Reading Year in Review 2018

I think we all can agree that 2018 was a dumpster fire of a year and yet, somehow, I managed to get through 95 books.  My reading goal is always 100, so while I did fall short, 95 is the most I've managed to get through since 2014 (when I read an incredible 119).  Here's how it all broke down (and yes, I count DNFs):

5 Stars (A Grade) = 7

4 Stars (B Grade) = 27

3 Stars (C Grades, includes some "low B-") = 38

2 Stars (D Grades) = 10

1 Star (F Grades) = 3

DNF (Did Not Finish) = 10

Audiobooks = 28

My A grades were up this year (although pretty consistent from previous years - I rarely assign 5-Stars in the double digits), my DNFs were up a smidge, my audiobook numbers were down (shorter work commute after I moved last year!), and my C grades outpaced my B grades (which is not great).  But, I'll take it.  This was the most productive reading year I've had in a dog's age.

Now, for what everybody cares about: the books!  A reminder that this is a recap of what I loved and read during 2018, but not necessarily books published in 2018.  I'm perpetually behind, so most of my Best Of list will be books that will, hopefully, be lurking in TBRs already or easy to score at your local library.

Note: Title links will take you to full reviews

The Romance:

Burn Down the Night (2016) and Wait For It (2017) by Molly O'Keefe - After not a single romance garnered an A grade from me in 2017, I vowed to start off 2018 on the right foot - with an author who consistently works for me.  The final two books in a quartet series, Burn Down the Night gives me the closest thing I've read to a true Bad Girl Heroine in the genre and Wait For It is an example of an Asshole Hero done right.  I didn't read these books so much as inhale them.

Breathe (2016) by L. Setterby - My contest judging this year was largely meh, but holy hell where has this book been all my life?!  A perfect example of starting a book, reading the first sentence, and just falling head over feet right into the world.  I'm so hooked that I downloaded the Wattpad app to read the next book in the series (still being released in weekly installments as I write up this post).

An Extraordinary Union (2017) by Alyssa Cole - A historical romance with legit high stakes conflict.  I loved this heroine so much I'm thinking of taking the Gone Fishin' sign off of my ovaries.

The Tycoon's Socialite Bride (2014) by Tracey Livesay - Here it is, the best category romance I read this year.  Livesay hit all her emotional beats, right on time.  I loved the heroine's family baggage and the hero bent on revenge but not needlessly cruel (although this one does rip your guts out in parts).  Don't think you like category romance?  Try this one.  It's damn near magical.

Indigo (1996) by Beverly Jenkins - Arguably the book that Jenkins is best known for, and it's easy to see why.  She puts so much into this story, addressing racism, colorism, and sexism, without preaching from the pulpit or losing sight of the romance.  Also, I've always felt that Jenkins' strength (well, besides her dynamite heroines) is her world-building.  The community she creates in this story, using the Underground Railroad as a backdrop, was so well done.

The Soldier Prince (2018) by Aarti V. Raman - This is my cracktastic read of the year, basically a category romance about a former Black Ops-style soldier, who is really a prince, who falls in love with a struggling college student waiting tables in a New York City deli.  This one is full of ALL THE TROPES and I couldn't get enough of it.  Raman needs to publish the next book in this series, like, yesterday.

Delicious Temptation (2015) by Sabrina Sol - Believable baggage (seriously, families can be the worst), and I loved the East LA family bakery backdrop.  Is it because I live in southern California and know the area?  Maybe.  Because Sol writes it so very well.  My runner up for best category read of the year.

Not Romance, Still Awesome:

The Broken Girls (2018) by Simone St. James - It's to the point now where I'm a squee'ing unreasonable fangirl for Simone St. James, but seriously, I loved this one.  A time slip novel with converging 1950 and 2014 plot treads and a nice "romantic elements" secondary thread involving the 2014 heroine and her cop boyfriend.  

Grant (2017) by Ron Chernow - A long book (47 hours on audio!), this one is worth the time investment.  Grant's life exemplifies the old "truth is stranger than fiction" adage.  That this man, basically a failure is every other aspect of his life, defeated the Confederacy, saved the Union, and became President is simply remarkable.  This is my new Read A Book Already book.  Plus, I learned stuff.  Which is always nice when reading non-fiction.

