I sort of threw myself head-first into reading in August. It was a rough month for various reasons, and books turned out to be a great place to hide. I was able to channel a lot of rage and frustration into Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone, an incredibly timely (and entertaining!) thriller about a sociopathic woman getting revenge on a man who definitely deserves it. Meanwhile, the Obama-Biden bromance mystery Hope Never Dies by Andrew Shaffer was a wonderful and funny reminder of when we had kindness and competence in the White House. Despite its noir tone and hints of melancholy, it was basically like a hug from “Uncle Joe” Biden. And historical romances by KJ Charles are always a good bet, because they reflect England as it was, not as most white Regency and Victorian authors imagine it to be. Unfit to Print features a British Indian lawyer as a protagonist and deals with Victorian pornography and sex work—and it’s just a damn good romantic mystery!

The reading rundown:
Like Never And Always by Ann Aguirre (young adult, mystery/thriller)
Unfit to Print by KJ Charles (historical LGBT romance, mystery)
Ararat by Christopher Golden (horror)
A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert (contemporary romance)
Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan (new adult contemporary romance, TW for extensive scenes of domestic violence)
Hope Never Dies by Andrew Shaffer (mystery/thriller)
Only For a Night by Naima Simone (erotic romance)
Only For You by Naima Simone (erotic romance)
The Broken Girls by Simone St. James (mystery, gothic horror)
Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone (thriller, suspense)
Viking Flame by Holley Trent (paranormal romance, erotic romance)

On the TBR:
Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali
It Takes Two by Jenny Holiday
The Matchmaker’s List by Sonya Lalli
Mr. Hotshot CEO by Jackie Lau
Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy
Witchmark by C.L. Polk
Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse