Guest Review: Personal Challenges (Personal #4) by K.C. Wells

Will and Blake couldn’t be happier. They have a beautiful little boy, Nathan, and Sophie finally has the little brother she’s been demanding. But all is not bliss in the Davis household. Coping with reality is going to change all their lives.
Rick and Angelo are sick and tired of trying to get a wedding organized. If it was up to them, they’d be married already, but Angelo's mother has plans and they keep getting bigger. Angelo can see problems on the horizon: big, traditional Italian wedding and gay do not go well together. Something’s got to give.
Colin receives an unexpected call from an ex, with bad news. He feels compelled to help, regardless of the consequences. Ed loves Colin’s big heart and supports him in his efforts, but when the truth comes out, he finds it difficult to keep a lid on his emotions.
As the coming months unfold, the friends are going to need each other more than ever.

Rated 4.75 Hearts

Reviewer: Shee Reader


Having read the previous books in the Personal Series, I was dying to read this book, which checks in with, and shows the next step of life challenges for all the Personal couples. I was not disappointed! It was wonderful and moving and emotional and heartfelt.

The story opens with Blake and Will anxiously awaiting the arrival of their second child as the surrogate is in labour. Sophie, their daughter, is four years old and waiting for her little brother to arrive. Blake and Will receive support from their close friends, Rick and Angelo, and Ed and Colin whose stories I enjoyed in previous books. Finally, baby Nathan arrives amid much jubilation and love. Unfortunately, Nathan isn’t quite the perfect baby he looks. The issued involved were dealt with really well by KC. Realistic and accurate and so emotional.

Rick and Angelo are having a difficult time with Angelo's mother who is making many demands of their wedding planning, and insisting on inviting hundreds of Sicilian relatives…

Colin and Ed haven't set a date for their own wedding yet, but the re-emergence in Colin’s life of his first love gives him plenty to think about.

The stories are told concurrently and the intertwined nature of their friendships is beautiful to read and be a part of. There are plenty of twists and challenges (the clue is in the name after all) but the telling is relatively low angst and though emotional is not a harrowing read.

There is so much I could tell you about this book, but I won’t, to make sure I avoid spoilers. Save to say, I really enjoyed it. It is a beautifully written tale of the realities of life, and love and family. The characters are multifaceted, the relationships realistic and the dialogue is superb.

Highly recommended!

I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Scarred by Mia Kerick

From bestselling author Mia Kerick comes a New Adult novel of Gay Romantic Suspense that will keep you up reading all night!

Matthew North waited ten years to heal from the devastating wounds inflicted by the man who abducted and abused him as a child. Living reclusively on a tropical island—with no company but his four cats—he merely avoids the lingering pain.

Wearing twisted ropes of mutilated skin on his back, Matt struggles with a profound hindrance—the scars that deaden his soul. However, on the night he meets lively Vedie Wilson, a local restaurant busboy who expresses his gender by wearing lipgloss and eyeliner along with his three-day beard, things change.

Gradually, Vedie and Mateo unite in friendship. Through a series of awkward encounters, the pair learns each other’s secrets. Vedie learns that an angelic face can front for a scarred soul. Matthew learns that the line between one’s masculine and feminine sides is blurred. Can they embrace the painful stories behind each other’s scars if they’re to find everlasting love? Or will surrendered love come to be yet another blemish on their souls?

If you like a story with a cast of interesting characters, a bucket load of hurt and a couple of armfuls of angst then this is a book for you. Mia kerick has done a fabulous job with this story, taking two very different characters and showing that however hard the path they'd each travelled was, love can win the day.

Both of these characters were dealing with the pain of abuse. The sources of abuse were different and both were dealing with it in their own way - but there was a common understanding between the two that others couldn't get. Through the story we see Matthew and Vedie battling against the scars of both the past and the present to try and make something, anything, work.

I think Mia Kerick was very clever with her writing of this story. I think it would have been very easy to get caught up in the abduction Matthew suffered as a child and let this overshadow the rest of the book. Kerick was careful though, not to let that happen. We learnt about the abduction, we even had journal entries about it that Matthew had written after the fact, but it never became more than the story between Vedie and Matthew. Matthew's story was about the aftermath of the events from his childhood. How it affected him now. How it made him the reclusive cat lover we are introduced too. It was about his survival and how, with Vedie, he started to live again. 

Vedie seemed as opposite to Matthew as it was possible to get. Not just because of his gender-fluidity, but because, where Matthew portrayed as a colour would be a deep, calm blue, Vedie is a vibrant mass of eclectic shades that work together perfectly but can't fail to be noticed. He is so likeable. So strong and vulnerable. I would love to know him, to see the brightness in the world he sees, even though he has so much evidence of pain.

This story was everything I hoped it would be, and more. It focused on the two characters and how their own experiences guided the lives they lived. The lives they had lived and the way to move forward. There are many painful moments in the story, some in the past and some in the now. Of all the pain experienced, I have to say, for me, one of the most hurtful was Matthew's mother. I wonder if this is because I am a mother myself and I cannot, won't even try to, imagine the pain of my child taken from me. I felt enormous pain for her at the start.., but then, how she was with Matthew, with Matthew and Vedie made me so angry. I know if I'd been given a second chance with my child I wouldn't waste a second of it. 

A book that is well worth a read.

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

For more information, see Goodreads.

Don't miss the Scarred blog tour + giveaway stop here!

Review: Driven by MB Mulhall

Eighteen-year-old Oliver’s troubles don’t end when he’s released from prison. He has nowhere to go, and he can’t even think about moving past his crimes while trying to survive homelessness.

Helping an elderly woman after a fall guides Oliver into at least a temporary home. In exchange for odd jobs and some assistance, he’s welcomed into a life with the old twin spinsters, and it seems too good to be true. The neighbor, Simon, certainly thinks it is. He doesn’t trust Oliver or his motives. Oliver is used to that kind of judgment, but it isn’t helping him overcome his guilt. Maybe Simon is right and Oliver doesn’t deserve happiness—or any of the other feelings stirring in a heart Oliver thought he’d closed off for good.

Oliver has two options: let the pain of his past swallow him and destroy all hope for the future, or move on to the new possibilities in front of him. Choosing to live won’t be easy, and Oliver might not be able to do it alone.

I loved the blurb and the promise of this book, it is fair to say though the writing style didn't quite work for me.

I liked the way MB Mulhall set up the story; chapter one gave me a taste of something terrible to coma and it did make me want to read more. It was dramatic enough, written with just the right amount of information given and withheld and I was absolutely eager for more. Moving on into the story, I liked the whole premise of it and I liked the characters (particularly the twins!) 

Unfortunately, that is where I stopped liking it. For my taste the writing style didn't work, it tended to be a bit overly dramatic for my tastes and sometimes reasoning for actions and reactions felt convenient. I had eye-rolling moments. Several of them - but (and I know I harp back to this time and again) what is an eye-rolling moment for me, is the cherry on the top for another reader. Plenty of my very closest reader friends and I disagree on writing styles. (MY own sister doesn't like Harry Potter. I mean, that's nearly worthy of disowning, right?) All I can say is what didn't work for me. 

Some of the descriptions were a bit over the top for my liking. One scene that stuck in my head was how Oliver is absolutely petrified of getting into a car, it is a main theme of the book - yet when he does sexy thoughts of Simon help him not realise the journey had past. For me this felt like a big WTF because there is no way I could relate to it. Not the fear, but the way dirty thoughts overcame the fear. They felt so unrelated and unbelievable to me - yet I'm sure that many other readers wouldn't have thought twice about this. Or, you know, liked the way Oliver was distracted from the fear.

I did absolutely hate Oliver's mum and I really didn't like the way she was given some redemption. It was too little too late. I'm not saying that she shouldn't be allowed the redemption, but it was just given because of circumstances and ... well, it pissed me right off to be honest. I understood her pain, I really truly did, I can't imagine it. but she was still Oliver's mum and Oliver needed her. I was so angry at her.

I don't know, it's not a bad book but it really wasn't for me. Check out other reviews because they're probably saying something completely different.

A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.
For more information see Harmony Ink Press or Goodreads.

Review: When It All Falls Down by Tanya Chris

Maybe Charlie should have waited until he graduated high school before coming out, because since that revelation there’s been a growing distance between him and his friends. Charlie’s tough, though. He doesn’t mind eating lunch alone or watching his former gang interact with their new best buddy. What he does mind is seeing Drew Lavoitt suffer the same fate.

