Sense and Second Degree Murder: Review

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alikes?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

Author: Tirzah Price
Title: Sense and Second Degree Murder
Category/Type: Young Adult Fiction
Genre: Mystery
    Subgenre: Historical
Publication Date: April 5, 2022
Number of Pages: 402 pages of story text
Series (if applicable): This is book 2 in the Jane Austen Murder Mystery series.
Content warnings: Murder, death of parent, death of a loved one, sexism (mostly due to the time period), child endangerment, substance use and abuse.

Summary: In a reimagining of one of Jane Austen’s most beloved stories, there’s a murder to be solved and some familiar heroines step up to the challenge.

The Dashwood family is shocked and reeling after Elinor discovers her father dead, apparently poisoned by a cup of tea, in his study one morning. Luckily, Elinor is a budding chemist and her sister Marianne is an amateur sleuth trained by their father. Determined to solve the case, things are complicated by their sudden change in fortune when their brother and sister-in-law kick them out of their home and provide them with barely a penny to live off of. Each sister must overcome their doubts about themselves and others if they are going to work together to solve the case. Along the way they will be aided and hindered by some of Austen’s other famous characters including the gentlemen Willoughby and Ferrars and the up-and-coming surgeon Mr. Brandon. Along the path to figuring out whodunit, they will also discover truths about the nature of love and relationships and the importance of family.

Price spins an engaging alternate Austen world giving the Dashwood sisters even more agency to be themselves, keeping Austen’s work relevant in an arguably more progressive age.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

While this was a fun read, I didn't find it as good as the first book in the series, Pride and Premeditation. Then again, none of Austen’s own works were as good as Price and Prejudice…

This retelling gives more agency to the Dashwood sisters and fleshes them out but at the detriment of the male leads, Ferrars and Brandon. And yes!, we want more feminist retellings, but flattening the male characters means that the their purpose in the story was more challenging to understand. Mr. Ferrars especially felt more like he was tacked on to maintain that particular connection to the original story. It also made the romances feel confusing and dull. I’m sure I’m not the only one who felt that, in both Austen's original as well as the 1995 movie adaptation, the main love affair should have been between Elinor and Brandon. The dimming of the male characters meant that this feeling was heightened in Price’s adaptation. Readers are given a lot of time with Elinor and Brandon and almost none with Ferrars at all.

Also, I somehow didn't recall Marianne being quite so obnoxious in the original story as she is in this one. Perhaps because this is a young adult book, her whininess was heightened but ugh, there was one point in the beginning where I didn’t want to finish the book because she was just so annoying.

Despite the gripes above, I felt that overall this was a fun read and I got through it quickly, always wanting to find out what happened next. Price adds action without making the story a thriller so it's still conceivable that the book is set in Austen's world. I also absolutely loved the Easter egg refence to the first book in the series and look forward to seeing how all the books will be connected at the end. And maybe have some crossover originals...???!!! Despite some complaints, this series is helping me break into the mystery genre which I rarely read.

Final resting place: The copy I read was a library book and has been returned.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

Sense and Second Degree Murder: Annotation

*For my personal thoughts on Sense and Second Degree Murder, check out my review of the book.

Author: Tirzah Price
Title: Sense and Second Degree Murder
Category/Type: Young Adult Fiction
Genre: Mystery/Detective Stories
Subgenre: Historical
Publication Date: April 5, 2022
Number of Pages: 402 pages of story text
Geographical Setting: Primarily Regency era London with the book starting in the British countryside during the same historical period.
Time Period: Regency period
Series (if applicable): This book is part of the Jane Austen Murder Mystery series.

Plot Summary: The Dashwood family is shocked and reeling after Elinor discovers her father dead, apparently poisoned by a cup of tea, in his study one morning. Luckily, Elinor is a budding chemist and her sister Marianne is an amateur sleuth trained by their father. Determined to solve the case, things are complicated by their sudden change in fortune when their brother and sister-in-law kick them out of their home and provide them with barely a penny. Each sister must overcome their doubts about themselves and others if they are going to work together to solve the case. Along the way they will be aided and hindered by some of Austen’s other beloved characters including the gentlemen Willoughby and Ferrars and the up-and-coming surgeon Mr. Brandon. Along the path to figuring out whodunit, they will also discover truths about the nature of love and relationships and the importance of family.
Content warnings: Murder, death of parent, death of a loved one, sexism (mostly due to the time period), child endangerment, substance use and abuse.
Subject Headings: Historical - Europe, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Romance - Historical
Appeal/Characteristics of Young Adult Fiction:

• Published by Children's and Young Adult publishers- This book is published by HarperTeen, the young adult branch of HaperCollins.

• Features teenaged protagontists- The ages of Elinor and Marianne are likely similar to how old Austen’s original characters were- they are teens but, in this retelling they are having adventures more common to today instead of being primarily concerned with finding husbands.

• Aimed at middle school and high school students- The writing is more simplified than that of the original Sense and Sensibility and is also modernized, clearly written for today’s teenaged crowd. Elinor and Marianne are also breaking with conventions wanting to be female detectives and scientists showcasing the power of youth and women, with the story establishing who the protagonists might become in adulthood.

• The heart of YA is the coming-of-age story about a teen's first step towards deciding who they are and what they want to become- Wanting to follow non-traditional paths for women during the Regency era, both Elinor and Marianne need to decide if they will pursue their passions or follow the path of “good girls.” Elinor is guided on her path to becoming a scientist and she works through her doubts with the help of her friends and family. Marianne is set on her future as a detective but is incredibly headstrong and impulsive. Throughout the story she learns better behavior and how toning herself down a bit could lead her to become a better detective.

Appeal/Characteristics of Mystery Fiction

• An imbalance of justice drives the plot. Readers understand “whodunit” and why by the book’s conclusion- The patriarch of the Dashwood family has been murdered and solving this injustice drives the story. Other injustices also come into play as part of the plot and the time period: the injustices against women being oppressed in society and not being to work or have college educations; the injustices of adults never taking children, especially female children, seriously which in this case inhibits justice being served. By the end of the book, readers know who killed Mr. Dashwood, why and how.

• The story focuses on the investigator or an investigative team. Mysteries are often written as a series, following the investigator through several cases. Secondary characters, whether suspects or supporting characters in the investigation, play an important role in the appeal of the Mystery and may also be series characters.- This story focuses on the Dashwood sisters, all three of whom are working together to solve the murder of their father, though the elder two sisters are the primary focus since they are doing most of the investigating. The side characters of Misters Brandon, Willoughby, and Ferrars, are followed as they each aid or inhibit the case in their own way. Although there hasn’t yet been a character overlap, this book is a part of a series and there is an Easter egg reference at the end that links this book to the first one in the series.

• The frame in which the Mystery is set—whether a physical location, or fascinating background details—plays a crucial role in its appeal- Being set in the Regency period is hugely important to the story and how the mystery will be solved. There wasn’t as much knowledge or technology at this time that could aid in crime solving. It was also an era in which women were not supposed to learn science or have an occupation and so the historical setting is also important as far as who is solving the murder of Mr. Dashwood. Details in the Dashwood home and the apothecary where Mr. Brandon works are also key to solving the crime.

• The tone of Mysteries ranges from dark and gritty to lighthearted and witty with a multitude of variations in between- This story falls along the lighthearted and witty spectrum. There are several grim aspects so it does trend towards the darker side but, sticking with a style that parodies Jane Austen, there is plenty of wit and humor to be found.

• The broad scope of the genre, embracing countries around the world and involving widely differing classes of characters and historical periods, demands a range of language and narrative styles- Again, this is an Historical Mystery set in Regency England. The language, while somewhat modernized, matches the time period, as does the social structure. In fact, one of the challenges the Dashwoods sisters must overcome is their change in social status due their loss of income at the hands of their brother and sister-in-law after their father’s death. This makes them not welcome in some places but also throws them together with other characters that end up helping or hurting the investigation and are thus integral to moving the plot forward.

• Pacing is compelling, sometimes slowed by details of time and place, but always moving inexorably toward the reestablishment of equilibrium- This book is not fast-paced but is also not leisurely. Due to social conventions of the time period, things sometimes slow when the sisters are making a social visit or attending a ball, but these acts are also have a purpose such as scoping out suspects or seeking more information about a person or place, and so the pace always picks back up after these events and also leave the investigators with more information than they had before.

  3 terms that best describe this book:

• Witty

• Imaginative

• Lightly scientific

Fiction Read-alikes

• Magic, Murder, and What We Wore by Kelly Jones- Described as a combination of a Jane Austen novel and Harriet the Spy, this book follows 16 year old Annis Whitworth and her maid as they disguise themselves as magical dressmakers and attempt to figure out how Annis’s father died and why his money is missing. This book is set in the same time period as Sense and Second Degree Murder and also follows teenaged sleuths. The magical realism is the main thing that sets the two books apart and thus they are likely to appeal to the same readers.

• The Gilded Cage by Lucinda Gray- With a more Gothic tone than Sense and Second Degree Murder, The Gilded Cage is set in the early 1800s and is about American teen Katherine who travels to England with her brother after they learn they’ve inherited an estate. After a tragedy occurs on the dark and eerie estate, Katherine is left to solve the death of her brother and uncover other secrets of the past that haunt the place. For Price fans looking for a darker and more intense mystery, this book has enough connections to draw them in.

• A Spy in the House; book 1 in The Agency series by Y. S. Lee- Mary is 17 and has just graduated from Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls when she is recruited into The Agency, a secret group of female investigators. This story follows Mary on her first case where she goes undercover as a lady’s companion to find clues to the mystery of why ships are sinking under strange circumstances. Also set in Regency England and with a romance that Booklist says is reminiscent of Darcy and Lizzie, this book is likely to catch the attention of Sense and Second Degree Murder fans.

Non-Fiction Read-alikes

• Jane Austen’s England by Lesley and Roy Adkins- While Price gives readers enough of Regency England to set the stage for her story, Adkins’s book is a veritable encyclopedia of the world Jane Austen lived and wrote in. Anyone looking to learn more about the time period will find this resource insightful.

• The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things by Paula Byrne- In this biography, Byrne uses material evidence from Austen’s life to challenge the official biography created by Austen’s family and paint a new, more realistic picture of the beloved author’s life. Price’s mystery series retells each of Jane Austen’s works and readers who enjoy the characters and settings that Price has reimagined will be eager to learn more about the original author who created these endearing fictional people.

• The Thurtell-Hunt Murder Case: Dark Mirror to Regency England by Albert Borowitz- Although written for an adult audience, fans of Price’s Jane Austen Murder Mystery series are likely to want to know more about real murders that took place in Regency England. This books details the death of a gambler that captured the attention of the British public at the time.

Citations

Characteristics of Mystery Fiction taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

If the Shoe Fits: Review

"You're just so quirky. Like a cute little librarian." She meant it as a diss, but news flash, Addison: Librarians are hot" (If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy, p. 115).

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alikes?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

Author: Julie Murphy
Title: If the Shoe Fits
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Romance
    Subgenre: Contemporary Romance; Romantic Comedy, Fairy Tales
Publication Date: August 3, 2021
Number of Pages: 304
Series (if applicable): This book is part of Disney’s Meant to Be series which reimagines their classic versions of fairy tales as adult Romance novels. Each book in the series is written by a different popular contemporary author and includes a more diverse range of characters than the original fairy tale adaptations (The Hollywood Reporter, 2020).
Content warnings (SLIGHT SPOILER): Grief, death of a loved one (in the past), fat shaming, fat phobia; sex is implied though nothing is described on the page.

Summary: Join Cindy on a wild, crazy, and maybe even romantic ride to become a shoe designer in this creative update to the classic Cinderella fairy tale.

Aspiring shoe designer Cindy’s senior year of college didn’t go exactly as planned because she struggled with the grief of her father’s passing. Rather than immediately searching for jobs, she agrees to be the nanny for her young half-siblings while her famous producer stepmother works on the next season of a popular reality TV dating show. Cindy is sure her creative juices will come back eventually, but after last minute cast cancellations, she throws caution to the wind and joins the reality show as its first plus-size contestant. Cindy is really just there to get noticed for her fashion sense and shoe designs, but when the eligible bachelor turns out to be that charming man who randomly saved her from a rude dude on the plane, she finds that she might be more invested in winning the show than she originally thought.

With vivid, lovable, and diverse characters, Murphy takes readers on a delightful ride through emotions, self-confidence, and the pursuit of love and dreams.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

I surprised myself by really enjoying this book. I read through it quickly because I didn’t want to put it down. I hadn’t even known it existed prior to hearing about the second book in the series, By the Book, on Book Riot’s All the Books! podcast. I also had no idea they were Disney creations until I researched the Meant to Be series in more depth. So, bravo Disney for purposely seeking diverse authors to retell your classic fairy tales with diverse characters and perspectives.

