January Round-Up & Catching Up on My Reviews

January went by very fast and I didn’t read that much!

As a lot of other bloggers, readers or tweeps I’m also trying to find a better balance between reading, blogging, bloghopping, emailing, tweeting on the one hand and my EDJ (evil day job), RL friends, hubby & other hobbies on the other hand. And I have especially a hard time finding a balance between all the activities in the first group, because there’s only this small amount of free time in a day (and the EDJ and my man do the demanding thing very well ;) so no worries there).

But the more I bloghop or twitter for example the less I read. Every time the reading gets the worst of it compared to one of the other activities, which sucks to be frank. Don’t think I don’t wanna bloghop or tweet, nope, that’s not it, I really enjoy doing that (that’s part of the problem). It’s just that I want to read more, especially after hearing and reading about all the great book recs on your blogs and in your emails and tweets *sigh*.

Has anyone found a solution to this dilemma yet? Please let me know!

And then there’s the reviewing part! I don’t mind reviewing a book a few weeks after I’ve read it, in fact I prefer to create that little distance in time to look at a book with a more objective view. But even for me it’s taking too long now – I still haven’t reviewed this fabulous book that I’ve read in 2009 and then some more in 2010! The thing is that I’ve read all these books that were 4 or 5 stars reads for me and because of that I want to do a proper review, nice and long (for example my High Five, Low Five format).

But I better face it: that’s not gonna happen!

So I decided to do a January reading AND reviewing wrap up in one post. They will be short an it’s not that I’ve read that much so this shouldn’t take too long… And I already reviewed a couple of them earlier...

(P.S. It turned out to be longer than I thought. So, sorry for that – maybe you can read it in several small pieces or skip most of it ;) – I just had to get it out of my system!)

Here’s my reading list:

Read in 2009
The One That Got Away by Madeleine Urban & Rhianne Aile, 5 stars

This was one of the best M/M reads of 2009 for me! I can really recommend it. For a change it’s a book with no angst in it. The characters are well developed and the smexing is long anticipated but scorching hot when they finally get to it. The story is about two friends, one gay one straight. One of them breaks his shoulder and needs some help during his recovery. So his straight friend moves in with him. Because of the injury, the heroes share some very intimate moments and something starts to sizzle. I thought that the authors did a great job of making their feelings tangible and showing how lust and love developed steadily. This book is especially highly recommended to all my M/M virgin friends because of the new to gay sex hero who’s been lead into this wonderful experience by his kind and loving friend.

January 2010
1. Faith & Fidelity by Tere Michaels, 5 stars

And boy did my year start with another great M/M read! It has the potential of becoming the best M/M book of 2010 for me. At least one of the best! Here we have two alpha guys, both cops who become friends after the wife of one of them died. Their lonely souls connect and gradually they start coloring each other’s lives again. The buildup is beautiful. One day an intimate touch of consolation opens the door to a more physical relation. Everything is new to both of them since they never were with a man before and one of the heroes has to deal with his feelings of guilt towards his deceased wife. All elements that are worked out very well. The opening scene is heartbreaking so be prepared to shed some tears and the angst is big in this relationship. This made it not a light read, but every now and then I love an emotional rollercoaster like this one!

2. Cuffed and Dangerous by Bronwyn Green, 4 stars

I actually reviewed this one. It was my first experience with the paranormal genre and it was good! I received this book from Bronwyn Green as a present!

3. Mind F*cked by Mia Watts, 4 stars

This was another fabulous paranormal romance, this time of the M/M kind. It’s about a very attractive half-breed faery who has the ability to read other people’s minds. Due to that fact he became quite cocky because everybody is lusting after him thanks to his looks. When he meets (his average) Joe he can’t read his mind which is unusual and makes him very insecure. During the security job they are involved in together he starts falling in love for the first time in his life but Joe is skeptical about his feelings and his feary background. It was foremost a very funny book! And the characters were wonderful and very right for each other (even the magic approved of it). The security mystery was a nice addition to this pretty original love story although that particular part was a bit predictable and lacked real suspense. It’s the first book in a series, the next books feature Sage’s siblings and I’m really looking forward to their stories! Even for the humor alone I would want to read them!

