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Monday, April 10, 2017

ARC Review : Imagines (Imago #2) by N.R. Walker






Title : Imagines
Series : Imago #2
Author : N.R. Walker
Genre : Contemporary Gay Romance
Published Date : April 10th 2017
My Rating : 5 of 5 Stars






Jack Brighton and Lawson Gale have been together for six months and are very much in love. Lawson’s work ensuring the survival of the Tillman Copper is demanding as ever, and Jack’s work with the regeneration of the bushfire-ravaged national park is just as hectic.

When Jack suggests they take a short trip, Lawson agrees. But then he is offered a two-week research position in tropical Queensland to help determine why the Ulysses butterfly is on the decline. Figuring they could combine work and pleasure, Jack and Lawson go on their first vacation together.

Working alongside renowned professor Piers Bonfils isn’t easy. But personal and professional differences aside, Lawson is offered a more permanent role in Queensland. Torn between his new life in Tasmania with Jack and a dying species of butterfly he feels compelled to save, Lawson has to decide where his fate lies.

But fate changes the rules. On a research expedition into the depths of the rainforest, suddenly it's not only the butterflies’ existence that hangs in the balance

A butterfly’s life cycle never changes. From larvae to imago, their course is plotted by design. Jack and Lawson need to determine where they stand, if they live through it. Because the only thing more incredible than one imago is two.








He made those butterflies in my belly take flight and dance on every nerve ending; he made my heart morph into something that would belong to him always. And I'd never doubt again.

If you were imago on your own, then we together are imagines...


***

Jack and Lawson have been together for six months after Lawson heroic rescuing the Tillman Copper butterfly from the extinction. Happy and so deeply in love.

When Jack suggested they take a holiday trip, at the same time, Lawson got an offer from butterfly conservatory at Queensland to help them find why the Ulysses butterfly life is in danger.

Lawson think that combining work with holiday in tropical country seems interesting enough. So, they decided to go to Queensland and start their 'adventure holiday' there....

Everything seems perfectly fine and fun enough at first. What Lawson and Jack didn't expected is that who knows rescuing endangered butterfly in rainforest on tropical country can be 'that' dangerous...

Honestly....
I started this book with overwhelmed giddy feeling because I already falling deeply in love with this couple since what had happened in the first book.

Seeing how their relationship growing more and more deeper really overwhelmed me. I know that something gonna happen in this second book, but i must admit, i didn't expected that it would be this INTENSE!!!
GOSH! The feels i felt when something happen to Lawson was totally freaking me out!
Yeah, Lawson and his 'capabilities' in endangered his life seems cannot be separated. And that not only makes my heart drops to the floor so many times but also Jack!
And Jack on the other side was truly godsend for Lawson. Together, they totally made for each other!

Again, N.R. Walker succeed make the butterflies in my tummy dancing wildly along with the feels that vibrant through the reading.

Imagines is beautiful heartwarming story about growing relationship, love and how to finding the HEA that will swoon you. And i RECOMMENDED this book and the whole series to you!
YES! YOU!!

I LOVE the epilogue, but it's the 'DELETED SCENE' that succeed put that ear-to-ear GRINNING on my face even after hours I finished the book!!
Oh, Nic !!! I didn't see it coming !!! *giggling hysterically*

Last but not least...
Is there any possibility that Lyle will have his own story?
His presence totally stole the spotlight and I really want to know MORE about HIM!!!!!



ARC is kindly provided by the Author in exchange of a fair, unbiased and honest review.











N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance.

She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things: a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things… but likes it even more when they fall in love.

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since… 


Sunday, April 2, 2017

Review : Peter Darling by Austin Chant





Title : Peter Darling
Author : Austin Chant
Genre : MM Romance, Gay Romance, Fantasy, Fairytale Retellings, New Adult
Published : February 15th 2017
My Rating : 4.5 of 5 Stars




Ten years ago, Peter Pan left Neverland to grow up, leaving behind his adolescent dreams of boyhood and resigning himself to life as Wendy Darling. Growing up, however, has only made him realize how inescapable his identity as a man is.

