ADULTING 101 by Lisa Henry

4 Stars

I'm never going back and you can't make me.

Whoever started that ridiculous idea that late adolescence is the best years of your life needs to be flagellated. Severely. Needless to say, this is a time machine special so that the reader can recall the crappy anxiety about themselves, their life, and EVERYTHING else. 

Nick Stahlnecker, recent graduate is enjoying the last summer before college--or trying to. His dad has ideas about how he needs to straighten up and fly right. Get a job. In fact, he manages to get one for him. Nick's not invested in this job, but it does have one perk. 

Jai Hazenbrook.

He's the eye candy of Grover Construction, and he's got a fanbase. Okay, might only be a couple people, but whatever. Needless to say, Nick is spellbound. Nick is also an extremely determined young man when something's in his target range.

Sometimes things are a bad idea and you do them anyway. 
Even after advice to the contrary.
Even knowing it, you do it.
*facepalm*

Nick's Score: 10 for Effort, 3 for Execution. 

Nick is brazen and unrepentant. Half the time I was embarrassed for him. And at others, yeah... no. Porta potty--no fucking way! EEEEEWWWW!

And then there's things I have fundamental ideological differences with... pineapple does NOT belong on a pizza. And “Meatlovers with anchovies and pineapple.”

This is not a pizza.

Thing is, Nick has ideological differences with his parents, but being mellow he's been herded by his parents into a series of decisions that don't suit him. He's gotta figure a way to sort that out while working out exactly what's happening with Jai.

The characters are disturbingly realistic, and the situations while veering towards absurdity skate the edge and highlight the hyperbolic ridiculousness of being eighteen, a kid and adult at the same time. I laughed and groaned and totally got my utils ($$$) from the purchase. 

Favorite quote:

Jai’s not sure what worries him most: the fact he’s already noticing the things Nick would love, or that he’s apparently hooking up with the teenage-boy version of his mom.

Overall:

WITCHES OF LONDON - LARS by Aleksandr Voinov

3 Stars

This story is more pagan exploration than romance. That said, there were some lovely erotic scenes. I have a familiarity with most of the concepts discussed, albeit at a lower level. Trust me, you've been around long enough and you've heard a variant of this at least once, usually satanists. 

He’s the type that tells a pair of Jehovah’s Witnesses he can’t talk right now, he has a virgin sacrifice on the altar.”

I wouldn't categorize it as proselytizing, but the focus of the story is Lars as a practitioner and how his life fits into it. The dream walking/astral traveling sequences were great, and the details are vivid. 

I was expecting more romance and action--this is a very self-restrained plot. Additionally, I was caught off guard by the emotionally darker tone; it wasn't alluded to in the blurb and I had hoped for something lighter. Prior to reading the book I had shelved this as paranormal, it isn't. This is witchcraft as faith, not Harry Potter.

COME BACK TO ME by Edmond Manning

3 Stars

Dedicated to Vin Vanbly: F**kin' Perfect by P!nk 
And anyone else who's seen themselves in his mirror. 

“I wanted you to see me like this. My worst. See if you’d still like me.”

Here's the thing; I love this series, but I did not love this book. Might be that I had high expectations: wishing, hoping, and waiting for Vin's story. His kinging.

The secrets are finally revealed and the truth behind many things alluded to during the series is laid out. There's ugly here, there's cruelty, and I had a hard time watching how hard earned Vin's compassion was. 

I have no future because every string is wrapped so tightly around the past.

As much as I enjoyed this story, I had some issues with it. The disjointed structure was problematic. Three separate stories instead of a cohesive whole was not kinging that I was expecting. One story completely disrupted the timeline and served little purpose in advancing the story and could have been a short separate novella. 

The covenant of being the insider with Vin during these stories is broken, and it's hard being on the outside wondering what's happening. If Manning was testing the reader to trust him, then I failed twice during this story. That fundamental change to the storytelling was disconcerting. Enough that I walked away from the book for a period of time. 

This is the story of a nobody. Someone who probably shouldn’t even be alive.

There is a graphic quality to the erotic scenes that was not present in previous books, and if I'd never read another book in the series I wouldn't have blinked twice, but this was radically different. It is still that celebration for the human form and ability to feel in all its manifestations, but more explicit. Since Vin uses sexual congress as a form of connection, communication, and validation it shouldn't have been a surprise that his story would explore these themes more. 

He said, “Not knowing someone’s king name doesn’t prevent them from being a king. A name doesn’t define you or make you something you’re not. Your king name is true, but not the truth.”

I love Vin; I just wish the story had been constructed differently. My recommendation for readers unfamiliar with Vin, do NOT start with this book because I don't think it will give one a sense of the series. 

