Protest Music From Bruce Springsteen and Billy Bragg
Jan. 28th, 2026 09:38 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
scalziwhatever_feedWhen the history of the moment is said and done, there are going to be people who wished they had been on the same side as Bruce Springsteen and Billy Bragg, and some who will lie that they had always been. But they will know the truth, and so will others. It won’t be forgotten.
— JS
Links: Nail Polish, Owls, & More
Jan. 28th, 2026 07:00 pmsmartbitches_feed
Welcome back!
How have we all done with the snowfall? We got about two feet and my partner broke our shovel trying to break up some ice. And of course, all the local places are sold out of shovels. Fingers crossed our online order arrives before the next snow forecast.
Also, I finally read by first Cate C. Wells. Katie, who participated in the After Dark quarterly recs, gave me some suggestions on where to finally start and I did it.
The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate was a lot of fun!
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This link is from Elizabeth S! We Need Diverse Books has launched a new initiative to help fight book bans.
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Bonkers Romance has a new kickstarter in the works for Bluebeard retellings. It’s due to launch in a little over two months. You can sign up to be notified of the launch here.
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This link is from Bransler in the SBTB podcast patreon discord! If you’re a nail polish fan, Atomic Polish is running a fundraiser. All proceeds of their new shade ICE Out will be donated to the Immigrant Rapid Response Fund.
I own a few bottles of Atomic Polish shades and I definitely recommend them.
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I enjoyed this short video about a man who helps take care of the Snowy Owl population at Logan Airport. As someone who lives in the area, I had no clue we had so many Snowy Owls!
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Don’t forget to share what cool or interesting things you’ve seen, read, or listened to this week! And if you have anything you think we’d like to post on a future Wednesday Links, send it my way!
BtVS: Older [Challenge 486: Feeling Blue]
Jan. 28th, 2026 05:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
badly_knitted posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
drabble_zoneTitle: Older
Fandom: BtVS
Author:
badly_knitted Characters: Buffy, Angel.
Rating: PG
Written For: Challenge 486: Feeling Blue.
Spoilers/Setting: Surprise / Innocence.
Summary: Buffy turns seventeen. So much for a happy birthday.
Disclaimer: I don’t own BtVS, or the characters.
A/N: Double drabble.
Older
The Big Idea: Salinee Goldenberg
Jan. 28th, 2026 04:05 pmscalziwhatever_feed
When you have two great ideas, why not have them work together to get the best of both worlds in one story? Author Salinee Goldenberg decided to do just that for her new novel, Way of the Walker. Enjoy hearing about her process of combining these ideas in her Big Idea.
SALINEE GOLDENBERG:
‘In its bare reality, decolonization reeks of red-hot cannonballs and bloody knives. For the last can be the first only after a murderous and decisive confrontation between the two protagonists. This determination to have the last move up to the front, to have them clamber up (too quickly, say some) the famous echelons of an organized society, can only succeed by resorting to every means, including, of course, violence.’
-Franz Fanon, The Wretched of The Earth 1961
There were two ravenous wolves of ideas within me when I sat down to write Way of the Walker. In one corner, we have an anti-colonialist war epic inspired by the late Rattanakosin era of Siam and the surrounding conquest of Southeast Asia by western powers. In the other, a character study, an anti-hero saga starring our headstrong protagonist Isaree, an estranged phi hunter on a journey of self discovery, defined by her uncompromising morals and a mission to administer the justice she sees absent in the world.
These two Big Ideas circled the story, which at times, frantically evaded capture, a juicy, nimble deer that refused to be devoured completely by one or the other. I needed to force my two hungry wolves to politely share this meal — to collaborate on its consumption in a viably publishable amount of words. Even though Way of the Walker is a stand alone, the real life inspiration behind the world of Suyoram began with my first novel, The Last Phi Hunter, a dark fantasy adventure inspired by Thai culture, folklore, Buddhism, and mythology. I didn’t want just a snapshot into a fantastical world, I wanted it to feel alive. A living world breathes, grows, dies, evolves… so I explored the effects of modernization in rural lands, the nostalgia of fading traditions, the death of mysticism, the yearning for a life that never was. I dipped my toe into the historical inspirations behind the world of Suyoram, but for the heavy themes in Way of the Walker, there was no shallow end to wade into. I had to dive in headfirst.
Something that deeply interested me has always been how Thailand avoided colonization throughout the centuries as competing European powers descended upon the resource rich region and violently established control. Fortuitously, Siam’s geographical location served as a buffer between the British Empire and French Indochina, but Monkut and his heir Chulalongkorn (King Rama IV and V, respectively) realized that subjugation would be inevitable without drastic action.
They educated their nobility overseas, adapted western fashions and architecture, and passed democratic legal and social practices, to the extent that some historians contend that Siam “colonized itself” in order to be perceived as culturally equal by the encroaching imperialists. Through territorial concessions, policy reforms, and diplomatic ingenuity, Siam remained independent, and the name of the country was eventually changed to Thailand in 1939 — “Thai” literally translating to “free.”
However inspiring this was, I wasn’t interested in writing a court intrigue dense with complicated political discussions. I wanted action, magic, murder, romance, mayhem! So the historical set up was only a jumping off point for the second wolf to come in. The “Grisland” antagonists in Way of the Walker are a conglomeration of western-coded oppressors, and I pulled more inspiration from struggles for sovereignty not only from other Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam and Malaysia, but from all around the world — Algeria, Cuba, Bolivia, Kenya, Palestine, and more — no colonized peoples are ever alone.
