Tara's bookshelf: all en-US Mon, 06 Jan 2025 15:28:44 -0800 60 Tara's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[The Headmistress (The Headmistress, #1)]]> 58674511 ASIN B09BM97JZC moved to the more recent edition

Lambda Literary Award Winner 2022, Lesbian Romance

A chance encounter. An unforgettable night.
And back home, trouble is brewing on the remote island of Three Dragons, where nothing feels like it used to. Alone and lonely, Sam Threadneedle wishes upon a star, hoping for change. But when said change comes, it¡¯s with a roar and not a whimper.
Torn between loyalty and lust, Sam is forced to re-evaluate everything.
Can she and the Home of Dragons withstand the storm that is Magdalene Nox, or will any and all crumble?
Not everything is as it seems, and as she slowly unravels the mysteries behind the centuries-old walls, Sam realizes that home is much more than oak and stone.]]>
280 Milena McKay Tara 5 4.43 2021 The Headmistress (The Headmistress, #1)
author: Milena McKay
name: Tara
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/01/06
shelves: age-gap, contemporary, ice-queen, sapphic, workplace-romance, teachers
review:
I have no idea how the hell I've never rated this, considering it's one of my favourites.
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Soul Unique 23258876
Mesmerized by Hayden and her art, Greer learns the young woman has Asperger syndrome. Hayden awakens something in Greer she didn¡¯t know she was capable of. Having suffered from a profound loneliness for most of her life, Greer develops an overshadowing love and protectiveness toward Hayden. As she learns more about Hayden and her heartbreaking family situation, Greer is amazed at how courageous and brilliant she is. Can there be a future with a woman like this, and will Hayden, who can only put words to her emotions through her paintings, return her feelings?]]>
264 Gun Brooke 1626393583 Tara 0 4.24 2015 Soul Unique
author: Gun Brooke
name: Tara
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at: 2015/06/07
date added: 2024/12/14
shelves: contemporary, sapphic, read-in-2015, bold-strokes-books, reviewed-at-tlr
review:
I loved this book and I think it might be Gun Brooke's best,which is saying a lot, because several of her books are regular rereads for me. She took some big risks and I think they really paid off. I'll definitely come back to this one again and again.
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Seasons of Love 39718450 A successful solicitor, her business partner's daughter, and their unexpected chance at love. Alice McAllister is successful, quiet and disciplined. When her law partner Miranda forces her to take a vacation at her holiday home in Portugal, the unexpected presence of Miranda's daughter Joy turns Alice's world up-side down. Despite their differences--the age gap between them only being one of many--Alice and Joy embark on a passionate holiday romance... until they have to return home. Can their steamy summer fling turn into a love that lasts? Or will the real world impose too many obstacles to Alice and Joy's young and fragile love? Find out in this sultry lesbian age-gap novel by chart-topping lesbian romance author Harper Bliss! ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï "Harper Bliss is the queen of age gap romances. Be sure to pick this one up right away." - The Lesbian Review]]> 236 Harper Bliss 9881420563 Tara 5
Full review here: ]]>
4.04 2016 Seasons of Love
author: Harper Bliss
name: Tara
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2016/03/03
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: age-gap, erotic, sapphic, lawyers, read-in-2016, vacation-romance
review:
I don't think it's secret that I love a lot of what Harper Bliss writes. For me, this is her very best so far. Maybe I'm biased because I also loooooooove a good age gap lesbian romance, but goodness this is good. I liked the pacing, loved the characters, and felt like the first person narration was particularly effective this time. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Full review here:
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Trails Merge 10984718 After a devastating ultimatum from her lover, Campbell Carson returns to her childhood home, Bear Run Ski Resort, seeking her family¡¯s unconditional solace and support. Parker Riley escapes to the mountain after the high-powered world of Chicago¡¯s political machine leaves her questioning her judgment in both life and love. Despite their initial wariness, the women find their budding friendship snowballing toward romance. The idyllic mountain resort is the perfect setting for them to learn to rebuild trust, and perhaps to find a second chance at love. However, when Parker¡¯s past resurfaces, Campbell is forced to face her own hard truths. As barely healed wounds reopen, the unexpected obstacles in their path threaten any hope for a future together.]]> 250 Rachel Spangler 1602823928 Tara 0 workplace-romance 4.19 2008 Trails Merge
author: Rachel Spangler
name: Tara
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at: 2018/04/18
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: workplace-romance
review:

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Coffee Sonata 10984712 224 Gun Brooke 1602822948 Tara 0 finance-gap 4.26 2006 Coffee Sonata
author: Gun Brooke
name: Tara
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/26
shelves: finance-gap
review:

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<![CDATA[Graceful Submission (Graceful #1)]]> 10069777 Graceful Submission

Plus-sized Grace Kinison lives a dull life. She's a teacher and aspiring author who does nothing but work and then write on her novel. That is, until she becomes a cyber submissive.

Grace has agreed to help her childhood friend's husband plan her surprise birthday party. Grace thinks her fellow party planner, Toffer Shelley, is a writer on a TV show. What she doesn't know is that he's the show's sexy star, Drake Dawson. He's a Dom, and he wants to work his magic on her.

When Grace runs into trouble at work, her cyber relationship turns into the real thing after she travels to Hollywood to meet Toffer. She's thrilled to be meeting her Master, until she realizes that he's the most gorgeous man in Hollywood.

But Toffer won't let Grace judge him by his looks. He takes her on a sexual journey full of bondage and submission, which give her strength to overcome challenges in her own work.

Graceful Mischief

It's their third Halloween together, and Toffer and Grace are in England. They're staying in an old castle complete with a moat and a maze. Grace thinks her Master is taking her to a fancy restaurant in London so they can be alone together on Halloween. Hidden underneath her beautiful new dress is the sexy corset her Master bought in London a few days earlier.

The trick is on Grace, though, when her Master takes her to the maze and tells her to strip down to her corset. A costume party is going on just hundreds of feet away, and Toffer plans on giving Grace a head start, then hunting her through the maze. If he catches her, she's awarded the trick, and he gets to have his way with her in the maze. There's always the chance that anyone couldwalk up and see Grace being topped. If she makes it to the middle without him catching her, she gets the treat: dinner and dessert.

Only Toffer's not playing fair -- the treat's also a trick. But with what he has in mind, even if Grace loses, she wins.

Publisher's Note: This book is a nontraditional love story that contains sexual content that may be offensive to some readers: Anal sex; strong BDSM theme and content (bondage, domination/submission, spanking, punishment); and multiple partners

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196 Melinda Barron 1596324023 Tara 3 read-in-2012, mf 3.53 2007 Graceful Submission (Graceful #1)
author: Melinda Barron
name: Tara
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves: read-in-2012, mf
review:

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Lucky Loser 11301705
Laure Fortescue has fame, fortune, and a ranking inside the top ten. She has everything she ever wanted. Everything except Sinjin Smythe. As a rule, Laure doesn't date other players. A rule she would gladly break if it means winning Sinjin's heart.

Both women reach Wimbledon desperate to claim tennis's crown jewel¡ªSinjin because it would be her greatest victory, Laure because it could be her last.

Where does love fit in a game that only one can win?]]>
288 Yolanda Wallace 1602825750 Tara 5
Major credit to Jenna for helping me with the terminology so I didn't make an ass of myself writing the review. 4.5 stars rounded down from 5 because there's a lot that just doesn't make sense if you don't know tennis.

Full review here: ]]>
3.60 2011 Lucky Loser
author: Yolanda Wallace
name: Tara
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2017/12/02
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: athletes, bold-strokes-books, contemporary, sapphic, friends-to-lovers, players, read-in-2016, read-in-2017, reviewed-at-tlr
review:
I loved this book so much. It's an especially good friends-lovers-romance that also takes into account the question of how a relationship can develop when personal goals are at stake.

Major credit to Jenna for helping me with the terminology so I didn't make an ass of myself writing the review. 4.5 stars rounded down from 5 because there's a lot that just doesn't make sense if you don't know tennis.

Full review here:
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The Swashbuckler 19384239 280 Lee Lynch 1602822050 Tara 5
Full review: ]]>
4.53 1985 The Swashbuckler
author: Lee Lynch
name: Tara
average rating: 4.53
book published: 1985
rating: 5
read at: 2017/12/21
date added: 2024/08/01
shelves: bold-strokes-books, sapphic, friends-to-lovers, read-in-2017, reviewed-at-tlr
review:
The Swashbuckler is a true masterpiece. First published in the mid-1980s, it¡¯s written in a way that¡¯s timeless, making it possible for anyone in any generation to get a taste of the butch experience of the 1960s and 70s. In what can only be described as a stroke of genius, we get a couple of chapters in the first person from Mercedes, as if we¡¯re reading her diary, even though most of the book is written in the third person from Frenchy¡¯s perspective. It shakes up the reading experience in a way that satisfied my desire to know more about Mercedes and her life, while simultaneously stirring curiosity about what¡¯s up with Frenchy at the same time.

Full review:
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Gun Shy (Gun, #1) 1295017 372 Lori L. Lake 1932300562 Tara 0 to-read 3.93 2001 Gun Shy (Gun, #1)
author: Lori L. Lake
name: Tara
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2001
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/14
shelves: to-read
review:

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Neon Gods (Dark Olympus, #1) 54659771 He was supposed to be a myth.
But from the moment I crossed the River Styx and fell under his dark spell... he was, quite simply, mine.

Society darling Persephone Dimitriou plans to flee the ultra-modern city of Olympus and start over far from the backstabbing politics of the Thirteen Houses. But all that¡¯s ripped away when her mother ambushes her with an engagement to Zeus, the dangerous power behind their glittering city¡¯s dark facade.

With no options left, Persephone flees to the forbidden undercity and makes a devil¡¯s bargain with a man she once believed a myth... a man who awakens her to a world she never knew existed.

Hades has spent his life in the shadows, and he has no intention of stepping into the light. But when he finds that Persephone can offer a little slice of the revenge he¡¯s spent years craving, it¡¯s all the excuse he needs to help her¡ªfor a price. Yet every breathless night spent tangled together has given Hades a taste for Persephone, and he¡¯ll go to war with Olympus itself to keep her close¡­

A modern retelling of Hades and Persephone that¡¯s as sinful as it is sweet.]]>
380 Katee Robert 1728231736 Tara 0 to-read 3.68 2021 Neon Gods (Dark Olympus, #1)
author: Katee Robert
name: Tara
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/11
shelves: to-read
review:

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Broken Wings 467390
When Rye Woods, a fairy, meets the beautiful dryad Flora Withe, her libido, as squashed and hidden as her wings, reawakens along with her heart. But Rye is a poor builder's labourer with a teenage sister to raise, while Flora is a wealthy artist-celebrity with a tree-top condominium and a sporty, late-model flying carpet. If those aren't obstacles enough to the scorching attraction that rapidly develops, Rye lives under the pall of a dark secret that has made her a fugitive in the very land where she sought freedom. The more Rye reveals to Flora, the more vulnerable she is to her past catching up with her. Can she and Flora find their way to loving one another in the face of their social and cultural differences while struggling with the dark forces that threaten Rye?]]>
300 L.-J. Baker 1933110554 Tara 0 to-read 4.13 2006 Broken Wings
author: L.-J. Baker
name: Tara
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/10
shelves: to-read
review:

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Skyclad (Skyclad, #1) 25857867 240 Max Ellendale Tara 0 to-read 4.43 2015 Skyclad (Skyclad, #1)
author: Max Ellendale
name: Tara
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/09
shelves: to-read
review:

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Hearing Red 211078779
In a world overrun by an unprecedented outbreak, two young women find themselves on opposite sides of the struggle for survival.

Saff, a determined new doctor in the first year of her internship, had clawed her way out of a tumultuous past, only to be dragged back into it when the zombie outbreak hits. Forced to join her estranged father and his band of raiders, she¡¯s confronted with the harsh reality that desperation can make monsters out of anyone¡ªeven her.

Maddie, on the other hand, lived a surprisingly easy life after the zombies first appeared, safe behind the walls of the community at her parent¡¯s lake house. That is, until they¡¯re attacked, and she¡¯s ripped away from everything she¡¯s known. Now, she¡¯ll do anything to make it back to her family.

And when Saff¡¯s father dies, she finally has the chance she¡¯s been waiting for. The chance to escape. But only if she can steal the medication she desperately needs and survive long enough to get to safety.

With both girls fighting their way to stay alive day by day, in a world where every circumstance is against them, they realize that maybe travelling together can help them both get what they need.

But Maddie doesn¡¯t know Saff¡¯s secret. She doesn¡¯t know where she came from¡ªwhat she was. And Saff will do anything, especially lie, to get the medication she needs.

The absolute last thing she needs is to fall for some smart ass rich girl who will get in the way of that.]]>
542 Nicole Maser Tara 0 to-read 4.48 Hearing Red
author: Nicole Maser
name: Tara
average rating: 4.48
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/09
shelves: to-read
review:

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<![CDATA[Down to a Science (I Heart Sapphfic Pride Collection, #1)]]> 60914760
Until she meets Mia Sharpe.

As it it turns out, maybe Ellie does want at least one person.

This book is part of the I Heart SapphFic Pride Collection, which contains eight standalone books from some of the top authors in sapphic fiction today. Each one promises a Pride theme and a happy ending. The collection was organized by I Heart SapphFic, which is a website for authors and readers of sapphic fiction to stay up to date on all the latest sapphic fiction news.]]>
205 Haley Cass Tara 0 to-read 4.15 2022 Down to a Science (I Heart Sapphfic Pride Collection, #1)
author: Haley Cass
name: Tara
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/09
shelves: to-read
review:

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The Order 105299741
When a mysterious, gorgeous woman whisks her onto the dance floor at her father¡¯s masquerade ball, Lucy is thrilled to break the shackles of her privileged but purposeless life. But when the same woman kidnaps her and whisks her to the hideout of the rebels fighting to topple the regime she¡¯s set to inherit, Lucy isn¡¯t thrilled to be actually shackled as a prisoner. She is forced to accompany her abductor¡ªa laconic, rigid assassin named Taylor¡ªacross the war-torn regions of the former United States as Taylor carries out perilous assassinations and leads the growing rebel army.

Relying on each other to stay alive, the antagonistic spark between Lucy and Taylor smolders into an ardent flame. Secrets unravel and the stakes get fatally higher, as the battle between new love and old loyalty may prove more dangerous than the war they¡¯re trying to survive.]]>
396 T.J. O'Shea 1642473782 Tara 0 to-read 4.41 The Order
author: T.J. O'Shea
name: Tara
average rating: 4.41
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/09
shelves: to-read
review:

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<![CDATA[Tempting Olivia (Oxford Romance #2)]]> 208909647
But, when the actor walks into Olivia¡¯s office with a bag full of divorce and a messy personal life, that perfect bubble bursts. Kate seems nothing like the screen goddesses she plays, and Olivia must put aside her comfort viewing and handle the case like the true professional she is.

