Incredibly helpful overview for planning a trip to Poland and Hungary. The history lessons were fascinating and the self-guided tours allowed us to seIncredibly helpful overview for planning a trip to Poland and Hungary. The history lessons were fascinating and the self-guided tours allowed us to see some famous sites without spending extra money. Every restaurant recommended that we tried was a big hit! For our honeymoon in August 2024, we used the sections for Gdansk, Krakow, and Budapest. We stayed at hotels in all 3 cities recommended by Rick Steves....more
The trick for me to enjoy a contemporary romance is usually to add a sport. And I do love my baseball! This is a very cute You've Got Mail style plot The trick for me to enjoy a contemporary romance is usually to add a sport. And I do love my baseball! This is a very cute You've Got Mail style plot (so obviously there's some miscommunication, but it works, because, duh, that's the plot), between a major league baseball player and the sister-in-law of a sideline reporter who is filling in while her SIL is on maternity leave. It's sweet and fun, and the right level of steamy....more
Hot Earl Summer features the 5th Wynchester, Elizabeth, who suffers from chronic pain and measures herself daily on scale of "how much Elizabeth is shHot Earl Summer features the 5th Wynchester, Elizabeth, who suffers from chronic pain and measures herself daily on scale of "how much Elizabeth is she feeling." It's always great to see chronic pain representation in a book, but Elizabeth felt like an uneven character to me: she didn't want to be defined by her pain and at the same time she's judging and talking about it all the time. (While I personally experience pain on a regular basis, my arthritis has yet to reach chronic levels, so perhaps my personal view as an athlete with pain will change in the coming years....but also I'm thankful for the miracle of ibuprofen and anti-inflammatories.) For me as a romance reader, the unevenness and one-dimensionality of Elizabeth distracted from the swoon of the story.
I do enjoy parts of the Wynchester series, but this was a bit more of a miss for me than I'd hoped, since I love the rep for chronic pain and also the nerdy inventor. Unfortunately this just felt uneven and a little mechanical overall, missing the magic from the Wynchesters that I've really enjoyed.
Thank you to Forever for an eARC for review. Hot Earl Summer is out now....more
Narrated by Jennifer Blom; Jess Nahikian; Matt Godfrey; Robb Moreira
Genre: Contemporary speculative fiction, ghost story horror
Mara is more than a litNarrated by Jennifer Blom; Jess Nahikian; Matt Godfrey; Robb Moreira
Genre: Contemporary speculative fiction, ghost story horror
Mara is more than a little aimless, thinking about another stint at a community college when her cousin offers her a job on the film crew where he is the star. After a couple of false starts, she lands the position as production assistant for the night crew. The show: a house hunters style show with a twist where all the properties are “haunted” and the show urges the couple to fix the house in order to make peace with the ghost. Mara's job: provide ghoulish and eerie hauntings, along with anything the crew asks for.
Haunt Sweet Home is a novella length light horror/speculative fiction book driven by the intensity of overnight shifts and manic high pressure life of a film set PA. The horror component is very light, so even most scaredy cat readers can get into this. At its core, the story has some lovely deep connections to soul and spirit and aiming to find direction in life while keeping overall tone light and fun with a bit of creepy atmosphere. It's set in Western MA primarily in a haunted house with an apple orchard, and if you know a New England morning or evening you know the fog can roll in to create that haunted feeling.
The audiobook has one primary narrator, but a couple of sections with a full cast representing the portions on set of the show, a framework that does well translated to the audio. The audio was easy to follow, but I found it as easy to read parts with my eyes.
Sarah Pinsker gives us another solid speculative fiction book in her repertoire, and this one is perfect for a light haunting for fall. Thank you to Tordotcom and MacMillan for an eARC and ALC for review. Haunt Sweet Home is out 9/3/24...more
Far in the future, Najeeba longs to cross the Salt Road every year. This entails a dangerous trek across the dGenre: speculative fiction, Afrofuturism
Far in the future, Najeeba longs to cross the Salt Road every year. This entails a dangerous trek across the desert to harvest and sell salt; for what is life without salt. It isn't that girls aren't allowed to make the journey, but it's certainly never been encouraged. Najeeba feels the Calling though, and it turns out she has a knack for selling the salt, bringing in more money than her village knows what to do with.
She Who Knows has moderate success as a standalone. It's a prequel novella to Who Fears Death, which is about Najeeba's daughter Onyesonwu. I felt glimpses of that broader world, and itched to know more while reading this. However, the worldbuilding in She Who Knows is strong: you get the beating desert, the villages with some measure of tech, and a futuristic culture surviving post apocalypse. This is a story of gender and power, and of a woman finding her own path forward. It's also an origin story for a major plot point in Who Fears Death, and I think Nnedi Okorafor does a good job at making it stand alone.
