liza5326's review
4.0
When tabloid writer, Jae-Sun sets out to uncover the person who dares to satirize the book that defines his entire existence, he never thought he would uncover secrets like this. I was completely in love with Jae and Kelly, and especially Will. The story itself was interesting and sad at times, especially when it came to the backlash of previous articles. It was a cautionary tale of how damaging the news can truly be.
rissa53's review
4.0
I really liked all the characters here, especially the supporting characters (Will and Shannon)!
This was both a very sad and hopeful book! (So much tragedy in the past, heartbreaking - but it ends in such a good note.)
I enjoyed reading it! :)
This was both a very sad and hopeful book! (So much tragedy in the past, heartbreaking - but it ends in such a good note.)
I enjoyed reading it! :)
evila_elf's review
4.0
This book was a lot of fun. It completely won me over when it mentioned Livejournal ;) A lot of fun and entertaining characters, and I enjoyed all the technobabble!
I wish Will was a little more developed. I would have liked to have seen more with him and his Dad. It was a Big Deal the dad showing up, but I didn't feel there was enough payoff.
It is a tiny bit predictable, but the fun of getting there is worth it.
I wish Will was a little more developed. I would have liked to have seen more with him and his Dad. It was a Big Deal the dad showing up, but I didn't feel there was enough payoff.
It is a tiny bit predictable, but the fun of getting there is worth it.
lauraadriana78's review
4.0
For some reason I’m not completely sure of, I had not yet read ePistols at Dawn by Z.A. Maxfield. Not only am I a HUGE fan of her books, but I happen to LOVE epistolary stories. There are few things I find more charming than a story of two people getting to know each other at a distance. The excitment of getting a new email or letter. Reading i, and uncovering new things you didn’t know about the other person. I’ve always had a soft spot for a story like that. This story had charm to spare, and it was also thought provoking. This book was published in 2009, and in the course of the story California went from gay marriage being legal to having it revoked. Marriage equality, mental illness, fandom, privacy,the trials of growing older, friendship, courage, cowardice, all these things and more are touched upon in this novel, with what I thought was true wisdom. I am really glad this book managed to slip by me actually and that I didn’t read it until now. I don’t think I would have appreciated what a wonderfully rich story it is early on during my compulsive reading days.
All the trouble starts with a bet. Kelly Mackay, author, screenwriter and recluse, loses a bet to his houseboy (yes, houseboy) and has to write a smut filled parody of his own book. The book, Doorways, is a coming of age novel which he wrote while in college, under the name Kieran Anders. It is his only published novel, the book and he have become a sort of pop culture myth. The book has enormous significance to gay men, it is a pained tale that many a young man can relate to, during their own agonizing time to come out to the world. Kelly knew he was sort of messing with something sacred, but what the heck?! It had been twenty years! The whole thing was sort of fun to be honest. Specially since it made said houseboy, Will Lanier, all purpose twink extraoridnaire and his BFF, super happy.
It’s all fun and games until you piss of a gigantic Korean journalist…Jae-Sun Fields is NOT a happy camper. He is convinced some insane pseudo-erotica lady writer has taken the most important book he’s ever read and turned it into a mockery. Porn with plot is what this parody is, Windows ( and who even thinks THAT play one words is even clever?!). He can barely contain he’s anger, and oh he’s on a mission to find out who this impostor is!!! He won’t stop until he unmasks this Kelly Kendall person. Since he works for a newspaper that has made a name for itself by ‘outing’ those who wish to hide their truth, Jae gets to work to try and find out who this lady is. He starts by sending messages to Kelly under the guise of crazy fangirl, SBerry Fields. Apparently everyone involved in Gay love stories from authors, to readers to publishers are all women…WHO WOULDA KNOWN?! The whole fandom thing is completely puzzling, bue Jae can bullshit with the best of them and pretty soon, he and Kelly Kendall are veritable pen pals. The thing is the guy (I mean LADY!) is kind of awesome, funny and clever and surprisingly introspective. Before very long Jae is looking forward to new messages from Kelly, and enjoying their exchanges more and more. Actually the conversations with Kelly are one of the few things in his life which he is finding genuinely exciting. Jae is finding his job harder and harder to do, mostly because it feels like there are too many instances these days when he is toeing the line of his ethics and moral compass.
