Best Lesbian Debut Novel/Book
And the Rainbow Award goes to:
1) Rebekah Weatherspoon - Better Off Red
In a nutshell, I really loved the way this author writes, and the plot did have some nice twists to it. --Audrey
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (November 15, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602825742
ISBN-13: 978-1602825741
Amazon: Better Off Red: Vampire Sorority Sisters Book 1
Every sorority has its secrets... And college freshman Ginger Carmichael couldn't care less. She has more important things on her mind, like maintaining her perfect GPA. No matter how much she can't stand the idea of the cliques and the matching colors, there's something about the girls of Alpha Beta Omega-their beauty, confidence, and unapologetic sexuality-that draws Ginger in. But once initiation begins, Ginger finds that her pledge is more than a bond of sisterhood, it’s a lifelong pact to serve six bloodthirsty demons with a lot more than nutritional needs. Despite her fears, Ginger falls hard for the immortal queen of this nest, and as the semester draws to a close, she sees that protecting her family from the secret of her forbidden love is much harder than studying for finals.
2) Robin Silverman - Lemon Reef (
)
Very compelling and tragic story wrapped in prose that tugs at your heart strings and keeps you turning page after page. Well done. -Julie W.
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (July 17, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602826765
ISBN-13: 978-1602826762
Amazon: Lemon Reef
What would you risk for the memory of your first love? When Jenna Ross learns her high school love Del Soto died on Lemon Reef, she refuses to accept the official Miami medical examiner’s report of death from natural causes. Lemon Reef is a realm of glimmering beauty, where marine life triumphs over industrial waste. Jenna and Del dove on it every day during the summer before their tenth grade year, their love for the reef deepening as their passion for each other grew. It is a site of tenacity and wonder that mirrored their own, until they were outed and forced to separate. Even fifteen years later, Jenna knows that Del’s heart could not have given out there. Heartsick over Del’s death and fearing that Del’s young daughter may be in danger, Jenna risks all she has worked so hard for to return to Miami where she must dive into an excruciating past so that the truth of the present may surface.
3-tie) Yvonne Heidt - Sometime Yesterday
A violently haunted house. Historical, severe domestic abuse toward two women, the wife and the sister, leads the women to finding solace in one another. Using the suspicion of the affair for more and more violence, when he actually discovers them does the violence become so great that it physically transcends time? -Debra
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (August 14, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602826803
ISBN-13: 978-1602826809
Amazon: Sometime Yesterday
Natalie Chambers is a successful artist who, after her divorce, impulsively buys a Victorian house overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Immediately, she begins to dream of Sarah and Beth, two lovers from the past and the Dark Man who controlled their lives. When she begins to look for explanations for the things going bump in the night, the only answer she can get from the locals is that several previous owners had fled screaming into the night. Van Easton hasn’t had a serious relationship since her partner died several years ago. Content to let other women and alcohol distract her, she is surprised at the intensity of emotion that bubbles to the surface after she meets Natalie. Contracted to restore the gardens at Natalie’s house, she refuses to believe that the mansion is haunted. Until the Dark Man follows her home. It appears he will stop at nothing to keep the new lovers apart, and the violence continues to escalate. Can they solve the mystery that will set Beth and Sarah free and banish the evil presence in the house? Or will they have to run to survive as well?
Kathleen Knowles - Awake Unto Me
I really enjoyed this book - the characters were very well written. -Jorgi-Anne
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (January 17, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602825890
ISBN-13: 978-1602825895
Amazon: Awake Unto Me
In turn of the century San Francisco, two young women fight for love in a world where women are often invisible and passion is the privilege of the powerful. Kerry O’Shea always handled what life threw at her. Growing up on San Francisco’s Barbary Coast, schooled in the streets by her con-man father, she fights to make a place for herself as a cook in the Palace Hotel. Escaping her roots made her plenty tough, but when she meets Beth Hammond, none of her street smarts matters. It's love at first sight, but how can such a love ever be possible? Beth Hammond is every bit as strong as Kerry and proves it when she talks her domineering father into allowing her to study nursing. Drawn to Kerry in ways she doesn't understand, Beth fears the terrible secret she hides could destroy their relationship before it can even begin.
