Top Ten Tuesday: Books with the Word “Triangle” in the Title

April 29, 2025 By 44 Comments


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

I thought I’d challenge myself and see how this week’s prompt would go with a word I don’t associate with books or reading at all: triangle. Surprisingly, there were quite a few titles to choose from. Here are ten of them.

1. The Men with the Pink Triangle: The True Life-and-Death Story of Homosexuals in the Nazi Death Camps
by Heinz Heger, David Fernbach

2. It’s Not Always Depression: Working the Change Triangle to Listen to the Body, Discover Core Emotions, and Connect to Your Authentic Self by Hilary Jacobs Hendel

3. Be a Triangle: How I Went from Being Lost to Getting My Life into Shape by Lilly Singh

4. The Greedy Triangle (Brainy Day Books) by Marilyn Burns, Syd Hoff, Gordon Silveria

5. Deadly Triangle: The Famous Architect, His Wife, Their Chauffeur, and Murder Most Foul by Susan Goldenberg

6. The Truth About Triangles by Michael Leali

7. Triangle (Star Trek: The Next Generation: Imzadi #2) by Peter David

8. The Girl in the Triangle by Joyana Peters

9. The Triangle: A Year on the Ground with New York’s Bloods and Crips by Kevin Deutsch

10. The Triangle Fire by Leon Stein, William Greider

Wasn’t this a nice assortment of genres and themes? What books have you read with the word triangle in their titles?

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings Tagged With: ,

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Spring 2025 to-Read List

March 18, 2025 By 56 Comments


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Here are ten books I’m looking forward to checking out this spring. Some of these titles have already been released, and I’m including the publication dates for the rest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.Woodworking  by Emily St. James 

Why I Want to Read It: Being closeted in a rural area is difficult, and I like reading stories about characters who figure out how to make it work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar

Why I Want to Read It: Faeries are always interesting to read about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One by Kristen Arnett

Why I Want to Read It: It’s been a while since I read anything that had clowns in it. How fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. rekt by Alex Gonzalez

Publication Date: March 25

Why I Want to Read It: Some parts of the Internet can be dangerous, especially for people who are already struggling. I’m rooting for the protagonist already.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.  The Keeper of Lonely Spirits by E.M. Anderson

Publication Date: March 25

Why I Want to Read It: I need more cozy fantasy in my life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

Publication Date: April 1

Why I Want to Read It: Ms. Jimenez has been on my TBR list for so long that now I have multiple books from her I want to read. One of these days I will finally read her work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.  Eat the Ones You Love by Sarah Maria Griffin

Publication Date: April 22

Why I Want to Read It: This sounds deliciously scary.

 

(This cover was too large to upload, but the link below will show it).

8. The Names by Florence Knapp

Publication Date: May 6

Why I Want to Read It: I love books that give a character some sort of dilemma in an early scene and then split off into different timelines to show how each decision would affect their lives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Old School Indian  by Aaron John Curtis

Publication Date: May 6

Why I Want to Read It: Characters who spend their last few weeks looking back at their lives can have such profound things to say about what’s really important.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang

Publication Date: May 13

Why I Want to Read It: I’ve sometimes wondered how the world would be different if everyone was capable of feeling deep empathy for others. Would it change the harmful decisions people can make?

 

 

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings Tagged With: ,

Top Ten Tuesday: Things Characters Have Said

March 4, 2025 By 34 Comments


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

This week let’s take a look at some things characters have said about happiness. Our world needs more happiness in it!

1. “There’s nothing like deep breaths after laughing that hard. Nothing in the world like a sore stomach for the right reasons.”
― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

 

2. “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien

 

3. “I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, “This is what it is to be happy.”
― Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

 

4. “It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.”
― Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

 

5. “I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve.”
― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

 

6. “And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon.”
― Edward Lear, The Owl and the Pussycat

 

7. “I know that’s what people say– you’ll get over it. I’d say it, too. But I know it’s not true. Oh, youll be happy again, never fear. But you won’t forget. Every time you fall in love it will be because something in the man reminds you of him.”
― Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

 

8. “Laughter is poison to fear.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

 

9. We should always make time for the things we like. If we don’t, we might forget how to be happy.”
― T.J. Klune, The House in the Cerulean Sea

 

10. “The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same.”
― Carlos Castaneda

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings Tagged With:

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Set in Another Time

February 25, 2025 By 62 Comments


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

This week I am talking about books set in the past. Specifically, these are pieces of historical fiction I’d like to read someday!

1. World Without End (Kingsbridge, #2) by Ken Follett

2. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

4. The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

5. Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

6. Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

7. The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell

8. The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar by Robert Alexander

9. Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian

10. Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai

If you like historical fiction, what are some of your favorite stories in that genre?

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings Tagged With:

Top Ten Tuesday: 2024 Releases I Was Excited to Read but Still Haven’t Gotten To

February 4, 2025 By 40 Comments


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Making TBR lists is so much easier than reading the books on them!

It’s sort of like having a meal that consists of all of your favorite foods.

The temptation to put more food on your plate than can easily fit into your stomach is strong.

Luckily, books don’t spoil if you put off reading them until your literary appetite returns.

Here are some of the 2024 releases I previously blogged about for Long and Short Reviews, have not read yet, but do hope to read eventually.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.  Eruption by Michael Crichton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Build a Girlfriend by Elba Luz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.  Januaries by Olivie Blake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. You Like It Darker by Stephen King

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Somewhere Beyond the Sea (The House in the Cerulean Sea, #2)  by T.J. Klune

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer

 

 

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings Tagged With: ,

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2025

January 7, 2025 By 57 Comments


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

I enjoy the challenge of doing this annual post so soon after the winter TBR post. It encourages me to keep looking for books and try not to repeat any of them.

In lieu of adding a stock photo to this post, I’ll let the book covers speak for themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao 

Release Date: January 14

Why I’m Interested: Magical realism and cozy mysteries are two genres I’d like to read more of this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Three Wild Dogs by Markus Zusak

Release Date: January 25

Why I’m Interested: I love stories about rescue dogs finding good homes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People by Imani Perry

Release Date: January 28

Why I’m Interested: This is a slice of history I knew nothing about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.Under the Same Stars  by Libba Bray

Release Date: February 4

Why I’m Interested: Multiple-timeline stories are so interesting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar

Release Date: March 4

Why I’m Interested: March seems like a great month to read a novella about the dangers and joys of interacting with the Fae. This is a time of year where the weather swings rapidly where I live. It can be mildly warm and sunny in the morning only for a snowstorm or ice storm to hit in the afternoon, for example. Likewise, faeries can be just as unpredictable!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Malinalli by Veronica Chap

Release Date: April 11

Why I’m Interested: This is not a legend I was already aware of, so I’ll have to read it before checking out the retelling. I enjoy comparing originals to retelling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.  The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig

 Release Date: April 29

Why I’m Interested: One of my favorite newer urban legends is the one about staircases in the woods and the terrible things that will happen to you if you find one and climb it. Wendig is also one of those authors I try to read but then get too scared and DNF his work. Maybe this time I can actually make it to the end?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Old School Indian by Aaron John Curtis

Release Date: May 6

Why I’m Interested: It’s refreshing to read books about people finding healing at the end of their lives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Forest Euphoria: The Abounding Queerness of Nature by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian

Release Date: May 29

Why I’m Interested: I only know a little about this topic and would like to learn more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. Girl in the Creek by Wendy N. Wagner

Release Date: June 24

Why I’m Interested: Once again, I don’t know if this will be too scary for me, but I’d like to give it a try.

 

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings Tagged With: ,

Winter Blogfest: Diane Billas

December 27, 2024 By 2 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a free e-copy of my book Superficial, open internationally. 

A New Tradition by Diane Billas

When I envision the holidays, you know what I see, me sitting curled up on the couch by the Christmas tree with a steaming mug of hot chocolate with a good holiday book. In reality that barely happens because of the craziness of the season, but one can always dream!

Another vision I get when I think about the holidays is the Christmas my family had last year. Most years my husband and Itravel to both families for Christmas, and let me tell you, they are not close to each other. We’d spend two plus hours in the car on Christmas day and arrive tired/stressed for Christmas dinner.

But last year was different. It was our first Christmas with our son, and we decided to stay home. We could see our extended families at some point, but we wanted Christmas to be time together with our new little family and it was glorious. We wore our Christmas pjs, helped our little one open his gifts, drank boozy hot chocolate while watching The Muppet Christmas Carol, and it was even warm enough to go to the playground. It was simple, but I absolutely loved it.

And you know what, we are hoping to do the same thing again this year. It’s going to be our new Christmas tradition to stay home and visit family before or after the craziness of the holidays, so we can just enjoy our time with them, and ourselves. I am also determined to sit by our Christmas tree and read a fun holiday book.

 

Embark on a thrilling adventure with Lea and Jake as they navigate the unexpected twists and turns at the biggest superhero fan convention of the year. When Lea finds herself trapped in an elevator during the event with superstar Jake, also known as The Amazing Boy, they realize something sinister is afoot. With everyone at the convention frozen, including Lea’s friends, Lea and Jake must team up to unravel the mystery behind the villainous acts plaguing Philadelphia. As they race against time, Lea grapples with whom to trust, while Jake uncovers startling truths about his own identity. A pulse-pounding journey filled with friendship, betrayal, and the ultimate quest for justice, will Lea and Jake save the day, or will supervillains prevail? Dive into this gripping tale that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

 

Diane Billas is an award-winning author of the YA sapphic contemporary romance novel DOES LOVE ALWAYS WIN?, featured in Parents Magazine, and the YA superhero novel SUPERFICIAL, both with Creative James Media. Her sapphic short story, THE PROM DO-OVER will be featured in the PROM PERFECT anthology, out Spring 2025 with Wild Ink Publishing.

Diane Billas lives in Philadelphia with her husband and son. When she’s not writing she can be found reading multiple books at once, performing the French horn and piano, or dreaming of the next country she’s going to visit

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram| Goodreads

Buy the book at Books2Read.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , ,

Winter Blogfest: Thea Landen

December 27, 2024 By 1 Comment

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of The Hummingbird and the Hawk plus a 20% off coupon to my shop (signed paperbacks, merchandise, etc). 

 

Workplace Holiday Parties by Thea Landen

 

Let’s talk about workplace holiday parties! These can range from low-key potlucks in the break room to extravagant affairs on board a yacht. (Or, if your office is like mine, your boss just sends you your holiday bonus without any fanfare. Can’t complain!) They can offer an opportunity to celebrate the year’s accomplishments with your colleagues or even air your grievances. Whether you love or hate the office parties, there’s a good chance of something interesting happening. Especially if there’s an open bar.

Technically, my book The Hummingbird and the Hawk is a workplace romance, as main character Gavin first meets love interest Olivia when she interviews for a position at his law firm. I’ll be honest with you—the plot-smut ratio in this book skews heavily toward the spicy scenes, so there’s not a whole lot going on while they’re actually working at the office. However, I needed to have some plot in there to help move the story along, so about halfway through, the characters attend one of the aforementioned swanky holiday parties.

If I’m making confessions, here’s another one: Gavin is, well, kind of a dick. Up until this point, he’s sort of been envisioning himself in some kind of My Fair Lady scenario, believing he’s molding his younger protégé into the woman he wants her to be, both in the office and in his bedroom. Olivia’s not thrilled with this interpretation of their relationship, and they argue during the lead-up to the party.