Revolutions arise from the oppressed, the working class, the people, which the protagonists from both books are — but Ex from The Last Phi Hunter wasn’t the right lead for this story. His daughter Isaree, however, has grown up in the shadow of atmospheric violence, and was the natural evolution for this point of history. The injustices she witnesses and a crisis of faith drive her to seek answers, to seek power, and ultimately, to strike back at the oppressors, despite the personal cost. She’s heroic, but flawed, and not without limitations.
The worst of these limitations was a narratively practical one. Isaree is a viciously fun character to write, but she’s all predator, instinct and raw power, with one foot into the world of devas and spirits, but can’t tell a treaty from a roll of toilet paper. How do I dig into the meat of a decolonialist narrative if the protagonist has no framework for geopolitics, or international trade wars, or, well… that’s where the Big Idea splits into a secondary POV — the renegade prince sent to kill her, as a favor to appease the king’s allies. With this insider view, we see what Frantz Fanon calls the “colonist bourgeoisie” perspective, which was the mediator bridge I needed, and made for great drama.
I had big ideas for this novel, but it’s something I’ve wanted to explore for years, and I was hungry for it. When I made the last edits, and the pass pages went to print, I can honestly say my appetite was satiated, and I settled in for a two-day victory nap. So if you’re itching for an action-packed fantasy war epic with an angry yet hopeful bichaotic protagonist, and big contemplations of what it means to punch up with a fist full of magic and a heart full of rage, go check it out.
Way of the Walker: Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Books-A-Million|Bookshop|Powell’s
Paranormal Romance, Ilona Andrews, & More
Jan. 28th, 2026 04:30 pmsmartbitches_feedTourist Season
Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver is $1.99! This is book one in a new series. It came out last year and I mentioned it on Hide Your Wallet. I do love Weaver’s blend of dark humor and romance, but often find the pacing to be a bit lopsided in her romances. What do you think?
Welcome to Cape Carnage! Visit Once, Stay Forever.
Cape Carnage is a seaside town of colorful houses, quirky shops, and an unusually high body count. But with tourists comes trouble, and Harper Starling won’t let anyone ruin her picture-perfect home. A skilled gardener with killer instincts, Harper protects her sanctuary at any cost—especially for her aging mentor with a fading memory.
Troublesome tourists don’t check out of Carnage. They compost beneath Harper’s award-winning flowerbeds. But Nolan Rhodes isn’t your average tourist. Devilishly handsome, disarmingly charming, and skilled with a blade, Nolan is relentless in the pursuit of revenge. On every anniversary of the hit-and-run accident that fractured his life, Nolan slays another target. And he’s saved the best for last: the undeniably beautiful Harper Starling.
The problem? Harper isn’t the monster he expected. And she won’t go down without a fight. When an amateur true crime investigator comes to Cape Carnage on the trail of a long-lost serial killer, Harper and Nolan strike an uneasy truce. If Nolan helps Harper protect her town, she’ll keep quiet about his hunting habits . . . for now. But their alliance soon spirals into obsession, one that threatens to shatter every secret in Carnage—including their fragile love.
Tourist Season is a darkly funny, slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance where destruction and desire are balanced on the edge of a blade—and where love is the most dangerous battleground of all.
On the Edge
On the Edge by Ilona Andrews is $1.99! This is the first book in The Edge urban fantasy series and, I think, it’s the only series I haven’t read by Andrews. As usual for Andrews, the world building is great, though some readers said it took them longer to connect with the characters than in Andrews other series.
Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, between the world of the Broken (where people drive cars, shop at Wal-Mart, and magic is a fairy tale) and the Weird (where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny). Only Edgers like Rose can easily travel from one world to the next, but they never truly belong in either.
Rose thought if she practiced her magic, she could build a better life for herself. But things didn’t turn out how she planned, and now she works a minimum wage, off the books job in the Broken just to survive. Then Declan Camarine, a blueblood noble straight out of the deepest part of the Weird, comes into her life, determined to have her (and her power).
But when a terrible danger invades the Edge from the Weird, a flood of creatures hungry for magic, Declan and Rose must work together to destroy them—or they’ll devour the Edge and everyone in it.
Never Been Shipped
Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson is $1.99! This came out last summer. It features a band reunion on a cruise ship. I’ve heard good things about Thompson’s romances!
A band reunion may be enough to change two musicians’ tune on love in this electric romance from USA Today bestselling author Alicia Thompson.
Micah’s relationship to music is complicated. As teenagers, her band took off after being featured on a popular TV show, but the group barely released their sophomore album before breaking up. Now, over a decade later, the band is reuniting for one more performance on a themed cruise, and Micah is determined to learn from her past mistakes — no losing herself in the music, and no losing her heart along the way.
John misses playing in a band, and mostly he misses Micah, who’d been his best friend until the music stopped. Back then, he didn’t take the lead, either in his guitar parts or while he sat back and watched her date another bandmate. John’s never been one to rock the boat, but he’s faced with another chance now that this cruise has brought music — and Micah — back in his life.
Onboard, Micah can’t help but see John with brand new eyes, and John’s feelings only intensify as the discordant band’s tension grows to a breaking point. With five days at sea, there’s a ticking clock on anything that might develop between them, and they’ll have to decide if their relationship is destined to be more than a one-hit wonder.
Do Your Worst
Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan is $2.99! Lara was middling on this paranormal romance and gave it a C-. I enjoyed Danan’s contemporaries so I remember looking forward to this one. Did you read it?
