Monique S.'s Blog, page 19

Incredibly beautiful!

Forbidden Melody by Magnolia Robbins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I really fell in love with this book more or less from the first page and, yes, it sang to me. Different music to the playlists, as I do not know some of that and I certainly do have no ear for the “modern” classics. I love the baroque and so, first in my mind and then through the small Sony active speakers, that have accompanied me everywhere since I bought them in 1986 as mobile recording monitors it was:

First Händel’s concerto for harp in b-sharp, followed by Vivaldi’s concerto for 2 mandolines, strings and organ in g-sharp. Then the haunting music of Händel’s Alcina as the atmosphere stated to turn and finally Haydn’s l’anima del philosopho to finish with Albinoni’s concerto Opus 7 No. 3 in b-flat for the finish.

For me both operas have similar movements of emotions in them as the story and thus they accompanied the read perfectly for me, tears and all. I cannot possibly imagine, what it might feel like to lose ones hearing as a musician, but I can relate to Emma’s courage and determination not to let it stop her. I had to face another loss during puberty, my beautiful Soprano voice, that I had so wanted to use as an opera singer to be able to sing in those fabulous operas of Haydn and Mozart in the beautiful dresses I had seen in performances.

So this was sometimes a rather rough and tearful ride, but so so beautiful! I read this on my reader, but I’ll now buy it in a paper edition, to read and re-read again and again, listening to that playlist of mine and loosing myself in the wonderful love for music and each other between Juliet and Emma.



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A joy to read.

At Your Most Beautiful by Harper Bliss

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I was pretty much speechless after the first nine chapters, that had enthralled me with the absolutely longest, but also sweetest yet hottest drawn out sex scene I have read so far. After page after page of hot yet sweet if not always exactly tender but definitely more love-making than sex I was craving more of the story, intent to know how these two unlikely lovers would find a way to be together. Or possibly not. But this is a Harper Bliss novel, so at least I was reasonably sure of a happily ever after. In any case I could not stop reading and finished it more than well after midnight.

The character development Harper wrote here didn’t have any of the usual second chance romance drama, it was believable and well worked, never letting you doubt one or the other of the two ladies love, even if Maya tried her best to dissuade herself from trusting her heart. I was reminded of an episode in a book by well known psychologist Paul Watzlawick, “The situation is hopeless but not serious (the pursuit of unhappiness)" in which someone needs a hammer and goes to ask a neighbour to borrow one, but then within only minutes comes up with so many refusals, that he sais to the neighbour when he opens his door “Just keep your fucking hammer, then.” and turns around and leaves.

If we are honest with ourselves we all know that kind of thought pattern in some form or other. Fortunately Maya’s love, with the help of Quinn’s determination and good arguments from Maya’s gay neighbour, turns out stronger than her fear and – as is always the case if you move in the right direction – destiny’s help gets her to face the music, as they say.

The way Quinn follows her pursuit of the woman she loves is very passionate but also mindful of what she perceives Maya wants or better needs to finally believe in what they both feel is sweet even though sometimes brazen, yet always tender. It is a joy to read!



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A very good book!

Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I will start by saying, that Honey Girl is a very good book.

The theme, though, would also make a pretty good topic for a discussion of the general state of our society. Grace grew up dominated by values, that were already out of date at the latest in the early sixties of the 20th century. In fact, what the story turns out to revolve about is what the astrological system I use calls the Saturn return, that happens between the age of 28 and 30. For most around the 29th birthday. That is the moment we, as humans, have to ask ourselves the existential question, if what we are living is actually in accordance to who we are in our heart. For me it was the start of my transition.

Here Grace, for the first time, asks herself the question she avoided already during puberty, whether her own values are matching those, she forces herself to live by, because she craves the acceptance of her father. The fact that she has found out, that her sexuality doesn’t match general expectations, isn’t even the worst of her problems, what cripples her is the guilt she puts on herself for not being able to follow the plan her father devised for her, the expectation she has therefore developed for herself to always be the best.

In fact, this book is a heavy, to the point, criticism of our educational system, parental ignorance and the lack of understanding of the truth, that all children are born with abilities, that will still be needed, when the parents aren’t alive any more. That, by definition, means that the parents will never be able to understand those abilities, as they exceed their capability for comprehension, that they were given for the span of their lives. The result all too often is a crippling attitude towards the child, who is different than their expectations. Yet in the end it is the combination of the parents genetic heritage lines, that makes the child who the child is.

