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You guys need to get excited for The Third Mrs. Durst by Ann Aguirre. 

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Book Review: A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas

Rating: ★★★★★

With this second installment, the Lady Sherlock series officially becomes my favorite historical fiction series of all time.

Nothing else even comes close. Five stars are NOT ENOUGH. <— I have literally never said that in a review before.

*deep breath*

Sherry Thomas is a goddess. She has literally given me everything I have ever wanted from this genre.

Interesting take on a retelling: check Compelling romantic sub-plot: check Accurate depiction of a time period: check Whip-smart female lead: check Plots within plots: check A complex cast of characters: check Feminism: check

Honestly, I could go on and on here. This list is really never ending. So lemme try to get my shit together and stop fangirling.

*another deep breath*

The Lady Sherlock series centers around Charlotte Holmes, a woman who is so smart that normal mortals struggle with her intelligence. Especially since this is set in a time period where women were generally understood to be second class citizens, to be lesser than men in every regard.

When I say that this centers on Charlotte, I mean that these books are told through multiple third person PoVs. The cast of characters are all connected to her in some way, but they each have their own voice and story arcs that progress along with the series.

I am invested in each and every one of them. Even the characters I don’t really like, because, through Charlotte’s astounding insight, I understand them, and want them to understand themselves and become better people when they do.

Charlotte, I think, might be my favorite female lead of all time. So often when an author delivers us a woman genius, they divorce all femininity from the character. It subtly reinforces the stigma that intelligence = masculinity. It prologues the obnoxious belief that women can’t be taken seriously if they like fashion, or pretty things, or show emotion.

Sherry Thomas thinks that’s bullshit.

So she writes Charlotte with a delicious mix of wit and eccentricity. Charlotte can tell you what the weather was like in the town you passed through yesterday morning just by looking at you. But she also adores ornate gowns dressed with ribbons and bows. She takes great pleasure from sugary confections wrapped in pretty parcels.

And while her cool logic might render her outwardly calm and unshakable, she is not immune or allergic to displays of strong emotions in others. Despite what the other characters may think.

It was all too easy, at times, to believe that she never felt anything, that inside her rib cage beat not a heart, but the metronomic device of an automaton.

She’s not unfeeling. She has a heart. Her emotions just manifest differently than how others expect.

I adored the first book in this series. This one is somehow even better. The character growth (or maybe not growth, but expansion?) is phenomenal. And the plot. Yea gods.

It starts off simple enough: an aristocratic lady searching for her long lost love.

A good analogy is that this plot is like a ball of twine. In the beginning of this book, it’s a tightly woven, orderly thing. And then it just unravels from there. Three quarters of the way through, it looks like something a litter of kittens got into and dragged halfway throughout the house. You have no idea which strands attach to each other or how to make any sense of it. It’s a convoluted jumble that you have no idea how to put back together. And then Sherry Thomas takes you by the hand and pulls you away from it to look at it from a greater distance and you realize that there was a pattern there all along. One so complex and ingenious that you’re not even mad you didn’t see it.

Seriously, the first time I read the ending of this book, I set it aside and muttered, “Well, shit.”

It’s no wonder that Charlotte reads like a legitimate genius when she comes from a mind like Thomas’.

And she does read like one. There’s a part early on in this installment where she solves a complex code called a Vigenère cipher that is truly breathtaking. And I speak as someone with a background in this. As someone who worked in binary and morse. Who listened to squeaks and beeps for the government for over a decade and whose job it was to make sense of them for other people.

So, yeah, this series will forever hold a special place in my heart.

I cannot recommend it enough for readers with long attention spans. For those who adore the classics. Or for anyone looking for a complex, yet still fun and captivating set of stories capable of wholly transporting you to another time and place.

Get your copy here.

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Book Review: A Duke in Disguise by Cat Sebastian

Damn it. I was sure I was going to love this one. I loved parts of it. But then there were other parts that were less enjoyable for me.

