Comment verification returns, sorry

Due to the horrible increase in spambot traffic and the way it's working my nerves, comment verification has been turned back on. I'm hoping this will be a temporary situation, but do spambots ever really lose interest once they've decided you're a target?

At least my captcha won't be as hard as the cartoon's.

This doesn't work for me

I must have a terrific library then, because of all the recent acquisitions that are offending me.


It’s not the subject matter as such. I have an open mind, or so I like to think, but I don’t like sloppy thinking, handwavy reasoning, unsupported conclusions, and implausible situations. Give me an idea, even an unpalatable one, construct a rational argument for it, and I will cede that you have a point, even if it’s one I will never agree with.

But cloak even the brightest thought in raggedy arguments, surround the most brilliant plot point with text that makes no sense, and I will regret spending the time, money, and resources to read it. As I stated in my New Year’s resolutions, I am not going to feel compelled to finish books like that.

If the author has previously done a good job of entertaining me, I will forgive a book that just didn’t trip my trigger, put it aside, and wait for the next one. If, however, an author who previously told a sound story puts out a book that is sloppy, handwavy, unsupported, and implausible, I am going to feel betrayed.

I review, that means I need to identify what works, what doesn’t, and what my own biases are and if that matters to why I don’t like something. Sure, there are themes and tropes that don’t appeal to me; I try to screen those out ahead of time, because I want to open every file thinking I am going to like it. Sometimes they get through anyway, in which case I still try to assess if the treatment was done well or poorly, not say “this is a bad book because I don't like ****.”

I don’t like “fated mates” stories generally. The whole idea skips too much important development. I’d kind of like to read a fated mate story where they hate each other for very good and valid reasons and have to work around it. Recs please, if you know of one. Usually it’s “Oooh! Mine!” and straight to bed. But if I run across something that slips fated mates in on me and makes it interesting, I’ll offer an extra round of applause even.

But take a theme which could have a lot of interest to it, treat it cheaply, sensationally, and superficially, I am not going to get excited about it. At least not in any good way. Do this with several such ideas in one story, and I am likely to hold my head and weep, directly into the review.

Taking some professional aspect and mutilate it in a way that it no longer resembles correct practice, even to the complete layperson because it runs completely counter to good sense, (ie cop handling bloody evidence at a crime scene with bare hands, scientist tasting unknown but probably toxic substances, handy guy fixing a large leak with nothing but a carving knife, because come on, even MacGyver needed a pack of chewing gum), or violates physical laws, and yeah, I will notice it out loud. And I won’t be happy. I've seen things recently that are the equivalent of having the character blow into the big end of the tuba and getting a sound like a flute.

{Removed a chunk because I did end up finishing the book.]

Aria by Shira Anthony

Title: Aria (a Blue Notes novel)
Author: Shira Anthony
Cover Artist: Catt Ford
Publisher: Dreamspinner
Genre: Contemporary
Length: 236 pages



Five years after a prestigious scholarship jumpstarted his opera career, Aiden Lind has it all: fame, choice roles, and Lord Cameron Sherrington to share his life with. Maintaining his façade takes effort, but under his poised, sophisticated mask, Aiden is still the insecure kid from rural Mississippi. Then he walks in on Cam with another man, and the illusion of perfection shatters.

Philadelphia attorney Sam Ryan never moved on after his partner died, though he tried. Instead of dating, he keeps himself busy with work—but when he unexpectedly runs into ex-lover Aiden while on a rare vacation in Paris, he’s inspired to give their love a second chance. First, though, he’ll have to get Aiden to forgive him. Because when Sam was still grieving five years ago, he broke Aiden’s heart.

When rekindled lust blossoms into a true romance, it seems like the start of something wonderful. But Aiden’s career has him on the road much of the time, and the physical distance between him and Sam starts translating into an emotional disconnect. If Aiden and Sam can’t learn to communicate, their separation may prove more than their love can bear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To paraphrase Chekhov: If the gun has been presented in Act 1, it must be fired by Act III. Aria has an uncomfortable number of undischarged firearms lying about.


