Pam's bookshelf: read en-US Sun, 11 May 2025 07:31:01 -0700 60 Pam's bookshelf: read 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Rendezvous with Rama (Rama, #1)]]> 112537 243 Arthur C. Clarke 1857231589 Pam 0 4.12 1973 Rendezvous with Rama (Rama, #1)
author: Arthur C. Clarke
name: Pam
average rating: 4.12
book published: 1973
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/11
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, notmm, scifi
review:

]]> Earth Abides 93269 345 George R. Stewart 0345487133 Pam 0 notmm, scifi, ku, zz-dnf-2025 3.94 1949 Earth Abides
author: George R. Stewart
name: Pam
average rating: 3.94
book published: 1949
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/10
shelves: notmm, scifi, ku, zz-dnf-2025
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Angel with the Sword (Merovingen Nights, #0)]]> 57081 304 C.J. Cherryh 0886771439 Pam 0 wanttoread-notmm, notmm 3.83 1985 Angel with the Sword (Merovingen Nights, #0)
author: C.J. Cherryh
name: Pam
average rating: 3.83
book published: 1985
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/10
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, notmm
review:

]]> The Remains of the Day 28921 Librarian's note: See alternate cover edition of ISBN 0571225381 here.

In the summer of 1956, Stevens, a long-serving butler at Darlington Hall, decides to take a motoring trip through the West Country. The six-day excursion becomes a journey into the past of Stevens and England, a past that takes in fascism, two world wars, and an unrealised love between the butler and his housekeeper.]]> 258 Kazuo Ishiguro Pam 0 4.14 1989 The Remains of the Day
author: Kazuo Ishiguro
name: Pam
average rating: 4.14
book published: 1989
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/10
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, historical, notmm, own-physical
review:

]]> Cranford 182381
Cranford depicts the lives and preoccupations of the inhabitants of a small village - their petty snobberies, appetite for gossip, and loyal support for each other in times of need This is a community that runs on cooperation and gossip, at the very heart of which are the daughters of the former rector: Miss Deborah Jenkyns and her sister Miss Matty, But domestic peace is constantly threatened in the form of financial disaster, imagined burglaries, tragic accidents, and the reapparance of long-lost relatives. to Lady Glenmire, who shocks everyone by marrying the doctor. When men do appear, such as 'modern' Captain Brown or Matty's suitor from the past, they bring disruption and excitement to the everyday life of Cranford.

In her introduction, Patricia Ingham places the novel in its literary and historical context, and discusses the theme of female friendship and Gaskell's narrative technique. This edition also contains an account of Gaskell's childhood in Knutsford, on which Cranford is based, appendices on fashion and domestic duties supplemented by illustrations, a chronology of Gaskell's life and works, suggestions for further reading, and explanatory notes.]]> 257 Elizabeth Gaskell 0141439882 Pam 0 3.85 1853 Cranford
author: Elizabeth Gaskell
name: Pam
average rating: 3.85
book published: 1853
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/10
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, historical, notmm, 1-nextup
review:

]]> The Kraken Wakes 91092 240 John Wyndham 0140010750 Pam 0 3.76 1953 The Kraken Wakes
author: John Wyndham
name: Pam
average rating: 3.76
book published: 1953
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/10
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, notmm, scifi, 1-nextup
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Light Years (Cazalet Chronicles, #1)]]> 931447 434 Elizabeth Jane Howard 0671527932 Pam 0 3.98 1990 The Light Years (Cazalet Chronicles, #1)
author: Elizabeth Jane Howard
name: Pam
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1990
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/09
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, historical, notmm
review:

]]> The Fallen Fruit 199743692 Combining history and fantasy, a sweeping multi-generational epic in the vein of Kindred and The Time Traveler's Wife about a woman who travels through time to end a family curse that has plagued her ancestors for generations.

On a rainy day in May 1964, history professor Cecily Bridge-Davis begins to search for the sixty-five acres of land she inherited from her father’s family. The quest leads her to uncover a dark secret: In every generation, one offspring from each Bridge family unit vanishes—and is mysteriously whisked back in time. Rules have been established that must be followed to prevent dire consequences:

Never interfere with past events.

Always carry your free Negro papers.

Search for the survival family packs in the orchard and surrounding forest. The ribbon on the pack designates the decade the pack was made to orient you in time.

Do not speak to strangers unless absolutely necessary.

With only a family Bible and a map marked with the locations of mysterious containers to aid her, Cecily heads to the library, hoping to discover the truth of how this curse began, and how it might be ended. As she moves through time, she encounters a circle of ancestors, including Sabrina Humbles, a free Black woman who must find the courage to seize an opportunity—or lose her heart; Luke Bridge, who traverses battlefields, slavery, and time itself to reunite with his family; Rebecca Bridge, a mother tested by an ominous threat; and Amelia Bridge, a young woman burdened with survivor's guilt who will face the challenge of a lifetime—and change Cecily's life forever. It is a race through time and against the clock to find the answers that will free her family forever.

Shawntelle Madison’s historical fiction debut is an enthralling, page-turning family saga about the inevitability of fate, the invincibility of love, and the indelible bonds of family.]]> 437 Shawntelle Madison 0063290596 Pam 0 3.63 2024 The Fallen Fruit
author: Shawntelle Madison
name: Pam
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/09
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, fantasy, historical, library-fl, notmm, authors-black
review:

]]> Lud-in-the-Mist 73574
]]> 239 Hope Mirrlees 1593600410 Pam 0 3.86 1926 Lud-in-the-Mist
author: Hope Mirrlees
name: Pam
average rating: 3.86
book published: 1926
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/09
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, fantasy, ku, notmm
review:

]]> Boys Weekend 63249715 The Nib, a hilarious trans-"final girl" horror graphic novel about a bachelor party gone very, very wrong.

Newly-out trans artist’s assistant Sammie is invited to an old friend’s bachelor weekend in El Campo, a hedonistic wonderland of a city floating in the Atlantic Ocean's international waters—think Las Vegas with even fewer rules. Though they have not identified as a man for over a year, Sammie’s college buddies haven't quite gotten the message—as evidenced by their formerly closest friend Adam asking them to be his “best man.�

Arriving at the swanky hotel, Sammie immediately questions their decision to come. Bad enough that they have to suffer through a torrent of passive-aggressive comments from the groom's pals—all met with zero pushback from supposed "nice guy" Adam. But also, they seem to be the only one who's noticed the mysterious cult that's also staying at the hotel, and is ritually dismembering guests and demanding fealty to their bloodthirsty god.

Part satire, part horror, Boys Weekend explores what it’s like to exist as a transfemme person in a man’s world, the difficulty of maintaining friendships through transition, and the more cult-like effects of masculinity, “hustle� culture, and capitalism—all through the vibrant lens of a surreal, scary, and immensely imaginative romp.]]> 232 Mattie Lubchansky 0593316711 Pam 0 4.00 2023 Boys Weekend
author: Mattie Lubchansky
name: Pam
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2025/01/22
date added: 2025/05/09
shelves: graphic-novels, nonbinary-gq, library-tn, read-2025, notmm
review:

]]> <![CDATA[True Letters from a Fictional Life]]> 24485772
But whenever James sits down at his desk to write, he tells a different story. As he fills his drawers with letters to the people in his world -- letters he never intends to send -- he spills the truth: he’s trying hard, but he just isn’t into Theresa. It’s a boy who lingers in his thoughts.

He feels trapped by his parents, his teammates, and the lies they've helped him tell, and he has no idea how to escape. Is he destined to live a life of fiction?]]> 326 Kenneth Logan 0062380257 Pam 0 3.92 2016 True Letters from a Fictional Life
author: Kenneth Logan
name: Pam
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at: 2025/05/08
date added: 2025/05/09
shelves: ya, library-fl, own-physical, read-2025
review:

]]> Vampires Don't Play Hockey 221142048
That’s what Johnny Harker tells himself, anyway. All the weird things he notices about his teammate Dima - his weird sleep schedule, his perpetually cold skin, his apparent lack of a reflection - don’t mean Dima’s an undead creature of the night.

Dima’s just his hot, slightly weird teammate. Right?]]> 146 A.L. Heard Pam 0 3.60 Vampires Don't Play Hockey
author: A.L. Heard
name: Pam
average rating: 3.60
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/08
shelves: athletes, ku, paranormal, zz-dnf-2025
review:

]]> More Than Enough 36327532
Petra, the manor's gardener, is interested more in trees and flowers than rumors. In his three years as the building's sole caretaker, he has not once encountered the missing prince. Surely Fier is dead and gone.

But Fier isn't dead, and neither is he a monster. He's trapped in the gilded cage of his country home, alone and afraid.

There is a beast, but it's not Fier.]]> 245 Elizabeth Wambheim Pam 0 4.09 2017 More Than Enough
author: Elizabeth Wambheim
name: Pam
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/08
shelves: ace, fantasy, scribd, zz-dnf-2025
review:

]]> Homecoming for Beginners 223238432
So it’s kind of a downer when a very hungover, mostly naked man about Ollie’s age answers the door and tells him old man Morris kicked the bucket.

Tyler Morris left town at sixteen as a pariah. Since then, he’s built a good life for himself as an EMT. But even in death, his father has to get in one final Ty can either return to his hometown and act as executor of the family fortune, or let it all go to a hate group.

Between an unexpected job offer and unexpected roommates, coming home doesn’t go the way Ty expects. But Ollie and Theo bring the cold, lonely mansion to life, and golden-boy Ollie provides good cover for the town’s scorn. The only problem is, Ty’s falling head over heels for the world’s sweetest and most stubbornly independent single dad, and if he wants to keep Ollie around, he’ll have to convince him to let Ty help.]]> 300 Ashlyn Kane 1641088044 Pam 0 ku, read-2025 4.09 Homecoming for Beginners
author: Ashlyn Kane
name: Pam
average rating: 4.09
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2025/05/08
date added: 2025/05/08
shelves: ku, read-2025
review:

]]> Stuck With You 63221933
Stuck With You is a story of Queer joy and a playful teen romance, following two frenemies as they fall for each other while stuck in adjacent seats on a day-long train trip.

Ben is on a train back to Ottawa after a visit with his dad in Toronto when he runs into the last person he wanted to see: Caleb, the handsome, confident boy who recently and accidentally broke Ben’s phone. Preoccupied by worrying about whether he should take a gap year, Ben has little time for Caleb’s jibes.

But when the two start talking, not only does Ben find himself won over by Caleb’s roguish charm, but he also learns his seatmate is bisexual.

Stuck With You discusses important issues facing teens as they contemplate their futures within the context of a light-hearted romance plot with witty dialogue and charming interplay, almost all taking place within the space of a single long train trip.]]> 176 'Nathan Burgoine 1459417275 Pam 0 4.24 Stuck With You
author: 'Nathan Burgoine
name: Pam
average rating: 4.24
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/07
shelves: to-read, ya, 1-nextup, check-for-library
review:

]]> Muscling Through 11045338 The bigger they come, the harder they fall... in love.

Cambridge art professor Larry Morton takes one, alcohol-glazed look at the huge, tattooed man looming in a dark alley, and assumes he’s done for. Moments later he finds himself disarmed—literally and figuratively. And, the next morning, he can’t rest until he offers an apology to the man who turned out to be more gentle than giant.

Larry's intrigued to find there's more to Al Fletcher than meets the eye; he possesses a natural artistic talent that shines through untutored technique. Unfortunately, no one else seems to see the sensitive soul beneath Al’s imposing, scarred, undeniably sexy exterior. Least of all Larry's class-conscious family, who would like nothing better than to split up this mismatched pair.

Is it physical? Oh, yes, it’s deliciously physical, and so much more—which makes Larry’s next task so daunting. Not just convincing his colleagues, friends and family that their relationship is more than skin deep. It’s convincing Al.

