Tag: adult

Let’s Talk: Mid-Year (ish) Book Freakout Tag

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Coming up on the Mid-year Book Freakout Tag so late, but better late than never to share my thoughts on the books I’ve read in this first half of the year. I’ll reflect on some of my favorites across genres and my overall reading goal as we move into the second half of 2024. At a glance, I have hit my midway count for my overall reading goal of 300 books and have been hitting heavy on the science fiction and fantasy genres which is so evident here. For those of you unfamiliar with how this tag works, this will be a little snapshot of some favorite reads ala bookish awards categories. All of these will have a singular title as an answer because I love mess and making myself choose between my favorites. This is one of my favorite tags and yet I’ve somehow never actually blogged about it on here. Would love to hear about your answers to these so be sure to comment yours below!

BEST BOOK OF 2024 (SO FAR)

If you’ve been keeping up with my reading over on Goodreads then it shall come as no surprise that a category sweep is Samantha Shannon’s Bone Season series. This was a series I attempted to reconnect with after picking up The Bone Season back in 2020. Twas simply a book I could never have connected to at the time (I was deep in finals season) so I didn’t end up continuing with the next book in the series. They say the right book comes at the right time and never has that been more true for this book series. In my transition into life in London I gave this series another shot and fell in love with it alongside my discovery of the city. It was like I was seeing the city through new eyes, Seven Dials, Soho, and the overall London atmosphere enlivened through the character of Paige Mahoney. The Bone Season is fantasy series excellence and taps into so much of what I love in the genre. The Dark Mirror is the fifth installment and is assuredly Samantha Shannon at her strongest. This fifth book is this series fully realized, in its themes, characters, and deftly constructed plot finally blossoming. After the intense events that concluded The Mask Falling, this sequel is as much a soul-deep reconciliation between Paige and Arcturus as it is an expansion in the fight over bringing the Republic of Scion to its knees. I can’t say more as we’re still 7 months out from publication but I will be reviewing this in November so stay tuned!

BEST SEQUEL OF 2024 (SO FAR)

Allow me to wax poetic about the Burning Kingdoms trilogy for a second. A series innately entangled in rage and morally grey characters uniting to transform an empire draws to a close in this final book that brings all the action and consequences from the end of The Oleander Sword and takes it to another level entirely. Priya and Malini have been further set apart with the cost of their connection blooming with astonishing sacrifice at the end of book two. On opposing sides of the incoming war with the mysterious Yaksa, they will have to sacrifice more of themselves than they ever realized. Alongside Bhumika, these women will fight for the fate of their world and their place within it. Ahead of this read and its publication in November I made an effort to sit down and dive back into the former two books and I really think it enhanced The Lotus Empire all the more (because I had truly forgotten so much). Getting to read the entire series in succession was such a pinch-me moment and it was given such a beautiful ending that connects across books one to three. Tasha Suri, you are a beautiful genius and I will be billing you for the cost of my tears.

New release I’m excited for, but haven’t read yet

The Spellshop is a book I swear I have been seeing everywhere recently. My amazing bookseller coworker and friend, Coco was raving about it in the months leading up to its release and she’s so rarely wrong I really think this is going to be the coziest book ever. So far all I know is that it includes jam, magic, and a little bit of romance, but this all sounds like a recipe for how to reach straight into my heart and make me fall in love. I know there are many other people in my circles that have been yelling at me to read this one so it’s certainly one I want to reach for before 2024 is out.

MOST EXCITED FOR IN THE SECOND HALF OF 2024

It was really difficult to narrow this down to just one title, but I’m sticking with An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson for the title I am most excited about in the second half of 2024. Something about the second half of this year feels perfect for all things dark academia and horror. I am definitely a reader influenced by the fall season so this is situated at the top of my reads for the season. Alexis Henderson is an author I’ve wanted to read more from since reading and loving House of Hunger the Fall before last. For some reason, I haven’t picked up Year of the Witching yet even though it’s been sitting on my shelf for an entire year, but I will likely be picking up this one before I get to Alexis Hendersons debut. This fall is unique because there are so many great dark academia/vampire books being published, which seems obvious for the time of year but we really are seeing an unprecedented amount of gothic horror and vampire reads emerging. I have two good friends who have assured me that this is excellent so all there’s left to do is fall right into it.

A BOOK THAT SURPRISED ME

Monstrous Nights by Genoveva Dimova is one novel that challenged my expectations and surprised me in the best possible way. This sequel concludes The Witch’s Compendium of Monsters Duology and throws us right back into the melee with the characters. Tonally I loved this book because it feels like a “where are they now” kind of story where you catch up with the characters after they defeated the BIG BAD, only to find out it’s not so glamorous. Monstrous Nights has that dark atmosphere married with self-deprecating humor and slow-burn romance that just worked for me. The humor was at its height here as all Asen and Kosara want is to rest but they keep getting drawn back into the craziness and the consequences of their actions. I loved everything about this fantasy duology steeped in Slavik folklore. Be sure to check my reviews for Foul Days and Monstrous Nights which are already up on my blog!

NEW FAVORITE AUTHOR

I am on the Sophia Slade hype train and I will truly not be shutting up about it. In fact, my review for Nightstrider will be up later this week, a notably quick turnaround considering that I finished the book just last week. But sometimes you read a book so good from an author so talented you’re left with so much to say. Nightstrider is a book I described as: “Reluctant allies to lovers core and just so bisexual” and I really stand by that initial statement in featuring it here. This debut promised a lot upfront, some of my favorite tropes and storylines intersecting in one dark fantasy, but it absolutely exceeded all of my expectations. Thematically this series is promising and Sophia Slade is not only an author to watch but a new favorite.

NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH

Alexandria Bellefleur wrote a fictional man so hot I considered jumping into the book just so I could date him myself. I settled for finishing the book and immediately flipping back to the start to read it all over again. Colin McCory the man that you are. Truly, Madly, Deeply was such a fun romance that at its heart is just bisexuality ✨ A theme I am clearly passionate about. I loved this bi-for-bi romance that draws off of first impressions and how they aren’t always accurate and the preconceived notions of life and dating that are actually holding us back from happiness. Truly and Colin were adorable (and so sexually frustrated) – if you’ve read the Instagram scene and immediately had to throw your phone across the room in embarrassment I see you. I feel you. I am you. In terms of fictional crushes, no one is really holding a candle to Colin right now and that’s so sad. I just want more bisexual men in romance who are comfortable with their sexuality and ready to lay it all down for one person. For more thoughts on this one, read my review.

FAVORITE FICTIONAL COUPLE & NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER

Is anyone shocked that this book is being mentioned in two categories? No? Great. If you’ve talked to me in the last two months then chances are this book series has come up at least once. And it was probably me begging you to give it a try if you hadn’t read it before. The Bone Season is winning a double feature for my newest favorite main character and favorite couple. I could write essays about how much I love Paige Mahoney individually and her love story with Arcturus Mesarthim that begins here in book one of the Bone Season. Samantha Shannon delivers a character that is arguably one of the best modern fantasy heroines (though this world is anything but modern) and begs you to try and not root for them. Paige, a young clairvoyant Irish woman escaped the fall of her country to the violent Republic of Scion to further fight for survival from the inside. She’s complicated, still figuring herself out, and makes plenty of mistakes in her journey as a revolutionary. But her tenacity and tremendous courage in the face of such violence is astonishing. Paige finds a connection she never anticipated with her Rephaim warden and effective jailer when she realizes they both are held prisoner by the powers at Oxford. There’s so much longing intertwined with gentle moments you will genuinely lose your mind and go grey as these two accept they have feelings but still somehow try and compartmentalize (I could go into heavy detail… and I will…I will go into heavy detail). But just not here definitely read my full review of The Bone Season if you’d like to hear more.

