Daily Happiness
Nov. 25th, 2025 07:22 pm2. With Carla gone, Jasper and Ollie have been super snuggly. Look at this sweetie boy!


Links:
Chapter 2: archiveofourown.org/works/73731971/chapters/193193056#workskin
Chapter 3: archiveofourown.org/works/73731971/chapters/195188531#workskin
Various stories, following the friends from their novel adventures
20 years ago Harlan Ellison said I was "a superannuated teen-age golem with a slack jaw, a slow manner, a typical pointless surliness at a world unwilling or unable to accept him as Superlative, and on sum a twerp easy to dismiss" and I am still very proud of that.
Here's "The Story".
-Gabe Out
We perceive that there does not appear to be any gender-confusion, or relationships with military helmets, connected with this particular tortoise, or maybe no-one noticed: Gramma the Galápagos tortoise, oldest resident of San Diego Zoo, dies at about 141. Not quite old enough to have met that there Charles Darwin, then.
***
Reversal of Fates: Access Through Photographs can be a Counterbalance
Ongoing digitization and cataloging work not only serves the interests of scholars and manuscript communities—it also creates crucial, publicly-accessible provenance records that provide an increasingly robust bulwark against manuscript theft and trafficking.
***
Thousands of rare American recordings — some 100 years old — go online for all to enjoy:
“A lot of that music from that era, the record companies did not keep backups. They were all destroyed, almost all. And it’s all up to the record collectors. They’re the ones who kind of saved the music from that era,”
....
Superior to a random recording uploaded to YouTube with no accompanying information, the database includes things like where the song was recorded and when, as well as lists of musicians and composers who worked on the songs.
I think I may have mentioned at some time the phenomenon of the 'monkey walk': Before Tinder, there was the Monkey Parade… . Though some recent works read for review incline me to think that one reason for the decline not mentioned in that piece was the rise of the coffee-bar - indoors in the warm with a juke-box, and the site of massive 50s moral panic around The Young.
***
Statue to 'remarkable' woman who escaped slavery:
A statue to a "remarkable and brave" woman who fled slavery and torture in the US has been unveiled in the fishing town in northern England where she found freedom.
Mary Ann Macham spent weeks hiding in woods in Virginia before stowing away on a ship, eventually arriving in North Shields in the early 1830s.
She was taken in by a Quaker family, married a local man and remained in the town until she died aged 91.
RECOMMENDED: The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman is $2.99! This is book two in the Ill-Mannered Ladies series. Lara reviewed both book one and two, and gave this one a B+.
In Regency England, the eccentric Colebrook sisters are amateur detectives who use their wits and invisibility as “old maids” to fight injustice in this delightful and fiercely feminist novel of mystery and adventure from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman.
To most of Regency high society, forty-two-year-old Lady Augusta Colebrook, or Gus, and her twin sister, Julia, are just unmarried ladies of a certain age. But the Colebrook twins are far from useless old maids. They are secretly protecting women and children ignored by society and the law.
When Lord Evan—a charming escaped convict who has won Gus’s heart—needs to hide his sister, Hester, from their vindictive brother, Gus and Julia take Hester and her lover into their home. But Lord Evan’s complicated past puts them all in danger. Gus knows they must clear his name of murder if he is to survive the thieftakers who hunt him. No easy task—the fatal duel was twenty years ago and a key witness is nowhere to be found.
In a deadly cat-and-mouse game, Gus, Julia, and Lord Evan must dodge their pursuers and investigate Lord Evan’s past. They will be thrust into the ugly underworld of Georgian gentlemen’s clubs, spies, and ruthless bounty hunters, not to mention the everyday threat of narrow-minded brothers. Will the truth be found in time, or will dangerous secrets from the past destroy family bonds and rip new love and lives apart?
Rebel in the Deep by Katee Robert is $1.99! Lara, who has read a lot of Robert’s romances, gave this one a C-. But if you’re looking to collect all books in the Crimson Sails series (this is book three), this is a good deal.
The rebellion’s fight turns into a battle of the heart in this pulse-pounding conclusion to the Crimson Sails trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Katee Robert.