Riley Rhodes finally has the chance to turn her family’s knack for the supernatural into a legitimate business when she’s hired to break the curse on an infamous Scottish castle. Used to working alone in her alienating occupation, she’s pleasantly surprised to meet a handsome stranger upon arrival—until he tries to get her fired.
Fresh off a professional scandal, Clark Edgeware can’t allow a self-proclaimed “curse breaker” to threaten his last chance for redemption. After he fails to get Riley kicked off his survey site, he vows to avoid her. Unfortunately for him, she vows to get even.
Riley expects the curse to do her dirty work by driving Clark away, but instead, they keep finding themselves in close proximity. Too close. Turns out, the only thing they do better than fight is fool around. If they’re not careful, by the end of all this, more than the castle will end up in ruins.
SCAM ALERT: There is no Smart Bitches Strategic Partnerships
Jan. 28th, 2026 03:18 pmsmartbitches_feed
Dr. Bruce Gleason forwarded me a truly enraging email. It’s allegedly from me.
Spoiler: it’s not.
You might have seen or perhaps received a marketing pitch filled with AI-written and deeply florid compliments to your writing and your book.
I’ve received a few and have been trying to track down who actually sent it (mine was sent on behalf of a library in Charlotte which disavowed all knowledge of this person – more on that soon).
But this one just about sent me over the side of my desk chair:
Subject: Partnership inquiry: Editorial collaboration for Cold War Cadence
Dear Dr. Gleason,
I am reaching out from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books (SBTB) because we’ve identified Cold War Cadence as a remarkable work that aligns with our community’s interest in European history, military life, and the preservation of historic moments. In an increasingly crowded market, we look for partners who provide the kind of “vivid recollections” and exacting detail that our audience of frequent readers discusses and treasures.
Rather than a standard review request, I am proposing an editorial partnership for your release schedule. In the current publishing landscape, where digital discovery is shifting, having your work anchored on a twenty-year-old authority site like ours provides a significant advantage. We offer a permanent digital presence that ensures your memoir of Berlin from 1988–1991 remains discoverable to our readers, specifically highlighting the unique role of army bandsmen and the “historic ghosts” of the city you so effectively describe.
I have a comprehensive Partnership Brief ready for you that details how we reach our community of over 500,000 monthly readers and our podcast to create what we call the “SBTB Bump.” This brief outlines how we connect our high-trust community with your work, providing the validation of our recognized platform and the sustained reader engagement generated through our newsletters and digital features.
We have identified your writing as a standout that aligns with our audience of dedicated readers who value rigorous historical research and entertaining travelogues. Would you like me to send the partnership brief over for you to review?
Best regards,
Smart Bitches Strategic Partnerships | Smart Bitches, Trashy Books Website: smartbitchestrashybooks.com
I am re-printing the email in full for two reasons:
- If anyone else receives this email, and they google, they will (I hope) find this post where I say again, THIS IS NOT US.
- WHAT IS THIS CRAP.
- One more time: THIS IS A SCAM. THIS IS NOT FROM SBTB.
This is such trash. I have no idea who is behind this, but it’s so similar to other scam email messages I’ve seen that I presume it’s based with the same group of scammers. I wish everlasting diarrhea upon them.
What’s weird is that there IS in fact a “SBTB bump” in that the books we feature in reviews, on sale posts, and Whatcha Reading or Hide Your Wallet posts often do get a bump in sales. Our bi-weekly bestseller list is generated from what sales data we have through affiliate links. But again, this is not from us.
HOWEVER. If YOU are a military historian or a music historian, you may be interested in Dr. Gleason’s books.
Dr. Gleason is the author of Cold War Cadence: A Military Musician’s Berlin Memoir, 1988-1991 and Sound the Trumpets, Beat the Drums: Horse-Mounted Bands of the US Army, 1820-1940.
Thanks to Dr. Gleason for alerting me. If you’ve received an email like this that purports to be from SBTB, please forward it to me at sarah @ smartbitchestrashybooks DOTTY com.
PLEASE share this in your communities if you think someone there might be targeted by this balderdash. Thank you.
Stuff We Like: Crafting and Reading in the Dark
Jan. 28th, 2026 07:01 amsmartbitches_feedIt’s time for another edition of Stuff We Like!
This month: we have a request from LittyN about crafting in dark or low light environments, particularly the car!
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.
Tuesday word: Serendipity
Jan. 27th, 2026 09:40 pmsimplyn2deep posting in 1word1dayTuesday, January 27, 2026
Serendipity (noun)
serendipity [ser-uhn-dip-i-tee]
noun, plural serendipities
1. an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.
2. accidental discovery, or an instance of this: Alton’s premiere novel was a serendipity that affected my thinking in the most positive way.
3. good fortune; luck: What serendipity—she got the first job she applied for!
Other Word Forms
serendipiter noun
serendipitist noun
serendipitous adjective
serendipper noun
Related Words
fluke, happenstance
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
Origin: Serendip + -ity; coined in 1754 by English novelist Horace Walpole ( def. ) for an ability possessed by the heroes of a fairy tale called The Three Princes of Serendip, using a former name for Sri Lanka
Example Sentences
New ideas spring, as if by serendipity, from individuals.
From The Wall Street Journal
“Gen Z wants to connect authentically. They believe in romance. They’re open to serendipity,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times
When you’re just another tourist following a well-trodden itinerary, serendipity is rare, but the Georgian hinterland seems to regularly yield chance happenings.
From The Wall Street Journal
She felt relying heavily on AI to source investment opportunities could kill the serendipity of scouting for deals, which can uncover talented entrepreneurs in unsuspecting ways.
From The Wall Street Journal
Then in the 1940s, "serendipity" catapulted it into the big time, says Prof Silhavy.
From BBC
Now YOU come up with a sentence (or fic? or graphic?) that best illustrates the word.
Serendipity (noun)
serendipity [ser-uhn-dip-i-tee]
noun, plural serendipities
1. an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.
2. accidental discovery, or an instance of this: Alton’s premiere novel was a serendipity that affected my thinking in the most positive way.
3. good fortune; luck: What serendipity—she got the first job she applied for!
Other Word Forms
serendipiter noun
serendipitist noun
serendipitous adjective
serendipper noun
Related Words
fluke, happenstance
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
Origin: Serendip + -ity; coined in 1754 by English novelist Horace Walpole ( def. ) for an ability possessed by the heroes of a fairy tale called The Three Princes of Serendip, using a former name for Sri Lanka
Example Sentences
New ideas spring, as if by serendipity, from individuals.
From The Wall Street Journal
“Gen Z wants to connect authentically. They believe in romance. They’re open to serendipity,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times
When you’re just another tourist following a well-trodden itinerary, serendipity is rare, but the Georgian hinterland seems to regularly yield chance happenings.
From The Wall Street Journal
She felt relying heavily on AI to source investment opportunities could kill the serendipity of scouting for deals, which can uncover talented entrepreneurs in unsuspecting ways.
From The Wall Street Journal
Then in the 1940s, "serendipity" catapulted it into the big time, says Prof Silhavy.
From BBC
Now YOU come up with a sentence (or fic? or graphic?) that best illustrates the word.
My Minor Annoyance Of The Day
Jan. 27th, 2026 09:00 pmscalziwhatever_feed
I ordered some Valentine’s themed goods from Michael’s recently, including these heart print champagne flutes. I ordered these because they’re actually made of glass and all other V-Day themed “glasses” I found were actually acrylic, and also way too expensive for plastic fucking cups. How are you going to charge almost ten dollars per “glass” when they’re plastic? Yet these actual glasses were four dollars. Wild.
Anyways, lucky me, two of them arrived shattered:
(Ignore the multiple packs of Liquid Death in the background, I was trying to fit the cans in the fridge. And YES I like Liquid Death, I don’t care if it’s kind of cringe marketing.)
If you follow my dad on Bluesky or Instagram, you might have seen not too long ago he posted that three of the four (much nicer) champagne glasses he ordered arrived completely broken:
Thankfully, he was able to get a refund, but it was genuinely a hassle. My refund for my two much cheaper glasses was a lot easier, and now a whopping seven dollars is back in my bank account.
Look, this post isn’t about getting refunds or being disappointed by broken glasses, it’s about the fact that somebody needs to start a delivery company that specializes in fragile packages and doesn’t just fastball your package at your front door. You can put “fragile” stickers on a package all you want and that mail carrier is still going to treat it like how airline workers treat your three hundred dollar suitcase. Aka NOT GOOD.
I’m serious, if there were a delivery company that guaranteed careful handling and extra care to get your goods to you in one piece, I’d be thrilled. I’m gonna start needing white glove delivery on every single package at this rate because I’m tired of hearing my package sound like a maraca when I bring it inside.
So, there you have it. My minor annoyance of the day. I shall live.
-AMS
The Big Idea: A.C. Wise
Jan. 27th, 2026 05:10 pmscalziwhatever_feed
We’re all just trying to be good people, and sometimes in that journey we make mistakes. Perhaps the same goes for ghosts, as author A. C. Wise suggests in the Big Idea for her newest novel, Ballad of the Bone Road. Fae queens, paranormal detectives, and famous Hollywood ghosts, oh my!
A. C. WISE:
The big idea behind The Ballad of the Bone Road started out as several small ideas. The names Brix and Bellefeather made their way into my head and struck me as the perfect names for a pair of supernatural investigators. Around the same time, the line “When I was twelve years old, I met the Devil in an oak tree,” popped into my head. Finally, misheard song lyrics put the image in my mind of two young lovers in a hotel room summoning a ghost and becoming a throuple.
Those three bits of inspiration may not have happened in that exact order, but they happened close enough to each other that it seemed reasonable to me that they would all be part of the same story. The big idea then became a question – how do these pieces fit together? How do I get all these people in the same place and how best to complicate their lives?
While the original line about meeting the Devil in an oak tree didn’t survive fully intact, I realized it was a fundamental part of Bellefeather’s backstory and why she makes the choices she does throughout the novel. Brix, then, would obviously meet the lovers and get caught up in their haunting, which turns out to be far more complicated than any of them could have anticipated.
My previous two novels, Wendy, Darling and Hooked, are a duology of sorts, inspired by Peter Pan. I wanted Ballad of the Bone Road to be something different, but there are certain themes that carry across all three works, namely characters making bad choices in response to trauma. At their core, the characters in all three novels (with the possible exception of James aka Captain Hook) are mostly trying to be good people and do the right thing, but they make a fair number of missteps along the way. They hurt those around them by holding on too tight or by pushing them away; they let fear drive them until it forces their hands and they discover they know how to be brave.
Ballad of the Bone Road is inspired, to a certain degree, by the glamor of the silver screen, an art deco aesthetic, and stories of the fae that depict them as inhumanly lovely and dangerous in equal measures. There are also ghosts, of course there are ghosts, but what happens when a haunting is accidental and more melancholy than malicious? Instead of driving out their ghosts, what if those experiencing the haunting were doing everything they could to hold on?
