It’s Whatcha Reading time, where we discuss all the highs and lows of our month’s reading. We all hope you’ve had some good book noises this month, but we know sometimes that doesn’t happen. Feel free to rage and gripe as much as you want. However, we can’t be held responsible if your TBR pile doubles in size from the book recommendations you’ll most likely get.
Sarah: I am reading a nonfiction and a romance, because my brain is tired and stressed. The nonfiction is Deep Work by Cal Newport (insert all jokes here) (insert jokes about inserting jokes here) (fin). On one hand, the reframing of what is deeply focused work and what is shallow, distracting work is interesting and very helpful to my own feelings of productivity and accomplishment, especially when paired with a recent podcast interview with Basecamp CEO Jason Fried.
I’m constantly questioning what I do, and why I do it, and whether I can do less, do things more efficiently, or not do them at all. So the idea of focusing intently on my creative projects and goals is something I’m very curious about. But the book itself, while it contains several helpful concepts, grates on me with the sexism and the ignoring of other work that women typically do (e.g. emotional labor and caretaking). Most of the examples are men, with two exceptions, one of them negative, and most of these examples portray work as a singular monolith or field of study. So I take frequent breaks between chapters so I don’t get too angry to keep reading and cheat myself out of valuable ideas.
Carrie: I am reading Chasing Power, a YA by Sarah Beth Durst ( A | BN | K | G | AB ), and also What She Ate, a nonfiction about six historical women and their relationship to food. The former is entertaining but uneven and the latter is excellent.
Sarah: I’m also currently reading The Offer by Sara Portman ( A | BN | K | G | AB ), which is coming out on 10/24. The heroine is a penniless vicar’s daughter who opens the story in the strange position of deeply envying her best friend, now a duchess, who is in the midst of horrible morning sickness. The hero is also in debt, and not in a position to offer for anyone unless that person comes with several wagonloads of money, so OF COURSE they are going to be drawn to each other. I just started it, and am very curious, so ahoy, more reading time for me.
Elyse: I just started The Bloodprint by Ausma Zehanat Khan. It’s an epic fantasy about a group of women with magical abilities working to overthrow a patriarchal, repressive society. Their magic is tied to the ability to read and use words of power, so it’s pretty solidly my catnip
Sarah: I read the first chapter of that book and so wanted to continue, but it was giving me the “your brain is going to wake you up with nightmares” feeling with some of the violence. But the women in that first chapter are SO INCREDIBLE.
Elyse: One of the things that I found really fascinating and relevant is that the authoritarian regime bans reading as a means of controlling its populace
Sarah: YES. This is a perfect example of a book that I wanted to read but knew would give my brain middle-of-the-night freakouts.
Amanda: Can I just say that I love these little conversations we have about books? What we like, what we don’t like, what aspects work of us as readers. It gives me the warm and fuzzies.
Sarah: I know, me too.
In the past year I have learned so much about how to work with my brain and my brain chemistry. it’s life-changing on a very basic level.
But knowing when something violent is going to exacerbate my anxiety to the point of losing sleep is a big help, much as I want to read this book.
Redheadedgirl: So…I maaaaaaaaay be at “one book bought per day of trip” so that’s a lot?
Elyse: Nah.
Amanda: I just finished an exhausting week in South Florida, cleaning out my late grandparents home where they lived for over 40 years. On the cool side, I found my great grandmother’s bible from 1917. On the bad side, who knew just looking at belongings could sap so much energy. Because of this, I’m waffling between two different types of reads – dark and gritty to channel some of my negative feelings. And reading an autobuy author for some comfort.
For the former, I have An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard from my library ( A | BN | K | G | AB ). It has a magical NYC and a heroine who wants to destroy the current magical system.
For the latter, I have Roomies by Christina Lauren. They write such great modern romances that make me laugh and cry. It’s like a hug in book form and something that I totally need right now.
What have you been reading this month? Something spooky? A comfort read? Let us know in the comments!
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, thank you so much, and if you’d prefer not to, no worries. Thanks for being a part of SBTB and hopefully, you’ve found some great books to read!
Faves:
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers. Even with a new cast of characters, I loved this soothing sci fi sequel. I missed the stronger romance storylines of the first book, though.
Act Like It by Lucy Parker – This has been on my to-read list for awhile. I loved everything about the love story and the depiction of celebrity theater career was deliciously gossipy. I pretty much imagined the hero looking like Richard Artmitage which may have contributed to my enjoyment.
Coffee Boy by Austin Chant — With the political setting, I expected more drama and intrigue but instead this was a straightforwardly sweet m/m love story with a trans hero and his older (yet not enough to be creepy) boss.