But when he returns to Neverland, everything has changed: the Lost Boys have become men, and the war games they once played are now real and deadly. Even more shocking is the attraction Peter never knew he could feel for his old rival, Captain Hook—and the realization that he no longer knows which of them is the real villain.






"I've been here alone with nothing. You're the only good thing, the only real thing, that's come along in all that time. You're the only one who's called me by my name."

💞


What an amazing free interpretation and retelling story from one of my favorite fairytale EVER!

Beautiful cover, good plotting and well written. I enjoy & cherish all the moment that happens in this book until the very last page!!

I'm so glad that the author didn't 'ruined' the story into 'just-oh-so-so-story' and keep the romance to the light-right-portion. I also appreciate that the author didn't jump into any sex scenes, keep it 'clean' and put all the romantic things limit only to a heartwarming kiss that magically can bring those butterfly-romantically-dancing on your tummy. And THAT what makes this story feels perfect, beautiful and worth to read.

Sometimes when the story already consumed you in the right way, the sex scenes are not much needed ...

I just want the HEA for both of them, and the author had fulfilled my dream with this beautiful happy ending with Peter Darling & James Harrington's heartwarming story and their own version of Neverland...

I think the author succeed make me believe that THIS IS how the story supposed to be ENDED!! 

Just feels the love...

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!






Thursday, March 9, 2017

Review : Beau And The Beast by Kay Simone




Title : Beau And The Beast
Author : Kay Simone
Genre : Gay Romance, Modern Fairytale
Published : February 26th 2017
My Rating : 3 of 5 Stars



Can beauty really tame a beast?

For ten years, former Wall Street executive Wolfram—along with his staff—has been magically imprisoned in his midtown penthouse after his firm pissed off the wrong witch. Now, only one thing can free him from the curse.

Unfortunately, they're not sure what that one thing is.

But mercy for the man with none, he still can be released:
Light can lift his shadowed soul when beauty frees the beast.

When a young reporter named Beau accidentally stumbles into their midst, the staff thinks he might be the answer to the witch's riddle—if only they can convince him to stay.

Beau has his doubts when he’s asked to write the mysterious billionaire’s biography, but he can’t say no to the huge sum of money being offered. Resigned to his fate, Wolfram hates the idea of a stranger intruding in his life.

What neither man expects is the deep connection that forms between them. As they work together, Wolfram and Beau form a passionate bond that threatens to boil over into something more.

The only problem? Thanks to the curse, Wolfram is a seven-foot-tall monster with eight weeks left to live unless the spell is broken.

Can Beau save a love he’s only just found, or is it too late for one man to set Wolfram free?

Beau and the Beast is a steamy, 125,000-word contemporary gay May-December romance set in the real world with some magical themes and an HEA.




But mercy for the man with none He still can be released: Light can lift his shadowed soul, When beauty frees the beast.

When we are together, there is no curse. There is only Wolf and me.

I want you—just like this...

***

After years living as 'a monster', Beau had made Wolfram feels like 'a man' again, who deserves to be loved and loved for...
With his kindness and patient, Beau had made him feel 'human' ...

But will the beast finally freed from the curse ?
Will they have their own HEA?

***

When some people have an issue about a gay character that appear in the movie Beauty And The Beast, I'm so excited that I found a gay version about the story in Beau And The Beast.

I fall in love with the blurb instantly. But when I read the book, I love the story even more.

Beau and The Beast definitely one of the best book I've read this year.
It's beautifully written, with amazing characters and good plotting. I'm mesmerized by the story as soon as I started it.
The interaction and bond that slowly growing between the Beau and the Beast is one thing I cherish from the story. It's heartwarming, calming and so beautiful.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!


***

That was the review I made for this book when I'm at 85% reading before it being ruined by the ending and the epilogue....

The sad part is...
I can feel that Beau And The Beast will gonna be one of the best book I ever read in 2017 before the ending successfully ruined all the excitement.

The X-Men 'invasion' worsened the last few chapters even more...

Seriously, it totally swept away all the feels I felt about this promising story from the beginning....

