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Crucifox #1
The Green-Eyed Monster
Sky Somers is an ex-traveller; the son of a folk musician and a new age hippy. Sky's form of rebellion is electric guitars, and he wants his own band. His desire is to set the world to rights through music. Brandon Cruikshank is new to London, recently arrived from Glasgow. Charismatic, charming; a natural born performer. Brandon is openly bisexual, with a penchant for dressing in women's clothes. His desire is to be adored.
From the moment Sky meets Brandon, he knows he has to have him. Brandon, in turn, wants Sky. But that's when it becomes clear they both have very different desires in mind. Brandon wants Sky as a lover, yet Sky only wants Brandon as a singer in his band. Misunderstanding set aside—or apparently so—Brandon and Sky become firm friends. To escape equally troubled pasts and families, they change their names. Now, Brandon Fox and Sky St. Clair are ready to take over the world.
As the years roll on, Brandon's desire for Sky still simmers, waiting. Then a chance night sharing a hotel room sparks the desire between them, and this time, Brandon wants it all. Sky has never explored his desires before. Now, the passion and jealousy Brandon has unleashed in him threatens to shake the whole band apart.
From the moment Sky meets Brandon, he knows he has to have him. Brandon, in turn, wants Sky. But that's when it becomes clear they both have very different desires in mind. Brandon wants Sky as a lover, yet Sky only wants Brandon as a singer in his band. Misunderstanding set aside—or apparently so—Brandon and Sky become firm friends. To escape equally troubled pasts and families, they change their names. Now, Brandon Fox and Sky St. Clair are ready to take over the world.
As the years roll on, Brandon's desire for Sky still simmers, waiting. Then a chance night sharing a hotel room sparks the desire between them, and this time, Brandon wants it all. Sky has never explored his desires before. Now, the passion and jealousy Brandon has unleashed in him threatens to shake the whole band apart.
241 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2013
216 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Tushmore
14 books105 followersWriter of fiction including themes
Alternative subcultures: goths, punk rockers, rebels and outcasts
Contemporary
Horror
Fantasy
Erotic Fiction
Homoerotica
Male/Male
Slash
Gay
LGBTQ Fiction
and very British Humour
Alternative subcultures: goths, punk rockers, rebels and outcasts
Contemporary
Horror
Fantasy
Erotic Fiction
Homoerotica
Male/Male
Slash
Gay
LGBTQ Fiction
and very British Humour
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
did-not-finish
July 23, 2016I would not have bought this book if I knew there were at least two mmf menage scenes (with emphasis on the female character). It's obvious the publisher/author left this information off the blurb deliberately. This information should be included in the blurbs so that readers have a CHOICE.
March 11, 2013
~ ~ ~
3.5 Rockin' Stars!!!
Thrust into the 80’s London alt-rock scene, there’s no doubt that sex, drugs and all the rest are alive and kicking. The gritty club scene is one thing, but then you’re subjected to the grotty communal living conditions that somehow make you yearn for that kind camaraderie. The descriptive drug use and sex are in-your-face and very authentic. There’s also a m-m-f ménage scene just to add some more spice.
Admittedly it did take me a while but, hot boy lovin’ mixed with awkward relationship development eventually won me over. Plus, the weird, crazy, wild-ride ending that threw me for a loop and had me not knowing what to expect next, totally blew my mind. I’ll have to stick around with this series, if nothing more, just to see if the author can take another sharp left turn and surprise me again.
THE CHARACTERS
Sky - The insecure lead guitarist is an acid using, hardcore musician who’s constantly fighting a past he’s trying to outrun or live up to, I can’t decide which. He’s straight, bi or gay depending on the moment and he’s completely enamored with Brandon, even if he doesn’t know it himself.
”Ah, E is different.” Brandon picked up his flask, taking a sip. “All it does is make you really, really horny.”
“Huh? How do you mean?”
“It just makes you horny. Christ, it’s like bein’ a dog wi’ two dicks, an’ everythin’ feels amazin’.
[…]
My face flushed all the harder…
[…]
“So, you take a pill, then what happens?”
“You feel incredible.”
”And?”...
Brandon - He’s the perfect front man for Crucifox. Flamboyant is a rather understated description of Brandon. If his smooth cool doesn’t get you, his sexy-as-hell Scottish brogue will. Mmmm. Plus, any boy that uses that much Aqua Net holds a certain charm for me.
THE STORY
From back street dives to envy worthy venues we get to tour along with the band – Crucifox. The early drug induced haze and complete lack of professionalism had me wondering if these guys even had a chance of getting their act together. But it’s the combination of the entire band – the cast of characters – that just works. Cringe worthy behind the scenes glimpses of life in the limelight make the successes feel well earned. Somehow these guys and girls stumble through mind-boggling drug and drink fests, while gaining success along the way. At the same time they learn a bit about themselves.
At times (in fact for a good part of the book) Brandon is a prat, but then so is Sky…urgh, I just want to shake these boys!
The band's highs and lows are not smooth. Just when you think you can relax and enjoy their success it all goes to hell. Hang on for a fanatical, bizarre and wild ending that just comes out of nowhere. ROCK & ROLL Maaaaan!
THE WRITING
Initially I found the first person style clunky, but it actually improved throughout the book. The voices did take on a tone of their own, eventually and connections were made. A few scenes seemed to go nowhere or nowhere for now…this is a series, after all. We’ll have to see where it goes. I was curious to see if the series will continue to focus on Sky and Brandon, but a little bird just told me book two is in Brandon’s voice. That is a very good thing. *maybe I can get it in audiobook ‘cus I can’t get enough of that delicious brogue, hmmm.
~ ~ ~
I would like to thank Storm Moon Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
~ ~ ~
Take a look at my Male/Male Romance Book Blog:
http://www.attentionisarbitrary.blogspot.com
March 9, 2013
I've read another Tushmore book, The Bartender's Tale, and I'm circling back to the question of... what the hell am I doing NOT reading more?
Crucifox is a tale of several men...and a woman... thrown up on stage by chance and talent only to find themselves in the chaos of being a rock band with a growing following. This book chronicles not just the band's climb..and some stumbles but also Brandon and Sky's fumble towards their own brand of HEA.
Great book. I highly recommend it. And apparently I'm going to be hitting my Kindle up with more Tushmore.
Crucifox is a tale of several men...and a woman... thrown up on stage by chance and talent only to find themselves in the chaos of being a rock band with a growing following. This book chronicles not just the band's climb..and some stumbles but also Brandon and Sky's fumble towards their own brand of HEA.
Great book. I highly recommend it. And apparently I'm going to be hitting my Kindle up with more Tushmore.
August 29, 2018
Where do I even begin with this book? Personally, I don't think five stars is enough. I was expecting good things, because I'd already read the little prequels and snippets and such, but this book really gripped me and I couldn't put it down, finished it in about two days, which isn't something I've managed to do for a while.
I'm not usually one for first person narratives, but I loved this one—seeing through Sky's eyes made everything real, made it hurt, and made it so satisfying. Another thing I'm rarely invested in when I read is sex scenes (I have a tendency to skim-read them), but with these my eyes were practically burning through the pages; I didn't want to miss a word.
I absolutely adored the characters, every one of them is vivid and real, and Brandon and Sky are amazing <3
The Green-Eyed Monster is my new favourite book, and one I'll be able to read over and over. I honestly don't think I could ever get enough of these characters.
I'm not usually one for first person narratives, but I loved this one—seeing through Sky's eyes made everything real, made it hurt, and made it so satisfying. Another thing I'm rarely invested in when I read is sex scenes (I have a tendency to skim-read them), but with these my eyes were practically burning through the pages; I didn't want to miss a word.
I absolutely adored the characters, every one of them is vivid and real, and Brandon and Sky are amazing <3
The Green-Eyed Monster is my new favourite book, and one I'll be able to read over and over. I honestly don't think I could ever get enough of these characters.
February 4, 2014
4.5 Stars ~ This was my first Melanie Tushmore book and she came very highly recommended by a friend I admire and respect. When I opened the book and it began in 1986, well that just brought a whole ton of memories swarming in, since I was seventeen that year and the big hair bands were it for my generation. I think I could practically smell the Aqua Net in the air. The atmosphere was familiar and comforting, in a way. 'The Green-Eyed Monster' is the story of a band, Crucifox, from their days of playing in the underground basements to their rise to international fame and all the joy and sorrow that comes with it.
Sky and his friends, Jamie, Ritchie, and Pepper, have a band, but really need a better singer, as the one they've got just isn't a match with their personalities. One night at the bar, Sky rescues Brandon from some poncy wannabe vampires, and a friendship begins. Brandon is attracted to Sky but when he makes a pass, and Sky turns him down explaining he's straight, no harm no foul. Much to Sky and his friend's delight, Brandon can sing, and so begins their journey as a band making their way, getting a manager, and slowly getting known in the alternative music scene of the late 80s and early 90s. With their friend, Spider, as their roadie, and Dawn as back-up vocals, Crucifox is on their way.
