The Fertile Earth by Ruthvika Rao Narrated by Sneha Mathan
Genre: historical fiction Telangana, India, 1955-1970
This was a gorgeous, difficult read.
VijayThe Fertile Earth by Ruthvika Rao Narrated by Sneha Mathan
Genre: historical fiction Telangana, India, 1955-1970
This was a gorgeous, difficult read.
Vijaya is the least beloved daughter. She'll never be as perfect as her younger sister Sree. Daughters of prominent landowners in Irumi, India in the latter half of the 20th century, they have privilege and comfort where the sharecroppers and servants struggle. Vijaya befriends Krishna, the son of a servant, and his older brother Ranga. When, as children, the 4 of them trek to the jungle in search of a legend, disaster strikes. This sweeping novel follows them through the next decades of their lives, where some are better able to escape the burden of the past, set against a backdrop of class warfare and communist party rebellions in southern India.
The Fertile Earth is an impressive and expansive debut. As primarily a romance reader, my heart clenched for the pining between Krishna and Vijaya, but as someone fascinated by mid-century politics, watching the rise of differing political interests and the immediate impact on the lives of people from different classes held my interest. The writing is beautiful, with lush, descriptive prose and strong character development. That said, it was my second book in a row where a mother has specifically degraded her least favorite daughter causing the main character desperate heartbreak and the inability to see herself as anything better than her younger more perfect sister. It's not an adjacent theme I love reading, but it is critical to Vijaya's character and her choices throughout the novel.
The audiobook narration by Sneha Mathan is as beautiful as the prose by Ruthvika Rao. Anything this sweeping deserves a listen.
The Fertile Earth is a book you can pick up without much knowledge of 1960s post-partition India, as Rao supplies all political background necessary for the narrative from village life to the bustling cities of Madras and Hyderabad.
Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for an ALC for review. The Fertile Earth is out 8/13/24!...more
Narrated by: Caitlin Kelly, Atlanta Amado, Victoria Villarreal, Arthur Morey, Andrew Eiden, Kristen DiMercurio, Frankie Corzo, Lauren Fortgang, JavierNarrated by: Caitlin Kelly, Atlanta Amado, Victoria Villarreal, Arthur Morey, Andrew Eiden, Kristen DiMercurio, Frankie Corzo, Lauren Fortgang, Javier Prusky, Fred Sanders, Lee Osorio, Cassandra Campbell
Genre: historical fiction Hollywood, 1950s
Nancy Hartley firmly believes she's destined for stardom and the role of Salome in the sword and sandals flick Seventh Veil of Salome is hers. She's perfect; she just knows she is. But when the studio casts Vera Larios, a dental receptionist from Mexico, Nancy is livid. Vera has little confidence, thanks in part to her mother, who has always believed her younger sister should have been the star, and naivete serves no one in Hollywood.
A stunning story about rage, jealousy, love, and passion in 1950s Hollywood. Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the master of the unlikable characters and the complexity of women on page. Anger and passion rule the narrative, as she weaves perspectives of Vera, Nancy, and Salome herself together towards what only feels like it could be tragedy. I couldn’t put this book down. Sometimes, SMG’s prose can veer on weighty, but the propulsion of the plot and intricacies of the characters kept me hooked on Seventh Veil.
I listened to the audiobook once released in conjunction with the eARC, and the full cast narration works really well for the format. The book vacillates perspectives between the three primary women - Vera, Nancy, and Salome - with interspersed POVs from supporting figures such as the script writer, other Latinx Hollywood folks, and juicy gossip columns.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia makes my blood boil in the best way. The rage she evokes from the realistic nature of her characters is a reflection on the truth of human emotion. Her writing is piercing and relentless even as it strikes the perfect narrative chords.
Thank you to Random House - Del Ray for an eARC for review. The Seventh Veil of Salome is out now. ...more
Violette asks Nicholas for training in fighting, and Nicholas obliges, but this stays realistic to Violette's physGenre: historical romance Paris, 1802
Violette asks Nicholas for training in fighting, and Nicholas obliges, but this stays realistic to Violette's physical abilities. She's toughened by circumstance, but she's not trained for strength. She has a desire to rescue herself from any situation, and works within her own ability to do so, while Nicholas still gets to play romantic hero aiding in rescue. It's well-balanced character development.
