Friday, May 7, 2010

Happy Gay Friday & What I Read


Oops, it’s Friday night again! And I can’t miss another Happy Gay Friday, now can I? :) Maybe it’s just the perfect remedy for feeling sad all of a sudden (hubby’s fault, he showed me a pic of Binny and it caught me off guard). Browsing through my cookies is just what I need… and chocolate… and book shopping of course! So, you can all guess what I’m doing later tonight ;)

I have been away from home a lot the past week which meant less computer time but more reading time (the benefit of traveling with public transportation). Besides two novels for work (by José Eduardo Agualusa and Lisa Moore) I’ve read quite some romances, all of the m/m kind.

First there are two shorts: Night Shift (49p – 3.5 stars) by Jenna Byrnes and JackMagic (64p – 4 stars) by Jillian Snyder.

Both were good for quick reads but also suffered from the limited amount of pages. In the case of JackMagic this resulted in a HFN instead of a HEA, which is not my favorite. So, I really would like to read a sequel about Aaron and Jack. Those guys were hot together although it took quite some pages before they actually got together. But when they finally did it was definitely worth the wait and I got an eyeful of steamy kisses and sex mingled with some sexy bondage play.
It unintentionally turned out to become the theme for my reading week (and hence this weeks pic).

Because next I read two books and one free story from Ava March’s Bound series. In this case I knew that there would be D/s scenes involved because the backblurbs indicated so. This is a historical series with the same main characters (Oliver and Vincent) in both books and the short story.
I’ll try to review them later this month, but I can spoil that I enjoyed them a lot and that I got my first 5 stars read of May with the second book in the series! It really was an intense read and it had great emotional scenes as well as scorching love scenes. My heart ached badly at one point and the HEA scene was so darn good *sigh*. So, I highly recommend this series, especially when you like historicals or bondage themed stories. Here are the titles in this series and my ratings:

Bound by Deception (Bound, #1) by Ava March, 85p - 4.5 stars
Bound to Him (Bound, #2) by Ava March, 91p - 5 stars
Deliberately Unbound (Bound, #3) by Ava March, 12p - 3.5 stars

And last but not least, last night I finally could start the book Chris and Lily recommended to me earlier this week and that I bought a while ago after some talk about it at Tam’s blog and that I decided to read soon when I read Patti’s review last month. So, my expectations were high for Cheating Chance (177p) by James Buchanan. It’s another first in a series (Taking the Odds), like I haven’t started enough series yet, that I still haven’t finished, lol. I’ve almost finished Cheating Chance, only 30 pages to go. I don’t think it’s going to be a 5 stars read, unless the last pages will be out-of-this-world awesome, but certainly a 4 or 4.5 stars rating. That has to do with the pace of the story. The very detailed descriptions of the technical and gamble law stuff slowed the story down imo. What I really like though is the premise of this novel (a suspenseful investigation), and the unusual characters: Nick and Brandon meet each other at a Goth convention and have the accompanying looks. Nick has long, dark hair and a vamp look, Brandon looks more like a biker boy and has short, spiked, dark hair and tattoos covering his back. One wouldn’t guess that Nick is an agent for a Gaming Commission and Brandon is a cop.
Oh, and it fitted into my bondage themed week unexpectantly because in the second half Nick turned out to be a Japanese bondage specialist *nom nom nom*.
I really enjoy these guys and I’m glad I already have the second book (Inland Empire) on my ereader and I think that it won’t take me long before purchasing the, only recently released, third book (All or Nothing). Maybe tonight, to serve my feel good book shopping mood :)

Another book I want to go buy tonight is the, this week released, new m/m romance from Jambrea Jo Jones called Retribution. I’m really curious about that one! And for more info on new m/m releases I think I better check out Lily’s Wednesday post first.

After the shopping I’ll probably be beat and ready for bed so that I can finish Cheating Chance tonight (it's nearly 11pm already).

Tomorrow has some more ‘outdoor activities’ in store for me and hubby (or actually there’s a bar involved and a dart tournament), so again hardly a chance to be online, *sigh*. I even doubt if I can read much among all them dart players who’ll get louder and louder with every hour. And I don’t know if I want to risk one of them asking me to show him/her my ereader in the middle of some smexy scene, lol! It actually happened to me yesterday in the train that a business guy asked me if that was an ereader and if he could see it. Good thing I wasn’t reading a smutty book at the moment but February by Lisa Moore (very decent, no sex). Pfeww!

Okay, I’ve nearly finished the bar of chocolate so it’s time to go do some book shopping. :)

Have a Happy Gay Friday!!

21 comments:

  1. Thanks for the mentions! I'm glad you're enjoying Cheating Chance. I just finished All or Nothing this morning and oh yes, still loving Nicky and Brandon.

    I haven't read the two shorts you mentioned but I have read Ava's first story and have the second in my reader. I really enjoy her writing. Retribution is on my buy list.

    Hope you have a great weekend, enjoy your shopping and reading.

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  2. Looks like you had a good reading week. I liked Jack Magic a lot and am a huge fan of Nicky and Brandon but you have to keep reading to really see their relationship develop. I wanted to smack Brandon more than once. LOL

    Have a fun weekend.

