Jemology

2015 is over and I'm still firmly in love with Lesbian Fiction. I fell in love with this genre starting with fanfiction from the obscure but lovable rom-com "Imagine Me and You". Graduated to Xena fanfic and eventually to published ebooks. It's been five years of amazing reading and entertainment, and there's no stopping us yet.

According to Goodreads, I read 64 books in 2015 . Not a lot by GR standards. But I've been lucky with my choices. Here are my personal favorites, classified by sub-genre:

Favorite sci-fi:
The Caphenon - Fletcher Delancey

Favorite historical fantasy:
The Mystic Marriage by Heather Rose Jones

Favorite drama:
Cast Me Gently by Caren Werlinger

Favorite Mystery:
The Red Files by Lee Winter

Favorite fantasy:
Celeano Series - Jane Fletcher

Favorite suspense:
Rebellion in Ulster by Angela Koenig
Rendezvous in the Himalaya by Angela Koenig

Favorite thriller:
Deadly Medicine by Jamie Maddox

Favorite historical: (not f/f)
The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah

Favorite over-the-top thriller: ;)
Rise of the Gorgon by Tanai Walker

Favorite unclassifiable book: 8)
The Tea Machine by Gill McKnight


Honorable Mentions:

Sci-fi:
Depths of Blue - Lise MacTague

Drama:
The Moment by T.C. Anderson

Suspense/thriller:
Crossed by Meredith Doench
Sharpshooter by Leslie Murray

Action/thriller:
One Last Thing - Elite Ops 7

Urban Fantasy:
Beyond the Garden by S.Y. Thompson

Romance:
T-Minus Two - K.G. Macgregor

Historical:
The Witch of Stalingrad - Justine Saracen

Historical Fantasy:
Daughter of Mystery by Heather Rose Jones

Thank you to all the wonderful authors who've made the past few years of my life the richest, the most emotional and the most adventure-filled they've ever been. Thanks to all my Goodreads friends for your reviews, comments, recommendations, and most of all, your friendship. May our common love of lesfic be as strong in 2016 as it's ever been. Oh, and don't forget to list your favorite books of 2015 here. The more mainstream readers hear of lesbian fiction, the better. :)

The Catholic Church is rocked by rumors of what may turn out to be the biggest scandal to hit it in modern times. A scandal so serious it may shake the thousand-year-old institution to its foundations. But the Vatican is keeping mum...not admitting or denying anything. Enterprising (or opportunistic, for some) investigative journalist Felicity 'Flic' Bastone, capitalizing on an overheard conversation, writes a fictional novel that seems to be uncannily accurate. Our fictional Dan Brown finds herself an overnight celebrity author courtesy of the scandal and embarks on an adventure of a lifetime. But one doesn't tear down an institution without ruffling a few feathers. From book readings and promo tours to dodging bullets and bombs, has she bitten off more than she can chew? Helping Flic navigate her newfound fame and infamy is her publisher's best marketer, Anne. Flic is instantly smitten, but not only is Anne 'not' gay, she just happens to be the most devout Catholic around.

I love these kinds of plots that are sadly all too rare in lesfic. I don't mean the religious themes per se but the bold, engrossing, headline-grabbling yet completely plausible storylines. Of course, my main reason for reading this (the fact that it's a lesbian genre romance) also pretty much guarantees the plot's ultimate outcome and consequently it's predictability. But no matter. As every romance lover knows, it's the journey that counts. ;)

The progession of Flic and Anna's relationship--from reluctant and somewhat antagonistic colleagues to friends to something more, is very well done. I quite enjoyed Anna's personal journey from strict religious conformity to a more open and accepting worldview, to eventual enlightenment. Of course, viewed from the other side, it can also be described as her 'corruption and descent into sin and eternal damnation', lol. The book strikes a good balance between exploring the character's internal conflicts in-depth and moving the plot along. Thankfully there are no endless philosophical or theological musings or debates. I also liked how the book doesn't demean or belittle Anna's faith.

I would have liked to get into Flic's head more with regards to her seemingly unrequited crush on Anna. What is it exactly about Anna that attracts her so? Was it all physical? Was it her eyes? hair? Was it Anna's take-charge personality? Or was it the fact that Anna is the most unattainable woman to her? Being that physically close to someone who is essentially her 'forbidden fruit' must be excruciating. A good part of the book has Flic attempting to tear down Anna's great wall of unshakeable Catholic faith, and Anna's steadfast defense of it. Flic and Anna spend a great deal of alone time together and I just thought...maybe if the author gave us more angst (lol, you know me...) on the part of Flic... wouldn't it just be heavenly? But I did love the after-sex talk. Flic's bit about cheating is gold.

The book contains some thriller elements but it never really approaches the level of a true thriller. Flic's first brush with danger, including its aftermath, was very well written. But the subsequent incidents felt almost like 'another day, another assassination attempt' as if Flic herself was resigned to their inevitability. There was also never any mystery as to who the perpetrators were and we never really knew why they did it. If this were perpetrated by a lone wolf, it would be easy to explain away but why would an entire organization want to kill a fiction writer when the real author of the entire 'scandal' sits right there in the Vatican?


ARC from netgalley.

4.45 stars (mostly for the audacious premise)

P.S. The spoilers are minor and may be clicked if you can't decide on the book.

A one-line blurb. That doesn't really say much. Or mean much. So you trust other readers when they say 'Read it'. You start it like any other book. You sneak a few pages at a time at work, at lunch, during break time, on the commute. The strange prose throws you. Did she say that? Or did she think that? It's slow going. You flip back and forth, re-reading and double-checking. Who is 'You' now? Who is 'She' now? A fifth of the way in, you're confused and annoyed. You consider giving up. But something about the writing calls to you. It feels raw. It feels real. It feels, period. So you drop everything, and start over. This time, you give the book the full attention it deserves. What you get is the rawest, most visceral experience you've ever had with a book. You've never gotten inside a character's head and heart as you have Jess and Mia. You become them. It is at once terrifying as it is wondrous.

