Tag: LGBTQ

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Steamy Recs June 2023

Hi Wild Ones! Happy 4th, if you’re in the US. If not, I hope your summer/winter is going well. I’ve finally gotten some time to post a new recs post. I finished that super long novel I mentioned last time and really wanted to share it with y’all.

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Kushiel’s Scion by Jacqueline Carey

Amazon (print, audio and ebook)* ~ Apple (ebook) ~ Apple (audio) ~ Barnes & Noble (print, audio and ebook) ~ Chirp ~ Google (print, audio and ebook) ~ More Stores ~ Kobo (ebook and audio)

This was the looong book I mentioned before – and it really is long. It is so, so worth it though. First: some background: this is the first book of the second trilogy set in Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel universe. The Kushiel world is a fantasy re-imagining of France filled with beautiful people who just love each other and strive to enjoy all of life’s pleasures. When they’re not fighting for the crown and fending off invasions, of course. That quote comes from an article introducing the first book of the first series, Kushiel’s Dart, with some basics on the world and characters. Kushiel’s Dart focuses on Phedre, a young lady who’s a kinky, queer, courtesan spy. Yeah, it’s complicated. There’s politics and intrigue and adventure and sex (queer and het) and kink in the whole series. It’s a massive fantasy world with a deeply sexual element to it where the sex is integral to the story in surprising ways.

Kushiel’s Scion is the beginning of Imriel’s story, a young noble man coming of age and dealing with a traumatic and traitorous history at the same time – along with his own sadistic and dominant nature. It’s a gentle beginning to his story, which gets a lot more intense in the relationship area in the second book (I’ve already started reading that one). Scion has great characters, fun intrigue, and a lot of adventure. It’s a great read.

I highly recommend the world of Kushiel to anyone who likes really epic fantasy. Dart would probably be the best book to start with, but Scion can stand alone and is a great book in its own right. Either way, pick one of them up if you want to get lost in an epic read.

Smiley

I absolutely loved this. A wrong-number voicemail connects a hot bartender and a sentimental architect. It’s a lovely queer odd-couple show that’s hot, sweet, and full of other characters (both queer and het) that I really enjoyed. It’s great for when you want something light and fun with a great ending – although I hope there’s another season because one little thing felt unresolved for me with some side characters. Overall it was a lot of fun.

What have you read and watched this month? Hit reply and let me know if you have something fantastic!

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Steamy Recs October 2022

Hi Wild Ones! This is for September and October, since September got away from me and I didn’t post anything. Whoops!

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Kinks and Crosshairs by M.C. Roth

Amazon* ~ Apple ~ Barnes & Noble ~ More Stores ~ Kobo*

I really enjoyed this one. The kink was primal and hardcore, the suspense was fun and exciting, and the romance heartwarming. If you like your kink with a lot of rough-and-tumble chasing and claiming, this one’s for you! I got this one as a review copy on Booksprout, but honestly loved it.

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Amazon* ~ Apple ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Chirp ~ More Stores ~ Kobo*

So much delightful humor in Boyfriend Material. I laughed throughout. I was also utterly charmed by Luc and Oliver, more than I expected to be. They are the best of the fake boyfriends trope: utterly mismatched, yet totally right for each other in all the best possible ways. I laughed, I cried, and I wanted to smish them both with hugs by the end. I actually listened to the audiobook of this and really loved it.

What have you read and watched this month? Hit reply and let me know if you have something fantastic!

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Steamy Recs August 2022

Hi Wild Ones! I’ve got all the sexy gay men for you this month! Plus some heavy kink and a little holiday cheer.

*Denotes an affiliate link, which means I earn a small commission from sales using this link.

Kinked Up by M.C. Roth

Amazon* ~ Apple ~ Barnes & Noble ~ More Stores ~ Kobo*

Here we’ve got consensual non-consent play, pain play, and a very yummy submissive looking for someone to take him in hand and give him the ride of his life. If you like your kink hardcore and with two sexy men, plus some relationship angst thrown in, you’ll enjoy this one as much as I did.

Single All the Way

A little Christmas in July (or August) for you. This was warm, jolly, festive, heartwarming and full of sexy men. If you’re looking for a delightful gay holiday movie, this is it. I’ve never watched a holiday movie in the summer, but it was surprisingly fun. I imagine that if you’re in the southern hemisphere you’ll appreciate a cold weather movie right now.

What have you read and watched this month? Hit reply and let me know if you have something fantastic!

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Steamy Recs May 2022

Hi Wild Ones! This was a fun month, with some excellent discoveries. I wound up watching a lot this month, due to being down with a cold for a few days.

*Denotes an affiliate link, which means I earn a small commission from sales using this link.

Assassins in Love by Kris DeLake

Amazon* ~ Apple ~ More Stores ~ Kobo*

This was such a fun space adventure story. It was steamy, and went in unexpected directions. I loved the ways the characters grew, both together and as individuals. I enjoyed the science fiction angle, and would love to read more about them. There’s a second book in the series I have my eye on, as well as some short stories.

