Review: Moonlight & Stained Glass by Ava Penn

Two men's worlds are shattered by the death of one woman.

Dare is dealing with the loss of his fiancé while trying to care for their newborn son when a stranger shows up claiming to be his fiancé's brother.

Cole received a letter from his sister informing him that he would soon have a nephew and a brother-in-law, but he arrives to a tragedy that completely unsettles him.

I’m always anxious to read work by a new to me author and I grabbed dibs on this one when it was offered to us. I dove in initially and made it to about 30% before I set it aside. I just wasn’t connecting to anything or anyone and I felt like I was reading and reading but not really getting anywhere. Sometimes it’s just me and the book and I are not a fit for whatever reason at the time.

I picked it back up and read to about 60% and my feelings didn’t change unfortunately and I set the book aside for good. My complaint doesn’t really fall with the writing. It flowed well and was easy to follow. My problem fell in that nothing really happened. There were a lot of descriptions of the daily life the two men fell into, but not much about their interactions that showed me much about them. Their actions told me what they did, but not much about who they were. If asked, I couldn’t describe their personalities to you. I could tell you what they wore, what they drove, what they ate, how they packed a diaper bag and the layout of the house, but nothing about who they are, which kept me from getting invested in either of them.

The premise had some promise to it, but I couldn’t really buy into how they came to be living (and sleeping) together. There is no way a man grieving over the loss of his fiancé, Gillian, and being a new parent is going to invite a stranger into his home, much less into his bed in that short a period of time. When I say they slept together, I mean just that, they slept, there was no funny business going on. Cole was Dare’s future brother in law. Gillian’s brother that Dare had no idea existed until the day he came knocking at the door after Gillian had died. It was nice to see Cole connect with his nephew, but that was the only connection I felt and at 50% I feel I should have a really good handle on the characters and their motivations. They were living like a nice nuclear family, but there was way too much unsaid to make me feel like the MC’s were heading in any kind of direction together.

Now, a big thing to keep in mind is that I didn’t finish the book. I’ll invest myself to 50% if I’m on the fence before I’ll DNF a book. And again, the writing flows well and it definitely wasn’t difficult to read. I think what it needs is a seasoned editor to reign in the extraneous details and keep the focus of the MC’s so they could go somewhere, because I really wanted them to. I wouldn’t even say, skip it, because if you like a quiet story this could hit the spot for you, it just didn't for me.

A copy of this story was provided by the author for an honest review.

Guest Review: The Devil's Brew by Rhys Ford

A Sinners Series Novella

Miki St. John’s life has been turned upside down but it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

His best friend, Damien Mitchell, is back from the dead. He has a dog named Dude. And more importantly, he and his lover, SFPD Inspector Kane Morgan, now share Miki’s converted warehouse.

For the first time ever, Miki’s living a happy and normal-ish life but when Valentine’s Day rolls around, Miki realizes he knows next to nothing about being domestic or domesticated. Nothing about the traditional lover’s holiday makes sense to him but Miki wants to give Kane a Valentine’s Day the man will never forget.

Can he pull off a day of wine and roses? Or will his screwed up childhood come back and bite Miki in the ass?

Again.

Our boys from the Sinner’s Gin band are back and they are better than ever in Rhys Ford’s The Devil’s Brew.    Miki St. John may have found the love of his life in Kane Morgan but loving his cop and becoming part of the massive Morgan clan didn’t come with an instruction manual.  Being in a loving relationship and part of a supportive family is something that Miki doesn’t have a frame of reference for and it doesn’t come easy for him.  Most of the time Miki is white knuckling his way through and letting the three men that mean the most to him: his best friend, band mate, and brother Damien Mitchell, his sweet Irish love Kane and Kane’s father, the strong and steady Donal Morgan guide him through the choppy waters of domesticity and family.  But now Valentine’s Day has come, love is in the air and Miki is in a panic because he’s on his own with this stupid holiday and as usual, when it comes to “normal”, Miki is convinced he has no idea how to do it “right”.

