Susan Scribner

Same Time, Next Year or [b:28 Summers 52588078 28 Summers Elin Hilderbrand https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1572261156l/52588078.SY75.jpg 71307449], but make it 17-year cicada cycles. DNF, skimmed through last 50%. I liked both MCs, but there was not enough plot to sustain a 400+ page book. Also, maybe it's not such a great idea to include recent political events in your “epic love story.” I was not in the mood for reminders of COVID's first terrible year or the January 6, 2021 insurrection. Plus the Democrat = good, Republican = bad theme seems so naively simple in the summer of 2024. Finally, having recently lived through the Brood XIX emergence in Missouri, I have a hard time finding anything about cicadas romantic. YMMV if you didn't have to shovel their dead bodies off your driveway, or suspend your daily walk outdoors for fear of bombardment.

Straightforward, sweet and rather hot historical romance. Marred slightly by poor editing and some anachronistic dialogue.

I love historical queer romance, and there are not enough dependable authors in the genre IMO. So I really wanted to like this book, but it just felt flat to me. The plot sounded intriguing and there was a lot of admirable queer representation, but everything unfolded in an unsurprising, muted sort of way. Ottoman doesn't seem to get inside the core of her characters, so I never felt the terror that Moss must have been experiencing, or the growing affection between Augustus and William. After reading the first two books by this author, I have to conclude that they are just not my cup of tea.

After the angst-filled, cliffhanger ending [b:Ghosts & Ashes 32615120 Ghosts & Ashes (Broken Moon, #2) F.T. Lukens https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476558024s/32615120.jpg 53200430], I was almost afraid to read the final book in F.T. Lukens' [b:The Star Host 27830154 The Star Host (Broken Moon, #1) F.T. Lukens https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1447534529s/27830154.jpg 47811227] trilogy. Fortunately, Zenith Dream is a strong conclusion to a memorable series. The action is almost nonstop as techno-pathic Ren has to find and rescue his boyfriend Asher and his brother Liam, defeat several sets of bad guys and restore some semblance of peace in his universe without letting the star that lives within him spiral out of control.The plot is strengthened by secondary characters who are Ren's family now – tough-as-nails ship captain Rowan, stalwart Ollie, caring Penelope and her husband Lucas – as well as a new crew member who adds a welcome touch of humor and shadiness. I wish the parents and other adults hadn't almost uniformly been portrayed in a negative light, but I guess this is a YA fantasy after all where teens/young adult are happily in charge.Throughout the series I've been impressed by the world building and the contrast that Lukens has created between planetary “dusters” and space station “drifters.” The diverse lifestyles and customs were actually more interesting to me than the villains' predictable dynamics.Readers who are most interested in the Ren/Asher romance won't be disappointed. Once they're reunited, they talk through the misunderstandings that kept them apart in the previous book, and the few fights they get into are pretty quickly resolved. There's no doubt that they are a couple now, and their physical relationship deepens although it's implied rather than explicit and quickly fades to black. The HEA they get is absolutely appropriate and leaves just the tiniest chance that this may not be the end of their story...or at least, the last time we'll see this world. I wouldn't mind if Lukens stretched the trilogy into a longer series. There are bad guys still lurking around and characters I'd like to revisit. The Star Host trilogy may not be the most unique or brilliant thing I've read but it was a rollercoaster of fun, anguish and exhilaration. I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an objective review.

Long, engrossing, and somewhat somber paranormal M/M romance between a lonely veterinarian and a wolf shifter who is disliked by his pack for his sexuality. Lots of political maneuvering among pack members and a fair amount of violence. The love story has a HFN ending (the MCs are definitely together but there is lingering danger, and the human MC is still adjusting to the fact that he is mated to the wolf MC). I was in the mood for something a bit darker yet hopeful, so it very much worked for me, but it is quite different from the author's contemporary romances.

Nice to catch up with Jonty and Orlando as they put their heads together to solve another mystery. It's especially entertaining to watch them interact with staff and students at the dreaded “college next door” to their own beloved St. Bride's and realize that the snobbery goes in both directions. Secondary characters we've grown to know and love make their appearances and the whole thing is resolved without much trauma for the Fellows (who suffered enough during The Great War anyway). I think this novella length is perfect for the series; some of the other books dragged a bit or added unnecessary subplots. I'm happy to check in with these charming gentlemen every few years and see what new ways they've discovered to affectionately insult each other while remaining passionately (if discretely) in love.