That pretty much sums up my experience with the book. Jess is a victim of terrible abuse. That's the basic premise. But the book is so, so much more. It is a story of survival, of the fragility and resilience of the human spirit, of familial relationships, of loyalty and friendship, but most of all it's a story of the power of true love.

Every single theme I mentioned above is treated with sensitivity, nuance and care. The author is either a very seasoned writer, an uncanny observer of the human condition or has some personal experience in the victim's struggle. (e.g. the utter truth of Jessie's observations on deprivation hints of the latter). The book is longer than the usual lesfic because it takes its time to deal with all the possible issues that arise from Jessie's travails. No stone is left unturned. Yet nothing feels repetitive. Normally, plots dealing with PTSD and recovery tend to get stuck in emotional or psychological limbo. But not here. The plot moves along briskly yet nothing feels rushed. Every obstacle that comes along is fully explored, digested and dealt with in a realistic, practical fashion--but of course, only after agonizing emotional rollercoasters. Some plot devices are a little too convenient, such as the wealth and power of Mia's parents, but that may have to do with the fact that the book started life as a Rizzoli and Isles fanfic, e.g. Jessie = Jane; Mia = Maura; It may also explain other things: Jessie's unusual fascination with policemen/women and her deep voice (the Angie Harmon signature growl) ;)

I did a review a few books back about how a book with a similar-sounding title did family relationships so well. It doesn't hold a candle to this book. Every single relationship here--between Jessie and Mia, between Jessie/Mia and their parents, friends, teachers, and even the household help --every one of them--is so well developed and fleshed out. These supporting characters are imbued with the same emotional depth and nuance as the two main characters. A piercing look, a raised brow, a turn of phrase, a single hand gesture, a grounding touch to the back, a gentle caress of the hair--words, gestures, facial expressions--the author uses all of these to draw her characters--and the effect is so vivid and eloquent she never needs to tell you much about them at all. That's powerful writing.

The book is not an easy read. And it's not just the revolting subject matter (though nothing is truly explicit and the most apalling are just recollections). I had some minor irritation with the second person POV. It takes some extra work, for me at least. And that is my main problem early on with the book, I spent time consciously processing the words and tracking who was talking (they sound rather alike) that I had trouble getting 'into the zone'--something that I've never had a problem with in other books. Also, I thought the leads sounded more like they were tweens rather than teens. If the book hadn't mentioned that they're 16, I would have pictured them as 13 yr olds going on 14. :) The author also uses some unusual formatting conventions. There is not a single quotation mark in the book. Dialogue is italicized. Some chapters are entirely in small-caps, as when the POV character is in a funk. Some chapters have no comma and period separators for clauses and sentences! These are all deliberate formatting choices that reflect the character's mood, and I'm generally fine with them. But they slowed down my reading.

Overall, I'd still highly recommend this book. It's the best and most authentic in-character experience you're ever gonna get in lesfic.

4.75 stars

This is a perfect holiday read--a lovely adaptation of a Christmas classic and a feel-good read guaranteed to whip up some warm and fuzzy holiday vibes.

But beyond that, it also has lasting appeal as a character study and an interesting look at what causes a perfectly decent person to change so drastically for the worse. What fork in our lives (a single tragic event? a heartbreak? a combination of factors?) triggers that downward spiral? And what will it take to change someone? someone who's spent so much time on the dark side it their new normal. Will it even be possible to change them?

The lead character, Robin, is caught up in the ruthless corporate rat-race to the top. Along the way, she's picked up quite a few dirty tricks and some unsavory traits that have earned her a well-deserved 'asshole' reputation. Robin earns an 'intervention' from a shadowy paranormal agency that visits their targets before Christmastime and shows them the error of their ways and how their actions affect other people. (Of course, nothing smacks them harder than a visit to the future to show them dying completely alone ;)

It's interesting how commonplace this is in real life. We are all occasional scrooges at one time or another, and how many people aren't caught up in the rat race? Unfortunately, we won't be having sexy, stylish interventionists showing us the error of our ways, or giving us a golden parachute to help cushion us for the drop. And that is why I'm not giving the book 5 stars. At some points, things felt repetitive and the pacing was a little slow. I also thought the Bureau (ergo the author) was a little heavy handed in its handling of the entire affair. Such hopelessly romantic cupids, the 'bureaucrats' are, LOL. Robin didn't have to make any hard choices. Her path was paved with gold by the 'bureaucrats', from gentle nudging, to removing obstacles, to literally lining up Robin's pocket(!) Also, their constant reappearances, nudges and whispers in Robin's ear felt like skirting the thin line between 'free will' and coercion, however gentle they were. I thought Jill's own journey was way more compelling. Her choices would have been fraught with uncertainty (jumping from stable job to struggling artist...with a kid in tow) and animosity (no familial support)...and she was completely alone (no gf waiting in the wings). Now that was bravery. But the story is all about Robin. I did immensely enjoy their second go-around romance--a much more mature Jill who knows exactly what she wants, plus a newly-maturing Robin trying her darnedest not to mess things up--its beautiful.

4.4 stars

ARC provided by Netgalley

If I were to slot this thriller into my all-time read list it would be somewhere in the middle of the pack.

Tyler is a Marine injured by a roadside bomb in the front lines of Iraq. Wracked by PTSD that's compounded by survivor's guilt, she's been assigned to train a bunch of new recruits in hand-to-hand combat in a CIA training center. She feels an instant and wholly inappropriate attraction to one of her trainees, Brooke.

