#MacLean Curse Series

[jeshaisabookworm]

The Laird Who Loved Me by Karen Hawkins| Book Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3.5 out of 5. Title: The Laird Who Loved MeAuthor: Karen HawkinsSeries: MacLean CurseIssue: 5 A family.A curse.A bet.The story continues after Caitlyn Hurst’s mistake forces her twin sister’s hand’s marriage. She is a bit more mature than before. She regrets last season when her antics to capture Lord Alexander MacLean. Repentant she hopes to rectify her mistake and making it up…

[lostuserr]

The reason he actually destroyed Shady Sands:

[cubeshapedlemon]

CANT WAIT FOR THE NORM FIC I HOPE YOU WERENT JOKING BC YOU ARE SO RIGHY HE DESERVES MOOOOORE I WANT HIM

dw i was 100% serious 🛐🛐🛐 trust i will be starting it as soon as i get the chance. in the mean time i would love if you would put in something specific you would want in the asks, rn im thinking about x plus/midsize reader so please send me all your wants and wishes. ( also read my friends norm fic they are working on rn its below the cut)

[ohmightydevviepuu]

Rules: Go to your published works on AO3 and list the first fic you ever published there, the last fic you published, any fic that you wrote for a fandom/ship only once, your favorite fic you wrote in the fandom/ship that has the most works, the fic you wish more people read, the fic you agonized over the most, the fic that sprang fully formed from your mind without any effort, and a work you are proud of—for whatever reason. <3

tagged by @shireness-says and @spartanguard and @thisonesatellite

First fic: foreign, but familiar, a little sailor moon number i did a looooong time ago because it was crawling around in my head.

Last fic: literally just finished the part of a swan after a two-year hiatus. regency AU, captain swan, inspired by sarah maclean's casino series and a lot of very horny lorraine heath.

Only once: that would be foreign, but familiar again. i have pieces of a much longer fic scattered across my cloud drives that i turn to for self care, but it is just for me, not for posting.

Favorite fic from the fandom I’ve written in most: tough call but i think i need to go with from the edge of the deep green sea, a captain swan 3a divergence with a curse and a mermaid that pulled me deep into my teenage 90s playlist feels.

Fic I wish more people read: probably three thousand one hundred and ninety-one, a little fic that started as a series of prompts written in august 2020. it's got all of my favorite tropes and bullshit piled up in one place, but i also think it is a little unique stylistically and in its structure.

Fic I agonized over: for tonight you're only here to know, which started off simply enough but really got caught in my head for a minute while i worked through it. a very favorite of mine, though, for the writing and the weirdness of it. captain swan AU, no plot, just vibes. or maybe my 2b divergence try/cry/why (just a dream), which i rewrote more times than i care to think about because i got very caught up in the headspace of this fic.

Fic that sprang fully formed: none of them (sob), but the one that came closest was the last test and proof, a 3b no-curse divergence which started as a prompt in august 2020 that i literally wrote in maybe fifteen minutes. the subsequent sections required considerably more work. 😅

Work(s) I’m proud of: voices from the yellow road, a captain swan modern AU epistolary joint that i was low-key obsessed with while i was writing it. i still think there's not much else in the fandom quite like it. and the fic of my heart: our little life (rounded with a sleep). it's a OUAT season 1 au with a noir twist written for the 2020 Captain Swan Rewrite-a-Thon.

[eros-heartache]

Ao3 Favorite Things Bingo Masterlist

Please be warned. This collection may contain works that are 18+. If you are a minor, please do not interact! I am an adult, who writes fiction intended for adults. As always, be mindful of tags and warnings. It is up to you to curate your own online and fandom experiences.

This Bingo Card's Ao3 Series | HERE

Ao3 Favorite Tags Bingo Tumblr | HERE

Status: In Progress

Breakdown of Individual Fics Below Cut

Food as a Metaphor For Love | Full Bellies, Warm Hearts

Pairing: Natasha Romanov & Yelena Belova

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Word Count: 4,244

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Mythical Beings & Creatures |

Pairing: Edward Nygma & Oswald Cobblepot

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Alternate Universe - Modern Setting |

Pairing: Colin Bridgerton & Penelope Featherington

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Human Furnature |

Pairing: Bruce Wayne & Selina Kyle

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Crack |

Pairing: Cooper Howard & Lucy MacLean

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Something Made Them Do It |

Pairing: Wade Wilson & Peter Parker & Matt Murdock

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Daddy Issues |

Pairing: Oz Cobb & Sofia Falcone

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Fairy Tale Curses |

Pairing: Kate Bishop & Yelena Belova

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[quoteablebooks]

Genre: Fiction, Adult, Romance, Contemporary,

Rating: 5 out of 5

Content Warning: Sexual content, Cursing, Alcohol, Misogyny, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Fatphobia

Summary: A high-powered attorney from a success-oriented family, Louisa "Lulu" Malone lives to work, and everything seems to be going right, until the day she realizes it’s all wrong. Lulu’s cousin Mitch introduced her to the world of Renaissance Faires, and when she spies one at a time just when she needs an escape, she leaps into the welcoming environment of turkey legs, taverns, and tarot readers. The only drawback? Dex MacLean: a guitarist with a killer smile, the Casanova of the Faire… and her traveling companion for the summer.

