Hello everyone! We are wrapping up our third week of this year’s Reading Challenge Month with our International Week challenge.
As with every week of this event, you guys can play along for the giveaways in two ways. First off, you can leave a comment on any of this week’s challenge reviews and earn one entry point for each. And second, if you read along with your own challenge book, you can tell us all about it by leaving a mini review in the comments of this post and earn 10 contest entries. So if you comment on all the posts and do a mini-review, you can earn mega entries!
This week’s prize is sponsored by Joyfully Jay! We have picked a bunch of our favorite international books to give to one lucky winner. (You can check out the details here)
And remember, all entries throughout the month qualify you for the grand prize sponsored by Dreamspinner Press. They are giving away a Kindle Fire loaded with some great releases, plus a 3-month subscription to their Dreamspun line!
Ok, before we get too far, some things you may need to know:
- All the contest details and rules are in this post or at least linked from here
- This week’s deadline to leave comments on our reviews, or your mini review of your own book here on this post, is Saturday, September 22nd at 11:59 pm ET. All entries will also carry over for the grand prize at the end of the month.
- In case you missed any, here are the books we reviewed this week for the International Week Challenge. Comment on each for chances to win!
- Glacier Gold by Crystel Greene
- Latakia by J.F. Smith
- Shoulder Season by Jackie North
- Meet Me in Shanghai by Luca Domini
- On Davis Row by N.R. Walker
- Dirty Mind by Roe Horvat
- Would It Be Okay to Love You, Year Two by Amy Tasukada
- Burning Fall by E.J. Smythe
- The Dusk Parlor by S.A. Stovall
- If you read along your own challenge book this week, leave your mini review here on this wrap up post.
Thank you so much to everyone who has been participating all week (and all month)! Don’t forget to leave your comments and your mini reviews for a chance to win! And be sure to stick around for our final week next week, Self-Published Book Week!
I live in Indonesia, so actually ANY LGBTQ books I read will be located outside my country *lol*. But for this week’s challenge I chose two books that located geographically rather near Indonesia.
Three Months to Forever (Hong Kong)
by Hudson Lin
Rate: 2.5 stars
Unfortunately I wasn’t too impressed with this. The conflict feels like it can be solved within pages (and it did happened in the end) so the rest is rather repetitive. But I did enjoy the description of Hong Kong and Macau in this book. Since I was there almost a decade ago, it was nice to recall the places mentioned here like the gondola inside of the mall in Macau.
Lights and Sirens (Australia)
by Lisa Henry
Rate: 4.5 stars
One of my favorites of Lisa Henry — the story feels mature; the characters TALK about things that bother them. Even if there’s misunderstanding in the beginning, which makes both men a bit like ‘enemy’ but it doesn’t last long. And I loved how Lisa Henry writes about these health professionals, including the bad days that they experience. I also enjoyed the description of the small town in Queensland, including the beach. I actually ended up checking Google Map and wonder if I can visit the town if I ever travel to Australia
Thanks for the reviews Ami! Sorry you were only one for two, but glad you enjoyed Lisa Henry’s book.
I started off with Less by Andrew Sean Greer which seemed an ideal pick as, according to the blurb, the main character traveled to many different countries in order to avoid attending the wedding of an old boyfriend. Unfortunately, the book did not grab me, so I put it aside.
I then read Would It Be Okay to Love You? by Amy Tasukada which was a pleasant story set in Japan featuring two very different characters: a voice actor and an accountant (a salaryman). I thought the story did well at giving a sense of place through food, celebrations, even bathing; however, I’m not really tempted to read on in the series.
Veronica reviewed a book by Jackie North which reminded me that I owned the author’s Heroes for Ghosts which I promptly read. This was a time travel romance set in WWI era and present day France featuring a student of history working on his thesis and a doughboy (an American soldier). I have a fondness for time travel stories, and I enjoyed this one despite having a few quibbles. It’s the first in a time travel series by the author, and I look forward to reading the next book which features different characters.
Sounds like a busy week. Glad you liked Jackie North’s book. We are reviewing the second one soon. And yes, it does sound like the series is time travel stories focusing on different characters.
I’ll look forward to reading that review, Jay.
LESS can meander at times, but the ending made me sigh with happiness! So, you have something to look forward to. ?
I chose Over and Over Again by Vole McCade, which is set in rural England on a working farm. I absolutely loved the slow burn, low angst story, and the characters had so much history but found they didn’t know each other as well as they thought they did.
I was hesitant because it’s a May-December with best friend’s dad, but is handled in such a way that it never once made me uncomfortable. The entire story is pretty slow and has beautiful descriptions.
There’s not too much to be said about the plot (there’s not a ton of action, mostly emotions), but I really loved this book. If I could give it ten stars, I would.
