Hammer and Air by Amy Lane

There will always be a Hammer and an Air...

 Graeme and Eirn have no words for what they are to each other. Children, clinging together in a crowded orphanage; friends, battling back to back in a school yard; and bedmates, finally bridging the gap between sleeping next to a body and allowing it to touch you in the night—all of these roles are summed up by just their names: Hammer and Air.

The innocent exploration of their newest roles is brutally marred when a violent, ill-tempered master threatens Eirn, and Eirn's "Hammer" kills the man in a fair fight. The two run off into the wide world with only each other for safety. It's difficult to forge a good life with only a blacksmith's hammer and a printer's cleverness, but together, Hammer and Eirn will learn to negotiate the dangers of magic and motion, of sex, obsession, and tenderness, and of the word that can make sense of it all—one word they must earn for themselves.

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I didn't need to know exactly which fairy tale this story is based on to be sucked completely into the world. Starting from the very first scene, I knew I was going to be in a very "Brothers Grimm" situation, no Disney swans or anything floofy. This is the harsh, gritty, fairy tale world, where evil is real and not just marked with an unfortunate growth on a nose.

Eirn tells the story in a mild dialect, nothing intrusive, but it sets the tone for the story, which sometimes is very immediate -- this is happening now! -- and sometimes is a reflection on the long ago from the perspective of a much older man. This added to the fairy tale feeling, and I kept turning the pages for what happened next (I read this in one sitting and stayed up way too late.)

I loved the way the two boys grew up together and the way their relationship changed -- they were each other's protectors in a hard world, and when Hammer kills the abusive master and they go on the run, they almost don't know what to do when they find a safe haven -- they've never seen such a thing. It was both cute to watch them meet comfort and safety, and still desperate, as Hammer might well not have survived.

But be careful what you wish for -- it doesn't always take the form you expect -- and they encounter a bear with IDEAS. This worried me a bit at first, but the author handled this with skill and cleverness, and had I recalled the original story (turned out to be Snow White and Rose Red, and I need to find the original, version now) I might have worried less. Hammer's still worried, though, no matter what Eirn tells him, and here we come to one aspect of the story that bothered me.

At no time did Eirn wavered in his stated intentions, but Hammer can't seem to accept what he's told and shown, and from that comes a bit of dub-con, a situation I feel really uncomfortable with. It does at least get a couple of very important concepts through a couple of very thick skulls.

The story resolves in proper fairy tale style, although the resolution depends very much on a sudden illumination of thought, which happens really abruptly and has a certain element of personality transplant. (Normally this would send me into a frenzy but there's a reason for it.) Everyone is happy, including the reader.

The persistent feeling that Hammer's holding to his notions way past the point of reason, which directly led to the dub-con, and the initial encounter with the bear's ideas went way too smoothly, even after rereading and finding the death threat -- there's still this lingering thought of "ask first" or "Back off and wait to be invited." Maybe that's where Hammer got his death-grip on a wrong notion.

Disclaimer: I won this story on the Desert Island Keeper site, but I'm agreeing with them only cause they're right.


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Pelota! by Sarah Black

Oliver is obsessed with all things Basque, and Jack is
Inuit in his heart. But even the ancient Basque and
Inuit managed to fall in love. In the abandoned Basque
whaling camp at Red Bay, off the coast of Labrador, the
two young researchers find their common ground in a
game of pelota.
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This story honestly should begin, "Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Oliver, who yearned to be a Basque…" It will put you into the right frame of mind for this story, which is sweet, at times LOL funny, and not really erotica, although Jack and Oliver do come together.

I just looked at that sentence. And I'm going to leave it. It really does go with the story.

The two main characters each want desperately to be part of cultures they weren't born into, and a small overlap gives them some common ground, and a reason to argue. It's kind of cute, if you're in a fairy tale frame of mind, and some bits of modernity stick in, just to remind you it's not long ago and far away. It's just trying to be a lot of things at once, which is kind of jarring.

The description of Indian politics got a coffee-spew LOL, and an orgasm with Inuit culture descriptions got a face palm. It's so good/bad I won't quote it, you're keyboard won't survive it. Two words. Musk ox.

I don't read a lot of Changeling Press stuff, but the offbeat characters sucked me in. Not so in that I don't notice 8 pages of picture, copywrite, scoldings, and information out of a 29 page pdf file, which then had 7 chapter divisions to boot. Really? Seven chapters in what has to max out at 5000 words? Where's the editor?

The ending is a proto-HEA in proper fairy tale style, but the last line = wonderful.

Dorian's Story by Stephanie Vaughan

The king's reward for a year's hard work. A little something for himself – that was all Tasim was supposed to be.

When the king distributed his largess, Dorian thought only to gain a bedmate to help ease the boredom of long winter nights. But Tasim quickly became so much more, disturbing the delicate balance between an unstable monarch and his favorite. Dorian must now walk the razor's edge between his king's pleasure and his heart's desire.
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There were several things I liked about this story, which follows up an earlier piece, "Tasim's Tale." And several things I didn't.

