Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books (![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png)
smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-08-03 07:00 am
smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-08-03 07:00 am
Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books (smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-08-03 06:00 am
smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-08-03 06:00 amGet Rec’d with Amanda – Volume 95
Welcome back!
We’re almost to 100 of these! This time, I have two non-fiction titles, a mystery with some romance, and some YA horror. These are all relatively new releases, so I’m sending all the positive vibes to your public libraries and wishing you short holds.
Do you have any recommendations you’d like to share? Drop them in the comments!
Everything is Tuberculosis
I don’t think anything John Green does could be called “underrated,” but it certainly doesn’t seem as buzzy as some of his previous books. Green always does a good job of distilling topics down in a fun and interesting way.
Instant #1 New York Times bestseller! • #1 Washington Post bestseller! • #1 Indie Bestseller! • USA Today Bestseller!
John Green, acclaimed author and passionate advocate for global healthcare reform, tells a deeply human story illuminating the fight against the world’s deadliest infectious disease. Signed edition
“The real magic of Green’s writing is the deeply considerate, human touch that goes into every word.” –The Associated Press
″Told with the intelligence, wit, and tragedy that have become hallmarks of the author’s work…. This is the story of us.” –Slate
“Earnest and empathetic.” –The New York Times
Tuberculosis has been entwined with humanity for millennia. Once romanticized as a malady of poets, today tuberculosis is seen as a disease of poverty that walks the trails of injustice and inequity we blazed for it.
In 2019, author John Green met Henry Reider, a young tuberculosis patient at Lakka Government Hospital in Sierra Leone. John became fast friends with Henry, a boy with spindly legs and a big, goofy smile. In the years since that first visit to Lakka, Green has become a vocal advocate for increased access to treatment and wider awareness of the healthcare inequities that allow this curable, preventable infectious disease to also be the deadliest, killing over a million people every year.
In Everything Is Tuberculosis, John tells Henry’s story, woven through with the scientific and social histories of how tuberculosis has shaped our world—and how our choices will shape the future of tuberculosis.
History Lessons
An academic investigates the death of her colleague with a dash of romance. This was a pretty good debut!
A college history professor must solve her superstar colleague’s murder before she becomes the next target in this funny, romantic debut mystery, perfect for readers of Janet Evanovich, Kellye Garrett, and Ali Hazelwood.
As a newly minted junior professor, Daphne Ouverture spends her days giving lectures on French colonialism, working on her next academic book, and going on atrocious dates. Her small world suits her just fine. Until Sam Taylor dies.
The rising star of Harrison University’s anthropology department was never one of Daphne’s favorites, despite his popularity. But that doesn’t prevent Sam’s killer from believing Daphne has something that belonged to Sam—something the killer will stop at nothing to get.
Between grading papers and navigating her disastrous love life, Daphne embarks on her own investigation to find out what connects her to Sam’s murder. With the help of an alluring former-detective-turned-bookseller, she unravels a deadly cover-up on campus.
This well-crafted, voice-driven mystery introduces an unforgettable crime fiction heroine.
If We Survive This
The Yellowjackets comparison is pretty spot-on. Grab this one if you’re all caught up on the show and want something similar.
The Walking Dead meets Yellowjackets in If We Survive This, a tense and emotional young adult horror novel from award-winning author Racquel Marie about a teen girl leading a group of survivors on a perilous journey during the apocalypse.
Flora Braddock Paz is not the girl who survives. A colorful creative who spends as much time fearing death as she does trying to hide that fear from her loved ones, she’s always considered herself weak. But half a year into the global outbreak of a rabies mutation that transforms people into violent, zombielike “rabids,” she and her older brother Cain are still alive. With their mom dead, their dad missing, and their LA suburb left desolate, they form a new plan to venture out to the secluded Northern California cabin they vacationed in growing up―their best chance at a safe haven and maybe even seeing their dad again.
The dangers of the world have changed, but so has Flora. Still, their journey up the state is complicated by encounters with familiar faces, new allies, hidden truths, and painful memories of the family’s final time making this trip last year. And for Flora, one thing inevitably remains: No matter how far you run, death is never far behind.
Killer Story
For true crime fans who want a more “how the sausage is made” perspective when it comes to TV.
Follow a journalist and TV producer from 48 Hours and 60 Minutes as she carves out a career in the ruthless, knives-out world of true crime television . . . one killer story at a time.
Serial killers. Homicidal spouses. Sociopathic criminals. Claire St. Amant has met them all.
She spent nearly a decade in network television chasing the biggest true crime stories in the country, including the murder of Chris Kyle, plastic-surgeon-turned-murder-for-hire suspect Thomas Michael Dixon, the Parkland high school mass shooting, the disappearance of Christina Morris, and serial killer Samuel Little.
Bringing a true crime story to network television requires quick thinking and tenacious stamina, and in her debut memoir, Claire offers true crime fans a rare in-depth look from the other side of the yellow tape.
In Killer Story, readers will learn what it really takes to get these gripping cases on the air with insights such as:
- How it feels to share space with a dead-eyed murderer
- Which TV show has a reputation for “eating their young”
- How reporters win over skeptical cops and reluctant lawyers
- Why TV journalists are always racing against the clock—and competitor sabotage
- What happens when a district attorney decides journalists have committed a felony
- The unresolved crimes that still haunt Claire to this day
This eye-opening look behind the scenes of true crime television offers an unforgettable read—and a window into the daily reality of investigative journalism.
Whatever (scalziwhatever_feed) wrote2025-08-02 12:52 pm
scalziwhatever_feed) wrote2025-08-02 12:52 pmThe Shattering Peace Gets a Starred Review at Kirkus
A pretty great way to wake up on a Saturday is with a starred review of your upcoming book waiting from you. This one is from Kirkus. Here’s a link with to the full review, with the caveat that there are some mild spoilers in it, but the summation line seen above is almost certainly the pull quote that will go on all our messaging: “Classic Scalzi space opera at its wisecracking, politically pointed, and, somehow, fiercely optimistic finest.” Hey! I’ve done what I’ve been doing long enough for it to be “classic”! This is fantastic and also a real “If you’ve been reading Scalzi from the beginning, please schedule a colonoscopy” moment, if you ask me.
For those keeping score at home, this is the second starred review for The Shattering Peace, the first having come from Library Journal, with an additional positive review from Publishers Weekly. We’re in a good place with this one, I’m happy today, at least with the trade magazines. We’ll see what actual readers think of it soon.
More Shattering Peace news, including an official tour schedule, soon —
— JS
AO3 News (ao3_news_feed) wrote2025-08-02 10:42 am
ao3_news_feed) wrote2025-08-02 10:42 amFive Things calamario Said
Every month or so the OTW will be doing a Q&A with one of its volunteers about their experiences in the organization. The posts express each volunteer's personal views and do not necessarily reflect the views of the OTW or constitute OTW policy. Today's post is with calamario, who volunteers as a Tag Wrangler.
How does what you do as a volunteer fit into what the OTW does?
As a tag wrangler, I work behind the scenes of AO3 to help organise the tags that users add to their works.
This primarily involves creating new canonical tags (i.e., the tags that show up in the dropdown and that you can filter on) for the fandoms I wrangle, connecting new tags to already-existing canonicals (i.e., making those tags ‘synonyms’ of these canonicals, a.k.a. ‘synning’ them), or otherwise wrangling the tags to their correct fandoms if they can’t be synned anywhere.
For example, have you ever wondered why tagging your work with something like “a lil angst” in the Additional Tags field makes it show up in the “Angst” tag, or why tagging “anidala” as a Relationship connects it to “Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker”? That’s because wranglers have synned them there!
If you’re interested in learning more about wrangling and the terms we use, you can check out the publicly available wrangling guidelines here.
What is a typical week like for you as a volunteer?
It depends a lot on how busy my real life is! At the moment, I’m working on my master’s thesis, so I currently have a wrangling session once or twice a week, usually consisting of a few hours per session. However, one of the wonderful things about tag wrangling is that it’s super easy to scale your workload, depending on how much time you’re able to dedicate to volunteering – so during holidays and such, there might be several days a week where I spend all day just wrangling!
For a typical wrangling session, I’ll first tackle my solo-wrangled fandoms to wrangle any new tags that have shown up in the wrangling bins there, before taking a look to see if any of my co-wrangled fandoms might especially need a hand.
If it seems like there are not any new tags to handle, I might go hunting for concepts that I can canonise in one of my fandoms! Wranglers usually follow the so-called ‘rule of three’ (colloquially shortened to ‘ro3’), which means that a new concept must have been tagged by at least three separate users on three separate works. This is so that we know that there’s actually a desire in the fandom for the concept to be canonised – so if there’s a particular concept that you’d love to see get a canonical tag that you can filter on, get a couple of friends to make works about it and tag for it!
Sometimes, I might have different projects to work on besides my regular wrangling, such as a renaming project. For example, if a character gets their surname revealed in canon, wranglers might choose to update their character and relationship canonicals to reflect the change! This is a manual process that requires the wrangler to first create a new canonical with the updated format, then move over all the syns from the old canonical, and then finally de-canonise and syn the old tag to the new one. If there are a lot of tags to go through, this is a process that can take days, weeks, even months! However, I actually find renaming projects kind of soothing in their repetition, especially after having established workflows that help me get through them smoothly.
What made you decide to volunteer?
I actually first started volunteering with the Translation committee as a translator and beta reader. It used to be my dream to become a translator, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to both get some relevant experience on my resumé, as well as give back to a website where I spent (and still do spend) a lot of my free time on.
After a few months as a translator, I also applied to become a tag wrangler! The more I learnt about what tag wrangling was and the kind of work that tag wranglers did, the more it sounded like something I would really enjoy – and it absolutely is! There’s something about organising stuff that tickles my brain just right.
When I started university and had to scale back on my volunteering hours, I ended up giving up translation and sticking with tag wrangling, which has given me a lot of opportunities over the years to distract myself from course work, while still helping me feel productive.
What has been your biggest challenge doing work for the OTW?
There are honestly a lot of different things I could put down as an answer to this question.
As many people know, the last few years have been turbulent for the OTW as a whole, and the Tag Wrangling committee itself has also seen a lot of internal changes in the last year or so. While I’m happy to say that we’re now seeing a lot of progress in updating our policies and getting new projects off the ground, it definitely hasn’t been without growing pains.
While I haven’t been on the front lines spearheading any of these discussions or projects due to IRL commitments on my time and energy, I have been talking privately with some of the people who are pushing to make change within the committee. It has been incredibly disheartening to hear of some of the roadblocks that have to be overcome, whether it’s organisational inertia or simple lack of manpower, but I’m very hopeful that our current momentum will prevail so that we can make this committee (and this organisation as a whole) the best it can be. I’ll definitely continue to offer my support in the ways that I am able!
What fannish things do you like to do?
Mostly, I read a lot of fic! I rarely tend to stick to a single fandom for any length of time, but my bookmarks reveal that the fandoms I’ve read a lot in lately are Star Wars, Stranger Things, Hockey RPF, The Witcher, and The Pitt.
I’ve only written a handful of short fics myself, but I also beta fics for both friends and strangers! This is something I’ve done sporadically over many years, but I’ve been trying to offer my services more in the last year or so, as a way to give back more substantially to my fandom communities than just reading, kudosing, and commenting. Fic authors are so important to keep fandoms alive and thriving, and I’m happy to support them how I can! ♥️
Now that our volunteer’s said five things about what they do, it’s your turn to ask one more thing! Feel free to ask about their work in the comments. Or if you'd like, you can check out previous Five Things posts.
The Organization for Transformative Works is the non-profit parent organization of multiple projects including Archive of Our Own, Fanlore, Open Doors, Transformative Works and Cultures, and OTW Legal Advocacy. We are a fan-run, entirely donor-supported organization staffed by volunteers. Find out more about us on our website.
Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books (smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-08-02 10:00 am
smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-08-02 10:00 amQ&Z: Liz Shipton and Amy Zed
Ed note: I’ve embedded a few TikTok videos in this post, which autoplay for NO GOOD REASON but the audio should be off.
…
Hi again Smart Bitches! Amy Zed here with an extra special Q & A. Today I’m chatting with viral Booktoker and author Liz Shipton.
We’re going to get into some fun stuff—including magical parts, and we’ll dive into more serious subjects, too—like how Liz’s upcoming urban fantasy romance tackles AI’s impact on marginalized communities.
Honestly, getting to chat with the authors I admire has been one of the hugest highlights that’s come out of self-publishing my cyberpunk romantasy, A Symphony of Starlight, and I’m especially excited to chat with Liz because she started out in self-pub just like me!
With the seven-book seafaring Thalassic Series under her belt and Booktok content getting millions of views, Liz is in the midst of tackling a new adventure—her trad pub debut. Dot Slash Magic, and urban fantasy romance with a techie twist, releases on August 15th!
Amy: Liz, I’m so excited to talk about Dot Slash Magic, but before we get going on books, I just have to say, your life sounds like an adventure novel in itself! What’s it like living on a sailboat?
Liz: You know, you would be surprised how quickly it becomes normal! I think when people hear “sailboat life” they automatically assume “living the dream” but to be honest, after four years, it’s really just “living.”
Don’t get me wrong – some days are definitely an adventure. We anchor in some of the most beautiful places in the world, and we’ve seen some truly amazing things (the bioluminescence in Costa Rica is stunning, and some remote parts of Panama feel like something straight out of Pirates of the Caribbean.) But there’s also a lot of just…buying your groceries, working on the computer, figuring out how to get around without a car, taking the dog to the vet, etc. And then there are days when it’s raining and you accidentally leave the hatches open so your bed gets soaked, and you question why you are even doing this with your life at all, LOL.
Amy: Now, I first encountered you through your videos. I’m a romantasy reader through and through, but I’ve always found certain aspects of romantasy… questionable… so when your “Enemies to Lovers Fantasy Romance” video popped up in my feed, I found myself nodding along emphatically and yelling, “EXACTLY!”
The way you poke loving fun at our favourite genre is pure gold. What inspired you to start posting these videos?
