In this week’s podcast episode, we’re looking at the book reviews for the September 2015 issue of RT Magazine.
Thank you to Shannon Stacey for this issue!
You can also find all the RTRW content at our category page for Romantic Times Rewind.
And, most importantly, if you want to listen and follow along with this entry, we have more detail in the audio, but you can click play and listen and read and absorb all the visual goodness:
This cover is glorious!
Do I know the dog’s name? NO. No we don’t. I’m working on it, but if you know the name of the dog, please tell us! VITAL INFORMATION IS MISSING.
Historical Romance
Amanda highlighted the review for Tarnished, Tempted and Tamed by Mary Brendan ( A | BN | K | AB ):
Two stars! We were wondering what the “old-school” vibe was, but have no idea.
I have to admit, I like her hair.
I selected Luck Be a Lady by Meredith Duran ( A | BN | K | AB ):
Two blonde updos! Also, that’s a necklace.
Mainstream Fiction
I selected All the Difference by Leah Ferguson ( A | BN | K | AB ):
That cover is a time capsule, isn’t it? White background, sparse illustrations, very Emily-Giffin-esque. I also recall a number of Sliding Doors-style plots in women’s fiction like this one.
Amanda selected The Art of Crash Landing by Melissa DeCarlo ( A | BN | K | AB ): can you spot why?
A CRUSTY SUPPORTING CAST! A quirky sarcastic protagonist!
Who is crusty? We have no idea.
Once again, this cover could be on a shelf right now and I wouldn’t think it looked out of place. I like how the title is disrupted, like the crash landing happened through the title.
Teen Scene
This was THE DYSTOPIAN TIME in Teen/YA Romance. “Normal girl goes to weird land” was also a common plot.
I selected History of Glitter and Blood by Hannah Moskowitz ( A | BN | K | G | AB ), which Amanda says is a “fucked up” book.
Neither Amanda nor the reviewer in RT liked this one – two stars! “Disjointed, uncomfortable, and confusing” is some of the firmest critique we’ve read in awhile.
Amanda selected Cuts Both Ways by Carrie Mesrobian ( A | BN | K | AB ):
We spent some time with this review, because it uses really weird language around the concept of bisexuality (“doesn’t identify as being gay”?) and the mention of STD prevention raised both our eyebrows. This review also has a ‘HOW DO YOU DO FELLOW KIDS’ vibe.
Inspirational
First, we have a FINE HAT – FINALLY!
That’s a nice hat! Let’s see a bigger version:
Feathers AND ribbons AND a big brim AND a parasol behind – excellent. We are appeased given the lack of excellent millinery in prior issues!
Attention publishers! PUT A BIG HAT ON IT!
I picked the one-star review for Promises Kept by Scarlett Dunn ( A | BN | K | AB ):
We were surprised this was in Inspirational given the cursing, the innuendo, and unlikeable hero – all of which Amanda is in favor of, btw.
This is a Zebra, from Kensington, and we were surprised it was in Inspirational.
Amanda highlighted The Most Famous Illegal Goose Creek Parade by Virginia Smith ( A | BN | K | AB ).
She thought it was about an illegal goose parade, and was very disappointed that there were no illegal geese.
This also sounds like nine pounds of plot in a two pound bag: retirees with different ideas of their life together, but also a veterinarian and a water tower are involved?
I also want to limit reviewers’ use of phrases like “laugh out loud,” or “touch a spot in one’s heart” because it’s awkward and trite and says not enough.
Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Amanda selected In a Dark Dark Wood by Ruth Ware – her debut novel! ( A | BN | K | AB )
I selected Jade Dragon Mountain by – which sounds REALLY FREAKING COOL!
This sounds SO neat and it’s in KU, should you be interested like I am.
Sci-Fi and Fantasy
I selected Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho, a book that I read when it came out, and we both agree with this review:
This issue is full of books that freaking ruled.
Amanda picked Speak Easy by Catherine M. Valente ( A | BN | K | AB ):
Look at that cover. Gorgeous!
Romantic Suspense
I picked Wicked Lies by Lora Leigh ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) – what is this doing in suspense, and WHY is the heat rating “HOT” instead of the top level, SCORCHER? We do not know.
Remember when a lot of the erotic romances had very shiny people in black and white photographs on the front? Another review with phrases I want to ban: “turning the pages” “blushing,” etc.
