Edie Danford

This one's very good. Good enough to make music references work, good enough to have me in tears several times, good in avoiding cliche false roadblocks. All the conflicts are real-world and reasonable. Good in family dynamics, in settings. All the other characters are excellent. It's good disability rep, as well, and quietly diverse.

Alas, some people will avoid it because it's written in first person, among other reasons, but that's normal. Readers have their own needs to answer to. I personally would have preferred less sex scene and more intimacy scene - more poetry than mechanics - but regardless, this one's very good, and if it appeals to you, do not miss it!… (mer)

Of the six stories in this collection, my personal favorite is "Unexpected Dragons" by Delphine Dryden. It's a sweet coming of age story set in a fantasy realm with, you guessed it, dragons who happen to be shifters also. Of all the short stories in this book, this is the one I would like to see expanded and added to. It has potential. I was disappointed to discover that Ms. Dryden's usual haunt is in the adult (really adult) erotica end of the spectrum. I was really hoping for more like this story. Oh well. 4 stars

The rest are fairly common stories set in the contemporary world of young men and women discovering first love, coming out to themselves and others, and dealing with the changes that come from growing up.

Alexis Hall's "TruNorth" is told from the first person narrative of a young man named Noah who belongs to a boy band called TruNorth. I never could really get into the story. Noah is a really boring narrator at best and his story just didn't appeal. 2.5 stars

"A Song for Sweater Boy" by Vanessa North is a sweet story about how Jamie and Ash come together. Jamie's nickname comes from his knitting all the time as a way to keep his hands busy during class as it helps him deal with his need to keep moving and functional. Ash plays in his own rock band and accepts Jamie's quirks without a blink. 3 stars

Amy Jo Cousine writes interesting characters, though I find her style a little distancing (present tense tends to do that to me). The MC of "The Taste of Coffee and Cream" is Jude, a young transgender woman who is still in high school, but knows deep inside that she's in a bad place at home. She finds ways to express herself on trips away from home, but it takes the acceptance of almost complete strangers who help her find a safe place to be herself to finally make a break with the past. 3 stars

Annabeth Albert's style is more to my liking and I liked her character Ethaniel in "First in Line". He's away from home for the first time, attending Cathia College, and though extremely unsure of himself, ready to explore what life out of the eyes of his parents, church, and the closet have to offer. I'll go looking for more of her stories. 3.5 stars

"Extinction Level Events" by Geonn Cannon features the only lesbian character of the bunch. Cassandra wants desperately to come out to her best friend, an action daunting and terrifying as she also wants to admit to her big time crush. The title refers to how life can change after graduation (from high school), both inside and out. 3.5
… (mer)

I absolutely loved the adorkable professor Marek. He was so young and shy and awkward, but he mainly just lacked the confidence to take care of himself. His uncle hired Pete to be his live in housekeeper and (so it seemed sometimes) personal assistant. They got along great, and became great friends. Unbeknownst to the other, however, they were both in love with each other. Pete tried to keep things simple between them and avoided taking the relationship further than friends, but it got harder to do every day, especially once they had their first kiss. Not all was what it seemed with family, but the guys were able to work through it. I thought that the angsty part of the story worked well and was necessary for Marek to realize he could take care of himself. I liked them togheter, and I loved Marek. I wish I saw him more as he got comfortable with his teaching.

I am voluntarily reviewing an ARC provided by IndiGo Marketing & Design… (mer)