If only it not ended like that, I'll gladly give this book 7 perfect stars...

So yeah.... let me lick my wound of disappointment and move on....





Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Review : Leo Loves Aries (Signs of Love #1) by Anyta Sunday




Title : Leo Love Aries
Author : Anyta Sunday
Series : Sign of Love #1
Genre : Contemporary Gay Romance, M/M Romance
My Rating : 5 of 5 Stars






A new person will enter your life in the early year, Leo. Look past any moments of frustration they might bring and laugh—this could be the start of a thriving friendship.

Theo Wallace usually laughs at the horoscopes his mom sends. Still hung up on his ex-girlfriend and practically friendless, this one begs him to reconsider. Because a friendship that stuck, that thrived…

Well, that would be a reason to leave past pains behind and look to the Bright Future.

When his sister Leone challenges him to find her the perfect date for a spring wedding, Theo uses it as a chance to make new friends. Theo’s ex economics tutor and newest roommate Mr Jamie Cooper seems to be a possible and convenient match. Real convenient. Like written in the stars, convenient.

All he has to do is make sure this Jamie is good enough. Could really be the one for her, and the friend for him.

But watch out, Leo, the stars have a surprise in store…





We are tutor and student. Roommates. Sparring partners. Friends. Anything you want us to be...

✳✳✳

The story come with good plotting and very slow pace that move along with the growing emotion between the main characters. The slow burn really killing me but also feels so perfect. I love the interaction between Theo and Jamie, and their banters, it made me smile countless time.
Everything was right on the place.

I adored Jamie (and his healthy food freak!) for his patience in taking good care Theo and his almost blind-twin-sister, Leona. This guy totally own my heart!

The things I find so cute but also frustrating is the fact that Theo didn't realize with his own feeling!! He mistook all the flirting and banters they both did to each other as 'a friendship'! (Pulling my hair!)

Their daily-note-exchange was another thing I like. It's fun, funny and keep me curios for what they'll write next.

Things getting more interesting when Jamie best friend, Sean come to their life and it start to 'annoyed' Theo. Theo's jealousy was another things I found so funny and a bit 'entertaining'. Add Charlie (Jamie's ex) to the convo, and Theo start to grow a pair of horn and see 'RED'!!! LMAO.

Theo denial was the hurtful part not only for Jamie, but also for me. They're fall to 'friend-with-benefit' term, but Theo still avoiding the fact that he's not actually a straight guy anymore. But at the end, I forgive him for what he did to win Jamie back.

The ice skating scenes!
I automatically picturing 'Yuri! On Ice' while I read this part. It was 'The Awww moment' for me!

Last, but not least...

Good books are way more difficult to review... (quotes by me!)

It always happen to me each time I finished a book that succeed consumed and overwhelmed me in a good way.

I've finished reading this book long time ago (and I still cannot put any single word to MY review, until today!!!), but I still can remember (very clearly) every-single-detail that happened in the story like I've just finished it yesterday...
The feels I get when I read Theo and Jamie story still freshly linger in my mind.

The smiles, the blushing moments, the butterfly in my tummy feels, even I can still feels my own heartbeat jumping like crazy when I remember some scenes from the book.

Leo Loves Aries is definitely the type of story that won't be easy to forget, because the heartwarming feeling will linger in your heart forever....

This is how sweet-slow burn-gay-for-you-friend-to-lover-story-that-will-warm-your-heart should be written. And Anyta Sunday did it very well!!

I'll ended my review with another quote from the book that I think more and less will expressed what I feels...

I love this book 'because of the characters development and the romance'...

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Friday, February 24, 2017

Review : The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian




Title : The Lawrence Browne Affair 
Author : Cat Sebastian
Genre : Historical Gay Romance
Published : February 7th 2017
My rating : 3 of 5 Stars




An earl hiding from his future . . . 

Lawrence Browne, the Earl of Radnor, is mad. At least, that’s what he and most of the village believes. A brilliant scientist, he hides himself away in his family’s crumbling estate, unwilling to venture into the outside world. When an annoyingly handsome man arrives at Penkellis, claiming to be Lawrence’s new secretary, his carefully planned world is turned upside down.

