Looking for Recommendations:

So I've fallen into the dark, wonderful reading that is Dystopia. I didn't think I liked dystopian books, but oh how wrong I was.  In the last few weeks I've read:

Legend by Marie Lu 

Crossed by Ally Condie 

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins 

Divergent by Veronica Roth (my favorite so far)

Delirium by Lauren Olivier 

Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines (not really dystopian, I think)

I've also got Enclave by Anne Aguirre and Moira Roger's new dystopian series, Children of the Undying, to read.

But I need more!!!  Do you have any dystopian recommendations?  My only requirement is that there's some sort of love interest - doesn't have to be sexual, but at least a hint or possibility of romance...

Does your inbox look like this?

[image redacted]

Anyone who knows me knows I like things to be in order.  I firmly believe "everything has a place" and get borderline crazy if it's not where it belongs.  One place I've tried but failed to organize is my e-mail.  I feel like I'm always behind, or can't find something I received or sent out...

I've got a separate e-mail for personal use and book blogging.  My blog e-mail has lots of folders:
Authors After Dark
BEA 2012
Blog Help
Blog Misc
Books I've Won
Giveaways (that I'm hosting)
Paperback Swap
Review Requests (subfolder for competed or rejected)
Pam has her own folder for reviews and such *waves at Pam*
and I just started a few folders for publishers

And yet, it's a mess.  I spend more time trying to find stuff than I do actually sending it.  I once sent myself an entire blog post and then promptly lost it.  Poor Pam has to put up with my e-mails like "what's your address again" or "what books do you have?" Lucky for me she's got a sense of humor :)

It's not like I'm inundated with e-mails or have government secrets in there; I just can't ever seem to find something where I think I put it.

Anyone have any suggestions?  What am I missing? 

How do you organize your inbox?

Amazing August!!!

Looking back at my list of reads, August was a pretty amazing month:

1.  The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa (3 1/2 stars)
2.  Provoke Me by Cari Quinn (4 stars)
3.  The Vampire Next Door by Ashlyn Chase (2 stars)
4.  Never Enough by Lauren Dane (4 stars)
5.  Firelight by Sophie Jordan (4 stars)
6.  Vanish by Sophie Jordan (4 stars)
7.  Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (5 stars)
8.  Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (4 stars)
9.  The Renfield Syndrome by JA Saare (4 stars)
10. Cipher by Moira Rogers (5 stars)
11.  Wilder's Mate by Moira Rogers (4 stars)
12.  The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkins (4 stars)
13.  Don't Mess With Texas by Christie Craig (4 stars)
14.  Red's Hot Cowboy by Carolyn Brown (3 stars)

As I look over my list, I see a lot of YA this month.  I find I've been reading and enjoying a lot of YA in general lately; it seems to be the majority of books I received from ALA this summer.  I guess YA is the hot thing right now :)  and what I've been reading is pretty darn good.

Pam reviewed:
1.  Amaryllis in Blueberry by Christina Meldrum (2 stars)
2.  Love Always by Harriet Evans (4 stars)
3.  Tamed by a Highlander by Paula Quinn (3 1/2 stars)
4.  How to Seduce a Scoundrel by Vicky Dreiling (4 stars)

I also did a fun post on books as fashion, and then the other day I found this:

Animal Farm

The Scarlet Letter

These shoes are so cool - yes, that's a pair of high-top "I read banned books" and much more (I tried search "literary" and "book" and got different results).  I definitely NEED a pair.

A few of us have also hatched a plot to possibly head to BEA this summer by train - we're calling it "The Big Easy to the Big Apple".  I'm super excited about this and hope everything comes together smoothly.  It's still a  few months away so I'm keeping my fingers crossed, I think it will be fun.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a signed galley of Lauren Dane's Never Enough - it's international!  And be sure to check back tomorrow for a review and giveaway of Chosen by Paula Bradley!

How was your August?

Read anything good?  Do something fun?