Set in the land of Kundara, this story follows Dorian, the captain of soldiers who received Tasim as a prize of war, a pilorum, to be servant, bedmate, and if need be, a pass-around pack for his buddies. Dorian's feelings for his slave have grown far more complex than simple ownership, and he'd like nothing better than to leave the life at court and settle happily with the young man he's come to care for.

This is a complicated court (think Caligula) and the king's secrets are Dorian's secrets, too, in a way that was both simple and surprising. Dorian's interactions with the king are one of the best parts of this story, because he plays the king like a very cranky zither. The way Dorian plays politics here is beautifully manipulative, and he solves his problem in a far less direct way than was occurring to me by page 30. (I was wondering who was next in line for the throne.)

Dorian's homecoming scene early in the story was both illustrative of the king and Dorian's relationship with both the king and Tasim, and so disturbing that I put the book down for a couple of days. Call me squeamish. I also wasn't too happy with sex as therapy for what was essentially rape ('nuf said), and then we have a candle (valuable) left burning unattended (dangerous) for what could have been several hours (wasteful) just so there'd (conveniently) be light for sex.

The world-building was a little sloppy, mixing Viking, Greek, and Roman names into what was otherwise a fairly coherent society, which tended to pull me out of the story. This applied to the first story, too, but there were other issues in "Tasim's Tale" that far overwhelmed this one. "Dorian's Story" is a more coherent read and while it's a good companion piece, I think you could read it alone if you're willing to sink deeply into the world.


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Aisling: Guardian by Carole Cummings

Constable Dallin Brayden knows who he is, what he's about, and he doesn't believe in Fate. 'Wilfred Calder' has no idea who he is, what he's about, and has been running from Fate for as long as he can remember. When Wil is brought in for questioning as a witness to a brutal murder, and subsequently flees, Dallin is dragged by duty into the chaos of ancient myth, fanatical religion, and the delicate politics of a shaky truce between two perpetually warring countries, all of which seem to hinge on the slender shoulders of the man he knows is not Wilfred Calder.

The eventual capture of Dallin’s quarry only makes matters worse. Wil is prickly and full of rage, rebellious and lethal, and tells an unbelievable tale of magic and betrayal that threatens to rock the carefully cultivated foundations of Dallin's world. Leery and only half-believing, Dallin finds himself questioning not only his own conscience and his half-forgotten past, but the morality and motives of everyone around him, including those who hold the power of his own country’s fate in their hands.

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This story pulled me in from the very first scenes – while it’s a long story for an ebook, I didn’t feel overwhelmed. This is book one of a trilogy, and that’s good news for me, because I am now a big fan!

Nothing quite goes as you think it will – who is the bad one here, what secrets are being hidden, what variety of awful thing will happen next (there are a lot of them) all veer just a little from expected, and I can really sympathize with Dallin, who has to sort it all out, and with Wil, who has to figure out who to trust. The biggest answer to that will be in future books, but there are a ton of immediate problems to fix, too. Not least of which is – how can you be a successful fugitive when your opponent can track you with supernatural means if you slip up, and when he’s willing to be completely ruthless?

I loved the world – it feels like England from before the industrial revolution – it’s what’s in people’s heads where the biggest differences are. And yet – not so different – honor and evil and how to figure out which is which before it kills you, that’s recognizable, and told very well.

In one way I was a little disappointed that the sexual interest between the two is so very downplayed (read, a couple sideways glances and NO Touching!), but Wil is so very broken in some ways that to approach him would be a terrible betrayal of trust, so I’m just going to have to adjust my expectations. I just read a really good fantasy novel where the main characters happen to be gay.


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The Match Before Christmas by Eden Winters

Candlelight, mistletoe, gaily wrapped packages beneath a trimmed tree, and someone to share it with. That’s all contractor Barry Richards wants for Christmas. Desperate for a traditional holiday, he takes drastic measures. Creating a profile on “GetaDate.com,” he hopes to find the perfect man in a matter of weeks. When one date after another goes sour, while all around him friends are falling in love, he starts to lose faith.

The first snows begin to fall and the world is filled with seasonal cheer, all except for Barry, for whom time is running out. Facing the prospect of a lonely holiday, he tries just once more to make The Match Before Christmas.

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Oh, poor Barry. All he wants is someone fabulous to be with, now, always, at the holidays, and he's having so much luck finding that wonderful man that he tries an internet dating site. Blinded by the hype, Barry sets off on one dating misadventure after the next. There are so many toads that want to be kissed.

Anyone who's spent any time in the dating pool will relate to Barry's awful evenings -- there are some LOL moments, and face covering moments, and when hope has nearly died of experience, someone who beats Barry's revised expectations (it's gotten all the way down to 'someone he can stand to spend a second date with') emails him. And after that, it's hopeful and all you can do is hold your breath that it isn't Barry who screws it all up this time.

