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bluedalahorse · 5 months ago

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I’ve been thinking about the fairy deal question of would you want more YR forever but the price is no longer having fic and I don’t know if I would change my answer but I’ve thought through my answer a lot more and I want to put so many more asterisks on it.

So for me I answered from a place of like… creative ethics, I guess? YR was Lisa’s story first, and she had a beginning and end for it and wanted to write it in three seasons. It’s obvious she cherishes it, but she has other stories to tell now. The actors gave us their all for three seasons, but they’re all growing up and will be moving on to new projects and I’m excited to see what they do next. So the notion of some fae queen putting Lisa and the cast and the crew in a magical prison of having to perform for us forever just feels… not so great. I know that’s not what the question was asking but now I can’t unsee the fae nightmare scenario. Blame Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell if you must!

On the other side of creative ethics is that I feel like what we call fanfic is intrinsic to the human condition, and therefore humans should be allowed and encouraged to do fanfic. Like centuries ago someone would tell a story about Robin Hood to their kids and then eventually one of those kids would tell a story to their friend like “ok here’s my Robin/Little John/Maid Marian OT3 hurt-comfort epic” and their friend would be like “excuse me no the vibe is Robin/Sheriff of Nottingham enemies to lovers” and then they would have had a ship war about it. Lisa et al might own the legal rights to Young Royals but everything about the way they ended the series felt like they were lovingly handing it over to the fans. They trusted us to envision an infinite number of futures for the characters. And that feels worth mentioning.

And, even if Lisa wanted us to never write fanfic again, I feel like we’d still have the right to write it, and we should probably write it more actually. I had a friend growing up who was on the secret underground Vampire Chronicles mailing lists Anne Rice disapproved of. I think this is badass.

Here’s where the fae queen would try to tempt me… they’d remind me that my favorite characters aren’t always featured as heavily in fanfic, and that sometimes they’re featured in ways that don’t vibe as much with what I love about canon. That I am more likely to get the characterizations I want from Eternal Canon. And I admit, I am very likely to click backward when I see stories where August is flattened to an uncomplicated villain, Sara and Felice are solely Wilmon’s cheerleaders/flatterers, and Good Mom Linda vs Bad Mom Kristina plays out with No Nuance. Among other things! Like, yes, sure, I know there would be a great temptation for me even just to see more incredible acting from my kids Frida and Malte. I do like watching what they do with their faces and body language. You’ve got me there, fae queen…

However! I am still not ready to surrender to the fae queen and give up fanfic just yet. Because the reality is, we’re all writing fanfic to express our relationship to the text and wrestle with it a bit, and that includes me. Getting to explore August’s continued recovery, and his relationship to family and friendship with Nils, is something that mattered to me. I enjoyed figuring out the balance of writing Nils in his early 20s, and figuring out what it would be like for him to openly date boys and have a boyfriend, while still not having him be like… a gushing hopeless romantic of a person who makes Pinterest boards for his wedding? And then thinking about another story I haven’t written yet, connected to that fic linked above, where Vincent ends up being the first to get married but also the first to get divorced, and his daughter has ADHD too and he’s seeing so much of himself in her, and he confesses late at night to Nils and August that he’s worried he’ll fuck her up the same way he got fucked up by his parents. And then, in the story I’m writing now, I found an opportunity to write Linda as like a full-on human who sometimes wants things for herself independent of her kids, but also that’s really fraught for her, for reasons. Also I want to explore Sara as a grown up—sometimes strong and sometimes vulnerable—and have her break free of toxic capitalism, because she’s gotten better at her relationships to people but she’s fallen into the “work should be your life’s calling” fallacy and her bosses are taking advantage of her. I have a lot of things I want to write. And those things matter too, even if I’m not always sure who the audience for them is, and even if I wish sometimes that they were fics available for me to read that I didn’t have to write myself.

So the fairy queen can go skipping off to play with some other mortal for now. I’ve got chores to do and a heatwave to avoid anyway.

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worldofcelts · 6 years ago

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Celtic Fantasy Books List #1: Popular

In this first list of Celtic fantasy books, we will see mostly popular books with Goodreads summary and links to each for further reading. Long post under the cut. Upcoming lists will be #2: Indie books, and #3: Classics, so stay tuned and enjoy!

Sevenwaters Trilogy (Juliet Marillier)

Lovely Sorcha is the seventh child and only daughter of Lord Colum of Sevenwaters. Bereft of a mother, she is comforted by her six brothers who love and protect her. Sorcha is the light in their lives, they are determined that she know only contentment. But Sorcha's joy is shattered when her father is bewitched by his new wife, an evil enchantress who binds her brothers with a terrible spell, a spell which only Sorcha can lift-by staying silent. If she speaks before she completes the quest set to her by the Fair Folk and their queen, the Lady of the Forest, she will lose her brothers forever.

When Sorcha is kidnapped by the enemies of Sevenwaters and taken to a foreign land, she is torn between the desire to save her beloved brothers, and a love that comes only once. Sorcha despairs at ever being able to complete her task, but the magic of the Fair Folk knows no boundaries, and love is the strongest magic of them all.

The Mists Of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)

Here is the magical legend of King Arthur, vividly retold through the eyes and lives of the women who wielded power from behind the throne. A spellbinding novel, an extraordinary literary achievement, THE MISTS OF AVALON will stay with you for a long time to come....

The Chronicles Of Prydain (Lloyd Alexander)

Taran wanted to be a hero, and looking after a pig wasn't exactly heroic, even though Hen Wen was an oracular pig. But the day that Hen Wen vanished, Taran was led into an enchanting and perilous world. With his band of followers, he confronted the Horned King and his terrible Cauldron-Born. These were the forces of evil, and only Hen Wen knew the secret of keeping the kingdom of Prydain safe from them. But who would find her first?

Deverry (Katharine Kerr)

Even as a young girl, Jill was a favorite of the magical, mysterious Wildfolk, who appeared to her from their invisible realm. Little did she know her extraordinary friends represented but a glimpse of a forgotten past and a fateful future. Four hundred years-and many lifetimes-ago, one selfish young lord caused the death of two innocent lovers.

Then and there he vowed never to rest until he'd righted that wrong-and laid the foundation for the lives of Jill and all those whom she would hold dear: her father, the mercenary soldier Cullyn; the exiled berserker Rhodry Maelwaedd; and the ancient and powerful herbman Nevyn, all bound in a struggle against darkness. . . and a quest to fulfill the destinies determined centuries ago.

The Dark Is Rising (Susan Cooper)

On holiday in Cornwall, the three Drew children discover an ancient map in the attic of the house that they are staying in. They know immediately that it is special. It is even more than that -- the key to finding a grail, a source of power to fight the forces of evil known as the Dark. And in searching for it themselves, the Drews put their very lives in peril. This is the first volume of Susan Cooper's brilliant and absorbing fantasy sequence known as The Dark Is Rising.

The Iron Druid Chronicles (Kevin Hearne)

Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old—when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer. Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power—plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish—to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.

