I hate being the first review for a new author. I really hate it, because my opinion is just that! It's simply my opinion, and I always wan*2.5 stars*
I hate being the first review for a new author. I really hate it, because my opinion is just that! It's simply my opinion, and I always want to encourage new authors to keep plugging away. However, I had some issue with this one.
I actively seek out Hanukkah stories because they are trickier to find than Christmas stories, and I like to see a variety of people, like little ol' me, represented. The Hanukkah element in this story was sort of background, which I didn't mind, but it still felt holiday enough to me, in a mild, mish-mosh way.
Though I found the storyline of the pregnant trans-man best friend really intriguing, I didn't connect with the main storyline at all. The pacing in the beginning was really off. Allen's day goes comically, over-the-top (in a bad, unrealistic way) awful, and then he is in a new location without a job super quickly. I didn't think that the set-up worked in a novella format because it felt too rushed and too forced.
The romance was also extremely rushed with just a few scenes of Allan and Lucy together. There was an awkward-feeling sex scene, but I didn't get any sense of why the two were together, other than convenience. It didn't work for me.
While I found parts of the story interesting, and I liked that it was a Hanukkah story, and a diverse one at that, I had trouble with lots of it too. I hope the author really expands and fleshes out the romance in the future.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*...more
The more I sat on this review, the less I liked the story.
I'm a HUGE fan of well done Hanukkah stories. My people deserve awesome holiday *2.5 stars*
The more I sat on this review, the less I liked the story.
I'm a HUGE fan of well done Hanukkah stories. My people deserve awesome holiday stories too, so I'm always on the look out for great Hanukkah stories that remind me of the joy, fun, and family drama that the Jewish holidays bring.
Ner Li was a fast, easy read, but it had a few glaring issues. First of all, it was way too didactic for my tastes. When I read a Christmas story, I don't get the whole history of Jesus and the manger and however that morphed into a fat man bringing presents. No, I simply get a story about the spirit of giving and community and family during Christmas, most of the time at least. When I read a Hanukkah romance, I'm expecting a story mostly about a Jewish guy (or guys or gals) during the holidays. I don't need a whole lesson about Hanukkah, especially in such a short story where I'd want more of the focus to be on relationship development.
The romance was sweet but a touch too stalkery for my taste. It had some good elements, but the length of the story was too short to do much with the two MCs.
I'm a big Cardeno C. fan, especially when CC delivers, and I think that happened with th[image]
*3.5 stars*
Jewish comfort food for Jews and Goys alike.
I'm a big Cardeno C. fan, especially when CC delivers, and I think that happened with these two stories. Cardeno C. is my go-to for Jewish MC romance, and these two Hanukkah stories really hit the mark.
In Another Life
I'm not always a fan of John Solo. The way he narrates sometimes irritates me, and I've made some comments in previous reviews about not liking the sound of his voice, especially for certain characters. Here, it irritated me less than usual, and I was surprised that I actually enjoyed his narration. By far the best that I've heard from him.
This story was over the top and TOTAL insta-love, which is usually a big pet peeve of mine, but I actually... sort of liked it here! The story is told in an interesting way, and I dug that. Plus, hot Jewish doctors are sort of my weakness...
It was sweet, moving, and pretty romantic. 3.5 stars
Eight Days
Eight Days reminded me a bit of Walk With Me, in a good way. It is a second chance romance between two life-long friends, whose relationship has evolved over time.
Maccabe was a bit harder to like than Josh, with his back and forth and the inconsistent portrayal of his relationship with baseball. I found myself getting frustrated with him, but I still enjoyed the dynamic between him and Josh, overall.
What made this story was the stellar narration from one of my faves, Nick J. Russo, who always kills it. He is my go-to in M/M romance these days. His voice was sexy, compelling, and not over-acted. I really liked his performance. 3.5 stars
*Audiobook ARC provided in exchange for an honest review*
Andrew Isaac Baschnagel. Now THAT'S a name of a guy I'm interested in. *Jew Alert*
I've really enjoyed each and every book in this series, espe[image]
Andrew Isaac Baschnagel. Now THAT'S a name of a guy I'm interested in. *Jew Alert*
I've really enjoyed each and every book in this series, especially the to DIE for The Understatement of the Year, which is expertly narrated, BTW, and Blonde Date was another good one. Again, Saskia Maarleveld does a decent job reading, but there is something about her voice that sounds too old for NA to me. Nick Podehl was awesome again as the slightly dorky and awesome Andy.
