tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87186885284651259562024-02-07T05:53:35.672-08:00Greedy Bug Book Reviewskazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-74423567249875640842014-01-22T19:47:00.001-08:002014-01-22T19:52:23.418-08:00Are You Interested In Reviewing For an LGBTQ Young Adult Site?<br />
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<strong><u>Are You Interested in Reviewing Books on Greedy Bug?</u></strong></div>
<a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=YX1p_cf2-f83iM&tbnid=6jfc65NjpZEBLM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tumblr.com%2Ftagged%2Fbook%2520gif%3Fbefore%3D42&ei=V5MNUvTsLMmykgWO44CQCg&bvm=bv.50768961,d.dGI&psig=AFQjCNHM57JIrZAg98U2EFW6DWHOysrbzw&ust=1376707789261854" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/9d352c13f6090a977102de2b3d5f4218/tumblr_mpsoopWNQL1s5z0c9o1_500.gif" height="223" id="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 56px;" width="400" /></a><br />
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Greedy Bug is a book review site that primarily reviews LGBTQIA Young Adult or New Adult books. We have quite a few authors and publishers looking for reviews of their books from us.<br />
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It is hard to keep up with the books that are released and some styles don't necessarily suit all the reviewers here. To this end, we would like to hear from Young Adult or New Adult readers who would like to review for Greedy Bug.<br />
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<strong>What we are looking for -</strong> <br />
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People who are enthusiastic about the genre<br />
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People who are avid and passionate readers<br />
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People who <strong>finish a book</strong> and will then <strong>review it</strong><br />
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People who can write thoughtful or fun reviews.<br />
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<strong>Honesty is the most important aspect for all our reviews</strong>. It is not possible to love all books, or even like some of them. Because a book is supplied to us, and our reviewers, does not mean we must write glowing reviews. However, we do not attack writers, other readers, or other reviewers in our reviews and on this blog.<br />
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If you are a young adult, that is terrific. If not, then you will be just like Cindi and Kazza K - we are past our YA days...shhh :)<br />
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You must follow /support our blog - which is here now <a href="http://greedybugbookreviews.com/"><span style="color: cyan;">http://greedybugbookreviews.com/</span></a> as it does not look good if you review with us but don't endorse the site and what we are doing - supporting LGBTQIA authors and the community.<br />
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We want you to know that we are a friendly team. Don't be nervous about contacting us if you would like to find out more or have a go at reviewing. <a href="mailto:greedybugbookreviews@gmail.com">greedybugbookreviews@gmail.com</a><br />
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Cheers,<br />
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Kazza, Cindi, Josh, Mr A-H and Trisha<br />
<br />kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-67098103540747018692013-09-01T18:44:00.001-07:002013-09-04T07:37:05.750-07:00Greedy Bug Book Reviews Is Moving<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Well...to another blog site!</strong></td></tr>
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<strong>WE ARE MOVING. YAY!!</strong></div>
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That's right, Greedy Bug Book Reviews is moving to a newer, shinier WordPress blog. There will be opportunities for interviews with favourite authors and free short reads. The site is easy to navigate and the books are all on display on the home page, so if you like the look you can easily pop in and get all the details you need. We will be adding Twitter and tumblr as well - and we already have our Facebook page - so we can reach more people and let you know what is happening on this page and in the world of LGBTQ YA books.<br />
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At the moment we are moving books across and setting up the new blog. <strong>There will be no more books posted on this old site as of September 1st.</strong><br />
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If you would like to join the new site we will post the details here some time over the next week.<br />
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We can be contacted at <a href="mailto:greedybugbookreviews@gmail.com"><strong>greedybugbookreviews@gmail.com</strong></a><br />
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Thank you for following<strong>/</strong>enjoying Greedy Bug Book Reviews. We're looking forward to seeing you once we have moved over.<br />
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The Greedy Bug Team<br />
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Mr Austro-Hungarian<br />
Cindi<br />
Kazza Kkazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-83971952011542563512013-08-17T10:27:00.000-07:002013-08-17T10:27:41.410-07:00Appearances Matter (Dumb Jock #3), Jeff Erno<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Trisha</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>5 out of 5 stars</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<img alt="Appearances Matter (Dumb Jock, #3)" height="400" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1376349051l/15847736.jpg" width="266" /></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>*** This review contains slight spoilers. ***</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Appearances Matter</i> is the third book in the Dumb Jock series by Jeff Erno. Like the previous
book, the third installment has a brand new couple but features characters from the
other two as well. Fans of the series will know how the books go and this one
isn’t really that different when all is said and done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In book three we have Todd and Galen, with Todd being the protagonist. Like the first book, Todd is the nerd in
the relationship. He was from the same broken family as the other two
nerds, the only difference is his mom was an alcoholic and she was
his only parent. That was a major part of the story line. He had a lot
of issues with his mother’s problem and it made it difficult for
him to make friends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This book is a perfect example of how
things modernise. It’s slightly more accepting than the first and even
with the element of hate, it showed parents who accepted and
supported their kids in being who they were. The bullies were there,
sure. But it didn’t overshadow the acceptance shown by the parents
in the end. And that was something I loved about the book.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The secondary characters were again a
nice part of the story. I loved seeing Jeff and Brett and Adam and
Trevor again. It’s something I love about the series. There were
two main villains in this, and they were just plain nasty. But they
contributed to the story, mainly the ending.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Todd and Galen’s relationship was nice and I found it to be lovely seeing the boys together. I loved the way Galen
admired Todd from a distance before they officially met. Todd admired
Galen too, but it’s nice to see the popular guy harbour a crush on
the nerd with very few friends. It was something that wasn’t really
in the other books and I loved seeing it here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After Galen came out publically, which
we didn’t get to read, he was run over by some of his ‘friends’.
That part of the plot was probably disturbing to most, but it tackled
the issue of gay bashings and that is not something focused on in the
other books. I was so happy to see this book tackle that issue along
with the others. It is something I feel strongly about and it was a
major aspect of the ending.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ending of the book was unrealistic.
I agree with other reviews that have said this. Personally, I loved
the ending. While it was unrealistic, I read it and it left me
smiling because it was a HEA. The ending was satisfying, but did
leave something open. So I am wondering if the author will go into all that
in another book. It kind of feels like that could be why he didn’t
explain what happened to the kids who ran Galen over.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I highly recommend <i>Appearances Matter</i> to fans of
the first two books in the series. It can be read as a standalone, but it’s better
when you know the other couples and characters who are being reintroduced.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This book was provided by
Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.</span></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-91081311156243653812013-08-17T10:15:00.000-07:002013-08-17T10:15:49.696-07:00Another Dumb Jock (Dumb Jock #2), Jeff Erno<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Trisha</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>5 out of 5 stars</b></span></div>
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<img alt="Another Dumb Jock (Dumb Jock, #2)" height="400" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1376349273l/13419076.jpg" width="266" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Another Dumb Jock</i> is the sequel to Jeff
Erno’s Young Adult novel, <i>Dumb Jock</i>. It has a new couple and is set in modern day times, unlike Dumb Jock. Adam, Jeff and Brett’s son, is the protagonist and
his voice was interesting. In the first book it was Jeff’s point-of-view and
he was the nerd. This time we got the jock’s and I found that to be enjoyable. Having the jock's point-of-view captured my interest immediately as I found that to be unique.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As in the first book, Another Dumb
Jock is not very different from the normal nerd/jock trope. Adam and
Trevor were an adorable couple. They had a different relationship in comparison to
Adam’s two dads. The Dom/sub element was not in this one at all, where it was in the first book. Adam and Trevor's romantic relationship started as a result of an argument. It was kind of funny to read and I thought it was cute that they had the fight in the first place. It was
showing a different side to the jocks of the world because Trevor was
no pushover.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this book we had a more modern
aspect of the world. People were more accepting and the whole <i>gay
dads thing</i> wasn’t overemphasised. It was brought up in regards to bullying
but the kids weren’t really tortured because of it. I
think that was a great move on the part of the author. It was how the story
started, with Adam getting into a fight about having gay dads, and being taunted about that making
him gay. But it didn’t drone on throughout the book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were many similarities between Another Dumb Jock and the first book, from the class differences to accepting
yourself. It was similar, but never exactly the same. Trevor’s
family life was far from ideal, while Adam didn’t struggle as much
as his dad had.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I loved that this book featured Jeff
and Brett and not only as parents, but as a couple as in love as they
were they day they met. I always think it's wonderful to see a couple that I fall in love with last in the long-term. There were actually a few very strong
scenes that showed just how strong their relationship was.</span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The issue of paternity came up and it was handled with sensitivity. I loved Adam’s reaction. He had
to accept, with Trevor’s help of course, that he was more like his
biological father than he realised. While the two fought, it was
because they were so much alike. The revelation did not shock me in the
least, although I cannot speak for everyone who has read it.</span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Again we get the happily-ever-after. Whether that
is realistic or not, it’s something I need from my books, regardless of what sub-genre it is. I believe that a HEA is something that is nice to read and it
gives people hope. We all want to escape from the real world into
books. I have an aunt who married her husband at 16! So yes,
these things do happen. I refuse to believe that they never happen in real life because I have seen it myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I highly recommend this series to fans
of the author, genre, or someone who just wants to read something
about teenagers falling in love. A really great read indeed.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-16829801485378389662013-08-17T09:37:00.000-07:002013-08-17T09:37:55.558-07:00Dumb Jock (Dumb Jock #1), Jeff Erno<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Trisha</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>5 out of 5 stars</b></span></div>
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<img alt="Dumb Jock (Dumb Jock, #1)" height="400" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1376349102l/6507704.jpg" width="266" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dumb
Jock</i> was the first Jeff Erno book I ever read. As a result, I became a big fan. When I heard he was
re-releasing it, I was very excited. It felt like waiting for a brand
new book all over again. And in a sense, that is what it was. The
second edition of Dumb Jock has been professionally edited and is now
available from Dreamspinner Press.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Told from Jeff’s point-of-view, Dumb Jock is a
book about two boys in the eighties, finding themselves and love along
the way. It’s not just a romance, though it is that too. Dumb Jock
is a journey in one boy'</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">s life as he falls in love with the popular
jock, Brett. I am a huge YA fan. I also have a
soft spot for nerd/jock stories. Any high school stories really, but the nerd/jock ones especially.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This story proved a couple of things.
One is that two people who are very different can come together and find love.