Jane Doe (2018) by Victoria Helen Stone - The revenge thriller I didn't know I needed.  A cool, methodical heroine who exacts her revenge against the worst sort of hypocritical DudeBro.  I loved every blessed minute of it.

Charlesgate Confidential (2018) by Scott Von Doviak - A crime novel set in Boston with three converging timelines. It did take a while for me to sink into this story and I did have to read about the damn Red Sox way too much for my liking, but this one is excellent.  Excellent world building.  Excellent mystery.  Interesting characters.  It kept me guessing all the way to the end.

Comfort Read/Author of 2018:

Marcia Muller - Every reader I know has what they call "comfort reading."  Either a favorite book or author, maybe a favorite genre.  For me, that's mystery.  I fell in love with reading via mysteries.  I devoured them as a teen, so there's a really high nostalgia factor at play here.  Given what a mess 2018 was, it's probably not surprising that I read 14 books in the Sharon McCone series this year.  I got through books 3 - 15 and one short story collection this year, in a mix of audio and print.  Technically these were all rereads for me, revisiting books I first read or listened to on audio as a teenager and in my early 20s.  Yes, some held up better than others, but the world building! The character arcs! I wanted to read more in the series this year, but other obligations have kept me from them.  I plan to pick up again with book 16 in 2019.

And that's my Year In Review for 2018.  I'm quite pleased with myself, but continue to hope for bigger and better in 2019.  The goal, once again, is 100 books.  Let's see if I make it.

Review: Indigo

When people talk about Beverly Jenkins' books some common threads always appear.  They talk about her use of history in the context of developing a romance arc.  They talk about her stellar heroines.  They talk about her manly heroes who, generally speaking, fall hard for the heroine.  And they talk about Indigo - her third published book and a favorite for many, many of her fans.  After listening to it on audio?  I can see why.  There is so much to unpack in this story.

Hester Wyatt's father was a free man who sold himself into bondage to be with Hester's mother.  After his death, Hester and her mother were sold (separately) and after 6 years Hester, still a young child, was spirited away from the South Carolina indigo plantation by a man posing as a slave trader.  Turns out he was working for Hester's aunt, her father's sister, a free woman living in Michigan.  Hester was no longer a slave.  She learned at her aunt's knee, and continued her abolitionist work after her death.  Hester's home near Ann Arbor, Michigan is part of the Underground Railroad.

It's on a dark, stormy night that Galen Vachon arrives on her doorstep, severely beaten.  Galen is known as "The Black Daniel," so infamous for helping runaway slaves that the bounty on his head is astronomical.  Galen firmly believes that there is a traitor in Hester's small town, which nearly led to his capture by vile slave catchers, whereas Hester cannot fathom such a notion.  She lives in a town of good people, many of them heavily involved in the Railroad and other abolitionist causes.  Surely Galen is mistaken.

That's how the story opens - with Hester nursing a wounded (and cantankerous) man back to health while hiding the fact he's living in her cellar when slave catchers come knocking on her door.  Then, about halfway through, Galen's true identity is revealed.  He comes from a very wealthy Louisiana Creole family with some dramatic family dynamics and enough money and power at his disposal to aid the abolitionist cause.

So this is really the tale of two books.  It starts off one way (Galen is just some ordinary bloke doing extraordinary work) and finished another (Galen is a rich man whose money makes life easier - in some respects - for the romantic couple).  I could see some readers being disappointed with this turn of events reading the book for the first time in 2018 - because, to be honest, we hit Peak Billionaire Saturation Point about 5 years ago.  But it's a very smart authorial choice by Jenkins as it allows her to address a lot of -isms in relation to the developing romance.

Besides racism, Jenkins also addresses classism and colorism into the conflict of the romance.  Galen's grandmother is a piece of work, and the Creole's have their own rich, vibrant history within the framework of US History at large.  But that doesn't mean they were immune to -isms.  Galen falling for a dark skinned former slave, whose bondage is branded on her in the form of her permanently indigo stained hands and feet, would be painfully unacceptable to someone like his grandmother.  Add to this that Galen's grandfather left his grandmother for his dark-skinned mistress and yeah.  Hester would be seen as less than nothing.  It would be the equivalent of a Duke falling in love with a scullery maid.  It just isn't done.