Dex has never had to work for much in his life, and why should he? Touring with his brothers as The Dueling Kilts is going great, and he always finds a woman at every Faire. But when Lulu proves indifferent to his many plaid charms and a shake-up threatens the fate of the band, Dex must confront something he never has before: his future.

Forced to spend days and nights together on the road, Lulu’s interest in the kilted bad boy grows as he shows her a side of himself no one else has seen. The stresses of her old lifestyle fade away as she learns to trust her intuition and follow her heart instead of her head. But when her time on the road is over, will Lulu go with her gut, or are she and Dex destined for separate paths?

The Renaissance Faire is on the move, and Lulu and Dex are along for the ride, in the next utterly charming rom-com from Jen DeLuca.

*Opinions*

I was in a romance mood so after I finished Well Matched (which I found disappointing) I decided to round out the series and move right onto Well Traveled. DeLuca makes the Renaissance Faires come to life and there is something cozy about the atmosphere, especially because it is the blazing hot summer right now. To my surprise, this was my favorite of the series and I loved following Lulu and Dex’s story, perhaps because I saw a lot of myself in Lulu. 

Well Traveled follows Lousia “Lulu” Malone who is overworked and underappreciated. After a spontaneous decision to visit the Renaissance Faire in Virginia where she is getting a disposition and one too many phone calls from her boss on a weekend, Lousia throws her phone into the Laundry Wenches tubs and quits. Now unemployed and with no desire to explain herself to her overachieving family, the plan is hatched by her cousin Mitch that Lousia will disappear into the Ren Faire scene for a couple of months. Luckily, the Dueling Kilts, who are friends with Mitch, agree to take her on for two months on the condition that she unplugs and remembers how to enjoy herself. Unfortunately, this means that she will be stuck with the Ren Faire circuit Casanova, Dex MacLean, the lead singer of the Kilts. Soon, Lousia is sucked into the magic of the Faire, becomes a receptionist for a trio of fortune tellers, and realizes that maybe she wanted to be more Lulu than Lousia in her everyday life. Dex is also full of surprises, showing her more than a man who will let any woman up his kilt. Yet, as Lulu’s time with the Dueling Kilts comes to a close and her entanglement becomes more complicated, she has to decide what kind of life she wants to return to and see if there is any place for Dex within it when she returns to the real world. 

I was taken aback by how much I related to Lousia in this novel and thoroughly enjoyed her journey throughout this novel. While I am not an overworked attorney who has her boss calling her all the time, I do work in a high-stress field and have had many a day when running away to the Ren Faire sounds heavenly. Following Lousia as she learns how to disconnect and become more herself again was both relaxing and slightly inspiring. I appreciate that DeLuca never had her lose her sense of purpose and everything that she had worked toward before that fateful day of the faire, but instead found a way to make it work for her. She also communicates her feelings well, both with Dex and the other people in the story, which is so refreshing. The solution to the issue of Dex being on the road and Lulu putting down roots was handled believably as well and the foreshadowing dropped throughout the novel. 

The romance is so sweet, Dex and Lousia start with banter but then develop respect and friendship with one another. There was no miscommunication troupe and the one time that there was a slight miscommunication, it was resolved in like three pages. Even the third-act breakup was due to external forces, which I much prefer to someone overhearing half a conversation and running away upset. While I would have liked to get more from Dex, the gentle shift in his actions from Casanova to enjoying just being with Lousia was so sweet to watch. I especially liked that Lousia saw more to Dex than his reputation after a while. I just loved everything about them together and I would have read 100 more pages about them. 

I am sad that we are leaving Willow Creek and the individuals that Jen DeLuca introduced to us over the four novels. There was something terribly cozy about being in that patch of woods, even though I have never been to a Renaissance Faire before. While there are books that I like more than others, I believe the whole series is worth a read and I might have to go and buy it for myself so I can return to Willow Creek whenever I want to. I would love another book in this series, possibly with Caitlin as the main character, but if this is the last book in the series, what a way to end the series. 

This is a five-star romance for me, which I didn’t know if I would ever find, and I kind of just want to start from the beginning after I finished the book. Even if you don’t read any other of the series, I would highly recommend this one. 

[mermaidsirennikita]

Girl, give your favorite scottish hot romance heroes!!!

For much och, a lotta aye, read:

--A loot of Kerrigan Byrne books, but especially: The Highwayman (much of the book takes place in the hero's castle, there are kilts, etc), The Scot Beds His Wife (Scottish hero and American heroine, Rare Historical 69), All Scot and Bothered (BIG FUCKING GUY, fat heroine, he's soooo stern)

--When A Girl Loves An Earl by Elisa Braden. Big Scottish hero, crazy heroine who doesn't even realize that he's Scottish until they're about to be married because a) she's dick dumb as fuck and b) the book actually goes into how he basically has to conceal his natural accent after becoming an earl and spending a lot of time in England. He is significantly less good at hiding this accent when he's dirty talking.

--The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley. I haven't been able to read any more of this series yet, but I plan to do so very soon. This is soooo good. The heroine is a widow (and a few years older than the hero) and the hero is actually on the autism spectrum. It's very romantic and also extremely hot.

--This Scot of Mine by Sophie Jordan. A wacky book in which the hero believes that, due to a family curse, he will DIE if he sires an heir. He meets a girl who's been run out of England because she's gotten pregnant out of wedlock, and it seems like a GREAT IDEA to simply marry her and claim her baby as his heir. The problem: she is faking her pregnancy.