The first half of the book has mostly Tyler and Brooke going through their training. It was interesting watching them dance around their attraction to each other, although it could have been much better if there was less telling and more showing instead. Despite Tyler's near death encounter on the battlefield, she is almost physically perfect. And so is Brooke. They are also immediately drawn to each other. No imperfections, no juicy conflict, no friction = no excitement. :(

Meanwhile, some guy named Thompson is plotting to steal top-secret information from the CIA stored at the training camp. Having Tyler there in the same facility is just perfect timing, as he's on this personal crusade against her for something that happened in Iraq. The coincidence is a little too convenient to be believable though. Things do pick up when the Thompson guy swings into action. This part was well done and provided some sorely-needed thrills. Unfortunately, despite all the initial build-up, the villain was a huge disappointment. All that cold, calculated planning and he lets himself get carried away like that. After that, the plot was just kinda hit or miss (misses include trainees being allowed/ordered to solve the mystery, CIA computers being out of commission for an extended period, the director's inexplicable decisions, Carlson's hostage taking, Thompson's suicide). There was some dust up near the end, but everything that happened after Thompson's assault felt like the book 'tying up loose ends'.

Would I recommend this book? It depends on what the reader's looking for. Not everyone wants a dour ptsd-wracked lead who mopes half the book away, which thankfully doesn't happen here. Tyler's characterization is well-balanced. Brooke is too perfect though and too forward/assured (cocky?) for a trainee. Her going for what she wants is refreshing though, so there is that. The plot is problematic when gone over with a critical eye, so major suspension of disbelief is required.

Overall, it's good for a fast and light read (despite the subject matter) and will be okay for a nice distraction or passing dead time. But don't expect to feel or think too much.

3.75 stars

P.S. Almost forgot to mention that I really liked the intimate scenes here, something I don't usually pay attention to in thrillers.

ARC provided by Netgalley

This book has one of the most bizarre blurbs ever. London circa 1862 + space battle + Roman centurions + squid?!?!? How does all that come together in a book? Via time travel, of course. :)

Millicent, a prim and proper but rather unconventional young lady, would rather carry on intellectual discourses with her scientist brother Hubert and other solitary pursuits, than join the London social set of her day. Hubert, on the other hand is a tinkerer, inventor and all-around eccentric, who just happens to cobble together from old furniture and bits and pieces pilfered from Millicent's most treasured things, a contraption thats capable of sending someone to another time (and apparently to random places as well). And of course, Millicent just has to 'accidentally' activate said machine, setting up an incredible chain of events with reverberations thousands of years into the future, the past as well as the present.

Now before readers get turned off, the book is not a nerdy sci-fi yarn. Yes, it opens with a desperate space battle, has some icky Roman gladiator fights, and there's some bewildering time travel in between. But...at its heart, its a comedy... of sorts. Think campy, Victorian era, lesbian 'Back to the Future'... then cross it with 'Xena Warrior Princess'! :) Actually, it straddles a lot of sub-genres: steampunk, sci-fi, historical, thriller, mystery, character study, you name it. And there's even a romance there somewhere, or two, although you never know when it actually happens... lol Was it in the past? future? Maybe in the next book? There's a tasty teaser at the end of the book.

The basic premise of Tea Machine is this (well, aside from the time travelling bit) : What if the mighty ancient Roman Empire never fell, but continued its domination of the world thousands of years into the future. What kind of civilization would we have today? Probably the same as if the Nazis had won. ;) Anyway, the author takes us to three different times in this alternate reality (past, present, future). The mystery there is, what or who caused this to happen? And how do they fix it? And even worse, if they do manage to fix it, will our main characters lose each other forever, since they've only ever met in this f-ed up reality?

Now one would think such a dire, gloomy world of death and destruction would result in a terribly depressing book, but except for a few chapters, I found myself laughing out loud through most of it. The author had a lot of fun playing up various character stereotypes. Great writing plus the overall campy tone the author chose made the book a very entertaining read.

My review won't be complete if I don't poke holes at the plot. And this one will probably leak like a sieve if you think too hard. The book doesn't take itself too seriously, so I didn't either. But here's a few big ones I couldn't help noticing: Why does the machine send people to random places not only on earth, but also in space? So it's also a teleporter but this fact is kinda glossed over in the book. Also, what's with this fascination with steam power? This isn't a reflection on the author but on the unusual popularity of this genre in general and the over-reliance of the book on it. Of all the technologies that could have been inadvertently introduced by someone going back to the past, steam power would be one of the clunkiest and most inefficient. And for flighty, know-nothing Sophie to be the one to initiate it seemed too much of a stretch. The Sophie who can't tell a man from a woman, Latvia from Rome? Granted it was Heron who made everything work, but bionic animals in only a few hundred years?? Advanced deep space travel (e.g. faster-than-light travel) and conquest in our lifetime? Not without something better than steam power :) Also, Cat's Paw Nebula may look like a lovely baby squid nursery, but it actually births stars rather than squid. :) That was entirely too much thinking--which will just spoil the fun, so I'll stop here. :) Despite my nitpicks, the overall plot (including all the time travelling and its ramifications) is well thought out and logical. I'm hoping things will be cleared up some more in the next book. Which hopefully comes soon, because I can't wait!



ARC received from Netgalley

Blake, a schoolteacher, suffers from social anxiety disorder. While on vacation in Galveston, her best friend drags her to a local bar for some much needed socializing. With a bit of help from Xanax, she manages to lose herself in a sexy dance, and snag a beautiful partner at the same time, policewoman Lindsay. The instant attraction surprises them both--Blake because of her lifelong disability and Lindsay because she's only ever cared for her career. But before anything else happens, tragedy strikes and threatens to scuttle everything even before anything serious happens.