Overall, a MUST READ for Vin fans. 

THE STARVING YEARS by Jordan Castillo Price

3.5 Stars

Another day, another opportunity to get that coveted job. 



Nelson's half-heartedly attending a potential interviewees' spiel for Canaan, playing the reindeer games, and not giving too many f#@ks when suddenly, things head south fast. In the scramble to escape the conference room he's teamed up with others. There's the chick (Marianne), the sleazy sales guy (Randy), and the present object of Nelson's infatuation, Javier. In the dash to safety, they pool resources and end up with Tim, the likable if awkward getaway driver. An isolated incident turns into a citywide disaster zone as they travel across NYC.

There's cover ups and exposés: 



And some old fashion use of unstructured time without distractions, except maybe the ones they make for themselves, a smoking hot menage with a sprinkle of kink. But sharing bodies doesn't mean sharing everything else. Tim, Javier, and Nelson are pushed closer while being put through the taffy pull. 

Entertaining, and the sex was scorching hot. The rest of it was a bit of a swirl and the whole mark issue wasn't explained completely, but if you're looking for a fast-paced read with some intrigue, sex, and a touch of gore then this might just suit. 3.5 stars.

Overall, conspiracist suspense.

JOYLAND by Stephen King

4 Stars

Forlorn and melancholic.

A summer of adventure at a pleasure park in North Carolina as Devin Jones earns money for college. Except, it turns out to be that pivotal moment when he shifts from childhood innocence to adult. Heartbroken and adrift, he finds a home among the rabble of Joyland regulars who see him as one of their own.

All places with enough invested develop a soul, legends that surround it. Dev becomes obsessed with the ghost of Linda Gray; victim of a gruesome crime and dumped in the park. Dev tells the story of the mystery, the culture of Joyland, of friendships made, and those things lost.

All I can say is what you already know: some days are treasure. Not many, but I think in almost every life there are a few.

I haven't read King in over a decade, so I was a little surprised by how emotional and depressed this was. It makes sense that writers change and grow, reflecting their lives, but it was unexpected. In many ways, this was far more satisfying than the macabre spectacle that I was anticipating. Who the heck cries reading Stephen King?

Me, apparently. 

Anyway, I liked this immensely. Reading it at the end of summer, filled with that impending nostalgia made it better. The rating probably reflects a bit of my surprise in the trajectory of the story, but I'm happy I bought it and even happier that it wasn't what I thought I'd purchased. 

Favorite lines: 

Mike turned to me. “Now I know what my kite feels like,” he said.

So did I."

PRIDDY'S TALE by Harper Fox

4 Stars

They don’t seem to thrive away from the sea, and if they do leave, they always return.

This is a classic Mer tale. 

The hubris of youth that infallible superhero feeling that you can surpass anything until you can't. 



Priddy is left behind as his best mate goes to university, still suffering consequences from misjudged youth. That's Priddy's fate. His backstory is sad and unfortunately not uncommon. 

Merou is the half-drowned man Priddy pulls from the sea when disaster strikes the rough-hewn cliffs of Cornwall in the rugged West Country. From that moment, time is being rewritten as Priddy's life changes. 

Fox's descriptives are a key draw for me, and they don't disappoint. While I am usually keen on the palpable renderings of the setting that was not the focus. Sure the waters are lovingly drawn, but the spotlight is on Merouac, of Mer anatomy itself. He reads like a heroic nude from antiquity, quite beautifully done. 

Merouac chuckled. “If you like. Pretty and merry— won’t we make a pair?” Closing his eyes, he pulled the bedclothes up to his chest, and Priddy must have imagined the webs between his fingers— there was nothing there now but a glimmer, like fine-ground fish-scale dust.

But it is not all smooth waters and lilting songs on the air, for a nemesis lurks threatening everything. I love the ocean, I could read pages of nothing but sea spray, wind shifts, wave and current patterns and be happy, add in Fox's writing style and this was a big win.

This isn't a grand romance. It's loving and thoughtful and sexy, but more finding that puzzle piece that's been missing than a overwhelming courtship. 

Overall, love and the sea, and how both are catalysts of change.

MAD LIZARD MAMBO by Rhys Ford

4 Stars

I’d come so damned far from the battered, mewling meat puppet he’d made me into, and I wasn’t going to let his monsters drag me back down into that existence. 

Indiana Jones of the Fae with a decidedly post-apocalyptic flavor.

