Welcome back! Here’s what we’re reading to close out July:
Sarah I’m reading Henry Tudor Must Die( A | BN | K | AB ) and I just got through the action part into the exposition part. I am antsy to return to it and am already blocking off more time to read today
Lara: Virginia Heath is hit or miss for me, but I really enjoyed Prides Comes Before a Fall. ( A | BN | K | AB ) Writing the review is on my to do list!
Sarah: Update: got bored, tapped out after reading reviews that what was bothering me (it got real slow real fast) wasn’t going to improve. Bummer.
Now I’m trying Wildflower by Becky Jenkinson. ( A | BN | K | AB )
Amanda: Still listening to Dungeon Crawler Carl. ( A | BN ) I just saw that the audiobook narrator was cast as the voice of Princess Donut for the TV adaptation coming out.
Whatcha reading? Tell us in the comments!
I spent the last two weeks with family, which was a much needed treat, so my reading went by the board. Traveling is great but still disruptive. Even when I tried to read, I didn’t have the concentration. Oh well, I’m home now and stuck in with an excellent read by a new-to-me author. Life is good.
The Winged Game by Sohie Kim
Sometimes the things that you profess to dislike in a book are exactly what draw you in and rivet your attention. Hence, the slippery narration of The Winged Game pulled me into this supernatural sports epic and refused to let me go until the last page was turned. The Bad Decisions Book Club met at Pam’s house for two–count ‘em–TWO nights in a row this month. First, about that narration: the prose wavers between present and past tense, dual third person POV with a hint of story teller’s voice-over in a way that’s barely logical but profoundly, emotionally, imperfectly, natural. Somehow, at any given point, I always knew whose POV I was devouring. From this base, character is built in rich multidimensional layers, making both the enemies-to-lovers and the found family arcs utterly convincing. There is a perfect balance of angst and humor throughout the story. While blurbs and reviewers persist in comparing this book to noted fantasies and sports stories, I would happily compare other books to The Winged Game. In the past weeks on the site, readers named their favorite reads of 2026, but also talked about the lackluster traits that have recently put them off romance in the last WAYR post. For me, Kim’s epic comes at exactly the right moment to restore my faith in writerly skill and the hard earned HEA. Ecstatically recommended.
Foxleigh Park by Lulu Moore
I really like the way Moore tackles sport, particularly those sports about which I know nothing. In this instance the sport is polo, and I can only hope the book is accurate, as I’m certainly no expert about the game or horses in general. Still, this is a fun romance with an appealing aristocratic family though character development is pretty shallow.. Although this was a pleasant, well written novel, at times it felt like there were too many subplots and minor characters, causing the story to lack focus and lean too heavily on the earlier books in the series. There was a huge diversion about the MMC’s sister and her relationship with his chief rival, which was obvious sequel-bait and a huge distraction from the central romance. And worse than that, both the sibling and the competition subplots ended not with a bang but with a decided whimper. I don’t regret reading this book, but I don’t see myself ever rereading it or even picking up later books in the series.
Don’t Brake My Heart by Leonie Mack
dnf @ 47%
This sequel to Head Over Wheels was a major disappointment to me. Both novels are sports romances set in the world of professional bicycle racing and each focuses on one of the Gallagher siblings. The second of the two focuses on Colin Gallagher and his former teammate and current social media manager, Leesa, to the exclusion of everything but bicycle racing and the MCs’ shared past. I’m approaching the halfway point and can barely name a secondary character. They aren’t even racing yet, just training. There are a lot of short flashbacks, but I have trouble caring about them, since this couple is also obsessing over the past in their interminable internal monologuing. I may take another crack at the book now that I’m done traveling, but, in the meantime, I need a palate cleanser.
Moms of Mayhem by Aimee Vance
Turns out, a mature hockey romance is just what I needed. It seems I’m on a sports romance kick this month. Beckett is a 37 year old injured pro hockey star back in his hometown to support his mom through some health problems. Emmy is a Pilates instructor and a PT as well as the divorced single mom of a hockey playing teen son. The romance is slow burn and full of valid obstacles that are handled in a satisfyingly grown up way. I love the sense of community in this one and the way that the high school hockey provides just the right amount of actual sport. The writing is excellent, and I’ll be looking for more from Vance. Recommended.
Look at me posting way early again because I have to eat something before going to therapy. Stupid knee acting its age.
First and foremost, I finally made it to the top of the GBPL’s reserve list and spent two glorious days with my soulmate, Sec Unit. PLATFORM DECAY was full of everything I’ve come to expect. Lots of action, forced peopling and exasperated affection. Just picturing them Murderbotting with a toddler attached to their chest gives me the smiles every time.
This week I embarked on The Great Guild Hunter reread. This is my third favorite paranormal series, but I had fallen behind for multiple reasons like too many reserves at the GBPL and the unilateral removal of mass market paperbacks from retail. Anyway… I ended up ordering the last three from Bookshop.org as I don’t have a local bookstore to order through, but want my money going anywhere but Jeff Bezos’ pocket. Now I’m on track to crack open ARCHANGEL’S ETERNITY on my birthday. Yum.
Except that the GBPL has both ROMANTIC HERO and THE ROMANCE REVIVAL waiting for me to pick up at the drive through.
I didn’t have any real stand-outs or Bad Decisions Book Club books this round, but I did make progress on my bingo card.
When He Hunts (Protector and Defender Romance Book 2) by Cynthia Eden
Bingo: Secret Identity, Tattoo
She’s on the run from the mob and trying to get in touch with the feds. He’s a former military/assassin dude who is working with the feds to keep her alive long enough to testify. Pants feelings develop. This one is more for folks who are along for a thrill ride than for folks who want things to make sense.
Big Stick Energy: A New York Legends Hockey Romance by Sarina Bowen (KU)
Bingo: From A Rec , Recently Published, Latest In a Series, Fave Author
M/F hockey romance. Like the reviewer, I had a perfectly good time reading it, but it’s not something that is going to stick with me. And there’s definitely a place for those sorts of books in my life.
Return to Monte Carlo by Cate C. Wells (KU)
Bingo: Historical (1982), Fave Author
It feels wrong to call something from my lifetime a historical, but the author was clearly having a lot of fun putting in callbacks to the 80’s, so I’m going to allow it. (It was published in 2023.) This tale of two folks who start off completely incapable of communicating what they really want is given the framework of an old school category romance. He’s a grumpy generationally wealthy European CEO type and she’s the American shop girl who captured his attention. I didn’t like it as much as the Five Packs books by the author, but it was OK and fun for the callbacks to soap opera drama.
On the Ice (Stick Side Book 1) by Amy Aislin
Bingo: Free Space
This was a slow burn, sweet M/M hockey romance between a professional player, who is recovering from an injury in his old college town, which is close to where his grandfather is in the memory care unit of a nursing home, and a college player. The pro isn’t interested in one night stand, but is willing to be friends, and things develop from there. I’d think Heated Rivalry fans would want to consider this one. I wanted to count this one for at least one bingo square, but this romance between a demisexual and gay man isn’t a really good fit for this board. Like, it’s definitely not a one night stand or friends with benefits situation. According to the author’s note, it was published in 2018 to tell the backstory of a couple of side characters in a different story, so the action takes place in 2008. Which is not exactly contemporary, but if 2008 is a historical, I’m going to be very sad. And, really, other than a reference to an old phone with a slide out keyboard, there wasn’t much that gave this a fixed place in time, so maybe close enough to contemporary?
Problematic Summer Romance (Not In Love Book 2) by Ali Hazelwood (library)
Bingo: From a Rec , Latest in a Series, Contemporary, Vacation Destination
I have mixed emotions about this age gap, brother’s best friend romance. There are good things! She’s a physicist! He doesn’t want to take advantage of her! It takes place at a destination wedding in Sicily! But, I don’t think I actually liked either of the main characters. That’s not a deal breaker as long as they are sufficiently entertaining, but it is does make it harder to believe in the HEA. This book follows the same friend group as in Not In Love, which I haven’t read, so I can confirm it was fine as a standalone though I’m assuming that the rundown of the happy couple’s relationship is mildly spoilery for the previous book.
The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn (library)
Bingo: Rec? , Contemporary, Vacation Destination
Story of a physician who decides to attend her former sister-in-law’s destination wedding in Paris where she connects with the best man. Lots of angsty family dynamics. I honestly think I kept going more for the mystery aspects in the slow revealed backstories (Why did her first marriage fail? Where did the best man’s injuries come from?) than for the romance, but I liked it well enough.
Okay, I am less than 100 pages from the end of ENEMIES TO LOVERS by Alisha Rai but I’m going to count it b/c I will definitely finish it today and it’s going to be a solid B from me. I liked PARTNERS IN CRIME better, but this one is still fun. I saw someone mention on here it’s not very plausible and I agree, but It’s got that spark that a lot of romances are missing. And that’s another one down for Summer Romance Bingo.
The other book I finished was great, but definitely *not* a romance BRING UP THE BODIES by Hilary Mantel, the 2nd in the WOLF HALL trilogy. Definitely have to read these in order. My husband and I are doing the trilogy as a year long read. We agreed that the build up and finale for this one was great. Thomas Cromwell is not a hero and the series doesn’t present him as one. You see from the beginning that he is a dark, twisted guy, but here is where you really understand how low he is willing to sink to get what he wants. We knew the very broad outlines of what was going to happen and there was still gasping at the audacity. My husband and I have only a very small overlap on our reading Venn diagram (pretty much Terry Pratchett and the Martian and nothing else), so it’s been fun to read something together and discuss.
The younger son and I are watching BETTER CALL SAUL, so I guess I’m having my anti hero moment (10 years later than everyone else)
I’m a little over 2/3 of the way through THE TELLER OF SMALL FORTUNES by Julie Leong. This is very much a cozy fantasy; I think this book would be your cup of tea if you like DnD podcasts for the roleplay while disliking violence and combat. Tao is a fortune teller, born in fantasy-China but raised in fantasy-Europe where she now travels telling ‘small fortunes’ (the responsibility of bigger ones makes her anxious). Along the way she picks up Mash, a big guy who worked as a mercenary and is looking for his kidnapped daughter; Silt, a former thief trying to go straight; and Kina, a baker’s assistant who wants adventure. Fantasy things happen. Some details make me grit my teeth a little (you have limited drinking water but you decide washing mud off your wagon is a priority?). It’s not for me, but it’s easy and light. I enjoyed that fortune cookies are invented not by the Asian character, but by the white character trying to promote the Asian character’s business.
At work I’m reading DUST GIRL by Sara Zettel, a YA fantasy about a girl living in the 1930’s Dust Bowl who discovers she’s half-fairy. It’s…fine. There’s the Magical People of Color trope at play again and again (guess who the fairies are) and I find it tiresome. The fairy weirdness and the use of the 1930’s American setting details are the best parts–the dust storms are a cover the fairies use to kidnap people, fairy glamours frequently present like silver screen movie magic, jazz music can be used to power spells. There’s a love interest boy who at least has a little more personality than the bog-standard YA love interest boy. I think this is the beginning of a trilogy but I doubt I’ll continue it.
I’m leaning hard into fanfiction right now, especially old fanfiction from before the ‘change the names and publish this as original fiction’ era. I feel like something’s gone nowadays. Also talking myself out of trying to read THE CLOAK AND DAGGER CLUB after the Rant review recently; that’s my era and my genre and I do enjoy a spite-read, but I’m trying to focus on positives right now instead of wallowing.
