Eleventy billion years ago, when I was in college, I took a bunch of classes with an awesome professor who used the Blues as a method of framing Southern American literature. We read William Faulkner and Alice Walker and listened to Bessie Smith and just had feelings. Both the Blues and literature have been described as “equipment for living” (read Kenneth Burke’s literary theory tonight if you can’t sleep), a means of capturing what’s working … Continue reading Chronic Pain and Coping: Why Romance Novels Are My Equipment For Living→
I have been thinking about the awesomeness that is the feeling you get when you had high expectations of a book, and those expectations were met. Do you know what I mean? Sometimes it's the fact that I paid more than I wanted for the book, or it's that the last book was so good, I worry like a weird person that the next one won't live up to that enjoyment. But there are times … Continue reading The Rec League: Expectations Were MET!→
I received an email from Cordy, who loved a particular element of Seize the Fire and is looking for more scenes like it: I just finished Laura Kinsale's book Seize the Fire ( A | BN | K), and I really liked one aspect of it so much I'm hoping to find other books with the same element: The hero loves the heroine's body. It isn't just vague handwaving about how she's so attractive and [insert … Continue reading The Rec League: Your Body is My Wonderland→
When you're a romance reader, it's both empowering and helpful to learn what plot devices, tropes, characters and familiar elements of romance constitute your particular catnip. If you know you like May/December romances, or stories about characters who struggle with speech impediments, and you know those make the mental prairie dog poke his head out and say GIMME READ NOW, it gets easier to shop or find books that will make you and your mental … Continue reading What’s Your Catnip?→
Ilona wrote to me recently, looking for a specific type of book: adventure romance. I was looking at my bookcase today (I'm a student who is moving out again soon so my books are all in a messed up order) And saw Scoundrel by Zoe Archer and remembered how much fun it was to be reading an adventure romance with an adventure in different places. I really loved having obvious bad guys who always lost, … Continue reading The Rec League: Adventure Romance!→
In January, I was having a conversation on Twitter with Sheri W, who mentioned that she re-reads a few Jennifer Crusie books “on the regular to battle a bad day.” I know exactly what she means. As I replied to her, I have books like that, “Bad Day Re-Reads,” which are always happy/sexy/fun books. Sheri agreed, saying hers were Bet Me ( A | BN | K) or Agnes and the Hitman ( A | BN | … Continue reading Bad Day Re-Reads: Books That Make It All Better→
I recently received an email from Jen, who wanted to tell me about a book she'd found via the Books on Sale posts, because she loved it. Like, loooooved it. Like, composed a terrifically passionate email all about the book and the characters because they gave her all the happy reading joy. So of course I had ask if I could share it with you. Please meet Jen! Kate Locke's heroine Xandra from God … Continue reading Reader Recommendation From Jen: God Save the Queen by Kate Locke→
Time to collect all the recommendations you made for which Elizabeth Lowell novel you recommend to new readers – and this one was a bit of a challenge because Lowell writes in at least three genres with several different names. Whenever we collect reader recommendations, I think it's so neat that usually, we end up raving about the same set of books. Hence, the reason for “Which One First?” I'm also trying a new feature … Continue reading Classic Romance - Which One First? Elizabeth Lowell Recommendations→
Yesterday we talked about the science fiction covers of Ann Maxwell's Dancer series. Today, I want to ask your opinion about Elizabeth Lowell! If a reader had never read a Lowell novel, which one would you recommend first and foremost? I remember tearing through several Elizabeth Lowell novels in college. The paperback book rack – which was not large – was right across from the main entrance, and there'd be plenty of paperback romances lined … Continue reading Classic Romance: Which One First? Elizabeth Lowell Edition→
The subject of comfort reading has come up many times on Smart Bitches. Everyone has their warm-fuzzy author, the one we go to when we want to feel a little better about the world or visit an old friend. My comfort author is the late Edith Layton. When someone wants to try Regency romance for the first time, I always suggest they start with Layton. There's something about her writing that transcends the usual tropes found … Continue reading Comfort Reads and Edith Layton→
Let's have some fun! Today, a Which One First? request, with a giveaway! As part of our continued reader recommendation feature, Classic Romances: Which One First?, I wanted to ask your recommendation for which Jill Mansell novel a reader unfamiliar with her backlist should try first. Mansell's backlist isn't as far-reaching into the past as some other authors we've built recommendation lists for, but she has a lot of books published in her career. I … Continue reading Classic Romances: Which One First? Jill Mansell Edition - with Giveaway!→