BOOK THAT MADE ME CRY

Second chance romance found at the scene of the crime? Fork found in kitchen. Jessica Joyce’s sophomore novel is a powerful romance involving the pain and joy in reconnection and how we can soldier that path back to a relationship that both hurt and fulfilled us in the past. I love mess so the concept of two exes that have to set up their friend’s wedding together while avoiding what went wrong in their own relationship immediately had me adding this to my tbr. You With a View, Jessica Joyce’s first novel was just all-around excellence and her emotional breadth astonished me. That is very much on display in her second book as well. Georgia and Eli had some serious issues that caused the dissolution of their former relationship but attempt to move past those things and return to their partnership built off of something wholly different. This entire book had me in the feels and I really think I came out the other side a changed person. Jessica Joyce supremacy!

BOOK THAT MADE ME HAPPY

Cozy science fiction is my new obsession and The Stars Too Fondly was the perfect book to delve into this emerging subgenre for the first time. Certainly, I’m a bit biased because Emily is a dear friend of mine, but this book is so incredible and needs to be on your list. Combine a little bit of discovery, found family, queer romance, and scientific hubris and you have this book. Emily Hamilton balances out those darker moments with her delightful crew of characters stuck on a spaceship and beholden to strange new powers. We’ve even got rom-coms and iced coffees in space! The Stars Too Fondly was just a delight to read and left me grinning.

BOOK TO READ BEFORE THE YEAR IS OUT

I’m seated. the booksellers are scared and asking me to leave because it “hasn’t even published yet” but I’m simply too seated. Wings of Starlight being announced not two weeks out from my rewatch of the entire Pixie Hollow movie series where I and a friend talked at length over the Clarion x Milori movie potential and what the plot would consist of. I have the gift of prophecy. Feeling more than slightly vindicated that this book exists and that one of my all-time favorite authors is the one writing it. From their minimal screentime, Clarion x Milori serve that intense longing that I know only Allison Saft will be able to provide. Listen there’s something about lovers torn apart by a tragedy finding that they can be together after years of putting the other person behind them that will never not miss for me. Wings of Starlight just sounds excellent and there’s no doubt in my mind that this is going to heal my twelve-year-old self. Top on my list to get through before the year is out.

MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK BOUGHT

You’ve come this far only to see another title by Samantha Shannon….but do not fear because this is the last category on my list. I think the redesigned covers for The Bone Season series revisions are some of the prettiest things in existence and The Mask Falling is my favorite because of the green. Literally who is surprised. The gold foil, the raised lettering on the cover, and the rich endpapers have sold me on buying this entire series in hardback format. I love how each book features the predominant symbols and buildings from Paige’s environment. The language of flowers is very important across the book series and they bloom out from the edges. I am frothing at the mouth just looking at this and am scared to say how often I find myself staring at my copy.

Review: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

It’s the year 2059 and in the Scion Republic, no clairvoyant is safe. Born with the ability to connect and harness the aether, clairvoyants have been hunted and killed at the behest of the Republic of Scion for centuries. Since coming to London after her home country of Ireland fell to Scion, Paige Mahoney has discovered her clairvoyant abilities and set herself at the right hand of one of London’s most revered criminal underlords. Paige is a Dreamwalker, a powerful type of clairvoyant that can send their spirit outside of their body, and she is the only one of her kind. After an unforeseen arrest on the Underground Paige is taken to the Tower of London where she awaits her expected execution. Instead, Paige comes face to face with the true leaders of the Scion Republic, and they have plans for her that she never could have dreamed. As part of a decadal cull of clairvoyants, Paige and her fellow prisoners in the tower are taken to Oxford where they are placed into the care of one of the Rephaim, the true beings behind Scion, to be trained against the hostile creatures of the Netherworld. Though Paige must accept that her entire world is a lie, built in service to beings of immense power, she will survive. Even if it means placing her trust in her mysterious Rephaim caretaker.

Finding my way back to the Bone Season, a series initially published ten years ago has been quite the journey. When I embarked on a reconnection with this series I truly had no idea that it would become one of my favorite series of all time and one that I immediately jumped back in to reread. The Bone Season juxtaposes two worlds on a knife edge, the everyday world of Amaurotics, or those without power, and the unseen world beneath Scion, where Voyants reach and glean knowledge from the aether. Scion London reflects this almost instinctively, with a criminal underworld of voyants that emerged in the aftermath of persecution to resist in the face of outright extinction. Samantha Shannon tests this fragile split with Paige Mahoney, a young woman arrested and taken far from home, we soon learn for the second time. Paige is a tenacious young woman through which we gain knowledge of this flawed world and the truth behind the oppressive Scion regime.

Paige Mahoney walks the sharp divide between worlds. A Dreamwalker held prisoner at Oxford, Paige is thrust into the world behind the one she thought she knew and faces everything entailed in retaining her agency and control over her power. Though there are many key relationships in Paige’s story, it is her emerging alliance with her Rephaim keeper, Arcturus that changes her entirely. There’s nothing I love more than a stoic man who is just trying to hold himself together and Arcturus Mesarthim is that man. He places emotional regulation above all else and draws heavily on the sarcasm, but it soon becomes clear his motivations aren’t the same as others of his kind. Arcturus is a calculative and powerful ally, yet he holds the potential to save or ruin her –  a balance that unexpectedly they both hold over one another. The emphasis on agency across this novel interacts with Paige and Arcturus’ tenuous friendship as much as it does them as individuals. I appreciate the depth to which Shannon exposes Arcturus’ past and the revelation that he is as much of a prisoner as Paige is within Oxford. Samantha Shannon tests the notion of what home is, through Paige being taken away from her second family, to Arcturus, an individual who has been greatly impacted by circumstance. Paige’s connection to her home country of Ireland, and the Imbolc Massacre that pushed her into Scion as a child holds heavy weight in her new situation. 

What we think to be flashbacks to Paige’s past spanning across the novel are dispersed as dreams delivered in between scenes from Oxford. Narratively this works to integrate readers into Paige’s character, but these shifts back to the past are in fact Arcturus’ powers as a Oneiromancer as he dreams her memories. He’s learning her story at the same time as the reader, grounding those memories in the present. This is treated aptly as a violation, and Shannon uses this as a real roadblock as the two try to work together and build trust. But at the same time who doesn’t love a person who has seen every flawed part of you and still believes in your inherent rage and your loyalty?  The inability of Arcturus and Paige to tell the other the truth without having heard the truth from the other first was all too illustrative of who they are as people and deeply hilarious to read. The humor really emerges when these two are verbally sparring and refusing to cede anything to the other. The kind of trust they develop with one another as they unburden themselves out of necessity lends itself to the deeper romantic connection they uncover. Paige and Arcturus further challenge that classic immortal and mortal pairing with the openness and honesty within their relationship that is on even footing. He romanced the heck out of her by simply calling her by name or “little dreamer,” and I’m pretty sure he had no idea he was romancing her. In sum: I am wrecked for all other fictional men. (The scene in the trap room of the Guildhall you will always be famous). In The Bone Season, Samantha Shannon brings to fruition a world of clairvoyants set against a power determined to excise them and wrestles with the continued cost of resistance and the sparks required to burn it all down. The Bone Season is a masterpiece of fantasy, intricately wrought with strenuous alliances, clairvoyancy, and a profound urgency to fight for a better world.

