Josephine recommended this during their interview for our end of year podcast episodes, and I immediately borrowed it, and I later mentioned it in my New York Times round up of 2024 holiday books. The cover copy gives an excellent summary, better than I could do: All Cora wants for Yule is a few more shells for her collection, a cozy book by the fire, and t̶o̶ b̶e̶ s̶p̶o̶i̶l̶e̶d̶ b̶y̶ a̶ m̶i̶n̶o̶t̶a̶u̶r̶ to avoid the … Continue reading A Minotaur Tale: In Prose, Being a Monster Romance for Yuletide →
This is a hard book to review because there were a few elements that didn’t work for me, but I don’t think they’d stop other readers from loving Second Night Stand. But before I dig into everything I adored about this book, and how everything I didn’t like is my own fault, let’s describe the plot. Lillian is the aloof dance master of a Very Serious™ ballet company on the brink of disaster. Her backers … Continue reading Second Night Stand by Fay Stetz-Waters and Karelia Stetz-Waters →
I suspect mileage will vary significantly for readers of The Aristocrat. It’s going to depend a lot on how much emotion you want in your reading (this one has quite a bit). I kept raising my eyebrow at the heroine’s implausible perfection and that pulled me out of the story. Felicity lives in Narragansett with her foster mother. She’s enjoying a summer off before going to law school when two handsome Brits move into the … Continue reading The Aristocrat by Penelope Ward →
Escaping Mr. Rochester is not the book I hoped for but it’s OK. This is a YA retelling of Jane Eyre. If you’ve been reading SBTB for awhile, you know that Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books. I read it annually, and each year it gives me a new experience, ranging from comforting and empowering to deeply challenging. I liked the basic content of Escaping Mr. Rochester, but wished it delved more deeply … Continue reading Escaping Mr. Rochester by L.L. McKinney →
I’m generally a fan of Rachel Harrison’s horror novels. They tend to offer up commentary on things like toxic friendships, trauma, and complicated family dynamics in this darkly comedic, hyperbolic package. When I heard this blended the prodigal daughter of a cult with the catharsis of rebuilding after escaping a narcissistic mother, it jumped to the top of my TBR pile. Unfortunately, it loses some momentum at the halfway point. While I could have used … Continue reading Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison →
As the daughter of an Austenite, I feel compelled to read all queer Pride and Prejudice retellings. The heroine of Just as You Are was one of the most annoying versions of Elizabeth Bennet that I’ve read–anxious, judgmental, and self-absorbed at times. But I enjoyed Just as You Are once I let go of expecting this to align in any real way with the emotional world of Pride and Prejudice, and rode the wave of … Continue reading Just as You Are by Camille Kellogg →
I mentioned this book in a recent edition of Whatcha Reading? and said, I have started A Most Agreeable Murder and it is extremely silly and absurd and I’m turning pages. Or pressing a button to do so, whatever. There are glowing, I presume bioluminescent, frogs. Their glowy slime is likely used for face cream to create a similarly glowy complexion. These frogs are unique to the town and make a lot of noise. I … Continue reading A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales →
Let’s start with what this book does well. It’s a really interesting premise and the world-building is good (if slow). A long time ago, the balance of magic was upset and now the Spirit of the Woods is taking over with a magical mist that kills people. Cue: a need to save the kingdom and those infected by magic. While the King is ostensibly trying to do this, he is prepared to sacrifice the captain … Continue reading One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig →
Verity and the Forbidden Suitor is not a stand alone book, y’all. I started reading and immediately flailed in a sea of characters that I might have cared about if I’d read the first book in the series. I was annoyed, but the book eventually settled down into an unabashedly romantic, and slightly gothic, story set in a racially mixed nobility reminiscent of Bridgerton. Dr. Theodore Darrington is a brilliant doctor with little patience for … Continue reading Verity and the Forbidden Suitor by J.J. McAvoy →
Sorry, Bro is a book about embracing the complicated aspects of different identities, and I had a lot of fun with the family dynamics, the sense of place (it’s set in San Francisco), and the Armenian culture. However, readers should be prepared for a heroine who is prone to rash, impulsive actions, and who is not great at communicating. My least favorite thing in romance is when people are terrible at communicating, so this was … Continue reading Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni →
Witchful Thinking is a dreamy, magical, sensual novel that is enchanting. It also put me to sleep. It has all the whimsy and sweetness of, say, Practical Magic, but none of the page-turning conflict or excitement that might keep one glued to the story. It’s the chamomile tea of books. Our story involves a family of witches who live in Freya Grove, a seaside town that boasts a carnival every year, a cakewalk that is … Continue reading Witchful Thinking by Celestine Martin →
