NB: This is a review for both this book, and the entire trilogy. I adored Jodi McAlister’s Marry Me Juliet trilogy. This contemporary romance series lovingly satirizes the Australian version of The Bachelor while offering a lot of wish fulfillment for fans of reality dating shows. Each book includes at least one moment that I’ve always wanted to happen on The Bachelor—from two bisexuals who fall for each other instead of the lead, to having … Continue reading Not Here to Make Friends →
Heiress Gone Wild is the fourth book in the Lady Truelove series. It stands alone – I have read the first book in the series, but not the others, and while characters from the previous books make appearances in the book, you certainly don’t need to know their stories to read this one. The story starts when Jonathan Deverill goes to collect his new ward, the daughter of an old friend, from her school in … Continue reading Heiress Gone Wild by Laura Lee Guhrke →
NB: Welcome to Flashback Friday! We’re taking it back to where Elyse’s Elizabeth Hoyt fangirling all began. She recently loved the latest Maiden Lane book, Duke of Sin, and it’s pretty awesome to revisit her thoughts on the very first romance in the Maiden Lane series. This post was originally published September 26, 2013. Oh my God, you guys. I think I’ve read my first crack book. The one that has some crazy going on and some plot elements … Continue reading Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt →
Updated April 12, 2016: Beverly Cleary is 100 years old today! Happy birthday to one of my most admired authors ever. The Luckiest Girl was one of my gateway books into romance, and I love it. It still holds up, and bringing this review, first published 12 April 2011, back to the main page seemed a fitting way to celebrate. Happy 100th Ms. Cleary, and thank you thank you thank you. … Beverly Cleary has always been … Continue reading The Luckiest Girl by Beverly Cleary →
Yes, it’s here, my precious, we likes it! Unbound, by Jim C. Hines, the third book in the Magic Ex Libris series is finally out, to my great rejoicing. Yes, you will have to read the previous two books to appreciate this one (Libriomancer and Codex Born). Yes, you will love them. Libriomancer introduced the characters, led by Isaac Vainio, magician and librarian. Isaac is a libriomancer, meaning he can use magic to pull objects … Continue reading Unbound, by Jim C. Hines →
I hate writing negative reviews. In a perfect world, I’d let the other Bitches bring the snark and I’d gambol about throwing glitter in the air and saying, “OMG you have to read this book it is totes adorbs!” Tragically, sometimes I have to bring the pain. It is my sad duty to tell you that The Heart’s Game is a terrible book in which terrible people do terrible things as unrealistically as possible. Spoilers … Continue reading The Heart’s Game, by Crista McHugh →
Jim C. Hines is the author of nine published books and many, many short stories. He’s also the author of one previously unpublished novel, Rise of the Spider Goddess. Rise was never published because it’s awful. Really, really awful. Hines says, “I wrote this one during my sophomore year in college, based on my then-favorite Dungeons and Dragons character, Nakor the Purple. A D&D character I had created based on Raymond Feist’s Riftwar books, making … Continue reading Rise of the Spider Goddess: An Annotated Novel, by Jim C. Hines →
In an alternate universe, the planet Discworld is carried on the backs of four elephants, who are standing on the back of a giant turtle. In the Discworld books, Terry Pratchett satirizes aspects of our own world with a combination of affection, impatience, and asperity. Terry Pratchett’s writing tends to be free of two things: meanness (there are mean characters, but the author’s view seems to be stern but compassionate) and bullshit. The morals are … Continue reading Hogfather by Terry Pratchett →
It’s not every day that I’m all excited about a tapeworm zombie apocalypse, but I’ve been looking forward to Mira Grant’s book Symbiont for a year, and when a copy landed on my front porch I did quite a dance of joy. This book did not meet all of my lofty expectations, but it was still exciting. It’s not a romance, but I’m reviewing it here because we have many Mira Grant fans (she also … Continue reading Symbiont By Mira Grant →
Coffee: 14 Caffeinated Tales of the Fantastic, is a delightful short story collection that will warm the darkest, coldest winter day. There’s adventure, humor, pathos, and just dash of romance in these stories. This is the book to grab when you have a precious fifteen minutes to yourself – preferably in a coffee shop. All of these stories have an element of science fiction or fantasy. The two stories with the most romance are “A … Continue reading Coffee: 14 Tales of the Fantastic, Edited by Alex Shvartsman →
Evil Librarian is a fun YA with a charming romantic thread (although I wouldn’t call it a romance novel, strictly speaking). It’s a great read for Halloween, a holiday which in my mind extends through October and November and runs straight into Christmas, pausing only to filch a couple of pies from Thanksgiving. Evil Librarian is about a high school student with the rather overly apt name “Cynthia”. Everyone calls her “Cyn.” Get it? See … Continue reading Evil Librarian by Michelle Knudsen →