Liz: I think those videos came, first and foremost, from a place of me realizing that I wasn’t quite the writer I wanted to be when I started out. I had visions of myself crafting these mind-bendingly unique, poetic sentences that would leave people speechless.
But the reality was that I found myself writing “she narrowed her eyes” a lot. And then I started reading other books in the genre, and realized that…everyone was kind of doing that. So it was a combination of me poking fun at my own writing, and also poking a bit of fun at the genre.
It was also, to be honest, a way to vent my frustration at the way books are marketed these days, particularly on places like Booktok. When you’re on the app a lot, you start to feel like everything is just tropes, and as someone who’s striving to write something a bit different, it can start to feel a little aggravating.
@lizshiptonauthor Who doesn’t love a good enemies to lovers? #womenwritingmen #bookboyfriends #bookboyfriendsdoitbetter #fictionalmen #enemiestolovers #fantasyromance #lizshipton ♬ In The Forest (Acoustic Indie No Copyright) – Instrumental – Lesfm & Olexy
Amy: Liz, I feel that in my bones. My combo of cyberpunk and romance is definitely not the norm. It’s hard to market! And I can see how a seafaring dystopian romance series like Thalassic would be tough to market in the world of Fae Kings and Shadow Daddies as well. But it sounds like your videos worked!
You had The Thalassic Series, you gained a big following with your Booktok content, and now you’ve got your first trad pub deal. How did it all go down?
Liz: I originally got on social media to promote The Thalassic Series back when it was just 3 YA books with very little romance. I got “corrupted” by Booktok and decided to create an aged-up version of the series with more romance and spice. During that time, I was learning a lot about the tropes and expectations of the genre, which is what led to me putting up those videos.
Those videos landed my face in front of an agent – Amy Collins – who reached out to me via DM. I was skeptical, because I’d never heard of that happening, but I’m very much a person who thinks you should throw lots of things against the wall and see what sticks, so I did some due diligence to learn more about her (turns out, she’s awesome!) and said yes. We pitched Dot Slash Magic as three chapters and a synopsis, and it was picked up quite quickly by Angry Robot Books.
My social media presence was definitely instrumental in me landing that deal, but I do also want to give my writing some credit: the book is awesome!
Amy: Absolutely. I’m so excited about Dot Slash Magic. Based on the blurb, it’s got everything I love—banter, magic, tech, spice. Can you share a little more about the story?
Liz: It’s about a self-taught coder in her mid-twenties, who never went to college and has been bumming around Europe since high school. She’s kind of a deadbeat and very cynical, and after she gets dumped by her boyfriend, her mom is basically like “You need to get your shit together” and convinces her to come back to San Diego to go to community college. At school, she stumbles into an underground magic society, discovers she has magic, and then uses her coding skills to build an artificially intelligent assistant powered by sorcery. Hijinx and hilarity (and murder) ensue when monsters show up and start hunting her friends. Everyone blames her magic AI, but she’s convinced someone is trying to frame her.
It’s kind of a satirical take on the tech industry, wrapped in an urban romantasy. It’s funny, a bit spicy, and very bonkers, but it also tries to dig into some fairly deep questions surrounding the current state of AI, particularly its impact on artists and marginalized communities.
@lizshiptonauthor When the relationship should really be disclosed to HR #womenwritingmen #womenwritingwomen #fictionalmen #bookboyfriend #dystopianromance #fantasyromance ♬ Dark horror, vampire, vampire, bizarre(1146217) – G-axis sound music
Amy: You have such a great sense of humour that I knew your book would be bursting with fantastic lines. Then I saw this quote:
And then his dick began to grow. Not get harder. Literally grow. Seven’s eyes went wholly wide as she looked down between them. “No.”
He grinned. “Yes.”
I squealed when I read that. Clearly you’ve outdone yourself. I HAVE to know, what’s the deal with the MMC and his member?
Liz: Hahahaha! Well, as I’ve said, I spend a fair amount of time on Booktok, so I guess I wrote that for them, LOL. I think I was striving for something a bit different from the standard “shadow daddy.” Because to be totally honest, I don’t really get the whole “shadows” thing. Are they actually shadows? Or are they more like smoke? He can pick stuff up with them? HOW??? It never made sense to me, and it seems like a hugely missed opportunity to have a dude with magic in a book and not make his dick magic. Like….why is everyone not doing that??? Who gives a fuck about shadows when you can literally have a magic peepee???
Amy: And speaking of magical peepees, your video “Women writing *ahem* MEN” has over one hundred thousand views on Instagram and that’s not even counting all the views over on TikTok and YouTube.
@lizshiptonauthor The ML of Dot Slash Magic has a magic
#womenwritingmen #fictionalmen #bookboyfriend #romantasy #fantasyromance #urbanfantasy #bookish #booktok ♬ Carmen Habanera, classical opera(1283412) – perfectpanda
But every new account starts with low views and zero followers. I’d love to know how your social media journey progressed. Did you always create such bold content, or did it take a while to discover what grabbed viewers’ attention?
Liz: I do need to take a moment here to credit A.L. Brody/Jason Pinter (author of Dating & Dismemberment) with inventing that style of video. It was after seeing one of his TikToks that I decided to take a stab at putting my own spin on it, and to be honest, I didn’t expect it to go anywhere. Posting to TikTok, you get really used to seeing someone else’s video and thinking “That looks fun! I’ll jump on that trend,” only to put up your own version of the thing and get less than 200 views. So when it took off, I was very surprised.
I was also really worried when it took off, because I assumed Jason would be pissed that I stole his idea, but fortunately, he is extremely cool and has been nothing but supportive. His videos do really well too, and we even made a video together. The Booktok community is really great in that way – there is space for everyone, and it feels more like a collaborative space than a competitive one.
Amy: And speaking of collaboration, I was also intrigued when I saw your vibrator ad come through my feed. My brother is a gaming Youtuber and he gets sponsorships to show off computer gear and gaming chairs. But I’d never thought about what kind of sponsors might approach a booktoker until I saw that ad. How did the sponsorship come about (no pun intended)? And are there any other kinds of sponsors you can see yourself working with in the future?
Liz: That was a surprise to me too, actually, and not something I ever saw myself doing – but then, writing spicy books isn’t something I ever saw myself doing either! People might be surprised that I actually identify as asexual and outside of my books, sex is not something that is super on my radar. But even though I’m not the most sexual person, I am very supportive of other people being as sexual (or unsexual) as they want to be, and normalizing all types of orientations, sexualities, drives, kinks, etc. So when the company reached out, I figured “Why not?!”
Amy: Sponsorships aside, I’m sure right now you’re busy using most of your time to promote Dot Slash Magic. I seriously can’t wait. I’ve already preordered so I can start reading the minute the book releases. For readers who don’t have Dot Slash Magic locked down yet, where’s the best place to preorder?
Liz: That’s so wonderful to hear you’re excited and THANK YOU for pre-ordering 
For other folks who are interested, you can read a blurb and some reviews (the book just got a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly!) and see some of the art I had made, plus find a pre-order link for various outlets.
Amy: Thanks again for chatting with me, Liz! I’m sure anyone who’s hearing about your content for the first time is racing over to their socials to hit the follow button, but how else can we keep in touch? Do you have a newsletter readers can sign up for so we’re sure to hear about your next release?
