Tag Archives: Jordan Castillo Price

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Oh crap, I have to come up with yet another linkity title

15 Comments

Congrats to Seanna Lea, who won Acceleration (Impulse #2) by Amelia C. Gormley! Amelia is releasing Acceleration today.

Congrats to Shelley, who won When Love Flue In by Lillian Francis! When Love Flue In will be released by Silver Publishing on December 1.

Congrats to Lori S, who won Eight Days by Cardeno C! Eight Days will be released on December 1 by Dreamspinner Press as part of their 2012 Advent Calendar collection.

Congrats to Stacia H, who won Snowbound in Nowhere by Andrew Grey! Snowbound in Nowhere will also be released on December 1 by Dreamspinner Press as part of their 2012 Advent Calendar collection.

Congrats to Judi P, who won An Isolated Range (Stories from the Range #5) by Andrew Grey! An Isolated Range will be released on December 3 by Dreamspinner Press.

Congrats to Josieb1 and Marie A, who won the Oh, Come All Ye Kinky anthology, courtesy of  Kim Dare and Ava March! O Come All Ye Kinky will be released by Riptide Publishing on December 3.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Learn, Think, Do, Make

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

  • If I had Christmas lights, I’m sure I’d be taking May to the vet to have them removed from her stomach…

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Of course there were hockey fics. Onward! 🙂
Counterpoint (Song of the Fallen #1) by Rachel Haimowitz. ebook. Very good m/m fantasy romance about an elf who’s captured by humans while trying to protect his sister, then becomes the favored prisoner of the area’s regent. I started reading this nearly two years ago, soon after it was released. Then I learned that the book ended in an evil cliffhanger, so I stopped reading until the sequel came out  (if I’d reached that cliffhanger, I would have been too pissed to ever read the sequel).
Crescendo (Song of the Fallen #1) by Rachel Haimowitz. ebook. Very good m/m fantasy romance picking right up where the first book left off, as a human prince-regent and his elven lover-slave try to find their way through deceit and betrayal and perhaps save both their races.
In the Dark (PsyCop #6.1) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook short. Good short m/m paranormal romance in which Vic and Jacob go to a fancy Halloween party thrown by one of Jacob’s exes.
Jock Straps on Sale (PsyCop Flash Fic) by Jordan Castillo Price. free online short. Ok ultrashort fic about Vic stopping at Crash’s store.
Black Box (Turbulence #5) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook short. Good installment of this serial, with several flashbacks to Marlin, the pilot who killed himself at the beginning of the story.
Khyber Run by Amber Green. ebook. Pretty good m/m suspense about an Afghan-American Navy corpsmen who’s roped into helping a group of Marines track down a deserter without knowing the full story. Having just read the blurb, it makes some things clear that weren’t really clear from reading the story, but would definitely have been good to know when reading…
Fontana by Joshua Martino. ebook. Ok novel told from the first person POV of an alcoholic sportswriter who tries to save his career by outting a record-breaking major league baseball player. In Steve Kluger’s hands, this could’ve been a great story.
Stranger in Translation by Charles Raines. ebook. So-so stream-of-consciousness story of a Englishman living in Marseilles, translating a novel into French and becoming intrigued by a stranger who persists in chattering away when he’s trying to enjoy the quiet of a cemetery.
Lord & Master by HC Brown. ebook. Not sure there’s a likeable character in this kinky m/m historical “romance”. Between the characters and the intermittently overwrought and clumsy writing, this wasn’t for me. DNF.

“Not only can I read your minds, I can control your thoughts!” -Chaos

Nothing much new to report from ’round here. May’s still staying in my bedroom overnight and when I’m gone for any length of time, since Chaos keeps hissing (and occasionally growling) at her. Of course, now May’s asleep on the ottoman and Chaos is in the chair looking baleful but not hissing…

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Lachrymose linkity

19 Comments

Congrats to Matthias, who won End Game by Jennifer Brooks!

Congrats to Tina, who won Snow on the Mountain (The Mountains #2) (2nd ed) by PD Singer! Snow on the Mountain is being released today by Dreamspinner Press.

Congrats to Ladypessi, who won Texas Heat (Texas #3) by RJ Scott! Texas Heat will be released by Silver Publishing on August 18.