Contains comic misunderstandings, misuse of art materials, and unexpected poignancy.]]> 116 J.L. Merrow 1609285018 Pam 0 Original 2019 rating: 5 stars 3.94 2011 Muscling Through
author: J.L. Merrow
name: Pam
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at: 2025/05/07
date added: 2025/05/07
shelves: favorites-2019, own, read-2019, read-2025
review:
Original 2019 rating: 5 stars
]]> Glitterland (Spires, #1) 39332293
Once the golden boy of the English literary scene, now a clinically depressed writer of pulp crime fiction, Ash Winters has given up on love, hope, happiness, and � most of all � himself. He lives his life between the cycles of his illness, haunted by the ghosts of other people’s expectations.

Then a chance encounter at a stag party throws him into the arms of Essex boy Darian Taylor, an aspiring model who lives in a world of hair gel, fake tans, and fashion shows. By his own admission, Darian isn’t the crispest lettuce in the fridge, but he cooks a mean cottage pie and makes Ash laugh, reminding him of what it’s like to step beyond the boundaries of anxiety.

But Ash has been living in his own shadow for so long that he can’t see past the glitter to the light. Can a man who doesn’t trust himself ever trust in happiness? And how can a man who doesn’t believe in happiness ever fight for his own?]]> 286 Alexis Hall 1912688905 Pam 0 Original 2019 rating: 4 stars 4.07 2013 Glitterland (Spires, #1)
author: Alexis Hall
name: Pam
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at: 2025/05/06
date added: 2025/05/07
shelves: favorites-2019, own, read-2019, read-2025
review:
Original 2019 rating: 4 stars
]]> Faux Ho Ho 48747601 139 'Nathan Burgoine 1635557593 Pam 4 4.11 2019 Faux Ho Ho
author: 'Nathan Burgoine
name: Pam
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2025/05/06
date added: 2025/05/07
shelves: christmas, nonexplicit, read-2019, read-2025
review:
Original 2019 review: Frickin' adorable. I loved these two. The fake boyfriend plot is hard to make realistic, but this is much more a friends-to-lovers with one doing a favor to be supportive of the other, and there's not one second that doesn't feel like real, adult people. Their friendship was beautiful. And it was awesome to get a little snippet of Nick and Ru from Silas' perspective as well! I really like this author. (I'm glad someone mentioned the months being in the chapter headers, though, because I think I would have missed that at first. It blended in too much to catch my attention enough without knowing to look for it.)
]]> Adulting 101 39352021
Nick Stahlnecker is eighteen and not ready to grow up yet. He has a summer job, a case of existential panic, and a hopeless crush on the unattainable Jai Hazenbrook. Except how do you know that your coworker’s unattainable unless you ask to blow him in the porta-potty?

That’s probably not what Dad meant when he said Nick should act more like an adult.

Twenty-five-year-old Jai is back in his hometown of Franklin, Ohio, just long enough to earn the money to get the hell out again. His long-term goal of seeing more of the world is worth the short-term pain of living in his mother’s basement, but only barely.

Meeting Nick doesn’t fit in with Jai’s plans at all, but, as Jai soon learns, you don’t have to travel halfway around the world to have the adventure of a lifetime.

This is not a summer romance. This is a summer friendship-with-benefits. It’s got pizza with disgusting toppings, Netflix and chill, and accidental exhibitionism. That’s all. There are no feelings here. None. Shut up.]]> 220 Lisa Henry Pam 4 4.22 2016 Adulting 101
author: Lisa Henry
name: Pam
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2019/09/28
date added: 2025/05/07
shelves: favorites-2019, ya, read-2019, reread
review:

]]> Bone Rider 18619542
Together, they embark on a road trip from hell, made all the more exciting by the government troops and mob enforcers hot on their trail. Misha is determined to win Riley back and willing to do whatever it takes to keep him safe. When hitman and alien join forces, they discover their impressive combined potential for death and destruction. It will take everything Riley has to steer them through the mess they create.]]> 310 J. Fally 1627982108 Pam 3
The emotions are there, from Misha’s end anyway � the secondary premise for the whole action setup is the consuming need Misha has to find Riley and do whatever it takes to get him back, and that’s done very well; I felt like Misha was the only other character, besides McClane, that I had a complete picture of � but they spend very little on-page time together, and most of that is spent running for their lives, so not a whole lot of chitchat happening there. And Riley spends most of the book trying very hard *not* to think about Misha, which makes perfect sense, but it also takes away from the sense of connection from his end.

There’s just too much time spent with the Army characters chasing them that I would have preferred to spend with Riley and Misha and Riley, Misha and McClane all three especially. I really loved the way Riley and McClane interacted and wanted to see that capitalized on more once other people were part of the equation.

I think it was important to have the Army’s perspective, but since that was bouncing around from the POVs of three different characters, none of whom there was any need to get invested in, it just kept pulling me out of the Riley/McClane/Misha stuff that I was really enjoying. And we were constantly changing perspectives from chapter to chapter � with one thrown in from Misha’s sister and a few from his right-hand man � so it was just really hard to settle in to the story. I would guess we spend an equal time in the random Army people’s POVs as we do in the MCs, which was frustrating since the MCs were fantastic. (I did feel like there was a missing link with Riley, which I kept expecting to get filled in by the big reunion scene with Misha, which....never came. Or I guess started but got interrupted by the Army and then finished off-page. Presumably.)

It did make it a good choice for these past few days of holiday preparations and travel, though, because I found it very easy to put down when it was time to be productive or social and just dip in and out of it as needed. There is definitely a time and place for that, but in this case it was a little harder for me to let go and enjoy instead of focusing on how close this comes to being awesome without quite hitting it.]]> 4.27 2013 Bone Rider
author: J. Fally
name: Pam
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2019/12/26
date added: 2025/05/07
shelves: library-fl, gb-19q3-24q4, read-2019, reread
review:
This was good. The concept is great, and I absolutely loved McClane � which I thought was going to be tricky to pull off but was hands down the best part for me. But this is much more an action story than anything else, and I guess I wanted more from the romance.

The emotions are there, from Misha’s end anyway � the secondary premise for the whole action setup is the consuming need Misha has to find Riley and do whatever it takes to get him back, and that’s done very well; I felt like Misha was the only other character, besides McClane, that I had a complete picture of � but they spend very little on-page time together, and most of that is spent running for their lives, so not a whole lot of chitchat happening there. And Riley spends most of the book trying very hard *not* to think about Misha, which makes perfect sense, but it also takes away from the sense of connection from his end.

There’s just too much time spent with the Army characters chasing them that I would have preferred to spend with Riley and Misha and Riley, Misha and McClane all three especially. I really loved the way Riley and McClane interacted and wanted to see that capitalized on more once other people were part of the equation.

I think it was important to have the Army’s perspective, but since that was bouncing around from the POVs of three different characters, none of whom there was any need to get invested in, it just kept pulling me out of the Riley/McClane/Misha stuff that I was really enjoying. And we were constantly changing perspectives from chapter to chapter � with one thrown in from Misha’s sister and a few from his right-hand man � so it was just really hard to settle in to the story. I would guess we spend an equal time in the random Army people’s POVs as we do in the MCs, which was frustrating since the MCs were fantastic. (I did feel like there was a missing link with Riley, which I kept expecting to get filled in by the big reunion scene with Misha, which....never came. Or I guess started but got interrupted by the Army and then finished off-page. Presumably.)

It did make it a good choice for these past few days of holiday preparations and travel, though, because I found it very easy to put down when it was time to be productive or social and just dip in and out of it as needed. There is definitely a time and place for that, but in this case it was a little harder for me to let go and enjoy instead of focusing on how close this comes to being awesome without quite hitting it.
]]> <![CDATA[The 5th Gender (Tinkered Stars)]]> 44554614 A species that has no word for murder, has a murderer aboard their spaceship.

ALIEN

Tristol lives in exile. But he’s built a life for himself aboard a human space station. He’s even begun to understand the complex nuances of human courting rituals.

Detective Hastion is finally flirting back!

MURDER

Except that Tristol’s beloved space station is unexpectedly contacted by the galoi � a xenophobic species with five genders, purple skin, and serious attitude. They need the help of a human detective because there’s a murderer aboard their spaceship. Murder is so rare, the galoi don’t even have a word for it.

Tristol knows this because he is galoi.

ROMANCE

Which means that he and Detective Hastion are on the case� together.

Delicate Sensibilities?

Contains men who love other men in graphic detail, regardless of gender, biology, or skin color... and lots of emotively sexy tentacle hair.

New York Times best selling author Gail Carriger (writing as G.L. Carriger) brings you a light-hearted romantic cozy mystery featuring an adorable lavender alien and his human crush.]]> 236 G.L. Carriger 1944751262 Pam 5
Pretty sure this book just made my heart grow two sizes :)

I absolutely loved Tris and his fantastically emotive hair and his preference for single color palettes.

I always love getting a POV from another species on the strangeness of human culture. This just amuses me to no end. We are WEIRD. And Tris is such a sweetheart, so perfect a cultural attache, that even his POV is objective in its humorous insights.

And the fun with linguistics! I think anyone who liked this about Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts will enjoy this one, too. I really loved seeing Tris in his professional role. He was so good at all the nuances.

It wasn't quite what I was expecting from the gender conversation, but to me it just used the alien genders as a way of exploring "other"ness in general and how harmful it is to force your expectations of emotions and actions on someone else.

The three alien species mentioned here all have different kinds of gender options, and I think the whole point is that, as with anything, there are as many different options as there are people in this world. Nothing is ever as neat and tidy as either/or (or either/or/or/or/or). We do not fit in boxes. I'm not "wrong" just because I'm different than you. You don't have to understand someone's life choice to respect it.

Tris and Drey found so much about the other alien and confusing, but they're both so open-minded that even the rare instance the strangeness was initially horrifying, they realized pretty quickly that it didn't change what they liked about each other. And that's the whole point, right?

I do have to deduct half a point for all the insta-ness :) The most insta- in the whole universe. But I loved it anyway. The quickest way to get me to forgive insta-love is to show the couple connecting outside of sex. I need to see that they like each other for who they are, not because they're confusing chemistry and lust with love. And these guys are just so adorable together. They are beautifully compatible and just genuinely find the other to be awesome. I probably could have forgiven it completely if it weren't for the wedding talk. But weddings came up A LOT. Way too soon, gentlemen, I don't care how perfect you are!!!

I was impressed with Carriger's ability to create something so different from the human experience. I would love to see more in this universe. Especially if it's more Tris and Drey :)]]> 4.11 2019 The 5th Gender (Tinkered Stars)
author: G.L. Carriger
name: Pam
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/10/23
date added: 2025/05/07
shelves: gb-19q3-24q4, favorites-2019, tentacles-interspecies, read-2019, reread
review:
4.5 stars

Pretty sure this book just made my heart grow two sizes :)

I absolutely loved Tris and his fantastically emotive hair and his preference for single color palettes.

I always love getting a POV from another species on the strangeness of human culture. This just amuses me to no end. We are WEIRD. And Tris is such a sweetheart, so perfect a cultural attache, that even his POV is objective in its humorous insights.

And the fun with linguistics! I think anyone who liked this about Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts will enjoy this one, too. I really loved seeing Tris in his professional role. He was so good at all the nuances.

It wasn't quite what I was expecting from the gender conversation, but to me it just used the alien genders as a way of exploring "other"ness in general and how harmful it is to force your expectations of emotions and actions on someone else.

The three alien species mentioned here all have different kinds of gender options, and I think the whole point is that, as with anything, there are as many different options as there are people in this world. Nothing is ever as neat and tidy as either/or (or either/or/or/or/or). We do not fit in boxes. I'm not "wrong" just because I'm different than you. You don't have to understand someone's life choice to respect it.

