Getting it up

Notturno by Z.A. Maxfield


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It's Bram Stoker meets Laurell K. Hamilton with Lord Voldemort mentions... how could I NOT like this book? Kept me up all night thinking about Adin and Donte. Great read and highly recommended!

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When my friend Diana Copland told me about her original erotica being published I was over the moon with joy for her. When she mentioned the Publisher, I knew she was in good hands and her work would get the recognition it deserves.

The anthology Sindustry, Vol. 1 published by DreamSpinner Press features those lovely rentboy stories we all love to read!

Book Summary: Rentboys, strippers, hookers, and porn stars—these men are making a buck the hard way. This is Sindustry, where a quick fuck is more likely than a romantic kiss. But while they face the harsh light of reality every day, unexpected love finds them in all sorts of crazy ways. Take a look at Sindustry from the outside in, because for these guys, happily ever after is just around the corner.

Why I liked this book: First, let me say that I love it when a publisher takes the time to invest in quality writing by pairing strong authors with strong editors. I read most of the books I review in ePub or PDF format through Stanza my iPod Touch. When there are blatant errors (then for than, there for their) I not only see them but it makes me stumble over the writing, which means I have to go back and re-read to make my brain go past the typo (which in a published piece I call editorial negligence). I didn't find any in this book.

The stories were not only original in their settings, but compelling and angst-ridden without being overemotional. The authors' works meld very well in this collection and you get a little of everything in this volume. I'm looking forward to reading Volume 2.

Excerpt:“I want you, Christian,” he breathed, and felt the slender body shiver. “I’ve dreamt about you.” He chuckled a bit self-consciously. “I’ve brought myself off, thinking about you.” His hand moved over the smooth skin of St. Clare’s chest, fingers brushing a tight nipple. “I still want you, but only if you want it too.”

He held his breath and waited. It was several long, strained moments before a short, tight nod released him.

He knew that St. Clare was a professional, that it was his job to make his clients believe that he wanted them, and yet Michael convinced himself that the hands that came to gently remove his clothes were almost reverent in their care, and that when Christian trembled in response to Michael’s touch, he was actually feeling something. Even though his situation had changed, St. Clare smelled like expensive soap and tasted clean, and Michael worshiped the slender body, touching him everywhere; his chest, his hips, the soft skin of his inner thighs. He knew that Christian couldn’t manufacture an erection, and he caressed and stroked the hardness with a sense of accomplishment. When he lowered his head and took him into his mouth, long fingers gripped his dark hair.

“That should be my job,” a ragged voice whispered above his head, but Michael curled his fingers around soft, plump balls and squeezed them gently. He lowered his mouth to tongue the crepe-like skin cupped in his hand, and Christian groaned.

“Just… enjoy it,” he muttered against the soft, musky heat, and fingers gently caressed his nape.

When he’d finally turned him onto his stomach and licked a stripe down the knobs of his spine, Christian was panting, his back slightly bowed, his perfect ass lifted. Michael caressed and then parted the pert cheeks, finding the dusky pink pucker between, leaning forward to stroke it with the flat of his tongue. He heard the sharp gasp, saw the white-knuckled hands that gripped the bedspread, felt the long legs spread in welcome. — From The Four Seasons by Diana Copland

Review: (★★★★ out of 5 stars) This is definitely a scorcher wrapped in devious little deeds we all think about but rarely discuss in polite company. I say rarely because if you're among my friends, our company's rarely polite and our conversations are always perverse, deviant and full of hot mansex.... obviously, this book was right up my alley! It is definitely one of my fave anthologies and because the stories are quick but plot-filled, you can re-read them and feel like you've gotten a quick hit of hot mansex. If you're like me and need these hits frequently, you should go buy yourself a copy and keep it close by... for emergencies, of course. :D

My first foray into twincest on the net was while rifling through the many poorly-written fanfics on AFF.net while still a newbie to the Harry Potter fandom. I was not averse to reading incest, not since Flowers in the Attic. Thank you V.C. Andrews for allowing me to dip my feet into the incest pool. It was not until I found Potter fandom that I would immerse myself completely beneath the warm waters of twincest.

