TOP TEN YAOI REVIEWS #4 - by Blak Rayne

Well, you knew it had to make my list sooner or later. Any true yaoi fan knows exactly what I'm referring too. How could I possibly ignore Ayano Yamane's Finder Series (Faindaa no Hyouteki)? Yes, she is also the creator of 'Crimson Spell', which is hugely popular, and too many others to list, but it's Viewfinder I wish to discuss. Viewfinder has broken purchases records everywhere. No matter the character Ayano Yamane draws, it seems to become an instant success. 

If there's a more ideal seme I'd like you to point him out or more submissive uke with attitude, let me know. Ms. Yamane does a near perfect job with her two gorgeous leading men and a story that has more twists and turns than a roller coaster.

Twenty-three year old Takaba Akihito (blond) is a young freelance photographer who's always looking for the next big scoop. After he takes photographs of crime lord, Asami Ryuichi's business dealings, Asami kidnaps and rapes him. This is very typical of the seme/uke relationship (not an uncommon theme). Asami finds the photographer attractive and believes the abuse will place him at an advantage-perhaps scare Takaba. But, of course, over time he develops feelings for Takaba and finds that he can't stay away from the young man. Takaba claims he's revolted in yet, he winds up falling for the crime lord. 

Fei Long, a rival Chinese boss, who blames Asami for his father's death, takes an interest in Takaba, as well, and believes he may have found a way to execute a little revenge on Asami. I won't go any further because I'll spoil it. But I will say, this manga series does evolve, the plot does thicken and there is a grandiose ending, where true love is finally given a voice.

Asami wasn't my favourite. Initially, his character came across as aloof. Then over time his personality gradually changed. He is kind and he does express genuine affection. If you expect this man to just come out with the verbal romance, forget it. He isn't the type. But he does compliment Takaba. This young man has a big mouth and unfortunately for him it's the cause of most his woes in the beginning. Just as Asami, he changes and you discover that underneath his tough guy attitude and image, he's nice and even insecure.

The first instalment with the sadomasochism was kind of a turn-off. When I got past it and the story began to take shape, I found I was rather impressed. This manga series is really good and it does have heart with a secret thrown in. It's another long series, so be prepared. I truly enjoyed this manga and I'm giving it five flames because the sex is explicit, the characters are outstandingly beautiful and the plot, well thought out.

Happy Yaoi Hunting

Blak Rayne ^_^!!

http://www.blakraynebooks.com

http://blakraynebooks.blogspot.com

I just received a 5 heart review for 'The Beast Within'

 

http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/2011/10/26/the-beast-within-by-edward-kendrick/

Plus Portia de Moncur interviewed me. It follows the review.

The 'Beast' is out

'The Beast Within' is out.

https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/new-release-c-1/the-beast-within-ebook-p-647

Blurb:

A cannibalistic serial killer targeting gay men is on the loose. 

Devin, who has become increasingly erratic in the last two months, just split up with Gary, his lover of three years. Vanni, a habitué of the gay clubs, makes extra spending money on his knees in the club johns. Is one of these men the killer? Or will one of them instead become the killer's next target?

Detective Hollis Robbins is in charge of the case. He intends to stop the killer, if he can. 

When the killer strikes again the four men's lives intertwine as the search for the murderer intensifies. Will the attraction that two of them begin to feel for each other survive the hunt? Do they have the strength to continue on after tragedy strikes and teaches them that love can be bittersweet?



Excerpt:

"Didn't know you hung out here."

Gary turned slowly to look at Vanni. "Why shouldn't I? Is this your private stomping ground? No one allowed unless they pay your 'cover charge'?" Gary's lip curled up in a sneer.

"Look, bitch, you might be able to get away with talking to Devin like that but I'm not him."

"Bitch?" Gary growled.

"If the shoe fits," Vanni told him with a smirk of amused condescension.

"I don't know who the hell you think you are but…"

"I'm the one who's watched you push Devin to the brink then walk away. He was a good man 'til you got your hands on him."

"He still is a good man when he's not… when he gets control of his anger. If he gets control of it."

Vanni rested one foot on the rung of the barstool as he rolled a bottle of beer between his hands. "So what are you doing that makes him angry? Not putting out? Putting out to other men too?"

"It always comes down to sex with you, doesn't it, Giovanni?" Gary used his full name when he replied because he knew Vanni hated it.

"It's what makes the world go 'round they say." Vanni's brown eyes flashed dark with ire as he took a deep drink and set the bottle down on the bar. "No wait, it's love that does that but you wouldn't know since you don't love him, at least not the way you should."

"What the hell do you know about my feelings?"

"Like I said, I've watched you with him."

Gary shook his head. "No, you've watched him with me and there's a difference. We come to the clubs because they're the only thing that seems to relieve his stress. We come, we dance, and if I'm lucky we go home together and maybe fu… make love."