What impressed me most about this book was the fab sex-positive message (even when you are doubting yourself- every girl has been there!), and the lovely beta hero male MC. I am totally gaga over a beta man, and a Jewish beta man who plays sports?! Now I'm verklempt!
Short, sweet, and well done, I hope we get more stories out of these characters in the future. Awesome again, Sarina Bowen!
Guys! How freakin' cool is the premise for this story?! Witches and their familiars, who are people/animal shifters? I'm in love!
This story was another brilliant concept from the mind of Jordan L. Hawk, who is known for her blend of historical and paranormal, with a dash of mystery/horror thrown in.
I have a real weakness for historical romance, it turns out, so I really loved that this book was set in long ago New York (my stomping grounds). I also REALLY loved the witch/familiar concept (can you tell?!?!), and the two police forces... really all of it.
This book had SO much going for it, especially with the MCs and their strong character development. I fell hard for Cicero (just sounds like a cat name!) and Tom, and thought that they were really well-conceived, well written characters. I dug them immensely, and I liked their chemistry together. I think I could have used even more sexual tension and build-up between them, but that might just be me and my particular tastes.
What I wish we got a little more of was overall world-building. I had SO many questions about the shifting, the magic, the division between non-magic users and magic users, the structure of the world... everything. I can't help but compare this book to my gold standard of historical-paranormals, K.J. Charles, who I think really knocks it out of the park every time.
While I wanted a little more from the setting, I was very happy with the characters and the diversity among them. I saw POC and Jews (I'm always on the lookout for Jews in historicals in non-tragic settings!), which made me immensely happy.
So much potential here, and I'm beyond excited to see where this series will take me....more
24/7 is the fourth book in the Subs Club series, and it is by far my least favorite. This book was very different from the ones before it. It is extre24/7 is the fourth book in the Subs Club series, and it is by far my least favorite. This book was very different from the ones before it. It is extremely angsty and serious, without the humor from the previous books. While it fit Gould's character and where his story arc would take him, it was a difficult book for me to read and get through.
A few warnings before I start. This book is a M/F/M story, with the "F" in the middle as the operative word. If you are expecting a relationship where all three partners are equal in their feelings for one another, you would be wrong (more on that later). It also focuses a lot of the grief that Gould is still feeling from Hal's death, including thoughts of self-harm, obsessive thoughts and actions, and many unhealthy behaviors. There is also some pretty heavy humiliation kink, as well as a master-slave relationship.
I could probably talk about this book for a week and not get all my feelings about it on page. I'm a huge fan of J.A. Rock, and this book was another example of how well written and thoughtful her book are. She is a very smart writer, and I could tell that she really examined how she thought Gould's relationship would go with Greg and Kel. There are also tons of interesting themes in this story, including interracial relationships, religion, overweight MCs, and the definitions of sexuality. I admire J.A. Rock greatly for all of that.
I'll start with the discussion of the relationship between Gould and Kel and Greg. Gould is bisexual, a Kinsey five (as he describes himself). However, his primary interest in his relationship with Kel and Greg is with Kel. He wants to worship Kel and be with her, and Greg is more like a friend with benefits that just happens to be long for the ride. Similarly, Greg's interest is in pleasing Kel, and Gould is something like a deep friendship for him.
I found Greg's view of his sexuality to be endlessly interesting. Greg identifies as straight but hetero-flexible. Though he has sex with Gould and kisses him, he still views himself as straight because he isn't attracted to men, as a rule. There is a LARGE discussion on bisexuality and bi-erasure here, before you all jump in, so don't worry on that account. I just happened to find it interesting that Greg says that his self-identifying as straight is simply what he feels most comfortable with. On a personal level, I could really identify with Greg. I consider myself straight, but I could also see becoming intimate with a woman and enjoying it, especially in a charged, erotic BDSM setting. I got Greg's POV, on this topic, totally.
There were also some really interesting discussions on religion and race, as Greg is both Indian and Native American. I really liked when Greg and Gould started discussing all of these issues about BDSM that I've been curious about but never asked.
