It’s the first Whatcha Reading of the year! We know many of you have been looking forward to this post all month. If you’re new to the site, hi there! We’re so happy to have you! Whatcha Reading is a monthly post (typically the fourth Saturday of each month) to tell us all about what you’ve been reading. All the good stuff. All the bad stuff.[
Elyse: I just started The Conspiracy by Kat Martin ( A | BN | K | G | AB ). I’m totally in a romantic suspense/mystery mood lately
Amanda: I’m in the middle of Tripped Out by Lorelei James ( A | BN | K | G | AB ), which is a novella romance between a scientist hero and a woman who runs a marijuana farm.
And then to break up my romance readers, I just picked up How to Date Men When You Hate Men ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) from my library. It’s a collection of memoir-ish essays.
I just love the title.
Carrie: I just finished reading a pile of graphic novels and am starting on the Summer of Jordi Perez by Amy Spaulding ( A | BN | K | G | AB ). I’m only on page 10, but it shows promise!
Sarah: I’m reading Burnout by the Nagoski sisters to prepare for a podcast interview. The book is out 3/26, but I have an early copy and I’m very excited to be reading this book.
What books have kicked off your year? 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, we greatly appreciate it, 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!
Much like Jill Q, I have been reading lots & lots of fanfiction. It appears I have an addictive personality and this is my latest addiction.
I did manage to fit some books in this month though –
Cherish Hard – Nalini Singh. This is a lovely, low-angst romance set in New Zealand, a prequel of sorts to Rock Hard. The hero is a 23-year-old landscape gardener who is single-mindedly focused on his ambitions for his business – until he meets our heroine of course. The heroine is 5 or 6 years older and is a poet and teacher, low on confidence due to incidents in her past, and as the story opens is being manipulated by her CEO mother. One of my favorite things about this book was the broad diversity within the cast of characters. I love seeing my world (which has people with disabilities and from a wide range of cultures, backgrounds, and races) reflected in contemporaries, and this book shows it’s not hard to do that!
Jane Steele – Lyndsay Faye. I hesitate to call a book about a murderess ‘delightful’ – but this actually was. I loved it. It’s inspired by Jane Eyre (which is a VERY obvious reference point throughout) and Nicholas Nickleby. Faye worked hard to make all of Jane’s victims deserving of their fate (the school headmaster in particular is a portrait of hypocritical, deviant evil), and Jane believes that there’s something missing from her character that allows her to commit these acts. Thematically it reminded me of both Jane Doe and The Female of the Species. Side plot has the love interest coming to England from the Punjab so the narrative is liberally spiced with information about the Sikh religion, the Anglo-Sikh Wars and the British East India Company. The language felt ‘period’ and the historical details seemed accurate (I’m no expert).
The Afterlife of Holly Chase – Cynthia Hand
I think this may have been reviewed here? This was also inspired by Dickens, by A Christmas Carol. Holly was a teenage Scrooge but refused to be rehabilitated by the Ghosts, and ended up dying and becoming the Ghost of Christmas Past for ‘Project Scrooge’. This year’s project is a hot 17-year-old boy and she ends up falling in love with him while researching his Christmases past. The world-building and how the ‘Project’ actually worked were unclear but the story was so delightful I just ignored that.
The Viscount and the Vixen – Lorraine Heath
I’m conflicted about this one. I usually love Heath’s books but this one had waaaaay too much insta-lust, too much ‘mystery’ about the heroine’s past, quite a few modern turns of phrase, and the conflict wasn’t strong enough for me (the hero… wait for it… refuses to love… because his father went off the rails when his mother died). BUT. The last couple of chapters and the epilogue are some of the most beautiful writing I’ve read in a romance in a long time. Touching and lovely and brought tears to my eyes. I’m so glad I finished it because the end of the book was worth it.
Marry in Scandal – Anne Gracie. A fluffy confection; reading this was like eating fairy floss or petting a kitten. The conflict largely comes from the fact that the heroine is what we now call dyslexic and can’t read or write, and doesn’t want to admit this to her convenient husband (who has married her to spare her from scandal). The hero has of course sworn he will never love for reasons. The villains are one-dimensional, and everything is wrapped up a bit too neatly.
Just started Kerrigan Byrne’s The Highlander, which I was glad to see was rec’d above, because I also thought The Hunter and The Duke were weaker entrants in the Victorian Rebels series.
@ DiscoDollyDeb – Saved by the Mountain Man was the only novella I finished from Reindeer Games and I thought the story was particularly well done.
My old faithful, Mary Balogh, pulled me out of my end of year reading slump. Someone to Trust was a good read and added to the enjoyment of my extended holiday break time. I need to get back and read the rest of the Westcott series. I’ve been happily entrenched in historical novels since.
I started First Earl I See Tonight by Anna Bennett this morning. The library hold fairies gifted me with a book with a house party! I’m at the point where the families are preparing to go to the crumbling manor for said house party and I still have some suspension of disbelief left.