Just ok:
Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare – a relaxing read with the solid writing I’d expect from Dare. I just found the story a little blah and I’ve already forgotten it a few days after finishing.
Whatever Happened to Interracial Live by Kathleen Collins. The experimental structure of these short stories made some hard to get into, but there were still so many nuggets of brilliance in this recently reissued 1960s collection.
In the Middle of Somewhere by Roan Parrish – a longer book than most of the m/m’s that I read, which made me happy since I adored spending time with the lead characters. Loved the takedown of academic culture and class analysis, hated the repetitive sex scenes that felt like they were repurposed straight scenes with a man swapped in.
Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde. Lots of diversity in the character pairings, but the writing style was tough to get through
DNF:
Take Me Home by Lorelie Brown. Great setup for a f/f romance, but the romcom fake relationship Thanksgiving plot quickly shifted to the two annoying leads rapidly falling in lust.
I also had a pretty good reading month. Finally happily finished two books set in the 21st century as I have been DNFing or finishing with contempt an embarrassing number of contemporaries over the past few months. Wind Chime Summer by Sophie Moss grabbed me by the heart like her previous Wind Chime books. Much of the story takes place on a Maryland oyster farm and the author did her research. Trigger warning for rape, but the flashback and related events were integral to the story and the heroine heals and grows. Also read The Chesapeake Bride by Mariah Stewart and loved it like all the rest, but On Sunset Beach remains my favorite in the series. Maybe I need to stick to books set on the Chesapeake Bay.
In my “Duke book” reading, I finished The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare yesterday and, as always, enjoyed the banter and humor when I really needed a lighter book to read. Khan was a great secondary character and I liked the way he helps Ash and Emma bridge their societal differences. Before that, it was Her Duke at Daybreak by Wendy LaCapra which was a little darker and had some gothic aspects compared to her first books but no less enjoyable to read. I’m caught up with the Maiden Lane series and am in the queue for Duke of Desire at the library but I may have to splurge since I am number 12 in line. Started Six Degrees of Scandal by Caroline Linden this morning and waiting for the second chance catnip to appear.
I’ve been reading more mysteries than romance lately but I did enjoy The Troll Whisperer by Sera Trevor. It’s a m/m novella about an internet troll who is initially quite repulsive but the author does a wonderful job of redeeming him (of course there was a lot of emotional baggage that made him behave that way). The writing is excellent, with friendship and family relationships playing a part as well as the romance. It felt like the perfect length, with nothing rushed or unneccessarily dragged out. And it’s free on Amazon at the moment. Just don’t give up after the first chapter!
I can’t remember much of what I read, especially first books when the second comes out and I’m all, “What? Did I know this?” I suppose that means double and triple the fun as I start a series again.
But the standout this month was VIGIL by Angela Slatter. It’s the first in a Brisbane series with magic, all kinds of others, and the best snarky heroine I’ve read in a long time. The second book is out and a third is coming, although they’re not easy to find. Still highly recommended and hopefully we’ll see more.
Also, Mick Herron’s thrillers featuring disgraced MI5 operatives. Finished the second, DEAD LIONS, which was brilliant. And I actually remembered the first. Looking forward to three and four.
I haven’t read much this month, although I’ve been doing a lot of semi-re-reading, where I just go through books and read my favorite bits. According to GoodReads, I’ve only read three books this month. Huh.
Tender With a Twist by Annabeth Albert – really sweet bdsm mm contemporary about a young chef who wants to be a dom and an older wood sculptor who’s a widower and experienced sub.
An Suitable Heir by KJ Charles – queer historical romance between a bi man and gender queer person who likes men. I wanted to like it more than I did, but it was still a satisfying conclusion to her Sins of the Cities trilogy.
Romancing the Inventor (Supernatural Society #1) by Gail Carriger – f/f pnr / steampunk-ish. It takes place in her parasol protectorate universe but is supposed to be stand-alone. This is the author’s first LGBTQ romance and my queer genre fiction book group was divided about whether or not it seemed like the main couple could have been m/f instead of f/f without changing the story at all. I didn’t think it could have been m/f without making big changes, but I did think the fairytale quality to the writing meant I wasn’t as emotionally involved in the story or the romance as I wanted to be.
@cleo – that’s An UNsuitable Heir, argh
I actually read a lot this month (I haven’t lately due to brain issues). I am currently reading the first Charlotte Holmes by Sherry Thomas and WOW (I also picture Lord Ingram as looking like Rufus Sewell and it’s Very Nice). It’s such a fantastic look at Victorian Social Convention as well. I love that Charlotte is out of fucks about People but also cares deeply about people.
