#r.m. romero

[lgbtqreads]

Fave Five: LGBTQ Novels Inspired by Greek Mythology, Part IV

For the first three parts, click here. Death’s Country by R.M. Romero (YA) Gentlest of Wild Things by Sarah Underwood (YA) Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert The Palace of Eros by Caro de Robertis Oath of Fire by K Arsenault Rivera  

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

Death’s Country

YA contemporary fantasy in verse

a boy who moved from São Paulo to Miami after almost drowning in a river meets two girls, and they all fall in love with each other

but when a car accident puts one of the girls in a coma, the other two journey to the underworld to retrieve her spirit from the city of the dead

and they all must face the secrets of their pasts if they want to make it back to life

[bookaddict24-7]

NEW YOUNG ADULT RELEASES! (MAY 7TH, 2024)

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HAVE I MISSED ANY NEW YOUNG ADULT RELEASES? HAVE YOU ADDED ANY OF THESE BOOKS TO YOUR TBR? LET ME KNOW!

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NEW STANDALONES/FIRST IN A SERIES:

Bite Me, Royce Taslim by Lauren Ho

The Summer Love Strategy by Ray Stoeve

Perfect Little Monsters by Cindy R.X. He

Better Must Come by Desmond Hall

Fifteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton

Sixteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton

Spin of Fate by A.A. Vora

The Unboxing of a Black Girl by Angela Shanté

Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams

This Book Won't Burn by Samira Ahmed

The Dare by Natasha Preston

Lie Until It's True by Jessie Weaver

Hot Boy Summer by Joe Jiménez

Dispatches from Parts Unknown by Bryan Bliss

Sunhead by Alex Assan

Eyes Open by Lyn Miller-Lachmann

Breathe: Journeys to Healthy Binding by Maia Kobabe & Dr. Sarah Peitzmeier

Malicia by Steven dos Santos

The Ballad of Darcy and Russell by Morgan Matson

Queerceañera by Alex Crespo

Death's Country by R.M. Romero

Beastly Beauty by Jennifer Donnelly

Sweet Nightmare by Tracy Wolff

NEW SEQUELS:

More Than This (The Davenports #2) by Krystal Marquis

Pulled Under (Sixteenth Summer #2) by Michelle Dalton

Swept Away (Sixteenth Summer #3) by Michelle Dalton

Burning Crowns (Twin Crowns #3) by Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber

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Happy reading!

[transbookoftheday]

A Warning About Swans by R.M. Romero

Swan Lake meets The Last Unicorn by way of the Brothers Grimm in a dreamy, original fairytale by critically acclaimed author R.M. Romero.

Bavaria. 1880. Hilde was dreamed into existence by the god Odin and, along with her five sisters, granted cloaks that transform them into swans. Each sister’s cloak is imbued with a unique gift, but Hilde rejects her gift which allows her to lead the souls of dying creatures to the afterlife.

While guiding the soul of a hawk, Hilde meets the handsome Baron Maximilian von Richter, whose father left him no inheritance. Hilde is intrigued by Richter’s longing for a greater life and strikes a deal with him: She will manifest his dreams of riches, and in return, he will take her to the human world, where the song of souls can’t reach her.

But at the court of King Ludwig II in Munich, Hilde struggles to fit in. After learning that fashionable ladies are sitting for portraits, she hires non-binary Jewish artist Franz Mendelson, and is stunned when Franz renders her with swan wings. The more time she spends with Franz, the more she feels drawn to the artist’s warm, understanding nature, and the more controlling Richter becomes. When Hilde’s swan cloak suddenly goes missing, only Franz’s ability to paint the true nature of souls can help Hilde escape her newfound prison.

[rains-of-words]

Maybe sixteen is a curse, a time when everyone is stuck between being a child and being something else.

R.M. Romero, The Ghosts of Rose Hill

[radedneko]

Does it matter if the creatures who see the whole of me aren't human (anymore)?

~The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero

[bookcoversonly]

Title: The Ghosts of Rose Hill | Author: R.M. Romero | Publisher: Peachtree Teen (2022)

[desdasiwrites]

– R.M. Romero, The Ghosts of Rose Hill

[hotvintagepoll]

this is a poll for a movie that doesn't exist.

