Welcome back to Whatcha Reading! Here’s how we’re capping off this month:
Sneezy: I’ve been rereading Only Hope. It’s still ongoing, and I’m VERY much not a thriller person, but something about some Will Kill You cinnamon rolls is making my brain happy right now.
Lara: I’ve been so lucky with books lately. So many good ones! At the moment, I am knee deep in And Then There Was the One by Martha Waters. ( A | BN | K | AB ) It’s a 1930s murder mystery romance and the heroine is just the kind of grump that makes me happy.
Tara: I’m reading Can We Skip to the Good Part by Melissa Brayden. ( A | BN ) It’s her first self-published book after 10 years with a publisher and I’m really enjoying it.
Carrie: I’m just about to start Women of the Fairy Tale Resistance by Jane Harrington ( A | BN | K | AB ) and I’m SO EXCITED! Expect to see this book pop up in Kickass Women.
Whatcha reading? Let us know in the comments!
Summer is gone, I’m afraid. Sigh. At least October is pretty.
The Stand-In by Lily Chu
This has been sitting on my TBR for awhile, and I’m so glad I finally read it. While this book is definitely a romance, the single first person POV emphasizes Gracie’s growth and personal development as she copes with her creepy ex-boss, deals with her mom’s memory issues, works on her planner project, and navigates her interactions with Fangli and Sam. The integration of Gracie’s experience as a biracial woman into her daily reality was very well done. I also liked the way the development of her planner was marked with graphics at the beginning of each chapter, and how changes to the planner tracked with her growing self confidence. I look forward to mining my TBR for more of Chu’s work.
Framed in Death by J. D. Robb
The 61st outing with Eve and Roark holds few surprises but a fair amount of comfort despite the serial killer plot. Unlike the last book, this novel contains no references to the Urban Wars, which is soothing since I think of the UW every time I read the actual news. Instead there’s the standard mix of family, decor, fashion, food, and police procedural. The post-arrest finale is actually the best part.
Miss Billings Treads the Boards by Carla Kelly
Originally published in 1993, this Regency romance is one of Kelly’s lighter offerings. Henry, Lord Grayson is feeling jaded as the story opens, lamenting his thinning locks and thickening embonpoint. After embarking on a solitary road trip, his leisurely progress is interrupted by a mishap that introduces him to lovely, titular (hur) misplaced governess, Miss Kate Billings, and to the theatrical Bladesworth family. This is a reread for me, and I’d forgotten what a delightful book this is, with its kind hearted characters, dramatic thespians, and its mildly bawdy humor. Recommended.
A Dragon Rider’s Guide to Retirement by Julia Huni
Overall, this book is straight up cozy romantic fantasy. Dragons notwithstanding, the stakes are scaled for humans. William and Calantha were essentially soldiers on opposite sides of an ongoing war. Now retired, they must adapt their gifts to support life on a cheerful, protected island and to find happiness and peace with each other. Though this is undeniably cozy, it falls a little short for me as a comfort read. The edges are sanded down, the corners are rounded, and everyone’s nice. I like more edge and angle to balance a story and hone the comfort.
Never Plan a Billionaire’s Wedding by Julia Kent
Released in 2023, the first book in the Whatever It Takes series is a light second chance romance set within a Wedding Protection business. There are multiple references to Kent’s other series to entertain her fans. This novel is well written and treads the fine line between embarrassing slapstick and astute, observation-based humor rather well. Lord knows, weddings are a fertile source for both kinds of comedy. I found it quite entertaining.
The Elusive Earl by Grace Burrowes
Third in the Bad Heir Day Files, this book is centered on Graham MacNeill, who was transported for accidentally killing his grandmother seven years before. Now back in Scotland and heir to the earldom, Graham’s first priority is to reunite with Morna, the woman he left behind. This novel is as much mystery as it is romance, and the solution to the former is as obvious as the conclusion of the latter. The writing is good, and I enjoyed the characters and plot details, but the pacing does seem to drag in a few places.
The Summer War by Naomi Novik
This novella is one of those books that requires close attention to detail if you don’t want to ask yourself “WTF just happened?” at the end. There’s just a lot of story packed into a petite package. If you like fairy tales with a message, this is just the ticket.
Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston
Did you ever read and enjoy something so much that you wanted to give it an A grade, but you just couldn’t and didn’t quite know why? That was this book for me. I wanted to love it so badly, but I just couldn’t trust it enough. The relationship between Joni and Sascha was lovely, even without the touch of woo-woo, but the woo kind of took it over the top. The music venue and the fading beachy memories of Venice Shores just marinated in nostalgia and homecoming themes. All the loose ends are tied up in tidy bows.The only concrete objection I have is to the near romanticising of dementia. Sounds Like Love is beautifully written, and I can appreciate a neat bow as well as the next person. I may just have a problem with the concept of life without loose ends.
When We Were Kings by A. H. Hadley
This fantasy novel is the first in the Wolf of Oberhame series. While the first book is not quite a romance, there are definitely hints about future books. Basically, in this one, Princess Leyli is kidnapped and sold into arena slavery. She survives to become the Wolf, with the support and instruction of a fellow gladiator known as the Lion. Her training and combat is about 80% of the book with most of the rest revolving around her relationship with the Lion. The ending is satisfying–no cliffies–but the body count is astronomical and graphically brutal. I liked this straightforward yet violent story. Definitely YMMV.