Books in fact read:
Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake – three triplets who have to fight to the death to become queen. It’s fascinating world building though I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about it but I loved the three triplets and their journey. (Also I don’t think they are going to kill each other)
The Star Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi: beautiful beautiful beautiful (I loved the sisterly love that is really at the heart of this story).
Lady Helen & The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman: OH MY GOSH HISTORICAL FEELINGS. I loved Lady Helen being Of Her Time and her friendships and also it was a take on demons I had not seen before and I am here for that.
(My TBR pile is huge at this point tbh)
I’ve read three new books this month so far, all by some of my favorite m/m authors.
1. Tender with a Twist by Annabeth Albert. She is an auto buy for me now, and this book was enjoyable, though not amazing. This is the second book in the “Rainbow Cove” series.
2. An Unsuitable Heir by K.J. Charles. This is the last book in the “Sins of the Cities” trilogy, and I loved Pen, the real earl who can’t be earl (it’ll make sense, I promise!). The whole trilogy has been wonderful, and the mystery (a real whodunnit full of family drama) is solved in a very believable way.
3. Sightlines by Santino Hassell. This is the last book in his “Community” paranormal trilogy, and unfortunately, I really struggled to finish it. His Five Boroughs series is one of my favorites, and so is the Cyberlove love series he continues to write with Megan Erickson, but this one just didn’t work for me.
@Hazel hmm for contemporaries in a similar vein to Ren Benton I would recommend Mary Ann Rivers (The Story Guy might be my favorite novella ever) and Ruthie Knox (try Truly for a heroine breaking out from under the weight of family expectations or About Last Night for a prickly rebel heroine). Maybe some Sarina Bowen, particularly the True North or Gravity series; her protagonists tend to be younger (early to mid twenties?) and slightly angstier, but she has more books out than the other two so I want to make sure there is sufficient volume of recommendations 🙂
@Lace I’m bumping up The Girls at the Kingfisher Club on my TBR. It’s such a cool reimagining and I’m glad to hear the author could juggle such a large cast!
It was a slow reading month for me, I only finished two books!
AN UNSUITABLE HEIR by KJ Charles, I liked it and liked how everything was resolved. Now, please, some short stories with Justin and Mark solving mysteries together :’) Reading about a gender queer character made me realize I haven’t read anything directly from a gender queer person’s perspective so I think I will be looking for some own voices nonfiction or maybe even blogs. Also, the descriptions of Pen’s hair and costumes reminded me of Isobel Kelly’s webcomic Thicker Than Blood, which is absolutely gorgeous. If anyone is interested it’s here: https://tapas.io/episode/822931, although I found it easier to read on the tumblr http://thickerthanbloodwebcomic.tumblr.com/ I paused reading in spring to let some pages build up so I think I’ll spend some time catching up soon.
After that was THE WOLD ROAD by Beth Lewis which I couldn’t put down despite how dark it was. I usually don’t read books that have trigger warnings for everything but I didn’t know they were coming and the author wasn’t gratuitous about them. Very well paced too – each chapter ended on a cliff hanger so it was a couple nights of Bad Decisions Book Club.
Right now I’m reading THE PAYING GUESTS by Sarah Waters while I’m waiting for my holds to come up on Martha Wells’s ALL SYSTEMS RED and Annalee Newitz’s AUTONOMOUS. I’m also listening to Arianna Huffington’s THE SLEEP REVOLUTION; I’m trying to prime my brain for better habits. Here’s hoping!
haha whoops! *The Wolf Road!
Dyslexia gets worse when I’m stressed, so most of the time, I can not finish a book in one sitting. Been trying to get into audiobooks to remedy that, but sometimes I’d get distracted and then lost track of what’s going on in the story and so I keep going back.
Here’s my TBR pile for this month. Three of them have been recs from this site.
1. The Game and the Governess by Kate Noble
2. Seducing an Angel by Mary Balogh
3. The Fire King by Marjorie Liu
4. The Countess by Lynsay Sands
5. Sandstorm by James Rollins
6. Dune by Frank Herbert
7. Manuscript Found in Accra by Paulo Coelho
8. A Game of Thrones by G.R.R. Martin
Between novels, I find that picking up comics help a lot to clear my head.
@Mara, Salt, Sugar, Fat was amazing. I read it after The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and they really helped me step up my cooking skills and rid my diet of as many processed foods as possible.
@Candace, I need to check that out!
I finished listening to The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore on audio from the library (the author reads it herself, which I don’t think was the best idea), and then saw the movie Professor Marston and the Wonder Woman. I enjoyed it, but I think filmmaker Angela Robinson may have imagined too much. OTOH, I think I’ve discovered an interest in light BDSM 😀
All the WW stuff reminded me that as a kid in the 70’s I actually read the first few Ms Marvel comics, so I picked up Captain Marvel In Pursuit of Flight and Down, and… they’re ok. IPoF has some overtly sexual artwork in the beginning that really annoyed me and the story struggles to find its footing, but I really enjoyed Down.