Liz: Yes! Right now when you sign up for my newsletter you get the first 3 chapters of Dot Slash Magic
for free!And I’m always on socials (I’m reading Dot Slash Magic Live on Insta every M-F at 4PM EST up until the launch) or you can find me at my website lizshipton.com. I’m on Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, and have a Patreon.
Or come to the Caribbean some time and we can hang on the beach.
…
About the interviewer: Amy Zed’s debut novel A Symphony of Starlight combines elements of cyberpunk and rockstar romance to bring you a fast-paced action adventure that received 4 ½ stars from The Paranormal Romance Guild. It’s available to read FREE with your KU membership, or you can buy it for $3.97 on Amazon.
Whatever (scalziwhatever_feed) wrote2025-08-01 08:49 pm
scalziwhatever_feed) wrote2025-08-01 08:49 pmWhat the Hell, Indianapolis
This sculpture? Terrifying. I understand it’s meant to be a celebration of famed basketball coach John Wooden, but what I see is a man driven to the ground in confusion as the upper bodies of the people around him are vaporized, possibly by aliens, possibly by inimical laser-wielding robots. It’s just deeply confusing and concerning, if you ask me, Indianapolis. And you just put it out in public like that.
Questionable sculpture aside, Indianapolis and GenCon have been lovely so far. Tomorrow is the big day for me, programming-wise, so this evening I will probably take it easy. I hope your first weekend of August will be delightful.
— JS
Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books (smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-08-01 03:30 pm
smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-08-01 03:30 pmHistorical and Sci-Fi Romances
A Tempest of Desire
A Tempest of Desire by Lorraine Heath is $1.99! This released last December and we’ve heard good things about the crazysauce plot. Did any of you pick this one up?
New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath returns to the fan favorite series, The Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James, with the story of a viscount who has retreated to a small, secluded island only to have a mysterious and beautiful woman wash up on shore.
After surviving a horrific railway accident, Viscount Langdon retreats to his private island to recover and conquer the nightmarish memories that continue to haunt him. The very last thing he wants—or expects—is for London’s most infamous courtesan to wash up on his beach.
Marlowe is known for her bold flirtations, but her most daring exploits involve flying in her hot air balloon. When a storm blows her off course, she discovers herself alone with the isle’s only inhabitant. The gorgeous, seductive lord tempts her beyond reason, but giving into temptation would lead to her ruination because the all-consuming liaison would demand complete surrender. And she has secrets to protect.
Langdon finds the captivating beauty near impossible to resist, but he can’t risk her learning the true reason behind his isolation. However, a powerful tempest of desire is swirling wildly between them, urging them to give in to the perilous passion that could destroy them . . . or perhaps show them the way to love.
Eclipse the Moon
Eclipse the Moon by Jessie Mihalik is $1.99! This is book two in the Starlight’s Shadow series. I remember reading this one, though found it heavier on action that romance.
Kee Ildez has been many things: hacker, soldier, bounty hunter. She never expected to be a hero, but when a shadowy group of traitors starts trying to goad the galaxy’s two superpowers into instigating an interstellar war, Kee throws herself into the search to find out who is responsible—and stop them.
Digging up hidden information is her job, so hunting traitors should be a piece of cake, but the primary suspect spent years in the military, and someone powerful is still covering his tracks. Disrupting their plans will require the help of her entire team, including Varro Runkow, a Valovian weapons expert who makes her pulse race.
Quiet, grumpy, and incredibly handsome, Varro watches her with hot eyes but ignores all of her flirting, so Kee silently vows to keep her feelings strictly platonic. But that vow will be put to the test when she and Varro are forced to leave the safety of their ship and venture into enemy territory alone.
Cut off from the rest of their team, they must figure out how to work together—and fast—because a single misstep will cost thousands of lives.
Not That Duke
Not That Duke by Eloisa James is $1.99! This is book three in the Would-Be Wallflowers series. I feel like I don’t hear much about new James releases these days.
The Duke of Huntington has no interest in an eccentric redhead who frowns at him over her spectacles…until he realizes that she is the only possible duchess for him. A new enemies-to-lovers romance by New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James.
Bespeckled and freckled, Lady Stella Corsham at least has a dowry that has attracted a crowd of fortune-hunting suitors–which definitely doesn’t include the sinfully handsome Silvester Parnell, Duke of Huntington, who laughingly calls her “Specs” as he chases after elegant rivals.
And then–
The worst happens. Marriage.
To the duke. To a man marrying her for all the wrong reasons.
How can Silvester possibly convince Stella that he’s fallen in love with the quirky woman he married? Especially after she laughingly announces that she’s in love–but not with that duke.
Not with her husband.
The Other Lady Vanishes
The Other Lady Vanishes by Amanda Quick is $1.99! This is the second book in the Burning Cove series. This is a historical mystery set in 1930s California and has a romance. It can be read on its own. Have you read this one or any other books in the series?
The New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Knew Too Much sweeps readers back to 1930s California–where the most dazzling of illusions can’t hide the darkest secrets…
After escaping from a private sanitarium, Adelaide Blake arrives in Burning Cove, California, desperate to start over.
Working at an herbal tea shop puts her on the radar of those who frequent the seaside resort town: Hollywood movers and shakers always in need of hangover cures and tonics. One such customer is Jake Truett, a recently widowed businessman in town for a therapeutic rest. But unbeknownst to Adelaide, his exhaustion is just a cover.
In Burning Cove, no one is who they seem. Behind facades of glamour and power hide drug dealers, gangsters, and grifters. Into this make-believe world comes psychic to the stars Madame Zolanda. Adelaide and Jake know better than to fall for her kind of con. But when the medium becomes a victim of her own dire prediction and is killed, they’ll be drawn into a murky world of duplicity and misdirection.
Neither Adelaide or Jake can predict that in the shadowy underground they’ll find connections to the woman Adelaide used to be–and uncover the specter of a killer who’s been real all along…
Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books (smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-08-01 08:00 am
smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-08-01 08:00 amAugust 2025 Queer Romances
Turn up the heat right along with Mother Nature by treating yourself to one (or more) of this month’s new queer romances!
Well, Actually
Author: Mazey Eddings
Released: August 5, 2025 by St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance
An utterly delightful and sexy second-chance romance between a black cat and golden retriever with Mazey Edding’s signature sparkling voice!
Eva Kitt never expected to be the host of Sausage Talk, interviewing B-list celebrities over lukewarm hot dogs, instead of pursuing the journalism career she dreamed of. But when Eva’s impromptu public call out of her college ex goes viral, she’s thrust into the spotlight. It doesn’t help said ex is Rylie Cooper, a beloved social media personality that has built a platform on deconstructing toxic masculinity and teaching men how to be good partners.
Forced to confront Rylie on a live episode of Sausage Talk, he offers Eva a allow him to take her on a series of dates to make up for his toxic behavior, then debrief them on his channel to show he’s changed. Eva refuses to play nice, but agrees to the scheme to advance her own career and continue defaming Rylie’s good name. When these manufactured dates start to feel real, Eva has to wonder if the boy that broke her heart has become the man that might heal it.
I have a very simple Mazey Eddings policy, which is that if she writes it, I’m buying it, and it’s a policy that’s so far served me very well. As such, I’m deeply optimistic about this bi4bi m/f romance, especially since I love me a mean girl MC, and I think we’re all ready for more men in slutty glasses.
The Build-a-Boyfriend Project
Author: Mason Deaver
Released: August 5, 2025 by Avon
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance
Bestselling and award-winning author Mason Deaver’s adult romance debut follows a journalist in a dead-end job who agrees to teach his disastrous blind date how to be a better boyfriend. Readers will delight in this sweet and steamy queer romance with trans representation!
Eli Francis is stuck. Stuck in an assistant position at the online magazine Vent when he should be a writer. Stuck with a boss who dangles a promotion but would rather he just fetch the coffee. Stuck working alongside the ex who has had no trouble moving up at work…or moving on.
When Eli’s roommates push him to date so he can get over his ex once and for all, they set him up with Peter Park. Tall, handsome, and unbelievably awkward. The date is a complete disaster, and further proof to Eli that love isn’t for him. But when his boss overhears Eli recounting the catastrophic night, he suggests teaching Peter to be a better boyfriend through a series of simulated dates so he can write an article about it.
But Eli has other ideas…Eli plays along, pretending to write the article, while secretly interviewing Peter about growing up queer in the South and coming-of-age dating wise in adulthood. Eli hopes writing this sort of piece will finally get him the promotion he deserves. And in exchange, he will teach Peter how to be a better boyfriend.
But the more time Eli spends with Peter, the closer they become, and the lines between what’s real and what’s fake begin to blur. Before long Eli is forced to face his greatest fears to become the writer he wants to be and secure the love he’s always needed.
Deaver’s debut, the nonbinary YA I Wish You All the Best, was such a smash hit that you can currently watch the movie trailer, but I’m definitely grateful they brought their talents to Adult because this fun and sexy m/m romance was an absolute delight. A must read for those grabbing every bit of trans joy they can get their hands on.
The Sun and the Moon
Author: Rebekah Faubion
Released: August 12, 2025 by Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance
Like the sun and the moon, these opposites can’t escape each other’s gravitational pull in the next enchanting romance from Rebekah Faubion.
Cadence Connolly grew up in the cosmic shadow of her mother, the renown psychic Madame Moira. Now, as a park ranger in Maine, she’s carved out her own life far away from her mother’s many premonitions and tarot cards . . . until she receives an invitation to Moira’s engagement party. Cadence doesn’t know what led to the thawing of her mother’s heart, but she’ll have to return home to discover the truth.
Sydney Sinclair’s schedule as a pilot makes long-term relationships difficult, but at least she can fly anywhere in the world for free with only her emotional baggage as a carry-on. After her mom passed, it’s always been Sydney and her dad against the world, so it’s no wonder she doesn’t trust the enigmatic Madame Moira—his newly minted fiancée.
When Cadence meets Sydney, they realize they both share similar suspicions about their parents’ impending nuptials. As they begin scheming to break up their parents’ engagement—they can’t possibly be in love after such a short time together— Sydney and Cadence discover an irresistible chemistry with each other instead. Despite not believing in fate, Cadence might just have found her soulmate in Sydney.
The Lovers immediately shot onto my favorites contemporary f/f romances list last year, so I couldn’t wait for Faubion’s next offering, and it did not disappoint, though it’s got a bit of a different vibe. We’ve still got sizzling chemistry and an amazing cast, but this newest has an intriguing and twisty thread of mystery throughout that I did not see coming and definitely kept me on my toes alongside the romance.
Toni and Addie Go Viral
Author: Melissa Marr
Released: August 12, 2025 by Bramble
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance
Mistakes Were Made meets Delilah Green Doesn’t Care in a charming lesbian romance from New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr
Hot new author and her lead actress stun fans in a secret wedding―is it all a publicity stunt? Or something more…
On a whim―and hoping to pay off the hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt her grifter father left behind―Victorian history professor Toni Darbyshire sells her lesbian detective novel in a massive deal. Suddenly thrust into the overwhelming new world of publishing, plus a television adaptation, Toni’s life gets even more complicated when her one-night stand turned pen pal (and the namesake for her main character) shows up in person for casting of the show.
Aspiring actress Addie’s had a crush on the professor ever since she watched her lectures on the Victorian era to prep for a stage role. Now, getting cast in Toni’s TV series could be her big break. But Addie’s in over her head when promo pictures of their fake Victorian wedding go viral. She could lose more than just her heart … and her historically accurate underthings.
Melissa Marr has built her name on fantasy (and continues to do so with her Sapphic “A Course in Magic” series), so I anxiously await seeing what she can do with a contemporary rom-com, especially since it’s got fun bookish and Hollywood angles.
The Secret Crush Book Club
Author: Karmen Lee
Released: August 26, 2025 by Afterglow Books by Harlequin
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance
A dedicated single mother and a librarian with a secret write their own sweet and sexy love story in this small-town rom-com about family, friendships and embracing the next chapter.
Nothing cures a lonely heart quite like a good book
and an unexpected crush…
For Dani, life is a juggling act. As a single mom devoted to her son and family, she barely has a moment to herself. But when her sister announces she’s moving out of the house, the ache of loneliness creeps in, and Dani can’t help but wonder if there’s something else she’s been missing in her life…
Zoey came to Peach Blossom eager to start her new job as the town’s librarian and do a little research for her next book. Yet she never expected to find inspiration in fellow book club member Dani, whose captivating brown eyes tell a story of their own. Before they know it, lingering glances over their favorite fiction turn into first dates and sizzling nights.
As their connection deepens, the two women must decide if they should turn the page on what their lives used to look like or if this thrilling plot twist is the happily-ever-after they’ve been chasing all along.
From showing up to glowing up, the characters in Afterglow Books are on the path to leading their best lives and finding sizzling romance along the way. Don’t miss any of these other fun titles…
I’m excited to see another spicy small-town romance from Lee, but honestly it was “book club” that sold me, because that just sounds like the absolute cutest premise for a budding romance. Plus, single mom! Librarian! So many good things!
Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books (smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-08-01 06:00 am
smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-08-01 06:00 am678. The Osmanification of Fiction Covers with Kayleigh Donaldson
Recently, I posted a collection of cozy, mostly British mysteries that all mimic the Richard Osman Thursday Murder Club covers in just about every way.
Then, Kayleigh Donaldson said she had many thoughts about them.
One of the worst things you can do is be one of my favorite people to listen to and then tell me you have thoughts about something I posted on SBTB. I WANT TO HEAR THE THOUGHTS. Good thing I have a podcast, right? So here we are.
We’re going to talk about the Osman Aesthetic in cozy mystery, where it comes from, why it works, and what’s happening next.
TW/CW: mentions of a book that contains on-page sexual assault and discussion of That Writer being a TERF, plus the effect of her politics on Scotland. That discussion is at 35:30 and you’ll want to skip forward about 1 minute.
Note for Patreon folks: our bonus episode next week is going to be over an hour of Kayleigh and I talking about pop culture, concepts of masculinity and femininity in celebrity personae, and more.