I finished reading The Earl I Ruined by Scarlett Peckham late last night. Genuine conversations could have gone a long way to solve conflicts and I figured out Lord Bore’s secret occupation early on but I enjoyed the story just the same. I’m looking forward to more books from Ms. Peckham and want to name my next spaniel Shrimpy.
My favorite read of the month was Nearly a Lady by Alissa Johnson which was mentioned here on SBTB. I was intrigued. I was impressed by Freddie’s self-reliance and her holding on to that self-reliance as her life changed. Always a lady farmer. Gideon’s sense of honor was endearing. There was lots of humor despite the challenging circumstances. Thanks for the rec, Ren Benton!
I just today finished LUNA AND THE LIE by Mariana Zapata and it was very much in the vein of many of her other slow burn Texas-set stories with an extra side of pasts that delve into violence and abuse. Still pretty good but could be a tough read for some.
I’m enjoying the heck out of Valerie Bowman’s NO OTHER DUKE BUT YOU which I got as an ARC. The smiles of the models on the cover are so freaking adorable, I’m happy just to open the file.
I’m nearly done with Sophie Jordan’s ALL THE WAYS TO RUIN A ROGUE which is full of all the angst that Bowman’s book skirts across but doesn’t engage. It’s quite a contrast in the two!
@Kareni – I’m almost done with Stars Uncharted. It’s good but I liked the Linesman books better. I don’t find the POV characters as compelling as Ean.
Woof. December and January. That was a lot. And I read quite a bit, so bonus.
Let’s see. Left off on Kings of the Wyld, which I loved, and downloaded the sequel, but am holding onto because I’m trash for book-buying, but there was a gift card and you know how it is (TBR gonna TBR). I then followed it up with Not the Duke’s Darling by Elizabeth Hoyt. I enjoyed the story, and the dog and her hero were top-notch (yeah, I said the dog, the dog was my favorite character), but I really want more information about the Wise Women. I will say that I felt like there was a light problem with pacing, and I spotted the sequel-bait, but I’m interested in the series. I finished it shortly before midnight on New Year’s Eve, and rang in the New Year with The One You Fight For by Roni Loren. I continue to love that series. The hero and heroine broke my heart in parts, and I loved the end. Then I turned around and read A Conspiracy In Belgravia by Sherry Thomas, and I think I liked it even better than the first in the Lady Sherlock series. It was lovely, and Sherlockian, and had some barbed things to say in there about how women in general and women that are just not that interested in societal convention are treated. Plus, I just always love a gender-bent Sherlock and all my favorites are named Charlotte. After that I FINALLY had my hands on The Wicked King by Holly Black, which was sexy and political in all the best Game of Thrones kinds of ways, and I could use The Queen of Nothing in my eyeballs, but I guess that’s not how that works. I followed that up with Slayer by Kiersten White, which I loved, but I have more to say than we can go into here. Buffyverse forever. I then enjoyed The Library Book by Susan Orlean, which was the mystery/love letter to libraries that I never knew I needed. It was also a good education for me, as I’m in library school. Which then brought us to a Two Can Keep A Secret by Karen McManus, which was clever and twisty, and one of the most chilling final lines I’ve seen in a long time. Which brings us to today, in which I think I’m going to be digging into An Easy Death by Charlaine Harris. Looks interesting, and weird Western feels appealing at the moment, because well, what’s NOT weird at the moment? So until next time, keep the room well-lit when you’re crafting.
January was a month of snow days – leading to reading time. Sadly my best books of the month were rereads.
Great (both rereads)
Derr, Megan – Wriggle & Sparkle – the tales of a unicorn and a kraken. It doesn’t take itself seriously, is fun to read, and the couple is adorable.
Schneider, Maria – Under Witch Moon. It has an amazing sense of place – it’s set in Santa Fe, New Mexico and wouldn’t be the same anywhere else. The heroine is also someone I’d love to have over for coffee.
Pretty good
Blain, RJ – Magical romances with a body count series. Interesting concept with unique voices and couples in each book. The series varies in quality. Pretty good: Whatever for Hire; and Blending in. OK:Playing with Fire; Hoofin it; Serial Killer Princess; Hearth, Home, and Havok; No Kitten Around; and Owl be Yours. So – so: Last but not Leashed; and Fowl Play
Elliot, Kendra – A Merciful Death – not a romance but kept my interest and I’m about to start book 2.
Kirby, Madeline – the Not a Werewolf series. Cute series and couple. The follow up books (Not a Mermaid; Not a Zombie; and Not an Elf) are at least ok and the slowly deepening relationship as well as reoccurring characters mean I will read the next one when it comes out.
Richland, Anne – His Way Home. A recommendation from SBTB that was truly enjoyable- thanks SBTB!
