Sponsored by Lit Stitch: 25 Cross-Stitch Patterns for Book Lovers.
Inside Book Riot’s Lit Stitch, you’ll find a number of badass, bookish cross-stitch patterns. Some of these are for bookmarks, others are for wall decor, and still others can take on a whole host of finished outcomes. What they have in common is their literary bent—the patterns speak to all manner of literary-minded book lovers, who are happy to display their nerdier sides. And what better way than through your own cross-stitch art to hang on your wall, prop on your desk, or even gift to friends and family. And most, if not all, are beginner friendly and can be completed in a few hours—instant stitchification!
It’s another Monday, folks. I hope everyone’s still doing what they can to stay safe, healthy, and happy, even as things happen around us that probably shouldn’t be. I have been getting better at reading, and I also had my first Zoom voice lesson! Things are looking up, I guess.
Let’s talk romancelandia.
News and Useful Links
The RWA annual conference has officially been cancelled. Finally. .
Do you like Sherryl Woods’s books? You might not have heard that Sweet Magnolias is coming out on Netflix, and there’s going to be a watch party on Facebook tomorrow, May 19. I’ve never read Sherryl Woods, and am sort of tired of Netflix adapting romance series set in straight, white small towns and tossing in a few actors of color in when the original has none (especially considering the original content they’ve been producing), but Heather Headley is in it, so count me in.
The creators of Frolic have signed a first look deal with CBS. I’m both looking forward to seeing what progress they make but also annoyed that whatever does will probably only be available to watch on CBS All Access because that’s usually how it works.
Did you know this??? Because I sure didn’t.
Alicia Cox Thompson asks “why are romance novels so white?”
And Maya Rodale highlights three new romances she’s enjoyed for NPR.
Therese Beharrie is giving us some magical fairy tale romances!
And Jackie Lau’s got some food pun titles coming our way, too.
Have you read When Dimple Met Rishi and the rest of that series? Sandhya Menon is releasing an adult romance this Fall, and EW showed us the cover.
There’s a new romance bookstore in Laguna Beach.
Do you support authors who have Patreon? Jack Harbon has already revealed a cover for an upcoming book for patrons.
Deals
Tasha L. Harrison’s A Taste of Her Own Medicine, which I mentioned in this week’s When In Romance, is free right now! This book is so good, with a recently-divorced mother of teenagers who wants to make something of herself by taking an entrepreneurship class taught by a brilliant younger man with Winston Duke’s thighs. There’s also a touch of magic, with some witchiness in the family practices of Sonja and her family. Set aside a couple of hours, because you won’t want to stop. Make sure to get it in the next couple days (though the regular price isn’t bad either).
Recs!
I know that, in truth, they never actually left, but I feel comfortable saying that vampires are back! Vampires were my first paranormal fandom—I quickly made the move in high school and college from Anne Rice to Amelia Atwater Rhodes to Laurell K. Hamilton to Sherrilyn Kenyon to Twilight to Black Dagger Brotherhood to Sookie to…well, a lot of other stuff. There are series like the Argeneaus and Immortals After Dark that stayed under my radar until only a couple years ago, and others yet that I haven’t explored. But unless you were a reader focused on paranormals, you might not come across them on your own.
But now, we might be getting a resurgence. Obviously, the new YA novel Crave and Stephenie Meyer’s announcement that she would finally be releasing Midnight Sun have been in the public eye. And there’s an amazing anthology called Vampires Never Get Old coming out in the fall. But there are also a couple other adult vampire romances coming from unexpected places, and unexpected authors—who will bring their readers with them.
Reborn Yesterday
Tessa Bailey
I haven’t read a lot of Tessa Bailey. I have a couple of her books and read the funny but forgettable Fix Her Up last year. But I was so fascinated by the premise, I wanted to see what was going to come from a contemporary author.
Ginny is called “Death Girl” by the ladies in her sewing group, because she is a mortician. She has inherited the Coney Island institution from her father, who died suddenly and left the place 50/50 to Ginny and her stepmother. While Ginny is admiring the beautiful man she is sad to have to embalm, the man sits up, which doesn’t scare her as much as it should. The pair have an immediate connection, but Jonas has to wipe her memories at the end of their time together, because Vampire Rules. But she tells him she’s in danger, and instead of taking her memories, he puts a delightful Russian assassin/vampire hunter on Ginny during the day when he can’t be there to protect her. Because he can’t help but to protect her, and Ginny will milk that need for all it’s worth.
This is definitely an interesting read, but overall it was…good. People who enjoy Tessa Bailey’s writing will enjoy it; people who are regular paranormal readers and have expectations of worldbuilding might find it lacking. It was still enjoyable, if not very fast-paced.
Okay, I lied. I can’t actually think of another new vampire romance by an author who hasn’t written one before. Have you seen any in the wild?
What’s your favorite vampire romance?
As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!