#Celebrity Crush by Christy Swift
I have no idea where I crossed paths with this book, but I’m glad I did. At any rate, actor MMC + author FMC = instaclick for me. While this lively rom com occasionally stretched the limits of probability and totally wrecked the boundaries of coincidence, it was a thoroughly entertaining and sometimes hilarious read. There were a lot of pop culture Easter eggs to unveil, tropes to poke fun at, and mean folks to boo. Clearly the author knows her way around a celebrity crush. Both MCs had a hard time figuring out what they really wanted and were kind of hapless in a mostly sympathetic way. Overall, this novel was a nice light read aside from some unhealthy coping strategies popping up now and again.
A Most Forgettable Girl by Alice Coldbreath
Welcome to Karadok, where even the angst is soothing and all the wars are in the past. When kind-hearted, practical Gunnilde Payne is married to dour, jilted fiance (not hers) James Wycliffe at the Queen’s behest, both parties accept their fate and vow to make the best of things. Neither is preparrd for how good the best can be. Set in the highly detailed faux medieval winter court of Karadok, this story is steeped in banter, bawdy humor, SCA fashion sense, and court intrigue. This seventh series entry is on the lighter side, and suited me right down to the ground. From the moment Gunnilde climbed into James’s lap to protect him from an incoming Jester attack at their wedding banquet, I knew I was going to love these characters. Recommended.
Red Hot Rebel by Olivia Hayle
Third in the Brothers of Paradise series, this novel stands very well on its own. I chose this one because of the expansive road trip rather than the series, which I hadn’t read. Model Ivy and photographer Rhys circle the globe to shoot a travel campaign for a luxury resort company, combining all the best elements of road trip, forced proximity and beautiful locales. What surprised me most was how invested I became in these two characters. I expected a high heat level going in and got a lot of intimate, intelligent conversation instead. Though it was mostly slow burn, the chemistry was powerful, both characters moving from hostility to vulnerability as they traveled and talked. Aside from some sloppy editing, I kinda loved it for the depth and nuance of the character development..
Can’t Always Get What You Want by Sara Ney
I’m currently reading the second Houston Baddies Hockey romance, which is as light on the actual hockey as the first in the series. The MCs are engaging but not outstanding and the hot times are hot but not unmissable. It’s a variant on “brother’s best friend” (sub teammate for bf). I’m having difficulty relating to the somewhat undefined FMC, so focusing is a problem. Hence, I am concurrently reading another book to alleviate the frustration..
Claiming the Tower by Celia Lake
First in Lake’s Council Mysteries series, this one is set during the Crimean War. During this era, Hereswith Rowan is working as a diplomat for Albion. She meets and befriends Bess Marley at their club. Bess has a rather thankless post as a lady’s companion, and opportunities to make new friends are rare. Their developing relationship is central to the story. I am alternating segments of this with the hockey romance, and it is quite the contrast. There’s a book for every mood, amirite? At the moment, my favored vibe is more Albion than Houston.
I’ve lately read books 1, 2 and 4 of Beth Bolden’s Portland Evergreens college hockey series. My first long thoughtful post suddenly disappeared, so here’s the short version: all had good setups but once the couple got together each book went on for way too long. Player banter was fun and hockey action was interesting (even for this non-fan) but none of them really hit any romantic heights and Book 4 was downright annoying for various reasons and a disappointing end to the series. Like so many contemporary romances these days, it felt like the author was just writing away to entertain herself until she had had enough of her characters, rather than structuring the story to keep the reader’s interest. I’ve read a lot worse, but these had the potential to be so much better.
I recently finished DATING AND DRAGONS by Kristy Boyce, which is a YA, Dungeons & Dragons-themed romance.
Right now, I’m reading SYSTEM COLLAPSE by Martha Wells and finally getting caught up on the Murderbot series.
Not sure what I will read after that. I have several series I need to read/get caught up on/finish, like the SENTINELS OF THE GALAXY series by Maria V. Snyder.
I am also happy that it is officially fall. Bring on all the pumpkin and s’mores desserts! 🙂
I’ve been struggling with reading for a bit, partially b/c my Kindle is only working off and on. I’m wondering if it’s a sign to further disentangle myself from the Amazon ecosystem. I’ve already decided if it’s dead, dead, I’m not buying another one. I’ve just got to decide how badly I want to nurse this one along. There’s plenty of ways I can access books, even Kindle ones if I really want to. It’s just ya know, change.
Anyways, enough of the technology/evil capitalist overlord moping. I did manage to read a truly lovely summer romance just in time for the end of summer. INTO THE WOODS by Jenny Holiday. This was loosely related to CANADIAN BOYFRIEND which I couldn’t get into but thankfully that was not super important to the plot. Gretchen Miller, owner of a dance studio (and friend to the heroine in the first book) has had enough of bad dating and has decided to embrace cronedom as she plunges into the next part of her career, which will be exciting but demanding. She heads off to work at a summer camp as a choreographer as a way of getting a short break from her “real life” work load. She runs into Teddy Knight, a grumpy (ex?) rockstar who has just had a very public breakup with his band. This was just a sweet book about two people who were already responsible adults but still trying to figure out the next part of their lives. It had a lot to say about balancing dreams vs security and how to make peace with your past. (I hope Teddy’s sister gets a book) I felt like it was funny but the humor came from the characters and didn’t sacrifice emotion for the sake of a gimmick. There was also specificity to the characters and the world, which I feel like is still important in a more lighthearted contemporary. A lovely read.
