Are you ready for Whatcha Reading? I bet you are! A lot of you have been waiting patiently all month for this post and we can’t wait for you to share your reading list with us. February is nearly over and we hope you all have been getting some great reading done!
Carrie: I just finished Our Lady of the Ice by Cassandra Rose Clarke ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) and I liked it although it was slow. Frankly, I did a lot of skimming.
I’m about to start Treason of Hawks by Lila Bowen ( A | BN | K | G | AB ). It’s the last book in the Shadow series, and I like the series so much that I’ve put off reading the conclusion for ages because I hate to see it end!
Amanda: I just finished Bad Blood by John Carreyrou ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) and WHEW BUDDY. It’s such a “truth is stranger than fiction” book.
I really want to read more fantasy stuff, but I keep striking out with those holding my interest. I might move to The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) for something a bit more light and fun. (At least I’m assuming it’s light and fun based on the description.)
Elyse: I just started Devil’s Daughter by Lisa Kleypas ( A | BN | K | G | AB ).
Sarah: I am reading Lady Notorious by Theresa Romain, and so far it is delicious.
Among my highlights:
“Charles couldn’t work; he could only keep to bed and loudly dislike things.”
Elyse: LOL
Amanda: Wow, hard same.
Sarah: “As for why anyone should care to know you, well…” He fumbled for words. Look at you, was on the tip of his tongue. Listen to you.
What have you read this month? What were your favorites?
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!
Like a few other people, I read ANY OLD DIAMONDS by KJ Charles. It was utterly delightful! Crozier is now on my
List of fav love interests! This was my second by the author (the first being BAND SINISTER, which I liked but found a bit slow at Times.
I’m still in the midst of my rereading of THE CHOCOLATE THIEF by Laura Florand.
Next up, THE DUKE I TEMPTED and THE PROFESSOR.
I am currently reading Appetites & Vices. Stress-eating heroines for the win! There are some details that are anachronistic (rubber condoms in 1842) and some of the dialogue reads as too contemporary for the time period. The story, and details about the vices, is good but would have benefited from some careful editing and research. And, I didn’t like the heroine’s nickname of “Urs.” This is a first novel and I feel Felicia Grossman is a promising writer.
Middle of the month, I read A Dog Called Valentine by Roxanne Snopek where the shelter volunteer takes on an unruly and unwanted Valentine gift of a dog, as they do, and meets up with the grumpy neighbor who just happens to be a dog trainer. Everybody grows and learns. Fun to read while eating leftover Valentine M&Ms with the pups. I bought the next in the series for when I need another contemporary break.
I liked Not the Duke’s Darling, but it read as very Old Skool to me with Christopher getting aroused when Freya expressed her opinions or is “feisty.” Not up to Elizabeth Hoyt’s previous work. I will try the next Wise Woman book and will go from there.
Looking forward to some good reading with Lady Notorious and An Unconditional Freedom hitting my Kindle on Tuesday morning.
Finished Merely A Marriage by Jo Beverly and it was – meh. Full of bad decisions and irrational motivations by all concerned.
Currently reading Aftermath: Life Debt by Chuck Wendig. Fast paced and complex, with a lot of switching between characters and venues as the Empire starts falling apart and everyone is scrambling for their part of it. I really enjoyed the first book in the series and looking forward to seeing how all the various threads tie up in this one. Favorite moment so far: a former Imperial torturer delivers the best big-brother line ever to one of his crew on behalf of another. I need to memorize it for use on any future girlfriends my sons bring home.
I haven’t read much so far this year. I bought “Say You’re Sorry” by Karen Rose but I haven’t read it yet. Something is preventing me from buying Lisa Kleypas’ new one. I haven’t been a fan of the series so far. I loved “Sin Bin” by Maureen Smith.
I returned “Connections in Death” without reading a complete chapter. Eve Dallas is boring to me now and I don’t want to read about her still being baffled by simple things like getting dressed and socializing at parties.