Trigger warnings: violence, blood, death, murder, torture (mentioned), drug use, physical abuse, kidnapping

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Review: The Gods Below by Andrea Stewart

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Before the Shattering the world was magic. Then humanity leeched the nutrients out of the world to harness the magical properties of the Numinar trees and in the wake of the smoke and death, one man bargained with a god. There were once many gods, those who emerged into the world from the depths below to thrive under the trees. That all changed in the aftermath of destruction when Tolemne braved the dangerous aether below to take an audience with the god, Kluehnn, to restore a broken world. Kluehnn agreed to restore the world to what it once was, but the price would be as steep as the act itself and would enact an indefinite debt upon countless lives. As Kluehnn restored the world piece by piece half of the citizens would be wiped out and the other half would be transformed into new forms. Years after escaping restoration, Hakara, a miner, is sent down into the depths of the earth to harvest god’s gems, tithes for the god Kluehnn. During a dangerous rappel, Hakara accidentally swallows a gem and realizes she can harness its magic and the power of the gods themselves. In the wake of this news, four individuals are set on a path to break free a world built in service to a dark god.

The Gods Below is a fierce and ambitious series starter from fantasy author Andrea Stewart with alluring depths you could wander aimlessly into if not for her skillful story weaving. Stewart is a fearless guide, switching between a young woman who will do everything to right the past, her sister who must fight to survive in a restored world, the daughter of an outcasted clan seeking to restore her family in the Sovereign’s good graces, and her cousin who braves the depths of aether below to follow in the great Tolemne’s footsteps. In a world that bears the consequences of humanity’s greed, Stewart highlights the power of the exploited to harness the abilities of gods. 

There’s a lot packed into The Gods Below, four competing perspectives and intricate worldbuilding vie for attention across this first installment. Andrea Stewart is one author I trust to bring it all together. With her signature knack for delivering steadfast but flawed characters, Stewart introduces a climate ravaged by greed and the power struggle that emerged in the aftermath of a decimated world. From refugees desperately fleeing their restored homelands, to those left behind to either die or become something other, Stewart shows how these power systems do not discriminate. Firming up this view is Hakara, a young woman who fled her country with her sister Rasha before restoration could take them, and a painful separation that happened after a failed border crossing. Two sisters separated by borders who diverge further and further in their experiences, and two cousins fighting for a different world take the center stage in this inventive new trilogy. In deep caves lie many secrets, like the god’s gems that are the key to harnessing a power to destroy their godly oppressor. Hakara is the bridge into this strange new power and the hidden rebellion movement fighting back against Kluehnn and the next wave of restorations. The rebellion focus was by far my favorite portion of the story, fully realized with layered plotting and relationships. The relationship between Thassir and Hakara was an interesting mirror reflecting two individuals drawn into a conflict they didn’t intend to be a part of initially to suit their own ends. I love a good reluctant allies to lovers storyline and Thassir and Hakara were serving that so hard. Thassir’s backstory and that twist at the end is what propels this story toward what is sure to be hard hitting sequel. In a world riddled with ash and smoke, Andrea Stewart brings together characters with competing worldviews and motivations to rebel against an ancient power. The Gods Below features strange magic, cute cats, and a group of determined characters who bear the brunt of the mistakes of generations past and the ability to fight for a better world.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: death, murder, violence

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Let’s Talk: The Best Books of the Summer

Robin4 Comments

It’s finally summer, aka the best time of the year for new releases and beach reads. As a firm believer that a beach read is simply any book you would bring to the beach to read I’ve curated a list of new books dropping this summer that should definitely be in your beach bag. 2024 is the year of some phenomenal debuts, particularly in the science fiction and fantasy genres. You’ll find quite a few featured here as well as several new books by my all-time favorite authors. Jump into the summer with a cozy zookeeper fantasy, a meta-villainous romp, queers in space, an intense Hollywood thriller, and the next great retelling.

The Phoenix Keeper by S.A Maclean

Step inside San Tamculo Zoo and experience a whimsical cozy fantasy complete with a sapphic rivals to lovers romance. In a zoo abounding with magical creatures a zookeeper works to save a critically endangered species of firebird, and must rely on her college rival turned colleague in order to turn things around. The Phoenix Keeper is the perfect blend of cozy atmosphere, fantasy, romance, and heart. Impossibly, it feels like the inhabitants of San Tamculo Zoo have leapt off of the page fully formed and each chapter brings you further into the grounds. S.A. Maclean hones in on species conservation and the bureaucratic setbacks that make it all the more challenging. The stakes are as high as the tension between two workplace rivals turned allies who decidedly don’t have feelings for one another. Expertly paced and laced with romance and intrigue, Maclean takes readers through the day-to-day operations of San Tamculo Zoo and the lives and loves of the charming zookeeping staff. The Phoenix Keeper had me wishing I was stepping through the gates of this zoo and getting to experience the magic of these fantastical species for myself. Maclean’s debut is a vivid cacophony of color, fluttering wings, and magic that you won’t want to miss!

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The Stars Too Fondly by Emily Hamilton

The Stars Too Fondly is a cozy and queer science fiction debut about the price of progress at the expense of the many, and a generation seeking salvation among the stars. Featuring: a diverse cast and fun twisty spacetime adventures –not to mention the accessibility of iced drinks and rom-coms on a spaceship (a priority if you have queers in space). Prepare to fall hopelessly in with Hamilton’s crew of loud and loveable characters that feel like their own kind of family and love just as large. Emily Hamilton manages to pack a ton of information into her debut, balancing out the interpersonal conflicts with a compelling discussion of space exploration and scientific hubris. I loved learning more about the lore of the Providence crew, what went wrong in the initial launch, and the reveals with the dark matter and its powers. Altogether just a delightful mashup of romance and science fiction that will appeal to many readers inside and outside both genres.

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The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

One can always count on Silvia Moreno-Garcia to provide the book of the summer. Enter 1950s Hollywood, where actresses who pulled themselves up from the bottom fight for fame and the roles of a lifetime. The role that could propel current unknowns to stardom this time around is that of Salome, a legendary figure in art originating from biblical texts. The role of Salome is given to Vera Larios, a former unknown Mexican actress who is now an object of envy and desire. One such envier, Nancy Hartley, has always believed herself worthy of fame and finds that Vera is the one standing in the way. Framed between Vera’s and Nancy’s experiences and the story of Salome, Silvia Moreno-Garcia explores the mythologization of women through art in the past and within the studio system itself. Myths bend with reality and the studio system becomes a playing field for temptation, gossip, and unknowable pain. The Seventh Veil of Salome ties together a racing thriller with historical fiction and in classic Silvia Moreno-Garcia fashion, it’s just brilliant. 

