Men of Smithfield: Mark and Tony by LB Gregg

Men of Smithfield: Mark and Tony by LB Gregg
Stars: 3/5

Length: 36,000 words
Blurb
Coming home from work to find my boyfriend banging our hairy, married landlord--in our bed--was bad enough. Discovering Jamie had also cleaned out my bank accounts made it officially the worst day of my life. I think I can be forgiven for wanting revenge, even if a few little laws (and possibly Jamie's nose) got bent in the process.

Fortunately, the law is on my side in the form of my oldest friend, Tony Gervase. I've tried to deny my attraction to the sexy trooper for years. After all, he made it clear long ago that he wasn't interested in me that way. But if the hot encounter in his kitchen is any indication, he is now. At least the day is ending a whole lot better than it began...

But the morning after, the Jamie situation goes from bad to seriously messed up. The jerk's in more trouble than I could have imagined. And as it turns out, I don't know Tony as well as I thought I did either...

Previously published, newly revised by author.

Overall
Sadly, this is one of those stories that didn’t impress me, but I can definitely see why other people would enjoy it. I think my main problem is that I had trouble relating to the main character, which, when written in the first person as this was, makes a story difficult to get into. This piece mingles a touch of mystery with a heavy touch of erotica and a general sweep of romantic plot.

Review
Everything starts with a bang as Mark breaks up with his boyfriend in a dramatic, fists-flying way. I was immediately sucked in, and despite the dramatics, I stayed interested for most of the whirlwind plot. While not a murder mystery, it does have a puzzle that Mark needs to solve (even if he should leave it to the police), which plays an underlying motivation throughout. It was enough to keep my interest and keep the story moving.

I really liked Tony, the law-abiding, sensible one. Although we aren't given a huge amount of development, I liked most of what I saw. There are some questionable decisions/actions he takes, but overall they aren't major. That one thing I didn't like was pretty big and felt somewhat out of character, but I was willing to forgive it just about as easily as Mark did.

Speaking of Mark... He kind of annoyed me. While his initial reaction to the incident involving his (ex)boyfriend seemed reasonable, he continues to make poor decisions throughout the story and denies that they are bad ideas, even with Tony chanting as much in his ear. He suffers from hot and cold syndrome, and while he's not a terrible character, I had trouble relating to him and seeing his side of the story, which also made it difficult to see why Tony was interested in him at all. However, the glimpses we see of Mark acting like a reasonable adult made me wonder if he was acting this way because of the circumstances, or he was just made to react that way in order to further the plot. I'll never know.

I loved the scenes involving Mark with Tony or with his family, as it (tended) to show a better, more reasonable Mark. The love between his family members is very sweet and honest and feels real, making a crappy situation into an almost-tender moment. Also, the steel door bit was practically laugh out loud funny.

Requested this book for review.

First Impressions by Christopher Koehler

First Impressions by Christopher Koehler
Stars: 2/5

Length: 300 pages
Blurb
The first time Henry Hughes and Cameron Jameson meet, it’s an unmitigated disaster. Cameron reminds Henry of all he left behind when he stopped making adult films, and he cruelly rejects Cameron. When Cameron discovers Henry’s porno-thespian past, he assumes he’s dodged a bullet.

But circumstances continue to throw the two together. Though the physical attraction between them grows, they cling to first impressions, even as a slow dance reveals just how good they could be.

Henry finally realizes how wrong he was, but Cameron can’t cope with “sleeping with the enemy.” It will take a confrontation for Cameron to realize just how wrong he’s been, but unfortunately, he may have lost his chance.

Overall
This novel will not be for everyone, or even maybe for most people. While the writing itself isn't bad, the characters and the plot leave plenty to be desired. The one main character especially rubbed me the wrong way, but that may be personal preference. It's possible this was meant to be a more humorous story, and some may find it that way, but my dislike of the one main character and his friends, along with the inconsistency of how the character portrayals, left me not laughing as the story fell flat.

That said, this wasn't a hard book to read, either. It has a good pace, and there is almost always something happening that keeps things moving. For readers who don't mind ridiculous characters and who like the 'big misunderstanding' trope, this may be just the thing.

Review
The biggest weaknesses in this book stem from the characters. My initial thoughts on Cameron weren't that bad, although I questioned his taste in friends. V+T are irresponsible, loose cannons who think everything is a joke. They overreact to simple situations, are pushy and flamboyant, and got under my skin. At least for the first half. In the latter part of the book, they become more responsible, only retaining fragments of themselves, while Cameron becomes the reckless one.

In general, Cameron's first appearance presents him as a responsible adult who is surrounded by irresponsible friends (aside from one of them) and who made decisions to be independent that have put him in the situation he's in now. I liked the Cameron we were given, but as the story unfolds, he changes and the perspective about him changes, which could have been done on purpose by the author to show that what we first saw wasn’t all there was to him, but in general made me dislike him as a character and made me question whether we were finding out new facts or if the old facts were changing.