Only one book to discuss this time, but in all fairness, it was an immense one (800-plus pages). Tal Bauer’s THE FALL is an immersive m/m hockey romance featuring one of my favorite (when handled correctly) tropes: amnesia. It’s also a book with a number of twists and turns that make it hard to write about without giving too much away, so I will keep my comments on the general side. Professional hockey player Torey is a once-promising rookie now playing sub-par hockey for an underperforming team. Between the demands of his overbearing father, the bullying of his raging coach, and the disdain of his unsupportive teammates, Torey is completely demoralized and obviously depressed (cw/tw: there is a scene of suicide ideation early in the book); but, despite his lackluster play, Torey perseveres, trying in multiple ways to improve his game. One night, Torey takes a hard hit and falls to the ice, smashing his head. When he wakes up, Torey is in bed in an unfamiliar room—also in the bed is a man he recognizes as Blair, captain of another hockey team and someone Torey barely knows. Completely disoriented, Torey checks his phone and is stunned to discover that a year has passed since he hit his head. A year during which he apparently got traded to another team, turned his playing around, and started a relationship with the team’s captain. Torey remembers absolutely nothing of the past year, but he doesn’t want to lose what he now understands he has (a winning team, friends, helpful teammates, and a loving relationship), so he does not mention to the team doctor that he has lost his memory; instead, he attempts to piece together his past without letting anyone (including his lover) know he remembers nothing of how he got to this place. Bauer is very good at being inside the mind of someone who is desperately trying not to give away any clue that might reveal the truth and who also lives with the fear of what that discovery might do for the wonderful life in which he has found himself not to mention occasionally wondering if he is, in fact, losing his grasp on reality. As the season continues, the team gets closer to the playoffs and, happy as he is, Torey struggles to piece together the last year, as he notes at one point, “I’m an actor who’s forgotten his lines but remembers the blocking, knows where to stand, when to turn, how to smile while the script dissolves.” At the same time, what was a vague sense of foreboding gradually increases to fearful anxiety and dread (Bauer does a brilliant job with Torey’s eroding mental state). Then the team makes the post-season and…the first of several twists occurs. I can’t say much more about the remainder of the story, but I will urge you not to go looking for spoilers if you plan to read the book because much of what makes THE FALL such an engaging read is encountering the unexpected and trying to figure out what comes next. THE FALL is not a perfect book: it’s extremely long and, despite a story that does need a lot of pages to do it justice, I think a strong edit could have excised about 100 pages without damage. Also—and it seems weird to say this about a romance novel—some of the romance in the book is completely over-the-top and way too syrupy-sweet for my liking. On the other hand, the book is so angsty and, in places, heartbreaking, a little bit of that romantic treacle is needed as a counterbalance. So, if you’re looking for a deep dive into the amnesia trope, and don’t mind almost a thousand pages to get through it, set aside some time and read THE FALL. Highly recommended.
Biggest reading news is the latest T Kingfisher, HEMLOCK AND SILVER. Highly recommended, I love everything she does. That said, this one is not my favorite of hers, which still makes it markedly better than most, it’s just more of a fairly tale/YA vibe than I like personally, and also it was at the far end of my creepiness tolerance (mirror creepiness is a hard no for me only it turns out I have terrible reading boundaries when it comes to certain authors). It’s got elements of Snow White although that’s just a jumping off point and they’re not really the main characters, who are of course a big, sensible, deeply competent woman and an even bigger, quiet, bodyguard sword dude.
Also discovered I have either not finished or entirely forgotten some MA Grant and Ginn Hale series, which has been extremely pleasant. If you’re looking for m/m paranormal of fantasy romance and have a high tolerance for rambling structurelessness, can recommend.
Also delighted to report that the more recent installments of Taylor Fitzpatrick on AO3 have been quite gentle and not at all gutting because Robbie and Georgie have spent a lot of time in therapy and it might actually be paying off and honestly I don’t want to jinx it by discussing but I am currently in a painful state of hope. It might actually work out, y’all. I still don’t really believe it can, but wow do I want to.
Still would not be getting by without KJ Charles, have been rereading THE MAGPIE LORD series like she doesn’t have any others. I know it’s weird that one of her scariest and most murdery series is my comfort spot, I totally get why it’s very triggering for many people of course, but… I have been reading fantasy books all my life, and all that magic, all those systems, and it never occurred to me until KJ Charles that the magic I most want to believe in is the kind that just crushes suicidal ideation. Like yeah, dragons would be cool and what is the point of jewelry if it only sparkles, but a universe in which wanting to die is a breakable curse and not hereditary mental illness, and utterly horrific family of origin and deeply unjust societal structures get squashed by our band of misfits. Well. That’s a hell of a universe; let’s go.