It needs a really strong willed and rebellious child to break the expected mould. In my youth it was much earlier, that you needed to become responsible. Student loans were rare, grants sometimes available for children with exceptional intellects, but most of my age group had to work just as much time as studying, if we didn’t decide for a career, that at least earned us a salary to sustain our lives for ourselves. Then, of course, there had also been the so called student revolution of the late sixties. I think we were just a rebellious generation.

Coming back to astrology and who and how we are. The inbuilt rhythm of destiny in all of us makes puberty a much more important phase than just becoming physically fertile. It is also the first time to evaluate our deepest innermost self against the values of our parent’s generation, to find out what does comply with who we are and what doesn’t. Guidance in that direction should be the focal point of the educational system for that age (between 14 and 21), not how to form useful subjects for the needs of the economic system, not to stuff the poor young people full of “learning”. What we are supposed to develop at that age is insight.

All that deficit is what Grace is struggling with and in the end it is only the help of a psychologist, that enables her to become who she truly is and find the way back to the love of her life. What does that say about our society, since it is more and more often the case in reality, too?

If you read it properly, this novel will hopefully leave you with a lot of questions about yourself and what life you want, unless you have asked yourself all of them at the age between 28 and thirty already. For me that was now more than thirty years ago.



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One word: EPIC!

The Dark Wife by Sarah Diemer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Double those five stars for this one!

If ever there was an epic love story this is IT!

This is a real pleasure to read. First of all the author has a good knowledge of the ancient Greek myths and incorporates as much of the original stories as will fit the wonderful twist she is giving the tale of Hades and Persephone. Even the little sidelines about other gods and goddesses accord to what you read before, if you have studied the myths in more depth than just watching Xena.

The way the atmosphere of the underworld changes from dark and menacing to its own special beauty, once we, together with Persephone, get to know Hades more is absolutely wonderfully done, real first class world building. Both characters are deep and intriguing and the character development goes further and further, the longer the slow burn romance continues.

I knew after the first pages that I would enjoy the read, but it turned out a lot better even than I at first hoped for.

It is classed as young adult, but, unless you have studied Latin and ancient Greek myths at school already, you’ll need to catch up on that to well and truly appreciate this book, as the romance is so much more amazing if you know the background of what it is set against. For anyone who likes the Greek myths this is an absolute must read!



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opposites attract?

Sunsets and Shades by Erica Lee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The first book of Erica’s I read was “Anyone but her”, which was a thoroughly enjoyable funny read.

This one also has its funny lines, but is much more serious. “To hurt or not be hurt” would be the line both concerned ladies would ask themselves in a Shakespearian monologue, really, if this was an Elisabethan Drama.

There also is a sweet romance going on here, as we learn how important it is to be honest about our emotions, to ourselves and to others, if we don’t want to destroy what we desire most, by getting lost in the labyrinth of our fears, insecurities and speculations about other people’s possible reactions.

Opposites attract, they say, and in this tale it certainly is a fact as Kinsley and Grace meet, but are they really so different? They have the same insecurities and fears, share similar injuries in their past, but chose entirely different mechanisms to protect themselves, nevertheless with the same effect, making another, new love almost impossible.

How they finally overcome themselves and beat the fears or stand against complacency and temptation is a worthwhile, satisfying read, that had me roll my eyes a couple of times at mistakes, my younger self made some 40 odd years ago, too. When young we just tend to believe too many lies we are told about what love is by people, who have no clue themselves.

There is only one true source of information about what love is for you and that is the way your emotions compare to what you find in your encounter and the feelings that result from that comparison, not what people tell you your feelings should be. If you do that you gain confidence by your experiences and find solutions, just like Kinsley and Grace do with some help of people who truly love them.




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An absolut must read!

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Let me start by saying that this is a wonderful book.

All through the book I had the suspicion, that the author had heavy doubts about the value of fairy tales, but nevertheless her own story is a very good one, that serves the same purpose those old ones, for example collected by the brothers Grimm were supposed to have.

I had to study astrology with Wolfgang Döbereiner to begin to understand the hidden messages in Aschenputtel (Cinderella in German), Schneewittchen (Snow White), Hänsel and Gretel (that doesn’t need a translation I think) and all the others.

