Long time no "see"

So here I am, again. I won't complain about being lazy because that's not gonna change anything. Either way, this blog is for my own mental health. If people happen to read it I'm happy, if not I'm happy anyway because I write with pleasure.
Still, I have to admit I haven't updated because I've been pretty busy with life - more exactly with my day job and with my writing ( I promised myself I'll get published in 2012 ideally or in 2013, realistically :P ) . Well, either way I'm not completely lazy. Just not hard working enough to update my blogs as well. By the way, do you like my blog's new look?

The nicest thing happened to me last week. I won another book! Aren't I freakin' lucky? The Univers must totally love me :D

The book is called "Hero" and it's K. Williams's debut novella. Check this gorgeous cover out!

Well, what can I say? It's a sweet love story about a nurse and a soldier. I really loved it and recommend it to all of you out there who have allergy to angst ( like me )!

Happy reading, guys! I promise to update more often and thanks for the follow :)

Happy Holidays!

Dear friends, I hope your Christmas will be filled with joy and love and lots of laughter and may teh new year bring you only good news and happiness! Happy Holidays!

Ramblings and some books - part 2

Hello, pretty people. Today I'll continue the list of my receently read books (which has, in the meantime, grown larger, but let's pretend it didn't happen :p)

Allergies

Blurb:
What’s a shapeshifter to do when the man he desperately wants is allergic to him?

Raymond Marvels never imagines his call to the IT department at his graphics design job would result in his meeting Lou Canis, the most gorgeous man he’s ever seen. There’s one small problem, though—Ray is allergic to Lou. Yet his allergy is only one of the weird things going on between them.

Lou, a werewolf, isn’t sure how to fix the situation, because it seems his would-be lover’s allergy is to Lou’s human form and not his canine one. Lou decides to tell Ray his deep dark secret, which has unexpected results when Ray embraces both sides of Lou. Yet after a witch doctor gives Ray some medicine to solve his problem, Ray and Lou discover they must also face a dangerous conspiracy evolving around them... 


What I liked:
- the whole plot is very interesting, which was why I picked up the book in the first place.
- there were many cute and sexy scenes that I really liked.


What I didn't like:
- I think the author had some really great ideas, but didn't really exploit them at their maximum. Ray's allergy could have been the source of many plot twists and funny situation, as well as Lou's ability to enter his dreams. Man the scenes it could have inspired!

By any other name

Blurb:
Dru and Thom have been together for three years, and despite Thom’s occasional bouts of insecurity and Dru’s fear of rejection, their relationship is rock solid. Then Dru’s long-lost friend, Skye, suddenly reappears, shocking them both. Skye suffered years of inconceivable abuse before escaping it, and while he’s back on track, he has nowhere else to go as he begins to rebuild his life.

Dru, Thom, and Skye each want to belong somewhere, to belong with someone—or someones—with no fear of being hurt, set aside, or left behind. It’s a challenge with daunting odds, especially for Skye, who’s never loved before. He’s determined not to come between his two friends who so clearly belong together, and it will be up to Dru and Thom to conquer their fears and convince Skye to stay.

What I liked:
- this was definitely one the best ménage M/M stories I've read so far. The characters were portrayed very realistically and I definitely fell in love with all of them. Even the female character wasn't that annoying. Great book, especially for a beginner at ménage reads!


What I didn't like:
- Ok, this will probably be one of the fewest times when you'll see me complaining about this, but, truly, there was way too little sex!!! (not a recommended read for pervs)

 

The Oasis 

Blurb:
Elias and his best friend/roommate Josh take the plunge and head to Palm Springs for one of the notorious gay circuit parties that take place in the lavish desert resort called The Oasis on holiday weekends. After a disastrous start, they find all the sex with all the hot bodies they could want. However, they find to their surprise that the real oasis... was right under their noses all along. Elias and Josh realize there is something else between them. Could their real oasis be... each other?

What I liked:
This was my first book from A.J. Lewellyn so I was totally unfamiliar with the author. I read the blurb, liked it , and decided to give it a try. I liked the whole friends-become-lovers plot that, as cliché as it is, it's always gonna be my favorite type of plot, amongst o few others.When there are children involved, it's even better!

What I didn't like:
- the plot was promising, but it could have been better. The author chose to concentrate more on smut (which was a tad too much, in my opinion), rather than on building powerful characters. It didn't really leave a strong impression on me.
 

 Double Feature
  
 Blurb:
As Hollywood's biggest holovid star, Adrien Grant has all the money and fame a man could want. The price he pays is keeping his sexuality firmly in the closet. When damning photos get leaked to the press, he decides a nice long vacation in the Spanish countryside is just what he needs. But Spain holds a surprise that he never could have foreseen.

