#In short: Cindy has the power to back up her arrogance

[spirit-of-vengeance]

1 year anniversary explaination

I can't believe it's already been one year since I made this Tumblr. Like where tf did the time go?? I was so reluctant about making this blog; would my muse interest anyone? I have no computer/coding talent for the aesthetic and themes, will that steer away people because they think I'm lazy to do it? This thread stuff is truly a chaos, would I be able to do it?

But I'm glad I made this step. I've made tons of new friends, the fandom was incredibly welcoming, helpful 💖 During this year, Cindy's final design, purpose, history and powers finally formed fully; I've been creating her for more than four years and I feel she reached the point where I can't evolve her more but I can make more AUs and alternative endings. This made me to write the full story of how she got her powers, why and what is it exactly and what it does. So without further AN, here's the story of the Fire:

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕻𝖍𝖔𝖊𝖓𝖎𝖝

The Phoenix is the Force, the eternal fire, the purest form of energy bursting free when the Universe was created. For billions of years It roamed free, creating, destroying, reshaping; every heat, fire, energy came from and tied to the Phoenix. Since It brought both death and life, It broke into two sides, Light and Dark, both Angel and Devil; the polar opposites coexisted in a fusion, they couldn't be separated or dominated by the other.

Ĺ̵��̥a̷̳͕̗͈̣̤̼̦͓͎̾̄̐̅̓v̴̦͇̮̗͓̮̘̲̞̩͌̐͐̽̈́̕͝ȃ̷̻͉͍̝͛̔̈͌̇͛͜͝r̵̻͙̹̬͇̼̺͕͛͐͒̓̄͂͋̀̀͝ͅ

An infant with red eyes was born when the first black hole swallowed a supergiant star. He was found and looked after by powerful mages of advanced civilizations but no matter how they tried to influence him, his powers, his aura darkened each day, pure evil seemed to radiate out of his core. In his teen years he experimented with the primal emotion: fear; creating the inky, soulless monsters, the fearlings. Lavar was banished from that galaxy when he brutally slaughtered seven people to test the potential of his creations. Not long after, he returned, letting the fearlings loose, devouring the planets, consuming every living being. The thirst was awakened and since then, he's roaming the Universe in search of prey. He has a sort of humanlike appearance, though he can change any part of his, expect his red eyes. When he's fully ready to shred a planet, he morphs into his true form:

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕱𝖎𝖗𝖊'𝖘 𝖗𝖊𝖘𝖕𝖔𝖓𝖘𝖊

Lavar was the embodiment of evil, all of that intense power was contained in himself, part of it in his creations. The Fire had been battling with Lavar and his slaughter for millennias and searching for hosts able to wield it's insane power. The ones before Cindy all succumbed to it, no one was able to handle the extreme duality of it. If someone was sinister enough to unleash Destruction, the Creation didn't approve the chosen one. If they were a pure guardian angel controlling Creation, Destruction tore them apart. After all, the two extremes couldn't be separated or shut off completely. Like the Fire, Lavar has been trying to find hosts for the fearlings as 'allies' and some sort of sick defense: tying himself to them by corruption, therefore if he dies, so do the possessed ones.

𝕳𝖔𝖜 𝕮𝖎𝖓𝖉𝖞 𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖊𝖘 𝖙𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖕𝖎𝖈𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖊

Cindy was created by the Moon in 1987 as the Spirit of Vengeance and Artistic Freedom, as part of the last line of defense if Lavar attacks. She had fought with him once, she could make him halt, but she would've died if she didn't accept Fire's offer to merge together with her to save her life. Due to her death but most importantly her mother's death, Cindy's psyche split into two extrmes, she's both capable of gentle nuturing, pure love and gruesome murder without regret. She can hold together the two wildly different sides of hers without much difficulty, therefore a perfect host for the Force's duality. For a few years, she had felt its presence coursing through her veins but then, it was impossible to tell apart; Cindy had became the Force itself, mostly because her will is almost never differs from the Phoenix's. She is Creation and Destruction, Life and Death, Light and Dark, Peace and War, a sacred being yet eternal damnation, one of the youngest yet oldest forces; Cindy is the Fire.

𝕻𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖗𝖘, 𝖆𝖇𝖎𝖑𝖎𝖙𝖎𝖊𝖘

🔥 Draw power, control Earth's lava and the Sun without much difficulty

🔥 Her fire is cosmic, meaning she can burn underwater and in the space.

🔥 Her existence is not tied to the Moon anymore, Cindy will live as long as one star is burning in the Universe

🔥 Feel and control every existing heat, explosion, fire, magma, whenever it's a candle of a giant star. So far, she hasn't let her mind stretch too far to feel everything, she fears she would be unable to return into her human form.

🔥 She cannot be possessed by fearlings thanks to her pure light, either she destroys them if they get inside her or they tear her apart

🔥 Creating stars, even galaxies

2 𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖋𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖓𝖙 𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖒𝖘

The two forms stand for the Fire's Dark and Light side, Cindy tends to use the Demon side more, when doing her job or when she's in physical or emotional pain she morphs into Destruction to prevent even more serious injuries. In this state she's like a cruel, intelligent predator only caring for survival and causing pain, violence. Her appearance changes: sharp black claws, fangs hanging from her lips, blood red slit pupils. Sometimes, she also chooses to speak in the language of the ancient demons of darkness.

The changes of her Light side are quite angelic: glowing golden skin, phoenix wings stretching wide, orange/white fire hair and eyes. In this form Cindy heals, creates and relax by letting herself burn.

𝕬𝖋𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖙𝖍

Lavar still has to be killed and now Cindy is ready to face him, she will protect Earth and any other planet from him. If she succeeds, she's most likely to give in the stars' calling to return among them. She wants to test, to feel her limits what she can't do here, the planet is too fragile for her to experiment with this amount of power. Cindy almost died protecting it, she's doesn't want to accidentally cause harm to it. She will follow the whispers of the stars and find her true home.

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

Running Out of Time by Cindi Myers

Tactical Crime Division #4

 FBI Agents Laura Smith “Smitty” and Jace Cantrell are sent with a few other team members to Mayville to find a killer using poison to murder with. Working undercover as husband and wife is not comfortable at first but becomes much easier as the two cohabit and spend time together. The poison is bad but then bombs start going off with more loss of life. Is there more than one person doing the killing? Who is doing the killing and why? That is the question Jace and Smitty need to figure out with their colleagues.

 What I liked:

* Laura: smart, dedicated, good at her job though some think she is cold. I liked her and enjoyed watching her work to solve the case and fall in love

* Jace: a man who knew what he wanted, did his job well, and fell for his partner while working to solve the case

* The rest of the team

* The plotting, pace and writing of the story

* The romance

* That the bad guys were caught

* That justice was served…eventually

 What I did not like:

* The people that I was meant not to like

* Wondering if there will be more books in the series or if this was the end

 Did I enjoy this book? Yes

Would I read more books by this author? Yes

Would I read more in this series? Yes

 Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC – This is my honest review.