The first thing that attracted me to this book was the cover. It sort of suggests a profound and emotional drama. But it doesn't really fit the book, which is mostly a police procedural involving a murder/kidnapping case. There is a child involved (hence the cover, I suppose) but she isn't really the focus of the book. The romance is of the love-at-first-kiss variety, though things do pick up towards the end. There isn't much of a mystery as things are pretty obvious from the start. The antagonist's pov figures prominently in the book. While it might have provided insight, I could use with less of the nauseating and all too long quotations. Not enough time was spent on the kid though. Despite being featured prominently on the cover, she had too little to do and to say. I don't normally like child characters as leads, but she had a lot of potential. Sympathetic, common-sensical, and very practical, I loved her characterization. That was the biggest wasted opportunity, imho, to present such an intriguing character, and then not give her a more active role in the plot.

And speaking of plot, here is my usual litany of nitpicks and observations. Major ending spoilers ahead so don't click if you are reading the book. ;)

Blake's injuries, especially the broken ribs and arm in a sling, seemed to be too serious not to need confinement. She might even have some concussion, as her head was repeatedly smashed on the ground. And before that, she had just gotten out of a major car accident. At the very least, she wouldn't have been physically able to jet around the place. How does she even put on/take off clothes? :) I also can't imagine how much pain she must go through sobbing and doing breathing exercises with broken ribs, but I never read about it.

So many bodies strewn along I-45 and no one seriously investigates or makes a connection. It is explained in the book as lack of coordination and length of time between bodies, though I find it not very believable. These bodies aren't gang related killings. They're women's bodies posed in a particular way. It screams serial killer in big flashy neon. But no one makes a connection until Lindsay digs it up.

The plot developments are a little unusual for a thriller. This isn't a nitpick but more of an observation. Most authors would understably put the protagonists front and center in the resolution of the conflict. The author chose to be more realistic. Only one of the leads is involved in the capture of the villain and only in a supporting role. That, of course, is at it should be in real life. But a thriller-junkie will say 'where's the fun in that'? Same issue with Blake's escape from the killer. Realistic, yes, but too easy. I'm not saying that these choices are wrong, just that they take away the thrill factor from the book.

And who can forget about Levi. She had to go get sick and miss all the action. Now this plot development is completely realistic and yet so absolutely deflating. Villian practically turns himself in as a result. No chase. No excitement. No fight. There goes my big bang ending. :(

The villain's motive for repeated killing is rather murkily explained. He supposedly sees a 'red light' on certain women, of which neither Blake nor her best friend had it on them. We never really get the whys and wherefores of that except that he had ptsd from the war and he'd gone nuts. Was it something else about the women? Or what they wore? We never know.

Hmmm..this isn't even a nitpick, lol, but what the heck: the no-nonsense ranger character is seriously hot! But of course, Lindsay is taken. Maybe in another book? :)


For the casual lesfic reader looking for a good mix of romance and cop action, this is a good choice. I liked how the author depicted Blake's rather extreme social anxiety disorder and her courageous attempts to overcome it, or at least manage it. I enjoyed the realistic police procedural and investigation. The romance was okay. But the armchair adrenalin-junkie in me missed the thrills.

Overall, a good first effort.

ARC received from Netgalley

I look forward to any new Cari Hunter with the eagerness and excitement that other readers do their Melissa Braydens. :) If you've never heard of Ms. Hunter, she's the lesfic queen of murder and mayhem. Yep, I have strange taste. Not for the violence of course, but for the thrill of the chase, the exhilaration of overcoming / surviving impossible odds, and the tender loving care and comforting that comes naturally afterwards--such is the appeal of hurt/comfort genre for me.

Cold to the Touch is the second book in her detective procedural series centering on diminutive but scrappy detective Sanne Jensen and her investigative division specializing in violent crimes. The case here is independent of the first book but Sanne's backstory and her 'complicated' relationship with bff and occasional fwb, ER doc Meg Fielding is best appreciated by starting from the start.

Dour winter weather in the Peak District seemed a reflection of the all-around bad moods and tempers after the holidays. Crime rates are up. The detectives are overwhelmed. And Sanne is in a funk. So bad that it has affected her performance at work and she's been put on notice. Thus the stage is set for the overall depressing tone of the book. If the previous Peak District book had featured its beautiful but desolate natural landscape, this time we get a glimpse of the opposite--a dark and dank pit of crime and poverty. Sanne picks up a case involving a victim no one cares about--a murdered junkie. We follow her investigation into the depths of Malory, and encounter a subculture of people forever trapped by a hopeless and vicious cycle of drugs, alcohol, pregnancy, unemployment and eventually homelessness.

Sanne and Meg by sheer hard work have managed to dig themselves out of that hole, yet occasionally still find themselves in danger of being pulled back in by their past ties. A careless sister. A greedy brother. As the meticulous investigation proceeds and the body count rises, the brass is panicking and looking for a convenient scapegoat. What's more convenient than the newest female detective who's just been put under 'improvement notice' by her own boss.

As In every Cari Hunter book, we're again completely transported to her settings--and not just visually either. All our senses are engaged: the sounds, the feels, the emotions, even the smells. We're right there with Sanne as she goes through the drudgery of her day. We cringe at the horrific scenes she has to witness and poke through as part of her job. We can almost smell her fear when she has to confront the enemy armed only with a stick and a spray (!) Such is the power and realism of the author's writing.

The case itself starts off fairly straighforward. Like the people around Sanne, we readers won't likely care very much about the victim. Nor the assorted persons of interest Sanne investigates. Fortunately, the story perks up when the violence meter hits the roof (this wouldn't be a Cari Hunter book if it didn't ;) ). It's never over-the-top though and the clinical accuracy reflects the author's background in emergency services.

