November 2024 Reading Update
Dec. 9th, 2024 08:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penwallaWhoops. Forgot all about November! Let's go.
Currently Reading:
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland
New Reads:
Queer Transfigurations: Boys Love Media in Asia by Thomas Baudinette
4/5. Definitely an interesting read. The quality is uneven--some chapters are drier and less engaging than others--but it was cool to explore this topic from a more academic perspective.
Fool Proof Romance: Love Between the Beat Sheets by Christopher Downing
4/5. It's s bit pretentious, because it pretends to be more than a beat sheet maker, and it is, in fact, a beat sheet maker. But that's not a bad thing. I like beat sheets for romance plots and think this is a useful resource for romance plotting.
Alien's Omega Captive by Krystal Clark
2/5. Mediocre erotica that makes poor use of the short word count. I feel like it completely fails as a romance and it's not hot enough to justify its existence.
Beauty by Robin McKinley
4/5. I dimly recall reading this as a teen, I think. I love fairytales and felt like this retelling retains the wonder of the original while adding enough detail to justify it being a full length novel. No surprises, just the story you know, beautifully told.
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
2/5. REBECCA YARROS ANSWER FOR YOUR CRIMES.
The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian
5/5. I love a romance where neither love interest feels like a typical romance hero, and I especially like the portrayal of neurodivergence in Lawrence. I also appreciate the small stakes, too. Both characters feel flawed and interesting, both worthy of love but also capable and willing to give.
Wed by Proxy by Alice Coldbreath
4/5. So it turns out Coldbreath exclusively writes marriages of convenience. And I am obsessed with her. But this is the first one I read, and I liked it a lot! It had a nice misunderstanding between the love interests--a little silly, but not beyond the realm of incredulity. Needed more grovel.
The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera
5/5. What a weird, interesting fantasy! I don't know how I felt about the last minute twist, but there was so much about this book that compelled: the distorted mirror politics that reflect our own, the weird magical realism, and our protagonist, a broken man finding his way.I have a soft spot for cult stories.
Texts From Jane Eyre by Daniel Lavery
2/5. The conceit wears off very quickly and then it's just the same joke over and over.
The Duke at Hazard by K.J. Charles
5/5. So much fun! Identity porn, class conflict, Loxleigh and Hartlebury cameo, and a satisfying plot to drive it all along.
His Forsaken Bride by Alice Coldbreath
4/5. There's something about Oswald that didn't quite satisfy me, but overall it's the kind of romance that I like. I was really looking forward to this one after reading about Oswald and Fenella in the first book I read, and it felt to me like this book didn't live up to those expectations. Oswald either needed to be more insane or more normal--he's in a weird zone where I don't get him.
The First and Last Demon by Hiyodori
3/5. It started out promising, but ultimately I think it gets overloaded with plot twists at the cost of the emotional weight of the romance. The worldbuilding is a little clunky, too, which doesn't help. The side couple, who apparently are the protags of their own series, are deeply annoying characters who also have all the actual narrative agency. So our protagonist is relegated to side character, in her own novel, and her complete distance from her own feelings sucks all the romance out of the story. This is supposed to be a toxic romance, but it's not toxic enough to be interesting and it's as romantic as wet cornflakes.
The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass
5/5. Very enjoyable--great writing, great use of the speculative/horror elements to highlight Jake's real life problems, and perfectly paced. love ot see queer POC leads in middle grade novels.
The Soldier's Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian
5/5. One of my favorites by this author. It's such a great romance dynamic, with both characters having real misgivings that get overcome in a reasonable way. And no absurd third act break up. I do think Oliver has missed that his sister and her cousin-in-law are in love which is very funny.
5/5. It is always refreshing to read a romance where the conflict keeping the characters apart is both entirely external and also extremely compelling.
The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by K.J. Charles
5/5. Read this because there was a new version available. Still slaps. Deals with period homophobia and period class issues really well.
April Lady by Georgette Heyer
4/5. Contains some insanely offensive anti-semitism, like much of Heyer's work. Otherwise one of my favorite romances ever.
Currently Reading:
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland
New Reads:
Queer Transfigurations: Boys Love Media in Asia by Thomas Baudinette
4/5. Definitely an interesting read. The quality is uneven--some chapters are drier and less engaging than others--but it was cool to explore this topic from a more academic perspective.
Fool Proof Romance: Love Between the Beat Sheets by Christopher Downing
4/5. It's s bit pretentious, because it pretends to be more than a beat sheet maker, and it is, in fact, a beat sheet maker. But that's not a bad thing. I like beat sheets for romance plots and think this is a useful resource for romance plotting.
Alien's Omega Captive by Krystal Clark
2/5. Mediocre erotica that makes poor use of the short word count. I feel like it completely fails as a romance and it's not hot enough to justify its existence.
Beauty by Robin McKinley
4/5. I dimly recall reading this as a teen, I think. I love fairytales and felt like this retelling retains the wonder of the original while adding enough detail to justify it being a full length novel. No surprises, just the story you know, beautifully told.
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
2/5. REBECCA YARROS ANSWER FOR YOUR CRIMES.
The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian
5/5. I love a romance where neither love interest feels like a typical romance hero, and I especially like the portrayal of neurodivergence in Lawrence. I also appreciate the small stakes, too. Both characters feel flawed and interesting, both worthy of love but also capable and willing to give.
Wed by Proxy by Alice Coldbreath
4/5. So it turns out Coldbreath exclusively writes marriages of convenience. And I am obsessed with her. But this is the first one I read, and I liked it a lot! It had a nice misunderstanding between the love interests--a little silly, but not beyond the realm of incredulity. Needed more grovel.
The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera
5/5. What a weird, interesting fantasy! I don't know how I felt about the last minute twist, but there was so much about this book that compelled: the distorted mirror politics that reflect our own, the weird magical realism, and our protagonist, a broken man finding his way.I have a soft spot for cult stories.
Texts From Jane Eyre by Daniel Lavery
2/5. The conceit wears off very quickly and then it's just the same joke over and over.
The Duke at Hazard by K.J. Charles
5/5. So much fun! Identity porn, class conflict, Loxleigh and Hartlebury cameo, and a satisfying plot to drive it all along.
His Forsaken Bride by Alice Coldbreath
4/5. There's something about Oswald that didn't quite satisfy me, but overall it's the kind of romance that I like. I was really looking forward to this one after reading about Oswald and Fenella in the first book I read, and it felt to me like this book didn't live up to those expectations. Oswald either needed to be more insane or more normal--he's in a weird zone where I don't get him.
The First and Last Demon by Hiyodori
3/5. It started out promising, but ultimately I think it gets overloaded with plot twists at the cost of the emotional weight of the romance. The worldbuilding is a little clunky, too, which doesn't help. The side couple, who apparently are the protags of their own series, are deeply annoying characters who also have all the actual narrative agency. So our protagonist is relegated to side character, in her own novel, and her complete distance from her own feelings sucks all the romance out of the story. This is supposed to be a toxic romance, but it's not toxic enough to be interesting and it's as romantic as wet cornflakes.
The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass
5/5. Very enjoyable--great writing, great use of the speculative/horror elements to highlight Jake's real life problems, and perfectly paced. love ot see queer POC leads in middle grade novels.
The Soldier's Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian
5/5. One of my favorites by this author. It's such a great romance dynamic, with both characters having real misgivings that get overcome in a reasonable way. And no absurd third act break up. I do think Oliver has missed that his sister and her cousin-in-law are in love which is very funny.
Rereads:
5/5. It is always refreshing to read a romance where the conflict keeping the characters apart is both entirely external and also extremely compelling.
The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by K.J. Charles
5/5. Read this because there was a new version available. Still slaps. Deals with period homophobia and period class issues really well.
April Lady by Georgette Heyer
4/5. Contains some insanely offensive anti-semitism, like much of Heyer's work. Otherwise one of my favorite romances ever.