The author went to considerable effort to create the backdrop of professional opera and law, and set up a confluence that never materialized. Over and over I waited for a promised payoff, and over and over I was left wanting. If this was a deliberate attempt to avoid the obvious, then why go to all the effort of the set-up?

The set-up is delicious—Sam the employment law attorney is having a lot of trouble continuing with his life after losing his partner of several years. Nick, the deceased lover, is still very much with him, and a tentative attempt at dating a year after his death is only enough to bring Sam together with Aiden for a few heady weeks before opportunities in his world of professional opera take him away.

Five years later, they have the chance to pick up again and find out if they could be good together.

Both men have had their lives devastated by loss—Aiden’s is more recent and accompanied by betrayal. The first third of the book sets all this up, and lets our hearts break with Aiden’s when he finds his aristocratic lover doing the unforgivable, after having shattered with Sam and his grief. I snuffled a little and turned the pages anxiously.

When the men do reconnect, it’s tenuous—Aiden travels a lot from gig to gig, and Sam has a secure life back in Philadelphia, and making these two things jibe isn’t easy. Aiden doesn’t quite get over the feeling of being a guest in what should be his home, nor does Sam relax enough to let Aiden feel comfortable. It’s understandable in a way—beginnings are delicate, but the things, major and minor, that they don’t talk about are, well, just about everything. “It’s okay” says Sam, or “I don’t mind” says Aiden, but it’s not and he does, and what could have stayed small and been healed grows huge and festering until it threatens to tear the men apart.

Even something as small and obvious as calling to wish Aiden well before a performance seldom occurs to Sam, who surely should be intelligent enough to set a clock to London or Vienna time. A “brace yourself” phone call from Aiden to Sam regarding the paparrazzi’s intense interest in him, plus an explanation from the source, shouldn’t be out of Aiden’s ability. For the second third of the story, I wanted to deliver frequent blows with the cluebat. These guys think but they don’t act. They lie to each other and find it easy to ignore the lie, as Sam muses at one point, and it won’t be until they are brutally honest with one another that they truly have a chance.

The text is sprinkled with promises of events to come that never materialize, not least of which is an intersection between Aiden and Sam’s careers. This is foreshadowed early on, and while the difficulties duly arise, the troubles are resolved via a third party, not by one of the MC’s skills. This has the effect of flattening out an already understated and uncommunicative relationship, and wastes a lot of potential. Aiden and Sam could have been any couple where one is rooted and the other nomadic, a teacher and a long haul trucker, for instance, though the trucker might have borrowed his pal’s bass boat instead of an ocean-going yacht. We barely see Sam’s legal career, or have the chance to follow Aiden on stage and feel his passion for the music, which would have been a good counterpoint to the drippy greasepaint we did see. Nor do we sit with Sam in the concert hall to hang on Aiden’s every golden note. Where one character needed the other’s expertise, it doesn’t happen—they barely discuss what’s wrong.

What we do have, leaving aside the unused possibilities, is a competently told story of learning to love again and the difficulties of an intermittently long distance relationship. Nick hangs over the couple like smoke, creating tension, and the tabloids’ interest in Aiden provides horrible jolts for both men. We also get some lovely appearances of characters from the first two Blue Notes novels. It was nice to see Jason and Jules happy.

I still enjoyed the book, even while seeing how a more thorough use of the various elements could have lifted this story from good to great. 4 marbles

A Picture is Worth...

The official title of this painting is Hermes Stealing Apollo's Herds, and there's an ancient story that goes with it. The Artist is Andre Durand (1949- )from Canada, and it was painted in 1997. If someone would like to tell a new story to go with it, great, or retell the old story for us, please, send it on. Details here.

