Big Box, Take Two: My Brother Bought Me ANOTHER 20 Paranormal Romance Novels for Christmas

Oh, yeah. It may be 2023 now, but in some ways, it feels like 2021 all over again. 

Sorry if you feel that blogpost title takes away any of the surprise. It does kind of give everything away, all at once, doesn't it? I just feel like we all need to be on equal footing, diving into this kind of challenge again... because not to spoil ANOTHER surprise, but here, there be dragons. 

time machine: christmas 2020

Back towards the end of 2020, the BookTube and Bookstagram communities had a bit of a fascination with mystery boxes of backlist Romance titles on eBay, $25 for a box of 20 mass market paperbacks. The appeal was obvious: Romances are fun, and cheap, and this was a fun-and-cheap way of experimenting with a whole lot of Romance authors at once, in whatever genre you chose. 

I stuck the link on my Christmas list, leading to the Historical Romance options, with the assumption that - because that was the subgenre I typically read - if someone was to actually purchase it for me as a present, it would be an easy, accessible way to dive in further. After all, Romance novels in general were still something I'd only really begun exploring in the summer of 2018. 

I forgot, of course, that my brother - who is eight years my junior - will do just about anything for comedy. And nothing would be funnier, to him, than having the older sister who convinced him to read Twilight for the first time, open a box of vampire novels for Christmas. 

In some ways, he was totally right: it was VERY funny. And in others, we were both wrong: the box contained some vampires, for sure, but it also held the stories of werewolves who fall in love with veterinarians, Celtic gods who decide to be rock stars, psychics who rely on their guns more than their, you know, psychic abilities, and more. It had aliens and demons and a fair amount of ghosts, an unnecessary amount of angels, and in one gut-cringing instance, a Native American shaman from a lost ancient civilization (No, I do NOT want to explain further). 

But of course, while my brother and I absolutely love to make each other laugh, there also comes the expectation that we commit to the bit. I decided that we were going to have to make things into a bit of a challenge: I was going to read all twenty books across the course of the year, and at the end of it all, the one I rated the highest, he was going to have to read, as well.

All told, I had a great time reading through the box over the course of the year. Some were terrible - okay, a LOT were terrible - but that never made the challenge feel too stale or daunting... like those of us who enjoy Hallmark Channel Movies and gossip sessions with friends, sometimes, there's a lot of joy to be found, even when things are just, like, real bad. 

I even had friends who - when getting together for coffee or dinner - would specifically ask how the challenge was going, and would rejoice in hearing about all of the cringey, uncomfy, funny details that I unearthed from the narratives I explored along the way. 

And of course, at the end of it all, my brother read my absolute fave of the bunch: Dream Eyes, by Jayne Ann Krentz, which was not only the second book overall in the challenge, but also, became something we still reference to each other in conversation regularly. (If you are interested in a Paranormal Romance novel that seems to have just about everything - psychic investigators, psychic murderers, crystal mine explosions, cat burglars, shady pharmaceutical companies, scuba diving, cult escapees, khakis - then I heartily encourage you to give it a go. And to be clear, if anyone else can think of a book where the psychic energy generated by wind chimes harnesses enough power to torch a house, please pass the title my way.) 

You can read all of the posts from that challenge here, on my blog, at the following links: 

"My Brother Bought Me $25 Worth of Paranormal Romance" : Preliminary Research and Ranking

"Racist Vampires, Alien Drama, and Psychic Crystal House Explosions" : Midnight Lover, Dream Eyes, and How to Lose an Extraterrestrial in 10 Days

"Celtic Rockstars, Vampiric Chosen-Ones, and Deeply Un-sexy Succubi" : Immortals: The Crossing, Touch the Dark, and My Fair Succubi

"A Summer Fling with Psychics, Werewolves, and Lots of Uncomfortable Staring" : Out of Mind, Dangerous Tides, Master of Wolves, Nico, and The Portal 

"Closing Up the Box: My Final Paranormal Romance Reading Update of 2021" : Stats, Reflections, and a Final Ranking

re-vamping the challenge: 2023

Okay, so we're not necessarily re-VAMPing the challenge... I just really wanted to use that pun. In fact, everything went so darn well last time, that we're just doing the whole thing over again! 

I got a box of 20 books, I'm going to read them all, my brother reads the one I like best, yadda yadda yadda. Of course, I'll be keeping you all updated along the way; if possible, I'd like to share even more of the bananas quotes, wild plot-twists, and *ahem* unexpected narrative choices I encounter. Get ready for a whole new year, and the same old shenanigans! 

That being said, we weren't expecting things to be this similar: somehow, TWO of the books I pulled out of the twenty in the box I received this past Christmas, are two of the same titles I received back in 2021.

Out of Mind (from the Court of Angels series), by Stella Cameron, was one I reviewed within the challenge, about the next generation of families of psychics living in New Orleans, being stalked by a team of malevolent beings from another dimension. 

The romance was alright enough - though their reasons for not being together were so contrived I couldn't help but roll my eyes every time it was brought up - but the real entertainment came from trying to decipher what, exactly, the villains were: they weren't from another planet, but another plane, and could shift themselves into what were, essentially, monstrous animal forms in a way that felt like evil Animorphs. And there was a character named, unironically, Bucky Fist. Also, Dr. Blades. 

It's telling of how the overall challenge went last time, that I gave it points for not having any racist or homophobic slurs within its pages. And I still only gave it a two-star rating. 

All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire (from the Love at Stake series), by Kerrelyn Sparks was one of three books out of the box of twenty I didn't manage to finish by the time the challenge had reached its end, but no worries! I actually ended up reading it this past holiday season. 

Well, at the very least, I tried to: I got two chapters in before I decided to DNF, on account of entirely too much dialogue about whether the main character - a centuries-old vampire who had recently gone through some kind of operation to increase his physical appearance from 15 to 25 - was still a virgin. Or, you know, whether the human woman he was interested in, was actually capable of serving as a daytime bodyguard for a pack of vampires living in a luxury condo (To her credit, she did appear to be capable, but that being said, she also appeared to be a bit of an idiot). 

I mean, I've already made the Book Journal
layout for it and everything! :)

So I bailed after the second time they mentioned "Bleer," a vampire beverage that utilized a vampire-run food-fusion company to combine... well, I'm sure you can guess. 

Which means that's already two books down, and out of the way, for me! 

Of course, that still leaves EIGHTEEN Paranormal Romance novels for me to tackle in the coming year. I've spent a couple of weeks since Christmas looking them over, checking out blurbs and sizzle lines, author histories, and more. Lemme tell you... this might not be our first time at the rodeo, but in 2023, we are riding a very different horse. 

(I prithee, forestall all puns about "riding" until we at LEAST get to the first reading update, mkay?) 

Oh, come on. Aren't you at least a little curious about what else is in store for the coming year's challenge? There's no way for you to find out, until we open the box... 

what's in the box???

Shadow of the Vampire, by Megan Hatfield

Well, a 125-year-old Russian vampire princess feels right enough for the title, but a dragon lord shifter interested in stealing a powerful crystal? Now we're talking! Mentions of "torture" feel like there might be a bit of a BDSM angle to this particular Paranormal Romance, but the Harlequin logo on the spine makes me think differently. At any rate, this 2010 release has a 3.8 rating on Goodreads, out of 1320 ratings, so we'll see how it goes. 

Sleeping with the Entity, by Cat Devon

Hands down, this is my favorite title out of the entire box. It just has such a nice flow to it, you know? It sounds like a title for a made-up movie you'd see hanging in the background theater set of a scary movie or Buffy episode or something. At any rate, if that's not enough to pique your interest, maybe words like "cupcake shop owner" and "Vamptown clan of Chicago" will. I mean, the vampire leader at the heart of this romance is also the head of the local business association, giving her a hard time with her shop opening. That doesn't sound like a rollicking adventure to you? Published in 2013 and with a 3.36 rating out of 650, I'm a little worried about the lower number of ratings for a book that is only a decade old.

Ghost Moon, by Rebecca York

I don't know what about this I find more fascinating... the fact that it's the seventh in its series, the fact that the words "Ruth Glick writing as Rebecca York" are on the cover right underneath the bold-font author name, or the actual contents of the book in the blurb on the back: taking place between "[a] freed slave from a parallel universe" and the ghost of a centuries-old werewolf who has managed to take over a human body, this 2008 publication has a 3.87 out of 480 ratings.

Wizard's Daughter, by Catherine Coulter

One of two different Historical-slanted Paranormal Romance titles in the box, this particular installment - the tenth in its series - takes place during the London Season in 1835, where a mysterious orphan girl, adopted by a wealthy family in childhood, is making her debut. Enter in a duo of romantic interests and a mythical book belonging to a wizard, and as you might have guessed from the title, a certain someone is able to decipher its puzzles with ease. There's a designation of "never before published" on the cover, which feels a little strange, being that Coulter is very much alive, and very much still writing. This particular book - among her 89 published works! - was published in 2008, and has a 3.49 rating out of 2343 ratings on Goodreads. 

Darkling, by Yasmine Galenhorn

I don't know about this one, guys: the style of the model on the front cover is giving me all kinds of "teenage girl just got back from her Winter Break 2007  Caribbean cruise with her parents" vibes, though I will say, there does appear to be some blood on her pants. The third installment in its series, following a trio of half-human, half-Fae sisters, our main character being the one of whom who has also been bitten by a vampire. They're operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency, and the adventure takes place in Seattle, which is a fun enough hometown shoutout to distract me from character names like Shadow Wing and Dredge. Published in 2008, this one actually has a rating of 4.04 out of 7951 ratings, which is much higher than the cover would have me guessing... and the actual written Goodreads reviews seem to be pretty positive, too! 

Dream Chaser, by Sherrilyn Kenyon

It's the 13th in the Dark-Hunter series, which makes sense, because Kenyon's Dark-Hunter and Dream-Hunter series are both prolific AND overlapping: I had another Sherrilyn Kenyon book in the last box I got, The Guardian, which is the 20th of the same (but is only Book 5 in the Dream-Hunter subseries. Dream Chaser, instead, is only #3!). If that's all too convoluted for you, then just get lost in the piercing gaze on the front cover, and strap in: disgraced demigod Xypher is given reprieve by Hades to redeem his soul by way of one good deed, and teams up with psychic medical examiner Simone to open a portal to the Atlantean hell realm to fight demons. It's got a 4.19 out of over 29K ratings on Goodreads, and was published in 2008. Got all that? 

Undead and Unwed, by Mary Janice Davidson

A shoe-obsessed blondie from the big city is laid off from her secretary job unexpectedly. What's a girl to do? Sounds like the beginnings of any pink-and-green hued chick lit from the early '00s. What makes this 2004 release different, though, is that Betsy then gets into a car wreck, and then, turned into a vampire. Together, with her new friends, she just might be able to overturn the most power-hungry vamp in town... provided she accepts her destiny as the one the prophecy has foretold, of course. Somebody get this girl a cosmo, stat! At 3.81 stars out of a deeply unexpected 55K+ reviews, I am truly confused by the Goodreads popularity of this release... but I guess we're going to find out how all of those reviews got there. 

Premonitions, by Morgan Hayes

A psychic who watched the brutal death of her detective husband is enlisted into the ranks of a small-town precinct, in order to catch the killer in a difficult case. The most appealing thing of this read isn't just the cover - which I LOVE - but instead, the fact that it belongs to the league of Harlequin "Superromance: Women Who Dare," as decreed by its branding. "They take chances, make changes, and follow their hearts!" Evidently not Goodreads reviewers, though, as this 1994 release has an average 3.81 rating across... 16 ratings. Will I become number 17?

Shadow Keeper, by Christine Feehan

This is the author name that made me squeal when I first pulled this novel out of the box. While Krentz's Dream Eyes absolutely won my heart, Dangerous Tides - from Feehan's Drake Sister series - was my second favorite of the last challenge, and I was so excited to see that I had another opportunity to read her writing this year. But Drake Sisters, this is not: instead, it follows a family of "shadow riders," this iteration of which features a mysterious nightclub owner who falls for one of his employees, who is in serious danger. The most recent release of the box at 2018, this has the third-highest Goodreads rating of the box, too, with a cumulative 4.24 out of 5,533 reviews. 