Technically, it's post Merger. Wherein Underhill, the Fae homeworld, collided with the Human one. The battle to redraw lines resulted in enormous losses on both sides and now they live side by side, but not without incidents. Postwar, life is about recovering and new species wander the changed landscape while animals roam where they didn't before. 

Kai Gracen is a chimera, born of blood magic, and a literal creation of his father Tanic, a Hunt Master, a flesh-shaper. More secrets of his origin are revealed and the ties between Kai and Ryder tighten. Kai is a Stalker, which is somewhere between a bounty and treasure hunter. Stalkers aren't known for their long lifespans, of course being not human has advantages that his sometimes partners don't.

“You tell them I went out kicking ass, and you get drunk with them,” she murmured, patting my hand. “Because that’s what’s Stalkers do. Even if you’ve watched them grow up, Kai, it’s what we do when one of us falls. You bring me home, let Mama dress me in something pretty, and drink yourself sick while what’s left of me is on the pyre. Just like I would do for you.”

Ryder, sidhe lord and all-around albatross Kai deals with. Of course he's ridiculously hot--he's fae--and well-mannered, cultured, educated, and optimally not suited to Stalker life or the tasks they undertake. Guess who's nose is stuck right up in Kai's business? 

This is the second book in the series, and there's some previous history between Ryder and Kai, but not having read the first wasn't a problem. The details of what occurred are relayed enough that one has no problem understanding the issues and feeling the growing UST.

This is an action adventure story with a small slice of romance that's more snark than kisses and sighs, that said, it was fun. Between the mystery, archeological element, the vicious fauna encountered, and an antagonist who has no boundaries when it comes to winning--there's some decent violence. 

DRAGON!

Not a main character in this story, but there's a few here that add that certain flair. Two thumbs up for the dragons. Danger is everywhere as a cynic and an idealist go in search of fae secrets. 

Overall, adventure with blood, sass, and a sprinkle of heart.

A WEREWOLF'S TALE & A DRUID'S SWORD by Lexi Ander

3.5 Stars

Lost, missing, or forgotten?

I was a bit underwhelmed by the title and the cover, but it had something in the blurb that made me go ahead and try it. And yay! This is action-packed, conspiracy-driven, and a sweet romance.

Jude is the overlooked younger brother of Beck. Beck and his love, Diego take him in after being cast out. Nursing a broken heart, Jude struggles to find purpose and his envy of both Beck's relationship and job with the I.O.N. Beck's new born skill of super speed gained him a position at the agency overseeing supernatural beings. 

But, there's trouble brewing in San Diego and suddenly Jude is finding out all sorts of truths. Not everything that is missing is lost. Jude has choices. The characters made this as much fun as it was, especially the secondary characters whom add a lot of world building as we meet them. From werewolves to druids to nephilim to seers and a host of other supernatural beings there's a web being woven. 

The romance is sweet and possessive, but the primary focus of the story is Jude's transformation and the mystery surrounding the werewolves. That said, there is a light BDSM scene with spanking that appears featuring secondary characters that seemed oddly placed. The incongruity of it, while hot, was distracting from the story. 

This is a paranormal adventure with a series arc. The story has a conclusion for the characters' romance, but there are outstanding issues regarding the overall story. It was fun and peaked my interest for more stories in the series.

MORGEN CURSE by Gillian St. Kevern

4 Stars

What's hidden beneath the shallows?

Mer, or morgen as they're known here, are hiding at the ends of the earth. Quite literally, in the waters not far from Antartica off the Antipodes. But, all is not well with the small group of morgen. Told from the perspective of Ieuan, a young and impulsive youth who flees home to seek out The Cursed One. 



The Cursed One, Cefidor, was banished and lives alone. Yet, when Ieuan finds him, he is not alone. If finding The Cursed One is not horrifying enough, then his companion is even more so. A human lays there, sworn enemy of the morgen. All is not as it seems, and young Ieuan learns truths he once believed are not. 

Ieuan's flibbertigibbet personality is more charming than annoying as he loses his naivety. Cefidor's gruffness fools no one for long. While Zane's antithetical ideas perplex both morgen. Nonetheless, it isn't long before these three, disconnected souls start to understand that they are far more similar than they are different. 

I love the ocean, sailing, and swimming; therefore, I am heavily biased when it comes to stories that feature these elements. I love the way they were presented here. I sped through the story waiting for the next visceral memory to be rekindled as I followed Ieuan. 

This book is definitely part of a series with many issues left unresolved as we wonder what will become of Ieuan, Cefidor, and Zane. There is much hinting and pushing towards a possible relationship in the story, but it doesn't coalesce--that is left for the future story. So, this really leaves much up in the air. That said, the action and drama surrounding all three characters provides constant and compelling interest as the plot drives the story. 

