This book wasn't my cup of tea. I do realize that I'm not the normal demographic that Judy Leigh writes for. I usually enjoy British fiction written fThis book wasn't my cup of tea. I do realize that I'm not the normal demographic that Judy Leigh writes for. I usually enjoy British fiction written for women but I found this book to be a little too "milk toast" for me. Think Murder She Wrote but in a British seaside location, Cornwall.
Morwenna Mutton, the main character is a grandmother, librarian and a sleuth. The mystery Morwenna has to solve was extremely easy to figure out ahead of time and I must confess to smiling and evilly cackling when Morwenna gets in trouble at the end. I'd probably skip this book unless you prefer your reading material on the bland and harmless side. IMO ...more
This book was a delightful surprise. For vampire fiction written in the mid-'90s, it's very much on point with modern vampire fiction. This book, baseThis book was a delightful surprise. For vampire fiction written in the mid-'90s, it's very much on point with modern vampire fiction. This book, based in San Francisco, covers the 1840s to the present day. Very much written as a penny-dreadful, this gritty, dark tale had me looped in at the first word. This book and its sequel (Prince of the City) are fantastic. If you just like period supernatural fiction, grab this one even if you're not really into vampires. It's a darn good book. Spooky as all get out. I only wish there were more books in this series.
I wasn't aware that this book had anything to do with a vampire RPG when I listened to the audiobook of this title, so I can't comment on that aspect of this book.
Jill McCorkle, a literary legend and fellow North Carolina native brings us a story of a hospice worker, Joanna and a circle of residents at the Pine Jill McCorkle, a literary legend and fellow North Carolina native brings us a story of a hospice worker, Joanna and a circle of residents at the Pine Haven rest home in a small Eastern North Carolina town. The book in turn delves into each character's present day-to-day life and their past before they became gathered together to live out their golden years at the home. They fight, they laugh and they talk and talk. This book is very "wordy" and reads almost like a play but I loved it....more
I'm a huge fan of Rick Hautala. This book was not Rick's finest hour. This claustrophobic story deals with the main character's afterlife after he's I'm a huge fan of Rick Hautala. This book was not Rick's finest hour. This claustrophobic story deals with the main character's afterlife after he's killed in an accident on the way to committing suicide. Throw in the grim reaper, assorted wraiths, a pack of hellhounds and an evil relic that had belonged to Jack the Ripper. It's a true mishmash of darkness.
Judging from the title, I immediately thought "A gay version of Dirty Dancing?" when I first received this book for review. Well yeah...sort of...not Judging from the title, I immediately thought "A gay version of Dirty Dancing?" when I first received this book for review. Well yeah...sort of...not really. Though the book is quite similar in places, it's different enough to make for a really interesting read, albeit a little on the light side.
The main character, Archer is having no luck in landing a dancing gig in NYC when he gets hired to go to the Catskills to be part of a dance troupe at a gay resort. There he meets mega-hottie, Mateo and the sparks begin to fly but a fair amount of friction must be dealt with before the two finally fall into each other's arms.
P.S. This book would be great for a LGBTQIA+ teen or anyone that prefers a "cleaner" read. Though it does contain references to sex from time to time, it doesn't go into details....more
Anything Ronald Malfi writes is an automatic buy for me. I absolutely loved Senseless. It was a treat for us readers that the author took us to the WeAnything Ronald Malfi writes is an automatic buy for me. I absolutely loved Senseless. It was a treat for us readers that the author took us to the West coast for this dark, dark tale instead of his usual Eastern home ground. The keyword for this story is "night people". Ever wonder what's happening out there in the night while you lie in your bed all tucked in and dreaming the sweet dreams of the innocent ? This book reads like true-crime, paranormal and horror fiction. The events that take place "could" technically happen. There's a healthy dose of mystery, mental illness and gore. The town is Los Angeles and you better watch your back if you go out into the night. I gave this 4 stars instead of five because of the ending. The book just stops. Little to nothing is explained - it left me frustrated as hell. I can only hope that the author is going to write a sequel or is planning to make this into a book series (sort of Twin Peaks-ish). Maybe the author left the ending so undone to drive home the fact that sometimes in life, there are no answers....more
I didn't realize that Ghostwritten was a collection of four novelettes instead of a novel until I started the book. Normally, I shy away from collectiI didn't realize that Ghostwritten was a collection of four novelettes instead of a novel until I started the book. Normally, I shy away from collections and short stories because I have a hard time shifting gears when the mood, location and characters keep changing within the same book. But that being said, Ronald Malfi is one of my favorite writers and I'll always read everything he puts out. The theme of stories in Ghostwritten is of course, books.
The Skin of her Teeth is about a horrible book and screenplay that is quite sentient...and evil.
The Dark Brothers' Last Ride is the story of two hoods who are tasked to deliver a mysterious book in a locked briefcase cross-country, no questions asked. Will they make it ?
This Book Belongs to Olo is about a weird, lonely little boy that has a special, homemade pop-up book that enables him to do the unthinkable.