Henry is a more consistent character, although his hatred/obsession with his history as a porn star gets a little tiring. However, I can understand that people get that way about something they are ashamed of, plus his 'uncle's' involvement probably amplifies the negative experience Henry had. Despite his grumpiness, I rather liked Henry and the friendly relationship he has with his comic foil. They balance each other out, and the foil keeps Henry from being too much of a stick in the mud.

The general plot and back and forth of the characters had some interesting elements, but in general it dragged out the telling. Many things kept happening, getting in the way of the two main characters, which meant for a quickly paced book, but I lacked motivation to really care about the characters and their end results. So while the multiple "But wait, another twist!" events kept the story moving, they only helped with the enjoyment slightly.

It's an easy story to read, and while there was plenty I didn't like, it was quick, making it oddly enjoyable. It's like a cheesy, sorta bad movie that makes you roll your eyes and laugh once and a while. Not something I'd outright recommend, but will probably be to some people's tastes.

Requested this book for review.
Be sure to check out my other reviews on my blog.

Burn (Elementally Evolved, #1) by TJ Klune

Burn (Elementally Evolved, #1) by TJ Klune
Stars: 2.5/5

Length: 370 pages
Blurb
Book One of the Elementally Evolved series

Set in a world that closely resembles our own, Burn is a story of redemption and betrayal, of family and sacrifice, which leads to the greatest question of all: how far would you go to save the ones you love?

Fifteen years ago, Felix Paracel killed his mother with fire that shot from his hands. Since then, he has hidden from forces bent on exploiting him and his fire and wind Elemental abilities. But Felix’s world is about to change, because he is Findo Unum—the Split One—and his coming has been foretold for generations.

Though Felix’s arrival brings great joy to the Elemental world, it also heralds a coming darkness. No one knows this better than Seven, the mysterious man who rescued Felix from that horrible fire years ago and then disappeared... who now has returned to claim what’s rightfully his: Felix’s heart. But even as Felix begins to trust Seven and his feelings about his place in the world, the darkness reveals itself, bringing consequences no one could have predicted.

Overall
There are elements of Burn that I really enjoyed, and other pieces that left me struggling to finish the novel. First off, I wouldn't count this story as a romance, because while there is a strong romantic/sexual element, it's really not the overwhelming focus of the story, especially the latter half. Second, this tale suffers from a loquacious narrator, which from the two books I've read by Klune, this seems to be the author's style. I had difficulty connecting to the narrator and the world in general, although I wanted the narrator and his team to win.

For readers who need absolute closure in their books, beware that this is "Burn, Elementally Evolved #1," meaning that there is an on-going story. I found the lack of closure frustrating, although understandable.

I wish I had enjoyed this novel more, as I think the concept is interesting and would like to know it's ultimate conclusion, but the style of writing that worked so well in Otter, Bear, and The Kid failed to keep my interest here and ultimately made this something that I would have a hard time finding the time (my so-limited time) to read.

Review
Felix, our narrator, is selfish and a touch whiney, although in some/most instances it's understandable. He's not my preferred narrator type, especially with a close first person point of view. He toes the line (hard) of being a Gary Stu (male equivalent of Mary Sue). However, he's also understandably suspicious and distrustful, since everyone, from his father to his lover, lies to him or keeps secrets. He was hard for me to like, but he was also hard to hate.

The plot line was interesting, pulling aspects from familiar stories like X-Men and Lord of the Rings, but also including many original elements as well. The environment is similar to those mutants we know and love, where people with special powers are persecuted and there is the chance of laws coming into effect that will tag them all. Felix, unbeknownst to him, is a kind of savior to Elementals and is pulled into an underground society in order to receive his training and fulfill a prophecy. Yes, some of the story is been-there, done-that, but it went in some interesting directions, which kept me from saying, "Yeah, I've seen this before."

There is a large cast of characters, and it's hard to trust anyone, and those you do trust could wind up stabbing you in the back. It's painful for the main character and it's painful to read, but it is realistic, and the raw emotions that Felix forms from his interactions (no matter how irrational some of his behaviors are), do make sense. At the end, I found myself connecting to him as he struggled through the more difficult parts of the story, and I think part of my discomfort with the novel stems from the fact that Felix doesn’t know who he can trust and he can’t really trust anyone, which I don’t like feeling, and which of course I felt every step of the way. It was well done to evoke that emotion from me, but that doesn’t mean I need to like it. :)

About two-thirds of the way through, I got stuck. I was sick of the politics within the underground community, I was tired of Felix's whining, and the internal dialogue was killing the pacing for me. Several months later I finally opened it up again, but instead of thoroughly reading, I did a skimming finish. The verbosity never died out, but the plot picked up and gained steam, to the point where I kept looking at how much I had left and at what was happening and wondered how they could possibly end everything in time.

The answer was they couldn't. Although the conclusion is a sorta ending, if the tale ended there I would be terribly dissatisfied. Knowing this is part of a series and will be continued keeps me from grading this harshly (I'm out of practice of reading series and feeling like I'm going to rip my hair out waiting for the next one). It's still one heck of a place to end, and readers who need closure should wait until the next book--at least--is out, although I'm not certain I'll read it.

