"Dognitive Science" again
Dec. 5th, 2025 11:29 am![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
languagelog_feedFollowing up on "Pets with Buttons", it's clearly time to return to "Dognitive Science" and catch up on the relevant literature.
languagelog_feedDecember 2025 Queer Romances
Dec. 5th, 2025 09:00 amsmartbitches_feed
The year is coming to an end, but publishers have saved some good ones for last! Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, treat yourself to a book or two this holiday season and enjoy!
There’s Always Next Year
Author: Leah Johnson
Released: December 2, 2025 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance, Young Adult
From New York Times-bestselling author George M. Johnson and USA Today-bestselling author Leah Johnson comes a revolutionary new holiday romcom for fans of Lynn Painter, Alice Oseman, and Nicola Yoon.
Andy was supposed to shed her too-serious student journalist persona and reinvent herself on New Year’s Eve. Instead, she puked on her crush, dropped her phone in a fish tank, and managed to get her car stolen. Now, she only has the first day of the year to stop the gentrification that’s threatening her family’s business right her wrongs from the night before, and figure out why she feels so drawn to the electric new-girl-next-door. . How can Andy find her voice when everything’s being turned upside down?
Dominique is an influencer on the verge of securing a major brand deal that will ensure his future and family legacy. But when he runs into his former best friend, unresolved feelings emerge — and in a small town, there’s nowhere to hide. Not from his cousin, Andy, who has always seen him for his true self, not from his busybody manager, Kim, whose favorite color is money green, and certainly not from himself. When all the world’s a stage, can Dominique rise to superstardom without leaving the ones he loves behind?
There’s Always Next Year is a dual POV, double love story about what it means to nearly blow your life up, and race to put it back together before your time runs out. And if they fail? Well, there’s always next year.
This YA novel gives two beloved authors for the price of one, combining the brains behind All Boys Aren’t Blue and You Should See Me in a Crown for a pair of romance storylines wrapped in family and community and perfect for the holidays.
Sparks Fly
Author: Zakiya Jamal
Released: December 2, 2025 by Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance
A late bloomer thought a visit to a sex club might jump start her love life, but instead makes an instant connection that turns her whole world upside down, in this adult debut from author Zakiya N. Jamal.
When Stella Renee Johnson’s roommate invites her to a sex club party but bails at the last minute, Stella decides to use the opportunity to finally cash in her V-card. But just when things are heating up between Stella and a sexy stranger, they realize they don’t have protection and Stella, taking it as a sign this wasn’t meant to be, flees.
Frustrated in more ways than one, Stella is shocked to learn that the digital media website where she works is partnering with an AI company. She’s even more shocked when the alluring man from the previous night walks in. Max Williams is the CEO’s brother and the creator of the AI program now threatening her job.
Despite the conflict of interest, Stella and Max can’t resist their magnetic attraction toward each other, and agree to keep their personal lives separate from what’s happening at work. But the more similarities they discover at home—both Black, book smart, and bisexual—the more they butt heads at work. Stella and Max must decide whether to think with their heads and walk away from their budding relationship, or follow their hearts and take a chance on love, no matter the cost.
It’s one thing to launch a queer debut, but it’s an entirely other incredible thing to launch queer debuts in two different categories in one year, and Jamal has nailed it. Just eight months after releasing her sweet Sapphic Romance, If We Were a Movie, Jamal has gone decidedly adult with this sexy bi4bi m/f that also tackles working in a creative industry going all in on AI.
Audrey Lane Stirs the Pot
Author: Alexis Hall
Released: December 9, 2025 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance
Series: Winner Bakes All #3
A charming new LGBTQIA+ romcom from the bestselling author of BOYFRIEND MATERIAL.
Audrey Lane is perfectly fine. Really. So what if she left her high-powered job as a Very Important Journalist—and her even higher-powered long-term girlfriend—to live a quiet life as a reporter for the second-biggest newspaper in Shropshire? And so what if she keeps hearing that same higher-powered long-term now-ex-girlfriend in her head night and day, constantly judging just how small Audrey’s allowed her life to become?
She’s fine. She’s happy. She’s perfectly within her groove. Do not-in-their-groove people get weekday drunk and impulsively apply for the UK’s most beloved baking show?
All right, so maybe she’s not completely fine, but being on Bake Expectations is opening her world again in ways she never anticipated. First through fellow contestant Doris, whose personal story of queer love during WW2 captures Audrey’s heart, imagination and journalistic interest like nothing has in ages. Then through Jennifer Hallet, the most foul-tempered (and fouler-mouthed) producer, woman, and menace Audrey has ever met. Jennifer should be off-limits, but her fire lights something unexpected inside of Audrey, making her want to burn back a million times brighter. A million times hotter. A million times more herself than she’s been in a long, long time.
It’s been three years since the last installment of the Winner Bakes All series, Paris Daillencourt is About to Crumble, and after m/f and m/m pairings, we’re finishing up with an f/f that takes us back to Bake Expectations with a forbidden romance.
The Great Popcorn Romance
Author: Georgia Beers
Released: December 16, 2025 by Bold Strokes Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance
Opposites attract, and Riley Shaw stands no chance of resisting Hannah Kramer’s magnetic pull. But opposites know just how to drive each other crazy…
How it starts: Her best friend Kyle suggests Riley take a job at Poptacular, his grandmother’s gourmet popcorn shop. Spending the summer mixing caramel and cheddar sounds like fun, right?
Spoiler alert: It’s not fun.
Enter Kyle’s little sister Hannah and her stubborn refusal to try any ideas that aren’t her own. Their working styles are completely different. In short, she is infuriating. And hot. Why does she have to be hot?
How it’s going: Years have passed, and Riley’s no longer a victim of her teenage hormones. She’s a high-powered consultant who travels from city to city, helping struggling businesses. Distance weakens a magnetic field, and Riley doesn’t think about Hannah Kramer. Not ever.
So, when Kyle calls to say Poptacular is in trouble and on the brink of closing its doors, her first thought definitely isn’t of Hannah. No, heading back to her hometown is not on her bingo card. But for Poptacular’s co-owner, popcorn is Hannah’s whole life, and Riley can’t stand to see her dream fail.