The Story is a tale about an interactive, deadly version of one of those kiddie Choose Your Own Adventure books. This ain't no children's book, folks. It's on all your electronic devices and it won't stop until it has you. This one got to me. Eerie as hell.
I really dug Ghostwritten, I'd grab it if I were you.
Joe Hempel narrates the audio book version of this book and he does a stellar job as always. A++...more
I enjoyed Witch Island. It鈥檚 a fun teenage romp that reads like an eighties slasher film. There is a lot of gore, swearing and sex talk, so maybe not I enjoyed Witch Island. It鈥檚 a fun teenage romp that reads like an eighties slasher film. There is a lot of gore, swearing and sex talk, so maybe not for the faint of heart.
It鈥檚 about an island where a witch was wrongly burned alive in the early 1900鈥檚. A ritual of nailing spikes into the ground over here burial mound is performed to ensure that the witch鈥檚 spirit is always there trapped on the island and unable to hurt anyone.
In the present time, a group of high school seniors travel out to Witch Island to throw one last party before they all go away to college. They pull the metal spikes out of the ground and accidentally free the witch who goes from person to person, inhabiting them and wrecking havoc on the small group. Before long there鈥檚 only one left... ...more
This is one of those books that you'll remember the rest of your life. Sacrificio is 100% original and quite an education. Like many Americans, I'd haThis is one of those books that you'll remember the rest of your life. Sacrificio is 100% original and quite an education. Like many Americans, I'd have to say that I don't know a whole lot about Cuba so reading this book definitely helped to increase my world view and open my eyes a bit.
You can't have a book about Cuba without a revolution can you ? This is one such revolution in the nineties involving a pair of sexually ambiguous brothers and a wayward stranger, Rafa. The older brother takes the stranger under his wing and promptly moves him into the family home. Pretty soon after that Rafa begins to get wrapped up in the brothers plans to shake up the Cuban government by purposely infecting people with HIV.
To call this a "gay" novel, isn't quite correct. This is more a novel about poverty, corrupt government, political intrigue and of course, revolution. To the people in this book. sex is just a transaction you negotiate with another person to fulfill a bodily need. Whether you decide to have gay sex or straight sex, it doesn't define who you are. Grab this book, you'll be glad....more
First of all, let me preface this by saying that I realize that I'm not the target audience for this sort of fiction, being a slightly chubby, middle-First of all, let me preface this by saying that I realize that I'm not the target audience for this sort of fiction, being a slightly chubby, middle-aged gay man but I thought I'd share my opinion on this book anyhow. This is my first Tilly Tennant book and I have to say that this book was well-written but...I found that I didn't like the main characters, Bonnie and her horrendously bitchy daughter, Paige. Bonnie is madding, wishy-washy and immature in many ways.
The book in a nutshell: 35-year-old Bonnie works in a green grocer to support herself and daughter Paige. Bonnie has crush on a member of a boy-band and wonders what it would be like if he miraculously fell in love with her. Guess what ? It happens but he turns out to be a vain, spoiled little boy. Max, the cute (age appropriate) veggie delivery guy that calls on her shop every morning wants to date her but she won't give him the time of day. Finally she realizes that she does indeed like the grocery delivery guy and goes out with him a time or two when out of the blue, Paige's father shows up and ruins everything. Poor old Max is dropped like a hot potato without much in the way of an explanation. Surely he must understands that she owes it to her daughter to try to reform a family with her ex that abandoned her two years prior without any forewarning. It really is such a mess. By the end of the book, the main characters have sort of redeemed themselves but still I find myself wanting to give Bonnie a good shake and say, "Wake up, you dummy !"
The thing with a Ronald Malfi book, you automatically know you're about to read something really good as soon as you turn to page 1. This book put me The thing with a Ronald Malfi book, you automatically know you're about to read something really good as soon as you turn to page 1. This book put me in the mind of Stephen King's IT. I liked it much more because I personally found it more relatable.
This is the story of Jamie Warren, alcoholic and a big mess. He gets a message to go back home to the wilds of West Virginia to take care of his recently deceased mother's affairs and to arrange care for his mentally-challenged little brother who was still living at home with his mother. Weird things begin to happen as soon as he arrives and before long his two best friends from childhood are there with him in the "Black Mouth" of West Virginia.
Twenty year earlier, they had met a scruffy magician from a local carnival living in the local forest who soon begins to teach them card tricks around the fire and entice them with the promise of learning "real" magic. The price to pay for this magic is too high and all sort of horrible things begin to happen due to their association with the magician. The hell they have to go through to untangled themselves from his evil influence is nothing sort of amazing.
Loved this book. Even if you're not a fan of Stephen King's IT, you'll like Black Mouth....more
This is my first Jeff Strand book and I loved it. Dweller is the life story of Toby, a kind-hearted nerd whose best friend is a monster named Owen. DwThis is my first Jeff Strand book and I loved it. Dweller is the life story of Toby, a kind-hearted nerd whose best friend is a monster named Owen. Dweller is at times sad and touching but has it's gory moments too. A monster has to eat, right ? Hoping the author will do a sequel one day.
