Are You Interested In Reviewing For an LGBTQ Young Adult Site?

Are You Interested in Reviewing Books on Greedy Bug?

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.

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.


What we are looking for -


People who are enthusiastic about the genre

People who are avid and passionate readers

People who finish a book and will then review it

People who can write thoughtful or fun reviews.

Honesty is the most important aspect for all our reviews. 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.

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 :)

You must follow /support our blog - which is here now http://greedybugbookreviews.com/ 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.

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. greedybugbookreviews@gmail.com


Cheers,

Kazza, Cindi, Josh, Mr A-H and Trisha

Greedy Bug Book Reviews Is Moving



 

Well...to another blog site!

WE ARE MOVING. YAY!!

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.

At the moment we are moving books across and setting up the new blog. There will be no more books posted on this old site as of September 1st.

If you would like to join the new site we will post the details here some time over the next week.

We can be contacted at greedybugbookreviews@gmail.com

Thank you for following/enjoying Greedy Bug Book Reviews. We're looking forward to seeing you  once we have moved over.

The Greedy Bug Team

Mr Austro-Hungarian
Cindi
Kazza K

Appearances Matter (Dumb Jock #3), Jeff Erno

- Review by Trisha

5 out of 5 stars

*** This review contains slight spoilers. ***

Appearances Matter 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I highly recommend Appearances Matter 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.

This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Another Dumb Jock (Dumb Jock #2), Jeff Erno

- Review by Trisha

5 out of 5 stars

Another Dumb Jock is the sequel to Jeff Erno’s Young Adult novel, Dumb Jock. 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.

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.

In this book we had a more modern aspect of the world. People were more accepting and the whole gay dads thing 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Dumb Jock (Dumb Jock #1), Jeff Erno

- Review by Trisha

5 out of 5 stars

Dumb Jock 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.

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'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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Greedy Bug is Looking For New Reviewers

 

Are You Interested in Reviewing Books on Greedy Bug?

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.

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.


What we are looking for -


We want people who are enthusiastic about the genre

We want people who are avid and passionate readers

We want people who finish a book and will then review it

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

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 :)

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

Honesty is the most important aspect for all our reviews. 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.

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

Free Short Stories -  

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 with your name attached and you retain the rights to your words/stories. We already have a new, exciting young author with some of his own short stories waiting to go up.

The three admins on this site make it a safe and positive environment. So feel free to contact us at greedybugbookreviews@gmail.com  for more information.

Cindi, Kazza K and Mr A-H

I Know What Gay Is, Foxglove Lee

 

 

 

Official Blurb:

 

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?

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?
Well, then he'll just have to spend his summer watching Darien work in the park, sweaty and shirtless...

 





 

-Review by Kazza K

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.

The title is something that five year old Sarah mentions to her fill-in babysitter, Jay -

"I know what gay is."
Jay nearly choked on his grilled cheese. "Oh, yeah?"
Sarah gave a resolute nod after wiping her milk moustache off on her sleeve. "Gay is when boys marry boys and girls marry girls."
How in depth should he let this discussion go?

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.

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-

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.
But Annie and Wayne next door obviously didn't think that way, so that was pretty cool.

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  -

"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 am one even if Dad said I'm not."

"Sarah, grab your soccer ball. Time to go."
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....
All at once , he understood.
"Frank," he called. "It's time to head home. Say bye to your friends."
Gazing at Jay with a cheeky but grateful grin, Sarah picked up her soccer ball.
Frank picked up his soccer ball.

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.

**Some of my extra thoughts**

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 is not 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.

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/would be as long as he was/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.

4.5 Stars