4. Beth's Acceptance by Teal Ceagh, 4 stars

And yet another paranormal romance! I did a good job on this new to me genre, didn’t I? This is also the first book in a series (of three) which seems very promising. Take a human, a vampire and an elf and put them together in between the covers of a book and you get one very steamy romance! That’s what this book is in a nutshell. Then there’s something going on with ugly evil creatures and a war that has to be fought. The three protags have to prevent the creatures taking over by forming a holy trinity. I know, this sounds like pretty heavy stuff but it was not that bad. I could easily comprehend what was going on and had no trouble believing any of it. The only thing that happened too fast for me was the woman’s acceptance of the paranormal world she had no clue about until then. And this world saving thing is not wrapped up in this first book of the series but will go on in the next two I presume. The romance story did have a nice happy ending though. I like that in a series! The smexing in this book was excellent too. To become a real trinity there was some unusual love making going on between these three sexy protags, really unusual *won’t say more*. In short, I loved this novella enough to wanna read the sequels, that have different H/h. I won this book over at the Blackraven's Erotic Cafe blog.

Look here for my selection of a sexy, smutty scene from Beth’s Acceptance.

5. Blind Faith by Claire Thompson, 4 stars

Great short M/M novella about two on-and-off lovers who haven’t seen each other for over a year. When one of them returns from one of his wanderings around the world and want to meet the other again, it turns out that his lover has been in a car accident almost a year ago. He was badly injured and lost his sight permanently. This comes as a shock and changes their relationship. I loved the dynamic of this couple. The heroes are hot and have a good chemistry going on. Their loving is sweet and Ms. Thompson knows how to develop a story well. It was too bad that this wasn’t longer, that’s the only thing I disliked besides the overly clichéd ending (it involves a cruise ship, need I say more?).

Look here for my selection of a sexy, smutty scene from Blind Faith.

6. Hard to Hold (Hold trilogy, #1) by Stephanie Tyler, 3 stars

I did a High Five, Low Five review about this book last weekend. It was a bit disappointing due to my own high expectations.

7. The Broken H by J.L. Langley, 4 stars

Last but not least, another good M/M story, recommend to me by K.C. from Smokinhotbooks who is celebrating 14 days of man love over at her blog (with great giveaways!).
It’s actually the second book in this author’s Ranch series, but can be read as a standalone. I myself have yet to read the first book, The Tin Star. And there even is a third one! The Broken H is about two stepbrothers who haven’t seen much of each other the past decade. But now they are forced to run their father’s ranch together for a while after he had a heart attack. One of the heroes is a cowboy with Indian blood who is the adopted son and the other hero is the more muscular but younger one and the town’s sheriff. Turns out that their split from ten years ago is caused by their mutual feelings of lust and love. They start to figure out how deep their love really was and is while they explore each other’s bodies eagerly. Not much of the ranching is actually involved it was just the immediate cause for their renewed friendship and new loving. I liked their inventiveness in the bedroom (verra steamy!) but I loved their emotional relationship! It was nicely developed and the information was well dosed. Really good read!

So this was my first month of the year. I better turn up the reading speed, otherwise I won’t get the 100+ books of the Reading Challenge done!

And as a reward for those who have made it to the end of this post... here's some man candy. Enjoy!

Mondays Hot Couple & Sexy, Smutty Scene

[image]

Last week I decided to add a sexy smutty scene from a book that I’m reading, just read or want to read soon to my weekly Monday’s Hot Couple post.

This week’s sexy smutty scene is from Blind Faith by Claire Thompson. It's a M/M story and the scene is from page 15:


“I bet other sensations are heightened too,” Zane said, his voice suddenly entering a lower register, seduction ripe in his tone. His fingers drew a line of fire down Aidan’s arm. He dropped his hand to Aidan’s thigh. A jolt of arousal shot through him as Zane’s lips met his. He gripped the counter to keep from losing his balance on the barstool.

Zane stood and gently pulled Aidan up. Wrapping his arms around him, he tugged him close. “I want you, Aidan.” He kissed him, their tongues entwining. Zane pulled away, and instinctively Aidan leaned forward, his lips still parted, his tongue seeking Zane’s. Instead he felt the nudge of Zane’s teeth, lightly biting his neck at the hot pulse of his jugular vein.

Aidan’s cock was rigid in his jeans, his heart slamming in his chest. His body ached for Zane’s, lust boiling his blood, melting his bones. Pushing Zane back, he reached for Zane’s shirt, felt the row of buttons and nimbly pulled them open, desperate for the feel of Zane’s smooth, hard chest. Zane stood quietly, only his thumping heart giving him away as Aidan leaned down, licking along the slightly salty flesh until he made contact with a nipple. As he lightly bit and licked the little nubbin, Zane moaned softly, his fingers weaving themselves into Aidan’s hair. Aidan sought out the second nipple.

“Jesus,” Zane whispered. “You’re driving me crazy.”