Ashling (Mary Mack)

A freak hang-gliding accident plunges Ashling through a rip in the fabric of Time and catapults her into Ireland’s past, where Fomorian Giants are battling Elves of the Tuatha Dé Danaan for lordship over the downtrodden, enslaved Humans. All Ashling wants is to go home, but the only way back is through the inter-dimensional travel hub on Mount Olympus, which is jealously guarded by Fallen Angels — the all-powerful and violent gods of mythology. In her seemingly impossible quest to outsmart these creatures, the transplanted university student gathers together a band of misfits, repels an invasion of Giants, rescues a besieged Elf princess, masters a ferocious dragon, and sparks a Human revolution. But her arrival has fulfilled an ancient prophecy and triggers events that will eventually culminate in the destruction of the gods’ sacred mountain — and Ashling must race against Time and Fate to reach the quantum portal before it closes forever.

Shadowfell (Juliet Marillier)

Sixteen-year-old Neryn is alone in the land of Alban, where the oppressive king has ordered anyone with magical strengths captured and brought before him. Eager to hide her own canny skill--a uniquely powerful ability to communicate with the fairy-like Good Folk--Neryn sets out for the legendary Shadowfell, a home and training ground for a secret rebel group determined to overthrow the evil King Keldec.

During her dangerous journey, she receives aid from the Good Folk, who tell her she must pass a series of tests in order to recognize her full potential. She also finds help from a handsome young man, Flint, who rescues her from certain death--but whose motives in doing so remain unclear. Neryn struggles to trust her only allies. They both hint that she alone may be the key to Alban's release from Keldec's rule. Homeless, unsure of who to trust, and trapped in an empire determined to crush her, Neryn must make it to Shadowfell not only to save herself, but to save Alban.

War For The Oaks (Emma Bull)

Eddi McCandry sings rock and roll. But she's breaking up with her boyfriend, her band just broke up, and life could hardly be worse. Then, walking home through downtown Minneapolis on a dark night, she finds herself drafted into an invisible war between the faerie folk. Now, more than her own survival is at risk—and her own preferences, musical and personal, are very much beside the point.

The Age Of Misrule (Mark Chadbourn)

When Jack Churchill and Ruth Gallagher encounter a terrifying, misshapen giant beneath a London bridge they are plunged into a mystery which portends the end of the world as we know it. All over the country, the ancient gods of Celtic myth are returning to the land from which they were banished millennia ago. Following in their footsteps are creatures of folklore: fabulous bests, wonders and dark terrors As technology starts to fail, Jack and Ruth are forced to embark on a desperate quest for four magical items - the last chance for humanity in the face of powers barely comprehended.

The Subtle Beauty (Ann Hunter)

A cursed prince. A vain beauty. Glory is the seventh daughter of Balthazar, High King of the Twelve Kingdoms. Glory hopes that - of all her sisters - she can escape the fate of a loveless marriage. But on the night she plans to elope with the royal falconer, her world comes crashing down: Her father announces Glory's betrothal to Eoghan of the Blood Realm - a prince no one has ever seen. The prince is said to be a recluse, cursed and deformed by the gods for the sins of his power-hungry father. Yet when Glory is trapped in Blackthorn Keep she discovers that not everything is what she expected. An insulting gryphon, a persistent ghost, and a secret plan to usurp the prince keep Glory reeling.

Song of Albion (Stephen R. Lawhead)

From the dreaming spires of Oxford, Lewis Gillies drives north to seek a mythical creature in a misty glen in Scotland. Expecting little more than a weekend diversion, Lewis finds himself in a mystical place where two worlds meet, in the time-between-times - and in the heart of a battle between good and evil. The ancient Celts admitted no separation between this world and the Otherworld: the two were delicately interwoven, each dependent on the other. The Paradise War crosses the thin places between this world and that, as Lewis Gillies comes face-to-face with an ancient mystery - and a cosmic catastrophe in the making.

The Forgotten Beasts Of Eld (Patricia A. McKillip)

Sixteen when a baby is brought to her to raise, Sybel has grown up on Eld Mountain. Her only playmates are the creatures of a fantastic menagerie called there by wizardry. Sybel has cared nothing for humans, until the baby awakens emotions previously unknown to her. And when Coren--the man who brought this child--returns, Sybel's world is again turned upside down.

Moonlight (Ann Hunter)

One vow. One curse. One thousand moons. While Princess Aowyn's six brothers are favored by their father, Aowyn is the jewel in her mother's crown. When the Queen dies, Aowyn takes a vow to protect her brothers and father from the hungry eyes of the queen's handmaiden, Ciatlllait - who is more than she seems.

In order to save her family, Aowyn risks a dangerous deal with the dark creature Sylas Mortas. But magic comes with a price: and Aowyn soon realizes the one she has paid is too steep. Only true love can reverse the spell...but it will take one thousand moons.

The Dreaming Tree (C. J. Cherryh)

It was that transitional time of the world, when man first brought the clang of iron and the reek of smoke to the lands which before had echoed only with fairy voices. In that dawn of man and death of magic there yet remained one last untouched place---the small forest of Ealdwood---which kept the magic intact, and protected the old ways. And there was one who dwelt there, Arafel the Sidhe, who had more pride and love of the world as it used to be than any of her kind.

But fear of the world of Faery ran deep in the hearts of men, and when Ciaran Cuilean, Lord of Caer Wiell, a man with Elvish blood in his veins, found himself the object of increasing distrust and suspicion from his men, his king, and even his own family, he knew he must once again put his humanity aside and return to Ealdwood. For shadows of a newly awakened evil swarmed across both lands, and unless Ciaran reclaimed his haunted weapons from the Tree of Swords and joined Arafel, he would see this evil overtake not only the warm hearthstones of the mortal keeps but the silvery heart of Ealdwood itself!

Faery In Shadow (C.J. Cherryh)

Avoiding other humans because of the curse placed on him, Caithe mac Sliabhan nevertheless aids a strange couple who claim to be husband and wife but look like twins to Caith and who are under the spell of a witch.

The Winter King (Bernard Cornwell)

Uther, the High King, has died, leaving the infant Mordred as his only heir. His uncle, the loyal and gifted warlord Arthur, now rules as caretaker for a country which has fallen into chaos - threats emerge from within the British kingdoms while vicious Saxon armies stand ready to invade. As he struggles to unite Britain and hold back the enemy at the gates, Arthur is embroiled in a doomed romance with beautiful Guinevere. Will the old-world magic of Merlin be enough to turn the tide of war in his favour?

The Perilous Gard (Elizabeth Marie Pope)

In 1558, while exiled by Queen Mary Tudor to a remote castle known as Perilous Gard, young Kate Sutton becomes involved in a series of mysterious events that lead her to an underground world peopled by Fairy Folk—whose customs are even older than the Druids’ and include human sacrifice.

The Mcgunnegal Chronicles (Ben Anderson)

The McGunnegals are all strange, and it has been that way for generations. They are too strong, or too fast, or too smart, and odd things happened when they are around. The neighbors say they are witches or devils, or have been snatched by changelings. Mothers hold their children close when they walk by, fearing they might catch the McGunnegal strangeness. But misfortune besets them when their mother, Ellie, disappears, followed by their crazy grandfather, but not before he reveals a family secret to Colleen and Frederick - a secret that reveals the source of their strangeness, and also threatens to cast the dark shadow of famine on Ireland.