Congrats to Ami, who won Nothing of a Son by L.A. Witt! Nothing of a Son will be released by Amber Allure on August 19.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Do, Learn, Make

Cookity

Drinkity

Gluten-Free

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Blind Eye (Benjamin Justice #5) by John Morgan Wilson. Very good gay mystery in which Ben’s been given an advance to write his autobiography and is trying to track down a priest who made a big impression on his preteen self… These mysteries are good, but Ben goes through so much… and so much of it he brings upon himself.
Moth and Flame (Benjamin Justice #6) by John Morgan Wilson. Very good gay mystery in which Ben is hired to finish a brochure for the city of West Hollywood after the original writer was murdered. I realized after finishing this that the really horrific things have happened to Ben in the odd number books (excluding the first), so now I’m nervous about reading book 7…
Rhapsody in Blood (Benjamin Justice #7) by John Morgan Wilson. Very good gay mystery in which Ben and Templeton stay at a hotel notorious for being the location of the murder of movie star 50 years ago and the suicide of her daughter 25 years later. Templeton’s there to report on a film about the movie star’s life being shot at the hotel… and then things get messy.
Into the Flames by Mel Bossa. ebook. Engrossing but disturbing gay literary fiction in which Bossa skillfully pulled together her seemingly disparate plot threads. I’m still not sure what I think about this book. On one hand, I did sit down and read it straight through. On the other, I’m absolutely sure I’ll never reread it and I was reminded why I don’t particularly enjoy literary fiction. Your mileage may vary…
Connecting Flight (Turbulence #4) by Jordan Castillo Price. free ebook short. Very good short paranormal m/m romance in which we get to see both Paul and Dallas on their home turf after returning from Bermuda.
Locks of Love: A Modern Gay Fairy Tale (2nd ed) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook short. Good short m/m fairy tale about a guy who can convince locks to open… but there have to be doors for his talent to work.
Hot August Nights by Kate Roman. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance about a grad student from New York who’s in Austin, Texas, for a week-long spring vacation and meets the cowboy of his dreams. This was very instalovey, which just didn’t work for me.

Can you figure out this Mayhem puzzle?! The white spot is on her chest, if that helps…

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Lashings of Sauce anthology [CONTEST CLOSED]

54 Comments

Many thanks to Josephine Myles for donating an ebook copy of the freshly released anthology, Lashings of Sauce, for a lucky commenter to win! Contributors include Tam Ames, Becky Black, Anne Brooke, Charlie Cochrane, Rebecca Cohen, Lillian Francis, Elin Gregory, Clare London, Sandra Lindsey, JL Merrow, Emily Moreton, Josephine Myles, Zahra Owens, Jordan Castillo Price, Elyan Smith and Robbie Whyte.

We Brits love our sauce, whether it’s what we lash on our food, read on our seaside postcards, or write in our stories. Come and enjoy a buffet of tasty LGBTQ treats!

From marriages to reunions, via practical jokes and football matches, to weresloths and possibly the oddest Tarts and Vicars party in the world, join us as we celebrate the UK Meet in the best way we know: telling the story.

As a follow-up to the critically acclaimed British Flash (free) and Tea and Crumpet anthologies, our talented writers bring you sixteen stories about gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and genderqueer characters enjoying what Britain and mainland Europe have to offer, with their wonderfully diverse range of cultures and landscapes and some incredibly colourful and quirky people.

This anthology is a souvenir of the 2012 UK Meet, an occasion for GLBTQ supporters to get together in a relaxed setting to celebrate and chat about the fiction community they love. Funds from the sale of this anthology will go towards future UK Meets, to which all are welcome. Please visit the website for details, or contact UK MAT through the publisher.

Other UK MAT Anthologies

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Friday, August 10.
  • By entering the contest, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • I am not able to reliably contact people with aol.com and netscape.com email addresses – please use a different email address if at all possible!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“I am on this bag, which means it’s mine!” -Chaos, being very possessive of Jeanne’s knitting bag

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

That week when linkity got so crazily out of hand, I don’t even know what to say

19 Comments

Congrats to Zanara, who won The Wish (2nd ed) by Eden Winters! The Wish is being released today by Dreamspinner Press. And don’t forget that a new edition of Valentine Wish (Wish #3) is available as a free read today!

Congrats to Majken, who won A Better Man by RJ Scott and Jaime Reese! A Better Man will be released by Silver Publishing on July 21.