Moon Sworn, by Keri Arthur

The ninth in a series, this 2010 release follows the love between a shape-shifting werewolf-vampire hybrid named Riley, and her vampire lover, Quinn. However, there's a little more to it than that: the blurb mentions of a recently slain soul mate, a mysterious "Directorate" where Riley works, and a ritualistic serial killer. And not to add to the confusion, but a chance opening to a random page revealed the words "nanotechnology," so, you know. I'm thinking more of a thriller than a Romance. With a 4.33 out of 12K+ reviews, I'm thinking it might even be a good one. 

Deadly Night, by Heather Graham

I got a Heather Graham from my last box, too, and both times, have had to search whether this is, you know, Boogie-Nights-and-Austin-Powers Heather Graham (It is not! But it explains why her author webpage is found at the url "theoriginalheathergraham.com"). I DNF'd my attempt at The Summoning during the last challenge, because I just could NOT get into the plot, which feels a little disconcerting, because the plot for Deadly Night feels similar, involving yet another haunted house in the South. However, this is the first in its series, and sound like enough spooky fun that it might make for a good Fall seasonal read. With a Goodreads rating of 4.07 out of 7,255 reviews, it seems like there are plenty of folks who might agree me.

Biting the Bride, by Clare Willis

Speaking of things that look like a fake movie poster in the theater scene of a made-for-TV movie, there is something so specific about the bangs of this man and the neckline of this dress that just scream "ABC Family programming." (Which makes sense, because it was published in 2010, when the ABC Fam channel was still rocking with regular episodes of Pretty Little Liars and Secret Life of the American Teenager.) This novel, however, sees a super-strength gifted lady meddling with her friend's upcoming nuptial bliss to a man she is very convinced is a vampire... one who has a habit of marrying wealthy women, and killing them for their inheritance. With a cumulative 83 reviews, amounting to a 3.33 rating, we'll have to see whether this particular romance novel has bite. Or, maybe, it sucks. Because planning a wedding can be draining... do you want me to keep going? 

Making Over Mr. Right, by Judy McCoy

Last time I embarked on this challenge, I accidentally got a non-Paranormal novel slipped into the mix, and the second I saw this cover, I honestly just kind of assumed it had happened again. However, what might look like a chick lit cover, belies a not-exactly-secret: from the author of One Night With a Goddess, comes the tale of a "Muse of Beauty's" attempts at making over a successful businessman while banished from Mount Olympus. No particular motive is attached to her actions in the blurb, so we'll have to assume she has a good reason for doing so. Zeus better think so, too, because the second this muse falls in love with a mortal, she's stuck! This 2008 release has a 3.58 out of 177 reviews, the third lowest amount in the box. To be fair, maybe they were just confused by the cover, too? 

Never Dare a Dragon, by Ashlyn Chase 

I promised you dragons, didn't I? In fact, this is one of THREE dragon books that are in this box. Between them, though, I think this third series installment is a bit of a doozy: because if you got excited when you heard there was a dragon shifter involved, I cannot wait to tell you that the other main character is actually a phoenix shifter, too... and that the two work for different fire departments. Oh, and the phoenix's surname is Fierro. One of the other more recent releases in this box, you might be surprised to hear that this 2017 publication only has 216 ratings on Goodreads, with a 3.56 average. 

What a Dragon Should Know, by G. A. Aiken

And here's the last dragon! This one, however, feels more deeply enmeshed in a traditional Fantasy world than the urban alternative. An immortal, vainglorious dragon named Gwenvael forms an alliance with the Northlanders by taking on a ferocious creature known as The Beast. The Beast is, of course, a regular human woman with glasses and a grumpy attitude, as these kinds of things are wont to go. But thankfully, the writing seems pretty funny... the sizzle line "Attraction that's off the scale" definitely had me chuckling. And the 4.32 cumulative for nearly 15K reviews definitely has me feeling optimistic about this 2009 release. 

Bustin', by Minda Webber

No, you didn't read that wrong, and no, I didn't write it wrong, either. Bustin', by Minda Webber, is a standalone Romance novel, following two rival paranormal problem resolution companies: Sam's family's "Paranormal Pest Pursuers, Inc.", and Russian hottie Nicolas' "Monsters 'R Us." Will these star-crossed lovers connect without crossing the streams? A 2007 release with a cumulative 3.42 out of 164 reviews, I'm thinking there might be something bad in the neighborhood. But there's no way to know, but to try! 

Carved in Stone, by Vickie Taylor

Okay, gang: I'm going to need you to try and guess which of these books is the surprise gargoyle romance. What, this one? How did you know? Did the gargoyle on the front cover give it away? This romance between an Interpol agent whose parents were killed by a mysterious winged creature, and a gargoyle shifter, already had my attention from jump, but as soon as I read some of the Goodreads reviews for this one, I was hooked. It may only have a 3.61 out of 381 ratings - it was published in 2005, after all - but those who enjoyed it, definitely let you know it... and in particular, the one that said it was good for "fans of the Disney show," had me sold. 

Demon's Curse, by Alexa Egan

The cover may betray the fact that of the books in the box, this is our second Historical Paranormal Romance; specifically, taking place after the Battle of Waterloo, when a member of a shapeshifting military unit that has been placed under a curse is murdered. Their Captain seeks out actress Bianca, friend to the dead man, as one of the suspects, and soon enough, the two are fleeing the killer themselves. A 2013 publication with a 3.42 out of 195 ratings, I honestly thought this one would have been higher, based on how fun I think the cover is. 

So, we've got a grand total of three dragons, six vampires, a wizard, a gargoyle, a phoenix, an animal shifter, and quite a few hybrids. The map spans between London, Seattle, Chicago, New Orleans, New York City, and realms beyond human comprehension. We've got only four standalones, and five as the first in their series, and out of all 18, only six have Goodreads ratings above a 4.0, with nine having been reviewed by UNDER one thousand Goodreads readers. 

Which one do you think I'm picking up first?

What do you think about the return of this particular reading challenge? Which books would you be reaching for first? Let me know, in the comments below!

Closing Up the Box: My Final Paranormal Romance Reading Update of 2021

After a year like 2020, you'd think I'd want a little respite from doom, gloom, and forces beyond human control. However, when my brother surprised me with a box of 20 backlist Paranormal Romance titles for Christmas in December 2020, it quickly became clear that 2021 was going to be filled with much of the same, only in a mass market paperback format. 

Was anyone forcing me to read all 20 in one year? Of course not. But did I pretty much immediately decide I was going to do it anyways? Oh yeah. I researched each on Goodreads, compiled a preliminary ranking of which titles I thought were going to come out on top, and strapped in for a year of attempting to cram as many of these questionable titles into my regular reading schedule as possible. 

While I didn't make it through all 20, I did try my hand at 17, and came back with results that were... mixed. Things that had compelling plot summaries and high ratings turned out to be flops, while those that came jam-packed with bananas narrative twists and head-scratching character choices ended up as my personal favorites. But even bad Romance makes for more than just an incredible Lady Gaga song. It also results in some of the funniest reviews I think I've ever written. 

But now the year is over (and we're already a month and a half into the next one). So let's wrap this challenge up for good, shall we? 

For starters, make sure you've read the previous posts first:

"My Brother Bought Me $25 Worth of Paranormal Romance" : Preliminary research and ranking

"Racist Vampires, Alien Drama, and Psychic Crystal House Explosions" : Midnight Lover, Dream Eyes, and How to Lose an Extraterrestrial in 10 Days

"Celtic Rockstars, Vampiric Chosen-Ones, and Deeply Un-sexy Succubi" : Immortals: The Crossing, Touch the Dark, and My Fair Succubi

"A Summer Fling with Psychics, Werewolves, and Lots of Uncomfortable Staring" : Out of Mind, Dangerous Tides, Master of Wolves, Nico, and The Portal 

Back in January 2021, I went into this challenge with a couple of different perspectives as to how things could possibly go. On one hand, I was very aware that these were backlist titles, the furthest of which reached all the way back into the '90s and early '00s. On the other hand, you never know where your next favorite read is going to come from. I went in with tepid amounts of hope, and an overabundance of enthusiasm. 

Here's what I expected: 

• A lot of vampires. Maybe a few werewolves and ghost boyfriends thrown in for good measure, but primarily, my lens was skewing heavily in the creatures-of-the-night direction. I kind of figured it based on the impulses generated from my middle school years of desperately seeking out Amelia Atwater Rhodes and R. L. Stine novels in the teens section, not even counting the rocket success of the Twilight saga in my teenage years. In my mind, Paranormal fiction will always come wearing a cape and fangs... or at least it did, at the beginning of this adventure. 
• Kind of stereotypical or trope-heavy portrayals, things that relied heavily on conventional monster depictions and romance-novel favorites. Listen: I've only been reading hardcore romance for a couple of years now, and those kinds of preconceptions about the genre are really hard to shake... especially because, in some ways, a lot of them are true. So my expectations of the Box were that I'd find a lot of softball writers in here, kind of like trawling the boundaries of Fan Fiction, with reading expectations being met as to genre and characters off the gate, so that they could focus more on developing the Romance elements of it. Obviously, I could not have been more wrong. 

By the end of February 2021, I had finished my first couple of titles, and man was I... confused. To be fair, one of the three ended up not only being a generally positive experience, but a full-out five-star read, as well as the resulting favorite book out of the entire mix! The other two, however, were a one-star for reasons that genuinely left me angry, and a DNF, based on the sheer general inability to balance extremely heavy subject matter with increasingly frustrating lighthearted Romance content. 

As the reads went on and I started to get more of a hang for the process of completing them, I still managed to be surprised by what I was picking up: 

• For starters, the foibles I was experiencing that kept tripping me up when reading had more to do with being older Romance novels in general, rather than being bad Paranormal Romance novels in particular. Sure, racism, sexism, violence, lack of diversity and representation... all of the heavy hitters were present. But these aren't specific to the genre, but instead, things that are more in keeping with books that were published before seemingly obvious designations of "how people like to be treated" had been established in the public mindset. On the flip side, the more recently published content was much more diligent about that sort of thing, which is something very in keeping with today's Romance market. 
• That being said, there were more recent books included in the box than I would have expected... to a point. Like I said, '90s and '00s Romance abounded, but there were also plenty from the later half of the '00s, too, as well as into even the late '10s. I really was able to appreciate the scope of the content, especially when connected to the variety I was experiencing in subgenre and plot contrivances, too. 

FINAL STATS

Books Read Cover-to-Cover: 8! 

Star Count:

1 star: 3

2 star: 3

3 star: none

4 star: 1 - Dangerous Tides

5 star: 1 - Dream Eyes 

Books DNF'd: 9

Shortest DNF:10.75% - Pg 40 of 372 (The Summoning)

Longest DNF: 45.57% - Pg 194 out of 294 (Master of Wolves)

Books Not Attempted: 3

After a while, reading so many similarly-shaped and somewhat interchangeable books made for some surprising trend recognition, and notable questions answered about the genre itself. Remember, I'm new-ish to Romance, so stepping full-out into the Paranormal category was a pretty significant experience for me. 

As a new entry into the field, here's some of what I noticed, within this particularly narrow sample size: 

• There were a LOT more psychics than I would have anticipated! Remember when I said I was banking on vampires? As it turns out, from this limited pool, I found a lot less than I had originally planned for, which was both good and bad... on one hand, it kept me from getting burnt out on one kind of read too hard, but on the other, by the end of the year, I was actually really wishing I could have sunk my teeth into a more recognizable story format. 
• And also aliens?? If there was anything else I should have anticipated, it was for things to venture a little beyond the lines of what my typical designations of "Paranormal" are. For instance, in any other form of fiction, I would have assumed Aliens automatically meant SciFi. However, within the Romance genre, Paranormal seems to kind of serve as a general catch-all for other forms of Genre fiction, like SF and Fantasy, too. 
• Plenty of stories featured inter-dimensional travel, and were not restricted to the earthly plane... in fact, a lot of these books had some form of tie to another plane of existence, be it distant planets, or depictions of Heaven and Hell. Occasionally, it was pretty fun: I can gladly get on board with a Fae realm, or a Demonic plane. It was just went things went a little too far around the bend - with multiple interactive groups occupying different dimensions of existence, or versions of religious levels strained past credulity - that I started to lose the plot. 
• In terms of relationship dynamics, it was pretty much exclusively alpha male heroes, with varying degrees of self-motivation from the heroines... and involving very strange relationship dynamics that I cannot imagine being suffered with much patience here on Earth. Again, maybe this is owed more to the time periods being published, but man. Get a grip on yourselves, heroes, instead of maintaining such a hard grip on the arms of your heroines. 

