Where Fiction and Reality Meet
Title: Love Where You Work Author: Anna Pulley Publisher: Red Heel Press Length: 288 Pages Category: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Clare and Julia had a rocky start and a lot to overcome, but when they finally got things together, the romantic feels were all the way off the charts.... Continue Reading →
Title: Literal Demons Series: The Incarnate Accounts: Book Three Author: Justin Schuelke Publisher: Self-Published Length: 406 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Literal Demons had my pulse ratcheted up to eleven so many times. There were at least two times that I had to close the book and take a minute... Continue Reading →
Title: Season's Change Series: Trade Season: Book One Author: Cait Nary Publisher: Carina Press Length: 377 Pages Category: Contemporary, Hockey Romance Rating: 2 Stars At a Glance: My lukewarm feelings for Season’s Change are, obviously, my own, and the possibility exists that if I’d read this book, say, ten years ago, my experience with it... Continue Reading →
Title: Loophole Ex Machina Series: Incarnate Accounts: Book Two Author: Justin Schuelke Publisher: Self-Published Length: 364 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: This series is, in some really delightful ways, like nothing I’ve read before, and yet it’s familiar in the sense that we rest reasonably assured the heroes will prevail... Continue Reading →
Welcome, book buddies! Back in December, during the Best Of 2021 episode of The Big Gay Fiction Podcast, one of the assignments for Jay and I was to choose our most anticipated book releasing in 2022. Well, lo and behold, my pick was Hailey Turner's The Prince's Poisoned Vow, and I'm so pleased today to... Continue Reading →
Title: The Temperature of Me and You Author: Brian Zepka Publisher: Disney Books Length: 416 Pages Category: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy Rating: 2 Stars At a Glance: It's entirely possible I had unrealistic expectations for this book, given the powerhouse that is Disney editing and publishing behind it. I wish I could say The Temperature of... Continue Reading →
Title: Incarnate Series: The Incarnate Accounts: Book One Author: Justin Schuelke Publisher: Self-Published Length: 362 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: I often envy those who can spin a great yarn, certainly have a ton of admiration for the skill, but Justin Schuelke, the architect of this fantastically original and imaginative... Continue Reading →
Titles: A Sinner Born, Sinner Like Me, Syren & Renzo Series: Brooklyn Sinners Author: Avril Ashton Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 332 Pages, 166 Pages, 87 Pages Category: Erotic Romance, Dark Romance Content Warnings: Physical abuse/torture, Violence, Rape (on page), Self-harm, Child trafficking Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Avril Ashton writes some of the darkest... Continue Reading →
Titles: Finna and Defekt Series: The LitenVerse: Books One and Two Author: Nino Cipri Publisher: Tor/Macmillan Length: 103 Pages/170 Pages Category: Sci-Fi/Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars/5 Stars At a Glance: Nino Cipri’s imagination is so impressive, and their knack for inspiring my own vision of a place that was fraught with danger, but shouldn’t have been,... Continue Reading →
Title: Love for the Cold-Blooded: Or: The Part-Time Evil Minion’s Guide to Accidentally Dating a Superhero Author: Alex Gabriel Publisher: Self-Published Length: 301 Pages Category: Sci-Fi/Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Despite what struck me as some pacing issues along the way, there are a lot of delightful things going on in this book... Continue Reading →
Title: Rook & Izzy Author: Cary Attwell Publisher: Self-Published Length: 187 Pages Category: Paranormal/Fantasy, Angels/Demons Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Cary Attwell has such a great voice and charming storytelling style, and we obviously share the same sense of humor. While I might say this book was not quite as amusing as her first,... Continue Reading →
Titles: Luckless and Dauntless Series: Luckless: Books One and Two Author: Cari Z Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 80 Pages/130 Pages Category: Dark Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Cari Z has built such a fantastic world in the Luckless series, full of imagination and danger and, for better or for worse, people being people.... Continue Reading →
