Guns N' Boys by K.A. Merikan (Guns N' Boys #1.1)

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Thriller, Romance
Publication Date: September 11th 2014
POV: Alternating - Third-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 10 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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Love is sour like a Sicilian lemon.

The Family is always right.
The Family doesn’t forget.
The Family pays for blood in blood.

Domenico Acerbi grew up in the shade of Sicilian lemon trees ready to give his life for the Family. Ready to follow orders and exceed expectations. A proud man of honor.
When Seth, the younger son of the Don is kidnapped, it’s Domenico who is sent to get him back. The man he finds though, is not the boy he knew all those years ago. Lazy, annoying, spoiled, and as hot as a Sicilian summer.

Seth Villani wants nothing to do with the mafia. Unfortunately, he doesn’t get a say when the Family pulls him right back into its fold after his mother’s death. Thrown into a den of serpents otherwise known as the Villani Family, Seth has to find a way to navigate in the maze of lies. But when Domenico Acerbi, the most vicious snake of them all, sinks his fangs into Seth, the venom changes into an aphrodisiac that courses through Seth’s veins.

Domenico knows his life is about to change when he gets the order to train Seth up to the role of future Don. Seth isn’t made for it. He isn’t even made. But a man Domenico knows he would never have to fear might just be someone he’s always needed.

If Seth is doomed to follow in his father's footsteps, he might as well enjoy himself—with the most intoxicating man he’s ever met. Maybe he can even fool himself into believing that Domenico isn’t a handsome sociopath who kills for a living.

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I really loved this book, and probably would have given it 5-stars if not for the fact that it was incomplete, and the fact that it pushed my limits a little too much.

I was in the mood for a dark romance, and that is most definitely what I got. This book is . And Dom is a monster, a passionate, obsessive monster. I love him. Seth is not what I expected. Despite the fact that he is muscular and physically larger than Dom, he seems so weak in comparison. Even though Seth does not fit into Dom's world at all and Dom cannot help but laugh at him and mock him sometimes for his foolishness, there are still things about Seth that Dom finds completely irresistible, and not just his body. It is such a strange dichotomy. Seth's incompetence makes him roll his eyes, but at the same time his dependence on Dom make his blood burn.

I find it surprising that neither of them fought their relationship harder. The hard life they are in has no room for weakness, and in the Villani family being gay is a death sentence. But they both just threw themselves into it and never looked back. And on top of all that, they seem to be half brothers, which is completely disgusting of course, but I am holding out hope for a City of Glass moment.

One of the things about this book that I had a problem with was that there was a little bit of menage and some light bondage. Menage is usually an immediate deal breaker for me. If I come across a menage scene I will close a book immediately and never open it again. But the scene started over half way through the book and I already completely loved Dom and Seth and just couldn't give up on them that easily. Plus I could tell that the other guy, Silvio, was not going to be a permanent addition. So I just had to grin and bear it. If they had actually had sex I would have skipped the scene, but luckily they just did other things. It still made me extremely uncomfortable though and I hated Silvio. I noticed that he has his own series, Dark Soul, but I will not be reading it.

And there was some light bondage that came right after, with just Dom and Seth. It also made me really uncomfortable because I didn't like the way that Seth became so submissive and said that he had been a good boy. It felt so demeaning, as if he was just a dog. The only time I like it when someone becomes submissive is if it is out of love. Like in the last sex scene of the book. It was beautiful. Although neither of them have even thought the world 'love' yet, it seemed to be screaming at them in that scene. Seth hates to bottom but he did it for Dom and told him it was only for him, no one else, because he was the only one good enough. Dom was so tender and it was amazing. Being submissive out of love and not being forced to give up something.

I am totally in love with Dom and Seth and their complicated, angst-filled relationship. I love Dom's love tinged with obsession, and Seth's love tinged with fear. I can't see how things will work out for them and I am so excited to read the next part of their story to see what will happen next, and what they will be willing to sacrifice to try to make it work.

“Domenico was the human equivalent of his motorbike. Fast and dangerous, yet impossible to resist taking a ride on, even at the risk of getting hurt.”

Love & Loyalty (Faith, Love, & Devotion #2) by Tere Michaels

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication Date: September 8th 2009
POV: Alternating - Third-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 8 out of 10
My Rating: 3 out of 5

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Detective James “Jim” Shea is a Seattle homicide detective who has never taken his work home with him – until now. A case has gotten under his skin and though it’s “over," it isn’t for Jim. The emotional toll has left him vulnerable and tied to the victim’s dying father.

Meanwhile, Hollywood comes calling for a hot story, and screenwriter Griffin Drake sees the tragic case as his ticket to more serious fare than his usual action blockbusters. But to get the whole story he needs to win over the stoic and protective Detective Shea.

Neither man has had much luck when it comes to romance or long-term relationships and neither is particularly looking but there's an attraction from their first meeting that can’t be denied. Their impromptu first date seems to have no end in sight – quickly becomes a barreling freight train of romance.

Looming problems outside threaten their relationship – death, secrets and broken trust – and they'll have to learn loyalty to save their newfound love.

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Going into this, I was looking forward to reading James story. I wanted to read about Matt and Evan more, but I treated this as if it were a separate series. I already knew James a little bit and I liked him enough. Griffin took a bit longer to get to know, but once I did I ended up loving him even more. He was a lot of fun and really livened things up.

