Somehow, it's May already, though it doesn't feel like here. It's chilly and gray and rainy—perfect reading weather, I suppose, though I would really like it to feel more like spring. Especially after the short taste of summer we got during April. *Sigh* I'm sure (I hope) the weather will get it's act together soon. In the meantime, let's talk books. Here are some that I read and enjoyed in April:
Rattling Bone by Jordan L Hawk (cis m/trans m paranormal romance): This second book of the Outfoxing the Paranormal series was just as enjoyable as the first. This one takes us to Oscar's hometown, where he, his boyfriend Nigel, and their ghost team confront family secrets, grudges, and tragedies and the literal ghosts they left behind. The setting is incredibly atmospheric and the ghost story creepy. Oscar and Nigel's relationship is an existing one, so this book focused far more on the paranormal story than the romance. I'm definitely looking forward to more in this series.
Prince of Air and Darkness by MA Grant (fantasy with m/m romance): I really enjoyed this first book in the Darkest Court series (which has been on my TBR for a while now!), but I have to say I was expecting more focus on the romance between fae prince Roark and his human roommate Phineas. I feel that this was much more a fantasy with lots of fae politicking and a prince trying to protect both his people and the human he loves but doesn't believe he can be with. I would've loved more of the romance, only because I enjoyed these two together, but the book was still very good.
Circle the Square series by Sam Burns (m/m fantasy romance): I read the two books in this series (The Elemental Keyes and The Elemental Ruins) back to back, and I'm very glad I did because the first book ends with a cliffhanger. As book one opens, we meet Blaze who is a seer and knows that the world ends tomorrow. Then Elethen, a Robin Hood type thief, falls through a portal from a different world and everything starts to change. The books give us the story of twins Blaze and River and the men they fall in love with, of magic, treachery, and trying to save two worlds. The stories were fast paced and fun, but I loved the characters, both main characters and supporting (the young king is a delight!), most of all.
Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett (fantasy with m/f romance): This book was an utter delight. Emily Wilde is a driven scholar who is horrifically bad with people. She travels to a remote area of Scandinavia to study an unknown type of faerie and is immediately followed by her colleague/rival/only friend/love interest Wendell Bambleby, who has secrets of his own. The setting is vivid, the folklore is engrossing, and there is just enough danger but not so much to completely do away with the cozy atmosphere. The characters are really wonderful, especially Emily as she grows close to the villagers and tries to puzzle out these relationships and how they're changing her. The romance between Emily and Wendell is light, but lovely all the same. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
The Mysterious and Amazing Blue Billings by Lily Morton (m/m paranormal romance): Another book I've had on my TBR for ages! This one is a mix of creepy ghost story and romance. Levi has inherited a gorgeous old house in York, which he decides to renovate and live in. He doesn't find out until after he moves in that the house is known as the Murder House and it's very much haunted. The description of the malevolent haunting is definitely creepy, though I did figure out some of the mystery of the ghost fairy early. The romance between Levi and Blue is just lovely. They complement each other so well, and I love how Levi is about Blue's past. Very glad I finally read this one, and diving into the second book in series next!
What have you read and loved lately?
RSS Feed