michailina 's review for:

A Fresh Taste of Ink: The Complete Trilogy by Daniel May
5.0
emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
Das Buch ist sofort zu meinem absoluten Lieblingsbuch geworden. Der Schreibstil ist einfach großartig!
Es ist genau die Art von Geschichte, die ich mir so oft gewünscht habe – sie hat einfach alles: Emotionen, Sex, Poly, abwechslungsreiche Dynamiken beim Toppen und Bottomen, Alltag, scharfzüngige und lustige Dialoge, großartigen Humor, tiefgründige Gedanken und sogar ein paar Tränen.

Die Charaktere wirken so echt. Sie sind nicht perfekt, haben alle ihre Macken, aber genau das macht sie so dreidimensional, einzigartig und fesselnd.

Mini, mein Lieblingscharakter, hat sich selbst perfekt beschrieben: 
“What are you, then?” asked Zee. “Stray cat.” Mini laughed. “Feed me and I’ll stick around, rub me the wrong way and I’m out.” “Right,” said Zee, voice dry, amused. “Chunk of your ear missing?” “You got it.”
Seine Notiz hat mich wirklich mitgenommen – eine wunderschöne und zugleich traurige Liebeserklärung. Ich habe sie bestimmt dreimal gelesen, weil sie mich so berührt und an viele Dinge erinnert hat.

Trinket fühlt sich unglaublich authentisch an. Er ist verletzt, kämpft mit alten Wunden, hat aber auch eine leicht soziopathische Ader – handelt oft impulsiv, ohne Reue oder Rücksicht auf Konsequenzen. Dabei ist er gleichzeitig ruhig und melancholisch, was perfekt zu seinem Charakter passt.
The idea that both of them had been playing some kind of psychological chicken — Mini daring Zee to hate him and Zee coolly evading that hatred — had a special layer of hysteria for Trinket, who almost never thought of anything but his own spontaneous desire during the act. When he occasionally found that his actions had carried secret desires alongside them during sex, when assessing things in the aftermath, that revelation shocked him. Were the two of them really so self aware? That must be exhausting. Trinket suddenly snorted. They both looked at him — Mini scowling, Zee with a faint frown — and he only shook his head. “You both think too much,” he said. “Yeah, well, you’ve never thought a day in your life, babe,” said Mini, scathing and affectionate in the same drawl.

Zee mochte ich am wenigsten, aber auch er war ein wichtiger Teil der Geschichte. Erfolgreich und selbstbewusst, doch geplagt von Schuldgefühlen. 
“Choking him, tying him up like an idiot.” Mini went on. “Popping pills behind his back, acting like you weren’t just another cokehead executive fuck. Thinking you’re good in bed just because you have a big dick, thinking all he needs is a house on a hill to be happy. And when shit is really fucked up, then hell, a ring on his finger will fix it, right? Thinking that the right romantic gesture will make him forget all about being scared in bed, wishing someone else had been his first time, desperately fucking a stranger like it’s some kind of rehab from your thoughtless, self-serving, emotionally empty shell of a dick.” “Shut up,” Trinket said. “Shut up, shut up, shut up.” Suddenly he was the one who was furious. At them both. 
Er weiß, dass er Trinket verletzt hat, kann es aber nicht rückgängig machen und muss lernen, damit zu leben. Seine Liebe zu Trinket ist tief und bedingungslos – er würde alles tun, um ihn glücklich zu machen. Ich bin überzeugt, dass Mini, mit seiner Intelligenz und Scharfsinnigkeit, Zee etwas geben konnte, was Trinket nicht konnte. Trinket ist oft blind für bestimmte Dinge, während Mini genau das ausgeglichen hat – die beiden hatten eine ganz besondere Verbindung.


Eigentlich wären es 10 von 5 Sternen – von Anfang bis Ende einfach perfekt!

Englisch:
This book instantly became my absolute favorite. The writing style is just amazing!
It’s exactly the kind of story I’ve always wanted – it has everything: emotions, sex, polyamory, switching dynamics, everyday moments, sharp and funny dialogues, great humor, deep thoughts, and even a few tears.
The characters feel so real. They’re not perfect, they all have their flaws, but that’s what makes them so three-dimensional, unique, and captivating.
Even though it's an erotic romance with a lot of sex, it wasn’t about brainless fucking — it was about healing from trauma and letting go of the crippling fear of loneliness for Trinket, finding a real home and family for Mini, and learning to forgive himself for deeply hurting someone he loves with all his heart for Zee.

Mini, my favorite character, described himself perfectly: 
“What are you, then?” asked Zee. “Stray cat.” Mini laughed. “Feed me and I’ll stick around, rub me the wrong way and I’m out.” “Right,” said Zee, voice dry, amused. “Chunk of your ear missing?” “You got it.”
His note really hit me—it was such a beautiful yet heartbreaking love declaration. I read it at least three times because it moved me so much and reminded me of so many things.

Trinket felt incredibly authentic. He’s wounded, struggling with past scars, yet he has a slightly sociopathic side—acting on impulse without remorse or much thought for consequences. At the same time, he’s calm and melancholic, which fits his character perfectly.
The idea that both of them had been playing some kind of psychological chicken — Mini daring Zee to hate him and Zee coolly evading that hatred — had a special layer of hysteria for Trinket, who almost never thought of anything but his own spontaneous desire during the act. When he occasionally found that his actions had carried secret desires alongside them during sex, when assessing things in the aftermath, that revelation shocked him. Were the two of them really so self aware? That must be exhausting. Trinket suddenly snorted. They both looked at him — Mini scowling, Zee with a faint frown — and he only shook his head. “You both think too much,” he said. “Yeah, well, you’ve never thought a day in your life, babe,” said Mini, scathing and affectionate in the same drawl.

Zee was my least favorite, but he was still an important part of the story. He’s successful and confident, yet burdened by guilt. 
“Choking him, tying him up like an idiot.” Mini went on. “Popping pills behind his back, acting like you weren’t just another cokehead executive fuck. Thinking you’re good in bed just because you have a big dick, thinking all he needs is a house on a hill to be happy. And when shit is really fucked up, then hell, a ring on his finger will fix it, right? Thinking that the right romantic gesture will make him forget all about being scared in bed, wishing someone else had been his first time, desperately fucking a stranger like it’s some kind of rehab from your thoughtless, self-serving, emotionally empty shell of a dick.” “Shut up,” Trinket said. “Shut up, shut up, shut up.” Suddenly he was the one who was furious. At them both. 
He knows he hurt Trinket, but he can’t undo it—he has to learn to live with it. His love for Trinket is deep and unconditional—he would do anything to make him happy. I truly believe that Mini, with his intelligence and sharp wit, gave Zee something Trinket never could. Trinket can be quite blind to certain things, while Mini balanced that out—those two shared a very special bond.

Honestly, this deserves 10 out of 5 stars—absolutely perfect from start to finish!




“I get it,” he snapped. “You get it, we all get it. We’re all fucking awful people, right? I’m the cheating slut, Zee is the shitty boyfriend, Mini is the one who took advantage of things being miserable and fucked up, but he didn’t start it. No one started anything. Not on purpose. It just… ended up this way.”