 4-5 Stars

BLURB

When a terrorist is on the loose, the Tactical Crime Division is on the case. To find out who poisoned medications, two of TCD’s agents are tapped to go undercover posing as a married couple and infiltrate the company. But as soon as Jace Cantrell and Laura Smith arrive at Stroud Pharmaceuticals, someone ups the ante by planting explosives in their midst. Turns out that the small-town family business is hiding a million secrets. Could they unknowingly be protecting a vengeful killer?

EXCERPT

Love CSI and Criminal Minds? Meet the Tactical Crime Division. Get to know a team of dedicated crime solving experts as they fight for justice, safety, and one by one are rewarded by finding love.

CAST OF CHARACTERS:

Special Agent Laura “Smitty” Smith—A disciplined agent who never breaks the rules, Laura must go undercover as a newlywed to find the person responsible for a rash of poisonings and bombings in a small West Virginia town.

Special Agent Jace Cantrell—The military veteran and special ops expert has a reputation as a rebel and a rule breaker—exactly the kind of man to clash with Laura, yet the two must pose as husband and wife to solve a case that brings death to their very doorstep.

Donna Stroud—The head of Stroud Pharmaceuticals intends to keep her company going and her family together in the face of tragedy, but how far will she go to do so?

Parker Stroud—Donna’s son chafes at his parents’ unwillingness to put him in charge of the family business.

Merry Winger—Parker’s girlfriend has big plans to marry Parker, despite his parents’ disapproval of their relationship and Parker’s own reluctance to make their relationship public.

Leo Elgin—His mother was poisoned by tainted medication manufactured by Stroud. He holds a grudge against the Stroud family.

***

“We’ve got another tough case on our hands.” Jill Pembroke, director of the FBI’s tactical crime division, surveyed her team from the head of the conference table in the Bureau’s Knoxville headquarters. “One that re-quires a great deal of discretion.”

Something in the director’s tone made Agent Laura Smith sharpen her focus. Pembroke, with her well-cut silver hair and feminine suit, might be mistaken for a high society grandmother, but she was as hard-nosed as they came, and not prone to exaggeration. That she reminded her team of the need for discretion pointed to something out of the ordinary.

The door to the conference room opened and a man slipped in. Tall and rangy, Agent Jace Cantrell moved with the grace of an athlete. He nodded to the director and eased into the empty seat next to Laura. No apology for being late. Typical. Laura slid her chair over a couple of inches. Cantrell was one of those men who always seemed to take up more than his share of the available space.

“We’re going to be investigating product tampering at Stroud Pharmaceuticals in Mayville, West Virginia.”

Director Pembroke stepped aside to reveal a slide showing a squat factory building set well back on landscaped grounds.

“The antacid poisonings.” Agent Ana Ramirez spoke from her seat directly across from Laura. She tucked a strand of dark hair into the twist at the nape of her neck, polished nails glinting in the overhead light. “That story has been all over the news.”

“Do the locals not want the FBI horning in?” Agent Davis Rogers—the only member of the team not wearing the regulation suit—sat back in his chair beside Ramirez, looking every bit the army ranger he had once been. “Is that why the extra discretion?”

“No, the local police are happy to turn this over to us,” Pembroke said. She advanced to the next slide, a listing of the deaths—six so far, with two additional people hospitalized—attributed to Stroud’s Stomach Soothers, a natural, organic remedy that claimed a significant share of the market as an alternative to traditional antacids. “This hasn’t been released to the public, but the poison in the contaminated tablets was ricin.”

Laura would have sworn the temperature in the air-conditioned room dropped five degrees. “Any suggestion of a link to terrorism?” Hostage negotiator Evan Duran, bearded and brooding, spoke from the end of the table. “Anybody claiming credit for the deaths?”

Pembroke shook her head. “At this point, we aren’t assuming anything. Obviously, we want to avoid panicking the public.”

“The public is already panicked,” Rowan Cooper, the team’s local liaison, said. “People have been organizing boycotts of all Stroud products.” She absently twisted a lock of her jet-black hair, brow furrowed. “We’ll need a strategy for managing the public’s response.”

“The facility where the Stomach Soothers were manufactured has been closed for the time being and the product is being pulled from store shelves,” Pembroke said. “But another facility in town, which manufactures other items, remains open, and the company has reduced hours and reassigned as many employees as possible to the single plant. The company, the town, even the state officials, are very anxious to downplay this tragedy and get Stroud up and running full-speed as soon as possible.”

“Why do that?” Kane Bradshaw, Agent-at-Large, said. Laura hadn’t noticed him until now, seated as he was behind her and apart from the rest, almost in the shadows. Kane always looked as if he’d just rushed in from an overnight surveillance, all wind-blown hair and shadowed eyes. The fact that he was here spoke to the gravity of this case. While always on hand when the team needed him, he wasn’t much on office decorum.

“Jobs.” Cantrell’s voice, deep and a little rough, like a man who smoked two packs a day, sent a shiver through Laura. He didn’t smoke, but maybe he once had. “Stroud Pharmaceuticals is one of the biggest employers in Boone County,” he continued. “The coal mines are shutting down, and there isn’t a lot of other industry. Stroud has been a savior to the community. They—and the officials they elected—are going to do everything in their power to keep the company running and redeem its reputation.”

“Even covering up murder?” Laura asked.

Cantrell turned to her, his gaze cool. “I doubt they want to cover it up, but they’ll definitely downplay it and keep it quiet.”

“They want us to help, but they don’t want us to be obvious.” The youngest member of the team, computer specialist Hendrick Maynard, jiggled his knee as he spoke. A genius who looked younger than his twenty-six years, Maynard never sat still.

“Precisely.” Director Pembroke advanced to another slide of a small town—tree-shaded streets lined with modest homes, some worse for wear. A water tower in the distance displayed the word Mayville in faded green paint. “Agents Smith and Cantrell, you are to pose as a married couple and take jobs at the Stroud factory. Investigations so far point to the poisonings having originated from within the plant itself, so your job is to identify possible suspects and investigate. Agent Rogers, you’ll be in town as well…”

Laura didn’t hear the rest of the director’s assignments. She was focused on trying to breathe and holding back her cry of protest. She and Cantrell? As a couple? The idea was ridiculous. He was rough, undisciplined, arrogant, scornful…

“You look like you just ate a bug.” Cantrell leaned to-ward her, bringing with him the disconcerting aroma of cinnamon. His gravelly voice abraded her nerves. “Don’t think I’m any more excited about this than you are.”

