May turned into a busy month for me with edits for The Dragon's Devotion (which is off to the copy editor! yay!), revisions on another project, and an annoying cold that I probably got because I was running myself into the ground doing the other things. So I didn't read as much as I'd expected and wanted to, but I did find some books I really enjoyed in May.

Starting from Scratch by Jay Northcote: I haven't read all of the books in this series yet, but each stands alone, and I've been all right reading out of order. Starting from Scratch is an own voices trans romance with great characters that I just felt for so much. I loved the friendships in the book too. I guess I need to read the rest of the series to get their stories soon.

The Sun Still Rises by Laura Bailo: This is Laura's debut novella, and it was a lovely, sweet romance. What stood out from me most, though, was the description of Pamplona where the book is set. The city was a character itself, and the story read like a love letter the author's home. I felt as if I was there—but it also really made me want to see the city for itself.

Chef's Table by Lynn Charles: A sweet, slow burn contemporary romance between a chef and a cook set in New York City. And oh my gosh, the descriptions of food! I was perpetually hungry reading this. It made me want to cook and bake all the things. It's probably a thing I was sick while I read it, or I probably would have gone on a baking spree (or maybe not, that might have been fun).

Garden of Lies by Amanda Quick: I started reading Amanda Quick/Jayne Ann Krentz back in high school (or maybe middle school, I can't remember exactly). I'm a bit behind on her newer books, but I always enjoy picking up a new one.

Slow Heat by Leta Blake: I don't think I've ever read any alpha-omega romances so I wasn't sure about this one, but I kept hearing good things. Slow Heat had me hooked as soon as I started reading the sample. I stayed up way too late finishing it. I kind of adored Vale and Jason, and I'd absolutely read more in this world.

What have you read lately and loved? And what's on your summer reading list?

Happy May, everyone! And May the 4th be with you! April was a busy writing/revising month for me, but I still got some reading done. Here are a few books I enjoyed in April:

Ash by Malindo Lo: Ash is a lesbian YA retelling of Cinderella. It's a little dark, but really lovely. It's a beautiful love story and an engrossing world. If you enjoy fairy tale retellings, give this one a try.

Strays by Garrett Leigh: I loved Misfits, the first book in this series, so I was really looking forward to Strays, and I wasn't disappointed at all. It stands alone, but both books are so good, so you should just read them both. Nero is grumpy and Lenny is kind but sassy, and they are perfect for each other. There's also lots of food and cooking in these books, which I love.

Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas: Devil in Winter is my favorite Lisa Kleypas book and one of my favorite historical romances of all time, so I was so excited when I heard she was writing a book about Evie and Sebastien's son. And I loved Devil in Spring too. Gabriel and Pandora are wonderful, and I had so much fun seeing cameos from favorite characters.

Shelter the Sea by Heidi Cullinan: Shelter the Sea is the sequel to Carry the Ocean, and I would read that one before you dive into this. The books tell the story of Emmet, an autistic young man, and Jeremy, a young man with sever anxiety and depression, as they fall in love and build a life together. There are HEAs, of course, but I cried along the way.

Wake Up Call by JL Merrow: I can always rely on this author for a very British book, and this one is no exception. I enjoyed Wake Up Call, the first book in the Porthkennack series, so much. The setting description was fantastic, and Dev and Kyle just seemed so real—imperfect but still good guys. I also don't think I've ever read a book with a character who had narcolepsy.

A Gathering Storm by Joanna Chambers: I love Joanna Chambers's Enlightenment trilogy, and I was looking forward to another historical from her. This book was so good as well. I loved romance between Nick and Ward and the setting in Cornwall was just wonderful. It's also part of the Porthkennack series, and I'm looking forward to more books in this world.

Darkest Hour Before Dawn by Charlie Cochet: This is the latest in the THIRDS series, and a long awaited book about Hudson and Seb. I really enjoyed seeing these two get their second chance. Definitely start at the beginning of this series so you can understand what's going on. It's a lot of fun.

What have you been reading lately?