Thumbs up: Eloisa James’ The Ugly Duchess and Haskell/Erickson’s Strong Signal.
Currently reading Their Eyer Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston and The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe.
@Kate, I wonder if there’s something called “The SSF Effect,” where a household’s processed food consumption drops by like 70% after reading that book
I’m reading the Duchess Deal by Tessa Deal. It’s all right, but very meh. Stylistically it’s a mash-up of Julia Quinn meets Harlequin Presents.
Without writing a more thorough review, there were lot of little things that took away from it. It’s a C read for me.
LOTS of rereads. I’m re-reading CECILIA GRANT’s “A Lady Awakened” right now, as well as MARY STEWART’S “Airs Above the Ground” (thank you SBTB for the sale link). One in paper, one on kindle, which is why I have two going at once.
I’ve also just zoomed through a reread of all of JANE O’REILLY’s super hot stuff for Carina, like Indecent Desires, Indecent Exposure, Guilty Pleasures, etc. They are excellent and super steamy. I highly recommend.
I was really conflicted by JD Robb #1, Naked in Death. I loved Eve Dallas in all her complexity and competency and inner turmoil masked by sheer will, but Roarke – no. (Not fitting this moment in time, maybe ten years ago I would have felt differently, but I can’t like him right now). I get why their relationship worked for them, and worked at the time Nora wrote it — but it’s not working for me despite how much I liked Eve and the writing and the world-building. So I ended up being easily distracted and didn’t finish quickly and the library ebook expired. Should I put myself back on the wait list to check it out and finish it? I was at the third murder, after first night of sex and when Eve wears R’s silk shirt to work. Thoughts? Does he get better?
This strikes me as a good opportunity to solicit a recommendation, if I may.
Dear Bitchery readers, I would very much like to read a Gothic or historical with a hero who is incredibly patient and respectful in his pursuit and courtship of the heroine. I would like for him to be madly, certainly, doggedly in love with the heroine, rather than reluctantly so. I would like for this book to include beautifully chosen words to truly romance the heroine, longing and smoldering looks, and dedication to really learning all about her. My ideal hero would be the kind to make a lady a bit weak in the knees, although not necessarily for being conventionally attractive – perhaps he is brilliant, or mysterious, charismatic (all of the above would be most welcome!). As for my ideal heroine, I hope for her to be a mature, full person, and an interesting one, rather than a very young, beautiful, tabula rasa. There must be passion but there may or may not be sex in this ideal book of mine. If there is sex, I would like for it to reveal and advance the characters and their love, and be unique and specific to those two people, so that it doesn’t feel gratuitous (Outlander is a good example of this kind of writing, in my view). If it has adventure, wit, and delightful secondary characters I will be in book heaven! Is anyone able to recommend such a book? I will be grateful for any suggestions!
Books read so far this month:
I’ve continued with my Roan Parrish obsession by reading Out of Nowhere and Heart of the Steal. Right now I’m in the middle of Small Change and totally loving it. Ginger is my new hero.
Also thanks to some recommendations for m/m romance from someone here at the Bitchery (god I wish I could remember the name of the person who gave me the recs so I could thank her!) I discovered the incredibly awesome Josh Lanyon AND Jordan Castillo Price. So far I started the Adrien English series and read the first two books–Fatal Shadows and A Dangerous Thing. I LOVED both and plan on continuing the series as soon as I pay off this month’s ridiculous book bill. I also read three other JL’s from an anthology that I found on sale–Winter Kill, Murder in Pastel, and Someone Killed His Editor. I enjoyed all three, but if I had to pick a favorite it would be Someone Killed his Editor which has a cranky and sarcastic main character (I love that in a MC) and includes a second chance at love trope between the two leads.
Finally, I’ve also been reading Jordan Castillo Price’s Psycop series which is so incredibly awesome I can’t even right now. I’ve read the first three books so far–Among the Living, Criss Cross, and Body and Soul. I will be downloading and devouring book 4 just as soon as I finish Small Change.
I did not read as much this month as I thought I might, given that I had a business trip that gave me lots of time in a hotel. Unfortunately I spent most of that time sleeping due to that trip involving WAY more stress and hard work than I thought. I did read About Last Night by Ruthie Knox, and woooo child, that book is H-O-T. I was reading it on the plane and I was like if dude next to me is reading over my shoulder he is getting more than he bargained for. I also finally cleared the library wait list for A Study In Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas and it is well worth the wait so far. And I am reading a Harlequin Presents, Undone by the Billionaire Duke by Caitlin Crews, and it is really interesting. Almost like a gothic historical, complete with windy moors, but set in contemporary times. I’m only about 20% in, but I’m intrigued.