Finally, the cover is lovely, stark and eye catching. If I saw this on a bookshelf, I’d pick it up, which is the purpose of the cover! It’s fitting for the story and further shows that this isn’t your typical romance novel.

Requested this book for review.

Changing Worlds by Cari Z

Changing Worlds by Cari Z
Stars: 5/5

Length: 71,000 words
Blurb
In this sequel to Cari Z's Opening Worlds, former starship captain Jason Kim travels to Perelan, the homeworld of his lover, Ferran, to start a life together. The ruling council of the Perels have allowed this unconventional union to continue in the hopes of strengthening relations between themselves and the humans. And while Ferran's family welcome Jason with open arms, not all of the other major families are as pleased. The arrival of an outsider to their insular, subterranean world challenges the traditions of centuries.

Tensions soar as old rivalries are rekindled in the wake of Jason and Ferran's relationship. Inevitably, something snaps. Jason and Ferran soon find themselves literally fighting for their lives when xenophobic anger pushes things beyond the breaking point. Only their devotion to one another can see them through, but a ghost from Jason's past threatens even that. With Perelan on the brink of civil war, Jason and Ferran must find a way to stand together in the face of chaos and to change the world on their own terms before it tears itself apart.

Overall
Having enjoyed the short story that this novel expands on, I was excited to hear that Ferran and Jason's story continued. And, for the benefit of people who hadn't read the first story, it's included in the beginning of the novel. (Two for the price of one!) I had already read it, but I re-read it, despite everything being explained in the novel itself (for those who choose to skip reading or re-reading the short). I was reminded how much I enjoyed the short, and with its happy ending, it was almost difficult to begin the novel, knowing there would be challenges in their future.

But I did, and I'm glad I did. A majority of the story is rather calm, action-wise, but it's tense in the relationship and political quandaries that arise. The last few chapters are incredibly compelling, and I eagerly ate through them. A great exploration of different cultures, xenophobia, and what really is the last great frontier--love. Oh, I mean space.

Review
I'm going to lead with what is probably the two weakest points of the novel, and they are pretty flimsy weak points: One, if you just re-read the short story which comes before the novel, then all the descriptive bits regarding the short story and explaining what happened seem unnecessary. Very minor and barely worth mentioning.

The second is that I saw some very minor plot holes, that weren't really holes but thin sections of the fabric. Some actions, while they had a good reason behind it, didn't make sense later. However, those actions weren't the main focus of the end plot, so it didn't detract from the story, but did create a slight "Wait--what?" moment for me as I read.

That being said, I really enjoyed this novel. The characters were well-fleshed out and came in a variety of flavors, from the stoic Penelope to the goofy doctor, to the main characters, who struggle with their differences about how life should be. While the reader will undoubtedly be more familiar with Jason's perspective and traditions, it was nice to see he wasn't always in the right in their struggle of differences, and most times they found a middle ground between them. Regardless if you agree with the culture Jason has to adjust to, I appreciated the sense of balance, that he had to respect their traditions, but they also had to understand that things can change. It was very positive, and also the greatest points of conflict throughout the plot.

Changing Worlds explores multiple facets of facing a new and different culture, such as language barriers (although technology does make that easier!), cultural differences, xenophobia, and the general environmental differences. For me, this story did all those things right, creating an environment (both socially and physically) that wasn't deadly, but wasn't all that healthy for Jason either. This plays a part multiple times in the story as Jason has to survive the politics and environment and be given what little concessions the Council of Matriarchs will allow for him to be an equal.

The progress of all the characters was interesting, not just the main two. There are side characters that grow, or that Jason's relationship grows with, adding a compelling element to the story telling, since the reader doesn't just care about the leading men, but a large extended family.However, even though we care about them, the focus never gets deterred from the primary story, and in the end the threads all pull together nicely.

I'd recommend this to all readers--sci-fi fans or not.

Requested this book for review.

Slight Hiatus

A slightly unplanned hiatus.

Which you may have noticed since I didn't post anything last week.

Last week and this week I've been busy working on proofs, plus my own edits, plus working full time, (and last week, caring for a dog). I only have so many hours in the day (my time-turner hasn't arrived yet) and sadly this falls bottom of the list. All my being busy time has meant I haven't had much time to read outside of  work related things (which, you may have noticed, I stopped putting reviews up for), so I'm lacking reviews to post. A little bit. Hopefully by the end of next week I'll be back on my feet and throwing reviews out there, because I have some great books in the line-up to be read (or what hope to be great books!).

Currently Reading: Changing Worlds by Cari Z

Next up (not necessarily in this order):

		That's Not a Feeling	Josefson, Dan
		King Perry	Manning, Edmond *
		First Impressions	Koehler, Christopher *
		Who We Are (Bear, Otter, and the Kid #2)	Klune, TJ *
		Alien 'n' Outlaw	Burn, K.C. *
		The Cool Part of His Pillow	Ross, Rodney*
		The Druid Stone	Belleau, Heidi*
		The Lonely War	Chin, Alan *