With Cindy as an aspiring shoe designer, the modern update clicks into place immediately. Obviously, there’s going to be a lot of talk about the right person for the right shoe, right? A reality TV dating show was a genius way to emulate all the women that tried to woo the prince in the original tale. Cindy's somewhat sarcastic, but rarely pessimistic, inner monologue is enough to hook readers and keep them coming back for more. I appreciated that Julie Murphy sidestepped the evil stepmother and stepsisters element from the original tale. It really has been overdone and there are more important issues to tackle, like fat representation. I'm glad the attention was focused on this current and pressing issue instead of something we've seen depicted a million times before. Also, not having a toxic family relationship set Cindy up to the be kind of character that needed to find herself and could better herself but didn't need to be fixed by anyone, especially her love interest; she had a solid sense of self-worth, even if she doubted it from time to time. I also appreciated that Murphy chose to represent Cindy as someone that didn't need the relationship or romance but could put herself and her own happiness first; yet Murphy still met the Romance agreement and the love does fall into place, it's just on more personal terms instead of the romance trumping everything. The story felt more realistic this way.

I'm enjoying this new wave of fairytale retellings and the way that the Romance genre is being expanded. I will be purchasing this book for myself and getting the next book in the series.

Under the dust jacket: I love the color pallete for the hardcover library edition that I borrowed. It has the traditional Cinderella fairy tale colors: blue and pink, but they're offset by yellow title text and yellow endsheets (mimicking Cinderella’s usual blond hair). The chosen color palette ties the physical book and the story neatly into the visuals of Disney’s animated version of the fairy tale while giving readers a visual cue that there are going to be new elements inside the book.

Final resting place: The copy I read was a library book and has been returned. However, I enjoyed this one so much that I will be purchasing a copy for myself in the near future.

Image of the yellow end sheets on the hardcover edition of If the Shoe Fits

Image of the pink cover under the dust jacket of If the Shoe Fits

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

Book of Night by Holly Black

Citations

McMillan, G. (2020, October 6). ‘Cinderella’ Reimagining ‘If The Shoe Fits’ to Launch Disney Publishing Line. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 2, 2022, from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/if-the-shoe-fits-launches-disney-publishing-line-4071502/#!

If the Shoe Fits: Annotation

*For my personal thoughts on If the Shoe Fits check out my review of the book.

Author: Julie Murphy
Title: If the Shoe Fits
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Romance
Subgenre: Contemporary Romance; Romantic Comedy, Fairy Tales
Publication Date: August 3, 2021
Number of Pages: 304 pages
Geographical Setting: Primarily New York City and Los Angeles, California; the reality TV filming takes place in an undisclosed location outside of LA.
Time Period: Present day
Series (if applicable): This book is part of Disney’s Meant to Be series which reimagines their classic fairy tales as adult Romance novels. Each book in the series is written by a different popular contemporary author and includes a more diverse range of characters than the original fairy tale adaptations (The Hollywood Reporter, 2020).

Plot Summary: Aspiring shoe designer Cindy’s senior year of college didn’t go exactly as planned because she struggled with the grief of her father’s passing. Rather than immediately searching for jobs, she agrees to be the nanny for her young half-siblings while her famous producer stepmother works on the next season of a popular reality TV dating show. Cindy is sure her creative juices will come back eventually, but after last minute cast cancellations she throws caution to the wind and joins the reality show as its first plus-size contestant. Cindy is really just there to get noticed for her fashion sense and shoe designs but when the eligible bachelor turns out to be that charming man she randomly met on the plane, she finds that she might be more invested in winning the show than she originally thought.
Content warnings: Grief, death of a loved one (in the past), fat shaming, fat phobia; sex is implied though nothing is described on the page
Subject Headings: Romance—Contemporary, Romance— Romantic Comedy, Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology
Appeal/Characteristics of Romance Fiction

• Emotionally satisfying, happy ending- This book’s ending follows the newer tradition of Romance novels ending with an implied ‘happy for now’ as opposed to the more traditional ‘happily ever after.’ In fact, this book pushes the limit with Cindy heading off to Europe for work right after the love interests are reconnected, while it’s implied that Henry will be waiting for her return.

• Characters are vividly, if quickly drawn. Men are powerful, confident, and slightly dangerous, women are strong, bright, and independent- The characters are vivid and do not have the feeling of being quickly sketched. This book follows the model of breaking the heterosexual norms of traditional Romance. While Henry is arguably powerful because he is wealthy and is the star of a reality show, it’s clear that he’s often not in charge of situations as one would expect and second guesses himself constantly. He does not fit the traditional mould of masculine. Cindy, while struggling through grief, is strong and independent and bright in the face of discrimination. She is confident and self-aware and it is clear why Henry is attracted to her.

• A misunderstanding between the protagonists followed by a satisfactory resolution of the romantic relationship- The misunderstanding happens within the framework of the reality TV show that Henry and Cindy are on and is due to the producers of the show, not the characters themselves. This is not all bad as it allows Cindy to focus on herself and her career versus being plagued by guilt or sadness over a romance that didn’t pan out. It is a refreshing twist on the typical misunderstandings that are seen in Romance novels. As expected, the characters do overcome the misunderstanding to get together in the end.

• Engaging details of time and place attract readers, and these historical, cultural, and social particulars often frame the stories- The setting for this book is a reality TV show, a modern update to an eligible and handsome prince surrounded by suitors. This firmly places the story in the present day and engages the readers by giving them a cast of characters and outlandish situations to read through.

• Love on all levels- While Henry’s character and background are more lightly drawn than Cindy’s he has a few good characters on his side like Jay, a co-worker, whom everyone seems to adore. Cindy has a great supporting cast and her love for her best friend, stepmother, and siblings are clearly illustrated creating a book filled with romantic as well as friend and familial love.

• Well-developed and interesting secondary characters- All the side characters help to draw readers into the story and keep them engaged. There’s a queer TV producer, the famous producer stepmother, the somewhat crazy but incredibly lovable stepsisters, the eclectic cast on the reality TV show, and Henry’s co-worker Jay. All are crucial to the story and interesting enough to have stories of their own.

  3 terms that best describe this book:

• Creative

• Fun

• Heartwarming

Fiction Read-alikes

• The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun- Also set on a reality dating show, this book features Dev, a show producer who is totally a romantic and Charlie, the new star of the show who does not believe in romance at all. As Dev sets out to make Charlie a star and convince him of the power of love, Dev might be in danger of making Charlie fall in love with someone who isn’t a contestant. The reality dating setting of this book will be a draw for fans of If the Shoe Fits.

• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston- A US First Son and a British Prince are forced to pretend to be best friends after an altercation between the two leads to tabloid headlines that could destroy both their reputations. While on a fake friend publicity tour to repair the damage, the two might discover that enemies can make for great lovers. The fake friend/fake dating trope that takes place in the spotlight as well as unexpected romance is a great connection to the reality TV setting of If the Shoe Fits.

• One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London- Plus-size Bea’s favorite thing to watch is a reality dating show Main Squeeze, but Bea is disappointed by the lack of fat representation on the show. She decides to do something about it by signing up for the show but she doesn’t expect to find love, especially with her past experiences of how men treat fat women. Despite her realistic expectations, Bea can’t helped but be charmed by some of the contestants; maybe she will find love after all. Stayman-London’s novel has several parallels that readers of If the Shoe fits will enjoy from the reality dating setting to the fat representation to descriptions of behind-the-scenes filming action.

Non-Fiction Read-alikes

• I Didn’t Come Here to Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villian by Courtney Robertson- A Bachelor winner shares her experiences from reality TV as well as her own connections to love and heartbreak. For fans of If the Shoe Fits who want to know more about the truths of being on reality TV, this is a good pick.

• Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure by Amy Kaufman- Journalist Amy Kaufman uses this unauthorized novel to explore the history of the Bachelor and its connections to American culture. For readers of If the Shoe Fits looking for more background on reality dating shows, this book is a good choice.

• In My Shoes by Tamara Mellon- In this book, shoe designer Tamara Mellon explores her life and career path while also recounting her experiences designing for luxury shoe brand Jimmy Choo. In the process of sharing her story, Mellon also shares the history of the company. For readers who were drawn to Cindy’s desire to be a shoe designer in If the Shoe Fits, Mellon’s book will give them a real-life inside look at the business.

Citations

McMillan, G. (2020, October 6). ‘Cinderella’ Reimagining ‘If The Shoe Fits’ to Launch Disney Publishing Line. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 2, 2022, from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/if-the-shoe-fits-launches-disney-publishing-line-4071502/#!

Characteristics of Romance Fiction taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

The Wedding Date: Review

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alikes?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

Author: Jasmine Guillory
Title: The Wedding Date
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Romance
    Subgenre: n/a
Publication Date: January 30, 2018
Number of Pages: 310 pages of text; 2 pages of acknowledgements (at the front of the book)
Series (if applicable): This book is part of a five book series following various side characters from The Wedding Date; more info can be found on the author’s website.
Content warnings (SLIGHT SPOILER): Toxic relationships, racism, juvenile incarceration, discussions of severe childhood illness, descriptions of sex on the page.

Summary: A happily-ever-after hangs in the balance when a fake date between two people from different worlds begins to turn into something more.

Berkeley mayoral assistant Alexa is excited about a new city project and even more excited to meet her sister at a San Francisco hotel for champagne and snacks. Pediatrician Drew, who doesn’t do relationships, is visiting the same hotel from LA, for the wedding of his ex-girlfriend. Drew doesn’t have a date to the wedding and is desperate when an elevator malfunction traps him and Alexa together. Would this smart, charming, and beautiful woman be willing to pretend to date Drew for a weekend? Alexa isn’t sure what gets into her but she takes Drew up on the fake date offer and the couple winds up spending a steamy weekend together. One steamy weekend turns into more as the couple begins traveling back and forth between San Francisco and LA to see each other. But how long before Alexa’s time with Drew is up? Can Drew overcome his commitment to no commitment for this one-of-a-kind girl?

Wither overdone humor and tropes and two-dimensional characters, Guillory presents readers with a Romance where nothing is unexpected and little is done to break the mould.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

This was a fun and steamy read. I definitely didn't feel like it was anything spectacular but it was easy to get through and kept me engaged. I considered giving it a low rating, but in fairness it did make me laugh and think and almost tear up at the end so I think it deserves at least 3 stars.

It was helpful to see some of the racism black women face when dating white men and the impact it can have, as well as better ways for white people to act in these situations. I liked that Alexa was flawed and readers got good insight into her thought processes. While the book does give readers hints of Drew's perspective, he still seemed to come across as one dimensional and just a "dude." I had the feeling that Alexa could do better than him.

While side characters are key in Romances, I felt like the ones here were flat. Their importance to the leads was understandable but I wasn't particularly invested in them, even when they were given backstories. They seemed like filler, which is disappointing because this book is the first in a five-book series but I don't have a lot of interest in following them through the other books. Perhaps this was just supposed to be a teaser, but it didn't really work for me.

One thing I really appreciated about the this book was that safe sex was worked into each love scene (of which there are approximately 1 million) via the use of condoms. Though I did consistently wonder if straight people really have that much sex and had to keep reminding myself that this is a fictionalized romance so the author could allow readers to dream a bit. But seriously, Drew and Alexa basically have sex constantly when they're together.

Overall this book gets a shrug from me. It wasn’t bad and I’m not upset I read it but it was far from great.

Final resting place: I’m actually undecided on whether or not this will end up in my personal library long term. I found it to be “meh” which doesn’t often warrant an addition to my shelves. It will hang around for a while though because the copy I picked for free from a Little Free Library has something spilled on it so I’d like to rebind it to practice my skills.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

Book of Night by Holly Black

The Wedding Date: Annotation

*For my personal thoughts on The Wedding Date check out my review of the book.

Author: Jasmine Guillory
Title: The Wedding Date
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Romance
Subgenre: n/a
Publication Date: January 30, 2018
Number of Pages: 310 pages of text; 2 pages of acknowledgements (at the front of the book)
Geographical Setting: San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, California
Time Period: Present day
Series (if applicable): This book is part of a five book series following various side characters from The Wedding Date; more info can be found on the author’s website.

Plot Summary: A happily-ever-after hangs in the balance when a fake date between two people from different worlds begins to turn into something more.

Berkeley mayoral assistant Alexa is excited about a new city project and even more excited to meet her sister at a San Francisco hotel for champagne and snacks. Pediatrician Drew, who doesn’t do relationships, is visiting the same hotel from LA, for the wedding of his ex-girlfriend. Drew doesn’t have a date to the wedding and is desperate when an elevator malfunction traps him and Alexa together. Would this smart, charming, and beautiful woman be willing to pretend to date Drew for a weekend? Alexa isn’t sure what gets into her but she takes Drew up on the fake date offer and the couple winds up spending a steamy weekend together. One steamy weekend turns into more as the couple begins traveling back and forth between San Francisco and LA to see each other. But how long before Alexa’s time with Drew is up? Can Drew overcome his commitment to no commitment for this one-of-a-kind girl?