I’ve just finished reading Bittersweet by Sarina Bowen, recommended to me here on smartbitchestrashybooks.com, and I absolutely loved it. The authors ability to catch and hold the readers attention was immense. Recently I’ve been disappointed with certain authors and their styles of writing and technic but Sarina gives readers the perspective of both the hero and heroine! I love that! Being allowed to view the world through both eyes suits my tastes just fine. She did a great job with the character building, the family, the love, it was all there. Another plus: hot sex scenes. I highly recommend this book (and the rest of the books in this series, True North) to anyone who’s looking for a refreshing and quick read. I am now reading Steadfast by the same brilliant author and it holds promise…
@Michelle G:
Haven’t Read Goodman yet, but I have been reading Jenkins, and I think you’ll love her book Vivid, which I read this month. The title character has to win over a skeptical town because she’s a female doctor. I’m working on Through the Storm and A Chance at Love by her at the moment.
The main non-Jenkins book I’m working on is crazy Rich Asians which I’m reading with my best friend. It took a bit to get into the book, because I felt I was being dropped into the middle of these families, but I am liking it more as I continue, and I remember why I liked the movie and wanted to read it so much.
I’ve just finished reading Bittersweet by Sarina Bowen, recommended to me here on smartbitchestrashybooks.com, and I absolutely loved it. The author’s ability to catch and hold the readers attention was immense. Recently I’ve been quite disappointed with certain authors: with their boring styles of writing and one-sided POV technique, but Sarina gives readers the perspective of both the hero and heroine! I loved that! Being allowed to view the world through both eyes suits my tastes just fine. She did a great job with the character building, the family, the love, it was all there. Another plus: hot sex scenes. An excerpt: “Farmers like to get dirty…” I highly recommend this book (and the rest of the books in this series, True North) to anyone who is looking for a quick, refreshing read. I am now reading Steadfast (True North #2) by the same brilliant author and it holds promise…
@LauraL:
Is the heroine named Ursula? That’s what we in my family call my sister, so it is legitimate.
I had a good reading month, with no DNF books.
YAY:
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan – I LOVED this! It’s not a romance, although there’s a romantic story and HEA in the 2nd half. I was so absorbed in this fantastical story of a freedom seeking preteen boy which still managed to be an incredibly realistic description of the experience of slavery.
Undone by the Ex-Con by Talia Hibbert – Prickly heroine and beta hero; plus she’s a fat Black ballerina? How did it take me so long to read this.
Not Another Family Wedding by Jackie Lau – My library hold for this childfree love story with very minimal drama finally came up.
The Lost Ones by Sheena Kamal – Totally fabulous and cinematic thriller. I don’t think I’ve ever read a heroine who was so marginalized and yet also badass. Not remotely a romance tho.
Dancing on the Edge of the Roof by Sheila Williams – this was a rec from the working class book discussion, and it was a pretty great, if quiet story about a Black woman moving to Montana and falling for a Native man.
Dietland by Sarai Walker – Over the the top feminism and fat positivity? Yes, please. I found the fat heroine self loathing in the first part of the book hard to take.
OK:
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren – I really enjoyed this rework of a Manic Pixie Dream Girl but I hated the ending.
A Notorious Vow by Joanna Shupe – Deaf hero, introvert heroine. The story had a lot of potential was I wasn’t a fan of the writing and there were some mild (less than fun) crazytown moments.
Two books worthy of recommendation!
1. Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies by entertainment writer Michael Ausiello. It’s a memoir that chronicles his husband’s diagnosis of terminal cancer and recounts their love story of thirteen years. It’s such a personal, honest, book written with so much love! I felt as if I was intruding but I also appreciated Michael’s decision to write intimately about the process of a loved one dying. While still including (not surprisingly given his profession) celebrity cameos!
