Last Line

by Harper Fox

CCCC

This takes some mental acuity not to get lost between the supernatural and the brainwashing elements, but it is powerful. Watching Michael unravel and then twist and break and recoil is exhausting. As horrible as it is, you can't look away. The degree of psychological conditioning and its success is terrifying. Mesmerizing, it really does play into traditional Russian folklore and the implications are devastating to watch.

And John, the partner we all dream of in devotion, honor, and action. He brings a smile even from afar. 

The story is fast paced and the suspense and the characters are intrinsically woven together. There are some hard moments in the story that just ache, but you can't help but want more. It is another foray into the sensory delight of Fox's storytelling even if some of the lyricism is sacrificed to the hard edge driving the plot.

Favorite quote:

It was weird how you could go through life and never need a thing until you fell across it.

A Girl For Me

by Failte

CCCC

A thoughtful and measured exploration of a misunderstood sexuality in this coming of age story.

Dani/Daniel and Kevin make an unlikely couple, but isn't that where some of the best surprises of synergy come from? On opposite sides, they quickly find that they are not as far apart as they think. In fact, where the truly important things count--they're perfectly aligned. Neither is completely at ease with their respective discoveries, but Dani's struggle to understand and find peace with the constellation of feelings, fears and desires s/he experiences as a transgendered male is the focus. It is well done, not exploitive, and leaves one feeling optimistic.

Favorite quotes:

"'OUT', Mom... Coming 'OUT' to you. If I were coming 'on' to you, I would be going to therapy. My god..." Against all odds, a smile played on Danny's lips.--Ch. 4

"If you want tits – get tits. If you want a vagina – get one. If you want a snowmobile – get a snowmobile. It's not important! Jesus H. Christ on a bicycle!"--Ch. 12


"Good sons don't wear bras, Kevin."

"So you're a good daughter then... who sometimes goes bra-less. Topless, even."

"Not funny," Danny said, smirking.--Ch. 16

Safe in His Arms

by Renee Rose

CC

2.5 stars

Super hot spanking in this domestic discipline story. 

The scenes were great. Focused, passionate and thoroughly about Zac and Becca's needs for D/s and spanking respectively. I loved the way the characters interacted, but the actual plot of the story was a miss for me. 

One needs to suspend belief and just accept the fantasized thriller or be utterly frustrated. Which though I often roll my eyes at, I was like, "Okay, sure. Take me on the magic carpet." What really annoyed me were inherent character flaws for both protagonists. Becca's really a bit of a dolt and Zac's kinda an alphahole.  

Becca is hit by the bad idea fairy when she decides to attract Zac's attention by setting up a fake meeting at a renown drug trafficking park--really? And Zac, god did this one cheese me off, decided not to share that fact that there was a condom failure with his sexual partner cause he hoped she'd get pregnant--dickhead. 

I want to rate this BIG points for the kink. Majorly hot if DD is your thing. The other half that pays attention to character and plot is going--aahhh...No. What I'd really like to see is a representation of sexual differences in a way that doesn't imply that a fundamental flaw with the individual is necessary for these to be desires. I would love to read these scenes in that context. 

Favorite quote:

If I exist in any form--if there is a man to know--I would want him to be the one I am when I'm with you.

Vanilla Boy

by H.C. Brown

CC

Incredibly cheesy with cookie cutter characters. 

Disaster of a club, bad behavior all around, corny lines, an alphahole who's reformed and a meek sub that I could have beat up when I was eight. *rubs eyes* Overall, it comes across formulaic.

Favorite quote:

"It must be Christmas. My sac’s full, and I just found Santa’s little helper.”

A Fostered Love

by Cameron Dane

CCCC

Emotional read about two guys who met during foster care and reunited again later.

Jonah took the hard road, but when called returns to fulfill a promise. After some hard knocks he's sorted out a lot of things, but there's still damage. Never having been emotionally invested he's having a hard time expressing himself.

Christian is a stand up guy. While his life wasn't easy he's managed just fine and is no one's doormat, but sometimes the past doesn't stay in the past. That can be good and bad, and in Christian's case--it's both. 

Favorite quote:

“Deeper down, I didn't feel like I could fly like a real bird, so I only got the one wing.”

17 Black and 29 Red

by Richard Ryder

CCCC


Heartbreak and desolation. This book is like lancing an infected wound, it's got to hurt before it can get better.

Stockholm Syndrome abandoned us in a bleak place and here, like Dante, we traverse the depths of despair before we can resurface. This is an absolute mess as Lindsey deconstructs in an orgy of sensory overload, and when that doesn't work--deprivation. Wandering aimlessly trying to find the one thing that will spare him the pain. 

Meanwhile, Pip takes a similar track. Like two peas in a pod they find solace in the one place we can hide in plain sight, especially if others are willing codependents. Eventually, the ugly truth is acknowledged and things progress. Is it worse to spin in a safe circle or flail off into space? 

Favorite quotes:

Or maybe it's better not to feel it at all, just let this blank non-emotion run itself out like a road that disappears so gradually you don't even know it's happening until there's grass under your tyres.


"Tu deviens responsable pour toujours de ce que tu as apprivoisé."

This book is funny, but lacks the laugh out loud humor of its predecessor. The pop cultural references are still great and such a fun little tickle. Overall, loved it. Hated it. But then, I love lots of things I hate.

Big Sky

by Kitty Thomas

C

How much do I dislike this book? Let me count the ways...

1. The "heroine", Veronica, is so incompetent and disassociated from herself and her surroundings that she inspires nothing but contempt.

2. The "hero", Luke, is equally as mental as Ronnie and disappointingly never managed to snap enough to kill her. Talk about let down.

3. The 70s bodice-ripper attitude of "Please...please...no...no--orgasm". If you can't accept your own desires, you don't deserve good sex.

4. The utterly misguided/moronic understanding of feminism espoused. It's not about behaving a certain way, it's about having the rights and abilities to choose what you want in a society even if that choice is to give up choice for yourself.

5. The sex-- 'cause lets face it, it should be a significant factor in rating this book--was boring. Had to be the most uninteresting gangbang I've read. The non-con elements--boring. Lame D/s.

6. Read the status updates listed below because I pointed out things that I'm not going to reiterate. But I categorize this under "chronically stupid".

This book actually makes me wonder if Thomas is a misogynist. I think this is the final nail in the coffin as far as reading Thomas's books go. I've read several and while the storytelling was less mindnumbingly dull in others, all of her heroines are such wastes of space that I have zero interest in reading about them.

Overall, this book is a train wreck and a boring one at that.

Recommended to readers who think Wuthering Heights is a romance and think "Every Breath You Take" is a love song.

Favorite quote:

"Let the fucker kill her. What difference did it make at this point?" --my sentiments exactly

Goodreads' status updates:

06/24			2.0%	"Already hate the heroine. Anyone with that amount of disdain for fiscal responsibility deserves...disdain." 7 comments
06/24			3.0%	"Not only financially incompetent, but mouthy, too. *LE sigh Leah goaded me into continuing; I want to the record to show my hesitance--trusting you, girl."
06/24			5.0%	"Feminist. I don't think that word means what she thinks it means--*face palm"
06/24			11.0%	"Sweet bejeezus! They're both crazy. I think this book requires alcohol." 3 comments
06/24			17.0%	"Really? REALLY?! Barefeet are going to stop you?"
06/24			32.0%	"Your indignant behavior over the slightest perceived gender inequality makes it almost certain that inequality is what you masturbate to at night.”" 7 comments
06/24			76.0%	"Let the fucker kill her. What difference did it make at this point? --Ironically, I've been thinking the same thing, but not for the same reason." 6 comments

Song of Oestend

by Marie Sexton

CCCCC

Stunning mix of spiritual and carnal.

I had no expectations when I picked this book other than a bunch of my friends, like 36 of them had rated this 4.27 collectively. So, I'm thinking...Winner! And they were not wrong. But if I had tried to imagine the story just from the blurb, I would have gotten ALL wrong.

First, the story contains a significant paranormal element. Frankly, it is another character in the story with the way it interacts. Yet, it isn't just a ghost story. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of ghost stories and it isn't because I disbelieve--in fact, I've seen stuff that I can't explain and no one else around me could. A few were like, yeah...it's the ghost. I'm like okay...but waking in the middle of the night seeing a shadowy figure in the corner of your room that doesn't move--it quickly changes your mind from the NO box to MAYBE in a heartbeat. In the story, it is not just a ghost, but an entire spiritual belief that infuses it. I've study many cultures with non-western religious constructs so this was extremely easy for me to understand which might not be the case for other readers.

Now, while the story has this crucial element, it in no way impedes or dictates the relationship between Deacon and Aren--which I loved. It wasn't used as a crutch in the storytelling, but as an enhancement. I like that the belief system was multivalent--neither all good or bad. It was convincing and did not come across as proselytizing which makes all the difference to me in how I feel about a book. Religion/belief is an intensely personal experience for me and I do not enjoy being preached to.

Another strong point in this story, all of the characters are fully developed. There are no place holders, even the tertiary characters are flushed out. Aren and Deacon could have been quite predictable, but then about 55% of the way in, there is a major shift that just takes this story from an intriguing western to a complicated interracial romance set in a desolate ranching location. I loved getting my preconceptions slapped around a bit. This was not a lazy story in any sense.

I could probably go on and on about how I was floored, but I'll leave at that.

Favorite quotes:

"The fact the track through the grass was two men wide was the best part of all. It meant that he wasn’t alone."


“I’ve seen a hundred hands come and go. Maybe more. Every one of them needs to fear me. Every one of them needs to respect me. But not one of them needs to like me.”


"Wish I could do it for you,” he said. “Wish I had the magic, too, so you could see yourself the way I do.”

Grime and Punishment

by Z.A Maxfield

CCCC


Entertaining, black humor read with some serious heartbreak.

Jack, a forced retirement firefighter and now business owner, soldiers on with some days better than others thanks to the constant reminder of two separate events which catastrophically changed his life.

Ryan is a joybringer even during dark times, and that's here and now. Absolutely adored his test: the first date playlist game. Hysterical, sneaky and actually, brilliant. I plan on using it as a litmus test in the future. I'll also go on record stating that I would love to eat out with him.

Some strong secondary characters that flush it out. Skippy is hysterical and Dave is Dave. The way they interact is pure grins. All these little jibes and moments of levity are necessary because the event at the forefront of this story is difficult in its own right and devastating in the ripple effect.

We often forget or fail to see the effect just being a witness has. Bad things happen, and when they happen to you, you can turn and point and say, "Hey! This is why." Or "Look!" But, a witness only has the memory and the appropriated act as their scar. They have no excuse or ragged flesh to point to. So, bearing witness is often just as difficult as being the victim.

Favorite quote:

I may have loved him from my heart, from deep inside my gut, but I like you better.

Stockholm Syndrome

by Richard Rider

CCCCC


Beware! Kinky Quicksand Ahead

This is one deliciously messed up story. Both Pip and Lindsay are winging it, desperately trying to figure out what this is between them. It ain't Stockholm Syndrome, but it's got some seriously loose screws and one or two may have fallen out completely.

The writing is snarky and hysterical--it is embarrassing how many times I wanted to snip a quote and had to restrain myself.

"You are not deep and complex. You're the most 2-D person I've ever met in my life. Miyazaki drew you and threw you straight on the scrap pile because you look too anime."

OR

"He's singing the Marseillaise, but it's the Simpsons version because he doesn't know the real words; his French is limited to hello and goodbye and some filthy phrases he likes to whisper in Lindsay's ear at inappropriate times because he knows it gets him hard."

Lindsay and Pip play some kinky, kinky games together though neither really knows what they're doing--they make it up as it goes along--and some of it works out better than others. This is not a How-To manual so people use your brain cells and be smart--don't try this at home. As awkward as the journey is, it feels incredibly realistic for all the missteps, laughs, and downright naughty homeruns.