And yeah, honestly, some of the stuff I saw was pretty disappointing. After all, you've seen the stats, and after a while, you know what kinds of faith I had in the books I was reading (which is honestly probably why I got burnt out on the challenge shortly after the end of summer, despite still having plenty of potential months left of reading in front of me). 

But this isn't even just about the questionable content, but also, the writing direction. SO many books with over-exposition, or an overabundance of plot detail attempting to cover up threadbare and inconsequential characterizations. Powers that were quickly learned and abandoned, depending on the necessity of the scene, and dialogue that barely followed any form of coherent sense. Can you really blame me for wishing for something greater?

This also helped really cement the perspectives I had on things I did like. I DID like a few of these books, after all... and the reasons I appreciated them ended up having quite a few elements in common. Here's what I wish I saw from more of the books I read:

• I mean, besides less racism, sexism, and violence, and more diversity and representation? Because honestly, that was a real big one. Thankfully, the current trends in Romance publishing seem to veer more in this direction, but it certainly makes me more nervous to try out backlist titles. 
• Larger casts of characters, with separate and recognizable personalities: in truth, three of the books I ended up mostly enjoying, Dangerous Tides, Dream Eyes, and Out of Mind, all fit this bill! Big ol' magical families, with every kid possessing new and exciting powers, all coming complete with their own matching romantic counterpart... I mean, it makes more sense, from a publishing perspective, to handle it this way, so why not try harder to build a cohesive, fascinating cast?
• Leaning into exploring previously-known powers, rather than focusing on a novice learning a new skill set. At the beginning of this challenge, I remember actually being pretty stoked that so many of the titles were among the first in their series, because I thought that would help me identify more of a feel for what kinds of story they were. But all told, that didn't necessarily make for compelling content: I could have just as easily jumped into the ride while the engine was already running, and not missed much. 
• Less religion, honestly. I wonder if this is more of a time-period-of-publishing thing, or if its more of a genre issue, but there was A LOT of angels-and-demons content, in some ways that were slightly more sacrilegious than others. Don't get me wrong, I can handle, but honestly? My Fair Succubi was definitely pushing it past my limit... and Servant: the Acceptance was a little too Old Testament in its depictions of violence for my tastes. Neither of these - nor Minion, either, which faces off God-blessed vamp hunters against two different levels of bloodsuckers - are reads I would have ever picked out on my own dime. 

THE FINAL RANKING

(Minor point of clarification: switch The Portal and The Empath... no idea how I mixed those two covers up, but they should be flip-flopped, so that the relatively boring and unoffensive werewolfy Empath is in the topmost row, while the high-key racist-towards-Native-Americans Portal is in the second row, next to uses-the-n-word-with-so-little-rationalization Midnight Lover. There's also some debate raging in my head as to whether bad-cop-portraying Master of Wolves belongs so high in this list in comparison to weirdly-religious Servant and high-key homophobic Minion, but I'm keeping it where it stands for now.)

But now this is finally a chapter I can close! Believe it or not, but beyond one single Sarah MacLean book, these were the only Romances I read in the entirety of 2021, and by the end of things, I was really missing out on my Historical and Contemporary faves. Still, I was glad to have partaken in the self-inflicted challenge. 

Here's what I took away from the experience: 

• Again, I read two books I really, really liked! Dangerous Tides is one that I now actively search for on Romance shelves, in the hopes of finding out more about these incredibly gifted sisters and their unique counterparts, while Dream Eyes is definitely going to maintain a home among my shelves, for any future date when I might need to turn my brain back to a slightly-more-willing-to-participate-in-shenanigans mode. 
• I deep-read a genre I haven't ever had cause to interact with before. Like I said, still new-ish to Romance, and haven't had much luck with Paranormal since high school. Diving back into the deep end, with both feet first, made for an interesting reacclimation, real fast. 
• I had a project... and I LOVE a good project. Truly, I am nothing if I don't have something fun - like an embroidery project, or a cookbook deep dive - to focus on in those quiet moments between actual daily tasks. This not only made for plenty of self-motivated fun, but also made me into a truly formidable point of conversation at parties (After a few meetings with friends began with a "You'll never guess what I'm reading right now," the tide started to turn towards them asking me "So what's going on in the latest novel?"). 
• I posted a good handful of blogposts that I wouldn't have written otherwise. And I know for a fact, based on the reactions of my friends who follow me on Goodreads, that the reviews were appreciated, too! I maintain that negative reviews are more fun to read - and honestly, write - and this entire process was an experience in that arena alone. 
• Now my brother has to read the Dealer's Choice. At the very top of the Challenge, my brother actually even floated the idea that whatever ended up being my favorite of the whole messy bunch, he'd voluntarily pick up, too. As of two days ago, he's deep into the middle of Dream Eyes, and from what I can tell, loving every second of it. Maybe I can convince him to write a review, too? 

What do you think... should my kid brother write his own Romance review, too? Are you going to miss this Challenge? Let me know, in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesday: New-to-Me Authors I "Discovered" in 2021

"Top Ten Tuesday" is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl!

Hi, yes, hello. It's good to see you, too! Where have I been? Umm... 

Okay, yes, I have barely posted anything at all on this platform this month And I do know that I promised - well, I promised myself - that this would be a better blogging year than the last one, and I fully intend to keep that agreement. I swear it's not for lack of trying!

To further be very fair to myself, I spent the first two weeks of the year trying to wrap up the last one. Seriously, it took me until the 3rd to set up this year's planner, the 7th to wrap up rereading last year's journal, and the 14th to even bother setting up my book journal for the new year! And goodness knows that if all of my notebooks aren't organized, then my brain certainly isn't either. 

Enough with excuses, though. What we're looking for is action! So how about a brand spankin' new "Top Ten Tuesday" post to close out snowy, grey January?