Books As Fashion

I've seen wearable book jewelry, and I love it.  There are several pieces I'd love to own: 

These book necklaces by Margo Kent are pretty darn cool:

This one from bindingbee is just precious and I love the tiny key:

From artist Janna Syvanoja; this piece is gorgeous (not sure if it's a necklace or pin):

_______________________

There are book purses (LOVE!!!):

From Rebound Designs:

Or, if you'd rather, a clutch from bibliobags:

_______________________

And did you know there are dresses made out of books?

Here is a children's book dress made by Susan Perine:

Makes me think of flappers from the 1920's; it's adorable!

This is probably my favorite, by Ryan Novelline (the link has a gorgeous view of the back):

Made entirely from Little Golden Books - even the bodice is made from the spines!

I love it when people use books as wearable art; it's so much fun!

Fearful Friday: Amazon Reviews

I post my reviews here, and I post them on Goodreads. I hadn't been posting my reviews on Amazon, mostly because I'd heard horror stories from other bloggers about plagarism of reviews. However, I got the impression that some of the new publishing houses on NetGalley want to see reviews on Amazon, so I decided to give it a go. Does the "6 out of 10 people found this review helpful" option make anyone else feel like a failure? I guess that's how authors feel about reviews (times about a million), hmmm?  And, I don't know what to do when someone criticizes my review - reply or ignore?  So far I've just apologized.  That's probably the wimp's way out but that's me - Wimpy McDoormat.

My other thought about reviews on Amazon is that I'm suspicious of 5 star ratings from people who haven't reviewed any other book except the one they've given 5 stars to. Really? This book and this book alone moved you to share your thoughts with the world? Is anyone else suspicious that they're done by friends/family? Or am I becoming a cynical b!tch? (Don't answer that.  At least, don't answer it truthfully, lol)

That being said, I do love Amazon - the site is informative and I do look at the reviews when deciding which books/ebooks I'd like to purchase.

Do you post your reviews on Amazon?
Do you use the same format as your blog or change it up?
Any hints or tricks for an Amazon novice?

Giveaway!

I know I sound like a broken record, but May was a crazy, crazy month:

My four-year-old graduated Pre-K.
My 10-year-old had her (belated) birthday party.
My birthday was May 11.
Mother's Day was three days before that.
I drove to Houston and back to meet Charlaine Harris.
My 17-year-old graduated from high school. YAY!!!
Then we had to go to the two-day orientation for college.
And to top it all off, my day job was craaaazy busy - lots of overtime this month.

What does all that mean for you?
It means I have a few May releases I didn't get to review:

Awaken the Highland Warrior
~Anita Clenney

Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publish Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN-10: 1402251238
ISBN-13: 978-1402251238
ASIN: B004TTS2T4

From the author's website:
He's had centuries to dream of her... Mis-adventurous historian Bree Kirkland discovers a one hundred fifty year old warrior buried in a crypt behind her house. But Faelan, the warrior, isn’t dead. When this chauvinistic Scottish Warrior awakes, he has no choice but accept the help of this modern-day woman who’s rescued him, but she’s more fearsome than the demon trying to kill him. If he’s not careful, she’ll uncover every secret his clan has bled and died to protect.

Ripe for Pleasure
~Isobel Carr

Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Forever
Publish Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN-10: 0446572756
ISBN-13: 978-0446572750
ASIN: B00495ZE1C

From Goodreads:
Second in line, first in love
A secret society of younger sons, sworn to aid and abet each other, no matter the scandal or cost.... Their fathers and brothers may rule the world, but they run it . . . and when it comes to passion, they refuse to accept second best.

Searching for hidden treasure, finding forbidden fantasy.
London's most sensual former courtesan, Viola Whedon, is incapable of being seduced-she does the seducing. Until she meets Leonidas Vaughn. Her salacious memoirs have made her the target of half the lords in England, and Vaughn is the only man she can turn to. When he promises to protect her-and to make her beg for his touch-the alluring beauty finds both offers impossible to refuse.

Leonidas Vaughn secretly believes Viola possesses a fortune given to his family by the King of France. So the strong and sexy Vaughn charms his way into Viola's life . . . and her bed. But when their arrangement is consummated, he'll experience pleasure far beyond his wildest fantasies-and realize his heart may need the most protection of all.

