Category Archives: Book Talk

Really Super Late Not TBR Review: on Carter’s Flame by Tiffany Patterson and The Story of Yanxi Palace.

To be honest, I had thought I had a review on hand for October … but it turned out to be not a review. And then I haven’t felt like I’ve been reading much lately. Some good books but more books that were just okay in that I wasn’t mad I read them but … I don’t know that I’d recommend them widely. I have however, but re-reading a lot of books this year … and recently began another binge re-watch of The Story of Yanxi Palace. This … very well may be my seventh (if not more) rewatch. Granted certain parts I forward through – but it’s an intensive experience.
Anyway, the October suggested prompt was “Flirting with Danger” … and I thought about it for a bit, and felt like the closest recent book I’ve read, or more accurately re-read would be Carter’s Flame by Tiffany Patterson. Although I think it’s more a straight contemporary romance than a romantic suspense. The hero is former special forces, and currently a firefighter working in the rescue squad. He meets the heroine when he rescues her from her car after a crash.
Carter and Michelle are great. Michelle is a single mother, and Carter goes all in on having a built in family. If you like really possessive alpha heroes, than Tiffany Patterson will be your new catnip. I personally love smitten heroes, so when I first discovered Tiffany Patterson’s book, I literally read her entire backlist in one go. (At the time it was a little over 30 books and I think it took me about three to four weeks.) What I like about her heroes is that they’re smitten and jealous, possessive but not controlling. They’re very “hey back off my woman, asshole” … but they don’t try to control her. For her part, Michelle “flirts with danger” because the father of her son is someone … well, it’s a spoiler but not a major factor – someone she thought she was in a relationship with, but she was actually his sidepiece. (She was only 19, he was a predator. She was vulnerable and obviously young. Thee ex provides for her son in paying for the tuition of his very expensive private school… and that’s it – however he threatens her with withdrawing that support or worse taking custody if she dates anyone else. This actually really annoyed me because it would be highly unlikely for a court to take away a child from his sole custodial parent, but it becomes a whole thing. I get the drama but I irked me. While this isn’t my area of legal practice, I know more about it than the average [legal] bear. Carter’s “flirting with danger” is pretty obvious what with running into burning buildings and such.
For the relationship itself, there’s very little danger. Like I said, Carter (and most Patterson heroes) are all in once they meet their loves/are ready for a relationship, and they will systematically destroy any barrier to it.
As for The Story of Yanxi Palace … it’s a Chinese historical drama set during the Qing dynasty. The heroine is a palace maid set on revenge, and honestly her entire life is just careening from one danger to another. She’s very bold, angry and petty in the best ways … and smart. She can’t stand injustice and is so steadfast. Yingluo is crafty but also lucky. Help comes when it’s most needed, but things are not easy for her – at all. It’s probably my favorite series ever though, so I’ve rewatched it a number of times since first seeing it. I watched it shortly after it first came out … I know Ilona Andrews watched it (I think some time in 2019 and blogged about it but for the life of me I can’t find details now…) Anyway the fact that it has a happy ending is a big part of why I like it so much. And I’ve a vengeful bitch so playing the long revenge game is something I respect. Fully.
Here’s the cover and back cover copy of Carter’s Flame if you’re interested.

Carter's Flame by Tiffany Patterson book coverI was born into a world of wealth and privilege. My birthright was to be at the helm of one of the world’s leading energy companies. But that wasn’t my purpose in life. Sitting behind a desk of a fortune 500 isn’t what gets me going. I’ll leave that life to my brothers. No. It took me years to find my true purpose. Saving lives. Walking into the depths of hell to pull out survivors. It’s what gets me out of my bed in the morning, and eventually, it’s what led me to her.
On a day that, to her, must’ve seemed like the wrong place and wrong time, is where I met my destiny. Michelle Clarke. Our worlds collided and I knew instantly that she was mine. Everything in my life up until this point has been preparing me for her.
My childhood.
The eight years I spent in special forces.
And the last six years spent as a proud member of the Williamsport Fire Department’s Rescue 4 squad.
All of it was preparation for her. And nothing, not her reluctance, not my brother, and not even her son’s father will stand in the way of what belongs to me. My job is to rescue people and put out fires, but I will set anyone who stands in our way, ablaze. I will happily pour the gasoline and light the match and set all of this shit aflame, just to ensure she is where she belongs … with me.

And if you’re interested …

Here’s a link to start you out on Yanxi Palace. From what I’ve seen of it the translations are overall quite good. This is actually my first time watching the series with English subtitles. There are a few things I’d quibble about but all told they aren’t that serious. And they’re much better than many others I’ve seen generally. (Definitely whatever was put up on Amazon Prime is some like terrible bootleg version.)

Anyway I’d love if more of you read Tiffany Patterson and watched Yanxi Palace because I have things to discuss.

What Limecello Read in 2021

Hi friends! Nope – that’s not a typo, and yes, it’s taken me this long to write out this list. :X And in fact once I hit ~June 2021 I think I stopped writing what potential rating I gave a book – I’d also gotten bad about updating thoughts and have been quite bad about it this year too. Future me will undoubtedly be mad at past me when I try to figure out what I thought about a book I read. (Or potentially be surprised I read it 😅.)

Anyway what with the pandemic, terrible world events, terrible life events and work and such, here is a very likely incomplete but best as I can figure list. As you can tell the end of the year was really bad for me and honestly I basically read/listened to the same books on repeat from September through December so my tracking is REALLY bad, but I know I listened to the same book(s) on repeat daily and sometimes twice in one day and it got to a point where I could quote the books so … that’s something?

I’d say my big “new to me” author find of 2021 was Tiffany Patterson though. While there [iirc] are some editing issues, what stuck me is the characters and stories – her voice is very distinctive/I think I could pick up an unlabeled/marked book when I was in my glom and be like “yup this is a Patterson book” – but! Each one is also so unique and different. They didn’t feel cookie cutter or like widgets, which is impressive cuz I read like 20+ books of her in a row. She seems to be methodically taking her books out of KU, which I totally get … but it makes me kinda sad cuz people who might’ve read her/found them through KU now don’t get to do that. ANYWAY. Before I babble more/potentially get myself in trouble … here’s my list of reads.

