SBTB is more independent, and probably 48% more silly
RECOMMENDED: The Stand-In by Lily Chu is $2.24! This is a debut contemporary romance. Elyse gave this one an A:
So we have a celebrity romance, women being friends and helping each other with their mental health, and reflections on identity and community. That’s a lot to pack into a book, but it all works and delivered by Philippa Soo’s incredibly soothing voice, it was totally my jam.
I have a few tests for cookbooks I want to try. First, I borrow them digitally and read through, bookmarking recipes I might want to try. Once I reach four or five bookmarks, I put the book on hold at the library so I can borrow and use post-it notes on a physical copy. This book passed both of those tests in record time. In fact, I started reading it digitally while on vacation, and … Continue reading I Dream of Dinner (So You Don’t Have To) by Ali Slagle
RECOMMENDED: The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow is $2.99! I read this one and gave it a B+:
If you’re in the mood for a lovely, tender fantasy novel about belonging and one that feels more like a long, relaxing bath than a hot, intense shower will all of the fancy pressure and pulsating settings you can imagine, you’ll love this one. It’s a soothing pick for when you hope to take comfort in a book
This HaBO is from Bebe, who is hoping to find this romance. Bebe mentions this was a free book, but prices change all the time, so good luck, everyone! It was a free online ebook. The hero was a quiet jock and loved candy. The heroine was also quiet/shy and the illegitimate child of a photographer with six other kids. They met in college in Australia and it was the sequel to a previous novel … Continue reading HaBO: Shy Jock Loves Candy
How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying) is a surprisingly intense book about a young woman’s efforts not only to survive dating a superhero, but also her efforts to overcome the trauma that she experienced as collateral damage in a fight between a different superhero and a supervillain. Even though the story revolves around Astrid’s love for her superhero boyfriend, Max, it’s not a romance so much as it’s an exploration of trauma, … Continue reading How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying) by Cristina Fernandez
RECOMMENDED: Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade is $2.99! Shana reviewed this one in October and gave it a B+:
Spoiler Alert is tropey wish fulfillment, but at its heart, it is a quiet contemporary with a #couplegoals relationship where both characters offer comfort, create beautiful art, and help each other overcome insecurities. Spoiler Alert is also a love letter to fandoms, that will make you want to chase your romance novel with a shot of fanfiction.
This Monday’s Cover Snark is all thanks to you! We love it when you send us some crazysauce covers. From Susan: For Cover Snark. Because if I have to keep looking at the bad hair and unpleasant facial expressions, so do you. Sarah: Did we snark this already? If so, did we figure out definitively what on earth happened to his hair? Amanda: We have definitely seen this couple. But maybe not on this cover? … Continue reading Cover Snark: Reader Submissions
Hey all! It’s been a hot minute! I’m current at a black tie wedding in Rhode Island. Now, I don’t love attending weddings, but I do love free food and an open bar. For those of you who don’t know, I have a lot of book-related jobs outside of Smart Bitches and not all of them are romance-specific. I love connecting books to readers and I feel like I do a pretty dang good job. … Continue reading Get Rec’d with Amanda – Volume 25
Pearl Hart was not only a fascinating individual, but she was also a member of a scrappy family of stubborn survivors, each of whom had their own interesting stories to tell. Pearl Hart led a difficult but adventurous life and gained renown for dressing up as a man and robbing a stagecoach in Arizona in 1899. Bear with me, readers, because the lives of Pearl and her siblings, especially her sister Kate, are hard to … Continue reading Kickass Women in History: Pearl Hart
It’s September! Back to school! The beginning of fall! Lots of great new book releases! Carrie: I’m reading The Change by Kirsten Miller about a group of women in their late forties who develop super powers and set out to solve a series of murders. It’s flawed but also, as those young people say these days, LIT! Shana: I’m listening to The Love Con by Seressia Glass on audiobook. I’m so invested in the story … Continue reading Whatcha Reading? September 2022, Part One
