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Throwback Thursday

Living On Air by Susan MacNicol: Throwback Thursday Quick Review

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PIERCING THE NIGHT

Cary Stilwell has been existing since he was ten years old, and each year it gets harder to find meaning in his bleak life. The only exception – his work. As a top-billed aerialist in a popular travelling circus, he enjoys accolades and applause, but little else. When notable photographer, Rhys McIntyre, joins the circus to catalogue its inner workings, Cary fights the attraction that hits him from the moment they meet. But a kind soul wrapped in a beautiful body has a way of battering all the walls Cary has built around his cold, dark heart.

WITH LIGHT

Rhys McIntyre is on his third iteration of reinventing himself. Once a hotdog financier, he embraced his passion for photography and became an eminent war photo journalist. Until one too many bullets lodged in his body, and he gave up the front lines for the softer side of chronicling life. When he accepts the assignment to record life in a circus, the last thing he expects is to find the man crush of his dreams. Except Cary Stilwell is a cold, tortured man who seems incapable of any warm emotion, never mind love. But Rhys is known for his persistence, and this time the pay-off might be more than he could have ever imagined.

Amazon

The story had a good premise. Circus aerialist with a secret past (and present) and a photographer sent on a cushy assignment to document the circus for a coffee table book. Being that this photographer was a well respected war photographer, it seemed kind of odd but I was ok with it.

Trigger warning of self harm.

A lot of time was spent on Cary’s self harm. I mean, it was a huge part of who he was, but there were pages and pages and pages of it. How he kept it a secret from everyone else in the circus was a mystery to me. Of course he was super prickly and didn’t seem to like people, which kept them at arm’s length but still.

Rhys, the photographer, is immediately drawn to him. And even though Cary treats him like crap he keeps going back for more.

Much is said about the circus being a family, but Cary is so mean. To just about everyone. I don’t know why they all put up with it.

There are times when the dialogue is a bit to flippant for the scene. A serious, heartfelt scene comes to a screeching halt for me with silly dialogue.

It was good, not great. I didn’t feel the connection between Rhys and Cary until nearly the end of the book and needed more of an emotional connection with them. Cary was just too antagonistic.

3 Pieces of Candy

Trapped in Oz by Andrew Grey: TBT – Throwback Thursday Quick Review

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Tales from Kansas

Martin Long has plans and dreams, but they are derailed when his parents move and must sell their house. In need of a place to stay, fast, he answers an ad for a roommate, and even though the house needs work, the owner seems nice so Martin agrees to move in.

Gary Hunter is barely making ends meet, with mysteriously disappearing tips at work and tuition to pay. Disowned by his family and left with a house in need of repair, Gary desperately needs the extra set of hands along with the money.

When Gary confesses that his family disowned him for being gay, Martin makes his own confession that opens a world of possibilities. But Gary has paid a heavy price for being who he is, and Martin’s unwillingness to open up to his family puts strain on the fledgling relationship.

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

 

Very cute, YA read.

Martin’s dad has accepted a job that’s taking him and his mother out of state, though he’s an adult now with a good job, maybe college and all of his friends here, he decides to stay behind. Well, his parents insist that he stay behind, really, I don’t think he would’ve on his own lol Anyway, he needs to find someone looking for a roommate, fast.

Gary inherited his grandmother’s house when she passed, but never had much of a relationship with her because his parents wouldn’t allow it. Now, kicked out and disowned by the terrible people, he has a place to stay but not enough money for the taxes and upkeep; and thankfully, but unfortunately for his expenses, his douchey roommate flunked out of school and had to leave. Meaning, he needed a new roommate fast, someone that wouldn’t care about his sexual preference.

Easier said than done, but he gets lucky when he meets Martin, and after getting to know Martin a little bit, he tells him before he moves in. It’s a problem for Martin, but not because Gary’s gay, but because Martin is too, he’s just never gotten to experience what that means, just yet. He’s scared of how his parents will react, especially after hearing how Gary’s own coming out was.