January
Accused by Sharon C. Cooper ♪
*Let Me Love You by Alexandria House – B– ♪ x3
Marry in Scandal by Annie Gracie – D++
*Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas – A-
Hidden Sins by Selena Montgomery ♪
Carter’s #Undoing by Sherelle Green – C- ♪
Sweet Deception by Rochelle Alers
Yours to Take by Joely Sue Burkhart
Solid Soul by Brenda Jackson ♪ – at the time of my formatting this the kindle book is on sale for $1.99
Night Heat by Brenda Jackson – C ♪ – this kindle book is also on sale for $1.99 right now
The Christmas Pact by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward
Duty or Desire by Brenda Jackson ♪
Bane by Brenda Jackson ♪
Scrooged by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward
Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon – C ♪
*Crave by Evelyn Sola – B ♪
Cherish by Evelyn Sola – C+ ♪
Crash by Evelyn Sola – C+ ♪

February
*Crave by Evelyn Sola – B ♪
Wait for your love by AshleyNicole ♪
Claimed by a Steele by Brenda Jackson ♪
The Agent by Nancy Herkness
*Let Me Love You by Alexandria House – B– ♪ x2
The Boss and the Brat by Sosie Frost – D+
*Let Me Hold You by Alexandria House – C+ ♪
*Ante Up by Christina C. Jones – B+ ♪ x3
*Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer
My Fake Christmas Fiancé by Julie Kriss – D+
Santa Baby Maybe by S. Doyle – B
Let Me Be Your Motivation by Tay Mo’Nae ♪
The Sweet Spot by Tay Mo’Nae ♪
The Perfect Present by Rochelle Alers, Cheris Hodges, and Pamela Yaye ♪
How My Brother’s Best Friend Stole Christmas by Molly O’Keefe C–
Room Service by Rochelle Alers C — ♪
*Taming Clint Westmoreland by Brenda Jackson ♪ x2
The Hot Mess and the Heartthrob by Pippa Grant B++
Quade’s Babies by Brenda Jackson D+ ♪ x2
I Think I Might Love You by Christina C. Jones – B+ ♪ x2*

March
Pulling Doubles by Christina C. Jones – C ♪ x2
Getting Schooled by Christina C. Jones – C – ♪ x2
Guided Meditations for Self Healing: Mindfulness and Transcendental Relaxation Techniques for Anxiety and Pain Relief – Quiet the Mind and cure Panic Attacks (for Beginners) by Mindfulness Meditation Institute ♪
Transcendental Meditation: Learn Healing and Transformation Through Mindfulness Meditation by Dr Henriette Sparson ♪
*Safe With Me by Stephanie Nicole Norris – D ♪
*Crave by Evelyn Sola – B ♪ x2
Westmoreland’s Way by Brenda Jackson D++ ♪ x2*
The Boy Toy by Nicola Marsh – C+ ♪ x2*
Mr. Vega by Xyla Turner – C ♪ x2*
Mr. West by Xyla Turner – C – – ♪ x2*
[*]Want You to Want Me by Lorelei James – B ++ ♪
Strictly Professional by Christina C. Jones ♪
Unfinished Business by Christina C. Jones D- ♪
To Wake a Dragon by Naomi Lucas
A Change Had to Come by Gwynne Forster D+ ♪
Tropical Dragons Series Boxset with Bonus Exclusive Short Story: A Sci-fi Fantasy Romance Series Books 1-3 by Naomi Lucas
Beyond Temptation by Brenda Jackson – D+ ♪
Risky Pleasures by Brenda Jackson – D – ♪ x2*

April
*Tempest by Beverly Jenkins – B++ ♪
*Vivid by Beverly Jenkins – B+ ♪
*Indigo by Beverly Jenkins – B++ ♪
*The Taming of Jessi Rose by Beverly Jenkins – B+ ♪
*Night Hawk by Beverly Jenkins – A ♪
*Always and Forever by Beverly Jenkins – C+++ ♪
*Destiny’s Embrace by Beverly Jenkins – B ♪ –
*Destiny’s Surrender by Beverly Jenkins – B – x2 ♪
*Destiny’s Captive by Beverly Jenkins – C- ♪
*Rebel by Beverly Jenkins ♪x2
*Through the Storm by Beverly Jenkins – B ♪
*Crave by Evelyn Sola – B ♪ ~*
Deeper Than Love by Delaney Diamond – D— ♪
Lust by Victoria Christopher Murray D—- ♪
Give Me Fever by Niobia Bryant – D++ ♪
When the Smoke Clears by Kenya Wright D+++ ♪
Redemption by Kenya Wright ♪
Eric’s Inferno by Tiffany Patterson – C+ ♪

May
Carter’s Flame by Tiffany Patterson – C ♪
Emanuel’s Heat by Tiffany Patterson – D+ ♪
Slamdunked by Love by Jamie Wesley – C+ ♪
Tell Me Something Good by Jamie Wesley – C— ♪
The Deal with Love by Jamie Wesley – C– ♪
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas – C—
The Wife He Needs by Brenda Jackson – C— ♪ x2*
High Stakes Holiday by Christina C. Jones – D++
Hard Love by Peyton Banks -C– ♪ x2*
The Marriage He Demands by Brenda Jackson – C ♪ x2*
Dirty Talk by Julie Kriss
The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes by Xio Axelrod – C++ ♪ X2*
Broken by Evelyn Sola – B-
Mine by Kenya Wright – D+ ♪
Aaron’s Patience by Tiffany Patterson – C
Meant to Be by Tiffany Patterson – C+
For Keeps by Tiffany Patterson – C—
Until My Last Breath by Tiffany Patterson – D+
For You by Tiffany Patterson – D+
No Coincidence by Tiffany Patterson – C++
A Holiday Temptation by Tiffany Patterson – C–
*Before the Dawn by Beverly Jenkins ♪
*Winds of the Storm by Beverly Jenkins – C+ ♪
Just Say the Word by Tiffany Patterson – C+
Safe Space (I) by Tiffany Patterson – C
A Hope Divided by Alyssa Cole – D++ ♪
Safe Space II: The Finale by Tiffany Patterson – C+
Black Pearl by Tiffany Patterson – C => currently free for kindle
Black Dahlia by Tiffany Patterson – C
Black Butterfly by Tiffany Patterson – C-
An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole – B ♪

June
Jacob’s Song by Tiffany Patterson – B–
*Ante Up by Christina C. Jones – B+ ♪ x2
A Holiday Seduction by Tiffany Patterson, C—
This Is Where I Sleep by Tiffany Patterson, B
Luke by Tiffany Patterson
*Haunted by Christina C. Jones ♪
Forever by Tiffany Patterson
Miles and Mistletoe by Tiffany Patterson
7 Degrees of Alpha by by Sara Allen, Phoenix Daniels, SK Lessly, Kasey Martin, DJ Parker, Tiffany Patterson, and Mariah Violet
My Storm by Tiffany Patterson
*Let Me Love You by Alexandria House – B – – ♪ ~
Madness of the Horde King by Zoey Draven
Coveted by Christina C. Jones ♪
In the Doctor’s Bed by Brenda Jackson ♪
Broken by the Horde King by Zoey Draven
Love in Catalina Cove by Brenda Jackson ♪
Don’s Blaze by Tiffany Patterson
Forget Me Not by Brenda Jackson ♪
Something Special by Tiffany Patterson
Wedding Season by Natasha Anders, Alissa Baxter, Marie Dry, Ashleigh Giannoccaro, Sharonlee Holder, Suzanne Jefferies, Sophia Karlson, Romy Sommer, Jo Watson, Tanya Wilde
*The Unwanted Wife by Natasha Anders
Finding Home Again by Brenda Jackson ♪
Kraving Khiva by Zoey Draven
Prince of Firestones by Zoey Draven
Follow Your Heart by Brenda Jackson ♪
Just My Type by Sophia Karlson
Two Nights in Paris by Delaney Diamond
Takeover by Evelyn Sola
Trent by Xyla Turner
Guilty Pleasures by Deborah Fletcher Mello ♪