Then, of course, there's the racism.  The Underground Railroad and the work of abolitionists features prominently and per Jenkins' modus operandi, she creates an entire community around the primary romance and larger story.  I've read probably a handful of Jenkins' work now (4 or 5?) and my usual quibble is that I wish her plotting were tighter.  Well, turns out - that's not really my quibble.  Indigo finally has helped me to articulate what Jenkins does so well: she creates Community Based Romance.  Basically she's writing Small Town Contemporary except her books aren't always in small towns or contemporaries.  She doesn't just give readers the romance.  She gives readers a whole community.  And, if you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you'll know that that's not really my "thing" in the romance genre.  It's why I love category length romance so much - that intense, hyper-awareness of the romance. I basically want to be claustrophobic in the romance with no outside distractions.  So yeah. Jenkins' plotting is not "too loose."  She's building a world - which is what 95% of what readers want and I'm simply contrary.  Seriously, do you love small town contemporaries?  Jenkins' historicals are PERFECT crossover. Turns out Wendy is not too old to learn.

Books like Indigo make me wish someone could pay me a livable wage to sit around and talk romance novels all day.  It's the kind of book that scholars should study - because what Jenkins creates is amazing.  How she addresses slavery, classism, colorism, and even sexism (some of Hester's male counterparts working on the Railroad are dismissive of the work the women are doing - because OF COURSE they are).  There were moments where I felt the history Jenkins infuses into the story wasn't always seamless (John Brown's Raid comes into play at the end, and it felt like a clunky insertion), but having read some of Jenkins' later work, I think this is more a by-product of her getting stronger as a writer over time (remember, this was only her third published book!).  Also, I "get" why some of those less-than-seamless historical elements were included in the story - they make sense given the lives the characters are living.

I feel like I can ramble on about this book for days.  There's just a lot here and now usurps Topaz as my favorite Jenkins book.  The heroine is simply dynamite (she is so, so good - even by Jenkins' stellar heroine standards) and the larger themes the author explores are just so incredibly well-thought out without weighing down the romance.  A tour de force.

Final Grade = A-

Top 5 Unusual Historicals for January 2018

So here we are.  It's the first month of a new year which would typically inspire hope and wonder that we haven't already kicked our well-meaning resolutions to the curb.  I started out my 2018 reading like a house on fire thanks to finding the right books at the right time.  However in the past week I've DNF'ed three books in a row and now I'm browsing around grasping at straws (as you do).  The perfect time to go browsing for new historicals! Here's what is catching my eye this month:

Forbidden Night with the Highlander by Michelle Willingham (medieval)

The handsome Highlander who seduced her…

…is the very man she must marry!  

 In this Warriors of the Night story, Lianna MacKinnon seeks to avoid her betrothal to a Norman lord by giving herself to an intriguing stranger. But afterward, she discovers her sensual lover is none other than Rhys de Laurent—her betrothed—in disguise! They’ve already had their wedding night… Now there’s no escaping their marriage vows!

This is the second book in a series and yes, of course I still have book one waiting for me in my digital TBR.  Willingham is basically an autobuy for me, so yes, this will get added to the pile and read...one of these days.

A Delicate Affair by Lindsay Evans (1920s)

Golden Worth is a proud southerner. But when some “good” Georgia boys threaten to lynch him, he runs north to Washington DC to make music and a new life for himself. He doesn’t count on falling for the untouchable Leonie Harper, an aristocratic beauty with a mind for sin. He knows better than to want her, but the Radcliffe-bound girl who’s supposed to be a blushing debutante is anything but. She captivates him, tempting him to want things he once thought were out of reach.  

All too easily, Golden falls into Leonie’s scented embrace, even though he suspects she’s only playing with him until something richer comes along. 

Can this country boy convince a big city girl to take a chance on real love, or will she leave him swinging in the wind?

This is the first novella in a multi-author series with a new story set in a new decade releasing every month during 2018 (a 2010-set romance ends the series in December 2018).  From what I can tell this appears to be Evans' first historical (she's got a number of contemporary category romances under her belt).

