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Book 744: Better Than People (Garnet Run #1) – Roan Parrish

I of course grabbed a copy of this from NetGalley when I saw the cover because it’s freakin’ adorable.* I’m also, miraculously, pushing this post on the same day it’s published which RARELY happens! Don’t get me wrong, I love the ones with abs, but a cute dog and two guys clearly dressed for fall holding hands, sing me up.

This is the story of Jack, who breaks a bone in his leg/ankle while walking his pack of dogs, and Simon, a super anxious guy who loves animals but has trouble being around, speaking to or interacting with people.

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Book 742: Crime Dot Com – Geoff White

I honestly don’t know how people exist without being paranoid ALL THE TIME. When I first said yes to this after the publicist reached out, it was like 95% because the author’s first name was Geoff and 5% because the subject was interesting. And then I found myself completely absorbed with this book.*

Now I’m not saying we’re totally screwed, but I mean we’re not really that far from being totally screwed and White does a really good job of explaining all of it. He takes an in depth look at the start of cybercrime with the quaint “Love Bug” virus (Wikipedia) to the state sponsored hacking/cyber assault that nudged us into the rotting cesspool of Trumpism that is the US right now.
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Updates

July Recap 2020

Lamp casting geometric patterns on a white tableAnd there goes July.

Not going on vacation and not physically going to work has made this summer move by even faster than usual. We’ve spent most of it hunkered down in the AC because it’s been miserably hot in Boston off and on. We have been able to squeeze in some roof deck time in the evenings when it cools off, but for the most part it’s AC all the way.

Books and Bookish Things
I got a lot of reading done this month, 16 books. That just behind the 18 I read in May, but well ahead of the 12 in April! This pandemic has really done a number on my reading (oh hey, MM Romances :-D).

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Book 734: It’s a Steal – Arden O’Keefe

This is not a good book. It is not well written (story or characters) and it is definitely not well edited (any type, but especially copy or developmental). The shocking part, to me at least, is that I have to assume the author has paid an editor (listed in the front matter) AND a promotional group (Gay Romance Reviews) to produce this “final copy” version and I’m still writing this scathing commentary on it.*

If I were the author and read what I’m about to write, I’d demand my money back from the editor and politely ask the promotion company to pause all promotions while I paid someone else to re-edit it. But take my response for what it’s worth, the other Goodreads reviews have all rated it 3-5 stars and complemented the “cute story”.

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Book 728: Where the Boys Are – Christopher Murphy

I took quite a few days before writing this review because I wanted to be thoughtful in my critique and honest in what did and didn’t work.

It’s always a little bit harder to write a response to a novel when it’s the author who reaches out to you to review their work.* I know how much of themselves authors put into their books and to then put it out in the world, I mean come on that’s more nerve than I’ll probably ever muster, so kudos to all of you out there brave enough to do it.

I’m going to start with what didn’t work, and then end on a high with the things that I really enjoyed about this work. So, stick with me because there were DEFINITELY some highlights!

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