A few weeks ago there was a twincest conversation on twitter and author, Sage Whistler mentioned that she'd written a twincest novel. You can imagine my squee of delight. I purchased and downloaded the e-book that night.

Torn by Sage Whistler published by Cacoethes Publishing.

Book Summary: Josh and Jaime have always been different…from the rest of the world that is. To them, they are one and the same person. Born identical twins, even they have difficulty telling where one ends and the other begins. They know that their love for one another crosses all social boundaries, but living apart would kill them. Fearing the backlash of being discovered, they bide their time, and explore the new dynamics of their powerful relationship.

But will they be Torn apart?

Why I liked this book: I like it when an author falls in love with his/her characters. It's evident in their writing and the reader falls in love with the character(s) just as deeply. I fell head over heels for Jaime and Joshua the minute these two came on the scene. You feel for them as they battle their attraction and love them all the same as they dance around each other and the feelings they have for each other.

A testament to Whistler's talent is her ability to make a taboo relationship one that you are not only drawn to but want to fight for. Her vivid imagery and attention to detail add to the overall appeal of this book. It is the first book I've read of hers and this 23-year-old author is one I will fangirl and continue to read for a long time to come.

Excerpt:A rat scurried across his foot, and Joshua swore a green mile as the horse he was brushing balked. Artemis reared up on her back legs, neighing with disapproval. He grabbed for the reins with one hand, and soothingly rubbed her neck with the other. Once he had her settled down, he cast his gaze around the barn searching for the culprit. There was no sign of him.

Joshua sighed. He’d already set down traps twice this summer to keep the rats from infesting their barn and eating the horses’ feed, but the damned things were harder to kill than a turkey in November. Joshua hustled Artemis back into her stall and gave her an apple. He patted her head a few moments, scratching behind her ears in just the way she liked.

“Spoiled rascal,” he said fondly before making his way out into the fresh air and sunshine.

A small dust devil in the distance let him know a vehicle was coming up the road. He leaned against the corral gate, hooked two thumbs in his jean lapels, and waited to see who it was. The candy-apple Dodge Ram that peeled up the driveway had a smile crossing Joshua’s face. He could spot that car anywhere, not to mention the man behind the wheel. The vehicle stopped, the engine died, and the door swung open. Long, lean legs hugged by well-worn jeans and brown boots, complete with a scuffed heel, emerged before the rest of the body. Then Jaime Trinovantes was reaching into his vehicle for his Stetson.

He noticed Joshua almost right away, and his face lit up. Joshua felt his heart lurch. The feeling of excitement and anticipation were being consumed by guilt and shame. He might have been able to overcome both emotions with any other man, after all they were entering an age where it was okay to be homosexual, but this was different.

This was a nightmare. This was his twin brother.

Review: (★★★★ out of 5 stars) The story takes off from the get-go and you're not only pulled into the scene by the vivid imagery and detailed scenes, you're slammed against the wall with the force of the attraction between these two and the delicious smut scenes therein. A definite must-read!

Jake Gyllenhaal's Prince of Persia movie poster is on BitchPleaz.com:

The poster for Jake Gyllenhaal’s adventure fantasy Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. The Brokeback Mountain star plays Prince Dastan in the upcoming Disney movie, based on the video game about a prince who teams up with a rival princess to stop an angry ruler from unleashing an earth-shattering sandstorm.bitchpleaz.com, Bitch Pleaz, Jul 2009

You should read the whole article. The poster is yummylicious and now I can see why he bulked up for the role! Dayum!

I think it's pretty evident that I'm a huge Ally Blue fan. I have read almost all of her books (some of her earlier works I have yet to purchase and review) and with every new story, I fall in love with her works all over again.

Adder by is published by Samhain Publishing.

Book Summary: Adder has a plan for his life: play his music for millions of adoring fans, who will reward him with money, fame and as much sex as he can handle. It’s a goal he’s been working toward since his teens and is on the cusp of achieving. The idea of a relationship never entered his mind—until a new drummer joins his band. One taste of Kalil, and all he wants is more.

