Book Review: “Save of the Game” by Avon Gale
I’m so happy I moved in to Save of the Game by Avon Gale so soon after I finished Breakaway. This book picks up shortly after Breakaway as a new season gets underway for the Jacksonville Sea Storm. This time out goalie Riley Hunter and defenseman Ethan Kennedy take center stage after having been supporting characters in the Breakaway.
Riley and Ethan are roommates and one day Ethan stumbles on the porn bookmarks Riley has on his laptop. The gay porn turns Ethan on in a way he hadn’t expected. It also makes him consider Riley in a way he hadn’t expected. The build up between these two is perfect as they try to read each other’s signals. Should they make out? Should they get naked? Ethan’s confused because he thought he was straight, but the more he’s with Riley the more he can see he’s bi.
Beyond the relationship Riley and Ethan form, there’s a great story of family here as well. Ethan comes from a very supportive family while Riley’s from a wealthy but distant family. It’s a study of contrasts as Ethan can’t understand Riley’s family situation while at the same time Riley is practically adopted by Ethan’s family with hardly any questions at all.
Of course there’s hockey in the book too and it’s woven into the story beautifully. I especially liked Ethan having to make decisions about where his career should go once the season is over.
As with Breakaway, I loved everything about this book–the romance, the hockey, the stories that were tangent to the romance. Avon Gale has a great thing going with this series and I look forward to facing off with book three soon.
Book Review: “Man & Beast” by Michael Jensen
I read Man & Beast by Michael Jensen some fifteen years ago when it was released as Frontiers (it’s a book that is still on my shelf in hardback). I loved in then and I loved revisiting this riveting piece of gay historical fiction as it’s being re-released.
The book takes place in 1797 as 24-year-old John Chapman is on the run as he’s been found out to be gay. He tries to escape with his lover, a general, but he loses him and heads off into the frontier on his own. Just as he’s about to give up in a harsh winter storm, he comes upon a blockhouse with a lone settler in it. As the two become reluctant roommates, it seems John has stumbled onto the place he was looking to settle. Unfortunately, the man John’s falling for–and who he thinks is falling for him–isn’t exactly who he seems by the time spring comes around.
John takes off again and this time does land in a new settlement, with just a few hearty souls so far looking to create a town. While John just wants to be left alone, he ends up involved in town activities and is being pushed to marry–the last thing he wants. Even out here though, John finds someone he’s attracted too–the brother of the local preacher. As John and Palmer try to hide their relationship, a lot of action goes down in the little town of Franklin including a man from John’s past whose come with vengeance in mind.
This book is packed with a lot of action and suspense. John is always trying to outrun some aspect of his past, while at the same time trying to find a mate. He wants a partner, but he’s scared to hope that such a thing is even possible given the major and the man from the blockhouse. Franklin is a bit of mystery too with a lot of subterfuge going on. Man & Beast was a thrill to read and I’m glad I had this re-read because I thorughly enjoyed it. Jensen packs so much detail into his stories, about John and the struggles of the frontier along with the suspense of what John gets himself into that you can’t help but turn the pages.
Coming up in January, Jensen releases Man & Monster, the second book in what’s now known as The Savage Land series. I originally read this as Firelands and I’m looking forward to picking this one up for a re-read as well.
NOTE: I received a free ebook for an honest review for Jeff & Will’s Big Gay Fiction Podcast.
Book Review: “Murmuration” by TJ Klune
Murmuration by TJ Klune is extraordinary and one of the best books I’ve read in 2016.
This is a book that I can’t talk too much about, however, because I don’t want to run the risk of giving any spoilers. Anyone who reads this should go into it knowing as little as possible.
For those who don’t know, here’s the books’ blurb:
In the small mountain town of Amorea, it’s stretching toward autumn of 1954. The memories of a world at war are fading in the face of a prosperous future. Doors are left unlocked at night, and neighbors are always there to give each other a helping hand.
The people here know certain things as fact:
Amorea is the best little town there is.
The only good Commie is a dead Commie.
The Women’s Club of Amorea runs the town with an immaculately gloved fist.
And bookstore owner Mike Frazier loves that boy down at the diner, Sean Mellgard. Why they haven’t gotten their acts together is anybody’s guess. It may be the world’s longest courtship, but no one can deny the way they look at each other.
Slow and steady wins the race, or so they say.
But something’s wrong with Mike. He hears voices in his house late at night. There are shadows crawling along the walls and great clouds of birds overhead that only he can see.
Something’s happening in Amorea. And Mike will do whatever he can to keep the man he loves.
Here’s what I can say:
- TJ has written a masterful story, which is rolls out at a perfect pace and is very much a page turner.
- Mike and Sean are so romantic. I loved how they were around each other. Their love for each other is beautiful.
