LGBTQ

Hard Work in WORK BOOTS AND TEES–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a newly-released a YA M/M story from Jo Ramsey. WORK BOOTS & TEES features the redemption of a deeply troubled boy who needs forgiveness, even from himself. This is the fifth book in a series–and probably needs to be read after SHOULDER PADS AND FLANNEL, at the very least.

Trigger warnings: child molestation, homophobia, acquaintance rape, depression, suicide.

Work Boots and Tees (Deep Secrets and Hope #5)About the book:
Sixteen-year-old Jim Frankel has become the thing he loathes, and he can’t stand thinking about what he has done.

After being accused of sexual assault by two girls, Jim serves out his sentence in a juvenile detention facility. He’s shocked by the arrest for what he thought was consensual sex, and terrified his own childhood sexual abuse has twisted him into a predator—just like the man who molested him.

Upon release, Jim is no longer welcome at his family home, and with nowhere else to turn, he travels from Massachusetts to Michigan to live with his father’s cousin, Delia. Keeping his head down, Jim works hard at Delia’s art supply shop and prays no one will find out about the awful crime he committed. It’s his chance for a new beginning, but when he makes his first friend in Man-Shik Park, Jim is afraid to let him get too close. But by walling himself off from the support Manny’s offering, Jim might sabotage the opportunities in front of him.

My Review:
There are some plot points revealed in this review that COULD be considered spoilers.

At nearly 17 y/o Jim is a cast-off teen, recently out of juvenile detention for the acquaintance rape of two of his girlfriends. This is a pretty murky issue, as I will explain a bit. See, Jim is a survivor of sexual, emotional and physical abuse–from his mother’s boyfriend, father and stepfather, respectively. He has had no counseling, never told anyone about the (very young) sex abuse, and he grew up an angry angry boy–bullying all and sundry. He intimidated so many of his peers that his overbearing nature led to him into “forcing” two girls of his acquaintance into sexual acts that they later claimed were non-consensual. There was no malice in the moment, but it was clearly a very problematic scenario. The girls felt too intimidated to say “no” and it later came out that they didn’t want to–Jim was sentenced to one month of detention, is on probation until age 18 and is registered as a sex offender until age 21. If he has no repeat offenses and continues his weekly court-mandated counseling his record will be cleared. (These are the parameters of his criminal record as outlined many times by the author. In her notes, she concedes that it is likely that Jim would have not served any time based on the testimony of the girls and other reviewers contest that Jim did not commit rape. Given that I have no expertise in this area I am going with this scenario as written, and will only address my opinion of the writing, not the likelihood of the legalities…)

Jim’s mother wants nothing to do with him, his father wants nothing to do with him, and he’s been sent from his small Mass. town to live in a small Michigan town with a distant cousin of his father’s, Delia. Delia is a kind and compassionate woman, and Jim is agoraphobic, constantly afraid that someone will learn of his history and bar him from working at Delia’s art shop. He refuses to attend high school, sure that he’ll be a pariah, or someone will learn of his history. Before the rape accusations, Jim was charged with assault for beating up an out-gay boy in his school (Evan from Book 1 of this series: NAIL POLISH AND FEATHERS). He’s also extremely self-loathing. He is ashamed of his abuse, and ashamed of his actions and ashamed that he’s attracted to boys. He’s not sure if he’s attracted to boys because he was born gay, or because he was molested by a man and that somehow “turned” him. And, he’s ashamed of that, too. He wants to serve out his probation hiding in Delia’s storeroom and getting a GED and being invisible.

Unfortunately he meets a boy that doesn’t want him to be invisible. Manny is a queer boy who is not exactly out, and not exactly in–he’s Ace (asexual) but thinks he’s attracted to boys. He wants to be friends with Jim, but Jim doesn’t feel worthy to the task. In the background, Jim’s suffering panic attacks over his Facebook account which has been littered with hate, on account of all his previous issues back home. He can’t bring himself to delete the page, however, because self-loathing Jim thinks he should be eternally reminded of his mistakes, and suffer duly. Delia tries and tries to reach Jim, but can’t. Depression takes over and there’s a touch-and-go scenario that results in hospitalization.

This book series is built upon the premise of kids in tough situations making decisions that empower them. Jim doesn’t make these decisions until late in the book. He seeks help for his long-standing depression over his abuse and molestation, he does the hard work of self-examination and he begins to heal. He discusses his history in confidence and that results in further trouble–and new alliances. He finally believes Delia and starts to accept that he’s not the monster that he’s built himself up in his mind, and he begins to see that he is worthy of love, and affection. There are some truly heartbreaking revelations in the book.

While the legal issues Jim faces may not be severe enough, or too severe for others, the fact remains that Jim is a boy on a collision course with disaster before he arrives in Michigan. He is, by turns, neglected and abused and his rage is the product of this horrific upbringing. His self-hate is killing him, and it is only through being honest and getting the support and help he needs that he is able to get out of this dangerous path. Jim makes amends the best he can–by hard work, and living honestly and doing his counseling, and for some this is probably not “justice,” and for others it is simply what was necessary to keep Jim alive. The book ends in hope–as do all the others. I really appreciated the clear delineations Delia and Jim’s counselors give him. I like how he meets people who have been in positions like his, and persevered. Having known molestation survivors, I believe that there are accurate representations of an abuse survivor’s mental landscape here.

This is a hard read, because it deals with really hard topics. Jim was the bully and monster of a few books in this series, and now the audience is tasked with finding Jim a sympathetic character who should be forgiven. I don’t think this is out of the realm of possibility. I certainly found Jim redeemable, and had suspected from the earlier books that he was a closet case. That said, I’m not sure how his story will sit with younger readers. For myself, a white het woman, I have the ability to forgive much. I’m not a questioning teen who may be the subject of homophobic hate, or an adult who barely survived high school bullying–both of whom would be possible readers in this genre. So, the book is good, but it’s going to be controversial for many reasons–most particularly surrounding  the rape accusations, I believe.

Interested? You can find WORK BOOTS & TEES on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author:
Jo Ramsey started writing when she was five years old and hasn’t stopped since. Between ages 12 and 20, she wrote twenty book-length manuscripts, longhand in spiral notebooks which now dwell in the bottom drawer of her filing cabinet. Jo’s first YA novel, Reality Shift 1: Connection, was published in January 2010, followed in October 2010 by book 2: Filtration System. Jo lives in Massachusetts with her two daughters, her husband, and two cats, one of whom occasionally tries to help her type.

Catch up with Jo on Goodreads, her website, Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Cover Reveal: THE ART OF HERO WORSHIP

HERO-BannerTemplateHi there! Today I’m so excited to present a cover reveal for a new book coming from Mia Kerick. As you know, Ms. Kerick’s work focuses on LGBT teens in trouble, and I’m sure that’s to be the case in THE ART OF HERO WORSHIP, as well. Cannot wait to get my hands on this one!!