I love a tortured soul and a tormented psyche in a main character and I found those in Sky. I saw Sky as more wary of the world and the pain it and others could impart on him if he allowed it. He was bossy about the band, but I loved how hard he wanted everyone to work so they could be the very best band out there. He definitely had a little OCD and control freak issue when it came to the band. Interestingly enough, I saw Sky as a little shy and definitely vulnerable when it came to being something other than lead guitarist for Crucifox. In that role Sky is golden. It's the rest of his life he's insecure and hopelessly lost about. He definitely had his moments of severe arrogance, but, to me, they seemed tied up in his insecurities and a way to buffer himself from being hurt.
One night the inevitable occurs and while they're both on Ecstasy, Brandon makes his move and Sky accepts. The sex is awesome, but the next morning Sky is confused and doesn't know what to make of his reaction to his band mate. Brandon is a rock n' roll star to the nth degree and has been whoring it up with guys and girls, whereas Sky seems to be just as shy and insecure about his sexual abilities as he is about everything else BUT playing guitar. A scare puts a somber mood on the band the next day and whether it's because of that or just plain desire, Sky and Brandon end up together again. Minus the E. When Sky tries to talk to Brandon about it the following morning, Brandon shuts him down by telling Sky it was just really good sex. Sky's entire view of himself and sex has changed but Brandon basically blows him off. Huh. I wasn't so sure that I was liking Brandon at that point.
The next months were a love/hate for me with this book. I wanted to punch Sky and Brandon, sometimes at the same time, for being such stupid gits. They both personified the stereotypical juvenile rock star behavior simply because they weren't able to express their feelings about each other to each other. Everything with the band felt like it was beginning to unravel and the tension and stress were at their highest points. And the author definitely titled the book correctly as Sky and Brandon both dealt with the green-eyed monster of jealousy in regards to one another.
I can't actually say that I liked this book as 'like' is too tame of a word. It piqued my interest, pissed me off, brought back memories, and overall intrigued me with its characters and story. The book ended very abruptly and I do hope to see a sequel to possibly get a few questions answered. The writing was excellent and I can certainly recommend it, particularly if you enjoy a lot of complexity to your love stories. Thank you, Melanie!
NOTE: This book was provided by Storm Moon Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Sky and his friends, Jamie, Ritchie, and Pepper, have a band, but really need a better singer, as the one they've got just isn't a match with their personalities. One night at the bar, Sky rescues Brandon from some poncy wannabe vampires, and a friendship begins. Brandon is attracted to Sky but when he makes a pass, and Sky turns him down explaining he's straight, no harm no foul. Much to Sky and his friend's delight, Brandon can sing, and so begins their journey as a band making their way, getting a manager, and slowly getting known in the alternative music scene of the late 80s and early 90s. With their friend, Spider, as their roadie, and Dawn as back-up vocals, Crucifox is on their way.
I love a tortured soul and a tormented psyche in a main character and I found those in Sky. I saw Sky as more wary of the world and the pain it and others could impart on him if he allowed it. He was bossy about the band, but I loved how hard he wanted everyone to work so they could be the very best band out there. He definitely had a little OCD and control freak issue when it came to the band. Interestingly enough, I saw Sky as a little shy and definitely vulnerable when it came to being something other than lead guitarist for Crucifox. In that role Sky is golden. It's the rest of his life he's insecure and hopelessly lost about. He definitely had his moments of severe arrogance, but, to me, they seemed tied up in his insecurities and a way to buffer himself from being hurt.
One night the inevitable occurs and while they're both on Ecstasy, Brandon makes his move and Sky accepts. The sex is awesome, but the next morning Sky is confused and doesn't know what to make of his reaction to his band mate. Brandon is a rock n' roll star to the nth degree and has been whoring it up with guys and girls, whereas Sky seems to be just as shy and insecure about his sexual abilities as he is about everything else BUT playing guitar. A scare puts a somber mood on the band the next day and whether it's because of that or just plain desire, Sky and Brandon end up together again. Minus the E. When Sky tries to talk to Brandon about it the following morning, Brandon shuts him down by telling Sky it was just really good sex. Sky's entire view of himself and sex has changed but Brandon basically blows him off. Huh. I wasn't so sure that I was liking Brandon at that point.
The next months were a love/hate for me with this book. I wanted to punch Sky and Brandon, sometimes at the same time, for being such stupid gits. They both personified the stereotypical juvenile rock star behavior simply because they weren't able to express their feelings about each other to each other. Everything with the band felt like it was beginning to unravel and the tension and stress were at their highest points. And the author definitely titled the book correctly as Sky and Brandon both dealt with the green-eyed monster of jealousy in regards to one another.
I can't actually say that I liked this book as 'like' is too tame of a word. It piqued my interest, pissed me off, brought back memories, and overall intrigued me with its characters and story. The book ended very abruptly and I do hope to see a sequel to possibly get a few questions answered. The writing was excellent and I can certainly recommend it, particularly if you enjoy a lot of complexity to your love stories. Thank you, Melanie!
NOTE: This book was provided by Storm Moon Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
April 16, 2013
Holy crap that book was sooooo frustrating! I’m absolutely having a love/hate thing going with these characters. The tension in this book is thick but in the best way. I didn’t want to put this book down for minute because every damn time I thought this is it, they are going to get their shit together and then BAM…..nope. I wanted to scream at them! Apparently I love to be teased because this I loved – every minute of it.
The story follows a group of friends in a band and takes us through the years of them trying to make it on the music scene. Most of the group have been friends for a while before adopting the gorgeous Scot Brandon into their. Sky sees him and knows he’s front man material and luckily the guy can sing. Brandon tries to come onto Sky the first night but Sky isn’t into guys so he brushes it off as no big deal. They start doing some gigs and Jaime, the drummer and Brandon, singer, don’t have any problem partying like rock stars and picking up groupies. It’s what they do and everyone comes to expect it from them. One night Brandon and Jaime bring a groupie back to the room they are supposed to be sharing with Sky. Sky wakes up to them having sex and freaks out. The confrontation kind of smacks them both in the face. Brandon doesn’t like Sky being mad at him and Sky doesn’t understand why he’s jealous. Brandon sees an in with Sky one night and finds a willing girl to take up to their room. Everything goes like you’d think but it’s pretty obvious the guys really want each other. Sky’s afraid to admit it. I’m pretty sure Brandon did it to get off but in a roundabout way with Sky. This leads to some confusion the next day as it’s Sky’s first time with a man and he struggles with if it means anything since Brandon is kind of a slut. The next night they start talking but end up drinking which makes it easier to focus on the desire to have each other and not think so hard about the repercussions of after. The sex is explosive and hot and unlike anything Sky has ever felt before. They spend the next night together since they’re sharing a room it seems so easy and right. The next morning they are busted by the road manager and it messes up the dynamic they found in that hotel room. Sky freaks out a little and so Brandon tries to make light of it saying, “It’s just sex” and it hurts Sky. Both guys are prideful and they let it get in the way of what they want. Things kind of spiral out of control from there basically because touring puts them in such close proximity while fighting their feelings and keeping everything a secret.
The rest of the review can be found at http://liveyourlifebuythebook.wordpre...
The story follows a group of friends in a band and takes us through the years of them trying to make it on the music scene. Most of the group have been friends for a while before adopting the gorgeous Scot Brandon into their. Sky sees him and knows he’s front man material and luckily the guy can sing. Brandon tries to come onto Sky the first night but Sky isn’t into guys so he brushes it off as no big deal. They start doing some gigs and Jaime, the drummer and Brandon, singer, don’t have any problem partying like rock stars and picking up groupies. It’s what they do and everyone comes to expect it from them. One night Brandon and Jaime bring a groupie back to the room they are supposed to be sharing with Sky. Sky wakes up to them having sex and freaks out. The confrontation kind of smacks them both in the face. Brandon doesn’t like Sky being mad at him and Sky doesn’t understand why he’s jealous. Brandon sees an in with Sky one night and finds a willing girl to take up to their room. Everything goes like you’d think but it’s pretty obvious the guys really want each other. Sky’s afraid to admit it. I’m pretty sure Brandon did it to get off but in a roundabout way with Sky. This leads to some confusion the next day as it’s Sky’s first time with a man and he struggles with if it means anything since Brandon is kind of a slut. The next night they start talking but end up drinking which makes it easier to focus on the desire to have each other and not think so hard about the repercussions of after. The sex is explosive and hot and unlike anything Sky has ever felt before. They spend the next night together since they’re sharing a room it seems so easy and right. The next morning they are busted by the road manager and it messes up the dynamic they found in that hotel room. Sky freaks out a little and so Brandon tries to make light of it saying, “It’s just sex” and it hurts Sky. Both guys are prideful and they let it get in the way of what they want. Things kind of spiral out of control from there basically because touring puts them in such close proximity while fighting their feelings and keeping everything a secret.
The rest of the review can be found at http://liveyourlifebuythebook.wordpre...
May 4, 2013
4.75 stars
Review originally written for Joyfully Jay
Sky Somers is in a band that is suffering from the lack of a talented singer. When Sky rescues an unsuspecting stranger from the grips of a group of pretentious idiots, his only thought is to get the man away from the Fang Gang. After a night of partying with Brandon, a friendship is formed and Sky is surprised to discover that Brandon can sing. And with a little bit of work, Brandon becomes the band’s frontman.
Scotsman Brandon Cruikshank was new in town when Sky approached him. Immediately attracted to Sky, Brandon didn’t let it get to him when his new friend turned him down because he’s straight. Making friends with Sky and his roommates and becoming part of the band helps Brandon come out of his shell, be himself – dresses, fox fur, and all. But his protectiveness of Sky never diminishes.
As years pass by, Sky and his band, Crucifox, get picked up by a manager and eventually sign with an international label. Fame and stardom is stressful and takes its toll on Sky as the go-to guy and babysitter of the band. When jealousies and misunderstandings start to affect their friendship, Sky and Brandon plan to spend a night alone hanging out. But the attraction between both men is obvious, and when one thing leads to another, Sky is confused when he wakes up next to Brandon.
A friendship on shaky ground due to jealousy and lack of communication takes a turn for the worse when feelings get hurt by Brandon’s indifferent attitude. Sky, who has never felt anything beyond friendship for a man, tries to explore his sudden feelings, but has no idea what they mean. He only knows that he hates seeing Brandon with anyone but himself. But even as he knows how he feels, he still pushes Brandon away. And when it starts to affect the band and their performance, Sky has to decide whether his feelings for Brandon are worth fighting for before he loses everything that means anything to him.
Ugh! This book was so frustrating and wonderful at the same time. I know that doesn’t sound like a wonderful opening line. But trust me, this book is amazing. I have a definite love/hate relationship with The Green-Eyed Monster. In the end, it was more love than hate but the book is an emotional rollercoaster ride.
The Green-Eyed Monster is the first book I’ve read of Melanie Tushmore’s and now I can’t wait to read more by this author. It’s a story that follows a band from the early days of playing in a dank basement, on their road to fame, and all of the little things in between. This book follows Sky and his band from the mid 80s through the early 90s. As you can tell by the title, it’s a story of jealousy and its effect on the people surrounding it. It’s a book filled with emotion and confusion and misunderstandings and miscommunication. And I loved/hated every second it.
So, I’m pretty sure we all know that I’m a sucker tortured heroes. And when an author can put a unique twist on a tortured hero, I usually find myself in love. Sky is the ultimate tortured hero of this story. He’s an overconfident ass who always has to be right. He’s outspoken and judgmental. Lord, he would get so uptight and snippy, I kept thinking he really just needed to get laid. But when he falls for Brandon, he’s confused and frustrated. His jealousy takes him over, even before he realizes what he really feels for Brandon. His heart and temper and attitude control him. And it can turn volatile. He’s a wonderfully tortured, complex character that I loved to hate and then I just loved.
Brandon, the cross-dressing love interest, is fabulous and frustrating and kind of a man-whore. I love Brandon. He’s fun, sweet, and a little dense. He’s easy going and laid back and kind of naïve. He never knew when he hurt Sky’s feeling, or how. His big mouth got in the way of a possibility of a relationship with Sky, not thinking before he talked. I think I liked him the most because he’s so open and honest. He never pretended to be anything but himself.
The entire cast of characters is amazing, really. Jamie cracked me up in nearly every scene he was part of. Ritchie, Sky’s best friend, is a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. Star is Sky’s balance. She is a hippy girl who is the most calming influence for Sky. Pepper, Spider, and Dana round out the band and truly they’re all great.
The plot is wonderful – fun, exciting, frustrating, confusing, and completely perfect. I was worried for the first third of the book that I may not actually get to see any romance, but I was wrong…boy, was I wrong. The first third of the book, or so, is the creation and journey of the band. But the inclusion of Sky and Brandon’s volatile relationship makes this story amazing. And the relationship between the two men? Well, when they are on, they are on and hot. God, they’re hot. But when they’re off…well, watch out. While reading, I was frustrated and wanted to shake Sky, but I loved it all. Their relationship is just as it should be. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and all that. The writing is so wonderful. I love when an author can make me feel the story – the tension, the emotion – and Tushmore is obviously a master.
The book is written in Sky’s point of view. While I loved getting into this complex character’s mind, I would have loved to see some of Brandon’s viewpoint. Brandon is quirky and fun. I would have liked to know what was going on in his head especially after he and Sky slept together and the drama really starts.
I love this book, love the characters, love the plot, love it all. Everything about this story is fantastic. Like I said, there was a love/hate thing going on, but now I just love it and can’t wait for the next. I highly recommend The Green-Eyed Monster by Melanie Tushmore.
Review originally written for Joyfully Jay
Sky Somers is in a band that is suffering from the lack of a talented singer. When Sky rescues an unsuspecting stranger from the grips of a group of pretentious idiots, his only thought is to get the man away from the Fang Gang. After a night of partying with Brandon, a friendship is formed and Sky is surprised to discover that Brandon can sing. And with a little bit of work, Brandon becomes the band’s frontman.
Scotsman Brandon Cruikshank was new in town when Sky approached him. Immediately attracted to Sky, Brandon didn’t let it get to him when his new friend turned him down because he’s straight. Making friends with Sky and his roommates and becoming part of the band helps Brandon come out of his shell, be himself – dresses, fox fur, and all. But his protectiveness of Sky never diminishes.
As years pass by, Sky and his band, Crucifox, get picked up by a manager and eventually sign with an international label. Fame and stardom is stressful and takes its toll on Sky as the go-to guy and babysitter of the band. When jealousies and misunderstandings start to affect their friendship, Sky and Brandon plan to spend a night alone hanging out. But the attraction between both men is obvious, and when one thing leads to another, Sky is confused when he wakes up next to Brandon.
A friendship on shaky ground due to jealousy and lack of communication takes a turn for the worse when feelings get hurt by Brandon’s indifferent attitude. Sky, who has never felt anything beyond friendship for a man, tries to explore his sudden feelings, but has no idea what they mean. He only knows that he hates seeing Brandon with anyone but himself. But even as he knows how he feels, he still pushes Brandon away. And when it starts to affect the band and their performance, Sky has to decide whether his feelings for Brandon are worth fighting for before he loses everything that means anything to him.
Ugh! This book was so frustrating and wonderful at the same time. I know that doesn’t sound like a wonderful opening line. But trust me, this book is amazing. I have a definite love/hate relationship with The Green-Eyed Monster. In the end, it was more love than hate but the book is an emotional rollercoaster ride.
The Green-Eyed Monster is the first book I’ve read of Melanie Tushmore’s and now I can’t wait to read more by this author. It’s a story that follows a band from the early days of playing in a dank basement, on their road to fame, and all of the little things in between. This book follows Sky and his band from the mid 80s through the early 90s. As you can tell by the title, it’s a story of jealousy and its effect on the people surrounding it. It’s a book filled with emotion and confusion and misunderstandings and miscommunication. And I loved/hated every second it.
So, I’m pretty sure we all know that I’m a sucker tortured heroes. And when an author can put a unique twist on a tortured hero, I usually find myself in love. Sky is the ultimate tortured hero of this story. He’s an overconfident ass who always has to be right. He’s outspoken and judgmental. Lord, he would get so uptight and snippy, I kept thinking he really just needed to get laid. But when he falls for Brandon, he’s confused and frustrated. His jealousy takes him over, even before he realizes what he really feels for Brandon. His heart and temper and attitude control him. And it can turn volatile. He’s a wonderfully tortured, complex character that I loved to hate and then I just loved.
Brandon, the cross-dressing love interest, is fabulous and frustrating and kind of a man-whore. I love Brandon. He’s fun, sweet, and a little dense. He’s easy going and laid back and kind of naïve. He never knew when he hurt Sky’s feeling, or how. His big mouth got in the way of a possibility of a relationship with Sky, not thinking before he talked. I think I liked him the most because he’s so open and honest. He never pretended to be anything but himself.
The entire cast of characters is amazing, really. Jamie cracked me up in nearly every scene he was part of. Ritchie, Sky’s best friend, is a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. Star is Sky’s balance. She is a hippy girl who is the most calming influence for Sky. Pepper, Spider, and Dana round out the band and truly they’re all great.
The plot is wonderful – fun, exciting, frustrating, confusing, and completely perfect. I was worried for the first third of the book that I may not actually get to see any romance, but I was wrong…boy, was I wrong. The first third of the book, or so, is the creation and journey of the band. But the inclusion of Sky and Brandon’s volatile relationship makes this story amazing. And the relationship between the two men? Well, when they are on, they are on and hot. God, they’re hot. But when they’re off…well, watch out. While reading, I was frustrated and wanted to shake Sky, but I loved it all. Their relationship is just as it should be. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and all that. The writing is so wonderful. I love when an author can make me feel the story – the tension, the emotion – and Tushmore is obviously a master.
The book is written in Sky’s point of view. While I loved getting into this complex character’s mind, I would have loved to see some of Brandon’s viewpoint. Brandon is quirky and fun. I would have liked to know what was going on in his head especially after he and Sky slept together and the drama really starts.
I love this book, love the characters, love the plot, love it all. Everything about this story is fantastic. Like I said, there was a love/hate thing going on, but now I just love it and can’t wait for the next. I highly recommend The Green-Eyed Monster by Melanie Tushmore.
August 29, 2013
Ok, so I would have rated the first half this book 2 stars and the second half 4 stars, I figure I’m being fair putting it in the middle at 3. There were some things I enjoyed about this book and a few others I really, really didn’t. Altogether though it’s got me curious if there is a sequel. I don’t know if I would run out the door to buy it now, but if it came along, I wouldn’t turn it away.
In the glam rock world of the late 80’s, early 90’s, Sky lives for music. It consumes his life to the exclusion of everything else. As long as he has his guitar and his writing he’s happy. He has high hopes for his band as well. Now if only they can find a better replacement for the idiot lead singer they currently have as their front man.
Brandon’s relatively new to the London scene, but Sky can’t stand to see the guy pulled in with the “pretentious dickheads” Vladimir, Lestat, and Scarlett. After his daring rescue Brandon falls in easily with Sky and his friends. When they discover he has a bit of a voice as well, well here’s their chance to get away from “Poncy Paul.” As the new form of the band takes shape and takes the name Crucifox things start to pick up for all of them.
It’s all sex, drugs, and rock & roll in Ms. Tushmore’s delve into the European rock scene of the late 80’s. Hair product, goth makeup, and sexual depravity abound as Crucifox makes their rise from backwater clubs to the epic festivals of the day and their single climbs the charts. All in all, it’s kinda an interesting place for a romance novel. I just didn’t feel a lot of romance.
The first half of this book, while interesting from a historical perspective on the attitudes of the day and big hair bands and crazy personalities, just does not appeal to me when you mix in that much drug use. Reading an occasional usage in a book, fine, but here where our MC’s were essentially high most of the time…Yuck. I found it especially bothersome here as Sky doesn’t have much in the way of sexuality up until the point Brandon takes advantage of their ecstasy use to have his way with him. Having Sky’s attraction to Brandon almost seeming to start after a dubious consent based on drug use activates my ick factor.
Now with that said, the second half the book was an entirely different matter. The drug use tapers off immeasurably and I finally felt like I got to know a bit more about how Sky was feeling about things. I was much more interested in the goings on of the band and their interworking’s when their decision making wasn’t being made even stupider by the drugs they were all taking. I know it’s a typical thing for the times; I just don’t like it.
I liked Sky. I liked his commitment to his music and how he filters everything else in his life through that. He’s passionate about what he does and doesn’t back down from most things. Brandon’s advances though have him all a little twisty. He’s left not knowing what to think half the time. And since the two men seem to have an inability to talk about anything, misunderstandings and fights are bound to ensue. And you’re right Sky, Kevin’s a jackass! And you better keep Star around forever, she gives the best advice you’re going to ever get and a truer friend you could never ask for!
Brandon’s a little harder to understand. Granted a lot of that may be because this is a first person narrative so we’re only hearing Sky’s voice. I would get so annoyed at his decisions. Granted I don’t love sexual promiscuity in the first place, and when you’re supposed to be the one chasing the other main character I like it even less. Brandon shows the first interest in Sky, but still sleeps around often. A lot of his reactions come across as the six year old who doesn’t have the attention of the girl/boy he likes. “You’re not paying attention to me so watch me hit you with a big stick, or flirt with somebody else. See you’re not special.” All this does of course is add to poor Sky’s confusion and load on heaps of jealousy on both sides. The title is fitting, “Hello, Mr. Green-Eyes you are my friend, let me embrace thee.” :-p
I’m friends with a lot of local indie rock bands and I’ve spent a fair bit of time behind the scenes and I think that experience biases me a fair bit. Granted this is 30 years later and times have changed, that ultra dirty side of rock and roll has fallen by the wayside to a certain extent. Not to say that the edge is entirely gone, but I much prefer my boys’ boozing and headed home at 2am, to Crucifox’ all night drug binges and sexual gratification. Still the fans are the same and they’ll show up for you anywhere if the bands good enough. For them it’s all about the music and Crucifox had that. I liked the way their rise through the ranks is depicted and the descriptions of the European scene.
Altogether this book got better as it went along, which is always a good thing. I enjoyed the fact that Sky’s relationships with everyone in his band developed as the story went along and I felt like I got know the little pieces that made them special. Even if that is only that they can’t keep it in their pants, Jamie. I am curious to see how the band manages to pull themselves out of this one, their managers pissed, someone’s pregnant, the label is worried they’re a risk to send on the road, volatile emotions are everywhere, and who knows when everyone will be able to be in the same room together again. The story ends a little bit abruptly though and I guess I’ll have to take my Happy For Now* ending and hold out for a Happily Ever After later.
*One side note on that end…the whole sub plot thrown in at the very end with Callum – way over done. Took that one a step too far as far as I was concerned. I would have much rather Brandon just found out and stormed in in a jealous rage to win Sky back rather than the actual events that took place. They were a little much.
In the glam rock world of the late 80’s, early 90’s, Sky lives for music. It consumes his life to the exclusion of everything else. As long as he has his guitar and his writing he’s happy. He has high hopes for his band as well. Now if only they can find a better replacement for the idiot lead singer they currently have as their front man.
Brandon’s relatively new to the London scene, but Sky can’t stand to see the guy pulled in with the “pretentious dickheads” Vladimir, Lestat, and Scarlett. After his daring rescue Brandon falls in easily with Sky and his friends. When they discover he has a bit of a voice as well, well here’s their chance to get away from “Poncy Paul.” As the new form of the band takes shape and takes the name Crucifox things start to pick up for all of them.
It’s all sex, drugs, and rock & roll in Ms. Tushmore’s delve into the European rock scene of the late 80’s. Hair product, goth makeup, and sexual depravity abound as Crucifox makes their rise from backwater clubs to the epic festivals of the day and their single climbs the charts. All in all, it’s kinda an interesting place for a romance novel. I just didn’t feel a lot of romance.
The first half of this book, while interesting from a historical perspective on the attitudes of the day and big hair bands and crazy personalities, just does not appeal to me when you mix in that much drug use. Reading an occasional usage in a book, fine, but here where our MC’s were essentially high most of the time…Yuck. I found it especially bothersome here as Sky doesn’t have much in the way of sexuality up until the point Brandon takes advantage of their ecstasy use to have his way with him. Having Sky’s attraction to Brandon almost seeming to start after a dubious consent based on drug use activates my ick factor.
Now with that said, the second half the book was an entirely different matter. The drug use tapers off immeasurably and I finally felt like I got to know a bit more about how Sky was feeling about things. I was much more interested in the goings on of the band and their interworking’s when their decision making wasn’t being made even stupider by the drugs they were all taking. I know it’s a typical thing for the times; I just don’t like it.
I liked Sky. I liked his commitment to his music and how he filters everything else in his life through that. He’s passionate about what he does and doesn’t back down from most things. Brandon’s advances though have him all a little twisty. He’s left not knowing what to think half the time. And since the two men seem to have an inability to talk about anything, misunderstandings and fights are bound to ensue. And you’re right Sky, Kevin’s a jackass! And you better keep Star around forever, she gives the best advice you’re going to ever get and a truer friend you could never ask for!
Brandon’s a little harder to understand. Granted a lot of that may be because this is a first person narrative so we’re only hearing Sky’s voice. I would get so annoyed at his decisions. Granted I don’t love sexual promiscuity in the first place, and when you’re supposed to be the one chasing the other main character I like it even less. Brandon shows the first interest in Sky, but still sleeps around often. A lot of his reactions come across as the six year old who doesn’t have the attention of the girl/boy he likes. “You’re not paying attention to me so watch me hit you with a big stick, or flirt with somebody else. See you’re not special.” All this does of course is add to poor Sky’s confusion and load on heaps of jealousy on both sides. The title is fitting, “Hello, Mr. Green-Eyes you are my friend, let me embrace thee.” :-p
I’m friends with a lot of local indie rock bands and I’ve spent a fair bit of time behind the scenes and I think that experience biases me a fair bit. Granted this is 30 years later and times have changed, that ultra dirty side of rock and roll has fallen by the wayside to a certain extent. Not to say that the edge is entirely gone, but I much prefer my boys’ boozing and headed home at 2am, to Crucifox’ all night drug binges and sexual gratification. Still the fans are the same and they’ll show up for you anywhere if the bands good enough. For them it’s all about the music and Crucifox had that. I liked the way their rise through the ranks is depicted and the descriptions of the European scene.
Altogether this book got better as it went along, which is always a good thing. I enjoyed the fact that Sky’s relationships with everyone in his band developed as the story went along and I felt like I got know the little pieces that made them special. Even if that is only that they can’t keep it in their pants, Jamie. I am curious to see how the band manages to pull themselves out of this one, their managers pissed, someone’s pregnant, the label is worried they’re a risk to send on the road, volatile emotions are everywhere, and who knows when everyone will be able to be in the same room together again. The story ends a little bit abruptly though and I guess I’ll have to take my Happy For Now* ending and hold out for a Happily Ever After later.
*One side note on that end…the whole sub plot thrown in at the very end with Callum – way over done. Took that one a step too far as far as I was concerned. I would have much rather Brandon just found out and stormed in in a jealous rage to win Sky back rather than the actual events that took place. They were a little much.