THE GOOD
——–
INHERITANCE by Penny Reid
My plan was to wait until all three novellas were out in November before reading any of them because I dislike partial stories, but I only lasted a couple of days before giving into reading novella 1 and now I am dying for the other two! If you like Penny Reid, you will like this story because it is very Penny Reid: unabashedly intellectual leads, wild premise, lots of yearning, absurdly bad villains.
THE MEH
——-
HARDLY A GENTLEMAN by Eloisa James
This one I finished and it was fine. Not spectacular, but fine. I just really struggled to get past the MMC’s willingness to live in absolutely disgusting squalor.He’s not physically or mentally incapacitated. He’s not lacking in resources. He’s just apparently never matured into an adult.
THE DNF
——-
THE LOVE OF MY AFTERLIFE by Kirsty Greenwood
I was expecting to enjoy this one, but it just didn’t grab me. I should have realized that instalove is not my thing.
BETTER THAN THE MOVIES by Lynn Painter
Again, I should have known better. The blurb says the MMC “pranks” the FMC and I am not a prank person. But it’s more than goofing around when then were younger. It’s continual harassment. This leaned too much into the “he bothers you because he likes you trope” which is a turn off for me.
I hope everyone is doing well! I can’t believe that fall is here, but I’m ready for cooler weather.
Shifter Wars: Supernatural Battle (Werewolf Dens Book 1) by Kelly St. Clare (KU)
Moon Claimed: Supernatural Battle (Werewolf Dens Book 2) by Kelly St. Clare (KU)
Wolf Roulette: Supernatural Battle (Werewolf Dens Book 3) by Kelly St. Clare (KU)
Antagonists-to-lovers tale of fated mates on opposite sides of a centuries old territorial war between the human tribe and the werewolf pack. With bonus identical cousins. I enjoyed it, but it took 3 novels to get things sorted, and that was a little much for my current attention span. This was a new to me author, so while this series is set in the same universe as the author’s other works and there are a couple of cameos, it wasn’t an issue. This trilogy was mentioned by SaraGale on a previous WAYR post.
Deep End by Ali Hazelwood (library)
An elite college swimmer (Lukas) and diver (Scarlett) discover that they have a lot in common, including an interest in kinky sex, mostly dom/sub flavored. It’s complicated by the fact that his ex is a good friend of hers, who doesn’t really want to let him go, and that they are both so scared of rejection that they never really ask for what they want. Overall, I enjoyed this book, but there were a couple of things that bugged me personally. I’ll put those behind spoiler text to save you from my negativity.
– Ali Hazelwood has a lot of books with STEM related characters. In the abstract, this is great. The characters here are pre-med and are doing a bio research project together, and they do have a couple of techno-babble conversations. Unfortunately for me, my work brain turns on when it happens, and I start trying to evaluate the science. I don’t think they said anything wrong, but I had to stop and ask myself if it was right or not, which takes me out of the book. This is definitely a me problem.
– There are sections where they go weeks without communicating, even with a text, due to school and travel schedules. Yes, I get that this is indicative of their personal issues and makes sense from a character perspective. Anyway, if you enjoy yelling “Just talk to each other” at your books, I’ve got good news for you…
– I know undergraduate students are not known for their reasoning abilities, but sex in a computer lab? This is what the pathologically private clean freak with control issues is up for? Really? (Also, even students can be HR nightmares, right?)
I also read a few short fiction pieces from Amazon’s “Scared Sexy” collection through Kindle Unlimited (KU). I liked the vampire/vampire slayer story “Hot for Slayer” by Ali Hazelwood. “Falling” by Christina Lauren was a fine, but ultimately forgettable, story a human meeting a supernatural creature at a Halloween party. “Spicy Little Curses” by J.T. Geissinger is a good story of a reporter and a tattoo artist under an ancient voodoo curse with bonus New Orleans setting, but I wish there had been a bit more space for the story to develop.
Book related thought of the week: Do you pick your books to match your mood or to change your mood?
I’ve been in a reading slump for what feels like the entire year. Imagine my surprise at finishing a half dozen books this month! I read “Poison Study” and “Magic Study” by Maria V. Snyder and am working my way through “Fire Study”. They’ve been easy to get into with characters that I like, even if they do suffer a bit from “Chosen One” syndrome. LOL
I really got into “Tears of the Wolf” by Elisabeth Wheatley, who is an indie fantasy romance author and history buff (Bonus: you can buy print, e-books, and e-audiobooks directly from her website and avoid the big river company entirely). Now I want to read the rest of her backlist, which works out, because I have most of the books just sitting on my shelf.
I read “Crash Test” by Amy James earlier this month, as previously mentioned.
I also read “Mess” by Michael Chessler, which seemed romance-ish from the cover and intro but turned out not to be. I ended up skimming it to finish it the other night. It built up some plot parts that I thought were going to pan out one way but ended up going nowhere. Meh.
Romance
Copper Script by KJ Charles – it was pretty fun. The interwar period is not really covered in genre fiction. The ending was also interesting knowing what’s going to happen in about a decade to the place they’re going to.
Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston – I read this for my library system’s romance book club. It reminded me a lot of the Mediator series by Meg Cabot. I think you can kind of see the struggle of Poston moving from YA to Adult romance, particularly in how the conflict between the siblings was happening. But pretty fun over all.