La Posada by Kate Roman

Title: La Posada
Author: Kate Roman
Cover Artist: n/a
Publisher: Torquere
Genre: Western
Length: 20 pages



Twenty-one-year-old Clay Garcia is obligated to take part in the posadas, his family's traditional Mexican Christmas celebration. But while Clay's spirit is willing, his flesh dreams of the return of his older ranch hand lover. On December 23rd, the eighth of nine nights of festivities, the wise man returns, and Clay finally has something to celebrate. Now if only he can keep his family from finding out…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This holiday story features a clandestine meeting between Clay and his much older lover, Warshaw, and cowboy and sheep-shearer, who were first seen in Riding the Silverado, which I enjoyed. That one ended on a bittersweet note, so it was nice to see the two of them together again.


In the days leading up to Christmas, Clay’s extended family celebrate together every night, but when the party travels to Clay’s ranch, he’s delighted to find Warshaw in the barn. One of the things this couple does best is bicker, so there’s nothing mushy, just mouthy, and sweetly hot. They have a lot to disagree about, because Clay’s growing restive about staying in the closet, and Warshaw’s been a ranch hand too long to have any illusions about how that will go, particularly against the backdrop of Clay’s Hispanic culture.

There are a lot of questions raised, and few answers given, but there are other stories in the series. La Posada was originally released at Dreamspinner, but it’s with the rest at Torquere now, so the déjà vu could be real. The author has done a nice job about putting everything you need to know about this couple for this one story in here, so if you’re looking for a hot multicultural read, this could be it. And yes, I'd like to see all the stories in one volume.
3.5 marbles

Angel in the Window by Charlie Cochrane

Title: Angel in the Window
Author: Charlie Cochrane
Cover Artist: Deana C. Jamroz
Publisher: MLR Press
Genre: historical, Age of Sail
Length: 18k words

Alexander Porterfield may be one of the rising stars of Nelson’s navy, but his relationship with his first lieutenant, Tom Anderson, makes him vulnerable. To blackmail, to the exposure of their relationship—and to losing Tom, either in battle or to another ship.

When sudden danger strikes—from the English rather than the French—where should a man turn?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There feels to be substantial back-story here, meaning that should Charlie Cochrane decide to write it, I will be jostling for first in line. According to her blog, this is her first foray into Age of Sail, and begins with an established couple.


The story has two major sections, the first at Alexander’s family home at holiday time, sometime after the Peace of Amiens, and the two men are very much a couple. They always have an eye out for someone who doesn’t wish them well and must be very discreet, because the Articles of War prescribe death for men in a relationship such as theirs, and the social suicide in the land-based society would be scarcely better. They have more freedom at the family estate than they do on board ship, but a country Christmas means houseguests, some with sharp eyes and secrets of their own.

Back aboard ship, Tom and Alexander have war to deal with and are yet more circumspect, which means that they dare not be together, nor exchange so much as a fond glance on deck. Even the hint of scandal is enough to cause an able sailing master, one who sailed with the legendary Captain Cochrane, to be lacking a berth. (Knowledgeable sources tell me Cochrane was the source for many exploits that ended up in Ramage, Hornblower, and Aubrey stories.)

I loved the language, which was slightly formal for modern day, but gave it a period feel. The men would occasionally tease each other in ship’s terms, but the playfulness kept the nautical language from being dry or overdone. The sex scenes have a similar restraint, which was kind of cute and kept from introducing coarser terms into the story that would have spoiled the effect. (See what kind of effect the story is having on me? The mores are catching!) The naval jargon is present just enough to place the story, but isn't overwhelming and doesn't require specialist's knowledge.

Tom and Alexander clearly love one another and are protective of each other, but problems that an able first officer should solve without troubling the captain might not be the same as what one lover should keep from another. The battle sequences are exciting and fraught with danger, and winning brings problems of its own.

The love story and the nautical story wrap together very nicely, and tie in with an external danger worse than the French. My one quibble is that the solution to this problem had something of a deus ex machina feel to it, although it certainly solved the issue.

I enjoyed this story, and would recommend it not only for aficionados of Hornblower and the like, but for anyone who’d appreciate an m/m historical that doesn’t bend the reality of then to allow a more present day liberty. Charlie Cochrane deserves her legions of fans, and this story is a great addition to her work. 4.5 marbles

A Picture is Worth...

These guys just make me happy to look at--what kind of secrets are they sharing? Anyone with an idea in 100 to 1000 words, please send it along and I'll post it. Directions here.

Dead in L.A. by Lou Harper

Title: Dead in L.A.
Author: Lou Harper
Cover Artist: Lou Harper
Publisher: self
Genre: paranormal
Length: 80 pages

Trouble comes in deceptive packages Still recovering from an accident that left him emotionally and physically battered, Jon's goal is to lead a simple life, free of complications and attachments. His new roommate— a happy-go-lucky bookworm— seems to fit into his plans fine at first. He doesn't find out till later that Leander's also a psychic, specializing in finding lost pets.

Jon's a skeptic when it comes to the supernatural, so he's convinced Leander's a nut job. Jon's beliefs are challenged when Leander has to track down a missing teenager and he ropes Jon into assisting him. Soon the two of them are knee-deep in a decades-old murder case. The hills and valleys of the City of Angels hold many buried secrets, and Leander has a knack for finding them.

Jon's hopes for a trouble-free life go out the window as he's drawn deeper into Leander's psychic sleuthing. Digging into the past poses many dangers, but the biggest risk Jon faces is putting his bruised heart on the line.

Warning: Men loving men, skeletons, and an unlucky Chihuahua.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was charmed by this set of stories, featuring a bereaved gay man with a complicated past and a low key but generally happy psychic who moves in, initially as a roommate. In spite of Jon’s best intentions, he gets engaged first in Leander’s cases, and then with Leander. Overcoming his skepticism is a bit of a hurdle, but Jon’s intrigued, and then involved.


This seems to be the first in a series of shorts, and we see two complete cases and snippets of others. In the course of Leander’s investigations, ranging from finding a misplaced purse dog to discovering an awful secret, details of the two men come out, and friendship grows.

I enjoyed the style, in first person told by Jon, who’s as loath to give up his secrets as the stray bones are. Trusting in Leander comes hard, because Jon has reason not to trust himself. To call them lovers at this point is a stretch; they’re more like friends with benefits, but the undercurrent is that there could be more.

What this set of stories reminded me of, more than anything, is Sherlock Holmes, because of the mystery arcs and the friendship that is allowed to bloom with time and the small unfolding of details. Nothing felt rushed or forced, and if the two men grow to a more intimate and emotional bonding, that’s fine, and if they remain on this level, it’s a nice spice for the psychic mysteries. More stories will tell. ;D

Leander has to be one of the sweetest and most level headed persons ever, which is both a relief and a puzzle. This is a man who knows if the last person to handle his teacup was angry, but it doesn’t make him bitter or withdrawn. I don’t understand it, but I like it, and wonder how he came to this very sane state when he has to be buffeted by daily life. Jon has fresh grief and has yet to come to terms with it, but exposure to Leander may file some of the sharper edges away.

The author has combined two types of story arcs here –there’s the complete in one segment plot lines, and there are some that remain unresolved, possibly for next time, which will provide a type of continuity. This provides both reading satisfaction for the completeness and a sense of anticipation for the next tale. Which, BTW, Ms Harper, I would like to read! 4.25 marbles

Brothers in Arms by Kendall McKenna

Title: Brothers in Arms
Author: Kendall McKenna
Cover Artist: Jared Rackler
Publisher: MLR Press

Genre: contemporary, military
Length: 34,000 words


Jonah Carver is a Marine and combat veteran. He and his former Captain, Kellan Reynolds, once shared a scorching night, but then lost touch; something Jonah has long regretted. When an investigation into government corruption, and the murder of U.S. troops, ends in the killing of a V.I.P. on Jonah's watch, the FBI arrives. With them is Kellan Reynolds. When Kellan is kidnapped, Jonah has to find and rescue him. If he doesn't, not only will the investigation unravel, but he'll lose Kellan for a second time--for good.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For those who love military fiction, this one may be a bit of a mixed bag. I like such stories, but there’s a reason fiction is written differently than after-action reports.


Gunnery Sergeant Jonah Carver is a Marine’s Marine, and something of a walking legend. He’s serving in Iraq, and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is a fact of his life. The one he’d really like to have the discussion with is Kellan Reynolds, who was off limits because of chain of command. Once Kellan made clear his intention to leave the Marines, they could act on their desires, but duty intervened, and they fell out of touch. This part both bothered me and was kind of understandable—mix two guys who’d rather fuck than talk with an oppressive policy where they can’t speak as openly as the subject requires anyway, and there probably isn’t going to be much communication. But still, all that incendiary sex and mutual respect, just dwindling to the point where Kellan thinks Jonah doesn’t care?

Of course that’s not true, and there are second chances, which, if everyone survives, will get taken.

Kellan doesn’t appear in the flesh until after the half-way point, though he certainly figures in Jonah’s thoughts, and is intimately involved Jonah’s mission. Part one of that mission ended in blood and death—part two has the potential for the same.

The style is very military, heavy on the jargon, and more than a little dry in spots. This is okay for the mission heavy sections, although it’s not as riveting as it could be. The story was heavy on military jargon, which was good and bad, as it lent a realistic air but occasionally slowed the story with explanations.“Person did this” and “that was that” sentence construction, with very little variation aside from the occasional passive construction, led to a certain dryness. Even the sex scenes had a military flavor to them, and while that maintained tone, it muted the heat.

“This pleased Jonah [presence of supplies]; he planned for this to be a night-long campaign, and Kellan had done a stellar job of logistics.

Jonah’s three-pronged plan of attack was in motion.

Um, okay for consistent style, but I didn’t feel the sweat particularly in the rest of it either. At least the sex scenes didn’t have endless military style acronyms. The mission sections, both in the ill-fated Grizzly section and in the tenser Kellan section, fared somewhat better with the style.

The mission sections shone for me—I like external plot, and this delivered. Possibly not the first or last treatment the particulars will receive, but well done from a grunt’s-eye view. They had a horrifying plausibility, and if I read more newspapers, I might have seen such horrors pass through them. We all may yet.

Once Kellan is taken, the pace sped considerably, and made me believe that much of the lapse in communication was that Jonah couldn’t find words—he can find decisive action for any of his people, and twice as much for Kellan.

I want these two to make it as a couple, and for the US policymakers to listen to Kellan’s wise words. 4 marbles

(Side note--the cover is noticeably better than MLR's usual.)

A Picture is Worth...

Revelations III by Aldo Balding

Aldo Balding, British painter, was born in Southsea in 1960 and studied for a Diploma in Illustration at Southampton College. Aldo now lives in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. Beginning his career as a freelance illustrator his work appeared in and on the front covers of numerous magazines including the Sunday Times Culture Magazine, TV Times and Punch. Aldo is now a recognized and successful figurative and portrait artist.

 

The narrative quality of Aldo Balding's magnificent paintings is usually what initially draws his viewers in.

 

Aldo's works have been referred to as "nostalgic", but he considers them timeless. Aldo's conveys his love of the more formal time and finds a suited man is much more interesting, narratively speaking, than someone in sneakers and jeans. 

 

******************

Yes, well, I'm terribly interested in what these men could be saying to each other. If anyone has a story...

The Little Crow by Caitlin Ricci

Title: The Little Crow
Author: Caitlin Ricci
Cover Artist: Tabatha Heart
Publisher: self
Genre: paranormal
Length: 25k words


Detective Jamison Landry knew his job was never going to be easy. He’s dealt with the worst criminals imaginable and believes in his work and the community he serves. But he’s never met someone like Mal before. The mysterious man keeps him guessing, both confuses and excites him and Jamison isn’t sure how he feels about him. Things turn from unusual to downright strange when people start insisting Mal isn’t quite human. And Jamison’s creepy dreams of crows and graveyards don’t make things any better for him. Will Mal stay around long enough for Jamison to figure out his secrets or will this stranger leave him wanting more?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After finishing this story, I was left with the distinct feeling that I had not read a complete story arc. Beginning at a raid on a cult’s quarters and rescuing their bound captive, and ending on a highly ambiguous note, I followed along with the gathering sense that all was not as it should be, but was not left with any demonstration of what to do about it or why. Jamison Landry, the MC, was not having as easy a time putting the clues together and has equally little resolution.