--A Scot in the Dark by Sarah MacLean. A Scottish guy inherits a dukedom and has to help his ward, who is kind of a wild woman, escape public humiliation following an affair. Deconstructs the "big hulking Scottish man" stereotype.

--Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas. Best read after Devil in Winter. The heroine is a widowed businesswoman who meets a Scottish whisky distiller. They have a hot one night stand and an instant connection, but then he GETS AMNESIA IN AN EXPLOSION and she has to pretend to be his betrothed. Delightful.

--What Happens in Scotland by Jennifer McQuiston. A fun romcomy book about a proper English widow who wakes up after a night in Scotland she can't remember, to find herself married to a hot Scottish guy.

--When A Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare. Classic Tessa Dare, an anxiety-ridden heroine who just wants to study lobsters fucking finds herself accidentally engaged to a growly Scottish warrior.

--Forbidden by Elizabeth Lowell. Best read after Untamed. A heroine who has mystical psychic abilities but suffers pain whenever she touches someone must heal a Scottish warrior (who has amnesia). But she can touch him without feeling pain, which means they're soulmates! But but but there's a bad prophecy surrounding her soulmate!!! So good, very 90s, I fucking love it.

--A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera. An heiress from the Dominican Republic goes to Paris to sell her family's rum and clashes with A Scottish whisky heir.

--To Beguile A Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt. A duke's mistress runs away from her lover with her two children in tow, and ends up being sequestered away in the castle of a Scottish lord, acting as his new housekeeper. He is scarred (he lost an eye in the war) and emotionally wounded and this book is HOT.

--When the Earl Met His Match by Stacy Reid. A pregnant Englishwoman runs off to Scotland to seek shelter from a Scottish man she's been exchanging letters with, but has never met in person. Turns out he's a viscount from a disgraced family. He's also mute, and the book is reeeeeally romantic and goes into depth about the use of sign language, etc.

[rabbittstewcomics]

Episode 291

June 2021 Solicitations

Comic Reviews:

Justice League 59 by Brian Michael Bendis, David Marquez, Tamra Bonvillain

Nightwing 78 by Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo, Adriano Lucas

Superman: Red and Blue 1 by John Ridley, Clayton Henry, Jordie Bellaire, Brandon Easton, Steve Lieber, Ron Chan, Wes Craig, Dan Watters, Dani, Marguerite Bennett, Jill Thompson

Black Knight: Curse of the Ebony Blade 1 by Si Spurrier, Sergio Davila, Sean Parsons, Arif Prianto

King in Black: Spider-Man by Jed MacKay, Michele Bandini, Elisabetta D'Amico, Erick Arciniega, Alberto Alburquerque, Rachelle Rosenberg

Captain America Anniversary Tribute

Trials of Ultraman 1 by Kyle Higgins, Mat Groom, Francesco Manna, Espen Grundetjern

Ultramega by James Harren

Orphan and the Five Beasts 1 by James Stokoe

Jim Henson's The Storyteller: Tricksters 1

BeQuest 1 by Tim Seeley, Freddie E. Williams II, Jeremy Colwell

Eros/Psyche 1 by Maria Llovet

Count GN by Ibrahim Moustafa, Brad Simpson

Martian Ghost Centaur GN by Mat Heagerty, Stephanie Mided

Midnight Western Theater 1 by Louis Southard, David Hahn, Ryan Cody, Buddy Beaudoin

99 Cent Theatre

Border Post 0 by Sergey Lukianenko, Abylai Kusainov

2020 1 by Nicolas Brondo

Crow Creek 1 by John Terrell Freeman, Michael Yakutis

Gunbreed: Dead Draw 1 by Angel Fuentes, Nahuel SB

Hunt Leviathans 1 by Angel Fuentes, Ivonne Falcon, Daniel Irizarri, Guillermo Martinez, AC Osorio

Kyu Shin 1 by Mitch Hyman, Ivonna Falcon, AC Osorio

Little Sally 1 by Joshua Len Estes

Supercult by NUGHOST

Azure 1 by Samuel Pettit

Renegade Rule by Ben Kahn, Rachel Silverstein, Sam Beck

Additional Reviews: Falcon and Winter Soldier ep1, Coming 2 America, House of Secrets Omni vol 2, Snyder cut, It's a Sin

News: The Oscars, Ahoy and Scout move away from Diamond, Immortal Hulk spin-off, FCBD, Omninews, Image acquires Lady Mechanika, Liefeld reboots The Shield for Archie, Naomi casting, EVS, Boys spinoff casting, Batwoman spoilers, Zatanna movie screenwriter announced, Coates finishing run on Cap, Echo series in development at Disney+

Comics Countdown:

Ultramega 1 by James Harren

Snow Angels 2 by Jeff Lemire, Jock

Thor 13 by Donny Cates, Nic Klain, Matt Wilson

Superman: Red and Blue 1 by John Ridley, Clayton Henry, Jordie Bellaire, Brandon Easton, Steve Lieber, Ron Chan, Wes Craig, Dan Watters, Dani, Marguerite Bennett, Jill Thompson

Martian Ghost Centaur by Mat Heagerty, Stephanie Mided

Radiant Black 2 by Kyle Higgins, Marcelo Costa, Becca Carey

Nightwing 78 by Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo, Adriano Lucas

Head Lopper 15 by Andrew MacLean, Jordie Bellaire

Captain Marvel 27 by Kelly Thompson, David Lopez, Triona Farrell

S.W.O.R.D. 4 by Al Ewing, Valerio Schiti, Marte Gracia

Check out this episode!

