It’s been 11 years since the first reviews from the hot pink palace of Bitchery went live, and every year, we like to celebrate with merriment, traditional and modern anniversary gifts, mayhem, and possibly also shenanigans.
Lucky for us, the traditional gift for the 11th anniversary is steel, and the modern gift is jewelry. I thought, hey, this is awesome! STEEL JEWELRY ahoy!
Then RedHeadedGirl said, “Wait. SWORDS.”
Swords?
And everyone else said, “YES. SWORDS.” So this year, we’re giving away jewelry and swords! Happy anniversary to everyone!
Here are the prizes:
Yup, it’s a sword! The Timber Wolf sword is perfect for this giveaway since we’ve got plenty of shifters in romance, plus men and women wielding swords, and who doesn’t need a deep blood groove in their sword, right? And if you’re thinking, “Well, that’s not jewelry…” SURE it is! It’s Jewelry for ALL OF YOUR SELF!
More steel! And more jewelry!
And of course, some steel jewelry for your pocket or purse:
Want to enter? Easy! Just leave a comment below and recommend a romance you loved. You’ll be entered to win one of the prizes. Comments will close around noon eastern, and I’ll select the winners at random on Friday, 5 February 2016. If the item pictured above is not available at time of announcement, a similar alternative will be provided.
Standard disclaimers apply: Void where prohibited. Open to international residents where permitted by applicable law. Must be over 18 and full of steely determination to read. I’m not being compensated for this giveaway except for the opportunity to go sword shopping, which is compensation a-plenty! Crumb coats make the icing look very smooth, but icing is just as good straight from the bowl. Icing is also a legitimately delicious food group. Blanket forts may be constructed for purposes of reading; no prior warning is required.
Thank you for spending time with us. Smart Bitches wouldn’t be as much fun without you, so thank you for being part of our celebration!
ETA: 5 February 2016
Thank you so much for all the anniversary wishes! I am honored that you all come hang out with us each day, and I’m so happy to celebrate our anniversary with you. It’s winner announcement time!
The winner of the sword: L
The winner of the typewriter bracelet: Giddypony
The winner of the reading & tea bracelet: Cerulean
The winner of the reader pendant: Jill B
The winner of the flask: Alaina Keener
Thank you to everyone who entered, and thank you for celebrating with us!
One of the first romances I read was “Flowers from the Storm” by Laura Kinsale and I reccomend it to everybody!
I think the first romance I read was my grandmothers copy of Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey.
Thanks for the opportunity 🙂
One of my favourites is Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson!
Happy anniversary 🙂
Happy anniversary!
It’s your 11th but only my 1st. I discovered, for the first time in January of last year, The Pink Palace, and all of The Bitches who rule there.
Long may they reign.
Since this is my first anniversary, I’ll recommend my first romance author, LaVyrle Spencer. I couldn’t tell you which one I read first, probably Vows or The Endearment or Twice Loved, maybe even The Hellion, whichever it was I know it tore my heart out, full on ugly cry, and left me rung out and yet still fully satisfied in the happily ever after by the end.
I discovered LaVyrle Spencer only a few years before she quit writing. I was able to read all of her books in the very short amount of time. Little did I know, way back then, how awful it would be when my favorite authors could not keep up with my ravenous hunger for more to read.
I need to look up some of her stuff again. It’s been a while, and I could use a good comfort read.
Congratulations on 11 years. I hope I get at least 11 years out of you too.
One of my favorite romances is the ‘Daughter of the Blood’ trilogy and I absolutely love every character on the ‘good’ side.
Happy Anniversary!! Gotta recommend Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer. There are many romances I love, but I keep going back to that one in times of trouble and it always, always gets me through *and* makes me laugh, even in times of utmost suck.
I love, love, love the Governess Affair by Courtney Milan
Congratulations on your 11th anniversary. Just one romance? Well, let’s mention something quite recent that I still have in my mind weeks after I read it: A Seditious Affair by KJ Charles.
Happy Anniversary, Bitches!
I’m totally into m/m these days so I’ll rec Heidi Cullinan’s Carry the Ocean.
I recommend “Destiny’s Embrace” by Beverly Jenkins. It was the first of her books that I’d ever read, and I absolutely loved it.
congratulations on your amazing site lasting so long – it’s a wonderful source of entertainment and information (and lots of fun)
I’d like to suggest all of Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooter series, but especially Hot Target
If anyone who likes historical romance hasn’t yet tried Sherry Thomas, I suggest that it’s never too late to jump in. My faves are His at Night and Not Quite a Husband, but there are so many other good ones. OK, so I stretched the one book thing a tiny bit. 🙂
And Happy Anniversary, SBTB! Thanks for the awesome celebration.