He has opened a portal to the world of the Others, where their mother has gone, and a dark creature - a goblin - has come in her place and is spreading death and disease. They fall through this portal, and find this strange land filled with dark creatures that are crushing its people and now threaten to come through the portal and take up their abode in the world of Men, as they once did long ago. Yet in this dark world of oppression, this poor family discovers who they are, and also what it means to be truly human.

Caledon Of The Mists (Deborah Turner Harris)

After the death of her brother in a battle against a shape-shifting demon, Mhairi takes up the struggle to unite the Caledonians and must use all her Feyan powers to overcome a tyrant's dark magic and regain her rightful throne.

Legend Of The Fae (April Holthaus)

For centuries, stories of the Fae have been passed down from generation to generation throughout the Scottish Highlands. Over time, the truth of their existence was reduced to nothing more than childhood fairytales. Until now! To foresee the future, she had to forget her past. On the eve of war between Good and Evil, Ella of Andor, the Fae Princess of Darkness embarks on a journey that would ensure her kingdom’s victory as prophesied. But in a twist of fate, Ella is led to the mortal world where she soon discovers a mystery about her past that could destroy everything she has ever known. After returning home from battle, Laird Galen Graham stumbles upon an injured woman in desperate need of protection and care. Wanting to return her to her family becomes a difficult mission when he discovers the lass cannot speak. While trying to solve the mystery behind who she is, Galen finds himself falling in love with a lass he knows nothing about. Forced to return to the Fae world, can Ella stop the war threatening to destroy her kingdom, or will she give up her destiny to return to the man she loves in the mortal world? After discovering the truth about the mysterious lass, will Galen be able to let her go?

The Little Country (Charles de Lint)

When folk musician Janey Little finds a mysterious manuscript in an old trunk in her grandfather's cottage, she is swept into a dangerous realm both strange and familiar. But true magic lurks within the pages of The Little Country, drawing genuine danger from across the oceans into Janey's life, impelling her--armed only with her music--toward a terrifying confrontation.

The Forged Prince (Michael Laird)

The only future seen clearly is a single howling wilderness, in a land both barren and dead, an unmarked grave for the dreams of Man, with all the great castles fallen. Six hundred years past, High Queen Boudicca unified the three great peoples of the south and fought the Roman Empire to a standstill, forcing Nero's retreat from the land once called Brython by some and Prydein by many. Thus was the Kingdom of Tethera founded. The victors spoke only of the will of the gods and the great heroes that had made their victory a reality, yet rumors persisted of a triumph attained only at the expense of secret bargains with the ever duplicitous Fae, and of druids meddling with forbidden enchantments . Now the last high king is dust, his line long ended by treachery and murder, while the great kingdom itself lies in ruins a century old. Immutable prophecy dictates neither will come again: "Tethera cannot be restored until High King Pwyl's heir takes up his crown." To the people of the five kingdoms, "until Pwyl's heir takes up his crown" is just a an elaborate way of saying "never." The fragmented lesser kingdoms, all that remain of what once was, are failing, unable to prosper on their own. The wilderness grows, the barbarians press, the warlords feud, the Fae grows ever bolder, and even the very waves of the sea become hostile. In the end, none of that may matter for Annwyn, that otherworld also known as the Land of the Dead, creeps forth upon the world, growing larger with each passing year while its lord gathers his forces to crush all and end everything. Nevertheless, the Lord of Annwyn has a rival in the Queen of Deceit. She readies her own final stroke with the forging of a very special weapon. It is a weapon intended to sunder prophecy itself and one which even the Lord of Annwyn may find reason to fear. Yet even a weapon forged for evil can turn in its maker's grasp and strike in an unexpected direction—most especially a weapon with a mind of its own.

Gods Of The Nowhere (James Tipper)

The ancient Celts believed that the veil separating the worlds of the living and the dead was at its thinnest on Halloween; it was then that the dead could get through. But could it work the other way? Could we go to them? High school senior Sam McGrath is convinced it can be done. For as long as he can remember, The Nowhere has been beckoning him, reaching out with cold and ancient fingers. Crippled from a childhood injury, Sam has always been different, but he knows now that his differences go far beyond the physical. Only his best friend since childhood – a brash and beautiful Latina named Lucia – knows of his strange gifts, and she has vowed to help Sam. Together they intend to find the world where their nightmares are born.

Feel free to add additional titles below, or check out more lists on Celtic fantasy books here.

#celtic books #celtic #reading #research #list #lists #fantasy books #celtic book lists #articles woc #articles

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inloveandwords · 6 years ago

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It’s the beginning of January and that means it’s time for a new reading list…

January Reading List

These are all books that I own and want to read this month! Titles link to Goodreads.

Audio

Mr. Nice Guy by Jennifer Miller and Jason Feifer

Lucas Callahan gave up his law degree, fiancée and small-town future for a shot at making it in the Big Apple. He snags an entry-level job at Empire magazine, believing it’s only a matter of time before he becomes a famous writer. And then late one night in a downtown bar he meets a gorgeous brunette who takes him home…

Carmen Kelly wanted to be a hard-hitting journalist, only to find herself cast in the role of Empire’s sex columnist thanks to the boys’ club mentality of Manhattan magazines. Her latest piece is about an unfortunate—and unsatisfying—encounter with an awkward and nerdy guy, who was nice enough to look at but horribly inexperienced in bed.

Lucas only discovers that he’s slept with the infamous Carmen Kelly—that is, his own magazine’s sex columnist!—when he reads her printed take-down. Humiliated and furious, he pens a rebuttal and signs it, “Nice Guy.” Empire publishes it, and the pair of columns go viral. Readers demand more. So the magazine makes an arrangement: Each week, Carmen and Lucas will sleep together… and write dueling accounts of their sexual exploits.

It’s the most provocative sexual relationship any couple has had, but the columnist-lovers are soon engaging in more than a war of words: They become seduced by the city’s rich and powerful, tempted by fame, and more attracted to each other than they’re willing to admit. In the end, they will have to choose between ambition, love, and the consequences of total honesty.

This was a recommendation from my good friend Peachy over at Book Dragon Lair. She said that since I liked The Hating Game, I’d like this one and I’m super excited to read it!

Halfway to the Grave Night Huntress, Book 1 by Jeanine Frost

Flirting with the Grave… Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father – the one responsible for ruining her mother’s life. Then she’s captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She’s amazed she doesn’t end up as his dinner – are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn’t have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side . . . and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

I added this book to my TBR ages ago and it’s been in my Audible library forever. As part of my New Years resolutions, I promised myself I’d read the books I have in my Audible library before going too crazy with the romance package.

The Knocked Up Plan by Lauren Blakely

There are three little words most guys don’t want to hear on the first date. Not those… I mean these… “knock me up.”

This single gal has had enough of the games, the BS and the endless chase. I know what I want most, and it’s not true love. It’s a bun in the oven, and I’m not afraid to hit up my sex-on-a-stick co-worker to do the job. Ryder is gorgeous, witty and charming—and he’s also a notorious commitment-phobe. That makes him the perfect candidate to make a deposit in the bank of me.

I won’t fall for him, he won’t fall for me, and there’s no way baby will make three. Right?

**** There are four words every guy wants to hear on the first date—“your place or mine?”

When my hot-as-sin co-worker makes me a no-strings-attached offer that involves her place, my place, any place—as well as any position—I can’t refuse. Besides, I’ve got my own reasons to take her up on her deal even with her one BIG condition.

