2014 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mentions
Waiting for the list of finalists to be announced beginning of October, I will post daily the 2014 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mentions: an honorable mention means a judge gave a rate of 36 or above out of 40 to the book; an honorable mention doesn't mean the book is automatically among the finalists, could be could be not, but it's important to understand there are more than 500 books in the literary contests, all books are in the process of being read by the jury, but only half of them will go to finals. So please, congratulate with me this year honorable mentions:
Gay Contemporary General Fiction
I Loved You More by Tom Spanbauer
Paperback: 468 pages
Publisher: Hawthorne Books (April 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0986000787
ISBN-13: 978-0986000782
Amazon Kindle: I Loved You More
"To paraphrase the novel itself: “Spanbauer’s book. How very perfect that book is. True the way truth can make you wince, make you cry, make you proud.” Written like an instant classic of gay fiction. It explores the fleeting triumphs and deeply felt heartbreaks of real life. Our loves and ambitions and creativity are so much larger than ourselves, and yet in some ways we are merely our bodies, and our bodies fail. Is that our tragic flaw? … These are the kinds of enormous questions provoked in me by reading this work. It’s not an easy read, but it is masterful, and I recommend the novel to anyone who feels they can bear it."
"Excellent characterization, fully imagined, gorgeous writing but a bit slower and more contemplative"
Lesbian Biography / Memoir
The End of Eve: A Memoir by Ariel Gore
Paperback: 234 pages
Publisher: Hawthorne Books (March 11, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0986000795
ISBN-13: 978-0986000799
Amazon: The End of Eve: A Memoir
Amazon Kindle: The End of Eve: A Memoir
"Beautiful, raw, honest, and compelling. I absolutely couldn't put it down until I was finished. Simply gorgeous."
"This was a magnificent book. All the revelations come at the right moment for proper story development. The book is sad, funny, horrifying. It is deeply insightful and real. It's about more than her dying mother and recovery from abuse--it's about life itself and how to navigate this crazy, awful world. I thought the book was exceptional. The major characters are exceptionally well-developed, but even the minor characters are well-developed. The writing was captivating, and I couldn't stop reading. The book was actually easy to read, despite the difficult subject matter. As a writer myself, there were numerous moments when I felt real jealousy over how well-written a certain passage was."
"This story was equal parts hilarious and hilariously disturbing. Perhaps because I saw my own biological mother portrayed in the Eve but either way I believe that the author's writing style and just the general plot of the story will strike a chord with many people. I do wish that the setting had been a bit more descriptive, but, with the portrayal of the characters, the angst, the bickering, the fight that Ariel has within herself when it comes to her mother, the struggle she goes through trying to handle everything because of her mother, the love that Ariel inevitably (and I thought at times a bit irrationally) has for her mother that almost ripped apart the rest of her life, and at the core of it all the great bond of true love, forgiveness and family. It was a fantastic read and the author did quite well with it."
"I had read this - I picked it up at GCLS in Portland in July - excellent writing - riveting - I could not put it down until the last page - it is my favorite in this category"
"This book had me sucked in from the very beginning... I must admit I didn’t think I was going to like it so I put it to the end of my reading list... but I ended up enjoying it the most. Will definitely look for more my this author."
Lesbian Paranormal Romance
Return of an Impetuous Pilot (RIP Van Dyke Series) by Kate McLachlan
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Silver Dragon Books by RC (February 7, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1619291525
ISBN-13: 978-1619291522
Amazon: Return of an Impetuous Pilot
Amazon Kindle: Return of an Impetuous Pilot
"What an enjoyable, wild ride full of intriguing, well-written characters, the most intriguing being Amelia Earhart. Fun read."
Gay Paranormal Romance
Electric Candle (The Sleepless City) by Elizabeth Noble
Paperback: 200 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (April 4, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1627987037
ISBN-13: 978-1627987035
Amazon: Electric Candle (The Sleepless City)
Amazon Kindle: Electric Candle (The Sleepless City)
"This is a well written story that fans of this genre are sure to love. There are a couple of points that I really loved, one is that Jonas is not the perfect vampire, but one who suffers from allergies. The second is that rather than everything being perfect between Jonas and Blair, they have a bit of a rocky start. Also expect several twists and turns in this story, some you will not see coming. I hope the author plans on adding more to this world as Electric Candle was a well done story."
Gay Fantasy
Rising Frenzy, Men of Myth 2 by Brandon Witt
Paperback: 350 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (September 23, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1623809657
ISBN-13: 978-1623809652
Amazon: Rising Frenzy
Amazon Kindle: Rising Frenzy
"Second book in a series, and while it is very helpful to follow along series-wise, one can catch up in the story pretty quickly. Well-written book about a warlock who lost his love and has a voice inside his head, the man he loved who's part-mer(man), part-demon, and how they are separately fighting to correct wrongs in which they 'might' have had a hand in. That is to say, they didn't MEAN to be part of the cause of the strife, but now they feel responsible. There are vampires, fairies, weres, a human or two, and I did mention the vampires? "
Lesbian Contemporary Romance
Second to None by L.T. Marie
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (April 15, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1626390517
ISBN-13: 978-1626390515
Amazon: Second to None
Amazon Kindle: Second to None
"Loved this story. Characters very well developed and I am glad the author allowed Brady to maintain her integrity in not jumping into a relationship with Skylar. Writing style improves with each book."
