Antonia Aquilante

Rainbow Snippets May 14-15

5/15/2022

It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ.

This month, I'm sharing a few snippets from The Artist's Masquerade, which was released two years ago this month by NineStar Press with gorgeous new cover art. I feel like picking favorites among my books is like picking favorite children and I can't do that, but I do adore The Artist's Masquerade and Cathal and Flavian's story. This is an opposites attract romance between the uptight and duty-bound duke's heir and a sharp-tongued artist who is in disguise and on the run. There are also spies and intrigue and magic and an exploration of family. When the book begins, Cathal's father has informed him that he has arranged a marriage for Cathal with a relative of the emperor of Ardunn. When she arrives, Flavian is with her disguised as her female companion and prepared to slip away as soon as possible. Things do not go to plan. I've skipped forward a bit for this snippet. Cathal now knows who Flavian is and isn't shy about showing his attraction. (And apparently, I lied last week when I said I would keep to sentence limits this week—I'm sorry!)

“Cathal.” He meant it as warning, protest, but he couldn’t make himself step away. Why was Cathal standing so close to him? A hand came to rest on Flavian’s back, warm and large, fingers drawing slow, caressing circles Flavian felt all the way down to his toes.

He needed to move. He needed to step away from Cathal right this minute and go back to the party where there would be other people and he would be safe from himself. Yet he still couldn’t make his feet move. He just stood, staring up at the lights, while Cathal’s hand moved slowly on his back.

Mesmerizing. The lights swirling and sparkling above them, the slow movement of Cathal’s fingers...the rest of the world faded away. Beautiful though they were, even the lights couldn’t hold his full attention, blurring together in front of his eyes as his focus narrowed to Cathal’s touch. Those strong fingers drawing random patterns up and down his back, the heat of them burning through the layers of fabric separating them from his skin. He tried to make sense of those patterns, tried to anticipate where Cathal would move, but he lost even the attempt in the sensations, the heat shivering through him.

“Flavian...” It was a whisper of sound, and Flavian barely heard it over his own heart beating in his ears.

You can find more about The Artist's Masquerade here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're all staying safe and well!

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My April Reading

5/11/2022

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April was a chilly month here that sometimes felt more like winter than spring, but it still seemed to go by really quickly. I did some more rereading, including listening to the audio of The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by KJ Charles. The book is delightful, and the audio is excellent. Here are some new to me reads I enjoyed:

Twisted Pretty Things by Ariana Nash: Twisted Pretty Things is the first book in the Shadows of London urban fantasy series. The world building is intriguing and the plot appropriately twisty with secrets, lies, betrayals. I wouldn't say there is a romance in this book, though it feels like maybe a love triangle is being set up...? I'm not a huge fan of love triangles, if that's where this is going, but I'm going to give the next book a try.

What We May Be by Layla Reyne: Ten years ago, Sean, Charlotte, and Trevor were in love and planning a future together, but it all fell apart when Sean left. Now with the FBI, he's back in town helping Charlotte find a killer. I enjoyed this second chance romance/mystery, and I'm excited to hear that my favorite secondary character will be getting his own story.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber: I grabbed Caraval in audio from the library because it seemed intriguing. It's YA fantasy romance and the first book in a trilogy. Scarlett has to navigate the world of Caraval, a game played over multiple nights with a fantastic prize at the end, in order to find her sister and try to keep them both safe from their abusive father—and decide if she can trust a budding romance with someone she meets along the way. The world is dreamy and dark and filled with lies and secrets, twists and turns.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: Another YA audiobook I borrowed from the library last month. I heard comparisons to Knives Out about this book, and I can absolutely see it. In this first book of a trilogy, a teenage girl inherits the estate of a billionaire she's never met. To fulfill the terms of the will, she has to move into his house (filled with secret passages and riddles), where his mostly disinherited family still lives. They see her as a con woman, or a last puzzle left by their deceased grandfather, in the case of the four grandsons, and she decides to play his games to figure out why she's there and stay alive. Despite the absolute presence of a love triangle, I have the second book on hold at the library.

Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy's Guide to the Constitution by Elie Mystal: I've been meaning to read more nonfiction, and I started with this book, which was fantastic. Constitutional Law always interested me in law school (though you absolutely do not have to be a lawyer/former lawyer to read and understand this book), and with the current state of politics/jurisprudence/everything, this is a very timely book. It's an unflinching and honest look at the history and interpretation of the constitution, but it's also witty and engaging.

What have you read and loved lately?

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Rainbow Snippets May 7-8

5/8/2022

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It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ.

This month, I'm sharing a few snippets from The Artist's Masquerade, which was released two years ago this month by NineStar Press with gorgeous new cover art. I feel like picking favorites among my books is like picking favorite children and I can't do that, but I do adore The Artist's Masquerade and Cathal and Flavian's story. This is an opposites attract romance between the uptight and duty-bound duke's heir and a sharp-tongued artist who is in disguise and on the run. There are also spies and intrigue and magic and an exploration of family. When the book begins, Cathal's father has informed him that he has arranged a marriage for Cathal with a relative of the emperor of Ardunn. When she arrives, Flavian is with her disguised as her female companion and prepared to slip away as soon as possible. Things do not go to plan. I have another snippet that is far too long, but I thought all of it was necessary for context—I promise I'll do better next time.