I’m also reading through Alexis Hall’s Arden St.clair series.
Non romance
I really liked Hemlock & Silver by T Kingfisher. I think this may maybe the only time I’ve seen medical mystery/fantasy smushed together.
I read both graveyard shift and Hot Wax by M.L. Rio. I enjoyed both of them but her endings felt a bit abrupt in both.
Happy Saturday, peeps! Not much to report — my work has been exhausting, and I haven’t gotten much reading in.
I did read MARRIED TO THE DEVIL by Lillian Lark (MMF paranormal — Ms are both gargoyles). I have read some other books in the series, and this one is my favorite so far. I really enjoyed that there was an attraction between all three characters from the beginning, and I believe that they fell in love over the course of the book. Nice heat level, and the intimate scenes are believable, but pretty unique, too. LL must have put some real work into figuring out how to keep things interesting, which I appreciate. Hightly recommend. Hope you all enjoy it, too!
Amy Padilla’s Charmed Away Temp Agency series is . . . charming, though the two I’ve read are a little too similar. Nice way to pass the time, though.
Have a great weekend, and take care of yourselves until the next WAYR. 🙂
Boy, has it been a week to be working in the autism field.
Anyway, since last time, I kept going with the Michael Connelly, and read Nightshade, which I had been holding onto since the spring. Not quite as good as The Proving Ground (which was a high bar, that one was REALLY good), but clever enough. Then I cracked open The End of the World As We Know It, a short story collection set in the world of Stephen King’s The Stand. It was pretty disturbing. The standout stories were probably The Legion of Swine by S.A. Cosby and The African Painted Dog by Catriona Ward (I’d say that one was my favorite). I didn’t understand the one that was basically mermaid erotica. In a mermaid anthology, fine, that one would have made sense, in this one, I was like “What did I just read, and why is it here??” Since my poor brain was like “Well, that’s enough weird disturbing shit for AWHILE”, I then yoinked out Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett out. So far, it’s fun. I like the characters, and Fawcett is very good at writing cats (I have two myself, I know kittehs). It’s a good antidote to the apocalypse (she said dryly with more than one meaning). So until next time, may the world be a little less exhausting.
Too many hours this fortnight were spent on work-related tasks, but I enjoyed, to varying degrees, the three books I completed.
THE DIRTY VERSION is the first book by Turner Gable Kahn and is available on Kindle Unlimited. I have mixed feelings about this one– the premise was intriguing, but the writing seemed somewhat formal and academic some of the time. The FMC, Natasha (“Tash” to most of her friends) is a part-time college professor in Florida who wrote a feminist dystopian novel, inspired partly by her past experiences with bad boyfriends. The novel is being turned into a TV series, the producer wants a “hot” version, and Tash is contractually obligated to work on changes she’s not comfortable with because she believes they would diminish the themes of her book. MMC Caleb is an intimacy coordinator and script doctor who is brought in to help Tash figure out new scenes and write new dialogue for several episodes of the TV series. Tash is a difficult character to like– she’s rude to a lot of the other people she encounters (including in her initial meeting with Caleb), although we learn reasons for her prickly personality. The romance is a slow burn with a brief third act breakup. Despite the title, it’s not a story with explicit sex scenes. However, the conversations between Tash and Caleb as they work on the script are sensual, and contain a good amount of humor as well. The novel also has some lovely passages about the natural beauty of Florida’s coastal landscape.
EVERY STEP SHE TAKES, by Alison Cochran, is an excellent sapphic romance and story of self-discovery. Sadie is 35 and questioning a lot of aspects of her life, including whether she might be a lesbian, when she agrees to fill in for her travel blogger sister on the Camino de Santiago, a 200-mile, 2-week walk through Portugal and Spain. On the flight to Portugal, during a panic induced by extreme turbulence, Sadie comes out to her seatmate, 38-year-old Mal– who turns out to be another member of an all-queer group of pilgrims that Sadie didn’t realize she was joining. Mal has plenty of secrets and anxieties of her own, but she agrees to help Sadie experience a long-deferred “queer adolescence.” It’s supposed to be a friends-with-benefits arrangement but turns out to be much more for both women. I liked Cochran’s exploration of each MC’s literal and emotional journeys, both in relation to their personal growth and also in the descriptions of their individual and shared experiences during the European trek. Most of the side characters were compelling as well.
I’d been waiting for Alexis Daria’s DANCE WITH ME, the second book in her “Dance Off” series that takes place on a fictional “Dancing with the Stars” TV show, since I greatly enjoyed the first book, SHALL WE DANCE. The series was originally published in 2017 and then republished recently, with book 2 re-released just this month. I liked the FMC– another Natasha, also nicknamed Tash– who is a dancer on the TV show with dreams of becoming a choreographer. MMC Dimitri, former star dancer and now a judge on the show, was less likeable initially (he is sometimes unkind to others, and I’ve seen some reviewers describe him as coercive), but he became more interesting to me as the story continued. Tash and Dimitri have been friends with benefits for several years when he realizes he’d like more than hook-ups, at the same time that Tash’s life is falling apart (apartment flooded, most of her possessions destroyed, and eventually an injury) and she needs support from Dimitri that she’s reluctant to accept. Overall, I didn’t like this novel as much as the first “Dance Off” story– too much of the plot seemed to be repetition of all the reasons both MCs were hesitant to commit to a relationship. However, there’s a lot of Russian and Spanish used in their banter (he was born in Ukraine, and her background is Puerto Rican), and I felt like I was getting a little language learning along with the romance. I have Daria’s “Prima’s of Power” series in my Kindle TBR stack, so I’m sure there’s more of her work in my future reading.