Ok
Aries, Melissa – Warm Winter Fantasies Collection
Charles, KJ – Band Sinister
Cooper, R. – How to (not) Train a FireCat. Interesting world building- I just wish there had been more of it.
Derr, Megan – Runescribe; Two Parts Mistletoe; and Finder Tolan
Hawk, Jordan L. – Hexbreaker
Kirby, Madeline – Saving Grapes;
Schmidt, K. – The Queen’s Wings; The Queen’s Flight; Queen’s Dance; and Queen’s Mystery
So-so
Jacen, Kris – Sugar Cookies and Computer Code
Hopefully February will have better new books!
It’s been an indecisive reading month for me. I started lots of books but finished few, and the ones I enjoyed the most were due back to the library before I made it to the end.
I loved LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE by Claire Kann and can’t wait to read her next book (with a fat heroine!) this summer. Let’s Talk was by far the best asexual romance I’ve ever read. The relationship was adorable and I loved the heroine’s mix of awkwardness, conflict avoidance, and strong opinions on delicious food and pop culture. Super realistic depiction of college-age friendship angst too. Plus, main characters of color! And queerness!
I enjoyed the first half of BRIDE TAKES A GROOM because the impoverished beta hero was so dreamy and kind to his prickly (and wealthy) new bride. but the smart and strong willed heroine suddenly turned into a saccharine and self-sacrificing helpmeet. I finished this, but was disappointed with the second half.
DNF:
A MOST UNLIKELY DUKE by Sophie Barnes – Working class boxer discovers he’s a Duke. The heroine falls in love with him while teaching his family how to pass as nobility. There are lots of lessons in the minutiae of cultural customs and a heroine desperate to escape the confines of gender expectations. Total catnip for me. I just found the foreshadowing so heavy-handed that I got bored and the writing was distractingly clunky at times.
SOMEONE TO CARE by Mary Balogh. I love romances about people in their forties but this pace of this was too slow for me.
SHELTER THE SEA by Heidi Cullinan. M/m. The voice of the hero was so young, it just wasn’t for me.
Seconding all the love for Roni Loren’s ‘The Ones Who Got Away’ series – ‘The One You Fight For’ was very good, especially protagonist Taryn’s struggle with survivor’s guilt coupled with filial duty to her grieving parents. Loren did an excellent job with this, and I think it’s a very timely book as well.
Reading-wise, the last couple of months have been a little surprising, with my best reads coming from sub-genres I usually avoid. I discovered Kari Lynn Dell from a Twitter rec, and while western-themed romance is not my thing, I really enjoyed her ‘Texas Rodeo’ series – tightly written stories with quick pacing, and oozing with competence pr0n and great characters who felt very realistic. I honestly have zero interest in horse-wrangling and bullfighting and the like, but Dell’s writing really sucked me into her world. I was also glad to see her recced in the Native American Romance post as well!
Sports romance is another sub-genre that does nothing for me, but Kennedy Ryan’s ‘Hoops’ series truly blew me away. Content warnings galore for the first book in the series ‘Long Shot’, which charts the relationship between up-and-coming NBA star August and Iris, the girl who not only got away, but also married his rival. Intimate partner violence is a huge component of this book, and Ryan doesn’t shy away from showing the brutal abuse that Iris suffers at the hands of her husband, which was really tough to read. Ryan’s writing is sharp and lyrical, and she captures emotion really well, particularly in the grey areas of the heart. This was especially evident in the second book in the series ‘Block Shot’ which is a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers between rival sports agents. Spoilers ahead: There is infidelity in this book (which I know is a no-go for many readers, including me!) but the conflicts and characters felt very real, and very human.
Completing my trifecta of sub-genres I typically avoid is romantic suspense with law enforcement officers, yet I quite enjoyed Kimberly Kincaid’s ‘Skin Deep’ which was featured in a previous sale post. I do love a good Alpha X Alpha pairing, and I really liked that the firefighter hero understood and respected that the detective heroine was taking point on their investigation, and provided solid support and partnership throughout the book. CW for sex trafficking, sexual assault and murder.
On a separate note, has anyone heard the rumours on Twitter about the closure of the Loveswept line? My most anticipated release for 2019 is Mia Hopkins’ sequel to ‘Thirsty’ which is on the LS imprint – really bummed out about this if it’s true, and for all the authors affected.
I’m dipping in and out of three paranormal series at the moment, which is not my normal fare, but these are really enjoyable. 1) The Kresley Cole IAD series – I’m reading along with the podcast Fated Mates, hosted by author Sarah MacLean and blogger JenReadsRomance. They do great interstitial episodes, too, where they discuss and recommend books on that week’s theme. 2) I started Darynda Jones’s Charley Davidson Grim Reaper series, and I’m deciding whether or not to proceed – book one had a lot of world-building to accomplish (and it was her debut novel), so I’m hoping later books are smoother. 3) Thea Harrison’s Elder Races series. Book 1 has been sitting in my TBR for forever, and I finally read it and loved it!
Sarah MacLean has a list of 100 romance recs on her website, so I’ve been using that as inspiration for new things to read. I haven’t loved everything I’ve read that she’s suggested, but a few really stand out. I loved The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Her Naughty Holiday by Tiffany Reisz was quite enjoyable. I re-read Pleasure for Pleasure by Eloisa James and enjoyed it even more the second time. Love and Other Scandals by Caroline Linden had me reading that whole series!
I also read Bewitching by Jill Barnett which is an historical with magical elements, and while that was pretty old school, it sent me on a quest for other historicals with magic. I didn’t find any I loved, but I did run across a contemporary series by Heather Webber about a magical matchmaking series that starts with Truly, Madly, and I read several of those. Very light and fluffy, but fun.
I’m sporadically reading The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss for my book club, and while I love the premise (daughters of literary monsters), I’m struggling to maintain interest.
Finally, I’ve been listening to a couple of Daniel Silva thrillers about art theft and espionage, and they’re loads of fun, though pretty male. These are part of his Gabriel Allon series, but I’m listening to them as stand-alones.
I also read a bunch of OK stuff, but I won’t bore you with those!
The Gown: better than I expected. Jennifer Robson has a knack for setting and era, but I was concerned about a couple of the characters. Overall, ended up really liking it.
The Tea Girl of Humminnbird Lane (Lisa See): SO well written. I put it down and couldn’t believe it was over.
Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore (Robin Sloan): I liked it a lot, it felt like a quick light read. It reminded me a lot of Ready Player One, which I also really like. Would love to see some of these stories with female protagonists, though!!!
Ogre Enchanted (Gail Carson Levine): Revisiting the world of Ella Enchanted. It’s YA, which I don’t always enjoy, but I thought it was good.
Someone to Trust (Mary Balogh): Stayed up late to finish it, and really liked the ending.
Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating (Christina Lauren): I don’t always like first person, but I can get behind alternating first person. Fun, cute, and enjoyable.
My Favorite Half Night Stand (Christina Lauren): I liked the first 2/3 of this book, and the last two chapters. The hero was a jerk for a while. And I won’t lie, I was more invested in the ensemble cast than the main leads. I wish CL had made this into a series. Why go to all the trouble of filling out your ensemble and then leave them in the background?
The Sisters of the Winter Woods (Rena Rossner): A retelling of Rossetti’s Goblin Market, told in prose and verse. The story moved quickly and was really interesting, although there were a few moments where I wasn’t totally invested.
I’ve also started the Ruth Bader Ginsburg biography that came out in October 2018. I had to put it down when I got to the Roe v. Wade section, though; it was just too much. But I’m home with the flu until Thursday, so I’ll probably push through, alternating with some Marvelous Mrs Maisel.
Also Roni Loren’s The One You Fight For was excellent – I really, really felt for her characters and was so happy with the ending!
I just renewed my membership in the Bad Decisions Bookclub because I stayed up far too late last night finishing the Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny. it was such a satisfying read and I could not figure out what was happening until close to the end (always a good thing with a mystery). If you like mysteries in small towns with really interesting characters, then I highly recommend this series!
I read and very much enjoyed Alissa Johnson’s Nearly a Lady, which was on sale recently and recommended here. I liked it so much, that I bought the next book in the series. I also discovered that I had bought and stashed another of her books, which I may read next.
I’ve been listening to Will Thomas’ books on audible. This is a series about two private enquiry agents set in England in the 1880s. I’ve read most of them, but bought the first in an audible sale and have now bought several more. The narrator is really very good. The first book is set in London and is about immigrants that really resonated for me in the current climate. The second, which I’ve just started to listen to features crimes involving the Irish independence movement and bombs.
I also recently picked up some of Phil Rickman’s Merrily Watkins books. She is a widowed female Anglican priest with a teenage daughter. The early books are set in the late 1990s (when Tony Blair was Prime Minister), so there are some aspects of the mysteries that may be a little strange to contemporary readers because of the reliance on landline phones and answering machines. They are spooky and I’m finding them interesting, although I have to alternate them with other books.
:::pops back in:::
An Easy Death was a no-go. If you don’t catch me in the first 50 pages, you’re not gonna.
I started The Alice Network by Kate Quinn instead. What do you know, I’m caught.
I just got back home in Michigan from Florida just in time to go into the deep freeze. Lucky Me!
–Heartbreak Warfare by Kate Stewart and Heather Orgeron Army medic gets deployed overseas and becomes a POW with a fellow soldier. After she is released she has a hard time getting back into real life. It was a really good book.
–The Consequence of Loving Colton by Rachel Van Dyken Sister comes home for her brother’s wedding and shenanigans ensue. It was cute but not great.