This week, the name of the game is "New Authors I'd Never Read Before Within the Ranks of My 2021 Reading List," and let me tell you, the game is a difficult one... mainly because, as someone who regularly enjoys rereads of perennial favorites, as well as catching up with the backlists of already-beloved authors, digging out the new ones you really loved is far more limited than you might expect. Especially when you consider that, in 2021, I was able to enjoy reading and rereading work from some of my favorite authors of all time, including Romance author Sarah McLean, Food writer Kathleen Flinn, as well as regular Fantasy heavy-hitters, like Leigh Bardugo, Tamora Pierce, and Seanan McGuire. 

So once we clear those big names out of the lineup, things start to get a little more interesting.

1. Martha Wells

It is absolutely bonkers to consider the fact that this exact time last year, I was entering into the Murderbot series for the first time, without any expectations whatsoever. The books had been a gentle recommendation from a friend, and I'd been excited to dip my toes back into a true-blue Science Fiction series at some point, so picking up a simple novella from a trusted publisher felt like no biggie. Little did I know that Wells' series would become one of the defining points of my reading year, and that in short order, I'd be able to hook both my brother and my Dad onto the series as well. 

2. Colin Jost

Anyone who knows me - or, for that matter, my family - knows that Saturday nights are meant for posting up on my couch, watching NBC with whoever else is home. Coming together to watch new episodes as an adult still carries the same magic that got me hooked on SNL during my middle school years, with the Andy Samberg, Tina Fey and Bill Hader reign of the mid-to-late '00s. Naturally, as soon as I knew co-head-writer and Weekend Update dreamboat Colin was writing a memoir, I made sure an ebook hold was placed in my name at my local library. But while I knew Colin was great at short-form, TV-ready comedy, I was honestly surprised by exactly HOW much I enjoyed this book. It turned into, hands down, the book I recommended to the highest amount of people in 2021. Even more than Murderbot!

3. Aiden Thomas

2021 - and 2020, for that matter - was really defined by significant periods of reading slumps, and then short-and-fast breakthroughs, thanks to books that really captured my attention and managed to get me to look forward to something new. Thomas' book, Cemetery Boys, had been garnering praise from numerous friends online, so I kind of figured I was going to enjoy it; what I wasn't prepared for was the fact that it would be so new, exciting, and fun, nor that it could become such a joyous, comforting, wholesome read. Truly, this book was a gift, and I'm excited to see what comes next from such a talented author. 

4. Rachel Bloom

Much like how I'd already experienced Colin Jost's work via a fanatical devotion to television, so, too, was I already acquainted with Rachel Bloom, by way of her critically-celebrated cult-favorite show, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which aired for four seasons on the CW. And like with Aiden Thomas' novel, Bloom's irreverent memoir, I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are, pulled me out of a significant reading downturn. Her outrageous, hilarious writing style was only made the more personable by way of an audiobook told in her own voice, and the whole thing felt like spending an afternoon with your crazy hilarious theater friend. While I'm stoked that her professional career has seemed to hit a real sweet spot with voice acting, I hope we also see her return to the written word again soon. 

5. Christine Feehan

Out of everything that has yielded itself from the Big Box of Paranormal Romance - a final wrap-up of which is still coming at some point in February, I promise - the thing that probably surprised me the most wasn't just that I enjoyed it, but that I enjoyed it enough to think to myself, "I'm going to look out for this author in the future." Because this crazy ride of a Romance packed such an entertaining punch, I'm actually going to start looking for other installments in the series when I hit up my regular thrift shop rotation. 

6. Alice Wong (and the writers of Disability Visibility)

Out of all of the books I read in the (futile) hopes of desperately achieving even one bingo on the Seattle Public Library Book Bingo list last summer, this is the one that I am most thankful to have stepped out of my comfort zone to read. The square was "Social Activism," the Goodreads reviews said things like "empowering" and "uplifting," but the thing I found most difficult to do was lift my jaw up off the floor: this book sheds a spotlight on inequities in the daily lives of disability advocates everywhere, especially those who fall into cross-sections with other forms of vulnerable minority groups. I still have tabs open in the browser of my iPhone, stuck on the Wikipedia pages of some of the authors therein I want to go back and read more into later, and I read this book back in early July. 

7. Grady Hendrix

Now, listen. Seriously! I know that I absolutely hated Final Girls Support Group. As in, REALLY hated. Horror and violence and gore are really just not my bag, and the whole thing made me viscerally upset... but not upset enough to stop reading. Sure, I skimmed, but the truth of the matter is, despite my revulsion at the majority of the plot, I could still recognize that Hendrix really knows how to do suspense and narration in a compelling way! And while I'm probably not going to seek out My Best Friend's Exorcism or Horrorstor from his backlist any time soon, I can still look forward to the title he's supposed to be releasing this year, How to Sell a Haunted House. 

8. Laura Esquivel

Out of my four years as an active English major and a fairly adventurous habitual page-turner, I honestly have no idea how I managed to make it to 28 years of age before I finally picked up Laura Esquivel's writing. Like Water for Chocolate is actually on my list to re-read this year already, despite having only finished it in the last few days of December. 

9. Daniel Kehlmann

Out of everything that could have tempted me back into actually enjoying a Horror novel in 2021, who would have called an English translation of a German bestseller to come out on top, right? Especially in novella form. But I found this brief work evocative, gripping, and perfectly-paced so that the tension made your whole back feel like a too-tight guitar string and I was left jumping at shadows all night. I will absolutely be looking for his name again in the future.

10. Gary Janetti

Its always a little bit exciting when you listen to an audiobook, in a voice that sounds nothing like yours, about a life that looks nothing like yours, written by a guy that has lived a thousand experiences that sounds like nothing you've ever even attempted... and you think to yourself, "Hey, he's kind of like me." Janetti's wandering, Walter Mitty-ish daydreams, intercut with crystal-clear insights into the daily victories and tragedies of life, as well as some of the funniest observations you've ever heard, makes for an audiobook narrated by a friend you've never met telling a long, circuitous, introspective view of the most pinpointed dramatic moments of their life. I liked it so much I've already put this year's follow up, Start Without Me (I'll Be There in a Minute) on my Goodreads TBR. 

So, what's in your Top Ten? Let me know, in the comments below!

My Year in Books: 2021 Reading Stats Recap, and the Best Books I Read this Year

Was it the best I've ever read in a year? No, no it was not. But it was also, by far, not the worst... for that designation, you'd have to look to 2020, aka, the only year I've ever lost a Goodreads Challenge.