2. Gemini by Sonya Mukherjee is the book we recently finished for my “Adults who Still Read YA” book club. It is a novel about conjoined twins who are about to turn 18. How do you decide your future when you want different things but you and your sister are together 24/7? Since conjoined twins themselves are such a rarity, the author consulted specialists and surgeons while writing. This was a nuanced story with wonderful inner dialogue.
Started the month with Any Old Diamonds by K.J. Charles. It was amazingly entertaining and incredibly hot. That was February 1st and it gave me such a good book hangover I haven’t been able to finish a single romance after that, although the two I’ve started are quite good (Hidden Hearts by Olivia Dade and Edge of Glory by Rachel Spangler).
Instead I’ve been enjoying Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut’s Journey, autobiography of Michael Collins. It’s really good. I’m hoping Alyssa Cole’s Once Ghosted, Twice Shy will cure my romance hangover when I – omg FINALLY! – get my paper copy tomorrow or Tuesday.
A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN by Sarah J Maas ate up most of my Feb as I slowly worked my way thru. I had quite liked the last one, but a lot of things in this just didn’t do it for me and the repetitive language got annoying. Slight spoiler here, but I didn’t much like the sudden Judeo-Christian mythology aspects; they felt far too familiar and overused, and while there was never an overtly religious message that I saw, thankfully, I found some of the ending trite and lacking in weight/quality. Overall a big meh that made me feel like while I had enjoyed book two, I prolly could have spent my time on other things. Def will never read the author again.
WILD TOGETHER: MY ADVENTURES WITH LOKI THE WOLFDOG by Kelly Lund was quick, light, and very pretty. It’s a book of an instagram, so yeah. But I mostly loved it for what it is; even if I would have liked a little more substance there was some rly heartfelt stuff in the text and the photos are lovely. However, sadly, there’s also a brief perpetuation of an internet myth about wolf behavior that should definitely been caught by an editor.
FENCE vol 2 by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad was prolly just as good as vol 1, but I likely wasn’t rly in the right mood for it. I still liked it, tho, esp some of the psychology of the fencers that the coach thinks about. I’m also super intrigued by what looks to be a possible romance between two of the secondary characters…
Read a lot of single issues of currently monthly comics. Best ones were: Winter Soldier, Naomi, Superman, Thor, Black Widow, x-23. And Star Wars but I pretty much always love the SW main title and I while I wouldn’t say I’m easily pleased, I am probably more forgiving than a lot of the people who write reviews aka bitch about it online.
And I’m currently reading THE SOUND OF A WILD SNAIL EATING by Elisabeth Tova Bailey which is absolutely wonderful. I generally don’t rec a book I’m only not quite halfway thru, but this one is definity worth it!
I have been doing a lot of non-fiction reading of late. I am keeping up a good, if not great, reading pace for the year too!
Excellent:
Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health by Toni Weschler: All women between puberty and menopause should be required to read this book. It covers everything that you should be taught in sex education about the female reproductive system, but probably weren’t. Eye opening and super informative.
The Good Friday Murder by Lee Harris: This is the first in a series and involves investigating a cold case which I really, really appreciated. I liked the legwork involved in investigating old newspapers, court records, and trying to get eyewitnesses to remember things that happened decades ago. I also loved the MC – an ex-nun trying to adjust to life in a small town. Please note that this was written in the early ’90’s and contains language about people with special needs that is dated.
Very Good:
The Impatient Woman’s Guide to Getting Pregnant by Jean M. Twenge: a short, concise, and very practical guide to improve your odds of conceiving quickly.
Maus II: And Here My Trouble Began by Art Spiegelman: The second of two graphic novels recounting the author’s father’s imprisonment at Auschwitz – moving and important.
Good:
Rag and Bone by James R. Benn: The fifth in the Billy Boyle mystery series, this one covers the murder of a Soviet diplomat in London. The previous book in the series was very confusing, so I liked that this had a lot of threads going, but you could start to see how they were coming together at the end and then everything was fully brought together.
