February is the New Jersey Romance Writers JeRoWriMo writing challenge, so I was busily trying to write lots of words to complete the challenge (because I am extremely competitive with myself) and make as much progress toward finishing To Know a Dragon Spy as I possibly could. And I did complete the challenge and made lots of good progress, but I didn't read as much, partly because I was writing and partly because I started and put aside a few books. But I did read a few that I enjoyed and wanted to share with you.
The Duke's Sister and I by Emma-Claire Sunday (F/F historical romance): In this regency Harlequin, Loretta is trying to be the perfect society lady, hiding everything unique about herself, and encouraging a courtship by a duke to please her father, but she finds herself getting closer to the duke's sister Charlotte and figuring out a lot about herself along the way. The much bolder Charlotte knows who she is—not only queer but secretly a talented painter—but is also dealing with grief. The book had a bit of a slow start for me, but I thought it a fun romance and I enjoyed the audiobook narration.
Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco (M/F fantasy romance): Did I buy the paperback of this book because of the pretty cover and vivid purple sprayed edges? Well, yes. But the story was worth it too. The Prince of Envy, one of the seven princes of sin, is involved in a deadly game that he needs to win to save his demon court. In the course of the game, he is sent to Camilla, a painter and gallery owner, for the next clue. But Camilla is more than she seems and has secrets of her own. She is pulled into the game alongside Envy and into a fake engagement with him to save her reputation in the human realm. I really enjoyed the twists and turns of this book as the game took them on a journey through the underworld. It's set in the same world as the author's Kingdom of the Wicked series, which I haven't read (yet) but I didn't have any issues jumping in here.
The Edge of Fate by Sheena Jolie (M/M paranormal romance): I have been waiting impatiently for this book, and it absolutely did not disappoint. First off, it's the second to last book in the Beacon Hill Sorcerer series, and you really need to start at the beginning (with The Necromancer's Dance) to understand what's going on. But the series is fantastic, so that's no hardship (I will be rereading...again). As for the book itself, it moves the series plot along in interesting and exciting ways while also giving us a romance for Cian, who, though he originally showed up as a murderer, is an utter delight. I loved his romance with Fenric and his interaction with the while family, especially child necromancer Leandro and toddler dragon Eroch. Now I get to wait impatiently for the next book.
This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron (F/F YA contemporary fantasy): Briseis has the usual gift of being able to make plants grow (and of being immune to the effects of poisonous plants), but she has problems controlling it and hiding it. When an aunt from her birth family leaves her a house in rural New York, she and her mothers leave Brooklyn behind for the summer to check it out and hopefully give Bri a place where she will have the space to learn to control her gift. But the estate is more mysterious than anything else. Bri finds a set of letters with cryptic instructions from her aunt, who obviously knew of Bri's gift, an old fashioned apothecary in the house, and a locked garden filled with normal and deadly plants that can only be entered by someone who shared Bri's lineage. This was another one that as a bit slow to start for me, but I did get into it after a bit. I really enjoyed discovering what was going on along with Bri and the mythology aspects as well. I have the second book ready to go.
What have you read and loved lately?
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