valarltd | 50 books (Reply)

1) Cherry on Top. M. Rode, ed. A pretty good anthology about first times. I was gifted a copy by

bg_thomas. The stories ranged from cute to intense, memorable to utter pablum. I liked the early look at Dr. Fell, Kiernan Kelly turned in a terrific one with her tale of first love rediscovered. (But Kiernan is almost always the standout in a TQ anthology) Ben's offering was a story of a young man discovering his own and his best friend's sexuality. It was cute.

2) Dr. Doolittle's Circus. Hugh Lofting. Dr. Doolittle and his family take the pushmipullyu on the road to make money. On the way, helps a seal escape, helps end fox hunting in a district and generally reforms the whole outfit. Long and very victorian lit.

3) Cornfed. Kiernan Kelley. I remember Kiernan taking on the challenge of writing an Amish man in love with a sheik. The result is this delightful piece. Part Witness homage, but all her own, I highly recommend it as a fun, suspenseful and hot read.

4) Mongrel. KZ Snow. In a steampunk world where not-quite-human people are branded with their ratio of human blood, the leader of the Mongrels discovers a fiendish plot and true love, at the same time. This was terrific. Great worldbuilding, great characters. A vampire named Clancy Marrowbones. Where else you gonna find THAT? If you like steampunk, this is it for you.

5) All or Nothing. James Buchanan. Nicky and Brendan cope with holiday vacation and Brendan's nine year old. Good story, good men, but the mystery was transparent. Maybe I read too much Sherlock Holmes.

6) Safe-Words. Jodi Payne and Chris Owen. More of Phan and Noah and Tobias. Tobias is much too smug and the boys seem adrift without their jobs. Sexy as all hell, though, and some serious emotional work on Phan's part.

7) Dreams of Steam. Kimberly Richardson, ed. A solid steampunk collection, with all sorts of fun stories. Marred by some poor copy editing in places, but recommended.

8) Appearing Nightly. Cat Grant. Set in the same world as her "First Real Thing" this takes up a ways after it left off. we get the story from the PoV of Mike, aka Diva Michelle, as he helps and falls for the pretty help at the bar. Very good. One of the better contemporaries I've read.

9) Blackfire. Elizabeth Donald. Sara Harvey is back, kicking ass and taking names. And this time IT can talk to her through the dead. This book's side crisis is resolved but the main one still looms for the third in the series. Great for anyone who likes mythical monsters and kick-ass heroines. Get both Blackfire and The Cold Ones from http://www.literaryunderworld.com and use UL2011 as a discount code.

10) Burnt Offerings. Laurell K Hamilton. This starts Anita's trend of spending the whole book dealing with vampire/shifter politics and angsting, and then wrapping up the mystery in 3 pages. Not bad, though.

11) Micah. LKH. Anita and Micah spend their first weekend alone. She's actually working, which is good, and actively dissecting her relationship so she can escape it, which is annoying. Not bad, but more for completists.

12) Zombiality: A Queer Bent on the Undead. This anth was nominated for the Lambda Award. It's an excellent cross-section of GLBT writing, from zombified drag queens, to lesbian truckers to ordinary folks coping with life, love and brain-eaters as best they know how. Very good.

13) Kaminishi. Jan Suzukawa. Useless perpetual student is timeslid to Meiji Japan and falls for a Samurai. Upon returning to his own time, he goes to Japan and finds the reincarnation. This one didn't grip me. The characters didn't resonate and the setting didn't get me.

14) Slipping the Stream. Mike Shade. Sexy cyberpunk. I liked the cyber part, but there was too much sex.

15) Carnival of Souls. Crymsyn Hart. Sorcerer brothers open a carnival to gain souls for their demonic master, but love throws a curveball into their plans. Good.

16) Through the Mirror. Crymsyn Hart. Second of the series. This time, the other brother falls in love. Not bad, but I am not having urgent need to read the third

17) Of Blood and the Moon. Jimmy Gillantine. An ancient monster haunts Memphis. Pretty good, especially for a first novel. Copy edits needed.

18) Wild Passions. S.L. Armstrong, ed. A number of stories of humans and not-quite humans in love. Everything kitsune to sea people to laboratory made anthropomorphics. Variable, as all anthologies, but solid and good.