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Hide Your Wallet

Hide Your Wallet: September 5th Release Week!

It’s Tuesday! I hope everyone in the States enjoyed the long weekend and maybe even got some reading done. It’s a short release week for us at SBTB HQ, though next week is looking rather beefy. We have a contemporary romance, some horror that Carrie just reviewed and enjoyed, and some witchy historical fiction. What’s on your TBR pile for this week?

Book Review

The September House by Carissa Orlando

The September House

TW for description and discussion of violence, including domestic violence, alcoholism, fear, emotional and physical harm to children, death of children and birds. My goodness, I have a LOT to say about The September House, a haunted house story that is emphatically not a romance. This book tackles mental illness, domestic violence, alcoholism, messy parenting, and the logistical difficulties of getting gasoline fumes out of antique upholstery. I didn’t so much read it as eat … Continue reading The September House by Carissa Orlando

Cover Awe: Greens and Blues

Africa Risen edited by Sheree Renée Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, and Zelda Knight. The background is a green moss. In the center is a Black person with tight braids in a soft yellow space suit, accented by bits of shiny metal. They are holding small white flowers, with one tucked behind their ear.

Let’s look at some covers we’re enjoying lately! Cover art by Manzi Jackson Sarah: That is a fabulous illustration. Sneezy: Wow! That’s gorgeous! It’s so evocative and lush! Amanda: I think right now, the key to any standout illustrated cover is making use of different art styles. Cover art by Jenifer Prince Amanda: I really love her covers! There’s always a hint of vintage in the design and style. Elyse: Oooh! Sarah: I love her … Continue reading Cover Awe: Greens and Blues

Get Rec’d with Amanda – Volume 49

Welcome back to Get Rec’d! We are rapidly approaching fifty of these things. Wow! As always, thank you for sharing your recommendations with me. This one has some academic texts, a spooky mystery, and an Austen-inspired romance set in Chinatown. Want to pass along any recommendations? Drop them in the comments below!

Lightning, Book Review

Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef

Once There Was

If you are into cryptids/imaginary beasts/monsters from mythology and folklore, then you’ll find Once There Was to be a real treat. In this story, a teenager named Marjan is left an orphan when her father, a veterinarian, is murdered. Marjan soon discovers that her father had an unusual clientele consisting of magical animals and that she has inherited a gift of sensing their feelings and needs, a discovery that upends her life in every possible … Continue reading Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef

Kickass Women in History: Edith Maude Eaton and Winnifred Easton

This month’s Kickass Women was found in the pages of Why She Wrote: A Graphic History of the Lives, Inspiration, and Influence Behind the Pens of Classic Women Writers by Lauren Burke and Hannah K. Chapman, illustrated by Kaley Bales. The book traces the connections between different authors and their common motivations for writing, and depicts some of the turning points in their lives. I had never heard of the author Edith Maude Eaton, who … Continue reading Kickass Women in History: Edith Maude Eaton and Winnifred Easton

Hide Your Wallet

September 2023 Queer Romances

Whether you’re riding out the last days of warmth or jumping straight into curling up under a cozy blanket, there’s no greater September accessory than a great romance novel, and this month runneth over with excellent queer options. Treat yourself!

Podcast

578. Harlem After Midnight with Louise Hare

Louise Hare is the author of the Canary Club mystery series, and book two, Harlem After Midnight is out this week! Louise joins me to talk about her main character, Lena Aldridge, and how Lena uses every asset at her disposal to navigate both a transatlantic cruise in book one, and Harlem in the 1930s in book two. We also talk about writing in dual timelines and the fun of writing family drama and murder, … Continue reading 578. Harlem After Midnight with Louise Hare

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