My week of: Books, Movies, Music

Hey everyone! I’m still working out how I want to blog. I’m getting so bored with my standard review format (& I’m also getting so lazy about writing posts 3+ days per week lol) so I might do a few of these weekly posts instead, that cover a little bit of everything.

As always, thank you for hanging in there with me and wild swings regarding designs and blogging style.

Books!


Him by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy (NA, m/m) ~ Goodreads

My thoughts: I’m a big fan of both authors (particularly Kennedy for the humor in her books – my reading kryptonite) & Him did not disappoint. Friends to lovers story that was sweet, romantic, sexy and fun! Perfect book to pull me our of contemporary romance slump.

This Much Space (Twelve Beats in a Bar #2) by K.K. Hendin (NA) ~ Goodreads

My thoughts: The first 40% (on my Kindle) of this book was almost sheer perfection. The heroine, Olivia, is plus size, funny, smart, confidant, has a healthy sexual libido and great friends. This book avoids almost all of the typical clichés and I was thrilled.

Unfortunately, the second half of the book changes tone so abruptly that it was jarring, even though it handled the topic of self harm (of Olivia’s love interest, Thierry) very well. There were also numerous editing issues like poor sentence structure, incorrect words. The dialogue, during conversations, that was confusing enough that I had to go back to figure out which characters were speaking.

Most people weren’t bothered by this according to the Goodreads reviews, so give it a try if you’re looking for a NA that read more like chick-lit.

With better editing, I would love to read more books by this author. It was a refreshing voice in the genre. And I have to give kudos to whoever managed to get the accurate, plus size model on the gorgeous cover!

Movies!

Ant-Man ~ IMDb

My thoughts: I was so surprised by how much I loved this movie! It was fresh, fun, had great special effects, lots of action, that didn’t involve the generic blowing up of a big city, and a lot of heart. As with all Marvel movies – make sure you stay for after the credits for a bonus scene. 

Music!

Jack Garratt – Weathered – love this song & the lyrics. The video has the perfect summer/coming of age vibe.

Review: 2015 5 Star Reads: Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Challenger Deep, Lies We Tell Ourselves

I rarely give out 5 stars, never mind being able to give three in a short span of time. It’s not that these books were perfect (all three had very minor issues) but that they made me feel, gave me a new perspective and had me thinking of the characters long after I finished reading.

All three are YA and had a unique (to me) way of shining a light on important topics ranging from coming out, racism, and schizophrenia.

1st up!

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
by Becky Albetalli

Source: Purchased

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.  ~ Goodreads

My thoughts: Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda was a rare blend of sweet and tender while still being raw, honest and unflinching.

There is a cute, slow building romance between Simon and a mystery pen pal, but it was Simon’s struggle and fear about coming out to his friends and family that really tugged at my heart. This was one of the few YA books that I’ve read that really captured the changing dynamics between friends as you grow and change. 

Despite my coming of age experiences being totally different than Simon’s, I could really relate to him. Simon is adorable but not in that pretentious, hip way that YA characters often are. He feels real.

This is the kind of book that leaves you happy and on a book reading high.

***

Challenger Deep
by Neal Shusterman

Source: Finished copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Caden Bosch is on a ship that's headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench.

Caden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behavior.

Caden Bosch is designated the ship's artist in residence, to document the journey with images.

Caden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head.

Caden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny.

Caden Bosch is torn.

A captivating and powerful novel that lingers long beyond the last page, Challenger Deep is a heartfelt tour de force by one of today's most admired writers for teens. ~ Goodreads

My thoughts: Challenger Deep is not an easy book to read and while there’s a fantasy element (I’ll get to that in a second), this isn’t a romanticized depiction of mental illness. Shusterman unflinchingly explores Caden’s mindset as he goes from mild obsession and paranoia to full blown hallucinations and schizophrenia.

The chapters alternate between Caden’s real life – interactions with family, friends etc and his fantasy world on a pirate ship filled with a crew that Caden can’t differentiate between friend or foe, as they try to reach Challenger Deep – the deepest place on earth.