***

Purchase links:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48920861-running-out-of-time?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=x26Tj13kEC&rank=1 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Running-Time-Tactical-Crime-Division/dp/1335136584 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/running-out-of-time-cindi-myers/1135079353?ean=9781335136589 

Google: https://books.google.ca/books/about/Running_Out_of_Time.html?id=3PXrywEACAAJ&redir_esc=y 

IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781335136589 

Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335136589_running-out-of-time.html

AUTHOR BIO

About Cindi Myers: Cindy Myers became one of the most popular people in eighth grade when she and her best friend wrote a torrid historical romance and passed the manuscript around among friends. Fame was short-lived, alas; the English teacher confiscated the manuscript. Since then, Cindy has written more than 50 published novels. Her historical and contemporary romances and women’s fiction have garnered praise from reviewers and readers alike.

From Harlequin Intrigue: Seek Thrills. Solve Crimes. Justice Served.

Discover the lives and loves of the remaining team members in the Tactical Crime Division series: Book 1: 48 Hour Lockdown by Carla Cassidy Book 2: Secret Investigation by Elizabeth Heiter Book 3: Midnight Abduction by Nichole Severn Book 4: Running out of Time by Cindi Myers    

[arplis]

Arplis - News: 30 Best Kindle Unlimited Romance Books Available Right Now

If you’re new to Kindle Unlimited, here’s your chance! Amazon is offering a free 2-month subscription to new customers, giving you access to thousands of ebook and audiobooks. Below is a 30-strong list of some of the best Kindle Unlimited romance books I’ve read. I’ve divided them up by subcategory of romance, and tried to spotlight many brilliantly-written, lesser-known books which deserve your attention. As of writing, they’re all available on KU.

Book descriptions are taken from Amazon, but for some books I particularly enjoyed I’ve added extra notes. It’s worth saying here that Amazon are very generous with their free KU subscriptions. I got a whopping six-month one back in 2018, three months in 2019, and I’ve just taken them up on another one-month trial they (inexplicably) offered me. Worth it!

Best Kindle Unlimited Romance Books: Fantasy Romance

#1. Red Winter (Red Winter #1) by Annette Marie

Emi is the kamigakari. In a few short months, her life as a mortal will end, and her new existence as the human host of a goddess will begin. Carefully hidden from those who would destroy her, she has prepared her mind, body, and soul to unite with the goddess – and not once has she doubted her chosen fate.

Shiro is a yokai, a spirit of the earth, an enemy of the goddess Emi will soon host. Mystery shrouds his every move, and his ruby eyes shine with cunning she can’t match and dares not trust. But she saved his life, and until his debt is paid, he is hers to command – whether she wants him or not. On the day they meet, everything Emi believes comes undone, swept away like snow upon the winter wind. For the first time, she wants to change her fate – but how can she erase a destiny already wrought in stone? Against the power of the gods, Shiro is her only hope…and hope is all she has left.

[I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS SERIES ENOUGH. It’s a beautifully rendered fantasy world grounded in Japanese mythology, with a breathtaking romance and incredible plot. Technically YA but absolutely don’t let that put you off. I’d also recommend Marie’s Guild Codex: Demonized series, a new adult paranormal series available on KU.]

Kissing Books Newsletter

Sign up for Kissing Books to receive news, book recommendations, and more for residents of Romancelandia.

Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox.

By signing up you agree to our terms of use

#2. Zodiac Academy: The Awakening (Supernatural Bullies and Beasts #1) by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

What happens to the students who anger the cold-blooded Dragon Shifter, vicious Vampire, black-hearted Werewolf and cruel Siren who run this school?

They pay in blood. But what’s that got to do with me? A helluva a lot more than I’d like…

I just discovered I’m a Fae with unspeakable power, an heir to an entire kingdom, and a threat to those four ruthless supernaturals who are also in line to rule this world.  And I’m a twin. So she’s damned to the same fate too.

They want to hurt us. They want to break us. And they’ll stop at nothing to make us bow at their feet.

My Gemini sign meant little to me until now, but the stars rule this world. They define my Elemental magic, determine my nature and twist my will. But I’ve never bought into daily horoscopes, so I’m not gonna start now. I’ll determine my own fate. And I’m here for one thing and one thing alone: the inheritance my royal parents left in their wake.

There’s just one catch…

We have to graduate before it’s given to us. So until then, the heirs won’t stop fighting to get rid of us. And I have the awful feeling they don’t just want us gone, they want us dead.

[While it’s not quite Harry Potter, this is an insanely fun New Adult enemies-to-lovers romance which has wonderfully assertive heroines and great world-building. Another trope it features is teacher-student romance – the student is 18 – if you’re into that!]

#3. Stolen (Alpha’s Control #1) by Addison Cain

No one will take what’s his…

The Commodore stole her off the streets in broad daylight—the first Omega female discovered in Bernard Dome in generations. He took her with violence while none intervened. He broke her, swearing he’d put her back together.

Brenya Perin was ordered to submit.

Bernard Dome is the jewel of Europe, a bastion of art and culture, pleasure and decadence. But life in the city depends on the occupation chosen for you at birth. There is no subversion, no question of who rules. There is no freedom. And there is no interference from foreign Domes… until a new threat arrives from a distant continent. Shepherd’s right hand man, Jules.

Peace has a price, a price the Commodore of Bernard Dome is willing to pay… so long as the rare Omega remains his.

[This is technically a sequel series to Cain’s bestselling Born to Be Bound books, but I prefer it to that series and it can be read as a standalone. It’s a dark, scorching Omegaverse romance featuring total power exchange, disturbing but incredibly memorable. For a few more details on Cain’s background and Omegaverse in general, click here.]

#4. Trickery (Curse of the Gods #1) by Jaymin Eve & Jane Washington

Willa Knight: Dweller. Slave. Non-magical being.

In Minatsol, being a dweller means that you are literally no better than dirt. In fact, dirt might actually be more useful than Willa. Her life will be one of servitude to the sols, the magic-blessed beings who could one day be chosen to become gods.

At least her outer village is far removed from the cities of the sols, and she won’t ever be forced to present herself to them… Until one small mistake changes everything, and Willa is awarded a position to serve at Blesswood, the top sol academy in the world—a position that she definitely did not earn.

Under the sudden, watchful eye of the gods, she will be tasked to serve the Abcurse brothers, five sols built of arrogance, perfection and power. They are almost gods themselves, and under their service she is either going to end up sentenced to death, or else they are going to ruin her so badly that she will wish for it.

Either way, she is in trouble.

[An absolutely hilarious series; I love how it actively undermines a lot of romance cliches. Note: the heroine ends up with more than one hero. See here for a fuller explanation. The series straddles the line between YA and NA, becoming more explicit in later books.]

#5. Air and Ash (Tides #1) by Alex Lidell

After a lifetime of training, seventeen-year-old Princess Nile Greysik, a lieutenant on the prestigious Ashing navy flagship, sails into battle with one vital mission—and fails.

Barred from the sea and facing a political marriage, Nile masquerades as a common sailor on the first ship she can find. With a cowardly captain, incompetent crew, and a cruel, too-handsome first officer intent on making her life a living hell, Nile must hide her identity while trying to turn the sorry frigate battleworthy. Worse, a terrifying and forbidden magic now tingles in Nile’s blood. If anyone catches wind of who Nile is or what she can do, her life is over.

But when disaster threatens the ship, Nile may have no choice but to unleash the truth that will curse her future.

[Astonishingly good world-building and a deeply satisfying romance. Reminscient of Tamora Pierce. This one is YA.]

#6. Wicked Ugly Bad (A Kinda Fairytale #1) by Cassandra Gannon

Scarlett Riding is NOT an ugly stepsister. Cinderella is the evil one in the family and Letty is determined to prove it. Unfortunately, that’s kinda hard to do from behind bars. After the debacle at the ball, Letty and her sister Dru were dragged off to the Wicked, Ugly and Bad Mental Health Treatment Center and Maximum Security Prison. While Cindy’s planning her dream wedding, her two stepsisters are being forced to endure life in the dreariest dungeon in the land.

Luckily, Letty has a plan to change that unhappy ending. If she can just get to Prince Charming and prove the glass slipper doesn’t fit Cinderella’s foot, she can reclaim her life. In order to do that, though, she needs to convince The Big Bad Wolf to lend a hand in organizing a jailbreak.

Marrok Wolf isn’t sure what to make of the idealistic redhead in his group therapy sessions. With fifty counts of Badness on his criminal record, Marrok’s used to being surrounded by crooks and scumbags. Scarlett wants to lecture him about equal rights for trolls! When the little do-gooder comes up with an elaborate plan to break their entire “share circle” out of prison, though, Marrok is certainly willing to go along with the plot. And not just because he wants to see her naked. The woman may not be wicked, ugly, or Bad, but she’s definitely the only one who can save him.

Together with a wicked witch, a timid bridge ogre, an evil prince, and other villains straight out of a storybook, Scarlett and Marrok are about to make sure that Baddies finally have a happily ever after.

[A wonderfully funny adult spin on Little Red Riding Hood, and one of the best romances anywhere – let alone KU. Gannon deserves a lot more attention than she gets.]

#7. Land of the Beautiful Dead by R. Lee Smith

He ascended from the darkness years ago—Azrael the Eternal, Azrael the Undying, Azrael Who Is Death—bringing with him the black rains, the fires, the souring of the sky, and the Eaters. Now he rules in the walled city of Haven with his favored Children and his dead court, while all that is left of the living struggles to survive in the ruins of a world that used to be their own. But even as extinction looms, humanity will never surrender to their monstrous conqueror.

For Lan, this brutal life has been the only one she’s ever known, but she still believes it can change. If the war can never truly end until the Eaters are ended, she will go to Haven, to Azrael himself, and demand he end them. To her surprise, she does not immediately die the hero’s death she expected. Instead, Azrael offers her a chance to convince him, and all she has to do is submit herself to the chill embrace of the lord of the Land of the Beautiful Dead.

[This book is very hard to describe. It’s part psychological horror, part dystopian romance, part fantasy. I have never read a hero like this one. It’s very long, and not a feel-good book, but so unforgettable that I return compulsively. Hands-down one of the best Kindle Unlimited romance books out there.]

Best Kindle Unlimited Romance Books: Paranormal Romance

#8. The Baker’s Guide to Risky Rituals (Sweet Pea Mysteries #1) by Kathryn Moon

Josie Benoit, gourmet patissier and kitchen witch, may not be a Sweet Pea native but she’s made the small town her home and she intends on keeping it that way. When trouble rolls into town on the seats of shining motorcycles, and the safety of her home and her own reputation are put at risk, Josie bands together with her coven to protect her world from a dark influence.

If only that dark influence wasn’t so deliciously handsome.

King Beleth is not a demon to be trifled with. Leader of the Hell’s Bells MC and one of the great warlords of the Bowels, Beleth takes pride in his work and has the patience of a… man who knows what is best is worth waiting for. Known as Bell—to his friends, which you are not—he’s come to Sweet Pea to dismantle the core of good at the heart of the little town. But upon arrival he discovers three things that might just get in the way of his work:

Sweet Pea is more disgustingly adorable than they were warned. The town has a coven of witches protecting it. He’s developing a sweet tooth.

[A funny, not-totally-cosy paranormal romance mystery. Features a heroine with Haitian roots who practises voodoo; great insight into non-European cultural systems!]

#9. The Unlikeable Demon Hunter (Nava Katz #1) by Deborah Wilde

Nava Katz cares about two things: perfecting the art of being a hot mess and her hard-working twin brother. But she accidentally torches his life-long dream when she disrupts his induction into a secret demon-hunting fraternity and steals his destiny.

Horrified she’s now expected to take his place, Nava is faced with something she never wanted: a purpose.

The society isn’t cool with a woman in their ranks and teams her with a surly but smoking-hot ex-rock star to keep her in line. Too bad he’s exactly what Nava’s always wanted: the perfect bad boy fling with no strings attached, because a hook-up with him is as dangerous as the vengeful demon out for blood–her brother’s.

And Nava’s the only one who can save him.

Odds of survival: meh.

Odds of a good time before she bites it: much better.

[A snarky, kickass heroine paired with an Indian hero, enmeshed in Jewish mythology. What more could you want? Admittedly I have some issues with the way the romance develops in later books, but this first installment is gold.]

#10. A Dead and Stormy Night (Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries #1) by Steffanie Holmes

After being fired from her fashion internship in New York City, Mina Wilde decides it’s time to reevaluate her life. She returns to the quaint English village where she grew up to take a job at the local bookshop, hoping that being surrounded by great literature will help her heal from a devastating blow.

But Mina soon discovers her life is stranger than fiction – a mysterious curse on the bookshop brings fictional characters to life in lust-worthy bodies. Mina finds herself babysitting Poe’s raven, making hot dogs for Heathcliff, and getting IT help from James Moriarty, all while trying not to fall for the three broken men who should only exist within her imagination.

When Mina’s ex-best friend shows up dead with a knife in her back, she’s the chief suspect. She’ll have to solve the murder if she wants to clear her name. Will her fictional boyfriends be able to keep her out of prison?

[Another reverse harem romance, this time where the heroes are characters from English literature. Holmes pulls it off impressively well – much better than I expected; it’s funny, sexy, and sweet. There is also a disabled heroine (she’s going blind).]

#11. Rhapsodic (The Bargainer #1) by Laura Thalassa

Callypso Lillis is a siren with a very big problem, one that stretches up her arm and far into her past. For the last seven years she’s been collecting a bracelet of black beads up her wrist, magical IOUs for favors she’s received. Only death or repayment will fulfill the obligations. Only then will the beads disappear.

Everyone knows that if you need a favor, you go to the Bargainer to make it happen. He’s a man who can get you anything you want … at a price. And everyone knows that sooner or later he always collects.

But for one of his clients, he’s never asked for repayment. Not until now. When Callie finds the fae king of the night in her room, a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, she knows things are about to change. At first it’s just a chaste kiss—a single bead’s worth—and a promise for more.