I read this earlier this year and LOVED it. I am so glad you enjoyed it as well. (PS there is a typo and the author’s name is Cole McCade in case anyone is trying to track down the book or my review)
For International Week, I chose the Irish YA novel WHEN LOVE COMES TO TOWN by Tom Lennon. It’s the story of Neil Byrne, the golden-boy youngest son in a large and close-knit Catholic family. He works hard to maintain his facade of being the easygoing, wisecracking rugby star, but he’s been hiding his gay identity since he was ten, and nursing a longtime crush on a guy named Ian. While this book was first released in the US in 2013, it was originally released in 1993 overseas. (Tom Lennon is apparently the pseudonym of a teacher who was afraid of losing his job at a parochial school. I have no idea if he ever wrote or published another book, or what happened in the aftermath of the original publication. The newer version has a foreword placing the book in the historical context of Irish life at the time, but very little specifically about Lennon himself, so I’m guessing he got to keep his anonymity.)
In the early ’90s, I was a teenager who often fantasized about attending Trinity College in Dublin (and/or marrying U2 drummer Larry Mullen, Jr). So, it’s safe to say that I would have been squeeing over this story (and Neil) back in the day. As it was, the book made me feel very nostalgic, and during the first half I had a huge smile on my face. From time to time I enjoy a bit of soulful teen angst, and from Neil’s brooding opening post-masturbatory inner monologue onward, he establishes himself as a secretly poetic type. (He tends to live in his head quite a bit, and sometimes he comes off as neurotic. I found that understandable and even endearing, but your mileage may vary.) After confiding in his best female friend and his sister, he starts making discreet visits to a gay pub. (Flannel-clad guys cheering when U2’s “When Love Comes To Town” plays on the pub’s video jukebox seemed incongruously perfect, though I can’t help but think that Lennon would have chosen a more danceable track like “The Fly” or “Discotheque” had he waited a couple of years. Hmm.) The scenes with Neil’s family work well for the most part (one brief vignette involving his two-year-old niece early on inexplicably wrecked me–I would have appreciated more of that subtlety later, but I’m getting ahead of myself), with his siblings being hearteningly sympathetic. Neil’s a popular guy, shrugging off love life questions from his buddies while trying to dodge the school’s beautiful “mean girl” Yvonne, with whom he once experienced a fondly remembered night of torrid sex. (That plot point is an unexpectedly casual, low-key revelation in the story. I found it kind of refreshing that Neil never questions his sexuality because of it, though in the context of his otherwise continual self second-guessing, that may ring false for most readers.) While local politicians, media personalities, and the Catholic Church hierarchy are decrying homosexuality all around Neil, I was grateful to see Neil’s own parish priest suspecting the teen’s orientation and being understanding and kind (without forcing him to reveal anything).
As the foreword makes clear, this is a story of a very specific time, and that does contribute to some of my issues with it now. (Frankly, I think I would have felt the same way as a teen who already disliked the relentlessly dark aspects of the few gay stories I’d read at the time.) The second half of the book overflows with drama, and the bleakness of many early-’90s portrayals of gay male life is in full force here. A rather bitter older man Neil meets at the bar has left his wife and family after coming out, and (while his inappropriate overtures stop short of anything physical) seems unsettlingly creepy throughout the book. There’s also the then-obligatory too-good-for-this-world gay martyr who is secretly dying of AIDS, who in this story happens to be a drag performer (and what would today be referred to as genderqueer in everyday life); this felt hackneyed at best, and I could imagine some readers feeling infuriated by it. (There’s also a strange moment where the usually sensitive Neil does a racist pseudo-Japanese pantomime while joking around in front of his mom; there’s no way that would have been acceptable even in 1993, and since it added absolutely nothing to character development or the story, I don’t know why it hasn’t been removed in the later editions.) Factor in a dramatic coming-out scene with Neil’s parents and a gay bashing, and the second half starts to creak with Very Special Episode-style machinations. The prospect of romance is barely present, even when another potential love interest enters the game. On the other hand (unlike some reviewers), I did find the ending to be a solid HFN at least, though Lennon certainly leaves the reader in suspense as to Neil’s possibilities for happiness until the last possible moment. WHEN LOVE COMES TO TOWN is compelling as a period piece for sure, and it made me want to find more (upbeat) m/m stories set in Ireland.
Thanks os much for the review Trix. It sounds like a really interesting book. And oh yes, early 90s U2. Sigh.
I visited Australia with an author I adore, Sean Kennedy. Most people know of his Tigers and Devils series, but I’m not sure as many people have read his young adult/new adult spin-off series, Get Out, following the lives of younger athletes Declan Tyler has mentored as part of his GetOut foundation for helping LGBTQ kids in sports. The Obstruction of Emma Goldsworthy is the third in the series after the first two focused on Micah Johnson. I had this book preordered and it’s been almost half a year since I got it, so I’m really glad the challenge gave me a reason to finally dive in.