It requires secrecy, especially with indiscreet friends. Will best-friend Charlotte ever read the room? And will Millie, who instantly reads the room, ever stop commenting loudly?

And Kate? She doesn¡¯t know what to think about this frosty lawyer. But she needs a quick divorce from a mistake of a marriage, which was over before it started, and Olivia Sachdeva is the best.

But little by little, Olivia and Kate glimpse behind the mask, to find someone they weren¡¯t looking for, who may not even be perfect, but might be the right person for them.

Read as a stand-alone romance or book two of the Oxford Romance series.]]>
404 Clare Ashton Tara 5
Covered on Queerly Recommended podcast: ]]>
4.14 Tempting Olivia (Oxford Romance #2)
author: Clare Ashton
name: Tara
average rating: 4.14
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/02
date added: 2024/03/18
shelves: actors, bisexual, celebrities, contemporary, ice-queen, lawyers, opposites-attract, read-in-2024, reviewed-at-queerlyrecommended, sapphic, single-moms
review:
Loved, loved, loved. It has my favourite quotes, incredible chemistry, and it made me cry. This will be one of my favourite books this year.

Covered on Queerly Recommended podcast:
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Lean in to Love 195615814
Hollywood talent agent Ellis Turner is at the top of her game. Her star client has landed the role of a lifetime, and all Ellis must do is get her to the set without scandal. Enter Rory Hatten, the nosy roommate of London¡¯s latest questionable romantic entanglement, and an absolute nobody in the industry. Their disastrous first encounter seems destined to destroy everything that Ellis has worked so hard to achieve.

>Rory doesn¡¯t want to come between Ellis and London. Actually, she¡¯d rather stay out of Hollywood altogether. But she begins to suspect Maya¡¯s motives aren¡¯t as pure as they seem, and she has no choice but to work with Ellis to save London¡¯s reputation and the Ellis Turner Agency.

Will badly behaving celebrities, erotic sex tapes, and steamy scandals prevent Rory and Ellis from leaning in to love?]]>
264 Catherine Lane 163679582X Tara 3
Discussed on episode 78 of Queerly Recommended: ]]>
3.31 Lean in to Love
author: Catherine Lane
name: Tara
average rating: 3.31
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/18
date added: 2024/03/18
shelves: bold-strokes-books, celebrities, cooks-or-chefs-or-bartenders, finance-gap, read-in-2024, reviewed-at-queerlyrecommended, sapphic
review:
Not a typical romance, given how much time is dedicated to side characters, but I enjoyed it.

Discussed on episode 78 of Queerly Recommended:
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Satisfaction Guaranteed 55648824
When it comes to her career, Cade Elgin has it all figured out. Only ¡°professional talk¡± has become her default mode, relationships are nonexistent, and don't even mention the word ¡°orgasm.¡± All work and no play makes Cade a dull human. But when she inherits a sex toy store, Cade is caught between business and a store filled with every imaginable kind of pleasure¡ªincluding her infuriatingly irresponsible and deliciously sexy new co-owner.

Selena Mathis learned the hard way that she can have too much of a good thing. Which is precisely why she's taken an oath of celibacy and is focusing on how to make Satisfaction Guaranteed a success. She won't mess this up. Not this time. But once again, Selena's emotions are getting in the way, and tempting her with a serious attraction to buttoned-up Cade.

But the shop isn't exactly vibe-ing, and Cade and Selena are on the verge of losing both their income and the possibility of love. Can they find a way to work together . . . before Satisfaction Guaranteed runs out of batteries?]]>
336 Karelia Stetz-Waters 1538735520 Tara 5
Full review:

Podcast episode: ]]>
3.80 2021 Satisfaction Guaranteed
author: Karelia Stetz-Waters
name: Tara
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/03/16
date added: 2024/03/16
shelves: contemporary, artists, opposites-attract, read-in-2021, reviewed-at-sbtb, sapphic, reviewed-at-queerlyrecommended
review:
I adored Cade and Selena, and I could have easily read hundreds more pages about them. This was the sex-positive, clitoris-forward (is that a thing? I think this book made it a thing) romance I didn¡¯t know I needed. It made me laugh and it made my heart sing.

Full review:

Podcast episode:
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Limelight 146074723
Palmer was one of the most sought-after producers and songwriters until she made a mistake that cost her everything. Now she leads a very different life. Jaded and disillusioned, she¡¯s persuaded by an old friend to coach on a new reality talent show in the hope it might rejuvenate her former career. What she doesn¡¯t expect is the prickly Liberty or the unexpected emotions that surge between them whenever Liberty sings. There¡¯s no way Palmer will ever act on her attraction. She¡¯s already made one career-ending mistake and isn¡¯t looking for an encore.]]>
240 Gun Brooke 1636791921 Tara 4
Full review:

Queerly Recommended episode: ]]>
3.92 Limelight
author: Gun Brooke
name: Tara
average rating: 3.92
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/20
date added: 2024/03/03
shelves: age-gap, bold-strokes-books, contemporary, sapphic, read-in-2024, reviewed-at-tlr, singers-musicians, reality-show, tv, workplace-romance
review:
I thoroughly enjoyed Limelight as a HFN romance. Libby and Palmer¡¯s story was compelling and I was so happy to see Noelle and Helena again. If you enjoy competition reality show romances, age gap romances, or stories where emotionally guarded people slowly let their walls down, Limelight is the book for you.

Full review:

Queerly Recommended episode:
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<![CDATA[How You Get the Girl (Nashville Love, #3)]]> 173404080 Love & Other Disasters, named a "must-read" by USA Today, PopSugar, SheReads, and Harper Bazaar.?

When smart-mouthed Vanessa Lerner joins the high school basketball team Julie Parker coaches, Julie¡¯s ready for the challenge. What she¡¯s not ready for is Vanessa¡¯s new foster parent, Elle Cochrane¡ªformer University of Tennessee basketball star. While star-struck at first, soon Julie persuades Elle to step into the unfilled position of assistant coach for the year.
?
Even though Elle has stayed out of the basketball world since an injury ended her short-lived WNBA career, the gig might be a way to become closer to Vanessa¡ªand to spend more time with Julie, who makes Elle laugh. As the coaches grow closer, Elle has a hard time understanding how Julie is single. When Julie reveals her lifelong insecurity about dating and how she wishes it was more like sports¡ªbeing able to practice first¡ªit sparks an intriguing idea. While Elle still doubts her abilities as a basketball coach, helping Julie figure out dating is definitely something she can do. But as the basketball season progresses, and lines grow increasingly blurred, Julie and Elle must decide to join the game¡ªor retreat to the sidelines.]]>
384 Anita Kelly 1538754916 Tara 4
Covered on the Queerly Recommended podcast: ]]>
4.10 2024 How You Get the Girl (Nashville Love, #3)
author: Anita Kelly
name: Tara
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/03/03
shelves: athletes, bisexual, contemporary, sapphic, read-in-2024, reviewed-at-queerlyrecommended, asexual
review:
Loved the idea of someone finding love with their longtime crush. Very much appreciated how the depression representation and seeing a character trying to figure out what their sexual orientation is and whether they might be on the ace spectrum. Unfortunately, the epilogue fell sort of flat after the rest of the book, which I had adored. I will likely read this one again, but skip the epilogue.

Covered on the Queerly Recommended podcast:
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<![CDATA[Vengeance Planning for Amateurs]]> 204723575
Muffin maker Olivia Roberts has had it with her awful exes taking advantage of her good nature. The theft of her nana¡¯s beloved stuffed penguin is the absolute last straw.

She puts up an ad at her local crime bookstore for a henchperson to help her enact a little mild revenge. To her astonishment, Margaret Blackwood, the mysterious, icy, and annoyingly opinionated bookstore owner, applies.

For two clever, capable women, they turn out to be woeful at vengeance. But much to their dismay, they discover they¡¯re pretty good at falling in love!]]>
328 Lee Winter 3963248661 Tara 5
Queerly Recommended podcast episode: ]]>
4.43 2024 Vengeance Planning for Amateurs
author: Lee Winter
name: Tara
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/02/03
date added: 2024/03/03
shelves: academics, age-gap, contemporary, sapphic, opposites-attract, read-in-2024, reviewed-at-queerlyrecommended, widow, ylva
review:
Absolutely adored this one. It'll be one of my favourites this year.

Queerly Recommended podcast episode:
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Beyond Shame (Beyond, #1) 15830843
The sectors surrounding Eden house the corrupt, the criminal¨Cmen like Jasper McCray, bootlegger and cage fighter. Jas clawed his way up from nothing to stand at the right hand of Sector Four¡¯s ruthless leader, and he¡¯ll defend the O¡¯Kane gang with his life. But no fight ever prepared him for the exiled City girl who falls at his feet.

Her innocence is undeniable, but so is their intense sexual attraction, and soon they¡¯re crossing every boundary Noelle barely knew she had. But if she wants to belong to Jas, first she¡¯ll have to open herself to the gang, to a dangerous world of sex, lust and violence. A world where passion is power, and freedom is found in submission.]]>
351 Kit Rocha 0988327805 Tara 0 read-in-2014, mf, bisexual 3.71 2012 Beyond Shame (Beyond, #1)
author: Kit Rocha
name: Tara
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at: 2014/12/20
date added: 2024/01/29
shelves: read-in-2014, mf, bisexual
review:

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In Real Life 20575446
But things become a lot more complicated when Anda befriends a gold farmer--a poor Chinese kid whose avatar in the game illegally collects valuable objects and then sells them to players from developed countries with money to burn. This behavior is strictly against the rules in Coarsegold, but Anda soon comes to realize that questions of right and wrong are a lot less straightforward when a real person's real livelihood is at stake.

From acclaimed teen author (Little Brother, For the Win) and Boing Boing editor Cory Doctorow and Koko Be Good creator Jen Wang, In Real Life is a perceptive and high-stakes look at adolescence, gaming, poverty, and culture clash.]]>
175 Cory Doctorow 1596436581 Tara 4 graphic-novels, read-in-2023 3.81 2014 In Real Life
author: Cory Doctorow
name: Tara
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/22
date added: 2023/10/22
shelves: graphic-novels, read-in-2023
review:
Good read if you want to introduce your older kiddos to the concept of labour organizing and bad management practices that lead to it, among other things.
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<![CDATA[Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving]]> 52668196 Despite our constant search for new ways to 'hack' our bodies and minds for peak performance, human beings are working more instead of less, living harder not smarter, and becoming more lonely and anxious. We strive for the absolute best in every aspect of our lives, ignoring what we do well naturally. Why do we measure our time in terms of efficiency instead of meaning? Why can't we just take a break?

In Do Nothing, award-winning journalist Celeste Headlee illuminates a new path ahead, seeking to institute a global shift in our thinking so we can stop sabotaging our well-being, put work aside and start living instead of doing.

The key lies in embracing what makes us human: our creativity, our social connections (Instagram doesn't count), our ability for reflective thought, and our capacity for joy. Celeste's strategies will allow you to regain control over your life and break your addiction to false efficiency, including:

-Increase your time perception and determine how your hours are being spent.
-Stop comparing yourself to others.
-Invest in quality idle time. Take a hot bath and listen to music.
-Spend face-to-face time with friends and family

It's time to recover our leisure time and reverse the trend that's making us all sadder, sicker, and less productive.

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288 Celeste Headlee 1984824732 Tara 5 non-fiction, read-in-2023 3.84 2020 Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving
author: Celeste Headlee
name: Tara
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2023/10/22
date added: 2023/10/22
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[¡°You Just Need to Lose Weight¡±: And 19 Other Myths About Fat People]]> 60808740 The co-host of the Maintenance Phase podcast and creator of Your Fat Friend equips you with the facts to debunk common anti-fat myths and with tools to take action for fat justice

The pushback that shows up in conversations about fat justice takes exceedingly predicable form. Losing weight is easy¡ªcalories in, calories out. Fat people are unhealthy. We¡¯re in the midst of an obesity epidemic. Fat acceptance ¡°glorifies obesity.¡± The BMI is an objective measure of size and health. Yet, these myths are as readily debunked as they are pervasive.

In ¡°You Just Need to Lose Weight,¡± Aubrey Gordon equips readers with the facts and figures to reframe myths about fatness in order to dismantle the anti-fat bias ingrained in how we think about and treat fat people. Bringing her dozen years of community organizing and training to bear, Gordon shares the rhetorical approaches she and other organizers employ to not only counter these pernicious myths, but to dismantle the anti-fat bias that so often underpin them.

As conversations about fat acceptance and fat justice continue to grow, ¡°You Just Need to Lose Weight¡± will be essential to ensure that those conversations are informed, effective, and grounded in both research and history.

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205 Aubrey Gordon 0807006475 Tara 5 non-fiction, read-in-2023 4.34 2023 ¡°You Just Need to Lose Weight¡±: And 19 Other Myths About Fat People
author: Aubrey Gordon
name: Tara
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/09/04
date added: 2023/09/04
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2023
review:
This should be required reading. Excellent research and accessible writing show how systemic fatphobia is and how it's inextricably bound in other systems of oppression.
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Ten Steps to Nanette 40588534 Nanette, even as she declared that she was quitting stand-up. Now, she takes us through the defining moments in her life that led to the creation of Nanette and her powerful decision to tell the truth-no matter the cost.

'There is nothing stronger than a broken woman who has rebuilt herself.' -Hannah Gadsby, Nanette

Gadsby's unique stand-up special Nanette was a viral success that left audiences captivated by her blistering honesty and her ability to create both tension and laughter in a single moment. But while her worldwide fame might have looked like an overnight sensation, her path from open mic to the global stage was hard-fought and anything but linear.

Ten Steps to Nanette traces Gadsby's growth as a queer person from Tasmania-where homosexuality was illegal until 1997-to her ever-evolving relationship with comedy, to her struggle with late-in-life diagnoses of autism and ADHD, and finally to the backbone of Nanette - the renouncement of self-deprecation, the rejection of misogyny, and the moral significance of truth-telling.

Equal parts harrowing and hilarious, Ten Steps to Nanette continues Gadsby's tradition of confounding expectations and norms, properly introducing us to one of the most explosive, formative voices of our time.]]>
400 Hannah Gadsby 1742374034 Tara 4 non-fiction, read-in-2023 4.45 2022 Ten Steps to Nanette
author: Hannah Gadsby
name: Tara
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/06/13
date added: 2023/07/24
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy]]> 60372348 An insider account of activists, politicians, educators, and everyday citizens working to change minds, bridge divisions, and save democracy

The lifeblood of any free society is persuasion: changing other people's minds to enable real change. But America is suffering a crisis of faith in persuasion that is putting its democracy and the planet itself at risk. Americans increasingly write each other off instead of seeking to win each other over. Debates are framed in moralistic terms, with enemies battling the righteous. Movements for justice build barriers to entry, instead of on-ramps. Political parties focus on mobilizing the faithful rather than wooing the skeptical. And leaders who seek to forge coalition are labeled sellouts.