July
Carter by Xyla Turner
A Lifetime With You by Stephanie Nicole Norris ♪
Seducing My Guardian by Katee Robert
She Said Yes by Stephanie Nicole Norris ♪
Breaking Bailey’s Rules by Brenda Jackson ♪ x2
Reclaimed by the Rancher by Brenda Jackson ♪ x2
Locked Doors by Tiffany Patterson
Bella by Tiffany Patterson
Bad Billionaires Quickies by Elise Faber
Man in Charge by Laurelin Paige
Man in Love by Laurelin Paige
*I Think I Might Love You by Christina C. Jones – B+ ♪ x3
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
The Pleasure Trap by Niobia Bryant ♪
Thorn’s Challenge by Brenda Jackson
The Glass Queen by Gena Showalter
*Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward – A
Catch Me If You Can by Christina C. Jones ♪ – the kindle version is on sale for $0.99
The Beauty of Being a Beast by Jennifer Estep
Release Me If You Can by Christina C. Jones ♪
Meet Cute by Elise Faber
Charging by Elise Faber
Save Me If You Can by Christina C. Jones ♪
Broken by Elise Faber
Caged by Elise Faber
Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas
Mine by Stephanie Nicole Norris ♪
*Carter’s #Undoing by Sherelle Green – C- ♪
Bad Wedding by Elise Faber
Claim the Dragon by A. C. Arthur
Bad Engagement by Elise Faber
*Midnight Man by Lisa Marie Rice – C => currently free for kindle
*Let Me Love You by Alexandria House – B – – ♪

August
Bad Bridesmaid by Elise Faber
*The Stranger I Married by Sylvia Day
Face Down Fridays by Sherelle Green ♪ x3
Sins of a Saint by Sherelle Green ♪ x2
The Doctor by Nikki Sloane
The Pool Boy by Nikki Sloane
To Marry a Madden by Sherelle Green
Seduced by Moonlight by Kenya Wright ♪
Night Song by Beverly Jenkins ♪ x3
Sanguine by Sierra Simone
The Captain’s Midwinter Bride by Liana De la Rosa
Tall, Dark … Westmoreland! by Brenda Jackson ♪ x2
Temperatures Rising by Brenda Jackson ♪ x3
When She Was Naughty by Tessa Dare
The Way You Tempt Me by Elle Wright ♪
The Perks of Seducing a Wallflower by Tessa Dare
The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty ♪
The Kingdom of Copper by S. A. Chakraborty ♪

September
The Empire of Gold by S. A. Chakraborty ♪
*Brighter Than the Sun by Julia Quinn
*The Winter King by C. L. Wilson B+
*Mr. West by Xyla Turner – C– ♪ x2
The Initiation by Nikki Sloane ♪
The Obsession by Nikki Sloane ♪
The Deception by Nikki Sloane ♪
The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang ♪
Piece of Work by Staci Hart ♪
Player by Staci Hart ♪
Watch Me by Stacey Kennedy
Work in Progress by Staci Hart ♪
Well Suited by Staci Hart ♪
*Hot in Here by Sophie Renwick
Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert ♪
Work for It by Talia Hibbert
The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa ♪
His Perfect Partner by Priscilla Oliveras ♪
Her Perfect Affair by Priscilla Oliveras ♪
Their Perfect Melody by Priscilla Oliveras ♪
I Think I Might Need You by Christina C. Jones ♪

October
I Think I Might Want You by Christina C. Jones ♪
One Summer Night by Caridad Pińeiro ♪
What Happens in Summer by Caridad Pińeiro ♪
The Redemption by Nikki Sloane ♪ x2
81st & Clark by Christina C. Jones ♪ x3
The Truth: His Side, Her Side, and the Truth About Falling in Love by Christina C. Jones ♪
The Lies: The Lies We Tell About Life, Love, and Everything in Between by Christina C. Jones ♪ x5
*Ante Up by Christina C. Jones – B+ ♪

November
*The Lies: The Lies We Tell About Life, Love, and Everything in Between by Christina C. Jones ♪ x11
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson
Beyond Benefriends by Chencia C. Higgins ♪ x 11
Bad Swipe by Elise Faber
Rum and Notes by Elise Faber
Sex on the Seats by Elise Faber
Equivalent Exchange by Christina C. Jones ♪ x 10

December
Equivalent Exchange by Christina C. Jones ♪ x 5
*The Lies: The Lies We Tell About Life, Love, and Everything in Between by Christina C. Jones ♪ x5
*The Unwanted Wife by Natasha Anders – B x2
In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
*The Satin Sash by Red Garnier B+
*Crave by Evelyn Sola – B ♪ x 17
Three Simple Rules by Nikki Sloane

*N.B. – my apologies for typos. I wrote these lists on a thing that is aggressive with DYAC – I tried to catch things but … I keep trying!

😅 Got this done with minutes to spare. By 11:35 PM I was having some flashbacks to my school days and deadlines and … this is why I can never go back to school. 😜

Annnnd I JUST realized I’d already done my “halfway through the year” list so … Welp. You can check for discrepancies here I guess.

*ETA the “♪” means I listened to the audiobook, the asterisk before the title means it was a re-read, and though inconsistent, the asterisk after sometimes means initially I’d never read the book before but I read/listened to it 2+ times in a row after; which I started denoting with “x#” – in the future I hope to be more consistent but honestly with this list I’m just glad I got it done.

Aidee’s List of Books Read the First Half of 2021

Aidee’s January to July 2021 Reading List

These are all the books I read from January to July, not counting any ARCs I read for August through December releases. Like I always say here, the list is not in chronological order, and it is late because there has been a lot going on in my little corner of the world, on top of the general stuff going on. I’ve marked any books with an asterisk that I’ve read more than once, and also noted audiobooks. Continue reading

Guest Author Jess Michaels on Fantasy vs. Reality

Hi friends! I’m excited to welcome Jess Michaels back to ALBTALBS! Twenty years and 100 books is an almost bewildering milestone and such an achievement. Without further ado … Jess!

Fantasy vs. Reality

Jess Michaels

The Broken Duke by Jess Michaels book coverHi everyone and a big thanks to Limecello for having me here today! If you don’t know who I am, I’m Jess Michaels, I write very steamy historical romance. I’ve been doing it for a while, too, because right now I’m counting down to my 100th book release. Time (and work) flies when you’re having fun I guess. 