[noqueenbutthequeeninthenorth]

romance recs!

For @missfaber​ and anyone else who wants some!

Caveats: I can give more tailored recs if you tell me what tropes you like, and also I basically only read historicals which are overwhelmingly (but not exclusively) white and hetero. Also, most of these can be found on Scribd if you have that service.

Authors you can’t go wrong with (and who will show up a bunch in the rest of my recs):

Courtney Milan - excellent prose, complex protagonists, love stories that feel earned, and just overall ... she’s the best, truly, chef’s kiss

Sarah MacLean - extremely fun and extremely sexy, her books are just bursting with life, full of fantastic lead and side characters, and every single one is a delight

Meredith Duran - her books have a gravity to them that I really appreciate; situations and characters are genuinely really difficult sometimes but so worth it

Some books/series I’d recommend if you like 

Dysfunctional families, close-knit siblings, and/or angst about bad parents: 

The Hellions of Halstead Hall by Sabrina Jeffries The Bareknuckle Bastards by Sarah MacLean The Turner Series by Courtney Milan The Royal Brotherhood by Sabrina Jeffries The MacLean Curse by Karen Hawkins Marriage Mart Mayhem by Callie Hutton

Revenge schemes gone wrong:

Beware a Scot’s Revenge by Sabrina Jeffries No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean Sins of a Duke by Stacy Reid Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean

ANGST ANGST ANGST (and possibly in need of a TW):

The Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran The Bashful Bride by Vanessa Riley The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn A Woman Scorned by Liz Carlyle Fool Me Twice by Meredith Duran

Working women:

Scientists --  Talk Sweetly to Me by Courtney Milan The Duke’s Quandary by Callie Hutton A Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite The Countess Conspiracy by Courtney Milan [***this is my favorite romance novel of all time***] Let Sleeping Rogues Lie by Sabrina Jeffries

Writers --  The Highlander’s Accidental Marriage by Callie Hutton A Summer for Scandal by Lydia San Andres The Suffragette Scandal by Courtney Milan

Other --  The Bittersweet Bride by Vanessa Riley [owns a flower farm] Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan [fortuneteller] Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean [runs a shipping business] Lady Be Good by Meredith Duran [thief aspiring to be more] Luck Be a Lady by Meredith Duran [runs an auction house] A Hellion in Her Bed by Sabrina Jeffries [runs a brewery]

A few faves that haven’t yet been mentioned:

The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean [estranged spouses, second chances, seducing your spouse, it’s also kinda like the bachelor]

Caught by the Scot by Karen Hawkins [friends to lovers, ridiculous scheming, marriage of convenience]

To Pleasure a Prince by Sabrina Jeffries [beauty and the beast vibes, dyslexic heroine, making a deal]

The Marrying Season by Candace Camp [friends to lovers, marriage to save her reputation, heroine doesn’t believe in love]

The Lady’s Disgrace by Callie Hutton [friends to lovers, marriage to save her reputation, seducing your spouse]

Feel free to ask for specifics about any of these titles, or to tell me if there are any particular tropes or character archetypes or anything else you particularly want me to recommend to you.

Also, if you have anything you’ve read that you’ve loved, PLEASE let me know.

[celticbarb]

Book: My Highland Champion

Author: Miriam Minger

Series: Warriors of the Highlands, Book #5

Publisher; Oliver Heber Books

Book Length: 221 pages

Release Date: 11/29/2022

Overall Rating: 5/5 Stars

Blog Raing: 5/5 Saltire Flags

“Beauty it would seem is both a blessing and a curse.” By author Bertrice Small 1937-2015

Campbell Castle

ARGYLLSHIRE, SCOTLAND

1313

Sorcha Campbell refuses to marry anyone until she meets her one true love and the champion of her dreams! It must be someone like her adopted father, Cameron Campbell who had been awarded a castle, property and a royal title as a Baron. It is because of his heroic deeds and efforts in saving King Robert the Bruce’s life. It was from the betraying traitorous clan MacDougall, who is a Scottish clan who sides with the English with brutality, deception and murder!

The other champions to Sorcha is Cameron’s brother Conall and their former commander Gabriel and Gavin MacLachlan. They all found women that they love, respect and worship that each treats their wives like a Goddess or a Queen. Being surrounded by theses champion’s how can Sorcha want anything less? Each man is brave, honorable, and a protector, who would defend his family and clan and all he loves with his last dying breath!

Lady Sorcha Campbell had been surrounded by tragedy for a good portion of her life. First, by the death of her biological mother Mairi in a shipwreck. Luckily she was discovered by Leath and Jeanne MacLean who became Sorcha’s first adoptive parents, until the English murdered them six years ago. It is where Cameron and Aislinn Campbell discovered Sorcha and saved her life!