** I actually listened to Dweller in audiobook format and was extremely impressed by the narration from Scott Thomas. A++...more
If you've decided to read this book because you think you're getting another Dancer from The Dance, you might be in for a surprise. This book is quiteIf you've decided to read this book because you think you're getting another Dancer from The Dance, you might be in for a surprise. This book is quite personal and feels more like a memoir than a novel The miasma of grief and loneliness the main character finds constantly himself in hits close to home, me being a gay man of a certain age. I adore this author but I found this book hard to read, slow and incredibly sad. I kept wanting to scream at the main character, "Do something ! Live !" Die-hard fans of Andrew Holleran will find the book extremely well-written and cohesive although I wouldn't recommend it to someone who is new to the author. ...more
Without sounding too much like a sycophant, this book was fantastic. I'm an old-ish gay man and I tried to read this novel in the 1980's when I was a Without sounding too much like a sycophant, this book was fantastic. I'm an old-ish gay man and I tried to read this novel in the 1980's when I was a teen-ager. Like John Rechy's City Of Night, I wasn't able to get very far because I didn't understand the gay lingo and euphemisms peppering the book. There was no Google to look up phrases like 鈥渟ize queen鈥� LOL ! Reading this book at age 55 made all the difference in the world.
This is the story of a beautiful man living in NYC named Malone and his drag queen friend, Sutherland who always seems to be grooming him for bigger and better things.. The time is the 70's, the great, last decade before AIDS rears it's ugly head. This story is full of drugs, cruising, partying and trips to the VD clinic. If you're looking for a "pretty" story, this is not it.
Usually, I try to discern a moral or lesson learned from each book I read. I struggled with this one. I guess I'd have to say what I learned from Dancer From The Dance is that the party always, eventually ends or maybe what I learned is that one shouldn't hesitate to get out once ennui sets in.
P.S.
I actually listened to Dancer From The Dance in audio book format and I can't recommend it highly enough. The book is superbly narrated by David Pittu (award-winning actor and two-time Tony Award nominee) who kept me completed enthralled in his narration of the book from start to finish....more
This is the story of Katherine who lives beside a lake with here husband, James where they own a small resort in Blissful Point, Massachusetts. ThingsThis is the story of Katherine who lives beside a lake with here husband, James where they own a small resort in Blissful Point, Massachusetts. Things begin to get a little strange when a little Japanese boy drowns in the lake. Katherine thinks that her husband is being moody and behaving oddly because he鈥檚 grieving for the little boy and somehow feel partly responsible but that鈥檚 not it at all. There鈥檚 so much more to this equation. We find out as the story unfolds that James is so much more than just Katherine鈥檚 husband. James is the lake.
This book is extremely well written and somewhat enigmatic as all of Mr. Gifune鈥檚 books tend to be. The creeping evil or the bogie man in his books are often unnamed and intangible. The monster is what your mind makes out of it and that will be differ from person to person. I really enjoyed this book although I found the ending too abrupt and without explanation. ...more
Loved, loved, loved this naughty book. This is a fun, dirty little book to read around the pool this summer. This is the story of three very differentLoved, loved, loved this naughty book. This is a fun, dirty little book to read around the pool this summer. This is the story of three very different women spending the summer together in the Hamptons. What these women get up to in the course of three months will blow your mind. Not for the faint-of-heart though, lots of filthy language, sex and drug use. The ending of the book is jolting. Be prepared. Wish JJ would write a sequel ....more
I loved Grimm Memorials. This is old-school, no-holes-barred horror. This is the story of a family that moves into a new house in a small in MassachusI loved Grimm Memorials. This is old-school, no-holes-barred horror. This is the story of a family that moves into a new house in a small in Massachusetts town and guess what - there's a witch living in an old, dilapidated funeral home in the forest behind their house and children are starting to go missing... Spooky, gory and not PC at all by today's standards, I loved it. ...more
I'm going to be honest, ya'll. I gave up all hope of understanding this book halfway through. This book completely confounded me. Even though I forcedI'm going to be honest, ya'll. I gave up all hope of understanding this book halfway through. This book completely confounded me. Even though I forced myself to finish this book, I still couldn't tell you what the overriding theme is. I'm a huge Paul Monette fan, btw... I'm used to his characters being somewhat enigmatic but this book took the prize in the "WTF Did I Just Read" category. ...more
I tried reading this book in the 1980's and couldn't get into it. I was a naive little country bumpkin' from western North Carolina and was completelyI tried reading this book in the 1980's and couldn't get into it. I was a naive little country bumpkin' from western North Carolina and was completely confused by the sixties gay lingo all the characters used. LOL !
Now that I'm a wise old man of 55, I decided to try reading City of Night again and absolutely got into it 100%. This book is a time machine and a true gay classic. A++...more
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