Even if the initial ideas may have been small and disparate ones, they all came together in the end, and I’m pleased with the questions the book poses and the ways the characters respond to the situations they find themselves facing. They are flawed and imperfect and human – even when they’re not exactly human – and most of them are just trying to do the best they can.
Ballad of the Bone Road: Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Bookshop|Forbidden Planet|Waterstones
Author socials: Website
Tennis, YA Romance, & More
Jan. 27th, 2026 04:30 pmsmartbitches_feedA Gentleman’s Gentleman
A Gentleman’s Gentleman by TJ Alexander is $1.99! This was featured on Cover Awe. I also recommended this one a couple times during the latest round of quarterly recommendations for After Dark members.
From the acclaimed author of Chef’s Kiss, a groundbreaking trans Regency romance that’s both delightfully witty and refreshingly iconoclastic.
The notoriously eccentric Lord Christopher Eden is a “man of unusual make” and even more unusual habits: he prefers to live as far from the prying eyes and ears of the ton as possible, and would rather have the comfortable company of his childhood cook and his aged butler, Plinkton, than the swarm of servants and hangers-on befitting a man of his station.
But Christopher’s pleasant, if occasionally lonely life is upended when he receives word from his lawyers that, according to his late father’s will, he must find a wife by the end of the Season if he intends to keep his family’s fortune and the Eden’s End estate. Christopher cannot imagine a worse fate: as he isn’t attracted to women, his chances of making a wife happy are slim. Furthermore, if his quest to marry has any hope of succeeding, he must move to London posthaste and acquire some more suitable staff.
Enter James Harding, Christopher’s new, distractingly handsome—if rigidly traditional—valet. After a rocky start, the two strike up a fragile friendship amid the throes of the London Season . . . a friendship that threatens to shatter under the looming shadow of Christopher’s impending nuptials—and the secrets both men are keeping.
With its heady combination of dry wit, slow-burn romance, and a nuanced, complex portrait of trans identity and relationships that’s as relevant now as it was during the Regency era, A Gentleman’s Gentleman stands to transform the historical romance genre as we know it.
Game Point
Game Point by Meg Jones is $1.99! This is a friends to lovers sports romance. It’s also second in the series. Book three is forthcoming in April and I thought it was okay. I will say that the books are interconnected and past main characters make appearances and previous events referenced. It was initially very hard to follow.
A sweet and spicy friends-to-lovers romance set against the backdrop of the Australian Open, from the author of Clean Point.
In the aftermath of Dylan Bailey’s tenth Grand Slam loss, she decides to put her racket away for good. Until a tempting bet from fellow pro Oliver Anderson convinces her to give it one last shot.
If she sticks it out, and still loses the next tournament, she takes home his US Open Trophy, and is free to walk away from the sport forever. To sweeten the deal, Oliver proposes a twist—he’ll swap his racket for a whistle and coach Dylan in the months leading up to the Australian Open.
After all, with the solid friendship they’ve built, surely working together could score a game point.
They just need to keep their eyes on the ball and ignore their sizzling tension.
As Oliver and Dylan navigate the unpredictable court, they rediscover their love for the sport, but the feelings they share could complicate things. With the world watching their every move, they must ensure their partnership stays on-court.
But as the lines between coach and player blur, especially in a sport where every detail is scrutinized, keeping their feelings in check may be their toughest match yet.
Jane Doe
RECOMMENDED: Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone is available for $2.499 at Amazon! Elyse and Sarah jointly reviewed the book and gave it a B+. They thought it was an empowering book, but felt the ending was a bit rushed. Please be warned that this book deals with all forms of abuse and abuse against a child. I’ve also heard other readers recommend the audiobook.
A double life with a single purpose: revenge.
Jane’s days at a Midwest insurance company are perfectly ordinary. She blends in well, unremarkably pretty in her floral-print dresses and extra efficient at her low-level job. She’s just the kind of woman middle manager Steven Hepsworth likes—meek, insecure, and willing to defer to a man. No one has any idea who Jane really is. Least of all Steven.
But plain Jane is hiding something. And Steven’s bringing out the worst in her.
Nothing can distract Jane from going straight for his heart: allowing herself to be seduced into Steven’s bed, to insinuate herself into his career and his family, and to expose all his dirty secrets. It’s time for Jane to dig out everything that matters to Steven. So she can take it all away.
Just as he did to her.
Dating and Dragons
Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce is $1.99! This is book two in the Gaming and Romance series, which skews YA. I also adore these covers. They’re so colorful and fun!
Quinn Norton is starting over at a new high school and hopes that joining a D&D game will be the trick to making friends. The plan sounds even better when she’s invited into a group that includes Logan Weber, the cute and charming guy she met on her first day of class. But this isn’t your average D&D campaign— this group livestreams their games and enforces strict rules: no phones allowed, and no dating other group members.
Quinn is willing to accept the rules, even if it makes Logan off-limits. And she quickly learns that doing so won’t be a problem, since Logan goes from charismatic to insufferable as soon as she agrees to join. As their bickering—and bantering—intensifies inside and outside the game, Quinn can’t help wondering: Is Logan’s infuriating behavior a smokescreen for hidden feelings? Quinn is risking it all, and the twenty-sided dice are rolling!
HaBO: Abusive Stepmother
Jan. 27th, 2026 03:00 pmsmartbitches_feedThis HaBO request is from Shauna. Trigger warning for description below:
Historical Romance; the heroine is being physically abused by her (step?) mother. I think these happened in the same book but I’m not totally sure.