Not only were Jeff and Brett worlds apart in school, but in real life
too. Brett was rich and came from a wealthy family. Jeff’s family
was not so well-off and that is proven in a few scenes between he and his mother. I loved that relationship. More kids, gay
ones especially, could do with a mother like his. In the eighties it was an even
bigger thing.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brett and Jeff's relationship had some Dom/sub elements but this is a YA book and is written as such throughout so very little is dedicated to that part of the relationship. For parts of the book Brett had a girlfriend and I admit that while re-reading it I found it harder to love him like I did the first
time. I did eventually come to accept that she was a part of his growth and
that he did the right thing… even if he did go back after some
pressure. Brett ended up being one of the bravest characters in a book
of its kind, though. He also redeemed himself in my eyes.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While I can't say this book was a real
tear-jerker, something happened and Jeff lost someone very important
to him. The scene itself was written in a way that I personally connected with. As a child who has lost a parent myself, I must admit it made me see
a lot of things. Not everyone will react to those scenes as they will affect everyone differently.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The secondary characters all had their
place in the story. Some had a bigger impact while others were there
for support. I loved the fact that they weren’t forgotten about in the
process of Jeff and Brett becoming a couple. That has happened in a
lot of books and I have a problem when I do not like the secondary characters.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I loved the ending. It was one of
those fairytale endings that you will either love or hate. As one of
the biggest saps when it comes to books, it should be no surprise
that I loved the way it all came together. While it may not be believable to
everyone, it was to me and I can honestly say I would recommend Dumb Jock to
everyone who loves the nerd/jock trope and fans of YA in general.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-40446633402336429312013-08-15T19:53:00.003-07:002013-08-16T03:38:36.920-07:00Greedy Bug is Looking For New Reviewers<br />
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<strong><u>Are You Interested in Reviewing Books on Greedy Bug?</u></strong></div>
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Greedy Bug is a book review site that primarily reviews LGBTQIA Young Adult or New Adult books. We have been experiencing some real interest from people reading our reviews and from authors in the genre.<br />
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It is hard to keep up with the books that are released and some styles don't necessarily suit the reviewers here. To this end, we would like to hear from Young Adult or New Adult readers who would like to review for Greedy Bug.<br />
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<strong>What we are looking for -</strong> <br />
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We want people who are enthusiastic about the genre<br />
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We want people who are avid and passionate readers<br />
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We want people who <strong>finish a book</strong> and will then <strong>review it</strong><br />
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We want people who can write thoughtful reviews - they certainly do not have to be as long as the ones Cindi, Kazza K or Mr Austro-Hungarian post<br />
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If you are a young adult, that is terrific. If not, then you will be just like Cindi and Kazza K - we are past our YA days...shhh :)<br />
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We want people to also join this blog as it does not look good if you review here but don't endorse the site and what we are doing with the site - supporting LGBTQIA authors and the community<br />
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<strong>Honesty is the most important aspect for all our reviews</strong>. It is not possible to love all books, or even like some of them. However, we do not attack writers, other readers, or other reviewers in our reviews and on this blog.<br />
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Very soon Greedy Bug will be moving to a new WordPress site with a lot more features and we would love good reviewers to come across to that venture with us<br />
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<strong>Free Short Stories - </strong><br />
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We are also looking for people who might like to write short stories - around 1,000 words. These will be offered free for people to read. We will have the facility at the new site to put these up on your behalf <strong>with your name attached and you retain the rights to your words/stories</strong>. We already have a new, exciting young author with some of his own short stories waiting to go up.<br />
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The three admins on this site make it a safe and positive environment. So feel free to contact us at <a href="mailto:greedybugbookreviews@gmail.com">greedybugbookreviews@gmail.com</a> for more information.<br />
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Cindi, Kazza K and Mr A-Hkazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-69397007902077618802013-08-12T22:27:00.000-07:002013-08-13T01:08:56.379-07:00I Know What Gay Is, Foxglove Lee<br />
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<strong>Official Blurb:</strong></div>
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<em>When the couple next door asks Jay to babysit, he can't help wondering… why him? Did they hire Jay as some kind of queer role model because they suspect little Sarah is gay?</em></div>
<em> At the park, when Sarah and Jay run across the guy he's been pseudo-stalking, Sarah insists she’s a boy. Darien’s sheer sexiness makes Jay pretty brain-dead, and he can't think what to talk about except how Sarah wants everyone to call her Frank. The funny kid reminds Darien of his transgender cousin. Could Sarah be trans, too? Should Jay talk to her parents? What if they say it's none of his business? What if they fire him?</em><br />
<em> Well, then he'll just have to spend his summer watching Darien work in the park, sweaty and shirtless...</em><br />
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<strong>-Review by Kazza K</strong></div>
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<a href="javascript:popupWindow('http://www.prizmbooks.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=popup_image&pID=69')" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="I Know What Gay Is" height="225" src="http://www.prizmbooks.com/zencart/images/prizmpinch185.jpg" title=" I Know What Gay Is " width="150" /></a>The official blurb does a good job of describing this short by Foxglove Lee. So there is not much to add as far as a review is concerned because it is short. So, some of my thoughts and feelings.<br />
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The title is something that five year old Sarah mentions to her fill-in babysitter, Jay - <br />
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<em>"I know what gay is."</em><br />
<em>Jay nearly choked on his grilled cheese. "Oh, yeah?"</em><br />
<em>Sarah gave a resolute nod after wiping her milk moustache off on her sleeve. "Gay is when boys marry boys and girls marry girls."</em><br />
<em>How in depth should he let this discussion go?</em><br />
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This short is very well written. It combines the realistic thoughts and dialogue of a teenage male, Jay, his babysitting duties, and his crush on a school friend, Darien. The book is light but has a thought provoking and sensitive look at Sarah, the five year old neighbour of Jay who he is babysitting; and the possibilities of a his young neighbour either being lesbian or transgender. Sarah likes dressing in her brother's clothes, she likes playing soccer, does not like playing with other girls, and she wants to be called Frank.<br />
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Everything is well written - the age-appropriate way all the characters speak. The way Jay cutely lusts after school friend Darien, who works at the local park. The way Darien is so confident and the fact that he is keen on Jay. And the way they both treat Sarah, aka Frank. The understanding that Jay tries to have at such a young age himself for his young neighbour, and the way the character's interactions makes you think in many ways- <br />
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<em>It seemed weird that Annie and Wayne asked specifically for Jay to watch their daughter for the two weeks her regular nanny was on vacation. People usually thought it was weird for guys to spend too much time around kids - especially gay guys, for some stupid reason. Like all gay men were child molesters or something. Ridonculous.</em><br />
<em>But Annie and Wayne next door obviously didn't think that way, so that was pretty cool.</em><br />
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Sarah is sure of who she is and has chutzpah about it. Her brother has gone to camp and when Jay asked why she wasn't at camp. Sarah explained she wasn't old enough but when she is - <br />
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<em>"They even said when I'm old enough I have to go to girl camp instead. I said I'm a boy too, but they told me no, so I'm gonna sneak into the boy camp and say I'm a boy and they'll believe me because I <strong>am </strong>one even if Dad said I'm not."</em><br />
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<em>"Sarah, grab your soccer ball. Time to go."</em><br />
<em>He felt conspicuous like a cat among the pigeons when Sarah didn't answer. Was it just his imagination, or was everybody staring? He couldn't take his eyes off the kid who wouldn't acknowledge him, not for a second. She didn't look up....</em><br />
<em>All at once , he understood.</em><br />
<em>"Frank," he called. "It's time to head home. Say bye to your friends."</em><br />
<em>Gazing at Jay with a cheeky but grateful grin, Sarah picked up her soccer ball.</em><br />
<strong><em>Frank picked up his soccer ball.</em></strong><br />
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There are lots of quotable lines. Nothing heavy or over the top but all nicely considered and written by the author. I highly recommend this terrific YA short to anyone wanting a quick, cute, yet thought provoking read.<br />
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<strong>**Some of my extra thoughts**</strong><br />
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I am for anything that touches on children not being dismissed out of hand as not knowing how they are feeling about something as important as gender identity. Don't get me wrong, I'm not for labelling a five year old, and Foxglove Lee certainly <strong>is not</strong> doing that here, but I am all for being open and aware as a parent. It is a nice book for both teenage readers along with older YA readers, like me.<br />
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I want to add a personal note. By the time our son was five, my husband I had more than an idea he could quite possibly be gay. I won't go into the whys of that as we didn't care what his sexual orientation was<strong>/</strong>would be as long as he was<strong>/</strong>would be happy and a decent person. So this book resonated with me. Children should not be discouraged from feeling a particular way. Talk to your children, don't judge, and don't label. Be prepared and love them as they are precious and they are born the way they are.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">4.5 Stars</span></strong></div>
kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-49700812608721532582013-08-10T19:15:00.002-07:002013-08-10T19:19:53.350-07:00About New Releases - For Authors and Publishers<br />
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<strong><u>Do You Have A New YA or NA LGBTQIA Book Coming Up For Release?</u></strong></div>
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If you are an author or publisher, Greedy Bug is happy to promote your upcoming YA or NA LGBTQIA new releases. Please submit the following to <a href="mailto:greedybugbookreviews@gmail.com"><strong>greedybugbookreviews@gmail.com</strong></a><strong> -</strong> <br />
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<a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=6TPDD0GEJPFOSM&tbnid=IOjnjsp-2ynXMM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmovieswithmitch.squarespace.com%2Fhome%2F2011%2F2%2F1%2Fnew-dvd-blu-ray-release-2111.html&ei=QvMGUo6PEIz9lAXkoYGICQ&bvm=bv.50500085,d.dGI&psig=AFQjCNHy_d18dGbmgrtqqAUAVQiK2hI73A&ust=1376273582512908" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="240" id="irc_mi" src="http://www.movieswithmitch.com/storage/New%20Release%201.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1296542701201" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="320" /></a><br />
1) The title<br />
2) The author<br />
3) The publisher<br />
4) A synopsis or official blurb<br />
5) Date due for release<br />
6) Length - pages or word count<br />
7) Url for purchase link<br />
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- and we will help promote them here on this blog and on our Facebook page. It is Greedy Bug's desire to help promote YA or NA LGBTQIA books and authors. We want to see this genre grow and we want to let readers know what is available. <br />
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It would also help us if a bit more information, apart from the official blurb, was supplied on the book so that we can then add a little extra commentary if necessary. However, this is certainly not mandatory.<br />
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<a data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=2mzvDvnefAOxvM&tbnid=JlZPl3_Dteui6M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2012%2F12%2F09%2Fopinion%2Fsunday%2Fthose-crazy-indemnity-forms-we-all-sign.html&ei=b_MGUvDnFsHIkwWM8YGIBA&psig=AFQjCNEiRxTSmF3ASgAAAap7Xu9EAEkaHQ&ust=1376273620583504" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor;"><img height="213" id="irc_mi" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/opinion/Sunday_Review/dolefulindemnity-javierjaen-gif_NEW.gif" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="320" /></a><br />
Cindi, Kazza K, and Mr Austro-Hungarian.kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-30925487261725698402013-08-10T07:21:00.000-07:002013-08-10T07:21:52.900-07:00Tapestry, Hallie Burton<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Trisha</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4 out of 5 stars</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Tapestry</i> by Hallie Burton was a
wonderful story. It was a story that interested me from the blurb. I
am always looking to read great YA novels and I enjoyed this one immensely. I think a lot of
people will love this novel.
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tallie was happy with his life. He was
doing his best to excel and was about to become a Journeyman in the
Design Guild. He had a young man who was interested in being his
partner and Tallie was about to accept. But his friendship with Jonis, a
guildless Bonder, changed things for him. It also caused the two of
them to flee with a young, unmarried, pregnant girl, who was the
girlfriend of Tallie’s friend, Tommin, a fellow apprentice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The reason their friendship was
an issue is because Ollas was a very cold place. Music and dance were banned. Mothers could not comfort their babies. And physical contact
outside of family and marriage/partnership was not allowed. In fact it was punishable to be found in the embrace of someone you were not
committed to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the beginning, for me anyway, it was
obvious that Tallie was meant for Jonis. Worran, the man who was
interested in him, did not seem to have his heart the way I like in
my main couple. But when he spoke of Jonis… the emotion felt <i>real</i>.
With Worran, it was more lust than love. And for me, that was the
reason I felt okay about rooting for them. That and the fact that Worran
betrayed Tallie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tallie and Jonis had a great journey
ahead of them and a lot of the time I worried. There were a few
scenes throughout the book where one of them was injured, sick, or
close to death. If you like that kind of tension, then this book is
definitely for you. It captivated me, and while sometimes the pace was a little slow,
I still enjoyed the book. The story felt fresh, the characters were
lovable, and the romance aspect was sweet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The characters were all essential to
the story. Even the ones I hated were something I loved about the
story. It brought the overall story together. Without Worran, we
wouldn’t have had the large part of the plot. Without Cather, we
would not have had any of the sadness or realism. His part in the
story was my favourite as far as secondary characters go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ending of this story was a happy
one. For me, that is one of the most important things, a happy
ending. And we did get closure on a lot of the things brought up
here. I was happy to see that because for a while I was in doubt
about the ending. So anyone who worries about the ending needn’t
worry. This would not be a four star for me without it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tapestry is definitely a four star
read. But because of it being a little slow in some spots I cannot give it five.
But it is definitely a book I would recommend to fans of YA MM
novels. This is not short, but it is a very good read with an
excellent plot, lovable characters, and a wonderful ending. Tissues
might be needed.