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When Among Crows by Veronica Roth

Dymitr is a monster hunter, a task passed down through his family line that comes at great physical cost. However, it is his latest mission that could prove the most deadly: to track down the famed witch Baba Jaga and seek her favor. Across the streets of Chicago, in the dark alleyways and boarded-up buildings, Dymitr hatches a plot with one of the beings he has been tasked to kill. Ala, a cursed Zmora who feeds on fear agrees to help Dymitr in exchange for a cure for the curse that will one day claim her. Veronica Roth harnesses a dark, folkloric urban fantasy about pain and the cost of redemption in this startling fantasy novella. The modern setting of Chicago combined with Slavik monsters makes for a unique playing field for this quest narrative. One of my favorite things that Roth depicts are the knights of the Holy Order and the power that they wield, which comes at a cost. Dymitr’s ability to kill monsters comes from a sword that is embedded in his spine that he has to painfully remove anytime he makes a kill. Part of this quest for Ala and Dymitr is the weight of these generational struggles and the pain in excising them. When Among Crows packs a lot into one novella and all of it is making me crave more from Veronica Roth.

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A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

Trapped by an abusive mother with a power of compulsion over her, Cordelia lives her life in fragments. There are no secrets between mother and daughter, and how can there be when there are no doors in their home and no relationships to call her own. Now her mother has uprooted them to a wealthy manor house, where an unsuspecting family find themselves her next victim. T. Kingfisher ingeniously reimagines the Brothers Grimm’s, Goose Girl in a tale overflowing with witchery and trickery. A Sorceress Comes to Call is a Regency fantasy that stands on the gap between a light, comforting fairy story, and a dark fantasy merged with horror. Kingfisher has written compelling and distinct characters who fight to cast off evil and are all the stronger for it. Cordelia steps out of the compulsion she has been placed in by her mother, and Hester casts off her constraints to find happiness. Both journeys were immensely satisfying and included moments of humor, wit, and of course, horror. T. Kingfisher is a tried and true author in many genres, and A Sorceress Comes to Call is yet another retelling to relish.

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Business Casual by B.K. Borison

The last thing Nova Porter is looking for is love, and too charming for his own good Charlie Milford threatens to break that resolve down to its measly crumbs. Whether that be trying to reel her onto the dance floor or helping her tattoo studio ahead of its opening anything related to Charlie spells trouble. However, Nova can’t back down from their mutual attraction and convinces Charlie of one night to beat their feelings. But unfortunately, it doesn’t do a damned thing. B.K Borison takes us back to Inglewild in this final installment that delivers on all of the steamy moments and wonderful relationships. I love the flipped grumpy sunshine couple dynamics that Borison does here with Nova as the black cat and Charlie as that overly open and sunshiny protagonist. The chemistry between these two is off the charts right from that initial scene at the wedding where Charlie is being so earnest and Nova is just freaked out by it. Charlie Milford is the book boyfriend of book boyfriends (I mean he reads historical romance? Girl marry him). Business Casual is a bittersweet farewell to Inglewild and all of the characters that have taken up so much space in my heart. Nova and Charlie bring on the tenderness and vulnerability and this series conclusion seriously hit me in the feels.

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Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

Long Live Evil is my first Sarah Rees Brennan novel and legitimately one of my favorite books of this year. Playing off of classic fantasy tropes, but subverting genre traditions, Sarah Rees Brennan delivers a fresh fantasy debut that asks the question: what would you do if set loose in your favorite fantasy series? Long Live Evil packs in the adventure but takes a nuanced approach to narrative and character archetypes. With villains running amok and heroes testing the boundaries of their morality, Long Live Evil isn’t your standard fantasy novel. It’s a campy, meta, absolute ball of a time and a reading experience I will not forget soon. A layered story within a story with an unexpected third layer (the original narrative that is seemingly changing), Long Live Evil embraces all the nuance, pop culture references, and hilarity. Brennan pushes the boundaries of storytelling through this portal fantasy with layered narratives within narratives and a scintillating blend of humor undercut by moments of intense poignancy. Bring on more chaos, morally grey characters, and schemes!

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Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel

Goddess of the River is an epic that charts the life of Ganga, a goddess of the river who becomes entrapped as a mortal after her godlings bring down anger from a powerful sage. Her pain is to remain stuck in human form until she births the godlings who will become trapped as mortals themselves. Patel shows memory as fluid as a river and the decisions that set a kingdom on a path to war. As Ganga experiences motherhood and the love that moves her to kill her godling children to free them back to their original form tragedy continues to be wrought. Once Ganga returns to the river she is an observer of her final child, Bhishma, stuck in his mortal form and forever apart from her. Patel molds her epic like a river charting its meandering course. At the center of this river are the issues of dharma, memory, and the rigid choices that bring further suffering. With multiple branching perspectives and interwoven lives around the river Goddess of the River is the kind of retelling I imagine will stand the test of time. I’m sure there are many people who feel that retellings are oversaturated in the market but Vaishnavi Patel proves once again that it is the Westernized mythologies that are overplayed. Goddess of the River is the kind of story I want to read over and over again.

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The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo

Everyone’s favorite traveling cleric is back, partaking in a journey most gothic, with an unexpected twist, a transformative teapot, and hidden secrets tucked in the corners of a once powerful fortress. The Brides of High Hill is the fifth installment in The Singing Hills Cycle, one of my favorite ongoing fantasy novella series. The Singing Hills Cycle remains an entirely immersive series no matter what adventure Nghi Vo is delivering, but in no way is it ever predictable. I admire how this series interacts with genre and story and each bite size story is a new foray into both of those things. The Brides of High Hill has a prickly atmosphere and an aura of mystery that overhangs Cleric Chi’s latest adventure. Nghi Vo is high up on the list of my favorite authors. With each passing addition, I am left lingering on the talent of Nghi Vo’s worlds and words. Oh, do I want to live within them forever!

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The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

Part historical, part romance, and modern time travel narrative, The Ministry of Time is a captivating debut with something in it for every kind of reader. Set in the distant future, an unnamed civil servant is given the job offer of a lifetime for a mysterious project within the government. In secret, the government has somehow developed the ability to travel through time, but they have no idea of its viability or the effect it could have on human bodies. The solution: grab individuals from strenuous periods in time who were already fated to die and pull them into the current century. Her job is to be a bridge for one of these individuals, to cohabitate and monitor them as they adjust to modern-day life. Historically, Commander Graham Gore died in an expedition to the Arctic undertaken in 1845 but now he’s her new roommate and she is tasked with acclimating him to the modern day. The Ministry of Time is an invigorating debut that is as comedic as it is devastating. Teaching a strapping Victorian man about germs and feminism has got to be one of the funniest running bits in this story. Testing generational traumas and loyalties, The Ministry of Time is an exceptional debut that highlights the cost of love and maintaining our humanity. Certainly not one to miss!

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Review: Monstrous Nights by Genoveva Dimova

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Kosara has reclaimed her shadow and her magic, returning peace to Chernograd. Her Ex, The Zsar of Monsters, has been successfully entrapped within the magical barrier separating Chernograd from Belograd and citizens can now freely travel between the two cities. All is as it should be, but Kosara cannot shake the feeling that something isn’t as it seems. She hears the Zmey reaching for her in her dreams and monsters that should have been banished have found their way back into Chernograd. She has not seen Detective Asen since they parted ways after their quest, but now powerful witches are turning up dead and the barrier between the living world and the one of monsters is fracturing and it might be their fault. Asen follows his own leads with the murders despite his superiors directing otherwise and finds himself back in Chernograd where he and Kosara join forces to uproot the truth. Kosara and Asen follow the clues and the bodies and uncover just how complicit they are in the state of current affairs.

