The worldbuilding in Floodtide is also excellent, bringing magic to early nineteenth-century Europe in a way that feels authentic. Titles and names haThe worldbuilding in Floodtide is also excellent, bringing magic to early nineteenth-century Europe in a way that feels authentic. Titles and names have been created that are uniquely Alpennian, and the author has provided a helpful pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book for those who are interested in such things. Jones’s writing style is also so gorgeous, yet precise, that it’s impossible not to be spellbound by it.
Overall, this book does a lot of things right. The character work is deep and brilliant, the historical context is plentiful and guides readers along Overall, this book does a lot of things right. The character work is deep and brilliant, the historical context is plentiful and guides readers along even if they know nothing, and the writing is so beautifully done. Like I mentioned above, the overall pace of the story didn’t bother me, just the pace of the romance. If that would have been sped up, this would be a near perfect book for me. I still recommend it, but you need to go into this expecting the slowest of slow burns.
I have no idea how the hell to grade this book. On the one hand, I had a LOT of fun. Like, the more bonkers it became, the more fun I had, which is veI have no idea how the hell to grade this book. On the one hand, I had a LOT of fun. Like, the more bonkers it became, the more fun I had, which is very much in its favour. On the other, it has some pretty big structural and historical problems that took away from my enjoyment.
I haven’t read a Gothic novel since university, but holy shit did this book drag me back and remind me of all the stuff I loved about them. Angst, draI haven’t read a Gothic novel since university, but holy shit did this book drag me back and remind me of all the stuff I loved about them. Angst, drama, and passion! Lucas had it all. It sucked me in right away because it captured the feel of early 19th century fiction just well enough, but it definitely has some stuff that raised my eyebrow on many an occasion and left me saying “wait, what?!?!!!�
The character work is deep in Two Wings to Fly Away, especially for Genie and Ezra. We get to know them very well and understand what makes them tick,The character work is deep in Two Wings to Fly Away, especially for Genie and Ezra. We get to know them very well and understand what makes them tick, while also getting a taste of what life would have been like for a runaway slave and a white person who would help to protect them. Crucial to the character development for Genie and some side characters are brief flashbacks into experiences that are foundational to who they are in the present day. These snippets themselves are like episodes of a spin-off show and are just as gripping as the rest of the book.
Mrs Martin is as memorable a character as I’ve ever read. I adore how she says what’s on her mind, and ooh what a creative mind it is! Her ideas for dMrs Martin is as memorable a character as I’ve ever read. I adore how she says what’s on her mind, and ooh what a creative mind it is! Her ideas for driving the Terrible Nephew out of the rooming house (and her life) are wilder than I could have imagined and occasionally left me laughing so hard that I had to put my Kindle down because I was weeping and couldn’t see.
As sharp and untamable as Bertrice is, Violetta is admirable. Yes, she’s trying to deceive someone to get money, but she’s doing what she needs to do to survive. She’s not beautiful and is one of the “surplus women� of the 19th century, never having married and of a lower class. She’d put in her time working day in and day out for most of her life, only to be cast aside with nothing but the money she’d scrimped and saved over the years. I loved when she shows her backbone and how Bertrice helps her further develop that skill, and I was so happy for them in the end because of the joy and comfort they find in loving each other.
If you’ve been looking for a historical lesbian romance with all of the “smash the patriarchy� feels, this is the book for you. Lucy is plucky and briIf you’ve been looking for a historical lesbian romance with all of the “smash the patriarchy� feels, this is the book for you. Lucy is plucky and brilliant, refusing to be put in her place by her brother or the Polite Science Society. She also has a worthy champion in Catherine, who uses her money and influence to support Lucy in translating and expanding on one of the greatest scientific texts of their time, ensuring it’s accessible to any reader, including (gasp) women. And yet, while the patriarchy smashing is satisfying—especially considering that anyone who isn’t affluent, straight, and white still has to fight to get the recognition they’re due today—there’s so much more to this book.
Overall, Clio Rising more character driven than plot driven, and that works well because we watch Livvie come into her own in New York City and get caOverall, Clio Rising more character driven than plot driven, and that works well because we watch Livvie come into her own in New York City and get caught up in everything that is Clio. While I wouldn’t call it fast paced, Livvie’s thoughts and reactions make for some damn compelling reading, and Martinac delivers an experience that no other author could pull off in quite the same way.
A beautiful book and my favourite by this author. Read Chain Reactions first, THEN read this. You might get to the end of Chain Reactions and wonder iA beautiful book and my favourite by this author. Read Chain Reactions first, THEN read this. You might get to the end of Chain Reactions and wonder if I'm sure. Yes, I definitely am. Trust me on this one....more
This book is a freaking delight. Despite being a novella, the character work is excellent, especially Alice's arc from woman who tries not to be noticThis book is a freaking delight. Despite being a novella, the character work is excellent, especially Alice's arc from woman who tries not to be noticed at the beginning to a goddamn powerhouse by the end.