March 15, 2013
**Review for Rarely Dusty Books**
The Green-Eyed Monster is a surprising story that left me with mixed feelings. It’s not a glamorous rock-star story. In fact the drugs, the lewd comments, the parties, the butt flashing and teasing are in abundance in this story featuring two incredibly stubborn men. Come to think of it, they may just redefine the word ‘stubborn’. Added to all of this is the theme of jealousy, spanning several years. It is also a very refreshing story. It’s nice to see men behaving like pigs for once. The Green-Eyed Monster will not be for everyone, but I sure liked it even though it turned out to be a bit of a soap opera story at times. But we all need a little soap in our lives sometimes!
The story predominantly focuses on Brandon and Sky with their band members and friends readily in the background. As the story takes place from the late eighties to early nineties, it spans quite some time. It could almost be a Chronicle for their band Crucifox were it not for Sky and Brandon’s drama. Good lord they have it in spades.
For me the first part of the story is a set up for Crucifox and a set up for all the characters. It gives a good insight into who they are, what kind of drugs to do or sell and how their music grows and how they are discovered.
This set up features some hilarious scenes and gigs, so while it may be a set-up for the rest of the story, it’s in no way boring. One of their gigs to a big name festival in Germany Tanz der Toten just before they are discovered, is hilarious. Seriously, men are pigs and dumbasses and it’s a good thing airport security no longer allows shaving cream on board!
The reader also finds out just how Brandon and Sky met and their initial misunderstanding in Brandon thinking Sky is gay or at least bi-sexual. Even though the story is never told from Brandon’s POV, you get a good idea of how disappointed he is. This is important throughout the rest of the story, because it sets the bases for their relationship and later misunderstandings.
Sky doesn’t realize he’s gay/bi yet or at the very least has a GFY thing going on for Brandon. It is a growing theme throughout the book and gets really underway once they hit the big time and culminates in a two day hook-up at a festival. By then Sky ‘gets’ it and they could have lived happily ever after were it not for both of them going hot and cold.
As this is a novel-sized story, this turning around in circles, the jealousy and Brandon’s manipulation take up a fair bit of the story and quite some time passes.
Part of my frustration is set in the manipulations and constant misunderstandings. Over the years, the two never really talk. Not once is there an extended scene where they hash things out. There is talk of talking, but they never do. As a result there is a lot of tension and that continues for quite long. While I can believe them not talking for a while - not even a manly talk - it does cause strife within the band and it even turns them against each other at some point, there was almost a Team Sky and a Team Brandon.
With both Sky and the management working hard to keep things smooth, despite the partying and drugs, this all seemed a bit off. Especially since it starts to affect Sky’s health at some point. On the other hand, it brilliantly kept the story on edge as well. But it made even me want to punch Brandon hard for being such a tosser.
The story is told in first person from Sky’s POV, so the reader only gets his insights and his frustrations, never Brandon’s. Consequently, there were times I really started to hate Brandon, though he makes up for it later. I was told that the next book will be from Brandon’s POV so that sure is going to be interesting. The writing is exquisite as is the editing. It was a breath of fresh air. There is a lot of British/South London slang and Brandon is Scottish and written as such, but the execution is well done so it never bothered me. There is also a lot of wit and Sky is one heck of a funny narrator.
He is a good, solid character who is written well. Not once in this lengthy story did he bore me, frustrate yes, but no boredom involved. He’s been around the block a time or two and knows what is important to him and he is willing to fight for it, even boss his friends around. He’s pretty down to earth with a chip on his shoulder about his length.
Brandon we only get to see through Sky’s eyes. He can be funny and charming as well as a spoiled, stupid brat sometimes. He likes his clothes, female or male, and likes showing off, even if it is hotter than a hoochie coochie and has a thing for foxes.
My other niggle with this book was the ending. It contains a cliffhanger and leaves you hanging without anything being really resolved. It was a bit of a let down as there are several other plot threads that are left unresolved as well. Luckily, I was informed there will be a second story that is going to focus on the same pairing.
This is a story I most definitely can recommend. That is if you like a bunch of uncouth men, swearing, lame pranks, drug using (soft drugs only, by Dutch standards) and the punk/rock/metal scene. The Green-Eyed Monster is a sweet well written ride and I can’t wait for the second book.
The Green-Eyed Monster is a surprising story that left me with mixed feelings. It’s not a glamorous rock-star story. In fact the drugs, the lewd comments, the parties, the butt flashing and teasing are in abundance in this story featuring two incredibly stubborn men. Come to think of it, they may just redefine the word ‘stubborn’. Added to all of this is the theme of jealousy, spanning several years. It is also a very refreshing story. It’s nice to see men behaving like pigs for once. The Green-Eyed Monster will not be for everyone, but I sure liked it even though it turned out to be a bit of a soap opera story at times. But we all need a little soap in our lives sometimes!
The story predominantly focuses on Brandon and Sky with their band members and friends readily in the background. As the story takes place from the late eighties to early nineties, it spans quite some time. It could almost be a Chronicle for their band Crucifox were it not for Sky and Brandon’s drama. Good lord they have it in spades.
For me the first part of the story is a set up for Crucifox and a set up for all the characters. It gives a good insight into who they are, what kind of drugs to do or sell and how their music grows and how they are discovered.
This set up features some hilarious scenes and gigs, so while it may be a set-up for the rest of the story, it’s in no way boring. One of their gigs to a big name festival in Germany Tanz der Toten just before they are discovered, is hilarious. Seriously, men are pigs and dumbasses and it’s a good thing airport security no longer allows shaving cream on board!
The reader also finds out just how Brandon and Sky met and their initial misunderstanding in Brandon thinking Sky is gay or at least bi-sexual. Even though the story is never told from Brandon’s POV, you get a good idea of how disappointed he is. This is important throughout the rest of the story, because it sets the bases for their relationship and later misunderstandings.
Sky doesn’t realize he’s gay/bi yet or at the very least has a GFY thing going on for Brandon. It is a growing theme throughout the book and gets really underway once they hit the big time and culminates in a two day hook-up at a festival. By then Sky ‘gets’ it and they could have lived happily ever after were it not for both of them going hot and cold.
As this is a novel-sized story, this turning around in circles, the jealousy and Brandon’s manipulation take up a fair bit of the story and quite some time passes.
Part of my frustration is set in the manipulations and constant misunderstandings. Over the years, the two never really talk. Not once is there an extended scene where they hash things out. There is talk of talking, but they never do. As a result there is a lot of tension and that continues for quite long. While I can believe them not talking for a while - not even a manly talk - it does cause strife within the band and it even turns them against each other at some point, there was almost a Team Sky and a Team Brandon.
With both Sky and the management working hard to keep things smooth, despite the partying and drugs, this all seemed a bit off. Especially since it starts to affect Sky’s health at some point. On the other hand, it brilliantly kept the story on edge as well. But it made even me want to punch Brandon hard for being such a tosser.
The story is told in first person from Sky’s POV, so the reader only gets his insights and his frustrations, never Brandon’s. Consequently, there were times I really started to hate Brandon, though he makes up for it later. I was told that the next book will be from Brandon’s POV so that sure is going to be interesting. The writing is exquisite as is the editing. It was a breath of fresh air. There is a lot of British/South London slang and Brandon is Scottish and written as such, but the execution is well done so it never bothered me. There is also a lot of wit and Sky is one heck of a funny narrator.
He is a good, solid character who is written well. Not once in this lengthy story did he bore me, frustrate yes, but no boredom involved. He’s been around the block a time or two and knows what is important to him and he is willing to fight for it, even boss his friends around. He’s pretty down to earth with a chip on his shoulder about his length.
Brandon we only get to see through Sky’s eyes. He can be funny and charming as well as a spoiled, stupid brat sometimes. He likes his clothes, female or male, and likes showing off, even if it is hotter than a hoochie coochie and has a thing for foxes.
My other niggle with this book was the ending. It contains a cliffhanger and leaves you hanging without anything being really resolved. It was a bit of a let down as there are several other plot threads that are left unresolved as well. Luckily, I was informed there will be a second story that is going to focus on the same pairing.
This is a story I most definitely can recommend. That is if you like a bunch of uncouth men, swearing, lame pranks, drug using (soft drugs only, by Dutch standards) and the punk/rock/metal scene. The Green-Eyed Monster is a sweet well written ride and I can’t wait for the second book.
March 22, 2013
Holy crap that book was sooooo frustrating! I’m absolutely having a love/hate thing going with these characters. The tension in this book is thick but in the best way. I didn’t want to put this book down for minute because every damn time I thought this is it, they are going to get their shit together and then BAM…..nope. I wanted to scream at them! Apparently I love to be teased because this I loved – every minute of it.