3.5 stars. Cute, funny YA book featuring a snarky hero who is discovering his bisexuality while managing an afterschool job that just happens to feature an assortment of magical beasts. Nothing is taken too seriously, even when the book reaches its dramatic climax, and I wish the author had developed the magical world a little more, but if you want a fun breezy read that will make you chuckle and say “awww” a few times, this will definitely fit the bill. Bonus points for cleverly faking me out just as I was thinking that Leo was too perfect to be real.

Free download so I really can't complain. Good chemistry between hero and heroine, but I'm really tired of “feisty” heroines who are in reality passive doormats to the hero's alpha behavior. Interesting setting - 15th century post-Reformation Germany. Would think twice about paying for future titles by this author, but for free it was not a bad guilty pleasure read.

I really wanted to like this novel because it was recommended by my favorite author, Deborah Smith, and published by her company, Belle Books. But all I could do is think about how much better it would have been if Smith had been the author instead of Kathryn Magendie. The major problem is that the author keeps telling us that Laura and Ayron are meant to be together and perfect for each other, but their actual interactions are very limited and stilted at best, so I didn't believe in their love and had no investment in their HEA. Ayron appears to be a stereotypical “noble savage,” not a real person, and Laura's synesthesia doesn't serve any real purpose. The villain is so completely one-dimensional EEEEvil that I was surprised he wasn't portrayed as having devil ears and tail.

I actually enjoyed the secondary characters, including Laura's brother Bryan and her neighbor Betty, more than Laura and Ayron, which makes me think Magendie should try writing a different type of novel. Next time, show me the romance, don't tell me and expect me to accept it on faith.

The Way Back to Happiness could have used a little more actual happiness. This story of a 14 year old orphaned teenager Alabama, and her spinster aunt Bev who takes her in after the sudden death of her mother, has its moments. Bass, who has written two other women's fiction novels (as well as several romance novels as Liz Ireland), obviously has a soft spot for the relationships between sisters and among women in general. She does a good job at capturing these complex dynamics, but her plotting is a little bit off. There is too much angst and conflict between Alabama and Bev, and a last-minute sudden resolution in the final pages that is less than satisfying (and the decision to tell but not show a key climactic scene is puzzling). The book's problems are partly mitigated thanks to the authentic 1980s setting (complete with Sony Walkmen and Culture Club references), Alabama's unabashed gay best friend (a proto-Kurt Hummel from Glee), and the lively elderly gentleman who courts Alabama's grandmother. Recommended for those who enjoy the novels of Marisa de los Santos, Juliette Fay, Karen White and Cathy Lamb.

I have a set of e-books that I only allow myself to read while walking on the treadmill, in order to incentivize myself to walk more often and for longer periods of time. Some books are more motivational than others. This book made me race home from work every day in eager anticipation of my treadmill time. Sarah Mayberry has singlehandedly restored my faith in category romance novels, and Her Favorite Rival is one of her best. As always, Mayberry crafts a believable yet romantic story with humor, poignancy and passion. Zach and Aubrey are great hero and heroine - strong, capable yet vulnerable - and their dialogue and love scenes positively sizzle. The rival-to-lover transition is made smoothly, without any of that horrible “I hate you/I want you” melodrama. Their respective family difficulties are developed with insight but don't get in the way of the love story. All in all, a great example of romance at its best. If only Mayberry released her books more often I would never get off the treadmill and would be in the best shape of my life!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley.

So the cure for anorexia and clinical depression is to find yourself a good man. Who knew? Although I guess if the man is as perfect (and unrealistic) as the one in this book, it could happen. Despite the fact that he was supposedly from a broken home, the hero in this book is kind, gentle, giving, patient, loving, and of course handsome (in fact, he looks nothing like the guy on the book cover, but that's not the author's fault). He has no rough edges or flaws. The coup de gras - his ex-girlfriend broke up with him because he spent too much time with a terminally ill child!

I'm all in favor of multi-cultural romances, but this one was just too silly (and for anorexia and depression sufferers, just a bit offensive) to take seriously.

This book was a major disappointment after the fun read of Mulry's debut. Instead of the first book's sexy romance, this time around we get a lot of sex but not much romance. The hero and heroine jump into bed together and spend 300 pages unable to keep their hands off each other. The hero acts like an ass several times, and shows very little character growth or remorse. The heroine goes from insecure virgin to sex goddess in the blink of an eye. I was charmed by the studious, series hero of Royal Pain but disgusted by this book's hero, who at the very end of the book is still unwilling to go public with the fact that he is actually smart and successful.

