My two favorites last year were Tilt by Emma Patee and What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown. I'm super picky and the reason, I loved them was they were propulsive and the subject matter was interesting. Showed me worlds I'd not seen before. Normally I wouldn't read Brown's book because of the subject matter, but I like her an author so I gave it a try and loved it.
In the category of not talking about it when most people ask for recs: Lyla Sage's Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, books 1 and 2 in the Rebel Blue Ranch series. They are comforting, fast and entertaining. The covers are awesome! In the category of new and excellent but not that many people are talking about it: The Merge by Grace Walker--I'm still thinking about it. In the category of, I'm behind and it's excellent (so far, but so good I'm recommending before I'm done) and not as well known as it should be: Homeseeking by Karissa Chen. I've recommended the latter two to people but not the first two.
OMG that's so funny, I totally hear you. I've seen that one in the store and haven't grabbed it but I do love things like that. i'm trying to make a point of saying, here's a romance I liked! Here's a more fantasy read! To maybe draw this stuff out, because what a fun conversation you get if it works!
I got completely sucked into the Heated Rivalry universe after watching the TV show and am now working my way through the Game Changers series. I don't usually read books with so much spice but watching the show first got me really hooked on the characters. I'm enjoying getting more of the backstory/inner monologue from the books and well as getting a peek into what will be coming in the next season of the TV series. Thankfully I can see which of my friends are also reading the GC books on Storygraph and know who I can talk about them with!
Beyond that, I also liked Heir Apparent and agree it had more depth than expected.
Good romance books have SO MUCH to offer. THey can really explore characters and famly dynamics and interiority and finding oneself in part BECAUSE of the structure. Try some Sarina Bowen next (she's my bestie but also, 20x USA today bestseller, I would not steer you wrong). They're escapist but ALSO smart and thoughtful, which to me is a requirement anyway.
I read Dying to Meet You by her (which I think was a recommendation from your newsletter) and really liked it. I didn't know she has written so much romance, any suggestions on which one to pick first?
LOL my husband (who historically is not what one would consider a reader - he mostly read Sports Illustrated for 10 minutes before bedtime in order to shut off his brain) has suddenly started checking out NY Times recommendations (which I love for him) - but suddenly his books are a lot more highbrow than some of mine, and he is trying not to comment on it.
And while I love what he considers "more solid offerings" I am still a sucker for cozy mysteries and magical realism and just fun escapes. I loved Starter Villain (John Scalzi is an automatic read for me, and it had the added fun of initially being set in Barrington IL, where I lived for a long time). I just finished My Friends by Frederik Backman - my third attempt, as I was having a hard time getting started and a truly stacked TBR pile, but successful this time. I also just finished an ARC of The Widow's Charm, a romantasy that was a little bawdy (unexpected) and also a lot of fun.
OMG Jenn, I think I would slug my husband. I'd be like, but are you actually ENJOYING that or just reading it? Also adore Starter VIllain, as you know, and I've liked some Frederick B but I don't think Ive done that one. And a bawdy romantasy sounds like a good time. It's funny how some genre books break through and everyone is like oh, read this--like Legends and Lattes--while others we don't talk much about.
One & Only by Maurene Goo, billed as Rebecca Serle + a millennial Joy Luck Club, which feels about right. A 40-year-old protagonist who isn't a widow or divorcee with adult children, and a great ending.
Another great ending - Little One by Olivia Muenter. It was hard to read because I'm a wimp and the writing had me on tenterhooks. But the voice just sucked me in and I wanted to get more of it. The ending had a twist that was clearly coming, and then another little twist I didn't see coming that was maybe the whole point.
Oh you are ALSO reading ARCS... I don't think either of those are out yet, or barely now, and I want to read them both (it just varies what ARCs I get). You've made me double down on the library request over here.
And, yeah, I have kind of an ARC problem... but it is so hard to resist when a book is shiny and fresh and new and I can download it right away! Except that there are already many other books waiting on my kindle to be read.
The Heir Apparent was such a surprising book. Much more depth than I had imagined. Starter Villain, like all of John Scalzi's books, was fantastic. He is an auto pre-order for me.
Right this minute I am reading The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable. This is a lovely historical fiction for people who love classical music. I am also reading The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett. She writes lovely, quirky books about families.
Mother Mary Come to Me, by Arundhati Roy. Oh, such gorgeous words! Book and Dagger, by Elyse Graham. I read a critique that said the book is too elementary and covers worn and ultra-basic stories from WWII. I am basic. I was captivated.
I am... SO BASIC. NOt sure about gorgeous words, though. I almost put down the book I'm currently reading (you'll hear about it in a couple weeks, I would say now but I forget the name) because the prose was trying too hard, which I know is different... but I realized it was intentional, to set a certain tone, and I stuck with it. Still it's not what keeps me in a book (although I know there is a lot more to that one).
My two favorites last year were Tilt by Emma Patee and What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown. I'm super picky and the reason, I loved them was they were propulsive and the subject matter was interesting. Showed me worlds I'd not seen before. Normally I wouldn't read Brown's book because of the subject matter, but I like her an author so I gave it a try and loved it.