It’s hard to stay mad at your partner in such a festive setting, though. Even when your coworkers know what’s going on, and some exercise more discretion than others. Things start heating up between our featured couple before they can even get back home (in the company-provided limo, of course). I won’t spoil anything, but let’s just say Olivia starts hinting here that she’s no pushover and may have a few lessons of her own to teach Gavin.

It’s probably for the best when real-life holiday parties don’t involve any drama. (I won’t comment on real-life workplace romances. You do whatever makes you happy!) But when it comes to fiction like The Hummingbird and the Hawk, sometimes it’s fun to be on the naughty list for a change!

 

Gavin is known for two things: success as a criminal defense attorney and whirlwind romances. When former prosecutor Olivia enters his law firm to apply for a position, his attraction to her is instant. Despite their age difference, he has to have her.

Olivia may be the youngest employee at her new job, but she’s not going to let anyone push her around. Although Gavin is her much older superior at the office, she gives in to his advances and lets him believe he has control over her body as well as her career.

They embark on a tempestuous relationship, with Gavin testing her boundaries at every opportunity. When a stressful trial and a colleague’s criticisms rattle his confidence, however, Olivia jumps at the chance to change the dynamics between them. It’s her turn to dominate him, but will Gavin submit?

 

Thea Landen lives in New York with her husband and children. Though she’s dabbled in all romantic subgenres, she has a special love for sci-fi, fantasy, and adventure…anything that pushes the imagination beyond its usual limits. When she’s not writing, she’s either knitting or crocheting, playing video games, or pretending to enjoy cardio and squats.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Buy the book at Amazon.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Guest Blogs Tagged With: , ,

Winter Blogfest: Hayden West

December 27, 2024 By 12 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card. 

 

Holidays by Hayden West

I have to say, I love the holidays. The foods, the festive lights, the family. Laughter and good times. I grew up in Wisconsin and our winters were definitely white. We were out in the country and getting our tree was one of my favorite traditions.

There were years where my dad would drive the tractor and pull a wagon so we could also pick up more wood for the fireplace. I loved sitting up with him as I watched the tractor power through the high snow.

Mom would have made hot cocoa and put it in a thermos for us to drink when we (well me…) got cold.

After using the chainsaw to cut then we’d loaded up the wagon with more wood for splitting we would set off deeper into the forest, on foot now. Dad would bring the chainsaw and mom would have the warm drink. My older brother would bring a shovel and I usually dragged the tub.

Our family never knew if we would simply cut one down or, if we were going to be digging it up so we would be able to replant it come spring.

Have to admit, I wasn’t much in the way of helping from now on because…well, physical labor wasn’t fun for me at that age. So if it was cut, I would drag back the empty container. Of course, if there was a hill, I would sit in the tub and have my brother push me so I could slid down then hill and we’d do that for a while.

Eventually, we would get back to the house with either the cut tree or the dug up one. Dad would set it up inside and then we would unload the wood to be cut and stacked later.

Christmas tree decorating would come later that night after dinner. We’d have a large fire, popcorn (both for stringing and for eating), hot cocoa or cider and depending on how the weather outside was, mom may have made donuts.

Memories I hold dear and while I’m not in that state anymore, nor do I get live trees or even cut ones from a forest, the scents, smells and unforgettable family time isn’t something I will ever forget.

Happy holidays!

Hayden West

 

Secrets refuse to stay buried.

Pulled in for an op he never wanted, Michael Little knows it won’t be a hardship to pretend interest in his target. What does prove difficult is knowing that when it’s over, he’ll have to walk away.

Radek Dionne has busted his ass to keep his name away from the shady dealings his family is involved in. Used to people wanting him either for those connections or due to him being a player in the NHL, he keeps to himself. Until one night when he meets someone who gets to him on a level he’s never expected.