Cristian Rodriguez wants nothing more than to run his bed-and-breakfast in peace with his partner, Felix. But every glance in the mirror reminds him of the one thing he’d rather forget—that he's Adrien Grant's clone, a pale imitation of Hollywood's biggest celebrity. Still, they live a peaceful life until the day Adrien himself shows up on their doorstep, insisting he has a reservation.

Adrien's a spoiled celebrity with the paparazzi hot on his heels. Cristian's got a chip on his shoulder the size of Europe and a lifetime of resentment burning inside him. Felix just wants to salvage what remains of his and Cristian's crumbling relationship. But what if each of them is just what the others need?
 What I liked:
- the thing that I most liked about this book is the fact that the author skillfully combined science-fiction elements with a contemporary story. As unlikely as it may seem, the result was fantastic. You'll have to read it to know!
 - the characters were strong, pretty lovable and their emotions were very well portrayed.

 What I didn't like:
- I'm not a big fan of angsty novels, so the emotional roller-coaster was a bit too heavy for my liking. But, all in all, it was a good read.

Broken

Blurb:
Job has cut himself off from his heart since he ran away from home at sixteen. After his best friend committed suicide he realized the risk was too great. Only Lucy, Chloe, Oscar and Charlie, his stray kittens seem to be able to break through the walls he has built.

Charles is getting over the death of his first love from cancer. He promised Danny he wouldn't stay broken forever but has had a hard time following through. Could the guy he sees feeding stray kittens near his apartment every night be the one to heal his broken heart? Could he be the one to break down Job's walls? Find out if these two men will be Broken forever or if perhaps love can heal them. 

What I liked:
Albeit a short story, broken was sweet and sad at the same time. I loved the characters and their stories, as well as how they get together and are able to fall in love again, despite them being broken. There's also a plus - it's totally free! Go to goodreads and look it up.


What I didn't like:
There's nothing not to like about this story  aside from the fact that I wished it was longer).


As you can see, lots of ménage books in this post. Hopefully you'll all give them a try if you haven't already. Do share your thoughts!

I'm a contest winner!

Yey me! I entered the contest held by prolific author Stephani Hecht , loved by many MM readers like myself, over at Stumbling Over Chaos and I am the winner of  her brand new book "Night terrors". Well, I was, actually, until a family emergency forced me to leave town for 2 days and prize was given to someone else. But the author herself took pity on me!  Can't wait to break free from work tomorrow and open my lovely gift! Thank you so much Stephani and Chris for this awesome prize!

Author Stephani Hecht's website
Author Stephani Hecht's blog
Stumbling Over Chaos

Ramblings and some books

First of all, thank you, everyone, for following, especially my dear Aigoo whose blog is absolutely awesome! I can't believe I just started this blog and I've already begun to procrastinate. I'm such a lazy bum! You must excuse me, but I'm sure that you, book lovers out there, must understand how hard it is to find any willpower to do anything but read. It's what happened in my case too.

What books caught my eye? Oh, gosh, where to start from? Lets's see, the books I read last week:
- Paris A to Z by Marie Sexton
 - Left of center by Zathyn Priest
 - Blood moon and Hunter's Moon by MJ O'Shea
 - Static by L.A. Witt
Hmm... I feel like I've forgotten something ...

Books I read this week:
- Allergies by T.A. Chase
- By any other name by Tia Fielding
- The Oasis by A.J. Lewellyn
- Double Feature by Kerry Aislinn
- Boken by Kathleen Hayes

So, I'll start with the beginning.  WARNING: major subjectiveness, spoilers and a long, looooong post! try not to fall asleep, people (or, if you do, please be discreet about it)!

Paris A to Z

Blurb: 
Sequel to The Letter Z Zach Mitchell and his lover Angelo Green are headed to Paris (along with their Coda friends Matt and Jared) to attend Jon and Cole's wedding. Matt will have to face Jared's former lover, and Angelo will have to spend an entire week with Zach's ex-boyfriend. Between Matt's jealousy and Angelo's temper, Zach thinks they'll be lucky to get through the week without one of the grooms being punched. But Zach soon realizes he should worry less about Angelo and more about himself. Facing the bittersweet memories of his past and his own guilt over breaking Jon's heart is harder than expected, but Zach will have to find a way to leave his past behind if he's to have any hope of the future he wants with Angelo.

What I liked: 
- apart from being written by Marie Sexton? Well... That pretty much says it all! But, OK, for those who are newbies to the genre or haven't touched a book written by amazing Marie Sexton ( which, quite frankly, it's really hard to believe), I'll point out a few things that I most liked about this book:
- being a lover of this specific series, I loved the fact that all the characters were brought together in this book, emphasizing their unique personality traits and making me fall in love all over again with all of them. 
- the book felt pretty much like a closure, giving me quite a nostalgic feeling, but somehow this increased the atmosphere and deepened the connection between reader and characters; for me, it was definitely a plus.
- the emotions between the MCs are so real! Marie Sexton is a master at showing emotions as opposed to many authors who describe them rather then showing them. She really makes you feel whatever happens between the two lovers and makes you feel part f the story rather than simply a "third wheel".
- and last, but not least ( actually maybe the best part) : the ending. the ending was absolutely Perfect!


What I didn't like:
- did I mention she's one of the best MM authors ever? Not one single thing. Paris A to Z is flawless!

Left of Center


Blurb:
When self-confessed player Brand Faulkner arranges to meet three different Goth guys over the course of one weekend, he isn’t expecting to meet someone like ‘Enigma’. Enigma isn’t like anyone Brandon’s met before. He’s unpredictable, volatile and… well, downright weird! To make matters worse, the gorgeous Enigma isn’t at all impressed with Brandon and is unafraid to crush the man’s ego at every opportunity. For the first time in his life, Brandon has to work hard to win the guy. Will Brandon agree to Enigma’s left of center, bizarre requests, or is the player about to get played?

What I liked:
- there is so much more to the plot than what the blurb reveals; this read is full of surprises and the plot is absolutely awesome!
- Zathyn Priest's unmistakable sense of humor!
- adorable characters and crazy situations.   


What I didn't like:
- I'd like to say nothing, but the cover could have been better. Boots make me think of BDSM ,which, hey, probably fits the MC's sadistic personality, but still, it's may turn off possible buyers and it would be an absolute pity because THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!

Blood Moon


Blurb:

There’s something different about Noah….Zack Parker met his best friend Noah at his lake cabin when they were only five years old. He realized he felt more than friendship for him by the time they were in junior high school. One fateful night when they were eighteen Zack couldn’t take it anymore. Fueled by love and lust and need, he finally kissed Noah like he’d wanted to for years…and Noah kissed him back, returning every drop of Zack’s passion.The next morning, Noah ended their friendship for what Zack believed was forever.Now twenty-one, Zack resents being dragged by his guilt-tripping mother every summer back to the lake cabin where every leaf and rock and turn in the road reminds him of Noah and the love he felt for him three long years before. He hates being reminded of what he lost and more than anything he wants his best friend back.But this year things are different.Noah has returned, apologetic and more gorgeous than ever. Amazingly, he seems to want Zack as much as Zack wants him. He’s sweet and attentive, sexy enough to make Zack’s thighs quiver, but there’s something not quite right…What secret is Noah hiding?

What I liked:
- the contemporary urban setting.
- the author's style (pretty romantic and dreamy - I don't really know how to describe a style, but it's what the book made me feel like).


What I didn't like:
- didn't really fall in love with the MCs.
- the plot felt a bit weak; it felt like the plot was there just as an excuse to get the MCs together as opposed to bringing them together naturally.

Hunter's Moon


Blurb:
Miles craves adventure. Freedom from his monotonous routine; but he's started to believe that perhaps adventure isn’t in his stars—until a late night encounter makes him wonder if the creatures he creates in his stories could possibly be real.

PC is a wolf. A lycan since birth, he’s spent the first twenty-four years of his life trying to be the exact opposite of what everyone expects of him. He hunts supernatural troublemakers, hangs out with vampires, and refuses to settle down—even if his respectable parents and the stuffy lycan council want him to. One confusing night, his body responds, turning into his wolf form and hurling him into the darkness to save a stranger.

Pulled together by a physical force stronger than either can resist, PC and Miles must learn to live with each other because separation, even for just minutes, means extreme pain. Miles finds himself falling for the unpredictable lycan, his strange friends, and their nightly adventures but his reluctant lover is determined to find a way to break the bond between them.

Together, they are drawn into a mystery involving werewolves, the lycan council, bad vampires and a whole lot of dead humans. Finding the truth at the bottom of it might just be the hunt of PC's life--especially if he wants to keep Miles alive.

What I liked:
- the author definitely got me with this book; it was so much better constructed, the plot was more solid and that great urban mixed with paranormal background made me really fall in love with the book.
- the emotions felt real and the  sex scenes... oh, Lord! I really felt those butterflies that only great connection between characters and readers can create.
- great, adorable three-dimensional characters!


What I didn't like:
- I didn't really like the whole bonding/ mating thing. It gets on my nerves really, but somehow MJ O'Shea made it work out so it wasn't as annoying as in other shifter books. 




Static


Blurb:
Damon Bryce is worried sick when he doesn’t hear from his girlfriend after she visits her estranged parents, but when he checks up on her, he’s in for the shock of his life: She’s a shifter, part of a small percentage of the population who can shift genders at will. Thanks to her parents, though, she’s been forcibly given an implant that leaves her static—unable to shift—and male.