*spoilers below*

I love that Sebastian included so much real history in the form of the female lead’s brother being involved in some seditious dissent against the British government and aristocracy. But then he was tidily bundled up and sent to America pretty early on and that all sort of disappeared.

I love that the female lead is bisexual and very upfront about her wants and needs in the bedroom. I love that she is outspoken and stands up for herself both in public and in private.

I love that she had some very serious and understandable reasons to not become involved with the male lead. But then she just *poof* changes her mind about everything off page and we’re not really shown why. And then that indecisiveness comes back with a vengeance later on in the book and it seems to take her forever to resolve her feelings.

I love that the male lead was empathetic and at times vulnerable. I love the way his epilepsy was portrayed. I love that he never once pressured or bullied the female lead. I did not love that he kept things from her. Or that he all but took her decision to be with him away by severing all ties at one point.

I also didn’t love the level of relationship angst in here. Anyone who has been following my reviews for any length of time knows that OTT drama that could be easily avoided if the male and female leads simply talked to each other is one of my biggest pet peeves in romance. There was a lot of that in here.

I was also confused by the running theme that the female lead hates the aristocratic class and everything it stands for, but then when she joins it, she’s suddenly okay with all the perks that come from her newly elevated status? There’s talk of country estates and simply buying a new, incredibly lavish, borderline gaudy town home in London because they don’t want to live in the home the male lead inherits.

Okay then.

I mean, by all means, go ahead and spend some money if you want. But paired with the fact that there’s no talk of doing anything for the poor, or further fighting against such an imbalanced system makes them both seem like massive hypocrites to me.

I’m also struggling a little with the running theme in this series that neither of the female leads has wanted to get married because it meant they would lose so much of themselves and neither believed in what at the time was such a broken system (husbands all but owning their wives and all). But then, true love comes along and they, well, they kind of cave. They give up a lot of themselves. They lose their independence.

I’m all for compromising when it comes to love. I’ve done so myself in many ways. But something about this just isn’t sitting right with me. I think it’s because both of their reasons are so legitimate and understandable that to see it all given up just…rankles.

I would love to read a regency romance in which the female lead stays firm on this and doesn’t marry the male lead but they still get an HEA in the form of a long, committed relationship outside the bonds of matrimony.

But does that even exist?

Seriously, I want some recs here. If you know any, please let me know.

I will say that despite all my issues with this one, I’ll keep reading this series. The diversity and the history alone will keep me here.

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Book Review: The Rose by Tiffany Reisz

Rating: ★★★★☆

Real talk: there’s nothing I love more than brainy erotica.

Because, at heart, I am a romance reader. Sure, I dabble in fantasy and history and contemporary literature, but if there isn’t at least a hint of a romantic subplot, you bet your ass I’ll probably knock a half star off the rating. Sure, I’ll chalk it up to some other “reason”, but that’s bullshit.

Don’t judge me.

The problem with my overwhelming love of romance is that I demand a lot from it. I’ve read so much of the genre that my pet peeves have morphed into giant, book eating monsters. If too many of them appear, they’ll tear the thing apart in my hands.

Ragebeast male leads? Fuck that noise. Dubious consent? I’m out! Insta-love? *vomits noisely*

But give me a consensual slow-burn and I’m happy. Add in a bunch of accurate history and I am delirious. That’s what The Rose does.

You can tell that Reisz did her research here. Or that she’s at least as big of a history nerd as I am. Because it’s not just the Greek myths that permeate these pages, but some well-placed, casual mentions of other historical facts. There’s a passage about Mary Shelley’s Mathilda that is especially poignant, delivered in such a crushing way that I had to set my kindle down for a second and say a little pray of thanks to the pantheon that I was born when I was.

History has not been kind to women.

For me, this book contains the best form of historical incorporation. Because really, when you add in this much history, you’re world building. Reisz laid it out in such an organic way that it never felt info-dumpy or forced. And while she acknowledged the cruelty endured by women in Ancient Greece, she found so many ways to subvert it. To have Lia and August re-write these tales while still acknowledging their darker origins.