Tris and Drey found so much about the other alien and confusing, but they're both so open-minded that even the rare instance the strangeness was initially horrifying, they realized pretty quickly that it didn't change what they liked about each other. And that's the whole point, right?

I do have to deduct half a point for all the insta-ness :) The most insta- in the whole universe. But I loved it anyway. The quickest way to get me to forgive insta-love is to show the couple connecting outside of sex. I need to see that they like each other for who they are, not because they're confusing chemistry and lust with love. And these guys are just so adorable together. They are beautifully compatible and just genuinely find the other to be awesome. I probably could have forgiven it completely if it weren't for the wedding talk. But weddings came up A LOT. Way too soon, gentlemen, I don't care how perfect you are!!!

I was impressed with Carriger's ability to create something so different from the human experience. I would love to see more in this universe. Especially if it's more Tris and Drey :)
]]> Carry On (Simon Snow, #1) 32768522
That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right.

Half the time, Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon's face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here � it's their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon's infuriating nemesis didn't even bother to show up.

Carry On - The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow is a ghost story, a love story and a mystery. It has just as much kissing and talking as you'd expect from a Rainbow Rowell story - but far, far more monsters.]]> 522 Rainbow Rowell 1250135028 Pam 5 2021 Re-Read:

I'm gonna leave the original 5-star rating because why not? I loved it. (Ok fine, it would have been 4.5 stars if I'm being completely honest, but that's just because I seem to incapable of 5 full stars these days. I mean, it's officially been over a year since I rated something 5 stars -- this is obviously at least partially a me problem ]]> 4.17 2015 Carry On (Simon Snow, #1)
author: Rainbow Rowell
name: Pam
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2021/07/30
date added: 2025/05/07
shelves: ya, read-2021, favorites-2021, fantasy, read-2018, reread
review:
2021 Re-Read:

I'm gonna leave the original 5-star rating because why not? I loved it. (Ok fine, it would have been 4.5 stars if I'm being completely honest, but that's just because I seem to incapable of 5 full stars these days. I mean, it's officially been over a year since I rated something 5 stars -- this is obviously at least partially a me problem
]]> Luminous 214151232 A highly anticipated, sweeping debut set in a unified Korea that tells the story of three estranged siblings—two human, one robot—as they collide against the backdrop of a murder investigation to settle old scores and make sense of their shattered childhood, perfect for fans of Klara and the Sun and We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves.

In a reunified Korea of the future, robots have been integrated into society as surrogates, servants, children, and even lovers. Though boundaries between bionic and organic frequently blur, these robots are decidedly second-class citizens. Jun and Morgan, two siblings estranged for many years, are haunted by the memory of their lost brother, Yoyo, who was warm, sensitive, and very nearly human.

Jun, a war veteran turned detective of the lowly Robot Crimes Unit in Seoul, becomes consumed by an investigation that reconnects him with his sister Morgan, now a prominent robot designer working for a top firm, who is, embarrassingly, dating one of her creations in secret.

On the other side of Seoul in a junkyard filled with abandoned robots, eleven-year-old Ruijie sifts through scraps looking for robotic parts that might support her failing body. When she discovers a robot boy named Yoyo among the piles of trash, an unlikely bond is formed since Yoyo is so lifelike, he’s unlike anything she’s seen before.

While Morgan prepares to launch the most advanced robot-boy of her career, Jun’s investigation sparks a journey through the underbelly of Seoul, unearthing deeper mysteries about the history of their country and their family. The three siblings must find their way back to each other to reckon with their pasts and the future ahead of them in this poignant and remarkable exploration of what it really means to be human.]]> 391 Silvia Park 1668021668 Pam 0 3.79 2025 Luminous
author: Silvia Park
name: Pam
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/05
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, scifi, notmm
review:

]]> Somadina 216412645 From the National Book Award finalist and author of Pet comes a novel set in a magical West African world, about a teen girl who must save her missing twin while learning to navigate her own terrifying new powers.

Somadina and her twin brother, Jayaike, are practically the same person: they finish each other's sentences and make each other whole. When the twins come of age, their magical gifts begin to develop, but while Jayaike's powers enchant, Somadina's cause fear to ripple through her town.

Always an outsider, Somadina now faces blatant--and dangerous--hostility. And things go from bad to worse when her brother—the one person she trusted—vanishes. Somadina knows that no matter the dangers, she must track him down. Even if it means entering the Sacred Forest. Even if it means grueling, otherworldly travel she may not survive. Even if it means finding the hidden places where those closest to the spirit world don't dare to go. Does Somadina have the strength --within both her body and her soul -- for the trying journey ahead?

National Book Award finalist Akwaeke Emezi masterfully weaves a tale of family, identity, and the power of the past, in a world where the extraordinary is ordinary.]]> 300 Akwaeke Emezi 0593309073 Pam 0 4.23 2025 Somadina
author: Akwaeke Emezi
name: Pam
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/05
shelves: fantasy, notmm, library-fl, ya, currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Same Old Bobby: A MM Best Friend's Brother Secret Romance]]> 210826073
Evan upends Bobby's familiar - frustrating - routine. Pete's older brother is confident, successful, and painfully hot. When he's not working out in his bedroom gym, he has no qualms about wearing the bare minimum around the house. Terrified of outing himself, Bobby thinks he has a handle on his stolen glances and simmering right up until Evan offers his services as a personal trainer.

As the sweat drips and with little to hide his physical reaction to Evan's teasing proximity, Bobby knows his attraction must be obvious. Far from being furious, though, Evan is equally interested, though reluctant to put a name to his sexual preferences. Chasing a secret summer fling under their families' noses is hard enough, but as his addiction to Evan grows, Bobby realizes he feels more than just lust for his best friend's brother - a complication he's not sure Evan would even acknowledge, much less admit the same.

Same Old Bobby is a high-spice m/m romance from the author of Jock Auction and The Hitchhiker. ]]> 383 Alex Pendragon Pam 0 smuts, read-2025 4.40 Same Old Bobby: A MM Best Friend's Brother Secret Romance
author: Alex Pendragon
name: Pam
average rating: 4.40
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2025/05/01
date added: 2025/05/05
shelves: smuts, read-2025
review:

]]> <![CDATA[We Were Never Lovers (Contested Possession)]]> 222008196 He knows they were friends
He knows they were enemies
But were they ever lovers?

Aboriginal footballer and rising superstar Sean Hiller wakes up in hospital, missing the last two years of his life. The first thing he sees is the good-for-nothing white boy he hates—his teammate, Jack Reaver. And the last thing he remembers is an altercation with Jack in the locker room.

Jack must’ve put him here. Except Jack didn’t cause his accident because he’s now Sean’s best friend and roommate. Jack will be taking Sean home to care for him while he recovers. Sean can’t believe it. Letting Jack back in means confronting what happened between them when they were seventeen, and Sean can’t do that.

But when he discovers Jack strung out in their kitchen at 2:00 AM, Sean takes care of him in a way he’d never dreamed possible. And Jack refuses to tell him exactly what that means. As Sean stares down the prospect of being medically retired at twenty-seven, the pain of not knowing who they are to each other hurts him more than the loss of his career.

He knows they could’ve been friends, could’ve been more. He knows they became enemies instead. But were they ever lovers?
]]> 325 Sasha Avice Pam 0 athletes, ku, tty, read-2025 3.99 We Were Never Lovers (Contested Possession)
author: Sasha Avice
name: Pam
average rating: 3.99
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2025/04/30
date added: 2025/05/05
shelves: athletes, ku, tty, read-2025
review:

]]> The Mutt (Peeta's Games, #3) 96174592 333 igsygrace Pam 0 notmm, read-2025 4.44 The Mutt (Peeta's Games, #3)
author: igsygrace
name: Pam
average rating: 4.44
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2025/04/29
date added: 2025/05/05
shelves: notmm, read-2025
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Back to Twelve (Peeta’s Games, #4)]]> 123844828 340 igsygrace Pam 0 notmm, read-2025 4.19 Back to Twelve (Peeta’s Games, #4)
author: igsygrace
name: Pam
average rating: 4.19
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2025/04/29
date added: 2025/05/05
shelves: notmm, read-2025
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Throwing Sparks (Peeta's Games, #2)]]> 96174562 326 igsygrace Pam 0 notmm, read-2025 4.51 Throwing Sparks (Peeta's Games, #2)
author: igsygrace
name: Pam
average rating: 4.51
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2025/04/27
date added: 2025/05/05
shelves: notmm, read-2025
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Price of a Thousand Blessings Volume 1]]> 223924181
The streets are thronged with cheering crowds, and the grand procession shimmers with spells. Film stars and government ministers claim the best seats in the stands. And most exciting of all, the legendary Wraiths of Saigrath promise to attend this Spring Exhibition after centuries of absence from the world.
Cymin can’t wait to meet them.

But when disaster strikes the celebrations, Cymin risks his own life and destroys a priceless artifact to prevent a massacre. His action not only plunge him into the battle between foreign provocateurs and his own nation’s spies, but captures the attention of the mythical Wraiths--one of whom has been searching for him in secret for hundreds of years.]]> 469 Ginn Hale 1956422137 Pam 0 x-unfinished-series 4.64 Price of a Thousand Blessings Volume 1
author: Ginn Hale
name: Pam
average rating: 4.64
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: x-unfinished-series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Wedding Party (The Wedding Date, #3)]]> 42455873
1. Alexa is their best friend

2. They hate each other

After an “Oops, we made a mistake� kiss, neither one can stop thinking about the other. With Alexa’s wedding rapidly approaching, Maddie and Theo both share bridal party responsibilities that require more interaction with each other than they’re comfortable with. Underneath the sharp barbs they toss at each other is a simmering attraction that won’t fade. It builds until they find themselves sneaking off together to release some tension when Alexa isn’t looking.

But as with any engagement with a nemesis, there are unspoken rules that must be abided by. First and foremost, don’t fall in love.]]> 351 Jasmine Guillory 1984802208 Pam 0 3.77 2019 The Wedding Party (The Wedding Date, #3)
author: Jasmine Guillory
name: Pam
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, authors-black, mf-romance
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Raven Scholar (Eternal Path Trilogy, #1)]]> 217182392 From an electrifying new voice in epic fantasy comes The Raven Scholar, a masterfully woven and playfully inventive tale of imperial intrigue, cutthroat competition, and one scholar’s quest to uncover the truth.

Let us fly now to the empire of Orrun, where after twenty-four years of peace, Bersun the Brusque must end his reign. In the dizzying heat of mid-summer, seven contenders compete to replace him. They are exceptional warriors, thinkers, strategists—the best of the best.

Then one of them is murdered.

It falls to Neema Kraa, the emperor’s brilliant, idiosyncratic High Scholar, to find the killer before the trials end. To do so, she must untangle a web of deadly secrets that stretches back generations, all while competing against six warriors with their own dark histories and fierce ambitions. Neema believes she is alone. But we are here to help; all she has to do is let us in.

If she succeeds, she will win the throne. If she fails, death awaits her. But we won’t let that happen.

We are the Raven, and we are magnificent.]]> 672 Antonia Hodgson 0316577227 Pam 0 4.61 2025 The Raven Scholar (Eternal Path Trilogy, #1)
author: Antonia Hodgson
name: Pam
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/03
shelves: fantasy, notmm, library-fl, x-unfinished-series
review:

]]> Where the Axe Is Buried 211934965 All systems fail. All societies crumble. All worlds end.

In the authoritarian Federation, there is a plot to assassinate and replace the President, a man who has downloaded his mind to a succession of new bodies to maintain his grip on power. Meanwhile, on the fringes of a Western Europe that has renounced human governance in favor of ostensibly more efficient, objective, and peaceful AI Prime Ministers, an experimental artificial mind is malfunctioning, threatening to set off a chain of events that may spell the end of the Western world.

