Book review: Yay! You're Gay! Now What?

"I've never laughed
SO MUCH with a book."
Source.

Hello sweethearts! How are you feeling, pornies? Today I come with a book that made me cry, laugh and go through an emotional rollercoaster that every gay new adult should read RIGHT NOW. I'm talking about Yay! You're Gay! Now What? A Gay Boy's Guide to Life, by Riyadh Khalaf.

Yay! You're Gay! Now What? A Gay Boy's Guide to Life

Print Length: 224 pages

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books

Publication Date: April 16, 2019

ISBN-10: 1786033658

ISBN-13: 978-1786033659

Let me start telling you that this book is half memoir, half advice and a bog lot of humorous information. Why? Because Riyadh doesn't hold his tongue and makes you laugh even when he's telling about sex. Yep. This man is amazing!

From basic concepts of gender and sexuality to advices on how to have great gay sex, Yay! You're Gay! Now What? A Gay Boy's Guide to Life tells us exactly what we want to know when we discover we may like boys, right when we start this journey of self discovery. Riyadh Khalaf includes enough of his own experiences and advices from both gay personalities and his followers in order to make this a hilarious reading.

I have to stop here for a second to tell you: I've never laughed SO MUCH with a book. The author has a great sense of humor which he combines with a simple yet direct style to make this a quick reading. For real, I was just to give it a chance before going to bed, and all of a sudden I had read half of it! I had to sleep and first thing in the morning I resumed my reading, et voilà, sooner than I thought there was no more story. I must confess that there were scenes that affacted me, there were moments, a couple of pages, that got me so into the story I had to breathe. Why cannot all of us live something so BEAUTIFUL?

I will be waiting for a next book, Riyadh Khalaf, and you better give us something as good as this one or better! Despite I had no expectations, Yay! You're Gay! Now What? A Gay Boy's Guide to Life was way much better than one may think at first sight. Go grab a copy NOW!

Kinky regards, K!

Connect with me on Instagram and Twitter!

Book review: Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill

"An impressive novel about
self-discovery and acceptance."
Source.

Hello pornies! I will go straight to the point and tell you that, although this a YA, coming of age novel, you MUST read it! It is Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill, by Lee Wind.

Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill

Print Length: 300 pages

Publisher: BookBaby

Publication Date: October 2, 2018

ISBN-101732228116

ISBN-13978-1732228115

In this story, we meet Wyatt, a fifteen years old closeted gay boy who wants to escape from homophobic Lincolnville, Oregon. Of course nobody knows he likes boys, of course his BFF (and only friend, for the record) and then accidental girlfriend thinks he loves her, and of course that, when he discovers that Abraham Lincoln may have been closeted, just like him, he decides to do an experiment. If everyone loves such a man, then it wouldn't make such a difference if Abe was gay, right? When Wyatt outs the president on the internet, things go out of control and a media storm threatens to destroy everything and everyone involved in it, and Wyatt has to decide if it’s worth it to keep his secret or if it doesn’t matter to let everyone in town know he’s gay. Maybe Martin, the first gay guy he meets, may help him decide.

Let me tell you something about this book. The characters are so painfully hunan and the plot so painfully surreal that they create an amazing YA novel. I cannot even decide where to start, but I guess, since we spoke already about Wyatt, we will go from there.

This little guy reminded me about myself when I was a teenager. I was confused, scared and didn’t know what would be of me. Right, an adult, I’m still figuring some things out, but there is a huge difference and Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill makes it clear why that is. It reminds you of how vulnerable and insecure you feel at that age and how you would kill to know the right things to say and do in order to avoid any problems or misunderstanding or (the Gods forbid it) that anyone suspects you are gay. Wyatt is every single boy struggling with the idea of liking boys and with the everyday problems of being a teenager, such as exams, school, weird family and bullying.

Lee Wind has written an impressive novel about self-discovery and acceptance, how we all should come to terms about who we are and who we want to be. His is a powerful voice that teaches important lessons about tolerance, willpower and courage, values we all need as we grow up and discover ourselves. I would have liked to read this book when I was scared of the future, of letting others know about who I am and what I like, and somehow it still resonated with me. Deep inside, I am still insecure about many things and Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill spoke to that private corner of mine.

Kinky regards, K!

Connect with me on Instagram and Twitter!

Book review: The Witch's Book of Mysteries

"Go ahead and get the entire trilogy!"
Source.

Hello pornies! How are you feeling today? If we ignore my lack of job (yeah, I'm pretty much a mess right now due to NO income, but I said we should and must ignore it, right? Right) I will say that I am doing well.