In Persuasion Anand Giridharadas takes us inside these movements and battles, seeking out the dissenters who continue to champion persuasion in an age of polarization. We meet a co-founder of Black Lives Matter; a leader of the feminist resistance to Trumpism; white parents at a seminar on raising adopted children of color; Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; a team of door knockers with an uncanny formula for changing minds on immigration; an ex-cult member turned QAnon deprogrammer; and, hovering menacingly offstage, Russian operatives clandestinely stoking Americans' fatalism about each other. As the book's subjects grapple with how to "call out" threats and injustices while "calling in" those who don't agree with them but just might one day, they point a way to healing, and changing, a broken country.]]>
352 Anand Giridharadas 0593318994 Tara 4 non-fiction, read-in-2023 4.08 2022 The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy
author: Anand Giridharadas
name: Tara
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/23
date added: 2023/07/24
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness]]> 33113683
My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness is an honest and heartfelt look at one young woman¡¯s exploration of her sexuality, mental well-being, and growing up in our modern age. Told using expressive artwork that invokes both laughter and tears, this moving and highly entertaining single volume depicts not only the artist¡¯s burgeoning sexuality, but many other personal aspects of her life that will resonate with readers.]]>
144 Kabi Nagata 1626926034 Tara 3 4.11 2016 My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness
author: Kabi Nagata
name: Tara
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2023/04/06
date added: 2023/04/06
shelves: contemporary, graphic-novels, non-fiction, manga, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole]]> 58734811 In her new masterpiece, the author of the bestselling phenomenon Quiet reveals the power of a bittersweet outlook on life, and why we¡¯ve been so blind to its value.

With Quiet, Susan Cain urged our society to cultivate space for the undervalued, indispensable introverts among us, thereby revealing an untapped power hidden in plain sight. Now she employs the same mix of research, storytelling, and memoir to explore why we experience sorrow and longing, and the surprising lessons these states of mind teach us about creativity, compassion, leadership, spirituality, mortality, and love.

Bittersweetness is a tendency to states of longing, poignancy, and sorrow; an acute awareness of passing time; and a curiously piercing joy when beholding beauty. It recognizes that light and dark, birth and death¡ªbitter and sweet¡ªare forever paired. A song in a minor key, an elegiac poem, or even a touching television commercial all can bring us to this sublime, even holy, state of mind¡ªand, ultimately, to greater kinship with our fellow humans.

But bittersweetness is not, as we tend to think, just a momentary feeling or event. It¡¯s also a way of being, a storied heritage. Our artistic and spiritual traditions¡ªamplified by recent scientific and management research¡ªteach us its power.

Cain shows how a bittersweet state of mind is the quiet force that helps us transcend our personal and collective pain. If we don¡¯t acknowledge our own sorrows and longings, she says, we can end up inflicting them on others via abuse, domination, or neglect. But if we realize that all humans know¡ªor will know¡ªloss and suffering, we can turn toward each other. And we can learn to transform our own pain into creativity, transcendence, and connection.

At a time of profound discord and personal anxiety, Bittersweet brings us together in deep and unexpected ways.]]>
310 Susan Cain 0451499786 Tara 5 non-fiction, read-in-2023 3.96 2022 Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole
author: Susan Cain
name: Tara
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2023/04/02
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2023
review:
This won't work for everyone and/or for every season, but I think I picked it up at the right time for me.
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<![CDATA[She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat, Vol. 1]]> 60708415 178 Sakaomi Yuzaki 1975348826 Tara 5 4.37 2021 She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat, Vol. 1
author: Sakaomi Yuzaki
name: Tara
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2023/04/03
date added: 2023/04/02
shelves: contemporary, sapphic, manga, read-in-2023
review:
Completely adorable. Such a chill read.
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<![CDATA[She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat, Vol. 2]]> 62874443 178 Sakaomi Yuzaki 1975362977 Tara 5 4.55 2022 She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat, Vol. 2
author: Sakaomi Yuzaki
name: Tara
average rating: 4.55
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/04/03
date added: 2023/04/02
shelves: contemporary, sapphic, manga, read-in-2023
review:

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×÷¤ê¤¿¤¤Å®¤Èʳ¤Ù¤¿¤¤Å®¡¡3 63851706 ëO¤ËФ·¤¯Ô½¤·¤Æ¤­¤¿ÄÏÔƤµ¤ó¤ä¡¢Ò°±¾¤µ¤ó¤Î¾ÉÖª¤Î¥Õ¥©¥í¥ï©`?ʸ×Ó¤µ¤ó¤ÈФ¿¤Ê½»Á÷¤ÎÂÖ¤âŽÚ¤¬¤ê¡¢Ï뤤¤â˜¤ß¤âÉî¤Þ¤ëµÚ3Ž†¡£±Õ±Õ> 178 Sakaomi Yuzaki 4049144247 Tara 0 to-read 4.66 2022 ×÷¤ê¤¿¤¤Å®¤Èʳ¤Ù¤¿¤¤Å®¡¡3
author: Sakaomi Yuzaki
name: Tara
average rating: 4.66
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/04/02
shelves: to-read
review:

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The Prince and the Dressmaker 34506912 Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride¨Dor rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia¨Dthe hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

Sebastian¡¯s secret weapon is his brilliant dressmaker, Frances¨Dhis best friend and one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone¡¯s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect her friend?

Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, The Prince and the Dressmaker will steal your heart.]]>
277 Jen Wang 162672363X Tara 4 4.34 2018 The Prince and the Dressmaker
author: Jen Wang
name: Tara
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2023/04/03
date added: 2023/04/02
shelves: gender-non-conforming-or-nonbinary, graphic-novels, historical, read-in-2023
review:

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Gender Queer: A Memoir 42837514 Gender Queer is here. Maia's intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over erotic gay fanfiction, and facing the trauma of pap smears. Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, Gender Queer is more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity¡ªwhat it means and how to think about it¡ªfor advocates, friends, and humans everywhere.]]> 240 Maia Kobabe 1549304003 Tara 5 4.25 2019 Gender Queer: A Memoir
author: Maia Kobabe
name: Tara
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2023/04/03
date added: 2023/04/02
shelves: asexual, bisexual, contemporary, graphic-novels, non-fiction, read-in-2023, gender-non-conforming-or-nonbinary
review:

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People Change 58587364
¡°A deeply generous and honest gift to the world.¡±
¡ª Elliot Page

The author of I¡¯m Afraid of Men lets readers in on the secrets to a life of reinvention.

Vivek Shraya knows this to be people change. We change our haircuts and our outfits and our minds. We change names, titles, labels. We attempt to blend in or to stand out. We outgrow relationships, we abandon dreams for new ones, we start fresh. We seize control of our stories. We make resolutions.

In fact, nobody knows this better than Vivek, who¡¯s made a career of embracing many artist, performer, musician, writer, model, teacher. In People Change , she reflects on the origins of this impulse, tracing it to childhood influences from Hinduism to Madonna. What emerges is a meditation on change why we fear it, why we¡¯re drawn to it, what motivates us to change, and what traps us in place.

At a time when we¡¯re especially contemplating who we want to be, this slim and stylish handbook is an essential companion¡ªa guide to celebrating our many selves and the inspiration to discover who we¡¯ll become next.]]>
112 Vivek Shraya 0735238650 Tara 5 non-fiction, read-in-2023 3.94 2022 People Change
author: Vivek Shraya
name: Tara
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2023/03/18
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[Ò»¶È¤À¤±¤Ç¤â¡¢áá»Ú¤·¤Æ¤Þ¤¹¡£3 [Ichido Dake Demo, Koukai Shitemasu. 3] (Even If It Was Just Once, I Regret It, #3)]]> 57398776 ´óºÃ¤­¤À¤«¤é¡¢ºó»Ú¤·¤Æ¤ë¡£¡°·îÊË¡±¤ÎÏȤˤ¢¤ë¤â¤Î¤Ï¨D¨D?

¾Í»î¡¢¥À¥¤¥¨¥Ã¥È¡¢¥¢¥ë¥Ð¥¤¥È¨D¨D´ó¼Ò¤µ¤ó¤Ë¤â¤¦Ò»¶È"¸æ°×"¤¹¤ë¤¿¤á
Ç°¤òÏò¤¤¤Æši¤ßʼ¤á¤¿Ð¡‰V¤È¡¢±ËÅ®¤òÓŤ·¤¯¼ûÊؤê¤Ä¤Ä¤â¤É¤³¤«²»°²¤²¤Ê´ó¼Ò¤µ¤ó¡£
¥«¥é¥À¤«¤éʼ¤Þ¤Ã¤¿¤Ê¤·±À¤·¤ÎÆõÔ¼év‚S¤Ï¡¢½ñ¤ä¤½¤Î×ˤò´ó¤­¤¯‰ä¤¨¤Æ¤¤¤¿¡£

¡¸Ë½¤¿¤Ö¤ó¡­¡­ºó»Ú¤·¤Æ¤ë¤ó¤À¡¹

¤½¤ÎÐОé¤Ï"·îÊË"¤Ê¤Î¤«¡¢¤½¤ì¤È¤â´¿¤Ê¤ëÏ뤤¤Î°k¶¤«¡£
¥¯¥ê¥¹¥Þ¥¹¤ÎÒ¹¡¢¥«¥é¥À¤«¤éʼ¤Þ¤Ã¤¿¤Õ¤¿¤ê¤¬¼û¤¿¤â¤Î¤Ï¨D¨D¡£

µÚ26»Øµç“Ä´óÉÍ&±ô³Ù;&±ô³Ù;½ðÉÍ&²µ³Ù;&²µ³Ù;ÊÜÉͤÇ
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0 Miyako Miyahara Tara 5 4.24 2021 Ò»¶È¤À¤±¤Ç¤â¡¢áá»Ú¤·¤Æ¤Þ¤¹¡£3 [Ichido Dake Demo, Koukai Shitemasu. 3] (Even If It Was Just Once, I Regret It, #3)
author: Miyako Miyahara
name: Tara
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2023/02/26
date added: 2023/02/26
shelves: bella, contemporary, sapphic, manga, read-in-2023
review:
Perfect ending. I was so, so happy with how it all turned out.
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<![CDATA[I Can't Believe I Slept With You!, Vol. 2]]> 60687391 188 Miyako Miyahara 1638583048 Tara 5 4.39 2020 I Can't Believe I Slept With You!, Vol. 2
author: Miyako Miyahara
name: Tara
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2023/02/26
date added: 2023/02/26
shelves: bisexual, contemporary, sapphic, manga, read-in-2023
review:
Loved seeing Koduka figure out her feelings. Now for Landlady to figure out that she means it!
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<![CDATA[I Can't Believe I Slept With You!, Vol. 1]]> 58584956 Love blossoms when a landlady and her tenant form an unconventional arrangement in this popular yuri romance.

Twenty-four-year-old Koduka Chiyo quit her job and is wallowing in self-pity in her apartment. She's also three months behind on her rent. Then her landlady proposes an unusual solution: have sex with her, and she'll help with the debt, the filthy apartment, and the loneliness driving Chiyo to beer and escapism. After a one-night stand, the two women decide to keep up the arrangement. Their growing relationship leads to questions of identity, getting one's life together, and if something tender can develop from an arrangement that started with a bang.]]>
186 Miyako Miyahara 1648277950 Tara 4
More detail comes later in the series that clears up the consent issue and makes it all well worth sticking around for. If you pick this up, don't stop after this book. Be sure to read all three. It's sweet and steamy, with a lovely story of bisexual awakening. ]]>
4.09 2020 I Can't Believe I Slept With You!, Vol. 1
author: Miyako Miyahara
name: Tara
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2023/02/26
date added: 2023/02/26
shelves: bisexual, contemporary, sapphic, manga, read-in-2023
review:
I started this one despite the blurb describing a super dubious consent issue, which isn't typically my thing. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised!

More detail comes later in the series that clears up the consent issue and makes it all well worth sticking around for. If you pick this up, don't stop after this book. Be sure to read all three. It's sweet and steamy, with a lovely story of bisexual awakening.
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<![CDATA[White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How to Do Better]]> 61224230 A no-holds-barred guidebook aimed at white women who want to stop being nice and start dismantling white supremacy.

It's no secret that white women are conditioned to be nice, but did you know that the desire to be perfect and to avoid conflict at all costs are characteristics of white supremacy culture?

As the founders of Race2Dinner, an organization which facilitates conversations between white women about racism and white supremacy, Regina Jackson and Saira Rao have noticed white women's tendency to maintain a veneer of niceness, and strive for perfection, even at the expense of anti-racism work.

In this book, Jackson and Rao pose these urgent questions: how has being nice helped Black women, Indigenous women and other women of color? How has being nice helped you in your quest to end sexism? Has being nice earned you economic parity with white men? Beginning with freeing white women from this oppressive need to be nice, they deconstruct and analyze nine aspects of traditional white woman behavior--from tone-policing to weaponizing tears--that uphold white supremacy society, and hurt all of us who are trying to live a freer, more equitable life.

White Women is a call to action to those of you who are looking to take the next steps in dismantling white supremacy. Your white supremacy. If you are in fact doing real anti-racism work, you will find few reasons to be nice, as other white people want to limit your membership in the club. If you are not ticking white people off on a regular basis, you are not doing it right.]]>
223 Regina Jackson 0525507973 Tara 0 currently-reading 4.53 2022 White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How to Do Better
author: Regina Jackson
name: Tara
average rating: 4.53
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/02/21
shelves: currently-reading
review:

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<![CDATA[Just One Wedding (Castleton Hearts #3)]]> 58857889 Charli is more than happy to have her cousin Linley¡¯s wedding to focus on. That is until she meets Linley¡¯s wedding coordinator, Alivia Ackerman. Or meets her AGAIN. It¡¯s not Charli¡¯s fault that she went to a bar and hooked up with a stranger right after her breakup. It¡¯s also not her fault that the stranger turns out to be planning her cousin¡¯s wedding and now things are¡­ awkward. And tense (in the sexual sense).
Can Charli ignore her previous history with Alivia (and her growing feelings) and focus on her cousin¡¯s wedding? Or will the distraction of Alivia prove too great for her to resist having another taste and losing her heart in the process?]]>
259 Chelsea M. Cameron Tara 4 4.35 2021 Just One Wedding (Castleton Hearts #3)
author: Chelsea M. Cameron
name: Tara
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2023/02/17
date added: 2023/02/17
shelves: contemporary, sapphic, new-adult, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[Just One Night (Castleton Hearts, #1)]]> 58311483 Paige¡¯s plan is simple, and it¡¯s going to work. Go out with Esme, take her home, and then rub her victory in Wyatt¡¯s face for the whole town of Castleton, Maine to see. She does reconnaissance at the bar where Esme works, and soon, the game is ON.
Is Paige just going to head right for the bedroom? No. She¡¯s more subtle than that. Paige has never really seduced anyone like this, but how hard could it be? She¡¯s not completely devoid of sexy skills.
What starts as a plot to get back at her ex turns into something a whole lot more complicated when Paige catches major feelings. Is she ready to give up her mission and put her heart on the line again? Or should she just cut her losses and call the whole thing off?]]>
265 Chelsea M. Cameron Tara 4 sapphic, read-in-2022 4.01 2021 Just One Night (Castleton Hearts, #1)
author: Chelsea M. Cameron
name: Tara
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2022/02/18
date added: 2023/02/17
shelves: sapphic, read-in-2022
review:

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<![CDATA[Just One Week (Castleton Hearts #2)]]> 58710845 She¡¯s not going to think about the fact that the girl she¡¯s going to pick up, Natalie Johnson, was her best friend when they were kids, until Natalie decided she¡¯d rather hang with the cool kids and abandoned Em. Not that she¡¯s still holding a grudge or anything.
All she has to do is manage to get through one week with Natalie, and then never think about her again, but those plans go out the window when she sees Natalie and feels something more intense than her anger at the past: lust.
It¡¯s fine. All she has to do is get through one week. What happens afterwards is a problem for future Em.
What starts as an annoying chore turns into a road trip of redemption when Em realizes how much she misses having Natalie in her life, and things escalate further when they get back to Castleton, and share a kiss. Those feelings Em has been trying to ignore aren¡¯t going to be silenced. Will Em put the past in the past, and let herself fall for the girl who used to be her best friend? Or will she cling to her painful past and reject Natalie completely?]]>
262 Chelsea M. Cameron Tara 0 4.07 2021 Just One Week (Castleton Hearts #2)
author: Chelsea M. Cameron
name: Tara
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at: 2023/02/06
date added: 2023/02/06
shelves: bisexual, enemies-to-lovers, sapphic, friends-to-lovers, read-in-2023, small-town
review:

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Still Sick 3 (Still Sick, #3) 55335418
Akane and Makoto grow closer, as Makoto is finally able to realize her dream with someone who loves her and believes in her by her side.? Are the two women finally able to confess their feelings to one another??]]>
257 Akashi 4800009847 Tara 5 4.10 2020 Still Sick 3 (Still Sick, #3)
author: Akashi
name: Tara
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/29
date added: 2023/01/29
shelves: sapphic, manga, read-in-2023, workplace-romance, yuri
review:
Perfect ending. Gave me the happiest sigh at the end.
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Still Sick, Vol. 2 48649363
Akane is the last person Makoto would think of as a nerd, but as the two grow closer, it starts to seem like Akane may have a secret of her own...]]>
176 Akashi 1427862354 Tara 3 manga, read-in-2023, yuri 3.85 2019 Still Sick, Vol. 2
author: Akashi
name: Tara
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2023/01/29
date added: 2023/01/29
shelves: manga, read-in-2023, yuri
review:

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Still Sick, Vol. 1 50188981 208 Akashi 1427862087 Tara 0 3.69 2018 Still Sick, Vol. 1
author: Akashi
name: Tara
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at: 2023/01/29
date added: 2023/01/29
shelves: sapphic, workplace-romance, manga, yuri, read-in-2023
review:

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Dare to Lead 40109367 In her #1 NYT bestsellers, Bren¨¦ Brown taught us what it means to dare greatly, rise strong and brave the wilderness. Now, based on new research conducted with leaders, change makers and culture shifters, she¡¯s showing us how to put those ideas into practice so we can step up and lead.

Leadership is not about titles, status and power over people. Leaders are people who hold themselves accountable for recognising the potential in people and ideas, and developing that potential. This is a book for everyone who is ready to choose courage over comfort, make a difference and lead.

When we dare to lead, we don't pretend to have the right answers; we stay curious and ask the right questions. We don't see power as finite and hoard it; we know that power becomes infinite when we share it and work to align authority and accountability. We don't avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into the vulnerability that¡¯s necessary to do good work.

But daring leadership in a culture that's defined by scarcity, fear and uncertainty requires building courage skills, which are uniquely human. The irony is that we're choosing not to invest in developing the hearts and minds of leaders at the same time we're scrambling to figure out what we have to offer that machines can't do better and faster. What can we do better? Empathy, connection and courage to start.

Bren¨¦ Brown spent the past two decades researching the emotions that give meaning to our lives. Over the past seven years, she found that leaders in organisations ranging from small entrepreneurial start-ups and family-owned businesses to non-profits, civic organisations and Fortune 50 companies, are asking the same questions:

How do you cultivate braver, more daring leaders? And, how do you embed the value of courage in your culture?

Dare to Lead answers these questions and gives us actionable strategies and real examples from her new research-based, courage-building programme.

Bren¨¦ writes, ¡®One of the most important findings of my career is that courage can be taught, developed and measured. Courage is a collection of four skill sets supported by twenty-eight behaviours. All it requires is a commitment to doing bold work, having tough conversations and showing up with our whole hearts. Easy? No. Choosing courage over comfort is not easy. Worth it? Always. We want to be brave with our lives and work. It's why we're here.¡¯]]>
332 Bren¨¦ Brown 147356252X Tara 4 non-fiction, read-in-2022 4.17 2018 Dare to Lead
author: Bren¨¦ Brown
name: Tara
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/12/12
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2022
review:

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<![CDATA[Season of Love (Carrigan¡¯s Christmasland, #1)]]> 60383010 Buzzfeed¡¯s Most Anticipated LGBTQ Romances of 2022

Miriam Blum has no choice but to face the past she thought she¡¯d left behind when she inherits her great-aunt¡¯s Christmas tree farm in this witty, glittering, heart-filled romcom.

Thanks to her thriving art career, Miriam Blum finally has her decoupaged glitter ducks in a row¡ªuntil devastating news forces her to a very unwanted family reunion. Her beloved great-aunt Cass has passed and left Miriam part-owner of Carrigan¡¯s, her (ironically) Jewish-run Christmas tree farm.

But Miriam¡¯s plans to sit shiva, avoid her parents, then put Carrigan¡¯s in her rearview mirror are spoiled when she learns the business is at risk of going under. To have any chance at turning things around, she¡¯ll need to work with the farm¡¯s grumpy manager¡ªas long as the attraction sparking between them doesn¡¯t set all their trees on fire first.

Noelle Northwood wants Miriam Blum gone¡ªeven if her ingenious ideas and sensitive soul keep showing Noelle there¡¯s more to Cass¡¯s niece than meets the eye. But saving Carrigan¡¯s requires trust, love, and risking it all¡ªfor the chance to make their wildest dreams come true.]]>
384 Helena Greer 1538706539 Tara 5 3.65 2022 Season of Love (Carrigan¡¯s Christmasland, #1)
author: Helena Greer
name: Tara
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/11/30
shelves: artists, bisexual, enemies-to-lovers, farmer-rancher, sapphic, holiday, read-in-2022
review:
This book is so, so good. More to come in a podcast and review, but you don't even need them. Just get this book.
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<![CDATA[Kissed By Her (Mainely Books Club, #1)]]> 61435887 Then my boss goes and hires a new assistant who is clearly gunning to be his second wife. Honor Conroy could not be more obvious in her motives and I can¡¯t understand how he doesn¡¯t see it.
She keeps getting under my skin, and even the twins are pulling pranks to try and get her out of their lives. I deny any involvement when their father finds out about their hijinks.
Then Honor decides to invade my book club¡ªmy sanctuary. I¡¯ve had it, so I decide to confront her and, somehow, in the heat of the moment, her lips end up on mine in the fiercest kiss I¡¯ve ever had in my life.
Turns out the gold-digger I imagined isn¡¯t the real Honor, and my heart may never recover from finding out who she really is under that ice-queen facade.]]>
274 Chelsea M. Cameron Tara 4 sapphic, read-in-2022 4.00 2022 Kissed By Her (Mainely Books Club, #1)
author: Chelsea M. Cameron
name: Tara
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2022/09/05
date added: 2022/11/19
shelves: sapphic, read-in-2022
review:

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<![CDATA[What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat]]> 52011076 From the creator of Your Fat Friend, an explosive indictment of the systemic and cultural bias facing plus-size people that will move us toward creating an agenda for fat justice.

Anti-fatness is everywhere. In What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat, Aubrey Gordon unearths the cultural attitudes and social systems that have led to people being denied basic needs because they are fat and calls for social justice movements to be inclusive of plus-sized people's experiences. Unlike the recent wave of memoirs and quasi self-help books that encourage readers to love and accept themselves, Gordon pushes the discussion further towards authentic fat activism, which includes ending legal weight discrimination, giving equal access to health care for large people, increased access to public spaces, and ending anti-fat violence. As she argues, I did not come to body positivity for self-esteem. I came to it for social justice.

By sharing her experiences as well as those of others--from smaller fat to very fat people--she concludes that to be fat in our society is to be seen as an undeniable failure, unlovable, unforgivable, and morally condemnable. Fatness is an open invitation for others to express disgust, fear, and insidious concern. To be fat is to be denied humanity and empathy. Studies show that fat survivors of sexual assault are less likely to be believed and less likely than their thin counterparts to report various crimes; 27% of very fat women and 13% of very fat men attempt suicide; over 50% of doctors describe their fat patients as awkward, unattractive, ugly and noncompliant; and in 48 states, it's legal--even routine--to deny employment because of an applicant's size.

Advancing fat justice and changing prejudicial structures and attitudes will require work from all people. What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat is a crucial tool to create a tectonic shift in the way we see, talk about, and treat our bodies, fat and thin alike.]]>
197 Aubrey Gordon 0807041300 Tara 5 non-fiction, read-in-2022 4.41 2020 What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat
author: Aubrey Gordon
name: Tara
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/11/13
date added: 2022/11/13
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2022
review:

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<![CDATA[Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty]]> 56382342
When eleven-year-old Cornelius Vanderbilt began to work on his father¡¯s small boat ferrying supplies in New York Harbor at the beginning of the nineteenth century, no one could have imagined that one day he would, through ruthlessness, cunning, and a pathological desire for money, build two empires¡ªone in shipping and another in railroads¡ªthat would make him the richest man in America. His staggering fortune was fought over by his heirs after his death in 1877, sowing familial discord that would never fully heal. Though his son Billy doubled the money left by ¡°the Commodore,¡± subsequent generations competed to find new and ever more extraordinary ways of spending it. By 2018, when the last Vanderbilt was forced out of The Breakers¡ªthe seventy-room summer estate in Newport, Rhode Island, that Cornelius¡¯s grandson and namesake had built¡ªthe family would have been unrecognizable to the tycoon who started it all.

Now, the Commodore¡¯s great-great-great-grandson Anderson Cooper, joins with historian Katherine Howe to explore the story of his legendary family and their outsized influence. Cooper and Howe breathe life into the ancestors who built the family¡¯s empire, basked in the Commodore¡¯s wealth, hosted lavish galas, and became synonymous with unfettered American capitalism and high society. Moving from the hardscrabble wharves of old Manhattan to the lavish drawing rooms of Gilded Age Fifth Avenue, from the ornate summer palaces of Newport to the courts of Europe, and all the way to modern-day New York, Cooper and Howe wryly recount the triumphs and tragedies of an American dynasty unlike any other.

Written with a unique insider¡¯s viewpoint, this is a rollicking, quintessentially American history as remarkable as the family it so vividly captures.]]>
317 Anderson Cooper 0062964615 Tara 4 non-fiction, read-in-2022 3.75 2021 Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty
author: Anderson Cooper
name: Tara
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2022/08/26
date added: 2022/08/26
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2022
review:

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<![CDATA[Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk]]> 14595 A Time Out and Daily News Top Ten Book of the Year upon its initial release, Please Kill Me is the first oral history of the most nihilist of all pop movements. Iggy Pop, Danny Fields, Dee Dee and Joey Ramone, Malcom McLaren, Jim Carroll, and scores of other famous and infamous punk figures lend their voices to this definitive account of that outrageous, explosive era. From its origins in the twilight years of Andy Warhol's New York reign to its last gasps as eighties corporate rock, the phenomenon known as punk is scrutinized, eulogized, and idealized by the people who were there and who made it happen.
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488 Legs McNeil 0802142648 Tara 5 non-fiction, read-in-2022 4.19 1996 Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk
author: Legs McNeil
name: Tara
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1996
rating: 5
read at: 2022/08/16
date added: 2022/08/16
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2022
review:

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<![CDATA[Love That Story: Observations from a Gorgeously Queer Life]]> 59916195 Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness dives into his favourite subjects in Love That Story, a new collection of heartfelt and entertaining essays.

From experiencing heartbreaking grief to uncovering the hidden LGBTQ history of his hometown, Quincy, from overcoming body image issues and living with HIV to cultivating his personal style, JVN speaks out a wide range of topics with heart, honesty and flair.

He not only shares his personal experiences, but with the help of conversations with experts, he also offers captivating perspectives on the wide number of issues we are dealing with today: the current nature of race issues in the US, the rise of white supremacy, transphobia and imposter syndrome.

Love That Story is not just the story of JVN, but the story we are writing together.
?]]>
6 Jonathan Van Ness 1398507091 Tara 5 non-fiction, read-in-2022 4.09 2022 Love That Story: Observations from a Gorgeously Queer Life
author: Jonathan Van Ness
name: Tara
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/05/04
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2022
review:

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<![CDATA[Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love]]> 41824023
The truth is, it hasn¡¯t always been gorgeous for this beacon of positivity and joy.

Before he stole our hearts as the grooming and self-care expert on Netflix¡¯s hit show Queer Eye, Jonathan was growing up in a small Midwestern town that didn¡¯t understand why he was so¡­over the top. From choreographed carpet figure skating routines to the unavoidable fact that he was Just. So. Gay., Jonathan was an easy target and endured years of judgement, ridicule and trauma¡ªyet none of it crushed his uniquely effervescent spirit.

Over the Top uncovers the pain and passion it took to end up becoming the model of self-love and acceptance that Jonathan is today. In this revelatory, raw, and rambunctious memoir, Jonathan shares never-before-told secrets and reveals sides of himself that the public has never seen. JVN fans may think they know the man behind the stiletto heels, the crop tops, and the iconic sayings, but there¡¯s much more to him than meets the Queer Eye.