But I still ended up being somewhat disappointed by this. Griffin and Jim got along great and their relationship reminded me of what Matt and Evan's was like in the beginning. But with the added benefit of sex. Seeing as Jim and Griffin were not new to this, they got to the sex a lot faster. But I never felt that they got past the buddy-pals stage.

The story went by pretty quickly and when Jim first told Griffin that he loved him I was so shocked! I thought, "Already?" But then I looked at my progress and realized I was already about 75% done the book! I was still waiting for the story to get started, but it was actually winding down and I hadn't even realized. It just felt so short and insubstantial. There wasn't enough meat and emotion to this story.

I feel like this could have been great with more time and more development of Jim and Griffin's relationship. They never really had any tender moments. They had some moments, but nothing really displaying a deeper love. It felt rushed, but I still enjoyed it. They were greater characters and I enjoyed the side-stories. But I really look forward to getting back to Matt and Evan.

“I know this is like the worst possible time, but I really need to tell you that I love you. Okay? Because I do. And you don't have to say it back or anything, but that's how it is.”

Faith & Fidelity (Faith, Love, & Devotion #1) by Tere Michaels

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication Date: September 23rd 2008
POV: Alternating - Third-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 8 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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New York City Vice Detective Evan Cerelli has lost his wife, the only person he ever loved and slept with. He's trying to get on with his life, build a life for his children. Former Homicide Detective Matt Haight is a ladies’ man, all sex/no commitment. He's depressed, having a midlife crisis, and not sure where his life is headed.
The two find friendship in the bottom of a shared bottle. When the friendship turns to love, it shakes two straight men to the core and flips their lives inside out. Kids, families, careers that are not gay-friendly -- can all the love in the world overcome the obstacles to faith and fidelity?

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This is an absolutely beautiful story. I loved the way Evan and Matt's relationship developed from friendship to love. It felt very realistic and not rushed as these relationships are a lot of the time. It was not hard for me at all to believe that these two straight men were able to fall in love with each other.

They felt so natural together and along with the children. Matt just fit right in with Evan's family as if he belonged there, which is difficult to do considering how great of a family they were when Sherri was alive. It didn't feel like he was a replacement, but something new and different. I don't know how that was done so perfectly. I can't image a Cerelli without Matt in their lives.

I also really loved the 'gay for you' aspect, about how they were both completely new to the idea of being with another man, and they just figured it out together. They didn't rush things and haven't even had "A" sex yet. They just do whatever feels good and I loved it. Its the sense of discovery that I usually find and enjoy in YA romance.  But the erotica level was still perfect. Not too much, not too little.

I look forward to reading the rest of this series. I don't have anything against James, but I just wish I didn't have to read his story before getting back to Evan and Matt. I will soon enough though. I just love these guys and their amazing family and I want to see more of them.

Helena caught the look that passed between the two men and it was beautiful…the only word she could think of was beautiful. It was love and lust and such a tender expression of care she wondered if they had any clue how lovely it was to see.”

A Forbidden Rumspringa by Keira Andrews (Gay Amish Romance #1)

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication Date: September 3rd 2014
POV: Male - Third-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 8 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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When two young Amish men find love, will they risk losing everything?

In a world where every detail of life—down to the width of a hat brim—is dictated by God and the all-powerful rules of the community, two men dare to imagine a different way. At 18, Isaac Byler knows little outside the strict Amish settlement of Zebulon, Minnesota, where there is no rumspringa for exploration beyond the boundaries of their insular world. Isaac knows he’ll have to officially join the church and find a wife before too long, but he yearns for something else—something he can’t name.

Dark tragedy has left carpenter David Lantz alone to support his mother and sisters, and he can’t put off joining the church any longer. But when he takes on Isaac as an apprentice, their attraction grows amid the sweat and sawdust. David shares his sinful secrets, and he and Isaac struggle to reconcile their shocking desires with their commitment to faith, family and community.

Now that they've found each other, are they willing to lose it all?

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This is a wonderful, touching story. My only complaint is that in the first section of the book there was too much focus on the sex and not enough focus of their relationship. I only felt that they had that wonderful, deeper relationship closer to the end. I didn't like how quickly they turned to sex. Especially considering their upbringing, I would have expected them to be more hesitant. And David had bought a gay magazine some time in the past and that was enough for them to figure everything out instantly. I never felt that innocence and sense of discovery that I love seeing in first-timers.

But that was only in the beginning. Once their relationship developed, their sexual relationship seemed to fit and feel more natural and I was able to focus on all the wonderful things about this book. I really loved Isaac and David. I felt for them and their situation so much. Especially when reminded of what happened to their brothers, and how hard things are for them, to be reminded of what they lost, and what it would fee like to the family they left behind if they left. They were both incredibly caring and wanted to best for their families. They tried so hard to do what they felt was the right thing. They were just amazing.

And I love how that played into their interactions with each other. They were so kind and caring to each other. So honest and polite. It is just who they were and how they were raised, but I really loved all the kind words and tender moments. I felt as if it added another layer to their affections, by making it so clear to each other. It was beautiful and I loved hearing them call each other "my David" and "my Isaac."