Still not a lot of reading for me this summer as July is winding down, but I enjoyed most of my recent book choices, including a re-read of Anita Kelly’s HOW YOU GET THE GIRL, plus a couple of new releases from favorite authors.
I had some trepidation about starting EXTRACURRICULAR, by Rachel Lynn Solomon, because it’s a professor/student romance, but I thought Solomon used the trope in a not-at-all cringy way. FMC Ramona is a former child TV star and pop music star who has retired from the entertainment business at age 26 and is trying to start a “normal” life as a college student. Her psychology professor, MMC Nick, is 36, living in his older sister’s guesthouse, and trying to get over an unexpected divorce. Both MCs have a lot of emotional baggage to unpack, and while some insta-lust factors into their initial encounters, most of the book is about building trust, dealing with past trauma (especially Ramona’s), and creating meaningful connections with a supportive partner. These characters are funny and touching and when I reached the last page I wished I could spend more time with them.
I’ve been a fan of many novels by Denise Williams but I didn’t like THE RE-DO LIST as much as her other books. It’s the follow up to JUST MY LUCK (which I haven’t read yet) but worked fine for me as a stand-alone. FMC Willow (a curvy Black woman in her mid-20s) is getting over a public breakup with a long-term boyfriend that turned her into an internet meme, and she’s taking care of her brother Cruz’s home and dog since he’s deployed in an overseas assignment with the Air Force. MMC Deacon is Cruz’s best friend (white, in his mid-30s) who has agreed to keep an eye on Willow while he recovers from an injury that took him out of the unit with Cruz. Deacon starts assisting Willow with the items on her re-do list as she works on regaining her self-esteem and creating new goals for her future. Simultaneously, Deacon grapples with the realization that he might not be able to resume a career in the military, no matter how much he wants to get back to helping his buddies. I’m not a fan of “dating your best friend’s sibling” tropes but this book at least provides some credible reasons that Cruz doesn’t want Deacon to get involved romantically with Willow–and of course, Deacon and Willow get involved. For me, there wasn’t a lot of chemistry between these characters but I appreciated that Williams tried to capture some of the challenges experienced by wounded military veterans.
I picked up COMPROMISED IN PARADISE, by new-to-me author Samanthe Beck, based on the description in the SBTB After Dark “Sunday Sale Digest,” and it delivered what was promised: the no-strings-just-sex connection between two hot people who don’t even exchange their real names until late in the story eventually turned into a love connection. Definitely worth the 99 cents I paid for this book.
Happy rest-of-the-summer reading to all!
Over the past two weeks ~
— more short Project Hail Mary fan fiction: it’s a good life if you don’t weaken; heavier things remain; and panoramic all by remrose
— for my book group: All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker. I read about 15% of the book in my first sitting and thought about abandoning it; however, when I returned to it, I became engrossed. The story begins in 1975 with two young teens (one is male and was born with one eye; he believes himself to be a pirate while the other is a bright somewhat awkward girl) who are best friends. He is being raised by a single and poor alcoholic mother; she’s being raised by her grandmother. He attacks a man attempting to kidnap a classmate and is himself shot and kidnapped. His friend tries to find him. The story continues until 2001 and A LOT happens.
— recommended by @Jeannette, I QUITE enjoyed Live, Love, Level by M.C.A. Hogarth in which a woman (a gaming novice) and her teenaged son play a new beta version of the son’s favorite game. Other characters include an AI who misses her creator (currently in a coma), a marketing executive, friends of the teen, and more. I’ve seen this described as being cozy and slice of life, and I’d agree. I foresee rereading this.
— Ensign Year 1 by Joe Durham features a seventeen year old, a talented repair man on board a space station, who forges his way onto a huge space ship. I saw this compared to Quarter Share by Nathan Lowell (a book I like), and I can see some commonalities. If the library had volume two or if money were no object, I’d continue on.
— reread the science fiction alien romance Earth Fathers Are Weird by Lyn Gala in which a human (kidnapped? rescued?) from Earth is trying to earn money to return home. Due to language translation issues, he signs up to be a surrogate rather than a nanny.
— Against Time by Dean Wesley Smith was a pleasant albeit rather silly read. A university professor and her grad students return from a days long cave dig only to find everyone they encounter dead. Meanwhile explorers from another Earth arrive to find a huge rescue attempt in progress to save the millions that survived before a second EMP wave kills them. The professor and one of the explorers meet and ….
— Fake It ‘Til You Make It by Louisa Masters was a pleasant, quite short, romance between two men who have known each other for years.
— the contemporary romance An Arresting Ride by Lissa Kasey which features a police officer and a horse breeder (one of the few survivors of a serial killer/abuser). This had a lot of dark themes.
— read The House of Now and Then by Edward Underhill which had an unusual premise. A young man who has recently broken up with his boyfriend of seven years rents a summer cottage on Cape Cod. On entering the cottage he encounters his former graduate adviser in the living room (she thinks it’s her office two years ago), his father in the kitchen (he thinks he’s at home in Michigan five years ago), his ex is shaving in the bathroom (he thinks it’s six years ago), and there’s a repairman he’s never met in the bedroom. Others don’t see these people, and he soon meets an older version of the repairman working as a barista. I enjoyed this.
— enjoyed rereading The Book of Firsts by Karan K. Anders; it’s a reverse harem story featuring young adults in a very exclusive high school. Then enjoyed rereading the sequel Four Kings.
— enjoyed a couple of contemporary romance novellas. One Golden Night by Louisa Masters featured two men, participants in a local message board, who end up meeting for a viewing marathon after one mentions that he has never seen The Golden Girls. The second was Epic by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy Which is a follow on to the authors’ Him and Us; it’s best to start with them.
— read The Night by May Archer to fulfill a prompt in a summer romance bingo. A man and his daughter travel to a small town to have his husband sign divorce papers. Parts of the story were a tad silly, but it was a pleasant story.
— enjoyed Crash Course by Michelle Diener which is the seventh book in a favorite science fiction romance series. I also read the bonus epilogue that the author has made available on her website. It would make the most sense to begin with the first book in the series, Dark Horse.
Finished A Rival Most Vial by RK Ashwick. I really enjoyed it while I was reading it but after I finished the doubts started creeping in. The ending bothered me; it felt like it negated all the development in the rest of the book and left the MC back where he started. A lot of questions were also left dangling, like how and why Ambrose ended up in his abandoned apprenticeship; it’s as if the author didn’t feel backstory was important (unless that’s in a previous book and I missed it?) Also the crafter in me can’t understand why Tom has both knife legs and wheels; like, wouldn’t the knives impede the wheels by getting stuck in everything ahead of them? The illogical construction bothered me.
Currently reading Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree. Threw me off in the beginning because I thought it was a sequel to Lattes and Legends but it’s actually a prequel. Oddly it’s a more mature book about a less mature Viv, and it’s interesting watching her character develop. Enjoying it a lot and very involved in the mystery. I also relate A LOT to Fern; I get overwhelmed like that too.
Just finished OUR PERFECT STORM by Carley Fortune. I like this better than EVERY SUMMER AFTER even though they both suffer from less than believable levels of epic pining for no good reason. In OUR PERFECT STORM, Frankie and George are best friends who decide to go on Frankie’s honeymoon after she is inexplicably dumped by her fiance via a one sentence note on her wedding day. The MCs are up to the task of being romance characters, but the real winner here is Tofino, Vancouver, the site of the honeymoon. It sounds amazing and is now somewhere near the top of my bucket list. Seriously, read this book for the descriptions of forests, beaches, and marine life.
I’m just about to drop RADIANT STAR by Anne Leckie. The people in the book are almost universally unlikable. Reviews say that the second half of the book makes up for this, but I’m think I’m not going to make it that far.
Very two thousand and late on this but I’m finally reading the Last Binding Trilogy by Freya Marske. I’m currently in the middle of book 2. I’m really enjoying these even as they cause me to stay up past my bedtime. Before these I was in a bit of a reading slump.
Next up is Dungeon Crawler Carl book 2. I’m spacing these out by only putting a hold on the next one when I finish the one I’m reading. I don’t want to get sick of them before I work through them.
Heh. I wanted to make sure that I get this one in before I skedaddle tomorrow. Husband and I are headed out of town so that we can go see a Lord Huron concert for our anniversary. It’s been long enough that we’d rather do an experience than wrack our poor old brains to figure out something to get each other. At any rate, since last time, I took a break from the Bobiverse (4 of those right in a row was a lot of Bob), so I yoinked out Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto. Liked the banter a lot, but was a bit taken out by the HURRICANE BONER MOMENT TM. I’ve been through a Cat 5. I assure you it’s not a sexy time. Which brings us to now, in which I’m hanging out in a galaxy far, far away, reading Star Wars: Eyes Like Stars by Ashley Poston. Really enjoying it so far. There’s something weirdly comforting about spending time in that story universe. So until next time, wish me safe driving and some lovely bookstore crawls.
I have bounced off so many books in the last couple of weeks. I think I need to take a break from fantasy for now. My library hold for Cait Nary’s Lucky Bounce came up, and I was happily surprised to find myself settling right into the story (and managing to read an ebook too).
I picked up a non-fiction book at the library because the title Slow Noodles caught my eye. It’s a “Cambodian Memoir of Love, Loss, and Family Recipes,” by Chantha Nguoun. I quickly realized how little I know about Cambodia, other than what Cambodians call “the time of Pol Pot.” The author’s family has just fled Cambodia to become refugees in Vietnam – she was nine years old at the time, the youngest of the family (her mother’s family was originally from Vietnam). I know their lives are going to become increasingly difficult and dangerous.
I’ve also added several books discussed above to my library lists, thank you!
I just got back from a little camping trip so I managed to get a couple of books finished last week (although since I went with family I read a little less than I usually do since I had to actually speak to other ppl instead of reading every spare moment lol)
I finished Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher and The Last Lady B by Eloisa James. I did enjoy both but they weren’t incredible. Wolf Worm is a horror book which I don’t usually read but I really like Kingfisher’s writing so I gave it a go, it was probably not the greatest choice for a buggy camping trip because the horror is very bug focused so I did deliberately stop myself from getting too immersed because I didn’t want to get nightmares. All in all a good atmospheric read but I would recommend Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher over this one if you want to try out her writing.
The Last Lady B was a fun read but I’m not sure if I love the change in writing style. It has been a while since I read a Eloisa James book but this one is first person from the heroine’s perspective which I’m pretty sure is a change. I do feel that the romance suffered from never getting the hero’s point of view and it felt a little bit closer to women’s fiction (a stretch I know, but it just didn’t feel like a capital R Historical Romance) maybe because of it? I was invested in the heroine but the hero felt a bit like he was just there to give her exactly what she wanted and as a plot device rather than a character I was attached to in his own right. As an aside, I’m still holding on to my dislike of illustrated covers, this one is admittedly slightly more tolerable to me but I’m still going to prefer the older school style like I used to steal from my mother)
I’ve also started the collection of paranormal/urban fantasy novellas called On the Prowl. I started it to read the novella Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs because I’m trying to give her series a proper try. I love Ilona Andrews and Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series seems to get recommended a lot for readers with similar favs. But so far I’m not really getting into it, I thing the whole fated mates and wolf alpha instinct stuff are just rubbing me the wrong way too much. I’ve read the first Mercy Thompson plus this novella which is in the same world and I think I will give Cry Wolf (a continuation of the Alpha and Omega novella) a try since I already own it but I’m not sure if I will continue further. I’m planning on reading the whole On the Prowl anthology and maybe continuing with another of the series if something grabs my attention.
