Stevie WoodsRezensionen

Reviewed on Hearts On Fire... http://heartsonfirereviews.com/

Audin and Tener were roommates, best friends and almost lovers until a political argument tore them apart. Tener had always been outspoken against the authoritarian government while Audin was in denial due to his father's involvement. Audin is now working for the same government when he is injured at work and sent to a healer. The healer turns out to be Tener who is now working full time for the Partizans opposing the government. Old memories and desires surface but the two men work for opposing sides. This short story did not work for me at all. Neither Audin or Tener were very developed characters and I just could not form any kind of bond with them. All of the characters in the story were very one dimensional and mechanical. Their speech was stilted and even their sex was robotic. There were no plot twists that would have kept the story interesting instead of being simple and straightforward. For what should have been a political thriller, the story just lacked the fire to pull it off. I suggest skipping this one.

I read this book first as it's the prequel and wasn't let down. I've always liked the swashbuckling pirate movies and this story had it all. The rape and torture that Malik went through at the hands of Shuaid was incredible. The humiliation at being cast aside by Shuaib was tough but he gained the respect of Nasir who took him on as a crew member when he got his own ship. The characters are beautifully fleshed out and Malik's emotions jumped off the pages. This is a savage romance so if rape and torture bother you, pass up this book.

This story follows Malik and Robert's lives as adults. Malik is a successful pirate and Robert is running an import/export business out of Tripoli which is a cover for his antislavery campaign. The story is tight and flows well with each man still longing for the other. David was a pain in the ass and I just wanted to tell him to wake up. I likes Suzanna's ambition. The ending was neat and clean with all the loose ends tied up. It's a shame that there aren't more pirate stories around.

free download

Overall, this was a 3.5 bumped up to a 4

The Unlikely Vampire by Scarlet Blackwell--4*--I liked this story. Sweet story about a human pursuing a straight vampire and showing him what he was missing.
Sacrifice by J.L. Merrow--3*--MC basically sacrifices his virginity to cleanse himself of all of the negativity surrounding his relationship with his emotionally distant and disappointed father.
One Last Wish by Josephine Myles--4*--Sweet genie story. Pretty cliche with the master wishing freedom for the genie but cute and sexy none the less.
Mayan Time by Erik Orrantia--2*--Not my cup of tea. Seemed a bit short without getting to real depths of where the story could have gone. Not a fan of cheating but would have liked more back story to understand it better.
Fire Can Make It Rain by Nix Winter--3*--Not my favorite in the volume but still a good read. Story about a marriage ritual between a prince and a bard. While history dictated forced marriages (from what I am gathering), it was nice to see that love was possible and that this one was planned nicely.
The Hunter & the Hunted by Stevie Woods--5*--Really loved this story. Thought it was a great use of the Vampire vs. Hunter theme.

Two stars as in "It was OK"

free download

In this collection of short stories the one I liked the most was without a doubt "The Hunter & the Hunted"!!

Coming back to the town you grew up in after having been away for many years can be an eye-opening experience. Keith faces this situation when he inherits his aunt's house and comes back to his small town origins for a visit. His biggest issue and uncertainty is Dale, the man he thought was straight, the one he's had a crush on since they were in school together, and the one he left behind when he moved to LA. Of course, running into him when buying a Christmas tree on his first evening back brings back a lot of memories.

Keith is a writer, now used to the "big city life", but he also remembers his roots and wonders if settling down is his logical next step. His uncertainty about how to deal with Dale, who might be married, is quickly removed as a concern, but even though Dale turns out to be as gay as Keith, a lot has happened in the intervening years. In many ways, the two need to get to know each other all over again. Well, the parts that have changed since they have grown into men.

Dayle isn’t someone to overcomplicate things. He is happy that Keith is back, has been out for four years, and goes straight into relationship mode. The roots he has put down working for the family (now his brother's) business and running a group for young men who need support when trying to get away from alcohol, are pretty solid. I did get the impression he'd leave it all behind to follow Keith, should he decide not to stay.

If you like stories about reunions, if you enjoy reading about men figuring out how they fit together, and if you're looking for a short, fun Christmas story, you will probably like this book.

This is a fun, short read, with just enough angst to hold my attention. Malcolm has been burned in the past, and is quick to assume the worst. Guy isn't the most communicative of partners and misses all the signals. I liked the characterisations as well as the solution to their dilemma.

Nice, short story about two friends who both feel more for the other than they have so far admitted. The time between Christmas and New Year is just right for each to focus on the other and take that final step into more. If you're looking for a short, hot story without conflict, one that will make you smile, you will probably like this one.

Very cute story. Trevor is so attached to the 'things' in his life and the link he thinks they provide with his past, that it takes the major trauma of a break-in to open his eyes. I loved how he then takes action. Eric is a great character as well, holding back until he knows Trevor is ready. Made me feel warm and fuzzy.

Read last year.

British Flash by UK-MAT (published by JMS Books at 24,660 words) is a free download, an anthology of flash fiction written by several British authors and edited by UK-MAT, the UK-Meet Acquisitions Team, which is involved in writing and promoting GLBTQ fiction in the UK. The clever cover art is by Alex Beecroft.

You might be wondering what flash fiction is. According to Wikipedia, no set word-count defines it – but it’s short. It could be 1000 words, 300 words, or even only 55 words. The average length in this collection is about 1000 words. Of these twenty-one flash fictions, seventeen are gay romance, two are lesbian romance, one is gender-fluid, and one is a ménage à trois, with a gay male couple focusing on a woman. Each story is categorized into one of three levels of sexual explicitness: Perfectly Decent, A Teasing Glimpse, and The Full Monty!

Standouts include Clare London’s story “Our Place”, which shows how the right phrase can end a story on a perfect note. Josephine Myles’s story “Giving It Up” is subtle and complex, with a funny twist. “Thoughts in Spring” by Mara Ismine features some intriguingly weird interaction between bird and man that builds to a delightfully unexpected conclusion. “Like a Girl” by JL Merrow, which centers on two female karate students, features such a strong narrative voice that I can hear the British accents in my mind like a movie soundtrack. “Sunshine Superman” by Elin Gregory effortlessly covers a huge span of narrative time, and makes a powerful emotional impact. British Flash is a terrific introduction to several of the leading British authors in the GLBTQ romance field.

Val for AReCafe

2.5 Stars A young archaeologist on the run asks a truck driver for a ride. This was a mushy, love-at-first-sight story. A little too sweet for my taste and some of the dialogue was laughable.(Not in a good way.)

I enjoyed this quick free read from ARE. My favorites were 'The Unlikely Vamp' by Scarlet Blackwell and 'The Hunter and the Hunted' by Stevie Woods. I was also fascinated with 'Fire Can Make Rain' by Nix Winter. Made me wish they were longer!

I've never read anything by Stevie Woods or Nix Winter before, so I'm looking forward to seeing what else they have published.

Story of best friends wanting to declare their love for one another. The short length of the story just made this confusing and downright frustrating. Short stories with this topic have been done beautifully before, but the author missed the mark here. I had too many questions and was unable to enjoy myself and the MC's passion.

Can't recommend.

Story of best friends wanting to declare their love for one another. The short length of the story just made this confusing and downright frustrating. Short stories with this topic have been done beautifully before, but the author missed the mark here. I had too many questions and was unable to enjoy myself and the MC's passion.

Can't recommend.

This would have been a four or five star read had it been fleshed out a little more.

These really are short stories - a few pages each. Good for reading on your phone in line at the post office, rather than being satisfying romances.

Unlikely Vamp - Zachariah is funny as a vampire who is a fussy, shy Victorian gentleman who is too shy to court his food and too polite to kill it.

Sacrifice - this one is a bit melancholy. It is more about Damian's relationship to his parents than what happens with Rafe.

One last wish - Scott meets a genie with a sad past and takes good care of him. Funny and sweet.

Mayan Time - this one I really didn't get.

Fire Can Make it Rain - Red-headed bard Jewls must marry a prince to appease the gods and make it rain. Some good world building and scene setting for such a short story.

The Hunter and the Hunted - this one is longer and more of a romance. Vampire hunter Aaron and vampire Damian work out over a series of meetings whether to kill each other or something else. I found it kind of pedestrian but it would probably be more satisfying to someone wanting a romance.

I would actually give it a 3.5. This is a great anthology of short stories with a lot of variety in the themes.

Ben and James had been friend for years but James has dreams and it doesn't including sticking around town even for his best friend. James gets so busy living his life he lets his friendship slide. Ben never stopped caring for his friend. When things go wrong for James he finally realizes everything he's given up. He has to find out what Ben is feeling now.

This would have been a four or five star read had it been fleshed out a little more.

Revenge is a Dish is fast-paced; the entire story takes place in four days. Kent Tyler and Neil Carson both work for Winton Enterprises and have known each other for several years. They both secretly love each other. During four harrowing days, they find themselves captured and trapped in a small cell for unknown reasons by a man only known as Wolf. The novel spends most of its time revealing the motivations behind the kidnapping; as the name suggests ~ its revenge.The romance is strictly secondary. If you are looking for steamy, hot glances or desperate clenches in tight corners, you're not going to find them in Revenge is a Dish. To be fair, no one's going to be in a very sexy mood while held captive by men fully capable of violence. The focus of the novel is the two protagonists and they rarely move off the stage. Kent and Neil spend some of their time on the back-story, particularly the death of Neil's brother, at other times they are planning how they're going to escape from their prison.Revenge is a Dish gets 3 stars because Stevie Woods writes well and the pacing is good. It's not a romance novel though, and it's sketchy on some details. The novel pays little attention to forging a relationship, or exploring the couple's sexual likes and dislikes. There's only one sex scene in the entire story. The novel leaves you feeling like you're reading an unfinished, but good adventure, especially since two of the main villains just disappear off the stage.More reviews from Barb Manning are available at www.barbmanning.net

Even if divided into two stories, this novella, more or less 40 pages, can be easily read as one. In the first part, Rick is willy-nilly in the middle of Anton and Bohdri, two ancient vampires with an almost as ancient grudge between them. Bohdri is in love with Anton and 700 years ago he tricked the vampire to turn him; Anton was not happy and for more than 200 years he avoided Bohdri, after that it took other 500 years to Bohdri to simply become friend again with Anton, but lovers is totally another question. Callously to my perspective, Anton parades his human lovers in front of Bohdri, and the other vampire is like a punching-ball, for the very limited pleasure to be near the one he loves, Bohdri accepts everything. Only that Rick, in his innonce and naivite, arises something in Bohdri, the vampire probably understands that Rick can be different, that if he is not careful, Anton can loose his heart with him. That will push Bohdri to risk everything again, even the friendship he so hardly regained with Anton.

In the second part David, a Guardian, is enthralled by Rick, and he would like to woo the young man. But when he finally decides it’s time to try and steal Rick from Anton and Bohdri, the young man is viciously attacked and David has to intervene and do something that can make him more an enemy than a friend.

As I said the two stories are very short, but I liked two things: the futuristic society where vampires are almost like celebrities more than scaring creatures and the innocence of Rick, an innocence that is not in body but in mind. Rick happily jumps in bed with Anton and then Bohdri, with only a little esitation at the beginning when he doesn’t know what to expect. After that he happily accepts David’s courtship, without thinking twice to Anton and Bohdri… yes, Rick is a bit of a slut, but he is an happy one, fully enjoying his young age and the freedom he has having sex with vampires.

http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/1167193.html