Wither overdone humor and tropes and two-dimensional characters, Guillory presents readers with a Romance where nothing is unexpected and little is done to break the mould.
Content warnings: Toxic relationships, racism, juvenile incarceration, discussions of severe childhood illness, descriptions of sex on the page.
Subject Headings: Romance— multicultural & interracial, Romance— contemporary, Women
Appeal/Characteristics of Romance Fiction

• Emotionally satisfying, happy ending- This book’s ending follows the tradition of Romance novels with a happily ever after for the male and female leads.

• A misunderstanding between the protagonists followed by a satisfactory resolution of the romantic relationship- Since Drew doesn’t do relationships, there is a major misunderstanding after Alexa meets some of his ex-girlfriends at a party. This leads to a fight and Alexa calling off the relationship. Drew later surprises Alexa at an important moment in her career which ultimately leads to a happy ending.

• Love on all levels- Alexa’s friends, co-workers, career, and sister are all very important to her which showcases her love and passion outside of her relationship with Drew. Drew is strongly tied to his best friend Carlos as well as his career and the children he works with. This book showcases the variety of places where one can apply love in life.

• Well-developed and interesting secondary characters- Drew’s co-worker and best friend Carlos, as well as Alexa’s best friend Maddie, Alexa’s sister, and her closest co-worker are all decently developed with some backstory. While the characters seem flat in this story, they do each get their own story throughout the series where they are likely more developed.

  3 terms that best describe this book:

• Steamy

• Fun

• Heartwarming

Fiction Read-alikes

• The Singles Table by Sara Desai- This is an opposites attract romantic comedy that is culturally diverse. Jay and Zara keep meet again and again at various friends’ weddings and each time they leave fascinated with each other. When Zara offers to help Jay find romance, the two become closer than they would have ever imagined. From weddings as a backdrop for the characters to get to know each other to the diversity in characters, this book offers thematic connections for fans of The Wedding Date.

• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston- A US First Son and a British Prince are forced to pretend to be best friends after an altercation between the two leads tabloid headlines that could destroy their reputations. While on a fake friend publicity tour to repair the damage, the two might discover that enemies can make for great lovers. The fake friend/fake dating trope and different cultures colliding are a fun connections between this book and The Wedding Date.

• Out of His League by Caroline Richardson- There’s an immediate connection the first time Gretchen meets her favorite baseball player, Joshua Malvern, at an airport in Vegas. She comforts him during a rough moment leading the two to engage in a steamy and passionate weekend. The steam boils over into love as each character struggles to determine if a relationship is really what they want. Fans of The Wedding Date will latch onto the attraction-at-first-sight and steamy-to-love elements that both of these stories share.

Non-Fiction Read-alikes

• Mulatto America: At the Crossroads of Black and White Culture by Stephan Talty- There are multiple scenes in The Wedding Date where Alexa is concerned about being the only Black person at a party or event with Drew’s mostly white circle of acquaintances. In Mulatto America Talty explores the stories of people who broke racial barriers throughout America’s history forging early interracial relationships.

• The Heart of Caring: A Life in Pediatrics by Mark Vonnegut- Pediatrician Mark Vonnegut spent over 40 years caring for children and uses this book to recount stories from his time doing this work. Vonnegut explores the healthcare system, insurance, disease and illness, as well as medical advances all from his own perspective as a doctor. In The Wedding Date, Drew is a pediatric surgeon who cares deeply about his patients, Vonnegut’s book will provide readers with a real life account of what Drew’s experiences could be.

• Burning Down the House: The End of Juvenile Prison by Neil Bernstein- Journalist Neil Bernstein explores the ways the US juvenile prison system is harming rather than helping the youth that end up there. Bernstein discusses the abusive treatment children go through while in the system and points out how the system is failing and needs to be improved. In The Wedding Date, Alexa works for the city of Berkeley and is trying to gain support for a program that would offer support to troubled youth instead of arresting them. Bernstein’s book offers The Wedding Date readers an inside look at how harmful the juvenile justice system is, providing further support for projects like Alexa’s fictional one.

Citations

Characteristics of Relationship Fiction taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

Nettle & Bone: Review

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alike?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

““How did you get a demon in your chicken?”

“The usual way. Couldn’t put it in the rooster. That’s how you get basilisks.”” (Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher, p. 82).

REVIEW

Author: T. Kingfisher
Title: Nettle & Bone
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
    Subgenre: Fairy tales/folklore
Publication Date: April 26, 2022
Number of Pages: 240 pages of story text; plus an Author’s Note
Series (if applicable): This book is not part of a series
Content warnings (SLIGHT SPOILER): Domestic violence, child death, death of a loved one, mentions of ritual suicide, animal death

Summary: “This isn’t the fairy tale where a princess marries a prince… It’s the one where she kills him.”

Marra, the third daughter the king and queen of a small kingdom, isn’t much of a princess. In her thirties, she’s been living in a convent for most of her life and her only real talent is weaving. Her sisters were married away to the prince of the northern kingdom years ago to form a political alliance. Marra is content with her quiet life but she can’t help but think there was something strange about how her eldest sister died, and her other sister always has bruises she tries to hide and is constantly pregnant. As Marra connects the dots she comes to understand that the only way to save her sister, herself, and the kingdoms is to kill the prince. Marra enlists the help of a powerful old woman who can speak to the dead and the dust wife agrees to assist, but only after Marra completes three impossible tasks: creating a cloak out of nettles, building a dog out of bones, and capturing moonlight in a jar. As Marra discovers she might be more powerful than she thought, she also realizes she can’t kill the prince on her own and seeks the help of a disgraced soldier and a fairy godmother with questionable abilities. Together, the crew sets out on their misadventure that could save them all or topple kingdoms.

Using the familiar threads of well-known fairy tales and folklore, with Nettle & Bone T. Kingfisher weaves something delightfully unexpected and new. Full of faults and fears, readers won’t be able to resist following the heroes on their task to stop a prince at all costs.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

I really enjoyed this new take on a fairy tale. I was especially drawn to the heroes of the tale who are all over 30 and flawed in their own ways yet still able to kick ass. Marra also has a dark and sarcastic humor not unlike my own that kept me wanting to read more. There is a description of a newborn child early on that so utterly mimicked my own thoughts that I couldn’t help but wish Marra was my friend.

For me the romance was especially relatable with the female protagonist being over 30 and anxious and the male protagonist being around 40 with greying hair and a bit overweight. I also enjoyed that just being near each other and comforting each other was enough of the romance within the pages. There wasn't a heavy focus on love or sex, it’s very much about the mission, which is why I picked up the book and I’m glad it stuck to that instead of trying to force more elements into the tale.

I found that all the characters, while outlandish, were also lovable, and couldn't help but want them to succeed. The ending is hopeful but not overly positive; it's realistic and there is an understanding that things will remain difficult for the main characters; the happiness was succeeeding at their task. It seems bold to have heroes full of faults and fears but I love it, the realness of the characters somehow made them more magical. I know T. Kingfisher is a prolific author and I’m excited to read other titles she puts out.

Under the dust jacket: This is yet another book with great design under the dust jacket. I am a firm believer of reading books without their dust jackets (which only get beat up as I drag books everywhere with me) and was delighted to see Bonedog depicted in gold foil on the front cover. Then, bestill my bookbinder heart, the end sheets are made up of a black and white illustration of Marra in her nettle cloak with Bonedog in the foreground. These elements were a great way to tie together the content of the book with the physical book design and also to tell part of the story visually and hint at what will happen between the covers.

Final resting place: In my personal library between Thinner Than Skin and Giraffe by J. M. Ledgard.

An image of the front cover of Nettle & Bone, sans dust jacket, on a grey couch. The dust jack for the book is in the background.

““Oh! He’s all bones, poor thing!”
”I don’t think it bothers him much,” said Marra.
”Well, he’s a dog. They don’t have an idea how the world’s supposed to be, so it doesn’t bother them when it isn’t.”” (Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher, p. 128).

Image of the front end sheet in Nettle & Bone. A hand is holding the book ope on the left and a bookmark is popping up out of the right of the book.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

Book of Night by Holly Black

““You get used to it,” the Sister told the infant, and handed the child to Marra, who stared at it with intense horror. It was bloody and wrinkly and reddish gray and looked like the sort of thing you would drive back to hell with holy water. “Um,” said Marra” (Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher, p. 37).

Nettle & Bone: Annotation

“This isn’t the kind of fairy tale where the princess marries a prince.

It’s the on where she kills him.” (Dust jacket of Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher)

*For my personal thoughts on Nettle & Bone, check out my review of the book.

Author: T. Kingfisher
Title: Nettle & Bone
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Subgenre(s): Fairy tales/folklore
Publication Date: April 26, 2022
Number of Pages: 240 pages of story text; plus an Author’s Note
Geographical Setting: Three fantasy kingdoms
Time Period: n/a but events are happening in the present/real time with some flashbacks to the past
Series (if applicable): This book is not part of a series

Plot Summary: Marra, the third daughter the king and queen of a small kingdom isn’t much of a princess. In her thirties, she’s been living in a nunnery most of her life and her only real talent is weaving. Her sisters were married away to the prince of the northern kingdom years ago to form a political alliance. Marra is content with her quiet life but she can’t help but think there was something strange about how her eldest sister died, and her other sister always has bruises she tries to hide and is constantly pregnant. As Marra connects the dots she comes to understand that the only way to save her sister, herself, and the kingdoms is to kill the prince. Marra enlists the help of a powerful dust wife who agrees to assist, but only after Marra completes three impossible tasks: creating a cloak out of nettles, building a dog out of bones, and capturing moonlight in a jar. As Marra discovers she might be more powerful than she thought, she also realizes she can’t kill the prince on her own and seeks the help of a disgraced soldier and a fairy godmother with questionable abilities. Together, the crew sets out on their misadventure that could save them all or topple kingdoms.

Content warnings (SLIGHT SPOILER): Domestic violence, child death, death of a loved one, mentions of ritual suicide, animal death
Subject Headings: Fantasy- Action & Adventure, Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology
Appeal/Characteristics of Fantasy (May contain SPOILERS)

• Detailed settings depict another world, often located on Earth, but almost always set in out-of-time, in past times, or invisible to most people- This story takes place in three richly detailed kingdoms, a large southern and large northern kingdom and the small harbor kingdom in the middle where the princesses hail from and that is bullied by the other two kingdoms.

• Magic frames the story- Not everyone in the story has magic of their own, but magic is a known entity in a world with dust wives and fairy godmothers, and charms and curses available for purchase at the Goblin Market.

• Story line features good vs. evil. Story line also explores ways to discover one’s own potential, magical or otherwise- While the decision to kill a prince is not necessarily a morally good one, Marra and her crew are the Good ones while the abusive prince is the Evil one that needs to be destroyed. Through the description of his actions, readers quickly understand he has no redeeming qualities and his reign must end.

• Characters, often attain special magical gifts. Even good characters will find themselves challenged, both physically and ethically. Characters may include mythical creatures as well as more mundane human ones- Marra often doubts her abilities and has anxiety and does not realize she has any magic, yet she is able to accomplish the impossible tasks that the dust wife sets for her. Fenris, one of Marra’s allies, is also not magical but is discovered in a Goblin Market giving him an aura of magic even if he cannot wield it. The story is also populated with creatures made from bone, various charms, spirits of the dead, talking toys, and fairy god mothers.

• Books start slowly as the author sets the scene, presents the challenge, and introduces the cast- This is an adventure book but the start of the book is given over to describing details of Marra’s past, her impossible tasks, and the kingdoms and their relationship to one another. Even once the quest begins, it is a bonding journey and not every step of the way is suspenseful as the author allows the story and thrill to build slowly despite the shortness of the book.

• From the stylized language to the use of jargon, language and style run the gamut. Language relates verbal pictures of characters and landscape, and illustrations sometimes enhance both adult and children’s Fantasy- T. Kingfisher takes time to describe the landscape differences between the kingdoms as well as physical features of the characters. There is not much specialized jargon but the author takes care to describe how this world is different from our own. The contents of the story do not include pictures, but under the dust jacket the book cover contains gold foil tooling of the bone dog and the book’s end sheets are a black and white illustration of Marra walking in the woods in her nettle cloak with Bone Dog looking after her. While these details are small, they give readers a sense of what the scenery is and what the characters look like.

• Revamped legends, remade myths, and fairy tales told anew or used as springboards for new tales- While T. Kingfisher weaves an entirely new fairy tale, it’s spun with the familiar elements of many fairy tales. There is magic, princesses, a handsome prince, kingdoms in danger as well as damsels in distress, the Goblin Market, fairy circles, and of course fairy godmothers.