Without further blathering…

TAOHW Front Cover-1

About the book:
Trembling on the floor, pressed beneath a row of seats in a dark theater, college freshman Jason Tripp listens to the terrifying sound of gunshots, as an unknown shooter moves methodically through the theater, randomly murdering men, women, and children attending a student performance of Hamlet. Junior Liam Norcross drapes his massive body on top of Jason, sheltering the younger man from the deathly hail of bullets, risking his life willingly, and maybe even eagerly.

As a result of the shared horror, an extraordinary bond forms between the two young men, which causes discomfort for family and friends, as well as for Jason and Liam, themselves. And added to the challenge of two previously “straight” men falling into a same-sex love, are the complications that arise from the abundance of secrets Liam holds with regard to a past family tragedy. The fledgling passion between the men seems bound to fade away into the darkness from which it emerged.

Jason, however, is inexplicably called to rescue his hero in return, by delving into Liam’s shady past and uncovering the mystery that compels the older man to act as the college town’s selfless savior.

The Art of Hero Worship takes the reader on a voyage from the dark and chilling chaos that accompanies a mass shooting to the thrill of an unexpected and sensual romance.

How about a little taste?

Pop-pop-pop….

No, I’m not even remotely safe. But thankfully I play dead far better than my dog did when I taught him that trick at the age of seven.

The shots are earsplitting and getting louder because the shooter’s heading our way. I’m so fucking scared I’m trembling violently, but I promised the guy lying on top of me that I’d stay still. I concentrate on taking short shallow breaths, one after another, in my effort to stop trembling. To stay frozen—like I’ve been since I pulled Ginny to the floor and promptly let go of her hand so I could curl up into a tight fetal ball.

Somebody near me sits up, scrambles to his knees, and impulsively crawls toward the far aisle.

Pop-pop-pop…

“Bang, bang… you’re dead.” The voice comes from directly above me; it’s blank and monotone and controlled. The weird snicker that follows is chilling. I want nothing more than to throw the big guy off my back and run like hell toward the double doors, but I just keep on going with the short breaths and stay as still as I’ve ever been in my life. Even in my terrified state, I know that the guy on top of me is totally exposed and I can’t move because I’ll cheat him out of his life, for sure. Which is so not cool when he’s trying to save mine.

I smell blood. Never noticed the smell of blood before. It reminds me of Grandma’s penny collection… if it got spilled onto the sticky floor of the theater. The scent of old copper is everywhere… like wet pennies strewn all around me on the floor.

Pop-pop-pop…

Shooter’s right above us now. Don’t move… don’t move… don’t move….

“Dear God, help us!” This request seems to catch the shooter’s attention and he turns around and steps away from us. I curse myself for feeling as relieved, and maybe even glad, as I do.

Pop-pop-pop….

We wait and it seems like forever. We wait as voices beg and plead and pray and he shuts them up with bullets. We wait as the sound of shots moves to the front left near the exit, where I figure he’s shooting at anyone who tries to get out through the double doors.

And then, for a second, it’s quiet.

“Now….” The big guy’s voice is whispering but it seems to blast into my left ear. “We have to make our move now.” Before I agree, the heaviness of his body lifts and I feel cold and exposed. “This is our chance to get outta here….”

His hand is attached to the back of my wrist, clutching me so hard that I know I’ll have fingerprint bruises for a week… if I live so long.

Interested? You can pre-order THE ART OF HERO WORSHIP on Amazon in advance of it’s release on Feb 14th.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $15 Amazon gift card.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—all named after saints—and five nonpedigreed cats—all named after the next best thing to saints, Boston Red Sox players. Her husband of twenty-two years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about that, as it is a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled young people and their relationships, and she believes that physical intimacy has a place in a love story, but not until it is firmly established as a love story. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with romantic tales of tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to Dreamspinner Press, Harmony Ink Press, and CreateSpace for providing her with alternate places to stash her stories.

Mia is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights, especially marital equality. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.

Where to find Mia online: Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

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Cephalopod Coffeehouse Dec 2015–SHOULDER PADS AND FLANNEL-A Review

0ed81-coffeehouse
Hi there, and Merry Christmas for those who celebrate! It’s the last Friday in the month, and that means I’m participating in the Armchair Squid’s blog hop. So….welcome one and all to the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, a cozy gathering of book lovers, meeting to discuss their thoughts regarding the tomes they enjoyed most over the previous month. Pull up a chair, order your cappuccino and join in the fun. Today I’m sharing a review for SHOULDER PADS AND FLANNEL, a YA coming out romance from Jo Ramsey.

Shoulder Pads and Flannel (Deep Secrets & Hope #2)About the book:
High school football star Guillermo Garcia can count himself among the popular kids—for now. Although he secretly dates Evan Granger, who is openly gay and badly bullied for it, Guillermo doesn’t dare let his teammates, classmates, or close-knit family learn about his sexuality.

But Guillermo witnessed an attack on Evan, and now the school bullies plan to out Guillermo in retaliation. In their small town, word spreads rapidly, so Guillermo must make a quick choice—come out now on his own or risk having someone else do it for him.

My Review:
4.5 Stars for this realistic YA coming out romance. This is the second book in a series, but can be read as a standalone.

Guillermo “Moe” is a high school junior, new to his small Massachusetts town. He’s only been there six months or so, and he’s a closeted gay athlete. A football star. He is secretly dating Evan, a femme out-gay boy in his class. Evan was the MC from the first book in the series who had been assaulted (gay bashed) by two of Moe’s former teammates, Jim and Ray. They were kicked off the team for participating in a hate crime, and sentenced to probation.

Moe feels guilty for being gay. His parents are from Puerto Rico, and they have rather conservative ideas about manhood and family. They moved from NYC due to crime in their neighborhood, and Moe’s both happier and more frustrated. He likes his school more, but he laments the lack of anonymity. In this small town people notice things–like how he and Evan walk around town together. They threaten to reveal Moe’s “gayness” and tease his younger brother Ernesto. Moe fears coming out, and what that would mean for his position on the football team, with his home life and with Evan. Evan is still being threatened–now because people are mad that Jim and Ray are off their team, as well as his own femme style. It upsets Moe that he can’t really protect Evan they way he wants to–because doing so would clearly out him. But, after anonymous calls to his father at work and coded messages he starts receiving on social media indicate, it’s only a matter of time before everyone knows. Should Moe tell his family? His teammates? How “out” does he have to be?

I found this to be a refreshing look at so many aspects of teen life. There are girls who own their sexuality (“promiscuity”) and boys who own their homosexuality and bullies–physical and emotional–and kids taking things “too far” and homophobia and slut shaming and reality. Moe doesn’t always understand Evan’s need to be femme, and even wear female clothing and make up, but he loves Evan, and that means loving all of him. Evan doesn’t want to pressure Moe to come out, even though doing so would make their relationship easier–and probably get the bullies off his back.

Moe’s family is really wonderful, well, his parents are. They are thoughtful and concerned, and care deeply for their boys. His brother is a typical tween boy and has a lot of anger regarding the rumors surrounding Moe’s sexuality. There is much more to this story than coming out. There is hope and acceptance and manipulation and drama. I believe the ending is happy, for most of the parties, and it’s a positive and uplifting message. I expect this kind of situation is less-than-easy to deal with, but the narrative was sensitive and realistic at the same time.

I really like Moe and Evan. They are great kids. Their rocky start is sad, but there is certainly plenty of hope in the end. Also, this is a YA story which has no steam. Evan and Moe spend time alone together, but mostly they hang out, talk and occasionally kiss. Evan has never had a boyfriend before, and Moe wants to take everything slow because he believes, like his Catholic parents, that a sexual relationship is better saved for people who plan to spend their lifetimes together, and high school is too soon to make those kind of choices.

Speaking of Catholic parents, Moe’s parents plan a conference with their parish priest, to discuss Moe’s sexuality in confidence and determine if there will be blow back in their house of worship. Their plan is to leave and find an inclusive church if that is the case. Though we don’t find out the results of that meeting in this story, I really respected this family decision, and the comfort that it brought to Moe.

Interested? You can find SHOULDER PADS AND FLANNEL on Goodreads, Harmony Ink, Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

Thanks for popping in! Be sure to check out the review on fave books from my fellow Coffeehousers. And best wishes for a glorious holiday season! 😀

Coming CLEAN to Live–Review and Giveaway

CLEAN-BANNER
Hi there! I’m so excited to share my review for CLEAN, Mia Kerick’s new edgy YA M/M coming of age story. This book is a very tough read, not because it’s written poorly, but because it portrays unflinching stories of sexual abuse, neglect and substance abuse in teens. As with all Ms. Kerick’s books, (THE RED SHEET, HARD DAY’S NIGHT), the characters are well-written and the story is filled with inconvenient truths.

Be sure to check out my review and enter to win a $10 GC.

CLEAN cover
About the book:
High school senior Lanny Keating has it all. A three-sport athlete at Lauserville High School looking at a college football scholarship, with a supportive family, stellar grades, boy band good looks… until the fateful day when it all falls apart.

Seventeen-year-old Trevor Ladd has always been a publicly declared zero and the high school bad-boy. Abandoned by his mother and sexually abused by his legal guardian, Trevor sets his sights on mere survival.

Lanny seeks out Trevor’s companionship to avoid his shattered home life. Unwilling to share their personal experiences of pain, the boys explore ways to escape, leading them into sexual experimentation, and the abuse of illegal drugs and alcohol. Their mutual suffering creates a lasting bond of friendship and love.

When the time finally comes to get clean and sober, or flunk out of high school, only one of the boys will graduate, while the other spirals downward into addiction.

Will Lanny and Trevor find the strength to battle their demons of mind-altering substances as well as emotional vulnerability?

Clean takes the reader on a gritty trip into the real and raw world of teenage substance abuse.

A little taste (from the Prologue):
Lanny

Trevor wouldn’t even look at me when I walked over to the gas station this morning to say hi. And Jimmy’s Fuel Stop is like three miles from my house so it took a major effort to walk there, especially since I’ve been feeling like total crap lately. Another one of my shaky human bonds bites the dust. I need to go out and get myself a cat.

“Can’t you see I’m working, Keating?” That was all he said. But I’ve always been good at reading between the lines. I could tell what he was thinking as he stood beside the gas pumps, totally caught up in not looking at me. “Take a hike before you get me fired, loser. Some of us got goals in life….” So I took off before he had a chance to make me feel like I shouldn’t have ever made an appearance on the planet earth. But I still know it would have been better had I never been born…maybe Joelle would still be okay.

It’s Saturday afternoon and nobody’s home. Mom and Dad are probably off at the park with Joelle, sloshing through the wet snow together so she gets her daily exercise. Or maybe they took her to the make- your-own-sundae-place to improve her fine motor skills by sprinkling sweet toppings on big scoops of ice cream. I’m in Mom and Dad’s bathroom, bent in half with my head stuck in the closet, searching the cluttered shelves for anything that will get me high enough to escape. And I mean anything.

That’s when I see the cough syrup. The bottle in front is almost new, and there’s an older bottle of a different brand right behind it, little more than halfway full. Seeing these medicine bottles reminds me of something Chad suggested about a week or two ago— that we should try robo-tripping. He told me that if we drink enough cough syrup, the DXM in it would get us high in a “super blissful, tingling-body-parts way,” which sounded pretty decent to me then and still does now. Not completely surprised I remembered Chad’s exact description of a DXM high, I thank God for this dextromethorphan stuff that suppresses nasty coughs, because it looks like I’m going to find my much-needed buzz after all.

Pleased that I don’t have to resort to sniffing glue from the tube on my father’s basement workbench or huffing my mother’s hairspray—and believe me I came close—I snatch the bottles with a shaky hand. They’re both sticky with the syrup that dripped down the side last time one of the Keating’s had a major head cold accompanied by a hacking cough. Licking my fingers provides me with a hint of the cherry flavor I’m probably going to be barfing up later tonight. But I don’t care. I can’t get through a single day without some help, and by that I don’t mean help from my human friends, seeing as I have none left.

The walk to the shed seems longer than ever. It’s an effort to so much as put one foot in front of the other. I haven’t eaten anything for a full day; I’m sure that’s why I feel like such crap. And it’s not like I want to think about this stuff, but I can’t stop myself. The “stuff” I don’t want to think about is really people. The people I have hurt so much lately because of my bad habits.

This list starts with my little sister Joelle, who I told to “stuff a sock in it” when she asked me to read that goddamned book about a kid going to school—for the zillionth time! “School’s not all it’s cracked up to be, Jo. Stop being so damned excited about it! Those kids are gonna tear you to pieces and won’t even wait until you turn your back to do it!” It hurts too much to remember the expression on her face right after I told her that, so instead I stare beyond the leafless trees into the gray sky and think about my parents.

I’ve hurt Mom and Dad a lot too, because they know I’m sick, they just don’t know exactly what’s wrong with me. And I’m not sure how much they care. Their plates are too full already with Joelle’s problems, I guess.

I glance down at the two bottles of cough medicine dangling from between my fingers and remember Chrissy and Robyn, who I use like toilet paper. They can do way better than me in the study-buddy department.

I trip over a root that crosses my path and fall to my knees, but just as quickly drag myself back to my feet. A stray root isn’t enough to stop me from getting to where I’m going.

I’m almost at the shed now, and I can’t avoid thinking about him any longer. Trevor hates me. He never calls anymore, never asks me to go to the shed to drink some beer and fool around. He just looks at me in the hallway at school with angry disgusted eyes, and tells me every chance he gets “you’re fucking up your life and I’m not gonna let you fuck up mine.”

Trevor Ladd…the ultimate untouchable. If I could’ve made somebody like him want to be with me, I would’ve surely been able to win my parents back. Well, no such luck. I’m more of a zero to Trevor than I ever was…and Mom and Dad still don’t care.

Blew my entire life sky high. Which is where I’ll be soon, if all goes according to plan. I lift each bottle of sticky sweet cough medicine to my lips and kiss them, one by one.

Just the sight of the tiny, beat-up brown shed fills me with an indescribable sense of relief, probably like the feeling of coming home after years at sea. As soon as I push open the door, I see that Trevor isn’t here and I’m illogically disappointed. But Trevor can’t save me from myself. He did his duty; he tried to get me clean, and he got clean in the process.

Way to go, Trevor.

Alone in a frigid shed in the middle of the woods, I’m more than eager to suck down a couple bottles of cough medicine so I can be somewhere else…someone else. A vision of Landon Keating forms in my mind—not Lanny, the student, or Lanny, the athlete, or Lanny, the son and brother—but the near-future version of me when I’m “simultaneously mellow and stimulated,” if the online experiences I’ve read about taking DXM are accurate. Sad truth is, I’ll take just plain disoriented. Any effect will be fine if it whisks me away.

I drop down to the cold floor and without ceremony open one of the small bottles. The cough medicine goes down more easily than I thought.

Cherry-berry-sweet-thick-burning-soothing- pleasure-pain. It doesn’t take too long.

Itchy as hell…belly’s on fire….

“Read to me, Lanny…read it again!

”Can’t feel my legs at all….

“Wishes don’t wash dishes, son.”

Can’t stop barfing…. So sick….

“Take a hike, Keating—you filthy, no-good, loser boozer-druggie!”

Blew it with Trevor…blew it with everybody.

Can’t breathe…need a breath….

Gonna die here alone.

My Review:
Landon was a great student and star athlete with everything going for him until his young sister was hit by a car. She survived, but with severe handicaps, and Lanny’s family has become all about Joelle and her care. His overwhelmed and overwrought parents are angry and hostile, and don’t even bother to acknowledge Lanny most days. Lanny and his parents share guilt and blame for the tragedy of Joelle’s accident, and Lanny takes it super hard. He turns to alcohol to hide his pain, and he gets his alcohol from the school bad-boy, Trevor.

Trevor is a burn out. He lives each day in fear, and resignation, of the continuing sexual abuse he’s endured since he was twelve and his mother abandoned him with her friend, Carl. When he can, Trevor seeks oblivion via alcohol and pot. And Lanny, the angel-faced “clean” boy that sometimes lurks in Carl’s gardening shed with him. When they are drunk, it’s easy to seek other releases, and Trevor’s easily able to direct some impersonal (non-penetrative) sex between them.

Lanny feels like Trevor’s the only person in his life who sees him. Trevor’s too afraid to love anyone, and doesn’t believe he’s worthy of love, in any case. That said, he sees how far Lanny is slipping–he’s been kicked off the football team, he’s failing classes and he spends every night getting bombed. Soon they move on to pills, supplied by a mutual friend. Trevor knows his only way out of Carl’s lecherous grasp is death, or cleaning up and graduating high school. He tries to get Lanny to clean out, too, but Lanny’s not having it.

Expect things to get worse. Expect there to be real terror on the pages, especially for Trevor when he discovers just how far gone Lanny is.

This story is a story of redemption. It is an honest and harrowing tale of hitting rock bottom, and surviving. The first half is the descent, and the second half is the rise, and it’s not an easy road on either side. Yet, it was told brilliantly, with Lanny rediscovering himself, and his family becoming a strong and supportive unit again. Lanny does what Trevor can’t–forgive himself. And his recovery is well-defined in the general Twelve Step way. This may be a YA tale, but the truth of it applies to people at all ages and stages.

It is also an M/M tale–a dash of romance. Lanny is definitely attracted to Trevor, and acknowledges that he is gay. Trevor was not sure of his orientation–he’s not attracted to Carl in the least–but he does acknowledge that he’s attracted to Lanny, and feels the most love for him that he has of any of the few people who’ve been in his life. There is some sexuality on the page–most consensual, some abuse. Both are told honestly and without glorification.

Part of Lanny’s recovery is making amends for his use and abuse of Trevor, who is dumbstruck that Lanny feels any need to apologize. Trevor’s been mired in guilt over ever giving Lanny any substances to abuse in the first place. Lanny’s steadfast determination to be a real friend to Trevor, not an escape, allows both boys to come to terms with the ills of their past. I adored how very healthy all of this was, and how it engendered a real and beneficial relationship.

At no point did I feel there was any shortcut or glossing over of the tragedy and healing in this story. I think the writing was excellent, if unconventional. Trevor’s POV pages are especially fraught with his fragmented internal narrative. He’s contrary and cagey, and always looking to defend himself and his emotions by denying them. He’s honest with Lanny about being a liar–having hidden so much of himself, never believing that anyone could (or would) want to help him–that he is dirty, filthy, unlovable and unwholesome because of his abuse. It made for a very poignant counterpoint to Lanny’s squeaky-clean, but detached family.

I always struggle to read books that feature abuse of a minor, because I’m a mom, and I hate that this happens IRL. Reading is my escape from MY everyday problems, in many cases, so I prefer the lighter fare. That said, an intense read like CLEAN serves a very important purpose in highlighting the experiences of people who are very different, and often very troubled. CLEAN is fantastic. I hope that it finds readers who have the courage, like Lanny and Trevor, to be present and be counted. To not give up, and to do the hard work necessary to do better than just survive the experience.

Lanny and Trevor discover that life is hard, but very very worth it.

Interested? You can find CLEAN on Goodreads, and Amazon (US, UK, CA and AU).

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—all named after saints—and five nonpedigreed cats—all named after the next best thing to saints, Boston Red Sox players. Her husband of twenty-two years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about that, as it is a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled young people and their relationships, and she believes that physical intimacy has a place in a love story, but not until it is firmly established as a love story. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with romantic tales of tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to Dreamspinner Press, Harmony Ink Press, and CreateSpace for providing her with alternate places to stash her stories.

Mia is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights, especially marital equality. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.

Where to find Mia online: Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

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Cover Reveal! CLEAN by Mia Kerick

Clean Banner
Hi there! I’m so excited to reveal the cover for CLEAN, Mia Kerick’s new edgy YA M/M coming out story. So, without further ado…
CLEAN cover
About the book:
High school senior Lanny Keating has it all. A three-sport athlete at Lauserville High School looking at a college football scholarship, with a supportive family, stellar grades, boy band good looks… until the fateful day when it all falls apart.

Seventeen-year-old Trevor Ladd has always been a publicly declared zero and the high school bad-boy. Abandoned by his mother and sexually abused by his legal guardian, Trevor sets his sights on mere survival.