Flavian was beginning to feel as if the entire situation was getting out of hand. He hadn’t planned on spending even one night in Tournai dressed as Lady Flavia, and here he was, weeks later, still pretending to be her. And every day, he wondered if this would be the day someone discovered who he really was.

He tried to go unnoticed, to stay out of sight, but doing so wasn’t always possible. Velia insisted he accompany her as a real companion would, so he had to attend court social events. And it became increasingly difficult to fade into the background while at them. Prince Amory, who seemed too kind to be quite real, often tried to include him in conversations, even turning the subject to art since he knew Flavian enjoyed it. Not to mention Prince Amory had taken to showing him some of the palace’s art collection.
And then there was Cathal.

Cathal, who had spent time with him when Prince Amory was delayed and showed every evidence of enjoying the time. Cathal, who tried to dance with him. Cathal, who watched him when he didn’t think Flavian was looking. Cathal, who hardly smiled but was proper and courtly and charming when he wanted to be. Cathal, who was tall and strong and so very handsome.

Cathal, who didn’t know Flavian was a man.

You can learn more about The Artist's Masquerade here. Thanks for reading today and I hope you're all staying safe and well.

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Rainbow Snippets April 30-May1

5/1/2022

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It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ.

Somehow, it's May and both the weekend and last month got away from me...so I'm very late posting this week's Rainbow Snippet, but at least I'm posting one! This month, I'm sharing a few snippets from The Artist's Masquerade, which was released two years ago this month by NineStar Press with gorgeous new cover art. I feel like picking favorites among my books is like picking favorite children and I can't do that, but I do adore The Artist's Masquerade and Cathal and Flavian's story. This is an opposites attract romance between the uptight and duty-bound duke's heir and a sharp-tongued artist who is in disguise and on the run. There are also spies and intrigue and magic and an exploration of family. When the book begins, Cathal's father has informed him that he has arranged a marriage for Cathal with a relative of the emperor of Ardunn. When she arrives, Flavian is with her disguised as her female companion and prepared to slip away as soon as possible. Things do no go to plan. Here is Cathal and Flavian's first meeting. (This is much longer than it should be...I'm sorry!)

The duke introduced him, but Flavian hardly heard any of it. He was too busy looking at Cathal. He was tall. Very tall. Without these stupid heeled shoes, Flavian probably would barely stand as high as his shoulder. Deliciously broad shoulders. In fact, Cathal’s whole body seemed well muscled, thick but not bulky. Flavian could only imagine the lines of those muscles hiding under his fine clothing. The thought made him yearn for a sketchbook or, better, a canvas and paints. He could see the lines of those muscles taking shape on the page...but he would never paint them. He couldn’t even let himself think of painting them.

The rest of Lord Cathal was just as nice. His hair was dark and thick and wavy, well ordered at the moment, but Flavian wondered if that was always true. It had the look of hair with a mind of its own. Cathal’s features were chiseled and quite handsome but set in serious lines. There was an easily identified resemblance to his father, but despite its seriousness, Cathal’s expression seemed to have less rigidity than his father’s. And his eyes...

Flavian nearly jumped to find himself the focus of Lord Cathal’s unusual gold eyes. Flavian had been so engrossed in studying the man that he must have missed the formal introductions making it around to him.

“Lady Flavia.” Cathal’s voice was deep and smooth, and Flavian shivered just hearing it. But the shiver was nothing compared to the heat flaring inside him when Cathal took his hand to bow over it. The heat rushed through his body and left him biting back a gasp. No. Not good. He could not be attracted to Cathal of all men.

You can find more about The Artist's Masquerade here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're all staying safe and well!

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Rainbow Snippets April 16-17

4/16/2022

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He had no idea where he was going once he started walking. While he’d spent some time staring out of his window at the garden in the early morning light, he hadn’t tried to understand how it was laid out or to plot out routes through the maze of paths. So instead of attempting to find his way anywhere in particular, he set off wandering. The neatly maintained paths led him deeper into lush gardens in the first bloom of spring. A riot of colorful, fragrant flowers filled flowerbeds. Neatly trimmed hedges lined paths and separated gardens. Fanciful statues peeked from behind trees and stood in the center of burbling fountains. None of it was gaudy or ostentatious--all of it elegant and beautiful. And serene in the hush of early morning.

You can find more about The Envoy's Honor here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're staying safe and well!

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My March Reading

4/4/2022

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Was it only me or did March seem to go by quite quickly this year? I'm not sure what happened to March (or what I accomplished, but that's something else entirely...), but it's now April and I get to tell you all about the reading I did last month. I did a couple of KJ Charles audiobook rereads in March and also read some knew to me books I enjoyed:

Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia: In this mystery, Black girls are being kidnapped and murdered in 1920s Harlem. Louise, who survived a kidnapping attempt several years earlier, is pushed into helping to solve the crimes. The mystery is good, and the details of time period and setting are excellent. Louise's established relationship with another woman in her boarding house is mostly in the background, but it's lovely. I'm sure I'll keep reading this series.