Drew didn’t come out. As far as he, or anyone else knows, he’s straight. What Drew did is accidentally hit and kill a little girl. Now the boy who was voted Most Popular, and who Charlie has maybe had a crush on since eighth grade, faces financial ruin, expulsion, and the fear that if he’s not everything, he’s not enough.
Popularity, wealth, acclaim—these things are easily lost. In each other’s arms, Drew and Charlie find something that can’t be taken from them. Together the two build a foundation on which they can re-create their lives.

My Kindle notes say: Great story, happy vibe, positive vibe, and I think this sums up the book nicely. It seems from the blurb that this could be a real drama driven book, with teen angst all over the place - but it wasn't. Whilst some of the events in this story were sad and some difficult to deal with, the story as a whole was positive. It showed how people, in this case teens, cope and deal with circumstances beyond their control. 

The character of Charlie was interesting to me. Often we see how bad coming out is for teens, in this book though, Charlie, for the most part, actually expected a worse reaction from people than what he got. I know that this is far, far from the experience of many people coming out. It gives me hope though, that the future of GBLTQ people is better than that of the past. My first reaction was to think that such positivity was unrealistic - then I thought about all the prom proposal videos that circle each year featuring GBLTQ youth and I realised that things are getting better. 

Younger generations, for a good part, don't discriminate. They stand behind their peers and celebrate the diversity of their generation. (Too) slowly things are changing for the better. Or at least they have been, but this is a book review, not a political statement. My point is, that Charlie expected negativity when he came out. He actually read it in places that it wasn't, in his group of friends, with his father... His expectations were of the worst, and it didn't turn out that way. I really hope that this is the case for the very near future.

Drew, I felt incredibly sorry for. He'd accidentally killed a 6 year old, through no fault of his own. An unpreventable accident - how devastating this must be. I've driven for 22 years and I've yet to enjoy it for exactly that reason, the fear of the damage a car can do in a moment of time. I can't imagine the enormous pressure and guilt (that most useless of emotions) Drew is under. He is coming to terms with it, so is his family and the people where they live. My heart ached for him.Then Charlie - brave and strong and hating seeing Drew on his own - spoke to Drew and changed the course of both their lives. 

A really great story, I would recommend this to romance lovers and YA fans.

A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.
For more information see Goodreads.

Audiobook Review: Wolfsong by T.J. Klune

Ox was twelve when his daddy taught him a very valuable lesson. He said that Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then he left.

Ox was sixteen when he met the boy on the road. The little boy who talked and talked and talked. Ox found out later the little boy hadn’t spoken in almost two years before that day, and that the little boy belonged to a family who had moved into the house at the end of the lane.

Ox was seventeen when he found out the little boy’s secret and it painted the world around him in colors of red and orange and violet, of Alpha and Beta and Omega.

Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his bloodred eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces.

It’s been three years since that fateful day—and the boy is back. Except now he’s a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

Listening Length: 18 hours and 40 minutes
Narrator: Kirt Graves

Before I even start to review the book, I need to tell you all how FUCKING AMAZING the narration is for this story. A narrator can make or break an audio title, or maybe not break it but keep it on the okay side. Kirt Graves took this story to another level, now I can't speak for TJ Klune, but as the listener I can't imagine this being read in any other way; Kirt absolutely nails it as far as this reader is concerned. A story I listened to today was... not ruined, but marred, by the fact that the narration felt off to me, and I was repeating lines in my head emphasising the words how I would have read them. The Wolfsong narration was so good I just melted into the story and got absolutely lost in it. I will be keeping my eye out for narration from Kirt Graves from now on, because he was Ox as far as I was concerned.

Okay, so moving onto the story. I'm glad Klune had a top-notch narrator because this story utterly deserved it. I mean, it's not a secret how good his writing is, nor is it a secret how this talent extends across genres; he can be hilariously lighthearted or tug on every single last heart string. Admittedly, all his stories contain a bit of both but they are all fantastically unique. Talented author is talented - but you all know that, right?

So Wolfsong... what was it that makes it so special? Well anyone who has ever read a review by me knows I am a character gal through and through. If I fall for the characters then I am sold pretty much on the story and this book was jam packed with characters to love.