I’m currently reading book 3(The Body under the Stage) of the Georgina Drake cozy crime series by Kate Hardy. It has a bit of romance for the MC and a side order of a ghost friend. It’s low key and fun and it’s just what I need during this very anxiety provoking time in history. This is my escape from all the awful headlines. I think I’ll be sticking to cozy mysteries for awhile.
Last few books went from sweet and silly to surprisinly moving to fantasy light.
First up was a Lila Monroe Kindle freebie, GET LUCKY. It starts with Julia and Nate waking up together after a liquor fueled night in Vegas. She’s attending a romance writers’ convention, he’s there for his best friend’s wedding. The book follows them as they try to piece together the adventures that left them hung over and foggy in his bed, things become especially urgent when they locate her phone and find a picture of them in an Elvis wedding chapel.
Side note, if you’re having trouble falling asleep, search free Kindle books. I usually fall off after six or seven pages. Also found some good reads.
Then there was TOTALLY FOLKED the first book in Penny Reid’s Good Folk series (also Kindle freebie). It was a delight, as most of her books are. Lots of fun supporting characters, including Winstons, and charming small town vibes. Raquel and Jackson meet at the wedding of her actress friend Sienna and Jethro Winston. They have one lovely night together before she goes back to Los Angeles. Five years later she’s back. Neither of them are who they were. She’s feeling trapped in her media image and very much alone. He’s turned his back on his rakish ways to rehabilitate his image pending a bid for County Sheriff. So much going on! Relationship building! New friends! And family drama! And adulting! A delight.
This morning I finished VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED a debut fantasy from Frances White. It’s Agatha Christie’s AND THEN THERE WERE NONE on a boat. The twelve heirs of the twelve provinces are on a twelve-day journey to the mountain of the goddess to honor the thousand-year pact that has granted the heirs a gift. A power passed from parent to child, but different for every heir. Well, everyone except Ganymedes Piscero, who’s been faking it under duress from the father who broke rules and fathered children, many children, outside of marriage. They have no idea where the gift will go when he dies, but Dee certainly didn’t get it. I found it very engaging with a well-drawn thread of tension as the Twelve dwindle in number and Dee tries to find the answers. Added plus, the most delightful plot moppet ever.
I have been a little busy, a little overwhelmed, feeling a little slumpish. So a lot of re-reads.
I have been re-reading Rosalind James’ Escape to New Zealand series. It’s generally pretty reliable. Her heroes are strong and decent rugby players. Her heroines are women who can stand up for themselves.
Christopher Rice’s Bone Music series, too, speaking of kick ass wowmen, though not really a romance.
Also Nina Levine’s Accidentally, Scandalously Yours. Talk about slow burn. It takes them just about a decade to end up accidentally married. But I still love it. Because, when they let themselves admit it, they are so in love.
I did try a couple new things. My first MC book, Perdition, by Eve Black. I enjoyed it though I suspect it was MC lite. I also tried a marry an alien book, I Married a Lizardman by Regine Abel. It started OK but I hit a big bump when the human female’s hymen was two inches up her vagina. What? Was this written by a man? DNF’d based on that.
I also read Elsie Silver’s new book, Wild Card. I generally love everything she writes but this was not her strongest effort. He has just found out that he has an adult son and the woman he met and fell in love with dated that son. Briefly. Too much angst and angst without much edge to it. Still, do not regret reading it.
Over the past two weeks ~
— For my local book group, I read Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. I enjoyed this even though several events strained credulity. The story begins as two estranged siblings are brought together to listen to a lengthy recorded message that their recently dead mother has left for them.
— Continued on and reread with pleasure Captain’s Share and Owner’s Share by Nathan Lowell. This finished the sextet.
— read A Feast of Phantoms (Lingua Magika Book 1) by Kat Ross which is a bit of a hodgepodge — a western setting with trains and zeppelins, magic, and haints. It’s not set in a company town so much as a company territory. Some people have the ability to talk to one kind of phantom, linguists can speak to five kinds, and polyglots can speak to them all. The female lead is an eighteen year old deputy who is assigned to help the marshals take a captured polyglot to the head of the company. All does not go smoothly! It was an enjoyable read.
— read an incredibly short book, A Library of Misremembered Books by Marina Luz. It features the imagined book covers of books that people have searched for (in bookstores, for example) with descriptions such as it includes “A Ghost, a Mountain, a Dynamite Truck” or “Girl ends up just like her mother.” It was a fun read that took me about ten minutes.
— read Someone to Cherish by Mary Balogh which I enjoyed. The funny thing is that I discovered that I had read it in 2021, but I did not recall anything about it at all! Presumably, if I read it in 2029, I can enjoy it again.