(If you have read the Mercy Thompson series, should I keep going? I know sometimes a series takes a bit to get its feet under itself but I’m not sure if the whole werewolf world she is creating just isn’t my cup of tea in which case I’m not sure it is worth me continuing)
I got nothing, y’all, unless there’s someone who has yet to read KJ Charles, or is on the fence about reading Murderbot.
I have been trying so hard to read other things, but after a few days of books that are at best meh, I give in. I just reread All of Us Murderers, which is of course excellent, and laugh out loud funny for those of us overly familiar with Gothic novels. I am sure I have said all of this before but gah I just like it so much. Zeb is delightful, a bit ADHD pixie dream boy in a way that plays beautifully off the genre-typical undervalued naïf. He manages to come across as appropriately innocent because of his admirable determination to see the best in people, but he is not -like many a gothic heroine- annoyingly childishly innocent in part because he’s a self-described slut without any of the bullshit shame around sex that inundates the genre and alas the world. And the love interest is (as is often the way with KJ Charles) the guy who would be a minor villain in a straight Gothic. Gideon the sinister secretary is perfection. He retains all the qualities that would ordinarily make him the bad guy – he’s still grim, disdainful, unhelpful, subtly coded as homosexual. But any sneering dislike on his part is a fraction of the loathing the audience has for the rest of the cast, who are by and large perfectly despicable. If you’ve ever been irritated by the supposed hero of a Gothic, whether the “charming” rake, or the unconvincingly upstanding family man brought low by a devious woman, this will make you cackle with glee. Or it did me. The way our heroes communicate with one another actually sells a second chance romance, which ime is almost unprecedented. Reading them together is sheer relief, particularly compared to genre typical misunderstandings, and provides a wonderful counterpoint to the entertainingly but not frighteningly overwrought atmosphere. Although I am unbothered by spiders, and I don’t believe in ghosts, so probably proceed with caution if you are. Also, the set up is at least in part clearly Cotillion inspired, and Cotillion is my favorite Heyer. This is an *extremely* different, superbly well done reimagining.
The latest Murderbot is great, but I am not going to gush about all the reasons why I think so, because presumably either you already know or you are still waiting on your library hold. And that is all I’ve got that’s even worth mentioning.
Oh, I did hate read all of Wildflower by Becky Jenkinson – there was no way I could resist a magical florist queer romance even when it became clear that it was YA (though not tagged as such). The world building is distractingly poor, the characters are thin (Howl’s Moving Castle this is not, although clearly inspired by) and the breathless first person narration is tough to endure. At one point we get the hilarious line: “My heart crumbled liked dried, distrustful lavender.” Which, it’s not just me, right? How does dried, trustful lavender behave? I am no botanist, but I am not sure the author has ever seen (and certainly doesn’t appear to have read about) a plant. The heroine repeatedly digs up by the roots in the wild the only specimen of incredibly rare plants. She uses her plant magic to keep the flowers she wears in her hair fresh, instead of I dunno, seeing if there’s anything she can do about the spreading blight and crop failures. Like she takes zero steps to avoid spreading that contagion when she goes out to hunt endangered plants, knowingly traipsing through the forbidden epicenter of the blight and touching everything she can to demonstrate how sad she finds it all. I mean she’s 18, it’s not surprising she’s an idiot, but she seriously in almost so many words thinks “my choices make me tstl but I can’t tell anyone I am risking my life for this inadequate reason or there would be no plot.” I gave serious thought to writing a full on rant review, but when talking to people it became apparent that I have more thoughts and feelings about flowers than your average person. But like, wouldn’t the target demographic for this book be people who are instantly invested in the idea of flower magic? No power could have stopped me from wanting this book, and yet this was so profoundly unsatisfying I still want it.
Two (count ’em) Bad Decisions books, thanks to the Bitchery. Also two Very Good
DogsReads. Sorry, I’ve been bingeing Dog Rates lately.GAME OF ROGUES by Julie Anne Long: I feel as though I am always late to the historical romance parties, but this was new as of June. And an absolute delight. The boarding house everyone stays at/lives in is perfection, the sorrow and path forward for both MCs are so well done. Bliss.
THE TUXEDO SOCIETY by Paul Rudnick: OMG, the gayest — in the most wonderful and perfect way — book about a group of gay spies. Our hero (honestly, they all are) is recruited by an undercover group because of his acting ability. From the blurb: They are fierce patriots. They are licensed to kill. And they are really, really gay. Welcome to democracy’s secret weapon, the Tuxedo Society. Yet more bliss, no romance per se, but the potential is all there. Pleaseeeee let there be more books.
THE ELSEWHERE EXPRESS by Samantha Sotto Yambao: So suddenly you are on a magical, infinite train when you were just minding your own business on a regular day. Each passenger has something to learn in this completely bizarre, upside down world; you can move from place to place by going through a teapot(!?). Quite profound and thought-provoking about grief and finding your way again. Think about your personal baggage.
DEAR FAHRENHEIT 451 by Annie Spence: A real life librarian — who could moonlight as a stand-up comedian — tells it straight to All The Books She Has Known. Love letters, break-ups; it’s all there. A true celebration of reading.
End of July already? I heard someone say that summer was almost over the other day, which made me angry as a true summer-lover. But I guess if school starts in a few weeks, maybe it can be looked at that way. I’m sure the warm temps will be here for me up through October though.
Onto reading:
IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY by Alicia Thompson – I have liked most of Thompson’s books, except the last one I read. This one was just lovely. It’s got a touch of magical realism, which I’m finding I don’t mind. The heroine goes on a date with a guy who’s a dud. He describes his family back in Ireland (they are in Florida) and she ends up saying something like “I wish I was dating your brother.” Don’t feel sorry for this guy; he was not nice. She leaves the restaurant, gets mugged, hits her head on something, and wakes up in Ireland. As one does. And lo and behold, there’s dud’s brother. What follows is the two of them wandering around Dublin for a few days, falling in love. It’s beautiful. Two things felt a little off to me: the heroine read much younger than her late thirties age and the end felt rushed.
