Book Review: The Troll Whisperer (The Troll Whisperer #1) by Sera Trevor

Book Review: The Troll Whisperer (The Troll Whisperer #1) by Sera Trevor

Rating: 5 Stars

 

Summary: Oscar Lozada is repulsive, and he likes it that way. His apartment is always a wreck, he works at a sewage plant, and he’s an abrasive jerk to just about everyone. When he's not out drinking and hooking up with strangers, he trolls people on the Internet for lulz. His life changes when he finds out a victim of his trolling lives right next door. Noah is super hot and disarmingly nice. In spite of himself, Oscar starts to fall for him. All he has to do is make sure Noah never discovers the truth behind his trollish ways.
*****
This book was written in collaboration with the Goodreads M/M Romance Group's annual Don't Read in the Closet story event. All proceeds will be donated to The San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center.

Review: I smiled like a doofus and also teared up a bit (ok, ok, I teared up twice...) It takes real talent to take a character as unlikeable as Oscar and make the reader really care about him, root for him, like him, and even cry for him. The description of why Oscar does what he does makes me think of a cutter trying to cut away their pain...

I really liked the Odd Couple vibe they had going on, and actually liked the character Oscar a lot more than Felix Noah in the end. I've seen an ASMR video or two and it doesn't float my boat personally, but I think it's cool how Sera Trevor incorporated something that has a big sub-community on YouTube into her book. I had to rate this 5 stars because I do love me some misfits, and I also love a good redemption story.

Book Review: Not Just For Christmas by Annabelle Jacobs

Because it's only a week until Christmas, and I am on a Christmas themed books kick, you can expect to see some frenzied Christmas themed book postings here in the coming week, haha. :) Hopefully I'll have a guest post for you tomorrow as well! Stay tuned!

Book Review: Not Just For Christmas by Annabelle Jacobs

Rating: 4 Stars

Published November 28th 2017
Summary: Ben has Christmas, cats, and mistletoe on his side…. Jason doesn’t stand a chance

For Ben Slater, moving back to Bristol means being closer to his family, living with his best mate, and volunteering at the local animal shelter. But there’s also Jason, his best mate’s eldest brother. Ben’s had a crush on Jason for as long as he can remember, but the eleven-year age gap has always seemed insurmountable.

Jason Armitage works as a vet at his uncle’s practice. He owns a cute cottage on the outskirts of the city, and a loving dog. The one thing missing is someone to share it all with. His brother’s best friend seems a bad choice, but Jason can’t help taking a second look. Ben’s changed a lot since Jason last saw him; both in appearance and attitude. Gone is the shy young boy, replaced with a confident, twenty-four-year-old man.

In the run up to Christmas, the festive period gives Ben the ideal opportunity to show Jason what he has to offer. But concerns for his brother’s feelings hold Jason back. If they have any chance of making this work, Ben must convince Jason that he’s old enough to know what he wants, and Jason needs to believe that a relationship with his brother’s best friend won’t ruin their friendship.
(from Goodreads)

Review: Who doesn't love a book about Christmas, cats, and hot British men? Sign me up!

In this slow burn MM romance, Ben has had a crush on his best friend Liam's older brother Jason forever, but Jason is 11 years older - an age gap that's insurmountable (and kind of icky) when Ben is 16, but not quite so huge when he's 24 (making Jason 35). There's an extra little kink in the works because Liam is bi, and when someone asks Jason if Ben and Liam are a couple he's not 100% sure, but does know it makes him uncomfortable to think about them together.

Jason's a vet and has the cutest dog and Ben's an animal person volunteering at the animal shelter while he's between jobs. Ben's job he gets is socializing the cats. Man, who doesn't love a big, strong, hot guy playing with fuzzy little kitties? Me-ow. And when Ben and Liam are witness to a cat getting struck by a car, they of course race the cat over to Jason's vet practice. I'm not even THERE and this cat has stolen my heart! This book has all the tags: slow burn, best friend's sibling, May-December romance, friends to lovers, childhood crush to lovers, Christmas romance… It's definitely more sweet (but does have its steamy moments!)

I did knock off half a star for some weird bits that I think were errors not caught in editing, but perhaps they were just Briticisms?

BEWARE: This novella may make you want to rush out to your local animal rescue and adopt a cat. You have been warned.

Book Review: Curses, Foiled Again by Sera Trevor

Book Review: Curses, Foiled Again by Sera Trevor

Rating: 4 Stars

!!Happy Book-Birthday!!

 

Expected publication: November 27th 2017 by NineStar Press
Summary: Felix is a vampire—a fierce creature of the night who strikes terror into the hearts of everyone unlucky enough to become his prey. Or at least, that’s what he thought was true, until he met John. John is completely unimpressed with Felix, much to his dismay. Felix becomes fixated on proving his ferocity to John—and when that doesn’t work, he strives to make any impression on him at all.

John is a witch, and as all witches know, vampires are notoriously stupid creatures who only have the power to hurt those who fear them. Besides, he’s under a curse much more frightening than any vampire. Felix’s desperate attempts to impress him annoy John at first, but gradually, they become sort of endearing. Because of his curse, John has pushed everyone in his life away. But Felix can’t be hurt, so there’s no harm in letting him hang around.

Felix is technically dead. John has nothing left to live for. But together, they might have a shot at life.

This dark and witty vampire romance for adults is complete at 100,000 words, with no cliffhanger. Despite some dark twists and turns, it ends with a solid HEA.
(from Goodreads)

Review: The first chapter is such a total train wreck that I almost DNF’d this book, but there was also something compelling enough about it that I kept reading - and I’m so glad I did! Chapter one reads like a goth teen’s unedited NaNoWriMo novel, and then the rest of the book reads like it was written by an entirely different person. I love the evolution of several of the relationships (but won’t say more because spoilers) and was pleasantly surprised by the depth and growth of the main characters - definitely something I was NOT expecting from that first chapter! The name of John’s cat (Astray) was awkward for me (I kept reading it as “Ashtray” and thinking what an awful name that is for a cat). Also kind of bugged by how many characters in this book are gay. Which isn’t to say that I disliked the 80-90% gay cast, but each time another character was revealed to be gay/lesbian/bi I was like what are the odds? Also, I know a guy who is rather John-like and he can’t pick up chicks to save his life - is he playing to the wrong crowd? Because John seems to be man catnip for some reason.

Book Review: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Book Review: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Guide #1) by Mackenzi Lee

Rating: 3 Stars

Published June 27th 2017 by Katherine Tegen Books
Summary: Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores


Review: Let me first lead by saying I read a LOT of historical romance set in the Georgian/Regency era. Let me then follow that with - holy anachronisms, Batman!! (The most painful: "Hey there, my foxy lady.")

This is definitely YA/NA by the tone. unread plenty of adult Regency romance featuring 18 year old leads and the immaturity of Henry "Monty" Montague is much more like an 18 year old in this day and age than one in the 1700s.

I wanted to slap Monty several times, and he's very much one of those people who manage to take two steps forward then one step back. He's got a major case of the poor-pitiful-me's as a titled, white non-cis man in the 1700s. Meanwhile his best friend is half-black and an orphan being raised by his English aunt and uncle in a society that is very unwelcoming to people of color, and his sister is a scientifically minded woman interested in medicine in an age when women aren't allowed an education and are technically owned by their fathers and then their husbands. So yeah, Monty, things are tough all over. But then I also hurt for him and wanted to see him have a happy ending.

Though I had to throw this book to the side several times and read something ELSE for a while, it did grow on me (rather like a fungus). And darling Monty did manage to have some personal growth so I suppose I felt slightly less like slapping him by the end of the book. I look forward to learning more about Felicity and her adventures in the next book - now there is a strong woman!!