I will say that I was kinda annoyed that Gary put so much pressure on Martin, though I understand not wanting to be in a relationship where he had to hide it, Martin was literally JUST coming to terms with it himself, so I can understand his hesitancy… some people go decades without ever telling anyone, or accepting it themselves… and it’s up to them when and where they feel comfortable coming out. I didn’t like that Gary seemed to guilt him, even if it wasn’t intentional…. And I didn’t like that Martin felt like he had to choose between one or the other.

I also felt a bit like these guys were so young, and the pickin’s were slim, that it was just convieniant because they lived together…. I mean, they liked each other, sure…. But it didn’t feel like much more than that for me. I dunno… maybe I’m reading too much into it, but to me… it felt forced because it was a right time right place kinda thing. It worked out for them in the end, though I was also surprised at how Martin’s family took it. They were accepting eventually….but I figured with the way his mom was, that she already knew.

Overall, it’s a cute, short read with a happy ending. That’s good right?

3 pieces of eye candy from me!

 

Any Closer by Mary Calmes: TBT Throwback Thursday Review

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Charlie Ryder has a colorful past, painful memories, and an embarrassing secret. After three years working for Leo Foster’s construction company, Charlie’s worst fears are realized, and Leo finds out what Charlie has worked so hard to hide. When Leo meets the revelation with absolute love and acceptance, Leo has to trust that Charlie’s love isn’t just gratitude, and Charlie has to learn to trust again, period. It’s going to take a lot of work for these two men to get any closer.

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Sigh… is there anyone that can write some man love, like this author?

I don’t think so either. So, in this one, we have Leo, who owns his own construction company with his brother-in-law, and a lot of really great guys. I loved the way that they seemed like a big family, and I loved that there was no hatefulness or bad words cause trouble. Everything was normal. That’s different to read.

Charlie, though… had come to apply for a job almost 4 years ago, and he was broken and scared and jumped at his own shadow, but he was accepted into the makeshift family, and he fit right in. Unfortunately, nobody knew what he was running from, and omg, was it tragic and heartbreaking and I was so, so disappointed that we didn’t get to see any karmic justice for the people who had hurt him… He was okay, though; especially around Leo.

It was clear as day that they both liked each other, but they were sticking to the friend zone because that’s just the way it worked and neither wanted to ruin it. However, once Charlie was done with that… once he got himself together and knew that he would be good for Leo, he was done messing around, and it was sweet and cute and gorgeous, and even really hot. Even if they didn’t go to pound town on page. It was still hot, just trust me.

So, it’s short and sweet, but it was still so big. Does that make sense? It didn’t feel like a short read, even though it was much too short for my liking, but that’s just cuz I’m greedy and wanted more….It also just felt like it all came together so flawlessly that it didn’t “need” anything else, even though I just wanted 100 more chapters…. Sigh…. I love when that happens.

So, it was a perfect feel good read for me, and I loved it.

5 stars from me!

The Lightning-Struck Heart by TJ Klune: Throwback Thursday Review

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Once upon a time, in an alleyway in the slums of the City Of Lockes, a young and somewhat lonely boy named Sam Haversford turns a group of teenage douchebags into stone completely by accident.

Of course, this catches the attention of a higher power, and Sam’s pulled from the only world he knows to become an apprentice to the King’s Wizard, Morgan of Shadows.

When Sam’s fourteen, he enters the Dark Woods and returns with Gary, the hornless gay unicorn, and a half-giant named Tiggy, earning the moniker Sam of Wilds.

At fifteen, Sam learns what love truly is when a new knight arrives at the castle—Knight Ryan Foxheart, the dreamiest dream to have ever been dreamed.

Naturally, it all goes to hell when Ryan dates the reprehensible Prince Justin, Sam can’t control his magic, a sexually aggressive dragon kidnaps the prince, and the King sends them on an epic quest to save Ryan’s boyfriend, all while Sam falls more in love with someone he can never have.

Or so he thinks.

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

This book is ridiculous. Over the top. Bananas. Bonkers. Weird. Funny. Smart. Corny. Sweet. Hilarious. Too much. Not enough. Spot on. I didn’t know what to expect with this book. I mean look at the beautiful cover: it’s unassuming and seems perfectly respectable. Who would think insanity awaits you? And on virtually every page — EVERY PAGE — I lol’d (yes, literally), snorted, and/or had to just put the book down to laugh and ponder every detail of the moment. And the craziest part is this the first time I’m reading TJ Klune. Lesson learned.