If you’ve ever finished a book and wondered what happened to the central characters after they defeated evil, Genoveva Dimova reveals that it’s not so glamorous. Asen and Kosara successfully managed to trap the Zmey in the wall, but after a series of murders primarily targeting witches begin to surface they are soon dragged back into their last job and the ghosts that refused to stay buried. There are no confessed feelings or happily ever afters in store for these two and avoiding one another is impossible what with a bloodthirsty witch killer on the loose. Dimova brings on the slow-burn romance, monster pets, and delightful schemes to round out her Witch’s Compendium of Monsters duology.

If Foul Days is an adventurous mystery set alight with Slavik monsters, Monstrous Nights is its dark and violent sister that underpins the events of the first novel to bring further evil crashing down onto Chernograd. Everything rests on Kosara’s shoulders since she defeated the Zsar of Monsters and established herself as a source of strength in her community. Kosara harnesses tremendous power not only after her bout with the Zmey but with the twelve witch shadows now in her possession. Their presence threatens to change her completely as every passing spell alters her appearance at great personal cost. Meanwhile, Asen denies his connection to Kosara as he ruthlessly tracks the smuggler Konstantin Karaivanov, the man responsible for killing his wife several years ago. Monstrous Nights is my favorite kind of sequel, maintaining the humor but pulling apart the issues initially framed within Foul Days. Kosara and Asen are two people who just want to rest, read some romance novels, and continue to deny their feelings for each other, but they keep getting interrupted by the most absurd things imaginable. One thing I thoroughly enjoyed was the development with Asen and his Varkolak transformation. Dimova has previously featured monsters as characters but there had yet to be any kind of monstrous transformation among the main cast. As Asen adapts to his Varkolak side, he meets others like him in Chernograd, now his home as monsters cannot pass through the wall into Belograd. The Varkolak romance book club had me laughing and Asen getting way too into A Night of Passion With the Upir Lord was so adorable and unfortunately very on brand for him. The niche communities and personal moments are given much more time to evolve in Monstrous Nights as Kosara and Asen work to build peace on their terms. This sequel is just so good all around. Its protagonists weighed down by the past and guilt when all they want is to rest, Monstrous Nights is a thoroughly rewarding conclusion to a duology formed by magic and empowered by community.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing this advance copy.

Trigger warnings: blood, violence, murder

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Review: Foul Days by Genoveva Dimova

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

At the dawn of every new year for twelve days the veil between worlds thins, and the city of Chernograd is beset by monsters. As a witch residing within the walled city, Kosara uses her talents and magical abilities against the monsters that plague the town. After she fled from her ex, the Zmey, or the Tsar of Monsters, Kosara knew she would spend the rest of her life outsmarting him. When she is betrayed on the eve of the foul days, Kosara is provided a way out by a mysterious card player who can get her over the wall for a price: her shadow. A witch’s shadow is a powerful thing, without it witches slowly succumb to the shadow sickness and become little more than shadows themselves. Kosara agrees and finds herself on the other side of the wall, free of monsters and bereft of her shadow. Kosara grows ill and when rumors of an individual collecting witch’s shadows reach her ears she plans to steal hers back. But she’ll need the help of Asen, a Belogradean detective to uncover a plot that runs deeper than a simple bargain between card players. The past and the history of the wall converge, and Kosara discovers a link to an enemy who could be brought down for good.

Witchery and card tricks go awry in Genoveva Dimova’s, Foul Days, a book that brings Slavik folklore and monsters crashing together with one witch’s search for agency. Foul Days is like a giant melting pot of all my favorite kinds of characters, tropes, and types of fantasy stories, wonderfully interspersed over one novel. We have monster hunts, dead bodies cropping up, Baba Yagas’s hut wandering around, and even an ongoing heist. Genoveva Dimova supplants readers into the walled town of Chernograd one night before monsters descend on the city.

Dimova contrasts two cities, one free of monsters, the other trapped by a magical barrier. I was immediately caught by the vibrancy of Chernograd, the snow-banked streets, and derelict spires rising out of the magic-infused plumes of smoke. And the characters, worn in from their surroundings but tenacious all the same. Even the monsters in Foul Days become characters of their own. Readers that enjoy their books heavy on the characters and dynamics will rejoice in this debut. Kosara is a flawed and stubborn protagonist who comes face to face with the consequences of her past and her personal limitations. Cheating at cards spells her doom and sets off a chain of events that lead to the loss of her shadow, a physical manifestation of her power. Kosara’s loss details the further impacts of abuse and one victim’s search for a reclamation of herself. Mystery and murder flourish as Kosara seeks to cement her identity after an abusive relationship and ultimately decide who, or what, she wants to be. Foul Days is not without a wry, self-depreciating humor that emerges out of the dark moments and rounds out this immersive story. With snarky dialogue between Kosara and Asen and bureaucratic nonsense like the Witch and Warlock Association pamphlet, Foul Days has an underlying humor that I wholeheartedly enjoyed. Romance slivers in between a hunt for clues as two reluctant allies find commonalities despite their stations and livelihoods. Asen is seriously the cutest and Kosara eventually sets aside her untrusting nature with him. The Witch’s Compendium of Monsters Duology delivers on so many fronts and it’s one of my new favorite duologies. Abound with Slavik folklore and magic, Foul Days bridges a dark fairy tale with an intriguing mystery as an unconventional duo, a witch and a determined detective join forces to uncover a conspiracy that runs deep into the history of their respective cities and the monsters that run rampant. Foul Days promises messy protagonists fighting to find their place, entrenched with magic, mayhem, and monsters galore. 

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: partner abuse, murder

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Review: Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Books have always been a solace for Rae, lying sick in the hospital with cancer. One night a mysterious stranger appears in her room and tells her she is about to die, and Rae is given a choice between death and a second chance at life. Rae accepts this magical bargain and awakens in her favorite book series, Time of Iron, a bloody and romantic fantasy saga of heroes, villains, and gruesome revenge. Unfortunately, Rae has no memory of the first book in the series which is exactly where she is supplanted. Worse, she inhabits the body of the villainess, the Beauty Dipped in Blood, days before her intended execution. Desperate to save herself, Rae turns to scheming, enlisting the help of some unexpected allies: a violent prone guard and a lady’s maid with a talent for axe-wielding. Being a character in a book should be fun, but as the clock counts down, Rae realizes the story itself is an ever-changing narrative and her limited knowledge may only get her so far. Luckily evil is in and there are few limits to Rae’s plans…

Long Live Evil is my first Sarah Rees Brennan novel and legitimately one of my favorite books of this year. Playing off of classic fantasy tropes, but subverting genre traditions, Sarah Rees Brennan delivers a fresh fantasy debut that asks the question: what would you do if set loose in your favorite fantasy series? Long Live Evil packs in the adventure but takes a nuanced approach to narrative and character archetypes. With villains running amok and heroes testing the boundaries of their morality, Long Live Evil isn’t your standard fantasy novel. It’s a campy, meta, absolute ball of a time and a reading experience I will not forget soon.