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This book was provided by Harmony
Ink Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.</span></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-83771506860507883232013-08-09T08:15:00.000-07:002013-08-09T08:15:41.308-07:00Lake Thirteen, Greg Herren<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>- Review by Cindi</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>5 out of 5 stars</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Scotty Thompson is a year away from graduating high school when he finally gets up the nerve to come out to his parents. Both his mother and father are amazing and accept him immediately. Being an only child makes his mother give up her dream of someday becoming a grandmother (she believes) but otherwise she and his father handle the news well. His boyfriend Marc, on the other hand, isn't quite so lucky. His father is a lazy, bigoted homophobe who is known</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">to yell and scream slurs every chance he gets. These slurs are not aimed at Marc directly because no way is Marc brave enough to tell his father he is gay. They are aimed at the world at large.</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marc's dad was horrible, just the kind of man who would throw his son out for being gay without a second thought. </span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His dad was always home, it seemed, with a beer in his hand. Mr. Krueger didn't work--he'd gotten an enormous settlement from a work accident a few years before they moved to Framington.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mr. Krueger was always yelling about faggots and blacks and Mexicans and feminists and pretty much anything the television told him he was supposed to be angry about.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marc and Scotty keep their relationship between themselves and Scotty's parents, knowing that once they both go off to college in a year that Marc will no longer be under his father's influence and he will be able to live freely as a gay male with the man he loves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scotty is forced to go on vacation with his parents and he will be away from home, and Marc, for a week. The trip is an annual event that Scotty's parents and two other couples (and their children) have done for as long as Scotty can remember. Each family comes from a different part of the United States every year and they take turns picking the location for the week-long vacation. This year the location is the Mohawk Lodge and Resort on the shores of Lake Thirteen in upstate New York. Scotty and his four friends, twins Logan and Teresa and siblings Carson and Rachel, have grown up together on these trips but their friendships have waned over time because no longer are they little kids excited about spending a week together. Each new year is the same. The first few days are awkward as the teens slowly get to know each other again and by the end of the week they are all as close as before, only to have the pattern repeat itself year after year.</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But now that we were teens, we were like five strangers with a shared past. The last few years, it seemed to take a few days before everyone stopped sulking about having to come and decided to make the most of the situation.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scotty is terrified of the trip this year. None of his friends knew he was gay until he sent them all an email a week before his family departed for New York. There was no response from any of them. So not only is he leaving Marc behind for a week but he has no idea of what he is walking into when he sees Logan, Teresa, Carson and Rachel again. Will they not want to hang out with him anymore because he's gay? Because of the lack of response from his email, he is convinced the trip will be miserable. Not only is he forced to be away from the boy he loves but he will most likely be stuck with four other teenagers who refuse to accept him for who he is, though he is still the same person they have known their entire lives. The fear of his friends being homophobic is the least of his worries it turns out. The typical, annual vacation turns out to be anything but for the five teens, though their parents remain, thankfully, oblivious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a few missed turns the caravan of vehicles finally makes it to the lodge but not without the teens seeing a road that obviously has a cemetery. The families come together as a group (after only a quick greeting at the airport) and all the teens are stuck trying to get to know each other again as a year has passed since they were all together in the same room. Scotty's fear of his friends' views of his homosexuality quickly disappears later when the vacation truly takes hold. Carson and Rachel's father works on a paranormal television program so Carson (who is a believer) discovers there is a cemetery and he jumps on the idea of making a visit to try to communicate with spirits. Somehow he talks the others into going (without the parents knowing) even though it's dark outside. What happens at the cemetery begins a story so creepy and so haunting that I was scared of what would happen next.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scotty is immediately drawn to one particular grave, that of Albert Tyler who died in 1907 and had the same birthday as Scotty, June 10th. The night is warm and muggy but Scotty is freezing. He feels a sense of deep despair unlike anything he's ever felt before. He can't walk away from the grave of young Albert, who has long since left the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em></em><em>As I knelt next to the tombstone, an overwhelming sense of sadness swept over me. It was so intense that I felt tears swimming up in my eyes. My heart was breaking, and I had to stifle a sob. </em></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why do I feel so bad for these people I don't even know? What's wrong with me? Why is this affecting me so strongly?</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>And Marc flashed into my head, saying good-bye to him last night, and the sad look on his face as we hugged at the front door, and how he'd said </em><em><strong>I don't know, I'm just afraid I'll never see you again</strong> before he walked down the driveway and down the street to his own house, and how weird that had been, but I'd felt sad, lonely, and empty.</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The others have odd experiences that night but none like Scotty. They return to their respective cabins and the nightmares begin for Scotty. But are they nightmares? It starts with an eerie voice calling out <strong><em>"Bertieeeeeeee"</em></strong> in misery and it ends up with Scotty in the pitch-black woods searching for the source. The sadness from the cemetery has returned and Scotty knows in his heart that he must go into the woods to help whoever is crying out in so much agony. This begins a series of scary events. The dreams (or visions) are so real that Scotty is convinced that he is actually part of them. He keeps seeing a young man in his dreams and each one looks exactly like Marc, his <em>boyfriend</em> Marc, who is waiting for him back home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the next few days other things start to happen for Scotty and his friends. Scotty can sometimes stand at one place in the woods or in town and instantly be in a trance-like state to his friends but to him, he is back to a time of over a hundred years prior, seeing Marc's lookalike each time. While he shares everything else with his friends, he is hesitant to mention the man but he is forced to later when things start to spiral out of control. This leads to a scary journey for not only Scotty but for the others as well. After a little research they find out about the lodge and its previous owners, the Tylers. The son, Albert, was murdered in 1907 and Scotty is convinced that what he is seeing in his visions and dreams are the events that led to young Albert's death. There is a menacing presence and over time the others feel it as well. When they discover an old, abandoned cabin in the woods is when they know they must solve the murder of Albert Tyler before they leave. During research they discover the name of the person suspected of killing Albert, Robert Shelby, who disappeared at the exact same time that Albert did. A man who the town was convinced murdered the teen. A man with a past.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em></em><em>... and the caption underneath read "Pervert Robert Shelby: Wanted for the Murder of Albert Tyler."</em></span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I swallowed. "<strong>Pervert?</strong>"</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then there is Marc. Scotty and Marc had been best friends for years but only became a couple the year before. While they aren't actually physically together in the book (though there are a couple of quick flashbacks), their story is told and it is told well. It is a very sweet young love story. Without much cellular signal at the lodge, Scotty and the others are forced to go to certain spots on the property in order to have service and even then it is sporadic. Internet is limited to one room in the lodge. When Scotty doesn't receive any texts from Marc, he grows concerned and he is convinced that something seriously bad is happening back at home. He eventually gets one or two but they don't feel right to Scotty. Something is happening but Scotty has no idea what it could be. He is concerned about his boyfriend and his unstable father, on top of the happenings at Lake Thirteen. He feels that somehow, though it makes little sense to him, the two are connected.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This book is amazing. There is no other way to describe it. The way the author brings everything together is just that.. <em>amazing</em>. Scotty is taken back in time again and again and he believes that he is seeing through the eyes of Albert. Or is he seeing through the eyes of Robert? Did the two men love each other in life as he suspects? Or was that love one-sided? Why does the man in the visions look <em>exactly </em>like Marc? Who or what is the menacing presence that Scotty and his friends are convinced is out to harm them and who they believe is the one responsible for killing Albert? What happened to Robert? Did he run off as the town people suspected because he had killed Albert? And the main question for Scotty is what is happening with the boy he loves back home? Are the two things connected? If so, how can that be?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All questions are answered and they are answered brilliantly. I have read others by this author (<em>Timothy</em> and others by his pseudonym) and I have enjoyed them all but I have to say that he has outdone himself with <strong>Lake Thirteen</strong>. There is mystery, romance, sadness and a major creep factor. You will instantly fall in love with all of the characters whether they are dead or alive. You will eagerly be turning the pages in order to see what will happen next and to see how in the world the author will explain everything that's going on in the present and what happened over a hundred years ago. In the end, you will be quite pleased with the outcome. I was. This is an easy 5 stars for me. Greg Herren has jumped on my favorites list.</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This book was provided by Net Galley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.</span></em></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-8558601041655604002013-08-06T18:01:00.002-07:002013-09-18T01:40:23.683-07:00September New Releases<br />
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Eagerly Awaited September YA Releases.</h4>
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-Kazza K</h4>
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Two highly anticipated new releases are scheduled with September release dates. The first book is <strong>Cody Kennedy's Omorphi</strong>. Omorphi's official release date has been confirmed as <strong>September 19th.</strong> Interestingly there is a forward by J P Barnaby which is poignant and telling. The foreword supports the story of Christy Castle, who has suffered much in his young life, and who sees hope in his friend and love interest Michael Sattler and his family. The thing to like about Cody Kennedy's writing is that he speaks from the heart and with much passion about issues that are darker at times, but have humour and always much hope amongst the reality that some teenagers find themselves living. Cody Kennedy knows the young adult market well and gives them something genuine, something they can relate to. The official blurb is as follows - <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3vMWcrkwT-QTZrb8I20gGOhP6D0hH9VuhghwE1RvIeSmBAvOVxhq4nOH1PuMIsv3Qa6ezwV1JgTQcnUflNHJLoVt1e996ndAZSZXghgTdIprjFd0bx2IkWe5mDQKQ1aDTdibsU2CBT1g/s1600/Omorphi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3vMWcrkwT-QTZrb8I20gGOhP6D0hH9VuhghwE1RvIeSmBAvOVxhq4nOH1PuMIsv3Qa6ezwV1JgTQcnUflNHJLoVt1e996ndAZSZXghgTdIprjFd0bx2IkWe5mDQKQ1aDTdibsU2CBT1g/s400/Omorphi.jpg" width="266" /></a><span id="freeText14432918040413057883"><strong><em>High school senior Michael Sattler leads a charmed life. He’s a star athlete, has great friends, and parents who love him just the way he is. What’s missing from his life is a boyfriend. That’s a problem because he’s out only to his parents and best friend. When Michael accidentally bumps into Christy Castle at school, his life changes in ways he never imagined. Christy is Michael’s dream guy: smart, pretty, and sexy. But nothing could have prepared Michael for what being Christy's boyfriend would entail.<br /><br />Christy needs to heal after years of abuse and knows he needs help to do it. After the death of his notorious father, he leaves his native Greece and settles in upstate New York. Alone, afraid, and left without a voice, Christy hides the myriad scars of his abuse. He desperately wants to be loved and when he meets Michael, he dares to hope that day has arrived. When one of Michael’s team-mates becomes an enemy and an abuser from Christy’s past seeks to return him to a life of slavery, only Michael and Christy's combined strength and unwavering determination can save them from the violence that threatens to destroy their future together.</em></strong></span><br />
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For those of you who have read the wonderful <em><strong>Safe</strong></em> by Cody Kennedy it will be a definite must-buy. The author also writes the ongoing series Fairy which has attracted a large, devoted following, including myself and Mr Austro-Hungarian. If you look on this blog you will find two reviews of <strong><em>Safe,</em></strong> one by Mr A-H<strong><em> </em></strong><a href="http://greedybug.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/safe-c-kennedy_23.html"><strong><em>http://greedybug.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/safe-c-kennedy_23.html</em></strong></a><br />
and one by Kazza K <a href="http://greedybug.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/a-short-yet-sweet-lgbt-ya-that-at-love.html"><strong>http://greedybug.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/a-short-yet-sweet-lgbt-ya-that-at-love.html</strong></a><br />
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We don't usually do two reviews of one book but one is from a young gay male's perspective and the other from an older YA reader's perspective.<br />
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So Greedy Bug highly recommends grabbing a copy of Omorphi from <strong>Harmony Ink</strong> when it is released on <strong>September 19th</strong>. <br />
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<a href="http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4220"><strong>http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4220</strong></a><br />
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The next release that we are eagerly anticipating here at Greedy Bug Book Reviews is <strong>A Broken Kind of Life by Jamie Mayfield</strong>, aka J P Barnaby. The official release date is<strong> September 5th from Harmony Ink</strong>. I read the adult version, Aaron, which has met with much critical acclaim. Aaron was also #6 on my favourite books of 2012. The main characters, Aaron and Spencer are lovely, and I am glad that this has been released as an LGBT YA book to reach a market that needs to have hope, to know that bad things happen to good people, and that things can get better. Once again, tellingly, Cody Kennedy has written a forthright and heartfelt foreword for A Broken Kind of Life as a wonderful introduction and endorsement of the topic at hand. The official blurb is as follows - <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSdGdOC4sA2BmgAtt2-4j0vmUC4Q71_jHsLXfqo6gZI4OW5pxaA-_EseTSLCoKSPlI2CdolPDFW3eWQwjRnGsoT_qcVtAO3E4e7kOuFj5FFuCtNgb6Bg9iOgROGMcYlgVCs16K1Ord-RR/s1600/A+Broken+Kind+Of+Life+HI+Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSdGdOC4sA2BmgAtt2-4j0vmUC4Q71_jHsLXfqo6gZI4OW5pxaA-_EseTSLCoKSPlI2CdolPDFW3eWQwjRnGsoT_qcVtAO3E4e7kOuFj5FFuCtNgb6Bg9iOgROGMcYlgVCs16K1Ord-RR/s400/A+Broken+Kind+Of+Life+HI+Edition.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Aaron Downing is broken, barely clinging to the hope that one day, he will be normal again. His life remains a constant string of nightmares, flashbacks, and fear, but he perseveres and starts college, determined to move on.<u></u><u></u></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Then Aaron gets assigned to work with Spencer Thomas for his programming project. Aaron doesn’t want Spencer to think he’s a freak, but as he gets to know his new deaf friend, he figures out he doesn’t need to be “normal.” If he could just learn to control his fear, that could be enough to find his footing again. <u></u><u></u></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Or so Aaron thinks until his parents begin talking about institutionalizing him to give his brothers a more stable life. He searches desperately to find a way to cope or even to fake normalcy. But his new shrink’s instability makes conquering his demons that much more difficult, and his attraction to Spencer threatens to send Aaron spinning out of control.</strong></span><br />
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<a href="http://harmonyinkpress.com/coming-soon-a-broken-kind-of-life-by-jamie-mayfield/">http://harmonyinkpress.com/coming-soon-a-broken-kind-of-life-by-jamie-mayfield/</a><br />
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Both authors are to be commended for their efforts in sending the message that abuse need not define you. Sure, the after effects are devastating on the abused, but you can survive, thrive, and live well. I like the concept of both books that say you are not alone, even though you may feel this is the case at the time. Life can get better it just takes someone special to reach out to, or they reach out to you. There are people who care in this world and you need to look for them. Don't ever give up no matter how hard it might seem now.<br />