How it ends: With the Great (hot and buttery) Popcorn Romance, of course.
I don’t know how Georgia Beers does it, but this is her third (?) Sapphic romance of the year, and each one sounds cuter than the last. Best Friend’s Brother is such a huge trope in hetero romance, but few things hit like the much rarer lesbian Best Friend’s Sister. Plus, a popcorn shop! How adorable is that??
Ten Things I Love About Her
Author: Tara Pammi
Released: December 16, 2025
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance
Series: Bollywood Dance & Drama Society #2
PINKY
I blew up my life like it was a lab experiment gone wrong.
Broke off my engagement. Dropped out of med school. Moved back home.
Now I’m planning my twin’s wedding while being smothered by five overprotective older brothers—and the only thing keeping me sane?
The other maid of honor—Sarangi Rao—beautiful, sexy, intimidatingly accomplished. A total ice-queen. Or so I think until I get to know her a little.
When we agree to fake-date through the wedding madness to get everyone off our backs, it feels like I can finally breathe again. Between choreographing first dances and coordinating floral crises,
we become partners—in planning, in dancing & in bed.
Soon, my fake feelings turn very real and this time, it won’t just be my future I lose—but my heart.
SARANGI
Fake-dating Priyanka Thomas is the last thing I need.
She’s chaos in a crop top—messy, magnetic, and entirely too tempting. But saying yes buys me freedom from the pressure cooker of family expectations. And it’s just for a few months, right?
But then, she moves into my house, gets under my skin. And makes me believe in love all over again.
What if Pinky only wants me for a fake, fun fling… while I’m falling in love for real?
A prolific author of hetero Harlequin romances, we don’t often get to see the Sapphic side of Pammi’s work, so I was thrilled to see her return to the Bollywood Dance & Drama Society series for the first time since 2021’s When Tara Met Farah. And this one sounds deliciously tropetastic… Fake dating! Opposites attract! Forced proximity! Wedding themes! Ice queen! Ah, what a delight.
Rec-Cember Day #4
Dec. 5th, 2025 01:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
renayToday I spent a few hours organizing my Friends of the Library book storage room. The way we're organizing it will never last, but it'll be a nice place to start from. I have to figure out how to offload so much 80s/90s mass market romance after a woman left us her entire collection in her estate. Lower prices? Special bag sale? I'm stumped.
Today's rec:
In today's Intergalactic Mixtape, I recced two essays I enjoyed. I will copy myself in order to a) go to bed already and b) promote the latest issue, if you're into SFF news. Here are the links; full recs are at the link above!
#1: Ann Leckie and Arkady Martine: in conversation (space opera, empire, two very clever authors being thoughtful)
#2: The Year Of The Crone (anew old bombshell has (re)entered the villa)
Today's rec:
In today's Intergalactic Mixtape, I recced two essays I enjoyed. I will copy myself in order to a) go to bed already and b) promote the latest issue, if you're into SFF news. Here are the links; full recs are at the link above!
#1: Ann Leckie and Arkady Martine: in conversation (space opera, empire, two very clever authors being thoughtful)
#2: The Year Of The Crone (a
695. Holiday Wishes III with Garlic Knitter, Claudia, Christine, and Jo
Dec. 5th, 2025 07:00 amsmartbitches_feed
We’re back with more Holiday Wishes! This week we’re talking with Garlic Knitter, Claudia, Christine, and Jo.
A few notes:
First, my voice is not great. Some of these were recorded when I had a dreadful cold, so I apologize in advance.
Second, if you’re a sympathetic crier like I am, please know that when Christine and I are talking, we both get a little choked up while talking about grief and the infuriating unfairness of American healthcare. It’s an emotional conversation and a beautiful one – thank you for sharing so much of yourself, Christine.
Updates? Updates!
Thanks to your Patreon pledges, we have reached our goal with the F’ICE campaign, and all dynamic ads will be turned off permanently for everyone who listens. Thank you so much!
AND! The Smart Bitches Candle Collection is LIVE! I partnered with Wax Cabin Candle Company, an independent small chandlery, to offer two limited edition candles just for the holiday season!
They are on sale now through early January, and you can buy one or both in a gift set! And they are going very fast!
The Smart Bitches 20th Anniversary candle is an 11 ounce hand poured soy candle with notes of sea salt, book pages, sandalwood and jasmine.
The Bad Decisions Book Club candle, also 11 ounces, is designed to be the perfect pairing for late night reading, with scents of sweet tobacco, book pages, leather, rose, and sandalwood. I had a marvelous time picking out the scents.
So if you’re looking for the perfect gift for yourself or the book lovers in your life, check out the 2025 Smart Bitches Candle collection. You can shop small, support the site, and spread light and warmth this year.
Listen to the podcast →
Read the transcript →
Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:
We also mentioned:
- Letterkenny
- Shorsey
- Bookshop.org! You can designate an independent bookshop to benefit from your purchases!
- Miró and the United States exhibit
And, a visual joke from Jo:
The fact that Marie Curie’s notebooks and tools are still radioactive and sealed in lead boxes.
If you like the podcast, you can subscribe to our feed, or find us at iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher, and Spotify, too. We also have a cool page for the podcast on iTunes.
More ways to sponsor:
Sponsor us through Patreon! (What is Patreon?)
What did you think of today's episode? Got ideas? Suggestions? You can talk to us on the blog entries for the podcast or talk to us on Facebook if that's where you hang out online. You can email us at sbjpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave us a message at our Google voice number: 201-371-3272. Please don't forget to give us a name and where you're calling from so we can work your message into an upcoming podcast.
Thanks for listening!
Remember to subscribe to our podcast feed, find us on iTunes or on Stitcher.
Galaxies in the Furnace
Dec. 5th, 2025 06:49 amapod_feed
An example of violence on a cosmic scale, enormous
Photos: House Yard
Dec. 4th, 2025 11:42 pmysabetwordsmith posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
common_natureToday I took pictures of icicles and snow, mostly in the house yard, some down the driveway.
( Walk with me ... )
( Walk with me ... )
Sign Up December 5 - 7!
Dec. 4th, 2025 08:26 pmformidablepassion posting in weekendwritingmarathon
SIGN UP!!
Need to get some words in? The Weekend Writing Marathon (WWM) is a writing challenge designed to help you do just that. You set your own writing goal for the weekend and work to achieve it before reporting back to the group on Sunday night.
How do I participate?
1. Reply to this post with your weekend writing plans–be as specific (or not) as you’d like.
2. Start writing on Friday 12:01 am local time. Work to meet your goal by Sunday night at 11:59 pm local time. You can work on whatever you want during this time.
3. Post your accomplishments to the Finish Line post at the end of the weekend (even if you didn’t reach your goal).
How do I report my accomplishments?
A Finish Line post will go up on Sunday. Reblog that post with your final word count/accomplished goal(s) by Monday at midnight local time. Totals from the weekend will be posted on Tuesday.
This challenge is currently running on 2 platforms: pillowfort, and dreamwidth. If you sign up on this platform, please respond to the Finish Line post on this platform.
Let us know if you have any questions!
Recent Reading: The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp
Dec. 4th, 2025 06:27 pmrocky41_7 posting in booksBook # (checks notes) 13! From the "Women in Translation" rec list has been The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann, translated from German by Amy Bojang. This book concerns a house full of elderly retirees who end up investigating a series of murders in their sleepy English town.
This book was truly a delight from start to finish. I loved Swann's quirky senior cast; they were both entertaining and raised valid and very human questions about what aging with dignity means. It did a fabulous job scratching my itch for an exciting novel with no twenty-somethings to be seen. Now Agnes, the protagonist, and her friends are quite old, which impacts their lives in significant ways. However, I felt Swann did a good job of showing the limitations of an aging body--unless she's really in a hurry, Agnes will usually opt to take the stair lift down from the second floor, for instance--without sacrificing the depth and complexity of her characters, or relegating such things merely to the youth of their pasts.
The premise of this book caught my attention immediately, but after a lifetime of books with riveting premises that dismally fail to deliver, I was still wary. I'm happy to report that The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp fully delivers on its promise! Swann makes ample and engaging use of her premise.
The story itself is not especially surprising; if you're looking for a real brain-bender of a mystery or a book of shocking plot twists, this is not it. But I enjoyed it, and I thought Swann walked an enjoyable line between laying down enough clues that I could see the writing on the wall at some point, without giving the game away too quickly. There are no last-minute ass-pulls of heretofore unmentioned characters suddenly confessing to the crime here! The main red herring that gets tossed in the reader is likely to see for what it is very quickly, but for plot-relevant reasons I won't mention here, it's very believable that Agnes does not see that.
Agnes herself was a wonderful protagonist; I really enjoyed getting to go along on this adventure with her. She had a hard enough time wrangling her household of easily-distracted seniors even before the murders started! But the whole cast was endearing, if also all obnoxious in their own way after decades of settling on their own way of getting through life.
Bojang does a flawless job with the translation; she really captures various English voices both in the dialogue and in Agnes' narration. The writing flows naturally without ever coming off stilted or awkward.
I really had fun with this one, and I'm delighted to here there's apparently a sequel--Agnes Sharp and the Trip of a Lifetime--which I will definitely be checking out.
This book was truly a delight from start to finish. I loved Swann's quirky senior cast; they were both entertaining and raised valid and very human questions about what aging with dignity means. It did a fabulous job scratching my itch for an exciting novel with no twenty-somethings to be seen. Now Agnes, the protagonist, and her friends are quite old, which impacts their lives in significant ways. However, I felt Swann did a good job of showing the limitations of an aging body--unless she's really in a hurry, Agnes will usually opt to take the stair lift down from the second floor, for instance--without sacrificing the depth and complexity of her characters, or relegating such things merely to the youth of their pasts.
The premise of this book caught my attention immediately, but after a lifetime of books with riveting premises that dismally fail to deliver, I was still wary. I'm happy to report that The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp fully delivers on its promise! Swann makes ample and engaging use of her premise.
The story itself is not especially surprising; if you're looking for a real brain-bender of a mystery or a book of shocking plot twists, this is not it. But I enjoyed it, and I thought Swann walked an enjoyable line between laying down enough clues that I could see the writing on the wall at some point, without giving the game away too quickly. There are no last-minute ass-pulls of heretofore unmentioned characters suddenly confessing to the crime here! The main red herring that gets tossed in the reader is likely to see for what it is very quickly, but for plot-relevant reasons I won't mention here, it's very believable that Agnes does not see that.
Agnes herself was a wonderful protagonist; I really enjoyed getting to go along on this adventure with her. She had a hard enough time wrangling her household of easily-distracted seniors even before the murders started! But the whole cast was endearing, if also all obnoxious in their own way after decades of settling on their own way of getting through life.
Bojang does a flawless job with the translation; she really captures various English voices both in the dialogue and in Agnes' narration. The writing flows naturally without ever coming off stilted or awkward.
I really had fun with this one, and I'm delighted to here there's apparently a sequel--Agnes Sharp and the Trip of a Lifetime--which I will definitely be checking out.
Daily Check-In
Dec. 4th, 2025 08:02 pmmecurtin posting in fandom_checkinThis is your check-in post for today. The poll will be open from midnight Universal or Zulu Time (8pm Eastern Time) on Thursday, December 4, to midnight on Friday, December 5 (8pm Eastern Time).
Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.
Poll #33921 Daily check-in poll
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 16
How are you doing?
I am OK
11 (68.8%)
I am not OK, but don't need help right now
5 (31.2%)
I could use some help
0 (0.0%)
How many other humans live with you?
I am living single
7 (43.8%)
One other person
7 (43.8%)
More than one other person
2 (12.5%)
Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.
I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level, Vol. 17
Dec. 4th, 2025 11:44 pmmangabookshelf_feedBy Kisetsu Morita and Benio. Released in Japan as “Slime Taoshite 300 Nen, Shiranai Uchi ni Level MAX ni Nattemashita” by GA Novels. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Tristan Hill.