Lanny seeks out Trevor’s companionship to avoid his shattered home life. Unwilling to share their personal experiences of pain, the boys explore ways to escape, leading them into sexual experimentation, and the abuse of illegal drugs and alcohol. Their mutual suffering creates a lasting bond of friendship and love.

When the time finally comes to get clean and sober, or flunk out of high school, only one of the boys will graduate, while the other spirals downward into addiction.

Will Lanny and Trevor find the strength to battle their demons of mind-altering substances as well as emotional vulnerability?

Clean takes the reader on a gritty trip into the real and raw world of teenage substance abuse.

A little taste (from the Prologue):
Lanny

Trevor wouldn’t even look at me when I walked over to the gas station this morning to say hi. And Jimmy’s Fuel Stop is like three miles from my house so it took a major effort to walk there, especially since I’ve been feeling like total crap lately. Another one of my shaky human bonds bites the dust. I need to go out and get myself a cat.

“Can’t you see I’m working, Keating?” That was all he said. But I’ve always been good at reading between the lines. I could tell what he was thinking as he stood beside the gas pumps, totally caught up in not looking at me. “Take a hike before you get me fired, loser. Some of us got goals in life….” So I took off before he had a chance to make me feel like I shouldn’t have ever made an appearance on the planet earth. But I still know it would have been better had I never been born…maybe Joelle would still be okay.

It’s Saturday afternoon and nobody’s home. Mom and Dad are probably off at the park with Joelle, sloshing through the wet snow together so she gets her daily exercise. Or maybe they took her to the make- your-own-sundae-place to improve her fine motor skills by sprinkling sweet toppings on big scoops of ice cream. I’m in Mom and Dad’s bathroom, bent in half with my head stuck in the closet, searching the cluttered shelves for anything that will get me high enough to escape. And I mean anything.

That’s when I see the cough syrup. The bottle in front is almost new, and there’s an older bottle of a different brand right behind it, little more than halfway full. Seeing these medicine bottles reminds me of something Chad suggested about a week or two ago— that we should try robo-tripping. He told me that if we drink enough cough syrup, the DXM in it would get us high in a “super blissful, tingling-body-parts way,” which sounded pretty decent to me then and still does now. Not completely surprised I remembered Chad’s exact description of a DXM high, I thank God for this dextromethorphan stuff that suppresses nasty coughs, because it looks like I’m going to find my much-needed buzz after all.

Pleased that I don’t have to resort to sniffing glue from the tube on my father’s basement workbench or huffing my mother’s hairspray—and believe me I came close—I snatch the bottles with a shaky hand. They’re both sticky with the syrup that dripped down the side last time one of the Keating’s had a major head cold accompanied by a hacking cough. Licking my fingers provides me with a hint of the cherry flavor I’m probably going to be barfing up later tonight. But I don’t care. I can’t get through a single day without some help, and by that I don’t mean help from my human friends, seeing as I have none left.

The walk to the shed seems longer than ever. It’s an effort to so much as put one foot in front of the other. I haven’t eaten anything for a full day; I’m sure that’s why I feel like such crap. And it’s not like I want to think about this stuff, but I can’t stop myself. The “stuff” I don’t want to think about is really people. The people I have hurt so much lately because of my bad habits.

This list starts with my little sister Joelle, who I told to “stuff a sock in it” when she asked me to read that goddamned book about a kid going to school—for the zillionth time! “School’s not all it’s cracked up to be, Jo. Stop being so damned excited about it! Those kids are gonna tear you to pieces and won’t even wait until you turn your back to do it!” It hurts too much to remember the expression on her face right after I told her that, so instead I stare beyond the leafless trees into the gray sky and think about my parents.

I’ve hurt Mom and Dad a lot too, because they know I’m sick, they just don’t know exactly what’s wrong with me. And I’m not sure how much they care. Their plates are too full already with Joelle’s problems, I guess.

I glance down at the two bottles of cough medicine dangling from between my fingers and remember Chrissy and Robyn, who I use like toilet paper. They can do way better than me in the study-buddy department.

I trip over a root that crosses my path and fall to my knees, but just as quickly drag myself back to my feet. A stray root isn’t enough to stop me from getting to where I’m going.

I’m almost at the shed now, and I can’t avoid thinking about him any longer. Trevor hates me. He never calls anymore, never asks me to go to the shed to drink some beer and fool around. He just looks at me in the hallway at school with angry disgusted eyes, and tells me every chance he gets “you’re fucking up your life and I’m not gonna let you fuck up mine.”

Trevor Ladd…the ultimate untouchable. If I could’ve made somebody like him want to be with me, I would’ve surely been able to win my parents back. Well, no such luck. I’m more of a zero to Trevor than I ever was…and Mom and Dad still don’t care.

Blew my entire life sky high. Which is where I’ll be soon, if all goes according to plan. I lift each bottle of sticky sweet cough medicine to my lips and kiss them, one by one.

Just the sight of the tiny, beat-up brown shed fills me with an indescribable sense of relief, probably like the feeling of coming home after years at sea. As soon as I push open the door, I see that Trevor isn’t here and I’m illogically disappointed. But Trevor can’t save me from myself. He did his duty; he tried to get me clean, and he got clean in the process.

Way to go, Trevor.

Alone in a frigid shed in the middle of the woods, I’m more than eager to suck down a couple bottles of cough medicine so I can be somewhere else…someone else. A vision of Landon Keating forms in my mind—not Lanny, the student, or Lanny, the athlete, or Lanny, the son and brother—but the near-future version of me when I’m “simultaneously mellow and stimulated,” if the online experiences I’ve read about taking DXM are accurate. Sad truth is, I’ll take just plain disoriented. Any effect will be fine if it whisks me away.

I drop down to the cold floor and without ceremony open one of the small bottles. The cough medicine goes down more easily than I thought.

Cherry-berry-sweet-thick-burning-soothing- pleasure-pain. It doesn’t take too long.

Itchy as hell…belly’s on fire….

“Read to me, Lanny…read it again!

”Can’t feel my legs at all….

“Wishes don’t wash dishes, son.”

Can’t stop barfing…. So sick….

“Take a hike, Keating—you filthy, no-good, loser boozer-druggie!”

Blew it with Trevor…blew it with everybody.

Can’t breathe…need a breath….

Gonna die here alone.

This one looks intense. As a mother to teen sons, I’m excited (and scared!) to read it.

Interested? You can find CLEAN on Goodreads, and Amazon (US, UK, CA and AU).

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—all named after saints—and five nonpedigreed cats—all named after the next best thing to saints, Boston Red Sox players. Her husband of twenty-two years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about that, as it is a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled young people and their relationships, and she believes that physical intimacy has a place in a love story, but not until it is firmly established as a love story. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with romantic tales of tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to Dreamspinner Press, Harmony Ink Press, and CreateSpace for providing her with alternate places to stash her stories.

Mia is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights, especially marital equality. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.