In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan: I read the Omnivore’s Dilemma years and years ago. This was a solid follow up, but not the revelation the first book was.
What to Expect Before You’re Expecting by Heidi Murkoff & Sharon Mazel: A solid guide to steps to take before trying to conceive.
Meh:
When London Was Capital of America by Julia Flavell: This was my selection for Father/Daughter book club with my dad. Some of the information about Americans living in London just before the start of the Revolutionary War was very interesting, but there was a little of extra details that bogged down the narrative arc.
The Bad:
None
Greetings from windier than usual Chicago!
I didn’t read a lot this month but what I read was really good. Here’s my top 3.
Any Old Diamonds by KJ Charles – mm late Victorian jewelry heist caper and romance. So fantastic.
Full English by Rachel Spangler. Lovely slow-burn ff romance between an American author and a British bartender / jack of all trades, set in northern England. This had less sex than other RS’s that I’ve read but all of the chemistry and emotions.
Off Limits by Vanessa North. Very satisfying fluffy, angsty ff romance. Rich curvy femme falls for hot but struggling-to-make-it punk rocker. This is the first in a series of linked books by multiple authors but it works as a stand-alone.
Since the last watcha reading post, I’ve read:
The Girl Caught in the Spide’s Web – David Lagercrantz
I liked it but I also felt the pace wasn’t the same as with the original trilogy. The plot wasn’t as captivating for me either.
Goddess for Hire – Sonia Singh
A very silly contemporary story about an American woman with family originated from India. I expected interesting comparisons between cultural aspects, lifestyles in a lighter tone. However, nothing to like about it, really…
Wolfsong – TJ Klune
Very angsty but rewarding shifter story to read! Emotionally heavy too.
Then Comes Seduction – Mary Balogh
A nice story in the Huxtable quintet but it probably won’t get to be a favorite of hers to me.
The Love Experiment – Ainslie Paton
This contemporary with opposites attract had many great elements and I liked how it ended but it also had a few minor less than good details.
The Wayfarer – Jennifer L. Hayes
Great cover in this time travel story but the exaggeration of cliché ideas made it seem choppy and lacking substance.
The Staff and the Blade – Elizabeth Hunter
Novel divided into 4 parts to explain the romance of a couple in this Irin series but for me there was too much repetition and not enough “now” development.
For All Eternity – Heather Cullman
Dated romance but with its appeal, especially with a heroine needing to understand how to be humble.
Small Great Things – Jodi Picoult
A very good story, with a positive end, about a theme very contemporary but with details that made the plot and characters intriguing.
In the Eye of the Storm – Robert Thier
Installment #2 in an historical series started on wattpad. I think it was too repetitive and didn’t really move the plot along.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – Jenny Han
I expected this YA to focus on the repercussion of the love letters sent and the adventures out of it, not on the heroine’s relationship with a boy… meh.
Duke of Pleasure – Elizabeth Hoyt
A good installment in this successful historical series, although the main couple was a little too unlikely, socially speaking.
Gemini Keeps Capricorn – Anyta Sunday
A cute m/m story with a lot of scenes detailing how the main couple was suitable and in love.
Blood of Eden – Tami Dane
A UF I had in the pile for years, it ended up being a good read for me despite the less than strong details. It could have been a better romantic suspense instead of UF.
Now onto some non fiction with God, A Human History by Reza Aslan…
Wow. With all the good mentions of Any Old Diamonds this month, I am going to have to add it to my TBR list!
@ Stefanie Magura – Yes, her full name was Ursula. The only Ursula I ever was acquainted with was an “Ursula, no nicknames” Ursula so that may have affected my thoughts on Urs.