I will admit that I never thought that I would be comparing the meandering, Cute Girls Doing Cute Things, decidedly ambivalent to romance despite its yuri fanbase I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 3400 Years to the energetic, Anything Can Happen, very very bisexual and horny series The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You, but here we are, they both tend to handle their casts the same way. Both have a cast that is simply too large to juggle everyone all the time. So 100 Girlfriends will see Rentaro going out on a date with four of his girlfriends, and a footnote will say “the others were busy and couldn’t make it”. Likewise, Azusa will always be involved in the wacky antics of the short story, but the supporting cast and expand or contract depending on the needs of the author. Which is good, as I tend to have a lot of trouble remembering who is who in 300 Slimes beyond the ones who live in the house.
The stories: 1) Flatorte goes to visit her parents, and the rest of the house residents come with. They end up babysitting a neighbor’s blue dragon child, which causes havoc as they have no idea how to deal with baby blue dragons; 2) Sandra has a flower grow on top of her head, and attracts attention, both good and bad; 3) Pecora feels her idol singing career is in a rut, so goes on a training camp, and forces Azusa to come; 4) Vania needs to get her Leviathan Flying License renewed, and forces Azusa to come along; 5) A demigod escapes from the underground and starts creating magical girls… pardon me, magical gurus; 6) Pecora is horrified to find a demonic sweets company is making knockoffs of Azusa’s edible slimes, and forces her to fix the problem; and the after story, starring Wynona, she goes to learn magic from Wizly, but finds that she’s actually a genius.
As you can see by the short stories, a lot of these involve pushy characters forcing Azusa to do things to advance the plot. This is the danger of having a passive character as the lead. Azusa is immortal, can defeat almost everyone in the world, and is quite content to hang at her cottage on the hill with her family and have nothing happen to her. This is very undramatic. Fortunately, other characters do seem to be growing, if only a little, in this series where even the author admits they cannot actually have dramatic events. Flatorte is noticeably more mature in the stories that feature her doing more than eating, and if folks had listened to her a bit more, the first story would have gone much easier. Likewise, while Halkara has her drunkard moments, she’s allowed to also be very intelligent and innovative. It’s nice to see in a series where nothing usually happens.
Look at that, 500 words. I have defeated another volume. See you next time.
TGTM: Hong Kong on fire
Dec. 4th, 2025 11:39 pmlanguagelog_feedPost 2/3
Three days after the inferno, the HK NatSec Office brands the fire “以火乱港 2.0” — the exact same phrase they used for 2019 rioters.
Translation: they’re prepping to blame “anti-China forces” so no tycoon or cadre ever sees a courtroom. pic.twitter.com/ndkFLHrCoE— The Great Translation Movement 大翻译运动 (@TGTM_Official) November 30, 2025
yǐ huǒ luàn gǎng 以火乱港
("to sow chaos in Hong Kong through setting fires")
The Wang Fuk Court fire resulted in more than 151 deaths. From the start, the government kept insisting on the magic / superstitious / zodiacal number of 36 dead, when that was clearly a ludicrously low figure.
Notable deadly fires in Hong Kong's history include the 1996 Garley Building fire, which resulted in 41 deaths. Other significant fires include a 1962 blaze in Sham Shui Po that killed 44 people and a 1997 nightclub fire that killed 17.
The Wang Fuk Court fire is the first major conflagration in Hong Kong since the PRC took control over the city.
The Wang Fuk Court conflagration was NOT because of the bamboo scaffolding, but due to substandard, highly flammable materials used for the netting and for styrofoam insulation.
Selected readings
- "Malign Woodpeckers and Other Hegemonic Behavior" (4/18/22)
- "The Great Translation Movement" (4/19/22)
- "No Fire Critics Allowed in Hong Kong,Authorities move to silence dissent after the blaze that killed 151", by the Editorial Board, WSJ (12/2/25)
- "The fire that Hong Kong wants you to forget", by Anthena Tong, Nikkei Asia (12/2/25)
- "Hong Kong chief says supervision failed, warns against 'exploiting' fire", by Kenji Kawase, Nikkei Asia (12/2/25)
[Thanks to Mark Metcalf]
The Friday Five for 5 December 2025
Dec. 4th, 2025 07:12 pmanais_pf posting in thefridayfive1. If you had to participate in one Olympic event, what would it be and why?
2. What is the one song you always sing along to?
3. Do you wear a seatbelt in the car?
4. Car, SUV or truck and why?
5. Are you a good/bad driver? Explain.
Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.
If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!
**Remember that we rely on you, our members, to help keep the community going. Also, please remember to play nice. We are all here to answer the questions and have fun each week. We repost the questions exactly as the original posters submitted them and request that all questions be checked for spelling and grammatical errors before they're submitted. Comments re: the spelling and grammatical nature of the questions are not necessary. Honestly, any hostile, rude, petty, or unnecessary comments need not be posted, either.**
2. What is the one song you always sing along to?
3. Do you wear a seatbelt in the car?
4. Car, SUV or truck and why?
5. Are you a good/bad driver? Explain.
Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.
If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!
**Remember that we rely on you, our members, to help keep the community going. Also, please remember to play nice. We are all here to answer the questions and have fun each week. We repost the questions exactly as the original posters submitted them and request that all questions be checked for spelling and grammatical errors before they're submitted. Comments re: the spelling and grammatical nature of the questions are not necessary. Honestly, any hostile, rude, petty, or unnecessary comments need not be posted, either.**
Snowy Sights
Dec. 4th, 2025 05:36 pmyourlibrarian posting in common_nature
A big flock (larger than we captured here given their frequent movement) of common starlings were circling about this week. It seemed like we might be a food stop on their way to someplace else.
( Read more... )
Manga the Week of 12/10/25
Dec. 4th, 2025 10:59 pmmangabookshelf_feedSEAN: December II: The December Strikes Back.
We start off with Ablaze, which has a 6th volume of Gannibal.
Airship has print releases of The Devil Princess 2 and A Tale of the Secret Saint 9.
The digital debut is Betrothed to My Sister’s Ex (Zutaboro Reijou wa Ane no Moto Konyakusha ni Dekiai Sareru), which has already had an anime. A girl who grows up with her sister being given all the nice things suddenly finds herself engaged after her sister is killed in an accident. But then it turns out the engagement is a misunderstanding. What’s really going on here? From what I hear, this is another “it turns out being raised as an abused child is bad, actually” Cinderella story.