It is vintage times. The powers that be have decided to again remake the classic vampire novel Dracula for the screen. in an amazing show of inter-studio solidarity, Hollywood’s most elite hotties are up for the starring roles. the producers know whoever they cast will greatly impact the genre, quality, and tone of the finished film, so they are turning to their wisest voices for guidance.

you are the new casting director for this star-studded epic. choose your players wisely.

Previously cast:

Jonathan Harker—Jimmy Stewart

The Old Woman—Martita Hunt

Count Dracula—Gloria Holden

Mina Murray—Setsuko Hara

Lucy Westenra—Judy Garland (rip)

The Three Voluptuous Women—Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe, and Lauren Bacall

The Agonized Mother—Mary Philbin (rip)

Dr. Jack Seward—Vincent Price

Quincey P. Morris—Toshiro Mifune

Arthur Holmwood—Sidney Poitier

R.M. Renfield—Conrad Veidt

The Captain of the Demeter—Omar Sharif (rip)

The First Mate of the Demeter—Leonard Nimoy (rip)

Mr. Swales—Ed Wynn (rip)

The Correspondent for The Daily Graph—Ethel Waters

Dracula in dog form—Frank Oz with a puppet

Sister Agatha—Angela Lansbury

Mrs. Westenra—Gladys Cooper (rip)

Dracula's solicitors—Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee

Dr. Van Helsing—Orson Welles

Mr. Hawkins—Donald Meek

Thomas Bilder, the zookeeper—Lon Chaney Jr.

Mrs. Bilder, the zookeeper's wife—Elsa Lanchester

The Reporter from the Pall Mall Gazette—Hattie McDaniel

There is little to say to describe Mr. Marquand, who is only here briefly to describe how the Westenra will leaves everything to Arthur Holmwood. He is described by Dr. Seward as "very genial and very appreciative," and goes a little too much into legal detail considering the reason he turns up in the story. (Lucy and Mrs. Westenra are now dead.)

[out-of-the-forest-i-come]

SFF Polyamory Recs Part 2

You can find Part 1 here.

Darker by Four, by June C.L. Tan - fantasy. first in a series. seems to be f/m/m

Godly Heathens, by H.E. Edgmon - fantasy. first in a series. seems to be f/nb/m

Death's Country, by R.M. Romero - fantasy. standalone. f/f/m

Thornfruit, by Felicia Davin - fantasy. first in a series. seems to be f/f/f

Little Heart of Stone, by Clio Evans - fantasy. standalone. f/f/m

A Rational Arrangement, by L. Rowyn - fantasy. first in a series. f/m/m

Strange Grace, by Tessa Gratton - fantasy. standalone. f/m/m

Road to Ruin, by Hana Lee - fantasy & sci-fi. first in a series. seems to be f/f/m

The Compass Rose, by Gail Dayton - fantasy. first in a series. pairing unknown

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🌈 Queer Books Coming Out in May 2024 🌈

🌈 Good morning, my bookish bats! Struggling to keep up with all the amazing queer books coming out this month? Here are a FEW of the stunning, diverse queer books you can add to your TBR before the year is over. Remember to #readqueerallyear! Happy reading!

[ Release dates may have changed. ]

❤️ Farzana's Spite - Felix Graves 🧡 Archangels of Funk - Andrea Hairston 💛 How It Works Out - Myriam Lacroix 💚 Queer History A to Z - Robin Stevenson, Vivian Rosas 💙 Queerceañera - Alex Crespo 💜 Second Night Stand - Karelia Stetz-Waters, Fay Stetz-Waters ❤️ You Can Call Me Cooper - Cali Kitsu 🧡 Gooseberry - Robin Gow 💛 Grand Slam Romance - Ollie Hicks, Emma Oosterhous 💙The Witches of Silverlake - Simon Curtis, Stephanie Son 💜 Drawn to the Enemy - Barbara Winkes 🌈 The Truth of Our Past - Heather Leighson

