July slipped away from me in the hectic haze of writing and preparing for RWA and edits for The Spymaster's Secret, and now it's August and time to talk about books we read and loved in July. Despite what felt like a frantic month, I did do some reading. I continued a KJ Charles reread in audio with the Charm of Magpies series and its related story Rag and Bone. In print and ebook, I read:
Footsteps in the Dark anthology: I don't read a ton of anthologies because short stories don't always work for me, but this m/m romance/mystery anthology has a bunch of authors I like and some others I've been meaning to try. The stories are long enough that you can really get into them. Some worked better for me than others, but overall I really enjoyed the anthology.
Knight's Fire by SJ Himes: Knight's Fire is a lovely little fantasy with a romance between a prince/knight and a dragon shifter. It's cute and sweet and just delightful. Perfect if you want a fantasy romance that's on the lighter side. (I especially love dragon Zephyr!) I can't wait for more in this world and with these two.
Demon on the Down-Low by EJ Russell: I don't know why it took me so long to finish this trilogy! This might be my favorite book of the three. I loved the couple, especially Zeke, and it wrapped up the series nicely with appearances by the other couples and tying up what was causing all the mix ups. This is the second trilogy set in this world, but I'd love to read more in it.
Enchanting the Earl by Lily Maxton: I've read the novellas in the Townsend series, but not the novels and I decided it was time to change that. Enchanting the Earl is the first book. It gives us the oldest sibling who's back from the war with what is probably PTSD and the difficulty of adjusting to life after having a leg amputated. He's inherited a title and a remote property in Scotland and decides to isolate himself there. He doesn't count on his siblings' insistence on accompanying him or the unexpected presence of a woman already living at the property. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
Kitten by Jack Harbon: I heard a pitch for this one somewhere that said it was "The Devil Wears Prada but Gay" which sounded pretty interesting. It definitely had those vibes. It's an interracial (a Black MC and an Asian MC) workplace romance with a bit of an age gap. The romance is pretty sweet, but the story has a melodramatic, soap opera feel to it.
Nothing Gained by Macy Blake: I'm really enjoying the Chosen One series. The world building is really interesting, and the characters are fun. It brings together magic and all sorts of magical creatures—vampires, dragons, griffins, fae, shifters—in a quest to save the magical world plus a romance along the way. Definitely read this series in order.
The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite: I picked up this book at RWA (though I'd been planning to get it since it came out), and I immediately settled down to read it. This is a lovely f/f historical romance between two women who are both scarred by past relationships and rather insecure and awkward with each other to start. The romance is a slow burn and is really caring and passionate. The wider plot with an aspiring lady astronomer coming up against male bias is engaging too. I loved the scenes of female strength and solidarity that came among the characters. There's also an interesting thread about the line between art and craft and art and science.
Swallow by Piper Scott and Virginia Kelly: Swallow is a spin-off of the author's Forbidden Desires series and probably should be read after those books. But the series is so much fun anyway. Dragon shifters! Baby dragons! Adorable pets! Plus great characters and romance. This books gives Grimbold a HEA and shows us how sweet he is underneath the grumpy exterior. Can't wait for more of these!
What have you read and loved lately?
Footsteps in the Dark anthology: I don't read a ton of anthologies because short stories don't always work for me, but this m/m romance/mystery anthology has a bunch of authors I like and some others I've been meaning to try. The stories are long enough that you can really get into them. Some worked better for me than others, but overall I really enjoyed the anthology.
Knight's Fire by SJ Himes: Knight's Fire is a lovely little fantasy with a romance between a prince/knight and a dragon shifter. It's cute and sweet and just delightful. Perfect if you want a fantasy romance that's on the lighter side. (I especially love dragon Zephyr!) I can't wait for more in this world and with these two.
Demon on the Down-Low by EJ Russell: I don't know why it took me so long to finish this trilogy! This might be my favorite book of the three. I loved the couple, especially Zeke, and it wrapped up the series nicely with appearances by the other couples and tying up what was causing all the mix ups. This is the second trilogy set in this world, but I'd love to read more in it.
Enchanting the Earl by Lily Maxton: I've read the novellas in the Townsend series, but not the novels and I decided it was time to change that. Enchanting the Earl is the first book. It gives us the oldest sibling who's back from the war with what is probably PTSD and the difficulty of adjusting to life after having a leg amputated. He's inherited a title and a remote property in Scotland and decides to isolate himself there. He doesn't count on his siblings' insistence on accompanying him or the unexpected presence of a woman already living at the property. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
Kitten by Jack Harbon: I heard a pitch for this one somewhere that said it was "The Devil Wears Prada but Gay" which sounded pretty interesting. It definitely had those vibes. It's an interracial (a Black MC and an Asian MC) workplace romance with a bit of an age gap. The romance is pretty sweet, but the story has a melodramatic, soap opera feel to it.
Nothing Gained by Macy Blake: I'm really enjoying the Chosen One series. The world building is really interesting, and the characters are fun. It brings together magic and all sorts of magical creatures—vampires, dragons, griffins, fae, shifters—in a quest to save the magical world plus a romance along the way. Definitely read this series in order.
The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite: I picked up this book at RWA (though I'd been planning to get it since it came out), and I immediately settled down to read it. This is a lovely f/f historical romance between two women who are both scarred by past relationships and rather insecure and awkward with each other to start. The romance is a slow burn and is really caring and passionate. The wider plot with an aspiring lady astronomer coming up against male bias is engaging too. I loved the scenes of female strength and solidarity that came among the characters. There's also an interesting thread about the line between art and craft and art and science.
Swallow by Piper Scott and Virginia Kelly: Swallow is a spin-off of the author's Forbidden Desires series and probably should be read after those books. But the series is so much fun anyway. Dragon shifters! Baby dragons! Adorable pets! Plus great characters and romance. This books gives Grimbold a HEA and shows us how sweet he is underneath the grumpy exterior. Can't wait for more of these!
What have you read and loved lately?
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