Blog Tour ~ Bleeding Like Me by Riley Parks (Review + Giveaway)
Title: Bleeding Like Me
Author: Riley Parks
Release Date: November 21st 2017
Genre: MM Contemporary Dark Romance
Published by: Boroughs Publishing
BLURB
Being gay in their neighborhood is perilous. Being gay in a street gang is unheard of. Being gay and in love with a man in a rival gang is a death wish. Through drug addiction, brutality, and seemingly endless peril, they remain; finding stability within each other that shouldn’t exist in their volatile world.
BEAUTIFUL CONTRADICTION
He didn't paint people; the curves of their bodies and angles of their faces never interested him as much as cityscapes. The circumstances of his life had compelled him to create new worlds that he could get lost in rather than reflect the features of the people he ran from. He constructed buildings from their foundations, making them taller and stronger than he was. He adorned the edifices with countless windows, always left open or cracked so hope could pour in and fears could seep out. Tree lined streets reminded him how to breathe, pumping oxygen through the atmosphere, off the canvas, and into his lungs.
He didn't paint people until the day he no longer desired the anonymity of his cities. The streets didn't feel like his escape anymore, not like him. Cerulean skies gave way to pale blue eyes and bus routes to pink pouts. Evan didn't paint people until he painted Jackson.
Find Bleeding Like Me on Goodreads
EXCERPT
He’d never been to Humboldt Park before, but he heard it had a pretty good scene. When he was unaffiliated, he could get away with going to the gay spots on the South Side, but now that he was with the KKz, he had to be more careful. He disembarked and walked the short distance to the big rock where guys supposedly met. Sitting down on a bench, he pulled out a cigarette he had bummed off Luis and watched as a couple of queens made a connection and disappeared into the wooded area a few feet behind the boulder. He let the filter rest between his lips as he leaned back to stare up at the moon. It was a waxing crescent that barely glowed against the black expanse of the sky, making the already poorly lit park even darker.
He peered down at a man who took a seat on the bench next to him. They sat quietly, Evan’s head still thrown back and the guy smoking his cigarette as if he hadn’t just propositioned him.
“Nice night,” Evan threw out as if he was telling the moon rather than the guy beside him.
“Are you looking to chitchat or are you trying to fuck?” When Evan finally dropped his head, he noticed that the guy was peering at him with raised eyebrows. They stared for a moment, and without a doubt, a spark arced between them.
“Depends what you’re into I guess,” Evan replied, noticing that the man had a perfectly plump pout. He wanted to see what those lips looked like wrapped around his cock. “I’m not going to bend over.”
“Wouldn’t want you to,” the guy replied with a sniff, blue eyes dropping to momentarily study the grass before returning to Evan’s.
“That right?” he questioned, moderately surprised. Mr. Ready To Hook Up seemed to be tough as fuck, with his sleeve tattoos and muscular biceps that were perfectly displayed in his gray sleeveless shirt. Evan knew it was a stereotype that men who exclusively took cock were soft, but in his experience, more often than not, they had been. He’d fucked a variety of guys, and there was always some negotiating between him and a dude who was versatile. This hot motherfucker was clearly a power bottom, a fact that had Evan’s cock standing up to take notice.
“Need me to spell it out for you, Daywalker?” he huffed, eyebrows raised in challenge.
Evan shook his head and self-consciously ran his fingers through his red hair. “So you want to go—” he began.
The guy interrupted by saying, “Show me what you got.”
Without wasting another second, Evan tossed his cigarette to the ground and unzipped the fly of his jeans, arching his back enough to shimmy them, along with his boxer briefs, down his thighs so his hard cock could spring out. Instinctively, he moved a hand down to the shaft and started to pump it.
Blue eyes observed every stroke as full lips smacked subconsciously. “Yeah, I want to fuck,” the guy stated, seemingly impressed by what Evan was working with. Wordlessly, the hot-as-shit motherfucker stood up and started walking, leaving Evan scrambling to get his pants up so he could follow.
So, it’s not very often that I find a book that actually has me seriously thanking someone profusely for showing me. When my Co-Blogger said she had a book about two men each in gangs and she sent me the blurb, I just had this feeling I needed to read it. Wow, am I glad I did because Bleeding Like Me was amazing, definitely the first of 2018 to go on my favorites list.
Bleeding Like Me is the story of Evan, a young man whose circumstances and crap life have led him to the Klown Killerz, a South Chicago gang his younger brother Kane lives and bleeds for. With the choice of continuing his life on the streets, without a home or a bed to lay his head on or the prospect of a room and food in his belly, Evan gets jumped in and vows his loyalty to Maroon, Blue and White. No one knows he’s not interested in the gaggle of girls that are now at his disposal, he’d rather have a quick hookup with a faceless guy at the park.
Jackson was Dem Demonz all the way. Since being jumped in at 13, he’s not given much thought to life as a banger. It’s what got him and his sister away from the sick f*ck that they once called dad. With a prominent position in his gang, a girlfriend his boys are envious over and a reputation he’s worked hard to achieve, it seems like life is great. Too bad he can barely touch his girl and he has resorted to quick, dirty tricks in the dark cover of Humboldt Park.
One heated encounter between the two men has them surprisingly craving more. But when they realize they belong to rival gangs it hits them how dangerous it really is to go any further. The colors they wear have the potential to destroy them but it can’t keep them away from each other and soon, what started as just a hookup becomes more than either Jackson or Evan ever imagined.
What Did I Love: so, the absolute best part of this book is the no holds barred, unapologetic realistic life of these men. Neither Jackson nor Evan are “good people”. They’re gangbangers (Jackson much more so than Evan), they’re criminals and murderers. These men are the quintessential Antiheroes. Neither man is really the ideal candidate for redemption since they pretty much regret nothing. However, even with all of their faults (wow, do they have faults) it’s impossible not to fall in love with them.
