Amanda's Book Recs [11.25.23]

Books I've read and loved in the past couple months.

Author

Amanda Reads
November 25, 2023

Hello, reader.

I read a lot but don’t review or recommend books the way I did when I had my blog, On a Book Bender. Let’s get back to it and talk books.

In this roundup, it’s all romance: Come As You Are by Jess K Hardy (contemporary), Role Playing by Cathy Yardley (contemporary), Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland (paranormal), and A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane (fantasy).

Come As You Are by Jess K. Hardy

Why I read it: My friend Kelly recommended this one and I picked it up when the ebook was on sale.

Review #insixwords: Excellent Gen X, small town romance.

More:

  • Older characters: he’s 53, she’s 46.

  • She’s trying to keep her ski hill afloat, he’s got men from the sober living home who’ll work for her.

  • Her ex-husband’s a jerk and trying to buy the mountain from her.

  • Themes of addiction, divorce, grief, insecurity, and fear of vulnerability.

  • They actually communicate and course correct when they mess up.

  • He has an existing emotional support network and feels his feelings; she learns to find herself and stand up.

  • The romance itself is sweet and charming, where they build each other up.

  • There is sabotage! Other big things happen!

  • First in a series; the second book Lips Like Sugar is due out March 2024

Recommendation: This is a fantastic contemporary romance, great for fans of small town romance or for anyone looking for romances with older characters. If you like Role Playing, you might like this one, too.

Role Playing by Cathy Yardley

Why I read it: I picked this up during one of my Bookshop.org buying sprees (I’ve since banned this method of book buying) because there was a lot of positive buzz flying around the book earlier this year.

Review #insixwords: An aggressively adorable, refreshing slow burn.

More:

  • When they meet online through video game, he think she’s a grandma; she thinks he’s a teen. (She’s 48, he’s 50.)

  • Bisexual and demisexual rep (also biphobia, homophobia, and acephobia because people are the worst).

  • This slow burn romance takes mistaken identities to friends to lovers to “I will physically fight someone for you.” (Also has the hurt comfort trope.)

  • Bogwitch! She’s grumpy, he’s sunshine.

  • Explorations of consent, community, friendship, complicated family relationships, and discovering one’s sexuality (no matter your age).

  • Probably one of my favorite reads of this year.

Recommendation: You don’t need to love video games to enjoy this contemporary romance. Read it for the older characters; read it for the friendship turned romantic relationship that slowly develops and blossoms into something that’s beautiful.

Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Why I read it: I picked this one up at a Tropes & Trifles pop-up event but no longer remember what drew me to the book itself. I read it in October as a lead up to Halloween.

Review #insixwords: Lush, lyrical, and lingering paranormal romance.

More:

  • I would like to be a plant whisperer too.

  • Food plays such an important, central theme throughout.

  • Second chance romance, small town, single POV, Latine rep (Cuban, Mexican, Dominican).

  • An intriguing paranormal world with THINGS happening toward the end that made me eager for more stories within the world.

  • Themes of family (in all its complicated and sometimes traumatic glory), environment, and betrayal.

Recommendation: Read alike for fans of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches or who want more cozy fantasy books. Be sure you can tolerate secrets between the main characters.

A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane

Why I read it: Lauren at Tropes & Trifles pitched this “there’s a bloody hand job in this” and I was like, “Okay,” and bought this book and the second in the series.

Review #insixwords: A brutal, bleak, and beautiful romantasy.

More: 

  • The bloody hand job is part of the first meeting between characters—when he intended to kill her.

  • Most epic and explosive (pun intended) meeting between main characters.

  • True “I want to kill you” enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, revenge, found family, slow burn.

  • Immersive, bleak world that made me glad to have the second book, and sad when I learned that the third book in the series hasn’t been published yet.

  • The kind of book that gave me a book hangover.

  • Be prepared for extended world building and a 500+ page count.

  • There is dark magic, necromancy, demons, poison, and wraiths. And gods that visit the mortals.

  • Check your content notes before reading (or ask me)—it’s a dark one.

  • Milla Vane is Meljean Brook.

Recommendation: This is for romantasy fans who are looking for something a little more on the darker, violent side and who have the patience for worldbuilding.

What have you read and enjoyed recently? I love a good recommendation.

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