1. She is with her girlfriends trying on a wedding dress at a shop and they see her back is covered in scars. I feel like she didn’t know they were there and everyone just looks at each other?
2. Mom lures her from her wedding to lock her up and beat her. May be delusional? Has male helper, possibly a servant?
3. Brother shows up at the end like oh I had no idea she was this bad. I think the heroine was so used to it she didn’t really tell anyone.
I have no idea how much of this is right but the first scene is what sticks with me the most. Please help so I can sleep at night!
Let’s HaBO!
Hide Your Wallet: January 27th Release Week
Jan. 27th, 2026 08:00 amsmartbitches_feed
Happy Tuesday!
We’re closing out January with these new releases. There’s a new book by Nalini Singh, fantasy romance, and a slow burn romance.
Which new books are you excited for this week? Let us know in the comments!
Dom-Com
Author: Adriana Anders
Released: January 27, 2026 by Forever
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotica/Erotic Romance, Romance
An experienced Dom and a baby sub must keep their kink-lives a secret after discovering they’ve just become office mates and professional rivals in this super-steamy contemporary romcom, perfect for fans of Lana Ferguson and Tessa Bailey.
An irresistible collision of dominance, deadlines, and an extremely inconvenient desire.
All Rae Jensen has to do is walk through the door. Inside the club is everything she’s wanted but was afraid to ask a ridiculously hot, brooding Dom with a sharp jawline, sexy forearms, and a low voice that sends goosebumps along her skin when he says “People here call me the General.” For one night, she can forget the stress and her endless responsibilities . . . and just be a saucy little sub, no questions asked.
It’s been a while since Grant Bowman met someone like Rae. Although he’s an experienced Dom, he doesn’t do newbies, especially ones who are such a sweet distraction. But one night couldn’t possibly hurt—until the General discovers they’ll be working together IRL at his new consulting job. Now what started as control is turning into the kind of chaos that destroys careers. But there’s no safe word for falling in love…
Amanda: Anders’s books always get added to my TBR.
Lara: I enjoyed this book a lot. The sex was hot but not as hot as the tremendous emotional development for both characters.
Enchanting the Fae Queen
Author: Stephanie Burgis
Released: January 27, 2026 by Bramble
Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale Romance, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Series: Queens of Villainy #2
Stephanie Burgis delivers another irreverent, sparkling, and sexy installment in the Queens of Villainy series, where a seductive fae queen meets her unexpected match in the enemy empire’s valiant general.
Queen Lorelei is a notorious fae seductress, with a trail of broken hearts in her wake. But behind her glamorous lifestyle and sparkling mask lurks a dangerously intelligent woman who’d do anything to keep her people safe, including kidnap the empire’s most famous hero.
The virtuous high general Gerard de Moireul represents all that is moral and true. He has to, after his parents were executed for treason. The last thing he needs is the Queen of Balravia, who showers glitter and rainbow-colored sparkles everywhere she goes without the slightest regard for good taste, decorum, or royal dignity.
They’re opposites in every way, but when they’re swept up together in a grand–and deadly–fae tournament, they discover all of each other’s most hidden truths–and how perfectly they might be suited for each other after all.
Book two in the Queens of Villainy series.
The Re-Do List
Author: Denise Williams
Released: January 27, 2026 by Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance
What would you do with a second chance at your first time? Following a bad breakup, Willow Lewis tackles a re-do list with the help of her brother’s best friend in this sweet and sexy new romance from USA Today bestselling author Denise Williams.
Willow experienced all her big firsts with her high school sweetheart. Now, reeling from their very public breakup, she wants to get a re-do on those important moments. While dog-sitting for her brother during his deployment, she has a chance to start over and spending time with his best friend gives her the confidence to start checking items off her “Re-Do list.”
Deacon promised his best friend two things when Cruz left for a that he’d look out for Willow, and that he’d keep his hands off Cruz’s baby sister. “Operation Re-Do” is innocent enough at Deacon likes Willow and he’s willing to help her out any way he can. But when the list of firsts turns from a first dance to first kisses and more, Deacon can’t deny the connection he feels to Willow.
As Deacon’s and Willow’s firsts turn to seconds, thirds, and fourths, this pair can’t get enough of each other—and they support each other through new challenges. But they are both aware there’s an end date to Willow’s time in town… and even if she were to stay, Deacon doesn’t know how to choose between his loyalty to his closest friend and the woman he’s fallen in love with. With no more romantic moments on her list for them to re-do, can these two still find a way to stay together?
A slow burn, friends to lovers contemporary.
Silver & Blood
Author: Jessie Mihalik
Released: January 27, 2026 by Avon
Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale Romance, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Series: Silver & Blood #1
On a deadly mission to kill the mythical beast that has been haunting her woods, a desperate mage finds her fate intertwined with the handsome, powerful man who saves her in this dark and sexy romantasy—perfect for readers of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Callie Hart, and Holly Black.
There’s something in the woods…
When a vicious beast begins attacking her fellow villagers, Riela reluctantly agrees to enter the forbidden forest and kill the monster as she’s the only mage available—or so she thought.
Untrained and barely armed, Riela is quickly overwhelmed when one beast turns into two. She fears her death is at hand until the unexpected arrival of a scarred, strikingly handsome man with gleaming moonlit magic changes her fate—and provides a rare opportunity to learn more about her own fickle power.
After being rescued and healed from the beast’s poison, Riela awakens in a magical castle complete with a gorgeous library, a strange wolf, and the surly man who saved her life. She soon learns Garrick is both more powerful and far deadlier than a mere mortal mage—but thanks to a century-long curse, his powers are weakening.
