Reader Views

Torn

Let’s face it - growing up is a terribly confusing process. One day you are playing with dolls or cars, and then all of a sudden you start noticing boys or girls, and maybe both. Finding out who one is and what one really wants can be a long and oftentimes painful process and more often than not, the adolescent has few, if any people, who can really help with the ensuing confusion. Amber Lehman's “Torn” is a brave and candid book about a group of teenagers searching for their identities and dealing with everyday school and family issues.

When she transfers from a Catholic school in Ohio to a public school in California, fourteen-year-old Krista McKinley’s life changes rapidly Very quickly she is befriended by Carrie and Brandon, who in turn introduce her to a bunch of other teens and Krista’s life suddenly does not look so bleak. But teens will be teens and a simple game of truth or dare threatens to shake Krista’s life and her beliefs to the core. Is she gay? Is she straight? Does she love Carrie? Or maybe Daemon? Or is it somebody else who has really captured her heart?

“Torn” frankly and openly speaks about the realities of life faced by today’s teens. It touches upon the subjects of homosexuality, drugs, underage drinking, date rape, statutory rape, STDs, dysfunctional families, absent parents and more. Ms. Lehman’s writing is very fluid and vivid, and her characters colorful, believable and likeable. I particularly enjoyed learning more about Brandon, and I found him the best developed and most thoroughly explained character in the story. Although some of the dilemmas the teens in the book faced did not really resonate with me personally, I definitely see the value of speaking about those matters in the straightforward way that Ms. Lehman used. There was one slightly jarring note in the book for me, namely the way the adults in the book dealt with the issues of underage sex, use of drugs, alcohol and the borderline improper sexual conduct with the minor. I would have liked it better if the book made it clearer that none of those is a good idea and that they are all both illegal and highly dangerous. While I am definitely not closing my eyes against the reality, and I do realize all of those things do and will happen, I would have really liked the book better if the consequences of such behavior would have been more emphasized and the instances of it shown in a less permissive way.

Having said that, I would like to commend Ms. Lehman on a courageous and well written book; “Torn” could certainly help any teenager who feels alone, abandoned and confused.  And I am quite certain that would be quite a large percentage.

Torn
Amber Lehman
Closet Case Press (2009)
ISBN 9780979593369
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (11/09)

Ockham’s Razor: A Novel

From the very first page author Williams has captivated his reading audience by describing vividly his two main characters, Brendan and Micah. Both young men know that their sexuality is in question and are afraid to talk about it.  Being brought up Mormon has its good and bad points and when it comes to one’s sexuality or being of color, those are some things one doesn’t discuss.

Micah, a few years older than Brendan, has left the Church as he doesn’t agree with some of the doctrine and thinking.  Brendan has left the Church as well, but has not discussed his homosexuality with many people; his concern is that he loves dance- ballet and pointe, and no one can understand why a man would do this. He questions his own faith, as does Micah.  What starts out as a friendship grows into an on-again, off-again, relationship after Brendan lets Micah read his journal about his sexual attraction toward him.

During the course of trying to take the relationship slowly, Micah finds he can’t control his feelings or desire. Brendan on the other hand is often negative and critical of Micah, but at the same time initiates romantic and intimate interludes. Their relationship is strenuous to say the least.

I would say that the major theme of “Ockham’s Razor” by Alan Michael Williams as I read it was about the Church and homosexuality.  The author, who was an active Mormon at one time, gives readers good information about the Church’s stance on homosexuality.  The narrative of the story is given from Micah’s point of view with many conversations about pitfalls of the relationship, and who gives more in the relationship.  I found that I wanted to look more into what the Mormons believed about homosexuality and people of color in the church. It was a fast read.

Ockham’s Razor: A Novel
Alan Michael Williams
BookSurge (2009)
ISBN 9781439235270
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer, PhD, for Reader Views (10/09)

Girls Like Us! Season 1

Anike Baba has written a very interesting, fast-paced book about African-American lesbians who deal with straight people, prejudice and the lack of understanding about the lesbian community. Her vivid, upfront, no-nonsense characters will make you laugh, cry and get mad. As you read this book, you can almost feel like you are standing in the same room with these women.

