ebook recs
Dec. 20th, 2008 10:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
maderrA master list, so I can keep track of the shit I actually like out of the 450+ ebooks I actually own. Some of them are familiar, obviously, if not all of them. Will add more as I find/remember.
Newest likey, however is, Faith and Fidelity. Blurb is in the list, but I should also add I found the author's LJ and am happy to stalk it for the present. When someone can take a premise I normally do not care, and make me like it--well, there is nothing but love :)
Faith and Fidelity by Tere Michaels
Official Blurb:New York City Vice Detective Evan Cerelli has lost his wife, the only person he ever loved and slept with. He's trying to get on with his life, build a life for his children. Former Homicide Detective Matt Haight is a ladies’ man, all sex/no commitment. He's depressed, having a midlife crisis, and not sure where his life is headed.
The two find friendship in the bottom of a shared bottle. When the friendship turns to love, it shakes two straight men to the core and flips their lives inside out. Kids, families, careers that are not gay-friendly -- can all the love in the world overcome the obstacles to faith and fidelity?
Me: I'm not really one for the straight men suddenly gay premise. I love the potential of it, but like much in slashdom, it's the potential no one ever friggin' meets. Especially when you start throwing in kids, spouse death, etc. Not to mention the fact one is a cop, the other a former cop. Cause we haven't seen that a thousand times. That was the first thing I liked thought--there was no excessive focus on the cops, no serial killer to catch, blah blah blah. The focus was on the guys, the relationship, and that focus was never lost. I fucking hated the angst that eventually came up, but that meant I was into the story. I wanted them to stop being stupid heads. They also didn't spend most of the book agonzing over zomg I'm not gay! while also having loads of hot sex every five pages. Issues were there, issues were handled. I haven't gotten crap done today cause I keep rereading all my favorite parts. I liked the general lack of hatin' from family and friends, that they had support rather than being left in the cold. Mostly I just liked the guys, and the sappy moments. It was a cute, fun, engaging story. I almost didn't buy it, cause I thought the price was a bit steep for a book I'd probably hate in five minutes -- but I keep buying the damned things cause every now and then, I find a gem like this ^__^
Devil's Fire by Sarah Bell
Offical blurb:Forced into an arranged marriage after the death of his true love, Gareth has no intention of giving Alric of Kray the time of day. He'll do what he has to, but he knows he'll never find a love like the one he's lost. Alric has problems of his own, but is willing to go along with the wedding to help defend his kingdom from the forces ready to tear it apart.
When Alric is gravely injured, Gareth discovers the secret of Alric's magic, and discovers that he has feelings for Alric that he's been trying to deny. They may be able to heal Alric's wounds, but can they defeat the enemy that lurks behind the scenes, waiting for them to make one false move?
Me: This is another one I expected to bomb. It has the whole same sex forced marriage thing, which always makes me leery. An insanely tricky premise, at least to my overthinking mind, but the author totally pwned it. I am always a sucker for Angry Reluctant Spouse Acts Like Asshole Until Forced To See Reality. I liked reluctant angry! sex was not used to bridge the gap. I liked there were only two sex scenes in the whole story. I liked the way the issues were handled. I liked the world, and that there were legitimate reasons for such marriages, that it wasn't just some wow convenient unexplained element of the culture. It's made me want to play with the concept myself, though I've yet to land on a premise I like--but the idea is there, and this story was the one to finally plant it. To see this verse again would be an awesome thing. I guess I shall have to be patient.
Brindisi Bedfellows by Jamie Craig
Offical blurb:Getting dumped is never fun.
Getting dumped by your boyfriend on the eve of your first vacation in six years because he decides to reconcile with his ex-wife is agony.
Heartbroken Christian Davis is drowning his sorrows when his ex-lover’s best friend swoops in and throws his world into chaos. Trip Watson is gorgeous and gregarious and everything Chris doesn’t need right now. But none of that seems to matter when Trip finds out what Andrew did to him. Appalled by Andrew’s callous treatment, Trip announces the best way to get over the break-up – and to rub Andrew’s face in it – is to go to Italy as planned and spend the next three weeks having the time of his life. With Trip.
Mutual lust drives them together. Andrew could very well push them apart. Especially if the truth about Trip’s relationship with him ever comes to light.