For the Bargainer, it’s more than just a matter of rekindling an old romance. Something is happening in the Otherworld. Fae warriors are going missing one by one. Only the women are returned, each in a glass casket, a child clutched to their breast. And then there are the whispers among the slaves, whispers of an evil that’s been awoken.

If the Bargainer has any hope to save his people, he’ll need the help of the siren he spurned long ago. Only, his foe has a taste for exotic creatures, and Callie just happens to be one.

[While I didn’t find this NA paranormal romance to quite live up to my expectations, it’s still well-written with an intriguing premise.]

Best Kindle Unlimited Romance Books: Contemporary Romance

#12. Fear Me (Broken Love #1) by B.B. Reid

I don’t believe in fairy tales and Prince Charming.

I believe in fear.

He taught me how to be afraid.

We first met on a playground on a wonderful summer day. It was the first time he hurt me and it wouldn’t be the last. For ten years, he’s been my tormentor and I’ve been his forbidden. But then he went away, and yet I was still afraid.

Now he’s back and wants more than just my tears. You see…he thinks I sent him away so now he wants revenge…and he knows just how to get it.

[Warning: a dark enemies-to-lovers romance. While the writing is a little stilted at times, and there are plenty of grammatical errors, I found myself unwittingly sucked into the engrossing plot.] 

#13. Ruthless Knight (Royal Hearts Academy #2) by Ashley Jade

Cole Covington is the most popular heartbreaker at school. Every guy wants to be him and every girl wants to screw him. Except me. His devastatingly good looks, golden arm, and flirty smiles don’t do it for me anymore…because I know what’s lurking underneath the star quarterback’s gorgeous armor.

At least I thought I did.

Sometimes the most beautiful people…hide the ugliest truths. And sometimes the only way to save someone… is to walk beside them through hell. _ Sawyer Church is the bible-thumping nerd of Royal Hearts Academy. Girls pick on her and guys don’t notice her. Except me. Sweet, curvy, and sarcastic, she’s impossible to ignore. No matter how much I try. Everyone at school has her pegged as the chubby, Jesus loving geek, but unlike them—Sawyer’s real and never pretends to be someone she’s not.

Until I ask her to be my fake girlfriend.

Sometimes the most beautiful souls…hide the greatest pain. And sometimes the only way to save someone… is to fight for them.

[I promise this is much, much better than the blurb might suggest. It features a plus-sized heroine who’s confident in her beliefs and doesn’t let the hero (who’s incidentally half-Indian) walk all over her. I was really impressed with the way the author tackled some of the heavy issues in this book, namely drug abuse and body-image issues. The prose is a little overwrought at times and I loathed the first installment in the series, but this book is awesome.]

#14. Untouchable by Sam Mariano

Senior year was off to a rough start: lube in my locker, panties on my front porch, unimaginative name-calling. See, I got a player suspended from the football team for harassing me, and in my small Texas town, you don’t mess with the football players—even if they mess with you first.

I didn’t care if it was an unpopular thing to do; I stood up for myself… and in doing so, opened Pandora’s Box.

I never dreamed I would attract the attention of locally worshipped star quarterback, Carter Mahoney. Never imagined his coveted attention would turn out to be such a nightmare. Beneath his carefully constructed façade lurks a monster, a predator looking for the perfect prey to play with. Now, since I’m the girl no one likes or believes, I guess I’m the perfect target for his dark games and twisted desires.

After surviving my first encounter with his casual depravity, all I really want is for Carter to leave me alone.

But all he seems to want is me.

[Warning: this is a very dark, though very emotional and well-written, ‘bully romance.’]

#15. Heart Thief (Black Market Billionaire #1) by Skylar Sweeney

Billionaire Rex Bennett broke my heart, and now I’m coming for his—for real this time. My greatest enemy stole a miracle heart from its maker, and I’m going undercover as his Sexy Secretary to take it back, at least if his offers to fondle his gun and spice up his coffee don’t drive me to the wild side first.

Rex shattered my heart years ago, and I was sure it would never beat the same… until a single kiss from the man I despise pieced it back together. Do I stay true to my vengeance and steal the heart he needs to survive or do I succumb to passion and allow the maker of the heart to die?

[This debut novel is a little rough around the edges, but there’s an original premise + hilarious banter between the protagonists!]

#16. More than Enough (Postgrad #1) by Bria Felicien

All Jamila wants to do is figure out this “adulthood” thing. Step 1: Find a new job.

With his second career about to begin, TJ is ready to settle down. Step 1: Start dating again.

When TJ and Jamila meet, they don’t know what to do with each other. Other than complicate everything.

#17. The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata

Vanessa Mazur knows she’s doing the right thing. She shouldn’t feel bad for quitting. Being an assistant/housekeeper/fairy godmother to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans and none of them include washing extra-large underwear longer than necessary.

But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door wanting her to come back, she’s beyond shocked.

For two years, the man known as The Wall of Winnipeg couldn’t find it in him to tell her good morning or congratulate her on her birthday. Now? He’s asking for the unthinkable.

What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?

[Zapata’s books are famed for being emotionally-intense, slow-burn romances. While my personal favourite is Under Locke, this is worth a read too.]

#18. The Kingmaker (All the King’s Men #1) by Kennedy Ryan

Power. Passion. Betrayal.

Raised to rule, bred to lead and weaned on a diet of ruthless ambition. In a world of haves and have nots, my family has it all, and I want nothing to do with it.

My path takes me far from home and paints me as the black sheep. At odds with my father, I’m determined to build my own empire. I have rules, but Lennix Hunter is the exception to every one of them. From the moment we meet, something sparks between us. But my family stole from hers and my father is the man she hates most. I lied to have her, and will do anything to keep her. Though she tries to hate me, too, the inexorable pull between us will not be denied.

And neither will I.

[Some great diversity here – the heroine is a member of Yavapai-Apache Nation, and the culture constitutes a large element of the book.]

#19. Giving Chase (Havenwood #1) by Riley Hart

KELLAN I wasn’t supposed to fall for my older brother’s best friend. Unfortunately, that ship sailed when I was a teenager, even though Chase Hawthorne always treated me like nothing more than a younger sibling. Things were worse after my parents died. Chase was sweet and supportive, which only strengthened my feelings for him. But then he’d act like I couldn’t take care of myself, and that part didn’t go over well with me. Yeah, I had a habit of screwing up. I’d always been the weird boy in our small town, but just like my big brother, he took overprotective to a new level. Until one night when I was eighteen and Chase and I hooked up. It was a ding to the ego that he left town right afterward. Ridiculously, I’m still not over him.

CHASE I betrayed my best friend, Griffin, the night I messed around with Kellan. So I ran–first to the Marines, then into law enforcement. Ten years later, I’m back home, this time as a patrol officer rather than a troublemaker’s son. Oh, and unable to keep my hands off Kellan Caine. There’s always been something about him…the way he stands strong in who he is, even when he’s standing alone. I’m trapped between someone I want more than anything and Griff, the guy who’s like family to me. Yet the more time I spend with Kellan, the harder it becomes to deny there’s something real between us.