❤️ Infaust - T.D. Cloud, Ambi Sun 🧡 Garner for Gold - Catherine Labadie 💛 The Z Word - Lindsay King-Miller 💚 Snake Charming - Genevieve McCluer 💙 The 7-10 Split - Karmen Lee 💜 Loving Jemima - Sienna Waters ❤️ The Potion Gardener - Arden Powell 🧡 A Swift and Sudden Exit - Nico Vincenty 💛 The Worst Ronin - Maggie Tokuda-Hall, Faith Schaffer 💙 Murray Out of Water -Taylor Tracy 💜 The Guncle Abroad - Steven Rowley 🌈 The Weight of What Was - Pip Landers-Letts

❤️ The Amazing Alpha Tau Pledge Project - Lisa Henry, Sarah Honey 🧡 I Met Death & Sex Through My Friend, Tom Meuley - Thom Vernon 💛 Malicia - Steven dos Santos 💚 The Sins on Their Bones - Laura R. Samotin 💙 SLUTS: Anthology - Michelle Tea 💜 You Should Be So Lucky - Cat Sebastian ❤️ Death's Country - R.M. Romero 🧡 Cinema Love - Jiaming Tang 💛 The Brides of High Hill - Nghi Vo 💙 Emma - Jenna Kent 💜 Wish We Were There - Lionel Hart 🌈 A Troublemaker in Her Eyes - Genta Sebastian

❤️ I Make Envy on Your Disco - Eric Schnall 🧡 Lavash at First Sight - Taleen Voskuni 💛 Queer Power Couples - Hannah Murphy Winter, Billie Winter 💚 In Repair - A.L. Graziadei 💙 A Heart Divided - Angie Williams 💜 Long After We Are Gone - Terah Shelton Harris ❤️ The Queen of Steeplechase Park - David Ciminello 🧡 Lunar Boy - Jes Wibowo, Cin Wibowo 💛 Hot Boy Summer - Joe Jiménez 💙 Sunhead - Alex Assan 💜 The Summer Love Strategy - Ray Stoeve 🌈 Into the Mouth of the Wolf - Erin Gough

❤️ The Girl in Question - Tess Sharpe 🧡 The Lost Erwain - Mariah Stillbrook 💛 Starfire - Naomi Hughes 💚 Adrift - Sam Ledel 💙 Shanghai Murder - Jessie Chandler 💜 April May June July - Alison B. Hart ❤️ A Bone in His Teeth - Kellen Graves 🧡 Cabin Fever - Tagan Shepard 💛 Don't Be a Drag - Skye Quinlan 💙 The Ride of Her Life - Jennifer Dugan 💜 The Redemption of Daya Keane - Gia Gordon 🌈 Nearlywed - Nicolas DiDomizio

❤️ The Sunforge - Sascha Stronach 🧡 The End of Time - Trudie Skies 💛 Silent Ones - Melissa Polk 💚 Prime Time Travelers - Neil Laird 💙 My Darling Dreadful Thing - Johanna van Veen 💜 The Honey Witch - Sydney J. Shields ❤️ Spitting Gold - Carmella Lowkis 🧡 Last Chance - Claire Highton-Stevenson 💛 Road Home - Rex Ogle 💙 Only for Convenience - Shannon O'Connor 💜 Linus and Etta Could Use a Win - Caroline Huntoon 🌈 Finding Molly Parsons - Alyson Root

❤️ Breathe: Journeys to Healthy Binding - Maia Kobabe, Dr. Sarah Peitzmeier 🧡 See You Next Month - Jamey Moody 💛 Until You Say My Name - Tatum Schroeder 💚 Disembark - Jen Currin 💙 True Love and Other Impossible Odds - Christina Li 💜 Flyboy - Kasey LeBlanc ❤️ Thirsty - Jas Hammonds 🧡 Hands Off - N. Slater 💛 Flooded Secrets - Claudie Arseneault 💙 The Deer and the Dragon - Piper C.J. 💜 To Be Loved - Frank G. Anderson 🌈 Snowblooded - Emma Sterner-Radley

