I’ve been reading as long as I can remember. For some time I found myself reading dry work-related material, but when that ended, and I came back to fiction, the romance bug had well and truly bitten. Honestly, younger me would never have seen the romance coming but I’m glad it found me. On this blog I review mostly gay romance (MM) in its many variations, as well as LGBT fiction, lit, and erotica. I step outside this genre and I also review at Dark Hints Reviews. My reading preferences for On Top Down Under are listed below.

A bit more: I love animals, wildlife, gardening, music, ballet, movies, theatre, photography, and there’s so much good TV these days – but nothing beats a good book. I’ve worked in private practice in mental health and allied services for a substantial time. I’m a vocal activist for Marriage Equality in Australia.

 

 

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Kazza’s Preferences:

**If you look at my reviews on here and feel I love them all, I don’t. I review the books that are “okay” or I’m not so fond of on Goodreads or Amazon or I just DNF and move on. I only accept a handful of review copies these days, I’m very time strapped and I want to increase the chance of reading books I really like-to-love. 

My preferences are predominantly mood and blurb related. If a book sounds intriguing and it matches my mood,  I’ll pick it up. It’s all about a good book with great characters. On this site I predominantly read romance but I do read books where romance is a subplot or more in the background when there are other driving arcs. I also read literary books. I review genre fiction on our other site, Dark Hints Reviews  I’m flexible in my reading but, first and foremost, I remain a total and utter character obsessive, one with a need for passionate writing by the author. 

The following appeal to me the most:

Psychological/Behavioural – there needs to be a solid, factual basis behind the writing. I do not like things that are dragged off Goggle search

Romance – I like my romance a bit different and unusual. That’s what’s most appreciated by me. I’m looking for engaging characters. I prefer couples or characters to work for whatever they get. Mostly, though, it’s whether they can elicit strong emotion within me that counts the most. Move me!

Paranormal – darkly romantic and bloody is a preference but I read lighter paranormal as well. Mostly I’m looking for an interesting story with strong world building. I have a distinct passion for vampires and werewolves 

Murder/Mystery

Investigative/Courtroom story lines

Urban Fantasy 

Dark – I read Dub-Con. Obsessive/Stalkerish/Grittier Types

Historical and Alt-Historical

Regency romance 

Twincest/Brocest and associated ‘cests

Ménage – Gay/Bi

Literary

Humour – specifically satire, social commentary, dry, quirky


Also –

Moral Ambiguity are two of my favourite fictional words

I will read books with infidelity

For gay romance/MM writers, I am not anti “women’s-bits” in my reading – if you write in that genre you’ll understand why I mention this

I do not have to have a HEA or cookie-cutter ending to my books

I read first time authors… if the book sounds good

Depends on the book, but I tend to review with pictures, some of a highly adult nature, consider this may form part of my review for your book before requesting me as a reviewer. If you write the words, I like to give them a visual.

I rarely read YA

I avoid like the plague books with animal harm or cruelty

I don’t read insensitive, insulting, tacky books. I do not like misogyny or misandry

I don’t typically read books about sport, rock stars and bands, MC clubs, or Jock/Nerd tropes

Kazza reads in mobi format only.

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