It’s time! It’s time! Put your wallet in the freezer, get a good drink, ring the bell, whatever – it’s time to talk about what we’re reading in the most enjoyably expensive monthly thread! I want to hear about what you’re reading, because I’m sure you’re currently engrossed in something awesome and we all want to know about it. You do have excellent taste, after all.
Also, the kitten is absolutely NOT judging you for buying more books than you intended to. The Kitten Approves. As do we!
So, let’s get started!
Sarah: I just finished something. I’ve already forgotten what it was. I need kickass witch books without too much violence and slut shaming.
Right now, I’m reading Yasmine Galenorn’s Flight from Death ( A | BN | K | G | AB ), because dragon shifter.
So far it’s good, though I’m not wild about the heroine talking to me directly and introducing herself. I’ll keep going – it’s not gay sword fighting dragons or whatever that story I read was.
Carrie: Edith Cavell! ( A | BN | K | G ) A bio by Diana Souhami.
Amanda: I’m getting ready to start Too Hot to Handle by Tessa Bailey ( A | BN | K | G | AB ). I’m not shy about talking about how amazing Tessa Bailey’s sex scenes are and this is the start of a new series! A group of somewhat estranged siblings go on a cross country journey together.
After that is Stealing His Thunder by Sparrow Beckett. I loved the first book in their Masters Unleashed series and this is a new series by them, as well. The hero catches the heroine trying to steal his car.
Elyse: I just started Only You by Denise Grover Swank ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) and I’m also reading Knitting Yarns: Writers on Knitting by Ann Hood ( A | BN | K | G | AB ).
Right now I’m looking for books that can be picked up and put down easily
Redheadedgirl: I just finished the Nacho Figueras series ( A | BN | K | G | AB ); I am very interested in polo now.
Also just finished Once Upon a Dream, a YA retelling of Sleeping Beauty by Liz Braswell
Now I need a new book.
What about you? What have you been reading this month? Which ones have been hits?
By request, since we can’t link to every book you mention in the comments, here are bookstore links that help support the site with your purchases. If you use them, that’s wonderfully awesome of you, and if you’d prefer not to, no worries at all. Thank you so much for hanging out with us, and hopefully you found something good to read!
@Darlynne, the audiobooks of the Valor series are also good. I listen after I read, and enjoy both experiences.
I read, and liked, the latest Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock) and Nathan Lowell (Ish Wang) books, but then read several meh SFF books. I need a good space opera right now. I just got out of a prolonged reading slump and really don’t want to backside.
Luckily, I’ve listened to several good audiobooks recently. LMB’s The Sharing Knife series was wonderful. The audiobook of the aforementioned Jane Yellowrock book was also good. (Yep, I love this series.) I’m not totally enamored with the narrator for the Mercy Thompson series, and Night Broken isn’t my favorite book in the series, but I enjoyed the listen. Ilona Andrews’s Magic Stars is a very problematic novella for me and, unfortunately, the audio didn’t improve matters. But, finally, MR Carey’s The Girl with All the Gifts was surprisingly beautiful despite the subject matter.
Gambled Away is also on my ever-expanding TBR list. I started reading A Duchess in Name by Amanda Weaver last night and am enjoying the chemistry between Victoria and Andrew. Not feeling any love for their parents.
I haven’t been reading much over the past few weeks. I’ve been working extra hours and recently started looking for a house with acreage. (Horsies in the backyard!) I was brushing up on horse husbandry last week and was also reading Thomas by Grace Burrowes. Wonderful timing with all the horse and stables references and I totally adore Thomas Jennings. My dream is to convince Mr. L we need the antebellum house with a ballroom and a library which happens to have old stables out back ….
I’ve already added Three Martini Lunch and Foxing the Geese to my wishlist from this thread. I’ve been on a kick of reading Charlotte Louise Dolan’s old Regency romances, some of which are on Scribd. “Fallen Angel” and “The Unofficial Suitor” are the most entertaining so far. Really fun books. “The Counterfeit Gentleman” and “Three Lords for Lady Anne” follow Unofficial Suitor, and all 3 are linked by a secondary character, a Lady Letitia who is the most outrageous matchmaker. I’m in the middle of the Lady Anne book now. The heroine is 6 ft. tall and has resigned herself to spinsterhood, because of what was then considered a freakishly tall height, but not to worry, Lady Letitia is on the case.