–Mister Tonight by Kendall Ryan. One night stand interrupted by a child. Turns out One Night Stand is actually her new landlord. Cute but predictable book.
–The Pact by Karina Halle. Two friends make a pact to marry each other if they aren’t by the time they are 30. Really enjoyed this one.
–A Brother’s Honor by Brenda Jackson. First book of the year and also the first DNF of the year. Constant POV changes from paragraph to paragraph, unrealistic speech patterns (not a contraction in sight) and I felt nothing for the people because I was being told what to feel. It all made me quit the book by chapter 9
–Worn Me Down by T.E. Sivec (aka Tara) Previously abused heroine thinks her ex is coming back for her. Brother owns a PI business but is out of town so his friend is covering for him.
–Priest by Sierra Simone. Priest has strong feelings for a new parishoner and breaks his vows.
–Right by Jana Aston. I’m surprised I liked this one so much because I didn’t like the first book in the series. But so many people like her books I thought I might have been missing something so I gave it another shot. Heroine has had a massive (almost stalkerish) on her brother’s best friend that is not reciprocated at all. Then she meets his older brother.
–Summoned to 13th Grave by Darynda Jones. Last book in the Charley Davidson series. I expected more action in this one and it actually came across kind of slow.
–Viking in Paradise by Sandra Hill. Her 5th book in her Vampire Viking Angel book. Not sure why I read these anymore. Her writing comes off as immature to me which is sad because I use to love all of her books.
–Last month I think I said I read Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet when actually it was Promise of Fire. Anyway I did read Breath of Fire and it was AMAZING! I also read Heart on Fire. It was good but not as good as Breath of Fire.
–Constant and Confidence, a duet by Rachel Higginson. Heroine takes off from working with the mob because she’s pregnant and the father is in jail. She hides for 5 years until her ex-boyfriend and ex-friend find her. Really liked it but I like all Rachel Higginson books.
–Overnight Sensation by Sarina Bowen. Hockey series. Player wants the spoiled commissioner’s daughter. Liked it but again I like all of Sarina Bowen’s books.
Just finished: SPOOK SQUAD by Jordan Castillo Price. Contemporary police-related paranormal with romantic elements and one central m/m couple. All the books have been told in the first person by Vic, a cop, the psychic half of the couple (his partner, Jacob, also a cop, is a “stiff,” a non-psychic person). Very hot smexy times. This is number 7 in the PsyCop series.
Reading now: SNOWSPELLED by Stephanie Burgis, one of this week’s SBTB sale books, I believe. Really enjoying it, and want more.
Looking forward to: CHERISH HARD by Nalini Singh. ROCK HARD is my favourite book of hers and the hero in this one is the brother of the ROCK HARD (heh) hero.
I just finished Hazard by Devon Monk and really enjoyed it. It’s sort of NA urban fantasy about a hockey team in a paranormal league. It has slight romantic elements.
I don’t generally put much stock in New Years resolutions, but this year I did make a conscious effort to stop doing so much scrolling through social media and playing mindless phone games, and try to fill that time with reading instead. And what do you know, it’s not even the end of January and I’ve read 7 books, about double my usual pace. Sweet. I started the year with A Court of Thorns and Roses. Actually I started that during the day on NYE which was a mistake, because we had friends over and I kind of wanted them all to leave so I could get back to reading! Super good, very excited to read the sequel. Then I read my first Lisa Kleypas book ever, Again the Magic. Where have you been all my life, Lisa Kleypas?? I am looking forward to reading everything she’s ever written ASAP. Then came the next two IAD books for me, Dark Desires After Dusk and Kiss of a Demon King. Some of my favorites in the series so far. Also picked up Tikka Chance On Me which was cute, but just OK for me. And another Lisa Kleypas, can’t find the title right now but it was the first in the Wallflowers series, I think Secrets of a Summer Night? Overall a rocking reading month so far. I’m currently reading The Kiss Thief by LJ Shen. I think it might not be my jam because I legit hate the hero, but also I can’t stop reading it.
I hear you, @MaryK. Here’s hoping for more Linesman stories in the future!
@Maile: The Loveswept closure is true. Scuttlebutt is they’re going to go ahead with contracted books already on the calendar (gotta hang onto those rights they’re not going to provide full support through their dead line for YEARS!!!), so anticipated 2019 releases should proceed as scheduled unless authors escape from those contracts.
January reading was a mix of new books and old favorites. Nothing better than the latter to warm you up during the frosty season. So, in reading order, here we go.
Luna and the Lie / Mariana Zapata–Character based, slow burn romance with imperfect but improved editing: enemies to lovers in a body shop setting; enjoyable read but not my favorite Zapata. Kind of a virtual door stop.
Spark / Devon Monk–Entertaining urban fantasy with a hockey background; second in series; 1st person shifter narrator with a voice similar to Spencer Quinn’s Chet.
