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 is a review for both this book, and the entire trilogy. I adored Jodi McAlister’s Marry Me Juliet trilogy. This contemporary romance series lovingly satirizes the Australian version of The Bachelor while offering a lot of wish fulfillment for fans of reality dating shows. Each book includes at least one moment that I’ve always wanted to happen on The Bachelor—from two bisexuals who fall for each other instead of the lead, to having … Continue reading Not Here to Make Friends →
I had a crappy, stressful week and I was tired and I don’t care about soccer AND YET I found Cleat Cute to be delightful. Honestly if this book worked for me on this particular week it ought to work for anybody. This Grumpy/Sunshine f/f romance has clear traces to Ted Lasso but not so many as to feel derivative. It’s just a really nice story about two decent human beings falling in love. Grace … Continue reading Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner →
As the daughter of an Austenite, I feel compelled to read all queer Pride and Prejudice retellings. The heroine of Just as You Are was one of the most annoying versions of Elizabeth Bennet that I’ve read–anxious, judgmental, and self-absorbed at times. But I enjoyed Just as You Are once I let go of expecting this to align in any real way with the emotional world of Pride and Prejudice, and rode the wave of … Continue reading Just as You Are by Camille Kellogg →
Carrie: Have you seen Heartstopper yet? Tara and I have and we are here to tell you all about these wonderful baby gays and how they are represented so inclusively, beautifully, movingly, and entertainingly on the series Heartstopper. It has one season of eight episodes, each about a half an hour in length. Two more seasons have already been ordered. (Hooray!) The show is centered around a group of teens at Truham Grammar School in … Continue reading Series Review: Heartstopper →
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 →
O hai! Hello there! Come join the webtoon emporium that’s been helping me keep content and mellow. Towards the end of the Hell Year, my brain decided to tell everything other than web toons to fuck off. Even *gasp* novels??? What is this buffoonery??? However, I’m far enough on my mental health journey that I didn’t fight this and oh GOD did I fall into a rabbit hole. Which is why I will now take … Continue reading Sneezy Loves Webtoons: The Sea in You By Jessi Sheron →
We are back with your regularly scheduled programming this afternoon! Is anyone else just tired? We’re barely two weeks into the new year and I’m so ready to nap forever. Between RWA, the news from Australia and Puerto Rico, and just trying to make it through the latest US election cycle, I am exhausted! I’d prefer to spend the next couple weeks in a blanket fort, eating macaroni and cheese. … Carina Press is launching … Continue reading Links: Sheroes, Baby Yoda, & More →
This book was like a warm hug. The characters were people I would love to know in real life, the relationships (romantic and otherwise) were tender, and gentle emotional healing was a major theme. In other words, my crops are watered, my skin is clear, my checkbook is balanced, etc., etc., etc. Let us start with our protagonists, Verity and Ash, who felt very real and immediate. Verity is clever, ambitious, and practical, and these … Continue reading A Duke in Disguise by Cat Sebastian →
To everyone in the U.S., we hope you have a safe and happy Fourth of July! Wear sunscreen and keep an eye on your pets during the fireworks. To anyone not celebrating the holiday and not in the U.S., we want you to have a great day, too! I will be grumpily be eating my weight in hot dogs because 1) I hate the summer and socializing in the heat 2) but boy, do I … Continue reading Links: Convention Advice, Bones, and Gorgeous Grandmas →
I have mixed feelings about Ten Days in August. Set during a heat wave in New York in 1896, it’s a romance between a closeted gay policeman and a gay nightclub performer. I loved the idea of the 1896 setting, but in practice the setting made for depressing reading despite a happy ending for the lovers. The story begins when a male prostitute is found dead. Inspector Hank Brandt takes an interest in the case. … Continue reading Ten Days in August by Kate McMurray →