I always love this thread! But I haven’t read any romances lately (or even any love stories!)
This month I have three books on the go:
I’m still working my way through “The 19th Wife” by David Ebershoff – it is LONG but FASCINATING! A fictional murder mystery blended with history of the LDS religion. Lots of footnotes, so be prepared to flip pages back and forth! You can also watch the movie adaptation (featuring Patricia Wettig and Matt Czuchry.)
I just started “That’s Funny, You Don’t Look Buddhist” by Sylvia Boorstein which is my second book by her. I find her mindfulness teachings very accessible and written in an easy-to-understand manner. This one has elements of memoir.
I’m also reading Battle Dress by Amy Efaw which is a YA novel inspired by the author’s own experience at West Point Military Academy. Wow, it’s a great story! (I do have a bit of a headache from the use of CAPITAL LETTERS TO INDICATE YELLING.)
@Cat C: Thanks for the recommendations. I’ve actually downloaded a Ruthie Knox short story. (I’m not going to try to recall its name, ‘cos I’ll probably get it wrong.) But clearly I’m looking in the right direction. Thank you.
I’m currently devouring the Maiden Lane series by Elizabeth Hoyt. I would love it if this kind of tightly-woven, fully populated world became the norm in historical romance series. I do not love that they’ve replaced the cover of the first volume with yet another brooding beefcake in an unfastened white shirt. (Does your valet let you leave the house like that? I think not.)
** Loved
FOOL ME TWICE by Meredith Duran – (Yes, I’m late to all the parties. Hush.) Coincidentally, the premise of “infiltrating a duke’s household as the housekeeper in order to retrieve some incriminating papers” was also used in Hoyt’s DUKE OF SIN (see: Maiden Lane, above). I liked a lot of spoilery things about the book which I won’t unpack here, but I was completely won over by a latish sex scene that was just beautifully written and deeply embedded in everything we knew about these characters and their previous interactions. This is good writing.
** Liked
AND THEN HE KISSED HER by Laura Lee Guhrke – The historical office romance aspect worked really nicely, especially seeing the arrogant boss get his comeuppance for taking the hardworking heroine for granted. However, a fair amount of flip-flopping on the heroine’s part over major decisions gave the impression that she lacked self-awareness or critical thinking skills. Also, I thought many emotional opportunities were lost in the rushed ending.
** The library gods spared my dinero
A WALLFLOWER CHRISTMAS by Lisa Kleypas – Frankly, this book would have been better if Kleypas had ditched the new couple entirely and just made it a check-in on the holiday state of her four former wallflowers. If the ebook ever drops to 1.99, I will buy it for the one chapter with Evie and St Vincent; otherwise, I’ll just duck into the library and occasionally top up by reading that bit in the stacks.
MUST LOVE DUKES by Elizabeth Michel – I do not appreciate the trend of “cleverly” shoehorning modern tropes into historical settings. Bar pickup followed by a one-night stand with an unmarried heroine from a respectable family? Doesn’t work for the era. Definitely doesn’t work for me. DNF.
** Reader relationship status: complicated
A LADY AWAKENED by Cecilia Grant – I have many glowing things to say about the heroine’s voice and the hero’s interactions with the pig and the author’s ability to walk me safely through scenes that would normally have me cringing from second-hand embarrassment. But in the end, the heroine’s sense of duty was oppressive and the resolution of both the plot conflict and the romance felt too dispassionate.
Sherry Thomas’ RAVISHING THE HEIRESS – I don’t like romances where the hero spends the bulk of the story in love with someone other than the heroine, but I feel compelled to read them when the book is highly regarded. I keep thinking that if so many readers love a book, the author must do something amazing to rescue this stink bomb scenario. Thomas tells a worthy story about basically good people being basically nice to each other, but I tripped over the heroine’s passivity and the fact that the hero is in love with one woman, married to another, and sexing up random women for whom he holds no great respect or affection on the side. Way to compartmentalize, Fitz.
I recently found a corner of youtube where they make videos talking about books. It is mostly YA type books, but I have a 12 year old who lives inside my head that makes me watch hours of youtube videos. She also is the one that laughs when someone makes a suggestive comment.
Now I usually avoid YA fiction because I’m a lot long in the tooth and have no tolerance for teen romance/angst. But there were 2 books that sounded intriguing.
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. A teen girl survives an accident that kills her best friend, boy friend and his sister. Mayhem ensues. I was looking for a spooky or disturbing Halloween read and got angsty teen romance. By the time I got to the end of the book I noped right out of there. I will not be reading the 2nd or 3rd books in the series.