When we started talking about what I might write about here today, I kept thinking about that meme “how it started, how it’s going”. You know the one, probably, it’s pretty popular on Instagram/FB/TikTok. Certainly, after over twenty years in this industry, I can see a difference, see the development of where I started and what I wanted to where I am and what I want today. 

For most authors, it starts with a dream. When I started out, I could perfectly picture what my future as a published author would look like. I wanted to write for one of the big publishing houses (which was the only way to really publish at the time…I’m old). I even knew the house I’d pick. And then I just knew it would all take off. I’d work really hard and write really good books, my publisher would see and support that, building my career. And…voila…success! Bestseller lists, being able to have an income as a writer, booksignings, whatever the trappings of “success” looked like from the outside. Continue reading

What Sailorstkwrning Read in 2021

Cookbooks – The National Trust books are FANTASTIC, but you do have to convert from English to American measurements if you, like me, are American.

The Great Northern Cookbook, Sean Wilson
The National Trust Book of Scones: 50 delicious recipes and some curious crumbs of history, Sarah Clelland Merker
The National Trust Book of Crumbles, Laura Mason

Non-fiction – These are all A-B rated, some denser and harder to get through than others, but nothing absolutely unbearable.

John Brown, Abolitionist: The Man Who Killed Slavery, Sparked the Civil War, and Seeded Civil Rights, David S. Reynolds
Medical Downfall of the Tudors: Sex, Reproduction & Succession, Sylvia Barbara Soberton
Leaving Isn’t the Hardest Thing: Essays, Lauren Hough
The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power, Deirdre Mask
Country House Society: The Private Lives of England’s Upper Class After the First World War, Pamela Horn
The Long Weekend: Life in the English Country House, 1918-1939, Adrian Tinniswood
The House Party: A Short History of Leisure, Pleasure and the Country House Weekend, Adrian Tinniswood
Romps, Tots and Boffins: The Strange Language of News, Robert Hutton
A Field Guide to the English Clergy: A Compendium of Diverse Eccentrics, Pirates, Prelates and Adventurers; All Anglican, Some Even Practising The Revd Fergus Butler-Gallie
Dead Famous: An Unexpected History of Celebrity from Bronze Age to Silver Screen, Greg Jenner
The King in the North: The Life and Times of Oswald of Northumbria, Max Adams
The White King: Charles I, Traitor, Murderer, Martyr, Leanda de Lisle
The White Ship: Conquest, Anarchy and the Wrecking of Henry I’s Dream, Charles Spencer
.

Fiction
Old “friends” and auto-buys: works by authors I purchase whatever it is because it’s always good, every time:
The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting, KJ Charles
Subtle Blood (The Will Darling Adventures Book 3), KJ Charles
Paladin’s Strength (The Saint of Steel Book 2) T. Kingfisher
Paladin’s Hope (The Saint of Steel Book 3), T. Kingfisher
Tommy Cabot Was Here (The Cabots), Cat Sebastian
Peter Cabot Gets Lost (The Cabots Book 1) Cat Sebastian
The Queer Principles of Kit Webb: A Novel, Cat Sebastian
The Nobleman’s Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks (Montague Siblings Book 3), Mackenzi Lee
His Sacred Incantations (The Warrior’s Guild Book 2), Scarlett Gale
Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake (Winner Bakes All Book 1), Alexis Hall
Seducing the Sorcerer, Lee Welch
The Blackwing War (The Deep Witches Trilogy Book 1), K.B. Spangler
.

Series I took a chance on and then main-lined once I had a taste:

The Knight and the Necromancer: Book One: The Capital, A. H. Lee
The Knight and the Necromancer: Book Two: The Border, A. H. Lee
The Knight and the Necromancer: Book Three: The Sea, A. H. Lee
Enthralled: A Short Novel Related to The Knight and the Necromancer, A. H. Lee
Saffron Alley (Sword Dance Book 2) A.J. Demas
Strong Wine (Sword Dance Book 3), A.J. Demas
Something Human A.J. Demas
One Night in Boukos, A.J. Demas
Rogue Protocol: The Murderbot Diaries, Martha Wells
All Systems Red (Kindle Single): The Murderbot Diaries By: Martha Wells
Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries Book 6),  By: Martha Wells
Network Effect: A Murderbot Novel (The Murderbot Diaries Book 5),  By: Martha Wells
Exit Strategy: The Murderbot Diaries By: Martha Wells
Artificial Condition: The Murderbot Diaries By: Martha Wells
Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory: A Tor.com Original Murderbot Diaries Short Story (The Murderbot Diaries Book 7), Martha Wells
Spellbound: A Paranormal Historical Romance (Magic in Manhattan Book 1)
Allie Therin
Wonderstruck: A Paranormal Historical Romance (Magic in Manhattan Book 3)
Allie Therin
Starcrossed: A Paranormal Historical Romance (Magic in Manhattan Book 2)
Allie Therin
Highland Dragon Warrior: Sexy Shape Shifting Laird Fights for His Perfect Mate (Dawn of the Highland Dragon Book 1)
 Isabel Cooper
Highland Dragon Rebel (Dawn of the Highland Dragon Book 2)
Isabel Cooper
Highland Dragon Master (Dawn of the Highland Dragon Book 3)
Isabel Cooper

Series I liked but have not yet finished:

The Way Into Chaos: Book One of the Great Way, Harry Connolly: This very well done but VERY dense and requires a lot of attention. I bought the rest of the series on the strength of this book but haven’t had the braincells to read them yet.
The Bone Ships (The Tide Child Trilogy Book 1), RJ Barker – This one is also good, very strong characters, excellent worldbuilding, will suck you in like a whirlpool but also does demand  you focus.
Heaven Official’s Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Novel) Vol. 1 – Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, ZeldaCW, Tai3_3 – Finally available in translation!!

The rest: These are also all in the A-B range except where otherwise noted.