You¡¯ll laugh, you¡¯ll cry, and you¡¯ll come away knowing that no matter how broken or lost you may be, you¡¯re a Kelly Clarkson song, you¡¯re strong, and you¡¯ve got this.]]>
6 Jonathan Van Ness 0062906402 Tara 5 non-fiction, read-in-2022 4.19 2019 Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love
author: Jonathan Van Ness
name: Tara
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/04/22
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2022
review:
Completely loved the audio book. Not sure I would have loved it quite as much if I were reading it on my kindle, but audio is definitely the way to go because it feels like JVN is just sharing his story conversationally.
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A Whisper of Solace 60457393 What makes an Ice Queen?

Neve Blackthorne, head of one of the most successful Studios in Hollywood, is the one to rule them all. Powerful, beautiful, and aloof, she¡¯s ruthless, yet irresistible. Above all, she has an unquenchable survival instinct.

Surely a fleeting entanglement with one Audrey Avens, a bright, young, rising star in her company, won¡¯t bring down the Wicked Queen of Tinseltown. Or will it?

Neve¡¯s public persona has no chink in the untouchable armor, but when the lights go out and the cameras stop rolling, what becomes of an Ice Queen whose heart is ruled by love and fear?]]>
398 Milena McKay Tara 0 currently-reading 4.46 2022 A Whisper of Solace
author: Milena McKay
name: Tara
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/04/16
shelves: currently-reading
review:

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I'm Afraid of Men. 39391177 A trans artist explores how masculinity was imposed on her as a boy and continues to haunt her as a girl¡ªand how we might re-imagine gender for the twenty-first century.

Vivek Shraya has reason to be afraid. Throughout her life she's endured acts of cruelty and aggression for being too feminine as a boy and not feminine enough as a girl. To survive childhood she had to learn to convincingly perform masculinity. As an adult she makes daily compromises to steel herself against everything from verbal attacks to heartbreak.

With raw honesty, Shraya delivers an important record of the cumulative damage caused by misogyny, homophobia, and transphobia, releasing trauma from a body that has always refused to assimilate. I'm Afraid of Men. is a journey from camouflage to a riot of color and a blueprint for how we might cherish all that makes us different and conquer all that makes us afraid.]]>
87 Vivek Shraya 0735235937 Tara 5 non-fiction, read-in-2020 4.21 2018 I'm Afraid of Men.
author: Vivek Shraya
name: Tara
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2022/04/07
date added: 2022/04/07
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2020
review:

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<![CDATA[Above All Things (Carlisle, #2)]]> 60152596 The Carlisle saga continues¡­

Aspiring writer Jules Moretti and iconic fashion editor Vivian Carlisle have been through the wringer.

As Vivian¡¯s personal assistant, Jules was there for her ice queen boss¡¯s whims, commands, and the shocking discovery of her pregnancy. Just as shocking was Jules¡¯s realization that she was falling hard for Vivian¡­and that the feeling was mutual.

Now Jules is forging her own path. At the same time, how can she and her workaholic lover balance romance in the midst of backstabbing bosses, meddling families, and the impending arrival of a baby? Will their explosive chemistry fizzle, or can they take their relationship to a new level of passion¡ªand commitment?

Above All Things is the second part of the two-book Carlisle series. This age-gap lesbian romance is a steamy tale of discovery, desire, and the rewards of opening yourself up to love.

Tags: age gap romance, ice queen
97,000 words]]>
314 Roslyn Sinclair 3963246502 Tara 5 4.49 2022 Above All Things (Carlisle, #2)
author: Roslyn Sinclair
name: Tara
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2022/04/03
date added: 2022/04/07
shelves: age-gap, bisexual, business-execs, sapphic, read-in-2022, workplace-romance, writers
review:
Review to come, but spoiler: this is my new fave book (with part 1).
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<![CDATA[Truth and Measure (Carlisle, #1)]]> 60147284 What happens when the world¡¯s fiercest fashion editor learns she¡¯s pregnant¡ªand her distracting assistant is the only one she can turn to? This wildly popular age-gap lesbian romance mixes humor and chaos with self-discovery.

Jules Moretti is newly single, an aspiring writer, and the hyper-competent assistant to the most powerful woman in fashion. It¡¯s a tough job, but her ice queen boss won¡¯t settle for less than perfection.

Vivian Carlisle helms the internationally revered fashion publication Du Jour. She might be smack in the middle of a messy divorce, but you have to make sacrifices to be the best. That¡¯s what she tells herself, anyway.

When the unthinkable happens, Vivian¡¯s regimented world is turned upside-down. Her life is about power, success, and dominance¡ªnot a baby!

This single, shocking moment throws boss and assistant together into an intimacy neither could have imagined. With their lives in chaos, every day brings a new challenge bigger than the last. But everything will work out¡­just so long as they don¡¯t do anything totally ridiculous.

Like fall in love.

Truth and Measure is the first part of a two-book series. This slow-burn office romance is a steamy story of fashion, passion, and the power of the unexpected.

Tags: age gap romance, ice queen
120,000 words]]>
396 Roslyn Sinclair 3963246464 Tara 5 4.32 2022 Truth and Measure (Carlisle, #1)
author: Roslyn Sinclair
name: Tara
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2022/03/07
date added: 2022/04/07
shelves: age-gap, bisexual, business-execs, sapphic, read-in-2022, workplace-romance, ylva
review:
Review to come, but spoiler: this is my new fave book (with part 2).
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<![CDATA[The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo]]> 32620332
Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn¡¯s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ¡®80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn¡¯s story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique¡¯s own in tragic and irreversible ways.]]>
389 Taylor Jenkins Reid 1501139231 Tara 5 4.39 2017 The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Tara
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2022/02/14
date added: 2022/02/15
shelves:
review:

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Silent Night 59512687
Nicole¡¯s happy in Mountain Crossing, but deep down, she knows all the girls who come into her life end up leaving. She knows better than to give in, even when her old best friend shows up in town again¡ªand they have the same spark as ever.

Of course, it doesn¡¯t help that Brooke is bisexual, single, and the entirety of Mountain Crossing is intent on the two of them getting together.

Silent Night is a 35,000-word sweet small-town childhood-friends-to-lovers Christmas romance novella, following a musician with auditory processing disorder who just wants some peace and quiet, and her childhood best friend who¡¯s a happy small-town baker and painter. Features meddling family who tries to push the two together, constantly running into one another, and cute Christmas fluff for days. Content warnings for open-door sex scenes, queer girls trying their best not to get together, loving family who are really obvious in their attempts to get them together, and Daniel always talking about food.]]>
139 Lily Seabrooke Tara 5 4.07 2021 Silent Night
author: Lily Seabrooke
name: Tara
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/20
date added: 2021/11/20
shelves:
review:

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Bad Feminist 18813642 Pink is my favorite color. I used to say my favorite color was black to be cool, but it is pink¡ªall shades of pink. If I have an accessory, it is probably pink. I read Vogue, and I¡¯m not doing it ironically, though it might seem that way. I once live-tweeted the September issue.

In these funny and insightful essays, Roxane Gay takes us through the journey of her evolution as a woman of color while also taking readers on a ride through culture of the last few years and commenting on the state of feminism today. The portrait that emerges is not only one of an incredibly insightful woman continually growing to understand herself and our society, but also one of our culture.

Bad Feminist is a sharp, funny, and spot-on look at the ways in which the culture we consume becomes who we are, and an inspiring call-to-arms of all the ways we still need to do better.

Feel me, see me, hear me, reach me --
Peculiar benefits --
Typical first year professor --
To scratch, claw or grope clumsily or frantically --
How to be friends with another woman --
Girls, girls, girls --
I once was Miss America --
Garish, glorious spectacles --
Not here to make friends --
How we all lose --
Reaching for catharsis : getting fat right (or wrong) and Diana Spechler's Skinny --
The smooth surfaces of idyll --
The careless language of sexual violence --
What we hunger for --
The illusion of safety/the safety of illusion --
The spectacle of broken men --
A tale of three coming out stories --
Beyond the measure of men --
Some jokes are funnier than others --
Dear young ladies who love Chris Brown --
So much they would let him beat them --
Blurred lines, indeed --
The trouble with Prince Charming, or, He who trespassed against us --
The solace of preparing fried foods and other quaint remembrances from 1960s Mississippi : thoughts on The help --
Surviving Django --
Beyond the struggle narrative --
The morality of Tyler Perry --
The last day of a young black man --
When less is more --
The politics of respectability --
When Twitter does what journalism cannot --
The alienable rights of women --
Holding out for a hero --
A tale of two profiles --
The racism we all carry --
Tragedy, call, compassion, response --
Bad feminist : take one --
Bad feminist : take two]]>
320 Roxane Gay 0062282719 Tara 4 non-fiction, read-in-2021 3.93 2014 Bad Feminist
author: Roxane Gay
name: Tara
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/07
date added: 2021/10/07
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2021
review:

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<![CDATA[A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot, #1)]]> 40864002 ASIN B08H831J18 moved to the more recent edition

Centuries before, robots of Panga gained self-awareness, laid down their tools, wandered, en masse into the wilderness, never to be seen again. They faded into myth and urban legend.

Now the life of the tea monk who tells this story is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of "what do people need?" is answered. But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how. They will need to ask it a lot. Chambers' series asks: in a world where people have what they want, does having more matter?]]>
151 Becky Chambers Tara 3 read-in-2021, sci-fi 4.25 2021 A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot, #1)
author: Becky Chambers
name: Tara
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2021/09/21
date added: 2021/09/21
shelves: read-in-2021, sci-fi
review:

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<![CDATA[Matzo Match (Hot for the Holidays, #1)]]> 56711248 Roz Alexander Tara 3
Full review: ]]>
3.90 2021 Matzo Match (Hot for the Holidays, #1)
author: Roz Alexander
name: Tara
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2021/08/15
date added: 2021/08/15
shelves: age-gap, contemporary, sapphic, read-in-2021, reviewed-at-tlr
review:
If you follow my reviews, you might remember that I¡¯m a big fan of reading holiday romances even when it¡¯s nowhere near that holiday. It happened again with Matzo Match and I¡¯m so glad it did. It¡¯s sweet, sexy, and kind of angsty. Make sure to pick it up, no matter what time of year it is.

Full review:
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Modern English 56303614
Lady Victoria Penchant has had enough scandal for one lifetime, and she¡¯s sworn off drama for good. But when she makes an unexpected return to her family¡¯s castle during high tourist season, drama is exactly what she finds¡ªin the form of a Hollywood film crew and their sharp-tongued, stunning star, Sophia LeBlanc. Sparks of every kind fly from their first encounter, and the drama doubles as Vic¡¯s every decision draws her closer to Sophia and further from the expectations of the prestigious position she has been raised to protect.

Sophia has worked and scraped and fought her way up from nothing to the brink of stardom. She¡¯s spent her career taking direction from rich, pretty, privileged men, and she has no intention of letting some rich, pretty, privileged aristocrat stand in the way now that her wildest dreams are within reach. She vows to stay in control of every situation during filming, but the Lady of the Manor proves to be an unexpectedly stubborn and alluring challenge to the goals she¡¯s fought so hard to achieve.

As the summer heats up, Vic and Sophia learn they have far more in common than their intense sexual attraction, but will that be enough to overcome the pressures of proud histories and find their way toward a new vision of forever?]]>
286 Rachel Spangler 1612942148 Tara 4
Full review: ]]>
4.32 2021 Modern English
author: Rachel Spangler
name: Tara
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/08/15
date added: 2021/08/15
shelves: actors, bywater, celebrities, contemporary, sapphic, politicians-royalty, read-in-2021, reviewed-at-tlr
review:
I¡¯ve been having a harder time connecting with romance novels lately and I was thrilled to have Modern English buck that trend! It¡¯s sweet, without ever being treacly. Steamy and with plentiful sex scenes, yet still within the bounds of contemporary romance. And who doesn¡¯t want to read about royalty plus a Hollywood star at a freaking castle? Oh yeah, and a couple of characters from In Development make an appearance! If any of these things are interesting to you, I highly recommend you check it out.

Full review:
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Knit, Purl, a Baby and a Girl 56317404
Poppy Adams doesn¡¯t have a perfect life, and she wasn¡¯t ready for the positive test. An unexpected baby¡ªPoppy¡¯s unexpected baby¡ªwon¡¯t exactly have her family doing cartwheels. But she¡¯s making the right choice.

Right?

Poppy¡¯s totally got this. She just needs a little encouragement, and a knitting group is the perfect place to start. Baby blankets, booties, tiny little hats¡ªsmall steps toward her new life. But she feels like she¡¯s already dropped a stitch when she discovers the knitting group is led by the charismatic Rhiannon.

It¡¯s not exactly a great time to meet the woman who might just be the love of her life. While the group easily shuffles around to make room for Poppy, it¡¯s not so easy fitting her life and Rhiannon¡¯s together. With the weeks counting down until her baby arrives, Poppy¡¯s going to have to decide for herself what truly makes a family.]]>
336 Hettie Bell 0369704800 Tara 3
I was especially happy that every option is presented as entirely valid, whether it¡¯s the one Poppy chooses (keeping her baby) or not. This story is truly pro-choice in every way, no matter what that choice is.

Full review: ]]>
3.69 2021 Knit, Purl, a Baby and a Girl
author: Hettie Bell
name: Tara
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2021/08/15
date added: 2021/08/15
shelves: bisexual, contemporary, sapphic, read-in-2021, reviewed-at-sbtb, single-moms
review:
It¡¯s hard for me to choose my favourite element, because there¡¯s so much I enjoyed about it. That said, I was most impressed by the way Poppy goes about deciding what to do with her pregnancy.

I was especially happy that every option is presented as entirely valid, whether it¡¯s the one Poppy chooses (keeping her baby) or not. This story is truly pro-choice in every way, no matter what that choice is.

Full review:
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Just Kids 341879 Just Kids, Patti Smith's first book of prose, the legendary American artist offers a never-before-seen glimpse of her remarkable relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in the epochal days of New York City and the Chelsea Hotel in the late sixties and seventies. An honest and moving story of youth and friendship, Smith brings the same unique, lyrical quality to Just Kids as she has to the rest of her formidable body of work--from her influential 1975 album Horses to her visual art and poetry.]]> 304 Patti Smith Tara 5 non-fiction, read-in-2021 4.19 2010 Just Kids
author: Patti Smith
name: Tara
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2010
rating: 5
read at: 2021/08/10
date added: 2021/08/10
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2021
review:
I'd give this 6 stars if I could.
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<![CDATA[Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood]]> 25614847 ?
Look for Under Pressure, the companion guide to coping with stress and anxiety among girls, available now.