Then something bad happens and he realizes just how much he has already crossed it…
The apparent suicide of famous Hollywood actor Hunter Leighton is all over the news, and surprisingly Will has taken the news particularly bad. The man was outed by a newspaper about a year ago, and apparently things did not go well for him after that. Kelly feels terrible for Will, he is not sure what Will past was like, but he also knows that the boy rarely expresses any strong feelings at all, and to see his strong, brave friend so sad makes him want to do whatever he can to make it better. Kelly uses his connections in the industry to attend Leighton’s funeral. Once they are there they run into the reporter who was tied to Hunter when he was outed. The guy is HUGE and HOT, and is totally rocking the gothy/mysterious look. He makes Kelly’s mouth go dry with want. It’s been awhile since he’s even looked twice at someone, much less have enough interest that he is willing to go outside his VERY small comfort zone. But this guy in particular he just screams out DANGER. For Kelly who is almost crippled by the thought of losing his anonimity, getting close to this man would not be wise. Things are about to change, somehow, he can feel it, but can he change with them? Can he really be brave enough to reach out for a chance at love?
I enjoyed the romance between Jae and Kelly, not because it was epic or intense, but because they had missteps and setbacks. They had all kinds of twists and turns in their coming together, but all different ways in which life pulled them back to each other seemed to strong to deny in the end. There was also plenty of humor, from all the characters, not just from Jae and Kelly, but from Kelly and Will. This book in many ways had the feel of a 1950s Rom Com. A lot of fantastic dialogue, lots of misunderstandings and comic relief that came just at the right time. I loved Will’s character, and thought he added a lot to the story. I like that ZAM goes for the unconventional in her stories when it comes to relationship dynamics at times. Will and Kelly were a unit in ways, and Jae had to accept that dynamic if he wanted to be in Kelly’s life.
As humorous as this story was, there was a strong commentary, even personally the book touched aspects of my own life that I don’t regularly stop to think about. Like what is my role in the online community as a reader/reviewer? What it really means to stand for a cause? Is it enough to support quietly or is it our duty to stand in the light and say it?
In the end this was a satisfying love story for me. I thought the way ZAM played out their coming together made sense, and I specially appreciated that none of it was magically resolved. A really great book, and one I am glad I picked up now. I think my views of myself as a romance reader, and about this community have evolved a lot since I came to is a few years ago, so I can appreciate the ironic humor in all of it, and really applaud her for going there!
Certainly recommend, and for a complete review including a FABULISCIOUS recipe for Vegan Pozole Verde. Stop by The Tipsy Bibliophile
All the trouble starts with a bet. Kelly Mackay, author, screenwriter and recluse, loses a bet to his houseboy (yes, houseboy) and has to write a smut filled parody of his own book. The book, Doorways, is a coming of age novel which he wrote while in college, under the name Kieran Anders. It is his only published novel, the book and he have become a sort of pop culture myth. The book has enormous significance to gay men, it is a pained tale that many a young man can relate to, during their own agonizing time to come out to the world. Kelly knew he was sort of messing with something sacred, but what the heck?! It had been twenty years! The whole thing was sort of fun to be honest. Specially since it made said houseboy, Will Lanier, all purpose twink extraoridnaire and his BFF, super happy.
It’s all fun and games until you piss of a gigantic Korean journalist…Jae-Sun Fields is NOT a happy camper. He is convinced some insane pseudo-erotica lady writer has taken the most important book he’s ever read and turned it into a mockery. Porn with plot is what this parody is, Windows ( and who even thinks THAT play one words is even clever?!). He can barely contain he’s anger, and oh he’s on a mission to find out who this impostor is!!! He won’t stop until he unmasks this Kelly Kendall person. Since he works for a newspaper that has made a name for itself by ‘outing’ those who wish to hide their truth, Jae gets to work to try and find out who this lady is. He starts by sending messages to Kelly under the guise of crazy fangirl, SBerry Fields. Apparently everyone involved in Gay love stories from authors, to readers to publishers are all women…WHO WOULDA KNOWN?! The whole fandom thing is completely puzzling, bue Jae can bullshit with the best of them and pretty soon, he and Kelly Kendall are veritable pen pals. The thing is the guy (I mean LADY!) is kind of awesome, funny and clever and surprisingly introspective. Before very long Jae is looking forward to new messages from Kelly, and enjoying their exchanges more and more. Actually the conversations with Kelly are one of the few things in his life which he is finding genuinely exciting. Jae is finding his job harder and harder to do, mostly because it feels like there are too many instances these days when he is toeing the line of his ethics and moral compass.