At first this doesn’t make a lot of sense, as you jump around between the two, but then you start spotting connections. This is one of those rare cases that I recommend reading spoilers for the book first, especially if you are struggling and trying to decide whether to continue. It won't ruin the story in any way and not understanding how the two worlds are connected could deter you from finishing and that would be a shame. (In fact, my mother in law read this one before me and didn’t really like it until the second half but wants to read it again now that she knows what it all means.)

SPOILER! Highlight below if you would like to read –>

Caden’s reality overlaps with his adventures on the ship as a metaphor for his descent into mental illness, his fight for control of his thoughts, and his treatment at Seaview Hospital’s psychiatric unit. The crewmen of the ship resemble fellow patients, Dr’s and even the voices in his head and ultimately schizophrenia itself. <--- END SPOILER!

Challenger Deep was one of most riveting books I’ve read this year and offered a glimpse into a world that’s not often depicted so honestly or worse, with a - isn't being manic fun!!! - vibe.

Shusterman has personal experience with the subject, as his son, Brendan, (who also contributed artwork to the novel) has been affected by the disease.

I don’t think I’ve ever read anything so powerful on the subject, that educated me, yet left me entertained. There wasn’t anything fun about Caden’s journey, but it’s a surprisingly hopeful book and a must read for any family dealing with mental illness or for anyone seeking to understand and have compassion for people who are so often on the fringe of our society.

***

Lies We Tell Ourselves
by Robin Talley

Source: arc from BEA 2014

In 1959 Virginia, the lives of two girls on opposite sides of the battle for civil rights will be changed forever.

Sarah Dunbar is one of the first black students to attend the previously all-white Jefferson High School. An honors student at her old school, she is put into remedial classes, spit on and tormented daily.
Linda Hairston is the daughter of one of the town's most vocal opponents of school integration. She has been taught all her life that the races should be kept "separate but equal."

Forced to work together on a school project, Sarah and Linda must confront harsh truths about race, power and how they really feel about one another.

Boldly realistic and emotionally compelling, Lies We Tell Ourselves is a brave and stunning novel about finding truth amid the lies, and finding your voice even when others are determined to silence it. ~ Goodreads

My thoughts:  I received this book at BEA in 2014 and I’m ashamed to say that once I got it home it got pushed into the background by a wave of newer, shinier, prettier books. After disappointment with the newer, shinier books, I decided to go outside my comfort zone and give this one a try and I’m SO glad I did. Lies We Tell Ourselves is an extremely powerful story.

We talk a lot about “strong heroines” but what we usually mean is a girl who can kick ass with her fighting/ninja/sword skills. I can’t think of anything that says strength more than being a young black girl, with the weight of an entire movement on your back, walking past a crowd of white people (including adults parents, teachers, policemen - that should protect you – but don’t), who are screaming racial slurs, throwing stones, stalking you and your friends in the halls, while you stoically and bravely walk on in silence, just for the chance for a better education.

This book hurt to read at times. It was based in a fictional town during the very non fictional school court ordered integration of black students into white schools in the south in 1959. Yet I could see so much of what happened in this book, in the present day, 2015, headlines as I watched the news every night.

The book is told in the alternating pov’s of Sarah, the girl integrating, and Linda, who is a student and vocal opponent of integration. It was interesting to get both perspectives and see how Linda came by her views and watch them change as she gets to know Sarah.

Sarah’s pov was complex, which I loved. At first she is proud to be part of the first group of students attending a white school but even though she expected resistance, she couldn’t predict the level of hatred and violence directed at her and her friends. She struggles with making her parents proud by succeeding but also wanting to keep her little sister, also a student integrating into the school, safe. At a certain point she just wants to go back to her old school and old friends and let someone else lead the movement. Who wouldn’t want that? As a kid or as an adult – but she perseveres.

There is a slight romance between Linda and Sarah and at first I wasn’t sure that the book needed that additional layer but I think, in the end, it mostly worked. Sarah’s family is part of the NAACP and leading the charge for equality, but how would they feel if they knew their daughter was attracted to another girl? It puts Sarah, who is already fighting prejudice on one front ,on shaky ground even at home as she struggles with her feelings and how they fit into her faith.

