mix feelings about this one. Breaking Out stars Justin and Niall. Now, Justin lost his mom to cancer leaving him behind in the care of his dad, Peter, and older brother, Dan. At school, he meets Niall that comes from a very Catholic background. There is an instant connection between and they soon become one.
I liked the two main characters. The writing was really good and the story was solid. The one thing that totally blew me off was the giant gaps in the story. We only get to see what happens later on because the main characters remembered it or retold it. Another thing that I hated was the fact that we don’t really get to see what happened to Niall’s parents. Did they accept him? Did they completely walk out of their child’s life? I suspect that they did, but still, that to me was left unanswered.
I recommend this novel to anyone who wants to read a unique, sweet, and coming of age young novel with a very happily ever after.
Author: Thaddeus J. Genre: Contemporary Romance/Military
Length: Novel (93k word count)
Publisher: Createspace (July 10th, 2013)
Heat Level: Mild
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Blurb:Turner Michaels is an idealistic junior enlisted communicator that wants nothing more than to successfully execute his duties. After being transferred to a light armored reconnaissance unit in the middle of the Mojave Desert, the young U.S. Marine starts to feel a bit overwhelmed and out of place from his usual role of support – that is until he is reunited with his old friend Jace Sozio. Reconnecting with one another is simple, but neither of them could have imagined the intense yet awkward attraction that would grow between them. Though admitting these feelings to one another poses a dilemma for the men, as neither wants it to threaten their close friendship. Taking things to a whole new level raises a number of other questions as well. First and foremost, would their peers accept them, or would they have to forever hide their relationship? And admitting their true feelings for one another is easier said than done. Their harsh supervisor is demanding and makes life miserable for the pair, and they also have a number of very good (though sometimes annoying) friends that make them question if they even need enemies. But with the help of their family and inspiring leaders, the two will discover that loyalty and support are stronger than bigotry and misperception. Proving that the Corps indeed is a sacred brotherhood where men can trust one another with their very lives. Product Link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/334900
Review: This is an enduring friends to lovers story that is layered with all the pressures of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell on the conflicted lover’s shoulders. Most of the story occurs during non-combat training in various bases in the U.S. Pressure builds as Turner and Jace each keep secret their attraction for each other, even though Turner has come out to his barracks mate, keeping secrets like this has an ill effect on his performance. Jace’s strange behavior starts raising red flags with another long time friend and bunkmate until the final confrontation explodes into full fury and threats of dishonorable discharge. The details of the barracks, the bases, and surrounding landscape are so descriptive I can’t help but believe the author spent some time serving or working on the bases. This is an HEA, but the struggles to get there kept me glued to the pages throughout.
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