Deftly Interspersed with the investigation is Sanne's on-again, off-again relationship with best friend Meg. I maybe biased given my romantic preferences, but their interactions are always the highlights of the series. Comfortably and affectionately snarky best describes their exchanges. Unfortunately, these two ladies spent a good deal of the book mucking about in the dark when it comes to each other. :( It's sort of a dark running joke actually. Everyone but the girls think they should be together. Even Fate does, it seems, as She repeatedly throws them together, just to see if they'll finally open their eyes. :)

4.5

ARC provided by Netgalley

When I heard that this book was not very different from the original fanfic version and I had read that already, I thought to myself I was going to skip this for now and at least wait for the last book to come out before starting on this one. But dang, a few pages in and I was hooked, lol. I couldn't stop reading, even knowing that the book won't have an ending.

Plotwise, this is very different from Caphenon. While the first book was predominantly action and thrills, this is more of political maneuvering and one-upmanship, development of an unlikely romance, and a much more detailed look at Alsean life and customs. The pace is more relaxed and sedate. But of course, this is just the calm before the storm. Much of the political fallout has to do with the alien technology gifted by the Gaians to Alsea, specifically the matter-printing technology (e.g. the Star Trek Replicator) This is a stroke of genius actually. I love how the author thought to use the economic ramifications of this technology on Alsea to drive the conflict in this book. The fear that this tech will displace whole castes of producers and craftmen from their livelihood is logical and well-founded.

In this book, we see the Lancer in her peacetime element. From the honorable and ruthless warrior of the first book, we now see the politician side of her in action--a master thinker and communicator. In an effort to diffuse a producer caste revolt, she daringly accepts a challenge to work at a remote farm for a month, throwing up a mountain of logistics nightmares for her bodyguards and advisors. The effort could either be a stroke of genius or political suicide. Out of the chaos blooms a very unlikely attraction. Being empaths, Alseans bondmates can share not just a physical but a mental connection. The latter is even more profound as it can involve a transference of emotions, physical pain and even injury. Theirs is a soulmate-for-life thing. The romantic progression may be all backwards, but I really enjoyed how the author developed the romance that is at once alien and at the same time so universal in its appeal.

In fact, much of the appeal of the book is how easily we relate to the challenges facing the Alseans. The threat of matter-printers displacing ordinary folks is as real as globalization, outsourcing and computerization is to ordinary workers. Political wranglings and noisy fringe groups seizing on their pet causes are as common as the daily news we read. The only difference is that very few (are there any?) of our politicians (anywhere, I might add) have the moral integrity of Lancer Tal to resist the various groups that seek to influence the government for their own selfish objectives. And if there were, they probably wouldn't win an election, lol. Lancer Tal probably wouldn't either, if Alsea were a true democracy. But I digress. :) We love reading about Alsea because they've got all the usual troubles we have, but they actually have someone good enough to solve it. Isn't that what we all aspire to?

4.5 stars

Why not 5 stars? This book does not have the epic sweep and scale, the pulse-pounding and page-turning suspense, or the emotional gravitas of the recurring honor-vs-duty themes from the first book. It's hard to stand next to perfection.

Private eye Jil is offered a case to look into the private lives of teachers and administrators in a Catholic high school to see if they're complying with the 'morality clause' stated in their contracts. The fact that she has to dig into what amounts to people's private lives rings all kinds of alarm bells with Jil, from privacy to ethical to legal issues. Add to that the fact the she's an out lesbian makes the whole assignment even more ridiculous and hypocritical. But the money is good and her boss' PI firm is one step from folding up, so...

Jil goes undercover as a substitute teacher while she spies on her fellow teachers and the hot principal and other assorted characters who help her run the school. In the course of Jil's 'investigation', a student suicide rocks the school. Strange things happen afterwards. The school gets repeatedly vandalized, valuables go missing, students get threatened, and someone seems to be 'on' to Jil's charade. Amidst all that, Jil finds herself very attracted to the principal Jess, who seems to harbor some deep and dark secret of her own.

This is a very complicated mystery. A mystery on top of another, and yet another. Like a nested Russian doll. I like how the overall mystery is structured. But the pacing is a little slow. The usual student bullying, school vandalism, student shenanigans, teacher intrigues that are common in schools everywhere don't make for a very compelling read, and just left me mostly bored and wondering where this is all leading to.

Things did not perk up for me until well after the midpoint mark, when Jess and Jil are physically thrown together for that long smouldering spark to finally ignite. Their relationship is highly inappropriate in every sense (new teacher & principal, PI and target) which of course is exactly why it is so delicious and fun to read about. Jess is the quintessential uptight, always-in-control and all-business principal. But she is also an enigma. Married, but no husband in sight. No divorce records. No social media presence. What is she hiding? Jill is intrigued and smitten. But how do you navigate relationships when you're not really who you are? Where does she draw the line? And how will she ever explain it to Jess? Can love be founded on a lie?

The biggest issue I have with the book is with the motivation behind why Jil was being hired to investigate uncatholic conduct. The whole uncatholic conduct investigation is just a sham--a cover for what the school superintendent who hired Jil wants her to really uncover: a sinister anti-gay conspiracy in the school involving a shadowy group of students whose tentacles supposedly extend beyond school and follow one for life. While I understand the need for discretion, what he did effectively hamstrung Jill unnecessarily in her job. From a practical standpoint, it doesn't make any sense. It is inefficient at best, and outright dangerous at worst. Fortunately for him, Jill just couldn't let it go. But it was technically beyond what she was being paid to do. Other issues: How does a popular teenage girl fake their own death and fool an entire school and community? Why would a thief stash his valuable and very illegal hoard inside the school premises? Why doesn't Jill use the cctv system to see who is the sneaking her SOA love notes? Or at least more actively investigate these incidents, and who the SOA is. She could have asked around. Chatted with students more. It was like she was just biding her time and waiting for something big to happen. And of course, things are going to escalate. And if the SOA is that secretive (as per VP's pronouncements), why announce their presence to the world with a distinctive seal? And finally, the all-too-common but very unlikely tell-all at the end. Call me a cynic but I'm not a big believer of confessions.

