Splinters by Thorny Sterling

After reading Splinters I must say I’m speechless.  In a totally, overwhelmingly great way.  There are very few (if any) debut books that are as well written and articulate as Thorny Sterling’s Splinters.

The story starts with Allan waking up tied to a wooden plank.  What’s even more disturbing is the fact he has no recollection of how he got there. 

Looking down from astride his mount Duke sees what appears to be a man, bound to a wooden plank in the middle of his range.  Duke has no idea what’s happened to the man or how he got there, but one thing is for sure.  The guy didn’t do that to himself.

From the very first sentence to the very last period Mr. Sterling wove a tale of mystery and intrigue that quite honestly had me engrossed in the story. Not only that, but it was fun.

As I immersed myself in the story of the big city fashion model and Texas cowboy I was struck by how well written this was.  The flow of the story seemed effortless and the pacing was perfect. The author definitely has a special voice when weaving a story.  His words are beautifully sculpted and they created a world that made me feel like I was a part of it, sitting front and center, watching events unfold.

One of the things I loved the most (and trust me, there were many) was how the author was able to show his character’s vulnerabilities without making them look weak.  

I feel this is a talented, up and coming author and I’m really looking forward to reading more of his stories in the future.  

my rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Edward Unconditionally by Lynn Lorenz

This was a wonderful book.  Jack is the Chief of Police in a small town and he is straight.  Or is he?  Edward is an out and proud gay man traveling through Jack’s small town.  When Jack pulls Edward over in his little sport car sparks fly. 

What I really liked was watching the entire story unfold.  The loving grandmother that Edward was kept away from as a child--they reunited and formed a strong and loving bond which I adored.  The supportive friends that Edward made enhanced the story. The relationship between Edward and his dog cracked me up.

Last but by far not least, Jack.  I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the relationship between Jack and Edward evolve.  I loved watching Jack come to terms with who he was and what he wanted.  I cheered when he found the strength to go for what his heart desired to make his life happy.   

Thanks for just a great book, Lynn! 

my rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

M/M Book Reviews

While still reading as much as ever, lately I've become extremely lax in writing reviews.  The reason is this.  My blog is as yet mostly unviewed (yes, I think I made that word up) and unread.  Now there is a huge reason for that....I haven't done much in the way of letting anyone know it exists.  Sure, I mention it in passing from time to time, but I haven't really made an attempt to be marketed.  

I'm not sure that is ever going to change...Honestly, why would someone want to read a review that I've written?  Now, let's not misunderstand, I'm not feeling sorry for myself.  Not in the very least.  But, I'm not a stellar review writer.  My pen does flow, but it's mostly when I write stories for myself.    

Today I was reading a blog by Jeff Erno who blogged a post titled, "What's Happening To All the M/M Review Sites?"  In it Jeff made a very valid point.  One I'd never thought of before.  

Jeff states, "We're a small genre, and most of the authors who write m/m are not wealthy.  Many of us cannot afford to hire publicists and pay for expensive advertisements.  The free promotion on the internet that the book review websites provide is invaluable..."

I do honestly believe that the best thanks you can give an author is to write a review and post it.  So, I'm going to try to be better at writing reviews and posting them here.  Will they ever get read?  Maybe, more probably not.  But, I'll attempt to keep writing reviews on the off chance someone takes a peek in here and I can help a writer find an audience and become more widely read.

Sandy