The story follows a group of friends in a band and takes us through the years of them trying to make it on the music scene. Most of the group have been friends for a while before adopting the gorgeous Scot Brandon into their. Sky sees him and knows he’s front man material and luckily the guy can sing. Brandon tries to come onto Sky the first night but Sky isn’t into guys so he brushes it off as no big deal. They start doing some gigs and Jaime, the drummer and Brandon, singer, don’t have any problem partying like rock stars and picking up groupies. It’s what they do and everyone comes to expect it from them. One night Brandon and Jaime bring a groupie back to the room they are supposed to be sharing with Sky. Sky wakes up to them having sex and freaks out. The confrontation kind of smacks them both in the face. Brandon doesn’t like Sky being mad at him and Sky doesn’t understand why he’s jealous. Brandon sees an in with Sky one night and finds a willing girl to take up to their room. Everything goes like you’d think but it’s pretty obvious the guys really want each other. Sky’s afraid to admit it. I’m pretty sure Brandon did it to get off but in a roundabout way with Sky. This leads to some confusion the next day as it’s Sky’s first time with a man and he struggles with if it means anything since Brandon is kind of a slut. The next night they start talking but end up drinking which makes it easier to focus on the desire to have each other and not think so hard about the repercussions of after. The sex is explosive and hot and unlike anything Sky has ever felt before. They spend the next night together since they’re sharing a room it seems so easy and right. The next morning they are busted by the road manager and it messes up the dynamic they found in that hotel room. Sky freaks out a little and so Brandon tries to make light of it saying, “It’s just sex” and it hurts Sky. Both guys are prideful and they let it get in the way of what they want. Things kind of spiral out of control from there basically because touring puts them in such close proximity while fighting their feelings and keeping everything a secret.
Sky was a piece of work. He’s angry, stubborn and judgmental. Always thinks he’s right. He would be the type that you’d have to really love him to appreciate him. He was rather harsh and jumped to conclusions too often but it fit his manic thought process. I feel like I should totally dislike him but I can’t. I loved the story being told from his POV. I would have liked to know what Brandon was thinking throughout the book but don’t know that it would have had the same effect on me or if all the misses in the relationship would have seemed plausible.
Brandon was very likable. He’s quick to joke and easy going. He did do some shitty things but it’s understandable considering how confusing Sky’s reactions to him were. He always wanted Sky and admitted his feelings but the tone set after their second night in that hotel room set of a series of misunderstandings. Brandon was a rock god of this book and played the part but what he seemed to want most is Sky. Who of course screws it up at every turn. Seriously, the guy made me nuts. The guys together were HOT! It’s insane that Sky could resist their chemistry. So good!
The secondary characters were great. I feel like I know them all pretty well after the book and hopefully we find out more about Pepper in the next book. The story moves at a realistic pace and the guys don’t magically get discovered in one night. They struggle a bit and work their way up. I laughed plenty in this book and enjoyed the voices of the characters. The ending was evil! I guess it could have been worse but now I’m left salivating for the next book. This was a new to me author that I took a chance on and would recommend anyone who likes some seriously delicious tension and rockers to check this out. I recommend it
This review can also be found at http://liveyourlifebuythebook.wordpre...
March 16, 2013
Reviewed on Hearts On Fire
3.5 Stars As a book about rock stars this was often fresh & fun. I liked Sky & Brandon together even if they’re a little frustrating. First, a bit of housekeeping. This book does contain a couple of on page mmf ménage scenes involving one or both of our main characters and one of which is several pages long. Prior to this we’d already had a scene with Brandon & Sky pulling girls or ‘birds’ into their rooms so I was thinking not again when this one turned up. I don’t read m/m books to read about hetero sex. But the story does shift away from these random hookups after this and turn towards the two main characters getting together. So if you’re not bothered by a couple of het scenes on the road to the two guys achieving their HEA then this book has something to offer.
The story is told through Sky’s eyes. He’s the lead guitarist who, besides being short, funny, feisty and temperamental, is the one who supplies the drive & ambition for the band. He spots the star potential of Brandon who’s tall, handsome and a touch flamboyant and quickly installs him as the lead singer. Brandon is also funny, although maybe everything just seems funnier when said with a Scottish brogue.
Besides these two guys, there’s an entire cast of characters including other band members. A lot of the focus is more on the band interactions as there are several chapters devoted to little incidents that happen to them when they’re traveling and performing. I sometimes felt like this was the main story and the romance between Brandon and Sky was off on the periphery somewhere.
I did like reading about the 80’s London music scene. It seemed authentic with its emphasis on sex, drugs and parties. Plus we get to see some of the grungy behind the scenes stuff that goes into making a band. There’s almost a frat house atmosphere sometimes with lots of out of control behavior, band member spats, band feuds and potty humor. This book doesn’t shy away from talking about farts and stopped up toilets. There were quite a few vividly told scenes that made me wonder not when will these guys get together but when will they take a shower.
Sky and Brandon experience quite a few bumps on the road to having a relationship. This is because they never talk so they have lots of misunderstandings. There was a stop and go quality to their story that was quite frustrating. They were either having sex, fighting, having jealousy fits or separating. It doesn’t help that we’re only getting Sky’s point of view so we’re not sure what’s motivating Brandon. I don’t know if we’re meant to see them this way, but they often came across as pretty juvenile and immature. The best communication between the two of them doesn’t come until the very end after one very crazy, out of left field incident.
Obviously I have some mixed feelings about this one. I could have done without the het scenes and I wanted more of a resolution for the relationship. This is going to be a series so the second book will probably flesh things out more. Still, the book is fairly long & it’s a lot of investment of time to get to a very abrupt ending. However, I did enjoy reading about all the on the road band experience and some of the scenes were quite hilarious. The net effect is while this may not have been my ideal m/m story I still found a lot of it quite entertaining.
3.5 Stars As a book about rock stars this was often fresh & fun. I liked Sky & Brandon together even if they’re a little frustrating. First, a bit of housekeeping. This book does contain a couple of on page mmf ménage scenes involving one or both of our main characters and one of which is several pages long. Prior to this we’d already had a scene with Brandon & Sky pulling girls or ‘birds’ into their rooms so I was thinking not again when this one turned up. I don’t read m/m books to read about hetero sex. But the story does shift away from these random hookups after this and turn towards the two main characters getting together. So if you’re not bothered by a couple of het scenes on the road to the two guys achieving their HEA then this book has something to offer.
The story is told through Sky’s eyes. He’s the lead guitarist who, besides being short, funny, feisty and temperamental, is the one who supplies the drive & ambition for the band. He spots the star potential of Brandon who’s tall, handsome and a touch flamboyant and quickly installs him as the lead singer. Brandon is also funny, although maybe everything just seems funnier when said with a Scottish brogue.
Besides these two guys, there’s an entire cast of characters including other band members. A lot of the focus is more on the band interactions as there are several chapters devoted to little incidents that happen to them when they’re traveling and performing. I sometimes felt like this was the main story and the romance between Brandon and Sky was off on the periphery somewhere.
I did like reading about the 80’s London music scene. It seemed authentic with its emphasis on sex, drugs and parties. Plus we get to see some of the grungy behind the scenes stuff that goes into making a band. There’s almost a frat house atmosphere sometimes with lots of out of control behavior, band member spats, band feuds and potty humor. This book doesn’t shy away from talking about farts and stopped up toilets. There were quite a few vividly told scenes that made me wonder not when will these guys get together but when will they take a shower.
Sky and Brandon experience quite a few bumps on the road to having a relationship. This is because they never talk so they have lots of misunderstandings. There was a stop and go quality to their story that was quite frustrating. They were either having sex, fighting, having jealousy fits or separating. It doesn’t help that we’re only getting Sky’s point of view so we’re not sure what’s motivating Brandon. I don’t know if we’re meant to see them this way, but they often came across as pretty juvenile and immature. The best communication between the two of them doesn’t come until the very end after one very crazy, out of left field incident.
Obviously I have some mixed feelings about this one. I could have done without the het scenes and I wanted more of a resolution for the relationship. This is going to be a series so the second book will probably flesh things out more. Still, the book is fairly long & it’s a lot of investment of time to get to a very abrupt ending. However, I did enjoy reading about all the on the road band experience and some of the scenes were quite hilarious. The net effect is while this may not have been my ideal m/m story I still found a lot of it quite entertaining.
March 7, 2013
I loved this book. I generally love rock star books but this one was by far one of the best.I loved that the story wasn't rushed. There were no skipped parts and I absolutely loved the details that helped me understand the characters and story that much better. I liked that I got to read about every struggle they had while trying to make it big. There were no points at all throughtout this book where I told myself no way this is real. In fact I was surprized how real everything seemed and I could easily imagine everything happening without any doubt. And I have to say I loved Sky he was so damn funny...I laughed so hard at times I thought I was going to lose it.
All my admiration and respect for this author for managing to create such a great story line and such complex and wonderful characters...that being said I have to complain about that ending...I mean I was expecting an epilog or something so I know how things are working between Brandon and Sky. I realise this is a series so I sure hope the next book is going to address their relationship...if not as main story line then secondary but I want more!!! Can't wait for the next book!
All my admiration and respect for this author for managing to create such a great story line and such complex and wonderful characters...that being said I have to complain about that ending...I mean I was expecting an epilog or something so I know how things are working between Brandon and Sky. I realise this is a series so I sure hope the next book is going to address their relationship...if not as main story line then secondary but I want more!!! Can't wait for the next book!
April 29, 2013
In short: I love that this book took an in-your-face approach to rockers. Very sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll. I like that the romance aspect was slow instead of the insta!love (or at least insta!lust) that I see so often in the M/M genre. But this book isn't just M/M. This is a bisexual story. Yes! Finally! Brandon is openly bisexual and Sky thinks he's completely straight until interacting with Brandon. And before everyone shouts 'Gay-for-You' at me, I want them to understand that just because Sky gets with Brandon doesn't automatically make Sky gay, just a different flavor of bisexual. Two bisexual characters means there will be some M/F or M/F/M or M/M/F (choose whatever tag you like) content here, and I say bravo. This book shows the bisexuality, and I love that.
