This year, for April Fool’s Day 2024, we are expanding our reach to try to corner the angler angle, because, well, why not?! Smart Fishes Trashy Hooks knows you need top of the line bait and tackle while you while away the hours reading and fishing! We’ve got Hooks on Sale, and, of course…. Cover Shark. (This will never not make me snort!) Well played to Amanda for this year’s April Fool’s idea. Happy April … Continue reading April Fool’s 2024: Smart Fishes, Trashy Hooks →
How can I review a book that has a plot twist in the last chapter that changes the entire book? Lore of the Wilds is a fantasy that is enjoyable but…odd. The heroine is twenty-one but the book reads as very YA despite one graphic sex scene. There’s a love triangle, but it’s difficult to write about it without revealing a spoiler that comes out of nowhere at the very end of the book. There … Continue reading Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana →
Hey, everyone! How’s it going? I’m back with another round of recommendations for all types of readers. I even selfishly included one I keep getting that I want some second opinions on. This time, we have a Medusa story, a love story anthology, and non-fiction. Get any good recommendations lately? I would love to hear about them in the comments!
Sarah: This book is extraordinary in that the cover copy, the plot, and the characters all hinted at many potential delights, and delivered on none of them. When Lara messaged me about the book since I’d mentioned it in a recent Hide Your Wallet, we decided to review the book together. The cover copy mentions that this is a “new high concept series, The Scandalous Ladies of London, which chronicles the lives of a group of … Continue reading The Duchess by Sophie Jordan →
RECOMMENDED: The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman is $1.99! This is a fantasy novel that Carrie really enjoyed. She graded it a B+:
While I genuinely loved the characters and concepts of the book, it’s played strictly for fun adventure. It’s basically just an excuse to have smart people fight cyborg alligators in a ballroom and werewolves in a museum. It’s smart, well-written fluff and I ate it up with a spoon.
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Mel Blue was my guest when we discussed Spare – which has become one of my most listened-to episodes – so I asked her back to talk about the narratives of PR, why the weird stories around Kate Middleton grabbed attention worldwide, and why so many people were and are paying attention. On one level it’s a story that originated in gossip about rich and powerful people in an archaic power structure being weird. But … Continue reading 608. Women as Shields and Scapegoats: Talking Kate Middleton with Melissa Blue →
One by One by Ruth Ware is $1.99! This was mentioned on a previous Hide Your Wallet. Elyse is a fan of Ware’s thrillers and has reviewed one or two on the site. Do you have a favorite?
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Okay, so when we left off Joey was having a panic attack because Kelsey left a note attached to his door saying they needed to talk. Well, those sneaky bastards at ABC wedged a rose ceremony into The Women Tell All episode, which I don’t usually recap because it’s basically a clip show. All you need to know is the note was drama blown out of proportion and Kelsey reassured Joey. He wound up sending … Continue reading Elyse Watches The Bachelor–S28 E11: I Love Him and It Hurts →
I’m almost hesitant to recommend The Scarlet Alchemist, not because it’s a bad book, but because it’s a fantastic book, but the sequel doesn’t come out until (it’s estimated) October. I gobbled this book up in one sitting and now I have to sit and wait pathetically to find out what happens next. The story is set in a version of historical China where alchemists have figured out the key to immortality. The wealthy eat … Continue reading The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker →
Hey DMV folks! It’s an in person event! Remember those?! Come join the lovely folks from the Really Reading Romance book club at East City Bookshop for a Romance Reader Happy Hour, April 5th from 6-8pm! Tickets are $10, and there’s going to be giveaways, activities, probably some mayhem, definitely a beverage! I’m extremely excited to be included this year, and will have stickers in my pocket. I say that now, and then I have stop … Continue reading Friday, April 5: Romance Reader Happy Hour! →