Long Live Evil is certainly a story for anyone who’s ever fallen for the villain, but it’s also a tale for anyone who has ever wanted to be the villain and make unexpected choices for the sheer thrill of it. Following Rae, a terminally ill twenty-something who has had to live her life in a hospital bed not knowing if she will survive, Brennan voices a character devoid of choice given access to a world brimming with opportunity. A layered story within a story with an unexpected third layer (the original narrative that is seemingly changing), Long Live Evil embraces all the nuance, pop culture references, and hilarity. Brennan pushes the boundaries of storytelling through this portal fantasy with layered narratives within narratives and a scintillating blend of humor undercut by moments of intense poignancy. This book is incredibly funny, and I think you’ll have to have a mind impacted by the various phases of the internet to truly appreciate it. I cackled at Rae convincing the king that “AF” stands for “as foretold” and Key’s murderous tendencies. Also a thousand points for The Mummy reference thrown in. Sarah Rees Brennan has shared in the author’s note how her own cancer diagnosis split her life into two parts, a before and an after. I admire how she gave voice to that through Rae, a testament to those forgotten after a cancer diagnosis and the tumultuous journey to recovery. Choosing the mantle of a villain is a personal transformation for Rae, who despite everything cannot return to the person she once was. Where her journey concludes is tremendously gratifying and I loved seeing the connection between the first and last chapters (IYKYK). We love morally grey characters who toe that line between good and evil and Long Live Evil has that in spades. Sarah Rees Brennan pens a unique fantasy series starter—an uproarious delight of inverted tropes, rage, and all the freedom in being a villain. Bring on more chaos, morally grey characters, and schemes!

Thank you to Orbit Books for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: cancer, murder, blood

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Review: The Hemlock Queen by Hannah Whitten

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

In the aftermath of the death of King August, Dellaire now stands on a precipice. Emerging from the rubble of a fractured kingdom, Lore must guard her power over death magic further as the now King Bastian elevates her to his right hand. Beset by enemies from outside and within, with the Kirythean Empire growing in presence and their closest allies having all but abandoned them, Lore and Bastian fight to stay the course. But the disquiet Lore feels is only exacerbated by the strange behavior from Bastian and a voice in the dark that commands her attention. Things are not as concluded from the events preceding the fall of the former king and Lore is certain something darker is working to overtake them. Bastian has his own plans, of which Lore plays the part, but as the impending coronation looms and Bastian’s unsettling behavior grows, she’ll have to rely on secrets of her own to outsmart her enemies. Because the voice in the dark has a name, and it belongs to someone Lore had hoped would stay buried.

Betrayal, lies, and deadly secrets invigorate this poisonous sequel to the Foxglove King, as Lore battles a war within her own heart and a divine force intent on overtaking the entire kingdom. In this sequel, Hannah Whitten brings readers into a world on the verge of ruin, and the three people that could save it from its deadly fate. The Nightshade Crown trilogy is Whitten in her element, and that is clear from this astonishing sequel that hits just as hard regardless of whether you’d read it yesterday or several months ago. After the cataclysmic conclusion of the Foxglove King, I was firmly awaiting the return to this world and where this story would go. Suffice it to say, I was unprepared for the devastation to my heart, and to Whitten’s own characters. 

The Hemlock Queen elevates the stakes of The Foxglove King, barbed with court politics and fraught dynamics between its core trio, now at odds. Still reeling from the events preceding King August’s death, Lore comes to terms with her new role and fights the cost of her own survival. Where the Foxglove King reaches out its claws, The Hemlock Queen develops a slow-building poison that gradually takes its deadly effect. Jumping into this sequel feels a little out of sorts at first, but I have a feeling that was because I had forgotten so much of what happened in the first book in the eight months since I had read it. That feeling passes as Whitten leans into the chaos and orchestrates her discordant symphony like a train wreck you cannot look away from. Though I was a huge fan of book one, it is the Hemlock Queen where the series really gains a foothold and all of the pieces laid in the Foxglove King begin to slot into place. With a slower pace, The Hemlock Queen takes its time to elevate the disquiet, the moves and counter moves its characters make in reaction to certain developments. The unsettling nature of the narrative feels prickly, like thorns barbed in skin – a feeling only heightened by the cold behavior from Bastian and the venomous court. Lore remains my favorite character in this series, her selfishness and her determination are the driving force behind everything and I love that so much. With all of the foreshadowing and angst layered in, I’m all the more scared for her in the forthcoming finale. The Hemlock Queen was nothing as I expected, but that alone is what makes it so devastating. Whitten bridges the world of gods and humans until they meet on a knife edge, where they remain until its heartwrenching conclusion. It’s safe to say Hannah Whitten knows how to write epic sequels. This twisted high fantasy trilogy continues to astonish and The Hemlock Queen shifts it from sensational to absolutely legendary. 

Thank you to Edelweiss and Orbit Books for providing the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: gore, violence, parental abuse, alcohol consumption

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Let’s Talk: Ten Historical Romance Recommendations for Fans of Bridgerton

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I can’t believe it’s been almost two years since Bridgerton season two put me in a historical romance craze that lasted several months. While the Bridgerton series wasn’t what made me fall in love with the historical romance genre (your girl has been cracking them open for years and years and my romance shelf is crumbling) it caused me to reflect on the books I’ve loved, the authors that create masterful tension, and the novels that reaffirm our belief in great love stories. Recently, I’ve been waiting to submit some new historical romances and update my “god-tier historical romance” list. With the latest season of Bridgerton on pause until June 13th (I cry daily), all I want is to sink my teeth into a new historical romance, and all of these are worthy contenders.

When the Viscount Wanted Me by Lydia Lloyd

I love him, but the thing is, he’s my brother’s best friend

Lydia Lloyd is a completely new to me author and *whew* what a hit her second novel is. Brothers best friend trope is a tried and true staple in this genre and Lloyd throws her cap in this (I have no other word than sizzling) historical. When the Viscount Wanted Me is a fast-paced, addictive story, that takes off, quite literally, with a bang. Lady Henrietta can be classified as nothing but a true icon because as soon as a chance emerges to be with the guy she’s been in love with for years she leaps at it. I love reading from heroines that go against the grain of traditional expectations in the genre, and Henrietta is one of them. Henrietta is experienced in sex, but love is what remains elusive. As she falls in with Trem, love is all that she wants from the person who already has her heart. With adventure, secret sexy times, and a delightful group of characters, The Rake Chronicles needs to be on your radar. Prepare to fan yourself more than usual because this one completely changed my definition of the word hot.

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“He doesn’t own Henrietta any more than he does me. She is free to do as she pleases. And she wants to marry me—and I certainly want to marry her. I would kill for this woman”

– When the Viscount Wanted Me

An Affair With A Notorious Heiress by Lorraine Heath

“I shall be returning to New York” is the new “And I am leaving for India”

If you’re chasing the heat and the yearning left by Kate and Anthony from season two of Bridgerton Lorraine Heath’s, An Affair With A Notorious Heiress comes pretty close plot-wise. Lady Landsdowne is society’s best scandal, after her supposed affair and subsequent divorce from her husband. Alistair Mabry, the Marquess of Rexton is on the hunt for a wife and scandal will have no place in his marriage. Unfortunately, the young lady he is pursuing is the sister of the Scandalous Lady Landsdowne, who insists on being the chaperone in their courtship. Lorraine Heath takes slow burn to the max with some gorgeous moments of tenderness and understanding between her two leads, only serving to heighten that payoff when they finally give into their feelings. I appreciate how Rexton consistently backed Tillie, who continued to expect abandonment and poor behavior from everyone around her, but was shown differently. I really feel that these two stand on par with one another in their partnership, making for a truly divine romance!

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“What are you doing?” she demanded. “Giving into temptation and kissing you, obviously.”

