Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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What Are you Reading?
Josh wrote: "WMD wrote: "Just finished Sidney Bell's new book Loose Cannon. Good mm romance, with extensive family, friends and work context. The two get caught up in some violent gang issues and have a hidden ..."She's just getting started; this is only her second book. She definately has some darkness in both. She has 2 more to go in this series, and she will be definitely in the organized crime zone for them, I think.
I too hope she does some lighter stuff, 'cause she has some good snark moments.
Just finished re-issue of "In Front of God and Everyone" by Sarina Bowen. New title is "Goodbye Paradise."This one got on my to-read list, under its original title through the discussion group on "best mm romance for people new to genre." Its about two young guys raised together in a very strict cult situation, and their venture together into the real world. Very sweet, building a new life together, finding a new family, finding their feet in the wonderful world of coca-cola and television. The cult is rotten but is relatively small portion of book; really all about friends to lovers.
I'm doing a deep dive into historical romance, reading a 7 book series by my favorite, Mary Balogh.The series starts with The Proposal. I am now on book 7, and I have loved every one.
I just read Tournament of Losers, by Megan Derr.First chapter, I wasn't so sure about it, but once it got going, I couldn't put it down. I've only read a couple of short stories by her, previously, but I definitely think I will try more.
Haldis wrote: "I just read Tournament of Losers, by Megan Derr.First chapter, I wasn't so sure about it, but once it got going, I couldn't put it down. I've only read a couple of short stories by..."
I liked this book, too. And Dance in The Dark and The High King's Golden Tongues are very good, too.
Sabine wrote: "Haldis wrote: "I just read Tournament of Losers, by Megan Derr.First chapter, I wasn't so sure about it, but once it got going, I couldn't put it down. I've only read a couple of s..."
I basically like all of her stuff. The Kria series are also great, in particular Prisoner and Bound.
Sabine wrote: "Haldis wrote: "I just read Tournament of Losers, by Megan Derr.First chapter, I wasn't so sure about it, but once it got going, I couldn't put it down. I've only read a couple of s..."
I believe I also bought The High King's Golden Tongue, so I'll try that one next. :-)
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:-D :-D :-D
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The series starts with The Proposal. I am now on book 7, and I have loved every ..."
That's just great when you're on a run like that.
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First chapter, I wasn't so sure about it, but once it got going, I couldn't put it down. I've only rea..."
No wonder I don't have time to read many new authors in the genre. I'm still trying to catch up on established authors like Derr. I've had her on my TBR list forever--in fact, I'm pretty sure I have a couple of titles sitting on my kindle.
Would you guys say you read mostly newcomers to M/M or the established authors, or do you make a conscious effort to read both? Or is that a consideration that factors in at all?
For me, the breakdown is not weighted by new authors vs established....because I am digging in all corners for new-to-me good mm authors (established or otherwise). GR lists are particularly useful for this, because many of the lists were established awhile ago and they have one-off mm authors or older books that don't necessarily floatup in GR or Amazon reccs.Right now I would say my to-read list is heavy on the new to me authors, but that's because if a favorite established author comes up with something I read it immediately. Devoting my life to the hunt is easy, 'cause I sometimes can do without sleep:).
I will usually go with authors that yous guys recommend. I tend to be leery of newcomers, though.
Established authors that keep popping up in my recommendation list that I haven't tried yet, i might download a sample, see what I think. Maybe read some reviews (although I have seen some glowing five star reviews on VERY POORLY written books that were AWFUL)
....I meant every caplock.
I might wait until a book goes on sale.
There have definitely been some established authors with many books appearing on this thread that I have tried and absolutely did not like, so...
I download a lot of samples.
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Thanks to the recommendations here I read The High King's Golden Tongue and the second book in the series (different featured couples in each book, but the other couples are also part of the story), The Pirate of Fathoms Deep, in the past week. Very enjoyable fantasy/adventure/romance. Waiting for The Heart of the Lost Star due in August...
Like Haldis I read a lot of samples. It is not important for me, if it's a established or new author. There are very few authors I preorder every book, they have written. Very few! 😊
I read a mix of new and established authors because most of the mm books I read are for review. I do have a few authors that I will pre order. I just finished reading Rank by Richard Compson Sater and he is a newish author and a LAMDA nominee. I really enjoyed this book.
Sort of a mixture of both. I am slow to adopt new authors, but will do so with some publishers or recommendations I trust.