This is an odessey/adventure tale. Sam is a brilliant and promising wizard apprentice. He’s beloved by pretty much everyone. He’s fiercely loyal to his family and friends and his King. He’s resourceful, which helps since he’s captured, like, a lot and finds himself in the most absurd situations. He’s confident in his abilities, yet awkward and completely clueless when it comes to his longtime crush Knight Ryan Foxheart. Will Sam be able to find the cornerstone for his magic, survive the trek to rescue a prince and *finally* lose his flower (preferably to Knight Ryan?) The answer to those questions is almost not even the point because there’s just so much more to this book than that.

It’s not just the cursing. Or the bizzare situations Sam finds himself in. Nor is it the oversexed gay unicorn and half-giant BFFs. Or the just crazy things they all say to each other. It’s somehow all of it together that totally works for me. Pretty much every character is so well drawn, I can see and hear them. And the technical aspect to Klune’s writing just works. Sometimes he’ll walk completely away from the insanity and tell us so much about Sam with a handful of words. Klune finds a perfect rhythm and the narrative flows in a way that I just adore. I will say there are a very few times when the joke/insanity goes on just a wee bit too long, and that coupled with how much the narrative and language just does not conform to the typical fantasy/adventure/romance book, I can see this book has the potential to rub some readers the wrong way.  I get it, and that’s cool but absolutely none of that bothered me. I felt like this was a book that I could have written, actually, style and language wise …  I also realized there is not much difference between me and a 20-year-old gay wizard apprentice, maturity wise, so Sam and his travails totally resonated with me. I loved it. This book is epic, and I rec it so hard.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

The Good Fight by Andrew Grey: TBT Quick Review

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*A new feature we are bringing to TCO, TBT, Throwback Thursday Reviews. A chance to review that book you’ve been “meaning to read” for a long time! So check out what some of the “older” books have to offer!*

 

Jerry Lincoln has a problem: his Sioux Falls IT consulting business has more work than one man can handle. Luckily, that means he can hire some help. Jerry just hopes his new employee, John Black Raven, ends up being more helpful than distracting—but John’s deep eyes and long hair are very distracting.

John came to town for an education and a chance at a life he couldn’t have on the reservation, but what’s important to him now is getting a job and keeping it. Six months ago, his sister died, and now her children are in foster care. Despite having the law on his side, John can’t get custody—can’t even see his niece and nephew.

As Jerry and John grow closer, John discovers he doesn’t have to struggle alone. Jerry helps him win visitation rights and provides much-needed support. Yet their victories aren’t without setbacks. Child Services is tangled up with money, politics, and red tape, and Native American children are their bread and butter. But John and Jerry are determined to fight the good fight and to win—in more ways than one.

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

 

Loving this cover! I feel like I’ve had this one on my TBR list forever, because I love this author and hello….hot Native American’s? Yes please! So, here we have Jerry, a consulter for some tech stuff with coding and all that stuff I know nothing about so I can’t tell you the actual name for it…. But, with more work than he could handle on his own, with a suggestion and help from a good friend, he decided to hire someone that could help him out. He found two prospects, both were qualified, and things happen in which he could hire them both…. Only problem, one of them was John Black Raven, and he was extremely attracted to him. To the point of distraction.

Fortunately, it worked out and while working together and getting to know one another, Jerry learns of a family matter that John needs help with. His niece and nephew has been taken by child services when their mother died and because of their heritage, they aren’t likely to be given to John, because they earn the state money being in care. I’m not sure how true this is, or if things like that do indeed happen, but I was really hoping for more karmic justice with the terrible state worker who actually lied and deceived to keep John from his family.  When his sister passed, shed wanted John to have the kids…. The social worker was awful though and she fought him every step of the way. That’s where Jerry came in.

Jerry wasn’t having it with the social worker and heled John as much as he could. How could you not fall for someone like that…. That’s exactly what John did, and Jerry, seeing how much he loved his niece and nephew and how badly he wanted them to be with him… it was impossible not to fall for him too!

Overall, it was just a really cute read with a really sweet ending… and I’m looking forward to reading the next one!

4 pieces of eye candy for me.