Amanda selected Forsaken by Lisa Renee Jones ( A | BN | K | AB ):
So! Many! Chaotic! Details! With no explanation! Cylinder? Consortium? And Chad!
Can’t forget Chad.
Also: Lisa Renee Jones gets “SCORCHER” while Lora Leigh is merely “HOT?”
As if!
Contemporary
Amanda selected Lead Me Not by Ann Gallagher:
Boring AND emotionally draining? Egads.
Also, we were wondering why this book wasn’t in the Inspirational section, given that the description and copy lead us to believe there’s a high JBV (Jesus By Volume™).
Paranormal and Urban Fantasy
Amanda picked Even Vampires Get the Blues by ABSOLUTE TREASURE Sandra Hill ( A | BN | K | G | AB ):
Vampire Angel Vikings! LUCIPIRES. Sandra Hill is a treasure and we won’t hear otherwise.
And check out this cover:
Mortgage refi from the neck up, vampire viking angel below.
THE WINGS.
The TUX.
Everything about this series gives Amanda joy.
Series
SO MANY COWBOYS, y’all.
I selected Coming Home to a Cowboy by Sheri WhiteFeather ( A | BN | K | AB ):
Floriography and unprotected sex in one book!
Amanda selected Her Favorite Cowboy, by Mary Leo:
Gage Remington. Now that is a cowboy name. And a fancon!
Erotica
Amanda selected Pure Abandon by Jeannine Colette ( A | BN ):
“…the protagonist comes across as a whiner,” and “readers may want to abandon this novel?”
Why two stars? YOU HAVE A ONE STAR OPTION?
And I selected Dark Wild Night by Christina Lauren ( A | BN | K | G | AB ):
Look at CLo chilling in Erotic Romance!!
Amanda read this whole series and loved it. She ranks them in the episode, in fact.
Those are the reviews from September 2015! Our next episode will examine the advertisements and features in this issue, and that’ll air on September 20. Lots of ebooks; expect Scriptina.
And remember, if you join the Patreon, you’ll get access to the entire issue as a PDF.
What do you think? Do you remember where you were in September 2015? Do you remember any of these books?
Jade Dragon Mountain by Elsa Hart – YES, it’s wonderful! (And the start of a series!) Surprised to see that it was reviewed in RT.
Is it this dog?
If so, it looks like it’s @BestBoyFrank, maybe?
I’m running late for work so not sure if I did the link right. In case I didn’t, I copy pasted the URL below
https://www.instagram.com/p/C7Wkv0TvA97/?igsh=MWQ1ZGUxMzBkMA==
OOOOH – Maybe!!!
@Elham: I think Frank is too young! This dog on the cover is at least 9+.
However, your link did lead me to the dog’s owner who had over Cavs and posted about the cover. Her name is Louisa!! https://www.instagram.com/p/5IYCfElGyu/
I see I did indeed not do the link correctly. Sorry about that. But the information seems to have borne fruit anyway.
Thank you, and good work, Amanda!
I am very impressed by the shiny clean cowboy clothes. No ranch dust even on the hats or jeans!
Speaking of Sandra Hill… A lot of her books are $1.99 on Amazon right now. I have several of her eBooks languishing in my TBR pile. I need to move them up.
Wasn’t 2015 just a day or two ago? Thanks for this blast from the past (and that’s a phrase you probably don’t want to see in a book blurb either)!
As someone that only really started reading romance in 2010 or so, it was wild seeing so many authors/titles I remember. I think this was the year of New York RWA when I went to the literacy signing.
I did, in fact, read “Lead Me Not”. It would fit into the inspirational category due to Jesus By Volume, for sure, except for the fact that it’s a gay romance and any inspie reader would want the MC having turned away from his gayness before the story starts and be in search of a happy hetero home life + Jesus. It’s definitely rather dated now and heavy handed on the evangelical stuff.
I’d say more, but don’t want to spoil it for anyone.
This was so much fun! I added some of these audio books to my Hoopla and Libby lists! They Hank you, Sarah and Amanda!
In Speak Easy, the hotel is run by the immortal Al, but with all the AI news lately, it got me thinking of a hotel run by immortal AI… Now that would be creepy!
I add SO MANY books to my Hoopla wish list when I edit these. It’s a serious problem.
And @Kris – an immortal AI hotelier? I am very intrigued at how a 2015 AI would be portrayed vs right now.
I’m so happy y’all liked this one!