Clair Thompson’s website

Backblurb:
When Aidan finds himself permanently blinded by a nearly fatal car accident, he almost gives up hope. After months of painful physical therapy to heal his broken body, he retreats into a world of quiet determination, his sole focus regaining his independence. Forget about love—who would ever want him now?
Enter Zane Wilde, Aidan's on-again, off-again lover over the years.
With exquisite tenderness and love, Zane works to help Aidan understand he is still desirable, scars, imperfections and all.
The sexual attraction they've always felt for one another has never wavered, but there's a new overlay of intimacy brought about by Aidan's condition. This story explores how both men come to grips with the limitations and, surprisingly, the new avenues of freedom and understanding Aidan's handicap creates between them. Beneath it all, Zane's gypsy blood simmers, his wanderlust coming to the fore once again, forcing them both to make hard choices.

Read: A few quickies

I’ve read a few quick and short stories, that I’m not gonna review. Some of them were fun, others not so much:

Claire Thompson, Mistress for a Day, êêê, ¹½
Submissive and in love, sometimes Joanna’s dominant impulses get the better of her. What happens when a sub girl convinces her Dom to turn the tables? Does sexy Joanna have what it takes to be Mistress for a day? More importantly, is she willing to pay the price after?

James Buchanan, Kiernan Kelly and HB Kurtzwilde, Toy Box: Rope, ê, ¹½
Ever dream of being tied up and had wicked things happen? That's what the ropes Taste Test is all about. In James Buchanan's A Little Trust, Nicky and Brandon from the popular Cheating Chance, have a near miss after a rotten day at work for Brandon. Can they make the most of the adrenaline? Cobalt Dynamus from HB Kurtzwilde features Alous, an aerialist who's invited to join a new act, one with two beautiful men who fly on silken ropes. Can he find a place at their center? Finally, Kiernan Kelly creates a world for country singer Travis, who needs some time away. His old friend Booger picks him up, and ties him up, and Travis has to figure out what's important in life. Wrap yourself up in this one today!

J.M. Snyder, Mastering Stefan, êêê, ¹½
Three years and Stefan-s yet to find that certain someone who can take him to the precipice of lust, dangle him over the abyss, and shove him headlong into the darkness of his own desire. Someone who drives him to the edge but won-t let him fall. Someone he can trust completely, body and soul, someone he can lose himself in. When a local gay bar called the Code hosts a fetish night, Stefan goes looking to be conquered. There Stefan meets the man of his dreams, known only as -Master.- But when put to the test, can he prove himself worthy of such a man?
NOTE: This story won second place in Tit-Elation.com-s 2006 -Please the Baroness- contest, and appears in the anthology Best Gay Bondage Erotica.

Maya Banks, Blame the Rain (free short story), êêê, ¹½
A one-night-stand-between-strangers plot.

Contest: Claire Thompson's Texas Surrender

I just joined the contest on Ebook Addict's Blog to win an ARC of Texas Surrender by Claire Thompson. After reading and enjoying her novel Switch I would like to read this new book. Go check it out yourself on Ebook Addict.

Look for my review of Switch here>>>

Back Blurb of Texas Surrender:
When JD Reed shows up at the Circle R horse ranch, Avery Dalton is fully prepared to hate his guts. Tapped by his aunt to help out at the horse ranch, the greenhorn thinks he can just step in and run the show, but Avery’s not having any. JD’s got a line on Avery’s secret, though barely acknowledged need to be sexually dominated, A loner used to making his own way, Avery'll be damned before he submits to the arrogant Yankee.

JD Reed can never resist a challenge, and Avery Dalton is no exception. Determined to seduce and claim the tattooed, tough guy, JD teases and taunts his prey until he goes too far. In a battle of wills that turns physical, the sexual tension seething just below the surface explodes like a Texas tornado that sweeps them both off their feet.

Review of Switch by Claire Thompson

Claire Thompson
Switch
MLR Press, 2008

Genre & Keywords: Gay, M/M , Bdsm, Bondage, switching Dom

Rating: êêêê
Heat level: ¹¹½

I never read one of Claire Thompson’s stories before, Switch is the first. I’d heard some positive things about her work, mainly about the psychological depth of her characters. The protags of Switch, Nathan and Dane, were indeed multilayered characters. Claire Thompson wrote with Switch a strong M/M story, about the struggle of two men for dominance, which involves bondage and extreme sexual pain. I must say, it’s not for the faint of heart. But at the same time Switch is a great love story with a romantic HEA. For me, the emphasis was on the romance and the bdsm stuff was a means to tell the love story.

