Well, 2021 didn’t go great for book recommendations, but I’ve been reading A LOT since the new year, and I’m going to try to post a monthly update of a few favorites.
First, a book that is out today!
I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this book, and I enjoyed it so much that of course I ran out to pick up my pre-ordered copy ASAP.
Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik is the first in a new series about space bounty hunters and the enemies who may not be enemies after all.
I loved getting to know Tavi and her crew and watching her and Torran find their way to love. Sometimes slow burns can frustrate me, but in this case, I was invested enough in the other things going on, that it worked for me. I really loved Torran as a hero. He had that honorable-to-a-fault warrior thing going on, and it was interesting to watch him try to grapple with the keeping all his convoluted promises while also protecting Tavi and her crew. On the other side, watching Tavi grow to understand him and care for him while staying true to her own principles was also fun. They are both so alike and so different in a really great way. I also loved what we saw of the rest of the crew and the setup for future books as the over-arching plot moves on.
The Lady Gets Lucky by Joanna Shupe is a brilliantly executed kissing lessons book. I adored both Kit and Alice right from the get-go, and i thought their growth throughout the book was excellent. After all Nellie's fairy-godmother-ish way of flitting in and telling everyone what they need to hear, I hope when we finally get to her book that her friends will return the favor.
This one does need a serious content warning, as it got briefly quite dark.
(CW: death of side character, depression, alcoholism, implication of possible suicide)
I listened to this one in audio and enjoyed the narration.
I also took a dive into Ms. Bev’s (Beverly Jenkins) backlist with Indigo. I mean, an Underground Railroad romance set in Michigan (in my county, even)?! How could I not? Plus, it’s a classic.
Galen is the perfect sort of alpha hero. He insists on getting what he wants, but does it in a sweet, charming way, and you can see that his intentions are good. Hester makes him work to win her too, since she's her own force to be reckoned with. As in all of Ms. Bev's books, the history and the romance are beautifully woven together. Lots of depth among the side characters, and a historical world that really feels alive.
(CW for violence, racism (including slurs), threats of sexual assault
also some typical old-school issues, with over-emphasis on virginity and highly gendered language)
This was another well-done audiobook.