A swindler haunted by his past . . . 

Georgie Turner has made his life pretending to be anyone but himself. A swindler and con man, he can slip into an identity faster than he can change clothes. But when his long-dead conscience resurrects and a dangerous associate is out for blood, Georgie escapes to the wilds of Cornwall. Pretending to be a secretary should be easy, but he doesn’t expect that the only madness he finds is the one he has for the gorgeous earl.

Can they find forever in the wreckage of their lives? 

Challenging each other at every turn, the two men soon give into the desire that threatens to overwhelm them. But with one man convinced he is at the very brink of madness and the other hiding his real identity, only true love can make this an affair to remember.




I do really love Georgie and Lawrence characters and the interaction that build from the start. But I must admit that the slow pace on the story really 'killing' me and testing my patience!!!

I also found there's few things left hanging and 'forced' me to questioning myself...

"That's it?"
"Just like that?"

I read half first of the book with flat face until Simon come to Penkellis and 'bright' the story. Well...a bit...

But even if the whole story cannot grabbed the feels and I have to struggling finishing the book, I think it still good enough to devour....

Last but not least, the cover really pleased my coverslut eyes even the story didn't fulfill my expectations....



Thursday, February 23, 2017

Happy 1st Blogversary!!!







Happy 1st Blogversary!!!

It's been a year since I first start my own blog. Time flies...

There's a time when my reading mood been in the worst moments and affected my mood in writing any reviews, but there's time when I felt excited working on a review.

Still not full time reviewer tho', just hope I can post more reviews in the future and share the happiest moments with you.

Warm Regards,
Funzee Shu

Monday, February 20, 2017

ARC Review : Imago (Imago #1) by N.R. Walker





Title : Imago
Series : Imago
Author : N.R. Walker
Genre : Contemporary Gay Romance
Published Date : February 21st 2017
My Rating : 4 of 5 Stars




Nerdy, introverted genius lepidopterist, Lawson Gale, is an expert on butterflies. He finds himself in a small town in Tasmania on a quest from an old professor to find an elusive species that may or may not even exist.

Local Parks and Wildlife officer, Jack Brighton, is an ordinary guy who loves his life in the sleepy town of Scottsdale. Along with his Border collie dog, Rosemary, his job, and good friends, he has enough to keep from being lonely.

But then he meets Lawson, and he knows he’s met someone special. There’s more to catching butterflies, Jack realises. Sometimes the most elusive creatures wear bow ties, and sometimes they can’t be caught at all.

Lawson soon learns there are butterflies he can’t learn about it in books. They exist only in a touch, in a kiss, in a smile. He just has to let go first, so these butterflies can fly.
Imago is the story of finding love, bow ties, and butterflies.






“I came to Tasmania in search of an elusive species. But never in my wildest dreams did I expect to find you. And I believe I found a type of butterfly that exists only in my belly which only makes itself known when I think of you...”

✳✳✳

Adorkable and very cute story...

I quickly fell in love with both Jack and Lawson from the very beginning.

Like Jack, I fall in love instantly with this sexy-nerdy-lepidopterist with a bowtie. And along with Lawson, I can't stop blushing and falling for this hot-smexy wildlife ranger.

Jack is truly godsend to Lawson in his research and searching for a very rare butterfly, Eltham Copper who only exist in professor Tillman's journal. And Lawson is what Jack Brighton wanted in his life.
The instant connection feel so strong right from the beginning. It seems the universe definitely right behind all of this....

I start the book with unstoppable smiles & grins, and ended it with all those butterflies in my tummy feeling that went crazy.

Aside the fact that I have butterfly-phobia, didn't affect the feels I have while reading the story. These guys are totally swoonworthy.

If you need a light with no angst but heartwarming and sexy story, you should try this new series from N.R. Walker.

Can't wait to read more story about this new cute and adorable couple...













N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance.

She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things: a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things… but likes it even more when they fall in love.

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since…