As the Federation and the West both start to crumble, Lilia, the brilliant scientist whose invention may be central to bringing down the seemingly immortal President, goes on the run, trying to break out from a near-impenetrable web of Federation surveillance. Her fate is bound up with a worldwide group of others fighting against the global status quo: Palmer, the man Lilia left behind in London, desperate to solve the mystery of her disappearance; Zoya, a veteran activist imprisoned in the taiga, whose book has inspired a revolutionary movement; Nikolai, the President’s personal physician, who has been forced into more and more harrowing decisions as he navigates the Federation’s palace politics; and Nurlan, the hapless parliamentary staffer whose attempt to save his Republic goes terribly awry. And then there is Krotov, head of the Federation’s security services, whose plots, agents, and assassins are everywhere.

Following the success of his debut novel, The Mountain in the Sea, Ray Nayler launches readers into a thrilling near-future world of geopolitical espionage. A cybernetic novel of political intrigue, Where the Axe is Buried combines the story of a near-impossible revolutionary operation with a blistering indictment of the many forms of authoritarianism that suffocate human freedom.]]> 336 Ray Nayler 0374615365 Pam 0 4.04 2025 Where the Axe Is Buried
author: Ray Nayler
name: Pam
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/02
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, notmm, scifi, library-fl
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Hidden Moon (The Pingkang Li Mysteries, #3)]]> 54876998
Impetuous and well-educated, young Lady Bai has always been the forgotten daughter between two favored sons. However, when Wei-wei's older brother is tasked with investigating a high-profile assassination, he turns to his clever younger sister for assistance.

Gao is a street-wise scoundrel with a checkered past and a shady reputation. He knows better than to set his sights on the high-born Lady Bai, but when she asks for his help, he can't refuse.

As the unlikely pair chase down a conspiracy that reaches from the gutters of the capital to the imperial palace, Wei-wei is intent on seeing justice done, while Gao is determined to solve the mystery just for her � even if the attraction between them can never be more than a moment's longing.]]> 340 Jeannie Lin Pam 0 4.00 2020 The Hidden Moon (The Pingkang Li Mysteries, #3)
author: Jeannie Lin
name: Pam
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/02
shelves: mf-romance, historical, wanttoread-notmm, challenge-pmc, library-fl
review:

]]> When the Tides Held the Moon 213075628 In Coney Island, true love rises to the surface. With lush illustrations and buoyant prose, Venessa Vida Kelley forges an unforgettable New York fairytale.

Benigno “Benny� Caldera knows an orphaned Boricua blacksmith in 1910s New York City can’t call himself an artist. But the ironwork tank he creates for famed Coney Island playground, Luna Park, astounds the eccentric sideshow proprietor who commissioned it. He invites Benny to join the show’s eclectic cast and share in their shocking secret: the tank will cage their newest exhibit, a live merman stolen from the salty banks of the East River.

More than a mythic marvel, Benny soon comes to know the merman Río as a kindred spirit, wise and more compassionate than any human he’s ever met. Despite their different worlds, what begins as a friendship of necessity deepens to love, leading Benny’s heart into uncharted waters where he can no longer ignore the agonizing truth of Río’s captivity—and his own.

Releasing Río could mean losing his found family, his new home, and his soulmate forever. Yet Benny’s courageous choice may just reveal a love strong enough to free them both.]]> 464 Venessa Vida Kelley 1645661539 Pam 0 4.39 2025 When the Tides Held the Moon
author: Venessa Vida Kelley
name: Pam
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/30
shelves: fantasy, historical, to-read, library-tn
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Full Speed to a Crash Landing (Chaotic Orbits, #1)]]> 203914630 A high octane sexy space heist from New York Times-bestselling author Beth Revis, the first in a novella trilogy.

Ada Lamarr may have gotten to the spaceship wreck first, but looter’s rights won’t get her far when she’s got a hole in the side of her ship and her spacesuit is almost out of air. Fortunately for her, help arrives in the form of a government salvage crew—and while they reluctantly rescue her from certain death, they are not pleased to have an unexpected passenger along on their classified mission.

But Ada doesn’t care—all that matters to her is enjoying their fine food and sweet, sweet oxygen—until Rian White, the government agent in charge, starts to suspect that there’s more to Ada than meets the eye. He’s not wrong—but he’s so pretty that Ada is perfectly happy to keep him paying attention to her—at least until she can complete the job she was sent to pull off. But as quick as Ada is, Rian might be quicker—and she may not be entirely sure who’s manipulating who until it’s too late�

A phenomenally fun novella that kicks off a trilogy of sexy space heists and romantic tension, Full Speed to a Crash Landing is packed with great characters and full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end.]]> 181 Beth Revis 0756419468 Pam 0 library-fl, zz-dnf-2025 3.83 2024 Full Speed to a Crash Landing (Chaotic Orbits, #1)
author: Beth Revis
name: Pam
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/30
shelves: library-fl, zz-dnf-2025
review:

]]> I Leave It Up to You 214269353 From the award-winning author of Flux comes a dazzling novel about love, family, and the art of sushi that asks: What if you could return to the point of a fateful choice, wiser than before, and find the courage to forge a new path?

A coma can change a man, but the world Jack Jr. awakens to is one he barely recognizes. His advertising job is history, his Manhattan apartment is gone, and the love of his life has left him behind. He’s been asleep for two years; with no one to turn to, he realizes it’s been ten years since he last saw his family. 

Lost and disoriented, he makes a reluctant homecoming back to the bustling Korean American enclave of Fort Lee, New Jersey; back into the waiting arms of his parents, who are operating under the illusion he never left; and back to Joja, their ever-struggling sushi restaurant that he was set to inherit before he ran away from it all. As he steps back into the life he abandoned—learning his Appa’s life lessons over crates of tuna on bleary-eyed 4 AM fish runs, doling out amberjack behind the omakase counter while his Umma tallies the night's pitiful number of customers, and sparring with his recovering alcoholic brother, James—he embraces new roles, That of romantic interest to the male nurse who took care of him throughout, and that of sage (but underqualified) uncle to his gangly teenage nephew.

There is value in the joyous rhythms of this once-abandoned life. But second chances are an even messier business than running a restaurant, and the lure of a self-determined path might, once again, prove too hard to resist.

Why do we run from those we love, and why do we still love those who run from us? A highly entertaining and poignant story about second chances and self-discovery, I Leave It Up to You pilots through the loss, love, and absurdity of finding one’s footing after the ground gives way.]]> 311 Jinwoo Chong 0593727053 Pam 0 to-read, library-fl 3.97 2025 I Leave It Up to You
author: Jinwoo Chong
name: Pam
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: to-read, library-fl
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Girl Whose Luck Ran Out (Ben Ames Case Files, #1)]]> 60693978
Seven years ago, criminologist Ben Ames thought he’d change a big city police force from the inside. He failed. Now he’s a private detective trailing insurance frauds and cheating spouses through the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Like police work, the job would be easier if he didn’t have a conscience.

When university student Kimberly Moy goes missing, her sister begs Ben to take the case. But before Ben can follow up on any leads—What does the Fibonacci series have to do with Kim’s disappearance? What do her disaffected friends know? And where is her car?—chance and bad timing drop his unexpected ex, Jesse, into the mix.

Ben doesn’t have time to train Jesse into the junior PI he seems determined to become. Amateur sleuths are always trouble. Unfortunately, this is turning out to be the kind of case that requires backup, and his intuition is telling him Kim’s story may not have a happy ending....]]> 220 Gayleen Froese 1641083832 Pam 0 4.12 2022 The Girl Whose Luck Ran Out (Ben Ames Case Files, #1)
author: Gayleen Froese
name: Pam
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: to-read, mystery, challenge-pifm, ku
review:

]]> Surreal Estate 42631626 271 Jesi Lea Ryan 1626498547 Pam 0 3.96 2018 Surreal Estate
author: Jesi Lea Ryan
name: Pam
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: to-read, paranormal, ku, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dionysus in Wisconsin (Wisconsin Gothic, #1)]]> 123498090
Fall, 1969. Ulysses Lenkov should be working on his dissertation. Instead, he's developing an unlucrative sideline in helping ghosts and hapless magic users. But when his clients start leaving town suddenly—or turning up dead—he starts to worry there's something afoot that’s worse than an unavenged death or incipient insanity. His investigation begins with the last word on everyone's lips before they vanish: the mysterious Dionysus.

Sam Sterling is an archivist who recently moved back to Madison to be closer to the family he's not too sure he likes. But his peaceful days of teaching library students, creating finding aids, and community theater come to an end when the magnetic, mistrustful Ulysses turns up with a warning. There's a god coming, and it looks like it's coming for Sam.

Soon the two are helping each other through demon attacks, discovering the unsavory history of Sam's family, and falling in love as they race to find a solution. But as the year draws to a close, they'll face a deadly showdown as they try to save Sam—and the city itself.]]> 356 E.H. Lupton Pam 0 4.11 2023 Dionysus in Wisconsin (Wisconsin Gothic, #1)
author: E.H. Lupton
name: Pam
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: to-read, fantasy, historical, challenge-pifm, own-epub
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Peeta's Games (Peeta's Games, #1)]]> 96174470 280 igsygrace Pam 0 notmm, dystopian, read-2025 4.42 Peeta's Games (Peeta's Games, #1)
author: igsygrace
name: Pam
average rating: 4.42
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2025/04/26
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: notmm, dystopian, read-2025
review:

]]> Free Climb (Mont Blanc, #3) 58143016
Forensic investigator Yohan Maurel must call on his knowledge of ballistics when a series of gun-related crimes sweeps his team's jurisdiction. And when his boyfriend Oakes is shot and injured while on duty, the blow hits closer to home.


As Oakes recovers, he and Yohan find themselves spending more time together than ever before. In between crime scenes and lab work, Yohan meets Oakes' family and learns a little more about his past. Oakes has often joked that Yohan has hidden depths, but it's Oakes' hidden depths Yohan wants to understand.


They have come a long way since the rocky start of their relationship, but there are some conversations they cannot put off any longer.]]> 86 Annick Trent Pam 0 ku, read-2025 4.23 2021 Free Climb (Mont Blanc, #3)
author: Annick Trent
name: Pam
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at: 2025/04/26
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: ku, read-2025
review:

]]> Cut Loose (Mont Blanc, #2) 55929828
Crime scene investigator Yohan Maurel has never been a demonstrative man, but he is quietly happy in his new arrangement with private security expert Salvatore Oakes. Over the past six months, their relationship has been going better than Yohan ever would have hoped, and he's confident Oakes feels the same way.



He has returned to mountain rescue volunteering, his team of forensic investigators is successfully closing cases, and it's the height of summer in the Arve valley—a summer Yohan intends to enjoy with Oakes.



But when an Alpine glacier gives up the body of a long-lost hiker, one of Oakes' exes shows up at the crime scene. As the investigation progresses, Yohan begins to question whether he and Oakes can truly be what the other needs. He finds himself juggling the case, his own desires--and the unnerving, amazing reality of being entrusted with Oakes' unguarded heart.]]> 74 Annick Trent Pam 0 own, read-2025 4.09 2020 Cut Loose (Mont Blanc, #2)
author: Annick Trent
name: Pam
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2025/04/26
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: own, read-2025
review:

]]> Off Trail (Mont Blanc, #1) 55189671
Crime scene investigator Yohan Maurel keeps a strict guard over his heart, never letting himself get too close to on-again, off-again boyfriend Salvatore Oakes, a private bodyguard and muscle-for-hire. Several months after their casual arrangement peters out, their paths cross professionally when Oakes turns up at one of Yohan's crime scenes, a fatal shooting in an Alpine ski resort.

As their romance rekindles, Yohan realises Oakes feels more strongly about him than he ever dared hope. There's just one problem: Oakes has always been a player, never hiding his string of casual partners and one-night stands. Committing to Yohan will be a significant change for him.

