oursin: One of the standing buddhas at Bamiyan Afghanistan (Bamiyan buddha)
[personal profile] oursin posting in [community profile] agonyaunt

The yoga studio where I teach hasn’t been paying me on time (AAM: 4th one down):

I’ve been teaching yoga for about four years now and was hired for my first job at this small group training facility. I teach once a week and often sub for one of the two other instructors. I previously got paid monthly. I have a full-time job and this is my side gig. So, it’s money I use for things like gifts, or save up for vacations.
Over the last two years, my monthly payment stretched to being paid every two months. This past year, it’s stretched out to being paid every four or five months. I’ve asked the owners several times to leave a check for me for next week. I’ve also asked if there is an easier way for them to pay me, such as Venmo or direct deposit.
I’m at the point now where I’m owed for over 21 classes ($40 per class). Enrollment in the small training groups seems to have dropped as I’m seeing new members less. People do join for the yoga-only package to come to the yoga classes. What’s the best way to ask to be paid and let them know I can’t/shouldn’t have to wait longer than two months for payment? I’m at the point now where I want to say that I won’t teach until I get paid, but that isn’t really my vibe.

Alison responds: saying that you won’t teach until you get paid should be your vibe )

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Posted by Amanda

C

Dating After the End of the World

by Jeneva Rose
October 1, 2025

Growing up in Wisconsin with a doomsday prepper father, Casey partially credits her dad for her miserable childhood. The rest of it goes to Blake Morrison, a bully who leads the charge of torment through middle and high school.

Now an engaged adult living in Chicago and completing her residency, Casey actively avoids involving her dad in her life. When a mysterious outbreak leads to a zombie apocalypse and Casey’s fiance abandons her in the middle of an assault, she realizes that her dad’s compound is probably the safest place.

Holing up at the compound are various family members and friends, and of course, Casey’s former bully. As far as bully romances go, this is tame for bully-content. There’s no abuse, dub-con, or illegal activity like stalking. The bullying is standard high school name calling. Just a PSA if the bully trope is something you avoid or seek out.

Casey’s dad isn’t about to throw Blake out, so the two of them will have to make do in close quarters.

There’s a lovely sense of community between everyone in the compound. I liked the cast of characters; they all felt like people who cared about and looked out for one another. Those warm and fuzzy moments were often offset by intense action and I think it was a smart way to lure me into a false sense of security. This was a surprisingly tense read, and not the dystopian rom-com I assumed it would be. Dread hangs over the sweet moments; this book will give you a lot of anxiety. These are things I like or don’t typically mind in my books, but I know plenty of readers DO NOT WANT THIS.

There is a lot of emotional inconsistency that bothered me. Casey had no problem holding grudges against her dad and Blake for the better part of a decade, but I think the time and physical distance between them had done enough to warrant adult discussions and soften a bit of the edges of those conflicts. However, she easily forgives her shitty fiance’s reasoning for leaving her to be sexually assaulted and/or die. Girl, let’s be consistent.

In a larger sense, the BIG FEELINGS in this book have poor and/or weak foundations, like Blake’s reasoning for being mean to Casey for most of school. Or the side romance plot between Casey’s cousin Greg and the one night stand he admittedly feels stuck with. I’m trying to avoid spoilers where I can help it!

There’s also a vastly unnecessary cliffhanger and I can’t find any indication if there will be a book two. Like unless Casey is going to find a cure for the zombie outbreak, I didn’t think there was much left to resolve and I would have been happy to live in the fantasy that people on the compound will have an HEA to the best of their abilities.

And if you’re wondering whether Casey’s dad dies because that was my biggest source of reading anxiety…

Show Spoiler
Yes.

Dating After the End of the World is fine. It has moments that work really well to remind me that you have to take the wins and bask in the small joys where you can in a bleak environment. And the romance…well it was technically there. Readers who are sensitive to violence or who would prefer a less fraught reading experience should pass.

