Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane

Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane

Despite being an in demand wedding photographer, Harriet Hatley isn't exactly in love with the idea of romance and weddings. After a disastrous proposal from her now-ex, she is desperate to move out and move on. Cal Clarke has very different views on romance and marriage, but after his own wedding-related catastrophe, he finds himself with a room to sublet. Cal and Harriet are total opposites with their own secrets to hide. When Harriet's deepest secret comes to light, her world is left in pieces, which Cal helps her put back together. If Harriet can face her past with her career, friendships, and reputation at stake, happiness might just be waiting on the other side.

432 pages.

Graphic Novels Galore!

Fangs by Sarah Andersen

I love Sarah's Scribbles comics, so when i saw this e-galley available, I said, sure, why not? I thought the premise of vampire + werewolf romance was a bit cliche, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I liked how it poked fun at the cliches, but also presented a unique plot of its own. A fun little read for fans of funny comics. Definitely a better love story than Twilight.

112 pages



New Kid by Jerry Craft

I've seen this title pop up on so many book lists lately, I thought I'd check it out. Although this graphic novel is written for the middle grades, there are so many themes and issues relevant to adult readers. When his parents enroll him in a private school, Jordan has to adapt to a school where he is one of the few students of color. He has to learn how to make new friends while faced with racist microaggressions from his classmates and teachers. I would highly recommend this title for anyone and everyone.

249 pages




The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill

Greta, an apprentice blacksmith, discovers a new passion when she rescues a small dragon from a chaotic marketplace. She then discovers the world of the tea dragons, whose horns sprout tiny leaves harvested for tea by their caretakers. This story is so sweet, and the artwork is beautiful. A lovely fantasy tale of traditions, love, and friendship.

60 pages




Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

I read this novel when it came out, but it's been a few years. When this popped up on a recommended list I thought, sure, why not? I remembered enjoying the novel, but didn't remember enough of the plot to make a reread too boring. Yet, this was so boring. The story was still exciting and upbeat, but the art was just... bleh. I'm not a fan of the blue-grey color scheme. It was nice to get a visual for some of the characters, but honestly? Just read the novel.

206 pages




Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed by Laurie Halse Andersen, and Leila Del Duca (ill.)

Now this is Wonder Woman done right. Andersen is a powerful writer, and Del Duca makes the story pop with color. Diana's origin story is updated to reflect our current world, as she encounters refugees, activists, homelessness, corporate greed, human trafficking and other social issues. I love how many diverse wonder woman comics we've been getting lately, and I'd say this is one of the best ones I've read.

207 pages




Zatanna and the House of Secrets by Matthew Cody, and Yoshi Yoshitani (ill.)

We don't get a lot of Zatanna-featured comics, so seeing this one written for the younger crowd was a pleasant surprise. This book was a lot of fun! Zatanna is a normal girl living in a slightly abnormal house dealing with tricky middle school friendship troubles. Then, the son of a witch queen steals her pet rabbit's key collar and the magic house comes alive. Zatanna has to navigate the twists, turns, and terrors to rescue her father and discover her true inheritance. This book is a lot of fun!

146 pages

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

Summary: "Henry “Monty” Montague doesn’t care that his roguish passions are far from suitable for the gentleman he was born to be. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quests for pleasure and vice are 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.

So Monty 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, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores."  -Amazon

Oh my goodness, this book.  It has everything.  Seriously.  Mystery, adventure, romance, scathing commentary, evil, and the alchemical elements give just the right amount of fantasy.  But I have to say, the absolute best part are the characters.  Yes, romping around 18th century Europe is fun, but holy-moly are the characters gems!  Monty is rebellious and impulsive, but he has a vulnerability that makes you want reach in and hug him.  Percy is quiet and steady; he deals with being bi-racial in a world of hatred and ignorance with a grace that is both defiant and dignified.  And Felicity - whew!  She is such a strong female presence, intelligent and caring.  The characters have such depth.  Bravo, Ms. Lee.  Bravo.

This book is a ride, with humor and gravitas both.  If I had only one word to use in recommendation of this novel, it would be 'refreshing'.  So many books are the same character types in different settings, or the same premise with different items.  Not so here.  Refreshing!  It's over 500 pages and still not enough.  I can't wait to read the sequel.