Zoi Baker and AJ are both lesbians who own a bookstore and are writers. Each woman has decided that they do not want to be involved with men or "Curious George" women.
AJ has a little sister, Keisha, whom both women have decided will not become involved in the gay community. They seal this pact in blood. However, what they don’t realize is that the thoughts are already in her head. On her 21st birthday, Keisha makes a pass at Zoi and they end up in bed. Unknown to AJ there is a passion that is there that will last for years. Keisha can’t decide where she wants to be, with a man or with a woman.

As in any relationship, there are ups and downs. Everyone is involved in everyone else’s business. The fast-paced action that the author has provided makes this a book you can’t put down. The drama is there, and the love is there. What is interesting to me is this book really is written for the lesbian community as it provides plenty of between-the-lines thoughts. For someone who is not part of the lesbian community, this reviewer really appreciated the inside look at relationships - truly they are no different from all relationships.

This is the first of the series in this book. "Girls Like Us! Season 1" by Anike Baba ends leaving the readers wanting to know more right away. It leaves you hanging until you can get hold of the next book - what a great way to end it. The author has gotten you to want more.

Note to author:

What I didn’t particularly like is, that as in most books, there is nothing about the author to read. We have no clue who the author really is and what she does in real life. Also, as in most books, there were no reviews from any publishers, other professionals or a synopsis of the book. I hope that changes in the next books.

Girls Like Us! Season 1
Anike Baba
CreateSpace (2008)
ISBN 9781438239101
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer, PhD, for Reader Views (1/09)

Double Bound: A Novel

I have not had the pleasure of reading Mr. Nolan’s first book, "Strings Attached," and feel that it might have helped me with the characters in this particular book. Mr. Nolan has a rich gift of keeping readers glued to his book from the very beginning.

This is the story about Arthur, one of the characters from "Strings Attached." Having a checkered past, Arthur is trying to discover who he is and where he is going in life. Two past loves of his have died and he’s not sure he will find that kind of love again.

Meeting up with Katherine Tyler - an investor - puts him back in the life of a past lover and his now grown son. He is determined that he will not cross the boundaries with Jeremy, a young and confused about-to-come-out gay man, who is also the son of one of his past loves.

Arthur, Jeremy and Carlo travel to Brazil to inspect an exclusive and rich resort that Katherine has invested in. While in Brazil, Carlo wants to try and find a family member who is sick and needing help. However, they land in the home of Dom Fabiano, a slick, handsome man who has other interests than the resort. The three men find themselves in trouble and Jeremy has been kidnapped.

The author, in his description of the characters and their escapades, makes this book a fascinating read. You can almost feel as if you know the characters and are with them during this suspenseful journey. "Double Bound" by Nick Nolan is a story of greed and deception which will make you not want to put the book down.

Double Bound: A Novel
Nick Nolan
BookSurge Publishing (2008)
ISBN 9781439207253
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer, PhD, for Reader Views (1/09)

Island Song

Alan Chin has not only written a beautiful story about lost love and second chances, he has addressed social issues such as "homophobia," cultural differences and fear of what we do not know.

When a person is in love, the whole world looks bright and inviting- all is well – but, when one loses that love- it becomes bleak, dark and forbidding. Garrett is one such person. After his lover died he goes to Hawaii to get away from memories, the world and his job. Little did he know that he was to encounter an adventure of a lifetime. Sitting in a beach shack he becomes friends with a young man name Songoree. Songoree is somewhat shy but has a devilish underside- with his help Garrett learns to discover beauty and peace that isn’t materialistic. Garrett also learns what it is like to desire someone so bad that you can’t think straight. Neither knew that the "guys" on the beach had no tolerance for male-male relationships, until Songoree almost loses his life.

Alan Chin has the wonderful ability to describe scenes and events as if one were right there with the characters. You feel the pain, loss, love and anger. And at the same time you can see the theme for most men involves "being a man" and the tolerance for men who are different will not do. "Island Song" is captivating from the first page till the very last one.