Karen wrote: "Haldis wrote: "Sabine wrote: "Haldis wrote: "I just read Tournament of Losers, by Megan Derr... I believe I also bought The High King's Golden Tongue, so I'll try that one next. :-)..."I didn't realize it was part of a series. Thanks Karen.
I love trying new authors and I do so regularly. I read a lot of established authors too. But really, new or established, it doesn't matter at all to me, as long as the book is good. I have found so many absolute gems and favourite books from trying new authors that it's totally worth reading a few duds here and there. I should probably sample more, but I don't. If the blurb sounds awesome, I will often just jump right in. I don't often go for what's most popular in m/m, so I pay attention to what you all say here and I read reviews (especially the bad ones) and I try to make informed decisions.
Alison wrote: " I should probably sample more, but I don't. If the blurb sounds awesome, I will often just jump right in...."That's exactly how I choose my books, too. By the blurb. I don't go reading reviews or asking opinions.
Shows how important those blurbs really are.
Yeah, its been a learning curve: some books I love have glowing reviews and some books I hate/resent having bought have glowing reviews.I have had to pull together my own list of criteria and scan the reviews and interpret them...e.g., I need a plot not just love. And the Blurb does have significant weight. I figure it reflects the author's intention on the story? But maybe not...are blurbs mostly publisher written?
Last week, I read Gazes Into You...by Alex Jane.Interesting approach: main character is an 'anti-hero'. Here is a piece of my review:
John is an ex-police officer. He's always had a little problem...with 'watching' guys who intrigue him. He doesn't have to know anything about them, prefers distance and imagination...but he watches and imagines a lot.
And there is an intriguing young man, beautiful and very very 'watchable'....and he bikes by John's boring security job like clockwork. A nameless unknown, he still becomes a big part of John's very empty life, until the unknown vanishes.
John can't handle it when the only interesting thing in his life disappears and his ex-police side pounces on the mystery (and his obsessive creeper side happily goes along). John tracks down who the unknown is and what happened to him....and then talks himself into helping him, knowing him...loving him.
Creepy, right? Well...in an mm romance kind of way.
I recommend it, its mystery/thriller, beginning of a series, and does get into the criminal conspiracy end of things.
WMD wrote: "Last week, I read Gazes Into You...by Alex Jane.Interesting approach: main character is an 'anti-hero'. Here is a piece of my review:
John is an ex-police officer. He's always had a little problem..."
This sounds interesting. Thank you for the rec.
Here it's possible to read the beginning:
https://www.amazon.com/Gazes-Into-You...
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I'..."
:-D But of course! How could I have forgotten that one?!?!
Honestly though, this list was easier to put together than the others. I was surprised at how many books in this category we already owned! Sadly, BRB is not one of them, and I can't see it anywhere to buy, except as an ebook from Baker and Taylor, and we don't buy ebooks from them. :-(
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First chapter, I wasn't so sure about it, but once it got going, I couldn't put it d..."
I'm always trying to catch up on things I've bought and never read. In that regard, I am reading new-to-me authors, it's just that they're "old", lol.
I read newer stuff sometimes. I'd like to be reading more new stuff, but there's just too many things!
I finished yesterday David Pratt's Bob the Book (gay romance, and so much more). It's such a charming book, and i loved every word. Except for two difficult scenes, it's generally lighthearted, and full of heart. Such a wonderful surprise this book.
KC wrote: "I finished yesterday David Pratt's Bob the Book (gay romance, and so much more). It's such a charming book, and i loved every word. Except for two difficult scenes, it's generally li..."It is lovely indeed.
KC wrote: "I finished yesterday David Pratt's Bob the Book (gay romance, and so much more). It's such a charming book, and i loved every word. Except for two difficult scenes, it's generally li..."It sounds wonderful. I will have to read it. :)
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Harper Fox is coming out with a new Tyack and Frayne volume. Since I have reread Mermaid Murders (and the sneak peeks at Monet Murders) several times, I am going to refresh my way through the Tyack and Fraynes.
Jordan wrote: "I'm in the middle of reading The Outward Side by James Colton/Joseph Hansen. It's hard to read, I must say. But, as usual with Hansen, it's well written, even if it does have a boatload of sex in it!"The James Colton/Joseph Hansen are always so emotionally intense. I always need quite a bit of time to recoup after one of his books, but i'm also so very glad i read it.
I've read
. Excellent, the kind of book which makes you find some of the books you've read immediately before - or you will read later - lacking in depth.
Antonella wrote: "I've read . Excellent, the kind of book which makes you find some of the books you've read immediately before - or you will read later - lacking in depth."