Ox, the MC,  for starters is quietly understated yet he manages to be a growing strength all through the book. You know they say it's the silent ones you need to watch out for? Well that is Ox; to underestimate him is a folly. He's a real hero as far as I'm concerned; strong and true and honest and utterly humble. Joe is the perfect opposite for him, the perfect partner. Joe is Joe, he is the sunshine on a gloomy day. Always bright, well almost always, but he could so easily have been a broken parody of a character and I am so glad he wasn't. My other favourite character was Gordy, I would really, really like his story. Father figure, friend, boss - and so much more to Ox, his presence in the story was important to me, without him I don't think Ox would have been the man he became.

TJ didn't just work his magic by creating fantastic characters though, he also wrote a wonderful world. It was our world, particularly a small town USA world, but with a magical, supernatural presence that only a few know of. The world he wrote though was lyrical in its own right. He makes it so easy to picture in my head that when I think of Wolfsong I see greens and browns and woods and home and family and love. I see small town USA, though I've never been stateside.

The other important element to the writing is the vivid emotional imagery. He wrote feeling. He didn't write about feelings, he wrote them so they were tangible, so they were mine as well as Ox's or Joe's or whoever's. The storyline was almost just a by-product of the other three things; characters, setting and emotions. I mean, obviously it's not, I'm sure every author out there would have my head on a plate for suggesting the storyline just eases into place once characters etc are there. I can only imagine the hours of hard work that goes into a story like this. The talent though is making it appear effortless, by not adding in cliches and over used plot devices to get a story to work. If I was attempting to get poetical about it, I would say the storyline is the material the tapestry is done on and the other  elements are the threads that weave the picture. 

I would really recommend this story to anyone who enjoys good writing and it is as simple as that. If you enjoy being lost in a book - choose this story. Again, I cannot recommend highly enough the quality of this audible version; TJ Klune wrote a stunning story and Kirt Graves managed, somehow, to take it to another level.

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

For more information see on Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads.

See our ebook uni gangbang review here!

Review: A Fine Bromance by Christopher Hawthorne Moss

When Robby starts his senior year in high school, he meets the new boy, Andy. Although Robby has never been physically attracted to anyone, he instinctively feels comfortable around Andy. As they get to know each other better, Robby realizes Andy is an outsider just like him, and harassment at the hands of the school’s bad boys makes it clear that Andy is a transboy.

When Robby’s eccentric Aunt Ivy finds some of her sentimental treasures missing, the boys put on their sleuthing hats to solve the mystery.

Robby cannot figure out what is wrong with him. He thought by his senior year he would know if he was gay, bi, or straight, but nothing. His body just doesn’t seem to want to wake up. Nothing he tries seems to work and he is feeling like an outcast. When he meets Andy on Andy’s first day of school, he finds the boy really interesting, and invites him into his life, enjoying his company, and standing in the way of Andy and the school bullies. This distracts him from the question of his sexuality for a little while, and he is content to get to know his new friend. It isn’t until a few weeks later that the bullying taunts start indicating that Andy is trans, and Robby realises that Andy has been hiding a secret. Undeterred by this fact, their friendship strengthens, and they start spending a lot of time together, at Robbie’s Aunt’s house.

I gotta say, I liked both Robby and Andy. Their characters were easy going, and they seemed to fit together really well. They were both able to open up to each other in an easy way, especially once Andy realises Robby is not going to judge him, and their friendship strengthening over time.

In this friendship story, attraction was touched on, but not really explored in depth. There was something missing from how this relationship would play out. It felt incomplete, and the story seemed to centre around the “mystery” of Aunt Ivy’s things going missing. I wanted their relationship to be pushed just that little more into the depth of emotion required for things to feel solid with them. There was a whisper of it, and I think the author tried to convey it, but it just missed it for me.

Let’s talk about the Mystery. It made the story drag. I actually didn’t like it’s placement as a sub plot. I thought that it could have been scrapped altogether in place of something else. Someone younger, or less into crime fiction may possibly enjoy it better than me. I do know I used to love this sort of thing when I was a kid, so it may appeal more to a younger audience, except for the fact that there is adult language. For me, I was more interested in how Robby and Andy would navigate their desire for a relationship.

The epilogue was a bit of fun, and the explanation at the end about the epilogue was also nice. Aunt Ivy’s treasures would have been something I was obsessed with when I was younger. My favourite childhood memories with my Grandmother was going to antique shops with her and finding all manner of ancient furniture and knick-knacks. I can relate to why Robby loved being among all those old things.