Gay Contemporary Romance
Saving Liam by DP Denman
Publisher: North Shore Press (April 8, 2014)
Amazon Kindle: Saving Liam
"I loved the conflict that Liam goes through in this story. His emotions in response to that conflict seemed real to life."
"Not a book I would have purchased based on the blurbs given online, but one I’m extremely glad to have read. It’s a novel I will recommend to friends who can appreciate stories the fall outside the traditional “happy-happy” m/m story neighborhood. An excellent work despite its often downbeat storylines. Follows to an unexpectedly unfinished-feeling ending, which is more natural than the usual HEA found in so much m/m literature. Completely believable settings of life at the MC’s homes, workplaces, and the city they live in. Very well rendered.MCs, and secondary characters, are rendered beautifully and feel completely natural. "
Gay Historical Romance
The Dead Past (Puddledown Mysteries) by Kate Aaron
Publisher: Croft House (April 20, 2014)
Amazon Kindle: The Dead Past (Puddledown Mysteries)
"I was immediately hooked by the old-style English but perfect writing style of this first book of probably a series which I am going to definitely follow. It brings you right into that time frame and allows your imagination to picture time and place. The plot was good, I enjoyed the developpment of the characters, both really well done."
"I thoroughly enjoyed this novella. The author drew me completely into the setting to the point I felt like I was there. I liked the characters and wanted to continue reading in order to discover more about them. The mystery was also well plotted and kept me interested in reading more, though I felt the resolution came and was resolved a little quickly. I enjoyed this enough to go looking for the author and was happy to see there is another book available in the series. I'll be picking that up. "
Gay Erotic Romance
The House on Hancock Hill by Indra Vaughn
Paperback: 220 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (February 7, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1627984909
ISBN-13: 978-1627984904
Amazon: The House on Hancock Hill
Amazon Kindle: The House on Hancock Hill
"I loved this book. It started slowly, though. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the plot very much. The main characters were exquisitely drawn. They were likable and empathetic, with a well-developed backstory and believable motivations. The setting felt real and functioned like a character in the story. Beautiful prose, with no rough patches or confusing parts."
Gay Contemporary Romance
Foolish Me (The Light in your Eyes) by Tinnean
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press; 1 edition (April 24, 2014)
Amazon Kindle: Foolish Me (The Light in your Eyes)
"A sweet romance that is very well written. The characterizations are wonderfully done. I haven't read the previous book involving these characters, but this is another instance of a sequel/second-in-a-series work that stands nicely on its own."
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Gay Contemporary General Fiction
I Loved You More by Tom Spanbauer
Paperback: 468 pages
Publisher: Hawthorne Books (April 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0986000787
ISBN-13: 978-0986000782
Amazon Kindle: I Loved You More
"To paraphrase the novel itself: “Spanbauer’s book. How very perfect that book is. True the way truth can make you wince, make you cry, make you proud.” Written like an instant classic of gay fiction. It explores the fleeting triumphs and deeply felt heartbreaks of real life. Our loves and ambitions and creativity are so much larger than ourselves, and yet in some ways we are merely our bodies, and our bodies fail. Is that our tragic flaw? … These are the kinds of enormous questions provoked in me by reading this work. It’s not an easy read, but it is masterful, and I recommend the novel to anyone who feels they can bear it."
"Excellent characterization, fully imagined, gorgeous writing but a bit slower and more contemplative"
Lesbian Biography / Memoir
The End of Eve: A Memoir by Ariel Gore
Paperback: 234 pages
Publisher: Hawthorne Books (March 11, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0986000795
ISBN-13: 978-0986000799
Amazon: The End of Eve: A Memoir
Amazon Kindle: The End of Eve: A Memoir
"Beautiful, raw, honest, and compelling. I absolutely couldn't put it down until I was finished. Simply gorgeous."
"This was a magnificent book. All the revelations come at the right moment for proper story development. The book is sad, funny, horrifying. It is deeply insightful and real. It's about more than her dying mother and recovery from abuse--it's about life itself and how to navigate this crazy, awful world. I thought the book was exceptional. The major characters are exceptionally well-developed, but even the minor characters are well-developed. The writing was captivating, and I couldn't stop reading. The book was actually easy to read, despite the difficult subject matter. As a writer myself, there were numerous moments when I felt real jealousy over how well-written a certain passage was."
"This story was equal parts hilarious and hilariously disturbing. Perhaps because I saw my own biological mother portrayed in the Eve but either way I believe that the author's writing style and just the general plot of the story will strike a chord with many people. I do wish that the setting had been a bit more descriptive, but, with the portrayal of the characters, the angst, the bickering, the fight that Ariel has within herself when it comes to her mother, the struggle she goes through trying to handle everything because of her mother, the love that Ariel inevitably (and I thought at times a bit irrationally) has for her mother that almost ripped apart the rest of her life, and at the core of it all the great bond of true love, forgiveness and family. It was a fantastic read and the author did quite well with it."