Trapped in his castle and surrounded by the treacherous woods, the spark of attraction between Riela and Garrick slowly ignites into fiery desire. But the more they discover about Riela’s magic, the more suspicious Garrick grows of her identity. As they unravel the secrets and lies connecting Riela’s past to Garrick’s, the tenuous threads of trust between them start to fray.
Because Riela’s life—or her death—might be the key to regaining everything Garrick has lost.
Amanda: Mihalik is an autobuy for me!
Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead
Author: KJ Parker
Released: January 27, 2026 by Orbit
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Series: The Loyal Opposition #1
From World Fantasy Award-winning author K.J. Parker comes a devilishly clever tale of murder, intrigue, and existential crisis.
Not even the Church of the Invincible Sun is invincible – and somebody has to do its dirty work. Enter Sister Svangerd and her accompanying priest, both first-rate practitioners. Their mission is simple: to make a meddlesome princess disappear (permanently).
To get to her, they must attend the legendary Ecumenical Council, the once-in-a-century convening of the greatest spiritual minds the world has to offer. But when they arrive, they find instead a den of villainy that would make the most hardened criminal blush.
To complicate matters further, it appears that some people who were definitely grim reapered might be not quite dead after all. What began as a little assassination is about to escalate into a theological debate with terrifying consequences for everyone.
Amanda: I haven’t read anything by Parker before, but this one sounds interesting.
Such a Perfect Family
Author: Nalini Singh
Released: January 27, 2026 by Berkley
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
A man with a deadly past marries into the perfect, most respectable family in this riveting thriller from New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh. . . .
A woman buried.
A woman broken.
A woman crashed.
A woman burned.
And the man who knew them all.
Love at first sight, a whirlwind Vegas wedding, a fairy-tale romance.
For forty-three days, Tavish Advani has been the happiest man in the world—until his new life turns to ash, his wealthy in-laws’ house going up in a fiery explosion. His badly injured wife lies in a coma, her family all but annihilated.
Tavish thought he’d left the sins of his Los Angeles life behind, but it’s not so easy to leave behind an investigation into the deaths of several high-profile women—all of whom he’d professed to love. Tragedy and death follow him no matter where he goes . . . but this time, he knows he’s truly innocent.
Desperately trying to clear his name as the authorities zero in, Tavish begins his own investigation into the fire—and learns that his wife’s picture-perfect family may have been nothing but a meticulously constructed mirage. The truth is much darker than anything Tavish could’ve imagined.
Nalini Singh has a new thriller out!
Trailbreaker
Author: Ruthie Knox
Released: January 27, 2026 by Amazon Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Mystery/Thriller
Series: Prairie Nightingale #2
Suspicions that a serial killer is terrorizing a pristine tourist spot draw a single mom and budding private investigator into a twisting and deepening mystery of secrets and murder.
Single mom and newly minted private investigator Prairie Nightingale has opened the doors of her Green Bay, Wisconsin, agency and is ready for work. She and her crew aren’t quite prepared for their first client, though: Bernie Dubicki, a notorious online journalist and not—altogether—reliable provocateur, who claims the idyllic vacation destination of nearby Door County is home to a serial killer.
She’s pinpointed four seemingly unrelated deaths that haven’t raised suspicions for anyone else. But when a college student vanishes, Bernie’s sizable retainer convinces Prairie to help connect the dots. And trusted, flirty FBI agent Foster Rosemare thinks Bernie might be onto something. Prairie never expected her first investigation to be so big—like Dateline big—but she does have an inquiring mind and a knack for seeing things no one else can.
In this case she’ll have to look deep—not only into the secrets of strangers, but into Door County’s woods—to solve a mystery decades in the making.
Sarah: The sequel to Homemaker, which I really enjoyed! This one has potential flirtation with the FBI agent from book one, and a possible serial killer in Door County.
Want to Read Everything We Said about Heated Rivalry on the Podcast?
Jan. 26th, 2026 10:50 pmsmartbitches_feed
The transcript for Podcast 702. Heated Rivalry with Candy Tan has been posted!
This podcast transcript was handcrafted with meticulous skill by Garlic Knitter. Many thanks.
❤ Click here to subscribe to The Podcast →
Excellent – there’s a transcript for that!
The Best Lunch Deal Around: Amar India North Restaurant
Jan. 26th, 2026 09:49 pmscalziwhatever_feedSo often I write about extravagant, expensive dinners and specialty dining events, but today I’m here to tell you of an absolutely banging bargain lunch.
I love Indian food, but it’s scarce to come by in my area. The closest establishment to me is Amar India Restaurant, and it’s actually its north location in Vandalia rather than its original location in Centerville, which is considerably further south from me.
Amar India North has a lunch menu that starts out at a mere ten dollars, and only goes up to about fifteen dollars if you get one of the more expensive dishes like the lamb curry. There’s also chicken curry, chicken tikka masala, I think a fish curry, and the one I always get, saag paneer.
Once you pick your main, it comes with rice, naan, their vegetable of the day, and a small dessert. This is what the saag paneer platter looks like:
Two pieces of plain naan, rice, a big ol’ portion of saag paneer, pointed gourd as the vegetable of the day, and two jalebi for the dessert. I have had this platter three times and each time the vegetable has been different, but never the dessert, which is a shame because I’d love to try some of their other desserts, especially the kulfi and Gulab jamun.