The Witches Book of Mysteries
Print Length: 336 pages
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications

Publication Date: May 8, 2019

ISBN-10: 0738756563
ISBN-13: 978-0738756561

Let me take this moment to say OMGods! I read a couple of days ago a book that amazed me and that made it clear to me how to go deeper into my witchcraft and how to honey my practice (pardon my self advertising, too tempting to ignore!). I'm talking about The Witch's Book of Mysteries, by Devin Hunter.

This book goes deeper into the practice of witchcraft and explains several ideas Mr. Hunter has developed over the years, all of them thought and designed to help you achieve a better understanding of your powers as a witch and the energies and beings that we work with, mostly, under the lense of his Sacred Fires Tradition (hey, if any of you pornies can pay the training for me, by all means DO IT! You would say the very same thing if you read this book).

With The Witch's Book of Mysteries, the author completes his Witch Power trilogy, which includes The Witch's Book of Power and The Witch's Book of Spirits. I will not say a word about those two since I came across this series BEFORE Kyler B. Warhol was born, so... let's get to the next topic.

Devin Hunter has included an amazing amount of journal prompts, meditations and even how to create new tools in order to go deeper and discover the energies we work with. Yeah, we all know about the five elements, fine, but have you ever wondered about Time, Space, Matter, or maybe the Void? No? Maybe just a bit? I am part of that group, and although the book got a bit confusing on those last chapters due to their scientific-related content (I'm no friends with science, but hate it, I said it), I got to understand better what they were about and how to work with those forces.

In short, if you want to know more about you, visit a new, exclusive-for-witches kind of plane, achieve a new level in your practice, go ahead and get the entire trilogy!

Kinky regards, K!

Connect with me on Instagram and Twitter!

Manga Review: Servant & Lord

Hey there! How are you today, pornies? I am trying to ignore real life from now on, so I won’t be speaking about it unless it is strictly necessary. So let’s get straight to a manga that is not (pardon my bad joke, will you?).

"An addictive,
dramatic romance."
Source.

Servant & Lord

Print Length: 224 pages

Publisher: Tokyopop

Publication Date: April 9, 2019

ISBN-10: 1427860165
ISBN-13: 978-1427860163

I recently read Servant & Lord, by Lo and Lorinell Yu, a story that made me think as a read if I was in front of a toxic relationship or in a complex yet cute one. Turns out that it was a mix of both things, with the later being the prevalent. It was funny, it was dramatic and sexy when it had to be!

The story focuses on Christian, the son of a rich family who is interested in Daniel, the butler and his mentor. As time passes by and tragedy strikes him, Daniel has to remain with Christian’s family, dealing with his responsibilities and also with him, who doesn’t want to share Daniel with anyone else. The situation gets more complicated when the roles turn around and both men have to decide what will be of them and the relationship they have, in case they have one at all, that is.

I’ll say it again. This seemed to be a toxic relationship as I advanced in the reading. Christian seemed to be obsessed and Daniel, franckly, a jerk. However, when I was done with Servant & Lord, and looking in retrospective, I can see why and how the characters evolve that way, why they were made like that and understood the reasons for both their behavior and their actions. In reality, it is an addictive, dramatic romance.

The story is so well crafted that I lost track as I devoured one chapter after the other, wondering what will happen next and whether this would have a happily ever after or a tragic finale. Let me tell you guys you will be surprised, although a tiny part of me suspected it will end that way, which is not to say that it was predictable but that Lo and Lorinell Yu played with my heart. Don’t ever do that again, thank you.

I’m not a fan of classical aesthetic and the sharp lines, they took me out of the story in every single page, but when things got heavy i

I saw why the authors used them. The art matches the story perfectly, they fit together very well! My only complain is that I would have liked more plot development instead of those two big jumps in time. It could have made the story longer, yes, but would have showed more explicitly what was happening with the characters of Servant & Lord.

Lo and Lorinell Yu did a good job with this manga considering it is their first one. I will give then another chance in the future because of that but will have higher expectations that time. They have good ideas, can make intense scenes and develop realistic characters, but their style has to mature a bit to get really good and I know they can given the result in this first attempt.

If you are into drama, complicated relationships and a small dose of kink (I need more of that next time, by the way!) Then go ahead and read Servant & Lord.

Kinky regards, K!

Connect with me on Instagram and Twitter!

Book Review: masquerade

"Cyrus Parker doesn’t hold anything back".
Source.

Hello pornies! I come today with another book review, and this time it is a poetry book: masquerade, by Cyrus Parker. Before we get into it, can we just please take a moment to admire that gorgeous cover? Done? Okay, let’s move on.

masquerade

Print Length: 178 pages

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Publication Date: May 7, 2019

ISBN-10: 1449497098

ISBN-13: 978-1449497095

The poems deal with mental health, family, relationships, gender and sexuality issues the author had to face as they grew up. Sounds too dramatic, right? Well, it is, and more than you may expect.