Wallflower Most Wanted by Manda Collins (Regency)

THE PICTURE OF ROMANCE  

A dedicated painter, Miss Sophia Hastings is far more concerned with finding the right slant of light than in finding Mr. Right. But when an overheard conversation hints at danger for another local artist, Sophia is determined to get involved. Even if it means accepting help from an impossibly good-looking vicar who insists on joining her investigation—and threatens to capture her heart…  

 Reverend Lord Benedick Lisle knows that Sophia is no damsel in distress. But he won’t allow her to venture into peril alone, either. . .especially since he finds Sophia’s curious, free-spirited nature so alluring. But protecting her from harm is becoming more difficult than the vicar could have expected as he and Sophia confront their fiery mutual passion. Who could have known that the art of love would prove so irresistible?

I know.  Typically this column steers clear of Regency-set historicals but VICAR HERO!!!!!  Ahem.  We need more vicar heroes.  Says Wendy.  Also, Collins is a librarian. 

Tempest by Beverly Jenkins (western)

What kind of mail-order bride greets her intended with a bullet instead of a kiss? One like Regan Carmichael—an independent spirit equally at home in denims and dresses. Shooting Dr. Colton Lee in the shoulder is an honest error, but soon Regan wonders if her entire plan to marry a man she’s never met is a mistake. Colton, who buried his heart along with his first wife, insists he only wants someone to care for his daughter. Yet Regan is drawn to the unmistakable desire in his gaze.  

Regan’s far from the docile bride Colton was expecting. Still, few women would brave the wilds of Wyoming Territory for an uncertain future with a widower and his child. The thought of having a bold, forthright woman like Regan in his life—and in his arms—begins to inspire a new dream. And despite his family’s disapproval and an unseen enemy, he’ll risk all to make this match a real union of body and soul.

This is the third book in Jenkins' current series for Avon.  I love that Colton is surprised that Regan is "far from the docile bride" he was expecting.  Darlin', you're the hero in a Beverly Jenkins romance novel.  You should have been prepared that the heroine wasn't going to be some simpering miss.

 Sunrise Over Texas by M.J. Fredrick (western) reprint

Texas Frontier, 1826  

Kit Barclay followed her husband into the wilds of Texas only to be widowed. Stranded with her mother- and sister-in-law to care for, with no hope of rescue before winter sets in, Kit has only one goal: survival. So when a lone horseman appears on the horizon, and then falls from his mount in fever, Kit must weigh the safety of her family against offering aid and shelter to the handsome stranger.  

Trace Watson has lost everything that ever mattered to him. Trying to forget, he heads to the frontier colony of San Felipe, not caring if he lives or dies. But when he wakes to discover he's being nursed back to health by a brave young widow, he vows to repay her kindness by guiding the three women back to civilization, no matter what the cost.  

Soon, Kit and Trace are fighting the elements, Indian attacks and outlaws—as well as feelings they both thought were long buried...

When I saw this title pop on Amazon I thought, "I'll feature this because it was originally a Samhain title."  Um, yeah.  No, it wasn't.  Imagine my surprise - this was actually originally published by Carina back in 2010.  Anywho - Fredrick obviously got her rights back and I'm more than half in love with this cover.  It's also a western set pre-Civil War which is nearly unheard of (take it from the historical western reader - these are hard to come by!).  A couple of my reading buds really liked this one back in the day and I could of sworn I owned it but a cursory glance in my digital TBR is telling me I don't.  Well, I'm buying it now.

What Historicals are you looking forward to this month?

No Author Is Immune: Anatomy of a DNF

There are certain authors I read for very specific reasons.  I read Beverly Jenkins for her heroines.  She writes great heroines.  Smart, self-reliant, with a touch of sass.  Jenkins writes the sort of heroines who don't need a romance.  If a romance never came along, they'd be just fine.  No, they deserve a romance and as the reader you want to see them get their happy ending.

Work had Always And Forever on audio and despite my mental block of listening to romance, I thought I'd try it.  I was mostly enjoying it until...well, until the sex ruined everything.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Warning, warning! Thar Be Spoilers Ahoy!