"You're first choice was probably the more accurate one. You fuck him then you go home and leave him wanting more."

"When the hell did you become an expert in love?" Gary glared daggers at Vanni. "You wouldn't know it if it came up and introduced itself to you, Mr Fucking Sex Machine, down on your knees half your life in some filthy john." The next thing Gary knew he was on his ass on the floor. He looked up at Vanni in shock while he rubbed his jaw. "Hit to close to home there… Giovanni?"

Vanni fisted his hands again then shook his head. "You aren't worth a trip to jail," he snarled. He turned quickly, strode to the door of the club, and vanished through it onto the sidewalk.

http://edwardkendrick.multiply.com/

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4541493.Edward_Kendrick

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001159588331

'The Beast Within' is coming out.

'The Beast Within'
comes out this Saturday, Oct. 22nd

https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/coming-soon-c-2/the-beast-within-ebook-p-647

Blurb:

A cannibalistic serial killer targeting gay men is on the loose. 

Devin, who has become increasingly erratic in the last two months, just split up with Gary, his lover of three years. Vanni, a habitué of the gay clubs, makes extra spending money on his knees in the club johns. Is one of these men the killer? Or will one of them instead become the killer's next target?

Detective Hollis Robbins is in charge of the case. He intends to stop the killer, if he can. 

When the killer strikes again the four men's lives intertwine as the search for the murderer intensifies. Will the attraction that two of them begin to feel for each other survive the hunt? Do they have the strength to continue on after tragedy strikes and teaches them that love can be bittersweet?



Excerpt:

"Hey, where you headed now?"

Gary looked over his shoulder and gave a hint of a smile. "Nowhere, everywhere. Hell if I know. Just away from here."

"Come on, Gary, it's not so bad." Devin walked quickly toward him, hand held out. "Stick around and unwind."

Gary glanced down at the hand then up at Devin again. "Dance? That does nothing for me."

"So we do something else." Devin let his hand drop down to his side again. He was tempted to just turn and go back to the dance floor. To find someone else and sate his need to wipe away the last month. But… He bit his lip. "Come on, just one dance?"

"What would that accomplish? It's over, done, finito. No more games, Devin. You've changed and it's… not working anymore." With that said, Gary walked quickly out of the club.

Devin watched him go and felt empty inside. When someone touched his shoulder he spun around then smiled bitterly. "If you're here to watch the meltdown it's not happening."

Vanni chuckled softly. "Of course it's not. He's not worth it. Come, let me help you forget him." He held out his hand and Devin took it.

The lights, the mass of humanity on the dance floor, the throb of the music, all began to work their magic and soon Devin was lost in a world beyond reality. Faces spun by until they blurred into one, known and unfamiliar at the same moment. Hot bodies, lathered in sweat, glistened eerily under the flashing lights as they moved chaotically to the sounds of frenetic instruments.

Vanni held him tightly while he wove an erotic spell around Devin that only heightened the other sensations. Desire swelled within him just as his cock swelled beneath the tightness of his jeans. He needed… he needed…

"No!" Devin broke free, his eyes wild. They glistened green and red and gold as the multi-colored pulsating beams flashed over them.

"Devin!" Vanni said sharply.

"I can't… I need…" Devin spun around to thread his way erratically through the whirling bodies to the door. As he got to the door he glanced back to see Vanni watching him, his face devoid of emotion before he turned away.

Probably looking for the next man willing to dance with him, Devin thought in disgust.

http://edwardkendrick.blogspot.com/

http://edwardkendrick.multiply.com/

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4541493.Edward_Kendrick

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001159588331

Top 10 - #3 - Maiden Rose - Blak Rayne

TOP PICK – Number 3

Hyakujitsu no Bara, or in English, Maiden Rose, is an ongoing war/romance yaoi manga series that isn't for the faint of heart. Having said that, I wouldn’t recommended it for everyone. I’ve seen some pretty serious arguments on the net with some people hating this manga series and others loving it. There seems to be no happy medium. I’ve got to admit when I started to read Maiden Rose, I had to force myself to continue reading–this isn’t to say that the storyline was awful or anything, it was the graphic content.

But like a little trooper I persevered and at the end, I found the characters grew on me (plus I kind of like stories with a military theme). The artistry is well done, the plot interesting and the characters attractive–remember I said those are the three must haves for a decent yaoi. So if you can stomach the brutality you may enjoy it. I don't normally give spoilers, but I will say, not to worry, the brutality does the end. 

Klaus von Wolfstadt (seme blond) and his family (parents and siblings) visit the Far East to attend a coronation ceremony. After the ceremony Klaus becomes lost, wandering in the gardens surrounding the area and this is where he accidentally meets Taki Reizen (uke black hair). The year is nineteen-eighteen. The young Taki asks Klaus to help him pick some cherry blossoms. He wants the blossoms to put on his ceremonial headgear. Klaus does this and Taki asks if he would become his personal knight.

Almost a decade later, the two men meet again at a Military Academy (Luckenwalde), where Taki has been sent to learn about European warfare. Klaus is given orders to befriend and protect Taki. A year passes and the two have fallen in love with one another. And this is where the story takes on a twist. Eurote breaks a treaty with the Western Alliance and Taki is deported. The next night he and Klaus have their first romantic encounter (and I use the word romantic loosely). 

From here on in the sex is brutal and I sense Taki isn't as receptive to Klaus as Klaus would like him to be, which is understandable considering the physical pain and the young man’s status. Klaus is angry and confused. He doesn't want to lose Taki, but due to the young man's status there is no choice. The Reizen family is supposed to be favoured by the gods and the rulers of their country. He is expected to remain celibate until marriage. Knowing this, Taki ends the relationship with Klaus, but this is after Klaus has already sworn to be his knight (which is a sacred oath). And it's the oath that binds them together forever. Both men ended up fighting in the same war from opposite sides. I will leave my synopsis at that. I don't want to spoil the story.

As far as semes go, Klaus has one hell of a body and he's hung like a horse! LOL Taki is a more effeminate uke and not really a fighter like the typical 'feisty bottoms'. He sort of fights Klaus then seems to allow the abuse as if he feels partly responsible for Klaus's feelings. In time and after one especially brutal scene, Klaus finally realizes how wrong he's been and the cruelty of his actions. He accepts his fate at the hands of Taki's officers.

I can't say that I'm absolutely smitten with this yaoi. I did thoroughly enjoy the in-depth plot, the artistry is very, very well done and the characters are certainly attractive…but it did take me a bit to fully appreciate these men. In the beginning, I wanted to beat Klaus and shove my foot up Taki's ass for allowing the shit to go on. But then my attitude changed and I found I actually understood their passion and pain. Overall I like Maiden Rose and look forward to future instalments. The sex is explicit. I'm giving this yaoi four flames for the simple fact of the violence.

Happy Yaoi Hunting!

Blak Rayne ^_^!!

http://www.blakraynebooks.com

http://blakraynebooks.blogspot.com/

Never forget

My Favorite Things by DC Juris

Hi folks! DC Juris here. I'll be your guest host for today. For those of you who don't know me, I'm a transgender fella who writes GLBTQ and heterosexual romance, but mostly m/m.

Today, I wanted to talk about things that make me smile. They're not big things, and maybe some of them are kooky, but they're my sanity savers.

Touching soft fabrics in a store. I admit it – I can't walk down a blanket aisle without touching all the blankets. I grin like an idiot when my fingers brush chenille or velvet, and fleece makes me giggle.

The dark of the sky and the gusts of the wind before a storm. There is something magical there, sitting with the fury of nature, the expectation of what's to come sizzling on your skin.

Rainbows. Yeah, I get the science behind them, but to me, they're magic. I can't tell you how many times Hubby has indulged me by driving around trying to find the end, or the best spot to get a picture. And the first time I saw a double rainbow, I freaked out just as much as the YouTube guy. LOL (If you don't get the reference, head over to YouTube and search for "double rainbow guy original". Totally worth it.)

Certain animals, like turtles, butterflies, snails, and ladybugs. My mother used to say that if you found a ladybug on the hem of your dress, you'd have good luck. I didn't wear dresses all that often, but I love these little bugs.

Garden gnomes. Who doesn’t love garden gnomes? They're so happy and whimsical. I'd have a whole herd of them if I had space.

Mushrooms. Real ones, fake ones – I just love mushrooms. At one point in our old house, my entire kitchen was done in retro mushrooms. Nowadays it's a little more toned down, but my current décor does include a collection of mushroom postage stamps from around the world, which Hubby mounted and framed for me.

But enough about my favorite things - what are yours?

Quiz for Bright People

A friend sent this to me, and I'm posting it just for the fun of it.

There are only nine questions. 
This is a quiz for people who know everything! 
I found out in a hurry that I didn't. These are not trick questions. 
They are straight questions with straight answers.. 
1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.

2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward? 

3 Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables? 

4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?

5. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle? 

6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters ' dw' and they are all common words. Name two of them.

7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name at least half of them?

8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh. 

9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter 'S.'

Answers To Quiz: 
1. The one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends:Boxing. 

2. North American landmark constantly moving backward:Niagara Falls .. The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.
3. Only two vegetables that can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons: Asparagus and rhubarb. 

4. The fruit with its seeds on the outside: Strawberry. 

5. How did the pear get inside the brandy bottle? It grew inside the bottle. The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems. 
6. Three English words beginning with dw: Dwarf, dwell and dwindle... 

7. Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar: Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation mark, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses. 
8. The only vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh: Lettuce. 

9. Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning with 'S': Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings, stilts.