Glad you enjoyed it. And I completely agree. I'm reading it now. Well, i started it this weekend and will probably continue next weekend. Savoring it.
He also has a collection of short stories, and another novel Looking After Joey, which is now only in print. Looking forward to them.
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Later today hopefully I'll start The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks for my book group meeting next week.
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"Devoting my life to the hunt." :-D Remember when the hunt used to have to be in person?
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I tend to be leery of newcomers, though.
Established authors that keep popping up in my recommendation list that I haven't tried yet, i mi..."
Yes, while youse guys like some books and authors, I don't, I know the recs are real. Facebook has been taken over by these author co-ops, so you'll see someone throw out a question...Favorite M/M Friends to Enemies books?
And then a bunch of people will rec absolute unknown authors and books -- always the same little groups reccing the same largely unknown band of authors.
Not that attempts at "gaming the system" (?!) haven't always gone on, but not to such an obvious and egregious level.
I suppose it works if the books are actually any good -- that's the idea behind it and behind .99 cent books: if people could just be made aware of my work!!!
And sometimes it turns out to be true.
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I think I used to do that more. I do rely heavily on the recs here now. But also the greatest portion of my book budget goes to vintage paperback. More so than before.
And I guiltily confess to keeping my KU membership after all. The authors I would typically buy aren't going to be in KU, so I'm still buying those books.
The authors in KU are typically not those I want to pay for. I skim them or I only get a few pages in and return the book. I can honestly say I have not yet finished a single KU title.
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I have had to pull together my own list of criteria and sca..."
Yes. I probably need to pay more attention to writing blurbs now days. This is a good reminder.
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Interesting approach: main character is an 'anti-hero'. Here is a piece of my review:
John is an ex-police officer. He's always had a little problem..."
Hm. Now that sounds intriguing!
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Okay, you've convinced me. :-)
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Yes, it does. But it's very moving -- so beautifully written. It's a stressful book, I have to say. :-D
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I have to catch up on these!
Josh wrote: "Alison wrote: "I love trying new authors and I do so regularly. I read a lot of established authors too. But really, new or established, it doesn't matter at all to me, as long as the book is good...."Quite a few of Georgette Heyer are on KU, and Elizabeth Edmondson that I am enjoying right now.
Oh, and The Saint, by whoever, is also on KU! That was kinda interesting....might try more in that series :-)
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Oh! Well, yes. I meant new and untried authors. If I know I love an author, I'll just buy the book. I love those little sales on Heyer.
Josh wrote: "Haldis wrote: "Josh wrote: "Alison wrote: "I love trying new authors and I do so regularly. I read a lot of established authors too. But really, new or established, it doesn't matter at all to me, ..."Yes there are a lot of new authors, and they all have the same type of covers with the same type of tropes and they all follow the same formula....I may grab the best sounding one in the bunch when I am in the mood for fluff....and really bad editing :-) some aren't actually that bad, I wouldn't spend any money on them, but, there you are.
Yeah, I was thinking it would be useful if kindle unlimited kept a longer if not endless record, for those few good ones gone by that I realize are keepers. A few favored authors start in KU land, too. I am just reading so much lately, KU fills the blank spot when I can't track down other 'sure thing' options
Hello has anyone else read Anne Cleeland's Acton and Doyle series (m/f) British police procedural with an anti hero twist and a touch of psychic lie detector. Something different, with theme of serial murders, political conspiracies and romance. Good characters, interesting plots. I wondered if anyone had read her earlier work and would recommend, looks more historical romance-ish.
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Not finishing a single title... that's kinda sad. And I don't mean for you, but for the work and the authors. If you know what I mean?
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OMG, yes, it was very stressful!
But, thankfully, it wasn't nearly as stressful as Black Hawk Down. BHD is honestly the most stressful book I've ever read.
I've read two excellent shorter things recently.--Tumble Turn by Charlie Cochrane. A lovely, upbeat, warm novella about a swimmer going for gold and falling in love on the way. Classic Charlie Cochrane.
--Afterglow by Elliott Junkyard. A well-written slightly smutty short about a pop star on a plane. It's always good to see well done trans books by trans authors. Maybe I should mention (due to the above discussion) that this is a brand-new author and he's off to a promising start. I tried this book on a whim and it was great and I will totally read more by this guy.
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Q&A with Josh Lanyon
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That made me curious about the author Elizabeth Ogilvie, with the result that I went online, did some research, and ended up ordering a bunch of her titles through the Advanced Book Exchange. So if I ever do have time to read again, I will be reading Ms. Ogilvie.