Grace Atwood has been left at the altar.  Her mother died when she was young.  Her banker father valued that his daughter had a brain in her head and raised her to be independent.  In fact, after he passes, Grace has taken over running the bank.  Finally, at 30, she thinks she's found The One.  Only to have her groom throw her over at the altar when the wealthier woman he was pursuing agrees to marry him.  Grace then has to face the guests, return the wedding gifts, and deal with the inevitable talk that follows - but she does so with her head held high.  That said, when her cousin in Kansas asks her to coordinate finding some mail-order brides of good, quality backgrounds?  Grace goes all in.

Grace has no trouble finding the brides and decides that they will travel by wagon.  Jim Crow is now firmly entrenched and she can't risk the women traveling by train (where they would either have to travel in cattle cars, or be dumped out in the middle of nowhere by racist, unethical conductors).  It will take longer, but a wagon train seems the wiser course of action.  But she needs to hire a man to lead the wagon train and that's when she stumbles upon Jackson Blake, a Texan With a Past who is now living in a Chicago whorehouse.

This is all fairly straight forward.  Headstrong heroine, Alpha hero, wagon train heading west.  Sparks fly, banter exchanged, sexual tension you can see for miles.  Interesting characters and amusing exchanges (Grace's great-aunts are fantastic, as is a scene when secondary character Loreli Winters dispatches some bandits).  The plotting could have been tighter in some spots (Do I really care that Grace's ancestor was a pirate?  No.  No I do not.), but this was hovering somewhere around a B or B- for a good long while.

But then it happened.  The sex scene.

There actually wasn't anything wrong with the sex.  A little flowery, but again - I was listening to this on audio and I, admittedly, have a difficult time with someone reading me sex scenes.  No, it was the aftermath that landed this firmly in my I Cannot Be Bothered To Continue pile.

Jackson is all like, sure Grace I'm all for us burning up the sheets - but you'll have to marry me if you get pregnant because ain't no way I'm letting a child of mine be born without my name.  Of course they're getting all hot and heavy by this point and Grace is all like, "Whatever cowboy just do me already!!!!" and, you know, they do.  Then Jackson is all like, "Well now you have to marry me because you're carrying my child." 

That's right - they've literally just had sex.  The one time.  And Jackson, who obviously has delusions he's a Great Swami besides a cowboy, tells Grace she's now pregnant and that she will, in no uncertain terms, marry him.  Grace is naturally a little peeved by his high-handedness never mind that THEY DON'T KNOW FOR SURE IF SHE'S PREGNANT!!!!

I'm not kidding.  He pulls out and basically is all like, now we get married.  Grace resists, he threatens to wire her great-aunts, she's all like, you're a jerkface, he wires her aunts, they show up and say, "Honey you should marry that man."  Nevermind that NOBODY KNOWS IF GRACE IS EVEN PREGNANT!!!!  She hasn't even had a late period yet.  SERIOUSLY?!?!?!?!?!??!

I just couldn't deal anymore.  I think the objective was to show the reader that Jackson is a good, honorable man who wouldn't use the heroine for mere sexual gratification and then dispose of her cruelly.  Never mind that he agreed to take on the wagon train because he has plans to go back to Texas to avenge his father's murder.  He's going to railroad the heroine into marriage first THEN go off to Texas to possibly get himself killed.  His demanding marriage, him just immediately knowing she MUST be pregnant, all the while he has plans to leave the heroine behind while he's off to seek revenge - well, it annoyed me no end.   

We Had Sex One Time Ergo Of Course You MUST Be Pregnant Because I Am Strong And Virile With The World's Most Amazing Super Sperm!!!!!  Mwhahahahahaha!

And while I'm at it - the guy was living in a Chicago whorehouse.  I know since the dawn of time birth control has largely been an issue women have dealt with (and Grace, while 30, is a virgin...) - but dude.  He didn't pick up any pointers at all?  Of course he's a man - he probably couldn't be bothered.

So yeah. I'm out. I don't know if Grace is really pregnant and I don't know if Jackson ends up going to Texas after all but....ugh. I'm done caring.

Final Grade = DNF

Unusual Historical Spotlight: Diamonds, Telephones, The Terror, A Bounty Hunter, and Gambling

Flawless by Carrie Lofty

What You Need To Know: Publication date September 27, 2011; First book in series

Description: 

A passion this seductive is more precious than diamonds. . . .

