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Books I've Read: November-December 2024
Dec. 23rd, 2025 02:26 pmNot all audio in this group, though in part because three of them don't exist in audio (as far as I know).
You're the Problem, It's You by Emma R. Alban -- (audio) This is the same author as Don't Want You Like a Best Friend, and in fact this book is in the same continuity, with characters from the earlier book showing up in this one. M/M historic romance. Honestly, the things that bothered me about the previous book continued to be annoying in this one. The characters are modern teenagers dressed up in costume. The social dynamics, conversation, and language in general are intrusively contemporary. On top of that I didn't find the plot interesting and the final twist was obvious from a mile away. That said, the writing is technically competent, and if you like your historicals to be modern teenagers in cosplay, you might enjoy it.
The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo -- (audio) Part of the Singing Hills cycle, in which cleric Chi wanders around collecting stories with their sentient hoopoe bird. This one partakes strongly of horror elements. The climactic twist wasn't a surprise to me, though the details weren't obvious earlier. Quite solid, although not my favorite book in the series.
A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland -- (audio) Lovely writing! This is a not-revealed-until-very-late-but-obvious-if-you-know-the-tropes selkie story. F/f romance. The plot is both sweet and menacing, though the protagonist has a few "are you really that dense?" moments. Content notes for animal death and for main character peril but a happy ending.
Harvest Season by Annick Trent -- (print) I have loved everything I've read by Trent and should really track down the works of hers that I haven't read yet. Historic f/f romance short story. Sometime lovers get involved in labor activism for the weavers and find their chance to be together when they need to flee the law. The history feels very solid and the writing is gorgeous.
The Lotus Empire (The Burning Kingdoms #3) by Tasha Suri -- (audio) I had so very many thoughts when reading this, but my notes just say "very satisfying ending" (to the series). Alt-India. High politics, warfare, magic, and creeping infiltration by an alien presence whose goals are extremely different from what any of the humans might want. It gradually becomes apparent that this is a science fiction setting rather than a fantasy setting, without dropping any of the trappings of high fantasy. There has been a f/f romance thread throughout the series, with the pair alternating between lovers and deadly enemies. The romance wraps up in a much more satisfactory way than previous events led one to believe was possible. I loved loved loved this series.
I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Connor -- (graphic novel) I was charmed this graphic novel taking a queer twist on Jane Austen's Emma, which presents the Knightley character as a transmasculine age-mate to Emma and gives Emma a cousin who is mixed race and becomes the primary focus of Emma’s misdirected match-making. Much of the plot involves the Knightley character coming to terms and acceptance with their gender identity and Emma recognizing her romantic attraction to them. While the cast changes take the plot in some new directions, there are also parts where the story follows the beats of Austen’s original rather strongly.
Masters in this Hall by K.J. Charles -- (print) M/m historic romance. A short caper-style adventure involving characters related to the "Lily-White Boys" series, which ties in various characters seen in that continuity. Clever.
Bold Privateer by Jeannelle M. Ferreira -- (audio) Short f/f historic romantic adventure, written in Ferreira's usual poetic/impressionistic style. There is violence but no tragedy. This appears to involve characters related in some way to the protagonists of The Covert Captain, but who receive only a brief passing reference in that book.
A Ruse of Shadows (Lady Sherlock #8) by Sherry Thomas -- (audio) One of the things I've enjoyed about this Sherlock-Holmes-is-a-woman mystery/adventure series is how the non-linear presentation and severely unreliable viewpoints keep you guessing...and then you want to read it all again immediately to see how it fits together. Unfortunately I just wasn't feeling it in this one. The non-linearity shifted into incoherence I kept losing the plot (and I normally love that sort of thing).
The Duke's Sister and I by Emma-Claire Sunday -- (audio) I don't know what it is with so many of the current crop of sapphic historicals from major publishers being so...so MEH. The plot is generic and there isn't enough of it, the characters spend too much time angsting over their relationships, and it's only tenuously grounded in its alleged historic setting. It's not exactly *bad*, it just isn't *good*.