The Devil’s Brew takes us into Miki’s head and it’s not the easiest place to be.  Miki’s had to fight his entire life—and he’s got the battle scars to prove it.  He struggles with his self-esteem and self-worth and even though he knows he has love in his life (romantic love with Kane, platonic love from Damien and familial love from Donal, Brigid and the rest of the Morgans) he has a difficult time accepting that he deserves it.  It humbles him.  It terrifies him.  And because this is Miki we’re talking about here, it pisses him off that he can’t do any of it right. 

And I think that’s the thing that makes Miki such a relatable character.  We all want to get it right but where most of us have some sort of a frame of reference for what getting it right should look like or feel like, Miki’s flying blind.  Before Kane nothing, save his music and the family he created with Sinner’s Gin, has ever been right.  And now Miki has his man, he has his music, he has his Damie, he has a family, he’s even got Dude the dog and it’s all so good and he’s doesn’t know what to do with any of it.   And most of the time, that’s okay because if he stumbles Kane or Damie or even Donal is there to catch him before he falls but now with this whole Valentine’s mess he’s sure that he’s on his own and he’s having a TMZ worthy internal freak out because of it.

But in his panic Miki’s forgotten that Valentine’s Day is all about love…and while he may not always know what do with it or feel he deserves it, he has the love of three very good men and they all step up to the plate to help Miki knock it out of the park.

First up is Damien and while his relationship with Sionn isn’t quite the same as Miki’s with Kane it’s similar enough that he gets it.  And more importantly, he gets Miki.  The conversation that Damien and Miki have is a tear jerker.  Their relationship isn’t sexual or romantic but the depth of their devotion to one another would rival that of any lovers.  So Damien, because he knows Miki down deep to his soul, knows exactly what Miki needs and he makes sure that he gets it. They have one of the most achingly honest conversations about where they’ve been, where they are, and where they’re going and by the end of it Miki’s head was above the water but I was drowning in a sea of feels.

Then there’s Donal.  Donal Morgan is the best dad who ever did the dad thing.  Donal has won the title and the crown, everyone else can sashay away.  When Miki falls –hilariously and hard—Donal does what all great dads do.  The way he handles Miki and what transpires between them is a reminder that familiar love is a beautiful, powerful thing and just gave me all the warm and fuzzies.

Then comes Kane and while the love he and Miki share is vastly different from what Miki has with Damie, it’s no less capable of anchoring Miki when he feels like he’s drifting.  Miki and Kane are by turns funny, sweet, and scorching hot.  They slot together like puzzle pieces.  Damien may be the guy that keeps Miki’s head above the water but Kane is the one that scoops him up out of the sea and sets him on dry land.  Miki and Kane are perfect for each other.

And speaking of being perfect, what Miki ultimately ends up giving Kane for Valentine’s Day is PERFECTION.  Miki manages both a sentimental nod to their past and swoon worthy celebration of their present (and future). 

Don’t let the page count fool you.  Rhys Ford is one of those brilliantly talented writers that manages to craft a tale full of richness and depth and feels utterly, totally complete and then pack it into a limited number of pages.  It’s more than a skill; it’s an art form and Rhys Ford does it masterfully.

If you’re a fan of Sinner’s Series, prepare to fall in love with Miki and Kane and the Morgans all over again.  I would give this book all the awards but Donal and his epic dadness already walked away with them all.   

ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

~Guest review by Shelley~

 

Review: Forever Fearless by Jeff Erno

The Forever Vampire saga continues…
In the aftermath of unspeakable slaughter, Robbie and Colt have escaped to the wilds of Alaska to face their immortal future. Things aren't so certain for their mortal enemies, Dylan and Issa, Matarian soldiers sworn to hunt them down and slaughter them.
Dylan is poised to begin his first vampire hunt and wants Issa as his partner, but Issa is far more concerned with finding his brother and tracking down the blond boy who nearly died on the battlefield. The entire cast from book one reunites in this thrilling continuation of their story, joined by a host of new faces--friends and foes--whose lives somehow weave together as they cross paths in their efforts to battle evil and attain their own happiness. Humans, Shifters, Daywalkers, and Purebloods confront each other with the guidance of three enigmatic sisters--one a Maenad, one a necromancer, and the other a human witch. Plot twists and surprises mark the paths of these diverse characters, forever fearless in their quest to cling to all they hold dear.