This is recommended for those who enjoy romance at a much slower pace, and as a sub-plot to friendship.

An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest opinion

Find on Harmony Ink Press or Goodreads!

Review: Love Can't Conquer by Kim Fielding

Bullied as a child in small-town Kansas, Jeremy Cox ultimately escaped to Portland, Oregon. Now in his forties, he’s an urban park ranger who does his best to rescue runaways and other street people. His ex-boyfriend, Donny—lost to drinking and drugs six years earlier—appears on his doorstep and inadvertently drags Jeremy into danger. As if dealing with Donny’s issues doesn’t cause enough turmoil, Jeremy meets a fascinating but enigmatic man who carries more than his fair share of problems.

Qayin Hill has almost nothing but skeletons in his closet and demons in his head. A former addict who struggles with anxiety and depression, Qay doesn’t know which of his secrets to reveal to Jeremy—or how to react when Jeremy wants to save him from himself.

Despite the pasts that continue to haunt them, Jeremy and Qay find passion, friendship, and a tentative hope for the future. Now they need to decide whether love is truly a powerful thing or if, despite the old adage, love can’t conquer all.

Kim Fielding is an author I always forget I like, so when I pick up a new book from her I'm generally utterly pleasantly surprised by it. I totally need to keep her more on my radar because with enjoyable reads like Love Can't Conquer she really should be an auto buy author for me.

This is the kind of angst I like. It's very... person orientated. Drama for the sake of drama is a big turn off for me, any drama and angst needs to be a part of the story, part of the characters, and not just there to rack up tension for the sake of it. In order for me to love a story I need to be able to feel the characters and for that to happen I have to trust them. However they act on paper I have to understand the reasoning behind actions and reactions. This author does this well.

Drink, drugs and an unhappy childhood coalesce to make this an intricate story balancing pain with hope. The part of the blurb that really drew me in was the last lines "Despite the pasts that continue to haunt them, Jeremy and Qay find passion, friendship, and a tentative hope for the future. Now they need to decide whether love is truly a powerful thing or if, despite the old adage, love can’t conquer all." and it encompasses the whole feel of the story for me. The tentative flowering of trust and friendship that lights the way through a dark past. A great read.

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

For more information see Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads.

Group Review: Carry the Ocean by Heidi Cullinan

Normal is just a setting on the dryer. 
High school graduate Jeremey Samson is looking forward to burying his head under the covers and sleeping until it’s time to leave for college. Then a tornado named Emmet Washington enters his life. The double major in math and computer science is handsome, forward, wicked smart, interested in dating Jeremey—and he’s autistic.

But Jeremey doesn’t judge him for that. He’s too busy judging himself, as are his parents, who don’t believe in things like clinical depression. When his untreated illness reaches a critical breaking point, Emmet is the white knight who rescues him and brings him along as a roommate to The Roosevelt, a quirky new assisted living facility nearby.

As Jeremey finds his feet at The Roosevelt, Emmet slowly begins to believe he can be loved for the man he is behind the autism. But before he can trust enough to fall head over heels, he must trust his own conviction that friendship is a healing force, and love can overcome any obstacle.

Warning: Contains characters obsessed with trains and counting, positive representations of autism and mental illness, a very dark moment, and Elwood Blues. 

When the request to review Carry the Ocean came into the clubhouse several of us were interested - but also a little scared. The two MC's are far from the a-typical romantic leads and, as they were dealing with autism and depression, there was every chance this novel was going to be an emotionally hard read. So we did what unicorns do best and decided to share this journey - this wonderful, amazing journey. Here is what Sunny and I (Lorix) thought.

Sunny

This story hit me hard, but in a good way. Emmet and Jeremey, and all their thoughts and emotions, felt so real. I want everyone to know these characters; ones I wish existed in real life because they are that wonderful.

Emmet's voice was so clear, his personality came across immediately and I knew him and loved him.

It’s like Elwood Blues says: everybody needs somebody to love. I’m an everybody. I get a somebody.

I shouldn’t have worried so much about it. Frankly, I’m awesome, and anybody who doesn’t agree should get out of my way. 

I loved his parents, too...

My mom says disorder makes it sound as if there’s something wrong with me, and there isn’t. I’m wired differently, but she says so is everyone if you come right down to it. 

She’s a mom with lots of superpowers, but she says they’re powered by hugs. 

