I really enjoyed the art style - where it looks like doodles on binder paper with visible pencil lines etc. It gave the book it's own Maybe 3.5 stars.
I really enjoyed the art style - where it looks like doodles on binder paper with visible pencil lines etc. It gave the book it's own flavour.
So far everything is sweet and building up nicely, I was a little disappointed that this is more like a single comic book than a volume of a graphic novel (or bound comics) with just a teaser amount of storyline. The only thing keeping me from going forward reading is cost for amount of story trade off.
I found both our main characters have very similar personalities so far (both easily fall in love) but I'm really enjoying the concept so far. Really, the only thing holding me back is that there is SO LITTLE in this....more
I put off reading this for ages because I was worried about the angst/stakes that vol 3 set up. But then this ended up being mostly sweet - I should hI put off reading this for ages because I was worried about the angst/stakes that vol 3 set up. But then this ended up being mostly sweet - I should have had more faith in the story....more
I thought this would be a great way to sample Poston's writing without committing to long novel. This was fine, I think I wish it had been a touch lonI thought this would be a great way to sample Poston's writing without committing to long novel. This was fine, I think I wish it had been a touch longer because this didn't really give you the room to buy into her superstition as a real layer of magical realism rather than just in her mind and my understanding of Poston's work is that you are meant to buy into the magic. Though I would read more of her work based off the writing in this....more
1. I think I either missed, or she neglected to mention, what religion Alma is a priesActually 3.5 stars.
My issues with this book were few and small:
1. I think I either missed, or she neglected to mention, what religion Alma is a priest in. I eventually worked out that it must be Episcopalian due to the ritualistic nature of the religion but having a gay woman as a priest and now seeing the author is an Episcopalian priest herself, but it would have been nice to be informed (unless I missed that early on... did I miss it?).
2. In the end the Bishop kept harping on her not returning calls. But she did. She called back. She left messages. I know it's ridiculous and small, but it drove me crazy that he kept harping on it and Alma never said, I *did* call back but we kept missing each other. It mattered because her "distraction from her job" was a major factor in this story, but she wasn't completely negligent.
3. I knew who the killer was almost right away. And not even for the "clue" Alma stated should have given it away at the end of the book. But I don't always hold that against books because I'm like that and it's not like it was clearly projected, I'm just good at solving these things.
Those are my issues, but like I said, they were really small and didn't at all detract from my enjoyment of the book - in fact I immediately bought book two on finishing this one.
I found the blend of the romantic and personal subplots along with the mystery itself did a great job of keeping you from spending too much time pondering the Who Dunnit and made the story much more enjoyable. Even though I'd worked out who must have done it very early on the way the other subplots are woven together did a great job of keeping me following the story and almost forgetting that I already knew the answer. Honestly, I'm a little disappointed to discover her other books aren't mysteries.
Would for sure recommend for great bisexual rep and a good mystery....more
While this is a short piece it is not just a smutty (basically erotica) novella. I really appreciated the amount of world building Actually 3.5 stars.
While this is a short piece it is not just a smutty (basically erotica) novella. I really appreciated the amount of world building Lauren was able to fit into such a short work, especially as this is the third book in a series/world but the only one of which I've read. This is my favourite kind of paranormal world with it's magical realism adjacent kind of world building.
I'm going to look back at the other two novellas but I wouldn't say no to a whole novel with more than just romance going on in it. One of the better novellas I started (if not finished) during my novella binge....more
CW for death (in combat) and suicide both off page.
This suffers from the core problem so many romance novellas need to manage: Insta Love. Some novellCW for death (in combat) and suicide both off page.
This suffers from the core problem so many romance novellas need to manage: Insta Love. Some novellas solve it by not pretending this is love - short and smutty works, some find work arounds like already having some level of relationship etc.. some keep it but tone it down. This did not tone it down. It's been 4 days and we're already talking about babies and marriage.
I'm normally ok with the insta love because it's par for the course when choosing to read a novella, but it was... a lot.
That was compounded by some some consent things that just made me feel really uncomfortable. The way the first time they had sex was initiated (no discussion even of orientation or interest, etc, etc), pushing Lakyta into public sex acts without giving her a say, pressuring her to say she'd have a baby when it was the one and only thing she was clear and firm on not wanting.
This really had 4+ star potential in every way... except those two things just gave me the squik. Probably someone not so bothered by lack of consent and communication would really love this. As it is I probably won't be seeking out more by this author, which makes me sad because I feel like she could use the readers....more
Actually 3.5 stars - rounded up because it was exactly the vibe I wanted.
Another reviewer described this as the romance equivalent of an "adult onesieActually 3.5 stars - rounded up because it was exactly the vibe I wanted.
Another reviewer described this as the romance equivalent of an "adult onesie with bunny ears" and while they didn't necessarily mean it as a compliment it was exactly why I decided to pick up this book, and having now finished it, I agree - this is a perfect assessment.
It is cozy and gentle romance set in a lightly paranormal world while also being pretty high on the smut level (while still being a whole book with a plot and character development) and touching on some pretty intense topics (how growing up fundie harms women, SA, homelessness, etc) you'll still spend most of your time reading this feeling like you are being gently hugged while you sip cocoa in an adorable onesie.
It was exactly what I wanted. And I'm interested in both the next book in this series and possibly more from this author....more
I feel torn about this book. I was totally in love with the idea of a historical spy agency completely made up of women working to protect women whereI feel torn about this book. I was totally in love with the idea of a historical spy agency completely made up of women working to protect women where the law doesn't, but this just... didn't quite deliver what I wanted it to be.
I also almost DNF'd the book at something like 24% the pacing (more on that) plus the insta "I saw him across a crowded room (or more accurately, a stream) and now I love him" just did not work for me. In fact, it really turned me off of the book. I decided to give it till 30% and then decided to give it till 50% and in the end I read the whole thing.
I'd say that the first 30-40% was a 2 star book. The middle was 3.5 maybe 4 and the end an erratic swing between 4 and 3 stars.
The pacing on the beginning was way too slow and could have stood to have 20-30% cut. But the pacing on the final 15% was wildly paced like an out of control horse. (Typically, the climax happens around 75-80% mark and the last 15% is a denouement but this book didn't even start the climax scene until the 86% point - I was literally expecting a cliffhanger it was so tight and rushed).
Beyond the pacing issues enough just wasn't done to get me on board with the Aviary. It felt a lot like a "show, don't tell" - we were told a lot about how amazing and clever and how many women they helped, but we saw very little of it.
I think had these things been smoothed out this would have been a 5 star book but as it stands... I probably won't continue on in the series....more
This is my second Glassman read (and I have one more contemporary novella/short by her on my Kindle) and while my last read was a coActually 2.5 stars
This is my second Glassman read (and I have one more contemporary novella/short by her on my Kindle) and while my last read was a contemporary romance (Knit One, Girl Two) and this is fantasy I'm having the same reaction to both: They are just TOO short. I think even if Glassman gave herself 100-150 pages (instead of the 30-50 these ones are) she could write some truly gorgeous novellas.
The character work in both this and Knit was excellent and engaging, and the world building in this was so intriguing... I suppose, on one hand it's a good thing for me to be disappointed the piece is over already, but on the other: This is NOT a complete story.
If there was also a full length novel or novella in this world that this was a prequel to I'd rate it higher but left to stand on it's own it can't - it has nothing to stand ON - and so it just becomes... pointless. Which is a shame because I REALLY wanted more....more
I really loved the first in this series (Meet Me in Los Feliz) last year and so was super looking forward to this one, but I ended up not liking it quI really loved the first in this series (Meet Me in Los Feliz) last year and so was super looking forward to this one, but I ended up not liking it quite as much. Still a great read, really loved the characters - particularly the hero - out of the bedroom but the bedroom scenes just didn't work for me.
I am aware that this is a very personal thing. But Killian is one of those Cinnamon Bun on the Streets, Dommy Top in the Sheets heroes - which I know is someone's thing (and if it's yours you will for sure enjoy this) but I just am not into the Dom Top vibe. Also, one of my favourite things about Los Feliz was all the open conversation and consent which we not really things in this one (for example, Killian Does A Thing during sex, then tells us he wouldn't want to do anything she didn't want so he's making her say she wants the thing done again. The fact that the thing was a VERY MILD pain/BDSM thing, but was NOT talked about or consented to before anything happened made me super uncomfortable). We find out during sex play (relatively late in the book actually) that Leighton likes a little pain with her pleasure, but only in her internal narrative, and Killian has been mixing them in their actual sex almost from the beginning with no discussion.
I know this is very personal to me, but the stark contrast in communication and consent between the books - one of the things I found super sexy about the first one that made me love it - really tips this down a lot for me. I am so not into pain with sexy times, but I'm ok with it in fiction when there's lots of... you guessed it... communication and consent. But I feel pretty confident that if you aren't like me you'll probably love this. (Also, again, this is super mild, grown adults very first bdsm level and anyone into that stuff will certainly think I'm a baby for my feelings about it. Just so you don't go in expecting more than there is.)
But I still really wish I was seeing more of the romance and smut reviewing girlies reading these books. They definitely deserve a wider audience....more
This had so much potential for me but I just felt like the hero kept making decisions that didn't line up with what he said. I liked a lot about this,This had so much potential for me but I just felt like the hero kept making decisions that didn't line up with what he said. I liked a lot about this, but it ended up just feeling slightly disappointing. I've read another novella by Milan and liked that enough to make up for what I didn't enjoy here....more
For ages I saw people raving about this book and I didn't really bother to pay attention to it because I don't generally like paranormals with the faeFor ages I saw people raving about this book and I didn't really bother to pay attention to it because I don't generally like paranormals with the fae in them (similarly I'm not much into vampires) but I kept hearing about it and finally decided to give it a try and I'm so glad I did.