For King Robert’s life has been most difficult with a wife and Queen who has been held captive for the past 7 years and his daughter by her deceased first wife has been held in a English nunnery. Plus not to mention the hideous deaths of his brothers by the English. Yet King Robert rewards those who are loyal risking their own lives to protect him and Scotland. These are men are hero’s like Camden and Conall Campbell, as well as Gabriel and Gavin MacLachlan too. Now due to Sorcha’s incredible beauty and of course a very large dowry too, men all over Scotland were asking for her hand in marriage . Except she rejected every offer waiting for her one true champion to appear!

Every man of high rank wants her except for David Douglas the Captain of her her adopted father’s guard. The only man who was not taken in by Sorcha Campbell was David Douglas! He treated her like an annoying little sister since he was 15! Now she once idolized and followed him around. David ignored Sorcha or teased her relentlessly breaking her heart. Now after David was away for a month he returns realizing he was madly in love with Sorcha. Except she rejects him like he did to her. Now he is assigned to bring Sorcha to see the King and since Camden is healing from a MacDougall attack he is to act as her guardian and protector. A duty he takes very seriously and when she seems to take advantage he puts her in her place which embarrasses her and makes her furious!

Now another places her in danger and forces Sorcha’s hopes and dreams to fall apart. Is it too little, too late for this starcrossed couple who both have the power to shatter and destroy both of their hearts? Will Sorcha ever realize that the champion of her dreams is right beneath her nose? Read and find out.

I was drawn into this novel immediately from the first paragraph where the Campbell warriors are all putting wagers on how fast Sorcha would send her next suitor packing! This book was so beautifully mapped out and written brilliantly, plus capturing my heart too! However I loved how the author weaves true Scottish history into this emotional romance that at times had me in tears. So I definitely recommend to have some tissues nearby. I think this is my favorite book of the series but I have loved them all. I am definitely a David Douglas fan! I have been a fan of Miriam Minger for years and again she pens another masterpiece that I absolutely loved and will definitely revisit and read again!

Warrior’s of the Highlands

1)My Highland Warrior

2)My Highland Protector

3)My Highland Captor

4)My Highland Raider

5)My Highland Champion

Disclaimer: I received an advance reader’s bcopy from Oliver-Heber Books I voluntarily agreed to do an honest, fair review and blog through Netgalley. All thoughts, ideas and words are my own.

Buy Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Highland-Champion-Warriors-Highlands-Book-ebook/dp/B0B47XYDMP/

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-highland-champion-miriam-minger/1141220346

https://oliver-heberbooks.com/our-books/my-highland-champion-warriors-of-the-highlands-book-5/

[hellojenpenworld]

July 2022 Wrap-Up

So July I was able to finally break my book slump. It felt like I hadn’t read a book in months (of course, when I look into it, it was actually just 1 month, but still too long!).

So, here are the books I read this July and my brief thoughts on them. 

“Immortal Rising” by Lynsay Sands - This is book 34 in the Argeneau series. I adore this series and I love how we are now at a point that characters that were teenagers in previous books are now grown up and are able to have their own books. It’s not something I’ve noticed in other long series I’ve read before and I appreciate the acknowledgment that time is passing and this isn’t something that is happening right now. 

Started July 5th, finished July 6th - 5 stars

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“Hooked” by Emily McIntire - This is book 1 of the Never After series, although I believe all can be read as stand-alone books. I really love retellings and I also enjoy villain redemption stories. While this isn’t a true retelling, I did find myself very interested in the story from page one. I like how the characters were reimagined into this world and how it all played out. It was also a quick read, which I enjoyed as well. 

Started July 6th, finished July 6th - 4 stars

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“To Scotland with Love” by Patience Griffin - This is book 1 of the Kilts and Quilts series. I picked up this book from the author herself at a quilt show along with the first book in a different series by her. I was interested in the story, but was worried that my lack of quilting knowledge might hurt my enjoyment of the story. I was wrong. While quilting does play a role and there is some love of quilts throughout, the story keeps moving forward. I found that I was invested in the story and characters and have been on the lookout for book 2 since finishing it. 

Started July 6th, finished July 11th - 5 stars

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“How to Abduct a Highland Lord” by Karen Hawkins - This is book 1 in the MacLean Curse series. I really wanted to love this book, but I found it just okay. The story seemed to move at a rapid pace which I feel hurt the development of the characters. The romance seemed super forced by the end with little indication that this was being built up. Granted, the two main characters of this story did have a romantic history, but this story picks up several years later when both have changed emotionally. I was interested in the heroine’s brothers though and have continued reading this series to learn more about them.

Started July 11th, finished July 14th - 2.5 stars

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“Crimson City” by Liz Maverick - This is book 1 of the Crimson City series. I listened to this as an audiobook. I thought I was coming into a paranormal romance, which I did get, but it was also so much more. The way this story was written really elevates the tension going on with all the characters. There were also a few twists that I didn’t see coming and am really interested in what comes next going forward. When it comes to the romance side, it does seem very fast as, with everything else going on with the plot, there wasn’t enough time for the romance to bloom in my opinion.

Started July 11th, finished July 18th - 3.5 stars

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“To Scotland, With Love” by Karen Hawkins - This is book 2 of the MacLean Curse series. This was a very cute story that really had time to let the romance grow and develop. I love how this follows 2 friends who realize that there may be more between them and how they both fight against it in order to protect the friendship they have had up to that point. It was adorable, sweet and funny at times. I’m glad that I continued through to next book after not really enjoying the first one. 