  3 terms that best describe this book:

• Magical

• Realistic characters

• Full of adventure and misadventure

Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

• Fantastic Creatures in Mythology and Folklore: From Medieval Times to the Present Day by Juliette Wood- readers interested in discovering the pieces of Nettle & Bone that were taken from popular fairy tales and folklore will enjoy this exploration into the role mythical creatures have played throughout humanity’s history.

• Once Upon a Time: A Short History of Fairy Tale by Marina Warner- this short read provides a thorough overview of the history of fairy tales, broken down by themes that run through these tales. Focusing on interpretations and cultural significance, this book will provide readers of Nettle & Bone with a detailed background on where some elements of the story were derived.

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

• Uprooted by Naomi Novik-Agnieszka is an unimportant maiden in a small village, that is, until the powerful and grouchy wizard Sarkan chooses her as his new servant. The prettiest and strongest girl was supposed to be chosen and Sarkan, who protects the village from evil magical forces in the woods, seems as surprised by his choice as everyone else. As dark powers encroach and threaten the kingdom, an unexpected power awakens in Agnieszka and Sarkan realizes he may need to depend upon the strength of another to keep the darkness at bay. For readers looking for more unexpected heroes, impossible tasks, misadventure, and unconventional romance, this is the book to pick up.

• For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten- Red is born a second daughter and is therefore destined to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the woods. She’s resigned to her fate and afraid of the strange power that resides within her. But there are powerful forces at war and an unexpected alliance could tip the scales and bring ruin or restore the rightful gods to their places. Fans of Nettle & Bone will find connections between the princesses doomed to be sacrifices, non-traditional heroes, and reclaimed fairy tales between these two stories.

• The Bear and the Nightingale (the first book in the Winternight Trilogy) by Katherine Arden- Young Vasilisa (Vasya) enjoys an untethered life playing in the woods surrounding her family’s farm in rural Russia. With a necklace she’s told to always wear, Vasya keeps faith in the old gods and spirits and makes friends with them but keeps her talents a secret until a conniving priest arrives who begins to realize the truth. Suddenly it’s not only Vasya’s future at stake but the fates of gods and demons and a kingdom as well. Desperate to save her family and realize her own independence, she befriends Morozko, the frost demon, and together they work to save themselves and the kingdoms of men and spirits. For readers looking for more unlikely heroes and alliances, a mixture of reclaimed fairy tale elements, and female power, the Winternight Trilogy will not disappoint.

Reading the Whole Collection

• Readers who enjoyed Nettle & bone may enjoy the Monstress graphic novel series which is set in a post-apocalyptic world where evil forces battle and Maika Halfwolf attempts to uncover her past in the face of utmost danger.

• Readers may also like the PBS series Monstrum in which Dr. Emily Zarka examines the history and cultural importance of a variety of monsters found in literature, fairy tales, folklore, and popular culture.

Citations

Characteristics of Fantasy novels taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

The Goblin Emperor: Review

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alike?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

REVIEW

Author: Katherine Addison
Title: The Goblin Emperor
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
    Subgenre: None.
Publication Date: March 3, 2015
Number of Pages: 482 pages of story text; plus a Handbook for Travelers in the Elflands and A Listing of Persons, Places, Things, and Gods
Series (if applicable): This book is not part of a chronological series but the author has other works set in the same world: The Witness for the Dead and The Grief of Stones (forthcoming June 2022)
Content warnings (SLIGHT SPOILER): Descriptions of past child abuse, ritual suicide (described in detail), death of family members, grief, death of a loved one in the past.

Summary: This lyrical look at politics and court intrigue introduces readers to the complex empire of the Elflands where airships soar, bridges are steam powered and elaborate palaces are filled with wonder and betrayal.

Maia is the youngest, mostly forgotten, half-goblin son of the emperor. He was sent to live on the outskirts of the empire with his drunk and abusive uncle after Maia’s mother died when he was eight. After a tragic airship crash kills his father and brothers, no one expects Maia to come to the capital and take his rightful place as emperor, least of all Maia himself. But that is exactly what Maia does, even though he knows next to nothing about the politics of the court, how to rule, or even how to dress properly. Fumbling and stumbling, Maia manages to garner trusted staff and other allies as he learns how to rule and uncovers a plot that suggests his father and brothers were murdered; could Maia be next? As Maia learns what it means to be emperor and attempts to discover his family’s assassin(s), he tries to maintain his sense of self in the chaos and choose understanding and compassion every step of the way.

Slow-paced and with action that is intense yet meditative, this book takes readers on a journey of self-discovery as Maia and his allies seek to change the way people understand how a kingdom can be ruled.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

This is not the kind of book I would normally pick up. More than any specific genre, the books I tend to avoid are ones that are slow-paced and highly focused on character development. Do I want good characters in the books I read? Absolutely. However, when I read for pleasure more than anything what I want is a good story. Dealing with complex emotions in a quiet book is not really my jam. But I must have picked up The Goblin Emperor at the right time because, even though I sometimes felt frustrated with the slow pace, I still was engaged in the book and kept wanting to pick it up to find out what happened next.

At only 77 pages in I was struggling with the feelings of confusion I had. Character names are complex and readers are introduced to a lot of figures as well as family histories very quickly. Then I realized that the confusion was every bit a writing trick. Maia is thrust into his reign as emperor in the pre-dawn hours after a tragic accident claimed the lives of the brothers he never really knew and his father who loathed him. He had never lived in the palace and is just as confused by all the names and customs as the reader. He likely can't remember their names or keep track of their lineage either and so, as the reader, our confusion mimics Maia's; clever.

While I’m not shouting from the rooftops about this book, I’m glad I read it. I think with the craziness of the spring semester, both at work and in my own degree program, as well as the insanity of the world at large, I just needed something that was slow and quiet. It was the perfect time for me to find enjoyment in this type of book. Honestly, it’s a boring book. It's not that nothing happens, but the action occurs slowly and is described quickly taking only a few pages compared to descriptions of palaces, clothes, and politics which go on seemingly forever. This is not an action story. Still, Maia, the accidental emperor, is endearing as are the people around him who support him and are willing to give their lives for him. I dont know that I will read any of the other books set in this world but I am satisfied that I gave this one a go.

Final resting place: Between The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy and The Angel of the Crows.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

By the Book by Jasmine Guillory

The Goblin Emperor: Annotation

*For my personal thoughts on The Goblin Emperor, check out my review of the book.

Author: Katherine Addison
Title: The Goblin Emperor
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Subgenre(s): none
Publication Date: March 3, 2015
Number of Pages: 482 pages of story text; plus a Handbook for Travelers in the Elflands and A Listing of Persons, Places, Things, and Gods
Geographical Setting: The Elflands in a fictional world
Time Period: n/a
Series (if applicable): This book is not part of a chronological series but the author has other works set in the same world: The Witness for the Dead and The Grief of Stones (forthcoming June 2022)

Plot Summary: Maia is the youngest, mostly forgotten, half-goblin son of the emperor. He was sent to live on the outskirts of the empire with his drunk and abusive uncle after Maia’s mother died when he was eight. After a tragic airship crash kills his father and brothers, no one expects Maia to come to the capital and take over as emperor, least of all Maia himself. But that is exactly what Maia does, even though he knows next to nothing about the politics of the court or how to rule. Fumbling and stumbling, Maia manages to garner trusted staff and other allies as he learns how to rule and uncovers a plot that might mean his father and brothers were murdered; could Maia be next? As Maia learns what it means to be emperor and attempts to discover his family’s murderer(s), he attempts to choose understanding and compassion every step of the way.

Slow-paced and with action that is meditative, this book takes readers on a journey of self-discovery as Maia and his allies seek to change the way people understand how a kingdom can be ruled.

Content warnings (SLIGHT SPOILER): Descriptions of past child abuse, ritual suicide (described in detail), death of family members, grief, death of a loved one in the past.
Subject Headings: Fantasy- General
Appeal/Characteristics of Fantasy (May contain SPOILERS)

• Detailed settings depict another world, often located on Earth, but almost always set in out-of-time, in past times, or invisible to most people- This story does not necessarily take place on Earth but, similar to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series, a rich world is built that is based on Earth-like elements and geography.

• Magic frames the story- While many in the story are not magical, there are magical guards and an understanding that magic exists in the world in which the story is built.

• Story line features good vs. evil. Story line also explores ways to discover one’s own potential, magical or otherwise- It is clear from the start of the novel that Maia is good and his uncle and some members of the court are bad, untrustworthy, or evil. Maia must overcome attempts to overthrow his reign from those that don’t agree he is rightfully emperor. While Maia is not a fighter, he does discover his own strengths and a strong sense of himself and how he can rule as the story progresses.

• Characters, are clearly good or bad and often attain special magical gifts. Even good characters will find themselves challenged, both physically and ethically. Characters may include mythical creatures as well as more mundane human ones- Maia does not have his own magical gifts but does have the gifts of compassion and understanding which he insists on bringing to the table. He does have magical body guards. None of the creatures in the story are human, they are elves, goblins, or a mixture of the two.

• Books start slowly as the author sets the scene, presents the challenge, and introduces the cast- This is a very slow-paced book that is focused on world building and is very character driven with a slew of courtly characters introduced throughout the entire book. The challenge is presented early on and there is danger, but the pace of the book never picks up.

• From the stylized language to the use of jargon, language and style run the gamut. Language relates verbal pictures of characters and landscape, and illustrations sometimes enhance both adult and children’s Fantasy- Addison is descriptive in setting the scenes and creating the Elflands. Names are in a language of the author’s own making and the book features a language guide as well as a character guide in the back.

  3 terms that best describe this book:

• Engaging yet leisurely

• Magical and complex

• Thought-provoking

Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

• Balloons and Airships: A Tale of Lighter than Air Aviation by Anthony Burton- since the events in The Goblin Emperor would not have happened if it weren’t for an airship crash, readers who enjoyed Addison’s book may also enjoy this look at non-airplane aircraft to better understand the possibilities of flight.

• The Courtiers: Splendor and Intrigue in the Georgian Court at Kensington Palace by Lucy Worsley- this book explores what some consider to be Kensington Palace’s glory days of the eighteenth century during the reigns of George I and II. Worsley takes a behind-the-scenes approach as court politics, intrigue, and fashions of the time are explored. While The Goblin Emperor is not set in an historical Earth era, it is all about politics, intrigue, design, and fashion and readers will enjoy this connection to the real world.

• Henry VIII: And the Men Who Made Him by Borman- this book is not only a portrait of the infamous king of England but also his advisers and members of the court that made up Henry VIII’s historic reign. The king relied heavily on his advisers and servants but no court is without its drama and that is explored here. In The Goblin King, Maia would not be able to succeed if it weren’t for his staff and other loyal members of the court. Readers who enjoyed Addison’s work will find real-life parallels learning about the court of Henry VIII.

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

• A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine-In this complex novel, Mahit Dzmare discovers that the person who was ambassador before her might have been murdered. Dzmare travels to the capital of the empire to solve the crime and as she uncovers secrets, the history and culture of the world in which she lives unfolds. With a complex world, an array of characters, and a political crime that needs to be solved, there are many similar elements in Martine’s novel for readers who enjoyed The Goblin Emperor.

• The Locked Tomb series beginning with Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir- sarcastic sword slinger Gideon is the one survivor of a nursery tragedy that happened when she was an infant on the failing Ninth world of the empire. The only other survivor, Harrow, is Gideon’s nemesis and a powerful necromancer. Through a series of misadventures they are forced to team up when Harrow is called to solve a mystery and prove herself to the emperor. Faster paced than The Goblin King, this complex world full of dark magic, betrayal, and politics is likely to capture the imaginations of The Goblin Emperor fans.

• The Lord of the Rings beginning with The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tokien- Tolkien’s epic high fantasy follows Frodo Baggins and a growing cast of allies, The Fellowship of the Ring, on a journey to destroy an evil ring of power before a dark lord takes over the world. The stories are well known for their intricate world building and complex characters with detailed backstories. Readers who enjoyed the intricacies and complexities of Addison’s world in The Goblin Emperor are likely to enjoy this elaborate series as well.

Reading the Whole Collection

• Readers who enjoyed The Goblin Emperor may enjoy the Tudors series which follows the court activities over the course of Henry VIII’s reign.

Citations

Characteristics of Fantasy novels taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

A Marvellous Light: Review

““We haven’t had much luck in unearthing them. We don’t know how many men— er, or women— are involved.”
”They’re men.”
”Why do you say that?”
”Because if even a single woman was involved, they wouldn’t have decided that a man who’d been working there one day was a more likely source of information than a woman who’d been there for years.”
It was a good point. Miss Morrissey looked almost offended that she hadn’t been accosted and cursed” (A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske, p. 297).

Interested in a spoiler free summary? Check out my Annotation of this book.