In this sane, highly engaging, and informed guide for parents of daughters, Dr. Damour draws on decades of experience and the latest research to reveal the seven distinct¡ªand absolutely normal¡ªdevelopmental transitions that turn girls into grown-ups, including Parting with Childhood, Contending with Adult Authority, Entering the Romantic World, and Caring for Herself. Providing realistic scenarios and welcome advice on how to engage daughters in smart, constructive ways, Untangled gives parents a broad framework for understanding their daughters while addressing their most common questions, including

? My thirteen-year-old rolls her eyes when I try to talk to her, and only does it more when I get angry with her about it. How should I respond?
? Do I tell my teen daughter that I¡¯m checking her phone?
? My daughter suffers from test anxiety. What can I do to help her?
? Where¡¯s the line between healthy eating and having an eating disorder?
? My teenage daughter wants to know why I¡¯m against pot when it¡¯s legal in some states. What should I say?
? My daughter¡¯s friend is cutting herself. Do I call the girl¡¯s mother to let her know?

Perhaps most important, Untangled helps mothers and fathers understand, connect, and grow with their daughters. When parents know what makes their daughter tick, they can embrace and enjoy the challenge of raising a healthy, happy young woman.

BOOKS FOR A BETTER LIFE AWARD WINNER

¡°Finally, there¡¯s some good news for puzzled parents of adolescent girls, and psychologist Lisa Damour is the bearer of that happy news. [ Untangled ] is the most down-to-earth, readable parenting book I¡¯ve come across in a long time.¡± ¡ª The Washington Post

¡°Anna Freud wrote in 1958, ¡®There are few situations in life which are more difficult to cope with than an adolescent son or daughter during the attempt to liberate themselves.¡¯ In the intervening decades, the transition doesn¡¯t appear to have gotten any easier which makes Untangled such a welcome new resource.¡± ¡ª The Boston Globe]]>
352 Lisa Damour 0553393057 Tara 5 non-fiction, read-in-2021 4.52 2016 Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood
author: Lisa Damour
name: Tara
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2021/07/26
date added: 2021/07/26
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2021
review:

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<![CDATA[Work Won't Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone]]> 53241562 A deeply-reported examination of why "doing what you love" is a recipe for exploitation, creating a new tyranny of work in which we cheerily acquiesce to doing jobs that take over our lives.

You're told that if you "do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life." Whether it's working for "exposure" and "experience," or enduring poor treatment in the name of "being part of the family," all employees are pushed to make sacrifices for the privilege of being able to do what we love.

In Work Won't Love You Back, Sarah Jaffe, a preeminent voice on labor, inequality, and social movements, examines this "labor of love" myth -- the idea that certain work is not really work, and therefore should be done out of passion instead of pay. Told through the lives and experiences of workers in various industries -- from the unpaid intern, to the overworked nurse, to the nonprofit worker and even the professional athlete -- Jaffe reveals how all of us have been tricked into buying into a new tyranny of work.
As Jaffe argues, understanding the trap of the labor of love will empower us to work less and demand what our work is worth. And once freed from those binds, we can finally figure out what actually gives us joy, pleasure, and satisfaction.]]>
432 Sarah Jaffe 1568589395 Tara 4 non-fiction, read-in-2021 3.98 2021 Work Won't Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone
author: Sarah Jaffe
name: Tara
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/07/26
date added: 2021/07/26
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2021
review:

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Blood, Sweat, and Pixels 34376766 Blood, Sweat, and Pixels, Jason Schreier takes readers on a fascinating odyssey behind the scenes of video game development, where the creator may be a team of 600 overworked underdogs or a solitary geek genius. Exploring the artistic challenges, technical impossibilities, marketplace demands, and Donkey Kong-sized monkey wrenches thrown into the works by corporate, Blood, Sweat, and Pixels reveals how bringing any game to completion is more than Sisyphean¡ªit's nothing short of miraculous.

Taking some of the most popular, bestselling recent games, Schreier immerses readers in the hellfire of the development process, whether it's RPG studio Bioware's challenge to beat an impossible schedule and overcome countless technical nightmares to build Dragon Inquisition; indie developer Eric Barone's single-handed efforts to grow country-life RPG Stardew Valley from one man's vision into a multi-million-dollar franchise; or Bungie spinning out from their corporate overlords at Microsoft to create Destiny, a brand new universe that they hoped would become as iconic as Star Wars and Lord of the Rings¡ªeven as it nearly ripped their studio apart.

Documenting the round-the-clock crunches, buggy-eyed burnout, and last-minute saves, Blood, Sweat, and Pixels is a journey through development hell¡ªand ultimately a tribute to the dedicated diehards and unsung heroes who scale mountains of obstacles in their quests to create the best games imaginable.]]>
353 Jason Schreier 0062651242 Tara 4 non-fiction, read-in-2021 4.21 2017 Blood, Sweat, and Pixels
author: Jason Schreier
name: Tara
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2021/06/27
date added: 2021/06/27
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2021
review:

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Laziness Does Not Exist 54304124
Extra-curricular activities. Honors classes. 60-hour work weeks. Side hustles.

Like many Americans, Dr. Devon Price believed that productivity was the best way to measure self-worth. Price was an overachiever from the start, graduating from both college and graduate school early, but that success came at a cost. After Price was diagnosed with a severe case of anemia and heart complications from overexertion, they were forced to examine the darker side of all this productivity.

Laziness Does Not Exist explores the psychological underpinnings of the ¡°laziness lie,¡± including its origins from the Puritans and how it has continued to proliferate as digital work tools have blurred the boundaries between work and life. Using in-depth research, Price explains that people today do far more work than nearly any other humans in history yet most of us often still feel we are not doing enough.

Filled with practical and accessible advice for overcoming society¡¯s pressure to do more, and featuring interviews with researchers, consultants, and experiences from real people drowning in too much work, Laziness Does Not Exist ¡°is the book we all need right now¡± (Caroline Dooner, author of The F*ck It Diet ).]]>
256 Devon Price 1982140100 Tara 5 3.92 2021 Laziness Does Not Exist
author: Devon Price
name: Tara
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/05/30
date added: 2021/05/30
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory (The Murderbot Diaries, #4.5)]]> 57623348 Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory was originally given free to readers who pre-ordered Martha¡¯s Murderbot novel, Network Effect, the fifth entry in the series. The events occur just after the fourth novella, Exit Strategy.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.]]>
19 Martha Wells 125083886X Tara 4 read-in-2020, sci-fi 4.03 2020 Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory (The Murderbot Diaries, #4.5)
author: Martha Wells
name: Tara
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/12/31
date added: 2021/04/22
shelves: read-in-2020, sci-fi
review:

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<![CDATA[I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual]]> 28696602 I'm Judging You, and you will argue with it, laugh hysterically at it, shout 'AW HELL YES' at it, and carry parts of it in your heart to dissect or inspire... Perfect for starting important and meaty discussions about all of the topics your mama told you never to bring up at polite dinner parties." (Jenny Lawson, New York Times best-selling author of Furiously Happy)

With over 500,000 readers a month at her enormously popular blog, AwesomelyLuvvie.com, Luvvie Ajayi has become a go-to source for smart takes on pop culture. I'm Judging You is her debut book of humorous essays that dissects our cultural obsessions and calls out bad behavior in our increasingly digital, connected lives¡ªfrom the importance of the newest Shonda Rhimes television drama to serious discussions of race and media representation to what to do about your fool cousin sharing casket pictures from Grandma's wake on Facebook. With a lighthearted, razor-sharp wit and a unique perspective, I'm Judging You is the audiobook the world needs, doling out the hard truths and a road map for bringing some "act right" into our lives, social media, and popular culture.]]>
241 Luvvie Ajayi 1627796061 Tara 4 non-fiction, read-in-2021 3.68 2016 I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual
author: Luvvie Ajayi
name: Tara
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2021/04/20
date added: 2021/04/20
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2021
review:

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<![CDATA[The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, #1)]]> 25607199 417 Becky Chambers 1473619777 Tara 4 read-in-2021, sci-fi 4.18 2014 The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, #1)
author: Becky Chambers
name: Tara
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2021/03/30
date added: 2021/04/02
shelves: read-in-2021, sci-fi
review:

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<![CDATA[Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language]]> 36739320 A linguistically informed look at how our digital world is transforming the English language.

Language is humanity's most spectacular open-source project, and the internet is making our language change faster and in more interesting ways than ever before. Internet conversations are structured by the shape of our apps and platforms, from the grammar of status updates to the protocols of comments and @replies. Linguistically inventive online communities spread new slang and jargon with dizzying speed. What's more, social media is a vast laboratory of unedited, unfiltered words where we can watch language evolve in real time.

Even the most absurd-looking slang has genuine patterns behind it. Internet linguist Gretchen McCulloch explores the deep forces that shape human language and influence the way we communicate with one another. She explains how your first social internet experience influences whether you prefer "LOL" or "lol," why ~sparkly tildes~ succeeded where centuries of proposals for irony punctuation had failed, what emoji have in common with physical gestures, and how the artfully disarrayed language of animal memes like lolcats and doggo made them more likely to spread.

Because Internet is essential reading for anyone who's ever puzzled over how to punctuate a text message or wondered where memes come from. It's the perfect book for understanding how the internet is changing the English language, why that's a good thing, and what our online interactions reveal about who we are.]]>
327 Gretchen McCulloch 0735210934 Tara 4 non-fiction, read-in-2021 4.04 2019 Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language
author: Gretchen McCulloch
name: Tara
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/03/08
date added: 2021/03/08
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2021
review:

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Outlawed 50997696 In the year of our Lord 1894, I became an outlaw.

The day of her wedding, 17 year old Ada's life looks good; she loves her husband, and she loves working as an apprentice to her mother, a respected midwife. But after a year of marriage and no pregnancy, in a town where barren women are routinely hanged as witches, her survival depends on leaving behind everything she knows.

She joins up with the notorious Hole in the Wall Gang, a band of outlaws led by a preacher-turned-robber known to all as the Kid. Charismatic, grandiose, and mercurial, the Kid is determined to create a safe haven for outcast women. But to make this dream a reality, the Gang hatches a treacherous plan that may get them all killed. And Ada must decide whether she's willing to risk her life for the possibility of a new kind of future for them all.

Featuring an irresistibly no-nonsense, courageous, and determined heroine, Outlawed dusts off the myth of the old West and reignites the glimmering promise of the frontier with an entirely new set of feminist stakes. Anna North has crafted a pulse-racing, page-turning saga about the search for hope in the wake of death, and for truth in a climate of small-mindedness and fear.]]>
261 Anna North Tara 5
Well, guess what? I have great news.

Full review: ]]>
3.47 2021 Outlawed
author: Anna North
name: Tara
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/03/06
date added: 2021/03/06
shelves: read-in-2021, reviewed-at-sbtb, western
review:
Have you ever thought to yourself, ¡°I wish I could read a Western that has a queer girl gang¡±?

Well, guess what? I have great news.

Full review:
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<![CDATA[Queen of Coin and Whispers (Queen of Coin and Whispers #1)]]> 42442934 ¡®She loved me as I loved her, fierce as a bloodied blade.¡¯

When teenage queen Lia inherits her corrupt uncle¡¯s bankrupt kingdom, she brings a new spymaster into the fold ... Xania, who takes the job to avenge her murdered father.

Faced with dangerous plots and hidden enemies, can Lia and Xania learn to rely on each another, as they discover that all is not fair in love and treason?

In a world where the throne means both power and duty, they must decide what to sacrifice for their country ¨C and for each other ¡­]]>
464 Helen Corcoran Tara 3
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3.65 2020 Queen of Coin and Whispers (Queen of Coin and Whispers #1)
author: Helen Corcoran
name: Tara
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2021/03/06
date added: 2021/03/06
shelves: sapphic, fantasy, read-in-2021, reviewed-at-sbtb
review:
A LOT happens in Queen of Coin and Whispers. There are assassination attempts, suitors from other kingdoms who want to marry Lia, political machinations from Lia¡¯s detractors and supporters, and through all that, Lia and Xania fall quickly and deeply in love. All of these elements deliver a clear sense of how dangerous life in Edar can be, no matter who you are. For example, we see a couple of assassination attempts on Lia and we learn that Vigrante, the Head of Government, has people killed (and makes it look like an accident) if they don¡¯t do what he tells them to. I¡¯m not even going to get into how expendable the people who have no money are¡­.

Full review:
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<![CDATA[Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics]]> 53916522 New York Times bestseller Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics is a landmark celebration of the remarkable life and career of a country music and pop culture legend.

This landmark volume explores the remarkable life and lyrics of the one and only Dolly Parton.

As told in her own inimitable words, Songteller explores the songs that have defined Parton's journey. Illustrated throughout with previously unpublished images from her personal and business archives, the Washington Post calls it "a gold mine of little-seen photos and personal anecdotes."

Mining over 60 years of songwriting, Dolly Parton highlights 175 of her songs and brings readers behind the lyrics. A celebrity memoir like no other, Dolly Parton, Songteller reveals the stories and memories that have made Dolly a beloved icon across generations, genders, and social and international boundaries.

A RARE VISUAL ARCHIVE: Packed with never-before-seen photographs and classic memorabilia from Parton's archives, this book is a show-stopping must-have for every Dolly Parton fan.

BEHIND THE BELOVED SONGS: Learn the history, personal stories, candid insights, and myriad memories behind classic Parton songs like "Jolene," "9 to 5," "I Will Always Love You," and more in this "splashy, entertaining guide to the lyrics of one of the most popular musicians of our time" (Kirkus Reviews ).

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED: First published in hardcover with resounding response from fans and media alike, including show-stopping interviews with Oprah, Stephen Colbert, Bren¨¦ Brown, and The Today Show , features in People, Parade, Marie Claire, USA Today, Washington Post, and much more.

EVERYONE LOVES DOLLY: The perfect gift for Dolly Parton fans, as well as lovers of music history and country singer-songwriters.

Perfect for:
?Fans of Dolly Parton's music, books, television and movie roles, theme park, and charitable work
?Readers who loved Dolly's Coat of Many Colors; Run, Rose, Run, co-authored with James Patterson; and Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business
?Gift giving for birthday, Mother's Day, Father's Day, holiday, anniversary, or any special occasion for anyone who loves Dolly, country music, or American music history
?To shelve alongside such music best sellers as Coal Miner's Daughter by Loretta Lynn, The Lyrics by Paul McCartney, Elvis and Me by Priscilla Presley, and Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen]]>
380 Dolly Parton 1797205099 Tara 4
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4.02 2020 Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics
author: Dolly Parton
name: Tara
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/03/06
date added: 2021/03/06
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2021, reviewed-at-sbtb
review:
I went into Songteller knowing nothing but the title. I was hoping for a memoir, which turned out to be close, but not quite right. It¡¯s more like a trip down memory lane, with Dolly sharing the stories and/or contexts behind more than 100 of her songs. She talks in her own words, rather than reading a manuscript, and song clips are included throughout. Each story is delivered in a snackable chunk, making Songteller perfect for listening while cleaning, cooking, or doing stretches at the end of the day.

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Who We Could Be 55930617 190 Chelsea M. Cameron Tara 5
It has zero percent angst and one hundred percent love, making it a perfect balm for any bad day.
It¡¯s inspired by Anne of Green Gables! Anne and Diana falling in love? I was living for it from the first page to the last.

