I’m not paid for my reviews. I review books simply because I like to review the books I read. Unless otherwise noted within a review, the book was purchased by me or was offered for free to the public.
The Books I Read
In my lifetime as a reader, I’ve read thousands of books spanning many genres. I studied literature in college where I dug deep into the writings of Shakespeare and numerous other literary giants. My all-time favorite authors include the likes of Flannery O’Connor, Hemmingway, Barbara Kingsolver, and Carl Hiaasen amongst many others.
My focus for the last several years has been in Romance and Erotica—and I think I’m stuck here! But I’m not complaining. In fact, I’ve made it a mission to seek out the best of the best in the genre.
I read and review books falling within the primary genres of LGBTQIA+ Romance and Erotica with strong preferences toward:
- Contemporary
- BDSM, Kink, and other sex-charged adult content – *shrugs* so I like dirty stories.
- Mystery and Suspense — occasionally, but I don’t like a lot of stress.
- I prefer Adult to YA/NA, but will read these on occasion. I’m in my 40s – I like to read about other grown-ups who have a better grip on who they are after some life…then watch as it all turns on its ear.
- Memoirs/diaries with primary focus on romance or erotica.
- Historical – Not a huge favorite, but I’ve had some luck with fantastic stories.
- Short Stories or Novellas — these aren’t a favorite either unless they’re part of a series that includes full-length titles, but I’ll likely give it a shot if requested.
Note: I will SOMETIMES read Science Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Dystopian, Alternate Reality, etc. but it takes some firm nudging to convince me to suspend disbelief into the realm of creative world-building.
I do not read (or rarely read) and review for BackPorchReader:
- Heterosexual Romance or Erotica — this happens sometimes becuase of a handful of authors I’ve been reading for years and can’t help but love.
- Non-Fiction — except in the case of memoirs as mentioned above, or because it’s some technical monsterpiece I have to read for work.
- Overtly Religious fiction of any denomination — some mild religious elements are fine, but no preachy business.
- Horror — I’m a HUGE scaredy cat! But…you’re welcome to try and convince me!
- Poetry or Free Verse — not that I don’t like it, just not my first choice.
- Any book containing explicit sexual activity involving underage characters who are incapable of providing informed, educated consent.
Rating System
Ratings stick closely to the GoodReads standards. Occasionally I’ll make note of half-star ratings and will typically round up on GoodReads reviews and other sites where I may cross-post.
| Stars | Goodreads | What this means to me |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | AMAZING | This totally knocked my socks off, and I might end up a crazed fan (from a respectable distance). |
| 4 | Really Liked | This was truly enjoyable, and I’d recommend it. |
| 3 | Liked | It was good, and I’m glad I read it, but I may have had some issues. |
| 2 | It was okay | There were likable parts but I definitely had issues. |
| 1 | Didn't like | I read the whole thing but.... |
| 1 DNF | Didn't like | I read past 50% (at least) before giving up. |
| 0 DNF | No Rating | I couldn't even make it to 50%, but I still feel the need to share my thoughts. |
General Review Habits
My reviews are typically relaxed in nature as though I was chatting with a friend. Some may be more formal literary-type critiques depending on my mood when I write my review. My reviews are solely my opinion and may reflect dislikes as well as include personal anecdotes if I’m so inclined.
Also, I’m wordy.
Updated: February 2017