REVIEW

Author: Freya Marske
Title: A Marvellous Light
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
    Subgenre: Historical fantasy, Romantic fantasy, Queer fantasy
Publication Date: November 2, 2021
Number of Pages: 372 pages of story text; 2 pages of acknowledgements & an author’s note
Series (if applicable): This book is part 1 in The Last Binding series. Part 2, A Restless Truth, will be released in the US on November 1, 2022.
Content warnings: Violence both magical and physical, references to past child abuse, murder, homophobia, sexism due to the time period, sex on the page… A LOT of sex on the page.

Summary: Due to a paperwork error, Robin Blyth is thrust into a war in a world of magic he didn’t know existed. Robin has to do something to stop the evil forces and so he teams up with bookish, gloomy, and maybe attractive (?) Edwin, which is not at all what Robin, or his heart, expected.

Set in Edwardian England, Robin Blyth takes a random government position because he needs the money only to learn that he reports about magic to the Prime Minister...wait, magic is real? Edwin is in the unfortunate position of being Robin's magically talented colleague burdened by removing a curse placed on Robin after his first day at work. Bookish Edwin doesn't like anyone and jovial, athletic Robin couldn't be less like Edwin buuut maybe they have a few more things in common than their jobs. When they team up to remove Robin’s curse, they uncover a dark magical secret that could destroy the world.

This is a steamy, magical, opposites attract, fantasy story that will have to you staying up late to find out how Robin and Edwin save the day…and how they let down their guards behind closed bedroom doors.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

I adored this book! After The Heartbreak Bakery I was looking for a good fantasy with magic and romance and this book dealt it up in spades! Shortly after starting the book I found an author bio in which Freya Marske stated she wrote “fantasy with as much kissing as she can get away with” and I thought "YES! That is what I want!"

The world of a hidden magical Edwardian England is well-built and believeable. Edwin is the kind of character you want to shake to save him from himself but he's also lovable and Robin is heartbreakingly kind in a way we've be taught didn't exist among men in this time period. While heartwarming the story is also devious and dark with a well-developed side cast of morally questionable family for Edwin, a ruthless and fearless old lady, and an incredibly capable and of course horribly underrated secretary. Oh, and I did mention the land, nature, is sentient? Yup, it is. The magical mystery moves the story along and I can't wait for more, luckily this book is just the first in a series. From what I've seen the second book focuses on Robin's sister and might involved a lesbian romance, which is fine, but I hope there's more Edwin and Robin because I absolutely fell in love with them. Also, Edwin is an absolute book and library nerd and I hard core identified with him. At the end Robin tells Edwin "You're not kind, but you care, deeply." and that is a very accurate description of me as well.

Marske's prose is nice. The third person narrator switches back and forth between Robin and Edwin seamlessly which I'm not sure I've seen before but it works well and expands the perspective of the book so that you relate to both protagonists rather than just one. Marske also slides in these lovely and slightly unusual descriptions of actions that can catch you off-guard but are also spot on, like a kiss being like good grammar sliding into place; for the reader, they're like peices of literary magic. Also, if you ever questioned whether or not consent could be sexy, this book answers with a definitive HELL YES. Each steamy scene is filled with consent and staying within agreed upon boundaries and it’s sexy as all get out.

Pick up the book for the cover, stay for the magic and love.

Final resting place: Between The Nanny Diaries and Fluke.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

By the Book by Jasmine Guillory

““Of course I’m on your side. You complicated my life,” Robin said warmly. “You woke me up. You’re incredibly brave. You’re not kind, but you care deeply. And I think you know how much I want you, in whatever way I can have you”” (A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske, p. 359).

A Marvellous Light: Annotation

““When I was twelve I spent an entire summer coming up with my own tables of classification based on subject matter. I’ve had to expand the system several times since then…There’s a man in America who’s published a similar kind of classification system based on numbers, actually. And I thought I was so ingenious, when I came up with this one on my own.” A wisp of bitter self-mockery in his voice” (Edwin in A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske, p. 94).

*For my personal thoughts on A Marvellous Light, check out my review of the book.

Author: Freya Marske
Title: A Marvellous Light
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Subgenre(s): Romantic fantasy, historical fantasy; Queer fantasy
Publication Date: November 2, 2021
Number of Pages: 372 pages of story text; 2 pages of acknowledgements & an author’s note
Geographical Setting: London and the British countryside
Time Period: Edwardian era (early 1900s)
Series (if applicable): This book is part 1 in The Last Binding series. Part 2, A Restless Truth, will be released in the US on November 1, 2022.

Plot Summary: Set in Edwardian England, Robin Blyth takes a random government position because he needs the money only to learn that he reports about magic to the Prime Minister...wait, magic is real? Edwin is in the unfortunate position of being Robin's magically talented colleague burdened by removing a curse placed on Robin after his first day at work. Bookish Edwin doesn't like anyone and jovial, athletic Robin couldn't be less like Edwin buuut maybe they have a few more things in common than their jobs. When they team up to remove Robin’s curse, they uncover a dark magical secret that could destroy the world. This is a steamy, magical, opposites attract, fantasy story that will have to you staying up late to find out how Robin and Edwin save the day…and how they let down their guards behind closed bedroom doors.

Content warnings (SLIGHT SPOILER): Violence both magical and physical, references to past child abuse, murder, homophobia, sexism due to the time period, sex on the page… A LOT of sex on the page.
Subject Headings: Fantasy- Historical, Fantasy- Romantic, LGBT- Gay
Appeal/Characteristics of Historical Fantasy (SPOILERS BELOW)

• Takes place in a version of the “real” world- This story takes place in Edwardian England and accurately portrays the time period while adding in magical elements.

• Magic frames the story- The entire story pivots around magical elements, beginning with a curse, and attempts to bring together special magical items to make power hungry magicians even stronger.

• Story line features good vs. evil. Story line also explores ways to discover one’s own potential, magical or otherwise- The book begins with a death and then a curse and the story’s good guys, Robin and Edwin, must figure out how to break the curse and how to stop evil magicians from becoming even more powerful. It is very clear who the reader is supposed to be rooting for, even if you don’t know who the bad guys are until the end.

• Characters, are clearly good or bad and often attain special magical gifts. Even good characters will find themselves challenged, both physically and ethically. Characters may include mythical creatures as well as more mundane human ones- All the characters are mundane humans but some, the non-magical ones, are more mundane than others. Edwin has only a little magic, comparatively, but throughout the story will realize there are other ways to connect with magical forces that make him incredibly powerful. Robin has a heretofore unknown, and very rare, magical powers awoken when he’s cursed and he will grow to learn to harness this power to help save the day. The limitations of one character are the strengths of the other, making Edwin and Robin an unexpectedly great magical crime solving duo. Moral guide for each character draw them farther from the other and keep them centered in their own worlds while also helping them understand how to work together.

• Books start slowly as the author sets the scene, presents the challenge, and introduces the cast- While the story starts with a bang, readers don’t meet the main characters right away and even after the cursing, the story is almost idyllic as the true nature of what is at stake slowly becomes more apparent.

• From the stylized language to the use of jargon, language and style run the gamut. Language relates verbal pictures of characters and landscape, and illustrations sometimes enhance both adult and children’s Fantasy- There are no illustrations in this book but the language is incredibly descriptive and really sets the scenes from the idyllic countryside to the more industrialized city of London. Language is easy to understand for present day readers but references the language of the time the book is set in.
  NOTE: Edwin and Robin do not refer to themselves as “gay” due to the time period and this may be problematic for some readers (Marske discusses this in an interview with Geeks Out).

  3 terms that best describe this book:

• Magical

• Gripping and unpredictable

• Romantic and sexy

Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

• An Edwardian Guide to Life by Cornelia Dobbs- this book really is a guide to Edwardian life covering everything from dinner etiquette, to dress, and how to style your hair. For readers curious about how formal and uptight things seem in A Marvellous Light, this guide will shed light on customs during the early 1900s.

• The Real Life Downtown Abbey: How Life was Really Lived in Stately Homes a Century Ago by Jacky Hyam- with servants and assistants playing some important parts in A Marvellous Light, Hyam’s book will help readers understand how homes were run in the early 1900s and why servants are a visible part of fiction based in this time period. This book also covers financials which can help shed light on the predicament Robin Blyth finds himself in when he accepts and decides to stay in his new job.

• The Dead Duke, His Secret Wife, and the Missing Corpse: An Extraordinary Edwardian Case of Deception and Intrigue by Piu Eatwell- while no magic is involved in this real life case, both this book and A Marvellous Light involve secrets and politics as characters seek to uncover the truths surrounding crimes. Eatwell follows the case of a prominent London merchant and his death in the late-Victorian/early-Edwardian era. Both books feature bold characters, unreliable witnesses, and juicy details about the people involved.

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

• A Master of Djinn by P. Djèli Clark- Set in an alternate Cairo in 1912, readers will follow the adventures of Fatma el-Sha’arawi, a special investigator with the Egyptian Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities. Similar to the situation in A Marvellous Light, mundane humans and supernatural beings live side-by-side in relative peace but that peace is fragile and members of a powerful magical group are beginning to disrupt the balance. Fans of A Marvellous Light will enjoy the supernatural crime solving, world building, and historical setting of this novel.

• The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison- An angel and a doctor recovering from war injuries rent a flat on Baker Street in London... Vampires, werewolves, angels, Fallen (evil) angels, and hell hounds are real and sometimes respectable creatures in a late-Victorian London being terrorized by Jack the Ripper. It would be great if a detail orientated chap and a doctor could help solve London's strange crimes; enter Crow and Dr. J. H. Doyle. Doyle is returning from war with an injury and more than a few secrets. Crow is the self-proclaimed "Angel of London" with an interesting past of his own. Told from Doyle's perspective, readers follow the pair as they assist individuals and begrudging police inspectors solve crimes that seem to defy logic. As the smaller crimes are solved, the threat and violence of Jack the Ripper grows, is he too much even for the abilities of Crow and Doyle?
  Though there is almost no romance in this novel, readers of A Marvellous Light will enjoy this paranormal, historical fantasy mystery also set in England with a cast of queer characters.

• The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley- In a magical and dangerous Victorian London, Thaniel Steepleton has resigned himself to a boring life as a telegraph officer for the government, but things are about to get interesting when someone breaks into his room and leaves a special pocket watch on his pillow. After a bomb goes off with a mechanism eerily similar Steepleton’s new watch, he teams up with a Japanese watchmaker who can see the future and a detective from Scotland Yard to solve the crime. With a host of a parallels from the setting to the magic, and even the boring government job, readers will find many connections between Pulley’s novel and A Marvellous Light.

Reading the Whole Collection

• Readers who enjoyed A Marvellous Light may enjoy the Penny Dreadful series from the mid-2010s. Featuring classic literary characters brought to life, paranormal mysteries, and a Victorian era setting, this historical horror fantasy has many connections to Marske’s novel.

Citations

Characteristics of Fantasy novels taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

The Heartbreak Bakery: Review

Interested in a spoiler free summary? Check out my Annotation of this book.

REVIEW

Author: A. R. Capetta
Title: The Heartbreak Bakery
Category/Type: Young Adult Fiction
Genre: {LGBTQIAP+} Romance
    Subgenre: Foodie Romance
Publication Date: October 12, 2021
Number of Pages: 338 pages of text; 2 pages of acknowledgements
Series (if applicable): This book is not a part of a series
Content warnings: Toxic relationships, mentions of sexual activities (but nothing is described or happens on the page).

Summary: Grab yourself a plate of cookies and get ready to devour this delightful story where food has magical powers and love can save the day.

Syd (no pronouns), a teenage baking prodigy, was just dumped. When Syd channels that breakup anger into a batch of brownies, everyone who eats them also breaks up. Now Syd is on a mission to create a plethora of magical baked goods full of positive feelings that can undo the harm. Harley (he or they; check the pin), the super cute bike delivery person, is the only one who seems to believe in Syd’s magical baking abilities. That means up to Syd and Harley must team up to save the day by un-breaking up everyone with a series of specially crafted recipes. As Syd and Harley spend more and more time together, they begin to discover they might have more than a love of baked goods in common.

Featuring an almost entirely queer cast, with LGBTQIAAP+ identity issues sprinkled in, this upbeat and energetic Romance novel is bound to warm your heart and make your stomach growl.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

Was this the absolute perfect book? No. But it still gets 5 stars because it was deliciously delightful!! (All food puns intended). You can't help but fall for the agender cupcake, Syd (and also the gender cupcake recipe). Syd's inner monologue is fantastic and keeps the book moving forward. As a queer baker, it felt like the connections and metaphors between baking and life were spot on and seamless. Capetta’s decision to incorporate emotions into the recipes was a genius way to further the connection between baking and life that anyone could understand. I also loved the exploration of gender that mentioned the challenges of not being binary but while the story remained uplifting. You will also fall for the side characters who keep things fun and quirky even when it gets serious. The magical realism was blended well, especially since it focused on baking, making for an incredibly relatable way to work magic into everyday life. As someone who grew up queer but not knowing it because I didn't have the community or vocabulary that is available to Syd, I felt that the sarcasm Syd uses was spot on. It's a way that so many in the queer community, especially us non-binary folks, deal with all life has in store. I am still swooning over this book and I want to make all the recipes, though I must admit I'm a little concerned they might really be magical!