Nox has been steadfastly working for the rebellion for years. They don’t ask for much in return, except for one crucial their ex, the noble Bastian, stays as far away from them as possible. To say things ended poorly between them is an understatement . . . and it’s the only relationship Nox has never quite recovered from.
But now the rules have changed. Siobhan, the rebel leader, has emerged from hiding to tell Nox that Bastian’s been taken captive and the secrets he holds tight are in danger of being revealed. The fate of the entire rebellion now rests on Nox and Siobhan’s ability to rescue Bastian from a Cŵn Annwn ship.
Saving Bastian is only the start of their hardships, as the trio is tracked by ferocious pirates across Threshold. And Nox’s complicated relationships and entanglements with Bastian and Siobhan put not only their life at risk but their heart on the line.
The Art of Scandal by Regina Black is $3.99! This was mentioned on a podcast episode with librarian Robin Bradford, who had this high up on her TBR pile.
“Love would be so much easier if it were perfect…”
On the night of her husband Matt’s fortieth birthday, Rachel Abbott receives a sexy, explicit text from her husband that she quickly realizes was meant for another woman. Divorce is inevitable, and Rachel is determined not to leave her thirteen-year marriage empty handed. Meanwhile, Matt, a rising star mayor with his eye on the White House, can’t afford a messy split in the middle of his reelection campaign. They strike a deal: Rachel gets one million dollars and their lavish house in the wealthy DC suburb of Oasis Springs, as long as she keeps playing the ideal Black trophy wife until the election.
Then Rachel meets Nathan Vasquez, a very handsome, very lost twenty-six-year-old artist, and their connection makes Rachel forget about being the perfect politician’s wife. As Rachel reawakens Nathan’s long-dormant artistic aspirations, their attraction becomes impossible to resist. But secrets are hard to keep in a town like Oasis Springs, and Nathan has a few of his own. With the risk of scandal looming and their hearts on the line, they’ll have to decide whether the possibility of losing everything is worth taking a chance on love.
The Art of Scandal is a sizzling, conversation-starting debut about rekindling passion, the transformative power of art, and finding love in unexpected places.
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb is $1.99! I mentioned this one on a previous edition of Get Rec’d. This is a heist-type mystery with a deep dive into classical music communities.
GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK! • Ray McMillian is a Black classical musician on the rise—undeterred by the pressure and prejudice of the classical music world—when a shocking theft sends him on a desperate quest to recover his great-great-grandfather’s heirloom violin on the eve of the most prestigious musical competition in the world.
“I loved The Violin Conspiracy for exactly the same reasons I loved The Queen’s Gambit: a surprising, beautifully rendered underdog hero I cared about deeply and a fascinating, cutthroat world I knew nothing about—in this case, classical music.” —Chris Bohjalian, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Flight Attendant and Hour of the Witch
Growing up Black in rural North Carolina, Ray McMillian’s life is already mapped out. But Ray has a gift and a dream—he’s determined to become a world-class professional violinist, and nothing will stand in his way. Not his mother, who wants him to stop making such a racket; not the fact that he can’t afford a violin suitable to his talents; not even the racism inherent in the world of classical music.
When he discovers that his beat-up, family fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius, all his dreams suddenly seem within reach, and together, Ray and his violin take the world by storm. But on the eve of the renowned and cutthroat Tchaikovsky Competition—the Olympics of classical music—the violin is stolen, a ransom note for five million dollars left in its place. Without it, Ray feels like he’s lost a piece of himself. As the competition approaches, Ray must not only reclaim his precious violin, but prove to himself—and the world—that no matter the outcome, there has always been a truly great musician within him.
This HaBO comes from Samantha, who wants to find this historical romance:
I am hoping you can help me identify a historical romance novel I have been searching for over the past three years since I got back into reading romance.
Here are the details I recall:
– Genre: Historical romance, road trip theme, grumpy/sunshine trope.
– Publication Date: Definitely written before 2006, and likely before 2003.
– Hero: Gruff and aristocratic, though he has been away from his home for an extended period.
– Heroine: Lower class, possibly red-haired, and provides comic relief.
– Plot: A road trip romance where the MMC is taking the FMC back to his home, seemingly against her will.
– Specific Scene: There is a moment where the FMC says something to the effect of, “Is that a watch fob in your pocket?”—referring to his erection.
I thought I knew this one, but the watch fob and year didn’t match with my guess. Let’s HaBO!

Welcome back!
It’s a short and sweet release week for us. Only three books to mention before we head into December. We have a fantasy romance, historical, and contemporary.
Which new releases are on your TBR pile this week? Let us know in the comments!
Author: Chloe Neill
Released: November 25, 2025 by Ace
Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale Romance, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Series: Souls Burn Brightest #1
A new romantasy, following a thief whose dramatic encounter with an assassin and a crown bodyguard (who happens to be a royal in disguise) launches her into a world of swirling palace intrigue, from New York Times bestselling author Chloe Neill.
Fox is a thief with morals—she steals from those who can afford it and only a little at that. She has no choice. Fox and her three closest companions entered into indentured servitude to the Lady, a mysterious noble with widespread political power by questionable means, in order to pay off familial debts. While searching for an easy mark in town, Fox helps a royal bodyguard fend off a would-be assassin’s attack on a prince’s life.
But what started off as protecting the prince out of good conscience has now unwittingly embroiled this thief in a vast world of politics, high stakes, and romance. And though Fox longs to be free of her debts, she must decide if love is its own kind of cage.
Amanda: A royal in disguise and a thief!
Author: Mimi Matthews
Released: November 25, 2025 by Berkley
Genre: Historical: European, Romance
Series: The Crinoline Academy #2
The Academy always comes first . . . which makes marriage to its most formidable adversary an exceedingly inconvenient arrangement.
Well removed from London’s more curious eyes, the Benevolent Academy for the Betterment of Young Ladies strives toward one clandestine goal: to distract, disrupt, and discredit men in power who would seek to harm the advancement of women—by appropriate means, of course.
When intrepid newspaper editor Miles Quincy starts to question the school’s intentions, the Academy appoints Penelope “Nell” Trewlove, one of their brightest graduates, to put this nuisance to rest. An easy enough mission, she supposes. Or it would be, if Miles wasn’t so fascinating—too fascinating to resist—and if Nell’s visit to London didn’t perfectly coincide with the murder of one of Miles’s reporters.
When the inexorable claws of fate trap Nell and Miles in a compromising situation, they agree to an arrangement that will save their reputations while enabling them to investigate the story that led to a man’s death, as well as the surprising chemistry between them . . .
Lara: I tend to love Mimi Matthews books, but there’s something extra special about this series and this book is no exception to that. Full review.
Author: Olivia Dade
Released: November 25, 2025 by Avon
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Series: Harlot's Bay #2
In the second installment of USA Today bestselling author Olivia Dade’s Harlot’s Bay series, a mistaken obituary leads to the reunion of two former high school crushes. Sparks fly in this hilarious grumpy/grumpy romance, packed with Dade’s signature body positivity and a delicious amount of spice.
Karl and Molly were never together. There was a time, right after high school, where it seemed like they might finally cross the line from friends to lovers…but instead, a foolish misunderstanding meant they never spoke again. Molly went to LA and got married. Karl stayed in Harlot’s Bay and bought a bakery.
The only connection the pair has shared over the years is painfully one-sided: Now divorced, Molly narrates monster romance audiobooks, and Karl is an ever-diligent listener, clinging to his only piece of the one that got away.
Still, Molly hasn’t totally left Harlot’s Bay behind. When she hears that Karl’s obituary has run in the local paper, unexpected grief prompts her to hop on the next flight to Maryland…where she finds Karl very much alive, the victim of nothing but an accidental obituary.
As the pair reunite, they finally hash out their missed connection. True, Molly isn’t quite ready to trust again, but Karl is determined to prove himself worthy of her faith and devotion. And as her remaining time in Harlot’s Bay ticks down, Molly, the habitual cynic, just might find that Karl, the cranky town curmudgeon, is impossible to leave behind a second time.
Book two in the Harlot’s Bay series.

Yar shows Worf a flaw