The last section of the book had me weeping. Pretty much from the time Isaac visited June until the end of the book I was in tears. I was so happy for Isaac to have made that reconnection. I was touched by all the support he received, proud of him for making the decision, and the ending was just so wonderful. I felt overwhelmed and I cried and I cried. I cannot wait to read A Clean Break. I will be reading it on release day.

“I think about what it would be like to live with you instead of a wife. To share a bed every night, and work side by side each day. I know its a terrible sin, but the thought of it makes my heart so glad." He sucked in a breath, trying in vain to stop tears from forming. "I want to be with you forever.”

Tattoos & Teacups by Anna Martin

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication Date: July 6th 2012
POV: Male - First-person, Present tense
Smut-O-Meter: 9 out of 10
My Rating: 3 out of 5

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As a teenager, Robert McKinnon left his native Scotland and moved to America. That was sixteen years ago, and Professor McKinnon has never quite settled in his new home or found his place this side of the pond. He might be prematurely old, but he has his cat, and his books, and that's all he needs.

Then Chris Ford explodes into Robert's life with a crash of cymbals. The younger man is the polar opposite of Robert's calm civility. Bright tattoos cover his skin, and he wears his hair in a Mohawk and plays drums for a rock band. But he's a shot of color in Robert's black-and-white world, and Robert turns out to be the one thing Chris can count on. Despite all the reasons it shouldn't work, somehow it does.

Even if Robert wasn't looking for love especially not with someone nearly ten years his junior he can't deny being with Chris is fun. But sometimes Chris's free-spirited nature leaves Robert feeling vulnerable. If they can't find a balance between tattoos and teacups, their relationship won't survive and neither will Robert's newfound lust for life.

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I read this really hoping to find another relationship like Howie and Arthur from Know Not Why, and I did a little bit, but not as much as I had hoped. Rob and Chris are not as different as Howie and Arthur, but there is a bigger age gap, which I liked. I always enjoy it when there is a large age gap or a big difference in physical size. And Rob did remind me somewhat of Arthur because of the way he talked so formally, and he actually had the accent to go with it. But he wasn't as funny and awkward as Arthur. I enjoyed Chris more. He was fun.

I didn't really enjoy the pace of this story. Everything moved so fast. Chris gives Rob a handjob on their first date. Second date he asks to meet his daughter. Whoa there, you know you are leaving in a few months to go back on tour and you are just ignoring that fact and meeting the family and everything. Telling everyone you are partners and even telling his work that you are his husband, but you have no idea where this relationship is going or if it will last beyond a few months? And the 'L' word popped up way too soon. Chris just said to Rob, "Tell me." And it was like Rob knew exactly what he meant and he said "I love you." But I didn't know what he meant and I was pretty surprised that Rob did. It felt way too soon.

Rob and Chris got along so well that everything just fell into place for them. There was none of the clashing of personalities that I was expecting. I usually like low angst stories but this was just ridiculous. Nothing happened! Their relationship was cute and I enjoyed them together, but the writing was awkward and kept me distanced from the characters making it hard to invest. Not that there was really anything to invest in. Everything was so clearly laid out that there was never any doubt of the outcome. I also found the sex scenes awkward, so I cant even give this plus points as an erotica.

So, while I was looking for a conflicted and angsty story I got a cute, smooth, simple read. Not what I was expecting at all, but still ok in its own right.

“I’ll do absolutely anything for you,” I vow. “If you want the moon, I’ll get them to gift wrap it.” 

“You’re such a romantic,” he says, and I can hear the smile in his voice.”

Know Not Why by Hannah Johnson

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication Date: April 23rd 2012
POV: Male - First-person, Present tense
Smut-O-Meter: 3 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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Howie gets a job at Artie Kraft's Arts 'N Crafts hoping to score with his lady coworkers. After all, girls love a sensitive guy, and what's more sensitive than dedicating your life to selling yarn and ... stuff? (Okay, so maybe it'd be a good idea to actually learn what one sells at an arts 'n crafts store.) But things don't go exactly according to plan. Coworker #1 is Cora: tiny, much-pierced, and way too fierce to screw with in any sense. Coworker #2 is Kristy: blonde, bubbly, unattainable perfection. And Coworker #3 is, well, Arthur. It goes without saying that he’s not an option. Right?

… Right?

Yeah, Howie’s life just got straight up confusing.

Pun intended.

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I loved this book so much. Howie made this book! I am telling you right now, if you start this book and don't instantly love Howie, just give up. His constant sarcastic and sometimes self-deprecating monologues do not stop or even slow down, and you either love them or you hate them. But personally? I loved them, and I loved Howie. He was so much fun. Even in the beginning when you was still somewhat immature, he was an endearing immature. He was so quick witted, he kept me on my toes. I never knew what nonsense he was going to spew next, but I knew it would still be relevant and make an odd kind of sense.

Howie was a really great guy. Even before he realized he might be gay and he was hoping to hook up with Kristy, he always felt guilty about his lewd thoughts afterwards. It was adorable. It was like he was just going through the motions of what he thought a guy should act like, even in his head. I don't think his heart was really in it when he was trying to seduce her. He was just too sweet to go through with it, as Amber pointed out.

"Come on, Howie. Your skeezy-talking skills are matched only by your inescapable decency. That's going to get in the way, Don Juan." 