I've really enjoyed this series of books set in post-Revolutionary France. We get the grit and violence of the streets in this, with two aristos orphaned in the Revolution, now years later as adults. Nicholas once ran with the muscadin, a street gang of well-dressed street fighters of the Thermodin Reaction, and now prize fights. Violette was raised as a lady, and now picks pockets to make up for her brother's gaming debts and drinking habits. Violette has captured the eye of a few too many powerful men from the streets of Palais Royal, and Nicholas may be the perfect person to protect her - and teach her to protect herself.
Delphine Roy has brought early 19th century France history to the fore with this series of long novellas. She delivers quality stories and character growth packed with history. It's an era of history I've only brushed the surface in learning, and it's been exciting to see romance set in an era where the aristocracy is clinging to the shadows and manners of the past while trying to survive.
Thank you to Dragonblade for an eARC for review. Passion at the Palais Royal is out 8/6/24....more
Before Kit and Theo split up, they had planned to take a multi-week food tour of westNarrated by Emma Galvin and Max Meyers
Genre: contemporary romance
Before Kit and Theo split up, they had planned to take a multi-week food tour of western Europe. 4 years later, and at the end of the limit of the travel voucher, Theo takes a risk and hops on a plane, only to find Kit doing the same. Theo, the daughter of famous movie producers and sister of two movie stars, finds their own life a series of failures and is looking to reclaim joy through food. Kit has been working in Paris since he finished pastry school, but is looking for another spark. While it seems as though the only way these exes can get along is in direct competition sleeping with the attractive men and women of France, Spain, and Italy, their trajectory will inevitably bring them back together.
There's a lot going on in this book (in a good way) so there are a lot of components to unpack. I love Casey McQuiston's adult books, and this feels the most mature and most exploratory (both with the food tour plot literally, but also with experimenting with gender and sexuality and expression of self). It's both a comfortable and also a challenging read, because of the topics it tackles. The rich descriptions of food and wine are amazing, and I dare you to read it and not want to grab a fresh baguette with cheese and a glass of French wine.
The relationship between Kit and Theo is messy... it's second chance, and they are still so young, but it's fully believable. The reason for their breakup was a little tough to swallow, but its aftermath is very very realistic. I kind of love how this book breaks the cardinal rule of most romances - Kit and Theo spend a lot of time sleeping with other people -on page- in direct competition with one another to see who can get laid more on this food tour. And yet, it works, because of the type of people they are and the type of romance they have.
The Pairing is a very queer bi4bi M/NB romance with beautiful expressions of love, sex, and romance. And food. Truly, the food is the third character in this relationship, and it works well.
Thank you to SMP for an eARC and MacMillan Audio for an ALC for review. This is out 8/6/24. ...more
Eveen is an undead assassin, guild bound and sworn to the Matron of Assassins, her memory wiNarrated by Lynnette R. Freeman
Genre: speculative fiction
Eveen is an undead assassin, guild bound and sworn to the Matron of Assassins, her memory wiped clean and trained to execute just contracts. But her latest contract jars something loose - memories and knowledge she shouldn’t have - kicking off a sequence of events to topple everything she knows, against the perfect backdrop of the Festival of the Clockwork King.
One of the reasons I enjoy picking up P Djèlí Clark's work is that I never quite know what to expect because every novel or novella takes on something new. The Dead Cat Tail Assassins gives us an incredibly rich fantasy world in only 200 pages, thick with legends and intricate worldbuilding all critical to the short plot arc. It's an impressive feat to bring to life...or afterlife, as it were, with our undead assassins.
Clark’s shorter works lean on vibes and atmosphere, rather than intense plot. He paces the novella well, with fragments of storytelling, reflection on circumstance, and a little bit of deadly action. They are assassins after all.
The narration by Lynnette R Freeman gives the book a snarky and playful edge, which I enjoyed, cutting some of the serious themes.