Face of Danger
~Roxanne St. Claire

Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Forever
Publish Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN-10: 0446566578
ISBN-13: 978-0446566575
ASIN: B0047Y0EX8

From Goodreads:
Private investigator Vivi Angelino has never met a risk she wouldn't take-and her latest client, a starlet with a madman on her heels, gives Vivi the perfect opportunity to walk on the wild side. That is, as long as she can make sure a certain overprotective, overly gorgeous FBI agent stays out of her way-and out of her fantasies.

Special Agent in Charge Colt Lang is not about to stand back and watch Vivi dangle herself as bait for a serial killer. Yet trying to rein her in means throwing his well-worn rulebook-and his iron self-control-to the wind . . . and taking the chance that his heart will become collateral damage in an already perilous case. Because a woman who can't stop searching for the truth is impossible to resist-even when every discovery she makes brings them closer to a calculating murderer with nothing to lose.

Want to win them? Leave a comment telling me which (or all) you'd like to win, and a way to contact you. That's it - easy peasy!

Giveaway ends June 14 - following is not required but is always appreciated.
Book Addict is not responsible for items lost in the mail.

On Reviews...

Here's my thing: I'm a mother of three, married almost 20 years, working full time. When I crack open a book, I want to be entertained. When I rate and/or review a book (I don't review every book I read), that's foremost in my mind. If it's not historically accurate, I'm probably not going to sweat it unless it's totally obvious. And sometimes I'm wrong about that - like the time I looked up medevial dildos (here - see #6) and violet eyes.

So, I'm not a "tough" reviewer - if I'm entertained, I'm happy. This is the scale I use to judge the books I read:


I loved this book!
I couldn't put it down - the kids are eating cereal for dinner
and the laundry is piling up until I'm done reading.
It's going on my keeper shelf!


I really liked this book.
It was hard to put down - I'll probably whip up something quick
to feed the kids and skip the non-essential chores
so I can get back to reading.


This was a good book.
I wasn't on the edge of my seat but I wasn't bored either.
The household chores are still getting done,
but I might cut a few corners.


This book was just okay. I'm not pushing back
any household obligations to read.


I really didn't like this book/Did Not Finish
I probably made up chores to avoid continuing to read.

Seriously, that's it. I'm not looking for a book on how to cure cancer or bring about world peace.* I want to be swept away into someone else's world for a little while, and if a book can do that for me, then I'm happy.

*I'm not trying to disparage authors in any way or belittle the work it takes to write a book. I, personally, do not have the talent and I am in awe of those who do.

March was in like a lion, out like a lamb... and a giveaway :)

Hmmm...where to begin? March started out a little hectic but leveled out by the end...

Let's start with the books I read in March:
1. Holiday Bound - Beth Kerry (4 stars)
2. Stormchild (Pacific Passion #1) - Vivian Arend (3 1/2 stars, review to come)
3. Seduced by Destiny - Elizabeth Hoyt (4 stars)
4. My One and Only - Kristan Higgins (4 1/2 stars)
5. Bite Club - Rachel Caine (4 stars)
6. Mistress by Mistake - Maggie Robinson (3 1/2 stars)
7. How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf - Molly Harper (5 stars)
8. Safeword: Rainbow - Candace Blevins (3 stars)
9. River Marked - Patricia Briggs (4 stars)
10. Welcome to Last Chance - Hope Ramsay (3 stars)
11. Staying at Daisy's - Jill Mansell (4 stars)
12. Rock Hard - Olivia Cunning (3 1/2 stars)
13. Murder Takes the Cake - Gayle Trent (2 stars)
14. A Lot Like Love - Julie James (4 1/2 stars)
15. Bookends - Jane Green (3 stars)
16. The Return of Black Douglas - Elaine Coffman (3 1/2 stars, review to come)
17. Any Man of Mine - Rachel Gibson (review to come)
18. Re-read: Bitten by Kelly Armstrong

So, yeah, pretty good reading month!!!

But wait...there's more:

Patricia Briggs and Kim Harrison were in Houston on March 5 signing their latest releases. Since my brother and his wife/my bff live in Houston, I decided a road trip was in order. We had a great time and there was a good Q&A session (my notes here).

Then, it was back home just in time for Mardi Gras (March 8), where the city shuts down and throws a big party. I gotta be honest with you, by the time Mardi Gras day gets here, I'm pretty burned out on parades, so I usually skip the big day and stay home :) What does this have to do with books, you ask? Not a damn thing. But...I put together a little box of Mardi Gras goodness to give away:

This is the good stuff, not the lame beads everyone leaves on the ground - there's plush, doubloons, blinky beads, glass beads, silly bands, and more. So, if you're interested in this little box of fun - leave a comment telling me you'd like a little Mardi Gras in your life. (I'm really sorry, but this one's gonna have to be US only - beads and such are too heavy to ship internationally.) Contest ends Sunday April 10.

That was my March, how was yours?

I (heart) my local used bookstore.

I love my local used bookstore!! It's a wonderful place – the owner is friendly and knowledgeable about books. She takes all kinds of books but does not pay cash – only store credit, which is fine with me. Her romance section is huge – sorted by erotic, contemporary, paranormal/time travel, African-American, Harlequin, and Historical. She’s also got UF/Fantasy but it’s in the non-romance section. The YA section is hit or miss – sometimes I find a great selection, other times it’s books I’ve already read.

I spend quite a bit of money at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Borders (hubs, if you’re reading this, by “quite a bit” I mean almost nothing *smooches*), and sometimes after I finish a book I’m disappointed because I didn’t like the story and wished I’d bought something else, or it’s a series I like but don’t plan to re-read and I don’t want to clutter up my shelves with books I’m not going to read again.

There have been several occasions where I’ve tried a new author and didn’t get frustrated about DNF’ing the book because I knew I could just turn it back in and try something else. Here’s a few authors I’ve tried first through my Used Bookstore that I really enjoy (the * means this is now an auto-buy author for me):

Deirdre Martin*
Kristan Higgins*
Shelly Laurenston*
Linda Lael Miller
Opal Carew
Lauren Dane *
Erin McCarthy
Katie MacAllister


This is what I picked up this weekend, and I did not spend a penny:

Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler – I’ve seen good and meh reviews about this series. I’ve wanted to give it a try but I always end up buying something else. Her tweets are hysterical, so I’m hoping to fall in love with this series.

Cat’s Claw by Amber Benson – I read the first book in the series and remember thinking it was pretty good but never got around to picking up book 2 and I don't remember why not.

Hunting the Hunter by Shiloh Walker - I've heard good things about this series but just haven't tried it up yet.

Bookends by Jane Green – new-to-me author, decided to give her a try. It was a nice story but not really what I normally like to read. I'll be turning this one back in.

Dragonfly in Amber and Voyager by Diana Gabaldon (trade paperback size!) - Outlander is one of my all-time favorite books. I originally read the library book and went on to buy myself a copy, which is now well-worn. I also bought Echo in the Bone when it came out but I don’t own any of the books in between – lol, my book money always ends up disappearing too fast!

Do you have a used bookstore near you? Do you use it?

What's in a name? Tell me what you think!

So, here's the deal:

When I started this blog back in 2009, it took me forever to pick a name. I wanted Book Junkie, but it was already taken (by a wonderful blogger, btw *waves at Brande). So I played around a bit more and picked Book Addict. That was before I realized just how many book blogs are out there and so many more have come into existence since then. And a lot of them have some form of "book addict" in their name. I actually thought about this once before but in the end I left it alone. Of course, this could all be due to thefact that I grew up as a Navy Brat and consequently I find that I need change after awhile :)

The other day I was reading comments on another blog and someone signed their comment "Book Addict". This made me wonder if people who "know" me thought it was me. And I'm wondering if I need a more unique name.