ASH: Who would have thought!
SEAN: Also digital: I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire! 10.
Dark Horse Comics is releasing Lone Wolf and Cub again. They promise that THIS deluxe hardcover will be the last, honest. OK, no, they don’t. But we can hope. This is what, the 6th, 7th time?
ASH: I’ll admit to being tempted to triple-dip as this edition looks like it should be excellent.
SEAN: Ghost Ship has Parallel Paradise 24.
J-Novel Club has a pile of print. The debut is My Quiet Blacksmith Life in Another World (Kajiya de Hajimeru Isekai Slow Life), a classic slow life title. Guy dies, is reincarnated as a quiet, normal profession… but things keep happening to him.
ASH: Probably because he has skills.
SEAN: There’s also Ascendance of a Bookworm: Short Story Collection 2, the first volume of the 4th arc of the Ascendance of a Bookworm manga, By the Grace of the Gods 15, Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill 5, Gushing Over Magical Girls 6, Invaders of the Rokujouma!? Collector’s Edition 13, the 3rd Isekai Tensei: Recruited to Another World manga, and the 12th The Unwanted Undead Adventurer manga.
ASH: I appreciate your clarification regarding exactly which Bookworm volume is being talked about here.
SEAN: Digitally, J-Novel Club has light novels for The Banished Former Hero Lives As He Pleases 6, D-Genesis Side Stories, From Villainess to Healer 6, Pens Down Swords Up 4, and The Reincarnated Princess Spends Another Day Skipping Story Routes 10.
For manga, they have The Faraway Paladin 14, Flung into a New World? Time to Lift the 200-Year Curse! 4, and I’ll Never Set Foot in That House Again! 8.
ASH: For a moment there, my brain crossed How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? with lifting 200-year curses, which honestly are probably pretty heavy.
ANNA: I am guessing this already exists as a light novel. Something like “Maxing out my Gains Weight Training with 200-year old Curses in Another World, Despite the Fact that I’m Just a Middle Manager With No Skills, Although my Personal Trainer May Be a Bi-Curious Vampire Assassin.”
SEAN: Kodansha Manga debuts The Magnificent Bastard (Hana no Keiji: Kumo no Kanata ni), a historical drama from the writer of Fist of the North Star that ran in the early 1990s in Weekly Shonen Jump (yes, I know, it’s now owned by Kodansha). Gutsoon tried to put this out before dying, now we’re trying again. This tells the story of historical samurai Maeda Keiji, but I bet heads explode somewhere. This will be in 2-volume omnibuses.
MICHELLE: Hm.
ASH: Surprising no one, I can be counted as interested.
ANNA: Manly manga! I like the title.
SEAN: Technically also a debut, Girlfriend, Girlfriend is getting an omnibus re-release.
Also in print: The Fable Omnibus 11 (the final volume), The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity 10, I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day 6, Issak Omnibus 4, Mobile Suit Gundam: THE ORIGIN Deluxe 3, A Kingdom of Quartz 4, Sailor Moon Manga Box Set Vol. 7-10 (Naoko Takeuchi Collection), Teppu 3, and WIND BREAKER 17.
ASH: Still need to get around to reading Issak.
ANNA: Oh my, me too!
SEAN: Digitally we get Fall in Love You False Angels 4, Gang King 36, Giant Killing 52, How I Met My Soulmate 5, I Have a Crush at Work 12, and With You and the Rain 8.
MICHELLE: Someday, Giant Killing. Someday.
SEAN: One Peace Books gives us My Death Flags Show No Sign of Ending 2.
Seven Seas somehow has no danmei next week, but they have a Korean BL light novel with KinnPorsche 5.
ASH: So close, and yet!
SEAN: In manga/manhua/manhwa, Seven Seas debuts BOSS, BXTCH, BABY, a BL webtoon. A man deep into debt gets rescued by a rich eccentric who says he’ll cover the debt if the man becomes his plaything for a year.
Chainsmoker Cat (Yani Neko) is a seinen title from Young Magazine. A catgirl is not only addicted to smoking, but a complete mess in every way. Can her friends make her better? (No.)
MICHELLE: I lol’d.
SEAN: And they also have an omnibus version of Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable!.
Also from Seven Seas: 100 Ghost Stories That Will Lead to My Own Death 4, Gene Bride 3, How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord 23, Mii-chan Wants to Be Kept 3, No Longer Allowed In Another World 10, Otaku Elf 10, Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn 21, World End Solte 4, and You Like Me, Not My Daughter?! 7.
Square Enix Manga gives us Always a Catch! 5, Daemons of the Shadow Realm 9, and My Isekai Life 22.
Steamship has Don’t Hold Back, Lord Hades 2.
SuBLime debuts Trickster’s Tale: Hu Yan Zhuan, a BL title from KiR Comics. Half-demon. Sage. Theirs is a forbidden love.
ASH: That’s a thing that happens sometimes.
SEAN: They also give us Black or White 11 and Finder Deluxe Edition 14.
ASH: It’s been a long time since I’ve thought about Finder!
ANNA: Wow, yeah!
SEAN: Titan Manga debuts a horror title, The Ghostly Darkness of Kanata (Yuuyami no Kanata). This runs in Comic Boost. A young woman, after a certain encounter, loses her ability to feel fear. To solve this problem, she starts going to haunted sites.
MICHELLE: This has reminded me of Ghost Hunt, which is a good thing!
ASH: Not a bad premise at all.
ANNA: Indeed!
SEAN: Three debuts for Tokyopop. Are they all BL titles that run in from RED? About a Love Song is. A musician struggling to write songs has a one-night stand with his co-worker… who turns out to be in high school! Now he’s trying to wait until graduation, but his lover is quite forward.
ASH: Music and BL tends to be a good combo for me.
SEAN: Fox and Puppy, a sequel to Star and Hedgehog, is also from from RED. A free (and bisexual) editor has a good work relationship with his author, but what happens when he’s caught with another man?