Then I found This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab. What if violence created real monsters? This book is so good. This was one of those rare books that I wanted to finish but didn’t want it to end. I am possibly the slowest reader and I read this book in less than a week and started the next one Our Dark Duet. It is only a duology, but if she wrote a dozen in this series I would buy them all. She has other books I am going to read as well and hope they are as good.
Unsuitable Heir K.J.Charles….I liked it a lot, but my favorite character was not an MC, it was the MC’s sister, Greta
During one very unsocial weekend I read 3 Jordan L. Hawk books: Hexbreaker, Hexmaker, Hexslayer. I didn’t love her Whyborne series but I thought I would give her another shot after reading a short story in this world.
And then Heidi Cullinan’s Let it Snow
Everything got four stars. And I’ll probably power through the rest of Heidi’s Minnesota Christmas series this week.
Non-romance:
Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman (3 stars)
All the Birds in the Sky (4 stars)
@Cristie, Jordan Castillo Price’s Psycop series is on my radar but it has so many book in the series and I eye the collection on my kindle of to-read-already-own and I want to reduce that number before diving in
@Heather C.
The Psycop series is long, but don’t deprive yourself of the pleasure of reading it for too long. I’m trying to read other books in between each book in the series to try make it last, but what I actually want to do is just tear through them back to back because Vic & Jacob have taken up permanent residence in my head right now. I find the world JCP has created incredibly fascinating. I say TBR be damned;)
–KULTI BY MARIANA ZAPATA–The caps lock is on purpose. I loved this book. Sarah if you loved Act Like it by Lucy Parker you should try this one. Female soccer player who has a new soccer coach that used to be an international soccer star and she had a crush on as a teenager. He is grumpy and quiet. This book is a slooowww burn book that actually builds the relationship up. No insta-love here. Read It! Read It! Read It! ( I might have raved about this one in the last Whatcha Reading)
–Elements of Chemistry by Penny Reid–I didn’t want to read this one because then I’ve read everything by her. Really liked this one, sad to see it end.
–An extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole–2 Union spies in the Confederate south during the Civil War. Really liked the couple in this book and it was my first book by Alyssa Cole. I immediately started looking for the 2nd book in the series was sad to see that it doesn’t come out until the end of November
–Fraternize by Rachel Van Dyken–New to me author. I liked this book and it didn’t go where I expected it to. Misunderstanding between best friends that don’t speak for 6 years. Run into each later, her as an NFL cheerleader, him as the tight end for the team.
–Wait for It by Mariana Zapata– Main female character is the cousin of Sal from Kulti. Again loved this book. Zapata is an auto buy now.
–12th Grave by Darynda Jones–I was a little disappointed by the book but mainly because I had built it up so much in my head. But I still liked it and now I have to wait a year for the last book of the series. No more Reyes, people 🙁
–Ghosted by J.M. Darhower– Hollywood star gets to finally meet his daughter after finally battling his alcoholism. Liked this book
–The Five Stages of Falling in Love by Rachel Higginson–Widow with 4 kids falls for her new neighbor. So far I’ve liked everything I’ve read by this author
–Bombshell by CD Reiss– In case you think I love everything I read, I don’t. I hated this book and was originally a DNF. But because I’m not a quitter, I kept reading this on my lunch hour at work. Shallow hollywood star that gets custody of a child he didn’t know it all and a know it all nanny to the stars. I didn’t feel the chemistry between the two and and talked about their growth but I didn’t feel it.
Honorary mentions: Strong Signal by Megan Erickson & Santion Hassel, Beyond Ecstasy by Kit Rocha, Spotless by Camilla Monk, Wild at Whiskey Creek by Julie Anne Long, Glitterland by Alexis Hall, and The Job by Janet Evanovich
@ Lady Voulptua Raventresses:
Historical romances: Lord Carew’s Bride by Mary Balogh and Unclaimed by Courtney Milan: not sure these will suit but hoping they will. If there was a rec league for beta heroes in a past post you may find some suggestions there. There are so many wonderful authors of HRs who write well rounded, believable and lovable characters.
@CK – if you’re looking for recs w/r/t writing about/by gender non-binary people, I just read this review of a memoir by a nb person – the reviewer is also trans and includes other recs as well as some personal observations
https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/public/trans-101-stephanie-burt/
I can think of a couple nb authors who write queer romance. Alex Beecroft is non-binary and Labyrinth, her historical set in ancient Crete, has an agender / non-binary protag. Kris Ripper is gender queer and I think ze has a couple stories with non-binary characters, although I’m not coming up with any titles right now.
@Cristie – I gave you some mm recs last month (not sure who else did). So glad you’re enjoying your dive into mm!
