Tag Archives: review

March 3, 2014 · 12:58 pm

“Screwups” gets its first review – 5 stars!

My new novel Screwups will be coming out on March 7th, and it’s already received a great 5-star review from Brandilyn at Prism Book Alliance!

Is that enough bolds and highlights? Maybe I should add a couple more….

“The characters in the dorm are very real. I felt like I was back in college, myself. I was not in an “artistic” dorm, but I was in the “honors” dorm. Many of the characters were taken right from my own past. I had a Paul. I had a Danny and Jake. I wasn’t nearly as cool as Eva, but we can’t have everything. Even though I am not a gay male, I can certainly relate to some of the issues Jake is holding on to from high school. Everyone will find something to which to relate in Screwups, from the weekly D&D game to the Police Box to the characters surrounding the main couple.

. . .

These people aren’t perfect. There are no pretty ribbons and bows. There is no fairytale romance. What there is is slow and real, hurting, misunderstanding, over reacting, groveling, holding, kissing, loving, and hoping.”

Blurb:

In 1996, Jake Stewart is starting his third year at the University of New Hampshire. Even as a successful business major, he is absolutely miserable. Not only is Jake pursuing a field he hates when he’d rather study art, he is utterly terrified of what will happen if his father finds out he’s gay. When he finally gets up the courage to move into the creative arts dorm on campus, his new roommate, Danny, is openly gay—and there’s no denying the attraction between them.

Danny Sullivan has been out since high school, and he appears comfortable with his sexuality. But something happened in Danny’s past—something that gives him nightmares he refuses to talk about. Unknown to Jake, the way he mistreated his friend, Tom Langois, when Tom came out to him in high school, is mild compared to the way someone very much like Jake treated Danny.

It may be too late to fix the mess Jake made with Tom, but if Jake wants to be with Danny, he’s going to have to fix the mess made by another closeted jock he’s never even met.

Buy link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4756

3 Comments

Filed under College, Contemporary, Drama, gay, New Release, Reviews, Romance

Tagged as Brandilyn, college, contemporary, Dreamspinner Press, gay, jamie fessenden, new release, Prizm Book Alliance, review, romance, Screwups

July 25, 2013 · 5:14 pm

“Billy’s Bones” has taken off!

Since its release on Monday, Billy’s Bones has taken off like a rocket!

It didn’t exactly hit #1 on Amazon, but it did get up to #25 in the Gay Romance category, which is the highest any of my novels has climbed before. It fluctuates constantly, and that may end up being as high as it goes, but I know for a fact that it went that high—I have screenshots!

It’s also listed on the Dreamspinner Bestsellers page! That’s been a goal of mine since I was first published with them.

Already, I’ve had a host of terrific reviews. Cindi at On Top Down Under Book Reviews said about the book, “Overall, I have to say that this is an outstanding book. I told someone today that it is definitely one of my favorites of 2013. Thinking back I now have to say that it’s one of my favorites of all-time. There are no words to express my total love for this story and the author’s writing. This was an easy 5 stars for me.”

This week has definitely been one of the high points of my writing career so far!

“Billy’s Bones” has been released!

My psychological drama, Billy’s Bones, has been released today!

It can be found at Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks, and other resellers.

It also received a 5-star review from Live Your Life, Buy The Book, calling it “Brilliant.. Gripping.. Suspenseful.. Emotional.. Page turner..”

I’m so excited about this release!

Release Day for “Murderous Requiem”!

Murderous Requiem has been released!

It is now available for purchase at Dreamspinner, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other retailers.

Over at MM Good Book Reviews, it’s received 4 out of 5 stars! “The mystery and suspense are good and leaves a thread of tension throughout the book. There’s death and betrayal, love and hope and occult dealings. I actually think this is an intriguing story that shows a ‘whiter’ or good side to the occult. It has informative information and you can see that the author has done a lot of research. I will recommend this to those who love mystery and suspense, occult dealings, twists, betrayal, underhand dealings, murder and manipulation and a happy for them ending.”

Here’s the Blurb:

Jeremy Spencer never imagined the occult order he and his boyfriend, Bowyn, started as a joke in college would become an international organization with hundreds of followers. Now a professor with expertise in Renaissance music, Jeremy finds himself drawn back into the world of free love and ceremonial magick he’d left behind, and the old jealousies and hurt that separated him from Bowyn eight years ago seem almost insignificant.

Then Jeremy begins to wonder if the centuries-old score he’s been asked to transcribe hides something sinister. With each stanza, local birds flock to the old mansion, a mysterious fog descends upon the grounds, and bats swarm the temple dome. During a séance, the group receives a cryptic warning from the spirit realm. And as the music’s performance draws nearer, Jeremy realizes it may hold the key to incredible power—power somebody is willing to kill for.

Great 5-Star Review for “By That Sin Fell the Angels”!

By That Sin Fell the Angels appears to be selling (though I have no idea how well, as of yet) and I’ve gotten a few good ratings over on Goodreads. But so far, not much feedback. (Well, somebody did say that the story would stick with them, which is nice.)

So I was delighted last night to discover that author Lou Sylvre had written a long, thoughtful review of the novel on Goodreads! It was certainly flattering, but more importantly, I was thrilled to see that Lou really connected with the book. I’ve been very concerned that this novel, in particular, would be a hard sell, not only because of the dark territory I was exploring, but also because of my attempt to get inside the heads of the characters, even when those characters were expressing viewpoints I couldn’t condone.

Here’s an excerpt from Lou’s review that addresses that:

Fessenden has the reader ride along with each of these individuals, all of whom seemed destined to spectacularly crash. Gradually, he shows us the shape of things that can be. This is a slow process that’s beautiful and excruciating and taken in stages like blowing glass or turning wood on a lathe. I constantly found myself thinking, “Oh! I didn’t know that.” Or, “I didn’t expect that!” Or sometimes, “Oh, I should have seen that.” And each time I felt that way, it mirrored a character’s experience.

I appreciate the writer’s skill in realizing these characters. Fessenden used multiple third person points of view, and not at any time are they confused, or blurred. In telling the characters’ truth, he has favored none over the others. Yes, I want Jonah to come out with hope, and no I don’t agree with what Isaac believes. But when I’m reading from Isaac’s point of view, I see Isaac, and I know him as a fellow human; I still don’t agree with him, but I understand him. That’s high accomplishment.

The entire review can be found here.

2 Comments

Filed under Drama, Psychological Drama, Reviews, Writing

Tagged as By That Sin Fell the Angels, Lou Sylvre, review