Yohan always knew he could get hurt in this relationship, but now he begins to suspect that Oakes is just as deeply invested. Will he lose Oakes for good if he can't make a leap of faith and trust Oakes with his heart?]]> 85 Annick Trent Pam 0 ku, read-2025 3.63 2020 Off Trail (Mont Blanc, #1)
author: Annick Trent
name: Pam
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2025/04/26
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: ku, read-2025
review:

]]> Deep Cuts 214269394
Joe asks Percy for feedback on one of his songs—and the results kick off a partnership that will span years, ignite new passions in them both, and crush their egos again and again. Is their collaboration worth its cost? Or is it holding Percy back from finding her own voice?

Moving from Brooklyn bars to San Francisco dance floors, Deep Cuts examines the nature of talent, obsession, belonging, and above all, our need to be heard.]]> 277 Holly Brickley 0593799089 Pam 0 3.74 2025 Deep Cuts
author: Holly Brickley
name: Pam
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, notmm, library-tn
review:

]]> Aunt Tigress 214988509 From debut author Emily Yu-Xuan Qin comes a snarky urban fantasy novel inspired by Chinese and First Nation mythology and bursting with wit, compelling characters, and LGBTQIA+ representation

Readers of Seanan McGuire, Ilona Andrews, and Ben Aaronovitch will devour this gory story—and the sweet-as-Canadian-maple-syrup sapphic romance at its monstrous heart

Tam hasn’t eaten anyone in years. 

She is now Mama’s soft-spoken, vegan daughter � everything dangerous about her is cut out, repressed. Medicated.

But when Tam’s estranged Aunt Tigress is found murdered and skinned, Tam inherits an undead fox in a shoebox and an ensemble of old enemies. 

The demons, the ghosts, the gods running coffee shops by the river? Fine. The tentacled thing stalking Tam across the city? Absolutely not. And when Tam realizes the girl she’s falling in love with might be yet another loose end from her past? That’s just the brassy, beautiful cherry on top.

Because no matter how quietly she lives, Tam can’t hide from her voracious upbringing, nor the suffering she caused. As she navigates romance, redemption, and the end of the world, she can’t help but wonder�

Do monsters even deserve happy endings?

With worldbuilding inspired by Chinese folklore and the Siksiká Nation in Canada, LGBTQIA+ representation, and a sapphic romance, Aunt Tigress is at once familiar and breathtakingly innovative.]]> 432 Emily Yu-Xuan Qin 0756419387 Pam 0 3.74 2025 Aunt Tigress
author: Emily Yu-Xuan Qin
name: Pam
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, urban-fantasy, notmm, check-for-library, wish-list, ff
review:

]]> The Beggar Student 208511269 For fans of No Longer Human, Osamu Dazai’s darkly bewitching novel about the small redemptions of being a pathetic, miserable writer.

A fictional thirty-something writer named Osamu Dazai has just mailed his publisher a terrible manuscript, filling him with dread and shame. Shortly afterward, while moping around a park in suburban Tokyo, he spots a figure drowning in a nearby aqueduct.

He doesn’t want to become a witness to a suicide and eventually decides to flee the park. But as he is leaving, he trips over the boy who had been drowning, and the two begin an unlikely conversation that turns into an intellectual spat. Hoping to ingratiate himself with the boy―a high-school dropout―Dazai finds himself agreeing to perform that very night as the live narrator of a film screening in the boy’s stead�

So begins the madcap adventure of The Beggar Student, where there is glamor in destitution and glimmerings of truth in intellectual one-upmanship. Replete with settings straight out of the popular anime Bungo Stray Dogs and echoes of the themes in No Longer Human, this biting novella captures the infamous Japanese writer at his mordant best.]]> 96 Osamu Dazai 081123858X Pam 0 3.74 1940 The Beggar Student
author: Osamu Dazai
name: Pam
average rating: 3.74
book published: 1940
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, library-tn, notmm, japanese, 2025all
review:

]]> The Memory Police 37004370
When a young woman who is struggling to maintain her career as a novelist discovers that her editor is in danger from the Memory Police, she concocts a plan to hide him beneath her floorboards. As fear and loss close in around them, they cling to her writing as the last way of preserving the past.

A surreal, provocative fable about the power of memory and the trauma of loss, The Memory Police is a stunning new work from one of the most exciting contemporary authors writing in any language.]]> 274 YĹŤko Ogawa 1101870605 Pam 0 3.72 1994 The Memory Police
author: YĹŤko Ogawa
name: Pam
average rating: 3.72
book published: 1994
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, notmm, japanese, library-tn, 2025all
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Go Deep (Unexpected Lovers #1)]]> 54290559
Navaya Howard is an erotic writer in a rut. Her readers are fed up of her stale plots and Navaya can’t blame them. She’s been celibate for over a year and a half since finding her now ex-boyfriend’s side chick’s positive pregnancy test on her bathroom counter. How can she write steamy romances if she can barely remember which body parts go into the other?

Navaya enlists the help of her best friend, Xander, to revive the inspiration that used to have her sitting comfortably at the top of her game. What happens when the sex hits deeper than either of them expected and the tender emotions can no longer be denied?

Navaya and Xander’s arrangement has gone far deeper than intended.
Will their friendship and their hearts survive the fall?]]> 131 Rilzy Adams Pam 0 3.74 2020 Go Deep (Unexpected Lovers #1)
author: Rilzy Adams
name: Pam
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, mf-romance, authors-black, ku, 2025all
review:

]]> Outdrawn 198542200
Noah Blue’s finally got her foot in the door. After clawing her way to the top of the charts with her webcomic, she’s garnered enough attention to earn a full-time position at a comic company re-launching their cult classic comic: Queen Leisah.

Queen Leisah is predicted to be an instant bestseller with movie deals already in the making. Things are falling into place. There’s nowhere to go but up…as soon as she gets one person out of her way.

Sage Montgomery has always been the best artist in every building she’s stepped foot in. Raw talent’s gotten her webcomic to the top of the charts every month for the past eight years. She’s been the best for as long as she can remember. Sure, her career has plateaued but that can be fixed with a big, mainstream comic.

She was promised full creative control over Leisah. Instead, she got a shared credit with the one artist who’s been breathing down her neck since college. The one artist who has a fighting chance of being better than her. Sage and Noah have to work as a team � or, at least appear to work as a team. They thought the hardest part of the relaunch would be drawing together. But that’s easy in comparison to resisting their feelings for each other.

__

Outdrawn is a slow-burn, rivals-to-lovers sapphic romance. This book is a standalone.]]> 328 Deanna Grey Pam 0 4.14 2023 Outdrawn
author: Deanna Grey
name: Pam
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, ku, notmm, ff, authors-black, challenge-pmc, 2025all
review:

]]> <![CDATA[That Self-Same Metal (The Forge & Fracture Saga #1)]]> 61783760 A stunning YA fantasy debut, perfect for fans of Holly Black and Justina Ireland, about a Black girl (and sword expert) fighting a Fae uprising in Shakespearean London

Sixteen-year-old Joan Sands is a gifted craftswoman who creates and upkeeps the stage blades for William Shakespeare’s acting company, The King’s Men. Joan’s skill with her blades comes from a magical ability to control metal—an ability gifted by her Head Orisha, Ogun. Because her whole family is Orisha-blessed, the Sands family have always kept tabs on the Fae presence in London. Usually that doesn’t involve much except noting the faint glow around a Fae’s body as they try to blend in with London society, but lately, there has been an uptick in brutal Fae attacks. After Joan wounds a powerful Fae and saves the son of a cruel Lord, she is drawn into political intrigue in the human and Fae worlds.

Swashbuckling, romantic, and full of the sights and sounds of Shakespeare’s London, this series starter delivers an unforgettable story—and a heroine unlike any other.]]> 352 Brittany N. Williams 1419758640 Pam 0 3.74 2023 That Self-Same Metal (The Forge & Fracture Saga #1)
author: Brittany N. Williams
name: Pam
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, fantasy, notmm, ya, authors-black, library-tn, 2025all
review:

]]> <![CDATA[One Dark Window (The Shepherd King, #1)]]> 58340706
Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.

Together they must gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.]]> 399 Rachel Gillig 0316312487 Pam 0 4.25 2022 One Dark Window (The Shepherd King, #1)
author: Rachel Gillig
name: Pam
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, fantasy, notmm, library-tn, ya, 2025all
review:

]]> The Lake 6035141
While The Lake shows off many of the features that have made Banana Yoshimoto famous—a cast of vivid and quirky characters, simple yet nuanced prose, a tight plot with an upbeat pace—it’s also one of the most darkly mysterious books she’s ever written.
It tells the tale of a young woman who moves to Tokyo after the death of her mother, hoping to get over her grief and start a career as a graphic artist. She finds herself spending too much time staring out her window, though ... until she realizes she’s gotten used to seeing a young man across the street staring out his window, too.
They eventually embark on a hesitant romance, until she learns that he has been the victim of some form of childhood trauma. Visiting two of his friends who live a monastic life beside a beautiful lake, she begins to piece together a series of clues that lead her to suspect his experience may have had something to do with a bizarre religious cult. . . .
With its echoes of the infamous, real-life Aum Shinrikyo cult (the group that released poison gas in the Tokyo subway system), The Lake unfolds as the most powerful novel Banana Yoshimoto has written. And as the two young lovers overcome their troubled past to discover hope in the beautiful solitude of the lake in the country- side, it’s also one of her most moving.]]> 188 Banana Yoshimoto 1933633778 Pam 0 3.58 2005 The Lake
author: Banana Yoshimoto
name: Pam
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, japanese, notmm, 2025all
review:

]]> <![CDATA[What You Are Looking For Is in the Library]]> 91274427 For fans of The Midnight Library and Before the Coffee Gets Cold, this charming Japanese novel shows how the perfect book recommendation can change a reader's life.

What are you looking for?

This is the famous question routinely asked by Tokyo’s most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi. Like most librarians, Komachi has read every book lining her shelves—but she also has the unique ability to read the souls of her library guests. For anyone who walks through her door, Komachi can sense exactly what they’re looking for in life and provide just the book recommendation they never knew they needed to help them find it.

Each visitor comes to her library from a different juncture in their careers and dreams, from the restless sales attendant who feels stuck at her job to the struggling working mother who longs to be a magazine editor. The conversation that they have with Sayuri Komachi—and the surprise book she lends each of them—will have life-altering consequences.

With heartwarming charm and wisdom, What You Are Looking For Is in the Library is a paean to the magic of libraries, friendship and community, perfect for anyone who has ever found themselves at an impasse in their life and in need of a little inspiration.]]> 304 Michiko Aoyama 1335005625 Pam 0 4.07 2020 What You Are Looking For Is in the Library
author: Michiko Aoyama
name: Pam
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, japanese, notmm, library-tn, 2025all
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Tiger’s Daughter (Ascendant, #1)]]> 29760778 Even gods can be slain�.

The Hokkaran empire has conquered every land within their bold reach―but failed to notice a lurking darkness festering within the people. Now, their border walls begin to crumble, and villages fall to demons swarming out of the forests.

Away on the silver steppes, the remaining tribes of nomadic Qorin retreat and protect their own, having bartered a treaty with the empire, exchanging inheritance through the dynasties. It is up to two young warriors, raised together across borders since their prophesied birth, to save the world from the encroaching demons.

This is the story of an infamous Qorin warrior, Barsalayaa Shefali, a spoiled divine warrior empress, O-Shizuka, and a power that can reach through time and space to save a land from a truly insidious evil.]]> 526 K. Arsenault Rivera 0765392534 Pam 0 3.82 2017 The Tiger’s Daughter (Ascendant, #1)
author: K. Arsenault Rivera
name: Pam
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, notmm, fantasy, library-tn, 2025all
review:

]]> Dead Collections 58064245 A whirlwind romance between an eccentric archivist and a grieving widow explores what it means to be at home in your own body in this clever, humorous, and heartfelt novel.