Congrats to Erica, who won Daddio (Horizons #3) by Mickie B. Ashling! Daddio will be released by Dreamspinner Press on July 23.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Do, Think, Make, Learn

Gluten-Free

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Red-Eye Dawn (Turbulence #3) by Jordan Castillo Price. free ebook short. Very good installment of the serial in which Paul starts to freak out about their situation, but gains calm from an unexpected source.
Temporal Driftwood by Stephen Osborne. ebook short. Cute short m/m romance about a guy who’s shown two possible futures for himself… Can he believe he deserves the good one?
An Oral Fixation by Piper Vaughn. free ebook short. Cute short m/m romance about a college student who’s had a crush on his bisexual roommate for years, but the timing hasn’t worked out to say anything about it.
Naked Truth (Sun, Sea & Submission #3) by Kim Dare. ebook short. Good short kinky m/m romance about a nudist who seems determined to disrupt the (closeted at work) life of the Pendragon Hotel’s manager.
Final Atonement (Doug Orlando #1) by Steve Neil Johnson. Good gay mystery set in NYC in the early 90s about a cop, ostracized by his peers for trying to do the right thing, who’s trying to figure out who murdered a universally disliked rabbi.
Player and the Prude (Men of Holsum College #4) by Daisy Harris. ebook. Good m/m romance about a wealthy and slutty business major who takes a bet from a friend to seduce a gawky, repressed film student.
Skin Deep (Gray Zone #3) by Adrienne Wilder. ebook. Pretty good paranormal m/m romance about a guy who returns home one day to discover that his boyfriend is very, very sick… and is then plunged into a nightmarish world he can barely comprehend. This was a very mixed read for me – it’s a Bittersweet Dreams title, so it doesn’t exactly end happily. And I couldn’t quite relate to the main character – many of his actions seemed TSTL to me.
Come Cuddle Me by Missy Welsh. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance about a naive young man who posts his address along with an invitation to “come cuddle me” and is rescued from his foolishness by the bearish neighbor he’s been crushing on.

“I can’t believe you called me a thug, Mom. Look at how sophisticated and refined I am!” -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity: Now available in new bite-sized portions! (I have no idea what that means, either)

16 Comments

Congrats to Monica and Alex W, who won copies of Sidecar by Amy Lane! Sidecar is being released today by Dreamspinner Press.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Learn, Make, Do

Cookity

Drinkity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

  • Indeed. (hover your cursor over the comic for additional text)

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Into the Bermuda Triangle (Turbulence #1) by Jordan Castillo Price. free ebook short. serial. 5/13/2012: Very good short m/m paranormal setting the stage for future episodes of this serial about pilots who fly into the Bermuda Triangle. You are definitely left wanting more! 🙂
6/23/2012: I reread this before reading the second installment and am glad I did – not only did I get more out of it than I did the first time, it helped make things in the second installment clearer.
Autopilot Engaged (Turbulence #2) by Jordan Castillo Price. free ebook short. serial. The second installment of this paranormal m/m serial gives us more background on Dallas, how he ended up on this Bermuda Triangle flight, and what he thinks might be going on.
Boystown 4: A Time for Secrets by Marshall Thornton. ebook. Very good gay mystery in which Nick obtains information about a 25-year old murder that has dangerous current implications.
Fire on the Mountain (2nd ed) (The Mountains #1) by PD Singer. ebook. reread. Smokin’ hot m/m romance about two guys fighting forest fires together in the Rockies. I enjoyed the added flashback short story in this edition.
Fourth and Long by Chris Scully. ebook short. Sweet short timetravel romance about a guy whose life started going terribly wrong on the night of his high school prom. He doesn’t expect that to change on the night of his 20th high school reunion.
A Bar Tender’s Tale by Melanie Tushmore. ebook. Good m/m romance about a couple days in the life of a punk bartender as he progresses from a jerk boyfriend to a better boyfriend, even if said better boyfriend moves at a glacial pace.
Second Time Lucky (Middleton #2) by Ethan Day. ebook. Good m/m romance about two guys who run into each other years after things didn’t work out for them for no good reason in college. Can they keep that from happening again?
Bennie’s Wish by Xara X. Xanakas. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a wealthy but wishy washy guy whose friends take shameless advantage of him and constantly put him down, so when a cute guy hits on him, he can’t believe it’s for real.
Half-Baked Promises (Castor Springs #1) by Erica Pike. free ebook short. Pretty good short m/m story about an auditor who has to spend a few days working in the small Texas town where he grew up, although he might never manage to finish the job if that hunky construction worker doesn’t stop making so much noise. This didn’t feel like a complete story – more like the first few chapters of a longer work.
Losing and Gaining by Heidi Champa. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a guy who’s always been obese until finally, at age 25 (two years before the story starts), he decides to reinvent himself by eating better, working out, getting a new job, and changing his name. Too bad you can’t escape the past quite that easily… I thought this had a lot of potential, but I got frustrated with the main character’s doormat nature. People using each other’s names too much in conversation was an additional frustration.