The cover design was another thing to win my heart. Bright flourescents jazz up the dust jacket and the inclusion of a recipe card in lieu of a traditional summary was genius. But wait, there's more! Take that dust jacket off and the hardcover is bright pink with fluorescent yellow endsheets and purple endband. OMIGOODNESS! This design and the color choices really tied everything to the content of the book beautifully. I'm absolutely ordering a copy for myself from my local indie because it's going to break my heart to return this one to the library later today.

Final resting place: I returned the copy I borrowed to the library and my purchased copy will be resting between Wuthering Heights and Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

What I’m reading now

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more) behind what I’m actually reading so I thought I’d start a new section where I just list the current book on my nightstand. A little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

Sense and Second-Degree Murder by Tirzah Price

The Heartbreak Bakery: Annotation

*For my personal thoughts on The Heartbreak Bakery check out my review of the book.

Author: A. R. Capetta
Title: The Heartbreak Bakery
Category/Type: Young Adult Fiction
Genre: {LGBTQIAP+} Romance
Subgenre: Foodie Romance
Publication Date: October 12, 2021
Number of Pages: 338 pages of text; 2 pages of acknowledgements
Geographical Setting: Austin, Texas
Time Period: Present day
Series (if applicable): This book is not a part of a series

Plot Summary: Syd (no pronouns), a teenage baking prodigy, was just dumped. When Syd channels that breakup anger into a batch of brownies, everyone who eats them also breaks up! Now Syd is on a mission to create a plethora of baked goods that can undo the harm. Harley (he or they; check the pin), the super cute bike delivery person, is the only one who seems to believe in Syd’s magical baking. That means up to Syd and Harley to save the day by un-breaking up everyone with a series of specially crafted recipes. As Sad and Harley spend more and more time together, they begin to discover they might have more than a love of baked goods in common.
Content warnings: Toxic relationships, mentions of sexual activities (but nothing is described or happens on the page).
Subject Headings: Romance— LGBT, Fantasy— Contemporary, Cooking & Food

Appeal/Characteristics of LGBTQIAP+ Fiction (SLIGHT SPOILER IN THE SECOND BULLET POINT):

• Author identity- While not required of all queer fiction, it’s important to note that A. R. Capetta does identify on the LGBTQIAAP+ spectrum.

• Queer protagontists- Syd and Harley and everyone at the bakery they work at identify as queer. In fact, this book has an almost entirely queer cast of characters.

• Queer side characters- As mentioned above, the queer characters, both primary and side characters, fall across the LGBTQIAAP+ spectrum.

• Appropriate sexual descriptions- This book does not contain any sex on the page but appropriate terminology is used for anatomy across the gender spectrum.
  Appeal/Characteristics of Romance Fiction

• Emotionally satisfying, happy ending- This book ends on an incredibly upbeat note with our protagonist and love interest celebrating together at a dance party. The leads are teenagers so this is a “happy/together for now” ending versus a “happily ever after” ending.

• A misunderstanding between the protagonists followed by a satisfactory resolution of the romantic relationship- There is major misunderstanding during a game of Truth or Pie that leads to the protagonists not being together during a stressful time for Syd. By the end of the book readers realize they were working towards the same goal, even while apart.

• Love on all levels- This novel is very much about LGBTQIAAP+ pride. The bakery Syd works at is a queer bakery with all the staff and owners being queers. It is mentioned early on that the staff is like a family and they look out for each other. Both Syd and Harley’s families are incredibly supportive of them and their endeavors and the book ends with a giant queer bake-off to preserve the culture in Austin. There almost couldn’t more love worked into this book.

• Well-developed and interesting secondary characters- Readers are likely to fall for Syd’s co-workers, sister, and parents just as much as they do for Syd. Harley also has an adorable family and readers are given enough backstory about all the characters that they feel realistic and integral to the story.

  NOTE: The appeal factors this is based on from The Reader's Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction by Neal Wyatt and Joyce Saricks are in need of an update. The appeal factors and characteristics in many definitions of Romance are not diverse and focus on heterosexual, monogamous relationships. LGBTQIAAP+ Romance has a small but established presence in this genre challenging some more traditional characteristics like the typical hero/heroine concept. I chose to focus on the appeal factors that were most easily recognizable from traditional to queer Romance stories.

  3 terms that best describe this book:

• Delightful

• Delicious

• Heartwarming

Fiction Read-alikes

• Hungry Hearts: 13 Tales of Food and Love edited by Elsie Chapman and Caroline Tung Richmond- These interconnected short stories all take place on Hungry Hearts Row where sometimes magical food that can grant wishes or revenge is served up to teenagers. Over the course the stories, with the help of food, the teenagers work through issues of family, culture, grief, and love. The foodie magical realism will catch the attention of The Heartbreak Bakery fans as will the concept that food can help you work through, or sometimes complicate, life’s challenges.

• Café con Lychee by Emery Lee- Theo and Gabriel are rivals because their parents own rival pastry shops in town. However, when a chain café moves in with incredibly instagrammable food, both of the family cafés are in danger of closing even though the food at the new place is really not that great. Of course the only way to save the cafés is if Theo and Gabriel team up, which sounds excruciating but, maybe they’ll find more success working together than they initially thought. This food-centered, queer rom-com with a mission to save a delectable food establishment is bound to please fans of The Heartbreak Bakery.

• Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee- Trans teen Noah runs a queer romance blog, which is great, except the stories might not be that true…like, not at all. When someone finds out, Noah needs to find someone to date him and fast, so he doesn’t have to shut down his belovéd blog. Enter Drew, the “Ice Cream Shop Guy” who agrees to fake date Noah to make the stories seem more legit. Fake dating might be all that was needed to bring Noah and Drew together for real. Filled with queer characters and a mission to save something important to the protagonist, plot elements echo those of The Heartbreak Bakery for another fun story of self-discovery and love.

Non-Fiction Read-alikes

• Being Texan: Essays, Recipes, and Advice for the Lone Star Way of Life by the Editors of Texas Monthly- Through various writings, editors of Texas Monthly consider what it means to be “Texan” in this light-hearted collection of advice. Readers who like The Heartbreak Bakery will enjoy learning more about the state where the book takes place as well as the importance of food in the region.

• Milk Bar Life: Stories and Recipes by Christina Tosi- This cookbook weaves together stories of home, family, friendship, and delicious comfort food recipes and is sure to please anyone with a sweet tooth. Tori’s love of fun food and using it to bring them together makes this book feel like a non-fiction version of The Heartbreak Bakery.

• Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat- This accessible cookbook explores the main elements that comprise food as well as the how and why to these elements coming together to form delicious meals. For readers who loved the recipes that were mixed into the story of The Heartbreak Bakery, this deep-divide into the tastes that create a good meal is a great option.

Experiencing the Whole Collection

• The Girl from the Sea by Molly Ostertag- This stunningly illustrated graphic novels explores a modern adaptation of the selkie stories from Celtic mythology. Morgan has a plan and is just trying to make it safely to her high school graduation without drama. Once she’s in college she’ll be able to come out as lesbian and truly be herself. Morgan’s carefully laid plans get flipped on their heads when she encounters a mysterious girl on the beach. This queer, magical romance is a great way for The Heartbreak Bakery fans to explore common themes in another bookish format.

• Chef’s Table on Netflix- This six-season, Emmy-nominated series is all about the importance of food told via the stories of chefs. Through mouth-watering cinematography and stories that are both heartbreaking and hopeful, viewers will explore the deep connections between food, culture, and emotions. Fans of The Heartbreak Bakery may find the Pastry season especially enjoyable.

Citations

Characteristics of Relationship Fiction taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

Cackle: Review

“I put my books on the shelves, arranging them alphabetically, only to change my mind and rearrange by color and then again by which books I think would be friends.” - Cackle by Rachel Harrison

Interested in a spoiler free summary? Check out my Annotation of this book.

REVIEW

Author: Rachel Harrison
Title: Cackle
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Relationship Fiction
    Subgenre: Supernatural fiction
Publication Date: October 5, 2021
Number of Pages: 291 pages of story text
Series (if applicable): This book is not a part of a series
Content warnings: Toxic relationships, toxic friendships, body horror, sexism (one scene), spiders…A LOT of spiders.

Summary: Annie’s life was going well, she was in a long-term relationship with a guy she loved and she had a stable teaching job. Maybe she wore pajamas too much, but it was a good life and at the start of Cackle, Annie would do anything to get that life back. That “great guy” dumped her. Depressed and despairing, Annie decided to take a teaching job in a small town in upstate New York where no one knows her; a fresh start. Annie’s new students are nightmares but her new hometown is pleasant and perfect, even if there are a lot of spiders. Her new friend Sophie is everything Annie isn’t, confident, beautiful, powerful, and Sophie truly cares about helping Annie through the rough times. So who cares if strange things happen around Sophie and the townspeople seem a little frightened of her. There’s certainly not anything supernatural going on…witches aren’t real, right?

Follow Annie as she struggles to build a life on her own, navigate the relationships in her life, and realize her own potential, which might just come with some magical gifts of its own. This novel is a low stakes, pleasurable read, a great distraction for the everyday stresses of pandemic life.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

This book is classified as horror but I would say it's more relationship fiction with horror elements. There are ghosts, and at least one witch. The book does deal with sexism and toxic relationships that are sometimes made into horror works but I think classifying this book as Horror is misleading and may disappoint some readers. The majority of the story is really about Annie coming into her own as a person as well as her growing friendship with Sophie. The horror that is included, while gory, appears only in a few short scenes and is overall humorous.

This is not my normal read since I don’t usually gravitate towards Relationship Fiction or Horror, but I was delighted to pick it up and have something light to read with low-stakes problems that you knew were going to work out in the end. It entertained and distracted me and got a solid 3 stars in my opinion. If you are looking for a light, beach-type read for a non-summer season, especially in the fall, this is a good choice.

Final resting place: This was a borrow from SFPL and it was returned when finished. While I enjoyed it, I didn’t like it enough to purchase it to add to my library.

Cackle: Annotation

*For my personal thoughts on Cackle, check out my review of the book.

Author: Rachel Harrison
Title: Cackle
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Relationship fiction
Subgenre: Supernatural
Publication Date: October 5, 2021
Number of Pages: 291 pages of text
Geographical Setting: A small fictional town in upstate New York
Time Period: Present day
Series (if applicable): This book is not a part of a series

Plot Summary: Annie’s life was going well, she was in a long-term relationship with a guy she loved and she had a stable teaching job. But that “great guy” dumped her. Depressed and despairing, Annie decided to take a teaching job in a small town in upstate New York where no one knows her; a fresh start. Annie’s new students are nightmares but her new hometown is pleasant and perfect, even if there are a lot of spiders. Her new friend Sophie is everything Annie isn’t, confident, beautiful, powerful, and Sophie truly cares about helping Annie through the rough times. So who cares if strange things happen around Sophie and the townspeople seem a little frightened of her. There’s certainly not anything supernatural going on…witches aren’t real, right?
Content warnings (SLIGHT SPOILER): Toxic relationships, toxic friendships, body horror, sexism (one scene).
Subject Headings: Occult & Supernatural Fiction, Horror Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Thrillers, Paranormal Fiction, Suspense, Horror.
Appeal/Characteristics of Relationship Fiction

• Although the mood may be thoughtful or humorous, tragic or romantic, these novels offer a generally optimistic outlook. Stories provide an intimate glimpse into the lives of the protagonists and exert emotional pull- While Annie believes she has hit rock bottom, she has her new friend Sophie to help her see the positives in her situation and the book ends on positive and hopeful notes. The entire premise of the story is that it is an intimate glimpse into a specific year-ish in Annie’s life.

• Story lines reflect social issues and difficult situations. Universal themes— family conflicts, family relationships, friendships, loss, and regrets— and how the protagonists react to these issues focus the plot. Difficulties are generally resolved satisfactorily (or solutions are put in place), and endings are usually hopeful, if not happy- The event that ignites what happens in the story, the breakup, happens before the book begins but puts Annie in the difficult situation of having to restart her adult life as she works through the regrets she has about what she did wrong in her relationship as well as dealing with building new friendships. While it uses the supernatural to do it, the book also touches on what is often seen as threatening: a powerful female content with herself. Most of the problems are resolved or on their way to being resolved, whether by a change in attitude or by magic, by the end of the book.

• The setting is typically contemporary. Interesting careers, locales, and social issues add intriguing background frames to the novels- The book is set in present day Manhattan and upstate New York. While “interesting” may be a strong word for the locale, the quaintness of Annie’s new hometown provides a soothing backdrop for her to work through her troubles.