Yes! It’s a trifecta, and I swear I didn’t check in advance. My Noons and Midnights Are for You (Mayonaka no Ore o Mite) is a BL title that runs in from RED. A Vtuber is confident onscreen, but an introvert in real life. His manager is now sleeping with him… but surely he loves the outgoing onscreen guy. Right?
And they have My New Wife’s Fake Smile 2, which is not BL.
ASH: Or is it?
ANNA: I think we need more information about this new wife.
SEAN: Udon usually gets out a huge artbook before the holidays, and that seems to be Marvel VS Capcom: Ultimate Complete Works. It’s an updated artbook with 140 new pages. As for the content… come on, you know what this is.
No debuts from Viz, but we get Dandadan 16, Fly Me to the Moon 30, Girl Crush 4, Kill Blue 4, Komi Can’t Communicate 36, Minecraft: The Manga 4, Persona 5 14, Pokémon: Sword & Shield 14, Rainbows After Storms 7, and Spider-Man: Kizuna 2.
ASH: Oh good, the oldest kiddo at home has been asking for more Minecraft manga.
SEAN: Yen Press has one debut, but it’s had the biggest buzz of the year. Love Bullet is a yuri title from Comic Flapper. A girl who is good at giving out love advice but has never had a relationship is confessed to by her best friend… and then immediately killed when she saves her friend from getting hit by falling construction debris. Now dead, she’s a cupid whose job it is to get good partners together… but this will mean she’ll be forever tortured by her own unfulfilled life and love. This was an internet sensation, saved from cancellation by fans, and has a TON of folks talking about it.
ASH: The buzz has been huge! I’ve seen this series popping up in all sorts of places. (And I’m not nearly as online as I once was.)
ANNA: Sounds cool!
SEAN: There’s also a limited hardcover of The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy at All, [OSHI NO KO] “Coloring x Idol” Color Activity Book, and the Rascal Does Not Dream of a Sister Home Alone manga omnibus.
ASH: Ooooh, hardcover!
SEAN: And we still haven’t even gotten to mid-December yet. What are you getting?
Writing Sprints December 5-7
Dec. 4th, 2025 02:49 pmtreefrogie84 posting in weekendwritingmarathon
what’s a 1k1h?|| time zone converter || 1k1h Calendar
All sprints are run on Discord only. You can find our Discord server here.
Friday ( time zone converter)
5am PT/ 8am ET/ 1pm UTC Mrsimoshen
8am PT/ 11am ET/ 4pm UTC Max
11am PT/ 2pm ET/ 7pm UTC LittleMissTPK
1pm PT/ 4pm ET/ 9pm UTC LittleMissTPK
5pm PT/ 8pm ET/ 1am Sat UTC Treefrogie84
7pm PT/ 10pm ET/ 3am Sat UTC Alec
Saturday ( time zone converter)
4am PT/ 7am ET/ 12pm UTC PreciousAnon
7am PT/ 10am ET/ 3pm UTC Treefrogie84
9am PT/ 12pm ET/ 5pm UTC Treefrogie84
12pm PT/ 3pm ET/ 8pm UTC LittleMissTPK
5pm PT/ 8pm ET/ 1am Sun UTC Treefrogie84
7pm PT/ 10pm ET/ 3am Sun UTC Joe
Sunday ( time zone converter)
4am PT/ 7am ET/ 12pm UTC PreciousAnon
7am PT/ 10am ET/ 3pm UTC Treefrogie84
9am PT/ 12pm ET/ 5pm UTC Treefrogie84
11am PT/ 2pm ET/ 7pm UTC PreciousAnon
1pm PT/ 4pm ET/ 9pm UTC Treefrogie
5pm PT/ 8pm ET/ 1am Mon UTC Treefrogie
7pm PT/ 10pm ET/ 2am Mon UTC Joe
Cowboys, YA, & More
Dec. 4th, 2025 04:30 pmsmartbitches_feedRavished
Ravished by Amanda Quick is $2.99! This is a historical romance with some Beauty and the Beast vibes, which many readers loved. However, other readers felt the heroine’s characterization was a bit inconsistent with constant mood changes. Have you read this one?
From the cozy confines of a tiny seaside village to the glittering crush of the a fashionable London soiree comes an enthralling tale of a thoroughly mismatched couple . . . poised to discover the rapture of love.
There was no doubt about it. What Miss Harriet Pomeroy needed was a man. Someone powerful and clever who could help her rout the unscrupulous thieves who were using her beloved caves to hide their loot. But when Harriet summoned Gideon Westbrook, Viscount St. Justin, to her aid, she could not know that she was summoning the devil himself. . . .
Dubbed the Beast of Blackthorne Hall for his scarred face and lecherous past, Gideon was strong and fierce and notoriously menacing. Yet Harriet could not find it in her heart to fear him. For in his tawny gaze she sensed a savage pain she longed to soothe . . . and a searing passion she yearned to answer. Now, caught up in the Beast’s clutches, Harriet must find a way to win his heart–and evade the deadly trap of a scheming villain who would see them parted for all time.
Immortal
Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan is $1.99! This fantasy romance was released in January and was mentioned on Hide Your Wallet. Tan’s books always have beautiful covers.
A stunning, standalone romantic fantasy filled with dangerous secrets, forbidden magic, and passion, of a young ruler who fights to protect her kingdom, from bestselling author Sue Lynn Tan and set in the breathtaking world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.
“What the gods did not give us, I would take.”
As the heir to Tianxia, Liyen knows she must ascend the throne and renew her kingdom’s pledge to serve the immortals who once protected them from a vicious enemy. But when she is poisoned, Liyen’s grandfather steals an enchanted lotus to save her life. Enraged at his betrayal, the immortal queen commands the powerful God of War to attack Tianxia.
Upon her grandfather’s death, Liyen ascends a precarious throne, vowing to end her kingdom’s obligation to the immortals. When she is summoned to the Immortal Realm, she seizes the opportunity to learn their secrets and to form a tenuous alliance to safeguard her people, all with the one she should fear and mistrust the most: the ruthless God of War. As they are drawn together, a treacherous attraction ignites between them—one she has to resist, to not endanger all she is fighting for.
But with darker forces closing in around them, and her kingdom plunged into peril, Liyen must risk everything to save her people from an unspeakable fate, even if it means forging a dangerous bond with the immortal… even if it means losing her heart.