“Why, yes, I am as mysterious as I appear to be.” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity welcomes melted kitty season

19 Comments

Congrats to Mary F, who won her choice of Ervin’s Dilemma (Wayne County Wolves #1) by Stephani Hecht or The Helpful Swan (The Cob Brothers #3) by Amber Kell and Stephani Hecht!

Congrats to Michelle, CursingMama, and Tracey D, who won King Perry by Edmond Manning!

Congrats to Peggy C, who won Still Waters (Sanctuary #4) by RJ Scott! Still Waters will be released by Silver Publishing on May 19.

Congrats to Paula S, who won her choice of More Than Pride (Supernatural Mates #6) or Switching Payne by Amber Kell! Switching Payne will be released by Silver Publishing on May 19 and More Than Pride will be released by Total-E-Bound on May 28.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Do, Think, Make, Learn

  • All about introverts. This quote sums us up perfectly: “…introverts are people who find other people tiring.” (Thanks, Edmond!)

Cookity

  • Now I’m really hungry.

Gluten-Free

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Last Stop by Lou Harper. ebook. arc. Very good kinky m/m romantic suspense about a guy who’s hitchhiking to Seattle, paying his way with sex or a friendly ear. When his latest ride dumps him at a truck stop in Montana, he sees a help wanted sign and decides to stick around for a bit after he meets the sexy, mysterious, older owner of the cafe. And then things start to get more and more complicated…
Where You Hurt the Most by Anne Brooke. ebook short. arc. Very good short m/m romance about an escort who’s asked to spend some time with a young man and perhaps help draw him out of the shell he’s been in since an accident left him terribly scarred. Written in a lovely, literary style, this story was a pleasure to read. My only complaint was that, while the story of the escort and the young man was evocatively told, I wanted to know at least a few more details about the merely implied back story in order to better understand a scene near the end.
Pricks and Pragmatism by JL Merrow. ebook short. Very good m/m romance about a guy who’s almost done with his university degree. He has no money, so he’s been staying with various guys, basically exchanging sex for food and lodging. But what’s up with the nerdy engineer he’s just moved in with, who doesn’t seem interested in him in that way?
Into the Bermuda Triangle (Turbulence #1) by Jordan Castillo Price. free ebook short. Very good short m/m paranormal setting the stage for future episodes of this serial about pilots who fly into the Bermuda Triangle. You are definitely left wanting more! 🙂
The Amethyst Cat Caper by Charlie Cochet. ebook. Very good mystery and romance set in Manhattan in the 1930s, in which the owner of a teahouse purchases a cat statue that he assumes is a forgery until a Pinkerton’s man comes knocking on his door…
Still Waters (Sanctuary #4) by RJ Scott. ebook. arc. Good m/m romantic suspense in which a Sanctuary operative, former FBI, is thrown together with his ex (still in the FBI) who believes he was on the take.
She’s Come Undone by Eric Arvin. ebook short. Sad short story about being trapped, be it by your body or by your fears or by the actions of others.
Home Sweet Home by Kim Dare. ebook short. Sweet short kinky m/m romance about a submissive who returns home to discover that his master’s contribution to their home’s decor is not at all what he suspected. (I took the picture that inspired said contribution. Hee hee.)
Glitter (Beach Duo #0.5) by Diana DeRicci. ebook. Good m/m romance about a college student who slowly realizes, over four years, that he’s not actually homophobic but rather the opposite.
The Charlie Factor (Beach Duo #1) by Diana DeRicci. ebook. reread. Very good m/m romance about a former firefighter slowly recovering after nearly dying in a murderous fire. He’s befriended by a straight guy who finds himself developing very confusing feelings for his new friend.
Popping the Question (Beach Duo #1.5) by Diana DeRicci. free ebook short. Sweet short m/m romance about a couple celebrating the second anniversary of their meeting. Really, this should be #2.5, as it contains spoilers for the second book.
Doing Love Right (Beach Duo #2) by Diana DeRicci. ebook. reread. Pretty good m/m romance about a wedding planner, recently dumped, who wakes up after a party to discover a strange man in bed with him… a strange man who knows an awful lot about him. This would’ve been better without the near-purple prose during the sex scenes.
Sparks Fly by Clare London. ebook. reread. Pretty good m/m romance about a successful entrepreneur who gets around, but finds himself thinking about the prickly programmer who helped launch his first venture, an online dating service. This suffers from an excess of exclamation points and… I know Clare’s a much more polished writer now than she was when this was written. 🙂
Mark’s Opening Gambit by Lee Brazil. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a high school dropout who’s helping his mom support his younger brothers by working nights. When he meets the snooty owner of a chess shop where one of his brothers is in a tournament, he’s unprepared for the attraction between them.
My First But Not My Last by Leigh Jarrett. ebook short. Ok, but very short, m/m encounter between a guy who’s just been dumped by his girlfriend and a guy he meets at the beach.
The Stars on My Arm by Leigh Jarrett. ebook. Meh m/m romance about a high school senior who’s at first repulsed and then fascinated by the heavily pierced and tattooed guy who moves in next door, much to his girlfriend’s dismay. This book was hampered by a number of things: too much telling and not enough showing, being several times longer than it should have been for the amount of actual story, and a lack of editing (giving someone the finger is rather different than fingering said person).