• The writing may range from elegantly poetic to more prosaic, from conversational to humorous. Unsual formats— letters, emails, tweets, diaries— are often employed to tell these personal stories- Cackle is written in standard prose but is heavy on dialogue since it deals with inter-human relationships. Texts are worked in since that is how Annie communicates with those she left back in the city.

• Pacing is generally unhurried. Fans talk of these as compelling reads, which pull readers in and involve them with the protagonist’s story- This is not an action-packed or heavily emotional read; it’s leisurely paced though it never feels like a slog. Readers are drawn into Annie’s world and her interesting new friend Sophie, and will want to find out how things turn out in the end. Despite some action scenes, there are no moments of intense suspense.

  3 terms that best describe this book:

• Quirky

• Hopeful

• Thoughtful

Fiction Read-alikes

• Payback’s a Witch by Lana Harper- Emmy Harlow is a witch without much magic and so she left her small, magical hometown in rural Illinois for an exciting life in Chicago. But she can’t escape her duties as arbiter of the Gauntlet, the town’s magical competition where three of her more powerful magical peers will compete to see who becomes the next town scion. Emmy wants to get this over with as quickly as possible, but while she’s home she’ll have to navigate her relationship with her family and friends, that break-up with Gareth Blackmoor the made her leave Thistle Grove in the first place, and those intense romantic feelings she’s developing for Talia. Though this is classified as a romance, it deals heavily with the aftermath of break up and the importance of family and friends as Emmy discovers her where her own powers and heart lie.

• Consensual Hex by Amanda Harlow- Lee is raped by a frat boy during her first week of college and is disappointed In herself and the lack of options to bring said frat boy to justice. Then she’s selected for a special seminar on Gender, Power, and Witchcraft. It turns out the class is actually a coven and the professor may have some magic to teach her select female students. Though darker than Cackle, fans will find connections in the magical elements as well as the issues of toxic masculinity and demonized female power that are tackled in this book.

• Matrix by Lauren Groff- Set in the 1100s in Europe, Marie is sent to a convent before she turns 18. With the ability to read and write, and graced with visions from the Virgin Mary, Marie rises to lead the convent building its coffers and strengthening the sisters’ ability to remain independent at a time when there were few options for women. This novel is a quiet slow burn but includes themes of female friendship, female power, and societal fear of that power which are all elements readers will recognize from Cackle.

Non-Fiction Read-alikes

• Witch Hunt: Mysteries of the Salem Witch Trials by Marc Aronson- In this volume Aronson takes an analytical look at the evidence surrounding the 1692 witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts with a goal of setting the record straight about what is fact and what has become mythologized since the time of the events. Readers of Cackle will likely enjoy the goal of clearing up misunderstandings surrounding historical “witches.”

• Witches: The Transformative Power of Women Working Together by Sam George-Allen- In this memoir the author explores and attempts to unlearn “internalized mysogyny.” Looking at a variety of situations and people from dance, to convents, to refugees and transgender women, the author explores how women on the margins may have unrecognized power despite the fact that society is quick to deem them “witches.” Fans of Cackle are sure to like this exploration of female friendship and power that seeks to pull apart internalized negativity.

• Fight Like a Girl by Clementine Ford- Following the #MeToo movement, the author uses this book to explore how the world continues to refuse equality to women. The book rallies feminists to stand up and fight for the rights women deserve. Cackle’s Sophie acts as Annie’s rallying cry to treat herself the way she deserves to be treated, creating a common thread between Harrison’s novel and Fight Like a Girl.

Experiencing the Whole Collection

• Readers who enjoyed Cackle may want to watch Practical Magic. This movie tells the story of two adult sisters exploring their relationship with their magical heritage in very different ways.

Citations

Characteristics of Relationship Fiction taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

The Angel of the Crows: Annotation

“SHERLOCK: I may be on the side of the angels, but don’t for think for one second that I am one of them.” -The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison, page after dedication

*For my personal thoughts on The Angel of the Crows check out my review of the book.

Author: Katherine Addison
Title: The Angel of the Crows
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Subgenre: Paranormal fantasy, historical fantasy; fan fiction, wingfic
Publication Date: May 11, 2021
Number of Pages: 443 pages of story text; 2 pages of acknowledgements & an author’s note
Geographical Setting: Primarily London with one section taking place in the British countryside and flashbacks to fighting in a war in the Middle East and India.
Time Period: Victorian era
Series (if applicable): This book is not a part of a series

Plot Summary: An angel and a doctor recovering from war injuries rent a flat on Baker Street in London...

Vampires, werewolves, angels, Fallen (evil) angels, and hell hounds are real and sometimes respectable creatures in a late-Victorian London that is being terrorized by Jack the Ripper. It would be great if a detail orientated chap and a doctor could help solve London's strange crimes; enter Crow and Dr. J. H. Doyle. Doyle is returning from war against Fallen angels in the Middle East with an injury and more than a few secrets. Crow is the self-proclaimed "Angel of London" with an interesting past of his own. Told from Doyle's perspective the way the original Holmes tales are told from Watson's, readers follow the pair as they assist individuals and begrudging police inspectors solve crimes that seem to defy logic. As the smaller crimes are solved, the threat and violence of Jack the Ripper grows, is he too much even for the abilities of Crow and Doyle?

Content warnings (SLIGHT SPOILER): War, violence against women, murder, transphobia.
Subject Headings: Fantasy Fiction, Paranormal Fiction, Fiction
Appeal/Characteristics of Historical Fantasy

• Takes place in a version of the “real” world- This story takes place in late Victorian England and references England’s wars in the Middle East and India.

• Magic frames the story- while this book relies heavily on logic, otherworldly creatures give this story a magical element.

• Story line features good vs. evil. Story line also explores ways to discover one’s own potential, magical or otherwise- While the protagonists have made questionable decisions and are morally grey, since Doyle and Crow are a crime fighting duo of sorts, there is a clear good side and bad side in each situation. As the relationships between Doyle and Crow grows into friendship, they each help the other realize the things they once thought were negative may actually be helpful positives.

• Characters, are clearly good or bad and often attain special magical gifts. Even good characters will find themselves challenged, both physically and ethically. Characters may include mythical creatures as well as more mundane human ones- Crow and Doyle are clearly set up as the “good guys” in this story. They are both challenged by their situations and physical limitations but learn to work within those limitations. While not necessarily mythical, non-human creatures abound living alongside humans. These creatures include angels, vampires, werewolves, and hell hounds.

• Books start slowly as the author sets the scene, presents the challenge, and introduces the cast- The story does not begin in London but rather with a long introduction of how Doyle and Crow meet and end up becoming roommates before the crime fighting action begins.

  3 terms that best describe this book:

• Darkly humorous

• Unpredictable

• Adventurous

Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

• An Entirely New Country: Arthur Conan Doyle, Undershaw and the Resurrection of Sherlock Holmes by Alistair Duncan- this focused biography explores the time period (1890s) after Sir Arthur Conan Doyle returned to London and resurrected Sherlock Holmes.

• Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and Devon: A Complete Tour Guide & Companion by Brian W. Pugh, Paul R. Spiring, and Sad Banji- this guide takes readers on a tour of the real-life places that inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as he was writing the Sherlock Holmes stories.

• The Science of Sherlock Holmes: From Baskerville Hall to the Valley of Fear, the Real Forensics Behind the Great Detective’s Greatest Cases by E. J. Wagner- although the Sherlock Holmes stories are fictional, many were based on the ground-breaking scientific principles of his author’s time. This book explores the real science behind the stories.

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

• A Master of Djinn by P. Deli Clark- Set in an alternate Cairo in 1912, readers will follow the adventures of Fatma el-Sha’arawi, a special investigator with the Egyptian Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities. Similar to the situation in The Angel of the Crows, mundane humans and supernatural beings live side-by-side in relative peace but that peace is fragile and members of a special brotherhood are beginning to show up missing. Fans of The Angel of the Crows will enjoy the supernatural crime solving, world building, and historical setting of this novel.

• The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss- Mary Jekyll’s father was murdered by his business partner, one Mr. Hyde. To solve the case she teams up with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in an alternate Victorian London that includes a secret scientific society that might be up to no good. The Angel of the Crow fans will find connections between the settings and characters as well as the retelling of familiar tales.

• Anno Dracula by Kim Newman- Another take on an alternate Victoria London, this time with Queen Victoria married to Vlad Teppes in a reign known for its horror. If the royal couple wasn’t bad enough, Whitechapel is being haunted by a killer known as Silver Knife. The Angel of the Crows readers will find similarities in the setting, supernatural creatures, and the killer central to the tale.

Reading the Whole Collection

• Readers who enjoyed The Angel of the Crows may enjoy the films Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows as well as the BBC series Sherlock. These are quirky, non-traditional adaptations of Holmes stories.

Citations

Characteristics of Fantasy novels taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

Dead Collections: Review

““Sex lessons,” she repeated. “That’s very librarian like of you.”

“No, no, as a librarian, I just Google things. This was more like consulting a librarian.”” -Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman, p. 94

Interested in a spoiler free summary? Check out my Annotation of this book.

Review

Author: Isaac Fellman

Title: Dead Collections

Category/Type: Adult Fiction

Genre: Romance

    Subgenre: LGBTQIAP+

Publication Date: February 22, 2022

Number of Pages: 245 pages of story text; 1 page of acknowledgements

Series (if applicable): This book is not a part of a series

Summary: Discover the strange world of archives and love in Isaac Fellman's Dead Collections.

Sol Katz is an archivist at the California Historical Society and he wasn't expecting love at first sight when he agreed to accept the papers from Elsie deceased wife who was a sci-fi TV writer. It'd be great to go out with Elsie but there are some obstacles in the way. For instance, Sol has vampirism, a condition that requires regular blood transfusions and means he can't go out in the sunlight. And to avoid the sunlight, Sol might be living in his basement office. Also, Elsie may bringing packing a few complications of her own. Then there's that weird issue with accelerated deterioration in the archives, does Sol's vampirism have anything to do with it, or is it ghosts? Together Sol and Elsie must navigate a complicated new love, their old lives in Internet fandom, and rescue archives in danger. Can they do it or will all of life's trials be too much to handle?

Told from the first-person perspective of Sol Katz and alternating between prose, catalog records, texts, and a musical interlude, this unique read breaks the boundaries of Romance fiction. Inside readers will delve into the passions that drive us, gender and sexuality, and all the awkward yet tender moments of a new love. And don't forget about that the secret vampire archivist underground. If you're looking for an excellent and unusual read, this is one for you.

Personal Thoughts

WARNING: May contain spoilers

I really enjoyed Dead Collections. It was unlike anything I had read before, especially in the Romance genre. While there’s an overall melancholy tone, Sol’s wit and sarcasm mean that things never really get too dark. The author’s experiences means that the steamy scenes and characters’ navigation in the world feels like an accurate portrayal of queer life, despite the paranormal elements woven into the story.

I felt like this was as much a love story between Sol and his love of his career as an archivist as it was a love story between Sol and Elsie. I appreciated this as someone that is passionate about their own career path. Also, as someone studying library science, and living in the San Francisco Bay Area, there was a lot of me to identify with which may have contributed to my enjoyment of the book.

Book Design: OK, you’re not going anywhere without listening to me discuss this book design. Gasp!

Not only is the cover art fantastic but the theme of deteriorating archives is visually integrated into the text. There’s been a move in Romance covers lately to be more graphically illustrated and this cover takes the illustration and limited color palette to a new level. It could almost be its own graphic novel.

Inside the book, a distressed typeface is used for chapter titles and the start of new sections. While the story text is comprised of more traditional serifed letters, their tapering mimics the distressed font giving the feeling that maybe this book, too, is undoing itself prematurely. It was a wonderful and unexpected way to connect all the pieces of the book.

Final resting place: This is on my personal library shelves between The Book of Lost Things and Alice Isn’t Dead.

Dead Collections: Annotation

Interested in my personal thoughts about Lost in the Never Woods? Check out my review!

""You know, in another life, maybe I would've been a librarian," she said into the cup. "Do people tell you that a lot too?"
"Yes, but any reasonable person would want to be a librarian."" -Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman, p. 8

Author: Isaac Fellman

Title: Dead Collections

Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Romance

    "Subgenre": Transgender/LGBTQIAP+ Romance

Publication Date: February 22, 2022

Number of Pages: 245 pages of story text; 1 page of acknowledgements

Geographical Setting: Primarily the San Francisco Bay Area, mainly San Francisco with a few scenes in the North Bay; at the end travels along the entire West Coast of the US, including Alaska, are briefly mentioned.

Time Period: Present day

Series (if applicable): This book is not a part of a series

Plot Summary: Sol Katz is an archivist at the California Historical Society and he wasn't expecting love at first sight when he agreed to accept the papers from Elsie deceased wife who was a sci-fi TV writer. It'd be great to go out with Elsie but there are some obstacles in the way. For instance, Sol has vampirism, a condition that requires regular blood transfusions and means he can't go out in the sunlight. And to avoid the sunlight, Sol might be living in his basement office. Also, Elsie may bringing packing a few complications of her own. Then there's that weird issue with accelerated deterioration in the archives, does Sol's vampirism have anything to do with it, or is it ghosts? Together Sol and Elsie must navigate a complicated new love, their old lives in Internet fandom, and rescue archives in danger. Can they do it or will all of life's trials be too much to handle?