Change of Hart
Change of Hart by Bailey Hannah is $1.99! This is book three in the Wells Ranch series and features a second chance romance. Have you read this series?
In this spicy romance from the author of Alive and Wells and Seeing Red, a jaded woman reluctantly returns to her hometown—and to the cowboy who broke her heart and drove her away.
She spent years trying to forget. He’ll do anything to make her remember.
Wells Canyon is the last place Blair Hart wants to be. Yet when her mother falls ill, she has no choice except to return to the hometown she’s avoided for over a decade. In a town so small, she knows there’s no way she can avoid the cowboy who tore her life to pieces all those years ago, but that doesn’t mean she’s prepared for the way Denver Wells can turn back time with a single smile.
Since Denver’s world came crashing down thirteen years ago, he’s somehow managed to keep his demons at bay…that is, until Blair Hart’s return knocks him from his saddle. But if he wants her back, he’ll have to prove he can be the man she needs—the same one she used to love.
Throwing herself into the role of caregiver, Blair doesn’t have the time to sift through their messy history even if she wanted to. And Denver’s going to need a lot more than his usual cowboy charm to convince Blair he’s worth a change of heart.
The Bone Houses
RECOMMENDED: The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones is $1.99! I really liked this one. It has elements of Wlesh mythology and role reversal of sorts: the heroine brandishes a giant axe and fights the undead, while the hero is a scholarly cartographer. It was mentioned in our previous Goth Rec League.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Sky in the Deep in this bewitching, historical horror novel, perfect for fans of Holly Black and V.E. Schwab.
Seventeen-year-old Aderyn (“Ryn”) only cares about two things: her family and her family’s graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don’t always stay dead.
The risen corpses are known as “bone houses,” and legend says that they’re the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good?
Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the deeply-buried truths about themselves. Equal parts classic horror novel and original fairytale, The Bone Houses will have you spellbound from the very first page.
Good Spirits
It’s Sarah, dropping in with one more sale book!
RECOMMENDED: Good Spirits by B.K. Borison is $5.99! This is a newer book – released October 21 – and is on a few readers’ best-of lists. Shannon Stacey said, “Good Spirits was my fave read of the year. I actually bought a shelf copy to lend to my sisters, lol. That’s rare.”
It’s got a 4.26 (!!) rating on Storygraph, and folks who reviewed it say that it’s cute, but with real stakes and a lot of character development. My favorite review is from mariahstieve, who wrote, “Ghost spice was everything I never knew I needed.” – SW
The USA Today bestselling author of Business Casual, B.K. Borison is back with a whimsical new holiday romance—this time with a magical twist—that will have everyone falling in love with the Ghost of Christmas Past.
He’s the Ghost of Christmas Past. She’s not exactly Scrooge.
Ghost of Christmas Past Nolan Callahan intends to spend this holiday haunting like every other—get in, get out, return to his otherwise aimless existence as a ghost awaiting the afterlife. But when he’s faced with Harriet York, the sweetest assignment he’s ever had, he suddenly finds himself wishing for a future.
Harriet York has no idea why she’s being haunted. She’s a good person—or, at least, she tries to be. A people pleaser to her core, she always does what’s expected of her. But as she and Nolan begin to examine her past, they discover there are threads that bind them together— and realize there might be more to moving on than expected.
With the deadline of Christmas Eve fast approaching, will they find the key to their futures in each other’s pasts? Or will they stay firmly in the present, indulging in their unexpected, spirited connection?
Filled with magic, mayhem, and cozy holiday charm, this swoony romance is B.K. Borison’s best yet!
Too Many Losing Heroines!, Vol. 6
Dec. 4th, 2025 11:39 ammangabookshelf_feedBy Takibi Amamori and Imigimuru. Released in Japan as “Make Heroine ga Ōsugiru!” by Gagaga Bunko. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Matthew Jackson. Adapted by Hayame.
I think these volumes have started to hit their stride, in that I’m no longer incredibly annoyed with the main characters quite as much anymore. It helps that, for the most part, when I want to roll my eyes at Nukumizu, someone is there to do it for me. The conceit of this series is that its male lead is very familiar with the concept of light novel harem romcoms, but he’s also a normal teenage boy, and so, like all normal teenage boys, too dim to understand flirting and attraction towards him (a healthy dose of self-loathing helps too). The girls, meanwhile, are all very aware that they’re in a harem romcom, and are trying their best, but… (waves vaguely at Nukumizu). There’s a running gag which comes up a few times here where the girls try to have a romantic, sweet moment, and Nukumizu just watches as it goes right over his head, and they say “that right there…” to him. He never gets it. That right there is why this series is ongoing.
Yes, that’s Tsukinoki on the cover art, which means that for the first time we’re not seeing a Losing Heroine. That said, it’s the last time we’ll be able to see her, as graduation is here, and she and Tamaki are worrying about getting into university more than the current romcom plot. The current romcom plot is that Lemon has asked Nuzumiku out on a date, and after taking him to the aquarium and watching him be completely confused about why she would be doing this, she confesses she wants to quit her clubs. Plural. Both track and the lit club, which would be bad news for him and Komari. They end up making a bet – if he can beat her in a race, she’ll stay with both clubs. Of course, she’s an outstanding athlete who could compete in Nationals, and he’s a skinny, out-of-shape nerd. So she gives him a handicap… which likely still won’t be enough.
As noted above, this is not Tsukinoki’s book but Lemon’s, though the other girls all get a good scene or two. My favorite was Shikiya, who realizes that, like Araragi, Nukumizu is a guy who would “save anyone”, and she likes that a lot less than Senjougahara did. Lemon, meanwhile, is dealing with an issue she’s had before – she’s simply too good at track, and the coaches are understandably concentrating on her to get the school some notice and to get her into Nationals. She, however, is worried about all the other track girls, who are not as good as her and therefore not getting the attention. Of course, as it turns out none of the girls feel resentment towards her at all, mostly as Lemon is a sweetie pie who has not a single selfish bone in her body. Once he wins (sorry to spoil, but come on, this IS still a light novel), he solves the problem by telling her to be more selfish. The girls not being as good as she is is not her problem. Go for the gold. Too bad love isn’t like a track meet, no matter how much she tried to make it so.