It may not look like much saag paneer but I can assure you it’s a generous portion size for the price. I’m pretty sure the saag paneer platter in particular is thirteen dollars, plus I always get a mango lassi, which is $4.50, so in total I’m spending less than twenty dollars for a very filling and very delicious lunch! I truly think this is such a good deal and you get to support a local business.
I know the Centerville location used to have a lunch buffet. I don’t know if they still do but I’d like to make it down there sometime soon to see for myself. There’s also a Beavercreek location under the name Jeet India Restaurant, so I’ll have to check that out next time I’m in the area.
I just had this meal on Friday but now I’m already craving it again after telling y’all about it. Especially the mango lassi, I really could drink a gallon of that stuff.
Oh, and while you’re at Amar North, they just opened an Indian grocery store right next to the restaurant called Anand Indian Grocery. I popped in there on my latest visit to the restaurant and they have a huge selection of items, including specialty produce and cooking ingredients like ghee and tons of spices, plus the biggest bags of rice you’ve ever seen.
They also have tons of fun and unique snacks and sweets, and even ice cream flavors I’ve never heard of.
If you’re in the Dayton area, I highly recommend making it out to Amar North for their lunch special sometime this week. It’s between the hours of 11am and 2pm. I think I’ll go again tomorrow for a nice solo lunch.
Do you recommend any lunch specials in the Dayton area? Are you also a big saag paneer fan? Let me know in the comments, and have a great day!
-AMS
The Travel Gods Demanded a Sacrifice
Jan. 26th, 2026 09:47 pmscalziwhatever_feed
I was away this weekend visiting a friend and seeing a concert, and my return home was delayed a day because of the weekend snowstorm. Heading back, I managed to avoid the crash on the I-70 that closed all the eastbound lanes of the interstate, but as you see, that luck came at a price: Immediately upon returning home my boots de-soled. The travel gods, apparently, needed a sacrifice.
These boots, as it happens, are nearly twenty years old, so the sacrifice was reasonable. It wasn’t like I had just gotten these shoes. In fact, the fact they were twenty years old was probably why they became a sacrifice; after two decades, the glue had clearly desiccated into nothingness. I can’t complain. I got good value out of these boots. The travel gods may take them to Shoehalla with my blessing.
In other news, I need new boots; there’s a ton of snow on the ground and my Sketchers are not gonna handle that. A-shoppin’ I will go.
— JS
Contemporary Romance, a Mystery, & More
Jan. 26th, 2026 04:30 pmsmartbitches_feedThe Bookshop Below
The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers is $2.99! This released in November and was mentioned on Hide Your Wallet.
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…
Force of Nature
Force of Nature by Jane Harper is $2.99! It’s the second book in the Aaron Falk series, though it works fine as a self-contained story.
Five women reluctantly pick up their backpacks and start walking along a muddy track.
Only four come out on the other side.
The hike through the rugged Giralang Ranges is meant to take the office colleagues out of their air-conditioned comfort zone and encourage teamwork and resilience. At least, that’s what the corporate retreat website advertises.
Federal Police investigator Aaron Falk has a keen interest in the whereabouts of the missing hiker, Alice Russell. Because Alice knew secrets, about the company she worked for and the people she worked with.
The four returning women tell Falk a tale of fear, violence and fractured trust during their days in the remote Australian bushland. And as Falk delves into the disappearance of Alice, he begins to suspect some dangers ran far deeper than anyone knew.
The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie
The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Linden is $1.99! This feels like it’d be a good fit for lovers of Heather Webber and Sarah Addison Allen with its mix of women’s fiction, magical realism, and food.
An uplifting novel about a heartbroken young pie maker who is granted a magical second chance to live the life she didn’t choose. . . . from the bestselling author of The Enlightenment of Bees.
Lolly Blanchard’s life only seems to give her lemons. Ten years ago, after her mother’s tragic death, she broke up with her first love and abandoned her dream of opening a restaurant in order to keep her family’s struggling Seattle diner afloat and care for her younger sister and grieving father. Now, a decade later, she dutifully whips up the diner’s famous lemon meringue pies each morning while still pining for all she’s lost.
As Lolly’s thirty-third birthday approaches, her quirky great-aunt gives her a mysterious gift–three lemon drops, each of which allows her to live a single day in a life that might have been hers. What if her mom hadn’t passed away? What if she had opened her own restaurant in England? What if she hadn’t broken up with the only man she’s ever loved? Surprising and empowering, each experience helps Lolly let go of her regrets and realize the key to transforming her life lies not in redoing her past but in having the courage to embrace her present.
Slow Burn Summer
Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver is $1.99! This released over the summer and Lara was really excited about the premise. Have you read this one?
A talent agent hires an actress to play the part of “novelist” on a book tour for his agency’s publicity-shy client
She’s playing the part of romance author, but has she found her own real life love story?
Talent agent Charlie Francisco has three problems: a divorce that ended his screenwriting career, a business he never planned to inherit, and a take-your-breath-away romance novel whose author wants nothing to do with its publication. The book is a surefire hit, if only his agency can find someone to “play” author on its summer book tour.
Enter Kate Elliott, a former soap actress who’s miraculously right for the part at the very moment her life seems to be going all wrong. Kate is still recovering from her own divorce and Charlie’s job offer is a lifeline. She agrees to the pretense for all interviews, signings, and appearances surrounding the novel’s publication. But she can’t know who really wrote the remarkable story—the one so beautiful it’s made her believe in love again.
When Kate and Charlie meet they’re all friction and sparks—the one thing they have in common is they’re determined to play their respective parts. But as the summer heat ups and the lies get bigger and bigger, can they stick to their lines . . . or will they go off-script?