But family has a way of showing up when you least want them to and his is no exception. Secrets are exposed and loyalties tested. Will they be together by Christmas, or has this last secret ruined any chance of a happy ever after?

 

Hayden West lives in the Pacific Northwest, enjoys being outdoors to hike and explore the beauty, and hanging out with friends when not working on the next novella to be released.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Buy the book at Pride Publishing.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Guest Blogs Tagged With: , ,

Winter Blogfest: Nikki Knight

December 27, 2024 By 2 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win an e-ARC of Live, Local, and Long Dead. 

Happy Radio New Year by Nikki Knight

New Year’s Day is my favorite holiday.

​It’s not the joy of welcoming a new year, or the excitement of a clean slate and fresh starts, though that’s definitely good thing.

​No, I love New Year’s because it’s the best day with my work family.

​For the last twenty years, I’ve been a weekend and fill-in anchor at a top New York City radio station, part of a small but dedicated team that covers when the full-timers are off. We’re the folks who keep the station going at the same high level while our colleagues take vacations, celebrate with their families, or recover from illnesses. And we’re just as good as they are, because the expectations are the same.

​Most of us weekenders and freelancers have other lives. I’m a stay-at-home mom Monday through Friday, and several of my colleagues have small children or other family responsibilities. Others are semi-retired after storied careers. Still others have full-time jobs – my regular on-air partner is a teacher.

​We come from all races, faiths, backgrounds, and experiences.

​But we’re all news people.

​And we choose to spend our holidays with our colleagues. Yes, for family or professional reasons, but also because we love the work and the team.

​And that’s why New Year’s Day is so special.

​From Thanksgiving to Christmas Week, regular staffers take a lot of time off, whether it’s holidays, family events, or just burning a few leftover days. So we fill-ins get a lot of work. By New Year’s, we’ve all been working straight out for weeks. We’re exhausted, but we’re in a groove together, dealing with whatever this year’s huge story is (there’s always one holiday tragedy/controversy/disaster) and getting the news out.

​Now, on January first, the work is almost over. We’re just about ready to go back to our lives outside the newsroom, and we know we probably won’t spend much time together again until the summer fill-in season. And being journalists, we know how much can happen in those six months.

​All of which makes New Year’s a fun – and very precious – day. One more shift, knowing it won’t happen again for a while, if ever. Enjoying the bond, the shared dark humor, and the feeling of being part of something bigger and more important than ourselves.

​It’s not really a party, but it’s not NOT a party, either. Folks bring leftover holiday cookies and candy, and everyone’s running on the darkest-roast coffee and highest-caffeine soda we can find. And at some point, we’ll raise those paper coffee cups and soda bottles in a toast to each other that’s a little jokey, but also very real:

One more year under our belts…and another started the right way.

​Together.

​May your year start so well!

 

LIVE, LOCAL, AND LONG DEAD: Vermont DJ Jaye Jordan’s Green-Up Day ends in murder when not one, but two, bodies turn up in an old park — and one of them was much too close to both her ex and her current man when it was alive and bodacious. Now Jaye, with the help of a colorful (and diverse) cast of townies, will have to clear her men’s names, unravel a World War II-era mystery…and get Grandpa Seymour to the Senior Prom on time.

 

Nikki Knight describes herself as an Author/Anchor/Mom…not in that order. An award-winning weekend anchor at New York City’s 1010 WINS Radio, she writes short stories and novels. Her stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Mystery Magazine, and Black Cat Weekly, online, and in anthologies – and been short-listed for Black Orchid Novella and Derringer Awards. Active in writers’ groups, she’s served as Vice President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society and is currently Co-Vice President of the New York/Tri-State Chapter of Sisters in Crime. As Kathleen Marple Kalb, she writes the Ella Shane and Old Stuff mystery series. She, her husband, and son live in a Connecticut house owned by their cat.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Buy the book at Wild Rose Press.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Mystery/Suspense Tagged With: , ,
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