I read Forever Young, the first in this series, last week and I enjoyed it - a lot - but this book feels as though it has gone up a whole notch in the writing. I found it difficult to put down once I'd started it, the characters really drew me in to the story. I'm not sure why exactly I prefer this one to the first, it just seemed to flow better. The characters came to life just that bit more, the storyline was a tiny bit more gripping. Nothing huge - it was just as if the author felt more comfortable with the whole book this time round.

I liked how in this book we are introduced to a wider range of supernatural creatures as well as the characters we know and love from book 1. I can see this becoming a longer series - I have no idea if Jeff Erno has plans in that direction but I can absolutely see many of these characters with their own stories.

Throughout this book we follow several different character journeys until they combine at the end. I invested a lot in all of them and where I'll often have one or two favourites, I truly didn't this time. I enjoyed them all and wanted to know all their stories.If you enjoy vampire stories I'd say give this one a go - and if you're not sure but want something easy to read but that pulls you into the story give this one a go too. Jeff Erno is an author whose contemporary work I already enjoy - and now I know I enjoy his fantasy stories too I'm a happy unicorn.

A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.

Author Visit: Rhys Ford & The Devil's Brew

So today is a release day. The Devil’s Brew. A novella. Which are banes of existence because there’s no room. No room for murders… not the kind I like and oh, no room for really long sex scenes but to be fair, writing sex scenes always is shaky for me because I want them to be good. Nothing says meh like a Tab A Slot B scene.

Really. It’s supposed to be intimacy. Not building an IKEA futon bed.

Now the fun thing with The Devil’s Brew? I already had the characters and was building on a foundation I’d laid out over the course of a couple of books AND it was going to be a lead in for Tequila Mockingbird, the third Sinners book.

But what was even better? I could really just relax and enjoy the relationships. It was like a mini vacation. Okay, maybe not for Miki since I had him ratcheted up to high stress but for the whole story, I could explore some things I didn’t have time for in the books … because it would have bogged down those stories.

You see, sometimes the sweet and loving stuff has to be sacrificed for the bloodbaths. Hate to say it. But it does. One can’t make mushroom pizza without poisoning a few Borgias along the way.

Or so I imagine. I’ve never met a mushroom I didn’t like so chances are, I’d be sadly disappointed if one decided to turn on me and go all Scarface on my ass. It would be a sad sad day indeed.

Nothing says betrayal like a deleterious fungus.

Really. They’re like stealth serpents in the gardens. Fucking things.

Well, none of those in the novella. Instead, I got to show Miki’s point of view on everything from holidays to jewelry stores and fathers. Which was such a surprise. He’s got more issues than I’d thought and well, apparently he swears a hell of a lot too because even my beta readers were all… um dude, wow. It’s like an F-nuclear explosion in here.

I am not sorry. No regrets.

Because point of view on this was so key. Miki is the only one whose thoughts you see, although the story is in third person. And I could balance a bit of the uncertainty with his fierceness. Because yes, the boy is no one’s victim… unless perhaps his own.

Kane’s there to show him the way out of that darkness. Consider this a peek into the fifth book—the one coming up about Miki’s search for peace from his past but oh, it will be a past that comes and bites him on the butt.

Much like those fucking mushrooms §


ANNOUNCING: 

The Devil’s Brew by Rhys Ford (Book 2.5 in the Sinners Series)

Miki St. John’s life has been turned upside down but it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

His best friend, Damien Mitchell, is back from the dead. He has a dog named Dude. And more importantly, he and his lover, SFPD Inspector Kane Morgan, now share Miki’s converted warehouse.

For the first time ever, Miki’s living a happy and normal-ish life but when Valentine’s Day rolls around, Miki realizes he knows next to nothing about being domestic or domesticated. Nothing about the traditional lover’s holiday makes sense to him but Miki wants to give Kane a Valentine’s Day the man will never forget.

Can he pull off a day of wine and roses? Or will his screwed up childhood come back and bite Miki in the ass?

Again.

Rhys Ford’s The Devil’s Brew is now available at Dreamspinner Press and Amazon.


