Novel Review: Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Rating (Out of 5): ~4.5

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance; LGBTQ+

Publisher: Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins)

Release Date: April 2015

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Teaser Tuesday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

The Cover:

The cover is just kind of okay for me. I don't dislike it, but I don't love it either. It's not really eye-catching, the headless thing is kind of weird. I do like the word bubble for the title, and the colors and grainy-ness work. But otherwise it's just kind of meh.

Review:

“Don’t you think everyone should have to come out? Why is straight the default? Everyone should have to declare one way or another, and it should be this big awkward thing whether you’re straight, gay, bi, or whatever. I’m just saying.” (Hardback, pg. 146) “White shouldn’t be the default any more than straight should be the default. There shouldn’t even be a default.” (Pg. 269)

When his classmate Martin finds out that Simon is gay, he blackmails him into helping him get a date with Simon’s friend Abby. Feeling forced into it so he doesn’t come out before he’s ready, or cause problems with his mystery email buddy Blue, he attempts, but isn’t very good at it really. And he’s more focused on Blue than anything else.

I like how honest and realistic this book seemed, with the whole subject matter. Simon decides to come out to some people, and is forced to with others, and it’s all honest. His emails with Blue are adorable and so cute. They go to the same school, but they don’t know who the other is. Which means that Simon starts trying to guess, and I loved the reveal. It’s incredibly adorable, as is most of the book.

Martin is a bit of jerk, honestly, even if he has some possible redeeming qualities. I liked Simon’s friends, too. His bond with Abby was sweet, and I enjoyed their honest interactions. He has a group of friends, and I liked the focus that part of his life was given, along with his family. He’s close with his family, and I liked the equal attention all of it was given.

This book is smart and thoughtful, but also super adorable and cute and funny. I loved it, and it went by so fast. I will definitely be picking up whatever she releases next.

Novel Review: Finding Their Balance (Neighborly Affection, #5) by M.Q.Barber

Rating (Out of 5): ~4.5

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance, Erotica, BDSM, M/M/F

Publisher: Kensington

Release Date: March 1, 2016

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Books-a-Million.

Wishlist Thursday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Three’s the naughtiest kind of crowd.

Getting to the one-year mark is hard enough in a relationship between two lovers. For three, just getting through the day can be half the battle. Between Alice’s headstrong insistence on pushing her sexual limits and Jay’s need to confront an abusive former lover, Henry has his hands full keeping both his partners safe and happy. But despite all the challenges—and unexpected dangers that lurk in their hedonistic world—the three have formed a union that brings each of them to the edge of something new—something they may not be able to hold onto...

The Cover:

I actually really like this cover. I think that the positioning of the three looks pretty and more natural than normal, and that their poses work for the character they're supposed to be. I like the coloring and the fonts. I think it's pretty.

Review:

Another fantastic book in this series. I have eaten up each book so far, and still re-read them. This one will be added to the list.

We continue where the third book left off, and the group confronts quite a few issues.

The main one is Cal, thankfully. The threat of him has hurt Jay to a large extent, and invaded their relationship in the previous book. He’s a major hazard, and now that the three are going to the club again, he’s starting to be dealt with for real. I definitely like the way that that plot line gets handled in this book.

Now that the three of them are going to the club again, we see a new side of Jay. We meet a few new subs and Doms, and it’s nice to see them making new friends, to see Jay opening up and growing. He’s needed this for a while. It’s also clear that Henry likes teaching, and the scenes where he’s teaching at the club are fun and helpful to a lot of people.

Jay’s family causes a big distraction in the middle, and that’s hard. I’m still waiting for him to stand up to his sister, but we haven’t officially met her yet. I’m hoping we’ll get more of that soon, especially since Alice is made aware what his relationship really is with his family. How he hides from them, and how it hurts both Alice and Henry. I just feel sad and frustrated with Jay’s family here, and am waiting for something big to happen there. Alice’s sister, on the other hand, should be showing up in the next book, and I’m excited for that. Alice also makes friends, mostly, with Emma, which is nice and should lead to good things.

I loved this book. I honestly can’t get enough of Barber’s writing and characters, especially these three. I want to see more of Leah and her Master, and I really want to see Santa Will get his happy ending. And I just want more of the threesome. They make me happy.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, Kensington, through Netgalley. Thank you!

Novel Review: Secret (Elemental, #4) by Brigid Kemmerer

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Kensington Teen

Release Date: January 2014

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Teaser Tuesday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

EARTH. FIRE. AIR. WATER.