Honorable Mention:
5) Laurie Salzler - A Kiss Before Dawn
Laurie Salzler brought to life not only her characters, but also the world around them as well as their lives and experiences. I became totally immersed in the story and found myself reading every chance I got, and often stole time from other activities. I will definitely be on the lookout for more of Ms Salzler's books! -Kathy
Paperback: 258 pages
Publisher: Blue Feather Books LTD. (February 12, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1935627899
ISBN-13: 978-1935627890
Amazon: A Kiss Before Dawn
6) L.T. Marie - Three Days
Absolute gem of a story. I don't read much lesbian fiction, but this author will be an auto-buy for me. Scorching hot love scenes, well-rounded complex heroines and crisp pace. -Annabeth
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (October 18, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602825696
ISBN-13: 978-1602825697
Amazon: Three Days
7) Dayna Ingram - Eat Your Heart Out
Funny, engaging and oh yeah... zombies. -Julie W.
Fast paced, action packed story with a different spin on the zombie genre. I really liked the chemistry between the MC's. -Tammy
Paperback: 146 pages
Publisher: BrazenHead (December 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1590213335
ISBN-13: 978-1590213339
Amazon: Eat Your Heart Out
8) Ashley Bartlett - Sex and Skateboards
A very fun and quick read with excellent characters. -Ali
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (September 20, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602825629
ISBN-13: 978-1602825628
Amazon: Sex and Skateboards
Ann McMan - Jericho
Great book, great author, will follow for sure this author in the future.
Paperback: 412 pages
Publisher: Bedazzled Ink Publishing Company (September 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 193445267X
ISBN-13: 978-1934452677
Amazon: Jericho
10) Terri Richards - Mission of Desire
Interesting plot, über story, mixed in with romance and mystery. -Julie W.
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (May 8, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602826625
ISBN-13: 978-1602826625
Amazon: Mission of Desire
This journal is friends only. This entry was originally posted at http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/3375102.html. If you are not friends on this journal, Please comment there using OpenID.
1) Rebekah Weatherspoon - Better Off Red
In a nutshell, I really loved the way this author writes, and the plot did have some nice twists to it. --Audrey
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (November 15, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602825742
ISBN-13: 978-1602825741
Amazon: Better Off Red: Vampire Sorority Sisters Book 1
Every sorority has its secrets... And college freshman Ginger Carmichael couldn't care less. She has more important things on her mind, like maintaining her perfect GPA. No matter how much she can't stand the idea of the cliques and the matching colors, there's something about the girls of Alpha Beta Omega-their beauty, confidence, and unapologetic sexuality-that draws Ginger in. But once initiation begins, Ginger finds that her pledge is more than a bond of sisterhood, it’s a lifelong pact to serve six bloodthirsty demons with a lot more than nutritional needs. Despite her fears, Ginger falls hard for the immortal queen of this nest, and as the semester draws to a close, she sees that protecting her family from the secret of her forbidden love is much harder than studying for finals.
2) Robin Silverman - Lemon Reef (
)
Very compelling and tragic story wrapped in prose that tugs at your heart strings and keeps you turning page after page. Well done. -Julie W.
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (July 17, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602826765
ISBN-13: 978-1602826762
Amazon: Lemon Reef
What would you risk for the memory of your first love? When Jenna Ross learns her high school love Del Soto died on Lemon Reef, she refuses to accept the official Miami medical examiner’s report of death from natural causes. Lemon Reef is a realm of glimmering beauty, where marine life triumphs over industrial waste. Jenna and Del dove on it every day during the summer before their tenth grade year, their love for the reef deepening as their passion for each other grew. It is a site of tenacity and wonder that mirrored their own, until they were outed and forced to separate. Even fifteen years later, Jenna knows that Del’s heart could not have given out there. Heartsick over Del’s death and fearing that Del’s young daughter may be in danger, Jenna risks all she has worked so hard for to return to Miami where she must dive into an excruciating past so that the truth of the present may surface.