About Rhys Ford
Rhys admits to sharing the house with three cats of varying degrees of black fur, a black Pomeranian puffball and a ginger cairn terrorist. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird, a Toshiba laptop, and an overworked red coffee maker.

My Blog: www.rhysford.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhys.ford.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhys_Ford

And at the Starbucks down the street. No really, they’re 24/7. And a drive-thru. It’s like heaven.

My books can be purchased, folded and first chapters read at Dreamspinner Press. http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Review: Vampire Prince by S.J. Frost

For three years, Sebastian has lived as a blood slave, giving his blood and body to vampires. He’s a prisoner, owned by the blood house he serves. Sebastian dreams of freedom, of feeling the sun and wind on his face once again.

Valentin has earned the title of vampire prince. But status and age haven’t brought him love. When his blood craving grows too demanding to be ignored, he goes to the blood house and finds himself entranced by the spirited Sebastian.

Their passion is strong, their connection to each other undeniable. Sebastian wants to be Valentin’s, and Valentin wants to keep Sebastian—forever. The danger of giving the blood slave his freedom is high and the price might be both their lives.

"Everyone needs some brain candy once in a while."

What do you get when you mix the Vampire Diaries (minus the whiny teens--on second thought these vampires in the book were on the melodramatic/ cutesy side for being so old), the Care Bears (there must be a Sugar Gumdrop Care Bear that can also drop fang) and Benny Hill-like antics from paranormal folk?

Why, "Vampire Prince" by S.J. Frost, of course.

Twenty year old blood & forced sex slave Sebastian has not see daylight in three years. He's a kidnapped runaway forced to service vampires any way they want on threat of death in a blood slave whore-house type of establishment. The bricked walls, rape and harsh life is getting to him and he longs for death to end his hellish life. His life went from crap (his parents are homophobic bigots who kicked teen Sebastian out for being gay) to crappier (abuse from vampire patrons and evil housemaster Wesley and cronies). One night changes his life when a vampire British prince, Valentin Wyndham, comes into the shabby establishment because he was too hungry to resist paying for a meal. Valentin is dazzled by Sebastian and can't help but show Sebastian a bit of kindness. He seduces, treats Sebastian like a human and listens.

And whoo boy did they have hot sex too. The two start this sexy little vampire protector/ slave relationship that amps up hot sex and possessive feelings within a few days. In paranormal romances, I'm not picky about insta-love as much. And I let some sweetened practices slide sometimes too.

And this book is filled with sugar.

Lots.
Tons.
Heaps.

These vampires and other supernatural folk were basically paranormal versions of the Care Bears. See even the Bears agree with me.

Also with a cast of characters, there's Valentin's vampire cousin and housemate, Basil who's memorable characteristic is giving Sebastian sex advice on screwing his cousin and being nice, Sal, the smack talking demon of love and other housemate, Beezle, Sal's supernatural reptilian spirit animal, a witch named Calvin, tons of jerk vampires, evil vampire cronies...tons of characters.

The plot weakened in the second half, the cast of characters adding to it. A lot of TSTL choices were made by nearly all. What saved this book? The sex and Sal.

Sal! *breathy sigh*  

What a breath of much needed snarky, fresh air. He's funny, he's a ginger and a demon. Sometimes he got caught up into the cutesy, diabetic vibe of the Paranormal Care Bears crew...I mean, he's a member. But he's not as sugar laden as the other two. Plus, he has a cool pet, Beezle, creature from the other side.

My favorite Sal quote:

"He's a stiff old vamp, that's for damn sure. But maybe you're just what he needs to loosen him up. But as Baz said, it'll take a lot of patience. And lube. Lots of lube. I think that might be more important than patience."

I read there with be a sequel to this book. I plan on reading it and hope Sal is a MC. I hope he won't be injected with too much sugar and lose his sense of coolness. I'll be sad if he turns mushy like his mushy friends regardless of his demon powers.