Bayou Born / Hailey Edwards–!st in a new-to-me Urban Fantasy series with romance thread and mystery elements; good but harrowing in parts (body parts, that is)
London Celebrities 1-3 / Lucy Parker–marathon and they just get better
Sweet Agony / Charlotte Stein–erotica; weird but sexy; not wholly convincing as a love story; vivid 1st person narrator.
Just Come Over / Rosalind James–most recent entry in her Escape to New Zealand series; one of the few series I follow that provides consistent comfort reads; Rugby & rugrat; Maori hero.
Leverage in Death / JD Robb–#47, no big surprises in the Dallasverse; nice tight mystery; usual domestic themes; late reveal of perpetrator.
Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen / Lois McMaster Bujold–at least the 4th time I’ve read this; went from my least fave Vorkosigan book & only 3 stars, to a fave comfort read; satisfies every time.
Your Planet or Mine? / Susan Grant–another reread; Sci-Fi Romance light on science & heavy on the romance; lots of UST, bombus interruptus; entertaining but a little too long; working my way up to the 3rd book in series which deals with 3 siblings and their alien sweeties.
One Damn Thing After Another / Jodi Taylor–first in Chronicles of St. Mary’s; accurately titled time travel page turner; loved it, barring a few minor caveats, definite romance thread; contains some harrowing descriptions, also red shirts and nasty surprises; a series to be sipped not guzzled.
The Nothing Girl / Jodi Taylor–warm, tender, contemporary marriage of convenience story; downtrodden heroine narrator with a stutter; flighty artist hero (appealing but I wouldn’t want to live with him); domestic fiction with a touch of suspense in a rural English setting.
My Favorite Earthling / Susan Grant–currently rereading 2nd book in series; (see above for details) romance between real estate developer/Air National Guard pilot and the literal Empress of the Universe.
Looking forward to the 2nd of the Chronicles of St Mary’s, the sequel to The Nothing Girl, and How to Lose an Extraterrestrial in 10 Days. May reread the last Kate Daniels.
I re-read HOLLOW OF FEAR and CONSPIRACY IN BELGRAVIA after reading some lackluster new releases by Robyn Carr, Susan Mallery and JAK. Sherry Thomas is a genius!
I’m enjoying Michelle Obama’s autobiography “oh so very much”, she is a true heroine of the 21st century.
Jane Harper’s DRY is on my desk to start and THE DARK DAYS CLUB by Allison Goodman is so far not very interesting, I’ll read a bit more, but I think it’s going to be a DNF.
During our winter holiday I read some of Catherine Coulter’s FBI series. A few of the early books were left by previous occupants, man those books are NUTS! Crazy plots with some of the dumbest dialogue I’ve ever read, but I could not put them down. SMH.
And lastly I read Aaronvitch’s latest Peter Grant which I didn’t care for at all.
Waiting patiently for JAL’s LADY DERRING.
Nothing much to report this month. I reread “Marrying the Captain” by Carla Kelly, hoping to whittle down my keepers. But no, it was so good I couldn’t get rid of it.
So I was intrigued by “Saved By The Mountain Man” and Amazon is telling me Reindeer Games is unavailable! What’s up with that?
Reading what everyone has read is one of the best features of this site, I really like this thread. So, being this my second post, I’d like to participate…
So far, this month, in order:
– Queen Margot – Alexander Dumas (a possible alternate title for this classic could be “how to avoid poisoning”)
– Once Upon a Wallflower – Wendy Lyn Watson (an historical meh)
– Stuck-Up Suit – Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward (it can be really bothering to have so much 1st person narrator in romances! Plus I didn’t really like the heroine much)
– First Comes Marriage – Mary Balogh (I’m trying to read her series in order, this time The Huxtables until May)
– The Unforgiving Minute – Sarah Granger (really loved this m/m story about two tennis players)
– Mist of Midnight – Sandra Byrd (another meh, what a pity since the premise was great)
The Tattoist of Auschwitz – Heather Morris (I expected an even more poignant story…)
– Once Upon a Moonlit Night – Elizabeth Hoyt (very cute, another series I have on going)
– Ocean Light – Nalini Singh (not her best for me, but still enjoyable)
– Embers – Sandor Márai (an incredible “classic” about lost friendships and bitterness I liked reading)
– Brew – Tarcy Ewans (interesting contemporary, analytical protagonists but not enough romance for me)
– Forgotten and Remembered – Bree Wolf (the first half seemed like a 5 star for me but from then on, it got to a 3 because the hero is weak and not very bright, considering his overall situation!)