There’s no way I’ll want more from one woman than any position, any where, any night? Except… what if I do?

This book is part of my recent Lauren Blakely binge and, thankfully, part of the Romance Package on Audible.

Kindle

Cards of Love: Five of Cups by Trisha Wolfe

“How do you see your cup, Dr. West? Half full, or half empty? Her life depends on your answer.”

Dr. Ian West is the best trial consultant in the city, and he knows it. He’s made a living—a damn good one—helping lawyers win cases through his special brand of trial science. As a natural people reader, West’s one grave error presents in the form of a murderer named Quentin Shaver.

Amid Shaver’s trial, a dangerous bargain is struck, and—impressed with Dr. West’s abilities—Shaver engages him in a battle of wits. The prize? One gritty defense attorney from West’s past—the one woman West could fall for.

Loss broke West once before. Grief his sole companion, until Porter breaks down his defenses. But just as West is about to take a chance on love again, Porter becomes leverage in a sadistic game between doctor and madman.

Can Dr. West save the woman he loves before the last cup runs empty?

I mean… this is a Trisha Wolfe book. Of course I’m going to read it.

Hard Copy

Finnikin of the Rock(Lumatere Chronicles, #1) by Melina Marchetta

Finnikin of the Rock and his guardian, Sir Topher, have not been home to their beloved Lumatere for ten years. Not since the dark days when the royal family was murdered and the kingdom put under a terrible curse. But then Finnikin is summoned to meet Evanjalin, a young woman with an incredible claim: the heir to the throne of Lumatere, Prince Balthazar, is alive.

Evanjalin is determined to return home and she is the only one who can lead them to the heir. As they journey together, Finnikin is affected by her arrogance . . . and her hope. He begins to believe he will see his childhood friend, Prince Balthazar, again. And that their cursed people will be able to enter Lumatere and be reunited with those trapped inside. He even believes he will find his imprisoned father.

But Evanjalin is not what she seems. And the truth will test not only Finnikin’s faith in her . . . but in himself.

Hard as It Gets (Hard Ink, #1) by Laura Kaye

Tall, dark, and lethal…

Trouble just walked into Nicholas Rixey’s tattoo parlor. Becca Merritt is warm, sexy, wholesome–pure temptation to a very jaded Nick. He’s left his military life behind to become co-owner of Hard Ink Tattoo, but Becca is his ex-commander’s daughter. Loyalty won’t let him turn her away. Lust has plenty to do with it too.

With her brother presumed kidnapped, Becca needs Nick. She just wasn’t expecting to want him so much. As their investigation turns into all-out war with an organized crime ring, only Nick can protect her. And only Becca can heal the scars no one else sees.

Desire is the easy part. Love is as hard as it gets. Good thing Nick is always up for a challenge..

What are you reading this month?

Reading List: January 2019 It's the beginning of January and that means it's time for a new reading list… January Reading List…

#Reading List

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breanne-says-boo · 6 years ago

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FORGOTTEN VAMPIRE CHRONICLES CANON: Interview with the Vampire { Part 1, p. 1-101}

This is a project I’ve been working on for awhile, so stay tuned--there’s more where this came from. Page numbers come from the The Vampire Chronicles trilogy collection from Alfred A. Knopf’s Borzoi Books publishing, from Barnes and Noble

FACTS BELOW. Quotes can be provided upon request via ask box

Daniel met Louis in a bar (p.5).

In a previous draft of the novel, the two met in a gay bar called The Pink Baby.

Louis has an accent. Specifically “a slight sharpness to the consonants” as Daniel describes it (p.5)

Louis had a younger brother, and a sister, whom Lestat meets early in the novel (p.6 and 13 respectively)

Lestat’s weird obsession with carpet patterns seen in other novels (such as Tale of the Body Thief) goes as far back as this novel (p. 32)

Lestat bought furniture for Pointe du Lac during his stay (p. 36). Louis suggests that it is meant to have some relation to Lestat’s father: to impress him, get back at him, Louis is unsure which.

Louis believes the reason New Orleans is so unique and “magnificent” is because of the mixing of races and cultures within it (p. 39-40) Not specifically stated, but heavily implied.

Lestat would drink 2-3 times a night. Whether this was necessary or not at the time for him is unknown (p. 41)

Louis believes Lestat’s likening to drinking from young men is a subconscious expression of his own loss of youth (p. 41). In perspective to the events that lead to Lestat’s receiving of the Dark Gift in TVL, Louis’ hypothesis can be supported.

Louis hates sugar (from a financial and social standpoint?) (p. 41)

After hearing Lestat’s father’s dying words and final repentance, Louis knows that Lestat used to love books, and used to have a longing to learn (p. 55 and 62)

Lestat wakes up earlier than Louis (p. 75)

Vampires can still dream in the Death Sleep (p. 76)

Louis never signed over any property over to Lestat and didn't trust him with his money (p. 95)

Lestat is the one who (eccentrically) decorated the interior of the Loustat place in Rue Royale.

Louis states he never needed the luxury, but appreciated the design and could look at the detailing of various pieces for hours (p. 98)

Lestat commissioned a painter to paint a mural of a magical forest with unicorns and golden birds along all of Claudia’s bedroom walls (p. 98)

Claudia, not Lestat, made Louis dress in nicer clothes and not in his 'rusty black' attire (p. 98)

Lestat thinks black is the best color for vampires. This idea is supported by the Théâtre de Vampires (p. 98, 242)

The Loustat family often went to the French Opera House or the Théâtre d'Orléans (p. 98)

Operas bore Lestat (p. 98)

Lestat stole jewelry off women victims for Claudia (p. 99)

Claudia had a tendency of staying eerily still and quiet, which freaked out Louis (p. 96 and 99)

Lestat adored Louis and Claudia's relationship, and did not truly envy it (p. 100)

Louis never killed near Claudia (p. 101)

#the vampire chronicles #tvc #interview with the vampire #iwtv #lestat #louis pointe du lac #lestat de lioncourt #anne rice #vampire chronicles #fvcc

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persimnon · 8 years ago

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fandom list (full)

this is essentially a running list of everything i’ve ever liked. i may have abandoned some of these things years ago with no intention to return, but i’m listing them here anyway. tbh this is mostly for my own tagging benefit but feel free to peruse

* <- not caught up

also helpful: my goodreads and serializd (no letterboxd i’m not a huge movie guy)

last updated 6/24/24

books & adaptations

kotlc (on my sideblog)

grishaverse (six of crows + shadow and bone tv + kanej tag)

percy jackson (+hoo/toa/tv show)

harry potter (+all the young dudes)

how to train your dragon series

shadowhunter chronicles +tv show

the hunger games (+movies obv)

the locked tomb (+griddlehark tag)

all for the game series

shows/movies (live action)

abbott elementary

angels in america

atlanta

barry

the bear

breaking bad/better call saul

brooklyn 99

community

fleabag

good omens

hannibal

how to get away with murder

interview with the vampire (+TVC*)

it's always sunny in philadelphia

knives out franchise*

marvel (mcu, venom, spiderverse)*

mythic quest

the office

orange is the new black

our flag means death

parks & rec

perry mason

severance

sherlock bbc*

the sopranos*

stranger things

succession

the last of us

what we do in the shadows (movie + show)

white lotus

young royals

shows/movies (cartoons/anime)

avatar the last airbender/legend of korra

ben 10*

blue eye samurai

death note

the dragon prince*

httyd (+ rob/dob, rtte, specials, nine realms)

kipo and the age of the wonderbeasts

miraculous ladybug*

over the garden wall

scavengers reign

she-ra

yuri on ice

webcomics

check please!

heartstopper (+tv show)

podcasts (on my sideblog)

wolf 359

welcome to night vale

the bright sessions*

ars paradoxica

eos 10

the adventure zone*

within the wires*

the magnus archives*

video games

dragonvale (on my sideblog)

bloons (mostly btd6)

minecraft

music

panic at the disco (derogatory)

hippo campus

bastille

penelope scott

mitski

lemon demon

david bowie

celebrities/content creators

jacksfilms

mcelroys

bo burnham

john mulaney

misc

dungeons & dragons

supernatural metafandom (i have never watched a single episode)

gymnastics (both as a gymnast and a fan)

#for later #forlater

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cherita · 7 years ago

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All The New Genre TV Shows This Fall

Remember when summer TV was a dreaded wasteland of reruns you had no desire to watch, even with commercial reminders that "if you haven't seen it, it's new to you"? Fall's arrival signaled not just the start of the best season or another school year, but meant all your favorite shows would return and finally there'd be something to watch again.

The TV landscape has certainly changed since then, now that you can watch most anything on demand (or pirated in a cloud somewhere) and both streaming sites and cable channels produce some often great original shows all year long. Even so, I still look forward to fall TV with giddy anticipation — and with this being such an awesome age for genre TV and film, it's hard not to get excited at what new shows might play on post-Labor Day screens.

When it comes to this season's newbies, it's all about the paranormal and the Marvel juggernaut smashing it's way further into TV. You have an X-Men family thriller-drama starring True Blood's own Vampire Bill, along with two highly anticipated adaptations: Inhumans on ABC, and Runaways on Hulu.

On the paranormal end, you've got funny ghosts and serious ghosts, along with angels, demons, and more. There's also a new Star Trek series for the first time in a decade, and it stars the awesome Sonequa Martin-Green (formerly of The Walking Dead), but... it's only available on CBS All Access, which is like Netflix for CBS stuff.*

While I have to admit I'm not as excited about these new shows as I am for the return of Stranger Things, Mr. Robot or all out freaking war on The Walking Dead, I'll still check quite a few of them out. To help you decide, here are sneak peeks at most of this season's upcoming new genre shows (minus those that've already premiered), plus the return dates for all your old favorites...

Channel Zero: No End House | Premieres Sep 20 on SyFy

Inspired by Brian Russell’s Creepypasta tale, Channel Zero: No-End House tells the story of a young woman named Margot Sleator who visits the No-End House, a bizarre house of horrors that consists of a series of increasingly disturbing rooms. When she returns home, Margot realizes everything has changed. Starring Amy Forsyth, John Carroll Lynch, Aisha Dee, Jeff Ward.

Star Trek: Discovery | Premieres Sep 20 on CBS All Access

Star Trek, one of the most iconic and influential global television franchises, returns 50 years after it first premiered with Star Trek: Discovery. The series will feature a new ship, new characters and new missions, while embracing the same ideology and hope for the future that inspired a generation of dreamers and doers. Starring Sonequa Martin, Michelle Yeoh, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp.

Marvel's Inhumans | Premieres Sep 29 on ABC

The highly anticipated television series Marvel's Inhumans will bring the fan-favorite comic book series and a new kind of family drama to the small screen this fall on ABC. The Inhumans, a race of superhumans with diverse and singularly unique powers, were first introduced in Marvel Comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1965. Since that time, they have grown in prominence and become some of the most popular and iconic characters in the Marvel Universe. Marvel's Inhumans will explore the never-before-told epic adventure of Black Bolt and the royal family. Starring Serinda Swan, Iwan Rheon, Anson Mount, Isabelle Cornish, Sonya Balmores.

Ghosted | Premieres Oct 1 on Fox

A former LAPD missing persons detective and fired Stanford astrophysics professor are recruited by a secret government agency called the Bureau Underground to examine unexplained paranormal activity in L.A. Starring Craig Robinson, Adam Scott, Ally Walker.

The Gifted | Premieres Oct 2 on Fox

Set in the X-Men universe, the drama unfolds in the mutant-phobic future and follows a family (led by True Blood’s Stephen Moyer and Amy Acker) who is on the run after discovering that both of their teenage kids have mutant powers.

Kevin (Probably) Saves The World | Premieres Oct 3 on ABC

Kevin Finn (Jason Ritter, Parenthood), a cluelessly self-serving person, is on a dangerous path to despair. In a downward spiral, Kevin returns home to stay with his widowed twin sister (JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Once Upon a Time) and niece. On his first night there, an unlikely celestial being named Yvette (Kimberly Hébert Gregory, HBO's Vice Principals) appears to him and presents him with a mission – to save the world. Formerly titled The Gospel of Kevin.

Ghost Wars | Premieres Oct 5 on SyFy

Set in a remote Alaskan town that has been overrun by paranormal forces, the series focuses on local outcast Roman Mercer who must overcome the town’s prejudices and his own personal demons if he’s to harness his repressed psychic powers and save everyone from the mass haunting that’s threatening to destroy them all. Starring Vincent D’Onofrio, Kim Coates, Avan Jogia, Kristin Lehman, and Meatloaf.

Superstition | Premieres Oct 6 on SyFy

Superstition follows the Hastings, a family who's owned the only funeral home and graveyard in the town of La Rochelle for as long as anyone can recall. In addition to providing services for all faiths, the family specialty is handling “afterlife care” for the unexplained deaths of folks at the hands of demonic entities, and other unworldly phenomena that have long haunted the town. The Hastings uses arcane weaponry, incredible strength, mystical alchemy skills, and a deep knowledge of the occult and ancient lore from around the world to quell the evil within the shadows of the town. Starring Mario Van Peebles , W. Earl Brown , Demetria McKinney , Diamond Dallas Page , Robinne Lee , Brad James , Morgana Van Peebles , T.C. Carter , Tatiana Lia Zappardino.

Future Man | Premieres Nov 14 on Hulu

A janitor by day/world-ranked gamer by night is tasked with preventing the extinction of humanity after mysterious visitors from the future proclaim him the key to defeating the imminent super-race invasion. Starring Josh Hutcherson, Eliza Coupe, Glenne Headly 😢, Ed Begley Jr. and executive produced by Seth Rogen.

Marvel’s Runaways | Premieres Nov 21 on Hulu

Every teenager thinks their parents are evil. What if you found out they actually were? Marvel’s Runaways is the story of six diverse teenagers who can barely stand each other but who must unite against a common foe – their parents.

the return dates for your favorite genre shows...

