Tag: reading

  • Review: That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E.K. Johnston

    Let’s start with the title: I would love to find out the author’s original title for this work, but what is was published under makes no sense and smacks of interference on the part of a publisher’s marketing department (though the cover is absolutely gorgeous). Which is a shame, because this novel was a delight…

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  • Review: “Marine Biology” (San Andreas Shifters short story) by G.L. Carriger

    Cute story that was short and sweet. I’m not a huge fan of the “insta-love” trope in romances, but you can hand-wave it away here as a werewolf mating thing. Getting some background into the characters that I adore in The Sumage Solution was nice, however. The plot aspect of this story felt a bit…

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  • Review: The Sumage Solution (San Andreas Shifters #1) by G.L. Carriger

    Part of me is kicking myself for letting this book sit unread on my Kindle for so long. The rest of me thinks there must have been a method to my madness, because now I only have an agonizing 2 weeks to wait until the sequel is released. Luckily, I have a prequel short story…

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  • Review: Think of England by K.J. Charles

    If you’ve ever watched Downton Abbey and thought, “This show could use more espionage, blackmail, and murder,” this is the book for you! What I especially enjoyed about this book is that it is primarily a mystery/thriller with an excellent romance subplot. But more importantly, the romance subplot informs and adds to the tension of the…

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  • Review: “The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh” (Society of Gentlemen short story) by K.J. Charles

    This short story acts as a sort of prequel to the Society of Gentlemen series, filling in the background for one of the established parings in the full trilogy. It can be read as a stand-alone. My favorite part of this story is card game of “strip poker,” though Ash and Francis are playing a…

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  • Review: A Gentleman’s Position (Society of Gentlemen #3) by K.J. Charles

    Though I was correct in my guess that the final book in this trilogy would involve the relationship between Lord Richard Vane and his valet/spymaster David Cyprian, I wish this series had ended with more of a bang. 

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  • Review: A Seditious Affair (Society of Gentlemen #2) by K.J. Charles

    First of all, this can’t be read as a stand-alone. You absolutely have to have read the first book in this series, A Fashionable Indulgence, to understand a significant portion of the larger plot. That being said, this is not a detraction to the book. In fact, I spent a lot of time admiring the plot…

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  • Cover Reveal: Wolf Smoke (Langyan Series #1) by Poe Casavant

    Today, I’m pleased to share the cover for Wolf Smoke, the first in a new science-fiction series by Poe Casavant! I’ve received an advanced copy of this novel that I’m excited to read, so look for a review here on my blog soon. For now, enjoy this stunning cover with artwork by l0cke. ABOUT THE…

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  • November Wrap-Up & December Goals

    This month, it feels like I wrote all the words, read all the books, and went to all the conventions. Okay, it’s actually about 32k words, 15 novels, 8 short stories, 3 graphic novels, and 2 conventions. Still a hell of a month. Obviously, that 32k words means that I did NOT “win” NaNoWriMo. As…

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  • Con Report: ChessieCon 2018

    Going to a convention after a major holiday would be pretty crazy, but luckily this convention is local, chill, and a chance to visit with friends. So it’s easy to treat it as an extension of the holiday, and I had a lovely time at ChessieCon this year. FRIDAY Friday started with how all days…

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  • Review: A Fashionable Indulgence (Society of Gentlemen #1) by K.J. Charles

    Kind words must be said about any book that teaches me about both early nineteenth century men’s fashion AND political history. Obviously, the two are not mutually exclusive. 

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  • Review: Band Sinister by K.J. Charles

    I have become very spoiled by how so many of Charles’ books are series that revolve around a group of people, because I desperately want more books featuring these characters. It was a bit overwhelming, being dropped in the midst of so many names and personalities, but it quickly became what made this book so…

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  • Review: The Surrender Gate (Desire Exchange #1) by Christopher Rice

    After reading the novella set in the same universe, I immediately purchased the author’s full-length novel. And while I enjoyed it for what it was, a paranormal romance with plenty of erotic moments, I wasn’t as blown away as I was by my first experience with Rice’s writing. 

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  • ChessieCon 2018 Schedule

    This weekend, I will be recovering from Thanksgiving by hanging out at the Red Lion Hotel Baltimore North for ChessieCon 2018! My schedule is below. I’m not staying at the convention hotel for this one, so give me a shout if you want to meet up for coffee or a meal. As usual, the best…

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  • Review: An Unsuitable Heir (Sins of the Cities #3) by K.J. Charles

    This book was a fabulous conclusion to the over-arching mystery that took place over the course of this trilogy. However, it was almost a shame that this book had to take place at the end. I think it can be read as a stand-alone, because what makes this book so important isn’t the conclusion of the…

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  • Review: An Unnatural Vice (Sins of the Cities #2) by K.J. Charles

    My favorite thing about this series is the overlapping mystery, in which each of the romances develop as a part of that plot. Charles’ talent for writing truly shows as each book in this trilogy feels complete even without the over-arching story yet solved. 

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  • Review: An Unseen Attraction (Sins of the Cities #1) by K.J. Charles

    Thanks to real-life drama dragging me down, I’m back on a kick where I just want to read about happy endings. Therefore, K.J. Charles is the perfect author for me to binge-read right now. I’m so glad that a friend recommended that I check out the Sins of the Cities trilogy next, and I read…

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  • Review: Unfit to Print by K.J. Charles

    JLG: October was really stressful for me, in terms of politics and worldwide events. So, comfort reading became a bit of a priority. For the next two months or so, please enjoy this ride through my adventures with the excellent writing of author K.J. Charles. This novella was a delightful read, perfect for a quiet…

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  • Con Report: World Fantasy 2018

    When a professional convention in your field is literally in your back yard (or at least 2 blocks away from where you used to work for 12 years), there’s really no excuse not to go. And I’m so glad that I attended World Fantasy 2018 in Baltimore, MD! THURSDAY I worked from home on Thursday…

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  • Review: Meik & Sebastian (Obsessed #1 & #2) by Quin Perin

    Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: This is not a love story. Like the title says, this is one character lusting after another, both metaphorically and physically. Straight-up erotica and pretty much what it says on the tin. 

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