Jamison is faced repeatedly with strange things happening around the man he rescued, but such peculiar events as his captain insisting Jamison host Mal in his own home, or having the secrets of others laid bare to him, aren’t making him worry. He’s understandably slow to decide that Mal’s influence might be causing this. Unfortunately, he also seems very slow to realize that strange things do happen around Mal, and his sense of alarm is so blunted as to be very frustrating.

Even when he’s provoked to the point of shooting, it’s very difficult to feel Jamison’s emotions—we are told them, but the sense of being in his head just isn’t there. What should be creepy and frightening is then more annoying, because the signals that he should be feeling various emotions are there but the actual feeling is not. Jamison was very difficult to connect to because of this, even though he’s the POV character.

Mal is much easier to read and to connect to—his offers are sincere if occasionally horrifying, his moods easily read. He wants what he wants and he’s not accustomed to being denied. “You shouldn’t have freed me,” he tells Jamison, and Jamison never wonders why.

The story arc here is “Mal is one strange dude” which isn’t complete. Subplots are introduced, such as tension with Jamison’s detective partner, Carter, and a cold case for them to investigate, but don’t venture past the initial mentions towards the end of the story. All in all, this read like the introductory act of a much longer book, and it ends with nothing resolved.

The beginnings of the second book are included at the end, which makes it even more clear that development and resolution of the plot and subplots take place elsewhere. The story is not billed as a serial novel but probably should be.

The setting could be Anywhere, USA; there aren’t any clues aside from a quick reference to the automobile industry to place the story. The police department seems big enough to have several distinct departments, but everyone does everything until someone has a jurisdictional snit, which feels handwavy. These things would be easier to overlook with a complete plot arc to occupy attention.

I’m interested enough to want to know how this plays out, but I really want the entire story in one volume before I pick it up again. 2.5 marbles

Skybound by Aleksandr Voinov

Title: Skybound
Author: Aleksandr Voinov
Cover Artist: Jordan Taylor
Publisher: Riptide Press
Genre: historical, World War II
Length: 13,300 words/44 pages



Love soars.

Germany, 1945. The Third Reich is on its knees as Allied forces bomb Berlin to break the last resistance. Yet on an airfield near Berlin, the battle is far from over for a young mechanic, Felix, who’s attached to a squadron of fighter pilots. He’s especially attached to fighter ace Baldur Vogt, a man he admires and secretly loves. But there’s no room for love at the end of the world, never mind in Nazi Germany.

When Baldur narrowly cheats death, Felix pulls him from his plane, and the pilot makes his riskiest move yet. He takes a few days’ leave to recover, and he takes Felix with him. Away from the pressures of the airfield, their bond deepens, and Baldur shows Felix the kind of brotherhood he’d only ever dreamed of before.

But there’s no escaping the war, and when they return, Baldur joins the fray again in the skies over Berlin. As the Allies close in on the airfield where Felix waits for his lover, Baldur must face the truth that he is no longer the only one in mortal danger.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The viewpoint and setting of Skybound is truly startling: the losing side of a desperate war is bleak ground for a love story, yet here it is.


Baldur, a pilot of such skill as to make him royalty to his fellows, takes chances in the sky and on the ground. He's an ace among aces, and Felix might love him or merely have a bad case of hero-worship. Baldur is the one bright spot for Felix in this war—he rebuilds tattered planes enough to fly again, but the growing despair of the war is sapping him badly.