Island Song
Alan Chin
Zumaya Publications, LLC (2008)
ISBN 9781934841020
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer, PhD, for Reader Views (12/08)

Lola Dances

I have to be very honest when I say I have never read a book about this subject, man-man relationships in a fictional format. As a psychologist I have read several books on the study of homosexual relationships, and memoirs of individuals. When I was given this book to review, I really had no idea what it was about.

Having said that, I will honestly say I was very intrigued and impressed with the way Mr. Banis described his characters, the environment and events that occurred. His ability to describe and go into the mind of his characters made you actually feel you were there. I felt sorry for Terry Murphy, anger at the mining camp members and often disgust for his older brother Brian. Yet at the same time, I can see all this happening with our society--ignorance of individuals, taking advantage of individuals who are different from the "main stream."

Terry Murphy was a young effeminate man; his goal was to be a dancer. Hopefully, this goal would get him out of poverty, injustices and provide him the love and attention he wanted and needed. His older brother Brian was your typical "macho" man-- loud, belligerent and selfish. His job was to protect his younger brother from those who might take advantage of him. Brian was very vocal on how he felt about "queers" and what people would do to him and his brother if they found out. It was nothing for him to verbally and physically abuse his younger brother. Eventually, this led to taking advantage of him sexually as well.

Terry was living a very secluded life. He didn’t go out unless he absolutely had to. He knew people were looking at him and making disparaging remarks. Yet at the same time, he was looking for something; he didn’t know what. But he knew in his heart he was "different" than the men in the camp.

A few times Terry is taken advantage of by men who want to exploit him and keep it a secret. Terry is stunned and confused the first time he is raped. He finds a protector, Tom. While Tom and Terry know there is a connection-- neither is experienced enough to know what it is. However, Terry’s brother decides it is time to move away and look for fortune elsewhere.

Terry’s adventures lead him to becoming Lola-- a vibrant, exciting female dancer that attracts all to her. Lola is known everywhere and Terry finds that his two roles of Terry and Lola present two different major feelings.

"Lola Dances" is an incredible story of one individual trying to find his path in life. Mr. Banis did an excellent job. As a psychologist, even though the book is fictional, it really gave me more insight into man-man relationships and the turmoil they often go through. I think it’s time everyone read a book like this and get their head out of the sand.

Lola Dances
Victor J. Banis
MLR Press (2008)
ISBN 9781934531426
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer, PhD for Reader Views (11/08)

Orientation: A Novel About Reincarnation and Love

“Orientation” is surprisingly different from Rick R. Reed’s previous highly suspenseful novels such as “IM” and “High Risk.” Most of his books feature very dysfunctional villains whom the plot circles around. While “Orientation” includes the character of Ethan, who is a frightening yet somewhat inadequate villain, the novel’s real focus is on love rather than suspense or terror.

Robert and Keith were lovers whose relationship lasted only a short time before Keith died of AIDS at Christmas 1983. Robert cared for Keith until the end, and Keith, who was financially well-off from writing popular children’s books, left Robert with enough money to be comfortable the rest of his life. In the years that follow, Robert has had several lovers, but none ever compared to Keith. Robert, now well into his forties, is living with Ethan, who is two decades younger. While their relationship was hot at the start, they have started to grow apart. Robert even suspects Ethan of cheating on him when Ethan makes excuses for why they cannot spend Christmas together.

Alone on Christmas, Robert goes for a walk along the beach. He soon meets, Jess, a young woman who is contemplating drowning herself in Lake Michigan because her girlfriend, Ramona, left her. Robert convinces Jess to come home with him, and then a strange series of coincidences and dreams make Robert and Jess believe she may be Keith reincarnated. To substantiate the possibility, Jess was born the same day Keith died.

Robert, tired of Ethan’s antics, begins contemplating a relationship with Jess. Little does Robert know that Ethan also wants out of their relationship, but in a far more drastic way.  Will Robert end up with Jess? Is Jess really Keith reincarnated? And if so, can a gay man love a lesbian woman?