Interface: A Novel, Neal Stephenson, J. Frederick George
Empire City: A Novel, Matt Gallagher
These two are both novels about insurrections, which I bought after, well, y’all can probabaly guess. Stephenson was as usual eerily prophetic.
The Apple-Tree Throne, Premee Mohamed – Excellent but also kind of a downer? I needed something warm and fuzzy afterwards as a palate cleanser.
100 Boyfriends, Brontez Purnell – this one is SUPER RAUNCHY but also very good. Walks the line between autobiography and fiction.
Lord of the Last Heartbeat: A Fantasy Romance (The Sacred Dark Book 1), May Peterson – Well written but – for me! – hard going. Again I may just not have been in the right headspace for it. I haven’t finished it yet but I don’t class it as a DNF, just that I have put a pin in it for now.
Under the Whispering Door, TJ Klune – A+ – very good but also very hard to get through, for some reason. Possibly reading a romance where one of the main characters is associated with Death during a pandemic is . . . not the best of ideas, IDK. That said: it was sharp and sweet and even funny, in places, and if you liked the Cerulean Sea book, you’ll (probably) like this one.
We Ride Upon Sticks: A Novel. Quan Barry – Really fantastic young adult novel. Will make you crave bananas.
The Quiet House (Black and Blue Series Book 2) Lily Morton
Geoffrey the Very Strange: A M/M Fantasy Romance, Angel Martinez, Jude Dunn
Haven: A MM Paranormal Mystery Romance, Morgan Brice
The Hands of the Emperor, Victoria Goddard – This book is ENORMOUS and it is SO GOOD. Not a romance but also not not a romance? A story of two men who love each other in multiple different ways. Look, it’s magnificent, just READ IT. A++
The Snails of Dun Nas, K.L. Noone – Yes it really is about giant snails. There’s also a non-binary character! There’s some magic (obviously) and some derring-do. Escapism at it’s finest, A+
White Trash Warlock (The Adam Binder Novels Book 1) David R. Slayton
Trailer Park Trickster (The Adam Binder Novels Book 2) David R. Slayton
The world building is at times a little wobbly but on the whole very good.

A
nd finally, my sole actual “book I wished I could have thrown across the room”:
Summons: A demon/mage story (Quirk of Fate Book 1), Lisa Oliver – this one gets a big fat F for having a vibe that was really unpleasant, specifically, it felt subtly but distinctly anti-Semitic and I noped out after two chapters and returned it.

Team TBR Challenge Not Review! On Comfort Reads and the Sexiest Seemingly Tame [Scenes]

Hi friends! So I was all “I’m definitely going to be on top of writing TBR Challenge reviews in 2022!” And like … I just hesitated typing 2022 because my fingers wanted to type 2021 and that’s how things are going, described in the gentlest way.

I’ve been doing very little reading the past few months, in a way. And in another … well, I’m fixating – hard. I listened to the same audiobook, once a day if not more, for well over a month. I’ve shifted to the same audiobook for a week (or so), on repeat, but they’re comfort re-reads. In January I went back to Beverly Jenkins historicals. <3 (IndigoVivid, Night Hawk…)

Which … gets me to this. While my TBR both languishes and grows – you’re all readers – you get it – I just … have no focus. And I’m not even branching out on comfort reads because what if I pick up a book I loved 20 years ago but it’s just terrible now? (Maybe it just wasn’t that good, maybe it was super racist and I had no idea. I don’t know.)
… So yeah. You’re almost paralyzed with “what ifs.” But also trying a new book just … is too exhausting and what if it’s not good and then you wasted time and then also have to figure out what else to read to avoid it.

That’s enough of that.

ANYWAY. I said I went back to Beverly Jenkins re-[and re and re and re] reads…. and what came to mind for “the sexiest low key scene” – I mean it’s a grand gesture but it’s not something you’d normally think of as sexy. It’s when Galen quotes scripture to Hester in the church.

… if you’ve never read Indigo you might be thinking “uhhhhhh Lime?” But come on. Imagine it’s 1858, and the most handsome man you or anyone else has ever seen stands up in church and quotes.

“Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse…thou hast ravished my heart… Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense …” “Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue…Thy navel is like a round goblet which wanteth not liquor…The joints of your thighs are like jewels…”

Which are from Chapters 4 and 7 of Song of Solomon. It made me think of the infamous Darcy hand flex in the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice that is regularly trotted out in social media and people lose their minds over. It’s iconic.

So my question is … what is the tamest/most innocuous yet sexiest/most “*fans self*” scene you’ve ever read? What’s your favorite one in a book or movie?

Inquiring minds wish to know!

And if you’ve never read Indigo … do yourself the favor and start now. Now!

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins book coverAs a child Hester Wyatt escaped slavery, but now the dark skinned beauty is a dedicated member of Michigan’s Underground railroad, offering other runaways a chance at the freedom she has learned to love. When one of her fellow conductors brings her an injured man to hide, Hester doesn’t hesitate…even after she is told about the price on his head.

The man in question is the great conductor known as the “Black Daniel” a vital member of the North’s Underground railroad network. But Hester finds him so rude and arrogant, she begins to question her vow to hide him.

When the injured and beaten Galen Vachon, aka, the Black Daniel awakens in Hester’s cellar, he is unprepared for the feisty young conductor providing his care. As a member of one of the wealthiest free Black families in New Orleans, Galen has turned his back on the lavish living he is accustomed to in order to provide freedom to those enslaved in the South.

However, as he heals he cannot turn his back on Hester Wyatt. Her innocence fills him like a breath of fresh air and he is determined to make this gorgeous and intelligent woman his own…

Yet…there are traitors to be discovered, slave catchers to be evaded and Hester’s heart to be won before she and Galen can find the freedom that only true love can bring.

Aidee’s Anticipated Books for 2022

This is late, but it took a bit to get my new book engine revving. These books are in no order at all–they’re not organized chronologically, or by how much I’m looking forward to them, they’re just in the order I wrote down the titles.

Storm Echo by Nalini Singh (July 26, 2022)

*Released today! Servant Mage by Kate Elliott (January 18, 2022)


In Kate Elliott’s Servant Mage, a lowly fire mage finds herself entangled in an empire-spanning conspiracy on her way to discovering her true power.

They choose their laws to secure their power.

Fellian is a Lamplighter, able to provide illumination through magic. A group of rebel Monarchists free her from indentured servitude and take her on a journey to rescue trapped compatriots from an underground complex of mines.

Along the way they get caught up in a conspiracy to kill the latest royal child and wipe out the Monarchist movement for good.

But Fellian has more than just her Lamplighting skills up her sleeve…

Spear by Nicola Griffith (April 19, 2022)


She left all she knew to find who she could be . . .

She grows up in the wild wood, in a cave with her mother, but visions of a faraway lake drift to her on the spring breeze, scented with promise. And when she hears a traveler speak of Artos, king of Caer Leon, she decides her future lies at his court. So, brimming with magic and eager to test her strength, she breaks her covenant with her mother and sets out on her bony gelding for Caer Leon.

With her stolen hunting spear and mended armour, she is an unlikely hero, not a chosen one, but one who forges her own bright path. Aflame with determination, she begins a journey of magic and mystery, love, lust and fights to death. On her adventures, she will steal the hearts of beautiful women, fight warriors and sorcerers, and make a place to call home.

The legendary author of Hild returns with an unforgettable hero and a queer Arthurian masterpiece for the modern era. Nicola Griffith’s Spear is a spellbinding vision of the Camelot we’ve longed for, a Camelot that belongs to us all.

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan Mcguire (January 4, 2022)

In Where the Drowned Girls Go, the next addition to Seanan McGuire’s beloved Wayward Children series, students at an anti-magical school rebel against the oppressive faculty

“Welcome to the Whitethorn Institute. The first step is always admitting you need help, and you’ve already taken that step by requesting a transfer into our company.”