When archivist Sol meets Elsie, the larger than life widow of a moderately famous television writer who's come to donate her wife's papers, there's an instant spark. But Sol has a secret: he suffers from an illness called vampirism, and hides from the sun by living in his basement office. On their way to falling in love, the two traverse grief, delve into the Internet fandom they once unknowingly shared, and navigate the realities of transphobia and the stigmas of carrying the "vampire disease."

Then, when strange things start happening at the collection, Sol must embrace even more of the unknown to save himself and his job. DEAD COLLECTIONS is a wry novel full of heart and empathy, that celebrates the journey, the difficulties and joys, in finding love and comfort within our own bodies.]]> 247 Isaac Fellman 0143136917 Pam 0 3.68 2022 Dead Collections
author: Isaac Fellman
name: Pam
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, notmm, fantasy, library-tn, 2025all
review:

]]> The Great Passage 34945597 A charmingly warm and hopeful story of love, friendship, and the power of human connection, award-winning Japanese author Shion Miura’s novel is a reminder that a life dedicated to passion is a life well lived.

Inspired as a boy by the multiple meanings to be found for a single word in the dictionary, Kohei Araki is devoted to the notion that a dictionary is a boat to carry us across the sea of words. But after thirty-seven years creating them at Gembu Books, it’s time for him to retire and find his replacement.

He discovers a kindred spirit in Mitsuya Majime—a young, disheveled square peg with a penchant for collecting antiquarian books and a background in linguistics—whom he swipes from his company’s sales department.

Led by his new mentor and joined by an energetic, if reluctant, new recruit and an elder linguistics scholar, Majime is tasked with a career-defining completing The Great Passage, a comprehensive 2,900-page tome of the Japanese language. On his journey, Majime discovers friendship, romance, and an incredible dedication to his work, inspired by the bond that connects us words.

]]> 224 Shion Miura 1477825002 Pam 0 3.85 2011 The Great Passage
author: Shion Miura
name: Pam
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, japanese, notmm, library-tn, 2025all
review:

]]> <![CDATA[An Infamous Army (Alastair-Audley, #4)]]> 311226 joie de vivre knows no bounds � until the eve of the fateful Battle of Waterloo ...]]> 431 Georgette Heyer Pam 0 3.59 1937 An Infamous Army (Alastair-Audley, #4)
author: Georgette Heyer
name: Pam
average rating: 3.59
book published: 1937
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, historical, mf-romance, 2025all
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Death in the Stocks (Inspectors Hannasyde and Hemingway, #1)]]> 311203 274 Georgette Heyer 0755108876 Pam 0 3.79 1935 Death in the Stocks (Inspectors Hannasyde and Hemingway, #1)
author: Georgette Heyer
name: Pam
average rating: 3.79
book published: 1935
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, historical, notmm, challenge-pmc, 2025all
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Final Revival of Opal & Nev]]> 54304125 An electrifying novel about the meteoric rise of an iconic interracial rock duo in the 1970s, their sensational breakup, and the dark secrets unearthed when they try to reunite decades later for one last tour.

Opal is a fiercely independent young woman pushing against the grain in her style and attitude, Afro-punk before that term existed. Coming of age in Detroit, she can’t imagine settling for a 9-to-5 job—despite her unusual looks, Opal believes she can be a star. So when the aspiring British singer/songwriter Neville Charles discovers her at a bar’s amateur night, she takes him up on his offer to make rock music together for the fledgling Rivington Records.

In early seventies New York City, just as she’s finding her niche as part of a flamboyant and funky creative scene, a rival band signed to her label brandishes a Confederate flag at a promotional concert. Opal’s bold protest and the violence that ensues set off a chain of events that will not only change the lives of those she loves, but also be a deadly reminder that repercussions are always harsher for women, especially black women, who dare to speak their truth.

Decades later, as Opal considers a 2016 reunion with Nev, music journalist S. Sunny Shelton seizes the chance to curate an oral history about her idols. Sunny thought she knew most of the stories leading up to the cult duo’s most politicized chapter. But as her interviews dig deeper, a nasty new allegation from an unexpected source threatens to blow up everything.

Provocative and chilling, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev features a backup chorus of unforgettable voices, a heroine the likes of which we’ve not seen in storytelling, and a daring structure, and introduces a bold new voice in contemporary fiction.]]> 368 Dawnie Walton 198214016X Pam 0 3.81 2021 The Final Revival of Opal & Nev
author: Dawnie Walton
name: Pam
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, notmm, ku, authors-black, library-tn, 2025all
review:

]]> Emergent Properties 61172032 Emergent Properties is the touching adventure of an intrepid A.I. reporter hot on the heels of brewing corporate warfare from Nebula Award-nominated author Aimee Ogden.

A state-of-the-art AI with a talent for asking questions and finding answers, Scorn is nevertheless a parental disappointment. Defying the expectations of zir human mothers, CEOs of the world’s most powerful corporations, Scorn has made a life of zir own as an investigative reporter, crisscrossing the globe in pursuit of the truth, no matter the danger.

In the middle of investigating a story on the moon, Scorn comes back online to discover ze has no memory of the past ten days—and no idea what story ze was even chasing. Letting it go is not an option—not if ze wants to prove zirself. Scorn must retrace zir steps in a harrowing journey to uncover an even more explosive truth than ze could have ever imagined.]]> 112 Aimee Ogden Pam 0 3.74 2023 Emergent Properties
author: Aimee Ogden
name: Pam
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: notmm, scifi, wanttoread-notmm, 2025all
review:

]]> The Stories of Ibis 6949682
The stories that Ibis speaks of are the 7 novels about the events surrounding the announcements of the development of artificial intelligence (AI) in the 20th to 21st centuries. At a glance, these stories do not appear to have any sort of connection, but what is the true meaning behind them? What are Ibis' real intentions?]]> 422 Hiroshi Yamamoto 1421534401 Pam 0 4.24 2006 The Stories of Ibis
author: Hiroshi Yamamoto
name: Pam
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, notmm, scifi, japanese, 2025all
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Gentleman and the Spy (Ormond Yard Romantic Adventures, #1)]]> 56757384 alternate cover edition of ASIN B08T6HC1LP

After his father’s death Lord Magnus Dawson has more important things to think about than falling in love—like how to earn a living when all he knows is the idleness he was raised with, and the military training he received before selling his commission.

For Toby Marsh, the impetus is as great, though he doesn’t have Magnus’s family connections to fall back on. A scholarship student at Cambridge, he was forced to spend his last year in college as valet and sometime tutor to a brainless fellow student after his father’s sudden death. Now he scrabbles out a living as a freelance tutor.

Then a call from the Foreign Office brings them together. Toby disdains the idle lordling, and Magnus can’t seem to treat Toby as more than a servant. As they delve deeper into their assignment, the attraction between them grows. But can they envision a future together when so class and culture conspire to drive them apart?

The Gentleman and the Spy is an 83,000 word Victorian-era lord and valet romance with a country house party and a touch of espionage and international intrigue.]]> 391 Neil S. Plakcy Pam 0 3.94 2021 The Gentleman and the Spy (Ormond Yard Romantic Adventures, #1)
author: Neil S. Plakcy
name: Pam
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: historical, own-epub, authors-ownvoices, zz-dnf-2025
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Mahu Fire (Mahu Investigations #3)]]> 58476095
A wave of religious fundamentalism sweeps through O’ahu, at the same time as violence against gay and lesbian-owned businesses is on the rise. Coincidence? Kimo doesn’t think so. Working with hunky fire inspector Mike Riccardi � day and night � Kimo digs through the ashes to discover a motive for the attacks, as well as who is behind them.

MAHU FIRE showcases a handsome, sexy hero who struggles to overcome personal troubles and makes private sacrifices for the public good. Throw in an exotic tropical locale, plenty of aloha spirit and a dash of surf culture, as well as a slam-bang ending that puts Kimo and the people he cares about in danger, and you’ve got the makings of a page-turning mystery.

Winner of the Left Coast Crime award for best police procedural, and finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for best gay mystery. Perfect for fans of Joseph Hansen, Michael Nava, and John Morgan Wilson.

What the critics have said about the MAHU mysteries:

“Plakcy keeps the waves of suspense crashing!� In LA Magazine

“Hits all the right notes as a mystery.� Mystery Book News

“Kimo brings needed diversity to the genre, and the author handles the island setting well.� Honolulu Star-Bulletin

“Spotless pace, intriguing plots twists, and an earnest depiction of challenges faced by people transitioning out of the closet.� Honolulu Advertiser

“Recommended to a wide audience.� Reviewing the Evidence]]> 274 Neil S. Plakcy Pam 2
This was my least favorite installment so far. In fact, I think I'm going to call it quits on this series now.

The mystery drove me crazy because it was sooooooo obvious who the killer was, and Kimo seemed like an idiot for not figuring it out sooner. There's a little writing quirk the author uses when Kimo's missing something right in front of his face, and I wasn't a fan of it in the first two books, but it was much more egregious here.

I still enjoyed the setting, and I'm glad we finally learned where the (derogatory) term Mahu comes from, but there's a longer-term storyline introduced here that I don't think I want to continue with. It just didn't work for me, and reading ahead to the summaries and reviews of the next two books, it doesn't sound like that's going to change.

I would still recommend the first two books in the series if it sounds like something that interests you, mainly for the setting and the OwnVoices perspective on internalized homophobia. ]]> 4.19 2008 Mahu Fire (Mahu Investigations #3)
author: Neil S. Plakcy
name: Pam
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2008
rating: 2
read at: 2023/02/26
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: ku, mystery, read-2023, authors-ownvoices
review:
2.5 stars

This was my least favorite installment so far. In fact, I think I'm going to call it quits on this series now.

The mystery drove me crazy because it was sooooooo obvious who the killer was, and Kimo seemed like an idiot for not figuring it out sooner. There's a little writing quirk the author uses when Kimo's missing something right in front of his face, and I wasn't a fan of it in the first two books, but it was much more egregious here.

I still enjoyed the setting, and I'm glad we finally learned where the (derogatory) term Mahu comes from, but there's a longer-term storyline introduced here that I don't think I want to continue with. It just didn't work for me, and reading ahead to the summaries and reviews of the next two books, it doesn't sound like that's going to change.

I would still recommend the first two books in the series if it sounds like something that interests you, mainly for the setting and the OwnVoices perspective on internalized homophobia.
]]> <![CDATA[Mahu Surfer (Mahu Investigations #2)]]> 52683132
In his return to the North Shore, Kimo discovers trouble in paradise, from an epidemic rise in the use of crystal meth to increasing pressure on real estate prices. He also rekindles an uneasy friendship with a man whose sexual assault drove him into the police academy, and further into the closet, six years earlier. Readers will enjoy an exotic locale, plenty of aloha spirit and a dash of surf culture, as well as a slam-bang ending.

Finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for best gay mystery. Perfect for fans of Joseph Hansen, Michael Nava, and John Morgan Wilson.]]> 269 Neil S. Plakcy Pam 3 read-2022, authors-ownvoices 4.29 2007 Mahu Surfer (Mahu Investigations #2)
author: Neil S. Plakcy
name: Pam
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at: 2022/08/17
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: read-2022, authors-ownvoices
review:

]]> Mahu (Mahu, #1) 50005901
Kimo Kanapa'aka is a handsome, mixed-race surfer living in Honolulu, a police detective confronting his homosexuality in an atmosphere of macho bravado within the police force. A man of intelligence, strength, honesty, resourcefulness, and intense dedication to the people of Hawaii, Kimo is a hard-boiled hero you will never forget.