Kalynn Bayron isn’t hiding her message, though, for her it seems the time was right to speak the truth. She tells a gripping tale of how a narrative, if it is only repeated publicly and with conviction supported by fear in the audience becomes more and more a truth for those who fear. Does that ring a bell in the current situation for you? I am not sure, if she knew herself what meaning she was bringing across, but for me, after having used the Grimm’s fairy tale imagery in hundreds of personal counsellings to explain to my clients the roots of their behavioural patterns, it is as clear as daylight.

Kalynn Baron writes a gripping tale in first person narrative, that has you rooting with Sophia pretty much from page one. The tender love Sophia has for her friend Erin, her friendship with Liv everything is just so life-like it resonates deep down in the reader. I wont go into any more of the story to avoid spoilers, but I’ll tell you that it is highly likely, that once you have started it you won’t be able to put it down again.

I won’t go into, here, what the Disney travesties of the old fairy tales have as effect, that question you have to answer for yourselves, if your younger than forty. I am sure, that if you go into that again after having read “Cinderella is Dead” you might not be all that pleased with your answer.

This is a very important book in my opinion and should be read in class by as many young people as possible.



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Read in one sitting!

Out of the Flames by Stacy Lynn Miller

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Out of the flames is a well written, interestingly plotted gripping crime story with a beautiful Lesbian romance sub-plot, but (spoiler) beware of some heartbreak.

The main character, Manhattan Sloane, has had more childhood trauma than most ever think possible, but fate doesn’t give her a chance to continue repressing her pain, when she meets Avery, the beautiful crime scene technician, when investigating a new drug, that someone has started pushing in San Francisco.

As her relationship to Avery blossoms and she gets close to her daughter, too. Disaster strikes in various forms, challenging Sloane to her limits. What follows is an emotional struggle, that gets pretty close to breaking Sloane.

The character development in most of the “cast” is very insightful and in the end satisfying, but for Sloane and those she loves a very hard road to travel.

I read this in one day, as I simply could not put it down, once I had started. Now onto volume 2.



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an inspiring, wonderful read!

Night and Daye by Morgan Elliot

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I read captured hearts before and other than my usual habit of looking at the electronic copy first the cover incited my to buy the book as a book (paper) from the start.

I was amply rewarded! Before I got round to reading it I read two French lesbian romance novels, that were very, very diferent to what I had read so far in English. The first one was "Game, Set et Love" by Audrey Girard de Gabbia.

Apart from the fact that I always thought that French is the language of love that one is very different, as it offer two endings, that are as different as they could be, both starting with a decision one of the two main characters has to take at a critical moment, showing how one single impulse can make he difference between a tragedy and a romance.

But the one that really changed my view on how romance, but especially lesbian romance should be written was a debut novel by a young countrywoman of my chosen home, Brittany, Leana Baker's "Chat Noir". The one thing I experienced as so very special (never mind of what I think is an incomplete ending) are the incredibly tender and sweet feelings and the loving care, with which both ladies react to each other's mental baggage. It touched me to the core. I attributed that, again, to the French language.

Imagine my surprise to find the best of both combine in your solo debut! I think, without wanting to "diss" anyone, that while "Captured Hearts" was a four star for me, "Night and Daye" should be at least a nine star, if not a ten! I won’t hesitate to call it the best lesbian romance I have read so far. The way the two ladies deal with one another is following one of the standard tropes, cold feet on lady one, trying to break it off, but when it counts the other lady shows what feminine qualities really are in their essence and all goes well. So here is the two possible endings thing resolved easily and gracefully into a happily ever after.

I absolutely love the tenderness and respect, that tastefully flows through your love scenes without diminishing the two ladies passion. It brings over the feelings so much better than just fatal physical attraction, that, while possibly a trigger for more deep feelings, rarely is a basis solid enough for a lasting relationship to stand on.



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Blown fuses!

I have just spent THREE DAYS adjusting my cover title for the Seduced! paperback, just because Amazon can't move their butt away from Microshit's at best mediocre programs to something light-years in advance like Libre Office or, even better, the twenty years old Aldus Pagemaker, with which I produced a wonderful book on a compaq notebook with 2GB hard drive and 12Mb memory, the file of which went straight into an offset machine at the local printers in Barnstable on a 3 1/2" floppy!

And still Amazon's software isn't able to cope with the 'fonds perdus' becuse the effing button doesn't activate, once you have submitted the text in the (requested) Word format.

How did that Macroshit become the world standard? Can someone please try to eplain that absurdity to me?

Correction

Seduced! ebook is live already on Amzon :)