Thank you to Tordotcom and RB Media for an eARC and ALC for review. The Dead Cat Tail Assiassins is out 8/6/24. ...more
Ada Lamarr is a space looter, but she’s on her last gasps of oxygen and beaming distrNarrated by Dara Rosenberg and David Bendena
Genre: sci-fi romance
Ada Lamarr is a space looter, but she’s on her last gasps of oxygen and beaming distress signals to anyone who might save her. Once safely on board her rescuers’ ship, she’ll do anything to ingratiate herself to the crew who saved her, but especially the gorgeous government agent in charge, Rian White.
I had a great time reading Full Speed to a Crash Landing. I'd read a Beth Revis book many years ago and was lukewarm on it, but when @Plottrysts couldn’t stop raving about this one, I listened, and this book paid off. It's a really fun setup novella, building groundwork for a new series. Ada is snarky and unrepentant, making for a very fun POV who hit the spot. I love a heist, I love a romantic arc, and I love when that all clicks in a SF setting.
It translates remarkably well to audio, with Ada’s snark and Rian’s starchiness coming through from Dara Rosenberg and David Bendena.
I enjoyed this ARC so much that I immediately requested the second in the series. There’s just something outstanding about a fun, sexy space heist novella with a tone like this.
Thank you to DAW and Dreamscape Media for an eARC and ALC for review. Full Speed to a Crash Landing is out 8/6/24....more
Mattinesh Jay needs a best man to stand with him at his wedding to Sofia Cooper. A best man’s role is to defend against challengGenre: fantasy romance
Mattinesh Jay needs a best man to stand with him at his wedding to Sofia Cooper. A best man’s role is to defend against challenges to the marriage, and Matti has reason to believe that he’ll need a good swordsman to stand at his side. As the heir to a struggling House, he needs this marriage to shore up the House finances, and while there is little attraction between them there is companionship, and it’s for the good of both Houses if the marriage goes forward. Enter Luca Piere, con-man and expert swordsman, the best that Matti can afford. Matti knows that Luca isn’t all he seems to be, but he’s still drawn to this best-man-for-hire.
Swordcrossed takes a little while to get started, and some patience is required while Freya Marske sets the stage for us. If all cozy romantasy read like this, it would be my favorite genre. The tagline “Low stakes. High heat. Sharp steel.” is a perfect description for this book. Marske writes some of the best intimate scenes in fantasy, so it’s worth hanging on if you feel bogged down. Once Matti and Luca start spending more time on page together, the book becomes unputdownable, and the stakes become all about how they can make their relationship work while Matti is set to marry someone else.
I loved every moment Matti and Luca were on page together. This was fun and sensitive and queer. The fantasy world is very light touch, with no real magic, but very rich worldbuilding, which allows Marske to play into her character development and focus on the relationship more than an external plot. This doesn’t hit quite as strong for me as The Last Binding trilogy does, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
Thank you to Tordotcom/Bramble for an eARC for review. Swordcrossed is out 10/8/24! ...more
Kiela, blue skinned & blue haired librarian, escapes her city library by just the skin of her teeth when Narrated by Caitlin Davies
Genre: cozy fantasy
Kiela, blue skinned & blue haired librarian, escapes her city library by just the skin of her teeth when rebels set fire to it. She and her assistant Caz, a sentient spider plant, flee with the spellbooks they can grab and return to the island wear Kiela was raised. Kiela has always been a loner (truly, since her only real friend is a spider plant), so when her handsome neighbor Larran shows up to help her unasked, Kiela doesn’t know what to do. Slowly the island starts to creep back into her bones though, and she decides she needs to find a way to stay, which means setting up a jam shop as a cover up for the magical spells she’ll do to help heal her islandhome.
If you like cozy fantasy you'll enjoy this one. I, on the other hand, need to stop requesting cozy fantasy ARCs. I keep trying, but they aren't for me. I need more conflict or better character development. And look, i knew what I was getting into when I requested a book called The Spellshop, but can we please find other central plots for cozy fantasy besides running away from the central kingdom and settling in a small town to open a shop?
That said, the Spellshop is still good writing, and, again, if you enjoy the subgenre you'll eat this book up. There's just a gentle dose of romance, too. The narration is pleasant, as suits the cozy subgenre, and Caitlin Davies reads the story as if we’re all in on the jokes together.