Me: I love love love this story. I can't tell you quite what does it--there are a lot of little pieces. I love Trip, really love Trip. I love the way the story starts, I love the way it progresses. Christian is awesome. I like he moved on, was stubborn, didn't let the ex weigh him down completely. And, as already stated, I totally <<<333 Trip. I'm not gonna lie. Everything about him -- attitude, talent, his surprising but believable and totally w00bie insecurity, how much he cares, just yes. I like the way his little secret as pertains to the ex was handled. The story is pretty and sweet and awesome to read. It just works, and with a premise that - again - nearly every other author fucks up. Once upon a time, there was a story I loved to read over and over whenever I was feeling down. It was heavy on the smut scenes, but I liked the chars and the non-sex moments enough to read those over and over, and just skip the smut. It was my feed good story. Then the author betrayed me by breaking the chars up just to make her stupid fucking story Deep and Meaningful and So Real and Sad and Bittersweet. I fucking hate her now. Since then, I haven't had a feel good story in my collection. Brindisi is now that story.
Dark Lord Seeks Friendship by Elisa Viperas
Offical blurb:Velenth is a Dark Lord, full of dirty tricks and dark intrigue. He's not exactly the kind of ruler his people might have wanted, but he's helped them out a lot, improving the economy and the sewer system.
He's even creating a new fashion statement with his dark and dipped in black ways. So why is he so lonely? Velenth knows just what he needs, so he decides to put out a personal ad. For friendship, maybe more. Can he find what he needs in this hilarious fantastical romp?
Me: This book cracked me the fuck up. It's the sort of quirky humor not everyone would like, but I love it. Call it a guitly pleasure, like the fifty million godiva chocolates I ate on Friday cause no one else in the bloody office would. I can't write this sort of humor at all, so I totally admire and envy anyone who can. The characters are cute, the overall premise should not work but totally, totally does. It tells a story and makes fun of fuck everything all at once, and is utterly cute. I love the end. I love the stompy boots, and the viking, and the obsession with ledgers and all of it. Seriously, I was howling through most of the book, and just grinning like an idiot for the rest.
Cut & Run by Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
Offical blurb:A series of murders in New York City has stymied the police and FBI alike, and they suspect the culprit is a single killer sending an indecipherable message. But when the two federal agents assigned to the investigation are taken out, the FBI takes a more personal interest in the case.
Special Agent Ty Grady is pulled out of undercover work after his case blows up in his face. He's cocky, abrasive, and indisputably the best at what he does. But when he's paired with Special Agent Zane Garrett, it's hate at first sight. Garrett is the perfect image of an agent: serious, sober, and focused, which makes their partnership a classic cliché: total opposites, good cop-bad cop, the odd couple. They both know immediately that their partnership will pose more of an obstacle than the lack of evidence left by the murderer.
Practically before their special assignment starts, the murderer strikes again – this time at them. Now on the run, trying to track down a man who has focused on killing his pursuers, Grady and Garrett will have to figure out how to work together before they become two more notches in the murderer's knife.
Me: This is the FBI book I was howling about however long ago. I'll say straight up that it does run overlong, and I skimmed or straight up skipped a lot of it--but I'm tempted to do that with friggin Stephen King and various mainstream fantasy novels, too. I don't hold that against a writer, generally. Not when, in cases such as this, part of it is probably just my own eagerness to see the HEA and not dwell on still more angst. That being said, I do love this story. It's fucking hysterical, and the connection between all the murders was cool as fuck. It was driving me batshit waiting for them to figure it out. I love crime capers when they're done well, and this one was not too shabby at all. I love the chars, their issues, that they were both more than a little rough around the edges but in the end made that work for them as an item. And they both angst pretty, I'm not gonna lie. Shaving a hundred pages or so woudl have made it closer to perfect, but honestly I can't bring myself to gripe about it. I really did like the chars--they were not lather rinse repeat crime solving agents. At least, they didn't feel it to me. All the issues were there, but they weren't beat into my head with a sledge hammer. I liked that the authors did not treat the readers like idiots. And, it was funny as fuck at points. Flock of birds!
Caught Running by Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
Offical blurb:Ten years after graduation, Jake "the jock" Campbell and Brandon "the nerd" Bartlett are teaching at their old high school and still living in separate worlds. When Brandon is thrown into a coaching job on Jake's baseball team, they find themselves learning more about each other than they'd ever expected. High school is all about image – even for the teachers. Brandon and Jake have to get past their preconceived notions to find the friendship needed to work together. And somewhere along the way, they discover that perceptions can always change for the better.
Me: A cute story, by the same authors as above (obviously). I liked the dynamic of the chars, the chars on their own. The author does really well with imperfect characters without typing over into They Angst And Suffer And Are Miserable Do You Understand like so many others. Also, I just like the setting. Nothing glamorous or high profile or more bloody fucking cowboys. Teachers, coaches, small town life. And, again with the lack of hating and crap from friends and all. I get so tired of every story of this nature having friends who just turn on the hate. I've had a great many friends in my life, and perhaps I'm just that fucking lucky, but friends for the most part take shit in stride. Of course some flip, and friendships have ended over such things, I know--but it doesn't have to happen in every single damned story. The chars are fun, and they have the old geek/jock thing without it weighing down. They're obviously adults and mostly moved past such pigeon-holing. Like all of these, I love to re-read it from time to time.
Newest likey, however is, Faith and Fidelity. Blurb is in the list, but I should also add I found the author's LJ and am happy to stalk it for the present. When someone can take a premise I normally do not care, and make me like it--well, there is nothing but love :)
Faith and Fidelity by Tere Michaels
Official Blurb:New York City Vice Detective Evan Cerelli has lost his wife, the only person he ever loved and slept with. He's trying to get on with his life, build a life for his children. Former Homicide Detective Matt Haight is a ladies’ man, all sex/no commitment. He's depressed, having a midlife crisis, and not sure where his life is headed.
The two find friendship in the bottom of a shared bottle. When the friendship turns to love, it shakes two straight men to the core and flips their lives inside out. Kids, families, careers that are not gay-friendly -- can all the love in the world overcome the obstacles to faith and fidelity?
Me: I'm not really one for the straight men suddenly gay premise. I love the potential of it, but like much in slashdom, it's the potential no one ever friggin' meets. Especially when you start throwing in kids, spouse death, etc. Not to mention the fact one is a cop, the other a former cop. Cause we haven't seen that a thousand times. That was the first thing I liked thought--there was no excessive focus on the cops, no serial killer to catch, blah blah blah. The focus was on the guys, the relationship, and that focus was never lost. I fucking hated the angst that eventually came up, but that meant I was into the story. I wanted them to stop being stupid heads. They also didn't spend most of the book agonzing over zomg I'm not gay! while also having loads of hot sex every five pages. Issues were there, issues were handled. I haven't gotten crap done today cause I keep rereading all my favorite parts. I liked the general lack of hatin' from family and friends, that they had support rather than being left in the cold. Mostly I just liked the guys, and the sappy moments. It was a cute, fun, engaging story. I almost didn't buy it, cause I thought the price was a bit steep for a book I'd probably hate in five minutes -- but I keep buying the damned things cause every now and then, I find a gem like this ^__^
Devil's Fire by Sarah Bell
Offical blurb:Forced into an arranged marriage after the death of his true love, Gareth has no intention of giving Alric of Kray the time of day. He'll do what he has to, but he knows he'll never find a love like the one he's lost. Alric has problems of his own, but is willing to go along with the wedding to help defend his kingdom from the forces ready to tear it apart.
When Alric is gravely injured, Gareth discovers the secret of Alric's magic, and discovers that he has feelings for Alric that he's been trying to deny. They may be able to heal Alric's wounds, but can they defeat the enemy that lurks behind the scenes, waiting for them to make one false move?
Me: This is another one I expected to bomb. It has the whole same sex forced marriage thing, which always makes me leery. An insanely tricky premise, at least to my overthinking mind, but the author totally pwned it. I am always a sucker for Angry Reluctant Spouse Acts Like Asshole Until Forced To See Reality. I liked reluctant angry! sex was not used to bridge the gap. I liked there were only two sex scenes in the whole story. I liked the way the issues were handled. I liked the world, and that there were legitimate reasons for such marriages, that it wasn't just some wow convenient unexplained element of the culture. It's made me want to play with the concept myself, though I've yet to land on a premise I like--but the idea is there, and this story was the one to finally plant it. To see this verse again would be an awesome thing. I guess I shall have to be patient.
