Books 2016: oh what a year
Dec. 16th, 2016 12:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hawkwing_lbBooks 2016: 156-168
156. Hillary Monahan, Snake Eyes. Abbadon Books, 2016. Copy courtesy of the publisher.
Read for column. Damn, this is so good. Queer and funny and entertaining and great.
157. K.B. Wagers, After the Crown. Orbit Books, 2016. Copy courtesy of the publisher.
Space opera, sequel to Behind the Throne. Read for review for Tor.com. Great fun.
158. M-E Girard, Girl Mans Up. HarperCollins, 2016.
This is a gorgeous YA novel of growth and self-discovery and learning that your friends are assholes and finding new friends and just, it is disturbingly close to home.
159. C.B. Lee, Not Your Sidekick. Duet/Interlude Press, 2016.
Read for column. Really fun superhero story - in an unexpected way.
160. Alex Bledsoe, Gather Her Round. Tor Books, forthcoming 2017. Copy courtesy of the publisher.
Read for review for Locus and I need to get my damn arse in gear and review it. Grand murder-ballad of a book.
161. Dahlia Adler, Out on Good Behaviour. Independently published, 2016.
An excellently constructed romance between two college students - one of whom has a history of playing the field, one of whom is a virgin (and in the closet). Two young women, misunderstandings, sex. Well-written. Very fun.
163. Vanessa North, Roller Girl. Riptide Publishing, 2016.
A trans woman and former professional athletic joins a roller derby team and falls in love with the coach. Sparks fly. Misunderstandings abound. Well-written if unevenly paced. I enjoyed it.
164. Samantha Boyette, 18 Months. Bold Strokes Books, 2016. E-ARC courtesy of the publisher.
Allegedly YA. F/F romance with serial killer plot? Poorly constructed, thin stuff, climax and conclusion come out of nowhere.
165. Alexa Black, Steel and Promise. Bold Strokes Books, 2016. E-ARC courtesy of the publisher.
There is a reason I do not read erotica. This is alleged to be "sci-fi erotica," F/F with a very strong BDSM slant, but due to its horrible issues around meaningful consent and power exchange, particularly at the conclusion (where STAY WITH ME OR DIE is literally the option on offer) made it read more like a horror novel to me. I was deeply, deeply disturbed: I had trouble sleeping after. Should come with warning foreword maybe.
166. Carson Taite, Without Justice. Bold Strokes Books, 2016. E-ARC courtesy of the publisher.
F/F romance with mostly forgettable characters and thriller plot involving Witness Protection and local attorneys? Fun, I guess, but not at all substantial.
167. D. Jackson Leigh, Swelter. Bold Strokes Books, 2016. E-ARC courtesy of the publisher.
F/F romance also involving a) a lawyer turned rancher who is laying low until she can testify against some Bad People, and b) a political aide looking for somewhere to lay low until the news of her scandalous affair with a politician blows over. Very fun, even if the conclusion is a little pat and convenient. Strong characterisation of minor characters.
168. A.J. Quinn, Counting to Zero. Bold Strokes Books, 2016. E-ARC courtesy of the publisher.
F/F romance and thriller plot involving the NSA and terrorism-by-hacking. Fun, but largely forgettable.
156. Hillary Monahan, Snake Eyes. Abbadon Books, 2016. Copy courtesy of the publisher.
Read for column. Damn, this is so good. Queer and funny and entertaining and great.
157. K.B. Wagers, After the Crown. Orbit Books, 2016. Copy courtesy of the publisher.
Space opera, sequel to Behind the Throne. Read for review for Tor.com. Great fun.
158. M-E Girard, Girl Mans Up. HarperCollins, 2016.
This is a gorgeous YA novel of growth and self-discovery and learning that your friends are assholes and finding new friends and just, it is disturbingly close to home.
159. C.B. Lee, Not Your Sidekick. Duet/Interlude Press, 2016.
Read for column. Really fun superhero story - in an unexpected way.
160. Alex Bledsoe, Gather Her Round. Tor Books, forthcoming 2017. Copy courtesy of the publisher.
Read for review for Locus and I need to get my damn arse in gear and review it. Grand murder-ballad of a book.
161. Dahlia Adler, Out on Good Behaviour. Independently published, 2016.
An excellently constructed romance between two college students - one of whom has a history of playing the field, one of whom is a virgin (and in the closet). Two young women, misunderstandings, sex. Well-written. Very fun.
163. Vanessa North, Roller Girl. Riptide Publishing, 2016.
A trans woman and former professional athletic joins a roller derby team and falls in love with the coach. Sparks fly. Misunderstandings abound. Well-written if unevenly paced. I enjoyed it.
164. Samantha Boyette, 18 Months. Bold Strokes Books, 2016. E-ARC courtesy of the publisher.
Allegedly YA. F/F romance with serial killer plot? Poorly constructed, thin stuff, climax and conclusion come out of nowhere.
165. Alexa Black, Steel and Promise. Bold Strokes Books, 2016. E-ARC courtesy of the publisher.
There is a reason I do not read erotica. This is alleged to be "sci-fi erotica," F/F with a very strong BDSM slant, but due to its horrible issues around meaningful consent and power exchange, particularly at the conclusion (where STAY WITH ME OR DIE is literally the option on offer) made it read more like a horror novel to me. I was deeply, deeply disturbed: I had trouble sleeping after. Should come with warning foreword maybe.
166. Carson Taite, Without Justice. Bold Strokes Books, 2016. E-ARC courtesy of the publisher.
F/F romance with mostly forgettable characters and thriller plot involving Witness Protection and local attorneys? Fun, I guess, but not at all substantial.
167. D. Jackson Leigh, Swelter. Bold Strokes Books, 2016. E-ARC courtesy of the publisher.
F/F romance also involving a) a lawyer turned rancher who is laying low until she can testify against some Bad People, and b) a political aide looking for somewhere to lay low until the news of her scandalous affair with a politician blows over. Very fun, even if the conclusion is a little pat and convenient. Strong characterisation of minor characters.
168. A.J. Quinn, Counting to Zero. Bold Strokes Books, 2016. E-ARC courtesy of the publisher.
F/F romance and thriller plot involving the NSA and terrorism-by-hacking. Fun, but largely forgettable.