This was the perfect blend of cozy with stuff happening for me. I really enjoyed the whole reading experience and found the audio book to be a great way to take this book in....more
I really dislike Regina. Like really disliked her. But I'm glad I pushed through that because I really enjoyed watching the relationActually 3.5 Stars
I really dislike Regina. Like really disliked her. But I'm glad I pushed through that because I really enjoyed watching the relationship between Hawkins and Chloe develop.
So far I've really liked Mari Costa's work, this isn't my favourite (Life of Melody is) but I'll for sure be reading whatever she puts out next....more
I'm reading this as part of an exploration of which historical romance authors I do and don't enjoy (and therefore want to buy more of).
I feel pretty I'm reading this as part of an exploration of which historical romance authors I do and don't enjoy (and therefore want to buy more of).
I feel pretty torn on this book. In a lot of ways it was the kind of historical romance I really enjoy. I liked its slow burn, I liked the focus on relationship building (not just of the main romance, but all of the relationships), and I enjoyed the character work. I liked the external forces third act vs a break up. I always enjoy when the female main character is modern/plucky/passionate about her own things, etc. even if that is not historically accurate. For the most part I'd say that this is a good representation of what I actually enjoy in historical romance...
And yet...
I'm pretty firmly of the stance that historical romance is fantasy writing - we're here for the Ren Faire, old timey vibes cosplay not actual historical accuracy (very little is sexy about what women had to put up with to survive in ye olden times) so I usually have some leniency for tropes. But I just could not get over the Employer/Employee paradigm in this book.
And not just Employer, but top level aristocrat, literal Prince (whom no one is going to blink an eye at doing whatever he wants to and with his employees) and an impoverished and desperate with nowhere else to go Employee.
I think the author attempted to soothe this discomfort by having the MMC acknowledge that this was a factor at play that he was aware of, and even make comments about how he'd "never force an employee" and also by having her quit her job before he made his declaration.
But here's the thing... that didn't help. That actually made it kind of worse because he acknowledges the power dynamic and then continues to pursue her - corners her in hallways, exposes and touches her bare body, all while she is telling him this can't happen, that there's no safety or recourse for her and he's acknowledging that he can't properly claim or protect her and she can't really say no to him. Never mind the "if you can't safely say no because your survival depends on this person it's not consent" it should be wildly obvious that you've said no to sex but I just rubbed my dick on your clit and didn't put it all the way in you (while I had you pinned against a wall) so consent doesn't apply.
Also, the fact that the first time he really pushes a sexual encounter is after he meets her kid and realizes she's willing had sex before... and he's jealous... and he wants her... so fuck all the other reasonable decisions he made before when he thought her more respectable? So. Uncomfortable.
It was a fast and enjoyable read overall. I easily got lost in the characters and vibes and I didn't even find the kid (something I rarely love in a romance) to be a hinderance... but man I just don't think I can get behind it with all the other stuff going on....more
I really really like Bodard's Xuya universe, I find the mindships fascinating and really enjoy the mix of science fiction and the almost historical feI really really like Bodard's Xuya universe, I find the mindships fascinating and really enjoy the mix of science fiction and the almost historical feel of the cultural elements. The mysteries are interesting and never conform to the genre tropes, and this one even had a romantic plot line thrown in.
Bodard, along with Becky Chambers and Martha Wells is one of the reasons I'm reading science fiction so much this year and I'm glad I get to read more in this universe....more
I really enjoyed this book, Augusta (Gus) is exactly the kind of character I like to read about in a historical: non-conforming, passionate about her I really enjoyed this book, Augusta (Gus) is exactly the kind of character I like to read about in a historical: non-conforming, passionate about her things, fighting the patriarchy. Currently one of my favourite historicals I've read.
I've seen other reviewers mention that they expected this to be a lot more lighthearted than it was (spoiler this is NOT a light humour book) and that was a disappointment, but I really enjoyed the blend of humour as tension breakers alone with some really intense topics. I love historical books where the author has clearly put in a lot of research and written a truly feminist book at the same time. This is definitely that. But yeah, expect topics from breast cancer to confining women against their will because they don't conform to society or their spouse, and more.
If you're cool with that and enjoy historical romance or mystery I'd highly recommend....more
Still in love with Bitty. I actually paused reading it for awhile because I didn't want to be done reading him.Still in love with Bitty. I actually paused reading it for awhile because I didn't want to be done reading him....more
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