5/5

510 pages

You Deserve a Drink by Mamrie Hart

You Deserve a Drink: Boozy Misadventures and Tales of Debauchery by Mamrie Hart

Mamrie Hart describes herself as “a drinking star with a YouTube problem,” and this does indeed appear to be true. Hart is the founder of the YouTube series You Deserve a Drink, and she has compiled her best drinking stories into a novel. The book is set up to be a drinking game and a cocktail recipe starts off each chapter. Every time she references an old TV show, mentions a food product that can be found at 7-Eleven, or refers to a reproductive organ by a slang term, the reader is meant to take a swig. With stories ranging from a spring break spent at a gay nudist resort to celebrating Day of the Dead in Mexico with her friend Maegan, where a group of swingers mistake them for a lesbian couple, boozy misadventures abound. As Grace Helbig notes in the forward, “None of what you’re about to read is exaggerated, fabricated, or G-rated.”

288 pages.

"Us" by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

In this sequel to "Him," Ryan Wesley is in his rookie season with the Toronto Maple Leaves and lives with his boyfriend, Jamie Canning.  However, they have to keep their relationship secret to avoid any distractions to Wes and his team.  He's promised Jamie that they'll come out once his rookie season has ended, but the deception is taking a toll on them both especially after one of Wesley's teammates moves into their building and constantly bugs them.  This was a wonderful follow up to the first book, which I loved.  Wes and Jamie still have great chemistry together, and their texts to each other are hilarious.  The angst in the story is just right, and Blake, the nosy teammate, adds a lot of humor with his irrational fear of sheep.  Another winner from Bowen and Kennedy that I couldn't put down.  328 pages (Kindle edition).

"Healing Jacob" by Nicole Stewart

This angsty romance between a homeless musician and a bakery owner fell flat for me.  Neither main character was three dimensional, and I couldn't invest myself in their story.  The misuse of commas was distracting.  I think the writer has potential, and a good editor could have helped with the flow of the story and fleshing out the characters.  166 pages (Kindle edition).

"Winter Blom" by DJ Jamison

This was a cute love story between a widower and a newspaper intern who is sent to interview him about his metal art.  Lane Cross works construction and does art to support himself and his six year old son who keeps running off his sitters.  He's immediately smitten when he meets Andy Blom, who's going to interview him for the local paper.  Lane tries his best to woo Andy while still dealing with his son's grief over his mother.  Andy is also mourning the death of his mother, so emotions are running high.  There are misunderstandings and lots of snow in this nice, little read.  156 pages (Kindle edition).

"Lover on Top: A Firefighter Romance" by Kristine Cayne

Another "later in life" coming out story, this one features "Hollywood" Wright, a firefighter who seems to love the ladies.  When he accidentally sets his kitchen on fire, he moves in with his best friend's younger brother, Chad, an out and proud paramedic.  Confusion, denial, and misunderstandings ensue along with a dangerous situation.  It doesn't help that Hollywood's father is a rabid homophobe who holds a high ranking position in the fire department.  Even though the two main characters acted like brats sometimes, I still liked the story.  292 pages (Kindle edition).

"For the Living" by L.A. Witt

This was a very well written story about a man coming to grips with the death of his wife and his sexuality at the same time.  Jay has been trying to make himself admit to his wife that he's gay for a year when she suddenly dies.  He's already overwhelmed with guilt for wanting to end his marriage, but after Misty dies he nearly comes unglued.  Luckily, he finds a confidant in a stranger, the assistant funeral home director, Scott.  As someone used to dealing with death and grief, Scott listens to Jay and tries to give him advice about working through his feelings and eventually coming out to his family.  I'm sure you can tell where this heading, but Jay's journey was still satisfying to read.  I like L.A.Witt's writing and will definitely read more.  279 pages (Kindle edition).

"Clinch" by Charity Parkerson

Gunnar is a boxer, Liam is a stripper, and they went to high school together.  Now they have lived in the same apartment building for two years, but Gunnar still doesn't recognize Liam.  When he does, they fall in lust and angst ensues. 

This book felt like it took forever for me to finish.  The writing was inconsistent, the characters were unoriginal, and the story didn't seem to have a point.  241 pages (Kindle edition).

"Out of Nowhere" by Roan Parrish

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, called "In the Middle of Somewhere," and this story focused on Colin Mulligan, one of the brothers of Daniel (the hero in the first book).  In the first book, Colin was a mean, homophobic jerk to his brother.  This story is told from Colin's point of view and explains why he was that way.  We learned at the end of book one that Colin is deeply in the closet; this book shows how that happened.  While Colin isn't nearly as likable as Daniel, the author clearly shows his mental anguish at hiding such a large part of himself from his family and friends.  Although not as good as the first book, mostly because the main characters weren't as sweet as Daniel and his boyfriend, Rex, it was still a compelling story.  300 pages (Kindle edition).