I've been Book Addict for almost two years, and I don't know if it would be too confusing at this point. So here's what I'm thinking:

Caught in a
bad FAB
Romance!

Because I do get caught up in the books I read. If it's a really good book, whether PNR, contemporary, or other, I get transported into those pages and live vicariously through the characters. AND that title makes it obvious that this is a romance book blog. (I figure that song will be around the romance community for a while so it won't get old...)

So, to change or not to change...that is the question. Is it too late for me: am I "branded" or is change good? Your thoughts are welcome - pro or con... you might have a point I haven't thought of yet.

Posing a question about publishing and reviews:

I've been seeing a lot of posts lately about negative vs. positive reviews, and while everyone seems to have a brilliant argument for or against them, the subject has left me with a question...

I have not seen any of the posts in question, so I don't know if the initial complaint was against readers who receive ARCs and leave negative reviews, readers who give negative reviews to books they've purchased, or both. So my question may or may not relate to the debate at hand, but here it is:

I've been blogging about books for less than two years and I confess I don't know very much about the publishing industry as a whole. When the publishers send out ARCs for review, I assume they want a true opinion of the book; they're not just looking for a nice quote to put in the author's next book, right? Does the publisher look at all the reviews and give the writer feedback? Things like, "readers didn't care for a circus clown as a heroine", or "telling a love story from the neighbor's poodle's POV didn't go over well". Or, are they just trying to see where trends are going ("the readers wished the vampire was a gay robot cowboy")? Or... do they just go by sales numbers when they make their decision as to whether or not to continue a relationship with a writer?

I don't know if there is one answer or if every situation is different. But...I am curious!

Exciting News from Sourcebooks and a free read this weekend!

I got this great news release from Sourcebooks and thought I'd pass it on:



We have really exciting news! Sourcebooks is pleased to present The British Babe Book Brigade Facebook Fan Page! This is THE place to find out more information about your favorite British authors—all of whom Sourcebooks publishes in the US.

The page is currently up, and we would love for you to “like” us and join in the conversations. There are some topic discussions posted, and that will give you access to chat with some of your favorite authors. We have photo albums showcasing our amazing covers. Next week, be sure to look for another email from us, with more information and AWESOME news about an eBook giveaway to go along with this brand new “British invasion.”

There will be some regular features that begin in early April after our initial launch on Tuesday, and we know it’ll be the perfect way to get you acclimated with some of the authors you’ve come to love over the last couple of years.

Additionally, we wanted to let you know that one of British Babes books is FREE for this weekend only! Millie’s Fling by international bestseller, Jill Mansell, is free in all formats from March 18-March 20 only. Get it while you can!! You can find more information here—and sign up for our eBook newsletter while you’re at it: Sourcebooks: http://www.sourcebooks.com/readers/browse-our-lists/ebook-specials.html



Millie’s Fling will also be available from the following eBook retailers:

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Kobo

Sony

iBooks US

BooksOnBoard

BooksAMillion

So—take a little time this weekend and enjoy all things British. We can’t wait for the official launch of our British Babe Book Brigade on Tuesday, March 22—more info to come on Monda

_________________

I'm headed over now to check it out!!Enjoy!!

Family Funnies...

I don't usually do personal family-type posts here, but I posted this on my "family blog" and since I've got a few book-related things here I thought I'd share the whole kaboodle:


My 4-year-old grabbed my hand the other night and says, "Mommy, come see, come see!!" and shows me this:

Me: Oh how cute! It's a king cake!!
Molly: *looks at me like she's saddened by my lack of intelligence and blows out a sigh*
No, Mommy. It's a paper plate, and we cut it out and put paint and glitter and glued a crown on it.

__________________________

Last night we went out to dinner, and on the way home, my 10-year-old was telling us about a vampire book she's reading. Somehow the conversation got side-tracked, because the next thing I know, she's asking, "Vampires can't be gay, can they?" To which hubs answers, "Of course they can, read one of your mother's books. Oh wait, don't."