With my dad stirring up trouble, and me going behind my best friend’s back, everything’s a mess. The more tangled the web gets, the more I realize I need Kellan. And that there might be something in the Hawthorne family history that’ll make me lose both Kellan and Griffin for good.

#20. Permanent Ink (Art & Soul #1) by Piper Vaughn & Avon Gale

At twenty-three, graffiti artist Poe Montgomery is going nowhere fast. His second chance comes in the form of a job offer from his father’s best friend, Jericho McAslan, owner of a popular tattoo shop, Permanent Ink.

Between their age gap, tension with Poe’s father, Poe’s struggles to focus, and Jericho’s determination to keep their relationship strictly professional, their chance at love seems as fleeting as a tattoo stencil.

But when Poe makes his deepest desires abundantly clear, Jericho can no longer resist their burning attraction or the idea of his own fantasies becoming reality. If they can find a way to rewrite their rocky start, they might have a chance at transforming their temporary arrangement into something that lasts forever.

[A cute May-December romance featuring a bisexual hero and some daddy kink.]

#21. The Sergeant (Cuffs, Collars, and Love #1) by Christa Tomlinson

Sergeant Logan Pierce: He leads his squad with cool efficiency, taking down rough criminals while keeping his team safe. But behind closed doors he sets a darker part of himself free. As a Dom, he’s controlled many submissives, but never had one for his own. That’s because there’s only one man he wants: Officer Clay Foster.

Officer Clay Foster: Over the years he’s noticed his Sergeant’s secretly admiring glances and suspected his attraction. One night, with one kiss, he’s proven correct. Clay dives headlong into the rough passion of BDSM that Logan introduces him to. He submits to Logan’s control, accepting the sweet shackles that bind him to his Sergeant. But secrets, both his and Logan’s, force him to leave the newfound safety of his Dom’s arms.

Logan refuses to let go of what he’s wanted for so long, Clay as his own, proudly wearing his collar. Can he safely guide Clay through the obstacles that separate them until he can claim his submissive once more?

#22. Call the Coroner (Staniel #1) by Avril Ashton

A clash of wills between predators…

He’s been living underground for a long time, but the only thing guaranteed to bring Daniel Nieto back to the surface is the identity of his wife’s killer. With the whisper of one name, he puts it all on the line for vengeance. He’s got plans for Stavros Konstantinou.

The title of monster fits too well for Stavros to want to be anything other than what he is. Time spent in Daniel Nieto’s dungeon, chained and tortured, will never change that. Starved of food, sunlight, and freedom, he waits for an opening to turn the tables on the only man who’s ever come close enough to scare him.

Somewhere between the slide of knife against skin, and the drip of blood on cold concrete, things change. Grief and hatred collide with lust and obsession, and this time Daniel and Stavros are on the same side. This time, they’re fighting a losing battle against a connection forged by much more than a love of violence and bloodshed.

In a war this bloodied, what do you do when the bodies start hitting the floor?

[Warning: a very dark M/M romance.]

#23. Nothing Special by A.E. Via

Detective Cashel ‘Cash’ Godfrey is big, tattooed and angry so people typically keep their distance. He’s fresh out of the police academy, however, no one is looking to partner with the six foot four beast with a huge chip on his shoulder and an inability to trust. When Cash scans the orientation room he wasn’t expecting to find sexy hazel eyes locked onto him. Eyes of the handsome Detective Leonidis ‘Leo’ Day.

Leo is charming, witty, hilariously sarcastic and the only one that can make Cash smile. He’s proud, out and one bad-ass detective.

Together Cash and Leo become the most revered and successful narcotics detectives Atlanta’s ever seen. Able to communicate and understand each other, without even having to voice it, they quickly climb up the promotional ranks.

When Cash saves Leo’s life in a raid that turns deadly, Leo begins to see something in the big man that no one else does…something special. But Leo fears he’ll never break through the impenetrable wall that protects Cash’s heart.

#24. Vicious (Sinners of Saint #1) by L.J. Shen

Emilia They say love and hate are the same feelings experienced under different circumstances, and it’s true. The man who comes to me in my dreams also haunts me in my nightmares. He is a brilliant lawyer. A skilled criminal. A beautiful liar. A bully and a savior, a monster and a lover. Ten years ago, he made me run away from the small town where we lived. Now, he came for me in New York, and he isn’t leaving until he takes me with him.

Vicious She is a starving artist. Pretty and evasive like cherry blossom. Ten years ago, she barged into my life unannounced and turned everything upside down. She paid the price. Emilia LeBlanc is completely off-limits, my best friend’s ex-girlfriend. The woman who knows my darkest secret, and the daughter of the cheap Help we hired to take care of our estate. That should deter me from chasing her, but it doesn’t. So she hates me. Big fucking deal. She better get used to me.

#25. Six of Hearts (Hearts #1) by L.H. Cosway

When Jay Fields, world-renowned illusionist, walks into her dad’s law firm Matilda is struck speechless. Not only is he one of the most attractive and charismatic men she’s ever met, he’s also a mystery to be solved.

Jay wants to sue a newspaper for defamation, but all is not what it seems. Matilda is determined to discover the true story behind Jay, however, when he becomes an unexpected roommate, she is not ready for how he will wheedle his way into her affections and steal her heart.

The man is a mystery wrapped in an enigma, and though she can’t yet see the bigger picture, Matilda can’t resist following along for the thrilling and heart-stopping ride.

[A bit of a fever dream of a book, full of tricks and illusions.]

#26. Titanium (Breathless #1) by Anna Katmore

My world shattered when I met my match.

I pride myself on keeping control of everything. Always. My only weakness?Reckless challenges. After losing my car to the new street racer in town, Sebastian gives me a chance to get it back. His condition: two hours in my playroom. No safewords allowed. While I only ever do girls in there, I accept. And when he kisses me, I reach my fucking limits.

Once in a lifetime, you meet a unicorn.

Raffael is pure Nordic ice. Controlled. Determined. And drop-dead gorgeous. Winning his car was a lucky strike. Winning his heart when he’s so afraid of the truth, turns out to be the hardest challenge I’ve ever raced to complete.

[While this an adult M/M romance, Katmore really excels at YA contemporary romcom. Her Grover Beach High series is also on KU and I highly recommend it!

#27. The Paper Swan by Leylah Attar

They say it takes twenty-one days to form a habit. They lie.

For twenty-one days she held on. But on Day Twenty-two, she would have given anything for the sweet slumber of death.

Because on Day Twenty-two, she realizes that her only way out means certain death for one of the two men she loves.

