Rhavensfyre

This is my seventh work by Rhavensfyre that I've read. Five of which have been in the Chase & Rowan series, one of which was a Zombie book, and then this one here. Considering what I've read, I found it vaguely humorous when there was an end note noting that this one was 'different' or however that was worded. Well, yeah, considering the only other things I've read by this author is a series of short stories (Chase & Rowan) and a full length zombie book . . . a full length lesbian romance is different. I had the impression that they meant something else. Maybe. heh. (eta: I used both singular and plural to mention the author in that paragraph; well, I always had the impression that there were two women, married to each other, who were using this Rhavensfyre name to write books. But one of the first sentences in this here book's end-notes said something like 'Rhavensfyre is the pen name of Award winning east coast writer, KL.' Then later references to the author involved using 'we', as in 'We hope to keep bringing you peeks of Chase and Rowan’s life together throughout the years.' So now I'm confused as to whether the books are a two person project, all but this one were a two person project, or what. Then again, for this specific book, it says 'We introduce a new set of characters . . .' which implies more than one author. Maybe the first sentence was written somehow either incorrectly, or incompletely?)

So, a high powered woman in the fashion industry, head of her own company, has some health issues. And is talked into taking a month off for some rest and relaxation. Allyse De Leon, a type of 'high powered woman' who makes grown men squeal in fear, is off for a month on a farm. To which she arrives dressed in a power suit and high heels. With similar type of outfits in her luggage. She is meet by one Dani Saxon, owner and operator of the farm. Who wasn't exactly given the chance to say no to this invasion set up by her uncle - who happens to be Allyse's business partner.

Dani is a strong stubborn woman who is also skittish as a colt. Somewhat quick to jump to conclusions, and then have long thinking sessions, while walking all night.

Allyse is also a strong stubborn woman, but, to a certain extent, that's the persona that she adopted to be able to operate as a head of a fashion house. While on the farm she attempts to relearn and/or remember the woman underneath the persona.

Both women also happen to share at least two similarities, the first being that they find themselves attracted to the other, and the second being that they are somewhat nervous about whether or not the other is even a lesbian. That is kind of a groan-worthy type of somewhat overused cliche for a theme, but it was handled a lot better than expected in this book.

Solid characterizations, at least of the two main characters. Good interesting story. The story-line created a massive issue/problem that never got resolved, but the book ended well enough, despite that.… (lisätietoja)

My sixth story by Rhavensfyre. First one that involved Zombies. Also first one that included the writers behind Rhavensfyre as the characters. Roxy and KL.

Roxy and KL head on over to a comic convention. Dressed up in costumes. Their little zombie role-playing group will have a booth there. Hmm. My ability to form coherent sentences appears to be offline. Drat.

The transformation from human to zombie was not one I'd seen before. Roxy and KL are wandering around the convention floor, showing off their costumes and directing people to their booth. Suddenly KL and Roxy notice an odd little turn of events. They look around and . . . . everyone's gone all frozen like. Just standing there, like statues. Frozen. They wander, poke, wander. Statues just there. Unmoving. Until they poke one and it squeaks. Roxy and KL are startled, but quickly find out that the woman, Anna Ann I believe she called herself, had stood there frozen because she saw everyone around her all frozen like. And she was afraid. And figured the thing to do was to freeze. So, Anna joins the little group as they head back to the booth to the Zombie Response Team's booth. I mean back to their friends. I already said back to their booth. Not sure why I said that twice.

I don't want to do my normal 'this happened, then that' so . . . I won't. It was an interesting story. Even though the method of zombification was one I hadn't seen before, the story itself reminded me greatly of others I'd read. I don't mean that it wasn't an original story - it was. It's just that I've read . . hmm, I believe two or more stories set at comic conventions that have a sudden outbreak of zombies. The best of the lot being [book:San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats|13641099]. The other one, whose name fails to pop into my brain, was a comic I'd read.

Shesh I'm really out of it right now. mmphs. Okay, I'll just note: original story, despite my reference to others that involved zombies and comic conventions. A good solid story, probably worth 4.5 stars. So, my second favorite comic con story. This isn't my third comic con story, just my third zombie outbreak at a comic con. Actually, there might have been two comics that involved a zombie outbreak at a comic convention. No matter. Point is this one was solid.… (lisätietoja)

I realize two things: 1) Maria is a deep friend of Rowans; 2) my opinion of her is probably a lonely one, but I just don't like her. And her interfering domineering ways. It's not cute, it's not . . . quaint, it's not loving. It's overpowering and overwhelming stubbornness. Expecting things from others that she doesn't give them, like open communication, reasonable attempts made to not deliberately lie or conceal. But, meh.

Oh, and explaining it as "earthier" . . . is that supposed to mean something? Like she should be allowed to get her way because she is "earthier"? bah.

"If we’re lucky, Stacie will be able to counter whatever plans Maria has for us.” (Kindle Locations 140-141). What an annoying thing to say.

"The unexpected summons, and she would definitely call it a summons… was enough for her dad to cancel their run." (Kindle Locations 166-167). - for fuck sake. Summons? Seriously?

"I’m giving us two weeks before Maria lets us out of her clutches." (Kindle Locations 214-215). - I'm supposed to find Maria endearing, cute, and all that, right? mmphs. By the point this line is uttered, Maria hadn't even had any lines in the story yet and she was already pissing me off.

I mean, if there was some issue, some problem, some illness that required help, that's one thing. But to call it a summons? bah. To deliberately conceal, deceive, hide facts?

heh. And why the fuck does Maria not help out around the place? I ask after reading something about Maria just finishing up her yoga exercises. Which were mentioned some short time after Chase was thinking out odd it was for Stacie to do all the work there by herself. I didn't immediately think of anything right then, but then fat domineering Maria lazily got up from her yoga and . . . I wondered what the fuck was going on here. bah.

Man that fucking pisses me off. It's not even miscommunication, it's deliberately concealing information, it's deliberately not communicating. And just showing up with the horses. Like - here, you have no choice, here's your horses. pfft. I'm being vague on purpose.

"Too much is happening that I don’t seem to have a say in.” - as said by Chase. (Kindle Locations 1282-1283). - too fucking right. She's told that the family goes to Maria and Stacie's for Christmas, every year (or they come to California), no exceptions (and every year). And she's family now so . . .. No choice. No fucking choice. Now - go over there, now go over here, now here's your horses. You have no say in the matter. That's kind of why I'm pissed off. Chase probably would have been more than happy to agree to everything that has occurred. Going to Arizona for Christmas, having her horses driven over, etc. But she keeps being given these "this is what's going to happen, no choice" deals. Why the fuck? Fuck it. It's like she's their fucking slave.

“I brought Smoothy and Little Man with me to make it easier for you to consider what Maria and Stacie are going to ask Rowan to do.” (Kindle Locations 1286-1287). - That's what I mean. Backed into corners. 'Your horses are here now, wouldn't you rather just agree to live here now?' fucking hell. She probably would have agreed (because her home is wherever Rowan is, but people around her still think they need to put her in a corner), but . . what the fuck?

"Don’t make me fire you so you realize you’re going to be my daughter-in-law and not my employee. Family doesn’t get paid as well.” - as said by Dee to Chase. (Kindle Locations 1293-1294). - Yeah, that's fucking obvious. Family are just slaves to Dee to be ordered around. Backed into corners. Their decisions taken away.

"Maria firmly enforced the rules she had laid out to everyone." (Kindle Locations 1302-1303). - quoted without comment.

'Rowan had to give that one to him, no one should plan someone else’s life for them. Except… Oh, God. Chase.' (Kindle Locations 1350-1351). - quoted without comment.… (lisätietoja)

Kind of odd to say, but this was just a little too short, sadly.

Ah, right, I actually made random notes as I read.

"She had barely recovered from Thanksgiving before they managed to pull another surprise on her." (Kindle Location 37). - Hate comments like that. Makes me paranoid that I missed a story or something. I keep glancing over at GoodReads to see if there was some Chase & Rowan story I missed. I know of no story that includes Thanksgiving.

"As for the St. John family, everyone— and he did mean every one, was expected to pack up and head out to Arizona to spend Christmas with Stacie and Maria." (Kindle Locations 42-43). - Oddly, that very very vaguely pisses me off. It doesn't lead me to think "ooh, being allowed in on family stuff because you be family now" but leads me instead to "you do this, you have no say in the matter; this and nothing else is your only option. DOOO ITTTT." But it's only a vague wiggling of my ears, ready to be all annoyed. Chase is acting too goofy and smiley for it to annoy me too much, though.

So. Two notes I made. I very wordy, me. heh. Usually Christmas-y stories, and family gatherings make me all happy and tingle, and give high ratings. This time it, and maybe this is a credit to the writers, maybe, this time it felt too real. heh. Like, I don't actually like family gatherings in real life. And that bit about how everything was basically scripted out, without a script, at dinner was just annoying. Claustrophobic. And the oddly fighting siblings, and the . . well, I stop now. Just certain things annoyed me.… (lisätietoja)