Rick R. Reed puts his characters in a difficult situation. The concept of reincarnation and two lovers meeting again is not completely original in fiction, but Reed has done his research—he mentions the real life story of Bridey Murphy’s claim to reincarnation, and he adds a gay twist to the reincarnation plot. I was also reminded of the more disturbing scenes in the Nicole Kidman film, “Birth,” where a child was Kidman’s reincarnated husband. While Reed explored paranormal possibilities, I appreciated the realistic ending.

Fans of Reed’s novels will be entertained by Ethan’s attractive villain role—I actually found him the most interesting character in the book—but readers will also note a different tone to this book which suggests Reed is seeking to express himself in new ways, pushing against the limits of his genre just enough not to lose his faithful readership, yet to explore deeper questions, not simply about being gay, but about what it is to love someone.

“Orientation” is not my favorite of Rick R. Reed’s novels, and I think the end is a bit contrived to reflect the suspense ending his fans would expect, but I appreciate his effort to push the genre’s boundaries. I will be interested to see if he continues to look deeper into his characters’ emotions beyond the fear, lust, and anger that motivated his previous villains. I also enjoy the paranormal possibilities he only slightly experimented with in “Deadly Vision” and now in “Orientation.” I would like to see him focus more on the paranormal in his future novels.

Orientation
Rick R. Reed
Amber Quill Press (2008)
ISBN 9781602729377
Reviewed by Tyler R. Tichelaar for Reader Views (7/08)

The Handyman’s Promise

“The Handyman’s Promise,” is the third book in a series about handyman Ed Stephens.  It begins in 1983, when Ed’s partner Rick Benton is preparing to return home to him after living in Indianapolis for over a year.  Rick moved away to get training in a career in real estate; now he is coming home so that he can work in his home town and continue his life with Ed.  Both of them seem to love each other deeply and to be committed to their relationship.

Ed has some insecurity in regards to Rick’s fidelity because of the pain and betrayal that he has seen some of his friends experience in their homosexual relationships.  This is the time of the advent of AIDS, so that adds to his concerns.  Still he is happy to have Rick back home.  Being a gay couple is not easy in this small Indiana town.  They have some experiences with intolerance and hatred.  They also see their gay friends going through rough times, especially with their families.  But the people that they do have in their lives that care about them are really wonderful people.

In this story, the author takes us back into the 1980s.  His mention of songs that came from that era caused them to play in my head as I read.  This really made me feel like I was back in that time.  Also when he discusses the AIDS issue, it brought back a lot of memories for me.  I worked in a hospital at that time, and the Vice President of the hospital’s brother was in ICU with AIDS.  I remember him getting top care, yet no one really knew how to treat him.  I also remember a friend being diagnosed with AIDS.  It was such a helpless feeling to know that there was nothing that could be done.  These memories made Ed and Rick’s story seem more real to me.  

“The Handyman’s Promise” tells the story of two men who want to build their lives together and share their dreams with each other.  It is empowering to see them work towards their goals together and to build meaningful relationships with the people around them.  I think that many couples could a lot about relationships from reading their story.  I highly recommend this novel.

The Handyman’s Promise
Nick Poff
AuthorHouse (2008)
ISBN 9781434370549      
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (6/08)

God’s Army to Purge Homosexuality

In February of 1977, a group who calls themselves “The Army of God,” took responsibility for bombing a gay night club. This group is known for bombing abortion clinics. For some reason, they seem to think that people that are gay are responsible for abortions. I find this interesting because people that are gay can’t get each other pregnant. “God’s Army to Purge Homosexuality” is a fictional story written with this incident in mind.

Charles MacDougale is secretly gay. He has kept this secret through his 35-year marriage. He is very well connected and has tremendous influence over the Republican Party. Keeping his sexuality a secret, he privately helps fund support for homosexual groups. When a radical anti-abortion group starts bombing gay bars, he hires Nicole, his bodyguard, and Brent, a private investigator, to go undercover to discover who is responsible. Nicole and Brent pose as a married couple to infiltrate this group. What is interesting about this is that they are both homosexual and in spite of their attractiveness, they have no relationship interest in each other.