I adored how incredibly tough Jackson was. He was dangerous, dominant, smart and driven. He was so unbelievably strong and determined to take care of those he loved. He needed to be able to do it in fact. He really just fit the idea I have of a man entrenched deeply in a criminal organization. But even with all this, he just seemed so comfortable with who he was. There was not a whole lot of endless angst about that.
What I Liked: I liked learning why each of them joined the gang but part of me wishes I could have gotten a tad more. Maybe a prologue with them both as kids trying to navigate their lives and the crap they were handed. I also wished for a bit more when it came to them interacting with family. I loved seeing Jackson with his sister Amy, so more of that and Evan with Kane would have been great.
What I Didn’t Like: okay, so I did get a little annoyed at the use of the word boyfriend. It was used so much I felt like screaming “Okay, okay, we get it! He’s your boyfriend!”
The blurb. Truth be told, it’s great and having read the story, I totally get it. However, for those who haven’t or who may not read the reviews, it’s too ambiguous. You don’t really get what the story is going to be about from it. So, for someone who isn’t comfortable with this theme or may not like violence and drug use, it may come as a shock and potentially lead to people DNF’ing it, which, honestly, would be a shame.
Overall, I highly recommend Bleeding Like Me. This book is well written, gripping, funny, sexy and sometimes sad. It’s not an easy read but it’s a great read. If this is a preview of what Riley Parks will have to offer you can count me as a fan. I’m now in the mood for some of my past favorites with similar themes of Gang Members who fall in love.
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the author/publisher for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.***
5+ Stars!
So, it’s not very often that I find a book that actually has me seriously thanking someone profusely for showing me. When my Co-Blogger said she had a book about two men each in gangs and she sent me the blurb, I just had this feeling I needed to read it. Wow, am I glad I did because Bleeding Like Me was amazing, definitely the first of 2018 to go on my favorites list.
Bleeding Like Me is the story of Evan, a young man whose circumstances and crap life have led him to the Klown Killerz, a South Chicago gang his younger brother Kane lives and bleeds for. With the choice of continuing his life on the streets, without a home or a bed to lay his head on or the prospect of a room and food in his belly, Evan gets jumped in and vows his loyalty to Maroon, Blue and White. No one knows he’s not interested in the gaggle of girls that are now at his disposal, he’d rather have a quick hookup with a faceless guy at the park.
Jackson was Dem Demonz all the way. Since being jumped in at 13, he’s not given much thought to life as a banger. It’s what got him and his sister away from the sick f*ck that they once called dad. With a prominent position in his gang, a girlfriend his boys are envious over and a reputation he’s worked hard to achieve, it seems like life is great. Too bad he can barely touch his girl and he has resorted to quick, dirty tricks in the dark cover of Humboldt Park.
One heated encounter between the two men has them surprisingly craving more. But when they realize they belong to rival gangs it hits them how dangerous it really is to go any further. The colors they wear have the potential to destroy them but it can’t keep them away from each other and soon, what started as just a hookup becomes more than either Jackson or Evan ever imagined.
What Did I Love: so, the absolute best part of this book is the no holds barred, unapologetic realistic life of these men. Neither Jackson nor Evan are “good people”. They’re gangbangers (Jackson much more so than Evan), they’re criminals and murderers. These men are the quintessential Antiheroes. Neither man is really the ideal candidate for redemption since they pretty much regret nothing. However, even with all of their faults (wow, do they have faults) it’s impossible not to fall in love with them.
I adored how incredibly tough Jackson was. He was dangerous, dominant, smart and driven. He was so unbelievably strong and determined to take care of those he loved. He needed to be able to do it in fact. He really just fit the idea I have of a man entrenched deeply in a criminal organization. But even with all this, he just seemed so comfortable with who he was. There was not a whole lot of endless angst about that.
What I Liked: I liked learning why each of them joined the gang but part of me wishes I could have gotten a tad more. Maybe a prologue with them both as kids trying to navigate their lives and the crap they were handed. I also wished for a bit more when it came to them interacting with family. I loved seeing Jackson with his sister Amy, so more of that and Evan with Kane would have been great.
What I Didn’t Like: okay, so I did get a little annoyed at the use of the word boyfriend. It was used so much I felt like screaming “Okay, okay, we get it! He’s your boyfriend!”
The blurb. Truth be told, it’s great and having read the story, I totally get it. However, for those who haven’t or who may not read the reviews, it’s too ambiguous. You don’t really get what the story is going to be about from it. So, for someone who isn’t comfortable with this theme or may not like violence and drug use, it may come as a shock and potentially lead to people DNF’ing it, which, honestly, would be a shame.
Overall, I highly recommend Bleeding Like Me. This book is well written, gripping, funny, sexy and sometimes sad. It’s not an easy read but it’s a great read. If this is a preview of what Riley Parks will have to offer you can count me as a fan. I’m now in the mood for some of my past favorites with similar themes of Gang Members who fall in love.
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the author/publisher for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.***
GIVEAWAY: Two prizes of $15 Boroughs Bucks
About the Author
Riley has always loved to write, believing that life has the possibility to be its most beautiful when it’s portrayed on the pages of a book. Feeling the need to create and liberate in the midst of the political landscape, Riley writes novels that focus on LGBTQ protagonists, wanting to honor a community that deserves better representation depicting lives, loves and triumphs in all facets of fiction.
Love this review! Thank you so much for featuring the tour xx
ReplyDeletethanks for the chance
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