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

Knitting, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Ligamentary, my dear linkity

18 Comments

Congrats to wusswoo, who won Cleave (Cutting Cords #3) by Mickie B. Ashling! Cleave is being released today by Dreamspinner Press.

Congrats to Logan, who won the signed paperback copy of The Talker Collection by Amy Lane! The Talker Collection is being released by Dreamspinner Press today.

Congrats to Jane O, who won Bennie’s Wish by Xara X. Xanakas (plus swag)!

Congrats to Wendy, who won Absolutely Eric (Boston Boys #2) by Erica Pike! Absolutely Eric is being released today by MLR Press.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Do, Think, Learn, Make

Cookity

Drinkity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

  • Bacon cat toy – it looks like Chaos in that picture, but it’s not!

Teh Cute

Reading Update
The Persistence of Memory (Mnevermind #1) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. Excellent alternate reality m/m romance about a mneomographer who’s lost his confidence after accidentally changing his dad’s reality… permanently. And then he runs into something inexplicable during an mneming session… Totally sucked into this, and impatiently waiting for the next segment. *taps fingers*
Hard Tail by JL Merrow. ebook. Very good m/m romance about an accountant, freshly laid off and from his job and newly left by his wife, who ends up running his brother’s bike shop while his brother is in the hospital. Since he’s not gay, why does he spend so much time staring at the bike mechanic’s arse?
My True Love Gave to Me (Brook Street #0.5) by Ava March. ebook. reread. Very good historical holiday m/m romance about young love, fear, and trying for a second chance, even if you’re not sure you deserve one.
Thief (Brook Street #1) by Ava March. ebook. Very good historical m/m romance about a peer who heads to a gambling hall of a certain repute to find out whether, as he suspects, he’d be wasting his time looking for a bride. The man he meets that night proves that, but is ever so mysterious…
Fortune Hunter (Brook Street #2) by Ava March. ebook. Very good historical m/m romance about a man who returns to England planning to marry an heiress so he won’t have to work; he’s not going to let anything, even friendship, stand in his way. This one really got to me. *blots eyes*
Rogues (Brook Street #3) by Ava March. ebook. Very good historical m/m romance about two men who’ve been friends since childhood and occasional lovers since their teens. Both are notorious rakehells, although one prefers men and the other women. But the whole balance of their friendship is about to change… I got sniffly reading this one, too.
Acrobat by Mary Calmes. ebook. Very good m/m romance about an English professor who spends a lot of time taking care of the teen living next door and who’s become comfortable with the teen’s uncle over the years, but never really noticed just how attractive said uncle was… until recently.
Frog by Mary Calmes. ebook. Sweet m/m romance about a cowboy who’s always traveling between rodeos and short-term jobs, only visiting his not-quite-a-boyfriend in San Francisco a few times a year. Because… how could he be a cowboy if he stayed?
Smoking Is Bad for You by Sasha L. Miller. ebook short. Very good short m/m story about two guys meeting under interesting circumstances and proceeding from there. This would get a PG-13 rating, so be aware.
Tumble Turn by Charlie Cochrane. ebook. Good m/m romance about a Paralympic swimmer who’s always planned to avoid romantic entanglements until after the 2012 Paralympics, but life has other plans… As others have noted, the British voice in this is very, very strong.
Dirty Little Secret (Dear Lake, Michigan #2) by Anah Crow & Dianne Fox. ebook short. Ok short m/m story about a guy who reaches a gay-friendly resort town in Michigan just as his married boyfriend sort of dumps him over the phone. This was way too short to be satisfying for the amount of story. Be aware this has an HFN ending.