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<br />kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-79414315517306941922013-07-31T11:39:00.000-07:002013-07-31T12:16:34.543-07:00Suicide Notes, Michael Thomas Ford<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Cindi</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4.5 out of 5 stars</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Suicide Notes is told from the point of view of a fifteen-year-old boy. After finishing it, I went back and read other reviews and was quite surprised over what I found. There are a lot of comments about it being too juvenile or too teenage-like. It is supposed to be read that way as the entire story is told by Jeff, a fifteen-year-old boy who chronicles his time in a pediatric psychiatric ward after attempting suicide. It is told in the </i><b>words</b><i> of a fifteen-year-old and it is told from the </i><b>mindset</b><i> of a fifteen-year-old. If you are looking for something more 'adult' or that is not written in the words of a teenage boy, I suggest reading another book. The blurb clearly states what the book is about so do not go into it expecting more than what it says. While I don't normally post official blurbs in my reviews, I am in this case for the reasons I mentioned.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Blurb, taken from Goodreads:</b></span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>I'm not crazy. I don't see what the big deal is about what happened. But apparently someone does think it's a big deal because here I am. I bet it was my mother. She always overreacts.</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Fifteen-year-old Jeff wakes up on New Year's Day to find himself in the hospital. Make that the psychiatric ward. With the nutjobs. Clearly, this is all a huge mistake. Forget about the bandages on his wrists and the notes on his chart. Forget about his problems with his best friend, Allie, and her boyfriend, Burke. Jeff's perfectly fine, perfectly normal, not like the other kids in the hospital with him. Now they've got problems. But a funny thing happens as his forty-five-day sentence drags on -- the crazies start to seem less crazy.</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Compelling, witty, and refreshingly real, <i>Suicide Notes </i>is a darkly humorous novel from award-winning author Michael Thomas Ford that examines the fuzzy lines between "normal' and the rest of us.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span> </b></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jeff is confined to a psychiatric ward for forty-five days after attempting suicide on New Year's Eve. Told in first person by Jeff, he chronicles his confinement with each new day. Initially there is denial and the typical attitude of a teenage boy who is convinced that he doesn't belong with the other 'crazies' as he describes them. But with each day Jeff starts to realize that maybe he is exactly where he needs to be after all. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I know they're hoping I'll say something about why I did what I did. So for the record: I just felt like it.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"You can't keep me here against my will," I informed him. "In case you don't know, this is the land of the </i>free<i>. People have rights. I have the right to free speech, and to bear arms, and to not be locked up in a nuthouse!"</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I knew what I was talking about. I mean, I've read the Constitution. In sixth grade, and I don't remember exactly what it said. But still.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>My name is Jeff. I'm fifteen. I have a sister named Amanda who's thirteen, my parents are still married to each other, and all four of us live in a perfectly nice neighborhood in a perfectly nice city that's exactly like a billion other cities. My parents have never beaten us, I've never been molested by a priest, I don't hate the other kids at my school any more than is normal for a kid my age, I don't listen to death metal, have an obsession with violent video games, or cut the heads off small animals for fun.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>That's pretty much everything I told Cat Poop in our session today.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is an interesting set of secondary characters who Jeff comes in contact with while in the hospital. There is his psychiatrist Dr. Katzrupus (aka Cat Poop to Jeff), Nurse Goody </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Nurse Goody. Can you believe that? Her name is actually Nurse Goody. And she is, too. Good, I mean. She's always smiling and asking me if she can get me anything. I bet Nurse Goody is standing outside the door selling tickets, like those guys at carnivals who try to get people to pay to see the freak show)</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, Nurse Moon </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(One of the night nurses, whose name I think is Nurse Moon... okay, maybe not, but I don't know her real name)</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, Carl (a night security guard), as well as others. The most interesting are the other patients. There is Alice whose problems are quite severe and who has a flair for the dramatic. Bone is a mystery as his problems aren't made known. There is Juliet, who is convinced she is in a relationship with Bone, though Bone says otherwise. There is Martha who is very quiet but has her reasons for being so. There is Sadie who wants everyone to believe she is this strong person but who in reality is suffering worse than she lets on. There is Rankin, a high school jock who feels that the world should revolve around him. Rankin plays a huge part in Jeff's story and not necessarily in a good way. Good or bad, Rankin forces Jeff to accept some things that he would have preferred not to. There are other patients but none as significant to the book as those I mentioned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then we get to Marjorie and Eric, Jeff's parents. Jeff also has a younger sister, Amanda. Jeff's parents are good people but they could never possibly understand what goes on inside the mind of their fifteen-year-old son. They love him. They support him. They are proud of him. But they are not overly affectionate and each has a difficult time showing their love, though Jeff knows beyond doubt that it is there. Amanda is the perfect little sister. She is not in the book much but when she is, I found myself smiling. Anyone would be lucky to have Amanda as a sister. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Jeff, is there anything you would like to say to your parents?" Cat Poop said when we'd all been quiet for what seemed like years.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Is there anything I'd </i>like <i>to say to them? </i>I thought. Yeah, there was. <i>Why didn't you just let me die? </i>for starters<i>. Why'd you have to come home early from your stupid party? Why'd you have to put me in this place with a bunch of whack-jobs?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a lot of dark humor in this book and I know that sounds odd considering the subject matter. I found myself laughing at Jeff's attitude and actions on more than one occasion. His daily visits with Doctor Katzrupus gave me an entirely new appreciation for every therapist who has ever treated teenagers. Jeff does not make things easy with 'Cat Poop' but the good doctor is extremely patient and is able to see right through Jeff. I found myself saying "Yes!" each time the doctor got under Jeff's skin and forced him to face his issues.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"I don't belong here," I informed Cat Poop, thinking this just hadn't occurred to him. "These people are seriously demented. It's not good for me to be around them. I might catch something."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"I did it because . . ." I hesitated, blinking and sniffling a little, like I might start to cry at any second. "I did it because . . . because I couldn't stand to live in the same world as Paris Hilton."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All is not humorous, however, as it deals with a very serious subject. Parts are heartbreaking and Jeff must find a way to face the issues that brought him to the hospital in the first place. He fights the doctor every step of the way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"There is no reason," I said. I was getting angry because he wasn't listening to me. "I just did it. I'm a teenager. We get bored and do stupid stuff. Now I'm over it and I want to go home."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The reader is not made aware of the reasons for Jeff's suicide attempt until long into the book but by this time, it's pretty much figured out anyway. Perhaps not the entire story, but the gist of it. This is another thing that I read in other reviews of this story. Some people felt let down when Jeff finally confessed why he did what he did because it was supposedly too predictable. I did not. I felt that the reveal was written beautifully and that everything that came before it was necessary for his healing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Suicide Notes</i> delves into a very serious subject, a subject that unfortunately is all too prevalent in the world today. Each day it seems like I am reading something online about yet another teenager who has committed suicide because of their sexual orientation. While this book is about Jeff, it is also about other teens who feel that they are also at the end of their rope for various reasons. My heart breaks knowing that people get to this point. In Jeff's case, it was because of his sexuality. In Sadie's and others, it was about other issues. I applaud the author for taking a serious subject and spotlighting it. I am just sad that it is necessary.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I laughed a lot and I have to say I got teary a couple of times as well. While Jeff's story is sometimes told in a humorous way, the author still makes it very clear that the teen is dealing with very serious emotional issues. I only had one problem with the book and this is why my rating is 4.5 instead of a full 5 stars. While the book is told exactly in the way in which it should have been told, I would have liked to have seen an epilogue giving the reader information of what happened later. There are a few things left unresolved (in my opinion) and I was hoping to see that explained. Otherwise, an outstanding book and highly recommended. There is a bit of language and sex talk and a few sexual situations that some might find disturbing. Also, some things happen with Sadie and with Rankin (in separate instances) that may put some off. Keep that in mind before reading.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For more information about suicide prevention, visit <a href="http://www.thetrevorproject.org/" target="_blank">The Trevor Project</a>. Taken from the official website:<i> The leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth.</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-16259900707495799162013-07-27T07:57:00.000-07:002013-07-27T07:57:05.682-07:00The 7th of London, Beau Schemery <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Trisha</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3.5 out of 5 stars</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 7<sup>th</sup> of London is a
beautifully written Steampunk, YA novel. It was my very first
Steampunk novel, as well as my first by the author, Beau Schemery. I
was captivated by the writing and the world building in this book.
The author definitely has a natural talent for the genre as well as
writing. </span></div>
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<img alt="The 7th of London" height="400" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1355963663l/16187002.jpg" width="266" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want to start by saying that I
adored the fact that Seven was of Irish decent. Even though this is
a historical novel, some of the words used are still used today in
Ireland. I am always looking to read books in the mm genre with
characters from Ireland. The dialogue was also very good when you
consider the accents, even when it was a bit stiff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story is based in London, England
in the 1800’s. Seven, the main character, is an orphan. His family
died tragically in separate incidents that Seven witnessed. The book
starts off relatively slowly. It builds gradually but then the pace
of the story speeds up, allowing the reader to get drawn into the
story. I’m one of the unfortunate few as I got lost at different
points of the story, which hindered my enjoyment. But
the writing was good enough to keep me reading.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story in general is told from
Seven’s POV. But sometimes we get Silas or another character. When
the switches happened, I was able to follow that part easily. I knew
when it happened and felt that it all flowed well throughout.
Unfortunately, I was not able to keep up with the overall plot. I
found myself rereading scenes and trying to figure out what was going
on. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I loved the names, though sometimes I felt that there were too many of them in one scene. I appreciate a large number of
characters, but sometimes I like it when there are less introduced at one time. The names and nicknames of the characters being used sometimes made me stop for a minute. Kettlebent, aka. Silas was the
easiest for me to remember for some reason.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I enjoyed watching Seven and Silas’
relationship development. It felt natural and it really was a great
part of the story. Both boys could be so shy, and at the same time so
sure. There was a slight bit of jealousy on Silas’ part. I love a
good couple in a book and these two were the right amount of sweet
for me to enjoy this story. They take a while to get together, but
there is always a little something there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was a degree of violence in this
book. It worked well with the story and the characters, Midnight and
Seven especially. The fight scenes at the end were well written, with
just the right knowledge on the authors behalf to keep it all YA,
which is something that can cause issues. The blurb tells the main
plot, which indicates that fight scenes could happen. So, if anyone has
issues with any level of violence they should stay away from this book because
it is kind of hinted at in the blurb.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This book is angsty.
In fact it has a lot of death inside. Seven didn’t seem to
have a whole lot of luck and normally that wouldn’t bother
me. In The 7th of London, however, I didn’t really feel as much of the emotion. There
was a scene in which Seven and Silas were talking about Seven’s
past and his life after his parents were killed, in which I felt all
the emotion I would have liked to have felt in the rest of the book. It
just felt like a lot of drama and not enough of emotion. I did enjoy
a few of those scenes and maybe had it been less depressing I would
have enjoyed it more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I liked Midnight, aka. Jonathan or
Jack. See what I mean about the names? His character was particularly
surprising. He was known as a criminal but I didn’t really see it.
He just appeared, to me anyway, to be a character who wanted to right
all the wrongs. In a sense, it was like he and Seven were alike in
that regard. Seven wanted revenge for what happened to his siblings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a HEA in this book, and it was
well earned. After all the loss in his life, Seven actually had
someone left at the end. I admit it brought my overall rating up a
little bit. Had the ending not been as lovely as it was, I would have
had a major issue rating this book anything higher than a two, and I
hate giving low ratings. As a lot of others have said, I don’t want
to ruin the things that happen. But I felt the need to point out some
of the things I really did love or like.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, the 7<sup>th </sup>of London
is a very good Steampunk novel. For fans of Steampunk I think this
will be a great hit. But for people like me, it could be a hit and
miss. My rating is 3.5 stars, rounded up because although this was
not for me, I did enjoy the writing and the MC’s relationship.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This book was provided by Harmony Ink Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.</span></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-82645936660116042172013-07-26T08:16:00.000-07:002013-07-26T11:36:25.339-07:00Deep in the Count (Love Has No Boundaries), Madison Parker<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Cindi</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 out of 5 stars</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My luck with YA/NA books with jocks and nerds hasn't always been that great. For some reason when I pick one up they are always the same story: The jock is in the closet and falls in love with the nerd. The nerd is either hesitant to date the jock or is too clingy. The jock ends up hurting the nerd because someone discovered the jock's love for men and his reputation is on the verge of being in tatters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Deep In the Count</i>? Not even close to the others I've read. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brandon is a star baseball player at Virginia Tech University. He's openly gay and has no problem with people knowing. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> He is a popular pitcher and never lacks for friends. Brandon is out and he's totally not ashamed of who he is or the fact that he is attracted to men. The girls want to date him anyway. The guys want to be him or at least spend time with him. His jock boy reputation is just fine, thank you very much, gay or no.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His best friend Jack is very straight but accepts him for who he is. Jack is the stereotypical jock. His roommate, Corey, is the complete opposite of him and the dorm room proves this. Jack's side is a disaster. Corey's is perfectly organized with nothing out of place. During a visit to Jack's room Brandon discovers that Jack's roommate is gay. Corey isn't there at the time but that gets Brandon thinking. Corey is a nerd and Brandon has always had a thing for the smarter guys. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Is he cute?"</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Really? You're asking me if he's cute? This conversation is getting way too gay."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Well, he ain't Zac Efron. He wears glasses. And he's always playing with one of those Rubik's cubes. He's like, off-the-charts not cool."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"I bet he's really smart, though."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"He's a freaking brainiac, and I'm sure he thinks we're a couple of dumbass jocks. Guys like him don't hang out with guys like us."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>.. Brandon sighed. "Yeah. You're probably right."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few days later Brandon is having problems in a math class so he goes to the tutoring center. <i>If he didn't pass his math class, he'd be at risk of being placed on academic probation, which could cost him his scholarship. Without baseball, what the hell was he going to do with himself? </i>There he finally gets to meet the elusive Corey. It doesn't take long before Brandon is letting Corey know that he's interested in more than just tutoring but Corey is hesitant. Corey has his entire life planned out and he has no desire... or time... to get involved in any type of relationship much less with a jock who has yet to decide what he wants to do in the future. This kind of starts a back and forth that turned sexy quick. Corey's way of 'teaching' Brandon the math he needs is cute and it's sexy though Corey doesn't so much as allow a kiss. But Brandon has a plan that will speak to Corey's nerd side and I have to say it was one of the most unique ways of 'wooing' someone I've ever read.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I fell in love with these guys immediately. It is refreshing to see a jock written in a book that is not trying to hide who he is. Brandon knew what (and who) he wanted and he set out to win the man of his dreams. Corey is not your stereotypical nerd either. Oh sure, he's a smart guy and he focuses a lot on his studies but he knows (eventually) that he wants Brandon and when Brandon starts trying to win him with something dear to his heart he knows he's sunk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm a total baseball freak so this short was right up my alley. Not only is it about baseball but the author uses baseball terms to help Brandon with his tutoring. There's even a glossary of baseball terms at the end of the book. And here I thought I knew all there was to know about baseball. I just learned new terms that I didn't even know existed. I won't dare say which ones were new to me as I'd never hear the end of it from my baseball-lovin' sons. Ah, but not all is great. Brandon is a Boston Red Sox fan (this reviewer is a huge New York Yankees fan, as in <i>obsessed</i> New York Yankees fan. For those who follow MLB you know the two most definitely do not go together). I was able to overlook that as it was only mentioned once. :D</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a great set of secondary characters from Jack to Corey's bestie, Samantha (who lives 1,000 miles away and communicates with Corey via text or Skype). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The way that Brandon gets Corey to rethink his 'anti-dating' stance is via messages left for him in code. Corey is studying cryptology so this is the perfect way to be won over. The last message is left for the reader to decipher. The author gives hints and even a website to go to for help or to just solve the code. I'm ADHD so I admit to cheating and using the site to decipher the final message though looking at it now I could have easily figured it out without any help. This is yet another unique part of this story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I fell in love with this author's writing style when I read another short of hers a few months back. I quickly became a fan and have since read her others. I would have a difficult time picking a favorite but </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Deep in the Count</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> is up there. It's funny. It's sexy. It's really, really cute. Highly recommended.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, a great short. I loved all the characters and I found the story to be unique. I love how the author made each character 'out' so the story focused on getting the men together, not the trials of being in a relationship with one or both in the closet. Another great read by Madison Parker.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was written as a part of the Goodreads M/M Romance Group's <b>"Love Has No Boundaries" </b>event. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This short story was reviewed for this blog at the request of the author.</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-89941408697072388782013-07-20T08:58:00.001-07:002013-09-03T04:28:20.986-07:00My Life as a Myth, Huston Piner<br />