– Justice Ascending – Rebecca Zanetti (a good addition to the series)
– Coffee Boy – Austin Chant (very informative novella with a transgender character but the romance didn’t convince me)
– Close to You – Kathryn Shay (I expected more from this story, after a 1st book in the series I liked a lot)
– Three Things About Elsie – Joanna Cannon (interesting novel with an 84 year old protagonist with a secret, but the plot’s execution failed in my opinion)
– Undertaking Love – Kat French (not very good, actually a lot silly)
– Hag-Seed – Margaret Atwood (really liked her take on Shakespeare “The Tempest” and how she adapted it to contemporary setting.
– Strawberry Hill – Catherine Anderson (still reading)
I’m also going to read The Kiss Quotient until the end of this month.
I’m in a bit of a reading slump. Until yesterday, the first and only book I’d finished in the new year was Thunderhead, by Preston & Child, which features a badass lady archaeologist going on a dangerous and fascinating expedition.
Then, yesterday I finished the Queer Eye book, which was delightful.
I’m currently reading All the Sweet Tomorrows by Bertrice Small, which is A TRIP. It’s an old school romance from the 80s, and it’s SO. PROBLEMATIC. I don’t really like it, but I can’t seem to stop reading. Like honestly, I kind of hate it, so I guess this might be my first ever hate-read. I should have picked a better hate-read, I guess, since this book is EXTREMELY LONG. It’s like 700 pages of complete crazysauce bonkers nonsense. And I can’t stop reading the stupid thing.
@Amanda:
You are not wrong about All the Sweet Tomorrows. I had the wtf thoughts after I read it though. It’s pretty easy to blow through a book when it’s from the services that provides books for the blind, and is therefore on audio. Have you read the first in the series Skye O’Malley? I still almost want to read the next ones in the series, even though they are so strange.
My favorite Smart Bitches feature! You are al reading such a good stuff. I put Carval and Mirage on hold at the library while reading all the comments and my Goodreads want-to-read just grew exponentially.
January was a great month for me, reading wise.
STRANGE PRACTICE by Vivian Shaw – It’s a super original idea and I love, love love the main character. A 30-something, serious, grounded and caring woman who has taken over the family business of providing healthcare to the undead. She’s incredibly committed to the do-no-harm aspect of the hippocratic oath and it’s almost delightful the way the fantastical mixes with some of her mundane medical considerations (bone replacements in mummies – maybe she should get a 3d printing machine, she thinks). There’s also a hint at a gorgeous romance that will surely heat up through the rest of the series, great characters, a giant, cozy house with a fabulous kitchen, and a lot of humor. Friendship is the center of the story, and the whole thing brought me a lot of joy.
DREAD NATION by Justina Ireland – The premise is wild and wholly engaging. I do not like delicate, sweet, innocent heroines so Jane was right up my alley. So much strength and righteous fury with a complicated but dauntless heart of gold. I also don’t usually like fight scenes, but these one were so damn cool. I thought this was a great book with an important perspective.
THE TEA ROSE by Jennifer Donnelly – I struggled a little with this one because when a main character’s driving qualities are her pluckiness and beauty, I have a hard time relating and getting into a book. But there was a really striking love story, a fabulous mystery, some extremely good food and outfit descriptions, and some brilliantly executed revenge. Even the main character grew on me, because she was brave and had been through so much in her lifetime and didn’t find herself collapsing under the weight of tragic memories. Also there is an absolutely WILD twist at the end that delighted me and also made me cry.
THE HOLLOW OF FEAR by Sherry Thomas – I love this series so much. I love the outfits and all of the characters and the slow-burn of the central romance and the pastries. It deals with a lot of issues with gender dynamics that seem old-fashioned and like we should have moved on from them, but we really haven’t and it’s awfully sly of Thomas to put them in the books the way she does. The commentary gets under your skin that way rather than knocking you out like a bag of bricks.
A WINTER’S PROMISE by Christelle Dabos – It only took a few pages in to realize I want to live in this world. I just feel like the light is golden and the wind sighs sweetly and magic exists casually around every corner. I love the main character, Ophelia, who reminds me a little of Meg Murry from a Wrinkle in Time. It’s also got a lot of surprises and the world-building is just brilliant. I can’t wait for the next own in the series to land on our shores.
TRANSCRIPTION by Kate Atkinson – I love anything and everything about Kate Atkinson’s writing. I read “Emotionally Weird” years and years ago and was really struck by how she is able to capture the nuances of our weird human thoughts in writing. “Life After Life” is one of my top 5 favorite books ever, and “A God in Ruins” certainly ranks in the top 20. Atkinson is able to create such a sense of place, and her characters grow in believable but impactful ways. Nothing is every for sure, nothing is tied up with a lovely bow, and I love an author that trust her reader’s intelligence like that.
A NIGHT TO SURRENDER by Tessa Dare – I am all about the Spindle Cove series now. This book was so damn charming. The lamb following around the hero all the time, love scenes in a moonlit cave, a secondary character who carries rocks around with her everywhere she goes – I was absolutely in love with it from the first kiss between the mains characters (which happens very early on) and polished this off in a day. Like Thomas, it deals with a lot of modern issues that women deal with, and quite honestly I wish there was a Spindle Cove in modern times. I love men, sure I do, but sometimes I find they kinda ruin the party. This book was not misandrist by any means, but it did acknowledge that their presence and the expectations of women that society has instilled in them sometimes make the world a very hard place for a lot of us.