Finally finished my sister-in-law’s Christmas (2011) socks! 🙂

“I love me some stripey socks!!” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity lurches along

17 Comments

Congrats to SusieQ, who won Battle of Hearts by Valentina Heart! Battle of Hearts will be released on April 14 by Silver Publishing.

Contest

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Make, Do, Learn

Cookity

Gluten-Free

Drinkity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Magic Mansion by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about two magicians who briefly connect during auditions for a reality television show about magicians in which they both end up as participants (along with ten others). Who will take home the glory… and the $250,000 prize? Wonderfully written and with bonus points for a completely unique story concept!
The Art of Words by RJ Scott & Meredith Russell. ebook arc. Very good m/m romance about an artist with severe dyslexia that he keeps hidden. When his work attracts a wealthy, handsome sponsor, it seems too good to be true…
If Only by sadtomato. free online. Very good *braces self* Edward/Jacob slash. I can’t believe I typed that! LOL. But really, it’s just a story about a gay guy and his straight roommate/best friend… with a crazy number of “outtake” chapters at the end, including an alternate ending that made me sniffle a bit.
Little Boy Dead (Boystown #0) by Marshall Thornton. free ebook. Very good gay mystery prequel to the Nick Nowak Boystown series in which we get to meet a younger, less cynical Nick working as security for a film festival and just starting his new life as a private investigator. (Also, that is a scary belly button.)
The Long Con by Lori Toland. ebook. Good m/m romantic suspense about a British agent who tracks a stolen Faberge egg to New York City, where he’s mistaken for a prostitute and uses that to his investigative advantage. This book had a somewhat over-the-top old-school romance feel to it; while that’s not usually my forte, it mostly worked here and I got sucked into the story.
Ice Blues (Donald Strachey #3) by Richard Stevenson. Good gay mystery that starts with Don going to pick up his car (towed in a snow emergency, the bane of all northern folk) and finding a dead, frozen body in it…
Third Man Out (Donald Strachey #4) by Richard Stevenson. ebook. Good gay mystery in which Don is asked to protect a guy who forcibly outs prominent gay people and who fears his life is in danger as a result. (In the ebook edition I read, none of the acronyms were capitalized. Argh.)
Shock to the System (Donald Strachey #5) by Richard Stevenson. ebook. Good gay mystery in which Don tries to figure why a guy who’d dropped out of an ex-gay program ended up dead. (Had the same acronym issue as the previous book. And… aren’t these covers heinous?)
Chain of Fools (Donald Strachey #6) by Richard Stevenson. ebook. Good gay mystery in which Done investigates what may be one part of a family turning against another over selling the family’s award-winning newspaper to pay off debts. (No acronym issues! Yay!)
Learning from Isaac by Dev Bentham. ebook. Good m/m romance about a college professor who’s mutually attracted to one of his students (a senior), but they agree not to act on that attraction until after graduation. And then the professor runs into the student in a most unexpected place…
Reluctant Mate 2 by Eden Cole. ebook short. Meh short paranormal m/m romance about a guy who, aided by a drug that makes it seem as if he’s a shifter, vows to hunt down the wolf shifters who killed his brother.

Every time I see this sign in my neighborhood, it gives me the giggles, so I had to get a (somewhat enhanced) photo of it:

“You’re too close, Mom!” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity for a new year

22 Comments

Congrats to Jen B, who won Melting by VJ Summers!