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<em>If you're not too long, I will wait here for you all my life.</em></h4>
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<em>-Oscar Wilde</em></h4>
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<strong><em></em></strong> </div>
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<strong>-Review by Kazza K</strong></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17343906-my-life-as-a-myth" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="My Life as a Myth by Huston Piner" height="320" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1363012422l/17343906.jpg" title="My Life as a Myth by Huston Piner" width="213" /></a>It's August 27th, 1969. And it's Nick Horton's first day of high school. He feels like a text book case of a loser. He doesn't have many friends and school is not a joy. He's certainly not overly confident and feels somewhat like an outcast - <br />
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<em>A social life? I don't have one; the few acquaintances I have don't really count. If I vanished out of their lives, they'd never notice. My only real friend is Bruce Philemon, he says I just need to try harder. So to help me try harder, I'm starting this journal.</em><br />
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And that is exactly what Nick does. He starts a journal and that is how this book is told.<br />
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While Nick is waiting for the bus home, Andy Framingham decides to chat up a girl.When the girl's older and larger boyfriend is going to show him just how he feels about that, Andy throws a can of coke down on the pavement spraying everyone with the contents -<br />
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<em>Just as they prepared to kill Andy and hide the corpse, Mr Wiggins, the elementary school principal came running from the building. He yanked Andy out of harm's way and announced he would report everyone to the high school principal.</em> <br />
<em>"Horton? I remember you, still making trouble, eh? Well, this time Mr Fuddle will see you pay for it."</em><br />
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This starts off a series of events in Nick's life. Nick really isn't trouble. He just wants to go to school, not get beaten up, not be embarrassed in PE -<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>The way some of them show off makes me very nervous. Talk
about embarrassing! You'd think "faggot" was my name! Today I just
tried to keep my head down, change fast, and get out of there.<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<br />
...and the change rooms, have some friends and a bit of a social life, ride the bus in peace, get a locker in a better location - not on <em>Dead Student's Row,</em> as he names it - and go home every day without much drama. But the list that Mr Wiggins gives the principal at his high school has his name at the top for the coke-can-fountain incident, not Andy Framingham. Then a few other events occur where Nick is the one seen to be doing something he shouldn't. But the real bombshell occurs when Nick mixes up the name of the film he is to meet Bruce at, and ends up in a theatre watching Fellini's Satryicon. The film is a bit of a revelation, so much so it is raided by the police, he is taken out like a criminal, photos are taken, he makes the news and the front paper of the local paper. Nick is suddenly a rebel. <br />
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Meanwhile, Nick has come to the attention of Jesse Gaston and his gang - Gary, Matt, and Bobby Warren. Jesse is an interesting character who seems to get intense delight in taking Nick under his wing and talking up his bad boy persona. When Nick jokes that he is <em><strong>Napalm Nick</strong></em> Jesse runs with that name. Napalm Nick is a good rebel's name, something he can work with. And work with it Jesse does. Jesse is the ultimate school spin-doctor - <br />
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<em>Every time I attempted to reveal the truth about how I ended up at a movie destined to be raided, Jesse always jumped in to enlarge on my magnificence, my audacity, and my criminal invincibility.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>I've come to realize that it is useless to argue with Jesse Gaston. When he decides to do something he can come up with a hundred reasons to convince you to go along.</em><br />
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And very soon Nick becomes cool. Rumours spread, aided by Jesse. The girls all want to be with him, guys want to be seen with him, and his social life has never looked better. The thing is, Nick is not Napalm Nick, he's just a fourteen year old trying to find his way and discovering bit by bit that he isn't attracted to girls. He is, however, attracted to guys and in particular he's attracted to Bobby Warren.<br />
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Nick comes from a fairly typical suburban family of the era - his mum stays at home, his dad works, there are rules, but a certain amount of freedom. And, oh yes, he has two older brothers, Nathan who died in Vietnam after being drafted, and Raymond who has disappointed the family by growing his hair, and dropping out to live in a commune - very sixties. Neither name is allowed to be spoken in the household for the last three years for different reasons. Pretty hard on a young boy who just wants to talk about his brothers. But, once again, fairly typical of many families of any era, just change the war. <br />
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Increasingly, Nick is realising that girls just aren't who<strong>/</strong>what he finds attractive. He tries everything to see if he can be like other guys who talk about girls. Who like Playboy. But perplexingly (at first) he's not. He also isn't enjoying being Napalm Nick. It's not who he is either, but it's better than being a loser...and there are perks. Plus there's a protection in the group and he cant bring too much attention on himself for other reasons - <br />
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<em>Damn it! The truth is maybe I do sort of like guys. I just don't know. But I can't let Jesse and the guys think I'm a fag. Okay. I'll be Napalm Nick for a month or two longer. Maybe after things die down I can move on and be a normal teenager again. That's not too much to ask, is it?</em><br />
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But Jesse continues to weave his magic and the rumour mill just chugs along. Nick also makes a friend with a senior, Brian. Brian is a popular jock but he likes Bobby and is rather mellow and very much full of live and let live philosophy. There was definitely more of a story to Brian and I would like to know more about him. Meanwhile, Nick and Bobby are growing closer and closer. Nick gets to stay over at Bobby's. He lives in the FROG - front room over garage - and his parents are former beatniks who are liberal in their thinking. Nick and Bobby discover a lot of things together, their likes are similar, they are both sweet, young boys, they are gay, they grow close as friends and fairly soon they are intimate with each other. The author does a good job of displaying teenagers - their language, their fears, their worries, their intensity of feelings. After Nick wakes up naked next to Bobby the first time -<br />
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<em>I dried my hair with the damp towel. Bobby had rolled over and snored quietly, now clutching a pillow. I finished dressing and watched him sleep for a minute, taking in how perfect he was from head to toe. My God, he's beautiful, I thought, and I felt myself stiffen. It took me a couple of minutes to tear myself away from just admiring him.</em><br />
<em>There are some things you just know you'll remember all your life and I knew right then that even when I'm a hundred, remembering him sleeping like that will bring out the same feelings in me.</em><br />
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To later when they are intimate - <br />
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<em>Then something in me snapped, and all my frustrations transformed into desire. When we got to my room, I closed and locked the door behind me. I put my hand on Bobby's shoulder, turned him around, took him in my arms, and kissed him. His eyes told me it was unexpected but welcome, and we fell onto the bed.</em><br />
<em>I felt him up and loosened his shirt and trousers. He stiffened as I ran my fingers through his hair. He moaned softly and at that moment, I don't think I could have stopped myself it I tried.</em><br />
<em>Right now Bobby's sleeping next to me. He's beautiful when he sleeps. I can't believe how much I love him. It's not just the physical stimulation I get from him. It makes me just as happy to do things for him as when he does things to me. It's even enough just to be with him, like now, and to know that he loves me as much as I love him.</em> <br />
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And the two boys do fall very much in love. But life is not easy.<em> Napalm Nick</em> is a lot to live up to. Jesse complicates this immeasurably and everywhere Nick turns there is pressure - girls he isn't interested in wanting more, being gay but having to hide it, being a rebel that he isn't. A new series of events as someone is blowing up trashcans at school and one of the teachers is now tailing him everywhere he goes as they believe <em>Napalm Nick</em> is the person behind it. <br />
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Then there are family matters ready to take centre stage in Nick's life. His brother - Raymond - comes home unexpectedly for Christmas. He hitch hikes from San Francisco and while their mother is glad to see him, their father isn't. But Raymond stays and cleans himself up - a shave, a hair cut - and even his father is feeling better about Raymond now. Nick is glad to have his brother home and he feels that Christmas is better for having him there. There is much to learn about one another in a short time - like Nick is now smoking pot, cigarettes, drinking beer, and taking magic mushies -<br />
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<em>He and I snuck off to get high before supper. This time he provided the weed....He called the marijuana Acapulco Gold, whatever it is, it's damn potent. When we got home and wandered into the kitchen, both smiling from ear to ear and giggling, my mother cracked us up saying how nice it was to see her "two little boys" having so much fun together.</em><br />
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But Raymond has a secret and when it is revealed things will never be the same in the Horton family again. <br />
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I won't say anymore about the plot because I will ruin the book and it is best read. What I will add is this. Every chapter is headed up with a song title of the period that is incredibly apt. The last two chapters were beautifully named. Perhaps some people may feel unsure about the use of drugs or alcohol by minors, but this is what was happening at the time. Still does now. It isn't glorified, it's just part of the times and the story. Did every kid experiment in the 60's? No. But a lot did. The 60's was a crazy era of change mixed with a lingering conservatism. I lived during this era, was around the same age as the characters and I did all of these things...and then some. The music listed - I had every single one - bar the jazz - on vinyl. The attitudes that are portrayed were so real. The culture. But <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqyuUCtNX2Bo0FE8j3B_3-XayWuF3ObEl6HdhD9xLuwtfjXrhnJ6iZahUOFSi5aMnzq8c_xmZKr3RmI4lw69eM6c31fiV15gArvzpZ2NSQsx1N2nrjXGC31Ctu_QaKvWRernI8klWn7w2/s1600/Homophobia+message+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqyuUCtNX2Bo0FE8j3B_3-XayWuF3ObEl6HdhD9xLuwtfjXrhnJ6iZahUOFSi5aMnzq8c_xmZKr3RmI4lw69eM6c31fiV15gArvzpZ2NSQsx1N2nrjXGC31Ctu_QaKvWRernI8klWn7w2/s320/Homophobia+message+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
here's the thing, this book translates well to today. There is still the group mentality, the homophobia. How difficult it is to be an outcast at school. How the word "faggot" is more than just a name. How friends can turn on you and the hurt that is associated. The fracturing of a family. The mistakes parent's make, and the repercussions. There are some real messages that are not lost between 1969 and 2013. <br />
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My Life as a Myth is one of the most realistic LGBTQ YA books that has crossed my desk and I encourage anyone who may be remotely interested to read this book. I am so glad I did. I will also add this - there is no HEA. I say this because some people will rate badly if that is the case and they are not aware of it. So, I'm throwing that out there as much as I don't want to have to say that.<br />
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If you like a period piece. If you are interested in the 60's. If you like LGBTQ YA, if you like humour, a message, young love, and can handle a bittersweet piece of fiction that is firmly rooted in reality, then please do yourself a favour and read the beautifully written, wonderfully named My Life as a Myth.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">5 Stars</span></strong></div>
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<em><strong>It may be hard to be true to yourself, especially if you're different and people hate you for it; but it's still harder living your life as a myth. It's a lie and in the end it's self-defeating. In the long run, it's better to let people know the real you. It may be hard, but it's a lot less complicated, and at least you find out who your real friends are.</strong></em><br />
<em><strong>If you love someone, go on and tell them. If they can't love you just because you're different, you're better off without them. And when you find someone who loves you too, don't let anybody or anything stand in your way.</strong></em><br />
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<strong><em>- Bobby Warren.</em></strong></div>
kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-6200650791981069262013-06-25T05:33:00.000-07:002013-09-03T04:09:26.482-07:00Alabaster, Nick Hirsch<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Review by Kazza K</strong></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.prizmbooks.com/samples/img/prizmpinch185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Dromos by G. Arden O'feden" border="0" height="278" src="http://www.prizmbooks.com/samples/img/prizmpinch185.jpg" width="185" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is one of the best short YA stories I've read. It's an awfully hard book to review because it <em><strong>is</strong></em> short and because of the use of metaphors and magical realism to convey meaning outside of the standard narrative - Alan's dad leaves, a missed (idealized) father<strong>/</strong>family, a mother who shuts down, dysfunction sets in, school bullying is chronic, Alan now feeling like he is nothing more than alabaster - leaving dust on his sheets, seeing cracks and fissures on his skin, no longer flesh and blood - </span><br />
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<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was a time when he was flesh like everyone else. His
skin had been soft, layered over rivers of rhythmic blood. He’d had a body full
of water, sweat and tears. He’d liked to run and laugh and dance with clouds
behind his ears. His father was there, then, and would push him on the swings
at the park, higher and higher until he could grab the stars out of the sky.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></em></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is difficulty at home, Alan's mother posing questions when Alan left for school early - was he visiting his father, was he? Making sure his mother is gone before he leaves. Something that is played out over and over across many different counties of the children of divorce. At school Alan has to deal with Roger, a one time friend, now first-degree bully -</span><br />
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<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Things changed at school once his father was gone. It began with a boy named Roger, who always wanted to prove he was tough when there were girls around.....</span></strong></em><br />
<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Hey, faggot," Roger was loud enough to get everyone's attention.</span></strong></em><br />
<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alan didn't look up. He pretended not to notice and hoped Roger would just get bored and find another target......</span></strong></em><br />
<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Keep reading if you like dick."</span></strong></em><br />
<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some of the girls laughed.</span></strong></em><br />
<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">"My dad says reading is for fairies," another boy said.</span></strong></em><br />
<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Are you a fairy?" someone else asked.....</span></strong></em><br />