One air battle proves nearly fatal for Baldur and Felix is the one to rescue him. Felix would walk through fire for Baldur, and is overcome to be chosen as companion for the few days the war effort can spare the pilot to recover. Both anxious and hopeful, Felix isn't sure what the few days of solitude will bring, and even when they return to the airfield, it isn't entirely clear how deeply Baldur is invested. Sentiments like “I love you” have no place in this war, but the chances Baldur runs to be with Felix speak loudly.

The clues to what happiness they might find in the end are scattered cleverly though the text, but it is a mixed happiness, the best they could hope for. The tone of the story recalls parts of All Quiet on the Western Front, where ending the day with all arms and legs had to be accounted a triumph. Desperation drives Felix, both for the war and for Baldur.

The author has gone to great lengths to provide solid research and a vivid sense of time and place, not only at the airfield and in battle but in the village where they take their leave. Knowing how this war ends provides a special poignancy to the small comforts they can take. Even the characters' names add to the atmosphere: Baldur, named for a god whose death presaged Ragnarok, and Felix, the one small bit of happiness.

With all this care taken, it was a jolt to repeatedly encounter a term translated literally from the German that means something entirely different and unrelated in English, and which wasn't explained until nearly the end. The reorienting needed to get back into the story after each use took away from the total submersion of reading. Even so, I would give this short, unusual tale 4.5 marbles

Tristan by K.M. Mahoney

Title: Tristan
Author: K.M. Mahoney
Cover Artist: Trace Edward Zaber
Publisher: Amber Allure
Buy Link:Tristan
Genre: paranormal/shifter
Length: 41k words/138 pages

As one of the top paranormal investigators in his company, Tristan is used to the weird, inexplicable, and downright nasty. His latest case, though, is proving to be more trouble than it’s worth…

Tracking an elusive serial killer has Tristan heading for the one place he would prefer to avoid: Putman County. Between the often-frightening residents and his always-frightening relatives, it’s not exactly his preferred vacation spot. But Putman County is where his latest target was spotted, so that’s where he goes.

From day one, the situation spirals out of Tristan’s control. His target always seems to be one step ahead of him, his brother is mad at him, while his boss keeps calling him a dozen times a day. And one annoying werewolf is looking far too attractive for Tristan’s peace of mind!

It’s going to take every ounce of Tristan’s not-inconsiderable skill to track down a murderer. And it’s going to take every ounce of his courage to admit that he might be falling for the last person anyone would expect.

NOTE: This book is part of the Putman County series.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I find myself perplexed by this book enough that I need to make a what worked for me/what didn’t work for me post. The whole didn’t hang together.


What worked:
The not-cookie cutter shape-shifters. Tristan is a bear, which was refreshing, I don’t read bear shifter stories every day, and his demeanor was  growly, which should be useful for an investigator for the paranormal. There is also an interesting twist here on the wolves, which added a nice dimension.

The setting – Putman County is a paranormal hotspot for reasons explained within the story. This makes what would otherwise be a quiet burg in the Midwest something of a trouble magnet. The locals are an interesting bunch. A previous story regarding Tristan’s brother and a fae sounds entertaining enough for me to track it down, and is hinted at here.

Some of the relationships – Tristan and his brother have some issues to work out, and this ran through the story in a calling BS way. Tristan had behaved unfairly toward Michael in the past and still had some guilt to work through. A nice bit of head-getting-removed-from-butt work, which seemed to get undone again. Lucas’ relationship with his parents was a good touch; all three parents had gone to great lengths to protect him when he needed it, and let him work it out when he didn’t.

What didn’t work:

Characterization: Lucas is described initially as the unofficial leader of the weres, but he’s much more the cute but geeky misfit with no social skills and he admits that some of the other wolves could take him. The description set up some expectations on my part that were repeatedly knocked down, because Lucas displayed zero leadership and damned little sense, and was in fact, the town creepy stalker. That part of his characterization had some internal logic to it, but didn’t endear him to me.