But this story could not be carried on Sal's shoulders, sadly. It lost its steam and replaced it with sweetened mush. *pouts*

Now my issues:

- the weaker second half - once love was on the table so did the main character's common sense. Seriously, the melodramatic declarations of not living if the other one died, or a human playing martyr to save paranormal beings that could level crowds with their powers and weapons or sugar diarrhea that splattered all over with no end in sight...what happened to the strong sexy first half? That was great! The second half...eh, not so much. Plus, I start looking at Valentin, Basil and Sal as the Paranormal Care Bears because they laid their friendship-love-family shtick pretty heavy. I was okay for the first couple of mushy cheesy lines because it was kinda cute. But after the tenth time...cut it out. Even Sal commented on the mushiness. Gag me with a spoon.

- the paranormal Care Bears way of handling things - What the hell man? Valentin hinted at being this super mega bad ass with a temper. (I'll admit he did a few moves in the beginning) But he let the bad guys go and just drew out the inevitable. And then the bad guys were weak too, plotting and pushing out their chest to see who could be the lamest of the lame. (newsflash: Both Wesley and Caden were tied) But it was like reading a Benny Hill-esque version of badassery. They're just running around, breathing hot air, puffing out their chests and not getting anything done. Ugh, wimps. *rolls eyes* They talked everything to death, feelings and emotions instead of just killing anyone who messed with Sebastian. Hello, did you guys forget, you are supernatural beings, not humans?

- the mush  - Yep, I'm still gagging.

- the cliches - Sweet Cheesus, I didn't put the cutesy name of Valentin and his birthday together (one guess what famous lovey-dovey holiday?) until 3/4 of the way in. C'mon! *giggles*

Despite my issues and cavities, there is a plot. Strong? I guess. And I plan on reading the sequel. And I love the Vampire Diaries (television show) and even when the gang on the show talks their way to death and make the same sweeping declarations and dedications...I still watch. And I finished this book with a smile on my face (jury's out if it was from laughing at the book or smiling at the characters). So maybe I do agree with my opening quote and the book, a little "brain candy" never hurts sometimes. The characters were decent enough, some more than others *cough*Sal*cough*. I liked the unexpected twist with Malcolm (Valentin's scorned lover). I have feeling Calvin an d Malcolm might return in future book(s). I'd also like to see this.

The story is HEA (could you expect any less from mush?), heavy on the romance, likable (sometimes eye roll worthy) characters and decent paranormal world. I do like the hierarchy of vampires and the tie British nobility rankings to age as well.

Story's readable but might be appreciated more by readers who like to mainline sugar and enjoy more humanized supernatural beings.

P.S. Being as this was a purchased book (at quite a steep price), I must comment about the poor editing. There were glaringly obvious typos that I'm shocked the editor did not pick up. This did not affect my rating but I felt it should be known.

Review: Spirit by John Inman

Jason Day, brilliant designer of video games, is not only a confirmed bachelor, but he’s as gay as a maypole. One wouldn’t think being saddled with his precocious four-year-old nephew for four weeks would be enough to throw him off-kilter.

Wrong. Timmy, Jason’s nephew, is a true handful.

But just when Timmy and Uncle Jason begin to bond, and Jason feels he’s getting a grip on this babysitting business once and for all, he’s thrown for a loop by a couple of visitors—one from Tucson, the other from beyond the grave.

I’m sorry. Say what?

  Toss a murder, a hot young stud, an unexpected love affair, and a spooky-ass ghost with a weird sense of humor into Jason’s summer plans, and you’ve got the makings for one hell of a ride.

I love a good ghost story. I love haunted houses. Put those two things together with likable MC’s, a mystery, a charming kid, a geriatric dog, lots of good humor and romance; now, set it in my hometown of San Diego and you have one happy reader right here.

Spirit has everything I love about John Inman’s stories, I always find them totally entertaining and I never want to put them down. This one has more mystery and paranormal activity going on, but not so much that the spirit of the romance was lost in the shuffle (see what I did there?).

When I was first introduced to Jason, his sister Sally and his nephew Timmy I was a little surprised that Sally would be leaving her son for 4 weeks. As a mom I was thinking, nooooo way, even if it was with his uncle. As the story progressed though and I got a better picture of Sally it made more sense. Mother of the Year, she ain’t. But, being allegedly abandoned by her husband and left with a newborn I could sympathize a little. She had a chance to get away with her new beau, jackass extraordinaire, Jack, so she took it. Jack doesn’t like Jason and Jason doesn’t like Jack. Having a character to hate, guilt free, is a lot of fun. Jack has no redeeming qualities and I cheered for Jason with every zinger he sent Jack’s way.