Emma Goldsworthy is 20 and plays women’s hockey. She’s had one big relationship that ended with being dumped right before her girlfriend went to America and didn’t want to have a long distance relationship. She’s got a sharp tongue, a good heart, and plays a mean game of hockey at the Australian Institute of Sport. She met a girl at a Halloween party and had a great kiss, but they never introduced themselves before Emma was whisked away to deal with a friend’s romantic crisis. Months pass and there’s been no hope of finding her mystery woman, and just when she does, her ex comes back to town, bringing back an American girlfriend and having come out publicly.
I don’t know if this is Kennedy’s first f/f, but I thought it was great. Emma is such a wonderful character. She’s opinionated and strong-willed, and maybe that’s why Simon Murray and her get a long so well. She’s also a wonderful friend, not only to her lovelorn teammate Alya, but also to Micah Johnson who she sees occasionally and texts frequently (as he goes through his own love issues). Seeing her navigate her new relationship and the hazards of her old one was great fun. For those who need to know, all the sex scenes were fade to black.
I read someone say that Kennedy’s trademarks are great humor, great snark, characters who are real, and some who you’d like to have as your real friends. This definitely hits the mark with all of that. As long as he keeps writing more in the shared world of both series, I’ll be reading them.
Oh, this sounds great! I haven’t read Sean Kennedy but I have heard nothing but good things about his writing!
I picked Made in Portugal by Ana Newfolk to read for International Week. I’d read a free short Christmas story by this author (Made in New York) and liked it enough to want to read more. I would suggest reading this before Made in Portugal if you want a little insight into 2 of the side characters (Max and Isaac). The author is Portuguese herself and this comes across in the obvious love for the food of the area. This is a friends to lovers story, in which childhood best friends Joel and David reconnect after many years apart, when Joel returns to Portugal to spread his parents’ ashes. Although they’re both gay, David isn’t out and this provides the main conflict for the story. I really liked this book and am looking forward to the continuation of Max and Isaac’s story.
Thanks for the review Jennifer!
Vanilla Clouds
Roe Horvat
4.75 stars
Novella
Michal and Magnus have been online friends for a couple of years. They met through a dating app. Their one attempt to meet up never happened because Michal became ill and couldn’t show up. A couple of months later Magnus transfers to Hamburg, Germany for a new job and Michal remains in Gothenburg, Sweden where he manages a chocolaterie. Although they are no longer in the same country their online friendship remains solid and strong, and Magnus is very supportive when Michal goes through some difficult times.
Magnus has been wanting to meet Michal in person for a very long time, but Michal is adamantly against it. Magnus’ messages become less frequent and then they stop. When Bernard walks into the chocolaterie, Michal feels an instant attraction to the shy man. Within a few days they are dating and Michal is educating Bernard in all the ways chocolate can be enjoyed. Michal feels conflicted by his growing affection for Bernard since he feels he is being unfaithful to Magnus. Of course, Bernard has a big secret and needs to come clean with Michal before they take their relationship any further. This was a very sweet story and well written. I loved Magnus and Michal, and the fact that they were great fans of the series Black Books made me like them even more.
I chose Dirty Mind by Roe Horvat mostly because I wasn’t having much luck finding lists of international m/m books so I just decided to choose one off of the list of books that was going to be reviewed this week. I actually didn’t like the sound of the book when I read the synopsis because one of the characters writes porn…I thought it would probably be short on story and heavy on sex, but it was inexpensive so I went for it.
Boy, was I ever pleasantly surprised. I loved this book. By now everyone has probably already read Sammy’s review so I don’t need to go into a lot of detail, but this wasn’t crammed full of sex. A lot of the sex earlier in the book was Alex attempting to write a porn book. It wasn’t too much and it was actually kind of amusing.
The book took place over several years so there wasn’t insta-love, which I usually roll my eyes at. I was so happy when Alex finally decided to go for it rather than holding back due to the age difference.
This was such a good book. I had actually never heard of this writer before but I’m definitely going to look for more of his books.
This book seems to have ben a hit with a lot of people. I am really glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the review!
I’ve been slowly working through Anyta Sunday’s backlist. I decided to give Nest (an extended/rewritten version of Lenny For Your Thoughts) a read since it’s based in Germany in a small town a train ride away from Berlin. I won’t summarize the book since I feel I would give too much away about the story. Like all the authors other books, this is a slow burn romance. Readers first meet Lenny as a child at age 8 and the story follows along until he’s in his early twenties. I loved getting to know Lenny and his family and friends. I really enjoyed follow along with his unrequited love for Julian, his cousin, bully, and eventually best friend. Reading about Lenny try to find new love and witnessing all the things happening around him really hit me in the feels. I loved the book and recommend it all around for anyone who love romance.
thanks for the review!
