It’s Monday night and the first of a two-part Bachelor finale is about to air. Why does it have to be two parts? Because the Rose God is cruel. How much wine will it take me to get through this? Too much. Will this be the most dramatic season ever? Fuck no. Peter is as exciting as a moldering dishcloth. Shit, he spent part of this season actively trying to keep all of the women from … Continue reading Elyse Watches The Bachelor–S24 E11: Why is this two episodes long? →
Content Warning: Sexual Harassment, #MeToo and the costs of reporting Undercover Bromance is an enemies to lovers story that plays with traditional romantic tropes in some clever ways. I have very mixed feelings about this book. I really enjoyed reading it, and I think it was trying to do some fairly interesting and ambitious things. And it succeeded in some of them; the recurring theme of fantasy/perfection as a romantic hero versus the authenticity/respect for … Continue reading Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams →
RECOMMENDED: Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope is $1.99! This is the first book in the Earthsinger Chronicles and is an amazing fantasy romance. Penelope’s writing is so underrated, in my opinion. I also recommend her podcast episode with Sarah; Penelope has her own podcast as well: My Imaginary Friends.
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A Phoenix First Must Burn is a remarkable, uplifting, and interesting anthology of short stories by Black authors about Black women and non-gender-conforming people. The story styles range from Weird West to epic fantasy to dystopia, and many reflect the systemic challenges Black people face. However, the stories also give us characters who are triumphant, finding the best truth and self-actualization possible within circumstances that range from intensely constrained to sky’s-the-limit. Several characters are LGBTQIA … Continue reading A Phoenix First Must Burn edited by Patrice Caldwell →
Was there a Snark last week? Who knows! Time is a construct! Tara: I…cannot. Elyse: Looking at this is like having a fever dream. Shana No. No. No. This is bizarre, even by the (low) cover standards of Bella Books. Amanda: Ghost Ship meets The Shining, right? Sarah: They can keep their secrets. Thanks. CarrieS: Why is the bartender wearing a wig cap? Why is everything floating? Is it a ghost bar? Is it a … Continue reading Cover Snark: Drink Until It Makes Sense →
The Demigod Complex by Abigail Owen is 99c! This paranormal romance came out last month and I’m so curious about it. It’s the first in a series that blends mythology with a workplace romance. It is on the shorter side, but I’ll probably buy it anyway for the catnippy setup.
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Recently, we did a Rec League: Ready Set Go! Looking for the best Friends to Lovers books you recommend most. For a few of us, this is trope-tastic goodness; for others, it’s our least favorite. This variation led to a weird discussion at SBTB HQ. Which got me thinking: is the opposite of Friends to Lovers, like, Hate Fucking, or something like that? Enemies to Lovers passes through “friends” sometimes on the way to the … Continue reading What’s the Opposite of Friends to Lovers, and Other Catnip Questions →
This has a tantalizing premise, a vicar who’s also a rake, but reading it was a dreary slog. The amount of plot in Wild Wild Rake almost reached 1990s crazysauce level, yet it wasn’t a compelling read. I found most of the characters in Wild Wild Rake confusing, or unlikable. The hero was both. At the beginning of the book, Devan is a dissolute gentleman who’s cultivated a reputation as a womanizer, and publicly loathes … Continue reading Wild, Wild Rake by Janna MacGregor →
Grumpy Jake by Melissa Blue is a delightful and tightly written novella (with a gorgeous cover!) about a kindergarten teacher developing a relationship with a student’s dad over a time period of about six months. There was actual guffawing coming from my direction and, granted I will acknowledge that I read it while drinking some spiked agua fresca which was more spike than agua fresca (my kingdom for a decent alcoholic agua de jamaica), I’m … Continue reading Grumpy Jake by Melissa Blue →
Let’s get this out of the way – Clueless remains the best film adaptation of Emma, the novel by Jane Austen, to date, in terms of capturing the essence of the novel’s title character. Having said that, the current (2020) version offers sumptuous scenery, costuming, and staging, gorgeous cinematography, some adept historical touches, and nuanced acting. I sometimes disagreed with the film’s interpretation of Emma Woodhouse, but never with actress Anya Taylor-Joy’s actual performance, in … Continue reading Movie Review: Emma (2020) →