3-tie) Yvonne Heidt - Sometime Yesterday
A violently haunted house. Historical, severe domestic abuse toward two women, the wife and the sister, leads the women to finding solace in one another. Using the suspicion of the affair for more and more violence, when he actually discovers them does the violence become so great that it physically transcends time? -Debra
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (August 14, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602826803
ISBN-13: 978-1602826809
Amazon: Sometime Yesterday
Natalie Chambers is a successful artist who, after her divorce, impulsively buys a Victorian house overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Immediately, she begins to dream of Sarah and Beth, two lovers from the past and the Dark Man who controlled their lives. When she begins to look for explanations for the things going bump in the night, the only answer she can get from the locals is that several previous owners had fled screaming into the night. Van Easton hasn’t had a serious relationship since her partner died several years ago. Content to let other women and alcohol distract her, she is surprised at the intensity of emotion that bubbles to the surface after she meets Natalie. Contracted to restore the gardens at Natalie’s house, she refuses to believe that the mansion is haunted. Until the Dark Man follows her home. It appears he will stop at nothing to keep the new lovers apart, and the violence continues to escalate. Can they solve the mystery that will set Beth and Sarah free and banish the evil presence in the house? Or will they have to run to survive as well?
Kathleen Knowles - Awake Unto Me
I really enjoyed this book - the characters were very well written. -Jorgi-Anne
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (January 17, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602825890
ISBN-13: 978-1602825895
Amazon: Awake Unto Me
In turn of the century San Francisco, two young women fight for love in a world where women are often invisible and passion is the privilege of the powerful. Kerry O’Shea always handled what life threw at her. Growing up on San Francisco’s Barbary Coast, schooled in the streets by her con-man father, she fights to make a place for herself as a cook in the Palace Hotel. Escaping her roots made her plenty tough, but when she meets Beth Hammond, none of her street smarts matters. It's love at first sight, but how can such a love ever be possible? Beth Hammond is every bit as strong as Kerry and proves it when she talks her domineering father into allowing her to study nursing. Drawn to Kerry in ways she doesn't understand, Beth fears the terrible secret she hides could destroy their relationship before it can even begin.
Honorable Mention:
5) Laurie Salzler - A Kiss Before Dawn
Laurie Salzler brought to life not only her characters, but also the world around them as well as their lives and experiences. I became totally immersed in the story and found myself reading every chance I got, and often stole time from other activities. I will definitely be on the lookout for more of Ms Salzler's books! -Kathy
Paperback: 258 pages
Publisher: Blue Feather Books LTD. (February 12, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1935627899
ISBN-13: 978-1935627890
Amazon: A Kiss Before Dawn
6) L.T. Marie - Three Days
Absolute gem of a story. I don't read much lesbian fiction, but this author will be an auto-buy for me. Scorching hot love scenes, well-rounded complex heroines and crisp pace. -Annabeth
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (October 18, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602825696
ISBN-13: 978-1602825697
Amazon: Three Days
7) Dayna Ingram - Eat Your Heart Out
Funny, engaging and oh yeah... zombies. -Julie W.
Fast paced, action packed story with a different spin on the zombie genre. I really liked the chemistry between the MC's. -Tammy
Paperback: 146 pages
Publisher: BrazenHead (December 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1590213335
ISBN-13: 978-1590213339
Amazon: Eat Your Heart Out
8) Ashley Bartlett - Sex and Skateboards
A very fun and quick read with excellent characters. -Ali
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (September 20, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602825629
ISBN-13: 978-1602825628
Amazon: Sex and Skateboards
Ann McMan - Jericho
Great book, great author, will follow for sure this author in the future.
Paperback: 412 pages
Publisher: Bedazzled Ink Publishing Company (September 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 193445267X
ISBN-13: 978-1934452677
Amazon: Jericho
10) Terri Richards - Mission of Desire
Interesting plot, über story, mixed in with romance and mystery. -Julie W.
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (May 8, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602826625
ISBN-13: 978-1602826625
Amazon: Mission of Desire
This journal is friends only. This entry was originally posted at http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/3375102.html. If you are not friends on this journal, Please comment there using OpenID.