And Arthur was funny in his awkwardness. When we first met him I was thinking, "Really? This guy?" But he really grew on me. It's not as if it took long, but for the first meeting or two, yeah, I was a bit baffled about what could be attractive about him. But he is funny in his own way. It doesn't define him like it does Howie, but he knows how to laugh. I almost always imagined Arthur talking in a British accent because of the way he used such big words and formal speech. I knew he was not British but I had trouble stopping myself. Its also hard to remember that he was only about 25. He seemed so much older than Howie. They seem like the epitome of an odd couple, but they work so well together. Howie helped loosen up Arthur, and Arthur helped steady Howie. They were both lost in life before they found each other.

This book is also full of amazing supporting characters. Every single one! Kristy and Cora! Amber and Mitch! Howie's mom and Emily! I really loved Howie's mom. She is definitely where he got his sense of humour and I loved knowing that he always had her support. I also surprisingly loved Emily. She was a bit odd, but kind and wise. A bit like Arthur but even more awkward. I felt bad for her and how she was being treated by Howie's mom. I hope she comes around soon.

I really highly recommend this book to fans of humourous romance. The humour is really its defining feature. Even if you are not really into M/M romance, you should give this one a shot. Its just too cute. Fall in love with Howie and Arthur with me!

"You're funny and quick and interesting and aggravating and attractive. Its such a wonderful relief to be with you." 

A little wonderingly, he says, "You're exactly who I never would have picked out for myself."

The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Romance
Publication Date: November 11th 2014
POV: Male - Third-person, Past tense
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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The perfect gift for Shadowhunters. This gorgeous illustrated hardback brings 10 stories about immortal warlock Magnus Bane together for the first time, along with a bonus never-before-seen tale. A fan-favourite character from Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter Chronicles, Magnus features in The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy and the movie of City of Bones. Magnus will never be able to tell all of his tales. No one would believe him. But these stories shed a little light on his often inscrutable character. They are stories he probably wishes had never got out.

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So, some background on my relationship with Cassie. I read City of Bones first. Wasn't a huge fan of it, didn't particularly like Clary or Jace, I hated their relationship, and I hated Simon. The only redeeming quality was the excellent world-building and Magnus Bane. As I read City of Ashes and City of Glass I felt the same way and decided that was a good place to stop. I have never read City of Fallen Angels.

Then, as I heard all the ravings from fans about how much better TID was, and all the raving about Will and Jem, I became curious and wanted to know which side of the love-triangle I would fall on. So I read Clockwork Angel and yes, it is much better. It introduced me to Jem, who is the best thing Cassie has ever created, the story was very interesting, and Tessa is somewhat better than Clary. At least I don't actively dislike her. But there is one major drawback. Will Herondale is one of the worst things I have ever seen created on paper. I can't even tell you have much I hate him because words do not suffice.

I am always somewhat scared to start a new Cassie Clare book because her world is amazing and it has a lot of potential to impress me but I just seem to hate what she seems to think is a good romance and a good romantic lead. I do intend to keep trying though, by reading each of her new series. But as I said, Magnus Bane is one of the redeeming characters she has created, and I was excited to read about him in his own world.

“If one could look this fabulous, one had an obligation to. One should wear everything, or one should wear nothing at all.”

Each story in this book was interesting in its own right. I won't say which was my favourite because they were all interesting, entertaining, funny, and they all taught me something new about Magnus Bane. That is the best thing about this book. The overall experience of getting to know Magnus Bane. He never received this kind of undivided attention before and I feel like I know him intimately now. I don't know how much he appeared in the latter books of TMI, but this gave me a whole new view of him and I love him even more. He is an amazing warlock and an amazing person.

I loved seeing the friends he made over the years, the lovers, how he treated people, including Shadowhunters; how he tried to save Raphael, and Camille, innocent werewolves. He is a hero. But he never stops being Magnus Bane either. He shows up to battle in hot pink. I love his sense of humour too, his sarcasm. That is something I already knew about him, but I really enjoyed seeing more of. Two side of him worth loving.

“Even if the Shadowhunters had been expecting an interruption, and the werewolves had been hoping for a savior, apparently nobody had been expecting all the hot pink.”

I also loved seeing him with Alec. I enjoyed Alec in the books as well, but its different when you see him as Magnus sees him. I never knew Alec was so insecure and shy and good. I loved the way Magnus described him and the way he made him feel. It makes me reconsider finishing TMI, just to get a few more glimpses of Magnus and Alec together. I now have an incredible love and respect for Magnus Bane. I love him more than this series can contain. He is too big for his world. I will keep trying with Cassie Clare, but I have no reason to expect to find anything as great as this by her in the future.

"...he had wanted Alec there, so badly, and here he was. It felt more like magic than anything he could do."

2014 Year in Review

I had a great year for reading in 2014! I read 152 books, rated 21 of them 5-stars, and I read 13 books that were newly published in 2014. I finished 20 series and started 18 new ones. I discovered 46 new authors. From M/M and erotica, to YA romance, to high fantasy and hard sci-fi. And now I am going to share the best of the year with you!