I read Rustic Moment by Nic Starr. It takes place in Australia. Grant offers to let Dave stay in his spare bedroom when Dave moves to the city.
It was fine. It was a generic, contemporary tale that just happened to take place in Australia.
I know Kris reviewed this book for the site and liked it a lot, it just didn’t really click for me.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this one!
Strange Bedfellows by Cardeno C has been on my reader for a few years so i decided to read it for this weeks challenge (it is set in the USA).
Blurb:
When Trevor and Ford meet, sparks fly and a strong friendship is formed. But can the billionaire son of a Democratic president build a family with the congressman son of a Republican senator? Forget politics, love makes strange bedfellows.
I enjoyed this one it has a warm/sweet feel to it. Not everything felt realistic (but sometimes you don’t need that ), and speaking for myself i didn’t really need that in this story. It was just nice to read a book that could have been filled with drama and miscommunication (given the subject) but luckely wasn’t. Both Trevor and Ford were very nice and lovable characters and i enjoyed reading about their journey towards becoming a couple and i would recommend it for everyone who wants to read a romantic feel good book.
4/5 rating.
Thanks for the review and glad you enjoyed it!
I picked I Love You More Than Pierogi by K.A. Merikan because that is quite the statement. Unfortunately, I’m not finished yet. This is an opposites attract kind of story with a past history and some baggage. It’s set in Poland so I thought it would be interesting.
I read 2 more books this week, besides On Davis Row.:
The Tutor by Bonnie Dee. I think I’m about 2.5 stars here. About 3/4 dragged for me and once nearer to the end it got more interesting. I was surprised that a book that should have taken me 3 1/2 hours to read took nearly 4 days. I didn’t feel like I was reading a historical in England and some of the dialogue felt simplistic. I had totally missed that this was a paranormal, which I am more than ok with. The chemistry between the 2 MCs didn’t feel very strong to me. All in all, even with all within the story that bothered me, I still enjoyed it in the end.
And Red Dirt Heart by N.R. Walker. 4 stars. Why I waited to read RDH, I don’t know. Actually, I do know, contemporary stories and I don’t always do well together, I like some grit, and usually they’re just too fluffy for me. And I hate when I enjoy an author’s work and then find that story that just doesn’t work and I start to 2nd guess my judgement. But this story didn’t disappoint. The MCs and all the secondary characters were enjoyable to read, I’m actually looking forward to the sequels.
Thanks for the reviews!
For this weeks challenge I choose three books from Sean Kennedy, all of them set in Australia.
1. Tigers on the Run, the third book in the Tiger & Devils series. I really loved book 1 and 2 but my memory was not that good since I read them five years ago. Thankfully I got back into it right away. The Tiger books have a great cast of characters and it is all about them. Simon, the boyfriend from Declan, a now retired Australian football player, is a very sarcastic snarky person and he is hilarious. You have to love Simon to enjoy this book. It is written in his POV with a lot of great dialogue between Simon and the other characters. I rate it 4*
2. The Ongoing Reformation of Micah Johnson (Get Out Series). This is a YA spin-off from the Tigers series. It takes place straight after „Tigers on the Run“. Micah Johnson is the first AFL player to be out at the beginning of his career. Retired professional football player Declan Tyler mentors Micah, a difficult teenager with a lot of problems. The Tiger & Devils books are about Declan, a gay closeted athlete, his outing process and the aftermath. This book is about a young, already out boy who wants to be a professional athlete. So this is the newer version of the gay-athlete trope. Therefor it has an interesting and fresher plot. There is a romance included but it is not the main theme. The whole book is quite realistic written. I liked it a lot. 4.5*
3. Micah Johnson goes West. The second book in this series is the direct continuation of Micah’s story. Both Micah books are written in his POV. I loved this great, very realistic, hearbreaking and funny book. The Get Out series is not only for young people. I think every fan of the Tiger books will love it since Dec and Simon play a prominent role in both books. There is a third book in this series which I have yet to read. 4.5*
Glad you enjoyed these! Interestingly, someone else also read the Tigers & Devils follow ups this week. Popular series!
I decided to read along with you this week, so I chose Dirty Mind (after Reading your review I had to read it, and as I had it already in my ebook…). I loved it
I am not going to summarize the plot, because you’ve already done it. Alexander and Christian’s story was everything I expected after reading the review. It was the perfect mixture of humour, romance and despair… I loved the fact that the first chapter was set in Sitges, as I am Spanish and know the place (the description of the gay athmosphere is hilarious). I also enjoyed the fact that the story was set in Germany, as I have been there and I can relate to the gloomy, cold, distressing days of Autum there…
In short, I want to thank you for bringing this story to my attention. I had purchased it, but put it aside, and I must recognise I had a great time with it!
Oh good! Lots of folks seemed to have checked this one out this week and really enjoyed it!