...and the winks and ice cream from his dad :)

When he saw Jeremey, and wanted to meet him, wanted to be his boyfriend, his plans to make it happen were awesome.

The night before I practiced all my facial recognition charts and went through my flash cards of appropriate getting-to-know-a-boyfriend conversation. 

My heart melted.

So we meet Jeremy, with his depression and anxiety, and I just wanted to hug him. And take out his mother >:[
Well versed in 'modifications', Emmet was pragmatic about Jeremy's situation and was able to suggest strategies to help him deal with problem areas. His easy acceptance of Jeremey's diagnosis was so sweet, and his perspective of what it meant was spot on.

“Depression likes to eat happy things, sometimes.”

Watching the two of them get to know each other, learn from each other...it was so honest, no games. I loved that. For someone who supposedly had problems interacting with others, I found Emmet's way of communicating, especially with his hand signs and t-shirts, to be refreshingly direct. 

When they moved into the Roosevelt, their relationship moved up another level, with sex added to the mix. 

I have a thing about my nipples being played with, and Emmet knows all about it.

*grins*
There was a slight hint of D/s that played out naturally and made me grin even more.

When serious conflict occurred, my chest hurt and it was hard to breath, but they way it played out was wonderful...again, honest and real.

Jeremy's baby steps to managing his depression and anxiety also felt realistic. No magic cures, just a lot of work, but also hope. The support from his friends was heartwarming, and when he figured some stuff out...it was awesome :)

For a story with sad topics, this wasn't a depressing read. Emmet and Jeremey were so good for each other, and their love was beautiful to see. 

All the stars for this one *hugs e-reader*

Lorix

I'm not sure I know where to start with my review of this book. Partly I want to just shout THIS BOOK IS AMAZING, EVERYONE READ IT NOW, and partly I want to break it down, to get inside it and work out why this went straight on my favourites shelf.

First of all, let's address the genius that is Heidi Cullinan. I've read and enjoyed - really enjoyed - several of her books, but this has topped the list as my favourite. What Heidi shows time and again is meticulous research into her characters. This doesn't mean she dumps a whole load of information in each book about them but it absolutely shows in every line, every action, every character thought she writes. This book was no exception.

Books/films with an autistic MC have been done before, but what Heidi manages to do is make Emmet a character who happens to have autism rather than him be an autistic character. It's a fine line, a subtle difference, but it makes the story one I couldn't put down. All good authors make their characters come alive. They give them traits and tics and personality and this is what helps move a story along - action and reaction, just as we're all different, so should characters in books be. 

Emmet's life is affected by his autism in that he makes decisions and judgements based on the way his brain is wired. His personality is created by this. This doesn't mean he is not a normal person (as he says, normal is a setting on a dryer) he is perfectly normal. His normal is just different - as is mine, as is yours. We are all individual. We are all different. I love how Heidi shows Emmet working at the things he finds harder - recognition of other's emotions for example. We all have things that come easily and things that don't - me, I have to work harder at maths.  Emmet may have needed a little help to function independently but that doesn't mean he is unable to do so. 

It is fair to say, that even with his difficulty in emotional recognition, he is the one who was able to help Jeremey the most. Jeremey, who is severely clinically depressed, has his own trouble functioning in society. I have to say I understood Jeremey so well. Depression is so often badly portrayed and, though it affects everyone differently, this portrayal felt real to me. It was real to me. As a sometime sufferer I understand so well that feeling of worrying about making the wrong decision, of just wanting to get in bed and hide under the covers, of the tiredness and how difficult conversation is with people, even those you know really well. Jeremey needs support from his family and he isn't getting it. The more they insist he acts a certain way the deeper he is falling into the blackness. Yet Emmet breaks it down in a simplistic way and 'gets' Jeremey, when others really don't.

When Emmet and Jeremey form their friendship, Jeremey's family show a lot of prejudice about Emmet - and that's before the friendship moves further than just friends.  This book shows us the strength in understanding others and not making judgements. It shows us the realism of living 'outside the norm', of dealing with depression and autism and how, if we look beyond the labels, Emmet and Jeremey are just as normal as you and I.

I'm not even sure I've chipped at the surface of why this book is so damn good - but if I don't stop soon this blog post will be rivalling the book in length. I would urge everyone to read this. Read about love and friendship in its most basic form, without the expectations society dictates to many of us. It really is the best tale of love and family and friendship I've read in a long while.