Thank you to Bramble and MacMillan Audio for the eARC and ALC for review. The Spellshop is out 7/9/24. ...more
Cordelia's mother, Evangeline, is a very powerful Sorceress with the ability to control Narrated by Eliza Foss & Jennifer Pickens
Genre: fantasy horror
Cordelia's mother, Evangeline, is a very powerful Sorceress with the ability to control people. Unfortunately, this sometimes means controlling Cordelia, but it's all for her own good. When Evangeline's benefactor no longer suits her needs, she decides to take matters into her own hands and approach a squire of some means and worm her way into his heart. But the squire's sister, Hester, is an insightful woman who recognizes that Cordelia needs more than just someone to watch out for her....
Part fantasy, part murder mystery, this has a delightful gothic tone in the signature style I come to expect from T Kingfisher. It's just the right amount of horror to give you chills but not enough to keep you up at night. It’s a house party, a murder mystery, a coming of age story, and a love story all at once.
The split perspective - where Cordelia knows what her mother is and is too afraid to say anything and where Hester has strong suspicions but doesn’t entirely know what to do about it - frames the pacing of the novel well. From Cordelia’s nervousness and need to hide behind every door imaginable from her mother to the keen observations from Hester, we get these different views that feel like peeking around corners in a clever way. The duet narration by Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens, taking on Cordelia and Hester’s perspectives works really well splitting the perspective for the novel, almost as if the listener is being transported from one of their minds to another, even though the book is written in third person.
This is the longest work I’ve read from Kingfisher, and I think her experience in writing novellas with her judicious word choices and plot arcs translates well into novel length.
Thank you to Tor and MacMillan Audio for an eARC and ALC for review. A Sorceress Comes to Call is out 8/6/24! ...more
Anahrod has been in Exile for 17 years. Now in her 30s, she has lived in the jungle while people have assumedNarrated by Lauren Fortgang
Genre: fantasy
Anahrod has been in Exile for 17 years. Now in her 30s, she has lived in the jungle while people have assumed she's dead, and her name is equated with the darkest kind of treachery. But, it's kidnap Anahrod season, and a Dragonrider and random band of people have snagged her as a part of an elaborate heist plan... to raid the dragon lair Anahrod was originally put to death for allegedly robbing 17 years ago.
The Sky on Fire is a standalone fantasy novel with a strong sapphic romantic arc, but the romance isn’t the central plot-driver. The central plot revolves around planning the heist, and the central conflict revolves around the dragon’s protecting their hoard and controlling their riders. Dragons require riders only to maintain their own sanity, their minds balance on the razor thin line between control and the unhinged plunge into uncontrolled rampage and destruction. Nothing is worse than a rampaging dragon who has lost their mind.
For a standalone novel, The Sky on Fire has expansive worldbuilding. Jenn Lyons is a seasoned writer, and she gives us the right amount of detailing for daily life and the backdrop of this world dominated by dragons. She weaves more modern components, such a rings to signify gender and sexual preferences, into a classic-feeling fantasy with mountain and cloud dwellers.
The audiobook is narrated by Lauren Fortgang, and I found the audio to be an engaging way to read The Sky on Fire, immersing myself in the world.
Thank you to Tor and MacMillan audio for an eARC and ALC for review. The Sky on Fire is out 7/9/24! ...more
Kosara is a witch from Chernograd with a gambling problem... a problem so bad that she gambles Narrated by Zura Johnson
Genre: Slavic inspired fantasy
Kosara is a witch from Chernograd with a gambling problem... a problem so bad that she gambles away her shadow. This takes her across the Wall into Belograd, a city that doesn't suffer a plague of monsters or a slipping of time and world at the beginning of a new year. She's chasing her shadow, and redemption for her wrongs. If only she could make better decisions!
I loved this Eastern European based fantasy. The blurb pitches it as Naomi Novik crossed with The Witcher, and vibe-wise that's an apt comparison; but I’d add When Among Crows for the Slavic folklore as well. Set in a nebulous era where there are gramophones but transportation is still predominantly carriages, balloons, and by foot, and where magic and monsters lurk in the corners of every building, Dimova captures the dark fear of changing days. The Foul Days are the first twelve days of the New Year, a dangerous time, where the witches warn people not to go out at night (they even release a pamphlet with instructions!) because the monsters lurk closer to the realm of humans.
