I sit here stunned. Yes, I have written this review twice. The first version was too overwrought because I was entirely overcome by this book. This is such a bracing, visceral story of deep thoughts and even deeper emotions that it left me wrung out. Before I go any further, I need to beg you to absolutely delete this book’s cover from your mind. It is horribly misleading. Our hero is not a smug git. … Continue reading My Season for Scandal by Julie Anne Long →
I read romance novels for a lot of different reasons. To feel less alone, to feel that surging bubble of joy in my chest, to feel connected to new and exciting lives. This book ticked all those boxes and more for me. I fell asleep reading it. Woke up, and carried on reading. I write reviews for lots of different reasons, too. In this particular case, I’m writing this review because I want to keep … Continue reading Funny Story by Emily Henry →
I’m almost hesitant to recommend The Scarlet Alchemist, not because it’s a bad book, but because it’s a fantastic book, but the sequel doesn’t come out until (it’s estimated) October. I gobbled this book up in one sitting and now I have to sit and wait pathetically to find out what happens next. The story is set in a version of historical China where alchemists have figured out the key to immortality. The wealthy eat … Continue reading The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker →
If you are a history buff, a food buff or (ideally) both, then you have to read A History of the World in Ten Dinners: 2000 Years, 100 Recipes. This book is so well-organized and natural that I’m not sure if I should say that it’s a food book with history or a history book with food. I was this many days old when I learned about Edible History. Victoria Flexner and Jay Reifel host … Continue reading A History of the World in Ten Dinners by Victoria Flexner and Jay Reifel →
A Fragile Enchantment is a gentle, cozy fantasy romance (I refuse to use the word romantasy–you can’t make me), and it’s perfect for anyone looking for a romance that’s got a solid conflict, but isn’t angsty. I loved this book. This book is like being wrapped up in a blanket that just came out of the dryer. This book is like drinking the perfect cup of tea while watching it snow outside, knowing you don’t … Continue reading A Fragile Enchantment by Alison Saft →
This book is CHARMING. C.H.A.R.M.I.N.G. I devoured it in just over a day and what a beautiful day it was. Emily Wilde is a scholar of the fae, or ‘Folk’ as they’re called in the book. She’s serious, a bit curmudgeonly, dedicated to her studies, and utterly genius when it comes to studying and interacting with the Folk. The Folk are tricky and cunning, with some of them being outright gruesome and vicious. In book … Continue reading Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett →
Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend is a funny, sweet variation on The Parent Trap. The plot is simple but the characters and their activities are uniformly delightful. This was a fun historical f/f romance with serious stakes that kept me wildly entertained until the last page. It’s the first in the Mischief and Matchmaking series. The plot, as I said, is super simple: Beth, who doesn’t want to get married, has one season … Continue reading Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend by Emma Alban →
I’m a sucker for a historical mystery with an angry female lead. Can’t resist. Must read immediately. Fortunately, I discovered this series of books with exactly this type of sleuth on offer. Rhiannon ‘Non’ Vaughan is auditing some lectures at Oxford in 1881. Women aren’t allowed to attend all lectures, write exams or attain degrees, but Non is determined to do as much as she can nonetheless. Non is a fearsome young Welsh woman studying … Continue reading A Bitter Remedy by Alis Hawkins →
At this point we’ve reviewed so many Courtney Milan books on this site that the reviews are kind of a foregone conclusion – you know the book is going to get a good grade, the question is just – how good? My answer for The Marquis Who Mustn’t is: Very Good, especially if you are in the mood for pure heartwarming material. Evil is vanquished. Wrongs are righted. Apologies are made. And of course, love … Continue reading The Marquis Who Musn’t by Courtney Milan →
Sweeten the Deal is a contemporary romance that flips the usual financial conventions around. In this book the heroine is a decade younger than the hero, but she’s also a millionaire who hires him to be her companion. Typically the person with the financial power in contemporary romances is the hero and the older character, not vice versa. I picked up the book because I was intrigued by that premise, but what I found I … Continue reading Sweeten the Deal by Katie Shepard →
TL;DR: The new Murderbot book, System Collapse, is very, very good and if you were a fan of the other books in the series you’ll likely enjoy this one just as much. A small piece of framework for this review to better understand the praise that is about to erupt: I have been having a lot of trouble reading text. This has been happening intermittently for a few months now, but has been much more … Continue reading System Collapse by Martha Wells →
