Romance Recommendations for Valentine's Day!

Love it or hate it, it's almost impossible to avoid the pink-and-red explosion of goodies that invades our lives every February so why not make the most of it and also treat your shelf  and yourself to some romance?

Romance gets a bad rap for being formulaic and homogeneous but I'm here to tell you that's not the case! Romance has something for everyone and then some. Not sure where to start? Below are some of my favorite romance reads so far:

New to Romance and not sure where to start? Try the Scandal and Scoundrel series by Sarah Maclean?

Sarah Maclean is a great gateway drug into romance. Her series always feature kick-ass feminist characters, a side of sass and are just all-around fun. Not up for a whole series? try the second book in the series: A Scot in the Dark (my personal favorite). You can normally read romance series out of order or as standalones!  

Are you a fan of YA? Try: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh!

This is a YA retelling of 1001 Nights and is actually the first part of a duology. It follows Shahrzad as she volunteers as tribute to be the Caliph's bride, except the Caliph kills his brides one day after their wedding, but not all is as it appears...

Do you enjoy heart-pounding historical fiction adventure stories? Try An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole!

Civil War spies! Adventure! Tension(sexual and otherwise)! and by far one of the most amazing kick-ass heroines I've read in a long time. This story will have you biting your nails until the last page!

Do you like PoC centered narratives and/or westerns? Try the Old West series by Beverly Jenkins!

Well, really try anything by Beverly Jenkins but this is her most recent series and it is as hot as the southwestern setting that her stories take place in.

Do you like suspense/thrillers? Try Radio Silence by Alyssa Cole!

Yes, I am recommending a second Alyssa Cole book because she is just that good! This book is set in a (dystopian?) setting where the US has lost all reception, and wholly mole does Cole put you through the wringer as we follow our protagonists trying to survive in the frigged woods of upstate New York.

Do you like intergenerational family with a good dollop of drama? Try Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai!

Alisha writes more 'angsty' romance than average if you are not into the sugary sweet but like complicated, fully developed characters grappling with deeper issues like family relationships and mental health this is the one for you.

Looking for something to give you the warm and fuzzies? Try Moonlight Over Manhattan by Sarah Morgan!

If angst is not really your wheelhouse try Sarah Morgan's Manhattan series, I have only personally read Moonlight over Manhattan but if it's any indication of her writing the whole series should be amazing. This book follows an overworked ER doctor and the dog-walker turned dog-sitter he hires to watch his sister's dog for a week. It is just adorable.

Looking for something sweet but feeling meh on the sexy? Try Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber.

Debbie is a bit of a legend for the sheer number of books she produces especially her Christmas-themed books which she has published each year, pretty much consistently each year since 1986. Although Christmas has passed, I think this one can be read all year around. It centers on Christmas grump whose next door neighbor decides to 'kill him with kindness' and blog about her experience but then feelings happen.

What am I reading next in Romance? I am picking up The Wedding Date by debut novelist Jasmine Guillory! Getting stuck in an elevator and a fake date to an ex's wedding turns into something more? I can't wait to find out! 

  

Greenlight Bookstores

It's been a while since I've done a NYC Bookstore Spotlight! Today I want to introduce you to one of my favorite bookstores in NYC: Greenlight Bookstores! There are actually two locations, the original and larger one in Fort Greene and the second branch in Prospect Leffert Gardens (both are in Brooklyn) I am actually closest to the PLG branch but frequent both regularly since they host different bookish events at each location.

Greenlight PLG! 

There are several things that I love about Greenlight and that make these bookstores stand out even among the excellent selection of indies that NYC has to offer: First the curation is excellent, featuring everything from front list literary fiction to a large children's section as well as a selection of journals, postcards and other NYC bookish souverniers. The prices tend to be full-sticker prices but they will have occasional sales and do have a great rewards program. 

Second, Greenlight tends to have some of the best bookish events and book groups in the city. Greenlight draws in big names like Jesmyn Ward and Celeste Ng as well as local authors like Liza Jessie Peterson. Being able to attend author events like these has definitely been a highlight of my bookish life in NYC. They also host a wide range of book clubs and book groups catering to most genre tastes.

At the launch for Sing, Unburied, Sing!

Last, but certainly not least, the staff is one of the friendliest and most knowledgeable that I've encountered. They're always up for a chat about their favorite latest read or ready with a recommendation handy should you need one. My only quibble with Greenlight is the way they shelve their books (you know it's a great bookstore when my only concern is being petty over the shelving methodology!) They shelve all of their fiction together without separating by genre. Which means that I can't go to the mystery section and browse which is, I realize, the most first-world complaint ever. 

In all seriousness, I adore Greenlight for the access to high quality events it gives readers, several of my bookish friends and I have bonded over attending Greenlight events, (like book club) they're always a great time! If you live in the Brooklyn area or are just visiting the area and are interested in bookish events, take a look at Greenlight's calendar, chances are there's an amazing event in the next few days.

Bookhaul for #Smallbuinsesssaturday #shoplocal

The Silver Gun by L.A. Chandlar

Title: The Silver Gun
Author: L.A. Chandlar
Publisher:  Kensington
Publication Year: 2017
Pages: 334
Genre:Mystery/Historical Fiction
My Rating: 3.75/5

Summary:

The Silver Gun in the first in the Art Deco Mystery series, a historical mystery series set in 1930's New York City. The story follows Lane Sanders, the 23 year old personal assistant to one of the city's most iconic mayors: Fiorello LaGuardia as she suddenly becomes the target of one of the city's most terrifying gangsters, uncovers a devastating revenge plot orchestrated by the city's crime syndicate and discovers a startling secret in her family's past.

My Thoughts:

This book has been on my TBR since I got it at the Brooklyn Book Fair last year and I don't know what took me so long to pick it because it's so much fun! This book is fast-paced, fun and immersive. The story vividly paints 1930's New York with tons of little details that brings Lane's world to life, like great descriptions of everything from the character's dress to food and pop culture references of the time and place and the inclusion of historical real people and events, like Fiorello LaGuardia, prohibition, and the 1939 World Fair, all of which help ground the story in Depression-era New York. Personally, I'm a bit of a sucker for historical fiction set in this time period so getting to spend some time in Lane's world was an absolute treat.

The story is also a a bit of a love letter to the city with vivid descriptions of the city and city life that will also ring true to the modern day New Yorker even as you are getting a blast to the past (smoking in the subway (!!). I found myself wanting to stroll along the brownstones on the Upper East Side or picnic in Central Park while reading the book and will definitely keep my eyes peeled for all the local establishments and urban details that Chandlar so deftly weaves into the narrative.

The plot itself feels a little tongue-in-cheek in the best of ways. It offers several winks to classic mystery and noir tropes that fans of the genre will recognize and enjoy. It self-consciously plays with these tropes, especially in the side characters: the mysterious rich aunt, the surprisingly capable Mr. Butler, the intrepid reporter, the honorable gangster and the femme fatale all make an appearance. Lane herself is a strong and fearless character who follows in the steps of Nancy Drew and Phryne Fisher. She is just as comfortable outmaneuvering gangsters in the meat packing district as she is dancing the night away in Little Italy in killer heels. If you are looking for a fun, detailed and hold-on-to-your-seat ending make sure to pick this one up!

Check out the book trailer below for a great feel for the book!