#28. Melt for You (Slow Burn #2) by J.T. Geissinger

Socially awkward Joellen Bixby has a date every Saturday—with her cat, a pint of ice cream, and fantasies of the way-too-handsome Michael Maddox. She’d give anything to win over the unattainable CEO of her firm, but how can she when she blends in so well with her cubicle? The answer may be closer than she thinks.

Cameron McGregor is a cocky, tattooed Scottish rugby captain who just moved in next door. He’s not Jo’s type—at all—but the notorious playboy is offering to teach the wallflower everything he knows about inspiring desire. Though a lot of women have rumpled Cam’s kilt, Jo is special. Far from the ugly duckling she thinks she is, in Cam’s eyes she’s sharp, funny, and effortlessly sexy. Now, thanks to him, Jo is blooming with confidence and has the man of her dreams within reach.

Unfortunately for Cam, he’s just helped to push the woman of his dreams into the arms of another man—and now he’s in the fight of his life to keep this beauty from getting away.

[SUCH a great book, with sizzling UST between the characters. Also one of my favourite tropes! Can be read as a standalone.]

#29. The V Girl by Mya Robarts

In post-apocalyptic North America two emerging nations are at war and sexual slavery is legal. Lila Velez desperately wants to lose her virginity before the troops visit her town and take it away by force. She makes plans to seduce her only friend. Lila does not love him, but he is the only man who has shown her true affection, an affection she is willing to take as a substitute for love.

Lila hides a secret that will bring her closer to Aleksey Fürst, a foreign, broody man who she distrusts because of his links to the troops and his rough, yet irresistible appearance. He offers Lila an alternative to her plans, a possibility that terrifies her…and tempts her in spite of herself.

With threats looming at every turn and no way to escape, Lila fears that falling in love will only lead to more heartache. The consequences of laying down her arms for Aleksey and welcoming hope might destroy more than her heart. They might force her to face the worst of her nightmares becoming a reality. Is love possible in a world that has forgotten what the human touch is?

#30. Falling for a Knight (The Wild Knights #1) by Té Russ

While vacationing in Trinidad, world-renowned photographer Roman Knight unexpectedly acquires a new muse, Cynthia Tremaine. Their chemistry is off the charts and they can’t resist giving into a night of passion together.

Neither of them expected to see each other again after they parted ways…but fate seemed to have other plans.

See here for more recommended KU books!

Arplis - News source https://arplis.com/blogs/news/30-best-kindle-unlimited-romance-books-available-right-now

[pete-and-pete]

Carol Christine Fair: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Carol Christine Fair is a professor at Georgetown University. She has received backlash after posting on Twitter that Republican senators “deserve miserable deaths” for supporting Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

Here’s what you need to know.

1. In Her Tweet, Professor Fair Accused GOP Senators of Being ‘Entitled’ & Said They Were Protecting an Accused Predator

Look at thus chorus of entitled white men justifying a serial rapist's arrogated entitlement. All of them deserve miserable deaths while feminists laugh as they take their last gasps. Bonus: we castrate their corpses and feed them to swine? Yes. https://t.co/tT7Igu157y

— (((Christine Fair))) (@CChristineFair) September 29, 2018

Dr. Christine Fair posted the tweet on Saturday, September 29. She was responding to a video of Senator Lindsey Graham’s tirade from September 27, when he supported Kavanaugh and called the situation an “unethical sham.”

Professor Fair’s response to watching that speech was this statement: “”Look at thus chorus of entitled white men justifying a serial rapist’s arrogated entitlement. All of them deserve miserable deaths while feminists laugh as they take their last gasps. Bonus: we castrate their corpses and feed them to swine? Yes.”

The post has been retweeted nearly 300 times and triggered more than 4,400 comments. Critics slammed Fair and questioned her role as an educator. Examples of such comments include:

Levi Russell wrote, “Can’t imagine how biased she is in the classroom.”

Can't imagine how biased she is in the classroom.

— Levi Russell 📈 (@FarmerHayek) October 1, 2018

Lauren Brower commented, “Wow. Just wow! Your intolerance and lack of respect for the rule of law (innocent until proven guilty) is exactly why our country is so polarized. It would be hard to look at life the way you do. I wish you much therapy.

Wow. Just wow! Your intolerance and lack of respect for the rule of law (innocent until proven guilty) is exactly why our country is so polarized. It would be hard to look at life the way you do. I wish you much therapy.

— Lauren A Brower (@LABrower27) October 1, 2018

John Mulhall wrote, “This woman needs to be fired @Georgetown.”

This woman needs to be fired @Georgetown.

— John Mulhall (@johnamulhall) October 1, 2018

A self-proclaimed left-leaning voter wrote, “I’m a lefty but this is just going too far.”

I'm a lefty but this is just going too far.

— @spowers_au (@spowers_au) October 1, 2018

Cindy Abel wrote, “OMGOSH. I am so happy that my four children did not wind up in your classroom. I can’t imagine how one-sided your lectures are. And for the love of God, why are your tweets, which advocate violence, allowed?”

OMGOSH. I am so happy that my four children did not wind up in your classroom. I can’t imagine how one-sided your lectures are. And for the love of God, why are your tweets, which advocate violence, allowed?

— Cindy Abel (@cindy_abel) October 2, 2018

Professor Fair did write that does not advocate violence. Her messaging on October 1 included this tweet: “What you don’t want to admit is that I am not actually calling for violence. I am making a point about the routine violence perpetrated against women every day and the power structures that protect these perpetrators. Get over it.”

What you don't want to admit is that I am not actually calling for violence. I am making a point about the routine violence perpetrated against women every day and the power structures that protect these perpetrators. Get over it. https://t.co/ctdfowsCnV

— (((Christine Fair))) (@CChristineFair) October 2, 2018

2. Carole Christine Fair Unleashed a Series of Tweets on October 1, Referring to GOP Senators as ‘Fragile Snowflakes’ & Pointing Out Examples of What She Called ‘White Male Privilege’

When white men face a room of female legislators concluding that we will not cover health care for their manboobs gone cancerous…let me know. In the mean time why are all of these white men so pissed off at an uppity woman? Fragile snowflakes?

— (((Christine Fair))) (@CChristineFair) October 2, 2018

Carole Christine Fair says she is not intimated by the backlash. She doubled down and expanded her argument in a tweetstorm on October 1. She wrote about the difference in power between men and women and listed multiple examples of she described as “white male privilege.”

The series of tweets began with, “When white men face a room of female legislators concluding that we will not cover health care for their manboobs gone cancerous…let me know. In the mean time why are all of these white men so pissed off at an uppity woman? Fragile snowflakes?”

When white men tell their harrowing stories of sexual assault by a woman to a congressional committee of women who are uninterested in the truth and want only to consolidate their nasty agenda on the Supreme Court and will post a predator to that post to do so…let me know.

— (((Christine Fair))) (@CChristineFair) October 2, 2018

“When white men tell their harrowing stories of sexual assault by a woman to a congressional committee of women who are uninterested in the truth and want only to consolidate their nasty agenda on the Supreme Court and will post a predator to that post to do so…let me know.”