<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Hold him, " Roger said from far away.</span></strong></em><br />
<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">A shudder passed through Alan's chest. He coughed, and dust spilled from between his lips. Roger punched Alan in the face while two other boys held his arms....</span></strong></em><br />
<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Roger punched him again, this time in the stomach, and a cascade of gravel fell out of Alan's mouth. Roger hit him in the jaw, and grey stone flaked away like shale.</span></strong></em><br />
<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Roger was beating him to death. His mother was sneering and his father was laughing and he felt none of it. He said nothing and Roger beat him as hard as he had ever been beaten until the substitute arrived and everyone pretended that they had no idea, or that they wanted to help him....</span></strong></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Alan said nothing and silently he turned to stone</strong>.</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">That is just a part of a very powerful chapter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The period covered in this book spans from year 7 through to Alan's sophomore year -</span><br />
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<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Grade school ended, as it tends to. Alan was placed in an
advanced studies program across town, while Roger ended up at the district
school. Only two or three other kids from Alan's neighbourhood went to the same
school as he did, and they quickly formed a silent agreement to pretend they'd
never met.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></em></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- and it is done in an unbelievably seamless manner saying much in an incredibly small word count of around 3,750 words<em>. </em>And in those 3,750 words life is accepted, life changes, and much hope is generated -</span><br />
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<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Somewhere in the middle of winter, sophomore year, the bus
became important. Alan was there early, mostly just to get out of the house.</span></strong></em><br />
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<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was a boy sitting next to him, glowing brightly. Alan
looked around to see if anyone else noticed, but no one did. They never, ever
did. <o:p></o:p></span></strong></em><br />
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</em><em>"Want to sit down?" The boy asked.</em></span></strong><br />
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<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">It took time to form words. How did you talk to sunlight?</span></strong></em></div>
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<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Sure," he said.</span></strong></em></div>
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<em><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">The boy was made of colors, the opposite of Alan in every
conceivable way. His skin was copper, his hair melted gold. Light spilled from
his pores, his smile, his eyes. Alan wondered how no one on the bus was blind
from all that light....</span></strong></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><em><strong>Alan and Luke spent twenty minutes riding a cloud to school,
and when they got there Alan felt the ground trembling again. He thought of his
father and the swings again, for the first time since that day with Roger in
seventh grade.</strong></em> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The book ends on a good note, obtuse to a certain extent, but full of hope - no more bullies, Luke makes Alan happy, a short note to his mother, and us the readers, and a reaction that makes the journey a good one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The prose in this book is lyrical and metaphorical, along with the use of derogatory words that help drive the realism of bullying home in amongst the surreal components. I read this to my son, who has suffered bullying, and he thought it powerful and well handled. I truly hope Alabaster receives a wide readership because it deserves it. Highly recommended reading for young teens up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><span style="color: red;">5 Stars</span></strong> </span></div>
<em></em><br />kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-1022471662593423572013-06-24T07:51:00.004-07:002013-09-03T04:00:05.744-07:00Refrigeration Blues, Richard Natale<br />
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<strong>-Review by Kazza K</strong></div>
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<a href="javascript:popupWindow('http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=popup_image&pID=3885')" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Refrigeration Blues" height="320" src="http://www.torquerebooks.com/images/samples/prizmpinch185.jpg" title=" Refrigeration Blues " width="212" /></a>First of all, this book comes under the<strong> New Adult Category (NA</strong>) for seventeen years up, but from my perspective that is only because it is about a young male who, initially, for a while, wants to commit suicide because the guy he loves has died on the touch football field. </div>
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The MC, Matthew, starts out by talking about the feelings he had for his older brother Ben's best friend, Nathaniel, from a young age. But the majority of this book is looking back from, and up to, the present, all from Matthew's POV. He is somewhere in his twenties, although age is not discussed. And when Nathaniel dies he would be in his thirties, although, once again, it is not definitively stated. </div>
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This book is not gloomy and it hits pretty well on what siblings can be like, Here Matthew is, uh, introduced to Nathaniel when he was nine by his older brother, Ben -<br />
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<em>"Oh, yeah, and that's the kid." Ben never referred to me by name. It was always the kid, the brat, and when he was really angry, fuckface. </em><br />
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It is a tad irreverent about and around a serious subject matter, without seeming blasé or uncaring. The fact that Matthew is planning on taking himself out of this world via a refrigerator is unusual in and of itself. He hasn't thought it through too well as the fridge, a Digby, won't fit his whole body in it, so plans are thwarted -<br />
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<em>Here's where my nifty little scheme began to go awry. I couldn't quite get the doors shut. No matter how I contorted myself, there was always a wayward limb or a buttock cheek. I had miscalculated Digby's depth and height......</em><br />
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There are things to like about this book - the <strong>almost</strong> tongue in cheek, yet also melodramatic plans - Romeo and Juliet were going to look basic after Matthew was through. Yet, there was also a clear feeling that someone, Matthew in this case, was going through a difficult time. Probably not really having his heart in his imminent demise but heartbroken enough to want to do something about the pain - finding someone he had desired for a long time, has spent some time without, and then, after truly finding him, loving him....losing him permanently. And the reasons why this plan of his may no longer be the right plan for him at all.</div>
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<strong>Some Issues -</strong></div>
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This book is not terribly contemporary. It is set back in the 70's - 80's and as such, some of the references, including a few words from a Paul Simon song, references to Christopher Isherwood's A Single Man, and Sid and Nancy, won't hit the mark with the majority of a NA audience. I'm okay with it, but I'm not a spring chicken. I ran the references past some of my YA<strong>/</strong>NA connections and they looked at me and blinked.<br />
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There is no sex, although it's alluded to. This is a disappointment given it is gay NA story and there was opportunity when, as adults, they reacquaint themselves with one another. ** See below. In this book I believe it took them about four dates to do anything and we are talking about one guy who is in his twenties and another who was at least thirty -.<br />
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<em>By the time we became intimate, we were ready - </em>If they were sixteen and seventeen, then maybe I would buy that.<br />
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The ending is a <em>to be continued, </em>just be aware. I would have preferred this to have been longer and all dealt with and wrapped up in a longer book.</div>
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<strong>Overall - </strong><br />
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This is an interesting short ebook that touches on a difficult subject without making it maudlin and without being disrespectful, so that is well done. It infuses some realism, some humour and some nice writing. I had some issues with it from a NA book's perspective and that is reflected in my overall rating. I would like to see where this goes, though, and what will happen to Matthew now he's had a new way of looking at things.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">3.5 stars</span></strong></div>
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** I added this after the review because I don't wish to sound like I am singling this book or publisher out, as I most definitely am not. I'm talking in general - It seems NA writers<strong>/</strong>publishers in the LGBT world are almost frightened to go down the path of actual sexual relationships, which is much different to their heterosexual counterparts. I find this most frustrating and incredibly unrealistic. If you are writing a book that is <strong>about a relationship</strong>, I don't get it. I'm not suggesting wholesale sex scenes everywhere. Just realism. If you are going to aim books at LGBT youth, <strong>particularly seventeen year old males up</strong>, then make it real - because they will call BS on it otherwise, more than that they won't buy it. It's not just parent's that make decisions. My children have always been consulted on what it is they want(ed) to read.<br />
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kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-60500842285821589102013-06-20T09:28:00.000-07:002013-06-20T09:28:33.187-07:00Vintage: A Ghost Story, Steve Berman<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Cindi</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4.5 out of 5 stars</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I admit to being lax in reading and reviewing Young Adult books recently. I kept looking for that one book that was unique. I found that with <i>Vintage: A Ghost Story</i> by Steve Berman. This book would never be called more of the same.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The main character (whose name is never given in the book) has recently run away from the home of his parents to live with his favorite aunt, Jan. His parents are the stereotypical homophobic parents read about and experienced all over the place. They did not want their son to be <i>different </i>and it was made clear to him that he would no longer be welcome in their home unless he conformed to their beliefs. Instead of trying to change who he is, the teen ran off in the middle of the night. Thankfully, his aunt was quick to accept him into her home. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>They told me I was a tremendous disappointment as well as a sick child. I left the very next morning. The bus station opened before my folks even woke up.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The protagonist is seventeen-years-old and has only recently accepted that he is beyond a doubt a gay male. Not just a gay male, but a very lonely gay male. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>I didn't need to be reminded of my loserdom, having yet to go out on one single date or even kiss another boy.</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moving in with his aunt was supposed to help him to make a new start, a new life. He meets a girl who is his age in a video store, Trace, and a strong friendship is born. Trace picks up on the fact that he is gay pretty quickly as do her other friends, some of which become his as well and some of which he tries to avoid. His loneliness continues to get worse as the weeks go by. He dies a little inside each time he sees couples who are so obviously taken with one another. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Walking home down a long stretch of highway one night he believes that perhaps his luck has changed. Coming toward him is a good looking boy around his age. The stranger is wearing clothes right out of the fifties including a letterman football jacket. The clothing intrigues the young man as he himself has a slight obsession with vintage clothing as he works in a shop that specializes in them. At first the stranger doesn't speak but when he does the main character's life is changed forever.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The legend of Joshua Wyle is well known in the area. Walking home late one night after a party, he is struck and killed by a vehicle on a lonely stretch of road. Sightings of Joshua have been reported for decades but never has the <i>ghost </i>or <i>apparition </i>spoken to anyone... until now. Not only does he speak to the boy but he follows him home to his aunt's house. A quick lust/love relationship is there for the protagonist though falling in love with a ghost is even more disturbing than being obsessed with all other things morbid as the boy is. Within a short amount of time there is sexual contact between boy and ghost. What starts as something exciting quickly turns terrifying. The ghost of Josh Wyle is not one that should be messed with. He was not a very nice person in life and this carries over to him in death. As terrifying events begin to unfold for the protagonist, other ghosts make themselves known; at cemeteries, old buildings, the library, the list goes on. One such ghost is Mike, the older brother of Trace.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trace lives with her father and her fifteen-year-old brother who is known as "Second Mike". Mike's name broke my heart. He is referred to as "Second Mike" by all because he was named after his other brother (First Mike) who disappeared when he was only eleven years old and is presumed dead. Trace and Mike's father lives at home but works a lot. Their mother never recovered from the disappearance of the first Mike so she had to be institutionalized. She was institutionalized after insisting on having another child who she hoped would take the place of the one she lost. I liked Mike's father in the story as he comes across as a very good guy. However, I did not like that he had felt that it was okay to name his second son after one presumed dead. You do not try to replace one child by giving another the same name.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>The "second Mike" was an odd kid. Maybe being named after your older brother did that. Or wearing so many of his hand-me-downs. He wasn't a bad kid, but he had the knack of being annoying and underfoot.</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are other characters who add to the story, some in a good way and some not. Liz and Maggie are a lesbian couple who have their own issues. There is Kim, a friend of Liz, Maggie and Trace who is really not any type of friend at all. Thankfully Kim is not in the story much. Aunt Jan was a pleasure to read about. She had her rules for her nephew but she also had his back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then there are the ghosts who are suddenly making their presence known but only to the protagonist of the story. One of which is First Mike. This is disturbing on many levels because now the boy is questioning all the times he saw "Mike" at Trace's house and wondering which Mike did he see as the resemblance between them is shocking. Now he is unsure of all the people he comes in contact with. Are they ghosts or are they real? Some are kind but most are threatening. Much later in the story does the reason for his 'ability' come out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>"What's wrong with me?" I did not want to suddenly start bawling. But I was afraid. Everywhere I went I seemed surrounded by spirits. I remembered the one with the knife from last night. He had been bad; suppose the next one is worse?</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Josh goes from being a friendly, sexy ghost to being a constant threat for the MC and those he is close to. In life he was a jealous person. In death he is even more so. When Josh begins threatening those the MC holds dear, he knows it is time to make him go away somehow. While doing so, he hopes to also find out what really happened to First Mike.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is an amazing story. The young man is so desperate for love and attention that he latches on to the first <strike>being</strike> person who shows him any type of real attention. Only later does he see that the person he is looking for is very much alive and practically under his nose.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parts of this book are seriously creepy. The ghosts are not all good ghosts and some of their deaths are described rather graphically. Also, think talking dolls. That is only one very small part of the story but it was more than enough for me. Dolls don't scare me. Creepy, talking dolls? Well, yeah. :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eventually with the help from friends, Josh is made to disappear into the afterlife. First Mike's disappearance is explained and Second Mike is no longer forced to live in the shadow of his namesake as all mysteries are now solved. The ending, while a little rushed, was perfect. Steve Berman is a masterful storyteller if I am to go by his writing in <i>Vintage: A Ghost Story</i>. He has definitely gained a new fan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Note: This book may be disturbing to some readers. There are very few sexual situations but the ones mentioned are between a person and a ghost. Also, I touched on the talking doll. This is only one part of the book that would be classified as creepy or disturbing. Keep this in mind before reading this book. The rest of the story is completely age appropriate for teens in my opinion. </i></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-54262252663488371432013-06-20T05:45:00.000-07:002013-06-20T05:45:50.962-07:00The Battle for Jericho, Gene Gant<br />
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<img alt="The Battle for Jericho" height="400" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1357062624l/17201817.jpg" width="266" /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- Review by Trisha Harrington</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>** This review contains slight spoilers. ***</b></span></div>
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<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The
Battle for Jericho</i> by Gene Gant was a really solid story. It had a
good plot and some solid characters, but I can’t give this book any
more than three stars. I do have my reasons for this; one of them
being it was such a depressing book.</span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From
the beginning you get the feel of the story. Jericho and his friend
Mac decide to vandalise the local ‘fags’ bungalow. Once they get
there things soon escalate and it becomes apparent that it was
going to go very wrong. Dylan, the ‘fag’ ended up injured.