Missing Ink by E.J. Frost

Amazon*

I absolutely loved the way Frost depicted the D/s relationship in this story. Mac is a wonderful Dom: older and experienced, gentle, and tough when he needs to be. He’s so loving and gentle with Brenna through much of the book and I loved that. It’s also hot as hell when they scene. So much love for a good silver fox character! 😉 Fantastically yummy book, and another series I’m eying.

Heartstopper

On Netflix. This is a coming-of-age teen drama so it’s actually not steamy at all. Instead it’s achingly sweet, in the “everything’s perfect” kind of way. If you’re looking for a hit of happy queer feels, with just a bit of angst along the way, this is your show. It’s got two boys finding each other and choosing love, along with some other interesting characters finding love also along the way (not going to say more so I don’t spoil). The only thing is that I hope there’s a second season because some side characters really need more screen time!

365 Days: This Day

On Netflix. I saw 365 Days a while ago and this one popped up so I decided to watch it while laid up. It’s gorgeously filmed, incredibly erotic, and great fun to watch. I just swoon at their kisses! It’s basically just wall-to-wall sex, with some fun shopping and bestie time with the main character’s best friend. There is a fun BDSM scene, but it’s not really a kinky film. If you haven’t seen the first one, he kidnaps her and gives her 365 days to fall in love with him. If she doesn’t fall for him, he’ll let her go. It’s pure Alpha Male fantasy. If you like that kind of thing you’ll love these. There is actually a plot, but it takes a major backseat to the sex. There was a lot more plot in the first movie. I was expecting more in this one, but I’m not sure I really missed it 😉 The plot is there, and it’s kinda interesting, but it’s basically hot and sexy guys for the win. If the Alpha Male Won’t Take No For An Answer story isn’t for you, you won’t like these movies. If you do, then sit back with a glass of wine and your B.O.B. and enjoy.

What have you read and watched this month? Hit reply and let me know if you have something fantastic!

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Steamy Recs April 2022

Hi readers! I’ve decided to start a new monthly feature: the things I’ve read or watched that I’ve really enjoyed and that I think you’ll like, too. So here’s the first installment of the monthly Steamy Recs!

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Eight Kinky Nights by Xan West

Amazon* ~ Apple ~ Kobo* ~ More Stores
I found the most delightful comfort read in this book. It’s all about negotiating a relationship between the two main characters that fulfills them both, and meets their needs in ways no other relationship ever has. That relationship involves kink, but is so much broader than just kink. The characters are Jewish, autistic, polyamorous queer kinky women who are learning how to build a life for themselves that includes all of those parts of themselves, where they don’t have to mask or ignore parts of themselves in order to have a relationship.

This book is full of really interesting opposites: really intense sex scenes and characters discussing their non-sexual asexual preferences. Wonderful found family moments and characters recognizing their own individual strength and abilities. Deep comfort and frank discussions around trauma. Edgy kink play and fluffy slice-of-life scenes. The characters and their lives and relationships are complicated, and the book slowly peels all of that back layer by layer so that by the end I was deeply immersed in them and very satisfied by their happy ending.

I’m not autistic, Jewish or asexual, and yet so much of this book spoke to me on a deep level. Perhaps the parts that do match me (kinky, queer, polyam, with past trauma) were enough to connect with the book on, but I don’t think that’s it. I think the journey to find relationships and people that fully support us is a universal one, even if the characters are coming from a different perspective from us. The beauty of fiction is that it powerfully puts us in other’s shoes by letting us live their life for a while, and this book does that for me in full.

AJ and the Queen

Netflix – no link provided because I can’t figure out how to get a Netflix link anymore.

A couple of weeks ago I logged onto Netflix looking for POSE, which I’d started a couple of months ago but hadn’t gotten very far into. Turns out POSE apparently moved from Netflix to Amazon (available to watch for payment) so it wasn’t available for the night. Anyway, POSE wasn’t there but Netflix suggested AJ and the Queen so I gave it a shot. I’m so glad I did. It was fun and funny, totally campy, with characters that were unexpected and compelling. I’ll cop to never having watched RuPaul’s Drag Race, so I was fresh to the Drag scene. AJ and the Queen was a delightful look into life as a drag performer today. I came away loving RuPaul’s character, Ruby Red, and his performance. I loved seeing him put together each act and come out as the beautiful person he is. The last scene of the last episode is especially beautiful- the best outfit of the season, gorgeous cinematography, and a very emotional finish. *kisses fingers* Perfect. There’s a lot of comedy in the show, and it has a mainly light feel, but they slip in a lot of lived experience, and not all of it is rainbows and puppies (pun intended). Even today queer life has its hardships, but these characters are so strong and full of zest that you come away loving them. I really hope there’s another season.

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Free Book Recs!

Here are some books by other authors that I’ve enjoyed and thought you’d like, too. They were free at the time I added them to this list, but I don’t control the prices so look before you buy. And drop a comment on this post if you come across any others! I’m always interested in a new kinky or consensual non-monogamous book, and I know my readers are, too.

Enjoy!

These books used to be free but last I checked they aren’t. I’m leaving them up here because I loved them and they’re worth buying. And I hope they become free again in the future.