More coherent thoughts will come later once I've had the chance to write a proper review. For now I'll just say I really liked it and look forward to the next book, since the author made it clear the second book is more of Brandon and Sky (but from Brandon's point of view, which'll be awesome).
More coherent thoughts will come later once I've had the chance to write a proper review. For now I'll just say I really liked it and look forward to the next book, since the author made it clear the second book is more of Brandon and Sky (but from Brandon's point of view, which'll be awesome).
March 15, 2013
3.5 stars. This has been an interesting read for me because of its down-to-earth portrayal of rock bands struggling to succeed and what might happen when they finally achieve their dreams. Sky and Brandon's relationship, with all those misunderstandings, was incredibly frustrating and did not give me the impression of a credible romance. That said, I am not sure if their story continues or other band members are next.
September 13, 2013
Argh!! Such an abrupt ending!! Hope there is more to come :-)
September 30, 2017
3.5 stars
March 30, 2013
Where do I even start with this book?
It left me with a feeling of deep satisfaction. I’ll try to write about all the different aspects of this book.
The characters: so well-drawn! I’m a sucker for flawed heroes and I really got what I wanted with this book. It is not a set of tropes, rushing to a HEA. It’s a story of a band rising to fame and the romance side is slow, with ups, downs and misunderstandings. It’s first person POV which I usually dislike, yet here I had no problem to ease into it, thanks to the MC’s voice. Sky is a funny narrator, who makes lots of mistakes and the reader gets to understand that themselves, without being spoon-fed about what’s good and what’s bad about his behaviour. I dislike stories where the blurb promises me ‘bad boys’, yet the story fails to deliver and I end up with mushy sweet characters, who have been just thrown into the big bad world. Sky and his bunch of friends are nothing like it. They swear, drink, take drugs, have casual sex and make fun of people who are not in their group. This is all very natural and human, which makes the reading smooth and fun. Yet seeing a person usually so harsh to the people around and short-tempered, in a vulnerable position, makes Sky endearing and you really feel for him and his lack of proper communications skills ;).
Even though you see the world through Sky’s POV, you get to be the onlooker and judge his actions for yourself. I absolutely hate when a book is preaching to me and there was nothing of that sort here. I always assume that an adult reader knows by the time they read a story that taking drugs is bad, homophobia is bad, cheating is bad, etc.
I won’t go into spoiler details about who the MC’s are, the blurb is enough for that, but it’s the way they act and interact that makes this story what it is. Lots of times I would read something outrageous they were doing and think „So true! That’s exactly what guys do!” Talk about poo, make nasty jokes, have hygiene problems, etc ;D
I do have to give a separate paragraph to the bisexuality or m/m/f bits in this book. I read a story to get the full picture of character growth and change, including mistakes or experiments people make, if it’s important for the story. I really don’t see how a bit of pussy, that isn’t even a love interest, but a prop to help the MC’s connect and understand each other, is a problem, but hey, to each their own. I actually enjoyed seeing one of the character’s bisexuality to be a background feature. Just because he’s slept with girls doesn’t make him any less valuable as monogamous relationship material.
Last but not least, the language and setting. I was instantly drawn in by the way the author pictures the very British landscape and language, with all the details. And then the way Brandon’s Scottish accent is written is great because even if I didn’t understand a particular word, it was easy to get what it meant from context. It gives a flavour without being overwhelming.
And then when it comes to setting – I was simply smitten. This is a proper band story! I’ll try not to ramble on for too long, but the way they progressed from zero to hero as a band felt so real. I’ve written a punk rocker story before and reading The Green-Eyed Monster made me realise just how bleak it was ;D The Green-Eyed Monster is not only about how cool looking rockers are, but what is needed at gigs, what makes a band, how it can progress, all those inside workings that you either need to research or you know because you’ve been close to bands. The band aspect is not just a background, it all ties in. It makes the characters real people with passions and ambitions, not just puppets with no other life purpose than romance.
The plot is spread out over a few years, which gives a good realistic time for the romance and attachment to form. There is no ‘I love you!’ after two weeks, so when the story gets there (without overflowing with emotional confessions), it really feels the characters earned it. I love that it’s such a big story and I got to immerse in it. You get to see the character’s emotions through their actions, not get told about them. Anyone can say they ‘love’, but it’s what they do that proves it.
So from me, an absolute 5* and actually, when I post this on my website, it’s going to be 10*! Just because I can :).
PS. Melanie Tushmore also achieved the near to impossible – created a hippy character that I couldn’t help but like!
Thank you Melanie for hours and hours of entertainment! <3 (And to Storm Moon Press for taking a chance on a story that isn’t run of the mill romance! ;_; )
It left me with a feeling of deep satisfaction. I’ll try to write about all the different aspects of this book.
The characters: so well-drawn! I’m a sucker for flawed heroes and I really got what I wanted with this book. It is not a set of tropes, rushing to a HEA. It’s a story of a band rising to fame and the romance side is slow, with ups, downs and misunderstandings. It’s first person POV which I usually dislike, yet here I had no problem to ease into it, thanks to the MC’s voice. Sky is a funny narrator, who makes lots of mistakes and the reader gets to understand that themselves, without being spoon-fed about what’s good and what’s bad about his behaviour. I dislike stories where the blurb promises me ‘bad boys’, yet the story fails to deliver and I end up with mushy sweet characters, who have been just thrown into the big bad world. Sky and his bunch of friends are nothing like it. They swear, drink, take drugs, have casual sex and make fun of people who are not in their group. This is all very natural and human, which makes the reading smooth and fun. Yet seeing a person usually so harsh to the people around and short-tempered, in a vulnerable position, makes Sky endearing and you really feel for him and his lack of proper communications skills ;).
Even though you see the world through Sky’s POV, you get to be the onlooker and judge his actions for yourself. I absolutely hate when a book is preaching to me and there was nothing of that sort here. I always assume that an adult reader knows by the time they read a story that taking drugs is bad, homophobia is bad, cheating is bad, etc.
I won’t go into spoiler details about who the MC’s are, the blurb is enough for that, but it’s the way they act and interact that makes this story what it is. Lots of times I would read something outrageous they were doing and think „So true! That’s exactly what guys do!” Talk about poo, make nasty jokes, have hygiene problems, etc ;D
I do have to give a separate paragraph to the bisexuality or m/m/f bits in this book. I read a story to get the full picture of character growth and change, including mistakes or experiments people make, if it’s important for the story. I really don’t see how a bit of pussy, that isn’t even a love interest, but a prop to help the MC’s connect and understand each other, is a problem, but hey, to each their own. I actually enjoyed seeing one of the character’s bisexuality to be a background feature. Just because he’s slept with girls doesn’t make him any less valuable as monogamous relationship material.
Last but not least, the language and setting. I was instantly drawn in by the way the author pictures the very British landscape and language, with all the details. And then the way Brandon’s Scottish accent is written is great because even if I didn’t understand a particular word, it was easy to get what it meant from context. It gives a flavour without being overwhelming.
And then when it comes to setting – I was simply smitten. This is a proper band story! I’ll try not to ramble on for too long, but the way they progressed from zero to hero as a band felt so real. I’ve written a punk rocker story before and reading The Green-Eyed Monster made me realise just how bleak it was ;D The Green-Eyed Monster is not only about how cool looking rockers are, but what is needed at gigs, what makes a band, how it can progress, all those inside workings that you either need to research or you know because you’ve been close to bands. The band aspect is not just a background, it all ties in. It makes the characters real people with passions and ambitions, not just puppets with no other life purpose than romance.
The plot is spread out over a few years, which gives a good realistic time for the romance and attachment to form. There is no ‘I love you!’ after two weeks, so when the story gets there (without overflowing with emotional confessions), it really feels the characters earned it. I love that it’s such a big story and I got to immerse in it. You get to see the character’s emotions through their actions, not get told about them. Anyone can say they ‘love’, but it’s what they do that proves it.
So from me, an absolute 5* and actually, when I post this on my website, it’s going to be 10*! Just because I can :).
PS. Melanie Tushmore also achieved the near to impossible – created a hippy character that I couldn’t help but like!
Thank you Melanie for hours and hours of entertainment! <3 (And to Storm Moon Press for taking a chance on a story that isn’t run of the mill romance! ;_; )
May 7, 2014
England, the land of Bowie, and then his bastard offspring The Mission, Bauhaus and all the rest? What's not to love! And I loved almost all of this book, so I struggle a bit with the 4 or 5 star. Make it 4.5.
I could smell the Aqua Net, I was so there. I felt so in tune with Sky in every way. I loved the clubs and the band's ratty living arrangements. Because I am an Anglophile and a musician, I ate it up. The humor hit my funny bone just right.
I think when I stopped feeling completely in tune with Sky was when my love affair with this novel started straining around the edges.