For Kalil, playing drums for Adder is a dream come true, the creative connection he’s always wanted. What he never reckoned on is the deeper connection he finds with Adder. Kalil would rather avoid sexual involvement with a bandmate, but Adder seems just as determined to break through his resistance.

Attraction aside, music and sex are about the only things the hedonistic Adder and the increasingly jealous Kalil can agree on. Still, before they know it they’re on the brink of something deeper, something lasting.

And it scares the hell out of both of them.

Why I liked this book: I love eccentricities and rock-and-rollers that are a little Bowie, a little The Cure and a lot sexy and Adder delivers. The attraction between the two is evident form the onset and though you KNOW where the story is headed, you can't stop reading. Ally Blue is known for her angst-ridden stories and the way she tortures her characters should be award-winning all on its own. Adder and Kalil suffer for love and are rewarded not just with mind-blowing sex (which is as mind-blowing for the reader as it is for the characters... well, maybe not EXACTLY as mind-blowing but damn if it's not close) but with a love story that leads to success both professionally and personally for the couple.

This is another vividly described book. Ally Blue doesn't pull any punches and she doesn't hide the sex or emotions behind a 'fade-to-black' tarp that always annoys me to read in other erotica books. Don't be afraid to show the ugly parts of love in romance, it helps me--as a reader-- to connect with the characters and to feel for them.

Excerpt: He couldn’t help his sharp gasp when his erection aligned with Adder’s. Grinning like the demon he was, Adder hooked a leg around Kalil’s waist and thrust up. Kalil let out an embarrassing whine. “Jesus fucking Christ. Uh.”

“Mmmm.” Rearing up, Adder fastened his mouth to Kalil’s neck and sucked so hard Kalil figured he’d see a blood blister there next time he looked in a mirror.

“Fuck me, Special K.”


Kalil shook loose of Adder’s grip and sat back on his knees. He was about to shove a finger up Adder’s butt when a thought struck him. “Goddammit.”

“What?” Adder curled his fingers around his prick, not stroking, just holding on as if he was afraid it would fall off if he didn’t.

“No rubbers. Hell, no lube either.” Frustrated, Kalil raked a hand through his hair. “Shit.”


“Use saliva, it works well enough.”


“Yeah, for lube. But not for protection.”


Adder quirked an eyebrow at him. “You wouldn’t fuck me bare, darling?”


“Are you crazy? As much as you screw around? I don’t think so.”


If Adder was offended by that, he didn’t let on. The tip of his tongue came out to tease the corner of his mouth. “As it happens, I have a few condoms and packets of K-Y in my bag.”

Torn between relief and annoyance, Kalil gave Adder’s thigh a resounding smack.

“Why the fuck didn’t you say so before?”


“I would have told you eventually. I simply wanted to see when you would notice the lack of proper supplies.” Adder let go of his cock, leaned sideways and rummaged through the yellow and teal flowered satchel beside the sofa. He emerged with a condom and a packet of lube, which he held out to Kalil. “Here you are, darling.”


Kalil shook his head. The condom was orange. Who used orange condoms?


He took it anyway. He’d cope with having a Day-Glo dick if it meant getting said appendage inside Adder sometime in the next two minutes.

Review: (★★★★ out of 5 stars) I love how easily you fall into this book and how vivid the storyline is. I mean, you can not only see Kalil standing there with an orange dick but you can practically hear Adder's purr-like voice in your ear as you read this! I love that Kalil's jealous streak leads to some pretty hot scenes between the two and to realizations that both of the men need to make to get their happily ever after. I love that you laugh, gasp, pant and quiver all in one book and that the characters make you fall in love with them from the onset. Plus... can't go wrong with a hot drummer and violinist going at it! :D

Image by timonoko via Flickr

So, many of you know that I'm a huge M/M romance junkie. I need it like air and have been buying and reading every eBook available under the sun... well, every one that I can afford. Anyway, this is a great discussion about the market for eBooks and what the publishers and electronic device manufacturers should do to not only improve the formats we receive their digital content but what the romance reader (mostly female) is looking for from her digital content provider.

