Trix

I'd give this 4.5 stars because halfway through the story it got a bit dull for some reason and I lost some interest in the book and characters. But then the action picked up and I remembered why I enjoy this series so much.

What an amazing read!

I enjoyed every moment of it. I had a bit of trouble at first in understanding the background but after that, the characters just pulled me in. I was fascinated!

Ok, that surprised me. Had to re-read the first few paragraphs once I understood that 

 it was an interesting read. The story telling made me feel like I was truly in those periods, having to fight for my rights and the chance at equality with everyone else.

I liked the intricacy of the relationships, the fight against presupposition that you are bound to the decisions and lifestyles you have chosen. And the strength to carry on and reach for whatever makes you happy despite harsh judgments from those around you. Don't want to give too much away. Read and decide for yourself if it was worth the read.

Touching story about the hardships of life and how to move past them.

Each period of our life has a certain degree of hardship and bad times. And it is ourselves that must find the strength to carry on, it is us that must discover the good things and hold on to them until "this too shall pass".

A lovely story, despite the sombre subject.

A cute but ordinary coming out, romance story. I neither loved, not disliked the characters. They brought a smile to my face but I doubt I'll remember much about them in a year's time.

Mark has just come to terms with his sexuality and luckily stumbles upon a hot gay man while moving out from his girlfriend's apartment. He has trouble navigating the gay dating ritual but eventually finds the courage to confess his love and save his virginity as present.

Jamie suffers from dyslexia and is still living with his parents while attending school. He seizes the opportunity to help Mark discover the pleasures of gay sex and unknowingly falls in love.

The book focused mainly on the pair's games in the bedroom, with little room for development for the other characters, other than a perfunctory overview to fill in the background. The last 1/4 of the book had some angsty moments while each character realised they were in love but afraid it was unreciprocated.

The book is perfect for those unfamiliar with m/m romance and have a romantic side they like to indulge in. It wasn't something that caught my interest but it was pleasant enough to keep me to the end.

I don't hate the book. I simply could not find one thing to make it worth my while for having read this. So it gets 1 star.

Strange little story. I liked it (enough for 3 stars) but it kind of left me wondering, both regarding the emotional level and status of things between the pair.

Quite enjoyed this. The emotional charge throughout the story was intense and I was rooting for Mark to get his second chance. And just when things looked hopeless, there was a sudden twist in the plot, keeping me hooked till the very last line. Josh Lanyon knows how to write good action books. 3.5 towards 4 stars.

A short story about 2 young boys meeting after more than a decade and finally getting a chance at love.

What an incredible story! I fell in love with Pip/Valentine and Lindsay. 4.5 stars well deserved.

The main reason why I dropped the rating on the second installment in the series is because I felt Valentine and Lindsay were selfish.

What a journey! I was so attached to Lindsay and Pip that I immediately jumped to the next volume then forced myself to stop so I could write this review only from the first novel's pov.

They are amazing characters. The book starts innocently enough. I kept looking out for poor Pip to develop Stockholm syndrome. But the story goes beyond that. Both Pip and Lindsay are complex characters with faults and qualities. And though they have a hard time verbalising their feelings, they are undoubtedly there. You can see them in the way they understand each other, can translate a breath, a gesture, a twitch of a muscle. The pair is in-sync without ever really understanding just how much. And perhaps because of that deep bond, they are able to hurt each other the most. Both are far from innocent and even in the world they build for themselves, there are obstacles to overcome. Lindsay and Valentine experience the whole range of emotions and through them, so does the reader.

It proved an intense reading and I can't wait to discover what fate has in store for them yet. 4.5 stars

Well, this took forever!

I was kind of reticent in starting this. I mean, the first line was "When the mermaid’s skin turned a dark golden hue, the kitchen staff moved the spit roast away from the fire and placed her grotesquely contorted body on a metal stand at the main table." and I was already envisioning scary, torturous scenes where the main character barely escapes with his life... or not. The actual story wasn't that scary (thank God).

But it was very original. Each character with a unique set of traits and physical elements. And I really could envision that Llawan was a merman with every tiny, seemingly insignificant detail added in the story, twitch of a fin, glide of the body through the water, breathing the air without the comfort of water. The plot itself was a mix between seduction and horror and yet, just like Llawan, I found myself wanting to read more about the pair, discover what else is in store for them.

Recommended for original story and characters and interesting play on impressions.