September

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Season 5) — Sep. 20 on ABC

Gotham (Season 4) — Sep. 21 on Fox

The Exorcist (Season 2) — Sep 29 on Fox

Z Nation (Season 4) — Sep 29 on SyFy

October

Lucifer (Season 3) — Oct 2 on Fox

Van Helsing (Season 2) — Oct 5 on SyFy

Once Upon a Time (Season 7) — Oct 6 on ABC

Supergirl (Season 3) — Oct 9 on The CW

The Flash (Season 4) — Oct 10 on The CW

DC's Legends of Tomorrow (Season 3) — Oct 10 on The CW

The Shannara Chronicles (Season 2) — Oct 11 on Spike

Mr. Robot (Season 3) — Oct 11 on USA

Supernatural (Season 13) — Oct 12 on The CW

Arrow (Season 6) — Oct 12 on The CW

Freakish (Season 2) — Oct 21 on Hulu

The Walking Dead (Season 8) — Oct 22 on AMC

Stranger Things (Season 2) — Oct 27 on Netflix

November

Glitch (Season 2) — Nov 28 on Netflix

Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams (new anthology drama series) — Nov TBA on Amazon Prime

*And now, a small rant coming in 3... 2... 1... WTF CBS? Why does every media company and their mom feel the need to start a subscription streaming service of their own? As I have yet to claw my way into the 1%, I'm not able or willing to shell out $6 a month for CBS content WITH COMMERCIALS STILL INCLUDED, and I'm sure as hell not going to pay $10 a month just to get it commercial free. Not even for my beloved Sasha. And I really wanted to support her new show.

But there are too many other things you can get for $10: a Netflix subscription, a movie theater ticket (well, almost), 2 venti frappuccinos, 3 In-N-Out cheeseburgers, or anywhere from 1-10 ebooks. CBS is not movie-filled Netflix, nor is it HBO. And with my cable subscription I also get AMC, FX, and USA — all of which have better shows! So, dear media company executives: please put your pipes down, or at least kindly stop filling them with hallucinogenic substances. These aren't books we're talking about here, nobody needs nor wants all of these limited streaming services! /rant

So, how do you feel about subscription streaming services? 😂

More importantly, what shows are you looking forward to this fall, SFF genre or not?

#fall tv shows

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willedeservesbetter · 4 months ago

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Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Young Royals (TV 2021) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con Relationships: Simon Eriksson/Wilhelm Additional Tags: Dark fic, Vampires, Inspired by Interview With the Vampire, but it does not take place in the same universe, My vampires are not vegetarians, Simon had a very hard life, this is a dark and twisted love story, please be aware of the archive warning tags, they all apply, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Wilhelm is King of the vampires Series: Part 2 of They Own the Night (The Young Royals Vampire Chronicles )

Summary:

„I had to do some business in the city. I am considering doing a hunting season soon. I needed to make some arrangements for that.” Wilhelm grins as if he said something really funny.

For some strange reason though, Simon's hair on his arms stands up and he can feel his heart beating faster. Why should he be afraid of Wilhelm hunting some deer?

“I hope you will have a great bounty then”

“Oh, I already found the perfect prey. Thank you for asking.”

-or-

All Simons wants for the night is a warm meal, a bed, and maybe some shared intimacy. When he finds his perfect victim, he does not realize that instead of being the hunter, he catches the attention of an old and powerful vampire and is the prey instead.

Wilhelm lures Simon into a fateful trap, that will change his existence forever and introduce him to a dark world beyond his imagination.

#they rule the night #They Own the Night (The Young Royals Vampire Chronicles )#Part 2 #aka: Simons POV #young royals fic #dark fic #please read all the tags #they apply #it is a love story to the core but it has many dark themes #vampires #this features the night before Simons fateful meeting with Wilhelm and extend way way WAY more once Simon gets turned in a vampire

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willedeservesbetter · 4 months ago

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Chapters: 2/? Fandom: Young Royals (TV 2021) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con Relationships: Simon Eriksson/Wilhelm Additional Tags: Dark fic, Vampires, Inspired by Interview With the Vampire, but it does not take place in the same universe, My vampires are not vegetarians, Simon had a very hard life, this is a dark and twisted love story, please be aware of the archive warning tags, they all apply, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Wilhelm is King of the vampires, Simon is getting turned in a vampire, the transition is not consensual, please read at your own risk Series: Part 2 of They Own the Night (The Young Royals Vampire Chronicles ) Summary:

„I had to do some business in the city. I am considering doing a hunting season soon. I needed to make some arrangements for that.” Wilhelm grins as if he said something really funny.

For some strange reason though, Simon's hair on his arms stands up and he can feel his heart beating faster. Why should he be afraid of Wilhelm hunting some deer?

“I hope you will have a great bounty then”

“Oh, I already found the perfect prey. Thank you for asking.”

-or-

Wilhelm lures Simon into a fateful trap, that will change his existence forever and introduce him to a dark world beyond his imagination.

#they rule the night #they own the night (the young royal vampire chronicles)#young royals fic #dark fic #please read the tags #vampire!simon is coming thought #*though

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willedeservesbetter · 4 months ago

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Some unexpected developments when you are writing a dark fic

Wilhelm is very chatty. He is telling me a lot and I am questioning my sanity.

You fully prepare to write a dark fic and suddenly you are in the middle of adding yet another fucked up element that is very important to the story and you had zero intentions of using.

Vampires are funny, they are so funny. Wilhelm and Simon are having the most fucked up conversation and I am just giggling along.

It is fun. Having zero restraints from laws, morality, common sense or humanity is FUN. I will happily host tea parties in hell for all of us who follow me along on this journey.

#I hope/guess the second installment will drop tomorrow/the day after #it was supposed to be a 3-parter #i am certain it will have a minimum of 10 chapters if not more #have i mentioned Wille is chatty?#it is very inspirational #They Own the Night (The Young Royals Vampire Chronicles )

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inloveandwords · 5 years ago

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I upped my reading list this year by 50 books.

I have no idea what I was thinking, honestly.

Actually, I do. I got a little overzealous after upping my goal last year by 50 books and reading 10 more books than I’d challenged myself to.

200 books. That’s how many I thought I could read this year. And, surprisingly, I’m actually pretty much on schedule to reach that goal.

Below are the books I’m likely going to reach for to finish up my goal. Many of them are the shortest books that are currently on my bookshelf, the shortest audiobooks that are in my Audible Library already, and a few highly anticipated books I picked up recently on Kindle.

Bloom by Kevin Panetta, Savanna Ganicheau

Now that high school is over, Ari is dying to move to the big city with his ultra-hip band―if he can just persuade his dad to let him quit his job at their struggling family bakery. Though he loved working there as a kid, Ari cannot fathom a life wasting away over rising dough and hot ovens. But while interviewing candidates for his replacement, Ari meets Hector, an easygoing guy who loves baking as much as Ari wants to escape it. As they become closer over batches of bread, love is ready to bloom . . . that is, if Ari doesn’t ruin everything.

Writer Kevin Panetta and artist Savanna Ganucheau concoct a delicious recipe of intricately illustrated baking scenes and blushing young love, in which the choices we make can have terrible consequences, but the people who love us can help us grow.

✦Goodreads✦

♥

Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough

A debut novel based on the true story of the iconic painter, Artemisia Gentileschi.

Her mother died when she was twelve, and suddenly Artemisia Gentileschi had a stark choice: a life as a nun in a convent or a life grinding pigment for her father’s paint.

She chose paint.