As Nicole and Brent go undercover, they have to deal with some very unsavory characters who appear to be fine upstanding citizens on the surface. As they do their undercover work, more bombings occur that affect them personally and a tragedy strikes close to home. This makes the situation even more dangerous for the duo. It also helps them to grow personally because they develop a deeper friendship with each other.

I really found this book to be interesting. It is very scary to know that there are radical groups in our country that feel that it is okay to kill people for their cause. Wanting more information about the real incident that happened, I investigated on the Internet and learned a lot. In addition to gaining knowledge, I also really enjoyed the story. Bourgeois definitely has a talent for developing complex plots and creating interesting characters. Having read tons of romance novels, I really enjoyed the way that he developed the relationship between the two characters. They bonded into a real friendship that was not marred by sexual tension. They also developed a better understanding for each other's differences.

“God’s Army to Purge Homosexuality” is really a good book; however, it is not for people who are anti-abortion or anti-homosexual. Everybody else will find this book compelling, and refreshingly different.

God’s Army to Purge Homosexuality
B. Alan Bourgeois
Wizard Consulting and Publishing (2008)
ISBN 9780979628801
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (3/08)

Darkness Descending

This was the first book of this type that I had ever read. It was an eye-opening experience. This type of family problems has not affected me closely. I am aware that most families have some family member who is bisexual but have not realized until I read “Dark Descending” how deeply it affects everyone within that person’s circle - family/friends/co-workers/innocent bystanders.

The book takes a man, who loves his family more deeply than he loves himself, through his trials and tribulations in regards to his homosexuality and how his family accepts/disapproves of his lifestyle. Every family member has his own desires, phobias, and misconceptions to deal with, including their love for each other and the family unity and how his sexual orientation affects them each in their own way.

The son refuses to have anything to do with him. The son, who is a public figure, sees his father through the eyes of his political advisers and contemporary companions. The son will not let his wife or his twin children access his father, returning all gifts for them and himself by stating refusing delivery.

His mother picks her new lover - male - over her son - and his opinion that he is only after her money and not her. She says that he is just like his father - a controller - and that she now does not consider him her son. He is right but by the time his mother figures this out - she has married him and has had a stroke. The new husband does not want to spend the money to pay for the best treatment nor the time to spend with her - so he takes all the money and leaves.

The man’s lover breaks it off with him because he will not go out in public with him as his boyfriend. The same night his mother disowns him. He ends up in jail, on a holiday weekend, for drinking, by the police who hate homosexuals and cannot find anyone who will post bail. When his son has a friend to finally get him out of jail, he tries to hang himself but is discovered by his son who heard about his grandmother’s heart attack.

Through his treatment by a doctor who treats him like he matters, some staff members who hate homosexuals, an asylum who does nothing but ties him to his bed and refuses to feed or treat him except to keep him medicated, he loses touch with reality. He thinks he is only 15-years-old and remembers nothing after that age.

His son and family come home to take care of him as a friend. They learn to love him and his lover as people. It takes longer for his son to let go of his preconceived idea of homosexuals and their love.

He remembers and takes his lover - who had been beaten and raped severely - away for a vacation, just the two of them to a deserted island. They agreed to move in together and live as a unit. It takes a lot to go against what society feels is considered NORMAL and live and love your life the way you want.

This book is not for those who are homophobic or have bias against people who love their own sex. It is a book for the mature adults who understand love regardless of who loves.

This is an uplifting book - about love - the cover is dark and forbidding. I thought at first it was either a horror or murder mystery book.

“Darkness Descending” is a love story told with all the problems that people have. The only difference is the sexual orientation of the lovers and society’s belief in the normal.

Darkness Descending
Bethann Korsmit
iUniverse (2007)
ISBN 9780595444052
Reviewed by Nancy Wade for Reader Views (1/08)