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

To find out more, check out Goodreads.

Review: Ghost Songs by Andrew Demcak

It’s not easy being Todd Williams, a fourteen-and-a-half-year-old gay musical prodigy. The bullies, Bob and Ari, at his fancy private school make his life a living hell. Todd’s drunken, irresponsible mother, Eddie, constantly embarrasses him and puts his artistic future in jeopardy. And now, his best friend, Jennifer, who plays clarinet with him in the orchestra, isn’t speaking to him. Maybe Leroy, Todd’s friendly poltergeist, knows what’s going on with her. To top it off, he can no longer rely on Jennifer's help in the race to solve a puzzle that could lead to a buried treasure. Todd must learn to stand alone. He’s finding out that growing up is far scarier than he ever imagined.

It's hard not to root for Todd from the beginning. There's something very relatable and likeable about him being a teenage boy just trying to survive his high school years.

This is a very relationship and character driven story and all of the relationships in Todd's life are put to the test.

Todd and Jennifer are besties and regularly interact with their friendly poltergeist, Leroy. He makes his presence known, answers their questions and even protects them. Todd and Jennifer have a genuine friendship that, thankfully, survives some horrific events. Jennifer meets a guy, an older, hot guy. We all know how a teenage girl would react to that! Yeah, she was all about Paul. In my attempt to be spoiler free, I'm not going to go into great detail about what happened with this guy, but I was shocked to say the least. Shocked that the kids treated the situation (<- vague review is vague) with such flippancy. I was outraged and the kids did nothing!  I know, they were kids and didn't think they had anyone to turn to, but I still think they should have been more responsible.

Now Todd's relationship with his mother is a different story altogether. I was pleased with the turn of events in regards to his mom. So often we see either the villain parent or the hearts-and-rainbows-perfect parent. Eddie was neither, and she was both. She loved her son but needed help to show it and she got that help. Even though she drove me crazy, I can't help but appreciate her efforts.

Leroy. I would have loved more of Leroy and his ghostie shenanigans! Especially at the end. There was some buildup surrounding him, then it was just over and I wanted more.

I'm not even getting into the whole 'buried treasure' part. I thought it was random and weird. I could take it or leave it. Preferably, leave it.

The cover, title and even the blurb were very deceiving to me. I totally judge a book by its cover (I know I'm not the only one), so when I saw this I thought it would be a creeptastic, ghost, YA story. It was ghostie and YA, minus the creepy. I was bummed about that, to say the least. Shockingly, I was cool with the zero romance, but with a cover like that I was expecting to be staying awake all night with the lights on. Being that I'm a total wuss, if I didn't think it was scary, then I'm pretty sure nobody else would either.

I found myself constantly looking for more. In every scenario I was thinking 'This can't be all there is to it. There's got to be something else.' But no, that's all it ever was. I kept trying to read more into everything. I don't know why. But I think I was just looking for more of everything.

It was good. I liked it and found myself staying up late to finish and to find out what would happen with Todd and the people in his life. But in the end, it still left me wanting. I felt as though there was something missing. More that could have been explained. More page time with the ghosts. More of a resolution with Paul. Just... more.

 

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more info on Goodreads! 

Review: A Forbidden Rumspringa (Gay Amish #1) by Keira Andrews

When two young Amish men find love, will they risk losing everything?

In a world where every detail of life—down to the width of a hat brim—is dictated by God and the all-powerful rules of the community, two men dare to imagine a different way. At 18, Isaac Byler knows little outside the strict Amish settlement of Zebulon, Minnesota, where there is no rumspringa for exploration beyond the boundaries of their insular world. Isaac knows he’ll have to officially join the church and find a wife before too long, but he yearns for something else—something he can’t name.

Dark tragedy has left carpenter David Lantz alone to support his mother and sisters, and he can’t put off joining the church any longer. But when he takes on Isaac as an apprentice, their attraction grows amid the sweat and sawdust. David shares his sinful secrets, and he and Isaac struggle to reconcile their shocking desires with their commitment to faith, family and community.

Now that they’ve found each other, are they willing to lose it all?

  
Simply wonderful.

I was so worried this would be overly angsty for no other reason than it would be easy to do so.

But, no. 