The chemistry between Molly and Alice is also fabulous and well worth showing up for. If you haven't read any of Cat Sebastian's other Turner books, you can still read this one. I haven't read them and I adored this....more
With The Covert Captain, Ferreira delivers an intricate, gorgeously written lesbian Regency romance. From the first page, we’re let in on Eleanor’s seWith The Covert Captain, Ferreira delivers an intricate, gorgeously written lesbian Regency romance. From the first page, we’re let in on Eleanor’s secret, following along as she lives her life almost 24/7 as Nathaniel. Its first scene works especially well because it immediately establishes that the people closest to her truly believe Eleanor to be Nathaniel, while it also simultaneously making it clear that she must always be on guard against someone learning her secret and taking away the life that she’s forged for herself. And Eleanor is right to be concerned: as a woman without connections to fall back on and more than a decade of experience passing as a man, she would truly lose everything. She also already has more than enough to deal with, given the daydreams and nightmares she’s grappling with—what we would likely call PTSD today.
The story shifts perspectives between Eleanor and Harriet, so that we also see the restrictions Harriet experiences as a spinster who’s much closer to thirty than she is to twenty. She’s brilliant and headstrong, and it’s no wonder that Eleanor is drawn to her energy. As a (seemingly) heterosexual couple, they must ensure that their interactions are always entirely proper. This makes for an especially interesting dynamic between them, because if Harriet had known from the get-go that Fleming is a woman, they could have spent much more time together without anyone batting an eye.
I have no clue how to rate this one, so I'm not going to.
It's excellent—very well plotted and written, full of passion and offering an interesting anI have no clue how to rate this one, so I'm not going to.
It's excellent—very well plotted and written, full of passion and offering an interesting and compelling interpretation of Coleridge's poem.
On the other hand, while I respect the book tremendously, I don't think it was for me. It stressed me out so much that I didn't enjoy reading chunks of it. The epilogue made up for a lot of that and left me happy, but overall I doubt I'll read this one again. If you like darker reads than me, you'll probably enjoy the hell out of this one....more
Short and sexy, and it ends on a cliffhanger. Very enjoyable and I'm looking forward to reading the next instalment. Short and sexy, and it ends on a cliffhanger. Very enjoyable and I'm looking forward to reading the next instalment. ...more
Heather Rose Jones is a master and in building Alpennia, she delivers a world that feels authentically European of a time gone by. Her use of languageHeather Rose Jones is a master and in building Alpennia, she delivers a world that feels authentically European of a time gone by. Her use of language makes it feel like we’re reading something by a 19th century author (with, of course, more magic), much like Susanna Clarke does in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.
I also appreciated that while Daughter of Mystery has a romance, it is NOT a romance novel. It’s historical fantasy at its finest, with enough action, adventure, and mystery to keep things exciting.
Oh, Emilie and Angeline! I really felt for these women and their tension between desire and expectations in a time when they didn’t understand what thOh, Emilie and Angeline! I really felt for these women and their tension between desire and expectations in a time when they didn’t understand what they were feeling or even have examples of other queer people to draw on. I really appreciated that the author told the story from both of their perspectives because it let us see how they each grapple with feelings that they don’t understand, what their separate lives are like, and how they both feel as they come together again and move towards their happily ever after.
The Ada Decades is beautifully written. Each story takes us through a different stage in Ada’s life, allowing us to follow her from girlhood to her goThe Ada Decades is beautifully written. Each story takes us through a different stage in Ada’s life, allowing us to follow her from girlhood to her golden years. At the same time, we see the struggles with racism in Charlotte alongside the difficulties of living as a lesbian in a time when it wasn’t legal. The structure of the book lends itself well to the overall story, with the individual pieces forming a complete narrative, much like The Lives of Girls and Women by Alice Munro.
Sandra Moran does a masterful job with all of the characters in Letters Never Sent, from the leads to all of the side characters, no matter how littleSandra Moran does a masterful job with all of the characters in Letters Never Sent, from the leads to all of the side characters, no matter how little time they spend on the page. We join Katherine as she leaves Kansas as Katie and spend the bulk of our time with her in Chicago in the 1930s, seeing how the experiences and choices she makes there affect the whole rest of her life.
Joan, on the other hand, we meet at a moment of supreme possibility. Much like her mother before her, Joan is married to someone she doesn’t love and she has the perfect opportunity to decide whether to stay or to go. While Joan may not have ever truly known who her mother was during her life, Kate’s death helps her learn more about not only her mother, but herself.
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