Does anyone else feel like the year is just rushing by? I can't believe it's April already! March was a busy month for me as I worked toward finishing up a draft, but I got some reading done too. Here are a few books that I enjoyed in March:

A Boy Called Cin by Cecil Wilde: A Boy Called Cin is a May-December billionaire Cinderella-type romance between a bi trans character and a bi genderqueer character. It was a sweet, slow romance, not particularly angsty and just beautiful. The time jumps toward the end were a bit abrupt but that is my only complaint.

The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian: This was a lovely, swoony romance, and I loved Georgie and Lawrence—the con man and the earl who thought he was mad. They were just wonderful together. 

Danced Close by Annabeth Albert: Danced Close is now one of my favorite books in this series. It can be read as a stand-alone so you can jump in here if you like. I loved Kendall, the wedding planner who is gender fluid, and Todd, a recovering addict working at a bakery and putting his life back together, and I loved them together, how they accepted each other. 

Echoes in Death by JD Robb: I've been reading this series since, I think, I was in high school, which is sort of mind-boggling if I think about it. This is the 44th book in the series, and some are more enjoyable than others, but I always know when I pick one up that I'm going to have a fun visit with some favorite characters.

Prince & Pirate by Elliot Cooper: Prince & Pirate is a thoroughly enjoyable low fantasy with romance, adventure, and pirates. I had lots of fun with this book.

What have you read and loved this past month? 

Considering how much I threw myself into February's JeRoWriMo writing challenge, I'm a little surprised at how much I actually read last month! I'm sharing some that I really enjoyed—a few of which made me feel completely inadequate as a writer because they were just so wonderful. In addition to these, I also listened to Power Play by Avon Gale. I'd read it before and loved it, so it was fun to get a new perspective with the audio. Here are some books I enjoyed (and bonus shelfie of the bookcases near my desk!):

The Portland Heat series by Annabeth Albert: I've had this series on my Kindle for ages and hadn't read it (except for the Christmas story, Wrapped Together, which I adored), and I have no idea why it took me so long. These are short, sweet, and steamy, and absolutely what I was looking for.

Thick & Thin by Charlie Cochet: This is a short novella in the THIRDs series. It was a lot of fun but felt almost like an extended epilogue to the previous book in the series so it definitely doesn't stand alone. You need to start at the beginning with this fun series.

The Spires of Turris by Christine Danse: The best way I can describe this book is Indiana Jones in space. It's long and a bit slow in spots, but overall fun and intriguing. The romance barely began in this book but it seems to be the beginning of a series. I'm looking forward to the next.

Hard Wired by Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell: I've been enjoying the Cyberlove series right along, and this third book is no exception. It can stand alone, but really, you want to read the first two books anyway.

Peter Darling by Austin Chant: I wasn't certain of this book when I first heard about it, but only because Peter Pan was never my favorite story. I read it anyway, and I'm so happy I did. It was a gorgeous, thought-provoking story filled with hope and joy, and also a fun fantasy and a lovely romance (enemies to lovers, Hook and Pan!). The ending was rather perfect. I devoured it on release and need to reread to savor it.

An Unseen Attraction by KJ Charles: I will read probably anything KJ Charles writes at this point and love it, so it was no surprise that I loved this book, the first in a new trilogy. I adored Clem and Rowley, who were far too good to be mixed up in such a mess. The romance is lovely and the mystery is twisty and intriguing. I can't wait for the next book!

Tournament of Losers by Megan Derr: This fantasy romance with a fairy tale feel to it was so much fun. I loved the tournament plot and Rath who just wanted a quiet life and his utterly charming romance with Tress.

Bitterwood by Rowan Speedwell: Another fantasy romance, as apparently I was in the mood for them last month. I was intrigued by the world in this book and the twists and turns kept me reading. There were also two romances in this book, one intense and the other sweet and rather adorable. I loved them both.

What have you read and loved lately? And what are you looking forward to?

I've thrown myself into February's JeRoWriMo writing challenge (10k down in the first week!), but I wanted to surface long enough to do my monthly book post. I actually read a lot in January, but then, winter is all about curling up with a book and a blanket and some hot chocolate, right? Here are some books I enjoyed:

Forevermore by Kristin Callihan: I enjoyed this book so much, but I am so sad that this is the last book in the Darkest London series. This historical fantasy/paranormal romance series is a favorite. Start from the beginning and read them all.