This story taps right into our collective dating experience and our hopes, and fulfills them, even for those of us still waiting for the fateful email of love. It's a Christmas story only because that's such a potent deadline -- this one is a sweet year-round re-read.


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The review copy was very kindly provided by the author, who did herself out of a sale because she's auto-buy for me, so I'm going to buy it as a gift for friends.

Army Green by J Rocci

Evan Miller and Cam Jackson have run Glenhaven Farm together on behalf of Evan's grandparents for the past couple years, giving the farm everything they have to make it a success. But when Evan’s old commanding officer asks for Evan’s help with the wild child of their squad, Evan and Cam don’t hesitate to find a place for Reo at Glenhaven. Reo is a city boy with a penchant for trouble, and he stirs up more dust than expected. Reo’s behavior -- and Evan ignoring it -- causes Cam to confront issues he hasn't been able to verbalize until now.

Evan has been juggling a whole set of worries, though, and they take their toll on his health. When he ends up in the hospital, it's up to Cam and the rest of Glenhaven to make sure he follows his doctor's orders.


Featuring the boys from the Torquere Press Single Shot "Taction.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This slice of life story grew on me, from an initial reaction of foot-tapping to ah, let the relationships bloom. While I’ve jumped in on the second in a series (eyes wallet, need to buy more books) I didn’t feel lost with Cam and Evan, who clearly had a long-standing and still evolving relationship. Reo, from Evan’s past in the military, stir up a lot of feelings and aggravation, but is a very engaging character, and makes Cam think.

Reo also makes Derrick, the nineteen year old Hooligan and stable hand think, and the two stories are very entwined. The point of view, although it seems to ooze back and forth sometimes between Cam and Evan, does spend about a third of the story with Derrick, and that makes his storyline real important. He’s attracted to Reo, and doesn’t know what to do about it. That’s kind of cute but it’s way incomplete.

So, it smells like sequel-bait, and while I love followon stories, I still feel like instead of getting two complete story lines, I’m getting about one and a half in this book, and that is a lot less satisfying. Any sequel would have to back up a bit to get these two introduced, so how bad would a hug and a kiss have spoiled anything? If we’d only watched these two through Evan’s eyes, leaving it incomplete would be a whole different matter, because he sure wouldn’t be watching their first gropes or thinking Derrick’s thoughts.

The cast of dozens introduced before page twenty also added to a bit of dissatisfaction, because while most of them had something to do with either backstory or running the stables, they didn’t have a lot to do with the story lines, except they all seemed so important that I had to remember them for the whole book. If Ostie’s kid had shown up at the picnic to play his tuba, that might have made recalling all those details worthwhile, but he’s never seen or heard of again and he's one of several flash in the pan characters.

The real strength of this book is Evan and Cam together, and I’d like to see more of them.


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And Is Never Shaken by Alexi Silversmith

Cassian Ford is a successful writer in his forties, established at the local university. Andy Havers is a book restorer in his early twenties who just moved to town. They have nothing in common, and yet somehow everywhere they go, they seem to run into each other. Despite a bumpy beginning—an exasperated Cassian accuses Andy of being a stalker—the gap in age, and their many other differences, a passionate romance develops between them. But just when Andy is convinced he's found true love, secrets from Cassian's past erupt into the present, and Andy realizes it might not be him Cassian wants at all....

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So many elements of this story piled on top of each other to make this a really good read. The same very things that brought Andy and Cassian together could drive them apart if they allowed it, which is a great trick, not often done right. The music and the quotes, some was new to me, some was familiar, added depth to the story. Watching Cassian return to life in Andy’s company, then seeing how it could possibly all go wrong, kept me turning pages.

This was a May/December story that really worked, and couldn’t have happened if Cassian hadn’t had some heartbreak in his past. I like that, when a story absolutely requires a character to be in it or else be different. Andy and Cassian had a lot to work through to become a couple, and it all might have gone more smoothly had they listened to each other better, but then, Andy’s youth and impetuous nature made that difficult, and again, nothing would have been the same without that. Win x 2.

The sex was sweet, but with a couple of weird assumptions, about who does what and what that means the receiving partner does, or doesn’t do.

What I especially loved about this was that Cassian’s erudition was an important part of the story -- and that Andy was well rounded enough to recognize and respond to things that were important to his lover. He didn’t just tell Cassian, “Turn off that irritating piano piece!” but could say, “Gnossienne #1 has always made me sad.” In a genre that contains a lot of characters more obviously sexy than academics, that’s refreshing. The author pays us readers a compliment, too, by assuming that we can either recognize Shakespearean sonnets or figure it out.

This was another story good enough to send me in search of more information. I recognized some of the pieces (Pam Singer played Meditation from Thais for me) but I didn’t understand why Gnossienne #1 made Andy so sad, until I listened to it. To save you the trouble, here’s a link to a good version.


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