Full review: ]]>
3.93 2020 Who We Could Be
author: Chelsea M. Cameron
name: Tara
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/11/26
date added: 2021/03/06
shelves: contemporary, sapphic, friends-to-lovers, opposites-attract, read-in-2020, reviewed-at-sbtb, small-town
review:
All you need to know about this book is two things:

It has zero percent angst and one hundred percent love, making it a perfect balm for any bad day.
It¡¯s inspired by Anne of Green Gables! Anne and Diana falling in love? I was living for it from the first page to the last.

Full review:
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Joanie 55813951
But Kristen Perry never got that memo. She¡¯s been madly in love with legendary rocker Joanie for as long as she can remember. Joanie is one of the living legends of rock music, a pioneer for women in the music industry for decades and a lesbian icon. Her music gave Kristen the strength to keep going...so when Joanie announces dates for her farewell tour, of course Kristen¡¯s going to be there.

And when Kristen finds her way backstage, it just must be her lucky night. For somehow, impossibly, she meets Joanie herself...

What follows next is a wild, romantic night of adventure, rescue, passion and a love story that, if both women can find the courage to open their hearts, could change their lives forever¡­]]>
179 Lucy Heart Tara 3
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4.02 2020 Joanie
author: Lucy Heart
name: Tara
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2021/03/06
date added: 2021/03/06
shelves: age-gap, celebrities, contemporary, sapphic, read-in-2021, reviewed-at-tlr, singers-musicians
review:
The whole story is told from Kristen¡¯s perspective. She¡¯s 21, completely starstruck, and so sweet that I just wanted to protect her, especially when she learns the real deal about how Joanie is looking for her bed partner of the night. That said, I also can understand why she was swept up in the moment, especially once she was around Joanie. I¡¯m glad that Kristen also demonstrates she¡¯s very capable and has strong ethics (I won¡¯t get into why, but just know that I loved this part so hard), because it shows there¡¯s more to her than her identity as a Joanie fan. We also learn fairly late in the story that Kristen is autistic, and while I can¡¯t speak to the authenticity of the autism rep, I¡¯m mentinoing it since I know many readers are looking for that.


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A Heart to Trust 55660622 What happens when you find out your stuck-up, blissfully straight colleague may be none of those things? A delicious enemies-to-lovers, lesbian workplace romance. Change is not Jenny Quinn¡¯s strong suit, but she¡¯s happy enough with her easy-going life, friends, and job as a TV production assistant. That is until a company shake-up foists the infuriating Olivia Sinclair on her. The woman is uptight, snobby, and has some perfect and famous motor-racing husband. TV and theater producer Olivia moved to New York from the UK to marry her longtime friend. It¡¯s a sham marriage, a favor to a man she loves as a brother, but the strain is beginning to take its toll. How can she even meet women when she¡¯s the picture of heterosexual bliss? Add in her stressful new job, an irritating colleague called Jenny, who thinks being goofy is some kind of admirable work ethic, and life can be a grind some days. The worst part isn¡¯t the office politics or clashing personalities, but the fact there¡¯s an attraction between both women that¡¯s gradually becoming impossible to ignore. So¡­should they stop ignoring it? That would mean learning to trust your heart that this is the right woman. And that¡¯s a huge step.]]> 264 A.L. Brooks 3963244542 Tara 4
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3.87 2020 A Heart to Trust
author: A.L. Brooks
name: Tara
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/03/06
date added: 2021/03/06
shelves: contemporary, sapphic, opposites-attract, read-in-2021, reviewed-at-tlr, workplace-romance, ylva
review:
I wasn¡¯t sure about this book at first because it felt a little too close to real life for me, what with the office politics and the cliquiness that separates Olivia from the rest of the team. That said, I¡¯m glad I stuck with it. The romance¡¯s burn is incredibly slow with little angst, so the team dynamic does a great job of driving the story¡¯s tension.

Full review:
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The Echo Wife 52379735 I¡¯m embarrassed, still, by how long it took me to notice. Everything was right there in the open, right there in front of me, but it still took me so long to see the person I had married.

It took me so long to hate him.

Martine is a genetically cloned replica made from Evelyn Caldwell¡¯s award-winning research. She¡¯s patient and gentle and obedient. She¡¯s everything Evelyn swore she¡¯d never be.

And she¡¯s having an affair with Evelyn¡¯s husband.

Now, the cheating bastard is dead, and both Caldwell wives have a mess to clean up.

Good thing Evelyn Caldwell is used to getting her hands dirty.]]>
256 Sarah Gailey 125017466X Tara 2 read-in-2021, sci-fi
Cons: There were some plot holes that bothered me, missed opportunities for tension, the science is annoyingly unclear, and some elements seriously pissed me off, especially near the end.

I desperately wanted to love this, especially given all the glowing reviews, and I was so disappointed in the end. I know not every book will be for every person, so I guess this one wasn't for me. ]]>
3.59 2021 The Echo Wife
author: Sarah Gailey
name: Tara
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2021/03/06
date added: 2021/03/06
shelves: read-in-2021, sci-fi
review:
Pros: It held my attention and Evelyn's voice is incredibly strong.

Cons: There were some plot holes that bothered me, missed opportunities for tension, the science is annoyingly unclear, and some elements seriously pissed me off, especially near the end.

I desperately wanted to love this, especially given all the glowing reviews, and I was so disappointed in the end. I know not every book will be for every person, so I guess this one wasn't for me.
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<![CDATA[The Other Side of Forestlands Lake]]> 54879741 Twenty-five years later Willa is a successful author of the young adult ghost stories she loved to read as a child. She returns to the lake looking for a writer¡¯s retreat and an opportunity to connect with her troubled teenage sister, Nicole.
Lee, now a single mother to her wise-beyond-her-years teenage daughter Maggie, is the director of the summer camp on the other side of Forestlands Lake.
Before Willa and Nicole even have the chance to unpack, their plans are upset by a mysterious young girl, a near drowning, and a surprise reunion. Soon Willa and Lee are working to protect the girls, reconcile their past and unearth the secrets surrounding Forestlands Lake¨Dputting old ghosts to rest once and for all.

Genre: Romance, Paranormal
Editor: Ann Roberts
Cover Designer: Judith Fellows]]>
304 Carolyn Elizabeth 164247164X Tara 4
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4.20 2020 The Other Side of Forestlands Lake
author: Carolyn Elizabeth
name: Tara
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/03/06
date added: 2021/03/06
shelves: bella, contemporary, celebrities, sapphic, friends-to-lovers, read-in-2020, reviewed-at-lambda, second-chance, small-town, vacation-romance
review:
The Other Side of Forestlands Lake has a little bit of everything: romance, family drama, ghosts, and intrigue. These elements are balanced well and keep things interesting, whether the reader is following Willa and Lee¡¯s relationship, Willa and Nicole¡¯s reconciliation, or all the spooky things around the lake. That said, while the bulk of the story takes place in the present day, it¡¯s important to know that almost a quarter of the story takes place when Willa and Lee are teenagers, first falling in love.

Full review:
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Hotel Queens 55855113 Over one long night at a bar in Las Vegas, two powerful hotel executives meet, flirt, and challenge each other¡ªhaving no clue they¡¯re rivals after the same dream deal.
Brilliant ice queen Amelia Duxton is a hotel vice president who thrives on control, truth, and efficiency. She¡¯s in no mood for love or the mess it brings. All she wants is to buy the coveted Mayfair Palace¡ªa massive deal that could finally help her land the CEO job in her family¡¯s hotel empire.
Fiery Kai Fisher is charming and chaotic and renowned for closing ambitious deals. Her sights are set on snatching the Mayfair Palace out from under the nose of her hated arch rivals, the Duxton family.
But when secrets emerge and everything starts to fall apart, how can either of the warring women win¡ªespecially when they¡¯ve just met their match?

Tags: fire queen, hotel executives, ice queen romance, Las Vegas, opposites-attract romance
104,000 words]]>
319 Lee Winter 3963244585 Tara 5 4.31 2020 Hotel Queens
author: Lee Winter
name: Tara
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/02/06
date added: 2021/02/06
shelves: business-execs, contemporary, enemies-to-lovers, sapphic, opposites-attract, read-in-2021
review:

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<![CDATA[The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina¡ªSeparating the Myth from the Medicine]]> 43232971 OB/GYN, writer for The New York Times, USA Today, and Self, and host of the show Jensplaining, Dr. Jen Gunter now delivers the definitive book on vaginal health, answering the questions you've always had but were afraid to ask--or couldn't find the right answers to. She has been called Twitter's resident gynecologist, the Internet's OB/GYN, and one of the fiercest advocates for women's health...and she's here to give you the straight talk on the topics she knows best.

Does eating sugar cause yeast infections? Does pubic hair have a function?
Should you have a vulvovaginal care regimen?
Will your vagina shrivel up if you go without sex?
What's the truth about the HPV vaccine?

So many important questions, so much convincing, confusing, contradictory misinformation! In this age of click bait, pseudoscience, and celebrity-endorsed products, it's easy to be overwhelmed--whether it's websites, advice from well-meaning friends, uneducated partners, and even healthcare providers. So how do you separate facts from fiction? OB-GYN Jen Gunter, an expert on women's health--and the internet's most popular go-to doc--comes to the rescue with a book that debunks the myths and educates and empowers women. From reproductive health to the impact of antibiotics and probiotics, and the latest trends, including vaginal steaming, vaginal marijuana products, and jade eggs, Gunter takes us on a factual, fun-filled journey. Discover the truth about:

- The vaginal microbiome
- Genital hygiene, lubricants, and hormone myths and fallacies
- How diet impacts vaginal health
- Stem cells and the vagina
- Cosmetic vaginal surgery
- What changes to expect during pregnancy, after childbirth, and through menopause
- How medicine fails women by dismissing symptoms
Plus:
- Thongs vs. lace: the best underwear for vaginal health
- How to select a tampon
- The full glory of the clitoris and the myth of the G Spot

... And so much more. Whether you're a twenty-six-year-old worried that her labia are "uncool" or a sixty-six-year-old dealing with painful sex, this comprehensive guide is sure to become a lifelong trusted resource.]]>
420 Jen Gunter 0806539313 Tara 5 non-fiction, read-in-2021 4.36 2019 The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina¡ªSeparating the Myth from the Medicine
author: Jen Gunter
name: Tara
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2021/02/06
date added: 2021/02/06
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2021
review:

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<![CDATA[Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, #5)]]> 52381770
It worries about the fragile human crew who've grown to trust it, but only where no one can see.

It tells itself that they're only a professional obligation, but when they're captured and an old friend from the past requires urgent assistance, Murderbot must choose between inertia and drastic action.

Drastic action it is, then.

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350 Martha Wells 1250229863 Tara 4 read-in-2021 4.44 2020 Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, #5)
author: Martha Wells
name: Tara
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/01/15
date added: 2021/01/15
shelves: read-in-2021
review:

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<![CDATA[Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries, #6)]]> 53205854 No, I didn¡¯t kill the dead human. If I had, I wouldn¡¯t dump the body in the station mall.

When Murderbot discovers a dead body on Preservation Station, it knows it is going to have to assist station security to determine who the body is (was), how they were killed (that should be relatively straightforward, at least), and why (because apparently that matters to a lot of people¡ªwho knew?)

Yes, the unthinkable is about to happen: Murderbot must voluntarily speak to humans!

Again!]]>
168 Martha Wells 1250765374 Tara 4 read-in-2021, sci-fi 4.25 2021 Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries, #6)
author: Martha Wells
name: Tara
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/01/15
date added: 2021/01/15
shelves: read-in-2021, sci-fi
review:

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<![CDATA[Exit Strategy (The Murderbot Diaries, #4)]]> 35519109
Having traveled the width of the galaxy to unearth details of its own murderous transgressions, as well as those of the GrayCris Corporation, Murderbot is heading home to help Dr. Mensah¡ªits former owner (protector? friend?)¡ªsubmit evidence that could prevent GrayCris from destroying more colonists in its never-ending quest for profit.

But who¡¯s going to believe a SecUnit gone rogue?

And what will become of it when it¡¯s caught?]]>
163 Martha Wells Tara 5 read-in-2020, sci-fi 4.38 2018 Exit Strategy (The Murderbot Diaries, #4)
author: Martha Wells
name: Tara
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2020/12/31
date added: 2020/12/31
shelves: read-in-2020, sci-fi
review:

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<![CDATA[Rogue Protocol (The Murderbot Diaries, #3)]]> 35519101
And Murderbot would rather those questions went away. For good.

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158 Martha Wells 1250191785 Tara 5 read-in-2020, sci-fi 4.21 2018 Rogue Protocol (The Murderbot Diaries, #3)
author: Martha Wells
name: Tara
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2020/12/30
date added: 2020/12/29
shelves: read-in-2020, sci-fi
review:

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<![CDATA[Artificial Condition (The Murderbot Diaries, #2)]]> 36223860 alternate cover for ISBN 9781250186928

It has a dark past ¨C one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself ¡°Murderbot." But it has only vague memories of the massacre that spawned that title, and it wants to know more.

Teaming up with a Research Transport vessel named ART (you don¡¯t want to know what the ¡°A¡± stands for), Murderbot heads to the mining facility where it went rogue.

What it discovers will forever change the way it thinks.]]>
158 Martha Wells Tara 5 read-in-2020, sci-fi 4.23 2018 Artificial Condition (The Murderbot Diaries, #2)
author: Martha Wells
name: Tara
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2020/12/30
date added: 2020/12/29
shelves: read-in-2020, sci-fi
review:

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<![CDATA[All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1)]]> 32758901 "As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure."

In a corporate-dominated space-faring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. For their own safety, exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn¡¯t a primary concern.

On a distant planet, a team of scientists is conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ¡®droid--a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module and refers to itself (though never out loud) as ¡°Murderbot.¡± Scornful of humans, Murderbot wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is, but when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and Murderbot to get to the truth.]]>
144 Martha Wells Tara 4 read-in-2020, sci-fi 4.11 2017 All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1)
author: Martha Wells
name: Tara
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2020/12/22
date added: 2020/12/22
shelves: read-in-2020, sci-fi
review:

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<![CDATA[Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower]]> 33574165
Eloquent rage keeps us all honest and accountable. It reminds women that they don¡¯t have to settle for less. When Cooper learned of her grandmother's eloquent rage about love, sex, and marriage in an epic and hilarious front-porch confrontation, her life was changed. And it took another intervention, this time staged by one of her homegirls, to turn Brittney into the fierce feminist she is today. In Brittney Cooper¡¯s world, neither mean girls nor fuckboys ever win. But homegirls emerge as heroes. This book argues that ultimately feminism, friendship, and faith in one's own superpowers are all we really need to turn things right side up again.]]>
288 Brittney Cooper 1250112575 Tara 4 non-fiction, read-in-2020 4.38 2018 Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower
author: Brittney Cooper
name: Tara
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2020/12/13
date added: 2020/12/13
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2020
review:

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<![CDATA[Get It Right (Love at Knockdown, #1)]]> 53918331 A butch lesbian parolee. The pretty pansexual nurse who got away. Is this their second chance at a happily ever after?