__________________________

This is why I love springtime:

I took this picture standing in my back doorway. By the end of this week that bush will be a huge pink puff of color. Love it!!! (Yes, we have a "cajun chandelier" hanging at the top of that picture - we are high-klass. Hubs and the girls made azalea necklaces this morning.

__________________________

I'm thinking about taking the kids to Houston my birthday weekend so I can go see Charlaine Harris. I went out there over Mardi Gras to see Patricia Briggs/Kim Harrison and had a great time with my brother and his wife (my BFF). I'd make it a 3 or 4 day weekend I think (surprise brother and BFF, lol), since we're not doing a "real" vacation this year. Of course, I still want to visit for our traditional 4th of July weekend visit too ;)

__________________________

I'm super-excited about the "super moon" tonight. I love all things celestial and I've already been outside twice to look :)

Hope you're having a great weekend!

M/M Month in Review and More! (February was a doozy!)

Wow! I can't believe February is over already! I had a great month with my M/M Romances and I hope you found something entertaining while you were here.

I wanted to especially thank several people for stopping by to talk about the joys of M/M Romance: Kris, Danielle, Cecile and Erotic Horizon, Tam, Smokinhotbooks, Larissa, Janna, and also Jay Bell for allowing Danielle to feature his book and interview here, and Chandra for offering Heidi Cullinan's wonderful book, Nowhere Ranch, for review.



It looks like I read a ton of books this month but a lot were short stories...

1. She's Got Balls by Mia Watts (4 1/2 stars)
2. Out of Bounds by T.A. Chase (3 1/2 stars)
3. Inland Empire by James Buchanan (4 stars)
4. Love and Loyalty by Tere Michaels (4 stars)
5. Turn it Up by Vivian Arend (4 stars ) <--not m/m 6. Game for Love by Bella Andre (2 stars) <--not m/m 7. Heaven by Jet Mykles (4 1/2 stars)
8. College Boys Anthology (2 stars)
9. Coin Operated by Ginny Glass (3 stars)
10.Stick Shift by Lissa Matthews (3 stars)
11. Bad Boys, Bad Boys by Mia Watts (4 stars)
12. Tequila Sunrise by Moira Rogers (4 stars)
13. Bound by Deception by Ava March (3 1/2 stars)
14. Seducing Jane Porter by Dominique Adair (4 stars)
15. Educating Jane Porter by Dominique Adair (3 stars)
16. Reinventing Jane Porter by Dominique Adair (3 1/2 stars)
17. Stockholm Seduction by Lily Harlem (2 stars)
18. It Happened One Bite by Lydia Dare (4 stars)
19. Notorious Pleasures by Elizabeth Hoyt (3 1/2 stars)
20. To Conquer a Highlander by Mary Wine (4 1/2 stars)
21. Texas Tangle by Leah Braemel (3 1/2 stars)
22. Tyler by C.H. Admirand (2 stars)
23. Nowhere Ranch by Heidi Cullinan (5 stars)
24. Eve of Sahmain by Lisa Sanchez (2 1/2 stars)
25. Pleasures Untold by Lisa Sanchez (3 stars)
26. Swept Off Her Feet by Hester Browne (5 stars)

(yes, towards the end of the month I had to switch gears a bit, lol)

_______________

Today is the last day to enter my M/M Valentine's Day giveaway!
Enter here if you haven't already!!

______________

A few bloggers have expressed their interest in attending the GayRomLit Festival in October this year in New Orleans. I looked at the event list and it looks like it's going to be fun. I recognized several of the author's names who will be attending and I want to go!!! I think I'm still too much of a newbie to get the full effect though, but I wish I could pop in and gush to those authors I am familiar with :) I'd love to know if you are attending, maybe we can set something up!



So, I bid farewell to M/M Romance month - but not to M/M romance. I have discovered some new-to-me authors I plan to read much, much more of, as well as many authors in the comments I plan to try soon. Thanks everyone for your recommendations and for stopping by.

_________________

In non M/M news, a great new romance website debuted this month:
Heroes and Heartbreakers is a fun new site full of interesting news, posts, contests, and more! Head over and check it out if you haven't already!