The Mechanical Universe series by E.E. Ottoman: I binged through this fantasy/steampunk romance series and really enjoyed it. I loved the diverse characters and the world was so interesting. My only complaint is that each book is a bit short. I wanted more time with these characters and their romances and more time in this world. I would have loved to have seen more of the magic alluded to in the books, but overall, I really liked them. (One note: the proofreading in the last book especially isn't very good. It did the author's work no service.)

Chosen Pride by Mary Calmes: The third book in the paranormal L'Ange series was as fun as the first two. It was the first book I read this year, and it started off the year well.

Coffee Boy by Austin Chant: I loved this short read. It's just why I read romance—a lovely, hopeful story that left me smiling. Kieran is young, trans, and slightly adrift, not knowing what the future holds for him, and Seth is older, lonely, and prickly, and they are just perfect and so good for each other. I found this charming.

Wanted, A Gentleman by K.J. Charles: K.J. Charles is a favorite author of mine, so I'll read whatever she writes, but this Georgian romance in which a merchant drags a Lonely Hearts column-type writer along to Gretna Green to stop an heiress from marrying is just delightful.

​Eleventh Hour by Elin Gregory: I loved this story of espionage and romance in 1920s London. Miles, the linguist who wants to be more whose a cross-dressing was obviously a part of his identity, was perhaps my favorite, but I liked Briars too, and also Miles's manservant, who is wonderful. Lovely and fun read.

Best in Show by Kelly Jensen: Fun and adorable shapeshifter romance novella about a cat shifter who is cursed to stay in cat form during the day and manages to get adopted at an animal shelter by a lonely writer. Just what I needed.

Undertow by Jordan L. Hawk: This is a Whyborne & Griffin universe story about Whyborne's sister Persephone and his secretary Maggie, and it was all I hoped it would be. Sweet, sexy, funny, with the usual Widdershins intrigue. Maggie and Persephone are adorable together, and I really liked seeing more of Mr. Quinn and his fellow librarians.

Dreaming Spies by Laurie R. King: I'm a bit behind, but I'm finally catching up on the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series, one of my favorite mystery series for a long time.

What did you read in January? And what are you looking forward to in February?

I thought I would start the new year with a post about reading. I posted some of the holiday books I enjoyed last month already, and most of what I read in December were holiday books (and most of those read curled up with hot cocoa near the Christmas tree, which must come down soon—sob), but I read a few things that weren't and some holiday stories after the last post. That's what I'm giving you here. I've also tried to compile a favorites list for you, but I'm horrible at those because I can't limit myself to a reasonable number of anything. But first, here are some (more) books I read and enjoyed in December:

Winter Oranges by Marie Sexton - This isn't really a holiday story, though it does partly take place over the holidays. It's a warm and lovely romance between a former child star/B-list actor trying to escape Hollywood and a man from the Civil War era trapped outside time.

Hearts Alight by Elliot Cooper - A short Hanukkah romance that's very sweet and has an interesting paranormal elemant. My only complaint is that I would have liked just a bit more.

Disarming Donner by Charlie Cochet - The latest in the author's North Pole series is just as enjoyable as earlier stories in the series. These are such fun holiday stories in a fantasy world I enjoy revisiting. I assume we'll get Dasher's story next year and I'm looking forward to it.

Ibiza on Ice by Gillian St. Kevern - I was slow to warm up to Aston (who is the ex of the main character in The Ugliest Sweater which I also read in December), but the story ended up being a fun and funny holiday romance. Aston grows a lot, and I was cheering for him and Niklas to work it out. 

Island of Glass by Nora Roberts - This is the final book in her latest paranormal trilogy, which takes to Ireland where the six guardians must complete their quest, and I enjoyed it (and the previous two books) very much.

A Midnight Clear by Emma Barry and Genevieve Turner - This also isn't really a holiday romance, though part of it does take place over Christmas. I found this to be a delightful story with a charming hero and a very sweet romance. Set in 1948, it's a prequel novella to the authors' Fly Me to the Moon series, which I will absolutely be reading.

Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood - I decided to read this because I'm a huge fan of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, and I wanted to try the books that the show is based on. The premise of both is a lady detective in Melbourne, Australia in the 1920s, solving crimes and wearing fabulous clothes. Phryne Fisher is a wonderful character, and I found the novella as enjoyable, though a bit different than the show.

So that's December's reads. As for favorites for the year, they were difficult to decide on. I read 163 books this year and I enjoyed so many of them that it was difficult to choose just a few as favorites and I'm sure I've missed something wonderful that I'll remember and wish I'd included as soon as I post this. But, in random order, here are some favorites from 2016:

Overexposed by Megan Erickson

The High King's Golden Tongue by Megan Derr

Death by Silver and Death at the Dionysus Club by Melissa Scott and Amy Griswold

Hexbreaker and Hexmaker by Jordan L. Hawk

Power Play and Empty Net by Avon Gale

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Fallow by Jordan L. Hawk

His Royal Secret and His Royal Favorite by Lilah Pace

Wriggle and Sparkle by Megan Derr

Strong Signal and Fast Connection by Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell 

Waiting for the Flood by Alexis Hall

The Obsession by Nora Roberts

A Seditious Affair and A Gentleman's Position by KJ Charles

​Dirty Heart by Rhys Ford

Rag and Bone by KJ Charles

I could absolutely keep going, but I'll stop there. I hope you've found something new for your tbr, though. If you want to check out 2016's reading recap posts (in which I talk about each of these books and many others I enjoyed), you can find them here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

What have you been reading lately? And what are you looking forward to reading in 2017? Whatever it is, I hope you read many wonderful books this year.

I feel a bit like the holiday season snuck up on me this year, and in truth, I'm struggling some for the holiday spirit—the past couple of months have not been the best for any of us. But I'm trying because I really do love the holidays, and I love the feeling of joy and wonder and peace and hope that they bring. I could do with some of all of that.

The tree has been up since the Saturday after Thanksgiving and everything is decorated, gifts have been bought and wrapped...and I'm still baking and will be probably right up until Christmas Eve morning. I've made so many batches of Christmas cookies, from old family recipes and newer ones that I've found myself and made into new traditions. Somewhere in there, I've made time for reading (often curled up near the tree with a cup of hot chocolate, which is often spike with peppermint schnapps). You may recall that I love holiday romances. I told you a bunch of my favorites in a blog post last December, and I thought I'd do another this year to tell you about some good ones that I've read since that post that I haven't mentioned elsewhere. 

Take Me Home by Lorelie Brown - This is a Thanksgiving to Christmas novella in which one of our main characters decides she needs to bring a fake girlfriend to Thanksgiving to annoy her aunt and cousins. Only she starts falling for the fake girlfriend. There's also an adorable dog.

Glass Tidings by Amy Jo Cousins - The story of two grumpy loners who don't realize how lonely they are until they're thrown together and begin to fall in love. It's a lovely Christmas romance.

Wrapped Together by Annabeth Albert - Oh my gosh, I loved this book. It gave me all the warm, happy feelings I want from a holiday romance. Christmas reminds Hollis too much of his parents' deaths a few years ago, so he tries not to participate in the season, but Sawyer, whose brother is married to Hollis's sister, makes it his mission to give Christmas back to Hollis. I only read it a couple weeks ago and I already want to reread.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles by Eli Easton - A Christmas romance between librarians. I loved this, and I loved Sean Miggles.

The Ugliest Sweater by Gillian St. Kevern - This was a very cute, sweet short story in which an ugly Christmas sweater brings two people together. I only wish it had been longer, but then I tend to prefer longer reads so that might just be me. If you're looking for light and short, this might be perfect.

Of Christmas Past by Teryn Day - This is a lovely, poignant Christmas story. Jon can see ghosts, and Cecil is one of the ghosts haunting an old mansion that belongs to Jon's family. I loved learning Jon's and Cecil's stories and watching them grow closer. My one issue with this story is that asexuality seems to be equated with having a low sex drive, which is not the same thing.