Where to find Mia online: Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

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Power to OVERWHELM–Review and Giveaway

overwhelm tour banner
Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for a paranormal YA non-traditional romance coming out this Friday from Layla Messner. OVERWHELM is an epic tale set in the end days of Atlantis, and features two forbidden loves….

Check out my review and enter to win the $35 GC giveaway below!

OVERWHELM E-book coverAbout the book:
The living crystals that feed elemental power to Atlantis are exhausted. They give and give, but the Altantians just want more energy to fuel their magical city. Sixteen years ago, the crystals came up with a plan to make it all stop, a plan that revolves around three teens:

KALIOPE is a soulsinger, an empath with the power to sing the souls of the dead to their next lives. She just wants to grow up, but her mother won’t let her.

DANICA is Kaliope’s whipping girl. She gets punished whenever Kali disobeys.

CHIARAN is a firestarter, so reckless even his family considers him a monster.

When Chiaran arrives in Atlantis, he’s the first fire person to set foot on the island in a hundred years. Kaliope naturally considers him an enemy and uses the last of her depleted power against him. But the battle reveals that the two have more in common than anyone could have guessed.

Anyone, that is, except the crystals.

Three teenage antiheroes, a bisexual love triangle, and an island about to sink.

Overwhelm is a darkly sensual fairy tale about growing up against all odds.

My Review:
Kaliope, Danica and Chiaran are Atlanteans. Kaliope and Danica are from the water tribe, and have the ability to turn into a dolphin and shark, respectively. Danica is a Guardian, the servant of Kaliope, charged with protecting Kaliope–a powerful soulsinger–and is also her whipping girl, beaten by Kaliope’s ruthless herbalist mother whenever Kaliope “misbehaves.” Also, Kaliope and Danica have a sexual relationship that is forbidden, and Danica is punished routinely for this.

Chiaran is a Fire Tribe person, heir to Fire Island, the place all the fire shifters moved to 100 years ago. They were tired of the Water tribe persons squandering the energy of the living Power Crystals that support life on Atlantis.

The queen of Atlantis has foretold the end of days to happen when Fire and Water bond–the chance meeting of Kaliope and Chiaran results in a forbidden word bond, and a lot of heartache for all involved.

This was an interesting read, but I had some reservations. Mostly, there is so much happening, so many characters tell this story, and it gets muddled. Kaliope’s mother is an abusive woman, and it seems she relishes the idea of keeping Kaliope under her authority. Kaliope cannot leave their home until she is a full-fledged woman (menstruates) which has yet to happen and Kaliope’s 16 already. I have a suspicion that her mother is really not the person she proclaims to be, but none of that was discussed in this book.

Chiaran is a young man, and a dragon shifter. His power is equal to Kaliope’s, or exceeds it, but the word bond causes them to share each other’s power. It’s a frightening experience for them, and the attraction between them is fierce. They have a hard time touching, or more, due to their powers clashing. Water douses water, and fire boils water.

There was a lot going on, but not much was resolved, unfortunately. We get to know a lot about the characters, there’s a hint that the end is nigh, and there’s a conspiracy to hide that knowledge, Kaliope and Danica suffer due to Kaliope’s abusive mother, and that’s most of it. The world building is lush, but the pace bogged for me. All the shifting points of view meant I had a bit of repetition to deal with…which was exhausting after a while.

The story ends in an abrupt confrontation and there’s a whole lot of story left to tell. I appreciated the difficulties for Kaliope and Danica. They have a master/slave relationship, which cripples their ability to have a loving partnership even though they have a lot of love fore each other. Chiaran and Kaliope have the potential to be equals, and that’s good, but I’m not sure how that will pan out in the sequel. This is clearly an epic story, but it’s not as fully developed as I would have liked. I’m still not clear regarding the purpose of the action, and how it will lead to the survival of Atlantis, if that is even possible.

Interested? You can find OVERWHELM on Goodreads and pre-order it on Amazon. It’s available for reading Nov 13th.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a $35 gift card to Amazon.
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Good luck and Keep reading my friends!

layla messner newAbout the Author
Láyla Messner is a young-adult author and the founder of ChrysalisSanctuary.com for healing childhood sexual abuse. She has an M.A. in embodied writing from Goddard College and her novels provide New Sexual Mythology for teens. She believes that love is real. She does not believe in unsolicited advice or the word “impossible.”

Catch up with Láyla online on her website, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.

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Fast Fiction in HAUNTED HOTTIES–A Review

HH-BannerHi there! I couldn’t pass up the chance to review this new anthology for those who love LGBT stories and paranormal romance! HAUNTED HOTTIES is a collection of yummy sexy short stories sure to please.

hauntedhottiesv11400About the book:
This Halloween collection has a little something for everybody. With demons, ghosts, psychics, reapers, shifters, and witches… a rainbow of paranormal/supernatural is included.

This is a Halloween-themed LGBT anthology which features paranormal stories of all flavors. Most are romance some are not-so-much. There’s a bit of steam in nearly all of the stories.

In Nine-Tenths of the Law by Kiernan Kelly, Oliver discovers he has a haunted sex toy. I liked how this one turned out. Oliver is an out gay man now, but he wasn’t always. Sometimes his poor choices hurt people in ways he hadn’t intended, and he has the chance to make reparations. It’s a little bittersweet.

In Bear Hugs by Laney Cairo, Martin’s boyfriend might be bear shifter and apparently that’s news to him. This one is so cute. Really. Eric is a bear of a man who has found a real gem of a boyfriend, Martin. Martin loves Eric’s hairiness, but he suspects that there’s more going on with Eric than even Eric suspects. It’s tender and amusing.

In Houdini’s Masquerade by Alex Cohen, when Lila meets a succubus, everything changes. This one was kinda sad, for me. Lila has a secret that makes her virtually invisible any night but Halloween. She meets a succubus, Tasha, who is captivated by Lila’s resistance to her charms. It is tender and I so wanted Lila to get her happy ending. I think she did, in a way.

In Præsidium by Katey Hawthorne, Thackeray needs helps from a witch who won’t help him until he explains his demon. Thackeray is a haunted man. Literally, which is kinda funny. He hunts demons in the human realm, assisted by his “companion” Seir. There’s a whole lotta mess building in advance of Samhain, with a coven of witches trying to bring a demon across, but Thackeray teams up with Matthew, a witch who helps him gain access to the ritual space just in time. If only Seir would take a hike so Thackeray and Matthew could get it on in peace… I liked that this was a story of two black men–I love diversity in M/M romance.

In Black Cat by Jamie Jennings, when a cat shifter can see ghosts, Micah’s simple life suddenly isn’t. This is a short one. Nico is a tenant in the same building as Micah, only Nico doesn’t live alone–a ghost of a beloved lost haunts/hunts him. Micah is able to see this ghost in his cat form and helps Nico find peace. Very brief, wished there was more.