…
Inspired by other Patreon folks, including Chris DeRosa at Fixing Famous People, I’ve made some of the Patreon content free so you can sample what we’ve got.
- Do you want to do a crossword puzzle from the May 1995 issue of RT? The crossword puzzle is available for free on Patreon right now!
- Would you like to read an issue of RT Magazine? The December 1997 issue is now available for your perusal.
- Or would you like to try one of our bonus episodes? Join Amanda and me as we look back at our 2024 predictions about romance and publishing.
This collection of special previews is available now to all listeners, and there’s a link in the show notes to dive in. And if you like our free samples, join us in the Patreon community where there’s bonus content and more.
Listen to the podcast →Read the transcript →
Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:
You can find Kayleigh Donaldson at her website, and on her newsletter, The Gossip Reading Club. You can also find her writing at Pajiba.com and at The Daily Beast.
We also mentioned:
- The Thursday Murder Club adaptation on Netflix, premiering 22 August 2025
- Death in Paradise
- The Rest is Entertainment podcast
- The Dundee Stars
If you like the podcast, you can subscribe to our feed, or find us at iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher, and Spotify, too. We also have a cool page for the podcast on iTunes.
More ways to sponsor:
Sponsor us through Patreon! (What is Patreon?)
What did you think of today's episode? Got ideas? Suggestions? You can talk to us on the blog entries for the podcast or talk to us on Facebook if that's where you hang out online. You can email us at sbjpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave us a message at our Google voice number: 201-371-3272. Please don't forget to give us a name and where you're calling from so we can work your message into an upcoming podcast.
Thanks for listening!
Remember to subscribe to our podcast feed, find us on iTunes or on Stitcher.
Girl Genius (girlgenius_main_feed) wrote2025-08-01 04:00 am
girlgenius_main_feed) wrote2025-08-01 04:00 amGirl Genius for Friday, August 01, 2025
The Girl Genius comic for Friday, August 01, 2025 has been posted.
Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books (smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-07-31 03:30 pm
smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-07-31 03:30 pmHorror, Sherry Thomas, & More
Pride and Protest
Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne is $1.99! We featured this on a previous Hide Your Wallet. Payne has another contemporary, Jane Austen retelling: Sex, Lies and Sensibility.
A Phenomenal Book Club pick for November 2022!
A woman goes head-to-head with the CEO of a corporation threatening to destroy her neighborhood in this fresh and modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice by debut author Nikki Payne.
Liza B.—the only DJ who gives a jam—wants to take her neighborhood back from the soulless property developer dropping unaffordable condos on every street corner in DC. But her planned protest at a corporate event takes a turn after she mistakes the smoldering-hot CEO for the waitstaff. When they go toe-to-toe, the sparks fly—but her impossible-to-ignore family thwarts her every move. Liza wants Dorsey Fitzgerald out of her hood, but she’ll settle for getting him out of her head.
At first, Dorsey writes off Liza Bennett as more interested in performing outrage than acting on it. As the adopted Filipino son of a wealthy white family, he’s always felt a bit out of place and knows a fraud when he sees one. But when Liza’s protest results in a viral meme, their lives are turned upside down, and Dorsey comes to realize this irresistible revolutionary is the most real woman he’s ever met.
A Study in Scarlet Women
RECOMMENDED: A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas is $1.99! Both Sarah and Carrie read this book and enjoyed it.
Sarah gave it a B+: I haven’t shut up about this book since I finished it. My outbound text messages are mostly hollering, squeeing, and long strings of vowels about this book.
I’m so excited this book exists. I’m so excited that I got to read it. I’m so excited there will be more.
Carrie gave it B: I can’t WAIT to find out what Charlotte, Livia, and Mrs. Watson are up to. I hope it involves them being protective of each other, empowering, and smart. The excitement is palpable!
USA Today bestselling author Sherry Thomas turns the story of the renowned Sherlock Holmes upside down…
With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society. But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London.
When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her. But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind.
Crash Landing
Crash Landing by Annie McQuaid is $1.99! This is a second chance romance where the main couple is stranded on an island. I was meh on this one; lots of danger boner adjacent scenes. Example: right after crashing, the heroine is already thinking about how hot the hero is. GIRL, YOU HAVE A HEAD INJURY AND YOU JUST CRASHED ON AN ISLAND.
A funny and heartwarming debut romance about two exes forced to reunite when a plane crash leaves them stranded on a deserted island.
Piper Adams is completely, totally, one hundred percent over Wyatt, the former love of her life. At least, that’s what she tells herself. After he broke her heart, she stopped taking risks and focused instead on building a perfect—and perfectly safe—life. But bumping into Wyatt at the airport on the way to her best friend’s destination wedding wasn’t part of the plan. Neither was a canceled flight nor Wyatt’s offer of a ride on the tiny plane he’s flying to attend the same event. Desperate to make it on time, she accepts his offer, but things go from awkward to full-blown nightmare when their plane crashes in the Caribbean, stranding Piper on a deserted island with the last person she ever wanted to see again.
At first, rule-following Piper clashes with adventure-driven Wyatt, but as the days tick by, she can see the boy she once loved has grown into a man. A man who makes her laugh, knows his way around a fire, and is annoyingly hot shirtless. A man she could love again. As the chemistry still simmering between them boils over, Piper begins wishing Wyatt was more than just a survival partner. But for their love to survive a second chance, she’ll have to not only trust Wyatt again, but also learn to trust herself and find the courage to let go of her carefully curated life for the chance at something far greater—if they can survive the island long enough for rescue.
My Best Friend’s Exorcism
RECOMMENDED: My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix is $2.99! Carrie reviewed this and gave it a B+:
This particular horror story is a love letter to the 1980s and to the power of friendship between women. The ending is very awesome. But also very gross, so be prepared.
Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fifth grade, when they bonded over a shared love of E.T., roller-skating parties, and scratch-and-sniff stickers. But when they arrive at high school, things change. Gretchen begins to act . . . different. And as the strange coincidences and bizarre behavior start to pile up, Abby realizes there’s only one possible explanation: Gretchen, her favorite person in the world, has a demon living inside her. And Abby is not about to let anyone or anything come between her and her best friend. With help from some unlikely allies, Abby embarks on a quest to save Gretchen. But is their friendship powerful enough to beat the devil?
Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books (smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-07-31 08:00 am
smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-07-31 08:00 amSBTB 2025 Summer Romance Bingo Check-In
Hey all! We’re about halfway through our SBTB 2025 Romance Bingo card!
By now, you might have knocked out a few easier spaces, but if you’re having trouble, we’re here to help!
I’m doing my best to just get a single bingo this year and if you’re curious about my own card, here it is:
If it’s hard to see, here’s what my squares are:
Cover without any people: King of Wrath by Ana Huang
Scene or plot with inclement weather: The Devil and the Heiress by Harper St. George
Book that received a B+ or higher on SBTB: The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George
First book in a series: Hooked by Emily McIntire
Left at the altar: Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger
Main couple who are 30+: Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino
Class differences: Carnal Urges by J.T. Geissinger
Below are some resources or recommendations you can use to fill more specific squares. And of course, I encourage you to brainstorm in the comments.