Congrats 🙂 Y’all are almost elderly! 😉
Now on to the romance… Paranormal romance is my thing. So the romance I loved within that genre is Kate & Curran in the Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews. Curran is an alpha in every sense of the word but Kate is too! She stands in her own and doesn’t need her man to hold her sword. She does that her self quite well. They still have chemistry a gazillion books in.
I want my own sword like Kate! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Happy Anniversary!
What to recommend, hmmmm, I will go with Her Ladyship’s Companion
by Evangeline Collins today
Most recently, the Dressmakers series book 1 and 2, by Loretta Chase. I’m a historical romance fan, and also love reading about clothes. So total win!
I discovered Georgette Heyer in high School.
Devils Bride – Stephanie Lawrence, a historical romance strong heroine, alpha male hero, giant family, crazy never ending plot – what’s not to love 😉
Indigo by Beverly Jenkins – a truly great book period. Got to love a romance with a bibliography!
Happy anniversary! My recommendation is for one of my favourite romances – Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer.
Three Fates by Nora Roberts was what made me fall in love with romance novels…still a great read.
Congrats! My favorite is The Proud Breed by Celeste de Blasis. An awesome book, I re-read it regularly.
Congrats! I have to pick one book? Will have to go with Dragion Bound by Thea Harrison which I’m rereading for the 100th time.
I just read Lucy Parker’s ACT LIKE IT after hearing of it through the review here, and I loved it SO SO SO MUCH! It’s already turned into one of my all-time Comfort Reads.
Happy anniversary!
I’ve got to recommend the first historical I ever read, November of the Heart, by LaVyrle Spencer. I was so sad she retired. I’m hoping we find a huge stash of her unpublished work someday!
Happy Anniversary!
One of my first adult romances was Jennifer Cruise’s “Bet Me”. I loved it. If only she could get back on the romance train…
Congrats on 11 years – how time flies!
My recommendation would be Sherry Thomas’ “His at Night”
Anything by Kathleen Gilles Seidel, Eva Ibbottson or Edith Layton. I still read Jean Plaidy’s Murder Most Royal once a year – it’s not a romance, but old-skool historical fiction, which was my gateway to romance.
For chick-lit, I’d have to say Marian Keyes. The old sex and shopping genre is one of my preferred forms of crack and I reread Judith Krantz regularly. Penny Vincenzi is my favourite dealer of that particular substance today.
I adored Bertrice Small until somewhere around 2000 and loved LaVryle Spencer, but think she should have retired about six books earlier.
And, just to prove that my tastes haven’t completely ossified, I would recommend Sherry Thomas for historical romance and would heartily endorse KJ Charles for m/m historical.
Happy Anniversary!
(Sorry for being a little late – was on an island.)
My recommendation is Julie James – The Sexiest Man Alive (and also the FBI series)
Just read the Suffragette Scandal and oooh it was so good. Don’t know why it took me so long to get to it!
Aww happy anniversary Smart Bitches! Whew it doesn’t seem like 11 years ago that I’d stealth log on to your page at university in the computer lab, although it took me 10 years to start commenting!
I’d like to recommend Linda Howard’s Open Season one of the first romances I read: great mystery, hot romance, awesome librarian heroine and dialogue that still makes me laugh today.
You will never look at puce the same way!
Happy Anniversary!
Silk and Shadows, by Mary Jo Putney. (CN:CSA)
It has a hero with a mysterious past, bent on revenge and heroine who who, once she finds out what’s going on, calls him on his shit.
I’m sure it has its flaws, but I can happily reread this on a regular basis.
Clear Water by Amy Lane. A very sweet m/m contemporary, I loved it!
Also gotta say – some prime recommendations so far!
Happy Anniversary & thanks y’all! 🙂
Bet Me by Crusie is a frequent reread!
Happy Anniversary!
Oh, couldn’t choose just one! Courtney Milan’s, Tessa Dare’s, Meredith Duran’s books are all favourites of mine.
Congrats, and to many years to come!
I’m very much into Susanna Kearsley this days, so I’ll recommend The Rose Garden (the one that I read the most recently).
Congratulations!
The first romance I read was The Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas. It’s still among my favorites.
Congratulations! I recommend anything by Carla Kelly. My favorites are Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand, Miss Grimsley’s Oxford Career, and Marian’s Christmas Wish.
Happy Anniversary!
You all have introduced me to so many wonderful books!
It’s hard to pick just one favorite. so, I’ll pick my most recent one. I just finished The Heller Brother Series by Kelly Jamieson and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I have been on a Tessa Dare kick lately, and I thought Romancing the Duke was one of the dearest books. For anyone who loves books passionately, there is just so much to adore in that story, even beyond the central romance. I think that makes it an appropriate anniversary rec. 🙂
Happy Anniversary!
I recently tore through the Rules for Scoundrels series by Sarah Maclean who was a new author to me. Now she is a favorite!