I’m also in the middle of “True Pretenses” by Rose Lerner, and it is SO GOOD. Earlier this month I read “The Scoundrel’s Seduction” by Jennifer Haymore, which was also very good, although the ending to the mystery subplot was implausible.
I’ve pre-ordered “Gambled Away” and I’m waiting impatiently for Mr. Winterbourne, like so many others.
I should have mentioned in my previous post for those looking for books about witches, the Sevenwaters trilogy by Juliet Marillier is a generational saga about, basically, saving magic in the world, and it is chock full of good and bad witches, fae, formhoire(sp?), Tuatha De, and all kinds of magical shenanigans. In each book the plot also hinges on a romance that is critical to the outcome of the situation as well, so it’s got it all. And Marillier’s voice is just a delight. Highly recommended.
@EC Spurlock –
Thank you for the recommendation!
As an added note, I went to look at book 1 and found this at the bottom of the listing:
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
That’s pretty cool. Hey, TOR! How you doing? High fives!
@ KKW
I hope you feel happier soon. Trollope, Wodehouse, Austen, and Bronte are my sadness retreat authors.
My Mom loves westerns, I don’t, but while visiting her recently I read Jo Goodman’s This Gun for Hire and The Devil You Know. Jo Goodman is such a wonderful storyteller, both books were excellent. The MMPB’s were impossible to read because the print is so light, so I downloaded then from the library. Anyone else running into that problem with small and faded print?
Mostly I’ve been re-reading authors I like. Jill Mansell, Katie Fforde and Loretta Chase. I’m going to read Nalini Singh’s backlist, in expectation of her new book which comes out on my birthday!!
This weekend I’m reading Balogh’s Slightly Dangerous and Beverley’s Devilish. Rothgar and Bewcastle are two of my favorite romance heroes.
This just in: I listened to Crossfire 5 and I AM NOT A HAPPY READER!
I liked both narrators, I liked the beginning of the book just fine, things seemed in the way of getting solved, I was getting kitchen items packed, and then I don’t know WTF happened but this book needs rewriting! If there’s fanfiction with a more satisfying ending, please point me that way. *depressed now*
@Susan Have you read/listened to Sharon Lee & Steve Miller’s Liaden and/or Theo Waitley books? I recommend Fledgling as a possible starting point*—it’s free on kindle and whispersyncs for a low, low price (and has great narration)…unless you’re geo blocked and then I’m sorry I mentioned it!
@EC Spurlock I have Sevenwaters #1 in the audio TBR…this might be might next listen, thanks!
*A possible starting point. There are others. Theo #1 worked for me!
Thanks to whoever recc’d “How to Tell a Lie” – I downloaded it last night, started before bed and stayed up until 3am finishing it, when I had to be at work at 9:30 this morning. So tired, but I really enjoyed the story! I also joined the throngs who pre-ordered Gambled Away.
Currently reading an ARC of Beyond Ecstasy, #8 in the Beyond series by Kit Rocha. Really enjoying it so far, and it seems like we’re headed for some big changes in the Sectors.
Re-read Romancing the Duke because I needed something light and fun. Forgot how much I loved the Regency LARPers!
Guardian’s Secret by Amy Raby – really like her Hearts & Thrones series and am sad I only have one more book left to read.
A couple more recommendations from SBTB: Stone Guardian was ok, but I was also disappointed in the lack of gargoyle hardness puns. The Undoing (Shelly Laurenston) was AMAZING and I would very much like the rest of the series NOW.
Finished up the Reckless Brides series by Elizabeth Essex and very much enjoyed A Scandal to Remember – yay science heroines!!! Read her new series prequel, Mad for Love, and have the first full-length, Mad about he Marquess, waiting on my Kindle.
Next up I need to re-read HP & the Chamber of Secrets for a read-a-long/sock-knit-a-long I’m doing. Have to read Silver on the Road for the VF group (Hi other VFer upthread!), plus I got A Noble Masquerade from the library after seeing the good RITA review posted here.
read Nashville by Heart (netgalley arc)
super sweet: great for country music fans or those who love small town romance
Linda Howard’s Troublemaker was a good read. I felt like she was “back”.
@ms bookjunkie: Thanks for the rec. I already had Fledgling languishing in my TBR, so I picked up the audio book, too. The only Liaden book I’ve read is Agent of Change. I liked it, but was a little overwhelmed by the number of books in the series and optimal reading order so I put off continuing. Same dilemma as with the Vorkosigan books, but I’m planning to dive in there, too.
