And The William Neale Award goes to:
1. Beneath the Stain by Amy Lane
Paperback: 350 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (October 17, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1632162326
ISBN-13: 978-1632162328
Amazon: Beneath the Stain
Amazon Kindle: Beneath the Stain
In a town as small as Tyson, CA, everybody knew the four brothers with the four different fathers—and their penchant for making good music when they weren't getting into trouble. For Mackey Sanders, playing in Outbreak Monkey with his brothers and their friends—especially Grant Adams—made Tyson bearable. But Grant has plans for getting Mackey and the Sanders boys out of Tyson, even if that means staying behind.
Between the heartbreak of leaving Grant and the terrifying, glamorous life of rock stardom, Mackey is adrift and sinking fast. When he's hit rock bottom, Trav Ford shows up, courtesy of their record company and a producer who wants to see what Mackey can do if he doesn't flame out first. But cleaning up his act means coming clean about Grant, and that's not easy to do or say. Mackey might make it with Trav's help—but Trav's not sure he's going to survive falling in love with Mackey.
Mackey James Sanders comes with a whole lot of messy, painful baggage, and law-and-order Trav doesn't do messy or painful. And just when Trav thinks they may have mastered every demon in Mackey's past, the biggest, baddest demon of all comes knocking.
Runners Up:
2. Knight of Ocean Avenue by Tara Lain
3. The Butterfly King by Edmond Manning
We Found Love by Allison Cassatta & Kade Boheme
4. A New Man by P.D. Singer
5. The Deep of the Sound by Amy Lane
Trust the Focus by Megan Erickson
6. Arctic Absolution by Lynn Kelling
7. Everything Changes by Melanie Hansen
8. Bowl Full of Cherries by Raine O’Tierney
In the Middle of Somewhere by Roan Parrish
9. Innocence by Suki Fleet
10. A Restored Man by Jaime Reese
Paperback: 350 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (October 17, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1632162326
ISBN-13: 978-1632162328
Amazon: Beneath the Stain
Amazon Kindle: Beneath the Stain
In a town as small as Tyson, CA, everybody knew the four brothers with the four different fathers—and their penchant for making good music when they weren't getting into trouble. For Mackey Sanders, playing in Outbreak Monkey with his brothers and their friends—especially Grant Adams—made Tyson bearable. But Grant has plans for getting Mackey and the Sanders boys out of Tyson, even if that means staying behind.
Between the heartbreak of leaving Grant and the terrifying, glamorous life of rock stardom, Mackey is adrift and sinking fast. When he's hit rock bottom, Trav Ford shows up, courtesy of their record company and a producer who wants to see what Mackey can do if he doesn't flame out first. But cleaning up his act means coming clean about Grant, and that's not easy to do or say. Mackey might make it with Trav's help—but Trav's not sure he's going to survive falling in love with Mackey.
Mackey James Sanders comes with a whole lot of messy, painful baggage, and law-and-order Trav doesn't do messy or painful. And just when Trav thinks they may have mastered every demon in Mackey's past, the biggest, baddest demon of all comes knocking.
No one does angst like Amy Lane. At times this book was almost too much--even for someone like me who adores angst--but it's impossible to put down. The characters are perfectly flawed, so loveable you feel every shred of their pain and hope and loss. A story that will stay with me forever, for sure.
This book pulled me in from the very beginning, and I almost felt like I was there.
Intense long gripping story with a plot that continued to evolve throughout the story. Interesting characters. Looked at sad side of life as well as the good side.
Amy Lane's dark contemporary stories always gut me -- this one was no different, and it wasn't even one of the darker ones. Incredible characters, roiling emotions, and rock and roll! When you finish an Amy Lane book, you feel like you really know all her characters personally (and for some of the less pleasant ones, that's not entirely comfortable!).
Absolutely loved every word, Amy Lane at her finest!
Coming of age story. As expected from this author, very well written and interactive. A song of life, love and friendship.
Runners Up:
2. Knight of Ocean Avenue by Tara Lain
3. The Butterfly King by Edmond Manning
We Found Love by Allison Cassatta & Kade Boheme
4. A New Man by P.D. Singer
5. The Deep of the Sound by Amy Lane
Trust the Focus by Megan Erickson
6. Arctic Absolution by Lynn Kelling
7. Everything Changes by Melanie Hansen
8. Bowl Full of Cherries by Raine O’Tierney
In the Middle of Somewhere by Roan Parrish
9. Innocence by Suki Fleet
10. A Restored Man by Jaime Reese
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