"In the Middle of Somewhere" by Roan Parrish

Daniel Mulligan has just moved to Holiday, Michigan, to teach at a small college after finishing his PhD in English.  Originally from Philadelphia, Daniel is a tough and tattooed outcast who's never really fit in with his family or classmates.  His mother died when he was young, and his father and three older brothers (all mechanics) never much cared for him, especially after he told them he was gay.  So Daniel feels especially out of place in the small town until Rex Vale comes back into his life.  The two men met six months earlier when Daniel was in town for an interview with the college and was literally rescued by Rex when he wrecked his rental car in a snowstorm.  They soon begin a relationship, but Daniel has never really dated and Rex doesn't want to get too attached to Daniel due to others in his life leaving him.  But as they grow closer, they discover that being vulnerable and letting someone help you is not the same as being weak.

This was a great book with two memorable and very likable main characters who seem to have little in common but complement each other well.  Rex doesn't talk much but can fix or build just about anything, while Daniel loves his books and overthinks everything.  Secondary characters, especially Daniel's best friend, Ginger, help move the story forward to a satisfying conclusion.  I have already started reading the next in the series.  350 pages (Kindle edition).

"The Game Changer" by Kay Simone

This is the second Kay Simone book that I have read, and although it felt very different from the first ("The Company We Keep," which was great), I really enjoyed it.  Malcolm Rodgers is a professional quarterback who's having a very bad week.  First, he's injured in a game that will require him to undergo weeks of intensive physical therapy causing him to miss at least six games in the season.  Second, his fiancee calls off their wedding and breaks up with him for reasons he can't quite comprehend.  Malcolm ends up spending most of his time with Vance Coberly, his team's head physical therapist, just trying to get his leg back in shape as fast as he can. Although different in the way they approach life, the two men become friends.  However, when the seemingly straight Malcolm kisses the out-and-proud Vance, the two will never be the same.

This novel was about a lot of things: self-discovery, family obligations, friendship, homophobia, professional football, and love.  The author takes time to flesh out the two main characters, why they are the way they are, their fears, and their faults, which doesn't always happen in character driven novels.  This was another winner from Simone that had me hooked from beginning to end.  403 pages (Kindle edition).

"Just Like Heaven" by Suki Fleet

This was a cute story of a busker and a college student falling in love in London.  They meet on the street when David prevents Jess' tips from being stolen.  When he realizes that Jess is down on his luck and needs a job, David offers him a temporary gig as a waiter for his uncle's catering company.  The attraction between the two young men is mutual but both are afraid to make the first move for different reasons.  Short and sweet, this was a very low-angst novella that takes place in London.   101 pages (Kindle edition).

"Helping Hand" by Jay Northcote

Jez and Mac are two of eight roommates sharing a house in college.  After spending too much money and not enough time on grades during their freshman year, they decide to save their dough and study when the rest of the house goes out every weekend.  They obviously grow closer and soon Mac is questioning if he is as straight as he's always thought.  Two likable main characters, low angst, and set in England made this book a winner for me.  107 pages (Kindle edition).

"Out in the Open" by A.J. Truman

Ethan Follett is a college sophomore who dreams of going to law school and someday being a Supreme Court judge.  When he enters his Constitutional Law class on the first day of the semester, the only open seat is next to Greg Sanderson, a lazy frat boy who is more interested in playing on his phone that taking notes and paying attention to the professor.  Ethan chastises him and so begins an almost friendship that turns into something more.

Greg was a jerk throughout most of this novel, and watching him treat Ethan as his "little secret" was annoying especially since Ethan was so earnest and endearing.  However, we finally get a few glimpses of Greg when he interacts with his father that make him more human.  The novel was wrapped up a little too quickly and neatly, but I did like the character of Ethan and how he became more comfortable with himself in the end.  281 pages (Kindle edition).

"God, If You're Not Up There, I'm F*cked" by Darrell Hammond

In his record setting 14 year stint on Saturday Night Live, Hammond did 107 impressions, most famously Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Chris Mathews, and Sean Connery.  I watched many of those episodes live and in reruns and was always impressed with how accurate he was with so many diverse and very real people.  In this autobiography, Hammond explains what he looks for and how he prepares each new impression as well as all of the hard work so many people contribute to put a new episode of SNL on air each week.  As a long time SNL fan, I really enjoyed his explanations of how the writers, performers, make-up, hair, wardrobe, interns, hosts, and Lorne Michaels work together to make it all look so fun and effortless.  He doesn't throw any of his former colleagues under the bus and even has good things to say about the hosts with whom he appeared.