Sir William Christie, ruthless tycoon and notorious ladies' man, is dead. Now his four grown children have gathered for the reading of his will. What lies in store for half-siblings Vivienne, Alexander, and twins Gareth and Gwyneth? Stunning challenges that will test their fortitude across a royal empire...and lead them to the marvelously passionate adventures of their lives.

Lady Vivienne Bancroft fled England for New York, hoping to shed the confines of her arranged marriage to unrepentant rogue Miles Durham, Viscount Bancroft--though she never forgot the fiery desire he unleashed with his slightest touch. And when the gambling man arrives on her doorstep for a little sensual revenge for her desertion, he is met with Vivienne's dilemma: she must earn her father's inheritance by profitably running a diamond business worth millions in colonial South Africa.

Swept together in an exotic undertaking filled with heated passion and hungry temptation, will Vivienne and Miles discover that the marriage vows they once made are the greatest snare--or the most treasured reward?

 What Makes It Unusual: South Africa baby!

Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist

What You Need To Know: Publication date October 1, 2011; Inspirational (my past experience with this author is that she doesn't beat readers over the head with "the God stick" - but I can't speak for this particular title yet).

Description: 

Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man's world ... which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder.

Dashing Luke Palmer is more than he appears though. He's a Texas Ranger working undercover to infiltrate a notorious gang of train robbers. Repairing telephones and tangling with this tempestuous woman is the last thing he wants to do. But when his stakeout puts Georgie in peril, he realizes more than his job is on the line.

What Makes It Unusual: ZOMG - a Texas Ranger undercover and a switchboard-workin' heroine!

Love's Charade by Jane Feather

What You Need To Know: Publication date October 4, 2011; Reprint

Description:

A LADY REVEALED
The Earl of Linton had never been prone to sentiment. Only boredom could have led him to rescue Danny, a filthy street urchin, from the clutches of a drunken brawler. Once rescued, however, the spirited ragamuffin proved a handful even for the usually unflappable nobleman. Not only did a simple bath require force, but the squirming brat imprisoned in his arms turned out to be a winsome young lady--and a strangely familiar one at that...

A HEART DISGUISED

Danielle was grateful for the Earl's timely intervention, but not for his arrogance and bruising strength. She had fended for herself quite well until now, against dangers more far-reaching than anyone imagined. That she had won the Earl's considerable protection only made it more vital that she keep her wits about her--and never give in to the quickening of her heartbeat every time his deceptively lazy eyes bore into hers...

What Makes It Unusual: Set in Paris on the eve of the French Revolution.

Night Hawk by Beverly Jenkins

What You Need To Know:  Publication date October 25, 2011

Description: 

Outlaw. Preacher.  Night Hawk. He’s had many names, but he can’t escape the past.

Since Ian Vance’s beloved wife was murdered years ago, the hardened bounty hunter knows he’ll never feel love or tenderness again, so he’s made it his mission to ensure others get their justice. But when he’s charged with delivering a sharp-eyed beauty to the law, Ian can’t help but feel he may still have something left to lose.

Orphaned at twelve, Maggie Freeman has always found her way out of trouble. But now there’s a vigilante mob at her back who would like nothing more than to see her hang for a crime she didn’t commit. Maggie may have to accept help for the first time in her life . . . even if it’s from the one man standing between her and freedom.

As the past closes in, the sassy prisoner and toughened lawman may just find a passion between them that could bring blinding happiness . . . if they’ll let it.

What Makes It Unusual:  Western baby!  Western!  YeeHaw!

Fortune's Son by Emery Lee

What You Need To Know: Publication date November 1, 2011

Description:

Love is the ultimate gamble…

Seasoned gambler Philip Drake knows every trick and uses most of them. After years of infamy, he’s ready to accept the mantle of respectability with his earldom— until a devastating racing loss and the threat of debtors’ prison force Philip right back into his gaming ways…

Susannah, Lady Messingham, is a woman with a past who refuses to belong to any man again. But Philip’s skill catches her eye and she persuades him to teach her how to win at the tables. Their new partnership turns into an exhilarating high-stakes game that entangles them in terrifying risk and unimaginable rewards....

What Makes It Unusual:  Georgian-era England (oh, and the gambling thing....)

• This is just a small sampling of upcoming and recently released titles. Have you read any promising unusual historicals of late?