I was excited at the thought of snagging a book for the Smart Bitches Trashy Books RITA Reader Challenge. SBTB is the first book blog I read, and a great example of what I want our blog to be when it grows up. I carefully went over the list (well, what was left of the list, it was kind of slim pickings by the time I looked) and Enchanted Warrior stood out. The King Arthur … Continue reading Enchanted Warrior by Sharon Ashwood
This book reads like the R-rated cousin of a BBC Merlin episode. Some cheesy writing and slightly rushed plot points: check. Knights of the Round Table making questionable decisions: check. A badass sorcerer who takes no shit and saves literally everyone, all the time: check and mate. As a huge Merlin fan, overall, I enjoyed myself. The reasons why: Tamsin Greene, healer, witch, and historian extraordinaire. Tamsin is following in her missing they-never-found-the-body dead father’s … Continue reading Enchanted Warrior by Sharon Ashwood
Christmas on Crimson Mountain is a perfectly serviceable romance novel featuring a woman who’s had breast cancer, a man who lost his wife and child in a car accident, and the woman’s two wards, the daughters of her best friend, who has just died of cancer. So there’s a lot of recent death in these people’s lives. The female lead, April, is scared of commitment and not very good with children but is a very … Continue reading Christmas on Crimson Mountain by Michelle Major
Firstly, despite the very contemporary cover of 2 people embracing, this is an inspirational romance so physical displays of affection are very limited – 2 kisses over the entire book! Also I thought the cover appeared slightly young adulty. However, it is definitely a story with adult characterisation and plot. The book has a rather unique setting of a luxury tour of New Zealand aimed at Tolkien enthusiasts and is really quite charming. The heroine … Continue reading Close to You by Kara Isaac
Trigger Warnings: suicide, rape, attempted rape, drug use, physical abuse I stopped playing the flute after sixth grade. As much as I enjoyed orchestra performances and placing in competitions, I hated practicing and it became clear this would not change. For that reason alone, musicians have always intrigued me. Their dedication to their craft and their willingness to practice for hours (HOW?!) is impressive and I enjoy novels that allow us to peek behind the … Continue reading Before Goodbye by Mimi Cross
Although I used to mainline teen fiction like there was no tomorrow, I’ve largely taken a break for the last couple of years. This is partly because I spent the last two years reading 300+ adult fiction books while I served on a committee which I lovingly referred to as “My Crazy Ass Reading Committee” but which is properly known as The Reading List Committee. Reading Alterations, I was reminded of the other reason teen … Continue reading Alterations by Stephanie Scott
First, let us all enjoy the Post-It notes that I jotted down thoughts on. It was a library book, so no notes in the margins. I’m not getting hunted down for a librarian for nobody. So I am familiar with the fact that this website loves them some Julie Anne Long, and their effusive love for her has actually caused me to one-click at least two Pennyroyal Green books. That doesn’t mean I have actually … Continue reading Hot in Hellcat Canyon by Julie Anne Long
I haven’t read a paranormal romance in a long-ass time. I binged and then got sick of vampires and werewolves. However, whilst scrolling through the open options on the RITA spreadsheet, I came across a book called Bayou Shadow Hunter. Damn if that shit didn’t sound either fucking awesome or batshit crazy. Since it is a paranormal without bizarre creatures, I decided to give it a shot, and I ended up enjoying myself quite a … Continue reading Bayou Shadow Hunter by Debbie Herbert
I was really hoping to like this book. I wanted to write a review that was filled with lots of squee and happy rainbow unicorn gifs because that would have been fun to write. In retrospect, I was being overly optimistic since I am not typically a paranormal romance reader and rarely feel such adoration for the subgenre. This book did not leave me with warm and fuzzy feelings after the HEA. I found the … Continue reading Bayou Shadow Hunter by Debbie Herbert
I was late to the RITA reviewing party but there was a gap for a reviewer of either YA or Inspirational: I’m not inspirational but I was young once so YA it is. Checking out the title of Affective Needs was itself an education: apparently it’s a term for having emotional and social difficulties. Which I would have thought summed up pretty much everyone in high school, but there you go. Right. Here we are … Continue reading Affective Needs by Rebecca Taylor
Affective Needs is a YA romance with classic teen characters, like an angsty, academically-focused young woman ready to leave the confines of high school and a broody, mysterious bad boy who just started at the school. Rebecca Taylor’s story trod well-worn paths, but injects some fresh insights with an eye toward the realities behind high school experiences. On day one hundred and forty-four, Bella Blake emerged from winter break with freshly dyed atomic-pink hair. Everyone … Continue reading Affective Needs by Rebecca Taylor