After Jack and Sally hit the road Timmy and Jason settle into a routine of sorts. As much routine you can get with a 4 year old who isn’t yours, when Sam comes calling. Sam is Paul’s (the allegedly abandoning husband) younger brother. He isn’t totally convinced that Paul took off, Paul wasn’t that kind of guy and he wants to do a little snooping and see if he can get some answers. What Sam doesn’t expect is the attraction to Jason and vice versa.

So, now all three of them are settling into a little routine. Sam is getting to know Timmy and Sam and Jason are doing the sexual chemistry dance. While all of this is going on, strange things are happening at home. The house really doesn’t like it when Sally calls to check in and whatever is in the basement has taken an interest in Timmy. It’s a great mix of mystery, sexy times and funny banter.

Reading about kids in books isn’t always my favorite. More often than not the kids are not age appropriate and to me they just become distracting because they are so unrealistic. Timmy though? Timmy is great. Sure, he’s precocious, but he’s also hilarious and read like a little kid. His banter with Jason is gold and I loved their relationship. Not to mention Timmy’s new best friend, Jason’s geriatric dog, Thumper. There really isn’t anything much better than boy and his dog moments and these two are perfect for each other. Thumper may not be able to get around much, or keep up like she would like to, but having Timmy around is giving her a second lease on life and she comforts and protects Timmy so well. It was just too darned heartwarming not to mention.

Jason is a really likable guy and he and Sam have a real connection brewing that is so very sweet and very low angst which I think worked well. They had enough going on in the house and with Timmy without added relationship drama. They discussed their feelings realistically (as realistically as you can in a haunted house) and honestly. I know I’ve said this before, but that is basically what I love best about John Inman’ stories, the MC’s get together earlier than in a lot of books and while they may have a little relationship drama it’s not angst just for the sake of it. I get to see more than just the very beginning of the relationship and I can appreciate them as a couple for a good part of the story we well as individuals.

This may be my favorite John Inman book so far that I’ve read. Saying that, I feel like I’m cheating on all my favorite characters in his other books, but as I’ve said I do love an entertaining ghost story and this is all that and more. I didn’t want to put it down and would highly recommend it.

Sunday Funday: RuPaul's Drag Race Season Six Fangirl Squeeage

Guess what?

Other than reading tons o' books, working, living life, being an awesome pet mommy, etc. I'm a television fanatic. How does she fit it in? I dunno. Like I have to schedule any new shows with my current DVR schedule. I had to drop a few to keep my sanity.

BUT there's one show I will not drop - RuPaul's Drag Race.

Season Six Queens!

And before you walk away because you're not a fan, you don't have to be to read my gush-ation of the show. This season was great...I still prefer last season to season six. (Alaska, I miss you so much darling!!) Maybe because the batch of drag queens seemed more polished, more savvy, more aware? The show still has the same great vibes that has carried it through but this season it was a little difficult to pick who I thought would be in the top three. (I'll admit I did expect Ben de la Creme to be there...color me surprised!)

Miss this bitch. Love you Alyssa Edwards!

Yes, baby, there's still drama and shade. Some memorable queens, antics and contests. My favorite episode was the Snatch Game. The RuPaul video with the top four was pretty good too. Oh and the Rusical!! I'd pay money to watch a full show. (Adore, you have a set a pipes on you. I still remember you from American Idol! Still great!!)

Love Manila too! :D

Lots of season highlights, surprises and memorable queens. Anyone else over Trinity K. Bonet with her Beyonce declaration in the beginning, then end up loving her by her elimination? She finally was herself when she let her secret out of the bag. I'm proud of Trinity, BTW. She should be proud for being so brave.

Or Milk? I wished she had a chance to shine for a few more episodes.

Look at her! Fab.

Or Gia?!

Absolutely. She added the comic relief. And the best part is she didn't know it.

She might have been annoying but Gia Gunn made the show more interesting. I was surprised she left so early.
P.S. What's up with his eye when he's in drag?