Brindisi Bedfellows by Jamie Craig
Offical blurb:Getting dumped is never fun.
Getting dumped by your boyfriend on the eve of your first vacation in six years because he decides to reconcile with his ex-wife is agony.
Heartbroken Christian Davis is drowning his sorrows when his ex-lover’s best friend swoops in and throws his world into chaos. Trip Watson is gorgeous and gregarious and everything Chris doesn’t need right now. But none of that seems to matter when Trip finds out what Andrew did to him. Appalled by Andrew’s callous treatment, Trip announces the best way to get over the break-up – and to rub Andrew’s face in it – is to go to Italy as planned and spend the next three weeks having the time of his life. With Trip.
Mutual lust drives them together. Andrew could very well push them apart. Especially if the truth about Trip’s relationship with him ever comes to light.
Me: I love love love this story. I can't tell you quite what does it--there are a lot of little pieces. I love Trip, really love Trip. I love the way the story starts, I love the way it progresses. Christian is awesome. I like he moved on, was stubborn, didn't let the ex weigh him down completely. And, as already stated, I totally <<<333 Trip. I'm not gonna lie. Everything about him -- attitude, talent, his surprising but believable and totally w00bie insecurity, how much he cares, just yes. I like the way his little secret as pertains to the ex was handled. The story is pretty and sweet and awesome to read. It just works, and with a premise that - again - nearly every other author fucks up. Once upon a time, there was a story I loved to read over and over whenever I was feeling down. It was heavy on the smut scenes, but I liked the chars and the non-sex moments enough to read those over and over, and just skip the smut. It was my feed good story. Then the author betrayed me by breaking the chars up just to make her stupid fucking story Deep and Meaningful and So Real and Sad and Bittersweet. I fucking hate her now. Since then, I haven't had a feel good story in my collection. Brindisi is now that story.
Dark Lord Seeks Friendship by Elisa Viperas
Offical blurb:Velenth is a Dark Lord, full of dirty tricks and dark intrigue. He's not exactly the kind of ruler his people might have wanted, but he's helped them out a lot, improving the economy and the sewer system.
He's even creating a new fashion statement with his dark and dipped in black ways. So why is he so lonely? Velenth knows just what he needs, so he decides to put out a personal ad. For friendship, maybe more. Can he find what he needs in this hilarious fantastical romp?
Me: This book cracked me the fuck up. It's the sort of quirky humor not everyone would like, but I love it. Call it a guitly pleasure, like the fifty million godiva chocolates I ate on Friday cause no one else in the bloody office would. I can't write this sort of humor at all, so I totally admire and envy anyone who can. The characters are cute, the overall premise should not work but totally, totally does. It tells a story and makes fun of fuck everything all at once, and is utterly cute. I love the end. I love the stompy boots, and the viking, and the obsession with ledgers and all of it. Seriously, I was howling through most of the book, and just grinning like an idiot for the rest.
Cut & Run by Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
Offical blurb:A series of murders in New York City has stymied the police and FBI alike, and they suspect the culprit is a single killer sending an indecipherable message. But when the two federal agents assigned to the investigation are taken out, the FBI takes a more personal interest in the case.
Special Agent Ty Grady is pulled out of undercover work after his case blows up in his face. He's cocky, abrasive, and indisputably the best at what he does. But when he's paired with Special Agent Zane Garrett, it's hate at first sight. Garrett is the perfect image of an agent: serious, sober, and focused, which makes their partnership a classic cliché: total opposites, good cop-bad cop, the odd couple. They both know immediately that their partnership will pose more of an obstacle than the lack of evidence left by the murderer.
Practically before their special assignment starts, the murderer strikes again – this time at them. Now on the run, trying to track down a man who has focused on killing his pursuers, Grady and Garrett will have to figure out how to work together before they become two more notches in the murderer's knife.