Nick Merrick is stretched to breaking point. He's trying to keep his grades sky-high or he won't get in to college. He's trying to keep his brother's business afloat or the Merricks will be out on the street. He's trying to keep the secret of where he's going in the evenings from his twin brother Gabriel - or he fears he'll lose his family. And he's trying to keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who is his 'girlfriend's' partner.

And then Quinn takes to hanging around his sworn enemy, and an Elemental Guide is counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers. Storms are brewing. On all sides.

SECRETS IN THE WIND. DANGER IN THE AIR.

The Cover:

I rather like this cover. It matches the others in the series, and I like that it gives you a good idea of what you're getting. And since there are two main characters, two main stories, in this book, I like that there are two people on the cover. I like it.

Review:

I haven’t yet gotten to the previous book, but I did really enjoy the first two. And now I’m a little afraid of what happened in Spirit. But even given that, I really enjoyed this book.

The whole Elemental business is getting serious, with a couple developments in this book. And the next one is the last, so I’m expecting there to be even more in that one.

But my favorite parts of this book is the character stuff.

Firstly I want to talk about Quinn. She’s pretending to be Nick’s girlfriend, because she’s afraid of really finding someone she likes. And then, because of Nick, she stumbles upon Tyler. And Tyler is a jerk, upon first impression and many others. He’s Nick’s enemy, and Quinn doesn’t like him from the beginning. And yet… she keeps going back, and he starts opening up. And even with Nick’s romance, this is the one that got to me. Tyler is there for Quinn when she needs someone, when she needs a place to get away from her family. And I loved it.

Then there’s Nick’s story. And I won’t spoil the big secret of his, but it’s important. And his romance with it is so sweet, and what he needs so badly. But telling his brothers is the hard part, and I feel so bad for how scared he is. Especially when Gabriel, his twin, reacts so badly.

I loved the depth and the surprise in this book. This takes the story line so much deeper, so much more intense. And I just loved it.

This book was amazing, and it has definitely made me want to pick up the other two left for me.

Novel Review: By His Rules by J.A. Rock

Rating (Out of 5): ~3-3.5

Genre: Erotica; Adult Contemporary Romance; MM

Publisher: Loose Id

Release Date: 2012

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Aiden Cole can be anything men want—naughty schoolboy, palace slave, virgin twink, or slutty secretary. He’s a gifted actor with a gorgeous body who gives legendary head. Aiden could have his pick of any Top in the local leather bar, but is drawn to Scott Runge—a cruel, sexy Dom who pushes Aiden to his limits, allowing Aiden to experience the excitement and danger of the BDSM lifestyle to a degree he never has before. But when Scott goes too far, injuring Aiden, Aiden withdraws from the BDSM scene completely. Until he meets Keaton Hughes.

Keaton’s looking for something he can’t find in any dungeon: A domestic discipline relationship, in which he can provide his partner with guidance, support, and loving discipline. When Keaton takes Aiden in after Aiden’s traumatic encounter with Scott, he vows not to pursue any sort of relationship with the troubled sub. But as Aiden struggles to overcome the damage Scott has done and get his life back on track, Keaton’s rules might be just what he needs.

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find objectionable: BDSM theme and content, dubious consent, male/male sexual practices, violence.

The Cover:

I like the cover. I think it fits really well for the book, with the BDSM themes as well as the bad feelings that Aiden feels throughout the book.

Review:

“This was submission, thought Aiden. Not Scott forcing him to bear more and more pain without crying. Not men at Obey ordering him to his knees to suck them. This willing, necessary surrender to someone who would never hurt him. To someone he loved.” (Kindle, pg. 231)

I was expecting to like this a lot more.

Aiden ends up in a relationship that he wants at first, with a guy who’s rough and demanding, only ends up changing Aiden in bad and unhealthy ways, and then starts really abusing him. Aiden starts eating less and working out more, going to work less. Finally there’s a breaking point, and Aiden ends it. And finds Keaton, who’s sweet and caring and only wants the best for Aiden.

Aiden frustrated me, a lot. I could see why he got in the relationship in the first place, and while it frustrated me when his eating problems got bad, I understood why he stayed, and I liked when he finally left. But then he kept fighting Keaton, not doing what he wanted, being a general pain. And while I liked Keaton and their relationship, I didn’t love it. I didn’t feel for either of them like I thought I would. And while I liked the ending, I didn’t love it.

I generally just didn’t quite connect as much as I thought I would. I didn’t care for the characters as much as I should have. This just didn’t work as well as it could have, in the end, though I’m not fully sure why.