Fast-paced, intricately plotted, thoroughly enjoyable, this is a sexy, surprisingly moving mystery about discovering oneself as much as catching a killer.]]> 465 Neil S. Plakcy Pam 3 3.91 2005 Mahu (Mahu, #1)
author: Neil S. Plakcy
name: Pam
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2005
rating: 3
read at: 2022/08/17
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: mystery, read-2022, authors-ownvoices
review:

]]> The Lock-Keeper's Heart 57675265
In the aftermath of a failed love, Isaac Evans drops out of college and flees Philadelphia for a lock-keeper’s job on the Delaware Canal in rural Pennsylvania, where he pursues a life of Thoreau-driven solitude.

Prussian immigrant Lenert Tessmer trudges along the canal towpath in good and bad weather, hobbled by his dialect, which prevents him from connecting with others. Then Lenert breaks his leg, and Isaac’s Quaker beliefs force him to offer a place where Lenert can recover.

Slowly, these two broken men find solace and healing in each other. But with railroads replacing the canal and narrow-minded outsiders who threaten their country idyll, Isaac and Lenert will have to face their deepest fears to develop a love that will endure.

Fans of MM historical romance will appreciate a fascinating time period, filled with unique details and a vibrant location, and a focus on the lives of working-class men in the 19th century who dare to love other men.]]> 379 Neil S. Plakcy Pam 0 4.31 The Lock-Keeper's Heart
author: Neil S. Plakcy
name: Pam
average rating: 4.31
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: to-read, historical, own-epub, challenge-pifm, authors-ownvoices
review:

]]> Sylvester or The Wicked Uncle 32105 410 Georgette Heyer 0373836082 Pam 0 Batch A 4.11 1957 Sylvester or The Wicked Uncle
author: Georgette Heyer
name: Pam
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1957
rating: 0
read at: 2025/04/25
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: historical, mf-romance, library-fl, read-2025
review:
Batch A
]]> Elysium 23374690 199 Jennifer Marie Brissett 1619760533 Pam 0 3.46 2014 Elysium
author: Jennifer Marie Brissett
name: Pam
average rating: 3.46
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, authors-black, notmm, scifi, 2025all, wish-list
review:

]]> Black Sheep 311164 252 Georgette Heyer 0099468034 Pam 0 Batch A 4.00 1966 Black Sheep
author: Georgette Heyer
name: Pam
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1966
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, historical, mf-romance, 1-nextup
review:
Batch A
]]> The Long Past & Other Stories 34552726
In the heart of dinosaur country a laconic trapper and a veteran mage risk treason to undertake a secret mission.

A brilliant magician and her beautiful assistant light up stages with the latest automaton, but the secrets both of them are hiding test their trust in each other and pit them against one of the most powerful men in the world.

At the wild edge of the Inland Sea, amidst crocodiles and triceratops, an impoverished young man and a Pinkerton Detective must join forces to outmaneuver a corrupt judge and his gunmen.]]> 225 Ginn Hale 1935560514 Pam 0 4.15 2017 The Long Past & Other Stories
author: Ginn Hale
name: Pam
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, scribd, anthology, fantasy, 1-nextup, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Buying Time 22458506
When Vinnie Smalls, a lonesome welder working for the Hyperion City Core finds he has a crush on a fellow co-worker, he finds he must break away from his usual loner lifestyle and dive headfirst into the inner workings of the Daily Leisure Credit system. Our story deals with the ups and downs of his relationship in the midst of system that makes staying in contact with someone a financial battle.]]> 146 Casey J. Pam 0 4.50 Buying Time
author: Casey J.
name: Pam
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: graphic-novels, scifi, wanttoread-xgraphicnovels
review:

]]> The Chromatic Fantasy 123350811
Jules is a trans man trapped in his life as a nun. The devil that the convent guards against offers him a deal to escape: an illicit tryst and lifelong possession. Jules takes the deal, and begins his new life as a criminal who's impervious to harm. He soon meets Casper, another trans man and a poetic thief, and together they steal, lie, and cheat their way through bewildering adventures, and develop feelings for each other along the way. But as Jules and Casper's relationship deepens, so does the devil's jealous grasp...]]> 312 H.A . Pam 0 4.36 2023 The Chromatic Fantasy
author: H.A .
name: Pam
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: wanttoread-xgraphicnovels, trans, graphic-novels
review:

]]> Hen Fever 66626889
Harriet Boyne is a soldier’s widow reeling from the worst years of her life. She and her friends have inherited a manor on the village outskirts, and Harriet is looking forward to a quiet holiday far from the anguish of the battlefield.

But a dispute over a flock of loose chickens � a rare local breed, which Lydia thinks could be champions and Harriet thinks could be delicious � draws Harriet into the competition under Lydia’s grudging guidance. Harriet’s frozen heart is thawed by Lydia’s gentleness, and lonely Lydia blossoms under Harriet’s keen regard. But the day of the poultry show is fast approaching, and everyone’s drawing up battle lines. And in the contest between secret love and public glory, there can only be one winner.]]> 94 Olivia Waite 0997333286 Pam 0 4.16 2022 Hen Fever
author: Olivia Waite
name: Pam
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: wanttoread-notmm, ff, historical, notmm, challenge-pmc, 2025all, check-for-library
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Chaos Magic (Gods and Chaos, #1)]]> 2690606 226 Jay Lygon 1603700145 Pam 0 3.63 2007 Chaos Magic (Gods and Chaos, #1)
author: Jay Lygon
name: Pam
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, kink, own-physical, smuts, tty, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Fierce 34441697
In this comedic tale of romance, mystery, and adventure, our hero is joined by his hunky boyfriend, his acerbic boss, an uptight college science professor, and his ex-boyfriend/once crime-fighting partner -- not to mention a whole pack of wolves -- to help foil his nemesis and uncover the secrets of his past to save his future.]]> 225 Rob Rosen 1634863593 Pam 0 4.03 2017 Fierce
author: Rob Rosen
name: Pam
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, own-epub, authors-ownvoices, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> The Pillar 22707758 144 Kim Fielding 1632160706 Pam 0 4.04 2014 The Pillar
author: Kim Fielding
name: Pam
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, library-fl, historical, gb-19q3-24q4, 2025mm, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Granddad's Cup of Tea 52097053 41 Amy Rae Durreson Pam 0 4.48 2013 Granddad's Cup of Tea
author: Amy Rae Durreson
name: Pam
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, scribd, shorties, 2025mm, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Big Love 53405190
A new teacher, Seth Wolcott, immediately catches his eye. Seth is also starting over, licking his wounds from a breakup, and the last thing Seth wants is another relationship—but when he spies Dane on his first day at Summitville High, his attraction is immediate and electric.

As the two men enter into a dance of discovery and new love, they’re called upon to come to the aid of bullied gay student Truman Reid. Truman is out and proud, which not everyone at his small-town high school approves of. As the two men work to help Truman ignore the bullies and love himself without reservation, they all learn life-changing lessons about coming out, coming to terms, acceptance, heartbreak, and falling in love.]]> Rick R. Reed 1648900135 Pam 0 3.70 2016 Big Love
author: Rick R. Reed
name: Pam
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: own, authors-ownvoices, to-read, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Swift and the Black Dog 31924377 50 Ginn Hale 1935560492 Pam 0 4.22 2016 Swift and the Black Dog
author: Ginn Hale
name: Pam
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, shorties, scribd, fantasy, 1-nextup, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Detours 10692930
Somehow, Joel's high school "friend" Lincoln has invited himself along on the ride—and into Joel's bed. The other person who's invited herself along? The ghost of his mother, who still has plenty to say about her son's judgment (or lack thereof). Joel has to get the RV to San Francisco, get rid of Lincoln, and get back to Philip. It would also make him feel better if he learned what's keeping his mother tied to this earthly plane. However Joel manages it, the route is likely to be anything but straight.]]> 288 Jeffrey Ricker 1602825777 Pam 0 3.70 2011 Detours
author: Jeffrey Ricker
name: Pam
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, authors-ownvoices, own-epub, scribd, gb-19q3-24q4, 2025mm, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Blueberry Pancakes 43729232 Blueberry Pancakes is a contemporary gay drama about falling in and out of love, the price of success, and walking through the world with confidence.]]> 328 Anton Lee Richards Pam 0 4.38 Blueberry Pancakes
author: Anton Lee Richards
name: Pam
average rating: 4.38
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, authors-ownvoices, ku, own-freebies, gb-19q3-24q4, 2025mm, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Boy at the Edge of the World]]> 36600709 Best of 2018"! - Love In Panels

Meet Daniel Garneau, your average gay hockey player from small-town Ontario. After moving to Toronto to attend university, Daniel embarks on a series of misadventures both comic and tragic, as he navigates the pitfalls of dating and relationships while juggling the needs of his eccentric family and newfound friends.

A Boy at the Edge of the World is a coming-of-age novel that explores the variegations of sex, intimacy, and queer desire. It is both a rollicking dramedy and a philosophical reflection. In the end, Daniel’s story is the story of each of us: our universal search for love and family � at the edge of the world.

David Kingston Yeh has been listed among “writers to watch� by CBC Books. He lives with his husband in Toronto, Canada.

[more:] /author/1733...]]> 349 David Kingston Yeh 1771832487 Pam 0 4.17 2018 A Boy at the Edge of the World
author: David Kingston Yeh
name: Pam
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, authors-ownvoices, scribd, gb-19q3-24q4, authors-poc, 2025mm, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Andre in Flight 32803318
What starts as a playful friendship turns into something more as Andre begins posing for Martin’s fantastical portraits. Martin's infatuation with Andre grows until they are beyond innocent flirtation.

But when an eccentric art collector buys one of Martin’s paintings, Martin’s past jealousy resurfaces and threatens to destroy what he and Andre have so lovingly built.

This emotionally charged novella from Laura Lascarso pushes the thin line between an artist's love and obsession with his muse.

***For a limited time, you can download this novella for free from the author's website, lauralascarso(dot)com.]]> 142 Laura Lascarso Pam 0 3.64 2016 Andre in Flight
author: Laura Lascarso
name: Pam
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, ku, 2025mm, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Game for You (Whirlwind, #3) 50412089
Ben and Parker have been circling each other for years in a frenzy of insane dares and sexual innuendo. But as two Doms, they know they could never get together.

Enter sassy, gorgeous Dakota, a perfect mix of masculine and feminine and a perfect challenge for the two men to claim. But while Dakota is submissive, they have their own ideas about how the evening is going to go and a plan to make it happen. Can they bring Ben and Parker together... with them in the middle?

This is the third book in the Whirlwind series. Each book in this series encompasses a single whirlwind moment, usually around a single day, in which two (or sometimes three!) characters connect in a special way. The series features many transgender, genderqueer, and gender-bending characters who are looking for love--and some kink! These books are best enjoyed in order as the characters heavily overlap. This book contains spanking, whipping, an erotic game of darts, and an even sexier bet.]]> 91 Reese Morrison Pam 0 4.22 2020 Game for You (Whirlwind, #3)
author: Reese Morrison
name: Pam
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, ku, kink, 2025mm, smuts, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> My Baby Chased Away the Blues 52408534
But then he meets Ev, a gentle but cynical invert, and has his heart stolen again. Del knows he’s no great catch—he isn’t smart or particularly handsome or rich—but he’s determined to show Ev how much he loves him.

Unfortunately, his misguided attempts at winning Ev’s affections might end up destroying their relationship instead. Del joins a hapless gang of bootleggers to try to make some money but quickly winds up in trouble. Soon he’s in debt, breaking the law, and lying to Ev about all of it.