For trope-specific squares, check out our Book Finder! Most of these tropes have tags in the Book Finder. Using the Book Finder will show you any books we have ever mentioned on the site:
(note: it only shows 150 entries and we have over 13K books in the finder, so definitely play around with tropes/archetype to find titles that skew more toward your tastes.)
- Friends to Lovers
- Renovation Romance
- Western Romance
- Sports Romance (you’ll have to do some more digging for specific sports)
- Time Travel
- Reviews by Grade
- Neighbor/Roommate
- Paranormal Romance
- Small Town
- Spy/Assassin
- Why Choose
- Characters Over 30+
- Class Differences
Other resources and tips:
- Goodreads has lists of popular books published in a certain month
- On GR, you can also list your TBR pile by pub date, which may help you find books in your birth month.
- Abroad Romances list
- Immigrant Main Character list
- Left at the Altar Contemporaries
- Popular Left at the Altar Romances
How is your bingo card looking? Are there any squares you’re struggling with? Let us know so we can help!
QC RSS (questionable_content_feed) wrote2025-07-30 08:55 pm
questionable_content_feed) wrote2025-07-30 08:55 pmWhole buncha comics
I'm back from traveling! Here's a bunch of comics.
Whatever (scalziwhatever_feed) wrote2025-07-30 08:11 pm
scalziwhatever_feed) wrote2025-07-30 08:11 pmView From a Hotel Window, 7/30/25: Indianapolis
And boy, if the state capitol wrapped in scaffolding isn’t a metaphor for something, I don’t know what is.
Anyway, hello, here I am in Indianapolis for GenCon, where I am a Guest of Honor for the convention’s writers symposium. For the next several days I will be on panels, dispensing what passes as my wisdom on the subject of writing and publishing. Oh boy! If you’re here, come say hello. If you’re not here, maybe wait to say hello until I am in your vicinity.
— JS
Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books (smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-07-30 06:00 pm
smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-07-30 06:00 pmLinks: Gaming, Events, & More
Welcome back, everyone!
Anyone else ready for the weekend? The last couple weeks have been busier than usual with social obligations and errands, and I’m ready to be a hermit!
For all my gamers, there’s going to be a Nintendo Direct tomorrow (6am PT/9am ET). Rumors are there may be an Animal Crossing announcement, and possible a release date for Hades II (though I’ve been playing early access and it’s fantastic).
What are your weekend plans?
…
This link comes from Barb for any romance readers in the Toronto area. The Toronto Public Library is hosting a romance lit festival from August 21-24. I believe the event is free, though they encourage registering for specific events as space is limited.
…
The site is featured and quoted in an academic article about genres and libraries!
From Deborah Tomaras, Librarian at Marist University:
I can finally send you the link to the published article on patrons, genres and libraries, available as open access here.
Fair warning that it’s very long, and very focused on genres in libraries and library genre vocabularies, particularly the Library of Congress’ Genre/Form Terms vocabulary (LCGFT).
The nutshell version is: patrons look for works of interest in library catalogs, using in-depth knowledge and terminology for subgenres also used and understood by publishers, review sites, social media communities, authors, etc.; and wouldn’t it be nice if library genre vocabularies could use those terms too?
…
This news was put on our radar by Cleo and Lisa. Itch.io, “open marketplace for independent digital creators with a focus on independent video games,” has removed all NSFW games from their store pages and search results.
It seems like the aim, according to Itch.io, is to ban specific themes like SA, underage content, and beastiality, but NSFW bans also have a habit of sweeping up LGBTQIA+ content and any sexual content altogether, even if it doesn’t fall within their list of concerning topics.
You can find methods of fighting the ban here.
You can read Itch.io’s official statement here.
…
If you’ve been swept up in the American Eagle ad campaign drama, romance author and cultural anthropologist Nikki Payne has an amazing Substack on the link between our TBR piles and the vision of a white utopia.
…
Don’t forget to share what cool or interesting things you’ve seen, read, or listened to this week! And if you have anything you think we’d like to post on a future Wednesday Links, send it my way!
Smart Bitches, Trashy BooksSmart Bitches, Trashy Books (smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-07-30 03:30 pm
smartbitches_feed) wrote2025-07-30 03:30 pmTessa Dare, Fantasy, & More
Note from Sarah: Libro.fm’s Indie Sale is ending very soon, so if you’d like to stock up on audiobooks for yourself and other fine listening people, go, go, go!
There are some titles for $3.99 – which is astonishing, honestly – including books from Abby Jimenez, Christina Lauren, Sarah Rees Brennan, and Alexandra Vasti. I love a good sale.
The Love of My Afterlife
The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood is $1.99! I hope this sale lasts! Sarah had the author on the podcast and she picked it as her favorite read of 2024.
A recently deceased woman meets “the one” in the afterlife waiting room, scoring a second chance at life (and love!) if she can find him on earth before ten days are up…
If she wasn’t dead already, Delphie would be dying of embarrassment. Not only did she just die by choking on a microwaveable burger, but now she’s standing in her ‘shine like a star’ nightie in front of the hottest man she’s ever seen. And he’s smiling at her.
As they start to chat, everything else becomes background noise. That is until someone comes running out of a door, yelling something about a huge mistake, and sends the dreamy stranger back down to earth. And here Delphie was thinking her luck might be different in the afterlife.
When Delphie is offered a deal in which she can return to earth and reconnect with the mysterious man, she jumps at the opportunity to find her possible soulmate and a fresh start. But in a city of millions, Delphie is going to have to listen to her heart, learn to ask for help, and perhaps even see the magic in the life she’s leaving behind…
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose is $1.99! This book was recommended in our end of the year podcasts in 2024. We always have some great comments about this one whenever we feature it on sale.
A young Indigenous woman enters a colonizer-run dragon academy—and quickly finds herself at odds with the “approved” way of doing things—in the first book of this brilliant new fantasy series.
The remote island of Masquapaug has not seen a dragon in many generations—until fifteen-year-old Anequs finds a dragon’s egg and bonds with its hatchling. Her people are delighted, for all remember the tales of the days when dragons lived among them and danced away the storms of autumn, enabling the people to thrive. To them, Anequs is revered as Nampeshiweisit—a person in a unique relationship with a dragon.
Unfortunately for Anequs, the Anglish conquerors of her land have different opinions. They have a very specific idea of how a dragon should be raised, and who should be doing the raising—and Anequs does not meet any of their requirements. Only with great reluctance do they allow Anequs to enroll in a proper Anglish dragon school on the mainland. If she cannot succeed there, her dragon will be killed.
For a girl with no formal schooling, a non-Anglish upbringing, and a very different understanding of the history of her land, challenges abound—both socially and academically. But Anequs is smart, determined, and resolved to learn what she needs to help her dragon, even if it means teaching herself. The one thing she refuses to do, however, is become the meek Anglish miss that everyone expects.
Anequs and her dragon may be coming of age, but they’re also coming to power, and that brings an important realization: the world needs changing—and they might just be the ones to do it.
Do You Want to Start a Scandal
RECOMMENDED: Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare is $1.99! This is part of the Castles Ever After series, but can be read on its own. Elyse loved this book:
I loved Do You Want to Start a Scandal. It’s funny, it’s sexy and it’s got some Clue-like shenanigans going on. If you have better self control than I do, I recommend savoring this book rather than powering through in one sitting (good luck).