Congrats to Gina, who won Blind Space by Marie Sexton! Blind Space will be released by Silver Publishing on January 7.

Congrats to Azure J, who won The Gallows Tree by RJ Scott! The Gallows Tree will be released by Silver Publishing on January 7.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Do, Make, Learn

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Camp Hell (PsyCop #5) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m paranormal romantic suspense in which Vic experiences some personal growth (beyond his paranoia, even!), and both Vic and Jacob have unexpected professional growth.
GhosTV (PsyCop #6) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m paranormal romantic suspense in which Vic and Jacob head to California to find their friend Lisa, who’s vanished without a trace. Definitely looking forward to the next book!
Turnskin by Nicole Kimberling. ebook. Very good m/m fantasy romance about a young half-blooded man who grew up in a small town in a world split between Shifters and Skins. When his lover abandons him, he tracks down his cousins in the big city who own an impoverished theater.
Cherish Your Name (Warder #6) by Mary Calmes. ebook. Sweet paranormal m/m holiday romance about Warder Malic visiting his hearth Dylan’s family for Christmas and things getting off to a rough start because Dylan’s family thinks Malic is too old for their son.
Where the Heart Is by Kaje Harper. ebook short. Sweet short holiday m/m romance about a vet who’s been running his father’s remote practice for the past few months since his father died, while his boyfriend is far away in the city.
I Dare You…Again (Dare #2) by Tam Ames. free ebook short. Sweet short m/m New Year’s Eve romance in which Steven needs to decide whether or not to take his roommate’s dare and tell Cory he loves him…
In December My Heart’s Full of Spring by Kate McMurray. free ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about two guys who find themselves on top of the Empire State Building together on New Year’s Eve.
Six Degrees of Lust (By Degrees #2) by Taylor V. Donovan. ebook. Pretty good m/m romantic suspense about an emotionally unavailable FBI agent who can’t get a one-night stand out of his head, even as he’s trying to track down a serial killer targeting gay men. This book was heading toward a solid four-star rating before a nasty cliffhanger ending. Pretty much nothing at all was resolved. That makes me really, really cranky.
FUBAR (EMS Heat #12) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Pretty good m/m romance about a nurse who gets attacked outside of a gay bar and is rescued by an off-duty cop.
Dragma’s Tavern: Where Every Good Bar Comes by Bryl R. Tyne. free ebook short. Good short, trippy m/m story about a guy who ends up in a very odd bar on New Year’s Eve.
NYPD Night Shift by Eden Cole. ebook short. Meh short m/m story about a cop who’s being a jerk to everyone around him – turns out that he just needs to get laid. This wasn’t easy to read because of how much I was rolling my eyes. Definitely skip this one if you prefer stories with condoms, lube, realistic dialogue, or plausible plots.

“I know you’re all jealous of my lovely kitty bed!” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity rings out the old year

19 Comments

Congrats to Tara R, who won Take Me Home by Sloan Parker!

Congrats to Michelle L, who won FUBAR (EMS Heat #12) by Stephani Hecht! FUBAR will be released by eXtasy Books on January 1.

No Misadventure on Monday, which is another holiday for me!