Instead of feeling good about it, Jericho felt remorse and
went to apologise. That helped me to find a place where I could like
Jericho, even if it was just a bit.</span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Things
were a bit rocky after that. Jericho decides to ‘go gay’. Those
are his own words and at that point I was a bit angry. He did not
seem to grasp that it wasn’t a choice. But he was trying to embrace
everything, and eventually, he did. He had a girlfriend, Lissandra,
and that was another thing that bugged me slightly. I would call it
cheating, where others would not. Cheating for me is a big no, no and
for people wondering why I am giving it three stars, I will tell you.</span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hutch
was amazing. For me he was my favourite character. I had a lot of
sympathy for him. He struggled at home and out in the world. The boy
he liked was dating a girl. I did like him for saying what he said
during the first ‘date’. To say Hutch put up with a lot was an
understatement. His issues became clearer in the book, but I admired
him for being brave. His presence in the book was the thing I loved
about this book.</span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As
a couple, Jericho and Hutch went from okay to amazing in the space of
a chapter. I was iffy about how I would feel about them, but when
they had sex for the first time… I just felt a connection to them
as a couple. As a side note I want to point out that Jericho is not
gay, he’s bi and that may or may not make a difference.</span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I’m
not a kiss and tell kind of guy. But I will say that Hutch and I lost
our virginity that night. </i></span>
</span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>It
was the most beautiful experience of my life. And afterward, when I
lay there with Hutch falling asleep in my arms, I didn’t regret it
one bit.</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As
I said at the beginning of my review, this book is depressing. For a
YA novel I found it more depressing than I would normally read. The best friend, Mac, and the man in the beginning,
Dylan, were the only two characters apart from Hutch who I really
liked. There are gay bashings, child abuse and the death of children.
Added to that both boys were almost disowned by their parents and
Jericho’s parents sickened me. But when religion comes in that
happens more often than not.</span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looking
back over the book, there were signs of both boys having some sort of
abuse in the home. Jericho’s would not have been as obvious, but a
parent grabbing his or her child and talking down to them when they
have a question, is abuse. It was sad how that worked out. Normally,
I like to see one of the MC’s having a supportive family/relative. In
this, there isn’t one on either side.</span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
ending fit the story and gave hope. I was disappointed that it
ended without some sort of reconciliation between Jericho and his
parents. I would have liked Dylan to appear again too. Another
thing that would have been nice would have been to see Mac’s dad.
He sounded like a decent man. Religion was mentioned for his family
too, but he wasn’t a bigot and that could have lightened this
story.</span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>And
I know who I am now. I’m a guy with lots of friends and parents who
believe I’m going to hell but love me anyway. I’m a guy who’s
attracted to both girls and boys, and who now has a great thing going
with a great guy. </i></span>
</span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>And
I think that makes me… blessed.</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
give <i>The Battle for Jericho</i> three stars. It would be less but as I
said, Hutch was a reason for me to love something about this, so
because there was something I loved, I’m giving it three. I
recommend it for people who would have no issues with is mentioned above.</span><br />
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3 out of 5 stars</b></span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-IE" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This book was provided by Harmony Ink Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.</i></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-78771779311114514022013-06-18T08:51:00.000-07:002013-06-18T08:51:25.725-07:00Welcome Guest Reviewers!<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TqXW2MXwDilVXzx96tEqJR4m62bd37TBo_oleuu-g5MDmeC9oOJNhW-2FSmmHVD6KlPm0kckBStwU8tVBAFRQpO2sD1RluQCkYaKh4Fd7TAMLeO4oNlHxXQ6viCQiu74BAGksHfqnHnU/s1600/welcome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TqXW2MXwDilVXzx96tEqJR4m62bd37TBo_oleuu-g5MDmeC9oOJNhW-2FSmmHVD6KlPm0kckBStwU8tVBAFRQpO2sD1RluQCkYaKh4Fd7TAMLeO4oNlHxXQ6viCQiu74BAGksHfqnHnU/s320/welcome.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trisha Harrington - </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trisha is an Irish girl and an avid reader of Young Adult Gay Fiction. A teenager herself, she has a good idea of what goes on in the minds of the young characters in the Young Adult books that she reads. Also a lover of adult LGBT fiction, her first love will always be the ones with characters that fall into her own age bracket. A big welcome to Trisha from all of us at Greedy Bug Book Reviews.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-60102942609301529762013-06-18T08:48:00.000-07:002013-06-22T00:12:00.172-07:00Contacting Us and Policies<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-82713922845688201502013-06-04T00:03:00.000-07:002013-06-06T19:43:02.238-07:00Dear Diary (Dear Diary #1), Allison, Cassatta<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="center">
<strong>-Review by Mr Austro-Hungarian</strong></div>
<br />
<br />
<strong>Note from Kazza K: - <em> Please note that this book is in the M/M or adult category of books with its publisher. NOT YA. The reviewer of this book is in his late teens and felt that this book belonged in the late YA or New Adult category and would suit readers from 16 years on, depending on the reader. This is based on his opinion as a reader who also happens to be a young gay male.</em></strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This story takes us on the path of an eighteen-year-old
Chris who, in the midst of getting ready for his senior year prom, decides this
day is to be the day he purges his stories in an almost cathartic fashion, so he
sets out to record the precious memories he had of a summer romance that
changed his life – with a man named Josh, who was an intern for a law firm
Chris was volunteering at. <br />
<br />
This was all done through the use of a hand-held recorder he received for
Christmas. In fact, this recorded version of these events is where the story
lies, along with intermittent appearances from all the people that he holds
dear in the present – his family and best friend. Together, Chris makes his
prom experience one that is not merely just a step into adulthood.<br />
<br />
But whilst this short story has the sweetest of intentions, and I truly tried
to like the story (as I am a sucker for cathartic spilling) this story also had
some of my pet peeves. In fact, it had two:<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Sex Scene:</b><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]--></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In this story lay a
sex scene, and one that did not fade off-page and did explain the basic ins and
outs of oral sex. I definitely applaud the author for this. However, there were
some problems I had with the sex scene with regards to how it was handled. For example:<br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I
had to fight not to look at Josh, even as curiosity threatened to get the best
of me. Something told me that as soon as I saw him, as soon as I saw his hand
around my Jimmy, I’d put a stop to all of it despite wanting it more than I’d
ever wanted anything else in my life.”</i><br />
<br />
Jimmy. Jimmy. JIMMY?! <br />
<br />
…I felt this totally undermined the sex scene. I could <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">almost </i></b>understand if:<br />
<br />
<strong>A)</strong> This was a blatant attempt to make this slightly younger. (Again, this has
as its own problems; if it was for a slightly younger audience, there would be
a ringing cry for the explicitness and depth of the scene.)<br />
<strong>B)</strong> The main protagonist was an ego-centric plebeian that had a talent for
giving himself a big-enough head to force America into giving his penis its own
zip code. (Which, he wasn’t. Even though I did not like the character, he
wasn’t ego-centric.)<br />
<strong>C)</strong> His penis could talk, eat, breathe and was lucid enough to be able to
distinguish the English alphabet. (To be fair, I have seen enough of them
around my area.)<br />
<br />
Well, I know <strong>C</strong> is definitely out of the question, and I really do not feel it
is<strong> B</strong>. So, is it <strong>A</strong>? I thought about this for a while, because the author does
use this consistently. However, a few lines later:<br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Oh
my God, my completely erect penis was in this dude’s mouth!”</i><br />
<br />
So…no, it cannot be <strong>A.</strong> The answer clearly does not lie in any of the
aforementioned hypotheses. Then why is this language being used to describe the
main character’s genitalia? I have absolutely no idea. If someone had ever
referred to their penis as “Jimmy”, I would probably ask how they felt about
having a man named James trapped in their penis and walk away. I am being
serious – it is not cool in a serious story, and definitely not something that
should ever be mentioned when in a sex scene. <br />
<br />
I also had a problem with some of the word choices when this sex scene
unfolded. For example:<br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“He
went down on me again, gripped my sac in his hand, gave a gentle squeeze, and I
was done for. I felt the pressure in my chest, felt my body tense as the most
incredible pain filled every inch of my being…”</i><br />
<br />
Pain? I don’t know where the pain is coming from, particularly because the
“pressure” associated with coming towards climax has already been described.
Unless I am missing out on some sort of crucial physiological sign of
pre-orgasm (I use the term “missing out” loosely) I am at a loss as to why the
author describes Chris going through pain.<br />
<br />
(This should be where I put in a warning – if you experience pain similar to
this, you may need to see your doctor.)<br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. Realism of the People (And Everything
Associated):</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This story had my absolute pet peeve – people that embody
the archetype, as mother dearest calls it: Blonde hair. Blonde teeth. Blonde life.
The people of Dear Diary are the absolute epitome of this lifestyle. We have:<br />
<br />
Chris: A boy who has stellar grades destined for an Ivy League college.
Athletic body. Popular. Is good looking. Has a female best friend who is also
stunning. They once went out, split, and are still best friends. Has the most
understanding and Brady-esque parents in the world. Need I say more?<br />
<br />
Josh: Admittedly, the most fleshed out character (which is not saying much). But
he is still incredibly attractive. (Blonde hair and green eyes – that, speaking
as a science major who has studied phenotypes and genetics, is pretty bloody
rare. Be thankful, Josh!) It is also alluded to that he is intelligent. (Although
my brain, for some reason, concluded that he wasn’t. I may have been reading
too many nerd-meets-jock stories…again.) He also has a cool, almost
<em>“zomg-he-is-in-college!”</em> thing going on…<br />
<br />
…oh, and his <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">EYES CAN SHOOT MALACHITE-GREEN
LASERS THAT CAN HEAL SICK CHILDREN! </b>(Not really, I just got bored and
started imagining him shooting lasers from his eyes.)<br />
<br />
</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fsx3z4X0B6mnbLEl9XH9sv7bpT8A7BWxtXqZMZcgLIiRix_jovPMmN_WNmlZo9XpikITr6n-kR40IofxHKPaHyjKGSKqobKUhoZbgIjpnSbSRTovIiueVwx6j4tlV-Jdag_drDBsmUiq/s1600/Tyra+Showing+Her+True+Colours.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fsx3z4X0B6mnbLEl9XH9sv7bpT8A7BWxtXqZMZcgLIiRix_jovPMmN_WNmlZo9XpikITr6n-kR40IofxHKPaHyjKGSKqobKUhoZbgIjpnSbSRTovIiueVwx6j4tlV-Jdag_drDBsmUiq/s400/Tyra+Showing+Her+True+Colours.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
</span><br />
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<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Parents: They are too nice. Just…too nice. I said that they were Brady-esque,
and they are. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Exhibit A: They have to ground Chris for "a few weeks" for
sneaking out. That’s great and all, but I have two problems with this:<br />
<br />
<strong>1.</strong> HE’S FREAKING 18! He, as an adult, does not “sneak out”; he “goes out”.
Because…you know…he’s an adult? Did we forget our brains at the door, parental
units? And then, to make matters worse;<br />
<strong>2.</strong> After the stupid judgement, they declare, along the lines of: 'You broke our rules, but we do basically understand
why you did it.' Wait…WHAT?! If you bloody well understand why he did it, then
why are you grounding him? It’s like they are saying: “We understand that you
absolutely had to immobilise the man that was about to stab you in the face.
But, because that is against federal law, you get 5 years grounding.”
