Uzma Jalaluddin joins Amanda and me to talk about Hana Khan Carries On, which caused one of us some Bad Decisions Book Club membership. We discuss the book (no spoilers, don’t worry!) and the fabulous podcasting heroine, Hana, who’s got a You’ve Got Mail kind of relationship with the owner of a rival Halal restaurant. We cover representation, gorgeous cover art, and writing about characters finding and using their voices. It’s so much fun – … Continue reading 453. Uzma Jalaluddin and Hana Khan Carries On – with Bonus COVID Vaccine Info with Dr. Jen Gunter →
Hana Khan Carries On is part epistolary, part coming of age story, and all heart. Hana, aka AnaBGR, an aspiring broadcast producer, podcaster, and storyteller, is struggling on several fronts. There’s the difficulty in breaking into broadcast in general, there’s her racist boss who presumes to be #woke, her family’s struggling restaurant, plus her sister’s risky pregnancy. What she definitely did NOT need on this list was Mr. Silver Shades to come sauntering in with … Continue reading Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin →
Now THIS is how it’s done! Ayesha At Last is a lovely loose retelling of Pride and Prejudice, with a perfect mix of humor, heartbreak, misunderstandings, and humor. It’s a contemporary set in Canada and the characters are described with empathy and with plenty of surprises. Upon somber reflection it has some flaws, but the reason the flaws are so glaring is that most of the book is so perfect. The Darcy of the book is … Continue reading Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin →
Welcome back to Whatcha Reading! This is our second and last one of February 2024. How are you ending the month? Shana: I’m reading Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley. It’s a Ramadan-Christmas-Hanukkah romcom set in a Canadian small town. I really love that it takes place in 2000, because there’s lots of cultural easter eggs to enjoy. Lara: I just finished The Martian by Andy Weir and it was … Continue reading Whatcha Reading? February 2024, Part Two →
Welcome back, y’all! How are we doing?! I, for one, am exhausted this week. There’s a big conference being held at work and all the movers and shakers are there. It’s positively tiring. In other news, I’m in the early stages of getting a pal for my old cat Linus. He was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism last August and it’s brought out some anxious traits. And while we love him dearly, we also cannot chase him … Continue reading Links: Trans Rights, Plays, & More →
This is request for our very own Shana, who is looking for closed door romances that don’t fall into the inspirational umbrella. I thought we did this before, but I couldn’t find anything so here we go! Sneezy: Loathe at First Sight has no sex at all. Amanda: I know there are a few newer contemporaries that qualify? Guillory or maybe Christina Lauren? Can’t say for certain though! Elyse: If the Shoe Fits by Julie … Continue reading The Rec League: Non-Inspirational Closed Door Romances →
Welcome back to Wednesday Links! Heads up that my personal link cupboard is looking a little bare, so if you have anything cool, funny, and/or interesting that you’ve found, feel free to drop me a line at the email address below! How was everyone’s weekend? I celebrated my birthday. Had the usual birthday pizza from my favorite pizza place in the Boston area and then played some Jackbox games with Sarah and some fun people … Continue reading Links: Escape Rooms, Cats, & More →
June is here! This month is absolutely packed with interesting books. Below are some titles on our TBR list, but here are a few more you may be anticipating: Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner is out! Jennifer L. Armentrout begins a new series with Storm & Fury . Love k-dramas? You might want to check out Wicked Fox by Kat Cho . Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin is coming out and it has the most gorgeous cover. The Friend … Continue reading June’s New Releases →
Hello, Wednesday! Have I told you that I hate the summer? I hate it. On the bright side, I’ve been seeing a lot of movies because it lets me sit in the dark with some A/C. I recently saw Ant-Man and the Wasp. Not a bad summer movie and such a great portrayal of positive co-parenting. Anyway, here are some links! … RWA has a new series for authors on their YouTube channel called “Two-Minute Tips.” So far, … Continue reading Links: Writing Tips, Plot Bunnies, & Romance →
It is Howdy! Welcome to our “About Us” page, where we can wank on without limit as to who we are, and why we’re here. If you came to this page looking for how to contact us, there is a whole other area for that. Follow the pretty red hyperlinks. ❤ SB-TB Books ❤ Meet the Bitches ❤ Contact Us ❤ Once Upon a Smart & Sassy Time… Smart Bitches Trashy Books began in 2005 … Continue reading About the Smart Bitches →
The Ripped Bodice is back with another round of Summer Romance Bingo. Visit their site for a printable bingo card and rules on how to win prizes! We’ll be playing along in our Goodreads group and helping one another out with recommendations. You can also follow The Ripped Bodice on Twitter for more recs. If you’re not on Goodreads, that’s okay! We’ll be giving some suggestions here and opening it up to the Bitchery for further … Continue reading Recommendations for The Ripped Bodice’s 2020 Summer Romance Bingo →