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Best Books Published in 2014 

(I am going with the number 7 because there were 7 books published in 2014 that I rated 5-stars. Other lists may be different lengths)

This book totally blew my mind! It is absolutely only for fans of erotica. For some strange reason it is categorized as NA on Goodreads and I think that is drawing in the wrong readers and resulting in negative reviews. I don't know why it is listed as NA when the heroine is 26 and the hero is 36. This is just full blown Alpha erotica! No ifs, ands, or buts about it. It kind of reminds me of a cross between Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren and Twist Me by Anna Zaires, but with a better hero than either of them. A better hero than Bennett and Julian combined and multiplied by 10. And both of those books got a 4.5/5 from me. 

If you are a fan of that type of book you know the bulk of the story is just an alpha male who has to win over a woman. There aren't a lot of... more

“As you learn to trust me, as you give yourself to me, so will I learn to trust you, and give you myself.”

I think I can solidly say that this is now my second favourite Cassie Mae book after Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend. I know that I have said that about every one of her books I have read since, but that only means that her books keep getting better and better! I still have 2 unread published books by her. Well, 3 when counting Unexpectedly You. I really need to get to them now! 

I think there were two major things that made me love this book so much. 1) Eric. :) 2) Mia. Haha, but I will get into more detail than that.

Eric is just so amazing! He is so sweet and vulnerable but he didn't put up with shit. I can't say that he is my favourite Cassie... more 

“I can't tell if I hear your heart beating, or if it's mine." 

"Aren't they the same thing?”

This series is one of my absolute favourites. 5-stars across the board. It's just so unique. I really can't get over how unusual it was. It's so dark. And by dark I mean dark. The bad guys in this story are true evil. There is so much blood and death and destruction and pure greed and evil. Yet, at the same time, Kami is simply one of the best, smartest, funniest, and wittiest YA heroines I have ever read. She provides a balance that you need in order to handle all the darkness. This is one of those books where, when you try to list your favourites quotes, you find that you want to quote the whole book.

Another thing I loved about this book was all the love. Kami and Jared's love is epic, but it wasn't the only focus. Everyone loved each other and were willing to sacrifice so much for each other. Kami loved... more 

"Your name was the first word for love I ever knew."

This is my 13th M/M book and I absolutely loved it. Only once I had already finished this book did I find out that it was written by an author who had started out as a M/F author, and that this book was what got a lot of people into reading M/M romance in the first place. I am not a veteran of the genre, but I am not new to it either.

This is either the smuttiest romance, or the most romantic smut that I have ever read. I am gonna lean towards calling it the most romantic smut, because really, there is no need to have that much sex in a book unless you are writing a smut. Not that I am complaining. I love a good smut. But I really can't get into a book unless there is a good foundation to the relationship before... more 

“You make me crazy and furious and out of my mind with need, but in the end, you make me so fucking happy.”

This book destroyed me! It was just the right combination of factors to rip my heart out. 

First, it heavily featured Kishan, the 'book boyfriend' love of my life. Secondly, it was from the POV of a woman who loved him. When she met Ren and compared him to Kishan, she actually found him wanting. In Kishan's eyes she saw the warm sun and kindness, not a man who always fell short. And thirdly, the real clincher to my broken heart, is the fact that I knew what would happen in the end. I knew that once again, or for the first time, chronologically, Kishan's love would be ripped from him. Every time Yesubai thought of Kishan it broke my heart again, knowing that they would never be together. It was constant pain and suffering for me to finish this book. I can't remember the last... more

“Like the trees, his roots went deep, and I daydreamed that if he wrapped me in his arms, he could safely tuck me away within his branches and hide me from the world.”

This book is amazing and unique, like absolutely nothing I have read before. I love that it is solely from Ehd's POV, it gives us such a unique perspective. When we first meet Elizabeth, its clear she is from the future from the way that Ehd describes her jeans and eyeshadow, but we have no idea where she came from or who she was. She yells and shouts at Ehd when he takes her back to his cave, but we have no idea what she is saying. I can imagine why she is afraid, but we can only guess from Ehd's observations. As time passes, we know exactly how Ehd feels about her. How she has become his #1 priority. How everything he does is the provide for her and protect her. But we can only guess how Beh feels, as Ehd does. She isn't afraid of him anymore, but she sometimes cries, and we can assume it is... more

"If she doesn't wake up, then I will just lie with her until I don't wake up either."

This book is beyond perfection. Its beyond anything that I ever could have hoped and dreamed. It was so perfect that it left me afraid for most of the experience, waiting for the other shoe to drop. I was anxious until the end. It was as if it was fanfic written by someone who was Team Warner, it had everything that we, as Warner lovers, could have ever wanted. But of course it couldn't be fanfic because only Tahereh Mafi could have ever written something so beautiful. 

The absolute best thing about this series is the transformation of the characters. I just love the way that Mafi portrayed real struggle and realistic change. Although the story was great, it was really only the backdrop for Juliette's personal story. And Warner's. They both... more

"So the two of you--I mean, together-- you two could basically--" 

"Take over the world?" 

"I was going to say you could kick some serious ass, but yeah, that too, I guess."

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Best Books Read in 2014 

This has turned into the best YA high fantasy I have read since Graceling. The story is vast and spans three kingdoms as well as a magical realm. It encompasses epic characters from across the kingdoms in various key roles, all of who could tip the scales in the war and in the race to find the Kindred. Sorceresses, kings, princes, princesses, rebels, and immortals.

