Jerry > Recent Status Updates

Listening to the book, so not entirely sure of percentage completion.
They just had sex, Jason has rushed to the hospital because his parents arrived and upset Maggie. He’s feeling guilty and the whole set up is way over the top. As many friends wrote in their review—it feels formulaic.
I’m also reading These Old Lies, a historical set in WWI. That has really believable characters and situations.

I find as I get further into the book the chapters set in Flanders during the war give me a sense of dread as to what horror they will inflict. I mostly read at night and war atrocities are not conducive for pleasant sleep so I need to find time during the day for those chapters.
I am loving the story.

In school it seemed like I learned more about WWII than WWI and it’s both fascinating and horrendous to read the details of mustard gas and trench warfare. I do like the timeline changing as the story plays out and you learn a little more about both men.
I must say the author so far is doing an amazing job for a first novel. Her bio does say she studied the war in school and obviously the research paid off.

Maybe it is just the difference between when it was written and 2022, but the military animosity to gay people seems over the top. Also the only men aspect of the stations also seems kind of dated, like the book was written in the 60’s before all the women were encouraged to join.
I think the narrator is good.

I am in Chapter 12, wherever that is in the book, guessing at the percentage.
I have been to Japan more than 50 times, mostly for business. I regret that I have not delved into Japan's history. This book has seduced me into researching more. In fact, I plan to read it so I can research all of the terms, places and see if I can find art for the period. Very cool book. Great narration, need to check him out too.

Goodreads needs to add hours or something for an audio book.
I'm 7 hours in, approx 25%. Tora Bora.
I am ever so slightly reminded of "Special Forces" with gays, Afghans, Muslims, military etc....different circumstances, yet the centuries old war for Afghanistan. Although John Solo sometimes grates, I am OK with him in this book.

I started this over a month ago. I had so loved the first of the series and cared about these guys so much. I was dumbstruck, gobsmacked by the start of this I had to stop. I have read some pretty gruesome books, but this was a real test. I would read a chapter, get to a disgusting part and put it down for a week. I am finally at the climax. I know there is a HFN or even a HEA, but this is really tough.

I am liking this for the most part. Technology and current slang are always an issue in any scifi book or movie. I like the story and the world building, but the 21st century earth lingo doesn't fit with the time of this story in the far future. Interesting to include religion in this. And I know that humans will always have to relearn almost everything but to still find homophobia in the future is depressing.

Kind of surreal to be listening to this when the Supreme Court decision came down today. As an out gay man who has been bullied, listening about Kamany standing up to the government is thrilling.

Goodreads does not offer the edition I am "reading" as it is Audible. It is narrated by Kyla Garcia. I had so loved Days Without End that it was a given that I would read the sequel. Whereas the first book was about John Cole and Thomas McNulty, a gay couple in the 19th century, this is about their adopted daughter who is Indian. So far it is not as violent as the first, but quite full of prejudice. Loving it.

Finally finished the black voter drive in Mississippi with an awful taste in my mouth for how awful the prejudice was and for the most part still is in the south.
Now onto another hell hole, Vietnam. Oh joy. Both of my older brothers served in Vietnam. I was kind of forced to watch it every night at dinner when the 6:00 news came on.

I am pretty much devastated at the tragic turn of events in Tristan’s life. After the bravery he showed at the courthouse. I now have a fear this is going to continue thru the book. Please dear God let some good things happen to this boy. Can I also say how the southern politeness is a thin veneer of molasses on rotten human scum.

In reading the blurb I felt interested but not expecting what I am finding. I love the story and the writing and the feeling the author lived this life. As a “Preachers Kid” myself, I clearly understand Tristan’s early life. At this point in the novel, I truly respect his daddy and wish my preacher daddy was more like Tristan’s. Loving this so far!