It's lengthy but well worth the information.

Originally posted on July 3, 2009 to friends-locked Livejournal and reposted here with permission.

Fireflies by ally_blue from Samhain Publishing:

Book Summary: A Sidhe warrior in exile. A young man with powers he’s only beginning to understand. In their hands, the fate of two worlds.

A childhood encounter with one of the Sidhe sets Joseph Vines’ life on a fateful course. Unable to forget the beautiful creature who promised to one day return for him, Joey spends the next twenty years learning, dreaming and waiting.

Braeden Shay, a warrior of the Sidhe, has spent those same twenty years watching Joey from a distance, waiting for Joey’s heritage to make itself known. When the time is ripe, Braeden steps in to protect Joey from those trying to kill him, and to help him deal with the changes turning his life inside out.

During the days that follow, as Braeden teaches Joey to harness and control his newfound power over the natural world, Joey finds himself falling for the gentle, patient Braeden. Braeden, who has watched over Joey for most of his life, is already deeply in love with him. When the forces targeting Joey for death catch up with them, it will take all their magic—and the power of their love for each other—to survive, and to save both their worlds.

Why I liked this book: Apart from being written by one of my favorite M/M romance authors, you mean? One of the things I love about books is their ability to transport me to another space and time. Much like Bastian in the library, under the blanket, eating his apple and turning the pages of the The Neverending Story book wide-eyed and eager to see what happens next, I found myself on my bed, drinking my tea and quickly turning the pages in my eReader on this amazing story. The author grips you from the start with the image of this adorable mulatto boy running into the house to tell his Mama that he's just met a Faery and keeps you enthralled throughout the journey that Joey and Braeden take.

The attraction between the couple is established early on and you feel the love they have for each other from the onset of their meeting. The first time you see Braeden with the adult Joey, you feel the energy crackling between them. The sex scenes are hot, demanding, breathtaking and--in one very delicious scene--mesmerizing. If you're a lover of Manga, you're going to love this book... it is all I will say for now because you need to read it to appreciate it! My telling will surely not do it justice, I assure you.

Excerpt: Joey let out a breathless laugh. He stroked one of Braeden’s wings with his free hand, and it undulated under his touch, sending a delicious shiver up his spine. “Please tell me you weren’t perving on me when I was five.”

The horrified expression on Braeden’s face was answer enough. “By Danu, no. You were a singular child, to be sure, but I never felt this…this desire for you until you were a man full-grown.” Digging his hands into Joey’s buttocks, Braeden pulled him closer, pressing their erections together. “But by the Goddess, I do desire you now.”

Joey moaned when Braeden’s lips brushed the shell of his ear. Turning his head, Joey captured Braeden’s mouth in another hungry kiss.

One step backward was all it took for Joey to tumble them both to the bed. He landed flat on his back with Braeden on top of him, straddling his hips. Braeden rubbed his cock against Joey’s, sending sparks zinging over Joey’s skin.

“Braeden,” Joey growled, nipping Braeden’s lip. “Can…can we…? I mean, you know, since you’re—ah, oh fuck yeah—you’re Sidhe and I’m human.” Hooking a leg around Braeden’s back, Joey canted his hips up, searching for more of Braeden’s skin on his. “It’s possible, right?”

Braeden drew back, staring hard into Joey’s eyes. “There is nothing to stop us from making love. But, Joseph, I must tell you—”

Review: (★★★★★ out of 5 stars) This is one of those books that stays with you. You think about it for days onward and is a fairy tale you want to pick up and reread. I mean why wouldn't you want a real fairy tale... one that leaves you breathless, panting and wishing you could watch them get off constantly. Repeatedly!

I've purchased several more eBooks and will hopefully have another one to review soon. Go out and buy these books folks! Then you can fangirl these amazing authors with me! Come on... I know you want to!