Now, it's true that Sky himself was closing himself off from his true feelings. And it's hard to describe the passage of time and the ascension up the ladder of the music business without getting too weighed down with WORK stuff. And that's the main focus when you're in a band and in that position. It'd be like any of us describing the rote actions and the million breakthroughs or tiny tragedies of our workdays. So she had to slide over all that or lose us, but in that process, it took away some of the immediacy. For some reason, I could never really picture what the dynamic was like between Sky and Brandon on the stage; I never got immersed into their stage chemistry.
Artistic egos (never more extreme than in this case) can cause tremendous damage and I could swallow that, even though it was beyond frustrating. I've been in enough crazy bands to know first hand.
But the slip into the near farcical near the end really pulled me right out of the book. Maybe it got too British for me! All of these things are part of the book she wanted to write and I'm just sorry I didn't feel enraptured ALL the way. My loss! But boy, the parts I did like, I loved.
I love (that word again) the way Melanie writes. She is the monster here. She grabbed me by the throat and I will check out her other work. I can't even tell you the last time that happened to me as a reader.
I could smell the Aqua Net, I was so there. I felt so in tune with Sky in every way. I loved the clubs and the band's ratty living arrangements. Because I am an Anglophile and a musician, I ate it up. The humor hit my funny bone just right.
I think when I stopped feeling completely in tune with Sky was when my love affair with this novel started straining around the edges.
Now, it's true that Sky himself was closing himself off from his true feelings. And it's hard to describe the passage of time and the ascension up the ladder of the music business without getting too weighed down with WORK stuff. And that's the main focus when you're in a band and in that position. It'd be like any of us describing the rote actions and the million breakthroughs or tiny tragedies of our workdays. So she had to slide over all that or lose us, but in that process, it took away some of the immediacy. For some reason, I could never really picture what the dynamic was like between Sky and Brandon on the stage; I never got immersed into their stage chemistry.
Artistic egos (never more extreme than in this case) can cause tremendous damage and I could swallow that, even though it was beyond frustrating. I've been in enough crazy bands to know first hand.
But the slip into the near farcical near the end really pulled me right out of the book. Maybe it got too British for me! All of these things are part of the book she wanted to write and I'm just sorry I didn't feel enraptured ALL the way. My loss! But boy, the parts I did like, I loved.
I love (that word again) the way Melanie writes. She is the monster here. She grabbed me by the throat and I will check out her other work. I can't even tell you the last time that happened to me as a reader.
April 16, 2013
This book fed all my needs. Melanie Tushmore is just one of those authors who never disappoints me. "The Green-Eyed Monster" has it all: great characters who are likable despite being flawed, a plot that doesn't only focus on the romance, humor, drama, jealousy (just as the title promised), lots of insider-knowledge about bands and the music industry, passionate love (and sex). In short: this book rocks and it rocks hard.
The story isn't just a romance between band members. It is the story of a band and its rise to fame, told from the perspective of Sky, the lead guitarist of Crucifox who, well, develops an attachment to another member of the group. This guy is such a brilliant character, his emotional intelligence must be close to zero. Clueless! ;D On one hand, I wanted to give him a back-slap, on the other hand, his internal struggle was done so well, I just couldn't stop reading. Many authors fail to make character psychology believable and make them too "good"(which is an often misguided effort to make them likable), but in "The Green-Eyed Monster", it is done so well I keep re-reading scenes. There's no false notes in this one and those readers who might be put off by the notion that there's a m/f/m scene in this book should not fret. I don't understand why this would even be an issue with the scene being clearly introduced to serve the m/m plotline and it isn't even all that detailed. Believe me, M/M readers, you DO want to read this book.
How can I cope with the wait for the sequel? :(
The story isn't just a romance between band members. It is the story of a band and its rise to fame, told from the perspective of Sky, the lead guitarist of Crucifox who, well, develops an attachment to another member of the group. This guy is such a brilliant character, his emotional intelligence must be close to zero. Clueless! ;D On one hand, I wanted to give him a back-slap, on the other hand, his internal struggle was done so well, I just couldn't stop reading. Many authors fail to make character psychology believable and make them too "good"(which is an often misguided effort to make them likable), but in "The Green-Eyed Monster", it is done so well I keep re-reading scenes. There's no false notes in this one and those readers who might be put off by the notion that there's a m/f/m scene in this book should not fret. I don't understand why this would even be an issue with the scene being clearly introduced to serve the m/m plotline and it isn't even all that detailed. Believe me, M/M readers, you DO want to read this book.
How can I cope with the wait for the sequel? :(
April 4, 2013
Very enjoyable book, following Sky and his band through several years, and Sky's slowly developing relationship with Brandon. It's got such great detail about the life of being in a band. Who knew a mere sound check was so fraught with inter-band politics? The pressure of constantly being together and what that does to relationships is important in the book. No wonder bands break up. The surprise is how any of them stay together! The characters not perfect people by any means, but interesting and fun to follow. Sky is the narrator and I like him a lot. Small but feisty! He clearly really cares about the band and he's the one who holds it together, but often at a cost to himself. He's one stressed guy at times.
Really enjoyable book and now I'm looking forward to the next to see where the band goes from here.
Really enjoyable book and now I'm looking forward to the next to see where the band goes from here.
June 14, 2014
The premise of this book was good enough and I enjoyed the band's journey into fame. But that's about all I liked...
The whole story was told from Sky's pov and he came across as whiny insecure twat (I really like that word, so perfect.) with severe anger management issues. Actually he had issues with emotions and had no knowledge or skills to handle them. Aaand on top of that he had over active imagination and tendencies to be paranoid which didn't help the situation at all.
Then there is Brandon who is also complete twat with inclination to stupid, childish humor. I never really knew whether his intention was to make Sky jealous or was he just that dense and self-centred. The result was lots of stupid, unnecessary drama where Sky never knew Brandon's intentions and they both acted like couple of totally immature teenagers. So not my kind of book.
The whole story was told from Sky's pov and he came across as whiny insecure twat (I really like that word, so perfect.) with severe anger management issues. Actually he had issues with emotions and had no knowledge or skills to handle them. Aaand on top of that he had over active imagination and tendencies to be paranoid which didn't help the situation at all.
Then there is Brandon who is also complete twat with inclination to stupid, childish humor. I never really knew whether his intention was to make Sky jealous or was he just that dense and self-centred. The result was lots of stupid, unnecessary drama where Sky never knew Brandon's intentions and they both acted like couple of totally immature teenagers. So not my kind of book.
June 14, 2013
Loved the characters but I was totally annoyed with Sky. I was tempted to put this story on my Handicapped shelf because I thought Sky was just so blind to how Brandon felt about him right from the start. Then the blindness began to include how he, himself, felt about Brandon.
I enjoyed the story, the characters were all interesting, and learning about how they struggle for recognition in such a large pool opening my eyes. I was surprised about the "camp out" at the music festival in Germany. Those were dedicated musicians to put up with that... or they were all stoned :)
Recommended.
I enjoyed the story, the characters were all interesting, and learning about how they struggle for recognition in such a large pool opening my eyes. I was surprised about the "camp out" at the music festival in Germany. Those were dedicated musicians to put up with that... or they were all stoned :)
Recommended.
July 16, 2013
This book had a real plot and nicely evoked the alternative rock scene in London in the late 80s and early 90s. It tells of the relationship between Sky who starts the band and Brandon, the guy he wants as a singer. The gritty, smutty details of life on the road and the difficulties of having a relationship in that atmosphere come through. The characters were really frustrating though because they NEVER talked to each other and months would go by without them being together. But really they tortured themselves. I believe there is another book that tells the story from Brandon's POV and I would really like to read that.
September 26, 2013
I just didn't connect with this story or with the characters. In fact, even at the end, I was WTF is going on? Just didn't seem like the two were really getting together. And with Sky's jealousy over anyone/everyone Brandon looks at, I don't see how it's going to ever stop. Really didn't even seem like a happy ending to me.
Truly, I only finished it because it was a bingo book, BOM and was highly rated by some of my friends. I guess that we each have different tastes and opinions and that's what makes the world go 'round.
Truly, I only finished it because it was a bingo book, BOM and was highly rated by some of my friends. I guess that we each have different tastes and opinions and that's what makes the world go 'round.
September 6, 2015
I just didn't get the same feel for this book as I did from The Vampire. Not to say the book wasn't good. It was. I just...hmmm, I guess there was just too much jumping around for me. I am hoping the next book will appeal to me more. I still am going to read the series since I still enjoyed the book just not as much as I had hoped.
April 1, 2013
I felt like I was reading someone's diary "…and then this happened and then this person said that…." This went on for half the book.
I also thought the story was way too long and lacked focus. The ending was a bit lame - the whole stalker storyline was kind of odd....it didn't fit and felt like it had been tagged on at the end as an afterthought.
I also thought the story was way too long and lacked focus. The ending was a bit lame - the whole stalker storyline was kind of odd....it didn't fit and felt like it had been tagged on at the end as an afterthought.
May 13, 2013
I really liked this story--raw and gritty with lots of energy. I loved the characters--they felt very real and true to me. (Even though I wanted to knock their heads together!) I will definitely be reading more of Melanie's stuff!
February 17, 2014
4.25 stars
April 25, 2013
Want the American (original) version of this. Read Daron's Guitar Chronicles by Cecilia Tan. It's free online journal. You can even download volume one free from amazon.
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