– An Affair With A Notorious Heiress

Last Night’s Scandal by Loretta Chase

If you want childhood friends who argue like a married couple (but in fact aren’t) while continuing to deny their feelings as they fix up an old Scottish castle this is for you. (Bonus points for treasure hunts).

Last Night’s Scandal was my first Loretta Chase romance and it might just be a contender for my top five historicals of all time. This is a steamy friends to lovers romance story featuring two childhood friends who get roped into fixing up a run-down castle in Scotland, but battle strange setbacks, ghosts, and a hunt for the elusive treasure hidden somewhere on the grounds. Olivia Wingate-Carsington is the most chaotic heroine — throwing teapots at people, hitting men with umbrellas, and immediately ready to commit to the thrill of the moment (while everyone tries to hold her back). This should be classified under: two idiots trying in vain to deny their feelings with mixed results. Lisle and Olivia bring the tension and the heat and this is just an all-around superb romance.

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“I love you madly,” she said. “I shall make you happy if I have to kill somebody to do it. But that ought not to be necessary.”

– Last Night’s Scandal

The Sins of Lord Lockwood by Meredith Duran

An angst-ridden second chance romance between an estranged husband and wife (so good it will make you cry)

As a second-chance romance connoisseur, The Sins of Lord Lockwood is a reminder of why I love this trope, particularly in historical romance. Two estranged spouses reunite after four years apart and reconcile what went exactly wrong in their marriage. The twist: Liam Devaliant, Lord Lockwood, was kidnapped and taken as a convict to New South Wales where he was held for several years and his wife, Anna, the Countess of Forth has no idea. Liam battles the long-term impacts of his experiences while trying to hide what happened from Anna, who wrestles with having been abandoned. They find their way back to one another as they open up to the truth and work to establish a new chapter of their relationship. The Sins of Lord Lockwood is definitely intense but is grounded in some truly important discussions surrounding love after trauma, PTSD, and intimacy. An angsty but beautiful romance with a satisfying ending.

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“Liar!” she called, but she was smiling. She was impossibly beautiful. She was the only sight worth seeing. “I would be a fool to look away from you,” he said. “Even for a moment.”

– The Sins of Lord Lockwood

The Duke Heist by Erica Ridley

Trying to recover a stolen family painting from an unfeeling Duke, whom you accidentally kidnap, but save from scandal so he agrees to help you find a husband (you’re lying. you still want that painting)

No family truly embodies the Bridgerton antics quite like the Wynchesters, a family of adopted former orphans from diverse backgrounds who use their combined talents to solve mysteries and crimes in order to protect the working class. Chloe Wynchester, the appointed leader of the family, must get close to the Duke of Faircliff to retrieve a painting stolen by his father, but accidentally kidnapping the duke was not on her agenda. Chloe is the kind of heroine who prefers to stay invisible while conducting her schemes and as her relationship (and case) with Lawrence evolves, she decides to step into the light. I’m nothing if not a sucker for the wallflower who is ten times smarter than the love interest and Lawrence and Chloe have some lovely moments of verbal sparring that prove that over and over again. Try and read this and not become obsessed with this family. I dare you.

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“This was who he really was, when he wasn’t trying so hard to be a perfect duke: delightful, approachable, irresistible. She wanted to grab the ribbons of his outlandish bonnet and kiss him for days. She wanted to wear the one he’d made for her for the rest of her life.”

– The Duke Heist

West End Earl by Bethany Bennett

Living in hiding as a man for the last decade comes with its own challenges, but falling for your employer and best friend takes the cake

If you’re looking for a historical romance drenched in absurdity, West End Earl is the answer to your prayers. Ophelia Hardwick has assumed the identity of her deceased twin for eleven years after an accident resulted in his death and provided her an opportunity to escape her snide uncle until she is of age to inherit. As her twenty-fifth birthday looms, her uncle makes his move, and Ophelia must rely on her employer and close friend Calvin, the Earl of Carlyle to survive. West End Earl surprised me in the best way. Ophelia was such a bold character and I laughed at the ease in which she and Calvin transitioned into their romance. As the two were such close friends it made quite a bit of sense, but there were several scenes that simply made my jaw drop. Schemes layer upon schemes and there’s no way you can guess where the story ends up.

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“I’ll deal with it.” He cradled her jaw and kissed her again, slowly, as if savoring her. “Because I plan to spend a lot of time kissing you, Ophelia Hardwick”

– West End Earl

It Started with a Scandal by Julie Anne Long

How to make a formidable French Lord fall for you: flowers that remind him of home, terrible rhymes about his conquests, and plenty of apple tarts

It Started with a Scandal is a romance I’ve read too many times to count and lives in my top five favorite historicals. Elise Fountain was once a respected member of society, but as a single mother, she has fallen far. Elise now serves as a housekeeper to the intimidating Lord Philippe Lavay to support herself and her son. Bringing the house back to life places her in the ire of her employer, a man down on his honor recovering from injuries sustained during his last mission. Elise helps bring Philippe and the house back to rights and they gradually form a friendship hinged on something more. Julie Anne Long attempts a lot in this one, and it’s all pulled off to perfection. When I say the amount of yearning between Elise and Philippe almost put me in a coma, I mean it. It Started with a Scandal is just one example of flawless tension, stakes, and romantic development in the genre and my top recommendation for fans new and old.

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“All the memories I wish to keep were comprised of love. And home, Elise, is anywhere love is.” He stepped toward her urgently and looked down. “And you are my love.”

– It Started with a Scandal

The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe

What do you do when the man you had a midnight tryst with ends up being the Duke pursuing your best friend? Turn to complete and utter loathing.

Singing praises to Joanna Shupe is a daily occurrence in my life I’m afraid. Part of the Fifth Avenue Rebels series, set in New York During the Gilded Age, The Duke Gets Even follows a fearlessly independent heiress and a guarded Duke who begin an affair that threatens to break down the precarious boundaries they’ve constructed around their hearts. Jaw on the floor is the basic theme for this entire series, and somehow Shupe takes that further with The Duke Gets Even. I love the shift from hatred to love and the delicious tension that builds as Nelly and Andrew give into their instincts, yet refuse to concede that they care for one another. Nelly’s championing of sexual and reproductive health was really refreshing and combined with the circumstances surrounding Lockwood’s heart condition, really grounded this story. The Duke Gets Even is a surprisingly tender romance and witnessing Nelly and Lockwood reach for a life together, despite their circumstances, is altogether liberating.

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“Bending, he whispered near her ear, “Do you need, Eleanor?” “Yes,” she said on a quiet sigh. “God, yes.” … “Then what were you doing, flaunting that waiter in my face instead of asking me to do it properly?” 

– The Duke Gets Even

When the Earl Desired Me by Lydia Lloyd

When he’s the earl who broke your heart over a decade ago but he’s determined to have you back in his life and will do whatever he can to prove it

Yes, I am putting another Lydia Lloyd on the list because I finished this the other night and it is without a doubt the most fitting book for fans of Bridgerton season three. When she was a maid in his family home, Olivia Watson fell in love with Lord Augustus Carrington, the Earl of Montaigne, and the two embarked on a whirlwind affair that ended when Augustus callously sent her away with a note and ten guineas. Thirteen years later, Olivia returns to England, where she comes face to face with Augustus and the ghosts of their former passions. When the Earl Desired Me features sexy carriage rides, love letters, and of course, a wonderful second chance romance plotline. Lloyd does a fantastic job expanding on the relationship between Olivia and Augustus, particularly with the inherent power dynamics that were at play despite their mutual attraction to one another and the class attitudes that continue to impact their relationship in the present. Supported by a lively cast of characters and beautiful romances, this series is a new favorite and Lydia Lloyd is undoubtedly an author to watch.