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  3. KC is wondering what is HFN....Happily " "

    Oh Mah Gad I think your Happy Friday pic this week is super yummy.

    Ava March is one of my favorite m/m historical authors - she is my go to girl when I want good man love.

    And I'm adding Cheating Chance to my Friday Night list.

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  4. You really have had a good reading week. I love Nicky and Brandon, and a reader can't go wrong with Ava's books.

    Brandon could use a good smack or two.

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  5. HFN is a Happy For Now ending. It's a nice ending where it looks like the guys have a good chance at being together in the future.

    While HEA is a Happily Ever After ending. Definitely a true love ending where they are committed to each other and you can picture them living their lives together and happy.

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  6. After you read the second Nicky & Brandon book, you'll have to pick up the free shorts at James' site. And there are N&B shorts in Toy Box: Rope and Toy Box: Handcuffs (I think these are only available at FW).

    I do like that picture... except for the damn white socks...

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  7. Sounds like some great reading. I love Ava. Jenna is pretty good two. I haven't heard of the others.

    Thanks for picking up Retribution. I hope you enjoy it! :)

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  8. *looks at Gay Friday image*

    *keels over in shock*

    *raises head weakly*

    Is it just me or is it hot in here? Thank you Janna!

    I obviously need to move Cheating Chance up the TBR list - it sounds interesting. Oh, and I have Ava March's Bound By Deception on my iPhone. I had a m/m romance month last month...but this month seems to be library books - I need a m/m month next month *grin*

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  9. Hehe, I think bf is gonna be happy that I am not looking at gay Friday on his computer anymore

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  10. @Lily: I finished Inland Empire today and started All or Nothing, but I'm taking a little break. I thought Inland Empire was amazing, really a 5+ stars! And I'm not sure if I'm ready to read about dealing with a kid stuff yet. Please reassure me it's not all about that throughout the whole book! I can't see how the smexing can still be good with her being around all the time ;)
    If you liked Ava's first Bound book, you'll love the second. It's really fabulous!
    I hope you had a great weekend too, hon! :)

    @Tam: I took your advice and kept reading and you're right, the relationship development is worth it. I really love them, especially Nick! And yeah, Brandon is some serious smack material, but I love him too :)

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  11. @KC: What Lily said! ;)
    *jumps up and down* I can't wait to tweet with you about Brandon and Nicky! You'll love them, but don't forget to put Inland Empire on your list too, it really makes it better! :)

    @Eyre: Thanks, hon! I made some good choices I guess ;)
    And about Brandon: I agree, although three or four is more like it, lol.

    @Lily: I couldn't have explained it better. Thanks, Lily! :)

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  12. @Chris: I'm heading over to his website for the freebies right away, thanks! :) I think I have the Toy Box Ropes, and when I read that story a while back I didn't know Brandon and Nicky yet, so I'm definitely going to reread it! And I might get the other Toy Box too.
    Yeah, that white sock thing bugged me as well, although it's only one sock ;)

    @Jambrea: I think you'll love James Buchanan's stuff too!
    And Retribution is on my ereader, waiting for me :)

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  13. Janna: Yay!! Glad you're loving Nicky & Brandon.

    Don't worry about the kid. JB makes the whole thing work.

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  14. @orannia: LOL! I'm glad you enjoyed the pic, sweetie! :)
    Oh, you should have that m/m reading month soon and bump up Cheating Chance to the top of mount tbr ;) But be prepared for wanting to read the second book, Inland Empire, immediately after finishing CC. :D

    @Blodeuedd: ROFL! I'm starting to get really curious about your bf, hon! He sounds a bit like hubs ;)

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  15. @Chris: Pfeww! Thanks for reassuring me about that! Especially since I know how you think about the kid angle in romances ;)
    And thank you again for recommending Nicky and Brandon to me!!

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  16. Popping in to see what is going on... And oh man!!!! What a day here at our place!!! Damn honey... you have to best man on man candy I have every seen... OH YUMMY!!!!
    And wowowowow those books! Girl you did awesome!
    I hope you had a great weekend honey!!!!

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  17. Can I sink my teeth in those buns...I'm man-hungry LOL

    You had a busy week girl and some great reads, must check out Ava March, you've given it 4.5/5 stars o-0 WOW! And your comment about Inland Empire being a 5+ star read...must check it out. May is going to be a PNR full month so very little smut on my reading plate but I have INSATIABLE of Lauren Dane and this one is going to be my dessert after all my required PNR reading ;)

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  18. @Chris: =)

    @Cecile: LOL! "What a day here at our place!!!
    The 'our' looks like a slip of the tongue but what a flattering one, honey! It sounds like you feel at home at my place! :D
    Thanks so much! I hope you had a great weekend too and I'll be popping over to your place in a minute :)

    @Leontine: You can, hun! Go ahead ;)
    You'll like Ava March's Bound books, I'm positive! :)
    And, darn, are you trying to make me looking green! I'm so so jealous that you have Insatiable already!! I think it's time for our meet and greet after you've read it so we can combine it with a book swap, lol! ;)

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  19. I LOVED Cheating Chance. The whole series is one of my all time favorites. She is cool beans. :) Cool reviews!

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  20. Me too, Sarah! I've finished the first two books and all the shorts now! I loved Inland Empire even more than CC. Thanks! :)

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