- “Something’s happening in Amorea.” That’s true and it’s an amazing, compelling story to read.
- The town around Mike and Sean is full of delightful characters.
That’s really all I’m comfortable saying in terms of specifics. If you read Murmuration, I encourage you to be measured about what you say when you’re done. Like Harry Potter books or movies like Sixth Sense or The Crying Game, people deserve to read this without spoilers. As difficult as that may be, don’t ruin it for your fellow readers.
Lastly, thanks TJ for releasing such an amazing, wonderfully romantic read.
NOTE: I received a free ebook for an honest review for Jeff & Will’s Big Gay Fiction Podcast.
Book Review: “Breakaway” by Avon Gale
The Scoring Chances books by Avon Gale have been on my to-read list for sometime now. On the cusp of the 2016-17 hockey season, it was time to take the plunge with Breakaway and I’m so glad I did.
The story centers on 20-year-old Canadian hockey player Lane Courtnall who is drafted to play in the ECHL’s Jacksonville Sea Storm. He’s a good hockey player, but lacks social skills and starts the season alienating his teammates. That all changes we has an on-ice smackdown with Jared Shores, an enforcer with the Sea Storm’s arch rivals, the Savannah Renegades. Not only does Lane make amends with his team, he later runs into Jared and a local bar and the two strike up an unlikely conversation over drinks and chicken nuggets.
That meeting at the bar, leads to a one night stand and then a romance that stretches through their season. Lane helps Jared re-discover his love of hockey and to help him was away the memories of the man who’d betrayed him years ago. For Lane, Jared is able to help him discover that it’s okay to be gay and play hockey. He’d like to find a way for Lane to curb some of his awkwardness and find a filter so he thinks before he speaks, but that just doesn’t happen.
Lane was a delight. His lack of social skills is both funny and, at times, painful to read. He reminded me a lot of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory in his complete lack of self-censorship. Watching Jared’s evolution from grizzled veteran player to someone playing with the enthusiasm of someone just starting out was wonderful. Even better are the scenes of Jared and Lane figuring out their relationship as their love grows through the season. Their back and forth with each other was funny, sweet, touching and moving, especially when each told their stories on why going for love was difficult for them.
Lane’s best friend Zoe was a standout among the supporting cast. She was so awesome dealing with Lane’s sometimes outlandish statements. I wouldn’t mind seeing her get her own book in the series at some point. Lane’s teammates Riley and Ryan were great too. Ryan’s evolution from party boy to something else (trying not to give spoilers here) and Riley as solid friend were fun too.
Gale created characters I couldn’t help but love, so I went from Breakaway right into Save the Game. Already a couple chapters in and I can already tell I’m going to love Ryan’s story.
Celebrating “Star Trek” at 50
September 8 marked the 50th anniversary of Star Trek’s premiere on NBC back in 1966. There’ve been any number of celebrations on TV, online and around the country.
Back in July, the Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum in NYC became home to the Starfleet Academy Experience. Since I knew I was going to be in the city after the Cycle for the Cause ride, I got a ticket to attend.
It was very cool!
The exhibit was packed with interactivity. As you come in, you receive a wristband that tracks what you do. There are several quizzes designed to see what you should specialize in—command, engineer, medical, communications, etc.—as an Academy cadet. Some specialities also have exercises you can do, such as diagnosing a Klingon in sick bay or selecting a suitable planet to land on.
Throughout the exhibit there are dozens of costumes, spanning the various TV series, as well as props. It was great to see, for example, how phasers, communicators and tricorders changed over the years. Missing was representation from the movies, with the exception of some props. For example, no costumes were present from any of the films–from The Motion Picture through this year’s Beyond. Also no sneak peeks of anything from the new Trek series coming in 2017.
The two centerpieces of the exhibit were a model of the original Enterprise, which was used as a display for projections from the series. There was also a replica of the Next Generation Enterprise bridge, which featured station where you could take the Kobashi Maru test (sadly there seemed to be no way to cheat in this version.
Touring the experience was a great way to spend a rainy Monday morning in Manhattan. It continues at the Intrepid through October 31, 2016.
You can see all my images from the exhibit on Flickr.
“Cats” Still Has Magic
I haven’t seen Cats since sometime in 2000. Will and I went to see at in its original Broadway home at the Winter Garden Theatre before it closed that fall.
For me, it was the last of many visits to the show, the first of which happened in Birmingham, Alabama, during its first national tour. While A Chorus Line was my first Broadway touring company to see, Cats was the first of the “mega musicals” I saw. I was enthralled with the huge junk yard strewn across the stage and all the effects, like the giant tire taking flight at the end of the show.