— reread Sarina Bowen’s The Accidentals; this is becoming one of my favorites by the author. When the book begins, the main lead’s mother has just died, she’s almost eighteen and in state care, and the father she has never met (a famous entertainer) has just arrived on the scene. The book is categorized as young adult.
— enjoyed Duet (Road Kings Book 1) by Julie Kriss which is a contemporary romance between a piano teacher and a rock star. I hope to read more in this series.
— read My Loving Vigil Keeping by Carla Kelly which is set in Utah in 1900 and features a school teacher and a miner. I’ve read many books by this author, but this was the first of her historical romances that feature LDS characters that I’ve read. (The author is herself LDS.) I enjoyed the book, but it is a weighty story as it culminates in a (historically true) disaster that killed over 200 miners.
— then read One Step Enough by Carla Kelly which is a follow on historical romance to the above which covers the first two years of marriage of the couple. Much of the book is set in Utah in the very early 1900s. I enjoyed it.
— read Sheltered in the Storm by Lisa Edmonds. I’ve enjoyed other books by this author and was curious to read this work in a new series/area. It features a space pilot and a modified humanoid/retired assassin who rescues her when an attack leads to her crashing on a watery moon; he nurses her back to health. I enjoyed the first half of the book (before they became intimate) far more than the remainder.
I’ve been having a hard time with books lately — it’s me, not them. It has just been really hard to find new stuff engaging enough to keep out the outside world for a couple hours.
So I’ve been rereading some faves that have drama, joy, found families and good endings.
— HIDDEN LEGACY series by Ilona Andrews — urban fantasy where Houston (and other parts of the U.S. and the world) is now ruled by a magic-wielding class. An ethical private investigator must figure out how to navigate the social and security issues that come up when a case draws her in …
— CONSORTIUM REBELLION series by Jessie Mihalik — sci/fi-romance. Trilogy starts with a space princess on the run and an alpha outlaw reluctantly teaming up.
— MOST WONDERFUL CRIME OF THE YEAR by Ally Carter — romantic mystery. Rival authors need to figure out a locked-room possible kidnapping/disappearance. There’s the very relatable “I’m at a party yet I have cheese cubes in a napkin and want to hide somewhere reading a book” moment, among others.
— MURDERBOT series by Martha Wells (sometimes reading, sometimes listening to Kevin R. Free’s fantastic audiobook narration) — asexual security construct just wants to watch his soap operas yet his clients keep falling into danger. I know it’s everywhere, especially with the awesome TV show. But this is still an A-plus comfort read.
Really hoping a new book clicks soon — going to try Jenna Levine’s ROAD TRIP WITH A VAMPIRE and Sally Smith’s A CASE OF MICE AND MURDER.
When I saw that Abby Jimenez’s first series was in KU, I grabbed all three books starting with THE FRIEND ZONE. As soon as I finished the first, I couldn’t resist going right into the other two books, THE HAPPY EVER AFTER PLAYLIST and LIFE’S TOO SHORT. Although angsty-er than I usually read these days, all three books were fantastic. I think my favorite was The Happy Ever After Playlist, although it was the most difficult of the three, dealing with the prior death of a partner and grief recovery. Also CW for the first book as it’s all about living with infertility.
For all the cozy, cottage-core vibes, I read and enjoyed a paranormal women’s fiction, BUTTER, SUGAR, MAGIC by Jessica Rosenberg, featuring a recently divorced 40 YO single mom who inherits her previously unknown great-aunt’s bakery and discovers, as one does, that she’s a kitchen witch and her daughter is a budding animal witch.
I also enjoyed THE FIRST LOVE by Jennifer Bernard, whose books feature smart, mature adults falling in love and actually using their words instead of storming off and letting old hurts rule them. Finally, I just started THE NANNY’S HANDBOOK TO MAGIC AND MANAGING DIFFICULT DUKES by Amy Rose Bennett, set in Victorian times and described as Mary Poppins meets Bridgerton. It’s releasing on Tuesday and seems like it’s going to be a fun romp.
Hey book_reader, if you stick with THE LOVE OF MY AFTERLIFE, it’s not instalove. It’s something else entirely, and you’ll see it sneaking up on you a little farther in. Try reading it again with the thought, “This isn’t what it seems…” and you won’t be disappointed. It’s delightful!
@book_reader and @MarMar: I tried to post a comment earlier but it got eaten up, however, I was essentially saying to book_reader what marker said: I don’t know how far you got into THE LOVE OF MY AFTERLIFE, but if you decide to give it another try, please keep in mind that insta-love is the plot driver but not the ultimate destination. I really can’t say much more without spoiling what I found to be a wonderful book (one of my favorite reads of this year), although–as always–ymm.
I discovered Tara DeWitt’s Spunes series (SAVOR IT, LEFT OF FOREVER) and really enjoyed the heat, the family/found family dynamics, and the coastal Oregon setting. Eagerly awaiting book 3.
Loved similar dynamics in Pippa Grant’s latest, THE SPITE DATE, a fun start to a new small town series.
Halfway into THE MINISTRY OF TIME, I’m enjoying all the layers — time travel, forced proximity, postcolonial critique — but I’m ready for the pace to pick up a bit.