SIR PHILIP’S FOLLY by MC Beaton – continuing on with listening to this trad regency series. This one was just okay. I am more than a little worried the author is going to try to redeem Sir Philip by the end of the series (he committed the folly in this one, but the romance was between two other characters). Anyway, I am not on board with his redemption, at least not romantically. I believe there are two more books in the series, so we shall soon see.
AND THE CROWD WENT WILD by Susan Elizabeth Phillips – I’ve only read one other book in this Chicago Stars series (Ha, just realized there is now a team called the Chicago Stars, a women’s soccer team. Just attended one of their games last weekend. In the series, the Stars are a football team). Anyway, this one follows a washed-up actress and a quarterback in the twilight of his playing days. They knew each other in high school but haven’t really seen each other in 20 years. I believe Ms. Phillips is in her 80s now but she’s still got it. This was a wonderful “I hate you/I love you” romance that gets just about everything right.
I LOL-enjoyed Brigitte Knightley’s f/m romantasy THE EXQUISITE TORTURE OF LOVING YOUR ENEMY. I found the writing charming and liked it more than the first in the series as nearly as much as her Dramione fanfic version of this tale. This was my favorite read of these past weeks.
I also really enjoyed Emma Brodie’s INTO THE BLUE, an f/m contemporary. It was a messy and maybe not perfect book but still hooked me emotionally. It’s one of those intense/almost unbelievably magic connection books which don’t work for me all the time but I still enjoyed reading about it. There a lot of really cool things about acting and improv and health and family life issues that added fascinating complications. Not for everyone but I liked getting lost in it.
Ditto @EditChief on Rachel Lynn Solomon’s EXTRACURRICULAR—I had the same experience as you with this book.
Liked but wasn’t blown away by Christina Lauren’s THE ROMANCE REVIVAL. I was intrigued by the science fictional aspects and really liked the marriage-in-trouble aspects of this. It’s the story of a research-obsessed scientist who falls in love with and marries a landscaper only to prioritize her work over everything until there’s a near-tragedy.
Withholding judgment about Liv Zander’s CROWN ME DEAD, the first in a fantasy duology I hope to finish as soon as I can get ahold of the soon-to-be released second half. This is a dystopian fantasy with a lot of body horror so I’m waiting to see if it’s worth the ick factor.
Overall, while I liked Ali Hazelwood’s vampire romance UNBOUND, I did not love it as I usually do her work. Still worth reading!
I am reading Agnes Sharp and the Trip of a Lifetime – 2nd book in a murder mystery series about a bunch of retirees (mostly ex-military/police/secret service) dealing with age, and solving murders. Written by Leonie Swann (Three Bags Full author), these books have me cackling, especially at Edwina. There is also romantic pining between Agnes and Marshall – unclear if these 2 will ever act, but the crushing on each other is so cute. Highly rec this series! It is helping pass time while waiting for August 7th when the 3rd book of Ellie Ash’s Princely Plans (mm fantasy) series comes out.
Hi, all,
I just finished reading FAKE EMPIRE by C W Farnsworth, a new to me author. This is your basic billionaire arranged marriage. Though she is as rich as he is. I initially found them a little prickly but watching them change and move into the relationship was lovely. I will re-read and am looking up the authors backlist.
I recently finished THESE SUMMER STORMS by Sarah McLean. Not her usual style. A Steve Jobs type has died and his estranged daughter is traveling to the tiny east coast island where the family is gathered. More women’s lit, I think, than romance though there is a romance. I enjoyed it a lot and would recommend.
I also read and did not enjoy TRY AGAIN, BABY by Julia Wolf. This is an unexpected baby story where they reunite years later. Kiddo was a little precious. The MMC was an immature golden retriever and his family was annoying. Do not plan to read again, could barely finish.
REBEL PILOT TEXAS DOCTOR by Eve Gaddy was a DNF. Did not like the male leads and his friends who are going to have their own books soon. The medical part did not make me happy. Could not get into it and decided life was too short.
Did a little more Nalini Singh re-read and that did make me happy.
Oh, sorry for double posting but forgot to mention I got and ARC of FOX by Maya Alden and it was fun. A riff on the amnesia trope. Their marriage is falling apart, he wants a divorce, and then she is in an accident, a coma, and looses her memory. Or does she? I enjoyed it.
@VicSolo: the “fake” amnesia trope? I can’t tell you how fast I opened my kindle to download that book!
@Alexandra Y: I read the Mercy Thompson and the Alpha and Omega books last year, and I enjoyed them. The werewolf instincts and how they shape their society become a little better defined as the books go on, but I don’t think things fundamentally shift. If you don’t like the hierarchical dominants protect the submissives flavor of it, that’s not going to change.
The only hope I can give you is that because Anna and Charles are already mated in the later books, the mating process is less prominent. Those books read more like romantic mystery/thrillers where their bond is sometimes tested than straight romance.
@Alexandra Y
I read and enjoyed ~3/4 of the Mercy Thompson books, and I’m not into the fated mate thing if it impedes free will or consent. I will say that the third book in the series merits a serious content warning. If you’re curious & don’t mind spoilers read the 1st 3-star review on Amazon. I don’t regret reading it, but I did & will continue to skip it during a reread.
I am in the middle of a whole bunch of books. My concentration has not been the best. The most notable lately is THE GILDED HEIRESS by Joanna Shupe. Her previous books(at least the ones I read) had wealthy mogul types as heroes. Or if they weren’t filthy rich they were titled. This one has both a hero and heroine with hardscrabble backgrounds, and he’s a small time confidence man. So the tone is more gritty and down-to-earth. I really love what she’s doing here, with a subversive take on the Gilded Age.
Some of the other books are: DUEL OF HEARTS and DEVIL’S MATCH by Anita Mills. These are old Signet Regencies, but I only discovered the author fairly recently, and she writes well.
The Campbell & Carter mystery series by Ann Granger. I previously read and enjoyed her Victorian mysteries. Book 1 is MUCH, MUD, AND DEAD THINGS and Book 2 is RACK, RUIN AND MURDER. They’re set in the English countryside, and Granger certainly knows her way around a contemporary British police procedural. I foresee myself reading all of them.
CRASH COURSE, sci-fi by Michelle Diener. This is a continuation of her Class 5 series, but it revolves around an already established couple, so it didn’t give me the feels of seeing 2 people connect. Fine for completists who enjoyed this series.
THE RIDDLE OF THE ROSES by Mary Lancaster, #8 Silver & Grey mysteries. I think I’m getting bored with this series and may quit it.
Two post-apocalyptic romances by Claire Kent, HOMESTEAD and PROTECTED. I read the 1st one because it was an MOC and on KU, and then tried one more, but I am done with these books. I reject the premise that after an asteroid hits, or whatever, we’ll all be running around with guns, killing each other for a can of beans, and women will be forced to hook up with a guy, however sketchy, just to keep from getting gang-r*ped.
Oh, and I also read ENTER THE NIGHTMARE by Jayne Ann Krentz/Jayne Castle. I thought this was going to be one of her contemporaries but it turned out to be one of the futuristic dust bunny books. It was her usual, and lightweight fun.
@Jill Q, when you are finished with Wolf Hall, you might want to make a pilgrimage to the Frick Museum to see the Hans Holbein portrait of Thomas Cromwell. They also have Holbein’s portrait of Sir Thomas More. Both are stunning. I’m only an hour or so from NY, but I would have travelled a lot further to see them.
Read and much enjoyed Battle Royal by Lucy Parker (Thanks, SBTB!). The details of both filming a baking show and running a bakery were really enjoyable, and i got really invested in the MCs. I see there’s a second book out, but am not much interested in it.
Am rereading Ancillary Justice by Anne Leckie, partly in preparation for Radiant Star, and partly because I read it so fast the first time that I missed a lot. It’s even better than I remembered.
@Karin – quite right. The Frick has an amazing collection, of which the Holbeins are just sone outstanding parts.
Visual art, graphic novels and comics:
Punderworld by Linda Sejic
– a Hades and Persephone retelling, ongoing series, in the style of the the original myths with beautiful lush artwork. Slow burn romance, super wholesome and sweet with lots of pining from Hades.
– Persephone was also once trapped underground, and she made flowers bloom. There’s some very poetic chapters exploring those themes. I love the image of a snowdrop flower reaching both upward to the light and down into the earth. If it ever becomes available as a poster it’s going on my wall immediately.
Cinderella Boy by Punko
– Starts as a lighthearted romp, all ages comedy, sneaks up on you with jaw dropping reveals and plot twists I never saw coming that reframed the whole story multiple times over, steals your heart with the sweetest enemies to lovers romance I’ve ever read in my life, makes you root and cheer for the friends and family standing strong together against a great evil, makes you snort laugh at the tensest moments and cry at the same time. 11/10 amazing storytelling, beautiful costumes for the storybook heroes and heroines, edge of your seat heart in your throat scenes but never a cliffhanger. Season 2 is almost done, the finale episode drops tomorrow on Webtoon. Season 1 alone can keep you entertained for days, then make you reread it all after the reveal in the season finale. Avoid spoilers as much as possible.
– Punko is the author of the long running Bizenghast webcomic and Stagtown horror webtoon, she has a college degree in serial storytelling and worked as a costume designer and children’s toys designer. She came PREPARED for this assignment.
– Also she is hilarious and so kind to her fans, she reads every single comment and replies to many of them. So the comment section is bonus reading material, and spoilers are properly hidden because the Fandom community is awesome.
The Royal Tea by Captain Juuter
– ongoing new-ish series, funny and cute, with a slow burn sweet romance between an introverted princess who is masked actor Alan’s biggest fan, and her new bodyguard who is faking amnesia and looks suspiciously like Alan.
– Author of the completed series Nomads, an all ages fantasy adventure comedy in a similar vein to One Piece but more queer. All episodes available online for free because she wants them to be accessible to young readers.
Poetry:
New and Selected Poems by the late great Mary Oliver
Fiction:
The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson
– Author is of Dakhóta heritage, the story is rooted in her search to reclaim that lost heritage
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (reread)
Foundling Fathers by Meg Elison
– see the Reactor magazine review at reactormag.com “Meg Elison’s “crisp, shocking, and darkly funny story” is taking a sledgehammer to American mythologizing.”
Nonfiction:
Warrior Queens and Quiet Revolutionaries: How Women (Also) built the world, by Kate Mosse
– Author’s great-grandmother Lily Watson was a successful novelist in her day who had all but disappeared from the public record by the time of writing. The search for her story through her out of print books and historical archives of public records is the thread that binds the rest of the book together.
– My personal take – writing down women’s stories is vitally important, and so is sharing them with our daughters and our communities. Stories live on by being told and retold and shared. Stories reach readers across the centuries, near and far on the other side of the world. Stories connect us back to our roots. We are all connected here and now by their threads.
The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger
– Reframing the narratives and highlighting the Heroine’s journey toward community, fulfillment and growth, then showing you how to tell your own Heroine’s story — by a very successful published author who has been writing lots of those kinds of stories for two decades.