There is another school for children who fall through doors and fall back out again.
It isn’t as friendly as Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.
And it isn’t as safe.

When Eleanor West decided to open her school, her sanctuary, her “Home for Wayward Children,” she knew from the beginning that there would be children she couldn’t save; when Cora decides she needs a different direction, a different fate, a different prophecy, Miss West reluctantly agrees to transfer her to the other school, where things are run very differently by Whitethorn, the Headmaster.

She will soon discover that not all doors are welcoming…

Spelunking Through Hell by Seanan Mcguire (March 1, 2022)


Love, noun:

1. An intense feeling of deep affection; may be romantic, filial, or platonic.

Passion, noun:

1. A strong or barely controllable emotion.
2. Enthusiasm, interest, desire.
3. See also “obsession.”

It’s been fifty years since the crossroads caused the disappearance of Thomas Price, and his wife, Alice, has been trying to find him and bring him home ever since, despite the increasing probability that he’s no longer alive for her to find. Now that the crossroads have been destroyed, she’s redoubling her efforts. It’s time to bring him home, dead or alive.

Preferably alive, of course, but she’s tired, and at this point, she’s not that picky. It’s a pan-dimensional crash course in chaos, as Alice tries to find the rabbit hole she’s been missing for all these decades—the one that will take her to the man she loves.

Who are her allies? Who are her enemies? And if she manages to find him, will he even remember her at this point?

It’s a lot for one cryptozoologist to handle.

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn (November 8, 2022)


The shadows have risen, and the line is law.

All Bree wanted was to uncover the truth behind her mother’s death. So she infiltrated the Legendborn Order, a secret society descended from King Arthur’s knights—only to discover her own ancestral power. Now, Bree has become someone new:

A Medium. A Bloodcrafter. A Scion.

But the ancient war between demons and the Order is rising to a deadly peak. And Nick, the Legendborn boy Bree fell in love with, has been kidnapped.

Bree wants to fight, but the Regents who rule the Order won’t let her. To them, she is an unknown girl with unheard-of power, and as the living anchor for the spell that preserves the Legendborn cycle, she must be protected.

When the Regents reveal they will do whatever it takes to hide the war, Bree and her friends must go on the run to rescue Nick themselves. But enemies are everywhere, Bree’s powers are unpredictable and dangerous, and she can’t escape her growing attraction to Selwyn, the mage sworn to protect Nick until death.

If Bree has any hope of saving herself and the people she loves, she must learn to control her powers from the ancestors who wielded them first—without losing herself in the process.

A Dance of Smoke and Steel by Milla Vane (June 28, 2022)


As Anumith the Destroyer’s army draws nearer to the western realms, an alliance is forming to stand against him. The heir to the throne of Krimathe embarks upon a quest for the goddess Vela—a quest that the goddess has promised will give her strength enough to defeat the Destroyer.

All that Laina must do is stay silent…and serve a man she has sworn to kill. A man who helped destroy her family.

The son of a demon warlord and only recently freed from years of torture, Saxen seeks to make amends to his people before facing the justice of the Krimathean queen’s blade. When a mysterious, silent woman who wears a questing cloak joins his small band of warriors, he only wishes to rid himself of her.

But she isn’t so easy to get rid of—and fulfilling her quest will come at a far higher cost than Laina can imagine. For she might gain the strength to defeat the Destroyer…but what she needs from Saxen will destroy him first.

Terminal Peace by Jim C. Hines (August 9, 2022)


The third and final book of the Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse follows a group of unlikely heroes trying to save the galaxy from a zombie plague.

Marion “Mops” Adamopoulos and her team were trained to clean spaceships. They were absolutely not trained to fight an interplanetary war with the xenocidal Prodryans or to make first contact with the Jynx, a race who might not be as primitive as they seem. But if there’s one lesson Mops and her crew have learned, it’s that things like “training” and “being remotely qualified” are overrated.

The war is escalating. (This might be Mops’ fault.) The survival of humanity—those few who weren’t turned to feral, shambling monsters by an alien plague—as well as the fate of all other non-Prodryans, will depend on what Captain Mops and the crew of the EDFS Pufferfish discover on the ringed planet of Tuxatl.

But the Jynx on Tuxatl are fighting a war of their own, and their world’s long-buried secrets could be more dangerous than the Prodryans.

To make matters worse, Mops is starting to feel a little feral herself.…

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi (March 15, 2022)

The Kaiju Preservation Society is John Scalzi’s first standalone adventure since the conclusion of his New York Times bestselling Interdependency trilogy.

When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City, Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is, until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance, Tom, who works at what he calls “an animal rights organization.” Tom’s team needs a last-minute grunt to handle things on their next field visit. Jamie, eager to do anything, immediately signs on.

What Tom doesn’t tell Jamie is that the animals his team cares for are not here on Earth. Not our Earth, at at least. In an alternate dimension, massive dinosaur-like creatures named Kaiju roam a warm and human-free world. They’re the universe’s largest and most dangerous panda and they’re in trouble.

It’s not just the Kaiju Preservation Society whose found their way to the alternate world. Others have, too. And their carelessness could cause millions back on our Earth to die.

The Date from Hell by Gwenda Bond (April 5, 2022)


In The Date from Hell, the sequel to Not Your Average Hot Guy, New York Times bestselling author Gwenda Bond brings the journey of Callie, Luke, and their friends to a wonderful close. This is another laugh out loud, action packed romantic adventure you won’t want to miss.

After saving the world and stopping the apocalypse, Callie and Luke are looking forward to a quiet, romantic weekend together. When you’re human and dating the Prince of Hell, quiet moments are hard to come by. But their romantic weekend in Hell takes a turn when Lucifer tasks Callie and Luke with chasing a wayward soul around the world. If they can prove it’s possible to redeem a soul, Lucifer will allow the two of them to make some changes in Hell.

But this wayward soul, Sean, doesn’t have any interest in being redeemed. Instead, now that he’s back on Earth, he’s decided to take a leaf out of Callie and Luke’s book and wants to find the Holy Grail. Now Callie, Luke, and their friends—and enemies—must race Sean around the globe on a Grail quest and bring peace between Heaven and Hell before they can finally (maybe) get around to that date.

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren (May 17, 2022)

Growing up the daughter of notorious treasure hunter and absentee father Duke Wilder left Lily without much patience for the profession…or much money in the bank. But Lily is nothing if not resourceful, and now uses Duke’s coveted hand-drawn maps to guide tourists on fake treasure hunts through the red rock canyons of Utah. It pays the bills but doesn’t leave enough to fulfill her dream of buying back the beloved ranch her father sold years ago, and definitely not enough to deal with the sight of the man she once loved walking back into her life with a motley crew of friends ready to hit the trails. Frankly, Lily would like to take him out into the wilderness—and leave him there.