Also, The Romance Reviews (TRR) grand opening is tomorrow:

They have games, prizes, book reviews, author chats, and more!

________________

Parajunkee and I met Jeaniene Frost and Pamela Palmer last week!

They were both very talkative (in a good way, lol) and it was a nice, intimate event. Ms. Frost answered some questions about a book for Ian: she said he's not ready for his own book yet, if he did get his own book it would be all blood and sex (and that's bad why?) but that he will probably get a book after he grows up a bit. I asked if she had a definite end for the series or would she continue indefinitely, and she said she already knows the ending; I think she said there are going to be 9 books in this series. Someone asked how she came up with Cat/Bones and she said it was a dream. They were arguing and she knew Cat was a half-vamp and Bones was a a full vamp.

Ms. Palmer's Feral Warriors series is new to me. It sounds interesting and I bought the first book in the series so I'm planning to read it soon.

_______________

And last, but certainly not least, Authors After Dark has announced their 2012 location. Yes, you guessed it: New Orleans!!!
I am so freakin' excited - I've been kind of bummed I couldn't travel to Philadelphia for this year's event, so to have it right here in my city next year is awesome news!!! I've been saying forever that New Orleans is the perfect place to have a romance event - we're a great setting for UF, paranormal, contemporary, and GLBT settings. So mark your calendars - August 2012 - come on down to the ol' dirty, dirty and get your romance on!!!

________________

That was my month, how was yours?

M/M Quickie Review Round Up

Heaven
~Jet Mykles

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 238 KB
Publisher: Loose Id LLC
Publish Date: May 30, 2006
Language: English
ASIN: B0045Y269U

From the author's website:
The Weiss Strande Hotel is in trouble. Business just isn’t what it used to be when Tyler’s father ran the family-owned hotel. On top of business being down, dad’s sick with cancer and bills have skyrocketed.

Desperate to save his family interest, Tyler and his best friend sink their hopes and what’s left of their money into a new venture: a nightclub at the hotel. It’s imperative that the White Room is a success, or else the hotel will go under. Lady Luck seems to be with them, however, because they manage to sign the mega-popular rock group Heaven Sent to play the grand opening.

Already a huge fan of the group, Tyler couldn’t be more excited to welcome them to his hotel. He’s not at all prepared for the bomb of lust that hits him when he’s finally face-to-face with the painfully gorgeous lead singer, Johnnie Heaven. No, it couldn’t be lust. Yes, Johnnie’s probably the most beautiful person he’s ever seen, but Tyler is straight. It must be a misguided form of hero worship that he’s feeling.

Tyler finds out that he and Johnnie share an obsession: video games. When Johnnie invites Tyler to his room to play, Tyler jumps at the chance. Who wouldn’t snap up the opportunity to spend time with their idol? He and Johnnie have a great time with the games, but Tyler soon discovers that Johnnie’s got more in mind. The rock star’s aims to introduce Tyler to a whole new level of game play.

My thoughts: Thanks Kris for recommending this book - you said I'd either love it or die laughing - I loved it (although I did have a smile on my face while reading). I think I like the Gay For You trope and will be reading the rest of the series!

My Rating:

College Boys: Gay Erotic Stories
~anthology

Print Length: 272 pages
Publisher: Cleis Press; 1 edition
Publish Date: March 1, 2010
Language: English
ASIN: B0037Z8BQ0

From Amazon.com:
Is it any wonder that college boys are the stuff of fantasies the world over? These dreamy hunks stride across campus, stirring lust in their wake. Whether toweling off after a swim, lurking in the library stacks, or engaging in some male bonding at the frat house, these gorgeous undergrads are good for page-turning, arousing action. An explicit collection of gay erotica, College Boys explores the first feelings of lust for another boy, all-night study sessions with a classmate, and the excitement of a student hot for teacher. This steamy collection relishes the joys of self-discovery and the revelations that happen when a young man has freedom to pursue his interests—in bed and out. From coming out to falling in love, these stories of sexual awakening will evoke trembling, heart-pounding, sweaty-palmed excitement. Featuring the top erotic authors Rob Rosen, Simon Sheppard, Neil Plakcy, Christopher Pierce, Rachel Kramer Bussel, and more. With searing male-on-male action and wickedly inventive writing, these stories are more provocative, authentic, smart, edgy, and hotter than gay erotica published anywhere else.