Bibliotherapy: The Girl’s Guide to Books for Every Phase of Our Lives (2001) by Nancy Peske and Beverly West
The Queens of Animation: the Untold Story of the Women Who Transformed the World of Disney and Made Cinematic History, by Nathalia Holt
Mary Blair’s Unique Flair:
the Girl Who Became One of the Disney Legends, by Amy Novesky
Lovely: Ladies of Animation: the Art of Lorelay Bové, Mingjue Helen Chen, Claire Keane, Lisa Keene, Brittney Lee, & Victoria Ying
Color Scheme: An Irreverent History of Art and Pop Culture in Color Palettes, by Edith Young
Pink: The History of a Color, by Michel Pastoureau (translated from the French)
Dreams: and What They Mean To You by Migene González-Wippler (randomly found at the library’s used books sale, copyright page says First edition, Seventh printing, 1994)
Turn Toward The Sun: Releasing What If and Embracing What Is by Mandy Hale
– Mandy Hale is a blogger turned New York Times bestselling author and speaker. Creator of the social media movement The Single Woman, Mandy cuts to the heart of single life with her inspirational, straight-talking, witty takes on life and love. Named a “Twitter Powerhouse” by the Huffington Post, a “Woman of Influence” by the Nashville Business Journal, one of the “10 Instagram Accounts to Follow for Major Inspiration” by Good Morning America, and a “Single in the City” by Nashville Lifestyles magazine, she has also been featured in USA Today and Forbes magazine, on Glamour.com, and in many other media outlets.
Dreamers, Discoverers & Dynamos: How to Help the Child Who Is Bright, Bored and Having Problems in School by Lucy Jo Palladino (reread)
– first read back in 2018, and it’s just as insightful and helpful now for a homeschooled teenager as it was back then for a 3rd grader in public school.
I enjoyed Price Comes Before a Fall.
Only 1 romance this time. It’s a sports romance which is good fun but requires considerable suspension of disbelief.
THE SWAN AND THE SENTINEL: A NOVEL, by Bill Keenan. The MMC is an injured hockey player who convinces the FMC, a ballerina, to teach him ballet as a form of physical therapy. Per the author note, author used to play hockey (professionally, I guess?) in Europe and his wife is a ballerina. At the start the MMC is so discouraged it’s hard to read, but it rapidly improves. There is a 3rd act breakup along the way to the happy ending.
TSUBAKI STATIONERY STORE by Ito Ogawa (translated by Cat Anderson) is a cozy Japanese novel about a young women who returns to her home town to take over the family stationery store/scribe business after the woman who raised her dies. Lots of interesting stuff in here about letter writing in Japanese. It’s not a romance, but I really enjoyed it and would recommend it.
2 good non-fiction this time:
UNPROVEN, UNLIKELY, AND FIRMLY BELIEVED: WHY WE FALL FOR HISTORY’S MOST SEDUCTIVE CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND HOW WE REDISCOVER REALITY, by Tom Phillips and Jonn Elledge. This is both informative and funny. The authors have a good sense of humor but are also journalists who dig deep into the history and development of the conspiracies they cover. Recommend.
THE ARROGANT APE: THE MYTH OF HUMAN EXCEPTIONALISM AND WHY IT MATTERS by Christine Webb. Author is an academic who researches primates and this is the book version of a class she teaches. Didn’t agree with her about everything she said but it was certainly interesting and thought provoking. I read this around the same time as my re-read of Anne Bishop’s WILD COUNTRY, and it made me think more about how much that book really centers Bishop’s ongoing theme of humans being unable/unwilling to relate to non-humans as equals (or as more capable/powerful than humans). I wonder what she would think of Arrogant Ape.
Read a few other things that didn’t leave much impression, rejected more. Honestly, I think part of the problem is that when you’ve read many books a week for more than 50 years, and remember far too much about them, you get picky. Too many times I read a back cover and think “This again?” or “Don’t care”.
@Merle that sounds like the opposite of a problem to me, you have discerning taste. Have you come across Jo Walton’s reading list? She posts it monthly on Reactormag.com (formerly tor.com), 30-40 books every month ranging from romances to fantasy and sci-fi to historical fiction. She’s the one who got me to read The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim, which was written in the 1930s or so and is absolutely delightful. Four diverse women in desperate need of a vacation decide to pool their resources and rent a villa in Italy for the month of April to just lounge in the sunny flower garden, eat pasta, and get away from everyone else. The movie adaptation is also delightful.
@Alexandra Y I had real hopes of the Mercy Thompson books but ultimately I found them disappointing. They’re competent enough I don’t blame Briggs, I am sure it’s me. I suspect a lot of it is that I am too pedantic to enjoy a world based on the debunked alpha/beta wolf nonsense. Which is a shame because I am theoretically very much team werewolf when it comes to paranormal romance, but very few shifter romances actually please me.
The problem with being a fast reader and also extremely picky @escapeologist @merle is that even with my Swiss cheese memory I waste so much time I might be reading looking for something to read! Far from having a mont tbr problem, I have an ohgod there’s nothing left to read but the cereal boxes again problem. Which is “this again?” “don’t care” plus inducing tiresome “hello again existential despair.” And the mere act of reading is soothing, and yes there is always rereading something good – my brother used to joke it wasn’t a matter of whether I had a read a book but how many times – but the book a day habit is demanding.
Since Saturday I read part of TAIWAN TRAVELOGUE which is promising but requiring more attention than I have, reread part of THE UNBROKEN which is great but wasn’t grabbing me, reread SLOW HORSES which is just great, read the opening paragraph of DIE FOR ME and decided I was too cranky for something new, reread BARMY IN WONDERLAND which is PJ Wodehouse so all attendant delights and issues, and slogged through the end of LOLLY WILLOWES which unaccountably somehow makes turning to witchcraft as a respite from bourgeois despair boring. Plus my webtoons, plus AO3. Would cheerfully kill for a new romance novel that I enjoy. Mind you, at this point in menopause/end stage capitalism, I would cheerfully kill just because.