I have to admit I was disappointed when I heard the show was coming back to Broadway without any updates. Yes, Andy Blankenbuehler, Tony winning choreographer of Hamilton, was freshening the choreography and the “Growltiger’s Last Stand” number was removed for cultural sensitivity, but nothing else was slated to change. I’d hoped the show would get a makeover like the recent revival of Les Miserables, which took a great show and made it seem as though I was seeing it for the first time rather than the fifteenth.
However, it seems that Cats is theatrical comfort food for me. Walking in and seeing the familiar junk yard along with the familiar orchestrations gave me goosebumps and I throughly enjoyed the show.
Blankenbuehler didn’t do too much to the choreography as far as I could tell. . There were some spots in uptempo songs, like “Rum Rum Tugger,” “The Jellicle Ball” and “Mr. Mistoffelees” that some of his signature moves were on display. But, again, it was mostly like revisiting an old friend.
A couple of stand out performances too mention. Tyler Hanes was stunning as Rum Rum Tugger, bringing a sly sexuality to the role that was, frankly, hot. Even beyond his number, the way he moved around the stage periodically causing trouble and the way he interacted with Mistofflees were a lot of fun.
Meanwhile, Ricky Ubeda, season 11 So You Think You Can Dance winner, owned the stage during “Mr. Mistoffelees.” I think Blankenbuehler, created some moves knowing Ubeda was in the role as there were quite a few moves that highlighted is agility. He was wonderful to watch during the entire show. I also took a moment post show to get an autograph and selfie with him since he’s one of my major SYTYCD crushes.
A disappointment was that Leona Lewis, best known for her song “Bleeding Love” was out of the show the Sunday evening I saw it. She’d recently announced her departure from the show was coming on October 9, so I was excited to be seeing her before she exited. I was curious to know what she’d be like as Grizabella and how she’d sound singing “Memory.”
Regardless of Lewis absence, I loved the show and am glad I relived the magic. Even more so, it’s great to see the show in such great shape after sixteen years away.
Book Review: “How To Be a Normal Person” by TJ Klune
Oh my God!
I can’t believe I waited as long as I did to read How To Be A Normal Person by TJ Klune. It’s one of the sweetest romances ever and with the voice performance of Derrick McClain the book is pretty much perfect.
Gustavo Tiberius thinks he’s not normal. “Normal,” of course, is relative. From the get-go I found him quirky. He lives a fairly closed-off existence in a small town Oregon. To hear him tell it, he’s also been different but since his father died a few years ago, Gus tends to keep the world at bay.
When Casey Richards shows up in town and starts working at Gus’ coffee shop, Lottie’s Lattes, everything turns upside down. Casey is an asexual stoner hipster and he thinks Gus is the best thing ever–worthy of taking selfies with and worthy of bestowing hugs on.
I love how Klune unravels Gus’ world and puts it back together again. The frantic calls to the cable company to get the internet hooked up so he can research how to be a normal person since that’s not covered in the encyclopedias he owns. The conversations with himself as he tries to implement what he’s learning from the internet. And then there’s Casey, who is one sweet guy. He’s upfront with Casey that he’s asexual and what that means and, while he doesn’t try to outright change Gus, he does help Gus open up to things like epic hugs. It’s great how these two come together and become the things each other needs.
There are some great supporting characters in here too–Lottie and the elderly, Vespa riding We Three Queens are awesome. Even before Casey shows up they are trying to get Gus out of his shell. The cable company operators are a hoot, and the other glimpses we get of the citizens of Abby, Oregon are awesome (and sometimes disturbing) too.
I’m so glad I went with audio to “read” this book. McClain nails the performance. I don’t think the voices in my head would’ve been anywhere near as perfect as what McClain did with Gus and Casey. I don’t think I’ll ever hear “Oh my God!” or “What the hell?” the same way again. McClain is also pitch perfect with Gus’ anxiety, always finding exactly the right vocals for the moment.
Pick up this book (and preferably audiobook) if you want a super sweet romance peppered with some good laughs and goosebumps.
Big Gay Fiction Podcast Episodes
- Episode 453 – Baseball, 1960 New York, and Bad Dogs with Cat Sebastian
- Episode 452 – Adib Khorram and “The Breakup Lists”
- Episode 451 – “Accidentally Undercover” with Layla Reyne, Allison Temple, and Cari Z
- Episode 450 – Steven Salvatore Talks About His Very Gay Take on “Pretty Woman”
- Episode 449 – Brad Gooch Discusses His “Radiant” Biography of Artist Keith Haring
Big Gay Author Podcast Episodes
- Bonus Episode: “Content for Everyone” with Jeff Adams & Michele Lucchini
- Episode 66 – So Long For Now… Plus Q&A with Daryl Banner and J. Thorn
- Episode 65 – Q&A with Jesi Lea Ryan and L.C. Rosen
- Episode 64 – Q&A with Xio Axelrod, TM Smith and Davidson King
- Episode 63 – Q&A with Clare London and E. Davies