In reading the blurb I felt interested but not expecting what I am finding. I love the story and the writing and the feeling the author lived this life. As a “Preachers Kid” myself, I clearly understand Tristan’s early life. At this point in the novel, I truly respect his daddy and wish my preacher daddy was more like Tristan’s. Loving this so far!

Tal writes such realistic characters and the dialog is done so well. Tal's personal life experiences allow him to bring realism to the details which makes the story for me. I know people like Tom who are so afraid to come out. Mike's story is a little less so to me only because I have not met someone like him. He seems too good to be true, but I've fallen in love with him anyway. Gay romance by a male writer!

The description of their participation in the Indian Wars is truly stomach turning. I almost stopped. But I have read Cut Hand and the sequels so I guess I have built up some resistance to that immense brutality.
This is the only Sebastian Barry book I have read, and it reads like a straight man who is afraid of gay sex. He is OK with gay relationships, but nothing beyond a kiss.

I am listening to this on Audible, read by Aidan Kelly who has a wonderful Irish voice.
OMG the way this book is written is gorgeous. The setting, descriptions are all so exquisite. The MC's are handsome and beautiful. Their love is not fully told. There is just a sentence now and again. At the end of one scene the author writes "they go back to their quarters and fuck before falling asleep". Not a romance.

I am making an attempt to clean up my “currently reading” shelf. I had finished this book back in 2016 but don’t remember enough to write a review. So back to square one.

I know Michael Leslie did a fantastic job on the other TJ Klune books, but I am terribly missing Derrick Mc Clain’s Voice. It is just not the same.

I love the naming of the chapters after a dance move and then the description of the move. The chapter then has something very similar to the dance move.
Heidi is very good at describing ballroom dance. It sounds like she might have danced? She also seems to know ballet, but is not as facile in its description.
I wish Laurie was not so freaked out about sex and I wish Ed could actually say what he was feeling.

I'm not thrilled with it yet. The two MC's are both huge muscled young guys, not that I don't like muscular jocks, it just seems a little cliche to me. So far it hasn't grabbed me which always means it takes longer to read as I find other interests.

The book sounded so good and it started very well. However as the major character's impending death became apparent, I became less inclined to read. I've taken so long to get to this point. Maybe now I can enjoy better. Although I have been at odds with Trevor's relationship with Carl. It hasn't seemed like they are at the point of "forever and marriage".

The start was good, but then got tedious. I don't want to minimize either MC's PTSD, they have both had traumatic experiences and I think the idea of them helping each other is a good premise. I like good sex, but the amount of sex is getting tedious because it does not move the story forward. Maybe that is the authors point that they are relying too much on sex to build whatever kind of relationship they have. DNF

The actions and words of this work make it tough for me to read very much at a time. I’m not liking either one of them right now. Nathan because he towed the line his father set and Jason because he doesn’t know how to be human and kind.

When I started the book I realized that it was more controversial than my quick read of the blurb. I read a few reviews, positive and quite a few negative ones. I considered a DNF. Once I got thru the prolog (the video recording of them having sex) I realized I wanted to read it. The dialog of both guys is mostly in their heads. True to life. It is better than I feared with valid points on many sides.

Ive learned that once Jason outed Nathan, Jason was the one that was hung out to dry. The outrage was against him and not the camp or the preacher. Jason still has feelings for Nathan. Hard to understand that because of the outing and that so far it doesn’t appear that they had any relationship before that disastrous evening. Jason’s mother is showing signs that her relationship with her husband the preacher is off.

Ive learned that once Jason outed Nathan, Jason was the one that was hung out to dry. The outrage was against him and not the camp or the preacher. Jason still has feelings for Nathan. Hard to understand that because of the outing and that so far it doesn’t appear that they had any relationship before that disastrous evening. Jason’s mother is showing signs that her relationship with her husband the preacher is off.

Just started the book and already have a horrible feeling of dread. The premis of the blurb sounded OK, but the actuality of reading it makes me queasy. Not enough to quit, but I’m unsure about the motives of Jason.