The head-hopping throughout the entire novel was very disconcerting and annoying as well. One second the POV is the hero, the next it's the heroine and a minute later it's a secondary character.

I'll probably still read the third book in the series to see what Mulry does with an American businessman and a British royal lesbian, but I think that is where Mulry and I will part ways.

This is a tough book to rate. Overall, Burke/Jensen have crafted an interesting fantasy world filled with rich characters. I am a big fan of the Chaos crew members, especially the helpful alien Qek and stalwart captain Elias and look forward to reading more adventures in which they work together , probably engaging with the new alien species that has suddenly emerged.

But.

As a romance reader, this series is starting to bug me big time. Three books into the series, and we have Felix aka Flick aka Felix (I think I'm finally getting used to the multiple nicknames!) pulling the “I'm not good enough for you” card on Zed aka Zander, and then taking off for more than half of the book? Not cool. I don't want to see their relationship tested in each book; I want to see it deepen and develop while the two men are together. See Whyborne & Griffin in Jordan L. Hawk's Widdershins series, Lucien and Stephen in K.J. Charles' Magpie series, or the two MC's in Harper Fox's Tyack and Frayne series for examples that keep the MCs togther without becoming boring or stagnant. Kelly and Jenn, you have created two great MCs with distinctive personalities who are going to clash in the normal course of their interactions; why not let that happen and let them work it out instead of making it all or nothing in each book?

Also the interactions with the god-like Guardians race are intriguing, but at times they function literally as deux ex machina, which leaves fewer options for Felix or Zed to demonstrate their own ingenuity and strength.

I'm still in for book 4 of this series, but if Felix and Zed don't show some signs of growth I won't stick around for the planned finale in book 5.

I hate to give a debut author a negative review, but Ms. March definitely needed an editor, both to cut a lot of unnecessary verbiage and to give her guidance on her characters. Shelby is a total Mary Sue - beautiful, hard-working, loving, smart, genuine, loves kids and animals, etc. etc. Her grandparents are saintly and her best friend is suitably sassy. And of course Ryan is perfect too except for the fact that he keeps one little secret (oops, he forgot to tell Shelby he is rich and famous). With more information than I ever wanted to know about Lake Superior and details about minor characters who appeared once and then never again, the book was easy to skim. Maybe the sequel will be an improvement.

Until I saw this book listed on Net Galley, I had forgotten that 30 years ago it was one of my favorite romance novels. Not sure why it is being reissued now, or why the author felt the need to tack on a few extra chapters showing what happened to the main characters, but it brought back some interesting memories. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I liked it so much back in 1982 - there are so many factors that mark it as a book of its time:

1) The hero is a poet. A poet who makes his living out of being a poet. Not a Navy SEAL or a vampire or a billionaire businessman - a poet.
2) The hero is married when he meets the heroine, but that fact barely registers as a problem because it's Love At First Sight, which must never be denied.
3) The hero and heroine have sex with several other people before they get their HEA but it's okay because their hearts are pure.
4) There's a brief appearance by an evil butch lesbian bitch.
5) There's also a brief appearance by a happy, wise “Magic Negro” black woman who couldn't be more stereotyped and non-PC.

The language is flowery, the love scenes are awkward at best, the sentiments are mawkish - but at age 20 I read and re-read it so much that 30 years later I remembered whole scenes as I experienced it for the first time on my Kindle.

If you remember this book - and the author must sense some demand or else she wouldn't be self-publishing it - you will probably find yourself enjoying it out of guilty nostalgia. New readers will probably be baffled and less than impressed.

As for the new chapters, the less said the better, except to mention that the author is pretty ballsy for including a love scene with an 80+ year old hero and 60+ year old heroine.

The Bro-Magnet was a pleasant surprise - a funny, sweet Lad Lit novel written by a woman. Hero Johnny Smith was a great guy but clueless when it came to women, so it was easy to root for him to woo and win the fair Helen Troy. Now Lauren Baratz-Logsted has written a sequel that relies heavily on Johnny's charm and humor to disguise the fact that there really isn't much of a story left to tell. Johnny and Helen get married, have a semi-disastrous honeymoon on a cruise ship, and settle into married life together. There are several funny episodes and the welcome return of secondary characters from The Bro-Magnet, but the stakes don't seem very high and there's not much of a dramatic arc. You have to admire a novel that admits that it's the little things that define a marriage - like not telling your wife that her habit of mangling song lyrics drives you nuts - but it doesn't make for terribly compelling reading. Lauren Baratz-Logsted should have enough confidence in her writing skills to move beyond this series and create a different cast of characters.