Alex Nichols desperately wants the implant removed, but getting it out isn’t nearly as easy as putting it in. The surgery is expensive and dangerous. Left in, the implant carries its own set of risks, with the potential to cripple or even kill him. On top of that, he’s carefully kept his identity a secret from more people in his life than just Damon, and his parents aren’t the only ones appalled by shifters.

Stripped of half his identity and facing serious physical effects and social ramifications, Alex needs Damon more than ever, but he doesn’t see how their relationship can get through this unscathed.

Especially if Alex is a static male permanently.


 What I liked:
- the idea of this book is extremely interesting - a world where there are static people and people who can shift from one gender to another. This totally caught my attention.
- the emotional roller coaster the MCs have to face is described in a great way. The story's pace is slow and concentrates on the characters' feelings, which is something that other readers hated, but I found suitable for this kind of plot.


What I didn't like:
- I didn't really feel a strong connection between the two MCs until the end of the story. It only got interesting in the last couple of chapters - a pity really because I believe this author has a great talent at writing love/ sex scene.
- the whole asking advice from friends scene got boring after it got repeated 3 or 4 times in row (for God's sake! make him check the net the second time or ask his mother or something [in Damon's case]...)



To be continued...

Why I love MM

Since this is my first real post, I felt it was necessary to clarify. Why do I love MM (m x m, m/m, man x man, call it whatever you like)? Why do women, in general, love MM?
To be honest, I never questioned this preference myself. However, it seems that many people do. A few months ago I stumbled upon a thread in a forum regarding women and MM. The author of the thread, a gay man, was wondering why women are fascinated by gay romance. There were a lot of answers including mine, each of them containing various theories, but, in the end, no one was able to truly understand why we love MM so much.
Truth be told, I mainly believe we're perverts. That's the truth! Any human being, for that matter, is a pervert in their own way. But, while most men probably prefer porn over literature, women prefer the latter. We love to read and let the words inspire images in our minds that otherwise we couldn't experience in reality. And what is sexier, hotter and more beautiful then two (or more) men together?
Secondly, I think it's a sort of possessiveness.We want our fantasy men to be ours and ours alone! We don't want another woman in the mix. Why should we? Another woman would simply ruin the perfect image, we'd probably see in her our biggest rival: a woman who's better than us, more beautiful, more confident; we'd over-analyze her in hope of finding a flaw and a reason to hate her and, in the end, we'd end up hating the whole story. On the other hand, a man... well, a man it's a totally different kind of story. And if he's just as sexy as our main character, than fuck yeah! So, you see, in  my opinion, women who like MM are probably selfish. They want to live in a world where they are the only women around. Of course, this is just a theory, but, personally, I think it stands.
Some women motivate their choice by stating that we want the possibility to experience something that we can't experience in real life because we wore born as part of a different gender; as a result, by reading MM we like to pretend we're men.
Others believe that female characters are boring and not complex enough, an opinion which I don't rally to simply because I believe our own subconscious is telling us to consider them boring because we're actually jealous of them being the main characters; but, of course, that's only my opinion and it's useless going into psychology matters when we aren't professionals in this domain.
Let's be honest, the motivation behind women loving MM is complex and probably variates from individual to individual. The fact remains that the majority of MM readers are women.
I'm one of them and I love MM for all of the above reasons. MM is a good, senseless way to relax and let your imagination run wild, create a universe of your own, a perfect little world where gorgeous men love each other fearlessly and you are allowed to watch. It really is voyeuristic hobby and that makes it even more exciting. So, for those of you women out there who haven't tried it, listen to my advice and give a good book a try. In my following posts I'll give my best to recommend only good and touching romance stories. This is not book reviews blog. Take it rather as a guide into the world of MM. I will teach you a good way in which you can discover it.

Introduction

Dear readers,

First of all, a warning: THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO GAY NOVELS! If you hate or feel digusted by homoerotic relationships in any way, please LEAVE THIS PAGE AND REFRAIN FROM MAKING ANY OFFENDING COMMENTS!

Well, now that this is cleared up, I suppose I should tell you a bit about myself. As you have probably guessed, I'm an avid reader of gay novels and I absolutely devour a least 3 novels a week. This passion of mine started with shounen-ai and yaoi manga and last year, thanks to a dear friend of mine, I've discovered the wonderful world of gay literature. But, as every human being when getting hooked on something, I felt the need to talk about my hobbies and discovered I barely have anyone to share my passion with. Thus, I came up with the idea of this blog. Since I already have a blog where I talk about my other huge passion : asian dramas and manga, I figured... why not?

So, expect lots of reviews and only about good books (because I hate to talk about things I don't like), though sometimes you might find me rating about bad books too (who knows? - they'd have to be really bad though).

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my useless ramblings! Hope I can add some content soon. Have a nice day!