Kosara has made some bad decisions in her life; most of them have been rash or related to the naivete of youth (her relationship with the Zmey, for example, or the sheer amount of time she spends at night in graveyards during the Foul Days…). One of the fascinating parts of her character is how often she seems to make the same mistakes again, and mutters to herself, “not again, next time will be better.” And yet, she’s far from a static character, as she works with Asen, the very handsome copper from Belograd, she starts to learn how to rely on others for help and trust in the nature of her own power.
The audiobook, narrated by Zura Johnson, is excellent with well-done accents, but I highly recommend a tandem approach to familiarize yourself with the characters and the monsters. There is an appendix in the book with all of the Slavic monsters, but I also appreciated reading this on my kindle to highlight and look up each spirit while I was reading. And then I bought a shelf trophy copy for myself, because I couldn’t help it.
Thanks to NetGalley, Tor, and MacMillan for ALC and eARC. Foul Days is out 6/25/24. ...more
Emiko Soong has recently become the Sentinel for San FPhoenix Hoard book 2 Narrated by Natalie Naudus
Genre: contemporary fantasy San Francisco & Tokyo
Emiko Soong has recently become the Sentinel for San Francisco; the protector of the city. It’s not exactly the life away from her powers she hoped she’d have when she left her clan of magic wielders descended from dragons. Emiko has difficulty with her magic. She can tap into the power of San Francisco while she is there, but familial duty takes her to Tokyo where she’ll have to unravel the mystery of her powers and origin, while thwarting a deadly assassin.
The writing in this series is very cinematic. Told in first person from Emiko’s perspective, the action scenes are all vivid, the landscapes prettily expressed, and the magic system thoroughly explained as each new component is revealed. That said, as a non-visual reader, I actually struggled at the level of description. Readers who love to imagine a well-thought-out world will love this though. The writing is infused with Japanese folklore and legends. Thematically, it feels like The City We Became by NK Jemisin and Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews, though stylistically, it’s dissimilar to both.
I actually picked this series up because it’s narrated by Natalie Naudus. Her character work with the voices is excellent, and when I got tied up in the prose style, I was glad to have Naudus’s narration to fall back on.
Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for an eARC and ALC for review. Blood Jade is out 7/16/24. ...more
A Ruse of Shadows opens with Charlotte Holmes accused of the murder of Lord Bancroft, older brother to beloved Genre: historical mystery England, 1887
A Ruse of Shadows opens with Charlotte Holmes accused of the murder of Lord Bancroft, older brother to beloved Lord Ingram, and man who had twice asked Charlotte to marry him. Charlotte confides that she has no part in his murder, but the Chief Inspector sees a lot of motive and possible evidence for her to have carried out the crime. The setup has investigation into multiple mysteries going on at once including a cold case murder from 15 years prior and this much more recent one.
As usual, Charlotte Holmes and company are trying to keep one step ahead of Moriarty and company, but this time Charlotte herself is under interrogation by the Chief Inspector and wanted for murder. Unfolding in dual timeline between Charlotte’s interrogation and the direct events leading up to it, this has a more sinister and desperate air about it than the others. Charlotte has the outward appearance of calm, but let’s be honest I’ve never once trusted Sherry Thomas on outward appearances.
Never fear, this has a few ridiculous antics and the typical barrel of red herrings. It draws a lot on characters we've met before throughout the series- so if you were considering a reread, I recommend it! That said, Sherry gives us enough detail in case you don't remember the blind woman from book one who steals a pound off Charlotte. The mysteries in this book don't rely heavily on the previous ones, but as always the overall character arc continues.
We all know that a Lady Sherlock book is always better the second or third time through. I find my first time through each of these books that I never know quite what to pay attention to. (The answer is: never try to solve the mystery!) I’m already looking forward to a reread, upon which I’ll be able to pay more attention to the character details than the plot. The progression of character development in this series is unmatched, sometimes subtle and sometimes heart-wrenchingly overt.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an eARC for review. A Ruse of Shadows is out 6/25/24.
Genre: historical romance Peking, Imperial China c. mid-to-late 17th century
Ko Zhi Hao has recently traveled to the Imperial City of Peking (Beijing) Genre: historical romance Peking, Imperial China c. mid-to-late 17th century
Ko Zhi Hao has recently traveled to the Imperial City of Peking (Beijing) to study for and sit the Imperial Exams in order to become a government official. When he arrives looking for Master Gao to tutor him, he spies a gorgeous woman atop the roof next door. Master Gao tells him this is a fox spirit, a vixen sent to entrap him. In fact though, it is Song Ling Xin, the daughter of the powerful earl who lives next door, training in hopes of becoming the next Empress. When their paths cross again and again at night, Ling Xin asks Zhi Hao what it might take to be selected empress, what beyond her beauty may elevate her. So he teaches her the art of seduction.
This was a spin on the sex lessons trope that I wasn’t fully expecting to read. I was really glad that over the last several years I’ve been reading more books set in Imperial China, so the setting and cultural norms are something with which I am already familiar. The sheltered life of the daughters and wives of government officials plays a very prominent role in Vixen. Zhi Hao has been told that he is being visited by a fox spirit, and that he is imagining Ling Xin at night, so when he meets her by the light of day, he wonders if she is even the same. “Maybe she was exactly as she appears: dull, obedient, and chaste to the point of being asexual.” Which, as in many cultures of the era, was valued above all else. Luckily for us readers, Ling Xin is curious, intelligent, and strong.
Ling Xin puts her trust in Zhi Hao as he is teaching her about the power of seduction. It’s incredibly vulnerable, and while he doesn’t cross any line she isn’t willing to cross, there are moments when he comes incredibly close because she is so innocent. (Her innocence is truly by virtue of how she has been raised though, because she wants more than anything to get her hands on a “pillow book” that might be given to a new bride before her wedding.)
The novella length for this book is perfect, and the central conflicts are well balanced with one another. If you’re looking for a historical romance with an HEA set in China and you’ve already read Jeannie Lin, I recommend Vixen!
Thank you to Dragonblade and NetGalley for an eARC for review. Vixen is out 6/22/24! ...more
Jacquotte is the mixed-race daughter Narrated by Angel Pean
Genre: Historical Fiction Santo Domingo, 1655.
3.5 stars, rounded up for the pirate swagger.
Jacquotte is the mixed-race daughter of a well-off noble, but the life she's known is a lie. She learns her mother was actually purchased as a slave by her father and her father was selling secrets to France. She's a shipwright by trade, so when she and her friends are captured and indentured by a pirate captain, she has use on the high seas. The friends she's captured with include her brother, other shipwrights, and the woman who has her heart - the late governor's wife, Teresa.
The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye is bloodier than I expected, and the overall tone is dark and gritty, rather than whimsical. A good 30% of it may be war and killing. Briony Cameron does a great job at showing us the darker side of pirating... it took a little bit for the plot to get moving for me, but once I did, I was invested in their adventures. Unfortunately though, the relationship between Jacquotte and Teresa fell flat for me, without as much chemistry as I had hoped. There is plenty of character chemistry between Jacquotte and her crew and friends, which made the relationship all the more unfortunate for me.
That said, queer BIPOC pirate adventure written by a queer BIPOC disabled writer is a story worthwhile. Thank you to Atria for an eARC for review. The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye is available now! ...more
Narrated by Nicol Zanzarella Genre: historical fiction Venice, 1538
Valentina is one of the famous courtesans of Venice. She collects secrets and works Narrated by Nicol Zanzarella Genre: historical fiction Venice, 1538
Valentina is one of the famous courtesans of Venice. She collects secrets and works for the Council of Ten - a subset of the Venetian Senate responsible for protecting Venice from foreign influence - and does their bidding as an assassin. She's taken their orders without question, but the deathbed confession of one of her targets makes her wonder if her orders are as meaningful as she'd once thought.
I don't pick up as much historical fiction anymore (preferring my guaranteed HEA in a historical romance), but 1538 Venice caught my eye. I've long been a fan of the famous Venetian Courtesans (The Honest Courtesan, which was some of the research material for Palombo was a favorite nonfiction of mine 20ish years ago), and the political machinations of the powerful of Venice of the 16th century are uniquely situated for a plot like this.
While this isn’t a historical romance, it’s both romantic and open door. Valentina is a businesswoman first and foremost, and her trade is her body, but she’s unabashed in her experience of pleasure. The book is written from Valentina’s perspective, and Palombo gives her a strong narrative voice where it’s easy to see Valentina’s motivations and emotions. She distinguishes the intimate scenes where Valentina is with her lover Bastino and those with her clients showing Valentina’s emotional engagement, sometimes her affection and friendship, and sometimes her detachment through the physical intimacy.
For the historical romance reader - this is romantic but not a romance. That said, it has a satisfying ending, and I was pleased with the conflict resolution, which I thought might be nearly impossible to pull off. Palombo builds a gorgeous world of Renaissance Venice with a network of strong female friendships among courtesans and perhaps a love for which Valentina is willing to risk it all.
I picked this book up on a whim from NetGalley, and I’m really glad I did. Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the ALC for review. The Assassin of Venice is out 6/18/24. ...more
Maya is a *reformed* art thief. She’s trying really hard at the reformed bit, now that she’s a graduate student studying comparGenre: science fiction
Maya is a *reformed* art thief. She’s trying really hard at the reformed bit, now that she’s a graduate student studying comparative culture (rare artifacts, er, space archaeology) at Princeton. A settler from the Outer Worlds, relocated to New Jersey to connect with her ancestral roots, Maya is struggling to remain focused on her studies, so when her erstwhile co-conspirator, the Frenro alien called Auncle, reaches out in need, she jumps at the opportunity. Joining their crew are Wil Jenkins, a former soldier, and her companion Medix (Med-IX), medical robot with Class III sentience. Their mission: locate and retrieve the potentially mythical artifact The Stardust Grail, which may unlock the secret to the Frenro’s ability to procreate, but may also contain a much darker secret.
Kitasei leans into her worldbuilding with her sophomore novel. The interstellar web - actually connected through a node network - has components of well thought-out believability. She never info-dumps, only builds the details out as you need to understand them, particularly as you learn about the diseases that affected so many civilizations and the wars ravaged between interstellar races, leaving the lingering after-affects of socio-political devastation (with a bigger impact for some of the characters than others).
I love a good space crime, especially one that forces the main characters to evaluate their morals and sense of identity. Similar to Kitasei's first novel, the tone of Stardust Grail is more serious than whimsical (though it has its moments, considering Auncle is a potato-shaped aquatic ancient alien). Unlike in The Deep Sky, Kitasei keeps The Stardust Grail primarily in one narrative timeline, which improved the reading enjoyment and cohesion of the book overall. Interstellar politics and high stakes death of a civilization are always a good listen.
Thank you to MacMillan Audio, Flatiron, and NetGalley for an ALC and eARC for review. The Stardust Grail is out 6/11/24!
Genre: science fiction Originally published in 1984, new release published 2024
Out on Pluto, there stands a massive monument, with words etched in SanGenre: science fiction Originally published in 1984, new release published 2024
Out on Pluto, there stands a massive monument, with words etched in Sanskrit, mimicking the henges of ancient Briton. How did they get there? When did they get there? Taking place hundreds of years into our future, Icehenge spans hundreds of years itself, in an era where humans can live centuries. It's the story of three people linked in some ways to the mysterious monument. Even in futuristic space travel, Pluto is still considered beyond the reach of many and wild theories circulate regarding the Icehenge creation, some linked to political unrest from Mars and some linked to theories of ancient humans.
This is one of Kim Stanley Robinson's earliest published books, getting a re-publication this year from Tor. I've never put down a book from KSR that didn't make me wonder and think and Icehenge is no different. In some ways it’s narrower in scope than the Red Mars series, and yet, in some ways it’s opening different doors to the stars in unexpected ways. It’s told in a format that mimics a memoir: highly reflective and pondering. And yet, the first and third books are driven by external plot (a coup! a threat to solving the mystery!) and the second book has an urgent pacing as the narrator spirals in his quest to discover the original journal writer (who is also the part one narrator.)
Icehenge is a reflection on human memory, especially memory as humans age hundreds of years, and how easy it is to change collective memory. It’s classic science fiction, tackling space, terraforming, and political turmoil, and yet remains approachable for a reader intimidated by hard sciences. This novel in particular leans more literary and speculative in tone.