By the time she was seventeen, Artemisia did more than grind pigment. She was one of Rome’s most talented painters, even if no one knew her name. But Rome in 1610 was a city where men took what they wanted from women, and in the aftermath of rape Artemisia faced another terrible choice: a life of silence or a life of truth, no matter the cost.

He will not consume my every thought. I am a painter. I will paint.

I will show you what a woman can do.

✦Goodreads✦

♥

Owned by M. Never

***Content Warning*** Owned is a dark erotic romance. Please pay close attention to the use of the words dark, erotic, and romance. It has intense sexual situations, a Master/slave relationship, mild abuse, and some violence. Reader discretion is advised.

“I like you collared, baby. I like you naked, I like you mine.”

Ellie Stevens has lusted over Kayne Roberts since he first walked into the import/export company she works for a little over a year ago. As Expo’s most important client, Ellie has always kept a safe distance from the man with the majestic blue eyes — until temptation finally gets the better of her. Impulsively, Ellie invites Kayne to one of Expo’s infamous company parties her flamboyant boss is notorious for throwing. Unbeknownst to Ellie, the god in the Armani suit isn’t just the suave entrepreneur he portrays himself to be. Underneath the professional exterior is a man with a secret life, dark desires, and nefarious contacts.

In a hidden corner of a trendy New York City lounge, the spark kindling between the two of them ignites. Unable to resist the sinful attraction, Ellie agrees to leave with Kayne, believing she is finally bedding the man of her dreams. Little does she know when she walks out the door, she’s about to be Owned.

✦Goodreads✦

♥

Cirque de Minuet (Cirque Masters #1) by Annabel Joseph

It’s no easy feat transitioning from the disciplined arena of competitive gymnastics to the artistic whirl of the Cirque du Monde. Kelsey Martin finds secret inspiration in Theo Zamora, a dark, taciturn trapezist–until his partner dies in a tragic accident and he decides to leave the circus for good.

Theo doesn’t understand why Kelsey reaches out to him, only that she compels him with her unique combination of innocence and recklessness. Before long the two are collaborating on an aerial silks act for a new production, the Cirque de Minuit. Theo’s impatience with Kelsey’s naivete is matched only by his passion for her, and the two soon become embroiled in a tempestuous, consuming romance.

But some still blame Theo for his partner’s accident, and danger wraps up the two performers as inevitably as the scarlet silk of their act. Theo and Kelsey must find a way to connect and trust one another as he leads her deeper and deeper into a dangerous world of control and desire.

✦Goodreads✦

Rise of the Sea Witch (Unfortunate Soul Chronicles #1) by Stacey Rourke

Details of the sea witch’s banishment have been exaggerated. The body count that preempted it was not. Once an illustrious princess, her hands and tentacles were stained with the blood of thousands. No one could comprehend how the hooks of madness dragged her down from her life of privilege. Born Princess Vanessa of Atlantica, the ambitious young royal was one of two children born to the great King Poseidon. She and her brother, Triton, were groomed from birth to rule. Yet only one would ascend that coveted throne. While carefree Triton flits through his training with a cavalier demeanor and beguiling charm, Vanessa’s hunger for her father’s acceptance drives her to push herself to the limits of magic, and combat to become a leader worthy of her people. When war against the humans ravages their once regal kingdom, political sides are chosen. Factions from the seven seas challenge the existing leadership, pitting Vanessa against her brother in a vicious battle for the crown. Traitors are exposed, dark family secrets revealed, and a once strong sibling bond is strained to its breaking point. Only when the ink black waters from the ultimate betrayal rescind, will the truth be known of how the villainous sea witch rose with one name on her vengeful lips–Triton.

✦Goodreads✦

♥

Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone

A double life with a single purpose: revenge.

Jane’s days at a Midwest insurance company are perfectly ordinary. She blends in well, unremarkably pretty in her floral-print dresses and extra efficient at her low-level job. She’s just the kind of woman middle manager Steven Hepsworth likes—meek, insecure, and willing to defer to a man. No one has any idea who Jane really is. Least of all Steven.

But plain Jane is hiding something. And Steven’s bringing out the worst in her.

Nothing can distract Jane from going straight for his heart: allowing herself to be seduced into Steven’s bed, to insinuate herself into his career and his family, and to expose all his dirty secrets. It’s time for Jane to dig out everything that matters to Steven. So she can take it all away.

Just as he did to her.

✦Goodreads✦

♥

The Virgin Gift (The Gift #2) by Lauren Blakely

I might be a virgin, but I know what I want in bed. It’s just that I haven’t found him yet.

So I’m stunned when charming, laid-back Adam volunteers to work through my wish list. That’s when I discover the voracious, commanding man in him, my next door neighbor. And I’m enthralled — in and out of the bedroom.

Every night we explore my fantasies, and every morning I try harder not to want more from him. Because there’s no item on my list about falling for the guy. Besides, we agreed to the last item already — when we’re done we walk away.

But every fantasy unlocks another. Each hotter than the last. Until I discover there’s one last thing on my to-do list to check off. One so daring I can’t figure out how to ask him or what it might do to my heart…   The Virgin Gift is a red hot and sexy exploration love story exploring all sorts of fantasies.

✦Goodreads✦

♥

Love and Other Wild Things (Mystic Bayou #2) by Molly Harper

Available in audio first, this hot, hilarious stand-alone will keep you wildly entertained!

Welcome to Mystic Bayou, a tiny town hidden in the swamp where shape-shifters, vampires, witches, and dragons live alongside humans. The town formed around the mysterious energy rift in the bayou, which helps keep the town’s magic in balance. But lately the rift has been widening and destabilizing – threatening to send the town’s magical population into chaos.

Energy witch Danica Teel has been sent by the League to figure out what’s going on, with the help of bear-shifter Mayor Zed. While working on the case, Zed falls head over paws for Dani, but she’s reluctant to engage in anything beyond a roll in his cave. Dani’s family is counting on her to get the job done, and she has no time for distractions. But when an ominous presence begins stalking Dani through the bayou, they’ll need to band together to make it out alive.

✦Goodreads✦

Sadie by Courtney Summers

A missing girl on a journey of revenge. A Serial―like podcast following the clues she’s left behind. And an ending you won’t be able to stop talking about.

Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late.

Courtney Summers has written the breakout book of her career. Sadie is propulsive and harrowing and will keep you riveted until the last page.

✦Goodreads✦

♥

Man Hands (Man Hands #1) by Tanya Eby and Sarina Bowen

He puts the “screw” in screwball comedy…

BRYNN

At thirty-four, I’m reeling from a divorce. I don’t want to party or try to move on. I just want to stay home and post a new recipe on my blog: Brynn’s Dips and Balls.

But my friends aren’t having it. Get out there again, they say. It will be fun, they say. I’m still taking a hard pass.

Free designer cocktails, they say. And that’s a game-changer.

Too bad my ex shows up with his new arm candy. That’s when I lose my mind. But when my besties dare me to leap on the first single man I see, they don’t expect me to actually go through with it.

TOM

All I need right now is some peace and quiet while my home renovation TV show is on hiatus. But when a curvy woman in a red wrap dress charges me like she’s a gymnast about to mount my high bar, all I can do is brace myself and catch her. What follows is the hottest experience of my adult life.