Fluke and the Frontier Farce by Sam Burns: I'm enjoying this series so much. And I'm so sad that there's only one book left after this one—and eagerly looking forward to it at the same time. This installment was one of my favorites in the series. The time travel element was fun, and I loved the characters that we meet in the past. Fox familiar Fluke continues to be delightful, of course. There's lots of magic, mystery, suspense, romance, and family in this series, and I'd recommend it (but start with book one).

All the Queen's Men by SJ Bennett: This is the second book in the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series, in which Queen Elizabeth II is an amateur sleuth solving mysteries with the help of her assistant private secretary, Rozie. In this installment, there is a murder in the Buckingham Palace pool plus a lot of mysteriousness surrounding a painting. I found it utterly entertaining and delightful fun.

A Walk in the Park by Rebekah Weatherspoon: This novella is an Audible Original, though I believe it will be released in ebook at some point. It's the adorable (and just a bit steamy) story of two people who are mistakenly promised the same dog (Zeus, also adorable) at the shelter and decide to coparent him rather than one of them having to give him up...and, of course, they fall in love along the way.

The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo: The Chosen and the Beautiful is a retelling of The Great Gatsby and it's loyal to the original, only with the addition of mysterious, intriguing magic and a change of narrator to Jordan Baker, a queer, Asian American immigrant adopted and raised in high society by a rich white family. There's still a contemplation of wealth and status and the American dream, but through Jordan's eyes and with exploration of her identity as a Vietnamese American woman in that world. The reimagining is fascinating, and the writing is lush and beautiful.

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater: I have no idea who recommended this series to me, but I'm so glad I finally started it! This is a fairy tale-like take on the Regency period with a young woman missing half her soul due to a pact with a fairy her mother entered into before her death and an extremely grumpy sorcerer who tries to help. The characters are engaging, and there's a lot of depth to discussion of issues relating to treatment of the poor. I listened to it and enjoyed the audio. I'll definitely continue the series.

What have you read and loved lately?

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Rainbow Snippets April 2-3

4/3/2022

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He should go home, and he’d known it even before he saw Kirill sitting on a bench surrounded by blue irises--before the sight of him there in the sunshine, surrounded by flowers, took his breath. Kirill was alone, but he hadn’t been for long--Romilly was walking away from him, back toward the guest wing of the palace. Neither of them had noticed Griffen, and he had a moment to decide whether he should turn and walk away before Kirill did. Well, if he wanted to be sensible, he absolutely should walk away, and he should be sensible.

He wasn’t going to be sensible.

You can find more about The Envoy's Honor here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're staying safe and well!

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Rainbow Snippets March 26-27

3/27/2022

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“Maybe we should have taken the carriage,” he said.

Amory glanced at him, his expression quizzical. “I thought you wanted to take advantage of the sunshine. Aren’t you enjoying yourself?” “I am, but I realized we could be enjoying ourselves quite a bit more alone in the carriage.”

Amory stared at him and then laughed, even as a faint blush tinted his cheeks a rosier shade of pink. “You’re terrible.”

“You love it."

You can find more about The Prince's Consort here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're all staying safe and well.

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Rainbow Snippets March 19-20

3/19/2022

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“Everyone wants you to marry because you need someone to give you heirs. No one would be happy if you married me.”

“I would.” Philip stepped closer. “Because what I need is the man I love beside me, loving me, supporting me, as I do him, for the rest of our lives.”

“You...” The shock hit him so hard the word came out breathless. “You love me?”

Philip cupped his cheek. “Yes, I love you. Do you love me?”

You can find more about The Prince's Consort here. Thanks for reading today and I hope you're staying safe and well.

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Rainbow Snippets March 12-13

3/13/2022

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He was falling in love with Philip.

The realization hit him so unexpectedly and with such force, he had to stifle a gasp. He couldn’t love Philip. They hadn’t known each other long enough for love, surely. And falling in love with a prince was a bad idea anyway.

However, he had little time to worry about it. Philip tugged him into their bedchamber, and before Amory could blink, he had Amory’s back against the closed door. Philip pressed against him and kissed him. The kiss was deep and passionate, but also sweet and almost reverent. Philip’s hands on his face felt cherishing, and the last of Amory’s nerves were swept away.

Philip pulled back a little. “Amory.”

“Yes,” he gasped in response to the rough whisper.

You can find more about The Prince's Consort here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're staying safe and well!

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Rainbow Snippets May 14-15

My April Reading

Rainbow Snippets May 7-8

Rainbow Snippets April 30-May1

Rainbow Snippets April 16-17

My March Reading

Rainbow Snippets April 2-3

Rainbow Snippets March 26-27

Rainbow Snippets March 19-20

Rainbow Snippets March 12-13

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