Her follow-up tweets included: “When men are raped and then “slut shamed” for thier assault. Let me know.”

“When white men are systematically paid less, less likely to be hird, promoted and rewarded for the same productivity…let me know.”

“When white men are systematically paid less, less likely to be hird, promoted and rewarded for the same productivity…let me know.”

“When men below the age of 44 are more likely to die from domestic homicide than cardiac arrest, let me know.”

“When a white male journalist is mocked by a female president (who sexually assaults men and reviles men who challenge her) who calls him stupid while a chorus of powerful women look on in amusement, let know.”

“AND as bad as white women have it, women of color, LGQBTQI, members of religious minorities (and any combination thereof) have it worse. I wil continue to point out the absurdity of white male privilege. So y’all better get some new diapers.”

3. Georgetown University Does Not Appear to Have Issued Any Public Comments About Professor Fair’s Tweets

In short, anyone who thinks elections will sort this out are wrong. The United States has never been an actual democracy; rather an aspirational one. But for the first time in my lifetime, the GOP is seeking to consolidate authoritarianism because they can't win in a fair fight. https://t.co/vKFN2zE2Yx

— (((Christine Fair))) (@CChristineFair) October 2, 2018

As referenced above, Carol Fair is an associate professor at Georgetown University. The institution has not made any public statements about her messaging on social media.

Heavy reached out to Professor Fair and asked her about the reaction at Georgetown to her tweets. She referred to a senior colleague who recommended she moderate her language, but did not mention whether the university administrators have ever asked her to tone it down. She offered to answer follow-up inquiries via email. Check back for updates on that.

Since Professor Fair’s tweets on October 1 centered around women, we asked her what specifically she felt needed to change in American society. She responded in a series of tweets.

“In short, I don’t believe anything will change in any policy-relevant future. This regime is hell-bent upon disenfranchising women, POC, non-Christians, LGBTQI and empowering a larger role for corruption in our governance. Mark my words: we have passed a tipping point. This is only the beginning of fascism in America. And with the heinously partisan SCOTUS and federal judiciary, there will be no checks.

The non-democratic lineaments of our governance is becoming more so undemocratic. Slave State College empowers the shrinking most anachronous part of the electorate while undercounting the growing cosmopolitian coasts and cities who are the economic work horses of this country. A majority of the senate is elected by a minority. By 2040, demographic estimates suggest that about 2/3 of the senate will be elected by 1/3 of the (again, most illiberal section) electorate. Yet the Senate controls most powers that matter.

Other democracies have senates with equal representation of the federating units, but they have power. In the US, the most unrepresentative institution has the most power. The free and fairness of house races and state politics are undermined by gerrmandering, assortative decisions of like-minded people to live together in the same neighborhoods, racist voter restriction and denial regimes.

In short, anyone who thinks elections will sort this out are wrong. The United States has never been an actual democracy; rather an aspirational one. But for the first time in my lifetime, the GOP is seeking to consolidate authoritarianism because they can’t win in a fair fight. The entire point of this Fox News “white anger thug sourcing” is to threaten my physical and economic security. And they do this ON PURPOSE to silence people like me. But I’m a rhetorical insurgent: they need to silence me to win. I need only to refuse to shut up to win.

Happy to answer any other questions via email. Courage begets courage. Many victims will be silenced by Thursday’s theatre of white male privilege. I hope other victims are emboldened to stand up and call out the fuckery. We are many and we are going nowhere.”

4. Carol Fair Defended Her Language in a Blog Post, Writing ‘My Profanity is Sacred’

I will not use civil words to describe mass incivility. Don't expect me too. It's an absurd request. I will use words that make you as uncomfortable as I am with this regime.

— (((Christine Fair))) (@CChristineFair) October 2, 2018

Professor Fair has defended her choice of language. She wrote a blog on September 23, 2018, titled “On the Politics of Language and Women’s Rage and Why My Profanity is Sacred.”

She explained that a work colleague at one point recommended that she tone down the profane language. Fair described her colleague as “lovely and well-intended.” But she disagreed wholeheartedly. She wrote, “I will not discipline my voice, my words, or my body. I will refuse to conform to your rules which are designed to constrain me like a corset for your convenience and comfort. I will not respond to this war on women decorously. It’s an absurd request and I won’t entertain it. I will fight this war asymmetrically. I will use the vernacular it demands.”

Fair also responded to the fact that her tweets, especially recent ones slamming Brett Kavanaugh and GOP senators, attract a lot of backlash. She does not care. She points out that as someone who has faced truly dangerous situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, she is not intimidated by words. “I have skin as thick as a T-Rex and I give NO FUCKS about their feelings. I cannot be intimidated. If I lose my job, I’ll do something else… Make no mistake. This is a deliberate attempt by these conservative dishrags to scare, intimidate, and ultimately shut up those of us who see through conservative lies, ruses, and efforts to disenfranchise women, people of color, LGBTQI, non-Christians and anyone else who destabilizes their infantile Leave It To Beaver fantasy.”

I will NOT moderate my rage for YOUR convenience. As a VICTIM of assault..I along with millions of women…watch white males gather around a belligerent predator defending his and their privilege. I WILL use words that will make you as I uncomfortable as I am.

— (((Christine Fair))) (@CChristineFair) October 1, 2018

In the blog, Professor Fair also elaborated on her childhood experience with assault. She claims she was abused by her uncle.

“My cynicism is learned from experience: my quest for justice has gone unrequited for decades. My abuser, my uncle, ultimately went to jail for murdering my aunt after whom I am named. He assaulted me from the time I was a toddler until I was thirteen. He did not spend a second in prison for breaking me. Nor was he punished for sexually assaulting his own children: one of whom murdered himself while the other is a homeless schizophrenic beyond help whose brain produces fantasies that are only marginally less horrific than her realities.”

5. Carol Fair is a Distinguished Associate Professor at Georgetown University

According to her Georgetown University bio, Fair is a “Provost’s Distinguished Associate Professor in the Security Studies Program within Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.” Her previous experience includes working as a political officer with the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan.

Her research is focused on political and military exploits in South Asia. Her most recent book, Fighting to the End: The Pakistan Army’s Way of War, focuses on the military’s permeating influence over Pakistan’s international relations and politics.

Fair received her formal education at the University of Chicago before moving to Washington D.C. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biological chemistry in 1991. She obtained a master’s degree from the Harris School of Public Policy. In addition, Fair received a master’s degree as well as a doctorate in South Asian Languages and Civilizations.

Fair lists her current involvement in organizations including: the Council on Foreign Relations, Women in International Security, International Studies Association, the American Political Science Association and the American Institute of Pakistan Studies.

READ NEXT: Former Classmate of Brett Kavanaugh, Chad Ludington, Accuses the Judge of Lying to Congress

source https://heavy.com/news/2018/10/carol-christine-fair/