Haven Hart Boxed Set Books 1-4 Author Davidson King Narrated by Joel Leslie, Philip Alces Publication date Jun 8, 2021 Running time 26 hrs Book 1 - Snow Falling Snow Falling was the first book of the year (April) that I listened to or read again immediately. There is so much to love in this book starting with a morally ambiguous main character, Christopher. Christopher describes himself as a "big motherf***er" and at 6’5” he is intimidating. He is also a very powerful mob boss. The other main character, Snow, is much shorter and slender but he goes head to head with Christopher with little to no fear. When Snow sees a young boy being kidnapped, he steps in and risks his life to save the kid. The kid, Simon, is Christopher’s nephew. As Snow moves into Christopher’s world, they are both faced with hard decisions. The audiobook enriches the story and is well worth the expense. Book 2 - Hug it Out Hug It Out is the second book in Davidson King's Haven Heart series. The main characters we met in book 1 are not involved in the plot until late in the book. The main characters we meet are Riordan Darcy, an assassin known for removing the heads of his victims. Teddy owns a company that spends time helping lonely or sick people by providing companionship and platonic physical attention like hugs. Riordan and Teddy are a case of extreme opposites attract. The plot really does show development in both characters which is something I enjoy. Book 3 - A Dangerous Dance Bill, the new member of Christopher Manos’s team first met in Snow Falling, has settled into life working for the crime boss. Mace, one of Black’s assassins, is doing his usual routine of killing and one night stands (although not sure if a fifteen minute encounter in the men’s room counts as a one night stand). The only thing Bill and Mace have in common is how much they hate each other. Forced to work together with different motivations, rough and rocky do not even begin to describe their working relationship. Danger and stress can do strange things to people, even those used to it. But falling in love is too strange, isn’t it? Book 4 - From These Ashes The fourth in the Haven Hart series, From These Ashes, has one of my favorite characters. Black is the head of the world’s best assassination group. He only accepts cases that restore justice to those the justice system has failed. He is large (6’5”) and intimidating. His public persona of the head of a security agency brings his respect and standing in the community. He is a man that even those who do not know who he really is, fear him. Quill is the perfect man to destroy Black’s walls. He is much younger and his own walls are reinforced by continuing danger in his life. He has no security in his life. His greatest wish is to be able to stay and not have to run again. I love Quill’s ability to see possibilities for himself even as he is being beaten. He does not let anyone destroy him. I like how the distinction of bi versus gay is handled. This book for me is really about phoenixes, their beauty, their destruction in the fire, and their rebirth from the ashes of those fires. Narrators - Philip Alces and Joel Leslie Philip Alces and Joel Leslie narrate all the books in this series. Christopher in Book 1 and Black in Book 4 are two of my favorite men in the series. Both men have deep sexy voices. Snow and Quill’s voices are perfect for who they are. All of the characters are well defined. There are two major reasons to purchase the four audiobook set instead of individually. First the cost is significantly less expensive to purchase all four books together. If using Audible it is the difference between one credit for all four or one credit for each book individually. The second reason is when you have a large amount of time but the inability to play around with your phone or tablet. For example, when taking a long drive, start Snow Falling and it will automatically progress to Hug it Out when the first is finished. No pulling over to change books. The multitude of other reasons are every single word the narrators speak. Tantor Audio provided a copy of the audiobook set in exchange for an honest review.
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Glass Syndrome by Eiko Ariki TOKYOPOP LOVE x LOVE Comics & Graphic Novels | General Fiction (Adult) | LGBTQIA Pub Date 10 Aug 2021 As a kid, Tales from the Crypt was my favorite comic book. I have, in recent years, begun exploring the world of modern comics and graphic novels. There is so much to like. Glass Syndrome, courtesy of Netgalley, is my latest read. I truly enjoyed the book. Nijou is that guy that everyone wanted to be in school. If you could not be him, then you at least wanted to be his friend, somehow to enjoy his orbit. Toomi is the guy that everyone picks on. He is bullied including physical violence. When Toomi stops coming to class, one of the teachers asks Nijou to check on him. Nijou being that perfect guy does it without hesitation. The two are a revelation to each other, like an undiscovered species existing right alongside their own. I enjoyed learning about Nijou and Toomi. I especially enjoyed watching them I am looking forward to reading more titles in the series. This title includes: Glass Syndrome Similar Figures of Love Glass Syndrome {Sequel} Similar Figures of Love {Sequel} #GlassSyndrome #NetGalley Haven Hart Boxed Set Books 1-4 Author Davidson King Narrated by Joel Leslie, Philip Alces Publication date Jun 8, 2021 Running time 26 hrs Book 1 - Snow Falling Snow Falling was the first book of the year (April) that I listened to or read again immediately. There is so much to love in this book starting with a morally ambiguous main character, Christopher. Christopher describes himself as a "big motherf***er" and at 6’5” he is intimidating. He is also a very powerful mob boss. The other main character, Snow, is much shorter and slender but he goes head to head with Christopher with little to no fear. When Snow sees a young boy being kidnapped, he steps in and risks his life to save the kid. The kid, Simon, is Christopher’s nephew. As Snow moves into Christopher’s world, they are both faced with hard decisions. The