We are here, the end of the series. It’s been a fun time. But did the final climax (i.e. this book) live up to the promised drama suggested in the preceding books? I made a critical error with this installment. I’ve been more active on social media lately and I let myself get swept up by the hype around Shattered Gods so my hopes were impossibly high. It is a very rare story that can … Continue reading Shattered Gods by Katee Robert
This guest review comes from Lisa! A longtime romance aficionado and frequent commenter to SBTB, Lisa is a queer Latine critic with a sharp tongue and lots of opinions. She frequently reviews at All About Romance and Women Write About Comics, where she’s on staff, and you can catch her at _@thatbouviergirl on Twitter. There, she shares good reviews, bracing industry opinions and thoughtful commentary when she’s not on her grind looking for the next … Continue reading Bridgerton: Happily Ever After by Julia Quinn
Yet again, I have picked up a book because of its cover. I feel zero shame for this shallowness on my part. Okay, sometimes it backfires on me, but this time it worked out, kind of. Although I’ve landed on a C- here, depending on your answers to the questions I pose in this review, you might land in DNF territory, or as high as a B. Very much a case of ‘your mileage may … Continue reading The Duke’s Got Mail by Samara Parish
I got my hopes up too high for this novel. Strategic fail. You see, I had been trying to find a copy for review purposes for months, but it was never available in South Africa. When the book finally was available, I grabbed it with both hands. It’s a rare book that can live up to months and months of anticipation and sadly this one did not. Lydia is rich thanks to the wool processing … Continue reading How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days by Sophie Irwin
I rather enjoyed the last third of A Lady Would Know Better. Granted, I read that last third of it at about 2AM while trapped in the bathroom (health problems) and while substantially hopped up on prescription painkillers (use only under care of a physician please; the opioid crisis is real). Is it a coincidence that this was the part I most enjoyed? I think not. The rest of the story suffered due to heroic … Continue reading A Lady Would Know Better by Emma Theriault
I was really excited going in to see Superman, wanting it to be a technicolor, hopeful answer to superhero movies, one that would be more uplifting than recent fare. While the movie tries to do that, it’s also kind of a mess and unfortunately the best scenes have been shown already as clips in the trailer. I would recommend renting Superman when it comes to streaming services, but save your money when it comes to … Continue reading Movie Review: Superman (2025)
I’m keeping this review brief because there’s only so much you can say about the third book in a trilogy without completely giving away the other two books. Also, this book is kind of a letdown. The glory and wonder of that angry vampire in book two is admittedly a tough act to follow. But let’s unpack. There are two plots in this book: the romance plot and the adventure plot. The romance plot focuses … Continue reading Rebel in the Deep by Katee Robert
The Stars Too Fondly has queer romance, found family, diverse representation, multiple references to Star Trek, and space travel. I love all of these things. I should adore this book. But I found it to be deeply implausible, frustrating, and full of undeveloped emotion, ideas, and characters. A really bad book is fine – I can toss it aside with never a qualm. A really, REALLY bad book that delivers its badness exactly as advertised … Continue reading The Stars Too Fondly by Emily Hamilton
This guest review comes from Lisa! A longtime romance aficionado and frequent commenter to SBTB, Lisa is a queer Latine critic with a sharp tongue and lots of opinions. She frequently reviews at All About Romance and Women Write About Comics, where she’s on staff, and you can catch her at @thatbouviergirl on Twitter. There, she shares good reviews, bracing industry opinions and thoughtful commentary when she’s not on her grind looking for the next … Continue reading Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi
I really love looking at the colorful art on the covers of books, which is in part why my physical library is shelved by color and why I belong to book subscriptions like Illumicrate and Owlcrate–so I can get those beautiful special editions. I read mostly on my Kindle Oasis, but I definitely love the look of physical books. When the new Kindle Colorsoft came out, I thought that maybe this would reduce my need … Continue reading Kindle Colorsoft
CW: I’m going to include the entire note from the start of the book: “Dark Restraint is an occasionally dark and very spicy book that contains abortion (off-page, historical), elements of dubious consent, non-consenual drugging, biting without prior negotiation/conversation, guns, violence, blood, child abuse and assault (historical, off-page, referenced briefly).” Gentle reader, this is a dark romance; the darkest of the series. I am, in fact, a very gentle reader and so for me this … Continue reading Dark Restraint by Katee Robert
