Boots for the Gentleman by Augusta Li and Eon de Beaumnt

This is a wild ride! 4.5, I think, but rounded up for being so creative and original. I really haven't read anything like this before. It's more of an action-adventure story than a romance, just with gay main characters. This won't be for everyone, because it is really different.

First, the characters aren't typical heroes. Querry, the character whose POV the story is told, is a thief, a bit of a slut, and at times so reckless he's almost silly. That's who he is though, and he just won't bow to anybody. I kind of liked that about him, even when he made bad decisions, he was true to what he believed. He's had a rough life, and really could have turned out a lot worse than he did. He steals from rich people, but has a sort of code of honor of his own. He's a little arrogant and frustrated me at times, but overall I understood his motives, to survive and be free. Reg grew up with Querry, got a good break, and wants to lead a good life, which means getting married and breeding kids. When it comes down to it, he can't abandon his old friend and first love, and actually can kick some ass when he needs to.

Frolic, I loved. I don't want to ruin the surprises but that's him on the cover. He's a great character,personality, skills, beauty, everything. I loved him, and it hurt when he had to suffer and be confused.

The plot of this book is non stop action. There are plenty of fights, there's magic, and there's crazy technology. Querry gets his ass kicked A LOT. He takes it though, because he's so strong in his beliefs, and after a while so strong in his need to protect Reg and Frolic. The faeries are great, not human at all in their thinking. They're scary and intriguing at the same time, especially Querry's special "gentleman."

There are times when it feels like Querry is cheating, but I didn't hate him and kind of understood. There's no spoken restrictions on any of the men in the relationship, and he seems pretty confused. It felt realistic, what he did. That's my opinion, and other people might not agree, but it made sense in the context.

If you read this whole rambling mess, hey thanks!

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Miles and the Magic Flute by Heidi Cullinan

When the forest behind a Minnesota pawn shop turns out to be the doorway into a faerie paradise, Miles Larson doesn't see any reason to complain. He's bankrupt, single, and living in a trailer in his backwoods hometown after being laid off from his big city job: he could use a little downtime in a homoerotic dreamland.

But Miles soon learns that in the faerie world, nothing is quite as simple as it seems. The beautiful faerie man who has captured Miles's heart might also be after Miles's soul. The frightening beast who chases him through the forest is actually a noble-hearted human under a terrible curse. And at the center of it all is the deathly beautiful Lord of Dreams, a faerie so powerful that if Miles so much as looks at his face, he will be lost in dreamland forever.

The only hope for Miles's escape is a magic flute, an enchanted instrument that holds the answer to the faerie lord's defeat. But even if Miles is smart and strong enough to wield it, will he dare? When the cold light of truth dawns, if there is no reality beneath the love he's found in the faerie realm, Miles will have to return to his own world—alone.

This is a little difficult to review because I admit some of my personal preferences influenced my enjoyment. I really like fantasy and I love, LOVE faeries. (Go ahead and make jokes at my expense, I know you want to, LOL) When I first met Miles, the protagonist, I really didn't like him because he was whining, entitled, and basically just wallowing in self pity after he lost his job. I realized as I read further that the author made him that way on purpose, to show a contrast as he gradually became less selfish and less inclined to complain that life isn't fair and he deserves better. Miles is staying with friends and working at a pawn shop. He feels pulled to the woods nearby, where he eventually meets a beautiful fey named Terris and a beastly creature that Miles names Harry. He's given a choice between them, and of course he chooses the pretty faerie over the nasty, stinky creature intent on catching and raping him. This begins a series of odd events that take Miles to various dream and nightmare like realms as he tries to discover what is happening to him and how he can save himself from the Lord of Dreams.

Terris is great. I loved him. He's a true faerie: cold, manipulative, deceitful, vain and selfish. I know that doesn't sound very likable, but he's really well done, has some tragic back story to explain his motivations and...I really like faeries. Harry I couldn't understand. We're told he's good and noble, but I never saw it. I never understood why Miles fell so in love with him so fast, to the point where he's thinking about Harry while having amazing sex with perfect, beautiful Terris. I though Harry was just gross. He's hideous, smells bad, and wants to rape Miles. Eventually Miles decides he wants to save Harry and Terris from the Dream Lord, though he eventually sort of abandons Terris and focuses on Harry. To do so, he enlists the help of his friends, three lesbian witches who started out kind of cliched but eventually ended up fleshed-out and likable. He also must learn how to use the magic flute he finds in the pawn shop, and that's an interesting, intricate plot thread.