Love you anyway Gia. ;D

And I'm only going to mention this attention whore just once...she got on my last nerve very quickly. She's manipulative and fake--ha for a drag queen (insert drum roll here)

I'm sure she's talented but Laganja, watch the season with a true friend. No makeup, no BS., no shade and all T, you were playing a character. Be yourself next time.

Ben de la Creme?! Why isn't she in the top three? She's intelligent, funny and polished. Yes her outfits were becoming a little one note. But she's got moxie.

Michelle Visage has never looked so better

 But alas, not more worry about who should've been in the top three. Let's get into the actual top three.

Courtney Act: That lady is...a lady?
Before the season starts, I usually pick a few that I think I will love when their pictures are released. Courtney caught my eye.

She's flawless.

Her best outfit/costume IMO

But she also seems bored. Forget that she could pass for a woman. There's more to drag then being really pretty. Drag queen does not automatically you could impersonate a female. There's more to drag. And while she's the prettiest...she lacks the personality. Other than backhanded compliments, jealous snide, slick comments, singing (she's an Australian Idol runner up) and well crafted bikini outfits, what does she have to offer? What can she do for the title and crown?

She's peaked. She's not delivering anything new to the art of drag. She's seems over it all, the competition, etc. You could argue the show probably edited her this way but are they able to edit out personality and soul too? She's got a lot: talent, beauty, great clothes and she can beat her face to death (great makeup skills, in case you're unaware of the term) but she's a robot. A beautiful robot...but a robot nonetheless.

Adore Delano: My Drag Miley Cyrus

SRAL's drag what? Listen, Miley Cyrus gets a bad rep. She's twenty-one. We all do stupid shit at that age. And if I could ever party with her, I totally would. You know you're going to have a great time.

Same with Adore Delano. She's young, pretty, effervescent, talented as hell..."party"

Adore is charming as fuck! There's just something about her that draws you into her web. Is she as polished in her drag queen lane compared to the other two? No...but she's in the top three isn't she? There's something about her. She's real. She's dope and she can bust a rhyme quite lovely.

But to me, she's this season's Jinkx Monsoon, the queen that is rough around the edges. The underdog you can't help but root for...

...another Jinkx again, though? If Adore was able to compete again in a couple of years, she'd kill the competition. She's a star but she's not ripe yet.

Bianca Del Rio: She's Classy, Sassy and Brassy! My Drag Fairy Godmother?

Cruella deVille realness! EAT IT!

So let me begin if you're part of the Bianca is so mean to everyone crew. No, she is not. She's honest. She might use humor to sort of soften the blow but, hello, let me quote another great Drag Race quote:

You can keep that Kumbaya shit where it can stay...in the trash.

This is a competition. Bianca never fought dirty. I rather you say something about me to my face instead of behind my back. I don't like being fake nice. Give me truth or nothing at all, baby. All the way. And Bianca is nothing but truth. She says the things you wish you could say in the moment. And she's top notch in the drag department--I'll agree her dresses were becoming a little one note towards the end. But when you find a silhouette that works for you, you use it, right? Plus Bianca was helpful! If you ever get a chance to find out more about his background, please do. She's so hardworking, so earnest. She's the American dream. :D

I'm happy with the top three. But there can only be one winner!

It all boils down tomorrow night when a new queen will be crowned and the owner of one-hundred-thousand-dollahs! *my best Ru voice* I'm super excited to see who wins, truthfully it could be anyone's win but I love two out of the three so much. I wish them the best and much success in future endeavors.

Who am I rooting for?

Us blunt bitches must stick together. 

And you know what they say about us too? Under that blunt, sometimes perceived as bitchy veneer...there beats a heart of 24K gold. We can't let everyone know about it, so the quips & jokes throw them off the scent.

When else will I be able to use this one? Hopefully, Bianca will be saying this tomorrow night.
With love, of course.

So let me know who you think should win? Any season highlights you want to share? Have you voted on twitter or Facebook? The winner is ultimately chosen by RuPaul but let your choice be known! I'll be glued to the television tomorrow!!

P.S. Feeling a little hungry? Would you like a snack? Have some "Peanut Butter" by RuPaul feat Big Freedia.  My favorite music video since last year still going strong. You're welcome. ;D