Loved the pink flamingo hotel vibe of Maisey Yates’s HAPPY AFTER ALL.
After finishing Alexandra Vasti’s EARL CRUSH (a very fun Scottish carriage ride), I’m now onto the other two in the series: NE’ER DUKE WELL and LADIES IN HATING.
Also up next — some sure-to-be-stunning litfic, THE LONELINESS OF SONIA AND SUNNY by Kiran Desai, and the latest from Ilona Andrews, THE INHERITANCE, and Penny Reid’s INHERITANCE (happy to see some positive takes on that here).
Struggling with new reads so I have been re-reading a lot (KM Avery’s Beyond the Veil series atm), but one fantastic recent diversion was Kate McKinnon’s middle-grade novel The Millicent Quibb Ettiquette School for Young Ladies of Mad Science.
Yes, the supposed audience is ages 8-12.
Yes, it is full of ridiculousness.
No, there is no romance.
But damn was it fun. And Kate McKinnon does her own audiobook, so of course the comedic timing is perfect. Highly recommend.
Between work and my parents taking turns being hospitalized for illness, I haven’t read very coherently recently. So thankful for their care teams!
Loved Brigham Vaughn’s SLEW FOOT: it is the third the Scoring Chances m/m hockey series about the Boston Harriers. Rafe Moon is trying to get over a wretched breakup and the trade to the Harriers feels like the fresh start he needs to reset. His new D-partner Mickey Krause seems like a quietly steady guy, and they quickly develop a friendship that grows, also improving their on-ice chemistry. They also both realize they are becoming deeply attracted and attached to the other while also recognizing the many reasons they shouldn’t pursue that.
Brigham Vaughn’s story is a terrific look at two guys learning to trust the people around them and learning to build and put faith in the connections in their lives. Slew Foot is a fantastic romance and a splendid portrayal of hockey and the unpinnings of a team, a season, and all the moving parts behind the scenes. I loved Slew Foot, and eagerly look forward to more in this hockey universe!
Also really enjoyed FOR THE WIN, which is connected to RG Alexander’s delicious Finn Family series and is the fourth in the Finn’s Pub Romance series. Nolan “Win” Winston finally gives himself time and space to breathe and consider what he really needs. Thanks to the uncertain weather, he finds himself snowed in with the mysterious Michael, who might or might not turn out to be everything he’s ever wanted and never considered himself in a position to pursue.
Happy reading, all!
@DiscoDollyDeb, @MarMar – I have re-added The Love of My Afterlife to my holds list in Libby.
I’m on a Barbara Michaels binge because it’s spooky season. So far:
– Into the Darkness: 4/5 (antique jewellery, great chemistry between the heroine and the love interest, nothing spooky)
– Stitches in Time: 4/5 (old haunted quilt, goofy love interest with a tragic past, a little spooky)
– Vanish with the Rose: in progress, promising so far but not as compelling as Into the Darkness.
@ PamG
Thank you for my best birthday present: I didn’t know Novik had a new novella out and I had to mop up my tears and thank you after finishing it. Nothing could have been better.
@ Ella
Great to meet another Michaels fan! I adore Stitches in Time (partly because it reuses characters from Ammie Come Home, my first Michaels book) and Vanish with the Rose, as I adore old roses. Houses of Stone is my favorite. Have you read it?
I’m still on a non-fiction kick, which thankfully my public library is sustaining.
STRATA: STORIES FROM DEEP TIME, by Laura Poppick, is an interesting look at the history of the planet framed around a series of important shifts which can be traced in stratigraphy, including the oxygenation of the atmosphere and the great ice ages of “snowball earth”. I learned a lot from this, and enjoyed it.
WHEN THE EARTH WAS GREEN: PLANTS, ANIMALS, AND EVOLUTION’S GREATEST ROMANCE by Riley Black continued in a similar vein, looking at the importance of plants in prehistory. She uses little vignettes of individual dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures interacting with their environment to bring the science to live, and has detailed appendices at the end explaining what science she drew on for each story, in addition to all the scientific information in the chapters. I might look up some of her other books, which are about dinosaurs.
THE GREAT WHITE HOAX: TWO CENTURIES OF SELLING RACISM IN AMERICA, by Philip Kadish is fascinating, depressing and important. He describes the long history of supporting white supremacy by deliberate fraud for both political and financial gain. Throughout he makes the connection to what’s happening now, contending that what is happening now only seems shocking and new because we are taught so little about our long history of happily selling and buying obvious lies. I recommend this to everyone, although it may further erode any remaining faith you have in this country.
@Msb
You’re very welcome!
@ella
My fave Barbara Michaels is The Sea King’s Daughter. It takes place on an archeological expedition on a Greek Island. The FMC is flawed but learns from her experience. She has a difficult relationship with her distant father, who is one fo the most interesting characters (also flawed) the author ever created.. The MMC works for a rival researcher. There is mythological woo-woo, dry humor, diving for treasure, and an amazing smash bang ending.
@Msb and @PamG: Thank you both for the recs! I have spent hours reading GR reviews to see which Michaels I should start with, there are so many to choose from! Houses of Stone and The Sea King’s Daughter are now on the list.
@ella
Do report back what you think of them!