I always find it interesting that one group fights so hard for equality then discriminates against something they don’t understand. Often using the same arguments used against them. I thought that was an interesting twist and relevant even though I didn’t completely understand Sarah’s attraction to Linda.

Linda’s eyes are opened once she really sees Sarah as a human being but she always seems to see Sarah as the exception – not the rule. As in, Sarah is an intelligent Negro so she deserves rights but I’m not so sure about the other ones… She makes HUGE strides throughout the book and I guess it’s better to not have the Hollywood ending where she makes a complete, unrealistic 180 on something she was raised and literally beaten into believing. It just hindered the romance aspect for me. But that is really such a small part of this book.

Lies We Tell Ourselves was a beautiful story that showed two young girls with strengths and flaws learning to do what was right not only for a cause – but what was right for them. Really well done!

---

I know some people, ahem – including myself - tend to stay clear of *issue* books, thinking they'll be boring, but I hope you give these three a try. For those that are always complaining about how all YA is the same, or seek more diversity, these offer a refreshingly honest, lighter on the romance, look at issues affecting young adults in a way that’s honest, yet hopeful.

I’m Watching…Trainwreck, Catastrophe, Scrotal Recall, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

Trainwreck – Starring Amy Shumer, Bill Hader Directed by Judd Apatow ~ IMDB

A gender swap RomCom where the woman is a hard drinking, commitment phobe and the men in her life want more.

If you love Inside Amy Shumer on Comedy Central (I do) or Judd Apatow movies (meh) – you’ll enjoy Trainwreck. If you’re easily offended by crude humor or frank sex talk, then this probably isn't the movie for you. If you do then you’ll love it. 

Not every joke is a hit (& some cross the line IMO) but Trainwreck was a solid RomCom with a surprising amount of heart. I especially loved Lebron James, Tilda Swinton and John Cena as the supporting cast.

***



Catastrophe  S1 - 6 episodes on Amazon (free with Amazon Prime) ~ IMDB

Rob an American businessman, gets Sharon, an Irish schoolteacher, in her 40’s, pregnant while hooking up for a week during a trip to London.

Cute series that explores a few things; a fish out of water (Rob relocating to London for Sharon & the baby), getting pregnant while older and an instant relationship. It’s a little uneven but I loved how both Rob and Sharon are good people and kind to each other – yet pragmatic - not overly sappy or sentimental - but still sweet. 

***



Scrotal Recall  S1 - 6 episodes Netflix ~ IMDB

That title makes this show seem way raunchier than it really is. Scrotal Recall is about Dylan, who finds out that he has an STD, then has to go back and inform each of his sexual partners. Every episode is the origin story of the different girls Dylan has slept with and now has to tell about the STD.

Just like Catastrophe, some episodes are funnier than others, and honestly, I didn’t love Dylan. He was a passive, whiner but I did LOVE his BFF’s, especially Luke, who I think, was supposed to be the unlikable man whore. He made the series for me. He wasn’t wishy washy like Dylan and had a surprising amount of honesty and integrity in him.

***



Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell 7 episodes BBCA ~  IMDB

In 19th century, alternate history England, Mr. Norrell wishes to bring respectability back to magic and agrees to mentor novice magician, Jonathan Strange.

The two men’s styles clash and and they unleash a powerful fairy and Raven King.

I’m always a bit lost when I watch historical series but I caught on pretty quickly and really enjoy this one. It’s based on a novel of the same name by Susanna Clarke. Even though I haven’t read it yet, the mini series does have a book vibe, if you know what I mean. I can almost sense where they had to cut character and plot development because of time constraints and I would like to read the book at some point.

The main characters are very well developed but I imagine some of the more interesting supporting cast are more fleshed out in the book.

What have you guys been watching? Any recommendations?

Enjoy the Little Things...

I'm sorry if you already read/commented on this but I had to repost becasue blogger ate the first one - I did get all your comments though. Hmmmfh!


And now I'm too lazy to add all the details of each pic back into the post. Cute dog...flowers...food...art work from Shake Shack....blah blah blah..... lol

What little things are you're happy about this week?

Review: Focus on Me (In Focus #2) by Megan Erickson

Colin Hartman can now add college to his list of failures. On the coast-to-coast trek home from California, Colin stops at a gas station in the Nevada desert, and can’t help noticing the guy in tight jeans looking like he just stepped off a catwalk. When he realizes Catwalk is stranded, Colin offers a ride.

Riley only intended to take a short ride in Colin’s Jeep to the Grand Canyon. But one detour leads to another until they finally find themselves tumbling into bed together. However there are shadows in Riley’s eyes that hide a troubled past. And when those shadows threaten to bury the man whom Colin has fallen in love with, he vows to get Riley the help he needs. For once in his life, quitting isn’t an option.

~ Goodreads

Source: e-arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

My thoughts:

Oh how I loved this book!

Both Colin and Riley are flawed, wonderful characters that face difficult choices, responsibilities and future if they are to going work things out long term with each other.

This book gets so many things right dealing with the serious topic of mental health. Something that's not often done well in romance - especially in NA - where the magical orgasm solves all.

I totally bought into their romance and dedication to each other even though they just met. The relationship moves at a fairly quick pace but it works thanks to the road trip setup. Being stuck in a car, on the road for days will speed things up for ya! lol

There are plenty of laughs, love, fun and sexy times in Focus on Me despite the heavy topics but Erickson doesn’t shy away from the truth of depression or it's impact on loved ones. This book felt fresh, insightful and honest. Every time I thought she'd whip out a trope or line I've read a 100 times before to *fix* things, she didn't take the easy way out or use sexy times to solve things. This was no easy road for Coiln and Riley and I'm in awe of how the author made such a potentially sad story beautiful and even had me smiling this huge grin by the end.

Colin is in way over his head with Riley’s issues and he knows it – seeking outside help from *GASP* adults even though it means he might anger or lose Riley in the process. 

She also addresses something rarely discussed - men and body image. I think this is going to be a huge problem for men in the future because of our obsession with 6 pack abs - I already see young boys and men who won't walk around without a shirt on if they don't have them. Societies quest for perfection seems to be spreading despite minor progress with women in some advertising. But that's a rant for somewhere else. lol

I LOVED the first book in the series, Trust the Focus (& there are JusLan cameos) but I loved this one even more and I could have easily spent another 100 pages with these characters.

I’m watching: Sense8, Mr. Robot & more…

Sense8 - Netflix

Sense8 is about eight strangers from around the globe (Mexico City, Nairobi, Mumbai, Reykjavik, Seoul, Berlin, Chicago, and San Francisco) who are telepathically connected. As the show goes on, they share emotions, skills and can even travel through time and space to *visit* each other when needed.

I have to say the first 2 episodes are pure WTF-ery. I had no clue what was going on, who anyone was, or what the point of this show was. If you can make it to episodes 3&4 you’ll start getting (a few) answers and become attached to the characters enough to keep going. If you don’t like it by episode 4 I would say you probably should give up. It doesn’t really change in tone and it’s a wildly uneven series. Some episodes are pure brilliance while others drag so you have to feel invested enough to watch.

Diversity is the selling point for this show. It’s breathtaking in scope. I felt like I was plunged into other countries and cultures with each episode. The show occasionally gets caught up in it’s own high concept, lingering on scenes for too long just to make a point but it’s hard to fault a show for pushing the envelope this way.

For a while I couldn’t understand why I kept watching when I’m SO impatient with other shows this confusing but I realized that Sense8 takes a different approach to showing humanity. While most shows – especially on cable – show the worst of us and glorify that, Sense8 shows the best of us. 8 wildly diverse strangers, seemingly unconnected, fight to help each other and figure out their predicament. Are they perfect? Not at all, but it’s nice to finally have characters you feel good rooting for. 

I also had to surrender and read Wikipedia to finally learn everyone's names lol

Heads up: There is a graphic sex/nudity but I didn’t find it to be *gazey* or exploitive so it didn’t really bother me.

This is a fun article with 29 Powerful Quotes From Sense8 on BuzzFeed

***

Mr. Robot – USA

Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek) works as a cyber-security whiz kid by day at Allsafe and is a vigilante hacker by night until the Fsociety – led by Mr. Robot (Christian Slater) – recruits him to join his team of hackers in taking down E-Corp – the company he’s paid to protect in his day job.