Unfortunately, at least for me, Miles has to do some pretty bizarre sexual stuff in his quest to save Harry. Some of this stuff is clap your hand over your mouth awful, especially when he has sex with Harry in his beast form. It was awful, I almost stopped reading. There are ginormous, magical sex toys, too much fisting, and magic faerie lube that facilitates the fisting. While I like the story, the interesting and inventive plot, the creative conflicts and unpredictability of it all, the sex was just not hot. Not at all, after the initial Terris scene, which wasn't romantic, but was at least pretty. After that I felt like I was watching a train wreck. This is just my opinion of course, but it was way outside my comfort zone.

Also, it wraps up a little too neatly in the end, and the last battle was a let down. Other than that, I did enjoy the story, some of the characters, and the fantasy setting. Just not the sex. Still, it deserves a good rating for an inventive story that I really did want to see resolved, and an interesting world, and some very cool characters.

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To Adam With Love by Adrienne Wilder

Adam's mother brought him as a child to the Gray Zone, the no man's land between the crumbling city and the Dens were the Kin-the Dragons-and Lesser-Breds-their mixed-blood offspring-live. He was different, not completely Human, and she knew fear and prejudice would drive people to do horrible things... like a father trying to kill his son. Five years later, Adam's father is behind bars and Adam has come home to the Zone, the last place anyone would expect innocence, loyalty, and devotion, to complete his becoming Lesser-Bred and find his best friend and only love, Ean.

But Ean has a life of his own. He's always wanted to belong to Batu, the Male Kin who has watched over him since childhood, but now Ean's caught in a deadly trap of biology and vengeance: he isn't enough to feed his beloved Adam during the dangerous transformation, and Kin won't allow an emotional bond in their midst. Years ago Ean lost Adam after failing to keep him safe. Now that Adam is back, will a simple feeling give Ean the strength to defy everything he's ever known and keep them together?

 I didn't realize when I purchased this book that it was set in an established world, and for a while I was a little lost. The protagonist, Adam, has known since childhood that he has dragon (called Kin) DNA, and one day his body will undergo a change as he takes his true form. As a boy he meets Ean, who while human has been raised by the dragons and behaves like them. Ean can't read or write, he barely wears clothes, and while he touches and licks Adam, he doesn't know how to kiss. Ean also doesn't understand love, he understands belonging and owning as the Kin do, and he hopes the dragon he belongs to, Batu, will also want to keep Adan so they can be together. But since Batu has Ean and two others dragons, he doesn't feel the need to add Adam to their family, and he can't understand the human emotions Ean has toward Adam.

The story alternates between flashbacks from Ean and Adam's childhood and the present. I found it particularly interesting to watch Ean and Adam grow up and start discovers their feelings for each other, even when they didn't know what they felt or they hurt each other. Also interesting is the contrast between their plans as boys and how those plans have to change to survive in the adult world. Ean is a fantastic character. He's fiercely loyal and would do anything for Adam, though at a few points in the story I felt like Adam didn't exactly deserve him. Adam takes Ean for granted at times, though he clearly does value him.

Since I've been asked specifically, no, there's no weird sex, like human on dragon, bdsm, or multiple partners, at least not on screen. It alludes to the idea that when a human belongs to a Kin, he can feed him, and if I understand this correctly that means the dragon literally eating bits of his partners during sex. Their bond with the dragon lets them heal from this. It's not shown in this book, and I really hope its not going to be shown in the future. As bad as it gets in this is just some biting, and its Ean and Adam, so it's hot and sweet. There's quite a bit of sex, maybe more than necessary, and its explained that going through this change makes Adam need it almost constantly. I'm getting a little tired of that cliche in shifter books, not that this is really a shifter book, IMHO. Still I see that excuse used all the time for a ton of sex scenes.

I had a problem with the ending. I'll try hard not to spoil anything, but if you're really planning to read this (and it's totally worth reading) you might stop here. Adam does something really, really bad at the end of the book. Like, horrific. And it's just kind of glossed over like its no big deal. I just couldn't see how he could do what he did to Ean after everything Ean went through for him. Honestly, it pissed me off. Then the subject of it was just dropped because out of nowhere, and without explanation as to how it was possible, another unlikely event occurs. Then it just kind of ends with characters still injured and some issues unresolved. This was a five for me, despite being a little unfamiliar with the world, up until the last few chapters.