No, this was about Issac's journey to finding his own happiness. Taking his own rumspringa, regardless of the strict rules that govern his life.

When Issac is first assigned to be an apprentice for David he knew it was a bad idea. He knew being around David would worsen his already sinful thoughts about the other boy. As they continued to work together, Issac realized that his attraction may be reciprocated. 

Even though they both realized that they liked each other in that way, they couldn't risk it.  They danced around each other, a touch here and there, until finally... 

Finally.

*really bad explosion sound effects*

"Issac waited for the horror of what they'd done to reach him-to grip his soul in terror. Yet as they kissed and breathed each other in, sticky and sated with the oaks standing sentinal, Issac felt only a peace and wholeness he hadn't realized he'd been missing.

That it was a sin, he had no doubt. But it was the sweetest sin he'd ever known."

Coulda been the hottest frottage scene ever. I'm pretty sure it was. Their exploration of each other was worth the wait. Don't let the Amish theme fool you. David did done his research in the ways of sexytimes. He did good research. Mmmhmm. They didn't let their innocence hold them back at all. Even still, they were pretty clueless about relationships in general and learned how to love together.  

"'We don't have to do anything else if you don't want to.'

Issac took a deep breath. 'But I do. I want it so much.'

'So do I.' David kissed him softly. 'Touching you feels right. It feels... beautiful. It makes me so happy, Issac. If it's a sin, then I'll gladly call myself a sinner.'"

*dreamy sigh* Issac and David totally captured my heart and would not let go.

The weight they had to carry because of their feelings seemed almost unbearable. What they had to go through was heartbreaking. But I was so glad that they did it anyway and that I was able to be a witness. Ack. I'm such a goner for them.

"David had drawn his fingertips down Issac's cheek. 'This will be our own little rumspringa. They never have to know.'"

The fact that they had to hide completely was gut wrenching. It's not just them that would be made to suffer, but their families as well. Neither boy was willing to do that. Even though they risked everything for each other, they still put their families above themselves. Even in the end, they tried to be as selfless as they could.

I don't know anything about Amish culture. So, I can't say if the way they were depicted in The Forbidden Rumspringa was accurate. But I can say that it felt real. Every scene with their families felt genuine. Every interaction between the characters felt like it really could be happening. Hell, it felt like it was happening.

And the ending. I couldn't believe that the words on that next page were THE END. I'm pretty sure there was yelling involved, especially when I saw '2015', which feels like an eternity away. So, I went back. (I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who does this, right?) I went back to the last page and reread it over and over again. I wanted to make sure I soaked up everything I could about David and Issac and what they are about to embark on. The end was completely satisfying while making me completely crazy with wanting more. 

I'm so glad their story isn't over yet.

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

 Find out more info on Goodreads and BookLikes!

Review: Violence Begets by P.T. Denys

After a tragic accident devastates his family, 16-year-old Rick St. James starts his junior year of high school alone in a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah. When he meets Kevin Vincent, he’s too distracted by the promise of new friends to see that Kevin has secrets of his own.

Having created an environment where he's feared and admired by his classmates, Kevin finds pleasure in using his good looks and violence to control and manipulate those around him. Secretly, he cruises the gay club scene, turning tricks to earn money so he can party and get high.

As Rick’s dad becomes increasingly violent and abusive at home, the two form a surprising and volatile trust. In this battle of wills, their precarious friendship will either keep their lives from blowing up around them or possibly light the fuse that will cause the explosion.

My initial reaction to this book -

I could not stop reading this book, it was brilliant and beautiful. It was also brutal and unbelievably sad and I won't forget it for a long time.

I may write a more extensive review once my head and heart have healed a little.

Well a week has passed but I'm still struggling to put into words how much I loved this book. Be warned, it is sad - it is more than sad, it's tragic - from the beginning to the end. Yet in the middle something beautiful blossoms. Have you ever seen a patch of weed with a pretty flower in the middle, well that is this book to me.

I'm not going to rehash the blurb or the story, there's no point. I will say at the start I HATED Kevin...just goes to show, don't judge a book by it's cover, or don't make assumptions til you know the full story. Yeah, it was one of those books that made you stop and think about your interactions and responses to people. Nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors. Instead of being preachy though, this story made me love the characters and because of that I felt every, single moment of their pain. Each and every one and it still hurts.

Not an easy read - but a must read. A real must read.