I’m not sure I understand all the intricacies of the hacking, E-Corp, or Fsociety yet but Elliot as a morphine fueled, unreliable narrator (anti?) hero is fascinating. He’s socially awkward and uses his hacking to feel closer to people and avenge his friends. What he’s doing is obviously wrong yet who wouldn’t want to see a cheating asshole or child porn perpetrator taken down. You’re never quite sure if what’s going on is real or an exaggeration of Elliot’s drug fueled mind.

I also like the way the show has portrayed the women in Elliot’s life so far. Although they are there because of Elliot – they have their own personalities and flaws.

I can’t say I’m 100% hooked yet but it’s got enough going for it, especially with Rami Malek, to keep me watching for now.

***

Summer movies…
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – I didn’t love the book all that much but I enjoyed the movie more. It was VERY quirky – hit or miss but cute.

Jurassic World – Decent summer popcorn movie. I went to see Chris Pratt but they didn’t really give him much to do and I didn’t hate Bryce Dallas Howard’s character as much as everyone else seemed to. Yeah – she started out uptight but then got pretty badass IMO.

Inside Out – Adorable! Younger kids will love all the bright colors and slapstick jokes but I think this one was secretly made for adults. It brings up a lot of bittersweet memories of youth and will probably make parents with kids tear up a few times as they think about their babies growing up.

Spy – I thought this movie was going to one big fat joke at Melissa McCarthy’s expense but thankfully it wasn’t. Loads of fun – lots of laughs. Make sure you stay for the credits. GREAT blooper scene with Melissa and Jason Statham.

Mad Max: Fury Road – I didn’t like this movie. There – I said it! lol I think I’m the only one (other than 3 people I saw it with – they didn’t like it either).

DVD/Cable
The Duff – So different than the book – which is fine but it lost it’s heart IMO. It was an ok movie and very well cast but it ended up being just another generic teen movie that I’ve seen dozens of times already.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day – A fun, silly, slightly over-the-top family film!

Review housekeeping…mini's

I did manage to get in a lot of reading during my break. It was hit or miss. I’m getting really bored with most contemporary romance. I fell like I’m reading the same stories over & over again. I have been mixing up my genres which helps but I’m a sucker for a swoony romance and I’m just not finding any that give me butterflies ya know?

Any-hoo here’s what I’ve been reading with mini reviews so I’m all caught up….

Genre: Contemporary Romance


Serving Pleasure by Alisha Rai (Source: purchased) ~ Goodreads
Hungry for a touch…
Rana Malik is over being her family’s resident black sheep. She’s on a mission: ditch the casual hook-ups, revamp her bad-girl image, and fall in love with a proper Mr. Right even her conservative mama can’t find fault with. Not on the menu? The beautiful, brooding Mr. Right Now who lives next door, and all the ways he whets her appetite.

Starving for love…
Artist Micah Hale had it all–women, success, friends and family–until his world changed in a single act of senseless violence. Now struggling to conceal his scars and get his life and career back on track, he knows he has nothing to offer a woman except his body. He’s not looking for love…but he can’t control his craving for the sexy bombshell voyeur he’s caught looking at him.
Just one bite.

Their attraction boils over, and their defenses are stripped off along with their clothes. They promise they’ll walk away if it gets too hot. But it’s hard to do the right thing…when being wrong feels so good.

My thoughts: Serving Pleasure is scorching hot with two strong, complex characters yet – I couldn’t get rid of my sense of déjà vu while reading to the point where I seriously thought I had read this already – but I hadn’t. I think these sex scenes are all becoming a blur to me at this point. There are only so many ways to write voyeurism maybe? And the reformed bad girl/brooding hero trope seems to be all I’m reading right now. It was well done but didn’t grab my attention in the way that I had hoped.

I loved Rana’s relationship with her sisters and mother. It’s a complicated dynamic and was more interesting to me than the romance. I would still highly recommend this one to people who aren’t as burned out on contemp romance as I seem to be right now.