"I had read this - I picked it up at GCLS in Portland in July - excellent writing - riveting - I could not put it down until the last page - it is my favorite in this category"
"This book had me sucked in from the very beginning... I must admit I didn’t think I was going to like it so I put it to the end of my reading list... but I ended up enjoying it the most. Will definitely look for more my this author."
Lesbian Paranormal Romance
Return of an Impetuous Pilot (RIP Van Dyke Series) by Kate McLachlan
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Silver Dragon Books by RC (February 7, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1619291525
ISBN-13: 978-1619291522
Amazon: Return of an Impetuous Pilot
Amazon Kindle: Return of an Impetuous Pilot
"What an enjoyable, wild ride full of intriguing, well-written characters, the most intriguing being Amelia Earhart. Fun read."
Gay Paranormal Romance
Electric Candle (The Sleepless City) by Elizabeth Noble
Paperback: 200 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (April 4, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1627987037
ISBN-13: 978-1627987035
Amazon: Electric Candle (The Sleepless City)
Amazon Kindle: Electric Candle (The Sleepless City)
"This is a well written story that fans of this genre are sure to love. There are a couple of points that I really loved, one is that Jonas is not the perfect vampire, but one who suffers from allergies. The second is that rather than everything being perfect between Jonas and Blair, they have a bit of a rocky start. Also expect several twists and turns in this story, some you will not see coming. I hope the author plans on adding more to this world as Electric Candle was a well done story."
Gay Fantasy
Rising Frenzy, Men of Myth 2 by Brandon Witt
Paperback: 350 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (September 23, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1623809657
ISBN-13: 978-1623809652
Amazon: Rising Frenzy
Amazon Kindle: Rising Frenzy
"Second book in a series, and while it is very helpful to follow along series-wise, one can catch up in the story pretty quickly. Well-written book about a warlock who lost his love and has a voice inside his head, the man he loved who's part-mer(man), part-demon, and how they are separately fighting to correct wrongs in which they 'might' have had a hand in. That is to say, they didn't MEAN to be part of the cause of the strife, but now they feel responsible. There are vampires, fairies, weres, a human or two, and I did mention the vampires? "
Lesbian Contemporary Romance
Second to None by L.T. Marie
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (April 15, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1626390517
ISBN-13: 978-1626390515
Amazon: Second to None
Amazon Kindle: Second to None
"Loved this story. Characters very well developed and I am glad the author allowed Brady to maintain her integrity in not jumping into a relationship with Skylar. Writing style improves with each book."
Gay Contemporary Romance
Saving Liam by DP Denman
Publisher: North Shore Press (April 8, 2014)
Amazon Kindle: Saving Liam
"I loved the conflict that Liam goes through in this story. His emotions in response to that conflict seemed real to life."
"Not a book I would have purchased based on the blurbs given online, but one I’m extremely glad to have read. It’s a novel I will recommend to friends who can appreciate stories the fall outside the traditional “happy-happy” m/m story neighborhood. An excellent work despite its often downbeat storylines. Follows to an unexpectedly unfinished-feeling ending, which is more natural than the usual HEA found in so much m/m literature. Completely believable settings of life at the MC’s homes, workplaces, and the city they live in. Very well rendered.MCs, and secondary characters, are rendered beautifully and feel completely natural. "
Gay Historical Romance
The Dead Past (Puddledown Mysteries) by Kate Aaron
Publisher: Croft House (April 20, 2014)
Amazon Kindle: The Dead Past (Puddledown Mysteries)
"I was immediately hooked by the old-style English but perfect writing style of this first book of probably a series which I am going to definitely follow. It brings you right into that time frame and allows your imagination to picture time and place. The plot was good, I enjoyed the developpment of the characters, both really well done."
"I thoroughly enjoyed this novella. The author drew me completely into the setting to the point I felt like I was there. I liked the characters and wanted to continue reading in order to discover more about them. The mystery was also well plotted and kept me interested in reading more, though I felt the resolution came and was resolved a little quickly. I enjoyed this enough to go looking for the author and was happy to see there is another book available in the series. I'll be picking that up. "
Gay Erotic Romance
The House on Hancock Hill by Indra Vaughn
Paperback: 220 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (February 7, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1627984909
ISBN-13: 978-1627984904
Amazon: The House on Hancock Hill
Amazon Kindle: The House on Hancock Hill
"I loved this book. It started slowly, though. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the plot very much. The main characters were exquisitely drawn. They were likable and empathetic, with a well-developed backstory and believable motivations. The setting felt real and functioned like a character in the story. Beautiful prose, with no rough patches or confusing parts."
Gay Contemporary Romance
Foolish Me (The Light in your Eyes) by Tinnean
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press; 1 edition (April 24, 2014)
Amazon Kindle: Foolish Me (The Light in your Eyes)
"A sweet romance that is very well written. The characterizations are wonderfully done. I haven't read the previous book involving these characters, but this is another instance of a sequel/second-in-a-series work that stands nicely on its own."
This journal is friends only. This entry was originally posted at http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/4441535.html. If you are not friends on this journal, Please comment there using OpenID.