Perhaps that's why this year's eleventh hour finish feels like such a validation in its own right? All I can say is, that whether you finish your challenge all the way back in August (like I used to in college), or if you close the last page on a two-star graphic novel the morning of New Year's Eve (like I did for 2021), it all counts the same.

Here's what the rest of my reading year looks like, in a nutshell:

2021's Reading Year was one shaped by a couple different outside factors: for starters, my brother gave me a box of 20 Paranormal Romances, for which I set a goal to finish in its entirety, and on a second note, the Seattle Public Library's 2021 Book Bingo was so strangely specific that it required a total TBR reshaping to complete even a smattering of boxes. Those two challenges alone really compelled me to switch up my regular mood-reading tendencies, in order to leap over high bars which, occasionally, led me to some really interesting titles. Granted, they also exposed me to some of my least favorite books out of the entire year - here's looking at you, Paolo Bacigalupi's The Water Knife - but that's what happens when you venture outside the norms.

In terms of numbers, I think this is yet another year in the continued trend of reading lower page counts than I have the year before... even if you look back at my 2018 and 2019 recaps, there's a demonstrable trend of decreasing total pages, every single year. Maybe this is a part of the Goodreads effect: that in focusing more on the quantity of books you're reading, you sacrifice at least a little bit of quality. Or maybe it's just that after the relative failure of last year, big books scare me now? 

(My brother occasionally likes to make fun of this, but I think someday he holds out hope that I, too, will read the Stormlight Archive series, and other Brandon Sanderson novels that are thick enough to be used as construction materials. But as someone who likes to be lying down when I read, I think it's going to have to be a Kindle or nothing for those bad boys... I don't relish the thought of accidentally dropping one of those on my face.)

Another interesting designation for this year's total tallies, is that my average score for rating a novel has dropped substantially. In 2018, my average score was a 3.9; in 2019, it was a 4.2, and same in 2020 (Which is highly ironic, because I was certainly not in a good mood for either of those last two years). But this year? Talk about a cold snap: I had an average rating of 3.5, which feels about right. I was a lot more ruthless with my ratings this year, and found myself reading a lot of boring and average reading material. 

But that's all in the past now... 2021 is over, and we've got a new year stretched like a pristine white tablecloth, with all-new place settings for each and every one of us. Here's a couple of ideas for what to add to your plate in the coming year:

Best of the Year

Best months for reading: December (11 books read, 10 of which were in the last five days of the year!), and April (6 read, 2 DNF'd, 2 in progress by the month end)

Best series I read: the Murderbot series by Martha Wells (of which I read the first four titles), and The Immortals series (aka, Daine's books, in their completion) by Tamora Pierce 

Best rereads: Howl's Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones, which preserved every ounce of its usual domestically magical charm, and Kitchen Counter Cooking School, by Kathleen Flinn, which solidified itself as one of my favorite nonfiction books - and books about food - ever, by one of my favorite authors ever.

Top New-to-Me Reads of the Year:

1. Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Esquivel

Read in the last few days of the year, this one managed to adhere itself to the walls of my brain so much that I've found myself thinking over its passages long after the final page was turned. About midway through the book, I already started planning out a much more in-depth reread to take place this year, in order to take my time enjoying it more. Utterly lovely and enrapturing, and honestly, one of the few pieces of fiction I read this year that really made me feel something. 

2. A Very Punchable Face, Colin Jost

One of my favorite SNL funnymen turns out to be just as much of a compelling personality as I'd hope him to be. From talking about how his firefighting family reacted to September 11th, to discussing the time he was saved from one of his worst surfing fails by none other than Jimmy Buffet, this read was compelling, hilarious, and has been, in total, the book I've recommended to the most people this year. (You should read it, too.)

3. I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are, Rachel Bloom

Listen, I get it: like the television show she both co-created, co-wrote, and starred in - the CW's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which ended its four-season run in 2019 - this book is not going to be for everyone. But it is, in fact, so specifically made for me, that listening to the audiobook while lying on my floor yanked me out of a depressive period that had lasted, by that point, over a month. Her voice and sense of humor might just be for me and me alone, but maybe that's what made it one of the greatest books I read this year. 

Honorable Mentions: 

Here for It: or How to Save Your Soul in America, R. Eric Thomas

A Black, gay man speaks with enormous strength and joy about the journey it took to gain both while growing up in predominantly white, upper-class communities. Hearing about how his relationship with religion has changed over the course of his life - and how his husband is a reverend! - felt refreshing and honest, and his expertly-woven references to pop culture and media had me googling things whose tabs are still open in my phone browser, in case I want to come back to them again later.

Disability Visibility: First Person Stories from the 21st Century, ed. Alice Wong

I haven't read many - if any at all - works of nonfiction by disabled people before, and reading this collection of pieces with almost zero background was kind of like throwing someone who doesn't like swimming into the deep end of an ice cold swimming pool. It's the kind of shock and chill that reaches into your bones and doesn't let go. This book should be required reading in high schools. 

The Answer Is..., Alex Trebek

As a Jeopardy! family - aka, the kind of family who watches episodes together in hours-long binges off of the DVR, has house rules for playing along with the TV, and who has significant opinions on who should be sworn in as the next host - this book was required reading; it just took a little after Alex's death for me to grapple with being able to do it. I still cried, multiple times. What an incredible, humble, intelligent, extraordinary man. 

Cemetery Boys, Aiden Thomas

A truly joyful and engrossing read, that I was absolutely not expecting. It's a key duo of things I don't typically go for - both YA, and Urban Fantasy - and features a trans main character, which I don't think I've read much of in the past, but even right out of the gate, it surprised me by being one of the most compelling, uplifting books I read this year. Totally delightful, sweet, genuine, and comforting. 

So, that's it that: 2021 is over. It's crazy to thing that at this time last year, I had not yet read a Paranormal Romance novel about two psychics taking down a psychic serial killer, or four books about a severely antisocial SecUnit who just can't help putting its freedom on the line in order to save its humans, or two really terrifically awful books about meditation.

Can't wait to see the kind of damage I do in the coming year, too!

What were some of your best reads for 2021? How did your Goodreads Challenge go? Let me know, in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Winter 2021 To-Read List

"Top Ten Tuesday" is a weekly bookish tag hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl!