***


The Hurricane by R.J. Prescott (Source: e-arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review) ~ Goodreads

Emily McCarthy is living in fear of a dark and dangerous past. A gifted mathematician, she is little more than a hollow, broken shell, trying desperately to make ends meet long enough to finish her degree.

Through an unlikely friendship with the aging, cantankerous owner of an old boxing gym, Em is thrown into the path of the most dangerous man that she has ever met.

Cormac “the Hurricane” O’Connell is cut, tattooed and dangerous. He is a lethal weapon with no safety and everyone is waiting for the mis-fire. He’s never been knocked out before, but when he meet Em he falls, HARD. Unlike any other girl he’s ever met, she doesn’t want anything from him, but just being around her makes him want to be a better person.

They are polar opposites who were never meant to find each other, but some things are just worth the fight.

My thoughts: The Hurricane is sweet and sexy. Cormac falls for Emily right away. Yeah, it was insta-love for him but I could see it from his pov and he worked hard to earn her love and respect. I’ve got to give him credit for that. He was a little too possessive for my taste and this one isn’t breaking any new ground for the genre – it’s very predictable and a tad cliché but like I said – sweet.

---

Genre: LGBTQIA


The Girl Next Door (Bend or Break #3) by Amy Jo Cousins (Source: e-arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review) ~ Goodreads

When it comes to love, go big or go home.

Charles “Cash” Carmichael traded his high-rise condo and family-firm career for a job coaching soccer for Chicago’s inner-city kids. He’s adjusting to living on minimum wage when his young cousin, newly out and running away from home, shows up on his less-than-luxurious doorstep.

Angsty teens definitely aren’t Cash’s thing. He needs local backup, and there’s only one name he can think of: Stephany Tyler. Back in the day, the bisexual Steph was the perfect friend with benefits until she fell in love with a woman.

To his relief, his former friend steps up to the plate. Soon, though, Cash finds himself feeling the familiar need to keep her in his bed, and in his life. But Steph, burned by the ex-girlfriend and by the absentee dad she’s been trying to connect with, won’t risk her heart again.

Good thing Cash believes in leaving it all on the field. If he can just convince Steph to get in the game, there’s a chance they can both win.

Warning: This book contains ex-friends with benefits crossing boundaries a second time, several steamy encounters on staircases, copious discussions about gay sex from a “straight” guy, a shout-out to magic buttons, and an especially memorable going away threesome.

My thoughts: I’m so bummed that I didn’t like this one more. I LOVED Cash & Stephanie in Bend or Break #1 – Off Campus, and Amy Jo Cousins is an auto buy author for me but The Girl Next Door didn’t wow me the way I thought it would. (I should point out that everyone else loved it)
Cash and Stephanie are wonderful but I felt like Cash's pov was more *tell* than *show*. It was told entirely from his pov and I guess I expected to see more of Steph than we did.

Also, Cash works as a coach in inner city Chicago and there are a lot of statistics that read kind of flat to me (even though I whole heartedly support what the author was trying to explore - poverty, the suicide rate of young gay men - I just think she did it better in On Campus - without it feeling like bullet points).

But still great chemistry with all the characters, both old and new, and lots of humor and sexy times, including a threesome which I know will be a big hit for a lot of readers but isn't my thing.

***


A Fashionable Indulgence by K.J Charles (e-arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review – pub date: August 11, 2015) ~ Goodreads

When he learns that he could be the heir to an unexpected fortune, Harry Vane rejects his past as a Radical fighting for government reform and sets about wooing his lovely cousin. But his heart is captured instead by the most beautiful, chic man he’s ever met: the dandy tasked with instructing him in the manners and style of the ton. Harry’s new station demands conformity—and yet the one thing he desires is a taste of the wrong pair of lips.

After witnessing firsthand the horrors of Waterloo, Julius Norreys sought refuge behind the luxurious facade of the upper crust. Now he concerns himself exclusively with the cut of his coat and the quality of his boots. And yet his protégé is so unblemished by cynicism that he inspires the first flare of genuine desire Julius has felt in years. He cannot protect Harry from the worst excesses of society. But together they can withstand the high price of passion.