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Do, Think, Learn, Make

Drinkity

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Among the Living (PsyCop #1) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m paranormal romantic suspense about a PsyCop, who can see ghosts even though he really would prefer not to. (This is one of my comfort rereads… you might’ve guessed, as it’s the second time I’ve read the book this year!)
Criss Cross (PsyCop #2) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Very good m/m paranormal romantic suspense that takes place a few weeks after Among the Living. Jacob’s staying with Vic while looking for a new condo, and Vic has a creepily eager-to-please new partner at work. (Second time I’ve read this book this year, too.)
Body and Soul (PsyCop #3) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Very good m/m paranormal romantic suspense in which Vic gets another new partner at work and Jacob continues hunting for an unhaunted place to live. (Second time this year, third time overall – as with the others.)
Secrets (PsyCop #4) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Very good paranormal m/m romantic suspense in which Vic and Jacob’s living situation changes dramatically and Vic stumbles upon an epic conspiracy. Do I need to repeat myself again?! 🙂
Jesse’s Christmas by RJ Scoot. ebook. Very good holiday m/m romance about a photographer who hates Christmas because his lover left him the previous Christmas, emptying his bank account and breaking his heart. Will he be able to get into the Christmas spirit for his assignment taking daily photos in “Christmasville”?? Bonus points to RJ for including a scene that matches the cover!
Home Ice by Kate Sherwood. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a closeted hockey coach trying to deal with working with his ex after not seeing him for ten years.
A Calling for Pleasure (Lars & Rael #1) (2nd edition) by JL Merrow. ebook (available 1/15/2012). Very good short paranormal m/m romance about two detectives for the Paranormal Enforcement Agency trying to track down a succubus who’s leaving a trail of dead guys behind her. The male detective (non-romantic detective pairing, not to worry!) becomes fascinated by a male succubus who’s picked up during the investigation… This was a fun start to a (currently) three-book series that I’m hoping JL adds to. 🙂
A Silence Kept by Theo Fenraven. ebook short. Very good short paranormal m/m romance about a guy who rents a place a bit off the beaten path for his summer weekend getaway after he catches his boyfriend cheating on him. He doesn’t really believe the place is haunted… at first.
Take Me Home by Sloan Parker. ebook. Good m/m romantic suspense about an author and a screenwriter who’ve been best friends since high school, even after a night together years ago left one brokenhearted and the other moving from guy to guy to avoid intimacy. As they take the train back to Ohio from Los Angeles for Christmas, they try to sort out the decades old mystery they’ve fallen into while figuring out whether they can trust each other if their relationship changes…
Puppy, Car, and Snow (Ryan & Scott #3) by Amy Lane. ebook. Good holiday m/m romance about two guys snowed in at a cabin for the holidays with one guy’s family, trying to deal with with his mom’s ongoing nasty comments to his boyfriend. I think enough background is provided in the book for those who haven’t read the previous two short stories.
Free to Fly by Belinda McBride. free ebook short. Good short kinky m/m romance about a guy who comes home from work planning to move out while his lawyer boyfriend is out of town for the weekend. But his boyfriend is still there, and their confrontation changes the course of their relationship.
Ten Things to Hate About Being a Werewolf by Vic Winter. ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m romance about a guy who was recently turned into a werewolf and hates everything about it.
Winning in a Landslide (Change #1.5) by JM Cartwright. ebook. Good holiday m/m romance that follows up on the sheriff, the rock star, and their two young adopted kids right after an extremely trying election. Something that once I noticed, I couldn’t un-notice – the two main characters just seemed to use each other’s names way too much.
Southern Winterland (By Degrees #1) by Taylor V. Donovan. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about a gay guy who’s been distancing himself from his straight best friend after a drunken almost-kiss under the mistletoe the previous Christmas. This needed to be a bit longer!
The Gift of the Maggie by Belinda McBride. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about a divorced rancher who has his very first boyfriend and is nervous about coming out to his kids.
A Picture Perfect Holiday by ZA Maxfield. ebook short. Good holiday m/m romance about a high school senior, president of the photography club, who has a crush on a straight football player.
Chance of Snow by Brynn Paulin. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about two coworkers who share a steamy night together when their chartered bus can’t make it home during a big snowstorm.
A Summit City Christmas (Sno Ho #2.5) by Ethan Day. ebook short. Pretty good short m/m holiday romance about Wade and Boone’s first Christmas together. This really needed to be fleshed out more to be a coherent or satisfying narrative.
Nice: Christmas Mistletoe by M. Durango. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about a guy who moved home to live with his parents and work at their Christmas tree lot after he was laid off. He runs into an old high school track buddy one night while he’s working at the tree lot… This felt a bit disjointed to me.
Blue River by Theo Fenraven. ebook short. Good short m/m holiday time travel romance about a photographer who walks through some mist and ends up in 1863, where he stays with an innocent young farmer and his sister. The thing I liked best about this book was that it didn’t gloss over historical details like people not bathing very often. I do have my doubts that greens stored in a root cellar would be lovely and fresh by December…
More Than Enough (More #2) by Shawn Lane. ebook short. Pretty good m/m romance about a guy in college who lives at home to run interference between his abusive alcoholic father and his younger sister. When a handsome jock asks him out, he’s sure it’s as a joke.
The Question by Sean Michael. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about two guys who’ve been best friends for years, but not romantically or sexually involved since their single disastrous attempt many years ago. This would’ve been more satisfying had it not been so very short.

*blank* -Mayhem