Cyrus Parker doesn’t hold anything back when expressing their feelings, their thoughts and experiences in each of the poems, betting for an experimental, modern style. However, there's a classical Gothic charm in their writing, making a combination hard not to like. Along with the poems, masquerade presents drawing from the author as well. The childish style may not fit at first, but the erratic lines and shivering lines match the writing style.

"Their style combines classical aesthetic with
contemporary style with ease".
Photo by Lauren Zaknoun. Source.

I couldn’t not feel identified with almost all of the poems, thinking that I felt the same at some point (and still feel now and then). That confusion, anger, resentment, conflict with myself, they are all present, and you will remember them all to well as you read. Such is the power of a poet like Cyrus Parker.

This made me go page by page, barely paying attention to the clock as masquerade came near to its end. Despite this, the book felt longer due to its content, but not heavy or boresome in any sense. You will understand why once you read it.

I will definitely keep an eye on author. I don’t usually read poetry, let alone review it, but hey, Cyrus Parker are not only a non-binary Gothic poet in today’s world, but a great one. Their style combines classical aesthetic with contemporary style with ease, making it a pleasure to read them.

Kinky regards, K!

Connect with me on Instagram and Twitter!

Poem: The Witch's Cry

Hello pornies. How are you feeling today?

I want to share with you a poem I wrote not long ago but didn't want to share. Don't ask me why, but it just... didn't feel right, like it wans't the time. Things changed, however, and now I do feel the need to share this with you. Perhaps because I need to believe in my power as a witch, maybe because I need to direct my magic to selfhealing purposes, but the reason is unimportant.

I call this poem The Witch's Cry, a battle cry to use when we're needy, when we need a modern Aradia. However, WE are Aradia, and although I'm a totally fan of The Charge of the New Aradia (to read it is a must!) I also love this humble contribution to the witches, pagans, neopagans, heathens and Earth worshipppers of today.

The Witch's Cry

"Honey my practice

"Cernunnos" by IrenHorrors. Source.

And honor my rules.
Break all the basis
Write all my own.

Back to the preachers,
Arms to the strange,
We are the wicked,
We are the fiends.

Rituals and spells,
To heal and reverse,
Protect and defend,
To manifest change.

Out of the structure,
Out of the game,
Out of the costume,
Into the flames.

Behold our tongue,
We walk and evolve.
We're all the witches,
That they couldn't burn."

10-Mar-2019
5:45 AM

Kinky regards, K!

Connect with me on Instagram and Twitter!

Book Review: The Sacred Herbs of Samhain

"Ellen Evert Hopman created the
Necromancer’s Herbal Grimoire".
Source

Hello pornies! Long time since I wrote here, I know, but as I said before, life has gotten pretty hectic. Fortunately, things are improving, slowly and at their own pace, but they are nonetheless, and that’s what’s important.

Today I want to tell you about an amazing book I just finished reading: The Sacred Herbs of Samhain: Plants to Contact the Spirits of the Dead, by Ellen Evert Hopman. The title is self-explanatory, so I will go straight to my opinion, which you can anticipate is very positive and enthusiastic.

The Sacred Herbs of Samhain: Plants to Contact the Spirits of the Dead
Print Length: 216 pages
Publisher: Destiny Books

Publication Date: August 6, 2019

ISBN-10: 1620558610
ISBN-13: 978-1620558614

First of all, I’m amazed at the amount of details included about the plants this book speaks about. The author has not only done the mandatory research in order to give a comprehensive collection of advices and suggestions, but also included her own experiences with several herbs and plants, making it an easier and faster reading.

Myths, recipes, magical and medicinal uses, along with cautions in their application and manipulation, are included here so you can safely work with the 70+ vegetal allies presentes in The Sacred Herbs of Samhain. The best part of it? More than a half of the book is devoted death, the dead and the Underworld!

However, you not only get a manual to get you started on working with the departed and the Ancestors, but also a guide to work with the spirits of place, the Fae Folk and many examples of rituals relevant to the season.

"You not only get a manual to get you started on
working with the departed and the Ancestors".
Source

It bothered me a tiny bit that all of the images were at the beginning of the book. It would have made more sense for me to have them placed in their respective sections, right with their description, but it isn’t something that bothers the reading, but all the contrary; I think it was because of this that I could finish the book so fast!

If you are interested in necromancy, like I am, this is a must have! Ellen Evert Hopman created the Necromancer’s Herbal Grimoire, and I couldn’t be more excited to get my hands on a print copy of The Sacred Herbs of Samhain and start working with it.

Kinky regards, K!

Connect with me on Instagram and Twitter!