Then something bad happens and he realizes just how much he has already crossed it…
The apparent suicide of famous Hollywood actor Hunter Leighton is all over the news, and surprisingly Will has taken the news particularly bad. The man was outed by a newspaper about a year ago, and apparently things did not go well for him after that. Kelly feels terrible for Will, he is not sure what Will past was like, but he also knows that the boy rarely expresses any strong feelings at all, and to see his strong, brave friend so sad makes him want to do whatever he can to make it better. Kelly uses his connections in the industry to attend Leighton’s funeral. Once they are there they run into the reporter who was tied to Hunter when he was outed. The guy is HUGE and HOT, and is totally rocking the gothy/mysterious look. He makes Kelly’s mouth go dry with want. It’s been awhile since he’s even looked twice at someone, much less have enough interest that he is willing to go outside his VERY small comfort zone. But this guy in particular he just screams out DANGER. For Kelly who is almost crippled by the thought of losing his anonimity, getting close to this man would not be wise. Things are about to change, somehow, he can feel it, but can he change with them? Can he really be brave enough to reach out for a chance at love?
I enjoyed the romance between Jae and Kelly, not because it was epic or intense, but because they had missteps and setbacks. They had all kinds of twists and turns in their coming together, but all different ways in which life pulled them back to each other seemed to strong to deny in the end. There was also plenty of humor, from all the characters, not just from Jae and Kelly, but from Kelly and Will. This book in many ways had the feel of a 1950s Rom Com. A lot of fantastic dialogue, lots of misunderstandings and comic relief that came just at the right time. I loved Will’s character, and thought he added a lot to the story. I like that ZAM goes for the unconventional in her stories when it comes to relationship dynamics at times. Will and Kelly were a unit in ways, and Jae had to accept that dynamic if he wanted to be in Kelly’s life.
As humorous as this story was, there was a strong commentary, even personally the book touched aspects of my own life that I don’t regularly stop to think about. Like what is my role in the online community as a reader/reviewer? What it really means to stand for a cause? Is it enough to support quietly or is it our duty to stand in the light and say it?
In the end this was a satisfying love story for me. I thought the way ZAM played out their coming together made sense, and I specially appreciated that none of it was magically resolved. A really great book, and one I am glad I picked up now. I think my views of myself as a romance reader, and about this community have evolved a lot since I came to is a few years ago, so I can appreciate the ironic humor in all of it, and really applaud her for going there!
Certainly recommend, and for a complete review including a FABULISCIOUS recipe for Vegan Pozole Verde. Stop by The Tipsy Bibliophile
poultrymunitions's review
2.0
dazed and confused.
i'm kinda baffled, here.
i don't understand how the same person can have written the kind of elegant, restrained characterization that left me cooing like a pigeon on three separate occasions and the sort of wildly OTT plotting that featured
i don't get it.
and the sex made me angry. lovely, sensual intimacy, ruined by ridiculously hypervigilant condom choreography. which required noting every time someone put one on, where it came from, and where it went afterwards—because way hot, right?
and while i assume there must be some people in this world who are AllCondomEverything, i really can't be having with enrubbered blowjobs in my lazy smutfic reading time—because it's flat-out nasty, and vanishingly rare, and kinda silly when the very next scene features delicious asslicking.
without a dental dam.
*annoyed*
so: five-star characters, one-star plot, a bizarre pun in the title, and sex that drove me mental.
and must every korean character in these things be named jae-sun?
i'm kinda baffled, here.
i don't understand how the same person can have written the kind of elegant, restrained characterization that left me cooing like a pigeon on three separate occasions and the sort of wildly OTT plotting that featured
Spoiler
a murder, a couple instances of casual cyberstalking, like, eighteen secret identities, two suicides, several panic attacks, a boy getting run down in the street by a car, and a pedobear.i don't get it.
and the sex made me angry. lovely, sensual intimacy, ruined by ridiculously hypervigilant condom choreography. which required noting every time someone put one on, where it came from, and where it went afterwards—because way hot, right?
and while i assume there must be some people in this world who are AllCondomEverything, i really can't be having with enrubbered blowjobs in my lazy smutfic reading time—because it's flat-out nasty, and vanishingly rare, and kinda silly when the very next scene features delicious asslicking.
without a dental dam.
*annoyed*
so: five-star characters, one-star plot, a bizarre pun in the title, and sex that drove me mental.
and must every korean character in these things be named jae-sun?
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