However, the most compelling part of Hammond's autobiography is his continuing fight with mental illness, alcoholism, drug abuse, and cutting due to his physical and psychological torture by his parents all through his childhood growing up in Melbourne, FL.  His mother was a cruel and damaged person who took out her demons on her son, even when he was a toddler, by cutting his tongue with a knife, slamming his hands in doors, and more.  She said awful things to him and purposely scared him.  Hammond's father was a vet from WWII and Korea who suffered from flashbacks and untreated PTSD and constantly threatened to kill people who made him mad, even his own son.  His rages were terrifying, and Hammond coped by drinking beer at a young age and escaping into baseball, which his father loved.  His impressions also started at a young age, as that was how he was able to connect with his mother, who also liked to do impressions of their neighbors.  The only love he felt as a boy was from the family's African-American maid, Myrtise, to whom this book in dedicated.

Hammond's road to SNL was a long one; he was 39 when he was hired.  How he got there and stayed so long while battling mental illness and substance abuse throughout his tenure is fascinating, sad, horrifying, and incredibly impressive.  I highly recommend this book, especially to SNL fans.  Hammond is a true survivor.  273 pages.

"Love Me Tenor" by Annabeth Albert

This touching and sometimes funny book centers on Trevor Daniels and his role in a reality television competition between boy bands.  The producers want him to pretend to be in a relationship with one of his fellow band members to up viewership.  Having recently graduated from a religious college and been kicked out of his family for coming out of the closet, Trevor figures he has little to lose.  Unfortunately, things don't go as smoothly as he'd hoped.  His poor self-esteem, loneliness, and recent diagnosis of diabetes, which he tries to hide from everyone, nearly does him in.  Luckily, he does manage to befriend the singer with whom he's been paired for "romance," Jalen Smith, a natural caretaker with a beautiful voice.  Can he help Trevor work through his problems enough for their group to win the competition?

This was a fun story with lots of characters and two likable, compassionate leading men.  Poor Trevor goes through so much with his health, his family, and his lack of confidence that it's not hard to root for the guy.  Jalen starts off a bit gruff but turns out to have a very caring side not just for Trevor but for his own family as well.  This was book two in the Perfect Harmony series; I did not read book one but do not feel like I missed anything.  232 pages (Kindle edition).

"Love in Transition" by Emma Marie Leya

This was a lovely story of Lexi, formerly Alexander, and her fight not to fall in love with John, a championship skier.  Although she is still biologically a man, Lexi has been confirming her identity by living as a woman for the past several years.  She was kicked out by her family and has been living with her best friend and working as a waitress ever since graduating high school.  Living in Park City, UT, has given Lexi the opportunity to indulge in her passion, skiing.  When she witnesses the collision of a large bird with a skier, she rushes to help not knowing that meeting the man will change her life forever.  She and John are immediately attracted to each other, but she insists that they can only be friends.  As they grow closer and spend more time together, Lexi knows that she will eventually have to tell him the truth.  Solid and empathetic writing and a unique main character in Lexi made this a sensitive portrayal of gender identity and sexuality.  133 pages (Kindle edition).

"Strong Signal" by Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell

What an unusual story.  Staff Sergeant Garrett Reid has spent nearly eight years in the Army and is nearing the end of his deployment in the Middle East.  When he's not repairing military vehicles, he's fighting off boredom by playing online games.  It's during one of these games that he meets Kai Bannon, a serious gamer with a famous streaming gaming channel.  Garrett becomes a bit obsessed with Kai, and as their friendship grows through chats and e-mail their mutual desire for each other deepens.  As Garrett counts down the days to freedom, he imagines that meeting Kai in person will lead to their happily ever after; however, Kai has serious problems that may derail all of his plans.

I'd never read much about the online gaming community before this book, because I just couldn't see the point of watching someone I don't know play a video game over the Internet.  This popular pastime is an integral part of "Strong Signal" and brings the two main characters together and even gives one of them a full-time job.  Both characters were fleshed out very well; I felt like I could draw pictures of both of them (if I were an artist) and describe their personalities.  I really related, though, to Kai and his social anxiety.  The authors described his panic attacks and his struggles to do everyday things very well.  Garrett's reactions to Kai's anxiety were wonderful and should be emulated by everyone since he never made him feel ashamed for something Kai couldn't control.  This was a great story to which I would love to see a sequel, but I'll just have to settle fot the next in the series.  229 pages (Kindle edition).