Heartbreak Incorporated is kind of a bonkers book, and I love that about it. It commits pretty hard to its own premise of a sexy, mysterious man breaking up relationships for money while also maybe doing vigilante justice on the side, and the aspiring journalist who wants to uncover all of his secrets (in both a sexy way and a hard-boiled PI kind of way). Also, there are demons, and this book is very queer. … Continue reading Heartbreak Incorporated by Alex de Campi →
I am writing this while sleep deprived, guzzling a cold brew, having stayed up all night reading. At some point I remember my husband telling me he was going to bed and me telling him I’d be right up. The next time I looked up I had finished The Last Thing He Told Me and, aside from my reading light, the house was pitch dark. The Last Thing He Told Me is an excellently plotted … Continue reading The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave →
She’s Too Pretty to Burn is an intriguing, but uneven read. It opens like a teen romance, and ends like a thriller, but the transition between the two is jarring and disruptive to the reading experience. It’s also supposed to be inspired by The Portrait of Dorian Grey which I didn’t get at all from the text. The novel centers around three people: Mick, a high school swim star with a troubled home life; Veronica, … Continue reading She’s Too Pretty to Burn by Wendy Heard →
TW: PTSD, recollections of a school shooting, gaslighting Questland is pure geek-bait, and a fun book for all of those who dream of going to Hogwarts and Middle Earth. My husband and I gave our kid a name in Sindarin (Elvish), so basically the book is Carrie-bait. It revels in a quickly moving plot, a gorgeous setting, and a plethora of fantasy references, but suffers from a lack of developed characters. Dr. Addie Cox is … Continue reading Questland by Carrie Vaughn →
I came to Eclipse via these two tweets shared on Twitter. It was the second one which really got me. I love a good magical school story, but the Harry Potter books never quite worked for me. Eclipse, which promised a view from the staff room of a magical school in the 1920s, sounded like my catnip. (Also, the author’s page has a content warning that includes a warning for ‘academic politics including an unpleasant … Continue reading Eclipse by Celia Lake →
I confess, I have read almost all of Cat Sebastian’s books. There are so few left that I haven’t read, I’m savouring them and trying to make them last. So when I received an ARC of this book, I was just about ready to plotz. Saying that I went into this book with high expectations would be an understatement. Usually, this doesn’t end well for me, but, dear Bitchery, that is not the case this … Continue reading The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian →
I never thought I’d say this, but The Hellion’s Waltz is just too darn nice. This historical f/f romance is beautifully written and full of kind, courageous, intelligent characters. It is also boring. I never would have thought that I’d get tired of reading a book in which people say kind and encouraging things to each other, but it turns out that yes, I really can have too little conflict in a story. The book … Continue reading The Hellion’s Waltz by Olivia Waite →
I don’t know if you’ve noticed but… *looks both ways* I don’t usually review m/f romances. And that’s because I don’t usually read them either! I made an exception for Hang the Moon because I loved Brendon when I met him in Written in the Stars. Boy howdy, am I glad I did, because this book is ADORABLE. Annie is lonely in Philadelphia, so she leaps at a promotion that will take her to London. … Continue reading Hang the Moon by Alexandria Bellefleur →
Whenever I sense a whiff of a new historical romance with fantasy, paranormal, or steampunk elements, my ears perk up and I’m on alert. And yes, this is a call to send me your recommendations if you have any. Be aware that it will take some deep cuts, though, to suggest a book I haven’t heard of or read. Set in an alternate version of Victorian-era London, the Wisteria Society is made up of a … Continue reading The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton →
The Professor Next Door is the third book in Jackie Lau’s Cider Bar Sisters series, and it stands alone, though it’s a bit more fun if you have already met Nicole’s friends. Like all the other stories in this series, it will make you want to go to Toronto and eat your entire body weight in desserts. Seriously, the food porn in these books is next level. Jackie Lau appears to subscribe to the idea … Continue reading The Professor Next Door by Jackie Lau →
We Are Lady Parts is a British sit-com about an all-girl Muslim punk band, and it is glorious. It is sweet, empowering, and very, very funny with a diverse, female-led cast and some very clever writing. The series runs for six 25-minute episodes written and directed by Nida Manzoor, and we watched the whole thing in a single sitting, alternately cackling with laughter and hiding behind the sofa in an agony of vicarious embarrassment. The … Continue reading We Are Lady Parts, created by Nida Manzoor →