While the book is a mystery first and foremost, I enjoyed the romantic subplot more. This book has realistic characters who aren't afraid to go for what they want and don't spend half a book thinking and worrying about it (just a few pages will do, ;) ). The relationship doesn't get as much attention here as the mysterious goings-on, but it will in the second book [b:Illicit Artifacts|25159369|Illicit Artifacts|Stevie Mikayne|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1444152572s/25159369.jpg|44862906], which I enjoyed more than the first. I know this sounds weird in a review of the first book but its a consequence of reading the books out of order. 8) In fact I enjoyed the second book a lot even if I hadn't read this. But starting with this book will give you a much better grasp of the relationship between Jill and Jess, which is why you'd want to pick up both books :)

4.25 stars

P.S.: Mysteries aren't exactly known for their erotic scenes but this book's are really hot.

Imagine this book as the TV series "Once Upon a Time" but with characters from the Biblical Genesis instead of fairy tales. It uses story elements we are all familiar with (Garden of Eden, Yahweh, archangels, hellhounds, Adam and Eve) and spins a love story amidst an exciting and dangerous quest for mortality (it's not a typo, the MC wants to die...really!)

The book is about the very first woman ever created--Lilith. Just to be clear, she is not Eve, who is apparently the second woman ever created. I've never heard of this myth before, but it does exist in Jewish and Babylonian folklore, and Lilith seems to be a fairly popular creature in modern paranormal fiction (something I'm woefully unfamiliar with), albeit as some minor demon. So, until my confusion with Eve/Lilith was cleared up around the 50% mark, I thought the author re-imagined the Genesis story. Turns out that I'm the one who is under-informed. :)

The author has created a fascinating tale around the myth of Lilith, including a fairly credible backstory of why she is just a myth nowadays instead of being enshrined in the Bible like Eve. Not only is Lilith the first woman ever, she is also the oldest, as she still walks the earth to this day. Being banished from the garden of Eden for insubordination rather than eating the forbidden fruit has apparently allowed her to retain her immortality. What's wrong with that, you might ask? Well, it has to do with the fact that Lilith is also the very first feminist, having been kicked out for her refusal to submit to Adam. And sitting through millennia of mostly male-instigated cruelty to other humans has left her sick and tired of the human race. So she is in an ongoing quest to end her own life. Which has proven pretty elusive so far. In the meantime, she has acquired quite the arsenal of nifty tricks up her sleeve, and has found a calling on the side: empowering budding feminists everywhere. We first encounter Lilith in the middle of one of her interventions, where she accidentally crosses paths with Dana, who later joins Lilith on her quest to end her immortality.

Despite the dark themes, this is a surprisingly light read. I would have preferred the opposite actually, as there are so many aspects the author could have explored in the universe she created. But, this is essentially a romance. The mythology comprising the Lilith's backstory and the quest themselves are sufficiently detailed and engaging, but there are many other fascinating aspects brought up, all of which combined could have served as a solid foundation for a nice paranormal fantasy series. Some examples: Lilith's storied past, her space travels, her side-calling of empowering 'baby' feminists, her coterie of assistants, her animal familiar, how she did over the millennia, why Lilith is also known as a child-killer, the Haimia, etc, etc. All these elements are nice touches to the story and enrich the tale immensely, but imagine how awesome it would be if they were better realized instead of just given passing treatment or simply used as aids or hindrances to her quest.

Much better done is the relationship between Lilith and Dana. Although the romance starts up a little too abruptly, it gets a lot of development time as the couple embark on their quest. The conumdrum that Lilith faces--her quest for death vs a lifetime with Dana--the central conflict in the book, is perfectly done. I also really liked how the author reconciled Dana's scientific and logical belief system with what she was witnessing. Shades of the other famous Dana (Scully), perhaps? Best of all, I loved how she fit the various ancient Judaeo-Christian elements into her narrative, and how she subverted the male-dominant traditions into a pro-feminist slant.

I love these kinds of stories as they're rarely done well in lesfic, and would have gladly bumped up the rating but for some issues, aside from the one I mentioned above. Some of the action scenes are a little too derivative (like, straight out of Indy/Mummy/Abyss movies!). Some of the plot elements the author introduced raised more questions than answers. Some of the intriguing concepts she introduced were quickly forgotten, not expounded on, or too easily dismissed. And some of the moral issues, plus the ultimate resolution, are a little too pat and simplistic. But these are minor issues and should not deter those seeking a good lesfic romance that is a little more daring and different than the usual formula.

4.4 stars

Ignore the cheesy cover. This is a very entertaining story of a sportswoman on a quest to break a glass ceiling tougher than the US presidency, and a very un-princessy princess--bookish, introverted, and a self-proclaimed ugly duckling.

4.5 stars

Jil, a private investigator, returns to her beloved foster mother Elise's house upon her death to arrange for her funeral and settle her affairs. But something isn't quite right. Someone is impersonating Jil and taking off with Elise's jewelry. Her house feels like it's been broken into but nothing valuable is missing....except, perhaps, a fake painting. And where did Elise, an art history professor, get all the money she'd left to Jil? Worse, Jil has had to deal with her grief, the funerals and everything else alone, because her lover Jess, principal of a Catholic school, isn't out and can't bring herself to be seen in a place as public as a funeral mass with Jil.