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Review: Mongrel by K.Z. Snow

Hunzinger's Mechanical Circus, a rollicking seaside carnival where imagination meets machinery, shines as the only bright spot in the dreary city of Purinton. A shadow is cast there one day when a tall, cloaked figure approaches the stand of Will Marchman, a young patent-medicine salesman. Fanule Perfidor, commonly known as the Dog King, isn't welcome at the Circus. No resident of Taintwell is; they're all Branded Mongrels, officially shunned. But Will is beguiled by the stunning, mysterious Perfidor. Their mutual wariness soon gives way to desire, and a bond forms.

Soon the naive but plucky pitchman becomes embroiled in a dangerous quest. Fanule suspects Alphonse Hunzinger and Purinton's civic leaders are responsible for the disappearance or incarceration of countless Branded Mongrels. But why? As Will's passion and regard for his tormented lover grow, he's determined to help Fanule get answers and prevent any further persecution... or worse. They just have to stay together—and stay alive long enough—to see their plan through.

This was an interesting story with a unique, well-built world and truly fascinating characters. Fanule Perfidor is the leader of the mongrels, individuals who aren't full-bloodied human and are forced to have their human percentages tattooed on their necks. Fan is tall, has dark purple hair, two differently colored eyes, and suffers from bipolar disorder. He still suffers from some past trauma, but he's intense, dangerous, and just sex on legs. I loved him instantly. When Fan starts to suspect something sinister is happening to his people, he goes to Hunzinger's Mechanical circus and approaches a young peddler named Will. At first Will is reluctant to associate with Fan, even if he feels a certain fascination. And honestly, this character is so well-done, anybody would be enthralled.

Fanule makes a habit of having one-nighters in this world's equivalent of gay bars. One evening, he seduces young Will, and its clear to both of them right away that they've shared more than a night of physical pleasure. I appreciate that the author gave Will enough personality and depth that he isn't overshadowed by Fan's complexities. The supporting characters are treated just as equitably, and really add another dimension to the world. I loved Marrowbone, Fan's vampire ex-lover. Together, they decide to find out why branded mongrels are disappearing. It gets a bit gory over the course of their investigation. Will's relationship with Fan deepens, and its endearing to watch them grow from lovers to a couple who really care about, and would probably do anything for, each other. They really need the strength of their bond to carry them through some of the harder parts of their investigation. They grow to accept each other, scars and all, because neither is perfect.

I came very close to rating this book a five. The love story is beautiful and believable, the characters are almost perfect (perfectly written, not perfect people), the descriptions are gorgeous and the action is fast-paced and suspenseful. There were unfortunately some important details that got neglected, such as, what exactly ARE the mongrels? They're described as part human and part something else, but we're never given a clue as to what. Also, I felt some of the technology and gadgets deserved a little bit more of an explanation. It didn't bother me much though, because I cared so much about the characters and wanted to see them succeed. I can forgive almost anything when given characters this fascinating, and really there's not much to forgive here, just a few small details that might have added to my understanding of the world. With so much good, though, its easy to overlook the few, tiny faults. I really hope to see more of Fan, Will, and Marrowbone.

Buy a copy here.

Super-Awesome Summer Pasta!

Here's a really quick and really tasty dish that's great for entertaining. I made it over the weekend and my friends were delighted.

You need:
A box of whatever pasta you like, cooked according to package directions
5 tablespoons of olive oil
3-4 cups of seasonal veggies, cut up. (I use whatever I can find at the farmer's market. This last time I used summer squash, sweet onion, sweet peppers, portabella mushrooms, broccoli and heirloom tomatoes. It doesn't matter what you use; it will be good, I promise!)
2 tablespoons of pesto (You can use store-bought, just make sure its vegan!)
A handful of fresh oregano

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Saute your veggies until they look bright and are still nice and crisp. Don't over-cook them! Wisk together the remaining oil and the pesto, and toss it together with the pasta and cooked veggies. Garnish with some fresh oregano and voila! That's it. It really makes a colorful and elegant dish with minimal work. Serve with bread and a salad for a complete dinner. I paired it with a Chateau St. Michelle Reisling.

Feel free to share this or any of my recipes!
~De.