Finalist 2020 Lambda Literary Award for Gay Romance]]> R.A. Thorn 1950412962 Pam 0 4.18 2019 My Baby Chased Away the Blues
author: R.A. Thorn
name: Pam
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, own-epub, historical, 2025mm, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Boys Come First 58663541
Meanwhile, Dom's best friend, Troy Clements, an idealistic teacher who never left Michigan, finds himself at odds with all the men in his life: a troubled boyfriend he's desperate to hold onto, a perpetually dissatisfied father, and his other friend, Remy Patton. Remy, a rags-to-riches real estate agent known as “Mr. Detroit,� has his own problems � namely choosing between making it work with a long-distance lover or settling for a local Mr. Right Now who’s not quite Mr. Right. And when a high-stakes real estate deal threatens to blow up his friendship with Troy, the three men have to figure out how to navigate the pitfalls of friendship and a city that seems to be changing overnight.]]> 386 Aaron Foley 1953368255 Pam 0 3.85 2022 Boys Come First
author: Aaron Foley
name: Pam
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, authors-black, library-fl, library-tn, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Motel. Pool. 21964112
Sixty years later, Tag Manning, feeling hopeless and empty, flees his most recent relationship mistake and takes to the open road. On a roundabout route to Las Vegas, he pulls over to rest at an isolated spot on Route 66. There’s no longer a motel or pool, but when Tag resumes his journey to Vegas, he finds he’s transporting a hitchhiking ghost. Jack and Tag come to find much-needed friends in each other, but one man is a phantom and the other is strangely cursed. Time is running out for each of them, and they must face the fact that a future together may not only be a gamble... it may not be in the cards.]]> 206 Kim Fielding 1627988807 Pam 0 4.07 2014 Motel. Pool.
author: Kim Fielding
name: Pam
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, library-fl, 2025mm, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Liar, Liar 34818904 216 T.A. Moore 163533571X Pam 0 3.70 2017 Liar, Liar
author: T.A. Moore
name: Pam
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, library-fl, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> First Time for Everything 60014898
Newly single and with nowhere to live, Danny is forced to move in with his best friend, Jacob, a flamboyant nonbinary artist whom he’s known since childhood, and their eccentric group of friends living in an East London “commune.� What follows is a colorful voyage of discovery through modern queer life, dating, work, and lots of therapy—all places Danny has always been too afraid to fully explore. Upon realizing just how little he knows about himself and his sexuality, he careens from one questionable decision (and man) to another, relying on his inscrutable new therapist and housemates to help him face the demons he’s spent his entire life trying to repress. Is he really fine, after all?]]> 384 Henry Fry 0593358716 Pam 0 3.85 2022 First Time for Everything
author: Henry Fry
name: Pam
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, library-tn, 2025mm, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Teachers and Time Machines 58303211
But old Jacobs, senior science master at the school, turns out to have had insights into more than the workings of time and the physical universe. He's revealed to have guessed at Mackie's sexual orientation, and not only that but also his painful infatuation with a charming young colleague...

Just how much will be changed beyond recognition, by the strange contraption Jacobs leaves Mackie, and his travels through time?

Approximately 10,000 words.]]> 31 Henry Stann-Cooper Pam 0 2.50 2017 Teachers and Time Machines
author: Henry Stann-Cooper
name: Pam
average rating: 2.50
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, shorties, historical, 2025mm, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> A Fractured Infinity 60852190
Hayes is taken to a top-secret research facility where he discovers his alternate self from an alternate universe created the Envisioner and sent it to his reality. Hayes studies footage of the other him, he discovers a self he doesn’t recognize, angry and obsessive, and footage of Yusuf� as his husband.

As Hayes finds himself falling for Yusuf, he studies the parallel universe and imagines the perfect life they will live together. But their lives are inextricably linked to the other reality, and when that couple's story ends in tragedy Hayes realises he must do anything he can to save Yusuf's life. Because there are infinite realities, but only one Yusuf.

With the fate of countless realities and his heart in his hands, Hayes leads Yusuf on the run, tumbling through a kaleidoscope of universes trying to save it all. But even escaping into infinity, Hayes is running out of space - soon he will have to decide how much he’s willing to pay to save the love of his life.]]> 368 Nathan Tavares 1803360380 Pam 0 3.56 2022 A Fractured Infinity
author: Nathan Tavares
name: Pam
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, scifi, library-tn, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Dream Alchemist (Somnus, #1)]]> 35612821 He is trying to avoid Somnus, the dream world where people like Bryn—dreamwalkers—roam during their sleeping hours.

Bryn has been dreamwalking since he was child. He’s never found navigating Somnus easy, but lately it’s become much, much harder. Each time he manifests in Somnus, he is helplessly drawn to a sinister tower. Something evil is imprisoned there—something that wants out—and every time Bryn falls asleep, he finds it more difficult to resist its lure. Not to mention the compelling man who patrols its walls…Laszlo Grimm.

As a teenager, Laszlo suffered from a sleep disorder so profound, his family had him locked up for treatment. Whilst the brutal “therapy� he underwent was successful, Laszlo paid a steep price for it—his ability to feel emotion. Now, for the first time in years, Laszlo’s night terrors are returning, and with them, his fears about being locked up again.

When Bryn and Laszlo meet in the real world, Bryn recognises Laszlo as the man he has already met in Somnus, but not only does Laszlo not know Bryn, he can’t even remember any of his dreams.

Bryn fights to open Laszlo’s eyes to the truth but Laszlo cannot quite shake the conviction that his old condition is catching up with him...not least because Bryn Llewelyn is awakening emotions in him he hasn’t felt in years.

This is a second edition of a book previously published by Samhain Publishing]]> 235 Joanna Chambers 1999709152 Pam 0 to-read, challenge-pifm 3.82 2014 The Dream Alchemist (Somnus, #1)
author: Joanna Chambers
name: Pam
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Eskimo Slugger (The Austin Trilogy, #3)]]> 23111957
Sent back to Austin to recuperate, Trent visits his favorite record store, Inner Sanctum, where he meets amiable law student Brendan Baxter. A skip in the vinyl of New Order’s “Blue Monday� drives Trent back to Brendan, and their romance takes them into uncharted territory.

As Trent’s feelings move from casual to serious, he’s faced with an impossible dilemma. Does he abandon any hope of a future with Brendan and return to the shadows and secrets of professional sports? Or does he embrace the possibility of real love and leave baseball behind him forever? As he struggles with his decision, Trent embarks on a journey of self-discovery—to figure out who he really is and what matters most.]]> 230 Brad Boney Pam 0 4.05 2014 The Eskimo Slugger (The Austin Trilogy, #3)
author: Brad Boney
name: Pam
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, 1-nextup, authors-ownvoices, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Family We Make (Finding Family, #2)]]> 22602908
Travis Brinkerhoff finally managed to come out in college, his second year anyway. It was the one bright side to losing his baseball scholarship and jock status. But without money for tuition, second year came to an abrupt end. He's back in his small Minnesota hometown, and back in the closet. Travis feels like he's trying to fit into a life he's outgrown. If he's going to survive, he has to figure out a way to be his own man, maybe even have his own man, without losing the family he loves.

When he left the Marines, Sam Albright wanted nothing more than to find his missing younger brother. Mission accomplished. Now he's got an independent, possibly traumatized, openly gay young man on his hands, a girlfriend in a war zone overseas, and parents he has to lie to in order to keep the peace. Keeping it all together won't be easy, but Sam has never backed away from a challenge.]]> 360 Kaje Harper 1310237190 Pam 0 4.06 2014 The Family We Make (Finding Family, #2)
author: Kaje Harper
name: Pam
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, own-epub, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dances Long Forgotten (Winsford Green, #1)]]> 49450248
In December 1841, Lord Hugo Pell-Charnley is in a terrible mess. The youngest son of the late Marquis, youngest brother of the incumbent, never felt to fit. When his life comes crashing down, and his life and his family are threatened, he is forced to face his elder brother and confess his deepest secret. When he arrives at Winsford Abbey he finds he must also confront the shame from his past in the form of Lyndon Cross. The boy he’d loved but betrayed in school.

As they clear the ghosts from the past, they dance in each other’s arms in the library to the soft strains of the waltz, but long buried secrets threaten to destroy their happiness.

Two hundred years later, can those dances long forgotten give James and Dylan the courage to hold on to love?]]> 117 Ruby Moone Pam 0 4.09 2019 Dances Long Forgotten (Winsford Green, #1)
author: Ruby Moone
name: Pam
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, christmas, historical, ku, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Pritty (Pritty, #1) 122772050
Unsure of what he could have possibly done to catch the eye of the boy who could easily have anyone he wants, Jay isn't about to ignore the surprising but welcome attention. But as everything in his world begins to heat up, especially with Leroy, whispered rumors over the murder of a young Black journalist and long-brewing territory tensions hang like a dark cloud over his neighborhood. And when Jay and Leroy find themselves caught in the crossfire, Leroy isn't willing to be the reason Jay's life is at risk.

Dragged into the world of the Black Diamonds--whose work to protect the Black neighborhoods of Savannah began with his father and now falls to his older brother--Leroy knows that finding out who attacked his brother is not only the key to protecting everyone he loves but also the only way he can ever be with Jay. Wading through a murky history of family trauma and regret, Leroy soon dis-covers that there's no keeping Jay safe when Jay's own family is in just as deep and fighting the undertow of danger just as hard.

Now Jay and Leroy must puzzle through secrets hiding in plain sight and scramble to uncover who is determined to eliminate the Black Diamonds before someone else gets hurt--even if the cost might be their own electric connection.]]> 416 Keith F. Miller Jr. 0063264927 Pam 0 4.05 2023 Pritty (Pritty, #1)
author: Keith F. Miller Jr.
name: Pam
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: ya, authors-black, library-fl, to-read, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> A Necessary Chaos 59835028
Their love was never meant to survive.

In a world of magical empires and the anarchists that would tear them down, A Necessary Chaos is the story of Althus and Vade, assigned to spy on the other by opposing sides. But now that they've both caught feelings, where will their loyalties fall? They must each decide if they'll follow orders or find a way to make their romance thrive beyond the lies.]]> 156 Brent Lambert 1952086469 Pam 0 3.76 2023 A Necessary Chaos
author: Brent Lambert
name: Pam
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: scifi, to-read, authors-black, own-physical, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Town Bronze (Town Bronze #1) 195672906
Sir Mortimer is a seasoned and experienced gentleman who can spot a confused innocent at a hundred paces. Yet he’s unable to resist Jasper’s clueless appeal at least once. He feels a lurking sense of responsibility when Jasper returns for more. Aware of the dangers of such a connection with a confused young man, Mortimer attempts to mentor Jasper, leading them onto the safer ground of friendship.

But will the combination of his increasing attachment and Jasper's irresistible compulsion foil their best intentions?]]> 100 Ellie Thomas Pam 0 4.53 Town Bronze (Town Bronze #1)
author: Ellie Thomas
name: Pam
average rating: 4.53
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, historical, challenge-pifm
review:

]]> Upon the Midnight Queer 220479746
A silk hat turns snow into life and a chance at love for a man with little hope of either. Two men with a connection sparked in passing attempt to withstand everything the tumultuous Toronto of 1981 throws their way, with their only remaining hope being Christmas Eve itself. A much-maligned queen of the snow teaches a young boy how to use his magic to find others of his kind. And a reindeer shines a light of its own, and with the help of the daughter of Father Time, brings gifts—and hope—to all those usually left behind.

Holiday magic connects these tales and more—tales heard and seen and sung before, familiar and joyous, or tender and bittersweet—all to the last told upon the midnight queer.

Upon the Midnight Queer is the second short story collection from Lambda Literary Award finalist ’Nathan Burgoine, and includes the brand new Little Village Holiday Novella, “Folly.�]]> 243 'Nathan Burgoine 1777352371 Pam 0 4.58 Upon the Midnight Queer
author: 'Nathan Burgoine
name: Pam
average rating: 4.58
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, anthology, christmas, library-fl, 1-nextup, challenge-pifm
review:

]]>