Finn is finally out of prison, which is great. Having no job, no car, and no place to sleep except her cousin¡¯s couch? Not so great. Plus, her felony theft conviction isn¡¯t doing wonders for her employment prospects, so she can¡¯t afford her migraine meds without the public clinic.

The last thing she ever expected was for the gal who stole her heart to come walking down that clinic¡¯s hallway: Vivi, the manicure-loving nurse who spent two years fighting the prison system to get proper medical care for her patients, including Finn.

Finn could never believe she imagined the attraction and affection between them. But acting on that in prison, especially as nurse and patient, had been a serious No Way. She¡¯s had eight months to get over Vivi, who abruptly left her job without saying goodbye. Finn is over it. Honest! It¡¯s totally and completely fine.

Except Vivi, here and now, doesn¡¯t seem fine. And Finn couldn¡¯t live with herself if she didn¡¯t try to help.

Is fate offering Finn a second chance? Or is finding love as likely as finding a job with health insurance?

GET IT RIGHT is a high-heat butch-femme sapphic romance novella with a guaranteed HEA.

Content warnings are available in the book's front matter and on the author's website.

Cover Artist: Laya Rose]]>
146 Skye Kilaen Tara 4
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3.62 2020 Get It Right (Love at Knockdown, #1)
author: Skye Kilaen
name: Tara
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/12/06
date added: 2020/12/06
shelves: bisexual, contemporary, sapphic, doctors-nurses-or-physiotherapists, person-with-disability, read-in-2020, reviewed-at-tlr, reviewed-at-sbtb
review:
Vivi and Finn are already in love with each other when they meet up again. That means the romance is about them figuring out that the strong feelings they already have are entirely mutual, rather than watching feelings develop on one or both sides. This worked well for me, because Get It Right is a novella, so it only has so much space to convince me of their HEA.

Full review (TLR):

Full review (SBTB):
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Each of Us a Desert 41555962 A fantasy novel about finding home and falling in love amidst the dangers of a desert where stories come to life.

Xochital is destined to wander the desert alone, speaking her troubled village's stories into its arid winds. Her only companions are the blessed stars above and enimagic lines of poetry magically strewn across dusty dunes.

Her one desire: to share her heart with a kindred spirit.

One night, Xo's wish is granted¡ªin the form of Emilia, the cold and beautiful daughter of the town's murderous mayor. But when the two set out on a magical journey across the desert, they find their hearts could be a match... if only they can survive the nightmare-like terrors that arise when the sun goes down.]]>
432 Mark Oshiro 1250169216 Tara 4
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3.84 2020 Each of Us a Desert
author: Mark Oshiro
name: Tara
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/11/29
date added: 2020/11/29
shelves: sapphic, fantasy, read-in-2020, reviewed-at-lambda, ya
review:
Each of Us a Desert is told in the first person from Xochitl¡¯s perspective, as she shares her own story back to Sol¨ªs. Because she¡¯s telling it to her god, reading it can feel like eavesdropping on a prayer, listening to secrets and musings that are too personal to even put into a journal. She talks about how her aunt passed on the role of cuentista when Xochitl was only eight years old and how unfair it is to have had her childhood ripped away. We also see Xochitl¡¯s crisis of faith as she continues to keep stories, learning that everything she¡¯s been told about Sol¨ªs and her role in town might not be true, and seeing how people treat her like a resource instead of a person.

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<![CDATA[Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done]]> 36665726 "I well recall a conversation with an executive I hoped to interview about her astonishing productivity. I began our call with an assurance that I would not take much of her time. She laughed. 'Oh, I have all the time in the world,' she said."Most of us feel constantly behind, unsure how to escape feeling oppressed by busyness. Laura Vanderkam, unlike other time-management gurus, believes that in order to get more done, we must first feel like we have all the time in the world. Think about why haven't you trained for that 5K or read War and Peace? Probably because you feel beaten down by all the time you don't seem to have.In this book, Vanderkam reveals the seven counterintuitive principles the most time-free people have adopted. She teaches mindset shifts to help you feel calm on the busiest days and tools to help you get more done without feeling overwhelmed. You'll meet people such as... ? An elementary school principal who figured out how to spend more time mentoring teachers, and less time supervising the cafeteria ? An executive who builds lots of meeting-free space into his calendar, despite managing teams across multiple continents ??A CEO who does focused work in a Waffle House early in the morning, so he can keep an open door and a relaxed mindset all day ??An artist who overcame a creative block, and reached new heights of productivity, by being more gentle with herself, rather than more demandingThe strategies in this book can help if your life feels out of control, but they can also help if you want to take your career, your relationships, and your personal happiness to the next level. Vanderkam has packed this book with insights from busy yet relaxed professionals, including "time makeovers" of people who are learning how to use these tools. Off the Clock can inspire the rest of us to create lives that are not only productive, but enjoyable in the moment.]]> 256 Laura Vanderkam 0735219826 Tara 5 non-fiction, read-in-2020 3.94 2018 Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done
author: Laura Vanderkam
name: Tara
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2020/11/24
date added: 2020/11/24
shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2020
review:

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Queen of Humboldt 54879728
Governor Sabrina Sloane has spent her life cleaning up the streets, first as State's Attorney in Chicago and then as Governor of Illinois. Every criminal to cross her path has ended up behind bars¡ªexcept one. When that criminal saves her life, she's forced to shine new light on everything she thought she knew.

As a mutual enemy forces them together, Marisol and Sloane must work as a team in a fight for their lives. Can they overcome their differences and their growing attraction to find their way to freedom? And can Governor Sloane ever bring herself to trust the Queen of Humboldt?]]>
210 Tagan Shepard 1642471569 Tara 3
Full review with Shana: ]]>
3.85 Queen of Humboldt
author: Tagan Shepard
name: Tara
average rating: 3.85
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2020/11/19
date added: 2020/11/19
shelves: bella, contemporary, criminal, enemies-to-lovers, sapphic, politicians-royalty, read-in-2020, reviewed-at-sbtb, second-chance, romantic-suspense
review:
Reading it was like watching a 90s action movie: lots of style, little substance. As soon as I figured that out, I was able to forgive some of its problems and just roll with it. Like, why does Marisol see such heinous shit happening to women when she¡¯s growing up? Because it¡¯s the backstory for her big hero moment. That¡¯s not okay, but it bothered me less once I noticed the 90¡¯s-action-film vibe, because the pattern recognition part of my brain kicked in.

Full review with Shana:
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30 Dates in 30 Days 51872065 Rachel Monaghan doesn¡¯t do serious relationships. As a busy wedding photographer, she¡¯s jaded about lasting love, has a thriving repeat business, and hasn¡¯t had much luck with love herself. While bartending at her cousin¡¯s bar, Rachel learns of Bea¡¯s plan to get her boss married off by scheduling thirty dates in thirty days.
In this sophisticated contemporary romance, Veronica Welch tries to find love in the most efficient way possible, while Rachel Monaghan avoids love at all costs. What could possibly go wrong?

77,000 words
Genres: Contemporary / Romance]]>
231 Elle Spencer 1635554985 Tara 0 4.07 2019 30 Dates in 30 Days
author: Elle Spencer
name: Tara
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2020/01/12
date added: 2020/11/18
shelves: sapphic, read-in-2020, bold-strokes-books, contemporary, cooks-or-chefs-or-bartenders, lawyers
review:

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<![CDATA[This Foreign Affair (The Pink Bean, #4)]]> 35072052 Can passion bridge ten thousand miles?

Television presenter Zoya Das is reeling from a painful breakup. When she¡¯s called to solve a problem at a rental flat she owns, sparks fly between her and her French guest Camille Rousseau. A short holiday fling before Camille flies back to Paris could be just the thing to help Zoya¡¯s recovery.

But what happens when Zoya and Camille develop deeper feelings for each other and are faced with the prospect of being in love on opposite sides of the world?

64,000 words]]>
Harper Bliss Tara 5
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4.07 2017 This Foreign Affair (The Pink Bean, #4)
author: Harper Bliss
name: Tara
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2020/11/18
date added: 2020/11/18
shelves: celebrities, sapphic, erotic, read-in-2017, single-moms, vacation-romance, reviewed-at-tlr, read-in-2020
review:
Zoya and Camille are my favourite couple that Harper Bliss has written so far (I almost said ¡°ever¡± and then remembered that she¡¯s still cranking out several books a year, so they may be dethroned soon). They¡¯re both super sexy, accomplished women in their late 40s, and watching each of them make space for the other in their lives is so satisfying. I particularly appreciated seeing how vulnerable they got, because it made them feel so real. And given that the entire book is told in the first person from Zoya¡¯s perspective, I¡¯m also happy that I never felt like I didn¡¯t understand Camille or her motivations. I loved Camille¡¯s maturity, because it meant she had the confidence to be authentic with Zoya right from the get-go.

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Not the Marrying Kind 44175490 Local bakery owner Sasha Peterson hasn¡¯t had much luck mixing it up with romance either. Besides, she¡¯s too busy whipping up delicious treats to have time for a relationship.
But when their town¡¯s first lesbian wedding forces them to work together, Ashley and Sasha discover they have more in common than they imagined.
During food fights, cake tastings, and slow waltzes, they begin to see each other in a new light. Soon Ashley has to admit to herself that Sasha is tempting more than just her sweet tooth.
What else is on the menu in this delicious lesbian romance? Find out in this second book in the Fair Oaks series by award-winning author Jae. It¡¯s featuring new main characters and can be read as a standalone.

113,000 words
Themes: bakery romance ¡¤ coming out ¡¤ foodie romance ¡¤ small-town romance ¡¤ wedding romance]]>
314 Jae 3963241942 Tara 3
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4.21 2019 Not the Marrying Kind
author: Jae
name: Tara
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2020/11/18
date added: 2020/11/18
shelves: contemporary, cooks-or-chefs-or-bartenders, sapphic, opposites-attract, read-in-2020, reviewed-at-tlr, small-town
review:
I found the style easy to get into, since there¡¯s no real angst, other than the question of whether Ashley can ever come out. It¡¯s Not the Marrying Kind is a gentle, smalltown story with a super slow burn to the romance. Also, I enjoyed the ¡°only one bed¡± tropey goodness later in the book that feels like an homage to Curious Wine.

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The Roommate Arrangement 52290401
Comedian Stephanie Renshaw hopes to finally get her big break in LA. A chance encounter lands her the perfect apartment close to the comedy clubs, but it comes with a catch: she needs a roommate to afford the rent.

Enter Rae Coleman, a former police officer working the door at one of the top comedy clubs. After getting injured in the line of duty and losing her job with the LAPD, Rae guards her wounded soul behind a tough exterior.

At first, the two clash horribly before a tentative friendship develops. Bit by bit, Steph manages to break through the walls Rae has built around her.

But Steph has never been in a relationship, preferring casual flings, and Rae isn¡¯t sure she¡¯s ready to be happy again. Will they find the courage to open themselves up to love?

Falling in love is not a laughing matter in this opposites-attract lesbian romance with a bit of a fake relationship thrown in.]]>
350 Jae 3963242795 Tara 4
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4.07 2019 The Roommate Arrangement
author: Jae
name: Tara
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/11/18
date added: 2020/11/18
shelves: bisexual, contemporary, sapphic, opposites-attract, person-with-disability, read-in-2020, reviewed-at-tlr, workplace-romance
review:
Rae and Steph are the perfect opposites-attract pairing and I enjoyed seeing them move from strangers to caring about each other, to eventually falling in love. I especially appreciated seeing why they were reluctant to open their hearts: Steph had never had a serious relationship before and Rae had had one, but it had crashed and burned. It helped me believe in their happily ever after, since they each had so much to overcome and they did it together.

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The Long Shot 51109301
Television producer Adrienne Wyatt has thrown herself into her career after her lover left her a year ago. She has a brilliant new plan: a documentary featuring Morgan¡¯s rise and rise, capitalizing on the young woman¡¯s star appeal.

The main problem is that the reserved golfer treats Adrienne¡¯s plan like an invasion of privacy. The other issue is her growing feelings for the irritatingly attractive woman¡ªan unprofessional lapse that would get her ridiculed by her peers if anyone found out.

When things come to a chaotic head, as fierce desires, risked careers, age differences, and dreams all come into play, what will win?

A slow-burning lesbian sport romance about taking a chance with your heart.

Themes: golf ¡¤ slow burn ¡¤ TV producer
93,000 words]]>
282 A.L. Brooks 3963242477 Tara 4
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3.97 2019 The Long Shot
author: A.L. Brooks
name: Tara
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/11/18
date added: 2020/11/18
shelves: age-gap, athletes, celebrities, contemporary, sapphic, read-in-2020, reviewed-at-tlr, sports
review:
The age gap element of this romance was the absolute standout for me. It¡¯s one of my favourite tropes ever, so I was thrilled by how much we get to see into Adrienne¡¯s perspective, her insecurities around dating someone so much younger than her, and how much of that is about her body and how much older it is than Morgan¡¯s. That felt very real and made it one of the most satisfying age-gap romances I¡¯ve ever read.

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Pretending in Paradise 44298915 Reputations are Caroline's business. Too bad she was forced out of her previous job when an ex smeared hers all over the office grapevine. She's never getting involved with a coworker again, especially not one as careless and unprofessional as Emma.
Emma knows that life is too short to play by the rules. But when she goes too far and a defamation lawsuit puts her job in jeopardy, she has to make nice with Caroline, the image police, and deliver the best story of her career.
Only pretending to be in love sure feels a whole lot like falling in love. When their story goes public, ambition and privacy collide, and their chance at making a fake relationship real might just be collateral damage.

Genre: Romance
Words: 81,000
Cover Artist: Sheri Halal]]>
240 M. Ullrich 1635553997 Tara 5
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3.95 2019 Pretending in Paradise
author: M. Ullrich
name: Tara
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2020/11/18
date added: 2020/11/18
shelves: bold-strokes-books, contemporary, enemies-to-lovers, fake-relationship, sapphic, opposites-attract, read-in-2019, reviewed-at-tlr, workplace-romance, vacation-romance
review:
I¡¯m a huge fan of fake relationship romances, so I was sold on this one the minute I read the blurb and I¡¯m happy to say that Ullrich didn¡¯t disappoint! It was especially fun seeing them pretend to be in love when they don¡¯t even like each other, and it stayed great from there. When they start planning offsite dates, things get even lovelier, and I did a lot of smiling and happy sighing reading this story.

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