Started July 15th, finished July 20th - 5 stars

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“Happy People Read and Drink Coffee” by Agnes Martin-Lugand - I listened to this as an audiobook. I found this book in the romance section of the audiobooks on my library app and was interested in the story. I thought this was going to be a story about a woman getting her life together, starting over in a new place after tragedy in her life and finding love again. I was...half right. The story deals heavily with grief and slowly coming back after such a tragic event occurs. I liked when the story focused on those moments because they felt the most realistic. Now, my big issue with this book was I expected more books, coffee and slowly overcoming issues with some romance sprinkled in. Instead I got a book that the tone was lost and had more cigarettes mentioned instead of books. I also felt that the heroine was a bit unlikable at times and did things that I did not approve of as the book went on. I respect that everyone grieves in their own way, but it shouldn’t hurt others when you do. I think I would have enjoyed this more if it hadn’t been placed with other romance novels and had a title that didn’t emphasis books as much. 

Started July 25th, finished July 30th - 1.5 stars

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There we have it! That is all the books I enjoyed (or didn’t) in the month of July. I’m trying to be a bit more thoughtful in the way I read and really look at the stories and what I really liked and didn’t in order to really focus myself a bit more. I’m still figuring all that out, but I am working on it. 

Have a great reading day!!

[theskytraveler]

Hellooooooo ❤️

Short answer: they are fun.

Regency and Victorian Era romances are my guilty pleasure because of the Bridgerton books. I read them and now I am obsessed with the genre. Julia Quinn writes fun books, but if you are supercritical about what you're reading, then you might have some problems with them. My main issue with her books is that sometimes they feel rushed or not fully developed, but if you're the kind of person that can separate the reading experience and the analysis part, go for it!

(Also, some of her protagonists are problematic, but I try to cut them some slack. I am a 21st-century woman judging 19th-century fictional men. But I do not excuse the rape in Daphne's book, that I can't do).

I recommend reading them in order, even if it's not necessary. Sometimes events that happened in one book are mentioned in the next and then characters start having kids and it becomes a whole thing. There's even a 10-year gap between Benedict's and Colin's books (and then Colin's, Eloise's and Francesca's books happen in a really close timeframe).

The official order is Daphne - Anthony - Benedict - Colin - Eloise - Francesca - Hyacinth - Gregory - Extra book with second epilogues for all the siblings + a story focused on Violet.

MY order is:

1) Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Colin): I absolutely love this book. I skim it once a year because it gives me so much serotonin. Penelope is a relatable protagonist and the friends-to-lovers plot is such a joy to read. My biggest fear is that the show doesn't do this one justice.

2) The Viscount Who Loved Me (Anthony): Has the most iconic scene of the series (Pall Mall) and it is overall a delightful read. Newton is the best and Edwina's lack of interest in Anthony (I'll never forgive Shonda for not using this as the perfect opportunity to make Edwina a lesbian) makes everything funnier than it has any right to be. The show did not do this book justice at all.

3) It's In His Kiss (Hyacinth): This book is hilarious. Hyacinth is the best Bridgerton. She is the moment. The girl is legit committing crimes to find her boyfriend's dead grandma's diamonds.

4) An Offer From A Gentleman (Benedict): I'm always switching Benedict's and Eloise's books from 4th and 5th places on my lists. Right now, I am putting Benedict above because Sophie is one of my favorite characters from the series. She has the worst backstory in the Bridgerton universe and she is the best. A cinnamon roll, too good for this world, too pure. And who can resist a Cinderella AU? This is, however, the book I think has the most wasted potential of the series (the ending was too rushed) and I hope the show fixes the pacing issues it had.

5) To Sir Phillip, With Love (Eloise): It's a fun book. Eloise is a fun character and I love Phillip, my awkward botanist. Not much to say about this one except for the scene of the Bridgerton Boys coming to get Eloise that always makes me laugh (and it better be on the show, Shonda).

6) On The Way To The Wedding (Gregory): Gregory is too pure for this world. All he wants is true love. But he is a Bridgerton Boy, so he is cursed by partial blindness when it comes to it. Not much to remember this book by, but it does feature a lot of Kate in it, so that's a plus!

7) When He Was Wicked (Francesca): The only reason this isn't last on the list is because of Michael. I love him. Don't know what the everloving fuck he sees in Fake Bridgerton, but that's his choice I guess. I really dislike Francesca, but in this fandom, you either love her or hate her.

8) The Duke and I (Daphne): It's just that nothing happens in this book. It's boring. Watch Season 1 and you're good, honestly.

This got SO LONG OMG. Sorry. But feel free to send me an ask or DM me if you want more info or recommendations of other authors of the genre! My personal favorite is Sarah MacLean ❤️

okay seeing everyone talk about it might convince me, but are the bridgerton books worth reading?? if so are they all good or just a select few ones worth reading??

I actually haven't read all of them yet love but @theskytraveler has, what do you think Bea? ❤

[mathewingram]

The little-known Canadian author behind The Hardy Boys series

Tens of thousands of young boys growing up in the 1920s and 1930s got a secret thrill whenever they picked up a new book about The Hardy Boys, those intrepid young lads who solved mysteries and generally lived lives filled with tremendous adventure. The books were written by a man named Franklin W. Dixon. But who was Dixon? How did he come to write The Hardy Boys? And why was his writing so terrible, as those young boys often realized when they grew up and learned more about literature? Gene Weingarten wrote about the real story in a 1998 piece for The Washington Post. As he explains, Franklin Dixon was what the book business called a “house name,” or pseudonym, which allowed multiple people to write under one byline. And from 1927 to 1946, the books were written by a Canadian man named Leslie McFarlane — and he hated The Hardy Boys with a passion.