Oh I liked What Kind of Paraside too! And Tilt is on my radar--so many people have loved it and I also love a book that's doing something different.
Love Tilt!
Heart the Lover by Lily King. I read it in one sitting.
Hmmmm.. I've heard people going back and forth about the time structure of this one and haven't picked it up yet. I'll have to at least have a look!
It’s so well written that if there are time structure issues I didn’t notice.
In the category of not talking about it when most people ask for recs: Lyla Sage's Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, books 1 and 2 in the Rebel Blue Ranch series. They are comforting, fast and entertaining. The covers are awesome! In the category of new and excellent but not that many people are talking about it: The Merge by Grace Walker--I'm still thinking about it. In the category of, I'm behind and it's excellent (so far, but so good I'm recommending before I'm done) and not as well known as it should be: Homeseeking by Karissa Chen. I've recommended the latter two to people but not the first two.
OMG that's so funny, I totally hear you. I've seen that one in the store and haven't grabbed it but I do love things like that. i'm trying to make a point of saying, here's a romance I liked! Here's a more fantasy read! To maybe draw this stuff out, because what a fun conversation you get if it works!
I got completely sucked into the Heated Rivalry universe after watching the TV show and am now working my way through the Game Changers series. I don't usually read books with so much spice but watching the show first got me really hooked on the characters. I'm enjoying getting more of the backstory/inner monologue from the books and well as getting a peek into what will be coming in the next season of the TV series. Thankfully I can see which of my friends are also reading the GC books on Storygraph and know who I can talk about them with!
Beyond that, I also liked Heir Apparent and agree it had more depth than expected.
Good romance books have SO MUCH to offer. THey can really explore characters and famly dynamics and interiority and finding oneself in part BECAUSE of the structure. Try some Sarina Bowen next (she's my bestie but also, 20x USA today bestseller, I would not steer you wrong). They're escapist but ALSO smart and thoughtful, which to me is a requirement anyway.
I read Dying to Meet You by her (which I think was a recommendation from your newsletter) and really liked it. I didn't know she has written so much romance, any suggestions on which one to pick first?
LOL my husband (who historically is not what one would consider a reader - he mostly read Sports Illustrated for 10 minutes before bedtime in order to shut off his brain) has suddenly started checking out NY Times recommendations (which I love for him) - but suddenly his books are a lot more highbrow than some of mine, and he is trying not to comment on it.
And while I love what he considers "more solid offerings" I am still a sucker for cozy mysteries and magical realism and just fun escapes. I loved Starter Villain (John Scalzi is an automatic read for me, and it had the added fun of initially being set in Barrington IL, where I lived for a long time). I just finished My Friends by Frederik Backman - my third attempt, as I was having a hard time getting started and a truly stacked TBR pile, but successful this time. I also just finished an ARC of The Widow's Charm, a romantasy that was a little bawdy (unexpected) and also a lot of fun.
OMG Jenn, I think I would slug my husband. I'd be like, but are you actually ENJOYING that or just reading it? Also adore Starter VIllain, as you know, and I've liked some Frederick B but I don't think Ive done that one. And a bawdy romantasy sounds like a good time. It's funny how some genre books break through and everyone is like oh, read this--like Legends and Lattes--while others we don't talk much about.
One & Only by Maurene Goo, billed as Rebecca Serle + a millennial Joy Luck Club, which feels about right. A 40-year-old protagonist who isn't a widow or divorcee with adult children, and a great ending.
Another great ending - Little One by Olivia Muenter. It was hard to read because I'm a wimp and the writing had me on tenterhooks. But the voice just sucked me in and I wanted to get more of it. The ending had a twist that was clearly coming, and then another little twist I didn't see coming that was maybe the whole point.
Oh you are ALSO reading ARCS... I don't think either of those are out yet, or barely now, and I want to read them both (it just varies what ARCs I get). You've made me double down on the library request over here.
They came out yesterday!
And, yeah, I have kind of an ARC problem... but it is so hard to resist when a book is shiny and fresh and new and I can download it right away! Except that there are already many other books waiting on my kindle to be read.
The Heir Apparent was such a surprising book. Much more depth than I had imagined. Starter Villain, like all of John Scalzi's books, was fantastic. He is an auto pre-order for me.
Right this minute I am reading The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable. This is a lovely historical fiction for people who love classical music. I am also reading The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett. She writes lovely, quirky books about families.
I ADORED THe Road to Tender Hearts. I need to go read her backlist.
Unusual Animals is also fantastic.
Mother Mary Come to Me, by Arundhati Roy. Oh, such gorgeous words! Book and Dagger, by Elyse Graham. I read a critique that said the book is too elementary and covers worn and ultra-basic stories from WWII. I am basic. I was captivated.
I am... SO BASIC. NOt sure about gorgeous words, though. I almost put down the book I'm currently reading (you'll hear about it in a couple weeks, I would say now but I forget the name) because the prose was trying too hard, which I know is different... but I realized it was intentional, to set a certain tone, and I stuck with it. Still it's not what keeps me in a book (although I know there is a lot more to that one).