I want a repeat, but my flying Cinderella disappears immediately afterward. She doesn’t leave a glass slipper, either—just a pair of panties with chocolate bunnies printed on them.

But I will find her.

✦Goodreads✦

♥

Merry Inkmas by Talia Hibbert

Enjoy another Dirty British Romance by Talia Hibbert, author of Bad for the Boss. Christmas just got sexy…

“There’s a beast inside of me. I keep it caged. You drive it wild.”

Cash Evans has come a long way since his troubled childhood, but all the wealth he’s earned as a tattoo artist can’t fix the hole in his heart. He knows that the sweet barista who haunts his dreams is off-limits… But life doesn’t always go to plan.

”There isn’t a man on earth who could ruin me.”

Bailey Cooper is determined to learn from her mother’s mistakes. She’s seen how cruel love can be, and she’s not about to sacrifice her self-respect for a relationship. But when a bad boy with a heart of gold comes to her rescue, she finds herself wondering if this beast might just be her Prince Charming.

Will these two lost souls find a happy ending under the tree this Christmas?

Or is their love doomed to wither with the mistletoe?

Merry Inkmas is a steamy Christmas romance starring a brooding, bad boy hero and a Black, BBW heroine. Be warned: this love is hot enough to melt any winter frost!

✦Goodreads✦

♥

Get a Life Chloe Brown (The Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert

Talia Hibbert, one of contemporary romance’s brightest new stars, delivers a witty, hilarious romantic comedy about a woman who’s tired of being “boring” and recruits her mysterious, sexy neighbor to help her experience new things—perfect for fans of Sally Thorne, Jasmine Guillory, and Helen Hoang.

Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek with a goal, a plan, and a list. After almost—but not quite—dying, she’s come up with seven directives to help her “Get a Life”, and she’s already completed the first: finally moving out of her glamourous family’s mansion. The next items?

Enjoy a drunken night out. Ride a motorcycle. Go camping. Have meaningless but thoroughly enjoyable sex. Travel the world with nothing but hand luggage. And… do something bad. But it’s not easy being bad, even when you’ve written step-by-step guidelines on how to do it correctly. What Chloe needs is a teacher, and she knows just the man for the job.

Redford ‘Red’ Morgan is a handyman with tattoos, a motorcycle, and more sex appeal than ten-thousand Hollywood heartthrobs. He’s also an artist who paints at night and hides his work in the light of day, which Chloe knows because she spies on him occasionally. Just the teeniest, tiniest bit.

But when she enlists Red in her mission to rebel, she learns things about him that no spy session could teach her. Like why he clearly resents Chloe’s wealthy background. And why he never shows his art to anyone. And what really lies beneath his rough exterior…

✦Goodreads✦

The Bromance Book Club (Bromance Book Club #1) by Lyssa Kay Adams

The first rule of book club: You don’t talk about book club.

Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott’s marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him.

Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.

Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville’s top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it’ll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.

✦Goodreads✦

♥

Christmas in the City by L.J. Shen, Helena Hunting, Corinne Michaels, Melanie Harlow, Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward, Sierra Simone, Kennedy Ryan, Penny Reid, L.H. Cosway, Sarina Bowen, Elle Kennedy

Twelve bestselling authors have come together to brighten your holiday with six ALL NEW co-written novels. Travel through six cities and fall in love with these enchanting love stories.

L.J. Shen & Helena Hunting Just The Tip It’s not every day you meet a stranger who knows how to jingle your bells…

Corinne Michaels & Melanie Harlow Baby it’s Cold Outside My Christmas list did not include a broken heart, freezing temperatures, or my tree stuck in the door to my apartment building, but that’s what I got. Just when I thought Santa had failed me, I got something I never thought to ask for …

Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward Kissmas in New York It was just supposed to be a simple kiss with a stranger. I’d done it to prove a point–that I hadn’t lost my sense of adventure. But you know what they say about the best laid plans. Maybe I’d get something in my stocking after all this holiday season…

Sierra Simone & Kennedy Ryan The Christmas Crown Noelani, queen of Manaroa, has one mission on her diplomatic visit to the States: forge strategic alliances for her homeland. When she meets brooding security specialist Brock Grimsby, their unexpected alliance heats up the holiday. One night. No promises, but come Christmas, will either be able to walk away?

Penny Reid & LH Cosway Songbird Two lonely souls find companionship in Dublin for one magical night. Broderick Adams doesn’t mind his solitude, until she walks in. Ophelia Kelly sings to heal her heart, but has no idea he’s listening.

Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy EPIC Jamie and Wes are having a blast living and working in Toronto. Until a scout for another team swoops in to make one of them an offer that might complicate the life they’ve built together.

CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY is a holiday gift as a thank you! It is available for a LIMITED TIME!

✦Goodreads✦

♥

Fix Her Up (Hot & Hammered #1) by Tessa Bailey

A brand new romantic comedy from New York Times bestseller Tessa Bailey!

Georgette Castle’s family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven’t taken her seriously since. Frankly, she’s over it. Georgie loves planning children’s birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She’s determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World… whatever that means.

Phase one: new framework for her business (a website from this decade, perhaps?)

Phase two: a gut-reno on her wardrobe (fyi, leggings are pants.)

Phase three: updates to her exterior (do people still wax?)

Phase four: put herself on the market (and stop crushing on Travis Ford!)

Living her best life means facing the truth: Georgie hasn’t been on a date since, well, ever. Nobody’s asking the town clown out for a night of hot sex, that’s for sure. Maybe if people think she’s having a steamy love affair, they’ll acknowledge she’s not just the “little sister” who paints faces for a living. And who better to help demolish that image than the resident sports star and tabloid favorite?

Travis Ford was major league baseball’s hottest rookie when an injury ended his career. Now he’s flipping houses to keep busy and trying to forget his glory days. But he can’t even cross the street without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his… bat. And then there’s Georgie, his best friend’s sister, who is not a kid anymore. When she proposes a wild scheme—that they pretend to date, to shock her family and help him land a new job—he agrees. What’s the harm? It’s not like it’s real. But the girl Travis used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman and there’s nothing fake about how much he wants her…

✦Goodreads✦

♥

The AI Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole

Listening Length: 5 hours and 18 minutes

A captivating romantic comedy with a thrilling sci-fi twist by award-winning author Alyssa Cole!

Trinity Jordan leads a quiet, normal life: working from home for the Hive, a multifunctional government research center, and recovering from the incident that sent her into a tailspin. But the life she’s trying to rebuild is plagued by mishaps when Li Wei, her neighbor’s super sexy and super strange nephew, moves in and turns things upside down. Li Wei’s behavior is downright odd—and the attraction building between them is even more so. When an emergency pulls his aunt away from the apartment complex, Trinity decides to keep an eye on him…and slowly discovers that nothing is what it seems. For one thing, Li Wei isn’t just the hot guy next door—he’s the hot A.I. next door. In fact, he’s so advanced that he blurs the line between man and machine. It’s up to Trinity to help him achieve his objective of learning to be human, but danger is mounting as they figure out whether he’s capable of the most illogical human behavior of all…falling in love.

✦Goodreads✦

End of the Year Reading List I upped my reading list this year by 50 books. I have no idea what I was thinking, honestly.

#TBR

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