A look at the history of novels and publishing with an emphasis on the romance novel. I found this informative as well as fun. I liked the history of the published novel and how romance novels have changed over time as society changes. Ms. Rodale documented her research and lays it out concisely. Very enjoyable.
Good In Bed: A Bundle of Standalone Novels by K. Bromberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Audio/Ebook Review: Good in Bed: A Bundle of Standalone Novels by K Bromberg (Author), Lauren Blakely (Author), Julia Kent (Author), CD Reiss (Author), Lili Valente (Author), Sebastian York (Narrator), Andi Arndt (Narrator), Elena Wolfe (Narrator)
Good in Bed is one of the most satisfying reads of the year. Five voices unite in perfect harmony and set the heart on fire. Kent, Bromberg, Blakely, Valente and Reiss step away from the drama that surrounds us to find the humor within the heartache. From laugh out loud to sentimentally sweet, each author is a reminder of why I continue to love romance. Whether in audio or ebook Good in Bed is a deliciously, naughty kind of fun.
Sweet Cheeks plays the heartstrings with humor and unpredictability. Never is there a moment that the heart is not invested.
Random Acts of Trust refuses to be tamed. Fiercely, funny. Heartachingly, sweet. Captivatingly irresistible.
The Iron Crowne mixes sex appeal with complicated and finds an intriguing kind of romance.
The V Card - Boldness and humor are softened by the breathtaking emotions that drive this relationship from friendship to romance. Blakely and Valente work well together.
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Title: The Prince and the Dressmaker
Author: Jen Wang
Published Date: February 13, 2018
Publisher: First Second
Format: Print
Page Count: 277 pages
Source: Library
Date Read: June 16, 2020
Review
What I liked: Frances. She was awesome and accepting of others and opportunities to come her way. She also stands up for herself again and again. For the most part I really enjoyed the storyline; however, I thought this book felt more in line with end of the century France rather than the 1830s - the ideas employed in the storyline didn't read to me as early to mid 1800s but the more bawdier late 1800s Paris. I loved the fashion France comes up with for Lady Crystallia - the lines, the details were just beautiful. I really like how the Prince Seb is just - yeah, this is just a part of my self expression/partly to escape the duties of his position. There was no real label to what he was doing or who he was.
What I didn't liked: the art was a bit too middle-grade for an older YA audience; also some of the art is very gendered - lots of pink. Prince Seb was so determined to keep his secret guarded that he would throw Frances under a bus, after pages and chapters of his budding friendship with the one person who accepted him from the moment the two met. Also, Prince Seb is the son of King Leo - that would be King Leopold, who was a brutal colonizer of parts of Africa (Congo I know for sure). King Leo seems at the end of the book to accept his son's gender fluidity and became a sort-of hero for gender expression. That is some historical revisionism there author. Because of his dad's acceptance, Prince Seb seems more comfortable taking on royal duties in support of his dad's reign at the end of the book. Ew.
Meh. I am glad I read this so I can see gender expression separate from sexuality. But the story could've used some work so that it wasn't harmful to other marginalized people.
We're still getting some very wacky ideas from what should have been a straight-forward plot, such as the issues where the Legion teams up with a Science Police officer, or when Princess Projectra keeps getting sick. The women also keep getting weaker and weaker. The time will come when male writers will figure out how to tell a love story in a comic book without the woman becoming utterly hopeless. An exception creeps in with Night Girl's romance with Cosmic Boy, but her costume had to lose most of its fabric. I love Mike Grell's art, though, it's classic pop comic. He will make some questionable choices with costumes, too, but we'll get there when we get there. There is tension building in this series, and I can almost feel the Legion about to spring forward into the dark '80s. It's just waiting on the write author to pull all of the elements together.
Legion of Super-Heroes
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