The Mistletoe Effect by Cate Ashwood - I just finished this one, and it was warm and sweet and all the good things about holiday romance. Danny and Merrick are just such good guys, and the snowy little Colorado town was the perfect setting for a Christmas romance.

I'll stop there, even though I could probably list a bunch more. I tend to binge read holiday romances this time of year anyway, but 2016 has left me especially needing the particular joy a holiday romance brings. I'm not even finished with my stack of new stories to read and old favorites to reread. I think I may be reading them through New Year's this year. I'll tell you about everything else I read in this month's regularly scheduled reading post.

Do you have favorite holiday romances? Or any wonderful ones that you've just discovered? Tell me (because apparently I can never have enough holiday romances to read!).

And, just for laughs, have a picture of me wearing reindeer antlers while I helped decorate my parents' tree.

I read a lot of books in November (Am I the only one who needed to escape from reality this past month?), and all of them except one were fantasy, paranormal, or historical (I really needed to escape from reality). Here are some books that I especially enjoyed in November:

Vespers by Liv Rancourt and Irene Preston: Vespers is an intriguing take on vampire stories. I loved Thaddeus, a religious demon-hunting vampire, and Sarasija, hired to be his assistant for the year without knowing what that really means. The New Orleans gothic setting is gorgeous. There's action, suspense, and a group of monks I find a bit suspicious. We also have a bit of tension between Thad with his Catholic faith and Sara who isn't Catholic and sees things through a different lens. Bonfire is a holiday novella that gives us a bit more of Thad and Sara. I enjoyed it immensely too, and I'm excited for more in this series.

Do You Want to Start a Scandal? by Tessa Dare: I so enjoy Tessa Dare's historical romances, and this one was lovely. Witty, sexy, and delightful. A light, fun historical read with a hint of both James Bond and Clue to it.

​Resistance by Amy Rae Durresson: I have had this book on my Kindle since it came out, and I don't know why it took me so long to read it. I loved Reawakening, the first book in this fantasy series (with dragons!), and I loved Resistance too. This is a really wonderful world. I can't wait for more of it.

​Daring Fate by Megan Erickson: Megan Erickson is another author whose books I always enjoy. Daring Fate is her first paranormal romance, and it was so good. It has werewolves and zombie werewolves and really interesting worlbuilding and characters I loved. I'm looking forward to the next in the series. 

The Soldier's Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian: I actually started this book back in October, but then I got sick and I couldn't concentrate on anything so I put it down. I'm so glad I picked it back up in November because it was a fun enemies to lovers type romance with great banter and characters. I'm looking forward to the next in this series too.

Ash and Echoes by August Li: Here's another book that I've had on my Kindle for way too long without reading. This is the first book in a fantasy series with excellent worldbuilding and an intriguing plot. I'll be picking up the rest of the series soon since this one ended on a bit of a cliffhanger and I need to know what happens.

Lessons for Suspicious Minds by Charlie Cochrane: The Cambridge Fellows is one of my favorite mystery series. They're enjoyable historical cozy mysteries with wonderful characters that I'm always happy to visit over and over again.

A Christmas Hex by Jordan L. Hawk: I think I love anything Jordan L. Hawk writes. This short story takes place in her historical paranormal Hexworld series, though you don't have to have read the others to understand this one. I found the characters lovely, and my only complaint is that I want more of them!

A Family for Christmas by Jay Northcote: This is the only contemporary romance I read in November, and it was a nice start to my holiday reading. A sweet, sexy, light read about two adorable, awkward characters, a fun family, and some cute animals at Christmas.

As you can see, I started my holiday reading at the end of November. Most of the books I read in December will be holiday romances. There's just something about them and the warm, giddy, happy feeling they provoke. I'll do a separate post with some of my favorites soon.

What have you been reading? What's next up on your to be read?