There isn't a single character that I don't love, except perhaps the villain, King Gaius. He is a bit predictable and blinded by his thirst or power. But he is so psychotic and single-minded in his pursuit, that in a way, that makes him a great villain. He is so evil that it makes him more interesting. I didn't like Jonas too much in Falling... more

"The prince moved closer still. Before Nic could fumble for his sword to protect himself from attack, Ashur took his face between his hands and kissed him. 

Nic stood there, frozen in place. 

This was not what he'd expected. At all."

This book is amazing and unique, like absolutely nothing I have read before. I love that it is solely from Ehd's POV, it gives us such a unique perspective. When we first meet Elizabeth, its clear she is from the future from the way that Ehd describes her jeans and eyeshadow, but we have no idea where she came from or who she was. She yells and shouts at Ehd when he takes her back to his cave, but we have no idea what she is saying. I can imagine why she is afraid, but we can only guess from Ehd's observations. As time passes, we know exactly how Ehd feels about her. How she has become his #1 priority. How everything he does is the provide for her and protect her. But we can only guess how Beh feels, as Ehd does. She isn't afraid of him anymore, but she sometimes cries, and we can assume it is... more

"If she doesn't wake up, then I will just lie with her until I don't wake up either."

This book thoroughly exceeded my expectations. I loved The Lost Prince, but I think it was still missing something that the original four Iron Fey books had. I didn't even give Julie Kagawa's Blood of Eden books 5-stars. I enjoy them but they don't even come close to how much I love The Iron Fey. But The Iron Traitor has everything that I ever loved about The Iron Fey.

The sense of adventure and of being on a mission was very strong in this book. Every step they took had a purpose. The story didn't wander around at all. Even if Ethan didn't always agree with their mission's purpose, and even if they failed in the end, it still took them somewhere important. I really enjoyed getting to know all the characters better in this book, even Ethan. He was the MC so we got to know him pretty well in... more

"I loved her more than anything else in my life. My heart turned over, and the air caught in my throat. I pulled back, breathless with the realization. I... was in love."

This book was amazing! It easily made up for any issues I had with book 2. I absolutely loved the characters and the story since book 1, but in this one it seemed to grow so much more depth! Veronica Roth's writing was always good, but neither of the first two books made me think, or made me feel, like this one did.

The story took a lot of turns that I did not see coming. The breadth of the story has grown beyond anything I had anticipated. Looking back to the problems of book 1, they seem so meaningless in comparison to the things Tris and Four had to contend with in this one. And it brought everything together. I remember, when Divergent was first released and started gaining popularity, there were a few negative reviews... more

"[My mother] taught me all about real sacrifice... That it should be done for people who need your strength because they don't have enough of their own."

This book is beyond perfection. Its beyond anything that I ever could have hoped and dreamed. It was so perfect that it left me afraid for most of the experience, waiting for the other shoe to drop. I was anxious until the end. It was as if it was fanfic written by someone who was Team Warner, it had everything that we, as Warner lovers, could have ever wanted. But of course it couldn't be fanfic because only Tahereh Mafi could have ever written something so beautiful. 

The absolute best thing about this series is the transformation of the characters. I just love the way that Mafi portrayed real struggle and realistic change. Although the story was great, it was really only the backdrop for Juliette's personal story. And Warner's. They both... more

"So the two of you--I mean, together-- you two could basically--" 

"Take over the world?" 

"I was going to say you could kick some serious ass, but yeah, that too, I guess."

This wasn't quite what I had expected but I greatly enjoyed it. I read New Spring first so I expected this to be similar. New Spring was heavily political and focus mostly on magic, mythology, and intrigue. I was totally blown away by it, but I later discovered a lot of people weren't because they expected it to be like the rest of the series. I suppose its a good thing then that I read it first and was able to enjoy it. The Eye of the World had a good deal of magic but very little politics and intrigue. It was primarily an adventure. 

I know this must be simply the introduction to a much grander story, and there were certainly signs of that. With curses and prophecies and chosen ones, this is far from over. I would have known that, even... more

“Whether the bear beats the wolf or the wolf beats the bear, the rabbit always loses.”

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Best Series Discovered in 2014 

(I have only included series where I have read at least 2 installments)

I picked up this book because I was in the mood to try something new. M/M romance was something I hadn't tried yet and this one was recommended to me. But I ended up enjoying it for mostly different reasons. Fantasy has always been one of my favourite genres so it was pretty easy for me to get into this. I love stories that introduce new worlds to me, and especially worlds with their own mythology and forms of magic.

I enjoyed the idea and the story, but it wasn't as good as it could have been. There are so many things that I still don't understand about what was going on. Who some of the characters were, what their involvement is, what the magic means, who is supposed to have it, and... more

“Giving his life for another means nothing to him, because he can always have more, but for you, he'll give up his soul.”

I loved this book and I read it in one sitting. I am surprised by how easily this book drew me in even though I am usually a really tough critic of contemporaries. But this book didn't have any of the things that I usually hate about the genre.