I just finished “Naked in Death” and I was equally conflicted. I liked the worldbuilding, I even could understand the appeal of Roarke and how he took care of Eve at times. But other times I… wish Robb had held back on their phsysical relationship until Eve had revealed more of her issues. They were not minor, they really impacted her attitudes towards intimacy/sex, and I felt like Roarke went barreling through because of his obsession with her. I definitely could not binge this series given the types of cases she deals with.
Also listened to two audiobooks — a relisten of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express read by Dan Stevens. If you’d read it already, that might be a fun way to revisit it before the movie. I’m curious what they’re changing for the new version. Also listened to Carola Dunn’s Murder on the Flying Scotsman, a 1920s Daisy Dalrymple mystery.
Also working on Ilona Andrews’ White Hot – I’d put it down after I realized I couldn’t watch the news with Houston under water and reconcile paranormal Houston. I do like Nevada’s family A LOT.
@ Cleo
Yay it was you who gave me all the awesome recs-Thank you so much! I feel like discovering m/m has really rejuvenated my reading and pulled me out of the horrible reading slump I was in. I’m finally immediately reading everything I buy instead of adding things to the the TBR pile which will never be seen again. So thank you!
@Tina M. If you like Victoria Schwab, she also writes fantasy under V.E. Schwab – I think the series is Shades of Magic? I’ve listened to her speak, she’s quite the hardworking author!
@Amy S- Yasssss, I’m a fellow member of the Zapata auto-buy club: slow burn on!
@Tina M- If you’re interested in non-YA booktube, it’s a growing community. I’m an omnivore so I talk about pretty much every genre including romance, but three heavy romance readers who are on booktube that come to mind are: Ashheartbooks, Books and Things, and SniderBeeBooks. Oh, and Lia Cooper talks a lot about LGBTQ+ romance if that’s your gig.
I finally read the 3rd book in Loretta Chase’s Dressmaker series, “Vixen in Velvet”. I’m not sure why it took me so long, after reading the 1st two books years ago, but anyway it was lots of fun. Chase writes so well.
I read my first Maisey Yates book, “Seduce Me, Cowboy”, and it was meh for me. Outside of the H&h’s relationship development, there was really no plot or conflict to speak of. I like a bit more meat on the bones.
For reasons related to my volunteer work, I’m reading two non-fiction books about hiking/walking. One was “On The Trail: A History of American Hiking” which had some interesting things to say about communal hiking vs. solitary hiking. The other I’m reading now is “Wanderlust” by Rebecca Solnit. I had no idea that Solnit had written so many books on so many different subjects! Before this, I only knew her as the woman who literally wrote the book on mansplaining. (“Men Explain Things to Me”, read it, it’s great!)
I read “Magic Flutes” by Eva Ibbotson and it was wonderful, I adored it, I wallowed in it. I got it from the library but now I want my own copy.
I read “Mistletoe and the Major” by Anna Campbell, because I love her holiday novellas, they are totally satisfying even to someone who’s not a big novella reader.
I’ve gotten hooked on a historical trilogy by Mary Lancaster, which is very addictive and enjoyable. They are “The Wicked Baron”, “The Wicked Lady” and now I’ve started “The Wicked Rebel”. “The Wicked Lady” has a wonderful clergyman hero, if that’s your catnip.
Another historical author which I tried on Kindle because a book was cheap or free, and then got hooked on: Constance Hussey. So far I’ve read “An Inconvenient Wife”, “An Angel For St. Claire” and “A Cornish Connection”. None of these are earth-shattering, but they’ve got the tropes that I can’t resist, so I’ll keep eating them up.
I bought “The Unwomanly Face of War” by Svetlana Alexievich(WWII history) but haven’t started it yet.
This is actually 2 months worth of books, because I didn’t get around to commenting here last month!
@anonymous Thank you very much for your kind recommendations! I look forward to reading both books and will follow up on your suggestion about beta hero threads past. Happy reading!
re: Roarke: I don’t read the In Death books for Roarke at all at this point. I find Roarke to be a fairly flat, convenient character, who can open what doors need opening (be it with money or lockpicks). I’m there for Eve. And Peabody. And most of the other characters. But Roarke is plain wish fulfillment.
As I understand it, the series was initially meant to be just a few books long, so the setup of their relationship happens fast for what’s now a 25+ book series, esp. given Eve’s background. But I also think that Robb has gotten better at Eve’s background as the series goes along, especially in terms of allowing Eve to have defining personality traits unrelated to her trauma.
@Heather C – I really enjoyed Heidi Cullinan’s Minnesota Christmas series! Until book 4 (Santa Baby) which took a couple of sharp left turns into angstville and it also gave Arthur a personality transplant (IMO). I’m still a little mad about it, now that I think about it, and I read it a year ago.