As stated in the book blurb, this is primarily a mystery. Which is what we get: a very well-crafted mystery that is slowly revealed bit by complex bit. Patience is required here as there were times when I found myself scratching my head and wondering what the point was of all the elaborate and seemingly unnecessary obfuscation going on. Most of it does make sense at the end, though the book is realistic enough to not feel it has to clear up every single thing, since the only person who knows it all is very dead.

What the blurb doesn't mention is that Jes and her lover Jil's shaky relationship is just as complex, and for me, every bit as compelling a read as the mystery itself, and justifiably gets equal attention in the book (though surprisingly not in the blurb, which is a disservice). Jes and Jil start the book as discreet lovers embarking on their proverbial after-honeymoon phase. This is a welcome departure from the usual romantic subplot. Jes isn't out at work. And being a Catholic educator, it is a very legitimate concern for the safety of her career. The fear of being seen and exposed constantly wars with the wanting and need to be with Jil. (If you're confused with the names now, so was I for most of the book. With the shifting POV, I had to do a mental check every time to make sure I understand who's who. Authors should avoid giving main characters with such similar names. It's extra work for the reader!) Jes' absence at Elise's funeral is like a tipping point for Jil. And their relationship threatens to unravel even before it has started to settle down. I loved this subplot of the book, even more than the mystery itself. Both Jes and Jil's points-of-view are treated equally with depth and understanding.

I might have given this a higher rating but for two small issues. There's a rather strange extended scene involving Jil that felt weird and really out of place: a lifelong lesbian having a sexual attraction to a rough-looking man who may or may not be the bad guy but is definitely adversarial. Maybe if he had movie-star looks or had incredible magnetism or charisma, or maybe if they were stuck together on an island with no other woman in sight, but nope. :) Even weirder is that Jil is still sort of in a relationship at the time. The other nitpick I have with the book has to do with the Jes' (the principal) 'coming out' in public issue. The book makes it out to be a big "do-or-die" issue for their relationship. But Jil's feelings at the end has a bit of a disconnect with her feelings about this for the entire book. She was so adamant that she can't live with someone who isn't out, but then it seemingly became a non-issue after they got back together. I get that the author isn't going for HEA but more of a HFN ending. And there are very positive indicators that that's the direction things are going. But I'm pretty sure they had to have a talk about it--as it was one giant elephant in the room. I would have loved to read about THAT conversation in the book. But, it wasn't there. And Jes, whose POV was a huge part of most of the book, became something of just a sounding board for Jil when things got interesting. It was like her feelings and opinion didn't matter anymore. I was totally invested in this character. She put her life on hold and her health and career on the line for Jil. And we didn't even get to find out what Jes plans to do with her life after this. Is there a sequel, perhaps?

While I seem to be making a big deal out of the two issues, they didn't really impact my enjoyment of the book. One was more of an extraneous scene, and the other a missing one. I still highly recommend this book as a smartly-written mystery with a very good love story underpinning it, a rarity in genre lesfic.

4.5 stars




ARC received from Netgalley.

Sports-themed lesfic is not my usual reading choice, mainly because I've always felt that sports action is much better watched than read. But this is book is set in pre-WWII Nazi Germany, a turbulent historical period that always lends itself to good storytelling.

Helen (American) and Meike (German) are amateur tennis players who meet regularly on and off court, in major tournaments around the world, and in bed. Meike's desire to concentrate on her singles career makes her dump Helen as both a doubles partner (for strategic reasons since Helen is a major rival) and lover. Meanwhile, Hitler wants to use Meike, who is physically a perfect model of the German aristocrat, for propaganda in furtherance of his dream of Aryan supremacy. Helen, on the other hand, sees herself being forcibly recruited by the US government to spy on Meike.

The main characters, Helen and Meike are inspired by a couple of real tennis greats of that era, and the 'greatest tennis game ever' played. The author's attempt to fictionalize the characters and the events that transpired are moderately successful, though sometimes believability was stretched too thin for comfort. Those times, it felt like the author was trying to place the characters in certain situations in order to fit the narrative, but the set-ups were not always believable or logical. E.g. Helen's cross-dressing, her spy training, her shoulder injury, her very careless reporting, in fact the whole forcing-Helen-to-spy-on-Meike situation, which just seemed like a totally pointless affair because why exactly should the US government care if Meike is a Nazi or not? Especially since the government's own spooks are so much better at sussing out the truth than Helen. Also, at one point, Meike worries about millions of her compatriots being killed or sent to concentration camps. That fact wouldn't have been common knowledge in 1938. Also, if I remember my history, the millions are Jews from other countries, not Germans. Oh and the ending is a complete fairytale, though that's par for the course for lesfic romances :) I also found it strange that Helen has an agent representing her but no coach. As for the romantic aspect, I can't really say that there was much development, as the main characters seemed to just love each other from the start, and only their careers got in the way of their relationship.

I was almost ready to write this off by the 60% mark but what totally saved it for me is the final third act, which saw some furious action and lots of drama on and off court. And of course, the greatest game ever played. In summary, totally get this if you're a lesfic fan who likes some intrigue, some danger, some loving, and some awesome tennis!

4 stars

P.S. YA fans might also like the book. For some reason, probably because of the way they're written, both of the leads appeared to me as YA rather than the twenty-somethings they're supposed to be.