October was a busy month for me, and I can really tell how busy I was because of my reading. I was pushing to finish Tournai 5, and looking back, I realized that I wasn't reading as much as I usually do. I probably read half as many books as in most months, and I have a couple of books that I started and still need to finish. There were also a bunch of books that came out in October from authors I love, so I have some catching up to do! And really I always feel better when I make time to read. Here are some books I read in October and enjoyed:

Lucky Strike by Jane Davitt: This is an m/m/m romance and space opera. It was a lot of fun, and I liked the characters. My only complaint is that I wanted more resolution in the relationship at the end. It ended happily, but I just wanted more of these guys together. 

THIRDS Beyond the Books volume 2 by Charlie Cochet: This is the second collection of flash fiction stories that fill in moments in the THIRDS series through the latest book. Definitely read the rest of the series before you read this book, but I'm a big fan of the series, so I would tell you to read it anyway.

Enjoy the Dance by Heidi Cullinan: This book follows Dance with Me, but you don't have to read Dance with Me first. Characters from that book do show up, though (Ed and Laurie!), and I really enjoyed Dance with Me too, so there's no reason not to read it. This story takes place a few years ago, and kind of fills the gap between Dance with Me and now. It deals with some social and political issues—marriage equality, undocumented immigrants, homeless LGBT teens, the foster care system. These issues are very entwined with the romance.

Hexmaker by Jordan L. Hawk: I love Jordan L Hawk's books. Hexmaker is the newest book in the Hexworld series and so good. I've been looking forward to this one for a while and it didn't disappoint. I loved Mal and Owen, and I'm already looking forward to the next book. You can start here, but The 13th Hex and Hexbreaker are fantastic too.

Changing on the Fly by Cherylanne Corneille, Avon Gale, VL Locey, Heather Lire, Mary Smith, Samantha Wayland: This is an m/m hockey romance charity anthology that supports a charity promoting LGBT inclusiveness in athletics. I had only read Avon Gale before this (and her story was great), but I was happy to try some new-to-me authors. If you enjoy hockey romance, give this one a try and support a great cause.

What have you read lately and enjoyed? What are you reading now?

I'm a bit late with this post this month. It's halfway through October (somehow...) and I'm just writing about the books I loved in September. Sigh. We can blame the push to finishing writing and to edit Tournai 5, and that's not really a bad thing, right? Anyway, here are some books I really enjoyed last month:

Spindrift by Amy Rae Durreson - Sweet and sad and lovely and a bit creepy. The ghost story definitely creeped me out, but not enough to stop reading (I don't like being scared!), and I thought Mattie and Sion were very sweet together. I enjoyed the whole thing—romance, mystery, and ghost story.

Empty Net by Avon Gale - I really love Avon Gale's Scoring Chances series. You don't have to read them in order and you don't have to know hockey to enjoy these books (but you should read them all). Laurent broke my heart in this book, and I just loved him and Isaac together. I also loved the father-son type relationship that develops between Misha and Isaac. I adored Misha in the last book so I loved seeing him again. I also thought it was great to see a demisexual main character.

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli - I don't read a lot of Young Adult, but I'd heard so many good things that I finally gave this one a try. I am so happy I did. This book was just so adorable and funny and such a feel good read. All of the characters are engaging, and the ending was very sweet.

Connection Error by Annabeth Albert - I continue to enjoy each new book in this series (this one does stand alone but go read the others too). I enjoyed both the developing friendship and romance between Josiah and Ryan and how the book portrayed them. Ryan is a double amputee who is learning to cope with his disability, and Josiah has ADHD. The book definitely shows the effect that has on his life.

Overexposed by Megan Erickson - So many feelings in this book! I really fell for Levi and Theo who meet and fall in love while hiking the Appalachian Trail (something I would never do because I am not really the outdoorsy type, but that was portrayed well here I thought). I may have cried a bit. It was also really wonderful to find another demisexual MC in this book.

Apprentice in Death by JD Robb - This is the 43rd book in the series about Eve Dallas, Roarke, and their friends. I've read them all and always enjoy catching up with the characters in the next book.

The Pirate of Fathom's Deep by Megan Derr - The second book of the Tales of the High Court fantasy romance series, though you could probably read it as a standalone. I really enjoyed this fantasy, and the first in the series. The world was easy to get lost in and the characters easy to care about. 

What have you read lately and loved? Or what are you planning to read next?