I’ve just discovered K B Spangler’s Rachel Peng books—queer cyborg WoC heroine, urban fantasy/future noir-procedural setting, real friendships, proper work, decent research. They build out of Spangler’s awesome free webcomic, A Girl and Her Fed, but the feel of the stories are very different (the comic is cute and quirky, the novels grittier).
Split by JB Salsbury. For those who want to keep their cake and eat it too or, put another way : “Do I feel like reading a romance with a beta hero or a a-hole? Oh, wait. I don’t have to choose. I can read Split!” See, the hero as a multiple (well, just 2) personalities disorder. It is a very go-for-effect read I enjoyed the heck out of until 3/4 into the book.
<div class="spoiler-button" Don’t click if you don’t want to know I’m getting real tired of the hero scheming to have the heroine catch him f*cking someone else because he wants to chase her away…. The only time this twist felt right within the story was when Nalini Singh did it. So, writing ladies, it’s been done and done so please let’s bury this trend under the carpet, m’kay ?
The ending also feels contrived and not really believable. Still, the heroine really kick ass. I like how she’s not as heartless as she assumes, I like how she thinks through her problems, I like how she’s so determined to get what she wants. I’d still recommend the book for the heroine and for the cute beta hero. Trigger warning: childhood abuse… like, lots.
I’m also still going strong with Cassandra Gannon. I finally read Kingpin of Camelot, the book which started the Cassandra G. ball for me after Ilona Andrews posted about it : http://www.ilona-andrews.com/kingpin-of-camelot/. It’s just like Ilona says . (nb : reading, I kept thinking of Nicolaa from Julie Garwood’s The Prize ; in the afterword, the author mentions she was a Garwood fan… Score!)
I’ve read 7 books by Cassandra Gannon in the last 6 weeks, and I plan on reading more. She’s strong on the fated partners trope, but it never feels like their relationship is a done deal ; they fall in love on top of being destined for each other. The only gripe I have with her are her villains, they are unidimensional and their bad deeds are senseless and gratuitous. But I’m still jumping on Bannon’s books because she writes fun, her characterizations are hilarious, the interactions between the couples are great and everything in her stories is soooo over the top.
Another good find for me is Theodora Taylor. On the basis of a short story I liked I bought Knud : Her Big Bad Wolf. Wow. Don’t be fooled, the book is much better than its title and is mostly not about werewolves. The narrative goes back and forth between the present (1st person heroine’s POV, who wakes up pregnant and with a big hole in her head where the last 6 months should be) and the past (the missing 6 months, from 3rd person hero’s POV). Usually, this kind of back and forth bugs me because one narrative is always more interesting than the other. Here though, I was as eager to follow the present as I was to follow the past. At first the guy was callous and the girl was… weird, but their interactions turned out to be so quirky, I read on. And as both narratives converge, their interactions end up making so much sense… I loved it! I love to be taken by surprise! (That said, this book is a meeting between two series I didn’t read, so I had absolutely no foreshadowing of who the hero and the heroine were – the heroine was the bigger surprise ; « It’s okay. Every black mother wants me to marry their son. » Hehehe. Go read if you want the punch line.)
Other interesting elements for me : the H & h are biracial ; the novel is set in the near future, with cool nerdy stuff not overexplained ; also, apparently the werewolves are time-travelling ones… (!!!) I so wanna read more.
Oh gosh, this post is turning to be so long… (>_<) Just one last word about Just the Thing by Marie Harte. I probably won’t read another book by her. The hero was charming. He had PTSD and it was treated in a more realistic way than I’m used to (he’s in therapy and still has break downs and works hard to cope). The heroine is a successful woman, sure of herself and also realistically working through her own grief (her sister died in an accident). Their relationship starts well and progress well, they’re really into each other and it’s engrossing… but… the book tried too hard. The dialogues tried to be snarky and funny, but it felt off. This is the nth book in a series and we have couples named left and right and everyone knows everyone and they play jokes on each other and when the heroine meets the heroines of previous books its talk-about-my-deepest-emo-insta-friendship… Except, I wouldn’t be friend with them. They’re mean. The pranks they pull on each other are college frat boys level. The hero and his sister keep disparaging their mother without any cause (no cause in this book at least). Also the heroine jumps into unprotected sex with a guy she knows has gone through the rooster of available women at their gym – an enormous NO for me! But the clincher : the H & h laugh together at one of the woman from the gym the hero had sex with. It’s a small laugh and not that mean… but still. I finished the book but no more Harte for me.
Argh, the spoiler box click thingie didn’t work (>_<) Sorry