❤️ Blood Remains - Cathy Pegau 🧡 Blood on the Tide - Katee Robert 💛 We Were the Universe - Kimberly King Parsons 💚 Loyalty - E.J. Noyes 💙 Spirits and Sirens - Kelly Fireside 💜 Clean Kill - Anne Laughlin ❤️ The Worst Perfect Moment - Shivaun Plozza 🧡 Oye - Melissa Mogollon 💛 Here for the Wrong Reasons - Annabel Paulsen, Lydia Wang 💙 Exhibit - R.O. Kwon 💜 Experienced - Kate Young 🌈 Parenting with Pride - Heather Hester

❤️ Road to Ruin - Hana Lee 🧡 Meet Me in Berlin - Samantha L. Valentine 💛 The Advice Columnist - Cade Haddock Strong 💚 where lost & hopeless things go - Bryony Rosehurst 💙 Pit Stop - Ellis Mae 💜 The Switchboard - Christina K. Glover ❤️ In the Shallows - Tanya Byrne 🧡 Have You Seen This Girl - Nita Tyndall 💛 Another First Chance - Robbie Couch 💙 The Only Light Left Burning - Erik J. Brown 💜 Keepers of the Stones and Stars - Michael Barakiva 🌈 A Little Kissing Between Friends - Chencia C. Higgins

[lgbtqreads]

New Releases: May 7, 2024

Picture Books It’s Pride, Baby! by Allen R. Wells (text) and Dia Valle (illustration) Lift your soul to the sky. Like summer sunbeams― Don’t live behind clouds. You shine! It’s Black Gay Pride Day in Washington, DC, and two gay parents are getting their child ready for a day at the National Mall. From cheerful neighbors to colorful outfits to fireworks, the vast LGBTQIA+ community is represented…

[readsofawe]

Announcing #ReadsOfAwe 2023! I cannot express how excited I am!

FAQ below:

When is it? Sunset 9/15 to sunset 9/25, from the beginning of Rosh HaShanah to the end of Yom Kippur, also called the Days of Awe (hence the name) Who can participate? Anyone! Jews, non-Jews, big readers, one-book-a-year types, and anyone in between.

What’s the goal? To celebrate Jewish stories during this holiday season! And to encourage folks to read a little bit more. If you would normally read nothing this week, pick up a short story or a poem! If you would normally read one book, try for two. If you would normally read five, try for seven! The hope is that, no matter your reading speed, interests, or knowledge base, there’s a way for you to participate and honor Jewish writing.

What is a "Jewish book"? Now that's a question! For our purposes, we'll define it pretty broadly: anything with a Jewish author, themes, and/or characters. Feel free to engage in heated debate in the comments about what counts!

How do I participate? There's a ton of ways! 🍎 Read Jewish books! You don't even have to tell anyone about it :) 📚 Follow the prompts on the bingo card, and post how many squares you fill 🍎 Share your TBR, reviews, and book photos on Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook, and/or Twitter with the hashtag #readsofawe

📚 Pick up our Buddy Read, The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero, and share your thoughts 🍎 Join our live reading sprints!

What’s the deal with the bingo board? It’s a fun challenge to encourage people to read widely within Jewish literature! Download or screenshot the board and mark off squares when you get them. Feel free to use one book per square OR mark as many squares as apply to each book! Go for a single square, a bingo, a blackout, or just a random pattern! And don’t forget to post your marked-up board when the readathon is over.

What’s a Buddy Read? Everybody who wants to reads the same book—in this case, The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero—and we talk about it! There will be a live discussion on 9/27, and you can also post your thoughts and feelings as you read with the same hashtag, #ReadsOfAwe

What are Reading Sprints? When we all read together on a livestream. Usually they will use the Pomodoro method: 30 minutes of reading, 15 minutes of chitchat, then reading again. Come hang out, it’ll be fun!

What is frum representation? The word frum (literally pious) refers to a variety of Jewish practices and religious movements that prioritize certain kinds of observance—most visibly, modest dress, eating Kosher, and avoiding all work on Shabbat and holidays. For our purposes, frum rep includes characters who are Orthodox, Chabad, or Haredi, or are from historical contexts where those labels don’t apply but their style of observance is similar.