Title: Seasons Series: PsyCop Briefs: Volume Two Author: Jordan Castillo Price Publisher: JCP Books LLC Length: 309 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: There is a certain sentimentality to reading these PsyCop vignettes. They’re set at various points throughout the history of the series, which means traveling back in time to... Continue Reading →
The Year In Reviews As we yet again prepare to put another year in the books—oof, bad puns—I can't help but feel a little extra grateful and sentimental as I pay tribute to the authors and their words this year. They have made the stress and isolation of these long and challenging months a bit... Continue Reading →
Title: Proper Scoundrels Author: Allie Therin Publisher: Carina Press Length: 309 Pages Category: Historical Romance, Mystery/Suspense, Paranormal Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Proper Scoundrels has come in at the eleventh hour and effortlessly propelled its way onto my list of favorite books of the year. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: Their scandalous pasts have left... Continue Reading →
Title: The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry Series: Unnatural Magic: Book Two Author: C.M. Waggoner Publisher: Ace/Penguin Books Length: 383 Pages Category: Gaslamp Fantasy Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: Delly Wells' unique elocution was such a fun novelty, and the opposite-side-of-the-tracks romance between Delly and Winn was terribly, irresistibly sweet. The pace was slow-going... Continue Reading →
Title: The Wishing Tree Author: RJ Scott Publisher: Love Lane Books Length: 175 Pages Category: Holiday Romance Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: The Wishing Tree is every bit as heartwarming and blissful as I anticipated it would be, offset by just a bit of conflict to keep my softer emotions firmly in check. Reviewed... Continue Reading →
Title: On a Midnight Clear Author: Lily Morton Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 212 Pages Category: Holiday Romance, Magical Realism Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: On a Midnight Clear is an absolute delight of a book. It’s a story full of whimsy and wonderment, and I couldn’t help but adore it. It is, at its... Continue Reading →
Title: Crooked Shadows Series: Whitethorn Agency: Book Two Author: M.A. Grant Publisher: Carina Press Length: 294 Pages Category: Paranormal/Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: The “To Be Continued” conclusion to Crooked Shadows couldn’t be more perfect if it tried, and the revelation that happens there, after all the chaos that Cristian and Atlas have... Continue Reading →
Titles: Not So Fake, Not So Innocent & Not So Nice Series: The Real Thing: Books One thru Three Author: Emma Lyon Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 157 Pages, 156 Pages, 215 Pages Category: Contemporary Romance Ratings: 4 Stars, 3.5 Stars, 3 Stars At a Glance: There are grand romantic declarations and gestures aplenty in the... Continue Reading →
Title: His Holiday Crush Author: Cari Z Publisher: Entangled Brazen Length: 222 Pages Category: Holiday Romance Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: His Holiday Crush is a sweet and sentimental story with everything I want from a Christmas romance, but there’s a bit of strife in the lives of its characters too, to give the... Continue Reading →
Title: If This Gets Out Authors: Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich Publisher: Wednesday Books/Macmillan Length: 408 Pages Category: Young Adult, Contemporary Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: There's a lot to unpack in If This Gets Out, and I think Dietrich and Gonzales do a darn good job of addressing it all. I liked that... Continue Reading →
Title: Custody Battles Series: Hazard and Somerset: Arrows in the Hand: Book Two Author: Gregory Ashe Publisher: Self-Published Length: 434 Pages Category: Mystery Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: This installment of the Hazard and Somerset series exceeded every one of my expectations. I don’t know, maybe I need to raise my expectations, but I... Continue Reading →
Title: The Larks Still Bravely Singing Author: Aster Glenn Gray Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 216 Pages Category: Historical Romance Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Astor Glenn Gray tells a lovely story, and this one fully engaged my heart in the telling. If you’re looking for a quiet and sentimental read, The Larks Still Bravely... Continue Reading →
The Novel Approach Reviews 