Variation is a tough book to review. On one hand, I found myself putting aside things that I needed to get done in order to keep reading it, but on the other, I found the frequent “surprise” reveals in the plot to be so frequent that sometimes they felt silly. This book starts off as a forbidden summer romance. The four Rousseau sisters vacation at their family summer house in Haven Cove every year, but … Continue reading Variation by Rebecca Yarros
This is a hard book to review because there were a few elements that didn’t work for me, but I don’t think they’d stop other readers from loving Second Night Stand. But before I dig into everything I adored about this book, and how everything I didn’t like is my own fault, let’s describe the plot. Lillian is the aloof dance master of a Very Serious™ ballet company on the brink of disaster. Her backers … Continue reading Second Night Stand by Fay Stetz-Waters and Karelia Stetz-Waters
NB: This guest review is from Reader Tara Scott. If you want to read her previous guest reviews (and we highly recommend that you do), you can see them all here. Tara reads a lot of lesbian romances. You can catch her regularly reviewing at The Lesbian Review and Lambda Literary and hear her talk about lesbian fiction (including romance) on her podcast Les Do Books. You can also hit her up for recommendations on Twitter (@taramdscott). … Continue reading Guest Review: The Music and the Mirror by Lola Keeley
This is an introductory novella to a series about women who all attended the MacLaine Performing Arts Academy in Washington D.C., and I’ll admit, I would have bought the novella on the strength of the cover alone. Isn’t it gorgeous? Bina MacLaine is the daughter of the founder of the Academy, and now that she’s an adult, she teaches dance there and manages a lot of the operations. She’s a year off a traumatically broken … Continue reading On Pointe by Shelly Ellis
It’s Wednesday! How is everyone doing? Ready for the weekend yet? I definitely am, mainly because I’m enjoying a pretty good book right now and I want to dedicate my weekend to that. But in the meantime, here are some links! … As if you needed more of a reason to ruin your book budget, we’re happy to make this list great book blogs: Just reached The End on an awesome love story, and ready … Continue reading Links: Bingo, Seven Seconds, & Ballet
Happy Hump Day! For all our U.S. readers, I hope you had a great, long Labor Day weekend and caught up on some reading. It’s only a couple more days until Friday, so let’s hope these link provide a good distraction. … Dancers invaded the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts for a beautiful photoshoot for a #CamerasAndDancers social media initiative: Dancers from the Parsons Dance Company and the Paul Taylor Dance Company … Continue reading Links: Ballet at the NYPL, Hamilton, & More!
It’s time for Wednesday Links! Also, is anyone else having trouble keeping track of what day it is? Elyse keeps thinking it’s Thursday. I keep thinking we’ve reached the weekend. … We’re about halfway through our RITA® Reader Challenge! There are still several slots open, either due to a book not having reviewers or no reviews coming in on a book’s due date. Just look for the empty gray-shaded cells. Here’s a brief rundown on how to … Continue reading Links: Ballet, Jane the Virgin, & Dogs!
Episode two of crazysauce ballet drama opens with Claire’s broken phone on the sidewalk. Cut to a shot of her brother (the one that was previously jerking off while talking to her) trying to reach her and getting a message that the number has been disconnected. He’s in Claire’s room and sees a NYC poster and AHA! He’s figured out where she is. Meanwhile Claire is trying unsuccessfully to wash the lipstick stain out of … Continue reading Flesh and Bone Episode Two: Cannon Fodder
When Flesh and Bone was announced as a Starz limited run series, many of us here at the Hot Pink Palace were excited because BALLET. When I was a little girl I dreamed of being a ballerina until I realized that 1. holy shit it’s a lot of work and 2. I have all the coordination and grace of a duck with an inner ear infection. Maybe that’s a good thing because when Starz said … Continue reading Flesh and Bone Episode One: Bulling Through
I love ballet stories. I have eight of the 11 Drina books, including two of the really hard to get ones. I have all of the Royal Ballet School diaries, and a bunch of the Satin Slippers series from the 80s (and oh, is it 80s. It’s so bad and the main heroine is so stupid). Center Stage is one of my favorite movies, and I highly suggest going to see simulcasts of the Royal … Continue reading Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton