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Posted by SB Sarah

This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you'd like to join, we'd love to have you!

Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun!

If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section with exclusive content and events.

Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.

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Posted by SB Sarah

It’s time for another edition of Stuff We Like, and for more of our Holiday Gift Guides!

In this edition: Amanda makes some suggestions for your favorite puzzle people and tabletop gamers.

And if you have requests for your holiday shopping, please let us know!

Take a look:

Want to see? Just click that image above or click right here, and come shop with us!

And if you’d like to browse some more, we have a complete Stuff We Like archive, including past Gift Guides and other posts of our favorite items.

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Posted by Carrie S

This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you'd like to join, we'd love to have you!

Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun!

If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section with exclusive content and events.

Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.

silveradept: Domo-kun, wearing glass and a blue suit with a white shirt and red tie, sitting at a table. (Domokun Anchor)
[personal profile] silveradept
Good day. Let's begin with 144 hours of DDR to make a record.

Early hominids appear to have not only used tools, but passed that knowledge down through the generations. Which will evolve the understanding of the earliest ancestors of the human species, as science is wont to do.

If you haven't received a flu vaccine for this year, it might be a good idea to do so, even if the protection might not be ideal because of a new mutation showing up after the formulation had been decided.

The complete history of the nation must be preserved, and that means a lot of places are trying to keep and digitize the collections of Black newspapers and broadsheets they have in their collections.

Also, Dick Cheney is no longer able to create a more terrible world, having died at 84 years of age. If his name is invoked from here on out, it should be as a warning not to do what he did.

There's more inside, about people who have made cruelty the point and disclaim any responsibility of care for what they've created. )

Last out for tonight, an eyesore with a bad caricature and Randian-libertarian messaging is now providing a better message, since the land and the billboard were bought by the local Native nation.

And research now suggests that humans do instinctively work to help each other, rather than passively watch others be hurt, especially in emergency situations.

(Materials via [personal profile] adrian_turtle, [personal profile] azurelunatic, [personal profile] boxofdelights, [personal profile] cmcmck, [personal profile] conuly, [personal profile] cosmolinguist, [personal profile] elf, [personal profile] finch, [personal profile] firecat, [personal profile] jadelennox, [personal profile] jenett, [personal profile] jjhunter, [personal profile] kaberett, [personal profile] lilysea, [personal profile] oursin, [personal profile] rydra_wong, [personal profile] snowynight, [personal profile] sonia, [personal profile] the_future_modernes, [personal profile] thewayne, [personal profile] umadoshi, [personal profile] vass, the [community profile] meta_warehouse community, [community profile] little_details, and anyone else I've neglected to mention or who I suspect would rather not be on the list. If you want to know where I get the neat stuff, my reading list has most of it.)

30 in 30: Forgotten Realms

Nov. 18th, 2025 06:39 pm
senmut: Drizzt hold ing his hand up against the sun in the distance (Forgotten Realms: Drizzt Sun)
[personal profile] senmut
AO3 Link | A Shared Lunch (100 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Drizzt Do'Urden/Alustriel Silverhand
Characters: Alustriel Silverhand, Drizzt Do'Urden
Additional Tags: Drabble, Domestic Fluff
Summary:

They trade off who handles lunch






Drizzt had set the basket of food and jug of cider on the table, then gone back to his room to clean up, thinking he had plenty of time.

He came back to find Alustriel already dividing the portions onto plates, the cider poured (and likely warmed by her spells).

"I thought it was my day to treat us with our lunch? And you are early."

"My last appointment sent her regrets, and why should I not help? You hunted it, in a fashion, and this is me preparing it."

He kissed her, smiling in the kiss.

"You spoil me."

grump

Nov. 18th, 2025 04:44 pm
the_shoshanna: Michael from the original TV Nikita, suffering (my fandom suffers)
[personal profile] the_shoshanna
1) I got water in one ear in my shower yesterday that has still not cleared. So I feel a lot of pressure in my head and it's given me a headache all day. (I have been trying all the recommended ways to clear it; no luck.)

2) Our ground-floor bathroom is being painted -- which, yay for being aaaaaaalmost done with the renovations, my god I cannot wait. But one of the painters has been coughing a lot, which may be nothing (I mean, I have a persistent cough myself, plus I just saw out of my office window him going out for a smoke, which sure could explain it), but nonetheless Geoff and I have been staying upstairs in our offices, which means I haven't done a bunch of things I might have done downstairs.

Ah, I see from my window that the painters are leaving, so we'll let the air filter downstairs run a while longer and then I can go start on food prep and other downstairs things. Also I can go look at which the bathroom looks like! We had to change our choice of flooring at the last minute and I spent five seconds going, yeah, I think the paint we chose to go with the old floor choice will go with the new one, sure, why not! because I could not face starting the color choice process over from scratch, and anyway it's not like we use that bathroom a lot, and if we hate it we can repaint it. Later. Much later.

And in the meantime I will take some ibuprofen and pull at my earlobe some more.
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Posted by Amanda

Bull Moon Rising

Bull Moon Rising by Ruby Dixon is $1.99! This is book one in the Royal Artifactual Guild series. The cover feels very Lisa Frank to me.

In a world of magical artifacts and fantastical beings, a woman determined to save her family joins forces with an unlikely partner, in this steamy romantasy by USA Today bestselling author Ruby Dixon.

As a Holder’s daughter, Aspeth Honori knows the importance of magical artifacts . . . which is why it’s a disaster that her father has gambled all theirs away. Now that her family is in danger of losing their hold—and their heads—if anyone finds out the truth, Aspeth decides to do something about it. She’ll join the Royal Artifactual Guild and the adventurers who explore ancient underground ruins to retrieve the coveted arcane items.

It’s a great plan—with one big problem. The guild won’t let her train because she’s a woman. Aspeth needs a chaperone of some kind. The best way to get around this problem? Marry someone who will let her become an apprentice. Who better than a surly guild member who requires a favor of his own? He’s a minotaur (it’s fine) who is her teacher (also fine) . . . and he’s about to go into rut (which is where it gets tricky). He also has no idea she’s a noble (oops), and he’ll want nothing to do with her if he discovers her real identity.

Now Aspeth just has to pass the guild tests, thwart a fortune hunter, and save her hold—oh, and survive a rut with her monstrous, horned husband, whom she might be falling in love with.

It’s time to dig deep. Literally.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Love and Other Conspiracies

Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe is $1.99! Carrie reviewed this one and gave it a C:

This book was a cute story and I enjoyed the monster-hunting interludes. More of those interludes would have been lovely.

The hardest thing for a paranormal conspiracy theorist and a web series producer to believe in is finding love in this swoony debut romantic comedy.

Hallie Barrett’s life has imploded after she’s dumped by her hotshot ex, who also happens to be her coworker and the star of the online series she was producing. Without a new show to present for the company competition, she’ll be out of a job. But inspiration can come from the strangest places . . . like the most handsome guy she’s ever seen passionately discussing Bigfoot on a late-night docuseries.

Hayden Hargrove made a name for himself as a cryptid expert on his hit podcast, and is intrigued by the plucky, blue-haired producer who offers him the opportunity to lead his own web show. When the production team sees that Hayden’s solo on-screen presence is bad enough to make a ghost blanch, Hallie jumps on camera too, hitting him (and his cryptids) with a healthy dose of skepticism—and enough chemistry to electrify their show to the top of the competition.

As Hayden and Hallie investigate the unknown, they unearth feelings for each other that shake their beliefs to the core. In their search for Mothman, aliens, and the truth, the most elusive discovery might just be learning to love again.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Nightmare Before Kissmas

The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch is $2.99! We had a guest review by Lisa for this one and she gave it a C+. I thought their commentary was very good. 

AN INSTANT USA TODAY AND INDIE BESTSELLER!

EXCLUSIVE DELUXE EDITION–featuring beautiful ruby sprayed edges!

Red, White & Royal Blue meets The Nightmare Before Christmas in a sexy, quirky rom-com where the golden-hearted Prince of Christmas falls for the totally off-limits Prince of Halloween.

Nicholas “Coal” Claus used to love Christmas. Until his father, the reigning Santa, turned the holiday into a PR façade. Coal will do anything to escape the spectacle, including getting tangled in a drunken, supremely hot make-out session with a beautiful man behind a seedy bar one night.

But the heir to Christmas is soon commanded to do his duty: he will marry his best friend, Iris, the Easter Princess and his brother’s not-so-secret crush. A situation that has disaster written all over it.

Things go from bad to worse when a rival arrives to challenge Coal for the princess’s hand…and Coal comes face-to-face with his mysterious behind-the-bar hottie: Hex, the Prince of Halloween.

It’s a fake competition between two holiday princes who can’t keep their hands off each other over a marriage of convenience that no one wants. And it all leads to one of the sweetest, sexiest, messiest, most delightfully unforgettable love stories of the year.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Gentleman’s Book of Vices

RECOMMENDED: The Gentleman’s Book of Vices by Jess Everlee is $1.99! Carrie reviewed this and gave it a B+:

The world feels solid and lived in, the characters feel genuine, and as a result, I had all the feels. If the test of a good romance is whether I root for a couple and believe in their success, then the answer to this one is very much yes!

Is their real-life love story doomed to be a tragedy, or can they rewrite the ending?

London, 1883

Finely dressed and finely drunk, Charlie Price is a man dedicated to his vices. Chief among them is his explicit novel collection, though his impending marriage to a woman he can’t love will force his carefully curated collection into hiding.

Before it does, Charlie is determined to have one last hurrah: meeting his favorite author in person.

Miles Montague is more gifted as a smut writer than a shopkeep and uses his royalties to keep his flagging bookstore afloat. So when a cheerful dandy appears out of the mist with Miles’s highly secret pen name on his pretty lips, Miles assumes the worst. But Charlie Price is no blackmailer; he’s Miles’s biggest fan.

A scribbled signature on a worn book page sets off an affair as scorching as anything Miles has ever written. But Miles is clinging to a troubled past, while Charlie’s future has spun entirely out of his control…

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

HaBO: Surfboards in the Ceiling Beams

Nov. 18th, 2025 03:00 pm
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Posted by Amanda

This HaBO is from Elizabeth, who wants to find this romance:

The book is from late 1990s/early 2000s. Erotic fiction maybe? Or just kinda smutty.

The main character is a woman who owns a diner in a California town near the coast. I think she lives in the house her dad won in a poker game, designed by a famous architect (surf board in the ceiling beams?).

Main sex partner is the sheriff who used to be a cop in like LA or San Diego, shaved head. She hires a line cook and sleeps with him first.

Any help would be really appreciated.

Let’s HaBO!

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Posted by Amanda

Happy Tuesday!

November is flying by. A mix of genres made our personal TBR piles this week: thriller, a contemporary romance, and plenty of fantasy.

What new releases are you excited for this week? Let us know in the comments!

The Bookshop Below

The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers

Author: Georgia Summers
Released: November 18, 2025 by Redhook
Genre:

Below the streets of London, a secret network of magical bookshops has existed for millennia. But they’re slowly disappearing, and no one knows why. Only one dishonored bookseller can uncover the truth and rewrite her story—in this spellbinding standalone fantasy novel from the author of The City of Stardust. 

If you want a story that will change your life, Chiron’s bookshop is where you go. For those lucky enough to grace its doors, it’s a glimpse into a world of powerful bargains and deadly ink magic.

For Cassandra Fairfax, it’s a reminder of everything she lost, when Chiron kicked her out and all but shuttered the shop. Since then, she’s used her skills in less ethical ways, trading stolen books and magical readings to wealthy playboys and unscrupulous collectors.

Then Chiron dies under mysterious circumstances. And if Cassandra knows anything, it’s the bookshop must always have an owner.

But she’s not the only one interested. There’s Lowell Sharpe, a dark-eyed, regrettably handsome bookseller she can’t seem to stop bumping into; rival owners who threaten Cassandra from the shadows; and, of course, Chiron’s murderer, who is still on the loose.

As Cassandra tries to uncover the secrets her mentor left behind, a sinister force threatens to unravel the world of the magical bookshops entirely…

Amanda: I read and reviewed Summers’ debut and gave it C, but I liked enough to check out her second book.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Botanist’s Assistant

The Botanist’s Assistant by Peggy Townsend

Author: Peggy Townsend
Released: November 18, 2025 by Berkley
Genre:

A murder in the science lab shatters a woman’s quiet and ordered life when she decides she must solve the crime herself in this entertaining and uplifting mystery.

Plenty of people consider Margaret Finch odd. Six-feet-tall and big-boned, she lives alone in a small cabin in the woods, drives a 20-year-old truck, and schedules her life so precisely you can tell the time and day of the week by the chore she is doing and what she is wearing.  But the same attributes that cause her to be labeled eccentric—an obsessive attention to detail and the ability to organize almost anything—make her invaluable in her job as Research Assistant II to a talented and charismatic botanist.

It’s those very same qualities, however, that also turn Margaret into a target after a surprising death shakes the small university where she works. Even as authorities claim the death appears to be from natural causes, Margaret fears it might be something a murder born of jealousy and dark secrets. With the aid of a newly hired and enigmatic night custodian, Margaret finds herself thrust into the role of detective, forcing her to consider that she may not be able to find the killer before the killer finds her.

With a cast of quirky and likeable characters that one won’t soon forget, The Botanist’s Assistant is a delightful story of perseverance and the power in all of us to survive.

Lara: This booked charmed me down to my very toes. It’s cosy but not at all twee. Full review incoming.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Daddy Issues

Daddy Issues by Kate Goldbeck

Author: Kate Goldbeck
Released: November 18, 2025 by The Dial Press
Genre: ,

A jaded twentysomething is stuck living at home, her life on pause, when a single dad becomes her new neighbor and unexpectedly sets her life—and her heart—into motion in this modern love story from the bestselling author of You, Again.

Sometimes love shows up where you least expect it—right next door.

At twenty-six, Sam Pulaski expected to be thriving in her academic career, living on her own in some exciting city. Expectations meet reality: She has massive student loan debt from studying art history, a dead-end service industry job, a situationship that’s equal parts intoxicating and toxic. And she’s been crashing in her mom’s condo—at least it’s not a basement?—for the last five years. If she can finally get accepted into a PhD program and get out of Ohio, the adult life that’s been on hold for half her twenties will finally begin.

Her mom’s new neighbor, Nick, is the ultimate grown-up. His adult life began the moment his nine-year-old daughter, Kira, was born. Her happiness is Nick’s only priority, especially in the wake of divorce. There’s nothing he won’t do for Kira, including giving up his globe-trotting career for something more stable . . . like managing a chain restaurant.

Sam has zero interest in an ultra-dependable guy pushing forty; frankly, she’s a little afraid of kids. But with just one thin wall separating the two condos, Nick proves difficult to avoid. His quiet confidence forces Sam to grapple with the other men in her life: her emotionally derelict friendwithbenefits and her actually derelict father. As her unexpected connection with Nick heats up (and steams up his minivan windows), Sam finds herself falling fast for a man whose life is steady and settled—while hers is anything but.

Amanda: Goldbeck’s debut was my Favorite Read of 2023, so even though this has tropes I’m eh on, I’m willing to try!

Dahlia: I loved You, Again absolutely obscene amounts, and I have been waiting for a new Goldbeck since the minute I hit The End on that one.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Haven’t Killed in Years

Haven’t Killed in Years by Amy Green

Author: Amy Green
Released: November 18, 2025 by Berkley
Genre:

No one is supposed to know harmless office worker Gwen Tanner is the vanished daughter of serial killer Abel Haggerty. But a low profile and a new name aren’t going to cut it when an obsessive new killer starts targeting her, in this lively and propulsive thriller with a standout voice.

Marin Haggerty, the daughter of a notorious serial killer, was only a child when they arrested her father. Ripped from her home and given a new identity, Marin disappeared.

Twenty years later, Gwen Tanner keeps everyone at a distance, preferring to satirize the world around her than participate in it. It’s for her safety—and theirs. But when someone starts sending body parts to her front door, the message is I Know Who You Are.

To preserve her secrets, Gwen must hunt down the killer, a journey which immerses her in the twisted world of true crime fandom and makes her confront her past once and for all. Maybe she is capable of deep, human connections, but she’s not the only one keeping secrets. Will opening herself up to others help her find the killer, or remind her why it was necessary she hide her true self in the first place?

The apple never falls too far, after all.

Amanda: This sounds VERY twisty and interesting.

Elyse: The main character is the daughter of a serial killer and the mystery sounds super twisty.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Seven Rings

The Seven Rings by Nora Roberts

Author: Nora Roberts
Released: November 18, 2025 by St. Martin's Press
Genre: , , ,
Series: The Lost Bride Trilogy #3

The #1 New York Times-bestselling author concludes her compelling Lost Bride trilogy as two women—one dead, one alive—prepare for a terrifying final showdown…

Long ago, Arthur Poole built a grand house overlooking the turbulent ocean, in a Maine village that bore his name. Today, Sonya MacTavish lives in that house—a manor that has been cursed for generations. Within its walls, she has witnessed the deaths of seven brides and the thefts of seven wedding rings. And now, to break the curse and banish a malevolent spirit once and for all, a difficult task must be completed.

After Sonya, her boyfriend, Trey, and their friends are forced to hear, see—and feel—the suffering of the house’s many ghosts as their torment is reenacted by the evil presence, their bond only strengthens and their anger is renewed. Refusing to let her spirit be broken, Sonya searches each room for clues to her ancestors’ hidden story, putting the picture together, unearthing small treasures, and uncovering the moments of joy that existed among the sorrows. She’s determined to bring light to this haunted place—to fill it with people, with life and hope, once again.

But the enemy in the black dress continues to hover, to come at her in frightening forms. They may be illusions—but illusions can be powerful enough to wound and kill. She feeds on fear, and lies are her weapon. This dark-hearted witch wants to be mistress of Poole Manor, at any cost. And Sonya will need to fight a battle across two realms to finally take possession of the house on the clifftop—and of her own future…

The last book in The Lost Bride trilogy.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore

Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz

Author: Emily Krempholtz
Released: November 18, 2025 by Ace
Genre: , ,

A powerful plant witch and a grumpy alchemist must work together to save their quiet town from a magical plague in this debut cozy fantasy romance about starting over, redemption, and what it really means to be a good person.

Guy Shadowfade is dead, and after a lifetime as the dark sorcerer’s right-hand, Violet Thistlewaite is determined to start over—not as the fearsome Thornwitch, but as someone kind. Someone better. Someone good.

The quaint town of Dragon’s Rest, Violet decides, will be her second chance—she’ll set down roots, open a flower shop, keep her sentient (mildly homicidal) houseplant in check, and prune dark magic from the twisted boughs of her life.

Violet’s vibrant bouquets and cheerful enchantments soon charm the welcoming townsfolk, though nothing seems to impress the prickly yet dashingly handsome Nathaniel Marsh, an alchemist sharing her greenhouse. With a struggling business and his own second chance seemingly out of reach, Nathaniel has no time for flowers or frippery—and certainly none for the intriguing witch next door.

When a mysterious blight endangers every living plant in Dragon’s Rest, Violet and Nathaniel must work together, through their fears, pasts, and growing feelings for one another, to save their community. But with a figure from her previous life knocking at her door and her secrets threatening to uproot everything she’s worked so hard to grow, Violet can’t help but wonder…does a former villain truly deserve a happily-ever-after?

Amanda: Loving both the title and cover.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Prints Of Peace

Nov. 18th, 2025 12:09 am
[syndicated profile] pennyarcade_feed

It's incredibly silly to think that we have been at this - whatever this is - for twenty-seven years. That is a crazy thing to do for as long as we've been doing it. Any rational actor would have boarded the white ships aeons ago, as men reckon time. From this throne in the ATL, Ludacris calls upon all of us to - in his words - "Act A Fool." But he could never have imagined this kind of foolishness extended over such a substantial period of time.

30 in 30: Star Wars Legends

Nov. 17th, 2025 06:38 pm
senmut: Grand Admiral Thrawn in repose (Star Wars: Thrawn)
[personal profile] senmut
AO3 Link | Not So Deadly Questioning (100 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars Legends - All Media Types
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Thrawn | Mitth'raw'nuruodo, Gilad Pellaeon
Additional Tags: Drabble
Summary:

Everyone holds their breath when Pellaeon questions






The silence on the bridge spoke volumes to the terror they had Known. Pellaeon questioning orders had everyone running the roster, trying to determine how close to the danger they would move when the Grand Moff Admiral eliminated the officer.

"It is good that you question," were not words any of them expected. "There are intelligence points that are kept solely within my planning agenda," Thrawn continued. "I ask, Captain, that you trust in my grasp on these matters, given my survival and track record?"

Everyone relaxed slightly when Pellaeon agreed, wondering when Thrawn would kill him out of sight.

(no subject)

Nov. 17th, 2025 05:40 pm
conuly: (Default)
[personal profile] conuly posting in [community profile] agonyaunt
DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend recently moved in with me, and ever since then, my cat’s behavior has completely changed. She’s been acting out: scratching furniture, hiding for hours and even refusing to eat sometimes. She used to be calm and affectionate, but now she seems anxious and territorial. My partner is trying to be patient, but I can tell he’s getting frustrated, especially since the cat hisses at him whenever he walks by or tries to sit near me. It’s creating tension between us, and I feel stuck in the middle trying to keep everyone happy. I’ve tried introducing them slowly, giving the cat space and even buying new toys to distract her, but nothing seems to help. My boyfriend thinks I’m overreacting and that the cat will “get over it,” but I know she’s genuinely stressed.

I feel guilty because I was so excited for us to finally live together, and now it feels like we’re both walking on eggshells around my pet. I love them both, but I’m starting to wonder if this living situation is sustainable. How can I help my cat adjust to this big change without it putting more strain on my relationship? -- Standoff


Read more... )

Fantasy, Historical Fiction, & More

Nov. 17th, 2025 04:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

The Earl Not Taken

The Earl Not Taken by A.S. Fenichel is $2.99 at Amazon! This is the first book in The Wallflowers of West Lane series and I like the cover for this one. Readers liked the heroine, but found the plot to be rather thing. Any thoughts from the Bitchery?

Left standing on the side while their contemporaries marry into society, four young ladies forge a bond to guard each other from a similar fate . . .

Finishing school failed to make a proper lady of Penelope Arrington. But as a Wallflower of West Lane, Poppy has a far more vital role—she and her three best friends have made a pact to protect each other from the clutches of dangerous, disreputable men. So when one of them is about to be married off to a duke sight unseen, Poppy makes it her mission to divine the prospective husband’s true character. If only she didn’t require the aid of London’s most unsuitable rake.

Rhys Draper, Earl of Marsden, has known the headstrong Poppy since she was a young girl naïve to the ways of men. To her eternal chagrin—and to his vague amusement—they have been at odds over the memory of embarrassing first encounter all these years. Now, with his services in need, Rhys sees a chance to finally clear the air between them. Instead, he is surprised by the heat of their feelings. If the two do not tread carefully, they may end up in a most agreeably compromising position . . .

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Stardust Thief

The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah is $1.99! This fantasy novel was mentioned in a previous Hide Your Wallet. I’ve also seen it recommend in the comments a few times, like our Rec League for Book Club Suggestions.

Neither here nor there, but long ago…

Loulie al-Nazari is the Midnight Merchant: a criminal who, with the help of her jinn bodyguard, hunts and sells illegal magic. When she saves the life of a cowardly prince, she draws the attention of his powerful father, the sultan, who blackmails her into finding an ancient lamp that has the power to revive the barren land.

With no choice but to obey or be executed, Loulie journeys with the sultan’s oldest son to find the artifact. Aided by her bodyguard, who has secrets of his own, they must survive ghoul attacks, outwit a vengeful jinn queen, and confront a malicious killer from Loulie’s past. And, in a world where story is reality and illusion is truth, Loulie will discover that everything—her enemy, her magic, even her own past—is not what it seems.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Island Queen

Island Queen by Vanessa Riley is $1.99! This is Riley’s first work of historical fiction as opposed to historical romance. It’s about Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a free Black woman who achieved great wealth. Have you read it?

A remarkable, sweeping historical novel based on the incredible true life story of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a free woman of color who rose from slavery to become one of the wealthiest and most powerful landowners in the colonial West Indies.

Born into slavery on the tiny Caribbean island of Montserrat, Doll bought her freedom—and that of her sister and her mother—from her Irish planter father and built a legacy of wealth and power as an entrepreneur, merchant, hotelier, and planter that extended from the marketplaces and sugar plantations of Dominica and Barbados to a glittering luxury hotel in Demerara on the South American continent.

Vanessa Riley’s novel brings Doll to vivid life as she rises above the harsh realities of slavery and colonialism by working the system and leveraging the competing attentions of the men in her life: a restless shipping merchant, Joseph Thomas; a wealthy planter hiding a secret, John Coseveldt Cells; and a roguish naval captain who will later become King William IV of England.

From the bustling port cities of the West Indies to the forbidding drawing rooms of London’s elite, Island Queen is a sweeping epic of an adventurer and a survivor who answered to no one but herself as she rose to power and autonomy against all odds, defying rigid eighteenth-century morality and the oppression of women as well as people of color. It is an unforgettable portrait of a true larger-than-life woman who made her mark on history.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Scandalous Flirt

The Scandalous Flirt by Olivia Drake is $1.99! This is part of the Cinderella Sisterhood series. Readers loved the enemies to lovers, but within the first few pages, there is a magical Romani beggar character and they do use the G slur. Not sure if the text has been updated since its release.

Scandal begins with just one kiss. . . 

Aurora Paxton was once the belle of the ball, the most sought-after debutante of the season―until a scandalous mistake ruined her. Shunned by her family, Rory was banished to the country to live in disgrace. Now she’s been summoned back to London by her stepmother, who is being blackmailed by the least likely person Rory can imagine: Lucas Vale, Marquess of Dashell.

Lucas is someone Rory’s known for years―a man as devastatingly handsome as he is coldly disapproving of her. What in the world could he want from her or her family? Rory intends to find out as soon as she comes face to face with her old foe. What she never expects, however, is that the icy aristocrat has a soft spot for her―and a secret plan to redeem her status. Could it be that Lucas has been in love with Rory all along. . .and has finally found a way to win her heart?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

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