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“She was so beautiful that it hurt to look at her. He would have wanted to close his eyes, but the only thing more unbearable than continuing to look at her was stopping.”

– When the Earl Desired Me

Bed Me, Duke by Felicity Niven

What’s a rake to do when he becomes a duke but hide his new identity and travel to Scotland where he becomes entangled in a lessons-in-seduction plot with a spitfire Countess.

Felicity Niven is another new to me author whose books I flew through earlier this winter and cannot wait to read more from. Bed Me, Duke focuses on Captain Jack Pike, a notorious rake and newly established duke, and Helen Boyd, a countess desperate to save her people by marrying him. Unbeknownst to her, the man she has entangled to teach her how to seduce happens to be the duke she plans on seducing all the way to the altar. Lessons in seduction has never been my favorite trope, but it turns out I just needed Felicy Niven’s version to change my mind. Jack and Helen throw themselves into their mutual attraction, and their passion builds into a deep and lasting connection that they continue to deny. There’s plenty of longing and lingering gazes in store in this charming and wholeheartedly endearing series debut. I had the best time reading this one and will be looking out for more from Niven.

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“You’re a thistle, Helen. Tough and spiky and able to flourish in a rocky, brutal place. You draw blood with your prickers. But a thistle also has a flower. A rich, purple, majestic flower, like a crown”

– Bed Me, Duke

Let’s Talk: Spring Reads

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Friends! It’s been a while since I did a proper book wrap-up for my notable reads and with spring practically in the air I can think of no better time to close the loop on some of the books I’ve read recently. With my move to the UK just around the corner, I have been focusing my attention on ARCs on my physical TBR and books on my shelf I have not read yet. Spanning a variety of genres here, this is your one-stop shop for your next spring (or summer) read, all endorsed by me!

Lady Scandal by Laura Lee Guhrke

A Haughty, newly titled viscount, and a widowed countess and determined event planner butt heads over the management of The Savoy Hotel, courting scandal and unexpected romance as they fight to get their way. Reading Lady Scandal was simultaneously the best time ever and renewed my faith in the historical romance genre. Everything about this book from start to finish is sheer perfection, from the flowering wit to the punchy back and forth between leads Simon and Delia. Guhrke certainly knows how to elevate the chemistry to deliver an outstanding love story with characters that feel like they could leap off the page. Lady Scandal is a refreshing testament to the genre and an excellent addition to the Scandal at the Savoy series. I really just had the best time with this one and will absolutely be keeping up with the next book from Guhrke. 

Trigger warnings: death, miscarriage

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A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall

A Letter to the Luminous Deep blends mystery and a light academic romance between two scholars as their correspondence uncovers a secret long buried about their world. Like dense fronds of seaweed unfurling, Sylvie Cathrall untangles a beautiful epistolary academic romance between shy but inquisitive “E” and esteemed scholar Henerey Clel who find a connection deeper than the boundless depths in which they reside. Split between their initial correspondence and the two siblings left behind to unravel the mystery through the letters they penned, A Letter to the Luminous Deep instills a quest for the truth, while providing insight into both the past and the present. Including discussions around mental health, academia, and scientific exploration, this magical underwater adventure leaves plenty to investigate. A wonderfully curious debut that completely enraptured me!

Trigger warnings: death, grief

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The Ornithologists Field Guide to Love by India Holton

In this fresh and absolutely absurd romance adventure, two rival ornithologists become the victims of an elaborate marketing plan … and suffer intense yearning, birding mishaps, and mixed variations of there was only one bed trope – all for the chance of becoming Birder of the Year. One thing about India Holton is that she will have you cackling one moment, and swooning the next. The reluctant team-up between rivals Beth and Devon was EVERYTHING, comprised of snarky banter, near misses, and a healthy dash of yearning. The Ornithologists Field Guide to Love will entangle you in a clever repartee between two rivals (who maybe aren’t), dangerous magical birds, hijinks, and most importantly, tea! This historical romance with a delightful fantasy twist is a new favorite.

Trigger warnings: animal captivity

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The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce

A Napa Valley wedding rekindles the sparks between Georgia and Eli, once lovers now strangers, who may just have a chance to get back what they lost while building something altogether new. Filled to the brim with the bittersweet, The Ex Vows is a second-chance romance that encapsulates all of the joyous and painful parts of reuniting and reconciling the past. Georgia and Eli have both been through a lot, together and apart, and the focus on these experiences in mending what went wrong in their relationship made for a truly exceptional romance. The yearning, the underlying tension between the two leads, and the wonderful moments of rediscovery along the way completely bowled me over. Jessica Joyce’s sophomore novel expands on her talent and craft as she interconnects the past and present, focusing on mental health, and the power of love in finding healing. The Ex Vows is astonishingly vulnerable and its resolution will undoubtedly have you close to tears. Jessica Joyce supremacy!

Trigger warnings: grief, anxiety

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Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis

A jewel thief, a former assistant, singers, rebels, and spies converge in a spaceship hotel that traverses the galaxy to meet its clientele. Floating Hotel is a genre-bending, distinctly period drama-esque romp through space with the most delightful crew of characters and past and present timelines. Like elements of a secret code, Curtis reassembles the past to make sense of the present as time winds down for the Grand Abeona Hotel. This feels like a cozy mystery with an intense heart as victims across planets desperately seek a new home in the face of an empire destroying worlds. I enjoyed filling in the pieces and its bittersweet final destination. 

Trigger warnings: blood, death

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My Rogue to Ruin by Erica Ridley

No recommendation list is complete without a historical romance, and My Rogue to Ruin is my latest favorite. Part of an ongoing series from Erica Ridley, My Rogue to Ruin melds classic romance tropes with one untraditional family and their ensuing antics. Ridley returns to the Wild Wynchesters, this time taking on a massive forgery scheme. Armed with prickly hedgehogs and mixed with a bit of blackmail, My Rogue to Ruin takes the word chaos and reaches beyond to deliver a fresh and exciting historical romance. Locked in a room with the most rogueish and arrogant scoundrel, Marjorie Wynchester takes it upon herself to solve the family’s latest case. Forced proximity, a diverse cast, and swoony moments are what you can expect with this one, as Marjorie and Adrian realize they might be on the same side. Erica Ridley’s books are always the most entertaining romps and I know both seasoned and new readers to the genre will love this one!

Trigger warnings: ableism, confinement, misogyny

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Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B Poranek

We love sentient houses, strange forests, and Howl’s Moving Castle vibes!!! Entangled in Polish Folklore, Where the Dark Stands Still follows a young woman determined to undo the magic she possesses by bonding herself to the demon warden of the spirit wood, who promises her a trade: one year in his service for the ability to remove her magic. With dangerous bargains, folklore, and a house full of secrets, this debut wholly ensnared me even before I stepped into the bones of the story. The intrigue around the Leszy and the woods that are his domain, as well as the growing romantic connection with Liska played off of one another in increasingly devastating ways. With a final act bringing the conflict between immortality and older bargains smashing together, Where the Dark Stands Still has one of the best endings in a young adult novel I have read in years!! Sheer perfection in a book!

Trigger warnings: violence, blood, gore, death, animal death

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