It turns out the story of the Hardy Boys isn’t about the worst writer who ever lived, not by a long shot. It  is about a good writer who wrote some bad books, and if you wonder why  that happened, as I did, then you are likely not very old and not very  wise. Sometimes homely things are done for the best reasons in the  world, and thus achieve a beauty of their own. Leslie McFarlane kept voluminous diaries. His family has them. He wrote  in fountain pen, in elegant strokes that squirrelled up a little when he  was touched by despair or drink. In these diaries, “The Hardy Boys” is  seldom mentioned by name, as though he cannot bear to speak it aloud. He  calls the books “the juveniles.” At the time McFarlane was living in northern Ontario with a wife and infant children, attempting to make a  living as a freelance fiction writer.

McFarlane’s diary entries make for sad reading. Nov. 12, 1932: “Not a nickel in the world and nothing in sight. Am simply desperate with anxiety. . . . What’s to become of us this winter? I don’t know. It looks black.” Jan. 23, 1933: “Worked at the juvenile book. The plot is so ridiculous that I am constantly held up trying to work a little logic into it. Even fairy tales should be logical.” Jan. 26, 1933: “Whacked away at the accursed book.” June 9, 1933: “Tried to get at the juvenile again today but the ghastly job appalls me.” Jan. 26, 1934: “Stratemeyer sent along the advance so I was able to pay part of the grocery bill and get a load of dry wood.” Finally: “Stratemeyer wants me to do another book. . . . I always said I would never do another of the cursed things but the offer always comes when we need cash. I said I would do it but asked for more than $85, a disgraceful price for 45,000 words.”

As Gene Weingarten explains, McFarlane was a 5-foot-4-inch Irishman, who got his start writing for newspapers in places like Cobalt, Ontario and Sudbury, and turned to writing the Hardy Boys books out of desperation after the Great Depression. Afterwards, he was fiction editor of Maclean’s magazine for a number of years, and produced a number of acclaimed documentary films, wrote an excellent hockey novel, and TV scripts for “Bonanza” and “The U.S. Steel Hour.” He died of complications from diabetes in 1977.

The little-known Canadian author behind The Hardy Boys series was originally published on mathewingram.com/work

[awhilesince]

Thursday, 20 November 1828

5 3/4

10 1/4

Read a few lines over Satire 2 Juvenal from 6 40/60 to 8 wrote 3 pages to Miss MacLean – went to my uncle

Breakfast in my own room at 8 25/60 – read over and sealed my letter – left it for the post, and went out at 9 1/4 – said I was glad of so good a general account of Miss MacLean’s health but sorry to gather from particulars that she was so unwell she could scarce crawl – not allowed to touch back, chest or side (great discharge of matter) and had a bad bowel complaint to boot – In spite of being told how much better she was and more lighthearted, could not help being annoyed – If Mr Long’s answer as when he was past with her “not of 5 years, never” was applied to her case simply as a medical one the terms not limited like those of human capacity and the series infinite – However lightly Long might estimate a license to kill a curse it had with the world and with the world we had to deal, a certain tho inconsiderable value – Did not know how much midnight oil he had spent in study – a diploma was a voucher that he had spent some sufficient portion in the estimation of his peers – fellow doctors; - and therefore one should more readily think most in some sort know what we could bear - hope the discipline is not too severe – Mr L- professes not to give medicines, but using mixtures – the difference better than it struck me, is not popularly understood in great ease – Cameron not of age - her mother and 1 of her brothers or sisters died of consumption, and her guardians think it not safe for her to be so near the path of danger – can only offer her to Vere for V- to let her maid Margaret remain with Miss MacLean – think this arrange might sufficiently accomodate all the parties – called on Miss Hudson to inqire after Miss MacLean and thank her for the parcel, but never see and am so busy must turn Miss MacLean’s messages over to her so as I know she walked to her – Miss H- called the other day to say she was sending a parcel, but I had not leisure to avail myself of this opportunity of writing – knew of 2 nice lodgings and 3 hotels, but if Miss MacLean liked she might inquire for something better for me as soon as I could fix my plans which I could not do as yet – 

William Keighley junior had been waiting (I did not know it – did not understand Cordingley) 3/4 hour – off at 9 1/4 to the Cunnery plantation - till 1 felling sycamore out of the clough and other trees (firs) near – came home, and returned and walked about the Cunnery brow. It struck me for the first time to plant the whole of the clough down to the fish-pond —  that would look well, and eventually could make a pretty walk all up here from the house, to turn along my intended plantation in the upper well field and along Bairstow brow, and so came very prettily into the new gulph-road to Halifax – at 1 3/4 Mr K– Keighley came back from dining in part at the house – and till 5 felled the remainder of the firs on the Cunnery side of the clough up to the top of it – the whole of the side now fit for planting as soon as the trees are snigged off – at 5 went to the wallers in Pearson’s Great brow (Mytholme) — had finished righting the set stone there after, and done a very little bit of righting up old wall – 

got back at 5 40/60 – Dressed – changed even my underpetticoat – Dinner at 6 1/4 – afterwards talked and wrote the above of today asked my father if he had any objections of my planting the Cunnery clough down to the fish-pond – no! and said very good humouredly as if he really had no objection – told him of my proposed walk – talked very good humourdly – apparently reconciled to these my improvements – 

threatening rain this morning, but held off till 1 – afternoon damp and drizzly – and more or less rainy for the rest of the afternoon and evening – windyish in the morning – went upstairs at 10 25/60