Me: This is the FBI book I was howling about however long ago. I'll say straight up that it does run overlong, and I skimmed or straight up skipped a lot of it--but I'm tempted to do that with friggin Stephen King and various mainstream fantasy novels, too. I don't hold that against a writer, generally. Not when, in cases such as this, part of it is probably just my own eagerness to see the HEA and not dwell on still more angst. That being said, I do love this story. It's fucking hysterical, and the connection between all the murders was cool as fuck. It was driving me batshit waiting for them to figure it out. I love crime capers when they're done well, and this one was not too shabby at all. I love the chars, their issues, that they were both more than a little rough around the edges but in the end made that work for them as an item. And they both angst pretty, I'm not gonna lie. Shaving a hundred pages or so woudl have made it closer to perfect, but honestly I can't bring myself to gripe about it. I really did like the chars--they were not lather rinse repeat crime solving agents. At least, they didn't feel it to me. All the issues were there, but they weren't beat into my head with a sledge hammer. I liked that the authors did not treat the readers like idiots. And, it was funny as fuck at points. Flock of birds!
Caught Running by Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
Offical blurb:Ten years after graduation, Jake "the jock" Campbell and Brandon "the nerd" Bartlett are teaching at their old high school and still living in separate worlds. When Brandon is thrown into a coaching job on Jake's baseball team, they find themselves learning more about each other than they'd ever expected. High school is all about image – even for the teachers. Brandon and Jake have to get past their preconceived notions to find the friendship needed to work together. And somewhere along the way, they discover that perceptions can always change for the better.
Me: A cute story, by the same authors as above (obviously). I liked the dynamic of the chars, the chars on their own. The author does really well with imperfect characters without typing over into They Angst And Suffer And Are Miserable Do You Understand like so many others. Also, I just like the setting. Nothing glamorous or high profile or more bloody fucking cowboys. Teachers, coaches, small town life. And, again with the lack of hating and crap from friends and all. I get so tired of every story of this nature having friends who just turn on the hate. I've had a great many friends in my life, and perhaps I'm just that fucking lucky, but friends for the most part take shit in stride. Of course some flip, and friendships have ended over such things, I know--but it doesn't have to happen in every single damned story. The chars are fun, and they have the old geek/jock thing without it weighing down. They're obviously adults and mostly moved past such pigeon-holing. Like all of these, I love to re-read it from time to time.
no subject
Date: 2008-12-21 08:46 am (UTC)What did you think of the Adrian English stories?
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Date: 2008-12-21 12:01 pm (UTC)Awesome of you.^^
~A
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Date: 2008-12-21 12:14 pm (UTC)And "Dark Lord Seeks Friendship." And "Devil's Fire." And now I only have to find someone who will pay them for me. ^-^
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Date: 2008-12-21 02:58 pm (UTC)So, theotherdibbler had brought it to my attention that Elisa Viperas is K. Sandra Fuhr, of Friendly Hostility, which would explain the awesome humor. Huh. And then the cover of the book at allromanceebooks says Drew Zachary, but that's probably just a weird glitch/typo.
Anyway, yay list. Also, wow. 6 out of 450. *grins*
no subject
Date: 2008-12-22 02:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-22 06:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-23 03:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-23 03:24 am (UTC)Most of them do use paypal. Alternately, I think a lot of them you can find on allromanceebooks or fictionwise, which do paypal.
no subject
Date: 2008-12-26 02:26 pm (UTC)MERRY XMAS M! Hope celebrations go well and best wishes for 2009!
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Date: 2008-12-27 08:24 pm (UTC)Madeleine
no subject
Date: 2009-01-08 02:51 pm (UTC)Question : Where do you find these books? I usually stalk the Amazon lists to get some suggestions of slash books when I get bored, and none of these books are on the list. In fact, I've only read Devil's Fire before, and that's coz I've read one of her prior works.
I also agree on the difficulties in finding a good slash book. Sometimes I try to search for more books by an author that I like, but even then it's hit-and-miss. Sometimes its good, sometimes it sucks. And I don't get the sudden popularity of BDSM content. I've never encountered anyone who can successfully pull off BDSM apart from the Administration series, and the badly written BDSM in the market isn't helping things any. I try avoiding commercial BDSM books to cut down on my trauma...
Anyways, thanks for the recs! I'll get right on it, am particularly looking forward to Faith & Fidelity as hot single male parent with kids are a weak spot of mine. Cop stories are another weak spot.