Nix was a tough guy character, but he wasn't a bad person and he didn't follow any stereotypes or cliches about tattoo artist love interests. He was serious about his business, his family, and his friends. He had a past, but he was responsible and reliable and not an asshole.  Scotlyn is one of those super tragic heroines like Echo from Pushing the Limits or Nastya from The Sea of Tranquility, but unlike those two, Scotlyn felt entirely genuine. I didn't feel like she was a drama queen, needed... more

“I will take you from him, Scotlyn," he said with quiet confidence. "I think about you every fucking minute of the day, and I will not let you slip out of my life. I will take you from him.”

I was not expecting such a complicated story. All the Elizabeth Hoyt novels I have read in the past were more simple and mostly focused on the romance. They were still amazing stories. But this one focused a great deal on the murders in St. Giles, on the foundling home, and on Caire's complicated character. 

Caire was such a tortured character that I felt like I was reading a book by Anne Stuart or Sherrilyn Kenyon instead. Elizabeth Hoyt's Princes were never that tortured and I loved it. Tortured heroes are my absolutely favourite type of leading man. Throughout the book people kept saying he was notorious for his "unusual bedsport" or his "sexual perversions" and it kept making me nervous because I hate BDSM, but more... more

“It was a strange thing, this feeling of empathy. He'd never experienced it before. He realized that what hurt this woman hurt him as well, that what made her bleed caused a hemorrhage of pain within his soul.”

This book was adorable, as I knew it would be. I think this is now my second favourite Cassie Mae book. Since reading Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend I have kept reading all her books hoping they would be as good. They have all been great (except for maybe Switched which I wasn't a big fan of) but this one came the closest.

Levi was adorable, which I knew from How to Date a Nerd. But what I didn't know was that Sierra was so awesome. I love her weird style and how she made her own outfits. I would never wear any of it myself, but at least she was creative and unique. I liked that about her. I loved how to story was so simple and straight forward. Sierra didn't need to hatch an elaborate plan to win Levi. They just clicked. Probably the... more

“He gives me a half smile, and taps his leg with his piccolo.
He is without a doubt, the sexiest human being alive.”

This is my 13th M/M book and I absolutely loved it. Only once I had already finished this book did I find out that it was written by an author who had started out as a M/F author, and that this book was what got a lot of people into reading M/M romance in the first place. I am not a veteran of the genre, but I am not new to it either. 

This is either the smuttiest romance, or the most romantic smut that I have ever read. I am gonna lean towards calling it the most romantic smut, because really, there is no need to have that much sex in a book unless you are writing a smut. Not that I am complaining. I love a good smut. But I really can't get into a book unless there is a good foundation to the relationship before sex comes into the picture. I have... more 

""So...what's your truth, Logan?" Logan stared at him so intently that Tate wondered what was going on inside his head before he replied, "I think you are," leaving Tate speechless."

This wasn't quite what I had expected but I greatly enjoyed it. I read New Spring first so I expected this to be similar. New Spring was heavily political and focus mostly on magic, mythology, and intrigue. I was totally blown away by it, but I later discovered a lot of people weren't because they expected it to be like the rest of the series. I suppose its a good thing then that I read it first and was able to enjoy it. The Eye of the World had a good deal of magic but very little politics and intrigue. It was primarily an adventure. 

I know this must be simply the introduction to a much grander story, and there were certainly signs of that. With curses and prophecies and chosen ones, this is far from over. I would have known that, even... more

“Whether the bear beats the wolf or the wolf beats the bear, the rabbit always loses.”

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Best Authors Discovered in 2014 

I read two books by Jasinda Wilder this past year. Alpha and Wounded. They were both excellent. Alpha was more erotica, but both had a lot of turmoil and a certain darkness to them. They both explored the darkness of people and what can be forgiven and forgot. How far someone is willing to go for love and their happiness. 

Jasinda created captivating characters for both stories. People who you instantly wanted to know. People you knew had a story to tell. And did they ever. Especially Rania and Valentine. They were both fascinating and complicated characters who had been through a lot, and had done a lot, but who were not bad people and I couldn't help but love. I look forward to reading Alpha's sequel, Beta, in the coming months, and discovering new series by Jasinda Wilder.

Failte is an author who has written 9 stories on FictionPress, four of which are listed on Goodreads. This year I read his story The Girl For Me, which was absolutely amazing. It was a story that explored the relationship between a cross-dressing teenage boy, and a gay-for-you jock. It is one of the best M/M romances that I have ever read. It explores all the emotions involved in young love, not to mention all the addition complications added by Kevin's sexual confusion, and Danny's gender confusion. These two young men went through a lot together and it was one of the most complex yet beautifully simple romances I have ever read.

Anyone who can write such real characters needs more attention. I hope to explore more of Failte's stories in the coming year. 

I read two stories by Shay Savage this year. Transcendence and Otherwise Alone. Otherwise Alone is only a short story, an introduction to a longer series, but it still managed to draw a detailed picture of its characters, and made me care a great deal about what happened to them. 

I am not surprised that the author who created Ehd and Beh can so easily create likable characters for a short. I plan to continue the Evan Arden series in the coming year, as well as discovering new stories by Shay Savage.

I read two stories by Madison Parker this year. Play Me, I'm Yours, and Sock it to Me, Santa! I am pretty sure Sock it to Me, Santa! was one of the most adorable things I have ever read. It was a short I read early last month in preparation for the Christmas season. I loved it so much that I immediately went and bought Play Me, I'm Yours. 

Play Me, I'm Yours is a coming-of-age story more in the vein of Failte's The Girl for Me, but much more light-hearted. It still deals with the issues of sexual identity, teenage insecurities, and new love. It was the beautiful and sometimes painful story of Lucas' journey to discover who he is. Madison really has a way of capturing the innocence of young love.

I have not heard as many good things about Ella Frank's M/F series, but nonetheless I intend to read them. It may be that it took her time to grow into her talent. I suppose I will find out. But I find it hard to believe that the author who brought us Logan and Tate is not a formidable talent. 

The Temptation series is without a doubt my favourite M/M series; as I posted above, my second favourite new series that I discovered in 2014; and Trust is my most anticipated book of 2015. Ella Frank is my favourite discovery of 2014 and I look forward to reading her other works as I impatiently wait for the release of Trust.

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Most Anticipated Books in 2015

 

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I discovered my love of M/M romance in 2014, and it was a glorious discovery. I read my first in July and have not looked back. One of my favourite things about the romance genre in general is the "Love Conquers All" message. I most enjoy stories where a couple have to fight for their right to be together. Whether it be against family, society, or supernatural forces. M/M romance adds a whole new level of struggle through disapproval and self-realization with gay-for-you characters, which is a favourite subgenre of mine. Here are the top 5 reasons why M/M romance is my new love affair.

Best M/M Books Read in 2014 

I picked up this book because I was in the mood to try something new. M/M romance was something I hadn't tried yet and this one was recommended to me. But I ended up enjoying it for mostly different reasons. Fantasy has always been one of my favourite genres so it was pretty easy for me to get into this. I love stories that introduce new worlds to me, and especially worlds with their own mythology and forms of magic.

I enjoyed the idea and the story, but it wasn't as good as it could have been. There are so many things that I still don't understand about what was going on. Who some of the characters were, what their involvement is, what the magic means, who is supposed to have it, and... more

“Giving his life for another means nothing to him, because he can always have more, but for you, he'll give up his soul.”

This story was so sweet! It took a bit for me to adjust to an effeminate MC. I have never read a book like this before. Where the MC is a man, refers to himself as a man and has no problem admitting it, but acts and dresses like a woman. It was a bit jarring at first, until I got used to it and I could see that that is just Carson. It's just who he is and he is wonderful. 

He was also very much like Jet's usual MCs, with low self-esteem and I just could not wait to see him shown his true worth by someone. So enters Eddie, the superintendent of Carson's building, who, when he sees Carson crying over a bad break-up, gives him a single rose from his gardens. Carson cannot resist befriending the man because... more

"Eddie, you can't do this to me. I do nothing for you." 

"That's not true. You make my world bright."

I am really starting to enjoy coming of age/coming out stories. They are so sweet and innocent. I really loved Lucas. He was so vulnerable in the beginning. The kind of person who would have been picked on even if he wasn't gay, just because he was so small and socially awkward. Its really hard to believe how cruel kids can be sometimes. I really hated seeing the things Lucas' classmates did to him. It really wasn't fair. Just because he didn't defend himself and he had a passion for music? Ridiculous. He was such a great person, if they only would have given him a chance. He was smart, and he respected and loved his parents, was an honest and loyal friend to Alex and Trish. And despite all the mistreatment, he admired and loved his brother. I am so glad that he was able to get past it all in the end. I really enjoyed how the... more

"He was usually relaxed when he played. He liked to let himself be swept away from the here and now, but with Zach beside him, brushing his arm when Lucas played the high notes, he was acutely aware of where he was and what he was doing. It was an emotional piece to begin with, now intensified by his feelings for the boy sitting next to him, the physical manifestation of his own dreams of love."

I don't even know where to start. I can't say how much I loved this book. It started out feeling very much like a normal YA contemporary romance. Danny was 16 and Kevin was 17 when they met at a party, despite a few significant changes, it began to progress as expected. Kevin convinced Danny to help him with his homework and they study together after school At this point it felt like a normal "wrong side of the tracks" romance, except they are both boys, and Danny likes to wear dresses.

Kevin and Danny don't get off on the right foot, but from the beginning you can tell Kevin isn't a horrible person. He just hasn't had the right influence. From the sound of things he had some pretty horrible friends, not to mention his father. But once he befriends Danny you see... more

“I just meant that I wish you could just be you. You're great, Danny! You're fuckin' wonderful! Why do you have to be one thing or another? I... I just don't get why its so important to you to call yourself 'boy' or 'girl'!”

This is my 13th M/M book and I absolutely loved it. Only once I had already finished this book did I find out that it was written by an author who had started out as a M/F author, and that this book was what got a lot of people into reading M/M romance in the first place. I am not a veteran of the genre, but I am not new to it either. 

This is either the smuttiest romance, or the most romantic smut that I have ever read. I am gonna lean towards calling it the most romantic smut, because really, there is no need to have that much sex in a book unless you are writing a smut. Not that I am complaining. I love a good smut. But I really can't get into a book unless there is a good foundation to the relationship before sex comes into the picture. I have... more 

“You make me crazy and furious and out of my mind with need, but in the end, you make me so fucking happy.”

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Thank you for reading! And I hope I was able to help send you on the path to wonderful reading in 2015! And I wish you all the best of luck in the new year!