What I really struggled with in terms of Greg/Kel/Gould's relationship was the fact that all three characters weren't in love with each other, at least not in the romantic way. I have a difficult time with menage books because I find it so hard to believe that three people can make it work between them, even with the issues of inequality and jealousy. Here, it isn't even trying to be a typical menage relationship. It is a really different type of arrangement, one that I've never seen before in romance. Honestly, I didn't find Gould/Kel/Greg's relationship to be very... romantic. It was hard for me to see that these people were anything beyond fondness for one another. It was one of my biggest stumbling blocks with this story.
Although this series has been all M/M up until this point, I personally didn't mind the introduction of a woman. I'm also a M/F reader, so having lady parts be explicitly described didn't bother me in the slightest. Plus, I'll take a book with pegging any day of the week (another of my personal favorite kinks!!).
What I didn't mind, but other people might, is the kink aspect. Humiliation kink and degradation is honestly one of my favorite kinks in BDSM. A good, consensual, verbal humiliation scene is exactly the type of kink I seek out in erotica and romance. I just love it. There is almost nothing in humiliation that is too kinky for me, so I didn't think anything here was very extreme. However, I was worried about Gould because we have an insight to his mind and he is so thoroughly messed up about Hal's death that really none of those scenes should have happened.
My biggest issue with this story, however, was how dark it was. I've been LOVING the light, fun, kinky books in this series, and this book was like a slap in the face. It was really heavy stuff, and it was depressing to read about. I think if this book had an epic romance or an awesome plot line, I would have been okay with the deep level of pain that is in this book. However, while I thought that the kink was interesting, the romance just wasn't there for me. This book only had its skillful writing to pull it through, and I barely got above a like for this story.
If you are looking for a Subs Club book like the others, you will be disappointed. However, if you are willing to read a very interesting, thoughtful, angsty story with some edgy kink content and a M/F/M romance, then try this one.
*Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*...more
I LOVED this book. Loved, with no ifs, ands, or buts.
I don't often read YA for a few reasons. For one, there is nothing I hate more than silly drama, and I feel like so often YA authors resort to petty fighting or similar antics to put a "twist" in their plots. That makes me grumpy, and a grumpy Heather is a low-rating Heather. I don't like to give low ratings.
However, this book has gotten SO much press, so I knew I had to try it. And I'm SO happy that I did.
One thing that is special about YA is when they get that first romance magic right, they get it right. There is NOTHING like young, innocent love. There is nothing like that feeling of your thigh or hand brushing up against someone while studying in the library; nothing like looking at the back of someone's neck in class, wondering how their hair would feel in your hands; and nothing like that first, chaste kiss.
I adore that first love, and I remember it well. This book captures young love perfectly and without condescension.
I won't go too far into the plot because I don't want to reveal any spoilers. I will say, however, that I loved being in Simon's head. I absolutely fell head-over-heels for him in all of his geeky, introspective, funny glory. I even loved all of the side characters. They were ridiculously well developed, and I thought that each and every one of them added to the plot.
This story perfectly captures both the feelings of falling for someone, and the stress and emotions that high school, that transitional time in your life, brings.
I loved it so hard, and it easily grabs a spot on my favorites list. I even bought paperback copies to gift to friends, that's how much I loved this story.
Oh, and one other comment. Spoiler-tagged.
(view spoiler)[I found it really interesting that the author made a character who was both 1/2 Jewish and non-white. That is actually pretty rare, though there are a number of mixed-race Jews, but it is by far a minority. I can count on my hands how many mixed-race Jews that I know, and I've been a member of many Synagogues in my time. I enjoyed that the author went there, though I wouldn't have suspected a non-white Jew either. But Abraham Greenfeld.... yeah, that name says "home" to me ;) (hide spoiler)]...more
Gorgeously, perfectly done. I adored it... even if the book really isn't my genre.
K.J. Charles is changing the face of M/M, I'm telling you. She keepGorgeously, perfectly done. I adored it... even if the book really isn't my genre.
K.J. Charles is changing the face of M/M, I'm telling you. She keeps coming up with this brilliant, well written stuff that elevates the whole genre. Think of England is another exceptional book and I loved it almost as much as her The Magpie Lord series.