In Haunted Honeymoon by Aaron Michaels, Dylan and Jake seem to be sharing their non-honeymoon with a couple of ghosts. This was such a lovely one. Not too long. Dylan and Jake are newlyweds sneaking off for a quickie honeymoon weekend at a resort that’s rumored to be haunted. Dylan is surprised to see a pair of men wandering the estate hand in hand. He’d thought there wasn’t many guests…and he was right. It’s a sentimental story.

In And the Tarot Cards Said by Jacey Mills, an insistent ghost shouldn’t be too much to handle for psychic Vassily and his Tarot-reading assistant Ben. Ben has real talent reading Tarot and other mystical oracles in his job as soothsayer for “psychic” Vassily. Vassily is a complete snake oil salesman, until the one night he takes the stage and wings it completely. Ben had been having disturbing Tarot for a while, and is stunned that he can’t recall a single part of Vassily’s big show–despite his photographic memory. Ben has held a secret crush on Vassily for years now, and it is only after Vaissly confesses the reason he could take over a show that they can finally acknowledge Ben’s role in his life.

In Spirit Wolf by L.J. Hamlin, when Dawson rescues an injured wolf shifter, it’s not just his book that gets worked on while getting back to nature. Dawson is a best-selling author with writer’s block. He takes a cabin in the woods to try and reconnect himself, as a shifter, and he finds an injured wolf with the help of a spirit guide. It’s a sweet tale that also has a bigger message about tolerance.

In Wet Nails by Shira Glassman, it’s not every day a glamorous ’50s actress comes out of a TV but lonely grad student Adina isn’t complaining. Adina is a science grad student who has a serious crush on a Hollywood bombshell, Rose Hamilton. Late one evening, while fantasizing yet again, Rose steps forward in time and give Adina the night of her life. Sweet and sexy.

In Possessed by Love by Sheri Velarde, a storm trapping them together gives Andrew and Damian the chance they’ve been waiting for. It’s a blizzardy evening, and the main street of their small town is clappered for the night. Andrew stops by Damien’s cafe to grab some food to last out his siege and finds it deserted, excepting the sultry owner. They take refuge in each other. Their passion leads Andrew to do some investigating regarding the powerful urges he felt that first night together, and it may be that some wronged ghosts may have been able to make things right…through them.

In The Last Night by Kassandra Lea, Eric gets one night a year and he always picks one particular Halloween. This is such a bittersweet one. Eric is a Reaper and many years ago he shared a deep love with a mortal. His relief for the transport of souls is to get a single night with his love, and he cherishes it. The tone is wistful and nostalgic.

In Molly by Mychael Black, Detectives Cameron and Chase discover the murderer plaguing their city is more sinister than they could have known and not entirely human. I had a chuckle with this one because it reminded me of some horror flicks back in my youth. A bit of steam, a lot of gore.

Interested? You can find HAUNTED HOTTIES on Goodreads, Amazon and Torquere Press.

You can find out more about Torquere Books on the website, blog, Facebook, twitter and Pinterest.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

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Here Come the HAUNTED HOTTIES!

HH-BannerHi there! I couldn’t pass up the chance to get the word out on a new anthology for those who love LGBT stories and paranormal romance! HAUNTED HOTTIES is a collection of yummy sexy short stories sure to please.

hauntedhottiesv11400About the book:

This Halloween collection has a little something for everybody. With demons, ghosts, psychics, reapers, shifters, and witches… a rainbow of paranormal/supernatural is included.

In Nine-Tenths of the Law by Kiernan Kelly, Oliver discovers he has a haunted sex toy. In Bear Hugs by Laney Cairo, Martin’s boyfriend might be bear shifter and apparently that’s news to him. In Houdini’s Masquerade by Alex Cohen, when Lila meets a succubus, everything changes. In Præsidium by Katey Hawthorne, Thackeray needs helps from a witch who won’t help him until he explains his demon. In Black Cat by Jamie Jennings, when a cat shifter can see ghosts, Micah’s simple life suddenly isn’t. In Haunted Honeymoon by Aaron Michaels, Dylan and Jake seem to be sharing their non-honeymoon with a couple of ghosts.

In And the Tarot Cards Said by Jacey Mills, an insistent ghost shouldn’t be too much to handle for psychic Vassily and his Tarot-reading assistant Ben. In Spirit Wolf by L.J. Hamlin, when Dawson rescues an injured wolf shifter, it’s not just his book that gets worked on while getting back to nature. In Wet Nails by Shira Glassman, it’s not every day a glamorous ’50s actress comes out of a TV but lonely grad student Adina isn’t complaining. In Possessed by Love by Sheri Velarde, a storm trapping them together gives Andrew and Damian the chance they’ve been waiting for. In The Last Night by Kassandra Lea, Eric gets one night a year and he always picks one particular Halloween. In Molly by Mychael Black, Detectives Cameron and Chase discover the murderer plaguing their city is more sinister than they could have known and not entirely human.

Here is where I would normally feature a tidbit of the book, but alas, while I love to read steam, I don’t put #NSFW scenes on the blog. I can assure you, however, that the scene I read made me want to read on, and on, and on… 

Interested? You can find HAUNTED HOTTIES on Goodreads, Amazon and Torquere Press.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win an e-copy of HAUNTED HOTTIES.
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Good luck and keep reading my friends.

You can find out more about Torquere Books on the website, blog, Facebook, twitter and Pinterest.

 

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Cephalopod Coffeehouse Sept 2015–THE SCORPION RULES–A Review

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Hi there! Welcome one and all to the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, a cozy gathering of book lovers, meeting to discuss their thoughts regarding the tomes they enjoyed most over the previous month. Pull up a chair, order your cappuccino and join in the fun.

This month I’m sharing THE SCORPION RULES, a YA dystopian story by Erin Bow. Set 400 years in the future, the world is a very different place and peace is kept by means of hostage exchange where the children of world leaders are kept and educated together–and executed if factions go to war. It was a slow build, but a wild ride.

The Scorpion Rules (Prisoners of Peace, #1)My Review:
4.5 Stars, I think. I’m pretty sure, in fact. There was something that captivated me in this story. There were things that didn’t work, too, but mostly it got me. Or, I got it. Or, something.

This is a YA dystopian story of survival, in a way–excepting the fact that we know from the start that the main character, Greta, will die. Yep. Greta Gustafson Stuart Duchess of Halifax and Crown Princess of the Pan Polar Confederacy, next-in-line for the throne, will die.

Here’s how:
She is a hostage, sheltered and educated in one of Preceptures for royal hostages. This is Earth, 400 years into the future. Earth ruled by alliances that one hadn’t dreamed possible, but that’s what happens when the ice caps melt, there’s widespread famine, and wars to end all wars have ravaged the globe enough to hand the control of the orbiting weapons systems over to AI in order to save humanity.

Talis, specifically, was the UN AI in charge of conflict abatement. And he stopped the wars.

I saw the plague pits, I saw the starving armies, and eventually I…
Well, it was my job, wasn’t it? I saved you.
I started by blowing up cities.

By city number seven–Fresno, because no one’s gonna miss that–I had everyone’s attention. I told them to stop shooting each other. And they did.
But of course it couldn’t be that easy.

The general terror led to a global stand down, and now Talis enforces peace by “making it personal”–essentially keeping a Child from each territorial ruler as a hostage. This Child of Peace will be killed if that ruler goes to war. Simple, brilliant, and effective. Despite marginal resources on a global scale, there have been modest amounts of incursion, and fewer wars.

Greta is a Child of Peace, raised in the 4th Precepture since age 5. She regularly visits home to her mother–like all Children of Peace–so as to reinforce the family bond, but her actual home has been on a self-sustaining farm in what was once Saskatchewan. Now 16 she has grown up around other Children of Peace, her cellmate Xie, who is considered to be descended from a Goddess in her homeland, and Atta whose people consider him a prophet, among others. They work hard raising goats for milk and cheese, fruit and vegetables and grains and honey–all the foodstuffs they require, and they learn about war, and peace and philosophy. Greta is an excellent student, but Greta’s time is coming close. She knows because her land has water (Lake Ontario) and the people to the south, the new Cumberland Alliance, cannot survive on the dregs of Lake Erie. When a Child arrives from their current War Secretary, Elian, Greta recognizes that her life is likely numbered in months, or even weeks.

Elian is like no other Child of Peace. He was raised in his home, with his parents. His Grandmother rules the Cumberland Alliance. He knows there will be war, and he knows he’s been sent to die, and he will not go quietly.

The Precepture is guarded by electronic monitors that use electric shock to keep the peace. As Elian soon discovers, he will be tortured until he is compliant. Greta and her comrades have seen nothing of resistance in their years there. Being raised from early childhood they learned to comply, to code their speech so that it didn’t sound insubordinate or revolutionary, but Elian has no scruples, and his torture breaks something open in Greta. She was resigned to death, but perhaps it doesn’t need to be something she accepts.

I was caught in the state of constant readiness, alongside Greta. Most of her comrades are safe from the threat of death, by virtue of having no encroaching enemies, or too much power in their region. Greta and Elian should be enemies, but she cannot hate him. It is not his fault their people are at the brink of war. This is where the usual dynamic goes awry. People will expect Greta to fall for the bad-boy rebel Elian, and she does, but not the usual way.

He did not seem happy about it. “I don’t get it. From the day they dragged me here, I was going to die–we were both going to die–and you were okay with that.”
“I was wrong.”

There are a whole lot of fantastic, unprecedented changes in store for the Children of Peace, not least of which is meeting a hostile enemy and the savior of the human race.

At no point does Greta become a soppy mess of a lovesick girl. She does change and affection comes, but it is unexpected and bittersweet.

“You don’t love me.”
“Oh, Elian.” It was not that simple. Not nearly. “I–I’m sixteen years old. And I’ve been asleep my whole life.”

“You woke me up, Elian Palnik.”

I found the almost Stockholm syndrome scenario of Greta’s world to be intriguing. She knew that her mother could not/would not save her. She was resigned to sacrifice, and yet, she made choices that enabled her a modicum of freedom, in a way. A death of her choosing. Greta dies, but she also lives on–and not in a martyred memory. She is wise and she is capable–the unelected leader of the Children of Peace in her Precepture. She reaches out for help, and she sways a god. In her cool and calculating mind she finds a middle passage that saves hundreds of thousands, and, in particular, the one she promised to save.

There is a love story here, but it is not between Greta and Elian. He is boy she hardly knows. No, Greta finds love with the people she has leaned on throughout her childhood. That love she never allowed herself to experience, fearing she would lose it, becomes a purpose in her final hours.

If I was going to put my life down–as Wilma had–then I wanted to mourn it. I wanted to regret it, and fiercely. Maybe the grey room would kill me, and maybe not, but one way or another it would transform me, and this life would be done. I wanted to be alive before that happened. I wanted to be alive before I died, and I wanted death to terrify me, not slip in like a long expected guest.

As for the book, there were parts I wanted to move faster, that then became important later. Those deft touches, and full-circling, brought my enjoyment back when it began to falter. There was a sharpness to the narration, a gallows humor, that kept the prose light. I did not weep for Greta. I did admire her, and I expect that her sacrifice will bring change to her world. And that’s the best compliment I can give to a protagonist.

Interested? You can find THE SCORPION RULES on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Also, libraries will be getting this one soon, fo sho.

Thanks for popping in. Please stop by my fellow Coffeehouse reviewers and catch their fave books of the month. And, as always, keep reading my friends.

Finding One’s Self–FIERY

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Hi there! I’m getting the word out about a newly-released contemporary YA romance with a transgender main character. FIERY from Alyssa Astra is sure to push the boundaries. It sounds so interesting!

fiery1400About the book:
Aiden Adams, a transgender teen, begins writing in a journal when he moves to a new town named Ashmore and begins “passing.” He is counting on everyone to believe that he is the every bit the male he appears to be. Writing in his journal helps him unclog his brain as he writes about the daily struggles he faces as a transgender teenager, his painful past that he is trying to forget, the new friends he is making, and the beautiful girl named Abby whom he has fallen in love with. Aiden has already come out to his open-minded mother, but will Abby be just as understanding?

When Aiden loses his journal, he worries that the secret he is trying so desperately to keep will come out. And if it does, how will everyone react? Will Abby be able to cope with everyone knowing that he is transgender? Will his new friends accept Aiden for who he really is—a boy—or will everything fall apart?

A tasty morsel…

The beautiful eyes belong to the beautiful girl from the library. The one I notice every day for one reason or another. The one I sketched on a page in my journal. I’m such a creep.
“Hi,” she says loudly.
I take out my earbuds and turn off my radio that’s still in my pocket. “Hi,” I say back.
She’s on one knee to be eye-level with me, but she spins and sits down beside me, really close. Wait a minute…
SHE’S GOT ON THE COOLEST BOOTS!
They’re shiny black leather and they go up to her knees. The bottom of them is a three-inch platform, all clunky and sexy—I mean cool. She has black skinny jeans tucked into them.
“I just wanted to make sure you were alive,” the girl says. “Why are you all the way over here, by yourself?”
“I don’t know anyone,” I admit.
She holds out her right hand. “I’m Abby Abernathy.”
I grasp her hand. Handshakes are always awkward. Her hand is really warm or mine is really cold.
“I’m Aiden Adams.”
“Nice to meet you—now you know someone.” She smiles.
“I guess I do.”

Interested? You can find FIERY on Amazon, Amazon UK, All Romance eBooks, and Torquere Press.

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About the author:
Alyssa Astra lives in a mildly haunted house in North Carolina. She started writing stories by hand in high school. Now she types them. When she is not writing she spends her free time attempting art and listening to music.

You can find Alyssa online on Facebook, twitter, Instagram, Deviant Art and Tumblr.
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