I like to share my High 5, Low 5 with you. The High Five are five things that have impressed me (with an emphasis on the author’s writing skills), and the Low Five are five things that had me shaking my head, made me wonder or regret.

First the Back Blurb:
Dane Bishop is reigning king in the Austin BDSM underground scene. A chance meeting with a sexy local artist named Nathan Levi turns his world upside down. Imagine his indignant surprise when Nathan, Dom himself, dares to assert he can see beyond Dane's swaggering persona to the untapped submissive streak beneath the leather and chain.
Can Nathan convince Dane of his place at his feet and, more importantly, in his arms? As each struggles to gain and maintain control, the sexual sparks fly. It's only a matter of time before a spark catches and bursts into flame.

High 5

• Credible attraction

When Nathan and Dane meet there’s an instant attraction between the two hot guys, which is described very well. As a reader you can feel and understand their feelings of attraction. Especially Dane is a hottie. The air sizzles with their chemistry and it’s really plausible that they can’t stop thinking of each other.

• High anticipation

The author provides us with a slow build up to their sexual and D/s relation. The first 50 pages they haven’t even as much as touched each other. But their conversations are sexually charged from the beginning. Their first actual sexual encounter is also slowly built up. It’s an experiment in which Nathan learns Dane how hard it is to follow an order, which eventually ends in hot sex. The tension is palpable.

• Great struggle

Ms. Thompson gives a good insight in Dane’s struggle, when he’s slowly becoming to learn about his submissive side. His feelings of doubt and arousal are very tangible, because the author let him reflect on them after each love scene. He’s rather adorable in his initial denial, his growing doubts, his anguish, his pleas and his final submission. Dane is the more likeable of the two protags because he has this struggle and he is the one who has to come to terms with his new self image. Not that Nathan is not loveable. He’s a really sweet guy as well, but he doesn’t have to go through this alteration, which make you empathize with him as much.

• Nathan’s readiness

It’s an appeasement that Nathan’s prepared to accept Dane as a lover even when he’s not turning into a submissive. This may even have helped Dane going through with it. I liked this about Nathan and it made Switch for me more about the romance and the HEA than about the bdsm relationship. I really appreciated this little fact. Nathan’s readiness to move to NY for Dane has the same status. It makes him an atypical Dom and a nice and considerate guy.

• Hotness

The love scenes are hot and everything but vanilla. The hotness increases when love, trust and submission become more and more a part of the love scenes. The last scene in the hammock, for example, was so scorching that it almost set the pages on fire. The chemistry is right and Ms. Thompson has a way of telling that makes you feel what her characters feel!


Low 5

• Use of labels

Despite Nathan’s statement about the terminology, the labels Dom and sub are used a lot. He states when they first meet that he doesn’t think in those qualifications:

"I wouldn't call myself Dom. Or sub for that matter. I don't especially care for labels. I think they tend to limit you. In my experience, it's the rare person who is all one thing or all the other. It's not about dominance or submission per se—it's about connection. It's about who moves you, and in what way." (p. 14-15)

That’s beautiful of course, but why than the need to convince Dane he’s a sub. And the words are used an awful lot.

• Extreme pain

The descriptions of the experienced pain were way too extreme for me. The bondage stuff is easier to withstand, the sexual pain is absolutely not my cup of tea. But I must admit that Ms. Thompson did a great job trying to explain what it meant for Dane. So it became understandable why he gets aroused to the point of ‘flying’, as he calls it. Still, I wouldn’t have minded if the flogging and caning had been omitted.

• Supporting actors

I think that the lack of secondary characters that are significant to the protagonists is always a shortcoming. This is also the case in Switch. One or two good friends or close family members can provide an essential addition to the story and the development of the characters. It’s not a must, but a nice extra.

• Missing more kissing

Nathan and Dane are not exactly the cuddling and kissing type of guys. They only kiss while having sex and then it’s almost every time described as ‘They kissed’ or another dull variation of those words. So sadly, there’re no elaborate kissing scenes with sexy descriptions of tongues and lips doing hot things to other tongues and lips.

• Ending

When the story ended I was left curious about their lives in New York and how they would proceed with their relationship now they’d agreed on their roles. So I regretted that the story ended at the beginning of a new chapter in their relationship. Maybe Ms. Thompson will write a sequel one day. That would be nice.

So, this were my five highs and lows. I did enjoy Switch quite a lot, because of the excellent writing, the great portraying of the characters and the nice development of the plot. If you’re into reading about the more painful side of bdsm, it probably is a must read for you. But for others it’s also a lovely and hot M/M romance!