Thank you to DAW for an eARC and print galley and Brilliance Audio for an ALC. She Who Knows is out 8/20....more
Like others I know who have already read this, I need to sit with My Inconvenient Duke for a little while before I write a full review. (Also no real Like others I know who have already read this, I need to sit with My Inconvenient Duke for a little while before I write a full review. (Also no real review thoughts should be formulated while jet lagged.) It's not quite the book I was expecting - which is something I rarely say, but do here because we've known about Alice and Blackwood's marital struggles from the other two books, so I had an idea of what I thought would be a marriage in crisis. This.... isn't really that.
Without going into spoilers here, Alice and Blackwood have a long lasting friendship, setting up both childhood friends to lovers, brother's best friend (Alice is Ripley's sister and at age 19, Ripley said to Blackwood, it's us or her), and some animosity between a woman who is intelligent and cultured and is tired of the crap her brother and his best friends (the Dis-Graces) pull.
This is a book that I urge you to set aside any preconceived expectations going into. Because it's excellent. Loretta Chase is a magnificent writer, and her best character pairings are her brilliant women and himbo men. Blackwood may be the least himbo-y Dis-Grace, but is also perhaps the most likely to urge his buddies on. This book is fun, and familiar for Chase fans. Even though it's book 3, much of the timeline takes place before books 1 and 2. There are plenty of references to the other two in the series, and you'll see some of the events intertwine.
It's not perfect. At least not on this first read. But it's a brand new Chase and I still loved it....more
Stanisław Lem is considered a master of classic science fiction. This collection of short stories is comprised of works primarily from 1959-1964 with Stanisław Lem is considered a master of classic science fiction. This collection of short stories is comprised of works primarily from 1959-1964 with a few earlier and a few later.
The audiobook does not have the forward, which is written by Kim Stanley Robinson, and I highly recommend getting a copy that has the forward to help situate the collection for you. KSR is a long admirer and scholar of this era of SF writing. While Lem was not necessarily a fan of Philip K Dick (he had a disdain for Anglophone SF of the 50s, though his critique was apparently written roughly 10-15 years after most of the stories he was critiquing), KSR points out that Lem's works from the same era explore many similar themes. As a longtime fan of PKD, I agree, that a similar contemplative and philosophical tone weaves throughout Lem's collection.
Mid-century SF short stories are my comfort food, having read a lot of them as a teen. It's been decades since I read Stanisław Lem, and it was satisfying to pick up this collection prior to my trip to Poland.
The collection is translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones, who has also translated Olga Tokarczuk's work, and it's a delightful happenstance that I also read this for Women In Translation Month (August) which celebrates women writers-in-translation, but also women translators....more
While Mirror Dance remains my favorite in the series, Captain Vorpatril's Alliance is a strong second favorite (even over A Civil Campaign!). As a friWhile Mirror Dance remains my favorite in the series, Captain Vorpatril's Alliance is a strong second favorite (even over A Civil Campaign!). As a friend of @plottrysts I was predisposed to love Ivan, and he's been a favorite side character of mine throughout the series. He has main character energy...but also main character who is used to being a side character, and LMB masterfully allows him to shine.
I'm absolute trash for a marriage of convenience, and of course Ivan ends up in one under dire circumstances only to fall in love with his wife....more
His To Love was a book I picked up for the cover and the pirates. Unfortunately it ended up not being for me. Emily lost her father to the sea at a yoHis To Love was a book I picked up for the cover and the pirates. Unfortunately it ended up not being for me. Emily lost her father to the sea at a young age. Now as an adult, her mother is pushing her to marry, which makes Emily long for adventure instead. She falls into her favorite storybook about a pirate named Flynn... she's convinced it's a dream until she realizes it can't be. Flynn holds her hostage, but the burning attraction between them is enough for both to take a chance on passion.
The writing and plot were fine, but nothing propelled me through the story and the pacing was uneven. Character motivations were murky to me, and I had a hard time connecting to the fantasy of the 18th-ish century pirate plot line, which is tragic for a pirate lover like me.
Thank you to Victory Publishing for an eARC for review. His to Love is put 7/30/24....more
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
A novella length debut from Tobi Ogundiran. This trend of epic fantasy tucked into a novella length story is one that I abGenre: epic fantasy novella
A novella length debut from Tobi Ogundiran. This trend of epic fantasy tucked into a novella length story is one that I absolutely adore, not only because it's easier to consume in shorter form, but because it showcases an author's skill at concise worldbuilding. In the Shadow of the Fall borrows from Yoruba legends to create a vibrant and terrifying clash between people and gods.