The relationship between Tristan and Lucas seemed to be based on something as invisible as gravity and as simple as sex, because while Lucas’ desire for Tristan was fairly straightforward, Tristan’s desires past sex didn’t seem to have much basis, because Lucas is pretty irritating, and his best moments happen when Tristan is elsewhere.

The investigation that brought Tristan back to Putman County got short shrift—hunting a killer wasn’t treated as being nearly as important as getting laid and sorting out family issues. Tristan’s ability as an investigator wasn’t evident, and his boss’s frequent intrusions seemed more that he really needed the handholding than pressure from above on a competent agent. He’s busy cementing ties with old friends and family while a serial killer is out there scoping his next victim. Most forward progress on finding the killer came from other directions, leaving me feeling that Tristan was irrelevant to the investigation, and that the investigation was irrelevant to Tristan. The blurb signals that disconnect—catching a serial killer is more trouble than it’s worth?

(I was really hoping that line was a case of “blurbs are hard to write.” It wasn’t.)

So, basically the external plot and the relationship didn’t hang together in any coherent way, nor did the relationship have more going for it than sex and some pity. Lucas exhibited a little bit of growth along the way that was one of the better aspects of the story, but in itself wasn’t enough to make the book an enjoyable read. There are other stories within the setting, and perhaps the next plot will shine as much as the idea of Putman County deserves. 2.5 marbles

A Picture is Worth...

Neapolitan Youths on a Terrace

Baron Wilhelm von Gloeden (September 16, 1856 – February 16, 1931) was a German photographer who worked mainly in Italy. He is mostly known for his pastoral nude studies of Sicilian boys, which usually featured props such as wreaths or amphoras suggesting a setting in the Greece or Italy of antiquity. From a modern standpoint, his work is commendable due to his controlled use of lighting as well as the often elegant poses of his models. Innovative use of photographic filters and special body makeup (a mixture of milk, olive oil, and glycerin) to disguise skin blemishes contribute to the artistic perfection of his works.

Famous in his own day, his work was subsequently eclipsed for close to a century, only to re-emerge in recent times as "the most important gay visual artist of the pre–World War I era" according to Thomas Waugh.

 

(And that's how I justify all the bare bums. Someone write these guys a story, 'kay?)

Resolutions, right.

Oh to have Calvin's self-absorbed certainty in perfection. I need to lose that 15 pounds, vacuum  under the couch more often, and eat more spinach and less chocolate, preferably while exercising, but since I've promised myself stuff like that every year for **cough**quite a while now**cough** and  my fat jeans have gotten fatter and under the couch has swallowed more popcorn, let's be real. I think I ought to make some resolutions I have some hope of keeping.

I should:


Read more books.  M/M books, non-fiction books, fantasy, science fiction, some genre that I haven't read in a while. Let's call it one extra book a week. I can do this in the time I'm not wasting on telling myself to go to the gym.

Review more books. This could be good or bad, depending on how accurate you think my opinions are, but they're my opinions, and if all else fails, we can fertilize the plants with them.

Stop reading books I don't like. DNF is a valid opinion. If I've promised to review, I have to keep going, but life is short and hectic, and I don't really have to finish something I hate more than kale, do I?  No. I have officially given myself permission to stop in the middle. Now I can get rid of a whole shelf of books I (used to) feel guilty about. I don't care if it did win a Pulitzer, if it hasn't made me want to finish reading in 5 years, out it goes.

Buy more books. I have a Kindle now, so new purchases won't need to be dusted, even if there's room on the I used to feel guilty shelf. It doesn't matter now if it's a book I'd blush to have a new boyfriend see, it's tucked inside a handy device with a lock code. Nobody gets to give me shit about reading dragons and elves.

Get a new boyfriend who's cool with M/M books. If I put my small but treasured collection of m/m paper books on the newly cleared I used to feel guilty shelf, I now have an early asshole detection system! Chasing any detected assholes out the door qualifies as exercise, so that covers the resolution I'm supposed to make.  Also he has to be cool with dragons and elves.

Anybody have a book-related resolution?