And that finishes up the 2024 reads. Only another whole year to go!
You're the Problem, It's You by Emma R. Alban -- (audio) This is the same author as Don't Want You Like a Best Friend, and in fact this book is in the same continuity, with characters from the earlier book showing up in this one. M/M historic romance. Honestly, the things that bothered me about the previous book continued to be annoying in this one. The characters are modern teenagers dressed up in costume. The social dynamics, conversation, and language in general are intrusively contemporary. On top of that I didn't find the plot interesting and the final twist was obvious from a mile away. That said, the writing is technically competent, and if you like your historicals to be modern teenagers in cosplay, you might enjoy it.
The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo -- (audio) Part of the Singing Hills cycle, in which cleric Chi wanders around collecting stories with their sentient hoopoe bird. This one partakes strongly of horror elements. The climactic twist wasn't a surprise to me, though the details weren't obvious earlier. Quite solid, although not my favorite book in the series.
A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland -- (audio) Lovely writing! This is a not-revealed-until-very-late-but-obvious-if-you-know-the-tropes selkie story. F/f romance. The plot is both sweet and menacing, though the protagonist has a few "are you really that dense?" moments. Content notes for animal death and for main character peril but a happy ending.
Harvest Season by Annick Trent -- (print) I have loved everything I've read by Trent and should really track down the works of hers that I haven't read yet. Historic f/f romance short story. Sometime lovers get involved in labor activism for the weavers and find their chance to be together when they need to flee the law. The history feels very solid and the writing is gorgeous.
The Lotus Empire (The Burning Kingdoms #3) by Tasha Suri -- (audio) I had so very many thoughts when reading this, but my notes just say "very satisfying ending" (to the series). Alt-India. High politics, warfare, magic, and creeping infiltration by an alien presence whose goals are extremely different from what any of the humans might want. It gradually becomes apparent that this is a science fiction setting rather than a fantasy setting, without dropping any of the trappings of high fantasy. There has been a f/f romance thread throughout the series, with the pair alternating between lovers and deadly enemies. The romance wraps up in a much more satisfactory way than previous events led one to believe was possible. I loved loved loved this series.
I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Connor -- (graphic novel) I was charmed this graphic novel taking a queer twist on Jane Austen's Emma, which presents the Knightley character as a transmasculine age-mate to Emma and gives Emma a cousin who is mixed race and becomes the primary focus of Emma’s misdirected match-making. Much of the plot involves the Knightley character coming to terms and acceptance with their gender identity and Emma recognizing her romantic attraction to them. While the cast changes take the plot in some new directions, there are also parts where the story follows the beats of Austen’s original rather strongly.
Masters in this Hall by K.J. Charles -- (print) M/m historic romance. A short caper-style adventure involving characters related to the "Lily-White Boys" series, which ties in various characters seen in that continuity. Clever.
Bold Privateer by Jeannelle M. Ferreira -- (audio) Short f/f historic romantic adventure, written in Ferreira's usual poetic/impressionistic style. There is violence but no tragedy. This appears to involve characters related in some way to the protagonists of The Covert Captain, but who receive only a brief passing reference in that book.
A Ruse of Shadows (Lady Sherlock #8) by Sherry Thomas -- (audio) One of the things I've enjoyed about this Sherlock-Holmes-is-a-woman mystery/adventure series is how the non-linear presentation and severely unreliable viewpoints keep you guessing...and then you want to read it all again immediately to see how it fits together. Unfortunately I just wasn't feeling it in this one. The non-linearity shifted into incoherence I kept losing the plot (and I normally love that sort of thing).
The Duke's Sister and I by Emma-Claire Sunday -- (audio) I don't know what it is with so many of the current crop of sapphic historicals from major publishers being so...so MEH. The plot is generic and there isn't enough of it, the characters spend too much time angsting over their relationships, and it's only tenuously grounded in its alleged historic setting. It's not exactly *bad*, it just isn't *good*.
And that finishes up the 2024 reads. Only another whole year to go!