The Girl in the Steel Corset

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Looks like I'm in the minority here, but I had some problems with this book that made it hard for me to enjoy. The basic premise is that a group of super-powered teenagers solve crimes with their special abilities and a host of anachronistic (even for steampunk) gadgets. They are lead by Griffin King, who is also on a personal mission to avenge his murdered parents.

The biggest issue I had with this book is the predictability of the plot. I easily had the whole crime, the villain, his intents and methods figured out a little over halfway through, which made the second part pretty tedious. Also, I found it frustrating that these young geniuses with practically unlimited resources took so long to solve the mystery when it was SO OBVIOUS.

I also didn't really like the characters. Finley Jayne, the protagonist I guess, is a blatant Jekyll and Hyde rip-off. She struggles with her condition until, when Griffin decides to cure her, he does it so easily that I wondered why he needed to wait. The ease of the cure reduces it to a non-issue. Griffin himself is a Duke, and while he claims not to abuse his status, he doesn't hesitate to do just that when faced with any adversity. He's very condescending to Finley, at one point offering her a "biscuit" if she'll be a "good girl." Am I alone in thinking this is how one speaks to a dog? The story, while written by a woman, felt uncomfortably misogynist a lot of the time.  Another of the gang, Sam, is so painfully emo as to be completely annoying. He spends most of his time brooding because his friends used mechanical parts to save his life, which he resents, or being pissy because Finley intruded on his bromance with Griff. Emily, the sixteen year old mechanical genius, is an okay character, if you can accept her knowledge and accomplishments at that tender age. Unfortunately, the description of her "ropey red hair" is repeated every time she appears, sometimes several times within a single scene. By the tenth time, I wanted to scream, "Ropey red hair, I KNOW!" Jack Dandy, a tall and dark crime lord, was the only character I really found intriguing. Unfortunately, he made only a handful of appearances, none of which really impacted the plot.

I'm not going to address the historical inaccuracies, such as women wearing corsets on top of their clothes, which is like wearing your underwear on the outside...

To top it all off, the text is full of mechanical errors like sentence fragments, comma splices, and words erroneously in quotations. These are amateurish mistakes that distracted me and should have been edited out. I hold YA novels to the same standard as adult novels, and while this had potential, Harry Potter it ain't. If you're looking for something for a young woman to read, don't insult her with this. Go get a copy of The Mists of Avalon or something.

If you want to buy a copy, I'm sure you can find it on Amazon, but I'd really check the public library first.

Let There Be Light by R. Cooper

I was a little apprehensive about reading this book because I really don't know anything about steampunk. I was worried it might be overly technical and bogged down with a lot of mechanical descriptions, but it really wasn't. The story is character driven and the action is never confusing. I took a chance on this book because some friends described it as being very different and unique, two qualities I am always seeking in my fiction. I'm so glad I decided to give this book a chance, because it really is quite original. My fears about long, boring passages describing weird gadgets were completely unfounded.

The story takes place in a fantasy version of Victorian England. I guess this is pretty typical to steampunk, but like I said I am really new to the genre. Karol is a brilliant and eccentric scientist and inventor. He's also unabashedly gay and quite promiscuous. He gets away with this behavior because his skills are so valuable to the government, they're willing to overlook his indiscretions. Hart, the spy charged with protecting Karol from foreign enemies who want his secrets, is much more reserved.

These two have had quite a history together, been on many adventures and in many dangerous situations. Eventually neither can stand seeing the other in danger, and their partnership dissolves. Though there has always been tension, the two of them have never taken their relationship beyond friendship and business. Part of the reason for this is that Karol likes to take things apart, to dissect them and see how and why they work as they do, and Hart is just not comfortable under that kind of scrutiny. Also, the events of the past weigh heavily on both Karol and Hart and influence their present-day behavior. At times, the novella feels almost like a psychological portrait of these characters and how everything they've been through together has shaped the men they've become.

I highly recommend Let There Be Light. It is very different from anything I've read in a long time, and the characters are spectacular: very well-rounded, subtle, and enthralling even when they're not at their best. The author has done a great job of making them seem human. Their thoughts and actions stem logically from the events of their pasts.

If I could change one thing, I'd like this to be a full-length novel so I could actually watch Hart and Karol on their adventures instead of seeing them in flashback. This doesn't detract from the story, though. I'm just wishing for more of a good thing.

~De

Want to buy it? You'll be glad you did!
Let There Be Light