I ended up starting Marko Kloos’s series while I started a massive housecleaning. I need something entertaining but not exactly cerebral to get me through the drudgery.
This month was mixed.
DNFs
The Unleashing – I read the the 44% mark and at that point there was still no story. The conflict between the heroine and one of the other crows didn’t make any sense to the point of being baffling and completely unbelievable, and I didn’t find the witty banter witty. So many love this book, so I’m assuming the ending is amazing. Also I love her Dragon series, so…
Pretending with the Playboy – meh
Off the Clock – I may actually finish this one, but I stopped reading it at the 50% mark to start reading Kleypas’ Suddenly You when it became available at the library.
I started re-reading books, which is a big deal for me because before this month I could count on one hand the number of books that I’ve re-read (other than for school/study which doesn’t count).
Unraveled – it’s the second time I’ve re-read this since January. I love Smite
Ravishing the Heiress – just talking about this book can make me tear up. So glad it held up.
Sweet Filthy Boy – I loved this the second time too, but maybe slightly less? Ansel is so sweet. A well named book.
The only new books I read to the end this month were Lord of Darkness and Dearest Rogue. I’ve got one more to read in Elizabeth Hoyt’s Maiden Lane series before Duke of Sin comes in 9 days. Squee!!!
I’m currently reading the 2nd book of the Scandalous Diaries series by Jennifer McQuiston. I enjoyed the first one, although I found it slightly improbable.
I also read Because of Miss Bridgerton, which was so much fun. I love Julia Quinn’s style and this was one of her better books.
Just finished listening to the audiobook version of The Seduction if the Crimson Rose by Lauren Willig. I’ve read the book a couple of times and really liked the audiobook as well. I also started the audiobook version of Julie James’s Something About You. The narrator did a great job on it.
I read The Unleashing and The Undoing, thanks to SB Sarah’s sqeeing and a well timed sale. And I liked the first and I LOVED the second. Jace was an awesome heroine. So thanks SB Sarah.
I read The Lion and The Crow by Eli Easton – mm medieval romance and it’s really good. I wasn’t sure how the author was going to pull off a believable happy ending, but she did it. (Note – the epilogue covers several decades quickly, up to tbd deaths of both heroes – I know some romance readers don’t like that, but I thought it worked).
I read Trailer Trash by Marie Sexton – mm ya set in 1986 small town Wyoming. I can’t say enough good things about this – it’s one of her best books. And another one where I didn’t see how we’d get a believable happy ending but the author pulled it off.
Also, just in case no one’s recommended these witch books for SB Sarah – I’m enjoying Deborah Blake’s Baba Yaga series.
And I adored Naomi Novik’s Uprooted – ya set in an alt version of medieval Poland. 17 year old village girl discovers she has magical powers and (eventually) saves the world – with an understated romance.
I just read the SFF ‘Lightless’ by CA Higgins. It’s about a female computer engineer working on a supersecret space ship that has a black hole as its central core. She captures a wanted revolutionary who sneaks onto the ship to steal its secrets and who introduces a virus into the ship’s computer.
I HIGHLY recommend it for SF fans. It was wonderfully written with great character-development. It was like a part-heist, part-psychological drama for physics nerds. Has a big shocking reveal near the end. Although there was no romance in this book, it’s part of a trilogy and I am convinced the author is setting up a romance that will develop over the next two. (It also works perfectly as a stand-alone, too.)
@cleo: I’m so glad you liked the crows, too!!!! YAY!
I’m currently reading The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen. It’s definitely not a romance, but an extremely intense mystery-thriller involving a revenge kidnapping. It’s interesting, but the nature of the victim’s torment (not sexual) requires me to interrupt it with comfort reads at regular intervals.
I’ve re-read Heyer’s Talisman Ring with considerable enjoyment and gobbled up The Duke of Olympia Meets his Match (thanks, ladies). Then–no doubt inspired by the Duke and Mrs. Schuyler–I re-read Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen, a book that left me with mixed feelings the first time around. I must say that Jole and Cordelia richly rewarded a second read. Bujold is great for that.
Hopefully, I’ll gird up my loins and finish Jussi A-O soon, but I hear some Balogh Bedwyns calling my name.
Kit Rocha’s Beyond Ecstasy released and downloaded to my kindle app…I might’ve “accidentally” fallen on the 1-click button… *innocent eyes*
La la la la la what packing never mind what I’m doing…
@Kate re. Patti Smith’s JUST KIDS – Squee! This one’s on the top of my June TBR pile.