Leo Grady knew mirages were a thing in the desert, but they’d barely left civilization when the silhouette of his greatest regret comes into focus in the flickering light of the campfire. Ready to leave the past behind him, Leo wants nothing more than to reconnect with his first and only love. Unfortunately, Lily Wilder is all business, drawing a clear line in the sand: it’s never going to happen.

But when the trip goes horribly and hilariously wrong, the group wonders if maybe the legend of the hidden treasure wasn’t a gimmick after all. There’s a chance to right the wrongs—of Duke’s past and their own—but only if Leo and Lily can confront their history and work together. Alone under the stars in the isolated and dangerous mazes of the Canyonlands, Leo and Lily must decide whether they’ll risk their lives and hearts on the adventure of a lifetime.

From the author of the “heartfelt and funny” (Publishers Weekly) sensation The Unhoneymooners, this page-turning adventure full of second chances, complicated relationships, and the breathtaking beauty of the American Southwest will take fans on one wild ride.

Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler (June 7, 2022)


In Dahlia Adler’s Home Field Advantage, a sweet and funny f/f romance from the author of Cool for the Summer, a cheerleader and the school’s newest quarterback are playing to win, but might lose their hearts in the process.

Amber McCloud’s dream is to become cheer captain at the end of the year, but it’s an extra-tall order to be joyful and spirited when the quarterback of your team has been killed in a car accident. For both the team and the squad, watching Robbie get replaced by newcomer Jack Walsh is brutal. And when it turns out Jack is actually short for Jaclyn, all hell breaks loose.

The players refuse to be led by a girl, the cheerleaders are mad about the changes to their traditions, and the fact that Robbie’s been not only replaced but outshined by a QB who wears a sports bra has more than a few Atherton Alligators in a rage. Amber tries for some semblance of unity, but it quickly becomes clear that she’s only got a future on the squad and with her friends if she helps them take Jack down.

Just one problem: Amber and Jack are falling for each other, and if Amber can’t stand up for Jack and figure out how to get everyone to fall in line, her dream may come at the cost of her heart.

Dahlia Adler’s Home Field Advantage is a sparkling romance about fighting for what – or who – you truly want.

Grey Magic by Jeffe Kennedy (February 15, 2022)

Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester (May 10, 2022)

Verónica, a Peruvian‑American teen with hip dysplasia, auditions to become a mermaid at a Central Florida theme park in the summer before her senior year, all while figuring out her first real boyfriend and how to feel safe in her own body, in this gorgeously written and authentic novel.

Verónica has had many surgeries to manage her disability. The best form of rehabilitation is swimming, so she spends hours in the pool, but not just to strengthen her body. Her Florida town is home to Mermaid Cove, a kitschy underwater attraction where professional mermaids perform in giant tanks . . . and Verónica wants to audition. But her conservative Peruvian parents would never go for it. And they definitely would never let her be with Alex, her cute new neighbor. She decides it’s time to seize control of her life, but her plans come crashing down when she learns her parents have been hiding the truth from her—the truth about her own body.

Reclaim the Stars Edited by Zoraida Cordova (February 15, 2022)


From stories that take you to the stars, to stories that span into other times and realms, to stories set in the magical now, RECLAIM THE STARS takes the Latin American diaspora to places fantastical and out of this world.

Follow princesses warring in space, haunting ghost stories in Argentina, mermaids off the coast of the Caribbean, swamps that whisper secrets, and many more realms explored and unexplored; this stunning collection of seventeen short stories breaks borders and realms to prove that stories are truly universal.

Reclaim the Stars features both bestselling and acclaimed authors as well as two new voices in the genres: Vita Ayala, David Bowles, J.C. Cervantes, Zoraida Córdova, Sara Faring, Romina Garber, Isabel Ibañez, Anna-Marie McLemore, Yamile Saied Méndez, Nina Moreno, Circe Moskowitz, Maya Motayne, Linda Raquel Nieves Pérez, Daniel José Older, Claribel A. Ortega, Mark Oshiro and Lilliam Rivera.

The Lost Dreamer by Lizz Huerta (March 1, 20222)


Indir is a Dreamer, descended from a long line of seers; able to see beyond reality, she carries the rare gift of Dreaming truth. But when the beloved king dies, his son has no respect for this time-honored tradition. King Alcan wants an opportunity to bring the Dreamers to a permanent end—an opportunity Indir will give him if he discovers the two secrets she is struggling to keep. As violent change shakes Indir’s world to its core, she is forced to make an impossible choice: fight for her home or fight to survive.

Saya is a seer, but not a Dreamer—she has never been formally trained. Her mother exploits her daughter’s gift, passing it off as her own as they travel from village to village, never staying in one place too long. Almost as if they’re running from something. Almost as if they’re being hunted. When Saya loses the necklace she’s worn since birth, she discovers that seeing isn’t her only gift—and begins to suspect that everything she knows about her life has been a carefully-constructed lie. As she comes to distrust the only family she’s ever known, Saya will do what she’s never done before, go where she’s never been, and risk it all in the search of answers.

With a detailed, supernaturally-charged setting and topical themes of patriarchal power and female strength, Lizz Huerta’s The Lost Dreamer brings an ancient world to life, mirroring the challenges of our modern one.

One for All by Lillie Lainoff (March 8, 2022)


One for All is a gender-bent retelling of The Three Musketeers, in which a girl with a chronic illness trains as a Musketeer and uncovers secrets, sisterhood, and self-love.

Tania de Batz is most herself with a sword in her hand. Everyone thinks her near-constant dizziness makes her weak, nothing but “a sick girl.” But Tania wants to be strong, independent, a fencer like her father—a former Musketeer and her greatest champion. Then Papa is brutally, mysteriously murdered. His dying wish? For Tania to attend finishing school. But L’Académie des Mariées, Tania realizes, is no finishing school. It’s a secret training ground for new Musketeers: women who are socialites on the surface, but strap daggers under their skirts, seduce men into giving up dangerous secrets, and protect France from downfall. And they don’t shy away from a sword fight.

With her newfound sisters at her side, Tania feels that she has a purpose, that she belongs. But then she meets Étienne, her target in uncovering a potential assassination plot. He’s kind, charming—and might have information about what really happened to her father. Torn between duty and dizzying emotion, Tania will have to decide where her loyalties lie…or risk losing everything she’s ever wanted.

Lillie Lainoff’s debut novel is a fierce, whirlwind adventure about the depth of found family, the strength that goes beyond the body, and the determination it takes to fight for what you love. Includes an author’s note about her personal experience with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.