Surprise bonus, this was published originally in 1984 and has a queer narrator for part two of the story.
Extra bonus, for those who know KSR... this is exceptionally short, at only 288 pages/12 hours on audio.
Thank you to Tor for an eARC for review. Icehenge re-releases on 6/11/24. ...more
Ruthi Johnson is a woman on a mission. She and her sister are con artists, and on their last big con on a luxury starliner, JuleGenre: sci-fi romance
Ruthi Johnson is a woman on a mission. She and her sister are con artists, and on their last big con on a luxury starliner, Jules falls hard for their target, and unfortunately things go sideways fast. Unfortunately for Estaben Mendez-Yuki, that is. Ruthi plans to con this heir to his family fortune out of as much money as possible. Donning the identity of provincial debutante Evelyn Ojukwu, Ruthi makes a splash in New Monte trying to impress Estaben, and instead catches the eye of his sister Sol, a lady rake with the brains, beauty, and poise to stop hearts, including Ruthi’s.
A genre mashup of science fiction, romance, and screwball comedy, Lady Eve’s Last Con is witty and humorous. In her own words, Fraimow is looking for the spaces between the margins of the genres to find the interesting moments, tropes, and plot points recognizable to genre fiction fans but truly unique in execution. There are points of reflection throughout informed by diasporic Jewish identity and religion, queer normativity, and commentary on excess consumerism. For me, successful science fiction is a commentary on society (now and in the future), and Fraimow uses her reflection points to support a wildly funny and unputdownable romantic screwball comedy love story.
One of my favorite things about picking up any romance is the way an author navigates the HEA. The best thing about setting one 200-300 years in the future is that the social rules are different - and so are the people - but human nature doesn’t ever fully change, and Fraimow gives us a sapphic romance that not only suits her characters but feels real and attainable to 21st century readers, too.
Lady Eve is informed by classic works of science fiction, different historical eras - though predominantly 19th and early 20th century because all human trends go through cycles - and the glimpses of worldbuilding are enough to spark the imagination but not bog down the writing. It’s zany and fun, with the appropriate level of conning, grifting, and heisting to keep the plot moving at all times.
I had the pleasure of hearing Rebecca Fraimow speak about this book last night, and it was clear she had a lot of fun writing it, and readers will have a fun time reading it.
Thank you to Solaris and NetGalley for an eARC for review. Lady Eve’s Last Con is out now!...more
Jo Smith has been married for nearly twenty years, but she and her husband, while one-time lovers, are now busineGenre: historical romance London, 1885
Jo Smith has been married for nearly twenty years, but she and her husband, while one-time lovers, are now business partners and roommates. Divorce isn’t really a possibility for either of them. Her husband’s lover is pregnant, which, while cause for some joy is also cause for worry as Vanessa is advanced in age and suffering from complications. A friend of Jo’s has a sister in the country who is a doctor, and Emily Clarke may be the solution to all of their worries. Except Dr Clarke wants respect from her colleagues at the hospital, and not refuses to be pigeonholed into private practice obstetrics. And yet, there’s more than just a spark between Jo and Emily, and as Emily grows more attached to Jo, it’s apparent that treating Vanessa is important as well.
I was initially pretty skeptical going into this - the setup made me nervous - but I shouldn't have been. Emily and Jo’s story ended up being tender with what is likely a very realistic HEA. There's a lot of navigation of societal responsibilities in an insightful and careful way that really works. While I can’t say I spent the book swooning, I truly loved the chemistry between Jo and Emily. They go from short-tongues adversaries to sensing a spark to pen pals to lovers in a way that feels so entirely natural and comfortable for characters all around forty-ish. Gentle and relatable; even if a reader hasn’t found themselves in a lavender marriage with a sapphic lover specifically, the emotional complexity is familiar.
I did read the first book, A Gentleman’s Book of Vices, but haven’t read book two, A Rulebook for Restless Rogues, so I can confirm this can be read out of order, even though the book two characters are prominent (and in fact, provide the introduction between Jo and Emily).
Thank you to Carina Press and NetGalley for an eARC for review. A Bluestocking’s Guide to Decadence is out now! ...more
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