I'm ready for Book #3 Morgen Song. Now.

WRIGGLE & SPARKLE by Megan Derr

3.5 Stars

"Let's go, Sparkleson."
"Right behind you, Wriggly."

This is fun and campy. If you're looking for an irreverent mockfest of unicorns and krakens, then you've found the right book. The jokes are rolled out regularly, and they're funny--only a few groans. I think I might have contracted diabetes just reading what Anderson ate--sugar-fueled supernatural being that he is. While it plays with the stereotypes it also deconstructs them and by association all stereotypes, thereby pointing out how ridiculous they are even if appearances are deceptive, or not. 

No one is a ONE SIZE fits all. No one.

Add in some clever gender fluidity that's inherent in fishes and you have a wicked funny gender fluid hero/ine. I loved all of the snipping back and forth between Lynn and Anderson. It's the format of the book that I wasn't as thrilled with. Essentially, this is episodic with five separate incidents/dramas that weave Lynn and Anderson's lives together. It's well done, but it reads like four short stories. But... it has the most romantic and sweetest tentacle sex I've ever read!

"Once she's gone, I feel there should be some make-up role play."

Anderson heaved a long sigh. "Any excuse with you. Fine. But it's really hard to keep a straight face playing virgin sacrifice."

Overall, fun read for unicorn and kraken fans. 

ALASKA, WITH LOVE by Sandrine Gasq-Dion

2 Stars

There's nothing wrong with the story, but it's superficial and trope-filled frothiness doesn't suit my palette. Even as a mindless marshmallow read it just doesn't hit the right notes for me. I literally forgot I was reading this book at the 75% point and came back to finish it for a challenge. I think this is the first time with this author and we don't meld.

(\_/)
(O.o) *shrugs*

MIDNIGHT by J.V. Speyer

3 Stars

What is love?

Brandon's finally emerged from his lair after licking the wounds of an abrupt relationship ending. Friends have rallied around him and he's finding a good place again until, like a bad penny, Adrian, his ex shows up.

Over and over again.

This is a bit of a surprise as far as the romance goes, so, not going to spoil it. I liked Brandon's journey and the twist in it. There's a hefty dose of emotion and this isn't really as fluffy as I was hoping for going it, but it left me with a smile and missing Boston. 

BIG LOVE by Rick R. Reed

3 Stars

Learning to love oneself.

This book is less a romance and more an exploration of different stages of self-acceptance from a tormented teen to a middle-aged man remembering and unlocking who he hid away years ago. I was expecting more romance and the surprise suicide issues threw me a bit, I just know way too many f@#king people who've gone down this road, walked it with them, and grabbed hold as they teetered to really enjoy any story that features it--in fact, I generally avoid them. So, my rating may not be reflective of what others will take away. 

That said, the steadfastness and optimistic ending definitely worked for me.

CRISPED + SERED by T.J. Klune

3.5 Stars

“Because I don’t want to be surprised by death,” he said. “If it’s going to take me, then it will be on my own terms.”

The journey continues. If you couldn't make it through the first half hour of Saving Private Ryan then you will probably have a very difficult time with this. Throw in some Inglorious Basterds, Pale Rider, Deerhunter, Uncommon Valor, and a touch of The Postman and you've got the general idea of what's going on and how it's going down.



Cavalo's just as broken as he always was. The repeated reels of the past playing through his mind are good at giving a sense of disorientation and questioning reality, again, but it also becomes redundant--slows things down, even action sequences. Like going down a big hill with the brakes always on, you don't get to feel the thrill of falling because you're so distracted by all the other images. It stretches time out, and while I like the feeling of tension it causes, it also numbs and feels too thin--like it is putting a veil over the scene instead of ratcheting it until you're at the breaking point. 

Loss and sacrifice. 

The impending conflict with the Dead Rabbits meets the point of no return. Character relationships expand as they complete their own personal arcs while violence as yet unparalleled is let loose as the dogs of wars ravage the countryside. All this said, it's still a moderate read even with all the action due primarily to the inordinate amount of time spent in Cavalo's head. Frankly, as written, this is better as a movie than a book. The imagery is described, the psychotic sequences so detailed that is could be brushed through in a few seconds of film rather than breaks in the story's plot. If you approach this as a western, then the pace and trajectory work much better than a post-apocalyptic story. After all, Cavalo is the epitome of the American monolith.

We get bad guys and make them pay! And no matter where you run, if bad guys are after you, they’ll find you. It doesn’t matter how far you get, they’ll find you.

The ending... well you'll have to read it for yourself, but it has all been foreshadowed.