The blurb for this book is so spot on. Lia is gifted what she’s told is a magical erotic cup, and she is believably reticent about its powers. Even when she and the male lead, August, take their first sips of wine from it and descend into the myth of Andromeda and Perseus, she chalks it up to something rational like hallucinogenic compound traces in the clay paired with hypnosis.

I really appreciated this aspect. So often in stories with paranormal elements something like this happens: “Oh, hey, I’m a vampire!” Followed by, “No shit? Cool!” Here, Lia portrayed the perfect amount of disbelief throughout the entire story.

And whoo boy, what a story it was. Through her and August, I got to relive not only Andromeda and Perseus, but a non-rapey Briseis and Achilles (and Patroclus – oh my!), a gender-swapped Psyche and Eros, a hilarious Dinoysus and Ariadne, Pan, Poseidon, Zeus, you name them, they make an appearance here.

This is my first book by Reisz, and from my friend’s reviews of her other works, I expected to be titillated. I did not expect to ugly-laugh my way through this. Between Lia’s highly inappropriate parents, to her and August’s whip-sharp back and forth dialogue, I spent the entirety of this book as amused as I was turned on.

Quite a feat, because this is hot AF.

But it’s so much more than time-traveling sex. In between the historical flashbacks, there’s another plot unfolding. One revolving around male power and the many ways in which men can hurt women. It was handled so well. The feminism, the progressive thinking on the part of the MCs and their friends and families, the (for once!) positive depiction of prostitution, the subversion of the patriarchy in a million small ways – I AM SO HERE FOR IT.

Even though I was given an ARC of this, I’m buying it when it comes out. Firstly, that cover is gawg. Secondly, I can easily see myself re-reading this over and over again.

If you enjoy braingasms as much as you do orgasms, add this one to your TBR immediately.

And to answer the author’s question in her acknowledgments:

YES, PLEASE. MORE OF THIS SERIES. I LIKED IT SO MUCH I ACTUALLY READ THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS FOR ONCE.

Get your copy here.

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That beer though...

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April 2019 Book Releases

Being one of those readers who enjoys a large variety of genres, I sometimes find it easy to become overwhelmed with new releases. What should I read next? The paranormal romance about the werebeast? Or the feminist, not-so-fictional story about rape culture? What about the latest installment in an ongoing fantasy series that I’ve been desperately waiting for?

If you’re anything like me, you might find the sheer volume of options daunting, and worry about missing out on awesome, lesser publicized books that might get buried under the hype surrounding the big name bestsellers.

Not to fear, fellow reader! To help us all out, I’ve created this monthly post highlighting the standout releases in several genres, with a special emphasis on representation, diversity, and own voices.

Click on each book title to learn more!

Descendant of the Crane by Joan He Release Date: April 2nd Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, dreaming of an unremarkable life. But when her beloved father is found dead, she’s thrust into power, suddenly the queen of a surprisingly unstable kingdom. What’s more, Hesina believes that her father was murdered—and that the killer is someone close to her.

Hesina’s court is packed full of dissemblers and deceivers eager to use the king’s death for political gain, each as plausibly guilty as the next. Her advisers would like her to blame the neighboring kingdom of Kendi’a, whose ruler has been mustering for war. Determined to find her father’s actual killer, Hesina does something desperate: she enlists the aid of a soothsayer—a treasonous act, punishable by death, since magic was outlawed centuries ago.

Using the information provided by the sooth, and uncertain if she can trust her family, Hesina turns to Akira—a brilliant investigator who’s also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. With the future of Yan at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?

The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston Release Date: April 2nd Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, LGBTQ+

The Prince and the Pauper gets a modern makeover in this adorable, witty, and heartwarming young adult novel set in the Geekerella universe by national bestselling author Ashley Poston.

Imogen Lovelace is an ordinary fangirl on an impossible mission: save her favorite character, Princess Amara, from being killed off from her favorite franchise, Starfield. The problem is, Jessica Stone—the actress who plays Princess Amara—wants nothing more than to leave the intense scrutiny of the fandom behind. If this year’s ExcelsiCon isn’t her last, she’ll consider her career derailed.

When a case of mistaken identity throws look-a-likes Imogen and Jess together, they quickly become enemies. But when the script for the Starfield sequel leaks, and all signs point to Jess, she and Imogen must trade places to find the person responsible. That’s easier said than done when the girls step into each other’s shoes and discover new romantic possibilities, as well as the other side of intense fandom. As these “princesses” race to find the script-leaker, they must rescue themselves from their own expectations, and redefine what it means to live happily ever after.

Girls on the Verge by Sharon Biggs Waller Release Date: April 9th Genre: YoungAdult, Contemporary, Feminism

A powerful, timely coming-of-age story about a young woman from Texas who goes on a road trip with two friends to get an abortion, from award-winning author Sharon Biggs Waller.

Camille couldn’t be having a better summer. But on the very night she learns she got into a prestigious theater program, she also finds out she’s pregnant. She definitely can’t tell her parents. And her best friend, Bea, doesn’t agree with the decision Camille has made.

Camille is forced to try to solve her problem alone . . . and the system is very much working against her. At her most vulnerable, Camille reaches out to Annabelle Ponsonby, a girl she only barely knows from the theater. Happily, Annabelle agrees to drive her wherever she needs to go. And in a last-minute change of heart, Bea decides to come with.

Girls on the Verge is an incredibly timely novel about a woman’s right to choose. Sharon Biggs Waller brings to life a narrative that has to continue to fight for its right to be told, and honored.

Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly Release Date: April 9th Genre: Historical Fiction

It is 1914 and the world has been on the brink of war so many times, many New Yorker’s treat the subject with only passing interest. Eliza Ferriday is thrilled to be traveling to St. Petersburg with Sofya Streshnayva, a cousin of the Romanov’s. The two met years ago one summer in Paris and became close confidantes. Now Eliza embarks on the trip of a lifetime, home with Sofya to see the splendors of Russia. But when Austria declares war on Serbia and Russia’s Imperial dynasty begins to fall, Eliza escapes back to America, while Sofya and her family flee to their country estate. In need of domestic help, they hire the local fortuneteller’s daughter, Varinka, unknowingly bringing intense danger into their household. On the other side of the Atlantic, Eliza is doing her part to help the White Russian families find safety as they escape the revolution. But when Sofya’s letters suddenly stop coming she fears the worst for her best friend.

From the turbulent streets of St. Petersburg to the avenues of Paris and the society of fallen Russian emigre’s who live there, the lives of Eliza, Sofya, and Varinka will intersect in profound ways, taking readers on a breathtaking ride through a momentous time in history.

When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton Release Date: April 9th Genre: Historical Fiction

Beautiful. Daring. Deadly.

The Cuban Revolution took everything from sugar heiress Beatriz Perez–her family, her people, her country. Recruited by the CIA to infiltrate Fidel Castro’s inner circle and pulled into the dangerous world of espionage, Beatriz is consumed by her quest for revenge and her desire to reclaim the life she lost.

As the Cold War swells like a hurricane over the shores of the Florida Strait, Beatriz is caught between the clash of Cuban American politics and the perils of a forbidden affair with a powerful man driven by ambitions of his own. When the ever-changing tides of history threaten everything she has fought for, she must make a choice between her past and future–but the wrong move could cost Beatriz everything–not just the island she loves, but also the man who has stolen her heart…

Last Girl Lied To by L.E. Flynn Release Date: April 16th Genre: Young Adult, Thriller

Something made him angry that night. Something made her cry. Something made Trixie disappear. What if it was all the same thing? Fiona claims she doesn’t remember anything about the night her best friend left a party early and walked into the ocean. But the truth is, she wishes she could forget.

Trixie’s disappearance is ruled a suicide, but Fiona starts to believe that Trixie isn’t really dead. Piecing together the trail of a girl who doesn’t want to be found leads her to Jasper, Trixie’s former friend with benefits, and Beau—the boy who turned Fiona down, who loved someone else, who might be happy Trixie is gone.

The closer Fiona gets to finding out what happened, and the closer she gets to Jasper and Beau, the more she realizes that the girl she knew better than anyone may have been a carefully constructed lie—and she might have been waiting to disappear the entire time.

Told in alternating chapters between the past and the present, Last Girl Lied To is a gripping emotional thriller.

Normal People by Sally Rooney Release Date: April 16th Genre: Literary Fiction

A wondrous and wise coming-of-age love story from the celebrated author of Conversations with Friends

At school Connell and Marianne pretend not to know each other. He’s popular and well-adjusted, star of the school football team, while she is lonely, proud and intensely private. But when Connell comes to pick his mother up from her job at Marianne’s house, a strange and indelible connection grows between the two teenagers—one they are determined to conceal.

A year later, they’re both studying at Trinity College in Dublin. Marianne has found her feet in a new social world while Connell hangs at the sidelines, shy and uncertain. Throughout their years at university, Marianne and Connell circle one another, straying toward other people and possibilities but always magnetically, irresistibly drawn back together. And as she veers into self-destruction and he begins to search for meaning elsewhere, each must confront how far they are willing to go to save the other. Sally Rooney brings her brilliant psychological acuity and perfectly spare prose to a story that explores the subtleties of class, the electricity of first love, and the complex entanglements of family and friendship.

The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker Release Date: April 22nd Genre: Contemporary, Romance

Freddy Carlton knows she should be focusing on her lines for The Austen Playbook, a live-action TV event where viewers choose the outcome of each scene, but her concentration’s been blown. The palatial estate housing the endeavor is now run by the rude (brilliant) critic who’s consistently slammed her performances of late. James “Griff” Ford-Griffin has a penchant for sarcasm, a majestic nose and all the sensitivity of a sledgehammer.

She can’t take her eyes off him.

Griff can hardly focus with a contagious joy fairy flitting about near him, especially when Freddy looks at him like that. His only concern right now should be on shutting down his younger brother’s well-intentioned (disastrous) schemes—or at the very least on the production (not this one) that might save his family home from the banks.

Instead all he can think of is soft skin and vibrant curls.

As he’s reluctantly dragged into her quest to rediscover her passion for the stage and Freddy is drawn into his research on a legendary theater star, the adage about appearances being deceiving proves abundantly true. It’s the unlikely start of something enormous…but a single revelation about the past could derail it all.

How (Not) to Ask a Boy to Prom by S.J. Goslee Release Date: April 23rd Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, LGBTQ+

Nolan Grant is sixteen, gay, and (definitely) still a virgin. He’s never had a boyfriend, or even been kissed. It’s not like Penn Valley is brimming with prospects. And when his big sister stages an elaborate “prom-posal” so Nolan can ask out his not-so-secret crush, Nolan freezes. He’s saved from further embarrassment by bad boy Bern, who, for his own reasons, offers to fake-date Nolan.

Nolan thinks it’s the perfect way to get Daphne off his back and spend the rest of the year drawing narwhals, tending to plants, and avoiding whatever died under his bed a few weeks ago. What he doesn’t think about is Bern’s ex-girlfriend, who seriously wants to kill him.

If I’m Being Honest by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka Release Date: April 23rd Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Retellings

High school senior Cameron Bright’s reputation can be summed up in one word: bitch. It’s no surprise she’s queen bee at her private L.A. high school—she’s beautiful, talented, and notorious for her cutting and brutal honesty. So when she puts her foot in her mouth in front of her crush, Andrew, she fears she may have lost him for good.

In an attempt to win him over, Cameron resolves to “tame” herself, much like Katherine in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. First, she’ll have to make amends with those she’s wronged, which leads her to Brendan, the guy she labelled with an unfortunate nickname back in the sixth grade. At first, Brendan isn’t all that receptive to Cameron’s ploy. But slowly, he warms up to her when they connect over the computer game he’s developing. Now if only Andrew would notice…

But the closer Cameron gets to Brendan, the more she sees he appreciates her personality—honesty and all—and wonders if she’s compromising who she is for the guy she doesn’t even want.

Cape May by Chip Cheek Release Date: April 30th Genre: Historical Fiction

Late September 1957. Henry and Effie, very young newlyweds from Georgia, arrive in Cape May, New Jersey, for their honeymoon only to find the town is deserted. Feeling shy of each other and isolated, they decide to cut the trip short. But before they leave, they meet a glamorous set of people who sweep them up into their drama. Clara, a beautiful socialite who feels her youth slipping away; Max, a wealthy playboy and Clara’s lover; and Alma, Max’s aloof and mysterious half-sister, to whom Henry is irresistibly drawn.

The empty beach town becomes their playground, and as they sneak into abandoned summer homes, go sailing, walk naked under the stars, make love, and drink a great deal of gin, Henry and Effie slip from innocence into betrayal, with irrevocable consequences.

Erotic and moving, this is a novel about marriage, love and sexuality, and the lifelong repercussions that meeting a group of debauched cosmopolitans has on a new marriage.

A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole Release Date: April 30th Genre: Contemporary, Romance

The Reluctant Royals series returns with a good girl searching for the life that’s not too big, and not too small, and the bad boy prince who might be just right for her…

Nya Jerami fled Thesolo for the glitz and glamour of NYC but discovered that her Prince Charming only exists in her virtual dating games. When Nya returns home for a royal wedding, she accidentally finds herself up close and personal—in bed—with the real-life celebrity prince who she loves to hate.

For Johan von Braustein, the red-headed step-prince of Liechtienbourg, acting as paparazzi bait is a ruse that protects his brother—the heir to the throne—and his own heart. When a royal referendum threatens his brother’s future, a fake engagement is the perfect way to keep the cameras on him.

Nya and Johan both have good reasons to avoid love, but as desires are laid bare behind palace doors, they must decide if their fake romance will lead to a happily-ever-after.

Happy reading!

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Review: The Third Mrs. Durst

The Third Mrs. Durst by Ann Aguirre Rating:  ★★★★★

This book is everything.

You don’t even fucking KNOW.

I just finished it and my fingers are actually shaking as I try to type out this review. Because adrenaline.

Real talk, if you are a super sweet person that has never once contemplated doing serious bodily harm to another human being, this book is probably not for you. This is more geared toward those of us who fall closer toward the “keep an eye on that” end of the sociopath spectrum.

The blurb hints that this is a story filled with violence and murder and other dark themes. It is. Whoo boy. But, speaking as someone who is especially harsh when these themes aren’t handled well, lemme tell you, Aguirre wielded them with the deft precision of a well-sharpened blade in the hand of a master swordswoman. When they hit, they cut deep, but you know each and every slice to your psyche was inflicted with surgical precision.

There are so many messages here. So many fundamental truths. And when spoken through the titular character’s stark, unabashed voice, they become profound to the point that I highlighted entire paragraphs.

On why she married Mr. Durst, despite the warning signs:

“I chose the road that looked prettiest from a distance, but I didn’t know then – sometimes the horizon is bright because it’s on fire.”

Foreshadowing. Yes. So here for it.

Which made this a delicious slow-build, where I never quite knew what was going on. I love unreliable narrators for this reason, and Mrs. Durst is one of the best I’ve read in a long time.

I fucking LOVED HER. Because I got her. Let me just say that not everyone will or can understand what motivates her. I do. And I’m not able to go into why right now, because spoilers.

So. Many. Spoilers.

What isn’t a spoiler is that Mr. Durst is abusive. This aspect of the story was almost too well done. Not even 25% of the way in, my blood was singing for vengeance.

As someone who has watched a loved one be manipulated, isolated, and broken down by their abuser, slowly, over the course of years, so that you don’t even recognize them anymore, this was really hard to read at times. Super trigger warnings for abuse, rape, and extreme violence.

But please, please don’t be put off by that warning. Like I said, these themes are well-executed. And there’s so much more to this story than murder and mayhem. The representation here is off the charts. And not just in obvious ways, but in smaller details that I doubt a lot of readers might catch because we’re so used to random side characters like doctors and cops always being men.

Subvert the patriarchy. Yes, queen.

If there’s any justice in the world, those hacks in Hollywood will toss out whatever remake script they’re currently considering cashing in on and instead produce this. I would watch the hell out of it. It would make an unbelievably good movie.

That ending.

Gah.

Honestly, I cannot recommend this enough for anyone looking for an adrenaline-packed thriller with darker themes and a female lead with questionable morals and sinister intentions.

Get your copy here.

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Review: Spin the Dawn

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim  Rating: ★★★★☆

I’m not gonna lie, I jammed that “Add to TBR” button the second I saw this cover. And then I read “Project Runway meets Mulan” and I turned into the physical embodiment of the I Have a Mighty Need meme.

So, does this live up to the hype? For me, hell yeah.

This is a sweeping, romantic saga steeped in mystery and lore that went a long way toward rekindling my love for the young adult fantasy genre.

The world building in this Chinese-inspired land was phenomenal. The Project Runway portion of the story is mostly constrained to the grounds of the Emperor’s palace, and it’s filled with court intrigue set against the backdrop of a vibrant city bursting with life. The second half of the book is no less exciting. Because it turns into more of a quest-driven adventure romp full of danger and high thrills out on the open road.

Maia is everything I look for in a heroine. She’s driven, intelligent, talented, brave, and loyal. The love interest, Edan, was just as strong for me. There’s none of that pushy, borderline abusive bullshittery here. Their relationship is rock solid. Edan, while teasing and mischievous by nature, is always there for Maia. From the moment they meet, he lifts her up and supports her. He believes in her. And she, in turn, is there for him. This is what a healthy relationship looks like.

More of this in YA, please.

This book is also super sex positive. I’m not going to go into detail here, because the publication date is a long way off and spoilers. Let’s just say that progressive, feminist themes pervade these pages without ever feeling preachy.

I also adored all of the shades of gray that Lim added to her villains. One-dimensional bad guys are not my thing, so I always appreciate when we’re given insight into their characters. Lim excels at that. She reveals just enough of their motives and driving emotions that you think that maybe, possibly, there’s hope for redemption. Which makes it all the more painful when they do terrible things.

Throughout this book, I kept vacillating between empathy for one of the villains, and abject hatred. Bravo.

The last thing you need to know before going into this is that it is definitely a romance. While the blurb only mentions Edan, their relationship is one of the central pieces of this story, and it dominates the second half.

Also, these characters are fallible. While Maia is intelligent, she’s still a teenager, and she exhibits some behavior that a lot of curmudgeonly adult readers like myself might find borderline TSTL later on in the book, which is what kept this rating closer to a 3.5 than a 4 star read for me.

But honestly, the setting and the story more than made up for it, which is why I bumped this up to four.

If you love yourself a romantic fantasy, add this one to your TBR right the hell now.

Get your copy here.

[thealliterates-blog1]

10 Accessories for Jane Austen Addicts

I love Jane Austen.

Sure, right, so do a lot of people.

No, no, I really love her. I just finished a re-read of her complete works. I own over five copies of all of her books, a lot of them old and rare that I had to scrimp and save for that now live under safe keeping up high on our shelves so the rogue child or cat can’t harm them. Every now and then, I take them down and gaze longingly at them through their protective plastic while whispering “my precious” over and over again.

I’ve read several biographies about her life. I’ve watched ALL of the television and movie adaptations – yes, even Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (still bitter about that one).

I need to physically remove myself from my computer whenever I see some “literary” dude-bro declare on Twitter that she only wrote silly romance novels. I know I can trust my fellow Janeites to take up the torch in my stead. No one needs to see me publicly shrieking at idiots over the internet.

I even own a ton of Jane Austen swag, because my family members give me Jane related Christmas and birthday presents. Because every year I cut through the BS and not-so-subtly post BUY ME THIS INSTEAD OF THAT UGLY ASS SWEATER lists on Facebook.

So, yeah, when I say I love her, I mean it.

Lately, I’ve taken to circumnavigating the middle man. Broke my favorite coffee mug? Oh, look! One with a Sense and Sensibility quote on it. Winter lingering an obscenely long time this year? Perfect excuse for a Northanger Abbey scarf!

This post is partly my own shopping list and partly a way to give other Austen Addicts an excuse to add more Jane in their lives. Or, you know, copy it to their own social media pages so their loved ones buy them things they actually want.

You’re welcome.

P&P Phone Case

Just think, every time the phone rang, it’d be like picking up your favorite book. Makes talking to relatives you’d rather avoid just a little less shitty.

Jane Austen Socks

What better way to keep your toesies warm than wrapped in the wit and humor of a quote from your idol?

P&P Literary Pouch

This gorgeous, almost art deco pouch would be a wonderful place to store an e-reader or even to use as a clutch purse.

Literary Scarf

How about a scarf for when you’re feeling cold and also lit…erary. See what I did there?

Jane Austen Water Bottle

Binge-reading can take a lot out of you. Keep hydrated through your marathon sessions with this lovely little water bottle.

Enamel Quote Pin

What better way to declare yourself a bibliophile and a Janeite all at once?

Jane Austen Scented Candle

Okay, so there’s no way to really KNOW that this would have been her signature scent, but the combo of jasmine, tuberose, and gardenia certainly make it seem plausible that she would approve.

P&P Book Tote

This dreamy floral tote offers the perfect carry-all for not only your books, but all of your other reading essentials.

Jane Austen Wall Art

Could you imagine this wall decal framed by bookshelves or adorning your reading nook? I CAN. *adds to this year’s “What to buy me for my birthday” post*

Jane Austen Bookmark

Mark your pages with this reminder of what a badass Elizabeth Bennet was. Especially since it can serve as motivation for our own lives when facing obstacles.

[thealliterates-blog1]

Review: The Au Pair

The Au Pair by Emma Rous Rating: Rating: ★★★★☆

If you haven’t already picked this one up, you need to add it to your summer TBR. This is the perfect book to read beneath a bright, cornflower blue sky. Preferably while sprawled out on a sandy beach or lounging beside a jewel-toned pool.

I devoured this in a single sitting, pausing (briefly) to text my fellow book bloggers about it. Weirdly, Khanh was also reading it. Also weirdly, we both got some serious Rebecca vibes from the book. While I only rated Rebecca two stars, it should be noted that if I was rating it for writing alone, it would have been a five-star read.

The Au Pair is dissimilar from that book in a lot of ways. The plots are different. The cast of characters too. The mood even. But there’s something about the setting that kept bringing to mind that famous opening line from Rebecca…

“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.”

The story unfolds at Summerbourne house, a family manor perched atop a cliff face that looks out over the rocky British coastline. The home is almost a character unto itself throughout the story. There’s this inherent magic about the place that makes you want to walk through the front door, kick off your shoes, stroll barefoot out through the back garden, pausing only when you reach the cliffs.

The people who live there and visit it are just as alluring: a golden couple with dark secrets, a young woman desperate to make a new life for herself, a love-blind man, a girl growing up feeling as though she doesn’t belong, a controlling matriarch, a young man caught in the throes of wanderlust.

To me, this story was more about them than it was about the mystery. And I think that was intentional. This is told through dual perspectives, past and present, of two women forever attached to Summerborne. The former is the titular character, the au pair, Laura, while the latter is Seraphine, desperate to uncover what happened while Laura worked for her parents all those years ago.

I guessed at some of the “big reveal”, but it was clear that I was meant to. Seraphine is dogged in her search for the truth, and the reader is dragged along with her through all of the twists and turns of the past. And then the climax hit, and whoo boy. All of tension that had been slowly building throughout the story exploded over the pages, detonating each of these characters lives in ways I could never have fathomed.

If you’re in the mood for a slow-burn mystery with phenomenal characterization, I can’t recommend this enough.

Get your copy here.