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Other Things that Infuriated Mr. Austro-Hungarian:</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The world was two-dimensional. Do I understand that
the plot was, for the most part, driven by a young man who is sitting in his
room and talking to a recorder whilst getting ready for prom? Yes. <br />
<br />
(N.B: Not to mention that, in amongst the monologues, it apparently takes Chris
an hour to spike his hair. Really? It took me less than that to shower and
straighten my hair that was thicker than the Amazon…and that is saying
something. Get some gel that actually holds your hair, Chris – maybe then it
will seep into your brain and cause you to call your penis by an anatomically
correct name. It’s a noble thought.)<br />
<br />
But I digress. I do understand that a short story is not generally going to be
fleshed out to the same degree as a novella/novel. I also understand that there
is slightly less room to build the three dimensions a story needs, although
it’s very much possible. But this story severely lacked the world I so
desperately needed. <br />
<br />
This also became evident when I realised there would be no conflict in this
story; this made the book quite disappointing, in the sense that it almost made
the world <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">more</i></b> unrealistic. Every potential moment where there could have
been tension or conflict, it was shut down by the characters basically saying
this: <br />
<br />
“I should be angry with you. Or upset, or livid, or just plain bitchy…but
instead, HAVE A PIECE OF CAKE!”<br />
<br />
</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfiPXpb2DmpUOVlW-toCQKSvnK1s5j7G9tLjpWIrSMWgvyUMdasTZ7oRm0wzE2qbYQXSUvrWG8C8H0liGiypdMBUQ1Kb02oWjttzVdVzDpOGqeElkPWCPnhBKZfApa4ho4XT5iPCiELWG7/s1600/...Cake.+%2528It%2527s+Not+Cake%252C+It%2527s+Hash.+We%2527ll+Pretend.%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfiPXpb2DmpUOVlW-toCQKSvnK1s5j7G9tLjpWIrSMWgvyUMdasTZ7oRm0wzE2qbYQXSUvrWG8C8H0liGiypdMBUQ1Kb02oWjttzVdVzDpOGqeElkPWCPnhBKZfApa4ho4XT5iPCiELWG7/s400/...Cake.+%2528It%2527s+Not+Cake%252C+It%2527s+Hash.+We%2527ll+Pretend.%2529.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<br />
However, the biggest problem I had with the story was that I did not see a
point, in the sense that the storyline can be basically pinned down to a love
story that occurred because Chris found out he liked men…and in a big way. He
was going out with his female (now) best friend, was popular, but there was ‘something
missing’. And he found it, in Josh.<br />
<br />
Now, where this plot fell short was that there was <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">absolutely no reason </i></b>Chris
should have repressed his sexual identity until that point. I know, I know – it
can happen. But there is usually a reason. “My family are devout -insert
religious denomination here- and I am scared of coming out/it is wrong” “I have
a homophobic upbringing” etc, etc. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yes, it was touched on that Chris <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">may </i></b>have homophobic
friends, and I have no doubt that the popular gang he was with would have their
fair share of jocks that love to spew vitriol at men who are homosexual…if this
“touched on” component of the story hadn’t consisted of roughly one/two lines. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chris also seems to be scared about how his parents may
react to his sexuality. But this baffles me, because, again, let me re-acquaint
you with Chris’ parents:<br />
<br />
“I should be angry with you, or upset, or livid, or just plain bitchy…but
instead, HAVE A PIECE OF CAKE!”<br />
<br />
There was absolutely no indication that his parents would have reacted in any
way but unequivocal support for Chris. They supported everything he did, and
were nice about everything they could be. (Heck, grounding was a nice
experience!) I think they weren’t the type to absolutely commit a 180 and
create WWIII about sexual identity.<br />
<br />
And this is also why I am utterly confused by Chris’ denial-to-the-point-of-not-even-thinking-about-men
point of view at the beginning. Then he seems to have discovered his urges for
men when he meets the man of his dreams, and this confuses me even more. Wouldn’t
this event have sparked an even bigger denial response within Chris, if the
denial was so pertinent to him? I guess the conclusion to this question is that
Josh was simply the catalyst that sparked Chris’ interest in men, but I find
this too odd and incongruous to the, albeit limited, backstory.<br />
<br />
I've noticed that other people have enjoyed Dear Diary. Be sure to have a look at all reviews as we all see things differently. For me, personally, I found a number of problems that stopped me from enjoying it. I suppose the story wasn’t badly written. But I found the
combination of poor word choices, two dimensional people and
world, and inconsistent psychology with regards to the major plot led me to
give this short story <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">two stars.</i></b><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-15563352644704140482013-05-21T07:00:00.001-07:002013-05-21T08:50:49.924-07:00The Boy From Brighton, Geoffrey Knight<br />
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<strong>- Review by Mr Austro-Hungarian.</strong><br />
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<a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1357765027l/17229933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Boy from Brighton" border="0" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1357765027l/17229933.jpg" width="213" /></a>Eat your heart out, Edgar Allen Poe, and that pun was very much intended; who needs the heart beat in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Tell-Tale Heart</i> when you have the tickety-tock-tock-tock from Geoffrey Knight’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Boy From Brighton</i>?<br />
<br />
This short story is a quirky one. It is mainly focused on a Charlie – a young boy of seven – and his mother leaving their drunken father to stay with ‘Jane’, the woman’s sister from Brighton. This young man, all of seven, thinks he is invincible, as he is adamant that the surgeon’s operating on his heart – when he had a heart attack at four years of age – gave him a clock for a heart. This leads him into performing dangerous stunts that test his hypothesised immortality.<br />
<br />
This is when we cue in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Boy from Brighton</i> – a young man named Ant, who is from a troubled background. Ant comes to the rescue of Charlie, and makes sure that he is safe for the night.<br />
<br />
I thought, first and foremost, that this was a very cute story about love and how it can save even the bleakest of situations. But it wasn’t just about romantic love; the story showed that love does not strictly limit itself in the form of a romantic partner, which I thought was a nice touch by the author. We all are loved, no matter who we are – we have parental, sibling, romantic, platonic…heck, even chocolate love! – and love can overcome anything, if given the chance.<br />
<br />
I also thought the way the author used a very well-known event within history to skip forward in time was very clever. If there is one thing I cannot stand, it is jumping back and forth in time without anything to ground me, and this was mitigated within this novel. The writing was also quirky and unusual – it sometimes read more like a poem than a piece of literary prose – but it worked for the most part; this story had the plot to match the whimsical and unique writing style.<br />
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If there was one thing that I had to say was a disappointing aspect of the book, however, it would be the realism of the seven-year-old boy. I often had to check back and make sure he was seven, because his actions, vocabulary choices and even physical abilities were not that of a boy of seven. For example, this…<br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Instantly, I started sprinting too, heading in the same direction but on the opposite side of the street, my skinny legs carrying me as fast as they could until I was running parallel with the boy…”</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p>…implies that a sixteen-year-old boy, who is hinted at being a shoplifter and can obviously sprint, is easily matched by a boy who is seven – this strikes me as odd. The language choice also does not help the cause for the realism of the characterisation. I do understand that this book is not going to be absolutely accurate to the portrayal of a juvenile mind, otherwise this would be a children’s story, but there were many times where the age of the boy was lost; this irked me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
However, it was still a pleasant read, and it was too sweet a book to really hold one criticism against the lovely morals about human nature and the seemingly limitless capacity with which love can operate. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
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<strong>For this reason, along with the quality of the writing, is why I give <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Boy from Brighton</i> four stars.<o:p></o:p></strong></div>
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<em>This book was supplied by the publisher, Wilde City Press, in return for an honest review.</em></div>
kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-82065437891149941522013-05-17T07:14:00.002-07:002013-09-03T03:45:13.976-07:00Glowing Dim as an Ember, Iyana Jenna<br />
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<strong>Review by Kazza K</strong></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17796790-glowing-dim-as-an-ember" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Glowing Dim as an Ember by Iyana Jenna" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1366788819l/17796790.jpg" title="Glowing Dim as an Ember by Iyana Jenna" width="100" /></a>My second short story by Iyana Jenna. The word count is approximately 2750 words, so you can see it is indeed a short read.</div>
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The story starts in 1840 in Denmark, when a young boy is awoken by noise/violence and slipped out of the house by a mother he never sees again. </div>
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1848, Paris. Fourteen year old Etienne is hungry, living a rough existence with an even younger boy named Jacques - busking, begging, mugging to make ends meet. The thing is, he is also having waking thoughts of someone named Nicholas and a lifestyle far removed from where he is now. Is he going insane? Who is Nicholas? And who is Eric the boy who smells like cinnamon? How did Etienne come to be where he is now?</div>
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An accident occurs. Etienne is hit and flung by a horse drawing a cart. Once he comes to in the hospital he starts to learn where his thoughts come from, and why. Who Nicholas and Eric are - </div>
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<em>"No one else has eyes like yours, and your hair. You haven't changed much. ...And besides, you talked when you were out."</em></div>
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<em>"I did?" What did I say?"</em><br />
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<em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsph3HvbPf-IeOaAowRosF5j_klQvHNHnF73LBj87-J_5udmZ9NksZVLWjcoppmn_fB-Pcbe1NyOO82jJNyqOo6tGMw2yT90SpM6XXEr4c_UUPekzrPzUEugvHLH67c3g4cB85XPi94uy/s1600/GIF+Cinnamon.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsph3HvbPf-IeOaAowRosF5j_klQvHNHnF73LBj87-J_5udmZ9NksZVLWjcoppmn_fB-Pcbe1NyOO82jJNyqOo6tGMw2yT90SpM6XXEr4c_UUPekzrPzUEugvHLH67c3g4cB85XPi94uy/s320/GIF+Cinnamon.gif" width="320" /></a></em></div>
<em>
</em></div>
<em></em><br />
<em>"Dancing bears, painted wings, silver storms....and a boy who smelled like cinnamon."</em><br />
<em>Blood had rushed to his face when he heard that. "Oh."</em><br />
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If the review is cryptic I apologise, but there is not a lot to review. It is sweet, I enjoyed what I read, but I would have liked more. It is too short for the story it is trying to tell, however nice it is. I would<strong><em> really</em></strong> like to see Iyana Jenna write something longer and hope she does so in the near future. She has much promise and I will certainly read something longer written by her.</div>
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<em>Book supplied by the author in return for an honest review.</em></div>
kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718688528465125956.post-9660281676226090192013-05-17T01:53:00.001-07:002013-09-03T03:29:21.344-07:00A Granted Wish, Iyana Jenna<br />
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<strong>-Review by Kazza K</strong></div>
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<a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1366788768l/17681232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="A Granted Wish" border="0" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1366788768l/17681232.jpg" /></a>This is a<strong> very</strong> short story that I cannot give a big review for because it lacks pages BUT it is so cute, nice and different that I had to give it a review on Greedy Bug.<br />
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The MC's are Kyle and Aiden. They have growing feelings for one another. They sneak hand-holding under their bags on the school bus - <br />
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<em>(Kyle) loves seeing the blush on the other boy's face, feel the slight tremor running through his hand, though from excitement or fear he knows not.</em><br />
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<em>That's what he feels every time Aiden is around. In the classroom, at PE sessions, during breaks, He cant wait to see him again once he loses sight of him.</em><br />
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When Kyle's dad sees him wistfully looking after the school bus he thinks it's about a girl - <br />
<br />
<em>"Don't worry about the girl. She's not going anywhere,"</em><br />
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And besides he's too young -<br />
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<em>You're fifteen, Kyle. You shouldn't think about that yet, really.</em> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbPTjWtH9NyY1GnTIjZLW5Vi4tWxXbu7UmUMdSJEsrMFQv57b3Z_ETEQMPxJZEbrebM2IvjG0lV6pXAcQbu3g88yFRxKEqA-5QGM0HmZ8HlDIIWSJtAFfcF8geVRk108J8Or-oG62-BXx/s1600/Holding+hands+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbPTjWtH9NyY1GnTIjZLW5Vi4tWxXbu7UmUMdSJEsrMFQv57b3Z_ETEQMPxJZEbrebM2IvjG0lV6pXAcQbu3g88yFRxKEqA-5QGM0HmZ8HlDIIWSJtAFfcF8geVRk108J8Or-oG62-BXx/s1600/Holding+hands+1.jpg" /></a>Hmm, I think Kyle's dad's a bit,uh, wrong about that. At fifteen that's <strong><em>exactly </em></strong>what he would be thinking about - <br />
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<em>Kyle sighs. It's bad enough that his dad keeps reminding him he's still too young to think about having a crush on someone; Kyle doesn't have to make it worse by telling his father that it's a boy, not a</em> <em>girl.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
And we get Aiden's thoughts as well - <br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Aiden can't stop smiling. He feels like he's walking in the clouds. He's that happy. The cutest boy in class, the one with twinkles in his eyes, the deepest dimples, and the most engaging and contagious of smiles, the one by the name of Kyle. Kyle who's head over heels over him. Or at least that's what Aiden thinks...... </em><br />
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That night at dinner Kyle adds his own prayers to grace - <br />
<br />
<em>...that he were older in a place with no dad nagging at him. And that Aiden would be older, too, with no one getting in their way, not their friends or teachers.</em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQl1l8m4x87YXQ3alUiTSXHtK5qw6Oi5c41sLQJSlpIPvPBCuyWlchrFeJhtPYrZuykwdNP7p5VaDfg8jAbLlQU9qut7PpLPjH71kXIY-ohEL1tHL8B6oi5zazPimIojxxB5alm93LMSt/s1600/LGBT+Choice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQl1l8m4x87YXQ3alUiTSXHtK5qw6Oi5c41sLQJSlpIPvPBCuyWlchrFeJhtPYrZuykwdNP7p5VaDfg8jAbLlQU9qut7PpLPjH71kXIY-ohEL1tHL8B6oi5zazPimIojxxB5alm93LMSt/s1600/LGBT+Choice.jpg" /></a>Kyle gets his prayer/wish, which I won't discuss because I've already put a lot in here. The granted wish is interesting, short, quirky, and, because of the story's length, it isn't explored fully. But, having said that, A Granted Wish still makes some points.<br />
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Kyle's father assumes it is a girl his son is thinking about. Kyle doesn't feel like he wants to 'disappoint' his father by being gay as well as actively thinking about another boy. His wish is to do with the freedom he would like to experience with Aiden, being with him, being older. An understandable wish given the secrecy that LGBT youth often have to conduct their relationships under - no matter whether it be holding hands, a kiss, or more.<br />
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I'm going to assume that Iyana Jenna is finding her way in the writing world. I would like to see her write something longer. This had the potential to be a very good book, as opposed to short story. It was different and sweet, nonetheless. <br />
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Overall, very short but very promising. I will keep on the look-out for longer books from Iyana Jenner and watch to see what happens with her writing career.<br />
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<em>This book was provided by the author in return for an honest review.</em></div>
kazzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03484517880483861603noreply@blogger.com10