Ashâke, acolyte in the temple of Ifa, is desperate to summon an orisha, so performs an illicit ceremony. When the priests catch her, she's punished. Escaping to the wider world, though, leads to knowledge Ashâke isn't ready to hear.
I picked up the audiobook, which is narrated by Channie Waites (who also narrated Ring Shout by P Djèlí Clark), and it was a treat! I love the way she brings characters to life through voice acting, lending a subtle air of terror to the story overall.
Thank you to Tordotcom for an eARC for review. In the Shadow of the Fall is out now!...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
Useful, but not as helpful for us as the Rick Steves guide. The Lonely Plabet guide features overview and great photos, but doesn't feel as insightfulUseful, but not as helpful for us as the Rick Steves guide. The Lonely Plabet guide features overview and great photos, but doesn't feel as insightful for hidden gems. We used this to plan parts of our honeymoon to Poland and Hungary in August 2024, but didn't find ourselves opening this guidebook as much while we were traveling....more
Apparently these days when I read a Shupe series, I inhale them all in a row. Can't stop won't stop.
This isn't quite as hot as Prince of Broadway, butApparently these days when I read a Shupe series, I inhale them all in a row. Can't stop won't stop.
This isn't quite as hot as Prince of Broadway, but it's a little more developed with its characters. Justine is a character who could have annoyed me - she's such a do-gooder, but she's just so earnest and well meaning in literally everything. Obviousy, Jack Mulligan is her opposite, the darkest of the heroes in the series as the leader of one of the biggest gangs in New York. Shupe delivers an excellent opposites attract setup, because sometimes passion can overrule it all. Justine feels much younger than her sisters, even though she's 20, which may be my biggest complaint. But we love a woman who truly knows how to get shit done by leading the charge, and never taking no for an answer....more
This may be the hottest Shupe I've ever read....which is saying something. Incendiary chemistry and some of my favorite tropes from voyeurism to mutuaThis may be the hottest Shupe I've ever read....which is saying something. Incendiary chemistry and some of my favorite tropes from voyeurism to mutual mastrubation. Florence is a little spoiled and naive, and that shows throughout the book, and the crux of the conflict between her and Clayton was understandable but maybe resolved too easily. But truly, the sex scenes outweighed the weak resolution for me, and this was ...more
This feels like an extension of Shupe's Four Hundred Club in the best way, since Frank Tripp is a character throughout that series too. Shupe says in This feels like an extension of Shupe's Four Hundred Club in the best way, since Frank Tripp is a character throughout that series too. Shupe says in her author's note that she enjoyed writing this, and it shows. There's an ease to the relationship and characters on page that makes the book easy to read. I like how Frank transformed on page, and how believable most of that transformation was.
Mamie is bold, and like most Shupe heroines, is interested in fighting for the rights of people with less than what she has. I'm excited to see more of Mamie and her sisters....more
This scratched my itch for a pirate romance. Unlike a lot of pirate romances, our hero Bash is more beta than alpha, sensitive and insightful. He's thThis scratched my itch for a pirate romance. Unlike a lot of pirate romances, our hero Bash is more beta than alpha, sensitive and insightful. He's the navigator on board the ship that Maggie stows away on, as she's trying to escape yet another unwanted marriage. (Her first husband was an awful piece of work.)
Life on a pirate ship is terrible and difficult. Bash has barely left the ship since he boarded at nine years old, the bastard son of the captain. Bash protects Maggie by disguising her and has her pose as his cabin boy. Close proximity and sweetness prevail in this pirate love story!...more
This series is SO GOOD. Leaning on classical fae lore and regency romance tropes throughout, book three ties the trilogy together with a perfect sapphThis series is SO GOOD. Leaning on classical fae lore and regency romance tropes throughout, book three ties the trilogy together with a perfect sapphic romance. When Society girls start to go missing, fingers point to the Lord Sorcier to resolve it, but his daughter Abigail takes matters into her own hands. Investing the disappearance (death) of society miss Lucy, Abigail meets Mercy, a laundrywoman who can do magic and is frighteningly more than she seems. This book ties the trilogy together with longing, darkness, and determination....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
Every adventure with Miles, even when I trust LMB to get me through it, I always wonder how he'll figure out a solution in a near death experience. BuEvery adventure with Miles, even when I trust LMB to get me through it, I always wonder how he'll figure out a solution in a near death experience. But also, one of my favorite tropes is one person thinking they're dying and the other partner saying "screw death, I'm the scary one and you have to answer to me." I love how Miles grapples with his own mortality here, especially on the verge of parenthood....more
Loading...