My thoughts: I enjoyed Charles Think of England. It was romantic, filled with humor and a little intrigue. A Fashionable Indulgence sounded like it would be similar, despite being a new series and it was!

Harry and Julius could not be more different and I loved how they came together. Plenty of (good) angst, sexy times and a wonderful supporting cast of characters made for another fun read by K.J. Charles.

I really enjoy how this author writes relationships. It’s a bumpy path and they both make more than a few errors in judgment but her characters show plenty of growth by the end and you believe in their HEA.

***


In Front of God and Everyone (Pay it Forward #1) by ( Source: copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review) ~ Goodreads

Most people called it a cult. But for twenty years, Josh and Caleb called it home.
On the Compound, there is no television. No fast food. Just long hours of farm work and prayer on a dusty Wyoming ranch, and nights in a crowded bunkhouse. The boys of the Compound are kept far from the sinners’ world.
But Joshua doesn’t need any help from TV or porn to sin. His whole life, he’s wanted his best friend, Caleb. By day they work side by side. Only when Josh closes his eyes at night can they be together in the way he’s always craved.
Yet it can never be. And his survival depends on keeping his terrible desires secret.

Caleb has always protected Josh against the worst of the bullying at the Compound. But he has secrets of his own, and a plan to get away — until it all backfires, and Josh finds himself homeless in a world that doesn’t want him.

Luckily, there is someone who does. But can Caleb find him in time? And will they find a place of safety, where he can admit to Josh how he really feels?

Warning: Contains a hot male/male romance, copious instances of taking the Lord's name in vain, love against the kitchen counter, and evidence that canvas work trousers can truly be sexy.

My thoughts: Joshua and Caleb live in a bigamist cult where only people deemed useful to the group are allowed to stay. Caleb is high ranking and from a prominent family and is safe (for now) but his best friend Joshua isn’t very useful and is fearful for what comes next for him.

The time at the compound is intense and scary to read about. Joshua has what he believes is sinful, unrequited feelings for Caleb. Oh the longing Josh felt for Caleb was so damn heartbreaking but sweet!

Once they escape the drama shifts to everyday living, like finding a car, jobs etc and isn’t quite as interesting or dramatic as the life in the compound but this was a nice, relatively low angst romance. I also liked how even though this was a m/m romance, the author explored the issues regarding women living in the cult. It wasn’t easy to read at times but it was written well.

I want to point out that despite the title, this book isn’t really about God at all. Other than the men originating from a cult. It’s about being brave enough to be yourself “in front of God and everyone”

Music: X Ambassadors

Ok I'm back with new music! I didn't listen to much on my break. *gasp* Kevin told me about this band. What do you guys think? And what have you been listening to this summer?

X Ambassadors

Renegade

Lowlife

Taking a little break...

 Soooo....I've been in quite the blogging slump.

My reading slump is OVER so yay! But my urge to write reviews or blog is pretty much zilch at the moment. Also, we're having a new roof installed that is taking insanely long (1 1/2 weeks and counting) and it's so noisy here that I can't get much of anything done anyway.

Instead I've been redesigning my blog - which I really need to stop doing at some point - but I've developed something of an addiction to Etsy digital clipart. It's like the new .99 ebook download for me. lol

Any hoo I saw the cute yoga dog/cat clipart and had to use them somewhere so voila!

To be honest I'm not sure how much longer I'll be hanging in there with this whole blogging thing. So many of my friends have left or are considering leaving. The desire to crank out *thoughtful* reviews is gone for me. I just want to say "Hey - read it!" & ignore anything I don't like. But personally, I like a mix of good and bad reviews, so it feels weird for me to only be positive and ignore what I don't like. And I want to talk about other things besides books. Hopefully you'll hang in here with me. You always have and THANK YOU!

So this is my last ditch effort to stay. I have this new design and if I feel the urge to do anything other than mild tweaks (which still need to be done - font colors etc) I quit!

I'll be taking next week off and maybe one more if the roof doesn't get done. I need quiet to read and blog and don't seem to be getting that anytime soon.

Happy and safe 4th of July to those who celebrates and a wonderful relaxing summer to everyone!

I'll leave you with a few pics of Beau who knows how to ignore stress and chill....