Tag Archives: book-blog

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Black Romance Author Feature

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

The post is a friendly reminder for me and anyone else who needs it that Black History Month does not have be focused on Black pain, but can (and should) celebrate Black joy and Black accomplishments!

Last year when the #23for23 challenge began, I learned that while BIPOC authors are underrepresented in publishing generally, the romance genre is especially underrepresented. Across all genres, just 11% of traditionally published books in 2018 were written by BIPOC authors. However, romance novels only had 7.8% written by BIPOC authors (2021). Since 2021, there have been 0 Black romance authors on the NYT print and e-book bestseller lists. 

My goal this year is to read at least 4 romances by BIPOC authors each month, with at least one being a book published this year! I would love to get more recommendations so I can continue to build my tbr!!

Talia Hibbert’s The Brown Sisters are some of my all time favorite romcoms. I would start at the beginning, because I feel like you get to know the whole family unit and that just builds your enjoyment of each book. So, start with Get a Life, Chloe Brown!

Rebel was my first book that I read by Beverly Jenkins, and I can’t wait to read more of her backlist! If you like historical romance, she is an absolute must read.

I usually stick to less emotional romances, but when you want to have your heart cracked wide open in the best of ways, Kennedy Ryan is the writer for you. Before I Let Go might be the most optimistically heartbreaking book I have read. Her backlist is also on my TBR!

I am enough of a sap that The Wedding Date made me cry with joy. Twice. I’ve only read two of the books in this series so far, but I look forward to reading more!

This is my current backlist TBR – I think Pride and Protest will be up first because I just got the sequel sent to me from Berkley Romance.

These are my top 2024 releases. Do you have any recommendations for me to add to my backlist or 2024 release TBRs? I’d love to hear about them!

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Lore Olympus

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Do you enjoy reading graphic novels? Have you ever read an online comic or graphic novel? Lore Olympus is, so far, the only one I’ve gotten sucked into, but I love it so much!

Lore Olympus Volume 2 & 3
By Rachel Smythe
Book 168 & 169 of 2023

This is the last of my 2023 reviews! Unless I post out of order from my current plan, which could honestly happen.

I read Lore Olympus like 6 years ago on Webtoons. There were probably 100 episodes at the time? 50? I don’t know, there were a lot and I binged them all in one or two days. I *think* I ended up around Volume 2. For me, I couldn’t keep up with it once I had to read it on a weekly basis instead of a huge binge. I had a hard time keep track of the plot from week to week, and it seemed like such a small taste of the story to read just one episode!! I was so happy when I found out they were being published and I could go back to bingeing them 25 episodes at a time. Or in this case, 50, since I read Volumes 2 & 3 back to back. 

I do feel spoiled by all the romances I read – so this will they won’t they that I’m used to seeing on TV doesn’t do it for me quite the way it used to. But I cannot put these down! The artwork is so rich and gorgeous, and I love how Smythe characterizes all of the Greek gods and goddesses and plays with their traditional stories. 

If you haven’t read these yet, I highly recommend giving them a try! 

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December Reading Wrap Up

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Happy New Year! I had a great time reading in December but am now desperately in need of a 5 star, can’t-put-it-down book! I’m hoping this month’s reread of Crescent City 2 does the trick!

❄️ Long Covid Update❄️

In December I started working with a physical therapy program that specializes in chronic fatigue and other Long Covid issues. Exercise with LC is extremely difficult because most people with fatigue symptoms get Post-Exercise Malaise (PEM) – basically you feel worse and can’t do anything else for some time after exercising. And by time, it could be days. So, definitely needed some professional help! It’s going really well overall – some days I feel amazing after PT and others I feel drained – but overall I am learning how to manage my symptoms more so I don’t have extreme energy crashes. I’ve regained a lot of mental clarity and have started to actually make plans and follow through with them! I cannot tell you how much I’ve missed feeling like an adult who can handle adult responsibilities. 

Reading Goals:

❄️ 23 for ‘23: 6 of 4 planned
❄️ PopSugar: 3 of 3 planned (finished the 2023 challenge!)
❄️ ARCs: 6 read, 2 December ARCs missed
❄️ Physical TBR backlist: 6 of 4 
❄️ BOTM: 1 of 1 (finished the 2023 challenge!) (Ok I DNFed it but that counts.)

Key:
😍 Reread
📖 physical/ebook
🎧 Audiobook
📖🎧 = mix of both
📓 ARC / ALC 
🖋 Reviewed on instagram, goodreads, TikTok
📚 Series
If it doesn’t have a 🖋, the review will be coming next month!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖🎧📓🖋📚 Undercover Bromance
📖📓🖋📚 Wreck the Halls
📖🎧📓🖋📚 A Lady’s Rules for Ruin 
😍📖🎧📚 House of Earth and Blood
🎧 Long Way Down

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
📖🎧📓🖋 The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed
🎧 Amor Actually 
😍📖📚 Lore Olympus Vol. 2
📖📚 Lore Olympus Vol. 3

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖🎧📚 The Forest Grimm
📖🎧📚 A Lot Like Adios
📖🎧📓📚 A Merry Little Meet Cute
📖📓📚 Second Duke’s the Charm
🎧📚 A Wallflower Christmas
📖📚 The Captain’s Midwinter Bride 
🎧📚 Tastes Like Shakkar 
🎧 Same Time Next Year 

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
📖🎧📓🖋📚 Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎧📚 Playing the Odds (I read this just to finish the PopSugar Challenge) 

What was your favorite read in December? Do we have any books in common? Do you have any goals for January?