Harbinger by Wen Spencer (April 5, 2022)


The war against the oni heats to a flashpoint even as Tinker learns that the enemy has a dangerous new weapon, the nactka. What’s more, the Stone Clan has sent its most famous warlords, the Harbingers, to take control of the allied war effort. Are these elves friends or foes? Tinker’s newfound baby siblings are up for grabs. The babies, though, are wood sprites and aren’t going to take things lying down. Team Mischief go!

.
Boss Witch by Ann Aguirre (April 5, 2022)


Clementine Waterhouse is a perfectly logical witch. She doesn’t tumble headlong into love. Rather she weighs the pros and cons and decides if a relationship is worth pursuing. At least that’s always been her modus operandi before. Clem prefers being the one in charge, always the first to walk away when the time is right. Attraction has never struck her like lightning.

Until the witch hunter comes to town.

Gavin Rhys hates being a witch hunter, but his family honor is on the line, and he needs to prove he’s nothing like his grandfather, a traitor who let everyone down. But things in St. Claire aren’t what they seem, and Gavin is distracted from the job immediately by a bewitching brunette with a sexy smile and haunting secrets in her eyes.

Can the bossiest witch in town find a happy ending with the last person she should ever love?

Aidee’s Reads from the First Half of 2020

NOPE. THAT’S NOT A TYPO. 😱 😬 😅
Hi all! Your friend Limecello here with an apology to Aidee and … the rest of you can just imagine the biggest cringe and me crawling under a rock. I … yeah that’s not a typo – this list is from 2020 and I don’t even know WTF was happening/how I dropped the ball. (I mean I know in June 2020 there was a lot of “surgery or no?” for me but… dude. Still >.< did not think I’d be tinkering with it in August 2021…
But! I still think this is important to post – “new to me” books discoveries are always good, as is finding someone who might be your book brain twin. 😀

I’d also like to note that the sale prices for the books are accurate as of the time of me writing and formatting this post – I can’t guarantee them for when the post goes live or when you see it. Thanks for understanding!

Anyway – here we go – Aidee’s January 1 – June 30, 2020 reads.

Chaos Reigning by Jessie Mihalik | B+
Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet | B- (currently on sale for $5.68 on kindle)
Can’t Escape Love by Alyssa Cole (audiobook) | A-
Once Upon a Rose by Laura Florand | A
A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby by Vanessa Riley | B- (*currently $1.99 for kindle)
The Dare by Elle Kennedy | B *currently just $0.99 for kindle
The Chase by Elle Kennedy B- (currently a kindle freebie)
The Perfect Escape by Suzanne Park | B (reviewed here)
Mr. Hotshot CEO by Jackie Lau | B+
Shatter the Earth by Karen Chance | B
Pregnant by the Playboy by Jackie Lau | B- *currently $0.99 for kindle
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo (audiobook) | B+ *currently on sale for $8.72 (kindle)
Alpha Night by Nalini Singh | B+
Hers to Defend by Rhenna Morgan | B-
Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson | B
Night Shift Dragons by Rachel Aaron (audiobook) | A-
Companion Pieces by Melissa F. Olson (audiobook) | B-
Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan | A-
A Treason of Truths by Ada Harper | A-
The Last Emperox by John Scalzi (audiobook) | B+
Love Hard by Nalini Singh | A-
Wolf Rain by Nalini Singh | B+
Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire | B+
Imaginary Numbers by Seanan McGuire | B
Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin | B-
Badger to the Bone by Shelly Laurenston (audiobook) | B
The Rich Boy by Kylie Scott | A-
Wicked Bite by Jeanine Frost (audiobook) | B+
Heartland by Sarina Bowen (audiobook) | B-
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert (audiobook) | A-
Breakaway by Michelle Diener | A-
Dark Horse by Michelle Diener | B+ *currently this book is in Prime Reading/Library
Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven | B
Dragon Blood by Eileen Wilks | B-
Dragon Spawn by Eileen Wilks | B-
Ritual Magic by Eileen Wilks | B-
Mind Magic by Eileen Wilks | B
Spellbound by Allie Therin | B-
The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison (audiobook) | B+
A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane (audiobook) | A
The Black Wolves of Boston by Wen Spencer (audiobook)* | B
Down and Dirty by Kendall Ryan | B- *currently in KU too
Wicked Ugly Bad by Cassandra Gannon | B+
Legally Yours by Nicole French | C+ *currently a kindle freebie
A Girl Like Her: A Small Town Romance by Talia Hibbert | B+ *currently on sale for $2.99  (kindle)
Falcon by Marilyn Campbell | C+ *also currently on sale for $2.99 (kindle) 
The Golden Spider by Anne Renwick | C+
Best Knight Ever by Cassandra Gannon | B+
Knight in Leather by Holley Trent | B-
Woo Me by Karina Bliss | B+
Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev (audiobook) | A- *currently on sale for $7.99 (kindle)
Lush Money by Angelina M. Lopez | B+
Emergency Skin by N.K. Jemisin (novella) | B+ *If you’re a Prime member it’s currently in Prime Reading/Library

What Limecello Read from January – June 2021

I did it!!! I have a post going up in a reasonably timely manner! Ahhh!!! >.> So like … remember how down all of us were on/about 2020? And like … 2021 is in some (a lot of ways?) worse? Like a lot worse? So … yeah. That’s somewhat reflected in my reading … there were weeks [a month] where I just … didn’t read much. I binge watched all of Schitt’s Creek in literally a week in February … and there are a lot of books I didn’t get around to ~reviewing/writing my thoughts on. But 🤷🏻‍♀️ Here’s my list anyway. I think the biggest note of the bunch would be Tiffany Patterson – if you like contemporary romances, I think she’s definitely an author you should check out. Each book is so unique yet her voice is so strong. I loved that each character is so developed and distinct. As you see I read through almost her entire backlist in basically a month.

Anyway, here goes! Continue reading

[Day After] Release Day Guest Author: Amy Craig

Hi friends! Today we welcome Amy Craig who wrote a truly lovely post for ALBTALBS <3 Her book A Winter Rose just came out yesterday (July 28, 2021 – yes! A post in real time at ALBTALBS! Put this on your calendar! 😉) This is her first time guesting at A Little Bit Tart, A Little Bit Sweet, so show her some love! 

On A Winter Rose

The first time someone “published” my writing was middle school. Everyone in my class wrote a poem, submitted their poem to an anthology, paid a fee, and received a paperback copy. When I received my copy, I read my friend’s poems, reread my poem, and knew we’d been had. The anthology was a total scam that preyed on doting parents and ambivalent kids. 

A few years later, my high school teacher asked me to write a piece for the National Council of Teachers of English. I flashed back to middle school, but I sat in the cold computer lab and pecked out a story using terms from my beginning ballet class, bad French, and a perseverance theme. I won recognition, but my teacher’s encouragement stayed with me through college and years of professional doubt.

When The Wild Rose Press accepted A Winter Rose, I dedicated the novel to my teacher. My grandma claimed the first indie publishing dedication, but my teacher roared into second place. Continue reading