(SH:7/ML/E/11/0095)

https://www.catalogue.wyjs.org.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=CC00001%2f7%2f9%2f6%2f11%2f95&pos=1

[jenniferfaye34]

#Giveaway ~ The Study Of Secrets (A Lila Maclean Academic Mystery) by Cynthia Kuhn... #books #CozyMystery #readers

The Study of Secrets (A Lila Maclean Academic Mystery) by Cynthia Kuhn

About The Study of Secrets

The Study of Secrets (A Lila Maclean Academic Mystery) Cozy Mystery/Amateur Sleuths 5th in Series Publisher: Henery Press (May 26, 2020) Hardcover: 242 pages ISBN-10: 163511618X ISBN-13: 978-1635116182 Paperback: 242 pages ISBN-10: 1635116155 ISBN-13: 978-1635116151 Digital ASIN: B085P3CF39

There could be nowhere more fitting for English professor Lila Maclean to spend her sabbatical than in a proper Victorian mansion. The whimsical Callahan House seems to have materialized from the pages of the mystery novels she is researching, with its enchanting towers, cozy nooks, and charming library. Unfortunately, it also features a body in the study.

Residents of Larkston have long believed that the Callahan family is cursed—the murder on the estate sets the town buzzing. Wild rumors are fueled by a gossipy blogger who delights in speculation, and further crimes only intensify the whispers and suspicions. A newly discovered manuscript, however, appears to expose startling facts beneath the fictions. When Lila steps in to sort the truth from the lies, it may cost her everything, as someone wants to make dead certain that their secrets stay hidden.

About Cynthia Kuhn

Cynthia Kuhn writes the Lila Maclean Academic Mysteries: The Semester of Our Discontent, The Art of Vanishing, The Spirit in Question, The Subject of Malice, and The Study of Secrets. Honors for the series include an Agatha Award for best first novel and Lefty Award nominations for best humorous mystery. For more information, please visit cynthiakuhn.net.

Author Links Website: cynthiakuhn.net Twitter: @cynthiakuhn Facebook: www.facebook.com/cynthiakuhnwriter Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/authors/cynthia-kuhn Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/cynthiakuhn Blog: chicksonthecase.com Newsletter: https://bit.ly/2MPiEMh

Purchase Links - Amazon - Nook - B&N Paperback

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[alexandrawilbraham]

Review: Big Bones, VAULT Festival

First published: https://www.ayoungertheatre.com/review-big-bones-vault-festival/

By Alexandra Wilbraham

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, gather round and take your seats. Welcome to the Big Top Circus where many a freak of nature awaits to leave you stunned to silence. Marvel at our contortionist, wiry enough to fit herself into a vase. Have the world’s strongest man balance you on his finger. Gaze at the bearded lady as she combs her admirable moustache. And finally, stand in wonder and trepidation at the most extraordinary curiosity, the man whose horse rides him, the Irish Giant, Big Bones! At least that’s how it once was at the Big Top Circus. In the days when Big Bones the Giant brought droves of audience members to the performances. But the circus might be performing its final show before very long. Ever since Big Bones’ skeleton was stolen and put on display in a museum against his dying wishes, a dreadful curse hangs over the theatre. They haven’t had a single audience member in over 100 years. Can Big Bones’ great-great-great-great-granddaughter Nora (Emma MacLean) and her new friends manage to save the theatre and finally lay both Big Bones’ skeleton and the curse to rest? Inspired by the true story of the 18th-century ’Irish Giant’ Charles Byrne, Faceplant Theatre Company have created a rollicking family show about celebrating differences and finding out where you truly belong. Big Bones by writers Alice Bounce, Owen Jenkins and Maxwell Tyler is filled with physical comedy and a spatter of well-placed jokes for the adults in the audience (although Uranus gags are enjoyable at any age). Composer Cat Gisby has created a series of catchy tunes, the final song is still stuck in my head (‘Everything is big at the Big Top…’) and encompasses the show’s message of friends becoming family and raising you to embrace what makes you stand out. Actors MacLean, Joey Timmins, Lydia Hourihan, Grace Dunne and Alice Bounce revel in a myriad of unique characters, showing a lot of skill with quick costume changes and a variety of accents. Dunne’s strongman character Jim Membership definitely wins the best name in the show. However, Bounce and Timmins stint as the two sitcom-esque bumbling museum guards Gavin and Gareth is my favourite part of the play. Incompetently stumbling around, disrupting Hourihan, Dunne and MacLean’s stealthy museum heist, Bounce and Timmins give the perfect comedic duo. I wish Gavin and Gareth the best, but I do fear they have been fired from their positions. Big Bones is a feat for family theatre. It ploughs its way forward without losing steam, setting an example for any company looking to create theatre for a young audience. Hearing both little voices and their parents still singing snippets of the show’s songs while leaving the theatre is, I think, proof enough that this is a performance anyone will enjoy.