Content warnings: Death of a loved one, ableism, transphobia (from within the queer community), body dysmorphia, physical violence (1 scene), sex on the page, the dreaded anxiety of driving over Bay Area bridges. 

Subject Headings: Fiction, Romance Fiction, Transgender Fiction, Vampire Fiction

Appeal/Characteristics of LGBTQIAP+ Fiction (SLIGHT SPOILER IN THE SECOND BULLET POINT):

• Author identity- While not required of all queer fiction, it’s important to note that Isaac Fellman is a transmale author.

• Queer protagontists- Sol, the main character, is a transgender, pansexual man; Elsie (Else), the love interest is a lesbian at the start of the book and transitions to genderflux and pansexual as she/they/he learn more about themselves and queer vocabulary.

• Queer side characters- At least 1 well developed side character is a butch lesbian and the deceased character that initiates the story was also a butch lesbian.

• Appropriate sexual descriptions- Because this book was written by a trans person, accurate terminology, or lack of, for anatomy is used in the sex scenes.

Appeal/Characteristics of Romance

• Emotionally satisfying, happy ending- Not only does the story end alluding to the fact that the protagonists have remained together as a couple but the work and medical concerns of Sol have also been positively resolved as has the mystery that drives the plot of the book forward.

• A misunderstanding between the protagonists followed by a satisfactory resolution of the romantic relationship- there is not a major separation in this love story for Sol and Elsie but there are several challenges that must be overcome such as grief, vampirism, loss of a job, gender identity confusion and a car accident. The two continue to be drawn to each other throughout it all and end up together at the end.

• Love on all levels- While the primary side character does not initially come off as supportive, they do show up when needed. A minor character who is a nurse at a clinic shows unfailing support for Sol. There is a vampire archivists Facebook group that is supportive of Sol and one member even becomes an instant best friend and sets him on the path that ends the novel.

• Well-developed and interesting secondary characters- Sol's co-worker, Florence, is well-developed enough to be a turning point in the story. The nurse at Sol's blood transfusion clinic is also given a complete backstory despite only appearing in a couple of scenes. By way of the archive itself, Elsie's dead wife also has a complete story and even history going back several decades.

• ROMANCE GENRE NOTE: This story does challenge some common stereotypes of the Romance genre. While it has a happy ending, there is an overall sense of melancholy; the story is not upbeat, it's more matter-of-fact. The love story is also as much about Sol Katz's love for his archivist work as it is about the chemistry between the two main characters. Despite the introduction of fantasy elements it is realistic.

  NOTE: The appeal factors this is based on from The Reader's Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction by Neal Wyatt and Joyce Saricks are in need of an update. The appeal factors and characteristics are not diverse and focus on heterosexual, monogamous relationships. LGBTQIAP+ Romance has a small but established presence in this genre challenging some more traditional characteristics like the typical hero/heroine concept. I chose to focus on the appeal factors that were most easily recognizable from traditional to queer Romance stories.
  

3 terms that best describe this book:

• Lyrically melancholy

• Darkly humorous

• Awkwardly sensual

Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

• Vampires: The Truth Behind the Creepiest Bloodsuckers by Alecia Kleipis- through history, mythology, and present day pop culture representations, this book looks at the truth behind vampires and their creation. Dead Collections gives readers a new kind of vampire, one where vampirism is a medical condition, which seems much more realistic than some of the more common fictional stereotypes. Learning more about the true aspects behind vampire stories could be right up the alley of a Dead Collections fan.

• Inside the Lost Museum: Curating, Past and Present by Steven D. Lubar- For readers of Dead Collections who enjoyed the romanticized perspective of being an archivist, this book could be fascinating! The history of museums is arguably as old as libraries but much of the work and their collections, are hidden from public view. This book explores what happens, what choices are made, and what lives behind the scenes in these revered institutions.

3 Relevant* Fiction Works and Authors

*This book is quite unique and nothing found via Novelist was a particularly close match; it would appear there is not really another book like this one. The options below feature LGBTQIAP+ romance and fantasy elements. Also, Novelist categorizes Dead Collections differently from Worldcat and Bookshop.org which may be why it was challenging to find read-alikes via a simple Novelist search. I would suggest that it's important to check multiple sources when recommending for readers seeking new LGBTQIAP+ fiction as it could be pushing more traditional genre boundaries.

• The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern- A young gay college student attends an elite literary party in New York City and is swept off his feet by a mysterious stranger who tells fairy tales that transport you to another world. Little does he know that he's about to become a pawn in a battle over an underground library and the man he's in love with might literally steal his heart away. While this queer fantasy romance is more upbeat than Dead Collections, readers will likely enjoy the strange and eerie elements that connect the two stories.

• The Heartbreak Bakery (YA) by A. R. Capetta- Syd (no pronouns), a teenage baking prodigy, was just dumped. When Syd channels anger into a batch of brownies, everyone who eats them breaks up! Now Syd is on a mission to create a plethora of baked goods that can undo the harm. Harley (he or they; check the pin), the super cute bike delivery person, is the only one that believes in Syd. Together they work to undo the harm and discover there might be more than tasty treats bringing them together. This books is much more of a traditional, upbeat Romance but features an almost entire queer cast and works through some of the identity issues present in Dead Collections. Magical realism also helps move this story along.

• A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske- Set in Edwardian England, Robin Blyth takes a random government position because he needs the money only to learn that he reports about magic to the Prime Minister...wait, magic is real? Edwin has the unfortunate position of being Robin's magically talented colleague burdened by removing a curse placed on Robin after his first day at work. Bookish Edwin doesn't like anyone and jovial, athletic Robin couldn't be less like Edwin buuut maybe they have a few more things in common than their jobs. This steamy, magical, opposites attract crime story will likely draw in Dead Collections readers who enjoy dark fantasy and gay romance.

Reading the Whole Collection

• Squad (YA) by Lisa Sterle and Maggie Tokuda-Hall- In this graphic novel Becca moves to a new town and is invited to join the popular girls, and no big deal that they're werewolfs who hunt bad dudes on the full moon, right? As Becca learns more secrets she realizes the decisions the pack makes might not all be well-intentioned and she might be feeling more than friendship for one of her fellow members. Described by Booklist has Heathers-esque, this strange, dark, and paranormal lesbian love story is bound (pun intended) to charm Dead Collections readers.

*For my personal thoughts on Dead Collections, check out Le NEZ Dans un Livre.

Citations

Characteristics of Romance novels taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

Yay YA!

The post below is based on a writing prompt from an MLIS Readers’ Advisory course. The prompt was: Though this week's group of "genres" all seem very different, they all have in common the fact that many people don't feel that they are legitimate literary choices and libraries shouldn't be spending money on them or promoting them to adults. The common belief is that adults still don't or shouldn't read that stuff. How can we as librarians, work to ensure that we are able to serve adults who enjoy YA literature or graphic novels? Or should we?

Three cheers for YA & graphic novels

 "I see now that dismissing YA books because you're not  a young adult is a little bit like refusing to watch thrillers on the grounds that you're not a policeman or a dangerous criminal, and as a consequence, I've discovered a previously ignored room at the back of the bookstore that's filled with masterpieces I've never heard of..." (Hornby, 2008, p. 81).

I'm going to do my best to discuss the importance of YA and graphic novels in this post but I realize I'm worried I won't find the right words.

When I entered college, I tried to read Serious Books. I was in conceptual art school and there was this generally accepted notion that we would all make Serious Art influenced by all the Serious Things in our lives like our reading. I was maybe the only person that didn't subscribe to the New Yorker. I lived in fear of someone seeing the graphic novel in my bag or catching me on BART re-reading Harry Potter. During this attempt to jump into adult literature I didn't read much because I wasn't very engaged with what I was reading. Is there great, exciting, adult non-fiction out there? Absolutely! But I had this feeling that the fun books and the Young Adult books would not make me a Real Adult, I thought they would hold me back somehow. 

Then I stumbled across the overstock sale rack at Green Apple Books (it's like the fairy tale version of a bookstore: creaky wooden floors and shelves, books piled everywhere so it's hard to move around but that only makes it more magical...) where some books with quirky title by Nick Hornby were up for grabs. They were collections of his articles from The Believer where readers follow him on many reading adventures and possibly even more reading misadventures. Across several essays he discusses the wonders of Young Adult books and I realized after reading Hornby's writings that you can think whatever you want to about books and read whatever you want to. It became my new reading mission. Everyone reads for different reasons but there is no reason any type of book can't contain good writing, a good story, a way to relate to characters and experiences like and unlike your own. Every type of book transports you somewhere else. 

I believe some people think that Young Adult literature and graphic novels don't deal with big, important issues, that they are just fun and whimsical fluff. There's nothing wrong with fun and whimsical (or fluff, my cats are excellent examples) but many of these books use the fun and whimsy to deal with difficult topics. Lost in the Never Woods (YA) works through some of the most intense family trauma I've come across in literature and does it through a retelling of Peter Pan. The fairy tale base doesn't lighten or lessen the intensity but pads the impact for the reader making it more relatable and making the book feel like a safe space. Little Thieves (YA) has an entirely relatable and very morally grey protagonist trying to fend off a curse while also working through child neglect, child abuse, and sexual assault. Throughout everything the character is a survivor and she gets to have adventures, rescue a princess and a prefect, and choose her own fate. In Lore Olympus (graphic novel & web comic), Persephone is dealing with family secrets, an unhealthy relationship with her mother, and sexual abuse while Hades is managing depression and domestic violence. Both characters remain powerful and worthy of romance. As a survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence myself, I have never had the experience put in a more relatable way than Rachel Smythe does with her comic. I have recommended the series to adult friends who I want to know about my experience but can't find a way to articulate them myself. These varied ways to tell complicated and difficult stories provide readers with alternative and valuable ways to understand traumas and experiences and show that our damages don't have to define us. 

"And suddenly, I'm aware that there may well be scores of authors like David Almond, people producing masterpieces that I am ignorant of because I happen to be in older than the intended readership" (Hornby, 2008, p. 75).

Young Adult and graphic novels also have a habit of being more diverse earlier than adult fiction. While many queer and BIPOC characters in Adult fiction have often had tragic stories or "overcame the odds" stories or are relegated to side characters providing humor relief, YA and graphic novels make these characters heroes and protagonists worthy of remembrance and recognition. Because many YA stories deal with learning experiences and growing pains given the ages of the main characters, they provide learning moments for adults as well. I'm currently reading The Heartbreak Bakery (YA) and it was love at the first sentence. As a queer baker with a questionable gender, I am falling hard for Syd, the main character. Growing up in the 90s in suburban Connecticut I didn't have a wide a range of vocabulary to describe myself or queer role models. It took a long time for me to come out as queer because I didn't know what I was or how to talk about it. And then, in once short dialogue in The Heartbreak Bakery, Harley calls Syd an "agender cupcake" (Capetta, 2021) and I was shouting "that's it! That's me!" Reading about these youthful experiences helps me put my own past into context and better understand my own story. 

How can we as librarians or, I'm going to add book recommenders here because I can't claim librarian, encourage these books to be in our spaces? Well, with ever decreasing budgets I think getting any material in a community space will be a challenge but representation matters. We all, no matter our age, need to see ourselves and our experiences reflected on the page or screen or sound recording. It makes us feel like we fit into the world. Young adults are part of the community as much as adults and also deserve to have literature created for them. To promote cross-pollination, displays and online reading lists could be handy. A display that mixes Young Adult, graphic novels, and Adult fiction with common threads would be a great way for everyone to see how these different modes of storytelling go together. Reading lists can similarly mix content and book annotations can offer read-alikes across age ranges. I've found that suggesting read-alikes with a sentence or two about how they connect to the original title summarized is a great way to get people to cross the reading age border. Organizations can also create displays and highlight books that are considered for ALA's Alex Awards. These awards feature Adult fiction that appeals to readers ages 12-18. Highlighting awards and professional organizations that recognize the crossover is a great way to legitimize titles for skeptical adults and adding YA titles to a display to expand on the connections is bound to get a few adults to pick up a title outside their normal reading zone. Ultimately, I feel like the major goal is to get books readers will enjoy into their hands and the more we recommend titles that cross divides with sound reasoning, the more that readers will be likely to branch out. 

Citations

Capetta, A.R. (2021). The heartbreak bakery. Candlewick Press.

Hornby, N. (2008). Shakespeare wrote for money: Two years of reading begat by more reading, presented in easily digestible, utterly hysterical monthly installments. Believer Books.

A picture of Young Adult titles on the author’s personal library shelves.