audiobook enriches the story and is well worth the expense. Book 2 - Hug it Out Hug It Out is the second book in Davidson King's Haven Heart series. The main characters we met in book 1 are not involved in the plot until late in the book. The main characters we meet are Riordan Darcy, an assassin known for removing the heads of his victims. Teddy owns a company that spends time helping lonely or sick people by providing companionship and platonic physical attention like hugs. Riordan and Teddy are a case of extreme opposites attract. The plot really does show development in both characters which is something I enjoy. Book 3 - A Dangerous Dance Bill, the new member of Christopher Manos’s team first met in Snow Falling, has settled into life working for the crime boss. Mace, one of Black’s assassins, is doing his usual routine of killing and one night stands (although not sure if a fifteen minute encounter in the men’s room counts as a one night stand). The only thing Bill and Mace have in common is how much they hate each other. Forced to work together with different motivations, rough and rocky do not even begin to describe their working relationship. Danger and stress can do strange things to people, even those used to it. But falling in love is too strange, isn’t it? Book 4 - From These Ashes The fourth in the Haven Hart series, From These Ashes, has one of my favorite characters. Black is the head of the world’s best assassination group. He only accepts cases that restore justice to those the justice system has failed. He is large (6’5”) and intimidating. His public persona of the head of a security agency brings his respect and standing in the community. He is a man that even those who do not know who he really is, fear him. Quill is the perfect man to destroy Black’s walls. He is much younger and his own walls are reinforced by continuing danger in his life. He has no security in his life. His greatest wish is to be able to stay and not have to run again. I love Quill’s ability to see possibilities for himself even as he is being beaten. He does not let anyone destroy him. I like how the distinction of bi versus gay is handled. This book for me is really about phoenixes, their beauty, their destruction in the fire, and their rebirth from the ashes of those fires. Narrators - Philip Alces and Joel Leslie Philip Alces and Joel Leslie narrate all the books in this series. Christopher in Book 1 and Black in Book 4 are two of my favorite men in the series. Both men have deep sexy voices. Snow and Quill’s voices are perfect for who they are. All of the characters are well defined. There are two major reasons to purchase the four audiobook set instead of individually. First the cost is significantly less expensive to purchase all four books together. If using Audible it is the difference between one credit for all four or one credit for each book individually. The second reason is when you have a large amount of time but the inability to play around with your phone or tablet. For example, when taking a long drive, start Snow Falling and it will automatically progress to Hug it Out when the first is finished. No pulling over to change books. The multitude of other reasons are every single word the narrators speak. Tantor Audio provided a copy of the audiobook set in exchange for an honest review. The Uncensored Picture of Dorian Gray Author Oscar Wilde Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini Publication date Jun 22, 2021 Running time 7 hrs 10 min Tantor Media The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is a classic in literature. It is taught in many college courses. That is where I encountered it for the first time. In the many years since I have run across Dorian Grey in movies and tv shows as well as rereading the book. Tantor Audio has just released The Uncensored Picture of Dorian Gray. The book was originally censored by the publishers after the newspapers and letters to the editor had labeled the book as unacceptable. The questionable content was related to perceived homosexuality. In fact, the uncensored book was used in Oscar Wilde's trial for homosexuality. Oscar Wilde was jailed for writing this book. Two prefaces/introductions give a thorough biography of Oscar Wilde and a complete description of how the changes to the text were done and by whom. I had listened to a censored copy shortly before listening to this uncensored version. I think that unless you have the text directly in front of you or are an academic, the uncensored version will be so close to the censored that you may not notice. Edoardo Ballerini does a fantastic job narrating. Everything I have listened to narrated by him has been wonderful. Tantor Media provided a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Jack is a delight, one that only Connie Willis could have created. During the Blitz, London was chaotic. It was the perfect place to commit a crime. Dead bodies are buried in the rubble, thrown clear of their houses, and in the hospital morgue. No one takes the time to check how each body for the cause of death. No one will notice a few extra bodies here or there. Jack is a wonderful little book. I am planning on buying a copy for myself.
You Can See Me Author A.E. Via Narrated by Sean Crisden Publication date Jul 13, 2021 Running time 7 hrs 16 min If you have read A.E. Via’s Nothing Special series you know who Prescott Vaughan is. If you haven’t, You Can See Me is still a love story that stands on its own. Prescott was a celebrity chef with his own TV shows and cookbooks. Five years after losing his sight in a car accident, Prescott is a restaurant critic and his joy of creating his own food is gone. You Can See Me is a romance that matches Prescott with two very different men.The way that two men evolve to three men is believable because the author has put so much work into building the characters of Prescott, Ric, and Blair. Sean Crisden does a lovely job. It is easy to tell the many characters apart because he creates individual voices for them. Tantor Media provided a copy of You Can See Me in exchange for an honest review. |
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