ARC Received from Netgalley

The world of lesbian romance readers is divided into two: those who've read the first two books in this Soho Loft series (Kiss the girls, Just Three Words), and those who haven't. For the former group, you can skip the rest of this review and just order the book. As our Savvy ladies are wont to say, the universe just won't be complete without it. :) Now for the other group, either you're a newbie to lesfic or you've been living under a rock for the past couple of years. :)

In every Soho Loft book, there's a very appealing pattern to the love matches: rivals, polar opposites, rich girl/poor girl. The guaranteed conflicts/angst from such pair-ups form the basic backbone of the storylines. None of which are particularly original by themselves (as if anything in the romance genre can feel original), but applied with an overall tone of hip and lighthearted fun, and you have a very enjoyable romantic lesbian chick-lit. That pretty much sums up the appeal of this series.

Anyway, so we've come to the last but most important character in our little Soho loft universe. Mallory, the face, the brains and the financial brawn of Manhattan boutique advertising firm Savvy is the only one left of the Soho gang of four friends who is still unattached. Driven, ambitious and singularly-minded, she's completely focused on Savvy's success in the very competitive advertising market. In the eight years she's been running the firm, she simply doesn't have the time or the inclination to even think of dating seriously. But times are a-changin', as one by one, her partners and friends are coupling up and finding true love, leaving her as the awkward fifth wheel in any get-together. When your business partners are also your best friends, that's like being around lovebirds 24/7. Who wouldn't feel left out?

The ladies' favorite watering hole is manned by a hot bartender Hope, who seems to be the top attraction at the bar, and not just for her considerable bartending skills. But Hope only has eyes for that sexy, enigmatic regular who rocks power suits and Jimmy Choos. A set-up sees them meeting in an informal social setting. But that only highlights how far apart their social standing is, as far as Mallory is concerned. While the physical attraction is there, she just can't imagine spending the rest of her life with a bartender.

The central character Mallory isn't very likeable at the start. It's refreshing that the author chose to portray her realistically. For once, we have a rich girl who acts like one. She can be snobbish and patronizing, when she's not minding her manners. In fact, if Hope was *only* a bartender, I don't think Mallory would have gone forward with the relationship. While not very romantic, it is more reflective of reality. Mallory wouldn't be the Mallory who took Savvy to where it is if she were a saint, if she accepted and fell in love with Hope, knowing they didn't really have anything in common. She wouldn't have settled. In fact, that's one of the things I like most about Ms. Brayden's characters. They're human. They behave like real people. They have common sense. They fight, they offend and they misunderstand, but they reach out and communicate and apologize. Like adults. No contrived or needless angst just for the sake of angst.

But then again, the whole book would have been exceedingly dry if it were mostly about Mallory. Perfection does not an interesting story make. Fortunately, love interest Hope has a more compelling backstory, plus some disreputable family and hangers-on help to liven up the proceedings. Most of the little kinks to the development of their romance (I mean the hurdles, not the bedroom stuff!) are not that surprising. When the author brings something up, I felt myself mentally waiting for the other shoe to drop. So, plotwise, it's nothing we haven't read before. And the sappiness (the couples from the first two books) occasionally borders on toothache-inducing. But the snappy dialog and clever comebacks, the warm and fuzzy friendships, and the sizzling sex all contribute to make this a fitting end to what is arguably the most enjoyable series in all of lesbian romance.

4.75 stars

Advanced Review Copy received from Netgalley

Investigative reporters are a relatively rare breed in lesfic. Getting two of them together in one book and having them actually chase after a story the old-fashioned way is even rarer. That alone should be a good reason to snag this book.

But is it any good? Let's see.

Brash, ambitious and a with a good ear for the news, Lauren King got from writing about butter cows in Iowa to celebrity parties in L.A., but unfortunately, no further. On the other hand, Catherine Ayers career went in the other direction, from celebrated bureau chief of a news desk in Washington DC to lowly gossip columnist. Lauren had hoped her hard work, earnestness and interest in 'real' news would impress Ayers and net her a mentor and ally, but Ayers is cold, dismissive and downright vicious. An unusual development at a corporate launching pricked Lauren's news sense enough to raise an alarm. But Ayers smells it too and proposes a collaboration. Can Lauren stand going after the story with the Caustic Queen at her side 24/7 ? Can she even be trusted with not stealing the story for herself, knowing Ayers is itching for THE exclusive scoop to get her back in the game.

The author has a good ear for witty dialogue, and a keen eye for situation comedy. Her skits are laugh out loud and often ROFL-funny. But as the chase for the story begins to unearth dirty secrets and people start disappearing, the mood changes appropriately to one of urgency and danger. At first the mystery will seem silly and contrived (so much so that I was already prejudging the book as a lightweight romp) but nothing is as it seems, as our intrepid duo eventually find out. Twists and turns guarantee the reader's attention till the very end.The silliness and contrivance is actually deliberate--a mystery within a mystery :) I also liked how the author imbued such cliche supporting characters (gay bff, hacker pals, powerful supporter) with enough personality and stuff to do to make them stand out. Best of all, I liked how the romance (or almost lack of it) went. Ayers has had a lifetime building up her glacial front, and I was afraid the author would take the easy way out by having Lauren thaw her in one hot road trip. Its not that there isn't romance (its scorching hot when it flares, btw), just that the MCs don't let it get in the way of the all-important 'story'. When that's settled, a huge, huge payoff await the patient romantic (loved the angst!). A pack of tissues will come in handy. :)

This book joins a very rare club in my f/f reading history: Only two other books have ever hurt my tummy (from laughing) and my heart (from breaking) alternately in the same book: [b:The Blind Side of Love|17736248|The Blind Side of Love|Ingrid Díaz|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1378586989s/17736248.jpg|25485730] and [b:Mina Borsalino Flips Out|13587078|Mina Borsalino Flips Out|Sara Marx|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1352204502s/13587078.jpg|19174430]. This is the third.

5 stars


P.S. Huh, I can't believe the author is Ozzie! Could have sworn she's Iowan, lol. Good job with the Americanisms!

ARC received from Netgalley