In a similar vein, this month I’m reminiscing about my misbegotten punk rock/indie youth by reading kool thing Kim Gordon’s memoir GIRL IN A BAND (very bittersweet) and John Doe’s collection of LA punk rock essays UNDER THE BIG BLACK SUN (very disappointing).
Meanwhile in Romancelandia I’ve…
…Re-read Lisa Kleypas’s COLD-HEARTED RAKE in anticipation of MARRYING WINTERBORNE.
…Started and stalled on Bec McMaster’s SHADOWBOUND, the first in her new The Dark Arts series. Just can’t get into it due to lackluster sexytimes and simplistic writing style. Her London Steampunk series is on continual re-read status as comfort reading, but Shadowbound might be a DNF. Anyone know if it gets better?
…Barreled through Lorraine Heath’s Scoundrels of St. James series. Currently on MIDNIGHT PLEASURES WITH A SCOUNDREL (#4), and this one is especially hitting all my sweet spots.
…Barreled through Mary Balogh’s Bedwyn Saga series. The series was hit or miss, and I kinda feel like a romance reading traitor, but I wanted so much more for Wulf’s story! Like, oh, I don’t know, affectionate romantic scenes, respect between the H/h, and a heroine who wasn’t a ridiculous,loser doormat. Sorry, sorry, sorry, I know peeps love SLIGHTLY DANGEROUS, but it was also a DNF.
…As was Tessa Bailey’s TOO HOT TO HANDLE. Somehow I pre-ordered this contemporary, and man, I’m coming off sounding way too cranky, but the heroine is a frickin’ legit psycho. How she isn’t detained, arrested, and in jail over her actions at the beginning of the book blows my lackadaisical fictional credulity into the next continent. But you know what? Her actions (or lack thereof) are a non-issue. WTF? Also, if you’re gonna have a goth-y hipster heroine, have her be fuckin’ goth-y hipster for real. Not insecure, because that’s lazy and judgmental. I haven’t even gotten to the hero and his manwhore insecurity and improbable linguistics, but honestly? No loss. Again, I’m probably one of five people who hated this one, but whatever. It sucked.
…More Balogh with her final installment of her Survivors Club series, ONLY BELOVED. Not the strongest of the series, but kudos for featuring an older pair of lovers who find true love where they expected (merely) companionship and affection. This series made me grab for the kleenex repeatedly, it was so good overall.
…Counting the minutes until 5/31 for MARRYING WINTERBORNE and Elizabeth Hoyt’s DUKE OF SIN!!!
I got my hands on an arc of City of Mirrors by Justin Cronin which I have been anticipating for 4 years. I’ve had this for almost three weeks and haven’t been able to finish it. It’s good so far I’m just…trying to come to terms with the character’s lives and choices because I’ve been so attached to them and none of it has played out like I hoped. I’m a diehard romance addict and I wanted everyone to get an HEA even though this trilogy is definitely NOT a romance.
So far this month I have read:
Hamilton the Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda/Jeremy McCarter (nonfiction) — I took my time with this one and it was worth it.
Diary of an Accidental Wallflower by Jennifer McQuiston (historical)– Super cute with a doctor hero.
On the Edge by Ilona Andrews (fantasy) — Unique setting with a tough heroine and children characters who are definitely not plot moppets.
Angels Flight by Nalini Singh (paranormal) — Guild Hunter anthology. Nice variety of stories that are all enjoyable.
Archangel’s Blade by Nalini Singh (paranormal) — Intense story with a bad boy vampire hero and a vampire hunter heroine.
The Captive by Grace Burrowes (historical) — Tortured hero and tormented heroine who develop a mature and sweet relationship. Pretty high on the angst scale.
Only a Promise by Mary Balogh (historical) — Hero is suffering from PTSD and survivor’s guilt. Enters marriage of convenience with the heroine who has bad memories of London and never wants to return.
Saving the CEO by Jenny Holiday (contemporary) — Heroine is hired to pretend to work for the hero to get a business deal done. Lots of sexual chemistry and good communication.
A Gentleman’s Position by K.J. Charles (M/M historical) — A lord and a valet have secret feelings for one another. Socially conscious and does not gloss over the class differences.
The Year Without a Duke anthology (historical) — Decent collection of connected novellas surrounding what happens on an estate when an heir is proving difficult to find. Varying quality.
Currently reading: Archangel’s Storm by Nalini Singh and Beauty & the Rake by Erica Monroe