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Wednesday book meme, hello again
Catching up from last month...
read
A Dangerous Collaboration, Deanna Raybourn, book #4 of her Veronica Speedwell series of Victorian mysteries. VS is an intrepid lady lepidopterist who roams the world collecting her butterflies and a few men; This one leaned into the Gothic, which I've read since fifth or sixth grade (so, since I was 11 or 12 years old, and yes, that's probably not really an appropriate age to start, but YA didn't exist back then, so I just read all my mom & aunties' castoffs), so I was super-happy with that. I figured out who the murderer was, which means it was dead-simple, because I never actually guess right, but there were a few other twists I didn't see coming, so it was all most satisfying. ALSO, we seem to be done with the extended romantic tease, thank you very much.
A Prince on Paper, Alyssa Cole, the latest in her Reluctant Royals set of loosely related contemporary romances. This one was as fun as the rest, this time focusing on the daughter of the villain from the first book and the stepson of the king of a small European country (which is sure to border Genovia.) There's a wedding and a fake-engagement and secret philanthropy (and a beloved childhood teddy bear!), all very deftly handled, so you know I had a good time. I hope there are more in this series; they're all crackling good fun and put the lie to the tired old shibboleth that having diverse characters means you have to shove them in just for the sake of 'PC culture'.
The Shell Seekers and September, Rosamunde Pilcher – Rereads for comfort and distraction. RP writes long, cozy, domestic novels. No murders or mysteries, just people living their lives, dealing with Stuff. There's always EXCELLENT food and scenery, though – Cornwall, London and Gloucestershire in TSS, with London, Majorca, and northern Scotland in September. I always want to go cook giant family meals once I'm done with her books.
reading
Hate to Want You, Alyssa Rai – Contemporary romance with an enemies-to-lovers vibe. It's good, but I'm not really in the mood right now…?
China Rich Girlfriend, Kevin Kwan – Just downloaded from the library and I'm liking it better than CRA, but we'll see how it goes...
next
Master and Apprentice, Claudia Gray – also just arriving from the library… I feel like the cover has set me up to be disappointed in the book, because I know there is no way the Qi Gong/Obi Wan promised by the delicious cover is going to be delivered in a Disney-approved and published novel, but I'm also telling myself that CG knows her way around fandom so the subtext will be there and very very subtext-y.
read
A Dangerous Collaboration, Deanna Raybourn, book #4 of her Veronica Speedwell series of Victorian mysteries. VS is an intrepid lady lepidopterist who roams the world collecting her butterflies and a few men; This one leaned into the Gothic, which I've read since fifth or sixth grade (so, since I was 11 or 12 years old, and yes, that's probably not really an appropriate age to start, but YA didn't exist back then, so I just read all my mom & aunties' castoffs), so I was super-happy with that. I figured out who the murderer was, which means it was dead-simple, because I never actually guess right, but there were a few other twists I didn't see coming, so it was all most satisfying. ALSO, we seem to be done with the extended romantic tease, thank you very much.
A Prince on Paper, Alyssa Cole, the latest in her Reluctant Royals set of loosely related contemporary romances. This one was as fun as the rest, this time focusing on the daughter of the villain from the first book and the stepson of the king of a small European country (which is sure to border Genovia.) There's a wedding and a fake-engagement and secret philanthropy (and a beloved childhood teddy bear!), all very deftly handled, so you know I had a good time. I hope there are more in this series; they're all crackling good fun and put the lie to the tired old shibboleth that having diverse characters means you have to shove them in just for the sake of 'PC culture'.
The Shell Seekers and September, Rosamunde Pilcher – Rereads for comfort and distraction. RP writes long, cozy, domestic novels. No murders or mysteries, just people living their lives, dealing with Stuff. There's always EXCELLENT food and scenery, though – Cornwall, London and Gloucestershire in TSS, with London, Majorca, and northern Scotland in September. I always want to go cook giant family meals once I'm done with her books.
reading
Hate to Want You, Alyssa Rai – Contemporary romance with an enemies-to-lovers vibe. It's good, but I'm not really in the mood right now…?
China Rich Girlfriend, Kevin Kwan – Just downloaded from the library and I'm liking it better than CRA, but we'll see how it goes...
next
Master and Apprentice, Claudia Gray – also just arriving from the library… I feel like the cover has set me up to be disappointed in the book, because I know there is no way the Qi Gong/Obi Wan promised by the delicious cover is going to be delivered in a Disney-approved and published novel, but I'm also telling myself that CG knows her way around fandom so the subtext will be there and very very subtext-y.