Now that's more like it! Inversion Point is arguably the strongest entry yet in the Chaos Station series, with much less of the annoying “I'm not good enough for him” angsting that weakened Skip Trace and more of a focus on two strong characters working together to survive hair-raising adventures. Okay, there is some jealousy on Zed's part when Felix's former lover shows up (of course he is almost perfect, with none of Zed's “emissary of the Guardians” baggage), but at least Zed doesn't run away in a hissy fit. Felix shows remarkable growth from the previous book thanks to some therapy, and although he'll never be Mr. Charming he's a lot less hostile and prickly.

There is a lot of action in this installment - one shockingly violent scene in particular will not soon be forgotten - and an intriguing new species that bring the MCs closer in a way they never would have expected. It's a treat to catch up with the rest of the crew of the Chaos, especially Elias, who gets a little more of the spotlight than usual. And we finally get to meet members of the Stin species, who are responsible for Felix's worst nightmares. They're certainly not an admirable group, but the authors give them enough depth that they are not just cartoon villains either.

The god-like Guardians are thankfully quiet for most of the novel, letting our heroes save the day by themselves, with a little help from their new friends. Overall, this is a very strong M/M space opera with drama, romance and humor - just what I have been hoping for since I picked up Chaos Station. Not sure what the authors have planned for the finale, Phase Shift, but I will miss both main and supporting characters when the series is over.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved everything I've read by Sarah Mayberry but this one didn't quite work for me. I can't fault her writing or character development, which is spot on as usual. I just didn't care for the plot. I'm not a big fan of babies in stories, so the fact that the hero suddenly becomes a single father didn't impress or interest me. And there was so much sadness throughout the book (with the exception of the first steamy encounter between H/H) that the romance felt muted at best and almost inappropriate at worst. Just not my cup of tea, I guess, although that won't stop me from seeking out this talented author's next release.

Tovah Feldshuh isn't exactly a household name, but her numerous appearances as fiery defense attorney Danielle Melnick in Law & Order, and her unforgettable turn as Rebecca Bunch's overbearing, critical mother on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend made me a fan. Unfortunately, Feldshuh's memoir is not so memorable. Much of the focus is on her complex relationship with her own mother, Lily, who embodied the upper middle class Jewish housewife of the 1950s. I would have preferred fewer descriptions of Lily's stereotypical critical, emotionally withholding behavior and more about Feldshuh's interesting and diverse career - she starred in Hello Dolly! on Broadway and had a major character arc on The Walking Dead! Also a lot of the book flaunts her rich, white privilege, and she makes a tone-deaf Anne Frank remark that shocked me with its tastelessness. Sometimes it's better not to know too much about the famous people you admire.

3.5 stars. Cute, quick read that continues the adventures of Gatz, the most intelligent and perceptive border collie in history and the humans who share join custody of him. This time Gatz has to intervene when Man meets a New Woman (seriously, he's a genius but he doesn't do names?) and continues to be clueless about how to have a mature relationship. And Woman and New Man are engaged, but face a relationship crisis when the Woman is accused of bad behavior by someone on Twitter and the accusations go viral. As in [b:Joint Custody 53733110 Joint Custody Lauren Baratz-Logsted https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598833047l/53733110.SX50.jpg 84057349], you really have to suspend your disbelief extremely hard (a dog can turn on a radio and change the station?) and just enjoy Gatz's charming narration and surprisingly perceptive ruminations about love. The ending of the book leaves the door open for another book in the series, which is fine with me. How about a little romance for Gatz himself?

Fascinating combination of history and psychology. The author was only 12 years old in 1970 when her flight from Tel Aviv to New York City was hijacked by Palestinians intent on winning freedom for their imprisoned compatriots. Accompanied only by her 13 year old sister, Martha spent six days and nights inside the plane before being released and sent home. The hijacking took place long before anyone was talking about PTSD or trauma-focused therapy; Martha returned to school and downplayed the event, even starting to question if it really happened. After 9/11, memories suppressed for more than 30 years started to surface. Eventually Martha realized she needed to go back and piece together the incident to determine why she remembered so little of such a terrifying ordeal.