Even better, there's a story. A real story that exists outside of their crazy machinations with each other and there are quite a few twists and WTFs! Overall, highly entertaining and extremely diverting. Minus side, could have been tightened a bit as it dragged just a tad in spots.

Messed up and I WANT MORE.

Absolute Favorite passage:

If people leave them little drug-offerings on Jim Morrison's grave like altar goodies..." 

"...yes?" 

"Then what are you gonna do to me at Oscar Wilde's to properly honour him?"

Torquere FREE books giveaway for September!

Here is the Torquere FREE book line up with times:
All times are Central Standard Time and only on www.torquerebooks.com.

Day/Date Title/Author Time free:  CST

Sunday, 9/1 Racing the Moon
by BA Tortuga 12-1 AM

Monday, 9/2 Forged
by Sean Michael 1-2 AM

Tuesday, 9/3 Cornfed
by Kiernan Kelly 2-3 AM

Wednesday, 9/4 Galen and the Forest
by Eden Winters 6-7 AM

Thursday, 9/5 Jumping into Things
by Julia Talbot 7-8 AM

Friday, 9/6 Sleeping with the Past
by Cassidy Ryan 8-9 AM

Saturday, 9/7 Going Home
by Mychael Black 9-10 AM

Sunday, 9/8 Hell Dogs Squadron
by AR Moler 10-11 AM

Monday, 9/9 Between Us
by AKM Miles 11 AM-12 PM

Tuesday, 9/10 Touching Evil
by Rob Knight 12-1 PM

Wednesday, 9/11 Making Lemonade
by TC Blue 1-2 PM

Thursday, 9/12 Drawing Closer
by Jane Davitt 2-3 PM

Friday, 9/13 Force of Law
by Jez Morrow 3-4 PM

Saturday, 9/14 Converge
by Chris Owen 4-5 PM

Sunday, 9/15 Tabula Rasa
by Tory Temple 5-6 PM

Monday, 9/16 Founder
by Jodi Payne 6-7 PM

Tuesday, 9/17 Himiko Bonding
by CB Conwy 7-8 PM

Wednesday 9/18 Bay Leaves and Bachelors
by Ari McKay 8-9 PM

Thursday, 9/19 Sleeping Stone
by Alexa Snow 9-10 PM

Friday, 9/20 Yearning: Green's Hill Werewolves Book 1
by Amy Lane 10-11 PM

Saturday, 9/21 Dogged Pursuit
by Berengaria Brown 11 PM-12 AM

Sunday, 9/22 Dragonwalker
by Lee Benoit 12-1 AM

Monday, 9/23 Lost and Found
by Syd McGinley 1-2 AM

Tuesday, 9/24 Freighter Flights
by Drew Zachary 2-3 AM

Wednesday, 9/25 Chiaroscuro
by Jenna Jones 6-7 AM

Thursday, 9/26 Notice
by M. Raiya 7-8 AM

Friday, 9/27 Off World
by Stephanie Vaughn 8-9 AM

Saturday, 9/28 iDo
by Willa Okati 9-10 AM

Sunday, 9/29 Riding the Silverado
by Kate Roman 10-11 AM

Monday, 9/30 Army Green
by J. Rocci 11-12 AM

The Last Rebellion

by Lisa Henry

CCCCC


Beautiful...in the way a rattlesnake coiled on a rock in the sun is. 

Dangerous, and at any moment it could go so very, very badly. This story is an amazing, mindfu@cking terror because it makes you believe by the end. Miller makes you believe. So much textbook and then he takes it off road and out of bounds. You know where it's going, Rho knows, but it just unravels and reweaves so perfectly that it is awesome in the traditional sense of terrifying. 

I've read a few of Henry's books and they've always circled this issue of non-con that is twisted and transformed into a true relationship. Every rational part of the mind screams NO! But, in my opinion this is the best, most successful manifestation yet attempted. Bloody brilliant. 

I hope this a foreshadowing of what Henry will deliver in the future because it is powerful and certainly demonstrates a paradigmatic shift in craftsmanship.