On the night of the Parkhurst ball, someone had a scandalous tryst in the library. Was it Lord Canby, with the maid, on the divan? Or Miss Fairchild, with a rake, against the wall? Perhaps the butler did it.
All Charlotte Highwood knows is this: it wasn’t her. But rumors to the contrary are buzzing. Unless she can discover the lovers’ true identity, she’ll be forced to marry Piers Brandon, Lord Granville—the coldest, most arrogantly handsome gentleman she’s ever had the misfortune to embrace. When it comes to emotion, the man hasn’t got a clue.
But as they set about finding the mystery lovers, Piers reveals a few secrets of his own. The oh-so-proper marquess can pick locks, land punches, tease with sly wit . . . and melt a woman’s knees with a single kiss. The only thing he guards more fiercely than Charlotte’s safety is the truth about his dark past.
Their passion is intense. The danger is real. Soon Charlotte’s feeling torn. Will she risk all to prove her innocence? Or surrender it to a man who’s sworn to never love?
Sorcery and Small Magics
Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy is $2.99! This one is a slightly cozy, queer fantasy with rivals who are now magically connected after a curse goes wrong. Last time this was on sale, the comments mention it’s a slow burn and the first book does not have an HEA in it.
Desperate to undo the curse binding them to each other, an impulsive sorcerer and his curmudgeonly rival venture deep into a magical forest in search of a counterspell—only to discover that magic might not be the only thing pulling them together.
Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics.
He can summon butterflies with a song, or turn someone’s hair pink by snapping his fingers. Such minor charms don’t earn him much admiration from other sorcerers (or his father), but anything more elaborate always blows up in his face. Which is why Leo vowed years ago to never again write powerful magic.
That is, until a mix-up involving a forbidden spell binds Leo to obey the commands of his longtime nemesis, Sebastian Grimm. Grimm is Leo’s complete opposite—respected, exceptionally talented, and an absolutely insufferable curmudgeon. The only thing they agree on is that getting caught using forbidden magic would mean the end of their careers. They need a counterspell, and fast. But Grimm casts spells, he doesn’t undo them, and Leo doesn’t mess with powerful magic.
Chasing rumors of a powerful sorcerer with a knack for undoing curses, Leo and Grimm enter the Unquiet Wood, a forest infested with murderous monsters and dangerous outlaws alike. To dissolve the curse, they’ll have to uncover the true depths of Leo’s magic, set aside their long-standing rivalry, and—much to their horror—work together.
Even as an odd spark of attraction flares between them.
Whatever (scalziwhatever_feed) wrote2025-07-30 03:38 pm
scalziwhatever_feed) wrote2025-07-30 03:38 pmRay’s Bucktown Bed & Breakfast: An Eclectic, Artsy Space In The Suburbs
When I went to Chicago last week, it was just for one day and one night, and then the ol’ five hour drive back to Ohio. So, I needed a place to stay for just one night, and specifically not downtown. My mom was actually the one who found Ray’s Bucktown Bed & Breakfast, an eleven bird-named-bedroom bed and breakfast with the most eclectic decor this side of the Mississippi.
My mom and I had a great stay, and I wanted to share the avian affiliated B&B with y’all in case you’re ever in Chicago and need a totally bomb dot com place to stay.
We stayed in the Cuckoo Room, which is one of the only rooms where the bathroom is not attached, and is actually right across the hall from the bedroom portion. They make sure to put up a sign on your bathroom that says it is specifically for the Cuckoo Room, and not for public use, and your room key is also the key to the bathroom if you want to lock it just in case. The bathroom being separate actually did not bother us at all, even when I went to shower and whatnot I wasn’t concerned about it not being attached to the bedroom area.
I was really impressed how clean the bedroom and bathroom were, and especially the shower looked really nice and clean.
I liked that there were plenty of towels, a bath mat you could lay out, and the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the shower for you to use. There were also robes and sandals in the room for you to use.
As for the rest of the wild, maze-like estate, there were multiple communal spaces with couches, comfy chairs, books, board games, and even a rooftop patio with tons of plants if you needed a bit of sunshine and fresh air. Plus, so much cool art on the walls. And a little library!
Apparently, there’s even an orange cat that is sometimes on the patio. I did not see him, but I wish I had! The patio is also 420 friendly, if that’s your vibe.
Aside from the communal space to sit and relax, you’re also free to go into the kitchen anytime and fill the carafe from your room with filtered water, get a cup o’ joe, or grab a free snack from the snack station. I actually appreciated that they had some pretty decent snacks and not just like, one type of granola bar.
As you can see, I wasn’t kidding about the exorbitant amount of art and knick-knacks. Here’s some particularly interesting pieces I took note of:
(I thought it was covered in teeth when I saw it from across the room.)
(I wanted to touch these sooo bad but I looked with my eyes and not my hands.)
(What is keeping them up there??)
(This piece is actually HUGE.)
And finally, this blackboard menu from a restaurant that closed down in 1997.
You can’t beat those pre-00’s prices.
So, now that you’ve seen the “bed” part of the B&B experience, let’s talk about the “breakfast” part.
Breakfast is made to order, with a real lil’ menu!
Everything on the menu is included in the cost of your stay, so no need to bring your wallet down from your room. Aside from what you see on the menu, there’s also pastries and fresh fruit in the kitchen you can help yourself to.
I ordered the herbed goat omelette, with a chicken apple gouda sausage.
(I know it looks like there’s a hair on my orange slice, but it was absolutely not a hair, I promise.)
The omelette was totally stuffed with goat cheese and herbs and was super yummy, and the chicken apple gouda sausage was quite possibly the best sausage I’ve ever had. It was so flavorful and juicy and had chunks of apple in it, it was seriously so good.
Aside from the hot food cooked for me, I also had some cantaloupe, pineapple, grapes, and a pastry.
My mom got the B&B pancakes, which are blueberry and banana pancakes with real maple syrup, and they were flippin’ delicious. They were packed full of blueberries, and the bananas were actually caramelized. I had more than my fair share of her pancakes, plus I tried a bite of her overnight oats which I also really enjoyed.
Aside from the breakfast, there’s plenty of other great amenities that make staying here really worth it. You can request a garage parking spot so you don’t have to use the street parking, there’s a steam room and a sauna, and the place is dog friendly (extra twenty bucks for a dog)!
The management and staff were all super friendly, and even referred to me by name.
Honestly, I think the thing I liked most about this place was just the awesome amount of little details, like when you’re about to leave, there’s a basket with SPF options for you to help yourself to. Out front, there’s a doggy water bowl, jar of treats, and bags to clean up after your dog with in case you forgot one. There’s chocolates waiting for you in your room upon arrival, and make up wipes and Q-tips in the bathroom. It just really feels like an actual home away from home, and my mom and I really enjoyed our stay.
If you’re in the Bucktown/Wicker Park/Logan Square area, I highly recommend staying at Ray’s.
Which funky art piece is your favorite? Have you heard of Ray’s B&B before? Let me know in the comments, be sure to follow them on Instagram, and have a great day!
-AMS