alyssa
A cozy, low-angst regency romance told entirely through letter correspondence. This book was a beautiful surprise, down to the subtle yet effective world building of queer normativity and practical magic use. I was delighted to find that the main character read introverted and demisexual in such relatable ways. His older brother was a true [insert any insult here], aka my only source of true grief, but nothing could detract from the slow burn goodness of the main pair (especially when I'm such a sucker for bedside vigils).
My only quibble is that the story hadn't continued on for a while longer!
I picked this up on a whim and sadly couldn't get very far (certainly not enough to feel comfortable tacking on a rating). The escalations and dialogue felt over the top and oddly paced from the get-go, but I can see how it could appeal. I highly advise checking out the sample first if the blurb speaks to you!
Woooo it's a dual release kind of day! Collect ‘em all with this new collection of Hazardverse flash pieces from this year's summer festivities. The summer may be over, but #ashesummerundies will live on forever in our hearts.Please note that all stories (aside from The Last Picks short) occur after H&S: Arrows in the Hand. The blurb also contains spoilers if you are not caught with the crossover series, Iron on Iron.Here are some reading order suggestions (after [b:Final Orders 60561526 Final Orders (Hazard and Somerset Arrows in the Hand, #5) Gregory Ashe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1646594213l/60561526.SY75.jpg 95450924] unless stated otherwise):1. “Team-Building” (North) - after [b:Follows with Intent 213860434 Follows with Intent (Hazardverse Sidetracks) Gregory Ashe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1716649774l/213860434.SY75.jpg 220116916] 2. “Date Night” (Hazard)3. “The First Annual Leon Family Reunion” (Tean) - after [b:The Face in the Water 152138301 The Face in the Water (Iron on Iron #1) Gregory Ashe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1683770576l/152138301.SY75.jpg 166926152] (book 1 of Iron on Iron)4. “Pride” (Colt)5. “Haunted House Hazards” (Hazard)6. “New Roommate” (Dash) - after [b:Doom Magnet 210002558 Doom Magnet (The Last Picks, #3) Gregory Ashe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1710533373l/210002558.SY75.jpg 216211130] (book 3 of The Last Picks)7. “Big Brother” (Colt)8. “A Favor” (Hazard) - after [b:The Evening Wolves 199273059 The Evening Wolves (Iron on Iron #4) Gregory Ashe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1696363299l/199273059.SY75.jpg 203357126] (book 4 of Iron on Iron)
As someone who has listened to 广播剧 (Chinese audio dramas) for several years now, it's awesome to see more audio adaptations in the Western space. The immersive, collective quality of sound effects, a full cast, music, etc. makes for a completely novel experience.
While there are some bits where I'm sure scenes were skimmed or skipped over (it's been too long since I've read the book to pin down specifics), I'm a fan.
Also, Andrew Garfield at the helm? Say no more.
I know, what am I doing reading books on writing when the most I write is business emails and these reviews? But creative writing itself as an art form, as a craft, has become such a fascinating topic to me. How authors manipulate the readers' emotions, how they keep us motivated to turn the pages into the wee hours of the night. Whether I decide to creatively write one day is another story - though the thought of leaving a little something behind when I go is a nice one - but this is how I'll be satisfying my curiosity in the meantime. Hopefully making it a point to see how the sausage is made won't affect my general reading experience too much
At least we got some resolution on the dangling plotlines from the last book, but to get here? Again, I feel like killer povs have to be written very particularly to feel necessary to the plot, otherwise it comes off gratuitous. It makes me sad to say this, but Matthew Scudder feels more than ready for retirement.
Not a ringing endorsement having gotten this far, but I do highly recommend checking out the first half of this series if you're into noir crime fiction!
I know this is meant to be a classic of the genre, but yikes, this was not fine wine or gourmet cheese. It aged poorly enough for my eyes to be locked in a constant roll. While I don't read as widely as most folks, this has to be one of the most misogynistic pieces I've encountered to date (all the ditzy, seductress, objectifying stereotypes; way too much slapping; etc.).
Unless one of my trusted advisors offers up specific recs, I'm wary of giving this author another chance.
[3.4~3.5] Miss Marple was my work commute companion this week, and while I prefer the full-length novels, I'll admit it's not easy to keep track of a new crime and new suspects when you go through 3-4 short stories in a row while half my brain is focused on playing defense with the slew of reckless drivers on the road
Oct 24: Audiophiles, it's here! https://www.audible.com/pd/Doom-Magnet-Audiobook/B0DKL94L2J
The dooziest cozy to doozy so far.
[4.4~4.5] After the ending of that last book, I wasn't going to delude myself into thinking book número tres was going to take a gentle turn. But while frolicking through blooming meadows was immediately struck off the list, maybe - just maybe - it'd be akin to a light practice strike, one you might aim at a punching bag to get the body warmed up.
Little did I know, the tables would turn and I'd find myself getting absolutely pummeled instead. I left feeling like I'd just finished a clean 5k in emotional damage, and I approve. Subvert the genre. Make it yours. Life would be too predictable otherwise.
There is so much relationship angst laced in these pages: the suppressed wants and desires, the violent ebb and flow of awareness and tension. The purposeful shifts and switches in Dash's POV between “Deputy Bobby” and “Bobby.” The fears and subtle testing of waters. Every look and action and word, whether spoken or unspoken, held so much in their invisible weight, and reaffirmed the lengths left to go before their truth can be realized. I guess I'll continue to exist indefinitely on the verge of bursting from the coiled strain of watching the play-by-play on the sidelines.
Dash should take a stab at writing romance. The poetry he was waxing could be turned into the most romantic of wistful odes, if he only gave himself the chance.
I couldn't possibly adore the progress of Dash's relationship with the town of Hastings Rock more. There's a scene with a certain owner that lit a toasty fire in this cold, barren heart of mine that then had me tearing up at a single line update a few chapters later. I love that he's truly carving out a place for himself after never having had his own space, and now surrounded by those who truly want the best for him. Indira was a standout in her compassion and heartwarming pastries, and Keme and Dash just share such aggressively sweet sibling energy. The Last Picks is my favorite motley crew of personalities, and I need them to stick together forever.
The only thing that has me vacillating between ratings would be the mystery. And I think it warrants a reread because I bulldozed through this so fast and can't quite put a finger on the exact cogs in the system that lost me (was I affected by the favoring of character work? But that, I should think, would invigorate me more. Perhaps it had the mystery taking a backseat more than desired?). I'll come back to adjust accordingly.
Whatever the case may be, I hope we are one step closer to answering the question: will Dash finally get his moment to explain how he solved the crime instead of getting spoken over??
Thank you to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book; this is my honest review :)
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July 15! my only spark of joy in the era of stomach bugs
[3.4~3.5] Hmm I don't know how I feel about thrillers where we switch with the criminal's POV, at least for the character in question. Seeing the “man behind the curtain” ends up dampening the thrill in what I hoped to be a chilling thriller when I know much more than our hero, Ben Packard. But I did enjoy his introduction and backstory intermingled with his search for the two missing teens. As the lead of this new series, he's what would keep me reading.
Happy release day! Oh to return back to Anyta Sunday's pocket of Romcomlandia and her brand of feel-good, silly shenanigans. I needed something slower paced and low angst, and this did the job. My heart is warm, and I chuckled lots. It was a fun time.
I highly recommend reading the previous book first to get more backstory on these identity-swapping twins, as this story offers Carl's perspective living on the other side of their little farce. Some (okay, most lol) things required a suspension of disbelief and an allowance for theatrically sticky situations, but when it works, it works.
Moral of the story: get on gravity's good side, because it can be your biggest shipper.
Thank you to GRR and the publisher for providing an advanced copy of the book. This is my honest review :)
*Audiobook listeners, guess what just dropped? https://www.audible.com/pd/Skeletons-in-the-Closet-Audiobook/B0D5P4PGHF
[4.25] OKAY, I YIELD. I'm in. I want the next book. I need more of Tallus chipping away at Diem's thick and sturdy shell.
While in the same universe as the Valor and Doyle series, Nicky James did a great job giving us a completely fresh dynamic and feel with these two. I was admittedly wary at first because I struggled to believe Diem managed this long in the business while communicating almost solely in grunts and being as technologically unsavvy as he was (e.g. the email search function
[3.4~3.5] I went into this totally blind and was super excited to find the former stepbrothers trope, where feelings hide behind misunderstood animosity, and a most adventurous expedition to find a lost city. Glad I went with the narration, because Joel Leslie brought even more life to the story! That said, I am someone who likes all her i's dotted and t's crossed, so I would have liked for the more fantastical elements to have been expounded upon rather than allowed to lie where they were. I also wouldn't consider the romance to be the most convincing either, but I still had a jolly good time with these two on my commute
Wow...I was expecting vigilantism and revenge but not this level of violent grittiness reminiscent of noir thrillers. Admittedly too on the nose at times with its preaching, but I'd rather that than a complete dismissal of reality, even if magnified, in rural parts of America.
I don't recommend picking this up if the premise is enough to get a rise out of you, but I do like to think culpable (yet receptive) humans deserve a chance to learn from their mistakes, no matter how late. That being said, I wouldn't necessarily say the fathers are redeemed by their actions or by the narrative itself - revenge is simply the only way they can channel their regret in the physical plane.
Thanks to Marie for the push to finally listen to this!
[4.25] three years into his sobriety, Matthew Scudder is still quietly doing favors as he's always done, but against the backdrop of an increasingly disorderly New York, where homelessness, rent prices, and cases of AIDS are on the rise. often with this author's stories, they start off slow, but he sure knows how to pack a punch (or more accurately, multiple punches) in the last third.
another enjoyable installment to the series.