Is it a GFY? No, I wouldn't say so. This book is sort of like a coming of age or sexual awakening, only the person waking up is way past adolescence. Curtis was glorious in his discovery of his same-sex tendencies. Deliciously hot. I was also obsessed with Daniel, who was flawlessly written.
It was strange for me seeing a character openly mocked for being Jewish. I'm so spoiled living where I live, both geographically and in this period of history. I've never encountered outright antisemitism. I'll admit, reading some of the insults against Daniel stung a little. It just made me admire him eons more. He had the triple whammy of being Jewish, Portuguese, and obviously gay in a time where none of those things were tolerated. I was in awe of his strength, resilience, and his ability to adapt. I could read books and books about Daniel.
Though this book was nearly perfect in many respects, it still, at it's core, isn't the type of book that I can easily give 5 stars to. I simply don't enjoy mysteries and suspense that much. Too much danger makes me impossibly anxious and sweaty, and no one likes a sweaty Heather! This book gave me the cold sweats, and I found myself rushing it a bit because I had too much anxiety about what was to happen next.
Oddly enough, I can tolerate suspense and danger in my paranormal book much easier. I think in those types of reads, I KNOW the hero is going to pull some magic out of his arse and get the bad guys. But with real people? Real situations, like in this book? Yeah, I'm not strong enough.
So, yes, this book was amazing. Yes, all of the reviews are correct. And, YES, I'm happy that sweat-fest is over....more
Mazel tov, Cardeno C.! The final book in the Home series was a bit hit with me!
Oy, when all of these mensches on Goodreads told me that Cardeno C. waMazel tov, Cardeno C.! The final book in the Home series was a bit hit with me!
Oy, when all of these mensches on Goodreads told me that Cardeno C. was writing a M/M book about a Rabbi, I said "baruch hashem!" I mean, I'm a Jewish girl from a NYC suburb and, even though I'm married to a goy, I have a serious soft spot for Jewish M/M. So me not reading a rabbi M/M book? That's just meshugaas! So I decided to ignore my streak of Cardeno C. books that were too schmaltzy for my taste and give this one a go. And let me tell you, I got much naches from this story!
(Okay, I'm all out of Yiddish phrases...)
So anyway, this book. Aside from the Jewish details (which the author nailed, Cardeno C. is either Jewish or just knows the Jewish experience like the back of his/her hand), what I liked best about it was the slow-burn romance. These two guys really get to know each other over the course of years, and so when they finally get together, it feels like an accomplishment. I was practically giddy with excitement. It is also sexuality discovery story, which is a real passion for me. I drool over a good sexuality discovery story, and this was done really realistically. I really loved the first 70% or so. The humor, the emotion, it was all there for me.
I had a few issues with the last portion of the book, however. Part is really me being selfish. (view spoiler)[Did you really pass over Seth's first time with a man?? Come on! I wanted some action on page (aside from a blow job!). I felt cheated, CHEATED. (hide spoiler)] I also thought that Seth seemed overly confident for his first gay experience. Part of the reason that I love sexuality discovery stories is that the first time is so charged, so eye-opening. Seth seemed too practiced or something for my taste. I also thought that once the two men got together, the book became a bit schmoopy. It was full of "baby"s and verged on cheesy for me (<--- this has been my problem with Cardeno's books in the past).
Despite my issues at the end, this book was really fabulous overall. It is funny, light, and sexy and I think people of all religious backgrounds would be moved by this story. Especially for a girl like me who loves some hot M/M schtupping ;)
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**...more
The plot was a little far-fetched, but I love when I read a Chanukah story with Jewish characters that I can relate to. Astrid Amara is my go-to for JThe plot was a little far-fetched, but I love when I read a Chanukah story with Jewish characters that I can relate to. Astrid Amara is my go-to for Jewish MC romances!...more
I really enjoyed this cute short by Tam Ames. What can I say, the Jewish girl in me loves a good sexy Jewish doctor story! I liked the geeky aspect anI really enjoyed this cute short by Tam Ames. What can I say, the Jewish girl in me loves a good sexy Jewish doctor story! I liked the geeky aspect and thought the sexual chemistry was hot. I thought that the child abuse sub-stories were big downers (I tend to avoid reading about those things, as real of an issue as they are) but I still liked this story. ...more
Heather K (dentist in my spare time)
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