What are MG and YA? MG is Middle Grade—so, books aimed at 8-13 year olds. Think Percy Jackson. Similarly, YA is Young Adult—books aimed at 14-18 year olds. Think The Hunger Games.

What is a TBR? The acronym TBR stands for “To Be Read.” Those are the books you’re planning on reading in a certain period of time—in this case, during the Days of Awe!

If you've got additional questions, feel free to reach out!

[bookaddict24-7]

New Young Adult Releases! (July 11th, 2023)

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Have I missed any new Young Adult releases? Have you added any of these books to your TBR? Let me know!

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New Standalones/First in a Series:

Give Me A Sign by Anna Sortino

My Week with Him by Joya Goffney

A Song of Salvation by Alechia Dow

All the Yellow Suns by Malavika Kannan

The Prince & The Apocalypse by Kara McDowell

I'd Rather Burn Than Bloom by Shannon C.F. Rogers

Those We Drown by Amy Goldsmith

Stars, Hide Your Fires by Jessica Mary Best

Bellegarde by Jamie Lilac

A Warning About Swans by R.M. Romero

How (Not) to Date A Pop Star by Jada Trainor

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Happy reading!

[listentothestories]

The more people tell a story, the more alive it becomes.

R.M. Romero, The Dollmaker of Krakow

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 3.5/5

Book Blurb: Lakelore meets “Orpheus and Eurydice” when two Miami teens travel to the underworld to retrieve their girlfriend’s soul.

Andres Santos of São Paulo was all swinging fists and firecracker fury, a foot soldier in the war between his parents, until he drowned in the Tietê River… and made a bargain with Death for a new life. A year later, his parents have relocated the family to Miami, but their promises of a fresh start quickly dissolve in the summer heat. 

Instead of fists, Andres now uses music to escape his parents’ battles. While wandering Miami Beach, he meets two girls: photographer Renee, a blaze of fire, and dancer Liora, a ray of sunshine. The three become a polyamorous triad, happy, despite how no one understands their relationship. But when a car accident leaves Liora in a coma, Andres and Renee are shattered. 

Then Renee proposes a radical solution: She and Andres must go into the underworld to retrieve their girlfriend’s spirit and reunite it with her body—before it’s too late. Their search takes them to the City of the dead, where painters bleed color, songs grow flowers, and regretful souls will do anything to forget their lives on earth. But finding Liora’s spirit is only the first step in returning to the living world. Because when Andres drowned, he left a part of himself in the underworld—a part he’s in no hurry to meet again. But it is eager to be reunited with him... 

In verse as vibrant as the Miami skyline, critically acclaimed author R.M. Romero has crafted a masterpiece of magical realism and an openhearted ode to the nature of healing.

Review:

A polyamorous retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice told in verse! The story follows two Miami teens as they travel to the Underworld to retrieve their girlfriend's soul. Andres Santos is someone who swings his fist and lets his anger take hold, someone who is stuck in the middle of his parent's fights, and someone who drowned in the river until he made a bargain with Death for a new life. A year after the incident his family has moved to Miami... and thats where he meets two girls: photographer Renee and dancer Liora. The three become a polyamorous triad, happy in their love despite the fact that no one understands their relationship. However when Liora gets into an accident and ends up in a coma, Andres and Renee are broken... that is until Renee proposes that they both go to the underworld to retrieve their girlfriend's soil and reunite it with her body. Yet as they travel into the underworld, their relationship will be tested and Andres will have to face his own demon... one he left behind on the day he drowned. This was definitely a really unique retelling on the classic story and while I didn't particularly enjoy the in verse style of the novel and felt that some parts were a bit muddled, the overall story itself is one I would recommend. I feel like if you enjoy in verse novels, this is definitely one you should add to your TBR! It's a gorgeous retelling and it definitely creates a unique story while staying true to the spirit of the classic.

*Thanks Netgalley and Holiday House / Peachtree / Pixel+Ink | Peachtree Teen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*