Listen. I can't be the only one staring down the barrel of a year reaching its end left feeling slightly... left behind. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm fully prepared to greet 2022 as a new friend, but in a very real sense, it's never been easy for me getting through the end of a year. Too much room for self reflection. 

Which is probably why I liked this week's Top Ten Tuesday so much! Instead of focusing in on the numerous end-of-the-year lists I've been seeing floating around friends' blogs and bookstagrams lately, this topic serves as a reminder that you're not running out of time to chalk up a few more reads; in fact, you're far from it. Sure, the year's almost over. But soon enough, you'll have a fresh start, a fresh perspective, and a fat stack of books remaining from the ones you didn't manage to make it through in 2021.

How lucky are we?

Yes, there are still a few more weeks left. Let's make them good ones, shall we? And if we can't, then at least let's fill them up with as many cozy corners, animal companions, and mugs of hot chocolate as we can. Oh, and books.

BC : Before Christmas

1. Christmas After All: The Great Depression Diary of Minnie Swift, from the Dear America series, Kathryn Lasky

If you've been reading this blog for years (Hi, Dad), then this title is a familiar candidate for you. If you have no idea of who I am as a person, then this probably seems like an odd choice for a 28-year-old's seasonal fixation. The short story is this: I've read this Dear America installment every single December, advent-calendar-style, since I was a kid. It's partially to blame for my love of the 1930s as a time period, and I'll always adore the woefully outdated original cover I own, because I've always kind of thought the girl on it looks like it could have easily been a member of my mom's side of the family. And if that's not enough of an explanation for you, then you should know that Lasky is also responsible for the Ga'Hoole books, another youthful obsession of mine. 

2. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

There will never be a Dickens title I love more than this one, and that's coming from someone with an enormous soft spot for Great Expectations. But to be clear: whenever anyone asks me some kind of oversimplified question like "What are some of your favorite books?" this one ALWAYS makes the list. I'm a sucker for a good moral tale, Christmastime, and anything that gives me an excuse to watch a great Muppet movie. 

3. All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire (Love at Stake #5), Kerrelyn Sparks

With the end of the year rapidly approaching, I'm running out of time to close out the dockets on my 2021 Paranormal Romance Reading Challenge... and wouldn't you know it? This title is a perfect contender for one of the end of year slots. I've still got two other books - and a whole lot of reviewing - to do, in order to dispense with the rest, but this is the one that has earned its place in this line up... partially because I'm just so excited about its terrible font and chapter header illustrations. The rest of the books, on the other hand... I'm sure I'll get around to them before January. 

Soon-ish : Either the End of the Year, or the Beginning of the Next One

4. A Murder is Announced, Agatha Christie

Thanks to a couple Anglophile best friends back in middle school, there is little as comforting and nostalgic for my brain as sinking into an Agatha Christie mystery. After taking it a little easier as an adult, I'm finally beginning to find my way back into the backlog, and picking up as many sweet little copies as I can find at random thrift stores and secondhand shops. My slim vintage copy of this one might be fragile, but so far, the words have been holding up, and I can't wait to slip further between the covers for a good, cozy read. 

5. Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner

I bought this in support of one of my favorite independent bookstores this summer, and quickly found myself surrendering it to my mother only days later because she had committed the cardinal sin of only having brought ONE book on a week-long vacation. My impulses served as correct, as she was not only immediately hooked, but handed it back to me with the solemn declaration that "You are going to cry. So hard." I've been looking forward to it ever since!

6. An Everlasting Meal, Tamar Adler

An absolute favorite, and masterclass of the food writing genre. I also happened to only have read it for the first time two Decembers ago, back in 2019, and I have been borderline evangelical about it ever since. Most likely as a result of a youthful obsession with M. F. K. Fisher - one that, as an adult, I have been trying my damnedest to pass along to my fledgling college kitchen lurker baby brother - this sustainability and instinct-guided entry into the world of home cooking is definitely going to be worth the reread. 

7. The Blacktongue Thief, Christopher Beuhlman

Speaking of my bro, this Fantasy novel served as an easy-choice birthday gift this past August, one that was immediately validated by the fact that he finished it and passed it back along to me within the space of a week. I've been leaning towards a good Fantasy novel for a while, but didn't feel like reaching for an old favorite, so I feel like this one will make for a good craving crusher during the last lazy weeks of the year. 

8. Trick Mirror, Jia Tolentino

Here's the thing: I tried my absolute best to give this book my full attention during a recent flight down to California, and it's a total testament to its strengths in voice and subject matter that it was able to distract me, even for a matter of minutes, from the soul-crushing anxiety and borderline tangible doom that I felt while traveling 1. alone, 2. on an airplane, 3. during a pandemic, and oh, right, 4. for the first time since, I kid you not, Election Night 2016, when I was on a five-hour plane trip back from Florida while voting results were being counted. I only made it 30 pages in to this collection of essays, but those were precious moments I wasn't spending staring out the window and considering whether or not I had told my family I loved them enough times before I left Seattle. Might as well give it another shot, now that I'm safely on the ground. 

9. The Realms of the Gods (The Immortals / Daine #4), Tamora Pierce

I started this wonderful series back during my siblings' Spring Break of this year, and it would make zero sense not to finish the tetralogy out before we hit the new one. I'm actually halfway through this thing, but have been postponing picking it up again, for fear of not being able to enjoy it enough. I mean, do I even deserve to read a good book, if I'm not appreciating it properly??

10. Much Ado About Nothing, William Shakespeare

I've gone back and forth a couple of times, trying to decide which of the many titles stacked on my bedside table deserves this final spot. Should it be Circe, by Madeline Miller, whose high-floating words and moody subject matter just don't fit my reading mood at the moment? Or should it be The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, by Stuart Turton, who I have attempted to start reading what is probably a stingy estimation of four or five times so far, but have never been able to get into? In the end, I'm forced to consider a conversation I recently had with my brother: Shakespeare used to be one of my perennial favorites, something I had an encyclopedic knowledge of and could quote from extensively. Now I can barely get through them, unless accompanied by an audiobook. #pastenglishmajorproblems. It would be nice to get back to basics in the new year. 

What's in your Top Ten? Let me know, in the comments below!