My thoughts: I had a hard time with this one. While it was certainly erotic, to me it was depressing. I did get a laugh from the story with the guy who could blow himself, but other than that, these stories were more dark than light.

My Rating:

Bad Boys, Bad Boys
~Mia Watts

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 126 KB
Publisher: Total-E-Bound Publishing
Release Date: March 16, 2009
Language: English
ASIN: B003VIWU7E

From the author's website:
What you gonna do when they cum for you? A police force partner submits to his desire while under the influence of alcohol. But since neither of the men are gay, what do they do with their lurking lust?

Geo Wilson has been partnered to Mack for three years. Sharing the same muscular build, dark hair, and olive complexion, they've been dubbed 'the twins' by the department. But lately Geo's dreams have taken an erotic twist to centre around Mack.

Mack values his friendship with Geo, would give his life for the man. Then one night Geo has a few too many beers and plants a kiss on him, he can't forget. He might have been able to pass it off as beer-haze except in helping Geo get back to his apartment, Mack is taken off guard by Geo's tackle and a mind-numbing blow job.

Now the partnership has to redefine itself while the criminal world continues around them. They could lose their badges, or lose each other.

My thoughts: I loved Ms. Watts' She's Got Balls, and I really liked Bad Boys, Bad Boys as well. I read this one right after Heaven, so I'm firmly entrenched in the GFY. This book was hot, and funny, and hot. Loved the tackle scene, loved the little sister's crush on Wilson.

You know what else I really liked about this book? The dialogue. Can't put my finger on why - maybe it was how they'd be talking themselves out of it - right into a sexy scene. I'll definitely be reading more by Ms. Watts!

My Rating:

January Reflections

January was a pretty good start to 2011! I read several good books:

1. Deadlock by Moira Rogers (5 stars)
2. How Sweet it is By Sophie Gunn (3 stars)
3. Sins of a highland Devil by Sue-Ellen Welfonder (4 stars)
4. Icebreaker by Deirdre Martin (4 stars)
5. Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher (4.5 stars)
6. Highland Master by Amanda Scott (3 stars)
7. The Werewolf Upstairs by (4 stars)
8. Offside Pass by Stepheni Hecht (3 stars - review in February)
9. Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning (5 stars)
10. Across the Universe by Beth Revis (2 stars)
11. How to Marry a Duke by Vicky Dreiling (4 stars)
12. Black Wade by Franze and Andaerle (4 stars - review in February)
13. Turn It Up by Vivian Arend (4 stars - review in February)
14. The Assignment by Evangeline Anderson (4 1/2 stars - review in February)

I also did an interview with Robin Kaye (still time to enter the giveaway here, ends Feb. 4), and went to the Shadowfever release signing and Q and A with Karen Marie Moning (post here)!

I'm looking forward to February - I'm planning something I think will be fun - come back tomorrow to see what it is (as if you can't tell by looking at my sidebar, lol. The pic at the top of this post is a hint of sorts.)

Quickie Giveaway!!

As I've mentioned numerous times lately, things have been pretty busy in Real Life, between the Christmas and the J-to the-O-to the-B and my reading has suffered a bit (a lot!) for it. I've got a few books I didn't get to review, so now I'm passing them on to you!

Group 1: Paranormal

Tempted by Fate by Kate Perry

Edge of Sight by Roxanne St. Claire

Group 2: uhhh...NOT Paranormal, lol

Duchess of Sin

Dating Mr. December by Phillipa Ashley

(Actually, I did review this one - here)

Just leave a comment telling me which group you want (it's okay to enter for both). Please leave me a way to contact you! Following my blog not a requirement but it is always appreciated. My apologies to international readers but I'm limiting this one to US and Canada addresses only.

Ends Sunday, January 16.