So now our leads head into second year, and I bet that means a new character being introduced who’s a giant flaming loser of a girl. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
POLL: favourite releases of September 2025
Dec. 4th, 2025 11:30 pmparadisedinermod posting in paradisedinerWe continue! The polls for July and August are still open. You can make your case for your faves in the comments and if we missed something, you can do a write-in vote in the comments.
Poll #33916 September 2025
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 13
What are your favourite releases of September 2025?
View Answers
ACE (VAV) - Eres Tu
0 (0.0%)
Aespa - Rich Man
1 (7.7%)
Aimers - Called Game
0 (0.0%)
ALL(H)OURS - Ready 2 Rumble
0 (0.0%)
Ateez - Ash
6 (46.2%)
AxMxP - I Did It
0 (0.0%)
Badvillain - Thriller
1 (7.7%)
Chaeyoung - Avocado (feat. Gliico) / Shoot (Firecracker)
1 (7.7%)
Changjo - Trapped in My Head
0 (0.0%)
Chanyeol - Zuruiyo
0 (0.0%)
Chen - Arcadia
0 (0.0%)
CIX - Wonder You
0 (0.0%)
Corbyn Besson, Tzuyu - Blink
1 (7.7%)
Cortis - Fashion
1 (7.7%)
Day6 - Inside Out
1 (7.7%)
Dayoung - Body
3 (23.1%)
Doh Kyung Soo - Dumb (feat. Penomeco)
1 (7.7%)
from20 - Social
0 (0.0%)
FTISLAND - Monochrome
0 (0.0%)
Genblue - Badass
0 (0.0%)
Haechan - CRZY
1 (7.7%)
hanhee - So Blue
0 (0.0%)
Hearts2Hearts - Pretty Please
1 (7.7%)
Hyolyn - Shotty
0 (0.0%)
IDID - 제멋대로 찬란하게 (Chan-Ran)
0 (0.0%)
Illit - Toki Yo Tomare
4 (30.8%)
izna - Mamma Mia
0 (0.0%)
Jang Wooyoung - Think Too Much (feat. Damini)
0 (0.0%)
Jinny - Everglow
0 (0.0%)
Jun K - R&B Me (feat. Changbin (Stray Kids))
0 (0.0%)
Junhee - Umbrella
1 (7.7%)
Kang Daniel - No Day
0 (0.0%)
KickFlip - Band-Aid / My First Love Song
0 (0.0%)
The KingDom - 화월가 (Last Flower)
2 (15.4%)
Lee Junyoung - Bounce
0 (0.0%)
LUN8 - Lost
1 (7.7%)
Momoland - Rodeo
0 (0.0%)
Monsta X - N the Front
4 (30.8%)
Nana - God
0 (0.0%)
NCT Wish - Color
3 (23.1%)
Orbit - Too Loud
0 (0.0%)
OX:N - Love +
0 (0.0%)
P1Harmony - EX
0 (0.0%)
Plave - Hide and Seek
0 (0.0%)
POW - Wall Flowers
1 (7.7%)
Primrose - Love Your Flower
0 (0.0%)
S.Coups x Mingyu - 5, 4, 3 (Pretty woman) (feat. Lay Bankz)
1 (7.7%)
Soorin - Sure Thing
0 (0.0%)
Suho - Who Are You
1 (7.7%)
Taemin - Veil
2 (15.4%)
TIOT - My Pride
0 (0.0%)
Treasure - Paradise
1 (7.7%)
tripleS ∞! - Password
1 (7.7%)
TWS - Head Shoulders Knees Toes
0 (0.0%)
UNIS - Moshi Moshi
0 (0.0%)
Wendy - Sunkiss
0 (0.0%)
Woodz - I'll Never Love Again
4 (30.8%)
X:IN - RRRUN
0 (0.0%)
XG - Gala
1 (7.7%)
Yerin - Awake
0 (0.0%)
Youngbin - Freak Show
0 (0.0%)
Yuqi - M.O.
1 (7.7%)
Zerobaseone - Iconik
1 (7.7%)
Tender Cruelty by Katee Robert
Dec. 4th, 2025 09:00 amsmartbitches_feed
B+
Tender Cruelty
by Katee Robert
December 2, 2025 · Sourcebooks Casablanca
Fantasy/Fairy Tale RomanceRomance
The only way to review a book this late in a series is in a lightning review. There’s only so much you can say without spoiling the entire series. Suffice to say, spoilers for the preceding eight books lie ahead.
It is finally Zeus and Hera’s turn! PRAISE BE! I was one of the chumps who thought this would be book 3. Anyone else?
Can you believe?! Things are happening!
The threat of Circe has been hanging over Olympus for ages now and there hasn’t been much movement in the Circe plot. In Tender Cruelty, so much is revealed. We learn some of the truth about Hermes and we meet Circe. I’ll say no more than that outside of spoiler tags.
First, the plot. Circe’s plan to destroy Olympus is gaining traction. The entire city has been evacuated to the countryside because of the sea blockade. After the sea blockade fell apart in the previous book, the Thirteen are left floundering and trying to find Circe because they know she’s in the city.
The romance between Hera and Zeus involved a pleasing thawing of relations between the two. Although it is SHOCKINGLY revealed very early on that the two have sex in the dark every night and have done so for their entire marriage! I’m not sure if I’m on board with marital relations from the start or if I wanted their enmity to be even more all-consuming. Although how you get more intense enemies than the many-book-spanning ‘active plot to kill’, I’m not sure.
I would have liked more time with Hera and Zeus in their lovey dovey stage so I could relish the sweet tenderness a bit more, but the bigger Circe plot had different demands.
Don’t even attempt Tender Cruelty unless you’ve read the others in the series. I’ve been awaiting this story since early in the series, and if you read nothing else, please know that I really enjoyed Tender Cruelty (mostly because THINGS HAPPEN) and it brings me joy that I can recommend it to you.
Looking ahead to the final installment in the series, I believe we are offered drama of the highest order. I can’t wait.