Hodes starts with the bare bones of her few remaining memories and the brief entries she made in her diary at the time, then widens the scope to her parents' perspective, diplomatic attempts to free the hostages (Henry Kissinger was preoccupied by Vietnam), and the news media's ghoulish emphasis on the likelihood that the hostages would be killed. Through interviews with fellow passengers and research into historical documents, she is able to construct a comprehensive account of the events and develop a theory of why she was able to repress so much of it (it might have been nice to know that the Red Cross was distributing sedatives to the passengers!).

I've read some reviews complaining that the book is repetitive, but that's the entire point. Each time Hodes tells the story, it becomes more complete and nuanced, a reminder that our memories are far from reliable. You don't have to be Jewish to appreciate it either; its lessons are universal, and Hodes very carefully avoids taking sides in the Israeli/Palestinian crisis.

Full of practical advice about living your best life in your 60's, 70's and beyond, targeted primarily to single women. Nice mix of personal anecdotes from the authors' own experiences and research from the field of aging. The book's most important message is that joy and growth are possible at any age, despite physical limitations, friend/family losses, and the other challenges.

3 stars for the first half of the book, 5 stars for the second. Mild spoilers ahead. I hate when an established couple whose relationship is strong after the first two books of a trilogy have a Dark Moment in the third that erases almost everything they've built together. I especially hate it when this Dark Moment occurs because one of the MCs acts completely out of character. In this case, Arthur shockingly throws his chief wizard/girlfriend Emry under the bus and breaks her heart. Okay, he has Reasons (as if being a 19 year old boy isn't enough), and he more than makes up for his betrayal in the book's second half. Still, it was hard to read 200 pages of Arthur and Emry estranged, unable to snark at, playfully insult, or kiss each other. But once that huge error is rectified, the couple is stronger than ever, and the book hurtles towards the inevitable conflict between Good and Evil. The climax got me in the feelz even though I was pretty sure that Schneider wouldn't pull a [a:David Nicholls 46118 David Nicholls https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1283277096p2/46118.jpg] on me (IYKYK). Everyone in this delightful Beverly Hills 90210 crossed with [b:The Mists of Avalon 40605251 The Mists of Avalon (Avalon, #1) Marion Zimmer Bradley https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529610467l/40605251.SX50.jpg 806813]* gang of friends gets a perfect ending - loyal Lancelot, himbo Emmett, butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth Guinevere, and charming scoundrel Gawain. Arthur, who has struggled with his royal responsibilities and Emry, who has chafed against traditional feminine roles, find a way to be true to themselves and their kingdom. Please note that The New Camelot follows [b:The Other Merlin 56631877 The Other Merlin (Emry Merlin, #1) Robyn Schneider https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1622045573l/56631877.SY75.jpg 86681465] and [b:The Future King 60524226 The Future King (Emry Merlin, #2) Robyn Schneider https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1678307200l/60524226.SY75.jpg 93377449], and doesn't work as a standalone. The trilogy is YA with fade-to-black sex, numerous queer characters, irreverent humor, and cinema-ready action. I'm gradually weaning myself off YA novels (because Reasons) but I'm glad I saw this series through to its satisfying end.*Yes, I know the author is problematic

Was it a millionaire who said, “Imagine no possessions”? - Elvis Costello, “The Other Side of Summer”

I already knew that John Lennon was no angel, but this brief memoir by John & Yoko's friend/assistant/babysitter portrays the Clever Beatle as a hapless narcissist who expected Mintz to be available 24/7 for jobs ranging from menial to impossible. Yoko was more capable but equally demanding, and obsessed with using psychics and numerology to guide her actions. In his nine year career as the Lennon-Ono's lackey, Mintz was asked to: find a NYC doctor to give the couple weight-loss injections (from LA); hire a PI to find a potential business partner's birth date so Yoko could vet him with her astrologist; give the millionaire Beatle a few hundo so he could gamble in Vegas; and accompany John on a nighttime spree to stop him from drinking, and report back on his behavior to Mother/Yoko. Mintz eventually had an extra phone line installed in his LA house so he would never miss a call from his overlords...I mean, friends.

The book is competently written, but Mintz engages in a LOT of name dropping, implying that his encounters with scores of celebrities were related to some personal magic, instead of being the natural result of hanging out with two of the most famous people in the world. He alludes to being estranged from his biological family, with John & Yoko serving as surrogate parents, but other than mentioning a few women (mostly nameless) that he slept with, he basically had no life outside of addressing their every whim.

I am somewhat regretful that I read this, but YMMV if you're not bothered by the warning to “never meet your heroes.”