DREADFUL COMPANY by Vivan Shaw – The second in the Greta Helsing series. Sequels are always scary but I thought this was fabulous. And it brought in even more delightful character.
WANTED: A GENTLEMAN by KJ Charles – I love the Magpies series so I had high hopes for this one. But the trick with novellas is pacing and it just didn’t work for me on this one. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it thoroughly and love the central couple and root for them the whole way through, but their falling for each other felt a little rushed.
HEART-BREAKER by Claudia Dey – This was unlike anything I usually read. It was so strange, almost fable-like, and I was entirely wrapped up in the misty, strange lights glowing story that it was. So there’s a cult out in the woods. The founder is dead now but his beliefs live on, including when to wear your house tracksuit vs. your outdoor tracksuit. Our main character’s mom is the only person to ever come from the outside world, and one day she just up and drives off. The main character, Pony, is left to contemplate this as she also goes through the uncanny day-to-day business of cult life, include twice-weekly blood draws, cleaning and decorating the cemetery, and popping random pills at parties with the frequency one would fill their keg at a college party. But she’s tough and smart and observant and seems like she is going to rise above the fray. It is told also from the perspective of the family dog at one point in the book, and from a boy in the community in another. I liked it a lot and found myself thinking about it for days after. It’s bizarre and funny and obscenely dark.
A BINTEL BRIEF by Liana Finck – Such a cozy little graphic novel that tells the story of immigrants in the early 20th century. It’s extremely sad at some points, extremely heart-warming in others, and distills the message beautifully and with clarity. I love Liana Finck’s work and this was an excellent way to experience it.
QUEEN OF SUBTLETIES by Suzannah Dunn – First 5-star read of the year. Alternates between Anne Boleyn writing to her daughter about her life with King Henry while awaiting execution, and the head confectioner of the royal household. It is sharp and witty and heartbreaking and has some excellent food descriptions. I found the switching perspectives to be an extremely fresh way to tell the story. To hear about Anne Boleyn’s courtship of the king and the crashing and burning of their marriage from an outside perspective, especially that of someone who is not a peer or courtier, was interesting and eye-opening, and sometimes infuriating.
BLANCA Y ROJA by Anne-Marie McLemore – Surprising take on a fairytale. There’s a wonderful queer love story in here, too. I love me a bit of magical realism and this book had it in droves. Great novel about families and found families, tradition, loyalty, love, and how we definie ourselves by the stories we tell about ourselves.
The BLUE CASTLE by LM Montgomery – I can’t believe took me so long to read this. I finished it at 3 a.m. last night, crying happy tears. At first, I was a little worried. Vacancy was so meek and let people walk all over her and I thought “I cannot do several hundred more pages of this.” But then she gets that letter and suddenly the books becomes a romantic, joyous, and witty romp full of good things happening to good people. Another 5-star read for me.
@Hillary I’m glad to see that someone has read Dread Nation. I asked my book club if we could do it this year because it looked like a pretty kick ass title. We’ll be reading it in October.
@Hillary, thank you for that rec of “A Bintel Brief”! My grandfather was located by his cousin, long thought to have perished in the Holocaust, about 20 years after the end of the war, via the missing persons column in Forvertz (aka The Jewish Daily Forward). So I’m all over this book.
@Hillary:
I love the Tea Rose Trilogy. Even the third book which doesn’t contain my favorite couple is good. I would classify this series as romance/family saga because the previous couples play prominent roles in the next books. The Winter Rose is my favorite because it has my favorite couple.
I set myself a Goodreads goal of reading 20 books this year. I’ve somehow read 8 already. This month I read the first two of Jane Harper’s books, and am waiting impatiently for the third in the series. Based on its review here, I downloaded the ebook for One in a Million by Leslie Kelk, which I absolutely loved. It was perfect and I kind of want to read it again. I DNF Lorraine Heath’s Gentleman Prefer Heiresses. I just wasn’t in the mood for it, but I’m enjoying Loretta Chase’s A Duke in Shining Armour.
@Lace
Thank you for the review/recommendation of His Quiet Agent by Ada Maria Soto. I thoroughly enjoyed both it and the followup scene (its too short to be a short story) Merlin in the Library. Thanks Again!
CARRIE! Oh drat, I’m so late in posting this but – I loved The Summer of Jordi Perez! I LOVED IT and hope you love it too! It was in my “Top 5 Books That Lisa Read in 2018”. Now I want a sequel about sidekick Jax – “His name is actually Jax, like he’s an action hero or a for-dudes-only line of deodorant.”