February was a slower reading month for me, but I continued my full-on fangirling/backlist glom of Lisa Kleypas and it continues to be delightful. This month brought me It Happened One Autumn and Devil in Winter. Devil in Winter was so good that I made a legit Good Book Noise (TM) at the end. Lord have mercy that book was good. Also read Deep Kiss of Winter as I’m following along with Fated Mates, and while not my favorite of that series, even not my favorite IAD book is a solid four-star read so it’s all relative. Early in the month I read The Kiss Thief by LJ Shen and had FEELINGS about it. Mostly related to the fact that the heroine is only 19!!!! years old. It is a very dark book and a lot of really crazy sh*t happens to a very young person and…I struggled. Also I found the hero to be a totally unredeemable jerk. Just might not be my cup of tea. And I read A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole. This one was hard for me. I identified something that might be a personal pet peeve but it truly bothers me–I don’t love it when either the hero or the heroine is pretending to be someone else, and it gets to the point of intimacy. I realize this trope is prevalent in a lot of romance and it’s mostly fine with me, but if they “do the deed” while still not knowing exactly who the other person is, I feel like this is a violation of trust and, in some ways, consent. In this book I felt like the deception went too far and one of the main characters was violated in a way that almost made me want to DNF. I’m happy I finished it though because I was satisfied with the resolution in the end. But that did get to me a bit, and I was bummed because I absolutely love her writing. No hard feelings though–I already bought the next one in the series and will totally read it. Right now I’m reading 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne and I am struggling a little to get into it. I’m hopeful that I get REALLY into it tonight because at midnight tomorrow the library will suck it back off my Kindle. Fingers crossed!
@LauraL:
Understood. Now I would be surprised if anyone had family members nicknaming a character Ursi pronounced like Percy. I was the only one to do that as a kid, and still do on occasion.
I love this thread for reading recommendations (my wallet does not always love this thread). There was a thread on Twitter about everyone’s favorite romance novel of all time and I ended up adding about 20 things to my TBR pile, including a lot older things I somehow missed.
Including my first ever LaVyrle Spencer (Morning Glory) which was…long. And good but maybe not my vibe.
I also burned through Lucy Parker’s London Celebs series (great).
Then I read Tara Westover’s Educated and it totally infuriated and destroyed me and I can only read HEA books for the rest of the year maybe.
I’m stalled halfway through Americanah (see above, so stressful).
I just bought Any Old Diamonds because enough already. And thanks to whomever recommended Zoey Ellis, I had no idea omegaverse was a thing outside of fic!
I read and loved Shana Galen’s “Third Son’s a Charm”, my first book by her. It reminded me of “The Lady and Mr. Jones” by Alyssa Alexander, so then I had to go back and reread that one. Then the 2nd book in the Galen series, “No Earls Allowed”, which was not quite as good, but I guess I’m hooked on this group of Napoleonic War veteran characters so I’ll forge on.
I finished an Elizabethan spy trilogy by Sharon Cullen, they are “Wed to a Spy”, “Bound to a Spy” and “Lost to a Spy”. All of them are full of court intrigue and feature strong heroines, especially the 2nd book, she literally kicks ass. If you see any of these on sale I definitely recommend snatching them up.
I bought several books based on recs from here, but haven’t started them yet. I had to order used paper copies of “A Bintel Brief” and a Dinah Dean book, “Flight From the Eagle” and now the Dean book has vanished completely from Amazon, so I’m glad I got it. I also bought “A Girl Like Her” by Talia Hibbert and I’m on the wait list for “Polaris Rising” at my library.
So next month should be eclectic.
I know I’m late-but I’ve been busy reading! February was a good month for me-I continued on my Lisa Kleypas streak, which is silly to even mention here-because everyone knows how good she is.
New to me was Morgan Matson, a YA author. Her Save The Date had me laughing out loud, I LOVED this.
Lauren Dane-another new to me author, and I’ve been working my way through her booklist. A great combination of setting, characters and romance. Sexy, funny, but with some real to life issues between couples. She has a great way of setting a scene-whether it is in a bakery, or on a farm, or behind the scenes of a rock concert. Another SBTB find, I think I need to dedicate a credit card just to this site!